cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neurotransmitter Activation of Inwardly Rectifying Potassium Current in Dissociated Hippocampal CA3 Neurons: Interactions among Multiple Receptors

We characterized potassium current activated by G-protein-coupled receptors in acutely dissociated hippocampal CA3 neurons. Agonists for serotonin, adenosine, and somatostatin receptors reliably activated a potassium-selective conductance that was inwardly rectifying and that was blocked by 1 mM external Ba2+. The conductance had identical properties to that activated by GABAB receptors in the same cells. In one-half of the CA3 neurons that were tested, the metabotropic glutamate agonist 1S,3R-ACPD also activated inwardly rectifying Ba2+-sensitive potassium current. Activation of the current by serotonin and adenosine agonists occurred with a time constant of 200-700 msec after a lag of 50-100 msec; on removal of agonist the current deactivated with a time constant of 1-2 sec after a lag of 200-400 msec. These kinetics are similar to GABAB-activated current and consistent with a direct action of G-protein on the channels. For somatostatin, both activation and deactivation were approximately fourfold slower, probably limited by agonist binding and unbinding. The half-maximally effective agonist concentrations were approximately 75 nM for somatostatin, approximately 100 nM for serotonin, and approximately 400 nM for 2-chloroadenosine. Dose-response relationships had Hill coefficients of 1.2-1.9, suggesting cooperativity in the receptor-to-channel coupling mechanism. At saturating concentrations of agonists, the combined application of baclofen and either somatostatin, serotonin, or 2-chloroadenosine produced effects that were subadditive and often completely occlusive. However, at subsaturating concentrations the effects of baclofen and 2-chloroadenosine were supra-additive. Thus, low levels of different transmitters can act synergistically in activating inwardly rectifying potassium current.
The use of computed tomography in the diagnosis of an ectopic ureter in a Quarter Horse filly

Summary This report describes a 4-month-old Quarter Horse filly with an ectopic ureter. The filly presented with signs of urinary incontinence, which had been present since birth. Computed tomography (CT) examination and cystoscopy confirmed a diagnosis of a unilateral ectopic ureter. A nephrectomy of the left kidney was performed and renal function was closely monitored post operatively. The filly was treated for abdominal chylous effusion as a post operative complication. The filly survived to discharge from the hospital, and maintained normal urinary function at 12 months post operatively.
Cursor Control Device Use by Persons with Physical Disabilities: Implications for Hardware and Software Design

Computer technology has the potential to offer individuals with physical limitations greater levels of independence and increased opportunities for meaningful employment, but this can only be realized when the individual can interact efficiently with the computer. Choosing a cursor control device is particularly important given the growing popularity of direct-manipulation style interfaces. Twenty persons with impaired hand and arm function (as a result of a spinal chord injury) and 10 nondisabled persons performed a target acquisition task with five cursor control devices: a mouse, trackball, cursor keys, joystick, and tablet. Even persons with profound impairment were able to compensate for their disability and operate each device by using minor device modifications and/or unique operating strategies. These modifications and compensation techniques are described. Regardless of the physical skill level of the user, the rank ordering of the five devices with respect to target acquisition time was the same...
Quantifying uncertainty in intervention effectiveness with structured expert judgement: an application to obstetric fistula

Objective To demonstrate a new application of structured expert judgement to assess the effectiveness of surgery to correct obstetric fistula in a low-income setting. Intervention effectiveness is a major input of evidence-informed priority setting in healthcare, but information on intervention effectiveness is generally lacking. This is particularly problematic in the context of poorly resourced healthcare settings where even efficacious interventions fail to translate into improvements in health. The few intervention effectiveness studies related to obstetric fistula treatment focus on the experience of single facilities and do not consider the impact of multiple factors that may affect health outcomes. Design We use the classical model of structured expert judgement, a method that has been used to quantify uncertainty in the areas of engineering and environmental risk assessment when data are unavailable. Under this method, experts quantify their uncertainty about rates of long-term disability in patients with fistula following treatment in different contexts, but the information content drawn from their responses is statistically conditioned on the accuracy and informativeness of their responses to a set of calibration questions. Through this method, we develop best estimates and uncertainty bounds for the rate of disability associated with each treatment scenario and setting. Participants Eight experts in obstetric fistula repair in low and middle income countries. Results Estimates developed using performance weights were statistically superior to those involving a simple averaging of expert responses. The performance-weight decision maker9s assessments are narrower for 9 of the 10 calibration questions and 21 of 23 variables of interest. Conclusions We find that structured expert judgement is a viable approach to investigating the effectiveness of medical interventions where randomised controlled trials are not possible. Understanding the effectiveness of surgery performed at different types of facilities can guide programme planning to increase access to fistula treatment.
Hemispheric differences in the auditory evoked response

Abstract The separation of the 80–250 msec portion of the AER to click stimulation into N 1 P 2 , produced by large areas of cortex, and the T complex, probably produced by secondary auditory cortex, was recently described (Wolpaw and Penry 1975). The present study investigated the ipsilateral vs. contralateral and right vs. left hemispheric differences in N 1 P 2 and T complex latencies and amplitudes. One msec clicks at 60 dB above threshold were presented at 4.7 sec intervals monaurrally to 32 normal adults and binaurally to 13 of the 32. AERs were recorded from vertex and temporal referred to a balanced non-cephalic reference electrode. For monaural stimulation, N 1 P 2 and T complex amplitudes were significantly greater and T complex latency was significantly less over the contralateral and right hemispheres. The ipsilateral vs. contralateral and right vs. left hemispheric amplitude differences were significantly greater for the T complex than for N 1 P 2 . Binaural results, which provided in additional measure of right vs. left hemispheric differences, were in agreement with the monaural findings. The results are consistent with neurophysiologic and behavioral findings in regard to ipsilateral vs. contralateral and right vs. left hemispheric differences and support the hypothesis that the T complex is produced by secondary auditory cortex.
Dynamic Response of Multiply Supported Secondary Systems

An accurate and efficient method for analysis of multiply supported, multi‐degree‐of‐freedom secondary systems is developed. The method accounts for the effects of tuning, interaction, nonclassical damping, and spatial coupling that are intrinsic dynamic characteristics of composite primary‐secondary systems. The method consists of two steps: (1) Synthesis of the modal properties of the composite primary‐secondary system in terms of the known properties of the individual subsystems, and (2) evaluation of secondary system response through modal combination. Concepts from modal synthesis, perturbation theory, and random vibrations are used to produce accurate results. The method is efficient since it avoids large eigenvalue solutions, time‐history analysis and floor spectra computations. It is also general, as it is applicable to a variety of stochastic or deterministic inputs. The responses of an example secondary system to seismic input are obtained directly in terms of the ground response spectrum.
The Toxicity of Single Doses of N-Nitrodimethylamine in Rodents

ABSTRACTThe acute oral, intraperitoneal and intravenous toxicity of single doses of N-nitrodimethylamine (N-nitro-DMA), the oxidized analog of the potent carcinogen, N-nitrosodimethylamine (N-nitroso-DMA), were studied in rats. The ip LD50 of N-nitro-DMA was 897 (861-934) mg/kg. After ip or po doses larger than 1500 mg/kg rats remained conscious, but initially had no righting reflex; at ip or po doses between 700 and 1500 mg/kg rats were ataxic and lethargic. Rats appeared normal from 4-24 hr after dosing but became increasingly lethargic thereafter and were prostrate after 48 hr. Bloody fluid issued from the mouth and anus, a few rats had hematuria and death occurred 2-4 days after dosing. Focal areas of hemorrhage were found in the stomach and intestine and variable amounts of clear fluid in the peritoneum. The liver appeared normal in all rats. The ip LD50 in the mouse was 399 mg/kg and all deaths occurred within 24 hr. Pretreatment of rats with pyrazole or SKF //52 5A increased survival time after N-n...
The prevalence and natural history of hepatitis B in the 21st century.

The prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection varies by geographic region. Most of North America is a low-prevalence ( or = 8%) areas. Up to 40% of patients with chronic HBV infection develop liver complications. Age at acquisition affects the likelihood of chronicity and the development of liver complications. The risk of each is greatest with perinatal transmission; the disease is usually self-limiting when exposure to HBV occurs during adolescence or young adulthood. Viral load predicts progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma; therefore, reducing viral load is the major goal of treatment.
Gender policing, homosexuality and the new patriarchy of the Cuban Revolution, 1965-70.

In the mid- to late 1960s, news of the Cuban government's internment and ideological ‘re-education’ of homosexuals in forced labour camps scandalized the international Left, much of whom spread wor...
Phase separation during fast (RIM) poly‐urethane polymerization

Etude par spectroscopie infrarouge et rheologie de la separation de phase pendant la polymerisation d'un poly(propene oxyde) polyol avec l'isocyanate de methylenediphenyl-4,4' et le butanediol-1,4 catalysee par le dibutyl dilaurate d'etain. Debut de la separation detecte par developpement de la liaison hydrogene inter-urethane et fonction de la teneur en catalyseur et de la temperature. Determination d'une temperature optimale de reaction
Constructive library-aware synthesis using symmetries

In this paper a constructive library-aware multilevel logic synthesis approach using symmetries is described. It integrates the technology-independent and technology dependent stages of synthesis, and is premised on the goal of relating the functional structure of a logic specification closer to the ultimate topological and physical structures. We show that symmetries interpreted as structural attributes of functions can be effectively used to induce a favorable structural implementation. These symmetries are used in bridging (1) the structural properties of the functions being synthesized, (2) the structural attributes of the implementation network, and (3) the functional content of the target library. Experimental results show that the quality of circuits synthesized using this approach is generally superior to those synthesized by traditional approaches, and that the improvement correlates with the symmetry measure in a function.
Quality of Life, Health Care Utilization, and Control in Older Adults with Asthma

Background Older adults with asthma have worse quality of life, asthma control and increased health care utilization than do healthy peers. Factors that contribute to this are currently unknown. Objective To identify demographic, psychological or physiologic characteristics associated with asthma quality of life, control and health care utilization in older adults. Methods By using a cross-sectional design, subjects older than 65 years with a history of physician-diagnosed asthma were enrolled. Demographic, psychological and physiological characteristics (including spirometry, atopy testing and exhaled nitric oxide) were collected. Correlations between these factors and the mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, Asthma Control Questionnaire and health care utilization were assessed. Results Seventy subjects were enrolled in the study, with a mean age of 73.3 years and mean duration of asthma diagnosis of 28.5 years. Higher depression screening scores and self-reported depression were strongly correlated with poorer quality of life and asthma control after controlling for confounding effects through a regression model. In addition, worse overall functional status was correlated with poorer asthma quality of life ( P P P = .06). Conclusions Comorbid depression is strongly associated with poorer asthma quality of life and control in older adults. In addition, worse functional status and living alone may be associated with poorer outcomes. Screening for these conditions is important in the care of the elderly asthmatic population.
Treatment of generalized anxiety in older adults: A preliminary comparison of cognitive-behavioral and supportive approaches.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in older adults has received little attention from researchers, despite evidence that anxiety disorders are a significant mental health problem in this population. This study compared the efficacy of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and nondirective, supportive psychotherapy (SP) for 48 older adults, ages 55 and up, with well-diagnosed GAD. Treatments were administered in small groups that met for 14 weekly 1 1/2 hour sessions. Treatment effects were assessed at posttreatment and over a 6-month follow-up period. Primary outcome variables targeted anxiety and worry, and transfer effects were assessed with measures of depression and associated fears. Two composite indexes of treatment response were derived to identify treatment responder status and high endstate functioning. Two participants declined participation prior to randomization; 15 others were classified as drop-outs. Results for the remaining 31 participants (CBT: n = 18; SP: n = 13) demonstrated significant improvements on primary outcome and transfer effect variables in both treatment conditions. Effect sizes generally were large, and treatment gains were maintained or improved over the 6-month follow-up phase. Examination of treatment responder status and endstate functioning revealed no significant differences between groups. The data support the potential efficacy of psychosocial group treatment for GAD in older adults, although limitations of the work and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Formation of complex impact craters: Evidence from Mars and other planets

An analysis of the depth vs diameter data of Arthur (1980), is given along with geomorphic data for 73 Martian craters. The implications for the formation of complex impact craters on solid planets is discussed. The analysis integrates detailed morphological observations on planetary craters with geologic data from terrestrial meteorite and explosion craters. The simple to complex transition for impact craters on Mars appears at diameters in the range of 3 to 8 km. Five features appear sequentially with increasing crater size, flat floors, central peaks and shallower depths, scalloped rims, and terraced walls. This order suggests that a shallow depth of excavation and a rebound mechanism have produced the central peaks, not centripetal collapse and deep sliding. Simple craters are relatively uniform in shape from planet to planet, but complex craters vary considerably. Both the average onset diameter for complex impact craters on Mars and the average depth of complex craters vary inversely with gravitational acceleration on four planets.
Incorporating domain knowledge for tubule detection in breast histopathology using O'Callaghan neighborhoods

An important criterion for identifying complicated objects with multiple attributes is the use of domain knowledge which reflects the precise spatial linking of the constituent attributes. Hence, simply detecting the presence of the low-level attributes that constitute the object, even in cases where these attributes might be detected in spatial proximity to each other is usually not a robust strategy. The O'Callaghan neighborhood is an ideal vehicle for characterizing objects comprised of multiple attributes spatially connected to each other in a precise fashion because it allows for modeling and imposing spatial distance and directional constraints on the object attributes. In this work we apply the O'Callaghan neighborhood to the problem of tubule identification on hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) stained breast cancer (BCa) histopathology, where a tubule is characterized by a central lumen surrounded by cytoplasm and a ring of nuclei around the cytoplasm. The detection of tubules is important because tubular density is an important predictor in cancer grade determination. In the context of ER+ BCa, grade has been shown to be strongly linked to disease aggressiveness and patient outcome. The more standard pattern recognition approaches to detection of complex objects typically involve training classifiers for low-level attributes individually. For tubule detection, the spatial proximity of lumen, cytoplasm, and nuclei might suggest the presence of a tubule. However such an approach could also suffer from false positive errors due to the presence of fat, stroma, and other lumen-like areas that could be mistaken for tubules. In this work, tubules are identified by imposing spatial and distance constraints using O'Callaghan neighborhoods between the ring of nuclei around each lumen. In this work, cancer nuclei in each image are found via a color deconvolution scheme, which isolates the hematoxylin stain, thereby enabling automated detection of individual cell nuclei. The potential lumen areas are segmented using a Hierarchical Normalized Cut (HNCut) initialized Color Gradient based Active Contour model (CGAC). The HNCut algorithm detects lumen-like areas within the image via pixel clustering across multiple image resolutions. The pixel clustering provides initial contours for the CGAC. From the initial contours, the CGAC evolves to segment the boundaries of the potential lumen areas. A set of 22 graph-based image features characterizing the spatial linking between the tubular attributes is extracted from the O'Callaghan neighborhood in order to distinguish true from false lumens. Evaluation on 1226 potential lumen areas from 14 patient studies produces an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.91 along with the ability to classify true lumen with 86% accuracy. In comparison to manual grading of tubular density over 105 images, our method is able to distinguish histopathology images with low and high tubular density at 89% accuracy (AUC = 0.94).
SCALE INVARIANCE AND STRATIFICATION: THE UNIFIED MULTIFRACTAL MODEL OF HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY

A fairly large body of observational evidence shows that the hydraulic conductivity is an extremely heterogeneous physical phenomenon that exhibits wide variability over a broad range of horizontal and vertical scales. Stochastic multifractals that result from continuous dynamic cascades are suggested as an appropriate model to capture the scale-invariance and stratification of the Columbus site hydraulic conductivity. Then, observed interrelations between estimates of multifractal parameters, those characterize vertical and horizontal scaling regimes, are interpreted by the unified multifractal model.
Assessing viable myocardium with thallium-201

Abstract Patients with chronic coronary artery disease and potentially reversible left ventricular dysfunction can often be successfully identified by one or more clinical indicators of myocardial viability, including regional wall motion, systolic wall thickening, regional myocardial perfusion as determined by perfusion tracers, and redistribution of thallium-201. In some patients, however, viable but “hibernating” myocardium will exist even when none of the above are evident. Myocardial viability in this situation can be detected with a high degree of accuracy by the demonstration of preserved metabolic activity by positron emission tomography (PET) scanning. Additionally, modifications of the standard exercise-redistribution thallium protocol may also produce accurate results. These modifications include late thallium-201 redistribution imaging, performed 8–72 hours following initial thallium injection, and thallium reinjection at rest after early (3–4 hours) or late (8–72 hours) redistribution imaging. These methods can identify viable myocardium in many thallium defects that appear to be irreversible on a standard 3–4 hour redistribution image. In addition, serial imaging after administration of thallium-201 at rest may also provide valuable insights into myocardial viability. These imaging modalities have important practical applications in the evaluation and management of patients with coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction.
QSARs for monosubstituted anilines eliciting the polar narcosis mechanism of action

Abstract The relative toxicities (log IGC50−1) of a fairly heterogeneous series of 66 anilines that were monosubstituted in the 2-, 3-, and 4-positions have been evaluated in the 48 h static Tetrahymena population growth impairment system. Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) were examined using the 1-octanol/water partition coefficient (log Kow) and the summation of the Hammett sigma electronic substituent constant (Σδ) as orthogonal independent predictors. Four chemicals, 4-decylaniline, 4-dodecylaniline, 4-tritylaniline and 4-aminophenethyl alcohol, did not elicit the measured response at saturation. Five chemicals, 2-aminophenol, 2-phenylenediamine, 4-aminophenol, 4-phenylenediamine and 4-nitroaniline, had an altered HPLC spectrum with time. As previously reported, the parent compound, aniline, as well as the 4-position halogen derivatives have been shown to be aberrantly more toxic than expected. None of these chemicals were included in QSAR development which employed linear regression analysis. Log IGC50− = 0.599(log Kow) − 0.905 (n = 52, r2 = 0.885, s = 0.265, f = 383.65, Pr > f = 0.0001) was found to be a good predictor of relative toxicity of these monosubstituted anilines. The addition of Σδ as a second predictor did not improve the predictability of this QSAR. Abiotic loss over the duration of the assay varied markedly with derivative; however, chemical persistence was not considered to be a factor with this model. The above equation was strikingly similar to log IGC50−1 = 0.595(log Kow) − 0.996 (n = 67, r2 = 0.866, s = 0,254, f = 421.64, Pr > f = 0.0001), a previously developed QSAR from data on a heterogeneous set of monosubstituted phenols. The data for these two equations were combined and subsequent regression analysis resulted in log IGC50−1 = 0.588(log Kow) - 0.939 (n = 119, r2 = 0.873, s = 0.261, f = 806.49, Pr > f = 0.0001). The authors feel that this represents the log Kow-dependent QSAR in the Tetrahymena population growth assay for the polar narcosis mechanism of toxic action.
Comparative Reactivities of Phosphotriesters toward Iodosocarboxylates in Cationic Micelles

Comparative reactivities have been determined for the cleavages of p-nitrophenyl phosphotriester substrates 4−9, and 12, and 13 by iodosobenzoate (1) and iodosonaphthoate (11) in micellar cetyltrimethylammonium chloride at pH 8. The aggregate substrate reactivities can be manipulated by altering the phosphate substituents, with each PhO-to-MeO or -EtO change worth ∼1 order of magnitude decrease in the rate constant. With 2 PhO/EtO mutations, the reactivity of 4 is 470 times greater toward 1 than that of 5, and the differential increases to 1080 with nucleophile 11. Phosphodiester substrates such as 10 are inert to micellar 1. Reactivity differences can be amplified by covalent attachment of the substrate moiety to cationic surfactants (12 and 13), where the PhO/EtO changes induce 600−700-fold reactivity diminutions with nucleophiles 1 and 11. The differential reactivities of the various substrates reflect both innate reactivity differences and differences in binding to the micellar pseudophase.
Bidding between incumbent and entrant

Abstract Facing an informed incumbent who has cost advantages in two different states, the uninformed entrant bids cautiously due to the incumbent’s cost advantage in the low cost state. The incumbent bids aggressively, earning additional profits because of his cost advantages.
Magneto-Optical Rotation and Natural Dispersion in Gases

Formulae for the natural dispersion and for the magnetic rotation are tested together by use of recently determined data for gases. Similar checks have been made by Evans and his co-workers for liquids. Dispersion equations of the Kettelar-Helmholtz type, with a single ultraviolet absorption term, together with Becquerel's equation for the Verdet constant are found to fit the experimental data in the case of the gases, acetylene, ethylene and carbon dioxide. The computed wave-lengths of absorption bands lie within the experimentally determined bands for these gases. Other constants of the two equations are also computed. For several other gases, methyl chloride, chloroform, oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen, apparently more complicated formulae are required.
Behavioral toxicology of solvents

Volatile organic solvents exhibit a range of behavioral effects from the insidiously toxic to the beneficial. Solvents impair performance in a concentration-dependent manner that depends on the unique physicochemical properties of each solvent. The toxic effects of solvents range greatly but, at sufficient concentrations, or after prolonged exposure, neurotoxic effects are often seen. Many solvents are both self-administered and exhibit noxious properties. Solvents may produce some of their primary behavioral effects by altering γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA) function. Further studies related to mechanism may lead to a better understanding of means to protect individuals from the effects of solvent exposure, as well as further our knowledge of solvent abuse. Solvents activate the stress axis and, as such, their neuroendocrine effects deserve further characterization, because chronic exposure may result in altered neuronal activity similar to that associated with chronic stress. Methods have been developed to assess for risk of the effects of exposure to solvents, detailing the lowest levels of solvent expected to produce behavioral impairment. Results from these procedures should be applied to the different end points described.
The probability that random algebraic integers are relatively r-prime

Benkoski (1976) [1] proved that the probability that k randomly chosen integers do not have a nontrivial common rth power is 1/ζ(rk). We first give a more concise proof of this result before proceeding to establish its analogue in the ring of algebraic integers.
High Probability of Foreshock Occurrence and Significant Probability of Multiple Events Associated with Magnitude ≥6 Earthquakes in Nevada, U.S.A.

Sixty percent of magnitude 5.5 and larger earthquakes in the western Cordillera were preceded by foreshocks (Doser, 1989). Foreshocks also preceded the 2008 Wells ( M w 6.0; Smith et al. , 2011) and the 2008 Mogul ( M w 5.0; Smith et al. , 2008; dePolo, 2011) earthquakes in Nevada. Understanding foreshocks and their behavior is important because of their potential use for earthquake forecasting and foreshocks felt by communities act as a natural alarm that can motivate people to engage in seismic mitigation. A majority of larger earthquakes in Nevada had foreshocks, and several were multiple earthquakes of magnitude ≥6. Multiple major earthquakes can shake a community with damaging ground motion multiple times within a short period of time, such as happened in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2010 and 2011 (Gledhill et al. , 2011; Bradley and Cubrinovski, 2011). Several of Nevada’s multiple events occurred within 12 hours of each other, which presents a particular hazard to emergency responders and the general public. Twenty‐three magnitude ≥6 historical earthquakes have occurred in Nevada since 1857 (Fig. 1). Earthquake catalogs used in this compilation include Slemmons et al. (1965) and Bolt and Miller (1975). Historical research and reanalysis of Nevada earthquakes have been conducted by Slemmons et al. (1965), Toppozada et al. (1981, 2000), dePolo et al. (2003), dePolo and Garside (2006), and dePolo (2012). Research on preinstrumental earthquakes consisted of systematically reviewing available earthquake catalog information and newspaper accounts. Local daily newspapers were found to be the best source of information because of their continuous nature. These records are not necessarily complete but can have important information on earthquake activity. In this study, when a local earthquake occurred beforehand and in the same general area as the event being reviewed, it was considered a foreshock. Pre‐event information varied, with less …
Parallel Schur complement method for large-scale systems on distributed memory computers

Abstract The Schur complement method, also known as substructuring technique, was widely used in structural mechanics to solve large-scale systems with limited memory computers for more than three decades [J.S. Przemieniecki, AIAA J. 1 (1963) 138]. Currently, due to developments in computer technology, the available on-board memory has increased considerably. Despite the existence of these high-memory systems, the Schur complement method still finds its applications in structural mechanics through parallel computing. When developing a computer program, the Schur method has a significant book-keeping load in comparison to other parallel algorithms used, e.g., Schwarz alternating domain decomposition method [H.A. Schwarz, Gesammelte Mathematiche Abhandlungen, vol. 2, Springer, Berlin, 1890, p. 133]. This results in memory usage. Although parallel systems are used, global coefficient matrices require a large amount of memory. Therefore, significant memory is reserved for the solution of large-scale systems. In this paper, we present an efficient algorithm for the assemblage and solution of interface equations which facilitates the solution of large-scale systems via the Schur complement method on multiple instruction multiple data (MIMD) distributed memory architectures. In this method, we assemble the subdomain and interface coefficient matrices in such a manner that the memory requirements decrease significantly, resulting in the solution of large-scale systems with reasonable memory usage. The computer program is tested on distributed memory architectures with UNIX, WINDOWS NT, and LINUX operating systems.
Solute switching and detection by synchronous demodulation in gas chromatography

Abstract It is a common practice in physical measurement to use coherent switching and synchronous demodulation for the recovery of weak signals from overwhelming noise. This paper describes a key component, the solute switch, which coherently modulates the solute concentration of the carrier stream. Its use enables the recovery of chromatography signals otherwise lost in noise. Examples of its application in gas chromatography to improve detectively and to eliminate baseline drift are given.
Cocaine exposure and children's self-regulation: Indirect association via maternal harshness

Objectives: This study examined the association between prenatal cocaine exposure and children’s self-regulation at 3 years of child age. In addition to direct effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on children’s self-regulation, we hypothesized there would be indirect associations between cocaine exposure and self-regulation via higher maternal aggression and poor autonomic regulation in infancy. Methods: The sample consisted of 216 mother-infant dyads recruited at delivery from local area hospitals (116 cocaine exposed, 100 non-exposed). Infant autonomic regulation was measured at 7 months of age during an anger/frustration task, maternal aggression was coded from observations of mother-toddler interactions at 2 years of age, and children’s self-regulation was measured at 3 years of age using several laboratory paradigms. Results: Contrary to hypotheses, there were no direct associations between maternal cocaine use and children’s self-regulation. However, results from testing our conceptual model including the indirect effects via maternal aggression or infant parasympathetic regulation indicated that this model fit the data well, X2 (23) = 34.36, p > .05, Comparative Fit Index = .95, RMSEA = .05. Cocaine using mothers displayed higher intensity of aggression toward their toddlers during lab interactions across a variety of tasks at 2 years of age (β = .23, p < .05), and higher intensity of aggression at 2 years was predictive of lower self-regulation at 3 years (β = -.36, p < .01). Maternal cocaine use was also predictive of a non-adaptive increase in respiratory sinus arrythmia (RSA) from baseline to the negative affect task, but RSA change in infancy was not predictive of self-regulation at 3 years. Conclusions: Results are supportive of animal models indicating higher aggression among cocaine treated dams, and indicate that higher maternal aggression among cocaine using mothers is predictive of child self-regulatory outcomes over time.
THE ROLE OF VOLUME TRANSMISSION IN AN ENDOGENOUS BRAIN

Brain dynamics depends on synaptic, diffusive, and glial activities. Observations indicate that synaptic and diffusive activities modify each other's morphology, and glial activity modifies both. Synaptic activity modifies glial morphology. Whether diffusion modifies glial morphology has not been reported but it is reasonable to expect that it does. The relationship between these three transmission processes forms a closed-loop hierarchy of causation in brain dynamics, and the operation of that hierarchy may account for some of the seemingly bizarre properties of cognitive function.
Quasi-fundamental exchange rate variation

This paper uses a general equilibrium model to study the determination of the exchange rate in an economy with fundamental uncertainty. The model has steady state equilibria in which the exchange rate is constant. These equilibria may coexist with “quasi-fundamental” equilibria – nonstationary equilibria in which the exchange rate displays stochastic fluctuations that are correlated with the fluctuations in fundamental random variables. The quasi-fundamental equilibria are Pareto dominated by the corresponding constant-exchange-rate steady states. They also converge to these steady states, inevitably or with positive probability.
Chlamydial protease-like activity factor—insights into immunity and vaccine development

Chlamydia trachomatis is a Gram-negative obligate intracellular pathogen that remains the leading cause of bacterial sexually transmitted disease worldwide, despite the availability of efficacious antimicrobial therapy. Given that chlamydial infections cause severe pathological sequelae in the upper genital tract, a licensed vaccine to prevent infection and disease would be an ideal solution. Chlamydial protease-like activity factor (CPAF) is a protein secreted in considerable amounts into the cytosol of infected cells and released into the extracellular milieu upon cellular lysis, which therefore is accessible to the host immune system. This is further substantiated by the observation that CPAF is immunodominant among other antigens in Chlamydia sero-positive humans. The efficacy of vaccination with CPAF against genital chlamydial challenge has been evaluated extensively in the murine model. This review will discuss important insights into the potential of CPAF as a component of an anti-chlamydial vaccine.
Graph Expansions and Graphical Enumeration Applied to Semiclassical Propagator Expansions

(1996). Graph Expansions and Graphical Enumeration Applied to Semiclassical Propagator Expansions. Journal of Nonlinear Mathematical Physics: Vol. 3, No. 1-2, pp. 102-110.
Assessing the reliability of a QSAR model's predictions

Abstract Quantitative structure activity relationships (QSAR) are one of the well-developed areas in computational chemistry. In this field, many successful predictive models have been developed for various property, activity or toxicity predictions. However, the predictive power of models for new query compounds is often not well characterized. The breadth of applicability of models is often not characterized. In other words, with a given QSAR model and a specific query compound to be predicted, can the model be used reliably for the desired prediction? In this study, we assessed the reliability of QSAR models’ prediction on query compounds. Our approach, employing hierarchical clustering, was developed and tested using a test dataset containing 322 organic compounds with fathead minnow acute aquatic toxicity as the activity of interest. The hypothesis of the approach was that if a query compound is more similar to the compounds used to generate the QSAR model, it should be predicted more accurately. Thus, the core of the approach is to determine the relationship between the similarity of query compounds to the training set compounds of the QSAR model and the prediction accuracy given by that model. This relationship determination was achieved by comparing the results given by the two major components of the approach: objects clustering and activity prediction. With the resultant information from the two steps, a direct relationship was shown.
The Oxford Handbook's Capacious Atlantic

The Oxford Handbook of the Atlantic World c. 1450–c. 1850, edited by Canny, Nicholas and Philip Morgan, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2011, 752 pp., £89 ($150) (hardback), ISBN 13: 9780199210879...
A framework for automated analysis and simulation of 3D polycrystalline microstructures. Part 2: Synthetic structure generation

This is the second of a two-part paper intended to develop a framework for collecting data, quantifying characteristics and subsequently representing microstructural information from polycrystalline materials. The framework is motivated by the need for incorporating accurate three-dimensional grain-level morphology and crystallography in computational analysis models that are currently gaining momentum. Following the quantification of microstructural features in the first part, this paper focuses on the development of models and codes for generating statistically equivalent synthetic microstructures. With input in the form of statistical characterization data obtained from serial-sectioning of the microstructures, this module is intended to provide computational modeling efforts with a microstructure representation that is statistically similar to the actual polycrystalline material.
File level provenance tracking in CMS

The CMS off-line framework stores provenance information within CMS's standard ROOT event data files. The provenance information is used to track how each data product was constructed, including what other data products were read to do the construction. We will present how the framework gathers the provenance information, the efforts necessary to minimise the space used to store the provenance in the file and the tools that will be available to use the provenance.
Existence and uniqueness of a solution to a singular thermoelastic contact problem

We consider a nonlinear singular evolution problem arising from thermoelastic contact. We first prove the existence of a unique solution to the perturbed problem, then we pass to the limit to obtain a solution of the original problem in a weighted Soblev space. The result is applied to a thermoelstic contact problem with radial symmetry.
Numerical study on gas and liquid slugs for Taylor flow in a T-junction microchannel

The rapid development of microfabrication techniques creates new opportunities for applications of microchannel reactor technology in chemical reaction engineering. The extremely large surface-to-volume ratio and the short transport path in microchannels enhance heat and mass transfer dramatically, and hence provide many potential opportunities in chemical process development and intensification. Multiphase reactions involving gas/liquid reactants with a solid as a catalyst are ubiquitous in chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The hydrodynamics of the flow affects the reactor performance significantly; therefore it plays a prominent role in reactor design. For gas/liquid two-phase flow in a microchannel, the Taylor slug flow regime is the most commonly encountered flow pattern. The present study deals with the numerical simulation of the Taylor flow in a microchannel, particularly on gas and liquid slugs. A T-junction empty microchannel with varying cross-sectional width (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 2 and 3 mm) served as the model micro-reactor, and a finite volume based commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) package, FLUENT, was adopted for the numerical simulation. The gas and liquid slug lengths at various operating and fluid conditions were obtained and found to be in good agreement with the literature data. Several correlations in the T-junction microchannel were developed based on the simulation results. The slug flows for other geometries and inlet conditions were also studied.
Ultrastructure of Bacteroides Species: Bacteroides asaccharolyticus, Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides melaninogenicus Subspecies melaninogenicus, and B. melaninogenicus Subspecies intermedins

Representative strains of two subspecies of Bacteroides melaninogenicus (subspecies melaninogenicus and subspecies intermedius) and Bacteroides asaccharolyticus as well as B. asaccharolyticus strain 536B isolated from a human perirectal abscess and Bacteroides fragilis ATCC 25285 were examined by glutaraldehyde-osmium fixation, ruthenium red fixation and staining, and thorium hydroxyde staining as well as by the physical preparative techniques of critical point drying--transmission electron microscopy (CPD--TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All strains, with the exception of B. fragilis 25285, possessed an electron-dense material external to their outer membranes. Ruthenium red staining further revealed a layer, external to the surface of the outer membrane, that was distinct for each species examined. Thorium hydroxide, as well as CPD--TEM and SEM, showed the cells to be interconnected by thin fibers that not only connected adjacent cells but also traversed several microns to connect cell aggregates.
The economics of a good party: Social mechanics and the legitimization of art/culture

Putting value on cultural goods is a messy business. Cultural value is not just an economic act but instead part of an intense social process of valorization and legitimization. Art/culture is socially consumed and socially aware. Economic value is determined by intangible (and ephemeral) social value formed from and within specific contexts by particular people, the “scene”, so to speak. What are the mechanisms by which the social dynamics of art/culture impact its economic legitimacy? This article looks at how art/culture attains market value, focusing on the social contexts by which culture is produced, evaluated and distributed.
Electronic excitations in the correlated metal BaV(0.98)Ti(0.02)S(3) studied using resonant inelastic soft x-ray scattering.

Electronic excitations in the correlated metal BaTi0.02V0.98S3 have been studied using resonant inelastic soft x-ray scattering at the V L edge. The intensities of the intra-atomic d?d* excitations and the elastic x-ray scattering feature are found to be temperature dependent, with the intensity increasing with decreasing temperature until saturation is reached near 100?K. The behavior of the spectral features is interpreted as evidence of a shift in the 3d electrons from more band-like states at higher temperature to more localized states at low temperature.
The facilitating effects of mental rehearsal in the acquisition of rotary pursuit tracking

Two experiments were performed to test the hypothesis that mental rehearsal facilitates learning of rotary pursuit tracking. In Experiment 1, improvement in rotary pursuit tracking was compared for a physical practice group, a mental rehearsal group, and a no-practice control group. After 10 days of practice, the physical practice and mental rehearsal groups were equally proficient and both groups were superior to the no-practice control group. In Experiment 2, the rate of learning was faster for a group which mentally rehearsed during rest periods following physical practice than a group which performed a controlled task during the rest periods. The group engaging in combined mental and physical practice reached asymptote 2 days earlier than did the physical-practice-only group.
Escalation in international conflict management: A foreign policy perspective

Efforts to resolve interstate disputes are often characterized by repeated engagement and evolving strategies. What explains a state’s decision to continue conflict resolution efforts but escalate ...
The Social Side of School: Why Teachers Need Social Psychology

Teaching and learning are fundamentally social enterprises. In attempting to understand, explain, and predict social behavior, social psychologists have amassed scores of empirically grounded, fundamental principles. Yet, many such principles have yet to be applied to classrooms despite the social nature of these settings. This article illustrates how infusing novel concepts from social psychology into teachers’ repertoires holds untapped potential to improve their pedagogy, ability to motivate students, and capacity to enrich students’ understanding of subject matter. This article first examines three domains of social psychology—social cognition, influence/persuasion, and interpersonal relations—and illustrates how applications of principles from each domain could benefit classrooms. Next, two exemplars are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of past interventions that are rooted in social psychological principles. Finally, pathways through which teacher educators can introduce new social psychological concepts and applications to teachers are explored.
Dynamics of continuous countercurrent mass-transfer processes—II. Single-component systems with nonlinear equilibria

Abstract Based on the differential model presented in Part I, this paper discusses the effects of nonlinear equilibria on the propagation dynamics of continuous countercurrent mass-transfer processes by the aid of a numerical solution and two approximations. A nonlinear equilibrium tends to sharpen or spread concentration waves as in fixed-bed sorption; it also substantially affects the direction and velocity of wave propagation. More importantly, it plays a critical part in the propagation of a disturbance over a nonuniform steady-state profile. This dynamic phenomenon can be qualitatively predicted by the theory of interference for fixed-bed sorption with proper adjustments.