cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fear and loathing (and other intentional states) in Searle's Chinese Room

Abstract John R. Searle's problem of the Chinese Room poses an important philosophical challenge to the foundations of strong artificial intelligence, and functionalist, cognitivist, and computationalist theories of mind. Searle has recently responded to three categories of criticisms of the Chinese Room and the consequences he attempts to conclude from it, redescribing the essential features of the problem, and offering new arguments about the syntax‐semantics gap it is intended to demonstrate. Despite Searle's defense, the Chinese Room remains ineffective as a counterexample, and poses no real threat to artificial intelligence or mechanist philosophy of mind. The thesis that intentionality is a primitive irreducible relation exemplified by biological phenomena is preferred in opposition to Searle's contrary claim that intentionality is a biological phenomenon exhibiting abstract properties.
Spinal epidural hematoma in hemophilic children: controversies in management

Spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) is an uncommon complication in hemophilic children. It can produce rapidly progressive neurological deficits. We aim to discuss the different management options for these patients. A 13-year-old boy with a history of hemophilia A was admitted with acute onset of localized spine pain and weakness. No trauma was reported on review of the history. Recombinant factor VIII aggressive replacement therapy was started. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging revealed an extradural mass lesion extending from D5 to D6 level. Emergency hemilaminectomies of D5 and D6 and evacuation of the clot were done. The patient made excellent recovery following surgery. Early diagnosis and immediate aggressive replacement therapy are mandatory in the management of SEH. Prompt surgical decompression to avoid any permanent neurological deficit is a safe and effective treatment option for an SEH in selected hemophilic children.
Novel technique of aortic banding followed by gene transfer during hypertrophy and heart failure

Aortic banding in the rat has become a popular method to induce left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and heart failure. However, because of often extensive intrathoracic adhesions and inflammatory cel...
Real-time rendering of burning solid objects in video games

Objects in 3D games are typically shell models, a polygon mesh representing the shell or skin of the object. While emulation of the behaviour of shell models under combustion is sufficient for many game applications and is fairly well studied, solid objects do in fact burn rather differently than shell objects. We show how to manipulate shell models so that they appear to burn as solid models. Since our burning objects will be only a small part of a video game, computation speed is of the essence. We demonstrate that our method uses only a fraction of the computational power available by implementing the computation on a modest GPU using CUDA.
Effects of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation on gas exchange and sleep in COPD patients.

Study objective The role of nocturnal noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) in the treatment of patients with hypercapnic COPD remains controversial. Beneficial effects reported after prolonged use have included an improvement in gas exchange. The purpose of this study was to examine the short-term effects of NPPV on gas exchange and sleep characteristics in patients with hypercapnic COPD and to determine if similar acute changes in gas exchange are associated with improved sleep quality. Design Prospective, randomized, controlled trial. Setting Sleep laboratory of a university hospital. Patients Six patients with severe but stable hypercapnic COPD (PaCO 2 =58±4 [SE] mm Hg). Mean age was 63±6 (SD) with an FEV 1 =0.58±0.09 L. Interventions and measurements Patients were studied in the sleep laboratory for a total of three nights. On nights 2 and 3, arterial catheters were placed prior to the study. Following an acquaintance night, patients were randomized to either a control-sham night on 5 cm H 2 O nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or an NPPV night using a ventilatory support system (BiPAP; Respironics Inc; Murrysville, Pa) at previously determined optimal settings. The third night consisted of the opposite for each patient, either a control-sham or an NPPV night. On the second and third nights, three arterial blood gas readings were obtained: (1) baseline wakefulness; (2) non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep; and (3) rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Results During NREM sleep, NPPV in comparison to the control-sham night on low level CPAP caused no significant change in PaCO 2 (60±4 to 59±3 mm Hg [p=0.6]) and a decrease in PaO 2 (96±9 to 72±5 mm Hg [p=0.04]). During REM sleep, NPPV in comparison to the control-sham night on low level CPAP caused no significant change in either PaCO 2 (63±7 to 57±2 mm Hg [p=0.46]) or PaO 2 (67±7 to 75±8 mm Hg [p=0.51]). Sleep efficiency and total sleep time (TST) increased significantly with NPPV in comparison to the control-sham night on low level CPAP: from 63±7% to 81±4% (p Conclusions NPPV acutely improved sleep efficiency and TST in patients with hypercapnic COPD without significantly improving gas exchange. Other sleep parameters, including sleep architecture and the number of arousals during the night, remained unchanged during NPPV. These data suggest that the beneficial effects of NPPV in patients with hypercapnic respiratory failure are not solely due to an improvement in gas exchange but may be more complex with other factors potentially having contributing roles.
Strategies for the management of intraprocedural thromboembolic complications with abciximab (ReoPro).

OBJECTIVE Most complications related to endovascular neurointerventional procedures are thromboembolic. The objective of this study was to determine whether abciximab, a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor, is a safe and effective agent for the treatment of thromboembolic complications encountered during interventional neuroradiological procedures. METHODS A search of a prospectively maintained database identified 13 patients who were treated for intraprocedural thromboembolic complications with abciximab, either alone or in combination with tissue plasminogen activator, during a 22-month period. RESULTS Of the 13 patients in our series (10 with aneurysms, 3 with arteriovenous malformations), 12 presented with unsecured vascular lesions, and in 9 cases the lesions were either acutely (<10 d) or subacutely (<6 mo) hemorrhagic. After the identification of a thromboembolic complication, each patient was treated with either intra-arterial (n = 5) or intravenous (n = 8) abciximab. Abciximab was administered intravenously as a 0.25-mg/kg bolus (n = 2), a 0.25-mg/kg bolus followed by a 12-hour 0.125-microg/kg/min infusion (n = 5), or a 12-hour 0.125-microg/kg/min infusion alone (n = 1). Intra-arterial abciximab (3.5-10 mg) was administered directly through a microcatheter positioned in the vicinity of the thrombus (n = 5). Five patients also were administered alteplase. Complete (n = 7) or partial (n = 6) resolution of thrombus was observed in all cases. Five patients had small infarcts in the distribution of the thromboembolic complication. In no case was new or increased hemorrhaging observed after thrombolysis. CONCLUSION Abciximab (ReoPro), administered either intravenously or intra-arterially, is a viable option for the management of thromboembolic complications encountered during endovascular therapeutic procedures.
A Beast in the Field: The Google Maps Mashup as GIS/2

Over the last decade or more, geographic information systems (GIS) have proved themselves nimble and potent tools in myriad academic, civic, and political disciplines. A body of scholarship followed GIS on its rise to wider acceptance and adoption, however, that questioned its nature and the way its power was wielded. This scholarship ultimately produced various models for “GIS/2,” an amalgam of GIS's power and the grassroots democratic activity that might have been fostered by it but largely was not. This article revisits going models of GIS/2 and finds them to be so much vapourware compared to recent developments in online geospatial applications. The article argues that for all of the well-intentioned effort put into GIS/2 theory, the most progressive real-world candidate for GIS/2 has been produced only recently, by another rare combination indeed: two Austin, Texas, 20-somethings and the online search monolith Google. The Google Maps mashup, a very twenty-first-century beast born of code from dispara...
Two-day starvation does not alter the kinetics of blood--brain barrier transport and phosphorylation of glucose in rat brain.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) transport and brain phosphorylation of glucose were assessed in conscious rats subjected to 2 days of starvation. Although plasma glucose decreased, no significant changes in brain blood flow, BBB glucose transport, or 2-deoxy-d-glucose phosphorylation were observed. The data suggest that adaptive changes of brain glucose metabolism previously observed in starvation are located beyond the initial steps of brain entry and phosphorylation.
Effect of Nb and W substitutions on the stability of the A15 Mo3Si phase

A combination of theoretical and experimental studies on the stability of Mo3Si with Nb and W substitutions has been presented in this paper. The first principles calculations suggest that the formation enthalpy of the A15 phase favors Nb substitution up to 37.5 atom %. In case of W substitution, the formation enthalpies increase monotonically. Experimental studies on the other hand, showed that the A15 phase is destabilized when approximately 27.5 atom % Nb is added while 7.5–10 atom % W substitution was sufficient to destabilize A15 phase. It was further determined that upon destabilization of the A15 structure, Nb partitions preferentially to the T1 phase, whereas W partitions preferentially to a solid solution with Mo.
Foreign Investment, Oil Curse, and Democratization: A Comparison of Azerbaijan and Russia

The rentier-state literature pays little attention to the initial political conditions that shape the way an oil-rich country develops its resources. One of the key causal mechanisms linking oil wealth and regime type is the relationship between foreign investors and host governments. Especially in the developing countries that depend on international financing and expertise, the role of foreign capital in fashioning the balance of power in the political system and thereby the distribution of oil wealth becomes ever more important. As the experiences of Azerbaijan and Russia in the 1990s demonstrate, among oil-rich states in the developing world, those with authoritarian regimes tend to fare better in terms of attracting FDI in the oil sector than states with democratizing (or hybrid regimes). The durability of some authoritarian regimes in the developing world is partly a function of this external legitimation from foreign investors.
Heat transfer on magnetohydrodynamic flow in the entrance region of a flat duct

Unter Voraussetzung konstanter Warmestromdichte an der Wand werden die Temperaturprofile und Warmeubergangsparameter einer laminaren MHD-Stromung in der Einlaufpartie eines flachen Kanals berechnet. Geschwindigkeit und Temperatur werden im Eintrittsquerschnitt als konstant vorausgesetzt. Eine Kennzahl β wird eingefuhrt, die ein Kriterium fur den Einfluss der Zahigkeitskrafte ist und ahnlich definiert ist wie die Eckertsche Kennzahl. Numerische Ergebnisse werden angegeben fur den Wert 1 der Prandtlzahl und die Werte 4 und 10 der Hartmannzahl. Die genannte Kennzahl β wird dabei zwischen −1 und + 1, eine das elektrische Feld kennzeichnende Grosse zwischen 0,5 und 1,0 variiert.
The Community Option in Urban Policy

There is a plausible community option in local and national urban policy, an alternative to growth-oriented and top-down approaches that represents a possible new reality to be considered by urban scholars and professionals. The authors present evidence from interviews with the staffs of community development corporations and allied organizations and draw implications for professional schools in outreach work and in research.
Activation of [3H]estradiol--and [3H]H1285-receptor complexes: effect of salt versus ATP on molybdate-stabilized estrogen receptors.

Abstract The activation by salt or ATP of [3H]estradiol- and [3H]H1285-receptor complexes from rabbit uterus and their binding capacity to DNA-cellulose, phosphocellulose and ATP-Sepharose has been studied. The estrogen-receptor was prepared in 1 mM molybdate which stabilized the receptor; but both salt- and ATP-transformation of estrogen receptors occurred. The binding of molybdate-stabilized cytosol [3H]estradiol-receptor complexes to the various resins revealed that salt-activation by 0.3 M KC1 caused the greatest binding (5-6-fold) to DNA-cellulose as compared to other resins. However, 5mM ATP-dependent activation of receptor-complexes resulted in preferential binding to ATP-Sepharose. Activated cytosol [3H]H1285-receptor complexes bound all the resins to a lesser degree when compared to [3H]estradiol-receptor complexes. Partially purified receptor complexes also showed different resinbinding patterns for salt- and ATP-mediated activation. These findings suggest that salt-activation is different than ATP-activation. Further, the differential magnitude of [3H]estradiol- and [3H]H1285-receptor activation suggests that estrogen-receptor complexes are “fully” activated as compared to “partially” activated antiestrogen-receptor complexes.
Kinetic measurements on rhodopsin solutions during intense flashes.

Abstract Kinetic spectroscopy is used to investigate the rate at which metarhodopsin II (meta II) accumulates during (and, in some cases, after) flash photolysis of rhodopsin solutions. This process is studied as a function of flash intensity, temperature, and extracting medium. It is shown that the rate at which meta II accumulates is photo-limited at high temperatures but thermo-limited at low ones. Photoequilibria are shown to exist, under certain circumstances, during the course of a flash. The quantum efficiency of meta II production is shown to be time dependent when intense flashes are used but not when weak flashes are used. It is suggested that kinetic spectroscopy may be useful in investigating the chemical basis of the early receptor potential.
Lack of variation in the nucleotide sequence corresponding to the transmembrane domain of the β‐amyloid precursor protein in Alzheimer's disease

The nucleotide sequence corresponding to the APP transmembrane domain and flanking regions of charged amino acids was determined for 91 patients with histologically confirmed Alzheimer's disease, 9 patients with dementias of other etiologies, and 14 controls who had no identifiable brain disease. Twentyeight of the AD patients had a first-degree relative with dementia. No mutations were detected among the 100 demented patients. However, one of the 14 controls exhibited a change in the 3′ base of codon 716 which would not be expected to result in an amino acid substitution at this position. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A decentralized control strategy with an application to the regulation of a set of water reservoirs

A decentralized control strategy for certain complex dynamic systems is given. Complexity of the problem may not necessarily come from the size of the system. Strong nonlinearities, nonclassical information structure and time delays may constitute the source of the complexity. The strategy is: First, solve a coordinator's discrete time problem to obtain the set points, then each subsystem solves its local problem which minimizes the deviation of local states from the trajectories obtained by converting the discrete solution of the coordinator to continuous time. Application of the strategy to the water resources is also discussed.
Radio propagation modeling in complex environments for wireless communications

In this paper, we will first review the ray-tracing algorithms developed in our group; then examples of the exploitation of geospatial data for radio propagation and its benefits will be presented. We will discuss the techniques to extract three dimensional (3D) building structures in urban propagation environment using 2D images in cyberspace. Finally, a real-time ray tracer will be briefly described.
Collaboration, computation, and creativity: media arts practices in urban youth culture

The focus of this paper is to turn our attention to the arts as an understudied area within the computer-supported collaborative learning community and examine how studying the learning of arts and programming can open new avenues of research. We analyze urban youths' media arts practices within the context of the design studio, particularly by focusing on how collaboration, computation, and creativity play out within this context. We utilize a mixed methods design that draws upon three approaches: (1) participant observations; (2) media arts object analyses; and (3) comparative in-depth case studies. Aspects of new literacy studies, social theories of literacy, and situated learning guide the methodology and interpretation in this study. Media arts projects like these are not well understood in the research literature but have the potential to teach us about learning and literacy in the age of multimedia.
Validation of a theoretical model of college withdrawal: Interaction effects in a multi-institutional sample

This study investigated the validity of Tinto's (1975) model of college withdrawal in four different types of institutions: residential universities, liberal arts colleges, two-year commuter institutions, and four-year commuter institutions. Analyses were conducted on a sample of 2,326 freshmen from 11 postsecondary institutions. The results generally supported the predictive validity of the model but suggested: (1) that the main-effects influence on persistence of measures of social and academic integration is modest, and (2) that the magnitude of the influence of particular aspects of social and academic integration depended to a significant degree on the characteristics of those students being considered. The theoretical and policy implications of the findings are discussed.
Estrogen-receptor-related protein p29 in primary nonsmall cell lung carcinoma: pathologic and prognostic correlations.

BACKGROUND Estrogen-dependent intracellular processes are important in the growth regulation of normal tissue and may play a role in the regulation of malignancies. Utilization of estrogen receptor assays in breast carcinoma is well established, but the role of such evaluation in other cancers largely is unknown. In this study, immunohistochemical expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and the ER-related protein p29 was correlated with survival of patients with nonsmall cell carcinoma of the lung. METHODS All patients with a tissue diagnosis of primary nonsmall cell bronchogenic carcinoma diagnosed over a 6-year period at the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont were reviewed. Assays for p29 and ER using a streptavidin-biotin immunoperoxidase method were performed on each tumor. Results were correlated with clinical data, including survival. RESULTS Of 111 tumors examined, 109 (98%) were positive for p29 whereas none of the tumors reacted with ER (ER1D5). The relation between p29 expression and survival time was different for men and women. A statistically significant negative relation for women was observed; this relation was most pronounced in patients with Stage I and II tumors. A positive but not statistically significant relation was observed for men. CONCLUSIONS The ER-related protein p29 commonly is expressed in nonsmall cell carcinomas of the lung. The relation between p29 and survival time is different for males and females, suggesting the presence of gender specific factors that may influence tumor growth and overall patient survival, especially in patients with early stage lung carcinoma. Cancer 1998;82:1495-500. © 1998 American Cancer Society.
The Impact of Culture on Literacy

Abstract What can preservice teachers tell us about the impact of culture on literacy? Participants responded to an open-ended survey asking, “How do you think your culture influences what you read and write?” Three themes emerged in their answers: family influence, self-exploration through literacy, and the cultural politics of literacy. Further examination led to three premises about literacy. Findings highlight the importance of students’ literacy history and provide means for teachers to reframe their instruction, based on student voice.
Run-time prediction and preemption of configuration attacks on embedded process controllers

Embedded electronics are widely used in cyber-physical process control systems (PCSes), which tightly integrate and coordinate computational and physical elements. PCSes have safety-critical applications, such as the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems used in industrial control infrastructure, or the flight control systems used in commercial aircraft. Perimeter security and air gap approaches to preventing malware infiltration of PCSes are challenged by the complexity of modern networked control systems incorporating numerous heterogeneous and updatable components such as standard personal computing platforms, operating systems, and embedded configurable controllers. Global supply chains and third-party hardware components, tools, and software limit the reach of design verification techniques. As a consequence, attacks such as Stuxnet have demonstrated that these systems can be surreptitiously compromised.We present a run-time method for process control violation prediction that can be leveraged to enhance system security against configuration attacks on embedded controllers. The prediction architecture provides a short-term projection of active controller actions by embedding an accelerated model of the controller and physical process interaction. To maintain convergence with the physical system, the predictor model state is periodically synchronized with the actual physical process state. The predictor is combined with run-time guards in a root-of-trust to detect when the predicted process state violates application specifications. Configurations can be screened before they are applied or monitored at run-time to detect subtle modifications or Trojans with complex activation triggers. Advanced notification of process control violations allows remedial actions leveraging well known, high-assurance techniques, such as temporarily switching control to a stability-preserving backup controller. Experimental simulation results are provided from a root-of-trust developed for an aircraft pitch control system.
Rent-seeking for a public good with additive contributions

We analyze rent-seeking for a public good with two groups, where the provision of a public good is decided in the all-pay contest where “the winner takes all”. We assume that the valuation of the public good varies across groups, but is the same for all members within a group. Free-riding in such situation was predicted by Baik et al. (J Public Econ 82(3):415–429, 2001). We describe a continuum of equilibria where all players make contributions. There is room for substantial payoff asymmetry, which ranges from equal payoffs to all group members to a zero payoff for the player who makes a contribution and positive payoffs for free-riders. The results generalize for the case where the prize has both a private and a public component.
Chronic ethanol consumption and aging: Changes in lipid composition of liver microsomes

Both aging and chronic ethanol consumption have been found to produce changes in lipid composition. Severity of intoxication, withdrawal and release of gamma-aminobutyric acid following chronic ethanol consumption have been shown to be associated with age. It was predicted in this study that aged mice would differ in response to ethanol-induced changes in lipid composition of liver microsomes as compared to younger mice. Two different age groups of C57BL/6NNIA male mice (6 and 28 months) were administered an ethanol or control liquid diet for 24 days. Liver microsomes were prepared on Day 25. Age and ethanol consumption significantly affected liver weight and the ratio of liver weight to body weight. PC significantly decreased and PE significantly increased in both the young and old ethanol groups. Cholesterol and total phospholipid content were not affected by age or chronic ethanol consumption. Aged animals were able to adapt to the effects of chronic ethanol administration to the same extent as younger animals. These findings differ from studies that have examined effects of chronic ethanol consumption on behavior and neurotransmitter release among different age groups of mice. While the results are specific for liver microsomes, it appears that chronic ethanol consumption has less of an effect on liver function as compared to brain function in aged mice.
Regulation of KLF5 involves the Sp1 transcription factor in human epithelial cells

Abstract Human Kruppel-like factor 5 (hKLF5) is a transcription factor with a potential tumor suppressor function in prostate and breast cancers. In the majority of cancer samples examined, a significant loss of expression for KLF5 has been detected. Whereas hemizygous deletion appears to be responsible for KLF5's reduced expression in about half of the cases, the mechanism for reduction is unknown in the remaining half; gene promoter methylation does not appear to be involved. In this report, we studied the regulation of KLF5 and cloned and functionally characterized a 1944-bp fragment of the 5′-flanking region of the hKLF5 gene. Several mitogens as well as global demethylation induced the expression of KLF5, implicating multiple factors in the regulation of KLF5. KLF5's promoter lacks a TATA box and has a GC-rich region. Deletion mapping in combination with promoter activity assay showed that multiple cis-elements are involved in the transcriptional regulation of KLF5, some of which may play a repressor role whereas some others play an enhancer role. The Sp1 site between position −239 and −219 is essential for a basal promoter activity. Deletion or mutations of this Sp1 site significantly reduced promoter activity in several epithelial cell lines. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) revealed that the Sp1 site binds Sp1 protein in nucleic extracts of different cell lines. In addition, overexpression of Sp1 protein transactivates KLF5 promoter activity. These findings suggest that Sp1 is a key transcription factor in KLF5's dynamic transcriptional regulation.
British Fisheries, Phosphate and the Solar Radiation Constant

IN the autumn of 1921 there was a remarkable movement of water in the Atlantic, northwards and into the English Channel. This persisted into the early winter, and water temperature rose, though air and ground temperatures were falling1. No explanation has been given for this occurrence, nor has it happened since then to the same extent.
The "Great Triangle" in Early Greek Rhetoric and Poetics

n speaking of a "Triangle," I have in mind a particular constellation of three concepts—one might call them psychosocial phenomena—that recur in Greek literature from its vety earUest stages on: namely, peitho, bia, and eros.^ "Peitho," which originally drew me to this study, is the word for persuasive communication, both as a process and as the state resulting from that process; it was early hypostatized as the goddess Peitho, persuasion personified.^ "Bia" means force, physical strength, and (most especially) violence; the goddess Bia is mentioned in tandem with a kindred deity, Kratos ("Stiength" or "Power").' "Eros" re-
Noninvasive Real-Time Automated Skin Lesion Analysis System for Melanoma Early Detection and Prevention

Melanoma spreads through metastasis, and therefore, it has been proved to be very fatal. Statistical evidence has revealed that the majority of deaths resulting from skin cancer are as a result of melanoma. Further investigations have shown that the survival rates in patients depend on the stage of the cancer; early detection and intervention of melanoma implicate higher chances of cure. Clinical diagnosis and prognosis of melanoma are challenging, since the processes are prone to misdiagnosis and inaccuracies due to doctors’ subjectivity. Malignant melanomas are asymmetrical, have irregular borders, notched edges, and color variations, so analyzing the shape, color, and texture of the skin lesion is important for the early detection and prevention of melanoma. This paper proposes the two major components of a noninvasive real-time automated skin lesion analysis system for the early detection and prevention of melanoma. The first component is a real-time alert to help users prevent skinburn caused by sunlight; a novel equation to compute the time for skin to burn is thereby introduced. The second component is an automated image analysis module, which contains image acquisition, hair detection and exclusion, lesion segmentation, feature extraction, and classification. The proposed system uses PH2 Dermoscopy image database from Pedro Hispano Hospital for the development and testing purposes. The image database contains a total of 200 dermoscopy images of lesions, including benign, atypical, and melanoma cases. The experimental results show that the proposed system is efficient, achieving classification of the benign, atypical, and melanoma images with accuracy of 96.3%, 95.7%, and 97.5%, respectively.
A canyon-like feature in the Bay of Campeche

Abstract A previously unknown canyon bordering the Campeche Bank is described and delinated from new soundings obtained during a survey of the Southern Gulf of Mexico conducted in February, 1957.
Family caregiving and emotional strain: associations with quality of life in a large national sample of middle-aged and older adults

Purpose This study examined the quality of life correlates of family caregiving and caregiving strain in a large national epidemiological sample.
A Survey of Electronic Environmental Controllers

Sixteen commercially available electronic environmental controllers were evaluated. The units were classified according to enclosure type, analog versus microprocessor based control, power supply, sensors, alarms, control relays and triac output, interval timers, outside temperature feedback, and retail price. An assessment of these controllers indicated several critical limitations in the application of this technology.
Upper airway physiology and obstructive sleep-disordered breathing

Upper airway competence involves complex interactions between anatomy and physiology. The common final denominator of OSDB is a structurally small and abnormally collapsible upper airway. The mechanisms contributing are often an accumulation of many skeletal or soft tissue abnormalities and respiratory physiology that individually may or may not be pathologic. So far, simplistic models have hampered progress in this field. Successful medical and surgical treatment of OSDB continues to be elusive for too many patients. Great strides remain to be taken, but the possibility seems within reach.
Education and design: using human-computer interaction case studies to learn

As computers become increasingly integral to daily life, there is a need for computer scientists to focus on the user. This, in part, entails developing applications that have interfaces that are well designed. It is therefore important that computer science students gain formal education in design methodology. The best way to teach design is debatable, but one teaching tool gaining popularity in the field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) is the use of case studies. We aim to increase the usefulness of the case study as a tool to teach design methodology. A case study is a collection of artifacts and data used to communicate a process. In the field of HCI cases communicate how a designer accomplished designing a certain aspect or, in some cases, the entirety of a design. Case studies are inherently flexible and can be presented in a variety of ways. We explore, if by altering presentation, we can enhance the usability of a case study and better communicate the encapsulated design methodology to the student. We make use of ordering effect in our attempt to achieve these ends and to shed light on the effect of online presentation on education.
Ginkgo Biloba Extract Prevents High Altitude Pulmonary Edema in Rats

Ginkgo biloba reduces the severity of acute mountain sickness in humans, but protection against high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) has not been reported. This study was conducted to determine if G. biloba would prevent early HAPE in rats. Six rats (ginkgo group) received G. biloba (200 mg/kg body weight in drinking water and an equal amount in peanut butter) for 2 days before and during high altitude exposure (380 mmHg pressure for 24 h). Six other rats (control group) received water and peanut butter alone. Protein concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were increased in control rats (19.8 +/- 2.6 mg/dL) compared to ginkgo rats (11.6 +/- 0.9 mg/dL; p = 0.014), demonstrating that untreated (control) rats developed mild HAPE following high altitude exposure. For comparison, BALF protein concentrations in sea-level rats (air group) given peanut butter were 12.6 +/- 0.8 mg/dL (n = 6). Although pleural effusions did not develop in any rats, the protein concentrations of pleural fluid were also increased in control rats (4.9 +/- 0.16 g/dL) compared to ginkgo rats (4.0 +/- 0.13; p = 0.001); air group: 3.5 +/- 0.08 g/dL. There were no differences in wet/dry lung weight ratios between groups, but wet left lung weights/preexposure body weight were increased in control rats (1.26 +/- 0.02 g/kg) compared to the ginkgo group (1.17 +/- 0.01 g/kg; p = 0.002); air group: 1.11 +/- 0.03 g/kg. In conclusion, the data show that G. biloba prevents the development of early HAPE in rats.
Neutral endopeptidase determines the severity of pancreatitis-associated lung injury.

Background Neutral endopeptidase (NEP) is a cell-surface metalloprotease that degrades proinflammatory peptides such as substance P, neurokinin A, and bradykinin. Inhibition of NEP exacerbates both experimental pancreatitis and the associated lung injury. It is unclear if worsened lung injury is the indirect result of more severe pancreatitis or if it is a direct effect of NEP inhibition in the lung. Materials and methods We used a model of pancreatitis-associated lung injury (PALI) to test the hypothesis that antagonism or genetic deletion of NEP augments PALI inflammation and pulmonary damage irregardless of the degree of pancreatitic inflammation. Results In NEP (+/+) mice, intraperitoneal injection of porcine pancreatic elastase (elastase, 0.085 U/g at t = 0 h and t = 1 h) caused a 7-fold increase in lung myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and marked pulmonary edema, neutrophil infiltration, and hemorrhage at 4 h as compared to control animals. The pattern of lung injury induced by elastase mimicked that observed among a separate group of animals with PALI induced by cerulein but was not associated with pancreatitis. Both NEP (−/−) mice and NEP (+/+) mice pretreated with the NEP antagonist phosphoramidon (10 mg/kg s.c.) had significant elevations of lung MPO and worsened lung histology compared to NEP (+/+) mice given elastase alone. Antagonism of either the vanilloid receptor transient receptor vanilloid 1 or the substance P receptor NK1-R had no effect on elastase-mediated lung injury in NEP-deficient mice. Conclusions NEP is an inhibitor of pancreatic elastase-induced lung injury, presumably via degradation of proinflammatory mediators.
A divided potential driving self-discharge process for single-walled carbon nanotube based supercapacitors

Understanding the self-discharge (SDC) mechanism is crucial for obtaining supercapacitors with tunable energy retention. Supercapacitors built with free standing single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) macro-films and 1M TEABF4/PC electrolyte exhibit a unique divided potential driving SDC discharge process as demonstrated by the perfect fitting results of the SDC curves under different charge current densities and at different SDC temperatures. The divided potential driving SDC process could be attributed to the existence of various functional groups attached to the SWNT surface from the purification process, through intervening and creating relatively weak bonds between the electrolytic ions and the SWNT electrode surface.
Constitutional authority and prospects for social justice for high-tension religious communities

By regulating religious practice, the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment challenges the authority of religious communities who may not have adopted American pluralism in favor of their own religious particularism. While the power of the Constitution is manifested in physical modes, its historic symbolic and socially constructed meaning elevates it as a competing transcending authority that challenges religious communities. Often labeled American civil religion, this authority either coerces non-mainstream religious communities to adopt modes of religious expression that mirror those of the dominant culture, or requires them to adopt a strategy for coping with its overwhelming social and political power. The Constitution's mechanism for guaranteeing religious free exercise thus serves as a method to limit religious particularism by coercing limited cultural orthodoxy through legal orthopraxy.
The Clean Air Act Deserves Our Full Support

In this article the author reflects on efforts which have been made to improve the air quality of the U.S. and on efforts which are being made in 2012 to reduce the power of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Clean Air Act. In the article the author offers his opinions on the benefits that have been seen in public health as a result of the act and the efforts of the EPA, and on methods which could be used to increase the EPA's ability to enforce the statutes of the Clean Air Act.
Identification of a TFIIIa binding site on the 5′ flanking region of the TFIIIA gene

Xenopus transcription factor IIIA (TFIIIA) regulates 5S ribosomal RNA gene transcription in a positive manner by binding to the internal control region (ICR) of the 5S RNA gene. The present study reports the identification of a TFIIIA binding site on the 5' flanking region of the Xenopus laevis gene that codes for the synthesis of this transcription factor. This TFIIIA binding site (deduced from TFIIIA-dependent alterations in DNase I protection patterns) extends on the 5' flanking region from about nucleotide -326 to -264 on the non-coding strand and from -331 to -271 on the coding strand. The affinity of TFIIIA for the 5' flanking region of its own gene is less than that for the 5S RNA gene but within the same order of magnitude. A sequence similarity between this newly identified binding site and the 5S gene ICR is the presence of purine-rich tracts. EDTA chelation of TFIIIA inhibits binding to this 5' flanking element indicating, as with the 5S RNA gene, zinc is required for DNA binding specificity. When TFIIIA is bound to 5S RNA in the 7S particle, the protein does not bind to this 5' flanking region, an observation similar to that observed with binding to the 5S RNA gene. These results indicate TFIIIA is using similar nucleic acid binding domain(s) for interaction with the 5S gene, 5S RNA, and the 5' flanking region of its own gene. This upstream DNA region to which TFIIIA binds has been previously shown to contain a negative and a positive regulatory element for transcription of the TFIIIA gene (Scotto, K.W., Kaulen, H., and Roeder, R.G., 1989, Genes & Develop. 3, 651-662). The present results indicate TFIIIA binds to the negative control element located at -306 to -289 and possibly interacts/interferes with another transcription factor which binds to the positive control element extending from -271 to -253.
Technology Supported Systems in SCDE: Myth versus Reality

The College of Education Assessment Infrastructure Survey was developed and administered to 1011 institutions over a 12-month period ending April 2007. The survey examined the capacity of university-based teacher preparation programs to respond to the growing and increasingly complex data management requirements that accompanies assessment and accountability edicts. The summarized responses of 266 institutions (26%) confirmed that education units have responded to accreditation and accountability mandates, though none have relied solely on the institutional-level infrastructure. This has resulted in the implementation of a variety of assessment systems that vary widely in sophistication and cost. The qualitative responses of 52 institutions highlighted the major benefits and challenges encountered with the implementation and use of these assessment systems. The dominant 3 benefits reported were improved communication with internal and external stakeholders, data-supported program improvements, and data-su...
Approaching the Asymptote: Obstacles and Opportunities for Nanomedicine in Cardiovascular Disease

Over the past decades, tremendous advances have been made in the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular disease. However, we now face new challenges, including an aging population and increases in metabolic risk factors, that threaten to slow and even reverse these gains. To overcome these new challenges, fundamental insights from the life sciences must be integrated with advances from the physical sciences to develop novel molecular tools to better diagnose, monitor, and treat this complex disease. Nanotechnology has emerged from the intersection of several disciplines and, if combined with our evolving molecular understanding of atherogenesis, has the potential to revolutionize our management of patients at risk for or with existing cardiovascular disease. However, to realize this potential, we must understand the principles governing the interactions between nanomaterials and biological systems. This review explores nanoparticle attributes and how they can be leveraged to develop novel molecular tools for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Gauss sums and multinomial coefficients

Abstract Consider a Gauss sum for a finite field of characteristic p , where p is an odd prime. When such a sum (or a product of such sums) is a p -adic integer we show how it can be realized as a p -adic limit of a sequence of multinomial coefficients. As an application we generalize some congruences of Hahn and Lee to exhibit p -adic limit formulae, in terms of multinomial coefficients, for certain algebraic integers in imaginary quadratic fields related to the splitting of rational primes. We also give an example illustrating how such congruences arise from a p -integral formal group law attached to the p -adic unit part of a product of Gauss sums.
Effects of Concave Curvature on Boundary Layer Transition Under High Freestream Turbulence Conditions

Abstract : An experimental investigation has been carried out on a transitional boundary layer subject to high (initially 9%) freestream turbulence, strong acceleration (K = (v/U(2)/w) x(dU(w)/dx) as high as 9 x 10(-6), and strong concave curvature (boundary layer thickness between 2% and 5% of the wall radius of curvature). Mean and fluctuating velocity as well as turbulent shear stress are documented and compared to results from equivalent cases on a flat wall and a wall with milder concave curvature. The data show that curvature does have a significant effect, moving the transition location upstream, increasing turbulent transport, and causing skin friction to rise by as much as 40%. Conditional sampling results are presented which show that the curvature effect is present in both the turbulent and nonturbulent zones of the transitional flow.
Intrinsic shear strength of metallic glass

Abstract The intrinsic (ideal) strength has been extensively studied for crystalline alloys, but remains largely unsettled for metallic glasses. This study, by combining computer simulations and the cooperative shear model (Johnson and Samwer, 2005 [12] ), found that, at the athermal limit, the yield strain of metallic glass can be as high as ∼10% in pure shear, and the corresponding ideal shear strength is G /10 (where G is the shear modulus), at which shear bands nucleate homogeneously in the metallic glass. The athermal extrapolation of the measured strength in conventional loading tests is much lower, owing to the unavoidable imperfections in realistic samples, where shear band nucleation is always heterogeneous and facilitated by stress concentrators. The two scenarios have different temperature dependence and merge at elevated temperatures, when the mode of yielding eventually changes from strain localization to homogeneous flow.
Dynamics of mallard (Anas platyrynchos) gastrocnemius function during swimming versus terrestrial locomotion

This study investigates how the contractile function of a muscle may be modulated to accommodate changes in locomotor mode and differences in the physical environment. In vivo recordings of lateral gastrocnemius (LG) activation, force development (measured using tendon buckle transducers) and length change (measured using sonomicrometry) were obtained from mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) as they swam at steady speeds in a water tank and walked or ran on land. LG force recordings were compared with combined lateral and medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle-tendon force recordings obtained from the contralateral limb, allowing force development by the MG to be estimated relative to that of the LG. Although similar stresses were calculated to act in the LG and MG muscles during terrestrial locomotion (126 and 115 kPa, respectively), stresses were considerably greater in the LG compared with the MG during swimming (62 versus 34 kPa, respectively). During both steady swimming and terrestrial locomotion, the LG developed force while shortening over a considerable range of its length (swimming 23.6 % versus terrestrial 37.4 %). Activation of the muscle occurred near the end of passive lengthening during the recovery stroke, just prior to muscle shortening. As a result, the muscle generated broad positive work loops during both locomotor modes. LG work during swimming (4.8 J x kg(-1)) averaged 37 % of the work performed during terrestrial locomotion (13.1 J x kg(-1)), consistent with the twofold greater force and 58 % greater strain of the muscle during walking and running. Because limb cycle frequency was similar for the two locomotor modes (swimming 2.65 versus terrestrial 2.61 Hz), differences in power output (swimming 12.6 W x kg(-1 )versus terrestrial 32.4 W x kg(-1)) largely reflected difference in work per cycle. Tendon elastic energy savings was a small fraction (<5 %) of the work performed by the muscle, consistent with a fiber-tendon design of these two muscles that favors muscle work to produce limb movement with little tendon strain. These results are consistent with a higher cost of terrestrial locomotion in ducks compared with other, more cursorial birds that may operate their muscles more economically and achieve greater tendon elastic savings.
Two theories of supposition

In a recent paper Paul Vincent Spade suggests that, although the medieval doctrine of the modes of personal supposition originally had something to do with the rest of the theory of supposition, it became, by the 14th century, an unrelated theory with no question to answer. By contrast, I argue that the theory of the modes of personal supposition was meant to provide a way of making understandable the idea that a general term in a categorical proposition can be used to refer to the individual things that fall under it. Once that idea had been made acceptable, truth conditons for the various forms of categorical proposition could be given without any specific appeal to the ideas of descent and ascent in terms of which the modes had been defined.