cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bringing digital mental health to where it is needed most.

Mental health technologies, such as apps, clinical texting, social media platforms and web-based tools, have arrived. Channelling these resources to help people with serious mental illnesses, clinicians in need of support, and people in low-and middle-income countries will have the most impact on the global burden of mental illness.
Haidt’s social intuitionist model: What are the implications for accounting ethics education?

Abstract Kohlberg’s theory of cognitive moral development has dominated ethics research for the past 50 years ( Lapsley & Hill, 2008 ). The prominence of this theory, which focuses on moral reasoning, has brought mixed results (O’Fallon & Butterfield, 2005). The research provides an indication that not all dimensions of ethical decision-making are captured (Christensen, Cote, & Latham, 2016) and has led to a paradigm shift from moral reasoning to intuition ( Maxwell & Narvaez, 2013 ). We introduce Haidt’s (2001) social intuitionist model (SIM) as a new approach to understanding how moral judgments are made, i.e., quickly and intuitively. Then, we explore the applicability of the SIM using an ethical case in five different accounting courses. The results of our study provide a means of improving ethics education in accounting by allowing students to exercise their intuition as the initial stage of the decision-making process.
Abstract 1682: Combined treatment of aldose reductase inhibitor, fidarestat, and anti-PD1 antibodies synergistically prevents T cell- and NK cell-mediated colon cancer growth in murine models

Immune checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-programmed death 1 (PD1) and anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies though have great potential for cancer immunotherapy, the acquired drug resistance and unwanted immune side effects limit their use. However, the combination therapy using conventional drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors not only synergistically increase anti-tumor responses but it also reduces immune-associated adverse events. In our earlier studies, we have shown that inhibition of polyol pathway enzyme, aldose reductase (AR) prevents colon cancer growth and metastasis in culture as well as in mouse models. In this study, we investigated whether fidarestat, a potent AR inhibitor that has already gone through Phase-III clinical trial for diabetic neuropathy and found to safe for human use, can synergize with anti PD-1 to increase antitumor activity and decrease immune-associated adverse effects. Mice bearing syngeneic CT26 colon carcinoma tumors were treated with anti PD-1 alone or in combination with fidarestat, and the tumor growth was monitored. Our results indicate that fidarestat in combination with anti-PD1 synergistically increases tumor regression within 28 days of treatment. Further, a combination of fidarestat and anti-PD1 significantly increased the CD8+ T cells and natural killer (NK) cells and decreased the Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) at tumor milieu. Fidarestat plus anti-PD1 also increased CD8+ T cell and NK cell effector functions as determined by IFNg and granzyme B. Systemically, combination therapy also increased the number of CD8+ T cells and NK cells and decreased MDSCs in the mouse spleens. Further, the effector functions of CD8+ T cells and NK cells were increased with the combination treatment in mice spleens. Moreover, the levels of various inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the serum and liver were significantly less in fidarestat plus anti-PD1 -treated mice as compared to anti-PD1 alone -treated mice indicating that fidarestat rescues immune-mediated adverse events in various organs. Thus, our results suggest that by regulating the number as well as effector function of CD8+ T cells, NK cells and MDSCs, AR inhibitor in combination with anti-PD1 would not only regress the tumor growth but would also provide a long-lasting specific immunity against colon cancer, which would decrease the chances of tumor recurrence. Citation Format: Ashish Saxena, Himangshu Sonowal, Satish K. Srivastava, Kota V. Ramana. Combined treatment of aldose reductase inhibitor, fidarestat, and anti-PD1 antibodies synergistically prevents T cell- and NK cell-mediated colon cancer growth in murine models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1682.
A 290MV Ultra-Low Voltage One-Port SRAM Compiler Design Using a 12T Write Contention and Read Upset Free Bit-Cell in 7NM FinFET Technology

In this work, we present an ultra-low voltage SRAM compiler targeting small to medium array sizes to provide a smaller area solution compared to conventional 6T -based SRAMs. A 12T write contention and read upset free bit-cell is used in the design. Array architecture employs a read-modify-write scheme to support bit-write masking and column multiplexing. Built-in-self-test (BIST) and synchronous write-through (SWT) options are also supported to provide testability features while power management (PM) option is included to provide low-leakage sleep and shut-down modes. Proposed design is fabricated in 7nm FinFET technology and achieves lowest reported Vmin of 290mV in this technology.
Aphorisms and Fragments

This chapter’s aim is to explore various views on the relation of the aphoristic and fragmentary form to philosophy: what philosophical purpose does this form serve? What is the philosophy behind the use of the aphoristic form (what specific content about the world, human psychology, and so on is communicated implicitly by the use of this form)? What is the meta-philosophy behind its use (what view about philosophy specifically informs the use of the aphoristic form)? Can aphorisms or fragments be organized to form an integrated philosophical whole? The chapter focuses on the exemplary case of Nietzsche’s use of fragments and aphorisms.
Fetal repair of surgically-created gastroschisis in a lamb model may improve postnatal feeding tolerance and intestinal motility: a pilot study.

Abstract Background Gastroschisis remains a morbid and costly congenital defect, predominantly owing to sequelae of intestinal dysmotility and malabsorption. Although fetal surgical repair has been demonstrated in a lamb model, it is unclear whether this improves intestinal motility and feeding tolerance. Methods Fetuses from five time-mated ewes (Ovis aries) underwent defect creation at gestational age (GA) 76–80 days. The experimental group underwent in utero repair of gastroschisis at GA 99–100. The positive control group underwent postnatal repair of at time of cesarean section at GA 139–141. On day of birth, lambs were fed barium sulfate, followed by ad lib colostrum/milk. Lambs were monitored for up to 72 h to determine feeding tolerance and duration of time for complete passage of barium through the gastrointestinal tract. Results Eight fetuses underwent gastroschisis defect creation and five survived to birth. Of the three lambs repaired at birth, one required resection of necrotic bowel and two had significant intestinal stricture at the abdominal wall defect and did not tolerate feeding. Of the two lambs repaired in utero, one tolerated feeding normally without complications and one had a small intestine atresia preventing normal feeding. Conclusion Fetal repair of gastroschisis may improve postnatal intestinal motility resulting in feeding tolerance at birth. Study type Prospective comparative study. Level of evidence Level II.
Bloch-band picture for light-pulse atom diffraction and interferometry

An experimental validation of a Bloch-band picture for the analysis of Bragg diffraction in an atom interferometer with Bose-Einstein condensates is presented. Based on this picture, a method to determine atomic band structure in an optical lattice is demonstrated.
Torque-Density Improvement in Brushless Doubly-Fed Reluctance Machines Using Additional Stator Winding

Brushless doubly-fed machine (BDFM) is an attractive option for megawatt-scale wind-energy generation and electrified transportation due to its partially-rated power converter, reduced maintenance, and absence of permanent magnets. However, BDFMs have inherently poor torque density because of under-utilized machine magnetics in terms of achievable peak air-gap flux density that drastically offsets all the benefits. This paper proposes to use an additional electrical port to better utilize the machine magnetics through interaction of multiple spatial airgap harmonics that lead to additional torque production. Using FEA, the performance of the proposed motor is analyzed and compared with that of a BDFM with two electrical ports to highlight the merits of the proposed design. With the addition and appropriate excitation of the extra stator winding, torque is improved by 26% as compared to a conventional BDFM.
Learning Outcomes From Lecture and an Online Module in the Family Medicine Clerkship.

Background and objectives With younger generations of learners and readily available technology, medical educators are challenged to include active learning methods that may be better for student learning than traditional lecture. Some of these methods, like online modules, can also reduce the demands on clerkship faculty time. We examined how content delivered via interactive, online module compared to traditional lecture for student learning and satisfaction. Methods Third-year family medicine clerkship students completed questionnaires following either an online module or lecture on orofacial pain. We conducted the study over four consecutive rotations, alternating who received the content via classroom lecture or interactive online module. Students completed a questionnaire comprised of six multiple-choice knowledge questions, five questions with a clinical vignette format to assess application of knowledge, and six questions to assess satisfaction with elements of the course. The Centers of Excellence in Pain Education developed the online module and questionnaire. Results We found no differences in knowledge between the in-person lecture and the online module. However, students who completed the online module performed better on the application questions. Students in the lecture group reported greater satisfaction with the course than students in the online group. Conclusions Lecture resulted in adequate knowledge recall, but the interactive method resulted in better scores on applying knowledge to new situations. Providing an online module where students can practice applying knowledge is important for higher levels of learning, but it should be noted that satisfaction ratings may decline.
Chapter 13 – Brain tumors

Publisher Summary Brain neoplasms are sometimes seen in cases referred to the medical examiner, and they generally result into the following circumstances: sudden unexpected death, diagnostic failure (oversight), therapeutic misadventure, failure to recognize postoperative complications, and patient's refusal of therapy, among other unusual special situations. Some tumors are incidental findings such as small meningiomas, lipomas, and subependymomas. The incidence of the types of brain tumors encountered, in our experience, is probably not much different from that of published large series of the past. Though all forms of primary gliomas have been seen, meningiomas and metastatic neoplasms are more frequent. Most of the remaining tumors are encountered uncommonly. Other than genetic risk, etiologies of brain neoplasms remain controversial. Individuals from all walks of life and occupations, including white collar, health professions, farming, mining, and manufacturing have claimed being placed at risk for brain tumor, presumably by exposure to some carcinogen or carcinogenic factor in individual circumstances. An excess of brain tumors has been also alleged in persons exposed to environmental factors such as electromagnetic fields of various sources. Brain tumors discovered following head trauma and diagnostic X-rays generate recurring claims of causal relationships. As to trauma predisposing to meningioma, strict criteria for acceptance of a possible causal relationship have been stipulated. Less controversial is the possible relationship of brain tumors arising within the target field of therapeutic x-irradiation.
BITEWING DOSIMETRY OF 3-DIMENSIONAL INTRAORAL TOMOSYNTHESIS DENTAL X-RAY IMAGING SYSTEM

Background There is substantial evidence for a cumulative dose-related response to ionizing radiation in the form of cancer development years after initial exposure. Therefore, this study focused on effective dose, a quantity with direct correlations to biologic risk from dental x-ray exposures. Objective The purpose of this study was to measure doses and to calculate the effective doses (E) resulting from exposure parameters that are used for stationary intraoral tomosynthesis (s-IOT) and conventional imaging for adult posterior bitewing examinations of the dentition. Additionally, this study sought to evaluate the effect of sensor attenuation on patient dose. Materials and Methods To meet these aims, a human tissue equivalent adult phantom and optically stimulated luminescent (Landauer, Inc., Glenwood, IL) dosimeters were used to measure dose produced during simulated posterior bitewing examinations (n = 4). Optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters were used to measure x-ray dose at 24 head and neck tissue/organ sites of interest. Dosimetry was acquired by using a tissue equivalent phantom simulating the anatomy of an average adult male (AtomMax Model 711 HN,CIRS Inc., Norfolk, VA). Exposure parameters used were 70 kV/7 mA (0.7 mAs) and 0.12 mAs for s-IOT and conventional (KaVo FOCUS, Charlotte, NC), respectively. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s HSD (“honest significant difference”) statistics on dose were utilized to demonstrate significant data relationships. Results Effective dose by modality (μSv) Modality Dose (μSv) Rectangular Conventional with Sensor 1.1 Rectangular Conventional without sensor 4.6 s-IOT with sensor 5.9 s-IOT without sensor 11.9 Circular Conventional with sensor 8.2 Circular Conventional without sensor 15.7 Sensor-present doses were significantly lower than sensor-absent for all modalities (P = .0001). Significant differences in E were found for all modality combinations with the exception of s-IOT sensor-present modalities vs conventional rectangular sensor-absent modalities (P = .0482). Discussion Unadjusted s-IOT dose was 26% less than conventional-circular exposures and 61% greater than conventional-rectangular for sensor-absent exposures. Unadjusted sensor-present s-IOT dose was 28% less than conventional-circular exposures and 81% greater than conventional-rectangular exposures. Despite a 4-fold increase in mAs for s-IOT imaging compared with conventional imaging, E from s-IOT imaging was at least 26% less than the current most commonly implemented bitewing technique, conventional-circular, while providing substantially greater diagnostic yield in the form of 3-dimensional (3-D) information.
Identifying pathfinder elements for gold in bulk-rock geochemical data from the Cripple Creek Au–Te deposit: a statistical approach

The Cripple Creek alkaline igneous rock-related, low-sulfidation epithermal gold telluride deposit, Colorado, is hosted in the 10 km wide Oligocene alkaline volcanic Cripple Creek diatreme in Proterozoic rocks. Gold occurs as native gold, Au-tellurides, and in the structure of arsenian pyrite, in potassically altered high-grade veins, and as disseminations in the host rocks. Correlation coefficients, principal component analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis and random forests were used to analyse major and trace element compositions of 995 rock samples primarily from low-grade gold mineralization in drill core from three currently operating pits (Wild Horse Extension, Globe Hill and Schist Island) in the northwestern part of the Cripple Creek diatreme. These methods suggest that Ag, As, Bi, Te and W are the best pathfinders to gold mineralization in low-grade disseminated ore. Although Mo correlates with gold in other studies and is spatially related to gold veins, molybdenite post-dated the formation of gold and is likely related to a late-stage porphyry overprint. These elements, in conjunction with mineralogical studies, indicate that tellurides, fluorite, quartz, carbonates, roscoelite, tennantite-tetrahedrite, pyrite, sphalerite, muscovite, monazite, bastnasite and hubnerite serve as exploration guides to ore.
Original ContributionsChlorzoxazone pharmacokinetics as a marker of hepatic cytochrome P4502E1 in humans

Objective: Previous in vitro studies have demonstrated that hepatic P4502E1 metabolizes chlorzoxazone (CZX, a commonly used muscle relaxant) to 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone (6-OH-CZX). We thus assessed whether measurement of the plasma 6-OH-CZX/CZX ratio after a CZX challenge could serve as a marker of hepatic P4502E1 content. Methods: Three subject groups were included: recently drinking alcoholics (N = 6), abstinent alcoholics (N = 5), and nonalcoholic subjects with liver disease (N = 5) undergoing liver biopsy. Excess tissue was procured for immunochemical determination of hepatic P4502E1 content. Within an hour of the biopsy, 750 mg CZX was administered orally and serial plasma samples were collected for 6 h. Results: Recently drinking alcoholic subjects had a higher area under the curve for plasma 6-OH-CZX (1.354 ± 0.258 μg · min · ml−1) then abstinent alcoholic subjects (0.296 ± 0.080 μg · min · ml−1, p < 0.005) and subjects with nonalcoholic liver disease (0.428 ± 0.061 μg · min · ml−1, p < 0.005). The use of the plasma 6-OH-CZX/CZX ratio at 90, 120, and 180 min discriminated between recently drinking alcoholic and nondrinking subjects. Hepatic P4502E1 content significantly correlated with the maximal 6-OH-CZX concentration (r = 0.76, p = 0.001) and other pharmacokinetic parameters. In the recently drinking group, the area under the curve for plasma 6-OH-CZX significantly decreased after 8 days of abstinence. Conclusions: Measurement of plasma 6-OH-CZX after administration of a CZX challenge can serve as a marker of hepatic P4502E1 activity and thus help avoid adverse drug reactions secondary to P4502E1 induction, particularly in heavy drinkers.
Asymptotic Observables and the Swampland

We show that constraints on scalar field potentials and towers of light massive states in asymptotic limits of scalar field space (as posited by the de Sitter Conjecture and the Swampland Distance Conjecture, respectively) are correlated with the prospects for defining asymptotic observables in expanding FRW cosmologies. The observations of a "census taker" in an eternally inflating cosmology are further related to the question of whether certain domain walls satisfy a version of the Weak Gravity Conjecture. This suggests that answers to fundamental questions about asymptotic observables in cosmology could help shed light on the Swampland program, and vice versa.
Benjamin-Ono Soliton Dynamics in a slowly varying potential revisited

The Benjamin Ono equation with a slowly varying potential is $$ \text{(pBO)} \qquad u_t + (Hu_x-Vu + \tfrac12 u^2)_x=0 $$ with $V(x)=W(hx)$, $0 0$ are parameters. For initial condition $u_0(x)$ to (pBO) close to $Q_{0,1}(x)$, it was shown in a previous work by Z. Zhang that the solution $u(x,t)$ to (pBO) remains close to $Q_{a(t),c(t)}(x)$ and approximate parameter dynamics for $(a,c)$ were provided, on a dynamically relevant time scale. In this paper, we prove exact $(a,c)$ parameter dynamics. This is achieved using the basic framework of the previous work by Z. Zhang but adding a local virial estimate for the linearization of (pBO) around the soliton. This is a local-in-space estimate averaged in time, often called a local smoothing estimate, showing that effectively the remainder function in the perturbation analysis is smaller near the soliton than globally in space. A weaker version of this estimate is proved in a paper by Kenig & Martel as part of a ``linear Liouville'' result, and we have adapted and extended their proof for our application.
Kobe Bryant: Consent and the Carceral Shadow of a Life Incomplete

Kobe Bryant is now in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He entered in what is perhaps the most decorated Hall of Fame class in the history of the institution. Among the events that inform how athletes and other public figures are perceived are off-court activities and events. On the last day of June 2003, Kobe Bryant had a sexual encounter with a young woman in his suite in a Colorado resort. What resulted from that encounter was part sports spectacle, part legal proceedings, and all public privacy. Legal decisions and actions of an NBA African American icon-under-construction became a part of news coverage for nearly 2 years. This coverage was the onset of Kobe’s “carceral shadow.” W.E.B. Du Bois (1899:254, 249) suggested that, “Crime comes either in spite of intelligence or as a result of misdirected intelligence under severe economic and moral strain… We must add to this the influences of social position and connections in procuring whites pardons or lighter sentences.” That young Colorado woman accused Kobe of sexual assault. Graphic accounts and other evidence presented in the court of public opinion led to a large payment to the alleged victim which ended the civil suit and the legal process. Despite the absence of a trial and conviction, one can understand Kobe through the lens of a carceral citizenship. Similar circumstances—on mere allegation alone—often led to the lynching death of many Black men throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Kobe’s carceral shadow followed him from that day forward through an arc of post-non-trial redemption. In this work, I consider these themes in relation to Kobe’s iconic “life incomplete.”
Dependence of the density of states outer measure on the potential for deterministic Schrödinger operators on graphs with applications to ergodic and random models

Abstract We prove quantitative bounds on the dependence of the density of states on the potential function for discrete, deterministic Schrodinger operators on infinite graphs. While previous results were limited to random Schrodinger operators with independent, identically distributed potentials, this paper develops a deterministic framework, which is applicable to Schrodinger operators independent of the specific nature of the potential. Following ideas by Bourgain and Klein, we consider the density of states outer measure (DOSoM), which is well defined for all (deterministic) Schrodinger operators. We explicitly quantify the dependence of the DOSoM on the potential by proving a modulus of continuity in the l ∞ -norm. The specific modulus of continuity so obtained reflects the geometry of the underlying graph at infinity. For the special case of Schrodinger operators on Z d , this implies the Lipschitz continuity of the DOSoM with respect to the potential. For Schrodinger operators on the Bethe lattice, we obtain log-Holder dependence of the DOSoM on the potential. As an important consequence of our deterministic framework, we obtain a modulus of continuity for the density of states measure (DOSm) of ergodic Schrodinger operators in the underlying potential sampling function. Finally, we recover previous results for random Schrodinger operators on the dependence of the DOSm on the single-site probability measure by formulating this problem in the ergodic framework using the quantile function associated with the random potential.
Homocysteine-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress activates FGF21 via CREBH, resulting in browning and atrophy of white adipose tissue in Bhmt knockout mice.

Betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) catalyzes the transfer of methyl-groups from betaine to homocysteine (Hcy) producing methionine and dimethylgycine. In this work, we characterize Bhmt wildtype (WT) and knockout (KO) mice that were fully backcrossed to a C57Bl6/J background. Consistent with our previous findings, Bhmt KO mice had decreased body weight, fat mass and adipose tissue weight compared to WT. Histological analyses and gene expression profiling indicate that adipose browning was activated in KO mice and contributed to the adipose atrophy observed. BHMT is not expressed in adipose tissue but is abundant in liver, thus, a signal must be originating from the liver that modulates adipose tissue. We found that, in Bhmt KO mice, homocysteine-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, with activation of hepatic transcription factor cyclin AMP response element binding protein (CREBH), mediated an increase in hepatic and plasma concentrations of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), which is known to induce adipose browning. CREBH binds to the promoter regions of FGF21 to activate its expression. Taken together, our data indicate that deletion of a single gene in one-carbon metabolism modifies adipose biology and energy metabolism. It would be interesting to determine whether people with functional polymorphisms in BHMT exhibit a similar adipose atrophy phenotype.
Purinergic GPCR transmembrane residues involved in ligand recognition and dimerization.

Abstract We compare the GPCR-ligand interactions and highlight important residues for recognition in purinergic receptors—from both X-ray crystallographic and cryo-EM structures. These include A1 and A2A adenosine receptors, and P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptors that respond to ADP and other nucleotides. These receptors are important drug discovery targets for immune, metabolic and nervous system disorders. In most cases, orthosteric ligands are represented, except for one allosteric P2Y1 antagonist. This review catalogs the residues and regions that engage in contacts with ligands or with other GPCR protomers in dimeric forms. Residues that are in proximity to bound ligands within purinergic GPCR families are correlated. There is extensive conservation of recognition motifs between adenosine receptors, but the P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptors are each structurally distinct in their ligand recognition. Identifying common interaction features for ligand recognition within a receptor class that has multiple structures available can aid in the drug discovery process.
Regulation of Cell Migration

The regulation of cell migration is critical for development and normal cell function. Migration is often activated at critical times and in specific cell populations to regulate key biological processes including development, wound healing, and immunity. Cells migrate over short or long distances, as part of normal developmental programs, and in response to stress or damage. Conversely, suppression of cell migration is necessary to maintain epithelial and endothelial barriers and to maintain organ architecture. Aberrant regulation of cell migration can result in developmental defects and pathological conditions including metastasis, the spread of cancer cells throughout the body. Consequently, migration is heavily regulated at multiple steps in the migratory process, with elaborate signaling pathways exerting effects on dynamic cytoskeletal structures, and the breaking and re-forming of contacts between cells and their extracellular environment.
Growth analyses of oat lines with low and high groat-oil content.

A considerable increase in groat-oil content of oat (Avena sativa L.) has been accomplished recently. The objective of this study was to determine whether physiological traits of oat plants with high groat-oil content are changed in a way that would provide the energy needed for increased groat-oil content. Growth analyses were conducted in 1987 and 1988 on 25 oat lines with low and on 25 with high groat-oil content. Three harvests were made in 1987 and six in 1988. Plot biomass, plant weight, leaf area, and leaf weight were measured at each harvest and estimates for relative crop growth rate, unit leaf area, leaf area ratio, specific leaf area, and leaf weight ratio were derived. Grain yield, groat-oil content, and groat-protein content were measured at maturity. The data were analysed by using the stepwise multivariate analysis of variance technique. The results suggest that changes in growth characteristics and increases in photosynthetic capacity provide the extra bioenergy required for synthesis of more groat oil. The groat-protein content did not change as a result of increased groat-oil content in oat.
Introduction to Searching with Regular Expressions

The explosive rate of information growth and availability often makes it increasingly difficult to locate information pertinent to your needs. These problems are often compounded when keyword based search methodologies are not adequate for describing the information you seek. In many instances, information such as Web site URLs, phone numbers, etc. can often be better identified through the use of a textual pattern than by keyword. For example, many more phone numbers could be picked up by a search for the pattern (XXX) XXX-XXXX, where X could be any digit, than would be by a search for any specific phone number (i.e. the keyword approach). Programming languages typically allow for the matching of textual patterns via the usage of regular expressions. This tutorial will provide an introduction to the basics of programming regular expressions as well as provide an introduction to how regular expressions can be applied to data processing tasks such as information extraction and search refinement.
Asymptotically Optimal Planning by Feasible Kinodynamic Planning in a State–Cost Space

This paper presents an equivalence between feasible kinodynamic planning and optimal kinodynamic planning, in that any optimal planning problem can be transformed into a series of feasible planning problems in a state–cost space, whose solutions approach the optimum. This transformation yields a meta-algorithm that produces an asymptotically optimal planner, given any feasible kinodynamic planner as a subroutine. The meta-algorithm is proven to be asymptotically optimal and a formula is derived relating expected running time and solution suboptimality. It is directly applicable to a wide range of optimal planning problems because it does not resort to the use of steering functions or numerical boundary-value problem solvers. On a set of benchmark problems, it is demonstrated to perform, using the expansive space tree (EST) and rapidly-exploring random tree (RRT) algorithms as subroutines, at a level that is superior or comparable to related planners.
Diel habitat partitioning by bull charr and cutthroat trout during fall and winter in Rocky Mountain streams

We used underwater observation to determine diel habitat partitioning between bull charr, Salvelinus confluentus, and cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarki, during fall and winter (0.1‐8.3C) in two Rocky Mountain streams that differed in habitat availability. The majority (> 70%) of both species emerged from concealment cover at night, though bull charr exhibited a greater tendency for nocturnal behavior than cutthroat trout. Differences in day and night counts were most pronounced at temperatures< 3C, when very few fish of either species were observed in the water column during the day, but both species were common at night. Both species used concealment cover of large woody debris and boulder substrate crevices in deep pools during the day. At night, fish emerged from cover and habitat use shifted to shallow water with low cover. Microhabitat partitioning among species and size classes occurred at night, cutthroat trout moving into shallower, faster water that was farther from cover compared to bull charr. Smaller fish of both species occupied focal positions in slower, shallower water closer to the substrate than larger fish. Large, mixed-species aggregations also were common in beaver ponds both day and night. High variation in diel and site-specific winter habitat use suggests the need for caution in developing habitat suitability criteria for salmonids based solely on daytime observations or on observations from a few sites. Our results support the need to incorporate nocturnal habitat use and partitioning in studies of salmonid ecology.
Ferromagnesian silicate abundances in bronzite chondrites as determined by the Mössbauer effect

Abstract The Mossbauer effect in 57 Fe was used to investigate iron minerals in meteorites. The ratio of olivine iron to pyroxene iron (calculated from the absorption intensities and the recoilless fractions) was found to be 1.6 ± 0.2 for the bronzite chondrites Collescipoli, Ochansk, and Oakley. The relative amounts of iron in olivine and pyroxene may be combined with the electron microprobe analyses of iron and magnesium in the separate minerals to obtain the number of formula units of pyroxene relative to olivine in an unseparated meteorite sample. The similar abundance ratios of pyroxene to olivine indicate that these meteorites were derived from a common parent ferromagnesian silicate reservoir. For each meteorite, the FeO content of the olivine-pyroxene system is given as calculated from the MgO content of the chemical analysis, the ratio of magnesium to iron in each silicate, and the relative amounts of iron in olivine and pyroxene.
Endothelin regulation of adrenal function.

SUMMARY 1. The goal of the present review is to recount the evidence that endothelin (ET) has a significant influence on the peripheral sympathetic nervous system by regulating the function of the adrenal medulla. 2. The presence of an active ET system in the adrenal medulla has been clearly demonstrated. Endothelin protein, mRNA, binding sites and ET-converting enzyme have been identified in adrenal tissue and medullary chromaffin cells, suggesting that this peptide may contribute to the regulation of adrenal medullary function. 3. Studies investigating the function of ET in the adrenal gland have demonstrated that ET has a stimulatory effect on the adrenal medulla. Endothelin elicits an increase in catecholamine release from perfused intact adrenal glands as well as from cultured chromaffin cells. This effect has been shown to be mediated by ETA and ETB receptors. 4. The mechanism by which ET causes an increase in catecholamine release from the adrenal medulla appears to be independent of cholinergic activation of chromaffin cells. Endothelin has been shown to act directly at chromaffin cells to increase intracellular calcium, which results in catecholamine release. 5. Endothelin can indirectly affect catecholamine release by its effect on adrenal blood flow. Studies indicate that ET has both vasoconstrictor and vasodilator effects in the adrenal gland, which suggests a role for ET in the regulation of adrenal blood flow. Endothelin has also been proposed to participate in the selective contraction of the adrenomedullary veins, which enhances the discharge of catecholamines from the adrenal gland during activation.
Repetition and comprehension of spoken sentences by reading-disabled children

The language problems of reading-disabled elementary school children are not confined to written language alone. These children often exhibit problems of ordered recall of verbal materials that are equally severe whether the materials are presented in printed or in spoken form. Sentences that pose problems of pronoun reference might be expected to place a special burden on short-term memory because close grammatical relationships obtain between words that are distant from one another. With this logic in mind, third-grade children with specific reading disability and classmates matched for age and IQ were tested on five sentence types, each of which poses a problem in assigning pronoun reference. On one occasion the children were tested for comprehension of the sentences by a forced-choice picture verification task. On a later occasion they received the same sentences as a repetition test. Good and poor readers differed significantly in immediate recall of the reflexive sentences, but not in comprehension of them as assessed by picture choice. It was suggested that the pictures provided cues which lightened the memory load, a possibility that could explain why the poor readers were not demonstrably inferior in comprehension of the sentences even though they made significantly more errors than the good readers in recalling them.
Melt elasticity of low density polyethylene

The stress vs strain and strain recovery characteristics of a series of low density polyethylenes of various molecular size and molecular size distributions have been studied in the melt state. The results show that the high molecular size portion of the molecular size distribution dominates the stress vs strain behavior. The high molecular size component causes a large increase in the stress overshoot and steady state stress. The high molecular size component also has a strong influence on the magnitude of recoverable strain, The strain recovery characteristics are dependent on the amount of strain applied. For large strains (above the yield point) the strain recovers slowly to a large extent (Type I). For applied strains below the yield point the strain recovery is rapid and finished in a short period of time (Type II).
Current misuse of the factorial methods

Papers involving factorial methods appearing in current literature often misuse factorial methods. These meaningless results are reached because of neglect of certain conditions basic to factor theory. The conditions are:
Functional consequences of age-related morphologic changes in pyramidal neurons of the rhesus monkey prefrontal cortex

In normal aging, neocortical pyramidal neuron dendrites and dendritic spines undergo significant changes [1,2], often with concomitant physiological changes. In layer 3 of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of the rhesus monkey, aged pyramidal neurons have a significantly higher input resistance and higher action potential (AP) firing rates in vitro compared to young neurons [3]. Our multidimensional approach combines whole-cell patch clamp recording, confocal microscopy, 3D digital reconstruction, and computational modeling to explore structure/function relationships. We now have a unique database of electrophysiological recordings, morphologic reconstructions, and compartment models from six young and six aged layer 3 pyramidal neurons from the rhesus monkey PFC. As in prior studies [4], the length of individual dendritic branches were significantly shorter in aged than in young neurons, with fewer dendritic spines. These morphological changes significantly reduced the somatofugal and somatopetal dendritic voltage attenuation in aged versus young model neurons. However, they were insufficient to account for the increase in input resistance observed in vitro, even after including synaptic background activity constrained by cell-specific total spine number. This suggests that specific membrane resistance (Rm) is higher on average in aged neurons. Using our recently developed model [5], we conducted a systematic sampling of the parameter space of Hodgkin-Huxley maximal conductances for each of the twelve model neurons, to fit firing rates of each model to the mean young and aged rates recorded empirically. In both age groups, some model neurons had several good fits to empirical data, while others had no good fits; there was no difference in the number of best-fit parameter sets from young and aged models. When the same conductance parameters were applied to all models, the mean firing rates of young and aged model neurons did not differ. This result also held when different values of Rm were applied to each age group, and when a wider array of voltage- and calcium-gated ion channels were included. Overall these simulations predict that age-related morphologic differences do affect dendritic signal integration, but do not account for changes in neuronal excitability observed in in vitro recordings. Our modeling suggests that morphology, passive cable properties, and active channel conductances could trade off against one another, constraining neuronal excitability within a certain range for each age group. Even so, we predict that the membrane resistance and active channel conductances of PFC pyramidal cells are changed with aging. Such predictions begin to reveal how networks comprising these neurons may function differently in young and aged animals.
The role of hydrologic processes and geomorphology on the morphology and evolution of sediment clusters in gravel-bed rivers

Abstract The effect of geomorphic features and hydraulic conditions on the formation, evolution, and morphology of sediment cluster microforms in an unregulated gravel-bed stream were investigated at field sites on the Entiat River, which drains the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains in central Washington state, USA. Sediment clusters were marked, described, and photographed before and after a series of moderate to high discharges over an 18-month period to quantify the evolution of the cluster morphologies. Individual sediment particles were tracked to calculate the range of flows and bed shear stresses that maintain and destroy clusters. Examination of geomorphic settings, channel morphology, and particle size distributions documented the conditions that favor cluster formation. The investigation tested the hypotheses that clusters in this environment delay sediment entrainment and that their morphology and evolution follow a predictable evolution similar to that found in laboratory studies. Clusters formed on gravel bars adjacent to riffles with slopes ≥ 1%, poor to moderate sorting, and mean and maximum particle size values 1.5 times greater than those associated with noncluster bars. Clusters were more stable under the bimodal sediment size distribution contributed by a tributary alluvial fan and were destroyed with and without anchor clast mobilization at sites where sediment size was more uniform. The six cluster morphologies identified in the field were similar to those in flume studies, but did not follow the same evolutionary cycle over multiple flow events. This contrast was attributed to the flow events resetting the cluster cycle, leading to a high percentage of upstream triangles. The dimensionless critical shear stress required to entrain the mean grain size ranged from 0.06 to 0.08. The hydraulic thresholds and geomorphic features that result in stable vs. mobilized cluster microforms in this setting can serve as a model for regulated rivers and restoration projects aimed at sustaining instream flows to maintain natural sediment transport conditions.
Modification of Na channel inactivation by α-chymotrypsin in single cardiac myocytes

The effects of α-chymotrypsin and trypsin on the macroscopic Na current in isolated guinea pig ventricular myocytes at 16 ° C were investigated using the whole-cell voltage-clamp technique. Intracellular application of both enzymes reduced the extent of Na current inactivation during 20- to 50-ms depolarizing pulses. Elimination of fast inactivation by α-chymotrypsin was accompanied by a slowing of the rate of Na current decay through changes in both the time constants of current decay and the proportions of current undergoing a fast vs slow rate of decay. Treatment that reduced Na current decay to ⩽ 10 % within 20 ms was accompanied by a hyperpolarizing shift of the Na conductance/voltage relationship and an increase in the time-to-peak current that was most prominent for small depolarizations. Evidence for a significant slow inactivation process was obtained following removal of fast inactivation. The effect of trypsin (0.15–0.3 mg/ml) was less specific than α-chymotrypsin in that it also reduced Na conductance and increased leak current.
Anisotropic superconducting and magnetic properties of a single crystal of ErRh4B4

The magnetic response of a single crystal of the tetragonal compound ErRh/sub 4/B/sub 4/ in c-bar (hard) and a-bar (easy) directions is presented. Great differences are found in the magnetic and superconducting behavior between the two crystallographic orientations. This anisotropy naturally separates the bare superconducting properties of ErRh/sub 4/B/sub 4/ from those affected by magnetism. Along the a-bar axis evidence is found for a first-order phase transition at H/sub c/2 for T< or approx. =3 K. Below T/sub c/2 the data reconcile the discrepancy between the measured ferromagnetic moment per erbium atom by neutron scattering and by Moessbauer effect.
Electrophysiologic effects of amiodarone: Experimental and clinical observation relative to serum and tissue drug concentrations

Abstract Oral amiodarone is a potent antiarrhythmic agent with a slow onset of action. Its electrophysiologic properties following chronic administration are well known, but its acute electrophysiologic actions are poorly defined. The objectives of the present study were to correlate the electrophysiologic actions of intravenous amiodarone in humans with the acute and chronic effects of the drug relative to plasma and tissue concentrations of the drug. In humans (n = 10), 5 mg/kg intravenous amiodarone (serum concentration 6.50 ± 3.34 μg/ml at 10 minutes; 2.13 ± 0.71 μg/ml at 20 minutes, n = 7) increased the AH interval by 16.4% (p
Photoelectrons as a tool to evaluate spectral variations in solar EUV irradiance over solar cycle timescales

[1] There is limited information about the relative magnitude of the spectral variations in the ionizing component of solar irradiance on solar cycle timescales. We found that the Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere, Energetics, and Dynamics (TIMED)/Solar Extreme Ultraviolet Experiment (SEE) Version 9 irradiance values predict relatively more ionospheric heating at solar minimum than those from Version 8. These changes have direct impacts on solar cycle timescale variations in ionospheric and thermospheric energy inputs derived from them. Photoelectron observations from the Fast Auroral Snapshot (FAST) satellite obtained from 2002 to 2008 are used with solar irradiance data, photoelectron flux models, and models of solar irradiance to examine the solar cycle variations of irradiance in the 4–27 nm range derived from the XPS sensor in the TIMED/SEE instrument suite. Good (±50%) agreement is found between daily photoelectron observations and model predictions. The largest differences between observed and modeled fluxes are in the 4–10 nm range, where the Fast Auroral Snapshot data show that the SEE Version 9 irradiances are systematically low. Our analysis suggests that variation on solar cycle timescales in the TIMED/SEE Version 9 and Flare Irradiance Spectral Model irradiance derived from them are systematically low in the 18–27 nm region. Because of uncertainties in the absolute value of the observed photoelectron fluxes and solar irradiances, differences between observed and modeled photoelectron fluxes are not sufficient to determine more exactly the magnitude of variation on solar cycle timescales of solar irradiance in the 4–27 nm region. These suggestions can be confirmed by higher spectral resolution observations that will be made on the Solar Dynamics Observatory mission.
Validation of Finite Difference Boundary Condition Models for Solid Mechanics Applications

Five basic finite difference boundary condition models are validated using a process that embeds the boundary conditions in a larger problem with a known solution. The boundary conditions validated are: 1) fixed boundaries, 2) straight boundaries, 3) 90 deg re-entrant (concave) corners, 4) curved boundaries.