cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rifampin for therapy of experimental pneumococcal meningitis in rabbits.

Rifampin at a maximally effective dose was less active than ceftriaxone (both drugs at 10 mg/kg of body weight.h) in a rabbit model of pneumococcal meningitis (delta log10 CFU/ml.h, -0.40 +/- 0.13 versus -0.77 +/- 0.18; P < 0.01). The bactericidal activity of rifampin decreased at concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid greater than those that are clinically achievable, and use of rifampin in combination with ofloxacin had no synergistic or additive effect.
Reciprocal zones of excitation and inhibition in the neostriatum

Single-unit activity was recorded in the rat neostriatum at different distances from the point of an infusion of either glutamate or serotonin. In each case, firing rate at the distant site (0.8-1.5 mm) was the mirror image of that at the near site (0.1-0.3 mm). These reciprocal changes were blocked by a subsequent injection of haloperidol, a dopamine antagonist. It appears that a lateral inhibitory network, intrinsic to the neostriatum and possibly modulated by dopamine, plays an important role in the operation of the neostriatum.
Insulin therapy: optimizing control in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Abstract Insulin has been available for therapeutic use for more than 75 years and remains a powerful pharmacologic tool with nearly unlimited potential to lower plasma glucose levels in patients with diabetes. Required essentially by all patients with type I diabetes and many patients with type 2 diabetes, insulin is capable of restoring near-normoglycemia—the primary treatment goal to forestall the onset and progression of long-term complications. Attainment and maintenance of near-normal glycemic control can be achieved with the use of insulin replacement strategies designed to simulate the physiologic, nondiabetic patterns of insulin secretion in response to 24-hour postabsorptive and postprandial glucose profiles. This article reviews the physiologic basis and current therapeutic agents for optimal insulin replacement and provides practical clinical guidelines and strategies to achieve near-normal glycemic control in patients with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
PREPARATION AND EVALUATION OF ACRYLIC ACID, ITACONIC ACID, AND N-METHACRYLOYLGLUTAMIC ACID COPOLYMERS FOR USE IN GLASS-IONOMER TYPE DENTAL RESTORATIVES

A series of copolymers containing various molar ratios of acrylic acid, itaconic acid and N-methacryloylglutamic acid were prepared in aqueous solution, using standard free-radical polymerization conditions. Specimens for mechanical property studies were prepared by mixing water solutions of the copolymers (50:50, wt:wt) with a commercial, calcium-fluoroaluminosilicate glass powder, with curing or hardening achieved by salt-bridge formation. The glass powder used in the formulation(s) was the same as that used in Fuji II (GC America) glass-ionomer. The working and setting times of the various formulations were evaluated. The compressive strength was used as the basic screening property to find the optimum molar ratio of the three monomers. The diametral tensile strength, flexural strength and Knoop surface hardness of the cured materials were also determined. All mechanical properties were measured after the specimens were conditioned in distilled water for 7 days at 37°C. Based on the compressive strengt...
Observations of field reversal and the interaction of a rotating relativistic electron beam with a plasma

Experiments designed to measure the interaction of an intense rotating relativistic electron beam with a plasma have been carried out. Detailed agreement with the measured and calculated magnetic field perturbations at a density of 1014 cm−3 is found. To obtain agreement between the calculated and measured probe responses when the plasma density is varied, it is necessary to assume a non-classical conductivity that is proportional to the plasma density. At a plasma density of 3 × 1013 cm−3 the magnetosonic modes excited by the beam become critically damped and the observed beam stopping length is in agreement with the theory. The calculated beam energy deposition agrees reasonably well with the measured value. A field reversal of 2 with changes in the magnetic field of 3.2 kG that last for 1 μs is observed at a density of 1013 cm−3.
Optical coherence tomography findings in deferasirox-related maculopathy.

PURPOSE: To describe a 17-year-old boy with β-thalassemia on oral deferasirox, a novel once-daily oral iron chelator, who presented with bilateral painless visual loss, central scotomas, and dyschromatopsia. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: Fluorescein angiography and full-field electroretinography were normal; initial diagnosis of toxic optic neuropathy secondary to deferasirox was made. However, optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed no abnormalities in the retinal nerve fiber layer but demonstrated thinning of the outer retina, with disruption of the inner/outer segment (IS/OS) junction in the perifoveal regions in both eyes. CONCLUSION: These findings on OCT suggested toxic maculopathy secondary to deferasirox. This case highlights the importance of OCT in the early detection of toxic retinal disorders, especially when other standard tests are nonrevealing. This is the first documented case of deferasirox-induced maculopathy and of deferasirox-related changes demonstrated on OCT.
Adenosis (Atypical Adenomatous Hyperplasia): Histopathology and Relationship to Carcinoma

Summary Adenosis is a specific histologic entity which is most frequently seen in transurethral resection of the prostate, although increasingly identified on needle biopsy. The distinction of adenosis from low-grade adenocarcinoma is based on a constellation of histologic features, rather than on any one specific feature (ie. nucleoli). Although mimicking low grade adenocarcinoma, adenosis has not been shown to be related to adenocarcinoma.
Night-shift work and risk of breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

A 2007 report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified night-shift work as possibly carcinogenic to humans, emphasizing, in particular, its association with breast cancer. Since this report and the publication of the last systematic review on this topic, several new studies have examined this association. Hence, to provide a comprehensive update on this topic, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science (Conference Proceedings), and ProQuest dissertations for studies published before March 1, 2012, along with a manual search of articles that cited or referenced the included studies. Included were observational case–control or cohort studies examining the association between night-shift work and breast carcinogenesis in women, which all ascertained and quantified night-shift work exposure. The search yielded 15 eligible studies for inclusion in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Using random-effects models, the pooled relative risk (RR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) of breast cancer for individuals with ever night-shift work exposure was 1.21 (95 % CI, 1.00–1.47, p = 0.056, I 2 = 76 %), for short-term night-shift workers (<8 years) was 1.13 (95 % CI, 0.97–1.32, p = 0.11, I 2 = 79 %), and for long-term night-shift workers (≥8 years) was 1.04 (95 % CI, 0.92–1.18, p = 0.51, I 2 = 55 %), with substantial between-study heterogeneity observed in all analyses. Subgroup analyses suggested that flight attendants with international or overnight work exposure and nurses working night-shifts long-term were at increased risk of breast cancer, however, these findings were limited by unmeasured confounding. Overall, given substantial heterogeneity observed between studies in this meta-analysis, we conclude there is weak evidence to support previous reports that night-shift work is associated with increased breast cancer risk.
Real-time hierarchical bus system with Static arbitration using timer-controlled Priority Allocator for a multi-media SoC

Latest multi-media SoCs used in a digital product such as digital TV have a structure where a number of IPs with real-time requirement share one channel of off-chip SDRAM using high-frequency bus to achieve multi-function, high-performance, and low-cost. Thus, such a bus system is required that satisfies real-time requirement, realizes high-efficiency, and has hierarchical structure. In this bus system, bus arbitration plays a crucial role. In this paper, we show Static arbitration has an advantage in bus efficiency over existing arbitration algorithms. And we propose a real-time hierarchical bus system with Static arbitration using timer-controlled Priority Allocator and the Priority Level Transmission Mechanism. Simulation results show that the proposed bus system can satisfy real-time requirement, and is practical and efficient.
Occupancy of Select Marsh Birds Within Northern Gulf of Mexico Tidal Marsh: Current Estimates and Projected Change

Human-induced and natural processes continue to act upon the estuaries of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Predictive models have been applied to project the interactions between habitat modification and population estimates for some estuarine species. However, these assessments may be furthered by focusing on a suite of species, such as a subset of the marsh birds that inhabit these ecosystems. During 2004 and 2005, we conducted point count surveys within the estuarine systems of Alabama and Mississippi, USA to assess whether small-scale wetland characteristics and a broader scale metric of habitat modification influenced the distributions of several marsh bird species: clapper rail (Rallus longirostris), common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), least bittern (Ixobrychus exilis), marsh wren (Cistothorus palustris), and seaside sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus). On the basis of current habitat, we project change in species occupancy through several scenarios. Projections suggest that habitat alteration through loss of emergent marsh and increased cover of the halophyteJuncus roemerianus may be most influential to the distribution of these marsh bird species. Thus, continued alteration of existing conditions coupled with sea-level rise will likely have a significant impact on the distribution of this group of marsh bird species as well as the integrity of their habitat.
Effect of cyclosporin therapy in controlling the rejection of ileal versus jejunal allografts

Experimental evidence suggests that jejunal allografts are rejected as rapidly as are ileal grafts, despite their lesser content of lymphoid tissue as an immunologic stimulus. However, it may be possible to postpone the rejection of jejunal grafts more readily than that of ileal grafts by means of immunosuppressive therapy with cyclosporin (CyA). To test this, we used the rat model (BN-LEW) of orthotopic small-bowel transplantation. The proximal third of the small-bowel with one-third of the mesenteric lymph nodes (n = 20), or the distal ileal third with all of the mesenteric lymph nodes (n = 22), or the entire small-bowel (n = 23) was interposed after resection of an equivalent type and length of recipient bowel. CyA (15 mg/kg) was given to all of these rats for 5 days. Three additional control groups were not given CyA. The difference in graft/recipient survival among the groups receiving CyA and among those not on CyA therapy was not statistically significant. Antidonor hemagglutinin titers, the mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) assay, and histologic examination of the allograft failed to show a mitigated rejection reaction for the recipients of jejunal grafts. The data show that short-term treatment with CyA prolongs graft survival. Equal doses of CyA, however, did not lead to prolonged survival of jejunal grafts or alter the course of rejection in comparison with that for ileal or whole-bowel transplants.
Abnormal neurological responses in young adult offspring caused by excess omega-3 fatty acid (fish oil) consumption by the mother during pregnancy and lactation

Consuming omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3 FA) during pregnancy and lactation benefits fetal and infant brain development and might reduce the severity of preterm births by prolonging pregnancy. However, diets that are relatively rich in omega-3 FA can adversely affect fetal and infant development and the auditory brainstem response (ABR), a measure of brain development and sensory function. We previously examined the offspring of female rats fed excessive, adequate or deficient amounts of omega-3 FA during pregnancy and lactation. The 24-day-old offspring in the Excess group, compared to the Control group, had postnatal growth retardation and poor hearing acuity and prolonged neural transmission times as evidenced by the ABR. The Deficient group was intermediate. The current study followed these offspring to see if these poor outcomes persisted into young adulthood. Based on prior findings, we hypothesized that the Excess and Deficient offspring would "catch-up" to the Control offspring by young adulthood. Female Wistar rats received one of the three diet conditions from day 1 of pregnancy through lactation. The three diets were the Control omega-3 FA condition (omega-3/omega-6 ratio approximately 0.14), the Excess omega-3 FA condition (omega-3/omega-6 ratio approximately 14.0) and Deficient omega-3 FA condition (omega-3/omega-6 ratio approximately 0% ratio). The Control diet contained 7% soybean oil; whereas the Deficient and Excess omega-3 FA diets contained 7% safflower oil and 7% fish oil, respectively. One male and female offspring per litter were ABR-tested as young adults using tone pip stimuli of 2, 4, 8 and 16 kHz. The postnatal growth retardation and prolonged neural transmission times in the Excess and Deficient pups had dissipated by young adulthood. In contrast, the Excess group had elevated ABR thresholds (hearing loss) at all tone pip frequencies in comparison to the Control and Deficient groups. The Deficient group had worse ABR thresholds than the Control group in response to the 8 kHz tone pips only. The Excess group also had ABR amplitude-intensity profiles suggestive of hyperacusis. These results are consistent with the Barker hypothesis concerning the fetal and neonatal origins of adult diseases. Thus, consuming diets that are excessively rich or deficient in omega-3 FA during pregnancy and lactation seems inadvisable because of risks for long-lasting adverse effects on brain development and sensory function.
The Claims of Documentary: Expanding the educational significance of documentary film

AbstractThe documentary film is a popular curriculum tool, and the goal of this paper is to expand the educational significance of the documentary genre I argue that current understandings of this genre are limited and limiting, and offer an alternative perspective on the genre. This alternative will be built from Stanley Cavell’s philosophy of education, in particular, his understanding of the role that ‘representativeness’ plays in teaching and learning.
Pauli blocking effects for nucleon-nucleus scattering

Theoretical predictions for nucleon-nucleus scattering are customarily based on multiple-scattering formalisms in which the projectile-nucleon--struck-target-nucleon two-body subsystem is antisymmetrized and in which the target wave function is antisymmetric with respect to the nucleon constituents. Although formalisms exist for nucleon-nucleus scattering which account for full ([ital A]+1)-body antisymmetrization, these theories have not been adequately implemented in numerical applications. Pauli blocking of the struck target nucleon in intermediate scattering states is implicitly included in standard optical potential calculations which consistently include terms through second-order in the projectile-target nucleon scattering [ital t] matrix. In this work the multiple scattering expansion of the fully antisymmetrized nucleon-nucleus optical potential is organized so as to make explicit corrections to the standard optical potential due to Pauli blocking of the projectile nucleon in intermediate scattering states. Numerical calculations are presented for the resulting density dependent, projectile-target nucleon effective interaction and comparison with a previous density dependent model is given. It is shown that density dependent effective interaction [ital t] matrices for nucleon-nucleus scattering calculations should include Pauli blocking of just the projectile nucleon and binding potential corrections for just the target nucleon.
Sets with Interior Extremal Points for the Markoff Inequality

In this note we verify that for a set consisting of 3 intervals it is possible that the extreme value in the Markoff inequality occurs only at interior points.
Longitudinal Data Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences Using R

Jeffrey D. Long. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2012, 568 pages, $79.00 (Hardcover). This book represents an attempt by Jeffrey D. Long to provide behavioral science researchers with a stand-alone resour...
A study of intermediates adsorbed on platinized-platinum during the stedy-state oxidation of methanol, formic acid and formaldehyde

Abstract A combination of charging curves and gas chromatography was used in conjunction with platinized-platinum electrodes of large real surface, to study the intermediates that are formed under steady-state conditions during the anodic oxidation of methanol, formic acid, and formaldehyde in sulfuric acid solutions. It appears that the composition of the adsorbed intermediates is very similar in the three cases. On the average, the oxidation of one intermediate requires two electrons. The behavior of adsorbed CO is slightly different from that of the intermediates.
Comparisons Between Field and Laboratory Suction Measurements of Expansive Clays

Field suction measurements are especially important for pavements constructed on unsaturated expansive soils. Because these subgrade soils can experience high suction during dry seasons, field sensors that can measure high soil suctions are necessary. In this research, thermal conductivity-based soil suction sensors were evaluated for matric suction measurements at several sites. Laboratory suction measurements with the filter paper method were compared with the field suction measurements with the sensors. Soil water characteristic curves derived from the laboratory and field measurements agreed closely. Volume change measurements using swell and shrinkage tests were conducted separately on the subgrade soils retrieved from the instrumented test sites. The laboratory and field suction data need an adjustment or shift of the time factor to obtain comparable values at high suctions. The influence of total suction on the volumetric swell and shrinkage characteristics of the field subsoils were also addressed.
Theory and application of a finite element method for arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian fluids and structures

Abstract A coupled model for the analysis of three-dimensional structures interacting with a three-dimensional axisymmetric fluid has been developed. The model is intended for the study of the role of above core structures in core disruptive accidents. Because the fluid model must be capable of interacting with the structure while it experiences large deformations, an Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) mesh description, which enables the motion of the nodes to be programmed by the user, was chosen. Both the structural and the fluid model are programmed in a finite element format for the sake of versatility. Example calculations for a two-dimensional bubble problem, which served primarily to verify the computational algorithm for the fluid are presented. For the purpose of examining the capability of the method and simulating the response of above core structures in a CDA, numerous simulations were made of some SRI scale model tests. The results show reasonable agreement with the experiment.
Mountaineer Mine Wars: An Analysis of the West Virginia Mine Wars of 1912–1913 and 1920–1921

Professor Wheeler describes and analyzes the extreme violence that marked labor-management relations in the West Virginia coal fields.
Modeling of peptide adsorption interactions with a poly(lactic acid) surface.

The biocompatibility of implanted materials and devices is governed by the conformation, orientation, and composition of the layer of proteins that adsorb to the surface of the material immediately...
Dynamic context-aware sensor selection for sequential hypothesis testing

Dynamic sensor selection rules are obtained based on a context-aware measurement model in the framework of sequential hypotheses testing. The notion of context incorporates the operational conditions that directly affect sensor measurements. While a random context leads to a Bayesian decision rule, an unknown but nonrandom context yields minimax game-based rules. In either case, the resulting sensor selection rule trades off decision performance against the cost of sensor activation and the uncertainty of the true context.
Gradient elution in non-linear preparative liquid chromatography

Abstract The effect of column overload in gradient elution is studied theoretically using a model based on a differential mass balance equation that is solved numerically by an orthogonal collocation method. First elution profiles of a single component and then the separation of binary mixtures having both constant and non-constant separation factors with changing modulator concentration are examined and contrasted with results obtained by isocratic elution under comparable conditions. In overloaded chromatography of binary mixtures with constant separation factor gradient elution is shown to be superior to isocratic elution for the cases studied on the basis of production rate, yielded and enrichment factor. For the examination of the results obtained by gradient elution with binary mixtures having non-constant separation factors, a logarithmic mean separation factor, which offers a simple means for comparison and indicates whether or not separation will occur in overloaded conditions, is introduced. The effect of selectivity inversion due to changes in eluent strength and the role played by the logarithmic mean separation factor are illustrated.
Delivery of Internet Treatment for Compulsive Hoarding (D.I.T.C.H.)

This study tested the effectiveness of an existing private online CBT-based group intervention designed to help people with hoarding. Web-group participants were hypothesized to show more improvement in hoarding symptoms over time compared to those placed on a naturalistic waitlist. This web-based self-help group (N = 106 members, N = 155 waitlisted) includes a formal application process and requires that participants post action steps and progress at least once monthly. Members have access to educational resources on hoarding, cognitive strategies, and a chat-group. Potential research participants were invited to complete an anonymous web-based survey about their hoarding behaviors and clinical improvement on five occasions (3 months apart). The sample was mainly middle-aged, female and White. Regression analyses show that Recent members reported greater improvement and less clutter at 6 months (than Waitlist). Long-term members reported milder hoarding symptoms than Recent ones, suggesting benefits from group participation over time. All members showed reductions in clutter and hoarding symptoms over 15 months. Less posting activity was associated with greater hoarding severity. Online CBT-based self-help for hoarding appears to be a promising intervention strategy that may extend access to treatment. Evaluating the benefits of internet self-help groups is critical given growing popularity of and demand for web-based interventions.
Simulation-Based Design of the Geometry and Control System for an Omnidirectional Ground Vehicle

This paper describes the simulation-based design of a teleoperated, omnidirectional ground vehicle. The multi-body dynamic simulation employed is developed in the Simulink environment, specifically employing the Simscape extension of Simulink. The accuracy of the simulation is validated by comparison to data taken from one physical instantiation of the vehicle. The use of simulation allows controlled and rapid “testing” of various configurations of the vehicle without requiring any new construction and without endangering physical hardware. The simulation also provides estimates of quantities, like road force and inertial position, that are difficult to measure. The elements of the vehicle design that are specifically investigated in this paper are the vehicle’s physical geometry and its control system. The design of the vehicle’s control system is challenging because of nonlinearities and uncertainty in the model and because it is desired to control three tightly-coupled outputs (longitudinal, lateral, and angular velocity) via six different inputs (force generated at each of the vehicle’s six wheels).© 2014 ASME
Guys like us: The link between sexual harassment proclivity and blame

The present study investigated whether or not a man’s proclivity to engage in sexual harassment impacts how he blames sexual harassers and their victims. One hundred nineteen male participants read hypothetical harassment scenarios and responded to Bartling and Eisenman’s (1993, Sexual harassment proclivities in men and women. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 31, 189–192) Sexual Harassment Proclivities scale. Results revealed that men high in the proclivity to harass blamed harassers less and victims more than did low-proclivity men. Furthermore, ratings of similarity of the perpetrator and relevance of the situation suggest that this differential pattern of blaming reflected a self-protective motivation proposed by Shaver’s (1970, Defensive attribution: Effects of severity and relevance on the responsibility assigned for an accident. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 14, 101-113) defensive attribution theory.
The Fluid Mechanics of Electrostatic Precipitators

The role of the electric body force in the generation of secondary flows and turbulence in precipitators is poorly understood at present, despite the fact that these disturbances are thought to be detrimental to precipitator performance. This paper undertakes a fundamental analysis of the problem using the Navier-Stokes and reduced Maxwell equations. It is shown that the rotational component of the current density causes vorticity production in the gas, and is therefore the source of secondary flows and turbulence. When the current density is irrotational, the electric body force causes a change in the pressure distribution but has no effect on the velocity field. Since the current density distribution is determined by the electrode geometry alone, the electrodes should be designed to minimize the rotational component of the current density and thus reduce gas flow disturbances.
Seeing the Unseen The Hidden World of Slow Axonal Transport

Axonal transport is the lifeline of axons and synapses. After synthesis in neuronal cell bodies, proteins are conveyed into axons in two distinct rate classes-fast and slow axonal transport. Whereas fast transport delivers vesicular cargoes, slow transport carries cytoskeletal and cytosolic (or soluble) proteins that have critical roles in neuronal structure and function. Although significant progress has been made in dissecting the molecular mechanisms of fast vesicle transport, mechanisms of slow axonal transport are less clear. Why is this so? Historically, conceptual advances in the axonal transport field have paralleled innovations in imaging the movement, and slow-transport cargoes are not as readily seen as motile vesicles. However, new ways of visualizing slow transport have reenergized the field, leading to fundamental insights that have changed our views on axonal transport, motor regulation, and intracellular trafficking in general. This review first summarizes classic studies that characterized axonal transport, and then discusses recent technical and conceptual advances in slow axonal transport that have provided insights into some long-standing mysteries.
Biological rhythms and medicine

Medical practice and research in the United States and other countries are pervaded by the traditional concepts of homeostasis. As a result, the time of day or year when a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure is performed or a drug is administered is not considered important. However, during the last three decades, the science of chronobiology has revealed the importance to medicine of the rhythms that exist in the biologic functions and processes of humans. This article reviews the basic concepts of human chronobiology and discusses the rhythm dependence of certain disease states and the pharmacodynamics of medications frequently prescribed for their treatment. Special reference is made to the nocturnal exacerbation of asthma and the use of chronobiologic principles in its treatment.
Cross-modal detection using various temporal and spatial configurations

To better understand temporal and spatial cross-modal interactions, two signal detection experiments were conducted in which an auditory target was sometimes accompanied by an irrelevant flash of light. In the first, a psychometric function for detecting a unisensory auditory target in varying signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) was derived. Then auditory target detection was measured while an irrelevant light was presented with light/sound stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs) between 0 and ±700 ms. When the light preceded the sound by 100 ms or was coincident, target detection (d’) improved for low SNR conditions. In contrast, for larger SOAs (350 and 700 ms), the behavioral gain resulted from a change in both d’ and response criterion (β). However, when the light followed the sound, performance changed little. In the second experiment, observers detected multimodal target sounds at eccentricities of ±8°, and ±24°. Sensitivity benefits occurred at both locations, with a larger change at the more peripheral location. Thus, both temporal and spatial factors affect signal detection measures, effectively parsing sensory and decision-making processes.
A theory for environmental craze yielding of polymers at low temperatures

It has been recently discovered that polymers craze at low temperatures in the presence of nitrogen or argon. A quantitative theory has been developed which explains (1) the critical temperature above which the phenomenon disappears, (2) the critical stress for nucleating a craze, (3) the effect of strain rate on the yield point and size of crazes, (4) the drop in the load during craze yielding, and (5) the increase in strength of the polymer in N2 or Ar at high strain rates so that the ultimate strength may exceed that in He or vacuum. The crazing action of the gases is described qualitatively at the molecular level.
Optical properties of nested pyramidal nanoshells

This paper describes the fabrication and characterization of nested Au pyramidal nanoshells. These particles exhibited two plasmon resonances at visible and near-infrared wavelengths that could be manipulated depending on the size of the gap between inner and outer pyramidal shells. We found that larger gaps (30 nm) exhibited much larger Raman scattering responses compared to smaller gaps (5 nm) in the nested pyramidal shells. The SERS activity of these anisotropic particles can be optimized by adjusting the distances between the inner and outer Au shells.
Nonrelativistic Schrödinger Green's function for crossed time-dependent electric and magnetic fields.

The retarded nonrelativistic Schr\"odinger Green's function for an electron in crossed electric and magnetic fields is derived here in closed form. The electric and magnetic fields are taken to be spatially uniform but the electric field may have arbitrary time dependence and arbitrary orientation with respect to the constant magnetic field.
Quantile Curves without Crossing

Abstract Conventional regression techniques focus on the conditional averages, but often of more interest are lower or upper conditional quantiles. A more informative description of the relationship among variables can be obtained through regression quantiles (RQ). The percentile curves are usually computed one level at a time. Associated with great flexibility is the embarrassing phenomenon of quantile crossing. We propose a restricted version of regression quantiles (RRQ) that avoids the occurrence of crossing while maintaining sufficient modeling flexibility. RRQ remains in the general framework of the regression quantiles both conceptually and computationally. Because it relates all quantile functions through the conditional median, it also means substantial savings in computation costs when multiple quantiles for high-dimensional data are needed. Two examples in connection with the physical and engineering sciences are presented to demonstrate the usefulness of RRQ curves.
The relationship of human granulosa-lutein cell proliferative index to follicular diameter and serum estradiol

Abstract Objective: To examine the relationships of follicular diameter and serum estradiol (E2) to the percentage of granulosa cells undergoing mitosis as reflected by the proliferative index of granulosa cells. Methods: In this prospective study, we enrolled 44 consecutive women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for in vitro fertilization. Deoxyribonucleic acid histograms were generated by flow cytometry from granulosa cells isolated at the time of transvaginal aspiration. Proliferative index was defined as the sum of G2/M and S phases. We assessed the correlation between proliferative index and age, maximum serum E2, number of oocytes retrieved, percent mature oocytes, and follicular diameter. Results: Follicles less than 16 mm had a significantly higher proliferative index (19.9 ± 3.3%) than follicles 20 mm or greater (14.8 ± 3.9%, P = .016). However, there was no significant difference between proliferative index of the latter group and proliferative index of follicles 16–19 mm (17.8 ± 4.7%). An inverse correlation between patient age and proliferative index of granulosa cells was noted (r = −.39, P = .018). There was no significant relationship between serum E2 and proliferative index (P = .97). Conclusion: Mitotic activity tends to decrease as follicular diameter increases after a threshold diameter is achieved. Proliferative index of granulosa cells provides insight into the underlying cell biology of a follicle.
Post-secularism Marginalizes the University: A Rejoinder to Hollinger

Like David Hollinger I think that the history of secularization, or as he prefers, de-Christianization, has been unduly avoided and might well be at the center of contemporary American historiography. As he says, this ought to bring religious history more into the mainstream. But I would like to develop some of his points in a different way than he does in the recent “Perspectives” section in Church History . Our differences derive from the fact that he sees secularization as a default value, the absence of a distraction, whereas I focus on secularism, something substantial and ideological. I hope that adopting that perspective may make sense of his main puzzle, which is why religion “persists” in America even though it has lost all the recent debates. Indeed I would like to turn his question around, to suggest that secularism is failing and that we should start thinking in terms of a “post-secular” society. This could mean, contrary to Hollinger's implication, that America is not lagging in this area but might be “ahead” of Europe.
An examination of relationships between the pleasantness, intensity, and concentration of 10 odorous stimuli

Relationships between physical concentration, perceived pleasantness, and perceived intensity were established by the method of magnitude estimation for 10 diverse chemical stimuli. Estimates of pleasantness significantly correlated with those of intensity for seven of the compounds examined. In all cases, the relationships between perceived intensity and physical concentration were described relatively well by power functions. However, this was not true for the pleasantness/concentration relationships. Intensity exponents correlated moderately with a number of common physicochemical parameters. Large differences were present between individual observer’s ratings of the perceived pleasantness of the odorants. These data indicate that the perceived pleasantness of some odorants may be systematically related to their perceived intensity, but do not support the notion that these dimensions are equivalent.
Ionic influences on rat superior cervical ganglion phospholipid metabolism.

Abstract The rate of incorporation of P32 orthophosphate and uniformly labeled C14 glucose into phosphatidyl choline (PC), phosphatidyl ethanolamine PE and phosphatidic acid (PA) of rat cervical ganglia, incubated in normal bathing solutions and in bathing solutions depleted of certain ions (Mg, Na on K) has been studied qualitatively. The experiments have been conducted on paired resting and electrically stimulated ganglia in vitro . Magnesium depletion causes a decrease in PC-P32 and an increase in the resting PE-P32. The C14 content of both the PE and PA fractions are increased with no change in the PC. Potassium-lack produces a large decrease in the PC-P32 of resting ganglia and an increase in the PC-P32 after stimulation and in the PE-P32 of stimulated and resting ganglia. A 50% reduction of potassium results in a smaller decrease in the PC-P32 and a similar loss in the PA-P32 than that observed in potassium free bathing solution. This occurs after stimulation as well as during rest. There is little change in the C14 content of these phospholipids under either of these conditions. Replacement of 50% of the sodium by sucrose produces no change in the P32 labeling in any of the fractions but it does produce an increased C14 content of each fraction. When lithium is substituted for sodium, a large decrease in the PE-P32 and a smaller one in the PA-P32 is seen. The PC shows a large increase in its P32 with a much larger increase in the C14 labeling.
Minimal marker sets to discriminate among seedlines

Raising seeds for biological experiments is prone to error; a careful experimenter will test in the lab to verify that plants are of the intended strain. Choosing a minimal set of tests that will discriminate between all known seedlines is an instance of Minimal Test Set, a NP-complete problem. Similar biological problems, such as minimizing the number of haplotype tag SNPs, require complex nondeterministic heuristics to solve in reasonable timeframes over modest datasets. However, selecting the minimal marker set to discriminate among seedlines is less complicated than other problems considered in the literature; we show that a simple heuristic approach works well in practice. Finding all minimal sets of tests to identify 91 Zea mays recombinant inbred lines would require months of CPU time; our heuristic gives a result less than twice the minimal possible size in under five seconds, with similar performance on Arabidopsis thaliana recombinant inbred lines.
Sitting on a Man: Colonialism and the Lost Political Institutions of Igbo Women

Colonialism resulted in the loss of political position and power for Igbo women in Nigeria; the Victorian assumption on the part of the British colonial administrators that women were incapable of political leadership resulted in the failure of the administrators to preceive the traditional role played by women in Ibgo political life and eventually led to the British imposition of political institutions on the Igbo which provided political roles for men only. In the traditional culture there was a balance of power between men and women. Issues relevant to men were decided by concensus of all the men in the village. Women ran their affairs through the womens town meeting where they also arrived at decisions through consensus on such matters as trade farming and family relationships. If the womens decisions were not accepted by the men the women took group action such as publicly berating a man or beating on his house until he repented or by conducting a village-wide cooking strike if the men refused to clear the paths to the market. These forms of collective action were referred to as sitting on a man or "making war on the man" and were viewed as legitimate by the men in the community. When the British extended their control over Igbo they viewed the diffuse authority patterns of the Igbo as a sign of anarchy and proceeded to divide up the region into districts and arbitrarily appoint natives usually someone predisposed to the British position as the warrent chief for the district. These chiefs were given complete authority and the traditional decision making power for both sexes was ignored. The women responded by holding a town meeting and deciding to "make war" on the repressive warrant chiefs. In towns throughout the region the women congregated at the administrative centers burned the buildings and berated the new chiefs. The British responded in typically ethnocentric fashion; they failed to perceive the traditional system at work and quelled what they considered to simply be unruly mob behavior. Later reforms lead to the restoration of political pwer for Lgbo men but not for the women. Missionaries also contributed to the decline in political power for women. They viewed the womens town meeting as a pagan ritual and reserved job related education for Igbo men only.
Probing the Mechanism of Electroless Gold Plating Using an EQCM: II. Effect of Bath Additives on Interfacial Plating Processes

This work describes results of a mechanistic investigation of electroless gold plating from a dimethylamine borane (DMAB) bath, which was performed with the aid of the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM). It was found that the interactior of DMAB with the gold surface during deposition is dependent on bath composition. The extent, or strength, of this interaction is detected as an anodic current increase coinciding with a mass increase at the gold surface on the cathodic scan in the vicinity of the gold oxide reduction potential. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of a gold electrode in DMAB solutions shows a decrease in double-layer capacitance (C dl ) with an increase in DMAB concentration at the reactivation potential, suggesting a strong concentration-dependent binding capacity upon gold oxide reduction. The C dl reaches a limiting value at approximately 1 g/L, implying that sufficient reactive intermediate is formed at this concentration, which binds to all available free gold sites upon gold oxide reduction. Measurements of the plating rate using EQCM on industrial end-of-line wirebond monitors showed that an increase in plating rate is associated with a greater extent of interaction between the reducing agent and the catalytic gold surface. These results were confirmed with X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectrophotometry. The usefulness of the EQCM as a sereening tool to predict electroless gold plating rates in baths of varying formulation is presented. This technique may be applicable to other electroless baths where interfacial adsorption/desorption processes are expected to play an important role during deposition.
An adaptive random access protocol for the collision channel without retransmissions

In traditional random multiple-access systems of the Aloha type, users take advantage of a feedback channel to monitor the fate of their previous transmissions and to schedule retransmissions of the packets lost in collisions. A variant of the implicit reservation Aloha in which there is feedback on channel events but no retransmission of lost messages is examined. Such a system is potentially free from buffer overflow and instability problems arising out of retransmissions. However, loss of packets due to collisions is a threat to data integrity. An approach for using coding to improve data integrity is outlined. Simulation results are presented showing that for certain combinations of parameters there is indeed a net positive gain in the normalized throughput due to coding. >
Variable effects of heart rate on phasic and regional left ventricular muscle blood flow in anaesthetized dogs

Tachycardia to 240 beats/min in anaesthetized dogs increases coronary blood flow while flow in the left ventricular wall remains homogeneous. An arteriovenous fistula causes subendocardial ischaemia at 120 beats/min but pacing to 180 to 210 beats/min increases subendocardial blood flow by increasing diastolic coronary driving pressure per minute.
Copper(I) Chloride–Oxygen

(CuCl) [7758-89-6] ClCu (MW 99.00) InChI = 1S/ClH.Cu/h1H;/q;+1/p-1 InChIKey = OXBLHERUFWYNTN-UHFFFAOYSA-M (O2) [7782-44-7] O2 (MW 32.00) InChI = 1S/O2/c1-2 InChIKey = MYMOFIZGZYHOMD-UHFFFAOYSA-N (oxidation of alcohols,2 amines,6 alkenes;7 oxidative coupling;1 allylic oxidation;9 oxidative cleavage;1 oxidative dealkylation;22 Ullmann reaction23) Physical Data: see Copper(I) Chloride. Solubility: sol ether, HCl, TMEDA, and NH4OH; sl sol cold water; insol alcohol and nonpolar solvents. Form Supplied in: O2 is widely available as cylinders of compressed gas. CuCl is also commercially available. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: strong oxidant. Appropriate precautions for handling of combustible compressed gases should be taken. Use in a fume hood.
Contribution of Chirality to the Adsorption of a Kr Atom on a Single Wall Carbon Nanotube

Recent theoretical and simulation studies (Lueking et al. Phys Rev B 75:195425, 2007; Kim et al. J Phys Chem 115:7249–7257, 2011) on the adsorption of Kr on suspended nanotubes yielded different commensurate phases at submonolayer coverage than those found in a pioneering experiment (Wang et al. Science 327:552–555, 2010). This controversy between calculations and experiments is yet to be resolved. One of the tentative explanations of the apparent discrepancy is the possibly different chirality as the chirality of the nanotubes used in the experiment is not known. To address the question on chirality, we calculated the adsorption potential of krypton atoms on two sets of single wall carbon nanotubes of same radii with distinct chiralities. We found novel symmetries of the adsorption sites on a nanotube, which systematically vary depending on its chirality with an unexpected, yet intuitive delicacy. The same approach is equally feasible for other gases (Ar, Xe, CH $$_{4}$$ , etc.). The results of classical grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations confirm the predicted behavior of adsorption phases.
Reassortment between Avian H5N1 and Human H3N2 Influenza Viruses in Ferrets: a Public Health Risk Assessment

This study investigated whether transmissible H5 subtype human-avian reassortant viruses could be generated in vivo. To this end, ferrets were coinfected with recent avian H5N1 (A/Thailand/16/04) and human H3N2 (A/Wyoming/3/03) viruses. Genotype analyses of plaque-purified viruses from nasal secretions of coinfected ferrets revealed that approximately 9% of recovered viruses contained genes from both progenitor viruses. H5 and H3 subtype viruses, including reassortants, were found in airways extending toward and in the upper respiratory tract of ferrets. However, only parental H5N1 genotype viruses were found in lung tissue. Approximately 34% of the recovered reassortant viruses possessed the H5 hemagglutinin (HA) gene, with five unique H5 subtypes recovered. These H5 reassortants were selected for further studies to examine their growth and transmissibility characteristics. Five H5 viruses with representative reassortant genotypes showed reduced titers in nasal secretions of infected ferrets compared to the parental H5N1 virus. No transmission by direct contact between infected and naive ferrets was observed. These studies indicate that reassortment between H5N1 avian influenza and H3N2 human viruses occurred readily in vivo and furthermore that reassortment between these two viral subtypes is likely to occur in ferret upper airways. Given the relatively high incidence of reassortant viruses from tissues of the ferret upper airway, it is reasonable to conclude that continued exposure of humans and animals to H5N1 alongside seasonal influenza viruses increases the risk of generating H5 subtype reassortant viruses that may be shed from upper airway secretions.