cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Teoria Crítica da Escola de Frankfurt e a persistência do populismo autoritário nos Estados Unidos

The first part of the essay provides a brief overview of the Critical Theorists’ studies of authoritarianism and right-wing populism. The second part examines the emergence of the Tea Party and Donald Trump’s success in expanding and intensifying this right-wing populist movement by harnessing it to his own authoritarian leadership. Drawing on the conceptual resources outlined in the first section, I seek to demonstrate in the second section how the Critical Theorists’ analyses of right-wing populism and authoritarianism can still explain key aspects of the Tea Party and Trump. Throughout this essay Critical Theory and right-wing populism is situated within two levels of historical periodization: first, the modern bourgeois epoch as whole and, second, specific periods within that epoch. The aim of the latter periodization is to illuminate the specific historical and social conditions that have inhibited or favored the emergence of right-wing populist and authoritarian movements.
Temporal trends in utilization and outcomes of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in acute cholangitis due to choledocholithiasis from 1998 to 2012

Expeditious endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in acute cholangitis with biliary decompression is associated with better outcomes. In this study, we evaluated the temporal trends of ERCP utilization and healthcare outcomes among patients hospitalized with acute cholangitis due to choledocholithiasis (CDC) from 1998 to 2012. We identified patients with a combined diagnosis of cholangitis and choledocholithiasis from the national inpatient sample database. The temporal trends of ERCP usage and outcomes were analyzed. Based on timing of the procedure, we arbitrarily divided ERCPs into urgent ( 48 h) groups. In addition, trends in length of stay (LOS), hospital charges, and in-hospital mortality rates were evaluated. In-patient admissions for CDC increased by 105.7%. Overall ERCP rate also increased significantly from 66.5 ± 2.3% in 1998 to 80.3 ± 0.93% in 2012, particularly after 2006–2007. There was a significant increase in proportion of urgent and early ERCPs. In the early ERCP group, there was a significant decrease in LOS (6.4 ± 0.43 days in 1998 to 5.8 ± 0.24 days in 2012) and mortality rate (2.4 ± 1.4% in 1998 to 0.33 ± 0.33% in 2012). Hospital charges increased in all ERCP groups, but most significantly in delayed ERCP group ($20,448 ± 1611 in 1998 to $90,566 ± 6122 in 2012). In-patient admissions for CDC and ERCP rates have increased significantly, particularly evident after 2006–2007. This may be attributed to increasing incidence of gallstones and wider implementation of Tokyo guidelines for the management of acute cholangitis. In-hospital morality and LOS reduced significantly in early ERCP group, whereas hospital charges increased most significantly in delayed ERCP group.
Use of antibiotics for expansion of the Merocel® packing following endoscopic sinus surgery

Abstract Sinus packs that are used for hemostasis and the prevention of synechiae following endoscopic sinus surgery frequently get colonized with bacteria from the infected sinus, which increases the risk for infection. This study was conducted in an attempt to characterize the bacterial flora of the chronically infected sinus, and to evaluate whether direct installation of antibiotics into the sponge inhibits bacterial growth. Bacteria were cultured from 89% of the sinuses at surgery, and in 67% of the cases, the same bacteria were recovered from the sinus dressings one week later. When the Merocel sinus dressing was expanded with a combination of polymyxin, neomycin and hydrocortisone at the time of surgery, a 36% decrease in bacterial growth was observed, along with a decrease in the severity of pain associated with removal of the pack. This supports the concept of using an antibiotic for the expansion of the sponge following endoscopic sinus surgery.
OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF CONCENTRATED METAL-AMMONIA SOLUTIONS*

Preliminary optical data are reported for lithium-ammonia solutions over the 0.5 to 5 eV range. The data are consistent with older data of Cronenwett and of Somoano where they overlap. The only structure found in the 2 to 5 eV range is attributable to the presence of an amide contaminant.
Erratum to nested arrays: a novel approach to array processing with enhanced degrees of freedom

In the above titled paper (ibid., vol. 58, no. 8, pp. 4167-4181, Aug. 10), the second unnumbered equation in the left column was incorrect. The correct version is presented here.
Specific Receptors in Relation to the Evolution of Immunity

The principal concepts of immunology, developed during the past hundred years, have their origins in experimental studies carried out mostly in the warmblooded vertebrates. Hence, when one searches broadly among the phyla for the evolutionary origins of immunity, one naturally tends to search for an immune system which has the characteristics of the familiar vertebrate immune system. These characteristics are recognition of nonself, specificity, and memory (alteration of response due to prior contact with antigen). In our view, all metazoan immune systems are characterized at least by specificity and by recognition of nonself. Although there is increasing evidence that cellular immune memory does occur in some annelids (Cooper, 1969; Chateaureynaud-Duprat, 1970) and in some echinoderms (Hildemann and Dix, 1972), the lower metazoans in general seem to lack memory (Good and Papermaster, 1964; Teague and Friou, 1964; Chadwick, 1967; Cushing, 1967; Feng, 1967).
Political Economy of Biofuels

While timber and other biomass have been the main sources of fuel for millennia, there has been an increasing emphasis on growing crops and converting feedstock to liquid fuels (Rajagopal et al. 2009) or for use in power plants. These new fuels were induced by government policies and often require a diversion of resources from agricultural to energy production. Analyzing the performance of biofuels and biofuel policies requires a political economic lens—this chapter will provide such a framework to assess biofuels.
Empirical Bayesian Estimation of Treatment Effects

This paper considers estimation of the treatment effect where the researcher has data from a large number of related experiments. The paper considers two cases. In the first, there are a large number of treated units. The paper shows that standard analogue estimate of higher moments of the treatment effect is biased and not consistent as the number of experiments gets large. The empirical Bayesian estimator of the treatment distribution is unbiased and consistent. In the second, the number of treated units is small. The standard analogue estimator is not consistent. The paper shows that under certain assumptions, the empirical Bayesian estimator is an unbiased and consistent estimate of the unknown posterior distribution. The empirical Bayesian estimators are illustrated using simulations and two conical data sets.
A Framework for User Agency during Development of Interactive Risk Visualization Tools

Participating in user-centered design provides potential users of interactive risk visualization tools agency in influencing tool development. This article identifies and characterizes pathways for...
Getting There: A Freshman Course in Social Dialectics.

This essay argues that the concepts of literacy, authorship, and voice are also social practices and as such are always the effects of many determinations and contradictions. A pedagogy for critical literacy, as it is a pedagogy for learning to locate oneself in history, can make it possible for students to begin reclaiming their voices, their rights to authorship by making it possible for them to discover the social construction of their voices in contradiction. The essay brings forward one student paper in the context of one class discussion, presenting it as an example of students looking at themselves and their language dialectically, as an example, in short, of getting there.
ACN-Data: Analysis and Applications of an Open EV Charging Dataset

We are releasing ACN-Data, a dynamic dataset of workplace EV charging which currently includes over 30,000 sessions with more added daily. In this paper we describe the dataset, as well as some interesting user behavior it exhibits. To demonstrate the usefulness of the dataset, we present three examples, learning and predicting user behavior using Gaussian mixture models, optimally sizing on-site solar generation for adaptive electric vehicle charging, and using workplace charging to smooth the net demand Duck Curve.
Preschool Mathematics Performance and Executive Function: Rural-Urban Comparisons across Time

This longitudinal study examined the relationship between executive function (EF) and mathematics with rural and urban preschool children. A panel of direct and indirect EF measures were used to co...
P13 MIsST: Micro In-Situ Simulation Training

Background In-situ simulation (ISS) has benefits on an organisational level including highlighting patient safety concerns and economical use of resources. For individuals, it negates the need for travel to a simulation centre and enhances team working.1 However, stakeholders may feel that in-situ education can distract clinical staff thereby reducing efficiency and patient flow. We responded to this by developing a novel tool of ‘micro’ simulation sessions. Summary of work In order to create ‘learning in context’ for emergency department (ED) staff, a dynamic team of interprofessional clinical educators developed ‘micro’ ISS. This could be delivered to ED staff without removing them from clinical duty for more than 15 minutes. This allows for rapid education without disruption to departmental flow. Each scenario was adaptable to a multiprofessional team with one-on-one teaching for participants. Scenario flexibility allowed for a balance between debrief, teaching and practical skills. Scenarios were designed in response to near-misses and critical incidents logged via the datix reporting system, responding directly to patient safety concerns. Summary of results A package of scenarios was delivered (Management of diabetic emergencies; Phenytoin administration; Trauma/head injury; Sepsis/preparation for transfer; Management of hyperkalaemia; Starting non-invasive ventilation). Key stakeholders from ED, pharmacy, physiotherapy, outreach, intensive care and anaesthetics were involved in the development and delivery of the sessions. 14–25 participants attended every session: a mixture of nurses, doctors (foundation to consultant), health care assistants and students (medical, nursing and physician associates). The interprofessional faculty each taught a diverse group and peer-to-peer learning was encouraged. The scenarios were adaptable to the training needs of the individual. Participants all reported increased confidence levels pre and post-session, their feedback of current learning needs shaped future sessions. Findings from each scenario were collated and a standardised proforma was disseminated to the ED with global learning outcomes and required departmental actions such as equipment orders or change in stock drug concentrations. Discussion and conclusions Our programme was well received, allowed for departmental training in addition to addressing patient safety concerns. We have shown that ISS does not require large scale scenarios; targeted clinical skills can be addressed in a ‘micro’ session whilst still allowing overall functioning of a busy ED. Recommendations This model is easily replicable throughout a hospital setting. Key stakeholder involvement as well as an enthusiastic and adaptable clinical education team ensure well managed and received education. References Sorensen JL, Ostergaard D, LeBlanc V, Ottesen B, Konge L, Dieckmann P, Van der Vleuten C. 2017.Design of simulation-based medical education and advantages and disadvantages of in situ simulation versus off-site simulation. BMC Med Educ. 17:20.
Thinking Absence: A Discussion of “The Analyst’s Necessary Nonsovereignty and the Generative Power of the Negative”

I begin by discussing the nature of the negative in McGleughlin’s paper (this issue), offering some examples of my own from the films of Kubrick and Malick. I go on to address how the negative can ...
Dynamic Contexts and Public Policy Implementation

Policies are not implemented in vacuums; the implementation process plays out within a dynamic context within which unexpected events occur that have significant impacts on implementation. The extent to which the policy, legislation, and programs are conceptualized and designed without sufficient regard to the dynamic context within which they are to be implemented reduces dramatically the likelihood of successful policy implementation without major adverse side effects. Moreover, policies should be designed in such a way that they may be modified during implementation to accommodate significant environmental change.
37 – Ion Channels as Targets for Toxins

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses ion channels as targets for toxins. The chapter tries to provide a brief description of some of these toxins, focusing on their chemical natures, similarities and differences, target macromolecules, and effects on transmembrane ionic fluxes. The ion channels are used as a framework and in those cases where multiple-toxin binding sites have been demonstrated with a single channel, the relationships among these sites are discussed. The chapter discusses several concepts, including voltage-sensitive sodium channels, voltage-activated and Ca2+ potassium channels, and voltage-dependent calcium channels. Neurotoxins have proved to be invaluable tools in the purification of many of the best-characterized cation channels, and have contributed significantly to the understanding of how these macromolecules function in excitable tissues. This collection of molecules displays a great deal of diversity in both chemical and functional sense. While all of the polypeptides do share a cationic character, and are rich in disulfide bonds, it remains to prove that the former property is intimately related to their activity; the latter property is almost certainly a consequence of the necessity for stabilizing small peptides in an extracellular environment. One of the most striking observations is the relatedness between charybdotoxin and the Na+ channel directed scorpion toxins at the level of their three-dimensional structures. Given the vast diversity of the venoms from which each of these toxins is derived, and the growing array of ion channels purified and/or channel activities characterized, it is likely that new and interesting toxins will continue to emerge in the future, and that their characterization will add significantly to the knowledge of channels and receptors in excitable tissues. It is likely that this surface has as yet only been scratched, and that future studies will unveil additional toxins that interact with new and perhaps presently unknown target sites.
OP0004 Pivotal role for the small gtpase rap1 in the regulation of intracellular generated ros after t cell stimulation

Background Oxidative stress plays a critical role in various diseases including cancer, neuronal degeneration, atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Identifying the target proteins for redox modification is crucial in understanding how oxidants mediate the pathological processes. As previously demonstrated activation of T cells with anti CD3 antibody or with phorbol ester results in a rapid production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this paper we further dissect the signalling pathways leading to ROS generation and we propose a possible critical role for the small GTPase Rap1 in antagonising the intracellular generated ROS. Objectives Methods In our experiments we made use of the free radical dye 6-carboxy-2’7’dichlorofluoresceine DCF to measure radical generation at the single cell using flow cytometry. Transfected Jurkat cells were incubated with the dye 20 min 37° before addition of stimuli. Readings were taken every 5-min over a 20 min period. The positive transfected Jurkat cell population was identified by detection of a co-transfected CD20 receptor. Results T cells as well as Jurkat cells rapidly produce intracellular ROS in a time dependent manner, after stimulation with either CD3 or PMA+ionomycine. The intracellular ROS generated after T cell stimulation seem to be induced through a signalling pathway downstream of the small GTPase Ras, since Jurkat cells transfected with a constitutively active mutant of p21Ras, RasV12, produced large amounts of intracellular ROS, that could not be augmented by an additional stimulus. The observed ROS production after addition of a stimulus was suppressed by the expression of dominant negative mutant of Ras, RasN17. Jurkat cells transfected with the constitutive active mutant of another small GTPase, Rap1, failed to generate ROS after any stimulus tested. Moreover co-transfection of RapV12 and RasV12 showed that RapV12 abolishes the intracellular ROS generated by RasV12. The inhibition of ROS production appears to involve on a PI3K-dependent signalling pathway as is shown by inhibition of ROS production after Jurkat transfection with RapV12C40 (a Rap1 mutation that, analogue with RasV12C40 could affect specific binding to PI3K). Accordingly, pre-incubation with LY 294002, an inhibitor of the lipid kinase activity of PI3K, blocked the observed inhibition of ROS production by Rap1 in RasV12+RapV12 co-transfection experiments. In addition we report that Rap1 activation in T cells after activation with CD3 or PMA proved to be redox sensitive as shown by pretreatment of T cells with N-acetylcysteine and BSO. Furthermore hydrogen peroxide was capable of Rap1 activation in T cells, and pre-incubation with diphenylene iodinium (a flavoproteine inhibitor) completely blocked Rap1 activation. Conclusion We define a role for ROS in T cell signalling pathways downstream from Ras and we propose a possible pivotal role for the small GTPase Rap1. Rap1 can be activated by ROS and antagonises the intracellular generated ROS in signalling pathways.
An efficient and versatile CRISPR-Cas9 system for genetic manipulation of multi-drug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Summary Multi-drug resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae remains an urgent public health threat. While whole-genome sequencing has helped identify genetic changes underlying resistance, functional validation remains difficult due to a lack of genetic manipulation systems for MDR K. pneumoniae. CRISPR-Cas9 has revolutionized molecular biology, but its use was only recently adapted in bacteria by overcoming the lack of genetic repair systems. We describe a CRISPR-Cas9/lambda recombineering system utilizing a zeocin resistance cassette allowing efficient and versatile genetic manipulation of K. pneumoniae. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to McConville et al. (2020) .
Dry Deposition of Atmospheric Aerosols: Approaches, Observations, and Mechanisms

Aerosols are liquid or solid particles suspended in the atmosphere, typically with diameters on the order of nanometers to microns. These particles impact air quality and the radiative balance of the planet. Dry deposition is a key process for the removal of aerosols from the atmosphere and plays an important role in controlling the lifetime of atmospheric aerosols. Dry deposition is driven by turbulence and shows a strong dependence on particle size. This review summarizes the mechanisms behind aerosol dry deposition, including measurement approaches, field observations, and modeling studies. We identify several gaps in the literature, including deposition over the cryosphere (i.e., snow and ice surfaces) and the ocean; in addition, we highlight new techniques to measure black carbon fluxes. While recent advances in aerosol instrumentation have enhanced our understanding of aerosol sources and chemistry, dry deposition and other loss processes remain poorly investigated.
Risk factors for microcystic macular oedema in glaucoma.

Background/aims To identify clinical characteristics and factors associated with microcystic macular edema (MME) in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Methods We included 315 POAG eyes between 2010 and 2019 with good-quality macular volume scans that had reliable visual fields (VF) available within 6 months in this observational retrospective cohort study. Eyes with retinal pathologies except for epiretinal membrane (ERM) were excluded. The inner nuclear layer was qualitatively assessed for the presence of MME. Global mean deviation (MD) and Visual Field Index (VFI) decay rates, superior and inferior MD rates and pointwise total deviation rates of change were estimated with linear regression. Logistic regression was performed to identify baseline factors associated with the presence of MME and to determine whether MME is associated with progressive VF loss. Results 25 out of 315 eyes (7.9%) demonstrated MME. The average (±SD) age and MD in eyes with and without MME was 57.2 (±8.7) versus 62.0 (±9.9) years (p=0.02) and -9.8 (±5.7) versus -4.9 (±5.3) dB (p 0.49). Conclusions More severe glaucoma and younger age were associated with MME. MME was not associated with faster global VF decay in this cohort. MME may confound monitoring of glaucoma with full macular thickness.
The Bible and Natural Philosophy in Renaissance Italy: Jewish and Christian Physicians in Search of Truth

The Bible and Natural Philosophy in Renaissance Italy explores the reciprocal relationship between biblical interpretation and natural philosophy in sixteenth-century Italy. The book augments our knowledge of the manifold applications of medical expertise in the Renaissance and of the multiple ways in which the Bible was read by educated people who lacked theological training. Andrew D. Berns demonstrates that many physicians in sixteenth-century Italy, Jewish and Christian alike, took a keen interest in the Bible and post-biblical religious literature. Berns identifies the intellectual tools that Renaissance doctors and natural philosophers brought to bear on their analysis of the Bible and assesses how their education and professional experience helped them acquire, develop, and use those tools. The Bible and Natural Philosophy in Renaissance Italy argues that the changing nature of medical culture in the Renaissance inspired physicians to approach the Bible not only as a divine work but also as a historical and scientific text.
Identification of the Amide-Linked Fatty Acids of Acholeplasma axanthum S743 as d(–)3-Hydroxyhexadecanoate and Its Homologues

The amide-linked fatty acids of the sphingolipids of Acholeplasma axanthum S743 are predominantly hydroxy acids. These acids were shown by gas-liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and polarimetry to be the d(–)3-hydroxy fatty acids. The predominant component of the mixture was 3-hydroxyhexadecanoate (β-hydroxypalmitate, hydroxy [h] 16:0) followed by h 20Δ (Δ = unsaturated), h14:0, h12:0, and h18Δ in decreasing order of concentration. The fatty acid profile indicates that these β-hydroxy acids possibly arise from elongation of the fatty acids supplied in the growth medium.
Interrelated structures of the transport shock and collisional relaxation layer in a multitemperature, multilevel ionized gas

The gas dynamic structures of the transport shock and the downstream collisional relaxation layer are evaluated for partially ionized monatomic gases. Elastic and inelastic collisional nonequilibrium effects are taken into consideration. In the microscopic model of the atom, three electronic levels are accounted for. By using an asymtpotic technique, the shock morphology is found on a continuum flow basis. This procedure gives two distinct layers in which the nonequilibrium effects to be considered are different. A transport shock appears as the inner solution to an outer collisional relaxation layer. The results show four main interesting points: (i) On structuring the transport shock, ionization and excitation rates must be included in the formulation, since the flow is not frozen with respect to the population of the different electronic levels; (ii) an electron temperature precursor appears at the beginning of the transport shock; (iii) the collisional layer is rationally reduced to quadrature for special initial conditions, which (iv) are obtained from new Rankine‐Hugoniot relations for the inner shock.
Are Those Who Ignore History Doomed to Repeat It

In The Master Switch, Tim Wu argues that four leading communications industries have historically followed a single pattern that he calls “the Cycle.” Because Wu’s argument is almost entirely historical, the cogency of its claims and the force of its policy recommendations depends entirely on the accuracy and completeness of its treatment of the historical record. Specifically, he believes that industries begin as open, only to be transformed into closed systems by a great corporate mogul until some new form of ingenuity restarts the Cycle anew. Interestingly, even taken at face value, many of the episodes described in the book do not actually follow the Cycle. More importantly, a review of the broader historical literature on these industries reveals that the actual patterns are far more complex and interesting than the Cycle thesis suggests. Indeed, the theoretical literature identifies a number of supply-side, demand-side, and institutional factors that can cause industries to follow a wide range of patterns with respect to openness. The book also largely overlooks the role of advertising and the nature of the government intervention, which can create characteristic distortions and can introduce actors that can serve as counterweights to the industry moguls on which the book focuses. A complete assessment of openness also requires engaging the rich theoretical and empirical literature examining the tradeoffs inherent in open, modular architectures. A more nuanced exploration of variations across these industries and their fit with the hypotheses suggested by the theoretical literature would provide greater insight into the forces that shape and reshape industries over time than would forcing the histories of these four industries to fit into a single, Procrustean pattern.
A physically based DMOS transistor model implemented in SPICE for advanced power IC TCAD

A physics-based predictive semi-numerical lateral DMOS transistor model, which is directly implemented in commercially available SPICE2G.6 source code, is described and verified with experimental measurements. Different from the existing power device subcircuit models, our model has an ability to account for the unique device structure such as the graded-channel and the non-planar-drift region. With an advantage of directly using device and process parameters, the new model implemented in SPICE may be useful in computer-aided power IC design.
Should vitamin-mineral supplements be recommended for all women with childbearing potential?

Interest in maternal nutritional status as a critical factor for prenatal development has increased. When supplemented before conception, iodine prevents cretinism and folic acid reduces neural tube defect risks. Other nutrient supplements may also reduce pregnancy complications. Thus, should supplements be advocated for all women with childbearing potential? Potential supplementation benefits include 1) improved nutritional status, 2) reduced risk of some developmental defects, 3) improved antioxidant and immune defense systems, 3) lower incidence and/or slower progression of some diseases, and 5) harmonization of government and health care professionals' dietary recommendations for optimal health
Receptive fields of intrapulmonary chemoreceptors in the Pekin duck

Abstract Reflex experiments indicate a uniform distribution of CO 2 chemosensitivity in avian lungs, but neural recording experiments suggest a non-uniform distribution of intrapulmonary chemoreceptor (IPC) endings. To reconcile these observations, blood gases and PE CO 2 were measured while recording discharge frequencies, recorded from the left vagus, were determined while ventilating the perfused left lung with caudocraminal and craniocaudal flows of 1% CO 2 in air, and then while ventilating the unperfused left lung with known levels of CO 2 in air. Lung P CO 2 profiles were predicted using an eight-compartment computer model of cross-current gas exchange with log-normal ventialtion-perfussion inequality and shunt. The P CO 2 profiles and IPC discharge frequencies were used to calculate receptor location. At the 99% confidence limit, estimates of IPC location changed significantly in all but 7 IPC when the ventilation was reversed, indicating many IPC have multiple endings. Eighteen of 32 IPC had receptive fields extending at least 50% of the parabronchial length, which may explain the uniform reflex chemosensitivity to intrapulmonary CO 2 noted by others.
Can the government incentivize the purchase of private long-term care insurance? Evidence from the Partnership for Long-Term Care

Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, I show that state adoption of Partnerships for Long-Term Care incentivized the purchase of private long-term care insurance, particularly for households displaying the greatest risk aversion and long-term financial planning horizons.
Letter by Argulian and Messerli Regarding Article, “Effect of Early Metoprolol on Infarct Size in ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: The Effect of Metoprolol in Cardioprotection During an Acute Myocardial Infarction (METOCARD-CNIC) Trial”

The conclusion of the trial by Ibanez et al1 elegantly documents that early intravenous β-blockade with intravenous metoprolol before reperfusion reduced infarct size and increased left ventricular ejection fraction with no excess of adverse events. These findings are in contrast to some extent with the guideline-changing Clopidogrel and Metoprolol in Myocardial Infarction Trial (COMMIT), which examined the role of early β-blocker use in the emergency treatment of myocardial infarction.2 In this large trial, patients received an intravenous injection of 5 mg metoprolol, 2 to 3 …
A Model for Faunal Succession and Reef Growth in Edgecliff Bioherms (Middle Devonian Onondaga Formation): ABSTRACT

Two small bioherms from the Edgecliff Member of the Onondaga Formation in Greene County, eastern New York, have been studied in order to formulate a model for Edgecliff reef development. Roberts Hill reef is approximately 720 ft (220 m) in length and 50 ft End_Page 1176------------------------------ (15 m) thick, while Albrights reef (an erosional remnant) is 480 ft (146 m) in length and 13 ft (4 m) thick. Both exhibit an overall faunal succession showing both lateral and vertical trends which closely agree with the description of subsurface pinnacle reefs from south-central New York by Kissling (1979). Similar to these larger structures, the absence of stromatoporoids, and the subordinate role of massive favositids result in the lack of a true framestone core. Mound development was due almost entirely to the abundant growth of colonial rugosans which created a bafflestone core. The core of the mound was constructed by a succession of three genera of colonial rugosans, all of which exhibit the same spreading phaceloid morphology, but with corallite branches being small and delicate in Acinophyllum, thick and robust in Cyathocylindrium, and intermediate in size in Cylindrophyllum. Initial core growth began on the carbonate mud sea-floor of the basal Edgecliff with the formation of thickets of Acinophyllum which developed into low bafflestone mounds. Core growth was continued by Cylindrophyllum, then capped by Cyathocylindrium. Surrounding this rugosan core, low-angle (8 to 10°) crinoidal packestone flanks developed which were colonized by large favositid colonies which show a dominance change from Emmonsia in the fore-reef to Favosites in the back-reef. H wever, these favositids acted only as minor sediment stabilizers. The final stage of reef growth at Roberts Hill consisted of a recolonization of the fore-reef crinoidal packestones by the original core building fauna, with Cyathocylindrium acting as the initial recolonizer, followed by a mixed assemblage of Cylindrophyllum and Eridophyllum (another phaceloid rugosan). A repeated cycle of crinoidal flank formation, followed by rugosan colonization of these flanks, could extend both the lateral and vertical growth of the mound and result in large structures similar in size to those found in the subsurface in south-central New York. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1177------------
Quantitative measurement of calcium transients in perfused mouse heart using Rhod-2 fluorometry

We present a technique for optical detection of calcium transients in perfused mouse heart labeled with the calcium sensitive fluorescent dye Rhod-2. The isolated mouse-heart is placed in a water-jacketed chamber at 37 degrees Celsius, and is stimulated at 8 Hz, with 100 (mu) g of Rhod-2 bolused through the perfusate. After a 25-minute washout period, approximately 6 fold increase in fluorescence above background can be detected spectrofluorimetrically at 589 nm when excited at 524 nm. Both of these wavelengths are isobestic with regard to O2, thus minimizing interference due to changes in tissue oxygenation. Ca2+-dependent fluorescence transients are measured, as well as the corresponding left ventricular pressure signal. Our calcium transient signals represent 33 plus or minus 9% of diastolic fluorescence intensity. As the fluorescence emission is attenuated with the washout of Rhod-2 through the perfusate, the reflected absorbance between 524 nm (Rhod-2 sensitive) and 589 nm (Rhod- 2 insensitive) is used as a measure of dye concentration in tissue. The fluorescence-to-absorbance ratio measured from the perfused heart is verified to be insensitive to dye concentration, and thus can be used to determine the calcium concentration of the heart. Maximal calcium dependent fluorescence is calibrated in situ using high calcium and a SR Ca-ATPase inhibitor to tetanize the heart. The calculated cytosolic calcium concentrations for perfused mouse heart are 368 plus or minus 68 nM and 654 plus or minus 164 nM in diastole and systole, respectively. An effective method of minimizing changes in tissue scattering in the calcium quantification is also discussed.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Some models of relative error in products

Abstract A model of magnitude relative error in floating point multiplication is developed and is analyzed stochastically for various choices of computer design parameters. These parameters include the base, the type of rounding rule, the number of guard digits, and whether the post-arithmetic normalization shift (if needed) is done before or after rounding. Under the assumption of logarithmic distribution for the fraction (mantissa), the major stochastic conclusions are: (1) The average magnitude relative error in multiplication increases as the base increases. (2) The average error is minimized by selecting the machine base to be binary with a hidden bit, and is larger for base 16. Other models of relative error are developed and analyzed.
Wind-stress surface truth measurements for NORCSEX

Surface wind-stress measurements based on the inertial dissipation method were made from a small, easily deployable buoy during NORCSEX (Norwegian Continental Shelf Experiment). NORCSEX was a prelaunch ERS-1 experiment; techniques and performance assessments from this deployment are applied to postlaunch experiments with higher data density. The buoy platform provides opportunity for spatial measurements of longer duration than those that can be obtained from ships. Comparisons of buoy and ship-neutral drag coefficient result for a three-day period indicate that the buoy is a better platform for remote-sensing surface truth. >
Back in the mirrored room: the enduring relevance of discursive practice

This article seeks to re-engage a conversation regarding the importance of acknowledging the discursive content of the therapeutic process. Hare-Mustin's (1994) article argued that psychotherapy is involved in the generation of values and norms, and thus requires ethical sensibilities. Her analysis recognized how particular socio-cultural forces go unnoticed and suggested that unless therapists recognize their participation in discursive practices, they may unwittingly collude with and reinforce harmful cultural practices. The goal of this article is to revisit the ‘mirrored room’ so that family therapists can more deliberately evaluate their participation in cultural practices that impact on their work with clients. This article begins with a review of contemporary efforts to grapple with the issues Hare-Mustin presented, and maintains that even contemporary approaches that assert a commitment to postmodern understandings remain incomplete without an analysis of discourse. The article then outlines the conceptual tools within discursive practice that advance the initial motivation of these contemporary efforts.
Effects of sleep duration and sleep quality on prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus: A 5-year follow-up study in China

Abstract Objective To explore the interactions of sleep quality and sleep duration on the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) in Chinese adults. Research design and methods We randomly selected 11,842 Chinese subjects from the Xuzhou community of China and obtained self-reported quality and duration of sleep by questionnaire. DM2 was assessed by fasting blood glucose. Sleep quality was categorized as good, common, or poor. Sleep duration was measured by average hours of sleep per night. We evaluated interaction, relative excess risk of interaction (RERI), the attributable proportion (AP), and the synergy index ( S ) using a logistic regression model. Results The relative risk for the development of DM2 was higher in subjects with short sleep duration (1.67 [1.34–2.16]) or poor sleep quality (1.91 [1.31–2.74]) or long sleep duration (1.45 [1.02–1.77]). DM2 occurred more frequently with poor sleep quality combined with short sleep duration (odds ratio: 6.21; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.78–11.81). RERI, AP, and S values (and their 95% CI) were 3.99 (1.41–7.76), 0.64 (0.45–0.76), and 5.15 (3.74–7.89) for the interaction between poor sleep quality and short sleep duration. In subjects with poor sleep quality combined with long sleep duration, the RERI, AP, and S values (and 95% CI) were 0.13 (−0.19 to 0.66), 0.07 (−0.35 to 0.18), and 1.19 (0.85–2.11). Conclusions Interactions between poor sleep quality and short sleep duration were additive. Preventive measures should focus on short sleep duration and poor sleep quality.
Sodium and potassium binding by rat liver cell microsomes.

The effects of ion concentration, pH, and presence of competing ions on the sodium and potassium binding properties of rat liver cell microsomes were studied. Typical adsorption isotherms were obtained in the concentration dependence studies, with saturation being reached when 1.2 to 1.4 m.eq. cations were retained per gm. of microsome Kjeldahl nitrogen. The retention was shown to be due to a binding to specific sites rather than to a trapping of the cations. The binding showed a sharp pH dependence in the range 6.0 to 7.5. The presence of one cation depressed the binding of the other, indicating that Na+ and K+ as well as H+ ions compete for the same sites. Potassium was bound slightly more strongly than sodium, while hydrogen was bound about 105 times more strongly than either. Calculations show that the binding follows the simple mass law. Similarities between adsorption by microsomes and adsorption by synthetic cation exchange resins are discussed and compared to some of the characteristics of electrolyte behavior in living systems. A possible ion exchange elution, active cation transport mechanism is suggested, involving the preferential elution of Na+ out of the cell by H+ ions produced by metabolism.
Pterodactyls, Passenger Pigeons, and Personnel Workers

If it is to survive as a significant part of the educational enterprise, school counseling must become a more rigorous and better integrated discipline. Our role in the school system must be clarified. Both our ethical and psychological assumptions must be made more explicit and subjected to logical analysis. Our psychological concepts must be tested empirically. Our major goal should continue to be that of increasing the freedom of the individual student, in a literal sense. This can best be done by helping him increase the number of significant courses of action available to him at important decision points in his life. The counselor's efforts, therefore, should focus on the decision-making process. Counselors should teach students to search for more rather than fewer alternative solutions to their educational, vocational, and personal problems and to evaluate the probable consequences of each alternative in terms of both the external events that are likely to follow and also the individual's own internal reactions to those events. Some of the implications of this view for counselor training are explored.
An Abnormal Psychology Community Based Interview Assignment.

(1977). An Abnormal Psychology Community-Based Interview Assignment. Teaching of Psychology: Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 200-202.
Review: admission-avoidance hospital-at-home decreases mortality at 6 months but does not differ from inpatient care for readmission.

How does admission-avoidance hospital-at-home (HAH) compare with inpatient hospital care for various outcomes? Included studies compared admission-avoidance HAH (time-limited active treatment by healthcare professionals for acute conditions in patients’ homes, without which patients would be admitted to an acute care hospital ward) with acute inpatient hospital care in patients ⩾18 years of age. Studies of obstetric, paediatric, mental health, and long-term care services; services in outpatient settings or after hospital discharge; or patient self-care at home were excluded. Outcomes included mortality, hospital readmission, functional ability, cognitive ability, quality of life, and patient satisfaction. Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, EconLit, Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Group register, and reference lists were searched to January 2008 for randomised …
Γ-convergence and Sobolev norms

Abstract We study a Γ-convergence problem related to a new characterization of Sobolev spaces W 1 , p ( R N ) ( p > 1 ) established in H.-M. Nguyen [H.-M. Nguyen, Some new characterizations of Sobolev spaces, J. Funct. Anal. 237 (2006) 689–720] and J. Bourgain and H.-M. Nguyen [J. Bourgain, H.-M. Nguyen, A new characterization of Sobolev spaces, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 343 (2006) 75–80]. We can also handle the case p = 1 which was out of reach previously. To cite this article: H.-M. Nguyen, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 345 (2007).
Prediction problem in quantum mechanics is intractable (NP-hard)

It is proved that both the prediction problem and the problem of reconstructing the state from the observations in quantum mechanics are NP-hard.
Analyses of the Scattering of Nuclear Particles by Collective Nuclei in Terms of the Coupled-Channel Calculation

The formalism of the coupled-channel analysis of the scattering of nuclear projectiles by nuclei is presented in detail. Since the necessity for coupled-channel calculations increases with the degree of collectivity exhibited by the target nucleus, the presentation is particularly suited to collective nuclei, with the target states described by phenomenological collective coordinates. Within this restriction the formalism given here is quite general so that the following cases can be considered: The target can be any (collective) nucleus, even-$A$ or odd-$A$, vibrational or rotational; the projectile can be either charged or uncharged, and can have any spin; either or both the projectile and the target can be polarized; finally, the energy of the projectile can be very low since the contribution of the compound-state formation to the cross section can be included. Using a computer program which was written following the above formalism (which can be used to do any of the calculations enumerated above) scattering cross sections for several typical cases were obtained and are presented to show their contrasting behavior when different targets (and different coupling schemes) and different projectiles are chosen. Realistic calculations were also made in order to fit a large number of existing experimental data. Good fits were obtained in most cases which indicates that the coupled-channel calculation is a very powerful tool in explaining various complicated scattering data, and further in extracting useful spectroscopic informations about the target nucleus. Possible future developments of the present analyses are discussed.
Effect of Ultrasound Transducer Face Reflectivity on Light Fluence Distribution inside Turbid Medium

For photoacoustic imaging in reflection geometry, the front-face reflectivity of the ultrasound transducers imposes different boundary conditions on the light fluence distribution inside the tissue. Understanding and characterizing the boundary effects on the fluence distribution is critical for optimizing the light illumination and therefore the signal-tonoise ratio (SNR) of the photoacoustic measurements. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were performed to quantify the fluence distribution under different reflectivity boundary conditions and the results were validated by experiments. It is demonstrated that the light fluence obtained due to a highly reflective boundary, for instance, white-colored transducer face, is higher and more uniformly distributed than that of lower reflectivity boundaries such as red, gray, or black face colors. Both simulations and experiments were performed with near-infrared (NIR) light as the illumination source.
Impact of crown rust (Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae) on competitive interactions between wild oats (Avena fatua) and stipa (Nassella pulchra)

Abstract Crown rust of oats ( Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae ) was investigated as a biocontrol agent for wild oats ( Avena fatua ) on San Clemente Island, California. Successful restoration of the native habitats of this island will involve the reduction of wild oats and revegetation with native grasses such as stipa ( Nassella pulchra ). Determination of the outcome of interference between wild oats and stipa is important in the prediction of the success of the biocontrol agent. An addition series design was used to investigate these interactions, with densities of each species ranging from 0 to 2000 seeds per m 2 . Eight replicates were established, four of which were randomly chosen and infected with the pathogen. After 75 days, plant height, dry weight, and seed production were measured. The data were fit to a hyperbola surface model by use of a nonlinear regression procedure. Results indicate that wild oat is the superior competitor at the seedling stage; however, early rust infection greatly reduces fitness of wild oats, causing an increased fitness for stipa. Simulations with a plant community model constructed from the results of the greenhouse experiment and information in the literature indicated that an equilibrium may be established between wild oat and stipa if high initial seeding rates of stipa are used in revegetation.
How far to commit to open-loop action: a probabilistic decision approach with analogies to signal-detection theory

A theory for optimizing the extent of a continuous action variable in a situation where either or both a discrete reward and discrete cost occur as probabilistic functions of the extent of the action selected is presented. It is shown how in many respects the approach is similar to signal detection theory, and also that there are the essential differences, especially since the decision is continuous rather than binary. Examples for application are suggested. >