cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Size quantization of an exciton: A toy model of the "dead layer"

Abstract Size-quantization levels of an exciton in large nanocrystals is studied theoretically. For the nanocrystal size, L , much bigger than the Bohr radius, a B , the level positions do not depend on a B . The correction to the levels in a small parameter a B ∕ L depends on the reflection phase of the exciton from the boundary. Calculation of this phase constitutes a three-body problem: electron, hole, and the boundary. This calculation can be performed analytically in the limit when the hole is much heavier than the electron. Physically, a slow motion of the hole towards the boundary takes place in the effective potential created by the fast motion of the electron orbiting the hole and touching the boundary. As a result, the hole is reflected before reaching the boundary. The distance of the closest approach of the hole to the boundary (the dead layer) exceeds a B parametrically.
Using Mindfulness to Promote Transformative Learning in Implicit Racial Bias Training.

Implicit bias classes have become a common practice with the aim of creating more inclusive work and learning environments. Such classes are aimed at helping individuals identify unconscious habits...
Analysis of Volatile Profiles for Tracking Asymptomatic Infections of Phytophthora ramorum and Other Pathogens in Rhododendron.

Phytophthora ramorum is an invasive, broad host range pathogen that causes ramorum blight and sudden oak death in forest landscapes of western North America. In commercial nurseries, asymptomatic i...
The Value of Vague Ideas in the Development of the Periodic System of Chemical Elements.

The exploration of chemical periodicity over the past 250 years led to the development of the Periodic System of Elements and demonstrates the value of vague ideas that ignored early scientific anomalies and instead allowed for extended periods of normal science where new methodologies and concepts are developed. The basic chemical element provides this exploration with direction and explanation and has shown to be a central and historically adaptable concept for a theory of matter far from the reductionist frontier. This is explored in the histories of Prout’s hypothesis, Dobereiner Triads, element inversions necessary when ordering chemical elements by atomic weights, and van den Broeck’s ad-hoc proposal to switch to nuclear charges instead. The development of more accurate methods to determine atomic weights, Rayleigh and Ramsey’s gas separation and analytical techniques, Moseley’s x-ray spectroscopy to identify chemical elements, and more recent accelerator-based cold fusion methods to create new elements at the end of the Periodic Table point to the importance of methodological development complementing conceptual advances. I propose to frame the crossover from physics to chemistry not as a loss of accuracy and precision but as an increased application of vague concepts such as similarity which permit classification. This approach provides epistemic flexibility to adapt to scientific anomalies and the continued growth of chemical compound space and rejects the Procrustean philosophy of reductionist physics. Furthermore, it establishes chemistry with its explanatory and operational autonomy epitomized by the periodic system of elements as a gateway to other experimental sciences.
Guia para o LL.M. de Syracuse (Syracuse LL.M. Guide)

Portuguese Abstract: Este documento e um guia para os alunos brasileiros que vem fazer o LL.M. na Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Syracuse. Ele discute os principais obstaculos enfrentados no LL.M. de Syracuse. English Abstract: This article is a guide for the Brazilian LL.M. students at Syracuse University College of Law. It discusses the main obstacles in joining an LL.M. program in Syracuse.
How can the European Commission help Europe’s defence industry? By making the most out of what it is already doing

The European Commission's proposal for the €13 bn European Defence Fund (EDF) to incentivise collaborative defence research and capability development projects with EU funding was an ambitious stat...
The use of antiseptics for handwashing by medical personnel.

Numerous studies have shown that the major reservoir of nosocomial infection in the hospital is the infected or colonised patient and the major mode of spread of organisms between patients is on the hands of medical personnel. A prolonged preoperative scrub with an antiseptic is one of the most time-honoured rituals of surgical asepsis. Hygienic handwashing in the hospital or clinic, to remove transient contaminants acquired from patients or the environment and prevent cross-infection to vulnerable patients, is similarly regarded as one of the most fundamental infection control measures, yet is done infrequently by personnel in most hospitals. Following a typical brief (7.10 second) handwashing with a nonmedicated soap, the number of organisms that can be transmitted from the person's hands may, paradoxically, actually increase. Use of chlorhexidine for handwashing or application of an evaporative alcohol-based lotion has been found to reduce shedding of bacteria-laden skin squames. Routine use of antiseptic-containing handwashing agents is clearly more effective than nonmedicated soaps for microbial removal, can enhance the value of the handwashings that are done and might further confer protection against contaminants acquired between handwashings. In a sequential comparative trial of three handwashing agents in a surgical intensive care unit--a nonmedicated soap, 10% povidone-iodine solution, and 4% aqueous chlorhexidine, each used exclusively for approximately six weeks--the incidence of nosocomial infection was 50% lower during the use of the antiseptic handwashing products than during the use of nonmedicated soap (P less than .001). Novel approaches are needed to improve the frequency of hygienic handwashing.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Using R for Introductory Statistics

DATA What Is Data? Some R Essentials Accessing Data by Using Indices Reading in Other Sources of Data UNIVARIATE DATA Categorical Data Numeric Data Shape of a Distribution BIVARIATE DATA Pairs of Categorical Variables Comparing Independent Samples Relationships in Numeric Data Simple Linear Regression MULTIVARIATE DATA Viewing Multivariate Data R Basics: Data Frames and Lists Using Model Formula with Multivariate Data Lattice Graphics Types of Data in R DESCRIBING POPULATIONS Populations Families of Distributions The Central Limit Theorem SIMULATION The Normal Approximation for the Binomial for loops Simulations Related to the Central Limit Theorem Defining a Function Investigating Distributions Bootstrap Samples Alternates to for loops CONFIDENCE INTERVALS Confidence Interval Ideas Confidence Intervals for a Population Proportion, p Confidence Intervals for the Population Mean, u Other Confidence Intervals Confidence Intervals for Differences Confidence Intervals for the Median SIGNIFICANCE TESTS Significance Test for a Population Proportion Significance Test for the Mean (t-Tests) Significance Tests and Confidence Intervals Significance Tests for the Median Two-Sample Tests of Proportion Two-Sample Tests of Center GOODNESS OF FIT The Chi-Squared Goodness-of-Fit Test The Chi-Squared Test of Independence Goodness-of-Fit Tests for Continuous Distributions LINEAR REGRESSION The Simple Linear Regression Model Statistical Inference for Simple Linear Regression Multiple Linear Regression ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE One-Way ANOVA Using lm() for ANOVA ANCOVA Two-Way ANOVA TWO EXTENSIONS OF THE LINEAR MODEL Logistic Regression Nonlinear Models APPENDIX A: GETTING, INSTALLING, AND RUNNING R Installing and Starting R Extending R Using Additional Packages APPENDIX B: GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACES AND R The Windows GUI The Mac OS X GUI Rcdmr APPENDIX C: TEACHING WITH R APPENDIX D: MORE ON GRAPHICS WITH R Low- and High-Level Graphic Functions Creating New Graphics in R APPENDIX E: PROGRAMMING IN R Editing Functions Using Functions Using Files and a Better Editor Object-Oriented Programming with R INDEX
A Pilot Study: Designing and Testing the Task Parameters

The aim of this pilot study was to test the validity, efficiency and measurements of a two-digit number comparison study. Number perception, its neural basis and its relationship to how numerical stimuli are presented have been challenging research topics in cognitive neuroscience for many years. A primary question that has been addressed is whether the perception of the quantity of a visually presented number stimulus is dissociable from its early visual perception. The present study examined the possible influence of visual quality judgment on quantity judgments of numbers. To address this issue, a two-digit number comparison task was developed. We suggest that the design parameters affect the accuracy of the results.
Revisiting traffic anomaly detection using software defined networking

Despite their exponential growth, home and small office/home office networks continue to be poorly managed. Consequently, security of hosts in most home networks is easily compromised and these hosts are in turn used for largescale malicious activities without the home users' knowledge. We argue that the advent of Software Defined Networking (SDN) provides a unique opportunity to effectively detect and contain network security problems in home and home office networks. We show how four prominent traffic anomaly detection algorithms can be implemented in an SDN context using Openflow compliant switches and NOX as a controller. Our experiments indicate that these algorithms are significantly more accurate in identifying malicious activities in the home networks as compared to the ISP. Furthermore, the efficiency analysis of our SDN implementations on a programmable home network router indicates that the anomaly detectors can operate at line rates without introducing any performance penalties for the home network traffic.
Molecular aspects of age-related cognitive decline: the role of GABA signaling

Alterations in inhibitory interneurons contribute to cognitive deficits associated with several psychiatric and neurological diseases. Phasic and tonic inhibition imparted by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors regulates neural activity and helps to establish the appropriate network dynamics in cortical circuits that support normal cognition. This review highlights basic science demonstrating that inhibitory signaling is altered in aging, and discusses the impact of age-related shifts in inhibition on different forms of memory function, including hippocampus-dependent spatial reference memory and prefrontal cortex (PFC)-dependent working memory. The clinical appropriateness and tractability of select therapeutic candidates for cognitive aging that target receptors mediating inhibition are also discussed.
Economic performance measures for metropolitan areas

In this paper, I describe a system of comparative economic performance indicators that have been used to guide economic policy in the Louisville metropolitan area. Nine dimensions of metropolitan area performance are identified: geographic, demographic, economic structure, economic performance, cost of business, cost of living, human capital, physical capital, and quality of life. Hundreds of measures were assembled across these categories for the Louisville metro and its eighteen prime competitor markets. Data were obtained from the standard public databases, but also from trade associations, accounting reports, research studies, and private surveys. This wider approach to metro data organization was rich in content and policy-oriented insights. As comparative measures were assembled for each dimension, qualitative statements were composed that exposed Louisville’s strengths and weaknesses. Business and political leaders found the scope, depth, and implications of the measures assembled compelling enough that local economic development policy and institutions have since been realigned to address the newly evident challenges.
The Role of Salespeople in the Efficient Operation of the Marketing Channel

Our understanding of the theory and practice of sales has increased dramatically over the previous decades. Among these many advances include increases in our understanding of how technology can aid the sales process, how to better manage customer relationships, how to better integrate the sales and marketing functions, how to best structure the sales organization, and how globalization has impacted the sales function. Though this new knowledge has allowed firms to sell more effectively and efficiently, the fact that the vast bulk of this research has occurred within the context of manufacturer-to-manufacturer relationships raises the question of the extent to which this research may be generalizable to selling activities that might occur among other types of firms in a channel system. It can be argued that the increased importance of supply chain management and the management of the distribution channel has led to a greater focus being placed on other members of the channel, including wholesalers, retailers, agents, and brokers, among others. It is possible that selling to these groups may be different from the selling that occurs between manufacturers. For example, though the buying organization is always, or should always be, more concerned with customer wants and needs, this probably becomes even more so as the product moves down the channel toward the end-user. Thus, selling to wholesalers that serve retailers or to retailers might lead to very different demands on salespeople as the focus of their efforts may be less willing and=or able to be flexible regarding various elements of the sale
Fault-tolerant kinematically redundant robots

Fault tolerance is a critical issue for teleoperated or autonomous robotic systems that are operating in hazardous and/or remote environments where joint failures are likely. A single joint failure can render an otherwise dexterous manipulator useless. In this article, we examine two measures of fault tolerance. In addition to determining optimally fault tolerant configurations, these measures can be used to control the robot in anticipation of a joint failure and to design fault tolerant robot geometries.
Materials for Hydrogen Storage

In this article, we discuss possible options for hydrogen-storage systems. We begin by pointing out the tremendous advantages of hydrogen as an alternative fuel, but we also discuss the problems associated with it. We then move to the general constraints for hydrogen storage in automotive applications, followed by the targets that the US Department of Energy has established for the performance of hydrogen-storage systems in order to be on track for a future hydrogen economy and to be competitive with the current technology of fossil fuel-based combustion engines. We then move to the central topic of this book article—the three main categories of hydrogen-storage systems, distinguished by their mechanism of storing hydrogen: mechanical storage, adsorption-based storage, and chemical storage, with an emphasis on the latter two. Within these categories, we break the materials further into subgroups, pointing out strengths and weaknesses of each in reference to the US Department of Energy targets. We finally conclude with an outlook into the near-term future. Keywords: mechanical hydrogen storage; compressed, liquid, and cryo-compressed hydrogen; adsorption-based hydrogen storage; metal–organic framework materials; nanostructures; clathrates; zeolites; chemical hydrogen storage; simple metal hydrides; complex metal hydrides; hydrocarbons; boron and nitrogen hydrides
Time-driven activity-based costing of multivessel coronary artery bypass grafting across national boundaries to identify improvement opportunities: study protocol

Introduction Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is a well-established, commonly performed treatment for coronary artery disease—a disease that affects over 10% of US adults and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In 2005, the mean cost for a CABG procedure among Medicare beneficiaries in the USA was $32 201±$23 059. The same operation reportedly costs less than $2000 to produce in India. The goals of the proposed study are to (1) identify the difference in the costs incurred to perform CABG surgery by three Joint Commission accredited hospitals with reputations for high quality and efficiency and (2) characterise the opportunity to reduce the cost of performing CABG surgery. Methods and analysis We use time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) to quantify the hospitals’ costs of producing elective, multivessel CABG. TDABC estimates the costs of a given clinical service by combining information about the process of patient care delivery (specifically, the time and quantity of labour and non-labour resources utilised to perform each activity) with the unit cost of each resource used to provide the care. Resource utilisation was estimated by constructing CABG process maps for each site based on observation of care and staff interviews. Unit costs were calculated as a capacity cost rate, measured as a $/min, for each resource consumed in CABG production. Multiplying together the unit costs and resource quantities and summing across all resources used will produce the average cost of CABG production at each site. We will conclude by conducting a variance analysis of labour costs to reveal opportunities to bend the cost curve for CABG production in the USA. Ethics and dissemination All our methods were exempted from review by the Stanford Institutional Review Board. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific meetings.
Colliding visible picosecond pulses in optical fibers.

The observation of the nonlinear interaction of two visible picosecond pulses, separated by a small time interval, while propagating in an optical fiber is reported. It is found that as propagation proceeds, a region of pulse collision develops in which intensity oscillations form that are similar to those recently observed in optical wave breaking. The frequency of these oscillations increases for an increasing time separation between the input pulses and is found to be as large as 5 THz. For small time intervals between the input pulses no oscillations formed. This observed behavior is found to agree well with numerical integrations of the nonlinear Schrodinger equation.
The use of analytical surface tools in the fundamental study of wear

Various techniques and surface tools available for the study of the atomic nature of the wear of materials are reviewed These include chemical etching, x-ray diffraction, electron diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, Auger emission spectroscopy analysis, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis, field ion microscopy, and the atom probe. Properties of the surface and wear surface regions which affect wear, such as surface energy, crystal structure, crystallographic orientation, mode of dislocation behavior, and cohesive binding, are discussed. A number of mechanisms involved in the generation of wear particles are identified with the aid of the aforementioned tools.
Highlights of Spin Study at JLab Hall A: Longitudinal and Transverse

Spin‐dependent observables have been a powerful tool to probe the internal structure of the nucleon and to understand the dynamics of the strong interaction. Experiments involving spin degrees of freedom have lead to numerous surprises, puzzles and discoveries. The so called “spin crisis” in the 1980s revealed the limitation of naive quark‐parton models and led to intensive worldwide efforts, both experimental and theoretical, to understand the nucleon spin structure. The nucleon spin structrue study has grown from mainly on the longitudinal spin in the last thirty years to recently rapidly increasing interests on the transverse spin. With high intensity and high polarization of both the electron beam and targets, JLab has the world's highest polarized luminosity and the best figure‐of‐merit for precision spin structure measurements. It has made a strong impact in this subfield of research. This proceeding will highlight JLab Hall A's study in the measurements of the moments of spin structure functions at...
Effect of ethanol injection on cavitation and heating of tissues exposed to high-intensity focused ultrasound

Cavitation activity and temperature rise have been investigated in a tissue-mimicking material and excised bovine liver treated with ethanol and insonated with a 0.825 MHz focused acoustic transducer. The acoustic power was varied from 1.3 to 26.8 W to find the threshold leading to the onset of inertial cavitation. Cavitation events were quantified by three independent techniques: B-mode ultrasound imaging, needle hydrophone measurements and passive cavitation detection. Temperature in or near the focal zone was measured by thermocouples embedded in the samples. The results of this study indicate that the treatment of tissue phantoms and bovine liver samples with ethanol reduces their threshold power for inertial cavitation. This in turn leads to a sudden rise in temperature in ethanol-treated samples at a lower acoustic power than that in untreated ones. The analysis of passive cavitation detection data shows that once the threshold acoustic power is reached, inertial cavitation becomes a major contributor to acoustic scattering in ethanol-treated phantoms and bovine liver samples as compared to control. This study opens up the possibility of improved tumor ablation therapy via a combination of percutaneous ethanol injection and high-intensity focused ultrasound.
The rising influence of evangelicalism in American political behavior, 1980–2004

Abstract Connections between evangelicalism and political behavior are explored using National Election Study (NES) data from 1980 to 2004. Our findings suggest that although white evangelical support for Republican presidential candidates has increased, the independent effect of evangelicalism on voting has weakened. We argue that this reflects an increasing convergence between evangelicalism and Republican Party identification. Beginning in the 1990s, as more and more evangelicals identified as Republicans, the independent effect of their religious commitment on voting weakened. We also find strengthening correlations between evangelicalism and policy preferences, especially on non-social issues, and enhanced Republican mobilization of evangelical voters in recent campaigns. We conclude with the suggestion that changes in evangelical political behavior over a 24-year period support the notion of an electoral realignment in American politics.
Variable effects of iodinated contrast media on different rabbit arteries in vitro

Vasoconstriction caused by iodinated contrast media (CM) has been considered specific for the renal artery only. We examined the vascular effect of CM in rabbit carotid, aorta, renal, iliac, mesenteric and celiac arteries and found that other arteries also respond with a contraction to CM. Isolated arterial rings were exposed to diatrizoate (high osmolar CM), iohexol (low osmolar CM) or glucose solution, and the isometric contraction response was expressed as percentage of an initial KCl control contraction. Diatrizoate evoked contractions of 82% (carotid), 63% (aorta), 30% (renal), 24% (iliac), 28% (mesenteric) and 18% (celiac), respectively. Iohexol caused contractions of 31% (carotid), 24% (aorta), 15% (renal) and 14% (iliac), whereas the mesenteric and celiac arteries were relaxed by iohexol. A high osmolar glucose solution elicited contractions of 78%, 77%,11%, 27%, 3% and 5%, respectively, in the arteries. CM have contraction potency in arterial vasculature other than the renal artery.
HSV representation of non-Newtonian Lattice-Boltzmann flows

An approach to modeling and visualization of non-Newtonian flows that is based on lattice-Boltzmann techniques is described. Important advantages over traditional, finite-element methods include the speed and simplicity of the update and the reduced storage, which is linear in the number of nodes. Because the quantities of interest in the solution depend critically upon directional flow densities, a technique for their direct display is suggested. The HSV (hue, saturation, value) color model is a hexcone whose intersection with any plane of constant V>0 yields a hexagon that matches the isotropic flow grid. Thus, a natural representation emerges. An auxiliary display is provided in which the HSV cone is shown in partial transparency along with the magnitudes of the contributing densities for the pixel currently identified by the cursor. A variation on LIC is suggested to enhance field visualization.
Comparison of assessment measures for post-stroke depression

Depression is commonplace following stroke and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study is to examine the sensitivity and specificity of four standardized measures for assessing depression in a stroke population. A total of 67 adults admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation unit with acute stroke were assessed with four standardized depression measures and by structured clinical interview as part of a cross-sectional study assessing cognitive and emotional functioning. Using DSM-IV criteria, major depression was present in 15% of the sample and minor depression in an additional 28%. The four depression measures yielded rates of depression ranging from 14% to 46% when their recommended clinical threshold scores were applied. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) had the greatest positive predictive value (PPV) at 28%. Cutoff scores were adjusted using receiver operating curve (ROC) analyses, and PPV ranged from 28% to 34% when using lower cutoff scores, representing an improvement for all measures. Common assessment measures yield significantly different classification rates for depression in persons with acute stroke. Traditional threshold scores for commonly used objective depression measures may not be optimally sensitive for detection of depression in stroke populations. Based on the findings of this study we recommend clinicians use the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form using a cutoff score of 3 or greater. Clinical and research implications are offered.
Thermodynamics of mixed micelle formation

Abstract A new method of calculating the composition of mixed micelles in equilibrium with monomer of known composition is proposed. This technique applies the Gibbs-Duhem equation to be mixed micelle, which is treated as a pseudophase. The method needs only CMC data as a function of monomer composition, but is limited to binary surfactant systems. The proposed methodology is applied to cationic/cationic, cationic/nonionic, and anionic/nonionic surfactant pairs. The calculated monomer-micelle equilibrium is found to be very similar to that from ideal solution theory for the cationic/cationic system and to the much-used regular solution theory for the nonideal systems.
Inversion-Based Optimal Output Transition With Input and Time Constraints for Non-Minimum Phase Linear System

In this article, the problem of trajectory design and tracking of non-periodic tracking-transition switching for non-minimum phase linear systems is considered. Such a trajectory design and tracking problem exists in applications such as nanomanipulation, robotic operation, and hard-disk control, where the whole trajectory consists of tracking sessions with the application-specified desired trajectory to be tracked, and transition sessions with the output trajectory to be designed. This problem becomes challenging as multiple control objectives need to be achieved. The proposed approach extends the previous work that attained smooth output transition and smooth tracking-transition switching to further achieve amplitude-constrained input-energy minimization and transition time minimization. First, the constrained input optimization problem is converted to an unconstrained input minimization problem. Then the optimal output and input are obtained by using an improved conjugate gradient method. Finally, the total transition time is further minimized via one dimensional search. The proposed approach is illustrated through a simulation example in probe-based nanomanipulation utilizing a piezoelectric actuator.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Cuticular lipids of insects: V. Cuticular wax esters of secondary alcohols from the grasshoppersMelanoplus packardii andMelanoplus sanguinipes

Wax esters of secondary alcohols constitute 18–20% of the cuticular lipid extract ofMelanoplus packardii and 26–31% of the cuticular lipids ofMelanoplus sanguinipes. The total number of carbons in the wax esters range from 37–54 with 41 predominating in both species. The fatty acids ofM. packardii wax esters are 16∶0, 18∶0, 14∶0, 20∶0 and 12∶0 in decreasing quantity. The fatty acids ofM. sanguinipes wax esters are 18∶0, 20∶0, 16∶0 22∶0, 14∶0, 19∶0 and 17∶0 in decreasing quantity. The secondary alcohols from the wax esters ofM. packardii are C25, C23 and C27 in decreasing quantity, and the secondary alcohols of theM. sanguinipes are C23, C25, C21, C27, C24, C22 and C26 in decreasing quantity. Each secondary alcohol consists of two to four isomers with the hydroxyl group located near the center of the chain.
Photoassisted Electrolysis of Water by Visible Irradiation of a p-Type Gallium Phosphide Electrode

Photoelectrolytic decomposition of water with visible irradiation is demonstrated in a cell made of p-type gallium phosphide as the cathode and platinum as the anode. A maximum energy conversion efficiency of 0.1 percent is achieved with an external bias of 1.3 volts. The stability of the electrode is demonstrated, and the results are discussed in terms of a composite energy diagram.
Assessment of Aortic Stenosis Severity Using Pressure Drop Coefficient: A Retrospective Study in Humans

Accurate assessment of the stenosis severity is critical in patients with aortic stenosis (AS). The ambiguities and reduced sensitivities of the current diagnostic parameters can result in sub-optimal clinical decision making. In this preliminary study, we investigate the functional diagnostic parameter CDP (ratio of the transvalvular pressure drop to the proximal dynamic pressure) for the assessment of AS severity by correlating with the current diagnostic parameters. CDP was calculated using diagnostic parameters obtained from retrospective chart reviews. CDP values were calculated independently from Doppler and catheterization measurements. CDP exhibited better correlation with transvalvular pressure drop and jet velocity simultaneously, than when correlated independently with the same diagnostic parameters. CDP increases with increasing AS severity, which is consistent with hydrodynamic principles. This retrospective study is a prelude to a prospective study to evaluate CDP for AS severity assessment.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Consuming Globalization: Youth and Gender in Kerala, India

This article examines how new, globally-inflected patterns of consumption among young people in the state of Kerala, India are configured in relation to a specifically postcolonial cultural politics of gender, class, and caste, rooted in the colonialist and nationalist projects. Rather than focus on the presence or absence of agency and/or resistance within consuming practices, the article elucidates the cultural-political terrain into which consumption as an objectified field of practice is inserted. By paying attention to this terrain, it becomes possible to examine the contradictions of consumption for young women and men who are both objects of commoditization and subjects of consumption. The article locates consumption within larger discursive domains, at both the national and regional level, which contest the meaning of globalization in ways that produce and circulate highly gendered constructions of consumer agency. Drawing on ethnographic material on gender, youth, and consumption in Kerala, the article traces the intersecting gender, class, and caste terrain that underlies this field of consumption. Negotiating the space of consumption under new conditions of globalization entails traversing a gendered terrain of masculinities and femininities in ways that reveal the link among youth, consumption, and globalization to be a fraught and contradictory.
The oncogenic potential of a prostate cancer-derived androgen receptor mutant

BACKGROUND The role of androgen receptor (AR) mutations in the initiation of prostate cancer (CaP) remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of an AR mutation on prostate tumorigenesis and to determine the resulting molecular alterations. METHODS Wild-type AR (ARWT) or the CaP-derived K580R AR (ARK580R) mutant was stably transfected into SV40-immortalized human prostate epithelial pRNS-1-1 cells that lack AR expression and fail to grow in nude mice. The ability of these AR-transfected cell lines to form tumor was investigated in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, gene expression profiling of these cell lines was performed. RESULTS Compared with the ARWT, the ARK580R induced greater than sixfold increase in colony formation in soft agar. In vivo studies confirmed that the ARK580R-transfected pRNS-1-1 cells were able to form tumors in nude mice. Using a combination of microarray and RT-PCR, 29 differentially expressed genes were identified in ARK580R cells. It was found that silencing the expression of placental alkaline phosphatase (ALPP) that was upregulated in ARK580R cells resulted in significant inhibition of cell growth. Furthermore, the ARK580R-transfected pRNS-1-1 cells expressed markedly increased p-Akt and p-p70 S6K. CONCLUSION The ARK580R mutation promoted the malignant transformation of prostate epithelial cells. This was associated with upregulation of ALPP and subsequent activation of the Akt signaling pathway. Prostate 67: 591–602, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Magnetic Properties of Enhanced Permeability Dielectrics for Nanomagnetic Logic Circuits

Enhanced permeability dielectric (EPD) samples were fabricated in an ultra-high-vacuum magnetron sputtering system, and their magnetic properties were studied by a variable-temperature vibrating sample magnetometer. EPDs were fabricated with layers of CoFe forming uniform particles separated by MgO dielectric as insulator. The optimal sample has peak relative low-field permeability (μr) of 452, saturation magnetization (Ms) of 636 emu/cm3 and magnetization at 100 Oe (M100 Oe) of 398 emu/cm3. Effect of low temperature is discussed, and measurements show that the EPD remains superparamagnetic at 173 K; μr, Ms and M100 Oe values at reduced temperatures are higher than those at room temperature. The sample is ferromagnetic at 100 K.
Vitamin D metabolites regulate matrix vesicle metalloproteinase content in a cell maturation-dependent manner.

Matrix vesicles are extracellular organelles produced by cells that mineralize their matrix. They contain enzymes that are associated with calcification and are regulated by vitamin D metabolites in a cell maturation-dependent manner. Matrix vesicles also contain metalloproteinases that degrade proteoglycans, macromolecules known to inhibit calcificationin vitro, as well as plasminogen activator, a proteinase postulated to play a role in activation of latent TGF-\. In the present study, we examined whether matrix vesicle metalloproteinase and plasminogen activator are regulated by 1,25(OH)2D3 and 24,25 (OH)2D3. Matrix vesicles and plasma membranes were isolated from fourth passage cultures of resting zone chondrocytes that had been incubated with 1010-10-7 M24,25(OH)2D3 or growth zone chondrocytes incubated with 10-11-l0-8 M 1,25(OH)2D3, and their alkaline phosphatase, active and total neutral metalloproteinase, and plasminogen activator activities determined. 24,25(OH)2D3 increased alkaline phosphatase by 35–60%, decreased active and total metalloproteinase by 75%, and increased plasminogen activator by fivefold in matrix vesicles from resting zone chondrocyte cultures. No effect of vitamin D treatment was observed in plasma membranes isolated from these cultures. In contrast, 1,25(OH)2D3 increased alkaline phosphatase by 35–60%, but increased active and total metalloproteinase three- to fivefold and decreased plasminogen activator by as much as 75% in matrix vesicles isolated from growth zone chondrocyte cultures. Vitamin D treatment had no effect on plasma membrane alkaline phosphatase or metalloproteinase, but decreased plasminogen activator activity. The results demonstrate that neutral metalloproteinase and plasminogen activator activity in matrix vesicles are regulated by vitamin D metabolites in a cell maturation-specific manner. In addition, they support the hypothesis that 1,25(OH)2D3 regulation of matrix vesicle function facilitates calcification by increasing alkaline phosphatase and phospholipase A2 specific activities as well as metalloprotemases which degrade proteoglycans.
Remediation of Soil and Ground Water Contaminated with PAH using Heat and Fe(II)-EDTA Catalyzed Persulfate Oxidation

The feasibility of degrading 16 USEPA priority polycyclic aromatic (PAH) hydrocarbons (PAHs) with heat and Fe(II)-EDTA catalyzed persulfate oxidation was investigated in the laboratory. The experiments were conducted to determine the effects of temperature (i.e. 20 ∘C, 30 ∘C and 40 ∘ C) and iron-chelate levels (i.e., 250 mg/L-, 375 mg/L- and 500 mg/L-Fe(II)) on the degradation of dissolved PAHs in aqueous systems, using a series of amber glass jars as the reactors that were placed on a shaker inside an incubator for temperature control. Each experiment was run in duplicate and had two controls (i.e., no persulfate in systems). Samples were collected after a reaction period of 144 hrs and measured for PAHs, pH and sodium persulfate levels. The extent of degradation of PAHs was determined by comparing the data for samples with the controls.
Beneficial effects of weeds in pest management — a review

Abstract Weeds sometimes play an important role in pest management systems and when specific weeds are not present, biological control of certain insects is often impossible. Examples are given of weeds which serve as food sources for alternative hosts of insect predators and parasites or for the parasites themselves. The implications of these relationships for weed and insect control and for crop production are discussed.
Reduction of the "horns" observed on the beam profiles of a 6-MV linear accelerator

The presence of large "horns" was found while plotting beam profiles during acceptance testing of a 6-MV linear accelerator. The in-phantom off-axis ratio (OAR), measured at 22 cm off the central axis along the diagonal of a 40 X 40 cm field at dmax was found to be 1.19, while beam uniformity was within specifications at 10-cm depth. A change in the gun injection voltage and the replacement of the magnet surrounding the magnetron with one of greater strength resulted in a reduction of the OAR to 1.085. The beam uniformity at depth was maintained within specifications. An alternative solution of adding a modifying filter in the primary beam was considered undesirable because of the 20%-25% reduction in dose rate caused by such filters. The relationship between the energy, the intensity distribution of the beam, and the magnitude of the horns is discussed, and the beam profiles, isodoses, and central axis depth doses before and after the changes are compared.
English Culture and the Decline of the Industrial Spirit, 1850-1980

Preface to the first edition Introduction to the new edition Part I. The Setting: 1. The Janus face of modern English culture 2. Victorial society: accommodation and absorption Part II. A World View: 3. A counterrevolution of values 4. The 'English way of life'? 5. The wrong path? Part III. Toward Behavior: Introduction 6. Images and politics 7. The gentrification of the industrialist Part IV. Industrialism and English Values: 8. An overview and an assessment Appendix: British retardation - the limits of economic explanation Notes Index.
3-[[(4-Aryl-1-piperazinyl)alkyl]cyclohexyl]-1H-indoles as dopamine D2 partial agonists and autoreceptor agonists.

A series of arylpiperazines and tetrahydropyridines joined to indoles by semirigid cycloalkyl spacers were prepared. Target compounds were studied for their ability to bind to the DA D2 receptor in vitro and to inhibit dopamine synthesis and spontaneous locomotor activity in rats. Effects of tether length and relative stereochemistry were assessed for a series of 2-pyridylpiperazines. The cyclohexylethyl spacer was found to be the most active in the series. Further studies explored effects of changes in the arylpiperazine and indole portions of the molecule. From these studies trans-2-[[4-(1H-3-indolyl)cyclohexyl]ethyl]-4-(2-pyridinyl)piperazine (30a) was selected for further evaluation. It was characterized as a partial agonist of DA D2 receptors in vitro and caused decreases in dopamine synthesis and release as well as dopamine neuronal firing. Compound 30a was shown to be devoid of behavioral effects associated with postsynaptic DA D2 receptor activation. Furthermore, compound 30a was shown both to dec...
Crystal structure of 2,6-bis-hydrazinopyridine dihydrate, its tosylate salt and 2,6-bis(3,5-di- tert -butylpyrazolyl)pyridine

The crystal structures of the new compounds 2,6-bis-hydrazinopyridine dihydrate (2), its tosylate salt (3) and 2,6-bis-(3,5-di-tert-butylpyrazolyl)pyridine (4) were obtained by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Crystallization of 2 occurs in the centrosymmetric monoclinic space group P21/c (No. 14) with a = 9.6218(18), b = 6.7331(12), c = 13.489(3); and β = 109.292(8)∘ and Z = 4. Crystallization of 3 occurs in the centrosymmetric monoclinic space group P21/c (No. 14) with a = 26.530(3), b = 16.6456(18), c = 9.9458(10) and β = 96.828(5) and Z = 8, while 4 crystallizes in P21/n (No. 14) with a = 15.0555(10), b = 10.4496(7), c = 16.9599(12) and β = 101.480(4) and Z = 4. These are the only structures for any bis-hydrazinopyridines reported to date. Details of the synthesis, structures and spectroscopic results are presented and discussed.
6-Chloro-N,N-Diethyl-1,3,5-Triazine-2,4-Diamine (Simazine) Electrochemical Sensing Chip Based on Biomimetic Recognition Utilizing a Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Layer on a Gold Chip

Abstract Electrochemical sensing chip of 6-chloro-N,N-diethyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine (Simazine) was developed on its reductive current. In order to give sensitivity and selectivity to the simazine sensing chip, a gold chip was modified with molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for simazine, which is worked as biomimetic recognition element and showed. Using simazine sensing chip, cathodic current of simazine was measured by cyclic voltammetry and the peak current depended on the concentration of simazine. The detection limit was 0.4 µM. Simazine sensing chip was 29 times more sensitive to simazine than bare gold electrode and showed selective response to simazine compared to atrazine and MCC, by the modification with Sim-MIP.
Quantitative analysis of powdery sample by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectrometry : determination of the α-component in silicon nitride

An application of diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectrometry to determine powdery sample with an unknown particle size has been proposed. The usefulness of this technique has been demonstrated for the analysis of the α-component in Si3N4 powders. The particle size of the α-component in Si3N4 powder could be determined by measuring the peak intensity ratio between two peaks (500 and 690 cm−1) on the DRIFT spectrum, and the concentration could be determined by comparing the peak intensity to that of standard α-Si3N4 with same particle size. The particle sizes and concentrations obtained by the DRIFT method were in good agreement with those obtained by the light-scattering method and x-ray diffractometry, respectively.
Breast Cancer Anti-estrogen Resistance 3 (BCAR3) Protein Augments Binding of the c-Src SH3 Domain to Crk-associated Substrate (p130cas)

The focal adhesion adapter protein p130cas regulates adhesion and growth factor-related signaling, in part through Src-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of p130cas. AND-34/BCAR3, one of three NSP family members, binds the p130cas carboxyl terminus, adjacent to a bipartite p130cas Src-binding domain (SBD) and induces anti-estrogen resistance in breast cancer cell lines as well as phosphorylation of p130cas. Only a subset of the signaling properties of BCAR3, specifically augmented motility, are dependent upon formation of the BCAR3-p130cas complex. Using GST pull-down and immunoprecipitation studies, we show that among NSP family members, only BCAR3 augments the ability of p130cas to bind the Src SH3 domain through an RPLPSPP motif in the p130cas SBD. Although our prior work identified phosphorylation of the serine within the p130cas RPLPSPP motif, mutation of this residue to alanine or glutamic acid did not alter BCAR3-induced Src SH3 domain binding to p130cas. The ability of BCAR3 to augment Src SH3 binding requires formation of a BCAR3-p130cas complex because mutations that reduce association between these two proteins block augmentation of Src SH3 domain binding. Similarly, in MCF-7 cells, BCAR3-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the p130cas substrate domain, previously shown to be Src-dependent, was reduced by an R743A mutation that blocks BCAR3 association with p130cas. Immunofluorescence studies demonstrate that BCAR3 expression alters the intracellular location of both p130cas and Src and that all three proteins co-localize. Our work suggests that BCAR3 expression may regulate Src signaling in a BCAR3-p130cas complex-dependent fashion by altering the ability of the Src SH3 domain to bind the p130cas SBD.
Central Neural Systems Subserving a Homoplasous Periphery

Vertebrates display a variety of sensory and motor adaptations in addition to a set of generalized systems. In some cases functionally equivalent adaptations have evolved independently in one or more vertebrate lines. In each case the central nervous system (CNS) is remodeled to accommodate the peripheral change. In functionally equivalent, but independently derived, systems many of the CNS areas involved are homologous even when the peripheral adaptations are clearly homoplasous. The pattern of CNS remodeling reflects two pressures: the need for functionally equivalent peripheral systems to interface with equivalent central control centers and the interaction of a peripheral change with processes controlling neural development. These developmental processes allow peripheralperturbations to cause changes many synapses deep within the CNS while at the same time restricting the pattern of CNS remodeling.
challenges of Managing Advanced cancer patients Through phone Triaging at an Outpatient supportive care clinic: A case series of palliative care patients

Palliative care strives to improve the quality of life for patients and their families by impeccable assessment and management using an interdisciplinary approach. However, patients with cancer-related pain and other symptoms tend to be undertreated because of limited follow-up visits due to late referrals and logistics. Thus, patients who present to the outpatient Supportive Care Center at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center often experience severe physical and psychological symptoms. The two case reports presented highlight the challenges of managing distressed patients with advanced cancer in the outpatient setting. These descriptions focus on addressing patient needs over the phone to enhance the care patients receive at the Supportive Care Center. Future prospective studies are needed to measure the effectiveness of using phone triaging in conjunction with standard outpatient palliative care.