cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fluorescent Imaging of Membrane Potential Components

The behavior of a given channel can be different in different regions of a cell. Belardetti et al.1 pointed out that Na channels in invertebrate axons and growth cones inactivate much faster than Na channels in somata. Upon severing the neurite of a crustacean peptidergic neuron, Meyers2 displayed current-voltage curves for both Na and Ca currents that appear to be shifted to less depolarized voltage in the isolated lamellipodium relative to the soma. Llinas and his coworkers have shown that calcium influx occurs almost exclusively in the dendrites of Purkinje cells3–6 even though the Ca channels responsible for this current can also be found in somata7; this group found subtle differences in the electrophysiological properties of the Ca channels in these two regions of Purkinje cells7. Taken as a whole, these observations are important because they suggest that different regions of a neuron could respond differently to the same stimulus without differences in channel distribution between the regions.
Grating design for the Water Recovery X-ray Rocket

The Water Recovery X-ray Rocket (WRXR) is a sounding rocket payload that launched from the Kwajalein Atoll in April 2018 and was the first NASA astrophysics sounding rocket payload to be recovered from water. WRXR's primary instrument is a grating spectrometer that consists of a mechanical collimator, X-ray reflection gratings, grazing-incidence mirrors, and a hybrid CMOS detector. We present here the design of the WRXR spectrometer’s gratings and mirrors.
Donors for democracy? Philanthropy and the challenges facing America in the twenty-first century

After the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, a self-defined “resistance” movement arose to block his agenda. This movement cut across the normal boundaries of political activism to create new forms of advocacy and new models of cooperation. Major components of the resistance were ideological interest groups, women’s organizations, environmentalists, heretofore disengaged Millennials, racial and ethnic groups, community nonprofits, and, ostensibly, foundations and leading philanthropists—those we term “patrons.” We systematically examine the behavior of patrons to determine what role they played at this unique time in American history. We place this research in the context of interest group behavior, asking how patrons may have facilitated representation, altered strategic plans, reoriented advocacy, and repositioned themselves within policy communities supporting similar goals. Our findings undermine the idea that patrons played a central role in the developing resistance to the new administration, despite the fact that the new president was working against their values and the programs they support. However, a non-trivial minority of patrons, both institutional and individual, did mobilize their voice, institutional resources, and coalitions to resist the Trump agenda. These examples allow us to explore how patrons in some conditions might fulfill the roles of interest groups conventionally understood.
Visual Servoing of a Robot Assembly Task

In this paper a control system is described for visual servoing of a robot while performing a horizontal assembly task. The control system is based on a look-and-move strategy, in which the visual processing is performed while the scene is stationary. Two visual servoing areas are developed in order to complete the assembly task. In one servoing area the robot will locate, identify and grasp randomly oriented parts from a conveyor, using feedback from a CID camera. Feedback from a second camera is used to detect and compensate for grasping or positioning errors in completing the assembly.
A 24-Year-Old Thrower: First Time Dislocation Sliding into Second Base

A 24-year-old AAA minor league pitcher sustained an anterior dislocation while sliding headfirst into the second base. After a difficult reduction, imaging demonstrated appreciable humeral head bone loss. A comprehensive rehab program failed to afford a return to throwing; thus he underwent an arthroscopic anterior labral repair coupled with a remplissage procedure. He was ultimately able to return to pitching with a measurable loss of velocity.
Frailty in Comorbid HIV and Lifetime Methamphetamine Use Disorder: Associations with Neurocognitive and Everyday Functioning.

HIV and methamphetamine (MA) use disorder are commonly comorbid and individually associated with adverse health consequences, including frailty; however, less is known about the combined effects of both conditions. The current cross-sectional study examined how HIV and lifetime MA use disorder relate to frailty and explored associations between frailty and relevant clinical outcomes (i.e., neurocognitive and everyday functioning). Participants were categorized into three groups based on HIV status and lifetime MA diagnosis: HIV+/MA+ (n = 43), HIV+/MA- (n = 75), and HIV-/MA- (n = 92). A frailty index score (representing proportion of accumulated multisystem deficits) was calculated from 27 medical and psychiatric deficits. Multiple regression was used to examine frailty index score by HIV/MA group. Additional multiple regression models examined the interaction between frailty and HIV/MA group on cognitive and everyday functioning. Comorbid HIV+/MA+ participants had higher frailty index scores than both HIV-/MA- (b = -0.13, p < .001) and HIV+/MA- participants (b = -0.06, p = .007). Additional models linked higher frailty index score to worse global neurocognition (b = -17.6, p = .018) and greater likelihood of everyday functioning dependence (odds ratio = 1.56, p = .021). Although these relationships did not significantly differ by HIV/MA status, group-stratified analyses showed that associations of frailty with neurocognitive and everyday functioning were strongest among the HIV+/MA+ group. Multimodal public health interventions aimed at reducing frailty may help to decrease the likelihood of neurocognitive and everyday functioning problems. Current findings additionally lay groundwork for future longitudinal research examining whether frailty predicts onset of neurocognitive and functional decline in individuals with comorbid HIV and MA use disorder.
Aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO)-based pressure sensor

Abstract The feasibility of using aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) as a piezoresistive pressure sensor material is reported. AZO has attracted a great deal of attention in many applications because of its nontoxicity, abundancy and lower cost than other materials such as indium tin oxide (ITO). The AZO films were deposited on polyethylene (PE) substrates by a radio-frequency (rf) magnetron sputtering method and they were used as the diaphragms of the pressure sensors. The piezoresistive sensor was tested for different pressures in vacuum and gage pressure conditions. The response characteristics indicated that resistance increased with the bending of the AZO layer in both compressive and tensile operation modes. The sensor characteristics exhibited that the AZO piezoresistive sensor can be used to measure ambient pressure quantitatively. This investigation indicated that AZO can be used as an alternative material for the fabrication of pressure sensors.
Insights from Bereaved Family Members about End-of-Life Care and Bereavement.

Background: Bereavement programs provide institutions with an avenue for obtaining feedback from family members about their experiences during a patient's illness and end-of-life (EOL) period that can be used to improve both patient care and the care of bereaved individuals. Objective: We examined family members' experiences about the clinical care their loved one received at EOL and the perceived effect this care had on their subsequent bereavement. Design: Survey. Setting/Subjects: One hundred forty bereaved family members from our cancer institute completed a bereavement survey. Of these family members, 67% were female, 66% were 60 years of age or older, and 81% were widowed. Measurement: We analyzed open-ended responses using NVivo 11 Plus© that asked bereaved family members about the ways the clinical (oncology) team was helpful or not in dealing with their loss. Results: The findings showed that compassionate care, competency, receiving honest facts, and outreach after the death favorably influenced the bereavement experience. Conversely, impersonal contact, lack of contact, including lack of caregiver support, and lack of information about EOL and death were identified as actions taken by the clinical team that were unhelpful in dealing with their loss. Conclusions: The feedback from bereaved family members highlights two areas that could benefit from quality improvement efforts: (1) communication skills that focus on enhancing compassionate connection, including conveying empathy, and providing reassurance and guidance to patients and their families and (2) communication skills that focus on delivering information about prognosis and the EOL period in an honest and direct way.
Integrating Urban Adolescent Mental Health Into Urban Sustainability Collective Action: An Application of Shiffman & Smith’s Framework for Global Health Prioritization

The majority (55%) of the world’s population lives in urban environments. Of relevance to global mental health, the rapid growth in urban populations around the world and the attendant risks coincide with the presence of the largest population of adolescents the global community has seen to date. Recent reviews on the effects of the urban environment on mental health report a greater risk of depression, anxiety, and some psychotic disorders among urban dwellers. Increased risk for mental disorders is associated with concentrated poverty, low social capital, social segregation, and other social and environmental adversities that occur more frequently in cities. To address these problems, urban adolescent mental health requires attention from decision makers as well as advocates who seek to establish sustainable cities. We examine opportunities to increase the prominence of urban adolescent mental health on the global health and development agenda using Shiffman and Smith’s framework for policy priorities, and we explore approaches to increasing its relevance for urban health and development policy communities. We conclude with suggestions for expanding the community of actors who guide the field and bridging the fields of mental health and urban development to meet urban adolescent mental health needs.
Social Media Trends in Dermatology, Dermatopathology and Pathology Publications: the Social Construction of Medical Subdisciplines

Background An increase in the number of publications on social media has paralleled the growth of social media use in the past decade. Our study examined the trends in these publications relating to the fields of dermatology, pathology, and dermatopathology. Methods PubMed was searched for relevant literature from 2009 to present, using the following key terms: "social media", "dermatology", "dermatopathology", and "pathology." Topics of articles, years of publication, countries of origin, and contributing journals were compiled and analyzed. Results A total of 99 publications was retrieved during the period between January 2009 and November 2019. Top publication years included 2019 (n = 21), 2018 (n = 24), 2017 (n = 20), and 2016 (n = 13). The most common topic areas noted were related to dissemination of information (n = 17; 17.2%), knowledge exchange for physicians (n = 16; 16.2%), and social networking (n = 15; 15.2%). Conclusion The number of published articles on social media in these specialties has increased since 2009, signifying the widespread use of social media for professional networking, knowledge exchange, real-time communication with patients and colleagues, and patient care. Social media in the areas of dermatology, dermatopathology, and pathology has undergone social construction during the past decade because of changes in technology and ideologies surrounding the use of social media within medicine.
USING CLINICAL SUSPICION TO UNCOVER SUBMASSIVE PE MIMICKING STEMI

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) mimicking ST-Elevation MI (STEMI) is rare and carries poor prognosis. Unexplained syncope in the emergency room (ER) is also commonly related to underlying PE. 75-year-old female presented with dizziness and chest pain. Found to have ST Elevations (STE) in leads II,
A naive time of flight ranging scheme for wireless sensor networks

Recently wireless sensor network (WSN) applications have been in high demand. The key aspects of these applications is 'localisation'. Due to low energy and limited processing capability, many sensor nodes do not have any knowledge about their location, thus requires a method to get localised within a network. Nodes can be localised based on the measurements estimated using different techniques. In this paper, a naive time of flight (ToF) ranging measurement scheme is presented which minimises the error coming from low resolution clocks of the deployed nodes and removes the effect of clock drift on ranging measurements. The proposed scheme uses inter-arrival time of multiple ranging requests on the receiver side and uses solely the receiver node's clock to calculate the time of flight. The accuracy achieved with the proposed method is better than other existing approaches. The results demonstrate that the proposed scheme achieved the accuracy within 1m.
Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (KSCBi009-A) from a patient with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) featuring deletion of the paternal chromosome region 15q11.2-q13

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by the loss of paternally expressed genes in an imprinted region of chromosome 15q11.2-q13. We generated a human-induced pluripotent stem cell line, designated KSCBi009-A, from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a 13-year-old male PWS patient exhibiting deletion of the paternal chromosome 15q11.2-q13 region. The deletion was confirmed via methylation-specific multiplex ligation probe amplification assay (MS-MLPA) of genomic DNA. The hiPSC line expressed pluripotency markers and differentiated into three germ layers. The cell line may serve as a valuable model of an imprinting PWS disorder useful in terms of drug discovery and development.
Project Management Affecting the Productivity and Sustainability of a Green Building: A Literature Review

The green building industry has experienced a rapid growth over the past decade. A large body of studies have evaluated the technical factors, that affecting the productivity and the sustainability of green buildings. However, few of them focuses on nontechnical factors. Even though, the practices of design and construction form up the skeleton of a green building, the project management process plays the role of soft tissue which links the parts of skeleton and ensures the smoothness and durability of its activities. With comparisons against traditional constructions, this study aims to sum up the factors affecting the sustainability and productivity of green building constructions from the aspects of project management based on previous studies, and to understand the role of project management in achieving the sustainable objectives. In summary, the major factors affecting the productivity of green construction project are summarized as (1) supervision of labor; (2) sequencing of work; (3) capability of project manager; (4) communication; (5) efficiency of instruction; (6) planning of site layout and (7) inspection delay. Moreover, this study also identifies the roles of project management in each stage of a green construction project to achieve the sustainable objectives, including (1) effective coordination and communication; (2) benchmarking and supervision; (3) commissioning and (4) documentation.
Ceramic Foam Filter Micropores as Sites for Liquid Inclusion Retention

In steel foundries, ceramic filters are often used to capture non-metallic inclusions. It is well documented that solid inclusions are captured and retained within the filter macropores at the metal-refractory interface. However, liquid inclusions appear to be captured and retained by two mechanisms: one within the filter web micropore structure and another as a liquid film at the metal-filter macropore interface. Experiments were carried out to study the removal of various non-metallic liquid inclusions by magnesia-stabilized zirconia filters. The results documented the effective removal of liquid inclusions in all experiments. Samples were extracted from filter element to investigate the inclusion attachment mechanism during deep bed filtration. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and associated scanning electron microscopy was employed to evaluate the inclusion attachment mechanism with the ceramic filters. Liquid inclusion retention in the filter micropores followed an exponential trend from entry to exit side of the filter, until the micropores became completely saturated. After complete saturation, the retained inclusion distribution remained constant through the thickness of the filter. Filters were found to capture the liquid inclusions, drawing them into the open micropores due to inclusion-refractory favorable wetting conditions. Once the accessible micropores were fully saturated, liquid inclusion films developed at the metal-filter macropore interface, increasing the possibility for the release of large liquid inclusions from the filter.
Cortical copper transporter expression in schizophrenia: interactions of risk gene dysbindin-1

Schizophrenia susceptibility factor dysbindin-1 is associated with cognitive processes. Downregulated dysbindin-1 expression is associated with lower expression of copper transporters ATP7A and CTR1, required for copper transport to the central nervous system. We measured dysbindin-1 isoforms-1A and -1BC, CTR1, and ATP7A via Western blots of the postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of schizophrenia subjects (n = 28) and matched controls (n = 14). In addition, we subdivided the schizophrenia group by treatment status and comorbidity of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and assessed the relationships between proteins. Schizophrenia subjects exhibited similar protein levels to that of controls, with no effect of antipsychotic treatment. We observed a shift towards more dysbindin-1A expression in schizophrenia, as revealed by the ratio of dysbindin-1 isoforms. Dysbindin-1A expression was negatively correlated with ATP7A in schizophrenia, with no correlation present in controls. AUD subjects exhibited less dysbindin-1BC and CTR1 than those without AUD. Our results, taken together with previous data, suggest that alterations in dysbindin-1 and copper transporters are brain-region specific. For example, protein levels of ATP7A, dysbindin 1BC, and CTR1 are lower in the substantia nigra in schizophrenia subjects. AUD in the DLPFC was associated with lower protein levels of dysbindin-1 and CTR1. Changes in dysbindin-1 isoform ratio and relationships appear to be prevalent in the disease, potentially impacting symptomology.
Temperature Coefficients of Perovskite Photovoltaics for Energy Yield Calculations

Temperature coefficients for maximum power (TPCE), open circuit voltage (VOC), and short circuit current (JSC) are standard specifications included in data sheets for any commercially available pho...
Accommodation Ability Evaluation of High Renewable Energy Penetrated Power System with Large-scale Concentrating Solar Power

In this paper, a method on evaluation of annual accommodation ability of high renewable energy penetrated power system with concentrating solar power (CSP) is proposed based on sequential production simulation technology. Firstly, an aggregated CSP operation model is established and a long-term unit commitment model is then formulated with considering the constraints of system balance, system reserve, transmission line limitation and operations of wind power, photovoltaic (PV) power, CSP, thermal power and hydro power. Secondly, the hourly power series of renewable energy is incorporated as inputs for maximizing utilization of annual power generation of wind, PV and CSP. Thirdly, a sequential decomposition algorithm is adopted to solve the long-term optimization model. Finally, the proposed method is tested on a high renewable energy penetrated power system with large-scale CSP and the testing results validate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed method.
Colonial Roots of the Aryan Invasion/Migration Theory and the Contemporary Archaeological Evidence in Western Sources:

William Jones, famously, by identifying close linkages between Sanskrit and European languages, gave birth to research into the common ancestry between Indians and Europeans. In the earlier years o...
On the Design and Stability of a Reluctance Actuator for Precision Motion Systems

This paper proposes an optimization design algorithm for an E-core reluctance actuator considering the requirements of the precision motion system. Using the optimal design, the behavior of the reluctance actuator motion system is linearized by selecting the operating point at the linear region of the BH-curve. The proposed algorithm uses Grid search method and Pareto optimal approach. Through simulation results, the parameters of the proposed optimal design are considered within a precision motion system model that consists of motion stage dynamics and a flexure hinge mechanism model. The steady-state dynamic analysis is presented to determine the critical input current for the stable operation condition of the actuator with precision motion dynamics.
Using time-dependent effective gauge field for photons to achieve dynamic localization of light

We study a problem of achieving three-dimensional dynamic localization of light in a dynamically-modulated resonator lattice. An effective gauge potential for photons has been previously shown to exhibit in such lattice. Dynamic localization of light can be achieved by varying the effective gauge potential sinusoidally in time. Furthermore, the rotating wave approximation was used in previous works on such effective gauge potential for photons. Here, we find that the effect of dynamic localization persists even in the regime where the counter-rotating term has to be taken into count.
VAGOTOMY AND MERCAPTOACETATE INFLUENCE THE EFFECT OF DIETARY FAT ON MACRONUTRIENT SELECTION BY RATS

We have previously shown that rats fed saturated fat prefer a high protein, low carbohydrate diet, whereas animals fed unsaturated fat prefer a low protein, high carbohydrate diet. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether this "saturated fat effect" requires 1) the oxidation of the dietary fat and 2) an intact hepatic vagus nerve. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were vagotomized (hepatic branch) or sham-operated and injected with either mercaptoacetate (fatty acid oxidation inhibitor) or saline. Next, half of each group was given saturated fat (beef tallow) or unsaturated fat (corn oil) by gastric tube. All animals were given a choice between two mixed diets that differed in protein and carbohydrate. Sham-operated rats fed saturated fat ate more of the protein diet than did rats fed unsaturated fat. Vagotomy attenuated the intake of the protein diet in animals fed saturated fat. Mercaptoacetate or vagotomy had no effect on diet selection in rats fed unsaturated fat. These data indicate that the effect of saturated fat on diet selection requires an intact hepatic vagus and may be modulated by fatty acid oxidation. Furthermore, the mechanism for altering diet selection can be induced after a single meal.
An assessment of visualization tools for patient monitoring and medical decision making

Visualization of health data can increase situational awareness, maximize utility of patient data, and improve the clinical decision-making processes in critical care settings. Many hospitals are burdened by vast quantities and varieties of data and are struggling to manage, analyze, interpret, and present it in a meaningful way. Graphical visualization and predictive modeling are effective mechanisms to aid clinicians in assessing patient status and recognizing critical changes over time. In an analysis of the UVa Hospital’s Surgical Trauma Burn Intensive Care Unit (STBICU), we examined the impacts that technology and data have on workflow and the value added to various stakeholders. An online survey was distributed to Attending Physicians, Residents, Nurse Practitioners, and Nurses. The goal of this survey was to better understand the ways that various clinical positions interact with data visualization technology regarding patient diagnosis and general workflow. The survey results indicated that graphical representations are under-utilized compared to spreadsheets and progress notes. Additionally, clinicians consider current information technology to be sufficient for evaluating patients’ past and current health data, but not for future health status. Data visualization technology and predictive models provide an alternative monitoring solution to overcome existing system limitations.
Native Pathways: American Indian Culture and Economic Development in the Twentieth Century

Part One -- Commerce and Incorporation Part Two -- Wage Work Part Three -- Methodology and Theoretical Implications.
Multiplicity gluon production in QCD

Abstract We compute the approximate cross section σ(0)n for producing n−2 resolved in a gluon-gluon collision, using the Parke-Taylor formula regularized in a Lorentz invariant manner. We find, in double leading logarithm approximation, that, for 1⪡n∼ ln ( S S cut ) , σ n (0) ≈ 1 s N c α s 2π 12 1n 2 (s/s cut ) n−2 where s cut is the minimum invariant mass for a resolved glupn pair. Tbuilthere is no factor of 1 (n−2) ! multiplying the expression. We briefly discuss the relation of our result to perturbative of n-jet cross sections at coliders.
Tools for modeling and solving search problems

In this paper, we describe a language PSpb to model search problems that are specified in terms of boolean combinations of pseudo-boolean constraints. We then describe software tools that allow one to use SAT and SAT(PB) solvers to compute solutions to instances of search problems represented in the language PSpb.
Consistency and provenance in rule processing

Open collections of data and rules on the web are typically characterized by heterogeneous quality and imperfect consistency. In reasoning with data and rules on the web, it is important to know where an answer comes from (provenance) and whether the it is reasonable considering the inconsistencies (inconsistency-tolerance). In this paper, I draw attention to the idea that provenance and inconsistency-tolerance play mutually supporting roles under the theme of reasoning with imperfect information on the web. As a specific example, I make use of basic provenance information to avoid unreasonable answers in reasoning with rules and inconsistent data.
Legal Ethics and Collaborative Practice Ethics

In Collaborative Practice (CP), the clients and their attorneys (and other professionals in the case, if there are any) contract to resolve the issues presented in a structured process without litigation. Lawyers who engage in CP are governed by the legal professional rules in their state. However, Collaborative Practice differs greatly from adversarial dispute resolution practice. It challenges practitioners in ways not necessarily addressed by the ethics of individual disciplines. Therefore, collaborative professionals have developed their own standards to provide guidance for their members. Cochran describes the legal and ethical context within which professionals engage in CP in the United States. He considers the ethics of CP under the American Bar Association Model Rules of Professional Conduct and under the International Association of Collaborative Professionals’ (IACP) Ethical Standards for Collaborative Practitioners, the most common set of guidelines for collaborative professionals. Both sets of rules set standards for client autonomy, competence, diligence, confidentiality, candor, and loyalty. Cochran demonstrates that CP falls squarely within the ethical behavior parameters for lawyers.
Fuzzification of Uncertainty Theories

After introducing the meaning of fuzzifications, the fuzzification method based on the -cut representation is examined in detail. It is shown how this method is applied in fuzzy-set interpretation of possibility theory and in fuzzifying the uncertainty theory based on reachable interval-valued probability distributions. It is also shown how classical probabilities can be calculated for fuzzy events.
I Share, Therefore I Am: A U.S.−China Comparison of College Students' Motivations to Share Information About Climate Change

This study examines social cognitive factors that influence information sharing related to climate change. Survey data were collected in the United States and China. Social and epistemic motivations, negative emotion, and information seeking were significant predictors of information sharing in the U.S. sample. In the Chinese sample, however, social motivation and information seeking were the only significant predictors. These results suggest that psychological collectivism fosters information sharing. For theory development purposes, these findings suggest that besides information seeking and processing, the Risk Information Seeking and Processing model could account for information sharing as well, although evidence only surfaced in the U.S. sample. Practically, this study offers important pathways to improve information sharing related to climate change in the public sphere.
A Review of: “Harrison's Infectious Diseases. Kasper, Dennis L., and Fauci, Anthony S., eds.”

Harrison's is one of the most trusted and venerable names among medical textbooks, and the publishers capitalize on that success with this stand-alone compilation of infectious diseases material dr...
Statistical properties of x-ray CT and MRI: from imaging physics to image statistics

Physical and mathematical procedures of x-ray CT and MRI have been extensively studied during the past three decades. The statistical methods of image reconstruction, processing and analysis of x-ray CT and MRI have been widely used in the various fields. However, the lack of a complete description and a rigorous proof of their statistical properties become a common concern. This study attempts to fill this gap and discusses a framework for studying the statistical aspects of x-ray CT and MRI.
Sheath expansion in a drifting, nonuniform plasma

A model is proposed for the sheath expansion into a nonuniform plasma with substantial drift velocity. We refer in particular to the streaming metal plasma produced by a vacuum arc discharge; this kind of plasma is characterized by its spatial nonuniformity and high ion drift velocity. It is shown that for a nonuniform plasma and high substrate bias voltage (>10 kV), the sheath thickness is significantly smaller than in a uniform plasma. High drift velocity also leads to a decrease in sheath thickness. For plasma immersion ion implantation carried out in a nonuniform plasma, the increase in ion implantation current with increasing voltage is different from that of a uniform plasma where the ion current is constant with voltage. This effect was found to be quantitative agreement with experiment. The decrease in sheath thickness with increasing plasma drift velocity can explain qualitatively the experimentally observed existence of a stable high-voltage sheath for a relatively long time.
Effects of ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction on cardiac gene expression

Ultrasound (US) contrast agents are increasingly used in diagnostic echocardiography. Recent studies have suggested unanticipated effects of microbubble destruction. This study was designed to evaluate gene regulation caused by US-mediated destruction of microbubbles in the heart. During IV infusion of Optison trade mark, triggered US was applied to rat hearts to destroy microbubbles. A control group received only saline and US. RNA was isolated from hearts 24 and 72 h after treatment. Analysis with a deeply representative murine cardiac-specific microarray was used to identify regulated genes. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was then applied to verify regulated genes. Microarray analysis revealed only 5 regulated genes in the 24-h group and 4 in the 72-h group. Of these genes, only carbonic anhydrase was significantly upregulated in the 24-h Optison trade mark group (4.3 fold; p = 0.0005) when examined in individual animals by real-time PCR. By this very sensitive technique, the bioeffects of microbubble destruction are negligible.
Reappearance of azimuthal waves in turbulent Taylor-Couette flow at large aspect ratio

Abstract Velocity field data were acquired for Taylor–Couette flow in the annular gap between an inner rotating cylinder and a stationary concentric outer cylinder using particle image velocimetry (PIV) in a meridional plane of the annulus. Data were acquired for several rotational Reynolds numbers with the ratio of the rotational and critical Reynolds numbers ranging from 6 to 200, corresponding to flow states ranging from laminar wavy Taylor vortex flow to turbulent Taylor vortex flow. Spatial correlations of velocity fluctuations were found to exhibit a sharp decrease as R , the ratio of Reynolds number to the critical Reynolds number, increases from 16, indicating the disappearance of azimuthal waves and the onset of turbulence, reaching a minimum at R = 18 . However, correlation lengths subsequently increase with increasing R , displaying a secondary peak from 20 ⩽ R ⩽ 38 , suggesting the reappearance of azimuthal waves. The reemergence of azimuthal waves was confirmed through other methods including analysis of the axial velocity. At still higher Reynolds numbers, correlation lengths decay once again. The magnitude and Reynolds number associated with the secondary peak in the fluctuation velocity correlations were found to be dependent on the location of the basis point used in the calculations. Specifically, correlation lengths were longest near the outer cylinder in the inflow boundary and near the inner cylinder in the outflow boundary. This was shown to be due to the spatial dependence of Reynolds stresses in turbulent Taylor–Couette flow.
Prospects for flash flood forecasting in mountainous regions - An investigation of Tropical Storm Fay in the Southern Appalachians

Summary The sensitivity of Quantitative flash-Flood Estimates (QFEs) and Quantitative flash-Flood Forecasts (QFFs) to Quantitative Precipitation Estimates (QPEs) and Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts (QPFs) was investigated in three headwater catchments with different topographic and hydro-geomorphic characteristics during the passage of Tropical Storm Fay, 2008 over the Southern Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, USA. QFEs and QFFs were generated by a high-resolution hydrologic model (250 × 250 m 2 ) with coupled surface–subsurface physics and rainfall forcing from the Next Generation Multi-sensor QPE (Q2) spatial rainfall (1 × 1 km 2 ) product, and from National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD) operational QPF product (5 × 5 km 2 ). Optimal QPE products (Q2+) were derived by assimilating rainfall observations from a high density raingauge network through adaptive bias correction. Deterministic QFEs simulated by the hydrologic model agree well with streamgauge observations (15-min intervals) regarding total water volume and peak flow with Nash–Sutcliffe (NS) coefficients 0.8–0.9, thus suggesting that the model without calibration captures well the dominant flash-flood physics. The propagation of uncertainty in storm rainfall to rainfall–runoff response was subsequently evaluated through model simulations forced by Monte Carlo replications of the QPEs to generate QFE distributions. Analysis of the joint QPE–QFE distributions shows that flood response at the catchment scale is highly non-linear, and exhibits strong dependence on basin physiography, initial soil moisture conditions (transient basin storage capacity), the space–time organization of runoff generation and conveyance mechanisms, and in particular interflow dynamics, with respect to the space–time structure of rainfall. QFFs for 6- to 1-h lead times using precipitation composites of Q2 QPE and NDFD QPF to drive the hydrology model in operational mode exhibited ubiquitous lack of skill yielding consistently negative NS scores. An experiment consisting of merging satellite-like observations into operational QPE/QPF showed significant improvement in QFF performance (e.g. 5–50% relative NS increases), especially when the timing of satellite overpass is such that it captures transient episodes of heavy rainfall during the event. Future advances in QFF remain principally constrained by progress in QPE and QPF at the spatial resolution necessary to resolve rainfall-interflow dynamics in mountainous regions.
Breathing-mode resonance of a complex plasma disk

We have experimentally characterized the breathing mode oscillation of a strongly-coupled, dusty plasma disk. Steady-state oscillations are excited by sinusoidally modulating the plasma density, creating a single-frequency, in-plane driving force. Resonance curves agree well with damped harmonic oscillator theory. A response at the second harmonic is observed and found to increase with the square of the driving force, indicating a quadratic nonlinearity.
Breeding soundness examinations of rams and bucks, a review.

Abstract Breeding soundness examinations of rams and bucks may be performed by veterinarians as a service for clients. A physical examination for breeding soudness includes a general examination for health with special consideration of the reproductive organs. Careful examination of the penis, prepuce, and testicles may reveal diseases or abnormalities which decrease reproductive potential. Rams with small or hypoplastic testicles are unsatisfactory potential breeders as testicle size is positively related to sperm production. Libido may be assessed during semen collection procedures or from observations of the owner. Semen quality may be evaluated using tests for motility, concentration, and morphology of spermatozoa. Rams may be declared satisfactory, questionable, or unsatisfactory potential breeders as a result of the examination.
Health care reform, managed care, and clinical reasoning: implications for ethical occupational therapy practice.

(1997). Health Care Reform, Managed Care, and Clinical Reasoning: Implications for Ethical Occupational Therapy Practice. Occupational Therapy In Health Care: Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 27-37.
Properties and structure of vitrified iron phosphate nuclear wasteforms

The structure of vitreous iron phosphates containing up to 35 wt% of one or more common nuclear waste components such as Na2O, Cs2O, SrO, UO2 or Bi2O3 have been investigated using Fe-57 Mossbauer, X-ray absorption, X-ray photoelectron and Raman spectroscopies and high energy X-ray and neutron diffraction techniques. The glass samples investigated were prepared by melting appropriate chemicals in air at approximately 1200°C for 2 h in alumina crucibles. The chemical durability of the glasses was investigated by measuring their dissolution rates in distilled water at 90°C using the product consistency test (PCT) methodology. The chemical durability of these glasses is characterized by dissolution rates of 10−10–10−11 g/cm2/min. The Mossbauer spectra indicate the presence of both Fe(II) and Fe(III). However, the maximum Fe(II) fraction, Fe(II)/[Fe(II) + Fe(III)], was 0.34. X-ray absorption data show that, on average, both species of iron ions are coordinated with approximately 5 near neighbor oxygens and that the iron–oxygen coordination is only slightly (<10%) influenced by the type or the concentration of the waste elements. Iron ions are also coordinated with 4–6 phosphorous ions in the second shell. Only a minority of the oxygen ions, about 22%, take part in bridging –P–O–P– bonds. Raman spectra show that the phosphorous–oxygen network, which is dominated by (P2O7)4− dimer units, in different samples are similar.
Non-random inheritance of organellar genomes in symmetric and asymmetric somatic hybrids between Lycopersicon esculentum and L. pennellii.

The organization of the mitochondrial genome and the genotype of the chloroplast genome was characterized using restriction fragment length polymorphisms in a population (82 individuals) of symmetric and asymmetric somatic hybrids of tomato. The protoplast fusion products were regenerated following the fusion of leaf mesophyll protoplasts of Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato cv ‘UC82’) with suspension cell protoplasts of L. pennellii that had been irradiated with 5, 10, 15, 25, 50, or 100 kRads from a gamma source. The chloroplast genome in the somatic hybrids showed a random pattern of inheritance, i.e., either parental genome was present in equal numbers of regenerants, while in asymmetric somatic hybrids, the chloroplast genotype reflected the predominant nuclear genotype, i.e., tomato. The mitochondrial genome in the symmetric somatic hybrids showed a non-random pattern of inheritance, i.e., predominantly from the L. pennellii parent; asymmetric somatic hybrids had more tomato-specific mitochondrial sequences than symmetric somatic hybrids. The non-random inheritance of the chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA in these tomato protoplast fusion products appears to be influenced by the nuclear background of the regenerant.
Upper critical field of organic superconductors

The upper critical field of a strongly anisotropic electron system is studied both in the clean limit and in the dirty limit. The results are compared with the recent experiment on (TMTSF${)}_{2}$${\mathrm{ClO}}_{4}$. Although the clean-limit theory without the Pauli paramagnetic term describes quite well the temperature dependence of ${H}_{c2}$(T) for the field parallel to the b' axis and to the ${c}^{\mathrm{*}}$ axis, ${H}_{c2}$(T) for the field parallel to the a axis requires both the Pauli paramagnetism and the spin-orbit scattering. The latter effects are considered within the dirty limit.
Electron transfer 120. Reductions of the cuboidal mixed-valence molybdenum/sulfur cluster, [Mo4S4(H2O)12]5+

Abstract The cuboidal mixed-valence Mo/S cluster, [Mo4S4(H2O)12]5+ (I), in which each of the four equivalent Mo atoms assumes a mean oxidation state of 3.25, is reduced to the isostructural Mo(III) tetramer, [Mo4S4(H2O)12]4+, by equimolar quantities of Ti(III), Cr(II), Eu(II), V(II), Ru(NH3)62+ and CoII(sepulchrate), as well as by radicals derived from flavin-like heterocycles and by dihydro derivatives of these heterocycles. Reaction rates are independent of H+ (within the range 0.5–2.0 M H+) for the metal center reductants and for the radicals, but feature prominent [H+]−1 -proportional terms for the dihydro compounds. All reactions appear to be outer-sphere. The deprotonated form of the dihydroriboflavin reacts 600 times more rapidly than the corresponding radical, a selectivity similar to that previously observed with an array of Co(III) oxidants. Specific rates for reductions by the metal-ion centers, in conjunction with the treatment of Marcus, lead to a self-exchange rate 103.8±1.6 M−1 s−1 for the couple [Mo4S4]5+/4+. The latter lies very close to that recorded for the truncated cuboidal trinuclear OH-bridged system, MoIV,III,III/(MoIII)3. It is possible that the observed correspondence in rates reflects a similarity in net valence change in the absence of major alterations in bond connectivities or in molecular geometry.
Modeling of NOx Emissions from the Laboratory Regeneration of Spent Fluid Catalytic Cracking Catalyst

We have collected data on the emissions of NO, HCN, and N2 during the regeneration of spent fluid catalytic cracking catalyst in two different laboratory-scale units. We have developed a model that describes how coke nitrogen is converted into gas-phase nitrogen-containing species during catalyst regeneration. In this model, the combustion of coke causes the volatilization of nitrogen as HCN, which then can be oxidized to NO or hydrolyzed to NH3. In the presence of coke, NO can be reduced to N2; this reaction is accelerated by the presence of CO. Our model accurately describes the main elements of the collected emissions data.
Gas geochemistry of the Valles caldera region, New Mexico and comparisons with gases at Yellowstone, Long Valley and other geothermal systems

Abstract Noncondensible gases from hot springs, fumaroles, and deep wells within the Valles caldera geothermal system (210–300°C) consist of roughly 98.5 mol% CO 2 , 0.5 mol% H 2 S, and 1 mol% other components. 3 He/ 4 He ratios indicate a deep magmatic source ( R / R a up to 6) whereas δ 13 C–CO 2 values (−3 to −5‰) do not discriminate between a mantle/magmatic source and a source from subjacent, hydrothermally altered Paleozoic carbonate rocks. Regional gases from sites within a 50-km radius beyond Valles caldera are relatively enriched in CO 2 and He, but depleted in H 2 S compared to Valles gases. Regional gases have R / R a values ≤1.2 due to more interaction with the crust and/or less contribution from the mantle. Carbon sources for regional CO 2 are varied. During 1982–1998, repeat analyses of gases from intracaldera sites at Sulphur Springs showed relatively constant CH 4 , H 2 , and H 2 S contents. The only exception was gas from Footbath Spring (1987–1993), which experienced increases in these three components during drilling and testing of scientific wells VC-2a and VC-2b. Present-day Valles gases contain substantially less N 2 than fluid inclusion gases trapped in deep, early-stage, post-caldera vein minerals. This suggests that the long-lived Valles hydrothermal system (ca. 1 Myr) has depleted subsurface Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of nitrogen. When compared with gases from many other geothermal systems, Valles caldera gases are relatively enriched in He but depleted in CH 4 , N 2 and Ar. In this respect, Valles gases resemble end-member hydrothermal and magmatic gases discharged at hot spots (Galapagos, Kilauea, and Yellowstone).
Semiclassical quantization of multidimensional systems

Low order classical perturbation theory is used to obtain semiclassical eigenvalues for a system of three anharmonically coupled oscillators. The results in the low energy region studied here agree well with the ’’exact’’ quantum values. The latter had been calculated by matrix diagonalization using a large basis set.
2008 Special Issue: A pseudo-equilibrium thermodynamic model of information processing in nonlinear brain dynamics

Computational models of brain dynamics fall short of performance in speed and robustness of pattern recognition in detecting minute but highly significant pattern fragments. A novel model employs the properties of thermodynamic systems operating far from equilibrium, which is analyzed by linearization near adaptive operating points using root locus techniques. Such systems construct order by dissipating energy. Reinforcement learning of conditioned stimuli creates a landscape of attractors and their basins in each sensory cortex by forming nerve cell assemblies in cortical connectivity. Retrieval of a selected category of stored knowledge is by a phase transition that is induced by a conditioned stimulus, and that leads to pattern self-organization. Near self-regulated criticality the cortical background activity displays aperiodic null spikes at which analytic amplitude nears zero, and which constitute a form of Rayleigh noise. Phase transitions in recognition and recall are initiated at null spikes in the presence of an input signal, owing to the high signal-to-noise ratio that facilitates capture of cortex by an attractor, even by very weak activity that is typically evoked by a conditioned stimulus.