cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Riluzole inhibits spontaneous Ca2+ signaling in neuroendocrine cells by activation of K+ channels and inhibition of Na+ channels.

The neuroprotective drug riluzole has multiple effects on cellular signaling. We found that riluzole rapidly and reversibly inhibited spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations in both immortalized GnRH-secreting hypothalamic neurons (GT1 cells) and in the prolactin and growth-hormone-secreting GH3 cell line. At lower concentrations (100 nM–5 μM), riluzole reduced the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations, whereas at higher concentrations it abolished spontaneous Ca2+ signaling. Whole-cell current clamp recordings in GH3 cells revealed that riluzole decreased the action potential frequency, amplitude, and duration. Riluzole inhibited voltage-gated Na+ currents, increased iberiotoxin-sensitive voltage-gated K+ currents, and had no effect on voltage-gated Ca2+ currents in GH3 cells. Riluzole also inhibited voltage-gated Na+ currents and increased voltage-gated K+ channels in GT1 cells. The inhibitory effects of riluzole on Ca2+ signaling were blocked by pretreatment with iberiotoxin in GH3 cells, but only partially reduced by iberiotoxin in GT1 cells. These results indicate that riluzole inhibits Ca2+ signaling primarily by activation of K+ channels in GH3 cells, and also by inhibition of Na+ channels in GT1 cells. Riluzole's inhibition of spontaneous excitability and Ca2+ signaling may be involved in its multiple effects on cellular function in the nervous system. British Journal of Pharmacology (2003) 140, 881–888. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705491
Application of a short-time version of the Equalization-Cancellation model to speech intelligibility experiments with speech maskers

A short-time-processing version of the Equalization-Cancellation (EC) model of binaural processing is described and applied to speech intelligibility tasks in the presence of multiple maskers, including multiple speech maskers. This short-time EC model, called the STEC model, extends the model described by Wan et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 128, 3678–3690 (2010)] to allow the EC model's equalization parameters τ and α to be adjusted as a function of time, resulting in improved masker cancellation when the dominant masker location varies in time. Using the Speech Intelligibility Index, the STEC model is applied to speech intelligibility with maskers that vary in number, type, and spatial arrangements. Most notably, when maskers are located on opposite sides of the target, this STEC model predicts improved thresholds when the maskers are modulated independently with speech-envelope modulators; this includes the most relevant case of independent speech maskers. The STEC model describes the spatial dependence of the speech reception threshold with speech maskers better than the steady-state model. Predictions are also improved for independently speech-modulated noise maskers but are poorer for reversed-speech maskers. In general, short-term processing is useful, but much remains to be done in the complex task of understanding speech in speech maskers.
Goal-directed medical therapy and point-of-care testing improve outcomes after congenital heart surgery.

A goal-directed therapy algorithm based on serial lactate values obtained from a point-of-care testing device was utilized in an attempt to reduce the mortality of patients after congenital heart surgery. Prospective study of patients undergoing surgery utilizing a goal-directed therapy algorithm in the postoperative period. The results of this group are compared with a historical cohort. Operative risk was determined using the RACHS-1 scoring system. A 12-bed cardiac intensive care unit (ICU) in a pediatric hospital. Patients undergoing surgery from July 2001 through September 2003 (group B, n=710) were compared to cohorts from June 1995 through June 2001 (group A, n=1,656). Group B patients were smaller and younger (median weight 6.2 vs 8 kg, p<0.001; median age 184 vs 327 days, p=0.004). Beginning in July 2001, blood lactate measurements were performed serially for 24 h after heart surgery. Based on lactate values and trends, therapy was amended. Mortality was lower for group B (1.8 vs 3.7%, p=0.02). A reduction in mortality between group B and group A was noted in neonates (3.4 vs 12%, p=0.02), but not in older patients. Group B patients undergoing higher risk operations (Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery-1 [RACHS-1] categories 3–6) had a significant reduction in mortality when compared to group A (3 vs 9%, p=0.006), no difference was noted in patients undergoing lower risk operations (RACHS-1 categories 1 and 2). The combination of goal-directed therapy and point-of-care testing was associated with a marked decrease in mortality for patients undergoing congenital heart surgery. Improvement was greatest in the highest risk patients.
Connections between local stability in Lyapunov and input/output senses

The concept of gain over set was recently introduced as a tool for local input/output analysis of nonlinear systems. In this setting, the finiteness of the gain over set defines a local stability in the input/output sense. In this paper, we show that the finite gain over ball stability is related to the local stability in the sense of Lyapunov.
Reactions to Dating Violence Research: Do Difficulties with Distress Tolerance Increase Negative Reactions?

Recent research has begun to examine whether participants in dating violence studies perceive any benefit from the research and/or experience emotional distress as a result of having participated. Such information is important for Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and researchers in determining ethical and appropriate protections for participants. In the current study, we examined participants’ reactions to answering questions on dating violence victimization and perpetration utilizing a sample of female college students (N = 282). We also examined whether distress tolerance was associated with research reactions and moderated the relation between reports of victimization/perpetration and negative emotional reactions to the research. Findings demonstrated that negative emotional reactions to the research did not differ between individuals with or without previous dating violence. Further, distress tolerance had a main effect, but not a moderating effect, on negative emotional reactions to research participation. Implications of these findings for future research and IRBs are discussed.
Characteristics of the Isabelle Vacuum System

We discuss the complete vacuum system of ISABELLE, emphasizing those design characteristics dictated by high vacuum, the avoidance of beam current loss, and the reduction of background. The experimental and theoretical justifications for our current choices are presented.
The role of public policy in the use of conservation tillage in the USA

A number of policy tools are used to reduce soil erosion from agricultural lands in the United States, including education and technical assistance, financial assistance, land retirement and conservation compliance requirements. Education and technical assistance by public and private sources can be effective in promoting the adoption of conservation tillage by farmers for whom that practice will be profitable. Financial incentives may be necessary to induce the voluntary adoption of conservation tillage by farmers for whom the practice would not be more profitable than conventional tillage but on whose land the use of conservation tillage would provide substantial offsite benefits.
Characterization of polymer orientation by birefringence

The birefringence of a polymer may be used for studying orientation, crystallization, and mobility in a polymeric solid. It is a measure of the average of an orientation distribution for the anisotropic molecular segments of a polymer. Its interpretation is complicated by the lack of knowledge of the absolute birefringence of a polymer segment and by the extent of its dependence upon environment. For crystalline polymers, the birefringence may be resolved into contributions from the crystalline and amorphous components. By measurement, together with measurement of crystalline orientation by the x-ray technique it may be used to resolve the orientational contribution of these two phases. This is complicated by the uncertain effect of disorder within the crystal upon its birefringence. Also form birefringence of the crystalline amorphous interface and by voids must be considered. Birefringence measurements must be made by compensator or by intensity measurement techniques. The latter are susceptible to automatic recording. Measurements may be made on films or fibers. The time dependence of birefringence may be followed during relaxation or during deformation of a sample. When measured as a function or frequency during vibrational deformation the results characterize the orientation processes possible in a given polymer which depend upon morphology, orientation, and sample treatment.
SU‐EE‐A4‐01: Evaluation of Noise and SDNR Characteristics of Blended ASIR and FBP Images Obtained with the GE Discovery CT 750 HD Scanner

Purpose: The new GE 750 HD CT scanner utilizes adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR), which can be blended in various proportions with the filtered back projection reconstructions. A study was performed to characterize the dependence of noise and signal‐difference‐to‐noise ratio (SDNR) on %ASIR for a range of doses. Method and Materials: Scans of the low contrast resolution module in the ACR CT accreditation phantom were acquired using “full‐dose”, 2/3 dose, ½ dose, and ¼ dose techniques. Scans were obtained in normal resolution mode with the STD, edge, and soft kernels, and in high resolution mode using the STD, HD STD, and edge kernels. ROIs were placed in the 25 mm cylinder and adjacent background region in this module. Images were reconstructed with %ASIR ranging from 0 –100 in steps of 10. For each condition, mean and standard deviations in the ROIs were obtained for 5 central slices in the module. Noise and SDNR were computed and the %ASIR that yielded the same noise and SDNR as in the full‐dose cases were determined for the lower doses. Results: %ASIR and dose had no effect on the mean CT♯s in the cylinder and background. Noise was found to linearly decrease with %ASIR, (R2>0.997). SDNR increased quadratically with %ASIR (R2>0.996) . For normal resolution, STD kernel, the noise and SDNR at full dose were achieved at 2/3 dose, ½ dose and ¼ dose, using 30%, 50% and 84% ASIR, respectively. Corresponding %ASIR for high resolution, HD STD were 23%, 42% and 68%. Values for other kernels will be presented. Conclusion: ASIR reduces noise and improves SDNR. By applying appropriate %ASIR, one can achieve similar image quality at reduced dose. The frequency content of the noise is different which can affect the %ASIR that is acceptable in the clinic.
Lipase-mediated resolution of cis-1-amino-2-indanol, the key component of the HIV protease inhibitor indinavir

Abstract The efficient and direct resolution of cis -1-amino-2-indanol using Candida antarctica lipase B catalyzing the alcoholysis of its N , O -diacetyl derivative is reported.
The non-material cost of bandwagoning: The Yugoslav crisis and the transformation of Russian security policy

The decision to balance against or bandwagon with the United States is heavily influenced by non-material values, especially the perceived status and prestige of the major powers. As a test case, this essay examines the nexus between the US, Russia, and Yugoslavia during the early 1990s. Russia's initial pro-Western foreign policy gave way to a new grand strategy emphasizing Russia's great power status and the independence of its foreign policy. Heavily influenced by non-material values, especially the perceived status and prestige of major powers, the Kremlin's initial, pro-Western foreign policy was deemed unacceptable by a broad spectrum of Russian foreign policy elites not primarily because of perceived threats to Russian security interests, but rather because its Western alignment was seen as incompatible with Russia's desired status as a great power. The emphasis on balancing against the United States continues to this day, corresponding to discontent with the unipolar international system. Why did ...
Cap‐and‐trade: Accounting fraud and other problems

Cap-and-trade schemes have been proposed to control carbon emissions that are said to cause climate change. But what issues must be resolved to implement a cap-and-trade system? What accounting issues need to be addressed? And what types of fraud might such a system produce? The authors take a critical look at these problems. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Antiandrogen Treatment of Aggressivity in Men Suffering from Dementia

Three demented patients who manifested an aggressive syndrome and motor disturbances including agitation, pacing, and restlessness received a therapeutic trial of the antiandrogen agents medroxyprogesterone acetate and luprolide acetate. Within 4 weeks of the start of the antiandrogen therapy, verbal and physical aggressivity had ceased; activity disturbances such as agitation, pacing, and restlessness were markedly reduced. One patient also manifested marked disinhibited and disruptive sexual behavior. Following treatment, that behavior also ceased. Further control studies assessing the efficacy and safety of antiandrogen agents are recommended.
1,10-Phenanthroline reversibility inhibits proliferation of two human prostate carcinoma cell lines (PC-3 and DU145).

Abstract The metal chelator 1,10-phenanthroline reversibly inhibits proliferation of two human prostate carcinoma cell lines, PC-3 and DU145. Inhibition is dose-dependent, and persists for several days after removal of the chelator. The ability to induce reversible quiescence in human prostate carcinoma cells in vitro may facilitate the study of their growth cycle biochemistry.
Analog simulations of stochastic resonance

The term stochastic resonance has been adopted to describe an interesting statistical property of periodically modulated and noise-driven multistable dynamical systems: Under the proper conditions, an increase in the input noise level results in an increase in the output signal-to-noise ratio. That is, increasing the disorder of the input leads to increasing the order of the output. This curious phenomenon was first introduced as a possible explanation of the observed periodicity in the recurrences of the earth's ice ages. The phenomenon is, however, observable in a variety of devices ranging from lasers to electronic circuits. We present here the results of some analog simulations based on the simplest generic nonlinearity: the quartic bistable potential modulated with an additive sinusoidal function. These results are compared to recent theories where available. Special features of the power spectrum are observed, which are predicted by some but not all theories, and which are observed also in recent laser experiments. In addition to measurements of the power spectrum, upon which nearly all previous studies have been based, we introduce precision measurements of the probability density of residence times for which no nonadiabatic theory exists.
On the Linear and Nonlinear Interaction between Wind and Wave

Abstract Linear and nonlinear wind-wave interactions are analyzed using wavelet linear coherence and wavelet bicoherence respectively. A selected record of simultaneously measured wind speed and wave height during a mistral event is divided into five segments, and the computations of the wavelet linear coherence and wavelet bicoherence are conducted for the whole record and for all divided segments. In computing wavelet bicoherence, we consider both sum and difference rules of frequencies in order to have a complete picture of the phase coupling between wind speed and wave height. The results show that dividing the wind-wave record into segments gives the ability of exploring the detailed linear and nonlinear wind-wave interactions through the use of wavelet linear coherence and wavelet bicoherence.
Seismic anisotropy under central Alaska from SKS splitting observations

[1] Seismic anisotropy under central Alaska is studied using shear wave splitting observations of SKS waves recorded on the Broadband Experiment Across the Alaska Range (BEAAR), 1999–2001. Splitting results can be divided into two distinct regions separated by the 70 km contour of the subducting Pacific plate. Waves that travel through the thicker mantle wedge show fast directions that are parallel to the strike of the slab. These slab-parallel directions appear to indicate along-strike flow in the mantle wedge, and splitting delay times increase with path length in the mantle wedge, suggesting anisotropy of 7.9% ± 0.9%. The region of along-strike flow corresponds to high seismic attenuation and hence high temperatures. Along-strike flow here may be driven by secular shallowing of the slab driven by subduction of buoyant Yakutat terrane crust or by toroidal flow around the east end of the Aleutian slab. Waves traveling southeast of the 70 km contour sample the Pacific plate and the nose of the mantle wedge; they show fast directions that parallel the direction of plate motion. These fast directions are most likely due to flow under the subducting Pacific plate and/or anisotropy within the subducting Pacific lithosphere. The high splitting delay times (0.8–1.7 s) associated with these convergence-parallel directions cannot be produced in the mantle wedge, which is 10–30 km thick here. Thus, anisotropy shows a sharp 90° change in fabric associated with the onset of high-temperature wedge flow.
Extra-Esophageal Reflux and Laryngeal Disease: Update From a Translational Research Team

Extraesophageal reflux (EER) has been implicated in a variety of different otorhinolaryngologic disorders including otitis media, chronic sinusitis, globus pharyngeus, laryngeal neoplasia, and many...
Superior Sensitivity and Decreased Time to Detection with the Bactec Peds Plus/F System Compared to the BacT/Alert Pediatric FAN Blood Culture System

Here, we compare the sensitivities and times to detection (TTD) of BacT/Alert Pediatric FAN (PF) and Bactec Peds Plus blood culture bottles. Test bottles were inoculated with 2 ml of banked whole blood, 1-ml aliquots of antibiotic suspension, and organisms diluted to simulate a bacteremia level of 10 to 100 CFU/ml. The control bottles were inoculated with 3 ml of banked blood and organism suspensions only. The organism-drug combinations were Staphylococcus epidermidis and vancomycin, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin, Streptococcus pneumoniae, vancomycin, and ceftriaxone, Streptococcus agalactiae, ampicillin, and cefotaxime, Escherichia coli, cefotaxime, and cefepime, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, piperacillin-tazobactam, cefepime, and gentamicin, Neisseria meningitidis and ceftriaxone, and Haemophilus influenzae and ceftriaxone. The control and test bottle combinations were tested in duplicate. The bottles were incubated for 5 days; 32 control and 104 test bottles were incubated. Overall, the bacterial recovery rates for the PF and Peds Plus bottles were 37% and 62%, 94% and 100% in the controls, 19% and 50% in the test bottles, and 33% and 92% in the bottles with vancomycin, respectively. No bacteria were recovered from the bottles with S. pneumoniae, S. agalactiae, E. coli, N. meningitidis, or H. influenzae in combination with cefotaxime or ceftriaxone. The Peds Plus system detected P. aeruginosa in bottles with cefepime and piperacillin-tazobactam, but the PF system recovered bacteria only in bottles with trough levels of piperacillin-tazobactam. The mean TTD were shorter in the Peds Plus system controls (14.2 versus 18.0 h; P = 0.001) and the test bottles (14.3 versus 17.8 h; P = 0.008) than in the PF bottles. Overall, we demonstrated superior sensitivity, TTD, and antibiotic neutralization in the Bactec Peds Plus system compared to those in the Pediatric FAN system.
A Parallel Processing Architecture for Solving Large-Scale Linear Systems

Solving linear systems with multiple variables is at the core of many scienti…c problems. Parallel processing techniques for solving such system problems has have received much attention in recent years. A key theme in the literature pertains to the application of Lower triangular matrix and Upper triangular matrix(LU) decomposing, which factorizes an N N square matrix into two triangular matrices. The resulting linear system can be more easily solved in O(N2) work. Inher- ently, the computational complexity of LU decomposition is O(N3). Moreover, it is a challenging process to parallelize. A highly-parallel methodology for solving large-scale, dense, linear systems is proposed in this thesis by means of the novel application of Cramer’s Rule. A numerically stable scheme is described, yielding an overall computational complexity of O(N) with N2 processing units.
Robust frequency and timing synchronization for OFDM

A rapid synchronization method is presented for an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) system using either a continuous transmission or a burst operation over a frequency-selective channel. The presence of a signal can be detected upon the receipt of just one training sequence of two symbols. The start of the frame and the beginning of the symbol can be found, and carrier frequency offsets of many subchannels spacings can be corrected. The algorithms operate near the Cramer-Rao lower bound for the variance of the frequency offset estimate, and the inherent averaging over many subcarriers allows acquisition at very low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs).
Visual verification of temporal properties

The deductive approach to verifying temporal properties of reactive systems is based on verification rules, which reduce the system validity of a temporal property to the general validity of first-order verification conditions. This methodology is complete relative to the underlying first-order reasoning. However, the proofs can be difficult to construct and understand, particularly as the complexity of the system increases.We have developed diagram-based formalisms for the verification of general temporal properties of reactive, real-time and hybrid systems. A diagram is a visual abstraction of the system to be verified; it represents the aspects of the system relevant to the property to be proved. The diagram represents a schematic overview of a deductive proof, and therefore it is more intuitive and easier to construct and understand.These methods combine deductive and algorithmic verification, and are being extended to include modularity, abstraction and refinement to facilitate the verification of larger, more complex systems.
Regulation of gbpC Expression in Streptococcus mutans

Streptococcus mutans, the principal causative agent of dental caries, produces four glucan-binding proteins (Gbp) that play major roles in bacterial adherence and pathogenesis. One of these proteins, GbpC, is an important cell surface protein involved in biofilm formation. GbpC is also important for cariogenesis, bacteremia, and infective endocarditis. In this study, we examined the regulation of gbpC expression in S. mutans strain UA159. We found that gbpC expression attains the maximum level at mid-exponential growth phase, and the half-life of the transcript is less than 2 min. Expression from PgbpC was measured using a PgbpC-gusA transcriptional fusion reporter and was analyzed under various stress conditions, including thermal, osmotic, and acid stresses. Expression of gbpC is induced under conditions of thermal stress but is repressed during growth at low pH, whereas osmotic stress had no effect on expression from PgbpC. The results from the expression analyses were further confirmed using semiquantitative reverse transcription-PCR analysis. Our results also reveal that CovR, a global response regulator in many Streptococcus spp., represses gbpC expression at the transcriptional level. We demonstrated that purified CovR protein binds directly to the promoter region of PgbpC to repress gbpC expression. Using a DNase I protection assay, we showed that CovR binds to DNA sequences surrounding PgbpC from bases −68 to 28 (where base 1 is the start of transcription). In summary, our results indicate that various stress conditions modulate the expression of gbpC and that CovR negatively regulates the expression of the gbpC gene by directly binding to the promoter region.
California's New State-Local Program Realignment Act: An Experiment in Financing Care

In theory, California's State-Local Program Realignment Act could facilitate an expansion of local community mental health systems and give local governments another chance to improve the lives of seriously mentally ill people. Whether the resources anticipated by proponents of the legislation actually materialize remains to be seen. The legislation links the fate of the mental health budget to the status of the economy more closely than ever before, creating risks as well as benefits. Even with the best planning at the county level, a gloomy state economy will vastly reduce the real opportunities presented by the new legislation and could actually lead to a reduction in mental health services. In some ways, the challenge to provide community-based care is greater now than in the past because a large pool of patients who lack services are already living in the community. The worst-case scenario would be that the growth of the specialty taxes proves less than expected, counties reduce their local mental he...
Depressive symptoms as relative and attributable risk factors for first-onset major depression.

• Using longitudinal data from a community study of 9900 adults drawn from four sites in the United States and interviewed twice, 1 year apart, we investigated the predictors of first-onset major depression. Using odds ratios to estimate relative risk, we found that persons with depressive symptoms, compared with those without such symptoms, were 4.4 times more likely and persons with dysthymia were 5.5 times more likely to develop a first-onset major depression during a 1-year period. The lifetime prevalence rate for depressive symptoms was 24%. The attributable risk is a compound epidemiologic measure that reflects both the relative risk associated with depressive symptoms (4.4) and the prevalence of exposure to that risk (24%). It is a useful measure to document the burden of a risk to the community, and it was determined to be greater than 50%. Thus, more than 50% of cases of first-onset major depression are associated with prior depressive symptoms. The high prevalence of depressive symptoms in the community and their strong association with first-onset major depression make them important from a public health perspective. Because depressive symptoms are often unrecognized and untreated in clinical practice, we conclude that their identification and the development of effective treatments could have implications for the prevention of major depression.
High and Ultra-High Gradient Quadrupole Magnets

Small bore conventional dc quadrupoles with apertures from 1 to 2.578cm were designed and prototypes built and measured. New fabrication techniques including the use of wire electric discharge milling (EDM) to economically generate the pole tip contours and aperture tolerances are described. Magnetic measurement data from a prototype of a 1cm aperture quadrupole with possible use in future e+/e- super colliders are presented. At a current of 400A, the lens achieved a gradient of 2.475 T/cm, and had an efficiency of 76.6%.
Phosphorylation of Mitochondrial Elongation Factor Tu in Ischemic Myocardium: Basis for Chloramphenicol-Mediated Cardioprotection

The objective of this study was to identify the mitochondrial proteins that undergo changes in phosphorylation during global ischemia and reperfusion in the isolated rabbit heart. We also assessed whether the cardioprotective intervention of ischemic preconditioning affected mitochondrial protein phosphorylation. We established a reconstituted system using isolated mitochondria and cytosol from control or ischemic hearts. We found that phosphorylation of a 46-kDa protein on a serine residue was increased in ischemia and that phosphorylation was reduced in control or preconditioned hearts. Using 2D gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, we have identified the 46-kDa protein as mitochondrial translational elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu mt ). These data reveal that ischemia and preconditioning modulate the phosphorylation of EF-Tu mt and suggest that the mitochondrial protein synthesis machinery may be regulated by phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of mitochondrial EF-Tu has not been previously described; however, in prokaryotes, EF-Tu phosphorylation inhibits protein translation. We hypothesized that phosphorylation of mitochondrial EF-Tu would inhibit mitochondrial protein translation and attempted to reproduce the effect with inhibition of mitochondrial protein synthesis by chloramphenicol. We found that chloramphenicol pretreatment significantly reduced infarct size, suggesting that mitochondrial protein synthesis is one determinant of myocardial injury during ischemia and reperfusion.
On Tropistic Processing and Its Applications

The interaction of a set of tropisms is sufficient in many cases to explain the seemingly complex behavioral responses exhibited by varied classes of biological systems to combinations of stimuli. It can be shown that a straightforward generalization of the tropism phenomenon allows the efficient implementation of effective algorithms which appear to respond "intelligently" to changing environmental conditions. Examples of the utilization of tropistic processing techniques will be presented in this paper in applications entailing simulated behavior synthesis, path-planning, pattern analysis (clustering), and engineering design optimization.
The security dilemma and covert action: The Truman years

(1998). The security dilemma and covert action: The Truman years. International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence: Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 403-427.
Electrical and mechanical properties of carbon black filled ethylene propylene rubber during thermal oxidation aging

Carbon black filled conductive polymers have wide applications, such as electrostatic dissipation, electromagnetic interference shielding, and pressure sensors. When such materials are used for long-term application, they undergo thermal oxidation aging reaction in the environment. So it is necessary to understand how the electrical resistivity changes with the aging process. The main objective of this work is to establish the correlation between electrical and mechanical properties of such materials during thermal oxidation aging. Ethylene propylene rubbers (EPR) loaded with 21.6 and 26.2 wt. % carbon black, respectively, underwent the accelerated thermal oxidation aging experiments. The electrical conductivity, physical, and mechanical properties of these materials were investigated. Resistivity of carbon black filled EPR decreased dramatically during the thermal oxidation aging process. The difference was as high as six orders of magnitude. The time when the significant change of resistivity occurred coincided with the time when changes of the other physical properties of the materials, such as density, and weight loss occurred. The mechanical properties of the materials failed after the substantial changes in electrical and physical properties had occurred. This resistivity change of the conductive polymer composite can be used to amplify the density change during the thermal oxidation aging, thus monitor the aging of conductive polymer composites. The experiments also showed the composite with more carhon black loading underwent a slower degradation than the composite with lower carbon black loading at the same experiment conditions. This was explained by the antioxidant effect of carbon black.
Using a side effect to therapeutic advantage: the darkening of red eyebrow tattoo pigment following Q-switched laser treatment.

Background. Q-switched lasers are commonly used to achieve tattoo removal, utilizing the principle of selective photothermolysis. However, certain tattoo pigments may darken following laser pulsing. Objective. To determine whether this side effect can be used to therapeutic advantage in a woman who previously had her eyebrows enhanced with a dark tattoo that spontaneously changed to a reddish hue over time. Method. The woman's eyebrows were pulsed with the Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at both 532 nm and 1064 nm. Results. The test areas pulsed with the 1064 nm laser revealed partial clearing. However, 532 nm Q-switched Nd:YAG pulses produced darkening of tattoo pigment both at the test sites and in the subsequent treatment. Conclusion. Q-switched lasers can produce darkening of red tattoo pigment. In some cases this side effect can be used to therapeutic advantage.
Holographic 3‐D laser imaging into sandstone

[1] With a novel imaging technique that uses holographic recording and reconstruction to perform laser-ranging into translucent media, we have imaged several grain layers into a sandstone sample. Three-dimensional microscale (10 micron lateral and 30 micron depth resolution) information on grain size and geometry was obtained as deep as 400 microns into the sample without thin-sectioning. Surficial grain features in the holographic reconstruction were associated with features observed using conventional optical and scanning electron microscopy. This imaging technique represents a new form of nondestructive evaluation of grain and pore structure in reservoir rock by acquiring full-field images at variable depths, unlike sequential scanning microscopy that requires tomographic reconstruction.
Tension pneumothorax, pneumoperitoneum, and cervical emphysema following a diagnostic colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is currently a widespread procedure used in screening for colorectal cancer. Iatrogenic colonic perforation during colonoscopy is a serious and potentially life-threatening complication that can cause significant morbidity and mortality. “Triple pneumo” (a combination of pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, and pneumoperitoneum) following colonoscopy is a rare but a serious condition requiring immediate diagnosis and emergent intervention. In majority of these cases a colonic perforation is the initial injury that is followed by pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum through the potential anatomical connection with retroperitoneal and mediastinal spaces. In this rare case report we are presenting a case of “triple pneumo” with no evidence of colonic perforation. This patient developed a simultaneous pneumoperitoneum, pneumomediastinum, and a tension pneumothorax requiring immediate tube thoracostomy. This case may raise the awareness on the likelihood of these serious complications after colonoscopy.
Efficient Keyword Search Across Heterogeneous Relational Databases

Keyword search is a familiar and potentially effective way to find information of interest that is "locked" inside relational databases. Current work has generally assumed that answers for a keyword query reside within a single database. Many practical settings, however, require that we combine tuples from multiple databases to obtain the desired answers. Such databases are often autonomous and heterogeneous in their schemas and data. This paper describes Kite, a solution to the keyword-search problem over heterogeneous relational databases. Kite combines schema matching and structure discovery techniques to find approximate foreign-key joins across heterogeneous databases. Such joins are critical for producing query results that span multiple databases and relations. Kite then exploits the joins - discovered automatically across the databases - to enable fast and effective querying over the distributed data. Our extensive experiments over real-world data sets show that (1) our query processing algorithms are efficient and (2) our approach manages to produce high-quality query results spanning multiple heterogeneous databases, with no need for human reconciliation of the different databases.
Social Movements: An Interactionist Analysis

A social movement is a dynamic phenomenon that necessitates an appropriate theoretical perspective for adequate analysis. An interactionist perspective provides a useful dynamic mode of analysis. Following a historical resume of the LSD movement led by Timothy Leary, the genesis of the movement, the development of its ideology and program, and motivational factors involved in the recruitment of adherents are analyzed from an interactionist perspective.
State Policy Climates for College Student Success: An Analysis of State Policy Documents Pertaining to College Persistence and Completion:

This article reports the findings of an exploratory analysis of state policy climates for college student persistence and completion. We performed an analysis of more than 100 documents collected f...
Study of a new railgun configuration with perforated sidewalls

A novel railgun configuration with perforated sidewalls is investigated. The motivation for this configuration is the desire to minimize the detrimental effects of inertial and viscous drag at high velocities caused by the debris from the projectile and the gun wall trapped in the plasma armature. By creating perforations on the sidewalls, ablated material is continuously vented out from the railgun bore, minimizing inertial and viscous drag. The test has been done on a 1.2-m-long railgun with a 3.2-mm-diameter bore. Results for hydrogen pellet acceleration show that at high currents the perforated railgun outperforms the unperforated one. Combined with a newly designed cryogenic pellet generator and the first-stage gas gun, a solid hydrogen pellet velocity of 2.46 km/s has been achieved on the 1.2-m railgun. >
On the Evolution of the QE II Storm. I: Synoptic Aspects

Abstract The hurricane-force winds and heavy seas which battered the liner Queen Elizabeth II on 10 and 11 September 1978 were associated with an extreme example of a meteorological “bomb” as defined by Sanders and Gyakum. Despite the existence of surface buoys, and the relatively high density of mobile ships in the North Atlantic, real-time weather analyses, subjective forecasts, and numerical prognoses all erred in the intensity and track of this storm. In this study, deficiencies in the real-time surface analysis were compensated for by the addition of Seasat-A surface wind fields and previously-discarded conventional ship reports. This paper examines the synoptic aspects of this case with emphasis on physical mechanisms most likely responsible for the development. The cyclone originated as a shallow barocline disturbance west of Atlantic City, New Jersey, and explosive deepening (∼60 mb/24 h) commenced once the storm moved offshore, and in association with cumulus convection adjacent to the storm cent...
Conexión tradicional: los vínculos mayas entre el altiplano de Guatemala y El Norte

International migration constitutes one of the most significant phenomena impacting Guatemala today. About a million and a half Guatemalans live and work in rural and urban cities and towns across the United States and Canada. Like many other migrant groups, most Guatemalans sustain strong transnational linkages between their homeland and el norte (the United States). In the Guatemalan example highlighted in this article, such bonds owe much to the long-standing Guatemalan-U.S. historical connections, to the geographic proximity of the country to the United States. Drawing on ethnographic material, this article examines the divergent kinds of transnational connections that Maya indigenous (K´iche´) migrants craft and keep alive between their home community and their two primary destination localities in the United States—Houston, Texas and Los Angeles, California. The article shows the different means of communication and technology, as well as the varying types of transnational organizing —particularly grass-roots efforts— that help shape current linkages between those who go and those who stay. Keyword: Transnational migration, social ties, Guatemalan Maya migration, communications, grass-roots organizing.
Unsheathed Excavation in Soils

This technical note presents a simple design tool to choose the safe spacing for soldier beams in unsheathed excavations in soils having both cohesion and friction. It does not deal with, however, more complicated conditions created by surcharge, seepage, slaking, or local weak planes. Soils are assumed to be homogeneous, isotropic, and to obeying the Coulomb.s criteria of shear strength.
Introduction: Diabetes Programs and the Need for Cultural Capital

Type 2 diabetes mellitus has become endemic, especially in indigenous communities around the world. The consequences of this disease are devastating, not only for individuals and their families, but also for impoverished communities that are ill-prepared to deal with the high cost of treating this chronic disease. The caseload continues to increase. For example, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) reported in 2010 that since 2000, the number of persons diagnosed with type 2 diabetes has more than doubled to 285 million worldwide, most of them in third world countries.1 Although there are different variations of diabetes mellitus, the two major classifications are type 1 and type 2. Both types of diabetes are characterized by hyperglycemia, an excess of glucose in the blood stream. Type 1, once called “juvenile-onset” diabetes because it is diagnosed primarily during childhood and adolescence, is an autoimmune disease involving beta cell destruction in the pancreas. Patient survival requires the self-administration of daily injections of insulin. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the most widespread form. Unlike patients with type 1, patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have hyperglycemia due to impaired glucose uptake in their cells as a result of metabolic problems. Treatment includes exercise, dietary modifications, and oral medication. As
Studies of Rapid Intramolecular and Intraionic Dynamic Processes with Two-Color Picosecond Lasers and Mass Spectrometry

The availability of ultrashort laser pulses, with sufficient energy per pulse to ionize and fragment a molecule, has permitted us to develop a technique whereby the rapid dynamics involved in laser multiphoton ionization and dissociation processes may be followed. By using two picosecond pulses of lasers of different colors (266 nm and 532 nm) and variable delay between them as a source for a time-of-flight mass spectrometer, it is possible to monitor the energy redistribution processes occurring in the excited electronic states of the parent molecule and ion on the picosecond timescale. This is carried out by following the changes in the observed mass spectrum as a function of the delay between the two pulses.
Monolayer Behavior Of Surface Active Metal Extractants

Solvent extraction reagents utilized for metal separations are amphipathic compounds. Thus physico-chemical data on the interfacial properties of extractants are indispensable in the attempts to elucidate extraction mechanisms. In this paper, air/water monolayers of purified commercial extractants spread on a Langmuir film balance are used as model systems for investigating solvent extraction interfacial processes. Pressure-area isotherms of the sodium salt of dinonylnaphthalene sulfonic acid (NaDNNS) indicate the presence of a single surface phase with a two-dimensional compressibility characteristic of a liquid condensed film. Variation in pH from 0.6 to 13.5 has little effect on the interfacial molecular area, thus indicating the complete dissociation of the sulfonate in this pH range. The kinetics of monolayer dissolution follow a diffusion-controlled model from which the aqueous solubility of NaDNNS is estimated to be 0.7 μmol dm-3at pH 6.0. Pressure- area isotherms of 2-hydroxy-5-nonylbenzophenone oxime (HBPO, active reagent in LIX65N, a product of Henkel), and 5, 8-diethyl-7-hydroxy-6- dodecanone oxime (DEDO, active reagent in LIX63, a product of Henkel) indicate that these extractants form liquid-condensed and liquid-expanded monolayer films, respectively. The dissolution kinetics of HBPO follow a diffusion-controlled model. The aqueous solubility has been estimated as 0.1 μmol dm-3at pH 2.0, and it increases to 4.0 μmol dm-3at pH 12.
Mixed Verbs in Contact Spanish: Patterns of Use among Emergent and Dynamic Bi/Multilinguals

The present study provides a quantitative analysis of mixed verbs in the naturalistic speech of 20 Northern Belize bi/multilinguals of two different age groups (ages 14–20 and ages 21–40). I examined the relative frequency of Spanish/English mixed verbs vis-a-vis syntactic verb type and phrasal verbs in mixed verbs. Results showed that the token frequency of mixed verbs was a predictive measure of the relative frequency of ‘hacer + V’ in code-switched speech. In relation to syntactic verb type, it was found that the least productivity in terms of argument structures was attested among the youngest group of emergent bi/multilinguals. For the incorporation of phrasal verbs in mixed verbs, no marked differences were attested in the relative frequency of phrasal verbs across emergent and dynamic bi/multilinguals, but differences did emerge in the semantic nature of phrasal verbs. Findings highlight the fundamental role that adult code-switchers with higher levels of bi/multilingual proficiency play in the creation and propagation of morphosyntactic innovations.
Pancreatic fibrosis in ducks on a nutritional basis.

SummaryA degeneration of the acinar cells of the pancreas as the result of a nutritional deficiency has been described. The microscopic lesion was characterized by increased acidophilia and vacuoles within the cytoplasm of the acinar cells, pyknosis and karyorrhexis, which were followed by disintegration of the acinar structure and infiltration by fibroblasts. Finally, there was anincrease in the perilobular and periacinar fibrous stroma and in some areas, large amounts of the parenchymal tissue were replaced by fibroblastic material. No changes were observed in the islet cells.
Blood pressure in patients with hypertension following intramuscular chlorpromazine.

SummaryChlorpromazine, in an average dose of 50 mg, was administered by the intramuscular route to 10 human hypertensives. The drug was found to produce a significant decrease in blood pressure during standing, and in some instances, postural hypotension. Blood pressure in the recumbent position showed no significant change.
Predicting Arsenic in Drinking Water Wells of the Central Valley, California

Probabilities of arsenic in groundwater at depths used for domestic and public supply in the Central Valley of California are predicted using weak-learner ensemble models (boosted regression trees, BRT) and more traditional linear models (logistic regression, LR). Both methods captured major processes that affect arsenic concentrations, such as the chemical evolution of groundwater, redox differences, and the influence of aquifer geochemistry. Inferred flow-path length was the most important variable but near-surface-aquifer geochemical data also were significant. A unique feature of this study was that previously predicted nitrate concentrations in three dimensions were themselves predictive of arsenic and indicated an important redox effect at >10 μg/L, indicating low arsenic where nitrate was high. Additionally, a variable representing three-dimensional aquifer texture from the Central Valley Hydrologic Model was an important predictor, indicating high arsenic associated with fine-grained aquifer sediment. BRT outperformed LR at the 5 μg/L threshold in all five predictive performance measures and at 10 μg/L in four out of five measures. BRT yielded higher prediction sensitivity (39%) than LR (18%) at the 10 μg/L threshold-a useful outcome because a major objective of the modeling was to improve our ability to predict high arsenic areas.