cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Judaism’s Christianity: Cohen and Rosenzweig on the Relationship between Judaism and Christianity

In Book III of The Star of Redemption, Franz Rosenzweig contrasts Judaism and Christianity: Judaism consists in the eternal passage of a people from creation to revelation; it suspends the divide between God’s presence and his worldly manifestation. For Rosenzweig, being Jewish means to be with God in the world. Christianity, however, defers salvation. While Judaism is with God in the world, Christianity retreats from God and the world. Christianity therefore has no “immediacy.” How can both Judaism and Christianity then live in immediacy with God in the world? Seeking to overcome Rosenzweig’s dichotomy, I endeavor to think an immediate relationship with God in the world by turning to one of Rosenzweig’s “biggest names”: Hermann Cohen. Following Cohen, I take it that Judeo-Christian continuity begins before both religions. I wish to explore the passage from the origin to the prophetic that constitutes the idea of a “pure monotheism” in Cohen’s philosophy.
Logical Fragments Relevant to Compter Science

Certain axiomatic systems involve more than one category of fundamental objects; for example, points, lines, and planes in geometry; individuals, classes of individuals, etc. in the theory of types or in predicate calculi of orders higher than one. It is natural to use variables of different kinds with their ranges respectively restricted to different categories of objects, and to assume as substructure the usual quantification theory (the restricted predicate calculus) for each of the various kinds of variables together with the usual theory of truth functions for the formulas of the system. An axiomatic theory set up in this manner will be called many-sorted1. We shall refer to the theory of truth functions and quantifiers in it as its (many-sorted) elementary logic2, and call the primitive symbols and axioms (including axiom schemata) the proper primitive symbols and proper axioms of the system. Our purpose in this paper is to investigate the many-sorted systems and their elementary logics.
A rabbit model of human familial, nonsyndromic unicoronal suture synostosis II. Intracranial contents, intracranial volume, and intracranial pressure

This two-part study reviews data from a recently developed colony of New Zealand white rabbits with familial, nonsyndromic unilateral coronal suture synostosis, and this second part presents neuropathological findings and age-related changes in intracranial volume (ICV) and intracranial pressure (ICP) in 106 normal rabbits and 56 craniosynostotic rabbits from this colony. Brain morphology and anteroposterior length were described in 44 rabbit fetuses and perinates (27 normal; 17 synostosed). Middle meningeal artery patterns were qualitatively assessed from 2-D PCC MRI VENC scans and endocranial tracings from 15, 126-day-old rabbits (8 normal, 7 rabbits with unicoronal synostosis). Brain metabolism was evaluated by assessing 18F-FDG uptake with high-resolution PET scanning in 7, 25-day-old rabbits (3 normal, 4 with unicoronal or bicoronal synostosis). Intracranial contents and ICV were assessed using 3-D CT scanning of the skulls of 30 rabbits (20 normal,10 with unicoronal synostosis) at 42 and 126 days of age. Serial ICP data were collected from 66 rabbits (49 normal; 17 with unicoronal synostosis) at 25 and 42 days of age. ICP was assessed in the epidural space using a Codman NeuroMonitor microsensor transducer. Results revealed that cerebral cortex morphology was similar between normal and synostosed fetuses around the time of synostosis. Significantly (P<0.05) decreased A-P cerebral hemisphere growth rates and asymmetrical cortical remodeling were noted with increasing age in synostotic rabbits. In addition, rabbits with unicoronal suture synostosis exhibited asymmetrical middle meningeal artery patterns, decreased and asymmetrical brain metabolism, a “beaten-copper” intracranial appearance, significantly (P<0.05) decreased ICV, and significantly (P<0.01) elevated ICP compared with normal control rabbits. The advantages and disadvantages of these rabbits as a model for human familial, nonsyndromic unicoronal suture synostosis are discussed, especially in light of recent clinical neuropathological, ICV, and ICP findings recorded in human craniosynostotic studies.
Platelet-Activating Factor Binding to Specific Cell Membrane Receptors

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) serves as an extracellular, fluid-phase mediator of certain IgE-mediated, immune complex-mediated, and physically induced inflammatory reactions (Benveniste et al., 1972; Camuss et al., 1982; Grandel et al., 1985; Pinckard et al., 1979; Prevost et al., 1984). (For a discussion of PAF’s potential intracellular effects see Chapter 10.) Numerous studies have demonstrated that the effects of extracellular PAF are mediated by interaction of PAF with specific cell membrane receptors. Early studies demonstrated high-affinity PAF binding sites in platelets (Chesney et al., 1983; Hwang et al., 1983; Inarrea et al., 1984; Kloprogge and Akkerman., 1984; Valone et al., 1982) and neutrophils (Hwang et al., 1983; Valone and Goetzl, 1983). That these high-affinity binding sites constituted specific PAF receptors was suggested by several observations: Studies with PAF analogs demonstrated a close correlation between their potency as platelet activators and their capacity to compete with radiolabeled PAF for binding. There is a good correlation between the concentrations of PAF that elicit half-maximal cellular activation and the concentrations that half-maximally saturate PAF binding. In addition, selective platelet desensitization to PAF was associated with the loss of specific PAF binding sites (Valone et al., 1982). Nevertheless, PAF’s phospholipid structure left the existence of specific PAF receptors that mediate cellular activation somewhat in doubt. This uncertainty has largely been resolved by the development of selective PAF antagonists including CV-3988 (Terashita et al., 1983; Valone, 1985), kadsurenone (Shen et al., 1985), and BN52021 (Braquet et al., 1985).
Making "Making" Accessible

Assistive Technologies empower individuals to accomplish tasks they might not be able to do otherwise. Unfortunately, a large percentage of Assistive Technologies end up unused or abandoned, leaving people with solutions that are inappropriate for their needs. Low rates of Assistive Technology use occur for many reasons, but common factors include 1) lack of considering user opinion in selection, 2) ease in obtaining devices, 3) poor device performance, and 4) changes in user needs and priorities. By correctly training end-users, clinicians and caregivers to "Do-It-Yourself" (DIY) and create, modify, or build their own solutions we may be able to help more people gain access to the Assistive Technology they desire. A new generation of digital fabrication tools and microcontroller platforms offer exciting possibilities for DIY assistive technologies that may be less expensive and faster to produce than traditional methods. These rapid prototyping tools (machines that manufacture objects quickly so they can be used in the iterative design process) have the potential to make personal-scale manufacturing possible. "Personal-scale manufacturing tools enable people that have no special training in woodworking, metalsmithing, or embroidery to manufacture their own complex, one-of-a-kind artisan-style objects. This technology provides new opportunities for assistive technology users to build their own physical objects, using tools such as Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) tools that can precisely cut or build a variety of materials. Such tools include 3D printers that can build solid objects out of plastic, laser cutters that can precisely cut (or etch) flat materials (such as cardboard, acrylic, wood, and metal), and multi-axis milling machines that can transform metal into almost any 3D shape. Additionally, there has been a boom in microcontroller kits and platforms that make it easy to create custom devices that output sound, light, or tactile patterns from user interaction, physiological, or environmental sensors.
Anecdote or Reality: Are People From the South and/or Rural Areas of the USA More Empathetic?

Although numerous studies have analyzed empathy scores of allopathic and osteopathic medical students and how these scores fluctuate throughout undergraduate medical education, little is known about whether demographics have an impact on medical students’ empathy scores. Using the Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES) and Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) surveys to measure affective and cognitive empathy, respectively, this present study examined the relationship between empathy scores with the following demographic data from first and second year students at a southeastern US osteopathic medical school: the classification of whether students came from a rural or urban background, the region of the US students lived in prior to matriculation to medical school, and the town/city size of where they were currently living at the time of applying to medical school. Data analyses showed only one statistically significant data point (p < 0.04) that revealed first year osteopathic medical students (OMS-I) from towns with < 10,000 occupants had higher JSE scores in comparison to students coming from towns with 50,000–99,999 occupants. However, trends could be established. For example, anecdotally, it is often presumed people from the southern United States tend to be friendlier than those from the northern states; however, contrary to this, the data revealed OMS-I students from the southern United States had a slightly lower BEES scores than OMS-I students from the northeastern states. JSE scores were nearly identical across all four US census bureau regions. Additionally, OMS-I students coming from an urban background had a higher BEES scores than those coming from a rural background. Compared to population norms, combined male and female BEES scores for OMS-I and -II students were within ± 0.5 s.d. of the norm and are considered to be “average” scores. Combined OMS-I JSE scores were below the population norm at the 37th percentile, and combined OMS-II JSE scores were also at the 37th percentile, except for students from the western region at the 44th percentile.
Acceptability and Preliminary Efficacy of an Online HIV Prevention Intervention for Single Young Men Who Have Sex with Men Seeking Partners Online: The myDEx Project.

Prevention of new cases of HIV among young gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (YGBMSM; ages 18–24) remains a priority. We developed and pilot tested an online intervention (myDEx) using a pilot randomized trial design with 180 online-recruited single YGBMSM who reported recent unprotected anal intercourse, self-reporting as HIV negative or status-unaware, and who met sexual partners through online dating applications. myDEx participants reported higher overall satisfaction (d = 0.46) and willingness to recommend the intervention to friends (d = 0.48) than controls. myDEx participants were less likely to report foregoing condoms to achieve an emotional connection with a partner (d =0 .43), and more likely to report greater emotional regulation during their partner-seeking behaviors (d = 0.44). myDEx participants reported fewer partners with whom they had condomless receptive anal sex (d = 0.48). Our pilot results demonstrate the potential of the myDEx intervention, suggesting that a larger efficacy trial may be warranted in the future.
Activity monitors in pulmonary disease

Physical activity is reduced in patients with chronic pulmonary diseases. Activity monitors can measure physical activity objectively and accurately over prolonged periods of time. Research grade and commercially available devices, using accelerometer technology, are being increasingly used in clinical studies. Physical activity levels have been found to have a moderate to strong correlation with important measures such as pulmonary function, exercise capacity, quality of life, and mortality and hospitalizations in patients with COPD, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension and cystic fibrosis. Their use as a clinical trial end-point and as a tool to augment rehabilitation efforts has also been explored in patients with COPD with variable results. Due to the ease of use, economic viability, widespread availability and good patient compliance, their use in adult and pediatric medicine is expanding. This narrative review summarizes the current evidence of use of activity monitors in COPD, interstitial lung disease, asthma, pulmonary arterial hypertension, cystic fibrosis and lung transplant patients for the purposes of prognostication, monitoring, outcome measures and intervention.
930 kA/cm 2 peak tunneling current density in GaN/AlN resonant tunneling diodes grown on MOCVD GaN-on-sapphire template

We report on the design and fabrication of ultrahigh current density GaN/AlN double barrier resonant tunneling diodes grown via rf-plasma assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. The device structure was grown on a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition GaN-on-sapphire template. The devices displayed repeatable room temperature negative differential resistance with peak tunneling current densities (Jp) between 637 and 930 kA/cm2. Analysis of temperature dependent measurements revealed the presence of severe self-heating effects, which allow strong phonon scattering that deteriorates the electron quantum transport. Finally, a qualitative comparison to the same structure grown on a low dislocation density freestanding GaN substrate has shown that sapphire-based templates are a feasible alternative.We report on the design and fabrication of ultrahigh current density GaN/AlN double barrier resonant tunneling diodes grown via rf-plasma assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. The device structure was grown on a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition GaN-on-sapphire template. The devices displayed repeatable room temperature negative differential resistance with peak tunneling current densities (Jp) between 637 and 930 kA/cm2. Analysis of temperature dependent measurements revealed the presence of severe self-heating effects, which allow strong phonon scattering that deteriorates the electron quantum transport. Finally, a qualitative comparison to the same structure grown on a low dislocation density freestanding GaN substrate has shown that sapphire-based templates are a feasible alternative.
Household water insecurity is strongly associated with food insecurity: Evidence from 27 sites in low- and middle-income countries

Objectives Food and water insecurity have both been demonstrated as acute and chronic stressors and undermine human health and development. A basic untested proposition is that they chronically coexist, and that household water insecurity is a fundamental driver of household food insecurity. Methods We provide a preliminary assessment of their association using cross-sectional data from 27 sites with highly diverse forms of water insecurity in 21 low- and middle-income countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas (N = 6691 households). Household food insecurity and its subdomains (food quantity, food quality, and anxiety around food) were estimated using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale; water insecurity and subdomains (quantity, quality, and opportunity costs) were estimated based on similar self-reported data. Results In multilevel generalized linear mixed-effect modeling (GLMM), composite water insecurity scores were associated with higher scores for all subdomains of food insecurity. Rural households were better buffered against water insecurity effects on food quantity and urban ones for food quality. Similarly, higher scores for all subdomains of water insecurity were associated with greater household food insecurity. Conclusions Considering the diversity of sites included in the modeling, the patterning supports a basic theory: household water insecurity chronically coexists with household food insecurity. Water insecurity is a more plausible driver of food insecurity than the converse. These findings directly challenge development practices in which household food security interventions are often enacted discretely from water security ones.
Part-Time Ride-Sharing: Recognizing the Context in which Drivers Ride-Share and its Impact on Platform Use

Ride-sharing companies have been reshaping the structure and practice of ride-hailing work. At the same time, studies have been showing mixed driver experiences on the platform while many of the drivers are working part-time. In this research, we seek to understand why drivers on this platform are working part-time, how this impacts their view of the platform, and what this means for more accurately evaluating the design of these platforms. To investigate this question, we focused on situating ride-sharing in the lives and constellation of gigs that drivers maintain. We collected 53 survey responses and conducted 10 semi-structured interviews with drivers to probe these questions. We found that the extent that drivers categorize themselves as part-time is less about the number of hours worked and more about how dependent they are on ride-sharing income. The level of this dependency seemed to heavily influence how they interacted with the platform and their attitudes towards difficulties faced. It seemed to us that in some ways that the design or functioning of the platform almost pushed users towards working part-time. We discuss the importance of taking these different types of workers and their situations into consideration when evaluating the design and usability of these platforms.
Microfluidic-assisted polymer-protein assembly to fabricate homogeneous functionalnanoparticles

Functional polymer-protein nanoparticles (NPs) have broad applications in biotechnology and nanotechnology. In principle, controllable and vigorous mixing is required to fabricate homogeneous NPs, which remains a challenge via conventional bulk synthetic methods. In this study, an electrokinetics (EK) based microfluidic reactor with fast mixing is explored to assemble functional proteins with polymers in an ethanol/water co-solvent system. The resultant NPs show significantly improved size distribution by comparison with the ones prepared using conventional bulk method, while the NPs size can be tuned by adjusting the mass ratio of polymer to protein. The functionalities of the assembled proteins are sustained upon the EK based microfluidic mixing, indicating the application potential of our method in the controlled assembly of different functional proteins.
A RARE CASE OF PERMANENT JUNCTIONAL RECIPROCATING TACHYCARDIA IN AN ADULT WHO PRESENTS IN CARDIOGENIC SHOCK

Permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia (PJRT) in adults is rare and may often go unidentified. It commonly presents with cardiomyopathy (CM), and management can be difficult. A 31-year-old male with history of methamphetamine use presented with dyspnea. Left ventricular ejection fraction (
Advantages of the New Tao Mask for Bag Mask Ventilation: a randomized crossover trial

Background and Aims Manual bag mask ventilation is a life saving skill. An investigation was made to compare two different facemasks used in bag mask ventilation, the standard and the novel Tao face mask, and evaluate the ability of novices to achieve adequate tidal volume. Methods The study design was a crossover trial, which randomized forty medical students with no previous airway experience to learn bag mask ventilation with the standard mask and the Tao face mask. Primary outcome measures were mean and median tidal volume per mask, and secondary measures were hand area, age, gender, and order of mask usage. Results Medical students who used the Tao mask first achieved significantly more tidal volume than those who used the standard mask first (p = 0.002). However, when comparing face masks that were used second, the tidal volume did not differ significantly between the two masks (p = 1.000). Greater tidal volume was achieved on the second attempt relative to the first attempt with each mask. There was significantly more tidal volume achieved with greater hand size with the standard mask, whether it was used first or second (p < 0.001 and p = 0.012 respectively). Greater hand size was associated with greater tidal volume in the Tao mask also, but only when used first (p < 0.001). When first attempting bag mask ventilation, inexperienced students achieved greater tidal volume with the Tao Mask. The results also suggest that hand size matters less when using the Tao Mask. Conclusion When first attempting bag mask ventilation inexperienced students achieved greater tidal volume with the Tao Mask. The results also suggest that hand size matters less when using the Tao mask.
Reform, Abolition, and Decoloniality: Framing Islamophobia

Hamza Yusuf, born Mark Hanson, is a celebrity-spokesperson in many Muslim American constituencies, and is often described as the leading Muslim scholar in the West. After converting to Islam in the...
Beyond oak regeneration: modelling mesophytic sapling density drivers along topographic, edaphic, and stand-structural gradients in mature oak-dominated forests of Appalachian Ohio

Shade-tolerant mesophytic tree species tend to dominate the understories of present-day oak–hickory and mixed-hardwood forests in the eastern United States. We quantified the sapling density associ...
The Biopolitics of Social Distancing

As COVID-19 spreads across the globe, new technologies are being leveraged to enforce social distancing requirements. I explore social distancing through the theoretical lens of Michel Foucault’s b...
Acute Alcohol Intoxication Impairs Sonic Hedgehog-Gli1 Signaling and Activation of Primitive Hematopoietic Precursor Cells in the Early Stage of Host Response to Bacteremia.

Background Activation of hematopoietic stem cells [HSCs, lineage(lin)- stem cell growth factor receptor (c-kit)+ stem cell antigen-1(Sca-1)+ , or LKS cells in mice] is critical for initiating the granulopoietic response. This study determined the effect of alcohol exposure on sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling in the regulation of HSC activation during bacteremia. Methods Acute alcohol intoxication was induced in mice by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 20% alcohol (5 g alcohol/kg body weight). Control mice received i.p. saline. Thirty minutes later, mice were intravenously (i.v.) injected with Escherichia coli (E. coli, 1 to 5 × 107 CFUs/mouse) or saline. Results SHH expression by lineage-negative bone marrow cells (BMCs) was significantly increased 24 hours after E. coli infection. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2)-specificity protein 1 (Sp1) signaling promotes SHH expression. ERK1/2 was markedly activated in BMCs 8 hours following E. coli infection. Alcohol suppressed both the activation of ERK1/2 and up-regulation of SHH expression following E. coli infection. E. coli infection up-regulated GLI family zinc finger 1 (Gli1) gene expression by BMCs and increased Gli1 protein content in LKS cells. The extent of Gli1 expression was correlated with the activity of proliferation in LKS cells. Alcohol inhibited up-regulation of Gli1 expression and activation of LKS cells in response to E. coli infection. Alcohol also interrupted the granulopoietic response to bacteremia. Conclusion These data show that alcohol disrupts SHH-Gli1 signaling and HSC activation in the early stage of the granulopoietic response, which may serve as an important mechanism underlying the impairment of immune defense against bacterial infection in host excessively consuming alcohol.
A smartphone-enabled crowdsensing and crowdsourcing system for predicting municipality resource allocation stochastic requirements

Smart Cities is the future of human habitation, which is evangelized by the Internet of Things (IoT) technology. We study the municipality of Papagos, which is located in the Smart City of Athens, Greece. In Papagos is developed a technical infrastructure, which enable citizens to act as human sensors by exploiting their smartphones to report malfunctions in the municipality infrastructure. Using Citify software app municipality problematic situations annotated and submitted to the system for further processing exploiting crowdsourcing and crowdsensing technology. When a report arrives to the municipality control center the system allocates certain department to serve the problem. Since incidents are served by a certain number of departments with limited resources, the early planning and allocation of a department's resources before the incident emerges is significant. To handle such situations, we incorporate an inference engine model, which is based on a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) Neural Network to learn stochastically examples of incidence occurrence. Based on the LSTM classification model the proposed system is able to predict a similar event in the future thus allocates efficiently a municipality department resource before the problem emerges.
The Value of Medical Registries and Observational Studies Early in Pandemics: The COVID-19 Experience.

Whereas randomized clinical trials remain the gold standard for evaluating new therapies for infections, we argue that registries and observational studies early in the Covid-19 pandemic provided invaluable understanding of the natural history and preliminary data on risk factors and possible treatments. We review the data from the current pandemic, the history of registries in general and their value in public health emergencies. Lessons from these experiences should be incorporated into rigorous planning for the next pandemic.
Reasons for Pack Size Purchase among US Adults Who Purchase Cigars.

With municipalities across the US establishing minimum cigar pack size regulations, it is critical to understand what drives pack size preference. The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify reasons for cigar pack size purchase. We used Amazon’s Mechanical Turk to survey adults who had purchased cigars and reported past 30 day use. Participants responded to an open-ended item asking their reasons for purchasing their usual pack size. Responses were double-coded and categorized. Of 152 respondents, 61 used traditional cigars, 85 used cigarillos, and 36 used filtered cigars. Across all cigar types, most participants (73.7%) purchased boxes rather than singles; 5–9-packs were the most popular pack size category (19.7%), followed by 20+-packs (18.4%). We identified 16 reasons for pack size purchase across seven categories: price, consumption, social aspect, convenience, product characteristics, availability, and general preferences. Reasons varied according to whether the consumer purchased larger or smaller pack sizes. In this exploratory study to identify reasons for cigar pack size purchases, findings were consistent with those identified through tobacco industry documents and in the cigarette literature. Future research should examine the prevalence of these reasons, including as a function of demographic and use characteristics, to help inform the understanding of potential minimum cigar pack regulations.
The paraventricular thalamus provides a polysynaptic brake on limbic CRF neurons to sex-dependently blunt binge alcohol drinking and avoidance behavior in mice.

Bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) neurons that synthesize corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) drive binge alcohol drinking and anxiety. Here, we found that female C57BL/6J mice binge drink more than males and have greater basal BNSTCRF neuron excitability and synaptic excitation. We identified a dense VGLUT2 + synaptic input from the paraventricular thalamus (PVT) that releases glutamate directly onto BNSTCRF neurons but also engages a large BNST interneuron population to ultimately inhibit BNSTCRF neurons, and this polysynaptic PVTVGLUT2-BNSTCRF circuit is more robust in females than males. Chemogenetic inhibition of the PVTBNST projection promoted binge alcohol drinking only in female mice, while activation reduced avoidance behavior in both sexes. Lastly, repeated binge drinking produced a female-like phenotype in the male PVT-BNSTCRF excitatory synapse without altering the function of PVTBNST neurons per se. Our data describe a complex, feedforward inhibitory PVTVGLUT2-BNSTCRF circuit that is sex-dependent in its function, behavioral roles, and alcohol-induced plasticity. Bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) neurons that synthesize and release the stress neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor drive binge alcohol drinking and anxiety. The authors describe a complex feedforward inhibitory PVTVGLUT2-BNSTCRF circuit in mice that plays sex-dependent roles in alcohol drinking and avoidance behavior.
Social geometry and the success of moral ideas: The case of capital punishment

Abstract Black, 1979 , Black, 2000a , Black, 2000b , Black, 2002a , Black, 2002b argues that the success of an idea depends on its social geometry. We extend Black's theory of ideas to include moral ideas – statements about the nature of right and wrong. To do so, we focus on former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall's hypothesis regarding death penalty opinions: If Americans were fully informed about the problems surrounding capital punishment they would become opposed to the sanction. Marshall's prediction seems to be supported by college classroom experiments in which students' support for the death penalty plummets after taking a course on the topic. But existing experiments have a curious methodological feature – the professors were “forthright” about their personal opposition to capital punishment. By injecting a moral idea into the experiment – the death penalty is wrong – the professors created a conundrum: Did students turn against the death penalty because information about the problematic nature of capital punishment was compelling, or because they gravitated toward a moral idea espoused by a close superior? The findings from our neutral college classroom experiment support the latter interpretation.
Response of Non-linear Trusses with Spatial Variability under Random Excitations

This study considers the response of nonlinear plane truss structures with spatially uncertain system parameters subjected to random excitations. The nonlinearities due to both large deflection and inelastic deformation are considered. Within the framework of a finite element formulation, a stochastic equivalent linearization method in conjunction with a perturbation method is developed to solve for the response statistics. Comparison of responses of a structure under Gaussian filtered white noise ground excitation with Monte-Carlo simulation results indicates that the stochastic equivalent linearization method yields reasonably accurate results with much less computational time. It is found that the contribution of the system spatial uncertainties to the total response statistics can be significant. A non-dimensional response sensitivity coefficient is also defined to identify the most dominant system parameters in terms of the contribution to the response variability.
Finite Difference Methods in Heat Transfer

Finite Difference Methods in Heat Transfer presents a clear, step-by-step delineation of finite difference methods for solving engineering problems governed by ordinary and partial differential equations, with emphasis on heat transfer applications. The finite difference techniques presented apply to the numerical solution of problems governed by similar differential equations encountered in many other fields. Fundamental concepts are introduced in an easy-to-follow manner.Representative examples illustrate the application of a variety of powerful and widely used finite difference techniques. The physical situations considered include the steady state and transient heat conduction, phase-change involving melting and solidification, steady and transient forced convection inside ducts, free convection over a flat plate, hyperbolic heat conduction, nonlinear diffusion, numerical grid generation techniques, and hybrid numerical-analytic solutions.
Rapid planning method for robot assited minimally invasive surgery

The traditional space mapping and surgical planning method for surgery are time-consuming, and the accuracy of positioning is not high. This paper aims to present a practical and fast way for planning. In the session of visual orientation for spatial location, Micron Tracker camera and self-calibration template are used for positioning; in the session of tracking and locating for four markers on patient and robot's template, the coordinates of them are extracted automatically; in the session of DICOM medical image processing, the contour of the tumor is extracted automatically, in terms of the seed filling algorithm, contour tracking algorithm and the B-spline fitting function. Coordinates transformation from the image space to the camera space and to the robot space can be completed rapidly and precisely through this method. Experimental results show that the traditional from 25 to 30 minutes planning time for the entire operation can be reduced to 5 minutes; the space mapping accuracy can be improved from the traditional 5mm to 4mm now.
The configurations at C-9 of the cinchona alkaloids

Abstract The existing ambiguity regarding the configurations of quinine, quanidine, cinchonine, cinchonidine, and their C-9 epimers has been resolved by stereospecifically converting quaternary salts of the dihydro derivatives of quinine, quinidine, quinidine-9d, and epiquinidine to derivatives containing the conformationally rigid oxirane ring. The configurations of the oxiranes were determined by NMR spectroscopy, and the stereochemistry of the alkaloid percursors was deduced on the basis of the known stereochemical course of the reactions used in the preparation of the oxiranes. In this way, it has unequivocally been demonstrated that the natural cinchona alkaloids are all of the erythro configuration with respect to their C-8, C-9 systems and that the epi-bases are threo.
Defining Discrimination in the Personal/Group Discrimination Discrepancy

Members of low-status groups typically report that their group experiences more discrimination than they do personally, a phenomenon referred to as the personal/group discrimination discrepancy. It is hypothesized that manipulating the meaning of discrimination affects the personal/group discrimination discrepancy. In three studies, 301 female undergraduates (259 Whites; 42 non-Whites) from a large midwestern university read vignettes depicting discriminatory events that varied according to severity and frequency. Participants in high-frequency conditions perceived both more personal and group discrimination than low-frequency participants, and they showed smaller personal/group discrepancies. This effect was found for work-related discrimination and social sexism. Results indicate that severe and infrequent events are what people typically think of as discrimination and that using the term “discrimination” affects personal and group judgments. The importance of defining discrimination when investigating the personal/group discrimination discrepancy is discussed.
Pre-hospital use of inhaled corticosteroids and inhaled beta agonists and incidence of ARDS: A population-based study.

Objective . Inhaled corticosteroids and inhaled beta agonists were shown to decrease the lung injury in animal models. We investigated the association of pre-hospital use of inhaled corticosteroids and inhaled beta agonists with the incidence of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in a population based cohort of hospitalized patients. Material and methods . Retrospective cohort study of adult patients from Olmsted County, Minnesota admitted to the hospital with at least one predisposing condition for ARDS from 2001-2008. The association with pre-hospital use of inhaled corticosteroids and inhaled beta agonists was evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. Primary outcome was ARDS and secondary outcome was hospital mortality. Results . Out of 2429 hospitalized adult patients with at least one risk factor for ARDS, 10.5% of those taking and 14% of those not taking inhaled corticosteroids developed ARDS (OR 0.72; 0.53-0.97; p<0.03). Inhaled beta agonists showed similar unadjusted protective effect; 9.7% of users and 14.4% of non-users developed ARDS (OR 0.64; 0.48-0.86; p=0.003). After adjusting for risk factors, comorbidities and severity of illness in the multiple logistic regression model, use of inhaled beta agonists, but not inhaled corticosteroids, remained independently associated with decreased risk of ARDS (OR 0.48; 0.31-0.72; p<0.001 versus 0.87; 0.57-1.29; p=0.49). The estimated protective effects were more pronounced among patients with pneumonia compared to those without pneumonia. Conclusion . Prehospital use of inhaled beta agonists but not inhaled corticosteroids was significantly associated with decreased incidence of ARDS among hospitalized patients at risk, once adjusted for baseline characteristics, predisposing and comorbid conditions, as well as severity of illness.
Electrostatic expansion of a tenuous plasma produced by excimer laser-irradiation of MgO

Abstract We describe the expansion dynamics of the tenuous plasmas formed by irradiating single crystal MgO with a KrF excimer laser (248 nm) in vacuum. At low fluences (0.03–0.5 J/cm 2 ), the positive ion kinetic energy distribution peaks at about 11 eV and is relatively narrow (±2 eV). As the fluence is increased, the energy distribution broadens dramatically. Also, we find that a portion of the positive ions have been turned around – i.e., significant ion intensities can be detected behind the sample. We argue that these effects result from the electrostatic expansion of a net positive, tenuous plasma, where the ions outnumber the electrons by approximately 0.02% of the total charged particle density. A one dimensional model which simulates this expansion mechanism is presented.
Psychoticism and neuroticism predict cocaine dependence and future cocaine use via different mechanisms.

Abstract Background Personality characteristics have been associated with cocaine use. However, little is known about the mechanisms through which personality could impact drug use. The present study investigated the cross-sectional and prospective relationships between personality dimensions (i.e., impulsivity, neuroticism) and problematic cocaine use. Reactivity to a pharmacological stressor as a potential mediator of the relationship between neuroticism and future cocaine use was also examined. Methods Participants were 53 cocaine-dependent individuals and 47 non-dependent controls. Subjects completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) at baseline and were administered i.v. corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH; 1 μg/kg). Cocaine use in the 30 days following CRH administration was measured. Results Cocaine-dependent individuals had higher scores on the psychoticism (i.e., impulsivity, aggression; p = 0.02) and neuroticism ( p p p p = 0.07). Finally, there was a trend for an indirect effect of neuroticism on frequency of cocaine use through subjective reactivity to CRH. Conclusions The findings extend past research on the association between personality and cocaine use, and suggest that motives for cocaine use may systematically vary across personality characteristics. Moreover, tailoring therapeutic interventions to individuals’ personalities may be an area that warrants further investigation.
Evolution and origin of Ceará Rise: An aseismic rise in the western equatorial Atlantic

The Ceara Rise is an aseismic rise located in the western equatorial Atlantic between latitudes 3° and 8 °N, and longitudes 38 ° and 48 °W. An analogous feature, the Sierra Leone Rise, is located in the eastern equatorial Atlantic. These two rises on the two sides of the Atlantic are bounded by the same fracture zones and are approximately equidistant from the ridge axis. The northern boundary of the two rises is formed by the 8 °N fracture zone, whereas the southern boundary is formed by the 4 °N fracture zone. Seismic-profiler records show that the acoustic basement under the Ceara Rise is smooth in areas where it is also the shallowest. Moreover, areas of smooth and shallow acoustic basement coincide with the presence of a seismic layer with a velocity of 3.5 km/sec overlying the oceanic layer 2. These observations indicate that volcanic extrusives probably account for the basement relief of the Ceara Rise. On the basis of the drilling data and on the basis of its distance from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, we suggest that the Ceara Rise originated approximately 80 m.y. ago. At that time, the region of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge located between the 4° and 8 °N fracture zones underwent a period of extensive volcanic extrusion. This volcanic pile reached a thickness of 2 km. As the spreading continued at the ridge, the volcanic pile was split into two segments. The western segment formed the Ceara Rise; the eastern segment formed the Sierra Leone Rise. The Ceara Rise has continuously subsided since its formation and has been covered by calcareous and siliceous pelagic sediments. However, a large influx of terrigenous sediments from the Brazilian margin, which coincided with the growth of the Amazon Cone since early Miocene time, has buried the western part of the rise under several kilometres of terrigenous sediments. The onlapping of terrigenous sediments over the flank of the rise has continued until at least the end of Pleistocene time.
Capital intensive hospital technology and illness: an analysis of American state data.

This paper: describes the development of a 'hospital technology index' to measure the level of capital intensive medical technology in each of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, reports differences between states in scores on this index, and tests the hypothesis that there is a low but significant negative correlation between the level of capital intensive medical technology and the level of illness. The three subscales of the hospital technology index have high alpha coefficients of reliability, are reasonably orthogonal, and there is at least some evidence of construct and discriminant validity for each. The multiple regression analysis suggests that there is either no relation between capital intensive medical technology and the rate of illness or that there is a slight tendency for the illness rate to increase as the level of technology increases. Eight possible explanations for the findings are discussed.
Cannabinoids and hamster circadian activity rhythms

Circadian activity rhythms in hamsters are entrained to the daily light:dark cycle by photic information arriving from the retina to the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the site of the master circadian pacemaker in mammals. The effects of light on adjusting the timing of the circadian pacemaker is modified, both positively and negatively, by a variety of transmitter systems, but the effects of endocannabinoids have not been reported. Therefore, in this study we evaluated cannabinoids specific for the cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB(1)) for their ability to modulate light-induced phase advances in hamster circadian activity rhythms. All compounds were administered intraperitoneally. The CB(1) agonist CP55940 potently inhibited light-induced phase shifts with near 90% inhibition achieved with a dose of 0.125 mg/kg. The inhibitory effect of CP55940 was partially reversed by the CB(1) antagonist LY320135 and completely reversed with 1 mg/kg of the CB(1) antagonist AM 251. Neither LY320135 nor AM 251 had any effect on light-induced phase shifts when administered alone. Further evidence for CB(1) involvement in hamster circadian rhythms was provided by immunohistochemical detection of CB(1) receptors in four separate nuclei comprising the principal components of the hamster circadian system: the suprachiasmatic nucleus, intergeniculate leaflet of the thalamus, and dorsal and median raphe nuclei. Altogether these data indicate that the endocannabinoid system has the capability to modulate circadian rhythms in the hamster and cannabis use should be evaluated for adverse effects on circadian rhythms in humans.
An integrative index of biological effects of lead.

Biological indicators of lead effects on the central nervous system (as measured by performance tests), hematogenous bone marrow (hemoglobin levels), and kidney function (BUN levels) can be combined in an integrative index (INDEX). This integrative index can be in turn related to indicators of lead exposure and absorption. Such an index was calculated by removing age effects in measures of performance and kidney function and then transforming all the variables to Z (standard) units. Secondary lead smelter workers and a control group were studied. In secondary lead smelter workers this INDEX was found to be significantly correlated with ZPP, blood lead levels, and duration of lead exposure. In this population the magnitude of the correlation coefficients with ZPP levels was much higher than that for blood lead levels. INDEX had a higher correlation with ZPP than with each of its components: performance test scores, hemoglobin, and BUN levels. Although performance test scores, hemoglobin, and BUN levels were shown to discriminate between the control, non-lead-exposed population, and the lead-exposed group, INDEX (and particularly one pair of its components, CNS and hemoglobin levels) achieved the best discrimination between groups. The concept of an integrative index of biological effects of lead may be especially useful in defining populations at high risk for developing chronic, potentially irreversible neurologic and kidney dysfunction, and in assessing the severity of lead effects in individual cases.
Binding Constraints and Helly Numbers

Summary Starting with axioms for an abstract intersectional system, we define the Helly number., Scarf number, and binding constraint number of such a system. The last concept is based on a definition of a mathematical programming problem in the system. From these definitions, we deduce (1) Bell's theorem that a collection of half spaces contains a point of sn if the intersection of every subset of 2n of the half spaces does, and (2) Scarf's theorem that an integer programming problem on zn has at most 2n— 1 binding constraints. Our arguments use coordinates only at the last moment.
Divergence of Explicit and Implicit Processing Speed during Associative Memory Retrieval

Consolidation theory assumes that as time passes, some memories are strengthened and become resistant to change while other memories are weakened and forgotten. Recent demonstrations that implicit, or procedural, memories are retrieved more efficiently after learning and retention are consistent with the idea that these particular memory traces have strengthened with time, and therefore may be accessed faster. However, it is not clear whether the process of explicit memory retrieval also becomes more efficient with time. In two experiments, we explored 1) how much time is required for retrieval of separate explicit and implicit components of hippocampal-dependent visuomotor associative memories after variable retention intervals, and 2) how the explicit and implicit processing times change when the associations are rehearsed after initial retrieval. We found that after learning and retention, explicit and implicit processing times diverged: 1) the time taken to retrieve successfully the explicit component increased relative to a pre-retention baseline but, after spaced rehearsal, decreased, although not to a level significantly below that obtained at the end of learning, and 2) the implicit, or procedural, component processing times continued to gradually decrease after retention, and with continued rehearsal, reached a level significantly below the pre-retention baseline. We conclude that the observed divergence in post-retention reaction times suggests that explicit and implicit memory systems may reorganize differently after learning, and that as a consequence, different amounts of processing time may be required for retrieval of these different memory components.