cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Postglacial climate reconstruction based on compound‐specific D/H ratios of fatty acids from Blood Pond, New England

We determined hydrogen isotope ratios of individual fatty acids in a sediment core from Blood Pond, Massachusetts, USA, in order to reconstruct climate changes during the past 15 kyr. In addition to palmitic acid (C16n-acid), which has been shown to record lake water D/H ratios, our surface sediments and down core data indicate that behenic acid (C22n-acid), produced mainly by aquatic macrophytes, is also effective for capturing past environmental change. Calibration using surface sediments from two transects across eastern North America indicates that behenic acid records δD variation of lake water. Down core variations in δD values of behenic acid and pollen taxa are consistent with the known climate change history of New England. By evaluating the hypothesis that D/H fractionations of long chain even numbered fatty acids (C24-C32n-acids) relative to lake water provide independent estimates of relative humidity during the growing season, we find that differences between lake-level records and isotopically inferred humidity estimates may provide useful insight into seasonal aspects of the hydrologic cycle. Combined analyses of D/H of short and long chain fatty acids from lake sediment cores thus allow reconstructions of both past temperature and growing season relative humidity. Comparison of δD records from two lakes in New England provides critical information on regional climate variation and abrupt climate change, such as the 8.2 ka event.
Xylitol production by Candida species grown on a grass hydrolysate.

Xylitol was produced by selected species of the yeast Candida after growth on a medium containing a hydrolysate of the North American perennial prairie grass big bluestem. The grass was hydrolysed by a combination of dilute acid and enzymatic treatments. After growth on the medium for 120 h at 30 °C, Candida tropicalis ATCC 750 produced a 1.4-fold higher level of xylitol than did C. tropicalis ATCC 20215 while biomass production by C. tropicalis ATCC 750 was 1.7-fold higher than Candida guilliermondii ATCC 20216. The xylitol yields observed for C. tropicalis ATCC 750, Candida mogii ATCC 18364 and C. guilliermondii ATCC 20216 were at least 1.4-fold higher than the yield observed for C. tropicalis ATCC 20215 after growth for 120 h at 30 °C.
Forest pest management sociopolitics

Abstract Successful forest pest managers must integrate complex technical considerations with important social and political concerns. Forest managers well trained in silviculture or entomology may be prepared for the biological challenges, but they may not be prepared for the sociopolitics. Sociopolitics influences all aspects of forest pest management. Because decisions are based on incomplete information, the outcome of projects has implications for its participants, judgements by agencies, scientists and technicians can be as biased as are those of politicians and interest groups. This paper discusses how sociopolitics influence forest pest management.
Accessibility in space and time: A theme in spatially integrated social science

The analysis of space and place has become an increasingly important component of social science research in the past two decades (Goodchild et al. 2000). This is mainly due to recent advances in spatial technologies (especially GIS), the availability of a massive amount of geocoded data, and the recognition that space can be a powerful integrating framework for social science disciplines. In light of the growing significance of space, location, and place in social science research, and based upon the vision that a spatial approach provides a compelling integrating framework for the social sciences, the Center for Spatially Integrated Social Science (CSISS) was established to develop unrestricted access to tools and perspectives that will advance the spatial analytic capabilities of researchers throughout the social sciences. 1 CSISS is funded by the National Science Foundation (USA) under its program of support for infrastructure in the social and behavioral sciences. It focuses on spatial analysis as an integrating force for the social sciences and seeks to achieve its goals through six interrelated programs: learning resources, workshops, best-practice publications, place-based search methodologies, software tools development, and a virtual community (e.g. Goodchild and Janelle 2003). These programs are informed by recent advances in spatial information science, and are designed to provide infrastructure to facilitate the national dissemination of spatial perspectives across the social science disciplines. The contributors of this special issue of the Journal of Geographical Systems were the instructors of the CSISS workshop on Accessibility in Space and Time: A GIS Approach, held at the Ohio State University in July 2002. As part of the CSISS program, the workshop is based upon the premise that concepts and methods for analyzing accessibility are essential for understanding many significant social, economic, and political issues (e.g., access to jobs, healthcare, transportation, and other public facilities for different 1 Details about CSISS programs and substantive collections of resources are available at
Nitrendipine Blocks the Nociceptive Effects of Chronically Administered Ethanol

Background Calcium channel blockers prevent the development of tolerance to ethanol and prevent seizures and other signs of ethanol withdrawal. Calcium channels may also mediate the development of tolerance to the antinociceptive effects of ethanol. Methods A radiant-heat tail-flick assay was used to assess the effects of nitrendipine, a dihydropyridine L-type calcium channel blocker, on ethanol-induced changes in nociception in rats. Chronic effects of ethanol were tested in four groups of rats, which received 10 days of exposure to a liquid diet. The groups received twice-daily injections of saline or nitrendipine (1, 5, or 10 mg/kg). Tail-flick latencies were measured on days 0 (baseline), 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 and at 12 hr after removal of the liquid diet. Results Chronic exposure to ethanol produced maximal levels of antinociception by day 4 of exposure. The observed level of antinociception gradually decreased to baseline levels by day 8. Marked decreases in tail-flick latencies below baseline (hyperalgesia) were observed during ethanol withdrawal. Repeated administration of nitrendipine blocked the antinociceptive effects of chronic ethanol and prevented the hyperalgesia produced by ethanol withdrawal. The highest dose of nitrendipine (10 mg/kg, twice daily) reduced consumption of the ethanol diet. Conclusions L-type calcium channel blockers block hyperalgesia during ethanol withdrawal and may mediate, at least in part, the antinociceptive effects of chronic ethanol.
Effect of hydrostatic pressure on morphogenesis in nerve‐free hydra

Tissue stretching was controlled in hydra which lack nerves by preventing the accumulation of osmotic fluid within the gastrocoelic cavity. Hydra lacking nerves (epithelial hydra) became highly distended and swollen during the course of regular daily culturing conditions. Animals that were kept deflated for several days lost some of the abnormal morphology characteristic of epithelial hydra. The hypostome became conical and the upper portion of the body column became constricted. These new, more normal characters persisted for two days after deflation was discontinued. After long term deflation, the mesolamella was thick and regions of peristaltic annulations were altered. Furthermore, animals failed to bud at normal rates or elongate when pressure, in the gastric cavity was continually low. Thus, hydrostatic pressure, arising from gastrocoelic fluid, affects the long term histological and morphogenetic organization of hydra tissue.
Psychotomimetics potentiate locomotor hyperactivity induced by dopaminergic drugs.

Abstract The spontaneous locomotor activity of rats was investigated in an open-field test. Apomorphine and d, 1-amphetamine caused a dose dependent increase of locomotor activity. LSD, mescaline, and DMT in low doses were ineffective, when given alone, but caused a strong potentiation of the hypermotility induced by apomorphine and d, 1-amphetamine. Cyproheptadine antagonized the potentiating effect of LSD without affecting the hypermotility induced by apomorphine, indicating a casal serotenergic involvement in the potentiation effect.
Results of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for unstable angina pectoris in patients 70 years of age and older

Abstract Between November 1980 and November 1985, 54 patients ages ≥70 years underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for unstable angina, defined as recent-onset (
Model adsorption potentials of rare gases on boron nitride.

Calculations are presented for the interaction of rare-gas atoms (Ar, Kr, Xe) on the (0001) surface of boron nitride. The interaction potential is constructed with use of a damped dipole and a quadrupole attractive part and a repulsive part derived from the effective-medium theory. Only one free parameter has been used to fit the constructed potential to experimental data available. We checked our procedure by calculating the second virial coefficient of the adsorbed atoms interacting with the surface of BN and the interaction potential for the same rare gases on graphite (0001). In both cases we find good agreement with experiments. Finally, we comment on the similarities between rare gases interacting with BN and with graphite and on how our model potential can be applied to other systems.
The Sociolinguistic Environment of a Bilingual School: A Case Study Introduction

Abstract Currently, much of the literature on school reform and renewal cites the need to look at reform from the level of the school as unit. Therefore, it is necessary to study programs such as bilingual programs in the context of the larger school environment in which they exist. The larger school context can greatly impact what goes on in bilingual classrooms within the school. This study reports the results of a case study of a school that labels itself as a “bilingual school”. The study examines and describes language use in bilingual classrooms in the school and language use in the larger school environment outside of the classroom. The study asserts that if bilingual programs are to be places where children truly become bilingual and biliterate, then the environment outside of the classroom must encourage and support the use of two languages with the same enthusiasm as the environment inside bilingual classrooms. Further, each language must have the same status outside the classroom in a bilingual...
Reduction of abscisic acid content and induction of sprouting in potato,Solanum tuberosum L., by thidiazuron

The effect of [(N-phenyl-N′-1,2,3-thidiazol-5-ylurea)] (thidazuron) on sprouting of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers and the role of ABA in bud break and subsequent bud growth were studied. Abscisic acid (ABA) was quantitated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) from the peel of potato tubers. The ELISA results were also validated by gas chromatography-electron capture detector and confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and by a lettuce hypocotyl bioassay. The degree of rest in the tubers was associated with ABA content in the peel. Basal portion (where tuber was attached to mother plant) contained the highest amount of ABA. Thidiazuron reduced ABA content and induced potato tuber sprouting. Exogenously applied ABA stimulated growth of buds that had emerged from dormancy.
Comparison of Different Upscaling Methods for Predicting Thermal Conductivity of Complex Heterogeneous Materials System: Application on Nuclear Waste Forms

To develop strategies for determining thermal conductivity based on the prediction of a complex heterogeneous materials system and loaded nuclear waste forms, the computational efficiency and accuracy of different upscaling methods has been evaluated. The effective thermal conductivity, obtained from microstructure information and local thermal conductivity of different components, is critical in predicting the life and performance of waste forms during storage. Several methods, including the Taylor model, Sachs model, self-consistent model, and statistical upscaling method, were developed and implemented. Microstructure-based finite-element method (FEM) prediction results were used to as a benchmark to determine the accuracy of the different upscaling methods. Micrographs from waste forms with varying waste loadings were used in the prediction of thermal conductivity in FEM and homogenization methods. Prediction results demonstrated that in term of efficiency, boundary models (e.g., Taylor model and Sachs model) are stronger than the self-consistent model, statistical upscaling method, and finite-element method. However, when balancing computational efficiency and accuracy, statistical upscaling is a useful method in predicting effective thermal conductivity for nuclear waste forms.
Pharmacological Regulation of SPARC by Lovastatin in Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells

Purpose Statins have been shown to increase aqueous outflow facility. The matricellular protein SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine) is a critical mediator of aqueous outflow and intraocular pressure (IOP). Here, we examine the effects of lovastatin on SPARC expression in trabecular meshwork (TM) cells, exploring the molecular mechanisms involved. Methods Primary cultured human TM cells were incubated for 24, 48, and 72 hours with 10 μM lovastatin. In separate cultures, media was supplemented with either farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) or geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) for the duration of the 72-hour time point experiment. Trabecular meshwork cells were also pretreated for 24 hours with lovastatin followed by 24-hour stimulation with 3 ng/mL TGF-β2. Cell lysates and media were harvested and relative mRNA and protein level changes were determined. Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) localization in normal human anterior segments was examined by immunofluorescence. Adenovirus expressing human KLF4 was used and relative changes in SPARC mRNA and protein levels were assessed. Results Incubating TM cells with lovastatin suppressed SPARC mRNA and protein levels. This effect was reversed upon media supplementation with GGPP but not FPP. Pretreating cells with lovastatin inhibited TGF-β2 induction of SPARC. The KLF4 transcription factor was expressed throughout the TM and the inner and outer walls of Schlemm's canal. Lovastatin treatment upregulated KLF4 mRNA and protein levels. Overexpression of KLF4 downregulated SPARC expression. Conclusions Collectively, our data identify lovastatin as an important pharmacological suppressor of SPARC expression in TM cells, and provide further insight into the molecular mechanisms mediating statin enhancement of aqueous outflow facility.
Stochastic frequency-domain tissue characterization: application to human spleens "in vivo'.

Abstract Ultrasonic waveforms backscattered from normal and pathologic human spleens were recorded in vivo using a high-speed digital data acquisition system. A frequency-domain analysis was performed for 50 digitized waveforms from each spleen, in which auto-correlations of frequency spectra were employed to measure the mean spacing among adjacent tissue scatterers. Mean scatterer spacing for normal spleens averaged 1.10 ± 0.14 mm, whereas abnormal, diffusely enlarged spleens had mean scatterer spacings averaging 1.52 ± 0.14 mm. The results of these measurements are in accord with those expected from splenic histology. The techniques described may be valuable in ultrasonic diagnosis of the spleen and other organs.
What “Intuitions” are Linguistic Evidence?

In “Intuitions in Linguistics” (2006a) and Ignorance of Language (2006b) I took it to be Chomskian orthodoxy that a speaker’s metalinguistic intuitions are provided by her linguistic competence. I argued against this view in favor of the alternative that the intuitions are empirical theory-laden central-processor responses to linguistic phenomena. The concern about these linguistic intuitions arises from their apparent role as evidence for a grammar. Mark Textor, “Devitt on the Epistemic Authority of Linguistic Intuitions” (2009), argues that I have picked the wrong intuitions: I should have picked non-judgmental linguistic “seemings”. These reside between metalinguistic judgments and linguistic performances and have an epistemic authority that the orthodox view may well be able to explain. Textor seems to think that the metalinguistic intuitions are not evidence at all. I argue that he is wrong about that. More importantly, I argue that there are no “in-between” linguistic seemings with epistemic authority.
A study of the fatigue-induced increase in skeletal muscle voltage in two age groups.

The voltage gain in human muscle under conditions of prolonged isometric contraction was measured in 24 subjects—12 “young normal” subjects whose ages ranged from 26 to 53 years, and 12 “normal over-65” subjects whose ages ranged from 66 to 78 years. In terms of rate of voltage increase and initial voltage, there was little or no difference between the two age groups. The mean percentage increase in voltage for the older group was about half that for the younger group. However, this was interpreted on the basis of about a 50 per cent reduction in contraction time for the older group. Skeletal muscle fatigue when the biceps brachii muscles were subjected to prolonged isometric contraction developed in the over-65 group in about the same manner (electrically) as in the young group. The only significant difference was the ability of the younger subjects to sustain the contraction about twice as long as did the older subjects.
Does Variable Rate Seeding of Corn Pay

Not all fields, nor even portions of fields, have the same economically optimal corn plant density. However, until the recent introduction of precision farming, producers could not benefit from these accepted intrafield differences. This field study was conducted on 170 cooperating farmer fields throughout the Midwestern U.S. Corn Belt between 1987 and 1996 and consisted of over 42 000 individual experimental units. At each location, corn (Zea mays L.) was overplanted and thinned to 44 000 to 104 000 plants ha -1 . The objective of our field research was to estimate the economic value, to the farmer, of variable rate seeding (VRS) as compared with uniform rate seeding (URS). We first estimated the correlation between field quality and economically optimal plant density. The economically optimal uniform plant density for the Midwest Corn Belt was 67 900 plants ha -1 . For every tonne per hectare increase in site quality, as measured by yield potential, the predicted value of the site-specific economically optimal plant density increased by approximately 1200 plants ha -1 . We compared differences in revenues minus seed costs on four simulated fields. The value of VRS, ignoring the costs of VRS equipment and services, ranged from $12.83 ha -1 for farmers with VRS technology and full information to $0.15 ha -1 for farmers with VRS technology but only partial information. Profitable implementation of VRS will require detailed and expensive information regarding site characteristics, production inputs, and stochastic factors. Therefore, VRS will remain economically infeasible for most commercial corn growers until the cost of obtaining such information decreases considerably.
Some Conceptual Problems with Critical Pedagogy

AbstractOne of the scholarly debates of the last decade has been about the discourses of pedagogy and pedagogy’s function in society. As a result, pedagogy has been critically theorized, conceptualized, and analyzed, resulting in a body of work that adheres to the importance of understanding the human subject in pedagogy. Liberatory pedagogies, particularly critical pedagogies, are concerned with students who traditionally have been marginalized in school. Using a blend of autobiography and criticism, this article examines the case of an often marginalized group, disabled students, and asks whether they are present in the texts of critical pedagogies. The article concludes with a discussion of the tensions between inclusive theory and inclusive practice and, finally, suggests the constraints under which inclusive practices operate.
Fourier transforming microwave impulses using low-cost analog circuits

In this paper, a low-cost analog circuit architecture to acquire the (complex-valued) spectrum of microwave impulses is designed. The proposed architecture consists of multiple channels to down-convert the input signal, each of which obtains a small portion of the input's spectrum. Overlapping bands are designated in between every two adjacent channels, so that multiple narrow-band outcomes can be accurately merged to construct the entire wide-band spectrum through post-processing. Our circuit is tested by input impulses with spectrum centered at 2.1 GHz. The input signal's spectrum (including both magnitude and phase) obtained by our circuit shows excellent agreement with the data measured by a 40-GHz oscilloscope.
Collaborative video playback on a federation of tiled mobile projectors enabled by visual feedback

Pico projectors are expected to become increasingly popular in the near future, in particular when embedded in mobile devices such as smart phones, portable media players and digital cameras. Consumers seeking more features and attracted to all in one portable devices, will find such integrated devices very appealing. However the resolution and the brightness provided by integrated mobile projectors are much lower than what standard projectors commonly offer. Our collaborative scheme based on our synchronization technique provides a means of increasing resolution and brightness for the video projected by such mobile devices, significantly enhancing the viewing experience for the user.In this paper, we present a collaborative video playback on mobile projectors, set out and managed only through visual feedback. More specifically we introduce a camera-based video synchronization algorithm that allows a federation of projection-enabled mobile devices to collaboratively present a full video stream that consists of multiple sub streams, each streamed to a different mobile device constituting the ensemble. Since the synchronization does not use any wireless network infrastructure, it is independent of network congestion and connectivity. We combined our synchronization method with existing distributed registration techniques to demonstrate a synchronized video playback for a collaborative federation of four projectors arranged in a 2 x 2 array. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that camera-based techniques have been used to mitigate network uncertainties to achieve accurate video synchronization across multiple devices.
Phialophora verrucosa infection in an AIDS patient

Phialophora verrucosa is one of several pathogenic dematiaceous fungi associated with chromomycosis and occasionally phaeohyphomycosis. Infection appears to be increasing in frequency in both immunocompromised and presumably healthy patients. Medical therapy is often difficult, and a wide variety of antifungal agents have been tried with varying degrees of success. We report a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and extensive cutaneous fungal infection due to Phialophora verrucosa. The disease failed to respond to ketoconazole, but regression of the lesions was obtained with itraconazole.
Modeling the space of camera response functions

Many vision applications require precise measurement of scene radiance. The function relating scene radiance to image intensity of an imaging system is called the camera response. We analyze the properties that all camera responses share. This allows us to find the constraints that any response function must satisfy. These constraints determine the theoretical space of all possible camera responses. We have collected a diverse database of real-world camera response functions (DoRF). Using this database, we show that real-world responses occupy a small part of the theoretical space of all possible responses. We combine the constraints from our theoretical space with the data from DoRF to create a low-parameter empirical model of response (EMoR). This response model allows us to accurately interpolate the complete response function of a camera from a small number of measurements obtained using a standard chart. We also show that the model can be used to accurately estimate the camera response from images of an arbitrary scene taken using different exposures. The DoRF database and the EMoR model can be downloaded at http://www.cs.columbia.edu/CAVE.
Calamity Jane: The Woman and the Legend. By James D. McLaird. (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 2005. Pp. xiii, 378. $29.95.)

At the conclusion of his magisterial work on the outlaw icon Martha Jane Canary, the result of ten years of research, James D. McLaird acknowledges that folklore and fantasy are more fascinating th...
Dysphagia Evaluation and Care in the Hospital Setting: The Need for Protocolization

Dysphagia accounts for a small portion of hospital admissions but is associated with severe complications. This has been shown to result in longer hospital length of stay and increased risk of mortality with certain other diagnoses. Although there has been much research on causes and interventions for dysphagia, there has been variable impact in actual hospital practice. Also, nonuniform approaches to evaluating patients, such as screening high-risk populations, makes it difficult to measure outcomes of care. This commentary advises a more systematic approach that includes standardized protocols, risk stratification, and screening high-risk patients; makes the case for broadening the classification of dysphagia; and suggests a growing role for adjunctive enteral nutrition in patients with some compromise to swallowing.
The Biometric Imaginary: Bureaucratic Technopolitics in Post-Apartheid Welfare

Starting in March 2012, the South African government engaged in a massive effort of citizen registration that continued for more than a year. Nearly 19 million social welfare beneficiaries enrolled in a novel biometric identification scheme that uses fingerprints and voice recognition to authenticate social grant recipients. This article seeks to understand the meaning of biometric technology in post-apartheid South African welfare through a study of the bureaucratic and policy elite's motivation. It argues that biometric technology was conceived of and implemented as the most recent in a series of institutional, infrastructural and policy reforms that seek to deliver welfare in a standardised and objective manner. This has, at times, been driven by a false faith in technical efficacy and has involved a playing down of the differential political implications of biometric welfare identification.
Amplitude Equation for a Dynamic Strain Aging Model: Beyond Linear Stability Analysis of Serrated Flow in Metallic Alloys

A method for construction of “processing windows” to avoid negative strain rate sensitivity and associated serrated flow in some aluminum alloys is described. The method is based on the amplitude Ginzburg-Landau (GL) equations and analysis of bifurcation diagrams. The mathematical technique developed in the present work was applied to a specific aluminum alloy, Al-0.4%Mg-0.2%Si considered earlier in the literature [1-3], and yielded good results in terms of predicting the negative strain rate sensitivity regions in the “strain rate “temperature” parameter space. Using the GL-analysis it was demonstrated that even though the instability area is located in the region of intermediate strain rates, a qualitative difference exists between the areas of (relatively) fast and (relatively) slow strain rates. In the first case the dynamic behavior of the system is supercritical, in the second case it is subcritical. The second case is highly undesirable because it causes a sudden onset of stable stress serrations that are difficult to suppress, while in the first case the development of instability is gradual and, consequently, more easily controllable.
Exploring Linkages between Dewey's Educational Philosophy and Industrial Reorganization

The paper begins by pointing out that Dewey in his preface to Democracy and Education (1916) stated that his goal was to show how his philosophy of education was related to experimentalist and evolutionary features of science, the growth of democracy and the need for industrial reorganization. The argument is made that Dewey's interest in the linkages between education and industrial reorganization has been among the least explored features of his work. The paper is organized around three topics: (1) an explication of Dewey's discontents with American industrialism and education, (2) an analysis of Dewey's thesis that science may be viewed as a mode of learning and a moral enterprise which may be linked to democratic values, (3) an account of how this way of viewing science was related to his arguments for a parallel reorganization of industry and education to support the values of democratic humanism. The paper explores Dewey's contention that the humanist potential of science as a model for human growth...
Accounting for Marketing Activities: Implications for Marketing Research and Practice

We review accounting principles related to the reporting of marketing activities and evaluate their implications for marketing research and practice. Based on our review, we argue that current accounting practices contribute significantly to the declining influence of marketing within organizations and the rise of myopic management. Financial reports misrepresent marketing contribution and impede its fair assessment. Changes to current marketing accounting practices are needed. Balance sheet recognition of all marketing-related intangibles emerged as the prevailing proposed solution. We, however, argue that balance sheet recognition of marketing intangibles will not remedy the situation. Instead, we advocate expanded mandatory disclosure of marketing-related activities and performance drivers. We advance specific propositions intended to enhance the quality of financial reporting and improve marketing management practice. We further call for specific research to help facilitate improvements in the financial reporting model as it pertains to marketing-related activities.
Impact of on-chip inductance when transitioning from Al to Cu based technology

How does on-chip inductance impact timing closure when transitioning from Al to Cu based technology? This paper presents some experimental results based on a Al-based 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS process and a Cu-based 0.13 /spl mu/m CMOS process. The results show that the impact of on-chip inductance is slightly more on the Cu-based 0.13 /spl mu/m process than on the Al-based 0.18 /spl mu/m process. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that on-chip inductance plays an insignificant role if we assume a perfect power supply network around the interconnect routes.
Functional transcranial brain imaging by optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy.

Optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy OR-PAM is applied to functional brain imaging in living mice. A near-diffraction-limited bright-field optical illumi- nation is employed to achieve micrometer lateral reso- lution, and a dual-wavelength measurement is utilized to extract the blood oxygenation information. The variation in hemoglobin oxygen saturation sO2 along vascular branching has been imaged in a precapillary arteriolar tree and a postcapillary venular tree, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on in vivo volu- metric imaging of brain microvascular morphology and oxygenation down to single capillaries through intact mouse skulls. It is anticipated that: i chronic imaging enabled by this minimally invasive procedure will ad- vance the study of cortical plasticity and neurological dis- eases; ii revealing the neuroactivity-dependent changes in hemoglobin concentration and oxygenation will facili- tate the understanding of neurovascular coupling at the capillary level; and iii combining functional OR-PAM and high-resolution blood flowmetry will have the poten- tial to explore cellular pathways of brain energy metabolism. © 2009 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. DOI: 10.1117/1.3194136
Pico-droplet dispensing control in digital microfluidic systems

Generating and manipulating pL to μL droplets reproducibly in droplet-based (digital) microfluidic chips requires advanced application of control systems. The most common approach of droplet dispensing controllers combines capacitance measurements with calculations of the optical footprint of the droplet on the chip. This technique does not provide the precision and accuracy required for many applications, and it is difficult to apply for wide range of conductive to nonconductive (insulating) liquids. This paper presents a novel technique for measuring the droplet volume using a model reference adaptive control technique. The controller can be used to dispense both conductive and nonconductive liquids. A model of the digital microfluidic system has been developed to control the droplet volume on the electrodes. Simulations of droplet dispensing volume control for conductive and nonconductive liquids demonstrate the method provides an accurate control approach.
Genotoxic properties of haloacetonitriles: Drinking water by-products of chlorine disinfection☆

Chlorinated and brominated haloacetonitriles (HAN), known drinking water contaminants which form during chlorine disinfection, were investigated for genotoxic activity. The HAN produced DNA strand breaks in cultured human lymphoblastic (CCRF-CEM) cells, bound to the nucleophilic trapping agent 4-(p-nitrobenzyl)pyridine and formed a covalent bond to polyadenylic acid in a cell-free reaction system. Thus, we have demonstrated that these chemicals are genotoxic, which would indicate a potential for carcinogenic activity and for human health hazard.
Diabetes mellitus and associated hypertension, vascular disease, and nephropathy : an update

Because considerable important information has been published since our previous review, this update concentrates on new findings with regard to cardiovascular and renal risk factors contributing to the striking morbidity and mortality of these coexisting diseases. For example, a large body of investigative data has recently emerged suggesting or delineating a pathogenic role for hyperglycemic-related glycosylation and oxidation of lipoproteins and vascular and renal tissues. Great strides have recently been made in the understanding of platelet, coagulation, lipoprotein, and endothelial abnormalities in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular and renal disease associated with diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Major progress has been made in clarifying the pathophysiology of glomerulosclerosis and other processes involved in the progression of diabetic nephropathy. Furthermore, accumulating data surveyed in this review address new and promising pharmacological interventions that specifically address these pathophysiological mechanisms.
Tumor Cell-Derived Periostin Regulates Cytokines That Maintain Breast Cancer Stem Cells.

Basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer which is often enriched with cancer stem cells (CSC), but the underlying molecular basis for this connection remains elusive. We hypothesized that BLBC cells are able to establish a niche permissive to the maintenance of CSCs and found that tumor cell-derived periostin (POSTN), a component of the extracellular matrix, as well as a corresponding cognate receptor, integrin αvβ3, are highly expressed in a subset of BLBC cell lines as well as in CSC-enriched populations. Furthermore, we demonstrated that an intact periostin–integrin β3 signaling axis is required for the maintenance of breast CSCs. POSTN activates the ERK signaling pathway and regulates NF-κB–mediated transcription of key cytokines, namely IL6 and IL8 , which in turn control downstream activation of STAT3. In summary, these findings suggest that BLBC cells have an innate ability to establish a microenvironmental niche supportive of CSCs. Implications: The findings reported here indicate that POSTN produced by CSCs acts to reinforce the stem cell state through the activation of integrin receptors and the production of key cytokines. Mol Cancer Res; 14(1); 103–13. ©2015 AACR . This article is featured in Highlights of This Issue, [p. 1][1] [1]: /lookup/volpage/14/1?iss=1
Significance of taurine conjugation of bile acid in the biliary excretion of bilirubin.

Almost all bile acids are conjugated with either taurine or glycine. The conjugates are more potent cholelogues than the unconjugated bile acids. Previously, we have confirmed that administration of taurine increased bile flow and biliary excretion of bile acids in rats with cholestasis induced by α-naphthylisothiocyanate6. Moreover, we found that administration of taurine shortened duration of jaundice in patients with acute hepatitis4. These results suggest a possibility that taurine may accelerate biliary excretion of bilirubin. In the present study, we investigated the effect of taurine on the biliary excretion of bilirubin in normal and mutant hyperbilirubinuric rats4.
Neuromuscular System and Jaw Deformities

The development of jaw deformities in the human provides some of the most challenging issues of cause and effect relationships between muscle and bone. Genetic factors provide the underlying control for the development of the craniomandibular region, but the neuromuscular system is intimately woven with the bone. While genetic factors effect the muscle and bone, these two tissues can also interact to effect eachother. The best experimental data supporting this concept is presented. Asymmetrical mandibles can be developed in the experimental animal models when bilateral jaw muscles become unequal in the force across the craniomandibular skeleton (e. g., lesioning many trigeminal motoneurons unilaterally). Mutations that prevent fetal jaw muscle development or impairing muscle contraction in the fetal stage alter the shape and size of the cranioskeleton including the mandible. Clinically, systemic muscular diseases that include the jaw muscles (e. g., masseter, temporalis) lead to significant increases in vertical facial development and the development of a severe retrognathic. Jaw muscles must develop sufficient periodic forces on the craniomandibular skeleton, particularly the dentoalveolar and condylar regions, to control growth of the mandible. The neuromuscular system effects a third property of the craniomandibular bone, the mineralization of the tissue. The pattern of cortical bone mineralization may prove to be one of the effective methods to assess the actual forces developed in the craniomandi-bular skeleton by the jaw muscles.
A three-year investigation on the HIV / syphilis serology and behavior of female sex workers in Yangzhou City

OBJECTIVE HIV/syphilis serology and behavioral features of female sex workers(SWs) offering entertainment or bathing services in the City of Yangzhou were studied for 3 years to assess the trend of development,so to provide a reference for further intervention.METHODS SW population within the same area was surveyed for 3 consecutive years.Blood samples of the surveyees were collected to determine the presence of HIV antibody and syphilis.The EpiData software was used to process the questionnaires and test results,and statistical analyses of the data were performed by using the χ2test of linear trends.RESULTS The numbers of surveyees during the 3 years were 172,142,and 100,respectively.Difference between the number of people who received health counseling and examination for over 3 times within the 3 years and the percentage of condom use in the last transactional sex was statistically significant(χ2= 53.12,P﹤0.05;χ2= 44.10,P﹤0.05).Increase in the number of syphilis ELISA-positive cases and in the number of people having multiple gynecological symptoms was observed.The percentages of syphilis(TRUST-positive) cases during the 3 years were 8.1%,11.4%,and 7.0%,respectively,with no statistical significance observed between the numbers.HIV antibody was not detected in any of the blood samples.CONCLUSION Among some of the SWs providing entertainment or bathing services in Yangzhou City,the percentage of condom use in the last transactional sex and the percentage of SWs receiving regular health counseling and examination is on the rise.Although the infection rate of HIV is low,syphilis infection rate has been high.Therefore,reinforcing effective interventive measures to control the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases(STDs) is advised.
Phytotherapy for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

The use of complementary and alternative medications for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia is a lucrative business in the USA with revenues reaching close to US$6.4 billion in sales for the 2014 fiscal year. Yet, despite its popularity, the evidence supporting the continued use of phytotherapy for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is questionable and a topic worth investigation given its wide spread use. A comprehensive literature search utilizing Medline and PubMed was conducted to identify literature pertaining to phytotherapy for the management of BPH. Agents with at least modest clinical data were selected for in-depth review including Seronoa repens, Pygeum africanum, Secale cereale, and Hypoxis rooperi. Early clinical trials for each of the agents demonstrated mixed efficacy results with many studies pointing to a possible benefit for phytotherapy. On further examination of these studies, significant confounders such as poor product standardization, study design, and follow-up duration were identified. More recent, larger and more soundly constructed studies found no significant benefit for the use of phytotherapy in the treatment of BPH. Twenty years ago, the urologic community was encouraged by trial results that suggested phytotherapy could effectively treat symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. Since that time, several well-constructed studies have consistently demonstrated that these agents are no more efficacious than placebo, despite being largely safe for ingestion.
Meet Joe Copper: Masculinity and Race on Montana’s World War II Home Front . By Matthew L. Basso.

Meet Joe Copper: Masculinity and Race on Montana’s World War II Home Front . By Matthew L. Basso. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013. xiii + 360 pp. Illustrations, notes, bibliographic notes, index. $90.00, cloth; $30.00, paper.) The copper mining and smelting communities of Montana were among the most vital war production centers but also bastions of white male independence. How did patriotic demands reshape masculinity? Deeply researched and engagingly written, Meet Joe Copper wrestles with this question and the continuities of particular gender identities. Contrary to the popular notion that “the greatest generation” obliterated the dominant Depression-era, blue-collar ideal of manliness, Matthew L. Basso argues that home front industrial workers maintained much of their gender identity in the face of wartime demands for obedience to production … kfoneswo{at}wvu.edu
Window-conflicts in the Ottoman Empire and Turkey: visual privacy, materiality and right to the city

ABSTRACTThis article focuses on the visual privacy rights as practised in the urban settings in the late Ottoman Empire (1850–70) and in contemporary Turkey (1980–2010). The analysis draws on the detailed examination of the legal conflicts on the overlooking windows between neighbouring houses in both periods. A hundred legal cases from the Ottoman context and 35 parallel cases from the last decades in Turkey were covered to understand the everyday practices of visual privacy and to compare them with the official privacy rules in the Ottoman and Republican contexts. First, the cases suggest that even today many citizens, including some lower court judges, confidently defend the urban right to be unseen from the neighbour's window despite the contrary decisions of the Supreme Court. Second, the in-depth analysis of the window-conflicts showed that the radical separation of the material world from the human world in both Islamic law and the Republican Civil Law was challenged by popular claims to visual pri...
Book review - Philosophy in schools: An introduction for philosophers and teachers

Philosophy in Schools: An introduction for philosophers and teachers edited by Sara Goering, Nicholas J Shudak and Thomas E Wartenberg (2013). (Routledge Studies in Contemporary Philosophy) Taylor & Francis, New York, NY. ISBN: 9780415640633. The edited collection Philosophy in Schools: An introduction for philosophers and teachers is exactly that; an introduction to the central ideas of the Philosophy in Schools movement, with tips and strategies as to how to implement Philosophy for Children (P4C) in your classroom or educational space. With 25 chapters, this handy edition includes the writings of 31 academics and well known practitioners of P4C worldwide. While all the voices contributing to this volume are positive and optimistic as they exalt the benefits of P4C, the diversity comes in the form of the various ways in which the numerous authors have practiced philosophy with participants of different ages, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. There is a mix of theory and pedagogy, with a focus on the pragmatic reality of doing philosophy with young people.
Analyses and simulations for Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering the implementation of the Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS) in the National Airspace System (NAS). AeroMACS networks will provide high-data-rate communications in the airport environment in support of Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) operations.
EURIPIDES' ALCESTIS AND THE APOLLONIUS ROMANCE

In 1924 The Classical Quarterly published a note by Alexander Haggerty Krappe titled ‘Euripides’ Alcmaeon and the Apollonius Romance’. Drawing attention to the obscure origins of the ancient Greek and Roman novels in general and pointing out the scholarly agreement on the role love plays in both the ancient novels and Euripidean tragedy, Krappe observed that ‘Euripides was drawn upon for whole episodes in order to enrich the plot of the [ancient] novel’. Krappe then goes on in his note to attribute the plot of Euripides' lost Alcmaeon as a source of inspiration for one of the major episodes of the Historia Apollonii Regis Tyri (to wit, the separation and reunion of Apollonius and his daughter, Tarsia). Today, this reliance of the ancient novels on Euripides is generally recognized, but, curiously, Krappe, while identifying an episode from the lost Alcmaeon, failed to identify a clear plot-borrowing from another extant Euripidean play, the Alcestis.
An Asynchronous 2D-Torus Network-on-Chip Using Adaptive Routing Algorithm

An asynchronous 2D-Torus Network-on-Chip (ATNoC) design based on System Verilog is implemented in this paper. A dynamic asynchronous XY routing algorithm DA-XY is proposed and designed as an Intellectual Property (IP) core and embedded to the ATNoC. Asynchronous circuit design methodology is used to design each routing node which could be divided into the following components, that is, receiving module, Hamming decoding module, routing analysis module, splitting module, arbiter module, Hamming encoding module and sending module. A test platform is built to analyze the function and the performance of the asynchronous NoC. The test result shows that the asynchronous NoC could support self-adaptive routing, multi-directional communication, and parallel multi-channel communications.
Impact of Room Supply Register Location on Predicted Thermal Comfort and IAQ

For residential forced air heating and cooling systems conventional thinking is that air supply registers should be located under exterior windows. There were good reasons for this in the past (pri...