cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Water residing in small ultrastructural spaces plays a critical role in the mechanical behavior of bone

Water may affect the mechanical behavior of bone by interacting with the mineral and organic phases through two major pathways: i.e. hydrogen bonding and polar interactions. In this study, dehydrated bone was soaked in several solvents (i.e. water, heavy water (D2O), ethylene glycol (EG), dimethylformamide (DMF), and carbon tetrachloride(CCl4)) that are chemically harmless to bone and different in polarity, hydrogen bonding capability and molecular size. The objective was to examine how replacing the original matrix water with the solvents would affect the mechanical behavior of bone. The mechanical properties of bone specimens soaked in these solvents were measured in tension in a progressive loading scheme. In addition, bone specimens without any treatments were tested as the baseline control whereas the dehydrated bone specimens served as the negative control. The experimental results indicated that 22.3±5.17vol% of original matrix water in bone could be replaced by CCl4, 71.8±3.77vol% by DMF, 85.5±5.15vol% by EG, and nearly 100% by D2O and H2O, respectively. CCl4 soaked specimens showed similar mechanical properties with the dehydrated ones. Despite of great differences in replacing water, only slight differences were observed in the mechanical behavior of EG and DMF soaked specimens compared with dehydrated bone samples. In contrast, D2O preserved the mechanical properties of bone comparable to water. The results of this study suggest that a limited portion of water (<15vol% of the original matrix water) plays a pivotal role in the mechanical behavior of bone and it most likely resides in small matrix spaces, into which the solvent molecules larger than 4.0A cannot infiltrate.
Barbiturate tolerance: effects on GABA-operated chloride channel function

Male ICR mice were fed powdered laboratory chow containing phenobarbital for 7 days to induce tolerance. Mice were sacrificed and brains assayed for changes in GABA-mediated chloride flux into brain membrane vesicles (microsacs). Concentration-dependent stimulation of chloride flux by GABA alone was not affected by the development of tolerance to phenobarbital. Phenobarbital potentiation of GABA-mediated chloride flux was significantly attenuated in the membranes prepared from phenobarbital-tolerant mice compared with those from pair-fed control mice. Similarly, stimulation of GABA-mediated flux by the benzodiazepine, flunitrazepam was also depressed in membranes from tolerant mice. However, the ability of ethanol and the benzodiazepine inverse agonist FG-7142 to modulate GABA-gated chloride flux was not affected by the development of phenobarbital tolerance. No significant changes in saturation [3H]diazepam binding parameters were observed. These findings suggest that there is a degree of cross-tolerance between phenobarbital and benzodiazepine agonist at the level of the GABA-operated chloride channel. Furthermore, although some reports have demonstrated behavioral cross-tolerance between ethanol and barbiturates, the present data suggest different mechanisms of tolerance development for these intoxicants at the level of the GABAA receptor chloride channel complex.
Dispersive explanation of the spectral behavior of Runge's mode-locked dye laser

Abstract An alternative explanation is offered for the unusual spectral behavior seen by Runge in a continuous intra-pump-cavity mode-locked dye laser. The behavior is attributed to the dispersive or group-velocity effects of Ne 1s metastable atoms in the pumping laser tube.
Preoperative radiotherapy combined with intraoperative radiotherapy improve results of total mesorectal excision in patients with T3 rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: The survival advantage of preoperative radiotherapy in patients with rectal cancer is still a matter of debate, because its incremental benefit in the total mesorectal excision setting is unclear. This study was designed to evaluate early and long-term results of preoperative radiotherapy plus intraoperative radiotherapy in a homogeneous population of T3 middle and lower rectal cancer patients submitted to total mesorectal excision. METHODS: A series of 113 patients with middle and lower T3 rectal cancer consecutively submitted to total mesorectal excision at a single surgical unit from 1991 to 1997 were divided into two groups according to type of neoadjuvant treatment: preoperative radiotherapy (38 Gy) plus intraoperative radiotherapy (10 Gy; n = 69), and no preoperative treatment (total mesorectal excision; n = 44). Standard statistical analyses were used to evaluate early (downstaging, intraoperative factors, hospital morbidity, and mortality rates) and long-term results (recurrence and survival). RESULTS: Overall, 68.2 percent of patients were downstaged by the preoperative regimens (T0 specimens in 3 cases). Postoperative complications were comparable in the two groups. Five-year, disease-specific survival was 81.4 and 58.1 percent in preoperative radiotherapy plus intraoperative radiotherapy group and total mesorectal excision group, respectively (P = 0.052). Corresponding figures for disease-free survival were 73.1 and 57.2 percent in the two groups, respectively (P = 0.096). The rates of local recurrence at five years were 6.6 and 23.2 percent in preoperative radiotherapy plus intraoperative radiotherapy and total mesorectal excision groups, respectively (P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative radiotherapy plus intraoperative radiotherapy associated with total mesorectal excision reduce local recurrence rate and improve survival in T3 rectal cancer compared with total mesorectal excision alone.
A New Approach to Evaluate Fracture Toughness of Structural Materials

A new method, designated as Spiral Notch Torsion Test (SNTT), is developed recently to measure the intrinsic fracture toughness (KIC ) of structural materials. The SNTT overcomes many of the limitations inherent in traditional techniques and makes it possible to standardize fracture toughness testing. It is uniquely suitable for testing a wide variety of materials used extensively in pressure vessel and piping structural components and weldments, including others such as ceramics, their composites, and concrete. The SNTT system operates by applying pure torsion to uniform cylindrical specimens with a notch line that spirals around the specimen at a 45° pitch. The KIC values are obtained with the aid of a three-dimensional finite-element computer code, TOR3D-KIC, developed at ORNL.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Al Qaeda, the Organization: A Five-Year Forecast

Al Qaeda today is a resilient organization, as evidenced by the London attacks of 2005, its resurgence in Pakistan, the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, and its influence on the war in Iraq. While al Qaeda is not strong enough to launch an attack inside the United States in the next five years, it will continue to train militants for successful attacks in Europe. Al Qaeda's leadership is likely to remain in place for years, and it is unlikely to lose its safe haven on the Afghan-Pakistan border in the near term, although it has suffered real reverses in Iraq. Al Qaeda and its affiliated groups will, in the long term, implode because of their unrestrained violence against fellow Muslims and lack of a real plan for governance, both of which make it difficult for them to transform into a genuine, political mass movement.
Comparison of fuzzy-wavelet radial basis function neural network freeway incident detection model with California algorithm

A multiparadigm general methodology is advanced for development of reliable, efficient, and practical freeway incident detection algorithms. The performance of the new fuzzy-wavelet radial basis function neural network ~RBFNN! freeway incident detec- tion model of Adeli and Karim is evaluated and compared with the benchmark California algorithm #8 using both real and simulated data. The evaluation is based on three quantitative measures of detection rate, false alarm rate, and detection time, and the qualitative measure of algorithm portability. The new algorithm outperformed the California algorithm consistently under various scenarios. False alarms are a major hindrance to the widespread implementation of automatic freeway incident detection algorithms. The false alarm rate ranges from 0 to 0.07% for the new algorithm and from 0.53 to 3.82% for the California algorithm. The new fuzzy-wavelet RBFNN freeway incident detection model is a single-station pattern-based algorithm that is computationally efficient and requires no recalibration. The new model can be readily transferred without retraining and without any performance deterioration.
Rapid and orthogonal logic gating with a gibberellin-induced dimerization system

Using a newly synthesized gibberellin analog containing an acetoxymethyl group (GA(3)-AM) and its binding proteins, we developed an efficient chemically inducible dimerization (CID) system that is completely orthogonal to existing rapamycin-mediated protein dimerization. Combining the two systems should allow applications that have been difficult or impossible with only one CID system. By using both chemical inputs (rapamycin and GA(3)-AM), we designed and synthesized Boolean logic gates in living mammalian cells. These gates produced output signals such as fluorescence and membrane ruffling on a timescale of seconds, substantially faster than earlier intracellular logic gates. The use of two orthogonal dimerization systems in the same cell also allows for finer modulation of protein perturbations than is possible with a single dimerizer.
Beyond Stereotypes A Multistage Model of Managerial Perceptions of Red Tape

Red tape is a significant management challenge, and this article seeks to understand how some managers are able to better cope with it. The authors find that managers with positive work attitudes c...
Monday afternoon, August 23, 2010—outskirts of Lafayette, IN

Joe ‘The Hammer’ Jaworski exited from the driver’s side door of the truck, while Caleb Barthes jumped down from the passenger side, followed by Reuben Alstin who had been sitting in the middle.
A locally optimal handoff algorithm

The design of handoff algorithms for cellular communication systems based on mobile signal strength measurements is considered. The design problem is posed as an optimization to obtain the best tradeoff between expected number of service failures and expected number of handoffs, where a service failure is defined to be the event that the signal strength falls below a level required for satisfactory service to the subscriber. Based on dynamic programming arguments, an optimal solution is obtained which, though impractical, can be used as a benchmark in the comparison of suboptimal schemes. A simple, locally optimal handoff algorithm is derived from the optimal solution. Simulation results show that the locally optimal algorithm outperforms the hysteresis algorithm and is competitive with a hysteresis-threshold algorithm proposed by Zhang and Holtzman (see IEEE 44th Veh. Tech. Conf., p.82, 1994). A straightforward technique for adapting the locally optimal algorithm to changing environments is suggested.
Effects of torsional dynamics on nonlinear generator control. II

The stability robustness of a feedback linearizing control is investigated with respect to a structured uncertainty for the particular application of an excitation controller on a synchronous electric generator. The uncertainty considered corresponds to the spring modes of the generator shaft, and enters in such a way that analysis by Kharitonov's theorem is feasible. It is shown that the control remains stable over a wide range of values of the shaft parameters. A sliding control is designed and compared to the feedback linearizing control with respect to performance degradation for this type of uncertainty, and it is found that, because of the tight saturation limits on the control signal, the sliding control offers no discernable performance advantage for this type of structured uncertainty.
Clinical features and post-surgical outcome of patients with astroblastoma

Abstract Astroblastoma is a rare tumor, and thus experience with these lesions is very limited. The prognosis and appropriate treatment is not well understood, as few individual centers have enough experience with astroblastoma to guide treatment recommendations. We performed a systematic comprehensive search of the published English language literature on patients undergoing surgery for astroblastoma to summarize what is known about these tumors, and to provide some framework for future efforts in this area. A total of 62 references met our inclusion criteria, and contained individual patient data on 116 patients with astroblastoma. Determination of overall survival rates was performed using Kaplan–Meier analysis. This analysis suggests that the distribution is bimodal, with a prominent peak in young adulthood. Astroblastomas are generally amenable to complete tumor resection, even when very large, with gross total resection (GTR) achieved in 71/85 (84%) of reported patients, including both 9 cm tumors reported. Patients undergoing GTR experienced a significant improvement in survival compared to patients who underwent subtotal resection (STR) (5-year progression-free survival: GTR 83% versus [vs.] STR 55%, log rank p = 0.011). Although patients receiving external beam radiotherapy or fractionated three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (XRT) seemed to have lower survival rates, this was not statistically significant (5-year survival: GTR 94% vs. GTR + XRT 73%, log rank p = 0.463). Thus, we have reported the results of a summary of the literature on astroblastomas and have accurately described outcome characteristics using a data set that would be difficult to accumulate at a single center treating this tumor.
Attachment and family therapy: Clinical utility of adolescent-family attachment research

The divide separating research and clinical work is narrowing. New therapies have been informed by research from specialties such as developmental psychology and developmental psychopathology. In this article, we attempt to illustrate the usefulness of research on attachment relations for family-based therapy with adolescents. We examine the clinical utility of adolescent attachment research within the context of multidimensional family therapy, an empirically supported treatment model that has incorporated developmental research, including basic research on attachment, in its assessment and intervention framework.
EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON CIRCADIAN ACTIVITY IN THE FLESH FLY, SARCOPHAGA CRASSIPALPIS

.The diel locomotor activity patterns of wandering larvae in the flesh fly, Sarcophaga crassipalpis Macquart (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), were examined using a novel apparatus and shown to be primarily diurnal, but with a minority (37%) showing nocturnal activity. In response to the environmental stress of heat shock, a significantly larger proportion (72%) of the larvae became nocturnal. In comparison, adult circadian activity also was predominantly diurnal, but not correlated with the larval activity patterns. In addition, adult patterns showed age-related changes in entrainment and free running period. Finally, the phase of circadian-gated adult eclosion was shown to be entrained by a 3-day exposure to light–dark cycles delivered prior to pupariation, with the phase maintained throughout pupal–adult metamorphosis under constant dark conditions. These results demonstrate that environmental changes may have profound effects on the expression of 24-h activity patterns and circadian rhythms during different life stages throughout development.
Risk assessment for neurobehavioral toxicity.

A study by the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council (NAS/NRC) found neurobehavioral toxicity to be one of the areas where almost no data are available for the assessment of toxici...
Online grid impedance identification for adaptive control of grid-connected inverters

This paper presents the online implementation of a grid impedance identification method embedded as an ancillary function within the DSP of a grid-connected inverter. Online identification of the grid impedance is required for assessing in real-time the stability of the interconnected system formed by the grid-connected inverter and the ac grid. In this paper, a non-parametric estimation of the grid impedance is acquired on a cycle-to-cycle basis by injecting a current impulse from the grid-connected inverter and performing an online DFT analysis of the impulse response. The impulse response is decomposed into its positive- and negative-sequence components to fully characterize the impedance of balanced three-phase grids. The paper discusses as well some of the design considerations of the injected impulse, the online DFT implementation, and the sequence component decomposition. Experimental results are presented to compare the online identification against offline analysis methods, as well as grid impedance measurements based on frequency response analyzer readings.
SUPPORTING GROUP-ORIENTED MOBILE SERVICES

The emerging mobile services, including mobile commerce, have received considerable interest among researchers, developers, service providers, and users. Some of these mobile services will require group communications among mobile users. An efficient way to support this requirement is by using wireless multicast, where group connectivity among users is maintained and the information exchange is performed by the underlying networking infrastructure. In this paper, multicast requirements of mobile services under varying levels of connectivity are addressed. More specifically, the design and operation of three protocols for supporting multicast transactions is presented. Since these protocols could lead to different response time and transaction completion probabilities, performance evaluation under different connectivity and protocol conditions has been performed. These results can be used to select one or more multicast protocol(s) for grouporiented mobile applications.
Models without volcanic forcing underestimate sea level rise

Volcanic eruptions spew sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, which tends to block incoming sunlight, sometimes cooling the planet for several years. This cooling leads to a decrease in the heat stored in the ocean and thus in the rate of ocean thermal expansion and sea level rise. These effects can be seen in simulations that include variations in volcanic aerosol.
Sub-millimeter technetium-99m calibration sources.

Abstract Purpose: Small animal radioscintigraphic imaging systems aim to achieve sub-millimeter resolution. At the present time, sub-millimeter calibration sources that can be placed at will within an imaged volume are not readily available. We have developed a method for producing technetium-99m (Tc-99m) sources in less than 15 minutes with readily available reagents. Procedures: Tc-99m pertechnetate [TcO 4 ] − was incubated with 45 μm to 106 μm diameter spherical anion exchange beads, washed, and mounted as desired for instrument calibration. Results: The procedure yields spherical sources having between 6.8 μCi to 11.1 μCi of Tc-99m per source. This work shows that dual imaging of these sources using white light and radioscintigraphy permits measurement of system performance with high precision. Conclusion: Easily prepared, sub-millimeter Tc-99m spherical calibration sources are described, and it is demonstrated that such sources are useful for measuring the resolution and sensitivity of radioscintigraphic systems, such as those designed for small animal imaging. (Mol Imag Biol 2002;4:380–384)
The use of an extended baseline period in the evaluation of treatment in a longitudinal duchenne muscular dystrophy trial

A trial of Duchenne muscular dystrophy involved tracking boys of all ages through a one-year baseline period, followed by a one-year trial of leucine versus placebo treatment. In this paper we develop a model for a total-muscle-strength score that uses the data of the extended baseline period in the evaluation of the leucine treatment. The model is based on a polynomial growth curve in age whose coefficients can vary according to treatment or phase. Maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters of the model are obtained from use of the EM algorithm. We propose tests for the adequacy of the model as well as for treatment effects. A quadratic model appears the most parsimonious fit to the data and there is no evidence of any leucine effect on scores. We examine the asymptotic power of the test for treatment effect and compare it with that of a simpler analysis.
Optimal Power Transfer Through Atmospheric Turbulence Using State Knowledge

The design of a laser transmitter that achieves maximum power transfer through the earth's turbulent atmosphere is considered. It is shown that optimum power transfer would be realized with an adaptive system that uses the appropriate beacon signal to probe the channel state. This result is applied to show that the average power gain of the optimal earth-to-space optical link is the diffraction-limited gain for the apertures in vacuum. For large transmitting apertures the percentage fluctuation about this mean gain goes to zero. Thus the fundamental limitation on power transfer imposed by the turbulence is considerably milder than had been thought.
Importance of Sphingolipids and Inhibitors of Sphingolipid Metabolism as Components of Animal Diets

Sphingolipids are highly bioactive compounds that participate in the regulation of cell growth, differentiation, diverse cell functions, and apoptosis. They are present in both plant and animal foods in appreciable amounts, but little is known about their nutritional significance. Recent studies have shown that feeding sphingomyelin to female CF1 mice treated with a colon carcinogen (1,2-dimethylhydrazine) reduced the number of aberrant colonic crypt foci; longer-term feeding also affected the appearance of colonic adenocarcinomas. Therefore, dietary sphingolipids should be considered in studies of the relationships between diet and cancer. Sphingolipids have also surfaced as important factors in understanding the mechanism of action of a recently discovered family of mycotoxins, termed fumonisins. Fumonisins are produced by fungi commonly found on maize and a few related foods, and their consumption can result in equine leukoencephalomalacia, porcine pulmonary edema and a number of other diseases of veterinary animals and, perhaps, humans. A cellular target of fumonisins is the enzyme ceramide synthase, and disruption of sphingolipid metabolism by fumonisins has been established by studies with both cells in culture and animals that have consumed these toxic mycotoxins. These findings underscore the ways in which sphingolipids and agents that affect sphingolipid utilization should be given consideration in selecting animal diets for nutritional and toxicological studies.
Sulfur constituents and cycling in waters, seston, and sediments of an oligotrophic lake

Organic and inorganic sulfur constituents in streams, the water column, seston, and sediments of an oligotrophic Adirondack lake were measured for 2 years (1981-1983). Soluble organic S constituents (C-bonded S and ester sulfate) were l-18% of total S in streams, the water column, and lake outlet. Seston S (0.3-1.2% dry mass) in South Lake consisted of ester sulfate (44-59%), C-bonded S (32-43%), sulfate (10-l 6%), and nonsulfate inorganic S (~2%). Rates of S deposition measured in sediment traps were highest after spring turnover. The organic matter content (5281% dry mass) of traps at 5, 8, and 15.5 m showed no significant differences. Net mineralization of seston inputs was 26% based on mass balance calculations, with 43% of the ester sulfate input mineralized. Because most ofthe S input to the sediments was not mineralized, organic S accumulated and constituted the major (74% of total S) S component of the sediment. Most studies of sulfur cycling in freshwater systems have focused on the dynamics of inorganic sulfate and sulfide for which transformations are regulated by redox reactions (Stuiver 1967; Berner 197 1; Cook 198 1). Organic S in freshwater lake sediments has been less studied. Hesse (1958) found that >90% of the total S in the sediments of Lake Victoria was in organic form. Nriagu (1968) found that organic S composed most of the total S in marl deposits and a small amount of total S in sludge sed
What predicts which metropolitan areas in the USA have syringe exchanges

Abstract HIV epidemics among IDUs vary widely across different cities in the USA [American Journal of Public Health 86 (5) (1996) 642]. Few studies have focused on how localities differ in regard to response to the HIV epidemic. While syringe exchange programmes (SEPs) are a response to HIV among IDUs, they are often unwelcome and difficult to set up even in communities hit hardest by the epidemic. It is important to understand what metropolitan area characteristics are related to when and if an SEP opens in a particular locality. Logistic regression models are used to explore how need, political factors, SEP diffusion from Tacoma (the first SEP), and metropolitan socioeconomic characteristics are related to SEP presence. Results indicate that need is not a significant predictor of having an SEP. Predictors were the percentage of the population who are men who have sex with men (AOR=6.95; 95% CI=1.29–37.49), and metropolitan area population (AOR=1.08 per 100,000; 95% CI=1.02–1.14). Predictors of having an SEP in a metropolitan area seem to be political factors and metropolitan area population size, not need among IDUs. Gay political influence and/or support may well facilitate SEP formation, and geographic diffusion may influence where SEPs are established.
Dust Generator for Inhalation Studies with Limited Amounts of Archived Particulate Matter

A novel design for a dry-aerosol generator that efficiently produces a well-dispersed dust suspension using small quantities of a PM2.5-enriched powder sample is described. The motivation to develop a highly efficient dry-aerosol particle generator was to facilitate collaborative projects that combine in vitro cell culture experiments and multiday inhalation exposures using a single batch of well-characterized particles. Premixing of the test particles with larger diameter glass beads permits delivery of aerosol concentrations from 100–1000 μ g/m3 to an exposure chamber using only milligram quantities of the test powder per hour. Examination of exposure chamber filter samples by scanning electron microscopy showed well-dispersed particles of the test powder free of glass spheres or fragments. Data are presented from experiments using coal fly ash as the test powder to illustrate the system performance.
The Role of Aluminum in the Detonation and Post‐Detonation Expansion of Selected Cast HMX‐Based Explosives

In order to improve understanding of how aluminum contributes in non-ideal explosive mixtures, cast-cured formulations have been analyzed in a series of cylinder tests and plate-pushing experiments. This study describes the contribution of 15 % aluminum (median size of 3.2 μm) vs. lithium fluoride (an inert substitute for aluminum; <5 μm) in cast-cured HMX formulations in different temporal regimes. Small cylinder tests were performed to analyze the detonation and wall velocities (1–20 μs) for these formulations. Near-field blast effects of 58 mm diameter spherical charges were measured at 152 mm and 254 mm using steel plate acceleration. Pressure measurements at 1.52 m gave information about free-field pressure at several milliseconds. While the observed detonation velocities for all formulations were within uncertainty, significantly higher cylinder wall velocities, plate velocities, and pressures were observed for the aluminum formulations at ≥2 μs. Additionally, hydrocode calculations were performed to determine how non-ideal behavior affected the plate test results. Collectively, this work gives a clearer picture of how aluminum contributes to detonation on timescales from 1 μs to about 2 ms, and how the post-detonation energy release contributes to wall velocities and blast effects. The experiments indicate that significant aluminum reactions occur after the CJ plane, and continue to contribute to expansion at late times.
Challenges and Opportunities in Mathematical and Theoretical Epidemiology

Sir Ronald Ross ( physician) built a novel mathematical epidemiological framework for the study of the transmission dynamics and control of human diseases, over a century ago. His model and modes of thinking are still in use. In fact, Ross’ like frameworks are being used in identifying transmission disease mechanisms and in evaluating and ranking competing or co-supportive population-level intervention strategies in the context of communicable, vector born, sexually transmitted diseases and a number of socially transmitted processes that can be thought of as the result of contagion mechanisms. In this presentation, mathematical model formulations in the presence of various levels of heterogeneity are introduced and used to illustrate the evolution and transmission dynamics of communicable disease like influenza or tuberculosis.
The Relationship of Islamic Investment Rates and Interest Rates Revisited: Turkish Case

Islamic banking has been facing a great amount of criticism for replicating conventional banking. Recently Chong and Liu (2009) and Chevik and Charap (2011) have claimed that Islamic investment rates are pegged to interest rates. However Granger causality and cointegration tests show that this claim does not have a strong basis. Islamic investment rates and interest rates display short-run co-movements, nevertheless it is still not possible to argue that they are tied in the long-run. Seven out of eight sets of series of different maturities and currency groups for Turkey were evaluated and did not show any cointegration.
The Counterfactual Implications of Fundamental Cause Theory

Causal inference lies at the center of epidemiologic research. In social epidemiology, two separate approaches to framing cause-effect relations have been considered: the counterfactual (or potential outcomes) framework and the theory of fundamental causes. The relations between these two frameworks have not yet been articulated. In this paper, I review the counterfactual and fundamental cause frameworks, and show how they capture different notions of cause-effect relations. Additionally, I show how the counterfactual and fundamental cause frameworks can be integrated to provide a more rigorous treatment of causality in social epidemiology. In particular, I show how counterfactual quantities can be used to evaluate predictions that follow from fundamental cause theory, assess the relations between and roles of various social resources in a given health disparity, and generate evidence on the potential interventions to mitigate health disparities.
Multipass millimeter/submillimeter spectrometer to probe dissociative reaction dynamics.

We present here the instrument design and first experimental results from a multipass millimeter/submillimeter spectrometer designed to probe dissociative reaction dynamics. This work focuses on benchmarking the instrument performance through detection of the CH3O and H2CO products from methanol dissociation induced by a high-voltage plasma discharge. Multiple rotational lines from CH3O and H2CO were observed when this plasma discharge was applied to a sample of methanol vapor seeded in an argon supersonic expansion. The rotational temperature of the dissociation products and their abundance with respect to methanol were determined using a Boltzmann analysis. The minimum detectable absorption coefficient for this instrument was determined to be αmin ≤ 5 × 10–9 cm–1. We discuss these results in the context of future applications of this instrument to the study of photodissociation branching ratios for small organic molecules that are important in complex interstellar chemistry.
Effects of vitamin E and selenium on copper-induced lipid peroxidation in vivo and on acute copper toxicity.

AbstractCopper sulfate injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 2 mg Cu/kg into vitamin E-and selenium-deficient rats caused a sixfold increase in the formation in vivo of the lipid peroxidation product ethane, and caused acute mortality in 4/5 rats. Selenium supplementation of the diet at 0.5 ppm Se largely prevented the increase in ethane production caused by copper injection and reduced mortality to 1/5 rats. Vitamin E supplementation of the diet at 200 IU/kg fully eliminated the increase in ethane production caused by copper injection, and completely prevented mortality. Vitamin E-deficient rats injected with copper sulfate at 5 mg Cu/kg produced over 10 times the ethane produced by rats injected with sodium sulfate or left uninjected. The ethylene produced by the rats injected with copper sulfate was 5% of the ethane produced, and did not differ significantly from the ethylene produced by the controls. Adding copper sulfate at 5 ppm Cu to a liver homogenate stimulated the production of ethane but not ...
Drug Courts — Just the Beginning: How to Get Other Areas of Public Policy in Sync? Addressing Continuing Collateral Consequences for Drug Offenders

In 2003, I prepared an article for the Middle Eastern-Mediterranean Summer Institute on Drug Use: “Drug Courts – Just the Beginning: Getting Other Areas of Public Policy in Sync” which highlighted five areas of public policy in the U.S., unconnected to the criminal justice, that imposed significant ― and generally lifetime ― sanctions on drug court graduates regardless of their successful completion of a drug court program and termination from criminal justice supervision. At that time, the extensive research corroborating the effectiveness of drug courts in reducing drug use, recidivism and promoting long term recovery was just beginning to be disseminated, along with scientific findings relating to the neurobiology of addiction, its effects on the brain and cognitive functioning ― all confirming that drug use was a symptomatic of a chronic disease and far more than a “behavioral” issue and/or moral failing. Given these extensive research findings, as well as over a decade of drug court experience at the time, it was therefore discouraging, but not unexpected, that the impact of the research had not yet affected public policy and practice in sectors not directly involved with drug offending and/or treatment. Given the commonly held premise that it takes seventeen years for research to affect practice, I prepared this “update” to determine the degree to which these research findings have now “infiltrated” practice. The intention in preparing this “Update” ten years later was to document progress made in reducing these areas of stigma ― come to be known as “collateral consequences” ― in light of the tremendous growth of drug courts since the article was first published in 2003, both in the U.S. and abroad, the widely documented effectiveness of these programs in stemming continued drug use and crime, and the growing body of research documenting addiction as a chronic disease for which treatment has proven effective and incarceration in and of itself to be counter-effective. The expectation was that progress in removing stigma associated with addiction would have been significant during these years. The results, however, have been the opposite. While there has been some progress, it has been slow and spotty, and the situation in 2014 can be characterized by continued stigma imposed by multiple sectors of public policy on individuals who have successfully completed drug court programs and which, in many instances, extend for their lifetime. Not only do the major areas of stigma described in the 2003 article continue but, in addition, the preparation of this “Update” has uncovered numerous additional “collateral consequences” that hadn’t formally surfaced in 2003 ― exclusions regarding the right to adopt children, grounds for divorce, and a host of professional license requirements.
Expected schedulability based on stochastic model for tasks in soft real-time system

By studying the characteristics of the task-schedulability of stochastic tasks in a soft real-time system,we develop the expected schedulability conceptually.The expected schedulability is closely related with the arrival time of a real task;hence the proposed method can be applied to investigate the schedulability of a sub-set of tasks in any given time-interval.The condition for expected schedulability is given.If the duration of a real task satisfies this condition,it is schedulable.Because simulation results show a good agreement with analytical ones,we confirm that the real tasks are always schedulable when the loading factor of the soft real-time system is smaller than 69%(as for some deterministic model).This indicates that the proposed method of expected schedulability based on the stochastic model can provide a large threshold value and a better adaptability for soft real-time systems.
The influence of molsidomine and its active metabolite SIN-1 on fibrinolysis and platelet aggregation.

Molsidomine and its active metabolite SIN-1 were examined in humans and animals for platelet suppressant and fibrinolytic activities. Following oral administration of molsidomine at doses of 6 or 15 mg/kg to rabbits, their blood platelets in PRP ex vivo required higher threshold concentrations of ADP, AA and thrombin to be aggregated. Unlike molsidomine, SIN-1 when infused (10 and 20 micrograms/kg i.v.) into anaesthetized cats caused a release of a substance disaggregating platelet clumps which had adhered to blood superfused collagen strip. The appearance of this unstable disaggregating substance was prevented by the pretreatment of cats with aspirin (50 mg/kg i.v.). It is suggested that SIN-1 may promote formation of a PGI2-like substance. In humans shortening of euglobulin clot lysis time was observed 60 min after a single ingestion of 2 mg of molsidomine. This fibrinolytic effect of molsidomine was not abolished by the pretreatment of patients with aspirin. Neither molsidomine nor SIN-1 activated fibrinolysis in preformed euglobulin clots in vitro.
African American Women’s Perspectives on Donating Healthy Breast Tissue for Research: Implications for Recruitment

African American women die of breast cancer at a higher rate than any other racial group. The Komen Tissue Bank (KTB) is an ongoing clinical trial that collects healthy breast tissue from women of all racial groups to use as controls in research and represents a critical tool in efforts to treat and prevent breast cancer; however, African Americans display reticence toward donating breast tissue to the KTB. Through the lens of the Integrated Behavioral Model, this study recruited African American women to share their perspectives on donating breast tissue for research purposes. Seventy-one (N = 71) eligible Black women who were previous tissue donors to the KTB responded to an online questionnaire. Findings revealed that (a) participants had positive instrumental attitudes or reasons for donating; (b) participants felt generally supported in their decision to donate, but revealed that the lack of Black women participating in the KTB meant that they themselves were setting the norm for others; and (c) their race was an important element in their donation decision. While acknowledging the negative history of African Americans in medical research, they offered their perceptions regarding the importance of involving themselves in medical research, and suggested that health communication strategies to recruit African Americans into research should embrace race as part of the message. The findings from this study have important implications for other those who work in applied clinical settings and are interested in addressing racial disparities in medical research through more effective and targeted recruitment messaging.
Religion and the Atlantic World: The Case of Saint-Domingue and French Guiana

Religion played significant roles in the French Atlantic in the Revolutionary Era. While scholars have studied religion in continental France during the French Revolution, authors have given little, if any, attention to religion in the Caribbean and Atlantic contexts. France’s Caribbean colonies experienced the French Revolution both similar to and unique from the metropole. French colonial populations encountered revolutionary ideas about religion within an Atlantic context. The free and enslaved populations of the French Caribbean engaged in a revolutionary dialogue with France through religious ideas and actions. My chapter examines this Atlantic exchange through the lens of Catholicism in two strikingly different French Caribbean colonies: Saint-Domingue and Guiana. Saint-Domingue, France’s most prized sugar-producing slave colony, offers a perspective on religion during the French and Haitian Revolutions. On the other hand, French Guiana, with a small but diverse population of French colonists, slaves of African descent, and indigenous peoples, struggled to attract colonization on a larger scale. During the French Revolution, Guiana became a penal colony and the Revolution’s first deportees to and from Guiana were refractory priests. Comparing Saint-Domingue and French Guiana provides a varied understanding of religion in the revolutionary French Atlantic; whereas the religieux advanced the revolution in Saint-Domingue, they were its victims in French Guiana.
Phosphaplatin Anti-tumor Effect Enhanced by Liposomes Partly via an Up-regulation of PEDF in Breast Cancer.

Background/aim Phosphaplatin platinum (IV) (RRD4) complex has exceptional antitumor properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and the mechanism of action of free and liposome-encapsulated RRD4 in breast cancer. Materials and methods Liposome-encapsulated RRD4 prepared by thin-film dehydration: hydration and free RRD4 were tested in vivo and in vitro against 4T1 breast cancer cells. Cell proliferation, migration and viability were determined. Tissue and cell production and expression of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) were assessed by ELISA and western blot. 4T1 cells treated with PEDF siRNA were evaluated for viability and apoptosis. Results RRD4 inhibited tumor growth and prevented distant metastasis. Liposome formulation enhanced this therapeutic benefit without increasing toxicity and prolonged RRD4 retention in tumor tissues. In vitro, RRD4 induced 4T1 apoptosis through up-regulation of FAS, BAX, and PUMA, and down-regulation of BCL2. RRD4 facilitates a FAS-intrinsic signaling mechanism. PEDF up-regulation represents another antitumor mechanism associated with this phosphaplatin compound. Discussion Free RRD4 or formulated into liposomes, are excellent candidates for adjuvant therapy against breast tumor growth and metastasis.
Line-Drawn Scenes Provide Sufficient Information for Discrimination of Threat and Mere Negativity.

Previous work using color photographic scenes has shown that human observers are keenly sensitive to different types of threatening and negative stimuli and reliably classify them by the presence, ...
Nanostructured amorphous magnesium phosphate/poly (lactic acid) composite coating for enhanced corrosion resistance and bioactivity of biodegradable AZ31 magnesium alloy

Abstract Due to the combination many interesting properties, magnesium alloys have attracted considerable interest as suitable metallic biomaterials for bioresorbable orthopedic implants. Nevertheless, their fast degradation in physiological environments pose challenge for their practical applications. Here, we report that spin coating of composites of nano amorphous magnesium phosphate (nAMP) and poly (lactic acid) (PLA) on AZ31 magnesium alloy. The idea is to use the nAMP/PLA composite film while tailoring the degradation and enhancing the bioactivity of magnesium alloys. SEM examinations show that as-deposited nAMP/PLA film is smooth, crack-free and the nAMP particles are well distributed in PLA matrix. The electrochemical test including potentiodynamic polarization and EIS associated with immersion test results reveal that the corrosion activities of nAMP/PLA coated AZ31 magnesium alloy in SBF are markedly suppressed. Furthermore, it is seen that massive bone-like apatite precipitates formed on surface of nAMP/PLA coated sample, which is indicative for the superior biomineralization capability achieved by nAMP/PLA nanocomposite coating. Thus, the nAMP/PLA composite coating has great potential to be employed as the protective and bioactive coating on biodegradable magnesium alloys for orthopedic applications.
ON A CLASS OF DIFFERENTIAL GAMES

Two player zero-sum differential games with emphasis on play with state determined by differential equations, noting optimal solutions
MODE OF REGULATION OF TYROSINE HYDROXYLASE: INDUCTION AND ACTIVATION

The activity of tyrosine hydroxylase is increased in the locus coeruleus and adrenal by the administration of reserpine and oxotremorine. The mechanisms governing increases in the enzymic activity differed. Reserpine increases the enzyme protein (induction) in the locus coeruleus and adrenal, and the increase might be due to the increase in the rate of synthesis of the enzyme. In contrast, oxotremorine increases the catalytic activity (activation) of tyrosine hydroxylase in the locus coeruleus, while increasing the amount of the enzyme (induction) in adrenal. Possible biochemical and functional evidences for the long-term regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase were presented.
Anesthesia for interventional bronchoscopic procedures

Introducing the bronchoscope into the airway has proved to be a challenge since the invention of the first bronchoscope. Airway reflexes, such as the gag reflex, cough, laryngospasm, hemodynamic alteration, and the associated anxiety stimulated by the passage of the bronchoscope into the airway, forced the bronchoscopist to be skilled and quick to perform the procedure [1]. As a result interest emerged in using anesthesia to ameliorate the airway reflexes and patient’s anxiety associated with bronchoscopy. A wide range of anesthesia techniques were developed to accommodate a variety of interventional bronchoscopic procedures such as simple diagnostic bronchoscopy, advanced diagnostic bronchoscopy, therapeutic bronchoscopic interventions, and pleural procedures. Anesthesia for interventional bronchoscopy varies from local anesthesia as the sole anesthetic modality to moderate sedation/analgesia (“conscious sedation”) with or without local anesthesia to general anesthesia [2]. Moderate sedation/analgesia (“conscious sedation”) is defined by the American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) as “a drug-induced depression of consciousness during which patients respond purposefully to verbal commands, either alone or accompanied by light tactile stimulation. No interventions are required to maintain a patent airway, and spontaneous ventilation is adequate. Cardiovascular function is usually maintained” [3]. Moderate sedation may progress to deep sedation/analgesia or even general anesthesia during the same procedure. Once under deep sedation, “the patients cannot be easily aroused but respond purposefully following repeated or painful stimulation. The ability to independently maintain ventilatory function may be impaired. Patients may require assistance in maintaining a patent airway, and spontaneous ventilation may be inadequate. Cardiovascular function is usually maintained” [3]. At the other end of the spectrum is general anesthesia, where “patients are not arousable, even by painful stimulation.” The ability to independently maintain ventilatory function is often impaired. Patients often require assistance in maintaining a patent airway, and positive pressure ventilation may be required because of depressed spontaneous ventilation or drug-induced depression of neuromuscular function. Cardiovascular function may be impaired [3].