cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low complexity multipath and Doppler compensation for direct-sequence spread spectrum signals in underwater acoustic communication

Abstract A method to achieve low complexity and low error decoding of direct-sequence spread spectrum signals is demonstrated using measured underwater acoustic communications. Unlike terrestrial radio, the ocean has pronounced and variable multipath (echoes) as well as strong Doppler due to the relatively slow sound speed. The severity of the decoding problem, as analyzed on experimental data, is characterized for both stationary and moving sources. Here, a method based on measuring and updating a passive conjugate matched filter is shown. This method produced low bit-error rates, even in cases with channel fading, by mitigating variable multipath effects. Additionally, Doppler estimation is accomplished by correlating each received symbol with a filter bank comprised of the most recent matched filter shifted by various Doppler offsets. Upon finding the best match, the received symbol is shifted, correlated, and decoded. This method is demonstrated on at-sea experimental data and shown to be a computationally efficient and robust method to receive low SNR. Error free results are shown down to −5 dB input signal-to-noise ratio. The method is then further improved by 2 dB by allowing for non-constant Doppler shift functions within a symbol period, thereby improving Doppler estimation.
Discretionary loan loss provisioning and bank stock returns: The Role of economic booms and busts

Abstract We provide evidence that discretionary loan loss provisions (DLLP) convey value-relevant information to the market that is highly dependent upon the state of the economy. DLLP is associated with negative abnormal returns during bad economic states characterized by growing default concerns, but it is associated with significantly higher abnormal stock returns in good economic states, as banks relax underwriting standards and look to accelerate loan growth. Exploring the underlying link, we find that banks recording higher provisions during good times realize significantly higher earnings and loan growth in the subsequent year, whereas such banks experience further increases in non-performing loans following periods of distress. These findings are not driven by the 2008 financial crisis when investors responded even more negatively to DLLP. With new accounting standards requiring an even greater degree of subjective judgment, regulators should ensure the informativeness of bank loss reserves is preserved.
A Binary Multi-Subsystems Transportation Networks Estimation using Mobiliti Data

Urban traffic congestion presents critical challenges in big cities in the US. In these areas, there is a crucial need for efficient models to support transportation engineers in developing sustainable traffic systems. In the recent years, a number of approaches have been proposed to estimate urban transport networks parameters. In this work, we develop a new mathematical model for traffic estimation that integrates multi subsystems which include vehicles flow, travel time, and traffic condition. The primary goal of this paper is to design a model that achieve an optimal strategy to efficiently estimate traffic subsystem parameters. We use maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method to perform optimization in Python programming language, using Mobiliti data that describe a baseline network normal condition. We investigate the separability of our model by performing a full set optimization and comparing with a partitioned subsets optimization with the goal to reduce the computational costs.
The Need for New Education Platforms that Support Inclusive Social Learning: A Case Study of Online and Hybrid K-12 Learning Experience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on education in the 2020–2021 school year. Teachers who were educated and trained for teaching in a face-to-face classroom had to learn to teach online or in hybrid environments with little preparation or training. This paper explores the experiences of K-12 teachers who were teaching in online and hybrid classrooms due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The participants in this case study consisted of two groups of teachers. The first group of teachers consisted of 12 teachers in Hawai’i who were taking the professional development course that introduced them to the Authentic Social Learning Model (ASLM). The second group of teachers consisted of 5 teachers in Arizona who have been using the ASLM for a minimum of 3 years. The ASLM is based on social learning which is an application of the theory of connectivism. The purpose of this paper is to explore how teachers used the G Suite for Education (GSE) to implement the ASLM in online and hybrid classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic and to recommend new education platforms that support inclusive social learning. Teachers in the case study indicated that implementing the ASLM resulted in students who were more engaged and motivated. The results indicated that social learning, which is the basis of the ASLM, was the most difficult aspect to implement in online and hybrid classes. Based on the results of this case study, this paper presents recommendations for new technology platforms that would allow teachers to easily implement social learning in K-12 online and hybrid classrooms.
Anti-Black racism in academia and what you can do about it

The experiences of Black scientists and engineers reveal that science is not a meritocracy. Here is a list of recommendations to combat anti-Black racism in academic institutions.
Anomie: On the Link Between Social Pathology and Social Ontology

This chapter examines the philosophical underpinnings of Durkheim’s account of anomie as social pathology. It examines and evaluates Durkheim’s conception of social pathology and his claim that (many) social problems must be understood as analogous to illnesses. Further, it explores the vision of social ontology—of the kind of being that human societies have—underlying Durkheim’s position, which involves articulating the ways in which human societies are both different from and similar to biological organisms. Because Durkheim conceives of the task of social theory as similar to that of medicine, his account of anomie can be regarded as compatible in important ways with the tradition of Frankfurt-style critical theory. Both approaches to social reality attribute to social theory three inter-related tasks: theoretical understanding, normative evaluation, and guidance for practical action directed at changing the pathologies it diagnoses.
Eosinophilic Esophagitis: A Review.

Importance Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease of the esophagus that affects an estimated 34.4/100 000 people in Europe and North America. EoE affects both children and adults, and causes dysphagia, food impaction of the esophagus, and esophageal strictures. Observations EoE is defined by symptoms of esophageal dysfunction, such as vomiting, dysphagia, or feeding difficulties, in a patient with an esophageal biopsy demonstrating at least 15 eosinophils per high-power field in the absence of other conditions associated with esophageal eosinophilia such as gastroesophageal reflux disease or achalasia. Genetic factors and environmental factors, such as exposure to antibiotics early in life, are associated with EoE. Current therapies include proton pump inhibitors; topical steroid preparations, such as fluticasone and budesonide; dietary therapy with amino acid formula or empirical food elimination; and endoscopic dilation. In a systematic review of observational studies that included 1051 patients with EoE, proton pump inhibitor therapy was associated with a histologic response, defined as less than 15 eosinophils per high-power field on endoscopic biopsy, in 41.7% of patients, while placebo was associated with a 13.3% response rate. In a systematic review of 8 randomized trials of 437 patients with EoE, topical corticosteroid treatment was associated with histologic remission in 64.9% of patients compared with 13.3% for placebo. Patients with esophageal narrowing may require dilation. Objective assessment of therapeutic response typically requires endoscopy with biopsy. Conclusions and relevance EoE has a prevalence of approximately 34.4/100 000 worldwide. Treatments consist of proton pump inhibitors, topical steroids, elemental diet, and empirical food elimination, with esophageal dilation reserved for patients with symptomatic esophageal narrowing.
Elements of infrastructure: Factors driving international entrepreneurship

This article focuses on “born globals” (Knight and Cavusgil 1996) and interfirm resources to explain international entrepreneurship. The theory posed here challenges the traditional image of international business as a long, gradual process not occurring until later in the life cycle, and applying only to large multinational corporations (MNCs). Increasingly, new ventures must expand their operations internationally early in their history in order to be competitive (Oviatt and McDougall 1994), and require infrastructure (Van de Ven 1993), or interfirm resources, for success. Specifically, firms may rely on three factors to expand internationally: cost factors, unique global resources, and networks.
The Wigner—Eckart Theorem

The Wigner—Eckart theorem gives the M dependence of matrix elements of spherical tensor operators in a basis of good angular momentum.
Chapter 4. Memory and Learning – Animal Models

Publisher Summary Many treatments, including hormones, drugs that alter neurotransmitter functions, electroshock, and localized direct electrical stimulation of the brain, can modify retention. If a treatment affects retention, the effectiveness of the treatment decreases as the time after training is increased. Depending on the treatment and on the specific experimental procedures, the effect on retention is either impairment or enhancement of the memory. The time after training during retention loses its susceptibility to modify by a particular treatment is called the retrograde amnesia gradient. A post-trial injection of vasopressin enhances the retention of inhibitory avoidance training and impairs extinction of the avoidance training. The major difference between the effects of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and vasopressin on learning and memory is that ACTH is administered throughout training or extinction trials to enhance acquisition or retard the development of extinction. Vasopressin effects on learning and memory seem to be of much longer duration than those of ACTH. Peripheral catecholamines have received less attention than pituitary hormones in terms of involvement in learning and memory. Epinephrine injections administer, shortly after inhibitory avoidance training enhance later retention performance and delayed injections are ineffective.
Couple Therapy with Adult Survivors of Child Abuse: Gender, Power, and Trust

Many couples in therapy have a history of childhood abuse. Sensitivity to power and difficulty with trusting one’s intimate partner are key concerns for these couples. This chapter presents the relational trust theory, which describes how gendered power imbalances in couple interactions can trigger distrustful emotional power responses from the adult-survivor partner(s). Drawing upon Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy (SERT) approaches, the clinical processes described attend to gender, power, and emotions in couple interactions in order to help partners disentangle these dual influences of power and move from defensiveness with each other toward a more trusting position. Case examples show the problems generated by the intermingling of gendered power dynamics and adult-survivor power responses of self-abnegation, self-protection, and marginalizing the needs of the other partner. As partners become better able to engage in processes of mutuality, distrustful adult-survivor power responses typically recede as a result of the adult survivor’s perception of the partner as trustworthy, thereby enhancing relational trust and couple intimacy.
Patterns of innervation of the lacrimal gland with clinical application

Parasympathetic stimulation of the lacrimal gland is responsible for tear production, and this innervation originates from fibers conveyed in the facial nerve. After synapse in the pterygopalatine ganglion, postsynaptic parasympathetic fibers travel within the zygomatic and zygomaticotemporal nerves (ZTN) into the orbit. As described in most anatomy texts, ZTN communicates with the lacrimal nerve (LN) posterior to the gland and then secretomotor fibers enter the gland. This study was performed to gain a better understanding of the innervation of the lacrimal gland. Seventeen cadaver heads were bisected for a total of 34 sides, which then underwent dissection of the superolateral orbital region to observe the course for the LN and ZTN. Three variations of the course of the LN and ZTN were found. In 20 (60.6%) dissections it was documented that the ZTN entered directly into the lacrimal gland with no communication with the LN. In 12 (36.4%) of the bisected heads, ZTN had both a direct connection into the gland and a communicating branch with the LN. In only one (3.0%) bisected head, ZTN communicated with the LN before entering the gland as it is commonly described in anatomy texts. Our study reveals that the ZTN usually takes a different course than is classically described in most anatomy textbooks. A greater understanding of the typical course these nerves take may help surgeons identify them more easily and avoid damaging them.
Can we improve the positive predictive value of atypical glandular cells not otherwise specified

The category of atypical glandular cells (AGC) in gynecologic cytopathology presents many well-documented diagnostic challenges, the most significant related to high interobserver variability, low specificity, and low positive predictive value. The current Bethesda System provides criteria for specific glandular categories including atypical endocervical cells not otherwise specified (AEC-NOS), AEC favor neoplastic, and atypical endometrial cells. The Bethesda System does, however, acknowledge that in some cases AGC cannot be categorized based upon cell of origin, in which case the generic term “atypical glandular cells” (AGC) may be used. We sought to determine whether further refinement of the current Bethesda System criteria for AEC-NOS might increase the positive predictive value of the general category of AGC. Fifty-three cases of AGC with documented histologic follow-up at the University of Illinois Hospital were reviewed. The cases were graded on each of the eight specific cytologic criteria recommended by the current Bethesda System for AEC-NOS using a study-developed three-tier grading system. Multiple regression analysis showed that four of the cytologic criteria in combination—nuclear enlargement, nuclear pleomorphism, increased nuclear-to-cytoplasmic (N/C) ratio, and cells occurring in sheets and strips with cell crowding and nuclear overlap—discriminated positive histologic outcome slightly better than any single criterion alone. In addition, simple logistic regression analysis showed nuclear enlargement to have a marginal independent association with positive histologic outcome (P = 0.0566). No other criterion was independently associated with outcome. Ancillary methods seem indicated to increase the positive predictive value of AGC at this time. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2014;42:200–204. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Learning from the Future

AbstractThis review essay engages critically with Heikki Patomaki's The Political Economy of Global Security: War, Future Crises, and Changes in Global Governance. The book is built around the hypothesis that the current ‘era of Neoliberalism’ shares many similarities to the era of the ‘new imperialism’ of the late nineteenth century, ending, catastrophically, in World War I and the Great Depression. Patomaki undertakes this comparison by focusing on the principal long-term historical processes, structures, tendencies and contradictions that may be responsible for the similarities between these two eras. To do so Patomaki constructs an explanatory model of the underlying causal processes and mechanisms involved. The implications are ominous and urgent. The essay uses a close examination of this exemplary case of critical realism in social science to discuss critically its historical explanations, the comparative analysis it makes, and especially the question of agency as theorised in the author's ‘future ...
Adaptation sharpens object representations: Evidence from shape discrimination thresholds.

Abstract One potential benefit of neural adaptation is the sharpening of neural representations to optimize performance in changing environments. This has been previously observed for low-level features such as color and orientation. Here we test whether adaptation sharpens complex object representations by characterizing the effect of adaptation on behavioral shape discrimination thresholds. We constructed a parametric 3D shape space whose axes correspond to different frequencies and orientations of sinusoidal modulations of a sphere. Two distinct reference shapes (A and B) were selected from this space, along with two "clouds" of fifty stimuli sampled near each reference by jittering the amplitude and orientation components of the references. Test stimuli were derived from a morph continuum between shapes A and B. In separate blocks, observers were first adapted to either cloud A or B with an initial 1-minute RSVP stream of adaptors, and then performed approximately 100 interleaved match-to-sample trials for the two references. Each trial began with a 5-second top-up adaptation, followed by a test stimulus from the morph continuum flashed for 200 ms at fixation, followed by either reference A or B and the same test item displayed on both sides of fixation until response. Observers indicated which item in the second interval matched in shape to the item in the first interval. Differences between the test and reference stimuli were controlled separately for the two references by interleaved staircases that converged on the 79% discrimination threshold. Results (N=3) indicate significant adaptation for both shape clouds: thresholds for reference A were lower after adaptation to cloud A compared to cloud B (median improvement 27%, range 14%-180%), and vice versa for reference B (median improvement 28%, range 20%-34%). These results offer novel evidence for the sharpening hypothesis in the perception of object shape. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2015.
Studies on Renal Aldosterone-binding Proteins

Abstract 3H-Aldosterone-macromolecular complexes were isolated from the nuclear and cytosol fractions of rat kidneys by precipitation with (NH4)2SO4 and by chromatography on Sephadex G-50 and G-75. These complexes were recovered after injection of 3H-aldosterone into adrenalectomized rats and after incubation of labeled steroid with renal nuclear extracts and cytosol fractions in vitro. The nuclear aldosterone binding substances were identified as proteins by the following criteria: (a) chemical analysis of Tris-CaCl2 extracts of purified nuclear fractions; (b) dissociation of the complexes by wide spectrum proteolytic enzymes but not by nucleases; and (c) loss of 3H-aldosterone-binding activity when the complexes were treated with the sulfhydryl reagents, p-hydroxymercuribenzoate and 2-(2-aminoethyl)-2-thiopseudourea dihydrochloride. The cytosol aldosterone-binding substances were identified as proteins by the following criteria: (a) dissociation of the complexes by wide spectrum proteolytic enzymes but not by nucleases, lipase, or phospholipase; (b) loss of 3H-aldosterone-binding activity on treatment with p-hydroxymercuribenzoate. Estradiol-17β,6α-methylprednisolone, deoxycorticosterone, and 9α-fluorocortisol impaired the formation of the 3H-aldosterone-macromolecular complexes in the nuclear and cytosol fractions in direct proportion to their potencies in the regulation of renal tubular transport of sodium. In the in vitro system, spirolactone inhibited the formation of the 3H-aldosterone complex at concentration ratios that inhibit the action of aldosterone in the rat in vivo. The isomer of aldosterone, 17-isoaldosterone, was not bound to the proteins in nuclear extracts, and at a 10-fold concentration ratio did not inhibit the formation of 3H-aldosterone complexes in nuclear extracts. In addition, 17-isoaldosterone (1.4 x 10-7 m) had no effect on active sodium transport in the isolated toad bladder system and at 1 µg/150 g of body weight had no effect on the urinary Na+:K+ concentration ratios in the adrenalectomized rat. Thus, we have isolated and partially purified renal nuclear proteins which have many of the properties to be expected of the specific mineralocorticoid receptors.
Cytokine mRNA levels in rat ocular tissues after systemic endotoxin treatment.

Purpose An intertwined cascading network of cytokines is believed to direct the development of endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU). This study investigated mRNA levels of interleukin (IL) 1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interferon (IFN)-gamma, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1, and the helper T lymphocyte marker, CD4, during the course of EIU in rats. Methods Reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction amplification was used to determine relative mRNA levels in four ocular tissues (iris/ciliary body, cornea, lens, and neuroretina) at 0, 1, 3, 6, 24, and 48 hours after subcutaneous injection of 200 micrograms of Escherichia coli endotoxin. Results Four general patterns of mRNA expression were observed: (1) constitutively expressed and unaffected by endotoxin; (2) constitutively expressed but further induced by endotoxin, reaching peak levels at 3 hours postinjection; (3) initially undetectable or marginally detectable and induced by endotoxin, with peak levels occurring 3 hours postinjection; and (4) never present at appreciable levels. The most dramatic responses were seen in the mRNA levels of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma in iris/ciliary body. Lesser mRNA level responses were found for IL-1 beta and IL-6 in cornea and for IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma in neuroretina. Little or no changes in mRNA levels were observed for CD4 or TGF-beta 1 in any tissue or for any mRNA examined in lens. Conclusions These data show that subcutaneous endotoxin induces cytokine mRNA expression differentially in ocular tissues. These data support the hypothesis that induction of cytokine expression in iris/ciliary body plays a major role in the development of EIU.
280 GHz f/sub T/ InP DHBT with 1.2 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ base-emitter junction area in MBE regrown-emitter technology

We report an InP/InGaAs/InP double heterojunction bipolar transistor (DHBT) with a 0.3 /spl mu/m/spl times/4 /spl mu/m regrown base-emitter junction. The HBT exhibits a 280 GHz current gain cutoff frequency (f/sub /spl tau//) and 148 GHz power gain cutoff frequency (f/sub max/). This DHBT was fabricated in a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) regrown-emitter technology and has the highest f/sub /spl tau// yet reported for a III-V regrown-emitter HBT. The device has V/sub CE.sat/<0.9 V even at J/sub E/=11 mA //spl mu/m/sup 2/, peak AC current gain h/sub 21/=30, and collector breakdown voltage V/sub CEO/=5 V. In this technology, the area of base-emitter junction has been scaled to as small as 1.2 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ while a larger-area extrinsic emitter contact maintains a low 11 /spl Omega/ emitter access resistance.
Isolation and Purification of Primary Rodent Astrocytes

Astrocytes are a major cell type in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). The ability to obtain virtually pure populations of these cells makes it possible to study their function as isolated cells or in mixed populations where they support the growth and survival of surrounding neurons. Unlike other mature CNS cells, mature astrocytes maintain the lifelong ability to reenter the cell cycle. The first isolation procedure described in this unit takes advantage of the proliferative ability of these cells, as does the second, except that no antibody or complement treatment is required. A procedure for detecting glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), which is present in most astrocytes in vivo and virtually all astrocytes in vitro and is a useful marker for assessing the purity of cultures, is also presented.
Negotiating Multiple Identities, Constructing Western-Muslim Selves in the Netherlands and the United States

This article evaluates the psychological processes, discursive practices, and sociopolitical mechanisms underlying the identity reconstruction of Muslim immigrant women in the United States and the Netherlands. Specifically, it focuses on the ways in which Muslim immigrant women who are embedded in both Islamic and Western cultures negotiate their traditional and modern identities and self-representations and construct a coherent self-narrative about their bicultural existence as “Western-Muslim.” The qualitative evidence presented here expands existing theoretical and empirical discussions on biculturalism and acculturation by demonstrating the ways in which contextual factors define the negotiation repertoire that is available to bicultural individuals. The findings of this article also call into question some of the earlier findings on cultural conflict hypothesis, because it shows that successful negotiation of bicultural identities depends not so much on whether the individual perceives these identities and cultures to be compatible with each other, but rather on the availability of a coherent self-narrative of belonging to both cultural worlds.
“With what's unreal thou coactive art”: the problem and possibilities of beauty in The Winter's Tale

The concept of beauty is routinely addressed in early modern literature. In this analysis I focus on a specific aspect – the response to beauty – primarily in relation to Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale. I also examine “beauty” in the play to explore the relationships between a range of discourses: Neoplatonism, Protestant grace, and the Levinasian “ethical.” I consider Florizel's wish to see Perdita's beauty as “move still, still so” – his impulse to make the experience of beauty infinitely present and available – as a critical moment that reveals the paradoxes of responding to beauty. Contrary to what critics have said about Florizel redeeming the destructive effects of Leontes' enraged mind, with his infamous “affection” speech in particular, I argue that far from remedying Leontes' mistakes, Florizel is inadvertently repeating them. Working through similar moments of complex engagements with beauty leads me to contend that the play does not end with the resolution of a romance, but in a suspended repe...
Needlestick injuries among female veterinarians: frequency, syringe contents and side-effects

In a mixed-mode survey of all 1970-80 female graduates of all US veterinary colleges, information was obtained regarding several health, personal and occupational factors including data on occupational needlestick events. Among the 2,532 survey respondents, 1,620 reported one or more needlesticks after graduation from veterinary college (64.0% of all respondents). A total of 2,663 stick events were reported, although the descriptions of each puncture event varied in quality/completeness, probably due in large part to their retrospective nature. Substances most often injected include vaccines, antibiotics, anaesthetics and animal blood. Of the 438 sticks resulting in at least one side-effect (16.4% of all sticks), 337 were classified as mild and localized at the site of injection (12.4% of all sticks, approximately 77% of sticks producing a side-effect), with 18 characterized as severe and systemic (0.7% of all sticks, approximately 4% of sticks producing a side-effect). One accidental self-injection of a prostaglandin compound resulted in a spontaneous abortion, heightening awareness that occupational needlesticks may also represent a serious human reproductive health hazard. The estimated overall needlestick injury rate for this group of health care professionals was 9.3 sticks per 100 person-years (PYs) of practice, comparable to reported rates among health care workers such as nurses, laboratory technicians and hospital housekeeping staff. Accounting for underreporting of the stick events, the actual injury rate is likely to be at least 20 sticks per 100 PYs. When stick rates were estimated by clinical practice type (small animal, large animal and mixed practice), all-small-animal and mixed-practice veterinarians demonstrated the highest rates, with all-large-animal practitioners demonstrating a rate lower by about 40%.
Gender and Suburban Wages

AbstractIn the monocentric model of urban development, jobs are clustered in the central business district and the price of land and housing decreases as one moves farther from the city center. Firms that elect to locate away from the city center can pay their workers lower wages because workers do not bear the cost of commuting downtown. These intraurban wage differentials have been credited with contributing to the suburbanization of jobs. Recent research on spatial constraints for certain classes of workers suggests, however, that the monocentric model and associated wage differentials may be incomplete. Urban/suburban wage differentials may exist only for certain kinds of workers who are more limited spatially in their commute, such as second-earner women. In this case, women’s wage rates by job location would be much more distance-sensitive than would men’s. Using data from the 1990 Public Use Microdata Sample for the Chicago metropolitan area, we investigate wages by work location. We find that alth...
PLATINUM-ENHANCED DENSIFICATION OF GRAIN-ALIGNED YBA2CU3O7-X FILMS

Grain‐aligned YBa2Cu3O7−x films were fabricated by vacuum filtration in an applied magnetic field (7 T). Platinum (Pt) was shown to lower the peritectic temperature of YBa2Cu3O7−x by almost 75 °C, leading to dramatic microstructural differences between films densified on MgO (single crystal) substrates and those densified on Pt foil to a maximum temperature of 1020 °C in oxygen. Superconducting quantum‐interference device hysteresis loops measured at 0–5.5 T at 5 K showed that films fired on Pt had ΔM (Happ∥c axis) values 15–60 times larger than those fired on MgO.
Quantification of the Role of Glycosaminoglycans on the Tensile and Viscoelastic Properties of the Aortic Valve Leaflet

Abstract The spongiosa is the middle of three layers of the aortic valve leaflet and contains the proteoglycan (PG) versican and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) hyaluronan (HA) in large quantities. The resulting versican-HA aggregates allow the layer to retain large quantities of water, giving the layer a gel-like consistency. This layer is the least understood layer of the leaflet as it pertains to its role in valvular function and mechanics. However, the GAGs in this layer are perceived to be important to valve function, as the loss of GAGs in bioprosthetic heart valves coincides with its failure. The functions attributed to these GAGs include: (1) lubricating shear between the outer layers during flexure and tension; and (2) filling large volumes, resisting compression, and dampening shock from valve closure. The lack of understanding of GAGs role in valvular function is due to the difficulty in its isolation from the rest of the leaflet. For our study, rather than isolate the spongiosa, we enzymatically digest GAGs from the spongiosa via hyaluronidase. Previous studies have shown that the complete enzymatic removal of GAGs from heart valve leaflets greatly increases flexural rigidity. In this study, we instead varied the amounts of GAGs in the leaflets and investigated the effects on the tensile properties of the native leaflet; native leaflets in tension have a bilinear stress-strain curve, little hysteresis and minimal relaxation. GAGs were depleted using varying concentrations (0, 1, 2, 5 U/mL) and application times (8, 24 h) to yield a gradient of 4 GAG amounts ranging between 20-40 μg GAG/mg dry weight of native tissue, although with little change in water content. GAG depletion from the spongiosa was also confirmed using Alcian blue staining, which also verified no gross changes to the outer layers. Leaflets in these GAG depletion gradient conditions are in the progress of being mechanically tested to elucidate the effects of GAGs on the tensile elastic and viscoelastic properties of the native leaflet. This work is a component of a broader effort to elucidate the important role of GAGs and PGs in the function of native and diseased valves and in the design of improved valve replacements.
Remediation of Groundwater Contaminated by Nuclear Waste: A Workshop on Accelerating Development of Practical Field‐Scale Bioremediation Models; An Online Meeting, 23 January to 20 February 2008

A Web-based workshop sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Environmental Remediation Sciences Program (DOE/ERSP) was organized in early 2008 to assess the state of the science and knowledge gaps associated with the use of computer models to facilitate remediation of groundwater contaminated by wastes from Cold War era nuclear weapons development and production. Microbially mediated biological reactions offer a potentially efficient means to treat these sites, but considerable uncertainty exists in the coupled biological, chemical, and physical processes and their mathematical representation. Individuals from academia and DOE laboratories with expertise in modeling or microbiology and experience involving groundwater bioremediation participated in the workshop, which involved 10 hours of online meetings over a 5-week period in early 2008 via linked audio and video communication. The objective of the workshop was to narrow the communication gap between modelers and microbiologists, engineers, and scientists, who tend to look at problems from different and sometimes divergent perspectives.
On the p-factor-criticality of the Klein bottle

Abstract Let G be a graph with n vertices and let p be an integer, 0 ⩽ p n , such that n - p is even. If the removal of any p vertices from G results in a graph with a perfect matching, G is said to be p-factor-critical . For an arbitrary surface Σ , let p ( Σ ) denote the smallest integer such that no graph which embeds in Σ is p ( Σ ) -factor-critical. We call p ( Σ ) the factor-criticality of surface Σ . Su and Zhang (The factor-criticality of surfaces, manuscript, 2002) have shown that p ( S 0 ) = 5 , for the sphere S 0 , and for any other (orientable or non-orientable) surface Σ ≠ S 0 or the Klein bottle N 2 , that p ( Σ ) = 5 + 49 - 24 χ ( Σ ) 2 , where χ ( Σ ) is the Euler characteristic of the surface Σ . Su and Zhang conjectured that p ( Σ ) = 5 for the one remaining case; that is, when Σ is the Klein bottle. In this note we complete the Su–Zhang result by proving that p ( N 2 ) = 6 and in the process prove their conjecture false.
An X-ray Free-Electron Laser Oscillator for Record High Spectral Purity, Brightness, and Stability

Free-electron lasers for hard X-rays can be constructed in the oscillator configuration by employing diamond crystals as X-ray mirrors. An X-ray FEL oscillator (XFELO) will produce highly stable X-ray beams of ultra-high spectral purity and high average brightness, offering scientific opportunities in areas not covered by high-gain devices. An XFELO combined with a high-gain amplifier, possibly with harmonic generation, would constitute an ultimate X-ray machine.
An Informal Agenda for Media Ethicists

Scholars and media practitioners who gathered at “Media Ethics Summit II” explored a wide range of topics, many of them new since the 1987 summit. This article draws from those conversations and from the scholarly papers drafted by Christians and Cooper and distributed prior to the summit. It constitutes an informal agenda of issues and themes for anyone concerned with the current and future states of media ethics. The agenda falls roughly under nine touch points: issues raised by new technology and changing corporate environments; economic and other challenges to truth telling, objectivity, and other traditions; media and government issues; issues of accountability and transparency in all media of communication; educational issues; issues of diversity and globalization of all media; new agendas for ethics research and pedagogy; individual freedom and responsibility, and ongoing monitoring of the media ethics environment.
Endocytosis and Degradation of Ovine Prolactin by Nb2 Lymphoma Cells: Characterization and Effects of Agents Known to Alter Prolactin-Induced Mitogenesis*

Rat Nb2 node lymphoma cells proliferate in response to lactogens, but the signal transduction mechanism involved remains unclear. Specific binding, internalization, and degradation of ovine PRL (oPRL) were examined under a variety of experimental conditions to characterize the metabolism of receptor-bound hormone by these cells. Stationary-phase cells were incubated with [125I]oPRL in Fischer's medium containing horse serum. Cell suspensions were centrifuged, and the cell pellets were assayed to determine specific cell-associated radioactivity. Internalized ligand was measured by exposing the cells to an acidic buffer before centrifugation to dissociate hormone from plasma membrane receptors, and cell-surface ligand was calculated by subtracting internalized hormone from the total [125I]oPRL bound by the cells. Hormone degradation was assessed by measuring the radioactivity in an acid-soluble fraction prepared from the incubation medium. Endocytosis of [125I]oPRL was observed within 30 min at 37 C, and the internalized component accounted for approximately 50% of the bound hormone under steady-state conditions. Hormone degradation was detectable within 1 h at 37 C and continued at a relatively linear rate thereafter; by 4 h, 8% of the added [125I]oPRL was acid soluble. Chloroquine (0.2 mM), methylamine (20 mM) and monensin (20 microM) prevented [125I]oPRL degradation and elevated both cell-surface and intracellular hormone 2-fold during a 4-h incubation. Leupeptin (0.2 mM) decreased degradation by only 15% under the same conditions. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA; 20 nM), a comitogen for lactogen-stimulated Nb2 cells, increased cell-surface hormone by 20% and decreased intracellular hormone by a corresponding amount 1 h after administration. Calcium ionophore A23187 (1 microM) produced similar changes, and a synergistic effect was noted when cells were exposed to both agents for 4 h. Amiloride (125 microM), an inhibitor of Nb2 cell mitogenesis, decreased [125I]oPRL degradation by 25% during a 4-h incubation. This response was abolished when the cells were exposed simultaneously to PMA. These experiments demonstrate that receptor-bound oPRL is rapidly internalized and extensively degraded via the endosome-lysosome pathway when Nb2 cells are maintained at 37 C. The inhibitory effect of PMA on oPRL internalization may help to explain the comitogenic action of this phorbol on Nb2 cells. Since amiloride also produced major changes in oPRL metabolism, post-binding events in lactogen processing by target cells could play an important role in the mitogenic response elicited by such hormones.
Social and Tertiary Health Identities as Argument in the DSM-V Asperger's/Autism Debate

This study rhetorically analyzes print news coverage surrounding the DSM-V debate about the integration of Asperger's into the autism spectrum. News coverage frames the Asperger's debate about the definition of Asperger's as a social identity or a tertiary identity. The social identity argument is predicated on how individuals with Asperger's define themselves as a disability community through the use of monikers, beliefs, and customs. The social identity argument focuses on how this creation of an “Aspie” community allows people with Asperger's to challenge conventional definitions of “normal” and advocate for acceptance. The major arguments used for the tertiary identity utilize scientific knowledge and experts, focusing on defining self as pathology and relying on biological factors in order to craft a tertiary identity. The tertiary identity argument seeks to emphasize the lack of medical difference between the two groups, arguing that incorporating Asperger's into the autism continuum helps the gener...
Improving web browsing performance on wireless pdas using thin-client computing

Web applications are becoming increasingly popular for mobile wireless PDAs. However, web browsing on these systems can be quite slow. An alternative approach is handheld thin-client computing, in which the web browser and associated application logic run on a server, which then sends simple screen updates to thePDA for display. To assess the viability of this thin-client approach, we compare the web browsing performance of thin clients against fat clients that run the web browser locally on a PDA. Our results show that thin clients can provide better web browsing performance compared to fat clients, both in terms of speed and ability to correctly display web content. Surprisingly, thin clients are faster even when having to send more data over the network. We characterize and analyze different design choices in various thin-client systems and explain why these approaches can yield superior web browsing performance on mobile wireless PDAs.
Elastic scattering spectroscopy for detection of prostate cancer: preliminary feasibility study

We have conducted a preliminary study of the potential for diagnostic spectroscopy based on elastic light scattering to serve as a method for optically-guided biopsy to reduce sampling errors and thereby improve sensitivity, in detecting prostate cancer. This method also has the potential to provide real-time diagnostic assistance in surgical and treatment procedures.
Electrical Stimulation of Nucleus Paragigantocellularis Induces Opioid Withdrawal-Like Behaviors in the Rat

To examine a role for the medullary nucleus paragigantocellularis (PGi) in mediation of the symptomatology of opioid withdrawal, bilateral electrical stimulation of the PGi was performed in conscious, unrestrained, opioid naive (nondependent) rats. A characteristic series of behaviors was elicited during each 30-min session of PGi stimulation. The profile of these behaviors resembled qualitatively, but was not quantitatively identical with those seen during precipitated withdrawal from opioid dependence. This behavioral syndrome has been termed, opioid withdrawal-like behavior. The opioid withdrawal-like behaviors were voltage-, but not frequency-, dependent. Tolerance to repeated stimulation of the PGi did not develop following a series of 30-min runs of stimulation over 3.5 h. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections of the nonselective opioid antagonist, naloxone, significantly decreased (by 40-50%) the intensity of stimulation-induced behavioral responses, as did injections of either the mu-selective (beta-funaltrexamine, beta-FNA) or the delta-selective (naltrindole, NTI) opioid antagonists. In contrast, similar i.c.v. injections of the kappa-selective antagonist, nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI), did not block behavioral responses to PGi stimulation. The results indicate that activation of the PGi by electrical stimulation can elicit behaviors similar to those observed during opioid withdrawal. Endogenous opioids, acting through mu- and delta-, but not kappa-opioid receptors, participate in mediating opioid withdrawal-like behaviors induced by PGi stimulation.
Imaging the mantle transition zone beneath eastern and central China with CEArray receiver functions

We analyzed a total of 37 427 receiver-function data recorded by national and regional broadband seismic networks of the China Earthquake Administration to study the mantle transition zone beneath eastern and central China. Significant topography on both the 410-km and 660-km discontinuities was clearly imaged in the 3D volume of CCP (common-conversion-point) stacked images that cover an area of 102.5°E-122.5°E and 22.0°N-42.0°N. 3D crustal and mantle velocity models were used in computing the Ps time moveouts to better image the absolute depths of the two discontinuities. We found that the 660-km discontinuity is depressed up to 25 km along the east coast of China, indicating the presence of the subducted Pacific slab in the region. More interestingly, a double 660-km was observed beneath the Huanghai Sea, which was not seen from the 410-km discontinuity. We found a strong and localized anomaly beneath the Quaternary Datong volcano located at the northeastern edge of the Ordos Plateau in North China. The 410-km is depressed by as much as 15 km beneath the volcano. If the amount of the depression is caused by unmodeled low velocity anomaly in the upper mantle, it requires either a strong (4%–8%) localized low velocity anomaly near the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary or ∼1.5% low velocity column across the entire upper mantle above the 410-km. The latter could suggest a deep origin of the Datong volcano, although it was usually attributed to edge-driven convection by most of the literatures.
Analysis of DNA sequences required for pituitary-specific expression of the glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunit gene.

Transient transfection studies have been used to determine the DNA sequences of the glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunit gene that are required for tissue-specific expression. In the initial phase of these studies, a variant mouse alpha gene was identified which contains a fully palindromic cAMP response element (CRE). The corresponding region of a previously cloned and sequenced mouse alpha gene contains a single point mutation that disrupts the symmetrical nature of this element. DNase footprint studies demonstrate that the fully palindromic CRE binds the CRE-binding protein with much higher affinity than the imperfect palindrome. Transfection experiments using both mouse alpha gene variants demonstrate differences in basal and cAMP-induced expression. Studies of the cAMP response of the human alpha gene indicated that this gene contains sequences other than the known CRE that are sufficient to permit a transcriptional response to cAMP in both placental and pituitary cells. Expression of human and mouse a...
Temperature dependences of the formation constants of the cobalt(II) acetate complexes

Abstract The formation constant for the 1:1 complex between Co(II) and acetate ions (CoAc+) has been determined over the temperature range 25–75°C, both by spectrophotometry and by potentiometric titration. At an ionic strength of 1.0 M a near zero enthalpy of formation ws found. A spectrophotometer cell suitable for use up to ∼250°C is described and spectra of Co(II) acetate solutions are presented at temperatures up to 200°C. At elevated temperatures a tetrahedral species having the composition CoAc2 is formed. The role of the complexation of Co(II) by acetate in the precipitation of Co3O4 from solutions of Co(II) acetate is briefly discussed.
Field Independence and Spatial Ability in the Search for the Presence and Absence of Features

The present study examined whether search times for the presence and absence of features are moderated by the ability to perceive parts of the visual field separate from their background (field dependence/ independence) and spatial ability. Participants were administered the WAIS and the GEFT and divided into field dependent and independent groups. They then searched displays for targets with and without a specific feature. It was expected that field independent individuals would have faster search times for targets that lacked a feature because of more efficient serial processing mechanisms. Although there was a trend for faster response times to feature absent targets among field independent individuals, it was not significant. Instead, spatial ability was significantly correlated with feature absent search times. These findings suggest that the WAIS may be a useful selection instrument for jobs that require serial visual processing.