cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-temperature nanoindentation: New developments and ongoing challenges

High-temperature or elevated-temperature nanoindentation testing presents an additional capability in nanoindentation techniques, which have demonstrated tremendous potential in the study of nanoscale mechanical behavior. However, to be able to conduct nanoindentation under relevant service temperatures and to gain a better understanding of the fundamental materials physics, high-temperature nanoindentation must overcome such technical issues as heat management, thermal drift, and sample oxidation. This article presents the current state and history of high-temperature nanoindentation with a focus on recent research topics and available testing systems.
Femtosecond dynamics of electron capture and decapture in a single quantum well structure

Electron capturing and de-capturing dynamics in a single semiconductor quantum well due to the interaction with longitudinal optical phonons are studied by directly solving the time-dependent Schrodinger equation. Time-dependent wave functions are calculated with an initial electron wave packet impinging on the quantum well, being reflected and transmitted, captured into and de-captured from the quantum well. We have obtained new information on electron capture and de-capture times as function of electron-phonon coupling strength. The red energy shift of ground state energy is also found to be linearly proportional to the electron- phonon interaction strength. These results can not be simply obtained using Fermi Golden Rule.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A SYNOPSIS OF DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS AND THE CONSERVATION OF MAMMAL SPECIES

The 26 orders of living mammals occur in a variety of habitats; 97.5% of the species occupy terrestrial while only 2.5% inhabit marine environments. The most recent complete compilation lists 136 families, 1,135 genera, and 4,629 living and recently extinct species. The Ethiopian region possesses the most diverse fauna (52 families, 17 endemic) and 23% of all described species. This region has the highest generic and species endemism; almost 80% of the genera and >90% of the species are endemic. Fauna of the Oriental region also is rich (50 families, three endemic), including >20% of the world's species. The Palearctic region possesses 42 families (none endemic) and 18% of the world's species. The Australian region includes 10% of the world's species in 28 families (12 endemic); >60% of the genera and almost 90% of the species are endemic. The richest diversity of mammals in the New World occurs in the Neotropical region with 50 families (19 endemic) and 24% of the world's species (>80% endemic). The Nearctic region (37 families, two endemic) is home to 14% of all described species. Three terrestrial orders (Primates, Peris-sodactyla, and Proboscidea) and two marine orders (Cetacea and Sirenia) require immediate conservation efforts. Within the remaining 21 orders, ca. 30% of Old World and 15% of New World families are at risk. Additionally, almost 15% of the world's species are rated as endangered or vulnerable, and another ca. 10% are categorized as potentially vulnerable; these species warrant conservation strategies. The areas of the world with the greatest mammalian diversity are also the most poorly known, so conservation needs may be under-represented in those regions.
Towards a new history of Christian Democracy

Political thought grouped under the rubric ‘Christian Democracy’ is often considered as profoundly unoriginal and as the product of politicians and party activists (rather than political philosophers). This note puts forward the argument that there is an important—and in parts original—body of thought responding to the challenge of how to reconcile Christianity and modern democracy in nineteenth and twentieth century Europe. In rather schematic fashion it then traces three strategies for finding a place for Christianity—and Catholicism in particular—in the modern democratic order: the idea of creating or re-creating a Christian demos; the notion of constraining the demos through recognizably Christian institutions; and, lastly, Christian Democratic party politics. Apart from a research agenda, the article then suggests some lessons from this history, especially for thinking about the relationship between Islam and democracy.
The evaluation of BATSE line candidates

We evaluated the significance of the line candidates identified by the visual search of burst spectra from BATSE's spectroscopy detectors. None of the candidates satisfy the detection criteria: anF-test probability less than 10−4 for a feature in one detector and consistency among the detectors which viewed the burst. Most of the candidates are not very significant, and are likely to be fluctuations. Because of the expectation of finding absorption lines, the search was biased towards absorption features. We do not have a quantitative measure of the completeness of the search which would form the basis of a comparison with previous missions. Therefore a more objective computerized search has begun.
Failed back surgery syndrome: surgical and nonsurgical approaches.

Failed Back Surgery Syndrome is a common and challenging clinical problem. Often the anatomic pain source is unclear. Relevant outcome studies are rarely diagnosis specific, and high level research studies comparing surgical and nonsurgical approaches to Failed Back Surgery Syndrome studies have not
The role of a food engineer in fish diet research and formula development

Abstract This paper expands upon the role that food engineers play in the multi-discipline area of aquaculture engineering. The author explains why it is necessary to apply basic engineering principles to those areas which have had only a minor emphasis in past aquaculture research programs.
Rodenticidal action of 2-chloro-4-dimethylamino-6-methylpyrimidine (castrix).

Summary and ConclusionsA powerful convulsive agent, Castrix (2-chloro-4-dimethylamino-6-methylpyrimidine) is more toxic to rats than is either alpha-naphthyl-thiourea1 or sodium fluoroaeetate2 by oral and parenteral administration. Diets containing 0.25% to 1% of Castrix are readily eaten by rats and are highly toxic. No perceptible sex difference in susceptibility and no noticeable tolerance were observed in rats but some seasonal variation in susceptibility was noted. Sodium pentobarbital is an effective antidote against at least 10 LD50 doses of Castrix in rats and dogs even when administered after convulsions have begun.
Impact of roadside agriculture on subsistence hunting in the Ituri forest of northeastern Zaire

Records of 428 hunter captures were used to assess if large areas of secondary forest surrounding roadside horticulturalists' settlements were successfully exploited for wild game, a primary source of protein in the diet of the local human population. Data show that such forest within the Ituri region of Zaire is frequently and successfully exploited for wild game by subsistence hunters. Fauna exploited and capture weights are comparable from hunts conducted in secondary and climax forest. This study concludes that areas of regrowth forest surrounding horticulturalists' villages can and do provide substantial quantities of wild game for consumption by local inhabitants. Whether exploited faunal populations could withstand the more intensive exploitation associated with higher human population densities and widespread market hunting is, however, questionable.
The Semantics of the Cold War

This article presents the results of a systematic analysis of the statements of Soviet and American leaders. The author discusses the implications of the similarities and differences between the statements of the two groups and suggests several devices which he believes will improve America's effectiveness in the propaganda war. William Glaser, who has a Social Science Research Council fellowship for this academic year, is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Michigan.
Presynaptic depression of synaptic transmission mediated by activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors in rat neocortex.

Conventional intracellular recordings were obtained from layer II-III neurons in adult rat neocortical brain slices. Excitatory and inhibitory (I) postsynaptic potentials (PSPs) were evoked prior to and during bath application of agonists and antagonists of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). In the presence of the selective mGluR agonist 1S,3R-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3- dicarboxylic acid (1S,3R-ACPD; 5– 200 microM), both excitatory and inhibitory components of the evoked PSPs were reversibly reduced. PSPs were significantly, but less effectively, decreased by L-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid. Exposure to putative mGluR antagonists, alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine or L- 2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid, did not inhibit the 1S,3R-ACPD- mediated effect. In the presence of 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione and D-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid, 1S,3R-ACPD reversibly depressed directly evoked neocortical IPSPs; however, quisqualic acid (1–10 microM) did not mimic this effect. Analysis of spontaneous PSPs and paired-pulse facilitation indicated a presynaptic locus of action for 1S,3R-ACPD at mGluRs. These findings indicate that a specific mGluR subtype(s) may modulate both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission in the adult rat neocortex via a presynaptic reduction of transmitter release.
Resume Writing and the Minority Student

writing is a difficult task for most job applicants, but minority students face unique challenges as they decide what information to present to a potential employer. A minority applicant's name, ad...
Combination therapy with rituximab and cyclophosphamide in the treatment of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) positive pulmonary hemorrhage: case report

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) with pulmonary hemorrhage is rare in childhood. Standard treatment includes corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide (CYC), which is associated with a high level of toxicity. We report a white female with ANCA positive pulmonary hemorrhage who was treated with cyclophosphamide (CYC) and rituximab (RTX) combination therapy.
Parental Sharing of Childcare Tasks in Sweden

Increased participation of fathers in the upbringing and physical care of children is an important component of the official Swedish program for equality between the sexes. This article reports findings from a random mail survey conducted in Sweden in 1977 that examined the actual sharing of childcare by Swedish parents. Both the extent and determinants of fathers' participation in childcare are examined. Finally, speculations on the prospects for widespread sharing of the childcare role in Sweden are made, based on the findings.
THE USE OF PLASTID DNA RESTRICTION ENDONUCLEASE PATTERNS IN DELINEATING RED ALGAL SPECIES AND POPULATIONS

Plastid DNA band patterns generated by electrophoresis of endonuclease digests demonstrate remarkable conservation of DNA sequences at the species and subspecies level in flowering plants. Generally, patterns are identical or near-identical from different populations belonging to the same species. This methodology has now been applied to red algae to ascertain its value in systematic studies. Plastid DNA from nine bangiophycean and florideophycean red algae was isolated and cut with restriction endonucleases that recognize different 6-base pair sequences. The patterns generated upon the electrophoretic separation of digestion fragments show that within a species patterns are identical, but not within higher taxa. The proper identification of one Gracilaria population of uncertain taxonomic affinity was clearly established by this method of plastid DNA analysis. Differences between species in plastid DNA sequences were confirmed by probing blots of restriction fragments with known gene sequences. A number of heterologous plastid DNA probes were found to be sufficiently homologous to be useful in studying red algal DNA. Unexpectedly, supercoiled circular plasmids ranging in size from ca. 1.5–8 kb were found in some red algal species but not in others. The position of these plasmids in agarose gels following electrophoresis is uniform within a species but differs between different species of the same genus, contributing further patterns for taxonomic analysis.
Preliminary analysis of tone‐excited two‐stream jet velocity decay

Acoustic research related to jet flows has established that sound, by amplifying the naturally occuring large-scale structures in turbulent shear layers, can cause a more rapidly decay of the jet plume velocity and temperature and an increase in jet spreading rate. One possible application of this sound-flow interaction phenomenon is to future STOL aircraft that may require modified jet plume characteristics in order to reduce the loads and temperatures on the deflected flaps during take-off and landing operations. The tone-excitation effect on the velocity decay of model-scale, two-stream jet plumes is analyzed. Measured data are correlated in terms of parameters that include excitation sound level and outer-to-inner stream velocity ratio. The effect of plume tone-excitation on far-field jet noise is examined and its implication for large-scale two-stream jets is discussed.
Topics in the Theory of the Ultracold Dilute Alkali Gases

These lectures address Bose and Fermi ultracold dilute alkali gases. For Bose gases I discuss general BEC concepts, superfluidity, the Josephson effect, and issues related to the establishment of a "phase standard". For Fermi gases I discuss prospects for Cooper pairing and its detection. The four lectures on alkali Bose gases which I actually gave at the School were based on a review paper in preparation for Reviews of Modern Physics. In order to avoid extensive duplication of the contents of that review, what I present here, condensed into three lectures, is a melange of informal commentary on the results presented there and some material which for space and other reasons had to be omitted. This material is ideally read in conjunction with the review. The fourth lecture, on the Fermi alkali gases, is presented here in (nearly) the form in which it was actually given.
Adenosine: biphasic dose responses.

This article characterizes the occurrence of biphasic dose responses by adenosine and its stable analogs in numerous systems, including the respiratory tract, kidney, cardiovascular system, and brain. Considerable mechanistic research on various systems explored and clarified the interactions of the A-1 and A-2 receptors and their interactive influence on the occurrence of the biphasic dose responses. In general, the maximum stimulatory response was 2.5-fold or less than controls, while the stimulatory concentration range was quite variable ranging from 10- to 105-fold.
Aligning Incentives in the Management of Inguinal Hernia: The Impact of the Payment Model

Background The Affordable Care Act has stimulated discussion to find feasible, alternate payment models. Adopting a global payment (GP) mechanism may dampen the high number of procedures incentivized by the fee-for-service (FFS) system. The evolving payment mechanism should reflect collaboration between surgeon and system goals. Our aim was to model and perform simulation of a GP system for hernia care and its impact on cost, revenue, and physician reimbursement in an integrated health care system. Study Design The results of the 2006 Watchful Waiting (WW) vs Repair of Inguinal Hernia in Minimally Symptomatic Men trial was used as a clinical model for the natural history and progression of inguinal hernia disease Simulations were built using 2009 financial and clinical data from the Cambridge Health Alliance to model costs and revenues in managing care for a 4-year cohort of inguinal hernia patients; FFS, FFS-WW, and the GP-WW were modeled. To build this GP model, surgeons were paid a constant $500 per patient whether herniorrhaphy was performed or not. Results Compared with the actual combined physician and hospital revenue under the current FFS model ($308,820), implementing the FFS-WW system for 4 years for 139 hernia patients decreased hospital and physician revenues by $93,846 and $19,308, respectively. This resulted in a total savings of $113,154 for the payors only. In contrast, when using WW methodology within a GP model, system savings of $69,174 were observed after 4 years, with preservation of physician and hospital income. Conclusions Collaboration to achieve shared savings can be accomplished by pooling physician and hospital revenue in order to meet the goals of all parties.
The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire: score validity among medicine residents

Medical Education 2011: 45: 1230–1240 Context The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) purports to measure motivation using the expectancy-value model. Although it is widely used in other fields, this instrument has received little study in health professions education. Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of MSLQ scores. Methods We conducted a validity study evaluating the relationships of MSLQ scores to other variables and their internal structure (reliability and factor analysis). Participants included 210 internal medicine and family medicine residents participating in a web-based course on ambulatory medicine at an academic medical centre. Measurements included pre-course MSLQ scores, pre- and post-module motivation surveys, post-module knowledge test and post-module Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS) scores. Results Internal consistency was universally high for all MSLQ items together (Cronbach’s α = 0.93) and for each domain (α ≥ 0.67). Total MSLQ scores showed statistically significant positive associations with post-test knowledge scores. For example, a 1-point rise in total MSLQ score was associated with a 4.4% increase in post-test scores (β = 4.4; p < 0.0001). Total MSLQ scores showed moderately strong, statistically significant associations with several other measures of effort, motivation and satisfaction. Scores on MSLQ domains demonstrated associations that generally aligned with our hypotheses. Self-efficacy and control of learning belief scores demonstrated the strongest domain-specific relationships with knowledge scores (β = 2.9 for both). Confirmatory factor analysis showed a borderline model fit. Follow-up exploratory factor analysis revealed the scores of five factors (self-efficacy, intrinsic interest, test anxiety, extrinsic goals, attribution) demonstrated psychometric and predictive properties similar to those of the original scales. Conclusions Scores on the MSLQ are reliable and predict meaningful outcomes. However, the factor structure suggests a simplified model might better fit the empiric data. Future research might consider how assessing and responding to motivation could enhance learning.
Protein folding dynamics in lattice model with physical movement

We study folding dynamics of protein-like sequences on square lattice by constructing a physically realizable move set that exhausts all possible conformational changes for a structure. By solving the master equation of 16-mer characterized by a 802,075times802,075 transition matrix, we monitor the time-dependent probabilities of occupancy of all conformations over 9-orders of time scale from the first kinetic move until reaching Boltzmann equilibrium. We find that folding rates of protein-like sequences adopting the same ground state conformation differ as much as 200 times, and parameters of the native structures, designability, and thermodynamic properties are weak predictors of the folding rates in our model systems. Instead, we show that properties of the kinetic energy landscape defined by the connection graph of physical moves can provide excellent account for observed folding rates. Without the approximation of macrostates, we show how transiently accumulating intermediate states can be identified by basin analysis of the kinetic energy landscape
Combined analysis of results on single and multiple contacts: potting soil, sand and clay transfers to cloth for the estimate of soil adherence to human skin.

Humans can be exposed to contaminated soil and household dust via contact with environmental surfaces. A mechanical device was used to measure the transfer of soils from one surface to the other to provide estimates of adherence factors (mg/cm 2 ) used in estimates of human exposure to contaminants found in soils/household dust. This paper presents the analysis and comparison for thetransfer of clay, potting soil, and sand from aluminum to cloth samples for single and multiple contacts under varying environmental and contact time and pressure conditions. Adherence for clay was over 73 times that of sand and over 114 times that of potting soil. Clay particles with their softer texture and finer composition compared to potting soil and sand, are more likely to compress and adhere to surfaces producing higher transfers. Contact time and temperature had no effect, however: contact pressure, soil loading on the aluminum surface, and environmental humidity did have an effect on soil transfer.
Enteric pathogens through life stages.

Enteric infections and diarrheal diseases constitute pervasive health burdens throughout the world, with rates being highest at the two ends of life. During the first 2-3 years of life, much of the disease burden may be attributed to infection with enteric pathogens including Salmonella, rotavirus and many other bacterial, viral and protozoan organisms; however, infections due to Clostridium difficile exhibit steady increases with age. Still others, like Campylobacter infections in industrialized settings are high in early life (<2 years old) and increase again in early adulthood (called the “second weaning” by some). The reasons for these differences undoubtedly reside in part in pathogen differences; however, host factors including the commensal intestinal microbial communities, immune responses (innate and acquired), and age-dependant shifts likely play important roles. Interplay of these factors is illustrated by studies examining changes in human gut microbiota with inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Recent gut microbial surveys have indicated dramatic shifts in gut microbial population structure from infants to young adults to the elders. An understanding of the evolution of these factors and their interactions (e.g., how does gut microbiota modulate the “inflamm-aging” process or vice versa) through the human life “cycle” will be important in better addressing and controlling these enteric infections and their consequences for both quality and quantity of life (often assessed as disability adjusted life-years or “DALYs”).
High-Density Lipoprotein and 4F Peptide Reduce Systemic Inflammation by Modulating Intestinal Oxidized Lipid Metabolism: Novel Hypotheses and Review of Literature

Oxidized phospholipids are found in the vasculature of animal models of atherosclerosis, in human atherosclerotic lesions, and in other inflammatory diseases. Oxidized phospholipids cause vascular and nonvascular cells to initiate an inflammatory reaction. Metabolites of arachidonic acid, such as 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, can mimic some of the inflammatory properties of oxidized phospholipids. In vitro and in vivo normal high-density lipoprotein (HDL), normal apolipoprotein A-I, and apolipoprotein A-I mimetic peptides, each likely acting in a different manner, prevent the inflammatory reaction characteristic of atherosclerosis, and this is associated with decreased levels of oxidized lipids in tissues and cells. HDL from animal models of atherosclerosis or from humans with atherosclerosis or from humans or animals with other chronic inflammatory diseases does not prevent the inflammatory reaction characteristic of atherosclerosis and may even enhance the inflammatory reaction. In mice and perhaps humans, ≈30% of the steady-state plasma HDL-cholesterol pool is derived from the small intestine. The metabolism of phospholipids by gut bacteria has been recently implicated in atherosclerosis in both mice and humans. Studies with apolipoprotein A-I mimetic peptides suggest that the small intestine is a major tissue regulating systemic inflammation in mouse models of atherosclerosis and may be important for determining the functionality of HDL.
DSphere: A Source-Centric Approach to Crawling, Indexing and Searching the World Wide Web

We describe DSphere - a decentralized system for crawling, indexing, searching and ranking of documents in the World Wide Web. Unlike most of the existing search technologies that depend heavily on a page-centric view of the Web, we advocate a source-centric view of the Web and propose a decentralized architecture for crawling, indexing and searching the Web in a distributed source-specific fashion. A fully decentralized crawler is developed to crawl the World Wide Web where each peer is assigned the responsibility of crawling a specific set of documents referred to as a source collection. Link analysis techniques are used for ranking documents. Traditional link analysis techniques suffer from problems like slow refresh rate and vulnerabilities to Web Spam. We propose a source-based link analysis approach, which computes fast and accurate ranking scores for all crawled documents.
The Periductal Channels of the Endolymphatic Duct, Hydrodynamic Implications

ObjectiveTo describe the anatomy of a small network of channels surrounding the human endolymphatic duct.Study DesignArchival temporal bone sections and a surgical specimen were studied using a variety of techniques.SettingTemporal bone laboratory of the House Research Institute.Subjects and MethodsArchival temporal bone sections were examined by light microscopy, 3D reconstruction, and immunohistochemical labeling. A surgical specimen was examined using electron microscopy. Sections from temporal bones with blocked endolymphatic ducts or amputated sacs were examined for the manifestations of endolymphatic hydrops.ResultsPeri-endolymphatic duct channels were found to extend from the proximal cisternal part of the endolymphatic sac to the supporting tissue of the saccule and utricle. Tissue in the channels, as seen by conventional and electron microscopy, is continuous with and identical with the tissue surrounding the endolymphatic duct. Tissue in the channels labels with the S100 antibody similar to the ...
Underactuated point stabilization using predictive models with application to marine vehicles

Point stabilization of an underactuated vehicle is most often accomplished using a periodic time-varying control law, resulting in oscillatory trajectories. We present a two-stage algorithm that achieves point stabilization without oscillatory behavior. A low-level controller regulates as many outputs as available control inputs. The unregulated states are generally nonzero when the regulated states have converged, but for certain initial conditions the vehicle arrives at the origin of the state space using only the low-level controller. This set of initial conditions forms a manifold in the state space. A separate Lyapunov-based manifold convergence controller drives the vehicle states to this manifold so that the low-level controller can bring the vehicle to the origin. We provide experimental results of this two-stage algorithm applied to a 1.25-meter ship model.
Secular Power and Religious Authority in Muslim Society: the Case of Songhay

The relationship between political power and religious authority has been a delicate one in Muslim societies. On the one hand, governments may attempt to silence religious authorities; on the other, they may themselves succumb to revolutions in the name of religion. More often governments have attempted to co-opt religious authorities as allies in exercising control or have worked directly in a power-sharing arrangement with them. In Songhay, as in several other states of pre-colonial Sudanic Africa, a more subtle balance was achieved between the ruling estate and the diverse body of scholars, mystics and holymen who made up the religious estate. The askiyas of sixteenth-century Songhay, while exercising full political power, saw it in their interest to maintain harmonious relations with these men of religion. Gifts in cash and kind, including slaves, grants of land and privilege, especially exemption from taxation, as well as recognition of rights of intercession and sanctuary, ensured their moral support and spiritual services and, importantly, protected rulers from their curse. Such a symbiosis was important for the stability of a large and ethnically diverse empire like Songhay, especially as regards its conquered western reaches, which were ethnically non-Songhay and had a strong Islamic cultural tradition. This delicate balance was upset by the Sa c dian conquest of Songhay in 1591. Despite Moroccan assertions of Islamic legitimacy, religious authorities in Timbuktu were unsupportive, and harsh measures against them dealt a lasting blow to the equilibrium which had prevailed under the askiyas.
On modeling utility for cooperative slotted Aloha games

In this paper, we propose a generalized utility function model for cooperative slotted Aloha in a distributed system. Multiuser diversity gains are achieved by appropriately designing the Nash equilibrium thresholds for the selfish users. The network enforces fairness among different users by employing a pricing policy that favors equal access probabilities. This generalized game model provides the flexibility in designing the utility function associated with QoS. Our study on the impact of different utility function models shows that the multiuser diversity gains achieved by different models remain constant under the throughput optimization framework and vary slightly under the revenue optimization framework.
Interaction of light and tensor fields

We present three new ways of looking at tensor volumes. All three methods are based on the interaction of simulated light and the tensor field. Conceptually, rays are shot from a certain direction into the tensor volume. These rays are influenced by the surrounding tensor field and bent as they traverse through the volume. The tensor is visualized by both the nature of the bent rays and by the collection of rays deposited on a receiving plate. The former is similar to streamlines, but shows paths of greatest influence by the tensor field. The latter is similar to caustic effects from photon maps, but shows the convergence or divergence of the rays through the tensor volume. We also use the concept of treating the tensor volume as a special lens that distorts an image. Using backward ray tracing through the tensor volume, we generate image distortions that also show internal properties of the tensor field. A key advantage of these techniques is that they can work directly with non-symmetric tensor fields without first decomposing them into components. Color images can also be found in www.soe.ucsc.edu/research/avis/tensorray.html.
Teaching a Live Synchronous Distance Learning Course: A Student Focused Approach

This article provides an organized list of considerations in teaching a live synchronous electronic education class. It offers a detailed course planning checklist.
Potentiation of NMDA receptor-mediated transmission in turtle cerebellar granule cells by activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors

1. The effects of metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) agonists on excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) evoked by stimulation of mossy fibers (MF) and parallel fibers (PF) were examined in turtle cerebellar Purkinje cells. 2. The mGluR agonist 1S,3R-ACPD (1-25 microM) reversibly potentiated the amplitude of the MF-evoked EPSPs, but was without effect on PF-evoked EPSPs. The potentiation of MF-evoked EPSPs was dose-dependent, with a median effective dose (ED50) of approximately 4.4 microM. At higher doses (15-25 microM) 1S,3R-ACPD produced a direct depolarization of Purkinje cells in 58% of cells examined. 3. The enhancement of MF EPSPs by 1S,3R-ACPD was mimicked by 1S,3S-ACPD (50 microM) and blocked by the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist D-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (D-AP5), but not by the mGluR antagonist L-2-amino-3-phosphonopionic acid (L-AP3; 1 mM), or the 1R,3S isomer of ACPD (25-500 microM). 4. Quisqualate (1 microM) produced a biphasic effect on MF EPSPs, producing an initial blockade of the EPSP followed by a D-AP5-sensitive potentiation. 5. The potentiation of MF EPSPs by 1S,3R-ACPD was not blocked by prior exposure to the protein kinase C activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (10 microM), the protein kinase C inhibitor calphostin C (1 microM), the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin (25 microM), or the nitric oxide donator sodium nitroprusside (1 mM). Preincubation of the tissue for 24-48 h in pertussis toxin also failed to prevent the ability of 1S,3R-ACPD to potentiate the NMDA receptor-mediated component of the MF EPSP. PF EPSPs were also not significantly affected by these agents. 6. The results demonstrate that the mGluR agonists 1S,3R-ACPD, 1S,3S-ACPD, and quisqualate produce a potent, stereospecific potentiation of NMDA receptor-mediated transmission at the MF-granule cell synapse. Agents that modulate the intracellular messengers protein kinase C, adenylate cyclase, nitric oxide, or pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins failed to mimic or block this effect. This would suggest that the potentiation of NMDA receptor-mediated transmission at this synapse is not mediated via these systems, and reflects a different site of action of mGluR agonists on the NMDA receptor. The observed interaction between mGluR and NMDA receptors in granule cells provides a means for activity-dependent modulation of synaptic transmission, which may play a role in synaptic integration at the MF-granule cell synapse.
Histological changes in normal and drug-induced development of renal PAH transport.

SummaryRenal cortical slices from 1-week-old rabbits, dogs, and cats accumulated PAH to a lesser extent than slices from adult animals, while the values in 1-week-old guinea pigs were higher than those obtained in adults. Although penicillin treatment resulted in a significant increase in PAH accumulation, no histological differences between kidneys from treated and control rabbits could be observed using light microscopy. Normal histological maturation of new-born rabbit kidneys could be detected. It is concluded that the substrate-induced stimulation of PAH accumulation produced by penicillin involves specific subcellular changes (structural and/or biochemical) in the organic acid transport mechanism.
Side-on Dinitrogen Complexes of Titanocenes with Disubstituted Cyclopentadienyl Ligands: Synthesis, Structure, and Spectroscopic Characterization

Reduction of the 1,3-disubstituted titanocene complexes, (η5-C5H3-1,3-iPr2)2TiI or rac, meso-(η5-C5H3-1-iPr-3-Me)2TiI, with excess 0.5% sodium amalgam under an N2 atmosphere furnished the corresponding titanocene dinitrogen compounds, [(η5-C5H3-1,3-iPr2)2Ti]2(μ2,η2,η2-N2) and [(η5-C5H3-1-iPr-3-Me)Ti]2(μ2,η2,η2-N2). Crystallographic studies on both molecules revealed side-on bound, [N2]2- ligands with N–N distances of 1.226(5) and 1.216(5) A, respectively. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility studies established population of a triplet ground state at ambient temperature that is slightly higher in energy than the singlet. Reducing the size of the 1,3-cyclopentadienyl substituents to methyl groups, [(η5-C5H3-1,3-Me2)2Ti], resulted in crystallization of a trimetallic titanium dinitrogen complex with an activated μ3,η2,η1,η1-N2 ligand with an N–N distance of 1.320(3) A. Hydrogenation of the isomeric titanocene dimethyl complex, (η5-C5H3-1,2-Me2)2TiMe2, in the presence of dinitrogen did not result in N...
Pentose metabolism byBacteroides ruminicola subsp.brevis strain B14

The fermentation ofd-arabinose byBacteroides ruminicola strain B14 occurs in a manner similar to or identical with that shown previously forl-arabinose metabolism by the organism, a combination of hexose resynthesis and the Embden-Meyerhof sequence. The use ofd-arabinose by strain B14 was repressed by prior growth in medium containingd-glucose and induced by prior growth in the presence ofl-arabinose ord-xylose. The use ofd-ribose andd-xylose by strain B14 is different from that ford-arabinose. During growth in the presence of 1-14C-d-arabinose, labeled acetate, propionate, and succinate were formed, whereas during 1-14C-d-ribose growth only labeled acetate and propionate were obtained. Under the conditions used,d-xylose growth failed to allow formation of acetate, propionate, or succinate. Strain B14 incorporates label from 1- or 2-labeled glycine into acetate, propionate, and succinate by a mechanism involving the cleavage of glycine and equilibration of glycine carbons 1 and 2 with different metabolic pools.
Effect of attentive fixation in macaque thalamus and cortex.

Attentional modulation of neuronal responsiveness is common in many areas of visual cortex. We examined whether attentional modulation in the visual thalamus was quantitatively similar to that in c...
Veterans of Armed Conflicts

In this chapter basic and clinical research findings are presented on the effect of armed conflicts on the veterans of such conflicts. For this discussion, “veterans” are defined as people who were participants—whether as active combatants or in sup—port roles—in wars or related activities. The overall focus is on the mental health and functional outcomes of exposure to war stress emanating from studies of war veterans. The relatively abundant body of research examining the epidemiological (i.e., prevalence, comorbidities, and risk factors) and clinical characteristics of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highlighted.
“The Ballad of Two Sad Cafés”: Nicholasa Mohr’s Postwar Narrative as ‘Writing Back’ to Carson McCullers

Rico uses postcolonial and transatlantic theories to present a new comparative reading of McCullers’ Ballad of the Sad Cafe and Nicholasa Mohr’s In Nueva York, a work of the best-known female writer of the Puerto Rican Diaspora. Although Mohr has suggested that her writing was influenced by McCullers, there has heretofore been no comparative examination of the two writers, both of whom address similar historical periods, but from different epistemological perspectives. A list of Mohr’s characters not only suggests an influence, but signals a “writing back” to McCullers’ Ballad of the Sad Cafe. Moreover, in depicting the Puerto Rican neighborhood as a “village within a city,” [her term] Mohr’s narrative juxtaposes an urban setting and the imagery of a small town similar to McCullers’ Ballad.
Clinical and functional correlates of processing speed in pediatric Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACTIt is well established that processing speed is negatively impacted in children and adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Unfortunately, exactly how processing speed vulnerabilities manifest in daily functioning has not been well established. To support clinical care of youth with ADHD, it is important to better understand the functional consequences and relevant outcomes associated with processing speed deficits. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to identify the association between processing speed and clinical or functional correlates among children or adolescents diagnosed with ADHD. A total of 409 abstracts were screened, of which, 60 full-text articles were identified as potentially relevant, and 8 of these studies met inclusion criteria. Domains evaluated across these studies included reading skills, mathematics skills, written expression, anxiety, self-appraisals of competence, and adaptive functioning. Six studies reported an association between pr...
Why Women Request Labiaplasty.

Background:In recent years, labiaplasty has jumped in popularity, despite opposition to the procedure. In 2007, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists declared the recommendation of cosmetic vaginal procedures to be “untenable,” although in 2016 they allowed consideration of labiapl
ECONOMIC CLASS, SOCIAL STATUS, AND EARLY SCOTTISH CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

A recent study by Jacobs [2003] examines economic class bias in the contemporary recruitment practices of public accountancy firms. The study bases its argument on a historical review that suggests such bias has its origins in early Scottish chartered accountancy. This paper challenges the Jacobs thesis by examining the notion of economic class in relation to the social status of professions, and provides archival evidence of the effects of the recruitment practices of Scottish chartered accountants from mid 19th century until the beginning of the First World War. This evidence demonstrates a dual effect. The first is a considerable change during this period in the economic class origins of the general community of chartered accountants in Scotland and the second is relative stability in the economic class origins of their leadership. Scottish chartered accountancy immigrants to the US provide a clear example of the general community effect. They also reveal how economic class was not a significant factor...
Revisiting the specificity of the MHC class II transactivator CIITA in classical murine dendritic cells in vivo

Ciita was discovered for its role in regulating transcription of major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) genes. Subsequently, CIITA was predicted to control many other genes based on reporter and ChIP-seq analysis but few such predictions have been verified in vivo using Ciita-/- mice. Testing these predictions for classical dendritic cells (cDCs) has been particularly difficult, since Ciita-/- mice lack MHCII expression required to identify cDCs. However, recent identification of the cDC-specific transcription factor Zbtb46 allows the identification of cDCs independently of MHCII expression. We crossed Zbtb46gfp mice onto the Ciita-/- background and found that all cDC lineages developed in vivo in the absence of Ciita. We then compared the complete transcriptional profile of wild-type and Ciita-/- cDCs to define the physiological footprint of CIITA for both immature and activated cDCs. We find that CIITA exerts a highly restricted control over only the MHCII, H2-DO and H2-DM genes, in DC1 and DC2 cDC subsets, but not over other proposed targets, including Ii. These findings emphasize the caveats needed in interpreting transcription factor binding sites identified by in-vitro reporter analysis, or by ChIP-seq, which may not necessarily indicate their functional activity in vivo.
Practically efficient nonlinear acoustic echo cancellers using cascaded block RLS and FLMS adaptive filters

This paper presents a practically efficient implementation for non-linear acoustic echo cancellation (NAEC). The echo path is modeled by a novel hybrid Taylor-Volterra pre-processor followed by a linear FIR filter. A cascaded block RLS and unconstrained FLMS adaptive algorithm is developed to jointly identify the pre-processor and the FIR filter. This implementation is validated via simulations.
Vector Quantization for Video Data Compression

Visual signals, even more than audio signals, typically contain an exorbitant amount of information. It is not uncommon for the visual component of a motion picture or television signal to contain several orders of magnitude more data than the audio component. During this age of visual information transmission and storage, efficient methods for compressing video have become particularly important.
Analyzing the Onset of the Iraqi Civil War 2004 from the Perspective of Inclusive and Exclusive Elite Bargains

Being one of the bloodiest internal conflicts since 1945, the Iraqi civil war unleashed disastrous dynamics in Iraq and the Middle East, which set the course for the current chaos in Iraq and the rise of Islamic State. This dissertation analyses the civil war’s onset in 2004 from the analytical perspective of inclusive and exclusive elite bargains. It hypothesizes that the exclusiveness of Iraq’s elite bargains for a political settlement after Saddam Hussein’s overthrow is the major cause of the civil war. A range of examined elite bargains from August 2002 until June 2004 illustrates the exclusiveness of the bargains. US officials based the post-Saddam political order on a small coalition of actors who had lived outside of Saddam-ruled Iraq for decades and had, therefore, no support base in the country. Kurdish actors are evidently the exception. At the same time, a number of influential key figures were excluded from the bargains and barred from any participation in the new political settlement of Iraq, leaving them without stakes in the stability of the country. This study finds out that excluded actors have indeed been at the core of the insurgent activities that led to the civil war. The bottom line of this dissertation is that the applied explanatory model, though it cannot explain Iraq’s internal disorder in all its facets, provides an essential tool to analyze the civil war onset in 2004.
Empirical relationships for random self-avoiding walks on lattices

Abstract This paper emphasizes that verification of a model or theory must be a two-step process that involves both mathematical and physical validation, in that order. Mathematical validation determines the conformity of data with the equations that describe the model or theory. Physical validation determines the physical meaning of the computed results and normally it is performed only by experts in the subject under consideration. In this paper two new methods of collecting data for non-intersecting walks on lattices are described. New Monte Carlo data are reported for both the diamond and square-planar lattices, taken at each step between 2 and 100. When treated by conventional curve-fitting methods these new data agree with previously published results. However an automatic, non-statistical, curve-fitting method (deMaine, 1974) shows that both the new and previously published data for the diamond lattice do not in fact fit the equations reported. The new computer oriented curve-fitting method has also been used to establish that the fraction of self-avoiding walks, FSW N , and the mean-square ( R N 2 >) and square mean ( R n > 2 ) distances, at step N , are related to better than one per cent by empirical equations thusly: ln( FSW N ) = p 1 · N + p 2 R N 2 >/ N + ln( p 3 ) N ≥4 (diamond) N ≥5 (square planar) ln( FSW N ) = p 1 · N + p 2 R N > 2 / N +ln( p 3 ) N ⩾6 (diamond) N ⩾3 (square planar) ln( R N 2 >) = p 1 ′ · ln(N) + p 2 ′ · ln( R N > 2 )+p 3 ′ N ⩾12 (diamond) ln( R N > 2 ) = p 1 · ln( N ) + ln( p 2 ) N 4 (diamond) N 19 (square planar) . The attrition constant, (p 1 ), for both lattices is virtually identical with the new values computed from data with N ⩽ 800 (diamond) and N ⩽ 600 (square planar) (Wall & Erpenbeck, 1959).
Tea in China: A Religious and Cultural History. By James A. Benn. (Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai'i Press, 2015. Pp. 304. $65.00.)

This is not a general history of tea in China, nor does it pretend to be. The operative part of the title is actually the subtitle: A Religious and Cultural History. As will be obvious to anyone wh...
Methods for Introducing Inorganic Polymer Concepts throughout the Undergraduate Curriculum

Inorganic polymers can be introduced in a variety of undergraduate courses to discuss concepts related to polymer chemistry. Inorganic polymers such as silicates and polysiloxanes are simple materials that can be incorporated into an introductory or descriptive inorganic course. Polymers based on inorganic carbon, including diamond and graphite, can likewise be used to introduce concepts related to structure–property relationships. Diamond and graphite can be discussed in more detail in an upper-division inorganic chemistry course as well as an introduction to coordination polymers and semiconducting organic polymers. Herein, these materials are briefly discussed in terms of how they can be merged into relevant coursework.