cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Children and Adolescents with Anxiety Disorders At-Risk for Bipolar Disorder: A Psychoeducation Waitlist Controlled Pilot Trial

Aim Previous studies suggest that Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Children (MBCT-C) is feasible and may improve anxiety and emotion regulation in youth with anxiety disorders at-risk for bipolar disorder. However, controlled studies are warranted to replicate and extend these findings. Methods In the current study, 24 youth with anxiety disorders who have at least one parent with bipolar disorder participated in a MBCT-C treatment period (n = 24; Mage = 13.6, 75% girls, 79% White) with a subset also participating in a prior psychoeducation waitlist control period (n = 19 Mage = 13.8, 68% girls, 84% White). Participants in both the waitlist and MBCT-C periods completed independently-rated symptom scales at each time point. Participants in the waitlist period received educational materials 12 weeks prior to the beginning of MBCT-C. Results There were significantly greater improvements in overall clinical severity in the MBCT-C period compared to the waitlist period, but not in clinician- and child-rated anxiety, emotion regulation or mindfulness. However, increases in mindfulness were associated with improvements in anxiety and emotion regulation in the MBCT-C period, but not the waitlist period. Conclusions Findings suggest that MBCT-C may be effective for improving overall clinical severity in youth with anxiety disorders who are at-risk for bipolar disorder. However, waitlist controlled designs may inflate effect sizes so interpret with caution. Larger studies utilizing prospective randomized controlled designs are warranted.
Vapor-Deposited Ethylbenzene Glasses Approach "Ideal Glass" Density.

Spectroscopic ellipsometry was used to characterize vapor-deposited glasses of ethylbenzene (Tg = 115.7 K). For this system, previous calorimetric experiments have established that a transition to ...
Ultra-Wideband, Glass Package-Integrated Power Dividers for 5G and mm-Wave Applications

This paper presents an ultra-wideband, glass package-integrated, equal-split power divider with footprint smaller than the unit free-space wavelength corresponding to the operating frequency of 28 GHz 5G band. The utilization of precision low-loss redistribution layers (RDL) on ultra-thin glass substrates with stable electrical properties at mm-wave frequencies enable the ultra-wideband power dividing networks to have a small footprint in x-y-z dimensions along with excellent performance. This approach aggregates the benefits of ceramic, low-loss polymers and silicon: electrical performance of the ceramic, processability of polymers and the dimensional stability of silicon, simulated in glass substrate to realize fine features for the power dividers. The power divider exhibits low added insertion loss, minimal phase shift between its output ports and has a height less than 150-µm.
Hybrid PET/CT Neoplasm Imaging

Abstract This chapter deals with PET/CT neoplasm imaging. It includes extensive information on the appropriate uses and interpretation of flourine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose scans. Other PET radiopharmacueitcals are also covered such as fluorine-18 sodium fluoride and gallium-68 agents, as are recent developments for prostate cancer imaging.
Litter microbial respiration and enzymatic resistance to drought stress

Many ecosystems are experiencing an increase in drought conditions as a consequence of climate warming and changing precipitation patterns. The stress imposed by these environmental changes can affect ecosystem processes such as the extracellular enzymatic degradation of carbon-containing leaf litter by soil microbial communities. However, the magnitude of these impacts may depend on the composition and metabolism of the microbial community. Based on the hypothesis of local adaptation, microbial communities native to warm-dry ecosystems should display a greater capacity to degrade leaf litter polymers with extracellular enzymes following exposure to warm-dry conditions. To test this hypothesis, we performed a microcosm study in which we monitored extracellular enzyme activity and respiration of microbial communities from five ecosystems along a southern California climate gradient, ranging from warmer, drier desert to wetter, cooler subalpine forest. To simulate drought and rewetting, we subjected microcosms to periods of high temperature and low moisture followed by a water pulse. We found that enzyme activity of wet-cool communities generally exceeded that of warm-dry communities across enzyme types for the five sites we considered. Additionally, we observed a significant decrease in respiration for all communities after longer durations of drought exposure. Although these findings did not align with our expectations of local adaptation, they suggest litter-inhabiting microbial communities are able to retain metabolic functioning in environmental conditions different from those of their native ecosystems. These results may imply that factors such as litter chemistry impose greater constraints than climate on community metabolic function. Overall, despite differences in local climates, microbial communities from semiarid regions may be metabolically adapted to maintain functioning in the face of drought.
Revisiting the nonlinear Gaussian noise model: The case of hybrid fiber spans

We rederive from first principles and generalize the theoretical framework of the nonlinear Gaussian noise model to the case of coherent optical systems with multiple fiber types per span and ideal Nyquist spectra. We focus on the accurate numerical evaluation of the integral for the nonlinear noise variance for hybrid fiber spans. This task consists in addressing four computational aspects: (i) Adopting a novel transformation of variables (other than using hyperbolic coordinates) that changes the integrand to a more appropriate form for numerical quadrature; (ii) Evaluating analytically the integral at its lower limit, where the integrand presents a singularity; (iii) Dividing the interval of integration into subintervals of size pi and approximating the integral in each subinterval by using various algorithms; and (iv) Deriving an upper bound for the relative error when the interval of integration is truncated in order to accelerate computation. We apply the proposed model to coherent optical communications systems with hybrid fiber spans composed of quasi-singlemode fiber and single-mode fiber segments. The accuracy of the final analytical relationship for the nonlinear noise variance in long-haul coherent optical communications systems with hybrid fiber spans is checked using the split-step Fourier method and Monte Carlo simulation. It is shown to be adequate to within 0.1 dBQ for the determination of the optimal fiber segment lengths per span that maximize system performance.
Spatiotemporal variability of active lava surface radiative properties using ground-based multispectral thermal infrared data

Abstract Active lava surfaces emplaced during effusive eruptions are typically observed in the form of lava flows, lakes, or domes. There are numerous volcanoes on Earth that regularly produce active lava including Kīlauea volcano in Hawai'i, which had a continually-active lava flow field from the 1980s until the end of the last eruptive phase in 2018. During the last decade of that period, it also had a persistent lava lake at the summit. This study used a new ground-based Miniature Multispectral Thermal Camera (MMT-Cam) imaging system to acquire high-spatiotemporal data of active lava surfaces at Kīlauea volcano in 2018. The goal was to quantify the short-term variability of the radiative properties (e.g., emissivity, kinetic temperature, and heat flux) of molten lava during cooling and propagation using concurrent in situ multispectral thermal infrared (TIR) measurements. As expected, there was a strong positive correlation between kinetic temperature, fraction of exposed melt, and heat flux. Importantly, there is also a negative (or inverse) correlation found for the emissivity of lava surfaces with temperature during cooling immediately following emplacement. The temporal results reveal low- and high- frequency (10s of minutes to seconds) changes in radiative properties, up to 25% and 5% variability, respectively. The spatial analysis provided insights into emplacement dynamics and activity potential through the interpretation of the improved heat flux measurements. For example, these data highlighted lava lake over- turning, subsurface supply pathways, and lava flow breakout zones. Additionally, the first, calibrated in situ emissivity measurements of actively-emplaced lava indicated a lower efficiency of radiant heat flux from molten lava surfaces prior to a viscoelastic crust forming, which results in lower calculated heat fluxes than previous estimates. This implies that prior heat budget calculations and lava flow propagation models may have overestimated heat flux by at least 20% from the molten lava prior to cooling and crust formation. Therefore, the results of this study allow for more accurate calibration of prior calculations and models, resulting in more accurate values and a reduction in the uncertainty of hazard models reliant on these values.
An anthropological reflection on the Summer of 2019 and the social movement #Rickyrenuncia (Ricky Resign) in Puerto Rico

En el siguiente articulo se presenta un analisis antropologico e historico basado en el movimiento social denominado #Rickyrenuncia y sus logros mas importantes durante el verano de 2019 en Puerto Rico. Los conceptos teoricos utilizados en este analisis son conceptos de agencia y participacion ciudadana, que posibilitaron la movilizacion social. Se destaca el subalterno de Gayatri Spivak y los estudios mas recientes sobre la crisis politica y economica en Puerto Rico para contextualizar el verano de 2019.
What Brooke Group Joined Let None Put Asunder: The Need for the Price-Cost and Recoupment Prongs in Analyzing Digital Predation

This chapter proceeds in five parts. The first provides a brief history of the law and economics of predatory pricing doctrine in the United States, and how a revolution in economic and legal thinking spurred by Areeda and Turner’s seminal work led to Brooke Group and replaced the regime typified by the Supreme Court’s troubled decision in Utah Pie Co. v. Continental Baking Co. The second surveys the basic objections to the current consensus on predatory pricing that the two groups of reactionaries have articulated, while the following two parts defend both the recoupment and price-cost prongs as requirements to win predatory pricing claims against digital firms. At bottom, efforts to divorce one prong from the other fail to overcome the powerful and lasting insights not just of Areeda and Turner, but of the very nature of antitrust as a legal regime “passed for the ‘protection of competition, not competitors.’” The last part contains concluding remarks.
Importance of Emphasis in Civil Engineering Education

The author reflects on the public perception of civil engineers and the need for greater civil engineering advocacy.
Conivnx in limine primo: Regulus and Marcia in Punica 6

The sixth book of Silius Italicus' Punica opens with the aftermath of the battle at lake Trasimene: the victory of the Carthaginians has been total. An analeptic narrative on the adventures of Regulus in Libya during the First Punic War occupies a large portion of this book (62-551). Regulus' son, Serranus, wounded after the battle at Trasimene, finds refuge at the house of his father's faithful companion, Marus. In a flash-back narrative, Marus relates the killing of a serpent at the river Bagrada (140-293), the capture of Regulus and his mission to Rome (299-402), Marcia's reaction to her husband's uncompromising attitude, Regulus' speech to the Senate (403-520), and his final return to Carthage, resulting in his death (521-51).The poet brings several innovations into his account in Book 6 in comparison to pre-Silian tradition. He introduces three persons around the figure of Regulus who are otherwise unknown or remain anonymous in other sources. The first is Serranus, Regulus' son. Although Regulus' son must have participated in the battle at Trasimene, this fabricated Serranus is called iuuenis (‘young man’, 101, 415) and flore nitens primo (‘in the flower of his youth’, 65), references which further complicate historical chronology. Another Silian innovation is Marus, Regulus' faithful companion during his tribulations in Africa. His presence fits into the scheme of Silius' portrayal of Serranus' ‘education’ by Marus, who will tell the story of Regulus' heroic adventures in Africa and Rome. Generational continuity would be guaranteed through the precepts of an older man. And finally, Silius gives Marcia herself a substantial role.
Effects of sodium methyldithiocarbamate on selected parameters of innate immunity and clearance of bacteria in a mouse model of sepsis.

Aims Sodium methyldithiocarbamate (SMD), the third most widely used conventional pesticide in the United States, has been reported to inhibit several parameters associated with inflammation and to decrease resistance to infection. In a previous study, survival time was markedly decreased when mice were treated orally with SMD shortly before challenge with a high dose of Escherichia coli (E. coli) that was lethal to most of the control mice. In the present study, we evaluated selected parameters of the innate immune system using a lower challenge dose of E. coli, to determine which (if any) of these parameters reflected continued changes through 24 h.
Reactivity of low energy excited states

Abstract The photochemistry of 3 - methyl - 3 - (1' - naphthyl) -1 - butene was investigated. Direct irradiation led to 1,1 dimethyl - 2 - (1' - naphthyl)cyclopropane as a primary photoproduct and 2 - methyl - 4 - (1' - naphthyl) - 1 - butene as -a secoandary product. The quantum yield for the formation of the cyclopropane was 0.037. The corresponding triple reaction was less efficient, with a quantum yield of 0.012, but still afforded the same product. The excited single rearragement rate was determined by single photon counting; this proved to be 1kXXX = 5.9 × 105 sec-1.The total rate of S1 decay was determined as 1.59 × 107 sec-1 with a lifetime of 62.9 nsec.Thus, the lifetime of this rearranging system is quite simiar to that of simple 1-alkylnaphthalenes (Ca 65 nsec); and, the rate of di-π-methane rearrangement is the slowest known. Finally, the rate of radiationless decay of the singlet was found to be almost temperature independent between room temperature and 77 K.
An XML assignment for a programming languages course

This paper describes an XML lab that was assigned in a programming languages course. It explains why XML has become important. It briefly describes some related technologies. It gives information on what was needed by the students to complete the lab. It describes the required lab for the class. The lab assignment, and an example of each of the three files is given in the appendices.
Some factors affecting unburned hydrocarbons in engine combustion products

Evidence is presented which indicates than the majority of the hydrocarbons that appear in the products of engine combustion are associated with phenomena occurring at the combustion chamber walls such as flame quenching and fuel condensation. It has further been shown that the exhausted gases may not constitute a representative sample of the total combustion chamber products since the products close to the walls are not entirely exhausted. Thus, the residual gases which remain in the combustion chamber contain a considerably higher percentage of hydrocarbons that the exhausted products. This difference is greatly augmented when the chamber wall temperatures are sufficiently low to produce condensation of the fuel. It seems possible that these effects may play an important role in deposit formation on combustion chamber walls and could be affected by fuel type and combustion chamber design.
Schubert Calculus and the Homology of the Peterson Variety

We use the tight correlation between the geometry of the Peterson variety and the combinatorics the symmetric group to prove that homology of the Peterson variety injects into the homology of the flag variety. Our proof counts the points of intersection between certain Schubert varieties in the full flag variety and the Peterson variety, and shows that these intersections are proper and transverse.
Electron-Atom Scattering in a Laser Field

When electrons scatter from atoms in a laser field, exotic effects can be observed which are not accessible in ordinary electron-atom scattering. This remark is made more plausible by noting that the laser beam plays the role of a third body in the scattering. Indeed, had we retained the photon description of the laser, then they could obviously play that role. There are at least two kinds of these exotic effects: In the first of these, collisions of either the electron or the atom with the third body during the scattering can produce what would be called off-shell amplitudes in ordinary electron-atom scattering. The second occurs from the interference of amplitudes which is not otherwise observable.
Self–Othering: Stories about Serbia from externalized Belgrade insiders

If ethnography is a literary form, can fiction also serve its purposes equally well? Comparison of the analyses of Serbian culture in the 1990s in the two scholarly studies and the novel reviewed here brings this question to the fore. The authors are Belgrade natives who left for North America in the 1980s and write in English for an American audience. They are, thus, externalized insiders. All exoticize their native land, reproducing Orientalist images of Serbia common in writings about the Balkans. Despite the literary turn in anthropology, the novelist still conveys the complexities of life in 1990s Serbia better than the more theoretically oriented and self-reflexive scholarly authors. To this reviewer, an American who joined a Belgrade family in the 1980s and is thus an internalized outsider, there is at least as much verisimilitude in the novel's magical realism as there is in the scholarly analyses of imaginaries.
Bundles with periodic maps and mod p Chern polynomial

Suppose that E → B is a vector bundle with a linear periodic map of period p; the map is assumed free on the outside of the 0-section. A polynomial c E (y), called a mod p Chern polynomial of E, is defined. It is analogous to the Stiefel-Whitney polynomial defined by Dold for real vector bundles with the antipodal involution. The mod p Chern polynomial can be used to measure the size of the periodic coincidence set for fibre preserving maps of the unit sphere bundle of E into another vector bundle.
Geochemistry of North Central North Fiji Basin Sediments

Pelagic sediment cores from eleven stations in the north central North Fiji Basin plus a coring station on the Vanuatu archipelagic apron were geochemically characterized as part of an intensive geological survey of backarc spreading centers in the region. In order to assess recent hydrothermal contributions to these sediments from active backarc spreading, surface samples were chemically and mineralogically analyzed Analyses included phase and size partitioning and Q-mode factor analysis of the chemical data. The cores were analyzed for sedimentation and element accumulation rates by the excess 230Th method, using alpha-track autoradiography.
Conversion of a Capture ELISA to a Luminex xMAP Assay using a Multiplex Antibody Screening Method

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has long been the primary tool for detection of analytes of interest in biological samples for both life science research and clinical diagnostics. However, ELISA has limitations. It is typically performed in a 96-well microplate, and the wells are coated with capture antibody, requiring a relatively large amount of sample to capture an antigen of interest . The large surface area of the wells and the hydrophobic binding of capture antibody can also lead to non-specific binding and increased background. Additionally, most ELISAs rely upon enzyme-mediated amplification of signal in order to achieve reasonable sensitivity. Such amplification is not always linear and can thus skew results. In the past 15 years, a new technology has emerged that offers the benefits of the ELISA, but also enables higher throughput, increased flexibility, reduced sample volume, and lower cost, with a similar workflow 1, 2 . Luminex xMAP Technology is a microsphere (bead) array platform enabling both monoplex and multiplex assays that can be applied to both protein and nucleic acid applications 3-5 . The beads have the capture antibody covalently immobilized on a smaller surface area, requiring less capture antibody and smaller sample volumes, compared to ELISA, and non-specific binding is significantly reduced. Smaller sample volumes are important when working with limiting samples such as cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, etc. 6 . Multiplexing the assay further reduces sample volume requirements, enabling multiple results from a single sample. Recent improvements by Luminex include: the new MAGPIX system, a smaller, less expensive, easier-to-use analyzer; Low-Concentration Magnetic MagPlex Microspheres which eliminate the need for expensive filter plates and come in a working concentration better suited for assay development and low-throughput applications; and the xMAP Antibody Coupling (AbC) Kit, which includes a protocol, reagents, and consumables necessary for coupling beads to the capture antibody of interest. (See Materials section for a detailed list of kit contents.) In this experiment, we convert a pre-optimized ELISA assay for TNF-alpha cytokine to the xMAP platform and compare the performance of the two methods 7-11 . TNF-alpha is a biomarker used in the measurement of inflammatory responses in patients with autoimmune disorders. We begin by coupling four candidate capture antibodies to four different microsphere sets or regions. When mixed together, these four sets allow for the simultaneous testing of all four candidates with four separate detection antibodies to determine the best antibody pair, saving reagents, sample and time. Two xMAP assays are then constructed with the two most optimal antibody pairs and their performance is compared to that of the original ELISA assay in regards to signal strength, dynamic range, and sensitivity.
Effect of immobilization stress on serotonin content and turnover in regions of the rat brain

Abstract Sprague-Dawley rats were stressed by immobilization from 30 to 300 minutes and the effects on serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) content were determined in the cerebral cortex, diencephalon, striatum, hippocampus and the brain stem. In a subsequent study 5-HT turnover rate in these brain areas was estimated by measuring 5-HIAA accumulation 0, 30, 60 and 90 minutes after probenecid. The content of 5-HIAA and the turnover rate of 5-HT were significantly increased in the cerebral cortex shortly after the onset of immobilization. The content of 5-HIAA in the brainstem was increased by immobilization although 5-HT turnover rate was not increased. Short term increases in 5-HIAA content were observed in the striatum and hippocampus. However, no significant changes in 5-HT turnover rate were observed in either of these 2 brain areas. Immobilization did not affect 5-HIAA content or 5-HT turnover in the diencephalon. The sensitivity of the serotonergic system in the cerebral cortex to immobilization stress suggests that this brain region could be used in future studies of the interrelationships between stress and the brain serotonergic system.
The well-tempered protein

Abstract Globular proteins are the most functionally versatile class of molecules in the biosphere. They play leading roles in practically every aspect of cell physiology, including gene expression, developmental and metabolic regulation, transport, and catalysis. Essential to a protein's function is its characteristic and geometrically well-defined three-dimensional shape, or native state. Proteins, however, are synthesized by the cell as biologically inactive linear chains; it is only upon folding to their native states that globular proteins come to life. The general principles underlying the behavior of proteins as amphiphilic heteropolymer molecules, as well as those unique properties of proteins as biopolymers that are evolutionarily selected for folding and function are important for understanding globular proteins. Recently, there have been many successes in recent studies of lattice and off-lattice coarse-grained models of proteins, as well as in the main current challenges facing the field. © 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd.
Radioactive implant induced X-ray emission: Part II☆☆☆

Abstract The implantation of X-ray excitation sources inside a sample by physical mixing was examined. Radioisotopes used were: 195 Au, 75 Se, 55 Fe, 125 I, 35 S, 99 Tc, and 63 Ni. Relative excitation efficiencies of γ and β − emitting radioisotopes, limits of detection for selected elements, and their variation with source strength were studied. For comparable detection limits, the source strengths required are ∼10 3 less than that needed with external radioisotope sources, ∼10 6 less than with tube excited sources using wavelength dispersion. The feasibility of implanting an X-ray excitation source into a solid with an accelerated radioactive beam is also discussed.
Complexity of grammars by group theoretic methods

Abstract Let G be a context free (phrase) structure grammar generating the context free language L . The set P = P G of all “generation histories” of words in L can be coded as words in some augmented alphabet. It is proved here that P = R∩G where R is a regular (finite automaton definable) set and G is a “free group kernel” or Dyck set, a result first proved by Chomsky and Schutzenberger [3]. We can construct the Lower central series of the free group kernel G 1 ∼ G 2 ∼ … ∼ G n ∼ …, so ∩ G n = G . Let P n = R∩G n , so ∩ P n =P. P n is the n -th order approximation of P.P n need not be a context free language but it can be computed by n cascade or sequential banks of counters (integers). We give two equivalent characterizations of P n , one “grammatical” and one “statistical”, which follow from the theorems of Magnus, Witt, M. Hall, etc. for free groups. The main new theoretical tool used here for the study of grammars is the Magnus transform on the free group, a →1+ a , a −1 →1−a+a 2 − a 3 +a 4 … , which acts like a non-commutative Fourier transform.
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: A Possible Association with Fibromyalgia

Objectives: Subjects with fibromyalgia [FMS] frequently have non specific bowel complaints similar to subjects with small intestinal bacterial over growth [SIBO]. The aim of this study was to test ...
Effects of Light, Soybean and Other Diet Supplements on Seasonal Hatchability and Egg Production

Abstract INTRODUCTION SOYBEAN meal is widely used as a protein concentrate in the diet of laying fowls. Its value for egg production is not disputed. Hatchability of eggs produced by birds receiving diets containing soybean meal, at least that made from some varieties of soybeans, probably depends on the kinds and amounts of animal protein concentrates included in the same diet. Direct sunlight is a very important factor in the production of hatchable eggs. Byerly, Titus, and Ellis (1933) showed that meal made from the Mammoth Yellow variety of soybeans was inadequate for the production of eggs of high hatchability by semi-confined birds that received an all plant-source diet containing about 20 parts per 100 of the soybean meal. Subsequent studies have shown the Illini variety of soybean to be deficient in the same manner. Nestler, Byerly, Titus, and Ellis (1936) showed that the deficient factor in the diet used was . . .
Pore-Cast Scaffold for Vascular Tissue Engineering

Transplantation of engineered vascular grafts has emerged as a potential therapeutic solution for cardiovascular disease treatment. Although engineered vascular grafts hold the potential to satisfy a large clinical need, thrombosis remains a major risk with the small-diameter grafts (<;5 mm). Currently, electrospinning is considered the gold standard for scaffold construction. However, poorly controlled pore dimensions allow the migration of endothelial cells (EC) into the scaffold through large gaps, making it difficult to achieve a uniform monolayer. The aim of this study is to design and construct a thin, porous, non-thrombogenic film as a scaffold for vascular grafts. Pore dimensions will be controlled by using a casting technique, thereby reducing the problem of cell migration into the scaffold. A confluent EC monolayer can then act as a barrier preventing blood-scaffold interaction, which will reduce the risk of thrombogenesis when implanted in vivo.
Visual demonstration of program execution

This paper describes a system which provides a visual demonstration of the structure and flow of an ALGOL program. The program is displayed on a CRT and executed interpretively, highlighting each statement prior to execution and showing the result of the statement after execution. The primary use of the system is to demonstrate program operation in a classroom environment. It has also been used as an automatic benchchecking aid.
Glass transition, viscosity, and conductivity correlations in solutions of lithium salts in PEGylated imidazolium ionic liquids

article i nfo Article history: Received 6 July 2014 Accepted 22 July 2014 Available online xxxx Ionic liquids (ILs) are attractive as non-volatile and non-flammable electrolytes for lithium ion batteries. In this study, ionic conductivities of the solutions of lithium salts in ILs derivatized with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) were correlated with the viscosities and glass transition temperatures of these solutions. The ILs studied include 1-(monomethoxyPEG)-3-methylimidazolium bistriflamide and 1-(ω-perfluoroalkylPEG)-3-methylimidazolium bistriflamide, the propertiesof which were compared with 1-(monomethoxy PEG)-3-methylimidazolium iodide, 1-(ω-perfluoroalkyl PEG)-3-methylimidazolium iodide, and 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide. Binary solu- tions of lithium salts, lithium bistriflamide or lithium iodide, in ILs with common anions, were characterized using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cone and plate viscometry, and differential scanning calorimetry. Although the dissolution of the lithium salt would increase the concentration of charge-transporting ions in the solution, a decrease in conductivity was observed. The decrease was related to an increase in the glass transition temperatureandanincreaseinviscosity.ItwasfoundthatforaparticularILandlithiumsaltcombination,thevar- iation of viscosity or ionicconductivity with temperaturecouldbecharacterizedbytheVogel-Fulcher-Tammann expression,exp{A+BT0/(T-T0)}, with fixed values of parameters A and B, that were independentof theconcentra- tion of the lithium salt in the solutions, and only temperature T0, as the concentration-dependent parameter, which showed correlation to the glass transition temperatures of the solutions.
A clarification of two congeners, Pseudodiaptomus lobipes and P. binghami (Calanoida, Pseudodiaptomidae) from India, with description of P. mixtus sp.n. from Bangladesh

Two closely related and often confused species of Pseudodiaptomus from the Lobus-species group, P. lobipes and P. binghami are redescribed from various locations along the east coast of India. These species predominately occur in freshwater though they can survive temporary periods of increased salinity. The distinctive features of the species are found on: female caudal ramal setae, female and male urosome 1–2 spinulation patterns, and fifth legs. A new species P. mixtus from Bangladesh is described.
Pharmacological peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorγ ligands: emerging clinical indications beyond diabetes

The discovery of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) as the molecular target for antidiabetic thiazolidinediones has heralded a new era in the approach to understanding the pathophysiology of insulin resistance and its relationship to cardiovascular disease. However, the subsequent discovery of PPARγ-dependent modulation of immune function and the cell cycle has led to a new paradigm in the approach to treating proliferative, inflammatory diseases. Moreover, PPARγ agonists can promote apoptosis, block angiogenesis and inhibit pathological remodelling in a variety of malignant and non-malignant pathological states. These findings imply that the pharmacological modulation of this key nuclear transcription factor and its co-factors could be important tools in understanding the relationships between multigenic diseases, and pave the way to a focused interventional approach in their treatment. With the availability of the PPARγ protein crystal structure, the ligand binding domain co-ordinates ...
Phylogenetic implications of differences in number of plastid phosphoglucose isomerase isozymes in North American Coreopsis (Asteraceae: Heliantheae: Coreopsidinae)

Enzyme electrophoresis was employed to ascertain the number of loci encoding plastid phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) in species representing all sections of North American Coreopsis. Several species from each of the closely related genera Bidens, Coreocarpus, Cosmos, and Thelesperma were also examined
Inductive reasoning in Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract We evaluated knowledge of basic level and superordinate semantic relations and the role of cognitive resources during inductive reasoning in probable Alzheimer's disease (AD). Nineteen mildly demented AD patients and 17 healthy control subjects judged the truthfulness of arguments with a premise and a conclusion that contain familiar concepts coupled with “blank” predicates, such as “Spiders contain phosphatidylcholine; therefore all insects contain phosphatidylcholine.” Like healthy control subjects, AD patients were relatively insensitive to the typicality of the premise category when judging the strength of arguments with a conclusion containing a basic-level concept, but were relatively sensitive to typicality during judgments of arguments containing a superordinate in the conclusion. Moreover, AD patients resembled control subjects in judging arguments with an immediate superordinate in the conclusion compared to arguments with a distant superordinate. AD patients differed from control subjects because they could not take advantage of two premises in an argument containing basic-level concepts. We conclude that semantic knowledge is sufficiently preserved in AD to support inductive reasoning, but that limited cognitive resources may interfere with AD patients' ability to consider the entire spectrum of information available during semantic challenges.
Sister-chromatid exchange induction by sodium selenite: Dependence on the presence of red blood cells or red blood cell lysate☆

Abstract Sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) induction was studied in both short-term and long-term cell cultures. The ability of Na2SeO3 to induce SCEs was found to depend on the culture conditions employed. Concentrations of Na2SeO3 (7.90 × 10−6 M and greater) that produced elevated SCE frequencies in whole blood cultures resulted in control level SCE frequencies (6–8 SCEs/cell) in Ficoll-Hypaque-purified lymphocyte cultures. However, whole blood and purified lymphocyte cultures were equally sensitive to SCE induction by methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), and N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene (N-OH-AAF). Analysis of different whole blood components showed that the presence of red blood cells (RBCs), and specifically RBC lysate, was a prerequisite for Na2SeO3 SCE induction in purified lymphocyte cultures. The SCE frequencies of xeroderma pigmentosum (XP12RO) and normal human lymphoblastoid cell lines were also found to be unaffected by Na2SeO3 concentrations that produced elevated SCE frequencies in whole blood cultures. Incubation of these latter two cell types with Na2SeO3 and RBC lysate resulted in SCE frequencines comparable to those in Na2SeO3-exposed whole blood cultures.
Biosynthesis of spinosyn in Saccharopolyspora spinosa: synthesis of permethylated rhamnose and characterization of the functions of SpnH, SpnI, and SpnK.

Spinosyn A is a polyketide-derived macrolide produced by Saccharopolyspora spinosa and is an active ingredient in several commercial insecticides. It is glycosylated by a tri-O-methylated rhamnose at C-9 and a forosamine at C-17. Previous studies indicated that the rhamnose methyltransferases are encoded by the spnH, spnI, and spnK genes. To verify the functions of these methyltransferases and to study how they are coordinated to achieve the desired level of methylation of rhamnose, we studied the catalytic properties of the spnH, spnI, and spnK gene products and validated their roles in the permethylation process of spinosyn A. Our data reported herein firmly established that SpnH, SpnI, and SpnK are the respective rhamnose 4′-, 2′-, and 3′-O-methyltransferase. Investigation of the order of the methylation events revealed that only one route catalyzed by SpnI, SpnK, and SpnH in sequence is productive for the permethylation of the rhamnose moiety. Moreover, the completion of rhamnose permethylation is lik...
Differentiating among low-energy, low-carbon and net-zero-energy building strategies for policy formulation

Public policies are emerging that call for minimizing the built environment's contribution to climate change by means of a comprehensive shift to low-energy buildings powered by renewable energy sources. These policies also address other pressing global problems such as depleting energy resources and high energy costs. Policies promoting the implementation of net-zero-energy buildings have the potential to successfully reduce the scale of carbon outputs associated with the built environment. However, a lack of clear definitions for the terms used to describe net-zero strategies hampers the implementation of what is emerging as the potential cutting edge of sustainable construction. At present, a wide variety of ambiguous definitions exist for key concepts such as net-zero energy, renewable energy, low energy, and low-carbon buildings. Previous efforts to define these terms are reviewed and the gaps in understanding identified. Conflicting definitions for renewable energy and low-energy buildings are highl...
On the periodic oscillations of x=g(x)

Abstract In this paper we introduce certain generalized concepts of isochronism for the periodic oscillations of the scalar equation x = g(x) . We give characterizations of these concepts; we also study two such characterizations, as well as some related topics, in more depth. Each one of these two last concepts is equivalent to the stability of the equilibrium for some related system of differential equations.
Structure of the ELF operating system

This paper describes the ELF operating system structure and discusses a number of considerations which influenced its design. Several applications supported by the system are presented in relation to that structure. The software tools used for constructing and maintaining the system are described, and several implementation problems which were encountered are presented.
Theoretical description of gas-film interaction on SnOx☆

Abstract The Hall measurements recently reported by Chang and Hicks (S. C. Chang and D. B. Hicks, in D. Schuetle and R. Hammerle (eds.), Fundamentals and Applications of Chemical Sensors, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC 1986, p. 58) are a useful test of the influence of reducing gases on free carrier and mobility variations. It is demonstrated here that a simple depletion model for the gas-solid interface adequately accounts for the free carrier and mobility response of the SnOx films. Expressions for the relationship between the surface potential, bulk carrier concentration and the reducing gas concentration are derived using the standard semiconductor electrostatic surface model and first-order kinetic equations for gas-solid interactions. The role of film structure and the interaction of surface and bulk Schottky defects is discussed.
Impact of cognitive impairment on the phenomenology of geriatric depression.

Objective Dementia and depressive syndromes demonstrate substantial symptom overlap. As a result, it is challenging to differentiate depression symptoms from nonspecific symptoms of an underlying dementia syndrome. The author addressed the impact of cognitive impairment on the phenomenology of depression symptoms by determining whether more impaired patients were more likely to endorse certain self-report depressive symptoms independent of their underlying level of depression severity. Methods Author used data from 576 geriatric rehabilitation inpatients for MIMIC model analyses examining the impact of cognitive impairment on both depression severity and endorsement of symptom clusters. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Geriatric Depression Scale, and cognitive impairment was measured with the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale total score. Results The reliability (internal consistency) of self-reported depressive symptoms did not change as a function of cognitive impairment. More severe cognitive impairment was associated with greater depression severity but was also associated with two depression symptom clusters after controlling for underlying levels of depression severity. Patients who were more impaired endorsed greater social withdrawal and less psychomotor agitation, independent of their underlying depression severity. Level of cognitive impairment alone did not affect the endorsement of depressed mood and positive affect. Conclusions Certain symptoms on depression inventories may be endorsed at a greater level by cognitively impaired patients, independent of their level of underlying depression severity. These symptoms may be nonspecific features of the underlying dementia syndrome and may not be specific to depressive episodes, but instead may represent other syndromes, such as apathy.
Effects of angiotensin II on membrane current in cardiac Purkinje fibers

Abstract We studied the actions of the octapeptide hormone angiotensin II (AII) on isolated cardiac Purkinje fibers. AII (1 to 75 n m ) increased the height and duration of the plateau phase of the action potential and increased the strength of contraction in these preparations. These effects were not blocked by propranolol (10 −6 m ). A two-microelectrode voltage clamp technique combined with simultaneous tension measurements was used to study the AII-induced changes in membrane current and contractile activation. AII enhanced peak tension and promoted an inward shift in the net membrane current-voltage relation at test voltages between −40 and 0 mV. The inward shift in current was maintained for the duration of the 500 ms test voltage step. The AII-induced current shift was reduced or abolished when external calcium concentration was decreased from 5.4 m m to 1.8 m m , and was inhibited by the calcium antagonist D600.
Left atrial volume as a morphophysiologic expression of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and relation to cardiovascular risk burden

Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction is prevalent in the community. Current assessment of diastolic function can be complex, involving Doppler evaluation of an array of hemodynamic data. The relation between left atrial (LA) volume and diastolic function, and between LA volume and cardiovascular risk and disease burden are not well known. In the present prospective study of 140 adults, mean age 58 +/- 19 years, referred for a clinically-indicated echocardiogram and in sinus rhythm, with no history of atrial arrhythmias or valvular heart disease, we determined the LA volume, LV diastolic function status, cardiovascular risk score (based on age, gender, history of systemic hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and smoking), and cardiovascular disease burden (based on confirmed vascular disease, congestive heart failure, and transient ischemic attack or stroke). LA volume was found to correlate positively with age, body surface area, cardiovascular risk score, LV end-diastolic and end-systolic dimensions, LV mass, diastolic function grade, tissue Doppler E/E', tricuspid regurgitation velocity, and negatively with LV ejection fraction (all p <0.006). In a multivariate clinical model, LA volume indexed to body surface area (indexed LA volume) was independently associated with cardiovascular risk score (p <0.001), congestive heart failure (p = 0.014), vascular disease (p = 0.012), transient ischemic attack or stroke (p = 0.021), and history of smoking (p = 0.008). In a clinical and echocardiographic model, indexed LA volume was strongly associated with diastolic function grade (p <0.001), independent of LV ejection fraction, age, gender, and cardiovascular risk score. In patients without a history of atrial arrhythmias or valvular heart disease, LA volume expressed the severity of diastolic dysfunction and provided an index of cardiovascular risk and disease burden.
An experimental analysis of the dual gate emitter switched thyristor (DG-EST)

Abstract In recent years, various dual MOS gated thyristor structures have been proposed to improve the three pronged trade-off of forward voltage drop, turn-off time and forward biased safe operating area when compared to single gate devices. The dual gate emitter switched thyristor (DG-EST), with its unique thyristor current partitioning mechanism, has been reported to posses superior characteristics when compared to conventional single gate ESTs. In this paper, a detailed study of the device physics of operation of the DG-EST is presented, supported by two dimensional numerical simulations. Effects of variations in the floating emitter length, lifetime in the drift region and temperature on the forward voltage drop are experimentally observed. An analytical model predicting the maximum controllable current density ( J MCC ) of the DG-EST is reported and confirmed through experimental measurements. The DG-EST is found to have a superior trade-off curve of on-state voltage drop versus turn-off time when compared to the conventional emitter switched thyristor (C-EST).
An Ultrastructural Investigation of 180°-Rotated Ciliary Meridians in Tetrahymena pyriformis*

An ultrastructural investigation has been carried out on 180 degrees-rotated ciliary meridians (inverted meridians) in Tetrahymena pyriformis temperature-sensitive mutant (mo1b/mo1b), syngen 1, strain B. The longitudinal, transverse and post-ciliary microtubular bands, the kinetodesmal fiber, and the parasomal sac, are shown to be disposed at a 180 degrees angle to their normal positions or orientations. Other abnormalities are as follows: the first 2 basal bodies of the inverted meridian fail to organize into "couplets" and the inverted meridian intrudes into the anterior pole region; an extra longitudinal microtubular band is found in one of the cell lines.
Comment on J. Terrence Farris's “the barriers to using urban infill development to achieve smart growth”

Abstract Revitalizing vacant urban land with residential and commercial refill should not be neglected because it can be more difficult than suburban development. Barriers exist, but they can be overcome. Strong markets for an urban alternative to large‐lot suburban living are developing in many cities. Compared with similar activity in the suburbs, central‐city residential construction increased dramatically in the 1990s. While America's growth in the next 20 years will require housing of all sorts, urban infill needs to be part of a regional smart growth strategy.