cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shadow Citizens: Felony Disenfranchisement and the Criminalization of Debt

The disenfranchisement of felons has long been challenged as anti-democratic and disproportionately harmful to communities of color. Critiques of this practice have led to the gradual liberalization of state laws that expand voting rights for those who have served their sentences. Despite these legal developments, ex-felons face an increasingly difficult path to regaining the franchise. This article argues that, for ex-felons in particular, criminal justice debt can serve as an insurmountable obstacle to the resumption of voting rights and broader participation in society. This article uses the term “carceral debt” to identify criminal justice penalties levied on prisoners, “user fees” assessed to recoup the operating costs of the justice system, and debt incurred during incarceration, including mounting child support obligations.In recent years, another disturbing voting rights challenge has emerged that has received little attention from scholars. State appellate and federal courts across the country have affirmed the constitutionality of statutes that require ex-felons to satisfy the payment of all carceral debts in order to resume voting privileges. Such a paradigm has a clearly differential impact on the poor: if only those who can pay their debts after a criminal conviction can regain the right to vote, those who cannot will remain perpetually disenfranchised, rendering them “shadow citizens” and raising a host of policy and constitutional questions.
Intrinsic activities and pore diffusion effect in hydrocarbon cracking in steamed Y zeolite

Abstract In the literature, it has been shown that the hydrocarbon cracking activity of a zeolite particle can be greatly enhanced by steam treatment. The extent of enhancement depends on the process condition. Recently, it has been shown that under conditions where the reaction is dominated by the monomolecular mechanism, the turnover frequency and the intrinsic activation energy for cracking are practically unchanged by steaming. However, a much larger difference in activity can be observed under conditions where bimolecular and oligomeric cracking dominate. Thus, the phenomenon of enhanced activity by steaming can be explained by the possibility that the bimolecular and oligomeric cracking reactions are pore diffusion-limited. Steaming generates defects in the zeolite particle, increases the external surface area for diffusion, which then leads to the large enhancement in the observed activity.
The Analytic Structure of Atomic and Molecular Wavefunctions and its Impact on the Rate of Convergence of Variational Calculations

In these lectures I would like to present an overview of the analytic structure of atomic and molecular wavefunctions and how that structure determines the rate of convergence of a variational (Rayleigh-Ritz) calculation as the number of basis functions is increased. I shall present some illustrative examples of variational basis-set calculations on both simple model systems and more complicated systems of greater physical relevance, such as the helium atom and small multi-center molecules.
A unified Impedance-based Stability Criterion (UIBSC) for paralleled grid-tied inverters using global minor loop gain (GMLG)

In this paper a unified Impedance-based Stability Criterion (UIBSC) has been proposed for paralleled grid-tied inverters. Compared to the traditional Impedance-based Stability Criterion (IBSC) which needs to evaluate all minor loop gains (MLGs) of each individual inverter, the UIBSC only checks the derived global minor loop gain (GMLG) once to determine system stability. As a result, the computation efforts can be significantly reduced when system contains a large number of inverters. In addition, a stability-oriented design guideline based on the GMLG has been developed for the paralleled grid-tied inverters. Therefore, the grid impedance, inverter filter parameters, time delays of digital control and control parameters can be analyzed or designed to meet the system stability requirement. Theoretical analysis and simulation results have been presented to verify the proposed methods.
Lymphoreticular cells isolated by centrifugal elutriation from a mammary adenocaricinoma. i. characterization of an in situ lymphocyte suppressor population by surface markers and functional reactivity

The procedure of centrifugal elutriation was evaluated as a means of purifying large numbers of in situ lymphocytes from enzymatically disaggregated mouse mammary tumors. The eluate obtained at a flow rate of 3.0 ml/min was optimal for high levels of lymphocyte recovery with low levels of contaminating tumor cells, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and macrophages. The majority of the tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (90%) expressed the Thy 1.2 antigen, while less than 5% possessed surface immunoglobulin. Further analysis of the T lymphocyte population was accomplished by flow cytometric analysis of in situ lymphocytes stained with fluorescein-conjugated monoclonal anti-Lyt 2 antibodies. The results of such studies reveal an increase in the levels of Lyt 2+ lymphocytes within the in situ population. To determine whether these Lyt 2+ cells were functionally active as suppressor cells, the ISL1 were mixed with spleen cells from tumor bearers and then tested for their ability to respond to mitogen and TAA-induced blast transformation of tumor-bearer spleen cells. Removal of macrophages from ISL by Sephadex G-10 columns did not alter the suppression. Treatment with monoclonal anti-Lyt 1 antibody and complement did not affect the inhibition observed. However, treatment of ISL with anti-Lyt 2+ monoclonal antibody and complement resulted in the elimination of the suppressor cell activity. We concluded that within the tumor-infiltrating lymphoreticular cells there is a population of Thy 1.2+ Lyt 2.2+ lymphocytes responsible for the suppression of mitogen and tumor-antigen-induced blastogenesis.
Psychiatry Trainees’ Training and Experience in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Background/Objective Alcohol is a teratogen. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) affect about 1% of live births, causing severe impairment. Individuals affected by FASDs are over-represented in psychiatric settings.This study reports on the education and experience of psychiatry trainees in approaching FASDs.
Cholestatic hepatic injury associated with vismodegib, aspirin, and naproxen use: a case study and review of vismodegib safety.

Background Vismodegib is a novel hedgehog pathway inhibitor approved to treat advanced and metastatic basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in the United States. Several studies have demonstrated efficacy for treatment of new and existing BCC in both basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS) and non-BCNS patients. However, severe and numerous adverse events are associated with vismodegib use. Therefore, we have also examined all of the currently published clinical trials and tabulated the available adverse events for review. The most frequently reported adverse events include muscle spasms (53.4%), dysgeusia/ageusia (49.3%), alopecia (38.8%), fatigue (32.0%), nausea (28.4%), weight loss (24.2%), and decreased appetite (16.5%). Case Study We report a case of a previously healthy 72-year-old male with a history of innumerable BCCs who developed severe nausea, jaundice, and cholestasis with significantly elevated BUN, creatinine, and liver enzymes one month after starting vismodegib. The patient began using over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat severe, vismodegib-induced myalgia. No other new medications were started. Our patient had no history of liver disease. Conclusions Herein, we describe a potential serious adverse effect associated with vismodegib use. Whether the illness is directly attributable to the medication or the result of drug-drug interactions between vismodegib and NSAIDs, practitioners should be aware of the possibility of hepatic injury in patients on vismodegib. Furthermore, patients need to be informed of the potential risks of vismodegib and should be monitored closely to ensure that life-threatening complications of treatment are avoided.
Dendritic Excitability Modulates Dendritic Information Processing in a Purkinje Cell Model

Using an electrophysiological compartmental model of a Purkinje cell we quantified the contribution of individual active dendritic currents to processing of synaptic activity from granule cells. We used mutual information as a measure to quantify the information from the total excitatory input current (IGlu) encoded in each dendritic current. In this context, each active current was considered an information channel. Our analyses showed that most of the information was encoded by the calcium (ICaP) and calcium activated potassium (IKc) currents. Mutual information between IGlu and ICaP and IKc was sensitive to different levels of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic activity that, at the same time, resulted in the same firing rate at the soma. Since dendritic excitability could be a mechanism to regulate information processing in neurons we quantified the changes in mutual information between IGlu and all Purkinje cell currents as a function of the density of dendritic Ca (gCaP) and Kca (gKc) conductances. We extended our analysis to determine the window of temporal integration of IGlu by ICaP and IKc as a function of channel density and synaptic activity. The window of information integration has a stronger dependence on increasing values of gKc than on gCaP, but at high levels of synaptic stimulation information integration is reduced to a few milliseconds. Overall, our results show that different dendritic conductances differentially encode synaptic activity and that dendritic excitability and the level of synaptic activity regulate the flow of information in dendrites.
Rapid prototyping and system development: examination of an interface toolkit for voice and telephony applications

This paper discusses a set of tools supporting the rapid development of voice and telephony applications. The tools allow interfaces to be rapidly prototyped, tested and installed without impacting the underlying system. Used directly by behavioral specialists, they have played a key role in the building of two production systems. We review several essential features of this facility and then outline its role in the rapid development of a voice messaging system for the athletes and officials at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Cognitive Foundations of Natural History: Towards an Anthropology of Science.

Preface 1. Common sense: its scope and limits Part I. Folkbiology: 2. Folktaxonomy 3. The semantics of living kinds Part II. Aristotelian Essentials: 4. Essence and environment 5. Materials of logical division Part III. From Herbals to Systems: 6. Origins of the species concept 7. The nature of the genus Part IV. The Scientific Breakaway: 8. The method of families and classes 9. Science, symbolism and common sense Conclusions Appendix Notes References Index.
Single-stage tracheal resection for severe tracheal stenosis in older children

Abstract Objective: While tracheal resection for management of tracheal stenosis is an effective technique that has been well described in adults, the results in children have been less encouraging, as children tolerate anastomotic tension less well than adults. We describe our current technique for the management of severe tracheal stenosis in older children. Methods: Four teenagers, 16–17 years of age, presented with severe tracheal stenosis. A 16-year-old girl had sustained tracheal stenosis following prolonged intubation, and presented with a severe Grade III stenosis having had 25 endoscopic procedures, and a failed resection at another institute. Two 17-year-old boys and a 17-year-old girl presented with Grade IV stenosis at the suprastomal area following previous intubation injuries. All four children had an identical procedure with tracheal resection over a Hood tracheal stent. Results: All four children were extubated in the operating room. Chin-to-chest sutures were removed between 7 and 10 days, as was the Hood stent. All four are currently asymptomatic with no airway stenosis. Conclusions: Although tracheal resection for tracheal stenosis in children is associated with a higher failure rate than is seen in the adult population, even severe stenosis and long segment resection may achieve excellent results. We feel that important factors influencing outcome in this series included anastomosis to an intact cricoid ring, and support of the anastomosis with a tracheal stent.
Room Temperature Slip in Titanium Diboride Produced by High Pressure

Prismatic slip occurs in polycrystalline titanium diboride after applying 5 to 15 kilobars of hydrostatic pressure. Specimens were subjected to these pressures inside silver chloride matrices by means of a simple cylindrical piston device. The slip was of the type {1010} . Microhardness indentations produced similar results.
SU‐FF‐J‐115: Registering the Planning CT to the Treatment Geometry in IGRT, Using a Limited Reconstructed Volume Derived From Planar Images

A set of megavoltage (MV) and kilovoltage (kV) images are obtained during a patient's image‐guidedradiotherapytreatment(IGRT). The kV images are acquired prior to treating the fields using an on‐board x‐ray imager. However, The MV images can be acquired both prior and during the actual treatments. Fan‐beam reconstruction of back‐projected kV images obtained at four or more gantry angles can be used to orient the planning CT to match the treatment geometry. Registering the planning CT to the treatment geometry is necessary if one is to perform dosereconstruction using the multi‐planar images and the planning CT, in the absence of a cone beam CT. The MV and kV images provide the exit fluence information for 3D dosereconstruction. Using these 2D treatmentimages along with the 3D planning CT volume provides adequate information about the treatmentanatomy that is needed for the dosereconstruction process. This system might alleviate the need for cone beam CT for patient positioning and/or dosereconstruction. The planar treatmentimages provide adequately sampled sinogram planes in the spatial dimension, but not in the radial direction. Nonetheless, there is enough data in the sinogram space for registering the treatment geometry to the planning CT. Canny edge finding method is used to decipher anatomical structure in the limited reconstructed volume as well as in the CT volume. This technique can detect both strong and weak edges; and it is less likely than the other edge finding techniques to be fooled by noise. The resulting edge maps are registered to each other by affine transformations. The transformation matrices are then applied to the CT volume in order to register it to the treatment geometry.
Cavity ringdown laser absorption spectroscopy with a 1 kHz mid-infrared periodically poled lithium niobate optical parametric generator/optical parametric amplifier

Abstract A cavity ringdown spectrometer is described that employs a novel mid-infrared light source based on periodically poled lithium niobate. The source generates tunable light using the three-step process of optical parametric generation, spectral filtering, and optical parametric amplification. Its use allows for improvements over previous pulsed ringdown measurements including the ability to acquire data rapidly (at 1 kHz) over broad spectral regions (in principle, over the entire 2220–7690 cm −1 PPLN transparency window) with narrow linewidth (⩽0.08 cm −1 ). Data are presented that demonstrate performance and support its eventual use in a trace gas sensor.
Morphogenetic responses obtained from a variety of somatic explant tissues of date palm

Shoot tip, bud, leaf, stem and root explants from bearing trees, offshoots, seedlings, and asexual plantlets ofPhoenix dactylifera L. were cultured on modified Murashige and Skoog nutrient media containing 3 g/l activated charcoal, 100 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 3 mg/l N 6-(Δ2-isopentyl)adenine to obtain callus. Differential morphogenetic responses were obtained from calli dependent on the explant type and parent source. Subcultured shoot tips and leafy lateral buds callus on nutrient media devoid of charcoal and supplemented with 0.1 mg/l α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) produced adventitious plantlets. Subcultured leaf calli produced roots only. Root callus failed to exhibit any morphogenetic response upon subculturing. Undifferentiated non-leafy buds and stem tissues did not give rise to callus, regardless of the parent source. Generally, the best callus and embryogenetic responses from explants were obtained from seedling and plantlet parent sources. Similarly, organogenetic responses such as root formation and shoot development from shoot tips cultured on media containing 10 mg/l NAA were also related to the parent explant source.
Relationships between the structure and function of lipopolysaccharide chemotypes with regard to their effects on the human polymorphonuclear neutrophil.

Abstract Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN), harvested from healthy volunteers, were challenged with endotoxins from Salmonella minnesota smooth-strain and rough-strain mutants (Ra, Rb 2 , RcP − , Rd 1 P − and Re) as well as with lipid A in an effort to determine the relationship between lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure and its ability to affect PMN chemotaxis (CT), random migration (RM) and luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (CL). In the presence of untreated autologous serum (UAS), as has been previously demonstrated for CL, CT in a modified Boyden chamber is stimulated but no significant differences among the chemotypes were observed. In the presence of heat inactivated autologous serum (IAS), significant variations among the LPS chemotypes occurred. Also noteworthy was the observation that, although the total number of cells migrating across the membrane was similar for both UAS and IAS, UAS promoted PMN migration beyond the membrane into the chamber, as opposed to IAS which caused the cells to remain adherent to the distal face of the membrane. In the absence of serum, RM was inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion by LPS from lipid A and the rough-strain mutants, with the degree of inhibition being progressively greater with increasing molecular complexity of the chemotype LPS. The smooth-strain LPS exerted an intermediate effect. In the case of CL, lipid A was the most potent stimulus, with the response decreasing as molecular complexity increased up to RcP − ; the remaining core mutant LPS provided slightly greater responses. The LPS from the smooth-strain promoted a response similar to the response to Ra LPS. Based on these data, it is concluded that there are qualitative as well as quantitative effects of the carbohydrate moieties of LPS. These data also suggest that while LPS may provoke active migration in the circulation during endotoxemia, infection localized in tissue might bring about an inhibition of PMN migration while allowing the PMN to mount an oxidative response.
Incidence of transfusion reactions and retention of procoagulant and anticoagulant factor activities in equine plasma.

Background: The extent of preservation of clotting factors and incidence of transfusion reactions to noncommercial equine plasma is not documented. Hypothesis: Equine frozen plasma would retain its coagulation factor activity within the reference range and the incidence of transfusion reactions would be low. Animals: Ten plasma donor horses. Fifty clinically ill hospitalized horses receiving plasma were reviewed to determine the incidence of reactions. Methods: In vitro study and retrospective case review. Plasma was prepared by gravity sedimentation from whole blood refrigerated for 48 hours. The activities of factors VII through XII, antithrombin (AT), and Protein C were measured. Factor activities were compared for plasma samples obtained before blood collection (S0), after 48 hours of gravity sedimentation at 5 °C and after plasma separation (S1), and after 90 days of storage at −20 °C (S90). The medical records of 50 consecutive clinically ill horses receiving frozen plasma were reviewed to determine the incidence of transfusion reactions. Results: The combined effect of plasma harvest, gravity sedimentation, decantation, and freezing caused significant reductions in factors IX, (43%P= .0013), X, (33%P= .0001), XI, (48%P= .0008), AT, (10%P= .02), and Protein C (26%P= .0001). Activities for all factors analyzed, except factor X, remained within the reference ranges. Transfusion reactions were recorded for 5/50 horses. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Clotting factors, AT, and Protein C were well preserved. The incidence of reactions to frozen plasma was 10%.
Tissue-dependent isoforms of mammalian Fox-1 homologs are associated with tissue-specific splicing activities

An intronic hexanucleotide UGCAUG has been shown to play a critical role in the regulation of tissue-specific alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs in a wide range of tissues. Vertebrate Fox-1 has been shown to bind to this element, in a highly sequence-specific manner, through its RNA recognition motif (RRM). In mammals, there are at least two Fox-1-related genes, ataxin-2 binding protein 1 (A2BP1)/Fox-1 and Fxh/Rbm9, which encode an identical RRM. Here, we demonstrate that both mouse Fxh and A2BP1 transcripts undergo tissue-specific alternative splicing, generating protein isoforms specific to brain and muscle. These tissue-specific isoforms are characterized for their abilities to regulate neural cell-specific alternative splicing of a cassette exon, N30, in the non-muscle myosin heavy chain II-B pre-mRNA, previously shown to be regulated through an intronic distal downstream enhancer (IDDE). All Fxh and A2BP1 isoforms with the RRM are capable of binding to the IDDE in vitro through the UGCAUG elements. Each isoform, however, shows quantitative differences in splicing activity and nuclear distribution in transfected cells. All Fxh isoforms and a brain isoform of A2BP1 show a predominant nuclear localization. Brain isoforms of both Fxh and A2BP1 promote N30 splicing much more efficiently than do the muscle-specific isoforms. Skeletal muscles express additional isoforms that lack a part of the RRM. These isoforms are incapable of activating neural cell-specific splicing and, moreover, can inhibit UGCAUG-dependent N30 splicing. These findings suggest that tissue-specific isoforms of Fxh and A2BP1 play an important role in determining tissue specificity of UGCAUG-mediated alternative splicing.
A comparison of radiation-induced reproductive death and chromosome exchanges in Chinese hamster cells at room temperature and in liquid nitrogen.

SummaryReproductive cell death and chromosome exchanges produced in primary Chinese hamster cells after exposure to 250 kV x-rays were studied with irradiation performed at room temperature and in liquid nitrogen. In the cell population irradiated are room temperature, the mean lethal dose was 179 rads, and there were 0·38 chromosome exchanges per cell. With irradiation in liquid nitrogen, the mean lethal dose was 977 rads, and there were 0·19 exchanges per cell. Thus, irradiation at the low temperature resulted in one-half as many chromosome exchanges per cell at the mean lethal dose. This suggests that chromosome exchanges are not a direct cause of radiation-induced cell reproductive death. At low temperatures, survival curves were exponential and the dose power for the production of chromosome exchanges per cell was less than one. The significance of these findings is discussed.
Tensile deformation and fracture behaviour of a tool-steel-based metal-matrix composite

Abstract In this paper, the microstructure, tensile behaviour and quasi-static fracture characteristics of a tool-steel reinforced with titanium carbide particles are discussed. Examination of the composite microstructure revealed a near-uniform distribution of the particulate reinforcements through the metal matrix. The elastic modulus of the composite was higher than that of the unreinforced matrix. Both yield and ultimate tensile strengths increased with reinforcement content in the matrix, but decreased marginally with increase in test temperature. The increased strength of the composite is rationalized in terms of mutually interactive influences of mechanisms based on work hardening and the substructure that evolves from the presence of additional dislocations. Fractographic analysis of the tensile fracture surfaces revealed an overall brittle appearance at the macroscopic level and features reminiscent of both brittle and ductile failure at the microscopic level. The intrinsic mechanisms and micromechanisms governing the tensile fracture process are highlighted.
A note on the anomalous mercury content of plants from the lake Balaton region and its relation to release of mercury vapor

Among four plant species common to many regions of Hungary, tissue Hg contents were 4 to 20-fold higher in samples growing in the soils of Budapest on sedimentary formations than on volcanic soils of the Tihany Peninsula at Lake Balaton. The two soils have virtually the same Hg content. This anomalous finding may be explained by retention into the post-volcanic period by Balaton vegetation of a superior capability for detoxification using volatile Hg release.
Historical review of ground squirrel crop damage in California

The threat to crops from the California ground squirrel, Spermophilus beecheyi, is followed from the early Spanish mission fathers through the gold rush period and continues from the turn of the century to the present day. Included are the kinds of crops damaged and how the damage became more varied as agriculture became much more intense and diverse following World War II, i.e. post-1945. Damage to fruit and nut crops, as well as to field and vegetable crops, is discussed, along with the more unique speciality crops such as seed production and flowers grown for the commercial market. A brief review is given to some of the cultural practices which influence squirrel populations—both positively and negatively. The detrimental effect of the squirrel on range land management and reforestation receive due attention. Estimates of the multimillion dollar monetary losses caused by the ground squirrel to agricultural crops are assembled from previously published reports dating from 1910 to the present.
The Serpent and the Rainbow/The Passage of Darkness

The Serpent and the Rainbow:. Harvard Scientist Uncovers the Startling Truth about the Secret World of Haitian Voodoo and Zombis. Wade Davis. Warner Books, 1987.384 pp. $4.95 (paper). ISBN 0-446-34387-0 Passage of Darkness: The Ethnoblology of the Haitian Zombie. Wade Davis. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1988. xxi+344 pp. $29.95 (Cloth). ISBN 0-8078-1776-7; $9.95(paper). ISBN 0-8078-4210-9
Spectrophotometric determination of trace aqueous sulfate using barium-beryllon II

The dibarium salt of beryllon II, 2-(8-hydroxy-3,6-disulfo-1-naphthylazo)-1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene-3,6-disulfonic acid is the basis of a sensitive (LOD 0.14 ppm) convenient Spectrophotometric procedure for determining trace sulfate through liberation of the dye in a 80% 2-propanol medium at an apparent pH of 4.3. The interferences are negligible and good agreement with ion Chromatographie results are demonstrated for environmental samples.
Probing Buffer-Specific Effects on Nucleotide Binding to RecA using Difference Ftir

The Escherichia coli protein RecA catalyzes the strand exchange reaction used in DNA repair and genetic recombination. Previous studies in our lab have shown buffer-specific changes in RecA stability and unfolding transitions. However, these studies suggest only minimal buffer dependent changes in nucleotide binding and secondary structure that did not explain the large buffer dependent differences in RecA stability and unfolding profiles. These observations led to further investigations of how the four common biological buffers Tris, HEPES, MES, and PO4 alter RecA structure and nucleotide binding. Here we have employed circular dichroism (CD) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy to further discern if buffers influence nucleotide binding to RecA. CD spectra of RecA were obtained in the presence and absence of ADP in each buffer condition. Laser-induced photolysis of caged nucleotides was used in conjunction with difference IR to generate RecA-ADP minus RecA difference infrared spectra in each of the four buffers. These studies detected buffer-specific changes in nucleotide binding to RecA including possible perturbations in Gln, Glu, Asp, Asn, Tyr, and Lys residues and unique secondary structural transitions. These differences between RecA-ADP minus RecA difference spectra will be discussed.
Pharmacodynamic effects of ivabradine, a negative chronotropic agent, in healthy cats.

Abstract Objective To determine the pharmacodynamic effects of oral ivabradine in cats. Animals Eight healthy, adult domestic short hair cats. Methods Each cat underwent four study periods of 24 h, receiving either one dose of placebo or ivabradine (0.1 mg/kg, 0.3 mg/kg, and 0.5 mg/kg) in a single-blind randomized crossover study. Clinical tolerance was assessed hourly for the first 8 h, at 12 h, and at the end of the 24-h study period. Heart rate and blood pressure were monitored continuously for 18–24 h via radiotelemetry after each treatment. Response to stress (acoustic startle) was studied before (t = 0) and after treatment (t = 4 h). Statistical comparisons were made using a linear mixed models and 1-way and 2-way repeated measures ANOVA. Results Heart rate (min−1) decreased significantly (P Conclusion These findings indicate that a single oral dose of ivabradine predictably lowers heart rate, blunts the chronotropic response to stress, and is clinically well tolerated in healthy cats. This makes ivabradine potentially interesting in the treatment of feline heart disease where ischemia is of pathophysiologic importance.
A Guttman-Based Approach to Identifying Cumulativeness Applied to Chimpanzee Culture:

Human culture appears to build on itself—that is, to be to some extent cumulative. Whether this property is shared by culture in the common chimpanzee is controversial. The question previously has ...
Far-field diffraction of truncated higher-order Laguerre-Gaussian beams

A simple analytic expression for the far-field diffraction pattern of a general high-order Laguerre-Gaussian mode from a circular aperture is derived. Aperturing of the fundamental Gaussian beam is shown as a special case, where in the limit of waist size much larger than the aperture the Airy pattern is recovered and in the opposite limit we get a Gaussian intensity pattern. The diffraction pattern is shown to be an infinite series of Bessel functions and is strongly dependent on the ratio of the aperture area to the beam waist area (also known as the truncation parameter). This formulation leads to a more intuitive understanding of the far field of these modes, and the effect of the aperture as a spatial filter is discussed.
COPY NUMBER AND CHROMOSOMAL LOCATION OF SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE TRNATRP-ENCODING GENES

Yeast tRNA(Trp)-encoding genes have been identified by Southern-blot analysis of chromosomal DNA. Seven copies of this gene are detected in blots of both restriction endonuclease digests and intact chromosomal DNA. Electrophoretic mapping of tDNA(Trp) indicates one copy is located on each of chromosomes X, XI, XIII, and XVI. The remaining three copies are localized to chromosomes VII and/or XV. Three different yeast strains gave identical results indicating this multi-gene family is relatively stable.
Living with Multiple Languages: Multilingualism, Identity, and Belonging

Leben mit mehreren Sprachen/Vivre avec plusieurs langues Sprachbiographien/Biographies langagieres [Living with multiple languages: Language biographies]. Rita Franceschini, Johanna Miecznikowski (eds). Bern: Peter Lang. 2004. Pp. 256. ISBN 3-03910-340-7: US$33.95
An electromyographic study of mastication in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta)

Abstract Twenty-eight monkeys ( Macaca mulatta ) were monitored during 84 electromyographic recording sessions to study the function of certain masticatory and facial muscles during mastication. During the period of closing muscle function, strong activity was noted in the temporal and masseter musculature and in the superior head of the lateral pterygoid muscle. The relative participation of the elevator muscles differed among the four age groups. During the period of opening muscle activity, the suprahyoids and the inferior head of the lateral pterygoid muscle functioned during the depression of the lower jaw. A comparison of the results of this study with the numerous human EMG studies of mastication indicate a basic similarity in muscle function during chewing in the two species, although age-related differences in specific muscle group activities do exist.
Convergence and Stability of Locally ℝN-Invariant Solutions of Ricci Flow

Valuable models for immortal solutions of Ricci flow that collapse with bounded curvature come from locally \(\mathcal{G}\) -invariant solutions on bundles \(\mathcal{G}^{N}\hookrightarrow\mathcal{M}\,\overset{\pi }{\mathcal{\longrightarrow}}\,\mathcal{B}^{n}\) , with \(\mathcal{G}\) a nilpotent Lie group. In this paper, we establish convergence and asymptotic stability, modulo smooth finite-dimensional center manifolds, of certain ℝN-invariant model solutions. In case N+n=3, our results are relevant to work of Lott classifying the asymptotic behavior of all 3-dimensional Ricci flow solutions whose sectional curvatures and diameters are respectively \(\mathcal{O}(t^{-1})\) and \(\mathcal{O}(t^{1/2})\) as t→∞.
Modeling commercial vehicle empty trips with a first order trip chain model

Abstract In this paper, new mathematical formulations that depict the flow of empty commercial vehicles as a function of a given matrix of commodity flows were developed. These formulations are based on probability principles and spatial interaction concepts. The models are based on the concept of order of a trip chain , defined as the number of additional stops with respect to the primary trip, and provide a statistical link between the first order and higher order trip chains. Three different destination choice probability functions were hypothesized based on different assumptions about the destination choice process. One of these formulations included a memory component, that takes into account the amount of travel already done in the destination choice process. An example, based on data from an origin–destination study in Guatemala City, is included to show the practicality of the proposed models. The numerical results indicated a slight superiority of the formulation that takes into account the length of the previous trip. In all cases, this model outperformed the previous models which seems to be an indication of the reasonableness of its fundamental assumptions and specifically of the benefits of including a memory function. The paper also provides empirical evidence of the importance of modeling empty trips. The root mean squared error of the estimation increased between 57% and 83%, with respect to the best empty trip model, if empty trips are not explicitly modeled.
Normalized Ashurst-Hoover Scaling and a Comprehensive Viscosity Correlation for Compressed Liquids

The recent move toward physics-based elastohydrodynamics promises to yield advances in the understanding of the mechanisms of friction and film generation that were not possible a few years ago. However, the accurate correlation of the low-shear viscosity with temperature and pressure is an essential requirement. The Ashurst-Hoover thermodynamic scaling, which has been useful for thermal elastohydrodynamic simulation, is normalized here in a manner that maps the viscosity of three widely different liquids onto a master Stickel curve. The master curve can be represented by a combination of two exponential power law terms. These may be seen as expressions of different molecular interaction mechanisms similar to the two free-volume models of Batschinski-Hildebrand and Doolittle, respectively. The new correlation promises to yield more reasonable extrapolations to extreme conditions of temperature and pressure than free-volume models, and it removes the singularity that has prevented wide acceptance of free-volume models in numerical simulations. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4005374]
A facility for calibrations and short experiments with heavy ions at the Bevatron

Abstract Heavy-ion beams at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Bevatron are routinely available for calibration purposes. These beams are very useful to cosmic-ray physicists and others who wish to have empirical evidence indicating their instruments really can identify elements or isotopes. Virtually all isotopes through 16 O can be produced over a wide energy range.
Robot assisted laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy at the time of radical cystectomy rivals that of open surgery: single institution report.

Objective The purpose of this study was to analyze the pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) and margin status using a standard technique in the first 35 patients undergoing robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) at our institution while establishing a robotics program, and then to compare the results to the past 35 open radical cystectomy (ORC) performed at our institution. Materials and Methods After obtaining institutional review board approval, we reviewed the clinical and pathologic data from 70 consecutive patients with clinically localized bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy with PLND from April 2007 to June 2009. Thirty-five operations were performed open and 35 used the da Vinci robotic system. The PLND was performed in all patients using the same template. Results There was no significant difference between the ORC and RARC group in regards to patient characteristics, tumor stage (43% ORC and 40% RARC having pT3/pT4 disease), and node status (29% N+ in each group). The median total lymph node yield was similar, with 15 (interquartile range [IQR] 11, 22) in the ORC group and 16 (IQR 11, 24) in the RARC group ( P = 0.5). One patient who underwent RARC had a positive margin compared with 3 patients in the ORC group. Conclusions The initial 35 RARC with PLND performed at our institution compared with the last 35 ORC resulted in equivalent lymph node yield and similar rates of positive margins. RARC with PLND is feasible, safe, and effective when performed at a high-volume center by an experienced team.
Comparison of finite element and lumped parameter methods for oceanic cables

Abstract The purpose of this work is to examine the basic foundations, similarities and fundamental differences between the finite element methods (FEM) and the lumped parameter methods (LPM) of analysis for oceanic cables under hydrodynamic load conditions. The continuum method (CM) is presented as a ‘ground truth’ prior to presenting each aspect of the approximate method derivations.
Semi-globally Exponential Tracking Observer/Controller for Robots with Joint Hysteresis and Without Velocity Measurement

In this work, we consider a multiple degree of freedom robotic plant with joint hysteresis and without velocity measurement. We show, by construction, how a semi-globally exponential hysteresis observer/controller that assumes velocity measurement, a number of which we point out from the literature, can be combined/modified with a velocity observer to yield a combined semi-globally exponential tracking observer/controller. The resulting observer/controller estimates both the hysteresis state and the joint velocity. We prove that the combined estimation error and tracking error converges to zero semi-globally exponentially. One deemed contribution as compared to previous work for this same type of plant is that the usual requirement of velocity measurement has been removed; another is the proved semi-globally exponential result.
ANALYTICAL ALTERNATIVES TO THE MONTE CARLO SIMULATION OF SPATIAL DIFFUSION

ABSTRACT A single map of the spread of an innovation produced from a Monte Carlo simulation is equivalent from the viewpoint of sampling theory to a random sample of size one drawn from the set of all possible maps. A sample mean is a more reliable estimator of the population mean when the sample size is large. In the simulation of diffusion the recommended practice has been to obtain an average map based on several repetitions of the simulation, but the average map can be produced directly in a few analytical steps, thus obviating the need for the cumbersome sampling procedure implicit in the Monte Carlo approach.
Propiconazole-induced cytochrome P450 gene expression and enzymatic activities in rat and mouse liver

Propiconazole is a N-substituted triazole used as a fungicide on fruits, grains, seeds, hardwoods, and conifers. In the present study, propiconazole was examined for its effects on the expression of hepatic cytochrome P450 genes and on the activities of P450 enzymes in male Sprague-Dawley rats and male CD-1 mice. Rats and mice were administered propiconazole by gavage daily for 14 days at doses of 10, 75, and 150 mg/kg body weight/day. Quantitative real time RT-PCR assays of rat hepatic RNA samples from animals treated at the 150 mg/kg body weight/day dose revealed significant mRNA overexpression of the following genes compared to control: CYP1A2 (1.62-fold), CYP2B1 (10.8-fold), CYP3A1/CYP3A23 (2.78-fold), and CYP3A2 (1.84-fold). In mouse liver, propiconazole produced mRNA overexpression of Cyp2b10 (2.39-fold) and Cyp3a11 (5.19-fold). mRNA expression of CYP1A1 was not detected in liver tissues from treated or controls animals from either species. Propiconazole significantly induced both pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylation (PROD) and methoxyresorufin O-dealkylation (MROD) activities in both rat and mouse liver at the 150 mg/kg body weight/day and 75 mg/kg body weight/day doses. In summary, these results indicated that propiconazole induced CYP1A2 in rat liver and CYP2B and CYP3A families of isoforms in rat and mouse liver.
New pharmacological treatments for improving renal outcomes in diabetes

Diabetic nephropathy is the most common and most rapidly growing cause of end-stage renal failure in developed countries. Diabetic nephropathy results from complex interactions between genetic, metabolic and hemodynamic factors. Improvements in our understanding of the pathogenesis of fibrosis associated with diabetic kidney disease have led to the identification of several novel targets for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy. Albuminuria is a useful clinical marker of diabetic nephropathy, as it can be used to predict a decline in renal function. A reduction in albuminuria might not, however, be reflective of a protective effect of therapies focused on ameliorating renal fibrosis. Although new strategies for slowing down the progression of several types of renal disease have emerged, the challenge of arresting the relentless progression of diabetic nephropathy remains. In this Review, we discuss novel pharmacological approaches that aim to improve the renal outcomes of diabetic nephropathy, including the use of direct renin inhibitors and statins. We also discuss the promise of using antifibrotic agents to treat diabetic nephropathy. The need for novel biomarkers of diabetic nephropathy is also highlighted.
Random sampling of random processes: Impulse processes

Improper random process where impulse occurrence times constitutes stationary point process, noting autocorrelation function and spectral density function
Determinants of Satisfaction with an Automated Alcohol Evaluation Program

High rates of untreated mental illness cause serious health problems in the United States and worldwide. The use of computer-administered therapy has the potential to increase access to mental heal...
Immunohistochemical localization of specific relaxin-binding cells in the cervix, mammary glands, and nipples of pregnant rats.

Previously, we demonstrated that endogenous circulating relaxin promotes the growth and softening of the cervix, the development of the mammary glands, and the growth and development of nipples. Due to the remarkably similar modifications in the histological appearance of the extracellular matrix in the cervix, mammary glands, and nipples, we hypothesized that there may be a common mechanism(s) of action of relaxin in these tissues. A fundamental step toward understanding this mechanism is to identify specific cells that contain relaxin receptors, that is to identify those cells that initiate relaxin's effects within relaxin target tissues. To identify specific relaxin-binding cells in the cervix, mammary glands, and nipples of the pregnant rat, a biologically active biotinylated relaxin probe was prepared. This probe for putative relaxin receptors was administered to intact rats on day 18 of pregnancy. After 1 h, the animals were killed, and tissues were fixed by immersion in 4% paraformaldehyde for 10 h...
LMI-based robust model predictive control and its application to an industrial CSTR problem

Abstract In this paper, robust model predictive control (MPC) is studied for a class of uncertain linear systems with structured time-varying uncertainties. This general class of uncertain systems is useful for nonlinear plant modeling in many circumstances. The controller design is characterizing as an optimization problem of the “worst-case” objective function over infinite moving horizon, subject to input and output constraints. A sufficient state-feedback synthesis condition is provided in the form of linear matrix inequality (LMI) optimizations, and will be solved on-line. The stability of such a control scheme is determined by the feasibility of the optimization problem. To demonstrate its usefulness, this robust MPC technique is applied to an industrial continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) problem with explicit input and output constraints. Its relative merits to conventional MPC approaches are also discussed.
Tableau Systems for Some Paraconsistent Modal Logics

In this paper we present tableau-style proof theories for some modal extensions of two paraconsistent propositional logics: RM3, which allows for truth value gluts, and the weaker BN4, which also allows for truth value gaps. These proof theories are shown to be sound and complete with respect to their corresponding semantics. For comparison, we then present some Hilbert-style axiomatizations of these systems proposed by Lou Goble, and bring out some of the comparative advantages and disadvantages of these vis-a-vis our tableau systems.
Elucidation of a Novel Pathway through Which HDAC1 Controls Cardiomyocyte Differentiation through Expression of SOX-17 and BMP2

Embryonic Stem Cells not only hold a lot of potential for use in regenerative medicine, but also provide an elegant and efficient way to study specific developmental processes and pathways in mammals when whole animal gene knock out experiments fail. We have investigated a pathway through which HDAC1 affects cardiovascular and more specifically cardiomyocyte differentiation in ES cells by controlling expression of SOX17 and BMP2 during early differentiation. This data explains current discrepancies in the role of HDAC1 in cardiovascular differentiation and sheds light into a new pathway through which ES cells determine cardiovascular cell fate.
Computing the minimum cover of functional dependencies

Abstract Let FD X → Y denote a functional dependency and let F denote a set of FDs. An FD X → Y is said to be closed if Y is the closure of X under F. A cover is closed if each FD is closed. The main theoretical results states that a closed, nonredundant cover is a minimum cover. A simple algorithm is presented to compute a minimum cover for F.