cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Second-Order Phase Transitions in Amorphous Gallium Clusters

Ion mobility and calorimetry measurements have been used to probe the nature of the phase transitions in gallium clusters with 29-55 atoms. While most clusters appear to undergo a first-order transition between solidlike and liquidlike phases, a few show the signature of melting without a significant latent heat. These transitions appear to be the finite size analogue of a second-order phase transition, and they presumably occur for some cluster sizes because their solidlike phase is amorphous.
Principles for Designing Software Architecture to Achieve Quality Attribute Requirements

Summary form only given. In this article, the author describes the principles involved in the design of software architecture. The premise is that the design of software architecture is determined by the quality attributes requirements for a system. The quality attributes that we have focused on are: availability, modifiability, performance, security, and usability. The author discusses why quality attributes are important, how to specify quality attribute requirements in a common form, design primitives to support the achievement of each quality attribute and how these can be applied to the design and evaluation of software architectures
AN ISOTOPIC STUDY OF LEAD IN SEDIMENTARY PYRITE

Abstract The lead in sedimentary pyrite is typical of dissolved lead in the original depositional environment, provided the isotopic composition is not changed by radioactive decay of uranium or thorium within the samples, or by recrystallization of the samples long after deposition. These conditions appear to be realized, generally, in pyrite from unmetamorphosed sedimentary rocks. In metasedimentary rocks, the origin of lead in pyrite may be quite complex, but in favorable cases the isotopic composition of such lead provides some information about the pre-metamorphic history of the samples. The lead content of thirty samples of pyrite from sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks has been determined by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Lead content ranges from a few ppm to several hundred ppm in both the sedimentary and metasedimentary samples. The uranium content of most of the samples was determined by isotope dilution; much of the uranium, and in some cases much of the lead, associated with the samples could be removed by leaching for several days in hot HCl. The U/Pb ratio of most of the leached samples is sufficiently low that the contribution of radiogenic lead by decay of the uranium is negligible. The isotopic abundances of lead, in the samples for which the sedimentary age is known, are related to a two-stage model for the isotopic development of oceanic lead based on the isotopic composition of lead in the modern North Pacific. This model provides reliable minimum ages for the time of deposition of the samples and in many cases this minimum age is within a few hundred million years of the known age. A few samples which show larger deviations apparently originated in restricted basins of deposition. Samples from black schists in Finland contain excess Pb206 which probably originated in black shale environments prior to metamorphism. Other samples from Finland, and a sample from the Canadian shield, give model ages considerably greater than the latest metamorphism, suggesting intervals of at least several hundred million years between sedimentation and metamorphism.
Osteoclasts and transforming growth factor-beta: estrogen-mediated isoform-specific regulation of production.

Estrogen deficiency induced by menopause leads to an increase in bone resorption that is not compensated for by a comparable increase in bone formation, resulting in excessive bone loss. Clinically, estrogen replacement reverses these processes, but the mechanisms by which this takes place are not completely understood. Both osteoclasts and osteoblasts contain functional estrogen receptors and, therefore, may be directly involved in these responses. Because both osteoclasts and osteoblasts secrete transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta), and because 17 beta-estradiol (E2) treatment increases TGF beta production by osteoblast-like cells in vitro, we have investigated the possibility that E2 also may increase the production of TGF beta by isolated osteoclasts in vitro. Highly purified avian osteoclasts were treated with either vehicle or E2, and TGF beta protein accumulation in culture was measured by bioassay. Although an E2 dose-dependent increase in TGF beta protein accumulation in osteoclast-conditio...
Laboratory studies of thermal convection in the interface under a stable layer

Abstract In a buoyancy-driven penetrative convection experiment, detailed measurements of the local, instantaneous values of temperature, vertical velocity and horizontal velocity are made in the interfacial layer using a thermocouple and a two-component dual beam laser-Doppler velocimeter. In the stable layer internal gravity waves are observed, and the temperature fluctuations in this region are found to oscillate at nearly Brunt-Vaisala frequency. Conditional averaging techniques and probability density distributions are employed to infer the mean properties of the fluid elements in the interfacial layer. The structured regions are named ‘coherent’ or ‘active’ and these motions account for 60–70% of the mean square fluctuations in temperature and velocity, and most of the negative heat flux. Interfarial scales are developed and they appear to collapse the data well and keep the scatter in third-order moments within bounds.
Treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus–associated type B insulin resistance syndrome with cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate mofetil

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by loss of immunologic self-tolerance and the subsequent development of autoantibodies. These antibodies are thought to be important in relation to the clinical manifestations of the disease. One example is the development of multiple cytopenias secondary to cytolytic or cytotoxic antibodies directed toward red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells. Other antibodies may mediate abnormal cellular mechanisms such as those seen with neuropsychiatric manifestations of SLE. We report the occurrence of autoantibodies directed toward insulin receptors and the subsequent development of type B insulin resistance syndrome in a woman with SLE. This syndrome was treated successfully with cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate mofetil.
In-Duct and Far-Field Experimental Measrements from the ANCF for the Purpose of Improved Broadband Liner Optimization

A process for the design and evaluation of novel broadband acoustic liner concepts with limited fan source information is being evaluated. A pair of advanced broad-bandwidth liners were designed and manufactured for the NASA Glenn Research Center's Advanced Noise Control Fan (ANCF): (i) a constant impedance liner and (ii) a variable impedance liner. The insertion loss of both liners was measured in-duct utilizing the ANCF's Configurable Fan Artificial Noise System in a clean configuration with no-flow. Additionally, the acoustic characteristics of the Variable Impedance Liner were measured in the standard ANCF configuration with and without flow. The experimental setup, in-duct mode power levels, and far-field directivity are presented herein.
Conformational studies of Lewis X and Lewis A trisaccharides using NMR residual dipolar couplings.

The conformations of the histo-blood group carbohydrate antigens Lewis X (Lex) and Lewis A (Lea) were studied by NMR measurements of one-bond C—H residual dipolar couplings in partially oriented liquid crystal solutions. A strategy for rapid calculation of the difference between theoretical and experimental dipolar couplings of a large number of model structures generated by computer simulations was developed, resulting in an accurate model structure for the compounds. Monte Carlo simulations were used to generate models for the trisaccharides, and orientations of each model were sought that could reproduce the experimental residual dipolar coupling values. For both, Lea and Lex, single low energy models giving excellent agreement with experiment were found, implying a compact rigidly folded conformation for both trisaccharides. The new approach was also applied to the pentasaccharides lacto-N-fucopentaose 2 (LNF-2) and lacto-N-fucopentaose 3 (LNF-3) proving its consistency and robustness. For describing the conformation of tightly folded oligosaccharides, a definition for characterization of ring planes in pyranoside chairs is proposed and applied to the analysis of the relation between the fucose and galactose residues in the epitopes, revealing the structural similarity between them. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biopolymers 63: 89–98, 2002
Responding to a Monetary Superpower: Investigating the Behavioral Spillovers of U.S. Monetary Policy

Between 2002 and 2006, the Federal Reserve set interest rates significantly below the rates suggested by well-known monetary policy rules. There is a growing body of research suggesting that this helped fuel an excess of liquidity in the U.S. that contributed to the 2008 worldwide financial crash. It is less well known that a number of other central banks also lowered interest rates during this period. An important question, then, is what role the Federal Reserve played in influencing other central banks to alter their own monetary policies, which could have magnified the Fed’s actions in creating global liquidity. This paper addresses the issue by showing how spillovers in central bank behavior occur in theoretical rational expectations models. It then establishes empirically how U.S. monetary policy actions affect the actions of other major central banks, particularly in terms of interest rates and currency interventions. The models and data suggest that the U.S. lowering its policy rate, either in general or in reference to a monetary policy rule, influences other central banks to lower their own policy rates and intervene in currency markets, even when controlling for worldwide macroeconomic trends. It thus appears that U.S. actions were a factor in the worldwide lowering of interest rates and the increase in currency reserves in the early 2000s that may have contributed to the subsequent global liquidity boom.
Comparison of fibrinogenases isolated from copperhead venoms

Abstract 1. 1. Fibrinogenase activity from fractions obtained by ion-exchange chromatography of whole copperhead ( Agkistrodon contortrix ) venoms were further purified by molecular sieve chromatography. 2. 2. All four enzymes had apparent mol. wt of 23,000–24,000, both non-reduced and reduced as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis and molecular sieve chromatography. 3. 3. All four enzymes rapidly degraded the α-chain of the fibrinogen while apparently leaving the β- and γ-chains intact.
The Ones that Got Away: False Negative Estimation Based Approaches for Gold Farmer Detection

The problem of gold farmer detection is the problem of detecting players with illicit behaviors in massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) and has been studied extensively. Detecting gold farmers or other deviant actors in social systems is traditionally understood as a binary classification problem, but the issue of false negatives is significant for administrators as residual actors can serve as the backbone for subsequent clandestine organizing. In this paper we address this gap in the literature by addressing the problem of false negative estimation for gold farmers in MMOs by employing the capture-recapture technique for false negative estimation and combine it with graph clustering techniques to determine "hidden" gold farmers in social networks of farmers and normal players. This paper redefines the problem of gold farming as a false negative estimation problem and estimates the gold farmers in co-extensive MMO networks, previously undetected by the game administrators. It also identifies these undetected gold farmers using graph partitioning techniques and applies network data to address rare class classification problem. The experiments in this research found 53% gold farmers who were previously undetected by the game administrators.
Hybrid simulation of toroidal Alfvén eigenmode on the National Spherical Torus Experiment

Energetic particle modes and Alfven eigenmodes driven by super-Alfvenic fast ions are routinely observed in neutral beam heated plasmas on the National Spherical Torus eXperiment (NSTX). These modes can significantly impact fast ion transport and thus cause fast ion redistribution or loss. Self-consistent linear simulations of Toroidal Alfven Eigenmodes (TAEs) in NSTX plasmas have been carried out with the kinetic/magnetohydrodynamic hybrid code M3D-K using experimental plasma parameters and profiles including plasma toroidal rotation. The simulations show that unstable TAEs with n=3,4, or 5 can be excited by the fast ions from neutral beam injection. The simulated mode frequency, mode radial structure, and phase shift are consistent with measurements from a multi-channel microwave reflectometer diagnostic. A sensitivity study on plasma toroidal rotation, safety factor q profile, and initial fast ion distribution is performed. The simulations show that rotation can have a significant destabilizing effect ...
Transient Radiation Properties of a Subgrid Scale Eddy

Analysis of transient radiative cooling of a strongly radiating turbulent diffusion flame is described. The specific objective is to study the possibility of including realistic radiative cooling effects in transient simulations of turbulent reacting flows. The laminar flamelet concept is used to estimate all scalar properties other than temperature and density. These are obtained from transient evolutions for total enthalpy in conjunction with the state relationships. The equation is numerically solved in the mixture fraction-time space. Results show a flame structure involving a relatively cold soot layer on the fuel-rich side consistent with recent experimental data.
Patients With NASH and Cryptogenic Cirrhosis Are Less Likely Than Those With Hepatitis C to Receive Liver Transplants

Background & Aims Many patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis (CC) have other conditions associated with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) that put them at risk for complications that preclude orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Methods We followed all patients with NASH and CC who were evaluated for OLT (n = 218) at Baylor Simmons Transplant Institute between March 2002 and May 2008. Data were compared with those from patients evaluated for OLT because of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated cirrhosis (n = 646). Results Patients with NASH and CC were older, more likely to be female, had a higher body mass index, and a greater prevalence of diabetes and hypertension, compared with patients with HCV-associated cirrhosis, but the 2 groups had similar model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores. NASH and CC in patients with MELD scores ≤15 were less likely to progress; these patients were less likely to receive OLT and more likely to die or be taken off the wait list because they were too sick, compared with patients with HCV-associated cirrhosis. The median progression rate among patients with NASH and CC was 1.3 MELD points per year versus 3.2 MELD points per year for the HCV group (P = .003). Among patients with MELD scores >15, there were no differences among groups in percentage that received transplants or rate of MELD score progression. Hepatocellular carcinoma occurred in 2.7% of patients with NASH and CC per year, compared with 4.7% per year among those with HCV-associated cirrhosis. Conclusions Patients with NASH and CC and low MELD scores have slower disease progression than patients with HCV-associated cirrhosis and are less likely to receive OLT.
Compact Silicon Diffractive Sensor Performance

Simulation, fabrication, and experimental results for the compact silicon diffractive sensor platform are presented. This configuration is independent of interaction length and attenuation and capable of measuring refractive index changes of 10-8without spectral measurement.
Racial and Ethnic Discrimination in Urban Housing Markets: Evidence from a Recent Audit Study

Abstract Using audit data from HUD′s 1989 Housing Discrimination Study of 25 American cities, this paper analyzes the level and causes of one type of discrimination encountered by blacks and Hispanics during housing searches. A statistical model is developed that recognizes features of audit data not properly accounted for in previous studies. Estimates based on this model indicate that real estate agents show blacks and Hispanics 80-90% of the housing units inspected by their Anglo customers. A detailed analysis suggests that customer prejudice and racial stereotyping influence agent behavior, particularly toward black customers. City-specific estimates indicate that discrimination levels vary across cities.
Evidence for 1018-eV neutral particles from the direction of Cygnus X-3.

Analysis of the cumulative Fly's Eye data reveals an excess of air showers from the direction of Cygnus X-3 at energies above 0.5 x 10/sup 18/ eV. No point source has previously been identified at such high energies. The probability of this excess arising as a change clustering of isotropic cosmic rays is 6.5 x 10/sup -4/. The inferred signal flux is (2.0 +- 0.6) x 10/sup -17/ particles/cm/sup 2/ s. The Cygnus X-3 4.8-h periodicity is weakly present in the data.
Serotonergic mechanisms in amygdaloid-kindled seizures in the rat.

Abstract The kindling model of epilepsy is based on a permanent alteration in brain function resulting from repeated subconvulsant stimulation. Because these alterations may be neurochemical in nature, the role of serotonin (5-HT) in the development of amygdaloid-kindled seizures was studied using female rats. Concentrations of 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were determined fluorometrically in the hypothalamus, amygdala, midbrain, and brain-stem regions. Amygdaloid kindling led to significant decreases of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the midbrain region. The administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), a 5-HT precursor, was found to retard the evolution of the kindling process and p -chlorophenylalanine ( p -CPA), a depletor of brain 5-HT, facilitated the development of amygdaloid kindled seizures. Both 5-HTP and p -CPA produced an increase in afterdischarge duration of full kindled seizures. The data suggest that serotonergic mechanisms may play a suppressive role in the development of amygdaloid-kindled seizures.
D-amino acid oxidase in extra-embryonic membranes of the chick.

Abstract D-amino acid oxidase is present in the extra-embryonic membranes of the developing chick, and can be detected on the third day of incubation (37°) four days prior to its earliest appearance in the hepatic tissue and mesonephros. As the membranes grow, those which form the yolk sac continue to show enzymatic activity. After the sixth day the mesonephros and hepatic tissue both contain activity and on the thirteenth day of development the enzyme appears in the metanephros. Post-hatch, when the mesonephros disappears, the metanephros maintains a specific activity higher than the liver. Enzymatic activity persists in the yolk sac membranes until several days after hatch.
11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 inhibition in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) catalyses the intracellular conversion of inert cortisone to physiologically active cortisol, functioning to enhance local cortisol action beyond what would be predicted based on simple plasma exposures. Adipose tissue overexpression of 11β-HSD1 in rodents to levels observed in human obesity can lead to a near complete metabolic syndrome phenotype, and inhibition of 11β-HSD1 has been proposed to be of potential therapeutic benefit to patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recently published clinical results with the selective 11β-HSD1 inhibitor, INCB13739, have, for the first time, provided evidence substantiating this hypothesis, and suggest that 11β-HSD1 activity may be important in regulating glycaemia and cardiometabolic risk. In patients with T2DM failing metformin monotherapy, INCB13739 treatment achieves significant reductions in haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and when present improves hyperlipidaemia and hypertriglyceridaemia. interestingly, these positive effects are observed primarily in subjects categorized as obese (body mass index, BMI > 30 kg/m 2 ) and not in subjects categorized as overweight (BMI ≤ 30 kg/m 2 ), underscoring the likely importance of adipose tissue 11β-HSD1 activity to the cardiometabolic sequelae of obesity. This review summarizes the therapeutic rationale for 11β-HSD1 inhibition, and describes in detail the metabolic and endocrinologic changes observed in patients with T2DM treated with INCB13739.
Collapse transition and asymptotic scaling behavior of lattice animals: Low-temperature expansion

A low-temperature expansion for the free energy density of lattice animals is derived. Analysis of the series yields a collapse transition temperature ofTc ≈- 0.54, in close agreement with previous estimates. It is demonstrated thatσp,k, the number ofp-particle,p-bond animals, obeys the asymptotic scaling law logσp,k≈ pg(k/p) + o(p). The low-temperature series and numerical data are used to estimate the scaling function.
The use of structural periacetabular allografts in acetabular revision surgery: 2.5-5 years follow-up.

“Acetabular bone loss” presents a major reconstructive challenge in total hip arthroplasty. Loss of acetabular bone stock is a consequence of removal of bone during the original procedure, subsequent prosthetic failure and osteolysis resulting from wear particles of cement and polyethylene. In case of severe bone loss treatment options are rather limited, as fixation requires either biological (cancellous allograft with cage or structural allograft) or non-biological (trabecular metal, triflange implant, etc.) scaffolds. Fourteen acetabular revisions with a cemented cup, supported by a deep frozen structural periacetabular allograft without using a reinforcement ring or an antiprotrusio cage were performed. Clinical assessment was done using a Harris hip score. Graft resorption was radiographically quantified using a digital measurement program. Kaplan–Meier survivorship was 67.1% at 42 months. After a mean follow-up of 3.6 years, 9 out of 14 patients had good clinical results. Mean resorption of 17.1% in six out of ten patients was observed. No sound evidence for union was found in nine out of ten patients. In the four re-revised patients, no bone stock restoration was found. The bicortical allograft without protective device seems to function as a passive biocompatible dead scaffold, which has a less intrinsic strength at intermediate term follow-up, compared to the by ring or cage protected structural allografts.
Photodiode Peripheral Utilization Effect on CMOS APS Pixel Performance

A photodiode (PD)-type CMOS active pixel sensor (APS) pixel is comprised of a reverse-biased p-n-junction diode (PD) for photon conversion and charge storage, and a number of MOS transistors. Junction capacitance of the PD has two major components; bottom plate (area) and side wall (periphery). Both play important roles in the electro-optical performance of PD-APS pixels. This paper reports PD peripheral junction utilization effects on the pixel's electro-optical performance, full-well capacity and spectral response for an 18times 18 mum CMOS PD-APS pixel were improved by opening multiple circular holes in the PD diffusion layer. A prototype CMOS APS imager was designed, fabricated, and tested in 0.5-mum, 5 V, 2P3M CMOS process, containing a 424 times 424 pixel array with smaller sub-arrays for multiple pixel designs. Four test pixels with 7, 11, 14, and 17 circular, 1.6-mum-diameter holes were placed on one pixel array, with one control pixel for reference. Pixel characteristics, dark current, PD capacitance, quantum efficiency, sensitivity, and pixel full-well capacity were measured. It was found that increased PD junction peripheral would potentially help to improve total capacitance of the PD, with the expense of higher dark current. We also found that increased PD peripheral capacitance improves spectral response up to 12% of the PD-APS pixel, especially at short wavelengths.
If we can't contextualize it, should we teach it?

Constructivists often present their ideas as the solution to most ills in education. Sometimes explicitly, but often implicitly, instructional systems design (ISD) is blamed for these ills. There is some irony to this as ISD advocates often lament the dearth of ISD in education. Be that as it may, ISD does have limitations and there is much to be learned from constructivism. However, is a paradigm switch the answer? This paper will take a different approach as it will indicate how ISD can help those who want to develop constructivist instruction. The ISD procedures involved in task/learning analyses and formative evaluation are presented as particularly beneficial.
Autoseparation Method for Harvesting House Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) Pupae of Known Age

Postfeeding larvae of Musca domestica (L.) were allowed to crawl from the larval rearing medium into sand-filled collection containers to pupate. By separating postfeeding larvae and pupae from the sand at predetermined intervals, the approximate time of pupation and the pupal age could be determined. More postfeeding larvae were collected in fine, wet sand than in coarse, dryer sand. Whether or not the sand was tightly packed into collection containers was unimportant, and fly mortality was not increased by the sand-collection method. Uses for the system and implications of the results are discussed.
Probable genetic linkage between human serum amylase (Amy 2 ) and Duffy blood group.

HUMAN serum amylase polymorphism was reported in detail by Kamarýt and Laxova1. Two loci, with codominant alleles, control four different isoamylases in man which are detectable in serum by agar gel electrophoresis. The first locus, Amy1, controls serum salivary isoamylase. The two salivary alleles are Amy1A, the most frequent in the population, and Amy1B. A possible third allele, Amy1C, results in the apparent silent salivary isoamylase in the serum or urine. The second locus, Amy2, controls serum pancreatic isoamylase. The two pancreatic alleles are Amy2A, the most frequently observed, and Amy2B. A search for linkage between Amy2 and Duffy (Fy) was suggested by the finding of probable linkage between Amy2 and the uncoiler region on chromosome 1 (UN-1) by Kamarýt et al.6 and the previous finding of linkage between Duffy and UN-1 by Donahue et al.7.
Structural damage detection using extended Kalman filter combined with statistical process control

Traditional modal-based methods, which identify damage based upon changes in vibration characteristics of the structure on a global basis, have received considerable attention in the past decades. However, the effectiveness of the modalbased methods is dependent on the type of damage and the accuracy of the structural model, and these methods may also have difficulties when applied to complex structures. The extended Kalman filter (EKF) algorithm which has the capability to estimate parameters and catch abrupt changes, is currently used in continuous and automatic structural damage detection to overcome disadvantages of traditional methods. Structural parameters are typically slow-changing variables under effects of operational and environmental conditions, thus it would be difficult to observe the structural damage and quantify the damage in real-time with EKF only. In this paper, a Statistical Process Control (SPC) is combined with EFK method in order to overcome this difficulty. Based on historical measurements of damage-sensitive feathers involved in the state-space dynamic models, extended Kalman filter (EKF) algorithm is used to produce real-time estimations of these features as well as standard derivations, which can then be used to form control ranges for SPC to detect any abnormality of the selected features. Moreover, confidence levels of the detection can be adjusted by choosing different times of sigma and number of adjacent out-of-range points. The proposed method is tested using simulated data of a three floors linear building in different damage scenarios, and numerical results demonstrate high damage detection accuracy and light computation of this presented method.
Direct atmospheric inputs versus runoff fluxes of mercury to the lower Everglades and Florida Bay.

Age-dated sediments from the lower Everglades and Florida Bay provide a record of inputs of excess Hg from direct atmospheric input versus runoff. Direct atmospheric fluxes of excess Hg to sediments in the lower Everglades and Florida Bay, calculated using a mass balance model for excess 210Pb, currently average 24 ± 9 μg m-2 yr-1 and are comparable with recent results from bulk atmospheric deposition. In contrast, present-day runoff fluxes of excess Hg to area sediments are variable, ranging from about 4−160 μg m-2 yr-1. The runoff flux now carries 60−80% of the total flux of excess Hg to the sediments in areas near river sloughs but less than 20% of the total flux of excess Hg in more remote areas of Florida Bay. These results show the greater importance of runoff relative to direct atmospheric deposition for Hg inputs to many areas of the lower Everglades and immediately adjacent Florida Bay. Thus, the choice of future water management strategies can play an important role in controlling Hg inputs to t...
Regulation of protein kinases in steady-state contraction of cat gastric smooth muscle

Abstract Cat gastric smooth muscle strips were used to investigate the involvement of protein kinases in the steady-state contraction induced by 1 μM acetylcholine or 20 mM KCl. The steady-state contraction induced by acetylcholine or KCl was inhibited by EGTA dose dependently. Voltage-dependent Ca 2+ channel antagonists dose dependently inhibited the contractions induced by KCl as well as by acetylcholine. Inhibitory effects of voltage-dependent Ca 2+ channel antagonists were significantly more prominent on KCl-induced contractions than on acetylcholine-induced contractions. The acetylcholine-induced contraction was dose dependently inhibited by 8-( N , N -diethylamino)octyl-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate (TMB-8, a blocker of intracellular Ca 2+ release), but the KCl-induced contraction was not inhibited at all. Therefore both intracellular Ca 2+ release and extracellular Ca 2+ influx seem to be necessary for the acetylcholine-induced contraction, but intracellular Ca 2+ release is not necessary for the KCl-induced contraction. Protein kinase C inhibitors, 10 μM 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methyl-piperazine 2HCl (H-7) and 1 μM staurosporine, significantly inhibited the contraction induced by acetylcholine or KCl. Calmodulin antagonists, 30 μM trifluoperazine and 50 μM N -(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-2-naphthalenesulfonamide HCl (W-7), however, significantly inhibited the contraction induced by acetylcholine but not by KCl. A tyrosine kinase inhibitor, 50 μM genistein, did not affect the acetylcholine-induced contraction but significantly inhibited the KCl-induced contraction. These results strongly suggest that the involvement of protein kinases in regulation of the steady-state contraction may be agonist-dependent. © 1997 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
The oxidation of mercaptans by flavins.

The reactions of flavins (isoalloxazines) with organic molecules are of interest as possible model systems for the catalytic reactions of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) requiring proteins. The flavoenzyme lipoic acid oxidase catalyzes the oxidation of dihydrolipoic acid (6,8-dimercaptoctanoic acid) to lipoic acid, 3-(6-valeryl)-1,2_dithiolane, and other flavoenzyme systems perform thiol to disulfide oxidations either as the primary reaction or as auxiliary processes to the main catalytic reactions(l,2). GascOigne and Radda(3) reported that dihydrolipoic acid reacts with flavins in the absence of enzyme to produce lipoic acid and reduced flavin. It was noted that the reaction was first order in both flavin and in dihydrolipoic acid, and that it was also base catalyzed (the pH and buffer dependencies were obviously rather complicated). On the basis of this information and with the additional evidence that the relative rates for different flavins followed the same pattern as did the half-wave potentials for the two-electron polarographic reduction of the substituted flavins, the authors concluded that a two electron transfer occurs between the thiolate anion of dihydrolipoic acid and flavin to directly produce lipoic acid and reduced flavin. As part of our interest in flavin redox reactions(4) we wish to report our preliminary results of a survey of the reaction between flavins and mercaptans to produce dihydroflavins and disulfides according to eq 1.
Therapeutic antibiotic use patterns in dogs: observations from a veterinary teaching hospital

Objectives To describe therapeutic antibiotic use patterns in dogs at a small animal teaching hospital.
The same but different: the use of the personal home page by adults with Down Syndrome as a tool for self-presentation

Recent research has suggested that people with learning disabilities can manage their identities and define the circumstances under which they will present a self-image that is the same or different to other people with learning disability. This paper reports a survey of personal Home Pages written by people with Down Syndrome and investigates the extent to which they use the pages to accept or deny membership of the Down Syndrome group. Opportunistic sampling of the pages listed by five Web Crawlers revealed twenty personal Home Pages of adults with Down Syndrome. Thematic analysis of the content, form and language of the pages revealed similarities and differences in the way the page owners expressed and perceived their self-identity. The results suggest that the personal Home Page has the potential to allow adults with Down Syndrome to express multiple identities: identities that are the same and different to other people with Down Syndrome.
Report from the Field: Redoing Chicago: Gentrification, Race, and Intimate Segregation

: “Do you know what gentrification is?” one new Chicago resident poses. “To some people it means just plain white.” Latino neighborhoods in Chicago have become well documented terrains of contestation over community space, as upscale redevelopment threatens to displace established residents. As people promote or challenge gentrification on the Near Northwest Side, they make reference to Latino and white spaces, practices, representations, market engagements, and political control—and race erupts in overt and covert ways. Recent anthropological work illuminates and unpacks ground level social dynamics with profound consequences amid this latest historical political economic shift. Both interracial contact and avoidance increasingly operate through mixed discourses and practices of diversity and inclusion on the one hand, and heightened and overt racial signification on the other. Intimate segregation is a lived contradiction, embodied in a new repertoire of practices that internalize the ways we interrelate even as we separate.
o-Phenylenediamine-modified carbon fiber electrodes for the detection of nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide (NO•) sensors were prepared using o-phenylenediamine (o-PD) and Nafion to modify the surface of 30 μm diameter carbon fiber electrodes. These electrodes were compared with nickel porphyrin-type NO• sensors that have already been described. High-speed chronoamperometry, amperometry, and differential pulse voltammetry were used to compare the performance of sensors modified with various combinations of Nafion, o-PD, or nickel(II) meso-tetrakis(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin (Ni-TMPP), in order to determine which electrodes had the most sensitivity and selectivity for NO•. Our findings showed that electrodes treated with Nafion first, followed by o-PD, were very sensitive to NO•, with a detection limit of 35 ± 7 nM. In addition, o-PD electrodes were also very selective against ascorbate (>600:1), dopamine (>300:1), and nitrite (>900:1). Moreover, in the range of 0−6 μM NO•, o-PD electrodes displayed excellent linearity (R2 ≥ 0.997). In contrast, Ni-TMPP electrodes (with Nafion) had signific...
High throughput genetic analysis of congenital myasthenic syndromes using resequencing microarrays.

Background The use of resequencing microarrays for screening multiple, candidate disease loci is a promising alternative to conventional capillary sequencing. We describe the performance of a custom resequencing microarray for mutational analysis of Congenital Myasthenic Syndromes (CMSs), a group of disorders in which the normal process of neuromuscular transmission is impaired. Methodology/Principal Findings Our microarray was designed to assay the exons and flanking intronic regions of 8 genes linked to CMSs. A total of 31 microarrays were hybridized with genomic DNA from either individuals with known CMS mutations or from healthy controls. We estimated an overall microarray call rate of 93.61%, and we found the percentage agreement between the microarray and capillary sequencing techniques to be 99.95%. In addition, our microarray exhibited 100% specificity and 99.99% reproducibility. Finally, the microarray detected 22 out of the 23 known missense mutations, but it failed to detect all 7 known insertion and deletion (indels) mutations, indicating an overall sensitivity of 73.33% and a sensitivity with respect to missense mutations of 95.65%. Conclusions/Significance Overall, our microarray prototype exhibited strong performance and proved highly efficient for screening genes associated with CMSs. Until indels can be efficiently assayed with this technology, however, we recommend using resequencing microarrays for screening CMS mutations after common indels have been first assayed by capillary sequencing.
Institutionalizing the “Child Welfare” state: A study of the development of Alabama's child welfare system, 1887–1931

Abstract In today's society, the right of the state to intervene in the lives of families is assumed to be a necessary function of government. However, early-twentieth child welfare advocates, who espoused the belief that children had an inherent right to safety and security in their own homes, succeeded in establishing public child welfare institutions securing this right only after a long and determined struggle. This paper describes and analyzes the development of these institutions, and the factors that led to their creation, in Alabama, one of the first states to establish a comprehensive public child welfare system.
Fluorous effects in amide-based receptors for anions.

Hybrid receptors designed to recognize both the sulfonate headgroup and the fluorous tail of perfluorooctanesulfonate (CF3(CF2)7SO3−, “PFOS”) were prepared by coupling fluorinated carboxylic acids onto poly(aminomethyl)benzene scaffolds. Binding to PFOS, CF3SO3−, p-TsO−, and Cl− was monitored by 1H NMR and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). In chloroform solvent, hydrogen-bonding to anions is accompanied by downfield shifts in the amide NH protons of the fluorinated receptors and by evolution of heat. Association constants for 1:1 complexation (Kassoc) are >1000 M−1. An analogous hydrocarbon receptor binds weakly to anionic guests (Kassoc < 50 M−1). Ab initio calculations indicate that the differences in 1:1 binding strengths between fluorous and nonfluorous hosts cannot be ascribed to differences in NH donor acidities.
Towards clarification of the meaning of spirituality.

Background. Rhetoric about spirituality and nursing has greatly increased, as scientific-based approaches are not fully able to address many human problems, such as persistent pain. Despite the renewed interest and growing literature on spirituality, there is no consensus on a definition of this concept. There is also ambiguity on how this concept is incorporated into nursing practice, research, and education. Aim. This paper aims to contribute toward clarification of the meaning of spirituality in relevance to health and nursing today through a conceptual analysis process. Methods. Information was obtained through dictionary definitions and electronic database searches of literature on spirituality spanning the past 30 years. The criteria for selection included scholarly articles and books with a definition of spirituality, and research studies that investigated the meaning of spirituality to individuals' health. A total of 76 articles and 19 books were retrieved for this analysis. Findings. Spirituality is an inherent component of being human, and is subjective, intangible, and multidimensional. Spirituality and religion are often used interchangeably, but the two concepts are different. Spirituality involves humans' search for meaning in life, while religion involves an organized entity with rituals and practices about a higher power or God. Spirituality may be related to religion for certain individuals, but for others, such as an atheist, it may not be. Conclusion. In order to provide clarity and enhance understanding of this concept, this analysis delineates antecedents, attributes, constructed case examples, empirical referents, and consequences of spirituality. A proposed definition of spirituality emerged from this process, which may be applied broadly. Implications for nursing practice, education, and research are discussed.
The Political Economy of Rural School Consolidation.

(1990). The political economy of rural school consolidation. Peabody Journal of Education: Vol. 67, A Look at Rural Education in the United States, pp. 63-89.
Renal and Vascular Mechanisms of Thiazolidinedione-Induced Fluid Retention

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor subtype gamma (PPARgamma) activators that are clinically used as an insulin sensitizer for glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Additionally, TZDs exhibit novel anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiproliferative properties, indicating therapeutic potential for a wide variety of diseases associated with diabetes and other conditions. The clinical applications of TZDs are limited by the common major side effect of fluid retention. A better understanding of the molecular mechanism of TZD-induced fluid retention is essential for the development of novel therapies with improved safety profiles. An important breakthrough in the field is the finding that the renal collecting duct is a major site for increased fluid reabsorption in response to rosiglitazone or pioglitazone. New evidence also indicates that increased vascular permeability in adipose tissues may contribute to edema formation and body weight gain. Future research should therefore be directed at achieving a better understanding of the detailed mechanisms of TZD-induced increases in renal sodium transport and in vascular permeability.
Cortical alterations in zones of secondary epileptogenesis: A neurophysiologic, morphologic and microchemical correlation study in the albino rat

Abstract Microchemical techniques combined with histological and electroencephalographic observations were used to study a cortical zone of secondary epileptogenesis, produced in rats by the contralateral topical application of powdered cobalt. The results were compared with similar but non-epileptic cortical specimens from animals subjected to contralateral thermocoagulative lesions, and with normal controls. At 21 days, all animals showed a ‘mirror focus’ of persistent spike activity contralateral to the site of cobalt application. No epileptic activity was seen contralateral to the coagulative lesions. A suppression of cortical electrical activity was found over both cobalt and coagulative lesions, which showed, histologically, neuronal loss, glial proliferation, and neovascularization. Silver impregnation studies showed similar patterns of axonal degeneration resulting from both types of lesions. There was abundant degeneration surrounding the site of injury and degeneration of transcallosal projections to the contralateral cortical area. Contralateral and homotopic to both lesions, DNA, an index of cellularity, increased significantly only in layers V and VI, suggesting a possible glial proliferation in association with the axonal degeneration. Two biochemical abnormalities were found peculiar to the mirror focus, and possibly causally related to the epileptic process. RNA, an index of protein synthesizing ribosomal organelles, was reduced in all cortical layers. Ganglioside sialic acid, a neuronal membrane component, was strikingly increased in layers III through V, with a maximum elevation in layer IV. In non-epileptic cortex contralateral to coagulative lesions, the intralaminar profiles of these two biochemical components were similar to normal controls. These results suggest that a pathologic decrease of neuronal ribosomes, associated with either an elaboration of synaptic contacts or a functional disturbance of ganglioside-related ion transport may be causally related to the epileptic process.
Optical properties of tantalum carbide from the infrared to the near ultraviolet

Optical properties of a nearly stoichiometric single crystal of tantalum carbide are reported. Specular reflectance was measured between 0.03 and 6.0 eV, and ellipsometry measurements were made between 1.2 and 4.6 eV. The ellipsometry results were used to fix the value of the phase obtained from a Kramers-Kronig analysis of the reflectance over a finite energy interval, and optical functions were computed between 0 and 6 eV. The optical conductivity at zero photon energy agrees well with the electrical conductivity obtained from resistivity measurements made by the van der Pauw method. Intraband contributions to the optical properties are assessed in terms of both one-carrier and two-carrier models. Broad structure near 5 eV is interpreted as due to interband transitions between states near the square face of the Brillouin zone.
Performance of plasma-perfused, microencapsulated hepatocytes: Prospects for extracorporeal liver support

The growing success of liver transplantation and the shortage of donor livers has turned attention to the possibility of utilizing hepatocytes within artificial liver support systems to allow time for donor livers to become available and to improve the condition of patients with hepatic failure. This study evaluated encapsulated hepatocytes, a technology which might allow the possibility of using xenogenic or human hepatoma cells. Rabbit hepatocytes were encapsulated using the ionic polysaccharides carboxymethylcellulose, chondroitin sulfate A, chitosan, and polygalacturonic acid. Encapsulated cells were maintained in perfusion culture for at least 6 days in heparinized, normal human plasma or in a defined culture medium. Parallel cultures of plated hepatocytes were also conducted. The metabolic capability of the cells was evaluated by following the rates of urea, albumin, and transferrin synthesis and the transformation rate of the drug antipyrine. Protein synthesis and ureogenesis in plasma were depressed from the levels expressed in defined culture medium. Drug detoxification as measured by antipyrine metabolism appeared to be enhanced in plasma. We conclude that encapsulated rabbit hepatocytes retain significant levels of function for at least 6 days of perfusion with human plasma, suggesting the feasibility of this technology as a potential method of short-term liver support.
The use of behavioral contracting in the treatment of alcoholism: A case report

Behavioral contracting was applied to an alcoholic and his wife in order to change reinforcement contingencies maintaining drinking behavior. A moderate drinking pattern was established and was still being maintained after a 6-month followup. The study illustrates the values of altering social contingencies in the alcoholic's environment and questions the assumption that complete abstinence is a necessary treatment goal.