cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chitosan and Glyceryl Monooleate Nanostructures Containing Gemcitabine: Potential Delivery System for Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

The objectives of this study are to enhance cellular accumulation of gemcitabine with chitosan/glyceryl monooleate (GMO) nanostructures, and to provide significant increase in cell death of human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. The delivery system was prepared by a multiple emulsion solvent evaporation method. The nanostructure topography, size, and surface charge were determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and a zetameter. The cellular accumulation, cellular internalization and cytotoxicity of the nanostructures were evaluated by HPLC, confocal microscopy, or MTT assay in Mia PaCa-2 and BxPC-3 cells. The average particle diameter for 2% and 4% (w/w) drug loaded delivery system were 382.3 ± 28.6 nm, and 385.2 ± 16.1 nm, respectively with a surface charge of +21.94 ± 4.37 and +21.23 ± 1.46 mV. The MTT cytotoxicity dose-response studies revealed the placebo at/or below 1 mg/ml has no effect on MIA PaCa-2 or BxPC-3 cells. The delivery system demonstrated a significant decrease in the IC50 (3 to 4 log unit shift) in cell survival for gemcitabine nanostructures at 72 and 96 h post-treatment when compared with a solution of gemcitabine alone. The nanostructure reported here can be resuspended in an aqueous medium that demonstrate increased effective treatment compared with gemcitabine treatment alone in an in vitro model of human pancreatic cancer. The drug delivery system demonstrates capability to entrap both hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds to potentially provide an effective treatment option in human pancreatic cancer.
Reverse discrimination vs w»hite privilege: an empirical study of alleged victims of affirmative action

Abstract Twenty-seven White people who believed that they were victims of reverse discrimination were interviewed about their perceptions of race and gender relations in the United States. The attitudes expressed by the majority of respondents were consistent with the concepts of modern prejudice and the social construction of whiteness. Little evidence was found to show that the respondents expressed attitudes consistent with traditional prejudice or right-wing extremism. A small minority of respondents were considerably more liberal and less prejudiced.
Selective activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors upregulates preprodynorphin, substance P, and preproenkephalin mRNA expression in rat dorsal striatum.

Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are positively coupled to phosphoinositide hydrolysis through G-proteins and are densely expressed in the medium-sized spiny neurons of striatum. Activation of this group of mGluRs in the striatum produces long-lasting stimulation of behavioral activity. In this study, the role of group I mGluRs in the modulation of neuropeptide mRNA expression in striatal neurons was investigated using a Group I-selective agonist, 3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) in chronically cannulated rats. Unilateral injections of DHPG into the dorsal striatum (caudoputamen) at behaviorally active doses of 20, 40, and 80 nmol elevated basal levels of preprodynorphin (PPD), substance P (SP), and preproenkephalin (PPE) mRNAs in the injected dorsal striatum as revealed by quantitative in situ hybridization. The elevation of all three mRNAs was dose-dependent and the responsiveness of opioid peptide mRNAs (PPD and PPE) to acute injection of DHPG at each dose surveyed was greater than that of SP mRNA. Induction of the mRNAs was delayed and prolonged as increases in hybridization signal became evident at 2 (SP and PPE) or 3 (PPD) h, reached a peak between 3 and 6 h, and returned to normal levels 24 h after DHPG injection. Coadministration of a Group I-selective antagonist, n-phenyl-7-(hydroxyimino)cyclopropa[b]chromen-1a-carbo xamide (PHCCC, 10 nmol), with DHPG markedly attenuated DHPG-stimulated PPD, PPE, and, to a lesser extent, SP expression. Administration of PHCCC alone had no significant effect on basal levels of three mRNA expression in the striatum. This study provides a detailed description of the dose- and time-related alterations in striatonigral PPD/SP and striatopallidal PPE mRNA expression in response to a single injection of the Group I agonist DHPG. Data obtained demonstrate a facilitatory, dynamic regulation of constitutive expression of PPD, SP, and PPE mRNAs by local enhancement of glutamatergic tone on DHPG- and PHCCC-sensitive Group I mGluRs.
On the significance of surface fatigue in sliding wear

Abstract An electron microscope study of wear damage produced by sliding on a copper single crystal indicated the significance of surface fatigue in wear resulting from sliding under low stress conditions. This paper describes the study and shows some comparisons between the results of this study and an engineering model for wear previously proposed.
Digestive complication in severe malnourished anorexia nervosa patient: a case report of necrotizing colitis.

Background: Necrotizing colitis (NC) represents a severe, although rare, complication in patients with anorexia nervosa. Objective: We report the only case of NC with good prognosis in a severely malnourished AN patient. Method: Available patient records, imaging, and biochemical data were evaluated. Discussion: This case represents an unusual gastrointestinal complication and underlines the important clinical role that Parentera Nutrition (PN) has for some selected very malnourished AN patients. The severe starvation may compromise the normal function of gastrointestinal tract and it can also lead to an incomplete tolerance of enteral refeeding thus making PN required to reach the nutritional rehabilitation. © 2010 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2011; 44:91–93)
Proton Transfer Studied Using a Combined Ab Initio Reactive Potential Energy Surface with Quantum Path Integral Methodology.

The rates of intramolecular proton transfer are calculated on a full-dimensional reactive electronic potential energy surface that incorporates high-level ab initio calculations along the reaction path and by using classical transition state theory, path-integral quantum transition state theory, and the quantum instanton approach. The specific example problem studied is malonaldehyde. Estimates of the kinetic isotope effect using the latter two methods are found to be in reasonable agreement with each other. Improvements and extensions of this practical, yet chemically accurate framework for the calculations of quantized, reactive dynamics are also discussed.
Adding assurance to automatically generated code

Code to estimate position and attitude of a spacecraft or aircraft belongs to the most safety-critical parts of flight software. The complex underlying mathematics and abundance of design details make it error-prone and reliable implementations costly. AutoFilter is a program synthesis tool for the automatic generation of state estimation code from compact specifications. It can automatically produce additional safety certificates which formally guarantee that each generated program individually satisfies a set of important safety policies. These safety policies (e.g., array-bounds, variable initialization) form a core of properties which are essential for high-assurance software. Here we describe the AutoFilter system and its certificate generator and compare our approach to the static analysis tool PolySpace.
Long-Term Potentiation in Rat Hippocampal Neurons Is Accompanied by Spatially Widespread Changes in Intrinsic Oscillatory Dynamics and Excitability

Oscillations in neural activity are a prominent feature of many brain states. Individual hippocampal neurons exhibit intrinsic membrane potential oscillations and intrinsic resonance in the theta frequency range. We found that the subthreshold resonance frequency of CA1 pyramidal neurons was location dependent, varying more than 3-fold between the soma and the distal dendrites. Furthermore, activity- and NMDA-receptor-dependent long-term plasticity increased this resonance frequency through changes in h channel properties. The increase in resonance frequency and an associated reduction in excitability were nearly identical in the soma and the first 300 mum of the apical dendrites. These spatially widespread changes accompanying long-term synaptic potentiation also reduced the neuron's ability to elicit spikes evoked through a nonpotentiated synaptic pathway. Our results suggest that the frequency response of these neurons depends on the dendritic location of their inputs and that activity can regulate their response dynamics within an oscillating neural network.
A Topic Time coreference analysis of tense "harmony" in pseudoclefts

This paper offers a new analysis of so-called tense ‘harmony’ in specificational pseudoclefts (Higgins 1979; Sharvit 2003; Romero 2004). I take a referential approach to tense, where tenses relate two time pronominals: Topic Time (TT, Klein 1994) and Reference Time (RT) (Utterance Time, UT, in main clauses). Although binding between either UT or matrix Event Time (ET) and embedded RT derives the interpretations of most embedded tenses, binding cannot fully account for embedded tenses in specificational pseudoclefts.I propose that Topic Time coreference derives puzzling restrictions on embedded tenses in pseudoclefts in languages both with and without sequence of tenses (SOT).
Measurement of phenylalanine in blood on filter paper as a method of monitoring PKU treatment.

Setting: In 80 patients with PKU on routine treatment monitoring of serum phenylalanine concentrations (SPh) was compared with phenylalanine concentrations in blood on filter paper (PhBFP). Methods: Measurements of SPh were by a fluorimetric method (McCaman and Robins), and those of PhBFP were by an enzymatic colorimetric method. Results: The regression analysis of SPh compared with PhBFP gave the equation y=0.9219x+0.2389; for the reversed ratio: it gave y=1.0220x+0.55083. The correla- tion was 0.97 at p<0.05. Discussion: Concentrations of SPh accepted for children with PKU are not uniform. In the Cracow centre, the range of accepted SPh concentrations are 2-6 mg/dl for children and <12 mg/dl for older patients. The concentrations of PhBFP accepted are somewhat higher than SPh, range from 4 to 10 mg/dl, and are a good indicator of an appropriate diet. Conclusions: (1) The comparison indicated that colorimet- ric measurements of PhBFP are effective in monitoring therapeutic PKU management. Tests can be performed more often and are more comfortable both for the patients and their parents. (2) The comparative results indicated a concentration of PhBFP ranging from 4 to 10 mg/dl to be the accepted value for children treated for PKU.
Mapping hardwood forests through a two-stage unsupervised classification by integrating Landsat Thematic Mapper and forest inventory data

Sound forest management requires accurate forest maps at an appropriate scale. Forest cover data developed at a national scale may be too coarse for forest management at a local level. We demonstrated a two-stage unsupervised classification, integrating Continuous Forest Inventory (CFI) data and Landsat imageries, to classify forest types for Indiana State Forests (ISF) and 8-km surrounding areas. In the first stage, an automatic unsupervised classification assisted by CFI data was applied in ISF. In the second stage, the resultant forest cover information from the first stage was used to expand the classification area into the 8-km surrounding areas. Splitting the classification procedure into two stages made it possible to expand the classification area beyond the coverage of the CFI data. This data-aided unsupervised classification approach increased the repeatability of forest mapping. The resultant map contains five forest types: conifer, conifer-hardwood, maple, mixed hardwood, and oak-hickory forests. The overall accuracy was 81.9%, and the total disagreement was 0.176. The accuracies of conifer, conifer-hardwood, maple, mixed hardwood, and oak-hickory forests were 81.6, 63.4, 75.0, 33.3, and 90%, respectively. This forest mapping technique is suitable for automated mapping of forest areas where extensive plot data are available.
Automatic 3D model reconstruction using voxel coding and pose integration

Automatic reconstruction of a complete 3D model of a complex object is presented. The complete 3D model is reconstructed by integrating two 3D models which are reconstructed from different poses of the object. For each pose of the object, a 3D model is reconstructed by combining stereo image analysis, shape from silhouettes, and a volumetric integration technique. Stereo image analysis and shape from silhouettes techniques complement each other to reconstruct an accurate and noise-resistant 3D model. For a reliable volumetric integration of multiple partial shapes, a voxel coding technique is introduced. The voxel coding technique facilitates a selection of consistent partial shapes for shape integration. In order to reconstruct all visible surfaces of a complex object with concavities and holes, two 3D models from different poses of the object are reconstructed and integrated to obtain the complete 3D model. A voxel coding technique is again used during pose integration. Experimental results on a real object demonstrate that our approach has advantages and is effective.
Rate effects on instabilities in slightly ionized plasmas

Results are presented of numerical computer calculations of dispersive wave growth rates in slightly ionized plasmas. The effects of employing a plasma model with detailed consideration of rate and radiative processes involving the electron quantum states were studied. Acoustic and electrothermal waves in unseeded argon are found to be frozen with the latter damped. Rate thermal modes can exhibit large growth. Mode mixing and switching in both seeded and unseeded argon are demonstrated.
On optimal quantization rules for sequential decision problems

We consider the problem of sequential decentralized detection, a problem that entails the choice of a stopping rule (specifying the sample size), a global decision function (a choice between two competing hypotheses), and a set of quantization rules (the local decisions on the basis of which the global decision is made). The main result of this paper is to resolve an open problem posed by Veeravalli et al. (1993) concerning whether optimal local decision functions for the Bayesian formulation of sequential decentralized detection can be found within the class of stationary rules. We provide a negative answer to this question by exploiting an asymptotic approximation to the optimal cost of stationary quantization rules, and the asymmetry of the Kullback-Leibler divergences. In addition, we show that asymptotically optimal quantizers, when restricted to the space of blockwise stationary quantizers, are likelihood-based threshold rules
Estimating U.S. Consumers' Choice of Floral Retail Outlets

Competition among floral retailers has promulgated industrywide structural changes while giving consumers more choices in locations for purchase. Consumer panel data collected by the American Floral Endowment from 1992 to 2005 were used to evaluate consumers' choice of different floral retail outlets among box stores (BS), traditional freestanding floral outlets (TF), general retailer (GR), other stores (OS), and direct-to-consumer (DC) channels. Since 1992, market share and percentage of trans- actions decreased through TF but increased for BS. Mean expenditure per transaction in TF was higher than in BS and GR. Consumers who made floral gift purchases were more likely to patronize TF, but those who bought floral products for themselves were more likely to purchase from BS. Consumers patronizing TF or DC were more likely to buy arranged flowers rather than unarranged flowers. Consumers who purchased foliage plants and outdoor bedding or garden plants were more likely to buy them from BS. Reasons consumers who choose BS and GR cited for using those outlets included con- venience and lower prices, whereas consumers who purchased from TF and DC cited delivery, reputation, and service as major drivers impacting their use. Demographic and geographic differences were also identified among consumers using the aforementioned outlets.
Enhancing augmented reality for use in product design

Feedback from users is an invaluable part of the product design process. Prototypes of varying levels of detail are frequently used to solicit this feedback for attributes related to the physical and user experience aspects of a product. There are limitations to current approaches. Accurate feedback is most useful early in the design process where changes to a product are easier to make. At the same time highly detailed prototypes which allow accurate feedback are generally not available until later in the design process after major design decisions have already been made. This paper will discuss Augmented Reality as a potential solution to this problem by combining physical attributes with easily changeable virtual aspects.
The Chemical Evolution of the Atmospheres and Oceans

Having devoured Holland's earlier book on the modern state of ocean and atmosphere chemical reservoirs, The Chemistry of the Atmosphere and Oceans (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1978), and having read several of the stimulating papers that derived from his work on the promised companion volume, concerned with the history of atmospheric and ocean chemistry, I eagerly anticipated publication of The Chemical Evolution of the Atmosphere and Oceans. It has been published, and I am not disappointed, nor will the education of any graduate student or practing professional in the earth or ocean sciences be complete without thorough study of this long-awaited book. There is nothing else that resembles it in subject matter, comprehensiveness, and thoughtful and objective analysis of data and of old and new ideas in the field. Holland has devoted space and consideration in his book to the different episodes in atmospheric and ocean chemical history of the earth roughly in proportion to the relative duration of each episode. This, of course, means that the treatment of the relatively data-rich Phanerozoic interval is more terse than the sections on the Precambrian. Yet Holland handles the paucity of data for the Precambrian with flair and appropriate conjecture. In fact, it is in this part of the book that his impressive intellect shines.
Exploiting Term Relations for Semantic Hierarchy Construction

This paper presents a method to induce semantic taxonomies by applying the lattice theoretical technology of formal concept analysis to relations of predicates extracted from a natural language corpus. Our initial research results are in support of a future overall methodology for the semi-automatic construction of semantic hierarchies from term relations extracted from text. We describe our formal method for hierarchy construction, selection and processing of a test corpus for extracting verb-noun pairs from natural language, measurement and filtering of the resulting verb-noun term matrices for density optimization, and look at the resulting semantic hierarchies produced by FCA.
Off-grid photovoltaic vehicle charge using second life lithium batteries: An experimental and numerical investigation

Partially degraded lithium batteries from automotive applications, also known as second life batteries, are becoming more available for secondary applications due to the increasing market share of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles. This study examines the feasibility of installing a second life battery pack in an off-grid photovoltaic vehicle charging system. The system was constructed using a photovoltaic array to charge a battery pack via a maximum power point tracking controller and later charge a vehicle via an inverter. The battery pack was configured using 135 second life LiFePO4 based battery cells, selected based on remaining capacity, connected to form a nine parallel by 15 serial battery pack with accessible storage capacity of 13.9 kW h. Experimental results show that the proposed second life battery system successfully achieves the desired function with a simple system structure and control methods. A numerical simulation was performed by constructing an equivalent system model, where the photovoltaic array and battery pack were modeled using equivalent circuit techniques. The model was parameterized and validated via testing of the system. Coupled with weather data, the model can simulate the system’s performance under different application scenarios. The numerical investigation reveals that the proposed system, using second life batteries, can achieve similar performance to systems using new lithium batteries, but at a reduced cost.
Purified human C1-esterase inhibitor is safe in acute relapses of neuromyelitis optica

Objective: To minimize complement-mediated damage in acute relapses of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) by adding treatment with a complement inhibitor, purified C1-esterase inhibitor, to the current standard of care (high-dose glucocorticoids). Method: We conducted an open-label phase 1b safety and proof-of-concept trial in 10 patients with NMO–immunoglobulin G seropositive NMO or NMO spectrum disease (NMOSD) who presented with acute transverse myelitis and/or optic neuritis. In addition to treating with 1 g of daily IV methylprednisolone, we infused 2,000 units of C1-esterase inhibitor daily for 3 days, beginning on day 1 of hospitalization. The primary outcome measure was safety, and the secondary efficacy measure was change in Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores. Results: Ten patients with NMO/NMOSD were enrolled, 7 of whom presented with acute transverse myelitis and 3 with acute optic neuritis. C1-esterase inhibitor proved to be safe in all 10 patients, with no serious adverse events recorded. There were no thromboembolic events or related lab abnormalities in any of the subjects. EDSS scores dropped from a median of 4.5 on admission to 4.0 on discharge and then down to 2.5 on 30-day follow-up. All but 1 patient returned to preattack EDSS or better and only 2 patients required escalation to plasmapheresis. Conclusions: C1-esterase inhibitor is a safe add-on therapy for patients with NMO/NMOSD presenting with acute transverse myelitis and optic neuritis. Preliminary evidence suggests a promising benefit with C1-esterase inhibitor in reducing neurologic damage and improving outcomes. A placebo-controlled trial is necessary to confirm these findings. Classification of evidence: This study provides Class IV evidence that for patients with NMO with acute transverse myelitis or optic neuritis, C1-esterase inhibitor is safe and improves disability.
Non‐Native Fish Introductions and the Decline of the Mountain Yellow‐Legged Frog from within Protected Areas

One of the most puzzling aspects of the worldwide decline of amphibians is their disappearance from within protected areas. Because these areas are ostensib ly undisturbed, habitat alterations are generally perceived as unlikely causes. The introduction of non-native fishes into protected areas,however, is a common practice throughout the world and may exert an important influence on amphibian distributions. We quantified the role of introduced fishes (several species of trout) in the decline of the mountain yello w-legged-frog (Rana muscosa) in California's Sier ra Nevada through surveys of >1700 sites in two adjacent and historically fishless protected areas that dif fered primarily in the distribution of introduced fish. Negat ive effects of fishes on the distri bution of frogs we re evident at three spatial scales. At the l a n d s c ape scale, c o m p a risons between The two protected areas indicated that fish distri bution was stro n g ly n egat ive ly corre l at e d with the distribution of frogs. At the watershed scale, the percentage of total water-body surface area occupied by fishes was a highly significant predictor of the percenta ge of total water-body surface area occupied by fr ogs. At the scale (if individual water bodies, frogs were three times more likely to be found and six times more abundant in fishless than in fish-containing water bodies, after habitat effects were accounted for. The strong effect of introduced fishes on mountain yello w-legged frogs appears to result from the unique life history of this amphibian whic h frequently restricts larvae to deeper water bodies, the same habitats into which fishes have most frequently been introduced. Because fish populations in at least some Sierra Ne vada lakes can be remo ved with minimal effort, our results suggest that the decline of the mountain yellow-legged frog might be relatively easy to reverse.
Electrostatic waves in warm random plasmas

Abstract The propagation constants for electrostatic waves in warm plasmas with random electron density are developed. It has been found that for a collisionless plasma attenuation exists. Although the attenuation coefficient depends on the statistical condition of the plasma at all frequencies, the phase constant is relatively unaffected by randomness at frequencies far greater than the mean plasma frequency. Finally, the group velocity of the wave changes sign in the frequency range close to the mean plasma frequency.
Mitosis cell identification with conditional random fields

Correct identification of mitosis phase of individual cells in a large population imaged via time-lapse fluorescence microscopy is important for drug discovery and cell cycle study. The large amount of image data makes manually analysis unrealistic, which calls for automatic systems for mitosis cell identification. The automatic system has to be able to handle two challenges: small size of training samples and datasets obtained under different conditions. Existing methods are rather limited in dealing with these two challenges. The paper introduces a Conditional Random Fields (CRFs) model, which can well handle the two requirements.
Preparing Florida's Spaceport for Commercial Growth

Florida’s Spaceport at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station has been a test and launch operations powerhouse for civil, commercial, and military missions for the past 50 years. While there is no denying the breadth of experience that lies in this spaceport, the global space environment is shifting. Today, with the upcoming retirement of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Space Shuttle Program and an uncertain future for civil crewed launches from Florida, it is essential that additional launch service capabilities are developed to meet the needs of the spaceflight industry. Space Florida, the State of Florida’s aerospace economic development arm, works closely with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the U.S. Air Force’s 45 th Space Wing, and the Federal Aviation Administration to create a spaceport that is much more competitive with other domestic and international launch sites for commercial customers. Non-traditional initiatives are yielding results and promise much more opportunity in the future. Space Florida initiated the Customer Assistance Service Program for the Eastern Range, which has played a critical role in supporting commercial entities, many of which have already decided to conduct test, launch and/or processing operations from the Cape. Leveraging Space Florida’s tax incentive capabilities, conduit financing and business friendly posture has been (and continues to be) a key tool in meeting the needs of today’s dynamic space industry. Space Florida is working closely with KSC to identify infrastructure that will become available following Space Shuttle program retirement. These facilities are already proven capable of payload and vehicle processing and their utilization would result in significant cost-savings for the commercial customer. Coupled with NASA’s proposed 2011 budget of a $2B investment to modernize KSC as a 21 st Century Launch Complex, such facilities could become available for commercial customers at the Cape. Space Florida is also developing Exploration Park, a next-generation scientific research facility located on KSC property adjacent to the Space Life Sciences Laboratory. All payloads going to the International Space Station from the US are processed through the Space Life Sciences Laboratory. Exploration Park, located just outside the security gate of Kennedy Space Center, offers tremendous opportunity for commercial space industry. Space Florida sees significant potential for pharmaceutical and life sciences study in the microgravity environment, and other space-related opportunities at Exploration Park. Space Florida is laying the groundwork for increased commercial launch and payload services at Florida’s Spaceport and significantly changing previous processes, culture and technical capabilities to do so.
Vitamin requirement study techniques

Vitamin requirement studies have been conducted for 50 years using growth and clinical signs of deficiency for quantitative studies. Histological confirmation of apparent signs confirm and establish subclinical measurements for deficiency. Test diets for these studies with positive experimental control over the test vitamin have been developed using varying degrees of vitamin-free ingredients in the formulations. Haematology values and microanatomical changes reflect failures of a metabolic system and provide convincing data for requirements. Quantitative studies have used specific test diets plus increasing aliquots of the test vitamin, coupled with growth response, tissue storage analysis, and specific enzyme system activity. Results have been reported for levels which support normal growth, clinical enzyme saturation, and maximum liver or other tissue storage levels. Megavitamin intake studies have been correlated with improved resistance to stress and certain fish diseases. Statistical measurement of response to various parameters used become essential for quantitative vitamin requirement determinations. Early studies using vitamin analysis of feedstuffs mixtures coupled with growth response, absence of deficiency signs, and liver or tissue storage have been superseded by diets with more positive control of all nutrients, including the vitamin to be tested. Sparing effects of one vitamin upon another can be demonstrated. Various vitamer forms may have different activity to supply physiological requirements for the vitamin. Most water-soluble vitamins act as co-enzymes in metabolic systems. Some fat-soluble vitamins have molecular functions acting as hormones, free radical traps, intracellular reducing agents, pigments, antioxidants, etc. A guide for vitamin requirements or dietary allowances should be followed when research plans are made to conduct vitamin requirement studies.
Infrared spectrum of CH 3 CN–HCl in solid neon, and modeling matrix effects in CH 3 CN–HCl and H 3 N–HCl

Abstract Several IR bands for two isotopic forms of the CH3CN–HCl complex have been measured in neon matrices at 6 K. Assigned bands for the primary isotopomer include the νCC band at 926 cm−1, νHCl the band at 2677 cm−1, and the νCN band, which occurs as a doublet at 2308/2279 cm−1. The observed frequencies are reasonably consistent with previous observations in solid argon and/or nitrogen, with the exception of νHCl bands, which differed, and were ultimately found to shift systematically across various condensed-phase media. A plot of medium-induced shifts for the νHCl band vs. polarizability of the host substances is essentially continuous; except for the N2-matrix frequency, for which the shift is considerably larger than that expected on this basis. In an effort to clarify the physical underpinnings of these shifts, and their structural implications, a computational study was undertaken, which examined CH3CN–HCl as well as H3N–HCl; a system for which analogous frequency shifts have been observed and characterized previously. Beyond equilibrium structure and frequency calculations, which predict that the ammonia complex is stronger and undergoes a greater degree of structural change in bulk, condensed-phase media, the N–Cl potentials of both complexes were mapped in the gas-phase and in bulk, dielectric media. The predicted medium effects on these potentials are consistent with observations. The CH3CN–HCl curves shift slightly in response to the medium, consistent with a subtle enhancement of the hydrogen bond, and relatively small frequency shifts. The effects of the dielectric media on H3N–HCl are more substantial, and indicate a significant degree of proton transfer, even for low-dielectric environments, which is consistent with the extreme spectral shifts noted previously for this system.
GENOTYPIC VARIATION IN LEAF DAMAGE IN PIPER ARIEIANUM (PIPERACEAE) BY A MULTISPECIES ASSEMBLAGE OF HERBIVORES

The shrub Piper arieianum (Piperaceae) has a diverse herbivore fauna (95 species total) in Costa Rican rain forest. The effect of plant genotype on leaf damage by individual herbivore species and total leaf area removed was studied in P. arieianum through a cloning experiment. Damage patterns were measured over 3.5 years for two plots, four genotypes per plot, in the understory of lowland rain forest. In both plots, there were significant differences among genotypes in total leaf area missing throughout the study period. Rankings of genotypes based on overall damage remained constant over time in plot 1 but changed in plot 2. Certain individual herbivore species caused significantly higher damage in some genotypes than in others; the change in genotype rankings in plot 2 was associated with increased damage to particular genotypes by specific herbivore groups. The genotype most heavily damaged by a given insect species varied depending on the herbivore species; thus, resistance to one herbivore species did not necessarily confer resistance against all species. Those herbivore species causing the greatest proportion of damage for a given plant changed over time. Because total damage resulted from the summation of losses to individual herbivore species, whether an individual plant lost more leaf area than its neighbors depended on the relative abundance of the herbivore species at any one time. Finally, for a portion of the study period in each plot, more heavily damaged clones grew less than lesser damaged clones. Together with previous reports that naturally growing plants differ significantly in damage and that these differences are sufficient to cause fitness differences, the results presented here suggest that the herbivores of P. arieianum represent a selective force for changes in resistance but that this selective force changes both in intensity and quality over time.
The socioeconomic impact of hearing loss in U.S. adults.

Objective To evaluate the associations between hearing loss and educational attainment, income, and unemployment/underemployment in U.S. adults. Study design National cross-sectional survey. Setting Ambulatory examination centers. Patients Adults aged 20 to 69 years who participated in the 1999 to 2002 cycles of the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) audiometric evaluation and income questionnaire (N = 3,379). Intervention(s) Pure-tone audiometry, with hearing loss defined by World Health Organization criteria of bilateral pure-tone average of more than 25 dB (0.5, 1, 2, 4 kHz). Main outcome measure(s) Low educational attainment, defined as not completing high school; low income, defined as family income less than $20,000 per year; and unemployment or underemployment, defined as not having a job or working less than 35 hours per week. Results Individuals with hearing loss had 3.21 times higher odds of low educational attainment (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.20-4.68) compared with normal-hearing individuals. Controlling for education, age, sex, and race, individuals with hearing loss had 1.58 times higher odds of low income (95% CI, 1.16-2.15) and 1.98 times higher odds of being unemployed or underemployed (95% CI, 1.38-2.85) compared with normal-hearing individuals. Conclusion Hearing loss is associated with low educational attainment in U.S. adults. Even after controlling for education and important demographic factors, hearing loss is independently associated with economic hardship, including both low income and unemployment/underemployment. The societal impact of hearing loss is profound in this nationally representative study and should be further evaluated with longitudinal cohorts. Received institutional review board approval (National Center for Health Statistics Institutional Review Board Protocol no. 98-12).
Quantitative assessment of synovitis in Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease using gadolinium-enhanced MRI.

A quantitative method to assess hip synovitis in Legg–Calve–Perthes disease (LCPD) is not currently available. To develop this method, the areas of synovial enhancement on gadolinium-enhanced MRI (Gd-MRI) were measured by two independent observers. The volume of synovial enhancement was significantl
Measuring Wireworm Reactions to Soil Insecticides by Tagging with Radioactive Cobalt

Wireworm control is necessary for the successful production of some crops in almost every important agricultural region of the world. The techniques used to follow wireworms in the soil, however, have always left much to be desired. Until recently the methods used were very artificial and the wireworm habitat had to be interrupted so that the insect could be studied. This problem has been solved by recent developments in the use of radioactive isotopes. By using radioactive nuclides whole animals such as insects can be traced. The insect is allowed to move about in any direction, and the natural environment is no longer altered as in other procedures.
Communication in the face of a school crisis

The use of social media during active shooter events at the P-12 level was probed.Over 5000 posts from Facebook, Twitter, and news outlets were analyzed.Analysis outlined the scope of chatter during the week following the incidents.There were spikes in chatter after the release of shooter and victim identities.Posts contained more information than affect displays during the event. Little is known about the effectiveness of social media in delivering information during active shooter incidents at the P-12 level. This study analyzed social media activity that occurred during and after two active shooter events on September 30, 2014. Over 5000 social media posts from Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and mainstream news outlets were analyzed. Social media analysis outlined the scope of online communication during the first week following the incidents, revealed social media frequency, increases in conversation, misinformation, and differences between parent and student posts. Results revealed spikes in social media chatter following the release of the identities of shooters and victims. Consistent with media dependency theory and the high levels of uncertainty characteristic of the incident, users' social media posts contained more information than affect displays during the active shooter event. Implications for scholars and P-12 administrators are discussed.
Mutable Form and Materiality: Toward a Critical History of New Tapestry Networks

This article raises two concerns underpinning the need for a critical history of fiber art in the 20th century. The first is a critique of aesthetic formalism predominant in the Lausanne Biennale during the 1960s and 70s, which overlooks artistic, ideological, and political milieus that drew together textile artists from localities formerly treated as peripheral in art history. The second holds to account Euro-American institutions and related historiographies for their curatorial exclusion of Arab and African fiber artists. Such inclusion, I argue, would have conjured tapestry's deeper incongruities, which emanated from unresolved questions at the core of modernism: the assigning and appropriating of artistic identities, the evaded issue of state patronage, and the persistent ideological and aesthetic problem of craft and its framing within economies. By comparing three artists: Magdalena Abakanowicz, Jagoda Buic, and Safia Farhat, I reassess New Tapestry networks, myths, and systems of state and institu...
Valuation of comprehensive AIDS intervention among long-distance truck drivers in Pingxiang City of Guangxi

Objective To evaluate the comprehensive AIDS intervention among long-distance truck drivers, and to offer the suggestion for intervention in the future.Methods We conducted the comprehensive AIDS intervention among long-distance truck drivers from three parking lots in Puzhai Border Trade Zone,and then compared the results from two cross-sectional surveys(a baseline survey and a post-intervention survey) to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention.Results In the post-intervention survey,the percentage of appropriate responses to AIDS-related knowledge items were significantly higher(P0.01).The percentage of consistent condom use with female sex workers(FSW) in the last year increased from 62.1%to 73.5%,and no condom use with FSW decreased from 6.1%to 4.8%,but the differences were not significant.The percentage of drivers who never used condoms with regular sex partners in the last year decreased significantly to 60.3%from 70.1%(P0.01). Conclusion Effects have been attained in part,but the percentage of consistent condom use with female sex workers and appropriate responses to AIDS-related knowledge items need to be improved.High-risk behaviors are continuous. We should go on with the comprehensive AIDS intervention in order to control and prevent AIDS transmission among long-distance truck drivers in Pingxiang.
Application of SDO in System Integration of Equipment Maintenance Field

Aiming at the problem that the information isolated island is serious in the army equipment maintenance,this paper analyzes the effect in equipment maintenance of information integration,and puts forward the information integration realization method based on Service Data Objects(SDO),adopts equipment maintenance information integration based on SDO,and raises equipment maintenance efficiency.The practice indicates,by way of leading programming frame of SDO,it can reduce the coupling of data obtain business and data use business in the procedure of data integration.
Dopamine1-receptor blockade inhibits ANP-induced phosphaturia and calciuria in rats

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is known to enhance the excretion of Pi and Ca, solutes reabsorbed primarily by the proximal tubule. Previous studies have shown that proximal tubule Na transport is inhibited by dopamine (DA), and that the natriuretic action of ANP is blunted by DA-receptor blockade. However, alterations in Na reabsorption cannot localize ANP or DA action to a specific nephron site. Therefore, the possibility that DA mediates the apparent proximal tubule effects of ANP was investigated with the use of Pi and Ca as proximal tubule markers. ANP was infused into normal rats in the presence and absence of specific DA-receptor antagonists, and Na, Pi, and Ca excretion rates were determined. ANP enhanced Na, Pi, and Ca excretion at doses that failed to alter glomerular filtration rate and mean arterial pressure (MAP). DA1-receptor blockade significantly blunted the influence of ANP on urinary Na, Pi, and Ca excretion, whereas DA2-receptor blockade was without effect. MAP and inulin and p-aminohippurate (PAH) clearances remained stable during DA-receptor blockade. Because endogenous ANP levels are elevated in rats with remnant kidneys, and because blockade of endogenous ANP reduces Pi and Ca as well as Na excretion in this model, the effect of DA1-receptor blockade on solute excretion was also examined in rats with 5/6 nephrectomy. DA1-receptor blockade significantly reduced absolute and fractional Na, Pi, and Ca excretion in rats with 5/6 nephrectomy, in the absence of measurable changes in MAP, inulin, or PAH clearance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
L-band active-passive microwave remote sensing of ocean surface wind during hurricanes

We investigated the use of L-band active and passive microwave data from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) observatory for remote sensing of ocean surface winds during hurricanes. We analyzed the dependence of SMAP data on ocean surface wind speed and direction, and found excellent consistency with the geophysical model functions developed for the Aquarius L-band radar/radiometer although the spatial resolutions of SMAP and Aquarius are distinctly different. However the higher resolution data from SMAP allowed us to assess the sensitivity of L-band radiometer/radar signals to hurricane force winds. The matchup analysis with the data from typhoon Nangka confirms the feasibility of extrapolating the Aquarius model functions to very high winds. Therefore we applied the Aquarius model function to the retrieval of ocean winds for hurricanes for two options: 1) radiometer-only and 2) radar-only. Comparison of the SMAP winds with the RapidScat and National Center for Environmental Predictions (NCEP) wind was performed. We also compared the maximum wind speed in the SMAP products with the best track analysis and found a good agreement in general.
Does arsenic increase the risk of neural tube defects among a highly exposed population? A new case–control study in Bangladesh

Background Neural tube defects are debilitating birth defects that occur when the developing neural plate fails to close in early gestation. Arsenic induces neural tube defects in animal models, but whether environmental arsenic exposure increases risk of neural tube defects in humans is unknown. Methods We describe a new case–control study in Bangladesh, a country currently experiencing an epidemic of arsenic poisoning through contaminated drinking water. We plan to understand how arsenic influences risk of neural tube defects in humans through mechanisms that include disruption of maternal glucose and folate metabolism, as well as epigenetic effects. We also investigate whether sweat chloride concentration, a potential new biomarker for arsenic toxicity, can be used to identify women at higher risk for having a child affected by neural tube defect. We will collect dural tissue from cases, obtained at the time of surgical closure of the defect, and believe investigation of these samples will provide insight into the epigenetic mechanisms by which prenatal arsenic exposure affects the developing nervous system. Conclusion These studies explore mechanisms by which arsenic may increase risk of neural tube defects in humans and use a unique population with high arsenic exposure to test hypotheses. If successful, these studies may assist countries with high arsenic exposure such as Bangladesh to identify populations at high risk of neural tube defects, as well as direct development of novel screening strategies for maternal risk.Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2016.© 2016 The Authors Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.