cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mammalian Placentation: A Tribute to E.C. Amoroso's Contributions to Placenta Development.

Establishment of viviparity in mammals evolved through not only the long-term retainment of the fetus within the maternal uterus but differentiation and expansion of cell layers to form functional membranes to exchange O2/CO2 and nutrients between the placenta and maternal circulations. Development of a fetal placental vascular circulation to interact with the maternal uterus is critical to the survival of all species. However, the fascination with the mammalian placenta is the robust variation in types, form, attachment, invasiveness, structure, cell differentiation, endocrine function, and regulation of the maternal immune system. Despite the obvious role of the placenta to support fetal development, mammals have evolved multiple strategies to give live birth at term. The placenta and the maternal–fetal interface during pregnancy can be quite simple to very complex. Professor E.C. Amoroso contributed greatly to the study of comparative placentation in animals. His paper “Placentation” in Marshall’s Physiology of Reproduction published in 1952 remains the standard for comparative placental anatomy today. The present volume on “Mammalian Placentation” brings together current reviews for leading experts to diversity of placentation in a number of mammalian species. Chapters will discuss viviparity, blastocyst formation, and placentation in the cow, pig, horse, mouse, dog, primate, human, elephant, and marsupials.
Sampling from the generalized logarithmic series distribution

A two parameter generalized logarithmic series distribution is used to model the number of publications written by biologists. In this paper, some methods of sampling from the generalized logarithmic series distribution are presented. The inversion algorithm is compared with algorithms based on rejection and branching methods. For small values of the parameters, the inversion algorithm seems to be faster than other algorithms. The paper recommends a modified algorithm based on the inversion and branching methods.
Activation of GABAA receptors containing the α4 subunit by GABA and pentobarbital

The activation properties of GABAA receptors containing α4β2γ2 and α4β2δ subunits were examined in the presence of GABA or pentobarbital. The receptors were expressed transiently in HEK 293 cells, and the electrophysiological experiments were carried out using cell-attached single-channel patch clamp or whole-cell macroscopic recordings. The data show that GABA is a stronger activator of α4β2γ2 receptors than α4β2δ receptors. Single-channel clusters were recorded from α4β2γ2 receptors in the presence of 10–5000 μm GABA. The maximal intracluster open probability was 0.35, with a half-maximal response elicited by 32 μm GABA. Simultaneous kinetic analysis of single-channel currents obtained at various GABA concentrations yields a channel opening rate constant of 250 s−1, and a KD of 20 μm. In contrast, only isolated openings were observed in the presence of GABA for the α4β2δ receptor. Pentobarbital was a strong activator of both α4β2γ2 and α4β2δ receptors. The maximal cluster open probability, recorded in the presence of 100 μm pentobarbital, was 0.7. At higher pentobarbital concentrations, the cluster open probability was reduced, probably due to channel block. The results from single-channel experiments were confirmed by macroscopic recordings from HEK cells in the presence of GABA or pentobarbital.
Reconsidering the Conventional Wisdom on the Legal Job Market

Over the past year or so, a conventional wisdom has developed about the status of the legal job market. This conventional wisdom has at least three components: (1) Recent graduates are getting law jobs at distressingly low levels. (2) The legal job market is undergoing a profound structural change. (3) The lousy job market is a reflection of these long-term changes, and is not just a product of a recession and slow recovery.In this short paper, I push back against certain aspects of this conventional wisdom. I argue that it is highly likely that more recent graduates throughout the country are getting law jobs than the conventional wisdom assumes. My argument is based on data about what graduates from my school actually are doing now. I also briefly discuss the claim that the poor job market is due to structural changes in the legal job market. I explain why I am skeptical that the structural changes in the legal job market are significantly different than those that have occurred in the past, and why I am therefore skeptical that the current anemic state of the legal job market is the result of structural, rather than economic, factors. Finally, I briefly discuss Bureau of Labor Statistics data on the legal job market, and will explain why caution must be used in interpreting this data in discussion of legal employment.
TMS 320C25 based enhanced 32 kbps ADPCM transcoder

The CCITT recommendation, G.721 for a 64 kbps PCM to 32 kbps ADPCM transcoder algorithm does not easily lend itself to implementation on general purpose digital signal processors. The authors present a bit-for-bit compatible realization of the algorithm and a functional real time test bed for algorithm modifications. The hardware of the unit, USF32-2 is built around a single TMS320C25 microprocessor and has added circuitry to decrease computation time and facilitate testing. The base algorithm and enhanced version can be selectively compared. The encoder/decoder requires a total of 1301 clock cycles, but can be compressed to 1250, thereby enabling one to run both the encoder and the decoder on a single TMS320C25 processor. >
Secondary organic aerosol formation from isoprene photooxidation under high-NOx conditions

The oxidation of isoprene (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene) is known to play a central role in the photochemistry of the troposphere, but is generally not considered to lead to the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA), due to the relatively high volatility of known reaction products. However, in the chamber studies described here, we measure SOA production from isoprene photooxidation under high-NO_x conditions, at significantly lower isoprene concentrations than had been observed previously. Mass yields are low (0.9–3.0%), but because of large emissions, isoprene photooxidation may still contribute substantially to global SOA production. Results from photooxidation experiments of compounds structurally similar to isoprene (1,3-butadiene and 2- and 3-methyl-1-butene) suggest that SOA formation from isoprene oxidation proceeds from the further reaction of first-generation oxidation products (i.e., the oxidative attack of both double bonds). The gas-phase chemistry of such oxidation products is in general poorly characterized and warrants further study.
Barium dierbium(III) tetra-sulfide.

Barium dierbium(III) tetra­sulfide, BaEr2S4, crystallizes with four formula units in the ortho­rhom­bic space group Pnma in the CaFe2O4 structure type. The asymmetric unit contains two Er, one Ba, and four S atoms, each with .m. site symmetry. The structure consists of channels formed by corner- and edge-sharing ErS6 octa­hedra in which Ba atoms reside. The resultant coordination of Ba is that of a bicapped trigonal prism.
Applications of the negation operator in fuzzy production rules

Abstract In this paper we investigate the properties of the negation operator. We show some logical inconsistencies arising as a result from the widespread implementation of the negation operator through numerical complementation. We demonstrate that this implementation generates logically correct results within Boolean environments but not within a fuzzy environment. We introduce the concept of set complementation and show its applicability in overcoming these inconsistencies.
Working With State and Local Service Delivery Systems The Politics of Evaluating Educational Opportunity Programs at the Community College Level

The conflict between the political agenda and practical implementation is not unique to the evaluation of Educational Opportunity Programs at community colleges; it is a problem that plagues the development, initiation, and maintenance of all innovative services and service delivery systems. It is a particular feature of most remedial education programs due to their regulated (legislated and funded) nature. This article documents the interaction between state and local service delivery systems and discusses the politics of conducting a multi-site evaluation which straddled state and local funding mechanisms and service delivery systems in terms of the problems encountered and appropriate evaluation practice.
Myosin expression levels in trout muscle: a new method for monitoring specific growth rates for rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) on varied planes of nutrition.

Fish growth is manifested by a number of measurable physical changes. We have developed a sensitive method for monitoring the growth rate of fish fed at four different planes of nutrition. This technique consists in measuring expression levels of myosin RNA isolated from the muscle of experimental animals. Using PCR (polymerase chain reaction) primers, and a fluorescence-labelled single-stranded DNA probe that hybridizes specifically to a region within the myosin mRNA of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), we were able to detect differences in the relative level of myosin expression between groups of fish. This method also allows for the determination of absolute expression levels when reactions are performed with standards consisting of known levels of in vitro-transcribed myosin RNA. With the proper equipment, this novel procedure can be performed rapidly on large numbers of individuals, and with the procurement of non-invasive muscle biopsies the same experimental animal could theoretically be sampled multiple times throughout the course of the study. This new method could be used to measure differences in muscle synthesis in fish associated with various nutrient intake levels, environmental parameters, life-history stages and health status.
Dacron inhibition of arterial regenerative activities

Abstract These biocompatibility studies evaluate the effects of Dacron, absorbable polymeric, and compound prostheses containing both elements in various constructions on the migration, proliferation, and functional characteristics of regenerating endothelial and smooth muscle—like cells in the rabbit aorta model. Prosthesis/tissue complexes explanted after 2 weeks to 9 months were studied grossly, photographed, sectioned for light microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and assayed for 6-keto-PGF 1α contents in inner capsular tissues. Polyglycolic acid, polyglactin 910, or polydioxanone prostheses elicited a transinterstitial migration and proliferation of primitive mesenchymal cells that differentiated into smooth muscle—like myofibroblasts and a surface repopulation of confluent endothelial-like cells paralleling the time course of macrophage-mediated prosthetic dissolution. Even small Dacron components (20%) woven into or surrounding the absorbable polymer significantly inhibited these processes, yielding significantly thinner, less cellular inner capsules with lower 6-keto-PGF 1α contents. These studies show the augmentation of clinically efficacious arterial regenerative activities by polymers phagocytosed by macrophages and the inhibition of these activities by Dacron. (J VASC SURG 1986;3:747-56.)
Graves' disease and concurrent thyroid carcinoma. The importance of thyroid scintigraphy in Graves' disease.

A womaan with Graves' disease and unsuspected coexisting thyroid cancer is presented. Although rare, this association has to be considered. It has been noticed that thyroid cancer is more common in hyperthyroid than euthyroid persons. Thus, thyroid scintigraphy is very important in the initial workup of Graves' disease. It helps determine whether medical or surgical therapy is more appropriate in a particular patient
Dietary factors in relation to weight change among men and women from two southeastern New England communities.

Dietary factors in relation to weight change among men and women from two southeastern New England communities
A comparative study of modal properties of surface-emitting circular bragg micro-lasers

Modal properties of two types of surface-emitting circular Bragg micro-lasers (CBMLs) are compared. Disk CBMLs are suitable for low-threshold, high-efficiency, ultracompact laser design, while ring CBMLs are an excellent candiadate for high-efficiency, large-area, high-power applications.
Decorrelation of Odor Representations via Spike Timing-Dependent Plasticity

The nontopographical representation of odor quality space differentiates early olfactory representations from those in other sensory systems. Decorrelation among olfactory representations with respect to physical odorant similarities has been proposed to rely upon local feed-forward inhibitory circuits in the glomerular layer that decorrelate odor representations with respect to the intrinsically high-dimensional space of ligand-receptor potency relationships. A second stage of experience-dependent decorrelation is likely to be mediated by the circuitry of the olfactory bulb external plexiform layer. Computations in this layer, or in the analogous interneuronal network of the insect antennal lobe, are dependent on fast network oscillations that regulate the timing of mitral cell and projection neuron (MC/PN) action potentials; this suggests a largely spike timing-dependent metric for representing odor information, here proposed to be a precedence code. We first illustrate how the rate coding metric of the glomerular layer can be transformed into a spike precedence code in MC/PNs. We then show how this mechanism of representation, combined with spike timing-dependent plasticity at MC/PN output synapses, can progressively decorrelate high-dimensional, nontopographical odor representations in third-layer olfactory neurons. Reducing MC/PN oscillations abolishes the spike precedence code and blocks this progressive decorrelation, demonstrating the learning network’s selectivity for these sparsely synchronized MC/PN spikes even in the presence of temporally disorganized background activity. Finally, we apply this model to odor representations derived from calcium imaging in the honeybee antennal lobe, and show how odor learning progressively decorrelates odor representations, and how the abolition of PN oscillations impairs odor discrimination.
Some Remarks on Vinogradov's Mean Value Theorem and Tarry's Problem

Let W(k, 2) denote the least number s for which the system of equations ~_ix~=~S=lyi(1 <~j~k) has a solution with ~S=lx~+l ve~=ly~ +1. We show that for large k one has W(k, 2) ~< �89 k + logtog k + O(1)), and moreover that when K is large, one has W(k, 2) ~< �89 + 1) + 1 for at least one value k in the interval (K, K 4/3 +~). We show also that the least s for which the expected asymptotic formula holds for the number of solutions of the above system of equations, inside a box, satisfies s ~< k2(log k + O(log log k)).
Mononuclear cell infiltration in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma independently predicts patient survival.

BACKGROUND The impact of mononuclear cell infiltration on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) biology has been controversial, previously reported to be associated with either a favorable or unfavorable prognosis. The objective of the current study was to evaluate associations between mononuclear cell infiltration in routinely prepared paraffin-embedded specimens with survival in patients with clear-cell RCC. METHODS A total of 306 patients were identified treated with nephrectomy for clear-cell RCC between 1990 and 1994. A single urologic pathologist, blinded to patient outcome, reviewed the specimens and quantified the extent of mononuclear cell infiltration as absent, focal, moderate, or marked. Cancer-specific survival was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Associations of mononuclear cell infiltration with death from RCC were assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression models. RESULTS At last follow-up, 173 of the 306 patients studied had died, including 96 patients who died from RCC. Mononuclear cell infiltration was absent in 165 (54%), focal in 70 (23%), moderate in 53 (17%), and marked in 18 (6%). Univariately, patients with specimens that had mononuclear cell infiltration were over 2 times more likely to die from RCC compared with patients whose specimens exhibited no mononuclear cell infiltration (risk ratio, 2.63; P<.001). After adjusting for the Mayo Clinic SSIGN (stage, size, grade, and necrosis) score, patients with specimens that had mononuclear cell infiltration exhibited a significantly increased likelihood of dying from RCC compared with patients whose specimens had no mononuclear cell infiltration (risk ratio, 1.61; P = .028). CONCLUSIONS Mononuclear cell infiltration is associated with death from RCC even after multivariate adjustment. Routine documentation of mononuclear cell infiltration is recommended during the pathologic assessment of RCC. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Selection response in traits with maternal inheritance

Maternal inheritance is the non-Mendelian transmission of traits from mothers to their offspring. Despite its presence in virtually all organisms, acting through a variety of mechanisms, the evolutionary consequences of maternal inheritance are not well understood. Here we review and extend a model of the inheritance and evolution of multiple quantitative characters with complex pathways of maternal effects. Extensions of the earlier model include common family environmental effects not associated with maternal phenotype, sexual dimorphism, and paternal effects (non-Mendelian influence of the father on offspring traits). We find that, in contrast to simple Mendelian inheritance, maternal inheritance produces qualitatively different evolutionary dynamics for two reasons: (1) the response to selection on a set of characters depends not only on their additive genetic variances and covariances, but also on maternal characters that influence them, and (2) time lags in the response to selection create a form of evolutionary momentum. These results have important implications for evolution in natural populations and practical applications in the economic improvement of domesticated species. We derive selection indices that maximize either the economic improvement in a single generation of artificial selection or the asymptotic rate of improvement in long-term selection programmes, based on individual merit or a combination of individual and family merit. Numerical examples show that accounting for maternal inheritance can lead to considerable increases in the efficiency of artificial selection.
Estimating Household Willingness to Pay for Water Services in a Rural Economy: The Case of Kanye in Southern Botswana

This study uses the contingent valuation approach to examine the relationship between selected socio-economic characteristics of households and their willingness to pay for private water connection. An iterative bidding method was used to obtain survey data from 135 households randomly selected from Kanye in southern Botswana and the ordinary least-square regression technique was used to estimate the effects of selected exogenous variables on willingness to pay. The results show that household income, level of education and employment status of the head of the household and level of consumers' awareness are the principal factors influencing willingness. This suggests that any government policy that increases these factors will increase households' willingness. In addition, because consumers' income is associated with their willingness to pay, it is suggested that policies on connection and user fees recognise income inequalities when determining the amount that households should pay.
Catalytic oxidation of methane over hexaaluminates and hexaaluminate-supported Pd catalysts

Abstract An aqueous (NH4)2CO3 coprecipitation method, based on that of Groppi et al. [Appl. Catal. A 104 (1993) 101–108] was used to synthesize Sr1−xLaxMnAl11O19−α hexaaluminates. These materials were first synthesized by alkoxide hydrolysis. This synthesis route requires special handling of the starting materials and is not likely to be commercially practical. The materials prepared by (NH4)2CO3 coprecipitation have similar surface areas as those prepared by the alkoxide hydrolysis method. Their CH4 oxidation activity, measured as the temperature needed for 10% conversion of methane, is higher than those prepared by alkoxide hydrolysis. The La-substantiated material, LaMnAl11O19−α, shows high surface area with 19.3 m2/g after calcination at 1400°C for 2 h. It is active for CH4 oxidation with T10% at 450°C using 1% CH4 in air and 70 000 cm3/h g space velocity. The stability and activity of LaMnAl11O19−α prepared by (NH4)2CO3 coprecipitation method is a simple and important step forward for the application of CH4 catalytic combustion for gas turbines.
Polychlorinated biphenyl reduction in lake trout by irradiation and broiling.

The Great Lakes Environmental contaminants surveys (1974-1975) have concluded that excessive concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are present in a specific species of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush). Over 30 ppM of PCBs have been detected in the edible fillet of this fat trout. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of gamma irradiation combined with broiling on the levels of PCBs in lake trout fillets.
THE RATE OF GROWTH OF THE DAIRY COW III. THE RELATION BETWEEN GROWTH IN WEIGHT AND INCREASE OF MILK SECRETION WITH AGE.

It is shown that from 2 years, the age when milk secretion usually begins, to 9 years, the age of maximum body weight, the increase of milk secretion with age follows the course of growth in body weight— both can be accurately represented by the equation of a monomolecular chemical reaction having a velocity constant of approximately the same numerical value. While increase in milk secretion and increase in body weight with age follow the same course, it is shown that increasing body weight contributes only about 20 per cent to increasing milk secretion with age. The fact that milk secretion and body weight follow the same course, even though they are largely independent of each other indicates that increase in body weight is a good measure of growth of the dairy cow; this fact also shows that the increase of milk secretion with age may be used as a measure of growth. The fact that milk secretion, like body weight, follows the course of a chemical reaction, adds further support to the theory that growth is limited by a chemical reaction.
Quantitative assessment of cutaneous thermal and vibration sensation and thermal pain detection thresholds in healthy children and adolescents

Quantitative sensory testing (QST) is a noninvasive, computer-assisted method for assessing function in peripheral small and large sensory fibers. In order to use QST for clinical neurological assessment in children, it is necessary: (1) to determine whether children can reliably perform these tests and (2) to characterize normal ranges in healthy children. Values of cold sensation, warm sensation, cold pain, heat pain, and vibration sensation detection thresholds were determined in the hand and foot with the method of limits (MLI) and method of levels (MLE) in 101 healthy children aged 6-17 years using a commercially available device. Both MLI and MLE were well-accepted by children, and there was good reproducibility between two sessions. The MLE takes longer to perform but produces lower thermal detection thresholds than the MLI. In the MLI, vibration and warm sensation showed higher thresholds in the foot than hand, whereas cold pain showed lower thresholds in the foot than hand. Based on these results, QST may be used to document and monitor the clinical course of sensory abnormalities in children with neurological disorders or neuropathic pain.
ADHD latent class clusters: DSM-IV subtypes and comorbidity.

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) has a complex, heterogeneous phenotype only partially captured by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria. In this report, latent class analyses (LCA) are used to identify ADHD phenotypes using K-SADS-IVR (Schedule for Affective Disorders & Schizophrenia for School Age Children-IV-Revised) symptoms and symptom severity data from a clinical sample of 500 ADHD subjects, ages 6–18, participating in an ADHD genetic study. Results show that LCA identified six separate ADHD clusters, some corresponding to specific DSM-IV subtypes while others included several subtypes. DSM-IV comorbid anxiety and mood disorders were generally similar across all clusters, and subjects without comorbidity did not aggregate within any one cluster. Age and gender composition also varied. These results support findings from population-based LCA studies. The six clusters provide additional homogenous groups that can be used to define ADHD phenotypes in genetic association studies. The limited age ranges aggregating in the different clusters may prove to be a particular advantage in genetic studies where candidate gene expression may vary during developmental phases. DSM-IV comorbid mood and anxiety disorders also do not appear to increase cluster heterogeneity; however, longitudinal studies that cover period of risk are needed to support this finding.
Integrated nonlinear photonics: emerging applications and ongoing challenges [Invited]

We provide a review of recent progress in integrated nonlinear photonics with a focus on emerging applications in all-optical signal processing, ultra-low-power all-optical switching, and quantum information processing.
Matrix formulation of reliability analysis and reliability-based design

Abstract To further the application of reliability concepts in structural design, considerable improvement is needed in the methods to evaluate structural safety. The exact evaluation of the reliability, or the probability of survival, of structural systems having several statistically inter-dependent failure modes, requires lengthy numerical integration. Commonly used approximations of system reliability are based either on the assumption of probabilistic independence of the mode failure events, or on that of their complete statistical dependence. For large systems, the resulting upper and lower bounds may be widely different, however. In this paper, a matrix formulation of the reliability analysis and reliability-based design of structures is developed. This approach seems necessary if reliability computations are to become practical for full-scale structures. The correlation between failure modes is conservatively accounted for by using a newly developed approximation which incorporates the effect of the dependence between any two modes through the coefficient of correlation between their modal safety margins (i.e. modal resistance minus modal load effect). The paper also outlines a method to design structural systems for minimum weight based on reliability constraint. Its principal feature is that at each stage of the design process a feasible upper bound and an unfeasible lower bound to the minimum weight are generated. One may, at any time, decide to terminate the procedure if these bounds are sufficiently close. Upper and lower bounds can be calculated relatively inexpensively; it involves the selection, from the set of possible failure modes, of a subset of ‘basic’ failure modes. If one selects those modes that actually dominate or govern the design as the basic ones, then close upper and lower bounds will result. Otherwise it is necessary to reassess the decomposition of the modes by choosing a new set of basic failure modes. The entire design procedure can be linded to any existing structural analysis program. The above described method allows safety and performance considerations to enter into design decisions in a quantitative way, and can be used by designers (i) to choose among alternative designs that satisfy all existing code regulations, (ii) to design systems in the absence of formal code regulations, e.g. when new structural systems or materials are introduced, and (iii) to serve as a mechanism for detecting inconsistencies in various existing codes and resolving conflicts between them. Through a feedback process, widespread use of probabilistic design schemes to supplement deterministic code requirements, can lead to relatively rapid improvement of deterministic design codes.
Tribological properties of fibrous peek matrix composites

The wear rates and friction coefficient of (PEEK/fiber) composites have been measured under various tribological conditions of sliding velocity, fiber fraction, and kinds of fiber (carbon or glass). The measured tribological data were explained by means of wear and friction equation and also correlated with the observed microstructure.
Collision probability between sets of random variables

We develop the collision probability for a canonical collision problem using a counting procedure based on signed graphs. The result involves Stirling numbers of the second kind and is straightforward to evaluate. Characteristics are discussed in the context of a generalized birthday problem and error of the standard binomial approximation is quantified. The basic solution for two sets is also extended to an arbitrary number of sets.
Coupling of human beta2-adrenergic receptors: relationship to redox potential

The purpose of this study was to examine the quantitative relationship between the redox potential of a redox couplet and the alterations it induces in coupling of receptor occupation with enzyme activation. Normal neutrophil membrane preparations containing beta2-adrenergic receptors were exposed to equimolar mixtures of the following redox couplets: ferrocyanide-ferricyanide, hemoglobin-methemoglobin, ascorbate-dehydroascorbate, lactate-pyruvate, glutathione ox-red, beta-hydroxybutyrate-acetoacetate, and NAD-NADH. There was a linear relationship between the redox potential of the couplets and the degree of change in coupling (p < 0.001). The apparent redox potential of the high affinity complex was +0.30 ± 0.093 V. The effect of lactate to uncouple beta-adrenergic receptors was partially blocked by preexposure to isoproterenol. Thus, high affinity state formation is regulated by redox couplets in a manner dependent on their redox potential.
The IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy Is Moving to San Francisco

The authors discuss the IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, which because of its growing popularity, is moving to a larger venue this year.
A scalable framework for the solution of stochastic inverse problems using a sparse grid collocation approach

Experimental evidence suggests that the dynamics of many physical phenomena are significantly affected by the underlying uncertainties associated with variations in properties and fluctuations in operating conditions. Recent developments in stochastic analysis have opened the possibility of realistic modeling of such systems in the presence of multiple sources of uncertainties. These advances raise the possibility of solving the corresponding stochastic inverse problem: the problem of designing/estimating the evolution of a system in the presence of multiple sources of uncertainty given limited information.A scalable, parallel methodology for stochastic inverse/design problems is developed in this article. The representation of the underlying uncertainties and the resultant stochastic dependant variables is performed using a sparse grid collocation methodology. A novel stochastic sensitivity method is introduced based on multiple solutions to deterministic sensitivity problems. The stochastic inverse/design problem is transformed to a deterministic optimization problem in a larger-dimensional space that is subsequently solved using deterministic optimization algorithms. The design framework relies entirely on deterministic direct and sensitivity analysis of the continuum systems, thereby significantly enhancing the range of applicability of the framework for the design in the presence of uncertainty of many other systems usually analyzed with legacy codes. Various illustrative examples with multiple sources of uncertainty including inverse heat conduction problems in random heterogeneous media are provided to showcase the developed framework.
A comparison of perinatal outcome in patients undergoing contraction stress testing performed by nipple stimulation versus spontaneously occurring contractions.

Abstract Perinatal outcomes were analyzed in 848 high-risk pregnancies managed with a prospective weekly contraction stress testing protocol. In 615 patients the last test was performed by a nipple stimulation protocol whereas 233 patients had sufficient spontaneous contractions for performance of the test. All patients were either delivered of their infants or admitted for delivery within 7 days of the last test. The results of the last test were compared to various perinatal outcome parameters. There was no significant difference in perinatal outcomes between the two groups. (AM J OesTET GYNECOL 1989;160:1081-5.) Key words: Contraction stress test, high-risk pregnancy, perinatal mortality, nipple stimulation
An Atlas of Hα and R Images and Radial Profiles of 29 Bright Isolated Spiral Galaxies

Narrowband Hα+[N II] and broadband R images and surface photometry are presented for a sample of 29 bright (MB < -18 mag) isolated S0-Scd galaxies within a distance of 48 Mpc. These galaxies are among the most isolated nearby spiral galaxies of their Hubble classifications as determined from the Nearby Galaxies Catalog.
Computer interactive interviewing in survey research

Software packages for microcomputer interactive questionnaires are becoming readily available to researchers in marketing, psychology, sociology, political science, etc. Preliminary findings suggest that the advantages of computerizing survey questionnaires generally outweigh the disadvantages. In addition, computer interactive questionnaires provide a practical means for conducting programmatic research, which includes the gamut from controls for order effects to investigations of basic psychological and social behaviors. Future studies should investigate in greater depth and with appropriate controls the strengths, limitations and comparability of the new approaches vis-a-vis traditional techniques. In these studies the contribution of various branches of psychology can be substantial.
Sperm nuclear transformations consist of enlargement and condensation coordinate with stages of meiotic maturation in fertilized Spisula solidissima oocytes.

Abstract Rates of sperm nuclear expansion were measured and correlated with processing of the maternal chromatin in synchronous populations of fertilized surf clam ( Spisula solidissima ) oocytes fixed at regular intervals following insemination and stained with the DNA fluorochrome Hoechst 33342. Sperm nuclei expanded in four distinct phases each temporally coordinate with events of meiotic maturation: germinal vesicle stage (phase A), germinal vesicle breakdown (phase B), polar body formation (phase C), and female pronuclear development (phase D). Sperm nuclei were essentially unchanged during phase A (rate = 0.1 μm 2 /min, enlarged during phases B (rate = 8.2 μm 2 /min) and D (rate = 6.2 μm 2 /min), and condensed during phase C (rate = −1.9 μm 2 /min). Sperm nuclear enlargement during phase D was significantly less in polyspermic and polygynic zygotes. The effects of various treatments (temperature, microtubule disruption, pH alterations, and metabolic and protein synthesis inhibitions) which perturbed sperm nuclear enlargement and meiotic processing of the maternal chromatin indicated that the two processes are coupled and may be linked by common regulatory agents.
Affinity labeling of the ATP-binding site of type II calmodulin-dependent protein kinase by 5′-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl adenosine

Abstract Modification of the type II calmodulin-dependent protein kinase by 5′-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl adenosine (FSBA) resulted in a time-dependent inactivation of the enzyme. The reaction followed pseudo-first-order kinetics and showed a nonlinear dependence on reagent concentration. The rate of inactivation was sensitive to Mg2+- and calmodulin-induced conformational changes on the enzyme. However, the enhancing effects of these ligands were not additive; indeed, the kinetic parameters of the Mg2+-stimulated inactivation reaction with FSBA (Kinact = 2.4 mM; kmax = 0.12 min−1) were almost unaffected by the simultaneous addition of calmodulin (Kinact = 1.5 mM; kmax = 0.086 min−1). Protection from inactivation by FSBA was provided by Mg2+-ADP which is consistent with modification of the catalytic site. An analysis of the protective effect of Mg2+-ADP in the absence (Kd = 590 μM) and presence (Kd = 68 μM) of calmodulin demonstrated that binding of the modulator protein to the enzyme increases the affinity of the protein kinase for nucleotides. Modification by FSBA resulted in labeling of both Tyr and Lys residues but only labeling of Lys was decreased by Mg2+-ADP which is consistent with the hypothesis that a conserved Lys residue is important in nucleotide binding to the protein kinase. However, the kinetic results of the inactivation reaction suggest that this Lys is not involved in mediating the calmodulin-promoted increase in the affinity of the enzyme for Mg2+-nucleotide complexes.
The Suitability of [11C]-α-Methyl-L-tryptophan as a Tracer for Serotonin Synthesis: Studies With Dual Administration of [11C] and [14C] Labeled Tracer:

The tracer [11C]-α-methyl-L-tryptophan (αMTP) has been used to measure brain serotonin synthesis rates with positron emission tomography (PET). To address questions about the accuracy of the kinetic model, [14C]αMTP was used to directly measure conversion to [14C]-α-methyl-serotonin (αM5HT) in monkeys that had been previously studied with PET and [11C]αMTP. Four male, fasted, isoflurane-anesthetized rhesus monkeys were studied with [11C]αMTP and PET. Immediately after the initial 3-hour scan, a second dose of [11C]αMTP was coinjected with 1 mCi of [14C]αMTP, and additional PET data were collected. Approximately 90 minutes after the second αMTP administration, the animals were killed with an overdose of phenobarbital, and brain samples from 21 regions were taken and analyzed by HPLC. Minimal conversion of αMTP to αM5HT occurred; HPLC analysis of 14C radioactivity showed that greater than 96% of the total counts were in fractions corresponding to the αMTP peak. Brain concentrations of serotonin, tryptophan,...
Explaining juveniles' attitudes toward the police

Past studies of juveniles' attitudes toward the police suggest a single-cause model that implicates personal interactions with the police. We propose that attitudes toward authority and agents of social control develop in a larger, sociocultural context. Specifically we hypothesize that juveniles' attitudes develop as a function of socialization in their communities' social environment, of their deviant subcultural “preferences,” and of the prior effect of these sociocultural factors on juveniles' contacts with the police. We conducted analyses addressing these hypotheses with a population of males sampled within stratified populations of known delinquents. We found that social background variables, particularly minority status, and subcultural preferences, particularly commitment to delinquent norms, affected juveniles' attitudes toward the police both directly and indirectly (through police-juvenile interactions). We consider directions for improving police relations with juveniles in the context of app...
Conserved properties of HP1Hsα

Abstract Heterochromatin protein 1 Hsα (HP1 Hsα ) is one of three human proteins that share sequence similarity with Drosophila HP1. HP1 proteins are enriched at centric heterochromatin and play a role in chromatin packaging and gene regulation. In humans, HP1 Hsα is down-regulated in highly invasive/metastatic breast cancer cells, compared to poorly invasive/non-metastatic breast cancer cells. To gain insight into this differential regulation, we have cloned the HP1 Hsα gene and characterized its genomic region. HP1 Hsα is located on human chromosome 12q13.13, 589 bp upstream of the divergently transcribed hnRNPA1 gene. Analysis of the promoter region revealed that differential regulation of HP1 Hsα between the two types of breast cancer cells is lost upon mutation of an USF/c-myc transcription factor binding site located 172 bp upstream of the predicted HP1 Hsα transcription start site. These findings provide insights into the down-regulation of HP1 Hsα in highly invasive/metastatic breast cancer cells. To examine the functional properties of HP1 Hsα , experiments were performed using Drosophila melanogaster as a genetic system. When human HP1 Hsα was expressed in transgenic Drosophila , silencing of reporter genes inserted at centric and telomeric locations was enhanced. Furthermore, expression of HP1 Hsα rescued the lethality of homozygous Su(var)2-5 mutants lacking HP1. Taken together, these results demonstrate the participation of HP1 Hsα in silent chromatin formation and that HP1 Hsα is a functional homologue of Drosophila HP1.
Qualitative thinking support systems (QTSS)

ABSTRACT The creative process of qualitative thinking is an integral part of decision making. There are information systems that support creative thinking and aspects of qualitative reasoning. These systems, however, are not designed to directly bolster qualitative thinking in the comprehensive, dynamic, and integrated manner required for effective decision making. A new framework, called a qualitative thinking support system (QTSS), can provide the desired support. This article demonstrates how QTSS can improve decision making. It overviews the decision making process, identifies gaps in information systems support for the qualitative aspects of this process, describes the QTSS concept and its role in closing the support gaps, and measures the impact of the QTSS on the process and outcomes of decision making. The paper also examines the implications of the analyses for information systems research and practice.
Future Mars Rovers: The Next Places to Direct Our Curiosity

When the $2.5 billion dollar Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity was designed and built, its landing site was not known in advance. Rather, a series of open-invitation workshops was convened to solicit input from the scientific community to help evaluate potential sites.
A mathematical study of resonance in intact fruits and vegetables using a 3-media elastic sphere model

Abstract A conceptual framework for the interpretation of non-destructive, resonance studies of the texture of intact fruits and vegetables is developed. The internal mechanical properties of intact specimens (e.g. apples, peaches and cantaloupes) modelled as having 3 mechanically distinct, concentric, spherical regions are mathematically related to the intact resonant frequencies and the associated mode shapes are identified. Also, the inverse problem, that of inferring the shear moduli from frequency measurements, is developed and a computer implementation of the computational procedure is described.
How to find evidence when you need it, part 2: A clinician's guide to MEDLINE: The basics

Abstract [Gallagher PE, Allen TY, Wyer PC. How to find evidence when you need it, part 2: a clinician's guide to MEDLINE: the basics. Ann Emerg Med. 2002;39:436-440.]
Shifts in patterns of microhabitat occupation by six closely related species of mosses along a complex altitudinal gradient

Changes in patterns of microhabitat occupation were examined for six closely related moss species (family Polytrichaceae) found growing together along a complex altitudinal gradient on the northeast face of Mount Washington, New Hampshire. Little evidence could be found to support the hypothesis that the relative distributions of these six moss species were determined by competitive interactions occurring among them. Instead, the data support the hypothesis that changing patterns in the relative distributions of these six moss species result from differences in microhabitat availability among sites. The moss species appear to behave in an opportunistic manner, occupying a wide array of microhabitats as these microhabitats become available to them.
Modulation of oculomotor capture by abrupt onsets during attentionally demanding visual search

The influence of abrupt onsets on attentionally demanding visual search (i.e., search for a letter target among heterogeneous letter distractors), as indexed by performance and eye movement measures, was investigated in a series of studies. In Experiments 1 and 2 we examined whether onsets would capture the eyes when the appearance of an onset predicted neither the location nor the identity of the target. Subjects did direct their eyes to the abrupt onsets on a disproportionate number of trials in these studies. Interestingly, however, onset capture was modulated by subjects' scan strategies. Furthermore, onsets captured the eyes less frequently than would have been predicted by paradigms showing attentional capture when no eye movements are required. Experiment 3 examined the question of whether onsets would capture the eyes in a situation in which they never served as the target. Capture was observed in this study. However, the magnitude of capture effects was substantially diminished as compared to pre...
Rapid, semi-automated method for determining dibucaine numbers

A rapid, semi-automated method for determining dibucaine numbers is disclosed wherein use is made of a unit dosage form of dibucaine or a test pack containing dibucaine in a unit dosage form.
Development of Sendai virus-based vaccines to prevent pediatric respiratory virus infections

Abstract Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the human parainfluenza viruses (hPIV) are the leading causes of hospitalizations for viral respiratory tract diseases in infants and young children. Despite approximately 50 years of research, there is currently no vaccine available for any of these pathogens. Sendai virus (SeV) is a mouse respiratory virus that merits consideration as a Jennerian vaccine for hPIV-1 due to its similarity with hPIV-1 in terms of sequence, structure and antigenicity. The SeV backbone can also be manipulated using reverse genetics to create SeV-based RSV and hPIV-3 vaccines. We have prepared two recombinant SeV vaccines, expressing the fusion protein of RSV and the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein of hPIV-3, respectively. We found that a single intranasal vaccination with the combined recombinant SeVs (‘mixed-rSeV’) protected cotton rats from challenges with hPIV-1, hPIV-3 and RSV. This discovery, combined with our preliminary clinical demonstration that intranasal administration of unmodified SeV is safe in adults and children, makes a compelling case for advanced development of the SeV-based vaccine product.