cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Directed Synthesis of Noncentrosymmetric Molybdates

The directed synthesis of two noncentrosymmetric sulfated molybdates has been achieved through the use of chiral organic amines. Reaction gels containing either (R)-2-methylpiperazine or (S)-2-methylpiperazine, MoO3, H2SO4, and H2O were subjected to mild hydrothermal conditions, resulting in the growth of single crystals of [(R)-C5H14N2][(MoO3)3(SO4)]·H2O and [(S)-C5H14N2][(MoO3)3(SO4)]·H2O. These materials crystallize in the noncentroysmmetric space group P212121 (No. 19), which exhibits the enantiomorphic crystal class 222 (D2). The second harmonic generation activities were measured on sieved powders.
Early trabecular bone healing around titanium implants: a histologic study in rabbits.

Background: A detailed insight into the early healing response of trabecular bone to unloaded titanium implants is lacking.Methods: Cylindrical implants were inserted in the tibial epiphysis of rabbits and left to heal for 1 to 42 days. Samples were processed into paraffin or methylmethacrylate sections and histomorphometrically analyzed.Results: A hematoma was observed after 1 and 3 days of implant placement. In addition, small fragments of bone trabeculae were detected around the implant as a result of the implant installment procedure. Soon, osteoclasts were observed resorbing these fragments, whereas osteoblasts incorporated them in strands of new bone, thereby making them difficult to distinguish from day 7 onward. At that time, osteoblasts were detected at the edges of the preexisting bone, actively depositing new bone, resulting in maximal osteoid deposition around the implant after 28 days (58%). After 7 days of healing, the presence of basic remodeling units in the surrounding bone was already ma...
Educating for Democracy: Reflections From a Work in Progress

Why are Americans, and young Americans in particular, so turned off to government and politics? And, what can be done to arrest these trends? In this article, I suggest that three primary, and mutually reinforcing, trends, which can be summed up as the “relevance factor,” the “negativity factor,” and the “triumphant market factor,” have conspired to preempt any interest in government and politics on the part of young people. Consequently, these young people do not develop the skills and knowledge that democratic participation requires nor do they see a need to do so. As educators, however, we have a unique opportunity to address these barriers and, thus, to help repair a key aspect of our democratic fabric—the willingness and ability of citizens to participate in the well-being of the society and its political institutions and processes. This article presents a case study of such an effort at Temple University, a large public institution with a diverse student body located in the heart of Philadelphia.
Stigma and Psychological Distress in People With HIV/AIDS

Using a community sample of 197 people living with HIV/AIDS, we examined how awareness of societal stigma (felt stigma) and negative feelings toward oneself as a member of a stigmatized group (self-stigma) are related to psychological well-being. Both felt stigma and self-stigma were significantly correlated with symptoms of depression and anxiety, but controlling for felt stigma reduced self-stigma's association with depressive symptoms to nonsignificance. Global self-esteem and social avoidance fully mediated the associations between self-stigma and distress but only partially mediated the associations between felt stigma and distress. Felt stigma mediated the relationship between distress and HIV-related changes in physical appearance.
Area-Efficient VLSI Implementation for Parallel Linear-Phase FIR Digital Filters of Odd Length Based on Fast FIR Algorithm

Based on fast FIR algorithms (FFAs), this brief proposes new parallel FIR filter architectures, which are beneficial to symmetric convolutions of odd length in terms of the hardware cost. The proposed parallel FIR architectures exploit the inherent nature of symmetric coefficients reducing half the number of multipliers in the subfilter section at the expense of increase in adders in preprocessing and postprocessing blocks. Exchanging multipliers with adders is advantageous because adders weigh less than multipliers in terms of silicon area, and in addition, the overhead from the increase in adders in preprocessing and postprocessing blocks stay fixed, not increasing along with the length of the FIR filter, whereas the number of reduced multipliers increases along with the length of the FIR filter. For example, for a three-parallel 81-tap filter, the proposed structure saves 26 multipliers at the expense of five adders, whereas for a three-parallel 591-tap filter, the proposed structure saves 196 multipliers at the expense of five adders still. Overall, the proposed parallel FIR structures can lead to significant hardware savings for symmetric convolution in odd length from the existing FFA parallel FIR filter, particularly when the length of the filter is large.
Socioeconomic determinants of disability and depression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objective To examine the relationship between functional limitation, socioeconomic inequality, and depression in a diverse cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods The study design was cross-sectional and subjects were from the University of California, San Francisco RA Cohort. Patients were enrolled from 2 rheumatology clinics, an urban county public hospital and a university tertiary care medical center. Age, sex, race/ethnicity, disease activity, functional limitation, and medications were variables collected at clinical visits. The patient's clinic site was used as a proxy for his or her socioeconomic status. The outcome variable was depressive symptom severity measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire 9. Differences in characteristics between depressed and nondepressed patients were calculated using 2-sided t-tests or the Pearson's chi-square test. For the multivariate analysis, repeated measures with generalized estimating equations were used. Results There were statistically significant differences between depressed and nondepressed patients related to race/ethnicity, public versus tertiary care hospital rheumatology clinic, disability, and medications. In the multivariate analysis, increased functional limitation and public clinic site remained significantly associated with increased depression scores. A significant interaction existed between clinic site and disability. Mean depression scores rose more precipitously as functional limitation increased at the public hospital rheumatology clinic. Conclusion There are disparities in both physical and mental health among individuals with low socioeconomic status. The psychological effects of disability vary in patients with RA such that a vulnerable population with functional limitations is at higher risk of developing depressive symptoms.
Organic and elemental carbon measurements during ACE-Asia suggest a longer atmospheric lifetime for elemental carbon.

During the ACE-Asia intensive field campaign (March 14−April 20, 2001), PM1.0 organic (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) concentrations were measured onboard the NOAA R/V Ronald H. Brown over the Northwest Pacific Ocean using a semi-continuous automated carbon analyzer downstream of a carbon-impregnated filter denuder. This OC and EC measurement achieved a mean time resolution of about 200 min over the Pacific Ocean, substantially lower than that achieved previously (24 h). The semi-continuous measurements, in which the adsorption artifact was substantially reduced using the denuder, showed good agreement with integrated artifact-corrected measurements made without a denuder. Mean particulate OC and EC concentrations were 0.21 and 0.09, 0.70 and 0.29, 1.00 and 0.27, and 2.43 and 0.66 μg of C m-3 over the background Pacific Ocean, Asian-influenced Pacific Ocean, offshore of Japan, and Sea of Japan, respectively. On April 11, 90-min average OC and EC concentrations peaked at 4.0 and 1.3 μg of C m-3, respectivel...
Développement d'un simulateur vasculaire original et d'un modèle lésionnel pour évaluer la réponse des cellules musculaires lisses après angioplastie à ballonnet

Apres angioplastie a ballonnet, la denudation des cellules endotheliales expose les cellules musculaires lisses vasculaires (CML) aux forces de cisaillement normalement invisibles du flux sanguin. Les etudes in vivo etudient la reponse aux lesions d'angioplastie, mais peu d'etudes ont ete realisees avec des systemes in vitro. Afin d'etudier la reponse des CML in vitro, un simulateur de cisaillement et de forces de tension a ete developpe pour fournir des niveaux cliniquement significatifs de forces de contrainte et de cisaillement en plus de la simulation de forces semblables a celles liees a l'angioplastie a ballonnet. Dans cette etude aigue (8 hr), des CML aortiques de rat proliferaient de maniere significative apres les forces de tension accrues liees aux lesions d'angioplastie et l'exposition au cisaillement par comparaison aux niveaux moindres d'exposition a une tension semblable au niveau physiologique normal, avec une augmentation moyenne de 75% du nombre de cellules du groupe lesionnel compare au groupe dynamique normal. Les CML exposees aux lesions d'angioplastie a ballonnet et aux forces mecaniques de cisaillement et de tension simultanees avaient une diminution de l'expression du marqueur phenotypique contractile α-actine musculaire lisse. Ces resultats demontrent l'efficacite du modele developpe pour l'angioplastie in vitro et de l'environnement mecanique simule pour les cellules. Ceci fournit un modele in vitro pour isoler les effets des forces mecaniques simultanees et pourrait egalement constituer une etape preliminaire vers une utilisation dans la recherche pharmaceutique pour la reduction ou la prevention de la proliferation des CML due aux forces mecaniques modifiees par les procedures endovasculaires.
Information as a Probabilistic Difference Maker

By virtue of what do alarm calls and facial expressions carry natural information? The answer I defend in this paper is that they carry natural information by virtue of changing the probabilities of various states of affairs, relative to background data. The Probabilistic Difference Maker Theory (PDMT) of natural information that I introduce here is inspired by Dretske's [1981] seminal analysis of natural information, but parts ways with it by eschewing the requirements that information transmission must be nomically underwritten, mind-independent, and knowledge-yielding. PDMT includes both a qualitative account of information transmission and a measure of natural information in keeping with the basic principles of Shannon's communication theory and Bayesian confirmation theory. It also includes a new account of the informational content of a signal, understood as the combination of the incremental and overall support that the signal provides for all states of affairs at the source. Finally, I compare and...
A Novel Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Variant Associated with Human Disc Degeneration

Background: Disc degeneration and its associated low back pain are a major health care concern causing disability with a prominent role in this country's medical, social and economic structure. Low back pain is devastating and influences the quality of life for millions. Low back pain lifetime prevalence approximates 80% with an estimated direct cost burden of $86 billion per year. Back pain patients incur higher costs, greater health care utilization, and greater work loss than patients without back pain. Methods: Research was performed following approval of our Institutional Review Board. DNA was isolated, processed and amplified using routine techniques. Amplified DNA was hybridized to Affymetrix Genome-Wide Human SNP Arrays. Quality control and genotyping analysis were performed using Affymetrix Genotyping Console. The Birdseed v2 algorithm was used for genotyping analysis. 2589 SNPs were selected a priori to enter statistical analysis using lotistic regression in SAS. Results: Our objective was to search for novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with disc degeneration. Four SNPs were found to have a significant relationship to disc degeneration; three are novel. Rs165656, a new SNP found to be associated with disc degeneration, was in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), a gene with well-recognized pain involvement, especially in female subjects (p=0.01). Analysis confirmed the previously association between COMT SNP rs4633 and disc degeneration. We also report two novel disc degeneration-related SNPs (rs2095019 and rs470859) located in intergenic regions upstream to thrombospondin 2. Conclusions: Findings contribute to the challenging field of disc degeneration and pain, and are important in light of the high clinical relevance of low back pain and the need for improved understanding of its fundamental basis.
Initial observations of the pioneer venus orbiter solar wind plasma experiment.

The ionosphere, ionosheath, ionopause, and bow shock wave of Venus are characterized. Venus is found to have a well-defined strong standing bow shock wave. In the ionosheath, downstream from the shock, compressed and heated postshock plasma apparently interacts directly with the ionosphere. Plasma ion velocity deflections suggest that the ionopause has a blunt shape. The positions of the bow shock and ionopause are variable and appear to respond to changes in the external solar wind pressure.
Real Time System Architecture For A Mobile Robot

An intelligent mobile robot must be able to accept a mission statement and constraints, plan its actions, execute its plans, perceive and adapt to its environment, and report its successes and failures. In this paper we describe a modular system architecture for such a complex mobile robot system. On-board versus off-board processing is a key system-level issue. We have selected off-board processing because the anticipated computer quantity, size, power requirement, and lack of robustness made on-board processing impractical if not impossible. Our system includes a transportable command center and a computer-controllable M113 armored personnel carrier, our mobile robot. The command center contains communication and computer hardware necessary for receiving and processing robot motion and sensor information, and for generating and transmitting mobility and sensor commands in real time to the robot. All control and status data transmission, between the robot and the command center, is accomplished through microwave links using a wide band, auto-tracking antenna. Under development since 1982, this system has demonstrated the capability of mission and route planning with execution at 8 km/hr, obstacle detection and avoidance at 15 km/hr, autonomous road following at 24 km/hr, and a remotely managed route reconnaissance mission at vehicle speeds of up to 40 km/hr.
Increasing Charge While Preserving Noncovalent Protein Complexes for ESI-MS

Increased multiple charging of native proteins and noncovalent protein complexes is observed in electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectra obtained from nondenaturing protein solutions containing up to 1% (vol/vol) m-nitrobenzyl alcohol (m-NBA). The increases in charge ranged from 8% for the 690 kDa α7β7β7α7 20S proteasome complex to 48% additional charge for the zinc-bound 29 kDa carbonic anhydrase-II protein. No dissociation of the noncovalently bound ligands/subunits was observed upon the addition of m-NBA. It is not clear if the enhanced charging is related to altered surface tension as proposed in the “supercharging” model of Iavarone and Williams (Iavarone, A. T.; Williams, E. R. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 2319–2327). However, more highly charged noncovalent protein complexes have utility in relaxing slightly the mass-to-charge (m/z) requirements of the mass spectrometer for detection and will be effective for enhancing the efficiency for tandem mass spectrometry studies of protein complexes.
Possible mechanisms for the agonist actions of tamoxifen and the antagonist actions of MER-25 (ethamoxytriphetol) in the mouse uterus

Abstract Experiments were conducted to determine why tamoxifen, a non-steroidal antiestrogen, is uterotrophic in mice, whereas MER-25 (ethamoxytriphetol), a structurally related compound, is antiuterotrophic. Initial experiments indicated that the pituitary was not required for a uterotrophic response in mice to either estradiol (E2), tamoxifen (TAM), or 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OH-TAM) MER-25 was not uterotrophic in mice but was capable of completely inhibiting the uterotrophic responses of mice to estrogens (E2) as well as antiestrogens (TAM and 4-OH-TAM); this inhibition was reversible by increasing the dose of the antiestrogen (TAM). The relative binding affinities (RBA) of TAM, 4-OH-TAM, and MER-25 to mouse uterus estrogen receptor (ER) and mouse liver antiestrogen binding sites (AEBS) were compared to determine whether either (or both) of these sites mediate the biological effects of these compounds. E2 is arbitrarily assigned an RBA of 100 for ER; similarly, TAM is assigned an RBA of 100 for AEBS. MER-25 bound to AEBS with an RBA of 8.9 and to ER with an RBA of
Contextual Determinants of Variable Pay Plan Design: A Proposed Research Framework

Abstract Increasingly, organizations are using variable pay plans to reward employees for the results that they achieve. Current discussion of variable pay focuses on variable pay plan design mechanics, with insufficient attention given to contextual variables that may affect variable pay plan design. We offer a preliminary framework for examining the contextual determinants of variable pay plan design. Components of the framework include characteristics of the environment, characteristics of the organization, and the organization's pay strategies. Propositions for future research are offered.
Authenticity, Invention, Articulation: Theorizing Contemporary Hawaiian Traditions from the Outside

This article theorizes potential contributions of outsider analysis to the study of contemporary indigenous traditions, taking Native Hawaiian canoe voyaging and repatriation disputes as its primary examples. The argument proceeds by specifying analytical contributions of articulation theory in contrast to limitations of invention and authenticity discourses. A shared liability of the latter discourses is identified in their tendency to reify identity in ways that preclude engagement with the full range of cultural articulations constitutive of living tradition. Cultural struggle, in particular, is theorized as the aspect of identity articulation that is most explanatory of the character of tradition and least addressed by theories of invention and authenticity.
Histology of papillary muscles of the left ventricle in myocardial infarction.

Abstract Study of the histology of the papillary muscles in a consecutive autopsy series of cases of acute and healed myocardial infarction revealed frequent fibrosis of these structures. Two patterns of fibrosis were identified. One, termed “focal,” was interpreted as healed acute papillary muscle infarction. The other, termed “diffuse,” was associated with disease of the small vessels. The prevalence of acute infarction of these structures in hearts with both acute and healed mural lesions was 14 per cent. When only hearts with acute mural lesions were considered, the prevalence of acute papillary muscle infarction was 33 per cent.
Iterated parallel union of matroids

Vengono esplorate due costruzioni di matroidi: quella della somma libera iterata\(\bar M\) e quella del suo duale, l’unione parallela iterataM. Si dimostra che entrambe le costruzioni sono iterazioni di operazioni fondamentali, come l’unione e l’estensione libera di matroidi.
Underground political ecologies: The second Annual Lecture of the Cultural and Political Ecology Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers

Abstract Based on the 2011 Annual Cultural and Political Ecology Specialty Group Lecture, this paper makes the case for a political ecology of the subsoil. Arguing that subsoil resources have received comparatively little attention within the wider corpus of political ecological writing, the paper explores several ways in which the extraction of mineral and hydrocarbon resources is constitutive of, and constituted by, wider capitalist political, economic and institutional arrangements. Drawing on material from El Salvador and the Andean countries, the paper explores the contemporary governance of extractive industries, and points to significant convergence among the approaches taken by neoliberal and ostensibly post-neoliberal regimes alike. The intersections between the extractive economy, livelihoods and patterns of social protest are also explored. Through these examples, the paper also highlights the ways in which “activist political ecologists” play important roles in counter-movements seeking to re-govern the extractive economy. These countermovements are found in both civil society and different parts of the state. Such activist political ecologists are central to the broader enterprise of an “underground political ecology” and are often vital to the success of scholarly interventions in such political ecologies.
Réflexions sur la notion de pulvérlsation à dosage ultra‐bas

Summaire L'application de traitements a dosage et a volume ultra-bas en goutte-lettes fines, uniformes et non volatiles s'est developpee lorsque des experiences pratiques ont indique que leur efficacite se fondait sur une redistribution de la matiere active a la surface des tissus vegetaux non atteints a l'origine. Le choix s'est porte sur des gouttelettes de 70 microns, emises de preference a partir d'appareils rotatifs. Des volumes de 1 a 8 1/ha semblent suffisants contre les cryptogames et les insectes stationnaires et 0.1 a 1 1/ha contre les insectes mobiles, mais il y a lieu de reduire encore le dosage en l'adaptant aux strictes necessites. Les risques de derive des produits non volatils paraissent moindres que ceux des pulverisations a base d'eau. Une etude suivie des formulations pourrait reduire les dangers de contamination mais la notion de traitements a dosage ultra-bas merite de retenir l'attention.
Self-intersection local times, occupation fields, and stochastic integrals

where functions 6,; converge to 6 as &JO. It turns out that B(D) = co for every open set D which intersects with the diagonal (t, = t2 }. However, Varadhan [V] has shown that B,:( D,) u log(s ’ ) converges to a finite limit as E JO if D, = ‘0 <s < t < u}. Rosen [R2] has found an expression for the limit in terms 1 of Ito’s stochastic integrals. The integrals (0.1) and their renormalizations have been studied also in [Y 1, L 1, L2] and, for the Brownian motion in lR3, in [ Rl, R3, W, Y23. 0.2. In this paper we investigate more general self-intersection local times
The Implications of Racial Misclassification by Observers

We hypothesize that individuals who self-identify with one racial group but are routinely perceived by observers as “looking like” another racial group may experience negative outcomes associated with this stressful situation. Since American Indians experience very high rates of misclassification, we use them as our case in point. Drawing from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health, our analyses compare young American Indian adults who are perceived as another race by an observer to those who are correctly classified, using several indicators of psychological distress: depression, suicidal thoughts, use of psychological counseling services, suicide attempts, and fatalism. We also investigate differences in racial attitudes and behaviors, such as belonging to an ethnic solidarity organization or believing it is important to have a committed relationship with someone of the same race. The evidence suggests that, onthe whole, misclassified American Indians have higher rates of psychological di...
Transgenerational effects of herbivory in a group of long-lived tree species: maternal damage reduces offspring allocation to resistance traits, but not growth

Summary 1. Numerous studies have explored plant strategies of resource allocation to growth and/or resistance traits within a single generation. In contrast, exceedingly little is known about whether such patterns hold across generations; that is, in seedlings of plants that experienced maternal herbivory. 2. In a common garden study with clonally replicated genotypes of three cottonwood taxa (Populus angustifolia, Populus fremontii and their F1 hybrids), we examined transgenerational response to maternal herbivory in terms of half-sibling seedling offspring (i) germination and growth and (ii) constitutive vs. transgenerational plastic allocation to resistance (measured as both phytochemical content and concentration). Two major results emerged. 3. First, we found that taxa (and often genotypes within a taxon) significantly differed in their constitutive allocation to both growth and resistance. Fremont (P. fremontii) seedlings grew up to seven times more rapidly than did narrowleaf (P. angustifolia) seedlings and had higher or similar content of two key phytochemical resistance traits. Overall, this led to a dilution effect in Fremont relative to narrowleaf, whereby concentrations of two key phytochemical resistance traits were more than 50% lower. 4. Secondly, maternal herbivory by cottonwood leaf beetle larvae on foliage adjacent to developing seeds did not significantly alter offspring growth, but did decrease offspring phytochemical content by 10–55% relative to offspring of maternal control (undamaged) trees. As a result, concentrations of offspring phytochemical resistance traits were reduced by 10–18% in seedlings with maternal herbivory, relative to maternal control seedlings, across all three taxa. These patterns suggest an allocational trade-off, whereby maternal damage results in maintenance of offspring seed size and growth traits at the expense of phytochemical defences in the next generation. 5. Synthesis: This is the first instance in which transgenerational effects of herbivory on growth and defence traits have been described in long-lived, woody plant species. Populus differs substantially from herbaceous plant species or short-lived animals in which transgenerational plasticity of resistance has been examined, in terms of life history (time from germination or hatching to reproductive maturity) and/or in the lag time between generations. These differences may influence the ecological and evolutionary relevance of transgenerational plasticity in defence.
A checklist for cerebral aneurysm embolization complications

Complications during cerebral aneurysm embolization continue to occur even at high volume experienced centers. Such situations are unexpected, complex and can have devastating consequences. Individual anecdotal experience offers limited guidance. This literature review of the two most serious neuroendovascular procedural complicationsdnamely, aneurysm perforation and thromboembolidaims to propose a role based checklist. Having a premeditated plan helps team members remain calm and function more effectively when a procedural complication occurs, with the ultimate goal of minimizing patient harm.
Soil Quality and Water Intake in Traditional-Till vs. No-Till Paired Farms in Washington's Palouse Region

Many farmers in the steeply sloped Palouse region of eastern Washington and northern Idaho practice no-till (NT) farming. Soil quality and water intake parameters were assessed in standing wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) stubble along summit, side, and toe-slope positions in a 2-yr study at three paired-farm sites using traditional tillage (TT) vs. NT management. Paired sites had similar south-facing aspect, slopes ranged from 29 to 45%, and NT fields had not been tilled from 2 to 20 yr. Soil aggregates .1000 mm were 5.4 to 9.8% higher in NT compared with TT. Soil organic carbon (SOC) in NTwas 30% greater than in TT at the toe-slope position. Dehydrogenase enzyme activity (DEA) was higher in TT, mainly due to the exposed CaCO3 layer at the side-slope position and higher pH of TT. Phospholipid fatty acid methyl ester (PLFA) analysis showed that fungal biomarkers were higher and Gram positive and Gram negative biomarkers were lower in NT compared with TT. There were no differences in over-winter soil water storage or ponded water infiltration rate in undisturbed standing wheat stubble between TT and NT, indicating soils that produce high wheat grain yield of 6 Mg ha 21 or more have similar water intake regardless of tillage history as long as the stubble is left standing over winter. Results show long-term cumulative benefits of NT vs. TT on soil quality, but no differences in soil water intake when stubble is left standing over winter, possibly due to the high quantity of wheat root channels produced in both systems.
Predicting Cognitive Vigilance Performance from Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity and Task Engagement

Responses to a brief six-min screening battery involving high-workload tracking, verbal working memory, and line discrimination tasks were used to predict subsequent performance on a 36-min cognitive vigilance task. Two predictors of interest were subjective state, as indexed by the Dundee Stress State Questionnaire (DSSQ), and cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV), measured via transcranial Doppler ultrasonography. The results testify to the importance of assessing task-induced responses for predicting cognitive vigilance performance. They also indicate that forecasting vigilance performance is a complex endeavor requiring a set of multidimensional predictors. Specifically, higher post-battery task engagement scores on the DSSQ in this study and higher levels of CBFV during performance of the screening battery predicted more correct detections on the subsequent vigilance task. These findings are interpreted in the light of the resource-workload model of vigilance, and their practical significance is discussed.
Neuropathic pain in aged rats: behavioral responses and astrocytic activation.

We used the Bennett and Xie (1988) model of chronic neuropathic pain to study the effect of age on thermal and tactile sensitivity and on astrocytic activation in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord after nerve injury. Fischer 344 FBNF1 hybrid rats in three age groups, 4–6, 14–16, and 24–26 months, were studied. Rats were either unligated (day 0, control) or the left sciatic nerve was loosely ligated to cause a chronic constriction injury (CCI). CCI causes a neuropathic pain condition characterized by tactile allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. Rats were behaviorally assessed for tactile and thermal sensitivity of their ligated and unligated hind paws up to 35 days postligation. Rats were sacrificed before or at various days postligation, and activated astrocytes were identified at the L4–L5 levels of their spinal cords by use of an antibody to glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP). The number of GFAP-ir astrocytes in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in the control, uninjured condition decreased with age (P≤0.001) but increased after CCI in all three age groups. After CCI, astrocytic activation in the cord was less robust in aged rats than in younger ones (P≤0.01). Not all the CCI rats displayed hyperalgesia to touch and to heat. Rats with an increased sensitivity to heat had increased levels of GFAP-ir in their cords; however, rats with decreased thermal sensitivity also displayed increased GFAP-ir. Thus the presence of activated astrocytes was not correlated with a single behavioral manifestation of neuropathic pain.
Impact of fair bowel preparation quality on adenoma and serrated polyp detection: data from the New Hampshire Colonoscopy Registry by using a standardized preparation-quality rating

Background The effect of colon preparation quality on adenoma detection rates (ADRs) is unclear, partly because of lack of uniform colon preparation ratings in prior studies. The New Hampshire Colonoscopy Registry collects detailed data from colonoscopies statewide, by using a uniform preparation quality scale after the endoscopist has cleaned the mucosa. Objective To compare the overall and proximal ADR and serrated polyp detection rates (SDR) in colonoscopies with differing levels of colon preparation quality. Design Cross-sectional. Setting New Hampshire statewide registry. Patients Patients undergoing colonoscopy. Interventions We examined colon preparation quality for 13,022 colonoscopies, graded by using specific descriptions provided to endoscopists. ADR and SDR are the number of colonoscopies with at least 1 adenoma or serrated polyp (excluding those in the rectum and/or sigmoid colon) detected divided by the total number of colonoscopies, for the preparation categories: optimal (excellent and/or good), fair, and poor. Main Outcome Measurements Overall/proximal ADR/SDR. Results The overall detection rates in examinations with fair colon preparation quality (SDR 8.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.4-10.7, ADR 27.1%; 95% CI, 24.6-30.0) were similar to rates observed in colonoscopies with optimal preparation quality (SDR 8.8%; 95% CI, 8.3-9.4, ADR 26.3%; 95% CI, 25.6-27.2). This finding also was observed for rates in the proximal colon. A logistic regression model (including withdrawal time) found that proximal ADR was statistically lower in the poor preparation category (odds ratio 0.45; 95% CI, 0.24-0.84; P Limitations Homogeneous population. Conclusion In our sample, there was no significant difference in overall or proximal ADR or SDR between colonoscopies with fair versus optimal colon preparation quality. Poor colon preparation quality may reduce the proximal ADR.
Magnetic fields in the vicinity of pulsed electron beams in space

Most measurements of the radio frequency emissions from artificial electron beams in space have been made in close proximity to the beam. This paper presents theory and results for the near-field radiation associated with the operation of a pulsed electron beam, taking into account the effects of the ionospheric plasma. The beam is modeled as an infinite train of square-wave pulses and the radiation is obtained by adding coherently the radiation from each individual electron in the idealized helical trajectory assumed by the beam as it traverses the magnetized plasma. The mathematical solution is obtained by taking the Fourier transform in space and time of Maxwell's equations and the driving modulated beam current, and then taking the inverse transform of the resulting electric field. Typical electric field strengths are presented for a range of modulation frequencies extending from below the ion cyclotron to the electron cyclotron frequency.
Localization of an encephalitogenic epitope for the SJL mouse in the N-terminal region of myelin basic protein.

Abstract T cells from SJL mice reactive with myelin basic protein peptide 1–38 have been reported to be encephalitogenic when adoptively transferred into naive syngeneic recipients. To determine whether the encephalitogenic epitope recognized by peptide 1–38-specific SJL T cells was different from those recognized by H-2 u -restricted MBP peptide 1–38-specific T cells, peptide 1–38-specific SJL T cell lines were developed following immunization with guinea pig MBP peptide 1–38. Following a period of in vitro selection in the presence of peptide 1–38 and syngeneic antigen-presenting cells, one ot two T cell lines transfered severe clinical disease adoptively. The second line was not encepahlitogenic. When the fine specificity for antigen of the two T cell lines was determined by the use of overlapping synthetic peptides, the encephalitogenic epitope recognized by the encephalitogenic line was loacalized to residues 17–27. This epitope is clearly distinct from that recognized by H-2 u mice. The non-encephalitogenic line was found to react only with peptide 1–38, and did not react with mouse MBP.
Predictors of Poor Adherence of US Gastroenterologists with Colonoscopy Screening and Surveillance Guidelines

The US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer published guidelines for colonoscopy screening and surveillance in 2008 and affirmed them in 2012. Characteristics associated with guideline adherence among US gastroenterologists have not been assessed. Assess awareness and adherence of US gastroenterologists with national guidelines for colonoscopy screening and surveillance and predictors of adherence to guidelines. A Web-based survey was administered to gastroenterologists in various practice settings across the USA. A total of 306 gastroenterologists completed the survey; 86 % reported awareness of the guidelines. Low-volume colonoscopists ( 100/month). Those completing training before 1990 were less likely to report following guidelines (OR 0.37, p = 0.01). Adherence with guidelines was then assessed via clinical scenarios. Compared to physicians finishing training in 1991–2010, less adherence was seen in those finishing before 1990 (OR 0.75, p < 0.001) or currently in training (OR 0.72, p = 0.004). Compared to the Western USA, less adherence was seen in the Midwest (OR 0.69, p = 0.001), Northeast (OR 0.63, p < 0.001), and South (OR 0.59, p < 0.001). Lower adherence was seen among non-academic physicians (OR 0.72, p = 0.001) and low-volume colonoscopists (OR 0.52, p < 0.001). There is poor adherence with colonoscopy screening and surveillance guidelines among US gastroenterologists. Poor adherence was associated with being in training or finishing training before 1990, practicing in the South, non-academic settings, and low colonoscopy volume. These findings can target interventions for quality improvement in colorectal cancer screening and surveillance.
Selected chiefs, elected councillors and hybrid democrats: popular perspectives on the co-existence of democracy and traditional authority*

The long-standing debate about the proper role for Africa's traditional leaders in contemporary politics has intensified in the last two decades, as efforts to foster democratisation and decentralisation have brought competing claims to power and legitimacy to the fore, especially at the local level. Questions persist as to whether traditional authority and democratic governance are ultimately compatible or contradictory. Can the two be blended into viable and effective hybrid systems? Or do the potentially anti-democratic features of traditional systems present insurmountable obstacles to an acceptable model of integration? Survey data collected by the Afrobarometer indicate that Africans who live under these dual systems of authority do not draw as sharp a distinction between hereditary chiefs and elected local government officials as most analysts would expect. In fact, popular evaluations of selected and elected leaders are strongly and positively linked. They appear to be consistently shaped by each individual's ‘leadership affect’, and by an understanding of chiefs and elected officials as common players in a single, integrated political system, rather than as opponents in a sharply bifurcated one. Moreover, there is no evident conflict between supporting traditional leadership and being a committed and active democrat. Rather than finding themselves trapped between two competing spheres of political authority, Africans appear to have adapted to the hybridisation of their political institutions more seamlessly than many have anticipated or assumed.
Model-Based Video Coding — Some Challenging Issues

Most of existing image coding techniques fall into the category of so-called waveform based methods with limited compression factors. In recent years, a new video compression approach using model-based coding techniques arises as more and more researchers seek for very low bit-rate video compression[1]–[4] The main idea of this approach is to use 3D models of moving objects and derive the motion parameters associated with the model structure, then the original video sequence could be approximately reconstructed using the 3D models and the motion parameters. At present, in most research activities on model-based coding systems, the dominant parts in the video scenes are human faces talking and showing expressions, for example, in videophone and teleconferencing. Therefore, three research topics — the face model, facial motion analysis and facial expression synthesis, are of paramount importance and many researchers in both computer vision and computer graphics have contributed to these themes significantly.
Attitudes Toward Community-Based Services Among Japanese American Families

Purpose: This descriptive study explored attitudes toward community-based long-term care services and factors influencing service utilization among Japanese American families. Design and Methods: Using grounded theory methodology, the Japanese American sample included 26 family caregivers, 4 persons receiving care, and 14 professional providers ( n � 44). Results: Attitudes toward services were identified along six dimensions: ability to meet care needs, autonomy in daily life, quality of care and staff, cost, emotional connotations, and social and physical environment. Participants used formal services in a dynamic manner, meeting both episodic and chronic needs. Families played an active role in sustaining and augmenting the caregiving situation, regardless of living arrangement. Implications: This research highlights the range of criteria included in attitude formation about services and the dynamic nature of the interplay between families and formal services.
Medical students' perspectives on biomedical informatics learning objectives

Objectives: To explore medical student perspectives regarding the importance of biomedical informatics learning objectives to career development, and the amount of emphasis that should be placed on content associated with these objectives in the curriculum. Methods: A Web-based survey was e-mailed to 405 students enrolled at the University of Utah, School of Medicine in spring 2008. Respondents rated the importance of biomedical informatics learning objectives using a fivepoint Likert-type scale, and indicated whether this content should be given a minimal, moderate or large amount of emphasis. ANOVA and the Kruskal-Wallis test were conducted to determine differences in perceived importance and desired emphasis by academic year. Results: A total of 259 medical students submitted a survey for an overall response rate of 63.9%. Learning objectives associated with the physician role of Clinician received the highest overall rating (mean = 3.29 ± 0.47). Objectives for the physician roles of Clinician, Life-long Learner and Manager received higher ratings than the Educator/Communicator and Researcher roles in terms of both perceived importance and amount of emphasis. Student ratings of importance varied significantly by academic year, with third-year students consistently assigning lower ratings to learning objectives for the Educator/Communicator, Researcher and Manager roles compared to students in some other years. Conclusions: Study results suggest that biomedical informatics content is desired by medical students at the University of Utah. Study findings are being used to inform efforts to integrate biomedical informatics content into the curriculum and may assist other medical schools seeking to incorporate similar content.
Effects of complementary therapies on clinical outcomes in patients being treated with radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND. This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) examined the clinical effects of 2 complementary (CAM) therapies, relaxation response therapy (RRT) and Reiki therapy, in men being treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRx) for prostate cancer. METHODS. Study participants were randomly assigned to weekly RRT, Reiki therapy twice weekly, or wait-list control. Well-validated instruments measured anxiety (STAI), depression (CES-D), and quality of life in cancer patients (FACT-G) at randomization and 3 subsequent time points. RESULTS. Fifty-four men were randomized, and 16 of 18 (89%) of RRT and 15 of 18 (83%) of Reiki patients completed the intervention protocol. No statistically significant difference was found between the RRT, Reiki, and control groups on total scores for the STAI, CES-D, or FACT-G instruments at any time point. However, at the end of the intervention, significant improvement was found on the emotional well-being subscale of the FACT-G quality of life scale in the RRT group compared with the Reiki and control groups (P ¼ .01). In participants who were classified as ‘‘anxious’’ at baseline, statistically significant improvement occurred in the RRT group (P ¼ .02), and a positive trend was found in the Reiki group (P ¼ .10). CONCLUSIONS. This pilot study documented the feasibility of conducting a RCT of CAM therapies in men undergoing EBRx for prostate cancer. Relaxation response therapy improved emotional well being and eased anxiety in participants. Reiki therapy also had a positive effect in anxious patients. A larger study to verify and better define the benefits of these therapies in men with prostate cancer is warranted. Cancer 2010;00:000–000. V C 2010 American Cancer Society .
Effect of substrates on the mechanical performance of rhesus monkey papillary muscle

This study examines the effect of different substrates on mechanical performance of excised papillary muscles from rhesus monkeys which had been divided into a control group and an experimental group fed a high fat diet for 5 months prior to sacrifice. The results show that performance is affected by available substrate for both groups. The performance of the experimental group was depressed relative to control with the short chain fatty acid, butyrate (C4), producing a monotonically decreasing force-frequency response. Relative to other mammals, isolated rhesus papillary muscles exhibited a protracted treppe which was sensitive to β-adrenergic blockade with propranolol.
Rheed Study of Strain Relaxation in Epitaxial Cds and Sn Overlayers

The relaxation of strain in epitaxial overlayers is studied through an analysis of RHEED patterns. From the separation of the RHEED reflections, we determine the in-plane lattice constants for 6h-Sn/Cd0.8Zn0.2Te(100), CdS/GaAs(100), and CdS/CdTe(100) heterostructures. The discussion focuses on the critical thickness of the overlayers and the relaxation of the inplane lattice constant (a11) of epitaxial films which exceed the critical thickness. Predictions based on Matthews and Blakeslee's mechanical equilibrium theory show reasonable agreement with our experimental findings, indicating that the metastability of the epitaxial overlayers does not cause a significant reduction in the critical film thickness.
The effects of distillers dried grains with solubles on apparent nutrient digestibility and passage kinetics of Boer×Spanish castrated male goats

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different inclusion rates of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) on apparent nutrient digestibility, and passage kinetics in meat goats. Four uniform mature Boer×Spanish castrated goats (51.4±0.9 kg BW) were used in a 4×4 Latin square experimental design. Animals had free-choice access to twice daily 36.5% bermudagrass hay (BGH) and 63.5% concentrates containing 0, 12.7, 25.4 and 38.1% of DDGS (dry matter[DM]basis; w/w proportion) replacing corn and soybean meal in the diet. Concentrates were isonitrogenous with 16% crude protein (CP). Each period consisted of 16 days for diets adjustment followed by 5 days of total fecal and urine collection for the digestion and passage kinetics. Concentrate and hay offered and refused, fecal and urine outputs were monitored daily. The ytterbium-marked BGH was used to determine the passage kinetics. Results indicated that with the inclusion of DDGS increased ether extract (EE) concentrations of total diets fro...
Biology of Human Sodium Glucose Transporters

There are two classes of glucose transporters involved in glucose homeostasis in the body, the facilitated transporters or uniporters (GLUTs) and the active transporters or symporters (SGLTs). The ...