cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical parametric oscillators in the presence of strong two-photon absorption for extended applications of nonlinear optical materials

We show that two-photon absorption (TPA) strongly affects backward and forward optical parametric oscillation (OPO) in certain wavelength ranges. After introducing a normalized coefficient of TPA, we have obtained a simple expression for the threshold intensities in the presence of TPA, that is the same for both configurations of OPO. The threshold intensities increase as the TPA coefficient increases. At the same time, the conversion efficiencies decrease. We have shown that even if the threshold intensity is just increased by a very small factor due to TPA the conversion efficiency can be reduced considerably. We have considered several nonlinear optical materials as examples to illustrate the trade-off among different parameters such as the TPA coefficient vs. pump wavelength, and, the pulse energy density vs. crystal length. Our results are important for implementing optical parametric oscillators in the extended wavelength ranges, such as visible, mid-IR, far-IR, mm and THz.
Effects of predator functional diversity on grassland ecosystem function

Predator species individually are known to have important effects on plant communities and ecosystem functions such as production, decomposition, and elemental cycling, the nature of which is determined by a key functional trait, predator hunting mode. However, it remains entirely uncertain how predators with different hunting modes combine to influence ecosystem function. I report on an experiment conducted in a New England grassland ecosystem that quantified the net effects of a sit-and-wait and an actively hunting spider species on the plant composition and functioning of a New England grassland ecosystem. I manipulated predator functional diversity by varying the dominance ratio of the two predator species among five treatments using a replacement series design. Experimentation revealed that predator functional diversity effects propagated down the live plant-based chain to affect the levels of plant diversity, and plant litter quality, elemental cycling, and production. Moreover, many of these effects could be approximately by the weighted average of the individual predator species effects, suggesting that this kind of predator diversity effect on ecosystems is not highly nonlinear.
Commercial Suborbital Sounding Rocket Market: A Role for Reusable Launch Vehicles

Space advocates adopted the tenet that the way to reduce the cost of space access is to fly reusable vehicles so development and production costs could be amortized over many flights. Some have also suggested that commercial suborbital flights, both for scientific payloads and for human space flight participants, may provide a path in which a revenue stream can be ultimately used to fund orbital and deep space operations. Some aspiring space launch providers (NewSpace) have incorporated in order to develop and fly such vehicles. This paper examines the economic and business conditions for reusable suborbital sounding rockets. Given current market size and pricing, the global nonmilitary suborbital sounding rocket market is less than 60 flights of perhaps 200-kilogram payloads annually at roughly $1 million each. High demand elasticity (increased demand with lowered prices) at a price of significantly less than $250 per kilogram of payload might increase the market to possibly 1500 flights annually. The bu...
Measurement issues in home visitation: A research note

Abstract The field of home visitation to prevent child abuse and neglect provides a good example of issues in outcome measurement that have not undergone sufficient critique. Some frequently used measures being used as outcome assessments have not been specifically designed for outcome measurement and therefore have limitations. In particular, some of these measures are not well equipped to document changes that are intended to result from intervention programs. Outcome measurement in home visitation can be improved with more attention to measurement issues.
Lifetimes of bound excitons in InP

The decay times of two bound exciton emission lines in InP have been measured at very low excitation levels and found to be of the order of 0.5 and 1.5 ns. These times agree within a factor of two with theoretical values, which were estimated using the model of Rashba and Gurgenishvili. The oscillator strength per molccule of the free exciton has been evaluated and found to be 8 × 10−5 The bound exciton oscillator strengths are larger by five orders of magnitude. Die Abklingdauern der Ernissionslinien zweier gebundener Exzitonen in InP wurden bei sehr geringer Anregungsintensitat gemesscn. Es wurden Zciten um 0,5 und 1,5 ns gefunden. Diese Zeiten stimmen bis auf den Faktor zwei mit thcoretischen Werten uberein, die unter Renutzung des Modells von Rashba und Gurgenishvili berechnet wurden. Die Oszillatorstarke des freien Eszitons wurde abgeleitet. Sie hat pro Molekul den Wert 8 × 10−5 Die Oszillatorstarken der gebundenen Exzitonen sind urn funf Grosenordnungen groser.
Red cells preserved with 10% hydroxyethyl starch: effect of prefreeze washing.

Abstract Prefreeze washing of red cells with saline and other wash solutions before freezing with 10% hydroxyethyl starch does not yield an improved product after thawing. The saline stabilities and cell recoveries are reduced and the level of supernatant hemoglobin increased. These data further support the use of 14% as the most acceptable concentration of hydroxyethyl starch for cryopreservation of red cells.
Deposition and patterning of conductive carbon black thin films

Abstract Highly conductive carbon black-filled composite thin films were prepared using layer-by-layer assembly. Films were grown by alternately dipping a PET substrate into aqueous suspensions containing carbon black and polyethylenimine (PEI) or poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). Growth rate and sheet resistance of these films were tailored by varying the polymer concentration in the suspensions and completely removing carbon black from one solution or the other. Films made from an aqueous mixture containing 0.25 wt.% carbon black and 0.05 wt.% PAA and another solution containing 0.1 wt.% PEI grew at a rate of 735 nm per bilayer (BL) deposited and achieved the lowest sheet resistance at 10-BL (∼500 Ω/sq), with a thickness of 5.4 μm, making its bulk resistivity below 0.3 Ω cm. These composite thin films were patterned using a traditional photolithographic lift-off process that could be used to process them for a variety of electronics applications.
60 GHz patch antenna array on low cost Liquid-Crystal Polymer (LCP) substrate

Millimeter wave communications promises to enable the very high data rates demanded of 5G networks, but there are several hurdles that must be negotiated first. One of these hurdles is the small energy collecting capability of the small aperture antennas at these wavelengths. High gain antennas are required to overcome this limitation. The 60 GHz band is of particular interest due to the large 7-9 GHz of unlicensed spectrum available. The often cited atmospheric absorption in the band (~13dB/km) is easily tolerated in the 100-200m links envisioned for 5G networks. In order to test the feasibility of a 60GHz network, a platform is being constructed and a low cost, high gain antenna is required. For a low cost and small size solution, a low profile microstrip phased array antenna has been designed and fabricated on low-loss, two-layer Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) substrate. 4×4, 8×8 antenna array prototypes have been characterized and the results are described.
Are We Getting Closer to Valid Translational Models for Major Depression

Advances in characterizing the neuropathology and functional dysconnectivity of depression and promising trials with emerging circuit-targeted and fast-onset therapeutics are providing unprecedented opportunities to gain deeper insight into the neurobiology of this devastating and pervasive disorder. Because of practical and ethical limitations to dissecting these mechanisms in humans, continued progress will critically depend on our ability to emulate aspects of depressive symptomatology and treatment response in nonhuman organisms. Although various experimental models are currently available, they often draw skepticism from both clinicians and basic research scientists. We review recent progress and highlight some of the best leads to diversify and improve discovery end points for preclinical depression research.
Using pattern analysis methods to supplement attention directing analytical procedures

Abstract How might the application of analytical procedures be improved given the inherent shortcomings of traditional analytic techniques and the apparent difficulties auditors have in combining all critical cues when evaluating the results of the analytical procedures? This research attempts to improve analytical methods by applying a new technology, Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), to perform pattern recognition of the investigation signals generated by analytical procedures. ANNs, a type of artificial intelligence technology, are able to recognize patterns in data even when the data is noisy, ambiguous, distorted or variable. Four years of audited financial data from a medium-sized distributor were used to calculate five commonly applied financial ratios. The performance of these ratios, applied independently and in combinations, was evaluated using a presumed lack of actual errors and certain seeded material errors. The ANN method evaluated the information content of the combinations of financial ratios using an entropy cost function derived from information theory. This exploratory study suggests that the use of an ANN to analyze patterns of related fluctuations across numerous financial ratios provides a more reliable indication of the presence of material errors than either traditional analytic procedures or pattern analysis, as well as providing insight to the plausible causes of the error. Preliminary results suggest that the use of pattern analysis methods as a supplement to traditional analytical procedures will offer improved performance in recognizing material misstatements within the financial accounts.
The effect of gold thioglucose on food consumption and reproduction of the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).

Abstract GOLD thioglucose (GTG) has been used to destroy selectively the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus of mice (Deter and Liebelt, 1964; Liebelt and Perry, 1957, 1967; Marshall et al., 1955) and of some strains of rats (Wagner and de Groot, 1963; Talbert and Hamilton, 1954). The main effects which have been noted in mice after injection of GTG and subsequent damage to the ventromedial nucleus have been: hyperphagia, obesity (see Deter and Liebelt, 1964; and Liebelt and Perry, 1967; for review), interference with the estrous cycle (Browning and Kwan, 1964) and development of the mammary glands (Browning and Kwan, 1964; Browning et al., 1965/66). The specificity of gold thioglucose in comparison to other gold compounds with respect to the induction of hyperphagia and obesity has been established by Mayer and Marshall (1956). To our knowledge no investigations on the effect of GTG on the food consumption and reproduction of Japanese…
Research opportunities related to establishing standards for tobacco products under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.

Introduction: This paper was written in response to a request from the U.S. National Cancer Institute. The goal is to discuss some research directions related to establishing tobacco product standards under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which empowers the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products. Potential research related to tobacco product ingredients, nicotine, and harmful or potentially harmful constituents of tobacco products is discussed.
Aging-informed behavior of Sn3.8Ag0.7Cu solder alloys

Predicting reliability of solder joints requires a thorough understanding of solder constitutive behavior. Recent studies on SnAgCu solder alloys have reported that pre-test conditions of aging-time and aging-temperatures can be factors that significantly affect solder constitutive behavior. The results presented here are a part of ongoing efforts to construct constitutive models that can predict aging affects on behavior of SnAgCu solder alloys. In this work, creep test results on aged Sn3.8Ag0.7Cu samples are reported, and aging effects are discussed primarily on secondary creep behavior and on microstructure. Aging effects on primary creep are observed, and will be discussed, and modeled in a future work. Experiments to characterize behavior were carried out using double-lap shear tests on specimens specifically prepared to represent realistic microstructures, and mitigate effects of joint geometry, and stress heterogeneity during test conditions. Aging temperatures of -10deg C, 25deg C, 75deg C and 125deg C, and aging times of 15, 30, 60 and 90 days (at each aging temperature) were selected as different levels of factors in a statistically designed experiment. Previous studies have focused on developing constitutive models without due considerations to aging effects, the results presented herein augment aging-informed constitutive model development efforts that are currently in progress.
EPR studies on the role of iron in biological reactions

Abstract EPR studies are described on a number of biologically important systems. EPR measurements on cytochrome c3, a multiheme protein, revealed four nonequivalent ferric heme low-spin components at 8.5 K. Based on their rates during oxidation-reduction cycling the four hemes appeared to have different redox potentials. EPR studies have implicated the involvement of c-type cytochromes in nitrite and nitric oxide reduction. Functional iron-sulfide centers of different redox-potentials are described in the respiratory-bound NADH dehydrogenase and nitrate reductase which undergo redox changes in the presence of electron donors.
INTERMITTENT TESTICULAR TORSION: DIAGNOSTIC FEATURES AND MANAGEMENT OUTCOMES

ABSTRACT Purpose: Intermittent testicular torsion (ITT) is a poorly characterized condition but harbors potentially serious implications with regard to testicular viability. We report better characterization of the diagnostic features of ITT. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective review of all patients 1 to 18 years old seen from 1997 to 2003 at our institution diagnosed with ITT. Patients with acute scrotal pain and spontaneous resolution who underwent bilateral testicular fixation were included in the study. Results: A total of 50 patients meeting the inclusion criteria were identified with mean age at presentation of 12.2 years (range 4 to 17). The mean number of painful episodes before surgery was 4.3 (range 1 to 30). The most common presenting features were severe pain of rapid onset and resolution. Nausea and/or vomiting was reported in a quarter of the patients. Finding of a horizontal lie of the testes on examination was significantly associated (p Conclusions: ITT should be a diagnostic consideration in patients who present with recurrent acute scrotal pain with rapid spontaneous resolution. Recurrent severe pain with rapid onset and resolution seems to be highly characteristic. Horizontal lie on examination is highly correlated with the bell-clapper deformity at surgical exploration. Surgery may be recommended in these patients as it appears to result in pain relief in the majority, is likely to prevent future testicular infarction and is associated with low morbidity.
A longitudinal study of age and gender differences of stressors and coping strategies in school-aged children

This 2-year longitudinal study examines age and gender differences and changes in stressors and coping strategies of school-aged children. The sample consisted of children aged 8 to 13 years, from an elementary parochial school in a small, rural Appalachian town. The severity of stressors decreased significantly with age over a 2-year period, although the frequency of occurrence did not change. In general, the coping strategies "watch television" and "yell or scream" were used more frequently by boys, and "cry" or "cuddle my pet" were used more frequently by girls. Some interventions to improve children's repertoire of effective coping strategies are suggested.
Loss of DNA Mismatch Repair Imparts a Selective Advantage in Planarian Adult Stem Cells

Lynch syndrome (LS) leads to an increased risk of early-onset colorectal and other types of cancer and is caused by germline mutations in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes. Loss of MMR function results in a mutator phenotype that likely underlies its role in tumorigenesis. However, loss of MMR also results in the elimination of a DNA damage-induced checkpoint/apoptosis activation barrier that may allow damaged cells to grow unchecked. A fundamental question is whether loss of MMR provides pre-cancerous stem cells an immediate selective advantage in addition to establishing a mutator phenotype. To test this hypothesis in an in vivo system, we utilized the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea which contains a significant population of identifiable adult stem cells. We identified a planarian homolog of human MSH2, a MMR gene which is mutated in 38% of LS cases. The planarian Smed-msh2 is expressed in stem cells and some progeny. We depleted Smed-msh2 mRNA levels by RNA-interference and found a striking survival advantage in these animals treated with a cytotoxic DNA alkylating agent compared to control animals. We demonstrated that this tolerance to DNA damage is due to the survival of mitotically active, MMR-deficient stem cells. Our results suggest that loss of MMR provides an in vivo survival advantage to the stem cell population in the presence of DNA damage that may have implications for tumorigenesis.
An implementation of a networking track in an information technology degree program

This paper will layout the University of Cincinnati's efforts in creating a networking track specialization for an information technology (IT) degree program to be started in the autumn quarter of 2004. The work done creating such an academic specialization for students is based on ACM SIGITE's initial implementation of IT curriculum guidelines. Input for the IT networking specialty was also obtained from faculty, students, and industry partners. Processes by which specific course offerings were chosen will be detailed; objectives of the track and courses, desired outcomes for students, content, and associated hands-on activities. In all, the paper will present a means by which a networking track can be successfully implemented in information technology programs at other universities that are interested in such an endeavor.
Vanadium-titanium oxide aerogel catalysts

Abstract Selective catalytic reduction of nitric oxide by ammonia in the presence of oxygen was studied over titania-supported vanadia aerogels promoted by the addition of cerium oxide and tungsten oxide. Conversion of NO by NH3 was determined for temperatures ranging from 423 to 723 K at a space velocity of 200 000/h (NTP). The highest activity (95% conversion) was observed for a W/V/Ti (1.0/2.5/97.5 at.%) aerogel at 723 K. The best activities for the Ce/V/Ti (0.1/2.5/97.5) and V/Ti (2.5/97.5) aerogels were 89% and 83% conversion respectively at 723 K. Arrhenius plots gave an activation energy of 42–71 kJ/mol dependent on catalyst investigated. Surface groups identified by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) characterization demonstrated strong absorption bands of nitric oxide on pre-reduced surfaces. Both strong Lewis and weak Bronsted acid sites were detected by ammonia adsorption on pre-oxidized samples containing vanadium, cerium, and tungsten.
Hybrid coevolutionary algorithms vs. SVM algorithms

As a learning method support vector machine is regarded as one of the best classifiers with a strong mathematical foundation. On the other hand, evolutionary computational technique is characterized as a soft computing learning method with its roots in the theory of evolution. During the past decade, SVM has been commonly used as a classifier for various applications. The evolutionary computation has also attracted a lot of attention in pattern recognition and has shown significant performance improvement on a variety of applications. However, there has been no comparison of the two methods. In this paper, first we propose an improvement of a coevolutionary computational classification algorithm, called Improved Coevolutionary Feature Synthesized EM (I-CFS-EM) algorithm. It is a hybrid of coevolutionary genetic programming and EM algorithm applied on partially labeled data. It requires less labeled data and it makes the test in a lower dimension, which speeds up the testing. Then, we provide a comprehensive comparison between SVM with different kernel functions and I-CFS-EM on several real datasets. This comparison shows that I-CFS-EM outperforms SVM in the sense of both the classification performance and the computational efficiency in the testing phase. We also give an intensive analysis of the pros and cons of both approaches.
Temporary self-expandable metal stent placement for treatment of post-sphincterotomy bleeding.

Background Endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) is a basic technique for performing therapeutic interventions during ERCP. Bleeding after ES is a recognized complication and can be difficult to treat. Objective To evaluate the role of temporary placement of fully covered self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) for the treatment of difficult-to-control post-ES hemorrhage. Design Retrospective case series. Setting Interventional endoscopy unit at a tertiary care referral hospital. Patients Five patients treated with temporary SEMSs for difficult-to-control post-ES hemorrhage. Interventions ERCP with placement of fully covered, biliary SEMSs and subsequent stent removal within 8 weeks. Main Outcome Measurements Technical success of SEMS placement, clinical success with hemostasis, complications related to SEMS placement and removal. Results Five patients were treated with temporary fully covered SEMSs for post-ES hemorrhage over an 8-month period. Hemostasis was achieved in all patients. Within 8 weeks of the procedure, the SEMSs were easily removed in 3 patients; the SEMSs had spontaneously migrated without incident in the other 2. No other complications were seen. Limitations Retrospective series with a small number of patients. Conclusions Temporary placement of fully covered SEMSs across the biliary orifice seems to be an effective treatment for post-ES hemorrhage. However, stent migration is a concern and may limit this therapy in certain settings.
A model of the selective flocculation process

Abstract In the selective flocculation process, selectivity exhibited during single mineral tests is often lost when separation of mixed minerals is attempted. Recently, heteroflocculation has been shown to be another major cause of loss in selectivity. A mathematical model with predictive capabilities to minimize heteroflocculation is discussed, and theoretical results are compared with experimental data obtained for mixtures of dolomite with apatite/quartz/alumina.
14 Foreign Aid and Revenue Response: Does the Composition of Aid Matter?

This paper examines the revenue response to inflows of foreign aid in 107 countries during the period 1970-2000. In particular, it investigates whether the impact of aid on the revenue effort depends on the composition of aid (grants vis-a-vis loans). The results indicate that while concessional loans are associated with higher domestic revenue mobilization, the opposite is true of grants. On average, the dampening effect of grants on the revenue effort is modest. However, for those countries plagued by high levels of corruption, our results suggest that the decline in revenues completely offsets the increase in grants. The results are robust to various specifications.
Assembly and integration of thin bare die using laser direct-write

Laser-based direct-write (LDW) processes offer unique advantages for the transfer of unpackaged semiconductor bare die for microelectronics assembly applications. Using LDW it is possible to release individual devices from a carrier substrate and transfer them inside a pocket or recess in a receiving substrate using a single UV laser pulse, thus performing the same function as pick-and-place machines currently employed in microelectronics assembly. However, conventional pick-and-place systems have difficulty handling small (< 1 mm 2 ) and thin (< 100 μm) components. At the Naval Research Laboratory, we have demonstrated the laser release and transfer of intact 1 mm 2 wafers with thicknesses down to 10 microns and with high placement accuracy using LDW techniques. Furthermore, given the gentle nature of the laser forward transfer process it is possible to transfer semiconductor bare die of sizes ranging from 0.5 to 10 mm 2 without causing any damage to their circuits. Once the devices have been transferred, the same LDW system can then be used to print the metal patterns required to interconnect each device. The implementation of this technique is ideally suited for the assembly of microelectronic components and systems while allowing the overall circuit design and layout to be easily modified or adapted to any specific application or form factor including 3-D architectures. This paper describes how the LDW process can be used as an effective laser die transfer tool and will present analysis of the laser-driven release process as applied to various types of silicon bare dies.
Need for image processing in infrared camera design

While the value of image processing has been longly recognized, this is usually done during post-processing. For scientific application, the presence of large noise errors, data drop out, and dead sensors would invalidate any conclusion made from the data until noise-removal and sensor calibration has been accomplished. With the growing need for ruggedized, real-time image acquisition systems, including applications to automotive and aerospace, post processing may not be an option. With post processing, the operator does not have the opportunity to view the cleaned-up image. Focal plane arrays are plagued by bad sensors, high manufacturing costs, and low yields, often forcing a six digit cost tag. Perhaps infrared camera design is too serious an issue to leave to the camera manufacturers. Alternative camera designs using a single spinning mirror can yield perfect infrared images at rates up to 12000 frames per second using a fraction of the hardware in the current focal-plane arrays. Using a 768 X 5 sensor array, redundant 2048 X 768 images are produced by each row of the sensor array. Sensor arrays with flawed sensors would no longer need to be discarded because data from dead sensors can be discarded, thus increasing manufacturing yields and reducing manufacturing costs. Furthermore, very rapid image processing chips are available, allowing for real-time morphological image processing (including real-time sensor calibration), thus significantly increasing thermal precision, making thermal imaging amenable for an increased variety of applications.
Investigation of the Response Foils of the Modified Rhyme Hearing Test

The Modified Rhyme Hearing Test (MRHT) was presented to 28 young, normalhearing listeners as a free-response test, and written responses to the test words were obtained. These responses were compar...
Efficient anisotropic filtering of diffusion tensor images

To improve the accuracy of structural and architectural characterization of living tissue with diffusion tensor imaging, an efficient smoothing algorithm is presented for reducing noise in diffusion tensor images. The algorithm is based on anisotropic diffusion filtering, which allows both image detail preservation and noise reduction. However, traditional numerical schemes for anisotropic filtering have the drawback of inefficiency and inaccuracy due to their poor stability and first order time accuracy. To address this, an unconditionally stable and second order time accuracy semi-implicit Craig-Sneyd scheme is adapted in our anisotropic filtering. By using large step size, unconditional stability allows this scheme to take much fewer iterations and thus less computation time than the explicit scheme to achieve a certain degree of smoothing. Second-order time accuracy makes the algorithm reduce noise more effectively than a first order scheme with the same total iteration time. Both the efficiency and effectiveness are quantitatively evaluated based on synthetic and in vivo human brain diffusion tensor images, and these tests demonstrate that our algorithm is an efficient and effective tool for denoising diffusion tensor images.
Age-related changes of myocardial ATP supply and demand mechanisms

In advanced age, the resting myocardial oxygen consumption rate (MVO2) and cardiac work (CW) in the rat remain intact. However, MVO2, CW and cardiac efficiency achieved at high demand are decreased with age, compared to maximal values in the young. Whether this deterioration is due to decrease in myocardial ATP demand, ATP supply, or the control mechanisms that match them remains controversial. Here we discuss evolving perspectives of age-related changes of myocardial ATP supply and demand mechanisms, and critique experimental models used to investigate aging. Specifically, we evaluate experimental data collected at the level of isolated mitochondria, tissue, or organism, and discuss how mitochondrial energetic mechanisms change in advanced age, both at basal and high energy-demand levels.
hippo Encodes a Ste-20 Family Protein Kinase that Restricts Cell Proliferation and Promotes Apoptosis in Conjunction with salvador and warts

The coordination between cell proliferation and cell death is essential to maintain homeostasis within multicellular organisms. The mechanisms underlying this regulation are yet to be completely understood. Here, we report the identification of hippo (hpo) as a gene that regulates both cell proliferation and cell death in Drosophila. hpo encodes a Ste-20 family protein kinase that binds to and phosphorylates the tumor suppressor protein Salvador (Sav), which is known to interact with the Warts (Wts) protein kinase. Loss of hpo results in elevated transcription of the cell cycle regulator cyclin E and the cell-death inhibitor diap1, leading to increased proliferation and reduced apoptosis. Further, we show that hpo, sav, and wts define a pathway that regulates diap1 at the transcriptional level. A human homolog of hpo completely rescues the overgrowth phenotype of Drosophila hpo mutants, suggesting that hpo might play a conserved role for growth control in mammals.
Multisite two-photon imaging of neurons on multielectrode arrays

We wish to understand how neural systems store, recall, and process information. We are using cultured networks of cortical neurons grown on microelectrode arrays as a model system for studying the emergent properties of ensembles of living neurons. We have developed a 2-way communication interface between the cultured network and a computer- generated animal, the Neurally Controlled Animat. Neural activity is used to control the behavior of the Animat, and 2- photon time-lapse imaging is carried out in order to observe the morphological changes that might underlie changes in neural processing. The 2-photon microscope is ideal for repeated imaging over hours or days, with submicron resolution and little photodamage. We have designed a computer-controlled microscope stage that allows imaging several locations in sequence, in order to collect more image data. For the latest progress, see: http://www.caltech.edu/~pinelab/PotterGroup.htm.
Validation of use of 11,12-2H-labeled chenodeoxycholic acid in isotope dilution measurements of bile acid kinetics in man.

Validation of Use of 11, 12- 2 H-Labeled Chenodeoxycholic Acid in Isotope Dilution Measurements of Bile Acid Kinetics in Man
“SCROUNGING FOR A SCHOOL” (“NAOGUAN”), A PLAY BY PU SONGLING

As for the Strange Tales [of Make-Do Studio] in eight fascicles, my father gathered together things he had seen and heard. Expressing his innermost feelings, he completed them after several years of work. It was always his opinion that they could serve as a curative for the scholars and officials. But still he regretted that the Strange Tales were not like the morning bells and evening drums that can penetrate the bewilderment of the common man in the villages and fully awaken the old women in the markets from their dreams. He went on to elaborate them as miscellaneous popular dramatic cantos so that those on the highways and byways would sing along when they saw them and weep when they heard them . . . . 如志異八卷, 漁蒐聞見, 抒寫襟懷, 積數年而成, 總以為學士大夫之針砭; 而 猶恨不如晨鐘暮鼓, 可參破村庸之迷, 而大醒士媼之夢也, 又演為通俗雜曲, 使街衢里巷之中, 見者歌, 而聞者亦泣. . . .
Low-Dose Alcohol Consumption Protects against Transient Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Mice: Possible Role of PPARγ

Background We examined the influence of low-dose alcohol consumption on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in mice and a potential mechanism underlying the neuroprotective effect of low-dose alcohol consumption.
The breakdown of scaling due to the possible structure of nucleonic constituents

Abstract Aside from relativistic quark model representations which correspond to the picture of point-like quarks, the current algebra also allows representations which can be interpreted in terms of quarks with structure. We speculate about the possibility that the experimentally observed small deviations from scaling for higher values of q 2 point out the extended nature of nucleon constituents.
The body condition of feral ponies on Assateague island.

The summer body condition of 47 adult feral ponies on Assateague Island (off the coast of Maryland, USA) was assessed in June 1988 using a visual body condition scoring system. Winter body condition for 36 of the ponies was assessed in February and March, 1989. The ponies were categorised by gender, reproductive status and location on the island, and body condition scores of the ponies in each category were then compared by statistical analyses. No significant seasonal differences were found in the body conditions of the ponies. However, body condition of stallions was better than that of mares. Also, lactating mares had lower body condition scores than non-lactating mares. Finally, in the summer, ponies on the southern part of the island were in better condition than those on the northern end where food and other resources were more limited. Thus gender, reproductive status and habitat, according to the criteria of this study, all had an effect on the body condition of Assateague Island feral ponies, whereas seasonal effects were not evident. Future studies could clarify the correlation between the condition of the mares during the breeding season and birth rate and survival of foals the following spring.
A purely-VCO-based single-loop high-order continuous-time ΣΔ ADC

This paper reports a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO)-based single-loop continuous-time (CT) ΣΔ analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that does not need any OTA-based analog integrator. It achieves the second-order noise shaping by cascading two VCO-based integrators and removing the sampling operation in the first VCO-based integrator. Behavioral simulations confirm the validity of the proposed ADC architecture.
Statistics Anxiety Among Female African American Graduate-Level Social Work Students

ABSTRACT Studies have found that statistics anxiety among female and minority graduate students is higher than that of their Caucasian counterparts. Both gender and culturally sensitive approaches to teaching statistics need to be developed to reduce student anxiety, especially in graduate programs that are dominated by women and minorities. The current study presents data on pre- and post-course statistics among female African American MSW students enrolled in a gender and culturally sensitive statistics course. A series of t-tests revealed that students had significantly lower levels of anxiety about statistics after the course. Implications for integrating gender and culturally sensitive approaches into the curriculum are discussed, and recommendations for future research are provided.
Endothelial cells use dynamic actin to facilitate lymphocyte transendothelial migration and maintain the monolayer barrier

The vascular endothelium is a highly dynamic structure, and the integrity of its barrier function is tightly regulated. Normally impenetrable to cells, the endothelium actively assists lymphocytes to exit the bloodstream during inflammation. The actin cytoskeleton of the endothelial cell (EC) is known to facilitate transmigration, but the cellular and molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Here we report that actin assembly in the EC, induced by Arp2/3 complex under control of WAVE2, is important for several steps in the process of transmigration. To begin transmigration, ECs deploy actin-based membrane protrusions that create a cup-shaped docking structure for the lymphocyte. We found that docking structure formation involves the localization and activation of Arp2/3 complex by WAVE2. The next step in transmigration is creation of a migratory pore, and we found that endothelial WAVE2 is needed for lymphocytes to follow a transcellular route through an EC. Later, ECs use actin-based protrusions to close the gap behind the lymphocyte, which we discovered is also driven by WAVE2. Finally, we found that ECs in resting endothelial monolayers use lamellipodial protrusions dependent on WAVE2 to form and maintain contacts and junctions between cells.
Cre reporter strains produced by targeted insertion of EYFP and ECFP into the ROSA26 locus

Background Several Cre reporter strains of mice have been described, in which a lacZ gene is turned on in cells expressing Cre recombinase, as well as their daughter cells, following Cre-mediated excision of a loxP-flanked transcriptional "stop" sequence. These mice are useful for cell lineage tracing experiments as well as for monitoring the expression of Cre transgenes. The green fluorescent protein (GFP) and variants such as EYFP and ECFP offer an advantage over lacZ as a reporter, in that they can be easily visualized without recourse to the vital substrates required to visualize β-gal in living tissue.
Homeland Insecurities: A Critical Policy Analysis of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act of 2006

The post September 11th climate has produced a spate of legislation aimed at curbing the threat of both international and domestic terrorism. The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act of 2006 (AETA), an amendment to the Animal Enterprise Protection Act of 1992 (AEPA), extends the Act’s protections to tertiary enterprises that conduct business with animal enterprises. Further, the AETA reclassifies certain crimes committed against animal enterprises as acts of terrorism. Critics of the legislation assert that it creates a “chilling effect” on legitimate protest activities while proponents argue that the AETA is necessary to address the increasing threat of “terrorist activities” against animal enterprises. This paper conducts a critical analysis of the AETA, discusses its implications within the larger American legal framework, and recommends possible modifications.
Lapatinib: A small-molecule inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor—2 tyrosine kinases used in the treatment of breast cancer

Abstract Background: Lapatinib is an oral, small-molecule, reversible inhibitor of both epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) tyrosine kinases. In March 2007, the US Food and Drug Administration approved lapatinib for use in combination with capecitabine in the treatment of advanced breast cancer overexpressing HER2 (HER2+). Objectives: The goals of this review were to summarize the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and tolerability of lapatinib, and to review studies of the approved and investigational uses of lapatinib. Methods: English-language reports of clinical trials of lapatinib in patients with cancer were identified through searches of PubMed/MEDLINE (1990–October 2009) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology abstracts database (2003–2008). Search terms included lapatinib, Tykerb, HER2, EGFR, breast cancer, dual tyrosine kinase inhibitor , and GW572016 . Results: Lapatinib was well tolerated in a Phase II monotherapy trial in patients with advanced breast cancer; however, the response was minimal in HER2+ patients, and no HER2− patients achieved an objective tumor response. A Phase II trial of lapatinib monotherapy in 39 HER2+ patients with breast cancer and brain metastases yielded 1 partial response, although 15.4% of patients had stable disease for ≥16 weeks. In a Phase III trial comparing lapatinib plus capecitabine with capecitabine alone in HER2+ patients with advanced breast cancer that had progressed after trastuzumab therapy, the median time to progression was 8.4 months with combination therapy, compared with 4.4 months with capecitabine alone ( P Conclusions: Lapatinib monotherapy was well tolerated, although the response rate was low in patients with advanced breast cancer. Lapatinib combined with capecitabine was associated with significant improvements in the time to progression and response rate compared with capecitabine alone. The available evidence suggests that clinical efficacy in breast cancer is limited to HER2+ disease.
“Dividends” From Research on Aging—Can Biogerontologists, at Long Last, Find Something Useful to Do?

Biogerontologists and demographers have argued that the fastest, most cost-effective strategies for prevention of the medical problems that afflict those older than 60 years are likely to emerge from a deeper understanding of what factors time the aging process and how aging leads, in rough synchrony, to the many diseases and disabilities of aging. Biologists can support and refine this discussion by studies of slow-aging mice, of mice with disease-promoting mutations, of mice in which specific cellular responses have been abrogated by genetic or pharmaceutical interventions, of slow-aging dog and horse breeds, and of the factors, genetic and physiological, that coordinate lethal and nonlethal consequences of aging in people. More work is also needed to learn how timing of antiaging interventions can be used to optimize the balance between beneficial and undesirable effects.
CLIMATE PROTECTION AND ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY POLICY IN CALIFORNIA CITIES: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

Local governments have undertaken climate protection and energy sustainability policy actions to comply with state environmental protection legislation. However, noncollaboration and high up-front costs involved in sustainability programs hinder some cities from adopting climate protection and energy sustainability policy actions. This study examines climate protection and energy sustainability policy actions in 172 California cities and develops a framework from literatures in environmental protection policy, institutional analysis, policy innovation, policy entrepreneurship, and urban politics to construct hypotheses which are tested with data from a 2010 International City/County Management Association (ICMA) survey. Comparative descriptive analyses indicate that California cities are more advanced in the use of these policy actions than the rest of theUnited States. A set of Poisson regression and negative binomial regression analyses provides evidence that financial independence, education, homeownership, form of government, ICLEI membership, and the intergovernmental impacts of entrepreneurial state legislators influence the use of these policy actions at the local level. The influence of these factors differs across sustainability, environmental conservation, and energy use reduction policy actions.
Children's Socialization Experiences and Functioning in Single-Mother Households: The Importance of Fathers and Other Men.

This research considers the importance of biological fathers and other men for children in unmarried-mother families. One hundred and eleven third- and fourth-grade children reported on the provision by fathers and other men of various social, emotional, and disciplinary experiences. Factor analysis revealed 2 relational dimensions among these social experiences--warmth and control. Results of multivariate regression analyses indicated that fathers' provision of warmth and control related to better academic achievement for children, and the provision of control from nonpaternal men predicted fewer teacher-rated behavior problems in school and more prosocial behaviors toward peers. These relations were moderated by children's gender, race, and maternal marital history. Girls and Black children were more positively affected by relations with fathers and father figures than were boys and White children, and divorced fathers were more influential in children's achievement than never-married fathers. Implications of the findings for social policy and intervention efforts are discussed.
Nanoporous and proton conductive hydrophobic–hydrophilic copolymer thermoset membranes

Copolymers of hydrophobic diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) vinyl ester (VE) and hydrophilic 2-acrylamido 2-methyl 1-propane sulfonic acid (AMPS) were evaluated as proton conducting membranes for fuel cell applications. Membranes were synthesized using free radical copolymerization in the presence of a common solvent for both monomers, dimethyl formamide (DMF), followed by solvent removal by supercritical CO2 to induce porosity. Micrographs revealed pore sizes below 60 nm with porosity proportional to the initial solvent fraction used. Studies on the states of water showed that the presence of this pore volume significantly altered the freezable water fraction at equivalent AMPS concentrations. Comparison of the moles of water per mole of sulfonic acid (λ) between copolymer membranes and AMPS monomer solutions showed that the nonfreezable water (λ|nonfr) was depressed at high AMPS concentrations, suggesting that differences in interatomic distances between sulfonic acid groups might alter λ|nonfr. The highest average through plane conductivity of membranes was determined to be 30 mS/cm and was comparable to that of Nafion®117 (27 mS/cm). The effective proton mobility, μeff, was calculated and suggested to be a parameter used to capture the effects of membrane structure and swelling while acting as a comparison between different membrane types. Fuel cell tests on membranes at low ion exchange capacities were compared to Nafion®117, with suggestions on improvements of copolymer structures for improved performance. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 1245–1255, 2010
A self-consistent wavelet method for denoising images with missing pixels

In this work, we consider the problem of wavelet image denoising when some of the pixel values are unobserved. Our approach is to treat those unobserved pixels as missing data and adopt the self-consistency principle to define a "best" wavelet estimate for the true image. We propose fast and effective algorithms for computing such a self-consistent wavelet estimate. The practical performance of our proposal is evaluated via a simulation study. A possible application of this work is image inpainting.