cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a gravel transport sensor for bed load measurements in natural flows

Abstract A recent acoustic instrument (Gravel Transport Sensor, GTS) was tested for predicting sediment transport rate (bed load rate) in gravel bed streams. The GTS operation is based on the particle collision theory of submerged obstacles in fluids. When particles collide with the GTS cylinder their momentum is recorded in the form of ping rates. The GTS is attractive for further consideration here because of its potential to provide continuous unattended local bed load measurements, especially in areas found in streams that access may be difficult under extreme conditions. Laboratory experiments coupled with numerical simulations for the same flow conditions were performed in order to determine the conditions under which particles of different size will hit the GTS cylinder and be able to register a ping rate. The GTS was able to detect the number of particles with diameter in the range of 15.9 to 25.4 mm, with reasonable accuracy, if the applied Shields effective stress τ*e = τ* − τ*cr was in the range of 0.006 to 0.015. A drawback of the tested prototype GTS, however, was that it exerted increased resistance on the incoming particles. The added drag effects increased the overall resistance that was exerted by the flow on particles and thus increased the likelihood that particles will rest in the ambient region of the cylinder instead of hitting it. Numerical simulation of the flow around the GTS cylinder revealed that changing the prototype geometry from cylindrical to ellipsoid or rhomboid will increase the likelihood of the particles hitting the instrument under the same flow conditions failed by the original tested GTS cylinder.
Oral warfarin and the thrombin inhibitor dabigatran increase blood pressure in rats: hidden danger of anticoagulants?

Background Hypertension is a common comorbidity in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We reported earlier that oral anticoagulants, including warfarin and dabigatran, may induce acute kidney injury. No effects of oral anticoagulants on blood pressure (BP) have been previously reported. The aim of this study was to examine in detail the relationship of anticoagulant therapy and BP in rats. Methods Sham-operated and 5/6 nephrectomy rats were treated with different doses of oral anticoagulants (warfarin and dabigatran), superoxide scavenger N-acetylcysteine (NAC), vitamin K, and protease activated receptor 1 (PAR-1) inhibitor SCH79797. BP was measured by a tail cuff daily. Results Warfarin and dabigatran both increased systolic BP in sham-operated and 5/6 nephrectomy rats in a dose-dependent manner. SCH79797 also increased systolic BP in a dose-dependent manner. Vitamin K prevented warfarin-induced increase in BP but did not affect BP when administered alone. NAC delayed the warfarin-associated increase in BP. Warfarin effects on BP were similar in 5/6 nephrectomy rats with different CKD stages. Conclusions Both warfarin and dabigatran increase systolic BP in rats. The mechanism of this effect is not clear, but our data suggest that it is related to decreased thrombin activity associated with anticoagulant treatment. The superoxide scavenger NAC delayed, but did not prevent, warfarin-induced hypertension.
A randomised, placebo-controlled trial comparing the effects of tapentadol and oxycodone on gastrointestinal and colonic transit in healthy humans

Summary Background Tapentadol is a mu-opioid receptor agonist and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. In clinical trials, tapentadol provided somatic pain relief comparable to mu-opioids such as oxycodone, with significantly less gastrointestinal adverse effects. The acute effects of tapentadol on gastrointestinal and colonic transit are unclear. Aim To compare acute effects of oral tapentadol and oxycodone on gastric, small bowel and colonic transit of solids in 38 healthy human subjects. Methods In a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of identical-appearing tapentadol immediate release (IR), 75 mg t.d.s., or oxycodone IR, 5 mg t.d.s., for 48 h, we measured gastric (GE), small bowel (SBT measured as colonic filling at 6 h) and colonic transit by validated scintigraphy. Drug was commenced on the evening before the start of the transit test. The primary endpoints were overall colonic transit (geometric centre, GC) at 24 h and GE half-time (t1/2). ancova of transit data included gender or BMI as covariates. Adverse effects were summarised. Results At the doses tested, oxycodone and tapentadol significantly delayed GE t1/2 and SBT, but not overall colonic transit, compared to placebo. Transit profiles in all regions were not significantly different between oxycodone and tapentadol at the doses tested. Both oxycodone and tapentadol were associated with nausea and central effects attributable to central opiate effects. Conclusions Tapentadol significantly delayed gastric emptying t1/2 and small bowel transit, similar to oxycodone. These data suggest that acute administration of tapentadol may not have significant advantages over standard mu-opioids, in terms of the potential to avoid upper gastrointestinal motor dysfunction.
Laser forward transfer of silver electrodes for organic thin-film transistors

Organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) with top- and bottom-contact configurations were fabricated using silver nano-inks printed by laser forward transfer for the gate and source/drain electrodes with pentacene and poly-4-vinylphenol as the organic semiconductor and dielectric layers, respectively. The volume of the laser-printed Ag pixels was typically in the subpicoliter (0.2–0.4 pl) range. The top-contact OTFTs resulted in lower contact resistance compared to those obtained from the bottom-contact OTFTs, and showed improved overall device performance. The top-contact OTFTs exhibited field-effect mobilities of ∼0.16 cm2 V−1 s−1 and on/off current ratios of ∼105.
RESEARCH: "Religious Fundamentalism and Attachment: Prediction of Homophobia"

This study examined the relationships among attachment, religious fundamentalism, and homophobia. In a sample of 198 undergraduates from a "Bible-Belt" community, secure attachment was associated with religious fundamentalism. The results indicate that religious fundamentalism and sex were the only significant predictors of homophobia. Consistent with previous research (Kite, 1994), males were significantly more homophobic than females. Contrary to the hypotheses, attachment was not predictive of homophobia and did not moderate the relationship between religious fundamentalism and homophobia.
Media, Myth, and the “Fighting Whale” in Maritime Narratives

The “fighting whale” in shipwreck accounts has had a pervasive and stubborn hold on maritime narratives, simultaneously perpetuating lasting memorable tales and false assumptions about whale behavior that have endured for nearly two centuries. This essay traces the cultural mechanisms behind the narrative recasting of this docile creature into a calculating predator that savagely attacked whale ships. Owen Chase's Narrative of the Most Extraordinary and Distressing Shipwreck of the Whale-ship Essex set off a flurry of similar tales when it appeared in 1821. Chase attempted to preempt any accusations regarding his own faulty seamanship—he had originally refused to land on the nearby Tahitian islands for fear of cannibals—by creating in its place an enduring myth of a manhunting creature of the sea. The casting of the whale into a murderous villain became a staple of the novelistic narrative structure of shipwreck reportage that demanded a ferocious embodied antagonist in its dramatis personae to justify the capitalist and imperialist objectives of the whaling industry. I argue that Moby-Dick complicates Chase's flat vilification of the whale and its associations with the cultural meanings of the evil sea monster in romanticism and the ancient Leviathan tradition. With origins tracing back to early Christian retellings of the ancient Greek Physiologus nautical myth, the legacy of that tradition of maligning the whale is immediately visible in contemporary writers, such as Jay Parini and Nathaniel Philbrick.
The maximum row length nonsingularity radius

Abstract We study the nonsingularity radius of a matrix with respect to the maximum row length norm. This continuum problem, which has a simple geometric interpretation, is reduced to a finite comparison test. The latter problem, however, turns out to be NP-complete.
New antifungal agents

For more than two decades, amphotericin B has been the single broad-spectrum agent for the treatment of systemic mycoses. Amphotericin B is not always effective, must be given parenterally, and is associated with a host of adverse reactions. Despite amphotericin B toxicity, until recently the systemic mycoses did not rate enough attention to prompt a search for new alternatives. However, three recent events have overcome this inertia: the gradually increasing use of potent immunosuppressive agents and broad-spectrum anti-bacterial drugs; the discovery of the relatively nontoxic azole classes of antifungal drugs in the 1980s and the rapid emergence of AIDS, with its severe accompanying opportunistic fungal infections. In just ten years we have seen the emergence of second-generation imidazole and third-generation triazole antifungal drugs and, most recently, entirely new classes of agents. It is remarkable that so many alternatives are becoming available just at the time when new antifungal drugs have become a major need. This discussion will concentrate on the new antifungal drugs of the past ten years, with the exception of developments in the polyenes and flucytosine, which are covered elsewhere.
Supporting Field Instructors' Efforts to Help Students Improve Writing

Field instructors have often not felt empowered to address their concerns about a critical skill in their students' professional development: their students' writing. In this article, we explain ways that field education departments and social work faculty can support field instructors to improve their students' writing. In addition, we provide specific suggestions for field instructors to use with their students. Ideas from the faculty development movement known as Writing Across the Curriculum provide tools that are easily applicable to field education.
ATP binding controls distinct structural transitions of Escherichia coli DNA gyrase in complex with DNA

Bacterial DNA gyrase uses the energy from ATP to introduce negative supercoils into DNA via formation of a chiral wrap intermediate. Now DNA rotation and contraction are simultaneously visualized using a single-molecule setup. The data reveal multiple steps, including a dominant non-chiral intermediate step. DNA gyrase is a molecular motor that harnesses the free energy of ATP hydrolysis to introduce negative supercoils into DNA. A critical step in this reaction is the formation of a chiral DNA wrap. Here we observe gyrase structural dynamics using a single-molecule assay in which gyrase drives the processive, stepwise rotation of a nanosphere attached to the side of a stretched DNA molecule. Analysis of rotational pauses and measurements of DNA contraction reveal multiple ATP-modulated structural transitions. DNA wrapping is coordinated with the ATPase cycle and proceeds by way of an unanticipated structural intermediate that dominates the kinetics of supercoiling. Our findings reveal a conformational landscape of loosely coupled transitions funneling the motor toward productive energy transduction, a feature that may be common to the reaction cycles of other DNA and protein remodeling machines.
Protein quality and utilization of timothy, oat-supplemented timothy, and alfalfa at differing harvest maturities in exercised Arabian horses.

To evaluate the protein quality and postgut N utilization of full-bloom timothy hay, oat-supplemented timothy-hay diets, and alfalfa hay harvested at different maturities, apparent whole tract N digestibility, urinary N excretion, and serum AA profiles were determined in light to moderately exercised Arabian horses. Six Arabian geldings (16.0 ± 0.3 yr; 467 ± 11 kg of BW) were randomly allocated to a 6 × 6 Latin square design. Diets included full-bloom timothy grass hay (G), G + 0.2% BW oat (G1), G + 0.4% BW oat (G2), mid-bloom alfalfa (A1), early-bloom alfalfa (A2), and early-bud alfalfa hay (A3). Forages were fed at 1.6% of the BW of the horse (as-fed). Each period consisted of an 11-d adaptation period followed by total collection of feces and urine for 3 d. Blood samples were taken on d 11 for analysis of serum AA concentrations. During the 3-d collection period, urine and feces were collected every 8 h and measured and weighed, respectively. Approximately 10% of the total urine volume and fecal weight per period was retained for N analyses. Fecal DM output was less (P 0.05) in N retention among diets. Urinary N excretion and total N excretion were greater (P < 0.05) in A1, A2, and A3 compared with G, G1, or G2. Plasma concentrations for the majority of AA increased curvilinearly in response to feeding G, A1, A2, and A3 (quadratic, P < 0.05), with values appearing to maximize 2-h postfeeding. Although alfalfa N digestibility increased with decreasing harvest maturity, N retention did not differ and urinary volume and N excretion increased, indicating that postabsorptive N utilization decreased. In contrast, inclusion of oats at either 0.2 or 0.4% of the BW of the horse to timothy hay markedly enhanced N digestibility without increasing N excretion, indicating improvement in postgut N utilization. These findings indicate that feeding oat-supplemented timothy hay is more environmentally sustainable than feeding alfalfa to the horse at maintenance or under light to moderate exercise.
1481 EFFECT OF IV TOCOPHEROL (VIT E) ON RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY (ROP)

287 infants were enrolled in a double masked, randomized controlled trial of vitamin E (E) v placebo (P) given from day 1 until the retinal vessels reached the ora serrata. Initial IV doses were changed to oral after the infants fed well. The first dose of E was 20mg/kg, the mean dose to maintain plasma levels at 3-3.5mg/dL during the first week was 15±6mg/kg/d, and during the second week was 3±4mg/kg/day. Mortality (20% P v 22% E), acquired sepsis (7% P v 6% E), confirmed NEC (4% P v 4% E) days of phototherapy (5.4±3.9 P v 5.9±4.3 E, X±SD), and length of hospitalization (62±40 P v 63±41 days E) did not differ. Grades 3 and 4 CNS hemorrhage was more common in infants <1 kg who received E (14/42) than in those infants <1 kg who received P, (4/43), p<0.02. 28/99 P infants and 25/97 E infants who completed the study developed active ROP and in 8/99 P v 11/97 E it was grade 3 or worse ROP. One in each group developed retinal detachments, grade 4 cicatricial ROP. More E infants (16/111, 14%) than P infants (8/121, 7%) developed retinal hemorrhages, p<0.06. This was the only statistically or clincially significant difference for ROP outcome in these infants. Based on these data, the potential benefits of E treatment do not outweigh the potential risks.
Influence of high-latitude vegetation feedbacks on late Palaeozoic glacial cycles

Glaciation during the late Palaeozoic era (340–250 Myr ago) is thought to have been episodic, with multiple, often regional, ice-age intervals, each lasting less than 10 million years. Sedimentary deposits from these ice-age intervals exhibit cyclical depositional patterns, which have been attributed to orbitally driven glacial–interglacial cycles and resultant fluctuations in global sea level. Here we use a coupled general-circulation/biome/ice-sheet model to assess the conditions necessary for glacial–interglacial fluctuations. In our simulations, ice sheets appear at atmospheric pCO2 concentrations between 420 and 840 ppmv. However, we are able to simulate ice-sheet fluctuations consistent with eustasy estimates and the distribution of glacial deposits only when we include vegetation feedbacks from high-latitude ecosystem changes. We find that ice-sheet advances follow the expansion of high-latitude tundra during insolation minima, whereas ice retreat is associated with the expansion of barren land close to the edge of the ice sheets during periods of high insolation. We are unable to simulate glacial–interglacial cycles in the absence of a dynamic vegetation component. We therefore suggest that vegetation feedbacks driven by orbital insolation variations are a crucial element of glacial–interglacial cyclicity. Ice ages during the Palaeozoic era are marked by glacial–interglacial cycles thought to be driven by variations in the Earth’s orbit. Numerical simulations suggest that the response of vegetation to the varying insolation may be an important factor in the associated climate response.
An approach to the construction of affective evaluation instruments

This paper describes a method by which researchers can construct affective evaluation instruments. This method emphasizes a set of key questions which can be asked as the researcher begins to define an affective construct, to decide on a measurement procedure, and to develop a framework upon which to base items. A “mapping sentence” is used to combine elements of a construct in ways which suggest types of items that can be generated. The method, which is heuristic, is applied to a construct which presumes to describe personal perceptions of adequacy as a student. The paper is based on the assumption that affective evaluation instruments ought to be constructed first as the result of a priori specifications of a construct and the results then submitted to empirical manipulations.
Effects of faith/assurance on cortisol levels are enhanced by a spiritual mantram intervention in adults with HIV: A randomized trial

Abstract Objectives Previous research among HIV-infected individuals suggests that spiritual well-being is inversely related to psychological distress and rates of disease progression. Use of a mantram, a spiritual word or phrase repeated frequently and silently throughout the day, has been associated with decreased psychological distress and increased spiritual well-being. This study compared the effects of 2 interventions—a spiritually-based mantram intervention versus an attention-matched control group—on faith/assurance and average salivary cortisol levels among HIV-infected individuals. Methods Using a randomized design, HIV-infected adults were assigned to the intervention (n = 36) or control condition (n = 35). Faith scores and saliva (collected at 7 a.m., 11 a.m., 4 p.m., and 9 p.m.) were assessed at preintervention, postintervention, and 5-week follow-up. Path analyses tested competing models that specify both concurrent and sequential relationships between faith and average daily cortisol levels while comparing groups. Results Faith levels increased among mantram participants from pre- to postintervention. Greater faith at preintervention was significantly associated with lower average cortisol at postintervention in the mantram group but not in the controls. The associations between faith at postintervention and cortisol levels at 5-week follow-up were significant among both groups but weaker than the pre- to postintervention association identified in the mantram group. Conclusions These results suggest the presence of lagged or antecedent consequent relationships between faith and cortisol, which may be enhanced by mantram use. Decreased cortisol could potentially benefit immune functioning among HIV-infected individuals.
A Semi-Strong Form Evaluation of the Efficiency of the Hog Futures Market: Comment

greater forecasting merit than did the respective futures prices, the authors concluded that the hog futures market is semi-strong inefficient. As LH observe, an efficient market has been defined by Fama as one in which prices fully reflect all available information. For any test of the efficient markets hypothesis (EMH) to be operational, one must identify relevant explanatory variables and the specific nature of the linking relation. Thus, any test of the EMH is, at the same time, a test of the postulated model. The LH model has little, if any, basis in theory; therefore, the model itself would be a prime suspect in any test of market efficiency. LH state, "The hog futures prices cannot consistently be relied upon to reflect accurately subsequent spot prices, and thereby the market is not considered efficient." LH have destroyed a straw man; the EMH does not say, imply, or hint that futures prices in an efficient market can be relied upon to reflect subsequent cash prices accurately. Instead, the EMH does state that known information is impounded in current price, so that all desirable characteristics of the investment (usually expected return) are in equilibrium with all undesirable characteristics of the investment (usually covariance of return with that of the market portfolio). Unless returns resulting from the use of a pricing model like that of LH are found to be in excess of returns justified by risk, the EMH cannot reasonably be rejected. Thus, for an appropriate test of market efficiency, it would be necessary to determine whether returns received from trading based on the econometric model exceed normal returns adjusted for risk. As Rendleman and Carabini (p. 913) state, "To determine the extent of the (Treasury Bill Futures) market, it is necessary to assess the significance of the quasi-arbitrage returns that could have been earned." If risk cannot be
Biodegradation of some sulfur analogues of sodiump-(n-dodecyl) benzenesulfonates

The biodegradability of a novel class of thia derivatives of sodiump-(n-dodecyl) benzenesulfonate and of the corresponding sulfoxides and sulfones has been compared using the Shake Flask, River-Die-away, Aeration Chamber Die-away, and Warburg respirometric techniques. These studies have shown that the incorporation of the sulfur atom into the alkyl side chain of the linear alkylate sulfonate detergent molecule has failed to shorten the time required to biodegrade the linear alkylate sulfonate structure. The 7–9-thia derivatives, the 7–9-sulfoxides, and the 7–9-sulfones are rated as bioresistant compounds when using the Shake Flask and River Die-away tests, but, when testing these resistant isomers in synthetic sewage using a batch type Aeration Chamber Die-way procedure, all 11 thia compounds are found to be biodegradable. Some of the isomers do not appear to acclimatize sufficiently rapidly to the bacteria under the conditions of the Shake Flask or River Die-away tests. Under the more practical treatment conditions when using the Aeration Chamber Die-away procedure inoculated with activated sludge, a high order of biodegradability is obtained. The probable metabolic pathway and causes for variation in the biodegradation results obtained with these isomers are discussed.
7.6.3 Case Study in Establishing Systems Engineering Principles: One Organization's Experience

Even within a well-established systems engineering organization, formalizing the practice of systems engineering can be an arduous task. This paper describes one organization's effort to start this formalization by defining and documenting the very foundation of its practice: its systems engineering principles. Topics include the process for developing principles (augmenting organizational guidance with industry best practices), the final form of the principles (justifying terminology), and the connection to broader formalization efforts (associating the principles diagram to the systems engineering logo). The principles are divided into four categories that tie mainstream systems engineering definitions together: Stakeholder, Systems Engineer, Problem, and Solution.
Life Events, Sleep Disturbance, and Mania: An Integrated Model

Bipolar disorder contributes substantially to the global burden of disease. Both sleep disturbance and life events predict symptoms of mania, although the underlying mechanisms associated with these relationships have been difficult to elucidate. In this report, we explore the relationships among life events, sleep disturbance, and mania in an effort to provide support for the hypothesis that some life events lead to a disruption of sleep that may ultimately lead to the development of mania. We present an integrated conceptual model that draws on research examining the mechanisms by which life events disrupt sleep in various populations, and we evaluate the role of these mechanisms in individuals with mania. Suggestions for future work in this area are also presented.
Normal modes and frequencies from covariances in molecular dynamics or Monte Carlo simulations

We propose a simple method to obtain normal modes (NMs) and their characteristic frequencies from molecular dynamics or Monte Carlo simulations at any temperature. The resulting NM are consistent with the vibrational density of states (DOS) (every feature of the DOS can be attributed to one or few NMs). At low temperatures they coincide with the ones obtained from the Hessian matrix. We define the NMs (ρi) by imposing the condition that their velocities be uncorrelated to each other: 〈ρi(t)ρj(t)〉∝δij, where 〈 〉 denotes time average and δij is Kronecker’s delta. With this definition the modes are the eigenvectors of the matrix Kijv=1/2〈mimjvivj〉 [i, j=1,…,3N (N being the number of atoms); m are masses and v atomic velocities]. The eigenvalues of Kijv, λiv, represent the kinetic energy in each NM. The ratio between the eigenvalues (λiv) and those obtained using positions (λir), accelerations (λia) in Kijv instead of velocities are a very good approximation to the mode frequencies: 2πνi∼(λiv/λix)(1/2)∼(λia...
SU-E-T-549: A Combinatorial Optimization Approach to Treatment Planning with Non-Uniform Fractions in Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy

Purpose: Non-uniform fractionation, i.e. delivering distinct dose distributions in two subsequent fractions, can potentially improve outcomes by increasing biological dose to the target without increasing dose to healthy tissues. This is possible if both fractions deliver a similar dose to normal tissues (exploit the fractionation effect) but high single fraction doses to subvolumes of the target (hypofractionation). Optimization of such treatment plans can be formulated using biological equivalent dose (BED), but leads to intractable nonconvex optimization problems. We introduce a novel optimization approach to address this challenge. Methods: We first optimize a reference IMPT plan using standard techniques that delivers a homogeneous target dose in both fractions. The method then divides the pencil beams into two sets, which are assigned to either fraction one or fraction two. The total intensity of each pencil beam, and therefore the physical dose, remains unchanged compared to the reference plan. The objectives are to maximize the mean BED in the target and to minimize the mean BED in normal tissues, which is a quadratic function of the pencil beam weights. The optimal reassignment of pencil beams to one of the two fractions is formulated as a binary quadratic optimization problem. A near-optimal solution to this problem can be obtained by convex relaxation and randomized rounding. Results: The method is demonstrated for a large arteriovenous malformation (AVM) case treated in two fractions. The algorithm yields a treatment plan, which delivers a high dose to parts of the AVM in one of the fractions, but similar doses in both fractions to the normal brain tissue adjacent to the AVM. Using the approach, the mean BED in the target was increased by approximately 10% compared to what would have been possible with a uniform reference plan for the same normal tissue mean BED.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls Influence on Hatchability

Abstract Broiler breeder hens and Leghorn hens fed a diet containing 20 and 50 p.p.m. polychlorinated biphenyls (Aroclor 1242) for one week had their hatchability (percent hatch of eggs set) reduced to 67.3 and 26.8 percent, respectively, of control hens. The hatchability of the broiler hens fed 50 p.p.m. for two weeks was reduced to 21.9 percent of the control hens while that of Leghorn hens was reduced to zero. Hatchability was depressed by 20 p.p.m., but the time required to achieve the same depression as observed with 50 p.p.m. was doubled. Mortality was increased at all stages of embryonic development and particularly at the middle stage in comparison to the controls. No hydropericardium was observed, but ridges were apparent on the exterior of the right ventricle of treated embryos. The pattern of embryo mortality and the occurrence of the ventricular ridges would appear to be helpful in diagnosis.
Analysis of 5-bromouracil distribution in partially substituted deoxyribonucleic acids

Abstract A method has been developed for quantitatively estimating the contribution of pools of thymine derivatives to the DNA synthesized by bacteria grown in the presence of the analog 5-bromouracil. A 3′-nucleotide digest of the DNA synthesized during a period of labeling with 32P and 5BU is resolved by thin-layer chromatography to determine the 5BU T molar ratio in the newly synthesized DNA. The method is applicable to the quantitative estimation of turnover and repair in the DNA of growing cells.
Calcium uptake by cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum in human dilated cardiomyopathy.

To determine the biochemical basis of abnormal diastolic properties in human dilated cardiomyopathy calcium uptake by the sarcoplasmic reticulum in ventricular homogenates of biopsy specimens from 21 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy was compared with that in nine normal controls. As a group, patients with cardiomyopathy had considerably lower calcium uptake rates (3.3(0.6) nmol.mg-1.min-1 vs 6.5(0.5) nmol.mg-1.min-1, p less than 0.01). Calcium uptake rates correlated modestly with resting haemodynamic values and significantly with plasma noradrenaline concentrations but not with plasma renin activity. These results show that sarcoplasmic reticulum function is impaired in human dilated cardiomyopathy and that this impairment is related both to the severity of haemodynamic dysfunction and to the extent of sympathetic nervous system activation.
Storytelling in Liberal Religious Advocacy

Previous research suggests liberal religious advocates often find it necessary to use broadly accessible technical or moral language to communicate with policymakers and public audiences, yet this conformity to secular speech norms diminishes the distinctiveness of their religious voices. Communicating through storytelling offers them one way of overcoming this dilemma. This is demonstrated by examining liberal religious advocacy during recent healthcare reform debates in the United States, using data from interviews and public communications by advocates. By embedding stories within religiopolitical performances that highlight their religious identities, advocates convey policy-relevant information without relying on explicitly religious language that may be inaccessible or unpersuasive to diverse audiences. They also deploy storytelling strategically, bearing witness to injustices experienced firsthand, secondhand, from the pews, and from the past, depending on the context. These findings have implications for ongoing debates about religious citizens’ capacity to communicate across lines of difference in the public sphere.
The IITRAN programming language

The IITRAN language, developed to be used by students, and its important features are described. IITRAN is a procedure-oriented language with a one-level block structure and a variety of data types. Several novel and powerful features are included. A discussion of design principles to be followed in a student language is given.
Adopt a Daughter‐in‐Law, Marry a Sister: A Chinese Solution to the Problem of the Incest Taboo

In stressing the social advantages of the familial incest taboo, most explanations of the taboo ignore the fact that it makes marriage the enemy of the family. The stranger intruded by marriage often poses a threat to existing domestic relationships. The Chinese solution to this problem is to circumvent the taboo by adopting female children who are raised as wives for their foster parents' sons. The family choosing this form of marriage sacrifices prestige and dependable affinal ties, but by socializing their own daughters-in-law they preserve domestic harmony. The fact that many Chinese arrange marriages within the family as a means of preserving the family suggests that widely accepted explanations of the incest taboo exaggerate the dangers of incest and ignore the dangers of the taboo.
Urinary diversion in patients with spinal cord injury in the United States.

Objective To describe the patterns in the use of bladder augmentation and urinary diversion to manage urologic sequelae among patients with spinal cord injury in the United States. Materials and Methods Discharge estimates were derived from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. All patients underwent bladder augmentation or ileal conduit diversion from 1998 to 2005 and had a diagnosis of spinal cord injury. Results Ileal loop diversion was performed in an estimated 1919 patients and bladder augmentation in 1132 patients with spinal cord injury from 1998 to 2005. Patients undergoing urinary diversion tended to be older (mean age 46 vs 34 years; P P P P Conclusion Bladder augmentation is used in approximately one-third of cases to manage the urologic complications of spinal cord injury. These patients likely constitute a clinically distinct population that uses fewer healthcare resources. The lower augmentation rates at nonteaching institutions may indicate an opportunity for quality improvement.
Integrating service learning in undergraduate criminal justice courses: Bringing academics to life

This article provides an overview of the goals and elements of various service learning techniques. The author discusses benefits to students, the community and the university, and offers practical suggestions for incorporating direct service learning projects into undergraduate criminal justice courses.
The Role of Chlorine in Dioxin Formation

There is poor correlation between total chlorine in waste streams and formation of polychlorinated dibenzodioxin and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) during waste combustion. This is because the active chlorine (Cl) species are strongly dependent upon combustion conditions. For homogeneous conditions, trace amounts of a hydrocarbon species (benzene) injected into the effluent from complete combustion of a mixed chlorocarbon fuel (ethylene and chloromethane) results in formation of stable, oxygenated and chlorinated compounds. This occurs over a broad range of temperatures (400–900°C), provided that a fraction of the system chlorine is in the Cl radical form. Cl is the only form in which chlorine can react, in gas-phase, with stable hydrocarbon species, and these reactions are very fast, even in the low temperature regime. Molecular chlorine (Cl2) may subsequently participate in reactions with carbon-based radicals, and these reactions are the primary source of chlorinated products. Hydrogen chloride (HC1)—the major chlorine species in the products—can react with oxidizing radicals (eg, OH) and promptly form significant amounts of Cl. Gas temperature has a great influence on the final distribution of products. At 800–900°C, practically all of the benzene which was attacked by Cl is converted to carbon monoxide and small unsaturated hydrocarbons by subsequent reactions with oxygen. At about 750°C, measurable concentrations of chlorobenzenes are formed. At lower temperatures (400–600°C), chlorophenols become a large fraction (up to 15%) of the total reacted benzene. Heterogeneous reactions result in the formation of Cl2 through catalyzed reactions (most actively by copper salts) and promotion of carbon-Cl bond formation. The latter is dependent on the ash surface species and type, ash adsorptive characteristics, temperature, and presence of regenerative Cl in the waste combustion products.
Directionally Independent Failure Prediction of End-Milling Tools by Tracking Increasing Chaotic Noise at the Machining Frequencies Due to Wear

Accurate on-line forecasting of a tool’s condition during end-milling operations is advantageous to the functionality and reliability of automated industrial processes. The ability to disengage the tool prior to catastrophic failure reduces manufacturing costs, excessive machine deterioration, and personnel hazards. Rapid computational feedback describing the system’s state is critical for realizing a practical failure forecasting model. To this end, spectral analysis by fast Fourier type algorithms allows a rapid computational response. The research described herein explores the development of nontraditional real fast Fourier transform (discrete cosine transform) based algorithms performed in unique higher-dimensional states of observed data sets. Moreover, the developed Fourier algorithm quantifies chaotic noise rather than relying on the more traditional observation of system energy. By increasing the vector dimensionality of the discrete cosine transform, the respective linear transform basis more effectively cross correlates the transform data into fewer (more significant) transform coefficients. Thus, a single vector in orthogonally higher-dimensional space is observed instead of multiple orthogonal vectors in single-dimensional space. More specifically, a novel modal reduction technique is utilized to track trends measured from triaxial force dynamometer signals. This transformation effectively achieves both modal reduction and directional independence by observing the chaotic noise instead of system energy. Algorithm output trends from six end-milling life tests are tracked from both linear and pocketing maneuvers in order to demonstrate the technique’s capabilities. In all six tests, the algorithm predicts impending tool failure with sufficient time for tool removal.
Exact steady-state multiplicity criteria for two consecutive or parallel reactions in lumped-parameter systems

Abstract Exact criteria are derived for predicting the conditions under which steady-state multiplicity occurs in lumped parameter systems in which either two consecutive or two parallel reactions occur. Most of the qualitative multiplicity features can be determined by considering four simple limiting cases in which only one reaction takes place in the system. The structure of all the possible multiplicity regions in the (Da 1 , Da 2 ) plane is determined for both reaction networks.
Effect of varying concentrations of vitamin C on performance, blood metabolites, and carcass characteristics of steers consuming a common high-sulfur (0.55% S) diet

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of vitamin C (VC) supplementation for an average of 102 d before harvest on finishing performance and blood metabolites of steers receiving a 40% dry distillers grains plus solubles diet (0.55% S). Yearling, Angus-cross steers (n = 140) were blocked by initial BW (432 ± 25.5 kg), stratified within blocks by intramuscular fat (3.6% ± 0.30%) determined by ultrasonography, and assigned to treatments (5 steers/pen, 7 pens/treatment). Treatments included 1) no VC control (CON), 2) 5 g VC • steer(-1) • d(-1) (5VC), 3) 10 g VC • steer(-1) • d(-1) (10VC), and 4) 20 g VC • steer(-1) • d(-1) (20VC). Jugular blood was collected from 2 steers/pen before feeding at the beginning and end of the 102-d study, and steers were harvested by block on 3 separate dates (d 91, 105, and 112). Sulfur intake linearly decreased (P = 0.01) as VC inclusion increased (59.2, 57.7, 57.0, and 54.8 ± 0.79 g S • steer(-1) • d(-1) for CON, 5 VC, 10 VC, and 20 VC, respectively). The CON cattle had greater (P < 0.01) DMI than the VC-supplemented cattle. Inclusion of VC did not influence ADG or final BW, resulting in a tendency for a linear increase (P = 0.08) in G:F as VC inclusion increased (0.150, 0.152, 0.158, and 0.160 ± 0.004 for CON, 5 VC, 10 VC, and 20 VC, respectively). Ending (2 d before harvest) plasma ascorbate showed a quadratic effect (P < 0.05) because of lesser concentrations exhibited by 5 VC cattle (1,186 µg/L) compared with the CON (1,454 µg/L), 10 VC (1,304 µg/L), and 20 VC (1,436 µg/L; SEM ± 64.8) cattle. Ending plasma insulin concentrations of CON cattle tended (P = 0.07) to be less than the VC-supplemented cattle. Plasma glucose and NEFA concentrations were not affected (P ≥ 0.23) by VC inclusion. Hot carcass weight, 12th-rib back fat, marbling, and quality grade were not affected (P ≥ 0.27) by VC inclusion. Increasing VC inclusion linearly increased (P = 0.02) rib eye area (84.9, 86.5, 88.7, and 89.1 cm(2) ± 1.17 for CON, 5 VC, 10 VC, and 20 VC, respectively), corresponding to a linear decrease (P = 0.02) in yield grade with increasing inclusions of VC. A tendency (P = 0.06) for a quadratic effect on KPH was observed, in which values generally increased from CON (2.27%) to 5 VC (2.37%) to and 10 VC (2.39%), then decreased in 20 VC (2.20%). In conclusion, VC supplementation to a high-S diet for an average of 102 d before harvest has limited effects on blood metabolites but increased rib eye area and tended to increase feed efficiency of yearling steers.
Quantitative Cherenkov emission spectroscopy for tissue oxygenation assessment

Measurements of Cherenkov emission in tissue during radiation therapy are shown to enable estimation of hemoglobin oxygen saturation non-invasively, through spectral fitting of the spontaneous emissions from the treated tissue. Tissue oxygenation plays a critical role in the efficacy of radiation therapy to kill tumor tissue. Yet in-vivo measurement of this has remained elusive in routine use because of the complexity of oxygen measurement techniques. There is a spectrally broad emission of Cherenkov light that is induced during the time of irradiation, and as this travels through tissue from the point of the radiation deposition, the tissue absorption and scatter impart spectral changes. These changes can be quantified by diffuse spectral fitting of the signal. Thus Cherenkov emission spectroscopy is demonstrated for the first time quantitatively in vitro and qualitatively in vivo, and has potential for real-time online tracking of tissue oxygen during radiation therapy when fully characterized and developed.
Quality of life and self-image in patients undergoing tracheostomy.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to understand trends in the Quality of Life and Self Image in patients undergoing an elective tracheostomy for non-malignant laryngeotracheal pathologies. We will also discuss the relationship between quality of life and patient demographics. Study Design: A prospective, IRB approved cohort study was conducted in a tertiary referral center. The SF-12, was used to assess the mental and physical health of patients. The 12 questions on this tool were scored to generate a Physical Composite Score(PCS) and a Mental Composite Score(MCS). A higher score indicates better health. Methods: The retrospective arm of the study included patients who presented to the senior author and had a trachesotomy for greater than 6 months. For the prospective arm of the study patients were recruited when they were to undergo an elective tracheostomy. Patients were recruited over a 12 month period. In the prospective arm the questionnaire was administered one to seven days pre-operatively and one to three weeks postoperatively. Variables analyzed included age, gender, marital status, education, occupation and other co-morbidities. Results: In the prospective group, Mean PCS scores were higher in the post-trach period (38.2±6.9) compared to the pretrach period (35.4±11.5). However, there is a decline in the MCS score in the post-trach period (49±8.5) compared to the pre-trach period (55.4±7.3). In the retrospective group, Mean PCS scores in this group was 28.5±12.3 while the mean MCS score was 40.5±18.3. Conclusion: Planned tracheostomy is a beneficial intervention for patients with benign airway pathologies, since they experience an improvement in their physical health and the ability to perform activities of daily living. There is a decline in mental health postoperatively, which we attribute to worsening self esteem. Patients who did not undergo planned tracheostomy as seen in the retrospective group, experienced a decline in their physical and mental functioning. This can be attributed to the lack of understanding of the benefit of the procedure and poor preoperative counseling. We recommend perioperative psychological assessment to improve mental health in patients undergoing elective trachesotomies.
Theoretical modeling of spin crossover in metal-organic frameworks: [Fe(pz)2Pt(CN)4] as a case study.

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with spin-crossover behavior are promising materials for applications in memory storage and sensing devices. A key parameter that characterizes these materials is the transition temperature T1/2, defined as the temperature with equal populations of low-spin and high-spin species. In this study, we describe the development, implementation, and application of a novel hybrid Monte Carlo/molecular dynamics method that builds upon the Ligand Field Molecular Mechanics approach and enables the modeling of spin-crossover properties in bulk materials. The new methodology is applied to the study of a spin-crossover MOF with molecular formula [Fe(pz)2Pt(CN)4] (pz = pyrazine). The total magnetic moment of the material is determined as a function of the temperature from direct calculations of the relative equilibrium populations of both low-spin and high-spin states of each Fe(II) center of the framework. The T1/2 value, calculated from the temperature dependence of the magnetization cu...
Treatment of geriatric depression

The author reviews clinical issues regarding the treatment of late-life depression. Accurate diagnosis is complicated by the presence of medical illness, dementia syndromes, and heterogeneity of patient populations. Older depressed patients are often sensitive to drug toxicity resulting from age-related pharmacokinetic changes and polypharmacy. Thus, modification in the use of antidepressant drugs is needed to avoid side effects. Numerous antidepressant drugs are safe and efficacious in elderly depressed patients, and newer agents such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are often preferred over tricyclic antidepressants because of side effect profiles. Nonpharmacological approaches, alone and in combination with antidepressant drugs, are also useful, and maintenance treatments appear to reduce the likelihood of relapse.
Overt security features through digital printing

Digital printing technology represents a counterfeiting threat and a counterfeiting deterrence opportunity. Digital reproduction methods have been used to produce holographic and printed features similar to those on banknotes. As digital technology continues to improve, the quality of those features will become nearly indistinguishable from intaglio printing, offset printing and holograms. Optically active devices and inks have been useful to slow counterfeiters, but security document and feature designers need more tools. The toolbox for digital technologies is very large and being exploited by the counterfeiters, but their toolbox has been limited to commercially available digital technologies. Security designers also need to take advantage of this toolbox with the additional lever of secure materials. By leveraging digital technologies with secure materials, variable information and integration with other security features, security document designers can create new, attractive features that are hard to replicate. The high level of difficulty to create security materials in the sub-micron to nanometer size range with multiple functionalities is one barrier. Creating inks that are formulated to fit the stringent requirements for custom digital printing methods creates another barrier to unauthorized reproduction. All of the other valuable aspects of digital technology are therefore accessible only to those with access to these secure materials. Leveraging these digital materials to make optical effects make them useful for the end-user authentication. Furthermore, use of digital technologies allows the incorporation of variable data that can be authenticated visually or using proprietary algorithms and detection / sorting equipment.