cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Scoping Review: Characteristics and Outcomes of Residents Who Experience Involuntary Relocation.

Background and objectives Relocation to a residential care facility has been described as the most significant relocation affecting older adults, yet subsequent relocations, like in the case of a facility closure, have received minimal attention in the scholarly research literature. This paper reviews the published literature on involuntary relocation, focusing on the experiences of residents, families, and staff and the effects of involuntary relocation on nursing home residents' health. Research design and methods We conducted a scoping review to identify peer-reviewed studies reporting on involuntary relocation of nursing home residents. A total of 28 quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method articles met inclusion criteria. Results Researchers mostly relied on longitudinal designs and quantitative indicators of functional health, cognitive status, psychological and emotional well-being, environment, and relocation context to examine residents' mortality risk and health outcomes associated with involuntary relocation. Inclusion of qualitative and mixed-method approaches was infrequent, as were indicators of social engagement and perceptions of relocation. Residents' awareness of and preparation for involuntary relocation positively influenced their health and well-being. Family involvement was frequently hindered by communication challenges with facilities. Staff expressed concern about residents, experienced increased workload demands, and acknowledged challenges with planning and communication. Discussion and implications Based on the collective findings, we propose a conceptual model of critical factors at play during relocation for consideration for guiding future research and developing provisions to current policies guiding relocation processes. Facilities and policymakers need to consider procedures that enhance planning efforts and decision-making among this vulnerable population and their families.
Co-localization and confinement of diphosphohydrolases and ecto-nucleotidases modulate extracellular adenosine nucleotide pools

1 Abstract Nucleotides comprise small molecules that perform critical signaling and energetic roles in biological systems. Of these, the concentrations of adenosine and its derivatives, including adenosine tri-, di-, and mono-phosphate are dynamically controlled in the extracellular-space by diphosphohydrolases and ecto-nucleotidases that rapidly degrade such nucleotides. In many instances, the close coupling between cells such as those in synaptic junctions yields tiny extracellular ‘nanodomains’, within which the charged nucleotides interact with densely-packed membranes and biomolecules. While the contributions of electrostatic and steric interactions within such nanodomains are known to shape diffusion-limited reaction rates, less is understood about how these factors control the kinetics of sequentially-coupled diphosphohydrolase/nucleotidase-catalyzed reactions. To rank the relative importance of these factors, we utilize reaction-diffusion numerical simulations to systematically probe coupled enzyme activity in narrow junctions. We perform these simulations in nanoscale geometries representative of narrow extracellular compartments, within which we localize sequentially- and spatially-coupled enzymes. These enzymes catalyze the conversion of a representative charged substrate such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) into substrates with different net charges, such as adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and adenosine (Ado). Our modeling approach considers electrostatic interactions of diffusing, charged substrates with extracellular membranes, and coupled enzymes. With this model, we find that 1) Reaction rates exhibited confinement effects, namely reduced reaction rates relative to bulk, that were most pronounced when the enzyme was close to the pore size and 2) The presence of charge on the pore boundary further tunes reaction rates by controlling the pooling of substrate near the reactive protein akin to ions near trans-membrane proteins. These findings suggest how remarkable reaction efficiencies of coupled enzymatic processes can be supported in charged and spatially-confined volumes of extracellular spaces.
Graphite oxide/boron nitride hybrid membranes: The role of cross-plane laminar bonding for a durable membrane with large water flux and high rejection rate

Abstract Swelling of graphene oxide (GO) membrane greatly restricts its use in liquid separation applications. Cross-linking is widely used to stabilize GO membrane but often results in enlarged d-spacing. This work presents a durable hybrid GO/boron nitride membrane with both physical confinement and chemical bonding, which simultaneously achieves large water flux and excellent dye rejection rate. By alternating GO nanosheets and amino-modified boron nitride (a-BN) nanosheets in the hybrid membrane (a-BNGO) structure, plane-plane conformation and edge-edge covalent bonding facilitate the formation of tightly packed laminar structure, which is demonstrated efficient to restrict membrane swelling, improve water flux and methylene blue (MB) separation performance. Specifically, a-BNGO hybrid membranes, with a-BN/GO mass ratio ranging from 1:4 to 2:1, were prepared by pressurized filtration method on top of polydopamine coated polyethersulfone (PDA/PES) substrate. By optimizing the a-BN/GO ratio, high rejection rate of 99.98% and large water flux of 4.15 LMH can be achieved. The separation properties of these membranes were tested stable for up to 9 h, even in different pH conditions (pH = 4–10).
STEREOS: Smart Table EntRy Eviction for OpenFlow Switches

Software-defined networking (SDN) is fundamentally changing the way networks operate, enabling programmable and flexible network management and configuration. As the de facto standard southbound interface of SDN, OpenFlow defines how the control plane interacts with the data forwarding plane. In OpenFlow, flow tables play a significant role in packet forwarding. However, the size of the flow table is limited due to power, cost, and silicon area constraints and capacity-limited tables cannot hold all of the active flows in medium-to-large-scale SDN networks. Thus, when a flow table reaches capacity, an intelligent eviction strategy, which efficiently manages the limited flow table resource, is critical. In this paper, we propose Smart Table EntRy Eviction for OpenFlow Switches (STEREOS), which uses machine learning to classify flow entries as active or inactive and forms the basis for intelligent eviction. Trace-driven simulations demonstrate that STEREOS increases flow table usage by more than 50% and reduces incorrect flow entry evictions by up to 78%, compared with the dominant Least Recently Used eviction policy. Moreover, packet-level simulations of a datacenter network demonstrate that STEREOS can greatly reduce the control overhead, increase overall network throughput by 19%, and reduce packet loss rate by 70%.
Tracking the assembly of nested parasite communities: Using β-diversity to understand variation in parasite richness and composition over time and scale.

Community composition is driven by a few key assembly processes: ecological selection, drift and dispersal. Nested parasite communities represent a powerful study system for understanding the relative importance of these processes and their relationship with biological scale. Quantifying β-diversity across scales and over time additionally offers mechanistic insights into the ecological processes shaping the distributions of parasites and therefore infectious disease. To examine factors driving parasite community composition, we quantified the parasite communities of 959 amphibian hosts representing two species (the Pacific chorus frog, Pseudacris regilla and the California newt, Taricha torosa) sampled over 3 months from 10 ponds in California. Using additive partitioning, we estimated how much of regional parasite richness (γ-diversity) was composed of within-host parasite richness (α-diversity) and turnover (β-diversity) at three biological scales: across host individuals, across species and across habitat patches (ponds). We also examined how β-diversity varied across time at each biological scale. Differences among ponds comprised the majority (40%) of regional parasite diversity, followed by differences among host species (23%) and among host individuals (12%). Host species supported parasite communities that were less similar than expected by null models, consistent with ecological selection, although these differences lessened through time, likely due to high dispersal rates of infectious stages. Host individuals within the same population supported more similar parasite communities than expected, suggesting that host heterogeneity did not strongly impact parasite community composition and that dispersal was high at the individual host-level. Despite the small population sizes of within-host parasite communities, drift appeared to play a minimal role in structuring community composition. Dispersal and ecological selection appear to jointly drive parasite community assembly, particularly at larger biological scales. The dispersal ability of aquatic parasites with complex life cycles differs strongly across scales, meaning that parasite communities may predictably converge at small scales where dispersal is high, but may be more stochastic and unpredictable at larger scales. Insights into assembly mechanisms within multi-host, multi-parasite systems provide opportunities for understanding how to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases within human and wildlife hosts.
Chapter 1 – Chemical synthesis of nanostructured metals, metal alloys, and semiconductors

Publisher Summary This chapter outlines several common and unique techniques for the synthesis of nanostructured materials (NSMs), intermetallics, and semiconductors in powder and thin-film form. There are four general methods that have been used to make nanophase materials. The first technique involves the production of isolated, ultrafine crystallites having uncontaminated free surfaces followed by a consolidation process either at room or at elevated temperatures. The specific processes used to isolate the NSMs are inert-gas condensation, decomposition of the starting chemicals or the precursors, and precipitation from solutions. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), and some electrochemical methods have been used to deposit atoms or molecules of materials on suitable substrates. Nanocomposites can be produced by depositing chemically different molecules simultaneously or consecutively. Another approach used to make NSMs is based on crystallization or precipitation from unstable states of condensed matter such as crystallization from glasses or precipitation from supersaturated solid or liquid solutions. Metals and intermetallics are made by employing either aqueous or nonaqueous methods. The two main routes of chemical synthesis for the metals and intermetallics are thermal or ultrasonic decomposition of organometallic precursors to yield the respective elements or alloys and reduction of inorganic or organometallic precursors by reducing agents.
Unconventional biomaterials for cardiovascular tissue engineering

Abstract Owing to a growing demand for cardiac transplants and dearth of available compatible organ donors, cardiovascular tissue constructs are increasingly sought to improve the quality of treatment of the patients. Biomaterials that are used to produce scaffolds for tissue engineering must overcome several challenges to achieve appropriate structure and biomimetic properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical strength. The complex procedures required to manufacture biomaterials and the cost associated with the production have led to consideration of using naturally derived unconventional biomaterials to fabricate three-dimensional scaffolds. Owing to factors such as availability, accessibility, flexibility, and low cost of the raw material, unconventional natural biomaterials such as silk, plant leaves, and paper have been evaluated for their use in cardiovascular tissue engineering. This review summarizes the use of such unconventional, naturally sourced biomaterials and their applications in cardiovascular tissue engineering.
AFFINITY LABELING OF ARYL SULFOTRANSFERASE IV : IDENTIFICATION OF A PEPTIDE SEQUENCE AT THE BINDING SITE FOR 3'-PHOSPHOADENOSINE-5'-PHOSPHOSULFATE

2'-O-[(R)-Formyl(adenin-9-yl)-methyl]-(S)-glyceraldehyde 3'-triphosphate (also designated as ATP dialdehyde or ATPDA) was utilized as an affinity label for the 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) binding site of an aryl sulfotransferase. The sulfotransferase employed in these studies was rat hepatic aryl sulfotransferase (AST) IV (also known as tyrosine-ester sulfotransferase, EC 2.8.2.9), for which a cDNA had been previously cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and the resulting enzyme purified to homogeneity. ATPDA was a time-dependent irreversible inhibitor of the recombinant AST IV, and this inhibition was prevented by including either PAPS or adenosine 3',5'-diphosphate (PAP) in the incubation of AST IV with ATPDA. Experiments relating covalent binding of [2,8-3H]ATPDA with catalytic activity indicated that 1 nmol of the affinity label was bound per nmol of AST IV subunit. Incubation of [2,8-3H]ATPDA with the enzyme followed by reduction with sodium cyanoborohydride, proteolysis with trypsin, and separation of the resulting peptides by high pressure liquid chromatography yielded two labeled peptide fractions. Automated sequence analysis showed that both modified peptide fractions were derived from the same sequence in AST IV: 63-Leu-Glu-Lys-Cys-Gly-Arg-68. Both the sequencing results and examination of the two peptide fractions by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry indicated that the ATPDA affinity label was bound to the hexapeptide at both lysine 65 and cysteine 66. These affinity labeled amino acids are located within a region of sequence in AST IV that shows considerable homology with various sulfotransferases that possess diverse specificities for acceptor substrates, and this may provide insight into PAPS binding in other sulfotransferases.
African American Viewers and the Black Situation Comedy: Situating Racial Humor

Acknowledgments. Foreword, Alvin F. Poussant MD. 1. Introduction Part I. Black Situation comedies as Hyper-Racialized Images Introduction to Part I 2. Blackface 3. Blackface + Blackvoice 4. Blackface + Blackvoice = Black Situation Comedy Part II. African American Voices Situating Black Situation Comedy Introduction to Part II 5. Black Sitcoms Portrayals: The Good, the Bad, and the Worse 6. The Cosby Show 7. Black Like Me? Identity and Self Image 8. The Message, The Impacts 9. Remedies: Where Do We Go From Here? Conclusion. Methodology Appendices. Appendix A: Black Situation Comedies Appendix B: Exemplar Probes Appendix C: Sample Case Report Appendix D: Sample Aggregate Constructions Notes. Selected Bibliography. Index.
Application of cell adhesion to study signaling networks.

Publisher Summary In addition to their role in adhesion, integrins are capable of transmitting and receiving signals through a series of different intracellular signaling pathways. Integrin engagement with various different extracellular matrices stimulates the activation (and inhibition) of an extensive array of signaling molecules. This chapter outlines the general approaches to studying signal transduction and how they can be applied to studying integrin-mediated signaling in particular. The most important steps involve preparation of the cells and matrix-coated surfaces and the selection of proper controls. Most techniques require only some minor changes to accommodate the differences in studying signaling events mediated by cell adhesion vs those mediated by soluble factors. The most common extracellular matrix materials utilized for integrin-mediated adhesion assays are collagen I, collagen IV, fibronectin, laminin, vitronectin, and fibrinogen. One of the most useful tools for elucidating integrin-mediated signaling pathways and networks is molecular genetics. From simple overexpression of one molecule and monitoring the effect on downstream events, to more complicated mutant analyses, this approach can be used to determine what the signaling events and pathways are, and give detailed information about how those signaling events occur and, most importantly, how they regulate the final biological outcome.
The argument of Explaining the Normative

The term “normativity” is ubiquitous in contemporary philosophy. It is a term that purports to explain. What it explains are facts of an apparently ubiquitous kind, namely correctness, social institutions, rationality, and much more —semantics, scientific truth, and ethics. But there is a problem with these “explanations.” These facts, sometimes under different descriptions, have already been explained by social scientists, especially some of the classical sociologists and anthropologists, in terms that do not appeal to “normativity.” In other cases, there are rivalries: one can give a normative account of scientific truth, and a sociological and historical one which does not appeal to normativity. These are issues with first-order explanations. But there is also a question about second-order matters: can we even provide explanations without appealing to normative notions such as correctness, as they apply to the explanations themselves? And if not, normativity is indispensable, at least to our metaphysics. So what is normativity? The concept appears in so many contexts that it is difficult to explain except by analogy to paradigm cases. It is the property that makes something correct, that makes an inference valid, or makes a reason rational. The classical case is the law: what makes a law binding? The normative property of bindingness, without which law would not be law, that is to say it would not possess a property we normally associate with law and even define law in terms of. The problem with this claim is simple: nothing that actually happens in the world of social action or behavior seems to require that this property actually exists. What is required to explain what people such as judges and policemen do is that they believe the law is binding. Normativism, however, rejects this, and makes the claim that belief is not enough: the law is really binding and to explain real bindingness requires that we appeal to a special set of facts or entities which can explain this special normative feature of the law. There is an apparent circularity in normativist explanations and descriptions: you have to describe the fact in a certain way to necessitate the normativist explanation. But normativists typically claim that their descriptions are the only correct ones, or that they are part of the normal world of belief and thus provide the material that needs explaining. And they can also argue that the social scientist who tries to explain the same material non-normatively necessarily uses normative language and therefore implicitly accepts normativism. The anti-normativst replies that his language is used in a non-normative way, and thus does not have the normative implications the normativist says its does. Claims about normativity turn out to have a more or less standard form, and a more or less standard conflict with alternative explanations. Something is described in a par-
Nokia Siemens Networks: Just Doing Business - Or Supporting an Oppressive Regime?

This case study examines the relevance of taking social and political factors into consideration when a corporation is making a key business decision. In September 2009, Simon Beresford-Wylie, the outgoing CEO of Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN), was reviewing the company’s achievements — while acknowledging the latest public criticism regarding NSN’s business relationship with the Iranian government. In the summer of 2009, NSN was accused of complicity in human rights violations linked to Iran’s presidential election. The company sold network infrastructure and software solutions to the Iranian government, which then used this technology to observe, block, and control domestic communications. Should NSN have acted differently? Students are asked to examine the economic and moral arguments for and against selling products to an oppressive regime that might then use those products to violate human rights. In such a case, does the corporation bear co-responsibility for human rights violations committed by an oppressive regime?
Pregabalin effect on steady‐state pharmacokinetics of carbamazepine, lamotrigine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, topiramate, valproate, and tiagabine

By reducing neuronal excitability through selective binding to the α(2)δ subunit of voltage-dependent calcium channels, pregabalin effectively treats epilepsy, chronic pain, and anxiety disorders. To evaluate if pregabalin coadministration affects pharmacokinetics of other antiepileptic drugs, population pharmacokinetic analyses using NONMEM software were performed on data from three epilepsy trials involving seven antiepileptic drugs with pregabalin as add-on therapy. Results demonstrated that pregabalin did not alter the steady-state plasma concentrations of carbamazepine, lamotrigine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, tiagabine, topiramate, and valproate. Furthermore, the small percent change in the population estimate of antiepileptic drug plasma clearance values (-2% to +7%) suggests that pregabalin coadministration exerted no significant effect on the pharmacokinetics of these antiepileptic drugs, with the possible exception of tiagabine (+34.9%). These findings are in agreement with those of previously published reports. A further clarification study is necessary for tiagabine. In conclusion, it appears that pregabalin can be coadministered with other antiepileptic drugs without concern for significantly altering their pharmacokinetic profiles.
The coherence between the IMF and high-latitude ionospheric flows: The dayside magnetosphere–ionosphere low-pass filter

Abstract This study seeks to establish a new system characteristic describing dayside convective flows in the coupled magnetosphere–ionosphere: the low-pass filter function through which interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) fluctuations are processed as they are communicated from the magnetopause to the high-latitude ionosphere near local noon. In doing so, this study confirms that variations in the ionospheric flows at high-latitudes near local noon are well correlated with variations in the IMF orientation and magnitude on short timescales. We construct the filter function by comparing time series of the ionospheric equivalent flows at a fixed location at magnetic local noon and 80° latitude with time series of the IMF. The coherence spectra of these two parameters—averaged over 330 h of comparison—indicate that there is a low-pass cutoff in the ionospheric response to IMF driving at a periods shorter than 20 min (frequencies higher than 0.8 mHz). When there is sufficient power in the IMF fluctuations, this cutoff is relatively sharp—the coherence drops by roughly a factor of three between the periods 32 and 21 min (0.5 and 0.8 mHz). The results also show that on average the coherence between the east–west component of the equivalent flows and IMF By tends to be less than the coherence between the north–south component of the equivalent flows and IMF Bz.
A 20-year MSU dataset for atmospheric temperature change studies

The Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) on board the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) polar-orbiting satellites were designed to measure the atmospheric temperature from the surface to the lower stratosphere under all weather conditions, excluding precipitation. Although the instrumental design and calibration were made primarily for monitoring the atmospheric weather processes, the MSU observations have been extensively used for detecting climate trend. However, calibration errors have been a major uncertainty in climate trend detections. In order for the MSU data to be of high quality for climate trend and variability research, we have recently recalibrated the MSU satellites NOAA 10, 11, 12, and 14 using simultaneous nadir overpass (SNO) method. The calibration results in a well-merged 20-year radiance dataset for the MSU channels 2, 3, and 4. Limb-correction is applied to adjust the incident angles of the footprints. The limbcorrected radiances are further binned into 2.50 longitude by 2.50 latitude grids to generate deep-layer temperature datasets for the mid-troposphere (T2), tropopause (T3), and lower-stratosphere (T4). The global ocean averaged trends for the recalibrated T2, T3, and T4 are respectively 0.234±0.071 K/decade, 0.079±0.085 K/decade, and -0.414±0.287 K/decade for the 20-year time period from 1987 to 2006. Both the recalibrated radiance and deep-layer temperature datasets are freely available through the NESDIS/STAR website http://www.orbit.nesdis.noaa.gov/smcd/emb/mscat/mscatmain.htm htm.
Mutations in GABRA1, GABRA5, GABRG2 and GABRD receptor genes are not a major factor in the pathogenesis of familial focal epilepsy preceded by febrile seizures

GABA(A) receptors mutations have been reported in few epilepsy families with febrile seizures (FS) followed by generalized epilepsy. It is not known if such mutations may underlie FS followed by partial epilepsy, which is a more common type of epilepsy. We searched for disease-causing mutations in the genes of the alpha1, alpha5, gamma2 and delta subunits of the GABA-A receptor that were previously shown to contain epilepsy-causing mutations or epilepsy susceptibility polymorphisms. All coding and untranslated exons of these four GABA(A) subunit genes were screened in 74 unrelated patients with familial partial epilepsy preceded by FS. Most patients had temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We did not detect any disease-causing mutations that would be consistent with missense, nonsense or splice site mutations in any of the four analyzed genes. We conclude that these genes are not a major genetic factor in familial TLE preceded by FS.
Axial superresolution of focused radially polarized light using diffractive optical elements

Abstract Particle swarm optimization (PSO) was used to design binary phase- and amplitude diffractive optical elements (DOEs) that axially superresolve a tightly focused radially polarized beam. The Pareto front was generated for a fitness-value space that describes the superresolution that can be achieved with the DOEs and radially polarized light versus an allowed upper bound in side lobe intensity. Fitness values for designs obtained via the PSO-, simplex-, and simulated-annealing methods are compared to show that PSO yields globally optimized solutions. Performance of binary phase/amplitude DOEs with different numbers of zones is compared. Binary amplitude DOEs give slightly better superresolution, whereas binary phase DOEs offer the advantage of higher power efficiency. The potential of using DOEs for 4Pi microscopy to further reduce the side lobes and achieve better superresolution is discussed.
The Structural Analysis Of A Light-Weight Aluminum Foam Core Mirror

Classical precision mirrors in optical systems are right circular glass cylinders with a 6-to-1 diameter-to-thickness ratio. The typical weight of a mirror of this type is W = 255 x D2.92 where: W is the weight in kg, D is the diameter in meters.
Parameter and state estimation for dead-beat dc drive speed control

This paper describes a simultaneous disturbance (external fixed load torque) accommodation and finite setting time speed control implemented with a microcomputer system for thyristor dc motor drive systems. State variables, parameters and the external fixed torque essential to realize this scheme are simultaneously estimated by a stochastic nonlinear filter without stopping operation.
Silicon-O-M-O-silicon superlattice

The success of heterojunction quantum wells and quantum dots in III-Vs has not been extended to silicon because the ideal barrier, SiO"2, is amorphous, preventing the formation of quantum structures with silicon. The possibility of a few monolayers of oxide inserted between adjacent silicon layers was proposed and realized with a superlattice (SL) structure consisting of Si-Si-O-Si-Si-Si, having a monolayer of oxygen in each period introduced by adsorption onto the 2x1 reconstructed surface along the Si(100). Reduction of the period leads to a slight up-shift of the energy of the emitted light, indicating that the essential objective of boosting the optical transition by promoting direct transitions has not been realized. Annealing in H"2+O"2 results in significant improvement in PL and EL, showing that specific defects, e.g., Si-O complexes may be responsible for the observed light emission. The role of Si-O complex being the origin of emission is further supported by the observation that the emission of visible light from polycrystalline Si and SiO"2 structure is similar to the epitaxial superlattice with oxygen. The computed strain in a new type of superlattices consisting of SiO"2, and GeO"2 is much lower than the Si-O SL. The EL in Si-O superlattice with the use of a Schottky barrier to provide electron-hole accumulation allows double injection into states higher in energy than the bandgap of Si, a prerequisite for injection laser without the need to use a wide-band pn-junction.
A high-throughput microfluidic real-time gene expression living cell array

The dynamics of gene expression are fundamental to the coordination of cellular responses. Measurement of temporal gene expression patterns is currently limited to destructive low-throughput techniques such as northern blotting, reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and DNA microarrays. We report a scalable experimental platform that combines microfluidic addressability with quantitative live cell imaging of fluorescent protein transcriptional reporters to achieve real-time characterization of gene expression programs in living cells. Integrated microvalve arrays control row-seeding and column-stimulation of 256 nanoliter-scale bioreactors to create a high density matrix of stimulus–response experiments. We demonstrate the approach in the context of hepatic inflammation by acquiring ∼5000 single-time-point measurements in each automated and unattended experiment. Experiments can be assembled in hours and perform the equivalent of months of conventional experiments. By enabling efficient investigation of dynamic gene expression programs, this technology has the potential to make significant impacts in basic science, drug development, and clinical medicine.
Particle-in-cell simulations of lowerhybrid waves generated by an ion-ring velocity distribution

Fully electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulations of the excitation of the lower-hybrid mode in a plasma driven by an ion-ring distribution using the Lsp code are presented. At early times the simulations agree with linear theory. The resulting wave evolution and non-linear plasma and ring-ion heating are compared previous simulation results [1] and with theoretical models [2], [3]. The 2D simulations show that, when the magnetic field is perpendicular to the wave vector, k, a space-charge electric field caused caused by the unstable waves works in conjunction with the applied magnetic field to cause the perturbed magnetic flux to wrap up into circular paramagnetic vortices in which electrons E ×B drift around a positively charged center. These vortices are similar to those observed in 2D simulations of magnetic-field penetration into a spatially inhomogeneous plasma [4]. These vortices are altered by the addition of a small, in-plane, component of magnetic field which allows electrons to stream along field lines effectively shorting out one component of the electric field. In this case, the vortex structures are no longer circular but elongated along the direction of the in-plane magnetic field component.
Energy-Dependent Relaxation Times in Electroacoustic Absorption

The effect of energy-dependent relaxation times in the theory of the electronic absorption of acoustic waves in nondegenerate semiconductors is considered in this paper. This effect becomes negligible in the two limits of low ($\mathrm{ql}\ensuremath{\ll}1$) and high $\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\tau}\ensuremath{\gg}1$ frequencies, but for "intermediate" frequencies relative differences as high as 100% have been found in the absorption coefficient for the two cases considered here. These two cases are for $\ensuremath{\tau}(\ensuremath{\epsilon})$ as given (i) by acoustic-phonon scattering and (ii) by ionized-impurity scattering. The comparison is made with the simple case of constant relaxation time.
Mutations in the lactose operon caused by bacteriophage Mu.

Abstract Infection of Escherichia coli by baoteriophage Mu leads to a 100-fold increase in the frequency of lac − mutations in the surviving lysogens. The Mu-induced lac Z mutants were mapped and the mutants were located in 11 of 16 genetic segments of the lac Z gene. Some 13% of the Mu-induced lac Z gene mutants were total deletions of the gene. The Mu prophage is closely linked to the site of mutation in the mappable mutants but is unlinked to the lac Z deletions. It is suggested that the lac Z deletions are caused by a Mu-induced recombination system whereas the mappable mutations are caused by Mu prophage integration into the lac Z gene. Induction of the lac operon leads to a decrease in the frequency of Mu-induced insertion mutations but it does not affect the frequency of deletions.
Corbicula (Bivalvia: Sphaeriacea) vs. Indigenous Mussels (Bivalvia: Unionacea) in U.S. Rivers: A Hard Case for Interspecific Competition?

At a time when populations of indigenous river mussels have been dwindling and/or disappearing, the introduced Asian clam, Corbicula , has spread through many U.S. rivers from California to Florida. In the Arkansas River Navigation System, a heavily managed waterway, Corbicula presently has a different “competitive” presence than it does in the relatively unmanaged Buffalo River in Arkansas. Comparative studies of both Corbicula and indigenous bivalved mollusks reveal biological bases for the contrasting kinds of benthic faunal change. There are ecologically relevant, distinctive differences between the two kinds of animals: in mantle/shell and mantle/gill apparatus, in the reproductive complex and neuroanatomy, and in spawning and locomotor behaviors. It is argued that the conservative molluscan characteristics of Corbicula enable it to function in an exclusive, “contradictory” role with indigenous bivalves in a heavily managed waterway, and in a “contrary” competitive role elsewhere. Rationale is presented for incorporating organismic evaluation into studies of competition between distantly related taxa.
Alpha1‐adrenergic stimulation and cytoplasmic free calcium concentration in cultured renal proximal tubular cells: Evidence for compartmentalization of quin‐2 and fura‐2

This study was designed to examine the role of changes in cytoplasmic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) during the response to alpha 1-adrenergic agonists in cultured renal proximal tubular cells. Experiments were carried out on primary cultures of canine proximal tubular cells grown in defined culture medium on a solid support, on collagen-coated polycarbonate membranes, or on collagen-coated glass coverslips. Quin-2 and fura-2 were used to monitor [Ca2+]i. The basal level of [Ca2+]i was 101 nM, as measured with quin-2, and 122 nM, as determined using fura-2. Fluorescence flow cytometry revealed that about 85% of the population of proximal tubular cells responded to phenylephrine with an increase in [Ca2+]i. Phenylephrine (10(-5) M) caused an immediate actual increase in [Ca2+]i by 18 and 24%, as determined with quin-2 and fura-2, respectively, with the peak increase in [Ca2+]i averaging 22% and 44% over the basal level (180-300 sec). This effect did not require extracellular calcium. The effect of phenylephrine was abolished by prazosin and verapamil. Fluorescence microscopy of quin-2 or fura-2 loaded cells revealed punctate areas of fluorescence within the cytoplasm suggesting vesicular uptake of the dyes. Pinocytotic entrapment of the dyes was demonstrated by the transfer of cell-impermeant fura-2 across tubular cell monolayers mounted in Ussing chambers. The transfer of the dye was similar to that of a marker of fluid-phase pinocytosis, Lucifer Yellow (LY). This pinocytotic entrapment of Ca2+-indicators would lead to underestimation of the actual calcium transients. Microfluorometric study of single proximal tubular cells "scrape-loaded" with fura-2 revealed a four-fold increase in [Ca2+]i concentration following stimulation with phenylephrine.
Tracking of nonstationarities for texture fields

Abstract We consider the problem of texture segmentation as one of tracking nonstationarities for 2-D signals. The underlying signal representation is the Wigner distribution. It is a co-joint representation of space/spatial-frequency and it enjoys both high locality and resolution. The Split-and-Merge algorithm tracks nonstationarities by outlining areas of homogeneity. Experiments were run on texture fields and the results are promising. We conclude by discussing issues related to our new approach and by suggesting directions for future research.
Hyoid and pharyngeal arch function during ventilation and feeding in elasmobranchs: Conservation and modification in function

Summary The hypothesis that the mandibular and hyoid arches evolved from anterior pharyngeal arches to increase ventilation performance and subsequently became adapted for feeding is widely accepted. As jaws evolved, the morphology of the hyoid arch changed notably from that of a pharyngeal arch. Furthermore, hyoid arch morphology varies considerably among elasmobranch taxa and has been shown to be related to feeding style. The goal of this study is to determine whether the function (direction of movement or change in cavity cross-section) of the hyoid arch is altered from that of the pharyngeal arch, and whether function is altered between ventilation, the basal behavior, and feeding, the derived behavior. Similar effects and associations of the pharyngeal arches by orientation to feeding or ventilation are also investigated. The kinematics of the hyoid and second pharyngeal arch during ventilation and feeding are quantified using sonomicrometry and hyomandibular angle measured in five shark and one skate species representing widely divergent hyomandibular morphologies. Hyoid and pharyngeal cavity width follows the same pattern of movement during ventilation; therefore the hyoid arch retains the ancestral function of the pharyngeal arches. The orientation of the hyomandibular cartilage appears to influence the pattern of arch movement during ventilation: anterior directed elements decrease in cavity width; laterally directed elements increase in cavity width; while posterior directed elements increase in cavity width or do not change; while cavity depth increases in all species. Hyoid and pharyngeal cavity width movement differs among the species during feeding and also appears to be related to hyoid arch orientation as well as feeding style. There appears to be a division between those species with hyomandibular angles less than 110° from those that are greater between feeding mode and hyoid cavity width movement. Primarily suction feeding species decrease hyoid cavity width whereas primarily bite feeding species increase hyoid cavity width during feeding while all species increase hyoid cavity depth.
Individual variation affects departure rate from the natal pond in an ephemeral pond-breeding anuran

Frogs exhibit extreme plasticity and individual variation in growth and behavior during metamorphosis, driven by interactions of intrinsic state factors and extrinsic environmental factors. In northern red-legged frogs (Rana aurora Baird and Girard, 1852), we studied the timing of departure from the natal pond as it relates to date and size of individuals at metamorphosis in the context of environmental uncertainty. To affect body size at metamorphosis, we manipulated food availability during the larval stage for a sample (317) of 1045 uniquely marked individuals and released them at their natal ponds as newly metamorphosed frogs. We recaptured 34% of marked frogs in pitfall traps as they departed and related the timing of their initial terrestrial movements to individual properties using a time-to-event model. Median age at first cap- ture was 4 and 9 days postmetamorphosis at two sites. The rate of departure was positively related to body size and to date of metamorphosis. Departure rate was strongly negatively related to time elapsed since rainfall, and this effect was di- minished for smaller and later metamorphosing frogs. Individual variation in metamorphic traits thus affects individuals' responses to environmental variability, supporting a behavioral link with variation in survival associated with these same metamorphic traits. Resume´ : Les grenouilles possedent durant la metamorphose une plasticiteextreme et une variation individuelle de leur croissance et de leur comportement qui s'expliquent par les interactions des facteurs d'etat intrinseques et des facteurs en- vironnementaux extrinseques. Nous etudions chez la grenouille apattes rouges du nord (Rana aurora Baird et Girard,
Death, Asymmetry and the Psychological Self

Lucretius thought that we should be as indifferent to the time of our death as we are toward the time of our birth. This paper will critique the ways in which Thomas Nagel, Frederik Kaufman and Christopher Belshaw have appealed to a psychological notion of the self in an attempt to defend our asymmetric intuitions against Lucretius’ claim. Four objections are marshalled against the psychological–self strategy: (1) the psychological notion of the self fails to capture all of our intuitions about selfhood; (2) some of the intuitions to which proponents of a psychological notion of the self appeal are drawn from irrelevant or misleading ethical and epistemological aspects of certain examples they consider; (3) the arguments developed on the basis of a psychological notion of the self do not answer Lucretius in the right way; and (4) the psychological–self explanation overlooks an important distinction between awareness–dependent and awareness–independent explanations. While the psychological–self explanation of the asymmetry in our attitudes toward the time of our birth and the time of our death may explain why Nagel, Kaufman and Belshaw have asymmetric attitudes, it fails to explain why most people have such attitudes.
Acute, but not chronic, metabolic acidosis disturbs 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 metabolism

Abstract Acute, but not chronic, metabolic acidosis disturbs 25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 metabolism. Previous studies in vitamin D deficient animals showing that acidosis may impair the production of 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 are in conflict with studies in humans which have not shown convincing disturbances of 25 OHD 3 metabolism during acidosis. We have investigated the effect on renal 25 OHD 3 1- and 24-hydroxylase of acid loading for periods of 24hr to 21 days. Acid loading resulted in immediate and sustained decrements in arterial pH and bicarbonate and increments in blood-ionized calcium. Acute (24-hr) acid loading decreased 1- and increased 24-hydroxylase activity. After 6 days of acid loading, no effect on 1-hydroxylase activity was observed and that on 24-hydroxylase activity was reduced. By 21 days the effect of acidosis on 24-hydroxylase activity was no longer observed. The results show that acidosis disturbs 25 OHD 3 metabolism in the physiological vitamin D and calcium replete state as well as in the vitamin D deficient state, but only acutely. Our data are consistent with studies in humans and suggest that, while short-term disturbances of 25 OHD 3 metabolism occur early in acidosis, they are transient and may not be causally related to the development of metabolic bone disease during chronic acidosis. L'acidose metabolique aigue et non chronique perturbe le metabolisme de la 25-hydroxyvitamine D 3 . Des etudes anterieures chez des animaux deficients en vitamine D indiquant que l'acidose pourrait alterer la production de 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 sont en conflit avec des etudes chez les humains, qui n'ont pas montre d'anomalie convaincante du metabolisme de la 25 OHD 3 pendant l'acidose. Nous avons etudie l'effet sur la 25 OHD 3 1- et 24-hydroxylase renale d'une charge acide pendant des periodes de 24 heures a 21 jours. La charge acide a entraine des diminutions immediates et prolongees du pH arteriel et des bicarbonates, et des augmentations du calcium ionise sanguin. Une charge aigue (24 heures) a diminue l'activite de la 1- et augmente celle de la 24-hydroxylase. Apres 6 jours de charge acide, aucun effet sur l'activite 1-hydroxylase n'a ete observee, et celui sur l'activite 24-hydroxylase etait reduit. Au bout de 21 jours, l'effet de l'acidose sur l'activite 24-hydroxylase n'etait plus visible. Ces resultats montrent que l'acidose altere le metabolisme de la 25 OHD 3 lors d'un etat physiologique en vitamine D et en repletion calcique, comme dans un etat de deficience vitaminique D, mais seulement de facon aigue. Nos donnees sont compatibles avec les etudes chez les humains et suggerent que bien que des alterations du metabolisme de la 25 OHD 3 a court terme puissent se produire tot en acidose, celles-ci sont transitoires, et ne sont probablement pas reliees au developpement d'une osteopathie metabolique pendant l'acidose chronique.
Efficacy and quality of life outcomes in patients with atypical trigeminal neuralgia treated with gamma-knife radiosurgery.

Purpose: To assess efficacy and quality of life (QOL) outcomes associated with gamma-knife radiosurgery (GK-RS) in treating atypical trigeminal neuralgia (ATN) compared with classic trigeminal neuralgia (CTN). Methods and Materials: Between September 1996 and September 2004, 35 cases of ATN were treated with GK-RS. Patients were categorized into two groups: Group I comprised patients presenting with ATN (57%); Group II consisted of patients presenting with CTN then progressing to ATN (43%). Median prescription dose 75 Gy (range, 70–80 Gy) was delivered to trigeminal nerve root entry zone. Treatment efficacy and QOL improvements were assessed with a standardized questionnaire. Results: With median follow-up of 29 months (range, 3–74 months), 72% reported excellent/good outcomes, with mean time to relief of 5.8 weeks (range, 0–24 weeks) and mean duration of relief of 62 weeks (range, 1–163 weeks). This rate of pain relief is similar to rate achieved in our previously reported experience treating CTN with GK-RS ( p = 0.36). There was a trend toward longer time to relief ( p = 0.059), and shorter duration of relief ( p = 0.067) in patients with ATN. There was no difference in rate of, time to, or duration of pain relief between Groups I and II. Of the patients with ATN, 88% discontinued or decreased the use of pain medications. Among the patients with sustained pain relief, QOL improved an average of 85%. Conclusion: This is the largest reported GK-RS experience for the treatment of ATN. Patients with ATN can achieve rates of pain relief similar to those in patients with CTN. Further follow-up is necessary to assess adequately the durability of response.
Quantitative comparison of mu opioid receptor mRNA in selected CNS regions of alcohol naive rats selectively bred for high and low alcohol drinking

We combined solution hybridization, ribonuclease protection and microdissection techniques to quantitatively compare the anatomical distribution of mu receptor mRNA in discrete brain regions of alcohol naive rats selectively bred for high and low alcohol drinking (HAD and LAD lines, respectively). The solution hybridization assay is highly sensitive and can detect mu opioid receptor mRNA in a 100-fold linear range from 4 to 421 amol. HAD and LAD rats exhibited a similar level of mu receptor mRNA in all central nervous system (CNS) regions examined except for the inferior colliculus. Our data suggest that the steady-state level of mu receptor mRNA is not associated with genetic differences in alcohol drinking behavior.