cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Revolution in the revolution

This examination of what I have, with apologies to Regis Debray, chosen to call “the revolution in the revolution” may help us to place the process of peasant rebellion in a new and hopefully more realistic perspective. It implies, above all, that the historical evolution of peasant radicalism is more a process of addition than of substitution. That is, the growth of a radical revolutionary elite espousing modern creeds such as nationalism and communism does not so much displace the older forms of rebellion or the values they embody, so much as it adds a new layer of leadership and doctrine at the revolutionary apex. The degree of interpenetration varies from place to place and over time, but we can expect to find, as we move toward the rank-and-file in the countryside, the expression of beliefs, values, and interests which distinguish the peasantry as an old and distinct, pre-capitalist class. Once again, the revolutionary amalgalm mimics the ritual amalgam which anthropologists have noted.
Long-term Clean Intermittent Self-catheterization in Renal Transplant Recipients

Eight renal transplant recipients with neurogenic bladders or lower urinary tract dysfunction were managed with clean intermittent self-catheterization after transplantation instead of urinary diversion. A total of 85 treatment months was reviewed. Of the patients 5 continue to do well after 10 to 17 months of intermittent catheterization and 3 suffered immunological graft failures. In selected renal transplant recipients with lower urinary tract dysfunction clean intermittent catheterization is a reasonable alternative to urinary diversion.
Preemptive vessel dilator cricothyrotomy aids in the management of upper airway obstruction.

Purpose Our objective was to demonstrate that preemptive vessel dilator cricothyrotomy may be useful when managing the patient with airway obstruction.
New Magnetic Recording Media

Magnetic recording media can take the form of tape, floppy disk, or hard (rigid) disk. The Signals recorded could be analog or digital. In Computer data storage applications, all the data are stored in digital form. Tapes and floppy disks are used for permanent storage and hard disks are used for on-line storage. The principles of these recording methods are well described in the magnetic storage handbook and other reference books (Mee and Daniel, 1996). This chapter will focus on the recording media for hard disk drives, which have experienced the most significant development in recent years and represent the most technical challenges.
SM 01-2347 Darpi: innovations in injury prevention science

The Division of Analysis, Research and Practice Integration (DARPI) was established in 2013 and has been fast at work to grow a base for the intersection of science and action and to build the case for a systems perspective. We argue that population level reductions in injury-related morbidity and mortality is rarely achieved by simply multiplying the scale of a prevention program that has been shown to be efficacious under controlled research circumstances. More often population level impact is achieved by starting within the public domain and designing complex solutions to complex problems using existing social infrastructures and institutions. Populations are complex, and local involvement is critical to the success of population-based interventions. Effective action to prevent injury requires orchestrated support from societal leadership. The value of this perspective has started to emerge through a directed portfolio of projects, products, and change activities. High quality and innovative activities have launched a platform to consider population level change to reduce injury related morbidity and mortality. Accomplishments to date include publications (including three journal supplements), webinars, workshops, and a new frame for practice products and tools. Presentation will cover the findings from these accomplishments, but will also delve into how these results move the science of injury prevention forward.
Like or Tweet: Analysis of the Use of Facebook and Twitter in the Language Classroom

Social media has become a daily activity in today’s technological age, and with this development, educators are met with another possible tool to facilitate language learning. This study was conducted to examine the use of social media, in particular Facebook and Twitter, as a pedagogical instrument in beginning level Spanish courses. Two university-level, beginning Spanish courses were analyzed for student preference and academic impact of the incorporation of social media as a course component – one using Facebook while another using Twitter. Equivalent semester-long assignments were implemented into both the Facebook and Twitter classes. Results show that students exhibited an overall positive perception of skill increase and an awareness of Spanish-speaking countries and current events. Results further indicate that students viewed social media as a valuable learning tool for cultural awareness and target language usage. These findings support the use of social media as a pedagogical resource for the twenty-first century language classroom.
Electrical Transport Properties from Long Wavelength Ellipsometry

Electrical transport properties (resistivity, scattering time, carrier concentration, mobility, effective mass) can be deduced from the Drude model for free carrier optical absorption. Optical response of materials may include simultaneous contributions from free carriers, phonon modes, and electronic transitions, however. Improved sensitivity to free carrier absorption and electrical transport properties is obtained through the use of long wavelength extended spectroscopic ellipsometry in the infrared (IR) and millimeter (THz) ranges. Non-contacting optical measurement and analysis methodologies are designed for semiconductors and transparent conductors used in photovoltaics (PV). Case studies include ZnO:Al, InP, wafer Si, and slnale crystal CdTe.
Predictors of in-hospital adverse events after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair.

Abstract Background Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) offered outstanding survival benefit but at the expense of cost, periodic radiographic monitoring, and higher reinterventions rates. Perioperative complications, although rare, can occur after EVAR, contributing to longer hospitalization, higher cost, and significant comorbidity and mortality. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the predictors of in-hospital events (IHEs) after elective EVAR. Methods The Vascular Quality Initiative database was explored from 2003 to 2017. Patients who had converted to open repair were excluded. IHEs were defined as any in-hospital myocardial infarction, dysrhythmia, congestive heart failure (CHF), stroke, pneumonia, respiratory failure, renal failure, lower extremity ischemia, bowel ischemia, or reoperation. Stepwise backward selection based on the Akaike information criterion statistic was implemented to select the predictors of IHE from the multivariable logistic regression models. Bootstrapping was performed with 1000 replications to internally validate the model and to obtain bias-corrected estimates. Receiver operating characteristic curves (area under the curve [AUC]) and Hosmer-Lemeshow tests were used to assess the discrimination and calibration of the models. Results A total of 28,240 patients with full information about IHEs were included. Any IHE took place in 2365 (8.4%) patients. Patients who had an IHE were slightly older (mean age ± standard deviation, 75.6 ± 8.1 years vs 73.3 ± 8.5 years; P Conclusions In-hospital adverse events can complicate the perioperative course of EVAR and increase the risk of operative and long-term mortality. Predicting IHEs and identifying their risk factors can potentially mitigate their development in patients at high risk. Predicting IHE risk can have tremendous prognostic value and help disposition planning. This study introduces an internally validated tool to enable vascular surgeons to identify patients' chance of having an IHE.
Help — A Medical Information System Which Combines Automated Medical Decision-Making with Clinical Data Review and Administrative Support

Help is a hospital information system that has been developed at the LDS hospital in Salt Lake City during the last 15 years. It is routinely used to order tests, review results, capture costs, schedule procedures, and provide management information. It’s pervasive influence in the hospital is illustrated by the number of users: there are 545 printers and terminals in the 520 bed hospital. In addition to these clinical and administrative functions that constitute the traditional role of hospital information systems, the Help system supports automated medical decision-making. Whenever logical conditions for a specific decision (alarm, alert, diagnosis, interpretation, therapeutic recommendation) are satisfied by data which are present in an individual patient’s computerized medical record, the system will automatically present this decision to the appropriate health care provider (nurse, physician, technologist, or pharmacist).
Palliative Care in the Management of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome in the Primary Care Setting.

Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) has metamorphosed in the past 40 years since the first cases were diagnosed. The advent of highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) transformed the disease trajectory for many patients with HIV/AIDS and transitioned the course from a terminal disease to a chronic disease model. This article reviews the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS, prognostic indicators, frailty, opportunistic infections, specific AIDS-defining malignancies and non-AIDS-defining malignancies, role of palliative care, advance care planning, and the role of HAART in patients dying of late-stage AIDS.
Scope of the Problem, Definition, and Pathophysiology

The term asthma is now recognized as the common endpoint for a heterogeneous milieu of diverse inflammatory pathways. It is recognized as a public health issue in view of significant global morbidity and healthcare utilization. Despite progress in key outcomes such as asthma-related mortality, improvements have plateaued in the past decade in the face of escalating treatment costs. Similarly, advances in our understanding of pathogenesis have not translated into effective primary prevention strategies. This review seeks to highlight the risk factors identified for various asthma phenotypes as well as structural and inflammatory abnormalities associated with severe disease. We also describe the use of disease metrics to separate asthma phenotypes based on underlying mechanistic pathways that may facilitate the use of targeted therapies.
Community mobility plans for individuals with developmental disabilities: A feasibility study:

IntroductionIndividuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities have unmet transportation needs, which limits their community mobility. Access to transportation is linked to community p...
Solid-Solid Interfaces and Superlattices

In this paper, we shall discuss recent developments in interface growth techniques and present data on the structure of semiconductor interfaces and the related optical and electronic transport properties of the interfaces. We shall also describe progress toward one- and zero-dimensional quantum confinement structures.
How negotiation delays affect policy decisions: evidence from the budgetary process

Intensified by today’s increasingly contentious political environment, delays often occur in the policy-making process. This paper applies the time pressure theory to study how budget deadlines and...
Secondary Hypertension in Preventive Cardiology: A Rare Rheumatologic Disease

A previously healthy 16-year-old black female presented with hypertension, 20 pound weight loss, fatigue, exercise intolerance and epistaxis. She described a throbbing headache for ten days. Systolic BP (SBP) was 110mmHg five months prior. Exam revealed cachexia, tachycardia, normal rhythm, 2/6 blowing systolic murmur LLSB, and an S3 gallop. Pulses: right brachial faint, left brachial 1+ and bilateral femoral 3+. SBP was 130mmHg in the left upper extremity, unable to be auscultated on the right, and 260mmHg in right lower extremity. EKG: sinus tachycardia, 109bpm, nonspecific ST-T wave changes in lateral …
Can Islamic Law Principles Regarding Settlement of Criminal Disputes Solve the Problem of the US Mass Incarceration

The mass incarceration crisis in the United States (US) remains a vexing issue to this day. Although the US incarcerated population has decreased by twenty-five percent amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the US remains a leading country in the number of incarcerated people per capita. Focusing on Islamic law principles governing settlement in criminal cases, the rehabilitative approach of the Icelandic criminal justice model, and the powerful role of prosecutors in serving justice, this research argues that integrating settlement and mediation into the prosecutorial proceedings will significantly reduce mass incarceration in the US.
Dilute phase oligomerization can oppose phase separation and modulate material properties of a ribonucleoprotein condensate

Ribonucleoprotein bodies are exemplars of membraneless biomolecular condensates that can form via spontaneous or driven phase transitions. The fungal protein Whi3 forms ribonucleoprotein condensates with different RNA molecules, and these condensates are implicated in key processes such as cell-cycle control and generating cell polarity. Whi3 has a modular architecture that includes a Q-rich intrinsically disordered region (IDR) and a tandem RNA recognition module. Here, we demonstrate that a 21-residue stretch within the Q-rich IDR has a weak intrinsic preference for forming alpha-helical conformations. Through mutagenesis, we find that increased alpha helicity enhances oligomerization in the dilute phase. One consequence of enhanced oligomerization is a dilution of Whi3 in the dense phase. The opposite behavior is observed when helicity within the 21-residue stretch of the Q-rich region is abrogated. Thus, the formation of dilute phase oligomers, driven by a specific sequence motif and potential synergies with the rest of the IDR, opposes incorporation of the Whi3 protein into the dense phase, thereby altering the dense phase stoichiometry of protein to RNA. Our findings, which stand in contrast to other systems where oligomerization has been shown to enhance the drive for phase separation, point to a novel mechanism that might be operative for influencing compositions of condensates. Our work also points to routes for designing synthetic ribonucleoprotein condensates whereby modulation of protein oligomerization via homotypic interactions can impact dense phase concentrations, stoichiometries, and material properties.
Social welfare trends in western societies: Privatisation and the challenge to social work

The paper analyses several key features of the changing landscape of modern welfare states, the major the social forces driving this change, and how change is pertinent to the future of social work practice. The social forces driving change include structural factors such as the demographic transition and globalisation of the economy, as well as sociopolitical variables that involve an understanding of the unanticipated effects of social policies and the increased value attributed to the private sector. The central characteristics of change include a shift in policies away from the protection of labor and toward the promotion of work and the increasing use of the private sector for the production and delivery of social services. The privatisation of social welfare and its implications for social work practice are examined in the light of the challenges in negotiating service contracts.
A unified neural network model of spatiotemporal processing in X and Y retinal ganglion cells

This article makes use of a push-pull shunting network, which was introduced in the companion article, to model certain properties of X and Y retinal ganglion cells. Input to the push-pull network is preprocessed by a nonlinear mechanism for temporal adaptation, which is ascribed here to photoreceptor dynamics. The complete circuit is used to show that a simple change in receptive field morphology within a single model equation can change the network's response characteristics to closely resemble those of either X or Y cells. Specifically, an increase in width of the receptive field center mechanism is sufficient to account for generation of on-off (Y-like) instead of null (X-like) responses to modulated gratings. In agreement with experimental data, the Y cell on-off response is independent of spatial phase. Also, the model accurately predicts that on-off responses can be observed in X cells for particular stimulus configurations. Taken together, the results show how the retina combines individually inadequate modules to efficiently handle the tasks required for accurate spatial and temporal visual information processing. The model is also able to clarify a number of controversial experimental findings on the nature of spatiotemporal visual processing in the retina.
Underwater Direction-of-Arrival Finding: Maximum Likelihood Estimation and Performance Analysis

OF THE DISSERTATION Underwater Direction-of-Arrival Finding: Maximum Likelihood Estimation and Performance Analysis by Tao Li Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering Washington University in St. Louis, May 2012 Research Advisor: Dr. Arye Nehorai In this dissertation, we consider the problems of direction-of-arrival (DOA) finding using acoustic sensor arrays in underwater scenarios, and develop novel signal models, maximum likelihood (ML) estimation methods, and performance analysis results. We first examine the underwater scenarios where the noise on sensor arrays are spatially correlated, for which we consider using sparse sensor arrays consisting of widely separated sub-arrays and develop ML DOA estimators based on the ExpectationMaximization scheme. We examine both zero-mean and non-zero-mean Gaussian incident signals and provide detailed estimation performance analysis. Our results show that non-zero means in signals improve the accuracy of DOA estimation. Then we consider the problem of DOA estimation of marine vessel sources such as ships, submarines, or torpedoes, which emit acoustic signals containing both sinusoidal and random components. We propose a mixed signal model and develop an ML estimator for narrow-band DOA finding of such signals and then generalize the ii results to the wide-band case. We provide thorough performance analysis for the proposed signal model and estimators. We show that our mixed signal model and ML estimators improve the DOA estimation performance in comparison with the typical stochastic ones assuming zero-mean Gaussian signals. At last, we derive a Barankin-type bound (BTB) on the mean-square error of DOA estimation using acoustic sensor arrays. The typical DOA estimation performance evaluation are usually based on the Cramer-Rao Bound (CRB), which cannot predict the threshold region of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), below which the accuracy of the ML estimation degrades rapidly. Identification of the threshold region has important applications for DOA estimation in practice. Our derived BTB provides an approximation to the SNR threshold region.
Multitask learning: a knowledge-based source of inductive bias

This paper suggests that it may be easier to learn several hard tasks at one time than to learn these same tasks separately. In effect, the information provided by the training signal for each task serves as a domain-specific inductive bias for the other tasks. Frequently the world gives us clusters of related tasks to learn. When it does not, it is often straightforward to create additional tasks. For many domains, acquiring inductive bias by collecting additional teaching signal may be more practical than the traditional approach of codifying domain-specific biases acquired from human expertise. We call this approach Multitask Learning (MTL). Since much of the power of an inductive learner follows directly from its inductive bias, multitask learning may yield more powerful learning. An empirical example of multitask connectionist learning is presented where learning improves by training one network on several related tasks at the same time. Multitask decision tree induction is also outlined.
Is Freedom Slavery

My mother, born in the South, was fond of the expression "free, white and twenty-one." She said it with flair and conviction whenever she wanted to do something mildly adventurous, and for her it signified a blameless privilege. Martin Luther King and the 1960s taught me to hear it differently, with a kind of embarrassed horror at family complicity in America's terrible racist history. Later I learned to add a more personal caveat: no woman, black or white, was as free as my mother liked to pretend. But whether it was the experience of the civil rights movement of the 60s or the women's movement of the 70s, I have always been fascinated with the idea of freedom. Freedom is the American religion. Like most religions it has its sects and schisms, its points of contact with different belief systems, its devoted adher ents and lip service hypocrites. It also has its sacred texts, from the Magna Carta to Milton's Areopagitica to the Declaration of Independence. One of the more recent sacred texts is George Orwell's 1984, published fifty years ago this year. 1984's middle-class author was an unlikely prophet of international liberty. Born Eric Blair in India, destined for British Imperial service, he attended Eton on a scholarship and spent time as a guardian of the empire in Burma. He took his patriotic pseudonym from the patron saint of England and a river near the ancient city of Colchester. Yet he deplored England's xenophobia, fought in the Spanish Civil War, argued for a peaceful release of India from British rule, and advocated a less isolated, more European England. His inter nationalism barely extended to America, whose soldiers he saw as an occupy ing army, barbaric and largely repellent though necessary during the latter days of World War II (see his wartime columns for the London Tribune, such as the one for 17 December 1943). In 1984 London is the "chief city" of "Airstrip One," a principal part of the North American-European union Orwell calls Oceania, but its pitiful and dimly hedonistic proletarian economy is ne gotiated with dollars. Whatever Orwell's attitude toward American soldiers, he admired our founding rhetoric and in turn 1984 remains a staple of our high schools and colleges, a cautionary nightmare that transcends the circum
ASCERTAINING POLICE BIAS IN ARRESTS FOR DRUNKEN DRIVING

OF THE 640 MEN AGED 25 TO 54 ARRESTED FOR DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED (ADWI) IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF., AND THE 383 IN THE FRANKLIN COUNTY (COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN AREA), OHIO, DURING THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF 1962, ABOUT ONE-THIRD HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS. THE ARREST-VULNERABILITY (A-V) RATIOS (PERCENTAGE OF ADWI: PERCENTAGE IN CENSUS TRACT) BY ETHNICITY, HOWEVER, WERE MORE THAN TWICE AS HIGH AMONG THE SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED SECTORS IN BOTH COUNTIES: 1.90 VS 0.89 FOR THE SPANISH (MEXICAN) VS NON-SPANISH WHITES IN SANTA CLARA, 1.98 VS 0.86 FOR THE NEGROES VS WHITES IN FRANKLIN. A-V RATIOS ALSO INCREASED AS PERCENTAGES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND BROKEN HOMES INCREASED AND AS ECONOMIC STATUS AND HOME OWNERSHIP DECLINED IN THE CENSUS TRACTS OF RESIDENCE. POTENTIAL POLICE BIAS AGAINST THE DISADVANTAGED GROUPS WAS MEASURED BY COMPARING (1) THE PERCENTAGES OF ADWI INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS, AND (2) THEIR BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATIONS (BAC) ACCORDING TO ETHNICITY AND THE ABOVE 4 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CENSUS-TRACT VARIABLES. IN SANTA CLARA, NONE OF THE 4 VARIABLES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY RELATED TO ACCIDENT INVOLVEMENT ALTHOUGH A SIGNIFICANTLLY GREATER PERCENTAGE OF SPANISH-AMERICAN ADWI (40.4 VS 29.9%) WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS; WITH RESPECT TO BAC, ONLY THOSE FROM CENSUS TRACTS WITH HIGH PROPORTIONS OF BROKEN HOMES HAD SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER BAC THAN OTHER ADWI. IN FRANKLIN COUNTY ETHNICITY WAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY ASSOCIATED WITH ACCIDENT INVOLVEMENT. HOWEVER, THOSE LIVING IN CENSUS TRACTS WITH HIGH PROPORTIONS OF BROKEN HOMES AND LOW PROPORTIONS OF HOME OWNERSHIP HAD SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER URINE ALCOHOL CONCENTRATIONS THAN OTHER ADWI. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE HIGH ADWI RATE AMONG THE MINORITY AND DISADVANTAGED GROUPS PROBABLY REFLECTS ACCURATELY A GREATER FREQUENCY OF DRUNKEN DRIVING AMONG THEM RATHER THAN A POLICE BIAS IN ARRESTS. /AUTHOR/
Microbubble-mediated intravascular ultrasound imaging and drug delivery

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) provides radiation-free, real-time imaging and assessment of atherosclerotic disease in terms of anatomical, functional, and molecular composition. The primary clinical applications of IVUS imaging include assessment of luminal plaque volume and real-time image guidance for stent placement. When paired with microbubble contrast agents, IVUS technology may be extended to provide nonlinear imaging, molecular imaging, and therapeutic delivery modes. In this review, we discuss the development of emerging imaging and therapeutic applications that are enabled by the combination of IVUS imaging technology and microbubble contrast agents.
Pleistocene Ventifacts and Ice‐Marginal Conditions, New Jersey, USA

The Pleistocene environment of the New Jersey Pine Barrens has been interpreted as either cool and moist, with boreal forest, or cold and dry, with semi-desert conditions. The presence of ventifacts is often cited as perfunctory evidence for strong Pleistocene wind action and sparse vegetation. This study examines sites where ventifacts had been reported and identifies abundant pebble- to boulder-sized samples with a wide suite of erosional forms. Faceting occurred when the land was sparsely vegetated, allowing abundant wind-entrained abradants to etch gravel and rocks as a consequence of katabatic winds blowing off the nearby Laurentide Ice Sheet. Most ventifacts occur on upland surfaces and attest to geomorphic stability in this part of the region's otherwise low-relief landscape. Ventifacts were reworked and incorporated within deposits attributed to periglacial mass movement, particularly during climatic amelioration. Aeolian features such as pavement einkante, scallops and weathering pits can evolve only where sustained wind velocities are very high, sand sources are abundant and vegetation is absent. The Pine Barrens' ventifacts provide evidence of cold, dry and windy conditions and aid in the interpretation of landscape evolution. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Occupational working conditions as risk factors for preterm birth in Benin, West Africa.

Background Although many studies from developed countries have established a relationship between various occupational working conditions during pregnancy and preterm birth, there is little data available in developing countries where both maternal physical labor during pregnancy and preterm birth are common. The aim of this study was to examine the association between difficult occupational working conditions of pregnant women and premature births in the Republic of Benin in West Africa. Method The case-control study included 99 women with preterm babies and 104 women with fullterm babies. The participants were residents of the Republic of Benin who delivered between May 1, 2000 and April 30, 2002. Preterm delivery was defined as delivery prior to 37 completed weeks of gestation. The study sample was selected randomly from birth records. Data were collected both reviewing birth records and conducting semi-structured personal interviews with mothers. Logistic regression models were adjusted for mother's age, mother's education, health problems during pregnancy, and twin birth. Results Although working state of mother during pregnancy did not increase the risk for preterm delivery, carrying heavy loads more than 5 days per week was significantly associated with having a preterm baby (adjusted OR: 5.0; 95% CI: 1.38-18.8; P=0.018). Carrying heavy loads and having worked a lot more than 5 days per week was also significantly associated with preterm birth (adjusted OR: 6.88; 95% CI: 1.45-32.2; P=0.015). Conclusion Reducing heavy loads carrying during pregnancy may also prevent preterm delivery in developing countries. Though replication of these data using a prospective design is needed, our results suggest that educating women about the risks associated with heavy labor during pregnancy is indicated.
776-6 Myocardial Adenylyl Cyclase Activity in an Animal Model of Dilated Cardiomyopathy Treated Chronically with the Non-Selective β-blocker Carteolol

It has been shown that heart failure is associated with a decrease in β1-receptor density and uncoupling of adenylyl cyclase (AC). Treatment with β1-blockade increases β-receptors but it is not known whether adenylyl cyclase activity temporally follows β1-receptor upregulation. We have previously shown that chronic β1-blockade with carteolol (CAR) improves survival and left ventricular (LV) function in turkeys with furazolidone-induced dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). We measured adenylyl cyclase activity in hearts from control (CON). DCM, carteolol-treated (10 mg/kg/dx28 days) CON (CONCAR, and carteolol-treated (10 mg/kg/dx28 days) DCM (DCMCAR) animals. AC activity was measured as cAMP (pmol/mg/min) and is given in the table below: Basal Gpp(NH)p NaF ISO FORSKOLIN CON 6.7 ± 1.4 17.7 ± 2.5 19.7 ± 4.3 10.3 ± 0.9 78.1 ± 8.7 CONCAR 2.7 ± 0.4 * 8.0 ± 1.5 * 17.2 ± 1.0 * 6.4 ± 1.0 * 52.0 ± 3.0 * DCM 4.7 ± 0.7* 8.5 ± 1.0 * 24.1 ± 2.7 * 6.4 ± 0.7 * 60.9 ± 5.5 * DCMCAR 2.8 ± 0.5 * , # 4.6 ± 4.3 * , # 18.5 ± 1.7 * , # 4.9 ± 0.6 * , # 36.9 ± 2.9 * , # Results: MEAN ± SEM, n = 3 for all groups, ISO = isoproterenol, NaF = Sodium Fluoride. * p l 0.01 compared to CON # P l 0.01 compared to DCM Conclusions 1) Improvement in LV function is not accompanied temporally by an increase in AC activity, 2) Restoration of coupling between AC and Gprotein does not seem to be a necessary step to provide improvement in cardiac function in this animal model of heart failure.
Infrared spectra and quantum chemical calculations of the uranium carbide molecules UC and CUC with triple bonds.

Laser evaporation of carbon-rich uranium/carbon alloys followed by atom reactions in a solid argon matrix and trapping at 8 K gives weak infrared absorptions for CUO at 852 and 804 cm−1. A new band at 827 cm−1 becomes a doublet with mixed carbon 12 and 13 isotopes and exhibits the 1.0381 isotopic frequency ratio, which is appropriate for the UC diatomic molecule, and another new band at 891 cm−1 gives a three-band mixed isotopic spectrum with the 1.0366 isotopic frequency ratio, which is characteristic of the linear CUC molecule. CASPT2 calculations with dynamical correlation find the C≡U≡C ground state as linear 3Σu+ with 1.840 A bond length and molecular orbital occupancies for an effective bond order of 2.83. Similar calculations with spin-orbit coupling show that the U≡C diatomic molecule has a quintet (Λ = 5, Ω = 3) ground state, a similar 1.855 A bond length, and a fully developed triple bond of 2.82 effective bond order.
Mehlich‐1‐ and DTPA‐extractable lead in soils in relation to soil properties

Abstract Mehlich‐1 and DTPA extractants are frequently used to predict metal availability in soils. Metal extractability by the acid or chelate extractant reflects the metal characteristics and metal‐soil interactions. In this study, samples of eight topsoils from the southeastern United States were incubated with added lead (Pb) at the rate of 40 mg#lbkg‐1. After five months in the greenhouse, Mehlich‐1 and DTPA extractants were employed to extract Pb in both metal‐amended and natural soils. For the natural soils, Pb concentration in the DTPA extractant was always higher than that in the Mehlich‐1 extractant. This indicates that the DTPA chelate extractant is able to dissolve some Pb in soils which is not solubilized by protons. The negative correlation found between Mehlich‐1‐extractable Pb and soil clay content might result from two mechanisms: i) strong association between Pb and soil surfaces, or ii) readsorption of Pb during extraction. None of the correlations between DTPA‐extractable Pb and soil p...
Live modeling of 1D wave propagation in layered soil media

This paper presents the structure and use of Dr. Layer, a computer program designed to provide students a simulation/visualization environment for studying linear and nonlinear wave propagation behavior in layered soil media. To support student-based exploration, Dr. Layer uses “live” modeling, i.e., modeling in which computation, interaction, and visualization occur simultaneously. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 9: 248–258, 2001; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com.); DOI 10.1002/cae.10003
Geographic and occupational risk factors for ventricular septal defects: Washington State, 1987-2003

Objective Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is currently the most common congenital cardiac malformation in the United States, but little is known about its etiology. The objective of this study was to address the hypothesis that parents' residence in eastern Washington, a region heavily dominated by the agricultural industry, and employment in agriculturally related occupations can influence the presence of a VSD in their offspring. Design Population-based case-control study. Setting Washington State from January 1, 1987, through December 31, 2003. Patients Children aged 0 to 2 years diagnosed as having a VSD (n = 3489), and other infants selected at random as control subjects (n = 13 290). Main Exposures Parental occupation and county of maternal residence were obtained from the birth certificate. The latter was categorized according to region (east vs west), rural-urban classification, and the proportion of farm and crop land. Main Outcome Measures Diagnosis of VSD within the first 2 years of life. Results The risk of VSD was greater for infants whose mothers resided in eastern Washington (odds ratio, 1.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.65). The risk of VSD with other cardiac malformations (n = 1205) exhibited a stronger geographic association than did isolated VSD (n = 2284). Analyses restricted to eastern Washington did not reveal a clear relationship between the risk of VSD and an increasing proportion of agricultural land in the mother's county of residence. Parental occupation in agriculture was not associated with the presence of VSD. Conclusion Although these findings suggest regional variation in Washington State in the occurrence of VSD, the basis for this variation remains to be determined.
Full-chip thermal analysis of 3D ICs with liquid cooling by GPU-accelerated GMRES method

Cooling and related thermal problems are the principal challenges facing 3D integrated circuits (3D-ICs). Active cooling techniques such as integrated inter-tier liquid cooling are promising alternatives for traditional fan-based cooling, which is insufficient for 3D-ICs. In this regard, fast full-chip transient thermal modeling and simulation techniques are required to design efficient and cost-effective cooling solutions for optimal performance, cost and reliability of packages and 3D ICs. In this paper, we propose an efficient finite difference based full-chip simulation algorithm for 3D-ICs using the GMRES method based on CPU platforms. Unlike existing fast thermal analysis methods, the new method starts from the physics-based heat equations to model 3D-ICs with inter-tier liquid cooling microchannels and directly solves the resulting partial differential equations using GMRES. To speedup the simulation, we further develop a preconditioned GPU-accelerated GMRES solver, GPU-GMRES, to solve the resulting thermal equations on top of some published sparse numerical routines. Experimental results show the proposed GPU-GMRES solver is up to 4.3× faster than parallel CPU-GMRES for DC analysis and 2.3× faster than parallel LU decomposition and one or two orders of magnitude faster than the single-thread CPU-GMRES for transient analysis on a number of thermal circuits and other published problems.
Membrane sensors - Nanocomposites are stretched thin

Stethoscopes, loudspeakers, microphones, pressure gauges and many other common devices share a basic mechanism of operation — a pliable membrane deflecting under the influence of an external force. A nanocomposite membrane has now been developed that shows great sensitivity and autorecovery capabilities.
The impact of federal financial aid policy upon higher education access

This article reviews the history of financial aid policy from the Higher Education Act of 1965 to its reauthorisation in 1992 and the subsequent ramifications upon African-American students. It considers issues of race and class with regard to college access. This work concludes with a look at contemporary aid, as well as offers race- and class-conscious financial aid by increasing college affordability to low-income students, as potential solutions to broadening educational access to Black Americans.
Epstein-Barr virus-specific IgA serum antibodies as an outstanding feature of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Stimulated by a report on elevated IgA levels in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), we tested a total of 372 sera from patients with NPC, other carcinomas of head and neck or elsewhere, Burkitt's lymphoma (BL), infectious mononucleosis (IM) or healthy controls. The sera were titrated in indirect immunofluorescence tests for IgA antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) capsid antigen (VCA) and to the diffuse (D) or restricted (R) components of the EBV-induced early antigen (EA) complex. The results proved NPC to be outstanding in that prior to therapy 93% of the patients tested revealed IgA antibodies to VCA and 73% to D, often at high titers which occasionally matched the corresponding IgG antibody levels. The EBV-specific IgA titers increased from stages I or II to stages III or IV; i.e. with the total tumor burden. Conversely, many of the NPC patients examined 2-6 years after initial therapy had only low levels of EBV-specific IgA or none at all, and the majority of those with high titers were known to have residual or recurrent disease. In contrast to untreated NPC patients, less than 5% of 73 patients with other carcinomas or of 76 healthy donors revealed VCA-specific IgA and even fewer EA-specific IgA; only 28% and 4% of 54 BL patients tested at admission had IgA antibodies to VCA and R, respectively, and 38% and 3% of 37 IM patients showed transient VCA- or D-specific IgA responses, all at generally low titers. While sera from untreated NPC patients often contained IgA antibodies also to herpes simplex type 1 virus, their incidence and range of low titers were similar to those obtained with sera from patients with other carcinomas or from healthy donors. It thus appears that the elevated IgA levels in NPC might be due to EBV-specific antibodies. Possible reasons for this unique response in NPC have been discussed.
Iron oxidation kinetics for H2 and CO production via chemical looping

Solar driven production of fuels by means of an intermediate reactive metal for species splitting has provided a practical and potentially efficient pathway for disassociating molecules at significantly lower thermal energies. The fuels of interest are of or derive from the separation of oxygen from H2O and CO2 to form hydrogen and carbon monoxide, respectively. The following study focuses on iron oxidation through water and CO2 splitting to explore the fundamental reaction kinetics and kinetic rates that are relevant to these processes. In order to properly characterize the reactive metal potential and to optimize a scaled-up solar reactor system, a monolith-based laboratory reactor was implemented to investigate reaction temperatures over a range from 990 to 1400 K. The presence of a single, solid monolith as a reacting surface allowed for a limitation in mass transport effects in order to monitor kinetically driven reaction steps. The formation of oxide layers on the iron monoliths followed Cabrera-Mott models for oxidation of metals with kinetic rates being measured using real-time mass spectrometry to calculate kinetic constants and estimate oxide layer thicknesses. Activation energies of 47.3 kJ/mol and 32.8 kJ/mol were found for water-splitting and CO2 splitting, respectively, and the conclusions of the independentmore » oxidation reactions where applied to experimental results for syngas (H-2-CO) production to explore ideal process characteristics. Copyright (C) 2014, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.« less
Comparative Studies: Enalapril Versus Hydrochlorothiazide as First-Step Therapy for the Treatment of Primary Hypertension

Thirty-nine patients were entered into a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, parallel protocol to assess the safety and efficacy of enalapril (MK-421, 10 to 20 mg bid), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, 25 to 50 mg bid), or combined drug therapy (MK-421 + HCTZ) for the treatment of primary hypertension. Specifically monitored were the effects of each drug program on BP and pulse, serum chemistries, body fluid composition and weight, renal function, and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis. Results indicate that MK-421, HCTZ, and combined therapy were equally effective in lowering BP; none of the therapies significantly altered glomerular filtration rate or effective renal plasma flow. Patients on MK-421 experienced no change in volume, an increase in plasma potassium, no change in fractional sodium or potassium excretion, and a decreased urine osmolality associated with an enhanced free-water clearance. Plasma renin activity was increased, plasma angiotensin II was decreased, and plasma aldosterone was unchanged. In contrast, patients on HCTZ developed volume contraction, hypokalemia associated with an increase in fractional sodium and potassium excretion, and an increased urine osmolality associated with a decreased free-water clearance. Plasma renin activity was increased, however, plasma angiotensin II and plasma aldosterone were unchanged. Patients on combined therapy with MK-421 + HCTZ demonstrated qualitatively similar changes in serum chemistries, body fluid volumes, and renal function compared with patients receiving HCTZ alone, whereas changes in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in these patients were qualitatively similar, but more marked, compared with those occurring in patients receiving MK-421 alone. We conclude that MK-421 is an effective first-step anti hypertensive agent that does not produce adverse metabolic, volume, or renal effects.
MOOCs and the library

Purpose – The purpose of this column is to examine the current discussion of massive open online courses (MOOCs) and the library's involvement in this worldwide movement.Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes the form of a literature review and commentary on this topic that has been addressed by professionals, researchers and practitioners.Findings – The study finds that MOOCs may offer colleges the opportunity to accept the democratization of learning for all who wish to engage. Librarians have a chance to extend their influence in the development of MOOCs as an integral component in this new model.Originality/value – The value in addressing this issue is to suggest the benefits that the library can bring to this burgeoning form of online learning.
The effect of ionizing radiation on strain L monolayers. I. cytological aberrations and cell multiplication

Abstract Ionizing radiation doses of 500 to 1500 r resulted in nuclear blistering, gigantism, and cell division arrest of monolayers of strain L. These aberrations were related to dose and duration of the post-irradiation period. Doses from 100 to 2500 r produced effects varying from temporary division arrest to complete division arrest.
Effectiveness of brief interventions after alcohol-related vehicular injury: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND:: Because 40% of motor vehicle fatalities in the United States are alcohol-related, interventions delivered by trauma clinicians targeted to reduce drinking are of particular importance to public health. The objective of this study was to test the effectiveness of hospital-based brief intervention strategies to reduce alcohol consumption and other health-related outcomes in the year after an alcohol-related vehicular injury. Brief interventions are clinically based strategies including assessment and direct feedback about drinking alcohol, goal setting, behavioral modification techniques, and the use of a self-help manual. METHODS:: The study was a randomized controlled trial of two types of brief intervention with a 12-month follow-up. Participants with alcohol-related vehicular injury who were admitted to Level I trauma centers were eligible for enrollment. Enrolled participants were randomized to a control, simple advice, or brief counseling condition. Primary outcome variables were alcohol consumption (standard drinks/month, binges/month), adverse driving events (driving citations, traffic crashes), and changes in health status (hospital and emergency department admissions). RESULTS:: The study enrolled 187 participants at baseline and retained 100 across 12 months. Participants had a significant decrease in alcohol consumption and traffic citations at 12 months as compared with baseline. Mean standard drinks/month declined from 56.80 (SD 63.89) at baseline to 32.10 (SD 53.20) at 12 months. Mean binges/month declined from 5.79 (SD 6.98) at baseline to 3.21 (SD 6.17) at 12 months. There were no differences in alcohol consumption, adverse driving events, or health status by condition. CONCLUSIONS:: Whether the reductions in alcohol consumption and traffic citations were a result of the crash, hospitalization for injury, screening for alcohol use, or combination of these factors is difficult to determine. Further work is needed to understand the mechanisms involved in reductions of health-related outcomes and the role of brief intervention in this population. Language: en
High temperature corrosion problems in waste incineration systems

Corrosion of high temperature metal surfaces in waste incineration systems results primarily from compounds of chlorine, sulfur, and metals such as lead, zinc, and tin. The presence of such compounds in municipal refuse and chemical wastes can result in severe metal wastage in energy recovery systems. The corrosion mechanism involves interaction of sulfur oxides with chlorides in deposits to generate HCl and chlorine at the metal surface. Metal chlorides also can contribute by forming low melting eutectics. Reducing atmospheres, particularly carbon monoxide, in the combustion gases also appear to be a factor in corrosion. Corrosion rates of carbon and low alloy steels increase significantly with both metal temperature and gas temperature. The rates for stainless steels initially decrease as the metal temperature increases, and are less sensitive to gas temperature. Corrosion by chlorine can be inhibited by maintaining a sufficiently high concentration of sulfur or silica in the fuel. The results of corrosion probe exposures in waste-fueled boilers are presented to illustrate these mechanisms.
THE HOMOSEXUAL ROLE: A RECONSIDERATION

Abstract In recent years, the concept role has become a dominant theoretical tool in explaining homosexuality as the medical model has become subject to serious attacks. It is argued here, however, that such usage is inappropriate in that it violates the most fundamental tenets of the definition of this concept. While the term role usually implies prescriptions for behavior which have prior existence in the social structure, such prescriptions for homosexual behavior simply do not exist. While a role, as it is ordinarily understood, may be ascribed or achieved, children are neither socialized into the “homosexual role” nor do they rationally choose it. It is concluded that homosexuality is neither a “condition” nor a role but rather a sexual orientation and no useful theoretical purpose is served by regarding it as role behavior. Empirical data based on questionnaires and interviews with 206 male homosexuals and 78 male heterosexuals are utilized to support this argument.