cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Handbook of the consumer chapter: trends in household debt and credit

Abstract Since the onset of the 2008 financial crisis, consumer financial and borrowing behavior, once considered a relatively quiet little corner of finance, has been of enormously increased interest to policymakers and researchers alike. Prior to the Great Recession, there was a historic run-up in household debt, driven primarily by housing debt, which coincided with a speculative bubble and sharp rises in home prices. Then, as prices began to fall, millions of households began defaulting on their mortgages, unable to keep up with home payments, and greatly contributing to the onset of the deepest recession since the 1930s. Following the steep increase in debt balances during the boom, households began rapidly paying off their loans during and immediately after the Great Recession. Since 2013, debt has begun to increase and eventually rise above its previous levels, albeit at a much slower rate than before, at least partially due to stricter lending standards. We examine the trends in household debt before, during, and since the 2000s financial crisis and Great Recession. As we will show, this period is unique in American history in several ways. Our analysis will show the sources of the historic run-up in debt during the bubble period of the early 2000s, the change in borrowing behavior that took place as the financial crisis and Great Recession took hold, and the nature of the recovery that began in 2013. We find that while total household debt has recovered to its previous level in nominal terms, its composition and characteristics have changed dramatically along many dimensions.
Perseverance-Aware Traffic Engineering in Rate-Adaptive Networks with Reconfiguration Delay

Expensive optical fibers provide connectivity for wide-area networks. Nowadays, the fibers are operated in a much conservative manner. By adaptively reconfiguring the fibers to exploit its signal quality, a recent proposal demonstrates a significant increase of optical link capacity. Such a reconfiguration currently accompanies a non-ignorable delay, during which the reconfigured link is not accessible, and the mentioned approach trades off the final throughput with the induced churn during the transition. This scheme can result in high traffic disturbance during the reconfiguration.To overcome the drawback of the simple churn-based update, we study the rate adaptation planning (RAP) problem under reconfiguration delay. We propose a multiple step planning with perseverance constraints. This approach leads to a smoother transition, but the optimal plan is shown NP-hard without constant factor approximation (unless P= NP). Therefore, we develop an efficient LP-based heuristic algorithm. Extensive simulations show that the algorithm gives 40 -50% higher throughput than the no-adaptive-link case. Also, the transition is much smoother: the resulting traffic fluctuation is only 40 -50% of the existing churn-based approach.
MOSFET Junction Temperature Measurements using Conducted Electromagnetic Emissions and Support Vector Machines

As power electronics permeate critical infrastructure in modern society, more precise and effective diagnostic methods are required to improve system reliability as well as reduce maintenance costs and unexpected failures. Prognostic and Health Management (PHM) systems that analyze changes in the electromagnetic spectrum (E-PHM) of a circuit can be implemented to determine the health of the equipment under test. This research demonstrates the use of E-PHM techniques to measure the junction temperature of a silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET. The results show the feasibility of training machine learning algorithms to recognize this relationship and determine the junction temperature within 10 °C. This is accomplished, in situ, without interruption of device operation and without altering the system’s performance.
Stand-Biased Desk Intervention on Sleep Quality of High School Students: A Pilot Study Using Tri-Axial Accelerometery.

Prolonged sitting is related to a sedentary inactive lifestyle and related to obesity and many metabolic problems caused by inactivity. The problem gets more serious for people who spent most of their work time in a seated position like students or office workers. In this study, we provided standing desk and stool to the local public high school and observed the changes in their behavior in terms of physical activity using tri-axial accelerometer before and after intervention. Previously published study using the same dataset under the larger project reported increased physical activity during school hours. In this study, we extracted more diverse features directly from the raw data instead of using data processed by the software that manufacturer provided. Hence, we were able to analyze the same features (sedentary, physically active time) as well as sleep-related variables. Of the interest, sleep is another important feature that can tell us about participants’ health conditions. Even if the intervention contributed to updating their behavioral patterns, the result might be nullified in the long run if their sleep pattern was compromised. The quantity and quality of sleep was not changed after the intervention. Therefore, the efficacy of standing desks has been confirmed again.
The impact of extracorporal circulation on therapy-related mortality and long-term survival of patients with renal cell cancer and intracaval neoplastic extension.

In approximately 4%–10% of patients presenting with renal cell cancer, the transluminal propagation of a tumour thrombus into the vena cava inferior or the right atrium comes to diagnosis. Recent investigations have indicated that the presence of neoplastic extension into the venous system does not reveal independent prognostic value regarding the clinical course of the disease. Although the complete surgical removal of vena cava thrombosis in patients without simultaneously occurring regional lymph node or distant metastases has become a well established treatment modality, several questions concerning this surgical strategy still remain the subject of ongoing discussions. In the present investigation that included 92 patients with renal cell cancer and intracaval neoplastic extension, it was clearly demonstrated that using cardiopulmonary bypass, deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest – preferably, during the removal of intracaval thrombosis extending into the right atrium – does not result in a substantially increased treatment-related intra- or postoperative mortality. However, in contrast to a previously reported observation, this treatment option did not reveal any substantial impact on the long-term survival of the patients following surgical therapy. Accordingly, the cranial extension of intracaval thrombosis was not identified as a biological variable of any prognostic importance for renal cell cancer patients.
The Role of Proteoglycans in Bladder Structure and Function

The cellular and fibrous elements of all tissues are bound together by an electrically active gel composed of polysaccharides and complex protein polysaccharides known as proteoglycans. This gel acts as the primary regulator of tissue fluid and ion transfer as well as serving as a substrate for cellular attachment and migration. In addition it functions as a stromal communication system; the “wiring” that carries the growth factor and cytokine messages to regulate growth and repair. While there exists an impressive body of knowledge on the gel compartment in other tissues (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), there has been very little interest in the extracellular matrix gel compartment of the bladder. This review will focus first on the essential principles of proteoglycan molecular structure and how that structure can determine their biological functions. The second section will then focus on the direct and indirect evidence that these compounds are present in the bladder and involved in both normal bladder function and in the pathogenesis of the trabeculation.
Distinguishing Features: Linear Rashing is Not Always Koebnerization

Cutaneous sarcoidosis and psoriasis are dermatologic conditions that can have a similar clinical appearance. Psoriasiform sarcoidosis shows thick white or silvery scaling reminiscent of psoriasis and both conditions can be linear. Psoriasis is associated with linear scaled patches that are induced by mechanical trauma (Koebner Phenomenon). Linear lesions in cutaneous sarcoidosis are not a result of koebnerization, rather cutaneous granulomas appear in well-healed scars decades after the trauma within what can be termed an immunocompromised district. This paper will focus on the features that distinguish psoriasis and cutaneous sarcoidosis, since prompt diagnosis leads to appropriately targeted treatment.
Numerical modeling and experimental cross-validation of a solar thermal collector through an innovative hybrid CFD model

Abstract Heat pipe evacuated tube solar collectors are widely used in solar water heating systems. Due to the complex heat transfer processes taking place in the collector, performing direct numerical simulations will be computationally intensive. Hence, this study presents a novel hybrid computational method in order to simulate the collectors’ thermal behaviour during day/night time operation. This method is comprised of a previously developed resistance network based proper orthogonal decomposition method for simulation during operation hours where solar irradiation values are greater than zero. Afterwards, when irradiance is zero a Lattice Boltzmann method has been utilized for simulation. The novelties of this proposed method include reducing simulation time, accounting for the ambient working conditions of the collector and therefore, providing an accurate assessment of the temperature distribution inside the collector during the entirety of its operation in a full working cycle. Furthermore, the results obtained for full cycle operation have been compared to existing experimental data and it was found that the results were in good agreement, with an average error of 5.16%. Also it has been shown that the hybrid model is several orders of magnitude faster than traditional direct numerical simulation methods.
Development and Application of Lightning Protection Technologies in Power Grids of China

In recent years,along with the rapid expansion of power grids,the increasing complication of grid structures,and the development of smart grids and energy technologies,the lightning protection of power grids becomes increasingly prominent.Power grids of China have acquired significant achievements on lightning protection technologies,which are reviewed in this paper.A technical route of lightning protection is introduced in detail; it allows us to find problems through detection and measurement of lightning,to analyze problems through evaluation and simulation of lightning,to solve problems through lightning protection measures,and to prevent problems through hazard risk warning of lightning.Following the route,the technical breakthroughs of these four aspects in China are presented,including the chinese lightning detection network(CLDN),natural lightning observations,lightning faults detection at transmission lines,lightning current measurements,progresses in lightning distribution maps,lightning fault replays,lightning hazard risk evaluations,and lightning simulated experiments,as well as novel lightning protection measures.The practical devices and systems corresponding to the technologies mentioned above are also introduced and discussed.Due to the progress of lightning protection technologies in recent years,despite the rapidly growing length of transmission lines in China,the lightning accident rate is controlled at a certain level.
William of Ockham: Questions on Virtue, Goodness, and the Will

William of Ockham (d. 1347) was among the most influential and the most notorious thinkers of the late Middle Ages. In the twenty-seven questions translated in this volume, most never before published in English, he considers a host of theological and philosophical issues, including the nature of virtue and vice, the relationship between the intellect and the will, the scope of human freedom, the possibility of God's creating a better world, the role of love and hatred in practical reasoning, whether God could command someone to do wrong, and more. In answering these questions, Ockham critically engages with the ethical thought of such predecessors as Aristotle, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and John Duns Scotus. Students and scholars of both philosophy and historical theology will appreciate the accessible translations and ample explanatory notes on the text.
How strong is the association between social media use and false consensus

Abstract In series of studies, we sought to assess the extent to which social media use was related to the false consensus effect. Study 1 (N = 493) and Study 2 (N = 364, preregistered) assessed the relationship between social media use and the false consensus effect for three psychological characteristics: political attitudes, personality traits, and fundamental social motives. Study 3 (N = 875) explored lay beliefs about the strength of the relationships between social media use and false consensus effects. Across studies, we found that heavier use of social media was associated with stronger false consensus effects. However, these effects were smaller in magnitude than lay beliefs about these linkages.
Creating safe spaces: An exploration of dominant and subordinate identity status

Through a qualitative study consisting of 68 undergraduate business students representing both dominant and subordinate identities, we examine how students make meaning of situations where they fee...
Fractional operators and multi-integral representations for associated Legendre functions

In a recent paper, Cohl and Costas-Santos derived a number of interesting multi-derivative and multi-integral relations for associated Legendre and Ferrers functions in which the orders of those functions are changed in integral steps. These are of potential use in a number of physical problems. We show here how their results can be derived simply from more general relations involving non-integer changes in the order obtained using the fractional group operator methods developed earlier for SO(2,1), E(2,1) and its conformal extension, and SO(3). We also present general integral relations for fractional changes of the degrees of the functions, and related multi-derivative and multi-integral representations.
PHYSICAL SIZE DISTRIBUTION CHARACTERIZATION OF DIESEL PARTICULATE MATTER AND THE STUDY OF THE COAGULATION PROCESS

Diesel particulate matter in both the diluted and undiluted state is subject to the processes of coagulation, condensation or evaporation, and nucleation which causes continuous changes in its physical characteristics. The Electrical Aerosol Analyzer (EAA) is used to measure the diesel particle size distribution in the Michigan Technological University dilution tunnel for a naturally aspirated direct-injection diesel engine operated on the EPA 13 mode cycle. The design and development of accurate and repeatable sampling methods using the EAA are presented. These methods involve both steady-state tunnel and bag measurements. The data indicate a bimodal nature within the 0.001 to 1 millimicron range. The first mode termed the "embryonic mode" has a saddle point between 0.005 to 0.015 millimicron and the second mode termed the "aggregation mode" lies between .08 to .15 millimicron for the number distribution. The particle concentration decreases with time and the resulting size distribution function approaches an asymptotic steady-state solution indicating the self-preserving nature of particulate size distributions. Coagulation constants have been calculated for the diesel particles and are compared to theoretical values in the literature.
Bola De Nieve: Afro-Cuban Musical Innovator

North Americans will find themselves entertained and perplexed upon listening to Bola de Nieve: Here they will find an animated performer of the "spoken song," whose work seems to echo Jacques Brell, Mabel Mercer, and Bobby Short, except his languages are Spanish, Catalan, Italian, French, and, oh yes, English. Still, this exciting music will seem elusive. It will not sound like anything they have heard before: It will seem idiosyncratic and attractive. The Spanish will have that racy toll of the Caribbean with its swallowed consonants and African loan words. The songs have that "old favorites" panache, but somehow contain something extra, a kind of swing that resembles more the salsa of our barrios than Cole Porter. It can be jazzy, too, and elicit the pathos associated with French boilte singing. Who is this husky-voiced, slightly corpulent, waistcoated smiling man called "Snowball"?
Зарубежный Опыт Применения Специальных Правил По Налогу На Доходы Корпораций Для Консолидированных Групп Налогоплательщиков (Foreign Experience of Special Rules According to the Corporate Income Tax for Consolidated Group of Taxpayers)

В работе рассматриваются общие положения консолидации для целей налогообложения доходов корпораций и зарубежный опыт организации консолидированного налогообложения доходов групп компаний. Особое внимание уделено проблеме распределения консолидированной налоговой базы между отдельными участниками группы.The paper deals with the general provisions for the purposes of consolidation income taxation of corporations and foreign experience of organizing consolidated income taxation of groups of companies. Emphasis paid to the problem of the distribution of consolidated tax base between individual members of the group.
A Human Lymphocyte Based Ex Vivo Assay to Study the Effect of Drugs on P-glycoprotein (p-Gp) Function1

Purpose. The effect of drugs on P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is normally studied in transfected or overexpressing cell lines derived from tumor cells or animal tissue. We wanted to develop an assay using normal healthy human tissue to study and characterize the drug-transporter interaction.
Multiwavelength NRZ-to-RZ conversion with timing-jitter suppression

We demonstrate a novel, polarization-insensitive scheme for multiwavelength NRZ-to-RZ conversion at 10 Gb/s rate with significant timing jitter suppression. It utilizes an electroabsorption-modulator based optoelectronic oscillator for high quality clock recovery.
LIMA, A. PEREIRA. Visitas Técnicas: interação escola-empresa. Curitiba: Editora CRV, 2010, 265p.

Publicado neste inicio de 2010, o livro de autoria de Anselmo Pereira de Lima, fruto de sua tese de doutoramento, defendida no LAEL/PUC-SP, analisa, de forma profunda e cuidadosa, os recursos pśiquicos, linguisticos e fisicos colocados a servico da atividade do professor, dos alunos e do colaborador em um momento particular de um processo de formacao profissional no ensino medio, quando os alunos entram em contato direto com o trabalho que virao a realizar no futuro, por meio, especificamente, do recurso pedagogico da Visita Tecnica. Apos a leitura, pode-se observar que a integracao entre escola e empresa, pressuposto basico nesse nivel de ensino, mostra-se mais complexa do que se poderia supor a principio. De uma posicao teorica marcada desde o inicio do texto, articulando disciplinas distintas como linguistica, psicologia historico-cultural e ergonomia situada, Lima enfrenta o desafio de revelar, ao leitor, os meandros desse encontro entre a escola e a empresa, especificamente a atividade de alunos / professor / trabalhador, na oficina. Para alcancar o objetivo a que se propoe, identificar e discutir aspectos linguisticodiscursivos do trabalho de ensino-aprendizagem na Visita Tecnica, o pesquisador realiza um processo, como diria o professor na Visita Tecnica, “passo-a-passo”, guiando o leitor pelos caminhos por ele percorridos. No primeiro passo, o Caṕitulo 1, apresenta um historico do ensino profissional no Brasil, desde os tempos do Brasil Colonia ate os dias de hoje, dirigindo seu foco para o ensino proporcionado a jovens pelo Centro de Formacao Profissional Ferroviario (CFPF), local em que se desenvolve a pesquisa e cujas visitas tecnicas sao objeto de investigacao. Esse historico do desenvolvimento do ensino profissional de nivel tecnico em nosso pais nos leva a perceber que a desejada conciliacao entre aprendizagem e industrializacao carrega em si contradicoes que o recurso pedagogico da visita tecnica busca resolver, o que leva o autor a desenvolver a sua hipotese para a pesquisa. Em suas palavras: “a dificuldade historica de conciliacao da escola com a empresa, dos procedimentos de sala de aula com os procedimentos de oficina deve se manifestar de alguma forma na propria Visita Tecnica” (p.39). E e por meio da analise dos aspectos linguistico-discursivos ai envolvidos que pretende coloca-la a prova. O Caṕitulo 2, o segundo passo dado, e dedicado a explicitacao da metodologia e aborda o contexto geral em que acontece a pesquisa, apresentando ao leitor todos os referenciais para que possa compreender o contexto especifico da Visita Tecnica a oficina, os sujeitos envolvidos (alunos, professor e colaborador) e o processo de coleta e selecao dos dados.
Dynamic changes in the morphology of Cryptococcus neoformans during murine pulmonary infection

The pathogenesis of Cryptococcus neoformans infection has been studied extensively with respect to inflammatory and pathological changes, but very little information is available regarding the morphology of yeast cells during the course of infection. Electron microscopy of Cryptococcus neoformans in murine pulmonary infection revealed increased cell wall thickness with time, but this difference was only partially accounted for by increases in cell diameter. Cell walls of melanized cells were thicker than those of nonmelanized cells 2 h after infection, and the cell wall of yeast became blacker with time, suggesting that melanization contributes to the increased cell wall thickness. Heterogeneous cell populations emerged, with the appearance of giant forms. While for C. neoformans ATCC strain 24067 (serotype D) the full spectrum of cell sizes were observed, for strains H99 (serotype A) and 3501 (serotype D) cells were divisible into two populations, giant and micro forms. In contrast to cellular heterogeneity, the epitope recognized by a protective mAb on the capsular glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) was found at all times of infection. Immunoelectron microscopy using mAbs to GXM demonstrated reactivity with intracellular structures, suggesting that synthesis of capsular polysaccharide occurs, at least in part, in the cytoplasm. In summary, the results indicate that: (i) the infection is dynamic with respect to yeast cell morphology; (ii) giant cell forms arise in tissue during the course of infection; (iii) cell walls blacken and thicken during the course of infection, consistent with melanin synthesis during infection; and (iv) GXM epitopes are found in the capsule, cell wall and cytoplasm, consistent with intracellular polysaccharide synthesis. The results indicate that the population of C. neoformans cells in tissue is in a highly dynamic state, implying that the immune system must confront cells with varying characteristics during the course of infection.
Reuniting History and Sociology Through Research on Technological Change

Scholarly pursuits of the topics encompassed by science, technology, and society (STS) provide many opportunities to combine sociology with history. This article notes some of the reasons why sociology has tended to ignore history but asserts that scholarly explorations of STS topics, and in particular the study of technological change, provide many opportunities for engagements with history. A number of research issues are presented that focus on such topics as the rise of the nation-state, changes in the occupational structure, and recast gender roles. The article concludes that a historically informed study of technology and technological change will add an important dimension to a key sociological insight, that people actively create the forces shaping their lives while also being constrained and molded by these creations.
Remembering “Aunt Emma”: small retailing between nostalgia and a conflicted past

Purpose – This paper calls for a reconsideration of standard narratives regarding the role of small, independent retailers for twentieth‐century urban communities. The paper aims to discuss the issues.Design/methodology/approach – Taking the German city of Bremen as an example, the paper problematizes the nostalgic treatment of independent “Aunt Emma” (or “mom‐and‐pop”) stores in Germany during the last quarter of the century, by recounting the often conflict‐laden history of small retailers within the urban community. It draws on primary documents from retail associations, the chamber of commerce, municipal administrations, as well as media coverage.Findings – The romanticization of the corner grocer overlooked the often divisive role of small store‐keepers in the interwar years as well as the social considerations behind some forms of retail modernization.Originality/value – Beyond the particular examples of Bremen or even Germany, the paper urges historians of modern retailing to critically analyze the...
A Coupled Protein and Probe Engineering Approach for Selective Inhibition and Activity-Based Probe Labeling of the Caspases

Caspases are cysteine proteases that play essential roles in apoptosis and inflammation. Unfortunately, their highly conserved active sites and overlapping substrate specificities make it difficult to use inhibitors or activity-based probes to study the function, activation, localization, and regulation of individual members of this family. Here we describe a strategy to engineer a caspase to contain a latent nucleophile that can be targeted by a probe containing a suitably placed electrophile, thereby allowing specific, irreversible inhibition and labeling of only the engineered protease. To accomplish this, we have identified a non-conserved residue on the small subunit of all caspases that is near the substrate-binding pocket and that can be mutated to a non-catalytic cysteine residue. We demonstrate that an active-site probe containing an irreversible binding acrylamide electrophile can specifically target this cysteine residue. Here we validate the approach using the apoptotic mediator, caspase-8, and the inflammasome effector, caspase-1. We show that the engineered enzymes are functionally identical to the wild-type enzymes and that the approach allows specific inhibition and direct imaging of the engineered targets in cells. Therefore, this method can be used to image localization and activation as well as the functional contributions of individual caspase proteases to the process of cell death or inflammation.
Low cerebrospinal fluid neuropeptide Y concentrations in posttraumatic stress disorder.

Background Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a peptide neurotransmitter that regulates stress and anxiety, has been proposed to be a stress resilience factor in humans. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a stress-related anxiety disorder. We hypothesized that central nervous system NPY is dysregulated in PTSD and sought to redress the absence of central NPY data in the disorder. Methods We determined morning NPY concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 10 male subjects with chronic combat-related PTSD and from 13 healthy men. Neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity was measured by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Results As compared with the normal comparison subjects, PTSD patients had significantly lower concentrations of CSF neuropeptide Y (mean CSF NPY was 360.0 ± 17.7 pg/mL in control subjects but only 233.6 ± 28.7 pg/mL in PTSD patients [ p = .0008]). Adjustments for age and body mass index (BMI) still revealed a highly significant reduction in CSF NPY in the PTSD group ( p = .003). Conclusions Men with combat-related PTSD have low CSF concentrations of the putative resiliency hormone NPY, possibly related to the disorder or to extreme stress exposure per se.
Control of Blood Sugar

The Maintenance of a constant blood-sugar level of around 100 mg. is one of the most important functions of those organs concerned with the proper fuel regulation of the body. These include, besides the obvious ‘supply’ organs (sensory, central nervous system and digestive tract), most of the organs of internal secretion, and the liver. The co-operative working and interplay of all these tissues to keep the blood sugar at a proper level is one of the most illuminating examples of the constancy of the internal environment of Claude Bernard or homeostasis of Cannon. There are 3 main factors in this regulation besides the obvious absorption of sugar from the intestinal tract. They are a), the rate of oxidation of glucose by the tissues, b), the production of dextrose from other substances by the liver, and c), the storage of glucose as glycogen, fat, and other derivatives.
Structural investigations of copper(II) complexes containing unsymmetrical β-diketonate and monothio-β-diketonate ligands

The crystal structures of the complexes Cu(txhd)2 and Cu(S-tmhd)2 (where txhd is the anion of 2,2,6-trimethylheptane-3,5-dione and S-tmhd is the anion of 5-mercapto-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-hepten-3-one) were determined. In the solid state, both complexes are square planar. In each case, only one geometrical isomer (trans or cis) was observed in the crystals; arguments are presented that both isomers are present in bulk samples of Cu(txhd)2, while from electronic considerations, the monothio-β-diketonate ligands probably have cis geometry in Cu(S-tmhd)2. Calculations of molecular volumes for structurally similar Cu[t-BuC(O)CHC(O)R]2 complexes showed that there is a slight decrease in packing efficiency as the steric bulk of R increases. More importantly, strong ring-stacking interactions, such as those found for Cu(acac)2 are not observed, or are greatly attenuated, in complexes with bulkier peripheral substituents. [Cu(txhd)(μ3-OEt)]4, an impurity that co-sublimed with Cu(txhd)2, was isolated in low yield. ...
Segmental norepinephrine and dopamine levels in cat spinal cord.

Abstract Tissue levels of norepinephrine in the uninjured cat were determined by a fluorimetric or enzymatic radiometric assay technique. There were no significant differences of NE levels between the two techniques. The highest concentrations of NE were found in the cervical (.170 ug/g) and lumbar (.232 ug/g) enlargements and appear to be related to the relative amount of grey and white matter present at these levels. Dopamine levels, as determined by the enzymatic radiometric assay technique, were found to be low in those spinal segments measured (less than 0.030 ug/g). DA appears to be similarly distributed as norepinephrine in the spinal segments. Barbiturate or nitrous oxide anesthetic agents did not result in significant differences in NE determinations at cervical or thoracic segments. Variability of reported NE and DA levels from other studies appears to be related to differences in assay technique.
Detoxification of aldehydes by histidine-containing dipeptides: From chemistry to clinical implications

Aldehydes are generated by oxidized lipids and carbohydrates at increased levels under conditions of metabolic imbalance and oxidative stress during atherosclerosis, myocardial and cerebral ischemia, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases and trauma. In most tissues, aldehydes are detoxified by oxidoreductases that catalyze the oxidation or the reduction of aldehydes or enzymatic and nonenzymatic conjugation with low molecular weight thiols and amines, such as glutathione and histidine dipeptides. Histidine dipeptides are present in micromolar to millimolar range in the tissues of vertebrates, where they are involved in a variety of physiological functions such as pH buffering, metal chelation, oxidant and aldehyde scavenging. Histidine dipeptides such as carnosine form Michael adducts with lipid-derived unsaturated aldehydes, and react with carbohydrate-derived oxo- and hydroxy-aldehydes forming products of unknown structure. Although these peptides react with electrophilic molecules at lower rate than glutathione, they can protect glutathione from modification by oxidant and they may be important for aldehyde quenching in glutathione-depleted cells or extracellular space where glutathione is scarce. Consistent with in vitro findings, treatment with carnosine has been shown to diminish ischemic injury, improve glucose control, ameliorate the development of complications in animal models of diabetes and obesity, promote wound healing and decrease atherosclerosis. The protective effects of carnosine have been linked to its anti-oxidant properties, its ability to promote glycolysis, detoxify reactive aldehydes and enhance histamine levels. Thus, treatment with carnosine and related histidine dipeptides may be a promising strategy for the prevention and treatment of diseases associated with high carbonyl load.
Influence of water on stability of perylene anion radicals in bicontinuous microemulsions

We have now measured CVs at 25 o C for perylene in didodecyldimethylammonium bromide microemulsions with a series of water concentrations
Chronic Moderate Sleep Restriction in Older Long Sleepers and Older Average Duration Sleepers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Epidemiologic studies have consistently shown that sleeping <7 h and ≥8 h is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. The risks of short sleep may be consistent with results from experimental sleep deprivation studies. However, there has been little study of chronic moderate sleep restriction and little evaluation of older adults who might be more vulnerable to negative effects of sleep restriction, given their age-related morbidities. Moreover, the risks of long sleep have scarcely been examined experimentally. Moderate sleep restriction might benefit older long sleepers who often spend excessive time in bed (TIB) in contrast to older adults with average sleep patterns. Our aims are: (1) to examine the ability of older long sleepers and older average sleepers to adhere to 60 min TIB restriction; and (2) to contrast effects of chronic TIB restriction in older long vs. average sleepers. Older adults (n = 100) (60-80 years) who sleep 8-9 h per night and 100 older adults who sleep 6-7.25 h per night will be examined at 4 sites over 5 years. Following a 2-week baseline, participants will be randomized to one of two 12-week treatments: (1) a sleep restriction involving a fixed sleep-wake schedule, in which TIB is reduced 60 min below each participant's baseline TIB; and (2) a control treatment involving no sleep restriction, but a fixed sleep schedule. Sleep will be assessed with actigraphy and a diary. Measures will include glucose tolerance, sleepiness, depressive symptoms, quality of life, cognitive performance, incidence of illness or accident, and inflammation.
Photoionization of excited-state xenon

The photoionization cross section of Xe $5{p}^{5}^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}6p(J=0)$ is calculated near threshold. We use a $\mathrm{jjJM}$-coupling scheme to describe the excited-state spectrum of xenon. By transformation from $\mathrm{jj}$ to $\mathrm{LS}$ coupling, one set of cross-section results is obtained using bound and continuum orbitals generated in the Hartree-Fock approximation. Another set of cross-section results is obtained using orbitals generated in the Dirac-Fock approximation. The difference in the two sets of results, which represents the contribution from relativistic effects, is found to be as much as 25% at certain energies. On the other hand, differences in the cross-section results which arise from the choice of electromagnetic field gauge are found to be as much as 75%.
Longitudinal Assessment of Growth and Body Composition in Prepubertal Children with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) ♦ 564

Growth failure and altered body composition is known to occur in children with CF, but the longitudinal age and gender-related pattern of these changes has not been described previously. This study examined prospectively the growth and body composition of 25 prepubertal children with CF (initially 5-10 yrs of age) and 25 healthy controls of comparable age, gender and weight. All children with CF were pancreatic insufficient, had mild pulmonary disease and had initial ht and wt above the 5th percentile. Subjects were evaluated four times at yearly intervals while in their usual state of good health. Body composition was determined by anthropometric evaluation of wt, ht, and skinfold thicknesses at the biceps, triceps, subscapular, and suprailiac sites. Wt and ht z-scores were calculated from NCHS reference data. Longitudinal comparisons between groups were performed using longitudinal mixed effects analysis. Statistical significance was defined at the p<0.05 level. On average, the wt and ht z-scores for the CF group were lower than for the controls. The ht z-scores of CF boys were significantly lower than that of the control boys, while the girls in the CF and control groups were similar. Fat free mass (FFM) significantly increased over the 3 yr period for boys and girls in both groups. For boys with CF, FFM was consistently lower than for the control boys. The gap in FFM between the CF and control boys significantly increased over time. In contrast, the girls with CF had slightly higher but not significantly different FFM than the control girls over time. Fat mass(FM) increased over the 3 yr period for both the CF and control groups. The pattern of FM over time was different between the boys and girls. Both groups of girls expressed significant increases in FM over time, however, there were no increases in FM in the two groups of boys. The boys with CF had lower FM than the control boys, with the disparity in FM getting larger with time, while the girls with CF more closely patterned the FM of the control girls over time. These findings demonstrate that the longitudinal patterns of growth and body composition are different between boys and girls with CF. In this age range, the growth and nutritional status of boys with CF failed to keep up with that of healthy control boys, with growth disparities increasing with time. In contrast, this sample of young girls with CF closely matched the growth patterns of healthy control girls over time.
The Race for a New Game Machine: Creating the Chips Inside the XBox 360 and the PlayStation 3

One of the great business stories of our young century lies buried within the 74 million video-game machines sold in the past three years. IBM began by making microprocessors only for Nintendo, but now it also supplies the ones inside the Sony PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360.
Biomarkers of effects: the immune system.

© 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 19:177–179, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20075
Validation and use of the Children’s Hope Scale-Revised PTPB Edition (CHS-PTPB): High Initial Youth Hope and Elevated Baseline Symptomatology Predict Poor Treatment Outcomes

The present study examined the relationship between initial youth hope, measured within the first 4 weeks of mental health treatment, and treatment progress over time (self-, caregiver-, and clinician-report of symptom severity) in a clinical sample of youth ages 11–18 years (N = 356). The psychometric properties of the CHS-PTPB, a revised version of the Children’s Hope Scale, are also presented. Results indicate the CHS-PTPB is a psychometrically sound measure for use in this population. Additionally, results found that while higher levels of hope were associated with lower levels of symptom severity at baseline, initial level of hope was not significantly related to symptom improvement over time as reported by the youth and caregiver. Surprisingly, higher initial hope predicted slower treatment progress as rated by clinicians. According to clinician-rated symptom severity, youth with high initial hope and high baseline symptom severity show the poorest predicted clinical outcome. Implications, future directions, and limitations of the study are discussed.
Population survey: ultrasonic cholecystography.

Anatomic localization and diagnostic inspection of the gallbladder are achieved in 30–60 s with the use of a recently developed electronic sector scanning ultrasound imaging system. Approximately 98% visualization is achieved without patient preparation or selection. In a prototype survey of 766 patients, cholelithiasis was detected in 43 of 130 subjects with right upper quadrant pain syndromes and in 64 of 581 asymptomatic subjects.
Baclofen treatment in Tourette syndrome A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of baclofen for the treatment of tics in children with Tourette syndrome (TS). Background: Baclofen, which contains both γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and phenylethylamine moieties, was suggested in an open-label protocol to be an effective treatment for TS. This is a double-blind, placebo-controlled study to investigate this medication in children with TS. Methods: Subjects received, in a randomized sequence, 4-week medication cycles of baclofen (20 mg three times daily) and placebo with a 2-week intervening washout period between the cycles. Outcome measures included the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, and the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS), the latter including subscales for total tics and overall impairment. Measures were assessed at baseline and on days 28, 42, and 70 of the study. Results: Ten children (seven boys and three girls, aged 8 to 14) with TS participated. Nine subjects completed the protocol; one dropped out for psychosocial reasons. No major side effects were reported. The mean change in CGI score (−0.9) after 4 weeks of baclofen treatment as compared with placebo treatment showed a significant improvement (95% CI, −1.7 to −0.1; p = 0.04). All subjects showed some amelioration in total YGTSS score during baclofen treatment. The mean change in total YGTSS score (−14.7) approached significance (95% CI, −30.3 to 0.9; p = 0.06). Examination of differences between baclofen and placebo treatment groups expressed as a percent change from baseline showed that baclofen had a statistically significant effect on both outcome measures. Subscales of the YGTSS showed that the reduction in total tic scores was primarily due to a reduction in the impairment score rather than a decrease in tics. Conclusions: Children with TS may benefit from treatment with baclofen, although improvements may be related to factors other than tics. Larger studies directly comparing baclofen against other tic-suppressing agents are recommended.
In vivo pharmacology of endocannabinoids and their metabolic inhibitors: therapeutic implications in Parkinson's disease and abuse liability.

This review focuses on the behavioral pharmacology of endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) and indirect-acting cannabinoid agonists that elevate endocannabinoid tone by inhibiting the activity of metabolic enzymes. Similarities and differences between prototype cannabinoid agonists, endocannabinoids and inhibitors of endocannabinoid metabolism are discussed in the context of endocannabinoid pharmacokinetics in vivo. The distribution and function of cannabinoid and non-CB1/CB2 receptors are also covered, with emphasis on their role in disorders characterized by dopamine dysfunction, such as drug abuse and Parkinson’s disease. Finally, evidence is presented to suggest that FAAH inhibitors lack the abuse liability associated with CB1 agonists, although they may modify the addictive properties of other drugs, such as alcohol.
Ground Improvement Using Vacuum Loading Together with Vertical Drains

AbstractThe use of vacuum as a preload together with vertical drains to reduce postconstruction settlement and increase the shear strength of soft ground is increasingly popular. However, conflicting views concerning preloading by vacuum consolidation continue to be disseminated. A review and interpretation of case histories of vacuum loading together with vertical drains indicates that (1) with a novel definition of excess pore-water pressure, existing theories of consolidation, solutions, and associated computer programs that have been developed for fill loading can be applied without any modification to vacuum loading; (2) vacuum that is available in the drainage blanket remains constant with depth within the vertical drains; (3) for vacuum loading as for fill loading, vertical drains may display well resistance; (4) there is no difference in magnitude and rate of settlement for a vacuum load and an equivalent fill load; (5) all empirical concepts of undrained shear strength that have originated from f...
Individuals as authors of human rights: not only addressees

I propose human rights as self-authored through a personality structure of “assertive selfhood.” To that end I identify three features of self-authorship: emergent through collective political action; as a critical stance; and borne by non-idiosyncratic norms. So conceived, human rights require a field of recognition as a social structure supportive of claims to assertive selfhood. I show that the capacity to self-grant depends critically on the participant’s personality structure as well as on the structure of some of the social institutions he or she inhabits. But like any political vision, the project for self-granted human rights has distinct limits, above all with respect to the many inequalities among potential self-authors.
ALL NEONATES ARE NOT OBLIGATE NOSE BREATHERS

Unlike adults, neonates are considered obligate nose breathers, hence entirely dependent on a patent nasal airway for ventilation. To fully explore their respiratory response to nasal obstruction, we simultaneously monitored nasal and oral ventilation during sleep and in response to multiple 15 sec nasal occlusions. Ten healthy term infants (mean BW 3600±190g, age 1.7±0.6 d) were studied for 60 min periods. Nasal and oral airflow (via two resistance-matched pneumotachometers), heart rate (HR), TcPO2 PetCO2 and sleep state were continuously recorded. Five of 10 infants initiated and sustained effective oral breathing without arousal during 36±32% of occlusions independent of sleep state. In these infants, arousal occurred during 31±27% of occlusions, and no response in 34±23%. In the remaining 5 infants who did not exhibit oral breathing, arousal occurred in 42±34%, and no response in 58±34% of occlusions. Once begun (within 0-6 sec) oral breathing could be sustained for at least 1 min of continuing nasal occlusion. Tidal vol., resp. rate, HR, TcPO2 and PetCO2 did not change when oral breathing occurred during nasal occlusion, although minute ventilation decreased from 265 to 199 cc/min/kg, p<0.05. Moreover, two of 10 infants exhibited spontaneous combined nasal/oral ventilation while in undisturbed sleep. These results clearly demonstrate that not all infants are obligate nose breathers. Effective oral ventilation can now be included among the neonate's physiologic defenses against life threatening nasal obstruction.