cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Overdrive excitation: onset of activity following fast drive in cardiac Purkinje fibers exposed to norepinephrine.

Purkinje fibers perfused in vitro in 5.4 mM K Tyrode remained quiescent in the presence of 8.8×10−7 M norepinephrine. When these fibers were driven at 30/min and then overdriven at 120/min for 2 min, the cessation of drive was followed by the onset of spontaneous activity (“overdrive excitation”). It was found that overdrive excitation: 1. required both overdrive and norepinephrine to occur; 2. occurred when during the overdrive there was an increase in maximum diastolic potential (Emax) but not ifEmax decreased; 3. was caused by a steepening of diastolic depolarization following overdrive; 4. was not inhibited by a burst of fast drive; and 5. subsided through a progressive decrease ofEmax and of the slope of diastolic depolarization.
Single correction function for computing retarded van der Waals attraction

Abstract Due to the inherent complexity of the general Lifshitz theory, the Hamaker–De Boer approach is still used in computing the van der Waals attractive force in systems with macrobodies of complex shapes. To account for the retardation of force computed by this approach, the London equation has in the past been modified by introducing correction functions. However, the functions proposed in the past are either piece-wise in nature or valid for a restricted range of separation distances, making it difficult to carry out the necessary integrations in cases involving complex macrobodies. In this paper, a single correction function is proposed. First, the correction function is shown to represent the retardation effect reasonably well by comparing the proposed function with those proposed in the past. Then, the retarded van der Waals energy is computed for nine different systems involving mica, quartz, pyrophyllite, water, polystyrene, and air for the case of two semi-infinite parallel plates separated by a medium. Experimental data found in the literature on the dielectric frequency spectra are utilized. The results are compared with those computed by the general Lifshitz theory and are shown to agree reasonably well.
Transplantation of the human kidney

Abstract Transplantation of the human kidney between identical twins has been successfully performed, with the attainment of normal renal function in the transplanted organ over a period of sixteen months. In other instances of homo-transplantation of the kidney, function has been maintained for a longer period than in the experimental animal, but in all cases it has eventually ceased. The rejection of a transplanted kidney and of other tissues appears to depend upon an antibody response against the graft which is individual-specific. Before kidney transplantation can be of therapeutic value, means must be found to modify this “immune” response.
Historical risks of tuberculin skin test conversion among non-physician staff at a large urban hospital.

Background Nosocomial transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis among workers at a 1000-bed inner-city hospital led to an extensive evaluation of this risk among workers with potential exposure to TB patients or laboratory specimens. Methods Retrospective cohort study to determine the incidence and risk of tuberculin skin test (TST) conversions among workers employed 1/1/90 to 9/30/92. Results Personal, community, and occupational risk factors were evaluated in 2,362 workers with potential M. tuberculosis exposure and 886 workers with no known exposure. The 33-month cumulative rate of TST conversion was 5.8% for potentially exposed workers and 2.0% for controls (RR 3.6; 95% CI; 2.2–5.8). Among workers with potential M. tuberculosis exposure, statistically significantly elevated risks were found for nurses, laboratory technicians, pharmacy workers, phlebotomists, housekeepers, clerks, emergency room workers, and emergency responders. Conclusions Workers with patient contact and those employed in certain occupational groups were at increased risk for occupational M. tuberculosis infection. Am. J. Ind. Med. 42:228–235, 2002. Published 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Coping With Crime in a Developing Country: The Fear of Crime in Port Moresby, Papau New Guinea

The purpose of this article is to describe the various responses to the crime problem in Port Moresby and to compare the fear of crime among three groups living in Port Moresby (college staff, college students, and senior level managers). Urban crime has become a major problem and a public issue in Port Moresby and the various responses to it are similar to those found in the U.S.: individual strategies for maintaining security, ad hoc collective measures among neighbors, pressure group demands, and political proposals. Three groups were compared on their levels of fear of four types of crime and the security precautions they took in order to protect themselves. It was found that the group with the most economic resources and greatest community cohesiveness had the lowest level of fear of crime. The group with the most fear tended to rely more on neighbors for assistance and took greater security precautions than the “low-fear” group. Also, the findings suggest that expatriates may have a lower level of f...
Progressives, Punjab and Pakistan: the early years

At the moment of Pakistan’s independence, the areas that constituted the territories of the new state were economically underdeveloped and lacked industrialization. Nonetheless, the Karachi dock and port workers were organized and so were the workers in the largest industrial enterprise in the country, the Moghalpura Railway Workshop in Lahore, which was in the public sector. In the Punjab and in Sind, there were some peasant-based organizations that at the time of partition had links to the Communist Party of India (CPI). This article is part of a larger study on the history of the labour movement in post-1947 Pakistan. It will trace the history of the political crisis within the CPI and the expulsion of the Teja Singh/Fazal Elahi Qurban group from the main party after the formation of the Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP) in March of 1948. In recalling these events, this article will show how Teja Sing Swatantar and Fazal Elahi Qurban were against the central leadership of the CPI about the change of po...
Self-punitive behavior with changing percentages of reinforcement: The proper role of discrimination☆

Abstract Past research on self-punitive behavior has been interpreted as supporting a theoretical explanation based on a vicious circle rather than a discrimination hypothesis. Using rats, Melvin (1964) found that self-punitive behavior is not reduced when discrimination is aided by changing the percentage of shock trials from acquisition to extinction. This past research is inconclusive because it is based on a misinterpretation of what is the critical discrimination for extinction, namely the new response-punishment contingency. Using humans, the present study provides evidence that subjects can and do discriminate the change in percentage, but continue to show self-punitive behavior until they make the discrimination that responding results in shock rather than escape.
Injuries of the cervical spine in high school wrestling

Severe injuries to the cervical spine and spinal cord have been widely reported from many causes: automobile accidents, diving mishaps, falls, and contact sports. This paper concerns three young men who sustained severe trauma to the cervical spine and spinal cord during high school wrestling. Certain head-holds are prone to cause such injuries. Their tetraparesis and tetraplegia were reversed by reducing the fracture-dislocation and internal stabilization, in one case by decompressive laminectomy when no bony disruption was encountered. Their recoveries were satisfactory, but prevention of these cervical injuries may be accomplished by elimination of the more dangerous holds in wrestling.
Comparison of multivariate techniques for vapor-phase infrared spectra measured at different temperatures

Several multivariate techniques for simultaneously determining components with overlapping infrared spectral features in their vapor-phase infrared spectra are compared; partial least- squares (PLS) regression gives the best results. The effect of variations in the sample temperatures on multivariate quantitative analysis by vapor-phase infrared spectrometry using PLS regression is discussed, and a method of minimizing the quantification errors is described.
Battered Mothers Who Physically Abuse Their Children

The purpose of this study is to understand why some battered mothers physically abuse their children. Mothers who were battered and physically abused their children (the co-occurrence group) were compared with mothers who were neither battered nor physically abused, who were only battered, and who only abused (N = 184). The mothers in the co-occurrence group were more likely than the mothers who did not physically abuse their children to have been severely assaulted by their own mothers as children, have had poorer quality relationships with and receive less support from their mothers, have more stressors, and have known their partners for less time. These differences were not found between the mothers in the co-occurrence and abuse-only groups. In the multivariate analysis, having been assaulted by one’s own mother as a child—not being battered by one’s partner—was the most potent predictor for whether a mother physically abused her child.
Infant spatiotemporal vision: dependence of spatial contrast sensitivity on temporal frequency.

Abstract Effects of temporal frequency on infant spatial contrast sensitivity were studied with forcedchoice preferential looking, using localized 1.0 and 0.35 c/deg grating patches. Between 4 and 8 months, contrast sensitivity at 1.0 c/deg increased significantly at 8–17 Hz but showed little change at 2–4 Hz, so temporal tuning became increasingly bandpass with age. At 4 months, temporal tuning was lowpass at 1.0 c/deg and bandpass at 0.35 c/deg. Control data on adults indicate that the differences between the infant and adult data cannot be accounted for solely by reduced photoreceptor density and quantal catch, and suggest developmental changes in tuning and/or relative sensitivities of spatiotemporal mechanisms.,
Cretaceous rocks may hold keys to global process

A new international research project will focus on the Cretaceous Period and its sedimentary rocks as a detailed record of global chemical and physical processes. The initiative has been proposed by a committee of the Global Sedimentary Geology Program (GSGP), which the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) adopted in February 1987. Impetus for the new program, called Cretaceous Resources, Events, and Rhythms (CRER), grew out of a recognition of the unique climatic history of the Cretaceous Period (65–135 m.y. B.P.), a time when several marine trangressions left marine sediments covering much of the planet. The relatively complete stratigraphy of the period in many parts of the world offers the opportunity to examine 70 million years of climate change on a global scale.
Compositional Variability of the Serenitatis/Tranquillitatis Region of the Moon from Telescopic Multispectral Imaging and Spectroscopy

Abstract We present results from a combined CCD multispectral imaging and near-IR spectroscopic study of a region near the border between the Mare Serenitatis and Mare Tranquillitatis lunar impact basins. We have detected and spatially mapped variations in mare TiO 2 abundance, in the degree of spectral maturity of impact craters and their ejecta blankets, and in the level of fresh highlands contamination within mare units. Techniques employed include color ratio images, image-oriented linear mixing models, and spectral band analyses. Specific findings include the detection of relatively fresh highlands materials in the craters Tacquet and Sulpicius Gallus and in the central peak and floor of the crater Plinius, the detection of low-TiO 2 Serenitatis-like mare materials in a confined region of the ejecta from the crater Dawes, and the determination of immaturity rather than composition as the origin of the high albedo in the rectangular deposit surrounding Dawes. The combination of high spatial resolution imaging and high spectral resolution spectroscopy and the use of synthesizing techniques such as mixture modeling will provide valuable tools to optimize the scientific return from telescopic, Galileo, Clementine, and other future lunar data sets.
Comprehensive analysis of earthquake source spectra in southern California

We compute and analyze P wave spectra from earthquakes in southern California between 1989 and 2001 using a method that isolates source-, receiver-, and path-dependent terms. We correct observed source spectra for attenuation using both fixed and spatially varying empirical Green's function methods. Estimated Brune-type stress drops for over 60,000 M_L = 1.5 to 3.1 earthquakes range from 0.2 to 20 MPa with no dependence on moment or local b value. Median computed stress drop increases with depth in the upper crust, from about 0.6 MPa at the surface to about 2.2 MPa at 8 km, where it levels off and remains nearly constant in the midcrust down to about 20 km. However, the results at shallow depths could also be explained as reduced rupture velocities near the surface rather than a change in stress drop. Spatially coherent variations in median stress drop are observed, with generally low values for the Imperial Valley and Northridge aftershocks and higher values for the eastern Transverse ranges and the north end of the San Jacinto fault. We find no correlation between observed stress drop and distance from the San Andreas and other major faults. Significant along-strike variations in stress drop exist for aftershocks of the 1992 Landers earthquake, which may correlate with differences in main shock slip.
Urea transporter proteins as targets for small-molecule diuretics

Conventional diuretics such as furosemide and thiazides target salt transporters in kidney tubules, but urea transporters (UTs) have emerged as alternative targets. UTs are a family of transmembrane channels expressed in a variety of mammalian tissues, in particular the kidney. UT knockout mice and humans with UT mutations exhibit reduced maximal urinary osmolality, demonstrating that UTs are necessary for the concentration of urine. Small-molecule screening has identified potent and selective inhibitors of UT-A, the UT protein expressed in renal tubule epithelial cells, and UT-B, the UT protein expressed in vasa recta endothelial cells. Data from UT knockout mice and from rodents administered UT inhibitors support the diuretic action of UT inhibition. The kidney-specific expression of UT-A1, together with high selectivity of the small-molecule inhibitors, means that off-target effects of such small-molecule drugs should be minimal. This Review summarizes the structure, expression and function of UTs, and looks at the evidence supporting the validity of UTs as targets for the development of salt-sparing diuretics with a unique mechanism of action. UT-targeted inhibitors may be useful alone or in combination with conventional diuretics for therapy of various oedemas and hyponatraemias, potentially including those refractory to treatment with current diuretics.
Buckypaper-based catalytic electrodes for improving platinum utilization and PEMFC's performance

Abstract Platinum (Pt) catalytic electrode was developed by using carbon nanotube films (buckypaper) as supporting medium and electrodeposition method to deposit Pt catalyst. Buckypapers are free-standing thin films consisting of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and/or carbon nanofibers (CNFs) held together by van der Waals forces without any chemical binders. Special mixed buckypapers was developed by layered microstructures with a dense and high-conducting SWNT networks at the surface, as well as large porous structures of CNF networks as back supports. This unique microstructure can lead to improve Pt catalyst accessibility and mass exchange properties. Pt particles of about 6 nm were uniformly deposited in porous buckypapers. A promising electrochemical surface area of ∼40 m 2 /g was obtained from these electrodes. A Pt utilization as low as 0.28 g Pt /kW was achieved for the cathode electrode at 80 °C. Pt utilization efficiency can be further improved by optimization of the electrodeposition condition in order to reduce the Pt particle size.
Sovereignty and international labor migration: The ‘security mentality’ in Spanish–Moroccan relations as an assertion of sovereignty

ABSTRACT The increasing injection of security imperatives into migration policy has presented countries with a new form of sovereignty assertion. In this regard, the politics of ‘securitization’ provides a useful theoretical bridge across two literatures – one focusing on the character of sovereignty and the other devoted to understanding international labor migration, more often situated in the international political economy subfield. Approaching migration politics with a ‘security mentality’ is part of an effort by policymakers and citizens to respond to dynamics that are perceived to threaten a country's sovereign status and societal security. Whether it has served to truly enhance border control and deepen sovereignty claims is a matter of sharp debate, but the symbolic politics associated with the injection of security has gone far to enhance sovereignty claims and justify border control. The case of the Moroccan–Spanish ‘migration system’ illustrates the manner in which post-Franco Spain has used m...
Non-damaging laser therapy of the macula: Titration algorithm and tissue response

Retinal photocoagulation typically results in permanent scarring and scotomata, which limit its applicability to the macula, preclude treatments in the fovea, and restrict the retreatments. Non-damaging approaches to laser therapy have been tested in the past, but the lack of reliable titration and slow treatment paradigms limited their clinical use. We developed and tested a titration algorithm for sub-visible and non-damaging treatments of the retina with pulses sufficiently short to be used with pattern laser scanning. The algorithm based on Arrhenius model of tissue damage optimizes the power and duration for every energy level, relative to the threshold of lesion visibility established during titration (and defined as 100%). Experiments with pigmented rabbits established that lesions in the 50-75% energy range were invisible ophthalmoscopically, but detectable with Fluorescein Angiography and OCT, while at 30% energy there was only very minor damage to the RPE, which recovered within a few days. Patients with Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) and Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR) have been treated over the edematous areas at 30% energy, using 200μm spots with 0.25 diameter spacing. No signs of laser damage have been detected with any imaging modality. In CSR patients, subretinal fluid resolved within 45 days. In DME patients the edema decreased by approximately 150μm over 60 days. After 3-4 months some patients presented with recurrence of edema, and they responded well to retreatment with the same parameters, without any clinically visible damage. This pilot data indicates a possibility of effective and repeatable macular laser therapy below the tissue damage threshold.
Mechanistics of formation and ultrastructural evaluation of hepatocyte spheroids

Freshly harvested rat hepatocytes form spheroids on uncoated positively charged polystyrene surfaces. Time lapse microscopy revealed that cell movement and reorganization were involved in spheroid formation. Ultrastructural evaluation using scanning and transmission electron microscopy indicated polarized cellular morphology and extensive cell-cell communication within spheroids. Bile canalicular structures were observed to surround each individual hepatocyte, forming an intricate three-dimensional continuous network of channels that appeared to end as pores/holes on the surface of the spheroid. The maintenance of differentiated cellular morphology coincided with preservation of hepatocyte viability and enhanced levels of tissue specific functions in spheroids.
Genetic structure of a tribal population, the Yanomama Indians. XIII. Dental microdifferentiation.

Data are presented on the frequency of the following eight dental traits in 635 Yanomama and 65 Makiritare Indians: upper central incisor rotation or winging, shoveling of maxillary incisors, maxillary molar hypocone reduction, Carabelli's trait, mandibular molar cusp number, mandibular molar cusp pattern, rotation of second lower premolar, and pattern of second lower premolar cusps. Yanomama dentition is unusual in the high frequency of six cusps on the mandibular molars. There is marked dental microdifferentiation between villages; significant agreement was observed between a matrix of pairwise “dental distances” based on six morphological traits and corresponding matrices based on 11 genetic systems and on geographic location.
Some tenets pertaining to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The field of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry is reviewed with emphasis placed upon advances in the elucidation of fundamental mechanistic aspects of the ionization process that have been reported over the past 10 years. The analytical consequences of these findings are also examined. Eight central conclusions or 'tenets' are presented, as deduced from the body of work contained in 80 references.
Internet banging: New trends in social media, gang violence, masculinity and hip hop

Abstract Gang members carry guns and twitter accounts. Media outlets nationally have reported on a new phenomenon of gang affiliates using social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to trade insults or make violence threats that lead homicide or victimization. We term this interaction internet banging. Police departments in metropolitan areas have increased resources in their gang violence units to combat this issue. Interestingly, there is little to no literature on this issue. We argue internet banging is a cultural phenomenon that has evolved from increased participation with social media and represents an adaptive structuration, or new and unintended use of existing online social media. We examine internet banging within the context of gang violence, paying close attention to the mechanisms and processes that may explain how and why internet banging has evolved. We examine the role of hip-hop in the development of internet banging and highlight the changing roles of both hip hop and computer mediated communication as social representations of life in violent communities. We explore the presentation of urban masculinity and its influence on social media behavior. Lastly, we conduct a textual analysis of music and video content that demonstrates violent responses to virtual interactions.
Metal binding and base ionization in the U6 RNA intramolecular stem-loop structure

U6 RNA is a key component of the catalytic core of the spliceosome. A metal ion essential for the first catalytic step of pre-mRNA splicing binds to the U80 Sp phosphate oxygen within the yeast U6 intramolecular stem-loop (ISL). Here we present the first structural data for U6 RNA, revealing the three-dimensional structure of the highly conserved U6 ISL. The ISL binds metal ion at the U80 site with the same stereo specificity as the intact spliceosome. The metal-binding site is adjacent to a readily protonated C.A wobble pair. Protonation of the C.A pair and metal binding are mutually antagonistic. These results support a ribozyme model for U6 RNA function and suggest a possible mechanism for the regulation of RNA splicing.
Physical Conditions of a Lake Plain Soil as Affected by Deep Tillage and Wheel Traffic

Normal fall and spring tillage practices create poor physical conditions for crop growth on lake plain soils in Michigan. Charity clay [fine, illitic (calcareous), mesic Aeric Haplaquept] (Mahjoory and Whiteside, 1976) is an example of such a soil. It has poor internal drainage due to its naturally dense subsoil and is susceptible to physical degradation because of its unstable surface. Tillage studies were conducted from 1983 to 1985 to evaluate the potential for reducing the physical limitations of Charity clay. Treatments consisted of four combinations of a primary and secondary tillage variable. The primary tillage variable involved the application or omission of deep tillage using a triple-shanked subsoiler prior to moldboard plowing. The secondary tillage variable involved the presence or absence of tractor wheel traffic prior to planting. Subsoiling improved the physical conditions of Charity clay below the Ap horizon. Soil bulk density (ρb) was reduced by 0.05 Mg m⁻³, and pore size distribution (PSD) was altered such that the volume of pores with radii larger than 150 µm was doubled. Preplant wheel traffic caused subsoil compaction, increasing ρb by about 0.06 Mg m⁻³, and altered all indicators of soil compaction in the Ap horizon, especially PSD and saturated hydraulic conductivity. The need to minimize wheel traffic regardless of the primary tillage practices employed was evidenced by the results of this study. Contribution from the Michigan Agric. Exp. Stn., Michigan State Univ. Partially supported by a grant from the USDA-ARS.
Essential roles of lipoyl domains in the activated function and control of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinases and phosphatase isoform 1

Four pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase and two pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase isoforms function in adjusting the activation state of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) through determining the fraction of active (nonphosphorylated) pyruvate dehydrogenase component. Necessary adaptations of PDC activity with varying metabolic requirements in different tissues and cell types are met by the selective expression and pronounced variation in the inherent functional properties and effector sensitivities of these regulatory enzymes. This review emphasizes how the foremost changes in the kinase and phosphatase activities issue from the dynamic, effector–modified interactions of these regulatory enzymes with the flexibly held outer domains of the core-forming dihydrolipoyl acetyl transferase component.
Changing Organizational Communication Practices and Norms: A Framework

Efforts to get workers to change significantly their communication practices often fail. This failure occurs because external consultants, who are often academics, and internal organizational development specialists see changing communication practices as merely introducing new skills rather than altering the way workers habitually think and talk about communication. In this article, the author uses organizational theory and details from his research and consulting experience to explain why changing communication practices is difficult. He proposes a theory-based framework to help the professional and managerial communication disciplines better understand the steps necessary to change communication practice and norms in large, complex organizations.
Explainable security for relational databases

Companies and organizations collect and use vast troves of sensitive user data whose release must be carefully controlled. In practice, the access policies that govern this data are often fine-grained, complex, poorly documented, and difficult to reason about. As a result, principals frequently request and are granted access to data they never use. To encourage developers and administrators to use security mechanisms more effectively, we propose a novel security model in which all security decisions are formally explainable. Whether a query is accepted or denied, the system returns a concise yet formal explanation which can allow the issuer to reformulate a rejected query or adjust his/her security credentials. Our approach has a strong formal foundation based on previously unexplored connections between disclosure lattices and policy algebras. We build on this foundation and implement a disclosure control system that handles a wide variety of real SQL queries and can accommodate complex policy constraints.
The determination of 90Sr and 228Ra in human teeth by age groups and in other substances

Abstract The total 90 Sr content of human teeth peaks at a value of 0.65 pCi/g calcium in the age group of 20–30 years. It is not present in those 50 years or older. Various other substances show extensive amounts of 90 Sr especially in cow bones, bone meal and dry milk. The radionuclide 228 Ra (daughter of 232 Th) is present at a mean level of about 0.5 pCi/g Ca in all substances tested and in all age groups, but especially high in bone meal (5.60 pCi/g Ca) and calcium lactate tablets.
Double-stranded RNA in Vaccinia Virus Infected Cells

Double-stranded RNA has been isolated from chick cells and chick cells infected with vaccinia virus. The double-stranded vaccinia virus RNA induces production of interferon.
A Two Nanopore System for Controlling DNA Motion

Two nanopores placed in sufficiently close proximity to capture single biomolecules can enable new studies of stretching and relaxation dynamics as well as sequence or structure information. To realize such a system, we have designed a hollow AFM-like chip geometry with an integrated nanopore that can be precisely positioned relative to a second nanopore fabricated in a flat membrane, using a combination of electronic and optical feedback. This approach has allowed us to probe single molecules of DNA interacting with both pores simultaneously and to progress towards exerting control on the DNA directly.
Self-assembly of silver-aminosilica nanocomposites through silver nanoparticle fusion on hydrophobic surfaces.

Silver-nanoparticle-embedded aminosilica colloids synthesized via aminosilane-induced spontaneous reduction reaction exhibit selective adhesion properties on hydrophobic surfaces and have been utilized as a simple and one-step procedure to create patterned nanocomposite film with silver to aminosilica mole ratio at 0.9:1. Substrates that enable self-assembly of the colloids include silicon wafer, polydimethylsiloxane, and microscope slide, where patterns of hydrophilic surface were either created using oxygen plasma treatment or stamped with chemical ink using microcontact printing. Upon substrates being immersed in a solution containing silver-aminosilica colloids, particles attach to hydrophobic surfaces and continuously self-assemble onto the deposited film, allowing us to fabricate nanocomposite patterns with controllable thickness (∼200 nm).
Hydraulic architecture and photosynthetic capacity as constraints on release from suppression in Douglas-fir and western hemlock

We compared hydraulic architecture, photosynthesis and growth in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), a shade-intolerant species, and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), a shade-tolerant species, to study the temporal pattern of release from suppressive shade. In particular, we sought to determine whether hydraulic architecture or photosynthetic capacity is most important in constraining release. The study was conducted at two sites with mixed stands of 10- to 20-year-old Douglas-fir and western hemlock. At one site, the stand had been thinned allowing release of the understory trees, whereas at the other site, the stand remained unthinned. Douglas-fir had lower height growth (from 1998-2003) and lower relative height growth (height growth from 1998 to 2003/height in 1998) than western hemlock. However, relative height growth of released versus suppressed trees was higher in Douglas-fir (130%) than in western hemlock (65%), indicating that, although absolute height growth was less, Douglas-fir did release from suppression. Release seemed to be constrained initially by a limited photosynthetic capacity in both species. Five years after release, Douglas-fir trees had 14 times the leaf area and 1.5 times the leaf nitrogen concentration (N (area)) of suppressed trees. Needles of released western hemlock trees had about twice the maximum assimilation rate (A (max)) at ambient [CO(2)] as needles of suppressed trees and exhibited no photoinhibition at the highest irradiances. After release, trees increased in leaf area, leaf N concentration and overall photosynthetic capacity. Subsequently, hydraulic architecture appeared to constrain release in Douglas-fir and, to a lesser extent, in western hemlock. Released trees had significantly less negative foliar delta(13)C values than suppressed trees and showed a positive relationship between leaf area:sapwood area ratio (A (L)/A (S)) and delta(13)C, suggesting that trees with more leaf area for a given sapwood area experienced a stomatal limitation on carbon gain. Nonetheless, these changes had no significant effects on leaf specific conductivities of suppressed versus released trees of either species, but leaf specific root conductance was significantly lower in released Douglas-fir.
Imaging Neuroinflammation - from Bench to Bedside

Neuroinflammation plays a central role in a variety of neurological diseases, including stroke, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and malignant CNS neoplasms, among many other. Different cell types and molecular mediators participate in a cascade of events in the brain that is ultimately aimed at control, regeneration and repair, but leads to damage of brain tissue under pathological conditions. Non-invasive molecular imaging of key players in the inflammation cascade holds promise for identification and quantification of the disease process before it is too late for effective therapeutic intervention. In this review, we focus on molecular imaging techniques that target inflammatory cells and molecules that are of interest in neuroinflammation, especially those with high translational potential. Over the past decade, a plethora of molecular imaging agents have been developed and tested in animal models of (neuro)inflammation, and a few have been translated from bench to bedside. The most promising imaging techniques to visualize neuroinflammation include MRI, positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and optical imaging methods. These techniques enable us to image adhesion molecules to visualize endothelial cell activation, assess leukocyte functions such as oxidative stress, granule release, and phagocytosis, and label a variety of inflammatory cells for cell tracking experiments. In addition, several cell types and their activation can be specifically targeted in vivo, and consequences of neuroinflammation such as neuronal death and demyelination can be quantified. As we continue to make progress in utilizing molecular imaging technology to study and understand neuroinflammation, increasing efforts and investment should be made to bring more of these novel imaging agents from the “bench to bedside.”
Should I Give the Exam Before or After the Break

This study was designed to help faculty make decisions about when to administer an exam in relation to an in-semester break. Students in multiple sections of an undergraduate educational psychology...
Orthonormal and biorthonormal filter banks as convolvers, and convolutional coding gain

Convolution theorems for filter bank transformers are introduced. Both uniform and nonuniform decimation ratios are considered, and orthonormal as well as biorthonormal cases are addressed. All the theorems are such that the original convolution reduces to a sum of shorter, decoupled convolutions in the subbands. That is, there is no need to have cross convolution between subbands. For the orthonormal case, expressions for optimal bit allocation and the optimized coding gain are derived. The contribution to coding gain comes partly from the nonuniformity of the signal spectrum and partly from nonuniformity of the filter spectrum. With one of the convolved sequences taken to be the unit pulse function,,e coding gain expressions reduce to those for traditional subband and transform coding. The filter-bank convolver has about the same computational complexity as a traditional convolver, if the analysis bank has small complexity compared to the convolution itself. >
The Measurement of Pericardial Effusion Volume

A quantitative measurement of pericardial effusion volume was developed using an indicator dilution method. The technique was verified in animals and clinical subjects and applied to nine patients with pericardial effusions. The method was also utilized effectively in pleural effusion (two patients) and with modification, in ascites (one patient). The method allowed confirmation of aspiration site and recognition of loculation. The volume measurement was available during the aspiration and was found to be rapid, safe and of practical value in the management of patients with effusion.
Comparison of Liver Transplant-Related Survival Benefit in Patients With Versus Without Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the United States.

Background & Aims Patients with T2 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can obtain an exception that allows them to undergo liver transplantation with much lower actual Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores than patients without HCC. We compared patients who received liver transplants, with and without HCC, with regard to transplantation-related survival benefit. Methods We modeled the post-transplantation survival of adult, first-time liver transplant recipients with HCC (n = 9135) or without (n = 25,890) from 2002 through 2013 using Cox proportional hazards regression. We modeled waitlist survival of patients listed for transplantation with HCC (n = 15,605) or without (n = 85,229) using competing risks analysis and combined outcomes of death or liver failure (defined as MELD score ≥30). We used these survival models to calculate monthly transition probabilities and 5-year life expectancies. Survival benefit was calculated as the difference between post-transplantation and waitlist life expectancy. Results The 5-year survival benefit increased with actual MELD score for patients with and without HCC, ranging from just a few months in patients with low MELD scores (ie, 6−8) to 4 years in patients with the highest MELD scores (ie, 36−40). The survival benefit of patients with HCC was similar to that of patients without HCC who had the same actual MELD score, irrespective of tumor burden or serum level of α-fetoprotein. However, because patients with HCC received liver transplants when they had a lower mean MELD score (13.3 ± 6.2) than patients without HCC (21.8 ± 8.0), a much lower mean 5-year survival benefit was achieved by providing liver transplants to patients with HCC (0.12 years/patient) than patients without HCC (1.47 years/patient). Conclusions The HCC MELD exception policy has unintentionally resulted in a large reduction in transplantation-related survival benefit.
The Macrotechnology of Conflict

Decision makers must balance between two classes of economic activities: production and confl\ict. Analogous to the familiar technology of production and exchange is the technology of conflict and struggle, applicable not only to military combat but also in domains such as redistributive politics, strikes and lockouts, litigation, and crime. The conflict success function (CSF) takes as inputs the fighting efforts on the two sides and generates as outputs the respective degrees of success achieved. A crucial determinant of the outcome is the decisiveness parameter, which scales the degree to which force preponderance translates into differential success. Because success feeds on success, in the long run a hegemonic outcome is likely unless the decisiveness parameter is relatively low. The CSF can be adjusted to distinguish between offense and defense, allow for geography and organization, or even display how intangible considerations such as truth or morality can promote success. There are two main ways of making a living: by production or by conflict. Consequently, two distinct technologies must be distinguished: the familiar technology of production and exchange on one hand, and the technology of conflict and struggle on the other. In optimally balancing between these two technologies, each decision maker will be influenced by (among other considerations) the pattern of resource endowments, time preferences and risk preferences, the perceived capacities and intentions of opposed parties, the number and strength of allies, and so on. And the equilibrium outcome, which might be a time path of periods of peace and periods of war among the various contenders, will be affected by all of these factors together with unanticipated and random events. This article does not address the full problem of general equilibrium in such a broad context. Instead, I focus on only one piece of the problem, the aspect that will perhaps be the most novel for economists: to wit, the technology of the conflict process. In particular, it will be asked, How do the commitments of forces on each side enter into determining the outcome of struggle? For example, does victory always go to the larger battalions, and if not, why not? The interplay between the technology of conflict and the technology of production and exchange underlies all the domains of human contention. A politician might aim to win voters’ support by faithful service and wise decisions or else by denigrating and
Intergroup friendships on campus: Predicting close and casual friendships between White and African American first-year college students

Intergroup friendships have been linked to important outcomes such as reduced prejudice, increased empathy for outgroups, and lower intergroup anxiety. However, little is known about the factors facilitating such friendships. This longitudinal study therefore examined factors associated with the development of friendships between White and African American freshmen at a predominantly White university. African American (vs. White) and male (vs. female) students had more intergroup friendships at the end of freshman year. Friendships between African American and White freshmen were also associated with more direct and indirect intergroup contact during high school, less prejudice upon entering college, having an outgroup roommate (White or African American), having any roommate, and having more contact with outgroup members during the academic year.
British Political Thought in History, Literature, and Theory, 1500–1800 and Rethinking the Foundations of Modern Political Thought

British Political Thought in History, Literature, and Theory, 1500–1800. Edited by David Armitage. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006. 338p. $29.99 paper.Scholars organizing conferences—and subsequently seeking to publish the ensuing conference volume—are notoriously presented with a task akin to the proverbial herding of cats: getting all their contributors to maintain some kind of focus on the conference theme(s). These two excellent collections avoid this problem in distinct ways. One way to ensure a unified focus is to build the conference around a single book; better yet, put the author's colleagues and former students on the roster and let the author himself have the last word. This amounts to an enlarged and friendly “author meets critics” panel or a narrowly drawn festschrift. While this certainly provides for a tightly focused and unified collection, it places a lot of weight on a single reed. But when the book is the two-volume Foundations of Modern Political Thought (1978), the author Quentin Skinner, and the list of contributors this distinguished, the results are interesting and insightful as well as tightly focused.
An evidence-based review of oral magnesium supplementation in the preventive treatment of migraine:

BackgroundMigraine is an incompletely understood, debilitating disorder that lacks a universally effective treatment. Magnesium participates in a variety of biochemical processes related to migraine pathophysiology, and a deficiency could contribute to migraine development.MethodsA review of the literature from 1990 to the present on magnesium and migraine was conducted.ReviewThe authors identified 16 studies aimed at magnesium status assessment in migraine, and four intervention trials assessing the efficacy of oral magnesium supplementation, independent of other therapies, in the prevention of migraine.ConclusionThe strength of evidence supporting oral magnesium supplementation is limited at this time. With such limited evidence, a more advantageous alternative to magnesium supplementation, in patients willing to make lifestyle changes, may be to focus on increasing dietary magnesium intake.
Non-wage forms of compensation

In the twenty years since the publication of What Do Unions Do?, employee benefits and contingent forms of non-wage compensation have increased in importance and scope in human resources and industrial relations practice and policy. Nevertheless, Freeman and Medoff’s (1984) seminal work, and the associated research in Freeman (1981, 1985), has stood the test of time. The theoretical and empirical agenda for research on unions and non-wage forms of compensation established in those works continues to be the leading framework for conceptualizing and analyzing this important issue.
Direct Biological Evidence for a Significant Neutron Dose to Survivors of the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb

Brenner, D. J., Direct Biological Evidence for a Significant Neutron Dose to Survivors of the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb. Radiat. Res. 145,501-507 (1996). In the past few years much physical evidence has accumulated that the A-bomb survivors at Hiroshima were exposed to significant doses of neutrons, in contrast to the predictions of the current DS86 dosimetry. We discuss some biological measurements of exchange-type chromosomal aberrations in survivors at Hiroshima, which also strongly imply that the survivors received a significant neutron dose. Specifically, the ratio of translocations (an interchromosomal aberration) to pericentric inversions (intrachromosomal interarm aberration), the F value, was significantly smaller than would be expected from a y-ray exposure, and was consistent with the majority of the effective dose coming from neutrons. If this biological evidence and the previous physical evidence are correct, the effective neutron dose at relevant locations at Hiroshima dominated the total effective dose, from which it may be concluded that (1) the risk coefficient for y rays may have been considerably overestimated, and (2) there is a possibility of deriving from the A-bomb data, with reasonable confidence limits, the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for carcinogenesis by neutrons. o 1996 by Radiation Research Society
Numerical evaluation of the Hilbert transform by the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) technique

Summary. Three Fast Fourier Transform numerical methods for computing the Hilbert transform have been evaluated for their accuracy by numerical examples. All three methods employ the property that the Hdbert transform is a convolution. The first method uses the result that the Fourier transform of 1/πx is — isgn(ω). The second method is based on a discrete Hilbert transform introduced by Saito. The third method, introduced in this research note, uses linear interpolation to transform the Hilbert transform integral into a discrete convolution. The last method is shown by numerical examples from fault dislocation models to be more accurate than the other two methods when the Hilbert transform integral has high-frequency components.
Roughness penalties on finite domains

A class of penalty functions for use in estimation and image regularization is proposed. These penalty functions are defined for vectors whose indexes are locations in a finite lattice as the discrepancy between the vector and a shifted version of itself. After motivating this class of penalty functions, their relationship to Markov random field priors is explored. One of the penalty functions proposed, a divergence roughness penalty, is shown to be a discretization of a penalty proposed by Good and Gaskins (1971) for use in density estimation. One potential use in estimation problems is explored. An iterative algorithm that takes advantage of induced neighborhood structures is proposed and convergence of the algorithm is proven under specified conditions. Examples in emission tomographic imaging and radar imaging are given. >