cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stability of the E2/M1 ratio at the T-matrix pole

We show how the stability of the E2/M1 ratio, evaluated at the T-matrix pole, can be understood given a much wider variation at the K-matrix pole.
Chronic aerogenic tuberculosis in mice.

SummaryAerogenic tuberculous infection of mice with small numbers of tubercle bacilli resulted in chronic tuberculosis which persisted in some of the animals for over a year. The lesions produced by this infection contained a constant number (“steady state”) of culturable units of tubercle bacilli after 8 weeks, but there was enlargement and coalescence of the lesions because of an increased number of foam cell macrophages. In conse-sequence, there was an increased involvement of normal lung tissue. Thirty-six to 52 weeks after infection, the number of culturable units of tubercle bacilli had increased beyond that of the steady state; deaths continued to occur during this period.
SiC Depletion in ZrB2–30 vol% SiC at Ultrahigh Temperatures

The formation of a porous SiC-depleted region in ZrB2–SiC due to active oxidation at ultrahigh temperatures was characterized. The presence/absence of SiC depletion was determined at a series of temperatures (1300°C–1800°C) and times (5 min–100 h). At T < 1627°C, SiC depletion was not observed. Instead, the formation of a ZrO2 + C/borosilicate oxidation product layer sequence was observed above the ZrB2–SiC base material. At T ≥ 1627°C, SiC was depleted in the ZrB2 matrix below the ZrO2 and borosilicate oxidation products. The SiC depletion was attributed to active oxidation of SiC to form SiO(g). The transition between C formation in ZrO2 (T < 1627°C) and SiC depletion in ZrB2 (T ≥ 1627°C) is attributed to variation in the temperature dependence of thermodynamically favored product assemblage influenced by the local microstructural phase distribution. The growth kinetics of the SiC depletion region is consistent with a gas-phase diffusion-controlled process.
Right Ventricular Migration of a Recovery IVC Filter’s Fractured Wire with Subsequent Pericardial Tamponade

A Recovery filter (C.R. Bard, Tempe, AZ, USA) is a device for pulmonary embolism prophylaxis. There have been few case reports involving the migration of this particular filter or of a broken wire migrating to the heart. We report a case of right ventricular migration of a fractured wire from this filter in a patient who subsequently developed pericardial tamponade and required open heart surgery to extract the fractured wire. We discuss the current US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved nonpermanent inferior vena cava filters and their reported complications. These complications can be life-threatening and may require immediate surgical intervention.
Large-area synthesis of WSe2 from WO3 by selenium?oxygen ion exchange

Few-layer tungsten diselenide (WSe2) is attractive as a next-generation electronic material as it exhibits modest carrier mobilities and energy band gap in the visible spectra, making it appealing for photovoltaic and low-powered electronic applications. Here we demonstrate the scalable synthesis of large-area, few-layer WSe2 via replacement of oxygen in hexagonally stabilized tungsten oxide films using dimethyl selenium. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy reveals successful control of the final WSe2 film thickness through control of initial tungsten oxide thickness, as well as development of layered films with grain sizes up to several hundred nanometers. Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy confirms high crystal uniformity of the converted WSe2, and time domain thermo-reflectance provide evidence that near record low thermal conductivity is achievable in ultra-thin WSe2 using this method.
Signaling Pathways of Mechanotransduction in Arteriolar Endothelium and Smooth Muscle Cells in Hypertension

Hypertension, a disease with a high incidence in the population, affects all parts of the cardiovascular system. Studying the alteration of vasomotor responses of microvessels of hypertensive animals or responses of vessels following short-term increases in hemodynamic forces helps us to better understand the underlying cellular signaling events responsible for their functional adaptation. These adaptations are likely to precede the structural remodeling of arterioles, resulting in irreversible increases in peripheral vascular resistance in hypertension. Although malfunction of several mechanisms can lead to the development of hypertension, hemodynamic forces (such as pressure and shear stress) are increased in all forms of hypertension. Thus, local mechanisms that sense the level of these forces and transduce the signals into vasomotor responses must be affected in all forms of hypertension. The endothelium has a central role in the early functional adaptations. Pressure-induced myogenic constriction is enhanced due to the augmented release of endothelium-derived constrictor factors that modulate arteriolar smooth muscle sensitivity to Ca(2+). In contrast, flow/shear stress-induced dilation of arterioles is reduced in hypertension, due to the impaired mediation of the response by nitric oxide (NO). The magnitude of impairment is gender specific, primarily due to an estrogen-dependent enhancement of NO release in females. It is proposed that the elevated hemodynamic forces present in hypertension may themselves initiate these alterations, probably by enhancing the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS; produced by xanthine oxidase, NAD(P)H oxidoreductase, eNOS, etc.), which then interfere with the synthesis and/or action of endothelium-derived mediators. Interfering early on with these mechanisms may prevent the development of irreversible structural changes of the microcirculation observed in hypertension.
The appearance of new structures and functions in proteins during evolution.

The likelihood of a de novo generation of classes of efficient proteins through neoformation of DNA, through modification of expressed DNA, and through modification of nonexpressed DNA is examined. So is the likelihood that newly formed inefficient enzymes be turned into efficient enzymes. The conclusions are that neither gene duplicates nor dormant genes represent promising materials for a de novo generation of protein classes, that (with exceptions) such generation is unlikely to have taken place in recent evolution, that new structural genes must nearly consistently derive from preexisting structural genes, and that new functions can be evolved only on the basis of old proteins. Conditions of protein evolution in prokaryotes suggest that the saltatory formation of protein classes is as unlikely in prokaryotes as in eukaryotes. Data on the history of a few protein classes are reviewed to illustrate the preceding inferences. The analysis leads to the hypothesis that most protein classes originated before the major elements of the translation apparatus of modern cells were fully evolved. If simple sequence DNA is turned into structural genes by evolution, this process (again with exceptions) is considered to have taken place only at that very remote period. A polyphyletic origin of proteins is thought to date back to the same era. It is proposed that the development of genic multiplicity and of marked structural and functional diversity of proteins may have come about in the earliest cells primarily through the independent generation of structurally different polymerases in different protocells, followed by cell conjugation and the subsequent use by enriched cells of supernumerary types of polymerase for evolving further functions. Functional growth, as it took place at early times, is briefly discussed as well as functional change. The foundations for new functional developments in old proteins are analyzed. In considering the evolutionary recovery of lost functions, aspects of cell differentiation and gene regulation are linked with the evolutionary picture. The distinction between eurygenic and stenogenic control of gene activity is used. Next to gene deletion, cell and tissue deletion is held to be an event of general evolutionary significance, through cell and tissue origination that presumably accompanies the restoration of a lost molecular function.
Cation effects on the vibrational frequencies of adsorbed thiocyanate on platinum

Infrared spectra of thiocyanate adsorbed on a platinum electrode surface were obtained in the presence of perchlorate electrolytes of various alkali metal cations. It was discovered that the vibrational frequency of the C-N stretching mode is dependent upon the nature of the supporting electrolyte cation. Two bands were observed in the 2050 to 2150 cm−1 range; one band was attributed to nitrogen-bound thiocyanate, and the other to species adsorbed via the sulfur atom. Each of these bands demonstrated independent frequency dependencies on cation nature and on the applied electric field within the interfacial region. Differences were also observed in the intensity dependence of the bands on the applied potential. The results were explained in terms of changes in the distance between the outer Helmholtz plane (OHP) and the surface of the electrode, and also in terms of the possible influence of coadsorbed alkali metal cations on the vibrational frequency of thiocyanate species adsorbed through the nitrogen atom. The effects that variations in the OHP-electrode distance impart on the magnitude of the potential drop across the interface, and the influence of small changes in this potential field on the C-N stretching frequency of N- and S-adsorbed thiocyanate species, are discussed.
Transoral robot-assisted CO2 laser supraglottic laryngectomy: experimental and clinical data.

Background: Transoral CO2 laser surgery for selected supraglottic tumors results in improved postoperative function and decreased morbidity, with comparable survival to open surgery. Recently, robot-assisted techniques have been reported for the management of supraglottic lesions. There are no reports in the English literature of robotic technology coupled with CO2 laser technology. Our objective was to report the use of such technology. Study Design: Experimental resection of the supraglottis in a cadaver and a dog model using a commercially available surgical robot coupled with CO2 laser technology. Initial human experience with such technology is reported. Methods: With use of a hollow core fiber that allows the transmission of CO2 laser energy linked to the daVinci Surgical Robot, a supraglottic laryngectomy was performed in an edentulous female cadaver. The FK Laryngo-Pharyngoscope was used for exposure. In a second experiment, a supraglottic partial laryngectomy was performed in an 80 pound dog. On the basis of our experimental experience, a CO2 laser robotic-assisted supraglottic laryngectomy was attempted in three patients. Results: Removal of the supraglottic larynx in both a cadaver and canine experimental models was believed to be satisfactory using this technology. Bleeding was easily controlled in the live canine model. A 74-year-old woman with a large supraglottic mass for which she had been offered a total laryngectomy was resected successfully with this technology. The FK Laryngo-Pharyngoscope provided excellent exposure. The patient was able to swallow without difficulty on postoperative day 5. Follow-up endoscopic examination at 1 month showed no evidence of residual laryngeal tumor. Robot-assisted procedures were attempted in two additional patients, but adequate exposure could not be achieved, and more traditional techniques were performed. Conclusions: The use of the daVinci Surgical robot coupled with CO2 laser technology is feasible, as demonstrated by our experimental and clinical data. Although further development of the robotic technology is required at present, the use of robotics coupled with CO2 laser technology may have important implications in the management of supraglottic laryngeal cancer in the future.
Molluscan evidence for early middle Miocene marine glaciation in southern Alaska

Profound cooling of Miocene marine climates in southern Alaska culminated in early middle Miocene coastal marine glaciation in the northeastern Gulf of Alaska. This climatic change resulted from interaction of the Yakutat terrane with southern Alaska beginning in late Oligocene time. The ensuing extreme uplift of the coastal Chugach and St. Elias Mountains resulted in progressive regional cooling that culminated in coastal marine glaciation beginning in the early middle Miocene (15-16 Ma) and continuing to the present. The counterclockwise flow of surface water from the frigid northeastern Gulf of Alaska resulted in a cold-temperate shallow-marine environment in the western Gulf of Alaska, as it does today. Ironically, dating of Gulf of Alaska marine glaciation as early middle Miocene is strongly reinforced by the presence of a few tropical and subtropical mollusks in western Gulf of Alaska faunas. Shallow-marine waters throughout the Gulf of Alaska were cold-temperate to cold in the early middle Miocene, when the world ocean was undergoing peak Neogene warming.
Similarities in bonding influence between pre-failure tensile creep and stress–strain behavior of paper

Abstract The role of bonding in the pre-failure tensile creep behavior of paper was analyzed using handsheets with a range of bonding levels produced through manipulation of relative bonded area and specific bond strength. This was done by varying the level of wet pressing (to change relative bonded area) and using debonding and bonding agents (to change specific bond strength). Once manufactured, sheets underwent an extensive battery of creep testing. Creep testing was conducted under constant humidity and cyclic humidity (accelerated creep) conditions. Microscopic analysis techniques were also employed to visually study bonded area loss from creep strain. Overall, the results from this study show that the role of bonding in tensile creep behavior (and accelerated creep behavior) is no different than its role in stress–strain behavior. The findings show that bonding influences tensile creep behavior by altering sheet efficiency and how effectively stress is distributed within the structure, bonded area loss is a strain-induced phenomenon and bonding is not the cause of accelerated creep behavior.
Materials science: the art of restoration.

There are various techniques for the restoration of artwork — how effective and safe these are also varies. ‘Reversible’ gels could, however, provide a less risky way to reverse the ravages of time.
3D Imaging for hand gesture recognition: Exploring the software-hardware interaction of current technologies

Interaction with 3D information is one of the fundamental and most familiar tasks in virtually all areas of engineering and science. Several recent technological advances pave the way for developing hand gesture recognition capabilities available to all, which will lead to more intuitive and efficient 3D user interfaces (3DUI). These developments can unlock new levels of expression and productivity in all activities concerned with the creation and manipulation of virtual 3D shapes and, specifically, in engineering design. Building fully automated systems for tracking and interpreting hand gestures requires robust and efficient 3D imaging techniques as well as potent shape classifiers. We survey and explore current and emerging 3D imaging technologies, and focus, in particular, on those that can be used to build interfaces between the users' hands and the machine. The purpose of this paper is to categorize and highlight the relevant differences between these existing 3D imaging approaches in terms of the nature of the information provided, output data format, as well as the specific conditions under which these approaches yield reliable data. Furthermore we explore the impact of each of these approaches on the computational cost and reliability of the required image processing algorithms. Finally we highlight the main challenges and opportunities in developing natural user interfaces based on hand gestures, and conclude with some promising directions for future research.
Low temperature scattering of helium and hydrogen

Abstract We investigate two body interactions of 4 He and atomic H in the low energy limit. H- 4 He and 4 He- 4 He integral scattering cross sections are determined from the attenuation of beams of 4 He atoms through target gases of H and 4 He at temperatures below 400 mK. We analyze the results within the Quantum Corresponding States framework. Implications for scattering isotopic species of He and H are discussed.
Zinc attenuates tumor necrosis factor-mediated activation of transcription factors in endothelial cells.

The objective of the study was to test the hypothesis that zinc can protect against endothelial dysfunction by interfering with oxidative stress-mediated cellular signaling and subsequent inhibition of an endothelial cell inflammatory response. Our approach was to compare alterations on molecular and biochemical levels with changes in endothelial barrier function that occur in zinc deficient conditions.To investigate our hypothesis, endothelial cells were exposed to zinc deficient media for 2 to 10 days to deplete cellular zinc stores. Following this, half of the groups received zinc supplementation (9.2 microM) for 48 hours. The other half served as zinc deficient controls. These cells were then challenged with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) for varying time periods. Nuclear extracts were prepared from cells and analyzed for nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) binding. Media from cells were analyzed for interleukin 8 (IL-8) production, and cellular proteins were determin...
Characterization of apoptosis‐like endonuclease activity in avian thymocytes

Abstract In the current study the internucleosomal DNA cleavage activity associated with apoptosis was investigated in avian thymocytes. Thymocyte nuclear proteins from glucocorticoid-treated chickens were incubated with chicken red blood cell (cRBC) nuclei, and DNA degradation was analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and fluorescence-activated flow cytometry. The thymocyte nuclear extract contained an endonuclease activity that degraded cRBC chromatin at internucleosomal sites as detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. Flow cytometry analysis of cRBC nuclei that were treated with thymocyte nuclear proteins demonstrated a loss of cellular DNA as a function of the amount of added nuclease activity. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the thymocyte nuclear extract contained a nuclease activity that was capable of degrading radiolabelled naked 32 P-DNA into acid soluble DNA fragments. All three assay methods demonstrate that the thymocyte nuclease activity can be inhibited by EDTA, zinc ions and the nuclease inhibito aurintricar☐ylic acid. Based on the analysis of cofactor requirement of this nuclease activity and its susceptibility to inhibitors, the endonuclease activity present in avian apoptotic thymocytes appears to be identical to the mammalian counterpart.
Influence of preslaughter stunning on turkey breast muscle quality

Abstract Pectoralis muscle quality was evaluated from 18-wk-old tom turkeys after electrical stun, carbon dioxide stun, or no stun methods were applied. Color was measured on raw muscle and cooked meat using a colorimeter. Muscle pH was measured 15 min post-mortem (initial), 24 h post-mortem (final), and after cooking. The right Pectoralis muscle of each carcass was excised for m-calpain analysis within 4 min post-mortem. After 24 h of storage at 4 C, the left Pectoralis muscle was excised to determine cook loss and shear force measurements. No significant difference was found in initial muscle pH (15 min) from turkeys receiving electrical or carbon dioxide stunning, 6.36+/-0.15 and 6.20+/-0.14, respectively. However, initial muscle pH for birds that were not stunned (5.99+/-0.08) was lower (P carbon dioxide > no stun. In addition, m-calpain activity was found to correlate with initial muscle pH (r = 0.95) and with cooked meat shear force (r = -0.43). The results of this study show that electrical stunning, carbon dioxide stunning, and no stunning methods provide comparable cooked turkey breast meat quality with no consistent differences after aging on the carcass for 24 h.
An improved correlation for the thermal conductivity of HCFC123 (2,2-dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane)

An updated survey of the existing thermal conductivity data for HCFC123 is presented. In addition, new wide-ranging thermal conductivity measurements, which have been carried out at NIST, are summarized. These results supplement the existing database and are used for an improved correlation of the thermal conductivity of HCFC123. The correlation covers the temperature range from 180 to 480 K with pressures up to 67 MPa or densities up to 1900 kg m−3. The correlation includes an empirical critical enhancement term of a form suitable for industrial use and represents the NIST dataset within ±2.22% at the 95% confidence level.
Automated use of a Wiki for collaborative lecture notes

This paper gives a first look at slides2wiki, a new scheme for easily providing collaborative lecture notes. Unlike previous web-based courseware schemes, the slides2wiki approach integrates with existing techniques that computer-science course instructors already use to prepare their classes. This tool is used to create a site where students may collaborate to create their own notes, using the lecture slides as a starting point. Adopting a surprisingly low-tech approach that uses familiar tools and paradigms, slides2wiki avoids many of the stumbling blocks of previous approaches to web-based course support.
Winner takes all.

The authors argue about how competition for recognition among scientists has led to abuses in scientific scholarship and consider alternatives to how credit is assigned. Topics include how scientific knowledge is a public good, how competition can create motivation for innovation and problem solving, and how the priority rule has been reconsidered in light of the benefits of scientific cooperation.
New degenerate metal-oxide electrodes for nearly reversible direct electron transfer to the redox proteins

Abstract Heavily doped cadmium tin oxide (CTO) film electrodes were developed for fast electron exchange with redox proteins. The metal oxide films showed nearly reversible electron transfer for the [2Fe–2S] proteins spinach ferredoxin (Sp fd) and putidaredoxin (Pdx), and the well-studied heme protein horse heart cytochrome c. These represent a family of proteins that are of comparable size, but vary significantly in overall charge, formal redox potential, and type of metal center. The unmediated electron exchange was achieved through variation of metal oxide film synthesis parameters that led to an increase of the charge carrier concentration up to the levels typical for degenerate semiconductors. In addition, the flat band potential of the films was shifted close to or more positive of the formal redox potentials of proteins such that the semiconductor electrodes would be utilized in an accumulation mode. The rates and sustainability of electron transfer for the two ferredoxins obtained on these cadmium tin oxide electrodes are as high or higher than previously reported.
Increased oral absorption enhancement of insulin by medium viscosity hydroxypropyl cellulose

Abstract The hypoglycemic effect of orally given insulin was studied on rabbits, using two different absorption promoters, and two different carriers. The effects of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) of different degrees of substitutions (Klucel® GF, MF, and HF), and consequently of different viscosities, on the oral bioavailability of insulin have been studied. The fatty acid-Brij® system was not affected by the HPC studied, while the salicylate-cellulose system resulted in a significantly better absorption of insulin in the presence of the medium viscosity Klucel®. More than 70% reduction in blood glucose levels was achieved for rabbits, treated with the salicylic acid-Klucel MF-Avicel® system containing 5 units of insulin per kg of animal weight.
Statistical structural analysis of rotor impact ice shedding

The statistical characteristics of impact ice shear strength are analyzed, with emphasis placed on the most probable shear strength and statistical distribution of an ice deposit. Several distribution types are considered: the Weibull, two-parameter Weibull, and exponential distributions, as well as the Gumbell distribution of the smallest extreme and the Gumbell distribution of the largest extreme. It is concluded that the Weibull distribution yields the best results; however, the expected life, shape parameter, and scale parameter should be determined separately for each case of varying wind speed and droplet size. The theoretical predictions of shear stresses in a specific rotating ice shape are compared, and it is noted that when the effects of lift are added to the theoretical model and the interference is calculated with a new mean and standard deviation, the probability of ice shed is computed as 36.64 pct.
Energy-efficient renaming with register versioning

We propose an energy-efficient implementation of register renaming mechanism for high-performance superscalar microprocessors. We use version numbers to identify various instances of each architectural register. This enables the use of an unified register file to hold the current instances of an architectural register and its committed value in a shadow bitcells and to simplify register renaming and register management. Across the SPEC 2000 benchmarks, the proposed mechanism comes within 6% of the performance of a traditional out-of-order design. An average savings of 20% on the energy spent in renaming, register management and instruction commitment is realized compared to a traditional design.
A NEW SPECIES AND GENUS OF KRAUSSINIDAE (BRACHIOPODA) WITH A NOTE ON FEEDING

SUMMARY A new species and genus, Pumilus antiquatus, of kraussinid brachiopod from shallow water, Lyttelton, New Zealand, is described and figured. It is characterized by the possession of a schizolophous lophophore in the adult, supported by both divergent lamellae and spicules: the shell is smooth, less than 5 mm. long and strongly sulcate. The gonad is hermaphrodite. Notes are given on the ciliary feeding mechanism. The affinities of P. antiquatus are briefly discussed: it is placed in the Kraussinidae.
Xylitol, a Partial Homologue of α-D-Glucopyranose: Potent Stimulator of Insulin Release in Dogs

A direct comparison was made in healthy female dogs of the potency of xylitol and mutarotated glucose as stimulators of insulin release (both first and second phases), and also of their urinary excretion and arterio-venous difference across a hind-limb. Xylitol or glucose was given by constant infusion into a systemic vein for 50 minutes in paired experiments. Three dose levels were used in 12 dogs. Plasma insulin levels during xylitol infusion were as high as or higher than those during glucose infusion, with increases in arterial xylitol levels equal to or less than those in glucose. More xylitol was lost in the urine, but the overall uptake of xylitol was at least 70% also the arteriovenous difference for xylitol across the hind-limb was greater than for glucose, when each was divided by the arterial sugar concentration. It is suggested that both the striking potency of xylitol in stimulating both phases of insulin release, and its rapid uptake by tissues, may result from its homology with alpha-D-glucopyranose, the alpha-anomer of glucose. The concept of a glucoreceptor on the surface of the pancreatic beta-cell, with stereospecificity for alpha-D-glucopyranose or closely similar molecules, is supported by our results.
An Optimizing Framework for the Glide Paths of Lifecyle Asset Allocation Funds

In choosing a glide path strategy for asset allocation over their working lives, retirement savers face a tradeoff between the higher expected wealth provided by strategies that maintain or increase equity holdings over time, against the greater potential security offered from shifting into more conservative assets. We quantify this tradeoff with an expected utility framework for our simulated distribution of target date wealth accumulations under a variety of lifecycle, fixed, and contrarian glide path strategies. We find justification for the lifecycle strategy for savers with very reasonable amounts of risk aversion, and we also provide guidance about utility-maximizing glide paths.
Hands‐On Aeronautics for Middle School Students

Engineering can be very appealing and intriguing to middle school students. Stressing the applications of science often elicits participation of students who have not shown interest in the more theoretical aspects of science. We propose a curriculum to help in teaching aerodynamics to middle school students beginning with physical experiments, then demonstrating the principles learned using a wind tunnel, and finishing with a design competition. The students who have experienced this curriculum have demonstrated enthusiastic response through learning the material and avidly participating in the final design competition.
Metadecisions: invoking the epistemological imperative to enhance the meaning of knowledge for problem solving†

Metadecisions are essential to decision making. It is only when we resort to the metalevel (from which metadecisions originate) that decisions acquire the world view and imperatives of its proponents. The metalevel is also where epistemology resides. It becomes clear that the ideas (embodied in decision making) and the way that ideas are expressed only obtain validity and credibility if they respect the epistemological imperative. The concepts of metalevel, metadecision and imperative and other related terms are explained. This article summarizes a book of the same title by this author which was published in 2003. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pre-landing wrist muscle activity in hopping toads

ABSTRACT Coordinated landing requires preparation. Muscles in the limbs important for decelerating the body should be activated prior to impact so that joints may be stiffened and limbs stabilized during landing. Moreover, because landings vary in impact force and timing, muscle recruitment patterns should be modulated accordingly. In toads, which land using their forelimbs, previous work has demonstrated such modulation in muscles acting at the elbow, but not at the shoulder. In this study, we used electromyography and high-speed video to test the hypothesis that antagonistic muscles acting at the wrists of toads are activated in advance of impact, and that these activation patterns are tuned to the timing and force of impact. We recorded from two wrist extensors: extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) and extensor digitorum communis longus (EDCL), and two wrist flexors: flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU) and palmaris longus (PL). Each muscle was recorded in 4–5 animals (≥15 hops per animal). In all muscles, activation intensity was consistently greatest shortly before impact, suggesting the importance of these muscles during landing. Pre-landing recruitment intensity regularly increased with aerial phase duration (i.e. hop distance) in all muscles except PL. In addition, onset timing in both wrist flexors was also modulated with hop distance, with later onset times being associated with longer hops. Thus, activation patterns in major flexors and extensors of the wrist are tuned to hop distance with respect to recruitment intensity, onset timing or both.
Vascular endothelial growth factor rescues 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin inhibition of coronary vasculogenesis

BACKGROUND We previously demonstrated that the environmental pollutant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) reduces coronary vascular development in chick embryos in vivo. In the current study, we assessed whether TCDD inhibits early events in coronary endothelial tube formation and outgrowth, and whether this inhibition occurs through a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-dependent mechanism. METHODS Fertile chicken eggs were treated with control (corn oil) or TCDD (0.3 pmol TCDD/g) on incubation day 0. On embryonic day 6, cardiac ventricle explants were cultured on a three-dimensional collagen gel, when coronary angioblasts are present, but prior to their assembly into endothelial tubes. Endothelial cells migrating out from explants were identified by immunohistochemistry, and endothelial tube number and length were quantitated. In addition, on incubation days 6 and 8, cardiac VEGF mRNA and protein were measured by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. RESULTS Endothelial tube length and number were significantly reduced (40% ± 1.7% and 36% ± 3%, respectively) in TCDD explants, compared to controls. Recombinant exogenous VEGF, as well as hypoxic stimulation with CoCl2 or 10% O2, significantly increased the length and number of outgrowing tubes in TCDD cultures, and this stimulation was prevented by a VEGF neutralizing antibody. In contrast, VEGF neutralizing antibody reduced the length and number of tubes only in control cultures, and had no inhibitory effect on tube outgrowth from TCDD explants. Finally, hearts from TCDD-treated embryos exhibited a significant reduction in both VEGF mRNA and protein, compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that TCDD inhibits early coronary vascular outgrowth via a VEGF-dependent mechanism. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 67:496–503, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Comparison of an empirical forest growth and yield simulator and a forest gap simulator using actual 30-year growth from two even-aged forests in Kentucky.

Two individual-tree growth simulators are used to predict the growth and mortality on a 30-year-old forest site and an 80-year-old forest site in eastern Kentucky. The empirical growth and yield model (NE-TWIGS) was developed to simulate short-term (<50 year) forest growth from an industrial perspective. The gap model (ZELIG) is based on the theory of growth processes and has been used to simulate long-term (100 years and greater) forest succession. Based on comparisons of species specific diameter distributions, biomass, and board-foot and cubic-meter volumes, NE-TWIGS performed better for both sites than did ZELIG.
Surface Electric Fields of Aqueous Solutions of NH4NO3, Mg(NO3)2, NaNO3, and LiNO3: Implications for Atmospheric Aerosol Chemistry

Ammonium (NH4+), magnesium (Mg2+), sodium (Na+), and nitrate (NO3–) ions are common constituents of ocean waters and found in abundance in marine atmospheric aerosols. Revealing the surface propensity (surface activity) of relevant ions provides insight into heterogeneous aerosol processes and potential impact on atmospheric chemistry. However, there is sparse surface data on NH4+, Mg2+, and little consensus for nitrate’s surface activity. Phase-resolved vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) experiments are highly well-suited for this task; yet, only aqueous NaNO3 salt has been studied by this technique to date. Here we investigate NH4+, Mg2+, and Na+, in addition to lithium (Li+), to fully understand the effect of countercations on nitrate but also to elucidate the surface propensity of the countercations themselves as this is the first phase-resolved heterodyne-detected (HD-)VSFG study to address nitrate with countercations beyond sodium. We show the presence of an interfacial electric field gener...
Thermodynamic Green's Function Approach to Impurity Conduction. II. ac Conduction

The thermodynamic Green's function method is applied to the problem of de impurity conduction in semiconductors. Both the electron hopping motion at low impurity concentrations and the band conduction at high concentrations are studied. A localised representation is used for the electronic states and the electron-phonon interactions are evaluated by the deformation potential approximation. The current density auto-correlation function is calculated by means of the reduced diagram expansion.
Central actions of neuropeptide-Y may provide a neuromodulatory link between nutrition and reproduction.

Central injection of neuropeptide-Y (NPY) has been shown to attenuate secretion of LH in ovariectomized rats, rabbits, and monkeys. Several investigators have reported elevated concentrations of NPY in the central nervous system of undernourished animals. The relationship between nutrition and reproduction positions NPY as a potential neuromodulator involved in nutritionally induced changes in secretion of LH. Three experiments were conducted with the following objectives: 1) to examine the effects of NPY on secretion of LII in ovariectomized (OVX) ewes and the influence of estradiol-17�1 (E) on these effects; 2) to determine whether NPY may act through direct effects on the pituitary to influence secretion of LH; and 3) to determine changes in concentrations of NPY in laterocerebro-spinalfluid(CSF) of food-restricted ewes compared to well-fed ewes. In Experiment 1, OVX ewes with s.c. implants of E (OVX + E, n = 4) or no steroidtreatment (OVX, n = 4) were fitted with intracerebroventricular (icy.) and jugular cannulae. One of 4 doses of porcine NPY (pNPY; 0, 0.5, 5, or 50 �tg) was injected i.c.v. and blood samples were collected every 10 min for 4 h prior to and following i.c,v. injection. Blood serum was assayed for LH. The experiment was replicated four times such that each ewe received each dose of pNPY. Mean concentrations of Lii as well as frequency and amplitude of pulses of LH were attenuated in response to i.c.v, injection of pNPY in a dose-related manner in both OVX and OVX + E ewes. In Experiment 2, ovary-intact ewes were injected 1ev. with 12.5 �g of pNPY (n =
Inland electronic navigational charts in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is responsible for the maintenance, efficiency, and safe navigation of more than 25,000 miles of commercially navigable channels in the U.S. Historically, the Corps has produced paper charts for this purpose with the result being 22 chart books covering 9 waterway systems. These chart books are at varying scales, accuracies, and layouts with little consistency among the districts. With the advent of powerful computing hardware and robust GIS software, as well as digital data structures and dictionaries for electronic charts, USACE is developing river electronic navigational charts for the nation's waterway users. The purpose is to provide consistent, accurate and current navigational information in an electronic chart format to ensure the efficiency and safety of the nation's waterways. Estimated funds required for this are approximately $42M over 5 years. In cooperation with several agencies (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and organizations (Inland Waterway User Board and American Waterway Operators), we are conducting several pilot projects in 2001 along the rivers to gain experience and knowledge in developing electronic charts. Initially, an industry standard file format was identified and implemented. The exchange of navigational data is achieved through the S-57 transfer standard using the S-52 data dictionary. Most countries recognize these object-based standards from the International Hydrographic Office (IHO). Reasons for using the S-57 standard are that NOAA is implementing this standard for its coastal charts, it provides a common standard for all Corps offices, it is used by most electronic chart vendors, is well suited to chart updates and fits well with other Corps spatial data users.
Electron spin beat nonlinear susceptibility in semiconductor quant um wells

We present a comprehensive theory of optically probing electron spin precession in low-density quantum well exciton populations. We trace the microscopic origins of features observed in differential transmission and Faraday rotation measurements to exciton interactions.
Guided Waves in Embedded Concrete Piles

Results of a three dimensional (3D) guided wave evaluation of the stress waves generated by the impulse response method show that the conventional interpretation technique based on 1D wave propagation theory is essentially a special application of the first branch of longitudinal wave modes with frequency components up to several thousand hertz. To extend the frequency range and incorporate special wave characteristics of higher modes so that the integrity of an embedded pile can be evaluated in a more thorough manner, a frequency-controlled method capable of exciting waveforms with higher and selective frequency components is introduced to nondestructively evaluate prototype concrete piles. Experimental results on a prototype pile are analyzed by processing the responding signals in the joint time-frequency domain, then comparing the processed waveforms with the theoretically computed results. These results show that the mode attributes of the experimentally excited waves are consistent with the results of theoretical evaluations. Based on this finding, this guided wave approach can be applied to evaluate the integrity of a drill shaft with appropriately determined parameters of the soil-pile system.
Spatial organization of vegetation arising from non-local excitation with local inhibition in tropical rainforests

Abstract The Janzen–Connell (JC) effect, which hypothesizes that recruitment and growth of seedlings is positively correlated to the distance from the parent tree, is shown to generate highly organized vegetation biomass spatial patterns when coupled to a revised Fisher–Kolmogorov (FK) equation. Spatial organization arises through a novel mechanism of non-local activation and local inhibition. Over a single generation, the revised FK model calculations predict a “hen and chicks” dynamic pattern with mature trees surrounded by new seedlings growing at characteristic spatial distances in agreement with field data. Over longer timescales, the importance of stochastic dynamics, such as those associated with randomly occurring light gaps, increase thereby causing a substantial deviation between predictions from the deterministic FK model and its stochastic counterpart derived to account for such random disturbances. At still longer timescales, however, statistical measures of the spatial organization, specifically the spatial density of mature trees and their minimum spacing, converge between these two model representations.
Bioinformatics analysis suggests base modifications of tRNAs and miRNAs in Arabidopsis thaliana

Background Modifications of RNA bases have been found in some mRNAs and non-coding RNAs including rRNAs, tRNAs, and snRNAs, where modified bases are important for RNA function. Little is known about RNA base modifications in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Competency to Stand Trial Adjudication: A Comparison of Female and Male Defendants

Competency to stand trial adjudication is a decision point in the criminal justice system at which gender bias may result in different outcomes for female defendants as compared with males. However, this is an unexplored research area that lacks well-designed studies. The goals of this investigation, which used the largest known sample of U.S. female competency to stand trial defendants studied thus far, are to further understand this group of offenders and to address the gender bias issue as observed in a major southwestern urban court system. Multivariate logistic regression analyses on selected data for 157 female defendants and 187 of their male counterparts examined (1) variations within gender categories and (2) differences between men and women. The results of the within models showed some similarities, but also clear differences, in the determinants of court dispositions. The analyses failed to show an overall pattern of association between gender and competency adjudication. The influence of gender showed considerable variability across psychotic symptoms involving hallucinations and/or delusions: women with psychotic symptomatology were at high risk of being adjudicated incompetent. This study demonstrates how reliable data on female competency to stand trial defendants can assist the interface of the mental health and criminal justice systems in their adherence to the legal standard of competency. It also highlights the following research needs: (1) increased sample sizes of female evaluees; and (2) richer data sets with more and better information on how gender influences specific psychotic symptomatology, type of crime, and legally functional abilities.
Reliability and vulnerability studies of the SP-100 dual-loop thermoelectric-electromagnetic pump

This research has developed a transient model of the dual-loop thermoelectric-electromagnetic pump of the SP-100 space nuclear power system and performed a parametric analysis assessing the reliability and vulnerability of the pump to overheating of the secondary coolant. Results show that the pump ceases to operate when the secondary coolant temperature either equals that of the primary coolant or exceeds 1255 K, regardless of the value of the primary coolant temperature. In any case, increasing the secondary coolant temperature degrades the SP-100 pump performance through both reducing the electric current produced by the thermoelectric generators and the magnetic flux of the pump. Because the SP-100 pump employs a self-induced magnet at secondary coolant temperatures lower than 1255 K but higher than the primary coolant temperature, the pump maintains forward operation because both the electric current and the magnetic field reverse direction. However, had the SP-100 pump been designed with a permanent magnet, raising the secondary coolant temperature beyond that of the primary coolant temperature would only reverse the electric current, causing the pump to operate in reverse. Results also show that although insulating the pump's magnetic structure from the secondary coolant ducts insignificantly affects the steady-state nominal operation of the pump, it improves pump performance and reduces the pump's vulnerability to external heating of the secondary coolant to temperatures in excess of 1000 K.
Ion bombardment effects on the fatigue life of stainless steel under simulated fusion first wall conditions

Pressurized tube specimens have been exposed to simultaneous multi-energy surface ion bombardment, fast neutron irradiation and stress and temperature cycling, in a simulation of a possible fusion reactor first wall environment. After ion bombardments equivalent to months-years of reactor operation and up to 30,000 cycles, no detrimental effects on post-irradiation fatigue life were found. The ion damage is found to enhance surface cracking, but this effect is limited to the several micron surface layer in which the ions are implanted.
A novel background subtraction method to detect microcalcifications

This paper proposes a novel background subtraction method to detect microcalcifications. The proposed method is a Laplacian pyramid scheme with the low pass filter replaced by the squeeze box filter (SBF). The SBF was originally developed to remove speckle noise from medical B mode ultrasound images. The SBF is adapted to identify the background of mammographic images. Thus microcalcifications can be isolated in regions of interest to enhance visual examination or automatic detection methods.
Documentation: Making Assessment Visible

Rendi, the speech/language therapist at the Green River Child Development Center, routinely observed her preschool children in their classroom settings. She recorded the data from these observation...
Lymphoid hyperplasia causing recurrent rectal prolapse

An 8-year-old girl had a 5-month history of recurrent rectal prolapse. On colonoscopy, two submucosal masses were noted in the distal rectum and diagnosed by biopsy as benign lymphoid hyperplasia. These were excised by limited dissection superficial to the submucosa, and the histologic diagnosis was confirmed. The child has done well after removal of the nodules, with no subsequent prolapse for more than 2 years.