cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intrinsic Defects Drive Persistent Luminescence in Monoclinic SrAl2O4:Eu2+

The persistent luminescent phosphor SrAl2O4:Eu2+ shows a significantly long luminescent lifetime, making it an important material used for an array of applications. The origin of its long emission decay time has been suggested to stem from defects in the crystal structure. This study employs density functional theory with a hybrid exchange and correlation functional to study the energetics of charged vacancies in SrAl2O4 and SrAl2O4:Eu2+. The calculations indicate that defects are present in SrAl2O4 regardless of the rare-earth ion, suggesting their intrinsic nature in this crystal system. Moreover, the defect states fall ≈0.67 eV below the bottom of the conduction band allowing them to act as electron traps, which is in accordance with the proposed persistence luminescent mechanism. These findings provide insight into the role of defects in persistent luminescent phosphor hosts and may aid the future design of long lifetime luminescent materials through defect chemistry.
Barrett’s Esophagus: Treatment Options

Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is an asymptomatic condition, but it is the most significant known risk factor for the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). More than half of short segment BE patients do not have any reflux symptoms. Cancer develops in BE through a sequence of genetic and epigenetic changes that activate oncogenes and silence tumor suppressor genes and cause progression from metaplasia through dysplasia to esophageal adenocarcinoma. Treatment approaches to BE mainly focus on eradication of high-grade dysplasia and neoplasia as well as prevention of progression of metaplasia to neoplasia. The treatment options for BE have undergone a significant change over the last few years due to improvement in our understanding of pathogenesis and progression of Barrett’s esophagus as well as availability of endoscopic treatment modalities.
Default Settings in Defined Contribution Plans – a Comparative Approach to Fiduciary Obligation and the Role of Markets

Both the United States and Australia have increased the use of default settings in defined contribution (DC) plans such as 401(k)s. However, policy makers in the two countries have taken different approaches to important aspects of default investment products. This article discusses the regulation of those default investment products particularly regarding the assignment of fiduciary responsibility. It concludes that Australia’s approach offers two lessons for the U.S. First, disclosure to and education of participants who are defaulted into investment products appears to be of limited value to those participants. Second, to the extent possible, the locus of fiduciary responsibility for default investment products should be on those who are expert on and manage those products.
THE EVALUATION OF SOME RED MARINE ALGAE AS A SOURCE OF CARRAGEENAN

This chapter presents an evaluation of some red marine algae as a source of carrageenan. The red seaweeds, Chondrus crispus ( C. crispus ), Gigartina stellate ( G. stellata ), Gigartina radula ( G. radula ), Gigartina acicularis ( G. acicularis ), Gigartina pistillata ( G. pistillata ), Eucheuma spinosum , and Polyides rotundus , have been evaluated as a source of carrageenan and of its k - and λ-components. The fractionation of carrageenan from C. crispus with potassium ions does not always give a sharp separation into pure k - and λ-components and is dependent on habitat. Seasonal variations in total yield, k/λ ratio, optical rotation, and chemical composition were observed. G. stellata and G. radula give poor separations, but G. acicularis and G. pistillata give sharp fractionations and the proportion of λ-polysaccharide in these two species is much higher than that in C. crispus . Approximately 30% of the dry weight of these seaweeds is λ-carrageenan. The carrageenan from E. spinosum cannot be fractionated with potassium ions. This polysaccharide, which accounts for ca. 55% of the dry weight of the seaweed, is structurally related to k -carrageenan but has a higher sulfate ester content.
Anergy in Experimental Mouse Models of Mycobacterial Infection

Unresponsiveness, or anergy, is often observed in association with active tuberculosis and other mycobacterial diseases, both in the clinical setting and in experimental animal models of these infections. In both clinical and experimental laboratory settings, various manifestations of anergy can be observed using both in vitro and in vivo approaches. In the case of the former, most in vitro observations of anergy following mycobacterial infection consist of the measurement of a reduced capacity of lymphocytes to undergo blastogenic transformation in response to stimulation by mitogens, by specific antigens associated with the infecting organism, or by alloantigens in a mixed lymphocyte culture. As for in vivo expressions of anergy, these are most usually measured as a reduction or loss of the capacity of the infected host to mount a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to a cutaneous injection of specific antigen.
Copyright Lawmaking and the Public Choice: From Legislative Battles to Private Ordering

On January 18th, 2012, the Web went dark in the largest online protest in history. Two anti-piracy Bills – The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and The Protect IP Act (PIPA) – attracted waves of opposition from the Internet community, which culminated on January 18th in an unprecedented 24-hour Web strike, followed by a decision to shelve the Bills indefinitely. The tech industries’ recent rise to be one of the most influential lobbies in copyright legislative arena, and social networks’ ability to lower mobilization costs of individual users set the foundation for the overwhelming accomplishment of the SOPA/PIPA uprising. An established line of commentary has employed public choice theory to explain the perspective that corporate copyright holders have had disproportionate influence on copyright lawmaking to the detriment of the general public. Following the successful opposition to the antipiracy bills, voices arguing a revolution in copyright legislation and policymaking began speaking out. Contrary to those voices, this Article argues that since the laudable display of the power of the public in the SOPA/PIPA case was of a unique context, it is too soon to part ways with the public choice model of copyright lawmaking. The public should be looked at as a ‘sleeping giant’ whose potential awakening, as paramount as it could be, is merely a potential. Furthermore, this Article claims that even if the public could mobilize into action more frequently, previous resort to private ordering in the form of cross-industry partnerships, which are often kept away from the public eye, would regularly impede public opposition. Cross-industry partnerships, while little-discussed in legal commentary, make perfect economic sense for corporate players, and they can be as influential and effective as public legislation, without the fear of a prospective public backlash.
Rent and Technological Change in the Extractive Industries

Forecasts of rising prices in the extractive industries, relative to manufacturing, occupy a prominent place in the literature of economics. For the agricultural commodities, the combination of Malthusian population theory with the insights of Ricardo on rent seemed to ensure that any benefits from technological change would be dissipated as growing population necessitated the cultivation of worse and worse land. Food prices would thus be rising relative to the prices of the manufactured goods not subject to diminishing returns. Ricardo initiated a long controversy over the effects of technological changes on rents and the distribution of income, but the dismal implications of the growing population pressing against the fixed supply of land are part of the intellectual inheritance of the economist.
Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.

(1985). Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development: Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 32-37.
DXA evaluation of femoral bone mineral density and cortical width in patients with prior total knee arthroplasty.

Periprosthetic fractures after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have devastating consequences. Osteoporosis increases periprosthetic fracture risk, but distal femur bone mineral density (BMD) is not measured post-TKA. This study measured distal femur BMD and cortical width; both were lower in the TKA compared to the non-operated leg. BMD measurement reproducibility was good. Standardized DXA regions of interest are proposed. Periprosthetic fractures following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are not rare. We hypothesized that TKA is associated with low BMD, potentially increasing periprosthetic fracture risk. However, distal femur dual energy x-ray (DXA) measurement is virtually never performed after TKA due to lack of standardized approaches. Thus, this study’s aims were to develop standard DXA femur regions of interest (ROIs), assess cortical width, and determine measurement reproducibility in TKA patients. Thirty adults (15 M/15 F) age 59–80 years with unilateral, primary TKA within 2–5 years had femoral DXA scans performed in duplicate using a Lunar iDXA densitometer. In prior work, we established that femur BMD was lowest in the distal metaphysis and highest in mid-shaft. Thus, BMD and cortical width were measured at 15%, 25%, and 60% of the femur length measured from the distal notch. Femur BMD and cortical width were compared between limbs (TKA vs. non-operated side) by paired t test. BMD was 3.2–9.9% lower (p < 0.001) in the operated femur at all custom ROIs; substantial between individual differences existed with some up to 30% lower. Cortical width was lower (p < 0.05) at the 25% ROI on the TKA side. BMD reproducibility was excellent; CV 0.85–1.33%. Distal femur BMD can be reproducibly measured using DXA and is ~ 10% lower on the TKA leg. Similarly, medial and lateral cortices are thinner at the 25% ROI. These bone changes likely increase periprosthetic fracture risk. Further work to define and mitigate periprosthetic fracture risk after TKA is needed.
A multi-year intercomparison of micrometeorological observations at adjacent vineyards in California’s Central Valley during GRAPEX

California is among the largest wine-producing regions in the world. It is also a region with limited water resources. To ensure that scarce water resources are used effectively, the ongoing Grape Remote sensing Atmospheric Profile and Evapotranspiration eXperiment (GRAPEX) project seeks to improve irrigation management within vineyards by providing remote sensing-based tools that can monitor ET across the continuum from sub-vineyard to regional scales. This study, which was conducted as a part of the GRAPEX project, compares the surface fluxes collected over a pair of vineyards separated by approximately 1 km from 2013 to 2017 to better understand the role of environmental conditions in controlling evapotranspiration. A comparison of the meteorological conditions, which include wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, water vapor pressure, and atmospheric pressure, showed there was no statistically meaningful difference in the measurements of these quantities either between the two vineyards or year to year. In contrast, the comparison of the surface fluxes, and in particular the sensible heat (H) and latent heat (λE) fluxes, showed that there were large inter-site and inter-annual differences. On average, during the growing seasons, H differed by 28 W m−2, while λE differed by 32 W m−2. With coefficients of determination (r2) in excess of 0.90, the differences in the surface fluxes can be largely explained by differences in leaf area index (LAI) and soil moisture content. Since these quantities are, in turn, dependent on vineyard management practices, this work highlights the importance of management decisions for ensuring that limited water resources are used effectively.
Do We-Experiences Require an Intentional Object? On the Nature of Reflective Communities (Following Gerda Walther)

What does it mean to be a community and to be in a community? Can this social phenomenon be analogized to an individual person with her interwoven opinions, wants, and desires? Or is a community a phenomenon sui generis that requires its own methods and tools for research? Concretely: What does it mean that a community may achieve certain acts? And what about the intentional object of such an act, which (following the Husserlian school) has also been referred to as “social act”? These questions raise the methodological ones: how is it even possible to characterize a community, such that it can be said to issue social acts? And how can such an inquiry be carried out, does it require an outside perspective or one from within a community, or can it be done by both?
Intelligence and State Surveillance in Modern Societies

Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990’s, Western state surveillance and intelligence activities have drastically adapted to new domestic and global challenges. This book examines the evolution of state surveillance in modern societies and provides an international perspective on influential trends affecting these activities.
Long-term trends in ichthyoplankton assemblage structure, biodiversity, and synchrony in the Gulf of Alaska and their relationships to climate

Abstract Understanding and tracking how ecosystems respond to changing environments is an ongoing challenge. Marine ecosystems in the North Pacific support productive fisheries and diverse ecosystem services, and they are subject to large-scale environmental, human, and ecological perturbations. Ichthyoplankton time-series from these ecosystems may provide an important indicator of lower trophic level dynamics and ecosystem functioning. Here we present a spatiotemporal analysis using data from three decades of ichthyoplankton surveys in the Gulf of Alaska to investigate temporal patterns in indicators of species richness, Shannon diversity, and synchrony. Then we use Dynamic Factor Analysis (DFA) to synthesize the ichthyoplankton assemblage with two dominant trends. We relate the biodiversity indices and DFA trends to local and regional climate indices in the North Pacific. We find evidence for increased temperatures driving increased species richness, and changes in synchrony coincident with shifting assemblage composition and the 1988/1989 regime shift. Shannon diversity was largely driven by the dominance of larval walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus). Correlations between climate drivers and DFA trends suggest that the influence of basin scale drivers (North Pacific Gyre Oscillation and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation) were stronger than the influence of local-scale drivers like regional sea surface temperature. Our work demonstrates the potential value of ichthyoplankton surveys to provide indicators of climate-driven ecosystem variability and long-term ecological change.
Crítica de Austin, Jennifer, María Blume & Liliana Sánchez (2015) Bilingualism in the Spanish-speaking world: Linguistic and cognitive perspectives

This article reviews Bilingualism in the Spanish-speaking world: Linguistic and cognitive perspectives
Design and Evaluation of a User-Interface for Authoring Sentences of American Sign Language Animation

Many individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) in the U.S. have lower English language literacy levels than their hearing peers, which creates a barrier to access web content for these users. In the present study we determine a usable interface experience for authoring sentences (or multi-sentence messages) in ASL (American Sign Language) using the EMBR (Embodied Agents Behavior Realizer) animation platform. Three rounds of iterative designs were produced through participatory design techniques and usability testing, to refine the design, based on feedback from 8 participants familiar with creating ASL animations. Later, a usability testing session was conducted with four participants on the final iteration of the designs. We found that participants expressed a preference for a “timeline” layout for arranging words to create a sentence, with a dual view of the word-level and the sub-word “pose” level. This paper presents the details of the design stages of the new GUI, the results, and directions for future work.
Beyond proteases: Basement membrane mechanics and cancer invasion

In epithelial cancers, cells must invade through basement membranes (BMs) to metastasize. The BM, a thin layer of extracellular matrix underlying epithelial and endothelial tissues, is primarily composed of laminin and collagen IV and serves as a structural barrier to cancer cell invasion, intravasation, and extravasation. BM invasion has been thought to require protease degradation since cells, which are typically on the order of 10 µm in size, are too large to squeeze through the nanometer-scale pores of the BM. However, recent studies point toward a more complex picture, with physical forces generated by cancer cells facilitating protease-independent BM invasion. Moreover, collective cell interactions, proliferation, cancer-associated fibroblasts, myoepithelial cells, and immune cells are all implicated in regulating BM invasion through physical forces. A comprehensive understanding of BM structure and mechanics and diverse modes of BM invasion may yield new strategies for blocking cancer progression and metastasis.
Transcription Factor ICSBP/IRF8 Regulates B Cell Development at Multiple Checkpoints.

Abstract The generation of lymphoid and myeloid lineage cells from hematopoietic stem cells is controlled by multiple transcription factors regulating distinct developmental and functional aspects. Interferon consensus sequence binding protein (ICSBP)/interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8) is a transcription factor known to regulate the differentiation of macrophages, granulocytes, and dendritic cells. Our recent findings that IRF8 transcripts and protein are highly expressed in germinal center (GC) B cells suggest that IFR8 may also play a role in normal B cell development. In IRF8 deficient mice, the number of early B lineage cells (pre-pro-B) was reduced by 5-fold, indicating a defect in early B lineage commitment. While the numbers of late pre-B and immature B cells were moderately reduced (~2-fold), recirculating mature B cells were almost undetectable in the bone marrow of mutant mice. This deficiency in early stage B cells is correlated with increased expression of PU.1, a crucial transcription factor for myeloid and lymphoid lineage specification. Interestingly, the number of splenic transitional 1 (T1) cells was slightly increased but the numbers of T2 and follicular (FO) B-2 cells were moderately decreased in mutant mice. This indicates that positive selection of T2 cells into the mature B-2 pool is regulated by IRF8. The marginal zone (MZ) B cell and peritoneal CD11b+ B-1b cell compartments were also slightly expanded in IRF8 knockout mice. Overall, these results provide compelling evidence that IRF8 regulates B cell differentiation and function at multiple stages.
Medication Confiscation: How Migrant Children Are Placed in Medically Vulnerable Conditions

* Abbreviations: CBP — : Customs and Border Protection DHS — : Department of Homeland Security Immigration across the US-Mexico border has increased dramatically since 2014.1 The current US immigration system is overwhelmed and ill equipped to handle such volumes, leading to a major disruption in medical care and services granted to refugee and immigrant children.2 More specifically, the health of these children is of dire concern because of overcrowded facilities with infectious disease exposures, insufficient access to medical services for children with underlying medical conditions, and poor support for the consequences of the challenging travel from their country of origin. Consequently, within the past year alone, at least 6 pediatric deaths have occurred while in US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detention centers.3 Since their stories were publicized, there has been a growing concern raised both by the general public2 and the American Academy of Pediatrics1 regarding the treatment of children at these facilities. On further review of the workflow involved in processing immigrants within these centers, a new issue has arisen, which appears to be both prevalent and underreported.4 Several news outlets released stories about detained children and adults having their medications confiscated.2,4 Specifically, medications critical for the management of chronic conditions, such as insulin, steroids, and antiepileptics, were permanently removed from detainees while at these facilities without proper replacement.4 This represents both a human rights violation and a breach of federal … Address correspondence to Ilana Harwayne-Gidansky, MD, FAAP, Stony Brook University Children’s Hospital, 101 Nicolls Rd, HSC-T-11-070, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8111. E-mail: Ilana.Harwayne-Gidansky{at}stonybrookmedicine.edu
Ultrafast gain dynamics in quantum cascade lasers: new coherent phenomena and their applications (Conference Presentation)

Thanks to their ultrafast gain dynamics, a unique feature among semiconductor lasers, quantum cascade lasers exhibit strong coherent oscillations of the population inversion with concomitant formation of mode skipping frequency combs (harmonic state) and time dependent spatial hole burning leading to new microwave transmitters (laser-radios). Finally we show that the frequency comb formation in QCLs obeys a simple variational principle, that relies on the maximization of the laser output power.
A Bioinspired Multicomponent Catalytic System for Converting Carbon Dioxide into Methanol Autocatalytically

Summary Nature utilizes multicomponent catalyst systems to convert simple, abundant starting materials into complex molecules that are essential for life. In contrast, synthetic chemical transformations rarely adopt this strategy because it is difficult to replicate the sophisticated supramolecular assemblies used by biology for active-site separation and substrate trafficking. Here, we describe a method for multicomponent catalyst separation that involves encapsulating transition-metal complexes in nanoporous materials called metal-organic frameworks. The multicomponent catalyst system was highly active for converting hydrogen and carbon dioxide to methanol, and it could be formulated to be readily recyclable. Moreover, we uncovered an autocatalytic feature that was possible only when we utilized the multicomponent catalyst strategy. These results open avenues for obtaining fuel from abundant and renewable resources.
Towards Designing a Sustainable Green Smart City using Bluetooth Beacons

Assistive technologies accelerate high quality and efficiency within smart cities. Due to the impact of urbanization, cities are facing increasing growth in the amount of trash. In recent years, many cities have utilized smart device technology to make them clean and achieve sustainable development, such as sensors to measure the trash level of the trash bin, smart waste generation, etc. However, the amenities provided by the cities should be convenient and reachable to all, including pedestrians and people with visual impairment. To this end, we have developed a Bluetooth beacon-based system called FinderX to find the nearest trash bin and restrooms around the users. The system will provide locations of nearby amenities in real-time using the position of the attached beacons. The system does not require any Internet or communication infrastructure and works indoors where GPS signal is not accessible. To demonstrate the feasibility of FinderX, we have set up a testbed and evaluated the system extensively in an urban environment. We found that FinderX demonstrated adequate usability and feasibility, and reduced the time to find a trash bin by 18.98% on average.
Cluster Merging Scheme in VANETs

Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) are a variation of mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) subject to node mobility at high speeds and aiming at providing quick dissemination of safety messages. Thus, since VANETs deal with delivering critical messages communication reliability is paramount. One of the most reliable methods for disseminating messages is flooding. However, the technique is not perfect due to the broadcast storm problem. Clustering can contain this problem by electing cluster masters (CMs) to be responsible for broadcasting only to vehicles inside their clusters. However, communication between CMs become necessary. Since the delays incurred can affect the efficiency of dissemination, merging clusters might be required to reach a tradeoff between solving the broadcast storm problem and adding latency to the dissemination. Therefore, we propose a cluster merging algorithm and measure its effectiveness on a roadside scenario. Simulation results are presented showing the effects on dissemination in VANETs.
Comparison of Quantitative Flow Ratio and Invasive Physiology Indices in a Diverse Population at a Tertiary United States Hospital.

Abstract Background Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) is a technology to evaluate the coronary stenosis significance on 3-dimensional quantitative coronary angiography . The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the QFR versus fractional flow reserve (FFR) and/or instantaneous free-wave ratio (iFR) in a US population with a fair African American population representation. Methods and results This was a retrospective, observational and single-center study that enrolled 100 patients who underwent coronary angiography . The diagnostic performance of QFR in terms of sensitivity was 0.80 (95%CI 0.64–0.97) and specificity was 0.95 (95% CI 0.90–1.00), the positive predictive value (PPV) was 0.83 (0.68–0.98), while the negative predictive value (NPV) was 0.94 (0.88–0.99). The overall accuracy was 0.91 and area under the curve (AUC) was 0.92 (95% CI 0.87–0.97). The R-squared was 0.54 and the Bland-Altman plot showed a bias of 0.0016 (SD 0.063) and limits of agreement (LOA): Upper LOA 0.13 and Lower LOA −0.12. In African Americans (n = 33), accuracy, AUC, sensitivity, specificity (94%; 0.90 [0.80–1.00]; 0.90 [0.71–1.00]; 0.96 [0.87–1.00], respectively) were better than those for the overall population. Conclusions In a US-based representative population, vessel QFR accuracy and agreement with FFR as reference is high. Diagnostic performance of QFR in African Americans is also excellent.
A Catalog of the Diversity and Ubiquity of Metabolic Organelles in Bacteria

Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are organelles that segregate segments of metabolic pathways that are incompatible with the surrounding metabolism. These metabolic modules consist entirely of protein, thus they are directly genetically encoded organelles. The BMC membrane is composed of families of proteins that oligomerize into pentagonal and hexagonal building blocks, typically perforated by pores, that tile into a polyhedral shell. The shell protein families are structurally homologous, with the function of the BMC determined by the encapsulated enzymes and the permeability properties of the constituent shell proteins. BMCs can be identified bioinformatically by locating genes encoding shell proteins, which are generally found proximal to those for the encapsulated enzymes. We here performed a large-scale sequence-based analysis of all shell proteins across the bacterial tree of life. With recent advances in genome-resolved metagenomics and the emphasis on ''microbial dark matter'', many new genome sequences from diverse and obscure bacterial species clades have become available. We find that locus-specific designations of shell proteins should be supplanted, because higher level patterns of co-occurrence are evident. Moreover, the number of identifiable BMC loci has increased twenty-fold since the last comprehensive census of 2014. While we can assign many to bioinformatically characterized loci, the addition of new types uncovered in this study doubles the number of distinct BMC types described. In addition, we predict several new functional types that expand the range of catalysis encapsulated in BMCs, an intriguing example is an organelle for the degradation of an aromatic substrate, compartmentalized in an unusually simple shell, with potential for bioremediation. Our comprehensive survey of bacterial metabolic organelles underscores that there is compartmentalized dark biochemistry yet to be discovered through genome sequencing. The finding of up to six distinct BMC loci in a single genome underscores the role of BMCs in conferring metabolic flexibility and provides new insights into how certain clades have adapted to or even dominate, as in dysbiosis, an environmental niche. Our catalog provides a rich substrate for downstream experimental characterization of these metabolic modules and broadens the foundation for the development of BMC-based nanoarchitectures for biomedical and bioengineering applications.
Neuropathology of blepharospasm

Abstract Background The dystonias are a group of disorders characterized by excessive muscle contractions leading to abnormal repetitive movements or postures. In blepharospasm, the face is affected, leading to excessive eye blinking and spasms of muscles around the eyes. The pathogenesis of blepharospasm is not well understood, but several imaging studies have implied subtle structural defects in several brain regions, including the cerebellum. Objective To delineate cerebellar pathology in brains collected at autopsy from 7 human subjects with blepharospasm and 9 matched controls. Methods Sections from 3 cerebellar regions were sampled and processed using Nissl and silver impregnation stains. Purkinje neurons were the focus of the evaluation, along with as several other subtle pathological features of cerebellar dysfunction such as Purkinje neuron axonal swellings (torpedo bodies), proliferation of basket cell processes around Purkinje neurons (hairy baskets), empty baskets (missing Purkinje neurons), and displacement of cell soma from their usual location (ectopic Purkinje neurons). Results The results revealed a significant reduction in Purkinje neuron and torpedo body density, but no changes in any of the other measures. Conclusions These findings demonstrate subtle neuropathological changes similar to those reported for subjects with cervical dystonia. These findings may underly some of the subtle imaging changes reported for blepharospasm.
The reinnervation of denervated skin.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the reinnervation of denervated skin. The regeneration of peripheral nerves in man is frequently associated with undesirable sequelae referred to as paresthesias or dysesthesias. Paresthesias and dysesthesias are abnormal sensations in the skin in response to stimuli that, ordinarily, are not unpleasant. The sensations can involve thermal as well as tactile stimuli and can be quite unpleasant. Vibrissae are specialized large hairs surrounded by erectile tissue that are innervated by numerous sensory terminals arranged in a pattern that is much more complex than that of guard hairs. The other sensory innervation of vibrissae is derived from the superficial dermal nerve plexus and provides the source of nerves innervating the conus region of the sinus (the apex of the sinus) as well as the Merkel rete ridge collar that surrounds the hair as it emerges from the skin surface. The key to understanding the limits of sensory regeneration is the understanding about the process of normal development. The processes of nerve regeneration and nerve development can never be the same.
Chapter 9 Benthos and its Interaction with Bottom Boundary Layer Processes

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses benthos and its interaction with bottom boundary-layer processes. Bottom boundary-layer fluid dynamics are strong determinants of both geological and biological structure. Benthic rate information for the Washington shelf comes from the measurement of oxygen consumption and calculations of fluxes from concentration gradients of a number of constituents. The chapter reviews various advances to place the historic data from the U.S. Northwest continental shelf in a new context, underscoring gaps in existing information and consequent opportunities for future research. It discusses the spatial and temporal structure of benthos communities. The relationship between organism and sediment on the U.S. Pacific Northwest shelves are discussed in the chapter. Other water column–benthic interactions are also significant—in particular, the benthic regeneration of nutrients used by phytoplankton and the hatching of benthic resting stages of both phytoplankton and zooplankton.
Conformational and Other Steric Effects

The total energy of a molecule is directly related to its geometry. Several aspects of molecular geometry can be recognized, and, to some extent, the energetic consequences can be dissected and attributed to specific structural features. The features that are of greatest significance in organic chemistry are nonbonded interactions, both repulsive and attractive, and destabilization arising from distortion of bond lengths and angles from optimum values. A molecule will adopt the minimum-energy geometry available to it by rotation about single bonds. The various geometries a given molecule can attain by bond rotations are called conformations. The principles on which analysis of conformational equilibria and rotational processes are based have been developed using a classical mechanical framework, for the most part. More recently, the problem of detailed interpretation of molecular geometry has also been attacked from the quantum mechanical viewpoint.
Macroeconomic and sectoral effects of terms-of-trade shocks : the experience of the oil-exporting developing countries

This paper investigates the impact of long-run terms-of-trade shocks. Analytically, we show that, if capital goods are largely importable or the labor supply is sufficiently elastic, then naturalresource booms increase aggregate investment and worsen the current account, but Dutch ‘Disease’ effects are weak. We then examine 18 oil-exporting developing countries during 196589. Favorable terms-of-trade shocks increase investment and (especially government) consumption, but reduce medium-term savings; hence, the current account deteriorates. Nontradable output increases, in response to real appreciations, but Dutch Disease effects are strikingly absent. Investment, consumption, and nontradable output respond more to a terms-oftrade decline than to an increase.
Effects of Airfoil Thickness and Maximum Lift Coefficient on Roughness Sensitivity: 1997--1998

A matrix of airfoils has been developed to determine the effects of airfoil thickness and the maximum lift to leading-edge roughness. The matrix consists of three natural-laminar-flow airfoils, the S901, S902, and S903, for wind turbine applications. The airfoils have been designed and analyzed theoretically and verified experimentally in the Pennsylvania State University low-speed, low-turbulence wind tunnel. The effect of roughness on the maximum life increases with increasing airfoil thickness and decreases slightly with increasing maximum lift. Comparisons of the theoretical and experimental results generally show good agreement.
Impact of mineral nutrients in plants on human nutrition on a worldwide scale.

Nutrient sufficiency is the basis of good health, productive lives and longevity for everyone. Nutrient availability to people is primarily determined by the output of foods produced from agricultural systems. If agricultural systems fail to provide enough food diversity and quantity to satisfy all the nutrients essential to human life, people will suffer, societies will deteriorate and national development efforts will stagnate. Importantly, plant foods provide most of the nutrients that feed the developing world. Unfortunately, because of population pressures, many global food systems are not currently providing enough micronutrients to assure adequate micronutrient intakes for all people. This has resulted in an increasing prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies (e.g., iron deficiency, vitamin A deficiency, and iodine deficiency disorders) that now afflicts over three billion people globally mostly among resource-poor women, infants and children in developing countries. The consequences of micronutrient malnutrition are profound and alarming for human existence. Agricultural approaches to finding sustainable solutions to this problem are urgently needed. This review presents some ways in which plant nutritionists can contribute to preventing micronutrient malnutrition in sustainable ways.
Awakening Spaces: French Caribbean Popular Songs, Music, and Culture

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Brenda F. Berrian Year: 2000 Pages: xiv + 287 Publisher: University of Chicago Press Prices: $16.00 US/£11.50
The Biosynthesis of Folic Acid IX. PURIFICATION AND PROPERTIES OF THE ENZYMES REQUIRED FOR THE FORMATION OF DIHYDROPTEROIC ACID

Abstract Procedures are described for the purification from extracts of Escherichia coli of the two enzymes necessary for the synthesis of dihydropteroic acid (H2-pteroate) from 2-amino-4-hydroxy-6-hydroxymethyldihydropteridine (H2-pteridine-CH2OH) and p-aminobenzoic acid in the presence of ATP. We have shown that the first enzyme, which has been named H2-pteridine-CH2OH pyrophosphokinase, catalyzes a reaction whereby H2-pteridine-CH2OH and ATP are used for the formation of a product that has been identified as the pyrophosphate ester of H2-pteridine-CH2OH. Since the other product of the reaction has been identified as AMP, the reaction is characterized as an enzyme-catalyzed transfer of a pyrophosphate group. Mg2+ is needed for the enzyme to function. The Km values for H2-pteridine-CH2OH and ATP are both 1.5 x 10-5 m. The molecular weight of the enzyme is approximately 15,000 and the enzyme is relatively heat-stable. The second enzyme, which has been named H2-pteroate synthetase, catalyzes the synthesis of H2-pteroate from p-aminobenzoic acid and the pyrophosphate ester of H2pteridine-CH2OH. Inorganic pyrophosphate has been identified as the other product of the reaction and Mg2+ is required for this enzyme to function. The Km value for aminobenzoic acid is 2.5 x 10-6 m. The molecular weight of the enzyme is approximately 50,000.
Polarization of microwave background: Statistical and physical properties

We discuss statistical and physical properties of cosmic microwave background polarization, both in Fourier and in real space. The latter allows for a more intuitive understanding of some of the geometric signatures. We present expressions that relate electric and magnetic type of polarization to the measured Stokes parameters in real space and discuss how can be constructed locally. We discuss necessary conditions to create polarization and present simulated maps and correlation functions for some typical models.
Tuning the weights in WFQ schedulers for the maximization of carried best effort traffic

A configuration scheme for networks with weighted fair queuing (WFQ) schedulers that maximizes the amount of best effort traffic carried is presented. The cases where traffic flows would congest critical links and lower network performance are considered. The proposal is based on a linear programming formulation. The solution provides the weights that will make the best effort flows controllable and reach optimal situation. A formulation that reaches a trade-off between network utilization, fairness, and user satisfaction is offered.
The effect of space missions on gravity-responsive torsional eye movements

Three astronauts underwent preflight, inflight, and postflight testing of spontaneous ocular torsion and of ocular counterrolling (OCR), reflexes governed by the gravity-responsive otolith organs in the inner ear. One astronaut, A, had a 30-day space mission on Euromir '94 and was examined monocularly with SensoMotoric Instruments video-oculography (VOG). The other two astronauts, B and C, were studied with a binocular VOG and flew an 180-day mission on Euromir '95. In space, spontaneous eye torsion in the upright position was found to be substantially offset from baseline Earth-based recordings in all three subjects for the duration of the flights. In addition, the binocular studies showed a marked torsional disconjugacy. On return to Earth, offset and torsional disconjugacy persisted for many days. OCR in response to 30 degrees right and left tilt was examined preflight and postflight. Compared to preflight, Astronaut A showed reduced OCR immediately postflight, which increased over the next few days. Both Astronauts B and C had increased OCR postflight, which gradually approached but did not achieve the preflight values over 13 days postflight. The adaptation of ocular torsion in space in one astronaut and not in the other two, and slow adaptation postflight, may reflect the lack of visual feed-back and the open loop nature of the otolith-ocular torsion reflex.
Finding their Way: perceptions of risk, resilience, and positive youth development among adolescents and young adults from public housing neighborhoods

Knowledge of the risk and protective factors associated with problem behavior and the application of principles consistent with positive youth development have led to significant advances in understanding why some young people develop behavioral and social problems while others display resilience in the face of adversity. Qualitative research methods were used to identify principles of risk, protection, resilience, and positive youth development in a sample of 17 adolescents and young adults (ages 14-20) who participated in afterschool programs located in 4 urban public housing neighborhoods. Template analysis in conjunction with constant comparative analysis revealed 7 themes identified as challenges, resources that support development, coping, caring and compassion, aspirations and well-being, competence and confidence, and wisdom and advice. The discussion considers how these themes are congruent with key constructs of risk, protection, resilience, and positive youth development. Implications for promoting positive behavior in adolescents and young adults are noted.
Voltage-dependent calcium entry underlies propagation of slow waves in canine gastric antrum.

Electrical slow waves in gastrointestinal (GI) muscles are generated by interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), and these events actively propagate through networks of ICC within the walls of GI organs. The mechanism by which spontaneously active pacemaker sites throughout ICC networks are entrained to produce orderly propagation of slow waves is unresolved. A three-chambered partition bath was used to test the effects of agents that affect metabolism, membrane potential and voltage-dependent Ca2+ entry on slow wave propagation in canine antral smooth muscle strips. Slow waves evoked by electrical field stimulation actively propagated from end to end of antral muscle strips with a constant latency between two points of recording. When the central chamber of the bath was perfused with low-temperature solutions, mitochondrial inhibitors, reduced extracellular Ca2+ or blockers of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, active propagation failed. Depolarization or hyperpolarization of the tissue within the central chamber also blocked propagation. Blockade of propagation by reduced extracellular Ca2+ and inhibitors of dihydropyridine-resistant Ca2+ channels suggests that voltage-dependent Ca2+ entry may be the ‘entrainment factor’ that facilitates active propagation of slow waves in the gastric antrum.
Internal temperature gradient of alloy semiconductor melts from interrupted growth experiments

Interrupted growth experiments on Hg(0.8)Cd(0.2)Se alloys were performed in an attempt to estimate the actual internal temperature gradient in the melt during directional solidification. The results have been analyzed in terms of a theoretical model which assumes an axial composition profile characteristic of diffusion controlled solute redistribution during growth. A comparison of the calculated and measured values suggests a reduction in the applied (empty furnace) temperature gradient by about a factor of three. Values of the interface segregation coefficient (k) determined from the phase diagram, predict values of solute concentration build up in the solid during growth interruptions which are inconsistent with measured results. It appears that the k values used tend to underestimate the actual k values for higher alloy compositions and overestimate k for the lower alloy compositions.
Radiative corrections for extended charged particles in classical electrodynamics

Radiative effects on classical nonrelativistic charged particles are discussed in complete analogy with those arising in quantum electrodynamics. The effects originate in the interaction of the particle with its own electromagnetic fields. In particular, we derive an expression for the anomalous magnetic moment which provides both an intuitively appealing explanation of its origin and a reasonable relation to experimental values.
Comparison of clinical efficacy and side effects for bitemporal and bifrontal electrode placement in electroconvulsive therapy.

Objectives: Bifrontal (BF) placement of electrodes in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has become a popular alternative to bitemporal (BT) placement. This study compares the clinical efficacy, side effects, and rehospitalization rates of BT and BF electrode placement in a community hospital setting. Methods: Charts from 76 patients receiving ECT treatments at Harborview Medical Center from 1994 to 2000 were reviewed to extract data on the characteristics of the course of ECT, clinical response, total headaches, narcotic and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug doses, as well as documentation of confusion, disorientation, memory loss, and treatment emergent need for assistance with activities of daily living. Results: The BT patients experienced more clinical improvement during their stay (a 7-point greater change in Psychiatric Symptom Assessment Scale score, P < 0.05) and were significantly less likely to be rehospitalized within a 1-year time frame (odds ratio = 4.9, P = <0.05), even after controlling for relevant covariates. Although the two patient groups had equal rates of headache and analgesic administration, the BT placement caused significantly more cognitive impairment. Conclusions: This study suggests that BT electrode placement offers better efficacy but modestly greater cognitive impairment than BF electrode placement.
In vitro wear of composite with varied cure, filler level, and filler treatment

For the clinical wear of composite filing materials to be reduced, compositional factors such as degree of cure, filler level, and silanation level should be optimized. An oral-wear-stimulating machine was used to explore the effects of these factors on abrasion and attrition wear as well as on opposing enamel wear. The composites were made from Sr glass (1-2 micron avg) and a 50/50 Bis-GMA/TEGDMA resin. Series I (A-D, E) were light-cured (Triad II) for 9, 12, 25, and 40 sec/side to produce degree of cure (DC) as measured by FTIR of 56, 60, 61, and 63%, respectively. E received an additional heat cure (120 degrees C for 10 min) to reach a DC of 66%. Series II (D, F-I) were filled to 62, 53, 48, 37, and 28 vol%, respectively. In series III (D, J-M), the portion of fillers treated with a silane coupler (MPS) was 100, 80, 60, 40, and 20%, respectively. Samples were cycled 50,000 times against an enamel antagonist in a poppy seed/PMMA slurry in the oral wear simulator to produce abrasion (load = 20 N) and attrition (load = 70 N) simultaneously. Wear depth (micron: n = 5) was measured by profilometry. Results for each series were analysed by ANOVA/Turkey's (p < or = 0.05). The wear depths did reflect cure values, though only the abrasion difference for E < A was significant. Greater wear was correlated with lower filler levels (r2 = 0.88; p < 0.05), significantly increasing below 48 vol% (G). Wear increased linearly as the percent of silane-treated fillers was reduced (r2 = 0.99; p < 0.05). Abrasion and attrition did not differ significantly for any composite. Wear of the opposing enamel was largely unchanged by these factors. Compositional factors including degree of cure, filler level, and silanation directly affected the wear resistance of dental composites evaluated in an oral wear simulator.