cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hypothalamic and Raphe Serotonergic Systems in Ovulation Control

The role of hypothalamic and midbrain serotonergic systems in the control of ovulation in the rat has been investigated using 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) lesioning in conjunction with desmethylimipramine pretreatment. Intracisternal injection of 5,7- DHT (100 or 200μg) produced a dose-dependent decrease in the incidence of ovulation induced by PMS gonadotrophin (PMSG; 8 IU sc on day 30). Intraventricular injection of 200 μg 5,7-DHT via the lateral ventricles completely blocked PMSG-induced ovulation. After injection into either site, nonovulatory animals were in proestrus on day 33 and contained fluidfilled uteri. Intracerebral injection of 5,7-DHT into the dorsal or median raphe significantly decreased the numbers of animals induced to ovulate. The extent and specificity of these chemical lesions were evaluated in the suprachiasmatic (SNR) and arcuate-median eminence regions of PMSG-treated rats using an in vitro uptake model. A general feature of every case of inhibited ovulation was the significa...
Development of plaque assay for vesicular exanthema of swine virus (VESV) under methyl cellulose overlay.

A plaque assay method, using 1.05% methyl cellulose overlay, was developed for vesicular exanthema of swine virus (VESV) types A48, H54, I55, and K54. The validity of this plaque method as an assay system was upheld by the well correlated dose response, and the specificity of plaque formation was demonstrated by the fact that a specific antiserum could reduce the plaque count by more than 98%. The concentration of methyl cellulose exerted an influence on the size of plaques formed by the virus, showing an inverse relationship between concentration of methyl cellulose in the overlay medium and plaque size. Adsorption of VESV to monolayers of pig kidney cells at 37° C was found to reach a maximum within 60 minutes.
Global competition in a ‘flat’ world: a Foucauldian analysis of the neoliberal mentalities of 2 Million Minutes

Through an application of Foucauldian theories of power and neoliberalism, this article employs an ascending analysis to identify an embedded neoliberal agenda within the documentary 2 Million Minutes. The author argues that this neoliberal agenda serves to support and maintain notions of international white supremacy as it assumes relationships between whiteness and success, American identity and privilege, and through its definition of the global economy as one in which all students can equally take part. By articulating how the film engages in techniques of biopower through a comparative portrayal of high school students from India, China, and the United States, the author argues that representations of education ‘realities’ should be examined and questioned in order to locate powerful and hidden hegemonies.
Activity coefficients of Na2O in molten NaCl, Na2SO4, and Na2CO3

Abstract Measurements of the cell have been used to determine activity coefficients of Na 2 O in molten NaCl, Na 2 SO 4 and Na 2 CO 3 . Extreme negative deviations from Raoult's law were observed (γ −3 ). In NaCl and Na 2 SO 4 , γ is independent of concentration below 1 m/o Na 2 O, but in Na 2 CO 3 , the activity is nearly independent of concentration, probably because the oxide reacts with dissolved O 2 to form superoxide (O − 2 ).
Improved distortion-invariant pattern recognition through synthesizing similar training images into a composite image

In this work, a distortion-invariant pattern recognition scheme called the composite training image method is introduced. Usually, in attempting to detect the distorted (rotated, size- changed, shifted) versions of an object, a large number of raw training (distorted) images are used. However, there is a trade-off between this number and the ratio of signal correlation intensity peak to the maximum sidelobe (RSMS). In order not to degrade this ratio, the number of training images should be reduced as much as possible. We show how to fuse several similar raw training images into a composite training image. In this paper, we illustrate the feasibility of using such composite training images.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Perspectives on the History of Seismic Risk Assessment

Each of the following authors brings his own distinguished viewpoint on the history and future directions for [seismic] risk assessment. Robert Whitman focuses on the lessons learned from regional seismic risk assessments, including the need for clearly defined objectives for successful outcomes; accounting for user needs in loss estimates; assessing uncertainty; including lifelines in analyses; and developing a meaningful inventory prior to analysis. Amr Elnashai extends the history of scientific inquiry into earthquakes back to the 1600’s and fills in some important events, while emphasizing how Europe, Japan, and the United States interacted in the development of seismic research and building codes. Finally, Dennis Mileti urges practitioners to take sociological perspectives into account, as losses that extend beyond traditionally assessed risk are harder to quantify, but no less important.
Line positions and strengths of 41 bands including 10 OCS isotopologues in the 3850–4200 cm−1 region

Abstract The present analysis substantially improves the spectroscopic characterization of near infrared OCS in a window region (3850–4200 cm−1) important for atmospheric studies of Venus. Previous studies in this spectral region cataloged numerous OCS line positions, but accurate line intensities were measured for only three strong bands. In this paper, the corresponding line intensities are obtained for 41 OCS bands, including weak isotopic bands reported for the first time. The 2ν3 (0002–0000) band is analyzed for 10 OCS isotopologues (adding 16O13C34S, 17O12C32S, 16O12C36S, 18O12C34S, and 16O13C33S). In addition, observations of 0332–0330 of the main isotope, 16O12C32S, provides accurate vibration–rotation parameters for the upper state (and the lower state, 0330 of 16O12C32S). Finally, one unidentified band is seen at 3969.3 cm−1; its lower state is clearly the ground state of 16O12C32S. The line strengths of these seven previously unanalyzed bands plus 34 other bands of the OCS isotopologues, 16O12C32S, 16O12C34S, 16O13C32S, 16O12C33S, and 18O12C32S, were least-squares fitted to determine strength parameters, Sv and Herman-Wallis coefficients. Finally, the intensities of 17 additional very weak bands were estimated to provide an extensive new database of OCS line parameters to support remote sensing of Venus. The integrated intensity in cm−1/(molecule cm−2) at 296 K is 8.1×10−19 for the 3800–4200 cm−1 region.
Mises’ democracy–dictatorship equivalence theorem: A critique

Ludwig von Mises argues that public opinion, not the form of government, is the ultimate determinant of policy. The implication is that, holding public opinion constant, democracies and dictatorships will have the same policies—a result I call Mises’ Democracy–Dictatorship Equivalence Theorem. According to Mises, dictators have to comply with public opinion or else they will be overthrown. I argue that he seriously overestimates the power of revolution to discipline dictators. Mises was perceptive to note that, in practice, “dictatorially imposed” policies are often democratically sustainable, but he neglected several mechanisms—all more plausible than the threat of revolution—capable of explaining this fact.
CD13 is dispensable for normal hematopoiesis and myeloid cell functions in the mouse

The robust and consistent expression of the CD13 cell surface marker on very early as well as differentiated myeloid hematopoietic cells has prompted numerous investigations seeking to define roles for CD13 in myeloid cells. To address the function of myeloid CD13 directly, we created a CD13 null mouse and assessed the responses of purified primary macrophages or DCs from WT and CD13 null animals in cell assays and inflammatory disease models, where CD13 has been implicated previously. We find that mice lacking CD13 develop normally with normal hematopoietic profiles except for an increase in thymic but not peripheral T cell numbers. Moreover, in in vitro assays, CD13 appears to be largely dispensable for the aspects of phagocytosis, proliferation, and antigen presentation that we tested, although we observed a slight decrease in actin-independent erythrocyte uptake. However, in agreement with our published studies, we show that lack of monocytic CD13 completely ablates anti-CD13-dependent monocyte adhesion to WT endothelial cells. In vivo assessment of four inflammatory disease models showed that lack of CD13 has little effect on disease onset or progression. Nominal alterations in gene expression levels between CD13 WT and null macrophages argue against compensatory mechanisms. Therefore, although CD13 is highly expressed on myeloid cells and is a reliable marker of the myeloid lineage of normal and leukemic cells, it is not a critical regulator of hematopoietic development, hemostasis, or myeloid cell function.
Source Localization from Received Signal Strength Under Log-Normal Shadowing: Bias and Variance

This paper considers statistical issues of source localization from received signal strength (RSS) measurements affected by log-normal shadowing with focus on bias and variance. We characterize the class of all unbiased estimates of the source position and show that their error variances grow exponentially with the noise power. Finally, we propose an estimate the bias and error variance of which are both bounded in the noise power.
The Effects of American Sign Language as an Assessment Accommodation for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Students who are deaf or hard of hearing (SDHH) often need accommodations to participate in large-scale standardized assessments. One way to bridge the gap between the language of the test (English) and a student's linguistic background (often including American Sign Language [ASL]) is to present test items in ASL. The specific aim of this project was to measure the effects of an ASL accommodation on standardized test scores for SDHH in reading and mathematics. A total of 64 fifth- to eighth-grade (ages 10-15) SDHH from schools for the deaf in the United States participated in this study. There were no overall differences in the mean percent of items students scored correctly in the standard vs. ASL-accommodated conditions for reading or mathematics. We then conducted hierarchical linear regression analyses to analyze whether measures of exposure to ASL (home and classroom) and student proficiency in the subject area predicted student performance in ASL-accommodated assessments. The models explained up to half of the variance in the scores, with subject area proficiency (mathematics or reading) as the strongest predictor. ASL exposure was not significant with the exception of ASL classroom instruction as a predictor of mathematics scores.
Single-Dose Pharmacokinetics of a Pleconaril (VP63843) Oral Solution and Effect of Food

Pleconaril is an orally active broad-spectrum antipicornaviral agent which demonstrates excellent penetration into the central nervous system, liver, and nasal epithelium. We report the results of a randomized two-way crossover study designed to characterize the disposition of a single dose (200 mg) of pleconaril oral solution in fed and fasting humans. Twelve healthy adult subjects (18.7 to 39 years of age) participated in this study. Each subject received a single 200-mg dose of pleconaril oral solution, both coadministered with a standard English breakfast and following a 10-h predose fast. There was a minimum 7-day washout period between pleconaril doses. Repeated blood samples (n = 10) were obtained over 24 h postdose, and the pleconaril level in plasma was quantified by gas chromatography. Plasma concentration-versus-time data were curve fitted for each subject by using a nonlinear weighted least-squares algorithm, and pharmacokinetic parameters were determined from the polyexponential estimates. Pleconaril disposition was best characterized by a one-compartment open model with first-order absorption. The apparent bioavailability of pleconaril oral solution was significantly increased with the administration of food. The area under the concentration-time curve and maximum concentration of pleconaril in plasma achieved following the standard English breakfast (i.e., 9.08 +/- 3.23 mg/liter . h and 1.14 +/- 0.58 mg/liter, respectively) were 2.2- and 2.5-fold higher, respectively than those achieved in the fasting state (i.e., 4.08 +/- 2.74 mg/liter . h and 0.46 +/- 0.30 mg/liter, respectively). Mean plasma pleconaril concentrations 12 h after a single 200-mg oral dose (fed, 0.25 +/- 0.2 mg/liter; fasting, 0.11 +/- 0.10 mg/liter) in healthy adults remained greater than that required to inhibit more than 90% of the enteroviruses in cell culture (i.e., 0.07 mg/liter). To enhance the oral bioavailability of pleconaril, coadministration with a fat-containing meal is recommended.
Parallel Poisson disk sampling with spectrum analysis on surfaces

The ability to place surface samples with Poisson disk distribution can benefit a variety of graphics applications. Such a distribution satisfies the blue noise property, i.e. lack of low frequency noise and structural bias in the Fourier power spectrum. While many techniques are available for sampling the plane, challenges remain for sampling arbitrary surfaces. In this paper, we present new methods for Poisson disk sampling with spectrum analysis on arbitrary manifold surfaces. Our first contribution is a parallel dart throwing algorithm that generates high-quality surface samples at interactive rates. It is flexible and can be extended to adaptive sampling given a user-specified radius field. Our second contribution is a new method for analyzing the spectral quality of surface samples. Using the spectral mesh basis derived from the discrete mesh Laplacian operator, we extend standard concepts in power spectrum analysis such as radial means and anisotropy to arbitrary manifold surfaces. This provides a way to directly evaluate the spectral distribution quality of surface samples without requiring mesh parameterization. Finally, we implement our Poisson disk sampling algorithm on the GPU, and demonstrate practical applications involving interactive sampling and texturing on arbitrary surfaces.
Interdigitated Microstrip Coupler Design

A design procedure for four-line interdigitated couplers is presented which provides excellent agreement between performance and actual coupler dimensions. The inclusion of a correction term for the finite metal thickness of the microstriplines is significant. Using existing odd-and-even mode impedance data of only two coupled lines in the array actual coupling coefficients in the 2.5-6.5-dB range are predictable to within /spl plusmn/0.05 dB. Graphs are shown which relate fabrication tolerances of dielectric constant and physicaf fine dimensions to deviations in coupling and characteristic coupler impedance. The design was verified on 3-, 5-, and 6-dB couplers in the 1-5-GHz frequency range.
Sonography of cat scratch disease.

Objectives To characterize the sonographic features of cat scratch disease and to identify features that allow differentiation from other causes of medial epitrochlear masses. Methods After Institutional Review Board approval was obtained, patients who underwent sonography for a medial epitrochlear mass or lymph node were identified via the radiology information system. Patients were divided into 2 groups: cat scratch disease and non-cat scratch disease, based on pathologic results and clinical information. Sonograms were retrospectively reviewed and characterized with respect to dimension, shape (round, oval, or lobular), symmetry, location (subcutaneous or intramuscular), multiplicity, echogenicity (anechoic, hypoechoic, isoechoic, hyperechoic, or mixed), hyperechoic hilum (present or absent), adjacent anechoic or hypoechoic area, hyperemia (present or absent), pattern of hyperemia if present (central, peripheral, or mixed), increased posterior through-transmission (present or absent), and shadowing (present or absent). Sonographic findings were compared between the patients with and without cat scratch disease. Results The final patient group consisted of 5 cases of cat scratch disease and 16 cases of other causes of medial epitrochlear masses. The 2 sonographic findings that were significantly different between the cat scratch disease and non-cat scratch disease cases included mass asymmetry (P = .0062) and the presence of a hyperechoic hilum (P = .0075). The other sonographic findings showed no significant differences between the groups. Conclusions The sonographic finding of an epitrochlear mass due to cat scratch disease most commonly is that of a hypoechoic lobular or oval mass with central hyperemia and a possible adjacent fluid collection; however, the presence of asymmetry and a hyperechoic hilum differentiate cat scratch disease from other etiologies.
Proton tolerance of fourth-generation 350 GHz UHV/CVD SiGe HBTs

We report, for the first time, the impact of proton irradiation on fourth-generation SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) having a record peak unity gain cutoff frequency of 350 GHz. The implications of aggressive vertical scaling on the observed proton tolerance is investigated through comparisons of the pre-and post-radiation ac and dc figures-of-merit to observed results from prior SiGe HBT technology nodes irradiated under identical conditions. In addition, transistors of varying breakdown voltage are used to probe the differences in proton tolerance as a function of collector doping. Our findings indicate that SiGe HBTs continue to exhibit impressive total dose tolerance, even at unprecedented levels of vertical profile scaling and frequency response. Negligible total dose degradation in /spl beta/ (0.3%), f/sub T/ and f/sub max/(6%) are observed in the circuit bias regime, suggesting that SiGe HBT BiCMOS technology is potentially a formidable contender for high-performance space-borne applications.
Improving Efficiency of Estimation and Testing for Censored Data Using Auxiliary Covariates

This research improves upon standard nonparametric survival estimation and testing in the two sample censored data problem. First, a survival estimator which uses prognostic covariates to more precisely get at the underlying survival curves in the presence of censoring is defined. This estimator has a smaller asymptotic variance than the usual Kaplan-Meier estimator and reduces to the Kaplan-Meier when the covariate is not prognostic or no censoring occurs. Also, this estimate remains consistent when the incorporated covariate contains information about both the censoring process and survival. Since the Kaplan-Meier is biased in this situation the author's estimate is recommended. Using this more efficient survival estimator, a more powerful test statistic for detecting differences in clinical trials is then defined. Sequential methods for using this test are also discussed. This research allows researchers to study primary endpoints rather than taking the risk of substituting a surrogate marker which may...
Risk factors and angiographic technical considerations to guide carotid intervention.

Carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) with embolic protection is currently accepted as treatment for patients considered to be at high risk for carotid endarterectomy (CEA). The purpose of this study was (1) to determine what proportion of patients treated with CEA would be categorized as “high” risk by currently accepted criteria, (2) to characterize preoperative angiographic findings in patients with carotid stenosis, and (3) to determine the potential technical challenges of CAS in these patients. Consecutive patients who underwent CEA from January 1999 through August 2004 prior to introduction of CAS at our institution were identified. Demographics, indications, perioperative complications, and deaths were reviewed. Published guidelines defining high risk for CEA were applied, and preoperative angiograms were examined for technical limitations to CAS. Two hundred and seventy-nine CEAs were performed in 259 patients for asymptomatic carotid occlusive disease (57%), transient ischemic attacks (35%), or stroke (8%) during the study period. Of these, 35.5% ( n = 99) would have met one or more high-risk criteria. Overall risks of perioperative stroke, myocardial infarction, and death were 1.1%, 2.2%, and 0.4% ( n = 279), respectively, with a combined major complication rate of 3.3%. No difference in major complication rates was observed between standard-risk and high-risk patients. Preoperative angiograms were available for review in 83.5% of CEAs ( n = 233). The distribution of aortic arch configurations included types I (3.5%), IIa (39.5%), IIb (54.5%), and III (1.3%). Aortic arch anomalies were observed in 15.5% ( n = 35) of angiograms. There were 77.7% ( n = 181) with one or more angiographic findings that would have increased the technical difficulty of CAS, but only 17.6% had relative angiographic contraindications to CAS. A significant proportion of patients with carotid stenosis previously managed with CEA would be categorized as high risk and considered potential candidates for CAS by currently accepted criteria. Based on preoperative angiography, technically challenging factors, some of which limit the ability to perform CAS, are common and should be anticipated when planning CAS.
Genetic Diversity of Ixodid Ticks Parasitizing Eastern Mouse and Dwarf Lemurs in Madagascar, with Descriptions of the Larva, Nymph, and Male of Ixodes lemuris (Acari: Ixodidae)

Abstract: The ixodid ticks parasitizing small-bodied nocturnal mouse and dwarf lemurs (Primates, Cheirogaleidae) in Madagascar are poorly documented. At Tsinjoarivo, a high-altitude eastern rain forest, mouse and dwarf lemurs were parasitized by ixodid ticks. At Ranomafana, a montane southeastern rain forest, dwarf lemurs hosted a species of Ixodes, whereas mouse lemurs were parasitized by Haemaphysalis lemuris. Ixodes specimens represent all active stages, and females are morphologically consistent with previous descriptions of Ixodes lemuris females, the only described stage in the literature. Morphological comparisons and genetic analysis using fragments of COI gene confirm that all Ixodes ticks from Tsinjoarivo and Ranomafana forests belong to the same species, i.e., Ixodes lemuris. Thus, we are able to provide descriptions of the previously unknown larva, nymph, and male. Mouse lemurs at both locations were parasitized only by immature stages of I. lemuris (at Tsinjoarivo) or H. lemuris (at Ranomafa...
Clinical Information Systems for Primary Care: More Than Just an Electronic Medical Record

Massachusetts General Hospital Senior Health has integrated a computer-based clinical information system into all aspects of its patient care. This technology includes a longitudinal medical record but has broader functionality that encourages communication, education, and quality improvement activities. Care of geriatric patients is often challenging because of the complex nature of their clinical presentations. The case presented here, a patient at risk for stroke, illustrates how a clinical information system can facilitate quality care. The benefits, as well as difficulties, experienced as the system was integrated into the program’s clinical practice are also described.
Hardware implementation of genetic algorithm modules for intelligent systems

A genetic algorithm (GA) is an intelligent search strategy supported by operations inspired by biological evolution. Although a GA is able to find very good solutions for a variety of applications, it typically requires many computations and iterations to be effective, and the amount of time consumed by these computations and iterations is enormous. Thus, software implementations of GAs applied to increasingly complex problems and large search spaces can cause unacceptable delays. An alternative to this approach is the hardware implementation of GAs in order to achieve tremendous speedup over software counterparts by exploiting the inherent parallelism of the GA paradigm. This paper presents the design of libraries of hardware modules for a GA system - one library in the Hardware Description Language (HDL) Verilog HDL and one in the language VHDL. Each library is based on a widely used MATLAB library
Nicotine Nasal Spray as an Adjuvant Analgesic for Third Molar Surgery

Purpose To determine the efficacy of preoperatively administered nicotine nasal spray (3 mg) for analgesia after third molar (TM) surgery. Materials and Methods A single-center, prospective, randomized, double-blind, crossover trial was conducted. The study population consisted of 20 nonsmoking patients referred to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Columbia University College of Dental Medicine for extraction of all 4 TMs. Each patient received nicotine nasal spray or placebo spray before TM surgery. At a subsequent visit the contralateral TMs were removed with prior administration of the alternate treatment. For an hour postoperatively, subjects reported information on pain and nausea, and hemodynamic variables were recorded at 15-minute intervals. Telephone follow-up was recorded for 5 days postoperatively, where patients reported information on pain, nausea, and use of hydrocodone/acetaminophen as rescue analgesia. Results Nicotine treatment was associated with a highly significant decrease in pain reported during the 5 days after TM surgery. There was no difference in the amount of hydrocodone/acetaminophen used or amount of nausea reported. There was a small but significant increase in heart rate after nicotine treatment compared with placebo during the first hour after surgery. There was no difference in blood pressure between groups. Conclusion Pain is well controlled by hydrocodone/acetaminophen in most patients after TM surgery. However, there is significant variability in pain reported. Nicotinic agonists represent a new class of analgesic that can be considered for patients who are expected to have significant opioid-resistant pain after TM surgery. Caution should be used with patients in whom a small increase in heart rate would be deleterious.
An Integrated Decomposition and Partitioning Approach for Irregular Block-Structured Applications

We present an integrated domain decomposition and data partitioning approach for irregular bloc k-structured methods in scientific computing. We have demonstrated the method for an application related to Ocean modeling. Our approach gives better results than other methods that we have found in the literature. We have compared the domain decomposition part with the Berger-Rigoutsos point clustering algorithm and the partitioning part with a multilev elmethod used in Metis, a bin pac king method, and an inverse space filling curve algorithm. The partitions produced with our approach give lower run times, i.e. higher parallel efficiency, for our application than all the other partitions we have tried. Moreover, the integrated approach gives a possibility to further improve the parallel efficiency compared to doing the decomposition and partitioning in two separate steps.
Retinal toxicity to antimalarial drugs: chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine: a neurophysiologic study.

Over a 30-year period, 29 cases of antimalarial retinal toxicity were studied in a tertiary medical center. Three cases of chloroquine and 26 cases of hydroxychloroquine toxicity were studied. A number of these cases were studied before multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) became available and show how insensitive the corneal full-field flash ERG is in diagnosing this condition. It became apparent that even mfERG failed to diagnose some early patients who either had an abnormal fundus examination or Humphrey’s automated perimetry (protocol 10-2). The age of the patient and the number of years of exposure to antimalarial drugs appears to be directly related to the development of this retinal disorder. All three of the “quantitative retinal tests” recommended in the “Guidelines” – mfERG, spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and autofluorescence – fail to identify all of the cases of antimalarial retinal toxicity. mfERG is probably the most sensitive of the three tests, but no direct comparison has yet been accomplished. None of these “quantitative tests” appear to provide the “gold standard” necessary for detecting early hydroxychloroquine retinal toxicity.
Identification of Distinct Luminal Domains for Macromolecules, Erythrocytes, and Leukocytes Within Mammalian Capillaries

A thick endothelial surface coat consisting of the glycocalyx and associated plasma proteins has been hypothesized to reduce functional capillary volume available for flowing plasma macromolecules and blood cells. The purpose of this study was to compare anatomic and functional capillary diameters available for macromolecules, RBCs, and WBCs in hamster cremaster muscle capillaries. Bright-field and fluorescence microscopy provided similar estimates (mean +/- SE) of the anatomic capillary diameter: 5.1 +/- 0.1 microns (bright field, 39 capillaries in 10 animals) and 5.1 +/- 0.2 microns (membrane dye PKH26, 18 capillaries in 2 animals). Estimates of functional diameters were obtained by measuring the width of RBCs and WBCs and the intracapillary distribution of systemically injected fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran 70. WBCs (5.1 +/- 0.2 microns) fully occupied the anatomic capillary cross section. In contrast, the widths of RBCs (3.9 +/- 0.2 microns, 21 capillaries in 8 animals) and FITC-dextran (4.3 +/- 0.2 microns, 21 capillaries in 8 animals) were significantly smaller than the anatomic capillary diameter. Continuous (1- to 5-minute) excitation of fluorochromes in the capillary lumen (light-dye treatment) increased the width of RBCs passing the treated site from 3.6 +/- 0.3 to 4.4 +/- 0.3 microns (6 capillaries in 4 animals) and the width of the FITC-dextran column from 4.1 +/- 0.2 to 4.6 +/- 0.3 microns (10 capillaries in 7 animals). Furthermore, light-dye treatment increased capillary tube hematocrit by 60% in 40-microns-long capillary segments compared with untreated sites in the same capillaries. It is concluded that the wall of skeletal muscle capillaries is decorated with a 0.4- to 0.5-microns-thick endothelial surface coat, which may represent the true active interface between blood and the capillary wall.
Mapping biological structure by finite element analysis

By the reformulation of image mapping as a problem in the mechanics of deformable bodies, image mapping is transformed into a process of finite-element analysis. A class of deformable models is developed based on the physical properties of elastic objects is presented. A force field is derived from the boundary information of the image. This force field is used to deform the elastic model so that the model closely matches the boundary in the image. Characteristics of the image data and difficulties in its modeling are examined. Compensating matching strategies, each corresponding to an elastic model, are developed. >
Spillover to form CH3O on Pt/Al2O3 and Pd/La2O3

Abstract Temperature-programmed reaction was used to study hydrogenation of CO on Pt/Al 2 O 3 and Pd/La 2 O 3 catalysts. Coadsorbed CO and H 2 form CH 3 O on the supports, and this CH 3 O hydrogenates faster than CO adsorbed on the metals. This spillover process may be responsible for the higher methanation activities observed with Al 2 O 3 and La 2 O 3 supports.
Demonstration of Frequency Control and Diode Laser Injection Control of a Titanium-Doped Sapphire Ring with No Internal Optical Elements

Narrow bandwidth, near infrared, tunable lasers are under consideration for space-based measurements of atmospheric species, temperature, and pressure. These measurements typically require bandwidth and frequency control of less than one picometer. One picometer bandwidth implies operation on a few axialmodes of the laser, however wavemeter design for frequency control can be simplified by single axial mode operation. Pulsed multi-mode injection control of a Ti:Sapphire without any passive wavelength selection has been reported in ref. 1. Single axial mode operation can best be accomplished in solid state lasers using ring cavities to avoid spatial hole burning. Achievement of narrow bandwidth operation in a pulsed laser typically requires a series of frequency narrowing elements in the cavity and may require some type of cavity Q variation to allow time for the pulse to narrow. The intracavity elements are usually lossy and are often easily damaged.
Anisotropic polaron localization and spontaneous symmetry breaking: Comparison of cation-site acceptors in GaN and ZnO

The behavior of cation substitutional hole doping in GaN and ZnO is investigated using hybrid density functional calculations. Our results reveal that Mg substitution for Ga $({\mathrm{Mg}}_{\mathrm{Ga}})$ in GaN can assume three different configurations. Two of the configurations are characterized by the formation of defect-bound small polaron (i.e., a large structural distortion accompanied by hole localization on one of the neighboring N atoms). The third one has a relatively small but significant distortion that is characterized by highly anisotropic polaron localization. In this third configuration, ${\mathrm{Mg}}_{\mathrm{Ga}}$ exhibits both effective-mass-like and noneffective-mass-like characters. In contrast, a similar defect in ZnO, ${\mathrm{Li}}_{\mathrm{Zn}}$, cannot sustain the anisotropic polaron in the hybrid functional calculation, but undergoes spontaneous breaking of a mirror symmetry through a mechanism driven by the hole localization. Finally, using ${\mathrm{Na}}_{\mathrm{Zn}}$ in ZnO as an example, we show that the deep acceptor levels of the small-polaron defects could be made shallower by applying compressive strain to the material.
Temperature-Dependent Absorption and Ultrafast Luminescence Dynamics of Bi-Icosahedral Au25 Clusters

Temperature-dependent absorption and ultrafast luminescence dynamics of [Au25(PPh3)10(SC6)5Cl2 ]2+ (Au25-rod) was studied and compared with [Au25(SC6)18]− (Au25-sphere) and Au38(SC2Ph)24 (Au38-rod) to understand the influence of the crystal structure on the optical properties of monolayer protected gold clusters. The temperature-dependent absorption of Au25-rod shows a shift in the absorption maximum to high energies and a small increase in the oscillator strength with decrease in temperature. The energy shift was modeled via the O’Donnell and Chen relationship, which yielded average phonon energy of 160 ± 80 cm–1, quite smaller than the 350 cm–1 observed for Au25-sphere and Au38-rod. There is an increase in the oscillator strength with a decrease in temperature of about 40% for Au25-rod while it is nearly 250% for Au25-sphere and more than 180% for Au38-rod. The oscillator strength increase is attributed to the coupling of core-gold exciton and shell-gold phonons. The smaller increase in the oscillator s...
Power Supply Rapid Restoration Scheme of Gas Insulated Switchgear Bus Fault Trip

Owing to the closed characteristics of gas insulated switchgear(GIS)devices,handling of GIS equipment accident has become more complicated than that of open devices.An analysis is made of the rapid power supply scheme after GIS bus trip accident.In this scheme,the fault area is accurately located just using fault recorded data through protection principles,the protection setting value of lines and transformers without the need of modifying and restoring the manually set isolating switch status of bus protection.The fault of lines,transformers and bus can be removed without delay during the restoration of power supply,while the power recovery rate and the stability of power grid are improved greatly.The proposed scheme has some engineering application value in handling GIS bus trip accidents.
A hybrid incremental projection method for thermal-hydraulics applications

A new second-order accurate, hybrid, incremental projection method for time-dependent incompressible viscous flow is introduced in this paper. The hybrid finite-element/finite-volume discretization circumvents the well-known Ladyzhenskaya-Babuska-Brezzi conditions for stability, and does not require special treatment to filter pressure modes by either Rhie-Chow interpolation or by using a Petrov-Galerkin finite element formulation. The use of a co-velocity with a high-resolution advection method and a linearly consistent edge-based treatment of viscous/diffusive terms yields a robust algorithm for a broad spectrum of incompressible flows. The high-resolution advection method is shown to deliver second-order spatial convergence on mixed element topology meshes, and the implicit advective treatment significantly increases the stable time-step size. The algorithm is robust and extensible, permitting the incorporation of features such as porous media flow, RANS and LES turbulence models, and semi-/fully-implicit time stepping. A series of verification and validation problems are used to illustrate the convergence properties of the algorithm. The temporal stability properties are demonstrated on a range of problems with 2 ? C F L ? 100 . The new flow solver is built using the Hydra multiphysics toolkit. The Hydra toolkit is written in C++ and provides a rich suite of extensible and fully-parallel components that permit rapid application development, supports multiple discretization techniques, provides I/O interfaces, dynamic run-time load balancing and data migration, and interfaces to scalable popular linear solvers, e.g., in open-source packages such as HYPRE, PETSc, and Trilinos. A new second-order hybrid finite-element/finite-volume projection algorithm for transient viscous flow has been introduced.The hybrid discretization prevents pressure modes without using Rhie-Chow interpolation or a Petrov-Galerkin formulation.A monotonicity-preserving advection method shown to deliver second-order accuracy on mixed element topology meshes.Verification studies demonstrate hybrid projection solver accuracy and temporal stability for super-CFL conditions.
Stable expression of a human HSP70 gene in a rat myogenic cell line confers protection against endotoxin

Recent reports show that a pre-heat shock has a protective effect against endotoxin “in vivo” in rodents. It has remains unclear what actually confers the protection against endotoxin. One candidate for this protective effect is the heat shock protein of 70 kDa (HSP70). We found that a mild heat shock pretreatment is the rat myogenic cell line, H9c2(2-1), confers resistance to a subsequent exposure to endotoxin. A myogenic rat cell line stably transfected with the human inducible HSP70 exhibits an increased survival rate compared with cells stably transfected solely with the selectable neomycin marker gene or the parental cell line H9c2(2-1) when exposed to endotoxin. The mechanism of endotoxin-induced cell injury is postulated to be through the generation of nitric oxide in these myogenic cells during exposure to endotoxin. We conclude that HSP70, regardless of the particular mechanism of cytotoxicity, plays a role in protecting the cell against the deleterious effects of endotoxin.
Microstructural evolution of ASTM grade 91 after long-term creep testing

Modified 9Cr–1Mo steel (ASTM grade P/T91) is conventionally applied in the construction of high efficiency supercritical and ultra-supercritical boilers, reaching metal temperatures up to 600–610 °C. As a part of the characterisation process of commercial pipes, Tenaris has performed over the years several long-term creep tests, with duration up to over 100,000 h, for temperatures between 550 and 650 °C. Microstructural characterisation has been performed on broken specimens, including analysis of the state of precipitation after TEM imaging of extraction replicas. The evolution of M23C6 coarse carbides, and MX carbo-nitrides, as well as the nucleation of new phases, such as Laves and Z are described in this paper. Observations reveal Laves phase nucleation and growth peak at 600 °C, whereas almost no particles were observed after ageing at higher temperature; moreover, transformation of MX carbo-nitrides into Z-phase is also faster at 600 °C, and slows at higher temperature.
Comments on “Modal Solution of a Point Source in a Strongly Focusing Medium” by E. T. Kornhauser and A. D. Yaghjian

A comparison is made between papers of Kornhauser and Yaghjian (1967) and Gazarian (1957). The two are found to cover many similar aspects of the same problem. Rays and caustics not considered in the above two papers are found and are plotted for some typical parameters.
Modularization of Electrical Systems in the Oil and Gas Industry in the North Slope of Alaska

Oil and gas production facility installations in the North Slope of Alaska require a high degree of modularization. This paper will present a modularization concept for a large gas treatment plant intended for installation on the North Slope. This paper discusses design trends and techniques used in the optimization and integration of the electrical design, and the use of 3-D modeling to expedite the design, coordination, and assembly at the fabrication yard and at site.
The Sierra Leone Special Court and its Legacy: From Nuremberg to Freetown: Historical Antecedents of the Special Court for Sierra Leone

The trajectory from Nuremberg to the Special Court for Sierra Leone is one of tragedy and triumph. Since Nuremberg, the idea has been that no one may commit crimes of jus cogens with impunity. Among the functions of the post-conflict tribunals has been the inscription of memory, the definition of a national narrative, and the giving of a voice to former victims. In the face of crimes of tremendous enormity and horror, judgment necessarily grows in a symbolic dimension. Sometimes this is because the defendants can only be convicted of a small percentage of the crimes they committed due to evidentiary problems. Always it is because victims never can be restored to their status quo ante. Horrors that may be said to rival those that preceded the Nuremberg trials have been repeated, not, it seems, deterred, yet states today are binding themselves to each other through international treaties in an almost universal movement. This introductory chapter examines some of the roots of the Nuremberg trials as the foreparent of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
Anosmia, Ageusia, and Other Disorders of Chemosensation

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a study on anosmia, ageusia, and other disorders of chemosensation. The chapter provides the nomenclature used to characterize disorders of tasting and smelling, examines a number of commonly encountered chemosensory pathologies, and describe up-to-date means for quantitatively assessing, managing, and treating taste and smell disorders. Disorders of the chemical senses are varied, ranging from phantom sensations that appear in the absence of any obvious stimuli to altered or reduced sensations in response to modality-appropriate stimuli. Anosmia reflects the inability to perceive odors, whereas ageusia reflects the inability to perceive tastants. Such losses can be for all modality-specific stimuli or for just some such stimuli. Lessened function for odorants or tastants are termed hyposmia or hypogeusia respectively, and can be further subdivided, on the basis of quantitative testing, into mild, moderate, and severe categories. Hypergeusia or hyperosmia reflects abnormally heighted taste or smell sensations, whereas taste or smell agnosia reflects the inability to recognize a taste or smell sensation even though sensory processing, language, and general intellectual functions are essentially intact, as in some stroke patients. Distorted smell sensationsare termed dysosmias or parosmias, whereas distorted taste sensations are termed dysgeusias or parageusias. Proper oral hygiene and routine dental care are of paramount importance for proper chemosensory function. The chapter discusses natural course of olfactory disorders, natural course of taste disorders, principles of therapy, and others.
Stochastic linear systems subject to constraints

This work deals with an optimal covariance control problem for stochastic discrete-time linear systems subject to mean sum constraints involving quadratic functions of the state and the control input sequences under the assumption of full state information. We show that the stochastic optimal control problem is equivalent to a deterministic nonlinear program, which, under a judicious choice of the decision variable, can be brought to a form in which its performance index is a convex, quadratic function subject to both equality and inequality quadratic constraints. The key challenge here stems from the fact that the equality constraints that result from the terminal constraints on the state covariance may not be necessarily convex. We show, however, that by employing a simple relaxation technique, the nonlinear program is associated with a convex program, which can be addressed by means of robust and efficient algorithms. Despite the fact that the solution to the relaxed convex program will not necessarily give closed-loop trajectories whose endpoints follow exactly the goal Gaussian distribution, a representative sample of such trajectories are expected to have endpoints that will be more concentrated near the origin than if there were drawn from the goal Gaussian distribution. Finally, numerical simulations that illustrate some key ideas of the paper are presented.
Tips for Young Scientists on the Junior Faculty/Independent Investigator Job Search

Landing a job as an assistant professor or independent investigator in neuroscience in an academic institution or research institute depends on the accomplishments young scientists make during years of training as graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. This training prepares scientists for an array of exciting job opportunities, one of which is as a faculty member or independent investigator. My goal in this NeuroView is to provide tips about the job search for young scientists who have decided to enter the junior faculty/independent investigator job market. Rather than serving as a "protocol for getting a job," these tips are aimed at providing information that will make each candidate better prepared for her or his job search.
Deciphering CaMKII Multimerization Using Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy and Homo-FRET Analysis.

Abstract While kinases are typically composed of one or two subunits, calcium-calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is composed of 8–14 subunits arranged as pairs around a central core. It is not clear if the CaMKII holoenzyme functions as an assembly of independent subunits, as catalytic pairs, or as a single unit. One strategy to address this question is to genetically engineer monomeric and dimeric CaMKII and evaluate how their activity compares to the wild-type (WT) holoenzyme. Here a technique that combines fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and homo-FRET analysis was used to characterize assembly mutants of Venus-tagged CaMKII α to identify a dimeric CaMKII. Spectroscopy was then used to compare how holoenzyme structure and function changes in response to activation with CaM in the dimeric mutant, WT-holoenzyme, and a monomeric CaMKII oligomerization-domain deletion mutant control. CaM triggered an increase in hydrodynamic volume in both WT and dimeric CaMKII without altering subunit stoichiometry or the net homo-FRET between Venus-tagged catalytic domains. Biochemical analysis revealed that the dimeric mutant also functioned like WT holoenzyme in terms of its kinase activity with an exogenous substrate, and for endogenous T286 autophosphorylation. We conclude that the fundamental functional units of CaMKII holoenzyme are paired catalytic-domains.