cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Segmentation of range images via data fusion and morphological watersheds

Abstract As in 2-D (in two-dimensional) computer vision, segmentation is one of the most important processes in 3-D (three-dimensional) vision. The recent availability of cost-effective range imaging devices has simplified the problem of obtaining 3-D information directly from a scene. Range images are characterized by two principal types of discontinuities: step edges that represent discontinuities in depth and roof (or trough) edges that represent discontinuities in the direction of surface normals. A Gaussian weighted least-squares technique is developed for extracting these two types of edges from range images. Edge extraction is then followed by data fusion to form a single edge map that incorporates discontinuities in both depth and surface normals. Edge maps serve as the input to a segmentation algorithm based on morphological watersheds. It is demonstrated by extensive experimentation, using synthetic and real range image data, that each of these three processes contributes to yield rugged and consistent segmentation results.
Evidence that reef-wide patterns of coral bleaching may be the result of the distribution of bleaching-susceptible clones

The hypothesis that intraspecific variation in coral bleaching is a result of the distribution of bleaching-susceptible clonal genotypes (genets) was addressed using photoquadrats recorded during the 1987 Caribbean bleaching event on a reef dominated by Montastraea annularis (Morphotype I), together with manipulative experiments with Porites porites. Nearest-neighbor analysis showed that bleached colonies (ramets) of M. annularis at 10 m depth had a high probability (0.80) of having a nearest bleached neighbor of the same genet rather than a bleached ramet of a different genet. Furthermore, the frequency distributions of bleached ramets of M. annularis in the photoquadrats was significantly different from a Poisson distribution, suggesting that bleached ramets were aggregated on the reef. Manipulative experiments with P. porites from 15 m depth showed that some genets were more susceptible to thermal bleaching than others, since three genets had significantly different rates of zooxanthellae loss when exposed to elevated temperatures in tanks receiving irradiances similar to those found in situ. These results suggest that the in situ patchy distribution of bleached ramets could correspond to the distribution of certain genets, and that adjacent genets can exhibit sufficiently different phenotypes to account for intraspecific variation in bleaching. Further studies of genet-specific coral bleaching may provide valuable insights into the causes and consequences of bleaching.
Young's modulus and the internal friction of an SiC-particle-reinforced aluminum composite

Abstract Using dynamic methods, we measured Young's modulus and the associated internal friction of a particle-reinforced composite in wrought plate form produced by powder metallurgy methods. The particles, 30% by volume, consisted of single crystals of α-SiC with sizes near 5 μm. The matrix consisted of aluminum alloy 6061 with original particle sizes near 20 μm. We found that the perpendicular Young's modulus E3 was lower by 7% than the in-plane Young's modulli E1 and 2. The average Young's modulus for the three directions is only 64% of that predicted by a rule of mixture. Existing models, based on homogeneous particle distributions, predict E quite well but do not predict its anisotropy. This anisotropy arises from the microstructure: an oriented distribution of oblate-spheroid-shaped aluminum regions surrounded by randomly oriented SiC particles distributed randomly in the aluminum. When the observed microstructural non-homogeneity is allowed for, a model due to Datta and Ledbetter does explain the anisotropy. Internal friction shows two surprising aspects: a low value and, with direction, an increase with increasing elastic stiffness.
Tissue factor pathway inhibitor attenuates the progression of malignant pleural mesothelioma in nude mice.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare cancer that is refractory to current treatments. It is characterized by a robust deposition of transitional fibrin that is in part promoted by tumor cells. MPM cells express tissue factor (TF) and the tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), but their contribution to the pathogenesis of MPM has been unclear. We found that REN MPM cells fail to express TFPI. Based on the tumor growth–promoting properties of TF, we hypothesized that the stable transfection of TFPI into REN MPM cells would decrease their aggressiveness. We tested our hypothesis using in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo analyses. TFPI knock-in decreased the proliferation, invasion, and TF activity of REN cells in vitro. REN TFPI knock-in cells, empty vector, and naive control cells were next injected intrapleurally into nude mice. The expression of TFPI significantly decreased tissue invasion, inflammation, and the deposition of fibrin and collagen associated with tumor tissue, pleural effusions, and t...
RAW SOYBEAN MEAL: IMPROVED PROTEIN QUALITY AFTER AQUEOUS ETHANOL EXTRACTION1

Extraction of raw soybean meal with 40% ethanol in water and a short autoclaving yields a residue which supports a growth rate 27% greater than that of conventionally autoclaved meal when fed to weanling male rats. This residue contains an average of 73% of the dry matter and 91% of the protein of the original raw meal.
Help from faculty: findings from the Acadia Institute Graduate Education Study.

Doctoral students receive many kinds of assistance from faculty members, but much of this support falls short of mentoring. This paper takes the perspective that it is more important to find out what kinds of help students receive from faculty than to assume that students are taken care of by mentors, as distinct from advisors or role models. The findings here are based on both survey and interview data collected through the Acadia Institute’s project on Professional Values and Ethical Issues in the Graduate Education of Scientists and Engineers. The paper describes various kinds of assistance that students receive (or do not receive) from faculty members in their roles as teacher/coach, sponsor, and counselor, It concludes with a section on advisors assigned to doctoral students, notably the extent of their contact with and influence on students.
Clinical use of liraglutide in type 2 diabetes and its effects on cardiovascular risk factors.

Objective: To assess whether liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, has cardioprotective properties in addition to its glycemic effects.Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of medical records of 110 obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with liraglutide for at least 6 months between March 2010 and April 2011 at our tertiary care referral center. The variables analyzed were body mass index, hemoglobin A1c (A1C), systolic blood pressure (SBP), plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations, and serum lipids.Results: In our overall study cohort, we noted a reduction in mean weight from 120 ± 5 kg to 115 ± 3 kg and a decrease in mean A1C from 7.8% ± 0.6% to 7.2% ± 0.2%. The mean triglyceride concentration decreased from 173 ± 19 mg/dL to 151 ± 15 mg/dL, the mean SBP was reduced from 132 ± 6 mm Hg to 125 ± 4 mm Hg, and the mean CRP concentration declined from 4.7 ± 0.8 mg/L to 3.2 ± 0.4 mg/L after treatment with liraglutide for a minimal duration of 6 months and a mea...
Clinical characterization of int22h1/int22h2-mediated Xq28 duplication/deletion: new cases and literature review

Int22h1/int22h2-mediated Xq28 duplication syndrome is caused by ~0.5 Mb chromosomal duplications mediated by nonallelic homologous recombination between intron 22 homologous region 1 (int22h1) and 2 (int22h2), which, in addition to int22h3, are also responsible for inversions disrupting the F8 gene in hemophilia A. This syndrome has recently been described in 9 males with cognitive impairment, behavioral problems, and distinctive facial features; and 6 females with milder phenotypes. The reciprocal deletion was previously reported in a mother and daughter. It was suggested that this deletion may not have phenotypic effects in females because of skewed chromosome X inactivation, but may be embryonic lethal in males.
Active sites of ligands and their receptors are made of common peptides that are also found elsewhere.

The simultaneous emergence in evolution of a ligand and its receptor might have entailed their active sites being drawn from the pool of common oligopeptides. This was tested on the principal components of cell-matrix interaction: the RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) site of matrix proteins and the EKKD (Gly-Lys-Lys-Asp) site of integrin cell-surface receptor. In the 32 diverse proteins scrutinized, which totalled 14,806 residues, there were 104 Arg-Gly dipeptides. Most common of the tripeptides beginning with Arg-Gly were Arg-Gly-Leu, Arg-Gly-Gly, and Arg-Gly-Asp; each was found in ten copies. RGD tripeptide was one of the commonest; the fortuitous presence of an RGD site was noted in two enzymes, fibrinogen, a pituitary hormone precursor, and a viral structural protein. The 32 proteins also contained 121 Lys-Lys dipeptides. Of the tetrapeptides centered by Lys-Lys, the commonest was Lys-Lys-Lys-Lys, in four copies. Second most common were Gly-Lys-Lys-Lys, Val-Lys-Lys-Leu, and Glu-Lys-Lys-Asp; each occurred in three copies. The fortuitous presence of an EKKD site was noted in three proteins—an intracellular transport protein, a pituitary hormone precursor and a protein of the cerebrospinal fluid. In most instances, protein-protein interaction between the fortuitously present active sites appears to bring about deleterious consequences. Occasionally, however, the fortuitous active site appears to confer a new function to a protein bearing it.
Ag-Al based air braze for high temperature electrochemical devices

Abstract Silver–aluminum based air brazing was attempted using an in situ alloying and brazing process. In this process, layers of foils of aluminum and silver were laid up between alumina plates in alternating fashion to achieve three target compositions representing Ag, Ag 3 Al, and Ag 2 Al phases. Each alloy composition revealed different microstructure, mechanical properties and fracture mechanisms. Joints brazed with foils containing 9.8 at% Al formed a long continuous layer parallel to the direction of the original aluminum foil. The fracture occurred at low bend strength (6–12 MPa) mainly through the interface between this newly formed long alumina layer and the braze filler. Joints containing 26.5 at% Al in the braze filler metal experienced the series of phase transformations, leading to cracks in as-brazed specimens. The fracture initiated through these pre-existing cracks, thus the joint strength observed in these specimens was extremely low. The joints prepared using foils with 35.1 at% Al exhibited a good interface even though interfacial alumina particles formed during air brazing. Crack propagation occurred along the interface between the alumina substrate and in situ formed interfacial alumina particles or directly through these particles. Due to the good interface, the best bend strength (46–52 MPa) was achieved for the braze filler containing 35 at% Al.
The real cost of theoretic risk avoidance: the need to challenge unsubstantiated concerns about (131)I therapy.

See page [683][1] For many years, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the United States required hospitalization for purposes of radiation isolation of patients receiving 1.11 GBq (30 mCi) or more of 131I. Furthermore, admission for purposes of radiation isolation was required even if the patient
Use of Capnography in the Delivery Room for Assessment of Endotracheal Tube Placement

OBJECTIVE: Determine whether end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) monitoring allows for more rapid discrimination of tracheal versus esophageal intubation than standard clinical assessment during neonatal resuscitation in the delivery room. STUDY DESIGN: Endotracheal tube (ETT) placement was assessed using either a hand-held monitor that displayed graphic and quantitative ETCO 2 by an investigator not involved in the resuscitation, or using clinical parameters by the resuscitation team unaware of the ETCO 2 data. The time differences between ETCO 2 and clinical determinations of ETT placement were compared. RESULTS: Capnography correctly identified all 16 tracheal and 11 esophageal intubations performed on 16 study infants. The median times (and range) in seconds required for capnographic and clinical determination of tracheal intubation were 9 (4 to 26) vs. 35 (18 to 70), p<.001, and for esophageal intubation were 9 (4 to 17) vs. 30 (25 to 111), p=.001. CONCLUSION: Capnography allowed more rapid determination of both tracheal and unintended esophageal intubation than clinical assessment.
MYOCARDIAL ISCHEMIC PRECONDITIONING

Protection of ischemic myocardium through transient antecedent sublethal ischemia (myocardial ischemic preconditioning, IP) is a well established laboratory phenomenon which has caught the attention and imagination of clinicians and researchers throughout the world. The magnitude of protection against ischemic injury conferred by IP is tremendous, far surpassing that offered by past pharmacological therapies. Indirect evidence suggests that IP occurs in human hearts as well. But whether IP is a naturally occurring phenomenon in humans, or is relevant to the practice of clinical medicine, remains unclear.
The fine structure of O2(B 3Σ−u)

Abstract Published absorption data on the Schumann-Runge bands of O2 have been used to determine the fine structure parameters for the B(3Σ−u) state. The effective spin-spin parameter λ′ was determined for ν′ = 0–3, 9–9 and the effective spin-rotation parameter μ′ for ν′ = 9–19. The ν′ values very nearly obey the dependence on E(ν′) which would result from a spin-orbit interaction with a 3Πu state near the dissociation limit.
Is life living? Defining death in a technological age.

Abstract Historically, humanity has assigned death to evil spirits, malevolent gods, and other supernatural agents; but by the eighteenth century, the scientific spirit began to manifest itself through more precise biologic definitions of death. Thanks to modern medical technology, these early scientific views, with their considerable margin for error, gave way in the twentieth century to criteria based on such diverse factors as total lack of response to external stimuli, absence of spontaneous muscular movements, absence of all reflexes, total collapse of the arterial blood pressure, flat electrocardiogram, and flat electroencephalograph tracings. Undoubtedly such difficult matters as organ transplants, wills, homicide, euthanasia, and abortion demand precise definitions of death; but modern medical advances have engendered visions of physical immortality with doctors as the arbiters who often define and determine death. Even so, such one-dimensional, scientific views fail to capture those nebulous soci...
Multibunch Operation of CESR

The Cornell storage ring CESR, designed to collide one bunch of e/sup +/ with one bunch of e/sup -/ at energies up to 8 GeV each, is used almost exclusively for research on b-quark physics (the /TAU/ region, 4.5 - 5.6 GeV per beam). Here the radiation loss is less than one-quarter the design maximum--low enough to relax beam-current limitations due to total rf power, yet still high enough to provide a comfortable amount of radiation damping (/tau/ /SUB rad/ approx. = 22 ms), which helps control beam instabilities. Performance is therefore relatively good. With single bunches, the luminosity (which scales roughly as E/sup 4/) reaches about 1.6 x 10/sup 31/ cm/sup -2/s/sup -1/ at 5.4 GeV. This is achieved with bunch currents of about 17 mA, in a regime where vertical beam blowup due to the beam-beam interaction makes L alpha I rather than I/sup 2/. The beam current is limited to this level by the onset of sudden beam losses during collision. To raise the luminosity, CESR has since 1983 operated with multiple bunches in each beam. At the unwanted crossing points within the guide-field arcs, these bunches are separated in the horizontal plane: e/sup +/ and e/supmore » -/ orbits are oppositely distorted, ''pretzel'' fashion, by a pair of electrostatic separators near the ends of each arc. The orbits still coincide around the two interaction points, and must do so very accurately of course. The required modifications of CESR, and early experience with multibunch operation, were described previously. We report our progress here, as an example of the considerations applying when two beams are bedded sideby-side in the same aperture, separated by electrostatic steering elements. The topics are: design constraints, Sec.2; lattice-optical and orbit effects, Secs. 3 and 4; and beam performance, Secs. 5 and 6.« less
SU‐FF‐T‐628: Calculation Time Analysis of Combinations of 3D Algorithms and Calculation Grid Sizes for a Commercial Treatment Planning System

Purpose: To correlate calculation time to a planning metric numerical analysis of the various combinations of dose calculation algorithms (convolution, fast‐superposition, superposition) and grid spacing (5, 4, 3, 2 mm) available in the Xio treatment planning system (Computerized MedicalSolutions, Saint Louis, MO). Methods and Materials: The treatment plans for 5 patients treated for prostate cancer using intensity modulated radiation therapy(IMRT) were used for this analysis.Dose metrics derived from dose volume histograms (DVH) were recorded along with dose calculation time for all combinations of algorithm and calculation grid size. These metrics include the minimum, maximum and mean dose for the planning target volume (PTV) and the rectum, as well as the percentage of PTV receiving at least the prescription dose of 75.6 Gy and the percentage of rectum receiving at least 70 Gy. For each patient, the plan using the superposition algorithm and a 2‐mm grid spacing was used as a benchmark, to which all metrics were normalized. The metric ratios were then averaged over all patients and standard deviations were calculated. Results: Preliminary results show very good correlation (average=1.00, standard deviation=0.01) between the variant plan and benchmark plan for the following combinations: convolution at 2 mm, fast‐superpostion at 3 and 2 mm, and superposition at 3mm grid spacing. Corresponding ratios of variant to benchmark calculation times are as follows: 0.13, 0.10, 0.38, and 0.22, respectively. Conclusions: Without sacrificing calculation accuracy, significant reductions in calculation time can be made by choosing variant combinations of algorithm and grid size. Once a particular combination is chosen as an alternative to the benchmark, a more in‐depth, qualitative analysis should be run. In future developments, this analysis will be extended to other disease sites such as lung, breast, and head and neck.
GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb diode lasers grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy

GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb multiple-quantum-well diode lasers grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy are reported. The laser structure consists of n- and p-doped Al 0.59 Ga 0.41 As 0.05 Sb 0.95 cladding layer, Al 0.28 Ga 0.72 As 0.02 Sb 0.98 confining layers, and four 15-nm- thick Ga 0.87 In 0.13 As 0.12 Sb 0.88 quantum wells with 20-nm-thick Al 0.28 Ga 0.72 As 0.02 Sb 0.98 barrier layers. These lasers, emitting at 2.1 micrometers , have exhibited pulsed threshold current densities as low as 1.2 kA/cm 2 .
Pentoxifylline Impairs Macrophage Defense against Mycobacterium avium Complex

Pentoxifylline, a tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) inhibitor, is being tested as a treatment adjunct in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. However, TNF is important in cellular defense. The effect of pentoxifylline on Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) growth in exogenously infected macrophages was compared with the effect of dexamethasone. Pentoxifylline, in a concentration that decreased MAC-induced TNF by 48.1%, enhanced MAC growth by 1.9- to 19.6-fold and 1.82- to 4.46-fold in macrophages from normal and HIV-infected patients, respectively. It also induced interleukin-6 (IL-6) in infected macrophages. IL-6 induction correlated with the increase in MAC growth (y = 0.89 + 0.266x, P = .025). Dexamethasone in an equivalent TNF-suppressing concentration also increased MAC growth but was less effective. Unlike pentoxifylline, dexamethasone suppressed IL-6 and the suppression correlated inversely with MAC growth (y = 0.248 + 9.942x, P = .003). Thus, TNF and IL-6 are important in macrophage defense against MAC. Pentoxifylline and dexamethasone should be used with caution in AIDS patients.
The diffusion of oxygen in oxygen stabilized α-zirconium and zircaloy-4☆

The diffusion of oxygen in α-Zircaloy-4 was measured at 1050, 1300, and 1450°C using oxygen-18 as the tracer species. The oxygen profile was determined by proton activation of the 18O and subsequent autoradiographic measurements. The tracer diffusivity is appreciably lower than previous chemical diffusivity measurements. However, the chemical diffusivity values obtained from the present data using the thermodynamic data for oxygen in α-zirconium, compare well with those from previous studies. The concentration dependence of the oxygen diffusivity in α-zirconium is discussed, and the reliability of the results from other methods is considered.
Role of intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 and lymphocyte function–associated antigen‐1 during nonsuppurative destructive cholangitis in a mouse graft‐versus‐host disease model

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is expressed abnormally on the bile duct epithelium during the course of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), but the importance of ICAM-1 and its lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) receptor during the course of nonsuppurative destructive cholangitis (NSDC) has not been defined. To address this question, we defined the relationship between ICAM-1 on the intrahepatic bile duct epithelium and the evolution of NSDC lesions in a mouse graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) model. We also determined the effects of anti-ICAM-1 and anti-LFA-1 treatments on NSDC, intrahepatic lymphokine production, and the homing of lymphocytes to the livers of GVHD mice. ICAM-1 was initially detected on the bile duct epithelium and portal vein endothelium on day 7 of GVHD. There was a significant positive correlation between the intensity of ICAM-1 staining and histological bile duct damage (r =.58, P <.05) between day 3 and 28. Treatment with anti-ICAM-1 (but not anti-LFA-1) decreased both the mean grades of portal inflammation (P =.003) and NSDC (P =.002) lesions compared with control immunoglobulin G (IgG) treatments. Combined treatment with anti-ICAM-1 and anti-LFA-1 caused a further decrease in the amount of portal inflammation and bile duct damage compared with anti-ICAM-1, alone (P =.02). Anti-ICAM-1 treatment also decreased both the percentage of T cells and the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-12 in the liver (P <.01), but had no effect on IL-4, IL-10, and interferon gamma. Neither anti-ICAM-1 nor anti-LFA-1 prevented lymphocytes from homing to the liver. These results indicate that both ICAM-1 and LFA-1 are important to the pathogenesis of NSDC.
Effect of a Western-style diet fortified with increased calcium and vitamin D on mammary gland of C57BL/6 mice.

ABSTRACT We previously reported hyperproliferation and hyperplasia in C57Bl/6 mouse mammary gland after feeding a Western-style diet (WD); these findings decreased after supplementing WD with increased calcium and vitamin D3. We now again fortified WD with increased calcium and vitamin D3 from two sources: (1) a food source, calcium- and vitamin D3-enriched yogurt (WDy diet) or (2) adding calcium and vitamin D3 directly to WD (WDCaD diet). After 6 months of feeding the number of mammary ducts was higher in mice consuming WD compared to WDy (216.0 vs. 202.7, P <.05) and WDCaD (216.0 vs. 194.9, P <.001). The percentage of small ducts increased in WD compared to AIN-76A controls (23.3% vs. 17.4%) but was lower in the WDy (17.1%) and WDCaD (14.8%) groups. WD mice had higher numbers of epithelial cells per duct than WDy (33.2 vs. 27.4, P <.001) and WDCaD (33.2 vs. 27.8, P <.001) mice, and AIN-76A-fed mice had higher numbers than WDy (31.1 vs. 27.4, P <.005) or WDCaD (31.1 vs. 27.8, P <.01) mice. Mitotic index ...
The Construct Validity of the Tower of London (DX) as a Measure of the Executive Functioning of ADHD Children.

Currently, there are a limited number of measures that have been developed to assess childhood executive planning and problem-solving abilities. The present study represents ongoing efforts to determine the psychometric properties of the newly developed Tower of London-Drexel (TOLDX), a measure of executive functions. Specifically, the construct-related validity of the TOLDX was investigated with a sample of attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children (N = 129), 7 to 15 years of age. The performance of the children on a neuropsychological battery of measures sensitive to executive abilities, psychometric intelligence, and memory was subjected to maximumlikelihood factor analysis. A four-factor solution was extracted that "best fit" the selected variables. The TOLDX was found to produce the highest loading on an Executive Planning/Inhibition factor comprised of other executive measures. The Executive Planning/Inhibition measure was separate from factors of Executive Concept Formation/Flexibilit...
A Plugin for HDF5 Using PLFS for Improved I/O Performance and Semantic Analysis

HDF5 is a data model, library and file format for storing and managing data. It is designed for flexible and efficient I/O for high volume and complex data. Natively, it uses a single-file format where multiple HDF5 objects are stored in a single file. In a parallel HDF5 application, multiple processes access a single file, thereby resulting in a performance bottleneck in I/O. Additionally, a single-file format does not allow semantic post processing on individual objects outside the scope of the HDF5 application. We have developed a new plugin for HDF5 using its Virtual Object Layer that serves two purposes: 1) it uses PLFS to convert the single-file layout into a data layout that is optimized for the underlying file system, and 2) it stores data in a unique way that enables semantic post-processing on data. We measure the performance of the plugin and discuss work leveraging the new semantic post-processing functionality enabled. We further discuss the applicability of this approach for exascale burst buffer storage systems.
Redox potentials of the photosynthetic bacterial cytochromes c2 and the structural bases for variability.

The cytochromes c2 of the Rhodospirillaceae show a much greater variation in redox potential and its pH dependence than the mitochondrial cytochromes c that have been studied. It is proposed that the range of redox potential for cytochromes c2 functioning as the immediate electron donor to photo-oxidised bacteriochlorophyll may be 345–395 mV at pH 5. Closely related cytochromes c2 with different redox potentials show patterns of amino acid substitution which are consistent with changes in hydrophobicity near the haem being at least a partial determinant of redox potential. More distantly related cytochromes are difficult to compare because of the large number of amino acid substitutions and the probability that there are subtle changes in overall peptide chain folding. The redox potential versus pH curves can be analysed in terms of either one ionisation in the oxidised form or two in the oxidised form and one in the reduced. The pK in the oxidised form at higher pH values can be correlated with the pK for the disappearance or shift of the near infrared absorption band located near 695 nm. The structural bases of these ionisations are not known but the possible involvement of the haem propionate residues is discussed.
The use of germ line-mutated mice in understanding host-pathogen interactions.

Summary Microbial pathogenesis reflects an imbalance between parasite and host factors that favour pathogen multiplication and tissue destruction over those required for microbial elimination and preservation of the integrity of host tissues. In vivo analysis of host–pathogen interactions has been revolutionized by the ability to engineer specific genetic alterations including loss of function mutations and transgenes into the mouse germline. This brief review recapitulates what we have learned about the host response to Toxoplasma gondii infection to illustrate the usefulness of gene-altered mice in microbial pathogenesis research. A consideration of the pitfalls and limitations of experiments in knockout mice and ways of addressing these concerns are discussed. Finally, advances in inducible and tissue-restricted alterations in gene function are presented and their possible applications to microbiology research are considered.
What the study of persons at risk for familial Alzheimer's disease can tell us about the earliest stages of the disorder: a review.

As the proportion of elderly persons continues to expand, understanding the pathobiology of Alzheimer's disease and being able to diagnose it at an early stage become more critical. A minority of Alzheimer's disease cases are inherited as a fully-penetrant, autosomal dominant trait with a young age of onset. The molecular study of the pathogenic mutations has led to insights regarding the etiology of sporadic Alzheimer's disease. Clinical studies in persons at risk for these mutations have confirmed early episodic memory and executive deficits in Alzheimer's disease and suggested that dysphoria may precede the cognitive changes of Alzheimer's disease. Imaging studies have indicated that medial temporal lobe atrophy begins 3 to 4 years before cognitive symptoms, and quantitative cerebral metabolic changes are also present from early on. Studies of biochemical markers suggest that elevations of plasma A 1-42 occur early in familial Alzheimer's disease but that tau may not be elevated in cerebrospinal fluid ...
Multi-image camera calibration and object-point estimation

In this paper, we address some issues that arise in calibrating cameras and estimating object points in connection with building a detailed geometric model from multiple images. These issues concern the numerical algorithms for estimating the parameters, the statistical evaluation and validation of the results, and the benefit of adding passpoints in the calibration.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An Exponential Model Used for optimal Threshold selection on ROC Curues

A two-parameter exponential equation for modeling a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve is presented, where the area under the curve is a simple function of one of the parameters. The model makes no distributional assumptions about the underlying normal and abnormal patient populations or about the shape of the resulting ROC curves. In a computer simulation of 75 ROC curves, the model provides a fit equivalent to the maximum likelihood estimate method commonly used for ROC curve fitting. Similar results are obtained using the model to fit ROC curve data from the literature. The model's equation calculates the true-positive ratio as a function of the false-positive ratio, and has a first derivative that is useful for finding the optimal decision threshold for a diagnostic testing procedure. In particular, the model is useful in a computer program for finding jointly optimal thresholds for multiple sequential tests.
Writing Across the Accounting Curriculum: An Experiment

To improve the writing skills of accounting students, we developed a structured writing effectiveness program across three junior level courses in the accounting major: tax, cost, and financial accounting. Writing counted for approximately five percent of the grade in each course and accounting professors discussed grammar, sentence structure, and word choice. A consulting expert on writing also con tributed to the program. We tested the results of our program empirically through both a pretest/posttest design and a control/treatment group comparison. The results provide evidence that our writing across the curriculum project significantly improved the students' writing skills.
A Bayesian sampling approach to decision fusion using hierarchical models

Data fusion and distributed detection have been studied extensively, and numerous results have been obtained in the literature. In this paper, the design of a fusion rule for distributed detection problems is re-examined, and a novel approach using Bayesian inference tools is proposed. Specifically, the decision fusion problem is reformulated using hierarchical models, and a Gibbs sampler is proposed to perform posterior probability-based fusion. Performance-wise, it is essentially identical to the optimal likelihood-based fusion rule whenever it exists. The true merit of this approach is its applicability to various complex situations, e.g., in dealing with unknown signal/noise statistics where the likelihood-based fusion rule may not be easy to obtain or may not even exist.
Time-frequency based radar image formation

This paper briefly describes the background of synthetic aperture radar imaging and the time-varying behavior of Doppler frequency shifts in radar signals, discusses the conventional Fourier-based image formation and its problems, and introduces the time-frequency based image formation algorithm and its mathematical model, implementation and applications.
Masticatory form and function in the African apes.

This study examines variability in masticatory morphology as a function of dietary preference among the African apes. The African apes differ in the degree to which they consume leaves and other fibrous vegetation. Gorilla gorilla beringei, the eastern mountain gorilla, consumes the most restricted diet comprised of mechanically resistant foods such as leaves, pith, bark, and bamboo. Gorilla gorilla gorilla, the western lowland gorilla subspecies, consumes leaves and other terrestrial herbaceous vegetation (THV) but also consumes a fair amount of ripe, fleshy fruit. In contrast to gorillas, chimpanzees are frugivores and rely on vegetation primarily as fallback foods. However, there has been a long-standing debate regarding whether Pan paniscus, the pygmy chimpanzee (or bonobo), consumes greater quantities of THV as compared to Pan troglodytes, the common chimpanzee. Because consumption of resistant foods involves more daily chewing cycles and may require larger average bite force, the mechanical demands placed on the masticatory system are expected to be greater in folivores as compared to primates that consume large quantities of fleshy fruit. Therefore, more folivorous taxa are predicted to exhibit features that improve load-resistance capabilities and increase force production. To test this hypothesis, jaw and skull dimensions were compared in ontogenetic series of G. g. beringei, G. g. gorilla, P. t. troglodytes, and P. paniscus. Controlling for the influence of allometry, results show that compared to both chimpanzees and bonobos, gorillas exhibit some features of the jaw complex that are suggestive of improved masticatory efficiency. For example, compared to all other taxa, G. g. beringei has a significantly wider mandibular corpus and symphysis, larger area for the masseter muscle, higher mandibular ramus, and higher mandibular condyle relative to the occlusal plane of the mandible. However, the significantly wider mandibular symphysis may be an architectural response to increasing symphyseal curvature with interspecific increase in size. Moreover, Gorilla and Pan do not vary consistently in all features, and some differences run counter to predictions based on dietary variation. Thus, the morphological responses are not entirely consonant with predictions based on hypothesized loading regimes. Finally, despite morphological differences between bonobos and chimpanzees, there is no systematic pattern of differentiation that can be clearly linked to differences in diet. Results indicate that while some features may be linked to differences in diet among the African apes, diet alone cannot account for the patterns of morphological variation demonstrated in this study. Allometric constraints and dental development also appear to play a role in morphological differentiation among the African apes.
Does increasing step width alter knee biomechanics in medial compartment knee osteoarthritis patients during stair descent

Abstract Background Research shows that one of the first complaints from knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients is difficulty in stair ambulation due to knee pain. Increased step width (SW) has been shown to reduce first and second peak internal knee abduction moments, a surrogate variable for medial compartment knee joint loading, during stair descent in healthy older adults. This study investigates the effects of increased step width (SW) on knee biomechanics and knee pain in medial compartment knee OA patients during stair descent. Methods Thirteen medial compartment knee OA patients were recruited for the study. A motion analysis system was used to obtain three-dimensional joint kinematics. An instrumented staircase was used to collect ground reaction forces (GRF). Participants performed stair descent trials at their self-selected speed using preferred, wide, and wider SW. Participants rated their knee pain levels after each SW condition. Results Increased SW had no effect on peak knee abduction moments and knee pain. Patients reported low levels of knee pain during all stair descent trials. The 2nd peak knee adduction angle and frontal plane GRF at time of 2nd peak abduction moment were reduced with increasing SW. Conclusions The findings suggest that increases in SW may not influence knee loads in medial compartment knee OA patients afflicted with low levels of knee pain during stair descent.
Time Pressure, Memory, and Task Knowledge Facilitate the Opportunism Heuristic in Dynamic Tasks

There are a variety of strategies that operators can utilize when performing a dynamic task, yet operator strategies are typically studied in a well-controlled environment that prevents the possibility of these strategies from interacting or competing with one another. In this study we investigated operator strategy use in a dynamic supervisory control task. We identified four possible strategies that the operator may use: scanning, opportunism, task knowledge, and memory. In order to determine the impact of time pressure on strategy use, we manipulated the speed of the vehicles. We found that as time pressure increased, operators shifted from a scanning strategy to a heuristic opportunistic strategy. We also found that when operators used task knowledge and memory they were more likely to be opportunistic.
High-T/sub c/ superconductors-based nanocomposites with improved intergrain coupling and enhanced bulk pinning

Heterogeneous sonochemical synthesis was used to modify superconducting properties of granular YBa/sub 2/Ca/sub 3/CuO/sub 7-/spl delta// and Bi/sub 2/Sr/sub 2/CaCu/sub 2/O/sub 8+x/. Sonication of liquid-powder alkane slurries produces material with enhanced intergrain coupling and improved current-carrying capabilities. Co-sonication with metals and organometallics results in highly compact nanocomposites with increased magnetic irreversibility. Ultrasonic irradiation of YBa/sub 2/Ca/sub 3/CuO/sub 7-/spl delta// carried under partial oxygen atmosphere produces similar morphological effects and increases superconducting transition temperature due to effective surface saturation with oxygen. Detailed chemical and physical characterization of sonochemically prepared high-T/sub c/ nanocomposites is presented.
Women have significantly greater difference between central and peripheral arterial pressure compared with men: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

Abstract Gender differences in the relationship between central and peripheral blood pressure (BP) are not well described. We sought to investigate gender differences between central systolic blood pressure (cSBP) and peripheral systolic blood pressure (pSBP) in adults in the Bogalusa study population. This study enrolled adults in a cross sectional survey conducted in 2007 to 2010. BP was measured with a standard cuff and Omron applanation tonometer. Data were available from 876 participants. Participants were 57.9% female and 42.1% male (mean age, 43.5 ± 4.4 years). Mean (standard deviation) for cSBP − pSBP was 1.0 (6.9) for males and 7.4 (5.2) for females ( P P P
Efficient 3-D RCS prediction technique for steps and grooves on an arbitrary shaped surface

The objective of the paper is to develop an accurate and efficient three-dimensional (3-D) analytic solution for predicting the radar cross section (RCS) of steps and grooves on an arbitrary shaped surface utilizing available two-dimensional (2-D) analytic or numerical solutions. It describes an efficient computational technique, which is referred to as the uniform field integration method (UFIM), to predict accurate 3-D backscattering or bistatic RCS levels from steps and grooves on an arbitrary shaped surface utilizing simple 2-D scattered field formulations. The grooves can be either a conducting or dielectric filled slab which is embedded in a ground plane. This technique utilizes a simple geometrical deformation of the piecewise continuous contour on the scattering object so that the available 2-D scattered field formulations can be directly applied. The essential feature introduced is that one can represent a piecewise continuous contour in the limiting case by a series of stairs where the stair step approaches zero and an analytical evaluation is used to carry out the line integration. >
Sequential effects of high and low instructional guidance on children's acquisition of experimentation skills: Is it all in the timing?

We report the effect of different sequences of high vs low levels of instructional guidance on children’s immediate learning and long-term transfer of simple experimental design procedures and concepts, often called “CVS” (Control of Variables Strategy). Third-grade children (N = 57) received instruction in CVS via one of four possible orderings of high or low instructional guidance: high followed by high (HH), high followed by low (HL), low followed by high (LH), and low followed by low (LL). High guidance instruction consisted of a combination of direct instruction and inquiry questions, and low guidance included only inquiry questions. Contrary to the frequent claim that a high degree of instructional guidance leads to shallow learning and transfer, across a number of assessments—including a 5-month post-test—the HH group demonstrated a stronger understanding of CVS than the LL group. Moreover, we found no advantage for preceding high guidance with low guidance. We discuss our findings in relation to perspectives advocating “invention as preparation for future learning”, and the efficacy of “productive failure”.
A Comparative Atlas of Zooplankton: Biological Patterns in the Oceans

Large-scale biogeographic trends in the distribution of marine zooplankton are the subject of this work. As the subtitle of this book clarifies, it is an illustrated compendium of distributional patterns rather than a taxonomic atlas of invertebrate zoology. About half the work is devoted to Mercator projection maps of global distribution of various species of zooplankton and of chemical and physical properties of their environment. The other half is a treatise on plankton ecology as it relates to speciation.
Does Violence toward Others Affect Violence toward Oneself? Examining the Direct and Moderating Effects of Violence on Suicidal Behavior

Although interpersonal violence and suicide are two of the leading causes of death among young Americans, analyses focusing simultaneously on violence and suicide in sociological inquiry are sparse. Analyses also tend to be limited by their focus on either the individual-level predictors of suicidal behaviors or the aggregate-level predictors of suicide rates, despite the recognition that psychological and sociological forces contribute independently as well as interactively to facilitate suicide. To address these issues, I use data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN) to examine the direct and moderating effects of individual- and neighborhood-level violence on attempted suicide. Estimates from hierarchical logistic regression models indicate that individual acts of violent aggression, but not neighborhood levels of violence, increase the likelihood of attempting suicide. Furthermore, the well-established relationship between depression and attempted suicide is conditioned by individual- and neighborhood-level violence, such that the effect of depression is (1) amplified for individuals living in neighborhoods characterized by violence and (2) attenuated for individuals engaging in violent behavior. Finally, the combined effect of neighborhood violence and individual violent aggression on the depression/suicide relationship is greater than the partial moderating effects of these variables.
Cash Position Forecasts and Stock Market Portfolio Returns

Several articles in highly regarded news outlets over the last decade have argued that firms holding relatively more cash are favored by investors. The contention is those firms holding cash will have better access to good investment prospects. This view contradicts the Jensen (1986) free cash flow proposition. This study examines the investment returns of portfolios created according to trading strategies based on expected “good” news versus “bad” news predictions of cash holdings. Results indicate that firms holding more cash than expected have superior investment returns.
Cooperative buckling and the nonlinear mechanics of nematic semiflexible networks

We review the nonlinear mechanics of cross-linked networks of stiff filaments with a quenched anisotropic (nematic) alignment. A combination of numerical simulations and analytic calculations shows that the broken rotational symmetry of the filament orientational distribution leads to a dramatic nonlinear softening of the network at very small strain (on the order of 0.1%). We argue that one can understand this softening in terms of Euler buckling, i.e. the loss of further load-carrying capacity in compression within the network. With increasing shear strain, this source of geometric nonlinearity appears as heterogeneous nucleation (originating in particularly fragile regions, which may be identified by a linear stability analysis) and subsequently grows into 'buckling scars' that eventually spread throughout the system. We develop a simple mean-field model for the nonlinear mechanics of such networks and suggest applications of these ideas to a variety of fiber networks and biopolymer systems.
Biased transport of Brownian particles in a weakly corrugated serpentine channel.

We investigate the biased transport of Brownian particles in a weakly corrugated channel with constant width but a varying centerline (called serpentine channel). Two different types of channels are considered: a soft-channel is confined by a potential energy landscape; a solid-channel is confined by solid walls. Based on the small amplitude of channel boundaries, the asymptotic method is used to analytically calculate two important macroscopic transport properties—average velocity (or mobility) and effective dispersion coefficient. We find the nonlinear dependence of transport properties on Peclet numbers, which is qualitatively different from the results in a narrow serpentine channel, in which the leading order terms of mobility and the effective dispersion coefficient do not depend on Peclet numbers. In the purely diffusive case where the Peclet number is zero, the Sutherland-Einstein relation is satisfied in both soft and solid channels.