cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prospective control study of efficacy and safety of ketogenic diet on drug refractory Dravet syndrome

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of ketogenic diet (KD) and antiepileptic drugs(AEDs) in the children with drug refractory Dravet syndrome (DS). Methods Thirty-two cases of drug refractory DS were enrolled into the Department of Neurology, Shenzhen Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Shantou University Medical School from July 2016 to December 2017, and they were divided into 2 groups: KD group and AEDs group (16 cases for each group), respectively.KD was added to as an additional therapy for KD group, and oral AEDs were administered only in AEDs group.In KD group, oral AEDs were not adjusted for the first 3 months.AEDs could be adjusted within a limited range in 2 groups after 3 months.The clinical efficacy, improvement of cognitive function, retention rate and side effects were observed and compared after 3, 6, 12 months of treatment.The average monthly seizure frequency within 3 months before enrollment was recorded as the baseline.The clinical efficacy was assessed by comparing the seizure frequency of each observation period with the baseline. Results In KD group, after 3, 6, 12 months′ follow-up, KD the-rapy was maintained in 15, 14, 12 patients.The number of patients whose seizure reduction over 50% was 10, 12, 11 cases, respectively.The number of patients whose seizure reduction over 90% was 7, 9, 10 cases, respectively.The number of patients who were seizure free was 3, 6, 8 cases, respectively.In AEDs group, after 3, 6, 12 months′ therapy, the number of patients whose seizure reduction over 50% was 6, 7, 8 cases, respectively, the number of patients whose seizure reduction over 90% was 3, 3, 4 cases, respectively.The number of patients who were seizure-free was 2, 1, 2 cases, respectively.There was a significant difference in the seizure reduction between 2 groups after 6, 12 months (P 0.05). Conclusions KD can not only reduce seizure frequency and relieve SE, but also improve the cognitive function of drug refractory DS.The adverse reaction ratio of KD does not increase significantly compared to AEDs.Therefore, KD is effective and safe therapy for children with drug-resistant DS. Key words: Ketogenic diet; Antiepileptic drugs; Dravet syndrome; Efficacy; Safety
Autonomous Water Surface Vehicle Metaheuristic Mission Planning using Self-generated Goals and Environmental Forecasts

An unmanned surface vehicle takes on the role of an autonomous science agent, generating missions based on data. The vehicle explores over long durations and large regions, continually selecting and visiting target survey locations. Select system components are implemented and evaluated for automatic target generation, onboard mapping and path planning that optimizes energy use and data collection reward.
The Impact of Religion on the Going Concern Reporting Decisions of Local Audit Offices

We extend research on the effects of local audit office characteristics on audit quality by investigating whether audit offices in highly religious U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) exhibit going concern decisions that reflect heightened professional skepticism relative to audit offices in less religious MSAs. Prior research links religiosity to risk aversion and ethical development and suggests audit practice offices in more religious MSAs are more likely to issue going concern opinions because they will assess the effects of mitigating factors in a more skeptical manner. Our results indicate that audit practice offices located in highly religious MSAs are more likely to issue going concern audit opinions, consistent with a more skeptical assessment of mitigating factors. Additional tests provide direct evidence consistent with the argument that these audit offices are more risk averse in issuing going concern opinions. Our findings are relevant to auditors, audit clients, researchers, and regulators.
Disabilities Portrayed in Picturebooks with the Américas Book Award

This study analyzed how disabilities were portrayed in picturebooks with the Americas Book Award to address the intersectionality of LatinX racial identity and disabilities. The pool of 41 pictureb...
PREPARATION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH TEMPERATURE PROTON CONDUCTOR Ba_3Ca_(1.18)Nb_(1.82)O_(9-δ)

Ba_3Ca_(1.18)Nb_(1.82)O_(9-δ)powders with different particle sizes were synthesized by high temperature sintering(1400℃/10h)of the mixed powders of BaCO_3,CaCO_3 and Nb_2O_5 milled for different times.Laser paticle size analysis,DSC-TG and SEM results show that the proper milling time can make particle refine,decrease the synthesis temperature,and increase the density of sample. EIS result shows that the temperature dependences of total conductivities of the sintered samples prepared by 6 and 10h milling conform to the Arrhenius equation in the measured temperature range of 300—800℃,and the activation energies are 0.84 and 0.68 eV,respectively.Raising the density of Ba_3Ca_(1.18)Nb_(1.82)O_(9-δ)sample is an effective way to decrease the activity energy and increase the total conductivity at low and intermediate temperatures(300—600℃).
Finite products of connected nowhere separable linearly ordered spaces

Abstract We shall show that for every natural number n, every continuous injection from the product of n-many connected nowhere separable linearly ordered spaces into such a product is coordinate-wise. This result was announced by the author in [1] .
The predictive content of oil price and volatility: New evidence on exchange rate forecasting

Abstract We propose oil price volatility as a new fundamental for exchange rate forecasting. This fundamental parallels recent theoretical developments in international finance to resolve the disconnect between macro variables and exchange rates. By focusing on small open economies that export oil, we then provide a comprehensive empirical evaluation of the forecasting performance of the fundamental in multiple countries. We find that oil price and volatility contain out-of-sample predictive content for the exchange rate at daily frequency, especially when crude oil represents a significant fraction of the country’s exports and when there are strong trade ties between the currency areas. We also discover that directional change, i.e. appreciation or depreciation, can be forecasted even in the absence of point forecastability. Our findings are robust to forecast evaluation method, volatility measure and evaluation period, thus supporting the role of financial channels in exchange rate determination. Moreover, the predictive content dissipates when we move from daily to monthly frequency, suggesting that temporal data aggregation may explain the failure to find predictability in past work using monthly or quarterly data.
A Mathematical Model for Efficient Estimation of Aircraft Motions

Abstract In the usual formulation of the aircraft state-estimation problem, motions along a flight trajectory are represented by a plant consisting of nonlinear state and measurement models. Problem solution using this formulation requires that both state- and measurement-dependent Jacobian matrices be evaluated along any trajectory. In this paper it is shown that a set of state variables can be chosen to realize a linear state model of very simple form, such that all nonlinearities appear in the measurement model. The potential advantage of the new formulation is computational: the Jacobian matrix corresponding to a linear state model is constant, a feature that should outweigh the fact that the measurement model is more complicated than in the conventional formulation. To compare the modeling methods, aircraft motions from typical flight-test and accident data were estimated, using each formulation with the same off-line (smoothing) algorithm. The results of these experiments, reported in the paper, demonstrate clearly the computational superiority of the linear state-variable formulation. The procedure advocated here may be extended to other nonlinear estimation problems, including on-line (filtering) applications.
Unification of ultra-wideband multiple access schemes and comparison in the presence of interference

Interference constitutes the bottleneck of ultra-wideband (UWB) communications that has been regulated to overlay coexisting narrowband communication systems. To quantify interference and compare UWB systems on that basis, this paper develops a unifying transmission and Rake reception model for UWB multiple access encompassing existing and novel spreading codes. Multiband UWB systems using single- or multicarrier modulation are also introduced. Performance analysis (in closed-form) and simulations assess the relative merits of several UWB systems in narrowband interference (NBI), multipath and additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) effects, for both matched-filter (MF), and minimum mean-square error (MMSE) Rake receivers.
SIMULATION OF ENGINE IDLE SHAKE VIBRATION

To assist in the development of engine vibration isolation techniques for new transverse front wheel drive vehicles, simulations of engine and vehicle structural response were developed. A simulation of engine vibration response to engine imbalance forces and firing pulses is presented which provided mount forces as input to a vehicle structure simulation. Current design techniques using properties of engine rigid body motion are discussed. Simulation predictions of engine modal characteristics and response correlate well with laboratory measurements of engine motion and mount forces. These results show that connections other than engine mounts between engine and vehicle structure such as hoses, drivetrain, and exhaust system are important vibration transmission paths.
Numerical simulation of instability and transition physics

The application of computation to problems in fluid dynamic stability and transition has resulted in a great deal of physical understanding of the underlying processes over the last 15 or so years. The capability to precisely adjust and monitor quantities which may be difficult or impossible to control or measure in an experiment has allowed us to explain a number of hitherto puzzling experimental observations. It now appears obvious and generally accepted that computation will play a key role in transition research in the future.
Synchronous coherent extraction of heat [CMOS logic cooling]

This paper describes embedded techniques for cooling clocked CMOS circuits by converting the primary phonons excited by the switching currents to electricity. The intent is to extract the energy as coherently as possible before it disperses into the bulk lattice and becomes heat at a lower average temperature. The first method is a heat engine, using the bulk lattice as its heat sink, which depends on the higher effective temperatures of the primary phonons before their dispersion. The second method uses stimulated emission for cooling, and a close relationship is shown to exist between lasers and heat engines. As coherent removal means performance of work, clock-switched coherent loads may be used to replace ohmic resistance in logic design. This not only overcomes a fundamental difficulty in the design of superconducting logic, but suggests eventual replacement of silicon with copper.
Comparison of fuzzy logic and current-mode control techniques in buck, boost and buck/boost converters

Different concepts of controller design for DC/DC converters based on fuzzy logic are presented. Since the performance of a fuzzy controller depends on the choice of membership functions and the inference of fuzzy rules, it does not require an accurate mathematical model of a power converter. Furthermore, the fuzzy set theory, in nature, is capable of coping with a nonlinear system. The fuzzy controllers, thus, have an advantage in resolving the time-varying nonlinear nature of switches in DC/DC converters. The objective of this paper is to design a fuzzy controller for basic DC/DC converters and then compare the computer simulation results with that of the current-mode control in buck, boost and buck/boost converters in respect to the start-up transient response and load regulation. >
An MDP-based application oriented optimal policy for wireless sensor networks

Technological advancements due to Moore's law have led to the proliferation of complex wireless sensor network (WSN) domains. One commonality across all WSN domains is the need to meet application requirements (i.e. lifetime, responsiveness, etc.) through domain specific sensor node design. Techniques such as sensor node parameter tuning enable WSN designers to specialize tunable parameters (i.e. processor voltage and frequency, sensing frequency, etc.) to meet these application requirements. However, given WSN domain diversity, varying environmental situations (stimuli), and sensor node complexity, sensor node parameter tuning is a very challenging task. In this paper, we propose an automated Markov Decision Process (MDP)-based methodology to prescribe optimal sensor node operation (selection of values for tunable parameters such as processor voltage, processor frequency, and sensing frequency) to meet application requirements and adapt to changing environmental stimuli. Numerical results confirm the optimality of our proposed methodology and reveal that our methodology more closely meets application requirements compared to other feasible policies.
From Territorial Claim to War: Timing, Causation, and the Steps-to-War

The steps-to-war thesis has become one of the dominant frameworks for explaining war in the discipline. Substantial testing has supported the empirical claims of the argument, but key theoretical q...
Effects of low-energy electron irradiation on submonolayer ammonia adsorbed on Pt(111)

The effects of electron impact on ammonia-covered Pt(111) have been studied using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and electron-stimulated desorption (ESD). For coverages below one monolayer, ammonia adsorbs on the surface in two distinct TPD states: the α-state is broad and desorbs over the temperature range 150-350 K, and the β-state appears as a sharper peak at 150 K. The β-state was seen to be damaged by electron-beam impact much more readily than the α-state, resulting in the formation of atomically adsorbed N on the surface. The mass 28 recombinative nitrogen desorption TPD peak appearing at 550 K exhibited second-order desorption kinetics, further confirming the presence of atomically adsorbed nitrogen. The ESD kinetic energy distributions (KEDs) were obtained for m/e = 1 amu, which exhibited broad peaks generally. The H + KEDs were analyzed using empirical curve fits, with the resulting conclusion that the H + KEDs contain contributions from at least three different hydrogen-containing surface species. We believe that these three H + KED peaks are due to ESD from adsorbed NH 3 , NH 2 and H. The ESD cross-section for NH 3 removal was measured in three different ways, all of which were found to be in general agreement, and which gave an averaged cross-section value of Q lot = 4 x 10 -17 cm 2 .
How to measure and manage liquidity today

There has been a lot of debate about the current liquidity crisis. But there has been very little assistance or insight to help businesses cope in these difficult times. The author gives some much-needed guidance on measuring and managing liquidity that you can put to work right now. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparison of methods for calculating atomic shielding factors

A new method for determining atomic shielding factors to use in hydrogenlike wave functions which gives "exact" Compton profiles in close agreement with experiment was recently developed by the present authors. These shielding factors ${Z}^{*}(0)$ are determined by imposing the requirement for each atomic orbital that the "impulse" hydrogenic Compton-profile value at its center, $q=0$, match the Hartree-Fock Compton-profile value. We now compare the use of ${Z}^{*}(0)$ hydrogenic values in the calculation of the moments $〈r〉$, $〈{r}^{2}〉$, and $〈{r}^{4}〉$ with values of these moments obtained using Slater, Clementi, Burns, and binding-energy-matched ${Z}^{*}'\mathrm{s}$ used in hydrogenic wave functions for $K$-, $L$-, and $M$-shell orbitals for rare-gas atoms up through xenon. Relative accuracy is determined by comparison to Hartree-Fock results for these moments. It is found that for $1s$, $2p$, and $3d$ states, our ${Z}^{*}(0)$ values give the most consistently accurate results. A table of recommended ${Z}^{*}$ values is given for all atoms and states considered.
Simple non-specific ulcer of the cecum.

Abstract 1. 1. Simple non-specific ulcer of the cecum and large bowel is an uncommon disease of unknown etiology, involving the cecum in approximately 50 per cent of cases and occurring chiefly in males. 2. 2. The symptoms are usually mistaken for those of appendicitis, and at operation the lesion may resemble carcinoma of the cecum. 3. 3. The most common complication is perforation, which in the past has resulted in a high mortality rate. 4. 4. Treatment is operative and may consist of closure of the perforation with drainage, local excision of the lesion and closure of the bowel, and exteriorization or resection of the affected part.
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome as a possible postoperative complication: A case report

Abstract Neuroleptic therapy for postoperative agitation in a mentally retarded schizophrenic patient is described. Clinical features consistent with neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) developed. NMS is a dangerous, drug-induced complications of neuroleptic administrations that can be a differential diagnostic problem. Already often misdiagnosed, this syndrome is especially likely to be unrecognized in nonpsychiatric settings, and may occur postoperatively. Failure to recognize NMS may lead to reexposures to the offending agent, with potentially grave consequences.
Productivity and technical change: Measurement and testing

This paper considers two specifications, namely, the time trend (TT) and general index (GI) of technical change. These models are extended to accommodate the TFP growth accounting relationship in to the econometric model. We also propose a formal test to determine whether the TT or the GI model is appropriate for the data.
Depression in the Workplace

Depression is a common, serious illness that affects millions of individuals, most often in their prime years of productivity. There is strong evidence that depression is as debilitating as most other general medical conditions and results in increased general medical resource utilisation. The economic costs of depression are extremely high. The total cost of depression in the US in 1990 was estimated to be $US53 billion. Of this amount, $US33 billion was estimated to be directly related to the loss of productivity in the workplace. Well-controlled clinical studies have demonstrated that depression can be effectively treated with antidepressant medications. In addition to symptom reduction, these same studies have demonstrated that productivity at work also improves. The economic benefits from this increased productivity far outweigh the cost of appropriately diagnosing and treating depression.
Bacteriophage lambda FII gene protein: role in head assembly.

Abstract The in vitro completion of bacteriophage lambda F II − heads to form phage can be used as an assay for the λ F II gene protein. F II protein activity is released from highly purified phage particles or phage heads by treatment with heat or denaturing agents. F II protein was purified from isolated phage particles and from an extract of E − infected cells in which it is not bound to any large structures. No differences in molecular weight (11,500), isoelectric point (4.75), electrophoretic mobility, or purification properties could be demonstrated between the F II proteins from the two sources. Thus the polypeptide does not seem to be modified during assembly. Phage φ80 is closely related to λ. φ80 heads will join to φ80 tails in vitro but will not join to λ tails, though λ heads will join to either type of tail. Mixing experiments between F II − heads, tails, and F II protein from λ or φ80 show that the specificity of head-tail joining is correlated with the source of the F II protein and not with the source of the other head proteins. Thus, F II protein is apparently responsible for this specificity of head-tail joining.
extramacrochaetae, a negative regulator of sensory organ development in Drosophila, defines a new class of helix-loop-helix proteins

Abstract The function of the extramacrochaetae ( emc ) gene is required to establish the normal spatial pattern of adult sensory organs in Drosophila. emc acts to suppress sensory organ development in certain regions of the body surface, apparently by antagonizing the function of the achaete and scute genes of the achaetescute complex ( AS-C ). We have found that emc encodes a novel member of the helix-loop-helix (HLH) family of proteins. The emc protein shares the dimerization domain of other HLH proteins but lacks their DNA binding motif. We propose a model in which the emc protein negatively regulates sensory organ determination by forming heterodimers with the HLH proteins encoded by the AS-C and/or daughterless , thereby altering or interfering with their activity.
Oral Cancer Awareness Among Community-Dwelling Senior Citizens in Illinois

The study assessed participant awareness of oral cancer (OC), risk factors, signs and symptoms, and history of an OC screening exam and whether a relationship exists between these factors and the participant’s age, level of education, socioeconomic status (SES), ethnicity, and gender. It was a descriptive survey research with a non-randomized sample. Participants were a convenience sample of seniors participating in a congregate dining program of the DuPage County Senior Citizens Council. Data was collected through a written, self-administered survey. Sixty-two surveys were completed, with an overall response rate of 66 %. A statistically significant relationship was found between the level of education and awareness of OC risk factors (r = 0.26; P = 0.04). An inverse relationship was found between the level of education and the level of OC awareness questions, “have you ever heard about OC?” (r = −0.37; P = 0.004), and “how much do you know about OC?” (r = 0.35; P = 0.008). A trend toward significance was noted for the level of education and awareness of OC signs and symptoms (r = 0.24; P = 0.06). The levels of OC awareness in the seniors were lower than the general population. Seniors in the lower SES strata and who have low education levels are of particular concern, and it is important to conduct further studies tailored towards populations with these combined factors. Additional research is needed to determine how to best communicate OC awareness and implement programs specifically for this high-risk group.
Effect of viscous heating on linear stability of viscoelastic cone-and-plate flow: axisymmetric case

Abstract The effect of viscous heating on the linear stability of torsional flow of a viscoelastic fluid is analyzed. We consider an Oldroyd-B fluid subjected to a steady shearing motion in a cone–plate system with small gap. Previous experimental and analytical results show that in the isothermal case the flow is unstable to short wavelength disturbances for values of the Deborah number greater than some critical value. In this paper we show that viscous heating, which is characterized by a radially averaged Nahme number, Na , has a stabilizing effect on both long wave and short wave disturbances. This is in qualitative agreement with experimental results of Rothstein and McKinley [Phys. Fluids 13 (2001) 382].
Contrast-enhanced MRI lesions during treatment with interferonβ-1b predict increase in T1 black hole volume in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

T1 black holes (BH) have been found to represent focal areas of substantial central nervous system tissue damage in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. We examined the development of T1 BH over a thr...
Nonlinear identification and control of a high-purity distillation column: a case study

Abstract Identification and control of ill-conditioned, interactive and highly nonlinear processes pose a challenging problem to the process industry. In the absence of a reasonably accurate model, these processes are fairly difficult to control. Using a high-purity distillation column as an example, model identification and control issues are addressed in this paper. The structure of the identified models is that of the polynomial type nonlinear autoregressive models with exogenous inputs (NARX). While most of the work in this area has concentrated on linear models (one-time scale and two-time scale models), this work is aimed at identifying the inherent nonlinearities. Comparisons are drawn between the identified models based on statistical criteria (AIC etc.) and other validation tests. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the closed-loop performance of the nonlinear ARX models in the control of the distillation column. The controller employed is based on a nonlinear model predictive scheme with state and parameter estimation.
Men gain additional psychological benefits by adding exercise to a weight-loss program.

Objective: Adding exercise to a comprehensive weight-loss program might not only attenuate any psychological distress associated with weight-loss attempts but also may provide psychological benefits. This study examined whether a diet-plus-exercise weight-loss program improved psychological outcomes more than a diet-only weight-loss program or an assessment-only control group. Research Methods and Procedures: This study was part of a larger 1-year randomized weight-loss trial examining the effects of diet and exercise on cardiovascular disease risk factors in 264 overweight adults. Psychological measures specific to weight control (e.g., cognitive restraint, disinhibition, hunger, and body dissatisfaction) as well as traditional measures of psychological distress (e.g., symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress) were obtained at baseline and 1 year. Results: Men and women in either weight-loss program reported greater restraint, less disinhibition, and less hunger at 1 year than those in no program. Men in the diet-plus-exercise program experienced additional increases in restraint and decreases in hunger than did men in the diet-only program. Women in the diet-plus-exercise program did not experience additional psychological benefits specific to weight control than those in the diet-only program, despite increases in aerobic capacity. Discussion: The pattern seen for overweight men in the diet-plus-exercise program at 1 year—greater restraint, less disinhibition, and less hunger—is similar to the pattern seen in successful weight maintainers. These results underscore the need for innovative strategies that will enhance and sustain the pattern of psychological benefits specific to weight control associated with successful weight loss, especially for overweight women.
Opioid δ receptor subtypes are associated with different potassium channels

The purpose of the present experiment was to determine (a) whether the antinociceptive actions of [D-Pen 2 , D-Pen 5 ] enkephalin (DPDPE) could also be linked to a glyblenclamide-sensitive potassium channel (presumably an ATP-sensitive potassium channel) and (b) whether the antinociceptive actions of [D-Ala 2 ] deltorphin II were associated with potassium channels and if so, whether these channels were also of the glyblenclamide-sensitive type
A study of Japanese consumers' cognitive hierarchies in formal and informal gift-giving situations

In recent years, academicians have shown an increasing interest in Asian gift-giving behavior. Yet studies investigating Asians' cognitive hierarchical structures in the gift-giving context have been limited. Additionally, the literature suggests that Asian consumers' cognitive structures are particularly affected by situational contingencies. Thus, this study examines Japanese consumers' cognitive hierarchies, in a gift-giving context, in formal and informal situations utilizing a most-abstract to least-abstract cognitive hierarchical framework. Data were collected through a mail survey of Japanese consumers in the greater Tokyo area and six other major metropolitan cities. As hypothesized, structural-equation modeling results revealed that the Japanese consumer's cognitive hierarchical flow from most- to least-abstract cognitions remained intact regardless of the situation. In contrast, as expected, differing situations were found to influence intercognitive dimensional relationships. Implications of these findings are discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The liver: conductor of systemic iron balance

Iron is a micronutrient essential for almost all organisms: bacteria, plants, and animals. It is a metal that exists in multiple redox states, including the divalent ferrous (Fe2+) and the trivalent ferric (Fe3+) species. The multiple oxidation states of iron make it excellent for electron transfer, allowing iron to be selected during evolution as a cofactor for many proteins involved in central cellular processes including oxygen transport, mitochondrial respiration, and DNA synthesis. However, the redox cycling of ferrous and ferric iron in the presence of H2O2, which is physiologically present in the cells, also leads to the production of free radicals (Fenton reaction) that can attack and damage lipids, proteins, DNA, and other cellular components. To meet the physiological needs of the body, but to prevent cellular damage by iron, the amount of iron in the body must be tightly regulated. Here we review how the liver is the central conductor of systemic iron balance and show that this central role is related to the secretion of a peptide hormone hepcidin by hepatocytes. We then review how the liver receives and integrates the many signals that report the body’s iron needs to orchestrate hepcidin production and maintain systemic iron homeostasis.
Calcium and O2-dependent control of inner medullary cGMP: Possible role for Ca2+-dependent arachidonate release and prostaglandin synthesis in expression of the action of osmolality on renal inner medullary guanosine 3′5′ monophosphate☆

The present study examined the effects of osmolality on basal cGMP metabolism and cGMP responses to carbamylcholine in rat inner medulla. The basal cGMP content of inner medullary slices and cGMP responses to carbamylcholine fell as media osmolality was increased from 305 to 1650 mosmole/liter by the addition of urea plus NaCl to standard Krebs bicarbonate buffer. Exclusion of extracellular Ca2+ or addition of tetracaine abolished the effects of both a reduction in osmolality and carbamylcholine to increase cGMP. Readdition of Ca2+ to Ca2+-deprived slices restored the actions of media osmolality and carbamylcholine on cGMP. Ionophore A23187 enhanced the effects of Ca2+ to increase slice cGMP content. Analogous to the effects of Ca2+ alone, increases in cGMP accumulation in response to Ca2+ plus A23187 were significantly suppressed at high osmolality. In slices prelabeled with [14C]-arachidonate, the stimulatory effects of Ca2+ plus A23187 on cGMP were correlated with enhanced release of [14C]-arachidonate into the media and with increased accumulation of prostaglandin E in the media, all of which were depressed in slices incubated at 1650 compared to 750 mosmole/liter. Exogenous arachidonate increased cGMP 50% to twofold in the absence of Ca2+. However, the effects of exogenous arachidonate on cGMP were clearly less than those of either Ca2+ or carbamylcholine. Addition of indomethacin or exclusion of O2 abolished effects of exogenous arachidonate, Ca2+ plus A23187, reduced osmolality, and carbamylcholine to increase cGMP. In the presence of indomethacin or in the absence of O2, Ca2+, and arachidonate-induced prostaglandin E accumulation was also not detectable. By contrast, addition of indomethacin or exclusion of O2 had no effect on Ca2+-induced [14C]-arachidonate release. Changes in cGMP accumulation in inner medulla in response to changes in media osmolality, Ca2+ plus A23187, and exogenous arachidonate were accompanied by directionally similar alterations in cAMP. Moreover, increases in cAMP induced by Ca2+ or arachidonate were inhibited by indomethacin and O2 deprivation. These data suggest that Ca2+-dependent fatty acid release and oxygenation by fatty acid release and oxygenation by cyclooxygenase may participate in the control of the metabolism of both cGMP and cAMP in inner medulla. However, PGE2 and PGI2 increased cAMP but not cGMP, whereas carbamylcholine increased cGMP but not cAMP. Thus, to the extent that arachidonate oxygenation products mediate changes in cyclic nucleotide metabolism in inner medulla, it is likely that more than one product is involved or that changes in cGMP and cAMP occur in separate compartments of inner medulla.
An Asian-American Renewal Historical Theologian’s Response to the Duke African-American Nouvelle Théologie of Race

In this article I critically engage the Duke theologians of race—Carter, Jennings, and Bantam—devoting attention especially to Jennings. While appreciating and acknowledging the significance of these projects, I critique Jennings’s selective historiography and suggest that engaging the Anglo-American early modern supersessionist theologies of culture and race would have benefitted Jennings’ project. Then I trace out some implications of Jennings’s call to re-engage Israel and examine how his idealized vision of “submersion and in submission to another’s cultural realities” affects the notion of conversion theologically. As an Asian-American historical theologian, I argue that race is not and should no longer be looked upon as a black-white binary reality. In conclusion, I call for a historiographical fine-tuning of these theologies of race.
On flows having constant vorticity

Abstract Constant vorticity flows of a uniform fluid in a rigid ellipsoidal container rotating at a variable rate are considered. These include librationally driven and precessionally driven flows. The well-known Poincare solution for precessionally driven flow in a spheroid is generalized to an ellipsoid with unequal principal axes. The dynamic stability of these flows is investigated, and of other flows in which the angular velocity of the container is constant in time. Solutions for the Chandler wobble are discussed. The role of an invariant, called here the Helmholtzian, is examined.
Toward Robotic Musicianship

We present the development of a robotic percussionist named Haile that is designed to demonstrate musicianship. We define robotic musicianship in this context as a combination of musical, perceptual, and interaction skills with the capacity to produce rich acoustic responses in a physical and visual manner. Haile listens to live human players, analyzes perceptual aspects of their playing in real time, and uses the product of this analysis to play along in a collaborative and improvisatory manner. It is designed to combine the benefits of computational power, perceptual modeling, and algorithmic music with the richness, visual interactivity, and expression of acoustic playing. We believe that combining machine listening, improvisational algorithms, and mechanical operations with human creativity and expression can lead to novel musical experiences and outcome. Haile can therefore serve as a test bed for novel forms of musical humanmachine interaction, bringing perceptual aspects of computer music into the physical world both visually and acoustically. This article presents our goals for the project and the approaches we took in design, mechanics, perception, and interaction to address these goals. After an overview of related work in musical robotics, machine musicianship, and music perception, we describe Haile's design, the development of two robotic arms that can strike different locations on a drum with controllable volume levels, applications developed for lowand high-level perceptual listening and improvisation, and two interactive compositions for humans and a robotic percussionist that use Haile's capabilities. We conclude with a description of a user study that was conducted in an effort to evaluate Haile's perceptual, mechanical, and interaction functionalities. The results of the study showed significant correlation between humans' and Haile's rhythmic perception as well as strong user satisfaction from Haile's perceptual and mechanical capabilities. The study also indicated areas for improvement, such as the need for better timbre and loudness control as well as more advanced and responsive interaction schemes.
Cytomegalovirus DNA stability in EDTA anti-coagulated whole blood and plasma samples

Abstract Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA viral load testing is routinely performed in centers that serve patients that are immunosuppressed from organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Clinical laboratories that offer this testing often face practical concerns about the storage of these specimens to ensure accurate measurement for patient care. The published studies that assess CMV DNA stability at 4 °C have done so only up to 72 h. Objective Our objective was to determine the stability of CMV DNA in whole blood and plasma for clinical viral load testing over a 14 day period. Study design Twenty-one plasma samples that were CMV-positive and twenty whole blood samples (including eleven CMV-negative whole blood samples spiked with CMV-positive plasma) were stored at 4 °C and underwent extraction and amplification at 3 time points: Day 0, Day 7, and Day 14. Results Log10 values were calculated and t-test was performed on the values comparing Day 0 to Day 14 for plasma and whole blood. There was no statistically significant difference between Day 0 and Day 14 for both specimen types, including the CMV-negative whole blood specimens that were spiked with CMV-positive plasma. Conclusions CMV DNA in plasma and whole blood is stable for 14 days at a temperature of 4 °C.
High Hydrostatic Pressure Affects Flavor-binding Properties of Whey Protein Concentrate

The effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on flavor-binding properties of whey protein concentrate (WPC) were determined with benzaldehyde, heptanone, octanone, and nonanone. After HHP treatment (600 MPa, 50 °C, for 0-, 10-, or 30-min holding time), flavor-binding properties of WPC were studied by intrinsic fluorescence titration and static headspace analysis. The HHP treatments increased the number of binding sites and the apparent dissociation constants of WPC for benzaldehyde. HHP treatment of WPC for 0 min increased the number of binding sites of WPC for heptanone and octanone. As observed by headspace analysis, HHP treatments did not result in significant changes in the flavor retention for benzaldehyde in WPC solutions. Flavor retention of 100 ppm and 200 ppm heptanone and octanone in HHP-treated (10 min) WPC was significantly lower than for untreated WPC and HHP-treated WPC for 0 min or 30 min. For flavor retention of nonanone, significant decreases were only observed at 100 ppm when WPC solutions were HHP-treated for 10 min. While use of HHP treatment of WPC has potential in real food systems, these findings demonstrate the importance of careful selection of HHP treatment times and flavor concentrations for desired outcomes in food applications.
Solid-state 13C NMR assignment of carbon resonances on metallic and semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy was used to investigate the chemical shift of nanotube carbons on m- and s-SWNTs (metallic and semiconducting single-walled nanotubes) for samples with widely varying s-SWNT content, including samples highly enriched with nearly 100% m- and s-SWNTs. High-resolution 13C NMR was found to be a sensitive probe for m- and s-SWNTs in mixed SWNT samples with diameters of ∼1.3 nm. The two highly enriched m- and s-SWNT samples clearly exhibited features for m- and s-SNWT 13C nuclei (∼123 and 122 ppm, respectively) and were successfully fit with a single Gaussian, while five mixed samples required two Gaussians for a satisfactory fit.
Abstract B60: NR4A2: A novel therapeutic target in triple negative breast cancer

Despite the lack of an increased rate of breast cancer occurrence among African American women, African American women suffer greater mortality due to breast cancer as compared with other ethnic groups. Recent studies suggest that the increase in mortality is likely multifactorial, however the elevated occurrence of triple negative (ER-/PR-/HER2-) breast cancer may be a key factor in decrease survival among African American women. Since the lack of ER and HER2 make these patients ineligible for hormonal therapy or Her2 targeted therapies such as trastuzumab, patients are often relegated to cytotoxic chemotherapeutic strategies. As such, it is imperative to identify therapeutic targets which can be exploited to design highly selective, less toxic regimens which are effective in treating triple negative breast cancer. The NR4A (NR4A1, NR4A2, and NR4A3) orphan nuclear receptors have the potential to serve as distinct, specific pharmacological targets which can directly affect apoptosis in triple negative breast cancer cells. Breast tumor microarrays demonstrate that NR4A2 is highly expressed in the nucleus of normal, but not malignant breast epithelial cells. shRNA-mediated silencing of NR4A2 in triple negative breast cancer cells leads to increased proliferation in vitro and in breast cancer xenograft models. In vitro studies also revealed that shRNA silencing of NR4A2 expresssion mediated partial resistance to doxorubicin, while overexpression of NR4A2 leads to cell cycle arrest. Additionally, gene expression arrays show that overexpression of NR4A2 induces expression of angiogenic factors, as well as causes suppression of markers associated epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Taken together, these studies suggest that NR4A2 is a viable pharmacological target in triple negative breast cancer. Targeting triple negative breast cancer may prove an effective means to address the disparity in survival rates of African American women as compared to other ethnicities. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):B60.
“Engendering” Politics: The Impact of Descriptive Representation on Women’s Political Engagement in Sub-Saharan Africa

Globally, there is a significant gender gap in political engagement between men and women; however, this gender gap varies both across countries and within countries over time. Previous research ha...
Interpretation of A.C. impedance response of chromated electrogalvanized steel

Abstract A need exists for the development of a fast and accurate testing technique which plating shops could use to evaluate the corrosion resistance of chromated galvanized steel. A.c. impedance techniques were explored as a method to evaluate the corrosion protection properties of chromated electrogalvanized steel. Experimental impedance data were analyzed with respect to a non-linear model. Parameters from the model have been given physical interpretations which provide insight into the possible formation and protection mechanisms of a chromate coating on electrogalvanized steel. The measurement of these parameters may prove useful for predicting the corrosion protection properties of chromated electrogalvanized steel.
Current-induced breakdown of superconductivity in constricted type I superconducting films

In simultaneous magneto-optical and electrical measurements on constricted type I superconducting films we have correlated step structure in the currentvoltage characteristic with the nucleation of individual flux-tube trains. A central feature of this experiment is the development of a sample geometry with which we can restrict the breakdown behavior to a single, localized flux-tube train running perpendicular to the transport current. Apparently, the step structure in the I–V characteristic results from a Gibbs free-energy barrier against the nucleation of flux-tube trains. The experiments are performed with films of lead and indium. From the I–V characteristics of the indium constrictions we conclude that the flux-tube nucleation rate can vary substantially with applied current beyond a voltage step at temperatures near T c.
How do electoral competition and special interests shape the stringency of renewable energy standards

In this article, I provide a new political rationale for stringent renewable energy standards, such as portfolio requirements and feed-in tariffs. A game-theoretic analysis demonstrates that if a green politician (concerned about environmental quality) adopts a stringent renewable energy standard, thus creating artificial profits for the renewables industry, she can induce the industry to support her in elections. This political mobilization improves the green politician’s electoral fortunes, and thus increases the probability that the renewable energy standard will be implemented. In contrast to previous arguments for renewable energy standards, my argument applies even when the renewables industry is disorganized at the time of environmental policy formation.
Variational calculation of neoclassical ion heat flux and poloidal flow in the banana regime for axisymmetric magnetic geometry

We present a numerical solution of the drift-kinetic equation retaining the linearized Fokker–Planck collision operator which is valid for general axisymmetric magnetic geometry in the low collisionality limit. We use the well-known variational principle based on entropy production and expand in basis functions. Uniquely, we expand in pitch-angle basis functions which are eigenfunctions of the transit-averaged test particle collision operator. These eigenfunctions, which depend on the geometry, are extremely well suited to this problem, with only one or two basis functions required to obtain an accurate solution. As a simple example of the technique, the neoclassical ion heat flux and poloidal flow are calculated for circular flux surfaces and compared with analytic approximations for arbitrary aspect ratio.
Green chemistry synthesis of nanostructured poly(2,5-dimethoxyaniline)

A compact, high surface area nanostructured poly(2,5-dimethoxyaniline) powder having high electrical conductivity (σ∼ 10−1 S cm−1) and high charge storage capacity (Csp∼205 F/g) is synthesized in one step by chemical oxidative polymerization of 2,5-dimethoxyaniline using HCl/NaCl/H2O2 as a mild oxidizing system.