cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Function of M. depressor Caudae and M. caudofemoralis in Pigeons

THE usual method of determining the function of a muscle is by gross dissection and study of attachments. Results of such observations are frequently inconclusive and inaccurate because of differential action of the muscle and synergistic actions of other muscles. This study was concerned primarily with M. caudofemoralis (Figure 1), which is a particularly difficult muscle to which to assign a function in birds. It is attached at each end to a freely movable part of the skeleton-the caudal vertebrae at one end and the femur at the other.
Noise exposure modulates cochlear inner hair cell ribbon volumes, correlating with changes in auditory measures in the FVB/nJ mouse

Cochlear neuropathy resulting from unsafe noise exposure is a life altering condition that affects many people. This hearing dysfunction follows a conserved mechanism where inner hair cell synapses are lost, termed cochlear synaptopathy. Here we investigate cochlear synaptopathy in the FVB/nJ mouse strain as a prelude for the investigation of candidate genetic mutations for noise damage susceptibility. We used measurements of auditory brainstem response (ABR) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) to assess hearing recovery in FVB/nJ mice exposed to two different noise levels. We also utilized confocal fluorescence microscopy in mapped whole mount cochlear tissue, in conjunction with deconvolution and three-dimensional modeling, to analyze numbers, volumes and positions of paired synaptic components. We find evidence for significant synapse reorganization in response to both synaptopathic and sub-synaptopathic noise exposures in FVB/nJ. Specifically, we find that the modulation in volume of very small synaptic ribbons correlates with the presence of reduced ABR peak one amplitudes in both levels of noise exposures. These experiments define the use of FVB/nJ mice for further genetic investigations into the mechanisms of noise damage. They further suggest that in the cochlea, neuronal-inner hair cell connections may dynamically reshape as part of the noise response.
Elements of Engagement: A Model of Teacher Interactions via Professional Learning Networks

AbstractIn recent years, many educators have turned to participatory online affinity spaces for professional growth with peers who are more accessible because of reduced temporal and spatial constraints. Specifically, professional learning networks (PLNs) are “uniquely personalized, complex systems of interactions consisting of people, resources, and digital tools that support ongoing learning and professional growth” (Trust, Krutka, & Carpenter, 2016, p. 35) that have increased in popularity with the rise of social media. We offer a model for teacher educators and teachers to consider key elements of PLN experiences: engaging, discovering, experimenting, reflecting, and sharing. This model can provide educators both a window into possibilities and a mirror for reflection as they build or improve their PLNs.
Cleaning procedure for improved photothermal background of toroidal optical microresonators

High Q-factors and small mode volumes have made toroidal optical microresonators exquisite sensors to small shifts in the effective refractive index of the WGM modes. Eliminating contaminants and improving quality factors is key for many different sensing techniques, and is particularly important for photothermal imaging as contaminants add photothermal background obscuring objects of interest. Several different cleaning procedures including wet- and dry-chemical procedures are tested for their effect on Q-factors and photothermal background. RCA cleaning was shown to be successful in contrast to previously described acid cleaning procedures, most likely due to the different surface reactivity of the acid reagents used. UV-ozone cleaning was shown to be vastly superior to O 2 plasma cleaning procedures, significantly reducing the photothermal background of the resonator.
A Discrete Model of Maps

In the previous chapters, we focused on a mathematical model of maps based on mappings of infinite point sets, denoted the abstract model of maps. The abstract model is not suitable for direct implementation because of its reliance on mathematical concepts, such as infinite point sets. In this chapter, we develop a discrete model of maps based on graph theory. The discrete model uses concepts that are implementable in computer systems, but is not an implementation model in itself. In later chapters, we will develop and implementation model of maps.
Immobilization of proteins on semiconductor nanowires for biosensor development

Silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), zinc oxide (ZnO) and other semiconductor nanowires (NWs) show great promise as sensing elements for the electrical detection of biomolecules [1–3]. In order to enable chemiresistor-type NW devices that utilize direct electronic sensing of biomolecules, one must first develop an analyte-specific functionalization of the nanowire surface and deduce mechanisms by which the functional and analyte molecules bind to the surface. Here we present a solution based bioconjugation technique for the attachment of protein molecules to the NW surfaces. Example of selective immobilization of streptavidin on biotinylated Si, SiC, and GaN NWs was studied and verified by a suite of surface characterization techniques.
Racism: Perceptions of distress among African Americans.

Some scholars have suggested that stressful living conditions are a major source of mental disorder among African Americans (Krieger, 1999; Neighbors, 1990; Kessler & Neighbors, 1986). There has, however, been debate as to whether this higher level of distress is due to racism or the fact that African Americans are more often of lower socioeconomic status. Stressors that play a significant role in mental disorder might be expected to occur more frequently among African Americans than the general population. This paper attempts to provide empirical support for the notion that racism is a separate and unique source of stress for African Americans. Specifically, it was hypothesized that African Americans would report more experiences of (1) daily stress and (2) racism than other groups and (3) the impact of racial stress would be greater among African Americans. One hundred and fifty six participants completed the Daily Stress Inventory and the Experience of Discrimination questionnaire. Multivariate analysis of variance indicated that African Americans reported higher impact of discrimination scores than European Americans. There were no gender or ethnicity differences in daily stress or the number of racial incidents reported. The implications of the data are discussed.
Reducing Anxiety to Increase Exercise in Individuals With Decreased Lung Capacity

The management of chronic disease is complex. For many diseases, the treatment for the disease may mimic disease symptoms. For example, exercise training is recommended as part of the treatment of ...
Earthquake Induced Settlements in Saturated Sands

Volume change measurements following cyclic loading triaxial tests on saturated sands provided data for estimating the settlement induced in a layer of saturated sand subjected to an earthquake. Expected settlements for well-designed fills where liquefaction will not occur are less than 0.5%. If liquefaction develops the reconsolidation settlement may be as much as 1 to 4%. Field data from several case history examples agree with these general predictions.
Emerging investigator series: development and application of polymeric electrospun nanofiber mats as equilibrium-passive sampler media for organic compounds.

We fabricated a suite of polymeric electrospun nanofiber mats (ENMs) and investigated their performance as next-generation passive sampler media for environmental monitoring of organic compounds. Electrospinning of common polymers [e.g., polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and polystyrene (PS), among others] yielded ENMs with reproducible control of nanofiber diameters (from 50 to 340 nm). The ENM performance was investigated initially with model hydrophilic (aniline and nitrobenzene) and hydrophobic (selected PCB congeners and dioxin) compounds, generally revealing fast chemical uptake into all of these ENMs, which was well described by a one compartment, first-order kinetic model. Typical times to reach 90% equilibrium (t90%) were ≤7 days under mixing conditions for all the ENMs and <0.5 days for the best performing materials under static (i.e., no mixing) conditions. Collectively, these short equilibrium timescales suggest that ENMs may be used in the field as an equilibrium-passive sampler, at least for our model compounds. Equilibrium partitioning coefficients (KENM–W, L kg−1) averaged 2 and 4.7 log units for the hydrophilic and hydrophobic analytes, respectively. PAN, PMMA and PS were prioritized for additional studies because they exhibited not only the greatest capacity for simultaneous uptake of the entire model suite (log KENM–W ∼1.5–6.2), but also fast uptake. For these optimized ENMs, the rates of uptake into PAN and PMMA were limited by aqueous phase diffusion to the nanofiber surface, and the rate-determining step for PS was analyte specific. Sorption isotherms also revealed that the environmental application of these optimized ENMs would occur within the linear uptake regime. We examined the ENM performance for the measurement of pore water concentrations from spiked soil and freshwater sediments. Soil and sediment studies not only yielded reproducible pore water concentrations and comparable values to other passive sampler materials, but also provided practical insights into ENM stability and fouling in such systems. Furthermore, fast uptake for a suite of structurally diverse hydrophilic and moderately hydrophobic compounds was obtained for PAN and PS, with t90% ranging from 0.01 to 4 days with mixing and KENM–W values ranging from 1.3 to 3.2 log units. Our findings show promise for the development and use of ENMs as equilibrium-passive samplers for a range of organic pollutants across soil/sediment and water systems.
A Deep Active Survival Analysis approach for precision treatment recommendations: Application of prostate cancer

Abstract Survival analysis has been developed and applied in the number of areas including manufacturing, finance, economics and healthcare. In healthcare domain, usually clinical data are high-dimensional, sparse and complex and sometimes there exists few amount of time-to-event (labeled) instances. Therefore building an accurate survival model from electronic health records is challenging. With this motivation, we address this issue and provide a new survival analysis framework using deep learning and active learning with a novel sampling strategy. First, our approach provides better representation with lower dimensions from clinical features using labeled (time-to-event) and unlabeled (censored) instances and then actively trains the survival model by labeling the censored data using an oracle. As a clinical assistive tool, we introduce a simple effective treatment recommendation approach based on our survival model. In the experimental study, we apply our approach on SEER-Medicare data related to prostate cancer among African–Americans and white patients. The results indicate that our approach outperforms significantly than baseline models.
MRI visualization of optic nerve avulsion due to ocular perforation from BB gun projectile.

Abstract To report a case of optic nerve avulsion after a perforating injury by an air-soft/BB gun that was successfully captured with magnetic resonance imaging.
The Future of Crisis Intervention

With the tragic events of Columbine and September 11th fresh in the minds of Americans, as well as individuals around the world, psychology as a profession should embark upon a mission to educate individuals about crisis and trauma, to engage in treatment models that employ a variety of professionals in a variety of settings, and to develop effective, evidence-based approaches to prevent the occurrence of such future disasters.
Effect of hormones on growth and function of cultured canine tracheal epithelial cells

Insulin (INS), endothelial cell growth supplement (ECGS), transferrin (TF), cholera toxin (CT), hydrocortisone (HC), triiodothyronine (T3), and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were systematically examined for their effects on proliferation, ion transport activity, and morphological differentiation of canine tracheal epithelial (CTE) cells in culture. INS, ECGS, TF, and CT increase proliferation of CTE cells cultured on plastic Petri dishes but exhibit no acute effect on the bioelectric activity of freshly excised CTE. CT increases amiloride-insensitive transepithelial ion transport across both freshly excised canine trachea and CTE cultures. EGF has no effect on proliferation of CTE cells on plastic but induces hyperplasia of CTE cells on collagen matrices. EGF does not alter basal transepithelial ion transport across cultures but increases cellular responsiveness to beta-adrenergic stimulation. HC and T3 have no effect on proliferation or transepithelial bioelectric properties of CTE cells but improve morphological differentiation yielding cultures of complex epithelia containing cuboidal ciliated and nonciliated cells. These results demonstrate that growth and function of cultured CTE cells are affected by specific growth factors.
A Comparative Study of Agencies Assisting Domestic Violence Victims: Does the South Asian Community Have Special Needs?

This paper presents the results of a questionnaire of 12 South Asian agencies nationwide that work predominantly with domestic violence victims of South Asian origin. Based on the analysis of their responses to questions that compare their strengths, ideology, ethnic specific intervention approaches, and challenges they face, this article demonstrates their relevance and the role they play in meeting the needs of a growing number of women who seek help.
High-Solid Lignocellulose Processing Enabled by Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent for Lignin Extraction and Industrially Relevant Production of Renewable Chemicals

This study investigated high-solid loading deep eutectic solvent (DES) pretreatment for lignocellulose fractionation and subsequent conversion into platform chemicals (i.e., furfural, 2,3-butanedio...
Comprehensive accuracy assessment of MODIS daily snow cover products and gap filling methods

Abstract The accuracy of the standard Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) daily snow cover products (Collection 5) and several of the most common and computationally frugal gap-filling methods were validated using 12 years of daily observations from over 800 Snow Telemetry (SNOTEL) stations. While several factors affect snow cover accuracy to some extent, the largest controls are associated with land cover type; accuracy fell from the maximum in croplands (94.9%) to the minimum for observations with a land cover type of water (79.5%). The second largest impact on accuracy is attributed to the changes in solar zenith angle, where accuracy decreased from a maximum of ∼96% at 42° to a minimum of ∼84% at 58°. Based on the results of this work, the highest accuracy binary daily snow cover dataset can be achieved by reclassifying the fractional snow band using a no-snow/snow threshold of 10 from the MODIS Terra sensor. Gap-filling is best accomplished by a temporal filter on the same dataset, and the window length depends on the desired completeness of the final dataset and the amount of missing values in the area of interest. Decreases in accuracy caused by this gap-filling method taper off after 7 days. Therefore, if a larger temporal window is needed to adequately fill in a time series it is best to extend the window to the largest gap present.
Generation of Pairwise Potentials Using Multidimensional Data Mining

The rapid development of molecular structural databases provides the chemistry community access to an enormous array of experimental data that can be used to build and validate computational models. Using radial distribution functions collected from experimentally available X-ray and NMR structures, a number of so-called statistical potentials have been developed over the years using the structural data mining strategy. These potentials have been developed within the context of the two-particle Kirkwood equation by extending its original use for isotropic monatomic systems to anisotropic biomolecular systems. However, the accuracy and the unclear physical meaning of statistical potentials have long formed the central arguments against such methods. In this work, we present a new approach to generate molecular energy functions using structural data mining. Instead of employing the Kirkwood equation and introducing the "reference state" approximation, we model the multidimensional probability distributions of the molecular system using graphical models and generate the target pairwise Boltzmann probabilities using the Bayesian field theory. Different from the current statistical potentials that mimic the "knowledge-based" PMF based on the 2-particle Kirkwood equation, the graphical-model-based structure-derived potential developed in this study focuses on the generation of lower-dimensional Boltzmann distributions of atoms through reduction of dimensionality. We have named this new scoring function GARF, and in this work we focus on the mathematical derivation of our novel approach followed by validation studies on its ability to predict protein-ligand interactions.
Beyond O6-Benzylguanine: O6-(5-Pyridylmethyl)guanine as a Substrate for the Self-Labeling Enzyme SNAP-Tag

SNAP-tag is a genetically encoded label for tracking proteins of interest that is known to utilize O6-benzylguanine derivatives as substrates. In this work, mass spectrometric analysis revealed that SNAP-tag also accepts O6-(5-pyridylmethyl)guanine derivatives as substrates. A fluorescently conjugated O6-(5-pyridylmethyl)guanine was synthesized and used to selectively label intracellular compartments. This compound also acts as a zinc(II) ion-sensitive fluorescent indicator and therefore can be used in organelle-specific zinc(II) imaging.
Positives, Potential, and Preparation: Pre-service Special Educators’ Knowledge About Teaching Reading to Children with Down Syndrome

In this era of reading as a priority, research has indicated that children with Down syndrome (DS) can indeed learn to read, attaining functional levels of literacy and beyond. Families of children with DS are also increasingly advocating for reading instruction for their children. However, few studies have examined what beginning educators know about reading and DS. This study explored the knowledge and perceptions of pre-service special educators about the reading needs and abilities of children with DS. Participants were 225 university students, enrolled in special education teaching credential programs in two southern California universities, who completed a survey designed to assess their knowledge of teaching reading to children with DS, as well as to describe their approach to reading instruction with these students. Results showed promising knowledge on the part of these future teachers, but also highlight the importance of adequate teacher preparation in teaching reading to children with DS.
Recognizing Bias, Reducing Error: A Case-Based Study for Improvement in the Emergency Department

Abstract Since the Institute of Medicine's initial report on medical error was published in 1999, understanding of the magnitude of this problem within health care continues to grow. Although medical error is a broad category that includes both system and human factors, diagnostic error, with significant consequences for patients and their families, bias is a common and often overlooked contributor. This type of error is complex, as it is rooted in clinicians' use of heuristics and their inherent or cognitive biases. The objective of this review is to define medical error and to explore the methods that can be used to reduce error in clinical practice. Using a case-based discussion, cognitive bias resulting in diagnostic error will be reviewed.
Clinical Outcomes After Spine Surgery for Traumatic Injury in the Octogenarian Population

Objective To review the surgical outcomes of the octogenarian population at a single institution after spinal traumatic injury. Methods Patients with both radiographic and clinical evidence of acute traumatic spine injury were reviewed using an institutional trauma survey to determine patient demographics and outcome data in a population of patients aged 80 years and older. Results Thirty-nine patients aged 80 years and older underwent surgical intervention for acute spinal trauma. There were 25 cases of cervical spine and 14 cases of thoracolumbar spine surgical intervention. Falls were the number one cause of acute spinal injury (31/39, 71%). Major respiratory disorders were the most common postoperative adverse event (12/39, 31%). Five patients experienced superficial wound dehiscence, fascial dehiscence, superficial infection, or delayed wound erosion. Patients were either discharged to home (10.5%), inpatient rehabilitation, (38.5%), skilled nursing facilities (17.9%), or long-term care facilities (17.9%). The postoperative mortality was 10.3%. Conclusions Although the octogenarian population has increased risk for postoperative events after acute spinal injuries, surgical intervention may be worthwhile in the elderly population. Although direct surgical complication rates are not higher, medical risks are significantly higher after surgery.
The Evolution of US and UK Real GDP Components in the Time-Frequency Domain: A Continuous Wavelet Analysis

Understanding the relationship between national income GDP expenditure components is a key part of the study of macroeconomics. The general aim of this study is to explore the relationship between the GDP expenditure components in the time-frequency domain and obtain some stylized facts. This research investigates the relationship between the cyclical components of growth in quarterly real GDP component data for the US and the UK by applying continuous wavelet analysis on cross comparisons of the data, from both within and between the two datasets. The results show that the cyclical interactions between consumption and investment are the most complex and most substantial at several different frequencies, but that there are several different cycles evident in the data at frequencies not associated with the conventional business cycle. The relationship of exports with other macroeconomic variables has also developed over time, which we surmise is likely due to the evolution of an international business cycle.
Network Flow Methods for the Minimum Covariates Imbalance Problem

The problem of balancing covariates arises in observational studies where one is given a group of control samples and another group, disjoint from the control group, of treatment samples. Each sample, in either group, has several observed nominal covariates. The values, or categories, of each covariate partition the treatment and control samples to a number of subsets referred to as \textit{levels} where the samples at every level share the same covariate value. We address here a problem of selecting a subset of the control group so as to balance, to the best extent possible, the sizes of the levels between the treatment group and the selected subset of control group, the min-imbalance problem. It is proved here that the min-imbalance problem, on two covariates, is solved efficiently with network flow techniques. We present an integer programming formulation of the problem where the constraint matrix is totally unimodular, implying that the linear programming relaxation to the problem has all basic solutions, and in particular the optimal solution, integral. This integer programming formulation is linked to a minimum cost network flow problem which is solvable in $O(n\cdot (n' + n\log n))$ steps, for $n$ the size of the treatment group and $n'$ the size of the control group. A more efficient algorithm is further devised based on an alternative, maximum flow, formulation of the two-covariate min-imbalance problem, that runs in $O(n'^{3/2}\log^2n)$ steps.
Engineering aspect of sustainability assessment for geotechnical projects

Sustainability is the ability of the system to retain and survive its functionality with time. A system is sustainable as long as the capacity (supply) is greater than the load (demand). Along the timeline of the project, the options to ensure sustainability minimize inferring better planning considerations at early stages. Geotechnical engineering, being the opening phase of any construction project, can contribute most to attain sustainability goals for all aspects, i.e. engineering, environmental, economic, and equity (4Es). Through a survey and available literature, it has been concluded that geotechnical engineering lacks a dedicated sustainability assessment tool/technique. Different assessment techniques/tools and technical aspects of geotechnics were studied to develop Geo-SAT (Geotechnical Sustainability Assessment Tool). Geo-SAT is developed to ensure the lack of research encompassing global sustainability goals. Based on quantifiable indicators assessed by a third party on a scale of 1 (detrimental) to 5 (significantly improved) measuring the impact on sustainability for each decision made, a total of 171 indicators were developed (all generic in nature) with the flexibility of addition, exclusion, and/or modification as per project’s nature. The engineering aspect is developed using 92 indicators, 27 retained and 8 modified from Environmental Geotechnics Indicators (EGIs), and 57 new. The different fields targeted are dams, foundations, landslides, contaminated site remediation, soil and erosion control, offshore construction, and transportation.
Impact of TNC on travel behavior and mode choice: a comparative analysis of Boston and Philadelphia

We compare responses from an online survey among 700 customers of transportation network companies (TNC) in Boston and Philadelphia to investigate TNC’s impact on vehicle ownership, trip making, and mode choice. We first use a qualitative comparative analysis to examine changes in respondents’ travel behavior and vehicle ownership after adopting TNC. We then use a random parameter logit regression analysis to investigate customers’ preferences between transit and TNC based on a choice experiment. We find that in both cities, TNC allows customers, including those who currently do not own a car, to either delay purchasing a car or forgo a car altogether. TNC enables customers across income levels to take trips that they otherwise would not have taken. Meanwhile, TNC substitutes for more than complementing transit. The random parameter logit analysis indicates that when choosing between TNC and transit, individuals in both cities consider waiting time and overall travel time for transit to be more burdensome than those for TNC. Bostonians perceive the time spent walking to and from transit to be less burdensome, and the time spent traveling in vehicle to be more burdensome than do Philadelphians. Differences in built environment, mode share within transit systems, and income likely contribute to respondents’ different values of time between the two cities. Our paper is the first to compare individual trade-off between transit and TNC in two cities with different urban settings and transit services. The findings have implications on transit service planning, station area improvements, parking regulations, and traffic management.
Hermeneutics and Music Criticism

Preface Acknowledgements 1. Aesthetics, Hermeneutics, Criticism 2. Social Werktreue and the Subjectivization of Aesthetics 3. From Musike to Metaphysics 4. Formalist Aesthetics and Musical Hermeneutics 5. Deconstructing the Disciplinary Divide 6. The Question of Metaphor 7. Mimesis and the Hermeneutics of Music 8. Political Critique and the Politics of Music Criticism 9. Toward a Hermeneutics of Music Criticism Notes
Radiographic Images and Symbols

In radiography picture forming involves either fluoroscopy or registration on special photographic film. Images can also be recorded on photographic paper, Polaroid film and paper, and on various color films; however, such applications are exceptional.
FPGAs with integrated photonics

This paper discusses an integrated FPGA with optical I/Os that can overcome reach, density, power, and performance challenges as link speed increases from 10 Gbps to 25 Gbps and beyond.
Death Rode the Rails: American Railroad Accidents and Safety, 1828–1965

Review of: "Death Rode the Rails: American Railroad Accidents and Safety, 1828–1965," by Mark Aldrich.
Can Professionalism Be Taught

Today’s raw material entering engineering universities has been raised in an environment which condones things that used to be considered immoral, unethical or illegal. With the pressure on modern educators in already crowded curricula, formal courses in ethical and professional behavior have been crowded more and more to the rear. These subjects cannot be taught in the usual classroom manner, given the student and his present attitude. The student who feels it is immaterial how he gets grades as long as he gets them tends to feel the same towards ethical and professional behavior. It is only concentrated efforts by educators and employers that the young engineers can be made aware of the fact that high values of ethical and professional behavior still exist and are desirable attributes in engineers.
Exploring the pulvinar path to visual cortex

Abstract: The primary pathway for visual signals from the retina to cerebral cortex is through the lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus to primary visual cortex. A second visual pathway has been postulated to pass through the thalamic pulvinar nucleus and to project to multiple regions of visual cortex. We have explored this second visual pathway using a method that allows us to identify the inputs and outputs of pulvinar neurons. Specifically, we applied microstimulation in the superficial layers of superior colliculus (SC) to test for orthodromic activation of pulvinar neurons receiving input from SC. We also microstimulated the cortical motion area MT and tested for antidromic activation of pulvinar to identify neurons projecting to MT (and to determine the presence of orthodromic input back to pulvinar). In this initial report, we concentrate on two observations. First, we find that there are clusters of neurons in the pulvinar that receive input from SC along with neurons that project to MT or receive input from MT. Second, we find that neurons with input from SC have characteristics of the SC superficial layers: they respond to visual stimuli but do not discharge before saccadic eye movements. Neurons projecting to MT respond similarly to these SC-input neurons, while those receiving input from MT more frequently show directional selectivity as does MT. These findings indicate the visual nature of the signals conveyed in this pathway and shed light on the functional role of the thalamus in a possible second visual pathway.
Solar Ultraviolet Irradiance Variations and the Earth’s Atmosphere

Solar ultraviolet (UV) irradiance variations are frequently invoked as a source of variance in atmospheric parameters, and as a possible cause of climate change. Recent observations have established that the solar ultraviolet irradiance does indeed vary with time. However, the extent to which these variations modulate the earth’s middle and lower atmosphere is not well known. Not all correlations observed between solar activity and atmospheric variability are consistent with model calculations of the atmosphere’s response to solar UV irradiance variations. Physical mechanisms postulated to explain a UV-climate connection require that solar induced variations in the stratosphere be coupled to the troposphere. To date, such coupling mechanisms have been explored only qualitatively. One difficulty in establishing the magnitude of any solar UV-climate link is the lack of detailed information about the temporal behaviour of the solar UV fluxes. In this paper, the interaction of solar UV radiation with the earth’s atmosphere is described, solar UV irradiance variability is examined, and possible links between solar UV irradiance variations and atmospheric variability are discussed.
Nerve growth factor-induced hyperalgesia in the neonatal and adult rat

Recently, we have shown that the interaction between NGF and sensory neurons in early postnatal periods is restricted to nociceptive afferents (Ritter et al., 1991; Lewin et al., 1992a; Ritter and Mendell, 1992). Here we show that administration of excess NGF to neonatal or mature animals can lead to a profound behavioral hyperalgesia. Neonatal NGF treatment (postnatal day 0-14) resulted in a profound mechanical hyperalgesia that persisted until the animals had reached maturity (6 weeks of age). This hyperalgesia could be explained by an NGF-mediated sensitization of A delta nociceptive afferents to mechanical stimuli. This peripheral sensitization wore off with a time course similar to that of the behavior hyperalgesia. Treatment of animals from the second postnatal week until 5 weeks of age (juveniles) led to a very similar behavioral hyperalgesia; however, there was no corresponding sensitization of A delta nociceptors to mechanical stimuli. Finally, one group of adult animals (5 weeks old) was treated daily with single injections of NGF for between 1 and 4 d. Within 24 hr after the first NGF injection these animals developed a mechanical hyperalgesia of the same magnitude seen after neonatal and juvenile NGF treatments. No sensitization of A delta nociceptive afferents was observed in these animals. In addition to the mechanical hyperalgesia, the animals also developed a heat hyperalgesia after one injection of NGF. The heat hyperalgesia was apparent within 15 min after the injection; however, signs of mechanical hyperalgesia were not seen until 6 hr after the injection. In conclusion, it appears that the NGF-induced mechanical hyperalgesia is brought about by different mechanisms in neonatal and adult rats. Furthermore, in adult animals the NGF-induced mechanical and heat hyperalgesia also appear to be attributable to two different mechanisms. The mechanical hyperalgesia may be due to central changes (see Lewin et al., 1992b), whereas the heat hyperalgesia is likely to result at least in part from the sensitization of peripheral receptors to heat.
Synthesis of the 3′(S)-hydroxy derivative of simvastatin

Abstract A simple two step synthesis of the 3′(S)-hydroxylated derivative of simvastatin isolated from rat and mice liver microsomes along with the 3′(R) epimer and a two step preparation of the 3′(S)-5′(S)-dihydroxylated compound is described.
Greek love at Rome.

It has long been a commonly held belief among classicists that traditional Romans frowned upon male homosexuality and associated it with the influence of Greek culture. There have always been exceptions to this belief, but when Paul Veyne published the following remarks in his 1978 article ‘La famille et l'amour sous le hautempire romain’, his views were quite heterodox:Il est faux que l'amour ‘grec’ soit, a Rome, d'origine grecque: comme plus d'une societe mediterraneenne de nos jours encore, Rome n'a jamais oppose l'amour des femmes a celui des garcons: elle a oppose l'activite a la passivite; etre actif, c'est etre un mâle, quel que soit le sexe du partenaire passif.
Iron cluster–CO bond energies from the kinetic energy dependence of the Fen+ (n = 4–17) + CO association reactions

The energy dependences of size-selected Fen+ cluster ions (n = 1–17) reacting with CO at low energies are studied using a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer equipped with a laser vaporization source. Below about 1 eV, all clusters with n ≥ 4 form the FenCO+ association complex. The probability of this reaction increases with cluster size until the absolute cross sections equal the collision limit for n > 10, with those for n = 12 and 14 exceeding the collision limit. As the cluster size increases, a second pathway becomes prominent at higher energies. The kinetic energy dependence and absolute magnitudes of these cross sections are analyzed to extract cluster–CO binding energies, which are found to progressively decrease with increasing cluster size, consistent with a simple Coulomb model. For the largest clusters, these binding energies approach that of an extended surface at shallow hollow sites, whereas the higher energy feature correlates with binding energies for dissociatively chemisorbed C and O on an iron surface.
Waiting with Bated Breath: Opportunistic Orientation to Human Odor in the Malaria Mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, is Modulated by Minute Changes in Carbon Dioxide Concentration

Females of the malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, predominantly obtain blood meals within human dwellings. Being highly anthropophilic, human skin odor offers a reliable, host-specific cue, but the challenge posed by pervasive human odor found indoors from used clothing, bedding etc. remains unclear. Anopheles gambiae spends much of its adult life indoors, constantly exposed to human odor even when dwellings are unoccupied. In landing assays, we found that female mosquitoes respond very weakly to human skin odor alone, suggesting that, alone, it is an ineffective landing cue. Landing, however, was dramatically increased by addition of carbon dioxide at a range of concentrations above ambient. Indeed, this effect was seen even when carbon dioxide was just 0.015 % above ambient within the assay cage. The synergistic effect of added carbon dioxide quickly waned, thereby facilitating a highly adaptive “sit-and-wait” ambush strategy, wherein females ignore persistent human odor until a living human is present. Unexpectedly, landing rates in the presence of added carbon dioxide were almost as robust during daytime, when An. gambiae has previously been assumed inactive, possibly facilitating opportunistic feeding at times of day when human dwellings are occupied intermittently. We suggest earlier studies that showed strong upwind flight behavior toward human odor alone could, in fact, have been demonstrating orientation toward a human dwelling rather than toward a living human. This new interpretation of how human odors mediate upwind orientation and landing in An. gambiae is discussed.
Aldo-keto reductases in which the conserved catalytic histidine is substituted

Aldo-keto reductases (AKRs) are a major superfamily of monomeric NADPH-dependent carbonyl oxidoreductases. They are characterized by an (alpha/beta)(8)-barrel structure, which at its base contains a conserved catalytic tetrad of Tyr, Lys, His and Asp. Two AKR subfamilies contain other residues substituted for the catalytic His and perform different functions. First, the steroid 5beta-reductase (AKR1D1), which reduces CC double bonds instead of carbonyl groups, has a Glu substituted for His. Second, the Kvbeta subunits (AKR6A3, AKR6A5 and AKR6A9) which modulate opening of the voltage-gated potassium channel (Kv1) by oxidizing NADPH, have an Asn substituted for the His. Previously, we noted that conserved catalytic residues in AKRs perform similar functions in the short-chain dehydrogenases (SDRs). With the availability of crystal structures of AKR1D1 and two SDRs that catalyze double-bond reduction reactions, Digitalis steroid 5beta-reductase and 2,4-dienoyl-CoA reductase, we have compared their active sites to outline the features that govern whether 1,2-, 1,4- or 1,6-hydride transfer occurs.
Thermal emission spectra of terrestrial alkaline volcanic rocks: Applications to Martian remote sensing

[1] The long-standing assessment that Martian igneous compositions are strictly subalkaline has recently been brought into question by the detection of alkaline rocks at Gusev crater. In this study, we assess the utility of thermal emission spectra (5−25 μm at 10 cm−1 spectral sampling) in identifying and classifying terrestrial alkalic volcanic rocks, and then apply our results to MGS/TES data. Using spectral linear deconvolution, we determined modal mineralogies of a suite of alkaline rocks (basalts, trachyandesites, trachytes, rhyolites). We then compared modeled data to modes measured using an electron microprobe mapping technique. Most phases modeled well (within 10 vol%). Modeled plagioclase abundances, however, were too high, reflecting the presence of devitrified glass and the absence of appropriate glass end-members in the spectral library. Systematic inaccuracies in bulk-rock chemistries, derived by combining modeled mineral end-member compositions in proportion to their abundances, reflect the overdetermination of plagioclase and resulting mass balance problems. Nevertheless, modeled mineralogies and derived bulk-rock chemistries clearly reveal the alkaline character of these rocks, and many rocks are correctly classified petrologically. To determine if alkaline rocks can be detected in global and regional TES spectra, we deconvolved ST1, ST2, and four compositionally distinct regional spectral classes using our end-member library. Our results suggest that alkaline rocks are not readily detected in most regionally- and globally-derived TES spectra. We do not rule out the possibility that areas of regional-scale alkalic volcanism exist, although they are more likely to be identified by in situ surface investigations.
NF-κB Inhibition is Involved in Tobacco Smoke-Induced Apoptosis in the Lungs of Rats

Apoptosis is a vital mechanism for the regulation of cell turnover and plays a critical role in tissue homeostasis and development of many disease processes. Previous studies have demonstrated the apoptotic effect of tobacco smoke; however, the molecular mechanisms by which tobacco smoke triggers apoptosis remain unclear. In the present study we investigated the effects of tobacco smoke on the induction of apoptosis in the lungs of rats and modulation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) in this process. Exposure of rats to 80 mg/m(3) tobacco smoke significantly induced apoptosis in the lungs. Tobacco smoke resulted in inhibition of NF-kappaB activity, noted by suppression of inhibitor of kappaB (IkappaB) kinase (IKK), accumulation of IkappaBalpha, decrease of NF-kappaB DNA binding activity, and downregulation of NF-kappaB-dependent anti-apoptotic proteins, including Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, and inhibitors of apoptosis. Initiator caspases for the death receptor pathway (caspase 8) and the mitochondrial pathway (caspase 9) as well as effector caspase 3 were activated following tobacco smoke exposure. Tobacco smoke exposure did not alter the levels of p53 and Bax proteins. These findings suggest the role of NF-kappaB pathway in tobacco smoke-induced apoptosis.
Anomalous potential response and (Na+ + K+)-ATPase in in vitro frog gastric mucosa

Abstract In general, increasing K+ on the nutrient side decreases the transmucosal PD (nutrient becomes more negative) but after bathing the mucosa in zero K+ media for about 30 min, or longer, elevation of K+ on the nutrient side increases the PD, an anomalous effect. In Cl− media, increasing nutrient K+ from zero to 4 mM produces an increase in PD (an anomalous response) of 3.1 and 5.3 mV in 2 and 5 min, respectively. Ouabain (10−3 M) to the nutrient side abolished the anomalous response as did removal of Na+ (choline for Na+) from bathing media. In SO42− media (SO42− for Cl−), a significant anomalous PD response was observed when K+ on the nutrient side was increased from zero to 1, 2 or 3 mM but not to higher K+ concentrations. In this case, ouabain also abolished the anomalous response. It is postulated, on the basis of the effects of ouabain and the use of choline media, that an electrogenic ( Na + + K + )- ATPase pump is present on the nutrient-facing membrane in which more Na+ than K+ are transported per cycle.
Effects of two doses of methylphenidate on cross-situational and borderline hyperactive children's evoked potentials.

Resume Cette etude a ete menee sur 27 enfants presentant une hyperactivite inter-situationnelle (a la maison aussi bien qu'a l'ecole) et 14 enfants manifestant une hyperactivite plus marginale. Chez tous les sujets, les potentiels evoques ont ete enregistres apres l'administration de 3 doses differentes de methylphenidate: 0 (placebo), 0,3 et 0,6 mg/kg. Dans chacune des 3 conditions, les sujets ont ensuite subi les experiences suivantes: la presentation d'une serie de stimulus photiques; deux versions du test de performance continuelle (TPF) a des niveaux de difficulte varies; et une epreuve de discrimination de type ‘oddball’. Dans la serie de stimulation photique, le methylphenidate a reduit l'effet d'une augmentation des niveaux de luminance sur les taux d'augmentation de l'amplitude et de diminution du temps de latence de la composante P208 du potentiel evoque visuel. Ces donnees sont semblables a celles obtenues par Buchsbaum et Wender (1973) chez les malades hyperactifs presentant une reponse clinique positive a l'amphetamine. Dans le TPF et l'epreuve oddball, les deux doses actives aboutirent a moins d'erreurs et a un temps de reaction plus court que le placebo. De meme, dans les deux versions du TPF, les deux doses actives produisirent une augmentation comparable de l'amplitude de deux composantes du complexe positif tardif (P510 et P740). La composante P510 a ete identifiee comme la composante classique P300. Dans l'epreuve de discrimination, l'effet du stimulant sur la reponse evoquee au stimulus visuel ne constituant pas la cible a ete d'augmenter l'amplitude de la composante P463, identifiee auparavant comme etant la composante P300. Ces resultats pharmacologiques etaient pratiquement identiquez chez les malades inter-situationnels et marginaux. D'une maniere generale, les resultats confirment ceux d'autres auteurs montrant que le methylphenidate ameliore la performance d'enfants hyperactifs et augmente l'amplitude du complexe positif tardif de leurs potentiels evoques. De plus ces donnees sont en accord avec des observations faites anterieurement selon lesquelles une dose de 0,3 mg/kg de methylphenidate produit une amelioration optimale des processus cognitifs chez les malades hyperactifs. Enfin, la similarite entre les donnees des sujets hyperactifs intersituationnels et marginaux est en accord avec d'autres indications suggerant que les effets des stimulants ne sont pas limites a l'hyperactivite de type classique chez l'enfant.
CaDAR: An Efficient Routing Algorithm for a Wireless–Optical Broadband Access Network (WOBAN)

A wireless-optical broadband access network (WOBAN) is a combination of wireless and optical network segments to optimize the cost and performance of an access network. A WOBAN's optical backhaul enables it to support high capacity, while its wireless front end [also called a wireless mesh network (WMN)] enables its users to have untethered access. Wireless nodes collect traffic from end users and carry them to the optical part of a WOBAN, possibly using multiple hops, but the traffic also experiences delay at each wireless node. The finite radio capacity at each wireless node limits the capacity on each outgoing link from a wireless node of a WOBAN. Thus, delay and capacity limitation in the WMN of a WOBAN are major constraints. We design a capacity- and delay-aware routing scheme, called CaDAR, to minimize the delay and increase the throughput in the WMN of a WOBAN. Our analysis shows that CaDAR is an efficient routing scheme for WOBAN that can support much higher load and has lower system delay than other approaches (IEEE Network, vol. 22, no. 3, p. 20, 2008) because of better load-balanced routing.