cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Controlled drug delivery: Veterinary applications

Abstract The veterinary field is an area rich with opportunity for the application of controlled release technology. Because of the large number of food producing animals and the unique problems associated with the administration of drugs to these animals, the potential markets are large as are the potential benefits. The range of therapeutic areas which have need for controlled release technologies is limited to those diseases which lead to an economic loss to the grower and/or to applications in which cost effective growth of the animal is achieved. Thus, the major areas of application of controlled release technology include the delivery of therapeutic concentrations of antibiotic or antiparasitic agents, the long term administration of anthelmintic and/or antibacterial agents for growth promotion, the delivery of hormones to achieve accelerated growth or estrus synchronization, and the long term administration of trace nutrients. In this paper the potential areas for the application of controlled release technology in the veterinary field will be reviewed, devices in current use or of potential use will be described, and areas of future opportunity will be discussed.
Long-range behavior of noncovalent bonds. Neutral and charged H-bonds, pnicogen, chalcogen, and halogen bonds

Ab initio calculations show the drop in interaction energy with bond stretch ΔR can be fit to a common power n, in the functional form ΔR−n. This exponent is smaller for charged H-bonds, as compared to neutral systems, where n varies in the order pnicogen < chalcogen < halogen bond. The decay is slowest for the electrostatic term, followed by induction and then by dispersion. The halogen bond has the greatest sensitivity to bond stretching in terms of all three components. The values of the exponent n are smaller for electrostatic energy than would be expected if it arose purely as a result of classical multipole interactions, such as dipole–dipole for the neutral systems. The exponents are larger when the fitting is done with respect to intermolecular distance R, rather than to its stretch relative to equilibrium length, although still not precisely matching what might be expected on classical grounds.
Geospatial analysis of controls on subglacial bedform morphometry in the New York Drumlin Field - implications for Laurentide Ice Sheet dynamics

The outline and trend of 6566 subglacial bedforms in the New York Drumlin Field have been digitized from digital elevation data. A spatial predictive model has been used to extend values of bedform elongation over an area measuring 200 km × 110 km. The resulting surface is used in conjunction with depth-to-bedrock data and an assumed duration of ice residence to test three proposed controls on bedform elongation. Upon comparison, the resulting display of morphometry is best explained by differences in ice velocity across the field of study. The existence of multiple zones of fast-moving ice located along the southern margin of the Laurentide Ice Sheet is implied by the observed patterns of bedform elongation and orientation. We present two interpretations that are consistent with the observations. First, enhanced basal sliding caused by decreasing effective pressure near a calving margin is suggested as a possible mechanism by which localized fast ice flow is initiated and maintained. Second, topographically controlled ice streams likely occupied the fjord-like troughs of the Appalachian Upland northern rim. Contrary to previous understanding of the Laurentide southern margin in New York State, the resulting palaeoglaciological reconstruction illustrates a dynamic mosaic of ice stream and/or outlet glacier activity. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Red Blood Cell Utilization Review Experience

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations catalyzed peer-review of blood transfusion and gave it new form in 1984. This process became mostly comprehensive, retrospective, bi-level, and chart-based with an initial screening phase followed by physician- review. Studies were identified and evaluated to test the efficacy of this process, which has recently come under question. In two-thirds of the studies, transfusions were judged appropriate in over 90% of cases. In most hospitals reporting, there were no inappropriate transfusions. It is concluded that the process often results in too few inappropriate cases to readily identify opportunities for improvement.
Triality and Bagger-Lambert Theory

Abstract We present two alternative field contents for Bagger–Lambert theory, based on the triality of SO ( 8 ) . The first content is ( φ A a , χ A ˙ a ; A μ a b ) , where the bosonic field φ is in the 8 S of SO ( 8 ) instead of the 8 V as in the original Bagger–Lambert formulation. The second field content is ( φ A ˙ a , χ I a ; A μ a b ) , where the bosonic field φ and the fermionic field χ are respectively in the 8 C and 8 V of SO ( 8 ) . In both of these field contents, the bosonic potentials are positive definite, as desired. Moreover, these bosonic potentials can be unified by the triality of SO ( 8 ) . To this end, we see a special constant matrix as a product of two SO ( 8 ) generators playing an important role, relating the 8 V , 8 S and 8 C of SO ( 8 ) for the triality. As an important application, we give the supersymmetry transformation rule for N = 6 superconformal Chern–Simons theory with the supersymmetry parameter in the 6 of SO ( 6 ) , obtained by the truncation of our first field content.
A framework for assessing the consequences of deferred or hastened highway asset interventions

Application of a treatment at appropriate time is indeed a critical issue in highway asset management. A treatment that is applied too early (hastened) or too late (deferred) has consequences in terms of the agency cost, facility performance and cost-effectiveness. This research uses basic concepts in costing and effectiveness analysis to develop a methodology for quantifying the consequences of mistimed highway preservation interventions. Through a case study on pavement preservation, demonstrating the practical application of the methodology, it is observed that the consequences of hastened or deferred interventions can differ across asset classes as well as across intervention types: the consequent life-cycle cost increases and performance losses are more severe for non-interstate highways compared with interstate highways, and are more severe for maintenance compared with light rehabilitation. Recognising that in the practical world, the timing of interventions need not be at the optimal levels, the paper goes on to show how an agency could use the developed methodology to establish acceptable ranges of intervention timing and introduce flexibility in its preservation schedules by establishing the earliest and the latest times for applying an intervention in order to avoid undue penalties in terms of cost and effectiveness.
Thin-film-transistor process-characterization test structures

Electrical test structures provide a method of rapid, low-cost end-of-process metrology for both materials properties and specific process information. The results from electrical test structures for routine monitoring of key process parameters such as line width, edge-taper width, layer-to-layer alignment, and metal coverage are compared with those from traditional metrology methods. In all cases, the correlation coefficient R was near unity, R2 ≥ 0.97, demonstrating that electrical test structures have sufficient accuracy for process-control applications. For the structures used, the line width, edge-taper width, and layer-to-layer-alignment electrical measurements have uncertainties of less than 0.1 µm. The test structures are all compatible with typical thin-film-transistor (TFT) array processing.
Measuring activity of 235, 238U, 232Th and 40K in geological materials using neutron activation analysis

The radioactivity of the 235, 238U and 232Th isotope decay chains for geological samples can usually be assumed to be in equilibrium due to their age. Similarly, one can assume that the isotopic mass proportions are equal to natural isotopic abundance. Current methods used to ascertain activity in these decay chains involve alpha particle spectrometry, ICP-MS or passive gamma-ray spectrometry, all of which can be laborious and time consuming. In this research, we have used thermal and epithermal neutron activation analysis (NAA) of small sample sizes of various geological materials in order to ascertain these activities. By using NAA, we aim to obviate cumbersome sample preparation, the need for large samples and extended counting time. In addition to the decay chains of uranium and thorium, 40K was also determined using epithermal neutron activation analysis to determine total potassium content and then subtracting out its isotopic contribution.
K+/Na+ Selectivity in Toy Cation Binding Site Models Is Determined by the ‘Host’

The macroscopic ion-selective behavior of K+ channels is mediated by a multitude of physiological factors. However, considering the carbonyl-lined binding site of a conductive K+ channel as a canonical eightfold coordinated construct can be useful in understanding the principles that correlate the channel's structure with its function. We probe the effects of structure and chemical composition on the K+/Na+ selectivity provided by a variety of simplified droplet-like ion binding site models. We find that when carbonyl- and water-based models capture the qualitative structural features of the K+ channel binding site, a selective preference for K+ emerges. Thus our findings suggest that the preference for K+ over Na+ exhibited by such models is principally built-in, and is not due to a unique K+-selective property of carbonyl functional groups. This suggestion is confirmed by a general thermodynamic assessment, which provides a basis for using simplified models to study the design principles underlying the molecular evolution of K+ channels.
Update: Turning the heat on cancer.

The promise of hyperthermia has yet to be realized, but the fundamental idea and the effects of heat on (cancer) cells are well known. Cell death from exposure to heat is a function of both the intensity of the heat and the length of the exposure. Cells die by necrosis and by apoptosis. Sublethal heat doses sensitize cancer cells to radiation and drugs. Because of advances in chemistry and physics, harnessing the power of heat to kill cancer cells seems achievable now! Using novel systems embodied in the combination of molecular-targeted nanoparticles and hysteretic heating of the nanoparticles with “focused” alternating magnetic frequencies (AMFs), heat delivery can be better controlled. Importantly, hyperthermia does not damage, and may actually enhance, the immune system. Trials in patients are needed to settle the clinical role of new thermal treatment.
Directed forgetting deficits in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy: an information processing perspective.

Although mesial temporal lobe brain damage is frequently associated with memory loss, it is unclear whether the deficit results entirely from a disruption in the processing of relevant information or whether it also reflects interference from irrelevant information. Directed forgetting is one procedure that can be used, along with standard tests of memory, to investigate this distinction. Seventeen patients with a diagnosis of complex-partial seizures of temporal lobe origin and 17 healthy volunteers were compared on lexical decision, free recall, and recognition tests in a directed-forgetting paradigm. These tests created a memory profile to measure the influence of task relevant and irrelevant information in implicit and explicit memory. Compared with healthy volunteers, the patients were significantly impaired on the memory tasks overall [F(5,25) = 5.01, p < .01]. Specifically, directed forgetting in lexical decision and recognition both discriminated between the groups [stepdown F(1,26) = 6.84, eta 2 = .26, p < .05 and stepdown F(1,25) = 5.36, eta 2 = .13, p < .05, respectively]. The results suggest that interictal memory performance in temporal lobe epilepsy may be disrupted in part because of a deficit in the differential processing of task relevant and task irrelevant information, particularly at retrieval.
Broadband liquid-crystal electro-optical modulators

We present results from some preliminary experimental studies of two electro-optical phenomena in nematic liquid crystal cells: dynamic scattering and field induced alignment for optical modulation and switching applications, using liquid crystal cells with a variety of surface alignment. Broadband, good extinction ratio, non-polarization selective modulators/switches with on-off response times on the order of a millisecond or so are demonstrated.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A parallel multiresolution volume rendering algorithm for large data visualization

We present a new parallel multiresolution volume rendering algorithm for visualizing large data sets. Using the wavelet transform, the raw data is first converted to a multiresolution wavelet tree. To eliminate the data dependency between processors at run-time, and achieve load-balanced rendering, we design a novel algorithm to partition the tree and distribute the data along a hierarchical space-filling curve with error-guided bucketization. Further optimization is achieved by storing reconstructed data at pre-selected tree nodes for each processor based on the available storage resources to reduce the overall wavelet reconstruction cost. At run time, the wavelet tree is first traversed according to the user-specified error tolerance. Data blocks of different resolutions that satisfy the error tolerance are then decompressed and rendered to compose the final image in parallel. Experimental results showed that our algorithm can reduce the run-time communication cost to a minimum and ensure a well-balanced workload among processors when visualizing gigabytes of data with arbitrary error tolerances.
Cognitive Functioning in Late Life: The Impact of Moderate Alcohol Consumption

Purpose Sex differences in the association between moderate alcohol consumption and cognitive functioning were examined during 4 years. Methods Participants were 2716 US older adults 70 years and older (mean age, = 76.02 years) who were free of cognitive impairment from the Second Longitudinal Study of Aging (1994 to 2000). Multiple logistic regression models were used to predict cognitive functioning (adapted Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status) from average daily alcohol intake (no drink, one drink or less daily, and more than one drink daily) during 4 years after controlling for covariates. Results Sex differences in the association between alcohol consumption and cognitive functioning were found ( p Conclusions For older adults with a level of cognitive functioning within normal ranges, moderate amounts of alcohol, an average of one drink or less daily, was protective for women, but not men. Caution should be used in suggesting moderate alcohol consumption to maintain cognitive functioning because of the risks of consuming alcohol.
The impact of digital technology on the generation and implementation of creative ideas in the workplace

We present arguments describing how digital technology can enhance innovation.We describe conditions necessary to generate and implement creative ideas.We examine how digital technology influences each of these conditions.We discuss possible risks of digital technology use and future research ideas. This article discusses a variety of ways that digital technology can enhance innovation by facilitating the conditions necessary for the development of employees' creative ideas and the implementation of these ideas in organizations. We begin by arguing that three conditions are necessary if employees are to generate creative ideas: access and exposure to new and diverse information, full engagement in the work role, and the experience of socioemotional or instrumental support. We posit that the implementation of employees' creative ideas requires the mobilization of support and sponsorship of the ideas from credible allies. We then discuss the possibility that digital technology shapes the creativity of ideas generated by employees and the implementation of these ideas by influencing each of these conditions. We conclude with a discussion of some possible risks of digital technology use and some suggestions for several new directions for future research.
A Present Weakness in Teaching Geography

(1908). A Present Weakness in Teaching Geography. Journal of Geography: Vol. 6, No. 8, pp. 262-264.
Early Childhood Foreign Language Education: Developmental Perspective and Implementation Guidelines

Foreign languages have been taught to children since the first days of formal schooling in ancient Greece. In this decade in the United States, nearly one quarter of all youngsters study a second l...
Using regional exposure criteria and upstream reference data to characterize spatial and temporal exposures to chemical contaminants

Analyses of biomarkers in fish were used to evaluate exposures among locations and across time. Two types of references were used for comparison, an upstream reference sample remote from known point sources and regional exposure criteria derived from a baseline of fish from reference sites throughout Ohio, USA. Liver, bile, and blood were sampled from white suckers (Catostomus commersoni) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) collected during 1993 and 1996 in the Ottawa River near Lima, Ohio. Levels of exposure were measured for petroleum by naphthalene-type metabolites, combustion by-products by benzo[a]pyrene-type metabolites, coplanar organic compounds by ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, and urea by blood urea nitroger (BUN) levels. The four biomarkers analyzed proved effective in determining differences between reference and polluted sampling sites, between geographically close (<0.5 km sites, and between sampling years at sites common in both years. Calculated exposure criteria levels of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bile metabolites were found to be a conservative approximation of levels from a designated reference site and could thereby permit comparison of hiomarker levels of fish from the Ottawa River to a regional reference level. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bile metabolite and EROD activity levels were more reflective of spatial patterns of contamination than BUN, although all biomarkers indicated differences over time. Biomarkers from white suckers seemed to be more responsive in detecting changes in contaminant levels than the same biomarkers from common carp. Lower levels in 1996 of all biomarkers at many sites suggested lower exposures than in 1993 and could he indicative of some improvement over the period.
Hemodynamics and intracardiac conduction after operative repair of tetralogy of fallot

Electrophysiologic studies were performed in 47 children aged 3 to 18 years, 15 of whom had cardiac arrhythmias 1 to 15 years after repair of tetralogy of Fallot. Six exhibited sinus or atrioventricular nodal dysfunction, 8 had ventricular extrasystoles, and 1 had supraventricular tachycardia. Hemodynamic and electrophysiologic data were obtained at postoperative catheterization. Although electrophysiologic responses were abnormal in a proportion of both the children with and those without arrhythmia, hemodynamic values were similar. Three of 6 children with impaired sinus impulse generation or atrioventricular nodal conduction had a prolonged A-H interval, and in 3 Wenckebach heart block developed at low pacing rates. Ventricular ectopic rhythm was not associated with any particular abnormality of basic intracardiac conduction intervals. Thus, arrhythmias and conduction abnormalities are not consistently related to residual right ventricular hypertension. Abnormalities in electrophysiologic function are common after repair of tetralogy of Fallot in patients with sinus rhythm and may have prognostic implications for these patients.
Separator-based strategies for efficient message routing

Message routing strategies are given for networks with certain separator properties. These strategies use considerably less space than complete routing tables, keep node names to O(log n) bits, and still route along near-shortest paths. For any network with separators of size at most a small constant c, a total of O(n log n) items of routing information is stored, and any message is routed along a path of length at most (2/α) + 1 times the length of an optimal path, where α ≫ 1 is the positive root of the equation α⌈(c+1)/2⌉ - α - 2 = 0. For planar networks, O(n1+e) items are stored, for any constant e, 0 ≪ e ≪ 1/3, and the length of any message path is at most 7 times that of an optimal path.
Structural properties of copper

First-principles total-energy calculations on the tetragonal states of bulk elemental copper have been made with a full-potential electronic structure program with both the local-density approximation (LDA) and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The unique path through tetragonal states produced by epitaxial strain on equilibrium states has been found. This path, called the epitaxial Bain path, shows that body-centered cubic Cu (at axial ratio $c/a=1)$ is unstable, but a shallow energy minimum exists for a body-centered tetragonal (bct) state with axial ratio $c/a=0.93.$ Structure parameters and elastic constants of both the face-centered cubic (fcc) ground state and the bct state are determined and the fcc values are compared to experiment: the GGA results are better than the LDA results. The procedures for evaluating the three fcc elastic constants and the six tetragonal elastic constants are described in detail. Tests of the stability of the bct phase at $c/a=0.93$ show that this phase, although stable with respect to tetragonal deformations, is unstable with respect to [110] shear in the (001) plane. A lower-energy body-centered orthorhombic phase is found that may be metastable.
Avoiding commitment: cathemerality among primates

Cathemeral animals distribute their activity more or less uniformly between the dark and light phases of the 24-hour day. This activity pattern is quite widely observed among major mammal taxa, although the number of species involved is relatively low. Among primates, cathemerality is seen principally, though not uniquely, in the strepsirhine (“lower primate”) family Lemuridae; it is ubiquitous in the genus Eulemur, among species of which it seems to be a stable activity pattern with a history going back at least 8 – 12 million years. Nocturnal primates have visual systems that accentuate sensitivity to light over visual acuity, showing large cornea size, high rod:cone ratios and large numbers of photoreceptors relative to ganglion cells. Diurnal forms do the reverse, while Eulemur species are intermediate in these respects, suggesting substantial accommodation of the visual system to the cathemeral lifestyle. Studies of one Eulemur species have revealed that its cathemerality is underpinned by a robust e...
The Effect of Redistricting Commissions on District Bipartisanship and Member Ideology

AbstractReformers advocate the use of commissions rather than legislatures to redistrict as a way of promoting less partisan districts and ideologically moderate congressional members. Much of the evidence in political science suggests that gerrymandering is not a cause of congressional polarization, but whether or not commissions produce different types of districts or members remains an important and unanswered question, especially now that many states have adopted reforms. This article examines whether commissions reduce district partisanship or ideological extremity using time-series-cross-sectional data. We find that bipartisan districts promote member moderation, but there is no evidence that commissions have distinct effects on districts or members as compared to districts drawn by legislatures, consistent with the notion that limiting gerrymandering is not a solution for polarization. These conclusions call into question the appropriateness of redistricting reform, especially when one considers th...
Intrahippocampal kainic acid reduces glutamine synthetase.

Abstract Kainic acid was injected into the hippocampus of rats and glutamine synthetase was measured to determine whether astrocytes are involved in the early effects of this neurotoxic agent. Glutamine synthetase was reduced by 38%, 24 h after the stereotaxic application of 4 nmol of kainic acid to this region. The reduction in glutamine synthetase by kainic acid was not due to direct inhibition of the brain enzyme. This effect also was not due to seizure activity since rats peripherally injected with a convulsant dose of kainic acid were found to have normal hippocampal glutamine-synthetase activity. Exposure of astrocyte cultures to kainic acid for 24 h produced no evidence of gliotoxicity and no change in glutamine synthetase activity. The effect of intrahippocampal kainic acid on glutamine synthetase appears to be indirect, most likely produced secondarily to its neuronal effects. Several studies have shown that endogenous glutamate is involved in kainate neurotoxicity. A reduction in glutamine synthetase by kainic acid may impair the capacity for astrocytes to metabolize glutamate. Such an impairment could contribute to the glutamate-mediated cell death following kainic acid exposure.
Estimation of upper quantiles under model and parameter uncertainty

In this paper we assess accuracy of some commonly used estimators of upper quantiles of a right skewed distribution under both parameter and model uncertainty. In particular, for each of log-normal, log-logistic, and log-double exponential distributions, we study the bias and mean squared error of the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) of the upper quantiles under both the correct and incorrect model specifications. We also consider two data dependent or adaptive estimators. The first (tail-exponential) is based on fitting an exponential distribution to the highest 10-20 percent of the data. The second selects the best fitting likelihood-based model and uses the MLE obtained from that model. The simulation results provide some practical guidance concerning the estimation of the upper quantiles when one is uncertain about the underlying model. We found that the consequences of assuming log-normality when the true distribution is log-logistic or log-double exponential are not severe in moderate sample sizes. For extreme quantiles, no estimator was reliable in small samples. For large sample sizes the selection estimator performs fairly well. For small sample sizes the tail-exponential method is a good alternative. Presenting it and the MLE for the log-normal enables one to assess the potential effects of model uncertainty.
Determination of the natural history of aspirin resistance among stable patients with cardiovascular disease: Reply

We appreciate and share the interest of Dr. Varinasi and colleagues in aspirin resistance and its clinical relevance. Previously, we documented the profile and prevalence of aspirin resistance in stable patients with cardiovascular disease [(1)][1]. In this initial study, we used both optical
Plasmodium falciparum maturation abolishes physiologic red cell deformability

Normal red cells deform markedly as they pass through the spleen and the peripheral capillaries. In these studies, the effects of Plasmodium falciparum infection and maturation on the deformability of parasitized red cells exposed to fluid shear stress in vitro were examined by means of a rheoscope. Red cells containing the early (ring) erythrocytic stage of the parasite have impaired deformability at physiologic shear stresses, and recover their normal shape more slowly. Red cells containing more mature parasites (trophozoites or schizonts) exhibit no deformation under the same conditions. These results provide a mechanism to explain the ability of the spleen to remove parasitized red cells from the circulation of both immune and nonimmune hosts.
Outside the box and into thick air: implementation of an exterior mobile pediatric emergency response team for North American H1N1 (swine) influenza virus in Houston, Texas.

Study objective We describe the implementation of a mobile pediatric emergency response team for mildly ill children with influenza-like illnesses during the H1N1 swine influenza outbreak. Methods This was a descriptive quality improvement study conducted in the Texas Children's Hospital (Houston, TX) pediatric emergency department (ED), covered, open-air parking lot from May 1, 2009, to May 7, 2009. Children aged 18 years or younger were screened for viral respiratory symptoms and sent to designated areas of the ED according to level of acuity, possibility of influenza-like illness, and the anticipated need for laboratory evaluation. Results The mobile pediatric emergency response team experienced 18% of the total ED volume, or a median of 48 patients daily, peaking at 83 patients treated on May 3, 2009. Although few children had positive rapid influenza assay results and the morbidity of disease in the community appeared to be minimal for the majority of children, anxiety about pandemic influenza drove a large number of ED visits, necessitating an increase in surge capacity. Surge capacity was augmented both through utilization of existing institutional resources and by creating a novel area in which to treat patients with potential airborne pathogens. Infection control procedures and patient safety were also maximized through patient cohorting and adaptation of social distancing measures to the ED setting. Conclusion The mobile pediatric emergency response team and screening and triage algorithms were able to safely and effectively identify a group of low-acuity patients who could be rapidly evaluated and discharged, alleviating ED volume and potentially preventing transmission of H1N1 influenza.
Wireless Biosensing Using Silver-Enhancement Based Self-Assembled Antennas in Passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Tags

In this paper, we present a silver-enhancement technique for self-assembling radio frequency (RF) antennas and demonstrate its application for remote biosensing. When target analytes or pathogens are present in a sample the silver-enhancement process self-assembles a chain of micromonopole antennas. As the size of the silver-enhanced particles grows, the chain of microantenna segments bridge together to complete a macroantenna structure. The change in the electrical impedance across the bridge modulates the reflection properties of the antenna at a desired frequency. In this paper, we have used this principle to model, optimize and design a ratiometric mode 915-MHz RF identification-based biosensor which uses relative received signal strength indicator (RSSI) to measure and detect different concentration levels of target analytes. We have validated the proof-of-concept for detecting two types of analytes: 1) IgG in rabbit serum at concentration levels ranging from 20 to 60 ng and 2) moisture in a sample at volumes ranging from 5 to 40 $\mu \text{L}$ . A significant advantage of the proposed biosensor is that the concentration level of target analytes or pathogens can be remotely interrogated in a concealed, packaged or in a biohazardous environment, where direct electrical or optical measurement is considered to be impractical.
The perception of walking speed in a virtual environment

Studies of locomotion in virtual environments assume that correct geometric principles define the relationship between walking speed and environmental flow. However, we have observed that geometrically correct optic flow appears to be too slow during simulated locomotion on a treadmill, Experiment 1 documents the effect in a head-mounted display. Experiment 2 shows that the effect is eliminated when the gaze is directed downward or to the side, or when the walking speed is slow. Experiment 3 shows that the effect is unchanged by stride length, Experiment 4 verifies that the effect is not attributable to image jitter, The change in perceived speed from straight ahead to side or down gaze coincides with a shift from expanding optic flow to lamellar flow. Therefore, we hypothesize that lamellar flow is necessary for accurate speed perception, and that a limited field of view eliminates this cue during straight-ahead gaze.
Nitrogen Effects on Herbage Nitrogen Use and Nutritive Value in a Meadow and Loblolly Pine Alley

Herbage response to N is poorly understood in alley cropping systems. Our objective was to determine site specific effects of N on herbage N use and nutritive value in separate experiments conducted in a meadow and a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) alley (995 trees ha -1 ) near Booneville, AR. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) was the predominant herbage spedes. Fertilizer N was broadcast as split-applications at six rates (100 kg ha -1 increments from 0 to 500 kg ha -1 yr -1 ). The proportion of total herbage as tall fescue was favored at rates > 200 kg N ha -1 , but these rates increased concentrations of herbage NO 3 - -N in the pine alley to potentially harmful levels for grazing ruminants (>2300 μg NO 3 - -N g -1 ). Cumulative herbage N use efficiency (CNUE) was 23 and 10 kg dry weight per kilogram supplied N for the meadow and pine alley, respectively. Cumulative N acquisition efficiency (CNAE), not cumulative N conversion efficiency (CNCE), appeared to be the primary driver of low CNUE in the pine alley. The apparent increase in crude protein (CP) in pine alley vs. meadow herbage appeared to be a mechanistic response to decreased specific leaf weight. Only maintenance levels (≤100 kg ha ') of N fertilization should be applied to pine alley herbage given the low CNUE, and risk of NO 3 - -N toxicity to ruminant livestock at higher N rates.
Hydrophobically Modified Associative Polymer Solutions: Rheology and Microstructure in the Presence of Nonionic Surfactants

We report on the rheology and morphology of a hydrophobically modified alkali-swellable emulsion (HASE) polymer solubilized in alkaline media containing nonionic surfactants. The HASE polymer consists of complex alkylaryl hydrophobes composed of oligomeric nonylphenol condensates attached to a poly(ethyl acrylate-co-methacrylic acid) backbone. The complex linear viscoelastic response of the polymer in alkaline solution suggests an unentangled network with an appreciable fraction of microgel. The concentration and hydrophile−lipophile balance (HLB) of nonionic surfactants profoundly affect the solution rheology. A surfactant of high HLB inhibits the dynamic network connectivity of the HASE polymer, as demonstrated by reductions of both the steady-shear viscosity and the dynamic storage modulus. The shear-induced structuring previously reported for this polymer is also progressively diminished as the surfactant concentration is increased. In contrast, the addition of a low-HLB surfactant promotes system structuring, as evidenced by (i) increases in the shear viscosity and the high-frequency plateau modulus and (ii) retention of the ability to undergo shear-induced structuring. We also employ cryofracture-replication transmission electron microscopy for the first time with regard to HASE associative polymers to examine the morphological characteristics of selected systems. The morphology of the HASE polymer in both latex and solubilized form appears more complex than previously anticipated, and a reasonable interpretation of these new data is provided.
Prenatal exposure to cocaine selectively disrupts motor responding to D-amphetamine in young and mature rabbits.

Abstract Acute administration of D-amphetamine probed the functional effects of prenatal exposure to cocaine on the integrity of monoaminergic systems in preweanling (48–56 days old) and adult (⩾ 140 days old) Dutch belted rabbits. D-Amphetamine sulfate (0, 0.3, 1.0, 3.3 and 6.0mg/kg, s.c.) produced equivalent dose-related reductions in food intake in 180 day-old rabbits that had been exposed in utero on gestational days 8–29 to cocaine or saline. Intrauterine exposure to cocaine also did not alter the incidence of exploratory behaviors stimulated by D-amphetamine during the anorexia test. In contrast, however, prenatal cocaine virtually eliminated stereotyped head bobbing elicited by the highest dose of D-amphetamine. When responses to 5.0 mg/kg D-arnphetamine were measured during a 90-min open field test, prenatal cocaine prevented head bobbing in preweanling rabbits and reduced this behavior by 92% in 140 day-old adults. Prenatal cocaine also diminished the intensity of other motor responses in the open field in the adults but not in preweanlings. In normal rabbits, the d 1 antagonist R(+)-SCH 23390 (0.01 mg/kg, s.c.) blocked D-amphetamine-induced head bobbing. Thus, prenatal exposure to cocaine produces an early and persistent deficit in behavioral responding to a high dose of D-amphetamine. The deficit is especially selective at the time of weaning, broadens to affect more motor behaviors with maturation and may reveal impaired D 1 -mediated dopaminergic neurotransmission in the brain.
Cytokine gene expression and activation of NF-κB in aniline-induced splenic toxicity

Abstract Exposure to aniline results in selective toxicity to the spleen, leading to a variety of sarcomas on chronic exposure in rats, and fibrosis appears to be an important initiating preneoplastic lesion of the spleen. However, the molecular mechanism(s) by which aniline leads to fibrogenic response is not well understood. Previously, we have shown that aniline exposure leads to iron overload and induction of oxidative stress in the spleen. We hypothesized that aniline-induced oxidative stress in the spleen causes transcriptional up-regulation of fibrogenic cytokines via activation of redox-sensitive transcription factor, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). To test this hypothesis, male SD rats were treated with 0.5 mmol/kg/day aniline hydrochloride via drinking water for 30 days. Cytokine mRNAs were measured by real-time quantitative PCR, while cytokine release was determined in the supernatants of the cultured splenocytes using specific ELISAs. IL-1α, IL-6, and TNF-α mRNA levels showed 6.9-, 2.9-, and 2.6-fold increases, respectively, in the spleens of aniline-treated rats in comparison to the controls. The increases in mRNA levels were associated with enhanced secretion of these cytokines in the splenocyte culture supernatants. NF-κB p65 level in the nuclear extracts of cultured splenocytes of aniline-treated rats showed a 2-fold increase in comparison to the controls as quantitated by NF-κB p65-specific ELISA. The binding activity of NF-κB, determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), also showed an increase in NF-κB binding in the nuclear extracts of the splenocytes from aniline-treated rats. The specificity of NF-κB binding was further confirmed by supershift assays. The results indicate that aniline exposure causes enhanced expression of IL-1α, IL-6, and TNF-α, both at mRNA and protein levels, suggesting their role in splenic fibrosis. Also, the increased NF-κB binding activity suggests that up-regulation of these cytokines in the spleen is a redox-dependent mechanism.
Are women nicer people than men? Sex and the stigma of mental disorders

Abstract The literature on sex differences in the social stigma associated with mental disorders is reviewed. Studies which have relied on non-behavioral measures (self-reports, attitude scales) are considered separately from those which have attempted to measure stigma behaviorally (denial of job, harsh treatment). Also, amount of stigma displayed by males and females toward an afflicted person is treated separately from the degree of disfavor in which society holds a male as compared to a female victim of mental disorder. Three main patterns are revealed by the literature: (1) Men and women express similar feelings and attitudes toward the mentally disordered but they behave in quite different ways toward them. (2) Women act in a much more benign and favorable way than men do. (3) Women who are present or former mental patients are treated more favorably than comparable men. An effort is made to understand these gender differences.
TNF-α downregulates murine hepatic growth hormone receptor expression by inhibiting Sp1 and Sp3 binding

Children with chronic inflammatory diseases experience growth failure and wasting. This may be due to growth hormone resistance caused by cytokine-induced suppression of growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene expression. However, the factors governing inflammatory regulation of GHR are not known. We have reported that Sp1 and Sp3 regulate hepatic GHR expression. We hypothesized that TNF-alpha suppresses GHR expression by inhibiting Sp1/Sp3 transactivators. LPS administration significantly reduced murine hepatic GHR expression, as well as Sp1 and Sp3 binding to GHR promoter cis elements. TNF-alpha was integral to this response, as LPS did not affect hepatic Sp1/Sp3 binding or GHR expression in TNF receptor 1-deficient mice. TNF-alpha treatment of BNL CL.2 mouse liver cells reduced Sp1 and Sp3 binding to a GHR promoter cis element and downregulated activity of a GHR promoter-driven luciferase reporter. Combined mutations within adjacent Sp elements eliminated GHR promoter suppression by TNF-alpha without affecting overall nuclear levels of Sp1 or Sp3 proteins. These studies demonstrate that murine GHR transcription is downregulated by LPS, primarily via TNF-alpha-dependent signaling. Evidence suggests that inhibition of Sp transactivator binding is involved. Further investigation of these mechanisms may identify novel strategies for preventing inflammatory suppression of growth.
Accuracy of higher-order lattice Boltzmann methods for microscale flows with finite Knudsen numbers

Accuracy of the lattice Boltzmann (LB) method for microscale flows with finite Knudsen numbers is investigated. We employ up to the eleventh-order Gauss-Hermite quadrature for the lattice velocities and diffuse-scattering boundary condition for fluid-wall interactions. Detailed comparisons with the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method and the linearized Boltzmann equation are made for planar Couette and Poiseuille flows. All higher-order LB methods considered here give improved results as compared with the standard LB method. The accuracy of the LB hierarchy, however, does not monotonically increase with the order of the Gauss-Hermite quadrature at moderate and large Knudsen numbers. The results also show the sensitivity to a quadrature chosen, even when the Gauss-Hermite quadratures have the same order of formal accuracy. Among the schemes investigated here, D2Q16 is the most efficient method and offers a quantitative prediction in the slip and transition regimes. The higher-order LB methods predict the Knudsen layer up to Kn=O(0.1). The Knudsen layer, however, rapidly disappears when the Knudsen number approaches unity due to a finite number of the lattice velocities, while it is still present for Kn=O(1) in the Boltzmann equation. It is also found that the higher-order LB methods adopted here do not capture the asymptotic behavior of the Boltzmann equation at large Knudsen numbers.
The development of traditions of book illustration in pre‐Safavid Iran

In the Safavid period the concepts of miniature painting, already fully established in the Timurid period, still prevailed with certain modifications and changes in emphasis. Timurid painting in its turn had expanded and refined an art which had developed in the course of the fourteenth century into the "kind of painting," as Dist Muhammad wrote in the midAsixteenth century, "which is current at the present time." Although Persian miniature painting achieved its first stage of maturity under the Jala 'irid sultans in the second half of the fourteenth century, the development was uneven. During the Jala'irid and subsequent Timurid periods illustrations were produced which were markedly different from each other not only in concept and purpose but also in their stage of artistic development and degree of sophistication.
Targeted N-linked glycosylation analysis of H5N1 influenza hemagglutinin by selective sample preparation and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

Using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) analysis of deglycosylated and intact glycopeptides from tryptic digests of whole influenza virus, we determined that the six predicted N-linked glycosylation sites within the N-terminal ectodomain of hemagglutinin (HA) from three selected H5N1 strains are occupied. The use of selective sample preparation strategies, including solid-phase extraction (SPE) of glycopeptides via hydrazide capture chemistry as well as hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), sufficiently reduced sample complexity to allow determination of occupied glycosylation sites. The specific amino acid sequence of the tryptic glycopeptides for the identified sites varied slightly among strains, but the overall locations of the occupied glycosylation sites were conserved in the protein sequence. We used this knowledge of glycosylation site occupation to examine the glycans attached to these occupied sites on HA for a reassortant H5N1 strain grown in embryonated...
Towards an Abelian formulation of lattice QCD confinement.

We probe for operators occurring in the APQCD (Abelian-projected QCD) action by evaluating Abelian-projected one-plaquette spectral densities in pure gauge SU(3) fixed to the maximal Abelian gauge. Couplings {ital {bar B}}{sub APQCD}({ital q},{ital L}) are extracted from the spectral densities for each representation {ital q}, {ital L}{times}{ital L} plaquette. We interpret our results to indicate that {ital q}={ital L}=1 plaquettes dominate the APQCD action. We also see evidence for weakly coupled {ital L}=2 plaquettes in the APQCD action since the {ital L} dependence of {ital {bar B}}{sub APQCD}({ital q},{ital L}) at {ital L}=2 deviates from what is expected if the APQCD action had no {ital L}=2 plaquettes. Moreover, a comparison of {ital {bar B}}{sub APQCD} to {ital {bar B}}{sub QED} from a numerical simulation of compact QED indicates that {ital {bar B}}{sub APQCD}(1,1){gt}{ital {bar B}}{sub QED}(1,1) even if {beta}{sub QED}{gt}{beta}{sub {ital c}}. Since {ital {bar B}}{sub QED}(1,1) monotonically increases with increasing {beta}{sub QED} and compact QED is not confining when {beta}{sub QED}{gt}{beta}{sub {ital c}}, the presence of {ital L}{gt}1 operators is required if APQCD is confining.
Public Rhetoric and Public Safety at the Chicago Transit Authority: Three Approaches to Accident Analysis

This article compares three rhetorical approaches to accident analysis: materialist, classical, and constructivist. The focal points for comparison are the two accident reports issued by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)—reports that attempted (and failed) to persuade the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) to change a problematic policy about rail communication alongside its technology for rail communication. The central question the article asks is, How can rhetorical theory help explain the CTA”s inaction, which ultimately led to property damage, injury, and death? Classical and constructivist approaches, emphasizing rational deliberation between equals, on one hand, and the social construction of technical knowledge between professionals, on the other, offer plausible explanations for what went wrong. But only the materialist approach appears capable of discerning the ideological nature of the CTA”s resistance to the NTSB”s recommendations.