cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Boundary-limited serotonergic influences on pattern organization in rat sensory cortex.

Abstract In neonatal rodents, elevated levels of cortical serotonin (5-HT) blur the normally segmented vibrissae-related pattern of thalamocortical afferents (TCAs) in the posteromedial barrel subfield (PMBSF) of primary somatosensory cortex. We employed 5-HT immunocytochemistry or anterograde transport of 1′1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′ tetramethyl-indocarbocyanin (Di-I) to label TCA arbors to study the effects of 5-HT manipulations on space occupied by TCAs within the PMBSF and the total area labeled. In rats treated to increase cortical 5-HT from birth to postnatal day (P) 6, the percentage of PMBSF area occupied by terminal labeling was significantly higher from that in controls (79.0% versus 23.7%, P 1B agonist, 5-nonyloxytryptamine, or elevated endogenous 5-HT, the total areas of TCA aggregates in the PMBSF and those in visual cortex were similar to the controls. These results suggest that TCAs have a graded response to increasingly higher 5-HT concentrations. The lack of TCA expansion beyond normal cortical areas further implies that 5-HT-induced axon outgrowth is restricted at cortical boundaries.
Processing and Properties of Ceramic Nanocomposites Produced from Polymer Precursor Pyrolysis, High Pressure Sintering and Spark Plasma Sintering

Silicon nitride/silicon carbide nanocomposites and alumina-based nanocomposites were investigated in an effort to produce materials with high structural integrity and service properties. Bulk nano-nano composites of silicon nitride and silicon carbide were processed by crystallization of amorphous Si-C-N ceramics that were consolidated in-situ during pyrolysis of a polymer precursor. This material was developed for the purpose of examining the creep behavior of covalent ceramics when there is no oxide glassy phase at grain boundaries. Si3N4/SiC micro-nano composites were sintered by spark plasma sintering (SPS), aiming at better microstructural control and improved creep resistance. Composites of alumina with diamond, silicon carbide and metal (Nb) were developed by high pressure sintering and SPS. These composites maintain microstructures with a nanometric alumina matrix and are targeted for studying the toughening mechanisms and superplastic deformation mechanisms.
Bayesian model averaging and model selection for markov equivalence classes of acyclic digraphs

Acyclic digraphs (ADGs) are widely used to describe dependences among variables in multivariate distributions. In particular, the likelihood functions of ADG models admit convenient recursive factorizations that often allow explicit maximum likelihood estimates and that are well suited to building Bayesian networks for expert systems. There may, however, be many ADGs that determine the same dependence (= Markov) model. Thus, the family of all ADGs with a given set of vertices is naturally partitioned into Markov-equivalence classes, each class being associated with a unique statistical model. Statistical procedures, such as model selection or model averaging, that fail to take into account these equivalence classes, may incur substantial computational or other inefficiencies. Recent results have shown that each Markov-equivalence class is uniquely determined by a single chain graph, the essential graph, that is itself Markov-equivalent simultaneously to all ADGs in the equivalence class. Here we propose t...
Policy instruments and the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated properties

Recent research examines the opportunities presented by policy instrument mixes as tools for public managers to address complex environmental problems by involving public, private, and civil society actors. However, gaps exist in this literature as to how these instruments become applied over a project’s lifetime and whether these applications lead to the desired results. This comparative case study examines the selection and application of policy instruments during four brownfield clean-up and redevelopment projects, selected for their similar economic contexts but varying degrees of project success, in order to consider how policy instrument use over the course of a brownfield project’s lifespan relates to its outputs. Findings suggest that local governments increase the use of policy instruments to retain partner involvement as project uncertainties increase but that the success of this strategy relies upon governance strategies that reflect environmental and political contexts.
Explaining Large-Scale Historical Change:

A prominent historiographic theme in the past decade has been a movement away from causal explanation of large-scale processes and outcomes and toward narrative interpretation of singular historical processes. This article argues for the continued vitality of large-scale historical inquiry and surveys the historiographic issues that arise in large-scale historical explanation. The article proceeds through an examination of several important recent examples of large-scale history: comparative history of Europe and China, the history of alternative forms of industrial organization, and the history of technology. These three cases provide the basis for a conception of what may be called “conjunctural contingent meso-level” explanations: explanations that identify intermediate-level structures and processes and highlight both the structural factors that govern change and the multiple pathways that change can take.
Rare earth filters for intraoral radiography: exposure reduction as a function of kV(p) with comparisons of image quality

Radiographs of phantoms were produced using E-speed film and various rare earth X-ray beam filters. The rare earth filters considerably reduced the amount of radiation needed to produce diagnostic quality images and, in many cases, improved image quality. These filters can be implemented easily and inexpensively in a clinical setting, resulting in radiation exposure reductions of up to 71%.
Molecular and Physiological Evidence for Glutamate (Umami) Taste Transduction via a G Protein‐Coupled Receptora

ABSTRACT: Recent molecular analyses have demonstrated that a metabotropic glutamate receptor, mGluR4, is expressed in taste buds from rat circumvallate and foliate papillae. Behavioral studies demonstrated that l(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (L-AP4), an agonist for mGluR4 and related receptors, mimics the taste of monosodium glutamate (MSG) in rats. mGluR4 is known to signal through inhibition of the cyclic adenosine-5′,3′-monophosphate (cAMP) cascade. Circumvallate and foliate taste buds exhibit decreases of cAMP levels following stimulation with MSG, and the response is potentiated by 5′-inosine monophosphate, suggesting that it is related to umami taste. Further, experiments on mice with the mGluR4 gene knocked out support the interpretation that mGluR4 is a key component in glutamate taste. Glutamate may also stimulate taste buds through an ionotropic receptor pathway. In patch-clamp studies, glutamate evokes two types of currents, similar to those elicited by N-methyl-d-aspartate (N MDA) and L-AP4. We speculate upon the significance of two glutamate receptor pathways in taste buds.
Helium and argon thermochronometry of the Gold Butte block, south Virgin Mountains, Nevada

One of the largest exposures of Precambrian crystalline rock in the Basin and Range province of the southwestern USA is the Gold Butte block of the south Virgin Mountains, about 15 km west of the Colorado Plateau. It has been interpreted as a largely continuous crustal cross-section about 15–20 km thick that was exhumed by a deeply penetrating normal fault during Miocene extension. To test this interpretation as well as the use of the newly developed titanite (U–Th)/He thermochronometer, we examined the low temperature thermal history of the Gold Butte block with the apatite and titanite (U–Th)/He and muscovite ^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar thermochronometers. Apatite He ages average 15.2±1.0 (2σ) Ma throughout the block, indicating that the entire section was warmer than 70°C prior to Miocene exhumation. Titanite He ages increase from 18.6±1.5 Ma near the paleobottom (west) end of the block, to 195±15 Ma near the paleotop (east) end. A rapid change from mid-Tertiary to increasingly older titanite He ages to the east is observed at about 9.3 km paleodepth, and is interpreted as a fossil He partial retention zone for titanite. Assuming a pre-exhumation geotherm of 20°C/km (consistent with earlier apatite fission track work), this depth would have corresponded to 196°C prior to exhumation, indicating that laboratory-derived He diffusion characteristics for titanite that yield a closure temperature of about 200°C are applicable and correct. Muscovite ^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar ages are 1.0–1.4 Ga near the paleotop of the block, and 90 Ma near the paleobottom. Together with ^(207)Pb/^(206)Pb ages on apatite and titanite, and an earlier apatite fission track transect across the Gold Butte block, our data indicate that the continental crust at the western edge of the Colorado Plateau resided at moderate geothermal gradients (and slowly declined in temperature) from 1.4 Ga to about 100–200 Ma. A 90 Ma cooling event clearly affected the mid-crust (deepest portions of Gold Butte), which may reflect accelerated cooling or a brief heating and cooling cycle at this time, after which gradients returned to about 20°C/km prior to rapid exhumation in the Miocene. This work thus supports previous structural and thermochronologic studies that suggest that the Gold Butte block is the thickest largely continuous cross-section of crust exposed in the southwestern USA.
Exposure to crystalline silica, silicosis, and lung disease other than cancer in diatomaceous earth industry workers: a quantitative risk assessment

Objectives: To estimate excess lifetime risk of ( a ) mortality from lung disease other than cancer (LDOC), and, ( b ) onset of radiographic silicosis, arising from occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust. Methods: Data from a cohort of California diatomaceous earth mining and processing workers exposed to crystalline silica dust (mainly as cristobalite) were reanalyzed with Poisson regression methods with internal and external adjustments for potential confounding by calendar time, age, smoking, Hispanic ethnicity, and time since first observation. Model fit was evaluated by comparing deviances and fitting cubic spline models. Lifetime risks of death from LDOC and radiographic silicosis were estimated up to age 85 with an actuarial approach accounting for competing causes of death. Results: For deaths due to LDOC, a linear relative rate model gave the best fit in Poisson regression analyses. At the mean cumulative exposure of LDOC cases to silica, after adjustment for smoking, the estimated rate ratio was 4.2 (p 3 ) of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was 54/1000 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 17 to 150). For 70 incident cases of radiographic silicosis largely manifest before the end of employment, the best fit was also the linear relative rate model, predicting a rate ratio of 25.6 for silicosis at the mean cumulative exposure of the cases (p Conclusion: Current occupational health standards for crystalline silica permit risks of lung disease other than cancer far in excess of what is usually considered acceptable by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (a lifetime risk of less than one in a thousand deaths).
Diagnosis and Management of Cerebral Venous and Sinus Thrombosis

Cerebral venous and sinus thrombosis is a disease with a variable prognosis. Many patients make a full recovery, but a subset have progressive symptoms resulting in disabling deficits or death. Imaging, generally with magnetic resonance imaging, is the mainstay for establishing the diagnosis. Most patients respond well to systemic anticoagulation. However, those patients with progressive disease may require endovascular therapy. This article will discuss the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and therapeutic management of this disease.
The effect of supplemental oxygen on the transarterial wall oxygen gradients at a prosthetic vascular graft to artery anastomosis in the rabbit.

Artery wall hypoxia has been proposed to contribute to many kinds of artery wall pathology, including atherosclerosis and intimal hyperplasia. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of supplemental oxygen on the transarterial wall oxygen gradients at a prosthetic vascular device (PVG)-to-artery anastomosis. The transarterial wall oxygen gradient in the infrarenal aorta of New Zealand White rabbits housed for 42 days in a 40% supplemental oxygen was measured with an oxygen microelectrode 2 mm distal to a PVG-to-artery anastomosis. Oxygen tensions were Significantly increased throughout the artery wall at all time points in the supplemental oxygen groups compared to those in non-oxygen-supplemented groups. Within the oxygen-supplemented groups, the outer artery wall had diminished oxygen tensions immediately following creation of the anastomosis, with a slow return to control oxygen tensions on postanastomosis day 42 which correlated with a return of the vasa vasorum. These changes were noted without differences in blood pressure or arterial blood oxygen concentrations within the oxygen-supplemented group. Artery wall hypoxia noted following the creation of a PVG-to-artery anastomosis can be eliminated and artery wall oxygen tensions significantly increased by the administration of supplemental oxygen.
Cancers metastatic to the breast.

During a period of 10 years, 51 patients were found to have metastatic cancer in the breast. There were 44 women and seven men. Eighteen patients had carcinoma, 16 had malignant lymphoma, 14 had malignant melanoma, and three had myosarcomas. It is interesting that 16 of the 51 patients had no prior history of malignant disease—the mammary lesion presenting as the first manifestation of an occult extramammary primary. Metastatic cancer should be suspected when a multinodular neoplasm is found in the superficial tissues of the breast. Forty-one patients had a rapidly fulminating course and died of disease. Ten patients are alive, seven with and three without apparent evidence of disease. It is concluded that earlier recognition of these tumors may lead to more rational therapy and avoidance of unnecessary radical surgery.
Abstract 3218: Bisphosphonates induce premature senescence and impair proliferation and migration of normal human oral keratinocytes

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Bisphosphonates (BPs) are potent anti-resorptive agents that are widely used to treat metastatic bone diseases in cancer patients. BPs target the mevalonate pathway and inhibit cholesterol synthesis and prenylation (e.g., geranylgernaylation and farnesylation) of small GTPases that are important for cell proliferation and survival. Long-term users of BPs are at the higher risk of developing osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), which commonly occurs at the site of previous tooth extraction or other surgical interventions. Although bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) is clinically defined as exposed necrotic bone with unhealed and open oral mucosa, the exact role of oral mucosa in the pathophysiology of BRONJ is not fully understood. The current study was undertaken to examine direct effects of BPs on the reepithelialization of oral mucosal cells. When normal human oral keratinocytes (NHOK) were treated with pamidronate (PAM), proliferation and migration were inhibited in dose-dependent manner as determined by MTT assay, proliferation assay, Western blotting against PCNA, and the scratch wound healing assay. Cell cycle analysis revealed increased S-phase content in PAM-treated NHOK, and this was associated with decreased mRNA and protein expressions of Cyclin A2 but not Cyclin D. PAM also induced premature senescence in NHOK as determined by increased β-galactosidase positivity, increased p16 expression, and phosphorylated p-38 MAP kinase pathway. PAM-induced premature senescence and proliferation inhibition were partially reversed by geranylgerniol (GGOH), but not farnesol (FOH), which reconstitute geranylgeranylation and farnesylation of the mevalonate pathway, respectively. Finally, using 3-dimensional (3D) raft culture system, we found that PAM-treated oral mucosal tissue constructs showed diminished immunohistochemical staining of PCNA and loss of reepithelialization in the wounded area, indicating that BPs impair proliferation and migration of oral epithelium constructs ex vivo. Our study demonstrates that BPs induce premature senescence and directly impair proliferation and migration of oral mucosal cells, which may explain the pathophysiology of BRONJ in cancer patients undergoing BP-treatment. This study was supported by NIDCR/NIH (DE017121). Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3218.
Relation Between Atherosclerosis Risk Factors and Aspirin Resistance in a Primary Prevention Population

Resistance to inhibition of platelet function by aspirin may contribute to future myocardial infarction and stroke. Adverse cardiovascular outcomes have been associated with aspirin resistance on several different platelet function assays, including the level of urinary 11-dehydro thromboxane B2 (Tx-M), platelet aggregation to arachidonic acid and adenosine diphosphate, and closure time on the platelet function analyzer-100. We examined the concordance of these aspirin-resistance assays and their relation to cardiovascular risk factors in a primary prevention population. Asymptomatic patients (n = 1,311) at increased risk for coronary heart disease were evaluated before and after 2 weeks of aspirin (81 mg/day). Aspirin resistance was defined according to published criteria for these 3 assays of platelet function. Subjects were characterized for the presence of atherosclerosis risk factors. Agreement among the 3 assays was poor. Only 5 patients met aggregation criteria for aspirin resistance. Attenuated suppression of urinary Tx-M by aspirin was associated with a greater atherosclerotic risk profile and Framingham risk score in multivariable regression analysis. Aspirin resistance by platelet function analyzer-100 was associated only with increased von Willebrand factor levels and not with atherosclerotic risk profile. In conclusion, in a primary prevention population, different published criteria for aspirin resistance classify distinct groups of patients as aspirin resistant with very little overlap. Higher Tx-M, which reflects decreased suppression of thromboxane production in vivo, is the only criterion associated with atherosclerosis risk factors, suggesting that this measurement may represent the most relevant approach for identifying asymptomatic subjects whose aspirin treatment will "fail."
The Soul of Man Under Imperialism: Oscar Wilde, Race, and Empire

(2000). The Soul of Man Under Imperialism: Oscar Wilde, Race, and Empire. Journal of Victorian Culture: Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 334-341.
Transportation Sustainability on a University Campus.

Purpose – This paper aims to show the present level of sustainable transportation, mainly walking and bicycling, on a large campus in the US Midwest and then analyzes some of the opportunities and impediments in increasing the modal share. Design/methodology/approach – Three types of analysis are used. First, current level of walking and bicycling around the campus are measured during select mornings and afternoons. Second, a survey questionnaire completed by 668 students is tabulated and reported. Third, the campus and environs are inventoried to note those aspects of infrastructure which either facilitate or block walking or cycling. Findings – This paper records generally low existing levels of sustainable transportation among students around a campus. There is a particularly low level of bicycling activity. Reasons have to do with time and convenience (especially among students who work), but also that many students do not enjoy bicycle access. Finally, student attitudes and an inventory of campus ind...
An Examination of the Effect of Continuous Quality Improvements on Optimal Pricing for Durable Goods

This paper investigates the nature of optimal prices for a durable good in the presence of continuous quality improvements. The analysis of optimal prices is based on a nonlinear dynamic model of sales response that relates price, quality, average life of a product and the persistence of quality perceptions. Numerical solutions to the model are derived by employing the generalized reduced gradient algorithm. The results show that optimal price depends on the persistence of quality perceptions and the average life of a product (an aspect of quality). The analysis of optimal results affirms results based on other models and provides insights on the influence that quality has on optimal pricing. The implications of the results and suggestions for future research are discussed.
The effect of angiocardiography on the heart as measured by electrocardiographic alterations.

Six consecutive patients studied by angiocardiography or aortography ranging in age from 1½ to 68 years were checked by a direct-writer type of electrocardiograph during the procedure. The clinical entities consisted of pulmonary stenosis, coarctation of the aorta, aneurysm of the ascending aorta, ventricular septal defect (2 cases), and atrial septal defect associated with complete transposition of the great vessels. Following angiocardiography immediate T-wave depression was noted. This was followed within three minutes by the development of short bursts of ventricular tachycardia lasting up to 27 minutes after dye injection. A different and much less spectacular picture followed aortography. None of these cases showed visible distress.
Antonio Machado y su reconocimiento como maestro del simbolismo en "La corte de los poetas"

Antonio Machado inicia su trayectoria poetica con la publicacion de Soledades (1903), obra que apenas tuvo difusion y que paso practicamente desapercibida al publico y la critica. Habra que esperar hasta 1907, ano en que se publica Soledades. Galerias. Otros poemas, su primera obra realmente conocida. Por eso, sorprende que en 1906 Emilio Carrere le incluyera en La corte de los poetas , una antologia de vocacion transatlantica, de poetas de Espana y Latinoamerica. Ademas Carrere le destaca en la breve introduccion llamandole ‘maestro del simbolismo’. En este articulo se estudia la antologia y, especialmente, la seleccion de poemas de Machado, entre los que aparece uno inedito. La inclusion de este nuevo poema, asi como algunas pequenas variantes que aparecen en los otros, apuntan a que muy probablemente la seleccion la realizo el propio poeta.
Plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide in normal and hypertensive pregnancies: A meta-analysis

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Our goals were (1) to use meta-analysis to determine whether pregnancy and the puerperium are accompanied by alterations in plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels when compared with the nonpregnant state and (2) to evaluate the additional effects of hypertensioe disease during pregnancy on plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels. STUDY DESIGN: Articles measuring atria[ natriuretic peptide levels during pregnancy were reviewed. Data from articles meeting inclusion criteria were abstracted, and a meta-analysis was performed with the use of the maximum likelihood methods' of Jennrich and Schluchter (Biometrics 1986;42:805-20). RESULTS: The mean atrial natriuretic peptide level in nonpregnant control subjects was 28.7 pg/ml (95% confidence interval 22.5 to 36.7). The mean plasma atrial natriuretic peptide level rose 41 % to 40.5 pg/ml (95% confidence interval 31.7 to 51.8) in the third trimester ( p p p p CONCLUSIONS: The 41% increase in atrial natriuretic peptide levels in the third trimester suggests that atrial stretch receptors sense the expanded blood volume as normal to moderately increased. The rise in atrial natriuretic peptide during the first week post partum is consistent with known hemodynamic changes and suggests that atrial natriuretic peptide may be involved in the postpartum diuresis. The marked increase in plasma atria] natriuretic peptide levels observed in preeclampsia is not likely to result from elevated arterial pressures alone but may reflect underlying factors unique to this disease process.
Inertance estimation in a lumped-parameter hydraulic simulator of human circulation.

Pulsatile mock loop systems are largely used to investigate the cardiovascular system in vitro. They consist of a pump, which replicates the heart, coupled with a lumped-parameter hydraulic afterload, which simulates vasculature. An accurate dimensioning of components is required for a reliable mimicking of the physiopathological behavior of the system. However, it is not possible to create a component for the afterload inertance, and inertance contributions are present in the entire circuit. Hence, in the literature, in-ertance is neglected or qualitatively evaluated. In this paper, we propose two quantitative methods (Maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE) and Bayesian estimation) for estimating afterload inertance based on observed pressure and flow waveforms. These methods are also applied to a real mock loop system. Results show that the system has an inertance comparable with the literature reference value of the entire systemic circulation, and that the expected variations over inlet average flow and pulse frequency are in general confirmed. Comparing the methods, the Bayesian approach results in higher and more stable estimations than the classical MLE.
Why do polymer molecules fold

In the process of transforming from liquid to crystal, a polymer molecule must assume conformations which cause it to have a higher free energy than either the liquid or the crystal. This free energy barrier to crystallization is minimized if the molecule folds, thus providing both the driving force for folding as well as the assurance that the crystallization behaves as a classical kinetically-controlled process. This free energy barrier exists equally well for the melting of extended chain crystals accounting for their observed super-heating. Finally these ideas can be extrapolated to predict some rather unconventional conclusions with regard to polymer conformation in the melt.
"I Just Want to Work Hard": Self-Efficacy and the Social Contexts in Adolescents' ICT Use.

The present article is drawn from a year-long ethnographic study of adolescents’ uses of information and communication technologies (ICT) and their perceptions of themselves and their uses in multi...
A STUDY OF INTER‐ AND INTRALINGUAL ASSOCIATIONS IN ENGLISH AND GERMAN1

Free associations and eight types of restricted associations were obtained to 40 nouns from 24 American students of German under four conditions: EE, GG, EG and GE (where English (E) and German (G) are stimulus and response languages, respectively). Because many interlingual responses were translations or partially identical with the stimuli their interlingual variability was lower than that of the intralingual free associations. Interlingual responses were primarily, paradigmatic whereas intralingual responses were syntagmatic. The variabilities of all interlingual and of some intralingual restricted associations were larger than those of free associations. The overlap between different types of restricted associations was markedly higher for the second than for the first language. In the interpretations, classes of possible responses were compared with “subjective” response preferences and sets.
Accurate atomistic simulations of the Peierls barrier and kink-pair formation energy for 〈111〉 screw dislocations in bcc Mo

Abstract Using multi-ion MGPT interatomic potentials derived from first-principles generalized pseudopotential theory, we have performed accurate atomistic simulations on the energetics of dislocation motion in the bcc transition metal Mo. Our calculated results include the (110) and (211) generalized stacking fault (γ) energy surfaces, the Peierls stress required to move an ideal straight 〈111〉 screw dislocation, and the kink-pair formation energy for nonstraight screw dislocations. Many-body angular forces, which are accounted for in the present theory through explicit three- and four-ion potentials, are quantitatively important to such properties for the bcc transition metals. This is demonstrated explicitly through the calculated y surfaces, which are found to be 10–50% higher in energy than those obtained with pure radial-force models. The Peierls stress for an applied 〈111〉 {112} shear is computed to be about 0.025μ, where μ is the bulk shear modulus. For zero applied stress, stable kink-pairs are predicted to form for kink lengths greater than 4b , where b is the magnitude of the Burgers vector. For long kinks greater than 15b , the calculated asymptotic value of the kink-pair formation energy is 2.0 eV.
Synthesis and Reactions of Rhenium(V) Oxo−Hydride Complexes

Tp*ReO(H)Cl, TpRe(O)H(Cl), and Tp*ReO(H)2 have been prepared by alkoxide-for-hydride metathesis using BH3·THF. The triflate derivative Tp*Re(O)H(OTf) inserts olefins and is oxidized by oxygen-atom ...
White Servitude and Black Slavery in Barbados, 1627–1715

White Servitude and Black Slavery in Barbados, 1627-1715. Hilary Mcd. Beckles. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1989. 218 pp. $34.95 (cloth). ISBN 0-87049-601-8. The Plantation Slaves of Trinidad,1783-1816: A Mathematical and Demographic Study. A.Meredith John Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. 259 pp. $42.50 (cloth). ISBN 0-521-36166-4.
Does Adult-Onset Diabetes Mellitus Begin in Childhood?: The Bogalusa Heart Study

Children and young adults (N = 52, age 7-31, average 15.3 years) from parents with or without a history of onset of diabetes mellitus after the age of 30 years were studied for anthropometric and metabolic parameters related to diabetes. An oral glucose tolerance test was performed and blood samples were collected fasting and 15, 30, and 60 minutes after a standard glucose load. Offspring of diabetic parents were significantly heavier and more obese, although not uniformly overweight. Blood pressure, fasting insulin, glucagon, and triglycerides were significantly higher in offspring of diabetic parents. Approximately one-half of the offspring and siblings of diabetic parents had 30-minute blood glucose levels greater than 161 mg/dL, whereas none of the controls exceeded this level. These observations suggest abnormalities consistent with diabetes mellitus are already present in children and young adults, and may be detected by a response to glucose load.
Understanding the measures of signal quality in DVB systems

This paper introduces various measures of signal quality that are useful to digital video broadcast (DVB) engineers and technicians. The measures are related and compared and practical examples given.
Small plaque variants of simian virus 40 from a persistent infection of rhesus monkey kidney cells.

Abstract Seven small-plaque variants from a simian virus 40-rhesus monkey kidney cell carrier system were compared with the standard large plaque strain by restriction endonuclease analysis. One of these variants, SP1, contains an insertion of about 50 base pairs between the Bgl 1 (map location 0.67) and Hpa 11(0.73) cleavage sites. Another, SSP2, contains a deletion of about six base pairs in Hind 11 + 111 fragment K. The rates of replication and release of both SP1 and SP2 are similar to that of wild-type virus at 37°, although SP1 is slightly temperature sensitive at 41° and SP2 is slightly cold sensitive at 33°. Both SP1 and SP2 effectively compete with wild-type virus at 37° under conditions of mixed infection. Competition by SP1 is expressed, at least in part, at the level of DNA synthesis.
Auction-based task allocation for teams of self-reconfigurable robots

Self-reconfigurable robots are versatile machines composed of many small, computationally independent modules. If a large number of modules is available, they can divide into multiple smaller robots instead of remaining as one large group. In such a case, they must decide based on their mission whether and when such a division is appropriate, and if so, how to divide the mission objectives amongst the smaller robots. Likewise, after division, a later task may be more effectively handled by merging two groups of modules to obtain a single robot with greater capability. For traditional teams of mobile robots, auction-based methods have been used for task allocation with good success. Here we develop an auction approach with new types of bids that incorporate splitting and merging of these robots. This allows the overall system to exploit its ability to vary the number of robots and their capabilities alongside allocation of the overall set of tasks. We apply this protocol to an exploration scenario, show its correctness and describe the results of simulation in several different environments.
Rapid Whisker Movements in Sleeping Newborn Rats

Summary Spontaneous activity in the sensory periphery drives infant brain activity and is thought to contribute to the formation of retinotopic and somatotopic maps [1–3]. In infant rats during active (or REM) sleep, brainstem-generated spontaneous activity triggers hundreds of thousands of skeletal muscle twitches each day [4]; sensory feedback from the resulting limb movements is a primary activator of forebrain activity [1]. The rodent whisker system, with its precise isomorphic mapping of individual whiskers to discrete brain areas, has been a key contributor to our understanding of somatotopic maps and developmental plasticity [5–7]. But although whisker movements are controlled by dedicated skeletal muscles [8, 9], spontaneous whisker activity has not been entertained as a contributing factor to the development of this system [10]. Here we report in 3- to 6-day-old rats that whiskers twitch rapidly and asynchronously during active sleep; furthermore, neurons in whisker thalamus exhibit bursts of activity that are tightly associated with twitches but occur infrequently during waking. Finally, we observed barrel-specific cortical activity during periods of twitching. This is the first report of self-generated, sleep-related twitches in the developing whisker system, a sensorimotor system that is unique for the precision with which it can be experimentally manipulated. The discovery of whisker twitching will allow us to attain a better understanding of the contributions of peripheral sensory activity to somatosensory integration and plasticity in the developing nervous system [11–13].
Assessing the Relative Performance of Microwave-Based Satellite Rain Rate Retrievals Using TRMM Ground Validation Data

Space-borne microwave sensors provide critical rain information used in several global multi-satellite rain products, which in turn are used for a variety of important studies, including landslide forecasting, flash flood warning, data assimilation, climate studies, and validation of model forecasts of precipitation. This study employs four years (2003-2006) of satellite data to assess the relative performance and skill of SSM/I (F13, F14 and F15), AMSU-B (N15, N16 and N17), AMSR-E (Aqua) and the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) in estimating surface rainfall based on direct instantaneous comparisons with ground-based rain estimates from Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Ground Validation (GV) sites at Kwajalein, Republic of the Marshall Islands (KWAJ) and Melbourne, Florida (MELB). The relative performance of each of these satellite estimates is examined via comparisons with space- and time-coincident GV radar-based rain rate estimates. Because underlying surface terrain is known to affect the relative performance of the satellite algorithms, the data for MELB was further stratified into ocean, land and coast categories using a 0.25 terrain mask. Of all the satellite estimates compared in this study, TMI and AMSR-E exhibited considerably higher correlations and skills in estimating/observing surface precipitation. While SSM/I and AMSU-B exhibited lower correlations and skills for each of the different terrain categories, the SSM/I absolute biases trended slightly lower than AMSRE over ocean, where the observations from both emission and scattering channels were used in the retrievals. AMSU-B exhibited the least skill relative to GV in all of the relevant statistical categories, and an anomalous spike was observed in the probability distribution functions near 1.0 mm/hr. This statistical artifact appears to be related to attempts by algorithm developers to include some lighter rain rates, not easily detectable by its scatter-only frequencies. AMSU-B, however, agreed well with GV when the matching data was analyzed on monthly scales. These results signal developers of global rainfall products, such as the TRMM Multi-Satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA), and the Climate Data Center s Morphing (CMORPH) technique, that care must be taken when incorporating data from these input satellite estimates in order to provide the highest quality estimates in their products. 3
Rethinking socialization and sport.

The study of socialization in sport sociology has been heavily influenced by structural-functional perspectives. Recently, Ralph Turner proposed a theoretical framework, based on a "much-circumscribed functionalism," for integrating diverse and historically important approaches to the individual in society. This framework is proposed here as a point of departure for the integration and advancement of sport socialization analysis and research. After a brief review of recent contributions to the study of socialization in sport sociology and sociology in general, the major elements and insights of Turner's theoretical integration are discussed. From Turner's work and other recent theoretical contributions to the study of socializing processes in sport and society, it can be concluded that these processes should be conceptualized as ongoing and "recursive." Furthermore, it is proposed that to understand the relationship between the individual and society in socialization processes, it is necessary to understa...
Direct laser processing of bulk lead zirconate titanate ceramics

Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS™) has been used to fabricate dense, net shape melt-cast structures of lead zirconate titanate (PZT), in a single step, directly on a metallic substrate by complete melting and resolidification of PZT powders. From our results, it appears that reasonable dielectric properties can be obtained in LENS™ processed PZT structures without post-fabrication heat treatments. Our results also demonstrate potential application of LENS™ towards direct fabrication of PZT based embedded sensors and transducers on structural components.
Majorization and Gaussian correlation

Using Schur majorization, we show Gaussian correlation inequalities for two classes of sets: Schur cylinders and barycentrically ordered sets. As a corollary, we deduce positive correlation for pairs of centered convex sets that share the symmetries of a regular simplex.
Temperature-Dependent Development of Meteorus communis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a Parasitoid of the Variegated Cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Development of a parasitoid, Meteorus communis (Cresson), was compared at 8 constant temperatures, while reared on a noctuid host, the variegated cutworm, Peridroma saucia (Hubner), fed a standard artificial diet. Development from oviposition to adult emergence ranged from 15.7 d at 28°C to 61.8 d at 14°C. The temperature requirement for development from egg to exit of the parasitoid larva (3rd instar) from the host was 143± 9.9 DD above a developmental threshold of 10.3 ± 0.6°C. Development from the 3rd instar to adult emergence required 132 ± 5.4 DD above a developmental threshold of 8.3 ± 0.4°C. Overall, development from egg deposition to adult emergence required 274 ± 14.5DD above a developmental threshold of 9.5 ± 0.5°C. The development of M. communis was compared with 3 populations of P. saucia for 3 temperatures.
A bio-barcode assay for on-chip attomolar-sensitivity protein detection

Functionalized nanoparticles hold great promise in realizing highly sensitive and selective biodetection. We report a single disposable chip which is capable of carrying out a multi-step process that employs nanoparticles—a bio-barcode assay (BCA) for single protein marker detection. To illustrate the capability of the system, we tested for the presence of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in buffer solution and goat serum. Detection was accomplished at PSA concentrations as low as 500 aM. This corresponds to only 300 copies of protein analytes using 1 µL total sample volume. We established that the on-chip BCA for PSA detection offers four orders of magnitude higher sensitivity compared to commercially available ELISA-based PSA tests.
Molecular theory of atomic collisions: calculated cross sections for H$sup +$ + F($sup 2$P)

The results of a close-coupling calculation of the fine-structure transitions ($j,{m}_{j}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{j}^{\ensuremath{'}},{m}_{j}^{\ensuremath{'}}$) are presented for collisions between photons and $\mathrm{F}(^{2}P_{j,{m}_{j}})$. The theory is formulated in the perturbed-stationary-state approximation using accurate molecular wave functions for the ground $^{2}\mathrm{II}$ and $^{2}\ensuremath{\Sigma}$ states of H${\mathrm{F}}^{+}$. Comparison is made to the predictions of the Born approximation. The magnetic selection rule ($j,{m}_{j}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}j,\ensuremath{-}{m}_{j}$) is strongly violated in the $j=\frac{3}{2}$ state and less strongly violated in the $j=\frac{1}{2}$ state. It is concluded that the important region of interaction for the $j=\frac{1}{2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}j=\frac{3}{2}$ transition is at short-to-intermediate distances where accurate molecular potentials are required and close-coupling effects are dominant.
Effect of an arginine-rich amphipathic helical peptide on plasma cholesterol in dyslipidemic mice

We have shown that the dual domain peptide Ac-hE18A-NH(2), in which LRKLRKRLLR, (141-150 region of human apo E) covalently linked to a class A lipid-associating domain, is able to associate with apo B-containing lipoproteins and enhance their clearance both in vitro and in vivo. We present here the differential effects of this peptide on the plasma cholesterol levels in different mouse models. The peptide intravenously administered (100 microg) into C57BL/6J mice on atherogenic diet, apo E null, and apo E null/LDL-receptor (LDL-R) null double knock out mouse models, was able to rapidly reduce plasma cholesterol levels within 2 min, and the effect persisted for more than 6 h. The reduction was limited to the VLDL and IDL/LDL fractions; HDL was not reduced in any mouse model studied. However, the peptide had no effect on the plasma cholesterol levels in C57BL/6J mice on normal diet, LDL-R null mice on normal chow, and LDL-R null mice on Western diet. Administration to LDL-R null mice of 125I-labelled human lipoproteins incubated with peptide resulted in accelerated human VLDL and LDL clearance with associated increase of radioactivity in the liver. These results, coupled with our earlier in vitro observations, indicate that the Arg-rich peptide-assisted rapid clearance of plasma cholesterol in dyslipidemic mice is due to the peptide targeting apo B-48-containing atherogenic lipoproteins to the liver for increased uptake and degradation.
Mental health monopoly: Corporate trends in mental health services

Abstract Over the past 30 years, a number of important changes have occured in the mental health system. This paper examines the origins and effects of these changes, utilizing a political-economic framework. Three main areas are emphasized: the increasing absorption of mental health care into the health care system in general; the ways in which care has been transferred away from traditional settings and responsibilities; and the movement of for-profit chains into mental health services. Particular focus is placed on the rationalizing and monopolizing tendencies increasingly evidenced in the mental health field.
A first-order system approach for diffusion equation. II: Unification of advection and diffusion

In this paper, we unify advection and diffusion into a single hyperbolic system by extending the first-order system approach introduced for the diffusion equation [J. Comput. Phys., 227 (2007) 315-352] to the advection-diffusion equation. Specifically, we construct a unified hyperbolic advection-diffusion system by expressing the diffusion term as a first-order hyperbolic system and simply adding the advection term to it. Naturally then, we develop upwind schemes for this entire system; there is thus no need to develop two different schemes, i.e., advection and diffusion schemes. We show that numerical schemes constructed in this way can be automatically uniformly accurate, allow O(h) time step, and compute the solution gradients (viscous stresses/heat fluxes for the Navier-Stokes equations) simultaneously to the same order of accuracy as the main variable, for all Reynolds numbers. We present numerical results for boundary-layer type problems on non-uniform grids in one dimension and irregular triangular grids in two dimensions to demonstrate various remarkable advantages of the proposed approach. In particular, we show that the schemes solving the first-order advection-diffusion system give a tremendous speed-up in CPU time over traditional scalar schemes despite the additional cost of carrying extra variables and solving equations for them. We conclude the paper with discussions on further developments to come.
Direct Detection of Oxygen Intermediates in the Non-Heme Fe Enzyme Taurine/α-Ketoglutarate Dioxygenase

The reaction of substrate-bound taurine/α-ketoglutarate dioxygenase with O2 has been studied using cryogenic continuous-flow spectroscopy. Transient absorption spectra acquired at −38 °C show an exponential decay of a 318-nm chromophore with an apparent rate of 1.3 s-1. The observed optical changes and their kinetics are consistent with the profile of an Fe(IV) species detected recently by Mossbauer spectroscopy (Price et al., Biochemistry 2003, 42, 7497−7508). Resonance Raman measurement upon excitation at 363.7 nm reveal at least two oxygen isotope-sensitive vibrations at 821/787 cm-1 and 583/555 cm-1 for 16O and 18O derivatives, respectively. An additional mode is likely to be obscured by an ethylene glycol vibration at 865 cm-1 and/or 1089 cm-1. The 821 cm-1 vibration is assigned to the stretching mode of Fe(IV)O species on the basis of its frequency and isotopic shift amplitude. The 583 cm-1 band is likely to originate from an Fe−O2 precursor of the Fe(IV)O species, although its structural details ar...
Modulation of Immune System Inhibitory Checkpoints in Colorectal Cancer

T cell infiltration of colorectal cancer is associated with improved clinical outcome, underlining the importance of the immune system in cancer control; however, immune checkpoints, including the inhibitory T cell molecules CTLA-4 and PD-1 that temper the native immune response, mitigating autoimmunity, are coopted by tumors to facilitate escape from immune surveillance. Blockade of CTLA-4 and PD-1 and its ligand PD-L1, expressed by many tumors, have shown impressive activity in melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and lung cancer. Immune checkpoint inhibition has been less well studied in colorectal cancer, but preclinical and clinical investigations are in progress.