cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in cardiac myocyte morphology alter the properties of voltage-gated ion channels

Objective: The goal of this study was to determine if the properties of the transient outward potassium ( I to), TTX-resistant sodium ( I Na) and L-type calcium ( I Ca) currents are altered during changes in cardiac cell shape. Methods: Ventricular myocytes were isolated from 3- to 4-day-old neonatal rats and cultured on either non-aligned or aligned collagen thin gels. In contrast to the flat, stellar-shaped myocytes obtained when the cells are plated on non-aligned collagen gels, myocytes plated on aligned gels display an elongated, rod-like shape. Ion channel expression was measured using the whole-cell arrangement of the patch clamp technique and Western blot analysis. Results: Peak values for I to, I Na and I Ca were 9±1, 71±13 and 7±1 pA/pF, respectively, in the flat cells, and increased to 21±2, 190±26 and 13±1 pA/pF, respectively, in the aligned cells. Application of forskolin (2 μM) and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (100 μM) resulted in a 101±18% increase in I Ca in the flat cells, but increased the current by only 43±9% in the aligned cells. Internal dialysis of the myocytes with cAMP strongly increased the peak I Ca in the flat cells, but caused no significant change in the aligned cells. While both basal and forskolin-stimulated levels of cAMP were the same in the two cell morphologies, the expression of the calcium channel α1C subunit was increased in the aligned cells. Conclusions: The expression and regulatory properties of voltage-gated calcium channels are modified during changes in neonatal rat myocyte shape.
13C NMR chemical shift correlations in 1,3-diol acetonides. Implications for the stereochemical assignment of propionate-derived polyols

Abstract Rychnovsky's recent correlation of the stereochemistry-dependent 13 C NMR chemical shifts of 4,6-disubstituted 1,3-diol acetonides with diol stereochemistry may be extended to more highly substituted dioxolanes bearing substituents in the 5-position. The 13 C resonances of the acetonide carbons follow a predictable, stereoregular pattern which depends solely on the diol stereochemical relationship.
The Sensory Profile: The Performance of a National Sample of Children Without Disabilities

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to obtain data about a national sample of children without disabilities on the 125-item revision of the Sensory Profile, a tool derived from sensory history items reported in the literature and designed to evaluate children's responses to commonly occurring sensory events. METHOD Parents of 1,115 children completed the Sensory Profile. The children were 3 to 10 years of age and did not have disabilities. Parents used a 5-point Likert scale to report the percentage of time their children engaged in each behavior. Researchers then analyzed the data, using multivariate methods to identify trends in performance and age and gender differences. RESULTS Ninety-one (73%) of the profile's 125 items were found to be uncommon behaviors for this national sample of children without disabilities. Although age and gender differences were significant (p < .001), effect sizes were so small (i.e., below .2) that differences were not meaningful for clinical application (i.e., mean differences less than .5 points). Only two items in the visual category approached a 1-point difference when comparing younger and older children. CONCLUSION There were no meaningful gender differences on the revised Sensory Profile, and only 2 items approached a meaningful difference related to age. Nearly three fourths of the items on the profile were uncommon for children without disabilities. If children with various disabilities display these behaviors, the Sensory Profile can be useful in evaluation and program planning for children with disabilities.
Determining effective marketing strategies to increase consumer participation in a local energy efficiency program using design of experiments

Worldwide energy demand has increased significantly over the last half century. A main reason for this increase in demand is the growth in population, which grew from 2.55 billion in 1950 to 6.396 billion in 2004. There are many negative effects associated with greater energy consumption such as increased levels of greenhouse gas emissions and higher energy prices. In the Charlottesville-Albemarle region of Virginia, the Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP) — a community-based, non-profit group which facilitates energy retrofits of existing houses — was established in the fall of 2009 as a proactive measure to help mitigate these growing issues. There are many barriers which can deter prospective participants from pursuing energy efficient retrofits (including lack of awareness and understanding of the program, uncertainty of benefits and potential savings, high transaction costs, lengthy and involved time commitments, and other complex logistical issues). This paper reviews the team's process of determining the most cost-efficient approach to increasing consumer participation in the LEAP program. Applying design of experiments principles, the team analyzed marketing strategies and various incentive types to provide an evidence-based recommendation to guide LEAP's future efforts in attracting homeowners to perform work necessary to reduce energy consumption in their homes. Through statistical analysis of results, the team was able to determine that marketing media coupled with financial incentives yield a significant increase in response rate compared to a period of no exposure. However, the team could not conclude that one financial incentive had a more significant impact on response rate than another. Based on these findings, a supplementary cost analysis leads the team to propose that there may be more cost-efficient strategies to increase consumer participation other than the layered, multi-touch approach using paid media.
Sequential opportunistic decoding for spread spectrum wireless networks

In general, the instantaneous signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio varies across a received frame. This variation is considerable in wireless systems in particular, due to the time-varying nature of wireless channels. To exploit this variation, we divide the received frame into a number of constituent mini-frames, each mini-frame containing the received versions of every symbol in the frame. We select a subset of these mini-frames, combine them and attempt to decode the frame. If this attempt fails, we select another subset of the mini-frames and make another attempt. We continue the process until the frame is decoded without errors or all predetermined subsets of the mini-frames have been exhausted. We implement the proposed protocol in a CDMA system. Our study shows that deploying our proposed protocol in a CDMA system results in a significant reduction in the frame error rate.
Metamorphic GaAsP buffers for growth of wide-bandgap InGaP solar cells

compressively-strained graded GaAsxP1�x buffers on GaP showed nearly-complete strain relaxation of the top layers and no evidence of trenches but possessed threading dislocation densities that were one order of magnitude higher. We subsequently grew and fabricated wide-bandgap InyGa1�yP solar cells on our GaAsxP1�x buffers. Transmission electron microscopy measurements gave no indication of CuPt ordering. We obtained open circuit voltage as high as 1.42 V for In0.39Ga0.61P with a bandgap of 2.0 eV. Our results indicate MBE-grown InyGa1�yP is a promising material for the top junction of a future multijunction solar cell. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.
Paranoid Secondary: Waterfilling in a Cognitive Interference Channel with Partial Knowledge

We study a two-user cognitive channel, where the primary flow is sporadic, cannot be re-designed and operating below its link capacity. To study the impact of primary traffic uncertainty, we propose a block activity model that captures the random on-off periods of primary's transmissions. Each block in the model can be split into parallel Gaussian-mixture channels, such that each channel resembles a multiple user channel (MAC) from the point of view of the secondary user. The secondary senses the current state of the primary at the start of each block. We show that the optimal power transmitted depends on the sensed state and the optimal power profile is paranoid, i.e. either growing or decaying in power as a function of time. We show that such a scheme achieves capacity when there is no noise in the sensing. The optimal transmission for the secondary performs rate splitting and follows a layered water-filling power allocation for each parallel channel to achieve capacity. The secondary rate approaches a genie-aided scheme for large block-lengths. Additionally, if the fraction of time primary uses the channel tends to one, the paranoid scheme and the genie-aided upper bound get arbitrarily close to a no-sensing scheme.
Does the Baseball Labor Market Properly Value Pitchers

Defense in baseball is a product of team production in which pitchers and fielders jointly prevent runs. This means that raw run-prevention statistics that economists often use to gauge the value of pitchers, such as earned run average, may not properly assign credit for their performances. Therefore, marginal revenue product derivations based on such statistics contain some erroneous information that may bias the estimates. In this article, the author examines a method for isolating pitcher contributions to the team production of defense. Evidence from the labor market suggests that pitchers are paid according to their individual contributions, consistent with the areas in which pitchers possess skill.
Effects of Input Shaping on Manual Control of Flexible and Time-Delayed Systems

Objective:The objective was to study the performance of a manual tracking task with system flexibility and time delays in the input channel and to examine the effects of input shaping the human operator’s commands.Background:It has long been known that low-frequency, lightly damped vibration hinders performance of a manually controlled system. Recently, input shaping has been shown to improve the performance of such systems in a compensatory-display tracking task. It is unknown if similar improvements are seen with pursuit-display tasks, or how the improvement changes when time delays are added to the system.Method:A total of 18 novice participants performed a pursuit-view tracking experiment with a spring-centered joystick. Controlled elements included an integrator, an integrator with a lightly damped flexible mode, and an input-shaped integrator with a flexible mode. The input to these controlled elements was delayed between 0 and 1 s. Tracking performance was quantified by root mean square tracking er...
Amino acid residues that contribute to substrate specificity of class A β-lactamase SME-1

Carbapenem antibiotics are used as antibiotics of last resort because they possess a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and are not easily hydrolyzed by beta-lactamases. Recently, class A enzymes, such as the SME-1, NMC-A, and IMI-1 beta-lactamases, have been identified with the capacity to hydrolyze carbapenem antibiotics. Traditional class A beta-lactamases, such as TEM-1 and SHV-1, are unable to hydrolyze carbapenem antibiotics and exhibit some differences in sequence from those that are able to hydrolyze carbapenem antibiotics. The positions that differ may contribute to the unique substrate specificity of the class A carbapenemase SME-1. Codons in the SME-1 gene representing residues 104, 105, 132, 167, 237, and 241 were randomized by site-directed mutagenesis, and functional mutants were selected for the ability to hydrolyze imipenem, ampicillin, or cefotaxime. Although several positions are important for hydrolysis of beta-lactam antibiotics, no single position was found to uniquely contribute to carbapenem hydrolysis. The results of this study support a model whereby the carbapenemase activity of SME-1 is due to a highly distributed set of interactions that subtly alter the structure of the active-site pocket.
Information intensity; let's make it more than an intuitive concept

Information intensity is a concept referred to by academics in theorizing, by businessmen in decision making, and by governments in reporting and regulating. The authors discuss some possibilities for developing the concept of information intensity into a communication tool for all three parties. The concept applies to all three levels of information-technology application: for efficiency in automation, for effectiveness in productivity, and for innovation in strategic management. The authors agree that it is necessary to mount a program of applied research which (1) generates and enables a better understanding of the issues; (2) develops a usable set of metrics for results-oriented measurement of information intensity; and (3) raises the degree to which economies benefit from the continuing innovations stemming from information technology. >
Multilevel secure data stream processing

With sensors and mobile devices becoming ubiquitous, situation monitoring applications are becoming a reality. Data Stream Management Systems (DSMSs) have been proposed to address the data processing needs of such applications that require collection of high-speed data, computing results on-the-fly, and taking actions in real-time. Although a lot of work appears in the area of DSMS, not much has been done in multilevel secure (MLS) DSMS making the technology unsuitable for highly sensitive applications such as battlefield monitoring. An MLS DSMS should ensure the absence of illegal information flow in a DSMS and more importantly provide the performance needed to handle continuous queries.We investigate the issues important in an MLS DSMS and propose an architecture that best meets the goals of MLS DSMS.We discuss how continuous queries can be executed in such a system and sharing across queries accomplished for maximum performance benefits.
7,12-Dimethylbenz [a] anthracene-DNA adducts in Sprague-Dawley and Long-Evans female rats: the relationship of DNA adducts to mammary cancer

7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) is a powerful carcinogen to the mammary gland of the pubescent female Sprague-Dawley (S.D.) rat but is a much less potent inducer of mammary adenocarcinoma in the female Long-Evans (L.E.) rat of the same age. The livers of both strains are refractory to DMBA. The maximum levels of DMBA--DNA adducts formed, in both the mammary gland and liver following i.p. administration of [3H]DMBA (21 mumol) were significantly higher (p less than 0.01) in the resistant L.E. strain than the sensitive S.D. strain. Maximal levels of DMBA--DNA adducts were observed at approximately 48 h post administration of the hydrocarbon for both organs of both strains. For the S.D. animals no significant loss of adducts (relative to the 48 h maxima) was observed from either organ at the last time point (336 h). In contrast both organs of the L.E. strain showed some evidence of adduct removal. Analysis of the DMBA--deoxyribonucleoside adducts by h.p.l.c. following enzymatic hydrolysis of the purified DNA showed that A-ring diol-epoxide adducts of both DMBA and a major metabolite 7-hydroxymethyl-12-methylbenz[a]anthracene (7OHM-12MBA) were present in both organs from both strains. In both strains the levels of 7OHM-12MBA adducts were less, relative to the DMBA adducts, in the mammary gland than in the liver. With respect to specific adduct removal, L.E. animals removed approximately 70% of the identifiable adducts from the liver DNA in the 48 h to 336 h (12 d) time period. In contrast the S.D. animals showed no such capability for removing these adducts during this same time frame. These observations indicate that some factor(s) in addition to, or in conjunction with, the levels of DMBA--DNA adducts initially formed are responsible for the overall relative sensitivities of the S.D. and L.E. mammary gland to this hydrocarbon. One such parameter might be the relative propensity for specific adduct removal or the relative capacity of the two strains to repair DMBA-induced DNA damage.
Renal Fibrosis and Glomerulosclerosis in a New Mouse Model of Diabetic Nephropathy and Its Regression by Bone Morphogenic Protein-7 and Advanced Glycation End Product Inhibitors

Diabetic nephropathy is currently the most common cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the western world. A mouse model for diabetic nephropathy that encompasses the salient features of this disease in the kidney is not available. Here, we report that CD1 mice, in contrast to inbred C57BL/6 and 129Sv strains, develop ESRD associated with prominent tubulointerstitial nephritis and fibrosis within 3 months and die because of diabetic complications by 6-7 months after a single injection of streptozotocin. Histopathologic lesions observed in these mice mimic human diabetic nephropathy, including glomerular hypertrophy, diffuse glomerulosclerosis, tubular atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, and decreased renal excretory function. Next, we tested the therapeutic efficacy of bone morphogenic protein-7 (BMP-7) and inhibitors of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), aminoguanidine and pyridoxamine, to inhibit and regress the progression of renal disease in diabetic CD1 mice. We demonstrate that although aminoguanidine, pyridoxamine, and BMP-7 significantly inhibit glomerular lesions, BMP-7 is most effective in the inhibition of tubular inflammation and tubulointerstitial fibrosis in these mice. Collectively, our results report a new mouse model for diabetic nephropathy with prominent interstitial inflammation and fibrosis and the selective inhibition of diabetic kidney disease by AGE inhibitors and BMP-7.
Transient beam-loading detection in an SNS cavity- simulations and initial measurements

Beam phase measurement based on the detection of a transient beam-loading signal in a SC cavity has the potential to become a very fast linac tune-up technique, especially for an electron linac, as it may precisely set up the cavity's synchronous phase. A large signal-to-noise ratio is critical in the development of a transient detector technique. This paper discusses the study of a transient detector in the Spallation Neutron Source proton linac and the major challenge for this method: stochastic noise in the rf system, which reduces the precision and increases the time needed for accurate phase measurement. Using simulation studies with a beam-cavity model, signal measurement with the Low-Level RF system, and the experiment with prototype detectors, we analyzed the influence of noise on phase measurement.
Reducing Assortment: An Attribute-Based Approach

Abstract Most supermarket categories are cluttered with items, or stockkeeping units (SKUs), that differ very little at the attribute level. Previous research has found that reductions (up to 54%) in the number of low-selling SKUs need not affect perceptions of variety and therefore sales, significantly. In this research, the authors analyze data from a natural experiment conducted by an online grocer, in which 94% of the categories experienced dramatic cuts in the number of SKUs offered, particularly low-selling SKUs. Sales were indeed affected dramatically, increasing an average of 11% across the 42 categories examined. Sales rose in more than two-thirds of these categories, nearly half of which experienced an increase of 10% or more; 75% of households increased their overall expenditures after the cut in SKUs. In turn, the authors examine how different types of SKU reductions—defined by how the cuts affect the available attributes or features of a category (e.g., the number of brands)—affected purchase...
Utility of copper-containing electrolytes for isotachophoresis of amino acids

Abstract Isotachophoretic separation of free amino acids using Cu 2+ -diethylene triamine (Den) in high-pH leading electrolytes is investigated. Large changes in relative step heights of free amino acids are seen. Mobility order depends on both Cu 2+ concentration and Cu 2+ /Den ratios. Mobility differences seen with CuDen addition can be ascribed to both polyvalent counterion effects and specific interactions forming tertiary complexes. These electrolytes offer a new dimension for mobility variation of complexing amino acids and peptides.
Correlation of supermode noise of harmonically modelocked lasers

Two types of supermode noise, uncorrelated and correlated, are demonstrated for two different types of harmonically modelocked lasers. The correlated supermode noise is originated from the excitation of multiple correlated optical supermodes.
Probe placement during electric pulp-testing procedures

Electrode placement sites during electric pulp-testing procedures on the crown of a tooth were evaluated in a laboratory setting using thirty-one extracted teeth, an oscilloscope, and a new electric pulp tester (Digital Analytical Pulp Tester). This study showed that the lowest resistance occurred on the occlusal two-thirds electrode sites of the labial or buccal surfaces of maxillary incisors and premolars. More specifically, the middle-third electrode sites of the incisors and the occlusal-third electrode sites of the premolars were shown to have the least resistance. The electrode placement area on the crown where the pulp nerve is first excited to threshold must be identified to avoid false-positive stimulation of surrounding periodontal nerves. This will decrease nerve damage and ensure the patient's cooperation and acceptance.
Religiosity, sexual behaviors, and sexual attitudes during emerging adulthood.

The current study examined associations between religiosity and sexual behaviors and attitudes during emerging adulthood. Two hundred and five emerging adults completed surveys about five aspects of their religiosity (group affiliation, attendance at religious services, attitudes, perceptions of negative sanctions, and adherence to sanctions) and their sexual behaviors (abstinence, age of onset, lifetime partners, condom use) and attitudes (conservative attitudes, perceived vulnerability to HIV, and condom‐related beliefs). Associations were found between the measures of religiosity and sexuality, although the patterns differed by measures used. Religious behavior was the strongest predictor of sexual behavior. Many aspects of religiosity were associated with general sexual attitudes, which was not the case for perceived vulnerability to HIV and condom‐related beliefs. The findings support reference group theory and highlight the importance of considering the specific constructs of religiosity and sexuali...
Turfgrass, crop, and weed hosts of Blissus occiduus (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae).

Blissus occiduus Barber is an important pest of buffalograss, Buchloedactyloides (Nut- tall) Engelmann, turf. No-choice studies documented the susceptibility of selected turfgrasses, crops, and weeds to B. occiduus feeding. Highly to moderately susceptible grasses included buffalograss; yellow Setaria glauca (L.) and green foxtail Setaria viridis (L.); Kentucky bluegrass, Poa pratensis L.; perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne L.; brome, Bromus spp. Leyss.; zoysiagrass, Zoysia japonica Steudel; Bermuda grass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.; sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench; tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea Schreb.; and barley Hordeum vulgare (L.). Slightly to nonsusceptible grasses included Þne fescue, Festuca ovina hirtula L.; rye, Secale cereale L.; crabgrass Digitaria sanguinalis (L.); bentgrass, Agrostis palustris Huds.; wheat, Tritium aestivum L.; corn, Zea mays L.; fall panicum Panicum dichotomiflorum Michx.; and St. Augustinegrass, Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze. The reproductive potential of B. occiduus was also investigated on these same grasses. B. occiduus produced offspring on 15 of the 18 turfgrass, crop, and weed species evaluated. No reproduction occurred on either Bermuda grass or St. Augustinegrass, and buffalograss plants were killed by B. occiduus feeding before offspring could be produced.
Schema polynomials and applications

Conceptual complexity is emerging as a new bottleneck as data-base developers, application developers, and database administrators struggle to design and comprehend large, complex schemas. The simplicity and conciseness of a schema depends critically on the idioms available to express the schema. We propose a formal conceptual schema representation language that combines different design formalisms, and allows schema manipulation that exposes the strengths of each of these formalisms. We demonstrate how the schema factorization framework can be used to generate relational, object-oriented, and faceted physical schemas, allowing a wider exploration of physical schema alternatives than traditional methodologies. We illustrate the potential practical benefits of schema factorization by showing that simple heuristics can significantly reduce the size of a real-world schema description. We also propose the use of schema polynomials to model and derive alternative representations for complex relationships with constraints.
Direct-Sun column ozone retrieval by the ultraviolet multifilter rotating shadow-band radiometer and comparison with those from Brewer and Dobson spectrophotometers

A methodology for direct-Sun ozone retrieval using the ultraviolet multifilter rotating shadow-band radiometer ~UV-MFRSR! is presented. Total vertical column ozone was retrieved in three stations: Mauna Loa, Hawaii, in the U.S., and Regina, Saskatchewan, and Toronto, Ontario, in Canada, from direct solar irradiances of the UV-MFRSR at 325-, 305-, 332-, and 311-nm channels ~2-nm FWHM!. The total uncertainty of ozone retrievals in this study is 62.0%. For Mauna Loa the mean ratios of the UV-MFRSR column ozone retrievals to the collocated Dobson and Brewer were 0.998 and 0.986 between May and September of 1999. The mean ratio of UV-MFRSR retrievals to the collocated Brewer retrievals was 1.012 in Toronto between April and August of 1999, and the mean ratio of retrievals of the UV-MFRSR to the collocated Brewer was 0.988 in Regina between June and September of 1999. Total vertical column ozone values for solar zenith angles of .70° were not considered, because of the signal-to-noise ratio and the angular response of the instruments, and were not used in the evaluation. The advantages of total vertical column ozone retrieval using UV-MFRSR include relatively low cost, computer-controlled operation, automated calibration stability checks, and minimal maintenance. It allows for the real-time measurement of total vertical column ozone. The UV-MFRSR is being used at 28 sites across the United States and 2 sites in Canada that form the U.S. Department of Agriculture UV-B Radiation Monitoring and Research Program. This constitutes a unique network of total vertical column ozone measurement. OCIS codes: 010.4950, 040.7190, 060.4250, 120.2440, 120.6200, 350.5610.
SP: an advanced surface-potential-based compact MOSFET model

This work describes an advanced physics-based compact MOSFET model (SP). Both the quasi-static and non-quasistatic versions of SP are surface-potential-based. The model is symmetric, includes the accumulation region, small-geometry effects, and has a consistent current and charge formulation. The surface potential is computed analytically and there are no iterative loops anywhere in the model. Availability of the surface potential in the source-drain overlap regions enables a physics-based formulation of the extrinsic model (e.g. gate tunneling current) and allows for a noise model free of discontinuities or unphysical interpolation schemes. Simulation results are used to illustrate the interplay between the model structure and circuit design.
Mathematical Foundations for LISP

This chapter presents a highly simplified look at the lambda calculus—an algebraic formalization of computation. As our presentation proceeds, we will compare it to LISP. Now, LISP is not really an implementation of the lambda calculus, but it has inherited (deliberately and otherwise) some of its most important features. The comparison will throw some light on the issue of LISP’s relation to the lambda calculus.
Southwestern Internal Medicine Conference: Immune-complex Vasculitis: Role of Complement and IgG-Fc Receptor Functions

Vasculitis contributes a major component to the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases and glomerulonephritis. A common feature of these diseases is the presence of serum immune complexes (IC) which may be deposited in blood vessel walls. The modification of the size and solubility of IC by the classical and alternative complement pathways, and the recent demonstration of the role of cellular complement receptors and IgG-Fc receptors in the handling of IC, now allow a better understanding of the pathogenesis of the severe forms of vasculitis. When complement deficiencies are present, the handling of IC is impaired, and vasculitis results. New blood tests for Factor VIII-related antigen, alkaline ribonuclease, plasma thrombospondin, and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody correlate with the presence of selected types of vasculitis. In addition, tissue thromboplastin release after application of defined tourniquet pressure can also detect subtle blood vessel injury. These new tests may allow diagnosis without risky organ biopsies. Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of vasculitis will also be discussed.
Is nucleus accumbens atrophy correlated with cognitive symptoms of Parkinson's disease?

Sir, I read the recent article of Hanganu et al. (2014) entitled ‘Mild cognitive impairment is linked with faster rate of cortical thinning in patients with Parkinson’s disease longitudinally’ with great interest and I would like to comment on some of their important findings. Hanganu et al. (2014) investigated the longitudinal changes of the cortical and subcortical grey matter in patients with Parkinson’s disease, at the early stages of the illness, with and without mild cognitive impairment. They found a higher rate of cortical thinning in the temporal, occipital, parietal and supplementary motor area, in patients with Parkinson’s disease with mild cognitive impairment compared with both cognitively stable …
The Inter-Institutional Interface of Religion and Business

It is frequently asserted that religion enhances the ethical climate of business. This is buttressed by the tacit assumption that religious moral authority is easily combined with and exerted in business, an inter-institutional process I call Engagement. By drawing upon Secularization Theory’s societal-level focus on religious authority and the symbolic boundary work surrounding the interface of competing institutional logics, I theorize a broader range of inter-institutional processes including, Disengagement, Co-optation and Adjudication. To exemplify these inter-institutional processes, I engage in qualitative analysis of historic religious magazines from 1927-1931 and 1985-1989 and focus on the religious moral authority directed at the financial market. I discuss how my findings relate to the scholarship on Religion and Business in particular and Business Ethics more broadly
Different effects of hepatitis E virus on peaple′s health between two cities from west China and north China

Objective: To research different effects of hepatitis E virus on peaple′s health between two cities from West China and North China.Methods:Test HEV from 1464 samples of human serums of the above mentioned tow cities.Results:In the city of West China,anti-HEV positive rate is 45.04%(373/828) of one,while in the city of North China,anti-HEV positive rate is 27.2%(173/636),P0.01.The HEV-IgG positive rate of male is 40.36%(400/991) and females′ is 30.87%(146/473),P0.01.In the Group whose ages are under 60 years old,The HEV-IgG positive rate of West China city is higher than North China city;The HEV-IgG positive rate of those whose ages are beyond 60 years old,there is no conspicuous difference.HEV-IgG positive rate is higher with age growth,males′ positive rate is higher than females′.Conclusion:The HEV-IgG positive infect rate of cities of West China is higher than that of North China and males′ positive rate is higher than females′.
Strategy for the Disinfection and Vector Control in the Earthquake Disaster Area

Objective To investigate the strategy for the disinfection and vector control in the earthquake disaster area. Method The disinfection and vector control works in Nanbar, town of Pingwu County, Sichuan province had been analyzed. Result Because of unsuitable conditions, such as using not suitable spray machines, more materials and labor had been expended to achive the disinfection and vector control in the earthquake area. Conclusion More information and environment condition of earthquake area, and more sufficient preparation were needed for the effective disinfection and vector control in earthquake area.
Trends in respiratory cancer mortality in the United States and in England and Wales.

Trends in respiratory cancer mortality from 1940 to 1969 in the United States and in England and Wales are compared. In the United States, male age-specific death rates have increased at a declining rate; female rates have increased dramatically since about 1955. In England and Wales, male rates have declined under 55, have flattened at ages 55 to 64, and have risen only in those aged 65 and over; female rates have increased markedly since about 1957. After allowing for cigarette smoking, an effect of air pollution was sought. There was a slightly greater decline in the lung cancer death rates among men aged 25 to 64 and women aged 45 to 54 in Greater London than in the rest of the country. This is in line with the greater decline in smoke pollution in London than elsewhere.
Research and Preparation of Waterborne Polyurethane Road Mark Coatings

One-component waterborne polyurethane resin with mass fraction of 40% non-volatile substance was prepared by prepolymer method using polybutylene glycol adipate(PBA),dimethylolpropionic acid(DMPA) and toluene diisocyanate(TDI) etc as main raw materials combined with antioxidants and UV absorbents.The white waterborne polyurethane road mark coatings were prepared based on the above resin using titanium pigment as coloring agent.The research results show that the final performance for waterborne polyurethane resin prepared by prepolymer method can be obtained after 24h at 40℃;waterborne polyurethane resin dispersed in water like a column;the waterborne polyurethane road mark coatings based on the above resin have good adhesion performance,short surface dry time,and all indexes accord with the technical specifications of road mark coatings.
Reign of Terroir: How to Resist Europe's Efforts to Control Common Food Names as Geographical Indications

The European Union’s agenda in international trade negotiations includes an effort to secure the protection of their “geographical indications” (GIs) in foreign markets. If European officials have their way, a great number of common food and drink names will disappear from American grocery store shelves. American companies would have to make up new names for wines such as champagne, port, and sherry, and also for common cheeses such as parmesan, gorgonzola, and feta. Even such identifiers as “California champagne” and “parmesan-style cheese” would not be allowed.At the heart of Europe’s approach to GI protection is the idea of terroir — that there is an essential nexus between a product’s characteristics and the place it was made. When others use place names in a generic way, they are, in the European view, unfairly usurping the value created in that name by generations of local producers. Supporters claim that strong GI protection is needed to prevent fraud, ensure fairness, and promote economic development.In truth, Europe’s approach to GI protection mainly serves to privilege traditional producers at the expense of consumer welfare and economic growth. The connection between quality and origin is often exaggerated by European policymakers, and the level of protection that GIs enjoy prevents the flow of accurate information to consumers. Moreover, by incentivizing traditional production patterns through communal rights, Europe’s GI system directly reduces both innovation and competition in their own market.For its part, the U.S. government views Europe’s position as a protectionist attempt to control the use of generic terms that correspond to European cities or regions where those products were first made. The United States has its own way of protecting GIs, but it does so, with some exceptions, through trademark law rather than a dedicated regulatory scheme. The consequence is that many European GIs are not protected.The United States should fight against Europe’s attempt to spread its GI protections around the globe. This means, first, resisting efforts to expand the mandate for GI protection at the World Trade Organization. Second, the United States should, like it did in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, secure open markets for generically branded products within regional and bilateral agreements. Finally and most importantly, U.S. negotiators should make it clear that GIs will not be a subject for negotiation in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
Luteal phase insufficiency in the ewe as a consequence of premature induction of ovulation by intrafollicular injection of gonadotropins.

The largest ovarian follicle of ewes was injected on d 15 of the estrous cycle (2 to 3 d before the anticipated preovulatory surge of gonadotropins) with saline or either luteinizing hormone (LH) or follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in saline (5 micrograms). Ovulation was assumed based on the presence of an ovulation stigma at d 5 post-treatment. Control animals expressed estrus 2 to 3 d after treatment with saline, and during the estrous period ovulated from the treated follicle. Gonadotropin-treated animals ovulated from injected follicles prematurely and did not exhibit estrus. The stated observations with respect to time of ovulation were established by visual and hormonal criteria: (1) control follicles appeared to have ruptured within a day or two prior to relaparotomy (corpora hemorrhagica), whereas gonadotropin-treated follicles were in a more advanced stage of luteal development (corpora lutea); and (2) concentrations of systemic sera progesterone rose (P less than .05) in LH- and FSH-treated ewes 2d before such an increase in control animals. Luteal function was assessed by comparing sera concentrations of progesterone throughout the induced and spontaneous (vehicle controls) luteal phases. Premature stimulation of ovulation with either gonadotropin was followed by suppressed luteal function (maximum sera levels of progesterone in gonadotropin-treated animals and controls were slightly greater than 1 ng/ml and nearly 2.5 ng/ml, respectively; P less than .01). No differences in the level of luteal function due to treatment with LH or FSH were observed. The duration of the luteal phases of gonadotropin-treated animals were similar to controls (approximately 17 d).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Hormonal changes in the elderly from the viewpoint of the andrologist

Although the aging male experiences a decrease in genital function, it is not as pronounced or as complete as in the female ovary, so that this process is only remotely similar to the climacteric. The most important sign is a decrease in erection frequency and other sexual functions. This is, however, not due simply to a decrease in testosterone levels. For numerous studies have clearly shown that the number of sexual performances is independent of current testosterone levels. A qualitative change in Leydig cell function can, however, be concluded from the "latent androgen deficit", reduced stimulability of the Leydig cells, and the frequent anomalies of the levels of such other hormones as FSH and LH in patients with impotence. Thus, the treatment of "impotence" with oral or depot testosterone is indicated in proven manifest or latent androgen deficiency.
External and Internal Relations

Under the Mans and early Shihabs Lebanon’s foreign relations were mainly with France and Italy; they involved commercial and missionary activities.
A three-stage solution for flexible vocabulary speech understanding.

This paper discusses our three-stage approach to a flexible vocabulary speech understanding system, which can detect out-ofvocabulary (OOV) words, and hypothesize their phonetic and orthographic transcriptions. In the first stage, we introduce the column-bigram finite-state transducer (FST) which, while embedding ANGIE sublexical models, also supports previously unseen data from unknown words. Secondly, the ANGIE models utilize grapheme information, providing tighter linguistic constraint as well as instantaneous sound-to-letter capability during recognition. Thirdly, the syllable-level lexical units of the first stage are automatically derived via an iterative procedure to optimize performance. The second-stage recognizer employs ANGIE to output a word network which is parsed by TINA, our natural language (NL) processor, in stage three. Experiments with a JUPITER implementation of this system are described in [1].
information Communication Technology Use for Public Safety in the United States

Information communication technology (ICT) is a crucial tool to support effective communication and decision-making under complex and uncertain environments of disasters by enhancing cognitive capacity of emergency managers. With the continuous influence and evolution of communication technologies, information sharing and decision making has drastically changed and affects each phase of emergency management. Researchers continue to investigate the relationship of human involvement for spreading public safety information through ICT. With each disaster holding diverse characteristics influencing prediction, detection, and specific activities required for prevention, mitigation, response and recovery, the need for interoperable and dependable communication infrastructure, a common operating picture, and supportive regulations, policies and practice greatly increases. Although a national public safety communication system was proposed, there are implementation challenges between local, state and federal agencies. This paper briefly examines the evolution of the use of ICT for public safety along with current trends, benefits and challenges, and future needs.
Active pixel sensor with on-chip normal flow computation on the read out

A 250/spl times/250 active pixel sensor (APS) with on-chip spatiotemporal difference computation capabilities is presented. The spatiotemporal difference imager, fabricated in the TSMC 0.35 /spl mu/m CMOS process, contains in-pixel storage elements for previous and current frames and difference computational units outside the imaging array. A novel scan-out technique allows for parallel computation of spatial and temporal 1D derivatives on read out. The final motion estimation, i.e., the ratio of the temporal and spatial derivates, is computed off chip, but it can be easily implemented in hardware. Experimental data is presented to validate the accuracy of the magnitude and angle of the computed target velocities. The chip consumes 20 mW at 50 fps from 3.3V power supply.
How Individual and School Aggregate Baseline Behavior Levels Moderate Response to a Primary Level Behavior Intervention.

In our previous research (Benner, Nelson, Sanders, & Ralston, 2012), elementary schools were randomly assigned to either a primary-level behavior intervention directed at externalizing behavior (treatment, n = 7 schools) or to business-as-usual condition (control, n = 6 schools). A screening procedure was used to identify K through 3-grade students who exhibited externalizing behavior. The results showed that treatment students (n = 44) exhibited lower levels of problem behavior (ES = -0.99) and higher rates of on-task behavior (ES = 0.61) compared to controls (n = 26). The results also suggested that individual baseline behavior and school context as measured by free and reduced-priced meal rates moderated the findings. Given this latter finding, our interest in the current study was to test whether individual and school aggregate baseline behavior levels moderate students’ response to two years of the behavior intervention. Schools originally assigned to treatment continued to implement the intervention...
Modifications of Buttock Augmentation

The traditional method of buttock enlargement, which involves making an incision in the lower portion of the buttocks in the infragluteal fold, frequently results in secondary infections and long r...
MR Imaging of Pelvic Emergencies in Women

MR imaging is a useful adjunct imaging modality for evaluating women presenting with acute lower abdominal/pelvic pain who have negative or inconclusive sonographic findings. In pregnant women, although obstetric complications are of prime concern, gastrointestinal pathologies also warrant careful attention, and MR imaging is often useful in refining the diagnosis. In nonpregnant women, gynecologic pathologies and gastrointestinal pathologies are of major concern, and may necessitate evaluation with MR imaging. Knowledge of imaging features in the appropriate clinical setting helps in early and accurate diagnosis, enabling timely management for better clinical outcomes.
Reconsidering NATO expansion: a counterfactual analysis of Russia and the West in the 1990s

This article re-examines the history of NATO’s original post-Cold War enlargement to include the Visegrad states of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. It uses both published materials and the author’s new interviews with key US and Russian policymakers, and employs robust qualitative counterfactual methods to ask two questions: whether there were any realistic alternatives to NATO enlargement, and whether NATO enlargement was responsible for the downturn in Russian relations with the West. It concludes that domestic politics were the dominant factors explaining policy directions on both the US and Russian sides; that NATO enlargement was probably inevitable given US domestic political factors and West European acquiescence; that Russia’s turn against the West preceded the NATO expansion discussion in the US; that the tenor of the Russian turn is explained by status concerns rather than military threat perceptions, and that it was aggravated most by Western unilateral airstrikes rather than NATO’s geographical enlargement; and that the one policy initiative that might have realistically slowed NATO enlargement if it had been adopted differently, Partnership for Peace, did not affect those Russian status concerns and thus could not have redirected the relationship.
Long-term Coarsening and Function-time Evolution of an Initiator Powder

Long-term effectiveness of high-explosive devices necessitates maintaining a level of specific surface area of initiating powder components within specified margins. This ensures that ignition and detonation performance of the powder does not degrade significantly over time. Flow permeametry is a commonly employed surface characterization tool in this context, as embodied in the Fisher sub-sieve surface area (FSSA). Recently we made alterations to the commercial permeametry apparatus that enables accurate in situ measurements of FSSA using only ∼100 mg samples. In this work we report on a 24-month aging study in such modified sample holders at elevated temperatures of 40 °C and 60 °C. Through a process called time-temperature-superposition (TTS) the resulting isotherms are translated into a single master curve that predicts powder FSSA evolution over decades under ambient temperature conditions. We generate master curves for two different powders, i. e., pure PETN and 1 wt% added TriPEON, and show that the TriPEON-doped powder coarsens at a rate a few times slower than the non-doped powder. Activation barriers computed from the TTS shift factors shed some light on the coarsening mechanisms.