cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The user's view of computer hardware and software☆

The use of computers is becoming increasingly important in the solution of fire protection engineering problems. To take full advantage of the power of the computer, it is necessary to have a general understanding of computer capabilities and limitations. This paper provides a brief introduction to computer terminology, capabilities, and programming languages. It also presents a discussion of program transfer, a topic of increasing interest as programs are shared within the fire protection community.
Digital mammography: the effects of decreased exposure

It has been stated that digital mammography will reduce the exposure required for mammography. This poster explores the effects of decreased exposure on the information present in digital mammography. In general, the digital system performed better than screen film mammography with lower exposures. With the usual exposures used for screen film mammography, performance was equal. With high exposures sufficient to result in a dark film (OD 1.5), the digital system performed better than screen film with very small test objects. Proposals have been made to decrease the tube loading required for slot scanning devices by increasing KVP. This would result in their being less object contrast due to the decreases in the absorption coefficient of calcium compared to water at higher KVP. This poster looks at the potential for correcting the loss in object contrast that would result from the use of high contrast look up tables. It was found that in the tested system, one could restore the information in one of the two test objects used (but not the other), but that the image processing methods used would result in an image that radiologists would probably find inadequate for interpretation.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Temporal-logic analysis of microglial phenotypic conversion with exposure to amyloid-β

Alzheimer Disease (AD) remains a leading killer with no adequate treatment. Ongoing research increasingly implicates the brain's immune system as a critical contributor to AD pathogenesis, but the complexity of the immune contribution poses a barrier to understanding. Here I use temporal logic to analyze a computational specification of the immune component of AD. Temporal logic is an extension of logic to propositions expressed in terms of time. It has traditionally been used to analyze computational specifications of complex engineered systems but applications to complex biological systems are now appearing. The inflammatory component of AD involves the responses of microglia to the peptide amyloid-β (Aβ), which is an inflammatory stimulus and a likely causative AD agent. Temporal-logic analysis of the model provides explanations for the puzzling findings that Aβ induces an anti-inflammatory and well as a pro-inflammatory response, and that Aβ is phagocytized by microglia in young but not in old animals. To potentially explain the first puzzle, the model suggests that interferon-γ acts as an “autocrine bridge” over which an Aβ-induced increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines leads to an increase in anti-inflammatory mediators also. To potentially explain the second puzzle, the model identifies a potential instability in signaling via insulin-like growth factor 1 that could explain the failure of old microglia to phagocytize Aβ. The model predicts that augmentation of insulin-like growth factor 1 signaling, and activation of protein kinase C in particular, could move old microglia from a neurotoxic back toward a more neuroprotective and phagocytic phenotype.
Hemiarthroplasty for cuff tear arthropathy.

Abstract A retrospective review was conducted on 15 cases of shoulder hemiarthroplasty performed for cuff tear arthropathy. All cases had advanced glenohumeral arthritis with complete supraspinatus and infraspinatus rupture and substantial involvement of the teres minor and subscapularis. The mean patient age was 73 years; the mean follow-up was 28.2 months. Range of motion, functional ability, pain relief, and overall patient satisfaction were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively. The average active forward elevation increased from 69° to 86°, and the average active external rotation increased from 15° to 29°. Thirteen patients had an increase in their ability to perform activities of daily living, 1 patient was unchanged, and 1 patient had a decrease in ability to perform activities of daily living. Pain relief was significantly improved in all but 1 patient. Eleven patients (13 of 15 shoulders, 87%) expressed an overall satisfaction with their surgery. Patients were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively through use of the UCLA Rating Scale; the average increase was 11 to 22 points. In addition, isokinetic strength testing was performed preoperatively and postoperatively on 6 of the 15 involved shoulders. An increase in peak torque in forward elevation, abduction, and external rotation was noted postoperatively. The findings of this study indicate that favorable clinical results can be obtained after hemiarthroplasty of the shoulder with associated massive rotator cuff deficiency. (J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2000;9:169-72.)
Does the crossover from perturbative to nonperturbative physics in QCD become a phase transition at infinite N

Abstract We present numerical evidence that, in the planar limit, four-dimensional Euclidean Yang–Mills theory undergoes a phase transition on a finite symmetrical four-torus when the length of the sides l decreases to a critical value lc. For l>lc continuum reduction holds so that at leading order in N, there are no finite size effects in Wilson and Polyakov loops. This produces the exciting possibility of solving numerically for the meson sector of planar QCD at a cost substantially smaller than that of quenched SU(3).
Above Threshold pFET InjectionModeling intended for ProgrammingFloating-Gate Systems

We present a first-order model for pFET hotelectron injection that is consistent for subthreshold and above threshold current levels. Injection is a critical phenomena for high-precision programming of floating-gate devices, and accurate modeling fuels continued improvement of programming techniques. Previous work has shown good modeling for subthreshold operation; in this work we extend the modeling throughout the region, enabling improved programming algorithms for floating-gate switch elements, resistors, and highperformance circuit elements. We discuss the implementation of this model in CADENCE's version of SPICE.
The use of 99mtechnetium-labeled MCP-1 to assess graft coronary artery disease in rat cardiac allografts☆

Abstract Background Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is associated with the development of graft coronary artery disease (GCAD) following cardiac transplantation. This study assessed whether technetium 99m ( 99m Tc)-labeled MCP-1 binds its receptors in chronic cardiac transplants and thereby provides a potential modality to assess GCAD. Methods Allogeneic (PVG→ACI, n = 9) and syngeneic (ACI→ACI, n = 9) rat heterotopic heart transplants were performed. Allograft recipients were treated with 7.5 mg/kg per day of Cyclosporin A for 10 days until tolerance was achieved. After 90 days, animals were injected intravenously with 99m Tc–MCP-1 and killed after 1 hour. Radioactivity of heart tissues was measured and standardized to uptake in the overall blood pool. Two-dimensional 99m Tc–MCP-1 uptake (autoradiographs) was imaged by exposing 50-μm sections on a phosphoimager overnight. ED-1 staining of monocyte/macrophages was performed on serial sections. Additional sections were stained with elastin von Gieson and hematoxylin. Hearts were scored for luminal narrowing and intima/media ratio (I/M) with computerized image analysis. Results Allografts exhibited significantly more luminal narrowing (22.5 ± 10.7% vs 2.6 ± 4.6, p = 0.0005) and higher I/M (0.173 ± 0.151 vs 0.015 ± 0.029, p = 0.0088) than isografts. The ratio of 99m Tc–MCP-1 uptake in allografts (1.04 ± 0.4) was greater than that of isograft controls (0.72 ± 0.11, p = 0.03). Pixel counts of autoradiographs and ED-1–stained sections demonstrated a modest correlation between the two ( R 2 = 0.50). No significant differences were seen in acute rejection scores. Conclusion 99m Tc–MCP-1 uptake was higher in allografts vs isografts and was consistent with a greater degree of GCAD. These data demonstrating increased radiopharmaceutical uptake in hearts with GCAD provide a foundation for the development of a potentially non-invasive imaging assay of this disease process in heart transplantation.
Nonlinear feature extraction based on centroids and kernel functions

A nonlinear feature extraction method is presented which can reduce the data dimension down to the number of classes, providing dramatic savings in computational costs. The dimension reducing nonlinear transformation is obtained by implicitly mapping the input data into a feature space using a kernel function, and then finding a linear mapping based on an orthonormal basis of centroids in the feature space that maximally separates the between-class relationship. The experimental results demonstrate that our method is capable of extracting nonlinear features effectively so that competitive performance of classification can be obtained with linear classifiers in the dimension reduced space.
Islam, Empire and Makassarese historiography in the reign of Sultan Ala'uddin (1593–1639)

During the reign of Sultan Ala'uddin (r. 1593–1639), the Makassarese of Gowa and Talloq initiated a new form of historical writing known as lontaraq bilang. This article argues that this genre represents an Islamic form of historical writing that simultaneously integrated distant places and events within the structure of Makassarese history and Makassarese people and practices within the umma and the structure of Islamic history. Examining this islamisation of history writing yields new insight into premodern Makassarese notions of empire, social change, and religious identity. Lontaraq bilang are an important source of insight into how Makassarese grappled with what it meant to be Muslim and how processes of islamisation were transforming (or should ideally transform) their society.
The Scottish Enlightenment: Race, Gender, and the Limits of Progress. By Silvia Sebastiani. Translated by Jeremy Carden. (New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. Pp. xiv, 255. $90.00.)

Surprisingly, the subject of racial and gender diversity in Scottish Enlightenment thought had never received a sustained treatment until the publication in 2008 of I limiti del progresso: Razza e ...
A practical stereo vision system

A high-speed, physically robust stereo ranging system is built. Experiences with this system on several autonomous robot vehicles are described. A custom built, trinocular stereo jig and three specially modified charge-coupled device cameras are used. Stereo matching is performed using the sum-of-sum-of-squared differences technique. >
Recoil refinements: Implications for the 40Ar/39Ar dating technique

Integration of the neutron energy distribution for a water-moderated reactor with the most recent cross-section data yields mean recoil energies of 177 keV for 39K (n, p) 39Ar, 969 keV for 40Ca (n, α) 37Ar, and 140 eV for 37Cl (n, γ) 38Cl (β) 38Ar. These estimates are insensitive to the anisotropy of reaction products. Utilizing Monte Carlo simulations of collision cascades, we calculate a mean recoil range of 1620 A for 39K (n, p) 39Ar, 3780 A for 40Ca (n, α) 37Ar, and 11 A for 37Cl (n, γ) 38Cl (β) 38Ar. Rutherford backscatter (RBS) measurements of argon implantation experiments into albite confirm the veracity of these estimates. Integration of the recoil range distributions yields a mean depletion depth in a semi-infinite medium of 820 A for 39Ar, 1950 A for 37Ar, and 6 A for 38Ar. The concentration gradients generated by recoil-redistribution between thin slabs were then incorporated into standard diffusion equations. If the exsolution lamellae are the effective diffusion dimension for argon, then the calculations indicate that the argon release rates and 40Ar/39Ar age spectrum derived from incremental heating of minerals exsolved at the micron to submicron scale are significantly affected by recoil-redistribution. The age spectra will be discordant even if the feldspar has not experienced a complex or slow cooling history. Incremental step apparent ages will increase with the fraction of 39Ar released as the potassium poor lamellae degas. The age spectra will exhibit decreasing apparent ages with increasing fraction 39Ar released as the potassium feldstar lamellae degas. The overall profile of the age spectrum will depend upon the composition of the feldspar and the size distribution of the lamellae, if the lamellae are the effective argon diffusion dimension. In principal, these calculations can be used to discriminate between different models for argon diffusion in minerals. Finally, the 11 A mean recoil distance calculated for 38Ar indicates that it is not a proxy for anion-sited excess argon. Instead, published correlations of 38Ar with excess 40Ar probably reflect the degassing of fine-grained, Cl-rich inclusions.
Military Power, Impunity and State-Society Change in Latin America*

The transition from military to civilian rule in Latin America has thrown a searchlight upon the legacy of military repression from the era of the national security states, and the problem of still-powerful and unrepentant armed forces. These intertwined problems have profound implications for the possibility of fundamental change in a region long characterized by extreme social inequality and political instability. As Rouquie notes, civilianization of the military state does not necessarily mean the democratization or demilitarization of power. How to deal with the perpetrators of state terror is a burning and controversial issue throughout the region. During the process of transition, the major demand of the military in virtually all states was for guarantees against accountability for human rights crimes—widely called impunity in the region—a demand that implicitly places the military above the law. This issue strikes at the very heart of the transformation of national security states and the democratization of power. Additionally, despite the transition from military rule, structures of the national security apparatus remain embedded within the civilian regimes. An examination of the question of impunity and those embedded structures exposes the tensions between democratization and persisting military prerogatives and power.
The development of X-ray free-electron lasers

We review and discuss the theoretical and experimental work that has led to the development of short wavelength free-electron lasers operating as single pass amplifiers, starting from the spontaneous undulator radiation, in the self amplified spontaneous emission mode. This work has led to several projects to build this type of free-electron lasers operating at a wavelength of about 0.1 nm, producing coherent X-ray pulses with an unprecedented brilliance and peak power, and pulse length in the femtosecond range. One such project, the LCLS, is presently under construction and is expected to be operational in 2008.
Doing the Devil’s Work: Heavy Metal and the Threat to Public Order in the Muslim World

The author explores how the millennia-old concept of Satan in the three Abrahamic faiths has shaped the cultural landscape in which heavy metal as a musical genre has been experienced and responded to in the Muslim world. He first surveys the evolution of Satan from the Hebrew Scriptures through the Quran, and its subsequent development in Islamic thought through the contemporary period. He then discusses the socio-economic and political environment that influenced the development of heavy metal as an art form, and why it has had such resonance in the Middle East and the larger Muslim world. Finally, he explores the largely negative reaction to the music by Muslim governments and societies, and how, in a certain sense, today’s Muslim metalheads are fulfilling a historic function of Satan in Islamic theology.
The effects of applied water at various fractions of measured evapotranspiration on reproductive growth and water productivity of Thompson Seedless grapevines

The reproductive growth and water productivity (WPb) of Thompson Seedless grapevines were measured as a function of applied water amounts at various fractions of measured grapevine ETc for a total of eight irrigation treatments. Shoots were harvested numerous times during the growing season to calculate water productivity. Berry weight was maximized at the 0.6–0.8 applied water treatments across years. As applied water amounts increased soluble solids decreased. Berry weight measured at veraison and harvest was a linear function of the mean midday leaf water potential measured between anthesis and veraison and anthesis and harvest, respectively. As applied water amounts increased up to the 0.6–0.8 irrigation treatments there was a significant linear increase in yield. Yields at greater applied water amounts either leveled off or decreased. The reduction in yield on either side of the yearly maximum was due to fewer numbers of clusters per vine. Maximum yield occurred at an ETc ranging from 550 to 700 mm. Yield per unit applied water and WPb increased as applied water decreased. The results from this study demonstrated that Thompson Seedless grapevines can be deficit irrigated, increasing water use efficiency while maximizing yields.
Modulation of Hippocampal Acetylcholine Release and Spontaneous Alternation Scores by Intrahippocampal Glucose Injections

Recent evidence indicates that systemic glucose treatment enhances memory while producing a corresponding increase in hippocampal acetylcholine (ACh) output. The present experiments examined whether unilateral intrahippocampal infusions of glucose would enhance spontaneous alternation performance and whether there would be a corresponding increase in ACh output in the ipsilateral and contralateral hippocampus. Extracellular ACh was assessed in samples collected at 12 min intervals using in vivo microdialysis with HPLC with electrochemical detection. Twelve minutes after a unilateral infusion of artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or glucose (6.6 mM), rats were tested in a cross maze for spontaneous alternation behavior with concurrent microdialysis collection. In two experiments, glucose infusions significantly increased alternation scores (67.5 and 59%) compared with CSF controls (42.4 and 39.5%, respectively). In both experiments, behavioral testing resulted in increased ACh output in the hippocampus. Glucose administration at the time of alternation tests enhanced ACh output beyond that of behavioral testing alone both ipsilateral (+93.8%) and contralateral (+85%) to the infusion site, as compared with ACh output (+36.1% and +55.5%) of CSF controls. Glucose infusions did not affect hippocampal ACh output in rats kept in a holding chamber. These results suggest that glucose may enhance alternation scores by modulating ACh release. The findings also indicate that unilateral glucose infusions increase hippocampal ACh output both ipsilateral and contralateral to the site of injection. Furthermore, glucose increased ACh output only during maze testing, suggesting that specific behavioral demands, perhaps requiring activation of cholinergic neurons, determine the efficacy of glucose in modulating ACh release.
Instrumental improvements and sample preparations that enable reproducible, reliable acquisition of mass spectra from whole bacterial cells

Rationale Rapid sub-species characterization of pathogens is required for timely responses in outbreak situations. Pyrolysis mass spectrometry (PyMS) has the potential to be used for this purpose. Methods However, in order to make PyMS practical for traceback applications, certain improvements related to spectrum reproducibility and data acquisition speed were required. The main objectives of this study were to facilitate fast detection (<30 min to analyze 6 samples, including preparation) and sub-species-level bacterial characterization based on pattern recognition of mass spectral fingerprints acquired from whole cells volatilized and ionized at atmospheric pressure. An AccuTOF DART mass spectrometer was re-engineered to permit ionization of low-volatility bacteria by means of Plasma Jet Ionization (PJI), in which an electric discharge, and, by extension, a plasma beam, impinges on sample cells. Results Instrumental improvements and spectral acquisition methodology are described. Performance of the re-engineered system was assessed using a small challenge set comprised of assorted bacterial isolates differing in identity by varying amounts. In general, the spectral patterns obtained allowed differentiation of all samples tested, including those of the same genus and species but different serotypes. Conclusions Fluctuations of ±15% in bacterial cell concentrations did not substantially compromise replicate spectra reproducibility. © 2015 National Center for Toxicological Research. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Comparison of methods for inorganic sulfur speciation in a petroleum production effluent

Multiple analytical techniques were compared for identification and quantification of inorganic sulfur species present in a sulfidic waste effluent (produced water) generated during offshore oil production. Inorganic sulfur species including sulfide, polysulfides, thiosulfate, sulfite, and sulfate were measured in produced water samples using sampled direct current polarography, differential pulse polarography, iodometry, spectrophotometry after derivatization with Ellman`s reagent, high-performance liquid chromatography after derivatization with 2,2{prime}-dithiobis(5-nitropyridine), and barium chloride precipitation of sulfate. Sulfide was determined in seven produced water samples at concentrations of 1 to 8 mM, as well as sulfate, polysulfides, and thiosulfate; sulfite was detected only occasionally in lower concentrations. Comparison of four methods used for sulfide measurement demonstrated systematic differences in results generated by various methods. Measurements of inorganic sulfur species in produced water are influenced by coupled equilibria between different chemical forms. Polysulfides exert an important role in coupling reactions between sulfur in intermediate oxidation states, and their presence can affect quantitation of these species when physical separations or standard additions perturb solution equilibria.
Finding Hidden Objects in Large 3D Environments: The Supermarket Problem

Many everyday tasks involve searching for something,selecting, and manipulating it with some cognitivepurpose. Even if it is done in a quite automatic manner, due toour experience to deal with real objects, the mapping of theseactions to a virtual world is not trivial.In this paper we present a solution for this problem,which is composed of three parts: a semi-automatic navigationtechnique based on path-planning; a selection technique comprisingthe overexposure of nearby objects; and a manipulationtechnique based on natural gestures. These three techniqueswere combined in a smooth way to solve the searching, selectingand manipulating problem. A certain degree of parallelismbetween them was accepted and is handled by the system.We evaluate our results by user testing in a supermarketscenario. Subjects were invited to walk the hallways of a virtualsupermarket looking in the shelves for specific products -- sometimes hidden by other objects -- that they need to pick upand put over a table in a pre-defined position and orientation.Results showed that our solution fulfill the needs of this kindof complex task, in a natural, funny and attractive way.
Stem cell approaches for the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus

Type 1 diabetes is characterized by near total absence of pancreatic b cells. Current treatments consisting of insulin injections and islet transplantation are clinically unsatisfactory. In order to develop a cure for type 1 diabetes, we must find a way to reverse autoimmunity, which underlies b cell destruction, as well as an effective strategy to generate new b cells. This article reviews the different approaches that are being taken to produce new b cells. Much emphasis has been placed on selecting the right non-b cell population, either in vivo or in vitro, as the starting material. Different cell types, including adult stem cells, other types of progenitor cells in situ, and even differentiated cell populations, as well as embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, will require different methods for islet and b cell induction. We discussed the pros and cons of the different strategies that are being used to re-invent the pancreatic b cell.
Cyclin D1/Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 Interacts with Filamin A and Affects the Migration and Invasion Potential of Breast Cancer Cells

Cyclin D1 belongs to a family of proteins that regulate progression through the G1-S phase of the cell cycle by binding to cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk)-4 to phosphorylate the retinoblastoma protein and release E2F transcription factors for progression through cell cycle. Several cancers, including breast, colon, and prostate, overexpress the cyclin D1 gene. However, the correlation of cyclin D1 overexpression with E2F target gene regulation or of cdk-dependent cyclin D1 activity with tumor development has not been identified. This suggests that the role of cyclin D1 in oncogenesis may be independent of its function as a cell cycle regulator. One such function is the role of cyclin D1 in cell adhesion and motility. Filamin A (FLNa), a member of the actin-binding filamin protein family, regulates signaling events involved in cell motility and invasion. FLNa has also been associated with a variety of cancers including lung cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma, human bladder cancer, and neuroblastoma. We hypothesized that elevated cyclin D1 facilitates motility in the invasive MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. We show that MDA-MB-231 motility is affected by disturbing cyclin D1 levels or cyclin D1-cdk4/6 kinase activity. Using mass spectrometry, we find that cyclin D1 and FLNa coimmunoprecipitate and that lower levels of cyclin D1 are associated with decreased phosphorylation of FLNa at Ser2152 and Ser1459. We also identify many proteins related to cytoskeletal function, biomolecular synthesis, organelle biogenesis, and calcium regulation whose levels of expression change concomitant with decreased cell motility induced by decreased cyclin D1 and cyclin D1-cdk4/6 activities.
Homogeneous rate of degradation of nuclear DNA during apoptosis

DNA fragmentation during apoptosis is characterized by endonucleolytic cleavage of chromosomal DNA into an oligonucleosomal ladder. To determine if actively transcribed genes are more susceptible to cleavage during apoptosis than non-transcribed genes, the rate of fragmentation of differentially expressed genes was measured in B-lymphocyte hybridoma cells. Five genes were studied based on their transcriptional activity and/or nuclear localization, and mitochondrial DNA was assayed as a negative control for apoptotic fragmentation. Apoptosis was induced in the hybridoma cells by ultraviolet light, and DNA was prepared at multiple time points after ultraviolet irradiation. Degradation into an oligonucleosomal ladder appeared as early as 2 h after treatment, showing that fragmentation is rapidly activated in hybridoma cells. The DNA was then digested with restriction enzymes, separated by gel electrophoresis and hybridized with the gene-specific probes for Southern blot analyses. Loss of gene-specific signals was measured by quantitation of autoradiographs. The results show all of the nuclear genes were degraded at the same rate regardless of their transcriptional status or nuclear localization. The data suggest that once the cell activates its destruction program, nuclear DNA is rapidly degraded in a homogeneous manner.
NoC Power Optimization Using a Reconfigurable Router

In real applications there are different communication needs among the cores. When NoCs are the means to interconnect the cores, the use of some techniques to optimize the communication are indispensable. From the performance point of view, large buffer sizes ensure performance during different applications execution, but unfortunately, these same buffers are the main responsible for the router total power dissipation. Another aspect is that by sizing buffers for the worst case latency incurs in extra dissipation for the mean case, which is much more frequent. To cope with this problem, in this paper we propose a dynamically reconfigurable router for a NoC. With the reconfigurable router it was possible to reduce the congestion in the network, while at the same time reducing power dissipation and improving energy.
Ridge Waveguide for Thermally Assisted Recording - Optimization, Scaling, and Wavelength Dependence

Here, we will present FETD modeling results which optimize peak power absorption in the disk media. We have used plane-wave illumination (which can approximate the wavefront from a laser cavity or thin-film waveguide). The aperture and slider material are assumed to be quartz. We have found globally optimized ridge waveguide designs as a function of wavelength and fly-height. For optimized structures, we do find clear resonant behavior in the near field pattern although the resulting near-field "spectra" bear little resemblance to the calculated far field transmission spectra. That is, high far-field transmission does not indicate a good design for data recording. We will also present modeling results on the effects of fly-height variation for fixed design, how dielectric overcoats influence ridge waveguide efficiency, and the effects of media thickness and the presence of a heatsink. Results for various metals will be shown.
Systolic model and systolic geometry

The lack of a precise model for systolic algorithms has been hindering progress in the automatic synthesis of systolic arrays. The author proposes a model that encompasses a very large class of algorithms but is still restrictive enough so that mappings of such algorithms onto systolic architectures whose time performance is within a known factor of the optimum may be generated systematically. The issue of the determination of parallel schedules and allocation schemes is discussed. >
Physiological and Other Biological Pacemakers

Physiological pacemaking in the heart is the province of the sinus node, in which a family of ionic currents contributes to the pacemaker potential. Of paramount importance in initiating pacemaker function is I f, an inward current carried by sodium through a family of channels that is hyperpolarization activated and cyclic nucleotide gated (HCN channels). In many settings where physiological pacemaking fails, therapy involves electronic pacing. Because of shortcomings in this otherwise excellent technology, there has been a search for biological alternatives in which either gene or cell therapy is used to decrease outward current or increase inward current to provide pacemaker function. The various technologies used will be summarized as well as directions for optimizing biological pacemaker function and for using them in tandem with electronic units.
Effects of exercise training on muscle GLUT-4 protein content and translocation in obese Zucker rats

The rates of muscle glucose uptake of trained (TR) and untrained (UT) obese Zucker rats were assessed by hindlimb perfusion under basal conditions (no insulin) in the presence of a maximally stimulating concentration of insulin (10 mU/ml) and after muscle contraction elicited by electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve. Perfusate contained 28 mM glucose and 7.5 microCi/mmol of 2-deoxy-D-[3H]glucose. Muscle GLUT-4 concentration was determined by Western blot analysis and expressed as a percentage of a heart standard. The rates of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake were significantly higher in the plantaris, red gastrocnemius (RG), and white gastrocnemius (WG), but not the soleus or extensor digatorum longus (EDL) of TR compared with UT rats. After muscle contraction the rates of glucose uptake in the TR rats were significantly higher in the soleus, plantaris, and RG. TR rats had significantly higher GLUT-4 protein concentration and citrate synthase activity than the UT rats in the soleus, plantaris, RG, and WG. Basal plasma membrane GLUT-4 protein concentration of TR rats was 144% above UT rats (P < 0.01). Stimulation by insulin and contraction resulted in a significant increase in plasma membrane GLUT-4 protein concentration in UT rats only. However, plasma membrane GLUT-4 protein concentration in insulin- and contraction-stimulated TR rats remained 53% and 30% greater than that of UT rats, respectively (P < 0.05). Exercise training did not alter basal, insulin-, or contraction-stimulated GLUT-4 functional activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Durkheim's Early Sociology of Religion*

Opposing the widespread view that Durkheim did not become interested in religion until 1895, this paper explores the complex theory of religion that is presented in the articles Durkheim published before The Division of Labor. These early views on the nature and social role of religion help elucidate the tangled thesis of The Division of Labor. The nature of the shift in Durkheim's thought that occurred in 1895 is re-examined in light of changes in his theory of religion, and a fresh perspective on Durkheim's intellectual development is proposed. Despite the recent effervescence of Durkheimian scholarship, the gradual development of the French sociologist's theory of religion over the course of his career has been largely ignored. Contemporary interpreters like Lukes (1972:237-44) have neglected Durkheim's early sociology of religion largely because they have accepted at face value Durkheim's own statement that it was not until 1895, after reading Robertson Smith, that he realized "the essential role played by religion in social life" (Durkheim, 1907:606607). The present paper challenges this discounting of Durkheim's early work on religion, first, by uncovering the sophisticated theory of religion articulated in the articles he published prior to The Division of Labor, and, second, by demonstrating the importance of that theory for understanding Durkheim's subsequent work. Appreciation of Durkheim's early sociology of religion is essential for comprehending the decisive change in his sociological theory that interpreters since Parsons ([1937] 1949) have identified as occurring between The Division of Labor (1893) and Suicide (1897). Durkheim's early sociology of religion is important not only for the light it sheds on the thought of the French founder of contemporary sociology, but also for its contribution to our understanding of the religion of modernity, which Durkheim describes as the sacredness of the individual. Interestingly, under this rubric, Durkheim treats the doctrine of respect for persons in both its sociological and ethical dimensions that many contemporary philosophers consider the center of the moral life (see Wallwork, 1979). In this connection, Durkheim also wrestles imaginatively with the difficult contemporary problem of relating respect for the individual to the value of community. The present essay covers Durkheim's early sociology of religion from the start of his career in 1885 until the period immediately following the critical reorientation of his thought that occurred in 1895. My aim is to draw attention both to insufficiently recognized dimensions of his sociological work and to the perennial questions in social theory that Durkheim intended to illumine. It is a mark of the classical stature of Durkheim's work that, even when wrong, its questions compel us to take stock of our own answers, in light of what we believe about human nature, morality, and the social context of hu
Delayed venous occlusion following embolotherapy of vascular malformations in the brain.

PURPOSE To describe the nature and features of delayed venous thrombosis following embolization of arteriovenous fistulae. METHODS Retrospective review of the available clinical history, details of embolization procedures, and results of follow-up angiography were carried out on all embolization procedures performed on high-flow vascular malformations of the brain done at our institution since 1987. RESULTS Four patients were identified who had delayed (greater than 1 week) venous thrombosis/occlusion after embolization of the malformation associated with neurologic complications. Two patients had arteriovenous fistula and two had vein-of-Galen malformations. These patients had no untoward embolization of the venous outlet as a cause of the venous occlusion. CONCLUSIONS It is postulated that thrombosis in the arteriovenous fistula group was induced by conversion (due to embolization) of a patulous high flow venous outlet into a slow flow system; in the vein-of-Galen group, the occlusion was thought to be due to high-flow venopathy.
Intensive Instruction to Improve Writing for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

ABSTRACT: In the past decade, the amount of instructional research on writing for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) has increased dramatically. Researchers find that students with EBD greatly improve their writing skills when they are systematically taught to write using metacognitive strategies with embedded self-regulation strategies. Researchers also have demonstrated that, in many cases, the intensity and duration of instruction required for these students to be successful is significantly longer and more intense that what is typically provided in schools. This manuscript summarizes major findings and provides direction for future researchers and practice.
The Prospect of Sports Apparel Based on American Professional Sports

America has developed a complete sports marketing system of which the sports industry has played essential role in its social production.By analyzing the color,material,particularity and design in sports apparel of American professional sports,especially American Professional Basketball,the paper aims to predict the prospect of sports apparel——the tendency of combined characteristics of function、fashion and green.
Treating Obesity in Preschoolers: A Review and Recommendations for Addressing Critical Gaps

Developing interventions targeting obesity reduction in preschoolers is an emergent area. Although intensive, multicomponent interventions seem a promising approach to preschool obesity reduction, this review identifies and discusses approaches to 3 critical gaps (poor reach to families from low-income and minority backgrounds, lack of sufficient evidence to determine the most effective and efficient treatment components and approaches to treating obesity in early childhood, and lack of consensus on how best to discern intervention effectiveness) that need to be addressed to advance the preschool obesity literature.
Association Between Physician Counseling for Hypercholesterolemia and Patient Dietary Knowledge

High blood cholesterol is a prime target for preventive intervention in the primary care setting; however, the current effectiveness of clinicians at educating their patients about appropriate dietary modification is questionable. This report examines the association between dietary knowledge and physician counseling among primary care patients with hypercholesterolemia. Subjects were 325 patients continuously enrolled in one of two group model HMO offices for two years following a screening cholesterol level above 200 mg/dL. One office had American Heart Association educational materials and training in its use; one offered usual care. A chart audit and telephone survey (response 59%) 18 months following the screening cholesterol assessed clinician counseling and cholesterol monitoring as well as patient knowledge (from 14-item survey), attitudes, and behavior. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed no association between patient knowledge and physician dietary counseling (P = .53). Only patient educational background (P = .03) and baseline dietary knowledge (P = .005) independently predicted subsequent dietary knowledge. When added to the model, self-reported dietary change was also independently associated with patient knowledge (P = .0003). Though public awareness of cholesterol as a risk factor for heart disease has dramatically increased in recent years, specific dietary knowledge is often lacking. This article questions the adequacy of current primary care dietary treatment efforts in this regard.
Pulmonary vasculature of piglets after correction of aorta-pulmonary shunts.

In a previous article we described the functional and structural changes produced in the pulmonary arterial circulation of the growing pig by an aorta-pulmonary shunt. The present work describes the hemodynamic and morphologic adaptation that follows correction of the shunt. In four piglets, aged 5 weeks, an anastomosis was made between the thoracic descending aorta and the pulmonary trunk and left patent for 5 weeks. At the end of that time the mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) was 20 ± 3.8 mm Hg (mean ± SD), compared with 9 ± 2.1 mm Hg in a group of four age-matched sham-operated control piglets. The shunt was then surgically closed. After 10 weeks' recovery, the PAP was similar and normal in the two groups. We have already shown that pulmonary hypertension of similar degree and duration to that at the end of the patent shunt period produces the following structural changes, assessed by quantitative techniques: (1) preacinar arteries of normal external diameter but with a thicker medial coat than normal and (2) intra-acinar arteries in normal concentration, of smaller external diameter than normal, but with a medial coat appropriate to the external diameter: Smooth muscle is found in more peripheral arteries than is normal. In the present study, at the end of the recovery period, the shunt animals were compared with the sham-operated animals and had thicker medial coats in preacinar and intra-acinar arteries, muscle in more peripheral arteries than is normal, and an increased arterial and alveolar concentration for unit lung area. These results indicate that, in the growing porcine lung, “recovery” from an aorta-pulmonary shunt that was associated with moderate pulmonary hypertension restores external arterial diameter to normal but leaves a thicker medial coat at the preacinar and intra-acinar levels and muscle more peripheral in the arterial bed. In addition, after shunt correction, multiplication of alveoli and arteries proceeds at a faster rate than normal, at least during the first 10 weeks of recovery.
Language, ethics, and subjectivity in the liberal/communitarian debate

The strong textualist simply asks himself the same question about a text which the engineer asks about a puzzling physical object: how shall I describe this in order to get what I want? Richard Rorty, Consequences of Pragmatism There … is a deep incompatibility between the standpoint of any rational tradition of enquiry and the dominant modes of contemporary teaching, discussion and debate. Alasdair MacIntyre, Three Rival Versions of Moral Enquiry In chapter 1, I argued for breaking the poststructuralist genealogies of power and for exploring ethical and cultural resources in ways that Habermas's universalizing reconstructive science does not permit. If poststructuralism shows how cultural differences have been suppressed, it provides no way of articulating the ethical goods of alternative cultures or of deliberating about these conflicting goods. This chapter takes up these two problems. I use the phrase “ethical goods” which will seem bizarre to literary critics, precisely to force the problem of value out of the impoverished vocabulary of literary theory toward ethical theory. I will bring the concerns of ethical theory into the interests of literary theory by connecting ethics to the philosophy of language and hence to textual practices. In this way, I will heal the split noted by Martha Nussbaum between Anglo-American ethical theory and literary theory – see the Introduction – and show how a politics of difference does not have poststructuralism as its only resource.
Multi-port noise parameter determination

The paper outlines the main results of a novel and comprehensive analysis for the determination of the noise parameters of linear noisy microwave networks with any number of ports. The well-established approach by Lane for the case of linear 2 port networks becomes a particular case of this analysis. A thorough discussion of the results identifies practical requirements as well as constraints for a successful noise characterization of any N-port networks. The noise parameters of a circulator are determined to validate the analysis against measurements. This paper is the first demonstration of a method to determine the noise parameters of a linear network with any number of ports.
Mixed emotions: A qualitative exploration of northern Illinois whitetail deer-related decision making

Abstract This pilot study sought to explore the ways in which northern Illinois land managers and decision makers were influenced personally and professionally by emotional interactions with white-tailed deer. Utilizing in-depth interviews, the study focused on three research questions: (1) What emotional responses are elicited by interaction with deer? (2) How do emotional responses to deer change over time? (3) How do relationships with deer affect support for deer management policy? Qualitative data suggested that: participants viewed deer as a symbolically significant species; contextual factors influenced emotions toward deer; “outsiders” and trophy hunters were perceived negatively; and personal feelings and management priorities required balance. The theoretical frame was informed by Experiential Learning Theory ( Kolb, 1984 ) and the Theory of Emotional Memory ( LeDoux, 2007 ). Implications for theory, research, and management are discussed. Management implications 1. This article demonstrated that to better understand the role of emotions in whitetail deer-related decision making, managers should be aware that: previous emotional experiences likely influence but do not dictate subsequent emotional responses. 2. Even in areas typically thought to be “urban,” hunters perceived to be “outsiders” can present unique managerial challenges. 3. More effective public educational practices should likely be equal parts informational and relational.
Spatial Characterization of Flood Magnitudes over the Drainage Network of the Delaware River Basin

AbstractA framework to characterize the distribution of flood magnitudes over large river networks is developed using the Delaware River basin in the northeastern United States as a principal study region. Flood magnitudes are characterized by the flood index, which is defined as the ratio of the flood peak for a flood event to the historical 10-yr flood magnitude. Event flood peaks are computed continuously over the drainage network using a distributed hydrologic model, CUENCAS, with high-resolution radar rainfall fields as the principal forcing. The historical 10-yr flood is calculated based on scaling relationships between the 10-yr flood and drainage area. Summary statistics for characterizing the probability distribution and spatial correlation of flood magnitudes over the drainage network are developed based on the flood index. This framework is applied to four flood events in the Delaware River basin that reflect the principal flood-generating mechanisms in the eastern United States: landfalling tr...