cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear self-channeling of high-power lasers through controlled atmospheric turbulence

High-power laser beams are demonstrated to resist the spreading effects of atmospheric turbulence over a 180-m-long path. This “nonlinear self-channeling” behavior occurs when nonlinear self-focusing balances diffraction, maintaining the beam radius at a size smaller than the inner scale or coherence radius of turbulence, over the length of propagation. Nonlinear self-channeling is shown to persist into the strong-turbulence regime. However, the turbulence-induced increase in beam wander remains unchanged.
Correlation Database of 60 Cross-Disciplinary Surveys and Cognitive Tasks Assessing Self-Regulation.

Self-regulation is studied across various disciplines, including personality, social, cognitive, health, developmental, and clinical psychology; psychiatry; neuroscience; medicine; pharmacology; an...
CHAPTER 7 – Carbohydrates

Publisher Summary This chapter deals with the kinds of carbohydrates found in woody plants, and their transformations, uses, losses, and accumulation. Carbohydrates are direct products of photosynthesis, and the basic organic substances from which most other organic compounds in woody plants are synthesized. The important carbohydrates include monosaccharides (pentoses, hexoses), oligosaccharides (sucrose, maltose, raffinose), and polysaccharides (cellulose, starch). Many carbohydrates continuously undergo transformation, with starch-sucrose interconversions occurring commonly. However, once glucose has been incorporated into cellulose by the cellulose synthase enzyme complex, it remains in this compound because plants lack the required enzymes for cellulose degradation. Although large amounts of carbohydrates are used in the growth of woody plants, most are lost by maintenance and growth respiration and lesser amounts by leaching, exudation, translocation to other plants, losses to parasites, and production of defensive chemicals. Respiratory losses may amount to 60% or more of the daily production of photosynthate. Both stored and currently produced carbohydrates are used for growth. Utilization of carbohydrates in shoot growth varies greatly among species in accordance with their inherent patterns of shoot growth. Use of carbohydrates for cambial growth varies among species, genotype, and environmental conditions. It also varies with stem height and around the stem circumference. Carbohydrates are used in initiation, elongation, and thickening of the roots, as well as in growth of mycorrhizae and root nodules. Fruiting and seed production preferentially use a large portion of the available carbohydrate pool, resulting in inhibition of vegetative growth.
B cells modulate mouse allergen-specific T cells in nonallergic laboratory animal-care workers

Understanding the mechanisms of allergen-specific immune modulation in nonallergic individuals is key to recapitulate immune tolerance and to develop novel allergy treatments. Herein, we characterized mouse-specific T cell responses in nonallergic laboratory animal-care workers before and after reexposure to mice. PBMCs were collected and stimulated with developed peptide pools identified from high-molecular-weight fractions of mouse allergen extracts. Sizable CD4 T cell responses were noted and were temporarily decreased in most subjects upon reexposure, with the magnitude of decrease positively correlated with time of reexposure but not the duration of the break. Interestingly, the suppression was specific to mouse allergens without affecting responses of bystander antigens. Further, PBMC fractioning studies illustrated that the modulation is unlikely from T cells, while B cell depletion and exchange reversed the suppression of responses, suggesting that B cells may be the key modulators. Increased levels of regulatory cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β1) in the cell culture supernatant and plasma mouse-specific IgG4 were also observed after reexposure, consistent with B cell-mediated modulation mechanisms. Overall, these results suggest that nonallergic status is achieved by an active, time-related, allergen-specific, B cell-dependent regulatory process upon reexposure, the mechanisms of which should be detailed by further molecular studies.
A Sociological Analysis of “OK Boomer”:

The year 2019 was the year of “OK Boomer” (OKb). From The New York Times to the New Zealand legislature, OKb emerged as a pop cultural phenomenon. For some, this phrase represents a battle of the g...
Parental presence after significant procedures and medical events in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Very low birth weight (VLBW) and extremely preterm (EPT) infants typically experience multiple significant medical events, while in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), we aimed to identify how...
Off-center instability of Nb5+ in KNbO3 under ambient pressure

Abstract Off-center displacement of Nb in KNbO3 is explained in terms of the pseudo Jahn–Teller effect in octahedral clusters [NbO6]. Strength of this symmetry-breaking effect is determined by electron-vibrational coupling and by the HOMO–LUMO energy gap. Under applied ambient pressure, the energy gap increases weakening the pseudo Jahn–Teller instability, reducing off-center displacement of Nb in trigonal wells, and lowering potential barriers between wells. Sensitivity of the off-center displacement of Nb to applied pressure indicates closeness of the HOMO–LUMO gap in KNbO3 to its critical value when the off-center displacement of Nb approaches zero. This limit, however, is not reached due to lattice anharmonicity of KNbO3 with respect to volumetric compression. The suggested theory fits well with the local structure obtained in XAFS.
Pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures cause acute, but not chronic, mTOR pathway activation in rat

Summary Purpose: The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway has been implicated in contributing to progressive epileptogenesis in models of chronic epilepsy. Conversely, seizures themselves may directly cause acute activation of the mTOR pathway. To isolate the direct effects of seizures on the mTOR pathway, the time course and mechanisms of mTOR activation were investigated with acute seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), which does not lead to chronic epilepsy. Methods: Western blot analysis was used to assay the phosphorylation of Akt and S6, as measures of activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and mTOR pathways, respectively, at various time points after PTZ-induced seizures in rats. The ability of wortmannin, a PI3K inhibitor, to inhibit PTZ seizure–induced activation of the mTOR pathway was tested. Key Findings: PTZ-induced seizures produced an immediate, transient mTOR activation lasting several hours, but no later, more chronic activation over days to weeks. This acute stimulation of the mTOR pathway by PTZ-induced seizures was mediated by upstream PI3K/Akt pathway activation and was blocked by a PI3K inhibitor. Significance: Compared with models of chronic epilepsy that exhibit biphasic (acute and chronic) mTOR pathway activation, PTZ-induced seizures produce only acute, but not chronic, mTOR activation. These results in the PTZ seizure model highlight potential differences in the involvement of the mTOR pathway between self-limited seizures and progressive epileptogenesis. These findings also suggest a potential therapeutic role of PI3K inhibitors in epilepsy.
Roadway Powered Electric Vehicle Performance

The performance of a roadway-powered electric vehicle system was determined by analysis and test. In this system, energy can be transferred efficiently from the roadway to the vehicle by inductive coupling across reasonably large air gaps. Higher frequency, flux density, and road current all improve power density and/or system efficiency. Use of the powered roadway by conventional vehicles is not compromised because driveability and thermal effects are small. No difficulties were uncovered which obviate the desirability of developing the powered roadway as a means to reduce dependence on petroleum.
Treatment of Serious Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infections

Serious infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa continue to be associated with high morbidity and mortality (1). Treatment options should be based upon in vitro susceptibility, clinical efficacy, likelihood of development of resistance, pharmacokinetic disposition and toxicity.
Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders among Methadone Maintenance Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Infection: Effects on Eligibility for Hepatitis C Treatment

We set out to describe the prevalence and severity of psychiatric and substance use disorders (SUDs) in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and to measure the impact on HCV-treatment eligibility. Psychiatric disorders, SUDs, and HCV-treatment eligibility were assessed in 111 MMT patients prior to a controlled trial of HCV treatment. Lifetime and current diagnosis rates, respectively, were: any non-SUD Axis I disorder: 82% and 57%, any mood disorder: 67% and 35%, any anxiety disorder: 63% and 22%, any psychotic disorder: 11% and 9%. Antisocial personality disorder was present in 40%. A total of 56% met criteria for current SUDs. A total of 66% received psychiatric medications prior to HCV treatment; over half were receiving antidepressants. Despite psychiatric and substance use comorbidity, only 15% of patients were ineligible for HCV treatment: 10% due to failure to complete the evaluation, and 5% due to psychiatric severity. Substance use did not lead to ineligibility in any participant. Multiple logistic regression showed the Beck Depression Inventory contributed significantly to predicting HCV treatment eligibility. Most MMT patients were eligible [corrected] for HCV treatment despite current SUD and non-SUD diagnoses. Depression severity may be a more significant predictor of HCV treatment eligibility than is substance use.
Dependence of Changes in Tenacity with Mercerization on Strength Uniformity and Maturity of Cotton Samples

Twenty-five cotton samples were mercerized slack and at 95% normal length. The samples were tested for tenacity at 0- and 3.2-mm gage lengths, T0 and T1, respectively, and for specific area fineness A, immaturity ratio I, and percentage of maturity by the sodium hydroxide swelling method. The strength uniformity T1/T0 was more highly correlated with the ratio of the tenacity of mercerized samples to the tenacity of untreated samples tested at 3.2-mm gage lengths than was either of the maturity measurements. However, when the effect of T1, which was used in both tenacity ratio and strength uniformity calculations, was removed by partial correlations, the tenacity ratio depended about equally on strength uniformity and maturity. Nevertheless, strength uniformity made the greatest contribution to equations for predicting tenacity ratio from raw stock measures.
The Costs of Union Leadership

T his essay examines why women are underrepresented in the top ranks of unions. Historians shown that men sidelined women, suggesting the reasons for male dominance were primarily social or cultural. This essay offers novel evidence on family formation and longevity from obituaries and other sources, and a new model that suggests that historians have downplayed the costs of becoming a leader. Local union leaders regardless of sex lived significantly shorter lives than did union members. Women leaders were significantly less likely than men to have children or become married. The new model is able to incorporate social and cultural factors that have been well-documented by historians with game theory and evolutionary factors that historians have largely ignored.
Intensity-modulated versus conventional radiation therapy for oropharyngeal carcinoma: Long-term dysphagia and tumor control outcomes

Background The purpose of this study was to determine the relative clinical benefits of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) versus conventional radiotherapy (CRT) in the treatment of patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma. Methods We compared tumor control and toxicity outcomes in 132 patients with stage III to IVA/B oropharyngeal carcinoma treated with definitive chemoradiation in the human papillomavirus (HPV) era. Results Patients treated with IMRT had lower rates of xerostomia (p = .01) and shorter duration of gastrostomy-tube dependence (p < .0001), but increased risk of cervical esophageal stricture (p = .03). The overall rates of late dysphagia were not different between the 2 groups (p = .40). In multivariate analysis, IMRT was a significant predictor of decreased disease-specific mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.24; p = .03) after adjustment for T-category and active smoking. After adjustment for T classification, IMRT use was associated with a trend toward a significant decrease in locoregional failure (HR = 0.17; p = .08). Conclusion The incidence of late dysphagia is similar in IMRT and CRT, but the mechanism of dysphagia is different. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 36: 492–498, 2014
BN formation from bombardment of boron with N2

Abstract Boron nitride formation from bombardment of boron with 0.5–4 keV N 2 + ions is studied by in situ XPS and AES measurements. A dynamic process of nitrogen implantation and surface sputtering leads to the formation of a BN layer whose thickness is comparable to the range of the nitrogen ions in the boron. The maximal nitrogen entrapment is determined by the stoichiometry of BN; excess nitrogen is released by sputtering and possibly diffusion. No diffusion of nitrogen to the bulk nor expansion of the BN layer is detected at room temperature for prolonged bombardment. The results are in accord with a simple collisional altered layer model that is presented.
The Effect of the Ratio of Corn to Soybean Protein in Layer Diets upon the Response to Supplemental Amino Acids

Abstract THE ratio of corn to soybean protein in layer diets has been shown to affect the performance of pullets by Bray (1960). Bray (1965), among others, showed that the sulfur-containing amino acids are considerably more limiting than any other essential amino acid when soybean meal is the sole source of protein in layer diets. When corn was the major source of protein in corn-soya diets, i.e. in low protein diets, lysine was found to be more limiting than sulfur-containing amino acids by Bradley and Quisenberry (1961), Strangeland and Carlson (1961), Harms and Waldroup (1962) and Britzman and Carlson (1963). Bray (1964a) found that isoleucine and lysine were the most limiting essential amino acids among several explored in 8.5 percent protein layer diets in which a 60:40 blend of corn and soybean protein was the sole source of protein. The response to supplemental dl -methionine decreased progressively as soybean protein was replaced . . .
Low-temperature growth of DKDP for improving laser-induced damage resistance at 350 nm

A set of twenty-three 20-L crystallizer runs exploring the importance of several engineering variables found that growthtemperature is the most important variable controlling damage resistance of DKDP over the conditions investigated. Boulesgrown between 45°C and room temperature have a 50% probability of 3a bulk damage that is 1.5 to 2 times higher thanboules grown between 65 and 45°C. This raises their damage resistance above the NIF tripler specification for 8 J/cm2operation by a comfortable margin. Solution impurity levels do not correlate with damage resistance for iron less than 200ppb and aluminum less than 2000 ppb. The possibility that low growth temperatures could increase damage resistance inNIF-scale boules was tested by growing a large boule in a 1000-L crystallizer with a supplemental growth solution tank.Four samples representing early and late pyramid and prism growth are very close to the specification as best it is understoodat the present. Implications of low temperature growth for meeting absorbance, homogeneity, and other materialspecifications are discussed.Keywords: KDP, DKDP, frequency conversion crystals, laser damage
The Political Legitimacy of Retribution: Two Reasons for Skepticism

Retributivism is often portrayed as a rights-respecting alternative to consequentialist justifications of punishment. However, I argue that the political legitimacy of retribution is doubtful precisely because retribution privileges a controversial conception of the good over citizens’ rights and more widely shared, publicly accessible interests. First, even if retribution is valuable, the best accounts of its value fail to show that it can override or partially nullify offenders’ rights to the fundamental forms of liberty of which criminal punishment paradigmatically deprives them. Second, the importance of publicly justifying basic forms of coercion on the basis of broadly shared values is a good reason to think that the state should not punish for retribution even those citizens whose actions have created a state interest in punishing them that overrides or partially nullifies their presumptive rights.
When two memories can and cannot be retrieved concurrently

We examined whether two memories can be retrieved concurrently from long-term memory. In Experiment 1, the subjects recalled words, either from two categories—alternating between the two—or from just one category. In Experiment 2, the subjects recalled two words belonging to either the same category or different categories, and the category prompts for these two responses appeared either simultaneously or successively. The results of both studies are consistent with the view that two items from different categories must be retrieved serially, whereas two items from the same category can be retrieved in parallel.
Increasing the speed of droplet counter-current chromatography separations

Un systeme de vannes permet de traiter simultanement des groupes de colonnes, ce qui limite le parcours de solvant, diminue la pression de travail, entrainant une diminution de 30% des durees de lavage et chargement des colonnes
“take back what doesn't belong to me”: sexual violence, resistance and the “transmission of affect”

Abstract In sexual abuse, an intrinsic part of the trauma is the emotional residue of anger, shame, impotence, and pain that can continue to haunt and occupy the victim. Teresa Brennan's theory of the transmission of affect and hierarchical “dumping” suggests that the masculine subject is constructed through transferring his negative emotions to a feminized other; she is both burdened with his toxic affect and depleted of her vital energies. This process characterizes sexual abuse, including rape, battery, and incest. The victim feels possessed, consumed, trashed, drained, and “dirtied.” As ecological feminist theory suggests, this process is mirrored in masculine-identified abuse of the feminine-identified elemental environment. The testimony of many survivors of sexual abuse reveals that healing from toxic dumping and the ensuing disconnection induced by sexual violence can be enabled in two linked ways. First of all, survivors can refuse to take on the unwanted affect. Moreover, they can energetically affirm and reconnect with elemental forces in the self and in the world.
The Evolution of Chemokine Release Supports a Bimodal Mechanism of Spinal Cord Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury

Background—Paraplegia remains a devastating complication of thoracic aortic surgery. The mechanism of the antecedent spinal cord ischemia and reperfusion injury (IR) remains poorly described. IR involves 2 injuries, an initial ischemic insult and subsequent inflammatory amplification of the injury. This mechanism is consistent with the clinical phenomenon of delayed onset paraplegia. This study sought to characterize the inflammatory response in the spinal cord after IR and hypothesized that this would support a bimodal mechanism of injury. Methods and Results—Male C57Bl/6 mice were subjected to 5 minutes of aortic arch and left subclavian occlusion with subsequent reperfusion to generate spinal cord ischemia. Functional outcomes were scored at 12-hour intervals. Spinal cords were harvested after 0, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, and 48 hours of reperfusion. Cytokine levels were analyzed using a mouse magnetic bead–based multiplex immunoassay. Inflammatory chemokine concentrations (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, keratino...
Comparison of BioGlue reinforced and standard running sutured vesicourethral anastomoses

Abstract Objectives To compare a BioGlue-reinforced laparoscopically sutured vesicourethral anastomosis (VUA) with a standard laparoscopically sutured VUA in a porcine model. Methods Twelve pigs were divided into two groups. In group 1 (n = 6), a standard laparoscopically sutured VUA was performed. In group 2 (n = 6), a standard laparoscopic sutured VUA was performed, and the anastomosis was reinforced with BioGlue. Groups 1 and 2 were completed consecutively. The animals in both groups were killed at 1 week postoperatively. In all cases, cystography was performed immediately after completion of the anastomosis and at death. At necropsy, the gross findings of the VUA were documented, and each anastomosis was excised en bloc for an extensive histopathologic evaluation of the healing parameters, including inflammation and fibrosis at each tissue level, foreign body reactions, and necrosis. Results Of the 12 VUAs, 11 were successfully performed laparoscopically. The median operative time for groups 1 and 2 was 70 and 100 minutes, respectively (P = 0.03). The median anastomotic time for groups 1 and 2 was 30 and 50 minutes, respectively (P = 0.02). No difference was seen in urinary extravasation on the cystographic evaluation in the immediate postoperative or 1-week evaluations. At necropsy, a gross complete circumferential histologic tissue approximation was noted in 1 (20%) of 5 pigs in group 1 and 2 (33%) of 6 pigs in group 2 (P = 0.66). No urinomas were noted in either group. Histopathologic evaluation revealed no significant difference between groups 1 and 2 regarding inflammation, fibrosis, foreign body reactions, or necrosis. Conclusions The application of BioGlue to the anastomotic line extended the procedure time and did not improve the quality of the VUA.
Beam tilt-angle compensation for a rotatable flush-mounted surface-wave antenna on an asymmetrical ground plane

The beam tilt angle of a rotatable flush-mounted surface-wave antenna mounted on the underside skin of an aircraft varies as the antenna is mechanically scanned in azimuth. This beam tilt-angle variation results because the antenna is presented with a finite asymmetrical ground plane, which introduces a wide range of ground-plane conditions to the antenna as a function of azimuth angle. A method that can compensate partially for these beam tilt variations for low beam tilt angles is described.
Young drivers and speed selection: A model guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior

Past research shows that speed selection is an important factor associated with road accidents. But the role of attitudes, norms, and perceived control on individual speed selection remain unclear. This is especially true in the case of young drivers and people living in countries other than in North America or Western Europe. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, the present study was designed to determine if it was possible to model speed selection in a sample of young drivers from Costa Rica. A sample of 210 Costa Rican drivers aged 18-30 years were administered a questionnaire survey that measured a series of constructs based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). In order to situate the hypothetical conditions presented in the questionnaire, a video depicting a real driving situation was showed to the participants while completing the questionnaire. This technique proved simple to use yet powerful. Issues related to ecological validity, a non-standard measurement of the normative influences, and potential self-selection of the participants are addressed as possible limitations in this study. Results showed that two components of the Theory of Planned Behavior - norms and perceived behavioral control - can explain intention to decrease speed and actual speed selection in the studied group. However, a third component of the theory - attitudes toward speeding - did not predict reported speed selection. Based on these results, an alternative behavioral model was developed. That model retained most of the original variables with different causal paths and showed acceptable levels of fit to the data. Besides testing a model, the study findings show that significant others play an important role in speed selection during the presentation of a video showing an actual driving situation. In particular, the hypothetical circumstances of having parents in the car or pedestrians walking along the road are significant deterrents of speeding for the studied participants. In the case of perceived control, the idea of traveling on a well-known road with no cracks or holes, and the idea of driving in their own cars are pre-conditions to increase the hypothetical chosen speed for this sample of young drivers.
Serotonin 2A receptor regulation of striatal neuropeptide gene expression is selective for tachykinin, but not enkephalin neurons following dopamine depletion.

Abstract Serotonin (5-HT) 2A receptor-mediated regulation of striatal preprotachykinin (PPT) and preproenkephalin (PPE) mRNAs was studied in adult rodents that had been subjected to near-total dopamine (DA) depletion as neonates. Two months following bilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion, PPT mRNA levels decreased 59–73% across dorsal subregions of the rostral and caudal striatum while PPE transcripts increased 61–94%. Four hours after a single injection of the serotonin 2A/2C receptor agonist, (±)-1-(2,5-Dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI; 1 mg/kg), PPT mRNA expression was significantly increased in DA-depleted rats across all dorsal subregions of the rostral and caudal striatum as compared to 6-OHDA-treated animals alone. In the intact rat, DOI did not influence PPT mRNA levels in the rostral striatum, but did raise expression in the caudal striatum where 5-HT2A receptors are prominent. DOI did not regulate PPE mRNA levels in any striatal sub-region of the intact or DA-depleted rat. Prior administration of the 5-HT2A/2C receptor antagonist, ritanserin (1 mg/kg) or the 5-HT2A receptor antagonist, ketanserin (1 mg/kg) completely blocked the DOI-induced increases in striatal PPT mRNA in both lesioned and intact animals. The ability of ketanserin to produce identical results as ritanserin suggests that 5-HT2A receptor-mediated regulation is selectively strengthened within tachykinin neurons of the rostral striatum which are suppressed by DA depletion. The selectivity suggests that 5-HT2A receptor upregulation following DA depletion is capable of regulating tachykinin biosynthesis without influencing enkephalin expression in striatal output neurons.
Effect of Solutes on Rheology of Soy Four and Its Components

The objective was to investigate the effects of solutes on rheology of soybean beverage components. Mixtures of these components with water and various amounts of sucrose were subject to shear stressshear rate analysis and both apparent viscosities and power law parameters were determined. Sucrose addition decreased “a values” (apparent viscosity) and increased “b values” (degree of Newtonian behavior) of all component suspensions. “A values” showed a minimum at sucrose concentrations of 55–60% of the aqueous phase. Glucose behaved like sucrose. On a weight basis, sodium chloride reduced “a values” and increased “b values” to a greater extent than either sucrose or glucose. In general, addition of solutes reduced the high viscosity of concentrated soy beverages.
Decreased SH3BP2 inhibits osteoclast differentiation and function

Germline mutations in SH3BP2 gene have been identified in patients with cherubism, a skeletal disorder characterized by excessive osteoclastic bone resorption that is limited to the mandible and maxilla. We previously demonstrated that SH3BP2 overexpression in Raw264.7 cells increased RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. Here, we examine the effect of decreased SH3BP2 on osteoclastogenesis. shRNAknockdown of SH3BP2 decreased PLCγ2 phosphorylation and NFATc1 expression, and reduced the expression of osteoclast-specific genes. In BMMs knockdown of SH3BP2 led to reductions in both the number and the surface area of TRAP positive and multinucleated osteoclasts. Bone resorptive activity was also dramatically blocked by shRNAknockdown of SH3BP2. Similarly Sh3bp2(−/−) deficient mice BMMs formed smaller osteoclasts that stained less with TRAP than wild-type mice. Taken together, this study demonstrates that SH3BP2 knockdown significantly decreases osteoclast differentiation and function. These results suggest that SH3BP2 plays a critical role in osteoclastogenesis and is a potential target for suppression of pathologic bone resorption.
The Levels of Inflammatory Markers in the Treatment of Stroke Study (Limits): Inflammatory Biomarkers as Risk Predictors after Lacunar Stroke:

BackgroundInflammation is increasingly recognised as playing a central role in atherosclerosis, and peripheral blood markers of inflammation have been associated with incident and recurrent cardiac events. The relationship of these potentially modifiable risk markers to prognosis after ischaemic stroke is less clear. The Levels of Inflammatory Markers in the Treatment of Stroke (LIMITS) study will address hypotheses related to the role of inflammatory markers in secondary stroke prevention in an efficient manner using the well-established framework of the Secondary Prevention of Small Subcortical Strokes (SPS3) trial (NCT00059306).MethodsSPS3 is an ongoing Phase III multicentre secondary prevention trial focused on preventing recurrent stroke in patients with small vessel ischaemic stroke, or lacunes. In SPS3, patients are assigned in a factorial design to aspirin vs. aspirin plus clopidogrel, and to usual vs. aggressive blood pressure targets. The purpose of LIMITS is to determine whether serum levels of...
Microwave spectrum of tetracyclo[3.2.0.02,7.04,6]heptan-3-one and the effect of cyclopropyl-carbonyl group interactions on the dipole moment

Abstract The microwave spectrum of tetracyclanone has been analyzed, resulting in a dipole moment of 3.65 ± 0.02 D. This rather large dipole moment is explained as another manifestation of interactions between the Walsh orbitals of cyclopropyl groups and π-orbitals on substituent groups. We have developed an empirical model, based on the ideas of Hoffmann, for the effect of such an interaction on the dipole moment, and show that the model gives good quantitative agreement with the dipole moments of many related compounds. The ground state rotational constants, obtained from an iterative least-squares fit to a rigid rotor, are A = 4361.92 ± 0.07, B = 2469.960 ± 0.003, and C = 2028.872 ± 0.003 MHz. The uncertainties are standard deviations determined solely from the goodness of fit to 10 transition frequencies.
King's "I Have a Dream" Speech: A Case Study of Incorporating Orality in Rhetorical Criticism.

Printed transcripts of speeches used by critics are often arbitrary. A richer insight into the rhetorical process may be achieved by incorporating orality into criticism. This study of Martin Luther King's “I Have a Dream Speech”; emphasizes the importance of orality, which is a dimension of textual authenticity, that can influence the content, form of a speech transcript, and the act of criticism. Examination of the “Dream”; speech demonstrates, however, that incorporation of orality does not necessarily provide answers to all of the critic's questions.
Ray tracing deformable scenes using dynamic bounding volume hierarchies

The most significant deficiency of most of today's interactive ray tracers is that they are restricted to static walkthroughs. This restriction is due to the static nature of the acceleration structures used. While the best reported frame rates for static geometric models have been achieved using carefully constructed kd-trees, this article shows that bounding volume hierarchies (BVHs) can be used to efficiently ray trace large static models.More importantly, the BVH can be used to ray trace deformable models (sets of triangles whose positions change over time) with little loss of performance. A variety of efficiency techniques are used to achieve this performance, but three algorithmic changes to the typical BVH algorithm are mainly responsible. First, the BVH is built using a variant of the surface area heuristic conventionally used to build kd-trees. Second, the topology of the BVH is not changed over time so that only the bounding volumes need to be refit from frame-to-frame. Third, and most importantly, packets of rays are traced together through the BVH using a novel integrated packet-frustum traversal scheme. This traversal scheme elegantly combines the advantages of both packet traversal and frustum traversal and allows for rapid hierarchy descent for packets that hit bounding volumes as well as rapid exits for packets that miss. A BVH-based ray tracing system using these techniques is shown to achieve performance for deformable models comparable to that previously available only for static models.
Thermodynamics of proton dissociation from aqueous bicarbonate: apparent molar volumes and apparent molar heat capacities of potassium carbonate and potassium bicarbonate at T=(278.15 to 393.15) K and at the pressure 0.35 MPa

Abstract We have determined the apparent molar volumes V φ and apparent molar heat capacities C p, φ of aqueous potassium carbonate and potassium bicarbonate solutions in the ranges (0.014⩽ m /(mol · kg −1 )⩽0.51) and (278.15⩽ T /K⩽393.15) at the pressure p =0.35 MPa. Corrections for speciation due to hydrolysis and disproportionation in solution were applied using Young's rule, and semi-empirical equations representing ( V φ , m , T ) and ( C p, φ , m , T ) for the species {2K + , CO 3 2− (aq)} and {K + , HCO 3 − (aq)} were fitted to the experimental results. We have used these equations to estimate the change in volume Δ r V m , change in heat capacity Δ r C p,m , enthalpy change Δ r H m , entropy change Δ r S m , and equilibrium molality quotient pQ for the second proton dissociation reaction from aqueous carbonic acid.
Passive Surveillance of Shaken Baby Syndrome Using Hospital Inpatient Data

Background The conference from which these articles came addressed the question of public health surveillance for shaken baby syndrome (SBS) and explores one component of a comprehensive SBS surveillance system that would be relatively easy to implement and maintain: passive surveillance based on hospital inpatient data. Provisional exclusion and inclusion criteria are proposed for a two-level case definition of diagnosed SBS (strict definition) and cases presumed to be SBS (broad definition). The strict SBS definition is based on the single SBS code in the ICD-9-CM (995.55). The broader presumptive SBS definition is based on research studies that have identified a pattern of diagnostic codes often considered part of the clinical diagnosis of SBS. Results Based on 2006 analyses, California inpatient data are presented for 1998–2004. The strict SBS definition identified 366 cases over the 7 years, whereas the broader definition captured nearly 1000 cases. Annual rates show little fluctuation from the overall rate of 5.1 for strict SBS and 14.0 for broad SBS (per 100,000 children aged Conclusions Despite the limitations of inpatient data, a passive surveillance system like the one proposed here can provide a critical component for a comprehensive SBS surveillance system and may be adequate for some purposes, including identifying high-risk areas or groups for intervention and monitoring trends over time.
Lansoprazole reduced recurrence of ulcer complications in long-term use of low-dose aspirin.

Source Citation Lai KC, Lam SK, Chu KM, et al. Lansoprazole for the prevention of recurrences of ulcer complications from long-term low-dose aspirin use. N Engl J Med. 2002;346:2033-8. 12087138 (Al...
Further observations on the inhibitory effect of myxoviruses on a transplantable murine leukemia.

SummaryImmunization of mice with parainfluenza viruses NDV or Sendai increases the oncolytic effect of these viruses when pre-infected leukemic cells are injected into C3H mice. Variations in oncolytic activity between different strains of influenza and parainfluenza viruses were noted, and also between two leukemic tumors induced by the Gross virus. Statolon given before virus-infected cells prevents oncolysis but has no effect when given later. Antiserum to NDV or Sendai (plus complement) shows a cytolytic effect in vitro against leukemic cells infected with these viruses.
The Metabolism of 7α-3H-Testosterone by Rat Oral Mucosa: Effect of Medroxyprogesterone Acetate on Testosterone A-Ring Reductase Activity1

7α-3H-Testosterone was found to be actively metabolized by minces of rat oral mucosa in vitro, mainly to A-ring reduced androgens (5α,5β-androstanediol, 5α,β,-dihydrotestosterone and androsterone) and to a lesser degree to Δ4-androstenedione and unidentified polar metabolites. Administration of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in multiple injections to rats (5 mg⁄100 g body wt every other day for 2 weeks) caused a 2-fold increase of Δ4-3-ketosteroid-5α-reductase activity in oral mucosa (p 0.5). Kinetic studies performed on enzymes derived from saline- and MPA-treated rat oral mucosa revealed difference in the maximum velocities (saline = 115, MPA = 200) but an identical Km (1.33 × 10–5M) for testosterone as a substrate. (Endocrinology 95: 1473, 1974)
Gedanken experiments to understand the internal resonance problems of electromagnetic scattering

The internal resonance problem of integral equations is a problem that has plagued solutions of scalar and vector integral equations. A lucid way to explain the occurrence of the internal resonance problem for integral equations of scattering is given in this paper. The physical insight is gotten by performing Gedanken experiments for MFIE for PEC, and for penetrable scatterers when EFIE and MFIE alone are applied. These proofs provide with physical clarity the reasons of the internal resonance problem, as well as the physical character of the internal resonance problem. The connection of the uniqueness of CFIE and the cavity resonance problem is reported.
Spanning multiaccess channel hypercube computer interconnection

A distributed computer system based on a hypercube topology is proposed, where multiaccess channels spanning all dimensional axes provide processor interconnection. The multiprocessor system can be built at relatively low cost by combining the recent advances in high-capacity channels available through fiber optics, and demand-assignment multiple-access protocols, creating a highly fault-tolerant system with good average packet delay and average distance characteristics, at a significantly reduced cost. A totally distributed system has been achieved in which the packets are self-routing, able to take advantage of the multiple paths of equal length between two modes. The proposed structure gives a highly fault tolerant system, degrading gracefully in the presence of failures. >
Conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia with corneal furrow degeneration

A 68-year-old man presented with redness of left eye since six months. Examination revealed bilateral corneal furrow degeneration. Left eye lesion was suggestive of conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma, encroaching on to cornea. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) confirmed peripheral corneal thinning. Fluorescein angiography confirmed intrinsic vascularity of lesion. Patient was managed with “no touch” surgical excision, dry keratectomy without alcohol, cryotherapy, and primary closure. Pathologic examination of removed tissue confirmed clinical diagnosis. Management of this particular case required modification of standard treatment protocol. Unlike the alcohol-assisted technique of tumor dissection described, ethyl alcohol was not used for risk of corneal perforation due to underlying peripheral corneal thinning. Likewise, topical steroids were withheld in the post-operative period. Three weeks post-operatively, left eye was healing well. Hence, per-operative usage of absolute alcohol and post-operative use of topical steroids may be best avoided in such eyes.
The Justice of Forgiveness in La fuerza de la sangre

The question of justice in its many ramifications runs throughout Cervantes's fiction and most emphatically in the Novelas ejemplares. In some cases, the issues seem relatively straightforward, but in many of the Novelas the problem of justice is explored in unexpected ways. The most extreme case of an unconventional and disturbing resolution of a problem of injustice is found in La fuerza de la sangre; here the recuperation of a balance and the fortunate outcome of what began as an egregious crime replaces the rigors of conventional justice with an improbable and almost miraculous forgiveness. The reunion and new beginning for Leocadia and Rodolfo, along with the redemption of the latter, offers a model in which an implicit spirit of forgiveness transcends or replaces the expectations of the kind of justice seen in revenge or in civilly sanctioned acts of punishment. While the particulars of La fuerza de la sangre are unique, the deeper concept of “forgiveness” as an agency of resolution underlies some o...
MetaCrystal: visual interface for meta searching

MetaCrystal visualizes the degree of overlap between the top results returned by different search engines. Linked overview tools support rapid exploration, facilitate advanced filtering operations and guide users toward relevant information. The direct manipulation interface enables users to iteratively compose and edit meta searches. MetaCrystal addresses the problem of the effective fusion of different search engine results by helping users control and gain insight into how to combine and filter them.
A spectroscopic analysis of conformational distortion in the α′ phase of poly(lactic acid)

Abstract Simulations in conjunction with Raman scattering were performed to determine the conformational distortion of the α′ form of poly(lactic acid) (PLA). Based on packing constraints of an overall helical structure, the chain conformation can only be approximated by slight deviations from a tg’t chain conformation. Models were generated with different types of random departures from the expected dihedral angles. Raman active vibrations in the 700 cm −1 region that are sensitive to changes in chain conformation were analyzed. The model that showed the best fit to the experimental data contains a majority (80%) of tg’t -10 3 sequences with randomly distributed tg’t -3 1 units. Departure of the O-C α dihedral angle was also proved. The mechanism of order formation was established. As PLA chains crystallize at low temperatures, only the α′ phase with a disordered helix can be formed which at elevated temperatures can transform to the more ordered α phase. The conformation distortion is then due to the inability for some chains to complete the transition to 10 3 helicity, thus resulting in the formation of the distorted α′ structure.
Cdk inhibitors: on the threshold of checkpoints and development

The regulation of cyclin-dependent kinases is at the heart of cell cycle control and, by inference, the control of cell proliferation. Recent advances in regulation of these kinases have uncovered a group of small proteins that bind to and inhibit them, thus preventing cell cycle progression. Linking these proteins to tumor suppressor functions has provided a much sought after connection between cancer and cell cycle control.
Clean-air catalyst system for on-road applications: II. Mechanistic studies of pollutant removal

Abstract In a previous article, we described the evaluation of several catalyst systems (Pt, Pd, Ni, Pd/Ni) for catalytic removal of O 3 , CO, C 3 H 6 (as hydrocarbon), and NO from ambient air. The catalyst evaluation was carried out over the 25–105°C range to address the practicality of using low-temperature catalysts to remove ambient pollutants from urban area as an alternative or in addition to other pollutant control measures. In this article, we address other important properties relevant to the viability of such low-temperature catalysts, namely (1) durability and poisoning, (2) resistance to blocking by ambient moisture, (3) mass-transfer limitations, and (4) efficiency in complex mixtures and the mechanism of pollutant removal.
Interdomain traffic engineering in ASON/GMPLS controlled multilayer optical networks

Optical control planes such as automatically switched optical networks or generalized multiprotocol label switching (GMPLS) have been viewed as one key enabling technology for future broadband communication networks for their capabilities of dynamic provisioning of flexible and effective services. To support end-to-end service delivery in optical networks, one of the most challenging issues for the optical control plane to address is how to design traffic engineering (TE) under a heterogeneous interdomain scenario. We propose a dynamic TE scheme for interdomain multilayer optical networks that supports setting up paths transparently for both intradomain and interdomain requests. The proposed scheme also disseminates through advertisement precomputed cost tables pertaining to traffic quality of service requirements, which can help optimize the utilization of both all-optical and optical-electrical-optical resources during the TE process throughout the network. We studied the TE scheme in networks with either instantaneous status update or with periodical status update. Our simulation results show that in both cases the proposed TE scheme outperforms existing TE solutions by setting up intradomain and interdomain paths integrally using the cost tables. Furthermore, we find that optimal network status update interval should vary with traffic load.
Recurrent Herpes Labialis, Recurrent Aphthous Ulcers, and the Menstrual Cycle:

A prospective study of 104 student nurses determined the frequency of recurrent herpes labialis and recurrent aphthous ulcers within the menstrual cycle. Each nurse kept daily calendars recording inter alia menses and episodes of lesions. Episodes of aphthae were not associated with any specific intervals in the menstrual cycle. There was a greater than expected incidence of episodes of herpetic lesions in the eight days preceding the onset of menses.
Response of the ionosphere-thermosphere system to magnetospheric forcing

Abstract The magnetosphere exerts a strong influence on the ionosphere-thermosphere system via electric fields, particle precipitation, field-aligned currents, and heat flows. These magnetospheric processes act to produce a number of interesting ionospheric features, including electron and ion temperature hot spots, large-scale plasma blobs, extended tongues of ionization, ionization troughs and peaks, and ion composition changes. Superimposed on the large-scale ionospheric features are localized small-scale features, with perturbation amplitudes ranging from 10 per cent to a factor of 100. These ionospheric features then affect the thermospheric structure, circulation, and composition owing to ion-neutral momentum and energy coupling, and these changes, in turn, affect the ionosphere. Because of the strong ionosphere-thermosphere coupling, the presence of small-scale ionospheric features, and the different ionospheric and thermospheric response time-scales, localized thermospheric features are also produced, particularly at E-region altitudes where viscous dissipation is negligible.
Positive ion reactions

Progress over the past five years in the measurement of rate coefficients and cross sections for interactions between positive ions and neutral molecules of particular interest to aeronomy is reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the methods of experimentation developed for studies in the range of thermal energies and slightly above. Along with discussion of the range of applicability of each of the techniques, illustrated by examples of measurements on processes of aeronomic interest, some evaluation of limitations of applicability and reliability of the measurements is made. A table summarizing results obtained to date on processes pertaining to the atmospheres of the earth and neighboring planets is presented.