cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Group VIA PLA2 (iPLA2β) Is Activated Upstream of p38 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) in Pancreatic Islet β-Cell Signaling

Group VIA phospholipase A2 (iPLA2β) in pancreatic islet β-cells participates in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum ATPase (SERCA) inhibitor-induced apoptosis, and both are attenuated by pharmacologic or genetic reductions in iPLA2β activity and amplified by iPLA2β overexpression. While exploring signaling events that occur downstream of iPLA2β activation, we found that p38 MAPK is activated by phosphorylation in INS-1 insulinoma cells and mouse pancreatic islets, that this increases with iPLA2β expression level, and that it is stimulated by the iPLA2β reaction product arachidonic acid. The insulin secretagogue d-glucose also stimulates β-cell p38 MAPK phosphorylation, and this is prevented by the iPLA2β inhibitor bromoenol lactone. Insulin secretion induced by d-glucose and forskolin is amplified by overexpressing iPLA2β in INS-1 cells and in mouse islets, and the p38 MAPK inhibitor PD169316 prevents both responses. The SERCA inhibitor thapsigargin also stimulates phosphorylation of both β-cell MAPK kinase isoforms and p38 MAPK, and bromoenol lactone prevents both events. Others have reported that iPLA2β products activate Rho family G-proteins that promote MAPK kinase activation via a mechanism inhibited by Clostridium difficile toxin B, which we find to inhibit thapsigargin-induced β-cell p38 MAPK phosphorylation. Thapsigargin-induced β-cell apoptosis and ceramide generation are also prevented by the p38 MAPK inhibitor PD169316. These observations indicate that p38 MAPK is activated downstream of iPLA2β in β-cells incubated with insulin secretagogues or thapsigargin, that this requires prior iPLA2β activation, and that p38 MAPK is involved in the β-cell functional responses of insulin secretion and apoptosis in which iPLA2β participates.
Hospitalization risk associated with typical and atypical antipsychotic use in community-dwelling elderly patients.

Abstract Background: Due to age-related changes in drug disposition and response, elderly patients are more susceptible to the adverse effects of antipsychotic medications than younger adults. However, few studies have examined the impact of typical and atypical antipsychotic use on all-cause hospitalization in the elderly population. Objective: This study compared the short-term effects of incident use of typical and atypical antipsychotic agents on the risk for hospitalization in a community-dwelling elderly population. Methods: This retrospective data analysis involved a longitudinal cohort of typical and atypical antipsychotic users and was based on data from the 1996–2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Typical antipsychotic agents included chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, haloperidol, levomepromazine, loxapine, mesoridazine, molindone, perphenazine, promazine, thioridazine, thiothixene, and trifluoperazine. Atypical antipsychotic agents included aripiprazole, clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, and ziprasidone. Incident cases of antipsychotic use in community-dwelling elderly (aged ≥60 years) persons were selected for the assessment of risk for all-cause hospitalization within 60 days of exposure to antipsychotics. Bivariate analyses were used to compare baseline characteristics; multivariate logistic regression was used to compare hospitalization risk among users of typicals and atypicals after controlling for age, sex, race, income, insurance coverage, perceived general health, perceived mental health, and other concurrent psychotropic use. Results: The analytical sample consisted of 124 community-dwelling elderly patients (atypicals, 75 patients; typicals, 49). A majority of the elderly study sample were women (63%), white (79%), and of middle/high income (57%). The mean (SD) age of the study sample was 74.37 (8.65) years. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between typical and atypical users, with the exception of perceived mental health status. After controlling for other factors, the risk for hospitalization was nearly 4-fold higher with typical antipsychotic use than atypical use (odds ratio, 3.81; 95% CI, 1.12–12.99). Conclusion: In this population of community-dwelling elderly, use of typical agents was associated with an increased risk for hospitalization compared with atypical agents.
Forming of aluminum alloys—application of computer simulations and blank holding force control

Abstract Predominant failure modes in stamping of sheet metal parts (deep drawing and stretch forming) are wrinkling and fracture. These defects may be eliminated by appropriate control of the blank holding force (BHF). This paper summarizes the results of a recent study on the formability of rectangular parts from aluminum alloy 2008-T4. Wrinkling and fracture limits have been determined and BHF control methods have been developed to eliminate defects, improve part quality and increase the draw depth.
Effect of Surface Hydrophilicity on Charging Mechanism of Colloids in Low-Permittivity Solvents

Electrophoretic mobilities of TiO2 colloids in an apolar solvent, toluene, were measured by differential-phase optical coherence tomography (DP-OCT). An electrode spacing of 0.18 mm, made possible by optical coherence tomography with transparent electrodes, enables measurement of the electrophoretic mobility with small samples (20 μL) of highly turbid colloids at low applied electric potential to avoid electrohydrodynamic instability and electrochemical reactions. In the presence of Aerosol-OT reverse micelles, which stabilized the countercharges, the zeta potential was positive for hydrophilic TiO2 (13 mV at 90 mM AOT) and negative for hydrophobic TiO2. The magnitudes of the zeta potentials were very similar for these two types of TiO2 and decreased at the same rate with AOT concentration. For both hydrophilic and hydrophobic TiO2, a general mechanism is presented to describe the zeta potential in terms of preferential partitioning of cations and sulfosuccinate anions between the particle surface and rev...
Dilation of the Ascending Aorta After Balloon Valvuloplasty for Aortic Stenosis During Infancy and Childhood

Dilation of the ascending aorta (AA) is common in patients with a bicuspid aortic valve. The natural history of the aortic root and AA and the risk factors for dilation have not been characterized in patients with congenital aortic stenosis (AS) treated with balloon valvuloplasty during childhood. The present study was performed to determine the prevalence of aortic dilation in patients with congenital AS before and up to 20 years after balloon valvuloplasty performed during childhood. In patients who underwent balloon valvuloplasty for AS at age ≤18 years from 1984 to 2005, the aortic diameter measurements before intervention and at 5-year intervals afterward were recorded and the Z scores calculated. Among 156 patients (median age 1.5 years at valvuloplasty), the AA Z scores were significantly larger than normal before intervention (median Z score 1.5) and at all follow-up points (all p Z score was greater at all postvalvuloplasty points than before the intervention, with mean Z score increases of 1.20 at 5 years and 2.11 at 20 years (p Z scores than mild or less aortic regurgitation, with a progressive difference over time. More significant residual AS after valvuloplasty was associated with lower AA Z scores over time. In conclusion, AA dilation is common in children with congenital AS and continues to progress over many years after balloon valvuloplasty.
Calibration of DNA curvature and a unified description of sequence-directed bending.

Abstract Chemically synthesized duplex oligodeoxynucleotides having different average numbers of adenine tracts (A6) per helix turn were ligated into multimers and analyzed by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels. The magnitude of the anomaly in gel mobility is found to be a quadratic function of the curvature of the DNA molecule. Parameters that describe intrinsic DNA bending, expressed as the tilt and roll components of the helix-axis deflection at the junctions between the adenine tract and adjacent B-DNA, were adjusted to fit the measured relative curvature of regularly repeated DNA bending sequences known from other studies and synthesized for this study. The model developed here retains the predominance of bending in the direction of tilt at the junctions but incorporates an appreciable roll component at the 5' end of an adenine tract, opening the minor groove there. This feature is consistent with chemical "footprinting" experiments on molecules containing adenine tracts. The overall direction of bending is effectively toward the minor groove, viewed from the center of an A5 or A6 tract. A possible underlying structure, which can also be described by a wedge bending model, is that derived from fiber diffraction studies of poly(dA).poly(dT). However, alternative models for the adenine tract, such as propeller twisted DNA, cannot be eliminated, although they do not lead to the correct direction of bending. The results permit calculation of the helix-axis trajectory of natural DNA molecules containing adenine-tract bends.
Self-consistent estimation of censored quantile regression

The principle of self-consistency has been employed to estimate regression quantile with randomly censored response. The asymptotic studies for this type of approach was established only recently, partly due to the complex forms of the current self-consistent estimators of censored regression quantiles. Of interest, how the self-consistent estimation of censored regression quantiles is connected to the alternative martingale-based approach still remains uncovered. In this paper, we propose a new formulation of self-consistent censored regression quantiles based on stochastic integral equations. The proposed representation of censored regression quantiles entails a clearly defined estimation procedure. More importantly, it greatly simplifies the theoretical investigations. We establish the large sample equivalence between the proposed self-consistent estimators and the existing estimator derived from martingale-based estimating equations. The connection between the new self-consistent estimation approach and the available self-consistent algorithms is also elaborated.
Mother–Child Relationships in France: Balancing Autonomy and Affiliation in Everyday Interactions

French child-rearing beliefs share features of both individualist and collectivist cultural orientations and have appeared contradictory within this individualism–collectivism framework in previous research. For this study, 32 Parisian mothers of infants and young children were interviewed regarding four possible sources of variation in their relationships with their children: interpersonal distance, communicative accommodation, desirable and undesirable early behaviors, and long-term goals and values. Five themes are identified and a cultural model of Parisian parenting is elaborated, demonstrating how beliefs, practices, and goals are connected in mothers' minds. This study demonstrates that individualism and collectivism are orthogonal, multifaceted orientations, each containing dimensions, such as autonomy as separateness and group affiliation and belonging, that can coexist both harmoniously and in dynamic tension within individuals and within cultures.
Real-time optical microspectroscopy and activation energy of Ag nanoparticle growth in thin silica films

Abstract Significant progress in understanding noble metal species transformations in dielectrics can be achieved from the real-time monitoring of optical properties during material processing. In this work, in situ optical microspectroscopy is employed to study the Ostwald stage of Ag nanoparticle (NP) growth in nano-thin SiO2 films on soda glass substrates during heat treatment in air in the 550 – 600°C range. The evolution of Ag NP size is assessed in the framework of Mie extinction and crystal growth theories. An Arrhenius-type analysis of a set of time-dependent isotherms yields an activation energy of 1.9 eV for the Ostwald growth.
[M3V18O42(H2O)12(XO4)]⋅24 H2O (M=Fe, Co; X=V, S): Metal Oxide Based Framework Materials Composed of Polyoxovanadate Clusters

New framework materials composed of well-defined vanadium oxide clusters were prepared by low-temperature reactions and characterized by X-ray crystal structure analysis. The structures of these solids contain {V18 O42 } cages linked into two interpenetrating three-dimensional networks by bridging {M(H2 O)4 } groups (M=FeII , CoII ; see picture).
Specific Heat of Cr-Fe Alloys from -140° to 350°C

The specific heat of bcc iron-chromium alloys has been measured in an adiabatic calorimeter in the temperature range from -140 to 350\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. Isothermal plots of ${c}_{p}$ vs composition revealed two maxima at higher temperatures. One occurred independently of temperature at 19 at.% Fe and was associated with the peak in the density-of-states curve; the other was temperature dependent and was associated with the transition from ferromagnetism to paramagnetism. Lattice and electronic contributions could be separated from each other for alloys with high chromium concentration. The Debye $\ensuremath{\theta}$ did not vary noticeably with composition, but the electronic specific heat showed a maximum.
pH and Concentrations of Pepsin and Trypsin in Feeding Tube Aspirates as Predictors of Tube Placement

Background The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which pepsin and trypsin concentrations in feeding tube aspirates, in addition to pH, contribute to predicting feeding tube position. Methods Aspirates from 742 feeding tubes (nasogastric, n = 343; nasointestinal, n = 399) were tested for pH and enzyme concentrations. Also tested were aspirates from two feeding tubes inadvertently positioned into the lung (one in the pleural space and one in the tracheobronchial tree) and 146 samples of tracheobronchial and pleural fluids collected by other methods. Enzyme assays were conducted in a research laboratory. Results of the pH and enzyme tests were compared with radiologic reports of tube location. Results Gastric fluid had a mean low pH (4.06), a high mean pepsin concentration (349.1 micrograms/mL), and a low mean trypsin concentration (19.3 micrograms/mL). In contrast, intestinal fluid had a mean high pH (7.40), a high mean trypsin concentration (143.0 micrograms/mL), and a low mean pepsin concentration (24.2 micrograms/mL). Respiratory samples also had a high mean pH (7.89) but contained little or no pepsin or trypsin. Using a logistic regression equation with all three variables to differentiate between respiratory and gastrointestinal placement, it was possible to correctly classify 100% of the respiratory cases and 93.4% of the gastrointestinal cases. Another equation used to differentiate between gastric and intestinal sites was able to classify correctly 91.2% of the gastric cases and 91.5% of the intestinal cases. Conclusions The results clearly indicate that laboratory-determined enzyme concentrations in feeding tube aspirates are helpful in predicting tube location. Thus, it is desirable that inexpensive, simple bedside tests be developed so that they can be used in conjunction with pH measurements to help predict tube position.
Clearance of Gentamicin during Hemodialysis: Comparison of Four Artificial Kidneys

The effects of four types of artificial kidney on dialyzer clearance rates and serum pharmacokinetics of gentamicin were compared. In 19 patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis, the mean (+/-SE) interdialysis half-life of gentamicin in serum was 49.3 +/- 3.5 hr, whereas during dialysis this value was reduced to 10.0 +/- 0.7 hr. The mean half-life of gentamicin in serum at conventional flow rates for the Hollow Fiber Kidney, Kiil, Gambro, and Coil dialyzers was 11.3, 10.9, 8.2, and 7.4 hr, respectively, and the mean values for clearance of gentamicin were 26,28,42, and 48 ml per min, respectively. For all dialyzers, rates of clearance of gentamicin increased linearly with plasma flow rate over the flow range studied. The Gambro and Coil dialyzers had significantly higher rates of clearance of gentamicin from serum (P less than 0.05) than the Hollow Fiber Kidney and Kiil dialyzers over a wide range of clinically useful plasma flow rates (119-300 ml per min), whereas the Kiil dialyzer cleared gentamicin more effectively (P less than 0.05) than the Hollow Fiber Kidney dialyzer over a more limited interval (117-177 ml per min). Therapeutic recommendations for patients undergoing hemodialysis were made in light of current findings.
A first estimation of prestress in so-called circularly fibered osteonic lamellae.

Abstract The existence and role of prestress in the various hierarchical structures of long bone are long standing questions. In this study, the prestress and associated strain that exist in a component of human bone microstructure, circularly fibered osteonic lamella, are estimated. Such estimates allow the formulation of hypotheses on prestress formation and lamellar stiffness. Dimensional measurements were obtained for eight fully calcified lamellae. These dimensions, before isolation from the surrounding alternate osteon and after strain relief by isolation and axial sectioning, furnish data upon which a geometric lamellar model is constructed. A material model is based on the most likely hypothesis as to lamellar structure. This geometric-material model allows estimation of the preexisting strain. The largest strains occur in shear circumferential–axial and normal axial strain directions, averaging 0.08 and 0.05, respectively. The geometric-material model expresses prestress in terms of as yet unknown elastic moduli. The average prestress magnitude is the largest in shear circumferential–axial direction, compensating for alternate osteon weakness in this direction. The estimated axial prestress confirms long hypothesized alternate osteon precompression, which impedes fractures of areas of collagen bundles transverse to the osteon axis at low stresses. The results of the model support the formulation of the following biological hypotheses: (a) lamellar prestress occurs at a supra-molecular level, namely through collagen bundles which are themselves likely to be prestressed; (b) collagen bundles oblique to the lamellar axis are responsible for shear prestress; (c) prestress ranges up to 0.11 GPa; and (d) the lamella is less stiff than alternate osteon.
Development And Application Of The "Dynamic Morphology System" For The Analysis Of Moving Amebae

In the field of cell motility, computer assisted studies have become a necessity both for scientists studying bacteria and scientists studying more complex cells (1). However, the needs of the scientist differ depending upon the organism being studied. For instance, most bacteria and ciliated or flagellated protozoans do not change shape when moving or when making decisions on directionality in chemical gradients. Therefore, in these cases, systems which track the centroid of the cell are sufficient for most studies. In marked contrast, most animal cells ranging in complexity from slime mold amebae to human white blood cells are ameboid and change shape both when locomoting and when making decisions about directionality. For these latter cells, simply tracking the translocation of the centroid can be misleading, as will become evident in the discussion which follows. To assist in the analysis of ameboid cell motility, we developed a software package for the motion analysis machines (The Expert Vision System and the Cell Track System) marketed by Motion Analysis Corporation of Santa Rosa, California. This system is referred to as the "Dynamic Morphology System" and is tailored for use by cell biologists interested in two dimensional studies of the temporal dynamics of cell shape, cell extensions (pseudopods) and cell contractions (1,2,3,4,). It is also unusually well suited for assessing the effects of mutation (1) on cell behavior and chemotaxis (the directed movement of cells in chemical gradients) and for comparing normal and cancer cells. In the discussion which follows, I will describe some of the capabilities of the system and its application to the problem of cell movement and ameboid behavior in chemical gradients. I will also briefly describe the development of a 3D Dynamic Morphology System and a system for acoustically analysing complex data generated by the Dynamic Morphology System.
Data Quality in Zooarchaeological Faunal Identification

There is no standard for reporting faunal identifications in zooarchaeology. Zooarchaeologists are open to accusations that reported conclusions are invalid. Other sciences counter such problems through use of quality assurance, consisting of quality control (QC), and assessment (QA). QC is a standard for procedures adopted during laboratory practice. A rarely cited standard was published by Driver in 1992. QA focuses on criteria for faunal identification and is becoming more common in zooarchaeology. QC and QA must be integral parts of zooarchaeology if identifications are to be accepted. The stakes are high because paleobiological datasets are now used to study problems in conservation science.
Dielectric relaxation of 1-propanol/water solutions

Abstract Time domain measurements of solutions at seven compositions and 25°C have been Fourier transformed to obtain complex permittivities in the range 50 MHz to 8 GHz. These can be represented by a sum of two Debye relaxation functions. The principal, slower, one has a relaxation time changing smoothly from 320 ps for 1-propanol to 8 ps for water (by extrapolation from 0.75 mole fraction of water). The second is quite small for 1-propanol, but increases with added water, and remarkably has a relaxation time of ca. 20 ps which is independent of concentration to within the accuracy of the data and fitting. The significance of the behavior is discussed in terms of diffusion like models for molecular reorientations and local conformational changes in hydrogen bonding, with the conclusion that the latter provides a more likely explanation, particularly of the faster relaxation.
Effect of humidity on desiccation by living and dead wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae)

La vitesse de dessication deLycosa n'est pas influencee par le sexe ou l'espece. Du poids est perdu plus rapidement par des Araignees mortes que par les vivantes, et cela chez toutes les deux a 0% plus qu'a 80% d'humidite relative.
Contextualizing Olympic Legacies

This article examines the making of Olympic legacies. All cities bidding to host the Olympics after 2012 are now required to describe sports and non-sports legacies in their bid books, and this will become a consideration in awarding the Games. A review of the literature on the impacts of hosting the Games and on conceptualizing Olympic legacies shows that both have advanced in recent years. Yet an examination of the aftermath of hosting the Olympics in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City reveals that claiming Olympic legacies remains difficult given the political decisions made early in the bidding process and the local geography of locating Olympic facilities and venues outside the host city itself.
Multi-color CD34+ progenitor-focused flow cytometric assay in evaluation of myelodysplastic syndromes in patients with post cancer therapy cytopenia

Abstract Bone marrow assessment for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) in a patient who develops cytopenia(s) following cancer therapy is challenging. With recent advances in multi-color flow cytometry immunophenotypic analysis, a CD34 + progenitor-focused 7-color assay was developed and tested in this clinical setting. This assay was first performed in 73 MDS patients and 53 non-MDS patients (developmental set). A number of immunophenotypic changes were differentially observed in these two groups. Based on the sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility, a core panel of markers was selected for final assessment that included increased total CD34 + myeloblasts; decreased stage I hematogones; altered CD45/side scatter; altered expression of CD13, CD33, CD34, CD38, CD117, and CD123; aberrant expression of lymphoid or mature myelomonocytic antigens on CD34 + myeloblasts; and several marked alterations in maturing myelomonocytic cells. The data were translated into a simplified scoring system which was then used in 120 patients with cytopenia(s) secondary to cancer therapy over a 2-year period (validation set). With a median follow-up of 11 months, this assay demonstrated 89% sensitivity, 94% specificity, and 92% accuracy in establishing or excluding a diagnosis of MDS.
10.5: Field emission properties of atomically sharp tungsten nanotip arrays fabricated by a novel nanocasting method

Atomically sharp, high density tungsten nanotip arrays are fabricated by a novel nanocasting technique. Such emitter arrays show excellent field emission properties with a low turn-on field, a high field enhancement factor and good emission stability. They also have better vacuum tolerance than most field emission nanostructures due to a closer cathode-anode spacing allowed by the perfect tip alignment and uniform height distribution.
Expression and activity of COX‐1 and 2 and 5‐LOX in joint tissues from dogs with naturally occurring coxofemoral joint osteoarthritis

Understanding the neurobiology of pain in naturally occurring models of osteoarthritis (OA) may improve the understanding of human OA pain. Both COX and LOX have been associated with joint pain. This study evaluated COX-1, COX-2, and 5-LOX expression and activity in a naturally occurring canine model of secondary OA. Hip joint capsule with synovial tissue (HJC) and femoral head subchondral bone (FH) was collected from normal dogs and dogs undergoing total hip replacement for coxofemoral joint OA. Tissues were analyzed for COX-1, COX-2, and LOX protein, and PGE(2) and LTB(4). Significantly more COX-2 protein was present in OA HJC than normal joints (p = 0.0009). There was no significant difference in COX-1 or LOX protein, although LOX protein was increased (p = 0.069). PGE(2) concentration in normal and OA HJC was similar (p = 1.0). LTB(4) concentration in OA HJC was significantly greater than normal HJC (p = 0.028). Significantly more COX-1 (p = 0.0098), COX-2 (p = 0.0028), and LOX (p = 0.0095) protein was present in OA FH tissue compared to normal FH tissue. There were no differences in PGE(2) or LTB(4) concentration in normal and OA FH tissue (p = 0.77 and p = 0.11). Together, these data suggest both COX-2 and 5-LOX are appropriate targets for the management of pain associated with naturally occurring OA.
Autonomous bio-chemical decontaminator (ABCD) against weapons of mass destruction

The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and the use of such elements pose an eminent asymmetric threat with disastrous consequences to the national security of any nation. In particular, the use of biochemical warfare agents against civilians and unprotected troops in international conflicts or by terrorists against civilians is considered as a very peculiar threat. Accordingly, taking a quarantine-before-inhalation approach to biochemical warfare, the author introduces the notion of autonomous biochemical decontamination against WMD. In the unfortunate event of a biochemical attack, the apparatus proposed herein is intended to automatically detect, identify, and more importantly neutralize a biochemical threat. Along with warnings concerning a cyber-WMD nexus, various sections cover discussions on human senses and computer sensors, corroborating evidence related to detection and neutralization of chemical toxins, and cyber-assisted olfaction in stand alone, peer-to-peer, and network settings. In essence, the apparatus can be used in aviation and mass transit security to initiate mass decontamination by dispersing a decontaminant aerosol or to protect the public water supply against a potential bioterrorist attack. Future effort may involve a system-on-chip (SoC) embodiment of this apparatus that allows a safer environment for the emerging phenomenon of cyber-assisted olfaction and morph cell phones into ubiquitous sensors/decontaminators. Although this paper covers mechanisms and protocols to avail a neutralizing substance, further research will need to explore the substance's various pharmacological profiles and potential side effects.© (2006) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Highly Parallel Eigenvector Update Methods With Applications To Signal Processing

Updating the eigenvalue decomposition (EVD) of the estimated correlation matrix arises in many signal processing problems. In this paper, we present an improved, highly parallel, linear rank-one EVD update algorithm which is based on a quadratic rank-one method due to Bunch, et al [1]. Both methods are evaluated and compared. A number of simulations involving the frequency estimation of non-stationary narrow-band signals are also performed in which linear prediction techniques are used with eigenvector pre-processing.
Three-Point Imaging Test for AASHTO Soil Classification

A rapid, digital image—based test has been developed for the classification of highway subgrade materials according to the AASHTO system. The test involves segregating particles in a sedimentation column, then determining the elevations at which 2.0-, 0.425-, and 0.075-mm grains (No. 10, No. 40, and No. 200 sieves, respectively) are found. If it is assumed that porosity variations throughout the column are insignificant, as established in previous studies, then the distances between these elevations translate to the percentages that pass through the various sieves. The method uses a previously developed calibration between an image wavelet decomposition index and the pixels per particle diameter. At a camera magnification of 32.5 pixels/mm, the entire grain size range from 2.0 to 0.075 mm is resolved. Thus, only a single fixed magnification lens is needed for the system. The accuracy of the new test is demonstrated by comparing the digital image—based results and conventional sieving for three soil specim...
Intracardiac Ultrasound Imaging During Transseptal Catheterization

Study objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of using small 12.5- or 20-MHz intracardiac ultrasound catheters to image the fossa ovalis and guide transseptal catheterization. Design: The study was performed in three phases. First, in vitro imaging of human autopsy hearts was performed to define the intracardiac ultrasound appearance of the fossa ovalis and transseptal apparatus. Subsequently, the optimum approach for imaging the fossa ovalis in vivo was established in 30 patients. Finally, intracardiac ultrasound imaging was performed during transseptal catheterization of 10 patients undergoing percutaneous mitral commissurotomy. Interventions: Intracardiac ultrasound imaging was performed with a 12.5- or 20-MHz single-element mechanical device in which a central imaging core is rotated within a 6F polyethylene sheath. Measurements and results: In both in vitro and in vivo studies, the fossa ovalis was easily identifiable as a thin membranous region surrounded by the thicker muscular portion of the interatrial septum. Initial in vivo studies established venous access by the femoral route to be superior to the internal jugular approach for catheter introduction. Studies performed during transseptal catheterization established the utility of using the fluoroscopic image of the catheter adjacent to the fossa ovalis to generate a guiding shot for positioning the transseptal apparatus. In addition, distention of the fossa prior to needle perforation could be demonstrated. However, since it was often difficult to track the tip of the needle, actual puncture of the fossa was rarely demonstrated. Conclusions: Intravascular ultrasound imaging can precisely locate the fossa ovalis in virtually all subjects. It therefore may assist transseptal catheterization.
Deformation Testing of Foods. 2. A Simple Spring Model of Deformation

SUMMARY— A model system is described which closely represents the deformation of a food as it is squeezed in the hand. The model consists of a set of true springs of differing heights and with differing Hooke's constants arranged in parallel. One or more springs are required to represent a given food depending upon the degree of curvilinearity of the force-compression curve of the food. No dashpots are needed in this simple model. The one restriction on the model is that it is intended to represent the physical response of the food to a single compression. A graphical method for measuring the number, size and Hooke's constants of the springs in the model is described. The spring model shows that with some foods at least, small compression forces measure differences in softness better than large forces.
Material Formability and Coil Design in Electromagnetic Forming

Pulsed electromagnetic forming is based on high-voltage discharge of capacitors through a coil. An intense transient magnetic field is generated in the coil and through interaction with the metal work-piece; pressure in the form of a magnetic pulse is built up to do the work. Data on formability of two aluminum alloys employed for exterior (6111-T4) and interior (5754) automotive body panels will be shown. Comparison of traditional Forming Limit Diagrams obtained by stretching of aluminum sheet with hemispherical punch to the results on formability, where hemispherical punch is replaced by a coil will be provided. It will be shown that material formability in high-rate forming conditions can significantly depend upon interaction with the forming die: electromagnetic forming into an open round window provides only slight improvement in formability, while forming in a V-shape die or into a conical die indicates a significant improvement. An important part of the electromagnetic forming technology is the design of the coil. The coil failure modes and measures preventing them are discussed.
An analysis of consumer power on the Internet

Abstract The industrial revolution was to manufacturers what the digital revolution is to consumers. What we are seeing today is a renegotiation of the relationships between companies and consumers, and a fundamental recasting of conventional marketing in favor of the consumer. This study, therefore, discusses consumer power in marketing theory and analyzes consumer power sources and changing power dynamics with case studies. Finally, it contributes to theory by investigating power dynamics in each stage of the consumer decision-making process.
Electronic Spectroscopy of UO

Abstract Spectra for gas-phase uranium oxide have been analyzed to obtain molecular constants and provide a partial atlas of the visible and near infrared bands for the isotopomers 238 U 16 O, 238 U 18 O, 235 U 16 O, and 235 U 18 O. Nineteen bands of the 238 U 16 O, 238 U 18 O, and 235 U 18 O isotopomers were rotationally analyzed. With few exceptions, Ω assignments were unambiguously determined from observations of the first lines in at least two rotational branches. Accurate term values and rotational constants are reported.
Visual field asymmetries for motion processing in deaf and hearing signers.

Recently, we reported a strong right visual field/left hemisphere advantage for motion processing in deaf signers and a slight reverse asymmetry in hearing nonsigners (Bosworth & Dobkins, 1999). This visual field asymmetry in deaf signers may be due to auditory deprivation or to experience with a visual-manual language, American Sign Language (ASL). In order to separate these two possible sources, in this study we added a third group, hearing native signers, who have normal hearing and have learned ASL from their deaf parents. As in our previous study, subjects performed a direction-of-motion discrimination task at different locations across the visual field. In addition to investigating differences in left vs right visual field asymmetries across subject groups, we also asked whether performance differences exist for superior vs inferior visual fields and peripheral vs central visual fields. Replicating our previous study, a robust right visual field advantage was observed in deaf signers, but not in hearing nonsigners. Like deaf signers, hearing signers also exhibited a strong right visual field advantage, suggesting that this effect is related to experience with sign language. These results suggest that perceptual processes required for the acquisition and comprehension of language (motion processing in the case of ASL) are recruited by the left, language-dominant, hemisphere. Deaf subjects also exhibited an inferior visual field advantage that was significantly larger than that observed in either hearing group. In addition, there was a trend for deaf subjects to perform relatively better on peripheral than on central stimuli, while both hearing groups showed the reverse pattern. Because deaf signers differed from hearing signers and nonsigners along these domains, the inferior and peripheral visual field advantages observed in deaf subjects is presumably related to auditory deprivation. Finally, these visual field asymmetries were not modulated by attention for any subject group, suggesting they are a result of sensory, and not attentional, factors.
Benefits of Prelecture Quizzes

We investigated the use of quizzes administered prior to lecture (i.e., prelecture quizzes) and compared them to no-quiz control groups. In previous research, the success of administering quizzes after covering a topic (i.e., postlecture quizzes) was contingent on the quizzes and the subsequent exams being of similar level and content. However, our study revealed that such contingencies were not true of prelecture quizzes. Students who received either matching or fill-in-the-blank prelecture quizzes, as compared to no quiz, performed better on both multiple-choice and essay exam questions. They also rated the lectures as a better preparation for exams and as more clear and organized. Finally, the quizzed students asked more high-level questions.
Out of context: computer systems that adapt to, and learn from, context

There is a growing realization that computer systems will need to be increasingly sensitive to their context. Traditionally, hardware and software were conceptualized as input/output systems: systems that took input, explicitly given to them by a human, and acted upon that input alone to produce an explicit output. Now, this view is seen as being too restrictive. Smart computers, intelligent agent software, and digital devices of the future will have to operate on data that are not explicitly given to them, data that they observe or gather for themselves. These operations may be dependent on time, place, weather, user preferences, or the history of interaction. In other words, context. But what, exactly, is context? We look at perspectives from software agents, sensors, and embedded devices, and also contrast traditional mathematical and formal approaches. We see how each treats the problem of context and discuss the implications for design of context-sensitive hardware and software.
Structure and function of membrane fusion peptides

Membrane fusion peptides are highly conserved hydrophobic domains of fusion proteins that insert into membranes during membrane fusion. Recent success with solving the structures of the influenza hemagglutinin fusion peptide and some critical mutants of this peptide in membrane environments at high resolution has led to a new understanding of the mechanism of membrane fusion. This review highlights the structures that have been solved and summarizes recent thermodynamic and spectroscopic studies on the interactions of this interesting class of peptides with lipid bilayers. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 66: 249–260, 2002
Robust stability of two-dimensional digital filters under coefficient perturbation

A bound on allowable weighted additive perturbation in the coefficients of a 2-D stable digital filter from their respective nominal values is determined so that the strict stability of the perturbed-coefficient filter is maintained. The results are suitable for generalization to multidimensional digital filters with real and complex coefficients. Applications of the results may be found in robust stability analysis of digital signal processing and control theory. >
Antarctic meteorites: Samples of the solar system

The study of extraterrestrial materials by geochemists and geophysicists has been focused on a relatively small number of meteorites since the late fifteenth century. Many of the specimens studied through the years had been weathered or otherwise contaminated at the time they were collected on the ground. It has been especially significant, therefore, that since 1969, when Japanese scientists first reported discovery of meteorites protected within the ice flows in Antarctica, nearly 3 times the total number of specimens that existed at that time have been recovered. Expeditions from Japan, and more recently from the United States, have now recovered a total of 6000 new specimens from Antarctica, stimulating many new areas of study for the solar system sciences. Of these, more than 1000 specimens were collected by the American expeditions in only three field seasons. Already several unique meteorite varieties have been identified, the rare Shergotty-type being a good example.
Ventromedial prefrontal cortex thinning in preschool-onset depression.

Background: The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) is a key center of affect regulation and processing, fundamental aspects of emotional competence which are disrupted in mood disorders. Structural alterations of VMPFC have consistently been observed in adult major depression and are associated with depression severity, yet it is unknown whether young children with depression demonstrate similar abnormalities. We investigated cortical thickness differences in the VMPFC of children with a history of preschool-onset depression (PO-MDD). Methods: Participants in a longitudinal study of PO-MDD underwent structural brain imaging between the ages of 7 and 12 years. Using local cortical distance metrics, cortical thickness of the VMPFC was compared in children with and without a history of PO-MDD. Results: Children previously diagnosed with PO-MDD (n¼34) had significantly thinner right VMPFC vs. children without a history of PO-MDD [(n¼95); F(1,126)¼5.97, (p¼.016)]. This effect was specifi ct o children with a history of PO-MDD vs. other psychiatric conditions and was independent of comorbid anxiety or externalizing disorders. Decreases in right VMPFC thickness were predicted by preschool depressive symptoms independent of depressive symptoms in school age. Limitations: Results are cross-sectional and cannot distinguish whether thinner right VMPFC represents a vulnerability marker of MDD, consequence of MDD, or marker of remitted MDD. Longitudinal imaging is needed to contextualize how this difference relates to normative VMPFC structural development. Conclusions: Onset of depression at preschool age was associated with decreased cortical thickness of right VMPFC. This finding implicates the VMPFC in depression from very early stages of brain development.
Conditions That Inhibit the Spontaneous Radiation of Spiral Inertia–Gravity Waves from an Intense Mesoscale Cyclone

The spontaneous radiation of spiral inertia–gravity (IG) waves from monotonic cyclones is reexamined. Such radiation can occur most significantly in a parameter regime that includes strong supercell mesocyclones and hurricanes. First, linear theory is reviewed. In linear theory, a generic deformation of the cyclone excites discrete vortex Rossby (VR) waves. Each VR wave emits a frequency-matched spiral IG wave into the environment. The emission has positive feedback on the VR wave, causing both to grow. However, the VR wave also deposits wave activity into its critical layer at the radius r * . If the radial gradient of potential vorticity at r * exceeds a threshold, critical layer absorption suppresses the radiative instability. On the other hand, numerical simulations of a shallow-water cyclone show that nonlinear changes to the critical layer can revive a damped VR wave and its radiation field after a brief period of decay. For such revival, it suffices that b/| | 1. This inequality contains two characteristic frequencies. The denominator | | is the absolute value of the (negative) growth rate of the damped wave. The numerator b is the mixing rate of the critical layer, which is proportional to the square root of the initial wave amplitude. After damping is reversed, the radiative VR wave exhibits undulatory growth. Analysis shows that growth proceeds because radiation steadily removes negative wave activity from the cyclone. Secondary amplitude oscillations are due to back-and-forth exchanges of positive wave activity between the VR wave and its critical layer.
NASA radar altimeter for the TOPEX/POSEIDON Project

The TOPEX/POSEIDON Project is a joint US and French mission to develop and operate an Earth-orbiting satellite with sensors capable of making accurate measurements of sea level. The NASA radar altimeter (NRA), a fifth-generation US Altimeter, will provide the primary measurement for the TOPEX/POSEIDON Project altimetric mission. The authors present the requirements, altimeter fundamentals, design description, integration and test program, primary elements of ground processing, and assessment for the dual-frequency NASA radar altimeter. >
MRI of Atherothrombosis Associated With Plaque Rupture

Objective— MRI would be a valuable noninvasive diagnostic tool to study plaque-associated thrombi. We defined the imaging characteristics of these thrombi, composed primarily of platelets and fibrin, and distinguished them clearly from the vessel lumen and underlying atherosclerotic plaque in an animal model of plaque rupture. Methods and Results— After triggering plaque rupture in New Zealand White male rabbits, segments of infrarenal aorta containing either red or white thrombi were fixed in formalin. Compared with postmortem red cell–rich thrombi, atherothrombi yielded complex magnetic resonance images with intermediate signal intensity in standard T1- and T2-weighted imaging sequences and were often difficult to distinguish from the aortic wall. Diffusion-weighted imaging sequences revealed restricted diffusion of the atherothrombus relative to the vessel wall and provided excellent contrast. The apparent diffusion coefficient of the thrombus is 1.0×10−3 mm2/s, compared with 1.5×10−3 mm2/s in tissue. Similar results were obtained using purified aggregated platelets. Conclusions— We present the first detailed description of the MRI appearance of plaque rupture–associated thrombosis in histologically validated platelet-rich thrombi. Diffusion-weighted imaging provided the best distinction between thrombus and vessel wall and has potential application for the noninvasive in vivo detection of atherothrombosis.