cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Combined X-Ray Photoelectron and Auger Electron Spectroscopic Study of Cesium in Variable-Charge Montmorillonites

Abstract A combined X-ray photoelectron and Auger electron spectroscopic investigation of sorption and characterization of bonding states of Cs in montmorillonite (M) and in four reduced-charge montmorillonites (RCMs) were carried out. The nondestructive analysis of sorption of Cs in variable-charge montmorillonites obtained by XPS is consistent within 4–8% to those obtained by solution analysis using AAS. The core-level Cs 3d5/2 photoelectron binding energy was observed to be enhanced with the reduction of electron population from higher to lower charge montmorillonite. The charge potential model has been used to interpret such core-level short-range chemical shifts. However, a larger shift in the Auger Cs–M4N4,5N4,5 line was observed and Cs-Auger kinetic energy was found to decrease from higher charge RCM to lower charge RCM, which may be attributed to the effect of extra-atomic relaxation from surrounding oxygen atoms; this effect implies that the flow of electronic charge to the Cs ion is larger for higher charge RCM than for lower charge RCM. However, this effect is enhanced by the extra contribution of Li that has migrated. A comparison of Cs 3d binding energies and Cs-Auger kinetic energies in a two-dimensional chemical state plot indicates multiple bonding states of Cs in variable-charge montmorillonites. The extra-atomic relaxation energy (ΔEr) value of each of the Cs–montmorillonites was unique, which indicates that this is dependent on the chemical environment and on the availability of electron density in montmorillonites. Also, the binding energy value of Cs 3d5/2 was found to be nearer to CsOH than to CsCl, which reflects that the bonding state of Cs is not as ionic as CsCl.
William Stern: Forerunner of Human Science Child Developmental Thought

Abstract In this article, it is argued that William Stern was a forerunner of human science thinking in child psychology. Stern’s view of development, though widely neglected even among humanists, is consonant with human science thought on the whole as well as human science child developmental theory. Certain core characteristics of human science psychology are noted with special emphasis on how they relate to the study of child development. Stern’s views are then shown to be illustrative of these characteristics. In addition, various aspects of Stern’s highly humanistic approach to child development are shown to be relevant today.
Polymicrobial synergy and dysbiosis in inflammatory disease

Uncontrolled inflammation of the periodontal area may arise when complex microbial communities transition from a commensal to a pathogenic entity. Communication among constituent species leads to polymicrobial synergy between metabolically compatible organisms that acquire functional specialization within the developing community. Keystone pathogens, even at low abundance, elevate community virulence, and the resulting dysbiotic community targets specific aspects of host immunity to further disable immune surveillance while promoting an overall inflammatory response. Inflammophilic organisms benefit from proteinaceous substrates derived from inflammatory tissue breakdown. Inflammation and dysbiosis reinforce each other, and the escalating environmental changes further select for a pathobiotic community. We have synthesized the polymicrobial synergy and dysbiotic components of the process into a new model for inflammatory diseases.
Equity of access: adaptive technology.

In this age of information technology, it is morally imperative that equal access to information via computer systems be afforded to people with disabilities. This paper addresses the problems that computer technology poses for students with disabilities and discusses what is needed to ensure equity of access. particularly in a university environment.
Cerebrovascular Risk Factors and Cerebral Hyperintensities among Middle-Aged and Older Adults With Major Depression

Objectives To examine the association between cerebral hyperintensities and cerebrovascular risk factors (CVRF) among middle-aged and older adults with major depressive disorder (MDD). Methods Thirty patients (aged 55–77 years) with MDD and no history of stroke participated in a magnetic resonance imaging assessment to assess for the presence of cerebral hyperintensities and underwent a physical examination to assess stroke risk as indexed by the Framingham Stroke Risk Profile (FSRP). In addition, intima medial thickness (IMT) was measured in the left and right carotid arteries. Results Higher FSRP levels were associated with total greater cerebral hyperintensities (r = 0.64), as well as greater subependymal hyperintensities (r = 0.47), confluent periventricular changes (r = 0.46), and tended to be associated with subcortical gray matter hyperintensities (r = 0.34). A quadratic relationship was observed between IMT and total cerebral hyperintensities (b = 4.84), and higher IMT levels were associated with greater subependymal hyperintensities (r = 0.40). Conclusions Higher levels of CVRF are associated with graded increases in cerebral hyperintensities among middle-aged and older adults with MDD.
Activation of the mitochondrial caspase pathway and subsequent calpain activation in monkey RPE cells cultured under zinc depletion

Decreased zinc levels in the macula are reported in patients with age-related macular degeneration, and the zinc chelator N,N,N',N′-tetrakis (2- pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine) (TPEN) causes death of human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. The purpose of the present study was to investigate signal transduction pathways during cell death initiated by TPEN, using monkey RPE cells. RPE cells were cultured with TPEN. Activation of calpains and caspases, and proteolysis of their substrates were detected by immunoblotting. Incubation of calpain inhibitor SNJ-1945 or caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk was used to confirm activation of specific proteases. TPEN caused a time-dependent decrease in viable RPE cells. Cell death was accompanied by activation of calpain-1, caspase-9, and caspase-3. SNJ-1945 inhibited calpain activation and slightly inhibited caspase-9 activation. z-VAD-fmk inhibited caspases and calpain-1 activation. TPEN did not activate caspase-12. Relative zinc deficiency in RPE cells causes activation of cytosolic calpain and mitochondrial caspase pathways without ER stress.
Amplification of a gene coding for human T-cell differentiation antigen

Using previously isolated mouse L-cell transferees for the human T-cell differentiation antigen Leu-2, we now report the first example of spontaneous gene amplification for membrane antigens. The Leu-2 (or T8)1,2 antigen is normally expressed on T lymphocytes that have cytotoxic or suppressor functions. Cells of a Leu-2 transfected clone were stained with fluorescein-tagged monoclonal anti-Leu-2, and the brightest 0.1–0.3% of cells were viably separated using a fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS). After growth of these selected cells, sorting and regrowth was repeated six times, resulting in a population of cells that, compared with the starting population, stains 40 times brighter for Leu-2 and whose DNA transforms 20 times more efficiently for Leu-2. In addition, these cells have 10- to 50-fold amplified human DNA sequences and numerous double minute chromosome fragments, a common indicator of gene amplication in mouse cells.
MR imaging of airway obstruction in infants and children

Accurate diagnosis is important in the evaluation of airway disorders of infants and children. Today, multiple imaging techniques are available to evaluate the pediatric airway. In general, it is best to start with simple and readily available examinations, which may provide a diagnosis in most cases, and progress to more sophisticated studies such as MR imaging. We performed magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of 45 infants and children with symptoms of airway obstruction, 14 of 45 patient symptoms were related to masses of the airway and 31 of 45 patient symptoms were related to vascular compression.
Perceptual metrics of individuals with autism provide evidence for disinhibition.

Adults with autism exhibit inhibitory deficits that are often manifested in behavioral modifications, such as repetitive behaviors, and/or sensory hyper-responsiveness. If such behaviors are the result of a generalized deficiency in inhibitory neurotransmission, then it stands to reason that deficits involving localized cortical-cortical interactions – such as in sensory discrimination tasks – could be detected and quantified. This study exemplifies a newly developed method for quantifying sensory testing metrics. Our novel sensory discrimination tests may provide (a) an effective means for biobehavioral assessment of deficits specific to autism and (b) an efficient and sensitive measure of change following treatment. The sensory discriminative capacity of 10 subjects with autism and 10 controls was compared both before and after short duration adapting stimuli. Specifically, vibrotactile amplitude discriminative capacity was obtained both in the presence and absence of 1 sec adapting stimuli that were delivered 1 sec prior to the comparison stimuli. Although adaptation had a pronounced effect on the amplitude discriminative capacity of the control subjects, little or no impact was observed on the sensory discriminative capacity of the subjects with autism. This lack of impact of the adapting stimuli on the responses of the subjects with autism was interpreted to be consistent with the reduced GABAergic mediated inhibition described in previous reports. One significant aspect of this study is that the methods could prove to be a useful and efficient way to detect specific neural deficits and monitor the efficacy of pharmacological or behavioral treatments in autism.
Nicotinic receptor subtypes and cognitive function

Nicotinic receptor systems are involved in a wide variety of behavioral functions including cognitive function. Nicotinic medications may provide beneficial treatment for cognitive dysfunction such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Nicotine has been shown to improve attentional performance in all of these disorders. Better efficacy with fewer side effects might be achieved with novel nicotinic ligands selective for particular nicotinic subtypes. To develop these novel selective nicotinic ligands it is important to use animal models to determine the critical neurobehavioral bases for nicotinic involvement in cognitive function. Nicotine-induced cognitive improvement in rats is most consistently seen in working memory tasks. We have found that both acute and chronic nicotine administration significantly improves working memory performance of rats in the radial-arm maze. The pharmacologic and anatomic mechanisms for this effect have been examined in our laboratory in a series of local drug infusion studies. Both alpha 4 beta 2 and alpha 7 nicotinic receptors in the ventral hippocampus and basolateral amygdala are involved in working memory function. Working memory impairments were caused by local infusion of either alpha 4 beta 2 or alpha 7 antagonists. Ventral hippocampal alpha 4 beta 2 blockade-induced working memory deficits are reversed by chronic systemic nicotine treatment, while ventral hippocampal alpha 7 blockade-induced working memory deficits were not found to be reversed by the same nicotine regimen. Interestingly, alpha 4 beta 2 and alpha 7 induced deficits were not found to be additive in either the ventral hippocampus or the basolateral amygdala. In fact, in the amygdala, alpha 7 antagonist cotreatment actually reversed the working memory impairment caused by alpha 4 beta 2 antagonist administration. These studies of the neural nicotinic mechanisms underlying cognitive function are key for opening avenues for development of safe and effective nicotinic treatments for cognitive dysfunction.
An apoptotic model for nitrosative stress.

Nitric oxide overproduction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many disorders, including artherosclerosis, neurodegenerative diseases, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and cancer. The common view holds that nitric oxide-induced cellular injury is caused by oxidative stress. This theory predicts that interactions between reactive nitrogen species and reactive oxygen species produce powerful oxidants that initiate cell death programs. Cytokine-treated murine macrophages are the prototype of this form of cellular injury. Here we report that generation of reactive nitrogen species upon lipopolysacharide/interferon-γ stimulation of RAW 264.7 cells is largely divorced from production of reactive oxygen species, and that oxidative stress is not principally responsible for cell death (in this model). Rather, the death program is induced mainly by a nitrosative challenge, characterized by the accrual of nitrosylated proteins without a major alteration in cellular redox state. Moreover, interactions be...
Possible pathogenic mechanisms on trimethyltin-induced lesions in the hippocampus of adult and neonatal rats : An overview.

The extent of trimethyltin (TMT) induced lesions in the rat hippocampal formation was reviewed. Adult rats were treated with a single dose of 6.0 mg TMT/kg body wt and were sacrificed between 3–60 d following exposure. In the hippocampal formation, the granule cells of fascia dentata showed early changes, which subsided considerably at a later time of the intoxication. On the other hand, destruction of the pyramidal neurons in the Ammon’s horn became more pronounced with time, resulting in an extensive destruction of this structure. It is interesting to note that the CA3 neurons in the septal portion of the Ammon’s horn were more vulnerable than those located more temporally, whereas the reverse pattern was observed for the dentate granule cells as well as for the CA1,2 neurons of the Ammon’s horn. Special stain for zinc (Timm’s method) also revealed a progressive depletion of zinc in the mossy fibers. When neonatal rats were treated at various times with a single injection of TMT, rapid and progressive destruction of the Ammon’s horn was observed in animals injected between postnatal day (PND) 5–15. The progression of neuronal involvement was CA3b →CA3a, b →CA3(a,b,c)→CA3+CA2→entire Ammon’s horn (CA1,2,3). This pattern of pathological lesion was in good concert with morphological development and functional maturity of the hippocampal formation. Destruction of the Ammon’s horn neurons was proposed to be the result of hyperexcitation of the dentate granule neurons under the influence of TMT. Other possible mechanisms are also discussed.
Preferred Insertion Gain of Hearing Aids in Listening and Reading-Aloud Situations

Nine hearing-impaired subjects with primarily high-frequency hearing loss (Group A) and 8 hearing-impaired subjects with hearing loss in both the high- and low-frequency regions (Group B) participa...
A general model of pheromone transmission within honey bee hives

Many activities in a honey bee hive are thought to be regulated by non-volatile pheromones produced by the queen. These pheromones are transmitted among the workers both by direct contact and by deposition on the retrieval from the wax substrate of the hive. This paper presents a general model for the movement of these pheromones through a honey bee colony.The specific pheromone used for the model is produced by honey bee queens, and is thought to play a determining role in colony swarming. Thus, the results presented here are of interest to both beekeepers, for whom swarming represents the loss of a valuable resource, and bee researchers, who are interested in swarming as an example of social coordination.The model consists of a system of stochastic differential equations describing the evolution of the pheromone level and position of each bee in the hive. The equations are studied using a numerical simulation. The results of the simulations show that hive crowding can have a significant effect on pheromone transmission, and that this effect is not simply a dilution of similar quantities of pheromone among more workers. Thus, restricting worker movement induced by crowding may have a strong effect on pheromone transmission and, therefore, advance queen rearing and swarming. Copyright 1997 Academic Press Limited Copyright 1997 Academic Press Limited
On a Liouville-type comparison principle for solutions of evolution inequalities

The purpose of this work is to establish a Liouville-type comparison principle for solutions of higher order differential evolution inequalities of the form in &#x1d54a; := {(t, x): t > 0, x ∈ ℝ n }, without any initial conditions on the solutions on the hyperplane t = 0 being involved, where L is a linear lth-order differential operator of the form , a α(t, x) are measurable bounded functions in &#x1d54a;, |α| = α1 + ··· + α n , l ≥ 1 and n ≥ 1 are natural numbers, and q ≥ 1 is a real number. The principal examples of the operator L are the Laplacian Δ and the mth-order polyharmonic operator Δ m := Δ1(Δ m−1), where Δ1 := Δ and m ≥ 2 is a natural number.
A convenient direct laser writing system for the creation of microfluidic masters

We describe a homebuilt direct laser writing (DLW) system centered on a fluorescence microscope as an alternative means for the creation of microfluidic masters. Such masters are often the starting point of microanalytical platforms and are usually made using transparency masks, which are inexpensive and very convenient. However, these masks can become expensive if features are <25 μm. The linewidth of features made by our DLW system spans from submicron to a millimeter depending on the objective lens, the focal position, the stage speed, and the laser power used. By adjusting these parameters during fabrication, we show that large and small features can be integrated in the same sample. Masters made by DLW were used to create polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic devices and also to perform microcontact printing of alkanethiol monolayers on gold. We also show that registration between sequential patterning steps is readily accomplished and can be used to repair structures or to add features to an existing pattern. The components required to modify a stage-equipped fluorescence microscope into our DLW system are commercially available for under $5000; we contend that this system is a convenient alternative to mask-based lithography for prototyping lab-on-a-chip devices.
Family background and school continuation decisions in Japan

Abstract This chapter examines the trend in educational inequality for men in Japan, by analyzing family background effects on school continuation decisions, separately for prewar and postwar educational systems. It argues that mechanisms of educational stratification should be different between the educational systems before and after the educational reform initiated by the American occupation, and that structural/institutional changes in the educational system need to be considered in the study of educational inequality in Japan. In the prewar system, family background effects are strongest at the earliest transitions and are attenuated at later transitions, while in the postwar system, the effects are sustained until later transitions. Consequently, the association between background and progression to higher education is stronger in the postwar system. Sons of the very disadvantaged families remain least likely to continue with noncompulsory education in both systems and the effect of mother's education increases significantly over recent cohorts.
Elevation of hemopexin-like fragment of matrix metalloproteinase-2 tissue levels inhibits ischemic wound healing and angiogenesis.

Objective Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) degrades type IV collagen and enables endothelial cell (EC) migration during angiogenesis and wound healing. Peroxisomal biogenesis factor 2 (PEX2), a by-product of activated MMP-2 autocatalysis, competitively inhibits newly activated MMP-2 from EC surface binding and migration. We hypothesize that PEX2 is elevated during limb ischemia and contributes to poor wound healing, with decreased capillary density. Methods Western blot was used to identify PEX2 in the hind limbs of FVB/NJ mice with surgically induced ischemia. The PEX2 effect on healing was evaluated by calculating the area of exposed muscle after wounding the dorsum of mice and administering daily injections with human recombinant PEX2 (hrPEX2). Wounds were also injected with lentivirus-expressing PEX2 (PEX2-LV), harvested on postoperative day 7 and processed for staining. Epithelial gap was assessed with light microscopy. Capillary density was evaluated after wounding Tie2 -green fluorescent protein (GFP) + transgenic FVB mice (ECs labeled green) and viral transduction with PEX2-LV. Wounds were harvested on postoperative day (POD) 7, frozen in liquid nitrogen, sectioned, and stained with Hoechst. Vessel density was assessed via fluorescence microscopy as the average number of capillaries/10 high-powered fields. Paired t test was used to assess differences between the groups. Results PEX2 was elevated 5.5 ± 2.0-fold ( P = .005) on POD 2 and 2.9 ± 0.69-fold ( P = .004) on POD 4 in gastrocnemius muscles of ischemic hind limbs. The wound surface area, or lack of granulation tissue and exposed muscle, decreased daily in all mice but was greater in the hrPEX2-treated mice by 12% to 16% ( P P Tie2 -GFP mice had an average number of 3.8 ± 1.1 capillaries vs 6.9 ± 1.2 in control wounds ( P Conclusions Our study links elevated PEX2 to ischemia and poor wound healing. We demonstrate comparative PEX2 elevation in ischemic murine hind limbs. Less granulation tissue is produced and healing is retarded in wounds subjected to hrPEX2 or viral transduction with PEX2-LV. Microscopic examination shows the wounds exhibit fewer capillaries, supporting the hypothesis that PEX2 decreases angiogenesis.
Forest Health Monitoring and Forest Inventory Analysis programs monitor climate change effects in forest ecosystems

The Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) and Forest Inventory and Analyses (FIA) programs are integrated biological monitoring systems that use nationally standardized methods to evaluate and report on the health and sustainability of forest ecosystems in the United States. Many of the anticipated changes in forest ecosystems from climate change were also issues addressed in sections of FHM's National Technical Report 1991 to 1998. The integrated FHM and FIA monitoring systems are currently establishing baseline conditions (status and change) in most States for many of the expected effects, and are projected to have full implementation for all States and Territories in 2003. These monitoring systems utilize a broad suite of indicators of key ecosystem components and processes that are responsive to many biotic and abiotic stressors, including those anticipated from climate change. These programs will contribute essential information for many decades for many of the anticipated changes in forest ecosystem from i...
Effect of CO2 on nonthermal-plasma reactions of nitrogen oxides in N2. 2. Percent-level concentrations

Both NOx conversion and CO2 conversion decrease with increasing percent-level CO2 concentration in nonthermal nitrogen plasma. The rate constants of electron collision reactions of both N2 and CO2 decrease with increasing CO2 concentration because electronegative CO2 reduces electron concentrations in the reactor due to the electron attachment process. The rate constant of CO2 dissociation through electron collision is 1−2 orders of magnitude higher than that of N2 dissociation because of low dissociation energy of CO2. Model data for reactor outlet NOx and COx concentrations agree well with experimental data. The effect of CO2 on NO, NO2, N2O, and CO concentrations can be explained on the basis of the proposed reaction mechanism and kinetic modeling.
On doing two things at once: III. Confirmation of perfect timesharing when simultaneous tasks are ideomotor compatible.

A. G. Greenwald and H. G. Shulman (see record 1974-10326-001) found that 2 tasks characterized by ideomotor (IM) compatibility could be perfectly timeshared (i.e., performed simultaneously without mutual interference). The 2 tasks were pronouncing "A" or "B" in response to hearing those letter names, and making a manual left or right response to seeing a left- or right-positioned arrow. M.-C. Lien, R. W. Proctor, and P. A. Allen (2002) did not replicate Greenwald and Shulman's result, and concluded that their finding of perfect timesharing of 2 IM-compatible tasks might not be replicable. In the present research, Experiment 1 replicated Greenwald and Shulman's 1973 finding while also supporting the conclusion that Lien et al's nonreplication was due to their not instructing subjects to make 2 responses simultaneously in their timeshared task. Experiment 2 again replicated the perfect timesharing finding, using an alternative control procedure that mixed manual and vocal tasks in the same block. ((c) 2003 APA, all rights reserved)
Thermodynamics of concentrated electrolyte mixtures. I. Activity coefficients in aqueous NaCl−CaCl2 at 25°C

The activity coefficients of NaCl and CaCl2 in NaCl−CaCl2 aqueous mixtures have been measured at 25°C in the ionic strength range I=0.1–20. Where NaCl solubility permitted, both activity coefficients were measured over the whole range of compositions from pure NaCl to pure CaCl2 at constant I. The measurements were made using Na and Ca ion-selective electrodes vs. a Cl ion-selective electrode. The data are fitted to Harned equations of the form $$log \gamma _A = log \gamma _A^0 - \alpha _{AB} y_B - \beta _{AB} y_B^2$$ and were also analyzed using the Pitzer formalism. Excess free energies of mixing are calculated and presented in the I=0.1–5.0 range and the Friedman parameters calculated.
Chemical blowing agents: providing production, economic and physical improvements to a wide range of polymers

Abstract Chemical blowing agents are becoming a polymer additive of significant technical importance for providing production, economic and physical improvements when processing a wide range of polymers. Stephen Quinn of Bayer describes the chemistry available, the applications and processing fundamentals when selecting a blowing agent.
Application of phase-lock loops to periodic disturbance rejection in smart structures

This paper presents a simple, effective and economical system capable of suppressing periodic vibration (external or self induced) affecting a structure or payload. The approach used integrates piezoelectric materials/actuators, sensors, and low-cost electronics in a novel way. The key innovation is the use of phase-lock-loops (PLL) and switch capacitor filters (SCF) for the on-line identification, tracking and control of periodic vibration. This method concentrates its control action at those frequencies where periodic vibration is detected. Among the advantages of this approach are: it is conceptually simple, easily expandable and modular; the controller does not rely on a model of the structure, and it only needs some approximate notion of the frequency range where the periodic disturbances are expected to occur; it is robust and can be operated at high gain without loss of stability; it is not significantly affected by the presence of random vibration or sensor noise; and it can be implemented with inexpensive electronics. The effectiveness of this new approach was experimentally evaluated using a test unit consisting of a simple structure, accelerometers and Terfenol-D actuators. The structure was excited by driving one of the actuator with sinusoidal and random signals. The resulting periodic disturbances were measured using the accelerometers. The acceleration signals were passed though a bank of PLLs and associated SCFs to detect the fundamental frequency and harmonics. This information was used to drive another actuator that rejected the original disturbances, and attenuation levels as high as 30 dB were achieved.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
6,7-Dimethoxycoumarin in the peels of Citrus

Abstract 6,7-Dimethoxycoumarin was isolated and identified from the peels of Citrus sinensis cv. Pineapple orange, of C. paradisi x C. paradisi x C. reticulata cv. Wekiwa and of C. mitis cv. Clamondin. The coumarin was tentatively identified in two other sweet oranges, C. sinensis cv. Mediterranean Sweet and Waite Parson Brown, and in C. aurantifolia cv. West Indian lime and in C. aurantium cv. Bitter Sweet orange.
Leishmania donovani: Surface membrane acid phosphatase blocks neutrophil oxidative metabolite production

Abstract We show that a purified preparation of the prominent tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (E.C.3.1.3.2), isolated from the external surface of the intracellular parasite Leishmania donovani (promastigote form), inhibits toxic oxidative metabolite production of neutrophils. Preincubation of a neutrophil suspension (2.5 × 10 6 cells/ml) for 15 min at 37 C with 250 units (1 unit equals 1 nmole of 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate cleaved per hr at pH 5.5) of the acid phosphatase in Krebs-Ringer phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) decreased O 2 consumption, O 2 − production, and H 2 O 2 production of N -formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMet-Leu-Phe)-stimulated neutrophils to 15–25% of control values. The acid phosphatase also affected concanavalin A-stimulated O 2 -production by neutrophils, but had no effect on the rate of phorbol myristic acetate-stimulated O 2 − production, chemotactic peptide binding, degranulation, or membrane depolarization. Addition of an acid phosphatase inhibitor (Complex E; (NH 4 ) 6 [P 2 Mo 18 O 62 ]·9H 2 O) to suspensions of opsonized promastigotes and neutrophils resulted in a threefold or greater enhancement of O 2 − production. These results suggest a possible pathophysiologic role for the acid phosphatase of L. donovani promastigotes.
The effect of light intensity and spectra on the reduction of thermoluminescence of near-shore sediments from Spitsbergen, Svalbard: Implications for dating Quaternary Water-Lain Sequences

The thermoluminescence (TL) properties of silicate mineral grains have been used as geochronometers for water-lain sediments. This study provides new insight into the limitations of TL the technique by quantifying the effects of incident wavelength and light intensity on the resetting of the TL signal. The TL residual level increases as wavelengths between 440 and 540 nm are blocked and remains unchanged after ca. 4 hours. These residual levels were maintained even after 24 hours of continuous exposure. The light intensity threshold for reduction in the TL signal is quite low, <10% of full light exposure or <1×104joules/m2. However, during the late glacial on Svalbard, and possibly in other aqueous glacial-environments, the concentration of suspended sediment was sufficiently high to reduce the ambient light intensities to below these levels, resulting in elevated residual levels that are difficult to duplicate in the laboratory. The available thermoluminescence techniques are unsuitable for unequivocally dating water-lain sediments because of the natural spatial and temporal variations in the solar reduction in the TL signal in turbid aqueous environments.
The American analysis of Iranian politics

The rich subtlety of the Iranian political process has long defied scholarly attempts to comprehend and explain. Native Iranian writings have been stunted both by a traditional tendency to stress chronology over analysis as well as by sociopolitical deterrents that have deflected the academic searchlight away from the political system. European scholarship has seldom focused directly upon the Iranian polity but has instead preoccupied itself with history very broadly conceived. This historical discussion
Current concepts in the acute management of severe pediatric head trauma

Abstract Head injuries are a substantial problem in children. These injuries can be the result of intentional or unintentional trauma. Traumatic brain injury can range from focal lacerations and contusions to diffuse axonal injury with intracranial hypertension. Brain injury can he either primary or secondary in nature. Primary brain injury occurs at the time of injury and, although preventable, is not treatable. Secondary injury occurs from insults that occur after the injury event such as hypotension, hypoxia, and/or intracranial hypertension. The outcome of children with traurmatic brain injury can be improved by preventing or minimizing these secondary injuries. For emergency medicine physicians, the cornerstones of management are early recognition and treatment of these secondary injuries. This article reviews current principles in the management of pediatric traumatic braid injury.
Yiddish: Turning to Life

Worldwide interest in Yiddish has often concentrated on its secular forms of expression: its literature, its theater, its journalism and its political-party associations. This all-encompassing study, covers these phenomena as well as investigating the demographic and political mushrooming of Yiddish-speaking Ultra-Orthodoxy, both in America and in Israel. As the title suggests, this volume attempts to show that Yiddish is now finally on the path towards recovery. The volume consists of 17 papers grouped into five sections: Yiddish and Hebrew: Conflict and Symbiosis; Yiddish in America; Corpus Planning: The ability to change and grow; Status Planning: The Tshernovits Conference of 1908; Stock-taking: Where are we now? Each section is prefaced by an introduction. In addition there are also five papers written in Yiddish. The work emphasises an empirical and theoretical approach to the growing Ultra-Orthodox sector, that until now, has largely been ignored. Fishman's interest in Yiddish (among other Jewish languages) has previously been difficult to access and it is hoped that the appearance of this book will go some way toward alleviating this situation. The volume also includes a statistical appendix bringing together data on Yiddish for the past 100 years from the Czarist Empire, the USSR, Poland, Israel, the USA, and other parts of the world. This extensive and enlightening study should be of interest to sociolinguists and all those engaged in efforts on behalf of small languages everywhere.
Biomimetic nanoparticles with polynucleotide and PEG mixed-monolayers enhance calcium phosphate mineralization

Biomineralization of hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) is of significant importance in biomedical applications such as bone and dental repair, and biomimetic control of mineral formation may lead to more effective restorative procedures. Gold nanoparticles are functional scaffolds on which to assemble multi-component monolayers capable of mimicking protein activity in the templated synthesis of calcium phosphate. The goal of this research was to explore nanoparticle templates with mixed-monolayers of uncharged polar polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecules and highly charged polynucleotide and amino acid molecules in their ability to influence mineralization rates and mineral particle size and morphology. This research demonstrates through time-resolved optical density and dynamic light scattering measurements that the combination of tiopronin, PEG, and DNA presented on a nanoparticle surface decreases nanoparticle aggregation from 59 to 21 nm solvated radius, increases mineralization kinetics from 1.5 × 10−3 to 3.1 × 10−3 OD/min, and decreases mineral particle size from 685 to 442 nm average radius. FT-IR and TEM data demonstrate that mineralized material, while initially amorphous, transforms to a semi-crystalline material when guided by template interactions. This demonstrates that surface-tailored monolayer protected cluster scaffolds are successful and controllable mineralization templates with further potential for biomedical applications involving calcium phosphate and other biomaterials.
The Effectiveness of the Foreign-Trade Zone as an Export Promotion Program: Policy Issues and Alternatives

Foreign-trade zones (FTZs) are used by international marketers to gain savings and increase) operational efficiencies. From a public policy viewpoint, FTZs are a part of governmental export promoti...
Periodontal Surgery for a Patient with Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is an uncommon blood stem cell disorder. The acquired defect is in the cell membrane of the precursor of the affected clone, which renders erythrocytes, platelets and granulocytes unusually sensitive to the hemolytic effects of complement. It is characterized by chronic hemolysis, intermittent hemoglobinuria, thrombotic events and bone marrow hypoplasia. Hemolysis is precipitated by infection, strenuous exercise, surgery or menstruation. The dilemma of managing a PNH patient is that both the periodontal infection and the surgical treatment are precipitating factors. Management is further complicated by the fact that the patient is receiving corticosteroids. The treatment of the PNH patient is complex and potentially hazardous. It requires close cooperation between the periodontist and the hematologist. This paper describes the management of one such case.
Fine structure of regenerated cellulose films as revealed by dye accessibility

We have demonstrated the utility of dyeing techniques, using Solophenyl Fast Blue Green BL, to characterize a variety of regenerated cellulosic films. Measurement of the optical density ratio and the rate and magnitude of dye uptake show that differences in structure exist in regenerated cellulose films processed under different conditions. These differences are attributed to differences in lateral order and orientation of cellulose chains and are believed similar to the so-called skin and core observed in rayon fibers. These differences have been found related reproducibly to differences in regenerating and processing conditions. Diffusion of dye into a film is very rapid initially, slowing later to an almost constant rate, depending on the dye concentration in solution and on the type of film. A modified diffusion equation of the form In C/C0 – (1 – C/C0) = Dγ2-tC0/Cf has been found adequate to express the non-steady state of the observed absorption process, where C0 is the initial dye concentration of the test solution, C is the instantaneous dye concentration at time t, Cf is the dye concentration in the film, γ2 is the area of film per unit volume of dye solution, and D is the diffusion coefficient. Thus, a mathematical basis is provided for structural differentiation in cellulosic films processed in various ways. Plate-cast viscose films appear to have a dense surface (skin) exposed to the regenerating bath and a porous surface (core) on the side touching the plate, whereas machine-cast viscose films have a dense surface on both sides.
Large floods and climatic change during the Holocene on the Ara River, Central Japan

Abstract A reconstruction of part of the Holocene large flood record for the Ara River in central Japan is presented. Maximum intermediate gravel-size dimensions of terrace and modern floodplain gravels were measured along an 18-km reach of the river and were used in tractive force equations to estimate minimum competent flood depths. Results suggest that the magnitudes of large floods on the Ara River have varied in a non-random fashion since the end of the last glacial period. Large floods with greater magnitudes occurred during the warming period of the post-glacial and the warmer early to middle Holocene (to ∼5500 years BP). A shift in the magnitudes of large floods occurred ∼5500–5000 years BP. From this time, during the cooler middle to late Holocene, large floods generally had lower magnitudes. In the modern period, large flood magnitudes are the largest in the data set. As typhoons are the main cause of large floods on the Ara River in the modern record, the variation in large flood magnitudes suggests that the incidence of typhoon visits to the central Japan changed as the climate changed during the Holocene. Further, significant dates in the large flood record on the Ara River correspond to significant dates in Europe and the USA.
A new method for simulating the motion of individual ellipsoidal bacteria in microfluidic devices

To successfully perform biological experiments on bacteria in microfluidic devices, control of micron-scale cell motion in the chip-sized environment is essential. Here we describe a new method for simulating the motion of individual bacterial cells in a microfluidic device using a one-way coupling Lagrangian approach combined with rigid body theory. The cell was assumed to be an elastic, solid ellipsoid, and interactions with solid wall boundaries were considered to occur in one of two collision modes, either a “standing” or “lying” collision mode on the surface. The ordinary differential equations were solved along the cell trajectory for the thirteen unknown variables of the translational cell velocity, cell location vector, rotational angular velocity, and four Euler parameters, using the Rosenbrock method based on an adaptive time-stepping technique. As selected applications, we show how this novel simulation method may be applied to the designs of efficient hydrodynamic cell traps in a microfluidic device for bacterial applications and for cell separations. Modeled designs include optimized U-shaped sieve arrays with a single aperture for the hydrodynamic cell trapping, and three kinds of staggered micropillars for cell separations.
The synthesis of DL- and L-2-amino-3-fluorobutyric acid

Abstract DL- and L-Threonine were esterified to their methyl and ethyl esters which on treatment with sulfur tetrafluoride in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride gave DL- and L-methyl and ethyl 2-amino-3-fluorobutyrates, respectively. Both fluorinated esters afforded on hydrolysis DL- and L-2-amino-3-fluorobutyric acid, respectively.
The Magic of the Populace: An Ethnography of Illegibility in the South African Immigration Bureaucracy

Recent anthropological accounts of the state have demonstrated the potential for danger or illegibility in the public's encounter with the state. Much of this work has taken the perspective of the public, however, and less has been said about how functionaries of the state perceive their interactions with the public. This perspectival bias needs to be overcome through ethnographies of the state and of state bureaucracies in everyday practice. This article examines the Immigration Services Branch of the South African Department of Home Affairs, a state bureaucracy widely deemed “illegible” by South Africans and non-South Africans alike. It documents some of the factors that inform the actions of street-level bureaucrats, illustrating how bureaucrats develop systems of meaning to help them mitigate the challenges posed by an unpredictable populace and management hierarchy. These systems serve to stabilize these two unstable entities, but they also enable officials to act in ways that might run counter to official discourse while simultaneously upholding its legitimacy. Their stabilization efforts therefore incite a destabilization of the state, leading it to appear as “magical” or “illegible” to the public.
Prototypes as assets, not toys: why and how to extract knowledge from prototypes

Software prototypes are becoming more and more important, as computer applications invade new domains and as personal prototyping environments become more powerful. Although numerous approaches recommend their use, prototypes are sometimes treated like their developers' personal toys, and little effort is made to extract and share the experiences and knowledge that emerged as a by-product of building the prototype. In this paper, a strategy is proposed to extract crucial pieces of knowledge from a prototype and from its developer. The strategy is based on monitoring explanations that developers give, analyzing their structure, and feeding results back to support and to focus explanations. During this process, the prototype turns into the centerpiece of a hyperstructured information base, which can be used to convey concepts, implementation tricks and experiences. If organizations begin to view-and treat-prototypes as executable representations of knowledge, they can fully capitalize on the assets prototypes really are.
Time-dependent solutions of the dirac equation for atomic processes

Photon and electron impact collision processes for highly charged atomic ions are studied by the time-dependent solution of the Dirac equation. The non-perturbative time-dependent close-coupling results are compared with perturbative sub-configuration average distorted-wave results.
Can We Trust Parental Reports of Child Care Subsidy Receipt

Abstract In recent years, research examining determinants and consequences of the means-tested child care subsidy program (the Child Care and Development Fund [CCDF]) has grown dramatically. To measure subsidy utilization, existing studies typically rely on parent-reported measures of subsidy receipt drawn from large surveys. As the research literature on child care subsidies has grown, however, so have concerns about the trustworthiness of parent-reported subsidy use. One way to assess the quality of parent-reported subsidy use is to examine its overlap with another subsidy receipt measure, drawn from a different source. The current paper uses the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study (FFCWS), the only existing survey data source that contains an alternate measure of subsidy receipt — based on child care provider report — which permits a comparison to parent-reported measures. We find evidence that increases our confidence in the trustworthiness of parents as accurate reporters of subsidy receipt. In recognition that neither data source reflects “true” subsidy receipt, however, we conclude with a discussion of limitations and steps for future research.
Paan (pan) and paan (pan) masala should be considered tobacco products

Two products indigenous to the Indian subcontinent and popular among South Asians globally - paan and paan masala - are inconsistently categorised as tobacco by researchers, clinicians, program planners and policymakers. This article calls for a universally standard classification of these smokeless carcinogenic products as tobacco products and thus, subject to the same public health and clinical protections applied to other forms of tobacco. This recommendation is guided by scientific evidence strongly indicating the common presence of tobacco in paan and paan masala. Inclusion of these two products in population-level surveillance, clinical screening, as well as public health program planning and policy interventions may have considerable impact on preventing and reducing tobacco-related disparities among South Asians around the world.
Accelerated Kernel Feature Analysis

A fast algorithm, Accelerated Kernel Feature Analysis (AKFA), that discovers salient features evidenced in a sample of n unclassified patterns, is presented. Like earlier kernel-based feature selection algorithms, AKFA implicitly embeds each pattern into a Hilbert space, H, induced by a Mercer kernel. An \ell-dimensional linear subspace of H is iteratively constructed by maximizing a variance condition for the nonlinearly transformed sample. This linear subspace can then be used to define more efficient data representations and pattern classifiers. AKFA requires O(\elln2) operations, as compared to 0(n^3) for Sch¨olkof, Smola, and M¨ullers Kernel Principal Component Analysis (KPCA), and O(\ell^2 n^2) for Smola, Mangasarian, and Sch¨olkopfs Sparse Kernel Feature Analysis (SKFA). Numerical experiments show that AKFA can generate more concise feature representations than both KPCA and SKFA, and demonstrate that AKFA obtains similar classification performance as KPCA for a face recognition problem.