cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antibody response against tetanus toxoid is enhanced by lipopolysaccharide or tumor necrosis factor-alpha in vitamin A-sufficient and deficient rats.

Reduced antibody response to tetanus toxoid ('VT) was previously demonstrated during vitamin A deficiency but the response to bacterial lipopolysacchanidc (LPS) was nor- mal. We addressed whether anti-TT IgG responses are enhanced in vitamin A-sufficient and deficient rats by immunization with LPS plus TI'. Antibody responses in vitamin A-sufficient and deficient rats increased significantly after coimmunization (LPS + TI') compared with the response of rats immunized with TT alone. In additional studies, recombinant tumor necrosis factor- alpha (TNF-a) also significantly increased the anti-TT IgG con- centrations. Because pretreatment with anti-TNF before coim- munization or immunization with TI' alone markedly reduced the anti-Ti' IgG responses, we infer TNF to be a mediator of both the adjuvanticity of LPS and the unstimulated response to iT. In conclusion, vitamin A-deficient rats can be stimulated to respond to TT by coimmunization with LPS or by treatment with TNF.
Managing pension and retirement assets: An international perspective

A major force behind private saving, both in theory and in practice, is the retirement motive. How these savings are invested can have profound effects on capital markets around the world. This article analyzes the institutional forms that private retirement savings take, how they have affected capital markets to date, and how they might affect them in the future.
Fractal geometry of ammonoid sutures

Interior chamber walls of ammonites range from smoothly undulating surfaces in some taxa to complex surfaces, corrugated on many scales, in others. The ammonite suture, which is the expression of the intersection of these walls on the exterior of the shell, has been used to assess anatomical complexity. We used the fractal dimension to measure sutural complexity and to inves- tigate complexity over evolutionary time and showed that the range of variation in sutural com- plexity increased through time. In this paper we extend our analyses and consider two new param- eters that measure the range of scales over which fractal geometry is a satisfactory metric of a suture. We use a principal components analysis of these parameters and the fractal dimension to establish a two-dimensional morphospace in which the shapes of sutures can be plotted and in which variations and evolution of suture morphology can be investigated. Our results show that mor- phospace coordinates of ammonitic sutures correspond to visually perceptible differences in suture shape. However, three main classes of sutures (goniatitic, ceratitic, and ammonitic) are not unam- biguously discriminated in this morphospace. Interestingly, ammonitic sutures occupy a smaller morphospace than other suture types (roughly one-half of the morphospace of goniatitic and ceratitic sutures combined), and the space they occupied did not change dimensions from the Jurassic to the late Cretaceous. We also compare two methods commonly used to measure the fractal dimension of linear features: the Box method and the Richardson (or divider) method. Both methods yield comparable results for ammonitic sutures but the Richardson method yields more precise results for less complex sutures.
A switchable DB-PI controller for DC-motor drives with transient requirements

A reliable and rugged controller design for controlling the transient response of the armature current of a DC motor using a dead-beat-proportional-plus-integral (DB-PI) controller is described. A modified finite-settling-time technique, a type of DB controller, is used as the start-up algorithm. The controller is designed in such a manner that the armature current does not exceed a certain limit when the motor is subjected to the most severe input expected. For smaller inputs than this one. the current certainly will not exceed that limit. A DB controller is designed so that the armature current does not exceed twice the nominal motor current. Then, a traditional PI controller is designed to meet the operation specification with regard to constant speed/position, percentage overshoot, risetime, and steady-state error. A switching mechanism is introduced so that proper coordination between the two controllers can take place. Simulation results are presented. >
New Rodent Material from the John Day Formation (Arikareean, Middle Oligocene to Early Miocene) of Oregon

ABSTRACT The John Day Formation of Oregon is one of the richest and best studied assemblages in North America. Including seven members and spanning about 20 million years, there are over 150 vertebrate species known from the John Day Formation. The rodent faunas of John Day have not been as well studied as larger mammals, with many families having received little attention in the last hundred years. Here, twenty one species of rodents are described, based on new discoveries and previously unpublished specimens from the John Day Formation. The new material includes four new genera and species; the eutypomyid Allotypomys pictus, the anchitheriomyine castorid Microtheriomys brevirhinus, the eomyid Proapeomys condoni, the heteromyid Bursagnathus aterosseus; and six new species: the sciurine sciurid Miosciurus covensis, the eomyids Apeomys whistleri and Neoadjidaumo arctozophus, the heteromyids Proheteromys latidens and Trogomys oregonensis, and the sicistine dipodid Plesiosminthus fremdi. The problematical eo...
Experience report: Mining test results for reasons other than functional correctness

Regression testing is an important part of software development projects, and it is used to ensure software quality. Traditionally, a regression test focuses primarily on functional correctness of a modified program and is examined only when it fails, meaning it found a fault that would have otherwise been undetected. For certain application domains, regression tests for non-functional quality aspects such as performance, security, and usability could be just as important. However, those regression tests are much more costly and difficult to create, and thus many applications lack adequate non-functional regression test coverage. This adds risk of regressions in these areas as changes are made over time. In this research, we propose using metrics from passing test cases to predict quality aspects of the software beyond the traditional focus of regression tests. Our industrial case study shows that metrics such as test response time from functional regression tests are good predictors of which product areas are likely to contain certain types of non-functional performance faults. Furthermore, we show that this prediction can be improved through environmental perturbation such as the use of synthetic volume datasets or data size variation.
The Racial Discourse of Federal Indian Law

This paper provides a critique of Professor Williams' newest book, Like a Loaded Weapon: The Rehnquist Court, Indian Rights and the Legal History of Racism in America. In particular, it analyzes a recent Supreme Court decision - City of Sherrill v. Oneida - to demonstrate how engrained the ideology of inferiority is in the Court's federal Indian law jurisprudence. This paper further examines Professor Williams' attempt to reconstitute federal Indian law in a manner more consistent with international human rights law, discussing the many complexities that accompany such an approach.
Narrowings and the "McDonald Jet Sign"

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5915/23-4-15411 The so-called ''jet sign" was first brought to my attention in 1981 by the late Dr. McDonald as a diagnostic sign of urethral stricture. It is a jet of dye starting at the stricture and spraying into the bladder. It was observed on roentgenograms following retrograde urethrography. Some characteristic roentgenograms have already been published with a short clinical description. It is befitting, now that Dr. McDonald has passed away, to name the jet sign after him, and henceforth call it the "McDonald jet sign." More recently we saw the "McDonald jet sign" on retrograde pyelograms in patients who had uretero-pelvic junction obstruction. The jet sign seems to be much more frequent than had been suspected and can be seen in several conditions where the contrast material is injected across a narrowed passage, as it sometimes happens in urograms with a narrowed ureteral orifice.
Family Communication Patterns, Parental Modeling, and Confirmation in Romantic Relationships

This study explored family communication patterns (FCPs) (i.e., conversation and conformity orientations) and interparental confirmation as predictors of young adults’ confirmation in their romantic relationships (i.e., acceptance and challenge). Participants included 181 young adults from intact families. Results revealed conditional and interaction effects of family conversation and conformity orientations on the degree to which young adults confirmed their romantic partner. More importantly, FCPs and interparental confirmation were predictive of self-to-partner confirmation after controlling for reciprocity of confirmation within the romantic relationship.
The Structure Of Individual Variation In Miocene Globorotalia

Analysis of probability distributions of individual organisms provides a common language to describe synchronic and diachronic diversity. When based on an appropriate quantitative description of morphology, this language can be used to explore the temporal component of diversity embedded in the fossil record. Miocene Globorotalia (planktonic foraminifera) from Deep Sea Drilling Project site 593 are described using two-point registration of landmarks in two views (spiral and apertural) and medial-axis analysis of the shape of the final chamber. The equiangular spiral parameters Θ (the angle of increment), r (the expansion rate), and t (the rate of translation down the spiral axis) appear as principal components of the landmark data. Chamber shape variation is described by three principal components of medial-axis curvature. Partial-least-squares analysis demonstrates that the first components of within-morphospace variation also explain the patterns of correlation between the landmark and chamber-shape morphospaces. In the landmark morphospaces, the distribution of sampled individuals is continuous and roughly elliptical with few stratigraphic changes. In the chamber-shape morphospace, the distribution is continuous but shows complex features beyond the elliptical; the occupied morphospace changes stratigraphically, but neither strict cladogenesis nor strict anagenesis explains the derivation of new morphologies. Exemplars of named morphospecies are scattered across these spaces with continuous variation among all forms. These names cannot be assumed to represent discrete entities.
Normal Pregnancy and Delivery After Ileal Conduit Urinary Diversion

Lower urinary tract diversion via an ileal conduit is not a contraindication to pregnancy and subsequent normal spontaneous vaginal delivery. This is true regardless of the etiology of underlying urologic dysfunction as long as maternal renal function and general health remain stable and obstetrical considerations of the underlying congenital abnormality of the patient do not preclude conception and delivery.
Regional measurement of arterial stiffness using Pulse Wave Imaging (PWI): Phantom validation and preliminary clinical results

Arterial stiffness is a well-established biomarker of cardiovascular disease. The Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) measure has been widely accepted as a surrogate for arterial stiffness. In this paper, the novel ultrasound-based, Pulse Wave Imaging method (PWI) is proposed for visualization of the pulse wave during its propagation and for calculation of the PWV in vivo in human. The PWI method is first validated in five arterial phantoms by comparing the values of elasticity obtained by PWI to those independently measured by mechanical testing. Good agreement was found with mechanical testing on phantoms (r2=0.92), showing the reliability of the method. In vivo average PWV was found to be equal to 5.6 ± 0.8 m/s in a population with no history of cardiovascular disease (n=11, age=28.9±3.3). In this study, reliability and in vivo reproducibility of the PWI method were demonstrated.
Nonequilibrium Synthesis of Highly Porous Single-Crystalline Oxide Nanostructures

A novel synthesis route to the formation of vertically aligned single-crystalline oxide nanostructures is found by precisely controlling the nonequilibrium pulsed laser deposition process. Here, the columnar nanostructures with deep crevices offering a large surface area are generated owing to the diffusion limited geometric shadowing effect.
Response to O'Leary et al.: Misuse of Models Leads to Misguided Conservation Recommendations

O'Leary et al. (2016) sought to evaluate the scientific basis for global targets for marine protected area (MPA) coverage (e.g., 10% of marine habitats) using a meta-analysis of published MPA modeling studies. Unfortunately, their approach was flawed in both methodology and philosophy, as we explain in this letter. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Low temperature nitridation combined with high temperature buffer annealing for high quality GaN grown by plasma-assisted MBE

The effect of the initial nitridation of the sapphire substrate on the GaN crystal quality as a function of substrate temperature was studied. GaN layers were grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on sapphire substrates nitridated at different substrate temperatures. A strong improvement in the GaN crystal quality was observed at 100 °C nitridation temperature. Symmetric (0004) and asymmetric (10-5) full widths at half maximum (FWHM) of the x-ray rocking curves were 136 and 261 arcsec, respectively. This compares to an x-ray rocking curve full width at half maximum of 818 arcsec (0004) for conventional MBE buffer conditions. For our conventional buffer conditions, sapphire substrates were exposed to a N plasma at temperatures above 500 °C for 10min and then 25~50nm buffers were deposited without annealing at high temperature. The low temperature nitridation also shows an enhancement of the lateral growth of the GaN, resulting in larger grain sizes. The largest grain size achieved was approximately 2.8μm, while the average grain size was approximately 2.4μm at 100 °C nitridation temperature.
The Relationship Between Public and Private Schooling and Anti-Semitism

ABSTRACTNo previous research has directly examined the relationship between attending a public or private school as a child and people’s attitudes toward Jews when they become adults. This article sheds new light on this issue by using a large, nationally representative survey of over 1,500 adults in the United States to see how childhood schooling is related to adult anti-Semitism. It finds that even after controlling for a variety of background characteristics, people who attended private schools exhibit more positive attitudes toward Jews than those who attended public schools.
Improving tobacco dependence treatment outcomes for smokers of lower socioeconomic status: A randomized clinical trial

Abstract Introduction Evidence-based treatments for tobacco dependence are significantly less effective for smokers of lower socioeconomic status which contributes to socioeconomic disparities in smoking prevalence rates and health. We aimed to reduce the socioeconomic gradient in treatment outcomes by systematically adapting evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral treatment for tobacco dependence for diverse lower socioeconomic smokers. Methods Participants were randomized to adapted or standard treatment, received six 1-h group treatment sessions, and were followed for six months. We examined the effectiveness of the adapted treatment to improve treatment outcomes for lower socioeconomic groups. Results Participants (n = 227) were ethnically, racially, and socioeconomically diverse. The adapted treatment significantly reduced the days to relapse for the two lowest socioeconomic groups: SES1: M = 76.6 (SD 72.9) vs. 38.3 (SD 60.1) days to relapse (RR = 0.63 95% CI, 0.45, 0.88, p = 0.0013); SES2: M = 88.2 (SD 67.3) vs. 40.1 (SD 62.6 days to relapse (RR = 0.57 95% CI, 0.18, 0.70, p = 0.0024). Interactions between socioeconomic status and condition were significant for initial abstinence (OR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.09, 1.46, p = 0.002), approached significance for 3-month abstinence (OR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.80, 1.01, p Conclusion Systematic adaption of evidence-based treatment for tobacco dependence can significantly improve initial and short-term treatment outcomes for diverse lower socioeconomic smokers and reduce inequities in days to relapse. Novel methods of providing targeted extended support are needed to improve long-term outcomes.
Integrating Viral Hepatitis Prevention into STD Clinics in Illinois (excluding Chicago), 1999–2005

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all clients of sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics. Hepatitis A vaccination and hepatitis C testing are recommended for STD clinic clients who report specific risks for those viruses. In 1999, the Illinois Department of Public Health began working with local health departments in Illinois (excluding Chicago) to introduce hepatitis B testing and vaccination in public STD clinics. Hepatitis A vaccination and hepatitis C counseling and testing were introduced in 2001. Illinois state funding has covered more than one-third of the costs of offering these integrated viral hepatitis services to STD clients. Hepatitis A and B vaccination and hepatitis C counseling and testing are now the standard of care in almost all (35 of 41) Illinois public STD clinics (excluding Chicago). In 2005, 29.4% of STD client visits included a hepatitis B vaccination. In public STD clinics in Illinois, hepatitis A and B vaccinations and hepatitis C counseling and testing have increased from essentially no activity in 1999 to substantial levels of service in 2005.
Novel Capsule Fill Tube Assemblies for the Hydrodynamic Growth Radiography Targets

Capsule fill tube assemblies (CFTAs) consist of an ablator capsule and fill tube via a laser-drilled funnel hole. This hole tapers from 17-μm diameter at the outer surface of the ablator capsule to...
Wadjet: Finding Outliers in Multiple Multi-Dimensional Heterogeneous Data Streams

Data streams are sequences of data points that have the properties of transiency, infiniteness, concept drift, uncertainty, multi-dimensionality, cross-correlation among different streams, asynchronous arrival, and heterogeneity. In this paper we propose a new outlier detection technique for multiple multi-dimensional data streams, called Wadjet, that addresses all the issues of outlier detection in multiple data streams. Wadjet exploits the temporal correlations to identify outliers in each individual data stream, and after this, it exploits the cross-correlations between data streams to identify points that do not conform with these cross-correlations. Experiments comparing Wadjet against existing techniques on real and synthetic datasets show that Wadjet achieves 18.8X higher precision, and competitive execution time and recall.
Traditional Indigenous Education

Even today, when an Aboriginal mother notices the first stirrings of speech in her child, she lets it handle the ‘things’ of that particular country: leaves, fruit, insects and so forth. The child, at its mother’s breast, will toy with the ’thing’, talk to it, test its teeth on it, learn its name, repeat its name – and finally chuck it aside. We give our children guns and computer games … They gave their children the land.
Delayed effects of combined stress and Aβ infusion on L-LTP of the dentate gyrus: Prevention by nicotine.

Abstract Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive dementia hallmarked by the presence in the brain of extracellular beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and intraneuronal fibrillary tangles. Chronic stress is associated with heightened Aβ buildup and acceleration of development of AD, however, stress alone has no significant effect on synaptic plasticity in the dentate gyrus (DG) area. Previously, we have reported that the combination of stress and AD causes more severe inhibition of synaptic plasticity of hippocampal area CA1 than chronic stress or AD alone, and that chronic nicotine treatment prevents this impairment. To investigate the effect of stress and nicotine on synaptic plasticity in the relatively injury-resistant DG area, the present experiments analyzed the effect of chronic stress and the neuroprotective effect of nicotine on LTP in the DG area of a rat model of AD. Wistar rats were chronically stressed and treated with nicotine (1 mg/kg/twice daily; s.c.) for six weeks. Then, at weeks 5–6, AD model was generated by 14-day i.c.v osmotic pump infusion of Aβ peptides (300 pmol/day) into the brains of these rats. Field potential recordings from the DG area of anesthetized rats, revealed that while chronic stress did not accentuate Aβ-induced impairments of E-LTP, it markedly augmented Aβ effect on L-LTP that was only seen 100 min after multiple high frequency stimulation. This delayed action is likely to be due to impairment of process of de novo protein synthesis required for maintenance phase of L-LTP. Chronic nicotine treatment prevented stress-enhanced suppression of synaptic plasticity.
Effects of sprint training on maximal stroke volume of rats with a chronic myocardial infarction

The hemodynamic response to maximal exercise was determined in rats with a chronic myocardial infarction (MI) that were subjected to 6–8 wk of high-intensity sprint training (HIST) or limited exerc...
A High CO 2 -Requiring Mutant of Arabidopsis Thaliana that Displays Photooxidation in Air

The production of reactive oxygen species in the chloroplast is an inevitable consequence of the photodynamic processes that occur. Singlet oxygen (102) and oxygen radicals such as superoxide anion (O2 -) are responsible for photooxidative damage to pigments, lipids, and proteins. Singlet oxygen is produced when oxygen quenches triplet chlorophyll. Protection from 1O2 is offered by the carotenoids which quench both 1O2 and triplet chlorophyll (1). Superoxide anions are produced at the reducing side of photosystem I, either by reaction with P430, an insoluble electron acceptor, (2) or with ferredoxin (3). The latter reaction is known as the Mehler reaction. Superoxide anions are detoxified in the chloroplast by a series of reactions (4):
Stability, Concept of

Stability may be defined broadly as the tendency of a system to return to its former state after some disturbance. In the natural world, the term can be applied to the capacity of an ecosystem to resist environmental disturbances. Given the fact that human activity now produces such disturbances on a vast global scale, the ability of ecosystems to remain stable has become an issue of great significance. Current investigators study the interrelationship of stability and biodiversity; i.e., the effect that the biodiversity of an ecosystem has on its stability, and the corresponding role of stability in maintaining the biodiversity of the system.
Effect of Caffeine on Post-Mortem Blood Coagulation

The purpose of this experiment is to determine the effect caffeine has on the coagulation (clotting) of blood post mortem. The experimental design was to use 200 mg of a caffeine pill called Stay Awake by Equate, and mix the crushed pill with blood of the species Bos Taurus (cow blood). Temperature of the blood was also taken into account, and two experiments were conducted with the dependent variable being room temperature and the temperature of a refrigerator. Half of the samples (3/6) contained caffeine, the others did not. The rate of coagulation was measured with data being recorded every hours, then once at the 24 hour and 48 hour mark.
Leukotriene B4 Contributes to Development of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy

Purpose Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a highly prevalent vaso-occlusive disease that is a leading cause of graft failure and mortality after heart transplantation. While the pathogenesis of CAV remains incompletely understood, histologic evidence suggests that macrophages, which constitute an important part of the innate immune response, may play an important role. Prior studies in pulmonary hypertension have shown that macrophage-derived leukotriene B4 (LTB4) induces proliferation and hypertrophy of human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. We hypothesized that LTB4 plays a similar role in the development of CAV. Methods Human studies: We performed immunofluorescence staining of sections from human CAV+ and CAV- coronary arteries with CD68 (macrophage marker) and 5-LO (5-lipoxygenase, LTB4-producing enzyme), and measured serial LTB4 plasma levels in 14 patients with angiographic CAV and 14 matched CAV- controls. Rat model: We performed aortic transplants in a rat CAV model (Fischer into Lewis orthotopic aortic transplants, n=11) with allogeneic transplants as controls (n=6), and performed CD68 and 5-LO staining of aortic cross-sections of mice with and without aortic intimal hyperplasia. We then treated rat allogeneic transplants with bestatin (protease inhibitor that blocks LTB4 production) to determine whether LTB4 inhibition can prevent the intimal proliferation seen in this rat CAV model. Results Immunofluorescence staining showed that 5-LO co-localized with CD68+ macrophages in the intimal layer of CAV+ human arterioles and in allogeneic rat aortic transplant models. Plasma LTB4 levels were higher in CAV+ cases compared to CAV- controls (n=14 per group, p Conclusion Macrophage-derived leukotriene B4 may contribute to development of CAV. Blockade of LTB4 synthesis has the potential to prevent CAV development after heart transplantation.
The Opinion Podcast: A Visceral Form of Persuasion

In this assignment, students create a podcast episode in which they make an argument on a topic in current events. Through this process, students develop traditional rhetorical skills such as awareness of audience, formulation of a thesis, and inclusion of compelling evidence, in a new context that allows them room for creativity and for approaching these techniques from a different angle. Accustomed to composing analysis essays and research papers on a computer screen, students who create an argument in the aural medium must consider the best way to grab and hold the listener's attention so that the listener's mind does not wander, and to convey information clearly and concisely so that the listener never needs to rewind. Additionally, students become familiar with audio editing software and other aspects of digital composition, and they explore a medium that may feel like a refuge in today's screen-saturated world.
Presuming competence: troubling the ideal student*

Using [Canary, D. J., & MacGregor, I. M. (2008). Differences that make a difference in assessing student communication competence. Communication Education, 57(1), 41-63. doi:10.1080/036345207016351...
Promotores for Parks? The Potential of a Public Health Model to Improve Outreach and Community Engagement in Park Planning

Underprivileged urban communities often have less parks than wealthier communities. Even when new parks are built and are physically accessible to such communities, park design and programming is o...
Copper-graphene composites; developing the MEAM potential and investigating their mechanical properties

Abstract Unraveling the deformation mechanisms at the atomistic scale of metal matrix-graphene composites is a key step toward designing and fabricating these materials with exceptional mechanical properties. While these composites can be made by embedding graphene into multiple metallic matrices, it is shown that superior mechanical properties can be obtained by combining copper and graphene. In the past few years, molecular dynamics simulations have been used to investigate the fundamental deformation mechanisms at the nanoscale of Cu-graphene composites to facilitate designing these composites with improved mechanical properties. However, in all of the reported works, Lennard-Jones potential has been used for modeling the interaction between copper and carbon atoms. The complexities in the Cu-C interaction emerges the necessity of utilizing more accurate potentials. In this work, a 2NN MEAM (second nearest-neighbor modified embedded atomic method) potential for the copper and carbon atom interaction is developed. Since crystal structures like B1 or B2 are not experimentally available for the Cu-C system, first-principle calculations are used to determine the reference structure and its elastic constants in this work. It is shown that the B1 and B2 structure of Cu-C has positive formation energy, but B1 is dynamically stable. Accordingly, the B1 crystal structure is used as the reference structure for the Cu-C system to develop the interatomic potential. It is shown that the reported potential agrees reasonably well for phonon dispersion frequencies, stacking fault energies, and the atomic forces with the available experimental data and first-principle calculations. The developed potential is utilized to study the mechanical properties of copper-graphene composites subjected to uniaxial loading. Our results show that adding graphene to a defect-free Cu crystal weakens the metallic matrix’s mechanical properties. However, when the graphene is embedded into a Cu matrix with some defects, e.g., in a polycrystalline Cu, it can significantly improve the mechanical properties.
Diverse identities and sites of action of cochlear neurotransmitters.

Abstract Accurate encoding of acoustic stimuli requires temporally precise responses to sound integrated with cellular mechanisms that encode the complexity of stimuli over varying timescales and orders of magnitude of intensity. Sound in mammals is initially encoded in the cochlea, the peripheral hearing organ, which contains functionally specialized cells (including hair cells, afferent and efferent neurons, and a multitude of supporting cells) to allow faithful acoustic perception. To accomplish the demanding physiological requirements of hearing, the cochlea has developed synaptic arrangements that operate over different timescales, with varied strengths, and with the ability to adjust function in dynamic hearing conditions. Multiple neurotransmitters interact to support the precision and complexity of hearing. Here, we review the location of release, action, and function of neurotransmitters in the mammalian cochlea with an emphasis on recent work describing the complexity of signaling.
The Kinetic Studies in the Adsorption of Hazardous Substances Using Clay Minerals

For the design of the adsorption system, reliable adsorption kinetic data are required. Different concepts are employed to develop a reliable adsorption kinetic model. Most of the available models were developed according to mass transfer principles or the concept of chemical reaction occurring on the surface of a solid. The models based on the surface-reaction kinetic step as controlling the sorption rate have also been proposed, these models include pseudo-first order kinetic (also called as Lagergren model), pseudo-second order kinetic, and Elovich equation. This chapter discusses various aspects of pseudo-first order kinetic and pseudo-second order kinetic in representing the adsorption kinetic data of some hazardous compounds onto clay minerals. The pseudo-first order kinetic is the earliest known equation to describe the rate of sorption in the liquid phase system. The behavior of time constant parameters k 1 and k 2 of pseudo-first order kinetics and pseudo-second order kinetics as a function of initial concentration as well as the temperature is discussed in this chapter. One of the kinetic models which also widely used to represent the sorption kinetic data is an intraparticle diffusion model also briefly discussed in this chapter.
Stress rate effects on slow crack growth parameters

The use of dynamic fatigue testing to generate slow crack growth data for SCG parameter estimation assumes that the test specimen lifetime is dominated by a single region of the SCG cure. This assumption breaks down when significant portions of the crack growth occur in all three regions of the SCG curve. The resultant averaging of data representing all three regions of the SCG curve results in an error in the estimated SCG parameters n and D, and such data may not be accurate for predicting the lifetime of industrial components. Dynamic fatigue tests covering five orders of magnitude well below the inert strength were performed on an alumina by using ASTM C 1161 B flexure specimens. Statistical analysis of the experimental results indicates a statistically significant effect of stress rate on the SCG parameter n for stress rates above several MPa/s. The experimental results are in agreement with analytical results of Sudreau et al. [1] that show significant effects for rates greater than approximately one MPa/s. Recommendations for dynamic fatigue testing are given with regard to the procedures in ASTM C 1368-97 [2].
Applications of Integrated Optics and Current Trends

In the preceding chapters, the theory and technology of optical integrated circuits have been described. Although this a relatively new field of endeavor, numerous applications of OIC’s to the solution of current engineering problems have already been implemented and some OIC’s are now available as “off-the-shelf” commercial products. Of course, optical fiber waveguides, the companion element of OIC’s in an integrated-optic system, are already well recognized as being very useful consumer products. In this chapter, some of the more recent applications of both fibers and OIC’s are reviewed, and current trends are evaluated. In this review of representative integrated optic applications, specific systems and companies are named in order to illustrate the international character of the field and the types of organizations that are involved in it. Recommendation of any particular company or its products is not intended or implied. Also, the performance data that are quoted have generally been obtained from news articles and other secondary sources. Hence, they should be interpreted as being illustrative rather than definite.
Greenhouse Gases and Global Warming

The physical state of the climate system is determined by the interactions among the sun, atmosphere, biosphere (including humans), cryosphere (ice and snow), hydrosphere, and geosphere. Because of its complexity, a complete description of the climate system is beyond our capabilities. The use of observations and models can, however, increase our understanding of fundamental processes important in controlling the Earth’s mean climatic state.
Assaultiveness and Alcohol Use in Family Disputes: Police Perceptions

Systematic naturalistic observation often contradicts experimental laboratory findings and idiosyncratic personal perceptions. In this study, family disputes managed by police officers trained in interpersonal conflict management yielded uniform observational data on 1,388 cases. The view shared by police and by social scientists that family disputes are likely to involve assaultiveness and that such behavior is typically caused by alcohol use was not supported by these data. Instead, the findings suggest that: assaults do not usually precede arrival of police; disputes are not usually influenced by alcohol use; and, indeed, assaults are less common when alcohol has been used.
El viaje al centro: "tísicas, costureritas y milonguitas en Buenos Aires, 1910-1940"

En las primeras tres decadas del siglo XX, y al calor de los cambios urbanos que harian de Buenos Aires una metropolis, la poesia, el cine, el teatro y las letras de tango trabajaron con insistencia la trayectoria protagonizada por la muchacha de barrio que, lanzandose al mundo de la noche y el cabaret del centro, apostaba a sacar ventajas de una sociedad donde el ascenso social, limitado pero real, era parte de la experiencia urbana. Las letras de tango, escritas mayoritariamente por hombres, hablan de ese viaje en clave de condena, y la tuberculosis aparece como la materializacion de un castigo para esas mujeres jovenes que han osado desafiar su lugar en el mundo domestico y barrial. Asi, el tango ofrece a su audiencia no solo un registro fuertemente moralizante sino tambien la imagen de una enfermedad que parece ser exclusivo patrimonio femenino cuando, en realidad, se trataba de una enfermedad que afectaba tanto a hombres como a mujeres.
Improving Registered Nurses' Knowledge of Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines to Decrease the Incidence of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections: An Educational Intervention

Abstract Background The 2011 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations for preventing central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI). Educating and training health care personnel—incorporating bundled strategies for maximizing patient safety throughout the course of intravenous therapy—is the major area of interest. Despite a low number of reported CLABSIs—below national benchmarks—our large regional medical center has the goal of 0 CLABSI. Purpose The purpose of our project was to develop an educational intervention guided by the Healthcare and Technology Synergy Framework to improve registered nurses' (RNs) knowledge of evidence-based practice guidelines to decrease the incidence of CLABSI. Methodology A pretest/posttest format was used to evaluate an educational session on the nursing management of central lines (CLs). Participants in the study were RNs employed at a large regional medical center who worked 50% or more per week providing direct patient care in the hospital's intensive care units. An educational session on nursing management of CLs was presented. A 16-question survey (7 demographic and 9 knowledge questions) to assess RNs' knowledge of care and maintenance of CLs was used as the pretest and posttest. Conclusions RNs' knowledge of care and maintenance of CLs improved significantly after the intervention (pretest mean score = 4.6 and posttest mean score = 8.4; P = .0001). Implications for Practice An educational intervention can increase RNs' knowledge of care of CLs. As a result of this project, an annual evidence-based practice educational intervention was adopted for RNs at our large regional medical center.
Managing Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain (NP) arises from injuries or diseases affecting the somatosensory component of the nervous system at any level of the peripheral or central nervous system. NP is diagnosed based on common neurologic signs and symptoms. NP is best treated with a combination of multiple therapeutic approaches, and treatments include conservative, complementary, medical, interventional, and surgical treatment modalities. Goals of treatment are the same as in pain management and include improvement in pain control and in coping skills as well as restoration of functional status. Most patients with NP benefit most from an individualized, multimodal approach that emphasizes both pain and function.
The interstitial nucleus of Cajal of the cat. II. Effects of kainic acid lesion on vertical optokinetic nystagmus and after-nystagmus.

The effects of bilateral lesions of the interstitial nucleus of Cajal (INC) by kainic acid on vertical optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) and after-nystagmus (OKAN) were studied in four cats: in three cats, in the acute stage from 1 to 60 days after the lesions; in the fourth cat, they were studied 3 years after the lesions were made. Histological control of lesions showed that the whole INC was bilaterally destroyed in two cats of the acute group and only the upper part of INC in the third cat. In the chronic cat, the density of cell bodies in both INC was lower than normal. In the acute group, the cats exhibited a spontaneous downward eye drift in light and in darkness. During an upward optokinetic stimulation, the effect of INC lesions was dramatic: upward slow phases and downward quick phases of OKN were abolished. Sixty days post lesions, small upward slow eye movements were again observed. During a downward optokinetic stimulation, the defect was much less; in particular, after a slight impairment of downward slow phases, during the first days post lesions, they recovered quickly. The secondary optokinetic after nystagmus (OKAN II) ensuing a downward OKN was cancelled and did not reappear 60 days post lesions. In the chronic stage, three years after the lesions, during an upward optokinetic stimulation, the cat showed upward slow phases with velocities close to normal. However, upward slow phases were curved: the velocity at the end of the slow phases was lower than at the beginning. After an upward OKN (the direction of slow phases gives the direction of the OKN and OKAN), the ensuing OKAN was present but abnormal.
Bodies of Change: A Comparative Analysis of Media Representations of Body Modification Practices

This article examines how mainstream media frame and represent cosmetic surgery, tattooing, and body piercing as methods of body modification. Through an analysis of seventy-two newspaper articles on cosmetic surgery, tattooing, and body piercing, this article shows how cosmetic surgery and tattooing are positively presented as consumer lifestyle options, while piercing is often negatively framed as an unhealthy and problematic practice. Similarly, findings indicate that risks associated with cosmetic surgery and tattooing are frequently downplayed, as are tattooing's associations with deviance, while the potential risks related to body piercing are overemphasized. Gender is also a prominent framing device, typically as a method of reinforcing normative appearance expectations. This article concludes by discussing how these framing techniques reflect preexisting social understandings of body modification practices while simultaneously informing and shaping the broader public opinion.
Reactive Deposition of Silicon Nanowires Templated on a Stepped Nickel Surface

The initial stages of disilane Si2H6 reactive deposition on Ni(977) to form silicon nanowires have been examined using scanning tunneling microscopy. The effects of disilane exposure and dosing rate on the length distributions of the resulting silicon nanowires are discussed. Creating such atomically-wide structures using reactive deposition on stepped metal templates has potential applications in “bottom-up” nanofabrication technologies, especially in the preparation of massively parallel, aligned, and high aspect ratio structures.
Some Thoughts on Accounting Research in Japanese Settings

As the first English publication focusing on Japanese accounting research, we believe that one of the long-term goals for this journal is to help build an indigenous research culture that attracts an international audience. In this paper, we provide some thoughts on 1) identifying Japanese settings that may off er unique advantages and merit specific analysis; and 2) the ongoing convergence to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
Transcatheter occlusion of antegrade pulmonary flow in children after cavopulmonary anastomosis.

Objective: To report our experience with transcatheter occlusion of antegrade pulmonary blood flow (APF) for postoperative complications of cavopulmonary anastomosis (BCPA). Background: It has been suggested that limited APF enhances pulmonary arterial growth in patients undergoing BCPA. However, APF may result in suboptimal postoperative hemodynamics and sequelae such as SVC syndrome or prolonged chest tube drainage. For this subgroup, closure of APF may alleviate these problems. Methods: All BCPA procedures where APF was left open from 1995–2005 were reviewed. Symptomatic patients with APF who underwent a cardiac catheterization in the postoperative period comprised the study cohort. Results: 179 BCPA procedures were performed during the study period. APF was left patent in 29/179. 6/29 patients (age 10–28 months, median 14 months) presented 12 to 130 day; (median 31 days) with persistent pleural effusions (5) or SVC syndrome (1, Five had a history of a previous pulmonary arterial band (PAB) and one pulmonary stenosis. PA pressure was elevated in all (range 17–27 mmHg; median 22 mmHg). Hemodynamic evaluation with temporary APF occlusion was repeated in all patients. APF was successfully closed in 4/6 patients. The Amplatzer POA occluder was used in 3 and the Amplatzer ASD occluder in 1. Pulmonary effusions resolved in all the patients who had transcatheter APF closure as did the case of SVC syndrome. There were no complications. Conclusion: Transcatheter APF occlusion seems both safe and feasible in patients with hemodynamic compromise following BCPA with residual APF. Temporary occlusion testing prior to permanent device closure is recommended. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Game-theoretic homological sensor resource management for SSA

We present a game-theoretic approach to Level 2/3/4 fusion for the purpose of Space Situational Awareness (SSA) along with prototypical SW implementation of this approach to demonstrate its effectiveness for possible future space operations. Our approach is based upon innovative techniques that we are developing to solve dynamic games and Nperson cooperative/non-cooperative games, as well as a new emerging homological sensing algorithms which we apply to control disparate network of space sensors in order to gain better SSA.
Random Noise in PM and Depolarized Fiber Gyros

The most important contributions to the random walk coefficient (RWC) in a fiber gyro come from the Johnson noise in the transimpedance amplifier feedback resistor, the shot noise, and the intensity noise of the light falling on the detector.
Actin disassembles reversibly during electrically induced recycling of synaptic vesicles in cultured neurons

We have studied depolarization-induced regulation of actin assembly in exocytotically active areas of dissociated chick sympathetic neurons. Active areas were identified with the fluorescent dye FM1-43 which labels synaptic vesicles that recycle in these regions. Exocytosis (electrically stimulated) was monitored in real time through depletion of FM1-43 fluorescence. To study depolarization-induced disassembly of actin in the FM1-43-stained regions, the cells were fixed after different periods of depolarization and stained with rhodamine phalloidin, which binds preferentially to the filamentous form of actin. In active regions, actin disassembles and reassembles during continuous 2 min depolarization. Actin disassembly that occurs after the first 25 s of depolarization was detected by a reduction in rhodamine phalloidin staining and confirmed by correlative electron microscopy. Immunogold staining revealed that actin is abundant throughout resting terminals. In some experiments, actin filaments were stabilized by loading cells with unlabelled phalloidin before stimulating secretion. Stabilizing the filaments does not alter the initial release but strongly reduces the release rate at later stages. These data are consistent with a model in which partial disassembly of actin filaments is necessary for facilitating the transport of vesicles within the terminal and reassembly is necessary for limiting that movement.