cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Commonalties of the influence of lower valent A-site and B-site modifications on lead zirconate titanate ferroelectrics and antiferroelectrics

Studies of the structure-property relations of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) modified with lower valent substitutions on the A- and B-sites have been performed as a function of substituent concentration. These investigations have yielded common changes induced by these substitutions on ferroelectric phases. The commonalties are the presence of fine domains and polarization pinning effects. Differences in domain morphologies were observed between the rhombohedral and tetragonal ferroelectric phases. Rhombohedral ferroelectrics were found to exhibit “wavy” domain patterns with increasing dopant concentrations, whereas a lenticular domain shape was preserved as the domain size was decreased for tetragonal ferroelectrics. These differences were explained in terms of different pinning mechanisms based on the differences in local elastic strain accommodations. Investigations of high Zr-content PZT have revealed that the ferroelectric rhombohedral phase becomes stabilized over the antiferroelectric orthorhombic with increasing concentrations of lower valent modifications. This change was explained in terms of the enhanced coupling between oxygen octahedra due to the bonding of oxygen-vacancy dipoles.
Are Americans Really in Favor of Interracial Marriage? A Closer Look at When They Are Asked About Black-White Marriage for Their Relatives:

This study transcends general opinion reports and uses data from the General Social Survey (GSS) to examine responses on attitudinal questions about how Black and White Americans actually feel about their close relative marrying outside their own race. The results show that more than half (54%) of Black Americans are in favor of their close relative marrying a White person compared with nearly one-in-four (26%) White Americans who said they were in favor of their close relative marrying a Black person. Such results suggest that questions about how individuals feel when close relatives engage into Black-White marriage provide better measures of attitude toward racial exogamy. Logistic regression models are analyzed to determine how socio-demographic factors influence Black and White Americans’ views on interracial marriage of their close relatives.
More Similarities or More Differences? Comparing Public and Nonprofit Managers’ Job Motivations

Existing research on career motivations tends to focus either on the difference between private and public organizations or on the difference between nonprofit and for-profit firms. Although commonalities exist, the literature suggests that there also are many differences in what motivates public and nonprofit employees. Employing data from the National Administrative Studies Project III, this research examines how seven motivational aspects correlate with the choice between public and nonprofit employment. The authors find that managers who value advancement opportunities, a pension and retirement plan, and the ability to serve the public in their jobs are more likely to accept a job in the public sector, whereas managers who value family-friendly policies and increased responsibility are more likely to accept a position in the nonprofit sector. Participation in volunteering is positively associated with nonprofit employment. The authors suggest a possible link between volunteering and the unique nonprofit motivation that is differentiated from public service motivation.
Malignant Islet Cell Tumor with Sarcomatous Differentiation

Malignant mesenchymal neoplasms of the pancreas are rare and malignant islet cell tumors with sarcomatous dedifferentiation are rarer still. We present a case of malignant islet cell tumor with sarcomatous differentiation, which to our knowledge is only the second reported case showing such a combination of morphologic features. Clinically, the neoplasm was not hormonally active and immunohistochemical staining was negative for gastrin, glucagon, insulin and somatostatin. The sarcomatous component strongly reacted with an antibody directed against vimentin, and a minority of cells stained strongly with antisera directed against desmin and smooth muscle actin. The spindle cell component was nonreactive with antibodies directed against Factor VIII. The myogenous direction of differentiation in the present tumor is similar to that seen in the prior case report of malignant islet cell tumor with rhabdomyosarcomatous differentiation.
The effect of dimension and vocabulary age on rapid picture naming in children.

Abstract This investigation involved measures of the reaction times of normally developing children who were asked to name a series of centrally presented picture stimuli of varying vocabulary age and dimension. Results of the ANOVA on reaction times indicated a significant main effect of vocabulary level and an interaction of Dimension×Vocabulary level for the normally developing children. Post-hoc tests showed significant differences between two- and three-dimensional pictures for higher-level vocabulary items, but not for lower-level vocabulary items. This finding indicates that central operations involved in picture naming are influenced differentially by the physical characteristics of the stimulus items. The finding that two-dimensional higher-level vocabulary items were associated with significantly longer reaction times than the three-dimensional higher-level vocabulary suggests that dimensionality may be a critical feature for rapid lexical access for higher-level picture vocabulary. Clinically, the employment of three-dimensional forms may facilitate access to stored visual object memory for advanced levels of picture vocabulary. Learning outcomes: As a result of this activity, participants will be able to (1) identify the various visual and verbal processes involved in the naming of pictures; and (2) understand the influence of physical characteristics of pictures on reaction time in rapid naming tasks.
Combined effects of freezing rate, storage temperature and time on bread dough and baking properties

Abstract This study compares the effects of freezing temperature and rate as well as storage temperature and time on the quality of frozen dough. Yeasted bread dough was frozen using four freezing rates (19–69 °C/h), then stored at −10, −20, −30, or −35 °C for up to 180 days. Dough strength diminished with longer storage time and higher storage temperatures. Cryo-SEM showed that dough stored at −30 and −35 °C had the least damaged gluten network. NMR studies showed that more rapidly frozen dough, and that stored at lower temperatures had lower transverse relaxation ( T 2 ) times (9–10 ms). However, dough stored at −20 °C displayed the highest yeast activity among samples. Bread loaf volume decreased with storage time, and bread made from dough stored at −20 °C showed the highest loaf volume. Breads produced from −30 and −35 °C stored dough displayed less change in the texture profile during storage as well as less change in T 2 values. Response surface analysis showed that optimal properties occurred at freezing rates of around 19–41 °C/h and storage temperatures of −15 to −20 °C.
P-51: Broken and Preservation of Symmetrical Viewing Angle in Film-Compensated LCDS

The addition of single-layer or multi-layer optical compensation films in film-compensated LCD's lowers the optical ordering and, in general changes symmetrical viewing zones to asymmetrical viewing zones. To preserve the symmetrical viewing properties, an optically identical set of films must be placed on both the entrance and exit substrates. We demonstrate this loss and preservation of symmetrical viewing angle using both computation results and geometrical arguments.
Equivalent power system impedance estimation using voltage and current measurements

Many power system analyses require knowledge of the equivalent system impedance. A method for estimating the impedance using three-phase voltage and current measurements is outlined in this paper. The 60 Hz phasors are acquired from time samples through a low-pass filter and one-cycle DFT. The phasors are used to calculate the sequence voltages and currents. As long as the system is sufficiently excited, the equivalent system impedance can be estimated by assuming that it and the equivalent system voltage are constant over two sequential cycles. The system is treated as sufficiently excited when the change in real power between cycles is greater than a chosen threshold. To smooth the impedance estimates over time, a moving-average is used. The change in real power threshold and moving-average time constant were experimentally determined.
Effect of fatty acid substrate chain length on Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 monorhamnolipid yield and congener distribution

Abstract Rhamnolipids are surface-active molecules produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa as congener mixtures. They are considered “green” alternatives to synthetic surfactants used in industrial, remediation and pharmaceutical applications. Optimizing yield as well as controlling congener distribution are necessary steps for successful commercialization of rhamnolipids. This study used a mixture of glucose and fatty acids of different chain length (C 12 –C 22 ) and saturation (C 18:1 and C 18:2 ) to produce monorhamnolipids and determine the effect of fatty acid substrates on rhamnolipid yield, percent carbon conversion and congener distribution. Results show that 1% glucose + 0.25% stearic acid (C 18 ) produced the greatest yield (2.1 g L −1 ) compared to other glucose–fatty acid combinations (0.8–1.8 g L −1 ). Various glucose + C 18 ratios were then tested to optimize yield and percent substrate carbon conversion to monorhamnolipid. Results revealed a positive linear correlation between the mass percent of C 18 used and the percent carbon conversion. A mass percent of 67% C 18 was optimal resulting in a 44% carbon conversion and a yield of 13.7 g L −1 monorhamnolipid. For all fatty acid substrates tested, the RhaC 10 C 10 was the most abundant and RhaC 10 C 12:1 was the least abundant of the four major congeners produced. However, the relative amount of RhaC 10 C 8 and RhaC 10 C 12 congeners was dependent on several factors: in general, fatty acid substrates with relatively short chain length (C 12 and C 14 ), unsaturated fatty acid substrate ( C18:2 ), and longer cultivation time resulted in a higher RhaC 10 C 8 /RhaC 10 C 12 ratio. These findings will assist in mass production of monorhamnolipids and controlling the specific congeners produced.
Iron oxide coated gold nanorods: synthesis, characterization, and magnetic manipulation.

We report a simple process to generate iron oxide coated gold nanorods. Gold nanorods, synthesized by our three-step seed mediated protocol, were coated with a layer of polymer, poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate). The negatively charged polymer on the nanorod surface electrostatically attracted a mixture of aqueous iron(II) and iron(III) ions. Base-mediated coprecipitation of iron salts was used to form uniform coatings of iron oxide nanoparticles onto the surface of gold nanorods. The magnetic properties were studied using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer, which indicated superparamagnetic behavior of the composites. These iron oxide coated gold nanorods were studied for macroscopic magnetic manipulation and were found to be weakly magnetic. For comparison, premade iron oxide nanoparticles, attached to gold nanorods by electrostatic interactions, were also studied. Although control over uniform coating of the nanorods was difficult to achieve, magnetic manipulation was impr...
Altered arachidonic acid metabolism in platelets and aortas from selenium-deficient rats

Abstract Selenium (Se) deficiency results in decreased activity of the seleno-enzyme, glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), an intracellular scavenger of hydroperoxides which may thereby influence the activity of various enzymes of arachidonic acid (20:4) metabolism in platelets and aortic tissue from rats. In vitro studies, performed with platelets isolated by gel-filtration, demonstrated that platelets from selenium-deficient (−Se) rats aggregated to a significantly greater extent when stimulated by ADP and collagen than those from selenium-supplemented (+Se) rats. Platelets from the −Se rats also produced more thromboxane B 2 (TXB 2 ) when stimulated by collagen than did those from +Se rats. In aortic tissue from −Se rats, a significant depression in the generation of prostacyclin (PGI 2 )-like material was demonstrated compared to the tissue from +Se rats. Type of dietary fat and age of the animals also influenced the production of PGI 2 -like activity in aortas from both +Se and −Se rats. Our results suggest that an imbalance in the production of two 20:4 metabolites — proaggregatory TXA 2 and antiaggregatory PGI 2 — could occur in response to certain physiological stresses when GSHPx activity is reduced by a selenium-deficient diet.
Observation of random lasing in gold-silica nanoshell/water solution

We experimentally demonstrate random lasing in 8x109 particles/ml gold silica nanoshell/water solution pumped by 514 nm Argon-Krypton laser.
Self-report of attenuated psychotic experiences in a college population

Abstract This study assessed the rates of self-reported “prodromal” psychotic symptoms and related distress in a college population. 1020 students completed the Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ), a self-report screening measure for psychosis risk. Participants' responses were highly similar to the responses of non-psychotic-spectrum patients in the original PQ validation sample [Loewy, R.L., Bearden, C.E., Johnson, J.K., Raine, A., Cannon, T.D., 2005. The Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ): preliminary validation of a self-report screening measure for prodromal and psychotic syndromes. Schizophr. Res. 79 (1) 117–125], suggesting that the PQ may perform similarly with a variety of populations. Applying the cutoff proposed for screening treatment-seeking patients (8 or more positive symptoms) identified 43% of students, while comparatively fewer participants (25%) endorsed eight or more items at the frequency required for prodromal syndrome diagnosis by interview (i.e., weekly), and only 2% endorsed eight or more items as distressing. Although attenuated psychotic experiences are commonly reported by “normal” young adults, frequent and distressing items identify a proportion of students more consistent with the prevalence of psychotic-spectrum disorders in the general population, which suggests a potential for future screening of unselected samples.
Structure and Photoluminescence Study of TiO2 Nanoneedle Texture along Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanofiber Arrays

A hybrid TiO2−carbon nanofiber hierarchical nanostructure has been fabricated by the metal−organic chemical vapor deposition of a TiO2 layer onto the vertically aligned carbon nanofiber array. As the deposition time increases from 10 to 60 min, the TiO2 coating changes from the particulated conformal ultrathin film to a nanoneedle-like texture along the sidewall of the carbon nanofibers. X-ray diffraction indicates that the TiO2 form anatase crystals with the coherent length over 50 nm, in good agreement with transmission electron microscopy images. Photoluminescence spectra are taken at both room temperature and 10 K. The absence of photoluminescence emission indicates that the electron−hole recombination in TiO2 is completely quenched in such core−shell hybrid structure. The charge separation may be much more effective at the TiO2−carbon nanofiber heterojunction. The nanoneedle-like texture drastically increases the effective surface area of the TiO2 while maintaining a much more effective electrical wi...
The microvasculature of the triangular fibrocartilage complex: Its clinical significance

The microvascular anatomy of the triangular fibrocartilage complex was investigated in 10 cadaver specimens by histology and tissue clearing (Spalteholz) techniques. It was found that the triangular fibrocartilage of the wrist is supplied by small vessels that penetrate the triangular fibrocartilage complex in a radial fashion from the palmar, ulnar, and dorsal attachments of the joint capsule and supply the peripheral 10% to 40%. The inner (horizontal) portion is avascular, and no vessels cross the radial attachment of the triangular fibrocartilage complex. The results of this study suggest that tears in the periphery of the triangular fibrocartilage complex may have sufficient blood supply to mount a reparative response and, in theory, can be repaired. However, tears that occur in the center and along the radial attachment do not have immediate access to a blood supply and are not likely to heal.
Crossing Laterally into Solidarity in Montserrat Fontes's Dreams of the Centaur

Fontes's novel begins with a corrido announcing typical themes of murder and revenge. But the novel has from the outset been interimplicated in a history of the persecution of the Yoeme (Yaquis) at the turn into the twentieth century. Its three main protagonists become mavericks on the border, as they cross ultimately not only into safety in Arizona but into solidarity with the oppressed. Such crossings are existential, resulting in new identities that eschew racial or ethnic purity but instead embrace mixed ethnicity, or mestizaje (to borrow key concepts from Anzaldua). Such crossings are lateral, non-hierarchic. But Fontes does not allow refuge in some romantic vision: even as one crosses over, one retains one's membership in the group that oppresses. Instead, Fontes's mavericks—and Fontes herself— become tellers of a story too little known, too horrible to be obliterated. United in a kinan of spiritual force, they become potential "drops of water that penetrate and soften the land," leaving prints for others to follow." This article is available in Studies in 20th Century Literature: http://newprairiepress.org/sttcl/vol25/iss1/12 Crossing Laterally into Solidarity in Montserrat Fontes's Dreams of the Centaur J. Douglas Canfield University of Arizona A voice vibrates through me. "Return to your country. Be priests of this vision, and you will be men of action, be men who move without doubt to turn Sonora into a land of generosity. Tell them what you saw here. When they enslave men there, they enslave us here. Tell them. That is why you have been saved. Be drops of water that penetrate and soften the land. Leave prints for others to follow." -Montserrat Fontes, Dreams of the
Micromachined Acoustic Resonators for Microjet Propulsion

The thrust produced by synthetic jets designed for micro jet propulsion is discussed. The proposed propulsion system consists of synthetic wall jets located at the throat of an ejector shroud that are powered by Hehnholtz-type acoustic resonators. The theory of acoustic resonators is described and the thrust produced by the resonators calculated. Theoretical results of the exit velocity and thrust are in good agreement with experimental measurements obtained using particle image velocimetry (PIV) in an axisymmetric synthetic jet. Theoretical results are shown to predict well the resonant frequency of a 1O:l scale model of a micromachined resonator. The thrust produced by the micro scale devices is discussed. It is shown that the micro scale devices could be used as propulsion units for Micro Airborne Platforms (MAP). INTRODUCTION There is a great deal of interest on micro scale jets capable of producing large impulse for application to flow control and propulsion. Streaming produced by a large amplitude acoustic field can be used to produce a synthetic jet stream. A very attractive feature of synthetic jets is that the mean mass flow at the source is zero and therefore the jet stream is produced without the need for an air supply. Several investigations have documented the flow field associated with acoustic streaming.‘.’ Synthetic jets have also been implemented $ Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Aerospace Engineering, Member ALU. l Associate Professor, Department of Aerospace Engmeerlng, Senior Member ALU. t Graduate Research AssIstant, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. : Professor, Department of Electrical Engmeenng and Computer Science. Copyright Q 2000 LUIS P Bemal, Published by the Amencan lnstltute of Aeronautxs and Astronautics, Inc. with permission Helmcho REXMlat Erector Shroud FCC Flow out Thrust Enhancement
Can a Document be Oral

Research consistently indicates that professionals rely heavily on oral information. However, our understanding of orality as a mode to convey information remains limited. One approach to remedying this knowledge gap lies in exploring whether oral information may be approached in a manner consistent with approaches to non-oral information, specifically information in documents. This paper explores research in document studies, information behavior, and social constructionism in an effort to increase disciplinary knowledge about information made available orally. Partial results of a study conducted to conceptualize and empirically observe oral documents are presented including: 1) a discussion on how the literature supports the concept of an oral document and 2) a presentation of empirical data that demonstrates an utterance can incorporate the properties of a document. Discussions of the implications, research design limitations, and recommendations for future research conclude this presentation.
Marx and morality: an impossible synthesis?

A discussion of Allen E. Buchanan, Marx and Justice (Totowa: Rowman and Littlefield, 1982); Marshall Cohen, Thomas Nagel, and Thomas Scanlon, eds., Marx, Justice, and History (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1980); and Kai Nielsen and Steven C. Patten, eds., Marx and Morality, Supplementary Volume VII of the Canadian Journal of Philosophy (Guelph: Canadian Association for Publishing in Philosophy, 1981).
Development of wet dog shakes during amygdala kindling in the rat.

Abstract Repeated electrical stimulation of the amygdala in the rat is associated with an increasing incidence of recurrent shaking, tremors of the head, neck, and trunk, known as “wet dog shakes.” Wet dog shakes occur only following stimulations evoking afterdischarge activity and are also related to behavioral seizure stage. They have a precise time of onset (83 ± 2 s) after amygdala stimulation. In a preliminary series of acute drug challenges, clonidine and diazepam (but not naloxone, pimozide, cocaine, and dexamethasone) blocked these behaviors. The emergence of wet dog shakes during amygdala kindling may be associated with the release of an endogenous neurotransmitter or peptide.
The Interdependence of Skin Aging, Skin Cancer, and DNA Repair Capacity: A Novel Perspective with Therapeutic Implications

The human body is constantly exposed to exogenous and endogenous insults that threaten its genomic integrity and that lead to changes at the molecular, biochemical, and cellular levels. As a major interface between the environment and the internal milieu, our skin is especially subject to such events. Common insults include but are not limited to infectious agents, environmental pollutions and toxins, carcinogens, and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. It is estimated that there are thousands of DNA alterations in each cell daily.1 Therefore, if not efficiently repaired, our genome would rapidly be destroyed. This review focuses predominantly on UV-induced DNA damage in human skin, protective molecular responses to UV damage, and the consequences of these opposing forces for aging and photocarcinogenesis.
Interaction of Transducin with Uncoordinated 119 Protein (UNC119) IMPLICATIONS FOR THE MODEL OF TRANSDUCIN TRAFFICKING IN ROD PHOTORECEPTORS

The key visual G protein, transducin undergoes bi-directional translocations between the outer segment (OS) and inner compartments of rod photoreceptors in a light-dependent manner thereby contributing to adaptation and neuroprotection of rods. A mammalian uncoordinated 119 protein (UNC119), also known as Retina Gene 4 protein (RG4), has been recently implicated in transducin transport to the OS in the dark through its interaction with the N-acylated GTP-bound transducin-α subunit (Gαt1). Here, we demonstrate that the interaction of human UNC119 (HRG4) with transducin is dependent on the N-acylation, but does not require the GTP-bound form of Gαt1. The lipid specificity of UNC119 is unique: UNC119 bound the myristoylated N terminus of Gαt1 with much higher affinity than a prenylated substrate, whereas the homologous prenyl-binding protein PrBP/δ did not interact with the myristoylated peptide. UNC119 was capable of interacting with Gαt1GDP as well as with heterotrimeric transducin (Gt). This interaction of UNC119 with Gt led to displacement of Gβ1γ1 from the heterotrimer. Furthermore, UNC119 facilitated solubilization of Gt from dark-adapted rod OS membranes. Consistent with these observations, UNC119 inhibited rhodopsin-dependent activation of Gt, but had no effect on the GTP-hydrolysis by Gαt1. A model for the role of UNC119 in the IS→OS translocation of Gt is proposed based on the UNC119 ability to dissociate Gt subunits from each other and the membrane. We also found that UNC119 inhibited activation of Go by D2 dopamine receptor in cultured cells. Thus, UNC119 may play conserved inhibitory role in regulation of GPCR-G protein signaling in non-visual tissues.
Kidney Function in Domestic Fowl with Chronic Occlusion of the Ureter and Caudal Renal Vein

A previously published technique for producing renal insufficiency in chicks involves ligating the caudal renal vein together with the ureter near the midpoint of the kidney. This ligation occludes the normal route (caudal renal vein) by which blood exits the medial and posterior kidney divisions. The present study was conducted to evaluate kidney function following chronic caudal renal vein and ureter occlusion. The ureters and caudal renal veins of 2 to 3-week-old chicks were clamped with hemostatic clips (Clamp Group), and kidney function evaluations were conducted when the birds reached 14 weeks of age. Plasma values [osmolality, Na, K, Ca, inorganic P (Pi)] of control, sham, and clamp groups did not differ significantly. Plasma uric acid concentrations did not differ when the control and clamp groups were compared. Clamping the ureter near the midpoint of the kidney caused a significant reduction in the number of filtering glomeruli per kidney, but due to compensatory hypertrophy the kidney weights of the groups did not differ significantly. Kidney function comparisons (urine flow rates, glomerular filtration rates, renal plasma flow rates, urine pH, fractional excretion of Na, K, Ca, Pi, and uric acid) revealed a significant reduction in Na and K excretion by the clamp group, but other renal function parameters did not differ significantly. These experiments demonstrate that chickens have a remarkable capacity to survive significant reductions in renal mass and to adapt to major disruptions of blood flow patterns.
The morphological stability of lateral growth in solid-solid phase transformation during thin-film interdiffusion in Al/Cu bimetal films

This article describes the phenomenon of morphological instability in solid-solid phase transformations during thin-film interdiffusion, specifically related to the initial stages of precipitation when phase growth occurs along the interface between thin films. The experimental observations that revealed this effect will be presented, and a working hypothesis will be discussed. Experimental observations suggest that the ledge mechanism of growth is present in this system but does not inhibit the formation of interfacial instabilities. It is proposed that morphological stability for solid-phase growth occurring during thin-film interdiffusion can be treated by the inclusion of a solute-source term into the two-dimensional perturbation approach generally used to study unstable growth morphologies. Experimental observations that provide qualitative and semiquantitative support for the solute-source model are also presented.
Impact of discontinuing tremor suppressing medications following thalamic deep brain stimulation.

Abstract Background Many essential tremor patients continue to require tremor suppressing medications following deep brain stimulation. The true incidence of medication usage in the years following surgery remains unclear, and the use of medications has not been included in the post-operative analyses of tremor severity and also quality of life. Methods Among 28 essential tremor patients treated with deep brain stimulation at a single center between January 2002 and April 2010, we analyzed the prevalence and dosage of pre-operative tremor suppressing medications versus post-operative medications at 12 and 36 months following surgery. We also assessed the influence of medication continuation on clinical outcome measures, such as the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Tremor Rating Scale, and the 36 item short-form health quality of life survey. Results Both unilateral and bilateral deep brain stimulation resulted in a decrease in primidone use (p = 0.0082, 0.046, respectively), and bilateral deep brain stimulation patients used less tremor suppressing medications 36 months following surgery (p = 0.02). The decision to discontinue primidone after surgery resulted in a non-significant long-term improvement in tremor motor score (23 points versus 15 points, p = 0.19), and did not significantly influence the physical and mental composite quality of life scores (p = 0.81, 0.23, respectively). Conclusions Bilateral deep brain stimulation effectively eliminated the need for tremor suppressing medications, while unilateral stimulation was not as effective in reducing medication usage. Clinicians and patients should be aware that discontinuation of primidone after surgery may worsen tremor in unilateral deep brain stimulation cases, but discontinuation will not likely impact quality of life.
Predicting excitatory phase resetting curves in bursting neurons

Background The phase resetting curves (PRCs) of neural oscillators can predict the phase locking within a network [1], but for bursting neurons the duration and shape of the burst may change as a result of the feedback within a network, thus it would be useful to understand how these changes impact the resetting. A previous study [2] characterized the responses of bursting neurons to inhibitory pulses as that of a relaxation oscillator whose limit cycle had a depolarized (bursting) and hyperpolarized (silent) branch. Inhibitions applied during the burst produced a switch to the hyperpolarized branch and prevented a from Seventeenth Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting: CNS*2008 Portland, OR, USA. 19–24 July 2008
One-step growth of isoreticular luminescent metal–organic frameworks on cotton fibers

A series of isoreticular lanthanide metal–organic frameworks, Ln-MOFs (Ln = Eu, Gd, and Tb), were directly grown on cotton fibers using a room temperature water-based direct precipitation method. This facile synthesis protocol involves equimolar concentrations of aqueous Ln3+ salts and 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid that enables effective crystallization of a high amount of Ln-MOFs on cotton fibers. 1D thin, continuous, and dense wire-like structures were obtained. Ln-MOF structures were found well attached to the cotton fibers while maintaining their crystal structures. Under UVC exposure, intense emissions of red, blue, and green were observed for Eu-, Gd-, and Tb-MOFs. Potential applications of this technology include protective clothing, textile-based sensors, and smart tagging.
Angioedema associated with dihydropyridine calcium-channel blockers in a child with Burkitt lymphoma

Purpose A case of severe macroglossia and angioedema in a child with Burkitt lymphoma who was treated with two dihydropyridine calcium-channel blockers is reported. Summary An eight-year-old white boy arrived at the pediatric emergency department with complaints of abdominal pain and distention after an episode of mild abdominal trauma. Physical examination results were significant for diffuse abdominal tenderness and distention, with a large palpable mass in the right quadrants. Computed tomography revealed a large abdominal mass, and a biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma. Before initiation of chemotherapy, the child developed tumor lysis syndrome, with subsequent renal failure and cardiorespiratory compromise. Once the patient was stabilized and sedated on mechanical ventilation, tumor-directed chemotherapy was initiated, and rapid tumor regression ensued. To control episodes of hypertension, nicardipine was initiated and titrated to achieve the blood pressure goals. Three days after initiation of nicardipine therapy, the child developed facial swelling and significant, protruding macroglossia. Eight days after nicardipine initiation, a tracheotomy was required due to upper airway obstruction; at that time, the patient was converted to amlodipine administered via nasogastric tube for continued blood pressure control. The boy’s macroglossia persisted for another 18 days, until a multi-disciplinary drug therapy review resulted in the discontinuation of amlodipine. Within one week of the withdrawal of amlodipine, the child’s macroglossia was completely resolved. Conclusion An eight-year-old boy with Burkitt lymphoma developed severe macroglossia and angioedema when treated with nicardipine. The reaction persisted throughout treatment with amlodipine and resolved quickly after amlodipine was withdrawn.
Empirical modeling of ion composition in the middle and topside ionosphere

The paper reviews the efforts to represent the global and temporal variations of the ionospheric ion composition in the altitude range from 100 km to 1000 km. The ground and space data sets that have been collected for the ion densities over the past decades are listed. Empirical models are discussed including models for the densities and compositions of O(+), H(+), He(+), O(2+), and NO(+) ions, and for the characteristic transition heights from light ions to atomic oxygen ions and from atomic oxygen ions to molecular ions. The status of the ion composition model in the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) is reviewed, and shortcomings are pointed out. Possible improvements of IRI with the help of recent modeling studies are summarized.
Using model checking to debug device firmware

Device firmware is a piece of concurrent software that achieves high performance at the cost of software complexity. They contain subtle race conditions that make them difficult to debug using traditional debugging techniques. The problem is further compounded by the lack of debugging support on the devices. This is a serious problem because the device firmware is trusted by the operating system.Model checkers are designed to systematically verify properties of concurrent systems. Therefore, model checking is a promising approach to debugging device firmware. However, model checking involves an exponential search. Consequently, the models have to be small to allow effective model checking.This paper describes the abstraction techniques used by the ESP compiler to extract abstract models from device firmware written in ESP. The abstract models are small because they discard some of the details in the firmware that is irrelevant to the particular property being verified. The programmer is required to specify the abstractions to be performed. The ESP compiler uses the abstraction specification to extract models conservatively. Therefore, every bug in the original program will be present in the extracted model.This paper also presents our experience with using Spin model checker to develop and debug VMMC firmware for the Myrinet network interfaces. An earlier version of the ESP compiler yielded models that were too large to check for system-wide properties like absence of deadlocks. The new version of the compiler generated abstract models that were used to identify several subtle bugs in the firmware. So far, we have not encountered any bugs that were not caught by Spin.
'Protection and Empire': The Martens Clause, State Sovereignty, and Individual Rights

The Martens Clause was a last-minute compromise that saved the 1899 Hague Convention with Respect to the Laws and Customs of War on Land. In its original formulation, the clause shielded individuals under “the protection and empire” of international law, principles of humanity, and the dictates of the public conscience. F. F. Martens, its author, was Russia’s greatest international law scholar and occasional diplomat. He saw no application for his work in the nineteenth-century internal affairs of his sovereign, notwithstanding the transnational terrorism that plagued (and ultimately destroyed) the Russian Empire. As the relationship between individual rights and state sovereignty dramatically changed in the twentieth century, the reach and importance of the Martens Clause grew. Its value continues to this day. Its history helps refute the claim that international humanitarian law is ill-suited for twenty-first century transnational terrorism. But the Clause is not, and never was, a panacea.
Factors influencing pulmonary venous flow velocity patterns in mitral regurgitation: An in vitro study

Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate factors affecting pulmonary venous flow patterns in mitral regurgitation. Background. Although pulmonary venous flow velocity patterns have been reported to be helpful in assessing the severity of mitral regurgitation, the influence of regurgitant jet direction, pulmonary venous location and left atrial pressures on pulmonary venous flow patterns has yet to be clarified. Methods. The mitral regurgitant jet was produced by a pulsatile piston pump at 10, 30 and 40 ml/beat through a circular orifice, whereas the pulmonary venous flow was driven by gravity. Four different patterns of pulmonary venous flow and mitral regurgitation were examined. The V wave pressure was set at 10, 30 and 50 mm Hg and pulmonary venous flow velocity at 30 cm/s. Color and pulsed Doppler recordings were obtained with a VingMed 800 scanner interfaced with a computer facilitating digital analysis. Results. The decrease in the velocity time integral of pulmonary venous flow was more prominent for any given volume of mitral regurgitation at higher left atrial pressure. When the mitral regurgitant jet was directed toward the pulmonary vein, a more prominent decrease in the velocity time integral was seen, especially for severe mitral regurgitation (40 ml) with high left atrial pressure (95% vs. 55%, p Conclusions. Multiple factors, including jet direction, mitral regurgitant volume and left atrial pressure, determine the effect of mitral regurgitation on pulmonary venous flow velocity patterns.
Data Base Requirements for Remote Sensing and Image Processing Applications

Remote sensing of the earth has evolved from a film based, manual interpretation technology to a digital multispectral and multisensor technology with significant machine processing for correction, information extraction, data management, and modelling. This transition is not without growing pains. Of the 1015 bits of data that are currently acquired per year in the NASA program, only about 1013 bits are utilized. Future programs involving higher resolution and wider spectral range sensors will increase the data acquisition rates by an order of magnitude. Technological problems exist today in data correction, information extraction, processing, storage, retrieval and dissemination. This paper will identify some of the data base requirements for future programs, and discuss technological approaches for improving the handling and processing of remotely sensed data. Fundamental to this approach is the concept of a global data and information base that is geographically accessible, contains data from all earth observation programs, and is easily and economically disseminated. This capability is needed, and the technology is available for its implementation.
Troubleshooting implanted cardioverter defibrillator sensing problems I.

Multicenter studies1–3 demonstrate that unnecessary implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) shocks can be reduced by evidence-based programming of detection rate and duration, antitachycardia pacing, and algorithms that discriminate supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) from ventricular tachycardia (VT). Reducing unnecessary shocks from oversensing has attracted less attention. Excluding patients with recalled leads, ventricular oversensing accounts for 100 000 patients; and, without an alert for oversensing, 50% of lead fractures present with ≥5 shocks.7,8 Thus, oversensing commonly produces severe symptoms, which may cause post-traumatic stress disorder.9 Furthermore, recognition of transient, asymptomatic oversensing may prevent major complications.7,8,10 Other sensing problems also provide challenges for ICDs. These include undersensing of VF, atrial undersensing, and oversensing in relation to SVT–VT discrimination, and unique issues related to sensing subcutaneous electrograms. In ICDs, sensing is usually defined as it is in pacemakers, the process for determining the timing of individual cardiac depolarizations. Correspondingly, detection is the process by which an ICD algorithm classifies a sequence of sensed signals to determine the cardiac rhythm. Thus, sensing typically precedes detection. However, algorithms that identify oversensing may be applied after detection, and subcutaneous ICDs may integrate traditionally distinct features of sensing and detection. This review focuses on ICD sensing problems. ### Electrogram Sources Analysis of sensing begins with ICD electrograms and corresponding annotated event markers (commonly referred to by the trademarked term Marker Channel, Medtronic Inc). ICDs store 2 to 4 channels of electrograms and telemeter them to the programmer. The 2 primary ICD electrograms are the shock or high-voltage electrogram displayed on …
Crystal growth of calcium oxalate hydrates: A comparative kinetics study

Abstract The kinetics of crystallization of calcium oxalate mono-, di-, and trihydrates (COM, COD, and COT, respectively) has been studied in calcium oxalate supersaturated solutions, 0.15 M in sodium chloride at 37°C. With COD and COT at relatively high solid/solution ratios, the reaction product for a limited period corresponds to the starting material. The rate of crystallization is proportional to the square of the relative supersaturation for all three hydrate phases with specific rate constants kg (COT) > kg (COM) > kg (COD). At lower solid/solution ratios the crystallization of COD and COT is accompanied by coprecipitation of the thermodynamically more stable COM. The formation of this phase can be suppressed by the addition of polyphosphate which is adsorbed to a greater extent by COM. The differences in adsorption properties of the three hydrates may account for stabilization of COD which has been observed in a number of renal calculi.
Limit theorems for individual-based models in economics and finance

There is a widespread recent interest in using ideas from statistical physics to model certain types of problems in economics and finance. The main idea is to derive the macroscopic behavior of the market from the random local interactions between agents. Our purpose is to present a general framework that encompasses a broad range of models, by proving a law of large numbers and a central limit theorem for certain interacting particle systems with very general state spaces. To do this we draw inspiration from some work done in mathematical ecology and mathematical physics. The first result is proved for the system seen as a measure-valued process, while to prove the second one we will need to introduce a chain of embeddings of some abstract Banach and Hilbert spaces of test functions and prove that the fluctuations converge to the solution of a certain generalized Gaussian stochastic differential equation taking values in the dual of one of these spaces.
Regulation of CXCR4-mediated invasion by DARPP-32 in gastric cancer cells

Although Dopamine and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein, Mr 32000 (DARPP-32) is overexpressed in two-thirds of gastric cancers, its impact on molecular functions has not been fully characterized. In this study, we examined the role of DARPP-32 in gastric cancer cell invasion. Using matrigel-coated Boyden chamber invasion assay, DARPP-32-overexpressing AGS cells showed a three-fold increase in invasion relative to the vector control (P < 0.01). We also tested the transendothelial cell invasion as a measure of cell aggressiveness using the impedance-based human umbilical vein endothelial cells invasion assay and obtained similar results (P < 0.001). Western blot analysis indicated that overexpression of DARPP-32 mediated an increase in the membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) and CXCR4 protein levels. Consistent with the role of MT1-MMP in cleaving extracellular matrix proteins initiating the activation of soluble MMPs, we detected a robust increase in MMP-2 activity in DARPP-32-overexpressing cells. The knockdown of endogenous DARPP-32 in the MKN-45 cells reversed these signaling events and decreased cell invasive activity. We tested whether the invasive activity mediated by DARPP-32 might involve sustained signaling via CXCR4-dependent activation of the MT1-MMP/MMP-2 pathway. The small-molecule CXCR4 antagonist (AMD3100) and CXCR4-siRNA blocked DARPP-32-induced cell invasion. We further examined our hypothesis that DARPP-32 could interact with CXCR4 and stabilize its levels following stimulation with its ligand, CXCL12. Using reciprocal coimmunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence experiments, we found that DARPP-32 and CXCR4 coexist in the same protein complex. DARPP-32 prolonged the CXCR4 protein half-life and reduced ubiquitination of the CXCR4 protein, following treatment with its ligand, CXCL12. In conclusion, these findings show a novel mechanism by which DARPP-32 promotes cell invasion by regulating CXCR4-mediated activation of the MT1-MMP/MMP-2 pathway.
Urine-Based HPV Testing as a Method to Screen for Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is a treatable and preventable cancer that remains a concern for women worldwide. Efforts to reduce rates of cervical cancer focus on the promotion of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and the promotion of routine recommended cervical cancer screening, primarily done by cervical cytology and cervical HPV testing. Recently researchers have begun to examine urine-based HPV testing as a future potential alternative to the current cervical screening methodology. This column takes a second look at two recent U.S.-based studies in which researchers evaluated urine-based HPV testing as a simple and noninvasive approach to screen for cervical cancer.
Mid-line swelling of the palate

Sarcoidosis is a multi-system, non-caseating granulomatous disease of unknown aetiology that may affect any organ. The oral involvement of sarcoidosis is rare and usually an initial manifestation of the disease. In this case report the authors present a 25-year-old African-American woman with palatal sarcoidosis treated successfully with intra-lesional corticosteroid injections. The oral manifestations of sarcoidosis are relatively uncommon and may be the only manifestation of the disease. Suspected cases of oral sarcoidosis should be biopsied and subsequently referred to a physician to rule out systemic involvement.