cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of endometrial granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in the ewe.

Granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) increases ovine interferon-tau (oIFN) secretion by ovine conceptuses, but endometrial production of GM-CSF has not been characterized. Endometrial GM-CSF expression was evaluated in ovariectomized ewes implanted with estradiol-17 (E2) and/or progesterone (P4) for 14 days, in day 14 cyclic and day 14 pregnant ewes. Relative levels of endometrial GM-CSF mRNA were 3-fold higher in E2- and E2/P4-treated ewes than that of control or P4-treated ovariectomized ewes. Levels of endometrial GM-CSF mRNA for cyclic ewes were similar to E2- and E2/P4-treated ewes, but amounts of GM-CSF mRNA in pregnant ewes were 2-fold higher. GM-CSF concentrations in endometrial culture media, determined by GM-CSF bioassay, for cyclic and E2/P4-treated ovariectomized ewes were 3-fold higher than those of control, E2- and P4-treated ovariectomized ewes; however, amounts of GM-CSF in pregnant ewes were 2-fold higher. Immunoreactive GM-CSF, examined by western blot, was detected in the culture medium from E2/P4-treated ovariectomized, cyclic and pregnant ewes. Luminal and glandular epithelia and stromal regions were Mention of trade names or commercial products in this article is solely for the purpose of providing specific
Robotics: State of the Art and Future Challenges (G. Bekey, et al; 2008) [On the Shelf]

This book presents the results of an assessment of the state of robotics in Japan, South Korea, Western Europe, and Australia and a comparison of robotics R&A in these countries with those in the United States.
Unclenching the Fist: Embodying Rhetoric and Giving Objects Their Due

The vandalizing of Monument to Joe Louis initiated efforts in the media to explain both the meaning of the vandalism and of the monument itself. This article engages those efforts to find an explanation linking act to object. Proceeding through the joining of acts, objects, and words, this article works toward a non-reductive account of the embodiment of rhetoric.
Effects of a selective Y2R antagonist, JNJ-31020028, on nicotine abstinence-related social anxiety-like behavior, neuropeptide Y and corticotropin releasing factor mRNA levels in the novelty-seeking phenotype

An outbred rat model of novelty-seeking phenotype has predictive value for the expression of locomotor sensitization to nicotine. When experimentally naive rats are exposed to a novel environment, some display high rates of locomotor reactivity (HRs, scores ranking at top 1/3rd of the population), whereas some display low rates (LRs, scores ranking at bottom 1/3rd of the population). Basally, HRs display lower anxiety-like behavior compared to LRs along with higher neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA in the amygdala and the hippocampus. Following an intermittent behavioral sensitization to nicotine regimen and 1 wk of abstinence, HRs show increased social anxiety-like behavior in the social interaction test and robust expression of locomotor sensitization to a low dose nicotine challenge. These effects are accompanied by a deficit in NPY mRNA levels in the medial nucleus of the amygdala and the CA3 field of the hippocampus, and increases in Y2R mRNA levels in the CA3 field and corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) mRNA levels in the central nucleus of the amygdala. Systemic and daily injections of a Y2R antagonist, JNJ-31020028, during abstinence fully reverse nicotine-induced social anxiety-like behavior, the expression of locomotor sensitization to nicotine challenge, the deficit in the NPY mRNA levels in the amygdala and the hippocampus, as well as result an increase in Y2R mRNA levels in the hippocampus and the CRF mRNA levels in the amygdala in HRs. These findings implicate central Y2R in neuropeptidergic regulation of social anxiety in a behavioral sensitization to nicotine regimen in the LRHR rats.
Water requirement for corn root expansion growth.

Abstract The water requirement for corn root expansion growth was studied by directly relating root extension to tissue water potential. Root growth rate was accurately measured over a short period (5–15 min) with a radial variable displacement transformer. Root tissue total and osmotic water potential was then immediately determined with an isopiestic thermocouple psychrometer. Roots experiencing a single water deficit of short duration (0–20 min) exhibited a nearly linear proportional response of growth rate (0 to 1.6 mm hr‐1) to tissue water potential over the range of about ‐1 to ‐10 MPa. Expansion ceased at at ‐10 MPa, defining this as the root's permanent wilting point. Roots experiencing longer periods of water deficit (6–7 hr) also exhibited the linear relationship but their osmotic potentials shifted to lower values in the process (osmoregulated).
Diastereoselective Additions of Nucleophiles to α-Acetoxy Ethers Using the α-(Trimethylsilyl)benzyl Auxiliary

We report the diastereoselective addition of a variety of nucleophiles to α-(trimethylsilyl)benzyl-substituted oxocarbenium ions. The oxocarbenium ions are generated from α-acetoxy ethers, which are easily prepared via reductive acetylation of esters. The α-(trimethylsilyl)benzyl auxiliary produces good to excellent facial selectivity with a variety of nucleophiles, including silyl enol ethers, silyl ketene acetals, allylsilanes, and crotylsilanes. The utility of this auxiliary is further demonstrated in a complex ketone aldol coupling reaction.
Inhibition of rat cardiac calcium pump activity by cationic amphiphilic drugs

Cationic amphiphilic drugs such as imipramine, chlorimipramine, chlorpromazine, chlorphentermine, and chloroquine have been shown to cause myocardial toxicity including arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, and myocarditis. Since calcium transport by sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) plays a critical role in contraction-relaxation coupling of myocardium, the toxicity exhibited by these drugs could be due to their effects on this phenomenon. Hence, we have studied the effects in vitro and in vivo of imipramine, chlorimipramine, chlorpromazine, chloroquine, and chlorphentermine on cardiac SR 45Ca-uptake and Ca2+-ATPase in male Fisher-344 rats. For in vitro studies, cardiac SR was prepared from normal rat hearts. For in vivo studies, rats were treated with drugs by oral gavage (p.o) at a dose of 20 pair-fed. All these drugs in vitro inhibited the cardiac SR 45Ca-uptake to a varying extent. The order of potency is chlorimipramine > chlorpromazine > imipramine > chlorphentermine > chloroquine. The inhibitory pattern of these drugs on cardiac SR Ca2+-ATPase also followed the same trend. The chlorinated analogs of these drugs are more potent in inhibiting 45Ca-uptake as well as Ca2+-ATPase as compared to their nonchlorinated con-geners. In vivo, all the drugs except chloroquine inhibited the 45Ca-uptake and Ca2+-ATPase activity to a different extent. The inhibition of cardiac SR calcium pump activity was seen as early as 7 days of treatment with chlorimipramine whereas all the other drugs (imipramine, chlorpromazine, and chlorphentermine) inhibited this calcium pump only at 21 days of treatment. Although in vivo chloroquine-induced inhibition of calcium pump activity did not reach significant level, it seems that there may be an effect at higher concentrations. In summary, the present results indicate that these cationic amphiphilic drugs might be exerting myocardial toxicity due to changes in cellular Ca2+ homeostasis because of their effects on cardiac SR calcium transport phenomenon. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Academic Stress and Perceptual Thresholds

(1959). Academic Stress and Perceptual Thresholds. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 61, No. 2, pp. 269-273.
A Sociocultural View of Sexual Assault: From Discrepancy to Diversity

Previous analyses of the cultural context of sexual assault have focused on social and demographic correlates of rape, or associations between the acceptance of rape myths and sociocultural beliefs and attitudes. Papers in this journal issue extend this perspective to definitions of rape and characteristics of the research enterprise. They also examine the association between specific sociocultural influences on the reporting of sexual assault, victims' experiences of and reactions to sexual assault, and perpetrator motives, as well as society's responses as reflected in the media and the judicial system. It is concluded that systematic analysis of sociocultural factors allows discrepancies in definitions, methods, results, and interpretations to be reconceptualized as diversity which is orderly and can be understood.
Measurement of regional cardiac fibrillation thresholds

The paper describes the measurement of 60 Hz cardiac fibrillation thresholds for five different regions on the heart. Both bipolar and unipolar measurements indicate that the most sensitive portion of the heart to 60 Hz current flow is the apex, and that fibrillation thresholds can vary by a factor of more than 2 to 1 depending on where the current is introduced.
CASIMIR TORQUE ON TWO ROTATING PLATES

We investigate the torque on two rotating particles and two rotating plates due to the thermal fluctuation and vacuum fluctuation. A general formula has been developed including the temperature difference on each plate and vacuum, and the different angular velocity on each plate. We show that the Casimir torque in absorbing material occurs whenever there is a difference in temperature or a relative angular velocity between the plates and the vacuum.
Databus charge recovery: practical considerations

The charge recovery databus is a scheme which reduces energy consumption through the application of adiabatic circuit techniques. A previous work by Khoo et al. (1995) gives a solid theoretical analysis of this scheme, including quantitative data assuming random bus values. We extend this earlier work by presenting a quantitative analysis of the charge recovery databus using 15 benchmarks and 4 high-level bus coding schemes. We show that a very simple implementation of the charge recovery databus is capable of reducing average energy consumption by 28% beyond traditional high-level bus encoding techniques.
Multilayered Mechanism of CD4 Downregulation by HIV-1 Vpu Involving Distinct ER Retention and ERAD Targeting Steps

A key function of the Vpu protein of HIV-1 is the targeting of newly-synthesized CD4 for proteasomal degradation. This function has been proposed to occur by a mechanism that is fundamentally distinct from the cellular ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway. However, using a combination of genetic, biochemical and morphological methodologies, we find that CD4 degradation induced by Vpu is dependent on a key component of the ERAD machinery, the VCP-UFD1L-NPL4 complex, as well as on SCFβ-TrCP-dependent ubiquitination of the CD4 cytosolic tail on lysine and serine/threonine residues. When degradation of CD4 is blocked by either inactivation of the VCP-UFD1L-NPL4 complex or prevention of CD4 ubiquitination, Vpu still retains the bulk of CD4 in the ER mainly through transmembrane domain interactions. Addition of a strong ER export signal from the VSV-G protein overrides this retention. Thus, Vpu exerts two distinct activities in the process of downregulating CD4: ER retention followed by targeting to late stages of ERAD. The multiple levels at which Vpu engages these cellular quality control mechanisms underscore the importance of ensuring profound suppression of CD4 to the life cycle of HIV-1.
Freeze-Thaw Days in the Northeastern United States.

Abstract A freeze-thaw day is defined as a weather observation day with a maximum temperature of 0°C or above and a minimum temperature of −2.2°C or below recorded in an instrument shelter 1.5 m above the ground. The 30 winter during 1950–80 are examined at 228 stations in nine northeastern states. Average annual freeze-thaw days range from over 90 at high elevations in the north to less than 50 along the Long Island and New Jersey shores and in the Philadelphia area. Freeze-thaw days are most common during midwinter months in the south but peak in March across inland sections. Freeze-thaw days are most numerous with average monthly temperatures between −2°C and 0°C and approach zero at monthly temperatures below −13°C and above 11°C. The number of freeze-thaw days with less than 7.5 cm of snow cover is about 95% of the total number along the southern coasts and less than 50% of the total in northern snowy climates. The air at 15 cm height experiences 13% more freeze-thaw days than the air at 150 cm, due ...
Changes in fatigue life mechanism due to soft grains and hard particles

Abstract Soft surface grains and hard interior particles are favored sites for fatigue crack initiation, which subsequent growth can lead to component failure. This paper examines the processes of crack initiation at soft primary alpha grains and hard alpha particles in two-phase Ti alloys. Existing microstructure-based fatigue models are utilized to treat fatigue crack initiation and to delineate the effects of microstructure on fatigue life variability. Specifically, competing fatigue crack initiation processes are analyzed to determine how they affect the shape of the stress-fatigue life ( S – N f ) curves. Soft primary alpha grains in Ti-alloys with a duplex microstructure concentrate plastic strains and raise hydrostatic stresses, leading to bilinear stress amplitude and mean stress curves that deviate substantially from the Haigh or Goodman relation. Similarly, residual tensile stresses at matrices adjacent to hard particles can change the mean stress dependence and reduce the fatigue limit in the high-cycle fatigue regime and beyond.
Compression therapy of limb edema using hydrostatic pressure of mercury.

A new apparatus for the treatment of edema of the extremities is described. The extremity is placed in a cylindrical vertical tank and isolated by a circum ferential synthetic rubber membrane. The equipment is programmed to create a mold of the extremity using a slurry of plastic granules from a reservoir. Mer cury is then pumped between the mold and the extremity, thereby exerting a pres sure gradient on the extremity equal to the hydrostatic pressure of the mercury column. A computerized program forms the mold and runs several compres sion cycles for each treatment session.Twelve patients were treated (8 upper extremities, 4 lower extremities) on a weekly or semiweekly basis. Progress was followed with computed axial tomog raphy scans, as well as measurements and photographs. Ten patients experienced significant immediate decrease in edema with each treatment. Wrapping or elas tic support was required to prevent the return of edema between treatments. No pain, skin injury, or other complication of treat...
Resistance to extinction as a function of the width of a tube alley

Rats were given acquisition and extinction trials in Plexiglas tube alleys of varying diameters. One group was given training in a narrow alley while a second received training in a wide alley. No differences were found between the groups in resistance to extinction. The results were interpreted as being inconsistent with interference theories of extinction.
The global distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in recent sediments

Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and their alkyl homologs are distributed in sediments throughout the world. The qualitative PAH pattern is remarkably constant for most of the locations studied, and the quantitative PAH abundance increases with proximity to urban centers. These findings are consistent with anthropogenic combustion's being the major source of these compounds. Two non-combustion sources of PAH have also been noted: retene coming from abietic acid and perylene probably coming from various extended quinone pigments.
Hydrogen effect on shearing and cleavage of Al: A first-principles study

We report on first-principles calculations of the effect of a (111) hydrogen layer embedded in Al on generalized stacking fault energies and cleavage energy for different choices of the slip and cleavage planes. It is shown that the H layer softens Al against shear by reducing the stable and unstable stacking fault energies relative to pure Al. This finding points to a possible enhancement of plasticity of Al by H. The H layer also reduces the cleavage energy on the (111) plane. The reductions in the cleavage energy and unstable stacking fault energy compensate each other and produce only a moderate change in the Rice criterion of ductile versus brittle fracture.
Comparison of 6-18F-fluoro-L-DOPA, 18F-2-deoxy-D-glucose, CT, and MRI in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms with von Hippel-Lindau disease.

Introduction There are limited data on the utility of 6-18F-fluoro- l -3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (18F-DOPA) and 18F-2-deoxy- d -glucose (18F-FDG) in the workup of patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs). The aim of our study was to determine the accuracy of 18F-DOPA and 18F-FDG to detect PNETs in patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease (vHL). Methods We studied prospectively 69 patients with a diagnosis of vHL and pancreatic lesion(s) using computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 18F-FDG, and 18F-DOPA. Clinical, genetic, and laboratory characteristics were analyzed to determine association with imaging study results. Results In sum, 40 patients underwent evaluation by all 4 modalities; 98 PNETs and 55 PNETs were identified on CT and MRI, respectively. Only 11 of the 98 lesions (11%) were positive on 18F-DOPA and 45 of the 98 (46%) lesions were positive on 18F-FDG. There were 13 18F-DOPA and 26 18F-FDG avid extrapancreatic lesions. One patient underwent resection of an 18F-DOPA avid extrapancreatic lesion in the lung, with pathology demonstrating a NET. There was no association between 18F-DOPA and 18F-FDG avidity and tumor size, age, gender, vHL mutation, or serum chromogranin A level. Conclusion 18F-FDG and MRI may be adjuncts to CT in identifying PNETs and metastatic disease. 18F-DOPA has limited value in identifying PNETs in patients with vHL, but may be useful for identifying extrapancreatic NET lesions.
Co-trimoxazole is useful in community acquired MRSA cellulitis.

Phoenix and colleagues confirm that doxycycline, minocycline, and clindamycin are effective drugs in treating community acquired meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) cellulitis,1 but co-trimoxazole …
Rabbit cornea stromal hydration measured with proton NMR spectroscopy.

The suitability of water proton spin-lattice relaxation time T1 as a measure of corneal dysfunction is investigated in this paper. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance measurements were performed on excised rabbit corneas using the saturation recovery method to determine the proton spin-lattice relaxation time T1. Both freshly excised and progressively swollen rabbit corneas were studied. The experimental results are consistent with a two compartment model of “bound” water and “free” water. This model results in a linear correlation between 1 / T1 (measured) and 1/corneal hydration. This correlation suggests that water proton T1 values can be used as an index of corneal dysfunction.
Analog computer study of sampled-data systems

TO OBTAIN a satisfactory solution to many of the complex control system problems which are currently being encountered, it has been necessary to apply the combination of digital controls and analog controls to the system. Whenever a transition is made between a digital system and an analog system, the embodiment of a sampled-data system is obtained. Likewise, in applications in which a number of similar processes are controlled through a time-sharing or multiplexed system by one common computer or controller, a sampled-data system is also obtained. In such cases the system performance is determined not only by the characteristics of the continuous portion of the system within the control loop, but also by the sampled-data system parameters, such as type of holding circuit and sampling rate. To set up specifications properly for such control systems, it is necessary to understand the effect of the sampled-data system parameters upon the over-all system performance.
Investigation of the gas-phase hydrogen/deuterium exchange behavior of aromatic dicarboxylic acids in a quadrupole ion trap

Abstract Gas-phase hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange reactions of four deprotonated aromatic dicarboxylic acids (phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid and 2,6-naphthalic acid) with D2O were performed in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. Experimental results showed significant differences in the rate and extent of exchange when the relative position of the carboxylic acid groups varied. Spontaneous and near complete exchange of one aromatic hydrogen atom occurred when the carboxylic acid groups were in the meta-position, whereas no additional exchange was observed for either the ortho- or para-isomers or for the structurally similar naphthalic acid. Computational investigations support the participation of several possible exchange mechanisms with the contribution of each relying heavily on the relative orientation of the acid moieties. A relay mechanism that bridges the deprotonation site and the labile hydrogen site appears to be responsible for the H/D exchange of not only the labile hydrogen atom of isophthalic acid, but also for the formation of a stable carbanion and corresponding subsequent exchange of one aromatic hydrogen atom. The impact of hydrogen bonding on the relay mechanism is demonstrated by the reaction of phthalic acid as the extent and rate of reaction are greatly retarded by the favorable interaction of the two carboxylic acid groups. Finally, a flip-flop mechanism is likely responsible for the exchange of both terephthalic acid and 2,6-naphthalic acid where the reactive sites are too remote for exchange via relay.
Cascading effects of contemporaneous defaunation on tropical forest communities

Defaunation, driven by hunting and habitat fragmentation, poses a threat to wildlife in tropical forests worldwide and is expected to have cascading effects on other organisms, particularly plant communities. This review summarizes empirical evidence from 42 studies on the indirect effects of defaunation on plants, focusing on altered plant–animal interactions, the resulting effects on plant population demography, and finally, community-level changes in plant composition and diversity. This review confirms, as previously documented, that larger-seeded species consistently experience reduced primary seed dispersal, and increased seedling aggregation around parent trees, as a result of defaunation. Reduced seed predation and herbivory are also associated with defaunation, in some cases countering the negative effects of reduced dispersal. The net effects of these changes led to either higher or lower seedling recruitment, depending on plant species. Defaunated plant communities show consistent shifts toward lower species richness, higher species dominance, and lower diversity. More research integrating effects of defaunation on all processes from seed dispersal through plant recruitment is required to mechanistically link altered species interactions to changes in recruitment and community composition.
Nuclear to quark-matter transition in the string-flip model

We have calculated ground-state properties of nuclear matter in a simple string-flip quark model in one dimension. Special emphasis was placed on the transition from hadron to quark matter and to the response of the system to color fields. Numerical simulations involving a large number of quarks were carried out for two- and three-quark clusters. This in turn enabled us to investigate the hadron-to-quark transition through the study of finite-size effects. The concept of a sudden-quark potential was introduced as an example of a generic response of the medium to color fields. We have argued that this response might be relevant to the propagation of a rapidly moving quark-antiquark pair (e.g., J/\ensuremath{\psi} meson) through the medium.
Direct observation of substrate influence on chemisorption of methanethiol adsorbed from the gas phase onto the reconstructed Au(111) surface

Methanethiol adsorption onto Au(111) was studied in situ by scanning tunneling microscopy in air at room temperature. By maintaining registry on the surface during adsorption, it was demonstrated that gold vacancy islands (i.e., “etch pits”), which are created by the chemisorption of methanethiol, exist in rows that exactly follow the (22×√3) gold reconstruction. Ostwald ripening produces larger gold vacancy islands that are no longer coincident with the original Au(111) reconstruction. Further annealing produces well-ordered domains of methanethiol that have the same surface structures observed for other alkanethiol-based self-assembled monolayers on Au(111). The results demonstrate for the first time that at high rates of dosing, the structure of a fully-formed thiol monolayer on Au(111) is influenced by the original (22×√3) reconstruction of the underlying gold surface. These data strongly suggest that the gold vacancy islands observed in methanethiol, thiophene, and other alkanethiol-based monolayers ...
Trustworthy Hardware: Trojan Detection and Design-for-Trust Challenges

Globalization of the semiconductor industry and associated supply chains have made integrated circuits increasingly vulnerable to Trojans. Researchers must expand efforts to verify trust in intellectual property cores and ICs.
Random-Field Instability of the Ordered State of Continuous Symmetry

Phase transitions are considered in systems where the field conjugate to the order parameter is static and random. It is demonstrated that when the order parameter has a continuous symmetry, the ordered state is unstable against an arbitrarily weak random field in less than four dimensions. The borderline dimensionality above which mean-field-theory results hold is six. (auth)
Plastic deformation mechanisms of fcc single crystals at small scales

Abstract Three-dimensional (3-D) dislocation dynamics simulations were employed to examine the fundamental mechanisms of plasticity in small-scale face-centered cubic single crystals. Guided by the simulation results, we examined two distinct modes of behavior that reflect the dominant physical mechanisms of plastic deformation at small scales. We found that the residence lifetimes of internal dislocation sources formed by cross-slip decrease as the system size decreases. Below a critical sample size (which depends on the initial density of dislocations) the dislocation loss rate exceeds the multiplication rate, leading to the loss of internal dislocation sources. In this case nucleation of surface dislocations is required to provide dislocations for deformation and the “starvation hardening” mechanism becomes the dominant deformation process. When the sample is larger than a critical size multiplication of internal dislocation sources provides the dominant mechanism for plastic flow. As the strain is increased the rising dislocation density leads to reactions that shut off these sources, creating “exhaustion hardening”.
Procedure for simultaneous assay of two β-emitting isotopes with the liquid scintillation counting technique

Two liquid scintillation counting techniques are described for the simultaneous assay of two BETA -emitting isotopes. Both methods are based on the empirical determination of the energy distribution for each isotope in various combinations of windows and the effects of known amounts of quenching on these distributions. One method is applicable for any level of radioactivity from extremely low to high ranges while the second is applicable for high levels of activity. Applications of the methods for the isotope pairs C/sup 14/, H/sup 3/ and C/sup 14/, P/sup 32/ are discussed. (C.H.)
The effect of alkylation on the antimicrobial activities of 7-hydroxy- and 4-hydroxycoumarins.

Es wird der Einfluss einer Alkylierung auf die antimikrobielle Wirkung von 7-Hydroxy- und 4-Hydroxy-Cumarin dargestellt.
Clozapine antagonism of D-1 and D-2 dopamine receptor-mediated behaviors.

Abstract When tested in rats supersensitive to dopamine agonists, the atypical neuroleptic displayed pharmacological properties expected of both a D-1 and D-2 receptor antagonist. The locomotor response induced by the D-1 receptor agonist SKF-38393 in neonatal-6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned rats was reversed in a dose-related fashion, although a complete blockade of this behavior was not observed indicative of only a partial antagonism of D-1 receptor function. Clozapine also blocked the self mutilation resulting from L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) administration to neonatal-6-OHDA-lesioned rats, an effect previously linked to D-1 receptor activation. At higher doses, clozapine blocked the locomotor activity elicited by the D-2 agonist LY-171555 in adult-6-OHDA-lesioned rats. Therefore, the action of clozapine on D-1 as well as D-2 receptor-mediated behaviors contributes to its pharmacological effects. The ability of clozapine to stop self-mutilatory behavior in neonatal-6-OHDA-lesioned rats suggests that this drug might be an effective treatment for self-injurious behavior associated with the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome and mental retardation.
Nearest-neighbor exchange in solid 3He.

The effect of including nearest-neighbor exchange into the spin Hamiltonian proposed for solid 3He is studied using the full diagonalization of a 16-quantum-spin cluster.
The Texas A&M cyclotron polarized ion facility

Abstract Modifications to the Texas A&M cyclotron resulting from installation of an atomic beam type polarized ion source are presented. Results of center region magnetic field calculations are discussed and compared with measurements. Further possible improvements are outlined.
Dynamics of rhenium photocatalysts revealed through ultrafast multidimensional spectroscopy.

ConspectusRhenium catalysts have shown promise to promote carbon neutrality by reducing a prominent greenhouse gas, CO2, to CO and other starting materials. Much research has focused on identifying intermediates in the photocatalysis mechanism as well as time scales of relevant ultrafast processes. Recent studies have implemented multidimensional spectroscopies to characterize the catalyst’s ultrafast dynamics as it undergoes the many steps of its photocycle.Two-dimensional infrared (2D-IR) spectroscopy is a powerful method to obtain molecular structure information while extracting time scales of dynamical processes with ultrafast resolution. Many observables result from 2D-IR experiments including vibrational lifetimes, intramolecular redistribution time scales, and, unique to 2D-IR, spectral diffusion, which is highly sensitive to solute–solvent interactions and motional dynamics.Spectral diffusion, a measure of how long a vibrational mode takes to sample its frequency space due to multiple solvent conf...
Parallel Computations and Numerical Simulations for Nonlinear Systems of Volterra Integro-Differential Equations

Abstract We investigate thalamo-cortical systems that are modeled by nonlinear Volterra integro-differential equations of convolution type. We divide the systems into smaller subsystems in such a way that each of them is solved separately by a processor working independently of other processors results of which are shared only once in the process of computations. We solve the subsystems concurrently in a parallel computing environment and present results of numerical experiments, which show savings in the run time and therefore efficiency of our approach. For our numerical simulations, we apply different numbers np of processors and each case shows that the run time decreases with increasing np. The optimal speed-up is obtained with np = N, where N is the (moderate) number of equations in the thalamo-cortical model.
Strain Rate Effects on Structure-Property Relationship in the Rabbit Patellar Tendon

Mechanical properties, functional capabilities, and internal structure have all been investigated in tendons. The patellar tendon, specifically, is commonly used for replacing damaged or torn anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL). Many areas of engineering and research seek to determine aspects of biological tissues that can be modeled and mimicked in making artificial constructs. A proper and adequate understanding of the macro and micro-composition and structure-property relationship is essential to computational modeling of the tissue. The behavior of the tendon as a whole is dependent on the mechanics of the individual sublevels of hierarchy in combination.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Octadentate Ligands Containing 2,3-Dihydroxybenzamide and 2,3-Dihydroxyterephthalamide Coordinating Subunits on a Tetrapodal Amine Backbone for Chelation of Actinides

The linear octadentate ligand 3,4,3-LICAM(C) (2) is one of the most effective chelating agents for Pu IV that is not acutely toxic; however, at physiological pH, due to the weak acidity of the catechol hydroxy groups and the large proton dependence of the complexation reaction, only three of the four catecholate subunits are coordinated to Pu IV . To overcome this disadvantage, a new topological class of octadentate ligands based on tetrapodal amine backbones and 2,3-dihydroxyterephthalamide (3) (TAM) binding units were designed and synthesized. The amide substituents provide a handle by which the functionality of the ligand can be readily modified,
Cardiac performance of hypertensive aorta-constricted rabbits.

A heart-lung preparation with flow limited to the coronary vessels was used to study cardiac performance 4 to 120 days after severe constriction of the abdominal aorta in rabbits. Cardiac performance was evaluated by finding the maximum mean arterial pressure against which the heart could pump. Cardiac performance began to exceed the normal, range by the second or third post operative week and was well above normal after the first month. A high cardiac performance was not necessarily associated with marked ventricular hypertrophy. Animals died of heart failure within the first month, and all had developed a much more rapid rate of blood pressure increase than those that survived without signs of decompensation. We conclude that the basic cause of heart failure after severe aorta constriction is a rapid rise in arterial pressure which exceeds the rate at which the heart develops an improved performance.
Optimal sample sizes determined by two–sample welch's t test

Tables of optimal sample sizes are provided in this article for testing the equality of means of two normal populations when variances may be unequal. The Welch's Approximate t Test is used since it is increasingly recognized as the most practical solution to the Behrens–Fisher problem
A human motor behavior model for distal pointing tasks

Models of human motor behavior are well known as an aid in the design of user interfaces (UIs). Most current models apply primarily to desktop interaction, but with the development of non-desktop UIs, new types of motor behaviors need to be modeled. Distal pointing-pointing directly at a target that is remotely situated with respect to the input device-is such a motor behavior. A model of distal pointing would be particularly useful in the comparison of different interaction techniques, because the performance of such techniques is highly dependent on user strategy, making controlled studies difficult to perform. Inspired by Fitts' law, we studied four possible models and concluded that movement time for a distal pointing task is best described as a function of the angular amplitude of movement and the angular size of the target. Contrary to Fitts' law, our model shows that the angular size has a much larger effect on movement time than the angular amplitude and that the growth in the difficulty of the tasks is quadratic, rather than linear. We estimated the model's parameters experimentally with a correlation coefficient of 96%.
A MIXED INTEGER LINEAR PROGRAMMING-BASED TECHNIQUE FOR THE ESTIMATION OF MULTIPLE GROSS ERRORS IN PROCESS MEASUREMENTS

Abstract This paper presents a new strategy for detecting, identifying, and estimating gross errors (measurement biases and leaks) in linear steady state processes. The MILP-based gross error detection and identification model is constructed aiming at identifying the minimum number of gross errors and their sizes. One significant advantage of the method is that the detection, identification, and estimation of gross errors can be performed simultaneously without using any test statistics.
Response to 'Classification of Deaths Resulting From Terrorism'

Blackman responds to the policy of the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics to establish a new terror code within the United States use of the International Classification of Diseases.
Modified exponential nitrogen loading to promote morphological quality and nutrient storage of bareroot-cultured Quercus rubra and Quercus alba seedlings

Abstract Exponential nutrient loading has been used to improve nursery fertilizer uptake efficiency of conifer seedlings, but the technique has received little attention in the culture of temperate deciduous hardwoods. This study examined responses of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) and white oak (Q. alba L.) seedlings to modified exponential nitrogen loading during bareroot nursery culture using a broad range of nutrient supply from 0 to 3.35 g nitrogen (N) per plant per season for 18 weeks in Indiana, USA. Seedling growth and nutritional parameters followed a curvilinear pattern that ranged from deficiency to toxicity with increased fertilization consistent with trends depicted in the proposed model for nutrient loading. Fertilization increased plant dry mass by 113–260% for red oak and 49–144% for white oak. Severe nutrient deficiency occurred under indigenous soil fertility, and limited phosphorus and potassium uptake were found to inhibit seedling growth at higher N supply. The sufficiency and op...
Exact solution of the diffusion-convection equation in cylindrical geometry

Solution of this equation is invaluable for validating the accuracy of numerical techniques as well, especially in complex biological systems. Several analytical techniques such as the method of characteristics or the Laplace transformation can be applied to find an analytical solution. In a one-dimensional (1-D) linear medium with continuous infusion at one boundary, i.e., constant convection velocity, the exact solution is simple. We are interested in obtaining analytical solutions in cylindrical and spherical domains, where the convection velocity varies radially. Such solutions are very useful in studying drug distribution during convection enhanced drug delivery in human brain. A cylindrical or spherical infusion source occurs due to the choice of the infusion catheter, which may be single port or a porous membrane catheter. Unfortunately, analytical solutions of only certain particular problems in which the diffusivity can be expressed as a power function of the Peclet numbers have been presented. We present an analytical solution for the convection diffusion problem in a cylindrical domain. Assuming symmetry with central source a desired concentration field CS (r,t), would be a function of one spatial coordinate r, and time t. For convenience, we use normalized species concentration C(r,t) 1⁄4 CS/C0, ranging from zero to unity, where C0 is the inlet concentration at the source.
Cooperative assistance for remote robot supervision

This paper describes current work on a cooperative teleassistance system for semiautonomous control of mobile robots. This system combines a robot architecture for limited autonomous perceptual and motor control with a knowledge-based operator assistant that provides strategic selection and enhancement of relevant data. It extends recent developments in artificial intelligence in modeling the role of visual interactions in problem solving for application to an interface permitting the human and remote to cooperate in cognitively demanding tasks such as recovering from execution failures, mission planning, and learning. The design of the system is presented, together with a number of exception-handling scenarios that were constructed as a result of experiments with actual sensor data collected from two mobile robots.
Development of a severity classification system for subjective nasal obstruction.

ImportanceNasal airway obstruction is a common presenting symptom in otolaryngology and facial plastic surgery practices, and the potential for multiple contributing causes requires extensive evalu...
Droplet mobility on lubricant-impregnated surfaces

Non-wetting surfaces containing micro/nanotextures impregnated with lubricating liquids have recently been shown to exhibit superior non-wetting performance compared to superhydrophobic surfaces that rely on stable air–liquid interfaces. Here we examine the fundamental physico-chemical hydrodynamics that arise when droplets, immiscible with the lubricant, are placed on and allowed to move along these surfaces. We find that these four-phase systems show novel contact line morphology comprising a finite annular ridge of the lubricant pulled above the surface texture and consequently as many as three distinct 3-phase contact lines. We show that these distinct morphologies not only govern the contact line pinning that controls droplets' initial resistance to movement but also the level of viscous dissipation and hence their sliding velocity once the droplets begin to move.
Worldwide Spread of the Yellow-Footed Ant, Nylanderia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

ABSTRACT Nylanderia flavipes (formerly Paratrechina flavipes), an Asian species, was first found outside its native range in a Philadelphia park in 1939. To evaluate the geographic spread of N. flavipes, I compiled specimen records from >250 sites, documenting its earliest known records for 27 geographic areas (countries and U.S. states), including 7 U.S. states for which I found no previously published reports: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Virginia. Almost all records of N. flavipes from its native range in East Asia come from sites 30.0°N–44.0°N, with a few records from lower latitudes. In the eastern U.S., N. flavipes records come from a somewhat narrower latitudinal range, 32.5°N–42.4°N (South Carolina to Massachusetts). In areas of the U.S. where it invades, N. flavipes seems to blend into the community like a native species. The only noted impact appears to be the disappearance of Nylanderia faisonensis, an ecologically similar species, with similar nest...
In Situ Polymerase Chain Reaction: Overview of Procedures and Applications

The evaluation of gene expression in the context of cellular morphology is essential to the full understanding of cell biology. A variety of methods for detection of nucleic acids are currently available. Solution polymerase chain reaction (PCR) requires disruption of the sample and detection of the amplified material by electrophoresis in agarose gels. In situ hybridization methods, on the other hand, permit morphologic correlation and provide a high sensitivity sufficient for many applications. In some instances, however, the amount of target in the sample is below the limit of detection of this technique. In situ PCR allows the detection of minimal amounts of nucleic acids with exquisite sensitivity and specificity, while the integrity of the cells and the morphology of tissues remains preserved. This technique, although not exempt from difficulties, is undergoing methodologic simplifications that will make it suitable for an increasing number of basic science and clinical applications. The following i...
Balancing usability and security in a video CAPTCHA

We present a technique for using content-based video labeling as a CAPTCHA task. Our CAPTCHAs are generated from YouTube videos, which contain labels (tags) supplied by the person that uploaded the video. They are graded using a video's tags, as well as tags from related videos. In a user study involving 184 participants, we were able to increase the human success rate on our video CAPTCHA from roughly 70% to 90%, while keeping the success rate of a tag frequency-based attack fixed at around 13%. Through a different parameterization of the challenge generation and grading algorithms, we were able to reduce the success rate of the same attack to 2%, while still increasing the human success rate from 70% to 75%. The usability and security of our video CAPTCHA appears to be comparable to existing CAPTCHAs, and a majority of participants (60%) indicated that they found the video CAPTCHAs more enjoyable than traditional CAPTCHAs in which distorted text must be transcribed.
A preliminary report on a skills-based telephone-administered peer support programme for patients with multiple sclerosis.

Objective: Peer-support interventions have shown no statistically significant or clinically meaningful effect on quality of life (QOL) or depressive symptoms for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Peer-support interventions for MS generally provide support but no skills training. The aim of this study was to evaluate a brief telephone-administered skills-training model of peer-support for patients with MS. Methods: Sixteen patients with MS showing signs of moderate distress received eight sessions of telephone-administered peer support (TAPS). TAPS is a manualized programme administered by peer-support counsellors diagnosed with MS. Using a workbook, peer-support counsellors teach skills to manage distress and MS symptoms. Subjective depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale while objective depression was rated using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. QOL was measured preand post-treatment using the SF-36. Results: The participants showed significant impro...
Building a Safety Case for a Safety-Critical NASA Space Vehicle Software System

We describe our development of a key portion of a safety case for a safety-critical piece of NASA software designed to operate on a NASA launch vehicle. The software's purpose is to make real-time determinations of the presence of catastrophic failure conditions of that vehicle and react accordingly. We show how our safety case development applies a series of generic software considerations instantiated on the specifics of the NASA software system. We conclude that this approach is applicable to a wide range of NASA software systems.
Vandalism detection in Wikipedia: a high-performing, feature-rich model and its reduction through Lasso

User generated content (UGC) constitutes a significant fraction of the Web. However, some wiiki-based sites, such as Wikipedia, are so popular that they have become a favorite target of spammers and other vandals. In such popular sites, human vigilance is not enough to combat vandalism, and tools that detect possible vandalism and poor-quality contributions become a necessity. The application of machine learning techniques holds promise for developing efficient online algorithms for better tools to assist users in vandalism detection. We describe an efficient and accurate classifier that performs vandalism detection in UGC sites. We show the results of our classifier in the PAN Wikipedia dataset. We explore the effectiveness of a combination of 66 individual features that produce an AUC of 0.9553 on a test dataset -- the best result to our knowledge. Using Lasso optimization we then reduce our feature--rich model to a much smaller and more efficient model of 28 features that performs almost as well -- the drop in AUC being only 0.005. We describe how this approach can be generalized to other user generated content systems and describe several applications of this classifier to help users identify potential vandalism.