cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Associations Between Sleep and In-Race Gastrointestinal Symptoms: An Observational Study Of Running And Triathlon Race Competitors

Objective It remains unstudied whether poor sleep is involved in the etiology of gastrointestinal (GI) problems in athletes. Methods Eighty-seven running and triathlon/duathlon race (>60 minutes) participants completed questionnaires to quantify the Sleep Problems Index-(SPI)-I and sleep parameters from the night before races. For GI symptoms, participants reported the severity (0-10 scale) of four upper and three lower symptoms during races. Spearman's correlations examined whether sleep measures were associated with in-race GI symptoms. Partial correlations were calculated to control for age, resting GI symptoms, and anxiety. Results SPI-I scores correlated with in-race upper GI symptoms (rho=0.26, p=0.013). Controlling for anxiety attenuated this association (rho=0.17, p=0.117), while other control variables had little effect. Acute sleep quantity and quality were not associated with GI symptoms. Conclusions Chronic sleep dysfunction is modestly correlated with in-race upper GI symptoms, though future research should clarify whether this is mediated or moderated by factors like anxiety.
Characterization of As-Grown and Regrown GaN-on-GaN Structures for Vertical p-n Power Devices

This work has investigated the effects of etching treatment on as-grown and regrown GaN-on-GaN structures intended for vertical p-n power device applications. Surfaces of thick unintentionally doped (UID) GaN layers, grown homoepitaxially via metal-organic chemical vapor deposition on freestanding GaN bulk substrates, were subjected to RF-plasma dry etching, and additional layers of UID-GaN/p-GaN were then grown. The as-grown and regrown structures were examined in cross section using transmission electron microscopy. Two different types of etching treatment were used, fast-etch-only and multiple etches with decreasing power. Images of the fast-etch-only devices clearly showed the GaN-on-GaN interface at the etched location, and low device breakdown voltages were measured (reverse bias in the range of 45–95V). In comparison, no interfaces were visible in devices after multiple etching steps, and the corresponding device breakdown voltages were markedly higher (reverse bias ~1200–1270V). These results emphasize the importance of optimizing surface etching techniques for avoiding degraded performance in GaN-on-GaN power devices that require GaN regrowth.
Topical Corticosteroids: Choice and Application

Topical corticosteroids are an essential tool for treating inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Topical corticosteroids are classified by strength and the risk of adverse effects such as atrophy, striae, rosacea, telangiectasias, purpura, and other cutaneous and systemic reactions. The risk of adverse effects increases with prolonged use, a large area of application, higher potency, occlusion, and application to areas of thinner skin such as the face and genitals. When prescribing topical corticosteroids for use in children, lower potencies and shorter durations should be used. Topical corticosteroids can work safely and effectively in patients who are pregnant or lactating. They are available in formulations such as ointments, creams, lotions, gels, foams, oils, solutions, and shampoos. The quantity of corticosteroid prescribed depends on the duration of treatment, the frequency of application, the skin location, and the total surface area treated. Correct patient application is critical to successful use. Patients may be taught application using the fingertip unit method. One fingertip unit is the amount of medication dispensed from the tip of the index finger to the crease of the distal interphalangeal joint and covers approximately 2% body surface area on an adult. Topical corticosteroids are applied once or twice per day for up to three weeks for super-high-potency corticosteroids or up to 12 weeks for high- or medium-potency corticosteroids. There is no specified time limit for low-potency topical corticosteroid use.
Understanding the Privacy Implications of Adblock Plus's Acceptable Ads

Targeted advertisement is prevalent on the Web. Many privacy-enhancing tools have been developed to thwart targeted advertisement. Adblock Plus is one such popular tool, used by millions of users on a daily basis, to block unwanted ads and trackers. Adblock Plus uses EasyList and EasyPrivacy, the most prominent and widely used open-source filters, to block unwanted web contents. However, Adblock Plus, by default, also enables an exception list to unblock web requests that comply with specific guidelines defined by the Acceptable Ads Committee. Any publisher can enroll into the Acceptable Ads initiative to request the unblocking of web contents. Adblock Plus in return charges a licensing fee from large entities, who gain a significant amount of ad impressions per month due to participation in the Acceptable Ads initiative. However, the privacy implications of the default inclusion of the exception list has not been well studied, especially as it can unblock not only ads, but also trackers (e.g., unblocking contents otherwise blocked by EasyPrivacy). In this paper, we take a data-driven approach, where we collect historical updates made to Adblock Plus's exception list and real-world web traffic by visiting the top 10k websites listed by Tranco. Using such data we analyze not only how the exception list has evolved over the years in terms of both contents unblocked and partners/entities enrolled into the Acceptable Ads initiative, but also the privacy implications of enabling the exception list by default. We found that Google not only unblocks the most number of unique domains, but is also unblocked by the most number of unique partners. From our traffic analysis, we see that of the 42,210 Google bound web requests, originally blocked by EasyPrivacy, around 80% of such requests are unblocked by the exception list. More worryingly, many of the requests enable 1-by-1 tracking pixel images. We, therefore, question exception rules that negate EasyPrivacy filtering rules by default and advocate for a better vetting process.
Visualization and Analysis of Solar System Small Bodies with NASA's Solar System Treks Project

In its investigations of Vesta and Ceres, NASA’s Dawn mission has returned spectacular data detailing the surfaces of these two prominent small bodies in our Solar System’s asteroid belt. In order to greatly facilitate dissemination, visualization, and analysis of this data, and public understanding of the mission, the Dawn mission has partnered with NASA’s Solar System Treks Project (SSTP). SSTP has recently released an update to the Vesta Trek online portal (https://trek.nasa.gov/vesta/) and has released a new Ceres Trek portal (https://trek.nasa.gov/ceres/). This presentation will showcase the use of the Ceres Trek and Vesta Trek portals and demonstrate how they can be used to visualize and analyze particularly interesting landforms such as the pitted terrain on Vesta and relic cryovolcanoes on Ceres. We will also demonstrate the new VR capability that has been added to the portals, allowing users to generate their own virtual reality flyovers for any user-defined paths along the bodies’ surfaces. In addition to highlighting the portals for Ceres and Vesta, the presentation will preview additional portals being planned/developed for other small bodies. NASA and JAXA have requested the development of a portal for the asteroid Ryugu to facilitate dissemination, visualization, and analysis of data from Japan’s Hayabusa2 mission, and a portal for Mars’ moon Phobos in support of mission planning for Japan’s MMX mission. We are also planning a portal for the asteroid Bennu with data from the OSIRIS-Rex mission. All of these products are efforts in the NASA Solar System Treks Project (SSTP), available at https://trek.nasa.gov. NASA's Solar System Trek online portals provide web-based suites of interactive data visualization and analysis tools to enable mission planners, planetary scientists, students, and the general public to access mapped data products from past and current missions for a growing number of planetary bodies including the Moon, Mars, Vesta, etc. These portals are being used for site selection and analysis by NASA and a number of its international partners, supporting upcoming missions. In addition to demonstrating the capabilities of selected portals in this presentation, we will solicit input from the community for ideas for future enhancements to the portals.
Trends in Dementia Prevalence, Incidence, and Mortality in the United States (2000-2016).

Objectives: The prevalence of dementia has declined in the United States; how this parallels to changes in incidence and mortality, and how improvements in educational attainment may have influence...
A Self-Inflicted Wound? Henry Kissinger and the Ending of the October 1973 Arab-Israeli War

Claims about Soviet policy at the end of the October 1973 Arab-Israeli war played a key role in discrediting detente in the mid- and late 1970s. This analysis considers the part that Henry Kissinge...
Airborne aerosol olfactory deposition contributes to anosmia in COVID-19.

Introduction Olfactory dysfunction (OD) affects a majority of COVID-19 patients, is atypical in duration and recovery, and is associated with focal opacification and inflammation of the olfactory epithelium. Given recent increased emphasis on airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the purpose of the present study was to experimentally characterize aerosol dispersion within olfactory epithelium (OE) and respiratory epithelium (RE) in human subjects, to determine if small (sub 5μm) airborne aerosols selectively deposit in the OE. Methods Healthy adult volunteers inhaled fluorescein-labeled nebulized 0.5–5μm airborne aerosol or atomized larger aerosolized droplets (30–100μm). Particulate deposition in the OE and RE was assessed by blue-light filter modified rigid endoscopic evaluation with subsequent image randomization, processing and quantification by a blinded reviewer. Results 0.5–5μm airborne aerosol deposition, as assessed by fluorescence gray value, was significantly higher in the OE than the RE bilaterally, with minimal to no deposition observed in the RE (maximum fluorescence: OE 19.5(IQR 22.5), RE 1(IQR 3.2), p<0.001; average fluorescence: OE 2.3(IQR 4.5), RE 0.1(IQR 0.2), p<0.01). Conversely, larger 30–100μm aerosolized droplet deposition was significantly greater in the RE than the OE (maximum fluorescence: OE 13(IQR 14.3), RE 38(IQR 45.5), p<0.01; average fluorescence: OE 1.9(IQR 2.1), RE 5.9(IQR 5.9), p<0.01). Conclusions Our data experimentally confirm that despite bypassing the majority of the upper airway, small-sized (0.5–5μm) airborne aerosols differentially deposit in significant concentrations within the olfactory epithelium. This provides a compelling aerodynamic mechanism to explain atypical OD in COVID-19.
How the Criminalization of Copyright Threatens Innovation and the Rule of Law

The trade-off between the harms of copyright infringement and the harms to innovation from overzealous enforcement have been central to the copyright debate for decades. US courts have tried to fashion a body of law that strikes a balance between these dangers. Two related trends in copyright enforcement threaten to upend this balance. First, the federal government has begun to criminally prosecute online intermediaries who allegedly facilitate the infringing activities of users. The threat of civil liability already gives entrepreneurs strong incentives to follow the law, so adding criminal penalties may cause them to become excessively risk-averse, depriving consumers of valuable innovations. Second, using civil forfeiture powers granted by the 2008 PRO-IP Act, the federal government has begun seizing the domain names, servers, and other assets of online intermediaries. This power to seize assets prior to conviction is making a mockery of defendants’ constitutional rights. These two trends threaten both the rule of law and online innovation.
Quantum darwinism in a mixed environment.

Quantum Darwinism recognizes that we---the observers---acquire our information about the ``systems of interest'' indirectly from their imprints on the environment. Here, we show that information about a system can be acquired from a mixed-state, or hazy, environment, but the storage capacity of an environment fragment is suppressed by its initial entropy. In the case of good decoherence, the mutual information between the system and the fragment is given solely by the fragment's entropy increase. For fairly mixed environments, this means a reduction by a factor $1\ensuremath{-}h$, where $h$ is the haziness of the environment, i.e., the initial entropy of an environment qubit. Thus, even such hazy environments eventually reveal the state of the system, although now the intercepted environment fragment must be larger by $\ensuremath{\sim}(1\ensuremath{-}h{)}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ to gain the same information about the system.
Integrating gaming methodology for learning into computer science curriculum: tutorial presentation

Computer science instructors are challenged in developing 21st century students in the experiences needed in a demanding employer economy. For curriculum to be current with employment requirements, instructors have to continue to design if not expand learning to include technical skills in tandem with interpersonal and business skills. Gaming is becoming an approach in integrating business projects in computer science curriculum, so that the learning of students is increased in non-technical and technical skills.
Time and message efficient reliable broadcasts

This paper describes the first Reliable Broadcast algorithms that are simultaneously efficient in both time and messages. These algorithms tolerate crash and omission failures. Each Reliable Broadcast takes O(f) time and O(fn) messages, where f is the number of processes that actually fail during this broadcast and n is the total number of processes. In other words, each additional process that fails during a broadcast can increase the broadcast time by at most a constant, and the number of messages by at most O(n). The algorithm tolerant of crash failures requires f+2 rounds. The one for general-omission failures requires 2f+3 rounds.
Quantum chaos in magnetic phenomena

Two subjects of quantum mechanics are discussed in magnetic systems which exhibit the dynamical chaos in the classical limit: (1) quantum dynamics of pulsed spin systems; (2) quantum mesoscopic billiards in a magnetic field, the shall examine salient aspects of complicated quantum diffusion and those of irregular energy spectra.
Transmural electrical potential difference in the mammalian esophagus in vivo.

Abstract A simple, safe, accurate, and reproducible technique for measuring the transmural electrical potential difference (PD) of the esophagus has been developed. This technique, a modification of those previously used, allows simultaneous correlation of the PD profile with the pressure profile obtained during routine manometry. With this technique, a subcutaneous reference bridge was shown to detect accurately a lumennegative electrical orientation for the esophageal PD in three species: rabbit, opossum, and man. A characteristic and reproducible PD profile was present for each species. In the rabbit the gastric PD was low, −12 mv, relative to the body of the esophagus, −26 to −29 mv. In contrast, both opossum and man had relatively high gastric PD's (−36 to −43 mv) when compared to esophageal PD's (−12 to −25 mv). In the rabbit and opossum, the PD in the lower esophageal sphincter (−5 to −6 mv) was less than both gastric or esophageal PD's, whereas in human beings the lower esophageal sphincter PD (−22 mv) was between gastric and esophageal values. In vitro PD measurements and histological studies of opossum esophagus revealed differences in the epithelium which correlated with the different in vivo PD's.
Hyperspectral target detection using a Bayesian likelihood ratio test

A new approach to multivariate detection has been devised, which replaces the generalized likelihood ratio (GLR) with another, the Bayesian likelihood ratio (BLR). The new test is partly based on selectable prior distributions of the parameters appearing in the GLR. Through these distributions, the method facilitates the incorporation of prior knowledge generated by simple physics and experience in measurement programs. This paper explores these potentialities by applying the new formalism to the problem of matched subspace detection in hyperspectral data sets.
The Paradox of Sovereignty : Contingencies of Meaning in American Indian Treaty Discourse

American Indian treaties and treaty law may seem to fall solely within the purview of legal methodology and critical analysis, yet the 367 American Indian treaties signed with the US federal government beg for the type of dissection and analysis generally associated with cultural and literary critical theory. The tools by which texts are dissected can elucidate the mutable nature of treaty discourse and cut to the core of the hierarchical power structures inherent in relations between the US government and American Indian nations. Treaties are discourses that have had, and continue to have, literal real-world impact.1 Moreover, treaties have created a paradoxical situation for American Indians who push for sovereign political autonomy from the United States: treaties grant and deny sovereignty. In this article, I examine the discourse of American Indian treaties, and subsequent twentieth-century treaty legislation, with a critical eye toward the sociopolitical contingencies, historical and contemporary, that determine how these discourses achieve meaning. Ultimately, I argue that treaties have become “fourth-world” texts that create this paradoxical notion of sovereignty. In understanding the nature of fourth-world texts, current American Indian activists and scholars can effectively influence how treaties create meaning in the twenty-first century. There are two primary texts for this essay. The first is the Treaty of Medicine Creek (1854) signed in western Washington between the US government and nine American Indian nations.2 It is the first of ten so-called Stevens Treaties, named after then governor Isaac I. Stevens, signed between 1854 and 1855 (the
Studies of helicopter pilot performance. I. The analysis of maneuver dimensions.

Measures of helicopter pilot proficiency were obtained on samples of student pilots in two training phases. Measures were based on students' performance on 16 and 12 separate maneuvers in the Primary and Basic training phases respectively. Intercorrelatitons of maneuvers in each phase were subjected to factor analysis. In both phases maneuver performance could be described in terms of six or seven clearly interpretable common factors. The results were discussed in terms of the implications for understanding the structure and measurement of skilled psychomotor performance.
Fragmentation kinetics of a Morse oscillator chain under tension

Abstract The bond dissociation kinetics of tethered atomic (Morse potential) chains under tensile stress is studied. Both RRKM (fully anharmonic, Monte Carlo) and RRK (harmonic appproximation) theory are applied to predict bond dissociation rate constants as a function of energy and tensile force. For chains with N ⩾ 3 atoms a hybrid statistical theory is used involving a harmonic approximation for motion in the transition state for bond dissociation. For chains with N = 2–5 atoms, while the RRK approximation significantly overestimates the dissociation rate constant, the fully anharmonic RRKM rate is quite close to simulation results. For the N = 2 chain, a novel approach to the extraction of decay rate constants based on the classical spectral theorem is implemented. Good agreement between the RRKM and dynamical rate constants is obtained for N = 2 despite the fact that the reactant phase space contains a significant fraction of relatively short-lived trajectories.
Immunology at Duke: 2011.

The rich tradition and long history of immunology at Duke University Medical Center were elegantly described by Drs. Francis Ward and Thomas Tedder in their introductory remarks to the first edition of Immunology at Duke which appeared in this journal 11 years ago [1]. The central figure in this story was the colorful Dr. D. Bernard Amos, who founded and led the Division of Immunology for nearly 30 years until his retirement in 1990. Leadership of the Division briefly passed to Dr. Peter Cresswell; his departure to Yale in 1991 then served as the catalyst for the creation of a separate Department of Immunology. Dr. Jeffrey Dawson served as Interim Chairman of the new department until Dr. Thomas Tedder was recruited as Chair in 1993. Dr. Tedder served admirably in that capacity for 16 years, recruiting almost the entire current faculty and building the Department into what it is today. Dr. Tedder stepped down in 2009, passing the leadership to Dr. Michael Krangel, initially on an interim basis. Dr. Krangel was appointed Chair in 2010. The Department of Immunology developed in important ways over the last decade with the addition of new primary and secondary faculty members and a major expansion of the graduate program. Today the Department serves as the focal point for research and education in immunology at Duke. The departmental structure provides a tremendous advantage in that immunology has a physical home that facilitates cohesiveness and interactions among faculty, students, postdoctoral fellows, and staff. The Department consists of 15 primary faculty and 30 secondary faculty, with secondary faculty members drawn from a range of departments: Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Dermatology, Medicine, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Opthalmology, Pathology, Pediatrics, Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, and Surgery. The breadth of secondary appointments speaks to the interdisciplinary nature of the immunology community at Duke. This is of course a major strength of the program; collaborative interactions between basic and clinical scientists enrich both the research and educational activities of the Department. The articles in this volume provide a sampling of the research activities of basic and clinical immunologists at Duke. Contributions on the basic research side address the regulation and function of the activation-induced cytidine deaminase in B lymphocytes
Visible to near-infrared down-conversion luminescence in Tb3 + and Yb3 + co-doped lithium–lanthanum–aluminosilicate oxyfluoride glass and glass-ceramics

Abstract Tb 3 + and Yb 3 + co-doped oxyfluoride glasses were fabricated in a lithium–lanthanum–aluminosilicate matrix (LLAS) by a melt-quench technique. Glass-ceramics were obtained by appropriate heat treatment of the as-prepared glasses. Visible to near-infrared down-conversion luminescence was studied for glass and glass-ceramic samples with different Yb 3 + concentrations. It has been found that the luminescence intensity at 940–1020 nm from Yb 3 + ions increases while the emission lifetime of Tb 3 + ions decreases in the glass-ceramic compared to that in the as-prepared glass, which indicates that the energy transfer efficiency increases in the glass-ceramics compared to that in the as-prepared glass. The down-conversion luminescence also increased for increasing Yb 3 + concentration from 1 mol% to 2 mol%, but decreased for the sample with a high Yb 3 + co-doping concentration of 8 mol%, which is attributed to the concentration quenching.
A model of reduced kinetics for alkane oxidation using constituents and species: Proof of concept for n-heptane

A methodology for deriving a reduced kinetic mechanism for alkane oxidation is described and applied to n-heptane. The model is based on partitioning the species of the skeletal kinetic mechanism into lights, defined as those having a carbon number smaller than 3, and heavies, which are the complement in the species ensemble. For modeling purposes, the heavy species are mathematically decomposed into constituents, which are similar but not identical to groups in the group additivity theory. From analysis of the LLNL skeletal mechanism in conjunction with CHEMKIN II, it is shown that a similarity variable can be formed such that the appropriately scaled global constituent molar density exhibits a self-similar behavior over a very wide range of equivalence ratios, initial pressures and initial temperatures that is of interest for predicting n-heptane oxidation. Furthermore, the oxygen and water molar densities are shown to display a quasi-linear behavior with respect to the similarity variable. The light species ensemble is partitioned into quasi-steady and unsteady species. The concept is tested by using tabular information from the LLNL skeletal mechanism in conjunction with CHEMKIN II. The test reveals that the similarity concept is indeed justified and that the combustion temperature is well predicted, but that the ignition time is overpredicted. To palliate this deficiency, functional modeling is incorporated into our conceptual reduction. Due to the reduction process, models are also included for the global constituent molar density, the kinetics-induced enthalpy evolution of the heavy species, the contribution to the reaction rate of the unsteady lights from the heavies, the molar density evolution of oxygen and water, the mole fractions of the quasi-steady light species and the mean molar heat capacity of the heavy species. The model is compact in that there are only nine species-related progress variables. Results are presented comparing the performance of the model for predicting the temperature and species evolution with that of the skeletal mechanism. The model reproduces the ignition time over a wide range of equivalence ratios, initial pressure and initial temperature.
Population Dynamics of the Pickleworm and the Melonworm (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Florida

Larvae and adults of the pickleworm, Diaphania nitidalis Stoll, and of the melonworm, Diaphania hyalinata L., were sampled in southern and central Florida during 1983 and 1984. Pickleworm (PW) larvae on cultivated hosts were found during the winter in south Florida (0.68–1 larva per m2), and appeared during the spring in central Florida. Major cultivated hosts for the pickleworm in the overwintering sites were squash and zucchini ( Cucurbita pepo L.), whereas the major host for the melonworm (MW) was the Cuban pumpkin, Cucurbita moschata Duchesne. Native hosts of the PW and MW, i.e., Melothria pendula and Momordica charantia , supported PW and MW larvae during the fall in central and south Florida and during the winter in southern Florida. Adult PW were trapped during the winter only in the Florida Keys and in south Florida.
A language-learning heuristic program☆☆☆

Abstract An information-processing approach to language learning resulted in a computer program called Zbie, which accepts tree structured descriptions of simple situations, and improves its capacity to express these situations in the natural language that it learns. As it learns, the program builds on the tree structures classes of situations, called patterns, that have similar expressions in the language. Translation rules for the patterns and an in-context vocabulary permit Zbie to express a situation in the natural language. Learning is guided by a least-effort expectation heuristic. The program utilizes standard information-processing techniques and such simple data structures as sets, ordered lists and trees. In spite of its modest capabilities, Zbie is sensitive to the problem of context and deals with recursion in a natural fashion. The program, although limited, supports the hypothesis that language-learning need not require postulated separate language-acquisition devices.
A lead-glass gamma-ray detector for relativistic heavy-ion collisions☆

Abstract We have developed a detector for high energy (≈ 20−400 MeV) gamma-rays resulting from relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The system consists of an array of lead-glass blocks, along with an arrangement of plastic scintillators and a plastic Cherenkov detector. By using RCAs “teacup dynode” phototubes, we have achieved an energy resolution significantly superior to any previously reported: the fwhm of the measured energy distribution for electrons entering the array is ∼5.7% E ( GeV ) . The problem of neutron background required especially careful consideration in the design, and we describe measurement techniques for insuring a clean photon signal. We have calibrated the system at the LLNL electron linac, and we mention a simple and convenient method of obtaining a tagged photon beam.
Dynamic viscoelastic behavior of wheat gluten : the effects of hydrogen bonding modification by urea and deuterium oxide

Freeze-dried wheat gluten was reconstituted with water, deuterium oxide, and 1M, 3M, and 5M aqueous solutions of urea. Differential scanning calorimetry and photoacoustic ultraviolet spectroscopy studies were conducted to obtain an independent assessment of the effects of these reagents. The storage and loss moduli of gluten reconstituted with water and deuterium oxide at the same frequency were higher for deuterated gluten. It was concluded that deuterium oxide does not cause conformational changes in gluten and that its main effect is a moderate increase in the strength of hydrogen bonding. For gluten reconstituted with urea, increasing urea concentration resulted in reduced frequency dependence of the storage modulus and a large decrease in the magnitude of the loss modulus, especially at the low frequencies. The increase in elasticity caused by urea was interpreted in terms of unfolding of the proteins upon disruption of hydrogen bonding. The interpretation of the rheological changes caused by urea and deuterium oxide is consistent with the results obtained by calorimetry and ultraviolet spectroscopy.
Pexing and presuturing for closure of traumatic soft tissue injuries

The technical values of pexing and presuturing have been confirmed for tumor surgery. Extrapolation of these techniques to the trauma patient has proven worthwhile. This article reviews these methods and presents cases as examples.
Bacterial lipase and high-fat diets in canine exocrine pancreatic insufficiency : A new therapy of steatorrhea?

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS: Nutrients and properties of lipases affect survival of lipolytic activity during aboral gastrointestinal transit. Whether different doses and formulations of bacterial lipase and diets affect steatorrhea was tested in pancreatic-insufficient dogs. METHODS: A dose of 0-600,000 IU of powdered and 135,000 and 300,000 IU of liquid bacterial lipase was given with a standard meal to 5 dogs with ligated pancreatic ducts. In 4 dogs, 0 or 300,000 IU (normal 6-hour postprandial amount) of powder bacterial lipase was also given with five meals containing 850 kcal with different nutrient caloric densities (mixture design). Coefficients of fat absorption during 72- hour fecal balance studies were used to assess treatments. RESULTS: With the standard meal, powder bacterial lipase reduced steatorrhea in a dose-dependent manner (P = 0.03), and 135,000 and 300,000 IU of the liquid form decreased steatorrhea more than powder bacterial lipase (P = 0.017 and 0.057, respectively). Coefficients of fat absorption with 300,000 IU of powder bacterial lipase correlated (r2 = 0.79; P
Assessing Organic Matter and Organic Carbon Contents in Soils of Created Mitigation Wetlands in Virginia

Several soil properties were studied from three young created mitigation wetlands (<10 years old), which were hydrologically compa- rable in the Piedmont region of Virginia. The properties included soil organic matter (SOM), soil organic carbon (SOC), pH, gravimetric soil moisture, and bulk density (Db). No significant differences were found in the soil properties between the wetlands, except SOM and SOC. SOM and SOC indicated a slight increase with wetland age; the increase was more evident with SOC. Only about a half of SOC vari- ability found in the wetlands was explained by SOM (R 2 = 0.499, p < 0.05). The majority of the ratios of SOM to SOC for these silt-loam soils ranged from 2.0 to 3.5, which was higher than the 1.724 Van Bemmelen factor, commonly applied for the conversion of SOM into SOC in estimating the carbon storage or accumulation capacity of wetlands. The results may caution the use of the conversion factor, which may lead to an overestimation of carbon sequestration potentials of newly created wetlands. SOC, but not SOM, was also cor- related to Db, which indicates soil compaction typical of most created wetlands that might limit vegetation growth and biomass produc- tion, eventually affecting carbon accumulation in the created wetlands.
Structural Analysis and Thermal Behavior of Pore Networks in High-Surface-Area Metal−Organic Framework

Metal−organic framework-5 (MOF-5) with high surface area was synthesized in this study. The complete picture of pore structure in the crystal from the locally perfect micropore channels to the global mesopore network distributed along the constituent micrograins was revealed by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The in situ SAXS measurement was conducted to investigate the concurrent evolution of mesopore structure and micrograin boundary during heating and thermal activation at 200 °C. During the pore evacuation and formation of micrograin boundary, the flexible mesopores shrink, swell, and realign, while the micropores remain stably rigid. The result shows the role of the tunable mesopore network in the MOF-5 crystal governing the migration of gas molecules. This new finding will be useful for guiding the rational crystal design and the synthetic modification for improving the crystal quality in potential applications.
Preliminary evaluation of a video-based intervention for older adult victims of violence

The present study evaluated a brief, video-based intervention for older adults designed to: provide psychological education regarding common reactions to crime; offer information about healthy coping strategies to manage crime-related symptomatology; and increase awareness of effective safety planning strategies. Following reporting to police, 116 older adult crime victims were randomly assigned to receive either standard advocate-based services plus the video-based intervention or standard advocate services alone. Results indicated that older adult victims assigned to the video condition and assessed later that day exhibited greater awareness of crime-related symptoms, healthy coping strategies, and safety planning strategies than did the older adult victims assigned to standard practice of care. However, despite knowledge gains, and in contrast to our predictions, no differences on measures of anxiety or depression were evident between the treatment conditions at 6-week follow up.
Random errors in MOS capacitors

The effects of random edge variations and deviations of oxide thickness and permittivity are examined. Making only a few basic assumptions, it is shown that edge effects introduce a relative capacitance error /spl Delta/C/C/spl alpha/C/SUP -3/4/, while the oxide variations cause /spl Delta/C/C/spl alpha/C/SUP -1/2/. Error bounds are derived for C in terms of the variances of the linear dimensions and oxide permittivity. For a capacitor C realized as a parallel connection of n unit capacitors of values C/n, the relative error caused by edge effects is n/SUP 1/4/ times larger than for a single capacitor of value C. The relative error due to oxide variations remains the same for the two realizations. All theoretical results agree with physical consideration, as well as the Monte Carlo simulations performed.
Intraoperative Coronary Collateral Function in Patients With Coronary Occlusive Disease Nitroglycerin Responsiveness and Angiographic Correlations

To elucidate the direct influence of nitroglycerin on coronary collateral function in patients and to clarify the relation between angiographic appearance and functional performance of coronary col...
Differential effect of glutamate transporter inhibition on EPSCs in the morphine naïve and morphine tolerant neonatal spinal cord slice

Opioid analgesic tolerance is a phenomenon defined as a need for increasingly higher doses of opiates to maintain suitable pain relief following repeated drug exposure. Research suggests that analgesic tolerance may result from heightened NMDA receptor (NMDAR) activity, but little is known regarding the mechanisms by which this elevated NMDAR activity develops. Recent evidence suggests that glutamate transporter down-regulation follows repeated opiate exposure and contributes to heightened pain sensitivity. Though glutamate transporter inhibition has been shown to increase activity of spinal cord neurons, it is unknown whether this increase contributes to the heightened NMDAR activity that underlies opiate tolerance. We directly tested this hypothesis by comparing the effects of glutamate transporter inhibition on excitatory post-synaptic currents (EPSCs) in the spinal cord dorsal horn of opiate naive and opiate tolerant rats. We show that non-selective glutamate transporter inhibition increases the rate of spontaneous excitatory post-synaptic currents (sEPSCs) in the opiate naive, but not opiate tolerant slice. This potentiation occurs in the presence of the sodium channel blocker tetrodotoxin (TTX) and is blocked by the NMDAR antagonist D-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV). The sEPSC rate is elevated at baseline in the opiate tolerant spinal cord slice compared to the opiate naive slice, and glutamate transporter inhibition eliminates this difference. Taken together, we conclude that glutamate transporter inhibition directly contributes to heightened NMDAR activity. Furthermore, we propose that the increased neural activity observed in the opiate tolerant slice is due to a state of glutamate transporter down-regulation and resultant heightened NMDAR activity.
Who Are We?: Samuel Huntington and the Problem of American Identity

Abstract Responding to Samuel Huntington's argument in Who Are We? The Challenges to America's National Identity, this article explores the problematic character of American national identity. While Huntington presents himself as trying to conserve a traditional American identity based on both political creed and Anglo-Protestant culture, I contend that America's founding political theory and its philosophic sources are ambiguous on the question of culture and national identity. The Declaration of Independence and the social contract theories that helped inform it seem to invite a kind of cosmopolitan commitment to a creedal identity while at the same time leaving open the possibility of a more exclusive cultural identity. In the end, this ambiguity works to undermine a public sense that the political order should try to conserve a particular culture, a tendency that is furthered by a democratic regime's natural inclinations toward universalism and egalitarianism. It seems, then, that the problem of the p...
Optical properties of charge-density-wave ground states for inversion layers in many-valley semiconductors

A charge-density-wave ground state satisfactorily accounts for the experimentally observed occupied valley degeneracy, high cyclotron mass and stress-dependent anisotropic conductivity in inversion layers at the Si(111) -SiO/sub 2/ interface. We make specific predictions about anisotropic optical transitions, the observation of which would distinguish the density-wave model from any alternative explanations of the experimental data.
Language Development in Normal and Language Handicapped Spanish-Speaking Children

The objective of this study was to compare and contrast language development in normal and language handicapped school-aged children who speak Spanish as a first language and who have been classified as being of limited English speaking ability The focus of this report will be on the differences and similarities found in the children's first language, Spanish. This investigation was conducted in three phases. First a battery of instruments, including measures of syntax and articulation, was administered to a group of 50 monolingual Spanish speakers aged 3 to 8 in Oaxaca, Mexico, to establish base-line data for the handicapped study In the second phase, a group of 22 language-delayed Spanish speakers was identified in the United States and administered the same instruments and procedures. In the third phase, comparisons were made to a control group of normal children in the United States, comparable in terms of age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, exposure to English, and language history All instrum...
Anomalous infrared spectra of codeine free base in potassium bromide pellet

Abstract When codeine free base is incorporated into a potassium bromide pellet, its infrared spectrum can show anomalous phenomena between approximately 1100 cm −1 and 750 cm −1 . Investigation of the problem indicated that the anomalies are related to rapid formation of the codeine free base monohydrate during sample preparation.
Sweating the details: an interview with Jamie Thomson.

If you had to name the most controversial scientific achievement of the past decade, you'd be hard pressed to top the development of human embryonic stem [ES] cells. Human ES cells followed on the heels of another major technological advance—Dolly, the cloned ewe. Together, these remarkable breakthroughs have stimulated great public interest and have ushered in a new era in the exploration of human biology. At the center of the ES maelstrom is a soft-spoken and intensely private scientist from the Genome Center at the University of Wisconsin. Jamie Thomson (Image 1), who is also Director of Regenerative Biology at the new Morgridge Institute for Research and the founder of two companies, is purposeful, with an obvious knack for a difficult experiment, yet seems a bit uncomfortable in the limelight his work has generated.
Non-Cholinergic Acute Sympathetic Stress Enhances Electrical Coupling in the Mouse Adrenal Medulla

Sympathetic nervous system activity elicits catecholamine release from adrenal medullary chromaffin cells through cholinergic synaptic input from the innervating splanchnic nerve. Under basal sympathetic tone, the cholinergic system tightly regulates catecholamine release by requiring discrete acetylcholine-triggered action potentials for chromaffin cell catecholamine release. On the tissue-level, the cholinergic system exerts tonic inhibition of cell-cell electrical coupling. Under sustained splanchnic firing, as under the sympatho-adrenal stress response, chromaffin cells undergo desensitization to further cholinergic excitation. Yet, robust adrenal catecholamine secretion persists. This has been shown to be in response to a non-cholinergic peptidergic transmitter, PACAP. Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Peptide (PACAP) is an excitatory peptide transmitter released by the splanchnic nerve specifically under elevated firing. PACAP stimulates sustained catecholamine release through a PKA/PKC-dependent pathway that is mechanistically independent of the cholinergic pathway. In this study, we test the hypothesis that PACAP excitation is at least in part augmented by counteracting the cholinergic-suppression of gap junction coupling and functionally increasing cell-cell electrical coupling. We utilize perforated patch electrophysiological recordings conducted in adrenal tissue slices to investigate this hypothesis. We report that PACAP, via PKA/PKC signaling, increases degree of electrical coupling in mouse adrenal chromaffin cells by >40%. Thus, PACAP acts not only as a secretagogue, but it is also capable remodeling the adrenal medulla, presumably to adapt to the organism's needs during acute sympathetic stress.
Using Radio Connectivity to Define Transmission Schedules in Multihop Wireless Networks

Spatial Classification Multiple Access (SCMA) is introduced as an example of using the radio connectivity among nodes for the dynamic establishment of distributed transmission schedules in wireless multi hop wireless networks. The shared channel is organized into transmission frames whose length in number of time slots is defined solely by the need to avoid hidden-terminal interference, rather than some arbitrary number of time slots related to network size. SCMA is shown to attain feasible transmission schedules within a finite time, and is compared with representative examples of traditional approaches to medium access control (MAC) based on contention, transmission scheduling, and reservations. The results of the analysis show that SCMA attains higher packet delivery ratio, lower average end-to-end delays, and better useful throughput than traditional MAC protocols.
Mitigation of Buried Pipeline Voltages due to 60 Hz AC Inductive Coupling Part I-Design of Joint Rights-of-Way

Useful mitigation techniques are presented for the reduction of voltages induced on gas transmission pipelines by 60 Hz ac power transmission lines sharing a joint right-of-way. Part I describes how a joint pipeline/power line corridor can be designed to minimize inductive coupling. This allows installation of the utilities with significantly reduced requirements for pipeline voltage mitigation using grounding techniques.
Invertibility of quantum-mechanical control systems

This is the first of two papers concerned with the formulation of a continuous-time quantum-mechanical filter. Efforts focus on a quantum system with Hamiltonian of the formH0+u(t)H1, whereH0 is the Hamiltonian of the undisturbed system,H1 is a system observable which couples to an external classical field, andu(t) represents the time-varying signal impressed by this field. An important problem is to determine when and how the signalu(t) can be extracted from the time-development of the measured value of a suitable system observableC (invertibility problem). There exist certain quasiclassical observables such that the expected value and the measured value can be made to coincide. These are called quantum nondemolition observables. The invertibility problem is posed and solved for such observables. Since the physical quantum-mechanical system must be modelled as aninfinite-dimensional bilinear system, the domain issue for the operatorsH0,H1, andC becomes nontrivial. This technical matter is dealt with by invoking the concept of an analytic domain. An additional complication is that the output observableC is in general time-dependent.
SEMANTICS-BASED DESIGN KNOWLEDGE ANNOTATION AND RETRIEVAL

Nowadays computer aided tools have enabled the creation of the electronic design documents on an unprecedented scale, while determining and finding what can be reused is like searching a “needle in a haystack.” One of the primary reasons for this is that the design knowledge behind the physical design is not properly represented and indexed. With the large amount of designs available, design engineers need to retrieve suitable ones, so that a knowledge-based unified reuse environment can be realized. In this paper, we describe our approach to intelligently annotating and retrieving designs by using ontology engineering and natural language processing. We use the design documents from an engineering design class as the first case study.Copyright © 2005 by ASME