cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychosis: Schizophrenia and Related Disorders

Mental disorders are the greatest source of medical and occupational morbidity among active-duty US military service members. Psychotic disorders, in particular schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, are among the most severe mental disorders and account for a substantial portion of hospitalizations and medical retirements. Service members who are medically retired due to schizophrenia or a related disorder generally have their care transferred to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), where comprehensive evidence-based treatment services are available that can effectively address all stages of the illness. This chapter focuses on schizophrenia because the evidence base for its clinical management is the best developed, but the principles of and strategies for treating schizophrenia are broadly applicable to related disorders, including schizoaffective disorder. Each illness stage—acute episode (initial and stabilization phases), maintenance and relapse prevention, and recovery—is discussed in detail, together with its unique challenges and treatment goals. Common comorbid conditions that can complicate the recognition and treatment of schizophrenia and related disorders—for example, post-traumatic stress disorder—also are considered. Finally, VA and non-VA systems of care are compared to provide a broader context for the discussion.
Heat Transfer and Pressure Distributions on a Gas Turbine Blade Tip

Heat transfer coefficient and static pressure distributions are experimentally investigated on a gas turbine blade tip in a five-bladed stationary linear cascade. The blade is a 2-dimensional model of a first stage gas turbine rotor blade with a blade tip profile of a GE-E(sup 3) aircraft gas turbine engine rotor blade. The flow condition in the test cascade corresponds to an overall pressure ratio of 1.32 and exit Reynolds number based on axial chord of 1.1 x 10(exp 6). The middle 3-blade has a variable tip gap clearance. All measurements are made at three different tip gap clearances of about 1%, 1.5%, and 2.5% of the blade span. Heat transfer measurements are also made at two different turbulence intensity levels of 6.1 % and 9.7% at the cascade inlet. Static pressure measurements are made in the mid-span and the near-tip regions as well as on the shroud surface, opposite the blade tip surface. Detailed heat transfer coefficient distributions on the plane tip surface are measured using a transient liquid crystal technique. Results show various regions of high and low heat transfer coefficient on the tip surface. Tip clearance has a significant influence on local tip beat transfer coefficient distribution. Heat transfer coefficient also increases about 15-20% along the leakage flow path at higher turbulence intensity level of 9.7% over 6.1 %.
Membrane Proteins in Trypanosomatids Involved in Ca2+ Homeostasis and Signaling

Calcium ion (Ca2+) serves as a second messenger for a variety of cell functions in trypanosomes. Several proteins in the plasma membrane, acidocalcisomes, endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria are involved in its homeostasis and in cell signaling roles. The plasma membrane has a Ca2+ channel for its uptake and a plasma membrane-type Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA) for its efflux. A similar PMCA is also located in acidocalcisomes, acidic organelles that are the primary Ca2+ store and that possess an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP₃R) for Ca2+ efflux. Their mitochondria possess a mitochondrial calcium uniporter complex (MCUC) for Ca2+ uptake and a Ca2+/H⁺ exchanger for Ca2+ release. The endoplasmic reticulum has a sarcoplasmic-endoplasmic reticulum-type Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) for Ca2+ uptake but no Ca2+ release mechanism has been identified. Additionally, the trypanosomatid genomes contain other membrane proteins that could potentially bind calcium and await further characterization.
Soda Pop Punk

It has been said that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. The inspiration for this piece was drawn from my travels to Africa. After a long hot day nothing was more refreshing than drinking soda from a cold glass bottle.
Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Among Male Adjudicated Adolescents: Psychosocial Concerns, Coping Responses, Diagnoses, and Functions

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) refers to self-inflicted physical injury without suicidal intent. NSSI is particularly common in forensic settings and associated with several psychosocial concerns, coping responses, diagnoses, and functions, but little information is available regarding NSSI in adjudicated male adolescents. The present study examined the frequency and types of NSSI among adjudicated male adolescents (n = 103) and assessed the relationships between NSSI history, psychosocial concerns, coping responses, diagnoses, and functions within this population. Approximately two-thirds (66%) reported NSSI history. Participants with NSSI history reported poorer social adaptation and greater alienation and boredom, aggression, and emotional lability than controls. Youth with high-frequency NSSI were also more likely to utilize emotional discharge as an unhealthy coping response than controls. In addition, participants with high-frequency NSSI were more likely than controls to meet criteria for a mood or anxiety disorder. Function of NSSI primarily surrounded anxiety reduction/affect regulation, punishment, dissociation reduction, and social/sensation-seeking. NSSI appears to be prevalent among male adjudicated youths, and the findings suggest that the relationship between NSSI history, psychosocial concerns, coping responses, and functions is nuanced and could inform more calibrated assessment and treatment strategies.
Real-time slacking as a default mode of grip force control: implications for force minimization and personal grip force variation.

We provide evidence that a form of slacking continuously conditions real-time grip force production. This slacking is well-suited to promote efficiency but is expected to increase force variation b...
Music Educators’ Understanding and Opinions of U.S. Copyright Law:

The purpose of this study was to examine music educators’ understanding and opinions of U.S. copyright law. In-service music educators (N = 50) completed a web-based questionnaire designed to asses...
Perspectives from Texas Faculty in Non-CACREP Programs

In this study we utilized phenomenological inquiry to explore the experiences of nine counselor educators working in programs that are not accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling ...
Towards Drone-sourced Live Video Analytics for the Construction Industry

This paper investigates the use of drones for live inspection in the construction industry. The key technical challenge is the real-time registration of the drone video feed to the architectural plan. We present and evaluate three different approaches for registration and propose an edge-based prototype using visual features. Our evaluations show that GPS alone is not sufficient for accurate registration, but with visual features, accuracies within ten centimeters can be achieved.
Neural Mechanisms That Hide Individual Behavioral Differences: Evidence from Psychophysics and Neuroscience

In both theory and practice, individual behavioral differences can reveal details of underlying neural mechanisms, and this has been widely exploited in experimental psychology. However, under some circumstances, individual differences are conspicuous by their absence. Three illuminating examples are treated in this theoretical review: (1) In color vision, there is a surprising lack of variation in red–green color opponency, especially as studied using unique hues, given the huge variation of L:M-cone ratios in normal observers. (2) Conversely, in achromatic vision, individual differences in L:M-cone ratios can be studied by measuring spectral sensitivity (luminance efficiency) functions. However, contrary to reasonable expectations, parvo and magno mechanisms can give rise to indistinguishable spectral sensitivity functions, so individual variations in parvo and magno activation often cannot be studied via spectral sensitivity. (3) Similar convergences occur in neuroscience: in simulated and actual neuronal networks and in electrophysiological/functional imaging studies of intact animals/humans. Neuronal systems trained or developed to do the same tasks need not wind up with the same wiring or the exact same behavior. However, under some circumstances, their behaviors can become functionally similar. Markedly different neural mechanisms somehow yield similar behaviors, a result found in systems as different as motor behaviors in crustaceans and sensory behaviors in humans. Theoretically, similar neural mechanisms can result from different neural combinations, a response convergence which limits our ability to infer the origins of some perceptual channels. When expected individual differences do not manifest, this is a clue that something interesting is happening and a goad to further investigation.
Silicon Fresnel lens fabricated using greyscale lithography

A silicon Fresnel lens was designed and fabricated using a greyscale lithography technique to shape optical emissions from an edge-emitting semiconductor diode laser. The laser beam was collimated in the fast axis and allowed a ±3° divergence in the slow axis along with bias angle accomplished through lens decentering. The lens had an aperture of 6.8 mm × 2.2 mm and 1 mm in total thickness. The lens was first designed as a contiguous surface using conventional raytracing methods, and then converted to a Fresnel sag model with an etch depth of 6.25 micrometers. The sag model along with the manufacturing tolerances were fed back through numerical tools to refine the design and modify the lens shape and laser position. Optical profilometry of fabricated lens element found deviations from design and nonuniformity across the entire aperture, with over-etching in the center and under-etching toward the edge of the lens. Characterization of the fabricated lenses showed less than 5% deviation in etch depth. Collimation performance was measured to be less than 2 milliradians, which was in close agreement with design models. Greyscale fabrication of the lens element enabled complex curvatures to be combined and provided a compact solution for direct, single optic coupling of diode laser to free-space projection.
Profiling Glucose-Stimulated and M3 Receptor-Activated Insulin Secretion Dynamics from Islets of Langerhans Using an Extended-Lifetime Fluorescence Dye

Pulsatile insulin from pancreatic islets is crucial for glucose homeostasis, but the mechanism behind coordinated pulsatility is still under investigation. One hypothesis suggests that cholinergic stimulation of islets by pancreatic ganglia resets these endocrine units, producing synchronization. Previously, it was shown that intracellular Ca2+ oscillations within islets can be entrained by pulses of a cholinergic agonist, carbachol (CCh). Although these proxy measurements of Ca2+ provided insight into the synchronization mechanism, measurement of insulin output would be more direct evidence. To this end, a fluorescence anisotropy competitive immunoassay for online insulin detection from single and grouped islets in a microfluidic system was developed using a piezoelectric pressure-driven fluid delivery system and a squaraine rotaxane fluorophore, SeTau-647, as the fluorescent label for insulin. Due to SeTau-647 having a longer lifetime and higher brightness compared to the previously used Cy5 fluorophore, a 45% increase in the anisotropy range was observed with enhanced signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of the measurements. This new system was tested by measuring glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from single and groups of murine and human islets. Distinct islet entrainment of groups of murine islets by pulses of CCh was also observed, providing further evidence for the hypothesis that pulsatile output from the ganglia can synchronize islet behavior. We expect that this relatively straightforward, homogeneous assay can be widely used for examining not only insulin secretion but other secreted factors from different tissues.
Pyloroplasty and the risk of Barrett's esophagus in patients with gastroparesis.

Barrett's esophagus (BE), a consequence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is a premalignant condition for esophageal adenocarcinoma. Impaired gastric emptying leads to increased gastric volume and therefore more severe reflux. We seek to investigate the association between gastroparesis and BE and the predictors of BE among patients with gastroparesis. This is a retrospective review of patients seen at Cleveland Clinic between 2011 and 2016 who had an upper endoscopy and a gastric emptying study. Demographics, symptoms, medications, endoscopic and histological findings, and therapeutic interventions were abstracted. Risk of BE among gastroparesis group and control group was assessed, and logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of BE among gastroparesis patients. Of the 4,154 patients, 864 (20.8%) had gastroparesis and 3, 290 (79.2%) had normal gastric emptying. The mean age was 51.4 ± 16.4 years, 72% were women and 80% were Caucasians. Among the gastroparesis group, 18 (2.1%) patients had BE compared to 71 (2.2%) cases of BE in the control group, P = 0.89. There were no differences in gender, race, reflux symptoms, or esophageal findings between the two groups. Among gastroparesis group, predictors of developing BE were a history of alcohol use (odds ratio [OR] 6.76; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.65-27.67, P = 0.008), history of pyloroplasty (OR: 8.228; CI: 2.114-32.016, P = 0.002), and hiatal hernia (OR: 8.014; CI: 2.053-31.277, P = 0.003). Though gastroparesis is a known contributing factor for GERD, there was no increased prevalence of BE in gastroparesis. Among patients with gastroparesis, predictors of BE are history of alcohol use, hiatal hernia, and pyloroplasty.
Oral Language Contributions to Reading and Writing in Students with and without Language-Learning Disabilities

Oral language plays a significant role in the development of reading and writing skills in intermediate grade students. Therefore, it is an important consideration for students receiving special ed...
The Routledge Handbook of Social Work, Values and Ethics: edited by Stephen M. Marson and Robert E. McKinney, New York, NY, Routledge, 2019, 441 pp., $196.00, ISBN 979-1-138-34393-1

The Routledge Handbook of Social Work Values and Ethics explores and assesses social work issues found in social work practice and education. The text addresses controversial topics from the prospe...
Tunable vibration control in a microelectromechanical resonator array by means of parametric coupling between mechanical and electrical modes

Vibration control in flexible structures at both the micro and macro scale has been a subject of considerable research interest over the last few decades. Various active, semi-active and passive vibration control schemes have been proposed for applications ranging from attenuating unwanted vibrations in structural components to controlling the ring down time in high-Q mechanical oscillators. Here, we present a simple, yet highly effective method to passively attenuate large amplitude resonant vibrations in an array of membrane-based microelectromechanical (MEM) resonators. By capacitively coupling the MEM array to a resonant electrical circuit tuned to half the mechanical resonance frequency, the vibrational energy in the array can be converted to electrical energy via parametric mode coupling between the mechanical and electrical resonator. Simulation and experimental studies indicate that both the rate of vibration attenuation and the degree of suppression can be effectively controlled by tuning electrical parameters such as the resistance and the initial voltage in the circuit. The extension of the control scheme to multi-mode vibrations by making use of multiple shunted electrical resonators will also be briefly discussed.
The Global Financial Crisis: Explaining Cross-Country Differences in the Output Impact

Abstract What explains differences in the crisis impact across developing countries and emerging markets? Using cross-country regressions to assess the factors driving the growth performance in 2009 (compared to pre-crisis forecasts for that year), we find that a small set of variables explain a large share of the variation in the growth impact. Countries with more leveraged domestic financial systems, stronger credit growth, and more short-term debt tended to suffer a larger effect on economic activity, although the relative importance of these factors differs across country groups. For emerging markets, this financial channel trumps the trade channel. For a broader set of developing countries, however, the trade channel seems to have mattered, with more open countries affected more strongly and those exporting food commodities being less hard hit. Exchange-rate flexibility helped in buffering the impact of the shock, particularly for emerging markets. There is also some evidence that countries with a stronger fiscal position prior to the crisis were impacted less severely. We find little evidence for the importance of other policy variables.
Do New Chiefs Mean Fresh Perspectives? The Institutionalization of the Police Executive Environment:

Research suggests policing is a highly institutionalized field. Limited attention has been paid, however, to the institutionalization of leaders’ views. Assessing turnover in 71 Texas police organi...
Novel GUCY2C variant causing familial diarrhea in a Mennonite kindred and a potential therapeutic approach.

Guanylate cyclase 2C (GC‐C), encoded by the GUCY2C gene, is implicated in hereditary early onset chronic diarrhea. Several families with chronic diarrhea symptoms have been identified with autosomal dominant, gain‐of‐function mutations in GUCY2C. We have identified a Mennonite patient with a novel GUCY2C variant (c.2381A > T; p.Asp794Val) with chronic diarrhea and an extensive maternal family history of chronic diarrhea and bowel dilatation. Functional studies including co‐segregation analysis showed that all family members who were heterozygous for this variant had GI‐related symptoms. HEK‐293 T cells expressing the Asp794Val GC‐C variant showed increased cGMP production when stimulated with Escherichia coli heat‐stable enterotoxin STp (HST), which was reversed when 5‐(3‐Bromophenyl)‐5,11‐dihydro‐1,3‐dimethyl‐1H‐indeno[2′,1′:5,6]pyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidine‐2,4,6(3H)‐trione (BPIPP; a GC‐C inhibitor) was used. In addition, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) activity measured with SPQ fluorescence assay was increased in these cells after treatment with HST, indicating a crucial role for CFTR activity in the pathogenesis of this disorder. These results support pathogenicity of the GC‐C Asp794Val variant as a cause of chronic diarrhea in this family. Furthermore, this work identifies potential candidate drug, GC‐C inhibitor BPIPP, to treat diarrhea caused by this syndrome.
Access to healthy food in urban and rural areas: An empirical analysis

Abstract Introduction Health problems such as obesity and related illnesses have been attributed to the lack of both spatial and economic access to healthy food. Even though access to healthy food in urban areas has been widely studied, access to healthy food in rural areas has not received much attention to date. Rural residents usually face similar accessibility challenges as urban populations but at a greater magnitude. The lack of access to reliable transportation in rural areas acts as a barrier to accessing healthy food, especially for individuals that might not have access to an automobile. Methodology This paper uses a cost-based accessibility measure and estimates spatial econometric models to identify the differences between healthy food accessibility in rural and urban areas considering multiple transportation modes available in those areas. Furthermore, the paper explores the relationship between healthy food accessibility and the characteristics of the built environment that can be used to advise planning decisions and policy. Four study areas in Indiana were selected to demonstrate the study methodology. Results Both the location of healthy food providers and infrastructure that allows access by different modes are spatially clustered. Urban area residents incur a lower average cost to reach healthy food, especially when driving and walking are considered, compared to rural areas. The spatial models' results suggested that built environment characteristics, especially land-use characteristics, influence the cost to reach healthy food providers in urban areas, regardless of the mode. Conclusions The solution to facilitate access to healthy food providers is not a one-size-fits-all approach. However, transportation innovations such as mobile markets, ridesharing, drone delivery, and autonomous delivery services can serve to bring closer healthy food to the population that cannot access it by their current means. This paper's methodology involves publicly available data that allow for easy replication by any planning agency.
Temporal trends in intake category data for animal shelter and rescue organizations in Colorado from 2008 to 2018.

OBJECTIVE To investigate trends in animal shelter and rescue organization intake for dogs and cats in Colorado from 2008 to 2018. SAMPLE 482 animal shelters and rescue organizations that reported annual intake data to the State of Colorado Department of Agriculture for 1,086,630 dogs and 702,333 cats. PROCEDURES Total intake, intake for each of 5 Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act categories (stray, owner surrender, intrastate transfer, interstate transfer, or other), and community-based intake (total intake after exclusion of transfers) of dogs and cats were assessed in total and for each organization type (shelter or rescue organization). The number taken in per year, number taken in/1,000 capita (human residents)/y, and number in each intake category as a percentage of total intake for the same species per year were analyzed with linear regression models. RESULTS Trend lines indicated that total dog intake increased over the study period, but there was no change when these data were adjusted for the human population. Cat intake decreased over time according to both of these measures. Total community-based intake decreased, whereas total intake by interstate transfer from other organizations increased for both species during the study period. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Increased transfer of dogs and cats across state lines into regions with low community-based shelter intake suggested that regional and national animal disease trends could potentially impact disease profiles for recipient areas. Findings supported efforts toward collecting animal shelter and rescue organization intake and outcome data across larger systems.
Stimulating the Facial Nerve to Treat Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a common devastating disease that has increased yearly in absolute number of cases since 1990.1 While mechanical thrombectomy and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) have proven to be effective treatments, their window-of-efficacy time is very short, leaving many patients with no viable treatment option. Over recent years there has been a growing interest in stimulating the facial nerves or ganglions to treat AIS. Preclinical studies have consistently demonstrated an increase in collateral blood flow (CBF) following ganglion stimulation, with positive indications in infarct size and neurological scores. Extensive human trials have focused on trans-oral electrical stimulation of the sphenopalatine ganglion, but have suffered from operational limitations and non-significant clinical findings. Regardless, the potential of ganglion stimulation to treat AIS or elongate the window-of-efficacy for current stroke treatments remains extremely promising. This review aims to summarize results from recent trial publications, highlight current innovations, and discuss future directions for the field. Importantly, this review comes after the release of four important clinical trials that were published in mid 2019.
Postwar and Post-Cold War Generations of European Temporary Foreign Worker Policies: Implications from Spain

Although seasonal foreign worker admissions to Switzerland and France declined precipitously after 1986, a new generation of post-Cold War temporary foreign worker policies has emerged in the European Union. The new policies are quite modest. Germany admits several hundred thousand seasonal workers each year. Spain admits 20,000 to 30,000 workers, although most of them actually reside illegally in the country. Preliminary assessment of Spain’s contingents of supposedly recruited foreign workers suggests that the new generation of temporary foreign worker policies went awry, as the postwar generation had by 1973. Other working hypotheses derived from the “wisdom” of the postwar generation include the expectation that the new policies will result in significant, unexpected settlement, will undermine declared policies of controlling migration, and exacerbate bilateral relations between host and sending societies. RESUMEN A pesar de que la admision temporal de trabajadores en Suiza y Francia decayo precipitadamente despues de1986, una nueva generacion de politicas para los trabajadores temporales extranjeros de la posguerra fria ha surgido en la Union Europea. Estas nuevas politicas son modestas. Alemania admite a cientos de miles de trabajadores temporales al ano. Espana admite de 20 mil a 30 mil trabajadores temporales por ano, aunque la mayor parte de ellos residen ilegalmente en el pais. Los primeros analisis sobre los supuestos trabajadores inmigrantes contratados sugieren que la nueva generacion de politicas de trabajadores extranjeros temporales se desviaron como lo hicieron las de la generacion de la posguerra hacia 1973. Otras hipotesis de trabajo derivadas de la “sabiduria” de la generacion de la posguerra incluyen la expectativa de que las nuevas politicas daran como resultado un significativo e inesperado establecimiento de trabajadores, la socavacion de las politicas de control de la migracion y la exacerbacion de las relaciones bilaterales entre las sociedades receptoras y expulsoras.
A GaAs vertical PIN diode production process

A GaAs vertical PIN diodes production process which integrates TaN resistors, MIM capacitors, plated airbridges, transmission lines, and via interconnects on the same MMIC chip is developed. A variety of circuit types, with high probe yields and excellent RF performance, have been fabricated. By eliminating the need for hybrid PIN diodes, this process makes significant advances in reducing the cost and complexity of radar assemblies. The monolithic microwave IC (MMIC) process flow, DC probe yields, and diode performance are reported. >
Fast and Scalable Parallel Matrix Computations with Optical Buses

We present fast and highly scalable parallel computations for a number of important and fundamental matrix problems on linear arrays with reconfigurable pipelined optical bus systems. These problems include computing the Nth power, the in verse, the characteristic polynomial, the determinant, the rank, and an LU- and a QR-factorization of a matrix, and solving linear systems of equations. These computations are based on efficient implementation of the fastest sequential matrix multiplication algorithm, and are highly scalable over a wide range of system size. Such fast and scalable parallel matrix computations were not seen before on distributed memory parallel computing systems.
Error analysis and inter-cell interference mitigation in multi-level cell flash memories

With an aim to characterize, model and understand the types of errors caused by the inter-cell interference (ICI) effect in flash memories, we perform a series of program/erase (P/E) cycling experiments designed to quantify the effects of ICI. We create a database of errors at various levels of granularity such as bit, cell, page, block and record the neighborhood data patterns of cells in error to provide a quantitative understanding of the underlying channel model in multi-level cell (MLC) flash memories. We then utilize this empirical data to model and study the flash memory channel as a time-varying 4-ary discrete memoryless channel (DMC). We also present results from experiments to quantify the error rate performance gain obtained by the use of constrained codes, which prevent some ICI-susceptible data patterns from being written to the flash memory.
3 – SUMMARIZING DATA

This chapter explains the fundamentals of summarizing a sample of observations. One of the most common approaches to summarizing a sample of subjects or a batch of numbers is to use a measure of location. Roughly, a measure of location is a number intended to reflect the typical individual or thing under study. Measures of location are also called measures of central tendency, the idea being that they are intended to reflect the middle portion of a set of observations. Another important measure of location is the sample median, which is intended as an estimate of the population median. Simply put, if the sample size is odd, the sample median is the middle value after putting the observations in ascending order. If the sample size is even, the sample median is the average of the two middle values. So-called M-estimators provide yet another class of measures of location that have practical value. To provide some intuitive sense of M-estimators, it is possible to imagine a game where someone has written down five numbers and two contestants are asked to pick a number that is close to all five without knowing what the five numbers happen to be.
The Einstein Slew Survey Catalog

The Slew Survey catalog contains 1075 bright X-ray sources, including 557 objects with no previous X-ray detection. Two-thirds of the survey has been identified with counterparts of known optical type. Source samples to date provide insight on low-luminosity AGN and clusters. The remainder, which contains many uncatalogued BL Lacs and clusters, will be identified by using digitized photographic plates.
Inositol trisphosphate isomers in angiotensin II-stimulated adrenal glomerulosa cells.

Abstract The stimulation of phosphoinositide metabolism by angiotensin II (Ang II) was studied in [3H]inositol-labelled bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells. After separation of the phosphoinositols by ion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography, it was shown that the formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3) and inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate (Ins(1,3,4)P3) followed distinct kinetics. The first compound to increase upon stimulation with 10−7 M Ang II was Ins(1,4,5)P3, which reached a maximum (250% of basal level) within 10 s. At lower concentrations of Ang II, this response was slower. The formation of Ins(1,4,5)P3 depended upon the concentration of Ang II, with an EC50 of 2.4 ± 1.5 × 10−9 M Ang II. The potency of Ang II in stimulating the turnover of phosphoinositides and in increasing the biosynthesis of aldosterone was very similar, whereas the peptide was ten times more potent in its ability to mobilize Ca2+. Ang II was also able to stimulate the production of Ins(1,4,5)P3 in permeabilized glomerulosa cells. This effect was mimicked by a non-hydrolysable analog of GTP (GTPγS), suggesting that a GTP binding protein is involved in the mechanism coupling the Ang II membrane receptor to phospholipase C. These results strengthen the view that Ins(1,4,5)P3 plays a key role as second messenger in the steroidogenic response to Ang II in adrenal glomerulosa cells.
The relationship between electron transport activity as measured by CTC reduction and CO2 production in mixed microbial communities

CTC (5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride) is a redox indicator that facilitates the detection of microbial electron transport activity due to the fluorescence and water insolubility of the reduced CTC-formazan (CTF). The goal of this work was to establish the relationship between the CTC response (both the numbers of CTF-containing cells and the fluorescence intensity of CTF per cell) and respiration in mixed microbial communities. To obtain CTF-containing cell numbers over a range of respiration rates, aerobic bioreactors with on-line CO2 monitoring were batch fed ground wheat at slow, intermediate, and fast retention times. Samples were taken before and after feeding, and throughout starvation cycles. Each sample was treated with 25 mm CTC, and either supplemented with 10% R2A, or left unsupplemented. CTF-containing cell numbers showed a weak and inconsistent response to transient pulses in respiration, and decreased during long-term starvation at all three retention times. The degree of starvation within the microbial community could be estimated using the ratio of supplemented to unsupplemented CTF-containing cell population. Total fluorescence intensity per cell was consistently higher at peaks of CO2 production, but did not decrease as dramatically as total cell numbers did in response to starvation. The results indicate the importance of concurrent examination of both the numbers and total fluorescence intensity of CTF-containing cells.
Erupções vesicopustulosas benignas no neonato

Neonatal vesicopustular eruption comprise a group of disorders with onset in the first four weeks of life. These conditions present multiple differential diagnoses and can be usually identified by clinical examination or simple laboratory procedures. Dermatologists should be able to recognize these eruptions, and most importantly, to differenciate them from serious and life-threatening dermatoses.
Selective effects of α-MSH and MIF-1 on the blood-brain barrier

The effects of intravenously-injected α-MSH and MIF-1 (Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2) on the permeability of blood-brain barrier (BBB) to a large protein and a small anion were studied using radioiodinated serum albumin (RISA) and 99mTc-labeled sodium pertechnetate. Ther permeability of the BBB to RISA was unaltered by either peptide. Permeability to the inorganic pertechnetate anion, however, was significantly increased by α-MSH but not by MIF-1 at doses known to evoke EEG and behavioral responses. The peptides did not cause a change in the systemic blood pressure. It is possible, therefore, that at least some CNS effects of peripherally administered peptides are exerted by alteration of the permeability of the BBB to other substances.
A gamma-ray diffraction instrument for high-intensity Mössbauer sources☆

A Mossbauer gamma-ray diffraction instrument has been developed which utilizes high intensity sources produced by neutron irradiation. Most of the early work has used 70 Ci, 5.1 d 183Ta sources produced by double neutron capture which yield 12 × 1010 photons/s for the 46.5 keV Mossbauer transition in 183W. A dewar is enclosed in the shielding cask which allows sources to be cooled to 77 K. Samples are located approximately midway between source and detector, which are separated by 155 cm. Collimators in front of the sample and detector commonly limit the beam to 3 mm wide by 25 mm high. A 27% minimum is seen in the velocity spectrum for the 46.5 keV photons scattered from the 200 Bragg reflection in LiF taken in transmission. Enriched, room temperature absorbers mounted on a rotor can be Doppler-shifted up to 17 meV. Q-space resolution of 0.01 A−1 is significantly better than that reported by other groups using Mossbauer scattering. When a microfoil internal conversion electron (MICE) detector is used, the instrument has the potential for directly measuring the energy transferred by the inelastically scattered photons, especially for low energy excitations in solids which require high energy resolution.
Prism adaptation in alternately exposed hands

We assessed intermanual transfer of the proprioceptive realignment aftereffects of prism adaptation in right-handers by examining alternate target pointing with the two hands for 40 successive trials, 20 with each hand. Adaptation for the right hand was not different as a function of exposure sequence order or postexposure test order, in contrast with adaptation for the left hand. Adaptation was greater for the left hand when the right hand started the alternate pointing than when the sequence of target-pointing movements started with the left hand. Also, the largest left-hand adaptation appeared when that hand was tested first after exposure. Terminal error during exposure varied in cycles for the two hands, converging on zero when the right hand led, but no difference appeared between the two hands when the left hand led. These results suggest that transfer of proprioceptive realignment occurs from the right to the left hand during both exposure and postexposure testing. Such transfer reflects the process of maintaining spatial alignment between the two hands. Normally, the left hand appears to be calibrated with the right-hand spatial map, and when the two hands are misaligned, the left-hand spatial map is realigned with the right-hand spatial map.
Integration of 3D plasmonic devices with silicon-on-insulator-based optical circuitry

We demonstrate integrated plasmonic devices on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate for photon-plasmon conversion and plasmonic mode transformation at near-infrared frequency. The plasmonic junction converts photons to surface plasmons and then back to photons with 7.35 dB conversion loss, and has successfully focused multimode plasmonic propagation to deep subwavelength (80 nm by 50 nm) single mode propagation with 2.28 dB/μm propagation loss. The integration approach leads to a robust and versatile platform for 3D nanoplasmonic gauges potentially functional in ultra-fast communications and optical sensing.
BEHAVIORAL LOCUS OF CONTROL AND REDUCTION OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISK

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is not only one of the most widespread chronic illness in the United States, but is also the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. While age, sex and ethnic background may influence ability to lower CVD risk, risk modification may also be the function of differences
"You Look at Things Differently:" The Role of Documentation in the Professional Development of a Campus Child Care Center Staff.

The practice of documentation was developed by early childhood educators in the municipal child care programs of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Documentation represents children's experiences through photographs, videotape, and/or video prints, accompanied by explanatory notes, samples of children's work, and transcripts of children's comments and conversations. Primarily through the voices of three teachers, this article describes a university affiliated child care center staff's efforts to incorporate documentation into their practice. Themes common to many of the child care staff's reflections on their experiences include: documentation promotes staff development and collaboration, creates a climate of inquiry, communicates to children, parents, and families, invites meaningful dialogue, and advocates for the child. It is also described as both an intellectually and emotionally challenging experience.
High modulus semi-crystalline polymers by solid state rolling

Solid state rolling of semi-crystalline polymers is shown to be an effective method of producing high strength, high modulus tape at acceptable production rates. High density polyethylene tape was produced having a tensile strength exceeding 300 MPa and a tensile modulus of 8.7 GPa at production rates exceeding 8 m/min. A significant factor in producing highly oriented tape by the rolling process is roll temperature. Increasing the roll temperature from 25°C to 125°C not only increases the maximum extent of orientation achievable, but increases the mechanical properties at a given degree of thickness reduction. Internal frictional heat development limited the maximum thickness reduction ratio of polypropylene to 6.6:1. This reduction was reached by rolling at 150°C. The resultant tape had a tensile modulus of 5.1 GPa and a tensile strength of 300 MPa.
Predicting Oscar winners

Each year, hundreds of millions of people worldwide watch the televised Oscars ceremony. Can one predict which films and which directors, actors and actresses will win the Oscars?Iain Pardoe believes that he can.
Design and Development of a Radar Control Program for the NOAA/WPL Pulse-Doppler Radars

Abstract Development of a computer program to control and acquire data with meteorological research radars is described. The performance goals for the program are enumerated, and the implementation techniques to achieve these goals are discussed. Possible improvements to the program, suggested by experiences while using the program during a 4-month field experiment, are noted.
Orientations of phenyl sidegroups and liquid crystal molecules on a rubbed polystyrene surface

Surface–specific sum–frequency vibrational spectroscopy and second-harmonic generation have been used to study the structure of a rubbed polystyrene (PS) surface and the orientation of 4′-n-pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) liquid crystal molecules on it. The results show that the phenyl sidegroups are well aligned by rubbing in the direction perpendicular to rubbing but tilt from the surface normal with a broad distribution. Although the PS surface is nonpolar, the 5CB molecules appear to adsorb on PS preferentially with the terminal cyano group facing the PS surface.
IT Predictions, 2010

As is traditional this time of year, Phillip A. Laplante prognosticates on the state of IT for next year and reflects on his last set of predictions.
Ethanol directly increases dihydrotestosterone conversion to 5α-androstan-3β,17β-diol and 5α-androstan-3α,17β-diol in rat Leydig cells

The direct effect of ethanol on dihydrotestosterone (DHT) conversion to 5 alpha-androstan-3 beta,17 beta-diol (3 beta-diol) and 5 alpha-androstan-3 alpha,17 beta-diol (3 alpha-diol) by adult rat Leydig cells was examined. Concentrations of ethanol comparable to blood levels of alcoholic men (2.2 - 65 mM) increased DHT conversion to 3 beta - and 3 alpha-diol, in direct relation to the dose of ethanol added; a 2-fold or greater stimulation was observed. Because this effect was blocked by 4-methylpyrazole or a saturating NADH concentration, these results suggest that this action is mediated by Leydig cell alcohol dehydrogenase activity. These results may have significant impact in the testis and/or other DHT sensitive tissues because ethanol may decrease the availability of the proposed active androgen.
Mechanical stimuli induce intracellular calcium response in a subpopulation of cultured rat sensory neurons.

Cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons from newborn rats were mechanically deformed with a fine-tipped glass capillary, and the change in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was recorded by Fura-2-based microfluorimetry. The deformation evoked elevation in [Ca2+]i from 18.7 +/- 5.4 nM (mean +/- S.E.M., n = 35) to 137.1 +/- 15.2 nM in some subpopulations of cells, especially those larger than 20 microm in diameter. The largest mechanosensitive cell group was that of cells 20-25 microm in diameter; 56% of the mechanosensitive cells were of this cell size. All of the cells larger than 25 microm in diameter displayed the Ca2+ increase when prodded. The depletion of extracellular Ca2+ diminished the Ca2+ elevation. Verapamil and nickel, blockers of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, did not influence the Ca2+ response, whereas gadolinium, a relatively selective blocker of mechanosensitive channels, diminished the response. Na+-free conditions did not influence the response. We concluded that the mechanical stimulation induced a Ca2+ influx in large dorsal root ganglion neurons through mechanosensitive Ca2+-permeable channels.
Productivity information in vertical sharing agreements

Abstract That firms share information with their rivals is both well-known and studied. However, firms also often share information with their suppliers. The firm's incentive to share productivity information with both its supplier and its rival is examined. It is found that by sharing productivity information a firm raises its own expected input price, which raises the rival's expected input price. In contrast, sharing cost or demand information does not have this effect. Through this price effect information sharing can increase expected producer surplus in price competition, while in previous work the sharing of cost information always reduced producer surplus.
The Historical Traditions of the Jews of Kochi

Three very different types of data must be considered in any attempt at constructing a history of the ancient Jewish community of Kochi in Kerala. There are scant historical data—a third-century patristic letter, a ninth-century Muslim travelogue, an eleventh-century royal charter engraved on copperplates, a twelfth-century Hebrew tombstone. There are numerous motifs from Kochini folklore, especially the intriguing Malayalam songs of Jewish women. Finally, there are indigenous narrations by which the community presents itself to the outside world. Even taken together, these three types of data do not yield a comprehensive history. But what they do reveal is perhaps more significant; they chart the community's crafting for themselves a niche within the social framework of Kerala. In sum, in their narrations they create an identity that resonates exceptionally well with both Indian and Jewish values, themes and motifs.
Bureaucratic policy making on trial: medicaid nursing facility reimbursement, 1988-1998.

Few systematically assess the determinants of Medicaid nursing facility reimbursement. Consequently, this article examines what factors influenceprogram administrators’decisions regarding nursing f...
No-Load Flux Distribution in Saturated High-Speed Homopolar Inductor Alternators

The magnetic induction in homopolar alternators is found by a method developed in a companion paper. The mathematical procedure and the selection of the mesh system and the identification system for the different mesh points is explained. A computer program for the numerical solution by overrelaxation of the boundary value problem is developed and applied to a 95 KVA, 115/220V, 3,300 cps. 40,800 rpm. alternator. The results show the decrease of the airgap induction fundamentals with increased excitation.
Evidence for the requirement of protein synthesis and protein kinase activity in the temperature regulated stability of a Tetrahymena surface protein mRNA

In Tetrahymena thermophila, the expression of the temperature-specific surface protein SerH3 is controlled primarily by a temperature-dependent change in the stability of its mRNA. The change in SerH3 mRNA stability occurs very rapidly after a shift in incubation temperature. This change in temperature could affect SerH3 mRNA stability directly by producing structural changes in the mRNA or regulatory factors acting on SerH3 mRNA. Alternatively, the temperature change could act indirectly through a signal transduction pathway leading to de novo synthesis of new regulatory factors or modifications of existing regulatory factors. To address these issues, we monitored the effect of temperature on an in vitro SerH3 mRNA decay assay and the in vivo effects of a variety of inhibitors against protein synthesis and protein kinases on SerH3 mRNA stability. The results of Northern analysis of SerH3 mRNAs in an in vitro mRNA decay assay indicate that temperature alone can not change the half-life of this mRNA. Furthermore, slot blot analysis of cytoplasmic RNAs show that protein synthesis and the action of protein kinases are not required for SerH3 mRNA turnover in cells grown at 30 degrees C. In contrast, our results indicate that the rapid decay of the SerH3 mRNA in cells grown at 30 degrees C and shifted to 40 degrees C requires a one time serine/threonine phosphorylation event which occurs at the temperature shift. In addition, the data show that a regulatory protein involved in rapid SerH3 mRNA decay must be newly and continuously synthesized following the temperature shift from 30 to 40 degrees C. These data show the complexity of temperature regulated mRNA decay and indicate that phosphorylation and protein synthesis are major factors in this process.