cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The rate (time)-dependent mechanical behavior of the PMR-15 thermoset polymer at elevated temperature

Abstract The inelastic deformation behavior of PMR-15 neat resin, a high-temperature thermoset polymer, was investigated at 288 °C. The experimental program was designed to explore the influence of strain rate on tensile loading, unloading, and strain recovery behavior. In addition, the effect of the prior strain rate on the relaxation response of the material, as well as on the creep behavior following strain-controlled loading were examined. The material exhibits positive, nonlinear strain rate sensitivity in monotonic loading. Nonlinear, “curved” stress–strain behavior during unloading is observed at all strain rates. The recovery of strain at zero stress is strongly affected by prior strain rate. The prior strain rate also has a profound influence on relaxation behavior. The rest stresses measured at the termination of relaxation tests form the relaxation boundary which resembles a nonlinear stress–strain curve. Likewise, creep response is significantly influenced by prior strain rate.
Social Cocoons: Encapsulation and Identity Transformation Organizations*

The transformation of personal identities is an implicit or explicit goal of many organizations, including “new” religious movements, self-help groups, “deprogramming” enterprises, rehabilitation programs, and others. This essay describes and accounts for one important structural feature of identity transformation organizations (ITOs): encapsulation. Three types of encapsulation are described–physical, social, and ideological–and reasons why different ITOs emphasize certain types of encapsulation rather than others are suggested. Finally, we discuss how the need for encapsulation may conflict with other organizational imperatives of ITOs and we discuss the implications of this organizational dilemma for the successful functioning of ITOs.
Watermarking Wigner distribution

In this work we propose a new domain for digital watermarking. The proposed domain is the joint time-frequency cells of the Wigner distribution of the image. This domain provides an expanded, richer environment for watermark embedding. Watermark is placed in selected time-frequency cells of Wigner distribution. An inverse mapping then generates the watermarked signal. It is recognized that this approach is similar to time-frequency filtering problem. Since the watermarked Wigner may no longer be an admissible distribution any longer, the algorithm estimates a signal whose Wigner distribution is closest to the desired watermarked distribution. Selecting watermarkable time-frequency cells is similar, but not the same, problem encountered in DCT watermarking. For watermarking that is robust to JPEG, only those cells whose time-frequency signatures are relatively untouched by compression are selected. As a result, watermark remains detectable across all JPEG quality factors.
Development and implementation of a program to assess medical patients' need for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis.

Purpose. The development and implementation of a program to assess medical patients’ need for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis are described. Summary. The pharmacy services, medicine, and information services departments at Hartford Hospital collaborated to institute a program to improve VTE prophylaxis in medical patients. After baseline VTE prophylaxis compliance was assessed, the departments developed an intervention consisting of a message to be displayed to providers using the institution’s computerized prescriber-order-entry (CPOE) system as a reminder to assess the current patient for VTE risk factors and the need for VTE prophylaxis. The message was displayed when a patient met predefined criteria for VTE risk factors. The message would not continue to be displayed once either mechanical or pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis was an active order on the patient’s medication profile. Extensive education about the program was provided to hospital staff, pharmacists, physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nurses. The program was implemented in March 2007 on a pilot medical floor. To measure the impact of the program, a retrospective chart review was conducted using the risk-assessment tool developed. The VTE prophylaxis compliance rate post-implementation was 93%, compared with 49% preimplementation of the program ( p < 0.001). Before the program, only 25% of patients with a contraindication to pharmacologic therapy received mechanical prophylaxis, compared with 100% after program implementation. Conclusion. Use of message alerts through a CPOE system and an interdisciplinary team approach to assess patients’ risk for VTE appeared to improve the use of VTE prophylaxis in medical patients.
Siucon-on-sapphire device photoconduction predictions

The linear sapphire photoconductance approximation was used to model dose-rate effects in CMOS/SOS inverters. From this model, optimum values were derived for the ratio of n-channel to p-channel transistor gate width, thereby maximizing the dose-rate failure threshold.
Photoinduced charge transfer at surfaces: CF3I adsorbed on Ag(111)

Abstract Using Fourier transform mass spectrometry, we show that I − is desorbed when layers of CF 3 I on Ag(111) are irradiated with 193 nm photons. While substrate-mediated excitation plays some role for thin layers, I − persists even when the CF 3 I is separated from the Ag(111) by thick layers of hexane. Thus, an important role is also played by dissociation that is mediated by substrate-independent intermolecular charge transfer and initiated by direct photon absorption.
Eucken’s instability thesis revisited ‐ the case of China

The People’s Republic of China, as a progressively developing economy, is subject to dynamic structural changes, which are potentially de‐stabilizing in nature. Since the end of the 1970s China had abandoned Mao Zedong’s socioeconomic theories and policies and instituted profound socioeconomic reforms. Her more pragmatic approach has increasingly emphasized economic freedom and individualism. The pursued “pragmatism” involves a revolutionary mixture of both a planned and a market economy with greater economic but not political freedom. Essential socioeconomic reforms were not complemented by requisite political reforms. According to Walter Eucken’s “instability thesis,” this may de‐stabilize China’s socioeconomic and political structures. The challenge which China continues to face is how to reconcile two sets of conflicting principles, economic freedom and Marxist‐Leninist‐Maoist control of politics and society, resolving Eucken’s hypothesis of potential long‐term instability. This paper addresses this challenge in terms of ethical and economic perspectives.
SU-FF-T-288: Evaluation of a Commercial Macro Monte Carlo Electron Dose Calculation Algorithm

Purpose: To evaluate electron dose distributions calculated by a recently released commercial implementation of the macro Monte Carlo method for complex geometries and in the presence of heterogeneities. Method and Materials: A set of two‐dimensional dose distributions, published for the purpose of evaluating electron dose calculation algorithms, was obtained. The data are comprised of measurements for two energies, 9 MeV and 20 MeV, and five phantom geometries, which, in combination, resulted in fourteen measurement configurations. The data set did not contain sufficient information for the configuration of the algorithm, so measurements of the necessary data were obtained from a dosimetrically equivalent machine. A virtual machine was created in the treatment planning system to model the linear accelerator used to acquire the data set. Synthetic CT data sets and RT structure sets modeling the phantom configurations were created and calculations were performed using a range of algorithm parameter values (accuracy, smoothing, and grid spacing) for all fourteen configurations. The transverse plane containing the central axis was extracted for comparison with the measured distributions and dose difference and distance‐to‐agreement were calculated. Results: More than 99.5% of the calculation points were within 3% difference and 3 mm distance‐to‐agreement for the best set of parameters. The number of points violating the criteria increased with decreasing accuracy. Without smoothing of the dose distribution, points violating the criteria tended to be located throughout the calculation volume. With the addition of smoothing, the number of points increased and became clustered in regions of high dose gradient. Conclusion: Our evaluation demonstrated that the algorithm performs well in complex geometries in the presence of heterogeneities. In general, agreement was better than 3% and 3 mm. We have investigated the influence of the algorithm parameters on the agreement, which will allow users to make appropriate choices for clinical calculations.
Gender differences in policing: an analysis of Taiwanese officers’ attitudes

This study empirically tests whether policewomen and policemen differ in their job‐related attitudes. Using data collected from 108 policewomen and 228 policemen in two Taiwanese police departments, this study assesses gender differences in officers’ attitudes toward aggressive enforcement, community building, peer group, and career advancement. The results show that Taiwanese policewomen show stronger support for aggressive enforcement than policemen. Policewomen are also found to have less favorable attitudes toward peer groups and be less likely to view promotion as an important issue than their male colleagues.
CHOICE SET PROPOSITIONS IN DESTINATION DECISIONS

Abstract Choice sets are a central component of destination selection models. The concept suggests that potential tourists develop an early set of possible destinations, reduce this number to form a late consideration set of probable alternatives, and make a final selection from that set. Research propositions related to these three stages are developed. They are intended to frame the state of existing knowledge and to guide the development of future research. Derivation of the propositions is based on interpretation and transition of findings from the consumer behavior field, as well as from exploratory findings reported in the tourism literature.
Efficiently matching sets of features with random histograms

As the commonly used representation of a feature-rich data object has evolved from a single feature vector to a set of feature vectors, a key challenge in building a content-based search engine for feature-rich data is to match feature-sets efficiently. Although substantial progress has been made during the past few years, existing approaches are still inefficient and inflexible for building a search engine for massive datasets. This paper presents a randomized algorithm to embed a set of features into a single high-dimensional vector to simplify the feature-set matching problem. The main idea is to project feature vectors into an auxiliary space using locality sensitive hashing and to represent a set of features as a histogram in the auxiliary space. A histogram is simply a high dimensional vector, and efficient similarity measures like L1 and L2 distances can be employed to approximate feature-set distance measures.We evaluated the proposed approach under three different task settings, i.e. content-based image search, image object recognition and near-duplicate video clip detection. The experimental results show that the proposed approach is indeed effective and flexible. It can achieve accuracy comparable to the feature-set matching methods, while requiring significantly less space and time. For object recognition with Caltech 101 dataset, our method runs 25 times faster to achieve the same precision as Pyramid Matching Kernel, the state-of-the-art feature-set matching method.
Mathematical modelling of the future for complex systems

The logic of fuzzy sets and systems theory, a composition rule of inference by modus ponens, and a quantified infinite Lukasiewics logic are employed to construct a mathematical model for predicting the future of complex systems for which one has to deal with a huge body of interacting data. Examples of such complex systems are the world models, sociotechnoeconomic, humanistic, man-machine, and complex industrial systems. The future is defined as a fuzzy array, i.e., a fuzzy vector aj of events whose components are linguistic variables. It is shown that bounds on future events can be computed based on a segmented history, i.e., a fuzzy array hi, similar to aj, such that max (min(ij(h),hi))≥aj≥max(0,hi−(tij(h))), 1 ≤ i ≤ N, 1 ≤ j ≤ M, where r(h)ij, t(h)ij are defined as relationship and truth matrices, respectively. Finally, a fuzzy future array is computed for a complex election process and it is further discussed how some present changes may suppress or enhance certain future events.
On the Possibility of Corporate Apologies

This paper argues against an individualist challenge to the possibility of corporate apologies. According to this challenge, corporations always and only act through their members; thus they are not the sorts of entities that can apologize. Consequently there can be no corporate apologies. Against this challenge, this paper argues that even if corporate acts can be analyzed as acts by individuals within certain relationships, there can still be corporate apologies. This paper offers a noneliminative individualist account of such apologies. The paper also responds to various substantive objections to the possibility of such apologies.
Primary cilia act as mechanosensors during bone healing around an implant

Abstract The primary cilium is an organelle that senses cues in a cell's local environment. Some of these cues constitute molecular signals; here, we investigate the extent to which primary cilia can also sense mechanical stimuli. We used a conditional approach to delete Kif3a in pre-osteoblasts and then employed a motion device that generated a spatial distribution of strain around an intra-osseous implant positioned in the mouse tibia. We correlated interfacial strain fields with cell behaviors ranging from proliferation through all stages of osteogenic differentiation. We found that peri-implant cells in the Col1Cre;Kif3a fl/fl mice were unable to proliferate in response to a mechanical stimulus, failed to deposit and then orient collagen fibers to the strain fields caused by implant displacement, and failed to differentiate into bone-forming osteoblasts. Collectively, these data demonstrate that the lack of a functioning primary cilium blunts the normal response of a cell to a defined mechanical stimulus. The ability to manipulate the genetic background of peri-implant cells within the context of a whole, living tissue provides a rare opportunity to explore mechanotransduction from a multi-scale perspective.
Acute effects of troglitazone and nitric oxide on glucose uptake in L929 fibroblast cells.

Abstract The thiazolidinedione class of antidiabetic drugs, including troglitazone, has an insulin-sensitizing effect for patients with type 2 diabetes. However, in some tissues, studies have shown that troglitazone also has an acute insulin-independent effect on glucose uptake. To determine the extent of this acute action of troglitazone, the effect of troglitazone on 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) uptake in L929 fibroblast cells was measured. Troglitazone stimulated 2DG uptake in a dose dependent manner with a maximum stimulation of >300% at 5–10 μM. In addition, nitric oxide has been shown to stimulate glucose uptake in peripheral muscle tissue. Therefore, the effect of nitric oxide on 2DG uptake in L929 cells was also investigated using the nitric oxide donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP). SNP stimulated 2DG uptake by >200% with a maximally effective concentration of 5 mM. The combined effect of maximally effective concentrations of both stimulants (10 μM troglitazone + 5 mM SNP) was not additive suggesting a shared pathway for 2DG uptake. However, the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, N G -monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA, 50 μM) had no effect on troglitazone stimulated 2DG uptake, indicating that the troglitazone and nitric oxide pathways converge after nitric oxide production. In addition, 12.5 μM dantrolene was shown to have no effect on either troglitazone or SNP stimulated 2DG uptake suggesting that these stimulatory effects are independent of changes in calcium ion concentrations. These data provide important evidence for the acute regulation of glucose transport through GLUT 1 transporters.
Phase and Morphology Changes in Lipid Monolayers Induced by SP-B Protein and Its Amino-Terminal Peptide

Both human lung surfactant protein, SP-B, and its amino-terminal peptide, SP-B1-25, inhibit the formation of condensed phases in monolayers of palmitic acid, resulting in a new fluid phase. This fluid phase forms a network, separating condensed-phase domains at coexistence. The network persists to high surface pressures, altering the nucleation, growth, and morphology of monolayer collapse structures, leading to lower surface tensions on compression and more reversible respreading on expansion. The network is stabilized by the low line tension between the fluid phase and the condensed phase as confirmed by the formation of “stripe” phases.
It is the best of news, it is the worst of news . . .

There are noteworthy international convergences in recent guiding documents for infection control and other patient safety programs. Although these bode well for raising the future prominence of such programs, they also are an indictment of failed past leadership and an external prop. Local governance itself, and alternative bases for quality management systems, should be examined as closely as these new documents.
The Geographical Dimensions of Hydro-politics: International Freshwater in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia

A U.S.-based political scientist specializing in the complexities of international freshwater basins considers the role of two fundamental factors (geography and relative power) in the study of hydro-politics. Conventional analyses claim that in asymmetric contexts the more powerful state (in relative power terms) is able to dictate the status quo. Arguing, however, that such traditional (and even some critical) analyses tend to downplay the importance of geography, the author investigates how a state's physical position along a river may provide an otherwise weaker riparian state the means to challenge the status quo. The paper considers three cases (Tigris-Euphrates, Nile, and Aral Sea basins) with lessons for the study of power in hydro-politics.
Early treatment of food-induced anaphylaxis with epinephrine is associated with a lower risk of hospitalization.

Background Food-induced anaphylaxis (FIA) is potentially life threatening. Prompt administration of epinephrine is universally recommended by current treatment guidelines. Objective To identify factors associated with early epinephrine treatment for FIA and to specifically examine the association between early epinephrine treatment and hospitalization. Methods A chart review study conducted at Hasbro Children's Hospital/Rhode Island Hospital. By using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes, we identified all patients who presented to the emergency department with FIA between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2009. Early epinephrine treatment was defined as receipt of epinephrine before arrival to the emergency department. The independent association between early epinephrine treatment and hospitalization was assessed using logistic regression. Results Among the 384 emergency department visits for FIA identified during the study period, 234 patients received epinephrine (61%). Among this subset, most (164 [70%]) received early epinephrine treatment, whereas a smaller number of patients (70 [30%]) first received epinephrine in the emergency department (late treatment). Patients who received early epinephrine treatment were older (7.4 vs 4.3 years; P = .008), were more likely to have a known food allergy (66% vs 34%; P P P Conclusions In this population, early treatment of FIA with epinephrine was associated with significantly lower risk of hospitalization. Accordingly, this study supports the benefit of prompt administration of epinephrine for the treatment of FIA.
Neonatal Adaptation: Sympatho-Adrenal Response to Umbilical Cord Cutting

Summary: The present studies were designed to assess the individual effects of delivery and umbilical cord cutting on the stimulation of the sympatho-adrenal system during parturition. Pregnant ewes with time-dated singleton pregnancies were used in an acutely exteriorized fetal lamb model with an intact umbilical circulation. We observed a minimal, transient elevation in plasma catecholamines (CAT) coincident with the operative procedures and delivery. Subsequent cord clamping was observed to evoke a rapid and marked increase of both norepinephrine and epinephrine (E), maximal at 5 min and persisting over the 4-hr study period. Animals could be grouped on the basis of the observed CAT responses, severity of postpartum acidosis, the extent of free fatty acid (FFA) mobilization and degree of postpartum hypothermia. A blunted FFA response and slower correction of hypothermia were observed in the more acidotic animals despite higher CAT concentrations. One group of four animals had high peak CAT concentrations, 32,000 pg/ml norepinephrine and 35,000 pg/ml E, a deep nadir in pH of 6.88 ± 0.09, a 2-hr delay in maximal FFA mobilization and slower correction of hypothermia. The other group of four animals had peak norepinephrine of 2800 pg/ml and E of 1100 pg/ml, a nadir in pH of 7.09 ± 0.08, maximal plasma FFA concentration by 1 hr after cord cutting and a higher nadir in body temperature 35.7 versus 32.5°C. The results demonstrate that umbilical cord cutting itself is a potent stimulus for fetal CAT release and FFA mobilization. Acidosis is capable of markedly augmenting E release in the mature fetus and obtunding chemical thermogenesis. Speculation: The marked catecholamine surge evoked by umbilical cord cutting at the time of birth appears to be a major factor triggering the metabolic events facilitating adaptation to extrauterine life. The mechanism for the catecholamine release is uncertain. However, cardiovascular and chemoreceptor mediated activation of autonomic nervous system activity probably are involved. The separate contributions of increased postganglionic neurosympathetic activity and adrenal-medullary catecholamine release to neonatal adaptation should be explored further.
Palliative Care Knowledge and Attitudes Among Oncology Nurses in Qatar

Objectives:Formal palliative care (PC) education is lacking in the middle eastern state of Qatar. This study was done to assess the need for PC education among oncology nurses in Qatar.Methods:In M...
Comparison of uptake of different N forms by soil microorganisms and two wet-grassland plants: A pot study

Abstract Two common plant species of temperate wet grasslands, Carex acuta and Glyceria maxima, were tested for their preferences in the uptake of different nitrogen (N) sources (amino acid, ammonium, nitrate) and their ability to compete for these sources with soil microorganisms. The experiment was a one-day incubation study with plants growing in soil obtained from the field, which was supplied with a solution containing the three N sources, one at a time labeled with 15N. The bulk of the N demand of both species was covered by nitrate-N, which was the dominant N form in the soil at the time of the experiment. Ammonium-N was taken up less strongly, and organic N formed only a negligible part of their nutrition. The assimilated inorganic N was preferentially transported to apical meristem of the youngest leaf, while organic N remained mostly in the roots. The fast-growing Glyceria took up more N and was a better competitor vis-a-vis soil microbes for rarer N forms than Carex. However, both plants were poor competitors for N vis-a-vis soil microbes, irrespective of the N form. Microbes took up nitrate ca. five times faster and organic N more than a hundred times faster than plants. Correspondingly, the calculated turnover time of microbial N was 17 days, compared to 40 days for N in plant roots. A significant amount of added 15N was found at non-exchangeable sites in the soil, which points to the importance of microbial N transformation and abiotic N fixation for N retention in soil. In summary, the preferential assimilation of inorganic N by the wetland plants studied here and their poor ability to compete for N with soil microbes over the short term agree with the results of studies carried out with other species from temperate grasslands.
Clinical outcomes of pars plana capsulotomy with anterior vitrectomy in pediatric cataract surgery.

Abstract Purpose: The management of the posterior capsule in pediatric cataract surgery remains challenging. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the role and clinical outcomes of primary pars plana capsulotomy and pars plana anterior vitrectomy during pediatric cataract surgery with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. Methods: Consecutive cases of pars plana capsulotomy and anterior vitrectomy during pediatric cataract surgery were retrospectively reviewed. The surgical technique was the same in all patients and involved pars plana capsulotomy with anterior vitrectomy after the IOL was implanted in the capsular bag. Results: Seventy-six pediatric cataract cases in 61 patients performed from 1994 through 1999 used the pars plana posterior capsulotomy technique and were included in this analysis. A posterior chamber IOL was implanted in all cases. There were no intraoperative complications associated with the surgery. Median age at the time of surgery was 21 months. All patients had at least 1 year of follow-up and mean follow-up was 29.4 months. Among patients old enough to read Snellen's letters (53 eyes), final best-corrected visual acuity was 20/40 or better in 32 eyes (60%) and 20/50 to 20/200 in 21 eyes (40%). Poor final visual acuity was associated with deprivation amblyopia or optic nerve dysplasia or hypoplasia. There were no postoperative retinal complications or cases of IOL dislocation during the follow-up period. Seven eyes (9.2%) of five patients with a median age of 2.5 months developed reopacification of the visual axis at a mean of 4.1 months postoperatively. This event occurred in 6 of 28 eyes with an age of 6 months or less (21.4%), versus only 1 of 48 eyes with an age greater than 6 months (2.0%) ( P =.006, Fisher exact test). The visual axis was restored by pars plana membranectomy in 6 eyes and 1 eye of one patient underwent neodymium:YAG laser membrane discission. Conclusions: Pars plana capsulotomy with pars plana anterior vitrectomy is a safe, effective method of managing the posterior capsule in pediatric cataract surgery with IOL implantation. Visual axis reopacification is associated with a very young age at the time of surgery. Continued follow-up of these patients is important to assess the long-term outcomes of this surgical approach. (J AAPOS 2002;6:163-7)
Comparison of lever press and nose poke operants for acquiring the demand function for food intake and meal patterns in mice

Much research in the field and in laboratory studies has focused on behavioral economics of food intake in several species. Operants such as lever press, nose poke, or key peck have been used to generate demand functions that express the relationship between the cost of food and the amount of food consumed. There have been very few such studies of motivated food seeking and demand in mice, and none has examined systematically consummatory cost or meal patterns. Using albino (CD1) male mice, the present study compares food intake and meal patterns across a series of ratio consummatory schedules. A closed economy was used in which the rats were in the test chambers for 23 h/day and earned all of their food via the operant. Two operants, lever press and nosepoke, were compared in a between groups (N=8) design. When each pellet cost a fixed price (FR5, 10, 25 or 50), food intake decreased slightly at the highest FRs. Meal number, compared using two criteria of meal termination (15 and 30 min), was constant across this series. Mice in the nosepoke group consumed ∼10% more food in slightly fewer meals, so their mean meal size was slightly greater, compared with the lever press group. Mice were run for 4 days at each ratio; there were no systematic differences between the first and last day indicating that behavioral adjustments to schedule changes occurred very rapidly. Data from variable ratios (VR10,20) were comparable to those in the corresponding the FRs. Support: NIH DK064712.
Lights, Camembert, Action! The Role of Human Orbitofrontal Cortex in Encoding Stimuli, Rewards, and Choices

This review outlines some of the main conclusions about the contributions of the orbitofrontal cortex to reward learning and decision making arising from functional neuroimaging studies in humans. It will be argued that human orbitofrontal cortex is involved in a number of distinct functions: signaling the affective value of stimuli as they are perceived, encoding expectations of future reward, and updating these expectations, either by making use of prediction error signals generated in the midbrain, or by using knowledge of the rules or structure of the decision problem. It will also be suggested that this region contributes to the decision making process itself, by encoding signals that inform an individual about what action to take next. Evidence for functional specialization within orbitofrontal cortex in terms of valence will also be evaluated, and the possible contributions of the orbitofrontal cortex in representing the values of actions as well as that of stimuli will be discussed. Finally, some of the outstanding questions for future neuroimaging research of orbitofrontal cortex function will be highlighted.
Effect of bovine testicular extracts on plasma gonadotrophins of X-irradiated rats.

SummaryThe effect of bovine testicular extracts (bTE) on plasma FSH levels in both castrate and X-irradiated male rats has been examined. Biological activity was demonstrated in 34-day-old, orchidectomized rats with doses ranging from 50 to 250 mg. Testicular weights of X-irradiated rats 49 days after X irradiation were decreased by approximately 67%, whereas the ventral prostate weights were unaffected. Plasma FSH levels (383 ng/ml) increased significantly as a result of X irradiation (873 ng/ml). Plasma LH (51 ng/ml) also rose as a result of X irradiation (93 ng/ml), suggesting that there was some interstitial cell damage or some Sertoli cell damage. Two hundred and fifty milligrams of bTE administered in 4% gelatin given once daily for 3 days suppressed the elevated plasma FSH, but was without effect on plasma LH. Castration and a further 3 days of treatment resulted in a significant postcas-tration suppression in plasma FSH (control = 1942 ng/ml; bTE = 1283 ng/ml), and resulted in a suppression of LH ...
Somatic translocation of antibody genes.

A review of the structural and genetic properties of the immunoglobulins suggests that somatic recombination is fundamental in the selective immune response.
Abstract 5437: Blueberries: Conventional cancer prevention

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Coronary heart disease and cancer, besides remaining the two leading causes of death in the United States, share another common trait: they can both be attributed to lifestyle choices that increase their risk. Epidemiological studies suggest that the consumption of both an antioxidant and phytochemical-rich diet contribute towards the reduction of heart disease and several cancer types. There has been a substantial amount of interest in Vaccinium corymbosum, also known as blueberries, due to their high antioxidant levels which have been show to help prevent cancer of the colon, breast, and prostate. Blueberries exhibit a high content of both phytochemicals such as flavonoids and tannins; and antioxidants such as phenolic acid and resveratrol. Antioxidants provide protection against oxidative stress, a condition that has been suggested to contribute to a variety of diseases, including atherosclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and cancer. The purpose of this study was to explore the health benefits of organic vs. conventional blueberry consumption by comparing the antioxidant content of their individual components, including pulp, skin, seed, and juice using both the Hydrophilic Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (H-ORAC) and the Lipophilic Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (L-ORAC) assay. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was also used to identify and quantify the amount of Vitamin C in both the organic and conventional blueberries. Blueberry samples were obtained from local distributors and the assays were replicated with five different lots of blueberries. Results indicated that conventional blueberries (33,388 TE/100g pulp, seed, skin and 607,700 TE/L juice) have higher antioxidant levels than organic blueberries (25,800 TE/100g pulp, seed, skin and 415,608 TE/L juice) across all samples. Conversely, HPLC determined a slightly higher Vitamin C content in the organically grown blueberries (592.879 μg/g) compared to conventional blueberries (386.947 μg/g). These results suggest that conventional blueberries may have a higher health benefit potential in preventing cancer and many other degenerative diseases that plague the world. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5437. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5437
Pattern recognition with interactive computing for a half dozen clinical applications of health care delivery

The clinical applications to be described make use of the NBR clinical-image pattern-recognition laboratory, which consists of (see Figure 1)
Perceived Parent–Child Relations and Adolescent Self-Esteem

We used data drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to assess the independent and interactive correlations of maternal and paternal parenting with adolescent self-esteem. Specifically, ordinary least squares regression was used to provide estimates for a large, culturally diverse sample of married, biological parent-families with adolescent children. Our results suggested that adolescent reports of mothers’ and fathers’ physical availability, involvement, and quality of relations are each independently associated with adolescent self-esteem. In addition, statistically significant interactions indicated the positive associations of one parent’s involvement and high quality relations with self-esteem grow stronger in the presence of high involvement and relationship quality of the second parent. Our study highlights the need to assess the independent and interactive associations parents have with the well-being of their children.
Primes, irreducibles and extremal lattices

This paper studies certain types of join and meet-irreducibles called coprimes and primes. These elements can be used to characterize certain types of lattices. For example, a lattice is distributive if and only if every join-irreducible is coprime. Similarly, a lattice is meet-pseudocomplemented if and only if each atom is coprime. Furthermore, these elements naturally decompose lattices into sublattices so that often properties of the original lattice can be deduced from properties of the sublattice. Not every lattice has primes and coprimes. This paper shows that lattices which are “long enough” must have primes and coprimes and that these elements and the resulting decompositions can be used to study such lattices. The length of every finite lattice is bounded above by the minimum of the number of meet-irreducibles (meet-rank) and the number of join-irreducibles (join-rank) that it has. This paper studies lattices for which length=join-rank or length=meet-rank. These are called p-extremal lattices and they have interesting decompositions and properties. For example, ranked, p-extremal lattices are either lower locally distributive (join-rank=length), upper locally distributive (meet-rank=length) or distributive (join-rank=meet-rank=length). In the absence of the Jordan-Dedekind chain condition, p-extremal lattices still have many interesting properties. Of special interest are the lattices that satisfy both equalities. Such lattices are called extremal; this class includes distributive lattices and the associativity lattices of Tamari. Even though they have interesting decompositions, extremal lattices cannot be characterized algebraically since any finite lattice can be embedded as a subinterval into an extremal lattice. This paper shows how prime and coprime elements, and the poset of irreducibles can be used to analyze p-extremal and other types of lattices. The results presented in this paper are used to deduce many key properties of the Tamari lattices. These lattices behave much like distributive lattices even though they violate the Jordan-Dedekind chain condition very strongly having maximal chains that vary in length from N-1 to N(N-1)/2 where N is a parameter used in the construction of these lattices.
On the function and the probable origin of Ptolemy's equant

We examine the roles of the equant point and the eccentric deferent circle in Ptolemy’s planetary theory. The necessity of these features of the model is demonstrated empirically by a study of the retrograde arcs of Mars. Finally, these results are used, together with available historical evidence, to suggest the line of investigation that probably led Ptolemy to his discovery of the equant.
Theoretical and empirical review of multinomial process tree modeling

We review a current and popular class of cognitive models calledmultinomial processing tree (MPT) models. MPT models are simple, substantively motivated statistical models that can be applied to categorical data. They are useful as data-analysis tools for measuring underlying or latent cognitive capacities and as simple models for representing and testing competing psychological theories. We formally describe the cognitive structure and parametric properties of the class of MPT models and provide an inferential statistical analysis for the entire class. Following this, we provide a comprehensive review of over 80 applications of MPT models to a variety of substantive areas in cognitive psychology, including various types of human memory, visual and auditory perception, and logical reasoning. We then address a number of theoretical issues relevant to the creation and evaluation of MPT models, including model development, model validity, discrete-state assumptions, statistical issues, and the relation between MPT models and other mathematical models. In the conclusion, we consider the current role of MPT models in psychological research and possible future directions.
Real-Time Middleware for Networked Control Systems and Application to an Unstable System

A well-designed software framework is important for the rapid implementation of reliable and evolvable networked control applications and to facilitate the proliferation of networked control by enhancing its ease of deployment. In this brief, we address the problem of developing such a framework for networked control that is both real-time and extensible. We enhance Etherware, a middleware developed at the University of Illinois, so that it is suitable for time-critical networked control applications. We introduce a notion of quality of service (QoS) for the execution of a component. We also propose a real-time scheduling mechanism so that the execution of components can not only be concurrent but also be prioritized based on the specified QoS of each execution. We have implemented this framework in Etherware. We illustrate the applicability of this software framework by deploying it for the control of an unstable system, namely, a networked version of an inverted pendulum control system, and verify the performance of the enhanced Etherware. We also exhibit sophisticated runtime functionalities, such as runtime controller upgrade and migration, to demonstrate the flexible and temporally predictable capabilities of the enhanced Etherware. Overall, Etherware thus facilitates rapid development of control system applications with temporally predictable behavior so that physical properties such as stability are maintained.
A description of numerical antarctic circumpolar currents

Abstract A sequence of numerical calculations has been made for the equilibrium balances of eddies and mean currents in open and partially blocked, periodic channels. The physical model employed is a two-layer, quasigeostrophic, wind-driven one, with important bottom friction and weak lateral friction. The resolved eddies provide the interior fluxes of momentum and potential vorticity which allow the mean state to be a balanced one. The set of calculations does not provide a parameter study as such, but does provide examples of the influences of alternative physical processes and geometrical constraints. These alternatives include the presence or absence of a partial barrier across the channel, the length of the channel, the addition of a transient component to the wind-driving, and the addition of a topographic sill across the channel gap. Particular attention is focused upon the steadily driven general circulation of a β-plane channel, because of the structural simplicity of the solution. The results may be broadly summarized as follows. The eddies are generated by a baroclinic instability of the mean flow. They act to intensity the upper layer mean jet and mean cross-jet potential vorticity gradient (through eddy horizontal Reynolds stress and relative vorticity flux divergence, respectively) and to transfer downwards mean zonal momentum, energy, and potential vorticity gradient (through eddy interfacial pressure drag, vertical pressure work, and vortex stretching flux divergence, respectively). In the case of a zonally uniform channel, the meridional heat flux is found not to conform closely to previously proposed parameterizations. The presence of a partial meridional barrier and a topographic obstacle are found to strongly influence the equilibrium solution, while neither a change in the basin length nor the presence of a transient wind component appear to importantly alter the solution.
Some aspects of the future of powder metallurgy

Abstract Some of the developments in PM materials presented at the 1989 Institute of Metals PM Conference, (9–11 October 1989) are reviewed. Keynote addresses on rare earth magnets, surface treatments, and high performance materials are covered together with developments in valve seat inserts (VSI's), soft magnetic materials, and spray forming which were reported in workshop sessions.
Mechanism of fluid and electrolyte secretion in the germ-free rat cecum.

The cecum of the germ-free rat is filled with a large volume of liquid: cecum plus cecal contents comprise up to 25% of the rodent's body weight. To explain the presence of the liquid cecal contents in the germ-free rat, cecal transport of water and electrolytes was studied using a closed-loop technique with [14C]polyethylene glycol as a nonabsorbable marker. When NaCl (154 mEq/liter) was instilled into germ-free rat ceca, absorption of water, Na, and Cl occurred and was similar to that in conventional animals. In contrast, when an equal volume of supernatant from germ-free cecal contents was instilled into germ-free rat ceca, secretion of water, Na, and Cl occurred. Similarly, when the germ-free supernatant was instilled into ceca of conventional rats, secretion of water, Na, and Cl occurred at rates equal to that seen in the germ-free rat. Therefore, it appeared that the composition of the germ-free cecal contents was primarily responsible for the cecal secretion. Analysis of the germ-free cecal contents to determine what caused the cecal secretion revealed very low measurable anions (Cl<2, HCO3<2 mEq/liter), a low Na concentration, slight hyperosmolality as determined by freezing-point depression, and elevated colloid osmotic pressure. Fluid made up with Na2SO4 to resemble the germ-free cecal supernatant in ionic composition and absence of exchangeable anions produced cecal secretion equal to that of the germ-free rat cecal contents. Fluid simulated to reproduce the effects of the low Na concentration and also the colligative properties and colloid osmotic pressure had minimal effects on cecal transport. These studies demonstrate that cecal enlargement in the germ-free rat is associated with cecal secretion of water and electrolytes, that germ-free ceca can transport water and electrolytes in a normal fashion, and that cecal secretion in the germ-free rat is due primarily to the absence of permeable anions in the germ-free cecal contents.
Empirical evaluation of two Deterministic Sparse Fourier Transforms

This paper empirically evaluates a recently proposed Deter- ministic Sparse Fourier Transform algorithm (hereafter called DSFT) for the first time. Our experiments indicate that DSFT is capable of guaranteed general frequency-sparse signal recovery using subNyquist sampling for realistic bandwidth values. Furthermore, we show that both variants of DSFT have fast reconstruction runtimes. In fact, the sublinear-time DSFT variant is shown to be faster than a traditional Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) for highly-sparse wideband signals.
Partial Purification and Kinetics of Indoleacetic Acid Oxidase from Tobacco Roots

Extracts from roots of Nicotiana tabacum L var. Bottom Special contain oxidative enzymes capable of rapid degradation of indoleacetic acid (IAA) in the presence of Mn2+ and 2, 4-dichlorophenol. Purification of IAA oxidase was attempted by means of ammonium sulfate fractionation and elution through a column of SE-Sephadex. Two distinct fractions, both causing rapid oxidation of IAA in the absence of H2O2, were obtained. One fraction exhibited high peroxidase activity when guaiacol was used as the electron donor; the other did not oxidase guaiacol. Both enzyme fractions caused similar changes in the UV spectrum of IAA; absorption at 280 mμ was reduced, while major absorption peaks appeared at 254 and 247 mμ. The kinetics of IAA oxidation by both fractions were followed by measuring the increase in absorption at 247 mμ. The peroxidase-containing fraction showed no lag or a slight lag which could be eliminated by addition of H2O2 (3 μmoles/ml). The peroxidase-free fraction showed a longer lag, but addition of similar amounts of H2O2 inhibited the rate of IAA oxidation and did not remove the lag. With purified preparations, IAA oxidation was stimulated only at low concentrations of H2O2 (0.03 μmole/ml). A comparison of Km values for IAA oxidation by the peroxidase-containing and peroxidase-free fractions suggests that tobacco roots contain an IAA oxidase which may have higher affinity for IAA and may be more specific than the general peroxidase system previously described from other plant sources. A similar oxidase is present in commercial preparations of horseradish peroxidase. It is suggested that oxidation of IAA by horseradish peroxidase may be due to a more specific component.
Maintaining shared belief in a large multiagent team

A cooperative team's performance strongly depends on the view that the team has of the environment in which it operates. In a team with many autonomous vehicles and many sensors, there is a large volume of information available from which to create that view. However, typically communication bandwidth limitations prevent all sensor readings being shared with all other team members. This paper presents three policies for sharing information in a large team that balance the value of information against communication costs. Analytical and empirical evidence of their effectiveness is provided. The results show that using some easily obtainable probabilistic information about the team dramatically improves overall belief sharing performance. Specifically, by collectively estimating the value of a piece of information, the team can make most efficient use of its communication resources.