cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mathematical modeling of fluidized bed combustion 3. Simultaneous combustion of char and combustible gases

Abstract The difficulties involved in developing system models for fluidized bed combustion which include details of the release of volatiles from coal and the subsequent simultaneous combustion of volatiles and residual char are well recognized. In previous papers, the heterogeneous combustion of char in air–fluidized beds, and the homogeneous combustion of combustible gases injected or pre–mixed with the fluidizing air were considered individually as parts of the more complex problem. The simultaneous combustion of char and propane (premixed with air used to fluidize the bed) is considered in this paper. The hydrodynamic description of the bubbling fluidized bed, as in our previous work, is based on the three–phase model. The non–isothermality of the bed resulting from the gas–phase combustion reactions is taken into account through inclusion of an energy balance for the bubble phase. The effect of the variation in superficial gas velocity — on bubble properties and cross–flow — is included through an overall mass balance. Calculations are compared with experimental data on the combustion of: (a) char; (b) propane; and (c) simultaneous combustion of char and propane. The agreement, in all cases, is very good. Particularly encouraging is the agreement with data on the variation of CO, CO2 and O2 concentrations in the freeboard with time resulting from the batch combustion of char in sand fluidized by air/2.5 vol.% propane. This agreement suggests that the model provides a good representation of the dynamics of the combustion of char as well as combustible gases. The model is then used to investigate the interaction of heterogeneous and homogeneous combustion reactions within the bed.
Fluoroquinolones and resistance in the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infection

Acute uncomplicated cystitis is one of the most common problems for which young women seek medical attention. Most of these infections are caused by Escherichia coli which are susceptible to many oral antimicrobials, although resistance is increasing to some of the commonly used agents, especially trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole (TMP/SMX). In women with risk factors for infection with resistant bacteria, or in the setting of a high prevalence of TMP/SMX resistance, a fluoroquinolone or nitrofurantoin should be considered for empirical treatment. Use of nitrofurantoin does not share cross-resistance with more commonly prescribed antimicrobials and its more widespread use is justified from a public health perspective as a fluoroquinolone-sparing agent. beta-lactams and fosfomycin should be considered second-line agents for empirical treatment of cystitis. For acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis, fluoroquinolones are superior to TMP/SMX for empirical therapy due to the relatively high prevalence of TMP/SMX resistance among uropathogens causing pyelonephritis. TMP/SMX, effective for patients with mild to moderate disease, is an appropriate drug if the uropathogen is known to be susceptible. It is reasonable to use a 7-10 day oral fluoroquinolone regimen for outpatient management of mild to moderate pyelonephritis in the setting of a susceptible causative pathogen and rapid clinical response to therapy. Most women with acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis are now managed safely and effectively as outpatients.
Study of trichloromethyl radical proton abstraction reaction with ab initio and density functional theory methods

Abstract The validity of both ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) methods for evaluating the activation energies of the radical proton abstraction reaction is discussed. The activation energies for trichloromethyl radical hydrogen abstraction from methane, ethane, propane, and 2-methylpropane are computed with two ab initio (HF and MP2), two hybrid (BHandHLYP and Becke3LYP) and one non-local (BLYP) DFT method. All calculations are performed with a 6-31G(d) basis set; the obtained results are compared with experimentally determined activation barriers. The non-local BLYP DFT method is selected as one that will produce reliable activation energies.
Abundance estimation with sightability data: a Bayesian data augmentation approach

Summary Steinhorst & Samuel (Biometrics 1989; 45, 415–425) showed how logistic regression models, fit to detection data collected from radiocollared animals, can be used to estimate and adjust for visibility bias in wildlife population surveys. Population abundance is estimated using a modified Horvitz–Thompson (mHT) estimator in which counts of observed animal groups are divided by their estimated inclusion probabilities (determined by plot-level sampling probabilities and detection probabilities estimated from radiocollared individuals). The sampling distribution of the mHT estimator is typically right-skewed, and statistical inference relies on asymptotic theory that may not be appropriate with small samples. We develop an alternative, Bayesian model-based approach which we apply to data collected from moose (Alces alces) in Minnesota. We model detection probabilities as a function of visual obstruction, informed by data from 124 sightability trials involving radiocollared moose. These sightability data, along with counts of moose from a stratified random sample of aerial plots, are used to estimate moose abundance in 2006 and 2007 and the log rate of change between the 2 years. Unlike traditional design-based estimators, model-based estimators require assumptions regarding stratum-specific distributions of the detection covariates, the number of animal groups per plot and the number of animals per animal group. We demonstrate numerical and graphical methods for assessing the validity of these assumptions and compare two different models for the distribution of the number of animal groups per plot, a beta-binomial model and a logistic-t model. Estimates of the log rate of change (95% CI) between 2006 and 2007 were −0·21 (−0·53, 0·12), −0·24 (−0·64, 0·16), and −0·25 (−0·64, 0·15) for the beta-binomial model, logistic-t model and mHT estimator, respectively. Plots of posterior-predictive distributions and goodness-of-fit measures both suggest the beta-binomial model provides a better fit to the data. The Bayesian framework offers many inferential advantages, including the ability to incorporate prior information and perform exact inference with small samples. More importantly, the model-based approach provides additional flexibility when designing and analysing multi-year surveys (e.g. rotational sampling designs could be used to focus sampling effort in important areas, and random effects could be used to share information across years).
Effect of Fibrin Degradation Products and Thrombin on Fibrinogen Synthesis

Summary. The effect of intravenous administration of homologous fibrin degradation products and thrombin on fibrinogen synthesis was assessed in rabbits. The relative fibrinogen synthesis rate was calculated as a ratio of the amount of radiolabelled lysine incorporated into fibrinogen to the amount incorporated into albumin during the same measurement period. An increase in this ratio above control would indicate a relatively specific stimulation of fibrinogen synthesis as compared with albumin, which is not an acute-phase reactant. Injection of 45 mg of ‘early’or ‘late’fibrin degradation products failed to produce a significant increase in the relative fibrinogen synthesis rate, suggesting that fibrin degradation products play no feedback role in controlling fibrinogen synthesis. Infusion of small amounts of homologous thrombin (15–25 NIH u) was followed by a small but statistically significant elevation of the relative fibrinogen synthesis rate. This was not accompanied by any increase in the levels of fibrinogen degradation products in plasma, or by any decrease in plasma fibrinogen concentration, possibly suggesting that thrombin can stimulate fibrinogen synthesis by a mechanism independent of significant fibrinogenolysis or intravascular coagulation.
The effect of carbon on the peritectic melting of Bi2212 and Bi2212 + Ag

Abstract The effect of C content on the decomposition temperature of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 (Bi2212) with 0 and 10 wt.% added was investigated in atmospheres of 0.01,and 0.21 and 1.00 bar oxygen. The C content of the samples was controlled by a high-temperature heat treatment and subsequent exposure to H2O saturated air. It was found that an increase in C content from 30 ppm to 7000 ppm suppressed the decomposition temperature of Bi2212 by only 3°C independent of Ag content. Furthermore, it was found that the previously observed suppression of the decomposition temperature with the addition of Ag was unaffected by changes in the C concentration from 80 to 1500 ppm.
“Please don’t think of me as a sociologist”: Sophonisba Preston Breckinridge and the early Chicago school

There has been a concerted effort in the last three decades to identify early female sociologists and to add or restore their works to the sociological canon. This effort has generated a substantial body of work, much of which examines the relationship between the women and men of the Chicago School in its early years (1892–1920). Two primary assumptions about this relationship have emerged over the years: (1) the women were frustrated sociologists; frustrated by a lack of acceptance in the discipline and a department run by men; and (2) the women were displaced sociologists, forced out of the discipline by the men into disciplines such as household administration and social work. This paper examines these assumptions through a case study of the life and work of Sophonisba Preston Breckinridge. Breckinridge is among those characterized by the literature as a frustrated and displaced sociologist, but Breckinridge’s own words to a friend, “Please don’t think of me as a sociologist,” suggest that this was not always the case.
Self-Monitoring Effects in a Four-Year-Old Child: An Ecological Behavior Analysis.

Abstract This study, using an ABABA design, investigated the effects of a self-monitoring (SM) procedure on the sustained schoolwork (SS) behavior of a four-year-old child. The results indicated that SM resulted in an increased rate of SS behavior in the absence of a clear functional relation between ecological variables (e.g., teacher attention) and SS behavior. Increased SS was accompanied by an increase in compliance (C) behavior. The observed co-variation between SS and C was discussed in terms of Wahler's (1975) response-class hypothesis.
Mucolipidosis III (Pseudo-Hurler Polydystrophy): Multiple Lysosomal Enzyme Abnormalities in Serum and Cultured Fibroblast Cells

Extract: Four patients with the clinical findings of mucolipidosis III were studied. Cultured skin fibroblast cells from three of these four patients were low in each of the five lysosomal enzyme activities measured. The ranges of the enzyme activities in these three patients were as follows: N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (11–19% of normal), β-galactosidase (26–33% of normal), α-fucosidase (31–55% of normal), α-mannosidase (53–62% of normal), and arylsulfatase A (16–21% of normal). In contrast, marked increases in the same enzyme activities were found in serum samples from the same patients. These include N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (7–16 times normal), β-galactosidase (8–11 times normal), α-fucosidase (5–10 times normal) and arylsulfatase A (14–24 times normal). Similar increases in the enzyme activities were also found in serum of patient 1; however, the changes were less dramatic. An electrophoretic analysis of one of these enzymes (N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase) revealed an abnormal pattern in the cultured fibroblast extracts; however, the presence of a normal pattern in the serum samples suggests that this is not due to an alteration in the primary amino acid sequence. Speculation: The lysosomal enzyme activities in serum and fibroblast extracts from the mucolipidosis III patients reported here are very similar to those found previously in mucolipidosis II (I-cell) patients. This suggests that the nature of the defect may be very similar in these two distinct disorders.
Static characterization of magnetic bubble films

A.C. susceptibility and optical interference are combined to determine the material length, saturation magnetization and thickness of garnet bubble films on GGG substrates. These measurements have been automated to provide precisions of better than 1% and throughputs of more than sixty wafers per hour. Derived values of material length and saturation magnetization agree to better than ±3% with those from visual measurements of stripe width and bubble collapse field for a single film composition. Disagreement between results from two film compositions possibly points up a fundamental difference between the measurement techniques.
The "Vita Apostolica": Diversity or Dissent

The concept vita apostolica embraced three basic principles: imitation of the primitive church, poor, simple, and penitential, with interests and activities restricted to the spiritual domain; a passionate love for souls at home and far afield; and evangelical poverty in common, either predicated on mendicancy or mitigated by the work of one's own hands. It became, during the age of Gregorian reform and after, a compelling program instinct with the fervor, spontaneity, and humanity of the first community at Jerusalem (Acts, iv, 32; cf. Luke, x, 1–12). It postulated reform and criticism in a restless age of expanding economic and geographical horizons, a more rational political system, an increasingly complex social organization, a multiplicity of divergent intellectual currents, and corresponding new spiritual needs. Such a momentous evolution of society, challenging the status quo in all its parts, demanded a reappraisal of the resources and ends of the church, the most powerful and tenacious defender of tradition.
Chemical Vapor Deposition of Copper from (hfac)CuL (L = VTMS and 2-Butyne) in the Presence of Water, Methanol, and Dimethyl Ether

The CVD of Cu using (hfac)Cu(VTMS) (hfac = hexafluoroacetylacetonate, VTMS = vinyltrimethylsilane) and (hfac)Cu(2-butyne) in the presence of water and other reagents has been studied. The overall C...
Caring for the Islamic Patient

ABSTRACT The delivery of culturally sensitive care by perioperative nurses is an essential element of patient advocacy. To provide culturally astute care, nurses must familiarize themselves with the world's religious and ethnic groups. Islam is a worldwide religion and, like all religions, is practiced along a spectrum ranging from very conservative and traditional practices to the more liberal and contemporary ones. A person may accept some, all, or none, of the principles discussed in this manuscript. Additionally, the patient's country of origin plays an integral role in the planning of culturally competent care. AORN J 69 (June 1999) 1187-1196.
607 NUTRIENT CHANGES IN CRITICALLY ILL CHILDREN ON TOTAL PARENTERAL NUTRITION

In the critical care of children it is increasingly necessary to use total parenteral nutrition. Daily intakes of fluids, calories (amino acids, dextrose, fat), minerals and vitamins were prospectively monitored in 17 sick children aged 6 mos. to 14 years during 24 episodes of total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Essential laboratory observations were also prospectively made. Twelve children had one, 3 had two and 2 had three episodes of TPN administrations. Duration of TPN for children weighing less than 10 kg was 13±3 days (mean ±SD) and for those over 10 kg, it was 10±2 days (mean ± SD). To maintain normal serum electrolytes, mean daily intakes for most minerals remained constant throughout TPN administration, except for sodium and chloride where the mean daily requirements decreased from 4.0 and 4.4 meq/kg respectively to 2.6 and 2.8 meq/kg respectively at 10-12 days. Moderate elevations in values of SGOT/SGPT were observed in most patients between 7 and 10 days and LDH and CPK between 17 to 20 days of treatment. Significant biphasic elevations in blood sugar was noted at days 5 to 7 and days 18 to 21, when the mean blood sugar rose from 100 mg/dl to 147 mg/dl and 132 mg/dl respectively. The mean daily requirements for fluids, calories and vitamins did not change significantly once optimal intakes have been achieved. In 3 children, serum levels of magnesium, zinc and copper were carefully monitored and no changes were found.
Does understanding negation entail affirmation?: An examination of negated metaphors

How do people understand negated assertions? Negation may function like affirmation if it focuses on the counterfactual situation, i.e., the situation ruled out by the statement. Alternatively, negation could shift focus from the counterfactual to the factual situation referred to in the statement. We tested these hypotheses in a study employing a lexical decision task. Participants read affirmative and negated assertions such as this lawyer is/is not a shark and then made lexical decisions to terms related either to the affirmative or negative meaning (e.g., vicious; gentle). In early stages of comprehension, both the negated and affirmative assertions facilitated the accessibility of affirmative-related terms. After 1000 ms, the affirmative assertions continued to facilitate affirmative-related terms, but the negated assertions no longer did so. These results suggest that negations are initially represented as affirmation. We discuss implications for current theories of negation.
Influence of Glu-376 Gln mutation on enthalpy and heat capacity changes for the binding of slightly altered ligands to medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase

We showed that the α-CH2 → NH substitution in octanoyl-CoA alters the ground and transition state energies for the binding of the CoA ligands to medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD), and such an effect is caused by a small electrostatic difference between the ligands. To ascertain the extent that the electrostatic contribution of the ligand structure and/or the enzyme site environment modulates the thermodynamics of the enzyme–ligand interaction, we undertook comparative microcalorimetric studies for the binding of 2-azaoctanoyl-CoA (α-CH2 → NH substituted octanoyl-CoA) and octenoyl-CoA to the wild-type and Glu-376 → Gln mutant enzymes. The experimental data revealed that both enthalpy (ΔH°) and heat capacity changes (ΔCp°) for the binding of 2-azaoctanoyl-CoA (ΔH°298 = −21.7 ± 0.8 kcal/mole, ΔCp° = −0.627 ± 0.04 kcal/mole/K) to the wild-type MCAD were more negative than those obtained for the binding of octenoyl-CoA (ΔH°298 = −17.2 ± 1.6 kcal/mole, ΔCp° = −0.526 ± 0.03 kcal/mole/K). Of these, the decrease in the magnitude of ΔCp° for the binding of 2-azaoctanoyl-CoA (vis-a-vis octenoyl-CoA) to the enzyme was unexpected, because the former ligand could be envisaged to be more polar than the latter. To our further surprise, the ligand-dependent discrimination in the above parameters was completely abolished on Glu-376 → Gln mutation of the enzyme. Both ΔH° and ΔCp° values for the binding of 2-azaoctanoyl-CoA (ΔH°298 = −13.3 ± 0.6 kcal/mole, ΔCp° = −0.511 ± 0.03 kcal/mole/K) to the E376Q mutant enzyme were found to be correspondingly identical to those obtained for the binding of octenoyl-CoA (ΔH°298 = −13.2 ± 0.6 kcal/mole, ΔCp° = −0.520 ± 0.02 kcal/mole/K). However, in neither case could the experimentally determined ΔCp° values be predicted on the basis of the changes in the water accessible surface areas of the enzyme and ligand species. Arguments are presented that the origin of the above thermodynamic differences lies in solvent reorganization and water-mediated electrostatic interaction between ligands and enzyme site groups, and such interactions are intrinsic to the molecular basis of the enzyme–ligand complementarity.
The effects of attention on perceptual implicit memory

Reports on the effects of dividing attention at study on subsequent perceptual priming suggest that perceptual priming is generally unaffected by attentional manipulations as long as word identity is processed. We tested this hypothesis in three experiments by using the implicit word fragment completion and word stem completion tasks. Division of attention was instantiated with the Stroop task in order to ensure the processing of word identity even when the participant’s attention was directed to a stimulus attribute other than the word itself. Under these conditions, we found that even though perceptual priming was significant, it was significantlyreduced in magnitude. A stem cued recall test in Experiment 2 confirmed a more deleterious effect of divided attention on explicit memory. Taken together, our findings delineate the relative contributions of perceptual analysis and attentional processes in mediating perceptual priming on two ubiquitously used tasks of word fragment completion and word stem completion.
Brazil at the third United Nations conference on the law of the sea

Abstract As Brazil began to emerge as a major power in the years leading up to theThird United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III), national ocean policy came to have a quite continuous, distinctive impact on global law of the sea negotiations. Brazil's participation at UNCLOS III offers a particularly good vantage point from which to analyze its more prominent international role as an emerging major power, its related growth as a maritime power, and its significant contribution to international organization. UNCLOS III, in turn, affects Brazil. The broad implications of the emerging ocean order for both national and international jurisdiction issues, within which Brazilian ocean policy must operate, are analyzed. Brazil's distinctive position as an emerging power between the industrialized countries and the Third World has conditioned its involvement at UNCLOS III. As a developing state, Brazil has favored revision of the traditional order for the purpose of redressing the balance with ...
Coprophagy by foals: recognition of maternal feces

Abstract Six foals were each observed for 4 h per week during the first 6 weeks of life in an experimental situation in which they had access to feces taken from their mother and from another mare which was not pregnant or lactating. The foals sniffed at the feces equally. Two foals engaged in a total of seven bouts of coprophagy. All bouts of coprophagy involved maternal feces (χ2; P
The gifts and exchange function in ARL libraries: Now and tomorrow

There has been a resurgence of interest in gifts and exchange functions in all types of libraries as part of an overall interest in resource sharing. This study examines the status of gifts and exchange functions in ARL libraries. The mission of gifts and exchange in ARL libraries has remained the same, but the environment in which they are found has changed and staffing levels have declined and even disappeared as gifts and exchange functions have been absorbed by other departments. Gifts and exchange as a way to share resources remains critical. The Internet may provide the means by which libraries can, at least in part, compensate for funding constraints that inhibit the acquisition of needed research material, especially publications from outside the United States.
Tutorial: mobile software agents for dynamic routing

As portable digital devices of all kinds proliferate, wireless networks that allow for flexible, timely and efficient data communication become more and more important. Networks for mobile devices are quite difficult to design for several reasons, chief among them the problem of routing packets across networks characterized by constantly changing topology. In this article we describe ways to address the routing problem using a new technique for 'distributed programming, mobile software agents.
Fast Fourier analysis for abelian group extensions

Let G be a finite group and f any complex-valued function defined on G and @r an irreducible complex matrix representation of G. The Fourier transform of | at @r is defined to be the matrix @S"J"@e"G|(s)@r(s). The Fourier transforms of | at all the irreducible representations of G determine | via the Fourier inversion formula |(s) = (1|G|)@S"@rd"@rtrace(\@^tf(@r)@r(s^-^1)). Direct computation of all Fourier transforms of | involves on the order of G^2 operations as does direct computation of Fourier inversion. Here fast algorithms are obtained for both operations in the case in which G contains some nontrivial normal subgroup K such that GK is abelian. Consequently, fast algorithms for computing convolutions on G in this situation are also determined. Under the simplifying assumption of exponent for matrix multiplication equal to 2 (it is 2.38 as of this writing), it is shown that the number of operations needed to compute all Fourier transforms on G is O((|G||K|)T(K) + |G|log(|G||K|)), where T(K) is the number of operations needed to compute Fourier transforms on K. An analogous result is obtained for Fourier inversion and more careful estimates made for arbitrary exponents of matrix multiplication. In particular, in the case in which G is metabelian (an abelian extension of an abelian subgroup) the assumptions hold and the first large class of noncommutative groups is obtained for which Fourier inversion and the computation of all Fourier transforms may be performed in O(|G|log(|G|)) operations.
Invariant submanifold flows

Given a Lie group acting on a manifold, our aim is to analyze the evolution of differential invariants under invariant submanifold flows. The constructions are based on the equivariant method of moving frames and the induced invariant variational bicomplex. Applications to integrable soliton dynamics, and to the evolution of differential invariant signatures, used in equivalence problems and object recognition and symmetry detection in images, are discussed.
The effect of H2O and D2O on a water-in-oil microemulsion

Abstract We have used small-angle neutron scattering and dynamic light scattering to compare the structure of two equivalent three-component water-in-oil AOT microemulsions, one containing normal water and the other heavy water. We have found that for this surfactant, both the mean radius and the polydispersity of the aqueous droplets in two systems are identical within experimental error. The observed difference in the critical temperatures and the slight shift in the phase boundaries can be reasonably attributed to the difference in van der Waals interaction between the droplets in the two systems.
Are Reductions in Population Sodium Intake Achievable

The vast majority of Americans consume too much sodium, primarily from packaged and restaurant foods. The evidence linking sodium intake with direct health outcomes indicates a positive relationship between higher levels of sodium intake and cardiovascular disease risk, consistent with the relationship between sodium intake and blood pressure. Despite communication and educational efforts focused on lowering sodium intake over the last three decades data suggest average US sodium intake has remained remarkably elevated, leading some to argue that current sodium guidelines are unattainable. The IOM in 2010 recommended gradual reductions in the sodium content of packaged and restaurant foods as a primary strategy to reduce US sodium intake, and research since that time suggests gradual, downward shifts in mean population sodium intake are achievable and can move the population toward current sodium intake guidelines. The current paper reviews recent evidence indicating: (1) significant reductions in mean population sodium intake can be achieved with gradual sodium reduction in the food supply, (2) gradual sodium reduction in certain cases can be achieved without a noticeable change in taste or consumption of specific products, and (3) lowering mean population sodium intake can move us toward meeting the current individual guidelines for sodium intake.
Are Early Summer Wildfires an Opportunity to Revegetate Exotic Annual Grass–Invaded Plant Communities?

Medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae [L.] Nevski) is an exotic annual grass invading western rangelands. Successful revegetation of invaded-plant communities can be prohibitively expensive because it often requires iterative applications of integrated control and revegetation treatments. Prescribed burning has been used to control medusahead and prepare seedbeds for revegetation, but burning has been constrained by liability concerns and has produced widely varying results. Capitalizing on naturally occurring wildfires could reduce revegetation costs and alleviate liability concerns. Thus, our objective was to determine if early summer wildfires and fall drill seeding could be used as a treatment combination to decrease medusahead and increase perennial and native vegetation. Treatments were evaluated pretreatment and for 3 yr postfire at six sites and included 1) an early summer wildfire combined with a seeding treatment (burn and seed) and 2) a nontreated (no burn, no seed) control. Perennial grass density was 4.6- to 10.0-fold greater in the burn-and-seed treatment compared to the control in the first 3 yr posttreatment (P , 0.05). Exotic annual grass density and cover in the third year posttreatment were lower in the burn-and-seed
Losartan reduces sympathetic nerve outflow from the brain of rats with chronic renal failure.

Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity, measured by norepinephrine (NE) turnover rate, was greater in the posterior hypothalamic (PH) nuclei, the paraventricular nuclei (PVN), and the locus coeruleus (LC) of 5/6 nephrectomised (CRF) rats than of control rats. NE secretion from the PH was also greater in CRF than in control rats. These findings demonstrate that SNS activity plays an important role in the genesis of hypertension associated with CRF. The increase in central SNS activity was mitigated by increased local expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-mRNA and nitric oxide (NOx) production. Because angiotensin II may stimulate the central SNS, we tested the hypothesis that losartan, a specific angiotensin II AT1-receptor antagonist, may lower blood pressure (BP), at least in part, by central noradrenergic inhibition. To this end, we studied two groups of CRF rats. One group received losartan (10 mg/kg body weight) in drinking water between the 3rd and 4th week after nephrectomy, the second group received drinking water without losartan. SNS activity was measured by NE secretion from the PH using the microdialysis technique. NOS-mRNA gene expression was also measured by RT-PCR in the PH, PVN, and LC of CRF and control rats. Losartan reduced systolic BP from 184±3.7 to 152±3.1 mmHg and NE secretion from the PH from 340±9.7 to 247±4.8 pg/ml. CRF rats treated with losartan manifested a significant (p<0.01) increase in the expression of nNOS-mRNA in the PH (from 84±1.2 to 99±2.6), the PVN (from 44±1.5 to 63±2.1), and the LC (from 59±6.7 to 76±2.1). CRF rats also manifested a significant increase (p<0.01) in the expression of IL-1β in the PH (from 41.6±2.8 to 54.3±1.4), PVN (from 44±1.9 to 54±1.5), and LC (from 35.5±1.6 to 53.5±1.9). In conclusion, these studies suggest that the antihypertensive action of losartan in CRF rats may be mediated, at least in part, by inhibition of central SNS outflow. The studies also suggest that the inhibitory action of losartan on the SNS may be mediated by activation of IL-1β, which, in turn, stimulates nNOS, an important modulator of central SNS activity.
Protons resolve dual effects of calcium on miniature end-plate potential frequency at frog neuromuscular junctions.

Inhibition of transmitter release by protons (H+) was studied at the frog neuromuscular junction at various extracellular concentrations of calcium ([Ca++]o) and potassium ([K+]o) by recording miniature end-plate potential (MEPP) frequency with the intracellular microelectrode. H+ decreased K+ -stimulated MEPP frequency. A double logarithmic graph of MEPP frequency at 7.5 mM K+ vs. [H+]o yielded a straight line with negative slope. At 10 mM K+, there was a parallel shift to the right of the graph. According to the surface charge model, K+ acts solely to depolarize the prejunctional membrane in accordance with the Nernst equation. By decreasing the prejunctional negative surface charge, H+ decreases K+ -stimulated MEPP frequency by decreasing [Ca++]o at the Ca++ channel. An estimated pKa of 4.20 may represent an acidic site at the Ca++ channel associated with Ca++ influx. As [Ca++]o increased above 1 mM for pH 7.40 and 10 mM K+, MEPP frequency decreased, i.e., the inhibitory component of dual effects of Ca++ occurred. At pH 6.40, the inhibitory component was abolished, unmasking the stimulatory effect of Ca++ on MEPP frequency. Reversal of Ca++ action by H+ could not be explained by surface charge theory alone. A double logarithmic graph of MEPP frequency vs. [K+]o at 8.5-10.5 mM was linear with a slope of 4. There were parallel shifts to the right of this graph for changes in pH from 7.40 to 6.90 and in [Ca++]o from 1 to 2.5 mM. These results are explained on the hypothesis that K+ also acts at an acidic prejunctional site to increase Ca++ -dependent quantal transmitter release. This action of K+ was inhibited by H+ and raised Ca++. Based on kinetic theory, the estimated pKa of the acidic prejunctional K+ site was 6.31. Based on free energy calculations, its cation preference was H+ greater than K+ greater than Ca++.
ANA-negative systemic lupus erythematosus.

Summary A subset of patients who often satisfy the ARA criteria for SLE but whose sera lack antinuclear antibodies when tested against various standard substrates is reviewed. Such a subset of patients forms a distinct clinical and serological group. The majority of these patients present with cutaneous lesions frequently seen in discoid or systemic lupus erythematosus. Involvement of other organ systems is less frequent in this group compared to ANA-positive SLE. The sera of these patients usually contain anti-Re and anti-La antibodies detectable by double immunodiffusion. While most patients deposit immunoglobulins in the lesional skin, direct immunofluorescence of uninvolved skin is positive only in approximately ten per cent of patients. The clinical course is marked by relapses and remissions and is favourable compared to ANA-positive SLE patients. Ten percent of SLE patients who are initially ANA-negative become ANA-positive on follow-up of approximately 4 years. Topical therapy alone may be helpful when only cutaneous manifestations are present. Systemic steroids and antimalarials are the mainstay of therapy in most cases.
Retroperitoneal unicentric Castleman's disease-a hyaline vascular challenge.

Castleman’s disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder. Multiple variants of the disease exist, with differentiation based on tissue pathology and number of masses within the body. We present the medical diagnostic and surgical treatment pathway of a retroperitoneal unicentric hyaline vascular variant complicated by close proximity to major vascular structures.
Outline of the development of the theory of direct nuclear reactions

A brief review is given of the development and current status of the theoretical descriptions of direct nuclear reactions.
Presidential Speeches and the Stages of the Legislative Process

Presidents go public frequently to increase their success in Congress. Yet scholars know little about when presidents speak within the legislative process or why. If presidential speeches are indeed a source of power for presidents, then presidents are likely to use them throughout the legislative process, not speak only to affect final passage. We argue that presidents speak generally to meet broad electoral and political goals, but target speeches according to their goals at each stage of the legislative process: to frame the debate at the agenda-setting stage, to push bills out of committee, and to finalize support from legislators at the roll call stage. We analyze 116 bills between 1989 and 2004, supplemented by Bush Library archival data and a case study of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. The results illustrate that presidents speak mostly at the agenda-setting and roll call stages and presidential attention at each stage varies by informational cues provided by the larger political environment.
Dislocation motion in BCC metals by molecular dynamics

Abstract We performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of edge dislocations in BCC metal Mo with 1/2〈1 1 1〉 Burgers vector gliding on (1 1 0) plane using the Finnis–Sinclair N-body empirical potential and periodic boundary conditions (PBC). The profile of dislocation line, extracted from atomic displacements during MD simulation, suggests a dominant mechanism of double-kink nucleation, without appreciable kink migration. This observation is consistent with further simulations in which dislocations with pre-existing kinks are observed to move at the same velocity as the initially straight dislocations. Our results show a linear stress dependence of the dislocation velocity and a decrease of mobility with increasing temperature, both features interpreted as signifying that the simulations pertain to the viscous phonon drag regime of dislocation mobility.
Towards the identification of molecular constituents associated with the surfaces of isoprene-derived secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles

Abstract. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particle formation ranks among the least understood chemical processes in the atmosphere, rooted in part in the lack of knowledge about chemical composition and structure at the particle surface, and little availability of reference compounds needed for benchmarking and chemical identification in pure and homogenous form. Here, we synthesize and characterize SOA particle constituents consisting of the isoprene oxidation products α-, δ-, and cis- and trans-β-IEPOX (isoprene epoxide), as well as syn- and anti-2-methyltetraol. Paying particular attention to their phase state (condensed vs. vapor), we carry out a surface-specific and orientationally selective chemical analysis by vibrational sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy of these compounds in contact with a fused silica window. Comparison to the vibrational SFG spectra of synthetic isoprene-derived SOA particle material prepared at the Harvard Environmental Chamber yields a plausible match with trans-β-IEPOX, suggesting it is an abundant species on their surfaces, while the other species studied here, if present, appear to be SFG inactive and thus likely to be localized in a centrosymmetric environment, e.g., the particle bulk. No match is found for authentic SOA particle material collected at the site of the Amazonian Aerosol Characterization Experiment (AMAZE-08) with the surface SFG spectra of the compounds surveyed here, yet we cannot rule out this mismatch being attributable to differences in molecular orientation. The implications of our findings for SOA formation are discussed in the context of condensational particle growth and reactivity.
Similar, and similar concepts

This paper analyzes English symmetrical predicates such as collide and match. Its point of departure is an analysis of the concept 'similar' from Tversky (1977) that appears to show that similarity is psychologically asymmetrical. One basis for this claim from Tversky is that the sentences North Korea is similar to Red China and Red China is similar to North Korea are assessed as differing in meaning by experimental subjects; this seems to imply that the symmetrical entailment (R x, y ~ R y, x) fails for this concept. Five experiments are presented that show: (1) the apparent asymmetry of similar is reproduced for 20 predicates that are intuitively thought to be symmetrical, including equal and identical; (2) unique linguisticinterpretative properties hold for these symmetrical words, such as reciprocal interpretation when they appear intransitively, for example, North Korea and Red China are similar; (3) the asymmetrical interpretation of subject-complement constructions containing the symmetrical words is a consequence of general linguistic-interpretive principles. On the basis of the experimental findings, we offer an analysis of symmetrical predication. One major claim of the analysis is that symmetry is a property of lexicai items.and has no special syntax, that is, that John meets is semantically but not syntactically anomalous. A second claim is that the structural positioning of noun phrases in sentences containing symmetricals-rat her than inherent semantic properties of the noun phrases themselves-sets their status as Figure and Ground (as described by Talmy, 1985) or Variant and Referent (as described by Tversky, 1977) in the comparison, even if the nouns are nonsense items. Finally, the behavior of symmetrical predicates is shown to varyas a function of their differing lexical class assignments and collateral semantic designations, such as activity versus state. Most generally, it is claimed that a deeper understanding of symmetrical terms comes from analyzing the semantics of syntactic structures in which they appear.
Linking disease and community ecology through behavioural indicators: immunochallenge of white-footed mice and its ecological impacts.

Summary: 1. Pathogens and immune challenges can induce changes in host phenotype in ways that indirectly impact important community interactions, including those that affect host–pathogen interactions. 2. To explore host behavioural response to immune challenge, we exposed wild white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) to an immunogen from an endemic, zoonotic pathogen, the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. White-footed mice are a major reservoir host of Lyme disease (LD) spirochetes in northeastern USA and an abundant member of forest communities. The activity patterns, foraging behaviour, and space use of white-footed mice have implications for population growth rates of community members upon which mice incidentally prey (i.e. gypsy moths and native thrushes), as well as potentially determining host-vector encounter rates and human risk of LD. 3. Immunochallenge led to specific humoral (antibody) and cellular (i.e. elevated neutrophils and eosinophils) immune responses, supporting use of the immunogen as a surrogate for pathogenic infection. 4. Immunochallenged mice had reduced wheel-running activity early in the night when measured in the lab. However, mouse activity, as measured by track plates in natural field experiments, did not differ between mice exposed to the immunogen and unexposed mice. 5. Foraging behaviour of wild mice in the field – assessed with giving-up densities of seed at artificial feeding stations – was affected by exposure to the immunogen. Whereas immunochallenge did not influence whether foraging mice gained information on patch quality while foraging, it led to reductions in predator avoidance during foraging, suggesting that the proportion of space used by foraging mice may be greater as a result of immunochallenge. This increased space use is predicted to increase encounter rates with patchily distributed LD vectors (ticks) and with incidental prey items. 6. Thus, immunochallenge in white-footed mice, and potentially pathogenic infection, have the potential to indirectly impact community interactions, including those important for pathogen transmission.
Implementation of electronic checklists in an oncology medical record: initial clinical experience.

Electronic checklists can ensure standardization of procedures and provide documentation that pretreatment checks have been performed.
Alpha2-Adrenergic Receptor–Induced Vascular Constriction in Blacks and Whites

Black Americans have a reduced hypotensive response to the alpha2-adrenergic receptor agonist clonidine compared with whites, despite similar central sympathoinhibition. This reduced hypotensive response might be explained by greater postsynaptic vascular alpha2-adrenergic receptor vasoconstrictive response. However, clonidine has a low alpha2/alpha1 selectivity ratio. Therefore, to determine the role of altered alpha2-adrenergic receptor vascular sensitivity in ethnic differences in vascular response, we compared local vascular responses with the highly selective alpha2-adrenergic receptor agonist dexmedetomidine in healthy black (n=18) and white (n=19) subjects. Increasing doses of dexmedetomidine (0.001 to 1000 ng/min) were infused into a dorsal hand vein, and the local response was measured with a linear variable differential transformer. Dexmedetomidine caused pronounced venoconstriction, with an average (+/-SD) maximum response of 74.5+/-17.72% but with no difference between blacks and whites. There was substantial intersubject variability in the sensitivity to dexmedetomidine; the dose resulting in 50% (ED50) of maximum vasoconstriction ranged from 0.08 ng/min to 256 ng/min. The geometric mean ED50 was 2.28 ng/min (95% CI, 0.02 to 271.6 ng/min) in blacks and 1.58 ng/min (95% CI, 0.11 to 24.55 ng/min) in whites (P=0.59). Our data indicate that alpha2-adrenergic receptor-induced venoconstriction is similar in blacks and whites. These findings do not support the hypothesis that altered alpha2-adrenergic receptor sensitivity is the explanation for the decreased blood pressure response to systemic administration of clonidine in blacks. The response to dexmedetomidine provides a model that will allow further study of the regulation of alpha2-adrenergic receptor-mediated vascular responses
Experiences using the NETGEN program

NETGEN, a program for generating network problems has been described in recent issues of the Journal of Management Science and the SIGMAP Newsletter. NETGEN's authors, Messrs. D. Klingman A. Napier and J. Stutz, described NETGEN as a general purpose code for "generating a variety of feasible network problems . . . capacitated and uncapacitated transportation and minimum cost flow network problems". Furthermore, say the authors, "researchers can generate identical networks using this code. . .". While this description would seem to reveal a potentially valuable tool for scientists working in the field of network problems, this researcher has encountered several difficulties in utilizing the NETGEN program.
Sequential Particle Generation for Visual Tracking

A novel probabilistic tracking system is presented, which includes a sequential particle sampler and a fragment-based measurement model. Rather than generating particles independently in a generic particle filter, the correlation between particles is used to improve sampling efficiency, especially when the target moves in an unexpected and abrupt fashion. We propose to update the proposal distribution by dynamically incorporating the most recent measurements and generating particles sequentially, where the contextual confidence of the user on the measurement model is also involved. Besides, the matching template is divided into non-overlapping fragments, and by learning the background information only a subset of the most discriminative target regions are dynamically selected to measure each particle, where the model update is easily embedded to handle fast appearance changes. The two parts are dynamically fused together such that the system is able to capture abrupt motions and produce a better localization of the moving target in an efficient way. With the improved discriminative power, the new algorithm also succeeds in handling partial occlusions and clutter background. Experiments on both synthetic and real-world data verify the effectiveness of the new algorithm and demonstrate its superiority over existing methods.