cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accounting for the great depression: A historical decomposition

Abstract This paper answers two distinct questions. First, To what extent do theories of the Great Depression account for movements in output during 1929:10–1933:12? Second, How much of the Depression could have been avoided if the money stock had grown along its anticipated pre-1929:9 path? The results reveal that an eclectic view of the Depression dominates monocausal explanations. Counterfactual simulations indicate much of the Depression would have been avoided if money growth had been maintained along its pre-Depression path.
The experience of chronic severe pain in patients undergoing methadone maintenance treatment

Recent studies indicate that severe chronic pain is common among patients in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT), but no qualitative studies have examined such patients' experiences of pain and pain treatment. This study used qualitative methods to explore the experiences of MMT patients with chronic pain. Twelve patients screening positive for chronic severe pain on the Brief Pain Inventory were interviewed for the study. Results suggest that chronic severe pain has major consequences in the lives of methadone maintenance patients and may be linked to illegal drug use, social isolation, and role failure. A variety of barriers limited access to effective treatment. A common complaint with care was providers' lack of concern or inability to "listen." Patients who were satisfied with treatment focuses on the psychosocial dimensions of care. These preliminary results suggest that treatment approaches should emphasize emotional support, negotiation of explanatory models, and an emphasis on the psychosocial sequelae of pain. However, more research is needed to guide the development of effective treatment strategies.
Experimental Corticosteroid Myopathy

Triamcinolone treatment in rabbits using 1 mg./Kg. doses produces a differential metabolic effect, with predominant involvement of glycolytic-type fibers of muscle manifested by a significant atrophy of type II fibers. A consequent atrophy of muscle containing a large proportion of type II fibers also occurs. These changes take place before there is any significant alteration in size of type I fibers, and before there is any apparent loss of either glycolytic or oxidative enzyme activity.
Portable Optical Sensor Tester (POST) Calibration Technique

The Portable Optical Sensor Tester (POST) is a low background, long wavelength infrared test and calibration chamber used for evaluation and calibration of developmental LWIR sensors. It is operated by Rockwell International for the Ballistic Missile Defense Advanced Technology Center (BMDATC). The POST system generates a collimated output IR beam from a working blackbody source for test and calibration of LWIR sensors. Internal scan mirrors are used to scan the output beam to simulate flight sensor scanning. The optical path has eleven reflective surfaces making a spectral calibration of the output beam necessary. This calibration is accomplished by utilizing an NBS calibrated blackbody with a calibration accuracy of 4.2% (la quadrature accuracy = 2.0%) as a reference standard. In situ calibration of the output beam is accomplished by sampling part of the output beam and comparing it spectrally, point by point, with the output from the reference blackbody. A grating cube spectroradiometer resident in POST is used to make the spectral comparison. By careful analysis of the diffraction effects at the reference blackbody source and the utilization of a single reflective optical element to direct the reference source energy to the spectroradiometer, the calibration uncertainties are minimized.
Twenty years of artificial life art

This essay begins with discussion of four relatively recent works which are representative of major themes and preoccupations in Artificial Life Art: ‘Propagaciones’ by Leo Nunez; ‘Sniff’ by Karolina Sobecka and Jim George; ‘Universal Whistling Machine’ by Marc Boehlen; and ‘Performative Ecologies’ by Ruari Glynn. This essay is an attempt to contextualise these works by providing an overview of the history and forms of Artificial Life Art as it has developed over two decades, along with some background in the ideas of the Artificial Life movement of the late 1980s and 1990s.1
Neglected Consequences: Role of Introduced Aquatic Species in the Spread of Infectious Diseases

Introduction of aquatic organisms to new ecosystems has led to massive alterations to the structure and function of natural ecosystems, and to extinction of native flora and fauna. The ecological impacts caused by exotic aquatic species worldwide have been widely recognized, but the past and potential human health impacts of these introductions have been largely ignored. This review identifies several modes by which introduced aquatic species negatively impact human health: a) the direct introduction of human pathogens and/or their hosts; b) the introduction of pathogens of species upon which humans depend; and c) structural and functional alterations of ecosystems that affect other aquatic species upon which humans depend. The literature review presented here focuses on the first of these modes, presenting examples of either pathogens or hosts of pathogens (or both) that are documented to have been introduced, and that either affect or have the potential to affect human health, and occur in aquatic environments. Documented or suspected cases of introduced species that have caused human health impacts include: a) introduced dinoflagellates, which cause the accumulation of human neurotoxins in shellfish; b) various species of freshwater snails hosting a variety of human disease organisms, including Schistosoma mansoni (the cause of intestinal schistosomiasis), schistosomes that cause “swimmer’s itch” (cercarial dermatitis), the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica, and others; c) Vibrio cholerae, the agent of infection of cholera disease; and d) introduced mitten crabs, which can carry a human lung fluke.
A Preliminary Assessment of Legged Mobility Provided by a Lower Limb Exoskeleton for Persons With Paraplegia

This paper presents an assessment of a lower limb exoskeleton for providing legged mobility to people with paraplegia. In particular, the paper presents a single-subject case study comparing legged locomotion using the exoskeleton to locomotion using knee-ankle-foot orthoses (KAFOs) on a subject with a T10 motor and sensory complete injury. The assessment utilizes three assessment instruments to characterize legged mobility, which are the timed up-and-go test, the Ten-Meter Walk Test (10 MWT), and the Six-Minute Walk Test (6 MWT), which collectively assess the subject's ability to stand, walk, turn, and sit. The exertion associated with each assessment instrument was assessed using the Physiological Cost Index. Results indicate that the subject was able to perform the respective assessment instruments 25%, 70%, and 80% faster with the exoskeleton relative to the KAFOs for the timed up-and-go test, the 10 MWT, and the 6 MWT, respectively. Measurements of exertion indicate that the exoskeleton requires 1.6, 5.2, and 3.2 times less exertion than the KAFOs for each respective assessment instrument. The results indicate that the enhancement in speed and reduction in exertion are more significant during walking than during gait transitions.
Best-practice recommendations for estimating interaction effects using meta-analysis

One of the key advantages of meta-analysis (i.e., a quantitative literature review) over a narrative literature review is that it allows for formal tests of interaction effects—namely, whether the relationship between two variables is contingent upon the value of another (moderator) variable. Interaction effects play a central role in organizational science research because they highlight boundary conditions of a theory: Conditions under which relationships change in strength and/or direction. This article describes procedures for estimating interaction effects using meta-analysis, distills the technical literature for a general readership of organizational science researchers, and includes specific best-practice recommendations regarding actions researchers can take before and after data collection to improve the accuracy of substantive conclusions regarding interaction effects investigated meta-analytically. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evidence for separate morphological classes of Renshaw cells in the cat's spinal cord

Although some functions of Renshaw cells are well defined, pharmacological evidence suggests that there may be more than one type of Renshaw cell involved in recurrent inhibition of motoneurons, or one type employing more than one inhibitory amino acid neurotransmitter. Identified Renshaw cells were intracellularly stained with horseradish peroxidase (HRP), revealing the existence of a distinctive group of fusiform neurons as well as the more common multipolar cells. The fusiform neurons may represent a subgroup of Renshaw cells having separate functions and/or synaptic mediators.
N-Ethyl-6-ethyl­amino-4-oxo-1,3,5-triazin-2-aminium chloride (Oxysimazine·HCl)

In the title molecular salt, C7H14N5O+·Cl− (the HCl salt of the oxo derivative of the triazine herbicide simazine), the cation and anion are linked by N—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds. The chloride ion is also involved in a close electrostatic inter­action with an inversion-related triazine ring [Cl⋯centroid distance = 3.201 (1) A]. A π–π inter­action having a centroid⋯centroid distance of 3.456 (2) A exists between pairs of rings via another inversion relation. The triazine ring and adjacent non-H atoms are essentially planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.042 A), while both methyl groups are approximately perpendicular and on the same side of the plane [torsion angles = 79.3 (3) and −84.6 (3)°]. Upon exposure to X-rays for about two days, the color of the title compound changed from colorless to a pale yellow-orange with no apparent affect on the structure as evidenced by no significant change in the intensities of the standard reflections.
New perspectives on perfluorochemical ecotoxicology: inhibition and induction of an efflux transporter in the marine mussel, Mytilus californianus.

The toxicological effects of perfluoroalkyl acids on the p-glycoprotein (p-gp) cellular efflux transporter were investigated using the marine mussel Mytilus californianus as a model system. Four of the perfluoroalkyl acids studied exhibit chemosensitizing behavior, significantly inhibiting p-gp transporter activity. The inhibitory potency is maximal for the longer chain acids perfluorononanoate (PFNA) and perfluorodecanoate (PFDA), with average IC50 values of 4.8 and 7.1 μM, respectively. Results indicate that PFNA inhibits p-gp by an indirect mechanism, and this inhibition is reversible and accompanied by a rapid loss of PFNA from the tissue. In addition, PFNA induces expression of the p-gp transporter after a 2-h exposure, a stress response that may result in a metabolic cost to the organism. Given that most organisms, including humans, share efflux transporters as a first line of defense against toxicants, the results of this study may have broader implications for the ecotoxicology of perfluoroalkyl a...
Model for friction and wear reduction through piezoelectrically assisted ultrasonic lubrication

This article presents an analytical model for piezoelectrically-assisted ultrasonic friction and wear reduction. A cube is employed to represent the asperities in contact between two surfaces. Dynamic friction is considered as the sum of two friction components that depend on deformation of the cube and relative velocity. Ultrasonic vibrations change the geometry, contact stiffness, and deformation of the cube, as well as the relative velocity, which leads to a reduction in the effective dynamic friction. Volume loss of surface wear is explained by the integral of half of the cube volume over the time duration of the sliding. Change of the cube geometry caused by ultrasonic vibrations results in a change of the cube volume. A piezoelectrically-assisted tribometer was designed and built for pin-on-disc friction and wear tests. The experimental measurements validate the model for ultrasonic friction reduction at various macroscopic sliding velocities, and for ultrasonic wear reduction at various sliding distances with most errors less than 10%.
Rwanda’s Strategic Humanitarianism: Lessons From a Janus-faced State

ABSTRACTThe post-genocide Rwandan government is simultaneously characterized as heroes in regional peacekeeping operations and violent criminals in the Democratic Republic of Congo. An analysis of the Kagame regime’s reasons for contributing to African peace operations reconciles these contradictory images. Following the logic of extraversion, the Rwandan government’s peacekeeping activities are an instrument for mollifying Western donors without terminating interference in the Congo. Peacekeeping showcases a strategic manipulation of international norms rather than a commitment to humanitarianism. The strategy has proven successful for the Rwandan government, improving the regime’s diplomatic standing and increasing their access to military aid and training.
Response of coastal zone management programs to sea level rise in the United States

Abstract State coastal zone management programs are responding to the potential impacts of accelerated sea level rise through a wide range of activities and policies. This article provides a brief overview of the Coastal Zone Management Act and other federal laws that provide the basis for coastal state regulatory activities. It surveys the level of response to sea level rise by state coastal management programs in 24 marines coastal states, from formal recognition to implementation of policies addressing the issue. Individual state CZMP responses and policies that have been implemented or proposed are categorized. The adaptation of sea level rise to ongoing institutional objectives is discussed and policy constraints and trends are summarized.
A statistical method for relative-age dating of moraines in the Sawatch Range, Colorado

A relative-age classification of Pleistocene moraines in the northern Sawatch Range, Colorado, has been developed using information- and graph-theoretic methods applied to moraine morphology and weathering characteristics. At 89 stations on moraines in the study area, measurements were made of the six best age-dependent criteria; listed in order of importance, they are percentage of pitted granite, percentage of fresh granite, depth of pitting, width of moraine crest, surface-boulder frequency, and distal-moraine slope angle. Data were evaluated using computer programs CHARANAL (character analysis) and GRAPH (similarity clustering analysis) to produce an age classification of stations according to similarity with respect to the six criteria. Groups of moraines were then tentatively assigned Rocky Mountain geologic-climate names on the basis of weathering parameters and qualitative consideration of deposit morphology, downvalley position, and soil-profile development. Two pre–Bull Lake(?) glaciations are recognized in the area and tentatively correlated with the Cedar Ridge and Sacagawea Ridge Glaciations described by Richmond (1960, 1962, 1965) in the Rocky Mountains. Early(?) and late Bull Lake(?) glaciers occupied Lake Creek Valley; however, evidence of Bull Lake Glaciation was not found in the valleys of East Brush Creek or Nolan Creek. Early Pinedale glaciers occupied all major valleys in the study area, and most were more extensive than late Bull Lake glaciers, possibly explaining the lack of evidence in some valleys for Bull Lake Glaciation. Most valleys in the northern Sawatch Range were again glaciated during middle and late Pinedale time. The information- and graph-theoretic methods used in this study are useful tools for relative-age dating of Pleistocene deposits. Use of the methods (1) allows more objective age classification of glacial deposits to be made on the basis of qualitative data and measurements of several or many weathering characteristics, (2) may help to determine whether deposits represent different glaciations or phases of the same glaciation, and (3) may aid in correlation of glacial deposits between regions of similar climate and bedrock over great distances.
Remodellation der kraniofazialen Artikulationen durch mechanische Kräfte

Alle Knochenstrukturen, die von Weich- oder Knorpelgewebe bedeckt sind, konnen durch Kraftapplikation in Form und Aussehen verandert werden. Dieser Prozes, der als artikulare Remodellation bezeichnet wird, beruht auf der Potenz mesenchymaler Zellen unter Druckeinwirkung in Osteoklasten und unter Zugspannung in Osteoblasten zu differenzieren. Durch diese koordinierte Zellreaktion zwischen Druck- und Zugzonen bleibt die Knochenfunktion wahrend des Umbaus erhalten. Anhand experimenteller Untersuchungen ist bewiesen, das artifizielle Krafte direkt auf den Knochen ubertragen werden konnen und Umbauprozesse auslosen, ohne die Zahne als Verankerungs- oder Befestigungsmittel zu benutzen. Diese Erkenntnis eroffnet fur die Zukunft neue Behandlungsmoglichkeiten in der Therapie kraniofazialer Anomalien.
Dynamic Correction in Marketing Planning Models

Most marketing planning models have carry-over effects in which one period's decisions influence the results obtained in future periods. In this paper it is shown that failure to allow for the carry-over effect beyond the planning horizon can result in underallocation of resources and in biases in the timing pattern of resource expenditure. For a wide class of market planning models, a procedure is developed to take into account this long-term effect. The distortion and the procedure are illustrated in an example.
Understandings of Retirement Concepts among Pre-Service Teachers:

The purpose of this study was to interpret the retirement understandings and planning dispositions among the population of preservice teachers at a Midwestern institution of higher learning. Teacher education majors were surveyed about their knowledge of retirement topics and their attitudes towards retirement funding. There were approximately 4400 prospects, of which 303 responded and 211 completed all survey items. Respondents indicated that they had very little knowledge about retirement concepts. They trusted employer-sponsored advice more than information from other sources and feared that limited resources would prevent them from saving for retirement. The authors recommend further research that employs broader samples and focused methods to provide a fuller interpretation of related issues.
Long Mean Free Path Modifications of Electron Heat Conduction

The Spitzer-Harm parallel electron heat conductivity begins to fail even at surprisingly large values of collisionality because the energy squared dependence of the mean free path results in contributions from electrons not satisfying the short mean free path expansion. Self-similar solutions of model problems are employed to demonstrate that exponentially small, non-expandable modifications that cannot be retained in conventional treatments are the cause of the departure of heat transport from its Spitzer-Harm value.
Linking between Joint Geometry Models and a Distinct Element Method in Three Dimensions to Perform Stress Analyses in Rock Masses Containing Finite Size Joints

ABSTRACT To use the distinct element method to perform stress analysis in three dimensions (3D), the domain considered has to be discretized into distinct polyhedral blocks by the joints present in rock masses. Unfortunately, most of the joint networks present in rock masses do not produce distinct polyhedral blocks. Therefore, to use the distinct element method to perform stress analysis in actual jointed rock masses, it is necessary to find a procedure to discretize the rock mass into polyhedral blocks starting from a 3D joint network which does not discretize a rock mass into polyhedral blocks. Also, this procedure should not alter the mass deformation and strength properties of the jointed rock. This paper provides needed procedures to link 3D stochastic or deterministic joint geometry modeling schemes to a 3D distinct element method to perform stress analysis in jointed rock masses which contain finite size joints. The procedure is illustrated through an example.
Action Research as a Professional Development Activity

Reflective teachers are always searching for ways to improve their teaching. When this reflection becomes intentional and systematic, they are engaging in teacher research. This type of research, sometimes calledactionresearch, can help bridge the gap between theory and practice by addressing topics that are relevant to practicing teachers. This article synthesizes literature within music education and general education to address (a) the conceptual underpinnings of action research, (b) characteristics of action research and teacher research, (c) action research critiques, and (d) implications for teacher research as a form of professional development.
Barriers to care among racial/ethnic groups under managed care

We describe barriers to care reported by racial/ethnic groups and explore the extent to which barriers vary between persons enrolled in managed care and those in non-managed care plans, using data from the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Most respondents expressed satisfaction with their care; however, a substantial percentage reported experiencing barriers. Minorities, particularly Hispanics and Asian Americans, were more likely than non-Hispanic whites were to report barriers. Managed care enrollees across racial/ethnic groups faced different types of barriers than non-managed care enrollees did. Although managed care enrollees were more likely to report having a usual source of care and greater continuity of care, they also reported more difficulties obtaining care and less satisfaction with their care.
Self-assembled amino acids and dipeptides as noncovalent hydrogels for tissue engineering

Noncovalent hydrogels derived from the self-assembly of peptides and proteins have demonstrated advantages over covalent hydrogels for three-dimensional cell scaffolding applications. There is growing interest in exploiting minimal, self-assembling dipeptides and amino acids as hydrogel networks that support cell culture applications, but significant questions persist concerning the mechanism of self-assembly and the relationship between the molecular structure of the assembled materials and their emergent viscoelastic and biochemical properties. This review will critically assess current progress in the use of minimal self-assembling peptides and functionalized amino acids to create hydrogels, with a focus on the challenges of understanding the structure and function of these materials and on the outlook for the use of these modular and dynamic materials as robust networks for tissue engineering.
The Middeck Active Control Experiment (MACE): using space for technology research and development

The Middeck Active Control Experiment (MACE) is a United States Space Shuttle flight experiment which flew on STS-67 in March of 1995. MACE was designed by the Space Engineering Research Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in collaboration with Payload Systems Incorporated, the NASA Langley Research Center, and Lockheed Missiles and Space Company. The goal is to explore approaches to achieving high precision pointing and vibration control of future spacecraft and satellites. In particular, MACE extends the bandwidth of conventional rigid body instrument pointing and attitude controllers to include the flexible modes of the satellite. Since the success of such control is intimately dependent upon the accuracy of the spacecraft model used for control design, MACE is essentially a spacecraft modeling validation effort where success is determined by the control performance and predictability that is achieved in Earth orbit. MACE builds upon the concept of the Middeck O-Gravity Dynamics Experiments (MODE), which flew on STS-40, STS-48 and STS-62 as a dynamics test facility to characterize fluid, Space Station structure, and crew motion dynamics in zero-gravity. MACE augments the MODE facility with real-time digital control capabilities.
Evaluation and Development of Potentially Better Practices to Prevent Chronic Lung Disease and Reduce Lung Injury in Neonates

Objective. Despite increased knowledge and improving technology, chronic lung disease (CLD) rates in extremely low birth weight infants have remained constant for 20 years. One reason for this is an ineffective translation of research-proven improvements into practice. The Neonatal Intensive Care Quality Improvement Collaborative Year 2000 (NIC/Q 2000) was created to provide participating nurseries the tools necessary to effect change. The objective of this study was to develop and implement a process that uses quality improvement techniques to collaboratively improve CLD rates. Methods. Nine member hospitals of the NIC/Q 2000 collaborative formed a focus group aiming to decrease CLD rates. The focus group established goals and outcome measures, created a list of potentially better practices (PBPs) based on available literature, benchmarked and performed site visits, encouraged individual site implementation of PBPs, developed a database, and measured outcomes. Results. The goal “decrease CLD rates in extremely low birth weight infants” was established. Nine PBPs were identified, and 57 PBPs were implemented by the 9 participating sites. Twelve site visits were conducted, and a 435-patient database of infants with a mean birth weight of 789 g was established. Conclusions. Collaborative use of quality improvement techniques resulted in creation of a logical, efficient, and effective process to improve CLD rates. Group creation of PBPs, based on literature review and reinforced with site visits, internal data analysis, and improved individual site outcomes, resulted in accelerated and effective change, unlikely to occur if attempted outside of the collaborative.
Towards Enhancing OpenMP Expressiveness and Performance

Since its introduction in 1997, OpenMP has become the de facto standard for shared memory parallel programming. The notable advantages of the model are its global view of memory space that simplifies programming development and its incremental approach toward parallelization. However, it is very challenge to scale OpenMP codes to tens or hundreds of processors. This problem becomes even more profound with the recent introduction of multi-core, multi-chip architectures. Several extensions have been introduced to enhance OpenMP expressiveness and performance, including thread subteams and workqueuing. In this talk, we describe applications that expose the limitation of the current OpenMP and examine the impact of these extensions on application performance. We focus on exploiting multi-level parallelism and dealing with unbalanced workload in applications with these extensions and compare with other programming approaches, such as hybrid. Our experience has demonstrated the importance of the new language features for OpenMP applications to scale well on large shared memory parallel systems.
Simulated and experimental analysis of PVDF membrane hydrophone low-frequency response for accurate measurements of lithotripsy shockwaves

Accurate measurement of pressure waveforms is important for characterization of medical ultrasound equipment. Calibration and measurements can be difficult for high amplitude fields such as those produced by lithotripters. Additionally, it was found previously that the response of membrane hydrophones is sensitive to water conductivity, particularly at low frequencies. The purpose of this study was to develop an electrical model of the PVDF hydrophone to explain this effect and test methods to make membrane hydrophones insensitive to conductivity. The model was compared with measurements of lithotripsy shockwaves by membrane and fiber optic (FOPH) hydrophones at different water conductivities over a range of 6 - 1300 muS/cm. The model simulated the waveform distortion caused by conductivity. It was predicted that water conductivity must be lowered to unreasonable levels to measure shockwaves accurately. We modified the membrane hydrophone to eliminate this dependency by changing the liquid surrounding the membrane and by adding capacitance in parallel with the membrane. After modification, the waveforms measured by FOPH and membrane hydrophones were identical. The results suggest that membrane hydrophones are capable of accurately measuring lithotripsy shockwaves.
Human Age Estimation With Regression on Discriminative Aging Manifold

Recently, extensive studies on human faces in the human-computer interaction (HCI) field reveal significant potentials for designing automatic age estimation systems via face image analysis. The success of such research may bring in many innovative HCI tools used for the applications of human-centered multimedia communication. Due to the temporal property of age progression, face images with aging features may display some sequential patterns with low-dimensional distributions. In this paper, we demonstrate that such aging patterns can be effectively extracted from a discriminant subspace learning algorithm and visualized as distinct manifold structures. Through the manifold method of analysis on face images, the dimensionality redundancy of the original image space can be significantly reduced with subspace learning. A multiple linear regression procedure, especially with a quadratic model function, can be facilitated by the low dimensionality to represent the manifold space embodying the discriminative property. Such a processing has been evaluated by extensive simulations and compared with the state-of-the-art methods. Experimental results on a large size aging database demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of our proposed framework.
Dobutamine stress-induced microparticle release: a sign of health?

Despite numerous advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD), it remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the developed world. CVD is the leading cause of death in the United States with total costs associated with CVD treatment reaching 17% of the national health expenditures.1 A substantial portion of the cost and time associated with CVD is in the administration of stress tests, including dobutamine stress echocardiogram (DSE), for noninvasive risk assessment of patients presenting with symptoms of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Article, see p 109 Microparticles (MPs) are subcellular vesicles between 100 nm and 1 μm in diameter which are shed from the plasma membrane of activated or dying cells.2 Microparticles possess the procoagulant lipid phosphatidyl serine (PS) and cell surface proteins of their parent cells, which allow for efficient identification of cellular source via flow cytometry using fluorescently labeled annexin V, a PS binding protein, and receptor-specific antibodies.3 Microparticles contain cytokines and miRNA and act as local and systemic messengers. In addition, microparticle production is vital for removal of stressed-induced cellular by-products.4 Numerous studies have shown that microparticles activate and regulate many physiological and pathological processes.2,5 Microparticles likely play a significant role in CVD and CVD risk factors.3 Studies have shown increased microparticle levels in patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertension.6,7 Elevated microparticle levels have been correlated with a higher calculated 10-year Framingham CAD risk.8 Increases in microparticle levels have also been observed in patients with high risk coronary lesions and correlate …
Multiple sounding rocket observations of charged dust in the polar winter mesosphere

[1] We present data from a winter 2002 sounding rocket campaign for multiple observations of mesospheric charged dust. The campaign consisted of four identically instrumented payloads carrying detectors for charged mesospheric dust particles. The payloads reached an altitude of 100 km in the nighttime mesosphere and were flown from Poker Flat Research Range, Alaska, in conjunction with observations by the UAF sodium and iron resonance lidar system. Three of the four flights flew in sequence during the course of one night to study the temporal evolution of dust layers. Observations show good correlations between structure seen in the charged dust altitude profile, structure seen in the neutral metal layers observed by the lidars, and structure in the plasma density seen by the onboard Langmuir probes. The dust detector is sensitive to positively and negatively charged dust particles with ram energies of 1 to 11 eV for negatively and 3–11 eV for positively charged dust; that is, particles of approximately 5000 amu. The charged dust densities seen (estimated to be approximately 5 to 10 percent of the total dust density) are approximately 100 particles per cc, and the dust is negatively charged. Variations in the dust density of about 10% are seen in conjunction with structure in the plasma density and with the neutral metal layers. In this paper we present the details of the dust data and instrumentation; a companion paper explores the implications of the correlations seen between the dust and other mesospheric layers.
Stability and modulation properties of a semiconductor laser with weak optical feedback from a distant reflector

We analyse the stability of the steady-state solutions of the compound system formed by a single-longitudinal-mode semiconductor laser and an external reflector. Of the large number of these external cavity modes (ECMs) created in pairs of modes and antimodes by moderate feedback, the antimodes are always unstable, while the modes may be stable or unstable when created. The ECMs that have a large positive frequency shift with respect to the emission frequency of the solitary laser are unstable when created. In contrast, the ECMs that have a large, negative frequency shift are stable on creation and remain stable over a relatively large feedback range. For sufficiently large feedback an ECM that is created stable gives way to a time-dependent solution (limit cycle or torus) that is localized in phase space around the ECM; several time-dependent attractors may coexist. Approximating the dynamical equations, taking into account terms up to second order, we obtain relations for the amplitudes of the oscillations of the laser variables for these attractors. The external cavity length and the injection current are key parameters which determine these amplitudes. Our approximations are in good agreement with numerical simulations, and hold even far from the bifurcation points where these attractors originate.
STUDIES OF THE ADSORPTION OF ACETONITRILE (CH3CN) ON Cu(001) USING HELIUM ATOM SCATTERING

The adsorption of acetonitrile (CH3CN) on Cu(001) has been studied using elastic Helium atom scattering (HAS) and has been analyzed using a novel method of direct HAS diffraction image inversion. At low temperatures (138 K) acetonitrile permanently adsorbs forming a c(4 × 2) structure at saturation. Annealing the saturated surface to temperatures above 200 K causes the desorption of all surface moieties leaving clean Cu(001). At the adsorption temperatures in the range 153–163 K acetonitrile does not adsorb permanently and demonstrates adsorption–desorption equilibrium. These dynamical studies suggest that the acetonitrile molecule does not dissociate during adsorption. Analyses of the c(4 × 2) HAS diffraction image have revealed several possible surface structures where the C–C–N axis of the adsorbed molecule lies approximately parallel to the Cu(001) surface.
So Many to Choose from: Decision Strategies in Videodating

Members of a prominent videodating organization were asked to read through a set of autobiographical profiles about prospective dates. These members were also instructed to `think aloud' about what factors (e.g. age, attractiveness, occupation, interests) they were considering in deciding whether or not to view that person's videotape. Age and attractiveness proved to be by far the most frequently mentioned factors in subjects' decision strategies. This result held for both men and women, younger and older members, and for individuals who had been members for either a short or a long period. These results are discussed in terms of the information overload and time constraints facing members of this organization in making their decisions, as well in the context of previous research on interpersonal attraction.
Dendritic cells loaded with FK506 kill T cells in an antigen-specific manner and prevent autoimmunity in vivo

Although our health depends on our immune system's ability to recognize and attack foreign material, this same response can cause the body to reject an organ transplant or even to spontaneously attack itself (this is called autoimmune disease). To help prevent rejection, patients who receive donated organs are given immunosuppressant drugs, with a compound called FK506, or Tacrolimus, the most commonly used. However, FK506 can have a number of serious side effects, including high blood pressure, kidney damage and diabetes. The job of starting an immune response falls in large part to a type of white blood cell called the dendritic cell, which patrols the body in search of cells in trouble—such as those infected with viruses. Dendritic cells are efficient at engulfing dying cells, which they break down and display fragments of on their cell surface. These fragments—which are known as antigens—are presented directly to T cells, which trigger a cascade of additional immune responses leading ultimately to the destruction of infected cells. In some cases of autoimmune disease, however, T cells begin to mistake the body's own cells for infected cells and to launch attacks against healthy tissue. Evidence suggests that immunosuppressive drugs such as FK506 can help to tone down these inappropriate immune responses. However, the use of FK506 to treat autoimmune disease has been limited by its side effects. Now, Orange et al. have shown that dendritic cells can be exploited to deliver drugs such as FK506 in a targeted and controlled manner. When the researchers loaded dendritic cells with FK506, they found that the cells sequestered the drug and then released it slowly in quantities that were sufficient to inhibit T-cell responses for at least 72 hr. Using a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis—an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and destruction of joint tissue—Orange and co-workers demonstrated that their novel drug delivery system could be therapeutically useful. They loaded dendritic cells displaying the antigen that triggers the mouse immune system to attack joint tissue, with FK506, and used the resulting cells to treat arthritic mice. Mice that received these cells showed less severe arthritis than control animals treated with dendritic cells that had not been loaded with FK506. Moreover, the total dose of FK506 that the mice were exposed to was very low, with the result that they showed no evidence of the side effects typically seen with this drug. This proof-of-concept study suggests that dendritic cells could be used for the gradual and controlled delivery of drugs to specific target cells within the immune system. By precisely targeting relevant immune cells, it should be possible to use much lower drug doses, and thereby reduce side effects. Follow-up studies are now required to determine whether dendritic cells can be used as vehicles for the delivery of other drugs to treat a range of diseases.
SUICIDE IN THE WORLD: TOWARD A POPULATION INCREASE THEORY OF SUICIDE

Using recently obtained suicide rates and economic development indicators for 60 countries , this study investigates the effects of modernization on suicide throughout the world . Results support the hypothesis that high suicide rates are related to modernization but with revisions . Although suicide is negatively correlated with population growth indicators and positively correlated with quality of life indicators , in multiple regression analyses with all other factors controlled , the population growth factor is a much better predictor of suicide rates than the quality of life factor . This finding holds true for both developing and developed countries when the two subsamples were tested separately . The population increase theory of suicide is highlighted as an explanation of suicide rates in the world , and ramifications of the theory are discussed .
Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation Versus Chemotherapy for Patients Undergoing Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer

Background Neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by esophagectomy is currently the standard of care for locally advanced esophageal cancer. This intense preoperative regimen delays definitive resection and increases perioperative risks. With the improvement of chemotherapy agents, chemotherapy alone may be better suited for patients awaiting esophagectomy because of shorter preoperative treatment time and less associated perioperative complications. No recent study has compared chemoradiation to chemotherapy alone before esophageal resection with respect to operative morbidity and mortality and overall survival. Methods A retrospective review was performed of all patients (281) who underwent an esophagectomy for cancer at our institution from July 1995 through June 2005; 122 patients (43%) had neoadjuvant treatment and form the basis of this study. Results Preoperative chemoradiation (CR) was administered in 64 patients and chemotherapy only (CO) in 58 patients. Operative mortality was 6% (4 patients) in the CR group and 0% in the CO group (p = 0.12). Overall postoperative complications rate was 48% in CR patients and 33% in CO patients (p = 0.09). Complete pathologic response occurred in 11 CR patients (17%) and in 2 CO patients (4%; p = 0.02). There was no difference in recurrences between the two groups (p = 0.43). Median survival was 17 months in the CR patients and 21 months in the CO patients (p = 0.14). One-, 3-, and 5-year survivals were 76%, 46%, and 41%, respectively, in the CR patients and 70%, 40%, and 31%, respectively, in the CO patients (p = 0.31). Conclusions Although neoadjuvant chemoradiation resulted in a significantly better complete pathologic response rate when compared with chemotherapy alone, that did not translate into a long-term survival advantage. Chemotherapy alone may be the preferred neoadjuvant modality to expedite resection, decrease operative mortality and postoperative complications, and improve survival in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Relationships of Self-Ratings and Actigraphy

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a baffling disease potentially affecting millions of Americans. Self-rating scales were developed to assess this condition but have yet to be validated with objective measures of activity. The present study of a 45-yr.-old man evaluated the relationships between scores on self-rating scales used to measure Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and actigraphy. Measured activity was related to predictors of fatigue but not to fatigue. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Chip-package co-simulation with multiscale structures

Chip-package co-simulation is required to predict the interaction between the chip and package at the system level. The FDTD method can be used to analyze these structures but is limited by the Courant condition. In this paper, an alternate method is suggested by combining Laguerre Polynomials with the FDTD method. Since, the solution is implicit, the Courant condition is no longer an issue and therefore the method provides unconditional stability. In addition, the time domain response can be computed similar to the FDTD scheme. The formulation allows the conversion of an electromagnetic problem to a circuit representation with resistors, voltage and current sources. Such a representation is useful since a DC solution can be used to obtain the transient response. To obtain the low frequency response using an FDTD based method, computing the time domain response over long time duration is required. Due to the behavior of the Laguerre Polynomials, this can be difficult. In this paper, computing the time domain response over several micro-seconds is discussed using Laguerre Polynomials combined with the FDTD scheme. This method now can be applied to compute the frequency response from DC to very high frequencies for multiscale structures arising in chip-package co-simulation.
Multilingual Education and Sustainable Diversity Work: From Periphery to Center Tove Skutnabb-Kangas and Kathleen Heugh

Cry your heart out—the world cannot hear because it doesn't know your voice Speak, the world won't mind because it doesn't understand your language Sleep, the world won't notice because it can't fe...
Intracellular Cl activity: evidence of dual mechanisms of cl absorption in sweat duct

The human sweat duct (SD) reabsorbs NaCl from lumen to blood over a wide range of luminal concentrations. The physiological strategies employed by the SD to cope with such extreme transport loads remain elusive. When we employed intracellular Cl-sensitive microelectrodes, we found that at high (150 mM) luminal NaCl concentrations ([NaCl]) transcellular Cl absorption occurs through passive diffusion that is evidenced by a large Cl conductance (GCl) in both cell membranes and by a favorable electrochemical driving force for Cl (delta psi Cl) across the apical and basolateral membranes. However, lowering the luminal [NaCl] to 15 mM markedly altered the electrochemical gradient for Cl and reversed the direction of delta psi Cl. Under these conditions, passive absorption of Cl was not feasible, so that Cl can only be absorbed by a nonconductive transport carrier. We surmise that, in the face of such changes in delta psi Cl as a function of luminal [NaCl], continuous transcellular Cl transport in SD could only be sustained if both electroconductive and carrier-mediated Cl transport are present in the SD.
Use of Biotelemetry to Define Physiology-Based Deterioration Thresholds in a Murine Cecal Ligation and Puncture Model of Sepsis.

Objectives:Murine models of critical illness are commonly used to test new therapeutic interventions. However, these interventions are often administered at fixed time intervals after the insult, perhaps ignoring the inherent variability in magnitude and temporality of the host response. We propose
Palestine in the Second World War: strategic plans and political dilemmas. The emergence of a new Middle East

This short book is based on extensive research undertaken by the author in several archives in Israel and the UK. It also draws on the past research of a number of well-known authors in the field. ...
Analysis on influence factors of internet addiction disorder among middle school student in Tongzhou district of Beijing

Objective To understand the influence factors of Internet addiction disorder( IAD) among middle school students in Tongzhou district,to provide theoretical basis for preventing teenagers from Internet addiction. Methods Adopting the method of stratified cluster random sampling,a self-administered anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted among 2,181 students. EpiData3. 0 database was used for data entry,the data was analyzed by applying logistic regression with SPSS17. 0statistical software. Results The IAD rate was 10. 6% among middle school students in Tongzhou district of Beijing. There weresignificant statistical differences between male and female students( 14. 2% in boys vs 7. 4% in girls,χ2= 26. 42,P 0. 05),The influence factor analysis showed that gender,grade,severe learning pressure,insomnia,depression were influence factors of IAD. Conclusion The IAD was affected by many factors,we should make specific prevention measures to reduce the incidence of Internet Addiction.