cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design of the OMEGA Laser Target Chamber Tritium Removal System

Preparations are currently underway at the OMEGA laser at the University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics (UR/LLE) to conduct direct drive laser implosion campaigns with inertial confinement fusion targets containing deuterium-tritium (DT) cryogenic ice layers. The OMEGA Cryogenic Target Handling System will fill plastic targets with high-pressure DT (150 MPa) at 300 to 500 K, cool them down to cryogenic temperature (<25 K), form the DT ice layer, and transport the targets to the OMEGA laser target chamber. Targets will then be shot with the 60-beam 30-kJ OMEGA laser. A tritium removal system has been designed to remove tritium from effluents associated with operation of the target chamber and its associated diagnostic antechambers, vacuum pumping systems, and target insertion systems. The design of the target chamber tritium removal system (TCTRS) is based on catalytic oxidation of DT and tritiated methane to tritiated water (DTO), followed by immobilization of DTO on molecular sieves. The design of the TCTRS presented a challenge due to the low tritium release limits dictated by the tritium license at UR/LLE. Aspen Plus, a commercial software package intended for the simulation and design of chemical processing systems operating at steady state, was used to simulate andmore » design the TCTRS. A second commercial software package, Aspen ADSIM, was used to simulate and design the TCTRS molecular sieve beds, which operate at unsteady state. In this paper, we describe the design of the TCTRS and the benefits that were realized by use of the Aspen Plus and Aspen ADSIM software packages.« less
Pathophysiology of and potential new therapies for allergic rhinitis.

Background Advancement in laboratory techniques in the past decade, coupled with clinical studies, has afforded a better understanding of the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying allergy. Methods The literature on the pathophysiology of allergic rhinitis, systemic and local, was reviewed, with emphasis on the last 3 years. Results The basis in allergic rhinitis for the T-lymphocyte helper 2 cell and associated cytokine bias, and the ameliorating effects of T-regulatory lymphocytes and their cytokines, is summarized. New or currently under development pharmacotherapeutic agents are briefly presented. Conclusion Much of the molecular basis for the manifestations of allergy can now be explained, and may afford strategies to interrupt the development of disease or ameliorate such already present.
Cardiovascular Gene Therapy

A variety of mono- and polygenic cardiovascular diseases are potentially treatable with gene therapy. Extensive animal studies and initial human trials have confirmed that genes with therapeutic effects within the cardiovascular system may be introduced in vivo. Nevertheless, practical concerns relating to the achievement of safe, efficient, and long-lasting gene therapy continue to dominate the field.
Central GABAergic mechanisms are involved in apnea induced by SLN stimulation in piglets

Stimulation of the superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) results in apnea in animals of different species, the mechanism of which is not known. We studied the effect of the GABAA receptor blocker bicucull...
Impact of CMOS process scaling and SOI on the soft error rates of logic processes

Technology scaling, reduction in operating voltages, and the increase in cache size and circuit complexity have been key enablers to achieving the performance improvement expectation dictated by Moore's Law. The resulting reduction in the node charge of circuit latches and cache cells has resulted in an ever increasing soft error rate (SER) estimation for logic components. This paper reports the SER impact of process scaling over four technology generations (0.35, 0.25, 0.18, 0.13 /spl mu/m) and provides an experimental assessment of alpha and, for the first time, neutron SER on advanced SOI processes, which have been considered as a possible method to reduce the SER of advanced technologies.
Sources of time-varying trade balance and real exchange rate dynamics in East Asia

Abstract A sticky-price model with minimal assumptions for identification is used to motivate a time-varying model that allows for state dependent innovations to explore the trade balance dynamics of a group of East Asian economies. This paper shows that the correlation between the trade balance and the real exchange has historically been highly conditional on the type of macroeconomic shock. Permanent (transitory) shocks have historically produced a positive (negative) correlation between the trade balance and real exchange rate over the last 20 years. Second, since the Asian financial crisis the real exchange rate dynamics of the East Asian countries have been dominated by persistent component(s), while the dynamics of the trade balance have been more influenced by transitory factors.
Specific immunotherapy in the treatment of Culicoides hypersensitive horses: a double-blind study.

Summary Fourteen privately owned horses completed a six month, controlled, double-blind trial to assess the efficacy of immunotherapy using an aqueous extract of whole, unfed Culicoides variipennis in the treatment of Culicoides hypersensitivity. Selected horses had a history of a seasonal, pruritic dermatitis, clinical signs and distribution compatible with Culicoides hypersensitivity, failed to improve in response to ivermectin therapy, and reacted to several dilutions of Culicoides extracts without significant reactivity to other possible allergens including insects, moulds and feeds. One horse from the control group (n=8) and one from the test group (n=6) improved. Statistically, there was no significant difference between horses on Culicoides antigen and control horses. In each group, four owners thought that their horses had improved.
Student-faculty trust and student success in pre-licensure baccalaureate nurse education

Summary Objective Nurse educators need an enhanced understanding of factors contributing to nursing student success to decrease attrition and increase retention. Improved understanding of factors related to successful nurse preparation could improve educational processes and facilitate student success, thereby addressing the worldwide nursing shortage as well as increasing the competence and expertise of new graduates. Student-faculty trust and related characteristics have been identified as factors associated with student success (Applebaum, 1995). Research investigating trust in communications and education has been conducted with students in other disciplines but not with nursing students. This research investigated the complex relationships between students' trust in faculty, the students' mood states, and students' educational performance and outcomes. Method The study utilized a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational design. Student volunteers were recruited from a baccalaureate nursing education program located in the southwest United States. Participants completed three instruments: the Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT), Profile of Mood States (POMS), and Interpersonal Trust Scale (ITS). The resulting scores were compared and contrasted along with selected demographic variables. Results The study identified a significant relationship between total mood disturbance and interpersonal trust. The trends in the POMS subscales of Anger and Confusion are of particular interest, as the two factors strongly influenced shifts in Total Mood Disturbance. As students progressed through the nursing program, experiences of Anger and Confusion increased with each progressive semester and were accompanied by corresponding decreases in trust. Conclusions The results complement established findings relating mood and cognitive function. Alterations in the student's level of trust potentially could share relationships with cognition and critical thinking, although perhaps not in a direct and linear fashion.
Population Change in U.S. Cities: Estimating and Explaining the Extent of Decline and Level of Resurgence

The revalorization of the U.S. metropolis and restructuring of the U.S. economy are leading to increasingly complex patterns of population growth and decline. In this article we provide an empirical context for understanding the embodied nature of these changes by analyzing the long-term, demographic changes for the 100 largest cities. In terms of population change we identify four model urban types: steady decline, continuous increase, growth interrupted, and slowly resurgent. We consider, in detail, cities where population decline has halted and others where there are indications of population resurgence. The article focuses on these resurgent cities, provides some causal explanations, discusses the role of gentrification, and explores policy implications.
The metabotropic glutamate system promotes neuronal survival through distinct pathways of programmed cell death.

Activation of the metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) system can prevent free radical, nitric oxide (NO)-induced programmed cell death (PCD). To investigate the mechanisms utilized by the mGluR system to regulate the induction of PCD, we examined the course of PCD in real time in individual, living, primary hippocampal neurons. We assessed both phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization, an early event in PCD, and DNA fragmentation during NO toxicity and mGluR modulation to determine the individual contributions of PS externalization and genomic DNA fragmentation during neuronal PCD. Exposure to the NO donors (300 μM SNP or 300 μM NOC-9) induced PCD in approximately 75% of neurons over a 24-h period. The externalization of PS in neurons increased to 21 ± 2% as early as 3 h following NO exposure and then increased to 80 ± 2% over a 24-h period. The externalization of PS was independent of the loss of membrane integrity. Agonists for individual mGluR subgroups were equally able to prevent NO-induced neuronal death and DNA degradation, yet they possessed differential abilities to regulate PS externalization. The group I agonist DHPG (750 μM) and the group III agonist L-AP4 (750 μM) both prevented and reversed NO-induced PS externalization. In contrast, activation of group II subtypes using L-CCG-I (750 μM) did not prevent PS externalization. Employing an experimental model that independently led to the externalization of PS residues, we demonstrated that PS externalization does not immediately impact on neuronal survival. Yet, subsequent neuronal survival may ultimately depend upon preventing PS externalization to avoid neuronal tagging for phagocytosis. Since group I and III mGluR subtypes possess the unique ability to maintain genomic integrity and membrane PS asymmetry, these agents may provide superior overall protection against NO-induced neuronal injury.
Electronic influences on the crystal chemistry of transition metal-main group MX and MX2 compounds

Abstract It is shown how (a) the number of electrons per formula unit and (b) the energy difference between the transition metal d orbitals and the main group element s , p orbitals are of paramount importance in determining the crystal structures of MX and MX 2 systems. The occurrence of some fifty diverse structural types may be organized by using these two parameters.
The hsp90-related protein TRAP1 is a mitochondrial protein with distinct functional properties.

The hsp90 family of molecular chaperones was expanded recently due to the cloning of TRAP1 and hsp75 by yeast two-hybrid screens. Careful analysis of the human TRAP1 and hsp75 sequences revealed that they are identical, and we have cloned a similar protein from Drosophila. Immunofluorescence data show that human TRAP1 is localized to mitochondria. This mitochondrial localization is supported by the existence of mitochondrial localization sequences in the amino termini of both the human andDrosophila proteins. Due to the striking homology of TRAP1 to hsp90, we tested the ability of TRAP1 to function as an hsp90-like chaperone. TRAP1 did not form stable complexes with the classic hsp90 co-chaperones p23 and Hop (p60). Consistent with these observations, TRAP1 had no effect on the hsp90-dependent reconstitution of hormone binding to the progesterone receptor in vitro, nor could it substitute for hsp90 to promote maturation of the receptor to its hormone-binding state. However, TRAP1 is sufficiently conserved with hsp90 such that it bound ATP, and this binding was sensitive to the hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin. In addition, TRAP1 exhibited ATPase activity that was inhibited by both geldanamycin and radicicol. Thus, TRAP1 has functions that are distinct from those of hsp90.
Functional Approaches to the Study of Group Discussion: Even Good Notions Have Their Problems

The functional perspective represents one of three dominant theoretical influences on the study of group communication. Howeve, problems inherent to the application of structural-functional models ...
Blockade of ATP-sensitive potassium channels prevents the attenuation of the exercise pressor reflex by tempol in rats with ligated femoral arteries

We reported previously that tempol attenuated the exercise pressor and muscle mechanoreceptor reflexes in rats whose femoral arteries were ligated, whereas tempol did not attenuate these reflexes i...
Reactions of surgical program directors to a web-based interactive educational program focusing on cognitive skills.

Objective To assess reactions by program directors (PDs) to a preview of a scenario from the Fundamentals of Surgery Curriculum (FSC), which is a case-based interactive curriculum developed by the American College of Surgeons's (ACS) Division of Education and designed to be delivered online to first-year (PGY-1) surgical residents. Design After previewing a scenario, each PD completed a questionnaire requesting age and ratings of comfort using computers, the scenario's utility in addressing 9 educational goals (eg, provides a solid foundation for future learning), and 6 separate features of the scenario (eg, ease of use and feasibility). All ratings were based on a 1–9 scale. For items related to educational goals, ratings were anchored: 1–3 = poor/needs revision; 4–6 = adequate/as good as current methods; 7–9 = excellent/superior to current methods. Informal discussions were also conducted and comments were collected. Setting October 2007 ACS Clinical Congress. Participants In all, 31 PDs participated in the study. Results Most PDs perceived that the scenario addressed 8 of the 9 educational goals in a manner superior to current methods [eg, provides a solid foundation for future learning (97%), challenges residents (90%), and delivers content consistent with current practices and/or evidence (90%)]. The mean ratings of all scenario features were 7 or greater on the 9-point scale. Conclusion Most PDs reacted very positively to a preview of FSC perceiving that it can address several important educational goals in a manner superior to existing methods. Comments from PDs suggest a high level of interest in incorporating FSC into their residency programs as well as participating in a coordinated multi-institutional evaluation project. The results provide baseline data concerning PD expectations of the utility of FSC that will help to guide and evaluate further developments and applications of this curriculum.
Usefulness of sex steroid hormone levels in predicting coronary artery disease in men

The relation between sex hormone levels and subsequent risk of a major coronary event was studied in a nested case-control study among 163 men in the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial who later had a major coronary event and in 163 controls. Cases and controls were matched for age, serum cholesterol level, randomization group, randomization date and clinic. Blood samples were collected at baseline before randomization and frozen at -70 degrees C. Follow-up extended over 6 to 8 years. Sixty-one patients had a nonfatal acute myocardial infarction and 102 fatal infarction. Total and free testosterone, total and free estradiol, androstenedione and estrone concentrations were measured. There were no significant differences between cases and controls for any sex hormone level. There was also no difference in the ratio of testosterone to estradiol. Controlling for other cardiovascular risk factors did not change these results. These results do not support previous case-control studies of a relation between sex hormone levels and risk of heart attack among men.
Acquisition and loss of rotenone sensitivity in Torulopsis utilis.

Torulopsis utilis yeast cells growing exponentially on synthetic medium with ethanol as carbon and energy source are insensitive to rotenone; the cells acquire the rotenone-sensitive component of the mitochondria1 electron transport chain upon entering an ethanol-depleted stationary phase. The rotenone-sensitive site is lost when growth is restimulated with ethanol, but not when growth is restimulated with glycerol or acetic acid. Growth limitation by iron or by glucose or glycerol is also characterized by acquisition of the rotenone-sensitive site, upon entering stationary phase. The transition from rotenone-sensitive to -insensitive can also be studied by the use of semicontinuous culture in a chemostat. Studies with the protein synthesis inhibitors cycloheximide and chloramphenicol indicate that protein synthesis on cytoplasmic ribosomes is required both for the acquisition and the loss of the rotenone-sensitive site. The acquisition of rotenone sensitivity is apparently associated with an increased phosphorylation efficiency, as evidenced by measurements of P/O ratios. In a previous paper [l], it was reported that Torulopsis utilis yeast cells harvested from an exponentially growing culture are insensitive to rotenone and Piericidin A, inhibitors of mitochondrial electron transport. However, respiration of cells harvested from a culture which has reached stationary phase due to depletion of ethanol (the carbon source used in the experiments reported) and has been in this starved state for approximately 15 min, is cut 60°/0 to 80°/, by rotenone. It was also reported that if additional substrate (ethanol) is administered to the starved stationary culture, rotenone sensitivity is lost within 15min. In this communication we present some further data on the property of rotenone sensitivity in Torulopsis utilis, seeking to explain the sort of transition that takes place when a culture of rotenone-insensitive yeast cells exhaust their carbon source and enter stationary phase, thus acquiring the rotenone-sensitive component of the electron transport chain.
Band-Level Eden: A Mystifying Chimera

Most of Bette Denich's As War Has Evolved, Can Also Peace? (1987) consists of the meticulous and thought-provoking analysis of Montenegrin ethnography her readers have come to expect (Denich 1974, 1976). She begins, however, with a couple of paragraphs that combine in a narrow space a number of factual errors, dated theoretical constructs and pure mythopoesis, culminating in the rhetorical questions given in the epigraph above. This bad start does not vitiate her own analysis, since she ignores the questions thereafter. It does, however, represent intellectual luggage that burdens many studies of peace and war and therefore merits a brief critique.
The word problem for free partially commutative, partially associative groupoids

Abstract We examine the idea of a free partially commutative, partially associative groupoid, and show that there is a linear-time algorithm for the word problem. Our work is an attempt to see how word problem results by Book, Liu, and Wrathall for monoids and groups might be extended to groupoids.
A Meta-Analysis of Group Side Effects in Electronic Brainstorming: More Heads are Better than One

Electronic brainstorming (EBS) has been a focus of academic research since the 1980s. The results suggest that in most â€“ but not all â€“ cases, groups using EBS produce more ideas than groups using verbal brainstorming. In contrast, the results comparing groups using EBS to groups using nominal group brainstorming have been mixed: sometimes EBS groups produce more ideas, while in other cases, nominal groups produce more. This article examines the effects of group size on EBS, verbal brainstorming and nominal group brainstorming. We found that group size is a significant factor in predicting the performance of EBS relative to verbal brainstorming and nominal group brainstorming. As group size increases, the relative benefit of EBS increases. EBS groups outperform verbal groups when group size reaches four people. EBS groups outperform nominal groups when group size reaches 10 people.
Cationic macromolecular engineering via furan derivatives

General methodologies for the synthesis of linear and star-block copolymers and functional polymers using furan derivatives are reviewed, based on a study of addition reactions of 2-substituted furans to living polyisobutylene (PIB+). Rapid and quantitative mono-addition of 2-alkyl (and aryl)furans (2-R-Fu), a new class of non-(homo)polymerizable monomers, to PIB+ has been observed in conjunction with TiCl4 as Lewis acid in hexane/CH2Cl2 or CH3Cl 60/40 (v/v) at −80 °C and with BCl3 in CH3Cl at −40 °C, in the presence of proton trap. The resulting stable allylic cation (PIB-Fu+-R) was found to be an efficient initiating species for the polymerization of methyl vinyl ether (MeVE). Using 2,5-bis[1-furanyl)-1-methylethyl]-furan, coupling of living PIB was found to be rapid and quantitative in hexanes(Hex)/CH3Cl 60/40 or 40/60 (v/v) solvent mixtures at −80 °C in conjunction with TiCl4, as well as in CH3Cl at −40 °C with BCl3 as Lewis acid. The kinetics of addition of 2-R-Fu to PIB+ was investigated by UV-vis spectroscopy. Based on these results and those obtained with substituted 1,1-diarylethylenes earlier, the absolute rate constants of ionization (ki), reversible termination (k−i) and propagation (kp) in the polymerization of IB have been determined. By a similar approach the corresponding rate constants have also been determined for the polymerization of styrene.
Improved profile measurement accuracy via feed-forward spectroscopic ellipsometry

In recent years, optical metrology methods, based on spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), have gained a strong foothold for use in measuring the 2-dimensional profiles of integrated device features. While optical methods generally provide superior metrology performance compared to other metrology methods, there still remain some challenges to meet precision and accuracy requirements as integrated device geometries continue to shrink at an aggressive rate. Process engineers are employing several new techniques in order to meet device patterning requirements while maintaining manufacturing-worthy process windows. These techniques include thinning the photoresist layers and adding additional underlayer films to act as hard masks for subsequent pattern transfer steps. Thinning the photoresist layer reduces the aspect ratio of patterned grating targets, which, in turn, reduces the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of the optical profile measurement. The additional films in the process stack below the gratings increase the number of optical interfaces that must be taken into account when building the optical model for the measurement. The increased complexity of the optical model increases the likelihood that there will be cross-correlation between the underlying films and the grating profile parameters (Critical Dimension or CD, Height, and Sidewall Angle or SWA). The reduction in S/N and increase in cross-correlation often have negative impacts on the precision and overall accuracy of the reported values for the grating profile parameters. In this paper, we will discuss a methodology to overcome the issues described above. The methodology involves performing a standard SE film thickness measurement on an open pad area in close proximity to the grating target of interest. The thickness values are then fed forward to a subsequent SE measurement of the grating target. With the underlayer thickness values fixed based on the film thickness measurement, only the grating profile parameters are solved for during the grating measurement. Decoupling the underlayer film measurement from the grating measurement, greatly reduces, and even eliminates cross-correlation between parameters. Both SE measurements are completed with a total move-acquire-measurement (MAM) time that is <10 seconds per pair, and the resulting values reported for CD, Height, and SWA are more accurate when compared to reference metrology such as Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Supporting data will be presented from measurements taken on a 65nm technology node gate lithography process. Using the feed-forward process, the correlation and slope of profile parameters measured via SE compared to AFM measurements is greatly improved. Furthermore, systematic anti-correlation between resist height and SWA that was observed during simultaneous measurement of the film stack and grating is eliminated when the film measurement is decoupled and fed-forward into the grating measurement.
Optimal configurations for dual-spin satellites subject to gravitational torques

Dual-spin or gyrostat satellites subject to gravitational torques can adopt an infinite number of possible equilibria obtained by adjusting the magnitude and direction of the rotor angular momentum within the satellite. This paper seeks to answer the question, which of these equilibria is best — and best is chosen here to mean most stable in the sense that the energy required to perturb the orientation by any prescribed amount is maximized, i.e. the smallest eigenvalue of the Hessian matrix of the dynamic potential energy is maximized. Using this criterion, it is shown that the conventional configuration for dual-spin satellites with the angular momentum of the rotor, the spacecraft principal axis of maximum moment of inertia, and the perpendicular to the orbital plane coincident is not always the best orientation. The optimal configuration is shown to have the minimum moment of inertia always aligned with the local vertical, but the principal axis of maximum moment of inertia, shifts from the perpendicular to the orbital plane to lying in-plane as the angular momentum of the rotor is increased from zero (corresponding to a rigid gravity gradient satellite) to some sufficiently large value which is determined as a function of parameters. For angular momentum greater than this value, global optimality is established analytically, and otherwise local optimality is proved analytically with global optimality demonstrated numerically.
Expression and purification of a chimeric protein consisting of the ectodomains of M and GP5 proteins of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is the most economically important infectious disease currently affecting the swine industry worldwide. In the US alone, it causes economic losses of more than 560 million dollars every year. Although killed-virus and modified-live PRRS vaccines are commercially available, the unsatisfactory efficacy and safety of current vaccines drives the impetus of developing novel PRRSV vaccines. To fulfill this purpose, we designed a chimeric protein consisting of the ectodomains of viral GP5 and M protein, the two most widely studied subunit vaccine targets, and expressed it in E. coli. An optimized purification/refolding process composed of immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography, dialysis refolding and anion exchange chromatography was developed to purify the chimeric protein from the inclusion bodies. This process could recover approximately 12mgprotein/l E. coli broth with near 100% purity and very low endotoxin level. In addition, the purified protein is antigenic, can bind to a cellular receptor for the virus (heparan sulfate), and can block virus infection of susceptible cells. Therefore, the chimeric protein is a promising subunit vaccine candidate against PRRSV.
Symptom diagnosis: Bayes's theorem and Bahadur's distribution.

Abstract The notion of Diagnostic Lexicon, developed by Rinaldo, Scheinok and Rupe (1963), was applied to a data base of 300 gastro-enterological patients having one of six radiologically determined diagnoses (Hiatal Hernia, Duodenal Ulcer, Gastric Ulcer, Cancer, Gallstones, and Functional Disease). Bayes's theorem was used as a diagnostic tool under the assumption that the 11 dichotomously valued symptoms considered had a dependent joint probability distribution proposed by R. R. Bahadur (1961), which contains the sum of all order correlation coefficients. Examination of the Lexicon revealed that the superposition of Bayes's Theorem over Bahadur's Distribution (which was chosen for its utmost generality) led to posterior probabilities, equal to the original frequencies of occurrence of the diagnoses for each individual patient profile. This is testimony to the utility of the Lexicon approach, since it is not likely that such a fact could have come to light otherwise. In conclusion, a mathematical proof of this strange result for the case of two diagnoses and two symptoms is given.
Perceptions of Entitativity and Attitude Change

The current work explored the properties of groups that lead them to be persuasive and the processes through which such persuasion occurs. Because more entitative groups induce greater levels of information processing, their arguments should receive greater elaboration, leading to persuasion when members of groups present strong (vs. weak) counter attitudinal arguments. Experiment 1 explored these hypotheses by examining if idiosyncratic perceptions of group entitativity and manipulations of argument strength affect attitude change and argument elaboration. Experiment 2 experimentally manipulated group entitativity and argument strength independently to examine the causal relationship between entitativity, attitude change, and argument elaboration. In both experiments, it was found that groups greater in entitativity were more persuasive when presenting strong (vs. weak) arguments and induced greater argument elaboration. Implications for our understanding of entitativity, persuasion, and information proc...
The Development of Sentence Comprehension Strategies in English and Dutch.

Abstract This paper reports on a cross-linguistic investigation of the development of adult comprehension strategies in native speakers of English and Dutch. Subjects ranging in grade level from kindergarten to adult interpreted simple noun-verbnoun sentences containing different syntactic and semantic comprehension cues. The order in which cues were initially used for comprehension corresponded to the validity (frequency and accuracy) of the cues over all sentences in a language. Importance in adult processing, however, corresponded to cue validity on that subset of sentences which contain conflicting cues. Adult level performance was achieved much earlier by native English speakers (by kindergarten and the first grade) than by native Dutch speakers (around the 10th through 12th grades). This disparity mirrored the difference between the overall and conflict sentence validities of cues in these two languages. A model of cue strength acquisition is proposed to account for these findings.
A general analysis of calibrated BOLD methodology for measuring CMRO2 responses: Comparison of a new approach with existing methods

The amplitude of the BOLD response to a stimulus is not only determined by changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and oxygen metabolism (CMRO2), but also by baseline physiological parameters such as haematocrit, oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) and blood volume. The calibrated BOLD approach aims to account for this physiological variation by performing an additional calibration scan. This calibration typically consists of a hypercapnia or hyperoxia respiratory challenge, although we propose that a measurement of the reversible transverse relaxation rate, R2′, might also be used. A detailed model of the BOLD effect was used to simulate each of the calibration experiments, as well as the activation experiment, whilst varying a number of physiological parameters associated with the baseline state and response to activation. The effectiveness of the different calibration methods was considered by testing whether the BOLD response to activation scaled by the calibration parameter combined with the measured CBF provides sufficient information to reliably distinguish different levels of CMRO2 response despite underlying physiological variability. In addition the effect of inaccuracies in the underlying assumptions of each technique were tested, e.g. isometabolism during hypercapnia. The three primary findings of the study were: 1) The new calibration method based on R2′ worked reasonably well, although not as well as the ideal hypercapnia method; 2) The hyperoxia calibration method was significantly worse because baseline haematocrit and OEF must be assumed, and these physiological parameters have a significant effect on the measurements; and 3) the venous blood volume change with activation is an important confounding variable for all of the methods, with the hypercapnia method being the most robust when this is uncertain.
Complement in ischemia reperfusion injury.

In the current issue of The American Journal of Pathology Stahl et al describe an important role for the alternative complement pathway in ischemia reperfusion (I/R) of the intestine, using factor D-deficient mice. 1 The requirement for the complement system in I/R-induced tissue injury has been established, but the contribution of the various complement pathways (classical, alternative, and lectin), is largely unknown because, until recently, the tools for such an investigation were not available. The complement split product, C5a, and the terminal membrane attack complex, C5b-9 (MAC), are believed to be responsible for complement-mediated I/R-induced tissue injury, and, therefore, may be targets for therapeutic interventions in clinical settings. More precise understanding of the relevant complement pathway(s) involved in the final generation of C5a and MAC will define the options for therapeutic intervention.
OXIDANT CONDITIONING PROTECTS CARTILAGE FROM MECHANICALLY-INDUCED DAMAGE

Articular cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritis has been linked to abnormal mechanical stresses that are known to cause chondrocyte apoptosis and metabolic derangement in in vitro models. Evidence implicating oxidative damage as the immediate cause of these harmful effects suggests that the antioxidant defenses of chondrocytes might influence their tolerance for mechanical injury. Based on evidence that antioxidant defenses in many cell types are stimulated by moderate oxidant exposure, we hypothesized that oxidant preconditioning would reduce acute chondrocyte death and proteoglycan depletion in cartilage explants after exposure to abnormal mechanical stresses. Porcine cartilage explants were treated every 48 h with tert-butyl hydrogen peroxide (tBHP) at nonlethal concentrations (25, 100, 250, and 500 microM) for a varying number of times (one, two, or four) prior to a bout of unconfined axial compression (5 MPa, 1 Hz, 1800 cycles). When compared with untreated controls, tBHP had significant positive effects on post-compression viability, lactate production, and proteoglycan losses. Overall, the most effective regime was 100 microM tBHP applied four times. RNA analysis revealed significant effects of 100 microM tBHP on gene expression. Catalase, hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha), and glyceraldehyde 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) were significantly increased relative to untreated controls in explants treated four times with 100 microM tBHP, a regime that also resulted in a significant decrease in matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) expression. These findings demonstrate that repeated exposure of cartilage to sublethal concentrations of peroxide can moderate the acute effects of mechanical stress, a conclusion supported by evidence of peroxide-induced changes in gene expression that could render chondrocytes more resistant to oxidative damage.
Reproduction in two submersed macrophytes declines progressively at low pH

SUMMARY 1 Greenhouse experiments tested the effect of pH 5 v pH 7.5 on reproductive success for the freshwater macrophytes Najas flexilis, an annual, and Vallisneria americana, which perennates as a tuber. 2 Seed production by the small Najas plants grown at pH 5 averaged 0.25 seeds/plant, in contrast to 95.5 seeds/plant at pH 7.5. At low pH, Vallisneria grown from seeds produced no flowers and too few tubers to replace themselves, so that sexual reproduction failed nearly completely for both species. 3 Vallisneria grown from tubers produced 97% less total tuber mass at pH 5 (0.4 v 14.9 g), the compounded result of producing, on average, 89% fewer and 82% smaller tubers. The smaller tubers developed at pH 5 were less likely to overwinter in the field, and those surviving tubers subsequently grew into smaller plants. 4 These findings generated the hypothesis of a closing spiral: growth at low pH (and relatively low CO2 concentrations) results in small plants that produce a smaller number of progressively smaller tubers each autumn, which in turn develop into progressively smaller plants each summer. This hypothesis was supported by field transplant experiments in two acidic Adirondack Mountain (NY) lakes.
Postoperative macroglossia causing airway obstruction.

Summary Macroglossia can cause a wide spectrum of problems in the pediatric population. Airway obstruction is the most severe of the sequelae and must be handled promptly. Typically, congenital macroglossia does not present with sudden airway obstruction, however, traumatic or postoperative macroglossia can. Iatrogenic postoperative macroglossia is presented and mechanisms of injury discussed. Preventative and therapeutic measures are outlined.
Patriotic Appetites and Gnawing Hungers: Food and the Paradox of Nation-building in Uzbekistan

Nations reverberate with the conundrums of unity and difference. Studies of food provide an effective way to understand this paradox as food indexes both rituals of the nation as national cuisine yet links with myriad and variable performances as it is grown, cooked and eaten. National foods enhance ethnic nationality in newly independent, increasingly authoritarian Uzbekistan where the focus is on national cuisine in part because of deprivation, rather than abundance. National cuisine is vulnerable to differences within a nation, because in the shared and embodied practices surrounding food, people make emotion-based evaluations of the nation-state. Uzbek governmental policies result in poverty, limited food production, little global food, and repression of pure Islamic practices, regions, and minority ethnic groups.
Cl Kβ (K-V) emission of CFCl3 excited by synchrotron radiation below and above Cl-1s binding energy: perturbation effects in a highly excited neutral molecule

The Cl Kβ (K-V) fluorescent emission and K absorption spectra from CFCl3 vapor were measured using monochromatic synchrotron radiation. Weak supra-threshold features were observed in the Cl K absorption spectrum. The Cl 1s binding energy of CFCl3 was estimated to be 2829.4eV. A comparison of the Cl Kβ (K-V) emission spectrum excited at 2833.5eV (K + 4eV) photon energy with the Kβ spectrum excited at 2880eV (K + 50eV) photon energy indicated an increase of emission intensity from multiple vacancy transitions. The Cl K absorption has a discrete absorption maximum (or a "white-line") at 2822.6eV, the transition of a Cl 1s electron to the first allowed unoccupied MO. For the first time an X-ray emission spectrum was obtained with excitation below the ionization threshold. Features in the 2822.6eV excited (an exciton state, i.e., a highly excited state of the neutral molecule) Cl Kβ (K-V) spectrum were observed to have significant intensity changes and relative energy position shifts from the emission spectrum excited above the Cl 1s threshold. These differences are explained in terms of perturbation effects due to the presence of an electron in the first unoccupied MO.
A Consumer Preference Approach to the Planning of Rural Primary Health-Care Facilities

A problem in planning the expansion of a rural primary health-care delivery system is to determine the set of facilities to be added to an existing system so as to maximize the incremental benefit to the community subject to a cost constraint. The proposed approach involves the following five steps: 1 identification of facility attributes relevant to patients in their choice of health-care facilities, 2 modeling of an individual's overall preference for alternate facilities as a weighted linear function of these facility attributes, 3 transformation of each consumer's preference model into a benefit function expressing the individual's benefit in dollars/year for an existing or potential facility, 4 provision of a method for determining the total incremental benefit to the community from a set of proposed health-care facilities, and 5 use of a heuristic procedure to determine a set of facilities that yields near-optimum total incremental benefit subject to the cost constraint. A practical application of the proposed approach reveals that the consumer preference model has substantial reliability and predictive validity.
Voices of Parolees Attending Community College Helping Individuals and Society

As one of the few qualitative studies on this topic, this phenomenological study examined how parolees experience participation in a community college reentry program. One-on-one interviews were conducted with 11 parolee college students. Major themes found that parolees enjoy the college environment and that they have become role models for their families as a result of their college experiences. Most participants also believe that taking community college classes has improved their parole experiences and will decrease their chances of returning to prison. This research reveals a potential role for more community colleges to serve such parolee populations as part of their public good mission.
Framing the democratic narrative: local and national voting patterns in South Africa

While it is sometimes characterised as a dominant party, South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) has failed to demonstrate consistent dominance in provincial and municipal elections. It is argued that this incongruence is related to the ways in which the national political imaginary is successfully (and unsuccessfully) framed by ANC elites who have managed to make the story of the ANC largely inseparable from the national character of the post-apartheid state. At the local and municipal levels, The ability of the ANC to frame this inseparability is hobbled by more policy-oriented frames as well as the institutional character of South Africa's constituent–legislator relationships.
Suppression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity and of incorporation of acetate into cholesterol in homozygous hypercholesterolemic fibroblasts by ferritin-low density lipoprotein conjugates.

Abstract Conjugates of ferritin with low density lipoproteins (LDL) were prepared and separated by sucrose gradient centrifugation. These conjugates, at cholesterol concentrations of 100–132 μ/ml, caused a greater than 90% suprression of hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity and of acetate incorporation into cholesterol in cultured skin fibroblasts from a normal subject as well as from a subject with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. The half maximal inhibition concentration was approx. 10 μg/ ml cholesterol for LDL and ferritin · (LDL)2 and 5 μg/ml for (ferritin)2 · LDL in both cell lines. In contrast, native low density lipoproteins have only a minimal inhibitory effect in homozygous cells. The ability of the conjugates to stimulate the incorporation of oleate into cholesteryl esters was also equal in the two cell lines, although the conjugates were only 10% as active as low density lipoproteins in the normal cells. LDL reduced the ferritin · (LDL)2 mediated suppression of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity in homozygous cells while ferritin · (LDL)2 reduced the LDL-mediated stimulation of cholesteryl ester formation in normal cells.
The American English hearing in noise test.

The American English hearing in noise test (HINT) was originally developed for use in the evaluation of binaural hearing aid fittings (Nilsson et al, 1994). The American English HINT is based on th...
OSC OnDemand: a web platform integrating access to HPC systems, web and VNC applications

In this paper, we describe the OnDemand web platform for providing OSC users integrated access to HPC systems, web applications and VNC services. We present the user experience and implementation of OnDemand and compare it with existing science gateway approaches.
INTENSIFICATION OF THE ASIAN MONSOON AND A CHEMICAL WEATHERING EVENT IN THE LATE MIOCENE-EARLY PLIOCENE : IMPLICATIONS FOR LATE NEOGENE CLIMATE CHANGE

Several sedimentary, geochemical, and isotopic records indicate that the hypothesized intensification of the Asian monsoon at about 8 Ma triggered a physical and chemical weathering event in the Himalayan-Tibetan Plateau. Records of sediment input and clay composition from the northern Indian Ocean reveal clear weathering changes in the plateau at this time, and Ge/Si ratios of opaline silica as well as biogenic sedimentation rates indicate that increased dissolved element fluxes from this weathering event had an oceanwide effect. It is likely that weathering intensity also increased in the Andes and Amazon Basin in this interval as well. Perhaps the most important impact of this weathering event was to increase the net flux of the biolimiting nutrient phosphorus to the ocean, as evidenced by a peak in phosphorus accumulation rates at this time. The temporary increase in nutrient inputs to the ocean triggered increased oceanic productivity and organic carbon burial (recorded in carbon isotopic records and paleooxygen concentrations). The net result of this weathering event may have been an increase in the rate of drawdown of atmospheric CO2 through the late Miocene–early Pliocene, via direct silicate weathering reactions and increased burial of organic carbon in the ocean. This increased rate of atmospheric CO2 drawdown may have destabilized the climate system by the late Pliocene, thus initiating a period of intense cooling and ice buildup leading to the present.
COMPARISON BETWEEN SEASONAL AND THERMAL ACCLIMATION IN WHITE RATS: I. METABOLIC AND INSULATIVE CHANGES

Physiological adjustments to cold temperature have been compared in white rats exposed either to the outdoor fluctuating environmental conditions or to the indoor constant temperature conditions. While the metabolic adjustments such as increased peak metabolism and decreased shivering were similar in outdoor and indoor rats exposed to cold, the adjustments in insulation and thermoneutral metabolic rates were quite different. The pelage insulation increased in the rats kept outside during the winter but remained unchanged in the rats kept in a constant temperature room maintained at 6 °C. The resting metabolic rate measured at 30 °C increased in the 6 °C acclimated rats but not in the winter-exposed animals. Over the temperature range +30 °C to −15 °C, while the indoor cold-acclimated rats had a higher metabolic rate than their controls acclimated to 30 °C, the winter rats had a lower metabolism than their summer controls.