cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cyberbullying on Trial: The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and United States v. Drew

Bullying. The experience is a common one among people throughout the world: a bully on the playground or in a school, in the cafeteria at lunch or waiting for the buses after school. The bigger children taunt and tease the smaller, pointing out weaknesses, flaws, or simple differences. This bullying is nothing new to society, and parents throughout the generations have worked to assist their children in surviving this adolescent turmoil. 1 However, as the Internet and social networking websites in today‘s society expand, the playground in the school yard and the lunch time cafeteria are no longer the only venues for this kind of teasing to take place. 2 The new avenue for children to attack one
Gland New Psychosis: New Onset Adult Psychosis with Suicidal Ideation and Attempt in the Setting of Thyroid Storm

We present a case of new onset psychosis in the setting of thyroid storm in a woman with no previous psychiatric history. The patient presented with ongoing suicidal ideation, a suicide attempt that was interrupted by her husband, and audio and visual hallucinations. The patient was placed on a psychiatric hold and treated for thyrotoxicosis as well as psychosis. Treatment of the thyroid hormone overload resulted in a rapid resolution of her symptoms; she was discharged in excellent condition, and she has had no repeat hallucinations or self-injury ideation or attempts since. Although rare, thyrotoxicosis is a potentially life-threatening cause of psychiatric illness and should always be kept on the differential diagnosis for a patient with a first episode of psychosis. This case highlights how thyroid storm physiology, beyond its well-studied hemodynamic and metabolic instability, can be potentially fatal due to psychiatric sequelae. It also highlights the crucial role of a thorough history and physical exam in all patients.
Finite Element Simulation of Pulsed Remote Field Eddy Current Phenomenon

The remote field eddy current (RFEC) effect was first observed when an alternating current was applied to a coil inside a metallic pipe. It is characterized by the energy released from an excitation coil which propagates twice through the tube/pipe wall under inspection before it reaches the pick-up coils/sensors located 2–3 diameters away from the excitation. This technique is routinely used for metallic tube inspection. Distinguishing features include high and equal sensitivity to both OD and ID defects, independence of phase signals to lift-off, approximately linear signal phase to thickness relationship, no restriction with regard to penetration depth, and detection depending on signal-to-noise ratio only. There are also some disadvantages associated with the RFEC technique, primarily, high power requirements and large separation distances between the excitation and sensor coils.
The mynah bird (Gracula religiosa) as a laboratory organism: Some general observations

Since it is generally agreed that the mynah (Gracula religiosa) is the superior talking bird, the mynah may offer an experimental approach to the determinants of speech acquisition. As a preliminary program, questions of the adaptability of the mynah to a laboratory program are discussed. Additional information as to dietary needs, humidity and temperature control, diseases and preventive measures, and the effects of sound deprivation and isolation are also discussed.
Normalized curvature ratio for damage detection in beam-like structures

Fiber optic sensors (FOS) offer numerous advantages for structural health monitoring. In addition to being durable, lightweight, and capable of multiplexing, they offer the ability to monitor strain in both static and dynamic mode. FOS also allow for instrumentation of large areas of a structure with long-gauge sensors which helps enable global monitoring of the structure. Drawing upon these benefits, the Normalized Curvature Ratio (NCR), a curvature based damage detection method, has been developed. This method utilizes a series of long-gauge fiber Bragg grating (FBG) strain sensors for damage detection of a structure through dynamic strain measurements and curvature analysis. The main assumption is that the ratios between cross-sectional curvature amplitudes under free vibration remain unchanged given the state of the structure is unchanged. The theoretical development of this method is presented along with an analytical study of a simply supported beam with two damage cases: a loss of flexural stiffness in the span and a change in rotational stiffness of the support. Validation of the method is then performed through two implementations. First, through a small-scale laboratory test with a simply supported aluminum beam subjected to a change in the rotational stiffness of the support. Second, the method is applied to an existing in-service highway overpass with over 5 years of data collection of dynamic strain events. The advantages and limitations of the method are identified and discussed. This research shows encouraging results and the potential for the NCR to be used as a simplistic metric for damage detection.
The changing paradigm in surgery is system integration: How do we respond?

Abstract With expansion of health care systems across the country, close relationships need to be developed between academic medical centers and their affiliated community hospitals. This creates opportunity to integrate surgical programs across different hospitals. Herein we describe a model of surgical integration at the system level of five large hospitals. We discuss utilizing advantages that both the academic and community hospital bring to the model. A close relationship between an interdisciplinary team, which includes the academic surgical chair, a regional director liaison who was embedded in the community, individual hospital leadership, and practice plan leaders was created. Three pillars as a foundation to success were physician leadership, the use of system infrastructure and development of new processes. This resulted in development of trust, leading to successful recruitments, models of employment and expansion into novel areas of patient safety. Once created, new opportunities for programming for surgical safety across the health care were identified.
Imaging of acoustic pressure field in opto-mechano-fluidic resonators with a single particle probe

We present a technique for mapping the acoustic pressure fields within microfluidic optomechanical resonators using a single particle probe. These mappings help improve the detection capabilities of high-throughput opto-mechano-fluidic sensors.
Do(n’t) hold your breath: rules, trust, and the human at the keyboard

The maintenance of rules within the ‘black box’ of code, away from human eyes, constitutes a major difference between digital games and the social history of their analog counterparts. Meanwhile, t...
A fMRI study on the impact of advertising for flavored e-cigarettes on susceptible young adults.

Abstract Background E-cigarettes are sold in flavors such as “skittles,” “strawberrylicious,” and “juicy fruit,” and no restrictions are in place on marketing e-cigarettes to youth. Sweets/fruits depicted in e-cigarette advertisements may increase their appeal to youth and interfere with health warnings. This study tested a brain biomarker of product preference for sweet/fruit versus tobacco flavor e-cigarettes, and whether advertising for flavors interfered with warning labels. Methods Participants (N = 26) were college-age young adults who had tried an e-cigarette and were susceptible to future e-cigarette use. They viewed advertisements in fMRI for sweet/fruit and tobacco flavor e-cigarettes, menthol and regular cigarettes, and control images of sweets/fruits/mints with no tobacco product. Cue-reactivity was measured in the nucleus accumbens, a brain biomarker of product preference. Advertisements randomly contained warning labels, and recognition of health warnings was tested post-scan. Visual attention was measured using eye-tracking. Results There was a significant effect of e-cigarette condition (sweet/tobacco/control) on nucleus accumbens activity, that was not found for cigarette condition (menthol/regular/control). Nucleus accumbens activity was greater for sweet/fruit versus tobacco flavor e-cigarette advertisements and did not differ compared with control images of sweets and fruits. Greater nucleus accumbens activity was correlated with poorer memory for health warnings. Conclusions These and exploratory eye-tracking findings suggest that advertising for sweet/fruit flavors may increase positive associations with e-cigarettes and/or override negative associations with tobacco, and interfere with health warnings, suggesting that one way to reduce the appeal of e-cigarettes to youth and educate youth about e-cigarette health risks is to regulate advertising for flavors.
Untod des Autors. Poststrukturalistisches Erzählen in den 1990er Jahren

»Heute wissen wir, dass ein Text nicht aus einer Reihe von Wortern besteht, die einen einzigen, irgendwie theologischen Sinn enthullt (welcher die ›Botschaft‹ des Autor-Gottes ware), sondern aus einem vieldimensionalen Raum, in dem sich verschiedene Schreibweisen [ecritures], von denen keine einzige originell ist, vereinigen und bekampfen. Der Text ist ein Gewebe von Zitaten aus unzahligen Statten der Kultur« (Barthes 2000, 190; Herv. i. O.). Bei dieser Aussage handelt es sich freilich um ein Zitat, und zwar um ein Zitat aus Roland Barthes’ provokativem Essay »Der Tod des Autors« (»La mort de l’auteur«) von 1968. Barthes erklart hier den Autor zu einem Interferenzfeld kultureller Codes, zum »Schreiber« (scripteur) eines Textgewebes, das sich aus kulturellen und literarischen Kontexten flicht.
600.57 Finding the Unknown: Decrease in Left Atrial Appendage Velocity as a Surrogate Marker of Successful MitraClip Implantation in Patients With and Without Atrial Fibrillation

Percutaneous mitral valve repair with mitral clip is an established treatment for patients with severe mitral regurgitation who are prohibitive or high-risk for surgery. Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) plays an integral role in the planning of a successful procedure. Left atrial appendage (LAA
Negotiation patterns of a preservice physical education teacher and his students during sport education

Previous research on negotiations between physical education teachers and students has been purely qualitative. The purpose of this study was to produce a quantified negotiation profile for one pre...
Symptomatic, left-sided deep brain stimulation lead edema 6 h after bilateral subthalamic nucleus lead placement.

Background Deep brain stimulation (DBS) lead edema can be a serious, although rare, complication in the postoperative period. Of the few cases that have been reported, the range of presentation has been 33 h-120 days after surgery. Case description We report a case of a 75-year-old male with a history of Parkinson's disease who underwent bilateral placement of subthalamic nucleus DBS leads that resulted in symptomatic, left-sided lead edema 6 h after surgery, which is the earliest reported case. Conclusions DBS lead edema is noted to be a self-limiting phenomenon. It is critical to recognize the possibility of lead edema as a cause of postoperative encephalopathy even in the acute phase after surgery. Although it is important to rule out other causes of postoperative changes in the patient examination, the recognition of lead edema can help to avoid extraneous diagnostic tests or DBS lead revision or removal.
Neuronal survival and connectional neurodegenerative diseases

Abstract Age-related connectional neurodegenerative diseases, briefly described in this chapter, begin in a small region of the brain and progress sequentially to other synaptically connected regions. Loss of trophic support of one neuron caused by the death of a connected partner produces this effect. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by two pathologic lesions: Aβ-containing extracellular plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed of the tau protein. It is likely that Aβ initiates the disease and tau produces the pathology. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by synuclein-containing nuclear deposits in the substantia nigra. These neurons contain dopamine, and when they die, PD symptoms begin to appear. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Huntington’s disease are also connectional diseases leading to death of motor neurons and striatal neurons respectively. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is caused by several concussions leading to NFT formation, behavioral changes like aggression, dementia, and death. It also may be a connectional disease. Prion diseases are caused by mutant proteins that can convert normal proteins into abnormal ones. The prion diseases, in contrast to the other diseases previously mentioned, have been shown to be infectious and can be transmitted from one species as is the case with mad cow disease. This prion, which infects cattle, can also infect humans who eat infected meat.
Conformal Freeze-In of Dark Matter

We present the conformal freeze-in (COFI) scenario for dark matter production. At high energies, the dark sector is described by a gauge theory flowing toward a Banks-Zaks fixed point, coupled to the Standard Model via a nonrenormalizable portal interaction. In the early Universe, a nonthermal freeze-in process transfers energy from the standard model plasma to the dark sector. During the freeze-in, the dark sector is described by a strongly coupled conformal field theory. As the Universe cools, cosmological phase transitions in the Standard Model sector, either electroweak or QCD, induce conformal symmetry breaking and confinement in the dark sector. One of the resulting dark bound states is stable on the cosmological time scales and plays the role of dark matter. With the Higgs portal, the COFI scenario provides a viable dark matter candidate with mass in a phenomenologically interesting sub-MeV range. With the quark portal, a dark matter candidate with mass around 1 keV is consistent with observations. Conformal bootstrap may put a nontrivial constraint on model building in this case.
A Miniaturized Microfluidic Dielectric Sensor for Point-of-Care Assessment of Blood Coagulation

Abstract Introduction: Early identification of coagulopathy has crucial clinical implications for the management of patients who are critically ill, severely injured or who are on anticoagulation therapy. Conventional laboratory-based coagulation tests are time-consuming, labor-intensive and costly. Currently available point-of-care (POC) devices are intended for use in specific patient populations (warfarin) or measurements are insensitive due to interference from the device surface. There is a growing need for a low-cost, easy-to-use, portable platform for POC assessment of the complete hemostatic process outside of the laboratory setting. Methods & Results: We have developed a novel dielectric microsensor, termed ClotChip, that is based on the fully electrical technique of dielectric spectroscopy (DS) and is sensitive to multiple coagulation factors and platelet activity, thereby allowing comprehensive blood coagulation assessment in a miniaturized, portable measurement platform (Fig 1A). ClotChip features a three-dimensional, parallel-plate, capacitive sensing structure integrated into a low-cost (material cost Conclusions: We have developed a novel dielectric microfluidic sensor (ClotChip) that is sensitive to multiple coagulation factors and platelet activity, thereby allowing whole blood assessment of hemostasis in a single disposable sensor. TheClotChip will bring blood coagulation testing closer to the patient for time-sensitive applications such as diagnosis of the bleeding patient and in trauma-induced coagulopathy. Download : Download high-res image (251KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Quality of life in older adults receiving hemodialysis: a qualitative study.

Patient priorities for quality of life change with age. We conducted a qualitative study to identify quality of life themes of importance to older adults receiving dialysis and the extent to which these are represented in existing quality of life instruments. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 adults aged ≥ 75 years receiving hemodialysis to elicit participant perspectives on what matters most to them in life. We used framework analysis methodology to process interview transcripts (coding, charting, and mapping), identify major themes, and compare these themes by participant frailty status. We examined for representation of our study’s subthemes in the Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL-36) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life for Older Adults (WHOQOL-OLD) instruments. Among the 12 participants, average age was 81 (4.2) years, 7 African-American, 6 women, and 6 met frailty criteria. We identified two major quality of life themes: (1) having physical well-being (subthemes: being able to do things independently, having symptom control, maintaining physical health, and being alive) and (2) having social support (subthemes: having practical social support, emotional social support, and socialization). Perspectives on the subthemes often varied by frailty status. For example, being alive meant surviving from day-to-day for frail participants, but included a desire for new life experiences for non-frail participants. The majority of the subthemes did not correspond with domains in the KDQOL-36 and WHOQOL-OLD instruments. Novel instruments are likely needed to elicit the dominant themes of having physical well-being and having social support identified by older adults receiving dialysis.
Toward an evaluation of metabolite channeling in vivo

Intermediates of metabolic pathways are sometimes contained within cavities of enzyme molecules and passed directly from active centers of one to next enzymes without diffusing into bulk matrix. This ‘metabolite channeling’ is postulated to have various advantages in enhancing and regulating pathway reactions and considered as a central unit to control metabolic network. Therefore, it has a strong potential in applications to metabolic engineering to enhance the production of desired molecules. Quantitative evaluation of the effects of metabolite channeling is crucial for its appropriate application and further understanding of its functions. In the present review, current approaches to demonstrate functional metabolite channeling will be reviewed and their extension toward quantitative evaluation of channeling effects in vivo will be discussed.
Compact High Gain CMOS Op Amp Design using Comparators

This paper discusses the design of high gain, general purpose op amps. The op amp is based on a novel cascaded design using comparators and with structural simplicity approaching that of digital circuits. Ideally, the design tool presented here can be used to optimize gain and CMRR independent of the other op amp performance parameters. The designed op amp has 140 dB open-loop gain and 43 MHz unity gain frequency (GBW) in Berkeley Spice3f Level-2 simulation. The circuit is implemented using a 2.0 μm nwell CMOS process through MOSIS. The op amp is self-biased and requires only power supplies of ±2.5 V. It occupies an area of 113 μm×474 μm.
Planning under Uncertainty to Goal Distributions.

Goal spaces for planning problems are typically conceived of as subsets of the state space. It is common to select a particular goal state to plan to, and the agent monitors its progress to the goal with a distance function defined over the state space. Due to numerical imprecision, state uncertainty, and stochastic dynamics, the agent will be unable to arrive at a particular state in a verifiable manner. It is therefore common to consider a goal achieved if the agent reaches a state within a small distance threshold to the goal. This approximation fails to explicitly account for the agent's state uncertainty. Point-based goals further do not accommodate goal uncertainty that arises when goals are estimated in a data-driven way. We argue that goal distributions are a more appropriate goal representation and present a novel approach to planning under uncertainty to goal distributions. We use the unscented transform to propagate state uncertainty under stochastic dynamics and use cross-entropy method to minimize the Kullback-Leibler divergence between the current state distribution and the goal distribution. We derive reductions of our cost function to commonly used goal-reaching costs such as weighted Euclidean distance, goal set indicators, chance-constrained goal sets, and maximum expectation of reaching a goal point. We explore different combinations of goal distributions, planner distributions, and divergence to illustrate behaviors achievable in our framework.
Osgood Schlatter’s Disease

Pediatric joint pain in active, growing children can include inflamed growth plates. When the anterior tibial growth plate is involved, it is often referred to as tibial tuberosity apophysitis or by its eponym Osgood Schlatter’s disease. Treatment consists mostly of rest, ice, and gentle stretching. In severe cases, surgery should be considered, if the growth plate fragments and pain persist. Osgood Schlatter’s disease symptoms may last for months.
Identifying Site-specific Superoxide and Hydrogen Peroxide Production Rates from the Mitochondrial Electron Transport System Using a Computational Strategy

Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) play important roles in cellular signaling; however, certain pathological conditions such as ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury disrupt ROS homeostasis and contribute to cell death. A major impediment to developing therapeutic measures against oxidative stress induced cellular damage is the lack of a quantitative framework to identify the specific sources and regulatory mechanisms of mitochondrial ROS production. We developed a thermodynamically consistent, mass-and-charge balanced, kinetic model of mitochondrial ROS homeostasis focused on redox sites of electron transport chain complexes I, II, and III. The model was calibrated and validated using comprehensive data sets relevant to ROS homeostasis. The model predicts that complex I ROS production dominates other sources under conditions favoring a high membrane potential with elevated NADH and QH2 levels. In general, complex I contributes to significant levels of ROS production under pathological conditions, while complexes II and III are responsible for basal levels of ROS production, especially when QH2 levels are elevated. The model also reveals that hydrogen peroxide production by complex I underlies the non-linear relationship between ROS emission and O2 at low O2 concentrations. Lastly, the model highlights the need to quantify scavenging system activity under different conditions to establish a complete picture of mitochondrial ROS homeostasis. In summary, we describe the individual contributions of the ETS complex redox sites to total ROS emission in mitochondria respiring under various combinations of NADH- and Q-linked respiratory fuels under varying work rates.
La imagen de España

The image of any country is twofold, the one formed by the natives and the one created and cultivated by foreigners. This essay studies the different visions that have existed of Spain from the Middle Ages to the present day.
Synthesis of PF-6870961, a major hydroxy metabolite of the novel ghrelin receptor inverse agonist PF-5190457.

Abstract Preclinical and human studies have indicated involvement of the ghrelin system in alcohol-related behaviors illuminating the possibility of using ghrelin receptor blockers as a pharmacological intervention for alcohol use disorder (AUD). Preliminary data from a recently conducted phase 1b human study with a ghrelin receptor inverse agonist, PF-5190457 (2-(2-methylimidazo[2,1-b][1,3thiazol-6-yl)-1-{2-(1R)-5-(6-methylpyrimidin-4-yl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-yl]-2,7-diazaspiro[3.5]non-7-ylethanone), provided evidence on the safety and tolerability of this compound when co-administered with alcohol. Furthermore, the study revealed important information on the biotransformation pathways for this compound and prompted the discovery and then synthesis of a newly identified major metabolite, PF-6870961 ((R)-1-(2-(5-(2-hydroxy-6-methylpyrimidin-4-yl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-yl)-2,7-diazaspiro[3.5]nonan-7-yl)-2-(2-methylimidazo[2,1-b]thiazol-6-yl)ethan-1-one). The metabolite was synthesized and fully characterized through a design that enabled it to be prepared in useful quantities. The synthesis provided direct access to the recently discovered PF-6870961 and is allowing researchers to conduct additional and deeper evaluation of its in vitro and in vivo properties.
Molecular Targets in Oncology: Implications of the Multidrug Resistance Gene

The curative potential of chemotherapy for a number of tumor types has been obscured by the fact that many patients initially have striking remissions but later relapse and die. At the time of relapse many patients manifest resistance to a wide array of structurally unrelated antineoplastic agents, hence the term multidrug resistance (MDR). Other tumor types, such as those arising in the colon, kidneys, liver, and lungs, tend to exhibit poor response to available cytotoxic drugs. The MDR phenomenon includes cross-resistance among the anthracyclines (doxorubicin, daunorubicin), the epipodophyllotoxins (etoposide, teniposide), the vinca alkaloids (vinblastine, vincristine), taxol, and other compounds. In vitro studies in cell culture indicate that this form of resistance is associated with amplification or overexpression of the mdr1 gene. The mdr1 gene codes for the expression of a cell surface protein, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which acts as an energy-dependent efflux pump that transports drugs associated with MDR out of the cell before cytotoxic effects occur. The protein is expressed in normal human tissues such as the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and kidneys, where it is thought to serve as an excretory pathway for xenobiotic drugs and toxins. Preliminary studies demonstrated the presence of P-gp in tumor samples from patients with acute leukemia, multiple myeloma, lymphomas, and a variety of solid tumors. A number of drugs are able to reverse MDR, including calcium-channel blockers, phenothiazines, quinidine, antimalarial agents, antiestrogenic and other steroids, and cyclosporine. Limited results from clinical trials with small numbers of patients suggest that the addition of verapamil, diltiazem, quinine, trifluoperazine, or cyclosporine to chemotherapeutic regimens has the potential to reverse MDR; however, toxicities limit their clinical usefulness. A number of trials are under way to identify more active and less toxic modulators of MDR.
Matter of D-K-: A Great Leap Forward in Refugee Jurisprudence?

In a landmark opinion, the Board incorrectly rectified new refugee adjustment procedures announced in an earlier unpublished decision. (I discussed that decision in an earlier Article, Board of Immigration Appeals Disavows Matter of Garcia-Alzugaray in Unpublished Remand.) Moreover, the Board incorrectly characterized refugee admission as “conditional,” adhering to precedent that was no longer applicable. The latter holding inspired my forthcoming Article, "Conditional Admission" and Other Mysteries: Setting the Record Straight on the "Admission" Status of Refugees and Asylees. The Article will be published by the New York University Journal of Legislation and Public Policy in 2014.
Probe technique for direct measurement of temporal variation of electron temperature

A technique for making direct measurements of electron temperature oscillations in a plasma is discussed. The technique use the relationship between the floating potential, V/sub f/, and the plasma potential, V/sub p/, for a Maxwellian distribution of electrons with temperature T/sub e/, V/sub p/=V/sub f/+(T/sub e//e)ln(m/sub i//0.64 pi m/sub e/)/sup 1/2/. The plasma potential and floating potential oscillations are measured directly, and the temperature oscillation is inferred through this relationship. The technique uses a pair of identical cylindrical probes, each consisting of a tungsten filament stretched between two external leads. One of the probes is operated as an emissive probe, so that it floats near the plasma potential, while the other probe, which is not emitting, is at the floating potential. The difference of these two potentials is monitored with a differential amplifier, giving a signal that is proportional to the electron temperature. Initial measurements were made with argon in a hot-filament discharge plasma confined in a multidipole magnetic field. A perturbation that produced electron temperature variations was introduced by inserting an externally biased plate into the plasmas. With the plate biased DC or with a slowly varying voltage, independent measurements of V/sub p/, V/sub f/, and T/sub e/ were made from the I-V characteristic of a Langmuir probe. By comparison with the direct temperature measurement, both the accuracy of the V/sub p/-V/sub f/ measurement and its relation to the electron temperature were evaluated. >
Hierarchical Concurrency in Jade

Jade is a data-oriented language for exploiting coarse-grain parallelism. A Jade programmer simply augments a serial program with assertions specifying how the program accesses data. The Jade implementation dynamically interprets these assertions, using them to execute the program concurrently while enforcing the program's data dependence constraints. Jade has been implemented as extensions to C, FORTRAN, and C++, and currently runs on the Encore Multimax, Silicon Graphics IRIS 4D/240S, and the Stanford DASH multiprocessors. In this paper, we show how Jade programmers can naturally express hierarchical concurrency patterns by specifying how a program uses hierarchically structured data.
Computer Model for Small-Scale Hydropower Policy Analysis

A computer simulation model of the obstacles and incentives to the development of small-scale hydropower in New England is presented. It serves as an effective communication tool between analysts and policymakers, helping them understand the implication of policy recommendations to increase small-scale hydropower development. Only four of the factors affecting development are included in the model: economics, licensing, construction, and retirement. From a financial point of view, the most promising developers are municipalities and investor-owned utilities. In the year 2000, it may be feasible to develop sites costing approximately double the present costs. Small-scale hydropower will generally be developed now only if developers are willing to accept risks. The inflationary effects of licensing and the complexity of the process might be the major disincentives associated with licensing.
LGBTQ Youth of Color Video Making as Radical Curriculum: A Brother Mourning His Brother and a Theory in the Flesh

AbstractThis essay examines a video poem curriculum for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) students of color at a continuation school in Los Angeles, California. In this close reading of a video poem that draws from a larger research project of a community‐based learning curriculum, I have found that for LGBTQ students of color whose lives often intersect multiple oppressions, it is in the reflexive pedagogical work of “storying the self” (Goodson, 1998) where they develop a critical consciousness through an interrogation of their own bodies as they confront HIV, survival sex, and violence. The racially queered self/body, particularly in media work, becomes a rich representational tool used to facilitate reflection and praxical thinking about the multiple, often simultaneous experiences of Latino and African American LGBTQ students. It is in this pedagogical space where the urgency and necessity of a radical politic emerges from the analysis of intersection and intermeshment in student...
Terminal arbors of axons projecting to the somatosensory cortex of the adult rat. II. The altered morphology of thalamocortical afferents following neonatal infraorbital nerve cut.

The organization of the whisker representation within the neocortex of the rat is dependent on an intact periphery during development. To further investigate how alterations in this cortical map arise we examined the organization of thalamocortical afferents to the whisker representation in adult animals in which the infraorbital branch of the trigeminal nerve was cut on the day of birth. The disrupted pattern of thalamocortical projections to the vibrissae representation was apparent in the abnormal pattern of the anterograde transport of horseradish peroxidase from the thalamus, as well as in the abnormal pattern of succinate dehydrogenase activity. To determine the morphology of individual thalamocortical axons associated with this disrupted pattern, terminal arbors were “bulk-labeled” by injections of horseradish peroxidase into the white matter beneath the somatosensory cortex. Terminal arbors were identified by their laminar distribution of boutons corresponding to the specific thalamocortical afferent. The medial to lateral extent of these terminal arbors varied dramatically, from 350 to 1500 microns. In addition, terminal arbors innervating the same local area of cortex appeared to have varying degrees of overlap. Thus, the disruption of the neocortical vibrissae representation appears to involve the abnormal arborization of individual thalamocortical afferents. This finding supports the hypothesis that the fine-grain organization of the somatotopic map is dependent on the morphology and organization of individual thalamocortical arbors, which, in turn, are dependent on the periphery during development.
Axonal signals regulate expression of glia maturation factor-beta in Schwann cells: an immunohistochemical study of injured sciatic nerves and cultured Schwann cells

Glia maturation factor-beta (GMF-beta) is a 17 kDa protein purified and sequenced from bovine brains. Using the monoclonal antibody G2–09 directed against GMF-beta, we previously demonstrated endogenous GMF- beta in astroblasts, Schwann cells, and their tumors in culture. In the present study, we have used indirect immunofluorescence microscopy with G2–09 to examine the effects of transection, crush, and regeneration of sciatic nerve on the expression of GMF-beta in Schwann cells in situ and to study the time course of GMF-beta induction in Schwann cells in vitro. For comparison, a parallel study was carried out with monoclonal antibodies directed against nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor. We found that (1) neither GMF-beta nor NGF receptor was detectable in intact sciatic nerves, (2) all Schwann cells of the distal segment of the transected nerve expressed GMF-beta as early as 3 d after axotomy that persisted up to 3 weeks, (3) axonal regeneration repressed the Schwann cell expression of GMF-beta, (4) isolated Schwann cells derived from rat sciatic and adult human sural nerves developed intracellular GMF-beta in culture following an initial lag period, and (5) the induction of Schwann cell NGF receptor coincided temporally with that of GMF-beta in the transected nerve and in culture. These results show that the expression of GMF-beta in Schwann cells, as is the case with the NGF receptor, is induced by the loss of the normal axon-Schwann cell contact. We propose that the induction of GMF-beta, as well as NGF receptor, in Schwann cells after nerve injury plays a role in axonal regeneration.
Distributivity in an Event Semantics

Here e represents an event, and e ' a sub-event. I assume an event can be plural when it contains several sub-events (Krifka 1 992, Lasersohn 1 995, Landman 1 996, 1 997, Brisson 1998, among others). So the interpretation in (3) is paraphrased as 'there is an event e and for every sub-event e ' of the event e, John and Mary together carr ied three suitcases in the sub-event e '. ' Given the interpretations in (2) and (3), sentences with ssik contrast with those without ssik in that the ones with' ssik are characterized as necessarily having a distributive reading, and the distribution can be over individuals (as in (2)) or events (as in (3)). Consider (4), which is without ssik:
Assurance Services: The Expansion Of The CPAs’ Traditional Services In Local CPA Firms

The accounting profession has and is undergoing change in the traditional services that they are providing to their clients. This change is due to market and technological factors, such as: com- petition in the industry, demand for timely and relevant information for decision-making, de- mand for reliability of that information, and many other factors that are a result of the shift into an information and service oriented society. The profession is trying to change with these con- ditions. In 1993, the AICPA identified attestation services as the area earmarked for growth. Today, attestation services have been expanded into a new area of services referred to as, assur- ance services. Assurance services are considered the wave of the future, as well as, the lifeboat needed to keep the profession afloat. This study surveys local CPA firms in order to determine if they are changing and moving into the new assurance services area. This study addresses whether local firms are following the projected slow growth trend towards attestation and away from historically financial services. Also, this study addresses the research results of the Special Committee on Assurance Services to determine whether local CPA firms are performing assurance services, whether they are expe- riencing growth or decline in specified areas, and whether they are using the suggestions and recommendations of the Assurance Services Committee. The results indicate that attestation services appear to be continuing to grow at the modest growth trend that was projected in the 1993 study. There has been and appears that there will continue to be a move toward more attestation services, but that traditional services will still be very important. However, the assurance services are not experiencing the same sort of growth as attestation services. This lack of growth could be attributable to several factors.
Identification of coenzyme M biosynthetic 2‐phosphosulfolactate phosphatase.

1Coenzyme M (CoM; 2-mercaptoethanesulfonic acid) is the terminal methyl carrier in methanogenesis. Methanogenic archaea begin the production of this essential cofactor by sulfonating phosphoenolpyruvate to form 2-phospho-3-sulfolactate. After dephosphorylation, this precursor is oxidized, decarboxylated and then reductively thiolated to form CoM. A thermostable phosphosulfolactate phosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.3.–) catalyzing the second step in CoM biosynthesis, was identified in the hyperthermophilic euryarchaeon Methanococcus jannaschii. The predicted ORF MJ1140 in the genome of M. jannaschii encodes ComB, a Mg2+-dependent acid phosphatase that is specific for 2-hydroxycarboxylic acid phosphate esters. Recombinantly expressed purified ComB efficiently hydrolyzes rac-2-phosphosulfolactate, (S)-2-phospholactate, phosphoglycolate and both enantiomers of 2-phosphomalate. In contrast to previously studied phosphoglycolate phosphatases, ComB has a low pH optimum for activity, a narrow substrate specificity and an amino acid sequence dissimilar to any biochemically characterized protein. Like other phosphatases that function via covalent phosphoenzyme intermediates, ComB can catalyze a transphosphorylation reaction. Homologs of comB are identified in all available cyanobacterial genome sequences and in genomes from phylogenetically diverse bacteria and archaea; most of these organisms lack homologs of other CoM biosynthetic genes. The broad and disparate distribution of comB homologs suggests that the gene has been recruited frequently into new metabolic pathways.
A method of obtaining, processing, and analyzing human intestinal secretions for antibody content

Abstract Human intestinal secretions can be readily obtained using a commercially available intestinal lavage solution. Although such secretions contained abundant protease activity, significant loss of immunoglobulins was prevented by the addition of a mixture of protease inhibitors. The total content of IgA, IgM, and IgG antibody in secretions was measured using sandwich ELISA. In the secretions of ten normal volunteers IgA was most abundant (197 μg/ml ± 103 SD) followed by IgM (12.5 μg/ml ± 6.8 SD) and IgG (0.24 μg/ml ± 0.04 SD). The IgA in secretions was predominantly secretory IgA as shown by sucrose density centrifugation. The effect of intestinal secretions on the sensitivity of the antigen-specific ELISA was tested by adding murine myeloma IgA anti-TNP added to samples of human secretions. IgA anti-TNP activity could be detected as low as 1 ng/ml, and there was no evidence of interference with the ELISA by other constituents in the secretions. Using these methods an antigen-specific secretory IgA anti-cholera toxin B subunit response in the secretions of volunteers given an oral B subunit vaccine was readily demonstrated.
A cytokine-responsive IκB kinase that activates the transcription factor NF-κB

Nuclear transcription factors of the NF-κB/Rel family are inhibited by IκB proteins, which inactivate NF-κB by trapping it in the cell cytoplasm. Phosphorylation of IκBs marks them out for destruction, thereby relieving their inhibitory effect on NF-κB. A cytokine-activated protein kinase complex, IKK (for IκB kinase), has now been purified that phosphorylates IκBs on the sites that trigger their degradation. A component of IKK was molecularly cloned and identified as a serine kinase. IKK turns out to be the long-sought-after protein kinase that mediates the critical regulatory step in NF-κB activation.
Some consequences of the application of the second law of thermodynamics to cellular systems.

Abstract Cellular division is examined in terms of the limitations imposed by the second law of thermodynamics. Entropy changes accompanying cell division are discussed and expressions for these are formulated. The entropy changes are summed and the limitation of the second law ( ΔS > o) is imposed. From the resulting inequality the minimum amount of waste material accompanying cellular synthesis is computed. In addition certain conclusions are drawn as to the maximum rate of cell division.
Batteries: Lower cost than gasoline?

Abstract We compare the lifecycle costs of an electric car to a similar gasoline-powered vehicle under different scenarios of required driving range and cost of gasoline. An electric car is cost competitive for a significant portion of the scenarios: for cars of lower range and for higher gasoline prices. Electric cars with ∼150 km range are a technologically viable, cost competitive, high performance, high efficiency alternative that can presently suit the vast majority of consumers’ needs.
Mechanism of Resistance to Dietary Cholesterol

Background. Alterations in expression of hepatic genes that could contribute to resistance to dietary cholesterol were investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats, which are known to be resistant to the serum cholesterol raising action of dietary cholesterol. Methods. Microarray analysis was used to provide a comprehensive analysis of changes in hepatic gene expression in rats in response to dietary cholesterol. Changes were confirmed by RT-PCR analysis. Western blotting was employed to measure changes in hepatic cholesterol 7α hydroxylase protein. Results. Of the 28,000 genes examined using the Affymetrix rat microarray, relatively few were significantly altered. As expected, decreases were observed for several genes that encode enzymes of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway. The largest decreases were seen for squalene epoxidase and lanosterol 14α demethylase (CYP 51A1). These changes were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR. LDL receptor expression was not altered by dietary cholesterol. Critically, the expression of cholesterol 7α hydroxylase, which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in bile acid synthesis, was increased over 4-fold in livers of rats fed diets containing 1% cholesterol. In contrast, mice, which are not resistant to dietary cholesterol, exhibited lower hepatic cholesterol 7α hydroxylase (CYP7A1) protein levels, which were not increased in response to diets containing 2% cholesterol.
WE-E-18A-04: Precision In-Vivo Dosimetry Using Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dosimeters and a Pulsed-Stimulating Dose Reader

Purpose: A new readout technology based on pulsed optically stimulating luminescence is introduced (microSTARii, Landauer, Inc, Glenwood, IL60425). This investigation searches for approaches that maximizes the dosimetry accuracy in clinical applications. Methods: The sensitivity of each optically stimulated luminescence dosimeter (OSLD) was initially characterized by exposing it to a given radiation beam. After readout, the luminescence signal stored in the OSLD was erased by exposing its sensing area to a 21W white LED light for 24 hours. A set of OSLDs with consistent sensitivities was selected to calibrate the dose reader. Higher order nonlinear curves were also derived from the calibration readings. OSLDs with cumulative doses below 15 Gy were reused. Before an in-vivo dosimetry, the OSLD luminescence signal was erased with the white LED light. Results: For a set of 68 manufacturer-screened OSLDs, the measured sensitivities vary in a range of 17.3%. A sub-set of the OSLDs with sensitivities within ±1% was selected for the reader calibration. Three OSLDs in a group were exposed to a given radiation. Nine groups were exposed to radiation doses ranging from 0 to 13 Gy. Additional verifications demonstrated that the reader uncertainty is about 3%. With an external calibration function derived by fittingmore » the OSLD readings to a 3rd-order polynomial, the dosimetry uncertainty dropped to 0.5%. The dose-luminescence response curves of individual OSLDs were characterized. All curves converge within 1% after the sensitivity correction. With all uncertainties considered, the systematic uncertainty is about 2%. Additional tests emulating in-vivo dosimetry by exposing the OSLDs under different radiation sources confirmed the claim. Conclusion: The sensitivity of individual OSLD should be characterized initially. A 3rd-order polynomial function is a more accurate representation of the dose-luminescence response curve. The dosimetry uncertainty specified by the manufacturer is 4%. Following the proposed approach, it can be controlled to 2%.« less
Oxidation of Ni(Pt)Si by molecular vs. atomic oxygen

Abstract X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been used to characterize the oxidation of a clean Ni(Pt)Si surface under two distinct conditions: exposure to a mixed flux of atomic and molecular oxygen (O + O2; P O + O 2 = 5 × 10−6 Torr) and pure molecular oxygen (O2; P O 2 = 10−5 Torr) at ambient temperatures. Formation of the clean, stoichiometric (nickel monosilicide) phase under vacuum conditions results in the formation of a surface layer enriched in PtSi. Oxidation of this surface in the presence of atomic oxygen initially results in formation of a silicon oxide overlayer. At higher exposures, kinetically limited oxidation of Pt results in Pt silicate formation. No passivation of oxygen uptake of the sample is observed for total O + O2 exposure
How Guide Books Affect Restaurant Behavior

Abstract This study reports the result of a survey designed to uncover the various ways French restauranteurs react to being promoted by Michelin Guide, a major restaurant guide, aside from price changes. The restaurants surveyed include all who received an increased rating from the Michelin Guide during the 1990–1995 period. The results provide strong evidence of the important effect that guide book ratings have for restaurant behavior.