cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photomechanical Energy Conversion in a Polymer Membrane

THE interaction between small molecules and macromolecules is very important in living systems; small ligands have allosteric effects on the macromolecular conformation and distortion of substrate may be involved in enzymatic processes, several of which are initiated or regulated by light. A light-induced eis to trans isomerization of a retinal derivative in the rhodopsin-carrying membrane of the rod outer segments of the eye triggers the visual process1. Also, a model system has been reported in which a light-induced trans to eis conversion of an azo dye regulates the rate of inactivation of an enzyme in vitro2,3. Lovrien has proposed a dependence of the conformational behaviour of synthetic polyelectrolytes in solution on the cis/trans ratio of an absorbed dye4 to explain the observed changes in solution viscosity on irradiation.
Using online annotation software to provide timely feedback in an introductory programming course

Research has shown that targeted and timely feedback of student work is critical to successful knowledge and skill acquisition. However, when instructors and students encounter Learning Management Systems (LMS) such as Blackboard, they quickly discover one area that these systems lack is an easy way to provide such feedback. Multiple steps are usually required to accomplish the task. What are needed are better task-specific tools and applications that allow teachers to provide not only timely but targeted feedback. This paper reports on the design, development and the deployment of an online annotation software, RedPencil within a Java programming class
An object-based programming model for shared data

The classical object model supports private data within objects and clean interfaces between objects, and by definition does not permit sharing of data among arbitrary objects. This is a problem for real-world applications, such as advanced financial services and integrated network management, where the same data logically belong to multiple objects and may be distributed over multiple nodes on the network. Rather than give up the advantages of encapsulated objects in modeling real-world entities, we propose a new object model that supports shared data in a distributed environment. The key is separating distribution of computation units from information-hiding concerns. Minimal units of data and control, called facets, may be shared among multiple objects and are grouped into processes. Thus, a single object, or information-hiding unit, may be distributed among multiple processes, or computation units. In other words, different facets of the same object may reside in different address spaces on different machines. We introduce our new object model, describe a motivating example from the financial domain, and then explain facets, objects, and processes, followed by timing and synchronization concerns.
Overexpression of histone deacetylase HDAC1 modulates breast cancer progression by negative regulation of estrogen receptor alpha.

The interaction between 17beta-estradiol and estrogen receptor alpha (ER-alpha) plays an important role in breast carcinogenesis and breast cancer treatment. ER-alpha is a critical growth regulatory gene in breast cancer and its expression level is tightly linked to the prognosis and treatment outcomes of breast cancer patients. Loss of ER-alpha expression in breast epithelial cells is critical for breast cancer progression. The underlying molecular mechanisms for this loss, however, are poorly defined. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are implicated in the alteration of chromatin assembly and tumorigenesis. We show that histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) interacts with ER-alpha in vitro and in vivo and suppresses ER-alpha transcription activity. The interaction of HDAC1 with ER-alpha was mediated by the AF-2 and DBD domains of ER-alpha. We observed an endogenous interaction of HDAC1 with ER-alpha in breast cancer cells, which was decreased in the presence of estrogen. Interestingly, overexpression of HDAC1 in stable transfected MCF-7 clones induced loss of ER-alpha and significantly increased cell proliferation and colony formation, as compared to the control MCF-7 cells, whereas treatment of stable MCF-7 clones with the HDAC specific inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) induced re-expression of ER-alpha mRNA and protein. Our findings strongly suggest that HDAC1 affects breast cancer progression by promoting cellular proliferation in association with a reduction in both ER-alpha protein expression and transcriptional activity. Thus, HDAC1 may be a potential target for therapeutic intervention in the treatment of a subset of ER-negative breast cancers.
Susceptibility of Broilers to Coccidiosis Following Early Coccidiostat Withdrawal

Abstract THE use of preventive medication for coccidiosis protection is now virtually universal in management of commercial broiler flocks. This is accomplished by mixing a coccidiostatic drug into the feed. Medication may be discontinued before marketing for several different reasons. Because of Food and Drug Administration regulations on certain drugs, it is sometimes necessary to withdraw the drug several days before the birds are marketed to allow tissue residues of the drug to diminish to permitted levels. This is particularly true if the drug is used in combination with an arsenical growth-promoting agent. Other drugs have no withdrawal requirements, however, they can be withdrawn for reasons of economy and convenience. In one broiler feeding program starter ration is fed for 28 days, grower ration from 29–53 days, then “withdrawal ration,” which does not contain the medication, is fed until birds are marketed. In other feeding programs the coccidiostatic drug may…
Acute hyperoxia-induced transcriptional response in the mouse RPE/choroid.

Oxidative stress has been studied in the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) in vitro but not in vivo. Our purpose, therefore, was to develop an in vivo model of acute oxidative stress in the C57BL/6J mouse. Mice were exposed to ≥ 98% oxygen for 0, 2, or 6 h, and amplified total RNA from the RPE/choroid was applied to microarrays examining about 2200 unique genes. Statistical analysis determined that 642 genes, out of a total of 1349 expressed, were significantly downregulated at only 2 h, only 6 h, or both 2 and 6 h, and a single gene, ubiquitin, was upregulated. These genes are involved in all aspects of cellular functions, and there are no major differences among the three groups. The effect of hyperoxia on the RPE/choroid in vivo appears to be very similar to oxidative stress studies performed with an RPE cell line in vitro. All 11 genes identified as being regulated by all three oxidants in our previous study, and were expressed by mouse, were also differentially regulated by hyperoxia. At least for the initial response to an oxidative challenge, the in vitro ARPE-19 cell line is a reasonable model for in vivo studies.
Does Fully-Developed Turbulence Exist?

The existence of a unique state of turbulent behaviour for sufficiently large but finite Reynolds number (Re) is questioned. Possible experimental manifestations of the nonexistence of fully-developed turbulence are discussed. The present experimental situation is controversial, and systematic studies over a wide range of operating conditions are required to resolve these fundamental issues.
Onyx embolization of arteriovenous malformations using 2 microcatheters.

OBJECTIVE: To report an operative technique using 2 microcatheters placed in different arterial pedicles for Onyx (ev3 Neurovascular, Inc, Irvine, CA) embolization of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). TECHNIQUE:Two cases illustrate this approach to embolization of AVMs. Microcatheters are placed in 2 different arterial pedicles of the AVM. Subsequently, the embolic material is injected in an alternate fashion between the microcatheters until occlusion of the AVM. CONCLUSION: The 2-microcatheter technique for embolization of AVMs with Onyx was performed safely. The technique allowed for less interruptions of injection and better control of the reflux of Onyx in the arterial pedicle during treatment.This technique presents an alternate approach to conventional AVM embolization.
A Custom Requirements Database for the California High-Speed Train Project: Or: “You're going to need a bigger boat”

The California High-Speed Train Project (CHSTP) is a large-scale, multi-discipline infrastructure project to build 800 miles of high-speed railroad from Los Angeles to San Francisco and beyond. It is the first true high-speed rail line in the U.S., and as a result faces unique engineering and regulatory challenges. Existing U.S. federal and state safety regulations do not address the full range of safety requirements included in high-speed rail safety regulations in Europe and Asia. For the CHSTP it was therefore necessary to develop a set of requirements that reflected existing U.S. regulations and incorporated best worldwide high-speed rail practices. This paper describes how a requirements management database was developed to document, link, manage and understand the requirements, and support the U.S. Federal Rail Administration (FRA) regulatory change process. Expansion of the database highlighted the need for a more robust set of Systems Engineering (SE) processes and tools.
From World War II to cold war: the emergence and development of George C. Marshall's transatlantic worldview and policies, 1939–1951

Although George C. Marshall served as US Secretary of State for only two years (from January 1947 to January 1949), he was responsible during that brief time period for the most important peacetime transatlantic initiatives in American history – most notably the European Recovery Programme that bears his name and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) whose formation would be completed a few months after he left office. While these initiatives clearly resulted from the growing Soviet–American conflict after the Second World War and the ensuing cold war, their roots lay in the strong transatlantic policies and strategies in which Marshall had participated, and which he had often initiated, during the Second World War. What follows is an analysis of those wartime policies and strategies, and their relationship to the postwar transatlantic policies and strategies Marshall championed as Secretary of State.
Three-dimensional radiative transfer in an anisotropically scattering, plane-parallel medium: generalized reflection and transmission functions

Abstract The problem of spatially varying, collimated radiation incident on an anisotropically scattering, plane-parallel medium is considered. A very general phase function is allowed. An integral transform is used to reduce the three-dimensional radiative transport equation to a one-dimensional form, and a modified Ambarzumian's method is applied to derive nonlinear integral and integro-differential equations for the generalized reflection and transmission functions. The integration is over the polar and azimuthal angles—this formulation is referred to as the double-integral formulation. The integral equations are used to illustrate symmetry relationships and to obtain single- and double-scattering approximations. The generalized reflection and transmission functions are important in the construction of the solutions to many multidimensional problems. Coupled integral equations for the interior and emergent intensities are developed and, for the case of two identical homogeneous layers, used to formulate a doubling procedure. Results for an isotropic and Rayleigh scattering medium are presented to illustrate the computational characteristics of the formulation.
Regulation of cytochrome P450 2e1 expression by ethanol: role of oxidative stress-mediated pkc/jnk/sp1 pathway

CYP2E1 metabolizes ethanol leading to production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and acetaldehyde, which are known to cause not only liver damage but also toxicity to other organs. However, the signaling pathways involved in CYP2E1 regulation by ethanol are not clear, especially in extra-hepatic cells. This study was designed to examine the role of CYP2E1 in ethanol-mediated oxidative stress and cytotoxicity, as well as signaling pathways by which ethanol regulates CYP2E1 in extra-hepatic cells. In this study, we used astrocytic and monocytic cell lines, because they are important cells in central nervous system . Our results showed that 100 mM ethanol significantly induced oxidative stress, apoptosis, and cell death at 24 h in the SVGA astrocytic cell line, which was rescued by a CYP2E1 selective inhibitor, diallyl sulfide (DAS), CYP2E1 siRNA, and antioxidants (vitamins C and E). Further, we showed that DAS and vitamin C abrogated ethanol-mediated (50 mM) induction of CYP2E1 at 6 h, as well as production of ROS at 2 h, suggesting the role of oxidative stress in ethanol-mediated induction of CYP2E1. We then investigated the role of the protein kinase C/c-Jun N-terminal kinase/specificity protein1 (PKC/JNK/SP1) pathway in oxidative stress-mediated CYP2E1 induction. Our results showed that staurosporine, a non-specific inhibitor of PKC, as well as specific PKCζ inhibitor and PKCζ siRNA, abolished ethanol-induced CYP2E1 expression. In addition, inhibitors of JNK (SP600125) and SP1 (mithramycin A) completely abrogated induction of CYP2E1 by ethanol in SVGA astrocytes. Subsequently, we showed that CYP2E1 is also responsible for ethanol-mediated oxidative stress and apoptotic cell death in U937 monocytic cell lines. Finally, our results showed that PKC/JNK/SP1 pathway is also involved in regulation of CYP2E1 in U937 cells. This study has clinical implications with respect to alcohol-associated neuroinflammatory toxicity among alcohol users.
Mutant analysis as an experimental approach towards understanding plant hormone action

Abstract A variety of mutants altered in hormone biosynthesis and response pathways have been described. Genetic and molecular analyses of these mutants have contributed information on the control of plant developmental processes and on mechanisms of signal transduction. A sampling of hormone mutants and their role in elucidating modes of hormone action in higher plants is described.
Depolarization and Laminin Independently Enable bFGF to Promote Neuronal Survival through Different Second Messenger Pathways

Abstract This study presents evidence that cellular responsiveness to the neurotrophic factor basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) can be achieved by at least two classes of agents using different initial second messenger pathways. Embryonic chick ciliary ganglion neurons plated on polyornithine normally undergo rapid cell death in culture and could not be rescued by addition of bFGF. Similarly, neither exposure to laminin alone nor low levels of depolarization alone was sufficient to promote neuronal survival. In contrast, if ciliary ganglion neurons were exposed to bFGF in the presence of either laminin or low levels of depolarization, nearly all neurons were rescued from cell death. The observed synergistic effect of bFGF and low levels of depolarization required influx of calcium since addition of the L-type calcium channel antagonists PN200-110 completely prevented neuronal survival. The synergistic effect observed between laminin and bFGF was independent of changes in intracellular calcium since PN200-110 failed to block the synergistic effect and because neither addition of bFGF to neurons plated on laminin nor direct addition of laminin caused any significant changes in intracellular calcium. The ability of laminin to enable bFGF to promote neuronal survival could completely be blocked by the addition of antibodies to β1-integrin, suggesting a calcium-independent integrin-mediated response. Taken together, these results suggest that both laminin and depolarization can enable bFGF responsiveness by acting through different second messenger pathways.
Elevations in the endogenous levels of the putative morphogen retinoic acid in embryonic mouse limb-buds associated with limb dysmorphogenesis.

Abstract Retinoic acid, an endogenous metabolite of vitamin A (retinol), possesses striking biological activity akin to a morphogen in developing and regenerating vertebrate limbs. Systemic administration of retinoic acid (RA) to pregnant mammals during the period of limb organogenesis invariably results in dose-dependent dysmorphogenesis. In an attempt to uncover the mode of action of RA in the developing limb bud we analyzed, by HPLC methods, the levels of RA and its metabolic precursor, retinol, in embryonic mouse tissues prior to and following maternal exposure to a teratogenic dose of RA. Detectable levels of both RA and its isomer 13- cis -retinoic acid were found in the limb buds of Day 11 mouse embryos (40 ± 2 somites). Although retinol was the major retinoid found in ethanolic extracts of either whole embryo or the limb buds, the latter is enriched in RA compared to the whole embryo. This indicated either a higher degree of retinol metabolism or a sequestration of RA in the limb bud compared to the rest of the embryo at this stage of development. A study of the time course of retinoid levels in treated embryos showed that changes occur rapidly, are stable for several hours, and then begin to return to pretreatment levels. After a maternal dose of 10 mg/kg RA, which resulted in a mild degree of limb anomalies, peak RA levels in the limb bud increased 50-fold over the endogenous level; a full 300-fold increase was found after a 100 mg/kg dose which results in 100% incidence of phocomelia. Interestingly, a dose-dependent depression in retinol levels was observed after RA treatment both in maternal plasma as well as the embryo. Studies are in progress to trace the intracellular disposition of both retinol and RA as well as any further active metabolite of RA in the limb buds and other embryonic tissues.
Magnetic moments and pion currents in nuclear matter

Abstract The contribution from pion currents to the magnetic moment of a nucleon in nuclear matter is considered. It is shown that this effect is obtained by imposing gauge-invariance on the charge-exchange part of the one-pion exchange potential. In the absence of correlations this mechanism is known to give a “quenchingrd of the moment. The change in the isovector part of the intrinsic magnetic moment is evaluated in a model which allows spin-dependent two-nucleon correlations as well as hardcore interactions. In the presence of correlations produced by the long-range tensor part of the one-pion exchange potential the moment is found to be enhanced by 0.26 nuclear magnetons. The present theory is incapable of predicting isoscalar contributions to the single-particle moments.
FPGA based UWB MISO time-reversal system design and implementation

In this paper, a testbed design and implementation of ultra-wideband (UWB) multiple-input single-output (MISO) time-reversal system are presented. The implementation is based on field programmable gate array (FPGA). The combination of MISO with UWB time-reversal is promising for enhancing the data rate and reliability in harsh wireless environments. When multiple transmitter antennas are considered with UWB time-reversal, the coherency between multiple antennas becomes critical. With a practical system, the coherency is impaired due to imperfect hardware. An effective baseband compensation technique is proposed and tested. Moreover, detailed implementation issues and experimental results based on a UWB 2×1 MISO time-reversal testbed are reported.
Real-time anomaly detection in full motion video

Improvement in sensor technology such as charge-coupled devices (CCD) as well as constant incremental improvements in storage space has enabled the recording and storage of video more prevalent and lower cost than ever before. However, the improvements in the ability to capture and store a wide array of video have required additional manpower to translate these raw data sources into useful information. We propose an algorithm for automatically detecting anomalous movement patterns within full motion video thus reducing the amount of human intervention required to make use of these new data sources. The proposed algorithm tracks all of the objects within a video sequence and attempts to cluster each object's trajectory into a database of existing trajectories. Objects are tracked by first differentiating them from a Gaussian background model and then tracked over subsequent frames based on a combination of size and color. Once an object is tracked over several frames, its trajectory is calculated and compared with other trajectories earlier in the video sequence. Anomalous trajectories are differentiated by their failure to cluster with other well-known movement patterns. Adding the proposed algorithm to an existing surveillance system could increase the likelihood of identifying an anomaly and allow for more efficient collection of intelligence data. Additionally, by operating in real-time, our algorithm allows for the reallocation of sensing equipment to those areas most likely to contain movement that is valuable for situational awareness.
Circadian rhythm of feeding induced changes in hypothalamic Met-enkephalin concentrations.

Accumulating evidence suggests that opioid peptides play an important role in the hunger component of the control of food intake. The enkephalins, one of the opioid peptide families, stimulate feeding when injected into specific hypothalamic areas and endogenous concentrations change with the fed/fasted condition of rats and sheep and with phase of circadian cycle. To demonstrate a possible circadian rhythm in feeding-induced changes in Met-enkephalin (MEK), 54 male rats initially weighing 255±3 g were adapted to a 12-hr fast during the light (light-fasted) or dark (dark-fasted) phase of the circadian cycle, then sacrificed before (non-fed) or after (fed) being allowed to eat a meal. In non-fed compared with fed rats, MEK concentrations were higher in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN, 170 vs. 109 pg/mg tissue, p<0.05) and ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH, 209 vs. 161 pg/mg tissue, p<0.05) in the dark (light-fasted) but not light (dark-fasted), even though rats ate a larger meal in the light (8.6 vs. 5.0 g, p<0.01). In rats fed the same amount of food in the light (dark-fasted) as ad lib fed rats in the dark (light-fasted), MEK concentrations did not differ in the PVN or VMH, suggesting that circadian rhythm is more important than meal size. Rats gavaged with an amount of milk equal in calories to dark ad lib-fed rats (light-fasted) had MEK concentrations not different from light-fasted non-fed rats (216 vs. 209 pg/mg tissue, NS) suggesting that feeding behavior, pregastric stimuli and/or form of diet is important for influencing MEK concentrations. These results demonstrate that feeding-induced MEK concentration changes in areas previously shown to be important in the control of food intake are circadian in nature and are larger in the dark when most feeding occurs in rats.
On gossiping with faulty telephone lines

In the well-known gossip problem, each of n gossips initially has a unique piece of information. The gossips can make a sequence of two-party telephone calls in which the two participants exchange every piece of information they have at the time of the call. The problem is to determine a minimum length sequence of telephone calls such that, by the end, everyone knows everyone else’s information. We consider Berman and Hawrylycz’s variation on this problem [this Journal, 7 (1986), pp. 13–17]. They introduce the additional feature that as many as k of the calls may fail in the sense that no information is exchanged, where k is a second parameter of the problem. We improve upon their upper bound on the minimum number of calls needed. This disproves a conjecture in the same paper. We also briefly consider the parallel complexity of this problem.
333 Endoscopic Removal of Even Small Cecal Polyps Is Associated With an Increased Risk of Post-Polypectomy Bleeding

risk factors were lesion sizeR30 mm, location proximal to transverse, age older than 75 years, current comorbidities (ASA score III-IV) and aspirin or anticoagulant therapy. Complete clip closure of the mucosal gap after EMR appears to be an effective preventive method. The score we have developed estimates the risk of DB. It may be helpful in order to decide whether or not to apply prophylactic haemostatic techniques such as complete clip closure of the mucosal defect and select those patients with an increased DB risk for a close monitoring. This score must be validated by other EMR working groups. Table 1. Lesion, patients and EMR characteristics (DB univariate analysis) AB136 GASTROINTEST No delayed bleeding (n[1220; 96.4%) INAL ENDOSCOPY Delayed bleeding (n[46; 3.6%)
4.2.2 Technology Readiness Assessment a Systems Engineering Process to Ensure All Your Pegs and Holes are Round Before Beginning Development

Technology insertion can be like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole if the technology is not mature enough for the system beginning development. The Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) is a process that takes it's pedigree from NASA. NASA needed a systematic approach to assess the maturity of a particular technology and a consistent comparison of maturity between different types of technology. An approach using Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) was institutionalized when it was incorporated in the NASA Management Instruction 7100 [Mankins 1995]. This was the beginning of the TRA process. It is now a readily accepted Systems Engineering process for all major U.S.A. Department of Defense (DOD) acquisitions. The use of the TRA is expanding and should be considered for systems being considered for the sustainability of the planet. The TRA is best used up front before system development when deciding on competing technologies to be used and before production when deciding if technologies have matured enough to insure production feasibility. In this paper I shall discuss the key components of the TRA, the identification of Critical Technology Elements (CTE)s and the evaluation of those CTEs against a Technology Readiness Level scale. The purpose of the discussion is to expand the use of the TRA into other Systems Engineering technology intensive domains where continuous systems development is being performed.
Children’s recalls from five dietary-reporting validation studies: Intrusions in correctly reported and misreported options in school breakfast reports

For school breakfast each day, many elementary schools offer a choice between a cold option that includes ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal and a hot option that includes a non-RTE-cereal entree such as waffles. For breakfast reports, intrusions (reports of uneaten items) in correctly reported and misreported breakfast options were examined using data from five dietary-reporting validation studies. In each study, fourth-grade children were observed eating school breakfast and school lunch and then interviewed to obtain a dietary recall. A breakfast option was correctly reported in 240 breakfast reports for 203 intrusions total, and misreported in 97 breakfast reports for 189 intrusions total. Asymmetry was evident in misreported options; specifically, children observed eating a cold option almost never misreported a hot option, but children observed eating a hot option often misreported a cold option. Proportionately more breakfast reports were intrusion-free when a breakfast option was correctly reported than misreported. Linking of intrusions (i.e., multiple intrusions from the same option in a breakfast report) was especially evident with misreported breakfast options. Methodological aspects of dietary recalls such as target period (prior 24 h; previous day), interview time (morning; afternoon; evening), and interview format (meal; open) had implications for intrusions and misreported breakfast options.
μ-crystallin, a NADPH-dependent T3-binding protein in cytosol

Thyroid hormone action is initiated through nuclear thyroid hormone receptors (TRs). Before the discovery of these nuclear receptors, possible major binding sites for thyroid hormones were thought to be cytosolic owing to high thyroid hormone-binding activity in crude cytosolic fractions. Several cytosolic thyroid hormone-binding proteins have been identified, including reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-dependent 3,5,3′-triiodo-L-thyronine (T 3 )-binding protein, also known as μ-crystallin, which was initially cloned as the ortholog of bacterial ornithine cyclodeaminase. The expression of μ-crystallin is developmentally regulated and cell-type specific. Recently, patients with nonsyndromic deafness were reported to have point mutations in the μ-crystallin gene. Cytosolic thyroid hormone-binding proteins, especially μ-crystallin, have roles in adaptation to environmental alterations by thyroid hormone, which might have a role in hearing function.
Tracking rapid alpha variations in an electroencephalogram

The present paper describes some digital techniques to track rapid variations of the Alpha voltage in an electroencephalogram. The results obtained by different digital techniques are compared with those obtained by the standard technique.
The Quasimodo complex

Summary While it is well known and generally agreed that emotional conflict may produce physical illness, it is not widely accepted that the reverse is a clinical entity. Although there is a widespread clinical impression which suggests that disfigurement, either of congenital or traumatic origin, does affect the personality or social adjustment, there is little objective scientific evidence to substantiate this impression. Critical evaluation of over 11,000 photographs of known criminals involved in five major categories of crime—suicide, homicide, prostitution, rape and sex deviation—have shown a statistically significant increase in the percentage of surgically correctable facial deformity when compared with a control group composed of the general population. Although by no means conclusive, the increased overall incidence of disfigurement among the criminals evaluated gives some objective credence to the thesis that the Quasimodo complex exists as a clinical entity.
Electrophysiological manifestations of the excitable gap of slow-fast AV nodal reentrant tachycardia demonstrated by single extrastimulation

Background Although AV nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) is a well-known rhythm disorder, its anatomic substrate and electrophysiological mechanism remain to be defined. Previously, the description of the excitable gap (EG) of AVNRT was based on electrical stimulation performed from sites remote from the reentrant circuit. In the present study, we characterized the EG of AVNRT by atrial extrastimulation close to the putative reentrant circuit in the AV junction. Methods and Results In 16 patients (3 men, 13 women; mean age, 45±13 years) with inducible slow-fast AVNRT (mean cycle length, 353±52 ms), single extrastimuli with a 10-ms decrement in the premature coupling interval were delivered from the anterosuperior interatrial septum (fast pathway area) and the posteroinferior interatrial septum (slow pathway area) from late diastole until atrial refractoriness. An EG was considered present when resetting or termination of AVNRT was induced by single atrial extrastimulation. The study showed that the duration of the EG of AVNRT was wide, measuring 121±56 and 123±47 ms and occupying 33±11% and 34±9% of the tachycardia cycle length during single extrastimulation from the slow pathway area and the fast pathway area, respectively. The resetting pattern most commonly manifested as the sum of the coupling interval and the return cycle being less than a fully compensatory pause (two times the basic tachycardia cycle length). However, patterns equal to and greater than a fully compensatory pause were also observed. Of note, in 2 of the 16 patients, atrial extrastimulation from either the fast or slow pathway area also affected the preceding tachycardia cycle length (HH interval), indicating alteration of the anterograde input. In all patients, the curve derived from plotting the coupling interval of extrastimuli against the return cycle during resetting exhibited an “increasing” pattern. The mode of tachycardia termination usually occurred when the premature atrial impulse was orthodromically blocked in the anterograde slow pathway. Conclusions The EG of slow-fast AVNRT is relatively wide, as demonstrated by single atrial extrastimulation from the interatrial septum near the AV junction. Overall, the electrophysiological manifestations of the EG of AVNRT are very similar to those described in AV reciprocating tachycardia incorporating an accessory connection. These findings lend further support to the notion that, in humans, AVNRT involves a reentrant mechanism with a wide excitable gap.
Attractive levitation for high-speed ground transport with large guideway clearance and alternating-gradient stabilization

The author describes an attractive levitation concept that results in large guideways clearance and low magnetic drag and requires no feedback for stability. Dynamic stability is achieved by establishing alternating gradients of force in which the spatial dependence of the attractive force between the superconducting coils on the vehicle and the iron rails in the guideway is altered by periodic changes in the rail configuration. For a vehicular velocity of 500 km/h, the appropriate lengths for each configuration are in the range of 5 to 40 m, and the guideway clearance is in the range of 50 to 100 mm, depending on the details of the rail and vehicle magnet design. >
Cr migration associated with interface electric fields during transient LiNbO3 crystal growth

Abstract The role of thermoelectric power and/or charge separation-generated electric fields upon Cr-doped LiNbO3 crystal growth is treated by investigating both steady-state and initial transient solute redistribution based on the concept of a field-modified partition coefficient and an effective growth velocity. The magnitude of these electric field effects is dominated not only by the strength of the field but also by the solute diffusion coefficient in the phase considered. The high diffusion coefficient of Cr3+ in the liquid and the very low diffusion coefficient of Cr3+ in the solid combined with the electric field operating in the liquid leads to a strong pulling force on the Cr3+ from the solid through the interface into the liquid. This generates a deep solute depletion region in the solid behind the interface. An analytical solution to this depletion phenomena is given for a specific case.
Swelling and contraction of heart mitochondria suspended in ammonium phosphate.

Bovine heart mitochondria which have been allowed to swell in isotonic NH 4 + phosphate contract in response to initiation of oxidative phosphorylation. The contraction occurs optimally at pH 6.0 and appears from inhibition studies to result from Pi uptake being slower than removal of internal Pi via phosphorylation of external ADP. Similar results are obtained when K+ + nigericin is substituted for NH 4 + . Mersalyl inhibition of Pi transport in respiring, nonphosphorylating mitochondria which have been allowed to swell in NH 4 + phosphate reveals a contractile process having an alkaline pH optimum. This contraction resembles closely the contraction observed in salts of strong acids and presumably occurs by electrophoretic ejection of Pi anions driven by electrogenic H+ ejection.
Microwave Processing of Polymers and Biomass Materials

Dielectric heating techniques have been applied to plastics drying applications, polymer blending, wood flour drying, and to an existing biomass conversion process. While both radio frequency and microwave equipment is expensive per unit of capacity, certain advantages may be gained in terms of the speed of drying, quality control, and the overall capitalized cost which may make dielectric heating feasible.
Maturation of moloney murine leukemia virus

Abstract The accumulation of large numbers of budding particles of ts-3, a temperature-sensitive mutant of the Moloney strain of MuLV (Mo-MuLV), on the cell membrane at the non-permissive temperature and their release as immature particles within 30 min on temperature shift-down provide a large pool of freshly released, synchronous virions ideally suited for the investigation of the postreleased changes in the virions. Our studies indicate that freshly released virions at 34° show a twofold increase in infectivity and reverse transcriptase activity for the first 90–120 min after virion release. Upon further incubation, both infectivity and reverse transcriptase activity decreased. Furthermore, processing of the gag precursor was also observed. The above postreleased changes were found to be correlated with the morphologic transformation of immature to mature virions.
Enhanced mixing in polyacrylamide gels containing embedded silica nanoparticles as internal electroosmotic pumps

Many biosensors, including those based on sensing agents immobilized inside hydrogels, suffer from slow response dynamics due to mass transfer limitations. Here we present an internal pumping strategy to promote convective mixing inside crosslinked polymer gels. This is envisioned as a potential tool to enhance biosensor response dynamics. The method is based on electroosmotic flows driven by non-uniform, oscillating electric fields applied across a polyacrylamide gel that has been doped with charged colloidal silica inclusions. Evidence for enhanced mixing was obtained from florescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) measurements with fluorescein tracer dyes dissolved in the gel. Mixing rates in silica-laden gels under the action of the applied electric fields were more than an order of magnitude faster than either diffusion or electrophoretically driven mixing in gels that did not contain silica. The mixing enhancement was due in comparable parts to the electroosmotic pumping and to the increase in gel swelling caused by the presence of the silica inclusions. The latter had the effect of increasing tracer mobility in the silica-laden gels.
Characterizations of autoregressive prediction and moving average prediction as discrete-time spline interpolation

Let be a stationary Gaussian auto-regressive process with mean zero. For each t, Y(t) is predicted by . If λj is the observed value of Y(tj) for . The function ŷ is called a prediction function and ŷ is shown to be the discrete-time analogue of a spline function with backshift and summation replacing differentiation and integration. A similar result is derived for a moving average process.
Exploration and practice: A competition based project practice teaching mode

Abstract In recent years, known as multi-discipline, integration, product and system, mechatronics education has drawn worldwide attention. On the foundation of 7 years’ mechatronics education experience, and taking the characteristics of Chinese undergraduate students into consideration, Beihang University improved the previous teaching mode, and formed a competition based project practice teaching mode. After one year’s exploration and practice, this mode more easily stimulates the enthusiasm and initiative of students, enhances their hands-on ability, innovative thinking and teamwork spirit. The experiment achievements and feedbacks from students prove that this mode largely realized the goal of the course.
Photopolymerization of Carbohydrate-Based Discotic Mesogens. Syntheses and Phase Properties of 1,2,3,4,6-Penta-O-(trans-3,4-dialkoxycinnamoyl)-(d)- glucopyranoses and Their Oligomers

The neat phase properties of the α and β anomers of 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-(trans-3,4-dialkoxycinnamoyl)-(d)-glucopyranose (nαGP and nβGP; n, the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chains, is 6−8, 10, and 14) have been investigated by optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray powder diffraction. Each of the GP forms an enantiotropic and thermotropic discotic columnar liquid−crystalline phase. Irradiation of the 14GP in dilute solutions leads to two intramolecular [2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions between cinnamoyl double bonds. In the solid I (obtained by recrystallization from solvent and in which 14GP molecules are paired in each columnar stack) and “isotropic” melt phases, only short (<10 monomer unit), probably branched oligomers form upon irradiation due to the continued preference for intramolecular cycloadditions and the ability of each monomer to interact with more than two neighbors. Irradiation of the solid II phase (obtained by cooling the liquid−crystalline phase) provides unb...
The Complexities of the Religious Response to Domestic Violence Implications for Faith-Based Initiatives

Drawing on data from a study conducted in Wyoming about the community response to domestic violence, this article focuses on an unanticipated finding: how religion is paradoxically both a source of assistance and a barrier to women surviving domestic violence. The results indicate that although religious institutions are a resource for emotional comfort and provide practical assistance, they may also perpetuate silence. The article concludes that many religious communities are not adequately equipped to respond to the problem of domestic violence in a way that is safe for women. Implications for social work, particularly for recent faith-based initiatives, are discussed.
Genetic susceptibility to heroin addiction: a candidate gene association study

Heroin addiction is a chronic complex disease with a substantial genetic contribution. This study was designed to identify genetic variants that are associated with susceptibility to develop heroin addiction by analyzing 1350 variants in 130 candidate genes. All subjects had Caucasian ancestry. The sample consisted of 412 former severe heroin addicts in methadone treatment, and 184 healthy controls with no history of drug abuse. Nine variants, in six genes, showed the lowest nominal P values in the association tests (P < 0.01). These variants were in noncoding regions of the genes encoding the mu (OPRM1; rs510769 and rs3778151), kappa (OPRK1; rs6473797) and delta (OPRD1; rs2236861, rs2236857 and rs3766951) opioid receptors; the neuropeptide galanin (GAL; rs694066); the serotonin receptor subtype 3B (HTR3B; rs3758987) and the casein kinase 1 isoform epsilon (CSNK1E; rs1534891). Several haplotypes and multilocus genotype patterns showed nominally significant associations (e.g. OPRM1; P = 0.0006 and CSNK1E; P = 0.0007). Analysis of a combined effect of OPRM1 and OPRD1 showed that rs510769 and rs2236861 increase the risk of heroin addiction (P = 0.0005). None of these associations remained significant after adjustment for multiple testing. This study suggests the involvement of several genes and variants in heroin addiction, which is worthy of future study.
Investigating climbing as a spiritual experience

Although defining the concept of spirituality has remained elusive, discussion on the topic is pervasive within academic literature (Frederickson & Anderson, 1999; Heintzman, 2010). Spirituality can embody different meanings for different people. For some, spirituality may reflect that which is religious. For others, spirituality may embody a state of being that is transcendent, allowing a person to search beyond that which they can readily explain from their immediate senses. Experiences of this form may often occur in virtue, moving a person closer to the their ideal sense of self. Outcomes such as these are frequently part of discussions that speak to the benefits derived from different leisure activities (Schmidt & Little, 2007).
Predicting the Onset of Asphaltene Precipitation from Refractive Index Measurements

Despite the complexity of asphaltene chemistry, a simple relationship exists between the onset of precipitation and the refractive index of the mixture in which precipitation is first observed. Separation of asphaltenes from oil is a colloidal phenomenon. Because aggregation and separation of the asphaltenes are primarily dependent on the magnitude of van der Waals forces between nonpolar species, the mixture refractive index can be used to quantify the ability of a crude oil to disperse its asphaltene fraction. In some crude oils, asphaltenes are very close to the onset of precipitation, while in other oils, the asphaltenes are relatively stable. The value of the refractive index of an oil sample and the refractive index at which precipitation is first observed are distinctive properties of each crude oil. The difference between these two values is a measure of the stability of the asphaltenes in their respective crude oils. Mixture refractive index correctly predicts the onset of asphaltene precipitatio...
Self-nurturing: A cognitive behavioral treatment approach for the borderline client

Self-nurturing is a cognitive behavioral treatment approach specifically developed and used in clinical work with borderline clients. The client is taught to recognize and differentiate both the underdeveloped reality ego and developmentally arrested child components of the spilt-ego structure by their affective and behavioral characteristics. The therapist systematically lends ego strengths to the underdeveloped reality ego which is utilized as the “good enough” parent to re-parent the child ego state. The reality ego is strengthened in the process and the client's maladaptive behaviors dramatically decrease.
Understanding design-manufacture interaction using compromise decision support problems—III. Design for manufacture of composite pressure vessels

Abstract The decision support problem (DSP) technique is being developed to facilitate the concurrent implementation of design, manufacture, and maintenance. This involves the development of a domain-independent method (and the associated software) that can be used to process domain-dependent information and thereby provide support for human judgment. Modeling and gaining an understanding of the interaction between design and manufacture is an important step in this development. A conceptual model of a process for design (for composite material pressure vessels) and the formulation and solution of a “non-textbook” compromise DSP template for the preliminary synthesis of composite pressure vessels is reported in parts II and III, of this paper respectively. This work provides the foundation on which the current work, namely, the development and implementation of a template to help understand the interaction between design and manufacture, is based. A parametric study to demonstrate the utility of the template to a designer is also included. The focus in this paper is on the method and on understanding the subsequent ramifications; the focus is not on the designs which are obtained by solving the template.