cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incivility and Political Identity on the Internet: Intergroup Factors as Predictors of Incivility in Discussions of News Online

Although incivility is an increasing concern among scholars and the public, explanations for this phenomenon sometimes overlook the role of computer-mediated communication. Drawing from the social identity model of deindividuation effects (SIDE), we consider incivility as a form of identity performance occurring in the visually anonymous contexts that are typical online. Specifically, we examine partisan political identities and intergroup factors as predictors of incivility in a newspaper discussion forum. Contrary to expectations, conservatives were less likely to be uncivil as the proportion of ingroup members (i.e., other conservatives) in the discussion increased and less sensitive to incivility directed at outgroup members (i.e., liberals) than were nonconservatives. Audience members had more extreme evaluations of uncivil comments made by partisans than nonpartisans.
Boron Behavior During the Evolution of the Early Solar System: The First 180 Million Years

The behavior of boron during the early evolution of the Solar System provides the foundation for how boron reservoirs become established in terrestrial planets. The abundance of boron in the Sun is depleted relative to adjacent light elements, a result of thermal nuclear reactions that destroy boron atoms. Extant boron was primarily generated by spallation reactions. In the initial materials condensing from the solar nebula, boron was predominantly incorporated into plagioclase. Boron abundances in the terrestrial planets exhibit variability, as illustrated by B/Be. During planetary formation and differentiation, boron is redistributed by fluids at low temperature and during crystallization of magma oceans at high temperature.
Self-Efficacy of Risk Taking in Outdoor Recreation as a Predictor of the Self-Efficacy of Risk Taking in Essay Writing

During two decades of teaching, we have observed that writing students seem more emotionally honest when their writing class is accompanied by an outdoor recreation component. The ability to take perceived risks is important to both outdoor recreation and writing; thus, we postulated that confidence gained in taking risks in outdoor experiences might affect students’ confidence in taking risks in their reflective writing. In this study, we applied Bandura’s (1997) self-efficacy theory to two classes of writing students, one that included outdoor experience and one that did not. We examined whether participating in outdoor activities would increase the self-efficacy of risk taking in the experimental group and whether this growth of self-efficacy in outdoor contexts would be accompanied by increased self-efficacy of risk taking in writing personal essays. Findings indicated significantly more growth of self-efficacy scores pertaining to risk taking in the writing of students in the experimental group versus those in the control group. Subscribe to JOREL
A Peptide Inhibitor of Glucagon-Responsive Adenylate Cyclase in Liver

The effects of a peptide inhibitor of adenylate cyclase produced by the isolated, perfused rat liver under hypocalcemic conditions were studied. This inhibitory peptide non-competitively abolished the activation of adenylate cyclase in particulate preparations of rat liver by glucagon, epinephrine, and parathyroid hormone, as well as cyclic AMP production in glucagon-stimulated rat liver slices. Higher concentrations of inhibitor also decreased basal adenylate cyclase activity and its fluoride-responsiveness. The data suggest that this substance is normally present in liver, but is released only under hypocalcemic conditions. The peptide does not crossreact in the radioimmunoassay of glucagon, insulin, or parathyroid hormone. Its inhibitory effects are not duplicated by somatostatin, angiotensin I, renin substrate, or the desoctadecapeptide of insulin.
High voltage IC technology: Continuously evolving challenges

Power electronics is experiencing record growth and rapid evolution to support the driving forces of Internet of Things, automotive active safety, electric vehicles, cloud computing and alternative energy generation. A key enabler for this growth is the High Voltage IC (HVIC) which is required to manage the operation of 200–1200V semiconductor devices. Additionally the technology must adapt to the new requirements imposed by wide bandgap semiconductors (WBGS) such as GaN and SiC which are in the early stages of adoption. This evolution can only be supported through the development of new device architectures, adoption of new materials, packaging and design methodology. This paper seeks to share the challenges and insights into HVIC evolution.
LRRK2 links genetic and sporadic Parkinson's disease

The past two decades in research has revealed the importance of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) in both monogenic and sporadic forms of Parkinson's disease (PD). In families, mutations in LRRK2 can cause PD with age-dependent but variable penetrance and genome-wide association studies have found variants of the gene that are risk factors for sporadic PD. Functional studies have suggested that the common mechanism that links all disease-associated variants is that they increase LRRK2 kinase activity, albeit in different ways. Here, we will discuss the roles of LRRK2 in areas of inflammation and vesicular trafficking in the context of monogenic and sporadic PD. We will also provide a hypothetical model that links inflammation and vesicular trafficking together in an effort to outline how these pathways might interact and eventually lead to neuronal cell death. We will also highlight the translational potential of LRRK2-specific kinase inhibitors for the treatment of PD.
The Persistence of the Popular in Mobile News Consumption

As news consumption shifts from desktop to mobile devices, many journalism researchers and stakeholders wonder how this transition will impact news audience behavior. This perspective assumes that ...
The Next-Generation Very Large Array: Reference Design Overview

As part of its mandate as a national observatory, the NRAO is looking toward the long range future of radio astronomy and fostering the long term growth of the US astronomical community. NRAO has sponsored a series of science and technical community meetings to consider the science mission and design of a next-generation Very Large Array (ngVLA), building on the legacies of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the Very Large Array (VLA).
People of Hindu Heritage

More than 1.2 billion people inhabit India. Over 80% of the population are Hindus, followers of Hinduism. Other significant religious groups include Moslems (13.4%), Christians (2.3%), Sikhs (1.9%), and other (1.8%). Although different religious sectors share many common cultural beliefs and practices, they differ according to the variant characteristics of culture as presented in Chap. 1. India is divided into north and south, based primarily on Dravidian and Aryan cultural variations.
Polystoechotes punctata (Fabricius, 1793) (Neuroptera: Ithonidae) in North America: A Changing Distribution Over Time

Using label data from 1,448 specimens of the giant lacewing Polystoechotes punctata (Fabricius 1793) (Neuroptera: Ithonidae) representing 849 individual occurrences from North American insect collections, literature, and online sources, we examined capture rates over time, phenology and historic and current distribution for Polystoechotes punctata. Captures spanned 1800 through 2018. They rose between the 1860s to a peak in the 1930s and declined thereafter with an increase since 2000 due to photographs posted online. Captures in the United States and Canada occurred April through November peaking in July and August with 47.6% of the records from August. There are no verified records of P. punctata from east of the Rocky Mountains for over 60 years. The loss rate from eastern North America was not uniform but appears to have occurred in three waves.
Nomenclatural Notes on Cyperus odoratus and Related Species (Cyperaceae)

We discuss nomenclatural and taxonomic matters pertaining to three species of Cyperus subg. Diclidium (Schrad. ex Nees) C. B. Clarke, viz., C. acicularis (Schrad. ex Nees) Steud., C. flexuosus Vahl, and C. macrocephalus Liebm. We examined the relevant available type materials of the three species and their associated synonyms. Our study shows that based on priority, the names C. ferax Rich. and C. conglobatus Link replace C. flexuosus and C. macrocephalus, respectively. For C. acicularis, a later homonym (non (L.) With.), C. strongii G.C. Tucker & Gandhi is proposed as the replacement name. A key is provided for identification of all the Cyperus subg. Diclidium species occurring in the New World.
Analysis on epidemic situation and countermeasures of AIDS in Gaozhou city

Objective To understand the epidemic situation of AIDS in Gaozhou city,and discuss the prevention and control strategy.Method The descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze all the cases of HIV/AIDS in Gaozhou.Results The first reported case of AIDS in Gaozhou city was in 1999,till December 2013 a total of 272 HIV/AIDS cases were reported,including 124 death cases.The incidence in males; age distribution in 55-65 years old accounted for the largest proportion,accounting for 25.00％; occupation of farmers had the highest incidence,accounting for 66.18％; heterosexual transmission was the main transmission mode,accounting for 87.55％; the main source of test samples was from the other patients,a total of 137 cases were reported,accounted for 50.37％; from 2008 to 2013,HIV antibody screening sample size accumulated into 303 600 portions; samples from intervention in high-risk groups were 2601,and there were 6 positive sera.Conclusion The incidence of AIDS in Gaozhou city increased year by year,which had become moderate AIDS epidemic zone; although Gaozhou had done a lot of work in AIDS prevention and control,but further prevention and control of AIDS could be still implemented by other aspects such as intensify active monitoring,strengthening AIDS health education and expanding coverage for high-risk population intervention. Key words: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; Epidemiological characteristics; Control strategy
Equity and State Immigrant Inclusivity: English Learner Education in ESSA:

With the 2015 passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the oversight of language policy in U.S. schools shifted from federal to state governance. Although the education of students officia...
Soil microbial diversity and composition: Links to soil texture and associated properties

Abstract Soil texture is an essential component of soil survey for estimating potentials and limitations of land use and management. It has been appreciated as an important predictor for numerous soil processes. However, its connections with the diversity and composition of the soil microbial community remain less understood. This work employed a marker gene high-throughput sequencing approach to determine soil texture-based patterns of bacterial and fungal distribution. Thirty-six intact soil cores were sampled from bermudagrass ecosystems across seven soil texture classes with sand fraction varying from 30.3 to 83.4% and clay fraction from 4.4 to 53.0%. These soil cores were arranged into three sets of equal numbers, and each set of 12 was subjected to three moisture regimes (dry spell, field moisture, and saturation-field capacity), respectively, for 15 days. Soil cores were further stratified into top and bottom sections, leading to a total of 72 samples with varying soil physical and chemical properties. Our data revealed that fungal alpha diversity was more strongly related to soil texture than bacterial alpha diversity, with fungal species richness and Shannon diversity being positively correlated with the sand fraction. Soil texture was the second most important factor after soil pH in shaping the soil microbial community. Relative abundances of some fungi (Basidiomycota and Eurotiomycetes) and filamentous bacteria (Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi) significantly increased with silt and/or clay content. The genetic potential for the degradation of organic compounds also appeared to be higher in finer textured soils than the coarse-textured soils. By identifying sand, silt or clay-preferred microbial taxa and characterizing mineral particle-dependent genetic potential of organic carbon degradation and nitrogen cycling, this work highlighted the significance of soil texture and texture-associated pores, and resource locality, in regulating microbial diversity and community composition.
Total Fasting and Dehydration in the Operating Room: How Can Surgeons Survive and Thrive?

Objectives Hydration and nutrition are critical to achieving optimal performance. This study aimed to assess the impact of limited oral intake in the operating room environment on surgical resident health, well-being, and performance. Design Electronic survey was sent to 94 surgical trainees at our institution in 2020. Chi-square analyses were performed to assess for differences in survey responses by sex. Setting A single tertiary-care institution. Participants Surveys were sent to surgical residents and fellows in general surgery, neurosurgery, and orthopedic surgery. Seventy-nine (80%) of the 94 residents and fellows responded. Results Of the 79 responses, most trainees (79%) experienced dehydration within 6 hours of operating. Forty-four (56%) reported no fluid intake for greater than 6 hours on average, and 39 (49%) reported that they frequently had difficulty rehydrating in between cases. Most of the respondents (70%) frequently experienced symptoms of dehydration, including orthostasis, headache, and constipation. Fifty-six (71%) believed that dehydration frequently affected their performance. Compared to men, women were more likely to feel dehydrated within 4 hours of operating (58% vs. 25%, p = 0.005). Women were also more likely to have difficulty rehydrating in between cases (75% vs. 38%, p = 0.0026), experience symptoms of dehydration (92% vs. 60%, p = 0.0049), and report that dehydration affects surgical performance (88% vs. 64%, p = 0.0318). Conclusions Prolonged fasting and dehydration are common issues that may negatively impact performance and wellbeing of surgical trainees. Also, dehydration may affect men and women differently.
Abstract PS18-51: Leptin receptor expression in breast tumors and chromatin modulators: A comparative study

Metabolic dysregulation and carcinogenesis are strongly linked. Leptin signaling acts as a metabolic switch that maintains body weight and energy homeostasis and gets impacted during metabolic dysregulation. Leptin signaling mediates its effect on breast cancer cells through downstream effectors like JAK-STAT, MAPK and PI3K pathways. At the molecular level, leptin exerts its effects through its receptor, LEPR, encoded by LEPR gene. Leptin signaling has been shown to contribute towards progression of breast cancer. Obese post-menopausal women are considered to be a high-risk category for breast cancer and dysregulated leptin signaling contributes towards it. We in this study focused on comparative molecular analysis of Leptin high (LEPRhi) and low (LEPRlow) expressing breast tumors.Breast cancer data from METABRIC (Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium) study was used through the cBioPortal (http://cbioportal.org) platform for cancer genomics. The METABRIC study includes clinical and molecular data from over 2500 breast cancer cases. The LEPRhi and LEPRlow expressing breast tumors in RNA-seq dataset were queried using cBioPortal embedded SQL feature as LEPR: EXP>1 and LEPR: EXP Citation Format: Sara Pacheco, Maria E. Juarez, Sushmita Nandy. Leptin receptor expression in breast tumors and chromatin modulators: A comparative study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS18-51.
Inductance of superconductor integrated circuit features with sizes down to 120 nm

Data are presented on the inductance of various features used in superconductor digital integrated circuits: microstrip and stripline inductors with linewidths down to 120 nm and different combinations of ground plane layers, effect of perforations of various sizes in the ground planes and their distance to the inductors on inductance, inductance of vias of various sizes between adjacent layers, inductance of composite vias between distant super-conducting layers. Test circuits used for the measurements were fabricated in a new 150-nm node of a fully planarized process with eight niobium layers developed at MIT Lincoln Laborator for superconductor electronics as well as in our standard SFQ5ee and SC1 fabrication processes with 250 nm minimum feature size. The new SC2 process utilizes 193-nm photolithography in combination with plasma etching and chemical mechanical planarization of interlayer dielectrics to define inductors with linewidth down to about 100 nm on critical layers. The standard processes use 248 nm photolithography. The measured data are compared with the results of inductance extraction using soft-ware packages InductEx and wxLC. Variations of circuit inductors caused by the fabrication processes are discussed. Magnetic flux trapping in ground plane moats and its coupling to nearby inductors are discussed for circuit cooling in a residual field of several configurations.
An Examination of Teacher Engagement in Intervention Training and Sustained Intervention Implementation

Social, emotional, and behavioral interventions are often complicated to implement in school settings. Empirical and practical evidence suggests that educators need support to implement interventions with treatment integrity or as intended. Treatment integrity is comprised of multiple dimensions that capture quantity of the intervention delivered, quality of that delivery, and implementers’ engagement with the intervention procedures. Whereas research in this area often focuses on the integrity with which interventions are delivered to students, treatment integrity can be measured and assessed across the intervention implementation process from training implementers to use an intervention to the actual use of an intervention. In fact, engagement in early intervention implementation processes may be critical for the immediate and sustained success of an intervention, particularly engagement during professional development or trainings designed to teach the skills associated with an intervention. One evidence-based intervention that includes structured training in intervention procedures (e.g., effective classroom management) is the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management (IY TCM) program. The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ engagement in IY TCM training sessions, their sustained intervention implementation, and student behavior over time. Using a sample of 44 teachers implementing IY TCM, we found that teachers’ sustained implementation of intervention skills and students’ disruptive behavior in the classroom differed based on how engaged they reportedly were in the intervention trainings. The findings underscore the importance of assessing and promoting engagement in training sessions.
Abstract TP200: African American Young Adults with Ischemic Stroke Have High Rates of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

Introduction: It is well known that African Americans (Afr-Am) have a higher prevalence of hypertension (HTN) compared to Whites. Few studies have compared Afr-Am and Whites for the prevalence of l...
Rebuilding the American Dream

This chapter focuses on the film American Pastime to analyze and discuss the importance of disrupting the representation of Japanese Americans and their family narratives as model minorities through examining the complexities of assimilation, imprisonment, and the challenges Japanese Americans faced, using the Nakano family’s intricate history as an example. American Pastime is a film about a Japanese American family imprisoned in the Topaz Relocation Camp in Utah and the role baseball played in internment camp life. In American Pastime, the Nomura family is based upon the real-life Nakano family and in this chapter, two members of the Nakano family are interviewed to share a deeper meaning to what is referenced in the film, American Pastime, as well as the stories beyond the cinematic narrative. This chapter also examines on how Japanese Americans tell the generational story of themselves while negotiating the factors of gender, ethnicity, cultural norms, and awareness of shame and pride.
Mapping of chlorophyll a distributions in coastal zones

It is pointed out that chlorophyll a is an important environmental parameter for monitoring water quality, nutrient loads, and pollution effects in coastal zones. High chlorophyll a concentrations occur in areas which have high nutrient inflows from sources such as sewage treatment plants and industrial wastes. Low chlorophyll a concentrations may be due to the addition of toxic substances from industrial wastes or other sources. Remote sensing provides an opportunity to assess distributions of water quality parameters, such as chlorophyll a. A description is presented of the chlorophyll a analysis and a quantitative mapping of the James River, Virginia. An approach considered by Johnson (1977) was used in the analysis. An application of the multiple regression analysis technique to a data set collected over the New York Bight, an environmentally different area of the coastal zone, is also discussed.
THE FUTURE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES FOR THE LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES

Over the last twenty-five years, America's liberal arts colleges have endured a steady shrinkage of their tradi tional market. The number of high-school graduates declined by 21 percent, from 3.2 million in 1976 to 2.5 million in 1993, promoting a ferocious competition for applicants. More recently, a rising tide of competition from alternative providers of education services?beginning with the vigorous expansion of public colleges and universities in the 1960s and continuing now with the abrupt entry of venture capitalists into the world of for-profit education?has put a squeeze on the market for private liberal arts colleges. Schools that once subsisted on a combination of genteel poverty among the faculty, tweedy relationships between admissions deans and prep school head masters, and "old school" ties with the alumni now depend on four-color brochures, marketing directors, meticulously planned capital campaigns, and elaborate pricing and discount policies that make airline pricing look straightforward by comparison. It is not surprising that during this period of dramatic change the number of schools that could by any plausible measure be called "liberal arts colleges" dropped sharply (although the number that found it useful to hang onto that sobriquet held steady). The two hundred or so such institutions that remain (of a total of more than three thousand colleges and universities in the United States) can look forward to some promising oppor tunities, including the reversal of the decline in the population
Completeness Theorems for Logics of Feature Structures

We axiomatize the valid formulas of several logics of feature structures. The logics are similar to those studied by Johnson [2], Kasper and Rounds [3], Moshier and Rounds [4], and Rounds [7], and they include path equalities and set values. Our completeness proofs do not use reduction to normal forms or tableaux, in contrast to the papers cited. Instead they use structures built from maximal consistent sets, as in standard completeness arguments for modal logics. We also consider the forcing semantics of implication introduced to work on feature structure logics by Moshier and Rounds [4]. Our results here are based on, and strengthen, the connection between Kripke models and intuitionistic logic.
Infrared Radiative Energy Transfer in Gases

Publisher Summary This chapter illustrates the incorporation of spectroscopic information into the radiative transfer equations and presents a reasonable means of treating radiative energy transfer within gases. Specific restriction is made to infrared gaseous radiation that results from molecular transitions involving both vibrational and rotational energies, and emphasis is placed upon the application of the molecular band models to radiative transfer analyses. The chapter also reviews the infrared band spectra, introduces simple band models, and discusses the formulation of total band absorptance information with the aid of these models. The basic equations describing the radiative transfer within an infrared absorbing–emitting gas are formulated and these allow for the radiatively induced departures from local thermodynamic equilibrium. The chapter also presents some illustrative radiative transfer analyses, with emphasis upon physical interpretations and the relative importance of thermal radiation versus molecular conduction as energy transport mechanisms.
Is Search Volume a Good Market Predictor? Product Quality and Predictive Performance of Search Volume

This study explains the varying predictive power of online search volume by examining the impact of perceived quality and quality uncertainty of products on search volume and demand. We develop hypotheses regarding the relationship among the quality variables, online search activities, and actual demand and test them in the empirical setting of the U.S. movie industry. We propose different observable variables to operationalize consumers’ perceived quality and quality uncertainty over a movie’s life-cycle. We relate the observable quality variables with revenue and online search volume in two systems of simultaneous equations: one for the opening week and the other for the subsequent weeks. We find that both quality and quality uncertainty are positively associated with the pre-launch search volume of movies whereas neither of them directly influences opening-week revenue. Similar findings are maintained in the analysis of post-launch weeks: weekly measurements of quality and quality uncertainty are positively associated with weekly search volume, but not with weekly revenue. These findings imply that systematic over-/under-prediction of market success may occur if we use an online search index without considering the effects of quality and quality uncertainty. This study also makes two methodological contributions. First, we propose a practical way of measuring quality-related constructs in the pre-launch period of movies when even professional reviews are not available. Second, we devise a novel method to convert Google search indices to cross-sectionally comparable search volume measures.
Abstract Specification of the UBIFS File System for Flash Memory

Today we see an increasing demand for flash memory because it has certain advantages like resistance against kinetic shock. However, reliable data storage also requires a specialized file system knowing and handling the limitations of flash memory. This paper develops a formal, abstract model for the UBIFS flash file system, which has recently been included in the Linux kernel. We develop formal specifications for the core components of the file system: the inode-based file store, the flash index, its cached copy in the RAM and the journal to save the differences. Based on these data structures we give an abstract specification of the interface operations of UBIFS and prove some of the most important properties using the interactive verification system KIV.
CBM-Gen+: an algorithm for reducing case base inconsistencies in hierarchical and incomplete domains

We propose an algorithm, CBM-Gen+, to refine case bases for hierarchical and incomplete domains. In these domains, the case bases are the main source of domain information because of the absence of a complete domain theory. CBM-Gen+ revises the existing cases when a new solution is captured. The main purpose of this revision is to reduce inconsistencies in the cases. We will prove that CBM-Gen+ is sound relative to the captured solutions. We also perform experiments showing that CBM-Gen+ is on average at least as efficient as a previous approach for constructing case bases for hierarchical domains.
Local Government Reserve Funds: Policy Alternatives and Political Strategies

Local government officials are operating in a policy void when it comes to the establishment and use of reserve funds. In part, this is due to confusion about the distinction between reserve and contingency funds. The limited research that has been conducted shows that relatively large sums of money are maintained in reserve by many local governments. Some governments refer to these sums as reserve funds and their intended use is clearly indicated in one or more local documents, such as a budget or audit/financial report. Others simply maintain an unreserved fund balance. This article identifies rationales for using reserve funds, discusses the alternative ways reserves are accumulated, and outlines key issues a local government financial plan should address when reserve funds are utilized.
Angle-dependent transmission in graphene heterojunctions

We describe an experimental setup for measuring angle-dependent transmission due to Klein tunneling through quasi-ballistic graphene heterojunctions. Our devices consist of straight and angled leads, in which the barrier height is controlled by a shared gate electrode. Using a balancing technique and a differential measurement, we show how to isolate the angle-dependent contribution to the resistance from other angle-insensitive, gate-dependent, and device-dependent effects. We find that our baseline signal is dominated by mesoscopic conductance fluctuations, but that the increase in the fluctuation amplitude is due to angle-dependent transmission.
An investigation of the coupling agent/matrix interface of fiberglass reinforced plastics by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

The mechanical performances of fiberglass reinforced plastics (FRP) are quite different when the glass fibers are treated with vinyl (VS) and methacryl (γ-MPS) functional silane coupling agents. We have studied the structural basis for this difference on the molecular level using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). A high-surface-area silica powder is used to study the coupling agent/matrix interface. Both VS and γ-MPS can react with styrene at the interface. However, when E-glass fiber is used as a substrate, only γ-MPS polymerizes in the coupling agent interphase which consists of many layers of coupling agent molecules while the major portion of the VS does not polymerize in the interphase. The effect of glass surfaces, with and without a coupling agent, on the curing of the polyester resin has also been studied. Silane coupling agents participate in the curing of the polyester resin while untreated E-glass fiber surfaces inhibit the polymerization resulting in different structures from the bulk matrix.
Chloroplast Envelopes of Spinacia oleracea L. III. Freeze-Fracturing of Chloroplast Envelopes

Summary The inner and outer membrane of envelopes in isolated spinach chloroplasts has been examined by freeze-fracturing. Freeze-cleaving of the outer and inner membrane of the envelope reveals four fracture faces that were analysed for particle size and distribution. The outer membrane of the chloroplast showed a low particle density of 90 A particles in both complementary fracture faces (133 particles and 150 particles/μm 2 ). The inner membrane of the chloroplast envelope carries a significantly higher particle density with an asymmetric particle distribution on the inner and outer fracture face of the split membrane. The particle density in membrane halves facing the stroma was 1820 particles per square micron. Corresponding membrane halves contained 979 particles per square micron. The fracture faces of inner and outer membranes of the chloroplast envelopes do not resemble stacked or unstacked thylakoid fracture faces. It can be demonstrated by identical particle distribution that the isolated envelope fraction (= fraction 1 b, Sprey and Laetsch , 1975, 1976) consists mostly of outer membranes of the chloroplast envelopes.
The auditory characteristics of tinnitus resulting from cerebral injury.

Abstract Six patients with tinnitus resulting from head injuries were subjected to a variety of audiometric procedures in an attempt to determine the auditory characteristics of their tinnitus. For all patients but one, it was possible to match the tinnitus frequencies with sinusoidal test tones of specific frequencies. Presenting the matching test tone to the ear contralateral to that in which the tinnitus was heard resulted in a binaural fusion of the test tone and the tinnitus, causing a single sound image to be heard. By raising the intensity of the test tone, it was possible to lateralize the sound image entirely to the ear receiving the test tone, with the other ear silent. Whenever it was possible to fuse a patient's tinnitus with a contralateral test tone, it was also possible to create binaural beats between the tinnitus and the test tone by changing slightly the frequency of the test tone. One patient, W.P., when presented individually with contralateral test tones of the same apparent frequency as his two tinnitus, reported hearing neither his tinnitus nor the test tones. This observation confirms Wegel's report (7) that a tinnitus and a contralateral test tone may “cancel” each other. The only tinnitus that could not be matched by pure tones was the consequence of peripheral nerve damage rather than cortical injury. In general, tinnitus of central origin seems to have the same auditory characteristics as external sounds normally generated; by contrast, tinnitus of peripheral origin does not participate in the same forms of binaural interaction. The different characteristics of these two forms of tinnitus are the basis for the conflicting claims in the literature about the auditory characteristics of tinnitus.
Speech/gesture interface to a visual computing environment for molecular biologists

Recent progress in 3-D, immersive display and virtual reality (VR) technologies has made possible many exciting applications, for example interactive visualization of complex scientific data. To fully exploit this potential there is a need for "natural" interfaces that allow the manipulation of such displays without cumbersome attachments. In this paper we describe the use of visual hand gesture analysis and speech recognition for developing a speech/gesture interface for controlling a 3-D display. The interface enhances an existing application, VMD, which is a VR visual computing environment far molecular biologists. The free hand gestures are used for manipulating the 3-D graphical display together with a set of speech commands. We describe the visual gesture analysis and the speech analysis techniques used in developing this interface. The dual modality of speech/gesture is found to greatly aid the interaction capability.
Cystic fibrosis: The ciliary inhibitor is a small polypeptide associated with immunoglobulin G

Abstract A small polypeptide within the molecular weight range of 6,000 to 11,000 was found in immunoglobulin fractions from sera of cystic fibrosis homozygotes and heterozygotes. This factor appears to be responsible for interfering with ciliary activity in oyster gills. Since it can be dissociated from IgG without reductive cleavage it must be bound in a non-covalent manner. After its dissociation the IgG fractions from cystic fibrosis sera no longer inhibited ciliary activity. This finding explains the differences previously observed in the molecular weights of the ciliary inhibitor synthesized by cultured cells and that of sera from cystic fibrosis genotypes.
Plane stress model for fracture of ceramics during laser cutting

Abstract This paper presents an experimental and numerical study of fracture initiation in thin aluminum oxide ceramics (AI2O3) during laser cutting. In the experiments, alumina plates with thickness of 0.8 mm were cut at cutting speeds of 1.3–152 mm/sec by continuous-wave CO2 laser with power ranging from 200 to 700 W. Criteria for fracture initiation are correlated with laser power and cutting speed. A hybrid method for modeling fracture initiation is introduced whereby the kerf width is determined through an analytical solution and the temperature and stress distributions are found through a numerical plane stress model. Temperature dependence of material properties was incorporated in the model. Effect of cutting speed and laser power on the fracture initiation was analyzed quantitatively and good agreement was obtained between the experiment and the numerical simulation. The results showed that avoidance of fracture initiation results from a high energy density cutting condition (high laser power and low cutting speed).
Distributions of Trace Gases and Aerosols During the Dry Biomass Burning Season in Southern Africa

Vertical profiles in the lower troposphere of temperature, relative humidity, sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), condensation nuclei (CN), and carbon monoxide (CO), and horizontal distributions of twenty gaseous and particulate species, are presented for five regions of southern Africa during the dry biomass burning season of 2000. The regions are the semiarid savannas of northeast South Africa and northern Botswana, the savanna-forest mosaic of coastal Mozambique, the humid savanna of southern Zambia, and the desert of western Namibia. The highest average concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2), CO, methane (CH4), O3, black particulate carbon, and total particulate carbon were in the Botswana and Zambia sectors (388 and 392 ppmv, 369 and 453 ppbv, 1753 and 1758 ppbv, 79 and 88 ppbv, 2.6 and 5.5 micrograms /cubic meter and 13.2 and 14.3 micrograms/cubic meter). This was due to intense biomass burning in Zambia and surrounding regions. The South Africa sector had the highest average concentrations of SO2, sulfate particles, and CN (5.1 ppbv, 8.3 micrograms/cubic meter, and per 6400 cubic meter , respectively), which derived from biomass burning and electric generation plants and mining operations within this sector. Air quality in the Mozambique sector was similar to the neighboring South Africa sector. Over the arid Namibia sector there were polluted layers aloft, in which average SO2, O3, and CO mixing ratios (1.2 ppbv, 76 ppbv, and 3 10 ppbv, respectively) were similar to those measured over the other more polluted sectors. This was due to transport of biomass smoke from regions of widespread savanna burning in southern Angola. Average concentrations over all sectors of CO2 (386 +/- 8 ppmv), CO (261 +/- 81 ppbv), SO2 (2.5 +/- 1.6 ppbv), O3 (64 +/- 13 ppbv), black particulate carbon (2.3 +/- 1.9 microgram/cubic meter), organic particulate carbon (6.2 +/- 5.2 microgram/cubic meter), total particle mass (26.0 +/- 4.7 microgram/cubic meter), and potassium particles (0.4 +- 0.1 microgram/cubic meter) were comparable to those in polluted, urban air. Since the majority of the measurements in this study were obtained in locations well removed from industrial sources of pollution, the high average concentrations of pollutants reflect the effects of widespread biomass burning. On occasions, relatively thin (-0.5 km) layers of remarkably clean air were located at -3 km above mean sea level, sandwiched between heavily polluted air. The data presented here can be used for inputs to and validation of regional and global atmospheric chemical models.
Cermet coatings prepared by pulsed gas dynamic spraying process : Effect of the process parameters

Abstract The work presented is part of a research program aimed at exploring the possible advantages of the pulsed gas dynamic spraying (PGDS) process, as an alternative production technique of WC-based cermet coatings. In the PGDS process the feedstock particles are accelerated and heated in a high velocity flow before impacting the substrate to be coated. In this study the effect of the processing conditions, in particular the gas temperature, the spray pressure, the standoff distance, and the initial particle temperature on the cermet coating microstructure is investigated. Monitoring of the particle velocity at the gun exit is conducted using a laser diagnostic system in order to correlate it with the various spray parameters. Different analysis techniques (OM, SEM, XRD, and microhardness) are used to characterize the coatings produced. Detailed comparisons of powders and coating microstructure, phase composition, and microhardness are presented and discussed. The results show that an increase in spray temperature and in-flight particle velocity, obtained by increasing the gas temperature and pressure, leads to a decline in the volume fraction of defects within the coating as well as improvement of the substrate/coating interface. High deposition efficiency with low coating porosity level was obtained by decreasing the standoff distance and preheating the feedstock powder. Spraying onto Al-6061 and SS-304L type of substrates did not reveal a significant effect on the coating microstructure.
Simple design for an impedance plethysmograph

A simple and inexpensive impedance plethysmography has been designed. Complete circuit diagrams are provided to facilitate system replication. The operation of each functional unit in the measurement system is described. Particular attention is given to the demodulation chip, which simplifies circuit design and increases measurement performance.
Levetiracetam is as effective as carbamazepine in newly diagnosed epilepsy.

Evaluation of: Brodie MJ, Perucca E, Ryvlin P, Ben-Menachem E, Meencke HJ. Comparison of levetiracetam and controlled-release carbamazepine in newly diagnosed epilepsy. Neurology 6, 402–408 (2007) (1).Despite the emergence of multiple antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in the past decade, the task of choosing the right drug for monotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy remains a precarious task. This is especially true when trying to choose a new AED over a more traditional agent. Much of this uncertainty stems from the fact that there are only a handful of studies that are able to demonstrate efficacy of a new drug over an older AED. While the newer drugs appear more favorable because of better tolerability, safety profiles and simple pharmacokinetics, many do not have an indication for monotherapy. Of course, this is further contingent upon the stringent limitations placed by regulatory bodies, such as the US FDA, who govern approval of AEDs for monotherapy. The current randomized study attempts to ...
The use of intravenous neostigmine in palliation of severe ileus.

Neostigmine is a parasympathomimetic drug that acts as a reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Clinically it is used in patients with acute colonic pseudo-obstruction (ACPO or Ogilvie’s syndrome, which is a gastrointestinal motility disorder characterized by marked dilatation of the colon in the absence of mechanical obstruction), postoperative ileus, urinary retention, myasthenia gravis, and in anesthesia to reverse the effects of nondepolarizing muscle relaxants. Both bolus and infusion are noted to be effective and lead to prompt evacuation of flatus or stool with a reduction in abdominal distention on physical examination. Median duration is noted to be 4–30 minutes in some trials. Here we present our experience of using 2 mg of intravenous neostigmine to help relieve the severe abdominal distention and ileus in a patient with severe fecal impaction when all conservative measures had been futile. The most frequent side effect of the drug is abdominal pain/cramping, which was noted in our patient as well. Other complications include bradycardia which is very infrequently symptomatic to require atropine. Overall, the drug is a simple, safe, and effective strategy; and as pointed out in the previous studies, the drug appears to be underused in patients who do not have a true contraindication to its use.
Measurements of the stopping powers of He ions incident along the different channel axes and channel planes of Si

Abstract One serious issue limiting the accuracy of Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) is that the stopping powers of channeled and non-channeled particles differ substantially. Consequently, it brings errors not only in the energy-depth conversion of RBS spectra, but also in the quantitative analysis of the disorder profile. In this study, we present measurements of the stopping powers of 4 He + ions channeled along crystallographic axes of Si〈1 0 0〉, 〈1 1 0〉, 〈1 1 1〉, and also along crystallographic planes of (1 0 0) and (1 1 0) in the energy region of 0.6–2 MeV. The aim of this study is to provide an accurate energy-depth conversion for channeling RBS data.
Mechano-electrical feedback in ventricular myocardium

In the past, cardiac arrhythmias have been most commonly perceived as a result of eEectricaZ disorders of the heart muscle. As this issue of the journal demonstrates, there is mounting evidence that arrhythmias may also be produced by mechanical perturbations or disorders of the myocardium. Clinical data have long suggested that ventricular arrhythmias occur more frequently in patients who suffer from heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, ventricular volume or pressure overload, mitral valve prolapse, or dysynergistic ventricular contraction and relaxation [ 1 111. A potential common mechanism underlying all of these observations may be that dilatation or stretch of the myocardial tissue may lead to electrophysiologic changes which produce or facilitate arrhythmias. The phenomenon that electrophysiological changes may result from regional mechanical stretch or global hemodynamic over-load has been termed “contraction-excitation coupling” [12] or “mechano-electrical feedback” 113,141. In the past, however, this phenomenon has not been sufficiently appreciated within the mainstream of cardiovascular research. One reason may be the paucity of direct cellular data on mechano-electrical feedback. It is extremely difficult to maintain a fragile glass-microelectrode stably within a cell of a vigorously beating heart and even harder to ascertain the effects of simultaneously imposed mechanical perturbations. The body surface ECG, on the other hand, is too insensitive and nonspecific to characterize the electrophysiologic changes that result from mechanical strain and promote stretch-activated arrhythmias. Monophasic action potential (MAP) recording, which accurately depicts the time course of transmembrane action potentials while being less sensitive to motion artifacts than intracellular recordings [ 15,161, has been an important tool in evaluating stretch-induced electrophysiological changes in the intact heart. More recently, significant progress has been made toward identifying and characterizing myocardial stretch-activated channels (SACS) by patch clamp technique [17-201. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on stretch-induced electrophysiological effects and arrhythmias. Some of these concepts have been expressed in a previous publication [21], and newer observations will be presented and discussed in greater detail in the original papers contained in this focus issue of Cardiovascular Research.
Geometric analysis of the singularities of a magnetic manipulation system with several mobile coils

It has been demonstrated that magnetic fields are relevant for manipulating an untethered magnet, either using fixed coils or mobile permanent magnets. This paper shows however, that any magnetic manipulation method is prone to singular configurations and that the simple numerical analysis of the rank of the “manipulation matrix” is not enough to detect them. Alternatively, we propose a geometrical analysis to interpret and detect the singularities as well as to decide on the acceptability of a reference trajectory. Then, we present results obtained by simulating a planar manipulation system including a multiple mobile coils and a Helmholtz like set-up.