cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Failure and the American Writer: A Literary History

If America worships success, then why has the nation's literature dwelled obsessively on failure? This book explores encounters with failure by nineteenth-century writers - ranging from Edgar Allan Poe and Herman Melville to Mark Twain and Sarah Orne Jewett - whose celebrated works more often struck readers as profoundly messy, flawed and even perverse. Reading textual inconsistency against the backdrop of a turbulent nineteenth century, Gavin Jones describes how the difficulties these writers faced in their faltering search for new styles, coherent characters and satisfactory endings uncovered experiences of blunder and inadequacy hidden in the culture at large. Through Jones's treatment, these American writers emerge as the great theorists of failure who discovered ways to translate their own social insecurities into complex portrayals of a modern self, founded in moral fallibility, precarious knowledge and negative feelings.
Macroecological relationships in the dynamics of gut microbiota

The gut microbiome is now widely recognized as a dynamic ecosystem that plays an important role in health and disease1. While current sequencing technologies make it possible to estimate relative abundances of host-associated bacteria over time2,3, the biological processes governing their dynamics remain poorly understood. Therefore, as in other ecological systems4,5, it is important to identify quantitative relationships describing global aspects of gut microbiota dynamics. Here we use multiple high-resolution time series data obtained from humans and mice6–8 to demonstrate that despite their inherent complexity, gut microbiota dynamics can be characterized by several robust scaling relationships. Remarkably, these patterns are highly similar to those previously observed across diverse ecological communities and economic systems, including the temporal fluctuations of animal and plant populations9–12 and the performance of publicly traded companies13. Specifically, we find power law relationships describing short-and long-term changes in gut microbiota abundances, species residence and return times, and the connection between the mean and variance of species abundances. The observed scaling relationships are altered in mice receiving different diets and affected by context-specific perturbations in humans. We use these macroecological relationships to reveal specific bacterial taxa whose dynamics are significantly affected by dietary and environmental changes. Overall, our results suggest that a quantitative macroecological framework will be important for characterizing and understanding complex dynamical processes in the gut microbiome.
Plato on Divinization and the Divinity of the Rational Part of the Soul

Three distinct reasons that Plato calls the rational part of the soul “divine” are analyzed: (1) its metaphysical kinship with the Forms, (2) its epistemological ability to know the Forms, and (3) its ethical capacity to live by them. Supposing these three divine aspects of the rational part are unified in the life of each person, they naturally suggest a process of divinization or “becoming like god” according to which a person (specifically, a philosopher), by (3) living more virtuously, which requires (2) increasingly better knowledge of the Forms, gradually (1) becomes united with them. This process of divinization is in fact found throughout the middle and late dialogues, including the Phaedo, Republic, Symposium, Phaedrus, Timaeus, and the Laws. This synoptic view of the Platonic idea(l) of divinization provides a standard according to which misplaced emphasis, flaws, and tension created by other interpretations are criticized and corrected.
Biological Consequences of Membrane Fluidity and Fusion

In the previous chapter, we saw that the lipid constituents of membranes confer on these structures a fluid character. Membrane fluidity allows for a variety of biological functions. These include cell infection by envelope viruses; cell fusion, as it occurs in the biogenesis of a muscle fiber (a myotube); and the formation of junctions between cells, to allow intercellular communication. It is also clear that exoand endocytosis would be impossible in cells possessing rigid membranes.
Brief announcement : self-stabilizing synchronization of arbitrary digraphs in presence of faults

This brief announcement presents a fault-tolerant self-stabilizing distributed clock synchronization protocol for an arbitrary, non-partitioned digraph. Synchronization algorithms are essential for managing the use of resources and controlling communication in a distributed system. Synchronization of a distributed system is the process of achieving and maintaining a bounded skew among independent local time clocks. A distributed system is said to be self-stabilizing if, from an arbitrary state, it is guaranteed to reach a legitimate state in a finite amount of time and remain in a legitimate state. For clock synchronization, a legitimate state is a state where all parts in the system are in synchrony. The self-stabilizing distributed-system clock synchronization problem is, therefore, to develop an algorithm (i.e., a protocol) to achieve and maintain synchrony of local clocks in a distributed system after experiencing system-wide disruptions in the presence of network element imperfections. The convergence and closure properties address achieving and maintaining networksynchrony, respectively.
Altruism – A Philosophical Analysis

Altruism can be defined in both biological and psychological senses. Biological altruists are organisms that act so as to raise the expected reproductive success of other organisms by reducing their own reproductive success. Whereas psychological altruism is more difficult to define. Keywords: altruism; cooperation; kin selection; prisoner's dilemma; group selection; psychology
Stereotypes as Valid Categories of Knowledge and Human Perceptions of Group Differences

Stereotypes – beliefs about group differences – are more complex than is generally assumed. First, we address the multidimensionality of stereotypes under the framework of the Cubic EPA model which suggests that stereotypes are characterized by three dimensions: evaluation, potency, and accuracy. Specific attention is given to the relationship between stereotypes and totemic beliefs as collectively shared representations. Second, we review controversial research on the accuracy of stereotypes. Cultural stereotypes, personal stereotypes, judgment of individuals and groups, judgment criteria, and meta-analytical results are examined, revealing the robust relationship between stereotypes and reality. Finally, we point to the importance of explanations of group differences, especially the perception of essence that is encouraged by group entitativity (perceptual “oneness”). We suggest that stereotyping is particularly powerful for groups with high entitativity and a perceived essence, and that a group’s totem is the manifestation of the group’s essence. Though we cannot resolve all the controversies relating to stereotyping, our perspective emphasizes stereotypes as categories useful for human interaction and survival.
A 16-element autonomous receiving array

An autonomous receiving array system has been designed, fabricated, and deployed at-sea for the collection of broadband underwater acoustic data. The system consists of a 16-element hydrophone array, a pressure case containing the data acquisition and disk storage hardware, and a mooring which includes floats for buoyancy, a RF-beacon and flasher, deep-sea batteries, and an acoustic release. The array cable consists of 16 twisted-pairs with a polyurethane outer jacket and a Kevlar strength member. In the current configuration, the array cable is 75 m in aperture with take-outs spaced every 5 m. Hydrophone-preamplifier packages (HTI-94-SSQ) are attached at each take-out and essentially have a flat frequency response from 20 Hz through 20 kHz. The multi-channel data acquisition system consists of a compact PCI chassis with CPU, signal conditioning electronics, and A/D. The data is recorded on four IDE, 60 GB, 2.5" disk drives. All data acquisition functions are carried out in LabVIEW. The CPU includes a 100BaseT Ethernet interface which is made available through a bulkhead connector on the pressure case. Thus, high-speed access to the data on the internal disks is available without the need to open the pressure case. Power is supplied externally by two 24 volt, Deep Sea Power & Light batteries which provide approximately 48 hours of underwater data collection. An alternative mooring configuration currently being developed will enable power and Ethernet connectivity to be provided by a surface buoy which then can facilitate access to the data over a RF-telemetry link from shore or a nearby ship. (e.g. an 802.11b wireless LAN).
Exploiting reusable organizations to reduce complexity in multiagent system design

Organization-based Multiagent Systems are a promising way to develop complex multiagent systems. However, it is still difficult to create large multiagent organizations from scratch. Multiagent organizations created using current AOSE methodologies tend to produce ad-hoc designs that work well for small applications but are not easily reused. In this paper, we provide a conceptual framework for designing reusable multiagent organizations. It allows us to simplify multiagent organization designs and facilitate their reuse. We formalize the concepts required to design reusable organization-based multiagent services and show how we can compose those services to create larger, more complex multiagent systems. We demonstrate the validity of our approach by designing an application from the cooperative robotics field.
Sucrose as an analgesic for newborn infants.

The very convincing and scientific article by Blass and Hoffmeyer9 reminds me of one of my earliest recollections as a medical student. In 1930, in my first clinical semester, I audited a course in surgery given by Professor Ferdinand Sauerbruch, a brilliant and world-renowned surgeon—eccentric, dramatic, and not known for compassion with either patients or students. The lecture was given in a large amphitheater at the Charite (University Hospital) in Berlin; the subject was pylorormyotomy.
Intelligent Methods in Virtual Databases

Considerable progress has been achieved in the area of virtual database systems, but substantial problems still persist. In this paper we discuss two current research directions: The resolution of extensional inconsistencies among databases participating in a virtual database, and the automatic incorporation of new information sources based on a process of discovery. Our approach to both problems involves to some degree what is often referred to as soft computing techniques.
Un mito republicano de armonía racial:raza y patriotismo en Colombia, 1820-1812

El articulo sostiene que la ideologia nacionalista de armonia e igualdad racial -lo que los academicos contemporaneos han llamado el “mito de democracia racial”- surgio durante las guerras anticoloniales hispanoamericanas de principios del siglo XIX. Factores como la participacion de los negros y mulatos en el ejercito patriota, el miedo de la elite a la guerra de razas y la poderosa ideologia na- cionalista que surgio durante las guerras, llevaron a que las nuevas naciones hispanoamericanas “resolvieran” sus conﬂictos raciales con la creacion de un mito nacionalista de armonia e igualdad racial. Este articulo examina el lado intelectual e ideologico de este proceso. A lo largo del texto la autora narra como en las Cortes Constitucionales de Cadiz se nego la ciudadania a los afro-descen- dientes y como, como resultado de estos debates y de la movilizacion de patriotas negros y mulatos, el discurso patriota empezo a equiparar los derechos de los pardos con la lucha en contra del sistema colonial y el patriotismo con la armonia racial. Es asi como se forja una nueva y poderosa ideologia nacionalista que afectara las relaciones raciales de los proximos dos siglos.
Transmission electron microscopy with a liquid flow cell

The imaging of microscopic structures at nanometre-scale spatial resolution in a liquid environment is of interest for a wide range of studies. Recently, a liquid flow transmission electron microscopy (TEM) holder equipped with a microfluidic cell has been developed and shown to exhibit flow of nanoparticles through an electron transparent viewing window. Here we demonstrate the application of the flow cell system for both scanning and conventional transmission electron microscopy imaging of immobilized nanoparticles with a resolution of a few nanometres in liquid water of micrometre thickness. The spatial resolution of conventional TEM bright field imaging is shown to be limited by chromatic aberration due to multiple inelastic scattering in the water, and we demonstrate that the liquid in the cell can be displaced by a gas phase that forms under intense electron irradiation. Our data suggest that under appropriate conditions, TEM imaging with a liquid flow cell is a promising method for understanding the in situ behaviour of nanoscale structures in a prescribed and dynamically changing chemical environment.
Hybrid reduced order modeling applied to nonlinear models

SUMMARY Reduced order modeling plays an indispensible role for most real-world complex models. The objective of this manuscript is to hybridize local and global sensitivity analysis methods to enable the application of reduced order modeling to complex nonlinear models, often encountered in real system design and analysis calculations, for example, nuclear reactors. This is achieved by first employing local variational methods to identify important nonlinear features of the original model that are required to reach a user-defined accuracy for the reduced model. This information is obtained by sampling local first-order derivatives of a pseudoresponse utilizing a modified representation of an infinite series expansion around some reference point. The resulting derivative information is aggregated in a subspace of dimension much less than the dimension of the input parameter space. The accuracy of the reduced model can be mathematically quantified using a bounding norm. Next, global sensitivity methods are employed to exhaustively search the reduced subspace for sensitivity information. The theory and implementation details of the proposed method are exposed in this manuscript. Numerical tests based on prototype nonlinear functions and radiation transport models with many input parameters and many responses are conducted as proof of principle. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Case Management in Mental Health: A Social Work Domain?

CASE MANAGEMENT is recom mended with increasing fre quency as an approach to caring for the multiple needs of disabled per sons, particularly in the context of deinstitutionalization. The prin ciple underlying this approach is that one worker—the case manager— will link the client to the complex service delivery system and be re sponsible for ensuring that the client receives appropriate services in a timely fashion. Despite its growing popularity, case manage ment is still in the early stages of development as a practice model. A major problem is its lack of opera tional clarity. Its functions have been interpreted in disparate ways, mak ing case management a paradoxical assortment of activities requiring substantial commitment from all or
Bacterial cell sorting in microchannels

Microfluidic devices offer exciting prospects for the identification, sorting and manipulation of microorganisms. Devices featuring microchannel arrays or patterned surfaces with specific cellular interactions are expected to have a broad range of biomedical, environmental and security applications; e.g. surface modification or use of chemical repellents in dental implants to impart them with resistance to plaque formation. In this paper, we present experimental measurements and modeling studies of the migration of motile chemotactic bacteria in porous channels. Chemotaxis refers to the ability of microorganisms to bias their movement in response to detected chemical gradients of nutrients, pH, dissolved oxygen and other substances. Motile chemotactic organisms distribute to regions of high attractant concentration much more rapidly than their nonchemotactic or nonmotile counterparts. This sensitivity can be exploited in the fabrication of microchannel devices to sort and identify bacterial species and to control the regions where biofilm growth occurs on porous substrates. The migration of bacteria in porous media has been simulated for E. coli and P. stutzeri under conditions in which the cells respond chemotactically to chemical gradients that arise from consumption of nutrients that also act as chemoattractants. The results of the simulations reveal an enhanced motility of the chemotactic cells through porous media relative to their bulk solution phase chemotaxis. Simulation results and experimental visualizations are presented for cell migration through porous media constructs and laser ablated microchannels in glass substrates.
Costs and Benefits of Advocacy for Faculty Women: A Case Study.

The authors describe their own experiences in advocating for faculty women confronting sex discrimination at a large urban university. They discuss specific successful strategies used. Although a number of women were helped with respect to retention, tenure, promotion, salary, etc., there were some negative effects. One paradox observed has been the university administration's attempt to use these successes to counter claims of sex discrimination in a class action suit that faculty women have filed against the university. The authors offer specific suggestions for possible avenues to reduce sex discrimination at the university based on their experiences.
Uniform convergence with rates of smooth Gauss–Weierstrass singular integral operators

In this article, we introduce and study the smooth Gauss–Weierstrass singular integral operators on the line of very general kind. We establish their convergence to the unit operator with rates. The estimates are mostly sharp and they are pointwise or uniform. The established inequalities involve the higher order modulus of smoothness. To prove optimality we use mainly the geometric moment theory method.
Cross-Cultural Assessment of Eating Disorders: Psychometric Characteristics of a Korean Version of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 and the Bulimia Test-Revised

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric characteristics of a Korean version of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2; D. M. Garner, 1990) and the Bulimia Test-Revised (BULIT-R; M. H. Theien, J. Farmer, S. Wonderlich, & M. Smith, 1991). Internal consistency and content validity were examined by administering the Korean EDI-2 and BULIT-R to 224 Korean, bilingual, college women. Construct validity was examined by administering the English and Korean tests to a subset of 145 women 1 week apart. Convergent by wod examined by comparing results of the Korean BUIT-R with the 601-2 Bulimia subscde. High levels of internal comhtency-, and high content, construct, and convergent validity, were obaervedfir the Korean tests. Thu, the Korean EDI-2 and BULIT-R are apprvpriate screening tests for Korean American and Korean women.
Developing Complete Prediction Capability for Thermal Damages in Finish Machining of a Hardened Steel

The material thermal damages in hard turning can be classified as re-tempering and re-quenching, and the capability of predicting both damages is critical to obtaining optimal machining parameters for best part service performance. In this study, thermal damages were represented by material hardness change, and models for re-quenching and re-tempering were constructed through heat treatment experiments. The model for re-tempering describes hardness change based on material thermal history, while the re-quenching model defines material hardness as a function of material quenching temperature. In the meantime, a valid finite element (FE) model was adopted to calculate the material temperature histories in 3D hard turning. The obtained thermal histories were fed into the damage models, and thus the distributions of thermal damages beneath machined surfaces could be predicted.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Child voice: How immigrant children enlightened their teachers with a camera

Changes in global patterns of residence mean that preschool teachers welcome immigrant children and families into preschools in increasing numbers. Many teachers report both anticipation and apprehension about having immigrant children in the classroom. Apprehension is related to concerns about a lack of enough knowledge about languages and cultures to sensitively work with children and families. To overcome apprehensions and challenges, teachers are encouraged to learn from the work of other adults. This study builds upon research that suggests that teachers can also look to the children as a source of knowledge. The purpose of this study was to explore how preschool immigrant children might use a disposable camera to communicate with their teachers. The participants of this qualitative study were immigrant and native-born students in a local preschool. Each child was given a disposable camera, instruction about taking photographs and the request to take pictures of what was important to them. Data were collected by recording each child telling the teacher about the pictures. Data were analyzed for themes, patterns and categories. Findings indicated that the messages that the children conveyed to their teachers included important information about language development and family cultural identity. Findings also identify teacher strategies that helped and hindered child ability to communicate during the photo-narration process. An implication of the study was a shift of child agency within the teacher child relationship during photo-narration activity.
One Hundred Years of Humor in American Advertising

This study addresses a gap in the extensive scholarly literature on advertising humor by exploring advertisers’ uses of humor and explanations for its broad appeal as a message tactic throughout the previous century. The study’s sources consist mainly of articles published in the important advertising trade journal Printers’ Ink, supplemented with more recent articles from contemporary marketing and advertising trade journals. An examination of the evolution of professional thought regarding humor indicates that its use during various periods often represented a response to perceptions of changing societal factors and the consequential need to attract greater attention to advertising, the more frequent use of emotional versus rational appeals, the belief that advertising should entertain, changing perceptions of the role of advertising, and the content of the entertainment media.
On combining unbiased estimators of the mean

The problem considered here is that of estimating the common mean of two normal populations whose variances are unknown and may differ. After examining some results by Zacks [5], we present some classes of estimators which are symmetric as well as asymmetric. These are investigated with respect to their efficiencies.
Donating-selling tradeoffs and the influence of leaders in the environmental goods game

Abstract Contributions to environmental goods are motivated by both pecuniary incentives and environmental consciousness. Public policy often uses financial incentives to encourage contributions. However, individuals often donate their time or money to the environmental cause without such incentives. The purpose of this paper is: (a) to examine the relationship between “donating” (without monetary incentives) and “selling” behavior (motivated by monetary incentives) of individuals in the context of environmental protection and (b) to analyze the influence of a leader on individual contributions to the environmental good. The major results are: (1) there is a tradeoff/substitution between donating and selling for a given level of incentives; (2) donating is much less sensitive to changes in monetary incentives and, furthermore, there is no evidence that the increase in financial incentives to sell will crowd out donations; (3) the changes in contributions by leaders have a significant impact on followers’ behavior.
A dynamic method for liquid-particle mass transfer in trickle beds

Previous investigations of liquid-to-particle mass transfer in trickle beds have used non-porous particles. However, the applications of trickle beds have been for reactions or adsorption employing porous catalysts as adsorbents. In this study a method of dynamic adsorption with porous particles is developed. The procedure is to extrapolate the response to a step-function input of non-volatile adsorbate to a short time where intraparticle diffusion and adsorption do not affect the overall process. The method is applied to the adsorption of benzaldehyde from aqueous solutions in a bed of granular, activated carbon particles. Measurements were made for three particle sizes, in adsorbers of two diameters, at 298K and 1 atm. The gas flow rate had no discernible effect on the mass transfer coefficients, kLsaLs, over a superficial velocity range of 1.47 to 8.0 × 10−2 m/s, but kLsaLs increased with liquid rate. The results, correlated as Sherwood vs. Reynolds number, agree well with the nonporous particle data of Van Krevelen and Krekels (1948), but suggest larger Sherwood numbers than similar data from later investigations. The wide range of mass transfer results for either liquid-to-particle or liquid-to-gas in trickle beds seems to be due in large measure to the difficulty in reproducing the rivulent flow pattern of liquid from bed to bed.
Adapting methods for determining priorities for the analysis of foods in diverse populations

Abstract Identifying and prioritizing the most significant foods and nutrients for sampling and analysis is essential in creating national food composition databases. A prioritized food list for the United States population has been developed using the Key Foods approach, where data from food consumption surveys are combined with USDA nutrient data to determine a food's rela tive nutrient contribution to the diet. However, the population of the United States is diverse. Foods consumed by the many ethnic groups include traditional recipes, which use unique ingredients and preparation methods. Foods which are relatively minor contributors to the diet of the total population often make a much larger contribution to the diet of a particular ethnic group. The Key Foods approach has been used to develop food lists for ethnic groups identified in large nationwide surveys, such as African Americans. For these groups, extensive demographic and consumption data, as well as comprehensive food composition data, are available. More limited data exists for other groups, such as American Indians. Therefore, alternative methods of collecting information, such as small localized surveys and interviews, are used. Methodologies used to identify foods consumed by both groups will be examined. Using these techniques, researchers can develop cost-effective approaches for selecting foods.
Assessment of depression prevalence in rural Uganda using symptom and function criteria.

We sought to assess the prevalence of major depression in a region of sub-Saharan Africa severely affected by HIV, using symptom and functional criteria as measured with locally validated instruments. Six hundred homes in the Masaka and Rakai districts of southwest Uganda were selected by weighted systematic random sampling. A locally validated version of the depression section of the Hopkins Symptom Check List (DHSCL) and a community-generated index of functional impairment were used to interview 587 respondents. Of respondents,21% were diagnosed with depression using three of the five DSM-IV criteria (including function impairment) compared with 24.4 % using symptom criteria alone. Increased age and lower educational levels are associated with a greater risk for depression; however, a gender effect was not detected. Most community-based assessments of depression in sub-Saharan Africa based on the DSM-IV have used symptom criteria only.We found that expanding criteria to more closely match the complete DSM-IV is feasible, thereby making more accurate assessments of prevalence possible. This approach suggests that major depression and associated functional impairment are a substantial problem in this population.
Fe–15Ni–13Cr austenitic stainless steels for fission and fusion reactor applications. I. Effects of minor alloying elements on precipitate phases in melt products and implication in alloy fabrication

Abstract In an effort to develop alloys for fission and fusion reactor applications, 28Fe–15Ni–13Cr base alloys were fabricated by adding various combinations of the minor alloying elements, Mo, Ti, C, Si, P, Nb, and B. The results showed that a significant fraction of undesirable residual oxygen was removed as oxides when Ti, C, and Si were added. Accordingly, the concentrations of the latter three essential alloying elements were reduced also. Among these elements, Ti was the strongest oxide former, but the largest oxygen removal (over 80%) was observed when carbon was added alone without Ti, since gaseous CO boiled off during melting. This paper recommends an alloy melting procedure to mitigate solute losses while reducing the undesirable residual oxygen. In this work, 14 different types of precipitate phases were identified. Compositions of precipitate phases and their crystallographic data are documented. Finally, stability of precipitate phases was examined in view of Gibbs free energy of formation.
Effects of high-temperature hydrogenation treatment on sliding friction and wear behavior of carbide-derived carbon films.

In this study, we investigated the effects of a high-temperature hydrogenation treatment on the sliding friction and wear behavior of nanostructured carbide-derived carbon (CDC) films in dry nitrogen and humid air environments. These films are produced on the surfaces of silicon carbide substrates by reacting the carbide phase with chlorine or chlorine–hydrogen gas mixtures at 1000 to 1100 °C in a sealed tube furnace. The typical friction coefficients of CDC films in open air are in the range of 0.2 to 0.25, but in dry nitrogen, the friction coefficients are 0.15. In an effort to achieve lower friction on CDC films, we developed and used a special hydrogenation process that was proven to be very effective in lowering friction of CDC films produced on SiC substrates. Specifically, the films that were post-hydrogen-treated exhibited friction coefficients as low as 0.03 in dry nitrogen, while the friction coefficients in humid air were ~0.2. The wear of Si3N4 counterface balls was hard to measure after the tests, while shallow wear tracks had formed on CDC films on SiC disks. Detailed mechanical and structural characterizations of the CDC films and sliding contact surfaces were done using a series of analytical techniques and these findings were correlated with the friction and wear behaviors of as-produced and hydrogen-treated CDC films.
Changes in Intensity of Serotonin Syndrome Caused by Adverse Interaction between Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors and Serotonin Reuptake Blockers

Drug interaction between inhibitors of monoamine oxidase (MAOIs) and selective serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) reuptake (SSRIs) induces serotonin syndrome, which is usually mild but occasionally severe in intensity. However, little is known about neural mechanisms responsible for the syndrome induction and intensification. In this study, we hypothesized that the syndrome induction and intensity utilize two different but inter-related mechanisms. Serotonin syndrome is elicited by excessive 5-HT in the brain (presynaptic mechanism), whereas syndrome intensity is attributed to neural circuits involving 5-HT2A and NMDA receptors (postsynaptic mechanism). To test this hypothesis, basal 5-HT efflux and postsynaptic circuits were pharmacologically altered in rats by once daily pretreatment of the MAOI clorgyline for 3, 6, or 13 days. Syndrome intensity was estimated by measuring 5-HT efflux, neuromuscular activity, and body-core temperature in response to challenge injection of clorgyline combined with the SSRI paroxetine. Results showed that the onset of serotonin syndrome is caused by 5-HT efflux exceeding 10-fold above baseline, confirming the presynaptic hypothesis. The neuromuscular and body-core temperature abnormalities, which were otherwise mild in drug-naive rats, were significantly intensified to a severe level in rats pretreated with daily clorgyline for 3 and 6 days but not in rats pretreated for 13 days. The intensified effect was blocked by M100907 and MK-801, suggesting that variation in syndrome intensity was mediated through a 5-HT2A and NMDA receptor-engaged circuit. Therefore, we concluded that pretreatments of MAOI pharmacologically alter the activity of postsynaptic circuits, which is responsible for changes in syndrome intensity.
A system for measuring mechanical stresses in a vessel hull

Sensors of the stressed state of hulls and systems that gather and process information from those sensors play a special role in the monitoring of the strength of vessel structures. Magnetoelastic transducers are the type of sensors that are most suitable for this purpose. This study is devoted to the development of a system for monitoring the stressed state of a vessel hull that meets the modern requirements of norms and rules regarding the monitoring of the stressed state of a vessel hull. The proposed monitoring system incorporates a unit for digital processing of signals and mandatory recording of the measurement process. The system was developed taking into account marine conditions; issues of technical maintenance and the cost of the proposed project were also considered. Options for the use of the mathematical regression method in monitoring of stresses in hull structures of vessels are analyzed. Approaches to the development of the system for monitoring stresses in hulls are outlined.
Distribution of medical research articles on the World Wide Web.

Abstract Ninety-eight percent of 51 polled medical editors felt that published research articles should be available to the public on the World Wide Web at no charge, after a mean time from publication of 1.4 years for viewing and 1.9 years for printing. Public libraries or other government institutions could be allowed to assume the responsibility of housing and distributing the electronically stored archived material, analogous to their role with printed material, lifting the financial burden from the publishing companies.
Thermally-labile segmented hyperbranched copolymers: using reversible-covalent chemistry to investigate the mechanism of self-condensing vinyl copolymerization

A thermally-reversible inimer was used to confirm the controlled growth of individual branches during self-condensing vinyl atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Segmented hyperbranched polymers were synthesized by ATRP of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and a novel inimer that contained a thermally labile Diels–Alder linkage between its initiating and polymerizable moieties. Three distinct feed ratios of MMA to inimer (15 : 1, 30 : 1, and 60 : 1) yielded hyperbranched polymers with variable degrees of branching and molecular weights in the range of 120 000 to 515 000 g mol−1. The resulting hyperbranched polymers contained thermally-reversible branch points that were cleaved quantitatively on heating to yield linear polymers with molecular weights that were similar to the theoretical values that would be expected based on controlled chain growth of individual branches during self-condensing vinyl polymerization (SCVP). The cleaved linear polymers contained pendant furan and terminal maleimide functionalities that allowed reassembly at 50 °C to form “healed” hyperbranched polymers. The healing efficiency was determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy, and the molecular weights of the repaired hyperbranched polymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography. A segmented hyperbranched polymer was employed as a multifunctional macroinitiator to prepare an amphiphilic “hyper-star” via chain extension with poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate. Assembly of these “hyper-stars” into well-defined micelles (∼23 nm) in neutral water was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering.
Sharable engineering knowledge databases for intelligent system applications

This paper describes a sharable engineering knowledge database for capturing and accessing information about the structure, functions and behaviors of chemical process systems. The database is configurable and designed for reuse across processes and for a variety of intelligent system applications. In this paper we present a formalism based on Functional Representation (FR) that is the unification of earlier variants dedicated to specific applications. Reuse for multiple applications is illustrated with a unified database example applied to both design critique and HAZOP.
Facilitator Presence and Identity in Online Discourse: Use of Positioning Theory as an Analytic Framework.

In this study, positioning theory was used as a theoretical framework for analyzing facilitator presence and identity in online discussion transcripts. The study has two purposes. First, the study provides a description of naturally occurring facilitator positioning by facilitators and students in two online and two blended classes. Second, it confirms and demonstrates positioning theory’s usefulness, for both research and pedagogical purposes, as framework through which presence and identity in asynchronous forums may be evaluated. Findings show that facilitator positioning was more likely to occur through facilitator-written messages than through student-written ones, and to be either tacit or performative in nature. Accountative facilitator positioning tended to occur infrequently and only as a second order discourse act in response to a student request. More notably, students infrequently positioned facilitators, relying on tacit assumptions that traditional roles would be supported through the discourse.
Estimation of precipitable water over the United States for application to the division of solar radiation into its direct and diffuse components

Abstract Monthly mean atmospheric precipitable water data for eighty-two sites in the continental U.S. and Alaska have been analyzed to develop methods for accurately estimating precipitable water at sites where it has not been measured. Monthly mean precipitable water can be estimated with an rms error of about 12%, using the monthly mean surface temperature and relative humidity. This rms error can be reduced to about seven percent, if the properties of the average atmospheric and surface conditions in the region surrounding the site are used. The amount of sunlight scattered by the atmosphere is a function of the amount of precipitable water and other quantities.
A constant perfusion slice chamber for stable recording during the addition of drugs.

Abstract A new design for a brain slice chamber is described. This chamber has the following features: (1) slices are maintained in a stable condition for long-term (3–4 h) intracellular recording; (2) drugs may be injected into the flowing perfusion medium in known concentrations without disturbing intracellular penetration; (3) a wide range of concentrations may be used to test a single cell, (4) highly repeatable results may be obtained; (5) only minute amounts are required of substances to be tested, and (6) the apparatus is easy to use and clean since all parts are removable. The chamber may also be easily modified to allow for the requirements of different experiments. The chamber has been used successfully to test the effects of Ang II, carbachol, insulin and gonadotropin releasing hormone.
Reactivity of propylene carbonate toward metallic lithium: Temperature programmed desorption study

This paper presents temperature programmed desorption (TPD) data for perdeuterated propylene carbonate (PC-d{sub 6}) condensed at cryogenic temperatures on Li films vapor deposited onto polycrystalline (poly) Au and Ag foils and represents an extension of previous work involving the reactivity of tetrahydrofuran (THF) toward Li supported on Ag(poly). The findings suggest that the product of the reaction between PC and metallic Li is a lithium alkylcarbonate. The same type of species has been proposed to be the major constituent of the passive film on Li in PC in electrochemical environments based on in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic studies. Experiments in which PC-d{sub 6} was intentionally mixed with CO{sub 2}, O{sub 2}, or H{sub 2}O showed that in each case the impurity reacts with Li to form the expected products without affecting, other than the net amount, the PC-d{sub 6}Li thermal decomposition pathway. 15 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs.
Stimulation of β-adrenergic receptors inhibits the release of tumor necrosis factor-α from the isolated rat heart

OBJECTIVES: Beta-adrenergic receptor agonists such as isoproterenol inhibit production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in a number of cell types. Because the heart is a source of TNF-alpha, we hypothesized that isoproterenol would inhibit cardiac production of the cytokine. DESIGN: Analysis of cardiac release of TNF-alpha. SETTING: Medical research laboratory. SUBJECTS: Rats. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: With the approval of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, rats were anesthetized and hearts were removed and perfused. After 30 mins, bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with or without isoproterenol was infused for 60 mins. At 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 mins, coronary flow was measured and coronary effluent was analyzed for TNF-alpha. Cardiac production of TNF-alpha was expressed as pg/min. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP) in the coronary effluent was measured. TNF-alpha messenger RNA was determined in ventricular tissue. After 30 mins, TNF-alpha was undetectable in the coronary effluent However, 60 mins after the initiation of LPS infusion, TNF-alpha release was 875+/-255 pg/min and increased to 2164+/-721 pg/min at 150 mins. Simultaneous infusion of isoproterenol with LPS stimulated cyclic AMP release and inhibited TNF-alpha production. For instance, at 60 and 150 mins, TNF-alpha release was 75+/-38 and 58+/-29 pg/min, respectively (p < .05 vs. LPS alone). Simultaneous infusion of isoproterenol with LPS blocked the induction of TNF-alpha messenger RNA by LPS. Isoproterenol, begun 30 mins after the initiation of LPS infusion, still suppressed LPS-stimulated TNF-alpha release by 95% at 150 mins. Similar results were obtained with norepinephrine. CONCLUSIONS: Activation of beta-adrenergic receptors inhibits cardiac TNF-alpha release. This implies that cytokine production by the heart is inhibited by the sympathetic nervous system. In heart failure, the cardiac response to the sympathetic nervous system is impaired. This impairment may play a role in the high plasma levels of TNF-alpha found in heart failure.
Teaching operations management in an integrated format: Student perception and faculty experience

Abstract Understanding the role of the operations function is an important part of any business student's training. Here we present and analyze our experience of teaching operations management by integrating it with other business disciplines. A survey instrument was developed and students were asked to complete the online survey at the beginning and at end of the semester. Statistical analysis was performed on the responses received. Using factor analysis and structural equation model we assessed student perceptions. We found that students perceive learning operations management in an integrated format quite useful. Students are well trained to understand the interrelationship of operations management with other business functions. The experience and viewpoints of faculty members developing and delivering the integrated course over a significant period are presented as well.
The mechanical environment of the chondrocyte: a biphasic finite element model of cell–matrix interactions in articular cartilage

Mechanical compression of the cartilage extracellular matrix has a significant effect on the metabolic activity of the chondrocytes. However, the relationship between the stress-strain and fluid-flow fields at the macroscopic "tissue" level and those at the microscopic "cellular" level are not fully understood. Based on the existing experimental data on the deformation behavior and biomechanical properties of articular cartilage and chondrocytes, a multi-scale biphasic finite element model was developed of the chondrocyte as a spheroidal inclusion embedded within the extracellular matrix of a cartilage explant. The mechanical environment at the cellular level was found to be time-varying and inhomogeneous, and the large difference ( approximately 3 orders of magnitude) in the elastic properties of the chondrocyte and those of the extracellular matrix results in stress concentrations at the cell-matrix border and a nearly two-fold increase in strain and dilatation (volume change) at the cellular level, as compared to the macroscopic level. The presence of a narrow "pericellular matrix" with different properties than that of the chondrocyte or extracellular matrix significantly altered the principal stress and strain magnitudes within the chondrocyte, suggesting a functional biomechanical role for the pericellular matrix. These findings suggest that even under simple compressive loading conditions, chondrocytes are subjected to a complex local mechanical environment consisting of tension, compression, shear, and fluid pressure. Knowledge of the local stress and strain fields in the extracellular matrix is an important step in the interpretation of studies of mechanical signal transduction in cartilage explant culture models.
“They're Always over Us”—Teaching about Drones

Social studies teachers have an obligation to help students grapple with and thoughtfully examine controversial issues, often in a contemporary context. One such issue is the U.S. use of unmanned aerial vehicles, generally known as drones. Whether for surveillance purposes or military missions, the use of drones by the U.S. government has preceded the development of clearly articulated policy guidelines. This article examines the use of drones in U.S. policy, the argument for and against their deployment, and the manner in which social studies educators may effectively teach their students about such a complex, challenging topic. Toward that end, the article also advocates for the use of an ethical and analytical framework, the “just war” doctrine, which can assist students in critiquing how drones are used, under what conditions, and the social impact that may entail.
Implications of cartilage invasion in surgically treated laryngeal carcinoma

Background Cartilage invasion adversely affects the outcome of laryngeal carcinoma treated with radiotherapy. The UICC and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) classify laryngeal carcinoma with cartilage invasion as T4 or stage IV. Methods This study examines the prognostic significance of cartilage involvement in T3,4 N0,1 glottic carcinoma treated with total laryngectomy. Patients with tumor extension to pharynx, tongue, and thyroid gland, extracapsular spread, positive resection margins, and less than 2 years' follow-up were excluded. Results Sixty-seven pT3 (cartilage free of tumor) and 37 pT4 (cartilage invaded by tumor) cases were studied. The difference between the pT3 and pT4 groups in terms of local or regional recurrence, distant metastasis, and determinate survival was not significant. Conclusions The results of this study question the use of cartilage invasion as a staging parameter for surgically treated laryngeal carcinoma. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are required to fully elucidate the prognostic significance, if any, of cartilage invasion in surgically treated cancer of the larynx. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Head Neck 20:189–192, 1998.