cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gestural Control of Robot End Effectors

Most of today's industrial robots do highly repetitive tasks that require no human intervention for extended periods of time. It is, therefore, not too wasteful of operators' time when the destination of the end effector of such a robot must be modified occasionally by reprogramming the robot controller. In contrast, where daily tasks are varied and dependent on operator perception and judgement, robots have been excluded. We are investigating the use of pointing to specify "where" and in "what orientation" a robotic action is to be performed while voice or a keypad is used to determine "which" pre-programmed subroutine is to be executed by the robotic tool at the specified site. We are evaluating the relative advantages of voice and additional gesturesfor modifying "gesture-designated" end-effector position. We believe that the combination of gesture and voice for robot control will allow shop-floor personnel to efficiently and productively supervise multiple robotic tools work-ing on non-repetitive tasks that have previously been resistant to automation.
Regulation of Rat Pineal α1-Adrenoceptors

Some aspects of the physiological regulation of the pineal alpha 1-adrenoceptor have been studied using the selective, high-affinity ligand [125I] iodo-2-[beta-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethylaminomethyl]tetralone ([125I]HEAT). Pineal glands taken from rats housed in a diurnal lighting cycle showed no circadian rhythm in the number of specific [125I]HEAT binding sites, although a characteristic rhythm in pineal melatonin was seen. It was established that the pineal alpha 1-adrenoceptor is under neural control because interruption of neural stimulation of the pineal by bilateral superior cervical ganglionectomy (SCGX) or by exposing rats to constant light for 3 weeks doubled receptor density but did not change affinity for [125I]HEAT. Administration of various alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonists either acutely (i.p. injection) or chronically (s.c. infusion) did not alter the number of specific [125I]HEAT binding sites. Together these results indicate that the pineal alpha 1-adrenoceptor, like the pineal beta-adrenoceptor, is regulated by sympathetic nerve activity, probably through the physiological release of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. However the absence of a circadian rhythm in alpha 1-adrenoceptor number and lack of down-regulation by adrenergic agonists imply different mechanisms of regulation.
Visualizing the Corrosive Community: Looting in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

After visiting his home in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the author is confronted with a newly configured landscape and a new social reality marked by a culture of distrust and a decline in social capital among residents. The comments here view one aspect of the corrosive community impact: the decline in civic trust, more specifically, trust and interaction among neighbors. One indicator of this distrust is evidenced by signs posted to limit illegal activity. These signs are posted throughout New Orleans and the surrounding areas to deter looters from the outside and looters from “within.”
Cadmium, lead and nickel content of Lycoperdon perlatum pers. in a roadside environment☆

Abstract Twenty specimens of the ‘gem-studded’, puffball, Lycoperdon perlatum Pers., sampled along Interstate Highway 86 East, north of Storrs, Connecticut, were found to be contaminated with cadmium and lead. Cadmium concentrations ranged from 0·00 to 5·34 ppm in different parts of the sporophores. Similarly, lead concentrations ranged from 0·00 to 80·98 ppm. Nickel was detected in only one sample at a concentration of 2·37 ppm.
Intermediate segment degeneration after noncontiguous anterior cervical fusion

Studies suggest that the annual incidence of symptomatic adjacent segment disease is 2–3%. Because biomechanical studies have shown increased stress at levels adjacent to a fusion mass, some surgeons have advocated including the normal level in the fusion construct in patients presenting with noncontiguous cervical spondylosis requiring surgical intervention. Our objective was to evaluate the incidence of adjacent segment disease (ASD) in intermediate segments in noncontiguous anterior cervical fusion. We reviewed patients who underwent noncontiguous anterior cervical arthrodesis between 1985 and 2007. The primary outcome was the presence of symptomatic degeneration at the intermediate segment in noncontiguous fusions. Secondary outcomes were visual analog scale (VAS) scores and overall neurologic outcome. Seventeen cases of noncontiguous anterior cervical fusion were included. None had symptomatic ASD at the intervening level during mean follow-up of 26 months. Thirteen of 17 patients demonstrated postoperative neurological improvement; four had no change. Overall symptomatic outcome was judged as significantly improved, moderately improved, and unchanged in 11, two, and four patients, respectively. A mean five-point improvement in the VAS score was seen at 3-month follow-up, with continued improvement at 24 months. Among the 37 levels fused, three levels in two patients showed evidence of pseudarthrosis, one of which remained asymptomatic during the follow-up period. We observed neurological and clinical overall improvement in our series of patients after noncontiguous fusions without evidence of increased degeneration requiring treatment at the intermediate segment. We believe this technique is safe and effective without increased postoperative or long-term morbidity.
Complement activation and complement receptors in systemic lupus erythematosus.

The activation of complement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was first documented in the early 1950's [52]. Since that time many excellent studies of the biology of complement in SLE have been reported and the general subject has been recently reviewed [3, 13, 49]. In fact, more has been written about the workings of this potent effector pathway in SLE than for any other disease. SLE is characterized serologically by excessive quantities of autoantibodies and immune complexes, and IgG and IgM-bearing immune complexes activate the classical complement pathway. Complement fragments are found on cells and in areas of tissue destruction. Damage to vital tissues in SLE is in part mediated by this effector arm of the humoral immune system. The major observation has been that the characteristic reduction in serum levels of the classical complement pathway components and whole complement activity (THC or CHs0) is secondary to increased utilization [3, 13, 23, 33, 49]. An unexplained observation is that up to 20% of SLE patients also have reduced synthetic rates [1, 43, 50]. Upon reviewing this extensive literature relating to complement and SLE, several clinical points can be made. The measurement of complement components can be helpful adjunct in the initial diagnosis of SLE and is a means of evaluating the results of therapy. For example, if with therapy the complement levels return to normal, the prognosis is better than for patients whose values remain low. These and other data indicate that the more clinically active the disease process, the greater the magnitude of complement activation. These points are well known to students of this illness and will not be further addressed here.
The Atlas Of India 1823-1947/The Natural History Of A Topographic Map Series

The Atlas of India was the principal topographic map series of British India. Copperengraved at four miles to an inch, new sheets were produced for almost eight decades, from 1827 to 1906. This paper follows its history, with an emphasis upon the earlier decades. It starts with the shift in the East India Company's policy between 1800 and 1823 from restricting access to openly distributing geographic information. It continues with a discussion of the ties between the Company and commercial cartographers, notably Aaron Arrowsmith and John Walker. Of significance in this respect is the conflict over the responsibility for map compilation and production between the commercial cartographers in London and the surveyors in India. Finally, with the transfer of production to India in 1870, this paper discusses the compromises made by the Survey of India as the Atlas competed for limited resources with other (lithographed) topographic map series at larger scales, until the Atlas' formal demise in 1905. However, At...
Unstructured tetrahedral mesh quality analysis using an interactive haptic and visual interface

The problem of interactively probing a mesh to determine its quality is described for three-dimensional unstructured tetrahedral meshes. Mesh quality as a function of individual element error is defined for a specific class of problems. The importance of analyzing mesh quality within a geometrical representation of the mesh is discussed. The problems encountered when attempting to visualize the geometric and error information for a visually complex mesh are identified and used to motivate a design for an interactive user interface for mesh quality analysis. The primary intended user of such a system is one who is interested in per-element mesh quality, such as the developer of mesh generating software or the persons charged with generating a good quality mesh for a specific problem; however, it may also be used by end users of meshes to see the main problem areas of the mesh and to compare various available meshing strategies. The interface provides the user with necessary information about element quality in a form which allows the user to isolate “bad” mesh elements and analyze the individual contributions of element shape, orientation, geometric neighborhood, and solution behavior. The availability of this information when combined with a haptic device allows the user to easily identify poor quality mesh regions. A prototype implementation of the interface was constructed and used to examine two meshes in detail. This was done in part reflexively, to determine the feasibility of this approach to mesh quality analysis. It was also done in the interests of our larger goals, to try to determine the main contributers to poor element quality in the two meshes. User analysis of the problem meshes is presented along with visual output from the interface. A formal user study was not performed; however, informal results and timings are used to show the speed and effectiveness of the interface.
Do empirical studies address the objectives of the nutrition labeling and education act: a review and synthesis relevant for marketing academicians

Academic research presents an important information source that consumers, firms, and public policy makers use for decision making. This paper reviews and synthesizes the literature in marketing journals to examine whether empirical studies thoroughly addresses the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) objectives. Findings indicate that a large number of published studies fail to directly address the NLEA objectives. The remaining studies are discussed and organized in juxtaposition with the three objectives framing the legislation. Finally, the paper pinpoints the paucity of generalizable research with regard to the objectives of the NLEA while identifying fertile directions for future research.
Intraoperative EEG monitoring

Intraoperative electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring has become technically feasible in everyday clinical practice. Anesthesiologists should become familiar with the utility and indications for intraoperative EEG monitoring. An understanding of the EEG and the various descriptors of the EEG, including spectral edge frequency, density spectral array, and other parameters, is readily obtained. Clinicians can adapt these EEG parameters to their decision making process to guide therapeutic interventions or follow the course of pharmacologic manipulations. This article presents a discussion of the clinical application of routine intraoperative EEG monitoring with clinical examples and comparison of two commercially available monitors.
Factors influencing resident attitudes regarding the land application of biosolids

Residential household owners were surveyed in two different New Hampshire communities that varied in terms of population size, degree of rurality, and per capita income, each with no activities in land application of biosolids. Logit models were developed and logistic regression analyses were carried out for each community. The empirical results suggest that the perception by residents of the potential economic benefits and negative impacts from land application of biosolids can be very influential in achieving public acceptance. From a policymaker's viewpoint, this suggests the need for sound educational programs that explicitly describe the economic benefits, negative impacts, and potential risks that typically occur with land application of biosolids. Supportive studies are needed to complement the educational programs. These measures will allow residents to weigh the relative benefits and costs to determine their positions on this approach to management of biosolids and to discount emotional judgements and misinformation. The media needs to ensure that newspaper, magazine, and television reports are accurate and taken from reliable sources. Survey results suggest that the less volume of information presented by the media, the more supportive residents are of land application. Therefore, with such sensitivity by respondents to quantity of information, it is imperative that media outlets place high priority on the quality and accuracy of materials presented. Socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents did not influence attitudes toward acceptance or rejection of biosolids application, thus eliminating the difficulty that social stratification could cause in achieving acceptance.
Changes in mucus glycoprotein synthesized in rat gastric mucosa exposed to ethanol.

Abstract The resistance to proteolysis by pepsin of gastric mucus glycoprotein synthesized by tissue culture in the presence and absence of 0.1 M ethanol was investigated. The glycoprotein product of ethanol-supplemented culture was found to contain 68% less associated lipids and 81% less covalently bound fatty acids, but exhibited unaltered content of carbohydrate and protein. The lipid and fatty acyl deficient glycoprotein was 5-times more rapidly and 2–3-times more extensively degraded by pepsin than the glycoprotein synthesized in the absence of ethanol. Following delipidation with organic solvents and deacylation with hydroxylamine both glycoproteins were digested at the same rate and degraded to the same extent. The lower content of fatty acyl residues markedly affected teh overall pattern of the proteolytic fragments identified by SDS gel electrophoresis. The peptides corresponding to the acylated fragments of control were degraded and an increase in the amount of smaller peptides was observed. The in vitro assays of the fatty acyltransferase activity towards the substrates obtained from control and alcohol-containing cultures revealed that the enzyme activity was similar and increased proportionally with increased concentration of both glycoprotein substrates and enzyme. However, addition of 0.1 M ethanol to the assay tubes containing complete incubation mixture decreased the acylation of either glycoprotein by 40%. Based on the results presented here, and on previous studies of mucus glycoprotein synthesis in the presence of ethanol, we conclude that ethanol interferes with the process of acylation of mucus glycoprotein with fatty acids.
In-situ combustion simulation using TGA/DTG experimental curves

Thermal methods such as in-situ combustion are used to improve the mobility of heavy crude oils. The in-situ combustion process usually starts by injecting an oxygen-bearing gas and artificially igniting the crude oil. As gas injection is continued, burning of crude oil develops, and the self-sustained combustion front drives the crude oil toward the production wells. Several investigators have developed various types of in-situ combustion simulators. A comprehensive historical development of in-situ combustion simulators was given by Farouq-Ali (1977). Among early investigations, perhaps the most informative and rigorous paper on insitu combustion simulation is that of Crookston et al. (1979). Their two-dimensional model simulated three-phase (water-oil-gas) flow in a reservoir where heat was assumed to transfer by conduction and convection, and mass flows by convection. The simulator included gravity and capillary effects, heat loss to the overburden and vaporization-condensation of water and oil. The main feature of this simulator is its rather sophisticated kinetic model. The authors accounted for four different reactions: light oil combustion, heavy oil combustion, heavy oil cracking, and coke combustion. This kinetic model is partly based on experimental results of Dabbous and Fulton (1974) and Boussaid and Ramey (1968). In 1980, Coats (1980) developed a fully implicit three-dimensional in-situ combustion simulator which allowed any number of components and any number of reactions to occur simultaneously. Later, Rubin and Buchanan (1985) extended the work of Coats to include options for Cartesian, non-Cartesian, radial or specific curvilinear grids. To date, all in-situ combustion simulators assumed that a finite number of chemical reactions, coupled with reaction rates that did not account for all the physico-chemical properties of the reservoir, occurred. The kinetic models required the knowledge of activation energies and frequency factors. However, several investigators (Zsako, 1968; Boussaid and Ramey, 1968; Burger and Sahuquet, 1972; Vossoughi et al., 1982a; E1-Shoubary, 1986) have shown the capability of such methods as thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to predict the kinetics of the in-situ combustion process. This study describes the development and application of a fully implicit one-dimensional in-situ combustion simulator using TGA/DTG experimental results, which requires the knowledge of neither the reactions activation
Prescribing and Implementing the Risk in Early Design (RED) Method

To aid designer’s abilities to increase product safety and reliability, risk assessments need to be moved forward to the conceptual design phase of a product. This is especially difficult because often the product has not assumed a physical form in this design stage. In an effort to perform risk assessments based on function, rather than physical components, the risk in early design (RED) method was developed. This paper presents the function based mathematical mappings of the RED method for preliminary risk assessments based on catalogued historical failure information. An example of the RED preliminary risk assessments on a thermal control subsystem along with heuristics for applying the particular types of risk assessments are discussed. Finally, the steps for performing RED in the conceptual design phase are offered. The heuristics and steps for preliminary risk assessments shown offer a method for identifying potential areas of concern in a product during the early stages of design when much can be done to over come them.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Combining Boundary-Based Methods With Tensor-Based Morphometry in the Measurement of Longitudinal Brain Change

Tensor-based morphometry is a powerful tool for automatically computing longitudinal change in brain structure. Because of bias in images and in the algorithm itself, however, a penalty term and inverse consistency are needed to control the over-reporting of nonbiological change. These may force a tradeoff between the intrinsic sensitivity and specificity, potentially leading to an under-reporting of authentic biological change with time. We propose a new method incorporating prior information about tissue boundaries (where biological change is likely to exist) that aims to keep the robustness and specificity contributed by the penalty term and inverse consistency while maintaining localization and sensitivity. Results indicate that this method has improved sensitivity without increased noise. Thus it will have enhanced power to detect differences within normal aging and along the spectrum of cognitive impairment.
Serum ferritin regulates blood vessel formation: a role beyond iron storage.

Ferritin is a protein whose principal role within cells is the storage of iron in a nontoxic, but bioavailable, form. The assembled ferritin molecule, often referred to as a nanocage, can store up to 4,500 atoms of iron (for review see ref. 1). In contrast to cytosolic ferritin, serum ferritin is relatively iron-poor and may contain only a few atoms of iron. Ferritin does not have an obvious leader sequence, and the mechanism of its release from cells is unclear. Serum ferritin is increased during inflammation, which suggests that it may play a role in modulating inflammatory effects (2, 3). In a recent issue of PNAS, Coffman et al. (4) provide compelling evidence that serum ferritin regulates vascular remodeling and angiogenesis, demonstrating a role for serum ferritin in cell proliferation.
Coping with the new E‐discovery rules

Over the past few years, companies have gradually abandoned paper records. They've shifted to electronic communication and records. But now, IT staff and corporate counsel are grappling with a whole new set of rules governing electronic legal evidence. What electronic information must you preserve? And how can you control the spiraling costs involved—and avoid crippling damage awards for failure to comply? The authors have some answers, including special guidelines for the chief financial officer's role in all this. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Public health vaccination policies for containing an anthrax outbreak

Concern about biological weapons has raised questions about the most effective public health policies to contain an anthrax outbreak1,2,3. We developed a probability model to predict the impact of different anthrax antibiotic and vaccination policies. An anthrax outbreak can be significantly contained by minimizing the delay until initiation of antibiotic prophylaxis. However, even if mass distribution of antibiotics is completed within six days of the initial exposure, then at most about 70% of cases can be prevented. Post-exposure vaccination will not significantly increase that prevention rate if adherence to antibiotic regimens is similar or higher than that attained in the 2001 US outbreak4. However, post-exposure vaccination can be useful either in shortening the duration of a prolonged antibiotic regimen, in the event of an antibiotic-resistant strain, or if antibiotic adherence rates are very low. Here we show that a mass pre-exposure vaccination programme for the general population would require very high population coverage rates to significantly increase prevention rates from that achieved with targeted and rapid post-exposure prophylaxis programmes.
Geological Rhythms and Cometary Impacts

Time series analysis reveals two dominant, long-term periodicities approximately equal to 32 and 260 million years in the known series of geological and biological upheavals during the Phanerozoic Eon. The cycles of these episodes agree in period and phase with the cycles of impact cratering on Earth, suggesting that periodic comet impacts strongly influence Earth processes.
Sertraline, a selective inhibitor of serotonin uptake, induces subsensitivity of β-adrenoceptor system of rat brain

Abstract Subacute administration (b.i.d. for 4 days) of sertraline, a potent and selective inhibitor of serotonin uptake, was found to reduce cyclic AMP generation by the norepinephrine receptor-coupled adenylate cyclase in rat limbic forebrain slices and decrease the number of β-adrenoceptors in rat cerebral cortex without affecting the affinity of [ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol binding. Co-administration of sertraline and the serotonin agonist, quipazine, at doses at which neither agent had an effect, resulted in desensitization of norepinephrine receptor-coupled adenylate cyclase and down-regulation of β-adrenoceptors. These findings suggest that increased serotonergic activity may be involved in the induction of subsensitivity of the β-adrenoceptor system of rat brain by sertraline.
Aminoacyl Transfer Rate Dictates Choice of Editing Pathway in Threonyl-tRNA Synthetase

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases hydrolyze aminoacyl adenylates and aminoacyl-tRNAs formed from near-cognate amino acids, thereby increasing translational fidelity. The contributions of pre- and post-transfer editing pathways to the fidelity of Escherichia coli threonyl-tRNA synthetase (ThrRS) were investigated by rapid kinetics. In the pre-steady state, asymmetric activation of cognate threonine and noncognate serine was observed in the active sites of dimeric ThrRS, with similar rates of activation. In the absence of tRNA, seryl-adenylate was hydrolyzed 29-fold faster by the ThrRS catalytic domain than threonyl-adenylate. The rate of seryl transfer to cognate tRNA was only 2-fold slower than threonine. Experiments comparing the rate of ATP consumption to the rate of aminoacyl-tRNAAA formation demonstrated that pre-transfer hydrolysis contributes to proofreading only when the rate of transfer is slowed significantly. Thus, the relative contributions of pre- and post-transfer editing in ThrRS are subject to modulation by the rate of aminoacyl transfer.
Reconstruction of two-dimensional magnetization and susceptibility distributions from the magnetic field of soft magnetic materials

We apply a spatial filtering technique to solve the two-dimensional magnetization imaging problem. This allows us to reconstruct the magnetization distribution from the measured magnetic field above a planar soft magnetic sample exposed to an applied magnetic field. Knowledge of the magnetizing field distribution can then be used to determine the susceptibility distribution and hence to obtain information about the material characteristics of the sample. By simulation of an actual experiment, we examine the spatial resolution of the resulting image and discuss the uniqueness of solutions to the inverse problem.
Relations Among National Interest Groups

T he concept "system" has been widely used in discussions of national and international politics, administrative organizations, and political parties, but not in discussions of interest groups. Political scientists generally treat interest groups as independent rather than interdependent entities. The total aggregation of interest groups active at the congressional level, for example, is seen as nothing more than the sum of these autonomous groups. The concepts of group coalition and group alliance, which are most frequently used in the literature to describe intergroup relations, are consistent with this premise. Coalition and alliance denote relations that are established as a result of explicit decisions by group leaders. In that frame of reference, systemic relations not produced by the calculated actions of group leaders are apt to remain unnoticed. This study explores relations among interest groups at the national level.1 Its general objectives are (1) to search for and delineate some of the patterns and dimensions of intergroup relations, and (2) to comment on the extent to which those relations are consistent with the pluralist model. The primary concerns of scholars researching the subject have been to determine the impact of groups on legislative work, or to analyze the internal dynamics of a single group. Relations among interest groups have been studied chiefly as an important but subsidiary aspect of the larger objective of explaining the passage or defeat of legislation. The only relations among interest groups that have received attention from political scientists are the group coalition or alliance, the joint committee of groups or catalytic group, and logrolling among groups.2
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome Secondary to Cosmetic Silicone Injections

Silicone has been implicated as a cause of inflammatory disorders in the body including synovitis and lymphangitis. Silicone particulate matter has been shown to cause a fairly severe chronic foreign body reaction with the use of silicone prosthesis in the foot.10,15,16 This reaction was often overlooked for years because of the limited number of subjective complaints. There are case reports of granulomatous inguinal lymphadenopathy following first metatarsophalangeal joint silicone arthroplasty.14,15 Similar findings have been noted in the axilla with hand implants2,5,7,9 and breast implants.19 Of greater significance are two reports of malignant lymphoma found with silicate lymphadenopathy.8
If you want to speak: imagination in speechmaking

It is argued that speechmaking is an art, not a science, and requires action and imagination; the successful speaker participates in the speechmaking process as an active, artistic, imaginative agent. The article is intended to help free readers from the restraints of overly practical approaches to public speaking by promoting the involvement of the imagination in the speechmaking process at every point, from invention to delivery. >
Urinary-tract escherichia coli with cross-reactive antigens to encapsulated pyogenic bacteria.

Abstract Of 1535 isolates of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas recovered from the urine of patients with urinary-tract infection, 20 strains of Escherichia coli and one strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were shown to possess antigens cross-reactive with the capsular polysaccharides of either pneumococcus types I or III, meningococcus group C, or Haemophilus influenzae type b. These cross-reactive antigens appear to be acidic polysaccharides which resemble E. coli "K" antigens. Studies of the frequency with which these cross-reacting bacteria may be identified in vesical as opposed to renal bacteriuria may reveal a molecular basis for the pathogenicity of bacteria causing renal parenchymal infections.
Interests, Values and Democracy: Tocqueville and Weber

A renewed scholarly interest in the social foundations of democratic societies provides an opportunity to examine complementary lines of analysis in the writings of Alexis de Tocqueville and Max Weber. Comparative studies of their reflections typically rely upon a detailed consideration of Tocqueville's Democracy in America and Weber's writings on the sociology of religion. This strategy has provided a basis for concluding that Tocqueville developed an interest-based theory of politics that contrasts with Weber's emphasis on the role of values as essential for motivating politically relevant action and legitimating states. I will argue that a more comprehensive perspective on their intellectual positions requires taking into account their assessment of social structures within which ideal and material interests are embedded. My conclusion that Tocqueville and Weber shared an intellectual focus on social structures and how those structures may impede as well as facilitate democracy is drawn from an analysis of Tocqueville's The Old Regime and the Revolution and selected political writings of Weber.
Opinions of Physical Therapy Education Program Directors on Essential Functions

Background and Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the opinions of directors of physical therapy education programs concerning the essential functions physical therapist students must be able to complete, with or without reasonable accommodation. Subjects. Fifty-eight physical therapy education program directors participated. Methods. Participants completed surveys as part of a three-round Delphi technique. They had the opportunity to modify or make additions to the initial list in the first round and rate the items in the last two rounds using an ordinal scale. Results. All participants rated communication skills and practicing in a safe, ethical, and legal manner as definitely essential functions. Nearly universal agreement (95%–99%) was present for determining physical therapy needs of patients with movement dysfunction and demonstrating the ability to apply universal precautions. Performance of treatment procedures and performance of assessment procedures were rated essential by 90% to 95% of the participants. The least agreement was found for participation in the process of scientific inquiry. Conclusion and Discussion. There is agreement among the physical therapy education program directors concerning the essential functions that should be required of students. The results of this study should serve as a reference for physical therapy education programs for developing the essential functions required of students.
Attenuated noradrenergic sensitivity during local cooling in aged human skin

Cutaneous vasoconstriction (VC) is the initial thermoregulatory response to skin cooling, effectively minimizing heat loss to the environment. Cutaneous VC can be stimulated by either whole-body skin cooling (reflex-mediated VC) or local skin cooling (locally mediated VC); these two mechanisms are not mutually exclusive and often operate in concert during cold exposure to maximize VC. However, human ageing substantially impairs cutaneous VC (Khan et al. 1992; Richardson et al. 1992; Kenney & Armstrong, 1996; Thompson & Kenney, 2004), rendering older people more susceptible to excessive heat loss and, potentially, hypothermia (Collins et al. 1977; Budd et al. 1991; Inoue et al. 1992). While several thermoregulatory studies have addressed age-related changes in reflex-mediated VC, it is unclear whether this blunted VC response in aged skin is likewise seen with local cooling, which involves different downstream mechanisms. Local cooling of cutaneous blood vessels evokes several vascular responses that alter responses to noradrenaline (NA) (Vanhoutte & Shepherd, 1970; Janssens & Vanhoutte, 1978; Flavahan et al. 1985). In vivo, local cooling leads to substantial VC mediated through α2-adrenergic receptors (ARs) (Flavahan et al. 1985; Ekenvall et al. 1988; Cankar et al. 2004). In vitro, local cooling increases intracellular Ca2+ mobilization as well as Ca2+ sensitivity. Additionally, local cooling increases the number of α2-ARs on the vascular smooth muscle cell surface by stimulating the translocation of α2C-ARs from the Golgi apparatus to the cell membrane (Chotani et al. 2000; Jeyaraj et al. 2001; Bailey et al. 2004). These intracellular responses to local cooling enhance the capacity for NA-mediated VC by augmenting the sensitivity of cutaneous vessels to the effects of NA. However, studies that have addressed the changes evoked by local cooling have only used young animal or human thermoregulatory models; very little is known regarding how local cooling affects VC in aged human skin. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of local cooling on aged skin. Specifically, we tested the hypotheses that (1) VC due to local cooling alone is blunted in aged skin, and (2) the heightened sensitivity to NA induced by local cooling observed in young skin is attenuated in aged skin.
ROLE OF LANDMARK FOR SPATIAL MAPPING IN NON-RIGID ENVIRONMENTS

Spatial orientation in colonoscopy is difficult. Previous studies have shown that knowledge of shape information is more useful than direction or location information. However, the mechanism of spatial mapping in a non-rigid environment is unknown. It was hypothesized that visual landmarks were used as the primary cue for spatial orientation, as in rigid environments, even when other conflicting cues were available. An experiment was conducted to examine the role of visual landmarks in spatial mapping in a non-rigid environment. Simulated colonoscopy procedures were performed in colon models representing a compressed colon and a colon with missing landmarks. Preliminary results indicated that time, and not visual landmarks, were used as the dominant cue for spatial mapping. This may explain the conflict experienced by endoscopists who are aware of the stretchable nature of the colon, combined with the unreliable landmarks. Therefore, a useful navigational aid might be developed to encourage the use of a different strategy for spatial mapping in situations where the spatial relationship between landmarks is not constant, as in the colon.
Effects of chronic copper exposure on development and survival in the southern leopard frog (Lithobates [Rana] sphenocephalus).

Exposure to environmental contaminants contributes to the global decline of amphibian populations. The impacts of organic contaminants on amphibians are well documented. However, substantially less is known concerning the potential effects of metals on amphibian populations. Copper (Cu) is an essential element, but it can be toxic at concentrations only slightly higher than the normal physiological range. The present study examines the effects of chronic Cu exposure on embryos and larvae of southern leopard frogs, Lithobates (Rana) sphenocephalus. Groups of eggs from multiple clutches were collected from two wetlands and exposed to a range of Cu concentrations (0-150 mg/L) until they reached the free-swimming stage, and then individual larvae were reared to metamorphosis. Higher Cu concentrations significantly reduced embryo survival to the free-swimming stage but did not further reduce survival to metamorphosis. Larval period was affected by Cu treatment, but the clutch from which larvae originated (i.e., parentage) explained a higher proportion of the variation. Embryo survival to hatching varied significantly among clutches, ranging from 42.9 to 79.2%. Measurable levels of Cu were found in larvae with body burdens up to 595 mg Cu/g dry mass in the 100 mg/L treatment, and larval Cu body burdens were higher than in metamorphs. The present study also demonstrated that higher initial egg density ameliorated embryo mortality at higher Cu levels and should be accounted for in future studies. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012;31:1587-1594. # 2012 SETAC Keywords—Lithobates (Rana) sphenocephalus Copper Amphibian Ecotoxicology Metal toxicity
Imitation Learning of Whole-Body Grasps

A system is detailed here for using imitation learning to teach a robot to grasp objects using both hand and whole-body grasps, which use the arms and torso as well as hands. Demonstration grasp trajectories are created by teleoperating a simulated robot to pick up simulated objects, modeled as combinations of up to three aligned primitives - boxes, cylinders, and spheres. When presented with a target object, the system compares it against the objects in a stored database to pick a demonstrated grasp used on a similar object. By considering the target object to be a transformed version of the demonstration object, contact points are mapped from one object to the other. The most promising grasp candidate is chosen with the aid of a grasp quality metric. To test the success of the chosen grasp, a collision-free grasp trajectory is found and an attempt is made to execute it in simulation. The implemented system successfully picks up 92 out of 100 randomly generated test objects in simulation
Effects of nicotine on gene expression and osseointegration in rats.

Background: While many studies have focused on the hazardous effects of smoking, there is little direct evidence regarding the specific detrimental effects of the nicotine on the osseointegration of implants. Objective: To understand the effects of nicotine on gene expression and osseointegration of titanium implants in rats. Material and methods: Forty-four rats were administered with nicotine or saline for a period of 8 weeks. The femurs were then harvested and analyzed using a three-point bending test. Osseointegration level was determined using bone/implant contact ratio at 2 or 4 weeks after implants were placed. Expression levels of bone matrix-related genes were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: The results of the three-point bending showed that there was no significant difference detected in stiffness between control and nicotine groups at 8 weeks post-saline/nicotine delivery (P=0.705). The bone/implant contact ratio in nicotine-delivered group was significantly decreased compared with those in the control group at 4 weeks (P<0.05). Also, expression levels of osteopontin, type II collagen, bone morphogenic protein-2, bone sialoprotein, and core-binding factor α-1 were significantly down-regulated in the nicotine-delivered group compared with the control. Conclusions: Although systemic exposure to nicotine did not affect rat bone development, bone wound healing around the implant after placement was affected. These findings suggest that nicotine might inhibit the bone matrix-related gene expressions required for wound healing and thereby diminish implant osseointegration at late stage. To cite this article: Yamano S, Berley JA, Kuo WP, Gallucci GO, Weber HP, Sukotjo C. Effects of nicotine on gene expression and osseointegration in rats. Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 21, 2010; 1353–1359. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0501.2009.01955.x
The Strategic Use of Legislative Voting Procedures

Legislative votes can be taken by roll call—noting the position of each individual member—or by some form of indication (sitting or standing, shouting yea or nay, etc.)—noting only an aggregate outcome. Cameral rules define one method of voting as the standard operating procedure and how to invoke any alternative voting methods. We develop a series of hypotheses related to position taking to explain why, when procedures would typically lead to a vote taken by indication, legislators choose to vote by roll call—a means that makes it much easier for actors outside the chamber to observe the positions taken by individual legislators and partisan blocs. With data from Argentina and Mexico, we test these hypotheses regarding the strategic choice of vote procedures and their relationship to observed party unity.
The Synthesis and Analysis of Stochastic Switching Circuits

Stochastic switching circuits are relay circuits that consist of stochastic switches called pswitches. The study of stochastic switching circuits has widespread applications in many fields of computer science, neuroscience, and biochemistry. In this paper, we discuss several properties of stochastic switching circuits, including robustness, expressibility, and probability approximation. First, we study the robustness, namely, the effect caused by introducing an error of size Є to each pswitch in a stochastic circuit. We analyze two constructions and prove that simple series-parallel circuits are robust to small error perturbations, while general series-parallel circuits are not. Specifically, the total error introduced by perturbations of size less than Є is bounded by a constant multiple of Є in a simple series-parallel circuit, independent of the size of the circuit. Next, we study the expressibility of stochastic switching circuits: Given an integer q and a pswitch set S = {1/q,2/q,...,q-1/q}, can we synthesize any rational probability with denominator q^n (for arbitrary n) with a simple series-parallel stochastic switching circuit? We generalize previous results and prove that when q is a multiple of 2 or 3, the answer is yes. We also show that when q is a prime number larger than 3, the answer is no. Probability approximation is studied for a general case of an arbitrary pswitch set S = {s_1, s_2,... , s_(|S|)}. In this case, we propose an algorithm based on local optimization to approximate any desired probability. The analysis reveals that the approximation error of a switching circuit decreases exponentially with an increasing circuit size.
Towards a Cure for Food Allergy

Over the past two decades, food allergies have become both more prevalent and long lasting. This burgeoning problem has not been met with any therapeutic options to date, and patients must attempt to avoid known allergenic foods and treat any allergic reactions with 'as-needed' medications. There are a number of promising emerging therapeutic modalities for food allergy, including allergen-specific and allergen non-specific immunotherapeutic approaches. Although the allergen-specific approaches have some distinct differences, they all attempt to induce tolerance by exposing the patient to an allergen via the mucosal route (oral tolerance induction). Allergen non-specific approaches include biologics to suppress free total IgE levels (e.g. anti-IgE antibody) or to induce more general immune suppression (Chinese herbal medication).
Reliable computation of equilibrium states and bifurcations in food chain models

Food chains and webs in the environment can be modeled by systems of ordinary differential equations that approximate species or functional feeding group behavior with a variety of functional responses. We present here a new methodology for computing all equilibrium states and bifurcations of equilibria in food chain models. The methodology used is based on interval analysis, in particular an interval-Newton/generalized-bisection algorithm that provides a mathematical and computational guarantee that all roots of a nonlinear equation system are enclosed. The procedure is initialization-independent, and thus requires no a priori insights concerning the number of equilibrium states and bifurcations of equilibria or their approximate locations. The technique is tested using several example problems involving tritrophic food chains.
Hardware acceleration of transactional memory on commodity systems

The adoption of transactional memory is hindered by the high overhead of software transactional memory and the intrusive design changes required by previously proposed TM hardware. We propose that hardware to accelerate software transactional memory (STM) can reside outside an unmodified commodity processor core, thereby substantially reducing implementation costs. This paper introduces Transactional Memory Acceleration using Commodity Cores (TMACC), a hardware-accelerated TM system that does not modify the processor, caches, or coherence protocol.We present a complete hardware implementation of TMACC using a rapid prototyping platform. Using this hardware, we implement two unique conflict detection schemes which are accelerated using Bloom filters on an FPGA. These schemes employ novel techniques for tolerating the latency of fine-grained asynchronous communication with an out-of-core accelerator. We then conduct experiments to explore the feasibility of accelerating TM without modifying existing system hardware. We show that, for all but short transactions, it is not necessary to modify the processor to obtain substantial improvement in TM performance. In these cases, TMACC outperforms an STM by an average of 69% in applications using moderate-length transactions, showing maximum speedup within 8% of an upper bound on TM acceleration. Overall, we demonstrate that hardware can substantially accelerate the performance of an STM on unmodified commodity processors.