cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Who's Responsible for This?: The Globalization of Healthcare in Developing Countries

One aspect of globalization in the developed world is the privatization of services once provided by government. This trend is also arising in developing countries, albeit for different reasons, and an area where this privatization is occurring is healthcare. Despite this privatization, the standard of healthcare in many developing countries is unacceptably low. This Note provides an analysis of this phenomenon in one country—Pakistan, a developing country that has increasingly come to rely on private providers, nongovernmental organizations, and international relief groups for the provision of healthcare—in order to draw conclusions that can be applied elsewhere. While this privatization does serve some needs, it is insufficient to provide an appropriate standard of care to the people of Pakistan. This Note argues that in order to raise the standard of healthcare in developing countries, the flow of privatization should be stemmed in favor of greater government involvement. This involvement includes collaborating with private and international entities, providing better oversight, and supplying financial incentives, in addition to the direct provision of healthcare. With evidence that greater government involvement in the provision of healthcare improves standards of healthcare, this Note concludes that the privatization of healthcare in developing countries should be viewed with caution. Further, there should be an emphasis on increased government involvement to ensure the levels of healthcare to which the people of Pakistan and many other developing countries are entitled.
Climate Change and Power Systems Planning—Opportunities and Challenges

Climate change and variability has serious implications for the electric power sector. Increasing temperatures, decreasing freshwater availability, increased incidence of extreme storm events and periodic coastal flooding is expected to affect the ability to generate, transmit and distribute electrical energy to end-customers. Recent advancements in climate data projections have opened up the possibility of incorporating climate data in power systems planning.
The effect of whole-body hyperthermia combined with 'metronomic' chemotherapy on rat mammary adenocarcinoma metastases

Many women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer have undetected occult metastases at the time of their primary tumour diagnosis. The development and growth of these micro-metastases relies heavily on angiogenesis. Therefore, administering an angiogenesis-blocking treatment from the time of diagnosis could reduce the incidence of metastasis and, ultimately, increase patient survival. It is hypothesized that an antiangiogenesis strategy combining fever-range whole-body hyperthermia (FR-WBH) and metronomic chemotherapy could inhibit the development of metastatic disease with minimal toxicity. To test this theory, a low, daily dose of the topoisomerase-I inhibitor irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11) was administered over a prolonged period of time to rats bearing the highly metastatic MTLn3 mammary adenocarcinoma primary tumour surgically excised on day 12 after implantation. The metronomic CPT-11 was combined with long-duration, low-temperature, fever-range whole body hyperthermia (FR-WBH). This systemic hyperthermia enhances chemotherapy-induced cytotoxicity as well as immunological activity. Both the group treated with FR-WBH alone and the combined FR-WBH + CPT-11 group had delayed onset and reduced incidence of axillary lymph node metastases compared to control (p < 0.05). Combination therapy of FR-WBH + CPT-11 resulted in a significantly greater inhibition of axillary lymph node metastasis volume compared to both control and CPT-11 alone (p < 0.02) at day 16. Interestingly, none of the therapies significantly affected inguinal lymph node metastases. Lung metastases were decreased by 36% at the time of death in rats treated with FR-WBH + CPT-11, by 25% in the CPT-11 alone group and by 14% in the FR-WBH alone group. Rats treated with FR-WBH, + CPT-11 survived significantly longer (35%) than control animals (p < 0.04). Neither significant body weight loss nor gastrointestinal toxicity was observed in any group. These data suggest that, after excision of the primary tumour, FR-WBH and metronomic CPT-11 can be safely combined to reduce distant lymph node and lung metastases and, thus, to increase survival.
A new technique for monitoring real-time dimensional changes in polymeric electromechanical actuators and vaporesistive sensors

Herein we report a laser micrometer-based technique to measure real-time dimensional changes occurring orthogonal to the surface of adsorbed polymer films. With particular regard to electromechanical actuators, this technique compliments the widely used bending beam method (BBM). Advantages of this technique include facile integration of commercially available hardware, minimal restrictions on electrode composition, and detection limits within the micrometer regime. The general utility of this technique to analyze polymers exhibiting stimulus-induced dimensional changes is presented with an emphasis on electromechanical actuators and vaporesistive sensors.
Cerulean, Venus, and VenusY67C FRET Reference Standards

Forster's resonance energy transfer (FRET) can be used to study protein-protein interactions in living cells. Numerous methods to measure FRET have been devised and implemented; however, the accuracy of these methods is unknown, which makes interpretation of FRET efficiency values difficult if not impossible. This problem exists due to the lack of standards with known FRET efficiencies that can be used to validate FRET measurements. The advent of spectral variants of green fluorescent protein and easy access to cell transfection technology suggests a simple solution to this problem: the development of genetic constructs with known FRET efficiencies that can be replicated with high fidelity and freely distributed. In this study, fluorescent protein constructs with progressively larger separation distances between donors and acceptors were generated and FRET efficiencies were measured using fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy, sensitized acceptor emission, and spectral imaging. Since the results from each method were in good agreement, the FRET efficiency value of each construct could be determined with high accuracy and precision, thereby justifying their use as standards.
The influence of metal cluster size on adsorption energies: CO adsorbed on Au clusters supported on TiO2.

Infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS) has been used to study CO adsorption on Au clusters ranging in size from 1.8 to 3.1 nm, supported on TiO2. The adsorbed CO vibrational frequency blue-shifts slightly (approximately 4 cm-1) compared to that adsorbed on bulk Au, whereas the heats of adsorption (−ΔHads) increase sharply with decreasing cluster size, from 12.5 to 18.3 kcal/mol.
Shifting Perspectives: A Process Model for Sense Making Under Uncertainty

This paper proposes that, in the context of generating actionable knowledge, uncertainties pertaining to big data streams should be recognized, categorized and accounted for at the appropriate level of knowledge management process models. Arguing that sensemaking from big data sources is a complex series of processes extending beyond just the application of sophisticated analytics, this paper proposes a big data reengineering BDR framework to guide requisite categorization, contextualization and remediation processes. The authors discuss the characteristics that uncertainty presents to organizations using big data streams as potential knowledge sources-surfacing relationships between the underlying knowledge flows and uncertainty and presenting typologies that categorize the effects of several common sources of uncertainty. These typologies also serve to provide guidance to transformation agents regarding appropriate actions ultimately aimed at the generation of actionable knowledge.
New Reflections on Primo Levi. Before and After Auschwitz

Risa Sodi and Millicent Marcus, eds (2011) New Reflections on Primo Levi. Before and After Auschwitz (New York: Palgrave MacMillan), 206 pp., ISBN 9780230103857, $80.00, hard cover This book is a c...
Conversion of cholesterol to an open-chain saponin by Dioscorea floribunda

Abstract In Dioscorea floribunda , cholesterol-4- 14 C is a precursor of an open-chain glycoside of diosgenin, Δ 5 -furostene-3β,22,26-triol 3-β-chacotrioside 26-β- d -glucopyranoside.
A boundary element method analysis of temperature fields and stresses during solidification

The subject of this paper is the analysis of transient temperature fields and associated stress fields in solidifying bodies. A mathematical model for such problems, together with a solution procedure using the boundary integral equation method, are presented here. Numerical and some experimental results, for the one-dimensional solidification of an aluminum bar, are presented and discussed.
Neuraminidase (sialidase) activity of Haemophilus parasuis

Neuraminidase (sialidase), a potential virulence factor in bacteria, was demonstrated in Haemophilus parasuis, an invasive swine pathogen, but not in four other pathogens of the Pasteurellaceae family: H. influenzae, H. somnus, H. paragallinarum, or Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. H. parasuis neuraminidase had an acidic pH optimum and a specificity for several substrates also cleaved by other bacterial neuraminidases. Similar to the neuraminidase of Pasteurella multocida, H. parasuis neuraminidase was cell associated and did not require divalent cations for activity. Exogenous sialic acid added to growth medium of H. parasuis was cleared after a lag of about 10 h and these cultures grew to a greater final density than cultures without added sialic acid, indicating that exogenous sialic acid is metabolized. The role of sialidase in providing nutrients to H. parasuis may be an important factor in its obligate parasitism.
Highly sensitive measurement of whole blood chromium by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Abstract Objectives Chromium (Cr), a trace metal element, is implicated in diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A hypochromic state has been associated with poor blood glucose control and unfavorable lipid metabolism. Sensitive and accurate measurement of blood chromium is very important to assess the chromium nutritional status. However, interferents in biological matrices and contamination make the sensitive analysis challenging. The primary goal of this study was to develop a highly sensitive method for quantification of total Cr in whole blood by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and to validate the reference interval in a local healthy population. Design and methods This method was developed on an ICP-MS with a collision/reaction cell. Interference was minimized using both kinetic energy discrimination between the quadrupole and hexapole and a selective collision gas (helium). Reference interval was validated in whole blood samples (n = 51) collected in trace element free EDTA tubes from healthy adults (12 males, 39 females), aged 19–64 years (38.8 ± 12.6), after a minimum of 8 h fasting. Blood samples were aliquoted into cryogenic vials and stored at − 70 °C until analysis. Results The assay linearity was 3.42 to 1446.59 nmol/L with an accuracy of 87.7 to 99.8%. The high sensitivity was achieved by minimization of interference through selective kinetic energy discrimination and selective collision using helium. The reference interval for total Cr using a non-parametric method was verified to be 3.92 to 7.48 nmol/L. Conclusion This validated ICP-MS methodology is highly sensitive and selective for measuring total Cr in whole blood.
How could Hannah Arendt glorify the American Revolution and revile the French? Placing On Revolution in the historiography of the French and American Revolutions

This article situates Hannah Arendt’s On Revolution in the traditions of French and American revolutionary historiography to demonstrate that Arendt’s ‘fable’ of the American Revolution was at odds with her argument about the council form. I argue that had Arendt really wanted to inspire a resurrection of the council form in the present, she would have done better to orient her readers to the French Revolution, specifically to the experiments in democratic republicanism of the group known as the Girondins.
The Christo-Capitalist Assemblage:

The rogue wave serves as a useful metaphur for the assemblage of Christo-capitalism in the US today. Contemporary US capistalism defies Weberian logics in its involvement between 'cowboy capitalism' and evangelical Christianity - an assemblage of two heterogeneous forces that bring together the value of profit and the promise of Armageddon. This assemblage is consolidated by media publicists who construe entrepreneurs and corporations as legitimate imitations of God's creativity on earth.
Determination of individual stresses thermoelastically

Hybrid methods are developed for determining individual stress components under plane stress from thermoelastically measured isopachics. Some of the techniques depend only on stress equilibrium and are independent of constitutive response. Applications are to a partially loaded half-plane, and tensile plates containing side notches and holes. These are believed to represent the first examples of separating stresses from thermoelastically measured data.
A patient with Wegener's granulomatosis in apparent remission presenting with complete atrioventricular block

Wegener's granulomatosis is a systemic necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis of small- to medium-sized vessels typically affecting upper and lower airways, lungs, and kidneys. Cardiac involvement is less common and conducting tissue involvement is extremely rare. Cardiac manifestations are often not clinically apparent, but are associated with increased mortality. We report the case of a 36-year-old female with Wegener's thought to be in remission, presenting in complete atrioventricular (AV) block, with echocardiographic evidence of basal interatrial septum and basal lateral left atrial wall thickening. Despite immunosuppression therapy a permanent pacemaker was required for recurring complete AV block. Although rare, this case emphasizes the need for careful and regular screening for cardiac involvement in this multi-system condition.
Social Gaming and Control by Dislocations

Social gaming and control can be imposed by powerful political agents through impact dislocations at discrete points in time. Each dislocation represents a social (economic) behavior modification with a concomitant new subsequent social dynamics until the next dislocation. The overall discrete sequence of dislocations experienced by a society is generated by the impacts generated by all the agents as they attempt to sway the over-all social process in the direction favorable to the particular goals and objectives of each individual agent.
Coping, social support, and depressive symptoms in adolescent mothers

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine how the degree of depressive symptomatology among adolescent mothers differentiated maternal outcomes, social support, and coping at 6 months postpartum. Methods: Fifty primiparous adolescents, predominantly black and of low income, participated in the study. During a home visit at 6 months postpartum, a research assistant, blind to the study's hypotheses, administered questionnaires related to depressive symptoms, coping with motherhood, social support, maternal confidence, and maternal gratification. Feeding and teaching interactions between mother and child were observed. Results: Fifty-six percent of the subjects had no depressive symptoms (group 1), 20% reported mild symptoms (group 2), and 24% reported moderate to severe symptoms (group 3). Adolescents with mild or moderate depressive symptoms had more negative feeding interactions with their infants, reported less maternal confidence and gratification, and used more emotion-focused coping than their nondepressed counterparts. While the groups did not differ in the frequency with which they received social support, adolescents with mild or moderate depressive symptoms were less satisfied with this support. No differences were found among groups with regard to the size of their conflicted networks. Conclusions: This study extends the research findings related to depressive symptoms among adult mothers to a sample of adolescent mothers. Although the study design is crosssectional and therefore causal sequences cannot be determined, the results identify factors that may place certain adolescents at risk for problems in parenting. The authors suggest screening adolescent mothers during the first postpartum year for symptoms of depression.
Death before disco: The effectiveness of a musical metronome in layperson cardiopulmonary resuscitation training

Abstract Background A novel musical memory aid has been proposed for aiding laypersons in complying with the American Heart Association (AHA) cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) guidelines of 100 compressions per minute (cpm). Objective This study tested usefulness of such a memory aid to improve layperson long-term compliance with CPR compression rate guidelines. Methods A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted using CPR-untrained laypersons. Subjects received either a standard CPR educational experience (AHA Heartsaver® CPR class) or an experimental CPR educational experience (AHA Heartsaver® CPR class augmented with a musical metronome). Experimental group subjects were taught to perform compressions to the cadence of a pop music song (The Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive”; Saturday Night Fever, The Original Movie Soundtrack; Polygram International Music, 1977) with a tempo of 100 beats/min. Compression rates, depth of compressions, and correct compressions were measured initially and upon retesting ≥6 weeks post-training. Results Control subjects had a higher mean compression rate both immediately (121 [standard deviation {SD} = 21] vs. 109 [SD = 15] cpm; 95% confidence interval [CI] of mean difference 4−19; p = 0.002) and at follow-up (120 [SD = 20] vs. 111 [SD = 13] cpm; 95% CI of mean difference 2−16; p = 0.014). Compression rates stratified to 100−120 cpm demonstrated no difference between groups initially (39% vs. 48%; p = 0.382), but more experimental subjects maintained these rates at follow-up (43% vs. 74%; p = 0.003). Conclusions Subjects trained to use a musical metronome more often maintained a compression rate of 100−120 cpm at ≥6-week follow-up, suggesting the memory aid may improve long-term guideline adherence.
Quantitative changes in regional cerebral blood flow induced by cold, heat and ischemic pain: a continuous arterial spin labeling study.

Background The development of arterial spin labeling methods has allowed measuring regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) quantitatively and to show the pattern of cerebral activity associated with any state such as a sustained pain state or changes due to a neurotropic drug. Methods The authors studied the differential effects of three pain conditions in 10 healthy subjects on a 3 Tesla scanner during resting baseline, heat, cold, and ischemic pain using continuous arterial spin labeling. Results Cold pain showed the greatest absolute rCBF increases in left anterior cingulate cortex, left amygdala, left angular gyrus, and Brodmann area 6, and a significant rCBF decrease in the cerebellum. Changes in rCBF were characteristic of the type of pain condition: cold and heat pain showed increases, whereas the ischemic condition showed a reduction in mean absolute gray matter flow compared with rest. An association of subjects' pain tolerance and cerebral blood flow was noted. Conclusions The observation that quantitative rCBF changes are characteristic of the pain task used and that there is a consistent rCBF change in Brodman area 6, an area responsible for the integration of a motor response to pain, should provide extremely useful information in the quest to develop an imaging biomarker of pain. Conceivably, response in BA6 may serve as an objective measure of analgesic efficacy.
Somatic complaints in males as a function of age and neuroticism: A longitudinal analysis

Previous research has shown that both age and neuroticism are correlated with total scores on self-report health inventories; the present study concerns the influence of these two factors on reports of physical complaints in various bodily systems. Six- and twelve-year longitudinal analyses of the physical health sections (A-L) of the Cornell Medical Index were supplemented with cross-and time-sequential analyses. Subjects, aged 17–97, were taken from a group of 1038 male participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Results showed that problems in sensory, cardiovascular, and genitourinary systems increased with age, while health habits improved. More neurotic subjects, as measured by the psychiatric sections (M-R) of the CMI and the Emotional Stability Scale of the GZTS showed higher levels of endorsements on all sections. These results suggest that age does not produce a generalized increase in physical complaints; instead, specific age-related symptoms show increases. Implications of these findings for research involving self-assessments of health are discussed.
Why Dietary Supplements

* Abbreviation: ZWH — : z score weight-for-height Nutrition and infection are intimately related,1 and this relationship is important for young children who frequently suffer diarrheal disease and respiratory infections. Although not well defined,2 the quality of diets in young children is likely to have lasting effects on growth and development.3,4 To discover if a nutritional supplement would decrease the number of infections and positively affect the immune system in healthy children, Li et al5 fed children a follow-up formula to which docosahexaenoic acid, yeast β-glucan, and a prebiotic blend of polydextrose and galactooligosaccharides were added. They compared data from these children with a group who were fed cow’s milk in place of the supplemented formula. They found no difference in diarrhea between the 2 groups. There was a modest difference in respiratory illnesses, antibiotic use, and white blood cell count and interleukin-10 levels … Address correspondence to Susan S. Baker, MD, PhD, Digestive Diseases and Nutrition Center, Women and Children’s Hospital, 219 Bryant St, Buffalo, NY 14222. E-mail: sbaker{at}upa.chob.edu
Advantages of modal decomposition for efficient scaling of parallel FDTD computations

When a scheme such as FDTD is used to perform full-wave electromagnetic simulation of electrically large objects, it can result in excessive computation times. Parallel processing is one means to reduce the computation time. A shortcoming of the parallel approach is the communication overhead that is responsible for reduced speedup efficiency but inevitable at every time step. An alternative to reduce the communication is to look at FDTD from the modal analysis point of view. With modal analysis we can gain some very useful insights into the operation of the algorithm, which we pay for with a relatively expensive setup time. We consider parallelizing the modal analysis algorithm with transient and steady-state excitation scenarios. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
More computer resources needed for ocean modeling

‘Ocean numerical modeling has recently become an important part of ocean science and plays today an essential role in the advance of the science itself,’ and to ensure the advancement of the oceanographic sciences, significantly more computer resources are required, according to an ad hoc committee of the National Research Council's Ocean Sciences Board. The Ad Hoc Committee on Computing Resources and Facilities for Ocean Circulation Modelling, chaired by James J. O'Brien, surveyed the ocean modeling community to assess the available computing resources in the United States and the projected resource needs. The accompanying table summarizes the results of the committee's survey on computer resources.
Telephone Medicine in a Southern University Private Practice

Routine, office-hour, patient-directed telephone calls to a general and multi-specialty-university, private-practice clinic were surveyed. The calls were short, averaging 1 to 2 minutes. Two-thirds of the calls concerned medications, and 13% were for new medical problems. Patients called with a variety of chronic conditions and less commonly for new problems. Medications such as antihypertensives, antibiotics, and diuretics were prescribed and refilled. The role of telephone medicine in providing access in some managed-care settings is yet to be studied.
Solute effects in very dilute ternary CuMnSe alloys

Abstract To understand the nature of the interactions between copper and controlled parts-per-million additions of manganese and selenium in promoting the softening resistance of high purity oxygen-free coppers, recrystallization studies coupled with resistivity ratio measurements were conducted. Microstructural changes and the nature of precipitation and segregation in this alloy system were also studied employing transmission and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Maximum enhancement in the softening temperature relative to 99.999+% copper was 250 K, and this occurred at a selenium-to-manganese molar ratio of about unity. The room temperature electrical conductivities of alloys containing less than 100 ppm of total solute additions were typically 100% with respect to the International Annealed Copper Standard. Microscopic investigation indicated grain refinement, increased twin density and evidence for precipitation of compounds as well as elemental segregation. The results were interpreted employing models for precipitation kinetics, solubility effects and segregation phenomena. The addition of two or more elements to copper offers possibilities for property improvement through binary and ternary interactions and reactions. The concept of alloying strong surface segregants (e.g. selenium, tellurium and sulfur) with metals soluble in copper (e.g. manganese and nickel) appears to be potentially useful in designing alloys which simultaneously possess a high electrical conductivity and a high softening temperature.
Chronic pain and depression: role of perceived impact and perceived control in different age cohorts

Chronic pain adversely affects individuals' physical as well as emotional well-being. A cognitive-behavioral model has been proposed to explain the role of cognitive appraisal variables in mediating the development of emotional distress following pain of long duration. There is little evidence linking the prevalence of depression in chronic pain patients to life stage, but there are suggestions in the literature that the link between medical illness and depression may be stronger in elderly patients. One purpose of this study was to replicate the efficacy of a previous study of the cognitive-behavioral mediation model in explaining the association between pain and depressed affect. A second purpose of this study was to extend the cognitive-behavioral model to evaluate relationships among pain, cognitive appraisal variables, and depressive affect in the elderly chronic pain population. One hundred chronic pain patients were divided into two age groups ( or = 70 years). A path analysis conducted for the total sample supported the cognitive-behavioral mediation model of depression in chronic pain, in which cognitive appraisal variables mediate the pain-depression relationship. Correlations among variables in each of the two age groups, however, revealed different patterns of association. Consistent with the cognitive-behavioral model, the younger patients demonstrated a low and non-significant correlation between pain severity and depression (r = 0.01). Conversely, a strong direct association was observed in the older patients between these variables (r = 0.51). These results suggest that the relationship between pain and depression varies substantially depending upon age cohort.
Z-depth integration: a new technique for manipulating z-depth properties in composited scenes

This paper presents a new technique in the production pipeline of asset creation for virtual environments called Z-Depth Integration (ZeDI). ZeDI is intended to reduce the time required to place elements at the appropriate z-depth within a scene. Though ZeDI is intended for use primarily in two-dimensional scene composition, depth-dependent “flat” animated objects are often critical elements of augmented and virtual reality applications (AR/VR). ZeDI is derived from “deep image compositing”, a capacity implemented within the OpenEXR file format. In order to trick the human eye into perceiving overlapping scene elements as being in front of or behind one another, the developer must manually manipulate which pixels of an element are visible in relation to other objects embedded within the environment's image sequence. ZeDI improves on this process by providing a means for interacting with procedurally extracted z-depth data from a virtual environment scene. By streamlining the process of defining objects’ depth characteristics, it is expected that the time and energy required for developers to create compelling AR/VR scenes will be reduced. In the proof of concept presented in this manuscript, ZeDI is implemented for pre-rendered virtual scene construction via an AfterEffects software plug-in.
Calcium-independent GABA release from striatal slices: the role of calcium channels.

Abstract We have investigated the role of Ca2+ and Ca2+ channels in the modulation of GABA release. Brain slices prepared from rat striatum were preincubated with [3H]GABA, superfused with Krebs bicarbonate buffer, and exposed to electrical field stimulation (2 Hz for 3 min). Tritium efflux was measured as an index of GABA release. Both resting and evoked efflux were greatly accelerated by deleting Ca2+ from the medium and adding EGTA (1 mM). However, when the concentration of Mg2+ in the buffer was elevated to 10 mM, no effect of the Ca2+-deficiency was observed on resting release and its impact on evoked overflow was diminished. Moreover, addition of verapamil (10 μM), a Ca2+ channel blocking agent, reduced evoked overflow even in the absence of external Ca2+, while 4-aminopyridine (10 μM), a K2+ channel inhibitor, enhanced GABA efflux in normal buffer but had no effect in the absence of Ca2+. Finally, we have shown previously that nipecotic acid, an inhibitor of high affinity GABA transport, increases GABA overflow in normal buffer, but blocks it in Ca2+-free buffer. Collectively, these results suggest that Ca2+ channels may play two roles in the regulation of depolarization-induced GABA release. Firstly, these channels permit a depolarization-induced influx of Ca2+ which then promotes GABA release. In addition, these channels influence GABA release through a mechanism that does not involve external Ca2+. Although the precise nature of this latter involvement is unclear, we propose that the Ca2+ channels serve to permit an influx of Na2+ which in turn promotes Ca2+-independent release through an influence on the high affinity GABA transport system.
The professor-consultant: An important marketing resource

There has been little published on the topic of marketing consultants. The literature void is even more pronounced when a major source of outside expertise, the professor-consultant, is examined. The authors have surveyed marketing academicians to determine their attitudes toward consulting and the scope and nature of their consulting activities along with the kinds of clients for whom they work. The findings show that professors hold generally favorable attitudes toward consulting and work in a wide range of topical areas while serving many diverse clients.
The Half-Life of Iodine (128)

The half-life of iodine (128) has been measured with high accuracy by means of a G-M counter and amplifying circuit of tested reliability. An absolute calibration of the counter was carried out by a simple method. The half-life was determined from the data by an arithmetical, rather than a graphical method. The results of four closely concordant experiments give for the best value of the half-life, $T=24.99\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02$ minutes. It is suggested that this radio-element can now be used in a quick and convenient calibration of counters or other instruments for measurement of radioactivity.
Proactive Service Migration for Long-Running Byzantine Fault-Tolerant Systems

A proactive recovery scheme based on service migration for long-running Byzantine fault-tolerant systems is described. Proactive recovery is an essential method for ensuring the long-term reliability of fault-tolerant systems that are under continuous threats from malicious adversaries. The primary benefit of our proactive recovery scheme is a reduced vulnerability window under normal operation. This is achieved in two ways. First, the time-consuming reboot step is removed from the critical path of proactive recovery. Second, the response time and the service migration latency are continuously profiled and an optimal service migration interval is dynamically determined during runtime based on the observed system load and the user-specified availability requirement.
Field Emission Response from Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes Grown on Different Metallic Substrates

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) have seen a wide variety of applications, spread well beyond the semiconductor industries - especially in field emission related devices. For its widest possible application, it has become very much important to grow CNTs on a variety of metallic substrates and understand their field emission response. In the present study, multiwall CNTs (MWCNT), grown on pure metallic substrates like Cu, Al and W, were subjected to field emission tests under DC and AC bias. Choice of diffusion barrier layer and catalyst was also varied, to verify their effects on the emission response. Field emission behaviors from all such structures were compared with MWCNTs grown on Si. It was found that the MWCNTs grown on pure Cu substrate showed excellent field electron emission response, in terms of low turn-on field, high emission current, long time stability and very high field enhancement factor.
Programme evaluation of natural family planning in Mauritius: service delivery and volunteer training implications

In every field of human endeavor, there is a large body of research-based knowledge that has not been put to use; as a result, current practice lags behind contemporary knowledge ... the research-practice gap is especially wide in medicine, health, and family planning. (Rogers, 1973)
Social mobility in television comedies

Television characters' aspirations for upward mobility, the work they do as they attempt to achieve these goals, and the consequences of that work shed light on the depiction of social structure in popular entertainment media. A study of television comedies finds that characters typically must experience sacrifice and demonstrate self‐reliance if they are to realize their aspirations for mobility. Striving for mobility has its twists, however. Characters may “win” by failing to achieve their goals, and they may “lose” despite improving their circumstances.
Forecasting health and predicting longevity

Once upon a time, illness and disease were acts of God visited upon defenceless individuals. Now, science is able to map the interplay of genes, environment and lifestyle, allowing doctors to forecast our health and longevity with startling accuracy. But what if these resources were put in the hands of patients themselves? Might it inspire them to help, even heal themselves?
Characterization of training errors in supervised learning using gradient-based rules

In the majority of the existing supervised learning paradigms, a neural network is trained by minimizing an error function using a learning rule. The commonly used learning rules are gradient-based learning rules such as the popular backpropagation algorithm. This paper addresses an important issue on error minimization in supervised learning of neural networks using gradient-based learning rules. This paper characterizes asymptotic properties of training errors for various forms of neural networks in supervised learning and discusses their practical implications for designing neural networks via remarks and examples. The analytical results presented in this paper reveal the dependency of quality of supervised learning on the rank of training samples and associated steady activation stales. The analytical results also reveal the complexity of achieving a zero training error.
Theory Of Optical Propagation In The Atmosphere

For the past few decades, numerous investigations have been reported on optical propagation in the turbulent atmosphere. In recent years, however, the theoretical study of optical propagation in fog, clouds, and other particulate matter has attracted considerable attention. Though much progress has been reported in the theoretical study of these phenomena, there are several areas where the theory is still not conclusive and further investigations are needed. This paper presents a review of the present state-of-the-art in the theory of optical propagation in the atmosphere and some discussions on the future directions of investigations in this area. Both cw and pulse propagations are considered and the quantitative discussions are given on angular broadening, pulse broadening, and coherence bandwidth of the optical wave in the turbulence and the particulate matter. It is noted that the forward scatter approximations are valid for the turbulence case, but for the case of particulate matter, it is convenient to consider three regions: first-order scattering, forward scatter, and diffusion; and it is important to take into account the effects of transmitter and receiver characteristics.
Less is more : the effects of sexual experience on judgments of men's and women's personality characteristics and relationship desirability

One method available to researchers for examining sexual attitudes is to solicit evaluations of others based on information about sexual experience. Differences in expectations about appropriate sexual behavior of men and women measure the so-called sexual double standard. To test the conditions under which a sexual double standard is endorsed, 110 male and 146 female college students (94% white, 3% black, 3% all other ethnicities) responded to vignettes depicting either a male or female target as having a low or high number of past sexual partners within committed or noncommitted relationships. In general, little support for the endorsement of a sexual double standard was found. However, participants consistently made differential judgments on the basis of sexual experience: Targets described as having more permissive sexual histories received more negative evaluations than did those described as having less permissive sexual histories. Results are discussed in terms of media exploitation of sexual information and support for a relational orientation toward sexual experience.
ATR performance prediction using attributed scattering features

We present a method for estimating classification performance of a model-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR) automatic target recognition (ATR) system. Target classification is performed by comparing a feature vector extracted from a measured SAR image chip with a feature vector predicted from a hypothesized target class and pose. The feature vectors are matched using a Bayes likelihood metric that incorporates uncertainty in both the predicted and extracted feature vectors. We adopt an attributed scattering center model for the SAR features. The scattering attributes characterize frequency and angle dependence of each scattering center in correspondence the geometry of its physical scattering mechanism. We develop two Bayes matchers that incorporate two different solutions to the problem of correspondence between predicted and extracted scattering centers. We quantify classification performance with respect to the number of scattering center features. We also present classification results when the matchers assume incorrect feature uncertainty statistics.
Augmented-reality visualizations guided by cognition: perceptual heuristics for combining visible and obscured information

One of the unique applications of Mixed and Augmented Reality (MR/AR) systems is that hidden and occluded objects can be readily visualized. We call this specialized use of MR/AR, Obscured Information Visualization (OIV). In this paper, we describe the beginning of a research program designed to develop such visualizations through the use of principles derived from perceptual psychology and cognitive science. In this paper we surveyed the cognitive science literature as it applies to such visualization tasks, described experimental questions derived from these cognitive principles, and generated general guidelines that can be used in designing future OIV systems (as well improving AR displays more generally). Here we also report the results from an experiment that utilized a functioning AR-OIV system: we found that in a relative depth judgment, subjects reported rendered objects as being in front of real-world objects, except when additional occlusion and motion cues were presented together.
Genome-Wide Analysis Uncovers Regulation of Long Intergenic Noncoding RNAs in Arabidopsis

Long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) transcribed from intergenic regions of yeast and animal genomes play important roles in key biological processes. Yet, plant lincRNAs remain poorly characterized and how lincRNA biogenesis is regulated is unclear. Using a reproducibility-based bioinformatics strategy to analyze 200 Arabidopsis thaliana transcriptome data sets, we identified 13,230 intergenic transcripts of which 6480 can be classified as lincRNAs. Expression of 2708 lincRNAs was detected by RNA sequencing experiments. Transcriptome profiling by custom microarrays revealed that the majority of these lincRNAs are expressed at a level between those of mRNAs and precursors of miRNAs. A subset of lincRNA genes shows organ-specific expression, whereas others are responsive to biotic and/or abiotic stresses. Further analysis of transcriptome data in 11 mutants uncovered SERRATE, CAP BINDING PROTEIN20 (CBP20), and CBP80 as regulators of lincRNA expression and biogenesis. RT-PCR experiments confirmed these three proteins are also needed for splicing of a small group of intron-containing lincRNAs.
Investigations of Blocks in Foundations and Abutments of Concrete Dams

This paper discusses investigations of potential block hazards in ten existing American concrete arch and buttress dams. Block theory was used to identify and describe all removable blocks, based on the study of construction photos and logs, and new mapping, often done on steep valley sides. Water forces on the block faces were calculated for stability analysis using a map of the phreatic surface or an estimated flow regime along the subsurface boundary of the block. In some cases, block hazards were shown to be nonexistent because there were no real intersections of significant discontinuities of sufficient extent to cut out a block, or there was no kinematically possible mode of failure with the prevailing force system. Several dams had blocks that were removable but judged sufficiently safe with the applicable friction angles. Three structures demanded attention: A spillway structure was armored to prevent further erosion that diminished the resistance of a key block in its foundation; a dome and buttress structure received a reinforced concrete buttress to add passive support against a block critically located in the abutment; and a drainage adit and deep drains drilled from the surface and from the adit were constructed to raise the safety factor of a large block beneath the abutment of an arch dam.
Origins of x‐ray line broadening in polyethylene single crystals

If multiple orders of x-ray diffraction can be observed, the origins of line broadening in the diffraction pattern can be unambiguously assigned. In the absence of such data, rare in polymers, firm conclusions cannot be drawn. Line broadening data for single crystals of polyethylene, where multiple orders of diffraction were not observed, are consistent with the following origins: for planes with indices (hk0), a size of 200 A. and 1.3% strain: for the (002) plane, a size of 105 A. (in good agreement with the lamellar thickness) if 1.3% strain is assumed, or 70A. (a lower limit) if no strain is assumed.
A comparative study of soil solution chemistry associated with chlorotic and nonchlorotic soybeans in western Minnesota

Abstract We planted three varieties of soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) with varying Fe‐ efficiency ratings (Swift, Hodgson, Anoka) across a high‐lime chlorotic spot in western Minnesota. Our objective was to determine the chemical components in soil solutions associated with chlorotic and nonchlorotic areas along transects through the chlorotic spot. We also measured soil temperature, soil moisture and bulk density along the transects. Chlorosis, determined by visual ratings and chlorophyll content, was associated with high CaCO3(s) and mobile ion (i.e. Mg2+, Na+, Cl‐) accumulations at the edge of the depressional area. High soil solution Mg2+ (≈10 mM) and high plant Mg (1.5%) were consistently associated with low chlorophyll content, suggesting a possible causative relationship in reducing Fe2+ uptake. High Mg/Ca ratios (?1.8) in chlorotic areas were related to the over‐saturation of the soil solutions with respect to calcite. High HCO‐ 3 activities (8 ?M) correlated with chlorosis for one transect, bu...
Resistin-like molecule β regulates innate colonic function: Barrier integrity and inflammation susceptibility

Background Resistin-like molecule (RELM) β is a cysteine-rich cytokine expressed in the gastrointestinal tract and implicated in insulin resistance and gastrointestinal nematode immunity; however, its function primarily remains an enigma. Objective We sought to elucidate the function of RELM-β in the gastrointestinal tract. Methods We generated RELM-β gene–targeted mice and examined colonic epithelial barrier function, gene expression profiles, and susceptibility to acute colonic inflammation. Results We show that RELM-β is constitutively expressed in the colon by goblet cells and enterocytes and has a role in homeostasis, as assessed by alterations in colon mRNA transcripts and epithelial barrier function in the absence of RELM-β. Using acute colonic inflammatory models, we demonstrate that RELM-β has a central role in the regulation of susceptibility to colonic inflammation. Mechanistic studies identify that RELM-β regulates expression of type III regenerating gene (REG) (REG3β and γ), molecules known to influence nuclear factor κB signaling. Conclusions These data define a critical role for RELM-β in the maintenance of colonic barrier function and gastrointestinal innate immunity. Clinical implications These findings identify RELM-β as an important molecule in homeostatic gastrointestinal function and colonic inflammation, and as such, these results have implications for a variety of human inflammatory gastrointestinal conditions, including allergic gastroenteropathies.
Low Earth orbit satellite technology for PCS

The authors examine today's major issues in terrestrial personal communication systems (PCS) and show the emerging technologies necessary for global PCS. It is suggested that, with the development of existing technologies and the spectrum allocations, the Iridium system of low Earth orbit satellites will revolutionize PCS to make telecommunications a global phenomenon. The Iridium system will allow high-user-density wireless service of up to 1.6 million subscribers by the year 2000, consumer digital wireless service that is truly portable and easy to use, one-way messaging and paging services, and data, graphics and compressed voice. >