cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Educational Message Framing on Adherence to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy

Although of proven health benefit to persons with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is suboptimal, with patterns of use that are established early and that are not easily altered after the initial experience. In a randomized controlled trial, 70 participants with OSA and cardiovascular disease were assigned to receive either positively or negatively framed education about CPAP. Objective adherence was measured following 30 days of home CPAP therapy. Daytime sleepiness, dispositional optimism, self-efficacy, and depression were also evaluated at baseline and after 30 days. CPAP use was greater in the group receiving negative message framing (p = .015).
Autoradiographic studies on intracellular growth of Brucella melitensis and thymineless E. coli.

SummaryRabbit peritoneal histiocytes labelled with tritiated thymidine were infected with Brucella. No transfer of the labelled nuclear material from the host to the parasite was detected, although both types of cells multiplied during the course of the experiment. When unlabelled histiocytes ingested labelled E. coli, living or dead, label passed to the histiocyte nucleus. Uptake of tritium-labelled thymidine by peritoneal histiocytes was markedly reduced after ingestion of E. coli but not by ingestion of the attenuated strain of B. melitensis.
Effect of reduced specific heats of nanofluids on single phase, laminar internal forced convection

Abstract Laminar, internal forced convection utilizing nanofluids is analyzed, incorporating experimentally-verified descriptions of the nanofluid’s specific heat, and accounting for the dual effects of (i) increased thermal conductivity and (ii) reduced specific heat of the nanofluid relative to its base liquid. Heat transfer enhancement is quantified, and a dimensionless effectiveness is introduced to gage the nanofluid’s performance relative to that of the pure, base liquid. It is shown that use of nanofluidic versions of pure liquids can either enhance or degrade thermal performance.
Dual role of calmodulin in autophosphorylation of multifunctional cam kinase may underlie decoding of calcium signals

Autophosphorylation of multifunctional Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase makes it Ca2+ independent by trapping bound calmodulin and by enabling the kinase to remain partially active even after calmodulin dissociates. We show that autophosphorylation is an intersubunit reaction between neighbors in the multimeric kinase which requires two molecules of calmodulin. Ca2+/calmodulin acts not only to activate the "kinase" subunit but also to present effectively the "substrate" subunit for autophosphorylation. Conversion of the kinase to the potentiated or trapped state is a cooperative process that is inefficient at low occupancy of calmodulin. Simulations show that repetitive Ca2+ pulses at limiting calmodulin lead to the recruitment of calmodulin to the holoenzyme, which further stimulates autophosphorylation and trapping. This cooperative, positive feedback loop will potentiate the response of the kinase to sequential Ca2+ transients and establish a threshold frequency at which the enzyme becomes highly active.
Machine interpretation of CAD data for manufacturing applications

Machine interpretation of the shape of a component for CAD databases is an important problem in CAD/CAM, computer vision, and intelligent manufacturing. It can be used in CAD/CAM for evaluation of designs, in computer vision for machine recognition and machine inspection of objects, and in intelligent manufacturing for automating and integrating the link between design and manufacturing. This topic has been an active area of research since the late '70s, and a significant number of computational methods have been proposed to identify portions of the geometry of a part having engineering significance (here called “features”). However, each proposed mechanism has been able to solve the problem only for components within a restricted geometric domain (such as polyhedral components), or only for components whose features interact with each other in a restricted manner. The purposes of this article are to review and summarize the development of research on machine recognition of features from CAD data, to discuss the advantages and potential problems of each approach, and to point out some of the promising directions future investigations may take. Since most work in this field has focused on machining features, the article primarily covers those features associated with the manufacturing domain. In order to better understand the state of the art, methods of automated feature recognition are divided into the following categories of methods based on their approach: graph-based, syntactic pattern recognition, rule-based, and volumetric. Within each category we have studied issues such as the definition of features, mechanisms developed for recognition of features, the application scope, and the assumptions made. In addition, the problem is addressed from the perspective of information input requirements and the advantages and disadvantages of boundary representation, constructive solid geometry (CSG), and 2D drawings with respect to machine recognition of features are examined. Emphasis is placed on the mechanisms for attacking problems associated with interacting features.
Role of constraints in the thermodynamics of heterogeneous condensation on solid soluble particles: failure of the capillarity approximation

Abstract The Debenedetti–Reiss method of using constraints in the derivation of the reversible work of nucleus formation is extended to the case of heterogeneous formation of multicomponent liquid droplets on solid (soluble or insoluble) particles. It is shown that not only does the capillarity approximation fail to predict the complete, true free energy of formation of a drop of arbitrary (i.e., nonequilibrium) size, but it may also fail to provide a well behaved “surrogate” free energy which would not depend on the path of formation of the drop. This failure is illustrated by calculating the free energy of formation of a liquid film on a NaCl-like particle.
Methodology for Turbulence Model Validation: Application to Hypersonic Flows

Hypersonic transitional e ows over a e at plate and a sharp cone are studied using four turbulence models: the one-equation eddy viscosity transport model of Spalart ‐Allmaras, a low-Reynolds-number k‐" model, the Menter k‐! model, and the Wilcox k‐! model. A framework is presented for the assessment of turbulence models that includes documentation procedures, numerical accuracy, model sensitivity, and model validation. The accuracy of thesimulationsisaddressed,and thesensitivitiesofthemodelstogridree nement,freestream turbulencelevels,and wally + spacing are presented. The e at-plate skin-friction resultsare compared to the well-established laminar and turbulent correlations of Van Driest. Correlations for the sharp cone are discussed in detail. These correlations, along with recent experimental data, are used to judge the validity of the simulation results for skin friction and surface heating on the sharp cone. The Spalart ‐Allmaras model performs the best with regards to model sensitivity and model accuracy, whereasthe Menter k‐! model also performs well for these zero pressuregradient boundary-layer e ows.
Immunofluorescence, Necrobiosis Lipoidica, and Blood Vessels: Fluorescent Lights in the Tunnels

In this issue of theArchives, Quimby et al 1 discuss the cutaneous immunopathology of necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum (NLD). They studied biopsy specimens obtained from 12 patients with NLD by direct immunofluorescence and found the following fluorescing immunoreactants in involved skin of 11 patients: IgM (six patients), C3 (nine patients), IgG (one patient), and IgA (two patients). Even in uninvolved skin, vessels contained deposits. IgM was deposited in vessels in three patients, C3 in four, and IgA in one. Ullman and I 2,3 first examined blood vessels of patients with NLD for the presence of immune deposits a decade ago because the histologic features suggested a vasculopathy. Nonetheless, we were a bit surprised to find them. Immune complexes in vessels are frequently associated with a vasculitis. Yet, the indolent plaques of necrobiosis do not reek with the clinical signs of vasculitis—purpura, edema, and necrosis. Furthermore, the inflammation around blood vessels
The effect of chronic caffeine administration on serum markers of bone mineral metabolism and bone histomorphometry in the rat

Caffeine has been cited as a risk factor for osteoporosis in humans. In rats, caffeine increases calcium absorption and excretion and raises parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels. This study investigated the effect of chronic caffeine administration on bone histomorphometry and serum markers of bone mineral metabolism. Twenty-seven male Sprague Dawley rats weighing approximately 300 g were divided into three groups: Group A (n=8) served as controls, Group B (n=9) received 2.5 mg/100 g caffeine in their drinking water, and Group C (n=10) received 10 mg/100 g body weight caffeine in their drinking water. Animals were bled serially for the 8 week study period: Ionized calcium was measured from tail vein blood and serum iPTH and osteocalcin (BGP) from orbital sinus blood. All three groups received two doses of tetracycline for bone histomorphometry which was performed on a right tibial section from each animal. Ionized calcium was not different among the three groups at any time point. No alteration in serum iPTH levels was demonstrated except for day 56 when the high-dose group (C) showed a raised level (mean=59.1, SE=±8.9 pg/ml (P<0.05). By week 8 Group C showed a failure to gain weight compared with Group A. Group C mean weight=384.0±6.6 g, Group A 427.4±10.8 g (P<0.005). Serum BGP was significantly increased in Group C compared with control (P<0.001). No differences in bone histomorphometry were observed among the three groups. We conclude that although chronic caffeine administration in the rat may slightly increase bone turnover as evidenced by the BGP increase, bone histomorphometry was not altered. This makes the role of caffeine by itself doubtful as an etiological factor for osteoporosis.
Problems with the normalization of cross sections in the constituent-interchange model

It is in principle straightforward to estimate the size of differential cross sections at wide angle in parton models. We show in this note that such estimations in the framework of the constituent-interchange model disagree completely with experimental data.
Automatic line detection in document images using recursive morphological transforms

In this paper, we describe a system that detects lines of various types, e.g., solid lines and dotted lines, on document images. The main techniques are based on the recursive morphological transforms, namely the recursive opening and closing transforms. The advantages of the transforms are that they can perform binary opening and closing with any sized structuring element simultaneously in constant time per pixel, and that they offer a solution to morphological image analysis problems where the sizes of the structuring elements have to be determined after the examination of the image itself. The system is evaluated on about 1,200 totally ground-truthed IRS tax form images of different qualities. The line detection output is compared with a set of hand-drawn groundtruth lines. The statistics like the number and rate of correct detection, miss detection, and false alarm are calculated. The performance of 32 algorithms for solid line detection are compared to find the best one. The optimal algorithm tuning parameter settings could be estimated on the fly using a regression tree.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
“Who Better to Do It Than Me!:” Race, Gender & the Deciding to Run Accounts of Political Women in Texas

Women remain underrepresented in electoral politics at every level. Much has been written about how dominant gender values shape political women’s decisions to run for office, how the media portrays women on the campaign trail, and how voters respond to women candidates. Yet, research on women in politics has too often assumed a monolithic standard of femininity, overlooking the ways in which gender values are varied and deeply racialized. Drawing from data gathered through 46 interviews I conducted with women leaders and political activists in Texas, I explore the narratives politically active women cultivate to account for their decisions whether or not to run for public office. I illuminate how these “deciding to run” narratives reflect racialized standards of femininity and how these discourses are mediated by the political context and by political and activist organizations.
Relay communications for Mars exploration

Telecommunication is an essential and challenging aspect of planetary exploration. For Mars landers, the constraints of mass, volume, power and energy typically limit their communications capabilities on the long-distance link back to Earth. By deploying relay spacecraft in Martian orbit, these landers can achieve much greater data return and can obtain contact opportunities at times when Earth is not in view. Currently, both NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) have pursued this strategy, deploying relay payloads on their Mars science orbiters. This relay infrastructure has significantly benefited the science return from the 2003 Mars Exploration Rovers and is poised to support the Phoenix Lander and Mars Science Laboratory missions later this decade. Longer-term plans call for continued growth in relay capability, greatly increasing data return from the Martian surface to enable exciting new Mars exploration concepts and advance our understanding of our planetary neighbour. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Emergence of Social Complexity in the Chibchan World of Southern Central America and Northern Colombia, AD 300-600

The societies of southern Central America and northern South America, a region historically occupied by Chibchan-speaking peoples, have long been acknowledged as valuable sources of information on chiefdoms and other forms of prestate social organization. Most studies, however, have focused on chiefdoms that are known ethnographically or ethnohistorically with an emphasis on the sixteenth century and the immediate precontact period. This paper reviews archaeological evidence from an earlier period in an attempt to elucidate general patterns associated with the earliest appearance of social inequality. The centuries between AD 300 and 600 are characterized by the first widespread use of prestige goods manufactured from gold and jade, special cemeteries for the interment of elites, and a rich iconography. Detailed consideration of recent research relevant to the events of this period highlights some of the problems inherent in the archaeological identification of hierarchy, chiefdoms, leadership, and other features of prestate complex societies.
TiO2−Catalyzed Photodegradation of Porphyrins: Mechanistic Studies and Application in Monolayer Photolithography

Patterned mixed monolayers of porphyrins on nanocrystalline TiO(2) films were fabricated by substrate-catalyzed monolayer photolithography. Tin(IV) protoporphyrin IX (SnPP), zinc(II) protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP), and iron(III) meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphine (FeTCP) were adsorbed to TiO(2) through the carboxyl groups, yielding saturation surface amounts per projected area of approximately 10(-7) mol/cm(2). Illumination of SnPP- and ZnPP-functionalized TiO(2) films with 355 nm light caused the desorption of the porphyrins, most likely through oxidative decarboxylation. SnPP was removed more rapidly than ZnPP. The faster kinetics was due, in part, to the contribution of other photochemical pathways including TiO(2)-catalyzed photoreduction and direct photodegradation reactions. Patterned binary monolayers were prepared by the photoinduced desorption of a protoporphyrin, followed by the adsorption of FeTCP to previously illuminated regions of the surface.
Endonuclease induced DNA damage and cell death in chemical hypoxic injury to LLC-PK1 cells

Hypoxia is considered to result in a necrotic form of cell injury. We examined the role of endonuclease activation, considered a feature of apoptosis, in DNA damage and cell death in hypoxic injury in LLC-PK1 cells. Hypoxia in LLC-PK1 cells was induced using a combination of glucose deprivation and a mitochondrial inhibitor, antimycin A (10 microM). Chemical hypoxia caused DNA damage as measured by the alkaline unwinding assay and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation that preceded cell death. Incubating protein extract of cells subjected to chemical hypoxia with calf thymus DNA resulted in oligonucleosome length fragments, which were prevented by an endonuclease inhibitor, aurintricarboxylic acid. Chemical hypoxia resulted in an increased DNA degrading activity with a molecular mass of approximately 15 kDa. Endonuclease inhibitors, aurintricarboxylic acid and Evans blue, prevented antimycin A-induced DNA strand breaks, fragmentation and cell death. We conclude that endonuclease activation plays an important role in chemical hypoxic injury to LLC-PK1 cells.
Propionic acidemia in a previously healthy adolescent with acute onset of dilated cardiomyopathy

Propionic acidemia (PA) is a rare autosomal recessive organic aciduria resulting from defects in propionyl-CoA-carboxylase (PCC), a key enzyme of intermediate energy metabolism. PA mostly manifests during the neonatal period, when affected newborns develop severe metabolic acidosis and hyperammonemia. We present a previously healthy teenager, who suffered from acute fatigue and breathlessness. The patient was tachycardic, displayed a precordial heave and a systolic murmur. Cardiac investigations revealed severe dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Biochemical work up led to the diagnosis of PA. Remarkably, this patient of consanguineous Hispanic origin was in a good general health condition before the acute onset of DCM. Diagnosis of PA was confirmed by enzymatic and molecular genetic analysis, the latter revealing a novel homozygous mutation in the PCCB gene (c.1229G > A; p.R410Q). Residual PCC enzyme activity of approximately 14 % of normal was detected in patient’s lymphocytes and fibroblasts, thereby providing a possible explanation for the hitherto asymptomatic phenotype. Conclusion: Isolated DCM, although rare, can be the leading and/or sole symptom of late-onset PA. Therefore, patients with DCM should receive a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation including selective screening for inborn errors of metabolism.
A Volume Preserving Diffeomorphism with Essential Coexistence of Zero and Nonzero Lyapunov Exponents

We show that there exists a C∞ volume preserving topologically transitive diffeomorphism of a compact smooth Riemannian manifold which is ergodic (indeed is Bernoulli) on an open and dense subset \({\mathcal{G}}\) of not full volume and has zero Lyapunov exponent on the complement of \({\mathcal{G}}\) .
Chemistry and mineralogy of pyrite-enriched sediments at a passive margin sulfide brine seep: abyssal Gulf of Mexico

Pyrite is rapidly accumulating at the contact between the Cretaceous limestones of the Florida Platform and the hemipelagic sediments of the abyssal Gulf of Mexico. Sediments sampled with the submersible “Alvin” in 3266 m of water are associated with a dense community of organisms that depend on chemosynthetic primary production as a food source. Analysis of the chemistry, mineralogy, and textural composition of these sediments indicate that iron sulfide mineralization is occurring at the seafloor within an anoxic micro-habitat sustained by the advection of hydrogen sulfide-charged saline brines from the adjacent platform. The chemosynthetic bacteria that directly overlie the sediments oxidize hydrogen sulfide for energy and provide elemental sulfur that reacts with iron monosulfide to form some of the pyrite. The sediments are mixtures of pyrite (∼ 30 wt.%), BaSr sulfates (∼ 4 wt.%), clays, and locally derived biogenic carbonates and are progressively being cemented by iron sulfides. Oxidation of hydrogen sulfide produces locally acidic conditions that corrode the adjacent limestones. Potential sources of S, H2S, Fe, Ba, and Sr are discussed.
Size reduction in microstrip antennas using left-handed materials realized by complementary split-ring resonators in ground plane

The present work focuses on using left-handed materials (LHMs) for size reduction of microstrip antennas. Section I discusses the choice and design of a suitable periodic structure to realize negative permittivity and/or permeability. The Complementary Split-Ring Resonator (CSRR) is easiest to implement. Section II discusses the design and construction of the antennas with CSRRs in the ground plane. Design, construction and measurement have been performed and validated with simulated results. In Section III, based on the simulated and measured results a design methodology is proposed.
Palliative and End-of-Life Care

The World Health Organization defines palliative care as “an approach to care that improves quality of life of patients facing life-threatening illness and their families, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial, and spiritual.”1 In contemporary discussions of healthcare, the topics of “palliative care” and “end-of-life care” are prominent. Although palliative medicine specialists have become more widely available for consultation, the care of seriously ill and dying patients is central to the entire practice of medicine, including surgery. However, fear of treating patients at end of life is experienced by many healthcare providers. Providers are generally not formally prepared to manage dying as a normal process. Caring for this population entails complex decisions that may seem to contradict the intent to cure. However, it is recognized that the essential goal of medicine is to relieve suffering, and that caring well for these patients and their families can be a hopeful and healing process.
STUDIES ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF BLOOD AND CEREBROSPINAL FLUID

1. If due allowance is made for the slow rate of elaboration of cerebrospinal fluid and for the time that it takes for newly formed fluid to emerge from a needle in the cistema, the amount of sugar, chloride, and non-protein nitrogen in the fluid seems to follow in a general way their concentrations in the blood stream. 2. It is equally evident, however, that for any substance other factors besides its concentration in the blood stream play a part in its distribution between blood and cerebrospinal fluid.
Immunotherapeutic strategies for cancer treatment: A novel protein transfer approach for cancer vaccine development

Cancer cells have developed numerous ways to escape immune surveillance and gain unlimited proliferative capacity. Currently, several chemotherapeutic agents and radiotherapy, either alone or in combination, are being used to treat malignancies. However, both of these therapies are associated with several limitations and detrimental side effects. Therefore, recent scientific investigations suggest that immunotherapy is among the most promising new approaches in modern cancer therapy. The focus of cancer immunotherapy is to boost both acquired and innate immunity against malignancies by specifically targeting tumor cells, and leaving healthy cells and tissues unharmed. Cellular, cytokine, gene, and monoclonal antibody therapies have progressively become promising immunotherapeutic approaches that are being tested for several cancers in preclinical models as well as in the clinic. In this review, we discuss recent advances in these immunotherapeutic approaches, focusing on new strategies that allow the expression of specific immunostimulatory molecules on the surface of tumor cells to induce robust antitumor immunity.
Factors associated with delayed care-seeking in hospitalized patients with heart failure

Abstract Objective This study sought to evaluate the contributions of symptom recognition and clinical factors to delays in care-seeking. Methods A descriptive correlational study design was used to study 75 patients (mean age, 74.7 years; SD, 10.86 years; range, 40 to 96 years) admitted to a tertiary-care medical center with recurrent symptoms (New York Heart Association classes 2 to 4). The sample was 52% male and 85.3% white. The Heart Failure Somatic Perception Scale (HFSPS) was used to examine symptoms, and additional data were collected on physiologic, social, and demographic factors. Results The mean HFSPS score was 37.52 (range, 2 to 74; possible range, 0 to 90). Subjects reported 2 to 16 out of 18 possible symptoms. Durations of individual symptoms ranged from 5 minutes to 8 years, with individual patients describing a variety of symptom combinations and multiple time frames, depending on the specific symptom. Most subjects (80%) reported a mixture of acute and chronic symptoms. A pattern of chronic vs. acute symptoms was associated with proactive vs. emergent care-seeking, respectively. The HFSPS scores did not correlate with care-seeking behavior. Conclusion Symptom recognition is a complex phenomenon, and few factors differentiate emergent from proactive care-seeking.
Hybrid Encapsulation of Photoluminescent Pigments by Emulsion Polymerization and Reactive Heterocoagulation

Polymeric encapsulation of a high surface energy inorganic can aid in its uniform dispersion in a composite coating. Here we systematically explored an approach to suitable encapsulation conditions for two specialized photoluminescent pigments. While a suspension-like process was desired to polymerize the layer at the inorganic surface, the robustness of the encapsulation was insufficient. By way of a simplified silica analog, proper conditions were determined to covalently link p(methyl methacrylate-co-glycidal methacrylate) latex particles to the inorganic surface through silane coupling. Those conditions were then successfully leveraged to the irregularly shaped photoluminescent pigments without deleterious impact on phosphorescence emission spectra nor on the persistence of the emission.
Effect of β-Globin gene cluster haplotype on the hematological and clinical features of sickle cell anemia

In 113 black American adults with sickle cell anemia (HbSS), we examined nine polymorphic restriction sites, including the Xmnl site 5' to the G gamma gene, to see whether haplotype is related to the level of HbF and the proportion of G gamma chains or if it influences the hematological and clinical features of the disease. Seventy-five percent of the patients were homozygous or heterozygous for the Benin (no. 19) or Central African Republic (Bantu, no. 20) haplotypes; 13.3% were homozygous or heterozygous for the Senegal (no. 3) haplotype, while 11.5% had other genotypes. Of the subjects, 14.2% were either homozygous or heterozygous for the Xmnl restriction site 5' to the G gamma gene. We found no effect of haplotype on HbF levels. The level of G gamma chains was 60.5% +/- 17.0% in individuals heterozygous or homozygous for haplotype no. 3 and was 46.9% +/- 11.6% in individuals with other haplotypes. Subjects with the Xmnl site 5' to the G gamma gene had G gamma globin levels of 59.5% +/- 16.7% while those lacking that site had an average of 47.2% +/- 12.1%. There were no significant differences among these groups in hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, mean cell volume, or clinical indicators of vaso-occlusive severity, including crises, hospitalizations per year, aseptic bone necrosis, acute chest syndrome, or leg ulcers. While the presence of haplotype 3 and the 5' G gamma Xmnl site were associated with increased G gamma chains, there was no effect on HbF level or other hematological and clinical features that might reflect disease severity. It is likely that determinants unrelated to haplotype, linked or unlinked to the beta-globin gene cluster, are the major effectors of differences in the levels of HbF in American patients with sickle cell anemia.
CT perfusion imaging pitfall related to fetal posterior cerebral artery.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to discuss how a unilateral fetal posterior cerebral artery (PCA) causes perfusion map asymmetry due to anteroposterior bolus arrival discrepancy. We performed region of interest analysis of asymmetric perfusion maps before and after delay correction was performed. CONCLUSION. Perfusion asymmetry becomes unapparent using a delay correction algorithm, indicating bolus arrival delay on the side opposite the fetal PCA. Delay correction algorithms can eliminate deconvolution errors related to bolus arrival delay.
Reinterpreting Burmese History

Problems of periodization have received but limited attention in Burmese historiography. Precolonial, that is to say, pre-nineteenth-century history, is said to be of a piece, without significant institutional or social transformations. Dynasties and rulers changed, of course, sometimes with stunning rapidity; but it is always assumed that these oscillations occurred within a static framework. Lamenting the failure of the early Kon-baung kings to move their capital to the coast, G. E. Harvey, whose history remains the standard work on the precolonial era, observes, “Their ideas remained in the nineteenth century what they had been in the ninth. To build pagodas, to collect daughters from tributary chiefs, to sally forth on slave raids, to make wars for white elephants—these conceptions had had their day, and a monarchy which failed to get beyond them was doomed.” In the same vein, it has recently been argued that no “significant transformations” occurred between the origins and collapse of monarchical Burma. The entire precolonial royal era “should be viewed as one entity,” for from the mid-ninth to the late nineteenth century “the major features of [Burma's] political, economic, social, administrative, and religious systems were also virtually identical.”
Tubular reactors for emulsion polymerization: I. Experimental investigation

Experimental results using a pulsed tubular reactor are presented. The use of a pulsation source eliminates the reactor fouling and plugging issue that has occurred in previous investigations. Startup data and steady-state profiles are presented. Comparisons in monomer conversion and particle-size distribution for batch, CSTR and tubular reactor are made. The influence of pulsation on the particle-size dis-tribution is discussed. It is shown that high-conversion latex with a narrow particle size distribution can be produced continuously in the pulsed tubular reactor.
Electrical Percolation Behavior in Silver Nanowire- Polystyrene Composites: Simulation and Experiment

The design and preparation of isotropic silver nanowire-polystyrene composites is described, in which the nanowires have fi nite L/D ( < 35) and narrow L/D distribution. These model composites allow the L/D dependence of the electrical percolation threshold, φ c , to be isolated for fi nite- L/D particles. Experimental φ c values decrease with increasing L/D , as predicted qualitatively by analytical percolation models. However, quantitative agreement between experimental data and both soft-core and core–shell analytical models is not achieved, because both models are strictly accurate only in the infi nite- L/D limit. To address this analytical limitation, a soft-core simulation method to calculate φ c and network conductivity for cylinders with fi nite L/D are developed. Our simulated φ c results agree strongly with our experimental data, suggesting i) that the infi nite-aspect-ratio assumption cannot safely be made for experimental networks of particles with L/D < 35 and ii) in predicting φ c , the soft-core model makes a less signifi cant assumption than the infi nite- L/D models do. The demonstrated capability of the simulations to predict φ c in the fi nite- L/D regime will allow researchers to optimize the electrical properties of polymer nanocomposites of fiL/D particles.
Implantable microtechnologies for the brain: Challenges and strategies for reliable operation

Implantable microtechnologies and microelectrodes are crucial for the success for the next generation of prosthetic devices for the brain. This paper reviews some of the challenges in developing reliable technologies that will interface with neurons in the brain. We also recount here some of the milestones in our own successful effort to create interfaces with neurons in the brain. We have used a novel approach of developing neural interfaces using MEMS technologies that can be moved within the brain after implantation. The strategy is to enhance reliability by either creating stable neuron-electrode interfaces or by seeking new neuron electrode interfaces in the event of failure or deterioration of function in the interface. We have developed novel microactuators, microelectrodes, packaging and interconnect technologies to achieve the above goals. The success of this technology in recording good quality neuronal signals in chronic experiments, analysis of failure modes, the packaging efforts and reliability analysis to improve the longevity of the implant is addressed below.
Experience with Training a Remotely Located Performance Test Team in a Quasi-agile Global Environment

We describe our experience of training a remotely located team of developers and testers to prepare and execute performance tests. The team is located in India. The lead performance engineer and the test project manager are based in New Jersey. The team members had little or no prior experience of performance testing. We describe how we overcame cultural differences and a large time difference to develop a performance testing team that is now functioning well with far less supervision than was required at its inception. Cultural differences included contrasting views on adherence to strict laboratory procedures and assumptions about the prior knowledge, experience, and expectations of working habits of the India-based and New Jersey-based teams. We show how these differences and organizational challenges were overcome with intensive on-site training, the use of twice-daily scrum meetings, the careful designation of team leaders and role players at the remote testing site, and, eventually, the development intensive use of automated tools to execute performance tests and track the results.
Connective tissue activation. XXXII. Structural and biologic characteristics of mesenchymal cell-derived connective tissue activating peptide-V.

Connective tissue activating peptide—V (CTAP-V) is a single-chain, mesenchymal cell—derived anionic protein with large and small molecular forms (Mr of 28,000 and 16,000, respectively), as defined by sodium dodecyl sulfate—polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The proteins have similar specific activities with respect to stimulation of hyaluronic acid and DNA formation in human synovial fibroblast cultures. S-carboxymethylation or removal of sialic acid residues did not modify CTAP-V biologic activity. Rabbit antibodies raised separately against each of the purified CTAP-V proteins reacted, on immunodiffusion and on Western blot, with each antigen and neutralized mitogenic activity. The amino-terminal amino acid sequence of the CTAP-V proteins, determined by 2 laboratories, confirmed their structural similarities. The amino-terminal sequence through 37 residues was demonstrated for the smaller protein. The first 10 residues of CTAP-V (28 kd) were identical to the N-terminal decapeptide of CTAP-V (16 kd). The C-terminal sequence, determined by carboxy-peptidase Y digestion, was the same for both CTAP-V molecular species. The 2 CTAP-V peptides had similar amino acid compositions, whether residues were expressed as a percent of the total or were normalized to mannose. Reduction of native CTAP-V protein released sulfhydryl groups in a protein:disulfide ratio of 1:2; this suggests that CTAP-V contains 2 intramolecular disulfide bonds. Clearly, CTAP-V is a glycoprotein. The carbohydrate content of CTAP-V (16 kd) and CTAP-V (28 kd) is 27% and 25%, respectively. CTAP-V may have significance in relation to autocrine mechanisms for growth regulation of connective tissue cells and other cell types.
UNTANGLING THE MANY ROOTS OF WEST AFRICAN MANGROVE RICE FARMING: RICE TECHNOLOGY IN THE RIO NUNEZ REGION, EARLIEST TIMES TO c . 1800

This study focuses on the ancient past of coastal Guinea's Rio Nunez region, a coastal rice-growing region virtually unexplored by studies of West African rice and rice farmers. It argues that coastal cultivators have adapted mangrove rice-farming systems in situ for approximately the past 1,000 years, a historical period pre-dating the European travelers' accounts on which the current literature heavily relies. Rather than diffusing from the interior, these specialized farming systems grew organically out of land-use systems. Using the comparative method of historical linguistics and cultural vocabulary, the study establishes different stages in coastal farmers' experimentation, adaptation and specialization in the coastal environment and approximates historical dates when the different stages occurred. And with botanical and biological studies of mangrove vegetation, the study distinguishes between the softer, spongy roots of white mangroves and hard, twisted roots of red mangroves. The interdisciplinary evidence reveals that knowledge of white mangroves was an early formative stage in cultivators' fabrication of coastal land-use systems. Lastly, from an examination of loanwords, the study discusses the important contributions made by Mande groups, who speak the Susu language in the Rio Nunez region, in intensifying mangrove rice-farming systems indigenous to the coast and extending them from zones of white to those of red mangroves. The interdisciplinary methods and sources enable the study to capture localized experimentation and innovation as continuous processes, thereby breaking with the current literature's emphasis on diffusion from the interior to the coast.
The context of social learning: association patterns in a captive flock of brown-headed cowbirds

Much work on social learning has involved behaviour transmission between pairs of individuals, but recently the need to examine the social context in which learning occurs has been recognized. Previous studies using small numbers of animals have shown social influence on the behavioural development of juvenile male brown-headed cowbirds, Molothrus ater. Here we looked at the larger social context that forms the framework for such influence in more natural settings. We allowed a captive group of over 70 cowbirds, comprising adult and juvenile males and females, to associate freely in a large complex of connected aviaries. Highly organized social assortment emerged in the group, with individuals associating with others based on similarity in age and sex. Juvenile males that associated more with adult males had higher courtship success. Juvenile males that associated more with females sang less over the year. These results indicate that the social context of social learning for juvenile males is not just random association with all other birds in the social group, but is a selective and structured pattern of interaction. Differences in navigating this social structure correlated with courtship success and vocalization, behaviour known to be affected by social learning. Studies such as this, using large groups with free assortment of individuals, are the first step towards understanding the effects of the larger social context surrounding social learning.
Intraoperative use of automated external defibrillator

We report on the anesthetic management of a patient with peripartum cardiomyopathy and frequent episodes of ventricular tachycardia, who underwent surgery for tracheal stenosis. Prior to this surgery, the patient had been implanted with an automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (AICD), placed abdominally. In the operating room, the AICD was deactivated, and an automated external defibrillator (AED) was placed. Intraoperatively, the AED identified and treated the patient's ventricular tachycardia. Advantages of the AED in this hospital setting included rapid response to the cardiomyopathy, safe, hands-free operation, and minimal disruption of the surgical procedure. Safety concerns when using the AED are also detailed.
Antioxidant strategies for Alzheimer's disease.

Oxidative damage is present within the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and is observed within every class of biomolecule, including nucleic acids, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. Oxidative injury may develop secondary to excessive oxidative stress resulting from beta-amyloid-induced free radicals, mitochondrial abnormalities, inadequate energy supply, inflammation or altered antioxidant defences. Treatment with antioxidants is a promising approach for slowing disease progression to the extent that oxidative damage may be responsible for the cognitive and functional decline observed in AD. Although not a uniformly consistent observation, a number of epidemiological studies have found a link between antioxidant intake and a reduced incidence of dementia, AD and cognitive decline in elderly populations. In AD clinical trials molecules with antioxidant properties such as vitamin E and Ginkgo biloba extract have shown modest benefit. A clinical trial with vitamin E is currently ongoing to determine if it can delay progression to AD in individuals with mild cognitive impairment. Combinations of antioxidants might be of even greater potential benefit for AD, especially if the agents worked in different cellular compartments or had complementary activity (e.g. vitamins E, C and ubiquinone). Naturally-occurring compounds with antioxidant capacity are available and widely marketed (e.g. vitamin C, ubiquinone, lipoic acid, beta-carotene, creatine, melatonin, curcumin) and synthetic compounds are under development by industry. Nevertheless, the clinical value of these agents for AD prevention and treatment is ambiguous, and will remain so until properly designed human trials have been performed.
IDENTIFICATION AND ENDOCRINE CONTROL OF SEX STEROID BINDING SITES IN THE LACRIMAL GLAND

Previous research has indicated that the lacrimal gland may be a target organ for sex steroids and that androgen effects on this tissue may be inhibited by pituitary deficiency or diabetes. To extend these findings, the objectives of the current investigation were 3-fold: [a] to determine whether specific and high-affinity binding sites for androgens and estrogens exist in rat lacrimal tissue; [b] to assess whether the number and affinity of androgen binding sites in the lacrimal gland may be influenced by hypophysectomy or acute diabetes; and [c] to examine whether androgen receptor mRNA may be detected in lacrimal tissues of a variety of species. Following the collection of lacrimal gland samples, tissues were processed for the conduct of equilibrium binding methods or molecular biological techniques. Our results demonstrated that a single class of saturable, high-affinity and stereochemically selective binding sites for androgens exist in lacrimal tissues of male and female rats. These sites possessed ...
EFFECTS OF FINITE SAMPLE WIDTH ON TRANSITION AND FLAME SPREAD IN MICROGRAVITY

In most microgravity studies of flame spread, the flame is assumed to be two-dimensional, and twodimensional models are used to aid data interpretation. However, since limited space is available in microgravity facilities, the flames are limited in size. It is important, therefore, to investigate the significance of three-dimensional effects. Three-dimensional and two-dimensional simulations of ignition and subsequent transition to flame spread were performed on a thermally thin cellulosic sample. Ignition occurred by applying a radiant heat flux in a strip across the center of the sample. The sample was bounded by an inert sample holder. Heat loss effects at the interface of the sample and the sample holder were tested by varying the thermal-physical properties of the sample holder. Simulations were also conducted with samples of different widths and with different ambient wind speeds (i.e., different levels of oxygen supply). The width of the sample affected both the duration of the flame transition period and the post-transition flame spread rate. Finite width effects were most significant when the ambient wind was relatively small (limited oxygen supply). In such environments, the velocity due to thermal expansion reduced the net inflow of oxygen enough to significantly affect flame behavior. For a given sample width, the influence of thermal expansion on the net incoming oxygen supply decreased as the ambient wind speed increased. Thus, both the transition and flame spread behavior of the three-dimensional flame (along the centerline) tended to that of the two-dimensional flame with increasing ambient wind speed. Heat losses to the sample holder were found to affect the flame spread rate in the case of the narrowest sample with the slowest ambient wind.
Multivariable Anti-Windup Controller Synthesis incorporating Multiple Convex Constraints

We study the problem of multivariable anti-windup controller synthesis that incorporates trade-offs between unconstrained linear performance and constrained anti- windup performance. In our previous work [13], we presented a framework for simultaneous design of a linear output feedback controller and a static anti-windup compensator using Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs). This framework deviated from the conventional two step paradigm of anti-windup by proposing a one-step synthesis while still maintaining the anti-windup structure. However, the work in [13] did not provide conclusive demonstration of the efficacy of this formulation through realistic practical examples. In this paper, we further study the framework in [13] and explicitly demonstrate its capability in providing effective constrained anti-windup controller performance for two benchmark problems, viz. a vibration isolation table and a multivariable model for the longitudinal dynamics of an F8 aircraft.
Across the Atlantic: Current Issues and Debates in US Ethnography

Dieser Uberblick uber einige Aspekte der nordamerikanischen Ethnographie konzentriert sich auf die letzten funf bis zehn Jahre. Der Aufsatz ist in drei Themenbereiche gegliedert. Im ersten Teil werden vier institutionelle Kontexte der nordamerikanischen Ethnographie naher beschrieben: professionelle Organisationen und Konferenzen, Veroffentlichungen, Forschungsforderung, akademische Karrieren und Zentren. Im zweiten Teil fasse ich neuere Debatten uber die Rolle von Politik und Theorie in der nordamerikanischen ethnographischen Forschung zusammen. Der dritte Schwerpunkt gilt methodologischen Aspekten, darunter die wachsende Vielfalt ethnographischer Methoden und Forschungsprojekte, sowie neue Regulationen des Forschungsprozesses, die von Ethik-Kommissionen an allen amerikanischen Universitaten uberwacht werden. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0503470
The effects of local street network characteristics on the positional accuracy of automated geocoding for geographic health studies

Background Automated geocoding of patient addresses for the purpose of conducting spatial epidemiologic studies results in positional errors. It is well documented that errors tend to be larger in rural areas than in cities, but possible effects of local characteristics of the street network, such as street intersection density and street length, on errors have not yet been documented. Our study quantifies effects of these local street network characteristics on the means and the entire probability distributions of positional errors, using regression methods and tolerance intervals/regions, for more than 6000 geocoded patient addresses from an Iowa county.