cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Curvature-processing network in macaque visual cortex

Our visual environment abounds with curved features. Thus, the goal of understanding visual processing should include the processing of curved features. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging in behaving monkeys, we demonstrated a network of cortical areas selective for the processing of curved features. This network includes three distinct hierarchically organized regions within the ventral visual pathway: a posterior curvature-biased patch (PCP) located in the near-foveal representation of dorsal V4, a middle curvature-biased patch (MCP) located on the ventral lip of the posterior superior temporal sulcus (STS) in area TEO, and an anterior curvature-biased patch (ACP) located just below the STS in anterior area TE. Our results further indicate that the processing of curvature becomes increasingly complex from PCP to ACP. The proximity of the curvature-processing network to the well-known face-processing network suggests a possible functional link between them.
Determinants of international trade of machine tools during the eighties: a shift-share analysis

Abstract This paper examines the international trade of the machine tool industry using shiftshare analysis. This analysis allows the effects which the market composition and the exporting firms' competitiveness have on changes in the export figures to be broken down. In addition, this method eliminates the influence of price and exchange rate factors on export data (during the period 1980–1987). On the basis of the results obtained, it is clear that Japanese firms possess the most aggressive penetration strategy in international markets. This is characterized by their choice of fast-growing markets and by a high degree of competitiveness. Recent changes in U.S. export figures give good reason to believe that the trade balance deficit in this sector will be narrowed, whereas the performance of European exports as a whole has been rather disappointing, with the exception of some slight relative advantages achieved by Italian firms.
Inflation and stagflation

Abstract This paper reports on the author's theoretical and empirical research which has supported the following propositions. First , the change in the rate of inflation from one year to the next depends upon the growth of the money supply less the current rate of inflation. The current unemployment rate does not significantly affect whether the rate of inflation will rise or fall. If the monetary authorities raise the rate of monetary expansion above the current rate of inflation, the latter will rise regardless of the slack in the economy. Second , the change in the unemployment rate from one year to the next depends upon: (a) the deviation of the current unemployment rate from its equilibrium value and (b) the growth of the money supply less the current rate of inflation. The first effect concerns wage flexibility and the second effect concerns the shift of the aggregate demand ( C + I + G ) curve.
Portfolio diversification in a highly inflationary emerging market

Abstract This study applies modern portfolio theory to the individual asset allocation decision of an investor in an emerging market. The study utilizes data from January 1991 to January 1999. Turkey’s experience with high inflation, depreciation in its currency, and a relatively fast growing economy provide a unique financial environment to examine personal portfolio asset allocation. Seven investments are considered for inclusion in the portfolio, including the Turkish, German and American stock markets, gold, and 12-month bank deposits denominated in Turkish liras, German marks, and U.S. dollars. The findings indicate that the lira-denominated bank deposit is the dominant investment vehicle.
Object Agreement, Grammatical Relations, and Information Structure

Northern Ostyak (Uralic) has optional object agreement. This paper analyzes the grammatical behavior of objects that trigger agreement and objects that do not, and demonstrates that while the former participate in certain syntactic processes, the latter are syntactically inert. The asymmetry cannot be explained with reference to semantics or argument status, as both objects bear an identical argument relationship to the predicate. Following the functional approach to language, under which the clause has three independent representational levels (syntax, semantics, and information structure), I suggest that the two objects differ in their information structure status. The object that does not trigger agreement bears the focus function, and systematically corresponds to the focus position. It is further argued that virtually all grammatical relations in Ostyak demonstrate reduced syntactic activity when they are in focus. This leads to a search for an information structure-driven motivation for certain behavioral properties.
Melanin-Dispersing Effect of Adenosine 3″,5″-Monophosphate on Amphibian Melanophores

Because of conflicting prior reports of the effect of 3″,5″-AMP (adenosine 3″,5″- monophosphate) on frog melanophores, the effect of this substance has been studied on amphibian melanophores. Although lower concentrations produce some darkening, 10 HIm is required to markedly darken isolated frog skin or expand tissue cultured salamander embryonic melanophores. The darkening of frog skin by 3″,5″-AMP was not sodium dependent. The darkening produced by combinations of 3″,5″-AMP with melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) or caffeine was equal to the sum of the darkening produced by these agents alone. The results were discussed in terms of the possibility that 3″,5″- AMP may be the “second messenger” for MSH and caffeine action on melanophores. (Endocrinology 81: 283, 1967)
Evaluation of Different Chemical Strategies for Conjugation of Oligonucleotides to Peptides

We developed novel assays for high-throughput detection of one or many kinases or proteases. The assays use hundreds of different peptide substrates, each covalently linked to an oligonucleotide tag. After incubation with sample, the pool of substrates is hybridized to a microarray containing oligonucleotides complementary to the tag sequences. We screened several specific chemistries for the conjugation based on the following criteria: easy derivatization of oligonucleotides and peptides; high efficiency of the conjugation reaction; good stability of the conjugates; and satisfactory conjugate performance in our assays. We have validated selected method during the successful generation of thousands oligonucleotide-peptide conjugates.
Longevity regulation by Drosophila Rpd3 deacetylase and caloric restriction.

Genetic studies of single gene mutations are revealing mechanisms and pathways that regulate longevity across distant species ([1][1]). One such mechanism is an alteration in histone deacetylase activity. Abolishing expression of the Rpd3 deacetylase ([2][2]) or increasing expression of the Sir2
Central Baroreflex Resetting as a Means of Increasing and Decreasing Sympathetic Outflow and Arterial Pressure

The arterial baroreflex has two important functions. First, the arterial baroreflex is a negative feedback reflex that regulates arterial pressure around a preset value called a set or operating point. Second, the arterial baroreflex also establishes the prevailing systemic arterial pressure when the operating point is reset. That is, modulating the response of barosensitive neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) establishes the operating point or prevailing systemic arterial pressure. Therefore, the operating point of the arterial baroreflex is not fixed, but is variable over a wide range of pressures and is determined by a variety of inputs from the peripheral and central nervous systems. At the onset of dynamic exercise, heart rate (HR) and sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) increase abruptly and dramatically. The initial increase in HR and SNA is mediated by central command. Central command operates by resetting the operating point of the arterial baroreflex to a higher pressure. In this situation, the operating point of the arterial baroreflex is above the prevailing arterial pressure, which elicits a blood pressure error. This error is corrected by activating SNA and inhibiting parasympathetic nerve activity, which increases cardiac output and peripheral resistance and, consequently, arterial pressure. After exercise, loss of central command and enhanced activity of the cardiopulmonary reflex resets the operating point of the arterial baroreflex to a lower pressure. In this situation, the operating point of the arterial baroreflex is below the prevailing arterial pressure, which elicits a blood pressure error. This error is corrected by inhibiting SNA, which decreases peripheral resistance and consequently arterial pressure. In these situations, central resetting of the arterial baroreflex is a means of increasing and decreasing sympathetic outflow and arterial pressure.
Phenolic constituents of Artemesia tridentata spp. Vaseyana

Abstract Ten coumarins and four flavonoids have been isolated from a single collection of Artemesia tridentata ssp. vaseyana (Rydb.) Beetle. The coumarins are 7-methylesculin, esculin, umbelliferone, skimmin, cichoriin, isoscopoletin, scopoletin, scoparon, esculetin and a new natural product, artelin (5,6,7,8-tetramethoxy coumarin). The flavonoids are luteolin, luteolin-7-glucoside, axillarin and eupafolin.
Reactions of methanethiol on cobalt-covered Mo(110)

The reactions of methanethiol on cobalt overlayers grown on Mo(110) were studied using a temperature-programmed reaction and X-ray photoelectron and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopies. Methyl thiolate was identified as the reaction intermediate on the basis of X-ray photoelectron and high resolution electron energy loss data. Methane, methyl radical, and H{sub 2} were the only gaseous products. The peak temperature for methane production from methyl thiolate hydrogenolysis was relatively insensitive to the Co coverage and geometric structure of the Co layer. However, less methyl radical formation was observed as the Co coverage increased from 1 to 2.5 monolayers. The selectivity for hydrocarbon formation was essentially the same, nearly 48{+-}5%, for all Co coverages. The total amount of methyl thiolate deposited in the initial S-H bond breaking was independent of Co coverage. At 400 K, sulfur-induced structural rearrangement of the Co overlayer was insignificant and therefore did not affect the reaction of methanethiol. The mixed Co-S overlayer had a substantially lower activity for the methanethiol reaction than any of the clean surfaces; the total amount of reaction on both the sulfur and Co-S overlayers was 30% that of the clean Mo(110) and pure Co overlayers. 53 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.
Binding and activation of rod outer segment phosphodiesterase and guanosine triphosphate binding protein by disc membranes: influence of reassociation method and divalent cations.

Attempts to optimize the recovery of light-stimulated phosphodiesterase activity following reassociation of the hypotonically extractable proteins derived from retinal rod segments with hypotonically stripped disc membranes lead to the following observations: the best reassociations were obtained by mixing proteins and stripped disc membranes under hypotonic conditions and slowly increasing the salt concentration; the binding of G-protein and phosphodiesterase to stripped disc membrane occurs in less than 5 minutes and the recovery of light-stimulated phosphodiesterase activation in response to subsaturating stimulus levels requires 2-3 h to plateau. Stripped disc membranes and proteins were reassociated in 'isotonic' buffers containing KCl/NaCl, KCl/NaCl plus Mg2+, or KCl/NaCl plus Ca2+. Large fractional rhodopsin bleaches produced nearly identical light-stimulated phosphodiesterase activities in each of these samples and in the control rod outer segment membranes. Rod outer segment membranes and reassociated stripped disc membrane samples containing divalent cations showed similar phosphodiesterase activities in response to low fractional rhodopsin bleaches (e.g. less than or equal to 0.1%), however, samples devoid of divalent cations during reassociation required rhodopsin bleaches up to 10-fold larger to elicit comparable phosphodiesterase activities. These results suggest that not all phosphodiesterase and/or G-protein molecules bound to the disc membrane surface are equivalent with regard to their efficiency of activation by bleached rhodopsin and that divalent cations can modulate the distribution of G-protein and/or phosphodiesterase between these populations.
Existence of Turbulent Regime in Gas-Solid Fluidization

We examine the nature of the existence of the turbulent regime and its transition, and provide a unified interpretation of this transition based on existing definitions of the turbulent and transport regimes and available experimental data covering a wide range of operating conditions
Use of Advanced Radiology During Visits to US Emergency Departments for Injury-Related Conditions, 1998-2007

[95% CI, 4.9%-6.9%] in 1998 and 5.5% [95% CI, 4.7%-6.5%] in 2007; P=.50 for trend) or to an intensive care unit (0.62% [95% CI, 0.40%-1.00%] in 1998 and 0.80% [95% CI, 0.53%-1.21%] in 2007; P=.14 for trend). Visits during which CT or MRI was obtained lasted 126 minutes (95% CI, 123-131 minutes) longer than those for which CT or MRI was not obtained.
“Free as in sexist?” Free culture and the gender gap

Despite the values of freedom and openness, the free culture movement’s gender balance is as skewed (or more so) as that of the computing culture from which it arose. Based on the collection and analysis of discourse on gender and sexism within this movement over a six–year period, I suggest three possible causes: (a) some geek identities can be narrow and unappealing; (b) open communities are especially susceptible to difficult people; and, (c) the ideas of freedom and openness can be used to dismiss concerns and rationalize the gender gap as a matter of preference and choice.
Activation of TGF-β-Smad signaling pathway following polyamine depletion in intestinal epithelial cells

Smad proteins are transcription activators that are critical for transmitting transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily signals from the cell surface receptors to the nucleus. Our previous s...
Diabetes insipidus contributes to traumatic brain injury pathology via CD36 neuroinflammation.

Each year, over one million people in the United States are affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI). Symptoms of both acute and chronic neuroinflammation follow TBI, coinciding with a robust immune response and activation of the brain’s endogenous repair mechanisms. TBI can lead to endocrine failure as a result of damage to the thalamic region of the brain, evidenced by excessive thirst and polyuria often accompanying TBI. These symptoms indicate the presence of diabetes insipidus (DI), a disruption of water homeostasis due to antidiuretic hormone deficiency. This deficiency accompanies a mechanical or neuroinflammatory damage to the thalamic region during TBI, evidenced by increased expression of inflammatory microglial marker MHCII in this brain region. Excessive thirst and urinations, which are typical DI symptoms, in our chronic TBI rats also suggest a close connection between TBI and DI. We seek to bridge this gap between TBI and DI through investigation of the Cluster of Differentiation 36 (CD36) receptor. This receptor is associated with Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) deregulation, pro-inflammatory events, and innate immunity regulation. We posit that CD36 exacerbates TBI through immune activation and subsequent neuroinflammation. Indeed, scientific evidence already supports pathological interaction of CD36 in other neurological disorders including stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. We propose that DI contributes to TBI pathology via CD36 neuroinflammation. Use of CD36 as a biomarker may provide insights into treatment and disease pathology of TBI and DI. This unexplored avenue of research holds potential for a better understanding and treatment of TBI and DI.
CAD-based 3-D object recognition

The authors propose an approach to three-dimensional object recognition using computer-aided design (CAD)-based geometry models for freeform surfaces. Geometry is modeled with rational B-splines by defining surface patches and then combining these into a volumetric model of the object. Characteristic features are then extracted and subjected to a battery of tests to select an 'optimal' subset of surface features which are robust with respect to the sensor being used (e.g., laser range finder versus passive stereo) and permit recognition of the object from any viewing position. These features are then organized into a strategy tree that defines the order in which the features are sought, and any corroboration required to justify issuing a hypothesis. The authors propose the use of geometric sensor data integration techniques as a means for formally selecting surface features on free-form objects in order to build recognition strategies. >
Materials-Based, Imagery-Based, and Rote Exercise Occupational Forms: Effect on Repetitions, Heart Rate, Duration of Performance, and Self-Perceived Rest Period in Well Elderly Women

OBJECTIVES This study extends previous research that contrasted occupational forms with elderly persons living in institutions to include elderly women living independently. In addition to differences in number of repetitions elicited, the current study measured heart rate response and perceived rest period duration. METHOD Forty-five women over the age of 65 years were randomly assigned to one of three occupational forms: materials based (kicking a balloon), imagery based (kicking an imaginary balloon), and rote exercise (performing a kicking movement without a balloon or imagery prompt). Subjects were instructed to perform the assigned lower-extremity movement until they fatigued and after a self-determined period of rest indicated when they felt able to do another set of movements. Dependent variables included number of repetitions of movement, heart rate (at baseline, at completion of movements, at end of rest period), duration of movement, and self-perceived rest period. Group means for each variable were compared using analyses of variance. RESULTS Groups showed no significant difference in baseline and demographic data. Subjects in the materials-based occupational form performed significantly more repetitions and required a significantly longer self-perceived rest period than subjects in the imagery-based and rote exercise forms. There were no significant differences among the groups for heart rate response. Duration of movement and number of repetitions variables were strongly correlated (r = .95), indicating lack of independence. CONCLUSIONS The materials-based occupational form elicited a quantitatively different performance than the other forms. Given the relatively fuller experience (i.e., interaction with an object, clear objective) of the materials-based form, an occupational form that has added meaning for the person appears to result in enhanced performance when compared with forms that lack strong meaning and suggest more limited purposes.
Heuristic algorithms to solve 0&#x2013;1 mixed integer LP formulations for traffic signal control problems

In this paper, three heuristic solution algorithms, (the Dive-and-Fix method, the Ratio-cluster method, and the Cumulative-departure method) are specially designed to solve the traffic signal control problem formulated as a 0–1 mixed-integer linear programming problem with cell transmission model. These three solution algorithms are based on two fundamental approaches. First, the 0–1 mixed-integer linear program is solved via linear relaxation (LR). Second, the non-integer solutions obtained from the LR are converted into the integer solutions by taking advantage of the underlying physical mechanism embedded in the LR solutions that lead to the optimal signal control. In particular, proportional capacities for different approaches and the cumulative exit flow at each intersection obtained from the LR solutions are utilized to determine green time allocation for each approach. It is demonstrated that the near-optimal solutions obtained with these algorithms are very close to the optimal solutions under both uncongested and congested traffic conditions.
Location-based and preference-aware recommendation using sparse geo-social networking data

The popularity of location-based social networks provide us with a new platform to understand users' preferences based on their location histories. In this paper, we present a location-based and preference-aware recommender system that offers a particular user a set of venues (such as restaurants) within a geospatial range with the consideration of both: 1) User preferences, which are automatically learned from her location history and 2) Social opinions, which are mined from the location histories of the local experts. This recommender system can facilitate people's travel not only near their living areas but also to a city that is new to them. As a user can only visit a limited number of locations, the user-locations matrix is very sparse, leading to a big challenge to traditional collaborative filtering-based location recommender systems. The problem becomes even more challenging when people travel to a new city. To this end, we propose a novel location recommender system, which consists of two main parts: offline modeling and online recommendation. The offline modeling part models each individual's personal preferences with a weighted category hierarchy (WCH) and infers the expertise of each user in a city with respect to different category of locations according to their location histories using an iterative learning model. The online recommendation part selects candidate local experts in a geospatial range that matches the user's preferences using a preference-aware candidate selection algorithm and then infers a score of the candidate locations based on the opinions of the selected local experts. Finally, the top-k ranked locations are returned as the recommendations for the user. We evaluated our system with a large-scale real dataset collected from Foursquare. The results confirm that our method offers more effective recommendations than baselines, while having a good efficiency of providing location recommendations.
Near-Infrared Hand-Held Optical Imaging Technology

Diffuse optical imaging is an emerging technology in the fi eld of non-invasive breast cancer imaging and functional brain mapping. A review of the various imagers developed to date for breast cancer is described. These imagers can be broadly classifi ed into bed-based, parallel plate, and hand-held. With hand-held optical imagers, work to date has been focused on 2D refl ectance-based spectroscopic imaging of breast tumors. A hand-held optical imager capable of refl ectance and transillumination imaging has been developed at the Optical Imaging Laboratory to allow deep target detection. Experiments have been performed on tissue phantoms that demonstrated detection of 5 cm deep targets via transillumination imaging, compared to 2.5 cm deep targets via refl ectance imaging. Multiple targets were resolved from 2D experimental studies, when placed 1.5 cm apart even at target depths of 2 cm. Preliminary in vivo studies on breast tissues demonstrated that pressure placed a signifi cant role in detecting the target regions during 2D refl ectance imaging studies. The ongoing research efforts focus on demonstrating the 3D tomographic imaging capability of the hand-held imager for volumetric tumor localization in any breast volume and curvature.
Response to Letters Regarding Article, “Using Dabigatran in Patients With Stroke: A Practical Guide for Clinicians”

Response: We appreciate the thoughtful comments and important issues raised by the letters published. As Casado-Nananjo et al highlight, there are anecdotal case reports of intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) for acute ischemic stroke being used without complications in patients treated with dabigatran as well as with catastrophic consequences in such settings. These reports often lack data about the timing of the last dose of dabigatran, renal function, and other important variables. One should remember that dabigatran is a potent anticoagulant, and tPA is a powerful lytic agent. There have been studies suggesting that a clot formed in patients taking dabigatran may be more susceptible to complete lysis when using tPA, but this might also be associated with higher rates of hemorrhage.1 Freeman and colleagues present a single case of successful endovascular therapy in a patient with a potentially large middle …
Practical methods for the clinical assessment of information processing speed.

The rate at which individuals are capable of processing information is considered a sensitive indicator of brain dysfunction, particularly among clinical populations whose neurocognitive impairments generally are considered relatively mild in nature. Assessment of information processing speed often is confounded, however, by comorbid impairments in other constructs of neurocognition, including attentional capacity, visuospatial perception, language, immediate memory, and motor speed/coordination. This investigation examined the effect of controlling for various potential confounders on the strength of associations among several potential measures of information processing speed. Participants were 64 patients diagnosed with clinically definite multiple sclerosis. Analysis indicated consistent significant and positive associations among measures of processing speed, which generally persisted despite simultaneous statistical control of potential confounding factors. Results imply that examined confounding va...
ATTITUDES TOWARD COHABITATION, FAMILY, AND GENDER ROLES: Relationships to Values and Political Ideology

This study investigates four hypotheses concerning rela- tionships between values or beliefs and attitudes toward cohabitation, family and gender roles. These are the Social Concerns Hypothesis, the Political Ideology Hypothesis, the Higher Order Needs Hypothesis, and the Consumerism Hypothesis. Each hypothesis has been tested, using data from several nationally representative subsamples of white high school seniors. As predicted by the Social Concerns Hypothesis, students with more social concerns had morefavorable attitudes toward gender equality and nontraditional gender roles, particularly among males. This finding suggests that, for males, concern for fairness and the well-being of others may be an important motivefor supportfor gender equality and acceptance of nontraditional gender roles. As predicted by the Political Ideology Hypothesis, conservative political beliefs were associated with traditional attitudes toward cohabitation, family, and gender roles. In contrast, our findings provide only weak supportfor the Higher Order Needs Hypothe- sis, and our findings suggest that the Consumerism Hypothesis should be reformulated.
Distributed control for distributed linear parameter varying systems

Considers stability analysis and performance control for distributed systems with time and spatial varying parameters. The distributed linear parameter-varying (LPV) system depends on the parameters in linear fractional transformation form. The parameters are assumed measurable in real-time for controller use. By adopting and preserving the spatial structure of the plant, the controller will have localized architecture, which can be implemented using parallel processors. Using full block multipliers, the stability property of the distributed parameter varying systems is guaranteed, by a structured Lyapunov function. Moreover, it is shown that the distributed LPV control algorithm can be determined through convex optimization as linear matrix inequalities.
Task Coordination Paradigms for Information Agents

In agent systems, different (autonomous) agents collaborate to execute complex tasks. Each agent provides a set of useful capabilities, and the agent system combines these capabilities as needed to perform complex tasks, based on the requests input into the system. Agent communication languages (ACLs) allow agents to communicate with each other about how to partition these tasks, and to specify the responsibilities of the individual agents that are invoked. Current ACLs make certain assumptions about the agent system, such as the stability of the agents, the lifetime of the tasks and the intelligence of the agents in the system, etc. These assumptions are not always applicable in information-centric applications, since such agent systems contain unreliable agents, very long running tasks, agents with widely varying levels of sophistication, etc. Furthermore, not all agents may be able to support intelligent planning towork around these issues, and precanned interactions used in more component-based systems do not work well. Thus, it becomes important that proper support for task coordination be available to these agent systems. In this paper we explore issues related to coordinating large, complex, long running tasks in agent systems. We divide these issues into the following categories: tasks, roles, and conversations. We then discuss how these issues impose requirements on ACL, and propose changes to support these requirements.
Long-term survival after excision of a solitary esophageal cancer brain metastasis

Locally advanced esophageal cancer remains a disease with a low long-term cure rate, despite combined modality therapy, because of the frequent presence of occult metastatic disease. Metastatic disease to the central nervous system (CNS) is unusual, with a reported incidence of betwee n0.4 %an d5.1%. 1 Patient swit hesophagea lcance rwh odo present with CNS metastases after initial treatment represent a clinica ldilemma .Althoug hsevera ltreatmen tstrategie susin gradiotherapy, surgical intervention, or both for CNS metastases exist, a poor prognosis is anticipated. We report long-term survival in a patient treated for a locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and subsequently for a CNS metastasis. Clinical Summary The patient presented in June 1999 as a 53-year-old healthy white male with dysphagia and a 27-pound weight loss. Endoscopy identified a mass in the distal esophagus from 35 to 39 cm. A biopsy was positive for poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. No evidence of metastatic disease by means of computed tomographic (CT) scans of the chest and abdomen was found. Transesophageal ultrasonography demonstrated a transmural neoplasm with a cytologically positive celiac lymph node equating to stage IVa disease. He was treated with 4 cycles of cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and concurrent radiation (5040 cGy in 28 fractions), which he tolerated well. Repeat CT scans revealed distal esophageal thickening without interval development of metastatic disease. Six weeks after completion of chemoradiation, esophagogastrectomy with en bloc “2-field” (celiac-mediastinal) lymphadenectomy was performed through an Ivor Lewis approach. He was discharged in good condition on the 10th postoperative day. Final pathology demonstrated extensive ulceration of the distal esophagus without evidence of residual neoplasm. Of 17 lymph nodes harvested from the surgical specimen, one had pathologic evidence of necrotic (nonviable) neoplasm, whereas the remainder were found to be free of previous or active disease. Six months after esophagogastrectomy, an acute mild right hemiparesis developed. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a single 3-cm enhancing mass in the left posterior frontal lobe with surroundin gedem a(Figur e1, A and B) .N oothe revidenc eof recurrent disease on repeat CT scans, as well as endoscopy, was found. The patient underwent craniotomy and complete excision. Pathologic analysis confirmed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with marked necrosis consistent with a metastasis from the primary esophageal neoplasm. He was discharged on the third postoperative day without residual hemiparesis and received adjuvant whole-brain radiation therapy beginning 3 weeks postoperatively (3375 cGy in 15 fractions). He has been carefully followed with CT imaging and endoscopy on a routine basis. The patient remains alive and well 6 years after esophagogastrectomy and 5.5 years after excision of the brain metastasis.
The Ambivalent Self of the Contemporary Japanese

In recent anthropological and historical discourse we have become increasingly aware that, unlike a society which is a bounded political unit, a culture has never been a sealed box but has always been in interaction with other cultures, as Leach (1965[1954]:282, 1982:41-43) has repeatedly reminded us. This realization derives in part from a deconstruction of the colonial mentality that represented, or misrepresented, other societies, especially the so-called small-scale societies, as having been isolated and, furthermore, ahistorical. In this article, I offer an interpretation of Japanese culture as it has interacted with other cultures and continues to interact with them with increased intensity. More specifically, I focus on the collective self of the contemporary Japanese as it has been defined and redefined by the other, namely, other peoples. My ethnography is a recent Japanese film, Tampopo (Dandelions), directed by Juzo Itami and released in 1986, since the film offers a vivid illustration of the current effort by the Japanese to redefine themselves in relation to the West,' as necessitated by Japan's new international position. My second goal is to engage in an exercise in interpretation-reading of the film as a text. I want to show how we might interpret symbols and symbolic behaviors-noodles, a peach, and a raw egg, or spaghetti eating-as they occur in the film. It is a "thick description," if you will, but not an argument on theories in symbolic anthropology per se, which I offer elsewhere (Ohnuki-Tierey 1990a, 1990b). Juzo Itami, director of this film, is an internationally known film director who also has had a long career as an actor. His films, acclaimed both within and outside of Japan, are all metasocial commentaries on the contemporary Japanese, and their satire ranges from subtle to savage. If there is a plot at all in the film Tampopo, it is that of a widow named 'Tampopo (dandelion)," who successfully learns the secret of ramen-a noodle dish originally from China and now a popular folksy dish in Japan (instant ramen is sold in American supermarkets)-and who builds her ramen shop into a successful operation. She is helped in this venture by a "cowboy"-a Japanese truck driver in a "cowboy outfit," complete with a cowboy hat, a bandanna, a belt and buckle, cowboy boots, and a pair of longhorns on his truck2 who instructs her at times as a typical Japanese patriarch
Scalable solutions to integral-equation and finite-element simulations

When developing numerical methods, or applying them to the simulation and design of engineering components, it inevitably becomes necessary to examine the scaling of the method with a problem's electrical size. The scaling results from the original mathematical development; for example, a dense system of equations in the solution of integral equations, as well as the specific numerical implementation. Scaling of the numerical implementation depends upon many factors; for example, direct or iterative methods for solution of the linear system, as well as the computer architecture used in the simulation. Scalability is divided into two components-scalability of the numerical algorithm specifically on parallel computer systems and algorithm or sequential scalability. The sequential implementation and scaling is initially presented, with the parallel implementation following. This progression is meant to illustrate the differences in using current parallel platforms and sequential machines and the resulting savings. Time to solution (wall-clock time) for differing problem sizes are the key parameters plotted or tabulated. Sequential and parallel scalability of time harmonic surface integral equation forms and the finite-element solution to the partial differential equations are considered in detail.
Phased arrays-part II: implementations, applications, and future trends

In part I of this paper, we presented the basic architectures and theory for passive and active phased arrays. Here, we review array implementation, state-of-the-art applications, and identify future trends in phased-array technology.
A REASSESSMENT OF STATISTICAL POWER ANALYSIS IN HUMAN COMMUNICATION RESEARCH

This study conducted a statistical power analysis of 64 articles appearing in the first four volumes of Human Communication Research, 1974–1978. Each article was examined, using Cohen's revised handbook, assuming nondirectional null hypotheses and an alpha level of .05. Statistical power, the probability of rejecting a false null hypothesis, was calculated for small, medium, and large experimental effect sizes and averaged by article and volume. Results indicated that the average probability of beta errors appears to have decreased over time, providing a greater chance of rejecting false null hypotheses, but this also raised several power-related issues relevant to communication research in general.
Laminar-flow fluid mixer for fast fluorescence kinetics studies.

The ability to mix aqueous liquids on microsecond time scales, while consuming minimal amounts of sample and maintaining UV-visible optical access to the mixing region, is highly desirable for a range of biophysical studies of fast protein and nucleic acid interactions and folding. We have constructed a laminar coaxial jet mixer that allows the measure- ment of UV-excited fluorescence from nanoliter and microliter quantities of material, mixed at microsecond rates. The mixer injects a narrow cylindrical stream (radius a 1 m) of fluorescent sample into a larger flow of diluting buffer that moves through a capillary (100 m i.d.) at a speed 20 cm/s, under laminar flow conditions (Re 14). Construction from a fused silica capillary allows the laser excitation (at 266 nm) and detection (at 350 nm) of tryptophan fluorescence at reasonably low working concentrations, without interference from background fluorescence. Using this mixer we have measured sub- millisecond fluorescence quenching kinetics while consuming fluorescent sample at rates no greater than 6 nl/s. Consump- tion of the diluting buffer is also very modest (1-3 l/s) in comparison with other rapid mixer designs.
In vitro steroid synthesis by follicles isolated from the rabbit ovary

Abstract Mature ovarian follicles were mechanically isolated from the ovaries of rabbits and incubated with acetate-1-14C. The resulting 14C-labelled steroidal products were extracted and purified by solvent partition and paper and thin layer chromatography followed by recrystallization to constant specific activity. The results show that under in vitro conditions, follicles are capable of synthesizing a wide variety of steroids including estrone, estradiol 17β, progesterone, 170H progesterone, testosterone and androstenedione. Addition of luteinizing hormone to the incubation medium results in an increase in 14C incorporation into all steroids. However, the gonadotropic stimulation was found to lead to a greater accumulation of radioactivity in testosterone with relatively less estrogen synthesized. The possible basis for this phenomenon is discussed.
The Correlated Spontaneous Emission Laser: Theory and Recent Developments

As originally conceived a correlated spontaneous emission laser showed quenching of spontaneous emission quantum fluctuations in the relative phase angle of a two mode laser. It has been shown by several approaches (e.g. quantum noise operator, Fokker-Planck equation, etc.) that such devices can, in principle, have vanishing noise in this relative phase angle. A geometric pictorial analysis along these lines has been given and provides a simple intuitive explanation for this quantum noise quenching which has also been supported by recent experimental investigations.
Vinculin is a major platelet protein that undergoes Ca 2+ -dependent tyrosine phosphorylation

When intracellular Ca2+ pools are released during platelet stimulation by thrombin, elevation of platelet cytosolic Ca2+ concentration induces tyrosine phosphorylation of a 130 kDa protein, and refilling the pools mediates dephosphorylation of this protein [Vostal, Jackson and Shulman (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 16911-16916]. In the present work the 130 kDa protein was identified as vinculin by the following criteria. (1) It is detected on protein immunoblots of thrombin-activated platelets by both monoclonal anti-phosphotyrosine and anti-vinculin antibodies. (2) Removal of N-linked sugars with peptide-N-glycosidase or reduction did not change the molecular mass of vinculin or of the 130 kDa protein on SDS/PAGE. (3) The 130 kDa tyrosine-phosphorylated protein associates with Triton-soluble fraction of platelets as does vinculin. (4) The 130 kDa protein immunoprecipitated by anti-vinculin monoclonal antibody reacts with anti-phosphotyrosine antibody; when immunoprecipitated by anti-phosphotyrosine antibody it reacts with anti-vinculin antibody. (5) The 130 kDa tyrosine-phosphorylated protein and vinculin focus isoelectrically at pI 5.4-5.8. Our finding that vinculin is a major platelet protein that undergoes Ca(2+)-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation during platelet activation may provide clues to the function of this protein.
An Assay for Schizophrenia: Mass Spectrometry Determination of Two Cadaverine Metabolites

Some findings indicate that cadaverine and its acylated metabolites monoacetylcadaverine and monopropionylcadaverine may be associated with schizophrenia. Monoacetylcadaverine and monopropionylcadaverine were isolated from urine of schizophrenic patients (1). It was speculated that their presence in the urine may reflect an abnormal metabolism of cadaverine concomitant with mental illness (2). We have reported recently that the blood concentrations of acylated cadaverines are significantly increased in schizophrenic patients in comparison to those in nonschizophrenic subjects (3).
Evolution of Arginine Kinase within the Genus Drosophila

The rate of evolution and extant levels of polymorphism for arginine kinase were examined in species of the genus Drosophila. Surveys of 11 species for electrophoretic variation revealed an average heterozygosity of 0.003. Using antisera prepared against arginine kinase purified from a representative of each of three major subdivisions of the genus, immunological distances were measured by microcomplement fixation (MC'F) assay for 20 species of Drosophila. These data are consistent with the broad outline of the phylogenetic relationships within the genus suggested by other kinds of data. The unit evolutionary period for Drosophila arginine kinase was estimated to be 59 million years (MY). This contrasts with an estimate of 30 MY as the unit evolutionary period for vertebrate creatine kinase. It is suggested that this difference in evolutionary rate arises because a single gene encodes Drosophila arginine kinase, whereas at least three different genes encode the various forms of vertebrate creatine kinase.
Single-level posterolateral arthrodesis, with or without posterior decompression, for the treatment of isthmic spondylolisthesis in adults : A prospective, randomized study

Forty-two neurologically intact adults in whom non-operative treatment of grade-I or grade-II isthmic spondylolisthesis of the most caudad lumbar segment had failed were entered into a prospective study of the results of operative treatment. Twenty patients who smoked were managed with a posterolateral arthrodesis with instrumentation (transpedicular fixation), and twenty-two patients who did not smoke were managed with a posterolateral arthrodesis without instrumentation. Of the patients who were managed with instrumentation, eight were randomized to treatment with a decompressive laminectomy and twelve, to treatment without it; in the group that was managed without instrumentation, the distribution was ten and twelve patients, respectively. The patients were followed clinically for a mean of 4.5 years (range, 3.5 to six years). Of the eighteen patients who had been managed with decompression, four had a pseudarthrosis and six had an unsatisfactory result compared with none and one of the twenty-four who had been managed without decompression (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively). In the group of twenty patients (smokers) who had been managed with instrumentation, none of the twelve managed without decompression had a pseudarthrosis compared with one of the eight managed with decompression (p = 0.2). In the group of twenty-two patients (non-smokers) who had been managed without instrumentation, none of the twelve managed without decompression had a pseudarthrosis compared with three of the ten managed with decompression (p = 0.04). In the group managed with instrumentation, two of the eight who had had decompression had an unsatisfactory result compared with none of the twelve who had not had decompression. In the group managed without instrumentation, four of the ten who had had decompression had an unsatisfactory result compared with one of the twelve who had not had decompression. The addition of decompression to arthrodesis, performed with or without instrumentation, for the treatment of low-grade isthmic spondylolisthesis in patients who do not have a serious neurological deficit does not appear to improve the result and may significantly increase the rates of pseudarthrosis and unsatisfactory results.
The Application of Big Data in Medicine: Current Implications and Future Directions

Since the mid 1980s, the world has experienced an unprecedented explosion in the capacity to produce, store, and communicate data, primarily in digital formats. Simultaneously, access to computing technologies in the form of the personal PC, smartphone, and other handheld devices has mirrored this growth. With these enhanced capabilities of data storage and rapid computation as well as real-time delivery of information via the internet, the average daily consumption of data by an individual has grown exponentially. Unbeknownst to many, Big Data has silently crept into our daily routines and, with continued development of cheap data storage and availability of smart devices both regionally and in developing countries, the influence of Big Data will continue to grow. This influence has also carried over to healthcare. This paper will provide an overview of Big Data, its benefits, potential pitfalls, and the projected impact on the future of medicine in general and cardiology in particular.
Fracking vs faucets: balancing energy needs and water sustainability at urban frontiers.

ewly accessible shale deposits have dramatically increasedglobal gas reserves and are touted as a bridge to a cleanenergy future. For example, in the U.S., where shale gas isprojected to comprise 49% of national natural gas productionby 2035, proponents argue that shale gas production canprovide energy independence, create employment, andstimulate regional economies.
Method Discussion on Improving Insulation Performance of Insulation Tool under Effective Insulation Length

The effective insulation length of insulation tool is limited because of the limitation of tower height,cross-arm length and insulator string length. In order to improve the insulation performance of insulation tool under the effective insulation tool length,measures are proposed including aspects of choosing material,increasing surface creep,keeping clean and dry of insulation tool,reducing metal parts and so on. The implementation of these measures can improve the insulation performance of insulation tool and guarantee the security of live line work.