cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exacerbation of coronary occlusion induced ventricular arrhythmias by the vagolytic effect of procainamide

The influence of the vagolytic effect of procainamide on the early ventricular arrhythmias induced by left anterior descending coronary (LAD) occlusion was studied in chloralose-anaesthetised cats. All control animals developed a ventricular arrhythmia (1119 ± 166 PVCs per hour), with a consistent onset time, duration, and overall mortality due to ventricular fibrillation (ie 20%). In 18 animals pretreated with procainamide (0.5 mg·kg−1·min−1 for 50 min), there was no effect on the ventricular arrhythmia in terms of ectopic frequency (1020 ± 180 PVCs per hour), time to onset of arrhythmia, duration of arrhythmia, and mortality incidence (ie 16.7%). However, subdividing the data according to whether or not vagal blockade had been produced by procainamide revealed that animals exhibiting complete vagal blockade demonstrated significantly more ectopic beats (1606± 310 PVCs per hour) and 33% developed ventricular fibrillation. Treated animals without complete vagal blockade exhibited an ectopic frequency rate of 620 ± 98 PVCs per hour and none of the animals developed ventricular fibrillation. The haemodynamic parameters were similar between both procainamide treated subgroups. These results suggest that an important factor in response of the ischaemic heart to the cardiac rhythm effects of procainamide is the degree of vagal blockade induced by this agent.
Environmental sociology and global environmental change: A critical assessment

Abstract Arguing that the phenomenon of global environmental change has received inadequate attention within environmental sociology and that the predominant approach of environmental sociology to global change has been limited, this article suggests several new perspectives. Environmental sociology must give more attention to the social construction of environmental knowledge, by building on and transcending the debates within the sociology of science of the past 15 years. At the same time, environmental sociology must rethink its theories that give analytical priority to the nation‐state and to national units of analysis. These principles are illustrated through analyses of the role of global constructions of environmental knowledge and the recent politics of global environmental change.
Subcloud-layer kinematic and dynamic structures of a microburst-producing thunderstorm in Colorado determined from JAWS Dual-Doppler measurements

Some kinematic and dynamic structures of a microburst-producing storm in Colorado were investigated. Dual-Doppler data collected on 14 July, 1982 at 1647 MDT, during the Joint Airport Weather Studies (JAWS) project at Denver's Stapleton International Airport, were objectively analyzed to produce a three-dimensional wind field. The domain of interest had a horizontal dimension of 10 by 10 km centered on the microburst. Vertical velocities were computed by integrating the anelastic continuity equation downward from the storm's top with variational adjustment. Subsequently, fields of deviation perturbation pressure, density, and virtual temperature were retrieved from a detailed wind field using the three momentum equations.
Radiation-Induced S-Nitrosylation of ER-α Predisposes MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells to Aggressive Invasion and Migration.

The objective of this study is to decipher the potentials of breast cancer cells that survive radiation exposure at clinical doses to acquire invasive and metastatic determinants. In this study we exposed estrogen receptor positive (MCF-7) and negative (MDAMB-231) breast cancer cells to clinical doses of low LET radiation including doses used as single fraction (2Gy), cumulative dose (10Gy) and scattered dose (10cGy). The cells were exposed to 137Cs source at a dose rate of 1.27 Gy/min. The mock irradiated cells were used as controls. The mRNA transcript level, protein expression and protein-protein interaction were analyzed by QPCR/RT-PCR, immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation and mammalian two-hybrid system, respectively. Intracellular nitric oxide (NO) levels were determined by immunofluorescence and electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) using DAF-FM and Fe-MGD as NO traps, respectively. NO-dependent ER-α s-nitrosylation was determined through immunoprecipitating s-nitrosylated proteins from the cell lysates with an s-nitrosylated-cysteine IgG antibody followed by ER-α western blot analysis. Transactivation of ER-α was measured by EMSA and luciferase reporter assay. Cell invasion and migration were examined by co-culture system using thin inserts.Radiation induces eNOS expression and activation through the phosphorylation of eNOS at Ser1177 site resulting in increased bioavailability of NO in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The three-fold bioavailability of NO s-nitrosylates ER-α leading to a two-fold binding of ER-α to ERE. Paradoxically, this binding did not translate into the transcriptional activation of ER-α dependent gene regulation. Altered structure due to s-nitrosylation of ER-α contributes to enhanced cell invasion and cell migration. In consistent with these results, there was an associated 2.3-fold increase in the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and corresponding TIMP-1 decreased expression leading to a 3.5-fold increase in MMP activity. Radiation, while controlling tumor growth, could simultaneously play a significant role in breast cancer relapse and metastasis through the activation of eNOS and the generation of NO. The bioavailability of NO s-nitrosylates ER-α leading to re-defining the genomic functions of ER-α and thereby impart metastatic transformation potentials to ER-α positive breast cancer cells. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 6162.
Effects of repeated heating on human albumin.

. Solutions of stabilized 5 and 25% Normal Serum Albumin (Human) fractionated from plasma, placentas, and blends of these sources were subjected to repeated heatings for 120 h at 56 °C, interspersed with storage for 48 h at 4°C. Disc electrophoretic analyses showed that heating some solutions produced a reversible dimerization of the albumin related to the source, protein concentration, and number of heatings. Cellulose acetate electrophoresis showed that repeated heating produced a reduction in the amount of albumin with the formation of a component with a mobility slower than that of albumin. After eight heatings plasma albumin gelled; albumin from placental-plasma blends partially gelled; there was no gelation of placental albumin after nine heatings.
Proton-coupled electron transfer: Free radicals under control

Biological solar energy conversion requires the coordinated and rapid movement of protons and electrons through complex proteins, called reaction centres. Now, an artificial and structurally simple reaction centre has been synthesized that mimics an important, photosynthetic charge relay.
An analytical model of temperature regulation in human head

Abstract An analytical model of human brain temperature regulation is proposed. The model describes the distribution of brain temperature as a function of internal and external parameters, such as temperature of the incoming arterial blood, blood flow, oxygen consumption rate, ambient temperature, and heat exchange with the environment. It is shown that substantial changes in human brain temperature can be accomplished only through changes in the temperature of the incoming arterial blood or substantial suppression of blood flow. Other parameters can lead only to temperature changes near the brain surface.
Promoting school mental health competencies: exploring the utility of decision cases for pre-service learning

Preparation of the school mental health (SMH) workforce is an important priority. Significant gaps remain, however, in our understanding of which pre-service training strategies may be most effective for promoting essential cross-disciplinary SMH competencies. In response, this paper describes the case method of teaching and provides pilot evaluation data demonstrating the potential value of this pedagogical strategy for promoting these SMH competencies. Specifically, 173 pre-service social work graduate students completed a seven-item survey and answered four open-ended questions related to their learning and how it might influence their practice. Quantitative data revealed that students' reported knowledge gains related to the two SMH competency domains assessed – interprofessional and cross-systems collaboration. Qualitative data revealed that students not only gained knowledge in these domains, but also gained knowledge across the other five SMH competency domains as well. Student responses also sugge...
The Role of Pelvic Lymphadenectomy for Prostate Cancer—Therapeutic?

Purpose: The incidence of metastatic lymph node involvement in prostate cancer has decreased with the advent of prostate specific antigen testing. Various algorithms have been designed to assess the probability of lymphatic involvement, resulting in the omission of lymph node dissection in many cases. However, recent reports suggest an underestimation of lymph node involvement. Meticulous lymph node dissection may provide a survival benefit by addressing micrometastatic disease. We analyzed the current literature on extended pelvic lymphadenectomy in prostate cancer.Material and Methods: The pelvic lymphadenectomy literature was reviewed using a MEDLINE® search, focusing on the prevalence of positive nodes, staging vs extended lymphadenectomy and therapeutic benefits.Results: Staging pelvic lymphadenectomy provides valuable prognostic data and it may be therapeutic. Extended lymph node dissection increases the detection of positive nodes. The number of positive or negative nodes resected may increase surv...
Design of a novel statistics counter architecture with optimal space and time efficiency

The problem of how to efficiently maintain a large number (say millions) of statistics counters that need to be incremented at very high speed has received considerable research attention recently. This problem arises in a variety of router management algorithms and data streaming algorithms, where a large array of counters is used to track various network statistics and to implement various counting sketches respectively. While fitting these counters entirely in SRAM meets the access speed requirement, a large amount of SRAM may be needed with a typical counter size of 32 or 64 bits, and hence the high cost. Solutions proposed in recent works have used hybrid architectures where small counters in SRAM are incremented at high speed, and occasionally written back ("flushed") to larger counters in DRAM. Previous solutions have used complex schedulers with tree-like or heap data structures to pick which counters in SRAM are about to overflow, and flush them to the corresponding DRAM counters.In this work, we present a novel hybrid SRAM/DRAM counter architecture that consumes much less SRAM and has a much simpler design of the scheduler than previous approaches. We show, in fact, that our design is optimal in the sense that for a given speed difference between SRAM and DRAM, our design uses the theoretically minimum number of bits per counter in SRAM. Our design uses a small write-back buffer (in SRAM) that stores indices of the overflowed counters (to be flushed to DRAM) and an extremely simple randomized algorithm to statistically guarantee that SRAM counters do not overflow in bursts large enough to fill up the write-back buffer even in the worst case. The statistical guarantee of the algorithm is proven using a combination of worst case analysis for characterizing the worst case counter increment sequence and a new tail bound theorem for bounding the probability of filling up the write-back buffer. Experiments with real Internet traffic traces show that the buffer size required in practice is significantly smaller than needed in the worst case.
The concept of governance in dual-use research

The rapid advance of life science within the context of increased international concern over the potential misuse of findings has resulted in the lack of agreement on the issues of responsibility, control and collaboration. This progress of knowledge outpaces the efforts of creating moral and legal guidelines for the detection and minimization of the risks in the research process. There is a need to identify and address normative aspects of dual-use research. This paper focuses on the issues of safety and global collaboration in life science research by highlighting the importance of openness, enabling policies and cooperative governance. These safeguards are believed to reduce the risks related to the misuse of science while enabling the important research to move forward. The paper addresses the need for a better definition of dual use concept and, based on the historical precedents, explores the moral concerns and governmental strategies of dual-use research. The three necessary moves in addressing the issue of security in life sciences are suggested: the move from constraining to enabling types of policies, the move from secrecy to openness, and the move from segregation to integration of the public voice.
Observed feedback between winter sea ice and the North Atlantic Oscillation.

Abstract Feedback between the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and winter sea ice variability is detected and quantified using approximately 30 years of observations, a vector autoregressive model (VAR), and testable definitions of Granger causality and feedback. Sea ice variability is quantified based on the leading empirical orthogonal function of sea ice concentration over the North Atlantic [the Greenland Sea ice dipole (GSD)], which, in its positive polarity, has anomalously high sea ice concentrations in the Labrador Sea region to the southwest of Greenland and low sea ice concentrations in the Barents Sea region to the northeast of Greenland. In weekly data for December through April, the VAR indicates that NAO index (N) anomalies cause like-signed anomalies of the standardized GSD index (G), and that G anomalies in turn cause oppositely signed anomalies of N. This negative feedback process operates explicitly on lags of up to four weeks in the VAR but can generate more persistent effects because o...
Curvature-based adaptive optics instrument for the UH 2.2-m telescope

This paper describes a low cost adaptive optics (AO) instrument that is being built for the f/31 focus of the UH 2.2m telescope. While operating within the low cost constraint, we have tried to maximize the flexibility and usefulness of the instrument, and minimize the impact of the necessary performance compromises. We have used off-the-shelf optical and electronic components wherever possible, and have emphasized simplicity of design throughout the instrument. The UH prototype AO system, on which the 2.2m AO system is based, is described elsewhere, thus the principles of operation of the UH 2.2m instrument will not be described in detail here.
Development of the 12‐Item Cross‐Cultural Smell Identification Test(CC‐SIT)

The development of the 12-item Cross-Cultural Smell Identification Test (CC-SIT), based upon items from the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), is described. In developing this test, the authors initially selected UPSIT items that are familiar to most persons from North American, European, South American, and Asian cultures. The CC-SIT was then administered to 198 people ranging in age from 5 to 96 years, and the the test scores were compared to analogous items from UPSITs administered to 198 age-, sex-, race-, and smoking-habit-matched control subjects. Since the pattern of test scores did not differ for the two groups, the authors developed normative data for the 12-item test using equivalent UPSIT items sampled from a database containing UPSIT scores for 3760 subjects. Norms are provided for determining the percentile ranks of a given patient's score as a function of age and gender. The CC-SIT provides, for the first time, a self-administered means for reliably assessing olfactory function in less than 5 minutes.
LabVIEW based control software for finger force sensor instrumentation design

This report describes National Instruments (NI) LabVIEW software for the control of finger force instrumentation for the quantification of Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI), Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), or other applications requiring automated data acquisition of applied finger force using resistive type force sensors. The quantification of finger force requires the precise data collection from resistive force sensors for all five fingers and keyboard key switches. This abstract describes how a LabVIEW based software application allows for the precise control over data force collection for all fingers and key switches, while acquiring human subject's study information, isometric & datalogging finger force, and providing the user with visual force measurements feedback. The implementation of this software provides a fast prototyping for evaluating finger force instrumentation. While no other LabVIEW based software application is available to date for this finger force data collection, our system proved rugged and flexible enough to accommodate fine tuning changes on hardware and software, with a minimum of dead time during usage. The software is available for download at www.joseagraz.com.
Higher levels of education may be a marker of higher disease-specific knowledge in patients with chronic heart failure☆

the EU Working Group on Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health. Socioeconomic inequalities in morbidity and mortality in Western Europe. Lancet 1997;349:1655–9. [3] Dalstra JAA, Kunst AE, Mackenbach JP, The EU Working Group on Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health. A comparative appraisal of the relationship of education, income and housing tenure with less than good health among the elderly in Europe. Soc Sci Med 2006;62:2046–60. [4] Tibazarwa K, Ntyintyane L, Sliwa K, et al. A time bomb of cardiovascular risk factors in South Africa: results from the Heart of Soweto Study “Heart Awareness Days”. Int J Cardiol 2009;132:233–9. [5] Webel AR, Frazier SK, Moser DK, Lennie TA. Daily variability in dyspnea, edema, and body weight in heart failure patients. Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs 2007;6:60–5. [6] Pattenden JF, Roberts H, Lewin RJP. Living with heart failure: patient and carer perspective. Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs 2007;6:273–9. [7] van der Wal MH, Jaarsma T, Moser DK, Veeger NJ, van Gilst WH, van Veldhuisen DJ. Compliance in heart failure patients: the importance of knowledge and beliefs. Eur Heart J 2006;27:434–40. [8] Lainscak M, Cleland JGF, Lenzen MJ, et al. Patient recall of lifestyle advice in patients recently hospitalized with heart failure: a EuroHeart Failure survey analysis. Eur J Heart Fail 2007;9:1095–103. [9] Lainscak M, Keber I. Patients knowledge and beta blocker treatment improve prognosis of patients from heart failure clinic. Eur J Heart Fail 2006;8:187–90. [10] Jaarsma T, Van der Wal MHL, Lesman-Leegte I, et al. Effect of moderate or intensive disease management program on outcome in patients with heart failure. The Coordinating study evaluating Outcomes of Advising and Counseling in Heart Failure (COACH). Arch Intern Med 2008;168:316–24. [11] Coats AJ. Ethical authorship and publishing. Int J Cardiol 2009;131:149–50.
Perturbation theory for stochastic learning dynamics

On-line machine learning and biological spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) rules both generate Markov chains for the synaptic weights. We give a perturbation expansion (in powers of the learning rate) for the dynamics that, unlike the usual approximation by a Fokker-Planck equation (FPE), is rigorous. Our approach extends the related system size expansion by giving an expansion for the probability density as well as its moments. Applied to two observed STDP learning rules, our approach provides better agreement with Monte-Carlo simulations than either the FPE or a simple linearized theory. The approach is also applicable to stochastic neural dynamics.
Determinants of agreement between the confocal scanning laser tomograph and standardized assessment of glaucomatous progression

Purpose To estimate the agreement of confocal scanning laser tomograph (CSLT), topographic change analysis (TCA) with assessment of stereophotographs, and standard automated perimetry (SAP) for detecting glaucomatous progression and to identify factors associated with agreement between methods. Design Observational cohort study. Participants We included 246 eyes of 167 glaucoma patients, glaucoma suspects, and ocular hypertensives. Methods We included CSLT series (n ≥4 tests; mean follow-up, 4 years), stereophotographs, and SAP results in the analysis. The number of progressors by guided progression analysis (GPA, "likely progression"), progressors by masked stereophotographs assessment and progressors by TCA as determined for 3 parameters related to the number of progressed superpixels within the disc margin was determined. Agreement between progression by each TCA parameter, stereophotographs and GPA was assessed using the Kappa test. Analysis of variance with post hoc analysis was applied to identify baseline factors including image quality (standard deviation of the mean topography), disc size and disease severity (pattern standard deviation [PSD] and cup area) associated with agreement/nonagreement between methods. Main Outcome Measures Agreement in assessing glaucomatous progression between the methods including factors associated with agreement/nonagreement between methods. Results Agreement between progression by TCA and progression by stereophotographs and/or GPA was generally poor regardless of the TCA parameter and specificity cutoffs applied. For the parameters with the strongest agreement, cluster size in disc (CSIZE disc ) and cluster area in disc (CAREA disc ), kappa values were 0.16 (63.9%, agreement on 134 nonprogressing eyes and 23 progressing eyes) and 0.15 (64.1%, agreement on 135 nonprogressing eyes and 22 progressing eyes) at 99% cutoff. Most of the factors evaluated were not significantly associated with agreement/nonagreement between methods (all P >0.07). However, SAP PSD was greater in the progressors by stereophotography only group compared with the progressors by TCA only group (5.8±4.7 and 2.6±2.2, respectively [ P = 0.003] for CSIZE disc at 95% specificity and 5.4±4.6 and 2.5±2.3, respectively [ P = 0.002] for CAREA disc at 99% specificity). Conclusions Agreement for detection of longitudinal changes between TCA, stereophotography, and SAP GPA is poor. Progressors by stereophotography only tended to have more advanced disease at baseline than progressors by TCA only. Financial Disclosure(s) Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
Feedback control of coronal plane hip angle in paraplegic subjects using functional neuromuscular stimulation

An investigation of feedback control of coronal plane posture in paraplegic subjects who stand using functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS) is described. A feedback control system directed at regulating coronal plane hip angle in neutral position was designed, implemented, and evaluated in two paraplegic subjects. The feedback controller consisted of two-stages in cascade: a modified discrete-time proportional-integral-derivative (PID) stage and a nonlinear single-input, multiple-output stage to determine the stimulation to be sent to several muscles. The authors evaluate the performance of the feedback controller by comparing the response of the feedback-controlled system to that of an open-loop stimulation system. In an evaluation based on temporal response characteristics the controlled system exhibited at 41% reduction in root-mean-squared (RMS) error (where error is defined as the deviation from the desired angle), a 52% reduction in steady-state error, and a 22% reduction in hip compliance. The feedback-controlled system also exhibited significant reductions in the variability of these measures on several days. >
Free Radical Processes in the Reactions of Organometallics with Organic Sulfur Compounds

Sulfur-centered radicals, RSO n • with n = 0 or 2 and presumably 1, react readily with certain organometallic reagents to generate alkyl radicals. These reactions can involve a formal SH2 substitution at a metal atom such as Li or Hg,1–3 e.g., reaction 1, or electron transfer with an easily oxidized organometallic species, reaction 2.3 The rates of reactions 1 and 2 $$RSO_{n}^{\bullet }+{{R}^{1}}HgCl\to RS{{O}_{n}}HgX+{{R}^{1\bullet }}$$ (1) $$RSO_{n}^{\bullet }+{{\left( {{R}^{1}} \right)}_{2}}C{{u}^{-}}\to RSO_{n}^{-}+{{R}^{1\bullet }}+{{R}^{1}}Cu$$ (2) increase at least qualitatively with the electrophilicity of the attacking radical and with the stability of the alkyl radical formed. Thus, reaction I occurs slowly when the attacking radical is a nucleophilic alkyl radical, such as t-Bu• or t-BuCH2CHSPh, but readily with electrophilic species such as t-BuCH2CHSO2Ph or heteroatom-centered radicals including PhSO n • or halogen atoms.
Anisotropy of a turbulent boundary layer

A two-dimensional turbulent boundary layer with a Reynolds number 2000 based on the displacement thickness was calculated by using direct numerical simulation. The goal of this study was to establish turbulence models for the closure of the Reynolds stress tensor and the anisotropy tensor, distinguish the global and local anisotropy and calculate the orientation of turbulent structures occurring in the turbulent boundary layers. This paper proposes an anisotropic model, which approximates the anisotropy tensor bij using a normalized turbulent dissipation tensor dij . The multiscale behavior of anisotropy occurring in turbulent boundary layers is investigated and analyzed. The results reveal that the anisotropy does not decay as the scale decreases but persists in the local scales. Additionally, this paper analyzes the orientation of the turbulent energy transportation and the distribution of the positive and negative vorticities by using the skewness of the velocity fluctuations and turbulent vorticities.
The Maximum Entropy Principle in the Absence of a Time-Arrow: Fractional-Pole Models

The maximum entropy (ME) principle, as it is often invoked in the context of time-series analysis, suggests the selection of a power spectrum which is consistent with autocorrelation data and corresponds to a random process least predictable from past observations. We introduce and compare a class of spectra with the property that the underlying random process is least predictable at any given point from the complete set of past and future observations. In this context, randomness is quantified by the size of the corresponding smoothing error and deterministic processes are characterized by integrability of the inverse of their power spectral densities - as opposed to the log-integrability in the classical setting. The power spectrum which is consistent with a partial autocorrelation sequence and corresponds to the most random (MR) process in this new sense, is no longer rational but generated by finitely many fractional-poles.
Growth and senescence in plant communities exposed to elevated CO2 concentrations on an estuarine marsh.

Three high marsh communities on the Chesapeake Bay were exposed to a doubling in ambient CO2 concentration for one growing season. Open-top chambers were used to raise CO2 concentrations ca. 340 ppm above ambient over monospecific communities of Scirpus olneyi (C3) and Spartina patens (C4), and a mixed community of S. olneyi, S. patens, and Distichlis spicata (C4). Plant growth and senescence were monitored by serial, nondestructive censuses. Elevated CO2 resulted in increased shoot densities and delayed sensecence in the C3 species. This resulted in an increase in primary productivity in S. olneyi growing in both the pure and mixed communities. There was no effect of CO2 on growth in the C4 species. These results demonstrate that elevated atmospheric CO2 can cause increased aboveground production in a mature, unmanaged ecosystem.
Cox18p Is Required for Export of the Mitochondrially Encoded Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cox2p C-Tail and Interacts with Pnt1p and Mss2p in the Inner Membrane

The amino- and carboxy-terminal domains of mitochondrially encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (Cox2p) are translocated out of the matrix to the intermembrane space. We have carried out a genetic screen to identify components required to export the biosynthetic enzyme Arg8p, tethered to the Cox2p C terminus by a translational gene fusion inserted into mtDNA. We obtained multiple alleles of COX18, PNT1, and MSS2, as well as mutations in CBP1 and PET309. Focusing on Cox18p, we found that its activity is required to export the C-tail of Cox2p bearing a short C-terminal epitope tag. This is not a consequence of reduced membrane potential due to loss of cytochrome oxidase activity because Cox2p C-tail export was not blocked in mitochondria lacking Cox4p. Cox18p is not required to export the Cox2p N-tail, indicating that these two domains of Cox2p are translocated by genetically distinct mechanisms. Cox18p is a mitochondrial integral inner membrane protein. The inner membrane proteins Mss2p and Pnt1p both coimmunoprecipitate with Cox18p, suggesting that they work together in translocation of Cox2p domains, an inference supported by functional interactions among the three genes.
Identification of the P2Y12 Receptor: A Novel Member of the P2Y Family of Receptors Activated by Extracellular Nucleotides

The action of extracellular nucleotides, specifically the ability of adenine nucleotides to induce coronary vasodilation and bradycardia, was first described more than 70 years ago ([Drury and Szent-Gyorgyi, 1929][1]). Nearly 30 years later, ADP was shown to promote platelet aggregation ([Gaarder
Fuzzy prediction of time series

An approach to time series extrapolation based on fuzzy control is described. The standard exponential averaging scheme is inflexible in that it gives a fixed weight to past history, thus ignoring transient phases in system dynamics. A modification to the scheme where the control parameter of the averaging scheme is dynamically adjusted by a simple fuzzy logic controller is presented. The design of the controller is described. The scheme was evaluated by simulation on test workloads and by application to the real-world problem of flow control in communication networks. The sensitivity of the system to its descriptive parameters is outlined. >
Space Acceleration Measurement System-II: microgravity instrumentation for the International Space Station research community

The International Space Station opens for business in the year 2000, and with the opening, science investigations will take advantage of the unique conditions it provides as an on-orbit laboratory for research. With initiation of scientific studies comes a need to understand the environment present during research. The Space Acceleration Measurement System-II provides researchers with a consistent means to understand the vibratory conditions present during experimentation on the International Space Station. The Space Acceleration Measurement System-II, or SAMS-II, detects vibrations present while the space station is operating. SAMS-II on-orbit hardware is comprised of two basic building block elements: a centralized control unit and multiple remote triaxial sensors deployed to measure the acceleration environment at the point of scientific research, generally within a research rack. Ground operations equipment is deployed to complete the command, control and data telemetry elements of the SAMS-II implementation. Initially, operations consist of user requirements development, measurement sensor deployment and use, and data recovery on the ground. Future system enhancements will provide additional user functionality and support more simultaneous users.
Tem Investigation of Titanium Silicide Thin Films

Titanium silicide films grown on silicon were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction, scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The films were prepared by sequential rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at 675 °C and 850 °C of 16-nm-thick sputtered Ti on Si (001) wafers. In some cases, a 20-nm-thick TiN capping layer was deposited on the Ti film before the RTA procedure and was removed after annealing. TEM and STEM analyses showed that the silicide films were less than 0.1 μm thick; the capped film was more uniform, ranging in thickness from ∼ 25–45 nm, while the uncapped film ranged in thickness from ∼ 15–75 nm. Electron diffraction was used to determine that the capped film contained C54-TiSi2, C49-TiSi2, Ti5Si3, and possibly TiSi, and that the uncapped film contained C49-TiSi2, TiSi, Ti5Si3, unreacted Ti, and possibly C54-TiSi2.
Factors influencing older black women's sexual functioning and their disclosure of sexual concerns.

Introduction The study of older women’s sexual health has been very limited. Most of the available research in this area is on Caucasian older women; a few studies have targeted the sexuality of older Black women. There could be several reasons for this and for the common reluctance of these women to disclose information on their sexual health. The aim of this review was to discuss factors influencing older black women’s sexual functioning and their disclosure of sexual concerns. Discussion In this article, we first briefly reviewed the literature on sexual health among older women, then covered historical and social issues that are likely to influence older Black women’s sexuality as well as their common reluctance to disclose intimate details of their lives to their health providers. This information could be important for researchers as well as healthcare professionals. Specific groups of clinicians potentially interested in this discussion are sexual health professionals, couples’ counsellors as well as other professionals attempting to address older patients’ problems such as relationship, intimacy and sex challenges. Without knowledge of critical issues such as the potentially traumatising historical events and the multiple societal pressures that are likely to impact these women’s sexuality and disclosure of sexual concerns, it would be difficult for researchers and clinicians to get an accurate account of older Black women’s sexual needs. Conclusion Older Black women’s sexuality is a very delicate and complex topic. We encourage interested professionals to make an effort to become more aware of what is potentially holding back older Black women from disclosing their sexual concerns to them, and have provided some historical information and research suggestions to guide professionals interested in investigating older African American women’s sexuality in a more tactful and culturally-sensitive way.
Reversible homonymous hemianopia secondary to occipital lobe seizures

Occipital lobe infarcts, hemorrhages, or metastatic tumors can present with complex visual hallucinations, sensory or proprioceptive abnormalities, speech dysfunction, visual loss, and homonymous hemianopia (HH). Treatment of occipital lobe seizures is by single or multiple antiepileptic drugs. We present a case of idiopathic occipital lobe epilepsy where the seizures were controlled by antiepileptic drugs, but the HH did not subside until treated with high dose intravenous (IV) steroids.
Electrical and hydraulic vertical variability in channel sediments and its effects on streamflow depletion due to groundwater extraction

Summary The stratification of channel sediments and their vertical hydraulic conductivity (Kv) are important hydrologic information in the analysis of stream‐aquifer interactions. This paper describes the use of direct-push technology to generate electrical conductivity (EC) logs and collect continuous sediment cores beneath river channels. The techniques were applied to nine study sites along a 130 km reach of the Platte River in southeast Nebraska. EC logs for the channel surface down to as much as 24 m below the channel surface indicate that the channel sediments in the western part of the reach consist predominantly of sand and gravel; low-Kv silt‐clay layers occur in the rest of the reach. These silt‐clay layers are either interbedded with sand and gravel or occur as a major unit within the channel sediments. As a result, the values of Kv, determined from the sediment cores, can vary by four to five orders of magnitude in the same vertical profile of channel sediments at a number of sites. The river channel is not lined by a low-Kv layer at the surface. Instead, the Kv values for the top part of channel sediments were consistently greater than Kv values for sediments in deeper parts. They show a decreasing tendency with the depth. This paper also analyzes the effect of low-Kv layers within channel sediments on streamflow depletion induced by groundwater pumping. Simulation results suggest that the effectiveness of low-Kv layers on the calculation of streamflow depletion depends on their depth, thickness, vertical permeability, the length along the channel, and the width within the channel, as well as the extension into the aquifer on both sides of the river. A low-Kv layer present at the channel surface seems to be the most effective hydrologic feature in reducing the hydrologic connection of stream‐aquifer. a 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Distributed link adaptation for multicast traffic in MIMO-OFDM systems

Abstract Multicast traffic exploits the broadcast nature of the wireless medium to deliver the same data to multiple users improving the bandwidth efficiency. Link adaptation can be used in multicast transmission to further increase data rates exploiting feedback from the users. However, it is not easy to have the quality of service (QoS) of every intended receiver met while pushing the data rate to the link capacity. Due to this difficulty, the conventional approach is to transmit isotropically with a fixed basic rate giving up the opportunity of increased throughput. For point-to-point unicast traffic, machine learning algorithms have recently found successful application in link adaptation due to their flexibility and ability to capture more environmental effects implicitly than classical adaptation algorithms. In this paper, we propose a machine learning based distributed algorithm for link adaptation for multicast traffic in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. Our computations show that the data driven approach for link adaptation provides good prediction of the optimal modulation and coding scheme (MCS) outperforming the fixed MCS policies collectively. The distributed algorithm using dual decomposition reduces the required feedback amount significantly while maintaining the near-optimal throughput performance.
Generating groups for nilpotent varieties

Let ℜ c denote the variety of all nilpotent groups of class ≦ c, that is, ℜ c is the class of all groups satisfying the law , where we define, as usual, and, inductively, . Further, let F k (ℜ c ) denote a free group of ℜ e of rank k. In her book Hanna Neumann ([4], Problem 14) poses the following problem: Determine d(c) , the least k such that F k (ℜ c ) generates ℜ c . Further, she suggests, incorrectly, that d(c) = [c/2] + l. However, as we shall prove here, the correct answer is d(c) = c—1, for c ≦ 3. 2 More generally, we shall prove the following result.
Shortening velocity and myosin heavy- and light-chain isoform mRNA in rabbit arterial smooth muscle cells.

In smooth muscle cells (SMCs) isolated from rabbit carotid, femoral, and saphenous arteries, relative myosin isoform mRNA levels were measured in RT-PCR to test for correlations between myosin isof...
THE USE OF CONCEPTUAL ECOLOGICAL MODELS TO GUIDE ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION IN SOUTH FLORIDA

Conceptual ecological models, as used in the Everglades restoration program, are non-quantitative planning tools that identify the major anthropogenic drivers and stressors on natural systems, the ecological effects of these stressors, and the best biological attributes or indicators of these ecological responses. Conceptual ecological models can be used with any ecological restoration and conservation program and can become the primary communication, planning, and assessment link among scientists and policy-makers. A set of conceptual ecological models has been developed for South Florida restoration as a framework for supporting integration of science and policy and are key components of an Adaptive Management Program being developed for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Other large-scale restoration programs also use conceptual ecological models. This special edition of Wetlands presents 11 South Florida regional models, one total system model for South Florida, and one international regional model. This paper provides an overview of these models and defines conceptual ecological model components. It also provides a brief history of South Florida’s natural systems and summarizes components common to many of the regional models.
The Blue Koran Revisited

The “Blue Koran” is one of the most distinctive copies of the text, copied in 15 lines of an angular gold script on leaves of blue parchment. Leaves from the manuscript have been known to scholars since the early years of the 20th century, but it first came to wide scholarly attention in the 1970s, following the publication of several leaves in such international exhibitions as the Arts of Islam at the Hayward Gallery in London. It was attributed either to ninth-century Iran or Tunisia, where the bulk of the manuscript was said to remain. The present author published several articles on the manuscript, reconstructing it as a set of seven volumes and attributing it on the basis of its abjad numbering system as well as historical evidence to tenth-century Tunisia under Fatimid patronage. In the following decades other scholars have challenged this attribution, suggesting that the manuscript could have been produced in Umayyad Spain, Kalbid Sicily, or even Abbasid Iraq. Considering the additional pages from this manuscript that have come to light in the past decades as well as the significant advances made in the study of Koranic paleography and codicology, it is time to reexamine what is known about the manuscript and see which attribution makes the most sense.
Changes in Seed Constituents During Germination and Seedling Growth of Precociously Matured Soybean Seeds(Glycine max)

During 7 d of precocious maturation of soybean seed ( Glycine max), the starch content declined and soluble sugar levels increased in patterns similar to natural seed dehydration and maturation. Total seed protein content and total seed dry weight increased whereas oil content remained relatively unchanged. Overall, the proportions of the constituents in precociously matured seeds were comparable to naturally mature seeds. Precociously matured soybean seeds showed much the same germination and seedling growth frequency patterns as naturally matured seeds. During germination and seedling growth of precociously matured seeds, starch, soluble sugar, protein and oil levels followed patterns similar to naturally mature, germinating seeds and seedlings. Therefore, precocious maturation may be used as a model system to investigate the control of the physiological and biochemical events occurring during seed maturation which lead to germination and subsequently, seedling growth.
Constraining the minimal dark matter fiveplet with LHC searches

Adding a fermion to the standard model particle content which is a fiveplet under $SU(2{)}_{L}$ gives a dark matter candidate. The lightest state in the multiplet is neutral and automatically stable. The charged component of the multiplet is only slightly heavier and can travel a finite distance in the LHC detectors before decaying, leaving a charged track which disappears before the edge of the detector. We use the recent ATLAS and CMS searches to exclude a Majorana fiveplet with a mass up to 267 GeV. We estimate that with $3\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{ab}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ of $\sqrt{s}=14\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{TeV}$ data this could be pushed to a mass of 520 GeV. These exclusions are $\ensuremath{\sim}10%$ greater than what is achieved for winolike dark matter. We also discuss how the doubly charged states could be used to distinguish a disappearing track signal from that given by a triplet such as the pure wino.
Pediatric palliative care communication: resources for the clinical nurse specialist.

Purpose/objectives The purpose of this article was to highlight the lack of communication skills pediatric practitioners have when delivering bad news and introducing pediatric palliative care to a family with a child with a life-limiting condition. Fortunately, innovative tools and guidelines have been appearing in recent literature, and the clinical nurse specialist has an opportunity to implement these communication tools by utilizing her core competencies. Background/rationale Over 10 years ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization individually prepared definitions and mandates concerning the importance of pediatric palliative care. Approximately 450,000 children are currently living at home with chronic, life-limiting health conditions, many of whom are not receiving any palliative care services. Description of the project Literature about practitioner communication practices and resources was reviewed. Outcome Advances are being made in pediatric palliative research, guidelines, and clinical tools. Interpretation New advances are not being disseminated to the pediatric healthcare practitioner population, leaving practitioners with inadequate education and preparation for implementing pediatric palliative care. Implications The clinical nurse specialist has the ability to cross through the spheres of influence by providing holistic care, implementing system changes, and by using a communication framework when working with palliative care patients and families.
The 3/2's Rule in Presidential Campaigning*

The purpose of this article is to assess the effect of the winner-take-all feature of the Electoral College on the allocation of resources by candidates to the states in a presidential campaign. Conceptualizing the campaign as a two-person zero-sum infinite game, it is found that the main effect of this feature is to induce candidates to allocate campaign resources roughly in proportion to the 3/2's power of the electoral votes of each state, which creates a peculiar bias that makes voters living in the largest states as much as three times as attractive campaign targets as voters living in the smallest states. Empirically, it is shown that the 3/2's rule explains quite well the time allocations of presidential and vice-presidential candidates in the 1960, 1964, 1968, and 1972 campaigns; for presidential campaigns in 1976 and 1980, optimal allocations are indicated for all fifty states and the District of Columbia. A comparison with optimal allocations under a system of direct popular-vote election of the president reveals that such a system would be less susceptible to manipulative strategies than the Electoral College as well as being compatible with the egalitarian principle of “one man, one vote.”
A brief survey on discontinuous Galerkin methods in computational fluid dynamics

Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods combine features in finite element methods(weak formulation, finite dimensional solution and test function spaces) and in finite volume methods (numerical fluxes, nonlinear limiters) and are particularly suitable for simulating convection dominated problems, such as linear and nonlinear waves including shock waves. In this article we will give a brief survey of DG methods, emphasizing their applications in computational fluid dynamics (CFD). We will discuss essential ingredients and properties of DG methods, and will also give a few examples of recent developments of DG methods which have facilitated their applications in CFD.
Pictorials of Contempt: A Note on the British in Mid-Nineteenth Century Canton

(1956). Pictorials of Contempt: A Note on the British in Mid-Nineteenth Century Canton. Monumenta Serica: Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 512-515.