cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Climate change in mountains: a review of elevation-dependent warming and its possible causes

Available observations suggest that some mountain regions are experiencing seasonal warming rates that are greater than the global land average. There is also evidence from observational and modeling studies for an elevation-dependent climate response within some mountain regions. Our understanding of climate change in mountains, however, remains challenging owing to inadequacies in observations and models. In fact, it is still uncertain whether mountainous regions generally are warming at a different rate than the rest of the global land surface, or whether elevation-based sensitivities in warming rates are prevalent within mountains. We review studies of four high mountain regions – the Swiss Alps, the Colorado Rocky Mountains, the Tibetan Plateau/Himalayas, and the Tropical Andes – to examine questions related to the sensitivity of climate change to surface elevation. We explore processes that could lead to enhanced warming within mountain regions and possible mechanisms that can produce altitudinal gradients in warming rates on different time scales. A conclusive understanding of these responses will continue to elude us in the absence of a more comprehensive network of climate monitoring in mountains.
A GPU-accelerated integral-equation solution for large-scale electromagnetic problems

The method of moments (MoM) has been developed and widely used for solving electromagnetic scattering and radiation problems. The major disadvantage of the MoM is that it has O(N2) computational and storage complexities, which result in a large memory requirement and a tremendous amount of computation time (J.-M. Jin, Theory and Computation of Electromagnetic Fields. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley, 2010). To alleviate these problems, a GPU-accelerated multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA) has been developed with a capability of solving one-million-unknown problems on four GPUs (J. Guan, S. Yan, and J.-M. Jin, IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., vol. 60, pp. 3607–3616, June 2013). However, this parallelized algorithm requires substantially more GPU resources if the problem size increases further, which would result in a reduction of the computational efficiency because more data communications between CPU and GPU are required in the MLFMA. To overcome this problem, a “compute on-the-fly” strategy is investigated in this work, with the objective to solve larger problems with limited GPU resources.
Supercritical carbon dioxide-assisted silanization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and their effect on the thermo-mechanical properties of epoxy nanocomposites

Abstract Supercritical carbon dioxide was employed as the solvent for the functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with an epoxy-capped silane. The silanization protocol was found to be a suitable green alternative to traditional routes that rely on organic solvents for grafting nearly monolayers of silane molecules onto the nanotube surfaces. The addition of silanized MWCNTs to a model epoxy markedly increased its Tg, and measurements of the network cooperativity length scale linked this change to a reduction in polymer segment mobility. Composites filled with low loading levels of both pristine and silanized MWCNTs exhibited significantly higher strain at break and toughness than the neat epoxy, and the greatest improvements were observed at low loading levels. SEM analysis of the composite fracture surfaces revealed that nanotube pullout was the primary failure mechanism in epoxy loaded with pristine MWCNTs while crack bridging predominated in composites containing silanized MWCNTs as the result of strong interfacial bonding with the matrix. The elevated Tg and toughness achieved with small additions of silanized MWCNTs promise to extend the engineering applications of the epoxy resin.
Effect of Rat Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Development of Abdominal Adhesions after Surgery

One of the common and most serious side effects of abdominal surgery is the formation of adhesions within the peritoneal cavity during healing. Efforts to prevent adhesion formation have concentrated on inhibiting the inflammatory response, inhibiting the formation or encouraging the lysis of fibrin, and protection of the damaged serosal surface. We are interested in regenerating the serosal surface by providing a source of mesothelial progenitor cells. Rats were divided into groups of 10 each. Abdominal adhesions were created by removing a circle of peritoneum and suturing it back into place. Two weeks later the rats were euthanized and the adhesions scored on a scale of 0-5. A population of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated from the skeletal muscle of neonatal rats was tested. The cells were grown in primary culture to expand the population and then trypsinized and frozen at -80 degrees C. They are then thawed and grown in secondary culture before use. The control group were injected with saline i.p. immediately after surgery. The experimental groups received (1) 1.4 X 10(6) MSCs, (2) 5 X 10(6) MSCs, (3) 7.5 X 10(6) dead MSCs, (4) 5 X 10(6) rat smooth muscle cells immediately post-op, and (5) 5 X 10(6) MSCs 4-6 hours after surgery. Only live MSCs given immediately after surgery by i.p. injection significantly decreased the adhesion scores of the rats (mean score of 3.5 vs 0.9). MSCs injected i.p. 4-6 hours after surgery actually increased the adhesion scores (3.5 vs 4.7), and rat smooth muscle cells injected i.p. immediately after surgery had no effect on adhesions. The exact mechanism of action of the MSCs is unknown at this time. However, we postulate that the MSCs have the capacity to differentiate into mesothelial cells capable of repopulating the injured mesothelium.
Functional Asymmetry of Agonist Binding in Fetal and Adult Muscle Acetylcholine Receptors

Neuromuscular acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) have two agonist-binding sites at the a-d and either a-g (fetal) or a-e (adult) subunit interfaces. The g-subunit of fetal AChRs is indispensable for the proper development of neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) and muscle differentiation. g- is replaced by the e-subunit at the adult synapses. We are carrying out a single-channel study of binding and gating in fetal and adult AChRs activated by ACh, carbamylcholine (CCh), trimethylammonium (TMA), nicotine (Nic) or choline (Cho). The net agonist binding energy (the log of the high/low affinity ratio) for both receptor types was ACh>CCh>TMA>Nic>Cho. However, for all ligands these energies for g-AChRs were ∼-2.0 kcal/mol more favorable than in e-AChRs. By using AChRs having only one functional binding site (knockout and hybrid receptors), we dissected the independent contribution of each of the sites separately. For CCh, Nic and Cho the a-g binding site provides more agonist energy (∼-2.0 kcal/mol) for gating compared to a-d and a-e. In e-AChRs the two binding sites are, however, symmetrical for ACh. Functional asymmetry is a manifestation of the differences in structure at the binding sites and we are investigating residues in the g-subunit that may provide the extra binding energy. Cho is a critical nutrient for fetal brain development and Nic exposure during development results in long-term abnormalities in the adult nervous system. We hope that understanding the biophysical properties of agonists in different AChRs subtypes will provide insight into these physiological conditions.
Sleep Is Associated with the Metabolic Syndrome in a Multi-Ethnic Cohort of Midlife Women: The SWAN Sleep Study

Study objectives We evaluated associations among subjective and objective measures of sleep and the metabolic syndrome in a multi-ethnic sample of midlife women. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Participants' homes. Participants Caucasian (n = 158), African American (n = 125), and Chinese women (n = 57); mean age = 51 years. Age range = 46-57 years. Interventions None. Measurements and results Metabolic syndrome was measured in the clinic and sleep quality was assessed by self-report. Indices of sleep duration, continuity/fragmentation, depth, and sleep disordered breathing were assessed by in-home polysomnography (PSG). Covariates included sociodemographics, menopausal status, use of medications that affect sleep, and self-reported health complaints and health behaviors known to influence metabolic syndrome risk. Logistic regression was used to test the hypothesis that the metabolic syndrome would be associated with increased subjective sleep complaints and PSG-assessed sleep disturbances. In univariate analyses, the metabolic syndrome was associated with decreased sleep duration and efficiency and increased NREM beta power and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). After covariate adjustment, sleep efficiency (odds ratio [OR] = 2.06, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-3.93), NREM beta power (OR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.09-3.98), and AHI (OR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1.40-2.48) remained significantly associated with the metabolic syndrome (odds ratio values are expressed in standard deviation units). These relationships did not differ by race. Conclusions Objective indices of sleep continuity, depth, and sleep disordered breathing are significant correlates of the metabolic syndrome in midlife women, independent of race, menopausal status and other factors that might otherwise account for these relationships.
Effect of Tissue Cultures of Maize Endosperm on the Growth of Excised Maize Embryos

IN 1947, LaRue reported the regeneration of sporophytes from maize endosperm tissue, and also limited growth of the endosperm tissue without regeneration or differentiation when excised and placed on an appropriate artificial medium1. In 1948, continuing this study, he succeeded in obtaining a culture of maize endosperm of a callus-like nature having unlimited growth2. This original stock has been in culture for more than two years, and I also have stocks in culture from two other varieties of maize.
Differential Treatment of Siblings in Two Family Contexts

We examined differential treatment of siblings (maternal involvement, discipline, children's chores) in 2 contexts: families with and without a disabled child. Further, we assessed the connections between differential treatment and both children's adjustment and sibling relationships. Subjects were 62 children, 8–14 years old, half with younger disabled siblings and half with younger nondisabled siblings. In home interviews children rated their adjustment and sibling relations, and mothers reported on discipline strategies used with each child. In 7 nightly phone interviews, mothers recalled durations of specific activities with each child and each child's chores during that day. Analyses revealed greater levels of differential treatment in families with disabled children but no context differences in the correlations between older and younger siblings' treatment. Dimensions of differential treatment were linked to children's adjustment and sibling relationships, and some of these links differed across context.
Symplectic difference systems: variable stepsize discretization and discrete quadratic functionals

Discrete quadratic functionals with variable endpoints for variable stepsize symplectic difference systems are considered. A comprehensive study is presented for characterizing the positivity of such functionals in terms of conjugate intervals, conjoined bases, and implicit and explicit Riccati equations with various forms of boundary conditions. Moreover, necessary conditions for the nonnegativity of these functionals are obtained in terms of the above notions. Furthermore, we show that a variable stepsize discretization of a continuous-time nonlinear control problem leads to a discrete linear quadratic problem and a Hamiltonian difference system, which are special cases of their symplectic counterparts.
Group size and societal complexity: Thresholds in the long-term memory

Abstract This paper attempts to establish the empirical generalization that there are panhuman thresholds that regulate man's organization of his natural and social environment. The thresholds are, it is proposed, related to underlying regularities in the organization of the long-term memory. Based on the proposed constraints, the paper also suggests some hypotheses concerning group size and hierarchical complexity.
Tunability of the photoluminescence in porous silicon due to different polymer dielectric environments

Abstract In this report we demonstrate control over porous silicon (PSi) emission properties by changing the dielectric environment surrounding the silicon crystallites, as well as provide information on the effects of pore infiltration of PSi. This is achieved by making PSi–polymer nanocomposites by diffusing or polymerizing a range of varying dielectric constant polymers into the pores. The degree of modification in photoluminescence (PL) depends on the dielectric constant of the polymers. By increasing the dielectric constant of the environment surrounding the crystallites, a blue shift in PL as high as 222 meV has been observed. The blue shift is attributed to the high dielectric constant of the polymers relative to PSi, which causes a partial screening of the excitons allowing the excitonic levels to shift closer to the bandgap. The shift in excitonic levels increases when the dielectric constant of the polymer increases. PSi–polymer nanocomposites also exhibit an increase in PL intensity, which suggest that the inert infiltrated polymers are able to passivate existing nonradiative channels.
Motoric Change Subsequent to Therapeutic Intervention in Infants and Young Children Who Have Cerebral Palsy: Annotated Listing of Group Studies:

This annotated listing is of group reports pertaining to therapeutic strategies utilized with infants and young children who have cerebral palsy. The studies are organized by type of design used.
The Effects of Conjugate Heat Transfer on the Thermal Field Above a Film Cooled Wall

Common gas turbine heat transfer analysis methods rely on the assumption that the driving temperature for heat transfer to a film cooled wall can be approximated by the adiabatic wall temperature. This assumption implies that the gas temperature above a film cooled adiabatic wall is representative of the overlying gas temperature on a film cooled conducting wall. This assumption has never been evaluated experimentally. In order for the adiabatic wall temperature as driving temperature for heat transfer assumption to be valid, the developing thermal boundary layer that exists above a conducting wall must not significantly affect the overriding gas temperature. In this paper, thermal fields above conducting and adiabatic walls of identical geometry and at the same experimental conditions were measured. These measurements allow for a direct comparison of the thermal fields above each wall in order to determine the validity of the adiabatic wall temperature as driving temperature for heat transfer assumption. In cases where the film cooling jet was detached, a very clear effect of the developing thermal boundary layer on the gas temperature above the wall was measured. In this case, the temperatures above the wall were clearly not well represented by the adiabatic wall temperature. For cases where the film cooling jet remained attached, differences in the thermal fields above the adiabatic and conducting wall were small, indicating a very thin thermal boundary layer existed beneath the coolant jet.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Drug-induced rhinitis.

Summary Background Rhinitis is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the nose and can be divided into two categories, allergic and non-allergic. Drug-induced is a type of non-allergic rhinitis. Objective A review of the literature was conducted. Very little is known about this topic and there are no publications to date solely devoted to drug-induced rhinitis. Methods A PubMed and Medline search was conducted using a combination of the keywords; drug, medication, rhinitis, congestion, rhinorrhea, sneezing, pruritus, vasomotor, reflex, neurogenic, allergic and non-allergic. Medications that were found in the search were then cross-referenced with the physicians desk reference and Epocrates. The final literature search was conducted in August 2009. Results Three categories of drug-induced rhinitis exist based on the mechanism of action. These include local inflammatory, neurogenic and idiopathic types. Rhinitis medicamentosa, a form of drug-induced rhinitis, has unique characteristics. Conclusion When possible, the offending medication should be discontinued or substituted. Although there are no established treatment recommendations for drug-induced rhinitis other than avoidance, clinical experience suggests that it would be reasonable to initiate use of an intranasal corticosteroid spray to treat symptomatically. The addition of an intranasal antihistamine in combination with use of an intranasal corticosteroid may be considered as step-up therapy if the intranasal corticosteroid alone is not effective. Cite this as: M. Varghese, M. C. Glaum and R. F. Lockey, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2010 (40) 381–384.
Der guote Gêrhart: The power of mobility in the medieval Mediterranean

This essay revisits Rudolf von Ems's extraordinary thirteenth-century Middle High German romance. Where most readers see a moral exemplum focused on the piety of the titular protagonist, this essay brings out the importance of the merchant's Mediterranean adventures and cross-cultural know-how: his traffic in silk from Middle Eastern centers, his knowledge of French as Mediterranean lingua franca, his cordial relations with the ‘heathen’ burgrave of Morocco. When Gerhart is shipwrecked on the North African coast, his ability to cross multiple geographical and cultural spaces results in a momentary recoding of ‘good’ from the noble and, above all, spiritual values of the German imperial court to ‘movable goods’ [varnde guot] – the precious cargo that the merchant uses to ransom the burgrave's noble Christian captives. In Rudolf von Ems's artful language, Gerhart is ‘good’ in multiple, potentially incompatible ways.
Theory of AFC Synchronization

The general solution for the important design parameters of an automatic frequency and phase-control system is presented. These parameters include the transient response, frequency response and noise bandwidth of the system, as well as the hold-in range and pull-in range of synchronization.
The Georgia Dutch: From the Rhine and Danube to the Savannah, 1733-1783

This is the first comprehensive history of the German-speaking settlers who emigrated to the Georgia colony from Germany, Alsace, Switzerland, Austria, and adjacent regions. Known collectively as the Georgia Dutch, they were the colony's most enterprising early settlers, and they played a vital role in gaining Britain's toehold in a territory also coveted by Spain and France.The main body of the book is a chronological account of the Georgia Dutch from their earliest arrival in 1733 to their dispersal and absorption into what was, by 1783, an Anglo-American populace. Underscoring the harsh daily life of the common settler, George Fenwick Jones also highlights noteworthy individuals and events. He traces recurrent themes, including tensions between the realities of the settlers' lives and the aspirations and motivations of the colony's trustees and supporters; the web of relations between German- and English-speaking whites, African Americans, and Native Americans; and early signs of the genesis of a distinctly new and American sensibility.Three summary chapters conclude "The Georgia Dutch." Merging new material with information from previous chapters, Jones offers the most complete depiction to date of Georgia Dutch culture and society. Included are discussions of religion; health and medicine; education; welfare and charity; industry, agriculture, trade, and commerce; Native-American affairs; slavery; domestic life and customs; the arts; and military and legal concerns.Based on twenty-five years of research with primary documents in Europe and the United States, The Georgia Dutch is a welcome reappraisal of an ethnic group whose role in colonial history has, over time, been unfairly minimized.
Development of Highly Selective Enzymatic Devices Based on Deposition of Permselective Membranes on Aligned Nanowires

We describe a simple and efficient strategy to fabricate enzymatic devices based on the deposition of glucose oxidase on aligned and highly oriented CoNiMo metallic nanowires. CoNiMo nanowires with an average diameter of 200 nm and length of 50 μm were electrodeposited on Au-covered alumina substrates via electrodeposition, using alumina membranes as templates. Enzyme-modified electrodes were fabricated via enzyme immobilization using a cross-linker. To minimize nonspecific reactions in the presence of interfering agents, a permselective membrane composed of poly(vinylsulfonic acid) and polyamidoamine dendrimer was deposited via electrostatic interaction. The formation of hydrogen peroxide as a product of the enzymatic reaction was monitored at low overpotential, 0.0 V (vs Ag/AgCl). The detection limit was estimated at 22 μM under an applied potential of 0.0 V. The apparent Michaelis−Menten constant determined from the Lineweaver−Burke plot was 2 mM.
The cataract-inducing S50P mutation in Cx50 dominantly alters the channel gating of wild-type lens connexins

Mutations within connexin50 (Cx50) have been linked to various cataract phenotypes. To determine the mechanism behind cataract formation we used the paired Xenopus oocyte system in conjunction with transfected HeLa cells and genetically engineered mouse models to examine the functional characteristics of gap junctions in which a cataract-causing mutant of Cx50 (hereafter referred to as Cx50-S50P) is expressed. Channels comprising Cx50-S50P subunits alone failed to induce electrical coupling. However, the mixed expression of Cx50-S50P and wild-type subunits of either Cx50 or Cx46 – to create heteromeric gap junctions – resulted in functional intercellular channels with altered voltage-gating properties compared with homotypic wild-type channels. Additionally, immunofluorescence microscopy showed that channels of Cx50-S50P subunits alone failed to localize to the plasma membrane – unlike channels composed of Cx46 subunits, which concentrated at cell-cell appositions. Cx50-S50P colocalized with wild-type Cx46 in both transfected HeLa cells in vitro and mouse lens sections in vivo. Taken together, these data define the electrophysiological properties and intracellular targeting of gap junctions formed by the heteromeric combination of Cx50 or Cx46 and Cx50-S50P mutant proteins. Additionally, mixed channels displayed significantly altered gating properties, a phenomenon that may contribute to the cataract that is associated with this mutation.
Fluorimetric determination of trace hydrogen peroxide in water with a flow injection system

A fluorimetric flow-injection procedure with a single reagent solution containing p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, peroxidase and ammonia permits the determination of aqueous hydrogen peroxide in the range 10−8−10−4 M; 30–60 samples can be processed per hour. The method exhibits a wide linear range and is insensitive to sample pH within the range 2–6.
Hosts as ecological traps for the vector of Lyme disease

Vectors of infectious diseases are generally thought to be regulated by abiotic conditions such as climate or the availability of specific hosts or habitats. In this study we tested whether blacklegged ticks, the vectors of Lyme disease, granulocytic anaplasmosis and babesiosis can be regulated by the species of vertebrate hosts on which they obligately feed. By subjecting field-caught hosts to parasitism by larval blacklegged ticks, we found that some host species (e.g. opossums, squirrels) that are abundantly parasitized in nature kill 83–96% of the ticks that attempt to attach and feed, while other species are more permissive of tick feeding. Given natural tick burdens we document on these hosts, we show that some hosts can kill thousands of ticks per hectare. These results indicate that the abundance of tick vectors can be regulated by the identity of the hosts upon which these vectors feed. By simulating the removal of hosts from intact communities using empirical models, we show that the loss of biodiversity may exacerbate disease risk by increasing both vector numbers and vector infection rates with a zoonotic pathogen.
ELECTRICAL TRANSPORT PROPERTIES AND FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS OF CARBON NANOTUBES

This paper presents a review on our recent work on carbon nanotube field effect transistors, including the development of ohmic contacts, high-κ gate dielectric integration, chemical functionalization for conformal dielectric deposition and pushing the performance limit of nanotube FETs by channel length scaling. Due to the importance of high current operations of electronic devices, we also review the high field electrical transport properties of nanotubes on substrates and in freely suspended forms. Owing to their unique properties originating from their crystalline 1D structure and the strong covalent carbon–carbon bonding configuration, carbon nanotubes are highly promising as building blocks for future electronics. They are found to perform favorably in terms of ON-state current density as compared to the existing silicon technology, owing to their superb electron transport properties and compatibility with high-κ gate dielectrics. Future directions and challenges for carbon nanotube-based electronic...
Modification and Utilization of Isotope Fractionation Phenomena in Analytical Separations

A recent review [1] of isotopic fractionation phenomena in analytical separations has shown that there has been a striking increase in the number of reports dealing with these effects in the last 4 years. Whether this increase is due to improvements in analytical techniques or to an improvement in our climate of scientific acceptability cannot be determined, but in either instance their numbers indicate that isotope fractionation is not the uncommon occurrence it was once thought to be. In particular, it has become evident that differences in the chromatographic mobilities of two isotopic species are mani­fested not only by small molecules but by substances of molecular weight 400 to 600 as well; that evidence of isotopic separations is not limited to processes of high-resolution capability; and that fractionation has been demonstrated in a wide variety of biochemical compounds.
Effect of body coil electric field distribution on receive-only surface coil heating.

Although in the design of transmit RF coils, B1 homogeneity is crucial for good image quality, discussion of electric field (E-field) distribution in the literature has been mostly limited to specific absorption rate (SAR) and patient loading (dielectric) effects. In this work, we report on a different aspect of E-field: the receive-only surface coil heating resulting from the voltage drop across the blocking (decoupling) networks and cable traps that are used to minimize the transmit field distortion. The results show that the z-component (parallel to the coil cable) of the E-field has a significant effect on the temperature rise in the surface coil. Therefore, in the receive-only coil designs, it is not sufficient to consider only the induced voltage on the coil loop due to the B1 field, as is generally done in blocking network analysis calculations. The body coil E-field distribution must be considered as well. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2001;14:484–487. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Frequency domain analysis for operational amplifier macromodels

Under large signal conditions, active circuits containing operational amplifiers as elements can exhibit discontinuous response in the frequency domain. A computational procedure is described in this paper for the prediction of large signal frequency response characteristics of active circuits based upon an operational amplifier macromodel containing nonlinear circuit components to represent slew-rate limiting. The interconnection circuitry, exclusive of the operational amplifiers, is mathematically represented in the hybrid matrix form and a mininal set of nonlinear equations for the active circuit is given. A Newton-Raphson iteration, based on a describing function representation for the nonlinear circuit components, is used to numerically solve the circuit equations. Two active circuit configurations that have been observed to exhibit discontinuous large signal frequency response characteristics are described. Data obtained by application of the algorithm to these two circuits is given. Correlation between experimental data and computational results has been excellent.
The effect of high oil prices on EOR project economics

This paper examines two questions: (1) in a high oil price (and operating cost) environment what are typical breakeven prices for CO2? and, (2) are these prices sufficient to incentivize development of large-scale CCS projects? To address these questions we have developed an engineering-economic model for geological storage of CO2 through EOR. In this paper we briefly describe the performance and cost models for CO2-flood EOR, and use them to estimate the breakeven price for CO2 as a function of significant variables. In particular, the relationship between breakeven CO2 price and oil price is developed for four illustrative cases, all of which are, or were, operating EOR projects in North America. The sensitivity of the breakeven CO2 price to variability and uncertainty in reservoir characteristics and other model input parameters is also examined in detail for one of the cases.
Integral equation-based coupled electromagnetic-circuit simulation in the frequency domain

In this paper, an approach to couple electromagnetic surface integral equations and circuit simulation is presented. Terminals are defined that connect lumped circuit models to objects modeled with distributed electromagnetic simulation. A modified form of the charge-current continuity equation is proposed for connectivity at terminals. The resulting scheme enables simultaneous solution of electromagnetic integral equations for arbitrarily-shaped objects and SPICE-like modeling for lumped circuits, and permits design iterations and visualization of the interaction between the two domains.
Prophylactic amiodarone reduces junctional ectopic tachycardia after tetralogy of Fallot repair

Objective Junctional ectopic tachycardia is common after pediatric heart surgery. After tetralogy of Fallot repair, the incidence of junctional ectopic tachycardia may be as high as 15% to 20%. We introduced prophylactic amiodarone for tetralogy repair. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the prophylactic amiodarone. Methods A continuous infusion of amiodarone was started in the operating room at the time of rewarming during cardiopulmonary bypass at a rate of 2 mg/kg/d and continued for 48 hours. Between November 2005 and November 2009, 63 consecutive patients underwent primary repair of tetralogy, of whom 20 had prophylactic amiodarone (amiodarone group) and 43 did not (control group). Variables studied included demographic and bypass data, surgical procedure details (transannular or nontransannular patch), preoperative and postoperative echocardiography findings, and postoperative inotropic support. Univariate and stepwise multivariate analyses were conducted to determine factors associated with the occurrence of junctional ectopic tachycardia. Results The incidence of junctional ectopic tachycardia was 37% in the control group and 10% in the amiodarone group. The groups were similar in age, weight, bypass time, rate of transannular patch usage, and preoperative and postoperative gradient through the right ventricular outflow tract. Prophylactic amiodarone was significantly negatively associated with junctional ectopic tachycardia by both univariate (P = .039) and multivariate (P = .027) analyses. There were no adverse events attributable to prophylactic amiodarone use. Conclusions Prophylactic amiodarone is well tolerated and significantly associated with a decreased incidence of junctional ectopic tachycardia after tetralogy repair.
Mast Cells Limit Systemic Bacterial Dissemination but Not Colitis in Response to Citrobacter rodentium

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and enterohemorrhagic E. coli cause an inflammatory colitis in human patients characterized by neutrophil infiltration, proinflammatory cytokine expression, and crypt hyperplasia. Citrobacter rodentium causes a similar colitis in mice and serves as a model for enteropathogenic E. coli infection in humans. C. rodentium induces systemic T-cell-dependent antibody production that facilitates clearance of the bacteria and protects the host from reinfection. The role of innate immune cells in infectious colitis, however, is less well understood. In this study, we have determined the role of mast cells in the inflammatory response and disease induced by C. rodentium. Mice deficient in mast cells exhibit more severe colonic histopathology and have a higher mortality rate following infection with C. rodentium than do wild-type animals. Despite unimpaired neutrophil recruitment and lymphocyte activation, mast cell-deficient mice have a disseminated infection evident in crucial organ systems that contributes to sepsis. Importantly, mast cells also have the capacity to directly kill C. rodentium. Together, these results suggest that mast cells protect the host from systemic infection by reducing the bacterial load and preventing dissemination of the bacterium from the colon.
Alternatively spliced variants of interleukin-4 promote inflammation differentially

IL-4δ2 is a natural splice variant of IL-4 that lacks the region encoded by the second exon. Numerous reports have suggested that the expression levels of IL-4δ2 change in various diseases, especially those with pulmonary involvement, but the in vivo effects of this splice variant have never been studied. Replication-deficient, AdV-mediated gene delivery of mIL-4δ2 to mouse lungs in vivo was used, and the effects compared with similar adenoviral delivery of mIL-4 or with infection with a noncoding NULL viral construct. Overexpression of IL-4δ2 or IL-4 caused pulmonary infiltration by T and B lymphocytes, whereas in contrast to IL-4, IL-4δ2 did not induce eosinophilia or goblet cell hyperplasia. Microarray analysis of global gene expression revealed that IL-4δ2 and IL-4 had differential effects on gene expression. These splice variants also differentially regulated pulmonary levels of the cytokines TNF-α, eotaxin, IL-1α, IFN-γ, and MCP-1, whereas both tended to increase total lung collagen modestly. Pulmonary infiltration by lymphocytes in response to overexpression of IL-4δ2 was attenuated but not abrogated completely by germline deficiency of IL-4Rα or STAT6, whereas deficiency of endogenous IL-4 had no effect. Thus, IL-4δ2 promotes lymphocytic inflammation in vivo (although differentially from IL-4, in part), and the effects of IL-4δ2 are not mediated by endogenous IL-4. Differential targeting of IL-4δ2 and IL-4 may therefore be considered in developing future therapeutic agents.
¿Honrar a Rosa Parks? Intentos de los sectores católicos conservadores a favor de los "derechos" en la América Latina contemporánea

Cuando en el ano 2009 se otorgo en Argentina el Premio Rosa Parks a una senadora conservadora por su oposicion abierta al uso de anticonceptivos, a la esterilizacion y al aborto, era evidente que algo extrano ocurria. En este articulo se documenta la apropiacion de los discursos de "derechos humanos" por parte de los sectores catolicos conservadores en America Latina, donde el exito reciente de los movimientos sociales a favor de los derechos sexuales y reproductivos ha generado una reaccion significativa. En particular, se indagan los esfuerzos por parte de academicos catolicos especialistas en leyes para justificar lo que denominan "un enfoque distintivamente latinoamericano hacia los derechos humanos", dejando de lado decadas de activismo por los derechos humanos emprendido por otros sectores. Quienes se oponen a los derechos reproductivos y sexuales despliegan un discurso de derechos de forma selectiva y estrategica, utilizandolo como una cubierta secular para promover politicas pro-vida y pro-familia.
Progressive and Static Nonarteritic Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Treated by Optic Nerve Sheath Decompression

Purpose: Optic nerve sheath fenestration has been advocated as an effective treatment for progressive nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and anecdotally effective for selected patients with NAION who have not had progressive visual loss. To determine whether optic nerve sheath decompression is of any benefit in patients with NAION, the authors reviewed their experience, surgically treating 23 patients with progressive NAION and 15 patients with static or nonprogressive NAION. Results: Patients with progressive NAION had a significant improvement in visual function as measured by Snellen visual acuity after optic nerve sheath decompression ( P = 0.0005). There was no statistically significant improvement in visual field mean deviation ( P = 0.11). The 15 patients undergoing optic nerve sheath decompression for static NAION failed to demonstrate significant improvement in either visual acuity ( P = 0.90) or visual field mean deviation ( P = 0.87). Preoperative standardized echography was used to measure the optic nerve sheath diameter and ascertain its compressibility (30° test). There was a significant difference in compressibility between eyes with static NAION and eyes with progressive NAION ( P = 0.001). Accumulation of optic nerve sheath fluid was documented in three eyes initially presenting with NAION and then with development of progressive visual dysfunction. Conclusion: Optic nerve sheath decompression improves visual acuity but has little effect on overall visual function in patients with progressive NAION. Optic nerve sheath decompression does not improve visual field or acuity in patients with static NAION. Detection of significant intrasheath fluid by standardized echography helps to objectively differentiate patients with NAION who may benefit from optic nerve sheath decompression.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE OF DIRECT AND MODERATED EFFECTS

We examined the direct and moderated effects of an ability-based measure of emotional intelligence (MSCEIT© V2.0) on individual performance in a sample of business undergraduates. Controlling for general mental ability and personality, emotional intelligence explained unique incremental variance in performance ratings on only one of two measures of interpersonal effectiveness (public speaking effectiveness). However, the interaction of emotional intelligence with conscientiousness explained unique incremental variance both in public speaking and group behavior effectiveness, as well as academic performance (cumulative GPA). We conclude that the effects of emotional intelligence on performance are more indirect than direct in nature. Individuals must not only have emotional intelligence, but also must be motivated to use it. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of stearidonic acid and α-linolenic acid on PGE2 production and COX-2 protein levels in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell cultures

The bioactivity of stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4n-3) and alpha-linolenic acid (LNA, 18:3n-3) on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme expression and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production has not been evaluated. This investigation examined the effects of SDA and LNA on PGE2 biosynthesis and COX-2 protein and mRNA levels in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. Cells were supplemented with SDA, LNA, linoleic acid and arachidonic acid (AA) at concentrations ranging from 10 to 200 microM. At 50 and 200 microM, both SDA and LNA treatments and their combinations reduced PGE2 production as compared with AA. At 50 microM, SDA treatment also lowered the COX-2 protein level as compared with the vehicle, but this reduction was not observed with the LNA treatment. Gas chromatographic analysis of fatty acids in cellular lipids of breast cancer cells revealed that SDA led to significantly greater concentrations of 20:5n-3 and other long-chain (LC) n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (20:4n-3, 22:4n-3 and 22:5n-3) as compared with the LNA treatment. Both SDA and LNA reduced the level of 20:4n-6; however, SDA was more effective than LNA in decreasing the ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFAs in cells. In addition, SDA was more potent than LNA in suppressing the expression of the COX-2 gene, which was associated with the reduction in the levels of nuclear factor kappa B and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma mRNA. This study showed that although PGE2 production in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells was not significantly different between the SDA and LNA treatments, SDA was more effective than LNA in converting into LC n-3 PUFAs and in reducing COX-2 protein and mRNA levels.
Cinema halls, locality and urban life

■ Drawing on ethnographic field research in Bangalore, a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual city in South India, this article explores the relationship between cinema and the city and the significance of ...
Production scheduling in database production systems

A framework for parallelizing both matching and execution phases of a production system is presented. It is shown how concurrency causes new problems, which, if not handled carefully, can lead to inconsistent semantics. A new kind of data conflict is identified as the root cause of this problem. A framework for ensuring correct parallel executions is developed. The performance of the system critically depends on the scheduling of productions, which should aim at maximizing the utilization of parallelism. The design of a pessimistic (careful) scheduler and an optimistic scheduler is discussed, and their proofs of correctness are provided. >
Assessing the impact of background spectral graph construction techniques on the topological anomaly detection algorithm

Anomaly detection algorithms have historically been applied to hyperspectral imagery in order to identify pixels whose material content is incongruous with the background material in the scene. Typically, the application involves extracting man-made objects from natural and agricultural surroundings. A large challenge in designing these algorithms is determining which pixels initially constitute the background material within an image. The topological anomaly detection (TAD) algorithm constructs a graph theory-based, fully non-parametric topological model of the background in the image scene, and uses codensity to measure deviation from this background. In TAD, the initial graph theory structure of the image data is created by connecting an edge between any two pixel vertices x and y if the Euclidean distance between them is less than some resolution r. While this type of proximity graph is among the most well-known approaches to building a geometric graph based on a given set of data, there is a wide variety of dierent geometrically-based techniques. In this paper, we present a comparative test of the performance of TAD across four dierent constructs of the initial graph: mutual k-nearest neighbor graph, sigma-local graph for two different values of σ > 1, and the proximity graph originally implemented in TAD. © (2012) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Bullying in Academe: Prevalent, Significant, and Incessant.

This paper examines the top-down perspective of bullying and mobbing of professors by analyzing why it is prevalent, significant, and incessant and then proposes a framework to produce a caring, respectful, and safe environment for professors to engage in their teaching, scholarship, and service. The author suggests that the failure of administrations of institutions of higher education to acknowledge the prevalence and significance of bullying and mobbing of members of the professorate will further contribute to the incessancy of these behaviors and actions.
Extracellular and cellular Hsp72 differ as biomarkers in acute exercise/environmental stress and recovery.

Stress-inducible Hsp72 is a potential biomarker to track risk of exertional heat illness during exercise/environmental stress. Characterization of extracellular (eHsp72) vs cellular Hsp72 (iHsp72) responses is required to define the appropriate use of Hsp72 as a reliable biomarker. In each of four repeat visits, participants (n = 6 men, 4 trials; total n = 24): (a) passively dehydrated overnight, (b) exercised (2 h) with no fluid in a hot, humid environmental chamber, (c) rested and rehydrated (1 h), (d) maximally exercised for 0.5 h, and (e) returned after 24 h of at-home recovery and rehydration. We measured rectal temperature, hydration status (% body mass loss, urine markers, serum osmolality), and Hsp72 (ELISA, flow cytometry. eHsp72 (circulating) and iHsp72 (CD3+ PBMCs) correlated (P 15% above baseline, P < 0.05) decreased back to baseline levels by 1 h post-exercise, but iHsp72 expression continued to rise and remained elevated 24 h post-exercise (~2.5-fold baseline, P < 0.05). These data suggest that in addition to the classic physiological biomarkers of exercise heat stress, using cellular Hsp72 as an indicator of lasting effects of stress into recovery may be most appropriate for determining long-term effects of stress on risk for exertional heat illness.
Development of an Under-Actuated Robotic Device for Knee Loading Applications

Mechanical stimuli are crucial for the growth, development, and maintenance of articular cartilage and bone. This paper investigates a novel mechanical loading device with position specific loading capability for stimulating articular cartilage and bone. It proposes a design of an under-actuated multi-fingered robotic hand for achieving such a joint loading. The robotic hand has 8-degrees of freedom and is operated by a single motor. Four fingers, each having two phalanges were designed. The fingers are connected through shafts and are operated using a slider crank mechanism. The CAD model was constructed in Creo and then exported to Simmechanics, a toolbox in MATLAB / SIMULINK module where dynamic force analysis was performed. The simulation results validate that the device can produce the necessary magnitude of forces at required frequencies to promote the stimulation of articular cartilage and bone growth.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Physiological Response during exercise.

日常場面の階段昇り時での運動は短時間で終了してしまい、定常状態にならない。どの程度の身体反応強度なのかを健常成人を対象に計測し、トレッドミルでの負荷と対比して検討した。階段昇り時に要する運動時間は平均約10秒で、身体反応強度は、10.2METSであった。しかし、1分ごとにMETSを求めると最高2.7METSであった。トレッドミルでの負荷は、傾斜25%固定で速度を2km/h、4km/h、6km/hを約10秒間行わせた。4km/hでの速度の時が最も階段昇り時に近い強度となった。今後、定常を示さない運動では強度を決定する場合、注意が必要である。
Use of Rigorous Three-Dimensional Electromagnetic Simulation to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Optical Proximity Correction for Nonplanar Lithography

A rigorous three-dimensional lithography simulator based on a recently developed single integral equation formulation for electromagnetic scattering is used in a simulation study of the effectiveness of using pre-distortions of mask patterns to compensate for linewidth variations in the resist patterns on nonplanar substrate topography. An efficient simulation methodology is used to reduce the number of required scattering calculations. Simulation results for different mask shapes and defocus conditions are presented.
A Tale Begun in Other Days: British Travelers in Tibet in the Late Nineteenth Century

In 1904, a handful of British officers and diplomats, leading a force of severai hundred Indian troops, entered Lhasa, the "Forbidden City" of Tibet, becoming the first Britons to enter the Tibetan capital in nearly a century. The expedition's true legacy, however, was not to be its insignificant diplomatic and military accomplishments, but rather its effect on the mind and spirit ofthe British people. The British victory stripped away layers of mystery, exoticism and high adventure that had enshrouded Tibet in the Western imagination for over a hundred years. Edmund Candler, a journalist who accompanied this Younghusband Expedition (so named after its commanding officer) into Tibet, foresaw some ofthe coming disillusionment: