cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Expedited Microneedle-Assisted Photodynamic Therapy for Field Treatment of Actinic Keratoses: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an effective and cosmetically favorable treatment modality for actinic keratoses (AKs). However, prolonged incubation times and pain associated with treatment are burdensome to the patient and a hindrance to widespread use of PDT as standard field therapy for AK. Objective To evaluate efficacy and pain associated with microneedle expedited PDT. Design, Setting, and Participants The Microneedle Photodynamic Therapy II (MNPDT-II) study was a randomized, single-blinded, split-face controlled, 2-arm clinical trial. Thirty-three participants with AK on the face were recruited in a university dermatology outpatient clinic from 2015 to 2016, and 32 participants completed the study. Interventions Participants were randomized into 2 incubations arms, either 10-minute or 20-minute aminolevulinic acid (ALA) incubation times, after pretreatment with a microneedle roller (200 um) vs a sham roller. They were blinded to the laterality of microneedle and sham roller assignments. After incubation, they were exposed to blue light (Blu-U, Dusa Pharmaceuticals) for 1000 seconds for a total fluence of 10 J/cm2. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was to quantitatively measure AK resolution, and the secondary outcome was to assess pain associated with microneedle pretreatment. Results Thirty-three individuals were recruited and randomized to either the 20-minute or the 10-minute incubation arm. Thirty-two participants completed the study with a mean follow-up time of 34.5 days in the 20-minute group, and 30.2 days in the 10-minute group. For the 20-minute incubation arm, average AK clearance was 76% vs 58% on the sham side (P Conclusions and Relevance Photodynamic therapy with microneedle pretreatment at a 20-minute ALA incubation time significantly improved AK clearance with efficacy similar to that of a conventional 1-hour ALA incubation time. The additional advantage to expedited treatment was that the procedure was virtually painless. However, expedited exposure of a 10-minute ALA incubation time did not reach significantly different AK clearance from the sham control. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT02594644
On the Discretization of Distributed-Parameter Systems with Quadratic and Cubic Nonlinearities

Approximate methods for analyzing the vibrations of an Euler--Bernoulli beam resting on a nonlinear elastic foundation are discussed. The cases of primary resonance (Ω ≈ Ω n ) and subharmonic resonance of order one-half (Ω ≈ 2 Ω n ), where Ω is the excitation frequency and Ω n is the natural frequency of the nth mode of the beam, are investigated. Approximate solutions based on discretization via the Galerkin method are contrasted with direct application of the method of multiple scales to the governing partial-differential equation and boundary conditions. The amplitude and phase modulation equations show that single-mode discretization leads to erroneous qualitative as well as quantitative predictions. Regions of softening (hardening) behavior of the system, the spatial dependence of the response drift, and frequency-response curves are numerically evaluated and compared using both approaches.
Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) versus open versus medical management of type B dissection

Despite improvements in diagnosis and management, aortic dissection remains a lethal disease. Type B aortic dissection (TBAD) comprises approximately one third of all acute aortic dissections with management of this disease undergoing revolutionary changes since the introduction of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) (1). Acute dissections are defined as those with delay from onset of symptoms to presentation shorter than 14 days. Approximately 25–40% of TBAD are considered complicated, with at least one of the following characteristics: end organ or lower extremity malperfusion, rupture, shock, neurologic compromise, refractory pain, refractory hypertension, or early progression of disease (2).
The haunting past: considering second- and third-generation memoirs

The Holocaust was the defining event in the lives of its survivors. As has become apparent, however, the outcomes of the Holocaust, and its effects, have not been restricted only to those who exper...
Self-Starting Self-Pumped Multicolor Passive-Phase Conjugation

The discovery of self-pumped phase conjugation using photorefractive crystals in 19821–3 has already led to several advances in image processing and aberration correction, such as an argon-ion laser with real-time intracavity aberration correction4 and a new type of interferometer.5
Property Rights: Rights and Liberties under the Law

"Property Rights" provides a survey of the evolution of constitutional property rights in the United States, from the late colonial era through the present. A central purpose is to explain the constitutional protections for individual property rights which have developed over time, including due process, the right to just compensation for government "takings" of private property, and regulatory takings. Other topics include inheritance, the treatment of Native American lands, slaves as property, and laws excluding non-citizens from purchasing real estate. Contemporary debates over the extent to which the U.S. Constitution protects private property are complicated and fiercely fought. This book does not claim that these issues are easy to resolve. The purpose, instead, is to emphasize that these modern disagreements have always been with us: The question of the legitimate role of government with respect to private property has defied easy resolution throughout U.S. history. Although the basic proposition that government takings of private property must be compensated was settled at the founding of the United States, no historical consensus has ever been reached on the extent to which compensation is required for other government actions, short of outright appropriations under eminent domain, that affect private property. The book provides a historical context for understanding the rights and liberties associated with private ownership of property, including the many changed circumstances that have forced courts, over time, to consider new parameters for such rights. What constitutional protection of private property has meant in the courts has changed since the founding era. The purpose of this book is to explore these changes through the present day. This book provides a summary of property rights in English and colonial American history, and highlights important transformations in the early national period with respect to protection of private property from government intrusion. Nineteenth century developments focus upon important court decisions interpreting "just compensation" clauses as well as the protection of property rights through the contracts clause of the federal constitution. The twentieth century experience includes restrictions on uses of private property through zoning laws and environmental regulation, private ownership rights with respect to creditors, intellectual property, and property tax issues. The book describes several new contexts in which property rights have been the subject of important court decisions, particularly intellectual property rights. The book's concluding chapter considers competing visions of property rights in more detail, including property rights in the human body and in environmental resources.
Temperature Influences Herbivory and Algal Biomass in the Galápagos Islands

Temperature can influence trophic interactions via predictable effects on the metabolism of ecothermic consumers. Under some conditions, warming should increase top–down control and trophic transfer rates, leading to declines in prey populations. We tested this prediction in the Galapagos Islands, an equatorial upwelling region, where water temperatures are highly variable and nutrient availability is thought to control primary production and standing algal biomass. We used grazing assays, field surveys, and a herbivore exclusion experiment to test the hypothesis that grazing rate and algal biomass are, in part, regulated by temperature via the temperature–dependence of herbivory. Grazing rates were greater during the warm season for urchins and other consumers (including fishes, turtles, and iguanas). Field surveys at ten sites over five years found that temperature was strongly negatively related to macroalgal cover. The results of the exclusion experiment indicate that herbivores had a large effect on macroalgal biomass, even during intense upwelling. Our results suggest that in shallow subtidal habitats across the Galapagos archipelago, grazing pressure increases with temperature, potentially resulting in reduced algal biomass when upwelling is weak and greater algal biomass when upwelling is strong and water is cold; an alternative explanation for widely observed association between upwelling intensity and algal biomass.
Sexual orientation disparities in mental health and substance use among Black American young people in the USA: effects of cyber and bias-based victimisation

Few studies have explored sexual orientation disparities in mental health and substance use outcomes among racial minorities. This study examined sexual orientation disparities in depression, suici...
Interneurons Tap the Brakes on Learning.

Little was previously known about the behavioral role of low-threshold spiking interneurons in the striatum. In this issue of Neuron, Holly et al. (2019) show that their activity can slow the acquisition of novel action-outcome associations.
Distinguishing Direct and Indirect Effects of Executive Functions on Reading Comprehension in Adolescents

This study investigated direct and indirect effects of executive functions on reading comprehension in adolescents (N = 87, M = 14.0 years, SD = 1.5) by testing for parallel mediation of effects of...
PyShifts: A PyMOL Plugin for Chemical Shift-Based Analysis of Biomolecular Ensembles.

Here, we present PyShifts—a PyMOL plugin for chemical shift-based analysis of biomolecular ensembles. With PyShifts, users can compare and visualize differences between experimentally measured and ...
Pre-timed Signal Timing

The objective of this chapter is to develop a methodology to determine signal timing plans for pre-timed signal control. More specifically, we need a methodology to determine the time needed for GREEN signal, YELLOW signal, and ALL RED signal for each phase, and collectively the length of a cycle.
Strain-Correlated Localized Exciton Energy in Atomically Thin Semiconductors

Single-photon emitters represent a key component for many quantum technologies, from quantum communication to computation. Atomically thin two-dimensional materials are promising hosts of quantum e...
Soldiers and Scholars: Evaluating Female Engagement Teams in the War in Afghanistan

The War in Afghanistan inaugurated a shifting gender climate among all levels of the U.S. military. Counterinsurgency demanded that soldiers attempt to win “hearts and minds” of local populations a...
Surgical Curriculum for Presbyopia-Correcting Intraocular Lenses: Resident Experiences and Surgical Outcomes.

Objective To describe a stepwise surgical curriculum that was implemented to teach novice surgeons about currently available advanced technology intraocular lenses (ATIOLs) for correction of presbyopia and to report the experiences and surgical results of ATIOL surgery performed by residents who engaged in the curriculum. Design Setting and Participants Third-year ophthalmology residents participated in a curriculum incorporating didactic lectures (with objective assessment and wet-lab practice) and observation of attending-performed ATIOL surgeries prior to performing ATIOL surgery as primary surgeon under direct supervision. Post-operative outcomes studied were best corrected distance visual acuity (BCDVA) and uncorrected distance (UDVA), intermediate (UIVA) near (UNVA) visual acuity and correction of astigmatism with at least 3 months of follow-up (POM3+). Residents were also given a survey to assess experiences with the surgical curriculum, preparedness for use of ATIOLs post-residency, and ATIOL practice pattern post-residency. Results A total of 12 residents from four consecutive classes completed the curriculum. Residents overall had a favorable opinion of the curriculum and felt well prepared to use ATIOLs after training. Graduates who currently perform cataract surgery felt comfortable using all available ATIOLs. A total of 100 eyes from 72 patients met the inclusion criteria for analysis in the study. At the POM3+ timepoint, 88% of eyes had UDVA of 20/30 or better, 93% had UIVA of 20/30 or better, and 71.2% had UNVA of 20/30 (J2) or better. Among eyes that received an astigmatism-correcting ATIOL, 91% had <1 diopter of astigmatism after surgery. Conclusion Resident surgeons learned to perform ATIOL surgery (medical knowledge) and achieve strong surgical outcomes (patient care) with all currently available ATIOLs after completion of a stepwise curriculum. Educators may be encouraged to incorporate an ATIOL curriculum based on the results of this study. The curriculum presented is a prototype and may be further improved with future experiences and studies.
Integration of Alzheimer's disease genetics and myeloid genomics reveals novel disease risk mechanisms

Abstract Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than thirty loci associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but the causal variants, regulatory elements, genes and pathways remain largely unknown thus impeding a mechanistic understanding of AD pathogenesis. Previously, we showed that AD risk alleles are enriched in myeloid-specific epigenomic annotations. Here, we show that they are specifically enriched in active enhancers of monocytes, macrophages and microglia. We integrated AD GWAS signals with myeloid epigenomic and transcriptomic datasets using novel analytical approaches to link myeloid enhancer activity to target gene expression regulation and AD risk modification. We nominate candidate AD risk enhancers and identify their target causal genes (including AP4E1, AP4M1, APBB3, BIN1, CD2AP, MS4A4A, MS4A6A, PILRA, RABEP1, SPI1, SPPL2A, TP53INP1, ZKSCAN1, and ZYX) in sixteen loci. Fine-mapping of these enhancers nominates candidate functional variants that likely modify disease susceptibility by regulating causal gene expression in myeloid cells. In the MS4A locus we identified a single candidate functional variant and validated it experimentally in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived microglia. Combined, these results strongly implicate dysfunction of the myeloid endolysosomal system in the etiology of AD.
The Implementation of a Collaborative Pediatric Telesimulation Intervention in Rural Critical Access Hospitals

Background Over 5.8 million pediatric visits to rural emergency department (EDs) occur each year in the United States. Most rural EDs care for less than five pediatric patients per day and are not well prepared for pediatrics. Simulation has been associated with improvements in pediatric preparedness. The implementation of pediatric simulation in rural settings is challenging due to limited access to equipment and pediatric specialists. Telesimulation involves a remote facilitator interacting with onsite learners. This article aims to describe the implementation experiences and participant feedback of a 1-year remotely facilitated pediatric emergency telesimulation program in three critical-access hospitals. Methods Three hospitals were recruited to participate with a nurse manager serving as the on-site lead. The managers worked with a study investigator to set up the simulation technology during an in-person pilot testing visit with the off-site facilitators. A curriculum consisting of eight pediatric telesimulations and debriefings was conducted over a 12-month period. Participant feedback was collected via a paper survey after each simulation. Implementation metrics were collected after each session including technical and logistic issues. Results Of 147 participant feedback surveys 90% reported that pediatric simulations should be conducted on a regular basis and overall feedback was positive. Forty-seven of 48 simulations were completed on the first attempt with few major technologic issues. The most common issue encountered related to the simulator not working correctly locally and involved the facilitator running the session without the heart and lung sounds. All debriefings occurred without any issues. Conclusions This replicable telesimulation program can be used in the small, rural hospital setting, overcoming time and distance barriers and lending pediatric emergency medicine expertise to the education of critical-access hospital providers.
A simple convertible electrolyzer in membraneless and membrane-based modes for understanding water splitting mechanism

Abstract State-of-the-art membrane-based electrolyzers such as proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells, are costly, susceptible to degradation, and time-consuming for electrode evaluation and triple-phase boundary electrochemical reaction studies. Here, a simple convertible electrolyzer in membraneless and membrane-based modes is proposed. For the first time, this enables comprehensive investigations of water splitting with pure water, acidic and alkaline electrolytes in one cell. With the simple electrolyzer and high-speed visualization system, the influences of flow rate, electrolytes, concentration, and Nafion membrane on the oxygen evolution reactions (OERs), hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) and electrolyzer performance are comprehensively investigated. Visualization results reveal that water splitting only occurred at the edge between the electrode and the Nafion membrane in pure water. However, they occurred on the whole electrode surface in alkaline and acidic electrolytes, indicating easily tunable reaction sites with the convertible electrolyzer. This demonstrates the feasibility of using the simple convertible electrolyzer for understanding the water splitting mechanism. The relation between electrolyte thickness and resistances with different electrolytes is also quantified. This work provides an insight for optimizing electrochemical devices while delivering an inexpensive and fast way for electrode evaluations and electrochemical reaction studies.
Pornography Use and Psychological Science: A Call for Consideration:

Pornography use is both ubiquitous and controversial in developed nations. Although research related to pornography use has flourished in topical and special-interest journals for several decades, ...
Green Leisure: Resistance and Revitalization of Urban Neighborhoods

Many cities have addressed urban population shrinkage by adopting strategies to re-purpose vacant lots in ways that leave them beautified and groomed. This study investigates leisure behavior resul...
Enabling Micro-payments on IoT Devices using Bitcoin Lightning Network

Lightning Network (LN) addresses the scalability problem of Bitcoin by leveraging off-chain transactions. Nevertheless, it is not possible to run LN on resource-constrained IoT devices due to its storage, memory, and processing requirements. Therefore, in this paper, we propose an efficient and secure protocol that enables an IoT device to use LN’s functions through a gateway LN node. The idea is to involve the IoT device in LN operations with its digital signature by replacing original 2-of-2 multisignature channels with 3-of-3 multisignature channels. Our protocol enforces the LN gateway to request the IoT device’s cryptographic signature for all operations on the channel. We evaluated the proposed protocol by implementing it on a Raspberry Pi for a toll payment scenario and demonstrated its feasibility and security.
Impact of the p-Value Threshold on Interpretation of Trial Outcomes in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Objective Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are considered the highest level of evidence to inform clinical practice. However, the reproducibility crisis has raised concerns about the scientific rigor of published RCT findings. Some advocate for a lower p-value threshold. We aimed to review published OB/Gyn topical RCTs in three representative OB/Gyn journals and three high impact non-OB/Gyn journals to determine if their interpretations would change with adoption of a p-value threshold for significance of 0.005. Secondarily, we evaluated if there were differences in methodologic characteristics between those that did and did not lose significance. Study Design A manual search was performed to identify all OB/Gyn RCTs published in the selected journals between July 2017 and June 2019. Data were collected on primary outcome(s), methodology, and p-values. We determined the proportion of primary outcomes that would remain statistically significant with adoption of a p-value significance threshold of 0.005 versus be reinterpreted as “suggestive” (defined as p-value between 0.005 and 0.05). Chi-square or Fisher's exact test were used to compare study characteristics. Results Overall, 202 RCTs met inclusion criteria; 52% in obstetrics and 48% in gynecology. Of 90 studies considered significant with p Conclusion Adopting a p-value significance threshold of 0.005 would require reinterpretation of almost half of RCT results in the OB/Gyn literature. Highly variable methodological quality was identified. Key Points
Primitive Beables Are Not Local Ontology: On the Relation between Primitive Ontology and Local Beables

espanolCuando se habla de ontologia cuantica, el debate se ha centrado recientemente en comparar y contrastar el realismo de la funcion de onda y sus rivales. Entre ellos se encuentra el enfoque de la ontologia primitiva, que a menudo se funde con el programa de beables locales. En este articulo deseo aclarar lo que considero la distincion entre la nocion de ontologia primitiva y la de beable local. Sostengo que la ontologia primitiva es el beable local que permite una explicacion dinamica y constructiva que preserva las simetrias. EnglishWhen discussing quantum ontology, the debate has recently focusedon comparing and contrasting wavefunction realism and its rivals. Among them onefinds the primitive ontology approach, which is often conflated with the local beablesprogram. In this paper I wish to clarify what I take to be the distinction between thenotion of primitive ontology and the one of local beable. I argue that the primitiveontology is the local beable which allows for a dynamical, constructive explanationwhich preserves symmetries.
Nonvolatile switching in In 2 Se 3 -silicon microring resonators

We investigate the phase transition in molecular beam epitaxy grown crystalline In 2 Se 3 and observed nonvolatile switching in hybrid integrated silicon photonic resonator.
DDE: A Modified Dimension Exchange Method for Load Balancing in k-ary n-cubes

Abstract The dimension exchange method (DEM) was initially proposed as a load-balancing algorithm for the hypercube structure. It has been generalized to k -ary n -cubes. However, the k -ary n -cube algorithm must take many iterations to converge to a balanced state. In this paper, we propose a new algorithm, the Direct Dimension Exchange (DDE) method, which takes load average in every dimension without iteratively exchanging the load. This global approach is able to balance the load more accurately and much faster.
African-American Teachers' Knowledge of Teaching: Understanding the Influence of Their Remembered Teachers

Many researchers have emphasized the connection between teachers' thinking and their autobiography, noting that much of teachers' knowledge of teaching has been derived from their life experiences. Since teachers have spent many years watching teachers teach, those experiences become part of the process of learning to teach. This article examines the role of former or remembered teachers in the shaping of the beliefs and practices of eleven successful African-American teachers who teach in urban schools in a major metropolitan area. Both the remembered teachers and the teachers in this study used their pedagogy to enable their students to achieve in spite of circumstances that often militated against success.
Graph-Theoretic Techniques for Web Content Mining

In this dissertation we introduce several novel techniques for performing data mining on web documents which utilize graph representations of document content. Graphs are more robust than typical vector representations as they can model structural information that is usually lost when converting the original web document content to a vector representation. For example, we can capture information such as the location, order and proximity of term occurrence, which is discarded under the standard document vector representation models. Many machine learning methods rely on distance computations, centroid calculations, and other numerical techniques. Thus many of these methods have not been applied to data represented by graphs since no suitable graph-theoretical concepts were previously available. We introduce the novel Graph Hierarchy Construction Algorithm (GHCA), which performs topic-oriented hierarchical clustering of web search results modeled using graphs. The system we created around this new algorithm and its prior version is compared with similar web search clustering systems to gauge its usefulness. An important advantage of this approach over conventional web search systems is that the results are better organized and more easily browsed by users. Next we present extensions to classical machine learning algorithms, such as the k-means clustering algorithm and the k-Nearest Neighbors classification algorithm, which allows the use of graphs as fundamental data items instead of vectors. We perform experiments comparing the performance of the new graph-based methods to the traditional vector-based methods for three web document collections. Our experimental results show an improvement for the graph approaches over the vector approaches for both clustering and classification of web documents. An important advantage of the graph representations we propose is that they allow the computation of graph similarity in polynomial time; usually the determination of graph similarity with the techniques we use is an NP-Complete problem. In fact, there are some cases where the execution time of the graph-oriented approach was faster than the vector approaches.
Static compression experiments on low-Z planetary materials

Recent static high-pressure studies carried out with diamond anvil cells provide key information on properties of low-Z materials believed to be major constituents of the outer planets and their satellites. Profound pressure-induced changes in physical and chemical properties occur in such materials (i.e., gases and ices) as a result of the high compressions reached at planetary interior conditions. The equation of state of hydrogen and deuterium has been measured by single-crystal X ray diffraction to pressures above 100 GPa. Measurements of the optical properties of the hydrogen isotopes at megabar pressures indicate that the material transforms to a semiconducting charge transfer state with a complex phase diagram rather than to a semimetal at 150 GPa and low temperatures. The results may be compared with the reported metallization of the fluid at comparable pressures and high temperatures, as well as to theoretically predicted plasma phase transition. Infrared reflectivity measurements demonstrate that H 2 O-ice transforms at 60 GPa to a nonmolecular, ionic phase, which persists to at least 210 GPa. Vibrational spectra strongly suggest a phase having symmetric hydrogen bonds. Mixtures of simple molecular materials at moderate pressures (e.g., beginning at <1 GPa) are found to exhibit a new high-pressure chemistry associated with the formation of stoichiometric compounds (or order alloys). For example, four new compounds are found in the CH 4 -H 2 binary system at pressures below 8 GPa. The stability as a function of pressure has been studied to higher pressure, where unusual infrared properties are observed. Implications of these experiments for the outer solar system are discussed.
Chapter 3 Forecast Evaluation

Abstract This chapter summarizes recent literature on asymptotic inference about forecasts. Both analytical and simulation based methods are discussed. The emphasis is on techniques applicable when the number of competing models is small. Techniques applicable when a large number of models is compared to a benchmark are also briefly discussed.
Telomeric and Subtelomeric Repeat Sequences

Telomeric repeats are the tandem arrays of a short G-rich sequence that are present at the ends of most eukaryotic chromosomes. Subtelomeric sequences lie immediately proximal to the telomeric repeats and are composed of complex patchwork of low-copy repeated sequences, segmental duplications and degenerate telomeric repeats. Keywords: chromosome ends; telomere; subtelomere; repeated sequence DNA; genome stability; interchromosomal recombination
Neurotransmitter receptors of starburst amacrine cells in rabbit retinal slices

The receptor pharmacology of cholinergic (“starburst”) amacrine cells was studied in a newly developed rabbit retinal slice preparation with whole-cell patch clamp. Displaced starburst cells were labeled with the fluorescent dye 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), and their dendritic morphology was identified in the slice with Lucifer yellow. Under conditions in which synaptic transmission was blocked by Cd2+, starburst cells responded vigorously to the bath-applied neurotransmitters GABA, glycine, and glutamate. The response to GABA consisted of an inward current and an increase in noise, which could be mimicked by the GABAA agonists muscimol and trans-4-aminocrotonic acid (TACA), but not by the GABAB agonist baclofen or the GABAC agonist cis- 4-aminocrotonic acid (CACA). The GABA-evoked currents were reversibly inhibited by bicuculline and picrotoxin and had a reversal potential close to the chloride equilibrium potential. Noise analysis of GABA- activated whole-cell currents yielded elementary conductance estimates of 12.5 pS. Glycine (30–200 microM) also activated a Cl- conductance in starburst cells, which could be completely blocked by strychnine. The non-NMDA agonists kainate (KA, 30–100 microM) and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy- 5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA, 60 microM) evoked robust responses, which were reversibly blocked by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline- 2,3-dione (CNQX), and which reversed near the equilibrium potential for cations. NMDA coapplied with glycine in salines free of Cd2+ and Mg2+ elicited small but detectable responses. The I/V relation of the NMDA- evoked response showed a characteristic “J”-shaped region in a saline containing 1 mM Mg2+ and 0 Cd2+, indicating that NMDA receptors were present directly on starburst cells. This was consistent with our finding that whole-cell currents evoked by KA and NMDA had different noise characteristics. These results place new constraints on models of starburst cell function and suggest that GABA-mediated inhibition of the starburst cell itself may play an important role in directional selectivity in the retina.
AUDITORY PAIN THRESHOLDS FOR INTERMITTENT, "BEAT AND STEADY SIGNALS

Eight Ss were given audiograms and ear examinations to insure normality and then presented with a series of tones at either 1000 cps or 2500 cps. For each frequency the sounds were presented as constant tones, as interrupted pulses, or as “beats,” the pulses and beats being given at repetition rates of either 3, 6, or 15 per sec. For each condition the intensity of the sound was increased by a series of steps. S was to indicate when the tone was “just noticeably unpleasant” (JNU) and when it was “just noticeably painful” (JNP). These thresholds were measured in terms of the db attenuation from a given maximum of 130 ± 2 db. It was found that individual pain thresholds varied from about 100 db to over 130 db, with unpleasantness thresholds about 8 to 10 db below pain thresholds. The 2500-cps signal, irrespective of whether it is presented as a steady stimulus, a series of pulses, or a series of beats, is reacted to as “unpleasant” or as “painful” at a slightly, but consistently lower intensity level than t...
The effects of ethanol on the efflux and release of norepinephrine and 5-hydroxytryptamine from slices of rat hypothalamus

Abstract Studies were done to determine the effects of ethanol on release of norepinephrine, dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine from nerve terminals in the central nervous system. Superfused slices of rat hypothalamus were used in these studies and endogenous amines in the superfusate were quantitated using HPLC with electrochemical detection. In these experiments ‘release’ of transmitters was studied in the presence of amitriptyline to block neuronal uptake of amines, whereas ‘efflux’ was measured in its absence. A highly intoxicating concentration of ethanol (69.6 mM, 320 mg%) increased the K+-evoked release of norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin without affecting basal release. Since this concentration of ethanol increased the basal efflux but not the basal release of 5-hydroxytryptamine, it appeared that neuronal uptake of 5-hydroxytryptamine under basal conditions may also be inhibited by intoxicating levels of ethanol.
Must god do his best

If there is to be a problem of evil, there must be some ethical requirement which is applicable to divine action, and which arguably is not met in the actual world. Once such a requirement has been identified, it becomes the task of the theodicist to argue either that the proposed requirement does not hold, or that the requirement is in fact met. One of the most popular candidates for this role has been the requirement that God must create the best possible world. This proposal has undeniable appeal: it has a simplicity and "cleanness" which seems appropriate to the subject-matter, and it lays a burden on the theodicist which, at least since Candide, few have been eager to assume. But the proposed requirement has been criticized on the grounds of incoherence: it seems plausible that, if God is omnipotent, then for each world that he could create, no matter how good it may be, there is another, still better world that God could create. Thus the phrase, "best possible world," necessarily lacks a referent. David Basinger has recently pointed out, however, that there are other possible requirements on God's creative activity which are not threatened by this kind of incoherence. For instance, consider the following three sets of possible worlds: the set of worlds containing selfdetermining beings and more moral good than evil, the set of worlds containing selfdetermining beings and less moral good than evil, and the set of worlds containing no self determining beings. It might be held that God is required to create, if possible, a world which is a member of the first set. It might also be held that, if unable (perhaps due to the free choices of selfdetermining beings) to create a world of the first set, then God is ethically required to create some world of the third set in preference to any world of the second set. These requirements do not identify any one world as the best, or optimal world for God to create; thus they are not threatened by the incoherence which undermines the "best possible world" requirement.1 Of course the mere lack of incoherence does not constitute an ethical requirement as a good candidate for generating a problem of evil. Several qualities are needed in such a candidate: it must impose on God a requirement which is not International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 16:213-223 (1984). © 1984 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht. Printed in the Netherlands.
A structural approach to the design of control systems in heat exchanger networks

Abstract A new approach is proposed to address the following problems: (a) design the configuration of control loops in a network of heat exchangers (the DESIGN problem); (b) sequence the control action of the loops, to accommodate set-point changes and reject load disturbances (the OPERATIONAL problem). The approach proposed exploits the structural characteristics of a heat exchanger network (HEN) by identifying routes through the HEN structure that can allocate loads (disturbances, or set-point changes) to available sinks (external coolers or heaters). The resulting configuration of control systems is composed of feedback and feedforward loops. Several design issues such as the placement of bypass lines, the restrictions imposed by the existence of a “process pinch”, etc. are also discussed. An online, real-time planning of control actions is the essence of implementational strategies generated for the solution of the OPERATIONAL problem. The plan of control actions is generated by an “expert” controller, which selects what path(s) through the HEN is (are) to be used for each entering disturbance or set-point change, and what loops should be activated (and in what sequence) to carry the associated load (disturbance or set-point change) to a utility unit.
Polarization of neutrons from the T(p, n)He3 reaction from 1.9 to 3.5 MeV

Abstract Previous measurements in this laboratory on the polarization of the neutrons from the T(p, n)He3 reaction have been extended to lower energies and other emission angles. A solenoid was used to precess the spin vector of the neutrons and the polarization was determined from the observed asymmetry in scattering from helium. The results indicate that the polarization is largest near a centre-of-mass emission angle of 45° with a value of 0.40 between 2.0 and 2.4 MeV bombarding energy.
New Window Function for Very Short Acquisition Times

An apodization function, the sinc-TRAF function (S-TRAF), has been developed for application to exponentially decaying data sets where the acquisition times ( AT ) is less than or equal to one time constant, T * . For heavily truncated time-domain signals, S-TRAF is able to remove sinc ripple with only minor losses in linewidth (LW) and signal-to-noise ratio (S/N). Ripple removal achieved with the application of S-TRAF rivals that observed from use of the ''ultimate ripple-free resolution enhancement'' function (URFRE) for AT as low as 0.3 T * . S-TRAF maintains LW and S/N better than URFRE for all acquisition times examined.
Minimal breaking of flavor SU (3) in nonleptonic charm decay

Abstract A general treatment of SU(3) breaking of the charm decay hamiltonian by an octet leads to an unpractically large number of new representations. Here, we limit all SU(3) breaking to a single lowest representation, the 3∗, which affects only Cabibbo suppressed decays but not the Cabibbo allowed ones. We applied this model to the two pseudoscalar channels of D meson decay and find it to be in good agreement with the present data.
Silica coatings in the Ka'u Desert, Hawaii, a Mars analog terrain: A micromorphological, spectral, chemical, and isotopic study

High-silica materials have been observed on Mars, both from orbit by the CRISM spectrometer and in situ by the Spirit rover at Gusev Crater. These observations potentially imply a wet, geologically active Martian surface. To understand silica formation on Mars, it is useful to study analogous terrestrial silica deposits. We studied silica coatings that occur on the 1974 Kilauea flow in the Ka'u Desert, Hawaii. These coatings are typically composed of two layers: a ~10 μm layer of amorphous silica, capped by a ~1 μm layer of Fe-Ti oxide. The oxide coating is composed of ~100 nm spherules, suggesting formation by chemical deposition. Raman spectroscopy indicates altered silica glass as the dominant phase in the silica coating and anatase and rutile as dominant phases in the Fe-Ti coating; jarosite also occurs within the coatings. Oxygen isotopic contents of the coatings were determined by secondary ion mass spectrometry (Cameca 7f and NanoSIMS). The measured values, δ^(18)O_(Fe-Ti) = 14.6 ± 2.1‰, and δ^(18)O_(silica) = 12.1 ± 2.2‰ (relative to SMOW), are enriched in ^(18)O relative to the basalt substrate. The observations presented are consistent with a residual formation mechanism for the silica coating. Acid-sulfate solutions leached away divalent and trivalent cations, leaving a silica-enriched layer behind. Micrometer-scale dissolution and reprecipitation may have also occurred within the coatings. Chemical similarities between the Hawaiian samples and the high-silica deposits at Gusev suggest that the Martian deposits are the product of extended periods of similar acid-sulfate leaching.
Photosynthetic capacity of red spruce during winter

We measured the photosynthetic capacity (Pmax) of plantation-grown red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) during two winter seasons (1993-94 and 1994-95) and monitored field photosynthesis of these trees during one winter (1993-94). We also measured Pmax for mature montane trees from January through May 1995. Changes in Pmax and field photosynthesis closely paralleled seasonal changes in outdoor air temperature. However, during thaw periods, field photosynthesis was closely correlated with multiple-day temperature regimes, whereas Pmax was closely correlated with single-day fluctuations in temperature.
Female and male interactions during courtship in Calopteryx maculata and C. dimidiata (Odonata: Calopterygidae): influence of oviposition behaviour

Abstract Calopteryx maculata and C. dimidiata damselfly females respond to male courtship with specific displays which signal differences in their receptivity. These include a rejection (wing spreading) and an invitation (wing-flipping) display, as well as a neutral (sit still) response. There are interspecific differences in the likelihood of each female display and in male responses to these displays. C. maculata males persist in courtship irrespective of female response, while C. dimidiata males generally stop courting when the female's response is rejection or neutrality. I suggest that these differences result from interspecific differences in oviposition behaviour. Female C. maculata oviposit at the water surface, which exposes them to disturbance by males attempting to mate. Females are therefore likely to remate to secure postcopulatory guarding when changing oviposition sites and males are expected to be persistent in courtship. Female C. dimidiata submerge to oviposit, which frees them from male disturbance and means that males have less control over female access to oviposition sites. Males therefore have less influence on mating by females and are expected not to persist in courtship of non-receptive females.
A QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF VARIATION IN THE CHENOPODIUM ATROVIRENS-DESICCATUM-PRATERICOLA COMPLEX'

Multivariate analyses were applied to 96 populations (OTUs) of plants, traditionally referred to Chenopodium atrovirens, C. desiccatum, and C. pratericola, in an attempt to evaluate the numerous and often contradictory taxonomic treatments of plants in this complex. The study consisted of two major parts. The first involved the use of cluster and principal components analyses using 14 morphological characters on the entire set of 96 OTUs to search for phenetically distinct groupings; these analyses were conducted without knowledge of traditional taxonomic designations of individual OTUs. Three reasonably well-defined groups emerged from these preliminary analyses. When traditional taxonomic designations were applied to member OTUs of each group, one group was composed primarily of C. atrovirens, another of C. pratericola and the third of C. desiccatum. The second part of the study utilized canonical analysis to: 1) confirm the integrity of the phenetic groups, 2) to classify OTUs difficult to identify to species using traditional methods, and 3) to provide an evaluation of characters important in the separation of these groups. This analysis confirmed the integrity of the groups and provided a classification to species of nearly all of the otherwise difficult OTUs. In addition, canonical analysis demonstrated that a combination of characters was important in the separation of the
Coherent operation of 2×2 vertical cavity laser array by resonance tuning

Coherently coupled vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays are of interest for high brightness operation [1], whereby multiple laser elements are coherently combined into a narrow divergence single radiation mode. 2×2 VCSEL element arrays have been pursued in the past [2, 3], but there has always been an issue with the low yield of coherently coupled arrays. Recently resonance tuning has been explored to achieve coherence in 1×2 VCSEL arrays [4]. By independent current injection into each array element, the emission wavelength of each element can be tuned due to the combined effect of the thermal and electronic dependence of the refractive index [5], enabling coherent coupling in the array [4]. This work demonstrates the next extension of resonance tuning by achieving coherent operation of an initially incoherent 2×2 array.
Characterization of interfacial morphology in polymer electrolyte fuel cells: Micro-porous layer and catalyst layer surfaces

Abstract The interface between the micro-porous layer (MPL) and the catalyst layer (CL) can have an impact on thermal, electrical and two-phase mass transport in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). However, there is scant information available regarding the true morphology of the MPL and CL surfaces. In this work, optical profilometry is used to characterize the MPL and CL surfaces at the sub-micron level scale to gain a better understanding of the surface morphology. Selected MPL and CL surfaces were sputtered with a thin layer of gold to enhance the surface reflectivity for improved data acquisition. The results show that, for the materials tested, the MPL surface has a relatively higher roughness than the CL surface, indicating the potential dominance of the MPL surface morphology on the local transport and interfacial contact across the MPL|CL interface. The level of roughness can be on the order of 10 μm peak height, which is significant in comparison to other length scales involved in transport, and can result in significant interfacial water storage capacity (approximately 6–18% of the total water content in a PEFC [37] ) along this interface. Another surface characteristic that can have a profound influence on multi-phase transport is the existence of deep cracks along the MPL and CL surfaces. The cracks on MPL and CL surfaces are observed to differ significantly in terms of their orientation, size, shape, depth and density. The areal crack density of the CL tested is calculated to be 3.4 ± 0.2%, while the areal crack density of the MPL is found to vary from 2.8% to 8.9%. The results of this study can be useful to understand the true nature of the interfacial transport in PEFCs.