Filtered Jitter

Jitter is one popular way of generating samples for stochastic sampling in computer graphics. The Poisson disk distribution better approximates that of the human photomosaic. In this paper we examine the spatial and frequency space behaviour of a number of existing algorithms for generating stochastic samples and propose a new algorithm based on low pass filtering a jittered set of displacements. The distribution is at least as much like that of the human photomosaic as any existing algorithm, while being fast to compute.     

Anion modulation of taste responses in sodium-sensitive neurons of the hamster chorda tympani nerve

Beidler's work in the 1950s showed that anions can strongly influence gustatory responses to sodium salts. We have demonstrated "anion inhibition" in the hamster by showing that the chorda tympani nerve responds more strongly to NaCl than to Na acetate over a wide range of concentrations. Iontophoretic presentation of Cl- and acetate to the anterior tongue elicited no response in the chorda tympani, suggesting that these anions are not directly stimulatory. Drugs (0.01, 1.0, and 100 microM anthracene-9-carboxylate, diphenylamine-2-carboxylate, 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate, and furosemide) that interfere with movements of Cl- across epithelial cells were ineffective in altering chorda tympani responses to 0.03 M of either NaCl or Na acetate. Anion inhibition related to movements of anions across epithelial membranes therefore seems unlikely. The chorda tympani contains a population of nerve fibers highly selective for Na+ (N fibers) and another population sensitive to Na+ as well as other salts and acids (H fibers). We found that N fibers respond similarly to NaCl and Na acetate, with spiking activity increasing with increasing stimulus concentration (0.01-1.0 M). H fibers, however, respond more strongly to NaCl than to Na acetate. Furthermore, H fibers increase spiking with increases in NaCl concentration, but generally decrease their responses to increasing concentrations of Na acetate. It appears that anion inhibition applies to taste cells innervated by H fibers but not by N fibers. Taste cells innervated by N fibers use an apical Na+ channel, whereas those innervated by H fibers may use a paracellularly mediated, basolateral site of excitation.     

Advanced Alumina Composites Reinforced with Titanium-Based Alloys

New (inter)metallic-ceramic composites for high-temperature structural and functional applications are prepared via high-energy ball milling. During compaction by pressureless sintering, dense Al₂O₃/Ti-based alloy composites are formed that consist of inter-connected networks of the ceramic and the (inter)metallic phases. Ti-Al-V/Al₂O₃ and Ti-Al-Nb/Al₂O₃ composites show enhanced damage tolerance over monolithic Al₂O₃, i.e ., fracture toughnesses up to 5.6 MPa·m^0.5 and bending strengths up to 527 MPa. The resistance against abrasive wear is almost doubled with respect to monolithic Al₂O₃ ceramic. Electrical resistivity scales with the ceramic volume fraction and ranges between 0.3 mΩ·cm and 55.1 mΩ·cm, with only a weak temperature dependence ≤700°C.     

Analytical solution of the tooling/workpiece contact interface shape during a flow forming operation

Flow forming involves complicated tooling/workpiece interactions. Purely analytical models of the tool contact area are difficult to formulate, resulting in numerical approaches that are case-specific. Provided are the details of an analytical model that describes the steady-state tooling/workpiece contact area allowing for easy modification of the dominant geometric variables. The assumptions made in formulating this analytical model are validated with experimental results attained from physical modelling. The analysis procedure can be extended to other rotary forming operations such as metal spinning, shear forming, thread rolling and crankshaft fillet rolling.     

Cyclic-3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase isozymes in cell biology and pathophysiology of the kidney

Investigations of recent years revealed that isozymes of cyclic-3', 5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) are a critically important component of the cyclic-3',5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway. The superfamily of cyclic-3', 5'-phosphodiesterase (PDE) isozymes consists of at least nine gene families (types): PDE1 to PDE9. Some PDE families are very diverse and consist of several subtypes and numerous PDE isoform-splice variants. PDE isozymes differ in molecular structure, catalytic properties, intracellular regulation and location, and sensitivity to selective inhibitors, as well as differential expression in various cell types. A number of type-specific "second-generation" PDE inhibitors have been developed. Current evidence indicates that PDE isozymes play a role in several pathobiologic processes in kidney cells. In rat mesangial cells, PDE3 and PDE4 compartmentalize cAMP signaling to the PDE3-linked cAMP-PKA pathway that modulates mitogenesis and PDE4-linked cAMP-PKA pathway that modulates generation of reactive oxygen species. Administration of selective PDE isozyme inhibitors in vivo suppresses proteinuria and pathologic changes in experimental anti-Thy-1.1 mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis in rats. Increased activity of PDE5 (and perhaps also PDE9) in glomeruli and in cells of collecting ducts in sodium-retaining states, such as nephrotic syndrome, accounts for renal resistance to atriopeptin; diminished ability to excrete sodium can be corrected by administration of the selective PDE5 inhibitor zaprinast. Anomalously high PDE4 activity in collecting ducts is a basis of unresponsiveness to vasopressin in mice with hereditary nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. Apparently, PDE isozymes apparently also play an important role in the pathogenesis of acute renal failure of different origins. Administration of PDE isozyme-selective inhibitors suppresses some components of immune responses to allograft transplant and improves preservation and survival of transplanted organ. PDE isozymes are a target for action of numerous novel selective PDE inhibitors, which are key components in the design of novel "signal transduction" pharmacotherapies of kidney diseases.     

Double-helix coil for occlusion of large patent ductus arteriosus: evaluation in a chronic lamb model

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) is often used as a control gene for mRNA expression, however it has been proposed to be overexpressed in all hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Equal amounts of tumor and paired normal (T/N) RNA, based on OD260/280 nm, were compared using ethidium bromide staining, poly-T probing, gene-specific dot blot and Northern blots using control probes G3PDH, actin and histone H4. Using mRNA blots 13/20 surgical HCC pairs did not overexpress G3PDH. Those 7/20 intact samples which did appear to overexpress G3PDH on Northern blot could not be detected by poly-T probing of dot blots. The apparent overexpression was not specific for the control gene G3PDH nor for the malignancy HCC. It may represent partial mRNA degradation, or the presence of as yet unknown substances which interfere with absorption at 260/280 nm. We advise caution in selecting human T/N pairs for differential gene expression studies. For HCC, no clinicopathological variables, including cirrhosis, predicted whether a T/N sample pair was likely to be balanced or not.     

A re-examination of seasonal variation in suicides in Australia and New Zealand

BACKGROUND: To examine the seasonality of suicides in Australia and New Zealand during the period 1981 to 1993. METHODS: A chi-square test and a harmonic analysis were used to detect the seasonality of the suicide data. RESULTS: The reduced amplitude and a smaller proportion of variance accounted for by seasonality suggested the seasonal effect on suicide is greatly diminished. The absence of biseasonal distribution of female suicides was also consistently found in the two countries. The finding was contrary to the reported results in seventies in many Western countries. CONCLUSIONS: The change in living condition, roles of males and females and communication pattern resulted in the reduction of climatic and environment effect in the seasonality of suicides were suggested. LIMITATIONS: The results would be better if a longer series of suicide date were available.     

Cleavage motifs of the yeast 20S proteasome beta subunits deduced from digests of enolase 1

The 436-amino acid protein enolase 1 from yeast was degraded in vitro by purified wild-type and mutant yeast 20S proteasome particles. Analysis of the cleavage products at different times revealed a processive degradation mechanism and a length distribution of fragments ranging from 3 to 25 amino acids with an average length of 7 to 8 amino acids. Surprisingly, the average fragment length was very similar between wild-type and mutant 20S proteasomes with reduced numbers of active sites. This implies that the fragment length is not influenced by the distance between the active sites, as previously postulated. A detailed analysis of the cleavages also allowed the identification of certain amino acid characteristics in positions flanking the cleavage site that guide the selection of the P1 residues by the three active beta subunits. Because yeast and mammalian proteasomes are highly homologous, similar cleavage motifs might be used by mammalian proteasomes. Therefore, our data provide a basis for predicting proteasomal degradation products from which peptides are sampled by major histocompatibility complex class I molecules for presentation to cytotoxic T cells.