cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characteristics and performance of a modified version of the ADCS-CGIC CIBIC+ for mild cognitive impairment clinical trials

Introduction The Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Clinical Global Impression of Change (ADCS-CGIC) was modified for use in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) trials and tested in the ADCS MCI randomized clinical trial of donepezil, vitamin E, and placebo. We assessed feasibility for its use by determining whether or not: (1) it distinguished a medication effect at 6 months and 12 months, (2) baseline demographic or clinical characteristics predicted change, (3) there was an association between MCI-CGIC and change in other clinical measures in order to evaluate external or concurrent validity. Methods We used a generalized estimating equations approach for ordinal outcome data to test the effects of treatment, baseline characteristics, and change in clinical measures on the MCI-CGIC over 12 months, and ordinal logistic regression to assess the association between MCI-CGIC and change in clinical measures at 6 months and 12 months. Results On the MCI-CGIC overall, 12.9% and 10.6% were rated as having improved, and 31.6% and 39.8% as having worsened over 6 months and 12 months, respectively. The MCI-CGIC did not distinguish the donepezil or vitamin E groups from placebo at 6 and 12 months treatment. Variables at screening or baseline that were associated with worse CGIC scores over 6 and 12 months included white race, greater years of education, worse depression, dementia severity rating, cognitive, and daily activities scores, and lower memory domain scores on a neuropsychological battery. Rate of worsening on the MCI-CGIC over 12 months was associated with change on the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive and on executive function. Worsening at 6 months and 12 months, separately, were associated with the corresponding change in Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive, Activities of Daily Living, Beck Depression Inventory, Mini-Mental State Examination, Clinical Dementia Rating sum of boxes, memory, and executive function. Conclusions Change detected by the MCI-CGIC was associated with baseline clinical severity and with change in clinical ratings over 6 and 12 months, supporting the validity of a CGIC approach in MCI. The effect size of the donepezil-placebo difference was similar to that of other outcomes at 12 months. About 40% of MCI patients were judged worse and about 11% improved, consistent with clinical experience and other ratings.
Coronary Endothelial Function in Health and Disease

The endothelium participates in the control of coronary vascular tone and growth through the release of vasodilating and growth-inhibiting factors such as nitric oxide (NO) and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), and vasoconstricting and growth-promoting substances such as endothelin-1 (ET-1). Abnormalities in NO and/or CNP generation or actions have been demonstrated in various cardiovascular pathophysiological states, specifically atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia. Moreover, an increase in plasma ET-1 levels has also been reported in these disease states. When these observations are considered together, these states may be characterised by an attenuated release or action of NO and/or CNP, together with an augmented release of ET-1. Thus, an imbalance between these opposing factors may contribute to the alteration in vascular tone and the vascular remodelling characteristics of cardiovascular disease. The following article summarises the present knowledge of endothelial control of the coronary circulation and derangements associated with coronary endothelial dysfunction.
Evidence that Akt mediates platelet-derived growth factor-dependent increases in activity and surface expression of the neuronal glutamate transporter, EAAC1.

Previously we have shown that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) rapidly increases the activity of the neuronal glutamate transporter, EAAC1. This increase in activity is associated with a rapid (within minutes) redistribution of transporter from a subcellular compartment to the plasma membrane and is blocked by inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). Similar effects of PI3K inhibitors have been observed for insulin-dependent up-regulation of the GLUT4 subtype of glucose transporter. Although GLUT4 regulation also depends on the serine–threonine kinase (Akt/protein kinase B), a downstream target of PI3K, the downstream effectors responsible of PDGF-dependent regulation of EAAC1 have not been identified. In the present study, PDGF increased the level of Akt phosphorylation (Ser 473) in C6 glioma cells, a cell line that has been used to study regulated trafficking of endogenous EAAC1. Two inhibitors of PI3K blocked this effect. In transient transfection studies, a dominant negative mutant of Akt-1 blocked PDGF-induced redistribution of epitope-tagged EAAC1 (myc-EAAC1). Conversely, constitutively active Akt-1 (CA Akt-1) increased the cell surface expression of myc-EAAC1. A lentiviral vector engineered to express CA Akt-1 increased Akt activation, cell surface expression of endogenous EAAC1, and Na+-dependent glutamate transport activity. Together, these studies suggest that Akt is required for PDGF-induced regulation of EAAC1.
Ion implantation studies on VOx films prepared by pulsed dc reactive sputtering

Abstract Vanadium oxide (VOx) thin films find extensive use in room-temperature bolometers for IR imaging. It is desirable to control and modify the electronic properties of this temperature-sensitive material with treatments such as ion implantation and thermal annealing. In this work, we report on the modification of structural and electrical properties of VOx thin films of varying compositions, deposited by pulsed dc reactive sputtering using a vanadium target under different oxygen flow rates. The as-deposited resistivities of the films ranged from 0.1 Ω cm to 100 Ω cm and the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) values varied from −1.1% to −2.7%. VOx films used in microbolometers need to have a high TCR (>2%) and low resistivity values (1–10 Ω cm) in order to maximize sensitivity in conjunction with the read-out integrated circuit (ROIC). However, one usually finds a high TCR associated with high resistivity. Hence ion implantation followed by annealing was performed with the goal of improving the trade-off between TCR and resistivity. Two species – hydrogen (active) and helium (inert) – were chosen for implantation. Hydrogen is strongly electroactive and is well known for passivating defect states in a wide variety of electronic materials. As inert species, helium was chosen mainly to study the effects of bombardment on the film. The implanted films were annealed in an inert atmosphere to allow defect control and redistribution of atoms, and then characterized by current–voltage measurements over a wide temperature range. An order of magnitude change in resistance, and significant variations in TCR were observed. Further characterization has been done by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) to correlate these resistivity changes with the structure of the films.
Distributed Automatic Generation Control Using Flatness-Based Approach for High Penetration of Wind Generation

To allow for high penetration of distributed generation and alternative energy units, it is critical to minimize the complexity of generator controls and the need for close coordination across regions. We propose that existing controls be replaced by a two-tier structure of local control operating within a global context of situational awareness. Flatness as an extension of controllability for nonlinear systems is a key to enable planning and optimization at various levels of the grid in this structure. In this study, flatness-based control for automatic generation control (AGC) of a multi-machine system with high penetration of wind energy is investigated. The local control tracks the reference phase which is obtained through economic dispatch at the global control level. As a result of applying the flatness-based method, the n machine system is decoupled into n linear controllable systems in canonical form. Therefore, the control strategy results in a distributed AGC formulation which is significantly easier to design and implement compared to conventional AGC. Practical constraints such as generator ramping rates can be considered in designing the local controllers. The proposed strategy demonstrates promising performance in mitigating frequency deviations and the overall structure could facilitate operation of other nontraditional generators.
The effect of mineral supply on the mineral concentration and nutritional quality of plants

The mineral composition of plants is a function of many factors, such as difference in soils, use of soil amendments or fertilizers, and rainfall and other climatic influences. These factors overlap in their effects or work simultaneously. One factor may influence another. Thus, the effect of climate on the plant is partly direct and partly the result of the development by climatic factors of certain soil characteristics. Differences in these factors will naturally operate to modify the mineral composition of the plant in different ways. For example, it is possible (a) for the mineral composition of two plants of the same variety growing in different soils to be significantly different without there being any important difference in their size or the distribution of their parts, such as leaf, stem or seed head; (b) for the growth (yield) of plants of the same variety to vary in different soils without any important differences in the proportions of the parts of the plants; (c) for two plants of the same variety growing in different soils to have quite different distributions of leaf, stem or head; and (d) for environmental factors to so modify the quantities of plant constituents such as protein, carbohydrate, lignin and cellulose as to influence the percentage distribution of other constituents, as by a deposition of starch with a consequent reduction in the percentage composition of the mineral elements. The properties of two soils may be such as to modify the natural flora and thus to produce plants quite different in mineral composition. The evaluation of the influence of these factors on plant composition is still proceeding, and much valuable information of fundamental importance is being obtained. The nutritional diseases of animals which have been traced to soil characteristics may be divided into two general classes. The first,
A Comparison of Chinese and US College Students’ Crime and Crime Control Views

While there is a growing trend to look at criminal justice issues from an international perspective, there has been little literature examining differences in views of crime, criminals, punishment, and treatment between the citizens of the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America. Using data from 524 students at a large university in China and 484 students from a large public university in the USA this study found that, while US respondents were more likely to agree that crime was high in their country, Chinese respondents were more likely to feel that crime was the most serious social problem facing their society. Chinese respondents were more supportive of the death penalty for serious crimes but also were more supportive of rehabilitation of offenders in general. In addition, the study found similarities between students from the two countries in their views. The reasons behind the differences and similarities were explored.
HOST‐PLANT PREFERENCES AND THEIR INDUCTION IN LARVAE OF THE GYPSY MOTH, LYMANTRIA DISPAR

When first-instar larvae of gypsy moths are given a choice between red oak and white oak, American beech, red maple, or grey birch, red oak is preferred. Excluding red oak, beech is then highly preferred by first instars; whereas maple is strongly rejected by all tested instars. Second instars can be induced to feed on a host plant by rearing them on that host plant, but strong preference for oak is retained regardless of previous feeding experience. Larval feeding on a synthetic diet did not make an unacceptable plant subsequently acceptable, but did increase tolerance for a normally less acceptable species. The relationship between acceptability and budbreak is discussed. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG WIRTSPFLANZENPRAFERENZ UND DEREN INDUKTION BEI RAUPEN DES SCHWAMMSPINNERS, LYMANTRIA DISPAR Es wurden Praferenzversuche mit Erststadium-Raupen des Schwammspinners, Lymantria dispar, durchgefuhrt. Den Raupen wurde die Wahl gelassen zwischen zwei der folgenden Wirtspflanzen: Roteiche (Quercus rubra L.), Weisseiche (Quercus alba L.), Rotahorn (Acer rubrum L.), Amerikanische Buche (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.), Graubirke (Betula populifolia Marsh.). Allgemein bevorzugten die Jungraupen Roteiche. Ahorn wurde in allen Versuchen stark und eindeutig abgelehnt. Raupen wurden auf Rotahorn, Roteiche, Amerikanischer Birke oder einem synthetischen Medium gezogen bis zum 2., 3. oder 4. Stadium. In diesen Zeitpunkten wurde ihnen die Wahl zwischen drei Wirtspflanzen gegeben. Die Art der Aufzucht beeinflusste die starke Bevorzugung aller Stadien von Eiche nicht. Obwohl die Zucht auf dem kunstlichen Medium nichtakzeptable Pflanzen nicht zu akzeptablen Pflanzen machte, tolerierten solche Raupen, wie auch altere Raupen, die wenig akzeptablen Pflanzen besser. Die Resultate stutzen die Hypothese, dass das erste Larvenstadium bei der Wirtswahl und bei der Ausbreitung mitbeteiligt ist. Zudem wird die Annahme gestutzt, dass die tendenzielle Moglichkeit zur Induktion auf eine neue Pflanze vom Grad der Polyphagie der Art beeinflusst ist.
Detection and prevalence of the tetracycline resistance determinant Tet Q in the microbiota associated with adult periodontitis

Subgingival plaque samples were collected from 68 patients with a history of moderate to severe adult periodontitis and enumerated on Trypticase-soy blood agar plates, with and without tetracycline at 4 micrograms/ml. Each different colony morphotype was enumerated, and a representative colony was subcultured for identification and examined for the tetracycline resistance gene tet(Q) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and DNA hybridization, using a fragment of tetA(Q)2 from Bacteroides fragilis 1126. PCR primers (5'-GGCTTCTACGACATCTATTA-3' and 5'-CATCAACATTTATCTCTCTG-3') were chosen to amplify a 755 bp region of tet(Q). The subgingival plaque samples were also tested by PCR. Approximately 12% of the total cultivable flora was resistant to tetracycline, and the percentage of the tetracycline-resistant cultivable flora with the tet(Q) gene varied greatly from one patient to another with a range from 0.0 to 67%. Half of the 68 subgingival plaque samples were positive or weakly positive for tet(Q) by PCR. Approximately 15% of the 210 isolates subcultured with resistance to tetracycline, (> or = 4 micrograms/ml) contained tet(Q), and 60% contained tet(M). All of the tet(Q)-resistant isolates were gram-negative anaerobic bacilli and included all of the Prevotella and Bacteroides isolates.
Patterns and consequences of ungulate herbivory on aspen in western North America

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) forests develop complex, multi-story structure and speciose plant communities, which provide habitat for ungulates and diverse wildlife species. Successfully recruiting aspen sprouts and seedlings provide important sources of structural, functional and genetic diversity vital to resilient aspen forests. Chronic ungulate browsing of regenerating aspen can degrade aspen community structure and diversity. This simplifies food webs and can have negative implications for ecosystem resilience. This paper explores how patterns of ungulate herbivory in aspen forests are influenced by and affect bottom–up and top–down forces in aspen ecosystems. We outline management strategies aimed at decreasing ungulate and livestock impacts on aspen and increasing sprout survival and recruitment. The body of aspen research indicates that herbivory is more heterogeneous in areas that contain human hunters, predators, or fire on the landscape. The complexities of ungulate herbivory and fire on aspen ecosystems, especially in relation to scale, are imperfectly understood. Wildlife agencies responsible for elk (Cervus elaphus) and deer (Odocoileus spp.) populations should consider management strategies that use ungulate herbivory impacts on ecosystems such as aspen as indicators of sustainable herd densities. To increase aspen resilience in the face of current and future environmental change, we recommend a multi-faceted approach that involves enhancing bottom–up forces while decreasing top–down impacts from ungulates.
Activity-dependent regulation of conductances in model neurons

Neurons maintain their electrical activity patterns despite channel turnover, cell growth, and variable extracellular conditions. A model is presented in which maximal conductances of ionic currents depend on the intracellular concentration of calcium ions and so, indirectly, on activity. Model neurons with activity-dependent maximal conductances modify their conductances to maintain a given behavior when perturbed. Moreover, neurons that are described by identical sets of equations can develop different properties in response to different patterns of presynaptic activity.
Insulin signaling pathways in lepidopteran ecdysone secretion

Molting and metamorphosis are stimulated by the secretion of ecdysteroid hormones from the prothoracic glands. Insulin-like hormones have been found to enhance prothoracic gland activity, providing a mechanism to link molting to nutritional state. In silk moths (Bombyx mori), the prothoracic glands are directly stimulated by insulin and the insulin-like hormone bombyxin. Further, in Bombyx , the neuropeptide prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) appears to act at least in part through the insulin-signaling pathway. In the prothoracic glands of Manduca sexta, while insulin stimulates the phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and Akt, neither insulin nor bombyxin II stimulate ecdysone secretion. Involvement of the insulin-signaling pathway in Manduca prothoracic glands was explored using two inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), LY294002 and wortmannin. PI3K inhibitors block the phosphorylation of Akt and 4EBP but have no effect on ecdysone secretion, or on the phosphorylation of the MAPkinase, ERK. Inhibitors that block phosphorylation of ERK, including the MEK inhibitor U0126, and high doses of the RSK inhibitor SL0101, effectively inhibit ecdysone secretion. The results highlight differences between the two lepidopteran insects most commonly used to directly study ecdysteroid secretion. In Bombyx, the PTTH and insulin-signaling pathways intersect; both insulin and PTTH enhance the phosphorylation of Akt and stimulate ecdysteroid secretion, and inhibition of PI3K reduces ecdysteroid secretion. By contrast, in Manduca, the action of PTTH is distinct from insulin. The results highlight species differences in the roles of translational regulators such as 4EBP, and members of the MAPkinase pathway such as ERK and RSK, in the effects of nutritionally-sensitive hormones such as insulin on ecdysone secretion and molting.
Role of acetylcholine in control of sexual behavior of male and female mammals

The results of studies using systemic or central applications of cholinergic drugs suggest that acetylcholine makes important contributions to the neurochemical control of male- and female-typical reproductive behaviors. In males, cholinergic control seems largely specific to some elements or aspects of copulatory behavior that can vary significantly across species. Synapses in or near the medial preoptic area represent part of this mechanism, but the entire system appears to extend more widely, perhaps especially to one or more structures flanking some part of the lateral ventricle. In females, the lordosis response that essentially defines sexual receptivity is clearly responsive to cholinergic drugs. The same seems likely to be true of other elements of female sexual behavior, but additional studies will be needed to confirm this. Changes in cholinergic activity may help to mediate estrogenic effects on female sexual behavior. However, estrogen exposure can increase or decrease cholinergic effects, suggesting a relationship that is complex and requires further analysis. Also presently unclear is the localization of the cholinergic effects on female sexual responses. Though periventricular sites again have been implicated, their identity is presently unknown. This review discusses these and other aspects of the central cholinergic systems affecting male and female sexual behaviors.
Adequacy of training data for evolutionary mining of trading rules

A crucial issue related to data mining on time-series is that of training period duration. The training horizon used impacts the nature of rules obtained and their predictability over time. Longer training horizons are generally sought, in order to discern sustained patterns with robust training data performance that extends well into the predictive period. However, in dynamic environments patterns that persist over time may be unavailable, and shorter-term patterns may hold higher predictive ability, albeit with shorter predictive periods. Such potentially useful shorter-term patterns may be lost when the training duration covers much longer periods. Too short a training duration can, of course, be susceptible to over-fitting to noise. We conduct experiments using different training horizons with daily-data for the S&P500 index and report the sensitivity of the performance of the obtained rules with respect to the training durations. We show that while the performance of the rules in the training period is important for inducing the "best" rules, it is not indicative of their performance in the test-period and propose alternative measures that can be used to help identify the appropriate training durations.
Allergy to food odors

Abstract 1.1. A series of nine cases of atopic dermatitis is reported. In these patients allergic symptoms were provoked by inhalation of vapors or odors from foods, either cooked or raw. 2.2. The importance of recognizing this factor in the management of infantile eczema is stressed. 3.3. The possibility of sensitizing infants to foods by this route is considered.
The biosynthesis of thiamine. IV. Inhibition by vitamin B6 compounds.

A novel method for the synthesis of the mono- and pyrophosphate esters of 2-methyl-4-amino-5-hydroxymethylpyrimidine has been described. The inhibitory effect of vitamin B6 compounds on the biosynthesis of thiamine has been shown to be due primarily to the inhibition by pyridoxal phosphate of the enzymic reaction whereby thiamine monophosphate is formed from the monophosphate ester of 4-methyl-5-(2-hydroxyethyl)thiazole and the pyrophosphate ester of 2-methyl-4-amino-5-hydroxymethylpyrimidine. Kinetic experiments indicated that the inhibition is of a “mixed” type, i.e., a mixture of a purely noncompetitive type and a partially competitive type (partially competitive with the pyrophosphate ester of 2-methyl-4-amino-5-hydroxymethylpyrimidine).
Ultrastructure of the Bacterial Symbiotes in the Pharyngeal Diverticulum of Dacus oleae (Gmelin) (Trypetidae; Diptera)

The ultrastructure of the bacterial symbiotes in the pharyngeal diverticula of adult olive flies [Dacus oleae (Gmelin)] was examined. The diverticulum was an extension of the foregut formed by a row of epithelial cells bounded by an inner layer of cuticle. Towards the hemolymph, the epithelial cells showed an infolding of their basement membrane while adjacent to the cuticular lining, the cells contained a zone of extensive membrane proliferation. The diverticula were packed with bacterial rods which possessed elongate filamentous and short catenulate appendages. The function of these appendages is unknown. They did not resemble fimbriae (pili), flagella or prosthecae described from other bacteria.
Measuring Alphabetic Reading Skills in a Group: New Alternatives:

This study examined the validity and feasibility of a group-administered test of alphabetic reading skills for first-grade students. Two versions of a phonemic spelling test (production and multiple-choice) were administered in classroom groups to 153 students. Measures of vocabulary, phoneme awareness, letter sound knowledge, phonemic decoding, and sight word efficiency were administered individually. Results indicated that the phonemic spelling test was a reliable and valid measure of letter sound knowledge and phonemic decoding. Phonemic spelling accounted for significant variance in word reading and phonemic decoding beyond that accounted for by vocabulary, letter sound knowledge, and phonemic awareness. These results suggest that the group-administered test of phonemic spelling is a promising and reliable measure of alphabetic reading skills in first-grade students and therefore should be used by teachers in place of more time consuming screening instruments.
Collisionally activated decompositions of gaseous ions: the effect of multiple collisions

Multiple collisions can provide a simple and predictable way to vary the energy transferred by collision to an ion of high kinetic energy. For CH4+ precursor ions of energy 9.8. keV, a high collision-gas pressure (8.5% transmittance) produces a collisional activation (CA) spectrum indicating collisionai energy transfer equivalent to that from 64-keV CH4+ ions under single-collision conditions, reflecting the 3.6 (weighted average) collisions undergone by each ion at the high pressure. Equations are derived to explain the effect of collision-gas pressure on CA product-ion yield. Doubling the ion kinetic energy decreases the collisional-loss cross-section by ∼30% while increasing the collisional-activation cross-section by ∼5%. Multiple collisions should be particularly important for obtaining characteristic CA spectra of high-mass ions.
Thermal destruction ofListeria monocytogenes in liver sausage slurry

Abstract Thermal destruction ofListeria monocytogenes was determined in a liver sausage slurry (1:1, liver sausage batter and water) using a submerged ampule technique.D-values forL. monocytogenes Scott A grown at 37°C were 8·9 min at 57·2°C, 2·4 min at 60·0°C, and 1·1 min at 62·8°C (Z=6·2°C) based on analysis of the linear portion of the survivor curves.D-values of 6·6, 1·6, and 0·4 min (Z=4·65°C) were obtained when the data were analyzed using non-linear techniques.L. monocytogenes strain V7 (D60=1.0min) was more thermosensitive than Scott A (D60=1·6min) or HO-VJ-S (D60=1·6min). When Scott A was grown at 19°C, there was a decrease in thermal resistance (D60=0·8min). These data indicate thatL. monocytogenes has a thermal resistance in liver sausage comparable to that observed in other food systems.
An Analysis of Taylor’s Data on Relative Luminous Efficiency of Various Colors

Taylor’s data on the relative luminous efficiency of various filter colors at intermediate intensities have been examined for evidence of rod-cone interaction. Shorter wavelengths show relatively less evidence of combined rod-cone function, with the “transition range” limited to approximately one log unit of intensity. Longer wavelengths show evidence of a broader transition range. Relationships of this sort are of significance to the theoretical basis of intermediate level photometry and to the understanding of the transition between rod and cone vision.
Synthesis of poly(L‐Tyr‐L‐Glu‐L‐Ala‐Gly) and poly(L‐Glu‐L‐Lys‐L‐Ala) and their circular dichroism spectra in aqueous solution

Two sequential polypeptides, poly(O-benzyl-L-Tyr-γ-benzyl-L-Glu-L-Ala-Gly) and poly(e-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-Lys-L-Glu-L-Ala), were synthesized, the former by the pentachlorophenyl ester of the tetrapeptide monomer and the latter by the azide of the tripeptide monomer. After deprotection and dialysis, poly(L-Tyr-L-Glu-L-Ala-Gly) was obtained in 71% yield and had a molecular weight of 53,000. The circular dichroism spectra (CD) of the polymer at pH's 7.2, 10.5, and 11.8 and of oligomers and of the monomer at pH 7.2 indicated that the polymer exists in an α-helical conformation. After deprotection, poly(L-Lys-L-Glu-L-Ala) was obtained in 37% yield and had a molecular weight of 3000. The CD spectra of the polymer at pH 7.2 and 2.8, and of the monomer at pH 7.2, indicated that the polymer is in a randomly coiled configuration.
Shape‐from‐shading and simulation of SEM images using surface slope and curvature

We have developed an alternative approach to Monte Carlo simulation for simulating SEM images, which is several orders of magnitude faster to compute, simulating an image in a fraction of a second. This approach also enables one to solve the inverse problem of reconstructing surface topography from SEM images within minutes to hours. Our method is limited to surfaces that are height fields and that are composed of only a single material. Also, we assume there are no charging affects and that the shading of the surface is rotation invariant (no detector asymmetry). We represent the input surface to our simulator as a height image with the same resolution as the desired SEM image. An SEM image is simulated from the height image by first convolving it with each of a set of filter kernels. Each of these filter kernels extracts local information about slope and curvature at different scales, and the resulting filtered images are combined to produce the simulated image. We fit our model to examples of height images and corresponding SEM images that are either generated synthetically using the Monte Carlo method or acquired from an actual SEM. In the case of real SEM images, the corresponding height image must be either known from design data or measured independently (e.g. using an AFM).
Robotic assisted surgery reduces readmissions compared with laparoscopy and laparotomy in the treatment of endometrial cancer in Washington State, 2008–2011

both groups is also not significant. Among the 131 surgical patients evaluated, 7 patients had leukocytosis and 4 (57.1%) of these seven had metastatic lymph nodes compared to 25 (20.2%) of 124 patients without leukocytosis; p=0.042. Conclusion: Our findings suggest an increased risk of lymph node metastases in patients with leukocytosis. Based on this finding, we recommend risk adapted imaging with PETCT scans or MRI to evaluate lymph node status in patients with leukocytosis in centers where these imaging studies are used selectively. This observation may be useful in risk stratification, better treatment planning and prognostication.
Beyond Textbooks: A Rationale for a More Inclusive Use of Literature in Preservice Special Education Teacher Programs

The role of any teacher education program in the field of special education has been to prepare its graduates to become successful classroom teachers. Teacher education programs have constantly searched for the best available practices to educate future teachers. Historically, textbooks have been the predominant form of information dissemination within the university culture. The use of textbooks, bound by structure and limited by content, has narrowed the knowledge base that teacher education graduates bring to their role as practitioners. The purpose of this paper is to promote the increased use of literature in preservice special education teacher preparation programs to better prepare educators to serve individual learners with special education needs.
Comment [on “Evidence suggests slab melting in arc magmas” by Defant and Kepezhinskas]

The recent summary of the adakite hypothesis by M. Defant and P. Kepezhinskas (Eos, 5 February 2001, p. 65) addresses several important issues that have arisen in regard to interpreting arc rocks during the past decade. Defant and Kepezhinskas imply that slab melting is a common process and that many arc volcanoes are composed dominantly of adakite that has interacted with the mantle wedge on its way to the surface. The interactions are further interpreted as the cause of much compositional (metasomatic) variation in wedge peridotite. I regard many of the statements made by Defant and Kepezhinskas as controversial. The main problems of the adakite model follow: 1) The definition is too broad and ambiguous and does not uniquely identify slab melts. For example, high-Mg andesite made by simple basalt-rhyolite mixing can easily be mistaken for adakite. And Defant and Kepezhinskas regard any silicic melt that is derived from a garnet-bearing source as an adakite. They offer no means of distinguishing slab melts from melts of garnet-bearing lower crust. Defant and Kepezhinskas do not reference geophysical data in their definition, but such data provide a way to discriminate between the two possibilities. In areas where geophysical interpretation strongly suggests lower crustal temperatures high enough for melt production, there is no compelling reason to maintain the adakite hypothesis.
Array-Based Vapor Sensing Using Chemically Sensitive, Carbon Black−Polymer Resistors

We describe herein the construction of a simple, low-power, broadly responsive vapor sensor. Carbon black−organic polymer composites have been shown to swell reversibly upon exposure to vapors. Thin films of carbon black−organic polymer composites were deposited across two metallic leads, and swelling-induced resistance changes of the films signaled the presence of vapors. To identify and classify vapors, arrays of such vapor-sensing elements were constructed, with each element containing the same carbon black conducting phase but a different organic polymer as the insulating phase. The differing gas−solid partition coefficients for the various polymers of the sensor array produced a pattern of resistance changes that can be used to classify vapors and vapor mixtures. This type of sensor array resolved common organic solvents, including molecules of different classes (such as aromatics from alcohols) as well as those within a particular class (such as benzene from toluene and methanol from ethanol). The r...
Stand and individual tree characteristics associated with Enaphalodes rufulus (Haldeman) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) infestations within the Ozark and Ouachita National Forests

Abstract Many oak decline events have been reported within the past century in the eastern U.S., and important causal factors often differ among them. Coincident with a recent decline event in upland oak-dominant forests of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma was an unexpected outbreak of a native cerambycid beetle, Enaphalodes rufulus (Haldeman), the red oak borer. A large range in estimates of oak mortality throughout affected forests was presumably due to variation in species composition, where oak-dominant areas experienced the greatest mortality. We chose eight sites across the Ozark and Ouachita National Forests of Arkansas, similar both topographically and by oak dominance, to determine if other stand or tree characteristics were important factors in variation of E . rufulus infestations across these forests. At each site, we sampled ∼125 dead, declining or healthy host Quercus rubra L., northern red oak. We created an estimate of the E . rufulus population level at each site during the recent outbreak using counts of dated larval gallery scars within a subset ( n = 120) of all Q . rubra sampled ( n = 976). We used classification tree partitioning to determine host tree characteristics that differed among dead, declining, and healthy Q . rubra . We also used classification tree partitioning, followed by logistic regression to determine stand characteristics that varied significantly among high, moderate and low infestation stands as well as between forests. Models indicated that trees which died were smallest, grew the least during the borer outbreak, and were apparently suppressed. These dying trees were likely poor competitors for resources, allowing neighboring survivors to experience a growth release during the E . rufulus outbreak. Larval survivorship was higher in trees which died, though larval densities were not greatest within these trees, which suggests that resistance in these individuals was compromised. At the stand level, differences between forests were apparently more important than those due to borer infestation. E . rufulus populations were higher at sites with lower Q . rubra basal area. This reduced basal area was likely a result of greater Q . rubra mortality at these sites during the borer outbreak in the early 2000s.
Comparison of manual and computer assisted ultrasonic guidance for transparenchymal percutaneous renal needle placement.

Purpose: We evaluated a novel computer based guidance system for deploying needles into the renal parenchyma. We compared it to current standards, including a fixed needle guide and a freehand technique.Materials and Methods: We performed an in vitro comparison followed by a porcine trial. The in vitro model consisted of a bath of ultrasound medium with suspended metallic targets. We compared the number of attempts and the time needed by the novel guide design with and without its software and a support arm vs the freehand approach. In the porcine model we tested the software guide with and without a support arm for targeting a 5 mm lesion embedded in the renal parenchyma. Impressions of difficulty, time, the number of attempts, needle tip visualization and needle tip divergence were documented.Results: Compared to freehand targeting the software guide and support arm decreased the number of targeting attempts in the in vitro model from 4.8 to 1.6 (p <0.001) and decreased the time required from 31.8 to 11...
Catharanthine: A novel stimulator of pancreatic enzyme release

The plant alkaloid, catharanthine, was shown to stimulate release of amylase from pancreatic fragments and to cause extensive degranulation of pancreatic acinar cells with accumulation of membrane material in the Golgi region. The extent and time course of maximal catharanthine stimulation was comparable to that induced by the cholinergic analog bethanechol. Antimycin inhibited the action of catharanthine while atropine did not. Removal of Ca2+ from the incubation medium inhibited amylase release induced by catharanthine but did not affect release induced by bethanechol. Catharanthine induced a delayed release of 45Ca2+ from prelabeled pancreatic fragments as compared to bethanechol. It is suggested therefore that catharanthine activates the physiological pathway controlling amylase release by causing a rise in cytoplasmic Ca2+ but the mechanism by which this occurs is different from that caused by physiological secretagogues.
T cell memory: fixed or flexible?

Contrary to results of previous studies using high frequencies of T cell receptor–transgenic T cells, new data indicate that when naive precursor frequencies approach endogenous levels, CD8+ effector and central memory T cell lineage commitment is fixed.
Effect of core topology on projectile penetration in hybrid aluminum/alumina sandwich structures

Abstract A series of hybrid sandwich structures were fabricated by shrink-fitting precision-ground prisms of alumina (CoorsTek grade AD 995) with triangular, trapezoidal or rectangular cross-sections into the voids of extruded sandwich panels made from Al 6061-T6. The panels were subjected to impact tests using hard steel spheres over the velocity range 570–1800 m s −1 . A combination of X-ray tomography, high-speed video imaging and cross sectioning of impacted samples was used to investigate the penetration mechanisms. We find that the ballistic performance of these structures, characterized by the ballistic limit and the exit velocity of impact ejecta beyond this limit, is significantly improved when triangular prisms are replaced by trapezoidal prisms, provided the base width of the prism exceeds about three times the projectile diameter. Additional performance improvements are obtained when the trapezoidal prisms are replaced by rectangular prisms, albeit at the expense of an increase in the lateral extent of damage. The variations in impact response are found to arise from: (i) the effect of prism size and shape on the degree of confinement of the ceramic by the metallic webs, (ii) the core web structure, which influences the fracture conoid angle in the transverse plane, and (iii) the spacing of web-face nodes on the back face, which governs the deflection and fracture of the back-face sheet.
Demonstration of the ultrafast response of 50-nm gate HEMTs using cw optical mixing techniques

The high speed response of 50-nm gate AlInAs/GaInAs/InP pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) have been used in optical mixing experiments to generate difference frequencies to 211 GHz from two continuous wave laser beams. A 16 dB signal to noise ratio was achieved. To our knowledge, this is the highest frequency optical mixing ever obtained for three-terminal devices. A broadband three wave mixing technique was employed to detect the optically mixed signals at these high frequencies. This scheme involves the nonlinear interaction of the optically generated signal with a millimeter wave signal electrically injected at the gate. The resulting signal, downshifted to W band, was radiated into the waveguide input of an external millimeter wave receiver system. To demonstrate the wide tunability of our system a sweep of frequencies from 160 - 190 GHz was performed. The HEMTs exhibited a relatively flat response with signal to noise ratios of greater than 12 dB. Ultrafast response of the HEMTs as indicated by cw mixing results was also characterized in the time domain using a picosecond electro-optic sampling system. To illustrate the use of the HEMTs in optical millimeter wave systems, optically mixed signals at 97 GHz, both continuous wave and modulated, were radiated into free space using a horn antenna. Modulation was obtained by injecting a baseband signal into the gate of the HEMT. Electrical characterization of the devices yielded cut-off frequencies of 228 GHz and a maximum oscillation frequency of 124 GHz.
Aprindine-induced polymorphous ventricular tachycardia☆

Abstract Five cases of aprindine-induced polymorphous ventricular tachycardia (torsade de pointes) are presented. In four cases, polymorphous ventricular tachycardia appeared after the oral administration of aprindine and in one patient after the intravenous administration of 400 mg of aprindine. One patient had mild hypokalemia at the time of polymorphous ventricular tachycardia so that a direct cause and effect relation between the drug and the tachycardia cannot be established. All five patients manifested Q-T prolongation and recurrent syncope due to polymorphous ventricular tachycardia. In all five, polymorphous ventricular tachycardia subsided once administration of aprindine was discontinued.
Modeling ring-barrier traffic controllers using Colored Timed Stochastic Petri Nets

As one of the many techniques used in modeling traffic processes and systems, Petri Nets are recognized as a tool for modeling in traffic signal control. In this paper, ring-barrier traffic signal control structure is modeled using Petri Nets. Colored Timed Stochastic Petri Nets is used in this paper to provide additional modeling capabilities. The proposed model incorporates all the main features of ring-barrier structure and includes the modeling of left-turning vehicles. We also describe and discuss possible control structures, previously developed Petri Net models and implementation issues.
Histamine Releasing Factors

There is increasing evidence that human basophils accumulate at sites of chronic inflammation, and, in particular, in allergic asthma. Investigators have, therefore, become very interested in identifying proteins that activate these cells. Recently, the gene encoding a candidate for this function, a novel molecule, the IgE-dependent histamine-releasing factor, was cloned.
Effects of high hydrostatic pressure on the mechanical behavior of a crystalline polymer–polyoxymethylene

The true stress-true strain behavior of polyoxymethylene, n(-CH2O), as an example of a bulk semi-crystalline polymer, has been investigated for constant hydrostatic environmental pressures from 1 atmosphere to 8 kilobars with the principal objectives of elucidating the factors controlling flow and fracture. Experiments were conducted in uniaxial tension at room temperature and constant strain rate. The tensile observations were supplemented by measurements of bulk compressibility and stress relaxation behavior at pressure. In contrast with metals and inorganic compounds, the modulus, yield stress and fracture stress of POM increase strongly with pressure by a factor of approximately three at 8 kilobars. The modulus increase is shown from the stress relaxation measurements to be associated with a pressure-induced increase in the β-transition temperature which points to the potential usefulness of the concept of pressure-temperature super-position of mechanical behavior. The characteristics of the pressure dependence of the yield stress demonstrate that yield criteria based on continum mechanics considerations, including the Mohr or Coulomb-Navier criterion, are not valid for general deformation (non-plane strain) conditions in this polymer. The concept of a critical volume change determining the initiation of yielding is suggested to be applicable to semi-crystalline polymers. Comparison with analogous changes in yield stress with temperature points to an increasing contribution to the control of yielding by the initially disordered regions with increasing pressure or decreasing temperature. The fracture behavior observed at pressure eliminates the concepts of a critical stress as a fracture criterion for POM and of a simple reduction in normal stress at points of stress concentration as the principal effect of the applied pressure on fracture.
Detecting corpus callosum abnormalities in autism subtype using planar conformal mapping

A number of studies have documented that autism has a neurobiological basis, but the anatomical extent of these neurobiological abnormalities is largely unknown. In this paper, we apply advanced computational techniques to extract 3D models of the corpus callosum (CC) and subsequently analyze local shape variations in a homogeneous group of autistic children. Besides the traditional volumetric analysis, we explore additional phenotypic traits based on the oriented bounding rectangle of the CC. In shape analysis, a new conformal parameterization is applied in our shape analysis work, which maps the surface onto a planar domain. Surface matching among different individual meshes is achieved by aligning the planar domains of individual meshes. Shape differences of the CC between autistic patients and the controls are computed using Hotelling T2 two-sample metric followed by a permutation test. The raw and corrected p-values are shown in the results. Additional visualization of the group difference is provided via mean difference map. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Jobless spells and re-employment wages

Many studies of job loss attribute the earnings losses associated with layoffs to the loss of job, occupation, and industry-specific human capital. This paper estimates the effect of jobless spells on post-layoff wages using data from the 1984 Panel of Survey on Income Participation for a sample of adult, white male workers who were permanently laid off between 1974 and 1984. The estimated impact of jobless spells on starting wages and survey date wages, several years after re-employment, are controlled for separations, layoffs, and quits and for individual and job characteristics. The estimates show that jobless spell durations reduce starting wages. Wage growth in the new job is lower for workers who experience long spell durations, a result that suggests acceptance of jobs which are poor matches compared to other workers who spend less time out of work following a layoff. The findings support labour force policies which minimize the amount of time a person is out of work.