cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Range Image Registration Based on Circular Features

Range sensing technology allows the photo-realistic modeling of large-scale scenes, such as urban structures. A major bottleneck in the process of 3D scene acquisition is the automated registration of a large number of geometrically complex 3D range scans in a common frame of reference. The generated 3D representations, after automated registration, are useful for urban planning, historical preservation, or virtual reality applications. Man-made urban scenes provide an abundance of linear features that can be used for the solution of the problem. Many scenes though require the utilization of non-linear primitives. This paper provides a solution of the registration problem based on the robust detection and matching of circular features from the range data sets. We present results from experiments with complex range scans from the interior of a large-scale landmark urban structure (Grand Central Terminal, NYC), where traditional methods would fail. This work is part of a larger range registration system that is based on extracted features of multiple geometric types.
Geometrical control of the ratio of intensity and phase scintillation indices

Abstract Early observations of complex-signal scintillation revealed a sizeable difference in the ratio of the intensity scintillation index, S4, to the phase scintillation index, σφ, when measured at mid-latitude, auroral-zone, and equatorial stations. The differences observed between auroral and equatorial stations receiving a beacon signal from a polar-orbiting satellite have now been found to persist, for non-saturated values of S4. The phase-screen theory for production of scintillation is employed in this paper to identify four factors that control the S 4 σ φ ratio, and the behavior of two of them is explored for models describing both sheetlike and rodlike plasma-density irregularities. The analysis permits rejection of the effects of static diffraction by field-aligned irregularities (whether rodlike or sheetlike) as the factor controlling the different behaviours observed. It is shown, on the other hand, that geometrical control of the effective outer scale imposed by detrend filtering in the presence of highly anisotropic irregularities can readily explain the observed behavior. Such effects arise in virtually all experiments and radio systems operating in the presence of a power-law spectrum with a very large outer scale, and they are important in controlling the relationship between phase and intensity scintillation.
Cost-effectiveness evaluation: A case study of an innovative program in higher education

This article reviews the cost-effectiveness evaluation component of a project that was undertaken to design and implement an instructional model for providing graduate programs to adults employed full time and residing in remote locations. Through the project, alternative instructional delivery models were compared with respect to costs in achieving program outcomes. The paper reviews the study in the context of a cost-effectiveness evaluation model suggested by Lent (1979) in a previous articles in this series. The processes, conditions, outcomes, and difficulties of each phase of the study are discussed in the sequence presented by Lent: (a) preparing for and establishing conditions of the study, (b) identifying alternatives, (c) designing the costeffectiveness comparison, (d) determining costs, (e) determining outcomes, and (f) assembling and reporting the findings. A final section of the paper discusses the benefits and problems associated with cost-effectiveness evaluation.
Formation and behavior of composite CO2 hydrate particles in a high-pressure water tunnel facility

Abstract Sinking CO 2 composite particles consisting of seawater, liquid CO 2 , and CO 2 hydrate were produced by a coaxial flow injector fed with liquid CO 2 and artificial seawater. The particles were injected into a high-pressure water tunnel facility to permit determination of their settling velocities and dissolution rates. Injections were performed at fixed pressures approximately equivalent to 1200-m, 1500-m, and 1800-m depths and at temperatures varying from approximately 2 to 5 °C. Immediately after injection, the cylindrical particles were observed to break away from the injector tip and often aggregated into sinking clusters. The seawater flow in the tunnel was then adjusted in a countercurrent flow mode to suspend the particles in an observation window so that images of the particles could be recorded for later analysis. The flow would often break or cause rearrangement of some of the clusters. Selected individual particles and some clusters were studied until they became too hydrodynamically unstable to follow. In general, the flow required to suspend clusters or individual particles decreased with time as the particles dissolved. For example, one particle was produced and observed for over 6 min at an average pressure of 15.022 MPa and an average temperature of 5.1 °C. Its sinking rate, determined from the flow required for stabilization, changed from 37.2 to 3.3 mm/s over this time. Particle sinking rates were compared to correlations from the literature for uniform cylindrical objects. Reasonable agreement was observed for short times; however, the observed decrease in sinking velocity with time was greater than that predicted by the correlations for longer times. Particle dissolution rates, based on changes in diameter, were also determined and varied from 5 to 11 μ m / s . A pseudo-homogeneous mass transfer model was used to predict single-particle dissolution rates. Good agreement was achieved between experimental dissolution data and the modeling results.
Agreement and meaning: rethinking consensus analysis.

Abstract This study provides a critical perspective on “informant agreement (consensus) analysis” as it is used in ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology. It recasts the concept at a higher cultural level, and it describes the cultural agreement about reported medicinal plant use for the native peoples of North America. It examines some plant use categories around which there is significant cross cultural agreement, and some categories which lack such agreement. The study then proposes a theoretical approach to understanding the efficacy of plants lacking significant consensus in their usage. The study considers the implications of this second form of efficacy defined here as the “meaning response”, but often referred to as the “placebo effect”.
Homogeneous aqueous oxidation of organic molecules by Oxone® and catalysis by a water-soluble manganese porphyrin complex

Abstract Peroxymonosulfate (KHSO 5 ) oxidizes a wide variety of water-soluble organic molecules in aqueous solutions, and the reactions are generally more rapid in phosphate buffer (pH 6–7) than in pure water. A water-soluble porphyrin complex, meso -tetrakis(4-N-methylpyridyl)porphyrinatomanganese(III) chloride, catalyzes epoxidation and hydroxylation under neutral pH conditions.
Autoimmunity through cytokine-induced dendritic cell activation.

We propose a model where autoimmunity can be viewed as a dynamic system driven by opposite vectors IFN-α/β and TNF. These cytokines drive differentiation of distinct types of DCs, TNF-DCs, or IFN-DCs, which present different antigens leading to distinct autoimmune responses. When balanced, both cytokines synergize in protective immunity. When one of the cytokines prevails, autoimmunity occurs, Type I interferons (IFN-α/β) playing a major role in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and TNF playing a major role in rheumatoid arthritis. This model complements the Type 1/Type 2 paradigm. Therefore, immunity can be viewed as a dynamic system driven by two sets of opposite vectors: IFN-α/β/TNF and IFN-γ/IL-4.
Factors That Influence Radiologists' Career Choices

Abstract Rationale and Objectives The authors performed this study to examine the factors, particularly the modifiable factors, that influence the career choices of radiologists immediately after graduation from residency and later. Materials and Methods A survey was sent to 119 radiologists who had graduated from a large academic training program between 1981 and 2000. The graduates were asked to classify their first job and any subsequent jobs in academic radiology or private practice and to identify the reasons for their initial job choices and any job changes. A nested cohort study was performed to evaluate the effect of research experience on career choice. Results Seventy-nine (66%) graduates responded to the survey. Forty-three (54%) of the respondents had chosen academic positions as their first jobs. Those who had published during their residency were 26.4 times more likely to choose an academic position as a first job. Twenty-four graduates had since left their academic jobs for private practice. Although the discrepancy in financial rewards between academic radiology and private practice was the main reason for the job switch in 71% of these cases, 33% of the respondents cited difficulty with research as a reason. In addition, only 25% of current academic radiologists were satisfied with their research activities. Conclusion An exodus from academic radiology to private practice is evident among graduates from this large academic residency program, with greater financial reward being the primary motivation. However, a positive research experience during residency could persuade more graduates to choose and to continue in an academic career.
Synthesis of Antiproliferative Cephalotaxus Esters and Their Evaluation against Several Human Hematopoietic and Solid Tumor Cell Lines: Uncovering Differential Susceptibilities to Multidrug Resistance

Deoxyharringtonine (2), homoharringtonine (3), homodeoxyharringtonine (4), and anhydroharringtonine (5) are reported to be among the most potent members of the antileukemia alkaloids isolated from the Cephalotaxus genus. Convergent syntheses of these four natural products are described, each involving novel synthetic methods and strategies. These syntheses enabled evaluation of several advanced natural and non-natural compounds against an array of human hematopoietic and solid tumor cells. Potent cytotoxicity was observed in several cell lines previously not challenged with these alkaloids. Variations in the structure of the ester chain within this family of alkaloids confer differing activity profiles against vincristine-resistant HL-60/RV+, signalling new avenues for molecular design of these natural products to combat multi-drug resistance.
An Approach to Communication Theory: Toward Consensus on Rules

Communication is an activity which gains meaning and significance from consensually shared rules. What is transmitted in communication is structure or information, but not all experiences from which we extract information are communication experiences. Communication requires in addition that at least two individuals attempt to take one another into account by developing and utilizing communication rules to guide and constitute the significance of their communicative acts. These rules guide choices made in decoding and encoding messages. The rules’ components are indications (1) of where they apply and (2) of what action or choice they stipulate. The rules are social, human creations subject to change and recreation. As a discipline, communication should make explication of such rules a central concern, for they knit together into a coherent whole insights from transaction, coorientation, symbolic action, and cybernetics.
Deuterated palladium at temperatures from 4.3 to 400 K and pressures to 105 kbar: Search for cold fusion

We have studied a sample of deuterated palladium at pressures up to 105 kbar and temperatures from 4.3 to 400 K in an effort to detect cold fusion. A [D]/[Pd] concentration of 1.34\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1 was achieved. No evidence of cold fusion was found with a limit of 2.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}18}$ fusions (DD pair${)}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ ${\mathrm{s}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ from neutron detection and 1.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}8}$ fusions (DD pair${)}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ ${\mathrm{s}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ from detection of possible heating; a \ensuremath{\gamma}-ray detector showed no evidence of \ensuremath{\gamma} rays differing from background.
Parasympathetic Tonic Dilatory Influences on Cerebral Vessels

Parasympathetic nerves from the pterygopalatine ganglia may participate in development of cluster headaches, in vascular responses to hypertension and in modulation of damage due to stroke. Stimulation of the nerves elicits cerebral vasodilatation, but it is not known if the nerves tonically influence cerebrovascular tone. We hypothesized that parasympathetics provide a tonic vasodilator influence and tested that hypothesis by measuring cerebral blood flow in anesthetized rats before and after removal of a pterygopalatine ganglion. Ganglion removal led to reduced cerebral blood flow without changing blood pressure. Thus, parasympathetic nerves provide tonic vasodilatory input to cerebral blood vessels.
The biocatalytic conversion of 8-hydroxymanzamine A to manzamine A

The selective dehydroxylation of 8-hydroxymanzamine A (1) to form manzamine A (2) can be completed by fermentation with Fusarium solani or Streptomyces seokies. This unique biocatalytic conversion is important due to the fact that manzamine A has more desirable biological activity when assayed in a murine model against malaria.
Development and validation of a locus of control scale for the entrepreneurship domain

Locus of control has been extensively examined in entrepreneurship research, but with mixed results. This may be due to measurement issues, such as the widespread use of Rotter’s (1966) general locus of control scale, which is not domain specific. Not surprisingly, Rotter’s scale has been shown to be multidimensional, including personal efficacy. When the first Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics (PSED I) was constructed in the late 1990s, a measure of locus of control was included. Unfortunately, this scale was also multidimensional. Thus, measurement of the construct may be problematic. Because locus of control continues to be important in organizational research, where it has been found to influence intentions, motivation, satisfaction, and performance, we examined the PSED I dataset to determine whether we could develop a more robust measure after the fact. To this end, we constructed a unidimensional locus of control scale using the sample of nascent entrepreneurs in the PSED I dataset and validated the scale using two additional samples.
Sealing of pits and fissures with an adhesive resin: its use in caries prevention

A clinical study to determine the effectiveness of an enamel adhesive in protecting pits and fissures from dental decay indicated that the technic has potential as a caries-preventive measure. The adhesive resin can be strongly bonded to enamel surfaces for comparatively long periods.
A NOVEL REAGENT MODULATES CN/CX43 INTERACTIONS DURING THE PROGRESSION OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

age-dependent decline of the chaperones-assisted mechanisms is thought to contribute to proteostasis diseases, including amyloidoses. Clusterin is a chaperone implicated in the processing of misfolded and aggregated extracellular proteins, with a mechanism involving a preferential binding to the hydrophobic regions exposed on early oligomeric assemblies, regardless of their identity. Clusterin also binds Ab1-40 oligomers, providing a molecular basis for the genetic link between clusterin and Alzheimer’s disease. The binding of clusterin may prevent Ab oligomers toxicity by facilitating their proteolysis and/or improving their degradation and/or rendering oligomers less toxic by shielding of hydrophobic patches. This study focus on the effects of clusterin on toxic Ab1-42 oligomers and on the kinetics of Ab1-42 fibril formation. Methods: Fibril formation and elongation was followed by in-situ Thioflavin-T (ThT) kinetic experiments. Toxic oligomers, and their formation, were detected by two assays recently developed in our labs (Stravalaci et al., JBC, 2012), i.e. a Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR)-based immunoassay and a new behavioural assay in C. elegans. For these studies, we used synthetic Ab 1-42, produced in home using the "depsi-peptide" technique (Beeg et al. Anal Biochem 2011), which reliably produces seed-free starting solutions, a fundamental prerequisite for analysis with highly aggregating peptides. Results: SPR studies indicated: i) a direct and high-affinity interaction of clusterin with toxic A b 1-42 oligomers; ii) a decrease of oligomers-dependent signal when clusterin was added to preformed assemblies; and iii) an inhibition of oligomer formation, when clusterin was co-incubated with A b 1-42 monomers. This latter effect was confirmed by studies in C. elegans, showing that the co-incubation with clusterin prevents the formation of toxic A b 1-42 assemblies. ThT experiments indicated that clusterin dose-dependently increases the lag-phase for fibril formation, possibly because of its interaction with early oligomeric species. Conclusions: Overall, these data show that clusterin prevents the formation and induces the disaggregation of toxic A b 1-42 oligomers, and delay the formation of A b 1-42 fibrils. These effects are likely due to the high affinity binding of clusterin to A b 1-42 oligomers.
Molecular modeling approach to understanding the mode of action of L-nucleosides as antiviral agents.

A series of unnatural l-nucleosides such as 3TC, FTC and l-FMAU have been found to be potent antiviral agents. The mode of action of l-nucleosides has been found to be similar to that of d-nucleosides as antiviral agents, despite their unnatural stereochemistry, that is, nucleotide formation by kinases followed by interaction with the reverse transcriptase (RT) of HIV or DNA polymerase. To date, the mode of action of nucleoside inhibitors at the molecular level with respect to the active conformations of the 5′-triphosphates as well as the interaction with the RT is not known. Recently, the X-ray crystal structure of the RT-DNA-dTTP catalytic complex has been reported. Computer modeling has been performed for several pairs of d- and l-nucleoside inhibitors using the HIV-1 RT model and crystal coordinate data from a subset of the protein surrounding the deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) binding pocket region. Results from our modeling studies of d-/l-zidovudine, d-/l-3TC, d-/l-dideoxycytosine triphosphates, dTTP and dCTP show that their binding energies correlate with the reported 50% effective concentrations. Modeling results are also discussed with respect to favorable conformations of each inhibitor at the dNTP site in the polymerization process. Additionally, the clinically important M184V mutation, which confers resistance against 3TC and FTC, was studied with our modeling system. The binding energy patterns of nucleoside inhibitors at the M184V mutation site correlate with the reported antiviral data.
On Isolation of Real and Nearly Real Zeros of a Univariate Polynomial and Its Splitting into Factors

We show two simple algorithms for isolation of the real and nearly real zeros of a univariate polynomial, as well as of those zeros that lie on or near a fixed circle on the complex plane. We also simplify slightly approximation of complex zeros of a polynomial with real coefficients.
Annotated index and bibliography of the calcareous nannoplankton III

Abstract This annotated index of 581 entries includes modern and fossil calcareous nannoplankton taxa of all levels, in addition to those appearing in the earlier index and supplements. Some 320 are new entries, 198 of which are valid and 122 invalid. The bibliography of 290 entries includes all references cited in the index to taxa, and additional publications concerning all phases of calcareous nannoplankton studies that have appeared since the previous indices.
Writer's workbench analysis of holistically scored essays

In 1981, Colorado State University, through the efforts of Kathleen Kiefer and Charles Smith, began to adapt Bell Laboratory's Writer's Workbench (WWB) programs for use in college composition classes (Kiefer and Smith, 1983, 1984; Smith and Kiefer, 1983). After using the Bell Laboratory's Writer's Workbench in composition courses for three years with over 6,000 Colorado State University students, we wanted to determine to what degree the fifteen WWB programs--including the relatively sophisticated STYLE program--could measure essay quality. The only research to date correlating the WWB programs to essay quality is in an unpublished report comparing the WWB STYLE program to holistically scored essays (King and Spring, 1982). Since CSU annually places 3000 students into composition courses based on holistically scored essays, we decided to run all the WWB programs on a selected sample of
Real-time Infinite Horizon Linear-Quadratic Tracking Controller for Vibration Quenching in Flexible Beams

It is well known that the infinite horizon linear-quadratic tracking problem does not have a solution in the strict sense because in general the performance index is infinite. Additional computational difficulties arise for applications where real-time computations are needed. However, for applications where the reference signal is generated by an asymptotically stable system, then the problem has an optimal solution. In the present paper a methodology that can be used to design real-time infinite horizon linear-quadratic tracking controllers for vibration quenching in flexible beams is presented. A numerical example is included to illustrate the effectiveness of the method.
Effects of lithium nitrate admixture on early-age cement hydration

Abstract Although the benefits of lithium admixtures for mitigation of alkali–silica reaction (ASR) have been well documented, the potential ancillary effects of lithium compounds on cement and concrete remain largely uncharacterized. To examine the effects of the most common lithium admixture — lithium nitrate — on early-age behavior, the admixture was introduced at dosages of 0% to 400% of the recommended dosage to six cements of varying composition and to a cement-fly ash blend. Behavior was examined by isothermal calorimetry and measurements of chemical shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage, and setting time. Results indicate that lithium nitrate accelerates the early hydration of most cements but may retard hydration after 24 h. In the lowest alkali cement tested, set times were shortened in the presence of lithium nitrate by 15–22%. Higher dosages appeared to increase autogenous shrinkage after 40 days. The replacement of cement by Class F fly ash at 20% by weight appeared to diminish the early acceleration effects, but later hydration retardation and autogenous shrinkage were still observed.
Formic Acid Adsorption on Anatase TiO2(001)−(1 × 4) Thin Films Studied by NC-AFM and STM†

Atomic resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM), X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), and formic acid adsorption experiments were used to characterize the (001) surface of anatase TiO2. A combination of NC-AFM and STM imaging was used to distinguish features due to geometrical and electronic effects. The contrast in images of the bare (1 × 4) surface and the formate-covered surface is dominated by the surface topography in both NC-AFM and STM, although electronic effects in the troughs contribute features to the STM images that are absent from NC-AFM images. High-resolution imaging by STM and NC-AFM revealed that the highest point of the ridge of the (1 × 4) structure consists of a single row of atoms. Formate adsorbs at under-coordinated Ti sites in the added rows with a minimum separation of 2a0 and never adsorbs in the trenches even though the trenches also likely expose under-coordinated Ti atoms. The stickin...
Species specificity of methyl ketone profiles in the skin lipids of female garter snakes, genus Thamnophis

Abstract One of the relatively few vertebrate pheromones to be chemically identified, the female sex pheromone of the red-sided garter snake ( Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis ) is a series of saturated and monounsaturated methyl ketones contained within female skin lipids. During the breeding season, this pheromone is responsible for eliciting male courtship behaviors and males are able to utilize pheromonal variation to discriminate among females. While the pheromone system of the red-sided garter snake has been the subject of many studies, relatively little is known about the pheromone systems of other garter snakes. Through chemical analyses, we demonstrate that female skin lipids of the red-spotted garter snake ( Thamnophis sirtalis concinnus ), northwestern garter snake ( Thamnophis ordinoides ), and plains garter snake ( Thamnophis radix ) contain similar methyl ketones. The methyl ketone profiles of these snakes differ qualitatively from one another and from the methyl ketone profiles of red-sided garter snakes with differences particularly pronounced between sympatric species. Our results provide evidence that the use of methyl ketones in sexual signaling may be ubiquitous for Thamnophis species and suggest that these compounds could play a role in reproductive isolation between species in this genus.
An algorithm and its role in the study of optimal graph realizations of distance matrices

The algorithm we present is a natural next step to well-known algorithms for finding optimal graph realizations of tree-realizable distance matrices. It is based on the fact, which we prove first, that the quest for optimal realizations of nontree-realizable distance matrices can be narrowed to a proper subclass D∗ of the class D of all such matrices. The matrices in D∗ are those which satisfy the following condition: for each pair of indices {h, i}, there is another pair {j, k} such that the submatrix 〈{h, i, j, k}〉 is nontree-realizable. Given an arbitrary distance matrix D in D, the algorithm associates to D a matrix D∗ in the subclass D∗, whose optimal realization, if known, easily yields the optimal realization of D. The practical usefulness of this algorithm is underscored by a growing number of distance matrices whose optimal realizations are known [4, 7]. Time and space requirements of the algorithm are also discussed.
ETL's transportable lower troposphere ozone lidar and its applications in air quality studies

A transportable ground-based differential absorption lidar specifically designed for ozone and aerosol profiling in the lower troposphere was developed at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Environmental Technology Laboratory (NOAA/ETL). The NOAA/ETL ozone lidar has the unique capability of measuring vertical profiles of ozone concentration from near the surface up to 3 km, and measuring vertical profiles of aerosol from the surface to about 10 km. The innovative hardware design and improved signal processing techniques make the system efficient, compact, and easily transportable. A recently implemented 2D scanning system provides the capability of measuring ozone concentrations and aerosol in a vertical plane. The lidar has been deployed in seven field experiments in California, Illinois, and Boulder, Colorado since summer 1993. Lidar observations of vertical profiles of ozone concentrations and ozone advection fluxes in Southern California during high ozone season revealed interesting structures of ozone distributions in the Los Angeles urban area, and near the Cajon Pass which is a major corridor of ozone transport from Los Angeles to the Mojave Desert.
Risk factors for congenital cytomegalovirus infection in the offspring of young women: exposure to young children and recent onset of sexual activity.

OBJECTIVE. Two recognized sources of maternal cytomegalovirus infection are young children and sexual activity. Previous studies evaluated either maternal exposures to young children or sexual activity, but these studies did not evaluate whether both of these maternal cytomegalovirus sources contribute to increases in congenital cytomegalovirus infections within populations with a high prevalence of infection among women of childbearing age. Our objective with this study was to investigate whether maternal cytomegalovirus exposure through young children and by sexual activity increases the risk for congenital cytomegalovirus infection in their offspring. METHODS. A case-control study of 519 women from a delivery population in Birmingham, AL, between December 1992 and July 1998 was undertaken to measure the association between maternal cytomegalovirus exposures and an increased risk for congenital cytomegalovirus infection in their infants. Routine newborn cytomegalovirus screening at the hospital identified infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection. The cases (n = 150) were women who delivered an infant with congenital cytomegalovirus infection, and the control subjects (n = 369) were randomly selected from the delivery population of women whose newborns were uninfected. Investigation of exposures included using a standardized maternal interview, prenatal and medical chart abstraction, and laboratory confirmation of cytomegalovirus infection. RESULTS. Significant associations between congenital cytomegalovirus infection and caring for preschool children in the year before delivery, onset of sexual activity 3 people, and maternal age CONCLUSIONS. Caring for young children and recent onset of sexual activity contribute to an increased risk for congenital cytomegalovirus infection in the offspring of young women.
The reaction of chlorotetrafluorophosphorane with trimethylamine

Abstract The reaction of chlorotetrafluorophosphorane with trimethylamine affords a 1:1 Lewis acid-base complex of composition ClF 4 P·NMe 3 . It has been established by 1 H and 19 F NMR spectroscopy that the Cl and Me 3 N ligands occupy mutually trans positions in a locally octahedral geometry around phosphorus.
The urinary excretion of DOPA (dihydroxyphenylalanine) in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Abstract Urinary excretion of dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), dopamine and noradrenaline was studied in 36 patients with acute myocardial infarction. The group included 18 patients with uncomplicated myocardial infarction and 18 patients with infarction complicated by heart failure and/or cardiac arrhythmias. Two patients died during hospitalization. The excretion of DOPA was higher in patients with myocardial infarction than in the control group. The increase was greater in uncomplicated infarction than in infarction with a complicated clinical course. In contrast, the urinary excretion of dopamine and noradrenalin was higher in complicated infarction. The possible causes of different behaviour of DOPA and catecholamines in relation to the clinical course of myocardial infarction are discussed.
Digital library services for authors of learning materials

Digital libraries, particularly those designed to meet the needs of educators and students, focus their primary services on the needs of their end users [1]. In this paper, we introduce and discuss the types of services authors of the materials cataloged within this type of digital library expect, or may find useful. Results from a study of authors cataloged in NEEDS - a national engineering education digital library guide this discussion.
The Uptake of 14C-Leucine and 14C-Histidine by Cell Suspensions of Isolated Strata of Neonatal Rat Epidermis

The epidermis of neonatal rat skin is separated from the dermis with trypsin, and preparations of the four cell strata are obtained by elution with EDTA or trypsin. The four preparations contain a predominance of each of the four cell types and are adequate for the examination of protein synthesis at the different levels of epidermis. The preparations were tested for protein synthesizing activity in two ways: 1) time course of incorporation of 14 C-histidine and 14 C-leucine by whole cells, and 2) their distribution in the buffer (BSS) soluble, NaOH soluble and NaOH insoluble protein fractions obtained from homogenized cell suspensions. The specific activity ranking of the preparations was spinous cells > basal cells > granular cells. The cornified cells were inactive. Early granular cells incorporated 14 C-histidine preferentially into their NaOH insoluble fraction.
Educational Psychology: Origins of a Dichotomy and the Parallel Dependence Model.

The present paper demonstrates the integrative potential that exists for the field of educational psychology. The nature of the inquiry-application distinction is traced to its disciplinary origins. Specific elements associated with each of the two endeavours are captured in the form of a heuristic model. This model, designated the parallel dependence model, is designed to emphasize the interdependence between the inquiry and application functions. The implications of the model are discussed in light of the current status of educational psychology as an advancing field of study.
Structural competition between hydrogen bonds and halogen bonds.

The molecules presented here provide a test-bed for competitive supramolecular chemistry, and on the basis of five crystal structures a ranking of the relative structural importance and influence of competing weak/strong hydrogen bonds and weak/strong halogen bonds has been achieved.
Characterisation of lymphocyte subsets in the equine oviduct.

Summary Reasons for performing study: The equine oviduct is the site of fertilisation and location of embryonic development during the first 5 or 6 days. It therefore has an important influence on mare fertility. Although histopathological changes have been described previously, there is limited information regarding lymphocyte subtypes present in the mucosa of the normal equine oviduct. Objectives: To characterise the distribution of CD3+, CD4+, CD8 + and B lymphocytes in the equine oviduct from inseminated mares during oestrus and dioestrus, and from noninseminated mares during the immediate post ovulatory period. Methods: Oviductal tissues were collected from noninseminated mares at oestrus (>30 mm follicle, n = 4), at Day 1 post ovulation (n = 3) and at dioestrus (Day 7 post ovulation; n = 4). Oviducts were also collected from inseminated mares at Days 1, 2, and 3 post ovulation (n = 4 for each period). Cross-sections of tissues from the ampullar-isthmic junction from each oviduct were snap frozen and cryostat sections stained by the immunoperoxidase technique with monoclonal antibodies directed against equine lymphocyte surface markers for B cells as well as CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells. Results: In all oviductal sections examined, B cells were rare whereas T cells were relatively abundant. The predominant cell type found was the CD8+ phenotype, with a lesser number of CD4+ cells. Among mares, individual variation was large; therefore, although breeding status and stage of oestrous cycle appeared to alter lymphocyte populations, these differences were not significant. Conclusions and potential relevance: A population of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells exists within the mucosal region of the equine oviduct. The density of these cells is similar to that described in the human oviduct. Their function is not currently known, but they may be involved with modulation of the maternal response to the presence of spermatozoa or the early conceptus within the equine oviduct. As our capacity to differentiate these cell types improves, along with the ability to identify the specific cytokines they produce, their functional significance will become more apparent.
Genomic Evidence for a Simpler Clotting Scheme in Jawless Vertebrates

Mammalian blood clotting involves numerous components, most of which are the result of gene duplications that occurred early in vertebrate evolution and after the divergence of protochordates. As such, the genomes of the jawless fish (hagfish and lamprey) offer the best possibility for finding systems that might have a reduced set of the many clotting factors observed in higher vertebrates. The most straightforward way of inventorying these factors may be through whole genome sequencing. In this regard, the NCBI Trace database ( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Traces/trace.cgi ) for the lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) contains more than 18 million raw DNA sequences determined by whole-genome shotgun methodology. The data are estimated to be about sixfold redundant, indicating that coverage is sufficiently complete to permit judgments about the presence or absence of particular genes. A search for 20 proteins whose sequences were determined prior to the trace database study found all 20. A subsequent search for specified coagulation factors revealed a lamprey system with a smaller number of components than is found in other vertebrates in that factors V and VIII seem to be represented by a single gene, and factor IX, which is ordinarily a cofactor of factor VIII, is not present. Fortuitously, after the completion of the survey of the Trace database, a draft assembly based on the same database was posted. The draft assembly allowed many of the identified Trace fragments to be linked into longer sequences that fully support the conclusion that lampreys have a simpler clotting scheme compared with other vertebrates. The data are also consistent with the hypothesis that a whole-genome duplication or other large scale block duplication occurred after the divergence of jawless fish from other vertebrates and allowed the simultaneous appearance of a second set of two functionally paired proteins in the vertebrate clotting scheme.
Discovering cartography as a behavioral science

Abstract Cartography, involved as always in the creation and study of maps, has not been an active ingredient or participant in the work of psychogeography. Nevertheless, there are significant aspects of psychogeography which are extremely important to maps and the cartographic process; on the other hand, it is clear that this ancient art and science can be, with an integration of concepts from psychogeography, redefined as a ‘behavioral science’. This perspective on cartography emerges from the diverse influences which existed at Clark University over a decade ago; it has been applied in a number of different contexts and appears to offer a more flexible paradigm for the discipline than the one based on the communication model which has served as the philosophical basis for mapmaking during the past two decades.
Stage and load effects on ERP topography during verbal and spatial working memory

Frontal-parietal neural networks play a significant role in the functional organization of visual working memory (WM). The relative contribution of material-specific information (e.g., verbal or spatial) on activation of WM circuitry is not fully understood. Process-specific models of WM propose that the activation of WM circuitry is more dependent on the stage of WM than on the type of information being processes. This study investigated the effects of WM information type (verbal, spatial), stage (encoding, maintenance), and load on both the anterior–posterior topography and lateralized scalp distributions of the event-related potential (ERP) P3 amplitude. Seventeen young adults performed verbal and spatial tasks that were equated for stimulus properties and response requirements. Both tasks were presented under 1- and 3-load conditions. The anterior–posterior topography of P3 amplitude at left hemisphere, midline, and right hemisphere scalp locations was affected by the stage of WM and the memory load, but not by the type of information. The encoding stage showed minimal load effects and was associated with a posterior-maximum P3 amplitude distribution. During the maintenance stage, probe letters were presented that were irrelevant to the previously encoded stimuli. Here, higher WM load produced relatively greater frontal and reduced parietal P3 amplitude compared to lower WM load. These anterior–posterior P3 amplitude patterns for encoding and maintenance were similar at left, midline, and right locations. Within the limitations of the study, our results tend to support a process-dependent activation of WM circuits in that P3 amplitude topography only differed as a result of WM stage and load, and not as a result of the type of information (verbal or spatial) presented.
Computational performance and efficiency of lower-bound procedures for the dynamic facility layout problem

Abstract This paper evaluates the relative performance of lower-bound procedures for the dynamic facility layout problem. Variables expected to affect the performance of these procedures are identified and used to evaluate the performance of the bounds. A class of lower bounds is established for the dynamic facility layout problem based on static lower-bound methodologies. This class of bounds is much more computationally attractive than existing lower-bound methodologies; it is shown that in certain circumstances, little accuracy is lost.
Urinary cysteinyl leukotriene E4 significantly increases during pain in children and adults with sickle cell disease

Baseline level of the cysteinyl leukotriene (CysLT), leukotriene E4 (LTE4), is associated with an increased pain rate in children and adults with sickle cell disease (SCD). To provide additional evidence for a role of CysLTs in the pathogenesis of vaso-occlusion, we tested the hypothesis that LTE4 levels will increase within an individual during painful episodes compared to baseline. In a cohort of 19 children and adults with SCD, median LTE4 levels increased from 82.36 pg/mg creatinine at baseline to 162.81 pg/mg creatinine during a painful episode (P < 0.001). These data further support a contribution of CysLTs to the process of vaso-occlusion.
Globalisation and rising inequality in developed countries

The distribution of earnings has widened throughout many of the OECD countries since the 1970s, particularly in the United States. An ever–growing literature examines the impact of globalisation on the growing income inequality and finds mixed results. This paper describes the theoretical linkages between globalisation and inequality and provides an overview of the evidence linking trade, capital mobility and immigration with the widening of the gap between the wages of the skilled worker and the unskilled worker.
Properties of the PriA Helicase Domain and Its Role in Binding PriA to Specific DNA Structures

Primosome assembly protein PriA functions in the assembly of the replisome at forked DNA structures. Whereas its N-terminal DNA binding domain (DBD) binds independently to DNA, the affinity of DBD protein for forked structures is relatively weak. Although the PriA helicase domain (HD) is required for high affinity fork binding, HD protein had very low affinity for DNA. It had only low levels of ATPase activity, and it hydrolyzed ATP when DNA was absent whereas PriA did not. HD catalyzed unwinding of a minimal substrate composed of a duplex with a 3' single-stranded tail. Single-strand binding protein (SSB) bound to the tail of this substrate inhibited this reaction by full-length PriA but enhanced the reaction by HD. SSB stabilized binding of PriA but not of DBD or HD to duplexes with a 5' or 3' single-stranded tail. On forked substrates SSB enhanced helicase action on the lagging-strand arm by PriA but not by HD. The results indicate that synergy of the DBD and HD allows stable binding at the interface between duplex and single-stranded DNA bound by SSB. This mode of binding may be analogous to fork binding, which orients the helicase to act on the lagging-strand side of the fork.
Robust single-mode emission from mid-IR photonic crystal interband cascade lasers

ABSTRACT Electrically-pumped photonic-crystal distributed-feedback lasers with interband-cascade active regions operating in single spectral mode at 3.3 P m are demonstrated. At 78 K, a stripe of width 400 P m emits up to 67 mW of cw power into a single spectral mode with side-mode suppression ratio | 27 dB. The full-width at half-maximum of the far-field divergence angle is | 0.5 o , which combined with the near-field profile yields an effective M 2 of 1.7-2.0. Keywords: diode laser, interband cascade laser, quantum well, mid-infrared, photonic-crystal distributed-feedback laser. 1. INTRODUCTION In a photonic-crystal distributed-feedback (PCDFB) laser, three distinct (non-collinear) in-plane diffraction mechanisms 1-3 work together to defeat filamentation provided that the grating strength and gain stripewidth satisfy certain appropriate conditions. This makes the PCDFB capa ble of maintaining strong optical coherence over very large lateral areas. The first experimental demonstrations employed pulsed optical pumping of midwave-infrared (mid-IR) type-II antimonide structures.
Tolerance, cross-tolerance, and receptors after chronic nicotine or oxotremorine

Abstract Saline, 8.0 mg/kg/hr nicotine, or 1.0 mg/kg/hr oxotremorine was continously infused into the jugular veins of DBA female mice. After 10 days of treatment, respiratory rate, Rotarod performance, Y-maze crossings, Y-maze rears, heart rate, and body temperature were measured after challenge with 2.0 mg/kg nicotine or saline or 0.2 mg/kg oxotremorine. Nicotine-infused mice were tolerant to the effects of nicotine for all six tests and oxtremorine-infused mice were tolerant to the effects of oxotremorine for all six tests and to the effects of nicotine on heart rate and body temperature. Oxotremorine infusion reduced the Bmax for [3H]-L-QNB binding, but had no effect on Bmax for either [3H]-DL-nicotine or [125I]-α-BTX binding. Conversely nicotine infusion did not alter the Bmax for [3H]-L-QNB binding, but increased the Bmax for both [3H]-DL-nicotine and [125I]-α-BTX binding. These results indicate that tolerance developed to the effects of two cholinergic agents, nicotine and oxotremorine, and that some cross-tolerance to the effects of nicotine occurred in oxotremorine-treated mice. Treatment with oxotremorine caused down-regulation of muscarinic receptors, while treatment with nicotine caused up-regulation of nicotinic receptors. Although some cross-tolerance to the effects of nicotine occurred in oxotremorine-treated mice, this did not appear to result from changes in nicotinic receptors.
Time domain dielectric spectroscopy measurements of HL-60 cell suspensions after microsecond and nanosecond electrical pulses

Pulsed electric fields (PEFs) above a certain voltage threshold cause electroporation for microsecond pulses and intracellular effects for submicrosecond pulses. Models describing these effects often depend on the electrical properties of the cell, which are altered by the PEF. We used time domain dielectric spectroscopy to provide data for these models and to measure effects on cell suspension conductivity. We applied single 50-/spl mu/s and 10-ns pulses to HL-60 cells, with the voltages chosen so the pulses have approximately the same energy. For 1.1-kV/cm, 50-/spl mu/s pulses, the conductivity rose within a minute after the pulse and dropped dramatically approximately 40 min after the pulse. For 78-kV/cm, 10-ns pulses, we observed a brief delay prior to the conductivity rise and noted the same drop in conductivity after approximately 40 min. For both pulse durations, higher voltages frequently led to membrane poration followed by a gradual recovery approximately 30-40 min after the pulse. For 2-kV/cm, 50-/spl mu/s pulses, we observed significantly more scatter in Trypan Blue uptake measurements due to stronger effects on the cell membrane. By using a cell model, we showed that a 50-/spl mu/s pulse caused a much larger rise in membrane conductivity than a 10-ns pulse of the same energy.