cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New Perspectives in Monitoring Lung Inflammation : Analysis of Exhaled Breath Condensate

Exhaled Breath Condensate: A New Approach to Monitoring Lung Inflammation, Peter J. Barnes Analysis of Exhaled Breath Condensate: Methodological Issues, Paolo Montuschi Exhaled Breath Condensate: Formation and Physicochemical Properties, Richard M. Effros Isoprostanes, Prostanoids, and Leukotrienes in Exhaled Breath Condensate, Paolo Montuschi Hydrogen Peroxide in Exhaled Breath Condensate, Wendy J.C. van Beurden and Richard Dekhuijzen Measurement of Exhaled Breath Condensate pH: Implications for Pathophysiology and Monitoring of Inflammatory Airway Diseases, Benjamin Gaston and John F Hunt Nitric Oxide-Derived Products in Exhaled Breath Condensate, Sergei A. Kharitonov Analysis of Exhaled Breath Condensate in Children, Rijn Jobsis and Philippe P.R. Rosias Exhaled Breath Condensate: Comparisons with Other Methods for Assessing Lund Inflammation, Philip Silkoff and Christopher A. Bates Analysis of Exhaled Breath Condensate: Potential Implications for Diagnosis and Therapy of Lung Diseases, Umur Hatipoglu and Israel Rubinstein Analysis of Exhaled Breath Condensate: Directions for Future Research, Jon L. Freels and Richard A. Robbins The Role of Leukotrienes and Prostonoids in Airway Inflammation, James R. Sheller, R. Stokes Peebles, and Ryszard Dworski Neurogenic Inflammation in the Airways, Guy Joos, Katelijne O. de Swert, and Romain A. Pauwels The Role of Cytokines and Chemokines in Airway Inflammation, Louise Donnelly and Suzanne Traves
Categories of algebraic contexts equivalent to idempotent semirings and domain semirings

A categorical equivalence between algebraic contexts with relational morphisms and join-semilattices with homomorphisms is presented and extended to idempotent semirings and domain semirings. These contexts are the Kripke structures for idempotent semirings and allow more efficient computations on finite models because they can be logarithmically smaller than the original semiring. Some examples and constructions such as matrix semirings are also considered.
Sphincteroplasty for Pancreas Divisum

Strong: recurrent episodes of documented acute pancreatitis (typical pain, increased serum amylase) in patients with congenital pancreas divisum or other variants of a dominant dorsal duct (absent duct of Wirsung, filamentous communication to duct of Wirsung).
Introduction: The scientific study of human consciousness in psychobiological perspective

Only within the past decade has the subject of consciousness been reestablished as a legitimate area of central concern in the behavioral sciences, following its virtual disappearance from the literature during the strongly behaviorist era of the 1950s and early 60s. A number of factors can be identified which helped to usher in the new Zeitgeist out of which the present volume has emerged. These include new developments in the area of species-specific learning which have called certain behavioral principles into serious question; the growth of the developmental-maturational perspective; perceptual research which substantiated constructivist concepts; and contemporary work in the general area of self-regulation which indicated that changes in certain physiological parameters can have significant behavioral consequences. A more detailed discussion of each of these factors can be found in the chapter by R. J. Davidson. However, it should be noted here that what was of major significance in all of these advances was a refocusing of scientific attention on processes within the organism which significantly modulate both its perception of and response to the environment.
Did Russell Advocate Preventive Atomic War against the USSR

Russell's statements in the immediate post-World War II period about war with the Soviet Union have generated considerable controversy. Some commentators interpret his declarations as if he advocated a preventive war against the Soviet Union. To the contrary, Russell advanced a strategy of conditional threat of war with the aim not of provoking war, but of preventing it. However, Russell was unable to satisfy his critics. Despite initial accuracy in his restatements of what he had originally said, Russell erred in later affirmations, lending credence to the erroneous view that he had something to hide.
Abstract PL02-04: Decoding patient genomes through the hierarchical pathway architecture of the cancer cell

Although cancer is governed by complex molecular systems, the composition and modular organization of these systems remains poorly understood. I will describe efforts by the Cancer Cell Map Initiative (CCMI) to generate large protein interaction maps of tumor cells, which we are integrating with existing molecular and structural data to assemble a comprehensive multiscale map of cancer cell biology. The current draft map contains a hierarchy of ~250 systems covering both known hallmarks and unexpected components. Integration with tumor mutation profiles suggests that the modules under strongest selective pressure in cancer are often not genes, but extend upwards in scale to include protein complexes, broad cellular processes, and organelles. This observation suggests a classification of cancer based on convergence of mutations at key bottlenecks in the hierarchy of cellular systems. Citation Format: Trey Ideker. Decoding patient genomes through the hierarchical pathway architecture of the cancer cell [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr PL02-04.
Utility of Rapid On-Site Cytologic Evaluation during Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration in Malignant and Nonmalignant Disease.

Background Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is an accurate procedure to sample mediastinal tissue. Rapid on-site cytologic evaluation (ROSE) has been advocated to improve the performance of this procedure, but its benefit remains controversial. Our objective is to assess the utility of ROSE for EBUS-TBNA diagnostic accuracy among unselected patients. Methods We prospectively collected data from all consecutive EBUS-TBNA procedures performed between 2008 and 2014. ROSE was introduced since 2011 in our daily practice. The accuracy of EBUS-TBNA with and without ROSE was compared in a univariate and multivariate model accounting for confounding factors. The impact of ROSE was then analyzed according to the etiology and size of the lesions. Results Among 348 EBUS-TBNA procedures analyzed, 213 were performed with ROSE. The overall accuracy tended to be better with ROSE than without (90.6 vs. 84.4%; p = 0.082). After adjustment in a multivariate model, the benefit of ROSE still did not reach statistical significance (adjusted odds ratio 1.86; 95% confidence interval 0.79-4.41). Similar results were obtained in subgroups of patients with malignant disease or sarcoidosis. The size of the lesion did not influence the impact of ROSE on accuracy. Conclusions ROSE was associated with a moderate increase in the accuracy of EBUS-TBNA, but the difference was not statistically significant. The same effect of ROSE was observed in malignant and nonmalignant lesions and this effect was not influenced by the lesion's size.
Inflammatory and other breast cancer incidence rate trends by estrogen receptor status in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (2001–2015)

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) rates increased in the United States before the turn of the twenty-first century. We examine trends by estrogen receptor (ER) status since then. Using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program for years 2001–2015, we calculated age-adjusted incidence rates for IBC (defined by AJCC TNM category T4d, extent of disease codes, and morphology code 8530) by ER status, which was imputed if unknown, among women aged 25–84 years. For comparison, we included other locally advanced breast cancer and other breast cancers partitioned into localized and regional/distant/unstaged. We fit joinpoint log-linear models to annual rates to calculate annual percentage change (APC) and average annual percentage change (AAPC). The rate of increase in ER+ IBC rates among women aged 25–44 (AAPC = 0.5) was similar to other advanced tumor types, but declines among women aged 45–84 (AAPC = − 2.2) were more rapid. Declines in ER− IBC rates for women aged 25–84 (AAPC = − 3.7) were more rapid than for other tumor types. Our results show a reversal of the rising rates of IBC overall reported at the end of the twentieth century. Direction of trends for IBC is consistent with other breast cancer types, except for ER+ localized breast cancer in older women. Decreasing parity and rising prevalence of older age at first birth may contribute to declining rates of ER− IBC. Otherwise, patterns of changing risk factors are inconsistent with the trends we observed. Further studies of IBC are necessary to identify additional risk factors and possible preventive strategies.
Toward Microwave-to-Optical Conversion using Erbium Doped Crystals and Integrated Resonators

We present progress towards a bidirectional coherent microwave-to-optical photon converter using an ensemble of rare-earth ions coupled to integrated photonic and microwave resonators. © 2019 The Author(s)
Approaches for In Situ Monitoring of Matrix Development in Hydrogel-Based Engineered Cartilage.

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy using a fiber optic probe shows great promise for the nondestructive in situ monitoring of tissue engineered construct development; however, the NIR evaluation of m...
Innate and Acquired Resistance to Anti-EGFR Therapy—Letter

I read with great interest the recent article by Parseghian and colleagues ([1][1]), presenting a review of the mechanisms underlying the innate and acquired resistance to anti-EGFR therapy. This “in-depth review” of the resistance mechanisms, however, does not include the possible host antibody
Disrupting the disruptors: the consequences of mutations in mobile elements for ecologically important life history traits

Transposable elements are a nearly ubiquitous component of eukaryotic genomes. While often described as parasitic genetic elements, other evidence suggests that transposable elements can become domesticated and contribute to organismal function. There is little empirical data on the positive or negative contribution of transposable elements to organismal traits. We hypothesized that mutations in transposable element genes would have less deleterious effects than mutations in other plant genes. We conducted an assay of phenotypes associated with growth and reproduction in a collection of insertion mutation lines in Arabidopsis thaliana that disrupted the sequence of a transposable element gene. The transposable element loci were from locations dispersed across the genome, and included loci from several element families. Overall, we found that mutants in transposable element genes were similar to mutants in other types of loci for the measured traits, in most cases with a distribution of effects centered on life history trait values of wild-type plants critical to population ecology processes. If transposable elements are predominantly parasitic, their deleterious effects were not uncovered by these disruptive mutations. Further characterization of the positive, negative or neutral contribution of transposable element sequences would address unresolved questions about the contribution of transposition and selection to genome evolution.
Analyzing the Composition of Diabetes Patients and Impact of Seasonal and Climate Trends on Emergency Room Utilization in Central Virginia

Diabetes is an epidemic both nationally and in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and there are gaps in understanding of what demographic groups are most impacted by diabetes and how these patients utilize the emergency room. It is also known that diabetes patients are more likely to experience dehydration at high temperatures, which could potentially lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. However, there is limited research on the effect of climate on the number or proportion of diabetes patients presenting to the emergency room. The main objective of this project will be to examine trends in emergency room utilization for patients with diabetes in Virginia, specifically targeting seasonal and climate trends, giving emphasis to exploring trends during heat and cold waves.
EBUS vs. Mediastinoscopy for Initial Pathologic Mediastinal Staging in NSCLC

Accurate lung cancer staging is essential for proper selection of treatment, estimation of prognosis and avoidance of unnecessary surgeries. This chapter summarizes the existing guidelines and the landmark articles for invasive techniques used for initial pathologic mediastinal staging of patients with lung cancer. Based on the currently available published literature, we recommend: (1) EBUS-TBNA over mediastinoscopy for pre-operative mediastinal staging because of its higher accuracy and better safety profile; (2) EBUS-TBNA over mediastinoscopy for patients with CT-PET normal mediastinum and primary tumor larger than 3 cm, central tumors or cN1 disease to detect occult N2/N3 disease; and (3) EBUS-TBNA for sampling hilar and interlobar N1 nodes for non-surgical patients evaluated for stereotactic body radiotherapy or those considered for neoadjuvant therapy in the presence of multiple N1 disease.
Peripartum management of a patient with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is a potentially lethal cardiac channelopathy characterized by episodes of ventricular tachycardia (VT) during exercise or in stressful situations. As the peripartum period creates a stressful environment, we describe our approach of this rare condition in a very common situation, child birth.
Familiarity-related filler items enhance the RT CIT, but not the P300 CIT: Episodic vs. Semantic memory protocols

Abstract The reaction time-based concealed information test (RT CIT) typically uses three types of stimuli: 1) probe (i.e., crime-related item), 2) irrelevant (i.e., crime-unrelated item) and 3) target (i.e., an irrelevant item assigned a unique response so as to ensure attention to the test). Lukacs, et al., (2017) introduced familiarity-related filler items to the RT CIT, enhancing the efficacy of the test for both single and multiple probe (per block) protocols. Our study aims to A) replicate the effects of familiarity-related filler items on the RT CIT, B) use P300 to investigate the mechanisms of the fillers-related enhancement effect on the RT CIT, C) investigate whether these fillers can enhance the efficacy of the typical P300-based CIT, and D) explore the effects of fillers on the semantic and episodic versions of the P300 and RT CITs. We replicated a clear fillers-related enhancement of the RT CIT (N = 38 for Fillers, N = 37 for No Fillers). Semantic and Episodic experiments were enhanced equally-well by filler items. No effect of fillers was observed on P300 amplitude for CIT stimuli, however, an interaction involving P300 latency suggests that fillers facilitated the processing of Semantic information over Episodic information. Our study independently replicates a valuable improvement of the traditional RT CIT, investigates the potential mechanisms of this enhancement effect, and demonstrates important differences between the P300 and RT CITs.
An operational Framework for Entry Strategy in the Multinational Marketing system

This paper presents an operational framework for formulating strategies in the multinational marketing system. Using a portfolio perspective, the framework proposed here is a decision sensitive middle ground framework between two polarized approaches: 1) the highly subjective approach, and 2) the highly structured optimization approach. It includes a strategic option model, a decision making model, and a decision support system. In a tutorial fashion, the paper synthesizes past research and outlines directions for future conceptual and empirical progress.
Diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes

This chapter describes the approaches in making the diagnosis of T1D. Specifically, variations in the world-wide frequency of T1D, genetic factors associated with the development of T1D, and the risk of T1D in first-degree relatives are discussed. Hyperglycemia leads to symptoms of polyuria and polydipsia, which often rapidly lead to diabetic ketoacidosis. Children <10 years of age and non-obese adolescents typically present with T1D, whereas screening of multiple pancreatic autoantibodies is often required to distinguish T1D from T2D in obese and overweight adolescents with new onset diabetes.
The role of distinct executive functions on adaptive behavior in children and adolescents with Down syndrome

Difficulties in executive function are a relatively well-characterized feature of the neuropsychological profile in Down syndrome (DS), yet the impact of these challenges on aspects of daily functi...
In Memoriam: Irving L. Goldberg Memorial

Capturing the spirit of a man in language is an elusive goal. We cannot communicate a portrait. At best, we can only evoke, draw from our memory, our own sense of Irving L. Goldberg, the man, lawyer, and jurist, of which Goldberg the husband, father, and mentor were inseparable parts. In his years of private practice, Judge Goldberg was active throughout Dallas, Texas, in public causes, including an abiding interest in Democratic politics. He had a devotion to individual worth forged somewhere in the mind of a Jewish lad in South Texas in the early part of the nineteenth century. Even from these barren facts of the past, a composite of traits we call character is evident: tenacity, an agile mind, a love of family, a reverence for God and country, and an ability to be loyal and to inspire loyalty. Judge Goldberg was a teacher, and his lessons were the most potent kind: teaching by example. His most cutting lesson was intellectual honesty. Because being true to one’s self requires self-knowledge, his lessons required an inward look. He knew who he was and what he believed, and did not need to borrow from others his own identity. Each of us can only hope that in the brief time given, we can in some small way leave a fingerprint on the pages of history; to have it said that he lived, he died, he was a judge, and have that mean something. With Irving L. Goldberg, it does.
Zero Power Crop Water-Stress Detector Based on a Micromechanical Photoswitch Monitoring Leaf Transmittance Change

This paper reports on the first micromechanical photoswitch (MP) capable of detecting water-stress in a plant by monitoring its leaf's infrared transmittance change without consuming any electrical power in standby. The detection mechanism relies on the dependence of shortwave infrared (SWIR) transmittance on the leaf water relative content (RWC): lower the RWC, higher the transmitted IR power through the leaf. The detector selectively harvests this transmitted SWIR radiation to detect the water stress and generate a digitized output-bit. To achieve this, the proposed detector employs an MP with an integrated high-efficiency narrowband IR plasmonic absorber ( $\eta\sim 93\%$ , bandwidth ∼10%) matched to one of the water's spectral absorption bands ( $\lambda=1.47\mu m$ ). Here, we show that the MP can be tuned to detect different levels of water stress (RWC from 88% to 55%) by varying the applied bias voltage (between 5.91V and 5.76V), while keeping it dormant with zero-power consumption when the plant is healthy/non-water stressed.
Evaluation of extreme weather impacts on utility-scale photovoltaic plant performance in the United States

Abstract The global energy system is undergoing significant changes, including a shift in energy generating technologies to more renewable energy sources. However, the dependence of renewable energy sources on local environmental conditions could also increase disruptions in service through exposures to compound, extreme weather events. By fusing three diverse datasets (operations and maintenance tickets, weather data, and production data), this analysis presents a novel methodology to identify and evaluate performance impacts arising from extreme weather events across diverse geographical regions. Text analysis of maintenance tickets identified snow, hurricanes, and storms as the leading extreme weather events affecting photovoltaic plants in the United States. Statistical techniques and machine learning were then implemented to identify the magnitude and variability of these extreme weather impacts on site performance. Impacts varied between event and non-event days, with snow events causing the greatest reductions in performance (54.5%), followed by hurricanes (12.6%) and storms (1.1%). Machine learning analysis identified key features in determining if a day is categorized as low performing, such as low irradiance, geographic location, weather features, and site size. This analysis improves our understanding of compound, extreme weather event impacts on photovoltaic systems. These insights can inform planning activities, especially as renewable energy continues to expand into new geographic and climatic regions around the world.
Generation of AAVS1 integrated doxycycline-inducible CRISPR-Prime Editor human induced pluripotent stem cell line

Abstract Prime editing uses the Cas9 nickase fused to a reverse transcriptase to copy a DNA sequence into a specific locus from a ‘prime editing’ guide RNA (pegRNA), eliminating the need for double-stranded DNA breaks and donor DNA templates. To facilitate prime editing in human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), we integrated a doxycycline-inducible Prime Editor protein (PE2) into the AAVS1 genomic safe harbor locus. Prime editing of iPSCs resulted in precise insertion of three nucleotides in HEK3 locus with high efficiency, demonstrating the utility of this approach. This engineered cell line can be used to edit a single or multiple genomic loci by introducing a target-specific (pegRNA) for precise and effective genome editing to facilitate disease modeling and functional genetics studies.
Tupaia glis (Tree shrew)

Most biarmed chromosomes are morphologically distinct. Among the acrocentrics, one pair is outstandingly large. Some small ones have secondary constrictions. One or two pairs of the small acrocentrics may have a short second arm; thus they may be regarded as small subtelocentric.
Optimum Conditions for Examination of Documents Using an Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA) Device to Visualize Indented Writings

This study indicated that preconditioning a document in a humidity chamber maintained at 40 to 60% provided the most information from indented writings. It further indicated that aerosol application of the toner provided more information than cascade application. This study also indicated that electrostatic detection apparatus (ESDA) examination for indented writing has no deleterious effect on subsequent latent fingerprint development.
Coordinating Distributed Objects with Declarative Interfaces

This paper presents an architecture that supports coordination among loosely coupled distributed objects. The architecture has two components: objects that provide a declarative specification of their interface, and system programs that reason with these specifications to provide sophisticated interoperation services. Traditional object-oriented interoperation technologies rely on procedural interface specifications, which do not address the semantics of the operations supported by the object. In addition, traditional approaches provide limited support for automatic interoperation in a dynamic environment. For instance, a resource that is available at compile time may not be available at runtime, or a better resource may become available at runtime. Interoperation based on machine-processable specification of object interfaces reduces the coupling (interdependence) between a client and server, and also shifts the burden of coordination from the programmer to the system.
Investigation of the Noncondensable Effect and the Operational Modes of the Passive Condenser System

An experimental study is performed to investigate the effect of noncondensable gas in a passive condenser system. A vertical condenser tube is submerged in a water pool where the heat transferred from the condenser tube is removed through boiling. Data are obtained for three operational modes of the passive condenser. Degradation of the condensation with noncondensable gas is investigated. The condensation heat transfer rate is enhanced by increasing the inlet steam flow rate and the system pressure. For the condenser submerged in a saturated water pool, strong primary pressure dependency is observed. A boundary layer-based condensation model and a simple condensation model with the interfacial friction factor correlation are developed. The model predictions are compared with the pure steam data, and the agreement is satisfactory.
Coenzyme Interactions: VII. PROTON MAGNETIC RESONANCE STUDIES OF COMPLEXES OF THIAMINE PYROPHOSPHATE WITH DIVALENT CATIONS

Abstract Addition of Ni2+ to solutions of thiamine pyrophosphate causes shifting and broadening of the proton magnetic resonance signals of the thiamine moiety. The effect of variations of pH and temperature on these changes has been studied. The results indicate an interaction of the metal ion with both the pyrophosphate group and the N-1' atom of the pyrimidine ring. The shift-to-broadening ratio of the signal of the pyrimidine C-6' hydrogen, the ratio of broadening of the signals of the C-2' methyl group and the C-6' hydrogen, and examination of models all suggests that, as in Ni2+-ATP, the ring nitrogen is not a first sphere ligand of the metal ion, but that the interaction probably occurs by a hydrogen bond involving a molecule of water in the first coordination sphere. Unlike the ATP case, with thiamine pyrophosphate there is a strong temperature dependence of the broadening of the C-6' hydrogen signal; this suggests that there is an equilibrium involving "folded" and "unfolded" forms, with the unfolded structure predominating.
Accounting for conducting inclusion permeability in the microwave regime in a modified generalized effective medium theory

We standardize the approach to predict composite permeability, μeff, to determine the reflection (R), transmission (T), and absorption (A) using the generalized effective medium theory. For stainless steel (SS) spheres and fibers, we calculate the inclusion permeability based on the effective susceptibility generated by eddy currents in a time-varying magnetic field. This gives reasonable agreement with measured μeff when used in the Bruggeman theory and agreement with R, T, and A within 10%. For SS flakes, we fit the imaginary component of μeff to a single-peak Lorentzian for each loading and use typical fitting parameters to predict eff and, ultimately, R, T, and A within 5%. The fitting exponent t was constant for all frequencies for a given inclusion shape (4.7, 1.6, and 1.7 for spheres, fibers, and flakes, respectively) and Ax typically varied with inverse volume loading rather than percolation threshold. Interestingly, at percolation for the fibers, Ax approached a constant that approximately equaled the observed percolation threshold.
An Approach to Loop Transfer Recovery using Eigenstructure Assignment

One method of model-based compensator design for linear multivariable systems consists of state-feedback design and observer design [1]. A key step in recent work in multivariable synthesis involves selecting an observer gain so the final loop-transfer function is the same a the state-feedback loop-transfer function [4], [6]. This is called Loop-Transfer Recovery (LTR). This paper shows how identification of the eigenstructure of the compensators that achieve LTR makes possible a design procedure for observer gain [15]. This procedure is based on the eigenstructure assignment of the observers. The sufficient condition for LTR and the stability of the closed-loop system is that the plant be minimum-phase. The limitation of this method might arise when the plant has multiple transmission zeros.
Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Inhibits Activation of Caspases that Cleave Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase and Lamins during Fas- and Ceramide-mediated Apoptosis in Jurkat T Lymphocytes

Ceramide, a sphingolipid generated by the hydrolysis of membrane-associated sphingomyelin, appears to play a role as a gauge of apoptosis. A further metabolite of ceramide, sphingosine 1-phosphate (SPP), prevents ceramide-mediated apoptosis, and it has been suggested that the balance between intracellular ceramide and SPP levels may determine the cell fate (Cuvillier, O., Pirianov, G, Kleuser, B., Vanek, P. G., Coso, O. A., Gutkind, J. S., and Spiegel, S. (1996) Nature 381, 800–803). Here, we investigated the role of SPP and the protein kinase C activator, phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), in the caspase cascade leading to the proteolysis of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and lamins. In Jurkat T cells, Fas ligation or addition of exogenous C2-ceramide induced activations of caspase-3/CPP32 and caspase-7/Mch3 followed by PARP cleavage, effects that can be blocked either by SPP or TPA. Furthermore, both SPP and TPA inhibit the activation of caspase-6/Mch2 and subsequent lamin B cleavage. Ceramide, in contrast to Fas ligation, did not induce activation of caspase-8/FLICE and neither SPP nor TPA were able to prevent this activation. Thus, SPP, likely generated via protein kinase C-mediated activation of sphingosine kinase, suppresses the apoptotic pathway downstream of FLICE but upstream of the executioner caspases, caspase-3, -6, and -7.
Nanoscale view of shock-wave splitting in diamond

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of shock wave propagation in the 〈110〉 crystallographic direction of diamond were carried out using a reactive empirical bond order potential. A split two-wave shock structure due to a lattice transformation is observed above a piston velocity threshold of up ≈ 1.8 km/s corresponding to the Hugoniot elastic limit of 125 ± 15 GPa. This transition is triggered while the temperature increase in the leading shock remains negligibly small in comparison to the melting temperature of diamond and is limited to moderate shock strengths.
The correlation between the superconducting critical temperature and the number of stable isotopes among superconducting elements

Abstract The correlation between the superconducting critical temperature and the number of stable isotopes among superconducting elements has been examined with respect to the simple empirical observations of nuclear stability and the general predictions of the BCS theory. Whereas this correlation does express a causal relationship, this relationship is merely the requirement that the number of electrons equals the number of protons in neutral atoms. The observed covariance is the result of increased nuclear stability at even atomic number and the decrease in the electron density of states at the Fermi level caused by an even number of electrons filling a Brillouin zone.
Dissemination of microbial contaminants from house flies electrocuted by five insect light traps

Five insect light traps were tested for their ability to produce microbial contamination by house fly electrocution. Four traps use high voltage to kill or maim flies: Gardner®, model AG61; Fly Magnet®, Ecolab model 1890; Don Gilbert® Industries, Model 220; and Insect‐O‐Cutor®, model 2489DGA Sentinel. The fifth trap, Micro Gen Vector® system, model 2000, disorients flies with a low voltage, electrical pulse, causing the flies to be trapped on an adhesive board. The traps were suspended in a closed plexiglass chamber and flies introduced directly to the electric grid. Ballistic microbes, quickly setting microbial agents that may be associated with insect debris, were sampled by placing petri dishes containing nonselective nutrient agar beneath the traps and monitoring microbial growth. Microbial aerosols, air suspended microbes, were monitored using an Andersen, six‐stage, microbial particle sizing sampler. In both the ballistic microbe and microbial aerosol experiments, the four high voltage light traps g...
Winter clouds over the North Martian Polar Cap

The Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) experiment, carried on the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft, has observed echoes from cloud tops on roughly 2.5% of the total data taken above 70°N over the northern winter Martian polar hood from March to June 1998. Sloping wavefronts are commonly seen at latitudes above 70°N, implying the presence of propagating buoyancy waves. Since these wavefronts frequently extend from the surface up to 10 km at a time when CO2 is known to be condensing on the polar surface, it seems likely that the laser-scattering particles consist primarily of CO2 ice, and that the near-surface temperature lapse rate is 0.85 K km−1, set by the vapor pressure of dry ice. From the observed wavelengths, where available, we have calculated the corresponding phase velocities; some of these waves appear to be correlated with surface discontinuities, and may represent lee waves.
Evaluation of Energy Efficiency Improvement Program for Rental Homes

Recently, the city of Boulder, CO has recently approved mandatory energy efficiency standard, called SmartRegs Program, for rental properties. Improving residential energy efficiency is a goal of the city as they strive to meet the green house gas reduction targets of the Kyoto Protocol. However, energy efficiency is typically not implemented in rental units because of a split incentive between landlords and tenants. This paper evaluates the various retrofit measures that improve rental homes energy efficiency as well as the effectiveness of SmartRegs Program. First, various energy efficiency measures are evaluated through walk-through and detailed energy audits to assess their effectiveness in improving the energy performance of rental homes. Based on the results of the energy audits and survey of various stake holders, a set of recommendations have been defined to ensure that the SmartRegs program be successfully implemented in order to improve the overall performance and quality of rental homes. Moreover, it is found that energy efficient can increase the thermal comfort levels and decrease the energy costs for tenants, increase the value of the property for landlords, and help the city meet their green house gas reduction goals.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Predictors of Growth and Decline Following Spiritual Struggles

This study aimed to identify predictors of growth and decline outcomes following a spiritual struggle. Drawing from Pargament's theory of the religious orienting system (ROS), four potential predictor categories were identified: spiritual struggle characteristics, religious history, positive religious coping, and support. Variables from each predictor category were tested as individual predictors of outcome. For this study, college students (N = 127) who were experiencing spiritual struggles completed online surveys at two time points. Results of regression analyses generally supported hypotheses. Specifically, variables that strengthen the ROS were associated with growth, whereas variables that weaken the ROS were associated with decline. There was one surprising finding: Spiritual struggle severity was related to both growth and decline outcomes. Study limitations and implications are discussed, and suggestions for future research are identified.
Spectra of displaced distorted oscillator molecular system

Abstract We have studied the absorption spectrum of a displaced distorted oscillator molecular system where the lower electronic state is in thermal equilibrium. In this occasion a method is devised to calculate the Franck–Condon factor through the use of displacement and squeezing operators. The relative rate of single vibronic level transitions from an excited electronic state to another excited electronic state is also studied. In both the cases the relevant effect of temperature, displacement and ratio of curvatures of the potential surfaces are investigated. The state-to-state transition in multimode system is analyzed in regard to the influence of energy gap and above parameters.
Stabilizing the Advancing Front of Thermally Driven Climbing Films

higher surface tension. Experimental investigations have shown films have been shown to be important in the operation of gas that the application of a large temperature gradient produces a thin climbing film whose leading edge develops a pronounced cap- diffusion electrodes in which the oxidation reaction occurs illary rim which breaks up into vertical rivulets. In contrast, almost exclusively in the region above the normal meniscus smaller temperature gradients produce thicker films whose profiles position (1). Enhanced spreading behavior has also been decrease monotonically toward the substrate with no evidence of observed in boundary lubrication problems in which the a rim or subsequent film breakup. We have previously shown evaporation of volatile impurities in the spreading films eswithin linear stability analysis that a climbing film can undergo a tablishes a spontaneous concentration gradient (2). Flows fingering instability at the leading edge when the film is sufficiently created by gradients in surface tension, whether induced by thin or the shear stress sufficiently large for gravitational effects temperature or concentration variations, are commonly to be negligible. In this work we show that thicker films which called thermocapillary or Marangoni-driven flows. These experience significant drainage cannot form a capillary rim and types of flows, which become dominant in situations where spread in stable fashion. Gravitational drainage helps promote a straight advancing front and complete surface coverage. Our the surface-to-volume ratio of the liquid film is large, are numerical predictions for the entire shape and stability of the receiving increased attention as technological advances enclimbing film are in good agreement with extensive experiments courage the production of smaller and lighter componentry. published years ago by Ludviksson and Lightfoot (AIChE J. 17, Although temperature or concentration gradients can 1166 (1971)). We propose that the presence of a counterflow therefore be used very effectively to guide a spreading film which eliminates the capillary rim can provide a simple and gen- to coat a substrate, the coating process will be unsuccessful eral technique for stabilizing thermally driven films in other geom- if the liquid spreads nonuniformly and suffers any instability etries. q 1998 Academic Press at the leading edge. Several groups have shown that ther
Extracorporeal life support for severe pediatric respiratory failure: An updated experience 1991–1993

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine our recent experience with children who had acute respiratory failure managed with extracorporeal life support (ECLS) from 1991 to 1993, to determine whether a change in survival rate had occurred in comparison with our previous experience. Design: Historic and prospective cohort study. Setting: A tertiary pediatric referral center. Patients: All nonneonatal pediatric patients treated with ECLS for severe, life-threatening respiratory failure were examined. Overall, 25 patients have been managed with this life-support technique in the past 28 months. Eighty-four percent (21/25) were transferred to our medical center because of failure of conventional mechanical ventilation therapy. Descriptive data of the recent cohort were as follows (mean ± SD): age 60±75 months, weight 23.6±24.8 kg, and male gender 44%. Duration of intubation before ECLS was 5.8±2.7 days. Arterial blood gas values and ventilator settings immediately before ECLS were as follows: fraction of inspired oxygen, 0.98±0.08; mean airway pressure, 21.6±6.2 cm H2O; peak inspiratory pressure, 45.5±9.6 cm H2O; positive endexpiratory pressure, 11.0±4.3 cm H2O; partial pressure of oxygen (arterial), 56±20 mm Hg (7.4±2.7 kilopascals); partial pressure of carbon dioxide (arterial), 46±17 mm Hg (6.1±2.3 kPa); and estimated alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference, 572±81 mm Hg (76.3±10.8 kPa). Mean duration of ECLS was 373±259 hours. Of 25 recently treated patients, 22 (88%) survived their lifethreatening respiratory illness to be discharged home; this represented a statistically improved survival rate in comparison with the 58% survival rate previously reported by us for similar patients (p Conclusions: Treatment with ECLS is an evolving pulmonary rescue therapy with an 88% survival rate in our recent experience. The survival rate has improved to levels that may not greatly improve in the near future, especially for patients less than 1 year of age. Better patient selection or improved management strategies or both may be responsible for the improved patient outcome.
[Review] Tarak Barkawi (2005) Globalization and war

Istvan Hont, Jealousy of Trade: International Competition and the Nation-State in Historical Perspective, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press, 2005, ISBN 0674010388 (hbk), 560 pp. I ...
Memoria de Trabajo y Envejecimiento

Memoria de trabajo es un mecanismo cognitivo que almacena informacion temporalmente para ser usada y/o almacenada permanentemente. La memoria de trabajo puede ser afectada por el abuso de drogas y otras condiciones psicopatologicas. Existe tambien un importante efecto del envejecimiento en la rapidez y exactitud del procesamiento de informacion en la memoria de trabajo observado al comparar el desempeno de jovenes y de adultos mayores en tareas de memoria de trabajo. El articulo es una revision de investigaciones sobre el efecto de la edad en la memoria de trabajo. El creciente segmento de la poblacion chilena mayor de 60 anos hace necesario desarrollar conocimiento sobre su funcionamiento cognitivo para asi facilitar su integracion a la sociedad.
Likelihood functions in finite population sampling theory

SUMMARY Both conventional randomization models and prediction, i.e. superpopulation, models for finite populations are discussed from the viewpoint of the likelihood axiom. It is argued that finite populations do fall within the scope of this axiom, and that the likelihood function, when properly defined and interpreted, can play the same fundamental role in finite population theory as it does elsewhere in statistical inference. Under a multivariate normal regression model, the relationship between the likelihood function for the population total and the probability distribution of the minimum variance unbiased estimator is studied. The anticipated result, that this estimator maximizes the likelihood function, is shown to hold under the most familiar models, but an example shows it to be false in general. The role of balanced samples in providing robust inferences is discussed briefly. Conditions are described under which the likelihood function is unchanged by the addition of a new regressor to the model.
Closing the digital divide: evaluation of the World Links program

Abstract In response to this digital divide between developed and developing countries in their use of computers to prepare students for the global economy, the World Bank and, subsequently, the World Links organization provided schools in developing countries with networked computers and training that supports integration of ICT into teaching. This article synthesizes findings from 3 years of evaluative research on the program. The findings are based on surveys of teachers, students, administrators, and technology coordinators, as well as a field test assessment of student learning. The study examines the services provided, documents their impact, and draws implications for policy in developing countries.
A metamaterial-inspired high-Q X-band oscillator

This paper presents a high-quality factor (Q) X-band oscillator that utilizes a planar metamaterial-inspired modified split ring resonator (mSRR) in its design. The mSRR of this paper has a quality factor above 300 at 7.89GHz. Design of an X-band oscillator circuit is presented in this paper. In comparison to dielectric resonators, metamaterial resonators can prove to be reliable under harsh conditions, and lead to low-cost, compact and light-weight circuits.
Transient response of a beam on viscoelastic foundation under an impact load during nondestructive testing

Beam responses under an impact NDT load are studied using the Fourier and Laplace transforms. Numerical computation is performed for a parametric study of beam and load parameters. It is shown that under an impact load, the time duration for displacement to vanish is ten times longer than that for velocity and acceleration. The maximum response is achieved first in acceleration, followed by velocity, and finally displacement, all of which occur before the impact load is removed. At the moment that the impact load is removed from the beam, there is a discontinuity in the velocity and acceleration responses, but not in displacement response. The effect of K and ph on beam response is much less significant than that of EI and C, which have similar effect on beam response. As EI increases, peak values of displacement, velocity and acceleration response decrease. The effect of K on beam response only becomes appreciable after the impact load is removed. While the peak of displacement remain almost unchanged as K increases, the displacement response decays to zero faster for large K values than for small K values.
Stabilization of Nickel Complexes with Ni0•••H-N Bonding Interactions Using Sterically Demanding Cyclic Diphosphine Ligands

The series of complexes Ni(PtBu2NR2)2, [Ni(PtBu2NR2)2]BF4, [HNi(PtBu2NR2)2]BF4, and [Co(PtBu2NPh2)2]BF4 (PtBu2NR2 = 1,5-dialkyl-3,7-tert-butyl-1,5-diaza-3,7-diphosphacyclooctane; alkyl = phenyl, benzyl) have been synthesized and characterized. Spectroscopic, electrochemical, and X-ray diffraction studies indicate these complexes are stable as a result of the tetrahedral arrangement of the two diphosphine ligands. Electrochemical oxidation of [HNi(PtBu2NPh2)2]BF4 results in rapid proton transfer from nickel at a rate faster than can be observed on the CV time scale. Double protonation of Ni(PtBu2NBn2)2 forms the endo-endo, endo-exo, and exo-exo isomers of [Ni(PtBu2NBnHNBn)2](BF4)2, which were found to be more stable toward loss of H2 than previously observed for similar complexes. The presence of Ni0···HN hydrogen bonds at the endo protonation sites of [Ni(PtBu2NBnHNBn)2](BF4)2 results in significant differences in the Ni(I/0) oxidation potentials of each of the isomers. The differences in E1/2(I/0) values...
Light scattering from thermal second sound in liquid 4He near the λ-transition and at 1.9 atmospheres

Abstract The linewidth and frequency shift of light scattered from thermal second sound in liquid 4 He have been measured at a pressure of 1.9 atm and at temperatures from 0.3 mK to 4.0 mK below T λ . The data are compared with previous low frequency measurements.
Antiarrhythmic therapy: clinical pharmacology update.

: Currently available antiarrhythmic agents are limited by side effects and the potential for increasing arrhythmias. In addition, drug interactions, altered disposition of drug as a result of changes in protein binding or concomitant disease processes, active metabolites, and poorly defined therapeutic ranges with great interpatient variability are some of the factors which complicate therapy. An awareness of the possible contribution of these factors in the use of antiarrhythmics is invaluable in both the choice of agent and the establishment of an optimum benefit-to-risk ratio for the patient.