cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diagnosis and management of brain death in children

Summary This article reviews the concept of death and, specifically, the definitions of brain death, particularly as applied to children. The development of definitions for the concept of brain death has been driven by the technological advances of the last century in intensive care, long-term ventilatory support and transplantation medicine. Brain death is not uncommon in children. Attention to the management of children who are brain dead, with timely diagnosis and intervention where appropriate can improve the condition of organs for transplantation. Full and careful discussion of the situation with the parents may enable the family to better accept the death of their child.
Gallium Nitride LEDs Incorporating Organic Semiconductor Heterojunctions

We report on the incorporation of thin organic layers as part of GaN/InGaN blue light emitting diodes. The integration of two such contrasting classes of materials as electronic part of a single device structure may offer new opportunities in the design of flexible optoelectronic devices.
Cortical reorganization in deaf children.

Abstract Topographic mapping of the cerebral cortex of 79 deaf children and a group of matched hearing children was performed, using measures of electroencephalographic coherence, phase, and power. Deaf children manifested higher coherence and lower phase in certain left hemispheric areas, suggesting less neural differentiation; but lower coherence and higher phase in certain right hemispheric areas, suggesting greater differentiation. Deaf children had higher total power in bilateral frontal cortex than did hearing children. The data also suggested compensatory functioning in the visual cortex of the deaf subjects. The pattern of results varied somewhat in relation to cause of deafness. These findings support the hypothesis that prelingual deafness results in a partial reorganization of cerebral cortex.
Importance of packing in spiral defect chaos

We develop two measures to characterize the geometry of patterns exhibited by the state of spiral defect chaos, a weakly turbulent regime of Rayleigh-Benard convection. These describe the packing of contiguous stripes within the pattern by quantifying their length and nearest-neighbor distributions. The distributions evolve towards a unique distribution with increasing Rayleigh number that suggests power-law scaling for the dynamics in the limit of infinite system size. The techniques are generally applicable to patterns that are reducible to a binary representation.
Modulation of age-induced apoptotic signaling and cellular remodeling by exercise and calorie restriction in skeletal muscle

Aging is inevitably associated with a progressive loss of muscle mass and strength, a condition also known as sarcopenia of aging. Although the precise mechanisms underlying this syndrome have not been completely elucidated, recent studies point toward several key cellular mechanisms that could contribute to age-associated muscle loss. Among these, mitochondrial dysfunction and deregulation of apoptotic signaling have emerged as critical players in the onset and progression of sarcopenia. Interestingly, calorie restriction, a well-known antiaging intervention, and, more recently, exercise training have been shown to beneficially affect both mitochondrial function and apoptotic signaling in skeletal muscle from young and old animals. Preliminary observations also indicate that even a small (8%) reduction in food intake may still provide protective effects against sarcopenia and cellular remodeling in aging skeletal muscle, with the advantage of being more applicable to human subjects than the traditional 30-40% restriction regimen. The most recent evidence on the relevance of skeletal muscle apoptosis to sarcopenia, as well as its modulation by calorie restriction and exercise, is reviewed.
Full-thickness macular hole formation associated with central serous chorioretinopathy.

Purpose.To report a case of full-thickness macular hole (FTMH) formation associated with central serous retinopathy (CSC).Methods.Case report.Results.A 63-year-old woman with history of CSC diagnosed 8 years ago presented with vision loss. Clinical examination and optical coherence tomography found FTMH. Seven months following successful surgical repair of the macular hole, the patient presented with decreased vision, and was found to have CSC with closed macular hole.Conclusions.Based on the hydration theory of macular hole formation, CSC and the associated retinal pigment epithelium and choriocapillaris dysfunctions may promote the progression of FTMH.
Age-dependent changes in hippocampal theta

The hippocampal theta rhythm in rats exhibited an age-dependent slowing in modal frequency. However, the theta rhythm of young rats with chronic respiratory infections showed a similar slowing. Respiratory disease-free hamsters also exhibited an age-dependent slowing of modal frequencies. These findings emphasize that the health status of the animal must be examined carefully in order to establish an age-dependent slowing in hippocampal rhythm.
The hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis: a switch-controlled, condition-sensitive system in the regulation of life history strategies.

Abstract This article is part of a Special Issue “Puberty and Adolescence”. Life history theory provides an overarching framework for explaining the development of individual differences in reproductive strategies and highlights the role of familial and ecological conditions in regulating pubertal timing. Parental investment and sexual selection models afford a powerful framework for explaining the emergence of sex differences in reproductive strategies and suggest that pubertal timing in males and females is differentially sensitive to psychosocial stress. The West-Eberhard's (2003) model of switch-controlled modular systems provides the foundation for a comprehensive analysis of variation in reproductive strategies at the level of mechanism and development. Applied to puberty, this model provides a framework for explaining how genes and environments interact over development, are modulated by extant phenotypic characteristics, and operate through control of regulatory switch mechanisms across multiple levels of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. Taken together, life history theory, parental investment and sexual selection models, and the West-Eberhard framework enable an integrated evolutionary-developmental analysis of between-sex variation and within-sex variation in pubertal processes and their role in regulating alternative life history strategies.
Low-cost laser scanning technique for CMOS latchup detection

Since the CMOS Latchup phenomena is due to parasitic bipolar elements in the monolithic structure, this failure potential is always present and may return with each new circuit design or shrink of a proven design. Industry standard tests do not always identify latchup problems and/or pinpoint the exact latchup sites. laser scanning during electrical test has been shown to dot both, however, the expense of existing laser scanning systems has prevented widespread application of the procedure. This paper describes a system which features very low cost components including a semiconductor laser diode and an acoustic detection scheme which allows detection of all sites and a qualitative estimate of latchup susceptibility. if routinely used, the method could perhaps allow a smoother evolution of design rules.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
RB-pathway disruption in breast cancer: Differential association with disease subtypes, disease-specific prognosis and therapeutic response

In breast cancer, inactivation of the RB tumor suppressor gene is believed to occur via multiple mechanisms to facilitate tumorigenesis. However, the prognostic and predictive value of RB status in disease-specific clinical outcomes has remained uncertain. We investigated RB pathway deregulation in the context of both ER-positive and ER-negative disease using combined microarray datasets encompassing over 900 breast cancer patient samples. Disease-specific characteristics of RB pathway deregulation were investigated in this dataset by evaluating correlation among pathway genes as well as differential expression across patient tumor populations defined by ER status. Survival analysis among these breast cancer samples demonstrates that the RB-loss signature is associated with poor disease outcome within several independent cohorts. Within the ER-negative subpopulation, the RB-loss signature is associated with improved response to chemotherapy and longer relapse-free survival. Additionally, while indiv...
The origins of darwinism

Impending anniversaries and the trial over ‘intelligent design’ make this a good time to revisit Darwin.
SPIN-WAVE INSTABILITY MAGNON DISTRIBUTION FOR PARALLEL PUMPING IN YTTRIUM IRON GARNET FILMS AT 9.5 GHZ

Parallel-pumping spin-wave instability processes for 2-, 4.15-, and 6-\ensuremath{\mu}m-thick yttrium iron garnet films have been studied by microwave and Brillouin light-scattering techniques. The pump frequency was 9.5 GHz. The static and linearly polarized microwave fields were in plane. Butterfly curves of the instability threshold microwave-field amplitude vs the static field H were measured, along with companion determinations of the critical mode in-plane spin-wave polar-angle ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\theta}}}_{\mathrm{k}}$ and in-plane wave-number k distributions vs H. The 4.15- and 6-\ensuremath{\mu}m-thick films show narrow distributions in the critical-mode ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\theta}}}_{\mathrm{k}}$ values and broad distributions in the critical-mode k values which appear at threshold and extend to high power. For the 2-\ensuremath{\mu}m film, the critical-mode ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\theta}}}_{\mathrm{k}}$ distribution is narrow just at the instability threshold. As the power is increased, the critical-mode ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\theta}}}_{\mathrm{k}}$ distribution broadens and develops a bimodal character indicative of a splitting into two critical modes. These distributions also show considerable fine structure. The basic shape of the butterfly curve and the measured ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\theta}}}_{\mathrm{k}}$ values for the 4.15- and 6-\ensuremath{\mu}m-thick films are in rough agreement with predictions from bulk theory, except that the measured k values are in the ${10}^{4}$ rad/cm range rather than near zero. These measured k distributions are quite broad and also show significant structure.
The Academic Ethics of Open Access to Research and Scholarship.

In this article, we present the case for regarding the principles by which scholarly publications are disseminated and shared as a matter of academic ethics. The ethics of access have to do with recognizing people's right to know what is known, as well as the value to humanity of having one of its best forms of arriving at knowledge as widely shared as possible. The level of access is often reduced by the financial interests of publishers in a market in which there is little sense of a rational order, given huge discrepancies in prices for similar products. At the same time, there are risks to limiting researchers’ access to scholarly resources, both for the quality of the knowledge that is not entirely open to review and for the production of new knowledge that it might inspire. Then, there are issues of access beyond the academy for professional practice and out of human interest, for both of which undue limitations raise what are, for us, more than academic ethical questions.
Resonant nearly degenerate backward four-wave mixing in open and closed systems

This paper presents perturbation calculations using the density matrix to describe the nearly degenerate four-wave-mixing spectral response in resonant systems subject to state-specific reservoir coupling. The calculations provide physical insight into the origin of narrow resonances observed in recent experimental work in atomic sodium and ultranarrow resonances in crystals. The calculations are for systems which are homogeneously broadened as well as systems which are inhomogeneously broadened due to velocity effects or random crystal fields. The calculations show that it is possible to eliminate the effects of either kind of broadening and measure the decay rate of the dipole coherence as well as the decay rates of both states of the transition. Furthermore, the calculations indicate that the method of cross-correlated optical fields which was used to eliminate the effects of laser jitter in longitudinal relaxation rate measurements could be extended to the measurements of slow dephasing rates in crystals.
Synergism in binary mixtures of surfactants. 7. Synergism in foaming and its relation to other types of synergism

The relationship between synergism in Ross-Miles foaming and the existence of other types of synergism in binary mixtures of surfactants has been investigated. All studies were conducted in solutions of constant ionic strength (0.1 M NaCl) at 25 and/or 60 C. Six anionic-zwitterionic or anionic-nonionic mixtures and a sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (LAS)-soap mixture, all consisting of commercial surfactants, were studied. Synergism in foaming effectiveness, measured by initial foam heights, appears to be related to synergism in surface tension (γ) reduction effectiveness, but not to synergism in γ reduction efficiency or in mixed micelle formation. The LAS-soap system showed negative synergism in foaming effectiveness, correlated with negative synergism in γ reduction effectiveness, the conditions for which are defined. There appears to be no correlation between synergism in foaming efficiency and synergism in either γ reduction efficiency or mixed micelle formation. There also appears to be no unambiguous relationship between foam stability, measured by the ratio of the 5-minute to the initial foam height, and the average area per surfactant molecule at the aqueous solution/air interface.
Genetic variation and evolutionary stability of the FMR1 CGG repeat in six closed human populations

In an attempt to understand the allelic diversity and mutability of the human FMR1 CGG repeat, we have analyzed the AGG substructure of this locus within six genetically-closed populations (Mbuti pygmy, Baka pygmy, R. surui, Karitiana, Mayan, and Hutterite). Most alleles (61/92 or 66%) possessed two AGG interspersions occurring with a periodicity of one AGG every nine or ten CGG repeats, indicating that this pattern is highly conserved in all human populations. Significant differences in allele distribution were observed among the populations for rare variants possessing fewer or more AGG interruptions than the canonical FMR1 CGG repeat sequence. Comparisons of expected heterozygosity of the FMR1 CGG repeat locus with 30 other microsatellite loci, demonstrated remarkably similar levels of polymorphism within each population, suggesting that most FMR1 CGG repeat alleles mutate at rates indistinguishable from other microsatellite loci. A single allele (1 out of 92) was identified with a large uninterrupted tract of pure repeats (42 pure CGG triplets). Retrospective pedigree analysis indicated that this allele had been transmitted unstably. Although such alleles mutate rapidly and likely represent evolving premutations, our analysis suggests that in spite of the estimated frequency of their occurrence, these unstable alleles do not significantly alter themore » expected heterozygosity of the FMR1 CGG repeat in the human population. 45 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.« less
Compact, Low-Power, High-Speed Silicon Electro-Optic Modulator

A 250 mum long, CMOS-compatible, PIN diode Mach-Zehnder modulator has been fabricated with response extending to 13 GHz. Modeling shows that precompensation enables the fabrication of ultracompact 10 GHz 3 dB-bandwidth, optically broadband modulators.
Anionic Ring-opening Polymerization of Alkyl 1-Cyanocyclopropanecarboxylates

Poly(alkyl 1-cyanotrimethylene-1-carboxylate)s (CH2CH2C(CN)(COOR))n are the next higher chain homologues of poly(α-cyanoacrylate)s. They were synthesized via the anionic ring-opening polymerization of the corresponding alkyl 1-cyanocyclopropanecarboxylate monomers initiated with thiophenolate salts (PhSM, with M = Li, Na, K, and NBu4) and at temperatures above 50 °C. Precipitation of the growing polymer chains at an early stage during the polymerization did not prevent further propagation, probably via polymerization in the solid or at the solid surface. The propagating cyanoacetate carbanion is very stable in a normal air atmosphere, surviving for long periods of time in the absence of strong acids. Although monodisperse polymers were obtained in most experiments (Mw/Mn < 1.10), strong experimental evidence for a living polymerization could only be obtained when K+ and NBu4+ counterions were used. Nonquantitative initiations characterized polymerizations initiated by PhSLi and PhSNa. Attempted polymeri...
Amphiphilic α-Helical Potential: A Putative Folding Motif Adding Few Constraints to Protein Evolution

Evidence from a number of studies indicates that protein folding is dictated not only by factors stabilizing the native state, but also by potentially independent factors that create folding pathways. How natural selection might cope simultaneously with two independent factors was addressed in this study within the framework of the “Lim-model” of protein folding, which postulates that the early stages of folding of all globular proteins, regardless of their native structure, are directed at least in part by potential to form amphiphilic α-helices. For this purpose, the amphiphilic α-helical potential in randomly ordered amino acid sequences and the conservation in phylogeny of amphiphilic α-helical potential within various proteins were assessed. These analyses revealed that amphiphilic α-helical potential is a common occurrence in random sequences, and that the presence of amphiphilic α-helical potential is present but not conserved in phylogeny within a given protein. The results suggest that the rapid formation of molten globules and the variable behavior of those globules depending on the protein may be a fundamental property of polymers of naturally occurring amino acids more so than a trait that must be derived or maintained by natural selection. Further, the results point toward the utility of randomly occurring process in protein function and evolution, and suggest that the formation of efficient pathways that determine early processes in protein folding, unlike the formation of stable, native protein structure, does not present a substantial hurdle during the evolution of amino acid sequences.
Mechanistic considerations of the protonation and fragmentation of highly functionalized molecules in fast atom bombardment: High resolution mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry analysis of the ions formed by fast atom bombardment of digoxin and related cardiac glycosides.

High resolution mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry analyses of the major ions of digoxin formed by fast atom bombardment are presented and discussed to investigate the mechanisms through which fragment ions are formed. Similar cardiac glycosides are also analyzed to provide support for the proposed fragment assignments. Remote site fragmentation with the charge localized on the aglycone portion of the molecule may provide an explanation for the fragment ions observed in these studies because the majority of these ions contain the aglycone portion of the molecule. The results obtained parallel previously reported results from an ammonia chemical ionization mass spectral study of cardiac glycosides. (J Am Soc Mass Spectrom 1990, 1, 455-472)
A novel wideband antenna package design with a compact spatial‐notch filter for wireless applications

This paper presents a compact package, comprising a wideband antenna with a compact spatial-notch filter, useful for RF applications requiring a high rate of data transfer. Fractal concepts are employed to help reduce the package to almost half the normal size, and to realize a much sharper band-stop than would be possible with a conventional filter. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 35: 455–460, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10637
Problems with sub-p.p.b. mercury determinations: preservation of standards and prevention of water mist interferences

Abstract Instrumentation, for the cold-vapor atomic absorption determination of mercury has been improved by several modifications including an a.c.—d.c. switching circuit; a single module for the light source, beam splitter, and reference PMT; and the use of an electrically heated glass tube to vaporize water mist, in place of the conventional magnesium perchlorate drying tube. Its use to study the effectiveness of nine common oxidizing agents as preservatives for sub-p.p.b. concentrations of mercury(II) in distilled water has shown that only combinations of nitric acid with potassium dichromate or gold(III) are suitable.
Targeting 5α-reductase for prostate cancer prevention and treatment.

Inhibition of 5α-reductase has the potential to be extremely useful in the treatment of prostate cancer. However, the two largest trials to investigate the use of such drugs showed that, although the overall incidence of cancer was reduced, detected tumors were more aggressive than in patients treated with placebo. In this Review, the authors consider the mechanism of 5α-reductase inhibitors in the treatment of prostate cancer, and discuss the controversies surrounding their use in clinical practice.
Boundary element method of analyzing the interaction between roof strata and roof bolts

Abstract Based on the principle of fictitious displacement, equations were formulated by the boundary element method for determining the stress fields in an elastic material with a centrally located opening. The opening which can be of various geometry, is reinforced by roof bolting (either point-anchored or fully grouted bolt) of different systems. Also the effects of bedding planes in the roof strata are included. A computer program was written for the whole process and two example problems are illustrated. Comparisons with closed-form analytical and finite element methods demonstrate the accuracy of the method developed.
Cross-national tests of a third world development-migration paradigm: With particular attention to Venezuela

Abstract This paper amplifies a conceptual framework relating internal migration and development processes. This is first done by a cross-national comparison of regression parameters from interregional migration studies often different countries. Attention then turns to parallel analyses of interstate migration in Venezuela for three different time periods representing, approximately, 1940–1950, 1950–1960, and 1966–1971. These cross-national and temporal comparisons support the hypothesis that development systematically affects the role of distance separating origins and destinations, and of spatial differentials in urbanization levels, wages, unemployment, and education.
A New Method for Measuring Meal Intake in Humans via Automated Wrist Motion Tracking

Measuring the energy intake (kcal) of a person in day-to-day life is difficult. The best laboratory tool achieves 95 % accuracy on average, while tools used in daily living typically achieve 60–80 % accuracy. This paper describes a new method for measuring intake via automated tracking of wrist motion. Our method uses a watch-like device with a micro-electro-mechanical gyroscope to detect and record when an individual has taken a bite of food. Two tests of the accuracy of our device in counting bites found that our method has 94 % sensitivity in a controlled meal setting and 86 % sensitivity in an uncontrolled meal setting, with one false positive per every 5 bites in both settings. Preliminary data from daily living indicates that bites measured by the device are positively related to caloric intake illustrating the potential of the device to monitor energy intake. Future research should seek to further explore the relationship between bites taken and kilocalories consumed to validate the device as an automated measure of energy intake.
Novel Double-negative Feedback Loop between Adenomatous Polyposis Coli and Musashi1 in Colon Epithelia *

Loss of tumor suppressor adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) is thought to initiate the majority of all colorectal cancers. The predominant theory of colorectal carcinogenesis implicates stem cells as the initiating cells. However, relatively little is known about the function of APC in governing the homeostasis of normal intestinal stem cells. Here, we identify a novel double-negative feedback loop between APC and a translation inhibitor protein, Musashi1 (MSI1), in cultured human colonocytes. We show APC as a key factor in MSI1 regulation through Wnt signaling and identify APC mRNA as a novel target of translational inhibition by MSI1. We propose that APC/MSI1 interactions maintain homeostatic balance in the intestinal epithelium.
Unsteady diffusion with first-order reaction

Outline below is a method for simplification of the solution of diffusion problems involving irreversible first-order reactions. It permits writing the concentration profiles for reactive systems in terms of those for nonreactive systems of the same geometry and similar boundary conditions. The method is valid where fluid flow patterns and concentration boundary conditions are time independent and where the assumptions of constant density and mass diffusivity are acceptable. The useful results of this development are summarized in Equations (31) through (33) and represent a generalization of an earlier development by P. V. Danckwerts (1).
The Adoption of direct primaries in the United States

This article asks why, and when, the process of nominating candidates in the United States changed from conventions to direct primaries. We conduct an event history analysis to investigate rival ex...
An electron microscopic analysis of the dorsal root in the frog

It is generally accepted that each dorsal root ganglion cell gives rise to a single central axon that enters the spinal cord via the dorsal root. This concept arose, in large part, from the reports that the numbers of dorsal root ganglion cells and dorsal root axons in mammals are equal. By contrast, in the frog a considerable excess of ganglion cells over axons was reported. None of these reports can be accepted, however, because the unmyelinated dorsal root axons could not be counted accurately with the light microscope. In the present study the counts in the frog are repeated, except that the axons are counted in the electron microscope, which has the necessary resolution for unmyelinated axons, and surgical controls are done to make certain that there are no extraneous axons in the root. When this is done, we show a considerable excess of axons to ganglion cells for all spinal segments in the frog, and there are no extraneous axons in the root. These data are interpreted as indicating that dorsal root axons branch either in the ganglion or in the root itself. Thus the concept that each frog dorsal root ganglion cell sends a single central process to the spinal cord needs to be modified. One of our control procedures was to make certain that no fibers survive in the proximal stump of a dorsal rhizotomy. This shows that there are no dorsal root efferents in frog dorsal roots, an important consideration in the interpretation of certain physiological phenomena that result from dorsal root stimulation. Finally, the study shows that there is a total of 43,000 dorsal root ganglion cells and 72,000 dorsal root axons in the bullfrog. These figures are considerably lower than similar figures from mammals and make an interesting comparison with some useful invertebrate preparations.
Evaluation of Lifetime Trauma Exposure and Physical Health in Women With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder or Major Depressive Disorder

The current study examines lifetime trauma exposure rates in 148 women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), or neither diagnosis and whether this is related to measures of PTSD, depression, hostility, health symptoms, and health care utilization. Findings indicate that multiple trauma exposures were prevalent in this sample, with 96% of those with PTSD and 79% of those with MDD reporting three or more trauma exposures compared to 46% in the comparison group. Controlling for diagnostic status, regression analysis for PTSD symptom severity reveals that the trauma exposure adult physical assault category was significantly associated with more severe PTSD and depressive symptoms, whereas the childhood violence category was most associated with increased hostility. PTSD and MDD groups reported greater past year health conditions and health care utilization.
Ecology and Biotechnology of the Genus Shewanella

The shewanellae are aquatic microorganisms with worldwide distribution. Their hallmark features include unparalleled respiratory diversity and the capacity to thrive at low temperatures. As a genus the shewanellae are physiologically diverse, and this review provides an overview of the varied roles they serve in the environment and describes what is known about how they might survive in such extreme and harsh environments. In light of their fascinating physiology, these organisms have several biotechnological uses, from bioremediation of chlorinated compounds, radionuclides, and other environmental pollutants to energy-generating biocatalysis. The ecology and biotechnology of these organisms are intertwined, with genomics playing a key role in our understanding of their physiology.
Interaction between neocortical and hippocampal networks via slow oscillations

Both the thalamocortical and limbic systems generate a variety of brain state-dependent rhythms but the relationship between the oscillatory families is not well understood. Transfer of information across structures can be controlled by the offset oscillations. We suggest that slow oscillation of the neocortex, which was discovered by Mircea Steriade, temporally coordinates the self-organized oscillations in the neocortex, entorhinal cortex, subiculum and hippocampus. Transient coupling between rhythms can guide bidirectional information transfer among these structures and might serve to consolidate memory traces.
Brane cosmology driven by the rolling tachyon

Brane cosmology driven by the tachyon rolling down to its ground state is investigated. We adopt an effective field theoretical description for the tachyon and Randall-Sundrum type brane-world scenario. After formulating the basic equations, we show that the standard cosmology with the usual scalar field can mimic the low-energy behavior of the system near the tachyon ground state. We also investigate the qualitative behavior of the system beyond the low-energy regime for a positive, negative, and vanishing four-dimensional effective cosmological constant ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}_{4}={\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{5}^{4}{V(T}_{0}{)}^{2}/12\ensuremath{-}|{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}_{5}|/2,$ where ${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{5}$ and ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}_{5}$ are the five-dimensional gravitational coupling constant and (negative) cosmological constant, respectively, and ${V(T}_{0})$ is the (positive) tension of the brane in the tachyon ground state. In particular, for ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}_{4}l0,$ the tachyon never settles down to its potential minimum and the universe eventually hits a big-crunch singularity.
Retrospective analysis of lung function abnormalities of Bhopal gas tragedy affected population.

Background & objectives: A large numbers of subjects were exposed to the aerosol of methyl isocyanate (MIC) during Bhopal gas disaster and lung was one of the most commonly affected organs. The aim of the present study was to analyze retrospectively the lung function abnormalities among the surviving MIC exposed population (gas victims) and to compare it with the non-MIC exposed (non gas exposed) population. Methods: The spirometry data of both gas victims and non gas exposed population who attended the Bhopal Memorial Hospital & Research Centre for evaluation of their respiratory complaints from August 2001 to December 2009, were retrospectively evaluated and compared. Results: A total 4782 gas victims and 1190 non gas exposed individuals performed spirometry during the study period. Among the gas victims, obstructive pattern was the commonest (50.8%) spirometric abnormality followed by restrictive pattern (13.3%). The increased relative risk of developing restrictive abnormality among gas victims was observed in 20-29 yr age group only (adjusted relative risk: 2.94, P Interpretation & conclusions: The present study showed that the relative risk for pulmonary function abnormalities in gas victims was significantly more among those who were young at the time of disaster. Increased smoking habit among gas victims might have played an additive effect on predominance of obstructive pattern in spirometry.
Surface-acoustic-wave phase shifter using electrical depolarisation

An electrically variable phase shifter employing surface acoustic waves is described that uses electrical depolarisation of a poled PZT ceramic. Phase shifting occurs in a depoling region in which an electric field of variable strength opposes the remanent ferroelectric moment, causing a change in the piezoelectric coupling and surface-wave velocity.
A Protective Device for Reducing Trap Disturbance

In recent years a great deal of attention has been given to the design of trapping procedures that conform to some of the assumptions of the statistical techniques often applied to small mammal populations (Stickel, 1946, 1948, 1954; Hayne, 1949; Morris, 1955). Basic to a number of the mathematical models used in the analysis of population data is the assumption of equal probability of capture. Tanaka (1951) and Edwards (1952) have demonstrated that this assumption is violated on both the individual and species level. An additional source of error, although obvious, has received little consideration in many population analyses. This is the practical problem of the disturbance of traps which reduces to zero the probability of a capture occurring for any disturbed trap. Admittedly, this probability is of a different nature from those referred to above, since it is independent of the individual or species, but it is of no less importance in studies concerned with the ascertainment of the number of effective traps available on any given trapping night. That disturbance of traps does occur (in addition to the evidence presented in this paper) and with sufficient frequency to prevent further trapping, has been reported by Brown …
Room for interpretation: the role of self-esteem and CMC in romantic couple conflict

This work explores the role of communication technologies during romantic couple conflict, and the impact that self-esteem has on behavior, preferences for communication channels, and attitudes about mediated communication during conflict. Results revealed that lower levels of self-esteem and communicating via text messaging (vs. face-to-face) were associated with increased distancing and perceived partner distancing behaviors. Lower levels of self-esteem and using mediated communication were also associated with a greater likelihood of thinking that a conflict had a negative impact on the relationship. Yet, there was no evidence to suggest that individuals with lower levels of self-esteem exhibited more negative behaviors and perceptions in text-based communication than in FtF communication. In addition, lower levels of self-esteem were associated with increased use of and preferences for text-based mediated communication over FtF communication during conflict. Overall, this study suggests that both self-esteem and communication channel impact the nature of romantic couple conflict.
NSCAT views land and ice

The NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) is a spaceborne scatterometer which flew aboard the National Space Development Agency of Japan's ADvanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS). Although the three year mission was cut short due to failure of the spacecraft solar array, NSCAT returned over 9 months of observations of the Earth. NSCAT was originally designed to measure winds over the ocean; however, it also made radar backscatter measurements over land and ice regions. An overview of NSCAT land and ice observations is presented. Using the Scatterometer Image Reconstruction with Filtering (SIRF) algorithm, dual polarization global images of the incidence angle normalized radar backscatter (denoted 'A') and the incidence angle dependence of the radar backscatter (denoted 'B') are generated. When applied to NSCAT data, images with an effective resolution of better than 8 km can be produced using SIRF. Several applications for use of NSCAT A and B image data in land and ice studies are described, including the use of NSCAT data for ice extent mapping and for long-term vegetation change studies by comparison to 1978 Seasat data.
To diet or not if you have inflammatory bowel disease.

Expert Rev. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 2(5), 613-616 (2008) Inf lammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), namely ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, are chronic relapsing illnesses affecting close to 1 million Americans and costing the US healthcare system approxi- mately US$1.5-2 billion per year (1). IBDs typically affect young adults, who make up a significant part of the workforce. The symptoms of IBD are debilitating; they include diarrhea, blood in the stool, abdominal pain and rumbling, gas, fecal urgency and incontinence. IBDs are increasing in incidence throughout the world, especially in Western societies. The cause for this increase is believed to be environmental factors (2), among which
We live to create dissonance: is it possible to be a Christian and racist?

Confronted with the reality of the limited exposure to human diversity among their students at two Christian universities, two African American professors relate their efforts to prepare students to teach in the twenty‐first century. This article is a reflective report on the strategies and events that occurred as a result of challenging students' long‐held beliefs and attitudes. Strategies were deliberately provocative and disturbing, intended to create dissonance within the students related to Christian ideals and perceptions of non‐European Americans. Ultimately, students confronted the question: Is it possible to be a Christian and racist?
Organizing Principles of Mammalian Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay

Cells use messenger RNAs (mRNAs) to ensure the accurate dissemination of genetic information encoded by DNA. Given that mRNAs largely direct the synthesis of a critical effector of cellular phenotype, i.e., proteins, tight regulation of both the quality and quantity of mRNA is a prerequisite for effective cellular homeostasis. Here, we review nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD), which is the best-characterized posttranscriptional quality control mechanism that cells have evolved in their cytoplasm to ensure transcriptome fidelity. We use protein quality control as a conceptual framework to organize what is known about NMD, highlighting overarching similarities between these two polymer quality control pathways, where the protein quality control and NMD pathways intersect, and how protein quality control can suggest new avenues for research into mRNA quality control.
Design of an on-stage incubator

The setup involving the implementation of the schematic above is pictured as ‘work-in-progress’ in Figure 2 with the major components like the incubator chamber, the heating apparatus, the sensors and the remaining circuitry in place. Figure 3 is a screen-shot of the graphical user interface created using the LabVIEW software. Out of the three plots, the top plot displays the raw voltage values from the temperature sensor (white) and the CO 2 sensor (red). The data is then split into separate channels and using calibration coefficients provided, converted to temperature values (bottom left) in degrees Celsius and to percentage CO 2 values (bottom right).
Uptake of an amino acid by ectomycorrhizal fungi in a boreal forest

We assessed the degree to which ectomycorrhizal fungi exploit organic nitrogen in situ. In an Alaskan boreal forest, we identified pairs of sporocarps from five taxa of ectomycorrhizal fungi. We added 13C-labeled alanine to the soil surrounding one sporocarp within each pair; the second served as an unlabeled control. Peak rates of 13C-respiration from alanine were higher in the labeled sporocarp plots than the controls, indicating that the 13C-alanine was detectably respired from the soil. “Reference” plots adjacent to the sporocarps served as an indication of background 13C-respiration rates released by the soil community as a whole. Ectomycorrhizal sporocarps displayed higher 13C-respiration rates than their reference plots. Thus, the sporocarps and associated mycorrhizal mycelium appeared to contribute significantly to the release of alanine-derived 13CO2, confirming the hypothesis that ectomycorrhizal fungi may access soil amino acid pools under natural conditions.
The Origins of Christian Democracy: Politics and Confession in Modern Germany

The animosity between Protestants and Catholics was one of the central and organizing features of German politics and culture in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Each group framed...
The plasma membrane as a capacitor for energy and metabolism

When considering which components of the cell are the most critical to function and physiology, we naturally focus on the nucleus, the mitochondria that regulate energy and apoptotic signaling, or other organelles such as the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, ribosomes, etc. Few people will suggest that the membrane is the most critical element of a cell in terms of function and physiology. Those that consider the membrane critical will point to its obvious barrier function regulated by the lipid bilayer and numerous ion channels that regulate homeostatic gradients. What becomes evident upon closer inspection is that not all membranes are created equal and that there are lipid-rich microdomains that serve as platforms of signaling and a means of communication with the intracellular environment. In this review, we explore the evolution of membranes, focus on lipid-rich microdomains, and advance the novel concept that membranes serve as "capacitors for energy and metabolism." Within this framework, the membrane then is the primary and critical regulator of stress and disease adaptation of the cell.
The Fluid Middle in South Korean Politics

This article explores the role that political ideology played in shaping the outcome of the 2012 presidential election in South Korea. It conceptualizes political ideology as two-dimensional and utilizes cluster analysis to identify distinct ideological groups. By analyzing two sets of survey data collected in 2012, it discovers four ideological groups.A striking result uncovered by the cluster analysis is the change in party identification and voting in favor of the conservative party made by one group in particular—a change that proved to be the competitive edge the conservative party candidate needed to win the fiercely competitive two-way election. In other words, this group served as the fluid middle.
Interest in information about urinary incontinence among diabetic and nondiabetic heart failure patients.

Purpose Diabetes mellitus (DM) and urinary incontinence (UI) are often prevalent in heart failure (HF) patients, rendering nursing management even more complex. The purpose of this study was to determine if differences existed between diabetic and nondiabetic HF patients regarding their interest in information about UI. Design Secondary analyses were conducted on survey and medical record data from 182 (97 hospitalized and 85 clinic) HF patients. All had reported UI at least once monthly. Subjects and setting One hundred eighty-two patients with HF participated in the study; 97 were recruited while in hospital and 85 were recruited from a clinic setting. There were an equal number of participants with DM when compared to subjects without DM (n=91). The majority of subjects were white (64%), female (56%), and most perceived their health as fair to poor (74%). Results Eighty-three percent (N=151) had not asked for more UI information, while 64% indicated interest in learning more about UI. Using the transtheoretical model, participants with DM were more likely to be in the contemplation stage for behavioral change than those who did not have DM (79% vs 59%, P=.004). Conclusion Few HF patients with UI (17%) had previously asked for more information about incontinence, but more than two-thirds (69%) indicated interest in learning more about UI. HF patients with DM were more likely to be in the contemplation stage for behavioral change related to UI than those without DM.
Storage Stability (TBA) of Meat Obtained from Turkeys Receiving Tocopherol Supplementation

Abstract Twenty female and twenty male broad breasted turkeys were raised to 18 weeks and 20 weeks, respectively. D-alpha tocopherol acetate was supplemented in vivo from 12 weeks to slaughter through diet (100 IU/kg feed) or through biweekly subcutaneous injections. Storage stability of meat was evaluated by the 2-thiobarbituric acid test (TBA). Samples of breast meat, thigh meat, and mechanically deboned turkey meat (MDTM) were held at 4 C up to six days and stored at −18 C up to three months. Loaves formulated from breast meat and MDTM were foil wrapped, vacuum sealed, and either held at 4 C one week or stored at −18 C up to six months. Stored loaves were evaluated raw and after cooking. TBA numbers were consistently lower for tocopherol supplemented turkey meat than for control meat. Dietary supplementation was more effective than injections for maintaining low TBA numbers. TBA numbers of meat types increased from breast meat to MDTM to thigh meat, and TBA numbers of each type increased over time. Meat from females generally had TBA numbers lower than meat from males. Meat loaves prepared from tocopherol supplemented meat had TBA numbers lower than control loaves for both storage conditions. Loaves vacuum packaged had TBA numbers lower than those foil wrapped. Both packaging conditions resulted in increased TBA numbers with cooking and storage time at −18 C. Tocopherol supplementation increased the storage stability as evaluated by the TBA test for all evaluated meat types (including loaves) and storage conditions. Vacuum packaging further improved stability of loaves.
Soviets seen through red-tinted glasses

The U.S. media establishment, which continually proclaims its “objectivity,” often ignores its own biases in reporting about the Soviet Union.
Ecoinformatics (Big Data) for Agricultural Entomology: Pitfalls, Progress, and Promise

Ecoinformatics, as defined in this review, is the use of preexisting data sets to address questions in ecology. We provide the first review of ecoinformatics methods in agricultural entomology. Ecoinformatics methods have been used to address the full range of questions studied by agricultural entomologists, enabled by the special opportunities associated with data sets, nearly all of which have been observational, that are larger and more diverse and that embrace larger spatial and temporal scales than most experimental studies do. We argue that ecoinformatics research methods and traditional, experimental research methods have strengths and weaknesses that are largely complementary. We address the important interpretational challenges associated with observational data sets, highlight common pitfalls, and propose some best practices for researchers using these methods. Ecoinformatics methods hold great promise as a vehicle for capitalizing on the explosion of data emanating from farmers, researchers, an...