cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrocutaneous pulse rate and pulse width psychometric functions for sensory communications.

Psychometric functions of pulse rate (PR) and pulse width (PW) from electrocutaneous stimuli were determined using the method of comparative judgments. The study revealed that changes in PR were more easily detected than changes in PW, as measured by the percent of just noticeable difference (jnd). The PR jnd data from test subjects indicated that maximum frequency discrimination occurred near 20 pulses per second. Using the PR and PW psychometric curves, compensatory transfer functions can be determined which will improve the efficacy of sensory communication systems based on electrocutaneous stimulation.
Abstract T P264: Does a Change in Coverage Equal a Change in Care?

Introduction: During academic year 2012-13 (FY 2013) coverage for neurology patients at Strong Memorial Hospital (SMH) changed. Non-vascular neurologists admitted patients, many of whom were not evaluated by vascular neurologists. Previously stroke patients were evaluated by/admitted to a vascular neurologist. Hypothesis: We sought to determine if this translated into differences in care, hypothesizing decreased utilization of vascular imaging (VI) and compliance with regulatory measures. Methods: Metric data were obtained from SMH Get with the Guidelines (GWTG) from July 1, 2011-March 31, 2014. Reports were reviewed for percent compliance. SAH patients and acute stroke metrics were excluded. VI data were obtained from the Stroke Treatment Alliance of Rochester registry and reviewed for percent testing completed. Stable was defined as less than 5% change. Results: Improving or stable metrics: VTE prophylaxis, patient education, antithrombotic, anticoagulant, statin at D/C, assessment for rehabilitation, dysphagia screening, smoking cessation, and LDL documented. Increased utilization of MRA (8.4% FY2012 to 16.9% FY2013) and decreased CTA (80.3% FY2012 to 63.5% FY2013) were seen. Several metrics and VI had transient variation seen in figure 1 (high dose statin data incomplete before Q22012). ![][1] Conclusions: Core measures remained stable. This may be attributable to the role of Stroke Nurse Practitioner (NP) which remained constant. The NP is responsible for coordination of care, guideline adherence, and training residents in guideline driven order sets. Anecdotal reports from faculty identified the NP as a source of stroke expertise. There was clear change in utilization of VI and NIHSS. While high dose statin use is difficult to interpret due to incomplete data, there was a large increase following FY2013. This demonstrates measurable benefits of utilizing vascular neurologists and stroke trained NPs to achieve high level care at a large academic institution. [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Bipseudophakia. Clinicopathological findings of a pseudophakic human globe obtained postmortem implanted with an anterior chamber and a posterior chamber intraocular lens

We report the clinicopathological findings of a human pseudophakic globe obtained postmortem, containing both anterior and posterior chamber intraocular lens, a condition we termed "bipseudophakia".
Variations in the electroencephalogram during the menstrual cycle

Abstract While studying the correlation between brain potentials and other variables, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolic rate, Lindsley and Rubenstein 1 found that in four cases the alpha frequency varied greatly during the midmenstrual period. They did not report, however, that there is a relation between brain potentials and the menstrual cycle. The present study was undertaken because such a relation seemed possible. This possibility was strengthened by the observation of Irving, Reid and Gibbs 2 that the electrical activity of the cerebral cortex is slowed during pregnancy.
Protective immunity in murine histoplasmosis: functional comparison of adoptively transferred T-cell clones and splenic T cells

In this study, I examined whether a murine T-cell line and three clones that recognize Histoplasma capsulatum antigens in vitro could confer protection in vivo against a challenge of Histoplasma yeasts. C57BL/6 mice were each inoculated with 5 X 10(4) yeasts intravenously; 1 h later, 5 X 10(6) or 2 X 10(7) resting T cells were inoculated intravenously. At week 1 of infection, the T-cell line and all clones failed to reduce the number of H. capsulatum CFU in the spleens of mice compared with numbers in infected controls. Administration of recombinant interleukin 2 or cyclophosphamide to infected mice did not potentiate the functional activity in vivo of either the T-cell line or the clones. In contrast, inoculation with 2 X 10(7) CD4+ but not CD8+ cells isolated from the spleens of mice immunized with 10(6) viable yeast cells sharply diminished the number of CFU in the spleens of infected animals. Moreover, splenic CD4+ cells from immune mice transferred a delayed-type hypersensitivity response, whereas the T-cell line and clones did not. Injection Injection of an equal number of cloned T cells and CD8+ splenocytes from immune mice did not transfer resistance to infected mice. Additional studies were undertaken to determine if the ineffectiveness of cloned T cells was associated with a failure to migrate to and survive within spleens of infected mice. B6.PL Thy-1a/Cy mice, which are genetically identical to C57BL/6 mice except that T cells of the former bear Thy-1.1 rather than Thy-1.2, were inoculated with Histoplasma yeasts and then injected with immune CD4+ splenocytes or a T-cell clone. At days 1 and 7 of infection, virtually no Thy-1.2+ cells were detected in the spleens of infected mice given cloned T cells. However, the spleens of animals inoculated with immune CD4+ cells contained a small but significant (P less than 0.01) proportion of Thy-1.2+ cells at both day 1 and day 7 postinoculation of H. capsulatum. Thus, the failure of T-cell clones to transfer protection against H. capsulatum may be explained by defective trafficking or poor survival in vivo or both.
Relationship of Colonic Luminal Short-Chain Fatty Acids and pH to In Vivo Cell Proliferation in Rats

The mechanism by which fermentable fibers may stimulate colonic cell proliferation was tested using two types of fiber (highly fermentable pectin, and less fermentable wheat bran), measuring in vivo concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in the cecum and the proximal and distal colon of rats and correlating these concentrations with cell proliferation indices at the same locations within the intestine. Pectin supplementation resulted in higher concentrations of propionate in proximal and distal colon as compared with fiber-free controls, whereas wheat bran resulted in a higher concentration of butyrate at every site. In the cecum, pH had the strongest correlation to indices of cell proliferation. The lower the pH the greater the number of cells per crypt column (P < 0.05), cells per crypt circumference (P < 0.01), and total number of cells per crypt (P < 0.001). Butyrate had the strongest correlation between a specific SCFA and indices of cell proliferation. In the distal colon, butyrate concentration was positively correlated with number of cells per crypt column (P < 0.05) and total number of cells per crypt (P < 0.05). This study shows that different fibers are fermented to different SCFA in different amounts and that the in vivo concentration of certain of these SCFA is significantly correlated with cell proliferation indices.
An exposure facility for examining the physiological basis of air pollutant effects on plant growth

Abstract It is widely believed that regional declines in forest productivity are, at least in part, due to air pollutant exposure; however, the physiological basis for the declines is not clear, and the extent to which air pollutants are actually involved in the declines remains unresolved. This paper describes the design, construction and testing of a facility that monitors physiological responses to plants during exposure to various air pollutants. The facility consists of twelve continuous-stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) in a temperature-controlled enclosure, an air purification system, CO2, H2O, and pollutant (NOx, O3 and SO2) analyzers and automated sampling, flow control and data acquisition systems. The facility is unique in the degree of computer control of gas flows and concentrations and in its ability to monitor physiological processes at low air flow rates. With these low flow rates, we will be able to productively explore the effects of air pollutants on maintenance respiration and photosynthesis and thereby explain effects on growth.
Barrier-to-autointegration factor: major roles in chromatin decondensation and nuclear assembly

Barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF) is a DNA-bridging protein, highly conserved in metazoans. BAF binds directly to LEM (LAP2, emerin, MAN1) domain nuclear membrane proteins, including LAP2 and emerin. We used site-directed mutagenesis and biochemical analysis to map functionally important residues in human BAF, including those required for direct binding to DNA or emerin. We also tested wild-type BAF and 25 point mutants for their effects on nuclear assembly in Xenopus egg extracts, which contain ∼12 μM endogenous BAF dimers. Exogenous BAF caused two distinct effects: at low added concentrations, wild-type BAF enhanced chromatin decondensation and nuclear growth; at higher added concentrations, wild-type BAF completely blocked chromatin decondensation and nuclear growth. Mutants fell into four classes, including one that defines a novel functional surface on the BAF dimer. Our results suggest that BAF, unregulated, potently compresses chromatin structure, and that BAF interactions with both DNA and LEM proteins are critical for membrane recruitment and chromatin decondensation during nuclear assembly.
The Reliability and Construct Validity of a Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale Used To Measure Nursing Assistant Performance

Data are presented that demonstrate the reliability and construct validity of a 27-item Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale (BARS) used to rate nursing assistant performance. A sample of 757 nursing assistants from 44 randomly selected long-term care facilities were rated with the BARS instrument by a team of independent observers, and later by the nursing assistants'supervisors. Interrater reliability between the independent observers and supervisors ranged from 0.34 to 0.96 and averaged 0.78. The internal consistency reliability measured by Cronbach's alpha was 0.71 for the independent observers, 0.76 for the supervisors. Construct validity was assessed by exploratory factor analysis. The underlying factor structure had 3 factors that accounted for 84.0% of the variance. Results were interpreted as supporting the reliability and indicating construct validity of this BARS for nursing assistants. Because BARSs have been shown to reduce subjectivity and personal bias, they are recommended for evaluating nur...
Alternative mating tactics in the Great Plains toad

Abstract Male Great Plains toads, Bufo cognatus , exhibit two mating tactics. At any time, most males give advertisement calls to attract females, while other males, ‘satellites’, remain silent and station themselves near callers in an attempt to intercept females. Females are usually capable of moving through choruses undetected by males. Those females detected by males can avoid being clasped by quickly darting away; but if clasped, can detach the male by inflating. Females initiated amplexus with callers; subsequently calling males mated with 92% of the females and satellites mated with the remaining 8%. Toads employing the satellite tactic associated with males that had longer calls and that were larger, although call duration was the stronger predictor. The percentage of males exhibiting satellite behaviour during a sampling period varied from 0 to 57%. Several hypotheses explaining satellite frequency were explored, including variation in male density, male quality, and operational sex ratio. Of the variables considered, only two aspects of male density (namely, the number of unmated males per m of shoreline and number of calling males per m shoreline) affected satellite frequency. High male density may cause at least some calling males to lose vocal conspicuousness, thereby favouring satellite behaviour. However, male density accounted for only 17% of the observed variation in satellite frequency. This, plus the fact that up to 74% of marked males switched between tactics, suggests that factors such as higher energetic demands of calling may affect satellite frequency.
Wireless tissue palpation: Proof of concept for a single degree of freedom

Palpating tissues and organs to identify hidden tumors or to detect buried vessels is not a viable option in laparoscopic surgery due to lack of force feedback. So far, research toward restoring tactile and kinesthetic sensations in minimally invasive surgery has focused on the distal sensing element or on the proximal rendering of haptic cues. In this work we present a pilot study to assess the feasibility of wireless tissue palpation, where a magnetic device is deployed through a standard surgical trocar and operated to perform tissue palpation without requiring a dedicated entry port. The setup consists of a wireless intra-body device and an external robotic manipulator holding a load cell and a permanent magnet. Embedded in the wireless cylindrical device (12.7 mm in diameter and 27.5 mm in height) is a sensing module, a wireless microcontroller, a battery and a permanent magnet. This preliminary study assessed the precision in reconstructing the indentation depth based on magnetic field measurements at the wireless device (i.e., 0.1 mm accuracy). Experimental trials demonstrated the effectiveness of wireless vertical indentation in detecting the elastic modulus of three different silicone tissue simulators (elastic modulus ranging from 50 kPa to 93 kPa), showing a maximum relative error below 3%. Finally, wireless palpation was used to identify differences in tissue stiffness from a lump embedded into a porcine liver. The reported results have the potential to open a new paradigm in the field of palpation devices, where direct physical connection across the abdominal wall is no longer required.
Three-dimensional calculations of the formation of the presolar nebula from a slowly rotating cloud

Abstract The presolar nebula may have formed from the collapse of a very slowly rotating interstellar cloud. The first three-dimensional, hydrodynamical calculations of the collapse of such clouds are presented. The models include radiative transfer in the Eddington approximation, as well as detailed equations of state appropriate for the nonisothermal regime of protostellar evolution. Very slowly rotating clouds, i.e., those with initial ratios of rotational energy to gravitational energy of 10 −3 or less, avoid fragmentation and instead collapse to form single central objects, containing quasistatic cores with densities of about 10 −10 g cm −3 . These cores are, however, surrounded by significantly nonaxisymmetric regions, such that the presolar nebula would have been bar-like over the scale of the present solar system. This nonaxisymmetry, coupled with differential rotation, results in gravitational torques that produce rapid outward transfer of angular momentum. The center of the presolar nebula should then be able to contract and collapse to pre-main-sequence densities without suffering fission or fragmentation.
Interfacial chemistry as a controlling element in photoinduced charge transfer in n-type cadmium chalconide/Fe(CN)6 4-/3- cells (Invited Paper)

The CdS(Se)-electrolyte interface provides a relatively efficient means of converting optical energy into electricity. A [Cd(Fe(CN) 6 ] 2-/1- overlayer is demonstrated to stabilize these semiconductors against photodecomposition processes. In the presence of such cyanometalate layers, the kinetics of interfacial charge transfer are greatly dependent on the nature of intercalated alkali cations. These cations interact not only with the overlayer but also with the semiconductor itself. The effect of specific adsorption by soft cations such as Cs + and Hg 2+ has also been investigated. n- CdS/[Cd(Fe(CN) 6 ] 2-/1- interfaces allow for the addition of electroactive species to the electrolyte which provide opportunities to generate useful products using solar energy.
Hospital and skilled nursing facility patient flows during Hurricane Katrina and the Midwest floods of 2008

Simulation and surge studies benefit from realistic assumptions about changes in patient flows during disasters. We sought to determine the impact of Hurricane Katrina and the 2008 Midwest floods on hospital and skilled nursing facility (SNF) discharge patterns. We used Medicare claims to identify beneficiaries admitted to hospitals or SNFs in the affected areas for each disaster. We used Cox proportional hazards regression with time-varying covariates for disasters to assess the impact of disasters on the likelihood that a patient would be discharged. Discharges from SNFs and hospitals declined in the week following Hurricane Katrina. Discharges from SNFs declined in the 3-week period during the Midwest floods but hospital discharge rates were unaffected. Reductions in discharge rates may reduce the ability of health-care facilities to create surge capacity during disasters.
The hometown advantage: Mobilization or conversion?

A number of scholars, beginning with Key (1949), have documented the existence of friends and neighbors voting. In this paper we carry the investigation further, examining how the hometown advantage is constructed. A review of 1982 gubernatorial data suggests that the hometown edge is often a product of two forces: new voters being mobilized in support of the local candidate, and regular voters traditionally loyal to candidates from another party being converted to cast ballots for the hometown hopeful.
Bidirectional Cyclic Performance of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Column- Superstructure Subassemblies

The paper presents the methodology and findings from large-scale experiments conducted on reinforced concrete bridge subassemblies. Each subassembly consisted of the middle column/cap-beam joint of a three-column bridge bent and a large part of the monolithically cast-in-place box-girder of a typical California highway bridge. The subassemblies were subjected to constant gravity load and gradually increasing bidirectional cyclic lateral loading. One subassembly represented common practice in California and the other considered new design using headed reinforcing bars with reduced volume of transverse reinforcement to improve joint construction. When loading in the transverse direction, i.e., parallel to the cap-beam, the use of headed bars led to better global and local performances due to improved confinement of the joint region with less volume of reinforcement. On the other hand, when loading in the longitudinal direction, i.e., parallel to the box-girder, the headed bars were more engaged, as evident by their yielding, in confining the joint region than the conventional reinforcement. The effect of bidirectional loading on global damage of the box-girder slabs is presented as variation of the effective moment of inertia of the cap-beam cross section with displacement ductility indicating that Caltrans estimates are conservative up to displacement ductility of five. [DOI: 10.1193/1.1516751]
Resorbable Inferior Vena Cava Filters: Trial in an In-vivo Porcine Model

Abstract Purpose To determine the feasibility, effects, and complications of a resorbable inferior vena cava (IVC) filter in a porcine model. Materials and Methods Ten handmade, dual-filtration level, resorbable IVC filters were produced and gas sterilized. A dual-filtration cone was constructed using polyglycolic acid polymer strands oriented in a staggered cone formation with the apex of the cone in a cephalad orientation in relation to the IVC. IVC fixation was accomplished using a nitinol Z-stent, which was not resorbable. Operative insertion employing a paramedian incision, infrarenal vena caval dissection, venotomy, and device insertion using an 8-F rigid sheath was performed on 10 Yorkshire-type pigs (> 50 lb). Percutaneous delivery was not performed because of cost constraints. The IVC filters were operatively removed en bloc 6 weeks after implantation, and the pigs were euthanized. The IVC specimens were subsequently analyzed grossly and using light microscopy. Results In 9 (90%) of the 10 retrieved devices, the filtration cones were completely dissolved. One device (10%) had a retained strand of filtration cone material completely incorporated into the caval wall, excluded from luminal flow. Significant inflammatory response was appreciated from the specimen histology, and significant collagen deposition was observed, especially on trichrome staining. The intima and media of 9 of 10 specimens were two to three times normal thickness. Significant reactive change was also appreciated in the pericaval lymph nodes that were taken in the specimen. One pig (10%) developed a postoperative wound infection requiring treatment. Conclusions Resorbable IVC filters are feasible and could be used for specific patient populations. This study outlines the need for further research of bioabsorbable polymers, absorption mechanics in the vascular system, absorption times, efficacy models, and practical application.
Functional and morphological stasis during molecular evolution.

ABSTRACT The evolutionary distance between two sets of proteins was estimated using the techniques of Miyata and Yasunaga (1980) and Kimura (1 980). Human p,-microglobulin was compared with the homologous murine molecule, while human and equine a-globin were similarly treated. It was found that a large amount of molecular evolution has occurred in p,-microglo- bulin since its divergence from the common ancestor of mice and humans. Kimura’s estimate of evolutionary distance, K, is 0.353, while those of Miyata and Yasunaga are Ks = 0.708 and KA = 0.171. The respective values for human and equine a-globin are 0.152, 0.293, and 0.084. In spite of this molecular evolution, it is shown that murine microglo globulin can effect the expression of HLA class I antigens on the surface of human-mouse hybrid cells and that the tertiary structures of human and equine deoxyhemoglobin are nearly identical. These observations are discussed in the light of Kimura’s theory of neutral allelic drift. The past
A stackelberg game approach to distributed spectrum management

We consider a cognitive radio system with one primary (licensed) user and multiple secondary (unlicensed) users. Given the interference temperature constraint, the secondary users compete for the available spectrum to fulfill their own communication need. Borrowing the concept of price from market theory, we develop a decentralized Stackelberg game formulation for power allocation. In this scheme, the primary user (leader) announces prices for the available tones such that a system utility is maximized. Using the announced prices, secondary users (followers) compete for the available bandwidth to maximize their own utilities. We show that this Stackelberg game is polynomial time solvable under certain channel conditions. When the individual power constraints of secondary users are inactive (due to strict interference temperature constraint), the proposed distributed power control method is decomposable across the tones and unlike normal water-filling it respects the interference temperature constraints of the primary user. When individual power constraints are active, we propose a distributed approach that solves the problem under an aggregate interference temperature constraint. Moreover, we propose a dual decomposition based power control method and show that it solves the Stackelberg game asymptotically when the number of tones becomes large.
Concerning internal conversion coefficients in Hf180

The gamma-ray relative intensities from transitions in Hf180 following the 5.5 hour Hf180m decay have been measured using a bent-crystal gamma-ray diffraction monochromator and a least-squares fitting technique. From these measurements it was possible to deduce a value for the internal conversion coefficient for the 93.3-keV transition of α T 93 =4.91±0.23. From previous measurements of conversion electron intensities byEdwards andBoehm and our gamma-ray relative intensities, internal conversion coefficients for all transitions except the 57.5-keV transition were obtained. These coefficients agree well with the previous determinations byEdwards andBoehm, however, our measurements have improved precision, particularly in the case of 501.3-keV transition. The present measurements of α K for the 215.3-, 332.5-and 443.8-keVE2 transitions are 11% lower than theoretical values while αK for 93.3 keV E2 transition agrees closely with the theoretical value. These results are in close agreement with the previous measurements ofEdwards andBoehm. The present experimental αK for the 501-keV transition agrees closely with the theoretical αK for an E3 multipolarity.
Reverse Remodeling of Cardiac Myocyte Hypertrophy in Hypertension and Failure by Targeting of the Renin-Angiotensin System

Background—ACE inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor blockers are effective in reducing left ventricular mass in hypertension and heart failure. However, the ability of these drugs to reverse excessive myocyte lengthening and transverse growth in heart failure is unknown. Methods and Results—l-158,809 (an AT1 blocker; AT1), enalapril (an ACEI), and hydralazine (a vasodilator) were administered to spontaneously hypertensive heart failure rats between 6 and 10 months of age (early treatment) and between 18 and 22 months of age (late treatment). After 4 months of treatment, hemodynamics and chamber dimensions were collected before left ventricular myocyte isolation and subsequent analysis of myocyte shape. Each drug reduced systolic blood pressures to normal values. In the early and late studies, the ACEI reduced myocyte volume. Myocyte length was also reduced in the late study. However, the AT1 was most effective in reversing myocyte dimensions to near-normal values in both studies. Hy...
Wordsworthian Vision, Moving Picture Shows, and the Ethics of the Moving Image in Maria Jane Jewsbury's The Oceanides

The essay traces Maria Jane Jewsbury's attempt to undermine embodied viewing practices (especially those related to affect and domesticity) for the purposes of questioning the colonial gaze and its control over gendered and racial bodies. In her ambitious poetic sequence, The Oceanides, Jewsbury wields both a version of the Wordsworthian imagination and a phantasmagoric aesthetics culled from the moving picture shows to create moving images that resist preconceptions of South Asia residing in reified language or landscape views. For example, she composes a double vision of landscape beauties such as cocoa trees to unmask their commodity status. At the sequence's end, Jewsbury conjures the image of a heedless, careless infant, which allegorizes a type of vision that cannot be fixed and is always partially occluded from view. In doing so, she proffers a poetics resisting the legacy of sensibility to delve into questions about perception, visuality, and epistemology. Even more, she presents an aesthetics of ...
Reynolds number dependence of streamwise velocity spectra in turbulent pipe flow.

Spectra of the streamwise velocity component in fully developed turbulent pipe flow are presented for Reynolds numbers up to 5.7×10^6. Even at the highest Reynolds number, streamwise velocity spectra exhibit incomplete similarity only: while spectra collapse with both classical inner and outer scaling for limited ranges of wave number, these ranges do not overlap. Thus similarity may not be described as complete, and a region varying with the inverse of the streamwise wave number, k1, is not expected, and any apparent k1-1 range does not attract any special significance and does not involve a universal constant. Reasons for this are suggested.
Dimeric DNA quadruplex containing major groove-aligned A-T-A-T and G-C-G-C tetrads stabilized by inter-subunit Watson-Crick A-T and G-C pairs.

We report on an NMR study of unlabeled and uniformly 13C,15N-labeled d(GAGCAGGT) sequence in 1 M NaCl solution, conditions under which it forms a head-to-head dimeric quadruplex containing sequentially stacked G-C-G-C, G-G-G-G and A-T-A-T tetrads. We have identified, for the first time, a slipped A-T-A-T tetrad alignment, involving recognition of Watson-Crick A-T pairs along the major groove edges of opposing adenine residues. Strikingly, both Watson-Crick G-C and A-T pairings within the direct G-C-G-C and slipped A-T-A-T tetrads, respectively, occur between rather than within hairpin subunits of the dimeric d(GAGCAGGT) quadruplex. The hairpin turns in the head-to-head dimeric quadruplex involve single adenine residues and adds to our knowledge of chain reversal involving edgewise loops in DNA quadruplexes. Our structural studies, together with those from other laboratories, definitively establish that DNA quadruplex formation is not restricted to G(n) repeat sequences, with their characteristic stacked uniform G-G-G-G tetrad architectures. Rather, the quadruplex fold is a more versatile and robust architecture, accessible to a range of mixed sequences, with the potential to facilitate G-C-G-C and A-T-A-T tetrad through major and minor groove alignment, in addition to G-G-G-G tetrad formation. The definitive experimental identification of such major groove-aligned mixed A-T-A-T and G-C-G-C tetrads within a quadruplex scaffold, has important implications for the potential alignment of duplex segments during homologous recombination.
Some measures for sustaining red-light camera programs and their negative impacts

Automated enforcement red-light cameras (RLC) have been widely adopted by municipalities around the world as a measure of curbing red-light running (RLR) at signalized intersections and reducing the cost of law enforcement. While a consensus has not yet been reached about whether RLC in general can benefit intersection safety by reducing RLR and crashes, recent debates revolve around using RLC as a revenue generator. Some of the political backlash of RLC is the perception that they are installed primarily to fulfill revenue guarantees and sustain the RLC program. Some municipalities have been charged with changing the signal phasing to trap more red-light runners and increase the revenue from RLC programs. This paper focuses on a number of engineering strategies, mainly related to signal timing that may be used by municipalities to achieve their financial goals. The negative impacts of implementing these measures on the safety and efficiency of intersection operations and public support on RLC programs are also discussed. These strategies are also revealed to increase transparency of the divergent motivations of RLC vendors, municipalities, policy makers and safety advocates.
New approach to elastrograph imaging: modality-independent elastography

Medicine today relies on palpation as a first line of investigation in the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. Tissue stiffness (e.g. a lump found in breast tissue) can signal the growth of a potential life threatening cell mass. As such, elastographic imaging techniques (i.e. direct imaging of tissue stiffness) have recently become of great interest to scientists. In this paper, a new method called Modality Independent Elastography (MIE) will be investigated within the context of a mammographic imaging alternative/complement. This new approach uses measures of image similarity in conjunction with computational models to reconstruct images of tissue stiffness. The real strength in MIE is that any imaging modality (e.g. magnetic resonance, computed tomography, ultrasound) in which the image intensity data remains consistent from a pre- to a post-deformed state could be used in this paradigm. Results illustrate: (1) the encoding of stiffness information within the context of a regional image similarity criterion, (2) the methodology for an iterative elastographic imaging framework and (3) successful elasticity reconstructions.
Stochastic performance analysis and staged controller designs for space interferometry systems

During the preliminary design phase of space-based interferometer missions, observational requirements need to be translated into dynamical accuracy requirements on the optical components. The first part of this paper presents a methodology that specifies allowable statistical variances on the optical path difference in order to achieve a specified mean level of null depth for a nulling interferometer. These dynamical requirements can then be used as inputs to controller design processes which ensures that the closed-loop system satisfies the performance requirements. The second part of this paper describes a staging control design tool that optimally uses a suite of actuators to reject disturbances and analyzes the performance limitations as a function of actuator constraints. The particular actuator constraints considered here are saturation limit, resolution level, and the operational bandwidth of each actuator. As an example, the control design tool is applied to an example optical delay line problem yielding a feedback control law which ensures nanometer level stabilization of optical path difference for the interferometer. This benchmark problem allows the control design tool to demonstrate its capabilities on a system with stringent dynamical requirements.
Production of erythropoietin in vitro: a review.

The in vitro production of the important regulatory of erythropoiesis, erythropoietin (Epo), is reviewed. It is concluded that it is possible to produce almost routinely small quantities of Epo in tissue culture. Although such procedures offer the potential to provide large quantities of the hormone for clinical use, the optimum culture conditions and mechanisms for triggering Epo production have yet to be resolved.
Chiral lithio formamidines : are they configurationally stable ?

Abstract Metalation and alkylation of an optically active 1-methyl isoquinoline in the presence of an achiral formamidine leads to completely racemic material.
Paraxis: a basic helix-loop-helix protein expressed in paraxial mesoderm and developing somites.

During vertebrate embryogenesis, cells from the paraxial mesoderm coalesce in a rostral-to-caudal progression to form the somites Subsequent compartmentalization of the somites yields the sclerotome, myotome, and dermatome, which give rise to the axial skeleton, axial musculature, and dermis, respectively. Recently, we cloned a novel basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein, called scleraxis, which is expressed in the sclerotome, in mesenchymal precursors of bone and cartilage, and in connective tissues. Here we report the cloning of a bHLH protein, called paraxis, which is nearly identical to scleraxis within the bHLH region but diverges in its amino and carboxyl termini. During mouse embryogenesis, paraxis transcripts are first detected at about Day 7.5 postcoitum within primitive mesoderm lying posterior to the head and heart primordia. Subsequently, paraxis expression progresses caudally through the paraxial mesoderm, immediately preceding somite formation. Paraxis is expressed at high levels in newly formed somites before the first detectable expression of the myogenic bHLH genes, and as the somite becomes compartmentalized, paraxis becomes downregulated in the myotome. Paraxis and scleraxis are coexpressed in the sclerotome, but paraxis expression declines soon after sclerotome formation, whereas scleraxis expression increases in the sclerotome and its derivatives. The sequential expression of paraxis and scleraxis in the paraxial mesoderm and somites suggests that these bHLH proteins my comprise part of a regulatory pathway involved in patterning of the paraxial mesoderm and in the establishment of somitic cell lineages.
Laminar Structure of Spontaneous and Sensory-Evoked Population Activity in Auditory Cortex

Spontaneous activity plays an important role in the function of neural circuits. Although many similarities between spontaneous and sensory-evoked neocortical activity have been reported, little is known about consistent differences between them. Here, using simultaneously recorded cortical populations and morphologically identified pyramidal cells, we compare the laminar structure of spontaneous and sensory-evoked population activity in rat auditory cortex. Spontaneous and evoked patterns both exhibited sparse, spatially localized activity in layer 2/3 pyramidal cells, with densely distributed activity in larger layer 5 pyramidal cells and putative interneurons. However, the propagation of spontaneous and evoked activity differed, with spontaneous activity spreading upward from deep layers and slowly across columns, but sensory responses initiating in presumptive thalamorecipient layers, spreading rapidly across columns. The similarity of sparseness patterns for both neural events and distinct spread of activity may reflect similarity of local processing and differences in the flow of information through cortical circuits, respectively.
Expanding horizons for receptors coupled to G proteins: diversity and disease

The known repertoire of seven transmembrane domain receptors coupled to G proteins has expanded in several interesting directions. Both loss-of-function and activating mutations have been found at the root of a variety of diseases. More will undoubtedly be uncovered. The diversity of ligands which trigger G protein coupled receptors continues to grow, and with it the variety of known strategies for ligand detection. These and other developments promise continued excitement in this field.
School heterogeneity, human capital accumulation, and standards

Abstract This paper examines the effects of heterogeneity in school quality on high school wages, college enrolment rates and social surplus. Greater heterogeneity in school quality, combined with pooling on the labor market for high school graduates, is shown to result in lower average high school wages, inefficient college-going decisions, and, in some cases, lower social surplus. These effects of heterogeneity tend to be reinforced by technical change which raises the return to human capital. Technical change leads to bigger increases in the college-high school wage ratio when there is more underlying heterogeneity in the school system. Performance standards implemented through the mandatory testing of all high school graduates are shown to raise average high school wages and social surplus by reducing the distortion in college-going incentives.
Metal-specific induction of metallothionein isoforms in the blue crab Callinectes sapidus in response to single- and mixed-metal exposure.

Abstract Metallothioneins (MTs) play an important role in the metabolism of copper and zinc during the molt cycle of the blue crab. In this study we examined the hypothesis that MT expression in crabs is metal specific. Anion-exchange chromatography showed one major ZnCuMT (ZnMT-I) in control crabs, two MT isoforms in cadmium-treated crabs (CdMT-I, CdMT-II), and three forms (CuMT-I, CuMT-II, CuMT-III) in copper-treated animals. Amino acid analysis of the car☐ymethylated apo-MTs, purified by reversed-phase HPLC, showed minor differences between ZnMT-I, CdMT-I, CdMT-II, CuMT-I, and CuMT-II, while CuMT-III was unique. After combined exposure to cadmium and copper, four MTs with differing copper/cadmium ratios were observed, equivalent to CdMT-II and the three CuMTs. We conclude that the blue crab has four genes that encode different MTs. Transcription of the CdMT-I gene is induced by cadmium, but inhibited by copper. CuMT-I, CdMT-H, and ZnMT-I may be the products of a single gene responsive to copper, cadmium, and zinc. Expression of the CuMT-II and CuMT-III genes is initiated by copper and not by cadmium. We believe that CdMT-I and CuMT-III are important in detoxification, whereas Zn/CuMT-I and CuMT-II are involved in regulatory functions. These results show the importance of the use of mixed-metal exposures in the study of the molecular mechanisms of metal regulation and function.
Weed Management in Transgenic Soybean Resistant to Glyphosate Under Conventional Tillage and No-Tillage Systems

ABSTRACT A 3-year field research was conducted in 1997, 1998, and 1999 at Stoneville, MS on a Dundee silt loam soil to study efficacy and economics of glyphosate with or without preemergence (PRE) herbicides in glyphosate-resistant soybean under conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) systems. Single or sequential glyphosate postemergence (POST) applications provided at least 91% control of Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. (barnyardgrass), Brachiaria platyphylla (Griseb.) Nash (broadleaf signalgrass), Brachiaria ramosa (L.) Stapf (browntop millet), Sesbania exaltata (Raf.) Rydb. ex A.W. Hill (hemp sesbania), Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. (johnsongrass), Senna obtusifolia (L.) Irwin and Barneby (sicklepod), Ipomoea lacunosa L. (pitted morningglory), Sida spinosa L. (prickly sida), and Cyperus esculentus L. (yellow nutsedge), and POST-only programs were as effective as PRE followed by POST programs. Two POST applications of glyphosate produced highest soybean yield (2,710 kg/ha) and net return ($280/...
Teaching web development in the web 2.0 era

We are experiencing a qualitatively different era of the Web, as evidenced by most Web applications and websites that have emerged and transpired over recent years. The new Web 2.0 era and the technologies beneath it provide both demands and challenges for IT educators to reform traditional Web Development courses. This paper presents our shared experiences and knowledge in teaching and training students in developing Web 2.0 websites in a sequence of two high-level Web development courses. It aims to fill the gap of lacking literature by providing instructional details of our pedagogical strategies and approaches to the design and delivery of Web development courses in such a unique time in computing history.
A Field Study of Sixth-Grade Students' Creative Music Problem-Solving Processes:

In this qualitative research study, the author examined the creative problem-solving processes of sixth-grade students in the general music class. Eight creative problem-solving activities were videotaped at four school sites. Starting with the assumption that problem solving involves a series of choices, the author analyzed the student's chain of music decisions from problem perception through problem solution. Findings demonstrated that highly involved problem solvers explored and organized sound for its musical expressiveness, while uninvolved problem solvers rarely based their decision making on musical concerns. In addition, the problem structure and the student's perception of the problems relevance seemed to influence the problem-solving process. The author concluded that structured exploratory experiences with related discussion, as well as problems that encourage students to determine their own forms in music, may facilitate higher levels of musical thinking.
Twin—twin transfusion syndrome: an evolving challenge

ABSTRACTHigh rates of perinatal morbidity and mortality accompany twin—twin transfusion syndrome, which is poorly understood. Clear diagnostic criteria, previously lacking, are now available. Current treatments are not optimal and randomized, controlled trials have not been completed. The counselling of patients upon the diagnosis should include the poor survival, the chance of long-term neurological handicap, the near certainty of prematurity for the infants and the probability of Cesarean or classical Cesarean delivery. Improvement in therapies awaits a better scientific understanding of the etiology of the devastating disease.
Genomewide selection for rapid introgression of exotic germplasm in maize.

The length of time needed for prebreeding in adapted x exotic maize (Zea mays L.) crosses has deterred breeders from exploiting exotic germplasm. My objective in this study was to determine, by simulation, the usefulness of genomewide selection for the rapid improvement of an adapted x exotic cross. I simulated F 2 , BC 1 , and BC 2 populations from an adapted x exotic maize cross. The adapted inbred had the favorable allele at L Adapted = 50 quantitative trait loci (QTL), whereas the exotic inbred had the favorable allele at L Exotic = 50, 25, 10, or 5 QTL. The joint effects of 512 markers were fitted by best linear unbiased prediction. For L Exotic ≤ 25, the maximum responses (in units of the testcross genetic standard deviation) to multiple cycles of genomewide selection ranged from 0.38 to 3.81. Responses increased as heritability increased and as the number of testcrosses that were phenotyped in Cycle 0 increased from 144 to 288. Overall, the results indicated that a useful strategy for the rapid improvement of an adapted x exotic cross involves 7 to 8 cycles of genomewide selection starting in the F 2 rather than in a backcross population, even when the number of favorable alleles is substantially larger in the adapted parent than in the exotic parent. Assuming three generations can be grown per year in a greenhouse or year-round nursery, this procedure would require only 3 yr beyond the time required to develop and phenotype the Cycle 0 testcrosses.
Numerical study of the oscillations of a non-spherical bubble in an inviscid, incompressible liquid. Part I: free oscillations from non-equilibrium initial conditions

Abstract We consider the dynamics of a non-spherical gas bubble undergoing large amplitude oscillations of shape and volume in an inviscid, incompressible fluid. Solutions obtained via either a spectral or boundary-integral technique. The primary objective is to explore the coupling between oscillations of bubble volume and shape, starting from initial conditions where the bubble is either deformed in shape or at a non-equilibrium volume, and the fluid is stationary far from the bubble. For bubbles with a spherical mean shape, we consider conditions that are near 2:1 resonance (as predicted by small amplitude theory). We find that the small deformation theory provides a reasonable estimate of the conditions for shape instability, and of the time scales for resonant interactions between the purely radial and shape modes. However, other features such as the onset of higher order shape modes, or strong departures from Rayleigh–Plesset predictions, are not well approximated by the small amplitude theory. Bubbles which have a non-spherical mean shape exhibit two frequency ranges, corresponding to 2:1 and 1:1 resonance, where Rayleigh–Plesset theory is insufficient to describe the volume response of an oscillating bubble. We also show that purely radial initial conditions can lead to bubble breakup as energy is transferred from purely radial oscillations to shape oscillations.
Dietary effects of fats upon fatty acid composition of the mitochondria.

Abstract Liver and cerebellum mitochondria were prepared from chickens fed a fat-free diet and diets high in linoleic and linolenic acids. The mitochondrial fatty acids were released by mild saponification and analyzed by gas chromatography. Diets high in linoleic and linolenic acids resulted in greatly increased incorporation of the specific acids into mitochondria of liver and cerebellum compared to mitochondria obtained from chicks on the fat-free diet. The incorporation of a high level of linoleic and arachidonic acids into the cerebellum precedes the incidence of encephalomalacia in vitamin E-deficient chicks.
Elastic Resonance of a Liquid-Crystal Blue Phase

The blue phase of cholesteryl oleate is shown to exhibit the macroscopic shear elasticity expected for a three-dimensionally ordered structure. The first measurements of blue-phase elastic constants are presented.