cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychotherapy credibility ratings: Patient predictors of credibility and the relation of credibility to therapy outcome

AbstractObjective: The current investigation examined the relation between credibility ratings for adult psychotherapies and a variety of patient factors as well as the relation between credibility ratings and subsequent symptom change. Method: A pooled study database that included studies evaluating the efficacy of cognitive and psychodynamic therapies for a variety of disorders was used. For all studies, a three-item credibility scale was administered at session 2. Patient variables at baseline were used to predict early treatment credibility. Results: Early symptom improvement, age, education, and expectation of improvement were all significantly predictive of credibility scores at session 2. In one combined multiple regression model controlling for treatment, study, and early symptom change, age, education, and expectation of improvement remained significantly predictive of credibility scores. Credibility was predictive of subsequent symptom change even when controlling for age, education, expectation...
Up from depression: strategies used by women recovering from depression

Depression has reached epidemic proportions among women. It is estimated that one out of every three women between 18 and 24 years is significantly depressed. The purpose of this paper is to describe treatment strategies, interventions, and skills used by women to recover from depression. Three distinct categories of effective strategies that enhanced recovery are described. These include cognitive strategies, active behavioral strategies, and information seeking. In order to deliver quality psychiatric nursing care, nurses must have knowledge of the strategies used by women who are recovering from depression.
Direct modulation bandwidth enhancement of strongly injection-locked SG-DBR laser

Significant enhancement in the direct amplitude modulation bandwidth of an SG-DBR laser has been demonstrated under strong injection-locking conditions, where the wavelength detuning between the master and the free-running SG-DBR slave laser is varied from -8.58 to 13.6 nm. It is demonstrated that the relaxation resonance frequency of a strongly injection-locked SG-DBR laser increases from 1.05 GHz for the free-running case to over 20 GHz.
Fighting back in bright leaf: Community policing and drug trafficking in public housing

Drug trafficking and related disorders are common in public housing properties. This research draws from a sitespecific, multidimensional study of an urban public housing authority plagued with drug distribution and related crime. Focus group interviews and face-to-face surveys yield a vivid description of the residents’ perceptions of crime, disorder, and the impact on their lives. An analysis of the community-policing response reveals implementation problems which call into question some of the underlying assumptions community-policing advocates often take for granted.
Static and dynamic compressive strains influence nitric oxide production and chondrocyte bioactivity when encapsulated in PEG hydrogels of different crosslinking densities.

Summary Objective Mechanical loading is an important regulator of chondrocytes; however, many of the mechanisms involved in chondrocyte mechanotransduction still remain unclear. Here, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels are proposed as a model system to elucidate chondrocyte response due to cell deformation, which is controlled by gel crosslinking ( ρ x ). Methods Bovine articular chondrocytes (50×10 6 cells/mL) were encapsulated in gels with three ρ x s and subjected to static (15% strain) or dynamic (0.3Hz or 1Hz, 15% amplitude strain) loading for 48h. Cell deformation was examined by confocal microscopy. Cell response was assessed by total nitric oxide (NO) production, proteoglycan (PG) synthesis ( 35 SO 4 2− -incorporation) and cell proliferation (CP) ([ 3 H]-thymidine incorporation). Oxygen consumption was assessed using an oxygen biosensor. Results An increase in ρ x led to lower water contents, higher compressive moduli, and higher cell deformations. Chondrocyte response was dependent on both loading regime and ρ x . For example, under a static strain, NO was not affected, while CP and PG synthesis were inhibited in low ρ x and stimulated in high ρ x . Dynamic loading resulted in either no effect or an inhibitory effect on NO, CP, and PG synthesis. Overall, our results showed correlations between NO and CP and/or PG synthesis under static and dynamic (0.3Hz) loading. This finding was attributed to the hypoxic environment that resulted from the high cell-seeding density. Conclusion This study demonstrates gel ρ x and loading condition influence NO, CP, and PG synthesis. Under a hypoxic environment and certain loading conditions, NO appears to have a positive effect on chondrocyte bioactivity.
The relative effects of radiation crosslinking and type of counterface on the wear resistance of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene

The lifetime of total joint replacement prostheses utilizing ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) components has historically been determined by their wear resistance. It has been discovered that radiation crosslinking of UHMWPE can substantially increase its wear resistance. However, it is also well recognized that there is a radiation-dose-dependent decrease in several important mechanical properties of UHMWPE, such as fracture toughness and resistance to fatigue crack propagation. In this study, the effect of radiation crosslinking (followed by remelting) on the morphology, tensile properties and wear resistance of UHMWPE was investigated. Wear tests were conducted against both the commonly used cobalt-chromium counterface polished to implant grade smoothness as well as a smoother ceramic (alumina) counterface. The results showed that 50kGy dose radiation crosslinking increased the wear resistance of UHMWPE against the cobalt-chromium counterface 7-fold, but the coupling of remelted, crosslinked UHMWPE against the smoother alumina counterface led to a 20-fold increase in wear resistance. This study shows that the use of an alumina counterface would circumvent the need to use a high radiation dose in crosslinking UHMWPE, associated with poor mechanical properties, without compromising wear resistance.
Diuretics as Monotherapy or as Part of Combination Therapy for Hypertension: An Update

At a meeting of The American Society of Hypertension in May 2008, a panel was convened to discuss the use of diuretics. Are they still preferred initial therapy, are they still the preferred agent to add in combination therapy, and is there a difference between or among the diuretics that have been used in the clinical trials? The session was moderated by Marvin Moser, MD, of the Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. Participants included Domenic Sica, MD, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA; William Cushman, MD, University of Tennessee, Memphis, TN; and Ken Jamerson, MD, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
Edge states and quantized Hall conductivity in a periodic potential

The electronic structure of an infinitely long two-dimensional strip of finite width in a weak periodic potential and a strong magnetic field has been calculated. In an infinitely wide strip there are gaps within each Landau level, with the number of gaps depending on the product of the area of the unit cell and the magnetic field. For finite-width strips, edge states appear in these intra-Landau-level gaps. A relationship between the Hall conductivity when the Fermi level lies in one of these gaps and the number and dispersion of the edge states is established. Results for the electronic structure are presented for several cases and are shown to imply values for the Hall conductivity in agreement with those expected on the basis of Kubo-formula expressions for an infinite system.
Blocking helix formation without blocking organellar localization in Plasmodium falciparum

Transit peptide (TP) recognition in mitochondria and chloroplast localization is well described and requires a receptor to recognize the TP bound as an amphipathic alpha helix. This functional interaction leads to organellar import of the payload protein. Plasmodium falciparum (Pf), the causative agent of malaria, contains an organelle called the apicoplast. The apicoplast is evolutionarily related to the chloroplast, is essential to the metabolism of Pf, and contains numerous putative drug targets. As in chloroplasts, nuclear-encoded apicoplast proteins must be post-translationally targeted to the apicoplast. In contrast to chloroplast localization, molecular details of TP recognition in Pf are currently unknown. To assess if apicoplast TPs must form helical intermediates for proper organellar localization, we have examined the TP of Pf acyl carrier protein by circular dichroism (CD), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and epifluorescent microscopy of mutant TP-GFP fusions. CD and NMR of acyl carrier protein with its TP in solution are consistent with the presence of a small population of helix in the TP. However, structure-disrupting proline mutations are correctly targeted to the apicoplast when observed in vivo. This observation contradicts the theory that apicoplast TP recognition occurs via a mechanism similar to chloroplast TPs, and instead suggests that the dominant population of disordered TP may be the active form and that Pf has evolved a distinct solution to the problem of organellar targeting.
Effect of Calcification on Cuticle Density in Decapods: A Key to Lifestyle

Abstract Measurement of density and thickness of cuticle of an array of decapod crustaceans indicates that cuticle tends to be thick and dense in benthic organisms and thinner and less dense in nektobenthic decapods. Thin section analysis of the cuticle under crossed polarized light documents a broad range of area of biomineralization. Cuticle density is strongly correlated with area of calcification. One of the nektobenthic decapods in the study exhibited no calcification of the cuticle at all, and thus exhibited the lowest density. These data support the hypothesis that density and thickness of cuticle contribute to adaptation to benthic and nektobenthic lifestyles.
Perceived barriers to career advancement and organizational commitment in sales

Abstract This paper identifies three potential barriers to career advancement in sales: being excluded from informal networks, a lack of cultural fit, and a lack of mentoring. Using a sample of 241 account executives and managers from an organization in the television broadcasting industry, study results suggest that perceived barriers to career advancement (PBCA) have a significant negative impact on the organizational commitment (OC) of these sales employees. Effects are estimated with path analysis, and the effects of common method bias and job satisfaction are considered. Demographic variables (age, gender, company tenure, job level) are also hypothesized to moderate the relationship between PBCA and OC. The negative influence of PBCA on OC is found to become stronger as company tenure increases. Data also suggest that the negative relationship between PBCA and OC is more powerful among account executives than sales managers/directors. Managerial and research implications are discussed.
Sedimentation processes and acoustic stratigraphy in the Bellingshausen Basin

Abstract DSDP Leg 35 drilling results and seismic reflection profiles from the Bellingshausen Basin allow definition of the sedimentary processes which have shaped much of the deepwater West Antarctic continental margin. The continental rise exhibits three distinct types of acoustic signature characteristic of specific sedimentary processes. The upper rise has a smooth to irregular seafloor above highly reflective sediments with poor acoustic lamination or no coherent reflectors; the sediment probably has been emplaced chaotically by slumping from the adjacent continental slope and has been modified by local slumping and turbidity currents. The central continental rise exhibits moderately reflective but finely laminated sediments containing large sediment waves, smaller-scale migrating sediment dunes and leveed channels. The primary constructional processes are deposition from channel-bank overflow of turbidity currents and from the nepheloid layer maintained by the westward-flowing Antarctic Rise Countercurrent. The lower rise has very reflective sediments with moderate to strong acoustic lamination which represent proximal deposition from turbidity currents and local reworking by bottom currents. Development of the continental rise has caused seaward migration of these acoustic provinces with time. In addition, a marked change in depositional style on the central continental rise probably during Late Oligocene or Early Miocene time may have been caused by the formation of the Antarctic Rise Countercurrent at the time when the Drake Passage was deeply breached to the flow of bottom water. Correlation of specific reflecting horizons with events of Antarctic glaciation generally is not possible, although one widespread and highly reflective horizon may represent coarse debris deposited during a glacial maximum in the latest Miocene or Early Pliocene. The Bellingshausen Abyssal Plain contains highly reflective sediments which generally have well-defined, closely spaced and horizontal acoustic laminae; reflector definition is best in distal parts of the plain. These sediments represent proximal to distal deposition of turbidites, the most seaward of which are ponded into the Eltanin and adjacent fracture zones. Frequently discontinuous reflectors within the abyssal plain may indicate sediment reworking by flow at the base of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.
Reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior produced by heroin-predictive environmental stimuli

The current study examined whether stimuli predictive of heroin availability were capable of inducing a relapse of drug-seeking behavior in an operant runway task. Olfactory stimuli (orange and almond food extract) served as discriminative cues about the availability (S+) or unavailability (S–) of heroin reinforcement (a single 0.1 mg/kg IV infusion) in the goal box of a straight arm runway. Following discrimination training, the running response was extinguished in the absence of the olfactory cues. On a single trial, the discriminative stimuli were then tested for their ability to reinstate running behavior prior to presentation of the heroin reinforcer. Subjects presented with the S+ on test day took significantly less time to traverse the alley than they did on the final day of extinction, while those subjects presented with the S– on test day continued to run slowly. These results demonstrate, in an animal model of drug self-administration, that environmental discriminative cues can produce a relapse in drug seeking behavior following a period of abstinence. The response-reinstating properties of the S+ odor were unaltered by pretreatment with any of three doses of haloperidol (0.0, 0.15 or 0.3 mg/kg IP), suggesting that the motivating properties of heroin-predictive stimuli or cues remain intact during dopamine receptor antagonism.
A systematic comparison of the electrokinetic properties of environmentally important microorganisms in water

The surface charge of microorganisms is an important factor controlling their stability in aqueous environments and removal during water treatment practices. The electrophoretic mobility (EPM) of a number of environmentally important microorganisms in phosphate buffers was measured. The effect of pH, ionic strength, and cation type (valence) and cation concentration on the EPM was investigated. The results show that microorganisms have significantly different charge properties in water. The surface charge of all microorganisms was impacted by pH, ionic strength and ionic make-up of the water. As a result, direct comparisons of reported surface charge values should be approached with caution. Increasing the pH increased the EPM in the negative direction. Increasing the ionic strength of the suspension by increasing the phosphate buffer concentration or adding simple salts generally decreased the EPM. The EPM was more neutral as the valence state of the cation in the salt increased.
Additional workshop papers presented at CSCW'94

This article outlines a framework for supporting team collaboration. It proposes a cooperation model, which states the way team members access the documents of a project. It is the underlying model for a cooperative system, where developers concentrate on the application's domain, ignoring the aspects related to the cooperative process.
Beyond Occidentalism: Toward Nonimperial Geohistorical Categories

The social revolution ... cannot draw its poetry from the past, but only from the future. It cannot begin with itself before it has stripped itself of all its superstitions concerning the past. Earlier revolutions relied on memories out of world history in order to drug themselves against their own content. In order to find their own content, the revolutions of the nineteenth century have to let the dead bury the dead. Before, the expression exceeded the content; now the content exceeds the expression. [1967:223]
Acyl carrier protein structural classification and normal mode analysis

All acyl carrier protein primary and tertiary structures were gathered into the ThYme database. They are classified into 16 families by amino acid sequence similarity, with members of the different families having sequences with statistically highly significant differences. These classifications are supported by tertiary structure superposition analysis. Tertiary structures from a number of families are very similar, suggesting that these families may come from a single distant ancestor. Normal vibrational mode analysis was conducted on experimentally determined freestanding structures, showing greater fluctuations at chain termini and loops than in most helices. Their modes overlap more so within families than between different families. The tertiary structures of three acyl carrier protein families that lacked any known structures were predicted as well.
Differentiation of cardiomyocytes in floating embryoid bodies is comparable to fetal cardiomyocytes.

Abstract Embryonic stem cells will cluster and differentiate into embryoid bodies, which can develop spontaneous rhythmic contractions. From these embryoid bodies, cardiomyocytes can be isolated based on density by a discontinuous Percoll gradient. These cardiomyocytes differentiate into ventricular myocytes, which is demonstrated by the expression of the ventricular specific isoform of the myosin light chain 2 gene. In this study the functional expression of ion channels was compared between fetal cardiomyocytes ( in vivo ) and stem cell derived cardiomyocytes ( in vitro ). Sodium and calcium currents together with transient potassium currents could be detected in early developmental stages ( in vivo and in vitro . In the early stages, we found a limited number of cells expressing I Kr and virtual absence of I Ks . The characteristics and distribution of currents are similar in both cell types. The current characteristics were identical for ventricular compared to atrial or undifferentiated stem cell derived cardiomyocytes, despite differences in expression of regulatory myosin light chain proteins. The myocyte differentiation was verified in a limited number of cardiomyocytes following the patch clamp procedure by immunocytochemistry.
Effect of electrons produced by ionization on calculated electron-energy distributions

The effects of the form of the distribution in energy of the electrons produced by ionization on electron-energy distributions and transport coefficients are investigated theoretically at high values of the ratio of the electric field to gas density, $\frac{E}{n}$. The calculations are carried out for ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ at $\frac{E}{n}$ from 100\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}21}$ to 3000\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}21}$ V ${\mathrm{m}}^{2}$ using previously determined electron-collision cross sections and secondary-electron energy distributions. As the energy of the secondary electrons and the energy lost by the higher-energy, scattered electrons is increased, the relative numbers of electrons at very low energies and at high energies in the calculated steady-state distributions decreases. These changes are accompanied by decreases in the calculated ionization coefficients, drift velocities, and mean energies and by an increase in the characteristic energy. A simplified secondary-electron energy distribution is proposed which gives distribution functions and transport coefficients in satisfactory agreement with the those obtained using the published experimental distributions.
Power calculations for preclinical studies using a K-sample rank test and the Lehmann alternative hypothesis

Power calculations in a small sample comparative study, with a continuous outcome measure, are typically undertaken using the asymptotic distribution of the test statistic. When the sample size is small, this asymptotic result can be a poor approximation. An alternative approach, using a rank based test statistic, is an exact power calculation. When the number of groups is greater than two, the number of calculations required to perform an exact power calculation is prohibitive. To reduce the computational burden, a Monte Carlo resampling procedure is used to approximate the exact power function of a k-sample rank test statistic under the family of Lehmann alternative hypotheses. The motivating example for this approach is the design of animal studies, where the number of animals per group is typically small.
The Role of Anxiety Sensitivity in terms of Asthma Control: A Pilot Test among Young Adult Asthmatics:

The aim of the present pilot investigation was to examine the role of specific subfactors of anxiety sensitivity (physical, cognitive, and social concerns) in terms of asthma control among a young adult sample (N = 56; M age = 20.0; SD = 3.9; Range = 18—45 years). Results indicated that, after controlling for gender, cigarette smoking status, and negative affectivity, the physical concerns factor of anxiety sensitivity, relative to cognitive and social concern factors, significantly predicted asthma control. These findings support the theory that fear of physical sensations is associated with poorer asthma control and suggest that targeting the physical concerns facet of anxiety sensitivity may be a novel way to improve asthma control.
Anesthetic management of vascular emergencies

ASCULAR emergencies include ruptured aortic aneurysm, acute aortic dissection, and traumatic aortic transection. The most common emergency is ruptured aortic aneurysm, with the majority of cases involving the abdominal aorta. Patients with true ruptured thoracic aneurysm rarely survive to make it to the hospital.
Renal Trauma from Recreational Accidents Manifests Different Injury Patterns than Urban Renal Trauma

Purpose: The majority of blunt renal trauma is a consequence of motor vehicle collisions and falls. Prior publications based on urban series have shown that significant renal injuries are almost always accompanied by gross hematuria alone or microscopic hematuria with concomitant hypotension. We present a series of blunt renal trauma sustained during recreational pursuits, and describe the mechanisms, injury patterns and management.Materials and Methods: Database review from 1996 to 2009 identified 145 renal injuries. Children younger than age 16 years, and trauma involving licensable motor vehicles, penetrating injuries and work related injuries were excluded from analysis. Grade, hematuria, hypotension, age, gender, laterality, mechanism, management, injury severity score and associated injuries were recorded.Results: We identified 106 patients meeting the criteria and 85% of the injuries were snow sport related. Age range was 16 to 76 years and 92.5% of patients were male. There were 39 grade 1 injurie...
Infrastructure-Aware Autonomic Manager for Change Management

Typical IT environments of medium to large size organizations consist of tens of networks that connect hundreds of servers to support the running of a large variety of business-relevant applications; usually from different vendors. Change management is an important management processes that, if automated, can have a direct impact on increasing service availability in IT environments. Although such automation is considered important, the requirements of the appropriate policy engine, and policy language to express both high level and low level policies are far from clear. In this paper, we report our experiences in addressing these problems. In particular, we concentrate on availability policies - policies through which IT managers express the required availability of systems - and the autonomic manager that enforces them.
Antiretroviral Therapy as Prevention in South Africa

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the good news in the long, heartbreaking story of the HIV pandemic. An estimated 34 million people live with HIV—almost 70% of them in sub-Saharan Africa. But even when resources are poor, ART can increase the life expectancy of HIV-infected people to almost that of
Performance evaluation of a system of interconnected CSMA/CD LANs via an N-port bridge

A composite local-area network (LAN) consisting of CSMA/CD (carrier-sense multiple-access/collision detection) LANs connected via an N-port bridge is considered. The composite LAN performance is evaluated for bridge priority protocols, in which the bridge is persistent and does not back off, whereas the stations access the channel according to the controlled nonpersistent protocol. The bridge interconnected system is compared to a system in which the bridge is replaced by a repeater, and the performance advantages of the former system over the latter are quantified. >
Supramolecular structures of {p-C6H4[CH2OCH2C(pz)3]2(AgSbF6)2}∞: formation of argentamacrocycles and argentachains

The coordination polymer {p-C6H4[CH2OCH2C(pz)3]2(AgSbF6)2}∞ crystallizes into two supramolecular structures, one organized into a 3D structure of argentamacrocycles stacked in a tubular network connected by helically oriented organic spacers and the other into argentachains arranged in a 2D sheet structure.
Investment Performance, Inflation, and Taxes: Redefining History’s Bear Markets

Contrary to conventional wisdom, the worst 10-year period for a 60/40 portfolio may not have come during the 1930s. If one includes the effects of taxes and inflation, that point came in 1972–1981, when a spike in taxes and inflation drove post-tax real returns to their nadir. The 1940s also saw very poor performance on a post-tax real basis. Withdrawals from investment accounts tend to amplify the impact of taxes and inflation, and their interaction can have a dire effect on one’s qualified accounts. Retirement simulations show that strategies to combat the effects of taxes and inflation can be critical to the success of a retirement plan that includes qualified assets.
Embedded NDT with Piezoelectric Wafer Active Sensors

Piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) are lightweight and inexpensive enablers for a large class of embedded NDT applications such as structural health monitoring (SHM). After a brief review of PWAS physical principles and basic modeling, the paper considers several ultrasonics SHM methods such as: (a) embedded guided-wave ultrasonics, i.e., pitch-catch, pulse-echo, phased arrays; (b) high-frequency modal sensing, i.e., the electro-mechanical (E/M) impedance method; (c) passive detection, i.e., acoustic emission and impact detection. Recent developments in PWAS phased arrays are presented and discussed. The paper ends with conclusions and suggestions for further work to achieve the full potential of this promissing new technology.
Switchgrass and intermediate wheatgrass aboveground and belowground response to nitrogen and calcium.

Calcium (Ca) and nitrogen (N) treatments (2, 8, and 32 mg L−1) were investigated on aboveground and belowground growth of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and intermediate wheatgrass [Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey] in a greenhouse experiment. Switchgrass (cultivars ‘Sunburst’ and ‘Dacotah’), and intermediate wheatgrass (cultivar ‘Reliant’) aboveground and belowground biomass were harvested and analyzed to determine total biomass, macronutrient concentrations, and forage quality. Intermediate wheatgrass biomass followed a positive response to increasing N and Ca while switchgrass response to N and Ca treatments varied by cultivar. Increased Ca supplementation rates from 2 mg L to 32 mg L−1 increased aboveground Ca concentrations of 113% and 257% for switchgrass and intermediate wheatgrass, respectively. Calcium had little impact on measured cell wall characteristics with the exception of hemicellulose content in intermediate wheatgrass. Further investigation on intermediate wheatgra...
Sugar and phytohormone response pathways: navigating a signalling network

Many plant developmental, physiological and metabolic processes are regulated, at least in part, by nutrient availability. In particular, alterations in the availability of soluble sugars, such as glucose and sucrose, help regulate a diverse array of processes. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that many of these processes are also regulated in response to other signalling molecules, such as phytohormones. This review draws examples from a variety of plant systems, including bean, Arabidopsis, potato, and cereals. Five of the most interesting and best developed examples of processes regulated via 'interactions' or 'crosstalk' between sugars and phytohormones are described, including embryogenesis, seed germination, early seedling development, tuberization, and the regulation of alpha-amylase activity. The types of mechanisms by which different response pathways are known or postulated to interact are also described. These mechanisms include regulation of the metabolism and/or transport of a signalling molecule by a different response pathway. For example, sugars have been postulated to help regulate the synthesis, conjugation and/or transport of phytohormones, such as gibberellins and abscisic acid. Conversely, phytohormones, such as abscisic acid, gibberellins and cytokinins have been shown to help regulate sugar metabolism and/or transport. Similarly, sugars have been shown to regulate the expression of components of phytohormone-response pathways and phytohormones regulate the expression of some genes encoding possible components of sugar-response pathways. Examples of proteins and second messengers that appear to act in multiple response pathways are also described.
Aspects of cognition and echolocation

Cognition and its role in improving the capability of sensing systems is an area of research fast gaining momentum. In this paper we examine aspects of human echolocation and hence ingredients of cognition. We demonstrate that much inspiration for cognitive sensing is taken directly from humans to provide a basis for the development of artificial forms of cognition for radar and sonar sensing systems.
Database dynamics: why and how

The dynamic (i.e. time/rate-dependent) aspects of DBMS are of profound importance in the design of information systems (IS), but analysts do not typically address database dynamics in a rigorous fashion as part of the system development task. To scientifically evaluate the database dynamics of a design, the analyst must model: the dynamic requirements of the IS and the dynamic capabilities of the DBMS in the system. The dynamic modeling of information systems and databases requires expertise and resources not typically available to IS analysts. The authors introduce a decision support architecture that provides analysts with support in database dynamics analysis. This architecture should be integrated with a computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tool to allow the analysis to be conducted in an IS-oriented environment. An architecture to support IS professionals in database dynamics analysis should include: provision of appropriate models, such as queuing network simulations; expert knowledge of hardware, DBMS and business operation dynamic characteristics; and expert interpretation of modeling results. >
Review : Glial Neuronal Interactions: A Physiological Perspective

Throughout the nervous system, neurons are closely surrounded by glial cells, leaving only a 20-nm wide extracellular space filled with interstitial fluid. Ions, transmitters, hormones, nutrients, and waste products all share this narrow diffusion pathway. Because the interstitial space occupies only a small volume, neuronal activity can lead to appreciable changes in the extracellular concentration of ions, protons, and neurotrans mitters. These changes can affect neuronal activity and are believed to be influenced by glial cells. The proximity of glial processes to synapses and axons make glial cells ideal partners to sequester ions and transmitters released by neurons. The failure of glial cells to perform such essential homeostatic functions can have profound effects, and these homeostatic activities may constitute one way in which glial cells can influence neuronal signaling. In addition, glial cells, which, unlike most neurons, are coupled to each other through gap-junctions, communicate with each o...
Blends from reprocessed coextruded products

Numerous film and sheet products are formed by coextrusion of polymer pairs such as ABS/HIPS or nylon/ionomers. Any practical attempt to reprocess scrap from such operations will be blends of the component polymers, and the value of these reprocessed materials will be a function of the properties of the resulting blends. Blends of the above-mentioned pairs were formed by extruder compounding followed by injection molding and were tested for mechanical properties. ABS–HIPS blends showed near additivity of modulus, strength, and elongation at break and should have adequate mechanical properties for many uses. Nylon/ionomer blends showed excellent mechanical properties including higher elongations at break for some blends than either pure component. The effect of moisture on mechanical response was also examined. Blends of this pair should prove to be quite valuable for many applications.
Mechanisms for generating coherent packets of hairpin vortices in channel flow

The evolution of a single hairpin vortex-like structure in the mean turbulent field of a low-Reynolds-number channel flow is studied by direct numerical simulation. The structure of the initial three-dimensional vortex is extracted from the two-point spatial correlation of the velocity field by linear stochastic estimation given a second-quadrant ejection event vector. Initial vortices having vorticity that is weak relative to the mean vorticity evolve gradually into omega-shaped vortices that persist for long times and decay slowly. As reported in Zhou, Adrian & Balachandar (1996), initial vortices that exceed a threshold strength relative to the mean flow generate new hairpin vortices upstream of the primary vortex. The detailed mechanisms for this upstream process are determined, and they are generally similar to the mechanisms proposed by Smith et al. (1991), with some notable differences in the details. It has also been found that new hairpins generate downstream of the primary hairpin, thereby forming, together with the upstream hairpins, a coherent packet of hairpins that propagate coherently. This is consistent with the experimental observations of Meinhart & Adrian (1995). The possibility of autogeneration above a critical threshold implies that hairpin vortices in fully turbulent fields may occur singly, but they more often occur in packets. The hairpins also generate quasi-streamwise vortices to the side of the primary hairpin legs. This mechanism bears many similarities to the mechanisms found by Brooke & Hanratty (1993) and Bernard, Thomas & Handler (1993). It provides a means by which new quasi-streamwise vortices, and, subsequently, new hairpin vortices can populate the near-wall layer.
Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE) in Childhood Clinical Expressions Observed in 125 Affected Children

Pediatricians should familiarize themselves with this en tity if they are to recognize and treat it in their patients.
Adaptive Evolution of Primate Sperm Proteins

Adaptive pressures throughout primate evolution have shaped sperm and seminal fluid proteins, causing them to change more rapidly than most other proteins. The adaptations are thought to be in response to sperm competition, sexual conflict, pathogen evasion and reinforcement. Keywords: positive selection; adaptive evolution; sperm; semen; primate; sexual selection
Dynamical configuration of neural network architectures

A dynamical configurable architecture for feedforward artificial neural networks (ANNs) is proposed. A dynamical configuration rule based on a general topological structure for feedforward neural networks and an adaptive learning algorithm are presented. The two combined provide an automated paradigm for synthesis of feedforward ANNs that has the potential to generate the optimal ANN representations for arbitrary training samples. Since the size of the architecture is determined by the dynamical configuration rule autonomously, this paradigm is advantageous in terms of convenience of architectural realization and reduction of computational time. >
Institutional Access, Residential Segregation, and Urban Black Homicide*

Sociologists have frequently cited the importance of the local institutional base for bolstering social organization and control, and ultimately reducing crime rates. Local noneconomic institutions may be particularly relevant to controlling urban Black crime rates, because in the face of limited access to the legitimate labor force, access to institutions such as churches and civic organizations helps to extend social networks, increase civic engagement, transmit mainstream norms, and provide a forum from which to address community problems. This analysis examines the links between measures of access to such noneconomic institutions and Black homicide rates for a sample of large urban areas circa 1990. The results indicate that after controlling for socioeconomic disadvantage, racial inequality and various other relevant measures, institutional access is negatively associated with Black homicide rates. However, this violence constraining impact appears to be most dramatic in urban areas where Blacks are most highly segregated from Whites. Implications of these results are discussed.
A CMOS Broadband Power Amplifier With a Transformer-Based High-Order Output Matching Network

A transformer-based high-order output matching network is proposed for broadband power amplifier design, which provides optimum load impedance for maximum output power within a wide operating frequency range. A design methodology to convert a canonical bandpass network to the proposed matching configuration is also presented in detail. As a design example, a push-pull deep class-AB PA is implemented with a third-order output network in a standard 90 nm CMOS process. The leakage inductances of the on-chip 2:1 transformer are absorbed into the output matching to realize the third-order network with only two inductor footprints for area conservation. The amplifier achieves a 3 dB bandwidth from 5.2 to 13 GHz with 25.2 dBm peak and 21.6% peak PAE. The EVM for QPSK and 16-QAM signals both with 5 Msample/s are below 3.6% and 5.9% at the output 1 dB compression point. This verifies the PA's capability of amplifying a narrowband modulated signal whose center-tone can be programmed across a large frequency range. The measured BER for transmitting a truly broadband PRBS signal up to 7.5 Gb/s is less than 10 , demonstrating the PA's support for an instantaneous wide operation bandwidth.
Democracy, Organization, Michels

This article marks an attempt to clarify the teachings of Robert Michels. It suggests that in Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy (1915), Michels presented a favorable account of the compatibility of organization and democracy. Other treatments attribute to Michels a thesis of the following kind: (1) Large, organizationally complex associations, compared with small, simple associations, are likely to be governed by cliques whose powers (disposable resources, freedom of action, security of tenure) are abundant and whose policies (use of official status and resources) deviate from the policy preferences of their constituents. (2) Increments of Organization (of scale, or members, and of complexity, or procedural formality, functional differentiation, stratification, specialization, hierarchy, and bureaucracy) augment the powers and the policy-deviating propensities of leaders vis-a-vis followers.
N1-dansyl-spermine and N1-(n-octanesulfonyl)-spermine, novel glutamate receptor antagonists: block and permeation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors.

The effects of several N-sulfonyl-polyamines, including N 1 -dansyl-spermine (N 1 -DnsSpm) and N 1 -( n -octanesulfonyl)-spermine (N 1 -OsSpm), were studied at recombinant N -methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. N 1 -DnsSpm and N 1 -OsSpm inhibited NMDA receptors and were ∼1000-fold more potent than spermine in oocytes voltage-clamped at −70 mV. Block by N 1 -DnsSpm and N 1 -OsSpm was strongly voltage dependent, being more pronounced at hyperpolarized membrane potentials. With the Woodhull model of voltage-dependent channel block, the values of K d (0) were 779 μm, 882 μm, and 7.4 mm and those of zδ were 2.58, 2.57, and 1.07 for N 1 -DnsSpm, N 1 -OsSpm, and spermine, respectively. This suggests that an increase in the voltage dependence of block together with an increase in affinity contributes to the increased potencies of N 1 -DnsSpm and N 1 -OsSpm compared with spermine. Sensitivity to N 1 -DnsSpm was reduced by mutation NR1(N616Q) and was increased by mutations NR1(N616G) and NR2A(N615G). The NR1(N616G) and NR2A(N615G) mutations decreased the K d (0) value of N 1 -DnsSpm without affecting zδ, whereas the NR1(N616Q) mutation reduced zδ. These mutations may alter the accessibility of part of the polyamine binding site within the channel pore or directly alter the properties of that site. Block by N 1 -DnsSpm (0.3 μm) was almost complete at −100 mV, and there was no relief of block at extreme negative membrane potentials (−100 to −200 mV) at wild-type NR1/NR2A channels. In contrast, block by N 1 -DnsSpm was partially relieved at extreme negative potentials at receptors containing NR1(N616G) or NR2A(N615G), suggesting that N 1 -DnsSpm can permeate these mutant channels but not wild-type NR1/NR2A channels. This is hypothesized to be due to an increase in the pore size of channels containing NR1(N616G) or NR2A(N615G), which allows passage of the bulky head group of N 1 -DnsSpm. In contrast to N 1 -DnsSpm, N 1 -OsSpm could easily permeate wild-type NR1/NR2A channels, presumably because the head group of N 1 -OsSpm can pass through the narrowest part of the channel pore. N -Sulfonyl-polyamines such as N 1 -DnsSpm and N 1 -OsSpm represent a new class of polyamine antagonists with which to study glutamate receptor ion channels.
Lecture Videos in Online Courses: A Follow-Up

In a recent study regarding online lecture videos, Evans (2014) shows that lecture videos are not superior to still slides. Using two Introduction to American Government courses, taught in a 4-week summer session, she shows that students in a non-video course had higher satisfaction with the course and instructor and performed better on exams than those in a course with lecture videos. In this follow-up study, we examine whether the same findings hold over a longer, more traditional semester with more students. Like Evans (2014), we find that in a longer semester, students in a non-video course reported higher satisfaction, but, unlike Evans (2014), students in the video section did better on exams. The implications of these findings for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are explored.
Global magnetohydrodynamic simulation of the 15 March 2013 coronal mass ejection event—Interpretation of the 30-80 MeV proton flux

The coronal mass ejection (CME) event on 15 March 2013 is one of the few solar events in Cycle 24 that produced a large solar energetic particle (SEP) event and severe geomagnetic activity. Observations of SEP from the ACE spacecraft show a complex time-intensity SEP profile that is not easily understood with current empirical SEP models. In this study, we employ a global three-dimensional (3-D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation to help interpret the observations. The simulation is based on the H3DMHD code and incorporates extrapolations of photospheric magnetic field as the inner boundary condition at a solar radial distance (r) of 2.5 solar radii. A Gaussian-shaped velocity pulse is imposed at the inner boundary as a proxy for the complex physical conditions that initiated the CME. It is found that the time-intensity profile of the high-energy (>10 MeV) SEPs can be explained by the evolution of the CME-driven shock and its interaction with the heliospheric current sheet and the nonuniform solar wind. We also demonstrate in more detail that the simulated fast-mode shock Mach number at the magnetically connected shock location is well correlated (r_(cc) ≥ 0.7) with the concurrent 30–80 MeV proton flux. A better correlation occurs when the 30–80 MeV proton flux is scaled by r^(−1.4)(r_(cc) = 0.87). When scaled by r^(−2.8), the correlation for 10–30 MeV proton flux improves significantly from r_(cc) = 0.12 to r_(cc) = 0.73, with 1 h delay. The present study suggests that (1) sector boundary can act as an obstacle to the propagation of SEPs; (2) the background solar wind is an important factor in the variation of IP shock strength and thus plays an important role in manipulation of SEP flux; (3) at least 50% of the variance in SEP flux can be explained by the fast-mode shock Mach number. This study demonstrates that global MHD simulation, despite the limitation implied by its physics-based ideal fluid continuum assumption, can be a viable tool for SEP data analysis.
Assays for Detecting Biological Superoxide

Superoxide is produced from various endogenous and exogenous sources and has been shown to play an important role in diverse physiological and pathophysiological processes. Thus, detection and measurement of this ubiquitous reactive oxygen species (ROS) are instrumental in understanding its role in biology and medicine. This ROS protocol article describes two well-established assays for detecting superoxide, namely, superoxide dismutase-inhibitable ferricytochrome c reduction and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometry in conjunction with 5-(diethoxyphosphoryl)-5-methyl-1-pyrroline- N -oxide (DEPMPO)-spin trapping. The article provides a step-by-step, recipe-type protocol for each of the two assays and discusses their advantages and limitations.
Climate-Based Agricultural Risk Management Tools for Florida, Georgia and Alabama, USA

The Southeast Climate Consortium was initiated in 2001 as a regional expansion of the Florida Consortium. The Florida Consortium of Universities (FLC), consisting of the University of Miami, the University of Florida, and Florida State University was formed in 1996 and was funded by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-Office of Global Programs (NOAA-OGP) as a pilot Climate Applications Project. Following the establishment of the Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessment (RISA) program, the FLC became the first RISA east of the Mississippi. Initial research concentrated on the use of seasonal-to-interannual climate forecasts for the agricultural sector in Argentina. This focus was shifted to Florida in 1998. Following the success of the FLC in Florida, the University of Georgia was invited to join the consortium in 2001 and as a result the Southeast Climate Consortium (SECC) was formed. In 2002, Auburn University and the University of Alabama at Huntsville joined the SECC.