cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A model management approach to business process reengineering

A prescriptive and analytical approach is taken to business process reengineering (BPR). The objectives are to provide precise guidelines for process redesign to take full advantage of the efficiencies created by information technologies, and to develop techniques to evaluate alternative structures. A decision-making paradigm of organizations is adopted, and organizational processes are viewed as collections of decision models. Such a simplified analytical model provides an effective methodology to describe and quantify the impact of information technology on organizational structures and processes. The model explains and quantifies a variety of organizational issues such as: the significance of hierarchical structures in organizations, the need for business process reengineering after the introduction of information technology, and the exact conditions under which information technology may (and should) lead to more or less centralized structures. Reoptimization of business processes after the introduction of information technology is formulated as a dynamic programming problem.
On the Mechanism of Action of Adrenocorticotropic Hormone THE INHIBITORY SITE OF CYCLOHEXIMIDE IN THE PATHWAY OF STEROID BIOSYNTHESIS

Abstract Cycloheximide, administered to rats in amounts that block protein synthesis in the adrenals, inhibits the stimulation of corticosterone production by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). In the present studies the effect of the antibiotic on the pathway of adrenal steroid hormone production from acetate to corticosterone is investigated. It is concluded that cycloheximide blocks the action of ACTH by preventing the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone (3β-hydroxypregn-5-ene-20-one).
Solar Wind Observations from the STEREO Perspective (2007–2009)

The STEREO two-spacecraft mission was launched in October 2006 and has been fully operational since January 2007. The scientific payload provides both in-situ and remote observations at 1 AU with (as of December 2009) up to 130° heliocentric longitudinal separation between the two spacecraft. The longitudinal and latitudinal vantage points available amongst the STEREO and L1 remote (SOHO) and in situ (Wind, ACE, SOHO) assets have provided unique opportunities for studying spatial and temporal variations in the solar wind at 1 AU. The longitudinal separation of the STEREO also provides a serendipitous proving ground for solar wind propagation and space weather predictive techniques and models. The extended period of solar quiet during the mission through 2009 has provided an opportunity for studying in-situ signatures of solar wind slow-high-slow speed stream interfaces and solar minimum ICMEs, yielding some new perspectives on their origins and propagation. In addition, with the incorporation of remote imaging that now extends from the solar disk to 1 AU, some solar wind features have been tracked directly and comprehensively from their solar source to the local measurements at 1 AU. In this chapter the solar wind observations in the STEREO era are presented in the context of the above and in relation to the prevalent solar cycle conditions.
John Lydgate and the Making of Public Culture

Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Tragic history: Lydgate's Serpent of Division 2. Social forms, literary contents: Lydgate's mummings 3. Tragedy and comedy: Lydgate's disguisings and public poetry 4. Spectacular culture: the Roman triumph Bibliography Index.
Evaluation of a training course in focused echocardiography for noncardiology house officers.

Objective To determine whether a training course in focused echocardiography can improve the proficiency of noncardiology house officers in accurately interpreting cardiovascular disease and echocardiography findings in dogs entering the emergency room setting. Design Prospective, blinded, educational study. Setting University veterinary teaching hospital. Study Subjects House officers underwent training in focused echocardiography. Fifteen dogs, including normal dogs and dogs with stable congenital or acquired cardiac disease, were used as study subjects during the laboratory session. Interventions A 6-hour curriculum on focused echocardiography was developed that included didactic lectures, clinical cases, and hands-on echocardiography. Measurements and Main Results Pre- and postcourse written examinations were administered to participants. House officers attended didactic lectures that were subsequently followed by a hands-on laboratory session and practical examination, which involved performing transthoracic echocardiography on dogs with and without cardiovascular disease. Twenty-one house officers completed the focused echocardiography training course. Written examination scores were 57 ± 12% before and 75 ± 10% after training (P 6 hours. Conclusion A focused echocardiography training course improved knowledge and yielded acceptable proficiency in some echocardiographic findings commonly identified in the emergency room. This training course was not able to provide the skills needed for house officers to accurately assess fluid volume status, identify cardiac masses, ventricular enlargement or hypertrophy, and certain cardiac diseases.
Political identity and moral education: A response to Jonathan Haidt’s The Righteous Mind

In The Righteous Mind, Jonathan Haidt claims that liberals have a narrower moral outlook than conservatives—they are concerned with fairness and relief of suffering, which Haidt sees as individualistic values, while conservatives care about authority and loyalty too, values concerned with holding society together. I question Haidt’s methodology, which does not permit liberals to express concerns with social bonds that do not fit within an ‘authority’ or ‘loyalty’ framework and discounts people who support liberal positions but do not self-ascribe as liberals. I also argue that of the six ‘moral foundations’, fairness and relief of suffering are more fundamental values than authority and loyalty, which are virtues only if their objects are worthy. Moral education programs must also encourage students to recognize some values as more urgent than others, and permit inquiry into the actual reasons for political behavior other than professed value commitments.
Scalable and Efficient Fine-Grained Cache Partitioning with Vantage

The Vantage cache-partitioning technique enables configurability and quality-of-service guarantees in large-scale chip multiprocessors with shared caches. Caches can have hundreds of partitions with sizes specified at cache line granularity, while maintaining high associativity and strict isolation among partitions.
Fluorous ionic liquids as solvents for the liquid-liquid extraction of metal ions by macrocyclic polyethers.

Abstract The predominant mode of strontium ion transfer from aqueous nitrate media into a series of 1-fluoroalkyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)]imides containing dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (DCH18C6) is shown to shift from cation exchange to strontium nitrato-crown ether complex partitioning as the length of the fluoroalkyl substituent is increased. Fluoroalkyl substituents are shown to be only slightly more effective than their non-fluorous analogs at inducing this shift. At the same time, the fluorinated ionic liquids (ILs) yield strontium distribution ratios as much as an order of magnitude lower than the corresponding 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium (Cnmim+) salts. Fluorous ILs thus appear to offer no compelling advantages over Cnmim+ ionic liquids as extraction solvents.
Large alluvial fans on Mars

Several dozen distinct alluvial fans, 10 to greater than 40 km long downslope are observed exclusively in highlands craters. Within a search region between 0 deg. and 30 deg. S, alluvial fan-containing craters were only found between 18 and 29 S, and they all occur at around plus or minus 1 km of the MOLA-defined Martian datum. Within the study area they are not randomly distributed but instead form three distinct clusters. Fans typically descend greater than 1 km from where they disgorge from their alcoves. Longitudinal profiles show that their surfaces are very slightly concave with a mean slope of 2 degrees. Many fans exhibit very long, narrow low-relief ridges radially oriented down-slope, often branching at their distal ends, suggestive of distributaries. Morphometric data for 31 fans was derived from MOLA data and compared with terrestrial fans with high-relief source areas, terrestrial low gradient alluvial ramps in inactive tectonic settings, and older Martian alluvial ramps along crater floors. The Martian alluvial fans generally fall on the same trends as the terrestrial alluvial fans, whereas the gentler Martian crater floor ramps are similar in gradient to the low relief terrestrial alluvial surfaces. For a given fan gradient, Martian alluvial fans generally have greater source basin relief than terrestrial fans in active tectonic settings. This suggests that the terrestrial source basins either yield coarser debris or have higher sediment concentrations than their Martian counterpoints. Martian fans and Basin and Range fans have steeper gradients than the older Martian alluvial ramps and terrestrial low relief alluvial surfaces, which is consistent with a supply of coarse sediment. Martian fans are relatively large and of low gradient, similar to terrestrial fluvial fans rather than debris flow fans. However, gravity scaling uncertainties make the flow regime forming Martian fans uncertain. Martian fans, at least those in Holden crater, apparently formed around the time of the Noachian-Hesperian boundary. We infer that these fans formed during an episode of enhanced precipitation (probably snow) and runoff, which exhibited both sudden onset and termination.
Gene polymorphism of vascular endothelial growth factor -1154 G>A is associated with hypertensive nephropathy in a Hispanic population.

The aim of this study was to determine the association between hypertensive nephropathy and gene polymorphisms of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in a self-reported Hispanic patient group. A total of 155 Hispanic living kidney donors as controls and a total of 86 Hispanic kidney transplant patients, whose renal failure was attributed to hypertensive nephropathy after ruling out diabetes mellitus or other causes, were genotyped for four different single nucleotide polymorphisms of VEGF: −2578 C>A (rs699947), −1154 G>A (rs1570360), −460 C>T (rs833061), and +936 C>T (rs3025039). The homozygous mutant type (AA) of VEGF −1154 G>A (rs1570360) was found with significantly higher frequency in the hypertensive nephropathy patients than in controls. On the other hand, homozygous wild type (GG) was found less frequently in the hypertensive nephropathy patient group than in the control group. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analyses revealed a high degree of LD among VEGF −2578 C>A (rs699947), VEGF −1154 G>A (rs1570360), and VEGF −460 C>T (rs833061). The haplotype analysis revealed that two haplotypes, CGTC and CATC (in the order of VEGF −2578 C>A (rs699947), −1154 G>A (1570360), −460 C>T (rs833061), and +936 C>T (3025039)), were significantly associated with hypertensive nephropathy in Hispanic patients. Hence, the −1154 G>A polymorphism (rs1570360) and two haplotypes (CGTC and CATC) of VEGF appear to be associated with hypertensive nephropathy in Hispanic patients who developed end-stage renal disease requiring kidney transplant.
Cytological changes occurring in the liver of coturnix quail with an acute arsenic exposure.

ABSTRACTCoturnix quail (Coturnix coturnix) were given acute oral doses of sodium arsenite (NaAsO2). On each of two successive days they received 1 mg sodium arsenite, followed by 3 mg on the third day. There was no observable difference between the arsenic-exposed quail liver and the controls at the light microscope level; however, swelling of granular endoplasmic reticulum (GER) in the hepatocytes of the arsenic-exposed quail was detected with electron microscopy. The swollen organelles were determined to be GER by their peripheral orientation around the mitochondria and the ribosomes attached to their cytoplasm-exposed membrane surfaces. The degree of swelling ranged from slight to severe, and was due to an osmotic imbalance possibly brought about by the indirect inhibition of the sodium pump by arsenic.
Respiratory action of the canine deep pectoral muscles

The potential respiratory action of the pectoral muscles is unclear. We studied the effect of electrically stimulated contraction of the deep pectoral muscles on intrathoracic pressure (Pes) and lung volume in 15 supine anesthetized dogs. Changes in Pes and lung volume were also compared with the forelimbs held at the animal's side and elevated 45 degrees to the horizontal plane to alter the mechanical advantage of the deep pectoral muscles. In all animals, bilateral supra-maximal stimulation of the deep pectorals produced negative changes in Pes (-5.9 +/- 0.6 cmH2O) and inspiratory changes in lung volume (324 +/- 44 ml) with the forelimbs elevated. Conversely, in all animals, stimulation of the deep pectorals with the forelimbs at the side produced positive changes in Pes (+ 2.6 +/- 0.2 cmH2O, Plt;0.001) and expiratory changes in lung volume (-113 +/- 16 ml, Plt;0.001). Furthermore, forelimb elevation increased deep pectoral muscle fiber length (mean change 39.9 +/- 7.5% of resting length, Plt;0.001) and reoriented fiber alignment with the rib cage more rostrally. These data indicate that the pectoral muscles exert a respiratory action on the rib cage. Moreover, forelimb posture affects the direction (i.e., inspiratory vs. expiratory) and magnitude of pectoral muscle mechanical action by altering muscle fiber alignment and precontraction length.
Freedom, Frailty, and Impurity

Part I raises some questions concerning the extent of our freedom on the view that Henry Allison's Kant's Theory of Freedom attributes to Kant, and the possibility, on that view, of weakness of will. Allison is correct to attribute to Kant the ‘Incorporation Thesis’: one is never compelled to do x just because one has a desire (even a very intense desire) to do x; a desire moves one to action only if one allows it to. But while the attribution seems correct, there is a puzzle: how, given the Incorporation Thesis, is weakness of will, or ‘frailty’, possible? Part II considers Kant's claim in The Doctrine of Virtue that we have an indirect duty to cultivate our sympathetic feelings. Allison's interpretation is unsatisfactory because it fails to steer clear of the ‘impurity’ problem: the interpretation seems to foist on Kant an endorsement of impurity, i.e. the seeking out of nonmoral reasons to induce one to do one's duty. To seek out such reasons is to cultivate an impure will, something Kant warns against...
The 34 kd pp60src substrate is located at the inner face of the plasma membrane

Abstract The subcellular localization of the 34 kd protein substrate of the pp60 src kinase was investigated by immunofluorescence microscopy and subcellular fractionation. When permeabilized fibroblasts were stained with a monoclonal anti-34 kd protein antibody, a diffuse reticular pattern was observed. The 34 kd protein was not exposed on the outside surface of the cell. Double immunofluorescence staining experiments established that the 34 kd protein distribution was similar to that of the membrane-associated protein α-spectrin. The 34 kd protein was found in cell sections to be concentrated along the cell edges. Taken together, these results suggested that the 34 kd pp60 src substrate was associated with the inside surface of the plasma membrane. This conclusion was supported by subcellular fractionation experiments in which the 34 kd protein was observed to fractionate with the plasma membrane. These localization studies support further the hypothesis that many of the primary effects of the pp60 src kinase occur at the plasma membrane.
Role of Hog1, Tps1 and Sod1 in boric acid tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

In order to identify genetic contributions to boric acid (BA) resistance, a yeast knockout collection was screened for BA-sensitive mutants. Prominent among the BA-sensitive mutants were strains with defects in the cytoplasmic part of the high osmolarity/glycerol (HOG) signalling pathway, the trehalose-synthesis pathway (TPS1/TPS2) and the copper–zinc superoxide dismutase SOD1. An analysis of HOG-pathway mutants and fluorescence microscopy of Hog1–GFP fusions showed that the non-redundant cytoplasmic components of the pathway, Pbs2p and Hog1p, are required to maintain BA resistance, but that import of the activated Hog1p kinase into the nucleus neither occurs during BA stress nor is necessary for wild-type-like BA tolerance. Pbs2p and Hog1p are also required to support normal morphogenesis during BA stress as their absence leads to BA-induced hyperpolarized growth. An analysis of Sod1p and Tps1p expression revealed that BA stress induces superoxide dismutase and increases trehalose synthesis activity, albeit only after a 7 h delay. We conclude that normal BA resistance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae depends on the functioning of HOG signalling, the trehalose synthesis pathway and superoxide dismutase activity.
Diet-induced obesity mediated by the JNK/DIO2 signal transduction pathway

The cJun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway is a key mediator of metabolic stress responses caused by consuming a high-fat diet, including the development of obesity. To test the role of JNK, we examined diet-induced obesity in mice with targeted ablation of Jnk genes in the anterior pituitary gland. These mice exhibited an increase in the pituitary expression of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), an increase in the blood concentration of thyroid hormone (T4), increased energy expenditure, and markedly reduced obesity compared with control mice. The increased amount of pituitary TSH was caused by reduced expression of type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase (Dio2), a gene that is required for T4-mediated negative feedback regulation of TSH expression. These data establish a molecular mechanism that accounts for the regulation of energy expenditure and the development of obesity by the JNK signaling pathway.
The Propagation of Core Lexicons Using On-line Language Resources and Savoir Faire

In this article, we discuss methodologies to extend computational semantic lexicons in a cost effective way using on-line language resources and savoir faire. First, we introduce the ecology of computational semantic lexicon acquisition, presenting two main methodologies: thesaurus-driven versus corpus-driven. Second, we describe an experiment to extend a semantics-based core lexicon with paradigmatic relations and predict the syntactic behavior of verbs based on their semantics; the automatically derived subcategorizations are first checked against corpora and then manually filtered. These lexicons have been developed within Mikrokosmos, a semantics-based machine translation system.
Trace metal leaching behavior studied through the use of parametric modeling of water borne soil particles fractionated with a split-flow thin cell

Leaching of particle-bound metals affects the ability of settling ponds and other engineered structures to remove metallic pollutants, and leaching behavior is related to particle size. In this investigation, water borne soil particles were leached and fractionated with a split-flow thin cell, and the metal loadings were quantified as a function of particle size. For comparison of the metal-loading curves, different empirical modeling procedures were investigated to convert the data to a precise functional form suitable for quantitative comparison of changes in differential loading as a function of particle size. Results of this investigation are presented for a soil sample before and after leaching caused by simulated acid rain conditions. Following simulated acid rain leaching, the shape of the differential distribution curves change, and these changes reflect the particle size mediated leaching behavior. For the soil used in this demonstration, simulated acid rain leaching shifted the differential loading toward larger particle sizes, and the magnitude of the shift varied significantly among the metals. Because settling rate decreases as the square of particle size, this could potentially affect management decisions for settling ponds receiving these particles. The high precision afforded by the analysis allows the development of insight into the leaching mechanisms through comparing "partial" acid rain leaching with "total recoverable" leaching by EPA Method 3050.
Excited electronic states of the fluorobenzenes by variable angle electron impact spectroscopy

Abstract Electron-impact excitation spectra of benzene, fluorobenzene, o -difluorobenzene, 1,3,5-trifluorobenzene, 1,2,3,4-tetrafluorobenzene, pentafluorobenzene, and hexafluorobenzene have been measured at impact energies of 50 eV and either 25 eV or 30 eV, and scattering angles from 5° to 80°. Each molecule shows an absorption maximum at about 3.9 eV corresponding to a singlet → triplet, π → π * , transition. In benzene, fluorobenzene, o -difluorobenzene, and 1,3,5-trifluorobenzene, an additional singlet → triplet transition was detected at about 5.6 eV. Three singlet → singlet transitions analogous to the 4.90, 6.20, and 6.95 eV transitions in benzene are seen in each of the fluorine-substituted molecules. The more highly substituted compounds exhibit an additional singlet → singlet transition that is most clearly observed in the hexafluorobenzene spectrum with a peak at 5.32 eV.
Properties of a penicillium GDP‐mannose: Glycopeptide mannosyltransferase solubilized with triton X‐100

Membranes from Penicillium charlesii were separated into 6 fractions by sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation. The least dense fraction (ρ = 1.1 g cm−3) contained GDP-mannose: glycopeptide mannosyltransferases that transferred [14C] mannose onto mannopyranosyl-(seryl/threoyl)-polypeptide and phosphogalactomannan regions of peptidophosphogalactomannan. Approximately 90% of the [14C] mannose incorporated was isolated as mannobiose following treatment of peptidophosphogalactomannan with 0.5 N NaOH. The remainder was located in phosphogalactomannan. About 10% of the membrane-bound mannosyltransferase activity was solubilized with 1% Triton X-100. The soluble mannosyltransferase activity was purified by affinity chromatography on peptidophosphogalactomannan-Sepharose 4B and ammonium sulfate fractionation. Mannose incorporation was shown to be a function of the concentration of added acceptor. No incorporation occurred in the absence of added acceptor or when MgCl2 was substituted for MnCl2. Peptidophosphogalactomannan, phosphogalactomannan, phosphomannan, and mannan, each obtained by appropriate treatment of peptidophosphogalactomannan from P. charlesii, served as mannosyl acceptors. In contrast, α-mannosidase treated peptidophosphogalactomannan did not serve an acceptor of mannosyl residues. Up to 70% of the mannose from GDP-mannose was transferred to added acceptor. Treatment of [14C] mannosyl-labeled peptidophosphogalactomannan with 0.5 N NaOH released 90% of the [14C] mannose as phosphogalactomannan and the remainder was released as mannobiose. [14C] Mannose-labeled phosphogalactomannan was subjected to acetolysis. Mannobiose was the major [14C]-labeled product isolated. Significant quantities of [14C] mannose were isolated also. These results show that soluble mannosyltransferase catalyzes the formation of (1–6)-linked mannosyl residues as well as the transfer of a mannosyl residue to a (1–6)-linked mannosyl residue in the phosphogalactomannan. The specificity of the enzyme is shown by its inability to catalyze mannosyl transfer to α-mannosidase treated peptidophosphogalactomannan, or to incorporate more than 2 mannosyl residues onto the phosphogalactomannan region. Presumably the second mannosyl residue is attached by a (1–2) linkage as the mannan contains only (1–6)- and (1–2)-linked mannosyl residues (Gander et al: J Biol Chem 249:2063, 1974). No evidence was obtained for the participation of a lipid-linked mannosyl-containing intermediate in this system.
An overview of current methods used for assessing surface flaws in nuclear reactor vessels

Abstract During the life of nuclear reactor vessels several inspections are performed on the pressure retaining components. After those inspections are performed, significant indications must be evaluated to determine if repair is needed. Section XI of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code gives guidelines for evaluation of the flaws found in the inspections. In this paper the primary steps in the evaluation procedure are assessed in light of current research. Several inadequacies are found in the procedure, especially in the shape assumed for fatigue crack growth and crack propagation-arrest events. The material properties specified for use in the procedure for initiation and arrest of cracks are shown to be overly conservative and in need of a statistical base. The stress intensity factor solution specified in this procedure is also shown to be overly conservative. On the basis of these inadequacies and over-conservatism, recommendations are made for changes in Section XI and future research.
Differential localization of ferritin and ferritin immune complexes in the spleen: Influence of the charge of ferritin

Prior studies have demonstrated that following administration to animals most antigens (Ag) localize within the red pulp whereas immune complexes (IC) are found in the white pulp. Using ferritin and ferritin IC, we describe a striking different localization of the Ag alone compared with the same AG complexed with its antibody. In addition, cationization of native ferritin (pI 4.5) to cationized ferritin (pI 7) decreases significantly the splenic uptake of the Ag but has no effect on the uptake of the respective ferritin IC by the white pulp.
The D1 agonist SKF 38393 increases dopamine release in the developing rat striatum.

Abstract Changes in extracellular levels of dopamine (DA), dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) following systemic injection of the D1 agonist SKF 38393, 10 mg/kg, the D1 antagonist SCH 23390, 0.5 mg/kg, or the mixed D1/ /D2 agonist apomorphine, 0.05 mg/kg, were monitored in the striatum of developing rats implanted with a dialysis probe. There was a significant age-related increase in DA in perfusates from adult and 35–36-days-old rats injected with SKF 38393 compared to 10–11- and 21–22-day-old rats. Also, SKF 38393 significantly decreased DOPAC and HVA in perfusates from 10–11-day-old rats when compared to the older aged rats. Pretreatment with SCH 23390 completely blocked the SKF 38393-induced increase in DA but not the SKF 38393-induced decrease in DOPAC and HVA. In contrast, there were no significant differences between ages in the response of DA to SCH 23390. However, SCH 23390 did produce a small, but significant, decrease in DOPAC and HVA at 10–11 days of age compared to the other ages. Forty minutes after injecting apomorphine, DA levels were decreased by 45% and remained near this level for the duration of the experiment. These results indicate that stimulation of DA D1, receptors can increase striatal DA release and that this ability is acquired between 21 and 35 days of age. This finding is consistent with the idea of opposing roles for DA D1 and D2 receptor subtypes.
Morphologic Correlates of Renal Growth Arrest in Neonatal Partial Ureteral Obstruction

To investigate the morphologic correlates of decreased renal blood flow and growth arrest resulting from chronic partial ureteral obstruction in the neonate, guinea pigs were subjected to unilateral ureteral constriction within the first 2 days of life and were studied at 3 and 8 wk of age. Severity of histologic changes in the obstructed and intact contralateral kidney was assessed by light microscopy. Morphometric glomerular measurements were made using a computerized tracing device. Since contralateral nephrectomy or administration of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (enalapril) result in increased blood flow to the obstructed kidney, morphologic changes were also examined in separate groups of animals subjected to these maneuvers, and were compared to appropriate controls. Ipsilateral chronic partial ureteral obstruction resulted in decreased glomerular volume (p less than 0.0001) and increased glomerular crowding associated with tubular dilatation and progressive glomerular sclerosis, tubular atrophy, and interstitial fibrosis. The intact contralateral kidney underwent hypertrophy with increase in glomerular volume (p less than 0.0001) and decreased glomerular density. Contralateral nephrectomy prevented the decrease in glomerular volume in the obstructed kidney and resulted in decreased glomerular density and reduced tubular atrophy at 3 wk of age. Enalapril prevented the decrease in glomerular volume at 3 wk of age, but glomerular and tubular changes progressed and were unaffected by enalapril at 8 wk. Left kidney glomerular volume was directly related to renal blood flow (r = 0.71, p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A branch and bound algorithm for constrained least squares

A new branch and bound algorithm is described for solving non-negative least squares problems. The method is extended to the case where a single equality constraint must also be satisfied. Simulations suggest that the new algorithm is considerably faster than several alternative methods, especially when most of the parameter estimates are strictly positive at the solution.
Vascular and extravascular volume changes due to elevated venous pressure.

SummaryAbrupt elevation of venous pressure causes an initial rapid and a secondary slow increase in total tissue volume (plethysmography). Changes in total tissue volume and blood conductivity from the isovolumetric state were determined to assess what factors determined the two components of the tissue volume change. The initial component of the plethysmo-graph record would appear to be 90% vascular volume change and 10% extra-vascular volume change. Since the two techniques measured identical amounts of capillary filtration during the second component of the recording there would seem to be no slow component of vascular volume increase following venous pressure elevation. Evidence that elevation of venous pressure causes myogenic closure of pre-capillary vessels isolating a segment of the microvasculature is presented.The authors express appreciation to Patricia McNulty and David Smith for technical assistance.This investigation was supported by Florida Heart Association, Suncoast Heart Association and ...
Measuring the specific contact resistance of contacts to semiconductor nanowires

Abstract Ohmic contacts to semiconductor nanowires are essential components of many new nanoscale electronic devices. Equations for extracting specific contact resistance (or contact resistivity) from several different test structures have been developed by modeling the metal/semiconductor contact as a transmission line, leading to the development of equations analogous to those used for planar contacts. The advantages and disadvantages of various test structures are discussed. To fabricate test structures using a convenient four-point approach, silicon nanowires have been aligned using field-assisted assembly and contacts fabricated. Finally, specific contact resistances near 5 × 10−4 Ω cm2 have been measured for Ti/Au contacts to p-type Si nanowires with diameters of 78 and 104 nm.
Retrospective cohort study of anti-tumor necrosis factor agent use in a veteran population.

Introduction. Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents are effective for several immunologic conditions (rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Crohn’s disease (CD), and psoriasis). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anti-TNF agents via chart review. Methods. Single-site, retrospective cohort study that evaluated the efficacy and safety of anti-TNF agents in veterans initiated between 2010 and 2011. Primary aim evaluated response at 12 months post-index date. Secondary aims evaluated initial response prior to 12 months post-index date and infection events. Results. A majority of patients were prescribed anti-TNF agents for CD (27%) and RA (24%). Patients were initiated on etanercept (41%), adalimumab (40%), and infliximab (18%) between 2010 and 2011. No differences in patient demographics were reported. Response rates were high overall. Sixty-five percent of etanercept patients, 82% of adalimumab patients, and 59% of infliximab patients were either partial or full responders, respectively. Approximately 16%, 11%, and 12% of etanercept, adalimumab, and infliximab were non-responders, respectively. Infections between the groups were non-significant. Etanercept and adalimumab patients had higher but non-significant odds of being a responder relative to infliximab. Conclusions. Most patients initiated with anti-TNF agent were responders at 12 months follow-up for all indications in a veteran population.
Observing and engaging in purposeful actions with objects influences estimates of their size

A ladle was recalled as being taller by participants who observed tedious removal of sand from it with a small teaspoon than by those who observed removal with a larger spoon. A second experiment showed that the number of darts thrown in order to hit a target correlated negatively with memory estimates of the size of the target, a finding replicated in a third experiment with size estimates made while the target was visible. The first two experiments suggest that the way an object is used can influence memory of its size. The third experiment supports the hypothesis that in vivo size estimation of familiar objects may employ a mechanism that derives size from memory and that size memory can be distorted by the way an object was used.
Absolute Contrast Enhancement

The basic idea of photographic masking is discussed, and two new methods for producing such masks are described. The conditions necessary to justify application of modulation transfer theory to the process are specified, and the theory is applied to demonstrate that it is possible to obtain a modulation transfer function greater than unity for a band of spatial frequencies. Experimental verification is described.
Mechanisms of Atrial Flutter —From MacWilliam in 1887 to Miyauchi in 2005—

John Alexander MacWilliam in 1887 was probably the first to describe the abnormal atrial rhythm known as atrial flutter. His work opened the way of correlating clinical electrocardiography with the actual visualization of the abnormal beating in the hearts of experimental animals. In his 1887 article in the Journal of Physiology he described the electrically-induced atria arrhythmias this way: ‘‘The application of the current sets the auricles into a rapid flutter, the rapidity of which largely depends upon the excitability of the auricular tissue and the strength of the current employed. The movements are regular; they seem to consist of a series of contraction originating in the stimulated areas and then spreading over the rest of the tissues. The movement does not show any distinct sign of inco-ordination, it looks like a rapid series of contraction waves passing over the auricular walls.’’ McWilliam also tested the influence of vagal stimulation on AFL and found that ‘‘the fluttering movement of the auricles can be checked or arrested by the influence of the vagus nerve.’’ Most interestingly, McWilliam was perhaps the first to observe an association between cardiac mechanical and electrical activity in the maintenance of an arrhythmia: ‘‘The vagus influence appears to act by weakening the individual contractions [of the atria] to the point of invisibility.’’ It was clear from the MacWilliam’s work that AFL was a rapid ( 300 to 400 beats/min) yet a regular rhythm that could be sustained over the atria causing rapid and regular series of contractions. When Einthoven first introduced the ECG recording technique in man in 1906, he made an actual electrocardiographic recording of AFL. However, it was Sir Thomas Lewis 1909 who recorded a case in a dog of AFL alternating with atrial fibrillation (AF) that he called ‘‘auricular paroxysmal tachycardia.’’ It was only in 1911, that Jolly and Ritchie applied the term ‘‘auricular flutter’’ to the clinical arrhythmia in man and described the characteristic ‘‘sawtooth waves’’ in the inferior ECG leads. Two years later, Sir Thomas Lewis established the diagnostic criteria of electrocardiographic of AFL as ‘‘the restless, sawtooth baseline’’ now known as the F waves, which today are recognized as the principal criterion for the diagnosis of AFL in man. The recognition and the electrocardiographic description of this arrhythmia led to intense efforts to determine the mechanism of the AFL that still continues today. It was in 1920 that Lewis and his colleagues provided the first mechanistic insight into the reentrant excitation pattern causing AFL that in many ways is still valid today. Lewis’ original description of the AFL reads as follows: ‘‘A main excitation wave is propagated through the fluttering auricles via a narrow circular pathway embracing
Redundancy in the full-report procedure

Redundancy was varied in the tachistoscopic full-report procedure. Unlike previous experiments using the detection paradigm, redundancy led to a detriment in performance. Evidence is presented that response bias was not the cause of the detriment.
Evaluating video visualizations of human behavior

Previously, we presented Viz-A-Vis, a VIsualiZation of Activity through computer VISion [17]. Viz-A-Vis visualizes behavior as aggregate motion over observation space. In this paper, we present two complementary user studies of Viz-A-Vis measuring its performance and discovery affordances. First, we present a controlled user study aimed at comparatively measuring behavioral analysis preference and performance for observation and search tasks. Second, we describe a study with architects measuring discovery affordances and potential impacts on their work practices. We conclude: 1) Viz-A-Vis significantly reduced search time; and 2) it increased the number and quality of insightful discoveries.
Regulation of cellular immune responses by selenium

Selenium (Se) is an essential nutritional factor that affects the development and expression of cell-mediated immune responses directed toward malignant cells. These studies have shown that dietary (2 ppm for 8 wk) or in in vitro (1×10−7M) supplementation with Se (as sodium selenite) results in a significant enhancement of the proliferative responses of spleen lymphocytes from C57B1/6J mice in response to stimulation with mitogen or antigen. Se deficiency (0.02 ppm for 8 wk) had the opposite effect. The alterations in the ability of the cells to proliferate, which occurred in the absence of changes in the endogenous levels of interleukin-2 (II2) or interleukin 1, were apparently related to the ability of Se to alter the kinetics of expression of high-affinity Il2 receptors on the surface of activated lymphocytes. This resulted in an enhanced or delayed clonal expansion of the cells, and in an increased or decreased frequency of cytotoxic cells within a given cell population. The changes in tumor cytotoxicity were paralleled by changes in the amounts of lymphotoxin produced by the activated cells. Dietary Se modulations had a comparable effect on macrophage-mediated tumor cytodestruction. The results also suggested that Se exerts its effect 8–24 h after stimulation, and that it most likely affects processes in the cytoplasmic and/or nuclear compartments of activated lymphocytes.
Wahr receives 2006 Charles A. Whitten medal

It is a pleasure and an honor to present the citation to John M. Wahr for the Charles A. Whitten Medal, which is an award for outstanding achievement in research on the form and dynamics of the Earth. John has made fundamental advances in many areas of dynamics, including time-variable gravity, Earth rotation, Earth and ocean tides, interaction of the atmosphere and ocean with the Earth, postglacial deformation, and nutation. He has published papers in geodesy, geodynamics, seismology, geomagnetism, hydrology, cryospheric sciences, oceanography, atmospheric sciences, planetary sciences, and even general relativity. John is a major intellectual leader in much of geophysics with a heavy emphasis on global-scale problems involving the fluid envelope. John broke new ground with his work in the application of geodetic data to geophysical problems, including global tides, barometric response of the oceans, and Earth rotation. His unique contributions came from developing the theory, and modeling Earth tides, nutations, and various other types of rotational and deformational motion. Both the Earth tide model and the nutation model served as the adopted international standards for almost 20 years. His cutting-edge work on time-variable gravity has enabled him to blaze a new trail for interdisciplinary geodesy.
The voluntary control of heart rate under differential somatic restraint.

The purpose of this investigation was to test the hypothesis that subjects(Ss) can exert voluntary, bidirectional heart rate(HR) control in the absence of concomitant changes in respiration rate(RR) and muscle activity(chin EMG). Feedback-assisted HR control was studied under four experimental conditions involving increasing levels of somatic restraint:(a) No somatic controls,(b) RR pacing,(c) EMG feedback, to maintain constant muscle activity, and(d) RR pacing plus EMG feedback. FifteenSs, eight females and seven males, were assigned to each of these four conditions(N=60). The HR control task involved ten increase and ten decrease trials in random order, each lasting 60 sec and preceded by a 60-sec resting baseline period. The results indicated thatSs produced significant HR increases\((\overline X \Delta = + 3.4bpm)\), but were unable to effect decreases\((\overline X \Delta = - .3bpm)\). Furthermore, the magnitude of the obtained HR changes did not differ by experimental condition, i.e., by level of somatic restraint. While concomitant bidirectional RR changes were found, the pacing procedure effectively reduced, and on HR increase trials, nearly eliminated, RR involvement. No increases in EMG activity were found on HR increase trials for any of the four experimental conditions, whereas all groups showed some EMG decreases on HR deceleration trials. With respect to the question of somatic mediation of autonomic control, it is concluded that HR increases produced under paced respiration “favor” an interpretation of unmediated HR acceleration.
13.4: High Resolution and Multi-Color R2R Flexible e-Papers

This paper proposes the flexible color R2R Ch-LC e-papers. By adding photochiral dopant, single substrate flexible Ch-LCD becomes sensitive to UV light. Therefore, UV exposure can cause the discontinuous change in the helical pitch of the Ch-LC pixels to colorize the e-paper. After being colorized, the color e-paper can be electrically driven to update the displayed content. Furthermore, the image could become more vivid. And the gray-scale image also could become more detail. In this paper, the 75 dpi and 4 bits gray-level color R2R Ch-LC e-paper is implemented.
Blended response algorithms for linear fluctuation-dissipation for complex nonlinear dynamical systems

In a recent paper the authors developed and tested two novel computational algorithms for predicting the mean linear response of a chaotic dynamical system to small changes in external forcing via the fluctuation-dissipation theorem (FDT): the short-time FDT (ST-FDT), and the hybrid Axiom A FDT (hA-FDT). Unlike the earlier work in developing fluctuation-dissipation theorem-type computational strategies for chaotic nonlinear systems with forcing and dissipation, these two new methods are based on the theory of Sinai–Ruelle–Bowen probability measures, which commonly describe the equilibrium state of such dynamical systems. These two algorithms take into account the fact that the dynamics of chaotic nonlinear forced-dissipative systems often reside on chaotic fractal attractors, where the classical quasi-Gaussian (qG-FDT) approximation of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem often fails to produce satisfactory response prediction, especially in dynamical regimes with weak and moderate degrees of chaos. It has been discovered that the ST-FDT algorithm is an extremely precise linear response approximation for short response times, but numerically unstable for longer response times. On the other hand, the hA-FDT method is numerically stable for all times, but is less accurate for short times. Here we develop blended linear response algorithms, by combining accurate prediction of the ST-FDT method at short response times with numerical stability of qG-FDT and hA-FDT methods at longer response times. The new blended linear response algorithms are tested on the nonlinear Lorenz 96 model with 40 degrees of freedom, chaotic behaviour, forcing, dissipation, and mimicking large-scale features of real-world geophysical models in a wide range of dynamical regimes varying from weakly to strongly chaotic, and to fully turbulent. The results below for the blended response algorithms have a high level of accuracy for the linear response of both mean state and variance throughout all the different chaotic regimes of the 40-mode model. These results point the way towards the potential use of the blended response algorithms in operational long-term climate change projection.
Naturalization, Socialization, Participation: Immigrants and (Non-)Voting

Socioeconomic theories have long been the cornerstone of political participation studies. However, these theories are incomplete and particularly unsuited to explaining behavior found within immigrant minority communities. While increases in age and education provide skills that ease political participation, if these variables do not concurrently socialize an individual to stronger beliefs about the efficacy of voting and democratic ideals, they will not result in the expected higher participation levels. Prior studies oversimplify the effects of socioeconomic status on political participation. Here, evidence is presented that socioeconomic status variables merely provide the skills necessary for political activity in a suitable political context. Socialization determines how these skills will be manifested.
Effect of ethanol on human placental transport of model amino acids and glucose.

Prior studies in rodents, sheep, and subhuman primates have shown that ethanol, especially atter chronic exposure, inhibits the transport of amino acids by the placenta. A small decrease in glucose transport by rat placenta chronically exposed to ethanol has also been noted. With human placental slices, however, only pharmacological (high) concentrations of ethanol impaired uptake of amino acids, and there are no data on glucose transport. In the present study, the effect of brief exposure to ethanol on human placental transport of model amino acids and glucose was studied by two techniques not previously jointly employed for this—the perfused human placental cotyledon and human placental vesicle systems. The nonmetabolizable amino acids, α-aminoisobutyric (AIB) acid and cycloleucine (CLEU), as well as d-glucose, and nonmetabolized glucose (3-O-methyl-d-glucose), were used as probes. AIB and CLEU are transferred normally by active transport and d-glucose by facilitated transport from maternal to fetal compartments. The pertused placental system was exposed to ethanol (300-500 mg%) for 2–4 hr and the vesicles to 200–400 mg% ethanol for times varying from 10 min to 48 hr. There was no impairment of AIB, d-glucose, or 3-O-methyl-d-glucose transfer by ethanol using these techniques. Normally, about 60% of AIB transport by human placenta is sodium dependent. This component (using the vesicle system) was also not impaired by ethanol. Ethanol caused a very small decrease of CLEU clearance by the perfused human placenta (p= 0.05) but not using vesicles. We conclude that transport of amino acids and glucose by the human placenta is relatively resistant to the inhibitory effects of brief ethanol.
The oxidation of silicon by dry oxygen can we distinguish between models

The purpose of this work is to examine why there is no consensus about the mechanisms controlling the oxidation of silicon by dry oxygen. It is shown that the time dependence of the oxide thickness...