cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mobile E-Commerce and the Wireless Worldwide Web: Strategic Perspectives on the Internet's Emerging Model

Telecommunications, the Internet, and mobile computing are merging their technologies to form a new business called mobile commerce or the wireless Internet. As more companies make their Web sites accessible to wireless devices and offer services and software to support wireless connections, they urgently need to consider how well the existing infrastructure will support their applications. A well-thought-out strategy is key to any major network change, especially a wireless one, which can touch many different aspects of a business organization. Provided in this chapter is an overall description of mobile commerce, the Internet’s emerging model, and examination of its current state-of-the-art, opportunities and challenges, and future trends. It explains the requirements This chapter appears in the book, Wireless Communications and Mobile Commerce, edited by Nansi Shi. Copyright © 2004, Idea Group Inc. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of Idea Group Inc. is prohibited. 701 E. Chocolate Avenue, Suite 200, Hershey PA 17033-1240, USA Tel: 717/533-8845; Fax 717/533-8661; URL-http://www.idea-group.com IDEA GROUP PUBLISHING
The Challenges of Claiming a Vygotskian Perspective

Claiming Vygotsky as a theoretical source has become a common practice in much recent scholarship on teaching and learning. Doing so, however, is problematic given the reliance of most non-Russians on translated versions of Vygotsky and given the different ways people have found to appropriate what appears in both the original Russian versions and in the translations.
Thorium coordination: A comprehensive review based on coordination number

Abstract Although thorium comprises roughly 8.1 ppm of the Earth, its chemical characteristics and properties have been relatively underexplored. In large part due to its radioactivity and propensity to form oxides at pH above 5, thorium has been much less extensively investigated than first row transition metals. Today, there are close to 700,000 registered structures with an R-factor of 0.075 or better on the Cambridge Crystallographic Database, about 50% of which are complexes containing transition metals. The actinides make up roughly 8% of total number of database structures, with close to 85% of those being uranium containing complexes and 11% of the actinide structures containing thorium. Herein, we explore the various unique coordination environments of thorium with coordination numbers ranging from 5 to 12.
A hybrid reasoning system for mobile and intelligent health services

Recently, innovative and mobile health services have been developed by embedding knowledge-based systems, with the aim of remotely promoting wellness and healthy lifestyle, monitoring patients' chronic diseases and improving their adherence to therapies. Even if different knowledge-based systems have been proposed for mobile devices, they are typically based on precise production rules built on the top of ontological primitives for describing the domain of interest. Thus, they are not able to handle medical knowledge graded and affected by uncertainty, which often underlies medical decision-making processes. In order to address this topic, this paper presents a hybrid, rule-based reasoning system for mobile devices aimed at enabling the realization of intelligent health services. This system is essentially characterized by two main features: i) a hybrid knowledge representation approach for modelling productions rules involving both precise and vague information by integrating ontological and fuzzy primitives; ii) a lazy reasoning algorithm able to efficiently process this hybrid knowledge and timely produce answers. A case study has been arranged in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed system within a mobile application for detecting heart arrhythmias.
Graft quality matters: Survival after simultaneous liver-kidney transplant according to KDPI.

Background Poor renal function is associated with higher mortality after liver transplantation. Our aim was to understand the impact of kidney graft quality according to kidney donor profile index (KDPI) score on survival after simultaneous liver-kidney (SLK) transplantation. Methods Using United Network of Organ Sharing data from 2002-2013 for adult deceased donor SLK recipients, we compared survival and renal graft outcomes according to KDPI. Results Of 4,207 SLK transplants, 6% were from KDPI >85% donors. KDPI>85% recipients had significantly increased mortality (HR=1.83, 95%CI=1.44-2.31) after adjusting for recipient factors. Additionally, dialysis in the first week (HR=1.4, 95%CI=1.2-1.7) and death-censored kidney graft failure at 1 year (HR =5.7, 95%CI=4.6-7.0) were associated with increased mortality after adjusting for recipient factors and liver donor risk index score. Conclusions KDPI >85% recipients had worse patient and graft survival after SLK. Poor renal allograft outcomes including dialysis in the first week and death-censored kidney graft failure at 1 year were associated with significantly reduced patient survival. Questions remain about the survival impact of liver versus kidney graft quality given the close relationship between donor factors contributing to both, but KDPI can still be valuable as a metric readily available at the time of organ offers for SLK candidates. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Fusion of neutron-rich oxygen nuclei

Measurement of the fusion excitation function for 18 O + 12 C and 19 O + 12 C is described. The fusion cross-section is extracted through the direct measurement of evaporation residues resulting from the fusion process. At near barrier energies, the single additional neutron present in 19 O results in an enhancement in the fusion cross-section by a factor of over three as compared to 18 O.
Transitions of Care

With an aging population and advances in medical science, people with advanced diseases are living longer, and chronic care now dominates the health-care system. Effective management of patients with chronic diseases requires a well-developed care continuum that emphasizes patient safety. Fragmentation and discoordination of health care is a significant cause of inappropriate care and increased health-care costs.
A calibration method for diffuse optical tomography based on extracted target depth and size from Ultrasound images

In this abstract a calibration method based on depth and size information provided from ultrasound images is introduced. The method utilizes the forward data simulated by finite element method to calibrate the reconstructed absorption map.
An Organizing Model for Those Entering the Field of Psychiatry

To enter the field of psychiatry is to encounter an overwhelming mass of clinical data, hypothetical notions, and theoretical constructs. Conceptual models are tools by which the trainee begins to master the field and these complexities. For psychiatry, the biopsychosocial model has become the prevailing conceptual model (and DSM III R its specific nosology). This paper will offer a method for the application of the biopsychosocial model in order to demonstrate its utility and diminish problems in its utilization.
Prostate, Seminal Vesicle, Penis, and Urethra

Late histologic changes in irradiated benign prostate ducts include variable ductal atrophic change, cytologic and nuclear atypia, basal cell hyperplasia, increased foreign body giant cell reaction to corpora amylacea, nuclear pleomorphism, nuclear vacuolation, hyperchromatic DNA, and presence of prominent nucleoli. In the later phases of fibrosis, TGF-beta and PDGF, among others, simulate the proliferation of fibroblasts and the synthesis or extracellular matrix constituents and MMPs. Irradiated urothelial cells demonstrate changes including nuclear pleomorphism, swollen cytoplasm, and altered labeling indices as compared to non-irradiated urothelial cells. The most common acute urinary morbidities during external beam radiation therapy for pelvic malignancies are classified as irritative and are caused by acute inflammation and epithelial denudation of the urethra and possibly the bladder neck. In patients treated for prostate cancer, brachytherapy is associated with more late GU toxicity, but less late GI toxicity, than external beam RT. The main sexual side effects of radiation therapy to the pelvis are impotence, decreased libido, decreased ejaculate, and painful ejaculation. Late genitourinary toxicities of radiation therapy to the pelvis include chronic cystitis, chronic urethritis, bladder neck contracture, urethral strictures, hematuria, and urinary incontinence. Rectal complications are the main late toxicities that limit dose escalation in prostate cancer. Modern highly conformal techniques can be used to minimize dose to the penile bulb and cavernosa whenever possible, and MRI identification of the apex of the prostate may be helpful in this regard. For erectile dysfunction in the post-treatment setting, first-line phosphodiesterase inhibitors such as sildenafil 25–100 mg po prn, tadalafil 10 mg po prn, vardenafil 5–20 mg po can be considered.
Eicosanoid Changes in Skin Following Ultraviolet Light Irradiation

The incubation of homogenates prepared from UVB-irradiated guinea pig epidermis (24–72 hr) with [14C]-arachidonic acid ([14C]-AA) resulted in decreased transformation of [14C]-AA into the cyclooxygenase products (PGD2, PGE2, and PGF2α while the incorporation of 14C into lipoxygenase products (15-HETE and 12-HETE) increased. Investigation into the selective inhibition of the cyclooxygenase pathway revealed that the in vitro transformation of [14C]-AA into [14C]-cyclooxygenase products by the 105,000 x g particulate fraction prepared from normal unirradiated guinea pig epidermis was inhibited by the 105,000 x g cytoplasmic extract prepared from a 24-hr postirradiation guinea pig epidermis. These latter data imply (a) that an endogenous inhibitor(s) of the cyclooxygenase pathway is generated and released into the cytoplasm during UVB irradiation and (b) that it is likely that this selective inhibition of the cyclooxygenase pathway may contribute at least in part to the increased lipoxygenase products in the 24-hr postirradiation skin specimens and possibly the recognized prolonged UVB-induced inflammatory process.
The Shoelace Problem

Has this ever happened to you? You ve just finished patiently trying to explain some beautiful result of pure mathematics to a group of nonmathematicians, hoping that you ve conveyed something of the flavor of this pearl of truth and beauty, and then after a pause someone says, “Yes, but what has any of this got to do with everyday life?” After much thought I’ve decided that the correct response is to say “Nothing. That’s what’s so nice about it. After all, everyday life is often a drag, so we do mathematics for the same reason we listen to music or ski down a mountain: to get away from and above and beyond everyday life.”
Articular Chondrocyte Redifferentiation in 3D Co-cultures with Mesenchymal Stem Cells

In this work, we evaluated the ability of 3D co-cultures with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to redifferentiate monolayer expanded articular chondrocytes (ACs) and produce cartilaginous extracellular matrix at varying stages of the dedifferentiation process and further examined the dependency of this effect on the culture medium composition. Primary bovine ACs were expanded in monolayers for up to nine population doublings to obtain seven cell stocks with gradually increasing levels of dedifferentiation. Culture expanded ACs were then seeded as monocultures and co-cultures with rabbit bone marrow-derived MSCs (30:70 ratio of ACs-to-MSCs) on porous scaffolds. Parallel cultures were established for each cell population in serum-containing growth medium and serum-free induction medium supplemented with dexamethasone and TGF-β3. After 3 weeks, all groups were analyzed for DNA content, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and hydroxyproline (HYP) production, and chondrogenic gene expression. Significant enhancements in cellularity, GAG content and GAG/HYP ratio, and chondrogenic phenotype were observed in the induction medium compared to growth medium at all levels of AC expansion. Furthermore, primary co-cultures showed similarly enhanced chondrogenesis compared to monocultures in both culture media, whereas passaged ACs benefitted from co-culturing only in the induction medium. We conclude that co-cultures of ACs and MSCs can produce superior in vitro engineered cartilage in comparison to pure AC cultures, due to both heterotypic cellular interactions and decreased need for monolayer expansion of biopsied chondrocytes. While the initial level of AC dedifferentiation affected the quality of the engineered constructs, co-culture benefits were realized at all stages of AC expansion when suitable chondroinductive culture medium was used.
Computing with Chemicals: Perceptrons Using Mixtures of Small Molecules

Computation that can exploit the Avogadrian numbers of molecules in heterogeneous solutions, and the even larger number of potential interactions among these molecules, is a tantalizing dream. However, the lack of precise specificity/control of chemical interactions can be at odds with the dream. In this paper, we show how relatively simple chemistry can be used to produce a ubiquitous computational primitive (the multiply-accumulate or MAC operation) that forms the basis for a single-layer neural network called a perceptron. A chemical perceptron can be realized using distinct mixtures as inputs and different reagents as operations to produce the results of the perceptron MAC operation, that can be read out perhaps using simple indicators such as pH or fluorescence. With a moderately large chemical library, the number of potential inputs can be Avogadrian so that reagent addition implicitly performs a concomitantly large number of MAC operations in parallel.
High pressure behavior of chromium and yttrium molybdate (Cr2Mo3O12, Y2Mo3O12)

The high pressure behavior of negative thermal expansion materials continues to be of interest, as their potential use in controlled thermal expansion composites can be affected by irreversible pressure-induced phase transitions. To date, it is not possible to predict the high pressure behavior of these compounds, necessitating measurements on each composition. In this work, high pressure synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction studies of Cr2Mo3O12 and Y2Mo3O12 were conducted in a diamond anvil cell. Chromium molybdate, which adopts the monoclinic P21/a structure under ambient conditions, was found to not undergo any crystalline-crystalline transitions up to 8.9 GPa. The orthorhombic ambient pressure polymorph of yttrium molybdate was found to undergo a phase transition to the monoclinic P21/a scandium tungstate structure below 0.13 GPa. This structure is frequently observed for related materials at low temperatures, but has never been reported for Y2Mo3O12. No additional changes in this material were observed up to 4.9 GPa. The fact that the monoclinic polymorphs of these materials do not undergo phase transitions within the studied pressure range makes them unique among A2M3O12 materials, as most isostructural compositions undergo at least one phase transition to crystalline high pressure phases.
Economic Optimization Control of Microgrid with Electric Vehicles

Currently, micro-grid charging stations containing electric vehicles, cascade utilization of energy storage stations, and distributed photovoltaic power generation have become hot topics. In order to achieve the economical and efficient operation of micro-grid and reduce the energy waste, this paper studied the characteristics of photovoltaic power generation, charging and discharging characteristics of energy storage and charging characteristics of electric vehicles. Considering constraints such as the time-of-use price of electricity, various energy prices, and loss of micro-grid systems. A multi-objective optimization scheduling model of the microgrid based on genetic algorithm has been proposed. Simulation results show that the optimal scheduling of microgrid significantly reduce the charging costs and network loss which proves the effectiveness of the optimization model and strategies used in this paper.
Harambee City: the congress of racial equality in cleveland and the rise of black power populism

African American activist Ruth Turner suddenly decided to quit her full-time job as an instructor at a Cleveland, Ohio, school in 1963. White supremacists had killed four black girls in the bombing...
Use of ovarian suppression with endocrine therapy among premenopausal United States women with breast cancer, 2001-2016.

e12010Background: Clinical trials indicate that adding ovarian suppression (OS) to endocrine therapy (ET) in premenopausal women with non-metastatic breast cancer improves disease-free and overall ...
Abdominal Wall Thickness is a Predictor for Surgical Site Infections in Patients Undergoing Colorectal Operations.

BackgroundSurgical site infections (SSIs) are an established complication following colorectal operations, with rates up to 30% reported in the literature. Obesity is a known risk factor for SSI; h...
Comprehending global governance: International regime complexity vs. global constitutionalism

The After Fragmentation special issue unites political science conversations about regime complexity with legal/normative conversations about global constitutionalism through a focus on the generation and resolution of interface conflicts, defined as moments when overlapping elements or rule incompatibilities generate actual conflicts. Yet scholars choosing among these two perspectives actually have different objectives. After reviewing the two literatures, I argue that this special issue is closer to the global constitutionalism perspective, which generally seeks legitimated order. By contrast, the regime complexity literature asks how does the fact that global governance is spread across multiple institutions in itself shape cooperation politics. Investigating what it means to get ‘beyond fragmentation’, I suggest that the potential or actuality of rule conflicts is not necessarily a problem because conflicts are a normal and even salutary aspect of politics. If conflict is not the concern, then what should we be worrying about? Both perspectives, I argue, are amoral because they normalise and help justify an international order where responsibility is spread across institutions, promoting order while failing to address fundamental problems affecting people and the world. In this respect, resolving rule conflicts does not get us beyond fragmentation.
Increased numbers of nucleoli in a genome-wide RNAi screen reveal proteins that link the cell cycle to RNA polymerase I transcription

Nucleoli are dynamic nuclear condensates in eukaryotic cells that originate through ribosome biogenesis at loci that harbor the ribosomal DNA. These loci are known as nucleolar organizer regions (NORs), and there are 10 in a human diploid genome. While there are 10 NORs, however, the number of nucleoli observed in cells is variable. Furthermore, changes in number are associated with disease, with increased numbers and size common in aggressive cancers. In the near-diploid human breast epithelial cell line, MCF10A, the most frequently observed number of nucleoli is two to three per cell. Here, to identify novel regulators of ribosome biogenesis we used high-throughput quantitative imaging of MCF10A cells to identify proteins that, when depleted, increase the percentage of nuclei with ≥5 nucleoli. Unexpectedly, this unique screening approach led to identification of proteins associated with the cell cycle. Functional analysis on a subset of hits further revealed not only proteins required for progression through the S and G2/M phase, but also proteins required explicitly for the regulation of RNA polymerase I transcription and protein synthesis. Thus, results from this screen for increased nucleolar number highlight the significance of the nucleolus in human cell cycle regulation, linking RNA polymerase I transcription to cell cycle progression.
Fluid management, electrolytes imbalance and renal management in neonates with neonatal encephalopathy treated with hypothermia

Kidney dysfunction and acute kidney injury (AKI) frequently accompanies neonatal encephalopathy and contributes to neonatal morbidity and mortality. While there are currently no proven therapies for the treatment of AKI, understanding the pathophysiology along with early recognition and treatment of alterations in fluid, electrolyte and metabolic homeostasis that accompany AKI offer opportunity to reduce associated morbidity. Promising new tests and technologies, including urine and serum biomarkers and renal near-infrared spectroscopy offer opportunities to improve diagnosis and monitoring of neonates at risk for kidney injury. Furthermore, recent advances in neonatal kidney supportive therapies such as hemofiltration and hemodialysis may further improve outcomes in this population. This chapter provides an overview of disorders of fluid balance, electrolyte homeostasis and kidney function associated with neonatal encephalopathy and therapeutic hypothermia. Recommendations for fluid and electrolyte management based upon published literature and authors' opinions are provided.
Automated blink artefact removal from EEG using variational mode decomposition and singular spectrum analysis

Blink artefacts are the major source of noise while acquiring electroencephalogram (EEG) data for analysis. To design an efficient method for blink artefact removal is essential for conducting any ...
Kate Dossett. Radical Black Theatre in the New Deal

Radical Black Theatre in the New Deal focuses on the Negro Units of the Federal Theatre Project (1935–39). Dossett argues that Black performance communities consisting of Black theatre artists and ...
Section IX: Non-Microbial Keratitis and Immunology

Allergic disease is extremely common, with 15% of the world’s population affected. The eye conditions associated with type I hypersensitivity as a major component are allergic conjunctivitis (both seasonal and perennial), vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC), atopic keratoconjunctivis (AKC) and giant papillary conjunctivitis. Corneal involvement occurs frequently in both VKC and AKC. Vernal keratoconjunctivitis is a rare allergic conjuncti-val inflammatory disorder which typically affects male children. Symptoms are usually worse in the spring but perennial disease also occurs. The predominant symptom of VKC is itching. Excessive tearing, mucus production, photophobia, and burning or foreign body sensation are common symptoms. Although VKC may be a self limiting disease, it is a debilitating and sight threatening condition. Mast cell-stabilizing agents form the mainstay of treatment on patients with VKC. These agents have no effect on blocking the effects of released mediators and to be effective they must be used prophylactically before exposure to antigen. Topical steroids may be used in the treatment of acute initial disease or to control breakthrough inflammation. A short pulse of prednisolone sodium 1%, used four times daily with a taper to stop over 7 to 10 days is usually sufficient.
Accelerated Stability Test Techniques for Middle Distillate Fuels

Improved test techniques are needed for evaluating the inherent stability of middle distillate fuels both in surveillance and in procurement activities. A project was initiated to define and evaluate the contributing conditions leading to the formation of deleterious products in accelerated aging tests of middle distillate fuels and to relate these results to an experimental definition of more repeatable/reliable middle distillate fuel stability test technique(s). A literature search was conducted to provide a list of stability test techniques and their interpretations which could be used in a correlative middle distillate fuel stability test program. For this program, seven accelerated stability tests were chosen and evaluated using a set of six test fuels. The test techniques were selected to represent a wide variety of test conditions, including temperature, aging time, and oxygen availability. These six test fuels were purposely chosen to represent a wider range of stabilities than would necessarily be commonly available for procurement. The fuel properties generally measured included both adherent and suspended particulates, steam jet gum, color, and light absorbance at 540 nm. Accelerated stability test results were then related to test results obtained at a storage temperature of 43.3/sup 0/C, which has generally been regarded as showingmore » good correlation with long-term ambient storage.« less
Circumferential Para-Axillary Superficial Tumescent (CAST) Liposuction for Upper Arm Contouring

Today, preoccupation with fitness has made muscular definition in the female a sought-after goal [1, 2]. Well-proportioned arms and upper back with muscular development are the goal of today’s physically fit women and prominently featured in today’s fashion [3–5]. The increase in bariatric surgery for the morbidly obese has added to the group interested in aesthetic improvement of their arms. Rejuvenation of the upper arms continues to provide a challenge to both the surgeon and patient. Aging of the upper arm is extremely variable and depends on numerous factors, the most important of which appear to be genetics, the consistency of upper body toning exercises, obesity, and the variations of weight throughout life. The net result is an unaesthetic appearance with skin laxity and lipodystrophy of various degrees with the most severe form frequently designated the “batwing” deformity. Traditional liposuction of the upper arms has failed to meet the expectations of our patients. Commonly reported undesired sequelae of liposuction of the arms include worsening of skin laxity and wrinkling, central overresection on the inferior brachial border, and the lack of regional harmony [6–8]. Brachioplasty procedures improve contour, but are frequently unacceptable to our patients because of the undesired sequelae of widened, misplaced, or hypertrophic scars, contour irregularities, numbness, and skin necrosis [9–15]. Circumferential para-axillary superficial tumescent (CAST) liposuction alone or with minibrachioplasty has offered a reliable technique for arm contouring which maximizes retraction of the skin [3–5].
Recent progress in Bs mixing measurements

Abstract We review the status of B s mixing measurements from LEP experiments, including new results from DELPHI. We briefly review the various experimental techniques used and their limitations and discuss the possibilities for improving these measurements in the near future. Including the new DELPHI results the combined world average limit on the B s oscillation frequency is Δm s > 8.4ps −1 at 95% CL.
The relationship of threatened abortion to fetal abnormalities

Abstract There were 289 infants with congenital defects, or 2.42 per cent of 12,000 consecutive infants delivered at the Evanston Hospital. Of these 289, there were 110, or 0.92 per cent of 12,000, who had major abnormalities; 179, or 1.5 per cent exhibited less severe defects. It is estimated that there were at least 800 cases of threatened abortion in these 12,000 cases. The incidence of major fetal defects in the threatened abortion group is no more than 1.5 per cent. This is slightly greater than the incidence of defective infants in the group which did not threaten to abort. In clinical terms, however, the data give an expectancy of normalcy in 97 out of 100 infants whose mothers have threatened to abort. The incidence of abnormal infants in the series does not significantly differ from local and national averages covering years previous to attempted specific treatment of threatened abortion. It would seem, therefore, unlikely that attempts to save threatened abortions increase the frequency of abnormal babies.
Optimal control of Goursat-Darboux systems in domains with curvilinear boundaries

We derive necessary conditions for optimality in control problems governed by hyperbolic partial differential equations in Goursat-Darboux form. The conditions consist of a set of Hamiltonian equations in Goursat form, side conditions for the Hamiltonian equations, and an extremum principle akin to Pontryagin's maximum principle. The novel ingredient is that the domain over which the optimal control problem is posed is not rectangular. The non-rectangular nature of the domain affects the optimality conditions in a substantial way.
Effects of nitric oxide and nitric oxide-derived species on prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase and prostaglandin biosynthesis

Prostaglandins and NO. are important mediators of inflammation and other physiological and pathophysiological processes. Continuous production of these molecules in chronic inflammatory conditions has been linked to development of autoimmune disorders, coronary artery disease, and cancer. There is mounting evidence for a biological relationship between prostanoid biosynthesis and NO. biosynthesis. Upon stimulation, many cells express high levels of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase (PGHS). There are reports of stimulation of prostaglandin biosynthesis in these cells by direct interaction between NO. and PGHS, but this is not universally observed. Clarification of the role of NO. in PGHS catalysis has been attempted by examining NO. interactions with purified PGHS, including binding to its heme prosthetic group, cysteines, and tyrosyl radicals. However, a clear picture of the mechanism of PGHS stimulation by NO. has not yet emerged. Available studies suggest that NO. may only be a precursor to the molecule that interacts with PGHS. Peroxynitrite (from O2.-+NO.) reacts directly with PGHS to activate prostaglandin synthesis. Furthermore, removal of O2.- from RAW 267.4 cells that produce NO. and PGHS inhibits prostaglandin biosynthesis to the same extent as NOS inhibitors. This interaction between reactive nitrogen species and PGHS may provide new approaches to the control of inflammation in acute and chronic settings.
Pesticide Toxicity and the Developing Brain

Organochlorine pesticides are used in some countries for malaria control and organophosphate pesticides are widely used in agriculture and in homes. Previous literature documents children's exposure to these chemicals both in utero and during development. Animal studies suggest that many of these chemicals are neurodevelopmental toxicants even in moderate doses, but there are few studies in human beings. Associations of children's pesticide exposure with neurodevelopment from studies being conducted worldwide are summarized. In addition, we present the work of the CHAMACOS study, a longitudinal birth cohort study of Mexican-American children living in the Salinas Valley of California. In this study, we investigated the relationship of children's neurodevelopment with maternal dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene serum levels, as well as prenatal and child organophosphate urinary metabolite levels. We have examined the association with children's performance on the Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scales and at 6, 12 and 24 months on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (mental development and psychomotor development) and mothers report on the Child Behaviour Checklist. We observed a negative association of prenatal dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane exposure and child mental development. We also observed adverse associations of prenatal but not postnatal organophosphate pesticide exposure with mental development and pervasive developmental disorder at 24 months.
Effects of ammonia in pulp mill effluents on estuarine phytoplankton assemblages: field descriptive and experimental results

Abstract A field descriptive and field/laboratory experimental program was carried out to evaluate the effects of ammonia (NH 3 ) discharged by a pulp mill on estuarine plankton. Field data indicated that ammonia concentrations in the receiving system (Amelia Estuary; range, 0.19–0.43 mg l −1 ) were significantly higher than those taken in the reference system (Nassau Estuary; range, 0.09–0.11 mg l −1 ). Significantly reduced chlorophyll a concentrations were noted in the Amelia system, and these varied inversely with ammonia concentrations. There were periodic reductions of light transmission in areas affected by mill effluents and in upper areas of both estuaries due to postulated urban storm water runoff. Field surveys indicated that whole water and net phytoplankton numbers and species richness were significantly lower in the Amelia system. Zooplankton numbers were significantly lower at various Amelia stations, whereas there were no significant differences in zooplankton species richness between the two study areas. The field results indicated that the most likely system-wide differences of water quality that could account for the noted biological responses were the relatively high ammonia concentrations in the Amelia system. Field ammonia levels in the Amelia system were significantly associated with observed impairment of key indices of phytoplankton assemblages in areas affected by mill discharges, especially during summer periods of maximal impact. Laboratory microcosm experiments with Skeletonema costatum indicated adverse effects of ammonia on chlorophyll indicators. Microcosm results indicated that ammonia had a stimulatory effect on S. costatum at mean concentrations of 0.06 mg l −1 with initial adverse effects of ammonia within a range of 0.1–0.24 mg l −1 and major effects at concentrations >0.46 mg l −1 . Mesocosm experiments with ammonia indicated stimulatory effects from 0.11 to 0.14 mg l −1 with inhibition of phytoplankton growth at 0.20 mg l −1 . The difference between stimulatory effects and inhibition of ammonia on S. costatum and phytoplankton assemblages was relatively small. Microcosm and mesocosm experiments with pulp mill effluents resulted in a broad range of responses to ambient ammonia concentrations indicating undetermined interactions of the effects of ammonia with other components of the effluents. Within the context of the noted ranges of impacts in both the field and the laboratory, it was suggested that long-term average ammonia concentrations in the Amelia River-estuary at the outfall station should not exceed 0.11 mg l −1 with short-term concentrations not exceeding 0.20 mg l −1 . The pulp mill in the Amelia River-estuarine system has undertaken a restoration program based on these ammonia limits.
Equilibrium Structure of Simple Liquids

It is shown that the repulsive (not merely the positive) portion of the Lennard-Jones potential quantitatively dominates the equilibrium structure of the Lennard-Jones liquid. A simple and accurate approximation for the radial distribution function at high densities is presented.
Analyzing and improving Linux kernel memory protection: a model checking approach

Code injection continues to pose a serious threat to computer systems. Among existing solutions, W ⊕ X is a notable approach to prevent the execution of injected code. In this paper, we focus on the Linux kernel memory protection and systematically check for possible W ⊕ X violations in the Linux kernel design and implementation. In particular, we have developed a Murphi-based abstract model and used it to discover several serious shortcomings in the current Linux kernel that violate the W ⊕ X property. We have confirmed with the Linux community the presence of these problems and accordingly developed five Linux kernel patches. (Four of them are in the process of being integrated into the mainline Linux kernel.) Our evaluation with these patches indicate that they involve only minimal changes to the existing code base and incur negligible performance overhead.
Nonradiative damping of molecular electronic excited states by metal surfaces

Abstract In this review we discuss the interaction of a molecular excited state with a smooth substrate. Both theoretical and experimental work is treated. This discussion will concentrate on the classical treatment of the interaction because of its astounding success in comparison with experiment. We do however discuss the shortcomings of the classical treatment and some recent approaches to correcting these limitations. The experimental work is considered in detail but we focus on the region close to the substrate, less than 500 A away because the longer distance regime has been well reviewed. At the end of this article we briefly point out areas where future work is needed.
Supporting the Transition from Medical Researcher to Medical Educator

Within forward-thinking medical schools in the USA, there exists a growing divergence away from the “traditional”medical school faculty member. The idea of the educator-scholar as well as recent advancements in educational pedagogy and scholarship has led to the accelerated evolution of the distribution of effort applied to the three-pillars of the medical school academician: service, scholarship, and teaching. A 2011 report by Coleman and Richard, in which 76 % (n= 98) of US medical schools responded (79 of those had clearly defined career tracks), indicated that 34 of the schools (43 %) offered an education track and 41 % of those were tenure tracks [1]. This is a recognition of the need for individuals dedicated to teaching to keep up with social media, asynchronous communication, and presentation technologies; individuals that exhibit little or no need for extramural support for scholarship, it is also driven by the continued increasing reliance on clinical revenue to fund school operations [2]. Overall, this trend has been advantageous, in that, it frees up more traditional (research-oriented) faculty members to pursue increasingly limited funding while also providing the best teaching for students. It can be concluded that trained, inspired, and dedicated education-scholars should be doing the bulk of a university’s teaching, freeing highly specialized bench researchers to pursue their interests conducting science and seeking extramural funds. A growing population of faculty members from traditional, research-focused faculty positions is beginning to gravitate towards more education-oriented careers. Causes for this are varied, going beyond the common scenario regarding the depletion of grant funding, although this issue remains a serious one. Budget cuts that affect the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other extramural funders have been devastating to the careers of many. It is well-reported that the NIH’s diminished budget for the 2013 fiscal year will halt many research efforts. The loss of $1.7 billion, mandated by the Budget Control Act of 2011, came on top of several years of flat funding for the NIH. Data from the NIH, compiled by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology [3], demonstrate the full effect of these cuts:
Determination of the conductivity of an isotropic medium

Abstract The positive but unknow coefficient a(y) in the partial differential equation a(y) ∂ 2 u ∂x 2 + ∂ ∂y(a(y) ∂u ∂y ) = 0 in 0 is determined from a mixture of Dirichlet and Neumann data together with the additional specification of the “flux”: a(y) ∂u ∂x(0, y) = g(y) .
Effect of hypoxemia on sodium and water excretion in chronic obstructive lung disease

To determine the role of hypoxemia in the pathogenesis of impaired sodium and water excretion in advanced chronic obstructive lung disease, 11 clinically stable, hypercapneic patients requiring long-term supplemental oxygen were studied. The renal, hormonal, and cardiovascular responses to sodium and water loading were determined during five-and-a-half-hour studies on a control day (arterial oxygen tension = 80 +/- 6 mm Hg) and on an experimental day under hypoxic conditions (arterial oxygen tension = 39 +/- 2 mm Hg). Hypoxemia produced a significant decrease in urinary sodium excretion but did not affect urinary water excretion. Hypoxemia also resulted in concomitant declines in mean blood pressure, glomerular filtration rate, and filtered sodium load. Renal plasma flow and filtration fraction were unchanged whereas cardiac index rose. On the control day, plasma renin activity and norepinephrine levels were elevated whereas aldosterone and arginine vasopressin levels were normal; none of these four hormones was affected by hypoxemia. Renal tubular function did not appear to be altered by hypoxemia as there was no significant change in fractional reabsorption of sodium. The concurrent decreases in glomerular filtration rate, filtered sodium load, and mean blood pressure at constant renal plasma flow suggest that the reduction in urinary sodium excretion was due to an effect of hypoxemia on glomerular function, possibly related to impaired renovascular autoregulation.
Infrared photoconductivity in heavily nitrogen doped a-Si:H

The generation of high frequency steady-state photoconductivity in nitrogen doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H-N) films has been demonstrated at infrared (IR) frequencies of 650 to 2000 cm-1 or 15 to 5 µm in wavelength. This allows IR photoconductivity to be observed using a simple thermal source. In order to produce high frequency photoconductivity effects the plasma frequency must be increased to the desired device operation frequency or higher as described by the Drude model. IR ellipsometry was used to measure the steady-state permittivity of the a-Si:H-N films as a function of pump illumination intensity. The largest permittivity change was found to be ?er = 2 resulting from a photo-carrier concentration on the order of 1022 cm-3. IR photoconductivity is shown to be limited by the effective electron mobility at IR frequencies.
Effects of moisture on fatigue behavior of SiC/SiC composite at elevated temperature

The effects of moisture on fatigue performance of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) at an elevated temperature were investigated. CMC consisted of silicon carbide fiber reinforced in silicon carbide matrix with boron nitride (BN) interphase. Two series of tension-tension fatigue tests at a frequency of 10 Hz with a stress ratio of 0.1 were conducted at 750 °C: (1) under dry environment test condition (with 0% moisture content) and (2) under humid environment test condition (with 60% moisture content). Fatigue life diagrams were developed under these two conditions. Moisture decreased the fatigue life at a prescribed stress level relative to that without moisture. A detailed microscopic analysis showed that moisture caused embrittlement of the interphase between fiber and matrix, which in turn caused the degradation of fatigue performance of the tested CMC system.
Targeted disruption of Ca2+-calmodulin signaling in Drosophila growth cones leads to stalls in axon extension and errors in axon guidance

Abstract Ca 2+ -calmodulin (CaM) function was selectively disrupted in a specific subset of growth cones in transgenic Drosophila embryos in which a specific enhancer element drives the expression of the kinesin motor domain fused to a CaM antagonist peptide (kinesin-antagonist or KA, which blocks CaM binding to target proteins) or CaM itself (kinesin-CaM or KC, which acts as a Ca 2+ -binding protein). In both KA and KC mutant embryos, specific growth cones exhibit dosage-dependent stalls in axon extension and errors in axon guidance, including both defects in fasciculation and abnormal crossings of the midline. These results demonstrate an in vivo function for Ca 2+ -CaM signaling in growth cone extension and guidance and suggest that Ca 2+ -CaM may in part regulate specific growth cone decisions, including when to defasciculate and whether or not to cross the midline.
Verapamil plasma binding: Relationship to α1‐acid glycoprotein and drug efficacy

The relationship between alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) plasma concentration and plasma verapamil binding was examined in samples obtained 15 minutes after 10 mg IV verapamil to 15 subjects. There was a good correlation (r = 0.83) between the binding ratio and AAG concentration, suggesting that AAG could bind verapamil. This was confirmed in vitro by the addition of AAG to an albumin solution, which resulted in a strong correlation between binding ratio (r = 0.99) and AAG concentration. The relationship between both free and total plasma concentrations and the effects of verapamil on the PR interval was also examined several times after 10 mg IV verapamil in seven of the subjects. While there was a correlation between log of both concentrations and the percent prolongation in PR interval (P less than 0.001), the correlation was stronger with free drug concentration (r2 = 0.58) than with total plasma concentration (r2 = 0.36). The range of free concentrations associated with a given effect (220%) was also narrower than that for total concentration (300%). While these data indicate that AAG is responsible for most of the variability in plasma verapamil binding, which in turn contributes somewhat to variation in effectiveness of a given total plasma concentration, neither of these causes of individual variations is likely to have a major clinical impact in patients who, apart from arrhythmia, are otherwise healthy.
A New Pharmacodynamic Model of Antiarrhythmic Drugs

A new model using rational functions is proposed for the pharmacodynamics of antiarrhythmic drugs. It can describe both positive and negative effects, as well as different asymptotic effect levels. The method for determining parameters is presented and applied to experimental data. This model fits data better than traditional models.
Abortion and family building models: Fertility limitation in Hungary

This paper demonstrates how family-building models can be used for checking the quality of abortion data. A family-building model, called FERMODA, is presented and used to check whether the available data on abortion for Hungary are consistent with Hungarian data on other aspects of family building. Model cohorts are generated, using in FERMODA the proportions of women married and the birth and abortion rates of two selected Hungarian cohorts. The estimates obtained from the simulated cohorts concerning use of contraception are compared with the information available on contraception, and, on the basis of this comparison, a judgment is made about the quality of abortion data for Hungary.