cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acetylcholinesterase inhibition by nootkatone and carvacrol in arthropods

Abstract The essential oils from many botanicals have been screened for insecticidal activity. Two constituents of the Alaskan yellow cedar tree, the monoterpenoid carvacrol and the sesquiterpenoid nootkatone, both are toxic against several arthropods. The mode of action through which nootkatone and carvacrol exert their insecticidal activity remains uncertain. It has been hypothesized that they may inhibit acetylcholinesterase enzyme activity. The degree of acetylcholinesterase inhibition of carvacrol and nootkatone was compared to that of carbaryl, a known acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, in the house fly ( Musca domestica ), yellow fever mosquito ( Aedes aegypti ), American dog tick ( Dermacentor variabilis ) and American cockroach ( Periplaneta americana ). The concentration of carbaryl, at which 50% of the acetylcholinesterase activity was inhibited (IC 50 ), was less than 2 μM in all four arthropod models. Carvacrol was observed to cause slight inhibition of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme in house flies, ticks and cockroaches, but it did not inhibit the mosquito acetylcholinesterase enzyme. Nootkatone did not inhibit the acetylcholinesterase enzyme in any of the four arthropod models tested. From this study, we conclude that the acetylcholinesterase inhibition is not likely the primary mode of action for insecticidal activity by nootkatone or carvacrol.
Dependence of defect-mediated hydrogen-bond melting in the DNA double helix on the size of an induced defect

This paper studies the defect-mediated melting of a DNA double helix resulting from the occurrence of small melted regions (MR's) in the helix. We choose MR's of small and medium sizes and model the DNA replicating fork as an infinite MR. We watch the H bond of these systems stretch as temperature increases until these DNA molecules break down (melt). For all systems we find that the H-bond stretch vibrations near the open region are enhanced not only by proximity to an open section itself but also by the anharmonic properties of the H bonds. In addition, the H-bond stretch amplitudes increase slightly with the size of the finite MR's and are considerably lower than those of the replicating fork. Finally we find that the melting temperature decreases very slowly with finite MR sizes, especially for small MR defects. This suggests that the calculation on single-base-pair MR's give the same melting temperature as somewhat larger MR's. Since small MR's are more probable one can predict a unique melting temperature.
BAD BEHAVIOR OR BAD POLICY? AN EXAMINATION OF TENNESSEE RELEASE COHORTS, 1993–2001*

Research Summary: Few studies have examined time-based variations in recidivism rates despite the substantial variation that seems to be characteristic of some states. A recent publication by the Tennessee Department of Correction indicates that reincarceration rates increased significantly for parole release cohorts from 1993 to 1997. I reexamine the Tennessee data with additional years and confirm the sharp increase in reincarceration rates, although subsequent years show a decline back to 1993 levels. Findings indicate that time-based variation in the return rate is not attributable to differences in the populations being released, nor does it seem to be associated with increases in criminal behavior as measured by new arrests or new criminal convictions. Results suggest that violations of the technical conditions of parole rather than increased criminal behavior largely account for the trend, that parole release was used as a “back-door” means of controlling and stabilizing rapidly growing prison populations, and that the use of parole in this manner was associated with increased rates of return to prison. Policy Implications: This article highlights issues with parole technical violators, release decisions, and revocation criteria, as well as their relationships with correctional systems. Large variations in parole grant rates over the study period suggest a lack of consistently applied objective risk criteria for parole release and may validate some criticisms of arbitrariness in parole release decisions. Increased grant rates do not seem to be associated with increased rates of criminal behavior, which suggests that the more conservative grant rates in recent years could be raised without increased risk to public safety. There also seem to be significant differences in violation rates by region that may indicate inconsistencies in the application of violation criteria.
Consciousness: Its Neurobiology and the Major Classes of Impairment

Human consciousness requires brainstem, basal forebrain, and diencephalic areas to support generalized arousal, and functioning thalamocortical networks to respond to environmental and internal stimuli. Disconnection of these interconnected systems, typically from cardiac arrest and traumatic brain injury, can result in disorders of consciousness. Brain injuries can also result in loss of motor output out of proportion to consciousness, resulting in misdiagnoses. The authors review pathology and imaging studies and derive mechanistic models for each of these conditions. Such models may guide the development of target-based treatment algorithms to enhance recovery of consciousness in many of these patients.
Critical masses for the even-neutron-numbered transuranium actinides

As part of a standards effort of the American Nuclear Society to establish subcritical mass limits for the transuranium actinides, critical masses were calculated for seven actinide elements in bar...
Anterograde transport of surfactant protein C proprotein to distal processing compartments requires PPDY-mediated association with Nedd4 ubiquitin ligases.

Biosynthesis of surfactant protein C (SP-C) by alveolar type 2 cells requires proteolytic processing of a 21-kDa propeptide (proSP-C21) in post-Golgi compartments to yield a 3.7-kDa mature form. Scanning alanine mutagenesis, binding assays, and co-immunoprecipitation were used to characterize the proSP-C targeting domain. Delivery of proSP-C21 to distal processing organelles is dependent upon the NH2-terminal cytoplasmic SP-C propeptide, which contains a conserved PPDY motif. In A549 cells, transfection of EGFP/proSP-C21 constructs containing polyalanine substitution for Glu11–Thr18, 13PPDY16, or 14P,16Y produced endoplasmic reticulum retention of the fusion proteins. Protein-protein interactions of proSP-C with known WW domains were screened using a solid-phase array that revealed binding of the proSP-C NH2 terminus to several WW domains found in the Nedd4 family of E3 ligases. Specificity of the interaction was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation of proSP-C and Nedd4 or Nedd4-2 in epithelial cell lines. By Western blotting and reverse transcription-PCR, both forms were detected in primary human type 2 cells. Knockdown of Nedd4-2 by small interference RNA transfection of cultured human type 2 cells blocked processing of 35S-labeled proSP-C21. Mutagenesis of potential acceptor sites for ubiquitination in the cytosolic domain of proSP-C (Lys6, Lys34, or both) failed to inhibit trafficking of EGFP/proSP-C21. These results indicate that PPDY-mediated interaction with Nedd4 E3-ligases is required for trafficking of proSP-C. We speculate that the Nedd4/proSP-C tandem is part of a larger protein complex containing a ubiquitinated component that further directs its transport.
Intraosseous infusion of prostaglandin E2 prevents disuse‐induced bone loss in the tibia

We investigated whether intraosseous injection of prostaglandin E2 would preserve tibial bone mass in the skeletally unloaded limb of a large animal model. Skeletal unloading of one rear limb was produced by unilateral Achilles tenectomy in the goat. Prostaglandin E2 was injected at 0.5 or 1.0 mg (1 ml of volume) twice daily, beginning on day 7 and continuing for 10 days, through an implant that had been surgically placed in the proximal tibial metaphysis. Thirty-five days after surgery, the tibiae were harvested for measurement of static and dynamic bone parameters and mechanical characteristics using transmission ultrasound. Prostaglandin E2 produced a dose-dependent increase in the formation of woven new bone at all bone envelopes. The 1.0 mg dosage prevented and partially reversed the effects of skeletal unloading and added new bone (p < 0.05) compared with the unloaded tibiae. Because prostaglandin E2 increased both bone formation and resorption and the new bone produced was primarily woven bone, the material properties of the tibiae infused with prostaglandin E2 did not increase significantly during the study compared with the unloaded and weight-bearing tibiae.
Caesarean section rates following pelvic fracture: a systematic review.

Abstract Background Following pelvic fracture in females of childbearing age, the question of whether or not natural pregnancy and childbirth can occur is often asked by both patients and clinicians. The following is a systematic review of the literature examining caesarean section rate in patients with prior pelvic fracture. Methods An extensive search of the English-language literature was performed to include all articles describing pregnancy outcomes in women with prior pelvic fracture. The primary outcomes analyzed were vaginal delivery and caesarean section. Secondary outcomes investigated included the rate of new caesarean section, indications for caesarean section, and caesarean section rates with operative versus nonoperative treatment of the pelvic fracture. Results Eight articles assessing 148 patients who underwent childbirth after pelvic fracture were eligible for inclusion. Among the 148 patients who underwent childbirth after pelvic fracture, 79 (53%) delivered vaginally and 69 (47%) underwent caesarean section. When patients who had already undergone a caesarean section prior to their pelvic fracture were excluded, 137 patients remained. Among these 137 patients, 79 (58%) delivered vaginally and 58 (42%) had caesarean section performed. Indications for caesarean section were sporadically listed but in some series did include patient or obstetrician preference as a result of prior pelvic fracture. Prior pelvic fixation had no demonstrable effect on pregnancy outcomes (p > 0.05). Conclusions Patients with prior pelvic fracture undergo caesarean section at a rate greater than those without prior pelvic fracture. The cause for this is not entirely understood but seems to be related at least in part to patient and obstetrician bias rather than solely due to the pelvic fracture and cephalopelvic disproportion.
Histopathologic clues to the pathways of neuronal death following ischemia/hypoxia.

This review describes histopathologic observations made with both light and electron microscopy using both conventional staining techniques and histochemistry. Several conditions are analyzed: Ischemic cell change; delayed neuronal death; selective vulnerability. The histopathologic support for the calcium hypothesis and for the excitotoxic hypothesis explaining neuronal death is also reviewed. The findings lead to several suggestions relevant to attempts at developing interventional therapies administered after the onset of ischemia/hypoxia. (1) Except in gerbils, delayed neuronal death and more rapid neuronal death appear to be on the same continuum of cellular events. The lag between ischemia and either onset or termination of these shared events depends upon the severity and/or duration of ischemia/hypoxia. We still do not know whether the "delay," when it occurs, is a delay between ischemia and initiation of the lethal sequence or is, instead, a delay between an immediate initiation of the sequence and its lethal termination. (2) Selective vulnerability (e.g., of CA1 sector in hippocampus) is only relative. The changes are again those of ischemic cell change and are identical to the changes seen elsewhere in more severe ischemia. (3) There is histopathologic support for both the calcium hypothesis and for the cytotoxic hypothesis. Indeed, there is histopathologic support linking the two hypotheses and linking these mechanisms to the appearance of ischemic cell change. However, the histopathologic data are surprisingly sparse. The role of either hypothesis in explaining neuronal death in all areas of brain, in all types of ischemic insult, and at all times following such an insult remains to be established. (3) Apoptosis may be an important mode of neuronal death following ischemia. It differs from acute ischemic cell change; nevertheless, both calcium overload and/or excitotoxic neurotransmitters may trigger apoptosis. (4) Third cell change has been described: Eosinophilic neurons that are not shrunken and whose nuclei are not pyknotic but contain clumped chromatin. The pathogenesis and fate of these neurons remains uncertain. It is possible that they represent early apoptotic neurons. Adequate assessment of apoptosis and its relationship (to both these neurons and to neurons displaying classical ischemic cell change) may depend upon dual staining with conventional aniline dyes and with histochemical techniques designed to detect intranuclear fragments of DNA.
Pulse shaping techniques for testing brittle materials with a split hopkinson pressure bar

We present pulse shaping techniques to obtain compressive stress-strain data for brittle materials with the split Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus. The conventional split Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus is modified by shaping the incident pulse such that the samples are in dynamic stress equilibrium and have nearly constant strain rate over most of the test duration. A thin disk of annealed or hard C11000 copper is placed on the impact surface of the incident bar in order to shape the incident pulse. After impact by the striker bar, the copper disk deforms plastically and spreads the pulse in the incident bar. We present an analytical model and data that show a wide variety of incident strain pulses can be produced by varying the geometry of the copper disks and the length and striking velocity of the striker bar. Model predictions are in good agreement with measurements. In addition, we present data for a machineable glass ceramic material, Macor, that shows pulse shaping is required to obtain dynamic stress equilibrium and a nearly constant strain rate over most of the test duration.
Publication productivity of criminal justice faculty in criminal justice journals

Abstract An important dimension of university faculty life is publication expectation. Often the level of publication productivity is used to assess general program prestige or to evaluate individual faculty performance. The publication rates of faculty in PhD and master-level programs have been unclear. This study examined the publication rates using a general list of criminal justice journals, and a select list of the leading journals, over a five-year period. The faculty members were located in criminal justice programs that granted PhD and master degrees. Publication productivity rates were established for the two different degree level programs, and the institutions with the strongest publication rates were identified. Publication rates are only one factor used in the assessment of program quality and the relationship of publication rates to other program features is discussed.
Cephalometric growth analyses of the human upper face region during the last two trimesters of gestation

This study was designed to demonstrate quantitative growth trends in the human upper face region before birth. Photographs of 68 sagittally sectioned fetal heads were measured using a series of linear and angular measurements for changing height, length and shape. Cross-sectional types of data were treated with a statistical model which tested for linearity of the data, correlation between growth changes and increasing fetal age, significance of the differences between rates of change in related upper face regions and the general significance of the trends shown in the study. Pooled data for the second and third trimesters suggested three distinct growth trends. Linear measurements of the cranial base, nasal area, and plate correlated significantly with increasing crown-rump length. Finally, a composite upper face profile for the sample suggested a relative migratio of the region downward and forward away from the anterior cranial base and the hypophyseal fossa. These three trends collectively demonstrated that the pattern of upper facial growth before birth involves progressive enlargement of a relatively static profile. It should be understood that this pattern is a group trend as shown by cross-sectional sampling of many individuals over a period of time with no individual being measured more than once. Conversely, variabilities in a specific individual's growth are most appropriately demonstrated by measuring that individual several times throughout some time span, i.e., by longitudinal sampling. Studies of the human fetus are restricted generally to the cross-sectional sampling technique. The close similarly of these prenatal trends with those reported for postnatal craniofacial growth suggests that certain patterns of facial growth in childhood can be seen as early as the beginning of the fetal period and emphasizes the continuum of human development.
The effect of prostaglandins on in vitro limb cartilage differentiation.

Summary A variety of studies indicate that a key event in limb chondrogenic differentiation is a cellular condensation process during which an intimate cell-cell interaction occurs that triggers cartilage differentiation by elevating cAMP levels. It has recently been demonstrated that when limb mesenchymal cells are subjected to high density monolayer culture under conditions conducive to chondrogenesis, they synthesize several prostaglandins, including PGE 2 and prostacyclin, which are important local modulators of cAMP formation in a number of cells and tissues. In the present study, we demonstrate that exogenous PGE 2 stimulates the in vitro chondrogenic differentiation of the subridge mesoderm of the embryonic chick limb bud. The stimulatory effect of PGE 2 is greatly potentiated by the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, theophylline, suggesting its influence on chondrogenesis is mediated by its ability to increase cAMP levels. The stimulatory effect of PGE 2 is dosedependent and can be detected at a concentration as low as 10 −8 M. PGE 1 is just as effective as PGE 2 in stimulating in vitro chondrogenesis, whereas PGA 1 and PGF 1 α are less than half as effective. Thromboxane B 2 has no effect on chondrogenesis. On the basis of our results, the possibility that endogenous prostaglandins might regulate limb cartilage differentiation by acting as local regulators of cAMP content is discussed.
Preparative synthesis of 3-amino-2,3,6-trideoxy-l-xylo-hexopyranose derivatives

Abstract Starting from methyl 2,6-dideoxy-β- l - lyxo -hexopyranoside ( 1 ), several derivatives of the title sugar were prepared by a sequence of high-yielding steps. Selective tosylation of the 3-hydroxyl group in 1 gave the 3- p -toluenesulfonate, further characterized as its 4-acetate and 4-benzoate. Treatment of these protected sulfonates with sodium azide afforded the respective 3-azido derivatives 6 and 7 , having the required l - xylo stereochemistry. Catalytic hydrogenation of 6 with concomitant N -acetylation led to methyl 3-acetamido-4- O -acetyl-2,3,6-trideoxy-β- l - xylo -hexopyranoside, which was readily converted into the O -deacetylated derivative 9 . Alternatively, and more conveniently, compounds 6 and 7 were first saponified to give the crystalline 3-azide, which then was converted, by reduction with hydrogen, into crystalline methyl 3-amino-2,3,6-trideoxy-β- l - xylo -hexopyranoside ( 12 ). N -Substitution of 12 provided the crystalline methyl glycosides 9 ( N -acetyl) and 14 ( N -trifluoroacetyl), both of which could be converted by mild, acid hydrolysis into the crystalline reducing sugars 10 (from 9 ) and 15 (from 14 ), as their α- l anomers; these target compounds were obtained from 1 in 17 and 20% overall yields, respectively.
Quantitative Evaluation of Left Ventricular Systolic Function by Doppler Echocardiography Techniques

Doppler echocardiography provides the ability to measure blood flow velocities noinvasively. These blood flow velocities can be used to obtain powerful hemodynamic information about systolic contractility of the left ventricle, which in the past could only be determined from invasive cardiac catheterization or cumbersome pulse recordings. Volumetric flow rates can be measured using the hydraulic principle of flow through a rigid tube, providing a measurement of stroke volume and cardiac output. The rate of the left ventricular pressure rise derived from a mitral regurgitation velocity curve provides a nonejection phase index of systolic contractility. Acceleration time can be obtained from an ascending aortic velocity and is an indicator of maximum myocardial force. Systolic time intervals can now be quickly and accurately obtained from the standard Doppler tracings. These quantitative measurements of the status of the left ventricle are accurate, reproducible, and should be incorporated into the routine noninvasive assessment of patients with cardiac disease. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 11, May 1994)
Climate change, phenology and species detectability in a monitoring scheme

The knowledge of the state of biodiversity on the globe is based on a large number of monitoring schemes. Quite often the results of these schemes are sensitive to the timing of monitoring due to the phenology of species, which in turn may affect the detectability of species during censuses. As global warming has been shown to cause changes in phenology, there is an increasing risk that species detectability will be altered if the timing of monitoring is not adapted to this change. I tested how sensitive species detectability is to the timing of censuses and whether there are potential climate-driven temporal changes in the detectability of 73 Finnish land bird species monitored using single-visit line-transects in 1987–2010. This was done by investigating seasonal and annual patterns in the proportion of birds in the main belt and those detected by displaying activity. Over 20 of the study species showed significant changes in detectability within the census season. However, only three species showed a significant trend in annual detectability. According to multi-species analyses there was a slight but significant increasing trend in the proportion of displaying birds and a slight decreasing trend in the proportion of birds in the main belt. However, the observed species-specific annual changes in displaying activity or in proportion of birds in main belt were not associated with the observed population trends of species during the same period. Nevertheless, the findings highlight a strong potential risk that species detectability can change if climate change escalates in the future. I recommend researchers to investigate how sensitive their monitoring systems are for phenological changes and prepare tools for taking potential changes in detectability into account.
Challenges we face in understanding children and war: a personal essay

War is a correlate of child abuse in several respects. War generally elevates the level of violence in the warring society, and thus increases risk for abuse. War disrupts communities and families (and thereby presumably undermines social support systems and increases single parenthood). War kills and maims children and their caregivers; it is abuse. This article presents an analysis of psychological and cultural issues faced by professionals dealing with children exposed to war zones. The premise for this article lies in the recognition that "war" is so powerfully loaded on subjective and ideological meanings for all adults (including professionals) that self-reflection and cultural criticism is a necessary condition for going forward effectively with children. Language: en
Inhibition of cyclic AMP accumulation by endothelin is pertussis toxin sensitive and calcium independent in isolated adult feline cardiac myocytes

The aims of this study were to determine whether endothelin-1 (ET-1), a positive inotropic agent, altered the production of cyclic AMP (cAMP) in adult feline cardiac myocytes and to characterize the effect with respect to G-protein-coupling and calcium regulation of adenylyl cyclase. ET-1 inhibited basal and/or stimulated cAMP accumulation in the intact cardiac myocyte and in membrane preparations in a dose-dependent manner. In intact cells, maximal inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation was 90-95% with an EC50 of 5 x 10(-10) M. Inhibition of isoproterenol-stimulated cAMP was biphasic with maximal inhibition of 70% observed by 10(-11)M; at higher doses inhibition was not consistently observed. The inhibitory response to ET-1 occurred in the absence or presence of isobutylmethylxanthine suggesting that activation of cAMP phosphodiesterases was not the means for reducing cAMP levels. Prior exposure of cardiac myocytes to 100ng/ml pertussis toxin blocked the inhibitory action of ET-1, indicating that this response is mediated through the involvement of a pertussis toxin-sensitive G-protein such as Gi. Studies carried out in the absence of extracellular calcium and under conditions of cell-loading with the intracellular calcium chelator, 1,2-bis-(2-aminophenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N'N'-tetraacetic acid-acetoxymethyl ester (BAPTA/AM), suggest that the mechanism by which ET-1 inhibits cAMP accumulation is not calcium-dependent. Thus, inhibition of cAMP accumulation by ET-1 appears to be mediated through a pertussis toxin sensitive protein rather than by activation of phosphodiesterases or calcium inhibition of cardiac forms of adenylyl cyclase. Though unlikely to play a role in the positive inotropic effect of ET-1, transduction of ET-1 responses through Gi suggests another means for regulation of growth in these adult cardiac myocytes.
Numerical scheme for three-dimensional supersonic magnetohydrodynamical flows and implementation in a massively parallel multiprocessor environment

Abstract We have proposed an approach to exactly maintain the eight conservation laws and the divergence-free condition in numerical simulations for supersonic magnetohydrodynamical flows. In this paper, we extend our algorithm from the two-dimensional to the three-dimensional situation. The algorithm is second order accurate in space and time, and no Poisson solver is involved to maintain the divergence-free condition. The algorithm has been implemented in a massively parallel multiprocessor environment.
Clock-time or Lived Time? Twenty-five Years of Human Studies

"Habent sua fata libelli (Books have their destiny)" says the Latin grammar? ian Terentianus Maurus, and his saying might with good reason be extended to periodicals or journals. The philosopher Gadamer would say that books and journals have a Wirkungsgeschichte or "effective history" a phrase which well suits the present occasion. In many ways, the history or historical unfolding o? Human Studies has been closely intertwined with my own professional or intellectual history. A quar? ter of a century ago I happened to be involved in the founding of the journal, and subsequently also participated in the establishment of the Society for Phenomenology and the Human Sciences (SPHS) which shared, and contin? ues to share, the journal's basic aspirations and intellectual commitments. On a personal level, the historical unfolding of the journal is for me also the story of a long-lasting friendship with its editorial staff and especially with its edi? tor-in-chief George Psathas, whose insights and unwavering dedication to the journal's aims have been for me a steady source of inspiration and encour? agement. The j ournal started at a difficult time for the "human studies"?a term which can be defined here as encompassing broadly the humanities and, more spe? cifically, the "humane" or humanistic dimensions of the social sciences and psychology. The situation was particularly bleak in the latter disciplines: psy-. chology was still in the throes of a rigidly reductionist model (behaviorism), a model which also successfully colonized the social sciences under the aegis of purely quantitative criteria of explanation and prediction. In this context, the notion of "human studies" or "human sciences" became a rallying point for many social scientists and psychologists still concerned with the more qualitative (interpretive, ethical, and existential) aspects of human life. In their search for alternative methodologies and models, practitioners of "human stud? ies" turned primarily to three intellectual or philosophical resources: phenom? enology as inaugurated by Edmund Husserl and later developed by Alfred Schutz, Aron Gurwitsch and others (phenomenological sociology and psychol? ogy, ethnomethodology); hermeneutics as conceived by Wilhelm Dilthey and later refined by Heidegger and Gadamer; and ordinary language philosophy as launched by Ludwig Wittgenstein and subsequently fleshed out by forms
Inhibition of substance P release from spinal cord tissue after pretreatment with capsaicin does not mediate the antinociceptive effect of capsaicin in adult mice

Abstract Substance P (SP) is released from primary afferent fibers in response to nociceptive stimuli. Capsaicin, which produces an initial hyperalgesic response followed by persistent antinociception, also elicits release of SP from primary afferent fibers. Capsaicin pretreatment decreases the content and release of SP from primary afferent fibers. This effect on SP has been hypothesized to mediate the antinociceptive effect of capsaicin. To test this hypothesis, mice were injected intrathecally (i.t.) with antinociceptive doses of capsaicin or SP(1–7) before superfusion of spinal cord tissue with 3 μ M capsaicin 24, 48, 96 or 168 h later. N-terminal metabolic fragments of SP that accumulate after capsaicin-induced SP release and are involved in the antinociceptive effect of capsaicin, were also tested. Like capsaicin SP(1–3), SP(1–4) and SP(1–7) were each antinociceptive when injected 24 h before nociceptive testing. However, at this time there was no decrease in capsaicin-evoked release of SP in tissue from capsaicin- and SP(1–7)-pretreated animals compared to those injected with vehicle. In contrast, capsaicin-evoked SP release decreased significantly in tissue from mice pretreated with capsaicin or SP(1–7) 48 h prior to testing. d -Substance P(1–7), which prevents antinociception, blocked capsaicin- and SP(1–7)-induced decreases in SP release, indicating that these effects are mediated by SP N-terminal activity. Total spinal cord content of SP did not differ amongst treatment groups. These data indicate that antinociception does not appear to depend on decreases in SP release or content as antinociception precedes decreases in SP release.
Structure and evolution of the oceanic surface boundary layer during the Surface Waves Processes Program

Abstract The vertical structure of the oceanic surface boundary layer and the role of Langmuir circulation in its evolution have been elucidated by analysis of field observations from the Surface Waves Processes Program (SWAPP). The surface forcing from wind stress, surface wave Stokes drift, and buoyancy flux were determined. The oceanic response was documented by vertical profiles of temperature and velocity in the upper 100 m. The velocity profiles were mapped onto a vertical coordinate relative to the base of the mixed layer. This allowed a view of boundary layer structure uncontaminated by changes in stratification due to diurnal cycling. Mean velocity profiles in the new coordinate system indicated a relatively low-shear mixed layer overlying a weakly stratified `transition layer' where shear was concentrated. At near-inertial frequencies, the mixed-layer velocity was `slab-like', in agreement with the assumption of some bulk mixed-layer models. However, at sub-inertial frequencies, unstratified shear was observed in the upper half of the temperature-mixed layer. This shear was coherent with the wind, but its dynamical significance could not be conclusively determined. Doppler sonars were used to map the cross-wind velocity structure at the sea surface and estimate the strength of Langmuir circulation. Circulation strength was related to the product of the wind stress and the Stokes drift, and was sustained for substantial periods (tens of hours) after an abrupt decrease in wind stress if waves remained strong. Two such events were analyzed in detail. It was shown that the upper ocean did not restratify in response to diurnal heating in the manner predicted by a model driven by wind stress alone. Instead, restratification was inhibited during the period of sustained Langmuir circulation and heat input at the surface was redistributed vertically.
Symbolization, language, and chimpanzees: a theoretical reevaluation based on initial language acquisition processes in four young Pan troglodytes.

Abstract The emergence of symbolic use of word-lexigrams is traced through the course of four experiments with four chimpanzees. The results indicate that it is ill advised to begin language training by introducing the names of objects or their attributes. Training which allowed the subjects to have the machine vend foods, the names of which were on keys, facilitated the discrimination of the lexigrams moreso than did training which called for the labelling of foods held by the experimenter; however, the discriminations so established seemed to be basically associationistic—subjects were not able to use the word symbols appropriately in a communicative manner or to use the words contingent upon the presence or absence of a given food in the dispenser. Subsequent training with verb-object phrases, where the chimpanzees were able to observe all steps in the delivery of foods and drinks contingent upon correct choices among the lexigrams and the formulation of correct requests, fostered the decontextualization of lexigram usage and the symbolic uses of the words used in training. Errorless training procedures were ineffective. By the end of this training the chimpanzees were able to reintegrate and reorganize skills which, initially, had been only partially mastered, and their learning rates of new words and their extended, appropriate use thereof became strongly evidenced. Caution is extended regarding the use of “word” to a response of an ape, be it with a sign of Ameslan, a plastic token, or a lexigram. There are levels of “wordness” and the symbolic, decontextualized level is achieved only through the course of experiences which serve to emphasize the symbol-referent relationship.
Indirect Transitions at the Center of the Brillouin Zone with Application to InSb, and a Possible New Effect

The theory of indirect optical transitions is extended to the case where both the valence and the conduction band extrema occur at the center of the Brillouin zone. For this band structure, the dominant electron transition involves a virtual optical transition to a conduction band state, accompanied by scattering to a real state in the conduction band by absorption of a long-wavelength optical mode phonon. An analogous transition may also occur for holes. It is likely that the hole transition will be dominant over the electron transition when the curvature of the conduction band is greater than that of the valence band. It is shown that the absorption edge data on InSb are in agreement with this theory. The experimental evidence on InSb is reviewed and found to be consistent with degenerate valence bands at the center of the Brillouin zone. The absence of any evidence of indirect transitions involving acoustic modes tends to indicate that the shift of the valence maximum away from k=0 due to spin-orbit energy terms is small. A new effect is predicted involving the modulation of the indirect absorption constant by the selective excitation of the long-wavelength optical modes. A simplified theory of this effect is presented and the experimental possibilities of observing it in InSb are discussed. Its existence would verify the proposed indirect transition process as well as indicating the position of the band extrema.
An alternative approach to unitoidness

Abstract In a recent paper [C.R. Johnson, S. Furtado, A generalization of Sylvester’s law of inertia, Linear Algebra Appl. 338 (2001) 287–290], Sylvester’s law of inertia is generalized to any matrix that is ∗-congruent to a diagonal matrix. Such a matrix is called unitoid. In the present paper, an alternative approach to the subject of unitoidness is offered. Specifically, Sylvester’s law of inertia states that a Hermitian n × n matrix of rank r with inertia (p, q, n − r) is ∗-congruent to the direct sum e i 0 I p ⊕ e i π I q ⊕ 0 I n - r . It is demonstrated herein that a unitoid matrix A of rank r is ∗-congruent to a direct sum of diagonal blocks of the form e i ϕ I p ⊕ e i ( π + ϕ ) I q together with the zero block 0In−r. Moreover, the ϕ’s together with the multiplicities p and q are specified in terms of the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of A†A∗, where A† is the Moore–Penrose inverse of A.
Using film as the basis of an american culture course for first-year psychiatry residents.

Objective: There is a developing literature on the use of movies for educating psychiatric residents. This may be the first report of the use of film as the basis of a psychiatric resident acculturation course. Method: The author describes an American culture course for PGY-1 psychiatric residents and presents satisfaction and construct validity data. Results: Resident satisfaction was high. Three staff members scored higher than international medical graudates (IMG) residents on a precourse exam. Conclusion: Feature films can be used as the basis for an enjoyable acculturation course.
Ocular effects associated with the chronic administration of the adenosine A1 agonist cyclohexyladenosine

Purpose. To investigate changes in ocular responses associated with the chronic administration of the adenosine A 1 agonist cyclohexyladenosine (CHA). Methods. New Zealand White rabbits were treated unilaterally twice-a-day for 30 days with CHA (165 or 500 µg) or vehicle. Intraocular pressures (IOPs) and pupil diameters (PDs) were evaluated over the course of the study. At the end of the study period, outflow facility was determined in selected animals and compared to naive vehicle- and CHA-treated animals. Results. In rabbits receiving 165 µg of CHA, ipsilateral IOPs at 2 and 6 hours post-drug exhibited progressively greater reduction over the course of the study. Regression analysis demonstrated a significant correlation between study duration and lower IOP at 2 and 6 hours post-drug. In rabbits receiving 500 µg of CHA, ipsilateral IOP reductions at 2 hours post-drug were similar throughout the 30-day study. However, analysis of ipsilateral IOPs 6 hours following CHA administration, demonstrated a signi...
A comparison of approximation methods for the estimation of probability distributions on parameters

In this paper, we compare two computationally efficient approximation methods for the estimation of growth rate distributions in size-structured population models. After summarizing the underlying theoretical framework, we present several numerical examples as validation of the theory. Furthermore, we compare the results from a spline based approximation method and a delta function based approximation method for the inverse problem involving the estimation of the distributions of growth rates in size-structured mosquitofish populations. Convergence as well as sensitivity of the estimates with respect to noise in the data are discussed for both approximation methods.
Role of chlorine and oxygen in the photocatalytic degradation of trichloroethylene vapor on TiO2 films

The photocatalytic degradation of trichloroethylene (TCE) was investigated with ring-roughened annular reactors. Anatase titanium dioxide films were immobilized by chemical vapor deposition using titanium tetraisopropoxide as the source of titanium. Experimental variables included TCE concentration (0.1−10 parts per million by volume or ppmv), oxygen content (20−200 000 ppmv), residence time (2.46−9.57 s), and reactor length. In general, TCE conver sion increased with increasing values of all of these variables up to a maximum of 99.4% within the range investigated. Ten chlorinated organic intermediates/products were observed primarily at low oxygen concentrations. Among these compounds, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, hexachloroethane, pentachloroethane, and tetrachloroethylene were present at quantifiable levels. Additional experiments revealed that pentachloroethane and tetrachloroethylene also decomposed with degradation efficiencies (up to 98 and 94%, respectively) being somewhat lower than that fo...
MADIS: A Multimedia-Aided Disaster information Integration System for emergency management

With the proliferation of smart devices, disaster responders and community residents are capturing footage, pictures and video of the disaster area with mobile phones and wireless tablets. This multimedia disaster situation information is critical for assisting emergency management (EM) personnel to effectively respond in a timely manner. Currently, however the data is not integrated in incident command systems where situation reports, incidence action plans, etc. are being held. Therefore, we have designed and developed a Multimedia-Aided Disaster information Integration System (MADIS), which utilizes advanced data mining techniques to analyze situation reports and pictures as well as text captured in the field and automatically link the reports directly to relevant multimedia content. Specifically, a dynamic hierarchical image classification approach is proposed to categorize disaster images into different subjects by fusing image and text information. Situation reports are analyzed using advanced document processing techniques and then associated with processed multimedia data. In order to seamlessly incorporate user interactive activities for improving information integration, a user feedback processing scheme is proposed to refine the association between situation reports and images as well as the affinity among images. The system is developed on Apple's mobile operating system (iOS) and runs on iPad tablets, and its usefulness is evaluated by domain experts from the local EM department.
The expenditure and revenue effects of defense spending in the Federal Republic of Germany

This article examines three questions. First, is there evidence of systematic defense tradeoffs in West German budgetary outputs? Second, exactly which programs - or types of program - have been the primary victims of tradeoffs? Finally, is there evidence that expenditure tradeoffs are avoided by raising taxes or reallocating tax burdens within the West German system of fiscal federalism? Evidence of expenditure tradeoffs is weak, but those that do occur seem to be based on the simplifying decision rules characteristic of complex organizational and political environments. Change in taxation is related to change in the defense burden, but the strength of the relationship is not overwhelming. The findings for the German case indicate a need to reevaluate the theoretical basis of tradeoff studies. They also suggest an agenda for comparative research on the tradeoff question.
A “Working Party” approach to planning in-service training in manual signs for an entire public school staff

A working party, composed of elementary school personnel (administrator, regular and special education staff, and parent) and university special education personnel (faculty and graduate students) worked cooperatively to develop and implement a manual sign in-service training package to improve the communication environment for severely disabled students attending that elementary school. A series of four, half-day workshops were planned during which school staff (teachers, aides, custodians, support staff, food handlers, and bus drivers) would learn manual signs for a functional core vocabulary selected from a list generated by the public school staff and students. These signs were carefully sequenced using existing research findings to facilitate successful acquisition. The process of planning and conducting the in-service training workshops has yielded valuable lessons in several areas. The use of a working party, selection of vocabulary, development of the workshop format, activities, materials, and de...
Should Economic Geographers Count

With the rise of political economy and humanistic approaches in geography in the 1970s, quantitative geography was criticized for its positivist epistemology, its search for generalizations rather than local differentiation, its claim to objective research and the removal of the researcher from the research process, its reactionary political outlook and the inability to excite students. These criticisms have been echoed by 'cultural turn' economic geographers. This article argues that many of the criticisms are misdirected and unfounded in the light of recent advances in quantitative methodologies that stress the local, computational and visual and that explicitly incorporate the subjective beliefs of the researcher. Moreover, while serving the interests of proponents and opponents of quantitative economic geography, the artificial separation between quantitative and qualitative economic geography does little for a pluralist discipline founded on critical engagement among economic geographers striving to build an emancipatory, critical and policy-relevant economic geography. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
A Review of Engineering Developments of Aqueous Phase Solar Photocatalytic Detoxification and Disinfection Processes

Scientific research on photocatalytic oxidation of hazardous chemicals has been conducted extensively over the last three decades. Use of solar radiation in photocatalytic detoxification and disinfection has only been explored in the last decade. Developments of engineering scale systems, design methodologies, and commercial and industrial applications have occurred even more recently. A number of reactor concepts and designs including concentrating and nonconcentrating types and methods of catalyst deployment have been developed. Some commercial and industrial field tests of solar detoxification systems have been conducted. This paper reviews the engineering developments of the solar photocatalytic detoxification and disinfection processes, including system design methodologies.
Comparison of one-dimensional and three-dimensional models for the energy accommodation coefficient

Abstract The accommodation coefficient (AC) for the transfer of energy at a gas–surface interface is treated with a one-dimensional (1D) theoretical model for classical scattering that retains full temperature dependence of both the gas and surface. Calculations are carried out for a purely repulsive gas–surface interaction and for the case in which there is an attractive adsorption well. Comparison with 3D calculations and with data for the accommodation of the rare gases at a tungsten surface indicates that full 3D dynamics are important for calculating the AC.