cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deep Learning for Surface Wave Identification in Distributed Acoustic Sensing Data

Moving loads such as cars and trains are very useful sources of seismic waves, which can be analyzed to retrieve information on the seismic velocity of subsurface materials using the techniques of ambient noise seismology. This information is valuable for a variety of applications such as geotechnical characterization of the near-surface, seismic hazard evaluation, and groundwater monitoring. However, for such processes to converge quickly, data segments with appropriate noise energy should be selected. Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) is a novel sensing technique that enables acquisition of these data at very high spatial and temporal resolution for tens of kilometers. One major challenge when utilizing the DAS technology is the large volume of data that is produced, thereby presenting a significant Big Data challenge to find regions of useful energy. In this work, we present a highly scalable and efficient approach to process real, complex DAS data by integrating physics knowledge acquired during a data exploration phase followed by deep supervised learning to identify "useful" coherent surface waves generated by anthropogenic activity, a class of seismic waves that is abundant on these recordings and is useful for geophysical imaging. Data exploration and training were done on 130 Gigabytes (GB) of DAS measurements. Using parallel computing, we were able to do inference on an additional 170 GB of data (or the equivalent of 10 days’ worth of recordings) in less than 30 minutes. Our method provides interpretable patterns describing the interaction of ground-based human activities with the buried sensors.
A simulation study of a class of nonparametric test statistics: a close look of empirical distribution function-based tests

Kolmogorov–Smirnov (KS) statistic is a non-parametric statistic based on the empirical distribution function. For the one-sample case, it uses the supremum distance between an empirical distributio...
The Child Interview

Despite the wide-spread use of child interviewing by school psychologists, little published information is available on the advantages and disadvantages of different interviewing approaches appropr...
Curating and re-curating the American wars in Vietnam and Iraq: by Christine Sylvester, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2019, 240 pp., $36.95 (hardback), ISBN 978-0-190-84055-6

Christine Sylvester’s latest book assesses the memorialisation of the American wars in Vietnam and Iraq with both humanity and lucidity. The author asks – Whose perspectives on these wars is privil...
A Western Massachusetts hospital system's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: The objective of this paper was to outline a novel model created for the management of the critical care surge due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a Western Massachusetts hospital. Setting: This model was created and implemented at a Western Massachusetts Level 1 Trauma and tertiary referral center. Conclusions: This article outlines a model devised by an interdisciplinary team for rapid expansion of critical care services by increasing allocated space, staffing, and supplies via modifications of existing systems of care to accommodate a predicted large critical care patient surge due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We predict that this model can be utilized and adapted for future critical care surges in times of similar pandemic situations.
First-Principles Study of the Effect of Al and Hf Impurities on Co 3 W Antiphase Boundary Energies

The effects of Al and Hf impurities on the (111) antiphase boundary (APB) energy of metastable FCC Co 3 W are investigated via ab initio calculations. Cluster expansions are used to predict the total energies of supercells containing non-dilute concentrations of impurities using Monte Carlo simulations at relevant temperatures, giving APB energies as a function of impurity concentration and temperature for each ternary system. The cluster expansions are validated by comparing with direct energy calculations of supercells of pure L1 2 Co 3 W and the effects of each impurity are compared. Two sets of compositions are explored for each system — constant ratio (constant ratio between Co and W) and sacrificial W (constant Co). It is found that sacrificial W compositions are far more stable than constant ratio compositions in both systems and should be preferred. In sacrificial W compositions, Hf increases the APB energy far more than Al, particularly at higher concentrations of the impurity, and both systems exhibit little variation with respect to temperature. It is further shown that at higher concentrations of Hf, and most noticeably for Co 3 (W 0.5 Hf 0.5 ), Hf and W tend to segregate into alternating planes, unlike the corresponding Co 3 (W 0.5 Al 0.5 ), which explains the different impacts of the two impurities on the APB energy. Finally, the ratio of (111) to (100) APB energies is studied for sacrificial W compositions to understand cross slip behavior in both ternary systems.
Racially invariant stimuli may bias outcomes in assessment of emotion processing.

Objective Difficulties identifying emotional facial expressions are commonly observed in alcohol use disorder (AUD). Critically, this work utilizes single-race stimulus sets, although study samples are not similarly constrained. This is particularly concerning given evidence among community samples showing the impact of racial incongruity, giving rise to interpretative caveats. Method Community controls (n = 55, 12 Black) and individuals with AUD (n = 46, 9 Black) completed a two-choice emotion judgment task. A similar nonaffective sex judgment task was employed as a covariate. Repeated measures mixed-model analyses were conducted with race, AUD status (AUD vs. control), and their interaction as fixed effects. Accuracy and reaction time (RT) were primary dependent measures. A post hoc analysis was conducted on efficiency (accuracy/RT). Results In addition to lower accuracy by individuals with AUD (p = .02), Black participants were less accurate than White participants (p = .0001) overall. Significant interactions between race and AUD were also detected for accuracy (p = .002), RT (p = .05), and efficiency (p = .01), wherein Black participants with AUD identified emotional expressions most poorly. This latter finding suggests that AUD-associated differences may be biased under racial incongruity. Conclusion Taken together, these preliminary findings do not reflect a deficit among Black respondents. Instead, our results reflect the need for greater attention to stimulus diversity and sensitivity to respondent demographics in emotion-processing examinations. Given the purported role of emotion processing in alcohol-related problems and the increase in racial minority representation in the U.S., elucidating these differences remains critical. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Epitaxial lift-off monocrystalline CdTe/MgCdTe double heterostructures and proton radiation study for space applications

An epitaxial lift-off (ELO) technology has been demonstrated for monocrystalline CdTe/MgCdTe double-heterostructure (DH) with the assistant of photoresist. The increased photoluminescence (PL) intensity is observed from the lift-off thin films, and confirms that the CdTe/MgCdTe DHs maintain high optical quality after ELO. The proton radiation hardness of CdTe/MgCdTe DH samples is also studied. Compared with a reference sample without being irradiated, the DH samples bombarded with 63-MeV protons show increased PL intensity and decay time. Our findings indicate that the CdTe/MgCdTe DH thin-film solar cells are expected to be radiation-robust and suitable for space applications.
Tiering in Contraction and Edge Hierarchies for Stochastic Route Planning

Stochastic route planning is a hard problem, since it deals with uncertain edge weights, usually modeled as probability distributions. Stochastic shortest path queries are very expensive, as they must compute convolutions of edge weight distributions, whose representations can have a major impact on query costs. Effective speedup techniques for shortest path queries exist for deterministic edge weights, but their extensions to stochastic settings have had limited success, and real-time stochastic routing queries remain beyond reach. We introduce the tiering technique for Contraction and Edge Hierarchies (CHs and EHs) to address this challenge. We divide the hierarchy into tiers, and represent edge weights in each tier in ways that permit effective tradeoffs between accuracy, convolution costs, and space use. We show how to use Gaussians to approximate histograms, and bound errors using the KL divergence and Hellinger distance measures. We develop Uncertain Contraction Hierarchies (UCHs) and Uncertain Edge Hierarchies (UEHs) using these methods, and show that they improve both CH and EH performance for three different stochastic query types: probabilistic budget routes, non-dominated routes, and routes to minimize the mean-risk objective. We evaluate our methods using real-world data from Mapbox Traffic Data for a section of Los Angeles. Finally, our results show that query times for EHs can be competitive with CHs for stochastic edge weights, contrary to current belief.
Structure-based hierarchical transformations for interactive visual exploration of social networks

In this paper, we propose hierarchical transformations of traditional social networks based on structural expansion values of nodes in the network. The hierarchical visualization clusters or groups nodes with similar structural expansion values in the network. It is a complement to traditional network visualization and gives users the ability to quickly understand how structure is distributed throughout the network. After describing our approach, we analyze a real world social network, highlighting the benefit of a network structure-based hierarchical transformation for visual exploration of this network.
CELL-OPTICAL DISPLACEMENT ASSAY (CODA) : MEASUREMENTS OF CYTOSKELETAL TENSION IN LIVING PLANT CELLS WITH A LASER OPTICAL TRAP

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the technique of optical trapping and demonstrates its unique and powerful role as a quantitative tool for measuring the elasticity of individual actin cables in living plant cells. The trapping beam is positioned at a point on the filament between the nucleus and the membrane/wall for each attempt in the cell optical displacement assay (CODA). To ensure that the trapping intensity does not damage the fibers, each displacement at a particular power setting is performed five times and, in all instances, the fiber is required to rebound to the original position following termination of the trap. All trapping experiments can be recorded on videotape and individual pictures can be prepared frame-by-frame from the tapes. Although the technique is described for plant cells grown in suspension culture, this technique can also be extended to whole plant measurements in root cells and root hairs. This capability facilitates the use of this technology for measurements in plants that have been subjected to a variety of genetic manipulations and environmental conditions. It can also be exploited to measure changes in the cytoskeleton during infection thread formation that occurs following the attachment of Bradyrhizobium japonicum to soybean root hairs.
Human profilin. Molecular cloning, sequence comparison, and chromosomal analysis.

Abstract Profilin is an ubiquitous 12-15-kDa actin monomer-binding protein, the amino acid sequence of which was previously reported for the cow and Acanthamoeba. In the latter species, two isoforms of profilin have been identified. We have isolated full-length profilin cDNA clones from a human HepG2 library. All clones have the same nucleotide sequence, and Northern blot and RNase protection analyses of human tissues indicate that all tissues have the same approximately 850 base message, and provide no evidence of alternative message splicing. This result strongly implies a single profilin isoform in human cells, although differential post-translational modifications have not been excluded. Northern blot analysis extends the tissue distribution of profilin to include epithelial, muscle, and renal tissues. Comparison of the predicted human profilin amino acid sequence with that of published bovine profilin indicates 90% identity with a single 3-residue deletion in the human sequence. Southern blot analysis of somatic cell hybrid DNA indicates at least four dispersed genetic loci in the human genome hybridize with the profilin cDNA as well as untranslated region fragments, suggesting several of these loci represent pseudogenes of recent evolutionary origin. In addition, 5' and 3' untranslated regions are conserved between humans and rodents, implying a functional role for these regions of the profilin gene.
Advances in ICF Using Light Ion Beams

PBFA II, with parameters of 3.5 MJ and 100 TW, is being designed to allow inertial fusion ignition experiments using imploding foils or light ion beams. Flexibility is being retained to implode a cylindrical foil through magnetically insulated power concentration at 30 MA or to drive one or more ion diodes operating in the 6–30 MV range. In both cases our goal is to deliver 50 TW/cbdt and 1 MJ to a target in order to investigate ignition and possibly breakeven.
The Effect of Accounting for Oil and Gas Reserves on the Relation between Returns and Earnings

This study examines how the choice between successful efforts and full cost methods of accounting affects the value relevance of earnings for firms in the oil and gas industry. The strength of the relation (R2) between twelve month (annual) security returns and annual earnings levels is compared to assess differences in the value relevance of earnings. Focusing on earnings levels provides insight into how this accounting choice affects the usefulness of the entire set of earnings information rather than focusing solely on the information in unexpected earnings as has been the focus in prior earnings usefulness studies (i.e. earnings response coefficient analysis). The results suggest that the strength of the returns - earnings relation is significantly greater for full cost firms than for successful efforts firms in periods of declining oil prices and reduced exploration activity. This is consistent with the hypothesis that earnings generated by accounting methods that smooth income are more value relevant than earnings generated by other methods that generate more volatile earnings.
Solitary fibrous tumor of the larynx: a case report and review of the literature.

Abstract Solitary fibrous tumors are relatively rare mesenchymal neoplasms that were originally described as pleural- or peritoneal-based lesions. Although they were considered a form of mesothelioma, subsequent investigation failed to reveal mesothelial differentiation. Characterization of their histologic and immunohistochemical features, as well as identification in a multitude of nonmesothelial-based locations has further served to distinguish these lesions from the more diffuse and aggressive mesothelioma. Reports of solitary fibrous tumor in the larynx are extremely rare. We report a case of solitary fibrous tumor of the larynx in a 38-year-old man.
Apolipoprotein E-Mediated Immune Regulation in Sepsis

Lipids and lipoproteins have emerged as key constituents of the immune response to microbial infection. We, therefore, sought to understand the complex interaction between lipoprotein metabolism and sepsis. Apolipoprotein E (apoE), a component of plasma lipoproteins, has been suggested to bind and traffic Ags for NKT cell activation. However, apoE's role in sepsis has not been demonstrated. In this study, we examined the effect of exogenous apoE in a rat model of septic peritonitis, induced by cecal ligation and puncture. We demonstrate that 48 h after serial injections of apoE, septic mortality increased in a dose-dependent manner. While sepsis resulted in increased splenic and decreased hepatic and circulating NKT cell populations, serial injections of apoE for 24 h after cecal ligation and puncture increased the frequency, cell number, and BrdU uptake in splenic and hepatic NKT cell populations, while concomitantly depleting these populations in the circulation. These changes were correlated with elevated alanine amino transferase levels, an indicator of liver injury. Interestingly, while sepsis increased hepatic T cell apoptosis and necrosis, apoE reversed these changes. apoE also promoted increases in predominantly Th1 cytokine levels in sera and a decrease in IL-4, the main NKT cell-derived Th2 cytokine. Consequently, apoE treatment is associated with increased sepsis-induced mortality, and increased NKT cell frequency and proliferation in the liver and spleen, with concomitant decreases in these NKT cell parameters in the peripheral circulation. apoE treatment also promoted a Th1 cytokine response, increased the degree of liver injury, and decreased apoptosis in hepatic lymphocytes.
From Sheriff's Deputies to Immigration Officers: Screening Immigrant Status in a Tennessee Jail

This article contributes to emerging literature documenting the devolution of immigration enforcement authority by focusing on the implementation of the 287(g) program in Davidson County, Tennessee. It outlines how deputized immigration officers do their work as well as the ways they come to think about their roles in the larger immigration bureaucracy. Immigration officers see themselves as objective administrators whose primary responsibilities are to identify and process immigrants for removal, but who are not responsible for their subsequent deportation. While immigration officers never waiver about their obligation to uphold the rule of law, alternate narratives emerge depending on how they feel about the immigrants they encounter. These frames range from pride at identifying “criminal aliens” to guilt for processing immigrants who had been arrested for very minor violations. Ultimately, this work shows deputized immigration officers act as extensions of the federal government rather than as independent agents.
Temporary Bans and Bad Laws: The Aarakshan Ban and the Logics of Censorship in Contemporary India

This article traces several sites of film regulation in contemporary India including the censor board, street protestors, television commentators, and state governments. Among these sites, the article focuses on the quasi-legal banning of the Hindi film Aarakshan (2011) by the Mayawati-led state government of Uttar Pradesh. Although the state government purported to be securing public order by banning the film, critics vociferously objected to the ban as overstepping the limits of state power and violating freedom of speech. I argue that while the mainstream debate was delimited by competing constitutional claims and the ban was motivated by a display of support for a local Dalit constituency, both operated within a censorial governmentality driven by an ideal of representative censorship.
Sensitivity of the esophageal mucosa to pH in gastroesophageal reflux disease.

To determine the relation between the sensation of pain in gastroesophageal reflux and the pH of the refluxate, we studied 25 individuals with symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux and positive Bernstein tests. We quantitatively assessed the sensitivity of the esophageal mucosa to pain associated with the intraesophageal infusion of eight different HCl solutions (pH 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, and 6). Test solutions were infused at 8 ml/min through an eight-lumen catheter with the arifices placed 5 cm above the lower esophageal sphincter. Each subject received all eight solutions in a double-blind randomized fashion. The time-to-pain onset increased with increasing pH; i.e., there was a highly significant difference between the time-to-pain and pH (p
Bronchoscopic guidance of endovascular stenting limits airway compression

Objective Bronchial compression as a result of pulmonary artery and aortic arch stenting may cause significant respiratory distress. We set out to limit airway narrowing by endovascular stenting, by using simultaneous flexible bronchoscopy and graduated balloon stent dilatation, or balloon angioplasty to determine maximum safe stent diameter. Methods Between August 2010 and August 2013, patients with suspected airway compression by adjacent vascular structures, underwent CT or a 3D rotational angiogram to evaluate the relationship between the airway and the blood vessels. If these studies showed close proximity of the stenosed vessel and the airway, simultaneous bronchoscopy and graduated stent re-dilation or graduated balloon angioplasty were performed. Results Five simultaneous bronchoscopy and interventional catheterization procedures were performed in four patients. Median age/weight was 33 (range 9–49) months and14 (range 7.6–24) kg, respectively. Three had hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and one had coarctation of the aorta (CoA). All had confirmed or suspected left main stem bronchial compression. In three procedures, serial balloon dilatation of a previously placed stent in the CoA was performed and bronchoscopy was used to determine the safest largest diameter. In the other two procedures, balloon testing with simultaneous bronchoscopy was performed to determine the stent size that would limit compression of the adjacent airway. In all cases, simultaneous bronchoscopy allowed selection of an ideal caliber of the stent that optimized vessel diameter while minimizing compression of the adjacent airway. Conclusion In cases at risk for airway compromise, flexible bronchoscopy is a useful tool to guide endovascular stenting. Maximum safe stent diameter can be determined without risking catastrophic airway compression. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Seagrasses and seagrass ecosystems, an appraisal of the research approach

Abstract The paper gives a review of five aspects considered to be essential for an integrated approach to the seagrass ecosystem. It is stressed that the usual approach, which only considers structure and function, is too static and incomplete, and that the aspects of dynamics, history and classification have also to be included. These aspects are briefly discussed, and some examples are given to show their significance.
RADIOLABELING STUDIES OF LIPIDS AND FATTY ACIDS IN NANNOCHLOROPSIS (EUSTIGMATOPHYCEAE), AN OLEAGINOUS MARINE ALGA1

The synthesis of fatty acids and lipids in Nannochloropsis sp. was investigated by labeling cells in vivo with [14C]-bicarbonate or [14C]-acetate. [14C]-bicarbonate was incorporated to the greatest extent into 16:0, 16:1, and 14:0 fatty acids, which are the predominant fatty acids of triacylglycerols. However, more than half of the [14C]-acetate was incorporated into longer and more desaturated fatty acids, which are constituents of membrane lipids. [14C]-acetate was incorporated most strongly into phosphatidylcholine, which rapidly lost label during a 5-h chase period. The label associated with phosphatidylethanolamine also decreased during the chase period, whereas label in other membrane lipids and triacylglycerol increased. The dynamics of labeling, along with information regarding the acyl compositions of various lipids, suggests that 1) the primary products of chloroplast fatty acid synthesis are 14:0, 16:0, and 16:1; 2) C20 fatty acids are formed by an elongation reaction that can utilize externally supplied acetate; 3) phosphatidylcholine is a site for desaturation of C18 fatty acids; and 4) phosphatidylethanolamine may be a site for desaturation of C20 fatty acids.
Quantifying retinal irradiance levels in light damage experiments

From knowledge of the optical parameters of experimental animal eyes and radiometric parameters of the light source, it is possible to provide accurate retinal irradiances (dose rates). Examples are given for the rat, cat, monkey and other animals of interest. Fluorescent lamps and incandescent lamp radiances are provided and from them, retinal irradiances are given. These levels are compared with daylight exposure conditions. It is explained that small animal eyes received the highest light levels at the retina.
An IS&R system based on Turkish language

Abstract This paper reports an IS&R (Information Storage and Retrieval) system which has been developed to process data stored in two-dimensional tables using a well-defined subset of the Turkish Language. The language referred to as TURDIL is defined by a Regular grammar and is used on an interactive basis. The system has a fully integrated data dictionary which contains table definitions and views of tables, along with information on data-access privileges.
THE MALE SLING FOR STRESS URINARY INCONTINENCE: URODYNAMIC AND SUBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT

ABSTRACTPurpose: We prospectively examined whether the fixed urethral resistance of the perineal male sling for the treatment of stress incontinence causes significant bladder outlet obstruction or...
Family Business Members' Narrative Perceptions: Values, Succession, and Commitment

The purpose of this article is to investigate the values, succession, and commitment issues found in a convenient sample of 26 family-owned businesses. An organizational commitment scale is used to determine the level of commitment of family members and its relationship to specific demographics variables. Family business stories were also developed using Narrative Paradigm Theory and then evaluated by this sample. Significant relationships were found between commitment and the variables Studied. Content analysis of the story evaluative narratives suggests similar content themes across family-owned businesses.
A Test of Two Positive Psychology Interventions to Increase Employee Well-Being

Despite an abundance of organizational research on how contextual and individual difference factors impact well-being, little research has examined whether individuals themselves can take an active role in enhancing their own well-being. The current study assessed the effectiveness of two simple, self-guided workplace interventions (“gratitude” and “social connectedness”) in impacting well-being. Sixty-seven university employees participated in one of the two self-guided interventions for 2 weeks and completed self-report measures prior to the intervention, immediately following the intervention, and one-month post-intervention. Growth curve modeling was used to examine the effects of each intervention. Partially supporting hypotheses, the gratitude intervention resulted in significant increases in positive affective well-being and self-reported gratitude but not did significantly impact negative affective well-being or self-reported social connectedness. The social connectedness exercise did not significantly impact any of those four outcomes. However, both interventions related to a reduction in workplace absence due to illness. The study suggests that self-guided, positive psychology interventions (particularly gratitude) hold potential for enhancing employee well-being. Because the interventions are short, simple, and self-guided, there is little in the way of costs or drawbacks for organizations. Thus, these types of interventions seem like a potentially useful component of workplace wellness initiatives. This study is one of the few to examine whether self-guided, positive psychology interventions can enhance well-being. Moreover, this is the first study to examine a social connectedness workplace intervention and the first to demonstrate effects on illness-related absence.
Adsorption of ethylene in beds of activated carbon

This paper reports on parameters for adsorption of ethylene on type BPL activated carbon which can provide useful information for design of adsorption columns for separating gases. A table is presented which compares adsorption equilibrium results of ethylene, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide. Pulse-response curve measurements are analyzed by the method of moments. Results indicate that reducing particle size improves adsorption rates, that pore-size distribution are necessary, and that intraparticle diffusion has a significant effect on the global rate of adsorption and should be accounted for in the design of separation processes.
Regional differences in the inductive activity of the mesenchyme of the embryonic mouse urogenital sinus

Embryonic urogenital sinuses (UGS) of 16-day-old mice were divided into two or three zones (cranial half and caudal half; or cranial third, intermediate, and caudal thirds). Following tryptic digestion, these zones were separated into their mesenchymal (UGM) and epithelial (UGE) components. The cranial and caudal zones of the UGM were recombined separately with the different zones of the UGE or with adult mouse urinary bladder epithelium (BLE). Following four weeks of growth in syngeneic male hosts, tissue recombinants of cranial UGM + caudal UGE contained numerous prostatic ducts and urethral glands. Conversely, recombinants composed of caudal UGM + cranial UGE developed into fibromuscular tissue covered with urethral epithelium and did not contain prostate, but occasionally contained urethral glands. Urethral glands were usually present in grafts of cranial UGM + cranial UGE or in grafts of the intact intermediate third of the UGS. In heterotypic recombinants of the UGM + adult BLE, prostatic glands were induced only when cranial UGM was utilized. Urethral glands were not observed in tissue recombinants prepared with adult BLE. These data suggest that regional differences in mesenchymal inductive ability and epithelial responsiveness play a role in the harmonious morphogenesis of the male lower genitourinary tract.
Observation of the infrared spectrum of the triatomic molecular ion H 2 D

The infrared vibrational-rotational spectrum of the ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$${\mathrm{D}}^{+}$ molecular ion has been observed. Nine resonances between 1800 and 2000 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ have been measured to a precision of 0.0005 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ or 0.3 ppm (at 68% confidence level). This triatomic molecular ion is the simplest asymmetric top in nature. The quantum numbers of the observed transitions have not yet been unambiguously identified. This species is of great astrophysical interest in view of its important role in the chemistry of molecular clouds in the interstellar medium.
Effects of acute and sub-chronic l-dopa therapy on striatal l-dopa methylation and dopamine oxidation in an MPTP mouse model of Parkinsons disease

Abstract Aims The molecular mechanisms for the loss of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine ( l -dopa) efficacy during the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) are unknown. Modifications related to catecholamine metabolism such as changes in l -dopa and dopamine (DA) metabolism, the modulation of catecholamine enzymes and the production of interfering metabolites are the primary concerns of this study. Main methods Normal (saline) and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) pre-treated mice were primed with 100 mg/kg of l -dopa twice a day for 14 days, and a matching group remained l -dopa naive. l -dopa naive and primed mice received a challenge dose of 100 mg/kg of l -dopa and were sacrificed 30 min later. Striatal catecholamine levels and the expression and activity of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) were determined. Key findings Normal and MPTP pre-treated animals metabolize l -dopa and DA similarly during l -dopa therapy. Administration of a challenge dose of l -dopa increased l -dopa and DA metabolism in l -dopa naive animals, and this effect was enhanced in l -dopa primed mice. The levels of 3-OMD in MPTP pre-treated animals were almost identical to those in normal mice, which we found are likely due to increased COMT activity in MPTP pre-treated mice. Significance The results of this comparative study provide evidence that sub-chronic administration of l -dopa decreases the ability of the striatum to accumulate l -dopa and DA, due to increased metabolism via methylation and oxidation. This data supports evidence for the metabolic adaptation of the catecholamine pathway during long-term treatment with l -dopa, which may explain the causes for the loss of l -dopa efficacy.
Determination of naltrexone and its major metabolite, 6-β-naltrexol, in human plasma using liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

Abstract A sensitive and specific high-performance liquid chromatographic method with electrochemical detection was developed for the simultaneous determination of naltrexone and its major metabolite, 6-β-naltrexol, in human plasma. After alkalinizing 2 ml plasma samples with pH 9 sodium carbonate buffer, naltrexone and 6-β-naltrexol were extracted into dichloromethane and then back-extracted into 0.017 M phosphoric acid. A portion of the acid extract was chromatographed on a YMC phenyl column using a mobile phase of methanol-phosphoric acid (50 mM) (20:80, v/v) (pH∗ 3.2) at a flow-rate of 1.2 ml min−1. Quantification was performed using an ESA Coulometric electrochemical detector. Acceptable intra-day and inter-day assay precision (RSD
Targeting the NF-κB pathway in estrogen receptor negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells using small inhibitory RNAs

Cancer cells in order to survive are often mutated to block apoptosis. One chemotherapeutic option is the re-establishment of apoptosis. An example of such a therapy is the PKC inhibitor Go6976, which activates apoptosis and shrinks in vivo tumors in estrogen receptor-negative breast cancers. We proposed as a mechanism blockage of activation of the transcription factor NF-κB, which is anti-apoptotic and often elevated in cancers. Over recent years, questions have arisen regarding the specificity of these “small-molecule inhibitors.” We have therefore explored the role of NF-κB inhibition in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells using small inhibitory RNAs (siRNA). siRNAs designed against NF-κB protein p65 (RelA) and IKKα, IKKβ, and IKKγ, strongly decreased the target proteins. But, unlike Go6976, they did not decrease basal NF-κB or cause apoptosis. In particular, the decrease in p65 protein had no effects on apoptosis or cell proliferation, thus questioning the importance of NF-κB alone in the maintenance of these cells. Furthermore, the proteasome inhibitor MG-132 caused loss of IκBα, and an increase of it is phosphorylated form, but basal NF-κB was unchanged, whilst activation of NF-κB by TNFα was completely inhibited, suggesting that MG-132 activity is independent of constitutive NF-κB activation. We ascribe these differences to the specificity of inhibition by siRNAs as compared to the well-known non-specificity of small-molecule inhibitors. We conclude that the mutations in these cancer cells made them resistant to apoptosis, by elevating their NF-κB and activating other basal pathways that are blocked by Go6976 but not by IKK and p65 siRNAs. J. Cell. Biochem. 98: 221–233, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Laser transmission through thin cirrus clouds

A near-infrared airborne-laser transmission model for thin cirrus clouds has been developed on the basis of the successive-order-of-scattering approach to account for multiple scattering by randomly and horizontally oriented ice crystals associated with an aircraft-target system. Direct transmission and transmission due to multiple scattering are formulated specifically for this geometric system, in which scattering and absorption associated with aerosols, water vapor, and air are accounted for. A number of sensitivity experiments have been performed for investigation of the effect of aircraft-target position, cirrus cloud optical depth, and ice crystal size on laser transmission for tactical applications. We show that transmission contributions produced by orders of scattering higher than 1 are small and can be neglected. The possibility of horizontal orientation of ice crystals can enhance transmission of laser beams in the aircraft-target geometry. Transmitted energy is strongly dependent on the horizontal distance between the aircraft and the target and on the cloud optical depth as well as on whether the cloud is above or below the aircraft.
Investigating adolescents' sources of information concerning tobacco and the resulting impact on attitudes toward public policy.

Background. In this study, we investigated different sources of information concerning the use of tobacco and the impact that these sources may have on attitudes toward tobacco policies. Methods. We surveyed 4336 high school students gathered from 5 high schools in the Southeastern United States. Results. The results indicate that just over half of these youth are supportive of public policies targeting bans on smoking in public places and having a minimum age to purchase tobacco products. Race is significant in impacting both age restriction and prohibition of smoking in public places, with African American youth being less supportive of both dependent variables. However, holding this variable constant in an ordinal logistic regression, we found that attitudes toward policy are impacted by the environment related to smoking in which the youth lives; the extent to which the youth believes he/she is well informed; and more important, the amount of correct and accurate information on smoking the youth possess. Conclusions. Communicating accurate information is vital in increasing youth support for pending or already existing tobacco policies.
Black Workers Remember.

The testimony of three African-American union activists from the Memphis area reflects the pervasive racism that has afflicted our society from its inception and emphasizes the indissoluable connection between the civil rights movement and the labor movement.
Plane strain and plane stress analysis of fatigue crack propagation in medium density polyethylene pipe materials

Using the Crack Layer Theory, differences in damage formation under different stress states during fatigue crack propagation in an ethylene-butene copolymer were quantified and compared. Despite having vastly different stress states and crack propagation behaviors, arc specimens (28 mm thick) and single edge notched (SEN) specimens (2 mm thick) were shown to have the same specific enthalpy of damage, ∼300 J/g, a parameter in the Crack Layer Theory that is a measure of the material's intrinsic toughness. Damage in the SEN specimen consisted of crazing the significant material yielding; the latter damage type is associated with plane stress conditions. In the predominantly plane strain arc specimen, material yielding was minimal compared to crazing, the dominant damage form. After measuring these damage forms and applying the Crack Layer Theory, the constancy of the specific enthalpy of damage was established. Also the dissipation coefficient, β, a second parameter of the Crack Layer Theory, was shown to be a process-dependent parameter, which was inversely proportional to the lifetime of the specimen: βSEN = 4.6 × 10−5, βarc = 1.1 × 10−4, which corresponds to lifetimes of 140,000 and 30,000 cycles to failure, respectively.
In Vivo Cutaneous and Perceived Comfort Response to Fabric: Part IV: Perceived Sensations to Three Experimental Garments Worn by Subjects Exercising in a Hot, Humid Environment'

We report on the perceived comfort data collected while ten female subjects exercised in the hot, humid environment ( 29.4°C, 75% RH) wearing garments made from the three experimental knit fabrics. These findings are related to the fabric thermophys iological comfort data reported in Part I, the mechanical and surface related comfort data in Part II, and the skin alteration data in Part III of this series. At four times during the wear protocol (after acclimation, after 10 minutes of wear, after 40 minutes of exercise, and after 20 minutes of rest following exercise), subjects were asked to indicate overall comfort and thermal, wetness, and contact sensations. There was no difference between the fabrics for wetness or thermal sensation, a result explainable in terms of the extremely small differences in water and heat transport data reported in Part I. The thermal insulation, permeability index, and comfort limit values we calculated predict that differences in perceived thermal and wetness sensation shou...
Preparing for climate change: a perspective from local public health officers in California.

BackgroundThe most recent scientific findings show that even with significant emission reductions, some amount of climate change is likely inevitable. The magnitude of the climate changes will depe...
Association of Angiogenesis and Disease Outcome in Node-Positive Breast Cancer Patients Treated With Adjuvant Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, and Fluorouracil: A Cancer and Leukemia Group B Correlative Science Study From Protocols 8541/8869

PURPOSE: Increased microvessel density (MVD), a reflection of tumor angiogenesis, is associated with diminished relapse-free and overall survival (OS) in several subsets of breast cancer patients. However, the utility of this assay in node-positive patients treated with adjuvant cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and fluorouracil (CAF) has not been well studied. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Immunostaining for factor VIII–related antigen was performed on tissue sections from a subset of node-positive patients who received one of three dose/schedule regimens of CAF during participation in Cancer and Leukemia Group B protocol 8541. Sections from 577 cancers exhibited acceptable tumor and immunostaining quality and were included in the study. Each section was examined quantitatively for MVD as well as nonquantitatively by scoring the presence or absence of a prominent vascular pattern. RESULTS: MVD counts were not associated with relapse-free or OS in univariate analysis. The presence of a prominent plexiform vascular p...
Serial head circumference and neurodevelopmental screening after surgical correction for single- and multiple-suture craniosynostosis.

Objective: To evaluate serial head circumference (HC) measurements and neurodevelopmental (ND) screening before and after surgical revision for craniosynostosis. Design: Retrospective assessment. Setting: Tertiary institutional. Patients, Participants: All children treated with single-stage frontal-orbital advancement or total calvarial expansion for single-suture (SS) or multiple-suture (MS) craniosynostosis over a 7-year period. Main Outcome Measures: Changes in ND and HC were measured over postoperative visits after the primary surgery. More importantly, ND and HC changes were measured prerevision and postrevision. Results: Of 183 patients undergoing primary surgery, complete records and adequate follow-up were available for 112 patients. The overall revision rate was 21% (n = 23). Postrevision follow-up was adequate for 18 of the 23 revisions. After primary surgery, but prior to revision, children demonstrated a larger decline in HC (z-score, median = −1) along with higher ND findings (median = ...
The Politics of Isolation: Refused Relation as an Emerging Regime of Indigenous Biolegitimacy

This essay describes the politics of voluntary isolation, an emerging category of indigeneity predicated on a form of human life that exists outside of history, the market, and wider networks of social connection. It traces a recent controversy around one such “isolated” population—Ayoreo-speaking people in the Paraguayan Gran Chaco—to suggest how these politics of isolation may represent a new regime of what Didier Fassin has called “biolegitimacy,” or the uneven political parsing and authorization of valid human life, within global formations of indigeneity. Here, I identify how international human rights law, multiculturalist state policies, humanitarian NGO programs, and genetic science all share an investment in the moral defense of isolated life. I explore how this investment may divide the kind of humanity authorized or claimed as “indigenous” into opposing legitimacies that are set against one another and vertically ranked. The essay argues that what is at stake in this process is not merely a new technique of the self or the enduring romance of the primitive, but the redistribution of the meaning and value assigned to those domains of human life imagined in opposition to social relation itself.
Prediction of Crosstalk in Ribbon Cables: Comparison of Model Predictions and Experimental Results

The prediction of crosstalk in ribbon cables is investigated. Experimental results are obtained for a 20-wire ribbon cable and compared to the predictions of the multiconductor transmission line (MTL) model. Based on the experimental configuration tested, it would appear that accurate predictions of crosstalk can be achieved in these controlled-characteristic cables. The prediction accuracies are typically within ±1 dB for frequencies such that the line is electrically short and ±6 dB for frequencies such that the line is electrically long. It was found that the parasitic wires in the cable can have a significant effect (as much as 40 dB) on the coupling between a generator circuit and a receptor circuit in the cable. Therefore, to achieve accurate predictions in ribbon cables, one must consider the interactions between all wires in the cable. The wire insulation evidently cannot be ignored for frequencies such that the line is electrically long. The impedance of the reference wire cannot be ignored for low frequencies where the common-impedance coupling dominates the electromagnetic-field coupling.
Nuclear shell model: Hartree-Fock approximation with Gammel-Thaler two-nucleon potential

Abstract To investigate how good or bad the Hartree-Fock approximation is for the atomic nuclei, a calculation has been carried out with the phenomenological two-nucleon potential V(ri−rj) of Gammel-Thaler containing a repulsive core, a central, a tensor and an L·S interaction. Harmonic oscillator wave functions are used for the one-nucleon wave functions. The parameters in the wave functions and a multiplicative parameter in V(ri−rj) are determined from O16 by the variational principle and the empirical total energy. These (now fixed) parameters are then used to calculate the energy of the configuration (ls)ν2 (lp)ν5 (ls)π2 (lp)π6 of O15. It is found that the L·S term in V(ri−rj) gives rise to a doublet {ggggggggg} MeV. The total binding energy is E(J=½)=−114.8 MeV compared with the empirical value −111.97 MeV. The sign of this doublet corresponds, on the picture of the individual nucleon moving in an effective central field and possessing an li·si interaction, to a sign of li·si opposite to that of the electron, and is in agreement with the fundamental hypothesis of the nuclear shell model of Mayer and of Jensen et al. The magnitude of the doublet, however, is too large, by a factor of about 5. These results are discussed.
Preparation of Cobaloxime-Substituted Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds and Their Subsequent Conversion into 1-Cobaloxime-Substituted 1,3-Dienyl Complexes

Reduced cobaloxime (cobaloxime = [(pyridine)(dimethylglyoxime)2cobalt]) compounds react with a variety of oxygen-substituted allenic and propargyl electrophiles to produce cobaloxime-substituted α,β- or β,γ-unsaturated ketones and aldehydes. Two of the new unsaturated acyl complexes prepared have been characterized by X-ray crystallography. Several of the α,β-unsaturated acyl complexes were subsequently converted into 1-cobaloxime-1,3-dienyl complexes using Peterson or Petasis olefinations. One of these new dienyl complexes has also been characterized by X-ray crystallography.
Ontologies for modeling enterprise level security metrics

Currently, it is difficult to answer simple questions such as "are we more secure than yesterday" or "how should we invest our limited security budget." Decision makers in other areas of business and engineering often use metrics for determining whether a projected return on investment justifies its costs. Spending for new cyber-security measures is such an investment. Therefore, security metrics [1] that can quantify the overall risk in an enterprise system are essential in making sensible decisions in security management.