cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Origin of iron production in the Eastern Mediterranean: Osmium isotope and highly siderophile element evidence from Iron Age Jordan

Abstract Osmium isotope and highly siderophile element (HSE: Os, Ir, Ru, Rh, Pt, Pd, Re, Au) abundance analysis provides a new methodology for examining the origins of ancient iron production in the Eastern Mediterranean, a current scholarly lacuna. Here we present results from a two-stage campaign of laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) followed by thermal ionization mass spectrometry and solution ICP-MS to measure mixed iron-copper chunks and iron objects from the Faynan region of Jordan. Faynan is a copper-ore resource zone with a rich history of copper smelting. The combination of sophisticated copper metallurgy and iron artifacts in the archaeological record of Iron Age Faynan (10th-9th centuries BCE) offers an exceptional opportunity to investigate the hypothesis that iron production originally developed as an adventitious byproduct of advanced copper smelting technologies. Based on the results, we find no connection from HSE abundances and inter-element ratios, or osmium isotopes, between the iron objects (Pt/Os = 2–7; 187Os/188Os = 1.15 to 2.50) and mixed metal chunks from the furnaces (Pt/Os = 7.7–35; 187Os/188Os = 2.15 to 8.96) excavated in Faynan, indicating that the objects were not locally produced. This conclusion provides additional evidence that iron production in the Levant was probably not directly developed from copper smelting. In turn, osmium isotopes and siderophile element abundances in artifacts and products from metal production can also offer a new line of evidence for examining exchange networks in the Iron Age Eastern Mediterranean and elsewhere.
An All-COTS High Sampling Frequency Pulse-Doppler Imaging Radar

This paper presents a high sampling frequency pulse-Doppler radar that was constructed using commercially available components. The system architecture is explained with emphasis placed on the digital transceiver subsystem. A calibration technique is presented to mitigate range ambiguity due to digital latency variation between resets of the system. The pulse-Doppler operation of the system is then evaluated through the range-Doppler mapping of moving and stationary targets, confirming the radar's potential for synthetic aperture radar imaging.
Retaining Adolescent and Young Adult Participants in Research During a Pandemic: Best Practices From Two Large-Scale Developmental Neuroimaging Studies (NCANDA and ABCD)

The novel coronavirus pandemic that emerged in late 2019 (COVID-19) has created challenges not previously experienced in human research. This paper discusses two large-scale NIH-funded multi-site longitudinal studies of adolescents and young adults - the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) and the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study - and valuable approaches to learn about adaptive processes for conducting developmentally sensitive research with neuroimaging and neurocognitive testing across consortia during a global pandemic. We focus on challenges experienced during the pandemic and modifications that may guide other projects, such as implementing adapted protocols that protect the safety of participants and research staff, and addressing assessment challenges through the use of strategies such as remote and mobile assessments. Given the pandemic's disproportionate impacts on participants typically underrepresented in research, we describe efforts to retain these individuals. The pandemic provides an opportunity to develop adaptive processes that can facilitate future studies' ability to mobilize effectively and rapidly.
A systematic scoping review of the methodological approaches and effects of pesticide exposure on solitary bees.

Background Pollination services provided by solitary bees, the largest group of bees worldwide, are critical to the vitality of ecosystems and agricultural systems alike. Disconcertingly, bee populations are in decline, and while no single causative factor has been identified, pesticides are believed to play a role in downward population trends. The effects of pesticides on solitary bee species have not been previously systematically cataloged and reviewed. Objectives This systematic scoping review examines available evidence for effects of pesticide exposure on solitary bees to identify data gaps and priority research needs. Methods A systematic literature search strategy was developed to identify and document reports on solitary bee pesticide exposure-effects investigations. Literature was subsequently screened for relevance using a Population, Exposures, Comparators, and Outcomes (PECO) statement and organized into a systematic evidence map. Investigations were organized by effect category (lethal effects on immatures, lethal effects on adults, sublethal effects on immatures, and sublethal effects on adults), species, pesticide class, and publication year. Results A comprehensive literature search of Web of Science and ProQuest Agricultural & Environmental Science supplemented by targeted internet searching and reference mining yielded 176 reports and publications for title and abstract screening and 65 that met PECO criteria (22 included lethal and 43 included sublethal effects endpoints). Relevant design details (pesticide, test compound configuration, study type, species, sex, exposure duration) were extracted into literature inventory tables to reveal the extent endpoints have been investigated and areas in need of additional research. Conclusions Evidence mapping revealed diversity in the pesticides and endpoints studied across the database. However, dilution across bee species, lack of complementary laboratory work and paucity of replicated investigations complicate efforts to interpret and apply available data to support pesticide risk assessment.
Irradiation-enhanced diffusion and diffusion-limited creep in U3Si2

Abstract U3Si2 is an advanced fuel candidate due to its relatively high fissile density and attractive thermal properties. Compared to standard UO2 fuel, there are significant data gaps for the thermophysical and thermomechanical properties of U3Si2. Point defect concentrations and mobilities under irradiation govern a number of important fuel performance properties, such as creep and fission gas release. In this work, we utilized density functional theory (DFT) data to inform a cluster dynamics framework to predict point defect concentrations in U3Si2 under irradiation. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to examine the contribution of atomic mixing during ballistic cascades to diffusion, as well as the diffusivity of U and Si at grain boundaries. These atomic scale models for diffusivity were then used to inform a creep model based on bulk (Nabarro-Herring) and grain boundary (Coble) diffusional creep, and climb-limited dislocation creep. The model compares well against available experimental data and has been implemented in the BISON fuel performance code. A demonstration case using simple power profiles has been carried out, showing that negligible creep occurs due to the low temperatures experienced by U3Si2 in-reactor, a consequence of its high thermal conductivity.
Controlling for variable transposition rate with an age-adjusted site frequency spectrum

Abstract Recognition of the important role of transposable elements (TEs) in eukaryotic genomes quickly led to a burgeoning literature modeling and estimating the effects of selection on TEs. Much of the empirical work on selection has focused on analyzing the site frequency spectrum (SFS) of TEs. But TEs differ from standard evolutionary models in a number of ways that can impact the power and interpretation of the SFS. For example, rather than mutating under a clock-like model, transposition often occurs in bursts which can inflate particular frequency categories compared to expectations under a standard neutral model. If a TE burst has been recent, the excess of low frequency polymorphisms can mimic the effect of purifying selection. Here, we investigate how transposition bursts affect the frequency distribution of TEs and the correlation between age and allele frequency. Using information on the TE age distribution, we propose an age-adjusted site frequency spectrum to compare TEs and neutral polymorphisms to more effectively evaluate whether TEs are under selective constraints. We show that our approach can minimize instances of false inference of selective constraint, but also allows for a correct identification of even weak selection affecting TEs which experienced a transposition burst and is robust to at least simple demographic changes. The results presented here will help researchers working on TEs to more reliably identify the effects of selection on TEs without having to rely on the assumption of a constant transposition rate.
A New and Improved Empire: British Spiritual Imperialism and Indian National Renewal

Despite A. P. Sinnett’s guarded hesitation and reluctance to malign other religions, he left no doubt about the relative ranking order of religions that existed in his mind. In fact, not to acknowledge the merit of the “one great religion,” Sinnett wrote, can only produce disastrous results in the progression of human life and society. Bloodless, blameless, and innocent in all worldly manifestations, this one great religion—for Sinnett, that religion was Theosophy—could redefine and rejuvenate the world with an updated British Empire at the helm. He foresaw a new British Empire that was no less global in scope or dominance, led by an elite class of cosmopolitan spiritual pundits, that would reconstitute and command the geopolitical landscape.
Federal Preemption and Competition in the Post 1866 United States Telegraph Market

The United States federal government preempted anti-competitive state and municipal telegraph regulations when the 1866 Post Roads Act was enacted. The act granted a de facto national franchise to build and operate a telegraph system anywhere in the United States to any telegraph company organized within any state. The act also outlawed certain types of contracts that had prohibited other companies from acquiring telegraph right of way access. Rival companies took advantage of the dismantling of local entry barriers to enter the telegraph market and compete with Western Union. I present the first empirical evidence indicating the post-1866 United States telegraph market was contested. The evidence is consistent with the theory that the 1866 Post Roads Act contributed to increasing contestability and consumer welfare.
Chapter 4. Diversity of Neuronal Calcium Channels

Publisher Summary One of the distinguishing characteristics of neurons is their excitability due to the presence of voltage-dependent ion-channel proteins in neuronal membranes. Ion channels, selectively permeable to Ca2+, are abundant in the neuronal tissue. There is an abundance of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels and diversity of neuronal Ca2+ channels. This chapter discusses the work that explores the characteristics of neuronal Ca2+ channels and presents the current state of knowledge of Ca2+ channels in central neurons. The classification of neuronal Ca2+ channels is based on electrophysiological recordings, using patch-clamp techniques, from peripheral neurons of either whole cell ionic currents or single channels. Calcium channels, in both central and peripheral neurons, have been divided using these techniques into two categories based on the level of membrane depolarization required for activation—that is, low-voltage-activated (LVA) and high-voltage-activated (HVA) channels. The focus is on the classification of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels where high-voltage- and low-voltage-activated Ca2+ channels have been differentiated based on the properties such as channel class, depolarization required for activation, and inactivation kinetics. The chapter also discusses the functions of neuronal Ca2+ channels, diversity of calcium channels, and molecular properties of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels.
Outcomes of cranioplasty following decompressive craniectomy in the pediatric population

Cranioplasty is routinely performed following decompressive craniectomy in both adult and pediatric populations. In adults, this procedure is associated with higher rates of complications than is elective cranial surgery. This study is a review of the literature describing risk factors for complications after cranioplasty surgery in pediatric patients. A systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane, and SCOPUS databases was undertaken. Articles were selected based on their titles and abstracts. Only studies that focused on a pediatric population were included; case reports were excluded. Studies in which the authors assessed bone flap storage method, timing of cranioplasty, material used (synthetic vs autogenous), skull defect size, and/or complication rates (bone resorption and surgical site infection) were selected for further analysis. Eleven studies that included a total of 441 cranioplasties performed in the pediatric population are included in this review. The findings are as follows: 1) Based on analysis of pooled data, using cryopreserved bone flaps during cranioplasty may lead to a higher rate of bone resorption and lower rate of infection than using bone flaps stored at room temperature. 2) In 3 of 4 articles describing the effect of time between craniectomy and cranioplasty on complication rate, the authors found no significant effect, while in 1 the authors found that the incidence of bone resorption was significantly lower in children who had undergone early cranioplasty. Pooling of data was not possible for this analysis. 3) There are insufficient data to assess the effect of cranioplasty material on complication rate when considering only cranioplasties performed to repair decompressive craniectomy defects. However, when considering cranioplasties performed for any indication, those in which freshly harvested autograft is used may have a lower rate of resorption than those in which stored autograft is used. 4) There is no appreciable effect of craniectomy defect size or patient age on complication rate. There is a paucity of articles describing outcomes and complications following cranioplasty in children and adolescents. However, based on the studies examined in this systematic review, there are reasons to suspect that method of flap preservation, timing of surgery, and material used may be significant. Larger prospective and retrospective studies are needed to shed more light on this important issue.
Home Country Political Risk and Foreign Direct Investment in the United States

This study investigates the proposition that home country political risk factors influence outward foreign direct investment. Investment data from the U.S. Department of Commerce is used to model investment activity in the United States from various industrialized source countries. Foreign direct investment is regressed on home country domestic and international economic and political risk measures for the Western industrial countries. Results indicate that investment activity from the ICs in the U.S. is dependent on home country economic and political conditions.
Continuous Auxiliary Relations

In this article, we introduce finite auxiliary relations and show that in a domain given by a retract of Plotkin's SFP object, Scott's way-below relation can be obtained as the union of an ascending chain of finite auxiliary relations.
Implementable Failure Detectors in Asynchronous Systems

The failure detectors discussed in the literature are either impossible to implement in an asynchronous system, or their exact guarantees have not been discussed. We introduce an infinitely often accurate failure detector which can be implemented in an asynchronous system. We provide one such implementation and show its application to the fault-tolerant server maintenance problem. We also show that some natural timeout based failure detectors implemented on Unix are not sufficient to guarantee infinitely often accuracy.
Status Epilepticus Induced Spontaneous Dentate Gyrus Spikes: In Vivo Current Source Density Analysis

The dentate gyrus is considered to function as an inhibitory gate limiting excitatory input to the hippocampus. Following status epilepticus (SE), this gating function is reduced and granule cells become hyper-excitable. Dentate spikes (DS) are large amplitude potentials observed in the dentate gyrus (DG) of normal animals. DS are associated with membrane depolarization of granule cells, increased activity of hilar interneurons and suppression of CA3 and CA1 pyramidal cell firing. Therefore, DS could act as an anti-excitatory mechanism. Because of the altered gating function of the dentate gyrus following SE, we sought to investigate how DS are affected following pilocarpine-induced SE. Two weeks following lithium-pilocarpine SE induction, hippocampal EEG was recorded in male Sprague-Dawley rats with 16-channel silicon probes under urethane anesthesia. Probes were placed dorso-ventrally to encompass either CA1-CA3 or CA1-DG layers. Large amplitude spikes were detected from EEG recordings and subject to current source density analysis. Probe placement was verified histologically to evaluate the anatomical localization of current sinks and the origin of DS. In 9 of 11 pilocarpine-treated animals and two controls, DS were confirmed with large current sinks in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. DS frequency was significantly increased in pilocarpine-treated animals compared to controls. Additionally, in pilocarpine-treated animals, DS displayed current sinks in the outer, middle and/or inner molecular layers. However, there was no difference in the frequency of events when comparing between layers. This suggests that following SE, DS can be generated by input from medial and lateral entorhinal cortex, or within the dentate gyrus. DS were associated with an increase in multiunit activity in the granule cell layer, but no change in CA1. These results suggest that following SE there is an increase in DS activity, potentially arising from hyperexcitability along the hippocampal-entorhinal pathway or within the dentate gyrus itself.
Zukunftstendenzen der Informationsverarbeitung

Vergleicht man die ersten Prozessoren der Datenverarbeitung etwa mit einem modernen, leistungsfahigen Mikroprozessor, so bietet sich ein interessantes Bild. Wahrend etwa der ENIAC (1945) mit rund 35.000 Bauteilen auf einer Standflache von 135 m3 eine interne Leistung von etwa 5 KIPS erzeugte, generiert ein Chipprozessor in einem leistungsfahigen Mikro mit seinen rund 100.000 Bauelementen und einer Standflache weit unter einem Quadratmeter leicht eine interne Leistung von rund 250 KIPS. Diese massive Veranderung ist sicherlich nicht nur quantitativ, sie steht ohne Zweifel auch fur eine starke Veranderung in den Qualitaten der Prozessoren. Auf einen kurzen Nenner gebracht, bedeutet dies, das aus dem tonnenschweren Prozessor der Fruhzeit uber vier Jahrzehnte hinweg ein Bauteil der Nachrichtentechnik geworden ist, das man hintragen kann, wohin man will, und das man vor allem einbauen kann, wo immer dies Sinn macht. Man spricht in diesem Sinne auch von einer Verteilung der Datenverarbeitung. Erganzt man dieses Bild durch den immer deutlicher sichtbaren Trend zum Mega-Speicherchip und zum 32-Bit-Mikroprozessor, so kann man davon ausgehen, das die Computertechnologie in absehbarer Zeit in der Lage sein wird, am unteren Leistungsrand der Zentraleinheiten, etwa im „Personal Computer“, ein Megabyte Arbeitsspeicher und ein MIPS interner Leistung anzubieten.
Summary Results, CRC Project CM-126, Cetane Engine Combustion

The results for the cetane engine tests showed a strong correlation between cetane number and ignition delay for all fuels tested. Also, a higher cetane number was generally reflected in better engine performance, emissions, and heat release results in the cetane engine. Comparison of test results with data from another program indicated that there were similarities between the cetane engine and an IDI engine but correlation with a DI engine was poor. Conclusions are that revised instrumentation and carefully controlled test procedures can yield consistent results from the cetane engine, however, a strong correlation between these results and the performance of a given fuel in modern design DI and IDI engines has not been established.
Modeling the daytime, equatorial ionospheric ion densities associated with the observed, four‐cell longitude patterns in E × B drift velocities

[1] Previous studies have quantified the longitude gradients in E × Bdrift associated with the four-cell tidal structures and have confirmed that these sharp gradients exist on a day-to-day basis. For this paper, we incorporate the Ion Velocity Meter (IVM) sensor on the Communications/Navigation Outage Forecasting System satellite to obtain the daytime, verticalE × B drift velocities at the magnetic equator as a function of longitude, local time, and season and to theoretically calculate the F region ion densities as a function of altitude, latitude, longitude, and local time using the Global Ionosphere Plasmasphere model. We compare calculated ion densities assuming no longitude gradients in E × Bdrift velocities with calculated ion densities incorporating the IVM-observedE × Bdrift at the boundaries of the four-cell tidal structures in the Peruvian and the Atlantic longitude sectors. Incorporating the IVM-observedE × B drift velocities, the ion density crests rapidly converge to the magnetic equator between 285 and 300°E geographic longitude, are absent between 300° and 305°, and move away from the magnetic equator between 305° and 340°. In essence, the steeper the longitude gradient in E × B drifts, the steeper the longitude gradient in the equatorial anomaly crest location.
Medical image analysis using model-based optimization

The use of mathematical models and optimization theory is suggested as a unifying approach to solving certain automated segmentation and analysis problems in medical imaging. Within this framework, the authors present three examples. Being able to view segmented objects and/or quantitative descriptions of an object's shape, size, and movement properties is felt to be an improved form of visualizing the anatomy for purposes of diagnosis. The first two examples are related to extracting features and ultimately segmenting outlines of objects, useful for many 2D anatomical object recognition problems. The third example is an analysis method that is specific to the problem of tracking motion of the wall of the left ventricle of the heart. >
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis: cellular variant and beyond.

The entity of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), oddly, includes several distinct changes involving glomeruli that need not be focal, segmental, or even sclerotic. It is fitting to rethink our nosological approach to FSGS, which has focused on descriptive morphological entities. Rather, we should consider them as ‘podocytopathies‘ — diseases with an etiological commonality involving injury to the podocyte.
Epidermal growth factor potentiates the induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity by prostaglandins in embryonic palate mesenchymal cells: Effects on cell proliferation and glycosaminoglycan synthesis

Abstract Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and prostaglandins (PGs) have been implicated in the regulation of a number of developmental processes in the mammalian embryonic palate. Normal palatal ontogenesis is dependent on the presence and quite possibly on the interaction of various hormones and growth factors. The interaction between EGF and PGs in regulation of murine embryonic palate mesenchymal (MEPM) cell growth and differentiation was therefore investigated by monitoring the activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the principle and rate limiting enzyme of polyamine biosynthesis. ODC activity is tightly coupled to the proliferative and differentiative state of eukaryotic cells and therefore serves as a reliable indicator of such cellular functions. Treatment of confluent cultures of MEPM cells with EGF (1–50 ng/ml) resulted in a dose-related increase in ODC activity, while similar treatment with either PGE2 or PGF2α (at concentrations up to 1 μM) did not elicit a dose-dependent increase in enzyme activity. Concurrent treatment of MEPM cells with EGF (20 ng/ml) and either PGE2 or PGF2α (0.1–10000 nM) resulted in a marked prostaglandin dose-dependent induction of ODC activity, suggesting a strong cooperative interaction between these factors. ODC activity was maximal by 4 to 8 hr and could be completely inhibited by preincubation of the cells with actinomycin D or cycloheximide, indicating that de novo synthesis of RNA and protein is necessary for enzyme induction. Stimulation of ODC activity by EGF and PGE2 in these cells was not positively correlated with the level of cellular DNA synthesis but did result in a ninefold increase in the synthesis of extracellular glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), a key macromolecular family implicated in palatal morphogenesis. Stimulation of GAG synthesis was significantly inhibited by the administration of 5 mM DFMO (an irreversible inhibitor of ODC), indicating that the marked increase in GAG production was dependent, in part, on the induction of ODC activity by EGF and PGE2. Qualitative analysis of the palatal GAGs indicated that synthesis of several major classes of GAGs was stimulated. Collectively these data demonstrate a cooperative interaction between EGF and PGs in the induction of ODC activity. Such activity may serve to regulate the synthesis of GAGs, which are instrumental in mammalian palatal ontogenesis.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN WARP : PROGRESS TOWARD END-TO-END SIMULATION

Abstract The development of a high current, heavy-ion beam driver for inertial confinement fusion requires a detailed understanding of the behavior of the beam, including effects of the strong self-fields. The necessity of including the self-fields of the beam makes particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation techniques ideal, and for this reason, the multi-dimensional PIC/accelerator code WARP has been developed. WARP [1] has been used extensively to study the creation and propagation of ion beams both in experiments and for the understanding of basic beam physics. An overview of the structure of the code will be presented along with a discussion of features that make the code an effective tool in the understanding of space-charge dominated beam behavior. Much development has been done on WARP increasing its flexibility and generality. Major additions include a generalized field description, an efficient steady-state modeling technique, a transverse slice model with a bending algorithm, further improvement of the parallel processing version, and capabilities for linking to chamber transport codes. With these additions, the capability of modeling a large scale accelerator from end-to-end comes closer to reality.
Design of oxobenzimidazoles and oxindoles as novel androgen receptor antagonists

Abstract Oxobenzimidazoles (e.g., 1), a novel series of androgen receptor (AR) antagonists, were discovered through de novo design guided by structure-based drug design. The compounds in this series were reasonably permeable and metabolically stable, but suffered from poor solubility. The incorporation of three dimensional structural features led to improved solubility. In addition, the observation of a ‘flipped’ binding mode of an oxobenzimidazole analog in an AR ligand binding domain (LBD) model, led to the design and discovery of the novel oxindole series (e.g., 2) that is a potent full antagonist of AR. Download : Download full-size image
Antibiotics For Emerging Pathogens

Antibiotic-resistant strains of pathogenic bacteria are increasingly prevalent in hospitals and the community. New antibiotics are needed to combat these bacterial pathogens, but progress in developing them has been slow. Historically, most antibiotics have come from a small set of molecular scaffolds whose functional lifetimes have been extended by generations of synthetic tailoring. The emergence of multidrug resistance among the latest generation of pathogens suggests that the discovery of new scaffolds should be a priority. Promising approaches to scaffold discovery are emerging; they include mining underexplored microbial niches for natural products, designing screens that avoid rediscovering old scaffolds, and repurposing libraries of synthetic molecules for use as antibiotics.
Vanadate promotes reactivation and ionotophoresis-induced ocular shedding of latent HSV-1 W in different host animals

Vanadate is a potent inhibitor of calcium stimulated ATPase, Na, K-ATPase, and may have adrenergic activity. Using the iontophoresis method, we compared vanadate to a BSS control and the standard iontophoresis model (6-hydroxydopamine/epinephrine) by measuring induced ocular shedding of latent HSV-1 in different host animals. Latent trigeminal ganglionic infections were established in Balb/c mice and New Zealand rabbits following corneal inoculation with HSV-1 [W] strain, and later confirmed by cocultivation. Latently-infected animals (greater than 1 month post-infection) were divided into three treatment groups. Each group was iontophoresed with BSS, vanadate 1% or 6-HD 1%, and then treated topically for 10 days with BSS, vanadate or epinephrine respectively. Reactivation and recovery of latent HSV-1 was detected by daily ocular swabbing, plating, and observing progressive viral growth in Vero cells. The vanadate group had more virus-positive eyes than the BSS control group in mice, (8/32 vs. 1/32 P less than .01), and also in rabbits (14/20 vs 6/22 P less than .01). Virus-positive animals and total positive swabs were also higher for vanadate than BSS in both mice and rabbits. Furthermore, while vanadate was associated with fewer virus-positive eyes than 6-HD & EPI (8/32 vs. 17/32 P less than .02) in mice, there were no significant differences in rabbits. We conclude that vanadate promotes ocular shedding of latent HSV-1, and may act through an adrenergic mechanism.
Differential distribution of urocortin- and corticotropin-releasing factor-like immunoreactivities in the rat brain

Abstract Urocortin, a novel 40 amino acid neuropeptide, is a member of the corticotropin-releasing factor family. With 45% homology to corticotropin-releasing factor, urocortin binds with similar affinity to the corticotropin-releasing factor-1 and corticotropin-releasing factor-2 receptors and may play a role in modulating many of the same systems as corticotropin-releasing factor. To assess whether urocortin and corticotropin-releasing factor are localized in the same regions of the brain, we compared the distribution of urocortin- and corticotropin-releasing factor-like immunoreactivities in the rat central nervous system. Polyclonal antibodies to rat corticotropin-releasing factor and rat urocortin were generated and utilized to map the distribution of corticotropin-releasing factor- and urocortin-like immunoreactivities throughout the rat forebrain and brainstem. Characterization of the antibodies by radioimmunoassay showed no cross-reactivity with related peptides. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were treated with colchicine for 18–24 h. Following colchicine treatment, the rats were perfused with paraformaldehyde–lysine–periodate fixative and their brains removed. Serial coronal sections were taken throughout the rat brain and processed for either corticotropin-releasing factor- or urocortin-like immunoreactivity. Urocortin-like immunoreactivity shows a discrete localization within several regions including the supraoptic nucleus, the median eminence, Edinger–Westphal nucleus and the sphenoid nucleus. This is in contrast to the more abundant corticotropin-releasing factor-like immunoreactivity. Regions containing high levels of corticotropin-releasing factor immunoreactivity include the lateral septum, paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, median eminence and locus coeruleus. There are a few regions that contain both urocortin-immunoreactive and corticotropin-releasing factor-immunoreactive cells, such as the supraoptic nucleus and the hippocampus. Therefore, urocortin and corticotropin-releasing factor appear to have different distribution patterns which may be indicative of their respective physiological functions.
What is managed care anyway

1The opinions contained in this article are those of the authors and should not be construed as policies of the American Medical Association.
Hartree-Fock density of states for extended systems

The density of states (DOS) of extended systems, calculated at the rigorous Hartree-Fock (HF) level, can have a number of unphysical features. It is shown analytically that in partially filled band systems (crystals, thin films, polymers) the HF DOS vanishes at the Fermi energy, regardless of Fermi-surface shape. HF DOS will also vanish, in the (rare) event that an equienergetic surface $S$ for an energy different from the Fermi energy coincides with the Fermi surface ${S}_{F}$. Additional features such as shoulders, peaks, or near gaps can occur at energies with surfaces $S$ close to ${S}_{F}$. No HF-related zero DOS arises in filled-band extended systems. Published HF DOS are discussed. A detailed summary of expressions for crystal HF matrix elements in momentum representation is given. Their modification for thin films and polymers is indicated.
Free to those who can afford it: The everyday affordance of privilege

Abstract Zero-priced goods (which we call ‘free stuff’) are an overlooked foundation of privilege. From corporate perks to meal accoutrements and easy access to bathrooms, free stuff does work of a number of important types, from easing everyday personal routine to solidifying economic ties. We trace the flow of free stuff using an ‘affordance’ perspective on privilege, a useful way to examine the micro-situational foundations of inequality. This perspective focuses attention on exactly how resources, from cash to cultural capital, are made useful in day-to-day life. We examine the transaction of freebies in three ideal-typical networks: that of the professional, the culture industry broker, and the poor urban dweller. Through comparison of each of these cases, we argue that freebies and perks are affordances of class position, whether in their abundance, as in the case of the professional's ease with perks, or in their absence in the case of poor people's subsistence. Free stuff can be an important medium of exchange in a number of worlds, and often serves to seamlessly provide recipients with important situational resources. The poor, however, are often left out of valuable networks of exchange, thus facing considerable retrieval costs for free stuff others take for granted.
Mitigation of severe accidents in AREVA's Gen 3+ nuclear power plants

Abstract The current AREVA Gen 3+ PWR designs (EPR™ and ATMEA1) are based on the proven defense-in-depth safety concepts inherited from their predecessors, the French “N4” and the German “Konvoi” reactors. Complemented by specific enhancements, including higher redundancy and diversity as well as the use of passive systems, this leads to very low values of the core damage frequency (CDF). Notwithstanding this very low probability, dedicated design measures have been implemented to improve the response of the plant in case of a postulated severe accident (SA) with core melting. This way not only the frequency of large-early-releases (LERF) but also the related radiological consequences are drastically reduced. Situations that potentially lead to high loads that can challenge the short-term integrity of the containment, like RPV melt-through under high pressure, energetic hydrogen/steam explosions, as well as long-term containment failure caused by internal over-pressure are avoided by a combination of preventive measures and dedicated systems. At the example of the EPR TM , the paper gives an overview of the severe accident mitigation strategy and the related measures and systems of AREVAs current Gen 3+ reactors, with special focus on the function of the core melt stabilization system.
Exclusion of temperature fluctuations as the source of 1 f noise in metal films

The measured coherence between the $\frac{1}{f}$ noise of two superimposed, thermally coupled but electrically insulated continuous gold films was found to be orders of magnitude smaller than it would be if this excess low-frequency noise were due to temperature fluctuations. Thus temperature fluctuations of either extrinsic or thermodynamic origin cannot generally be responsible for the $\frac{1}{f}$ noise observed in substrate-mounted metal films.
Judgments of relative time-to-contact of more than two approaching objects: Toward a method

Observers reported which of as many as eight computer-generated approaching objects would "hit" them first. Accuracy was above chance probability except when two-object displays contained pictorial relative size information that contradicted relative time-to-contact (TTC) information. Mean d' and response time was greater, but mean efficiency (Barlow, 1978) was smaller with eight objects than with two. Performance was less effective when global expansion contradicted TTC information than when local expansion contradicted TTC. Results suggest that observers can judge relative TTC with as many as eight objects when certain sources of information are consistent with TTC and that observers rely on information other than, or in conjunction with, optical TTC. Also, the sources of visual information that affect performance may vary with set size, and identification (but not detection) judgments may be constrained by limited-capacity processing.
Vitamin D deficiency does not increase the rate of postoperative hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy

Background Hypocalcemia is a frequent complication of thyroidectomy. Although typically mild and temporary, it can lead to an increased length of stay, readmission, and in some cases be permanent. Controversy exists as to whether vitamin D deficiency (VDD) contributes to post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia. Methods This is a retrospective study of 152 patients who underwent thyroidectomy. Patients with or without VDD were compared. Data were analyzed for demographics, operative procedure, calcium levels, and complications of hypocalcemia. Results There was no difference in the rates of biochemical or symptomatic hypocalcemia or in the need for readmission between the VDD and non-VDD groups. A multivariate analysis controlling for central neck dissection, parathyroid autotransplant, and preoperative diagnosis confirmed no association between VDD and post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia. Conclusions Despite VDD being common in patients undergoing thyroidectomy, our results do not suggest that this increases the rate of hypocalcemia. Thus, preoperative evaluation/repletion of VDD is unlikely to reduce post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia rates.
Wellbore integrity at the Krechba Carbon Storage Site, In Salah, Algeria: 2. Reactive transport modeling of geochemical interactions near the Cement–Formation interface

Abstract A reactive transport modeling approach was used to assess key geochemical reactions between wellbore cement, formation mineralogy, and injected supercritical CO 2 at the Krechba natural gas field at In Salah, Algeria. Characterization of these reactions is important for understanding changes in porosity and permeability and the propagation or sealing of fractures in the formation or wellbore cement. Experiments involving the reaction of CO 2 with reservoir mineral assemblages and wellbore cement under in situ conditions, combined with geochemical modeling, were used to identify candidate reactive mineral phases and reaction rates specifically applicable to CO 2 injection at In Salah. These findings informed a reactive transport model which considered advective transport of CO 2 along the wellbore-formation interface and diffusive transport of CO 2 and brine constituents into juxtaposed wellbore cement. Model results indicate shallow carbonation of the cement along the interface, leading to changes in cement porosity. Diffusive transport of cations such as Ca, Fe, and Al between the cement and formation materials results in mineralogical changes in the formation material immediately adjacent to the cement, including localized dissolution of calcite and precipitation of siderite, magnesite, gibbsite, smectite, and amorphous silica. In contrast to the cement, the modeled porosity changes in the formation material appear to be minor. Taken together, these results suggest (1) significant retardation of the rate of advance of CO 2 along the interface, and (2) relatively minor impacts to permeability.
A Paradox in Pattern Analysis

Intuition suggests that when the score on one subtest is compared with the average score on a group of subtests, the outcome ought to depend on whether the score in question is included in or excluded from the average. In fact, it does not. The equivalence of the two procedures, inclusion and exclusion, is demonstrated for three varieties of pattern analysis. In addition, some historical observations are offered that testify to the almost irresistible intuitive appeal of the notion that inclusion or exclusion does make a difference.
Variation in H‐2Kk peptide motif revealed by sequencing naturally processed peptides from T‐cell hybridoma class I molecules

Class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules interact with a diverse array of self and foreign peptides, displaying them on the cell surface and providing an extracellular indication of intracellular invasion. The most clearly defined role for these class I/peptide complexes is to cause effector responses upon binding to antigen-specific receptors of cytotoxic T cells. We have characterized the mouse thymoma/rat V beta 8.2+ T-cell hybridoma C14/BW12-12A1 by fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis and have used immunoaffinity chromatography to purify class I molecules from these cells. The peptides bound to the class I molecules were fractionated by high-performance liquid chromatography and sequenced. Self-peptide mixtures eluted from the mouse H-2Kk class I allele revealed a dominant primary sequence motif, with a carboxyl-terminal residue that appeared to be invariantly valine and a secondary or auxiliary anchor residue at position 2 that could be either glutamate or proline. The majority of naturally processed peptide ligands appeared to be octamers. Although peptides eluted off H-2Kk molecules from tissue derived from a number of different inbred mouse strains also appeared to be octamers, others have reported that isoleucine is the dominant carboxyl-terminal residue. Thus, different cell types displayed distinct differences in naturally processed peptides bound by the same class I alleles. The variation in naturally processed peptides loaded onto the same class I allele most likely reflects the nature of the pool of peptides within the cell available for loading class I molecules.
Expression and function of transcription factor cMyb during cranial neural crest development.

The transcription factor cMyb has well known functions in vertebrate hematopoiesis, but little was known about its distribution or function at early developmental stages. Here, we show that cMyb transcripts are present at the neural plate during gastrulation in chick embryos. cMyb expression then resolves to the cranial neural folds and is maintained in early migrating cranial neural crest cells during and after neurulation. Morpholino-mediated knock-down of cMyb reduces expression of Pax7 and Twist at the neural plate border, as well as reducing expression of neural crest specifier genes Snail2 and Sox10 and completely eliminating expression of Ets1. On the other hand, its loss results in abnormal maintenance of Zic1, but little or no effect on other neural crest specifier genes like FoxD3 or Sox9. These results place cMyb in a critical hierarchical position within the cranial neural crest cell gene regulatory network, likely directly inhibiting Zic1 and upstream of Ets1 and some, but not all, neural crest specifier genes.
History and Cyberspace: A Marketing History of the CD-ROM Book Industry

This article explores the history of the CD-ROM book industry from the development of the technology, which enabled publishers to store text, graphics, and audio on compact disc, through the early growth stage. Special attention is given to niche markets first targeted by the publishers and the problems they faced in trying to penetrate the vast consumer book market. Macro repercussions of the introduction of this new technology are highlighted. The article also briefly discusses research issues surrounding the writing of recent histories and draws conclusions and implications for marketing.
Recently Acquired Diplopia in Adults With Long-standing Strabismus

Background The evaluation and management of recent-onset diplopia in an adult with a history of long-standing strabismus can be perplexing and challenging. No guidelines exist, to my knowledge, for the examination of such patients. Design A retrospective medical record review. Subjects Patients seen in my practice with a history of recently acquired diplopia and a history of strabismus dating back to childhood. Results One hundred fifty-two patients who met the enrollment criteria were identified. Using the treatment approach outlined herein, 132 patients were relieved of their symptoms of diplopia. In most cases, the onset of the diplopia could be correlated with a change in the patient's ocular alignment, refractive needs, or refractive management. Returning patients to their motor status before the onset of symptoms or addressing the change in refractive needs or management usually resulted in relief of symptoms. Conclusion In most cases, adult patients with a history of long-standing strabismus and a recent onset of diplopia can be effectively treated.
Electrical activity and behavior in the pharynx of caenorhabditis elegans

The pharynx of C. elegans, a model system for neural networks and for membrane excitability, has been chiefly studied by observing its behavior in normal worms, in mutant worms, and in worms lacking pharyngeal neurons. To complement this behavioral approach, we devised a method for recording currents produced by changes in pharyngeal muscle membrane potential. The electrical records, called electropharyngeograms, contain transients caused by pharyngeal muscle action potentials and by inhibitory synaptic transmission between pharyngeal neuron M3 and the muscle. Using the electropharyngeograms, we show that γ-aminobutyric acid is not likely to be the M3 neurotransmitter, that synaptic transmission is present but abnormal in mutants lacking synaptotagmin, and that worms mutant in the eat-4 gene are defective for M3 function or transmission.
Observation of tunnelling real-space transfer in pseudomorphic MODFETS at T = 300 K.

Abrupt negative differential resistance (NDR) in the I-V characteristics of AlGaAs-InGaAs-GaAs pseudomorphic MODFETS at room temperature is interpreted as due to tunnelling real-space transfer (TRST) which occurs when the wavefunctions of the upper electron states in the InGaAs channel hybridize with quantized states in the AlGaAs layer and induce a charge transfer from the high-mobility channel to the low-mobility AlGaAs. The theoretical model predicts the onset of abrupt NDR in the I-V characteristics in excellent agreement with the experimental results.
“Once Masculines … Now Feminines Awhile”: Gendered Imagery and the Significance of Anne Bradstreet's The Tenth Muse

Anne Bradstreet's early poems showcase a poet working within established tropes and traditions to destabilize gender frameworks and posit a poetic landscape dominated by feminine symbols. Rather than creating an alternative to a Puritan identity, Bradstreet creates an alternative Puritan identity, one that lays the groundwork for numerous American women writers.