cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spine loading in patients with low back pain during asymmetric lifting exertions.

Abstract Background context Recurrent low back pain (LBP) is a common and costly problem that might be related to increased spine loads in those with LBP. However, we know little about how the spine is loaded when those with LBP perform lifting exertions. Purpose Document spine loading patterns of patients with LBP performing symmetric and asymmetric lifting exertions compared with asymptomatic individuals performing the same tasks. Study design Spine loadings during lifting exertions that varied in asymmetric origin as well as horizontal and vertical distance from the spine were compared between asymptomatic subjects and patients with LBP. Methods Sixty-two patients with LBP and 61 asymptomatic individuals performed a variety of lifting exertions that varied in lift origin horizontal and vertical position (region), lift asymmetry position and weight lifted. An electromyography-assisted model was used to evaluate spine loading in each subject during the lifting exertions. Differences in spine loading between the LBP and asymptomatic subjects were noted as a function of the experimental variables. Results Patients with LBP experienced greater spine compression and shear forces when performing lifting tasks compared with asymptomatic individuals. The least taxing conditions resulted in some of the greatest differences between LBP and asymptomatic individuals. Conclusions Greater levels of antagonistic muscle coactivation resulted in increases in spine loading for patients with LBP. Specific lifting conditions that tend to exacerbate loading can be identified by means of physical workplace requirements. These findings may impact acceptable return-to-work conditions for those with LBP.
Spinoza on the Problem of Akrasia

: Two common ways of explaining akrasia will be presented, one which focuses on strength of desire and the other which focuses on action issuing from practical judgment. Though each is intuitive in a certain way, they both fail as explanations of the most interesting cases of akrasia. Spinoza's own thoughts on bondage and the affects follow, from which a Spinozist explanation of akrasia is constructed. This account is based in Spinoza's mechanistic psychology of cognitive affects. Because Spinoza's account explains action asissuing from modes of mind that are both cognitive and affective, it captures the intuitions that motivate the two traditional views while avoiding the pitfalls that result from their one-sided approaches. This project will allow us a fuller understanding of Spinozist moral psychology. In addition to this historical value, the Spinozist theory may offer a satisfactory explanation of certain hard cases of akrasia while avoiding the problems be set by other theories. For this reason, the Spinozist account could also be seen as a useful contribution to our philosophical understanding of the phenomenon of akrasia.
Mineral metabolism and bone abnormalities in children with chronic renal failure

Abnormalities in mineral metabolism and changes in skeletal histology may contribute to growth impairment in children with chronic renal failure. Hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia, metabolic acidosis, alterations in vitamin D and IGF synthesis and parathyroid gland dysfunction play significant roles in the development of secondary hyperparathyroidism and subsequently, bone disease in renal failure. The recent KDIGO conference has made recommendations to consider this as a systemic disorder (chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disorder) and to standardize bone histomorphometry to include bone turnover, mineralization and volume (TMV). The use of DXA to assess bone mass is controversial in children with chronic renal failure. Questions arise regarding the accuracy of bone measurements and difficulty in data interpretation especially in children with renal failure who are not only growth retarded but often have pubertal delay and osteosclerosis. The validity and feasibility of new modalities of skeletal imaging which can detect changes in both trabecular and cortical bone are currently being investigated in children. The management of mineral abnormalities and bone disease in chronic renal failure is multifactorial. To manage hyperphosphatemia, dietary phosphate restriction accompanied by intake of calcium-free and metal-free phosphate binding agents are widely utilized. Vitamin D analogs remain the primary therapy for secondary hyperparathyroidism, although the use of the less hypercalcemic agents is preferred due to concerns of calciphylaxis and vascular calcification. Future clinical studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of calcimimetic agents and bisphosphonate therapy in children with chronic renal failure.
Street Ball, Swim Team and the Sour Cream Machine: A Cluster Analysis of Out of School Time Participation Portfolios

Adolescents spend only a fraction of their waking hours in school and what they do with the rest of their time varies dramatically. Despite this, research on out-of-school time has largely focused on structured programming. The authors analyzed data from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002) to examine the out-of-school time activity portfolios of 6,338 high school sophomores, accounting for time spent in school clubs and sports as well as 17 other activities. The analytical sample was balanced with respect to sex and racially and ethnically diverse: 49% female, 67% White, 10% Latino, 10% African American, and 6% Asian and Pacific Islander. Approximately 76% of the sample attended public schools, 30% were in the highest socioeconomic quartile, and 20% were in the lowest socioeconomic quartile. The authors identified five distinct out-of-school time activity portfolios based on a cluster analysis. The demographic profiles of students by portfolio type differed significantly with respect to sex, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, school type and location. Students by portfolio type also differed significantly in terms of measures of academic success, school behavior, victimization and perceptions of school climate, controlling for covariates. These findings underscore the importance of more complex considerations of adolescents’ out-of-school time.
Modeling of Durability Effect on the Flooding Behavior in the PEFC Gas Diffusion Layer

The gas diffusion layer (GDL) plays a critical role in the overall performance of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC), especially in the mass transport control regime due to suboptimal liquid water transport. Liquid water blocks the porous pathways in the catalyst layer and gas diffusion layer thereby causing hindered oxygen transport from the channel to the active reaction sites. This phenomenon is known as “flooding” and is perceived as the primary mechanism leading to the limiting current behavior in the cell performance. The pore morphology and wetting characteristics of the cathode GDL are of paramount importance in the effective PEFC water management. Typical beginning-of-life GDLs exhibit hydrophobic characteristics, which facilities liquid water transport and hence reduces flooding. Experimental data, however, suggest that the GDL loses hydrophobicity over prolonged PEFC operation and becomes prone to enhanced flooding. In this work, we present a pore-scale modeling framework to study the structure-wettability-durability interplay in the context of flooding behavior in the PEFC GDL.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Spontaneously grown GaN and AlGaN nanowires

We have identified crystal growth conditions in gas-source molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) that lead to spontaneous formation of GaN nanowires with high aspect ratio on Si (1 1 1) substrates. The nanowires were oriented along the GaN c-axis and normal to the substrate surface. Unlike in many other reports of GaN nanowire growth, no metal catalysts were used. Low growth rates at substrate temperatures near 820 °C were combined with high nitrogen flux (partially dissociated with RF plasma excitation) to form well-separated GaN wires with diameters from 50 to 250 nm in diameter and lengths ranging from 2 to 7 μm. The nanowires grew out of an irregular matrix layer containing deep faceted holes. X-ray diffraction indicated that the wires were fully relaxed and aligned to the silicon substrate. The growth morphology was strongly affected by the presence of Al and Be. The changes suggest that surface diffusion is a primary driving force in the growth of GaN nanowires with MBE.
The Effects of Aging on Indices of Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in the Female Fischer 344/Nnia X Brown Norway/BiNia Rat Heart

Oxidative-nitrosative stress may play a role in age-associated cardiovascular disease as implied by recent studies.However, limited research has been conducted using aged female rodent models. In this study, we examined hearts obtained from 6-, 26-, and 30-month old female Fischer 344/Nnia x Brown Norway/BiNia (F344xBN) rats in order to examine how aging affects levels of cardiac oxidative-nitrosative stress and apoptosis. Oxidative (superoxide anion and 4-HNE) and nitrosative (protein nitrosylation) stress markers were increased 180 ± 17 %, 110 ± 3 %, and 14 ± 2 %, respectively in 30-month hearts compared to the hearts of 6-month female rats. Coincident with these changes in oxidative-nitrosative stress, aging was also found to be associated with increases in the number of Tdt-mediated dUTP nick labeling (TUNEL)-positive cardiomyocytes, alterations in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and elevated cleavage of caspase-3. Regression analysis demonstrates significant correlation in the age-associated changes markers of oxidative–nitrosative stress with changes in apoptotic signaling. The findings from this descriptive study imply that age-associated increases in mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis may be associated with the increase in oxidative-nitrosative stress in the aging F344xBN female heart.
Methane Hydrate Fuel Storage for All‐Electric Ships: An Opportunity for Technological Innovation

: New industrial processes for forming methane hydrate, combined with the knowledge that small changes in gas hydrate-forming mixtures can greatly expand the pressure-temperature field of hydrate stability, suggest that virtually solid gas hydrates can be formed and stored in fuel tanks of any shape at near sea level ambient conditions. Development of this technology may allow a gas hydrate fuel transport medium to be devised and applied. Reduction-to-practice of this special fuel storage medium could have a significant impact upon the design and engineering of future Navy vessels and concurrently upon the future of naval operations.
Crime waves, culture wars and societal transformations

This paper argues that during key periods of social change in American history attempts to reform deviants and the debate over how to do it plays an important role the redefinition of values and norms and the achievement of a new consensus as to those values and norms in society. The current period (1968-present) is identified as one such period. The paper compares the current period with two other periods in American history, the antebellum period (1820–1860) and the Progressive Period (1890–1920). During both periods there was a wide spread sense of growing social disorder-fear of the “dangerous classes” in urban areas; a sense that cities were being overrun by immigrants; a general feeling that crime, dependant poverty, and delinquency were out of control. The wide spread sense of social breakdown during both periods was a response to fundamental changes going on at a societal level and resulted in significant social transformations. Basic changes in institutions of social control play a significant role in these social transformations during both these earlier periods. The paper argues that the current period (1968-present) is strikingly similar to the previous two, both in terms of the wide spread popular fear of social breakdown and in terms of the fundamental social changes taking place in society. The paper concludes with an exploration of the role reforms in institutions of social control broadly conceived might play in the general social transformations now occrring in American society.
The effect of lexical, pragmatic, and morphological violations on reading time and deviance ratings of English and German sentences

Effects on reading time and deviance ratings of word-choice violations were studied at the surface code, propositional textbase, and situation model levels of representation in German and English sentences. Lexical violations (propositional textbase level) such asThe housewife massaged the bread dough were rated as more deviant from normal language than were pragmatic violations (situation model level) such asThe police officer shot the parking violator, although the pragmatic violations took longer to comprehend. The addition of a morphological (surface code) violation through the wrong form of an article (e.g.,a ugly car) decreased reading time but only in cases where that material was deeply processed and where the morphology carried substantial syntactic information (e.g., in German, the definite article carries case, gender, and number information). The results thus confirmed the operation of comprehension strategies at multiple levels of representation and identified some cross-linguistic generality in comprehension and some language differences.
Recent advances in relativistic A6 magnetron research — Improvements in start-up and efficiency

Summary form only given. The A6 magnetron was introduced by Palevsky and Bekefi at MIT in 1979 [1]. It is the most studied relativistic magnetron in the literature. Since 2005 UNM has been studying novel advances to the A6 and to the A6 with diffraction output (MDO) that achieve higher power, greater efficiency (η), fast start of oscillations, and eliminate mode competition. This presentation summarizes recent advances pertaining to improved start-up and increased efficiency.
A remark on global positioning from local distances

Finding the global positioning of points in Euclidean space from a local or partial set of pairwise distances is a problem in geometry that emerges naturally in sensor networks and NMR spectroscopy of proteins. We observe that the eigenvectors of a certain sparse matrix exactly match the sought coordinates. This translates to a simple and efficient algorithm that is robust to noisy distance data.
Dominant nonadiabatic contribution to the long-range electron-atom interaction.

Low energy electron /or positron/ scattering by spherically symmetric atoms, discussing long range interactions
Safety, reliability, and validity of a physiologic definition of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

OBJECTIVE: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the focus of many intervention trials, yet the outcome measure when based solely on oxygen administration may be confounded by differing criteria for oxygen administration between physicians. Thus, we wished to define BPD by a standardized oxygen saturation monitoring at 36 weeks corrected age, and compare this physiologic definition with the standard clinical definition of BPD based solely on oxygen administration. METHODOLOGY: A total of 199 consecutive very low birthweight infants (VLBW, 501 to 1500 g birthweight) were assessed prospectively at 36±1 weeks corrected age. Neonates on positive pressure support or receiving >30% supplemental oxygen were assigned the outcome BPD. Those receiving ≤30% oxygen underwent a stepwise 2% reduction in supplemental oxygen to room air while under continuous observation and oxygen saturation monitoring. Outcomes of the test were “no BPD” (saturations ≥88% for 60 minutes) or “BPD” (saturation <88%). At the conclusion of the test, all infants were returned to their baseline oxygen. Safety (apnea, bradycardia, increased oxygen use), inter-rater reliability, test–retest reliability, and validity of the physiologic definition vs the clinical definition were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 199 VLBW were assessed, of whom 45 (36%) were diagnosed with BPD by the clinical definition of oxygen use at 36 weeks corrected age. The physiologic definition identified 15 infants treated with oxygen who successfully passed the saturation monitoring test in room air. The physiologic definition diagnosed BPD in 30 (24%) of the cohort. All infants were safely studied. The test was highly reliable (inter-rater reliability, κ=1.0; test–retest reliability, κ=0.83) and highly correlated with discharge home in oxygen, length of hospital stay, and hospital readmissions in the first year of life. CONCLUSIONS: The physiologic definition of BPD is safe, feasible, reliable, and valid and improves the precision of the diagnosis of BPD. This may be of benefit in future multicenter clinical trials.
Role of desiccation in pulsed laser ablation at the 2.94 μm wavelength : Experiments and modeling

A difficulty with using an OPO laser to reshape the cornea by ablation is the tendency for ablation to stop prematurely. We report on using an OPO laser (2.94 um wavelength, 5 ns pulse duration, 7 mJ pulse energy, approximately 0.5-mm 1/e2-radius Gaussian beam) to ablate a 20% acrylamide gel as a model for the cornea. Experiments demonstrated that ablation proceeds at an average rate of ablation of 3-4 μm/pulse then stops at about 1 mm depth. A computer model was developed to simulate the ablation and desiccation processes. Using a range of operating parameters, the model could achieve ablation rates of 2.8-3.5 μm/pulse and cessation of ablation after 0.25-2.1 mm. A key factor is the absorption coefficient of desiccated gel which was measured experimentally to be about 1700 cm-1. In conclusion, desiccation from residual heat after an ablative pulse creates a dried layer that attenuates subsequent pulses. If the threshold energy density required for ablation is too high, then too much residual energy remains after each pulse and the consequent dried layer halts the ablation process.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
PAUL'S PRE-CHRISTIAN ZEALOT ASSOCIATIONS: A RE-EXAMINATION OF GAL 1.14 AND ACTS 22.3

The article explores Gal 1.14 and Acts 22.3, two statements where Paul is said to be a ζηλωτη´ς. The term is a noun, meaning ‘Zealot’. However, interpreters and commentators have always interpreted the term as an adjective, meaning ‘zealous’. By understanding Paul's statement as an adjective, interpreters and commentators have dissociated Paul from the Zealot movement which was emerging during this period of time within Judaism. However, Paul appears in these passages to claim that the Zealot movement was a powerful influence upon his formative Jewish life and theology and was a motivating factor in his persecution of the Christians. This article proposes that we seriously consider Zealot influences in the formative years of Paul.
Evaluation of the effect of joint constraints on the in situ force distribution in the anterior cruciate ligament.

The function of the anterior cruciate ligament was investigated for different conditions of kinematic constraint placed on the intact knee using a six-degree-of-freedom robotic manipulator combined with a universal force-moment sensor. To do this, the in situ forces and force distribution within the porcine anterior cruciate ligament during anterior tibial loading up to 100 N were compared at 30, 60, and 90 degrees of flexion under: (a) unconstrained, five-degree-of-freedom knee motion, and (b) constrained, one-degree-of-freedom motion (i.e., anterior translations only). The robotic/universal force-moment sensor testing system was used to both apply the specified external loading to the intact joint and measure the resulting kinematics. After tests of the intact knee were completed, all soft tissues except the anterior cruciate ligament were removed, and these motions were reproduced such that the in situ force and force distribution could be determined. No significant differences in the magnitude of in situ forces in the anterior cruciate ligament were found between the unconstrained and constrained testing conditions. In contrast, the direction of in situ force changed significantly; the force vector in the unconstrained case was more parallel with the direction of the applied tibial load. In addition, the distribution of in situ force between the anteromedial and posterolateral bundles of the ligament was nearly equal for all flexion angles for the unconstrained case, whereas the anteromedial bundle carried higher forces than the posterolateral bundle at both 60 and 90 degrees of flexion for the constrained case. This demonstrates that the constraint conditions placed on the joint have a significant effect on the apparent role of the anterior cruciate ligament. Specifically, constraining joint motion to one degree of freedom significantly alters both the direction and distribution of the in situ force in the ligament from that observed for unconstrained joint motion (five degrees of freedom). Furthermore, the changes observed in the distribution of force between the anteromedial and posterolateral bundles for different constraint conditions may help elucidate mechanisms of injury by providing new insight into the response of the anterior cruciate ligament to different types of external knee loading.
Role of heavy water as solvent in the antigen-antibody precipitin reaction.

Wenn die Losung zu 50% aus schwerem Wasser bestand, blieb die Bildung von Antigen-Antikorperpracipitat im Bereich des Antikorperuberschusses unverandert. Dies zeigt, dass die Substitution mit Deuterium die spezifischen Bindungseigenschaften nicht verandert. Dagegen fand sich eine erhohte Niederschlagsmenge im Bereich des Antigenuberschusses, was auf eine Herabsetzung der Loslichkeit des normalerweise loslichen Antigen-Antikorperkomplexes hinweist.
Functional Properties of Modified Black Gram (Phaseolus mungo L.) Starch

Black gram (Phaseolus mungo L.) starch was modified by heat and moisture treatments, acetylation, oxidation, cross-linking, and adding free fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, and linoleic). Heat and low moisture treatment, acetylation, oxidation, and cross-linking lowered the starch gelatinization temperature by 1–6°C, while adding fatty acids and the high moisture-heat treatment raised it by 1–4°C. All modifications caused an increase in least gelation concentration of starch. High moisture-heat treatment increased both water and oil absorption of starch. At 95°C, heat-moisture treated, acetylated, and oxidized starches were more soluble, while fatty acid treated and cross-linked starches were less soluble compared to raw starch. The modified starches had greater swelling capacity and solubility at pH 2.0 and 10.0. Heat-moisture treated and chemically modified starches had lower swelling capacity (at 95°C) than that of isolated starch, whereas addition of fatty acids increased it.
Evaluation of medical data: role of clinical trials.

Abstract Over the centuries, methods have been developed to evaluate diseases and their treatments. One systematic method is the case series, in which groups of patients are followed over time to estimate the likelihood of various disease outcomes, either with or without treatment. A more efficient method for assessing treatment effectiveness is the clinical trial. Both methods have been used for evaluating current treatments of macular diseases. The combination of case series and clinical trials has been used to advantage for many of these diseases. However, when one wants to be certain that a treatment is effective, there is no substitute for the clinical trial.
Advanced materials: fluorous fullerenes and nanotubes

Abstract This paper describes the preparation and properties of several fluorous-substituted fullerene and fullerene nanotube materials. Several of these are quite fluorous soluble and, due to the insulating effect of –CH 2 – groups between the perfluorocarbon pony tails and the fullerene ring system, they exhibit electronic and photophysical properties similar to non-fluorous fullerenes. Certain unique applications of these hybrid materials are discussed.
Health literacy and health care in an inner-city, total laryngectomy population

Abstract Background Literacy in the head and neck cancer patient has been understudied. Health literacy (HL) is “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health care decisions.” Limited HL skills reduce access to health care. We surveyed our patients who underwent total laryngectomy (TL) to evaluate their HL. Methods Patients who had undergone TL at Grady Hospital (Atlanta, GA), an inner-city hospital, between 1988 and 1992 were identified. Sociodemographics, general health quality of life, HL, and alaryngeal voice assessment were performed. Results Thirty patients were eligible but 14 could not be located, 4 refused, and 4 were deceased or too ill to participate. More than one third of the remaining patients had severely inadequate HL scores. Conclusion Patients who underwent TL have a high incidence of becoming lost in the system as well as having inadequate health care literacy. Health literacy may be important when considering TL.
Role of WO3 in the Hg Oxidation across the V2O5–WO3–TiO2 SCR Catalyst: A DFT Study

Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) units can be exploited to reduce Hg emissions from coal-based power plants; hereby, Hg0 is oxidized into Hg2+, which has a higher solubility than the former and can therefore be scrubbed before leaving the stacks. With the purpose of examining the effect of the surface composition and surface coverage on the reactivity of a commercial SCR catalyst (V2O5–WO3–TiO2) toward Hg oxidation, two models were used to represent TiO2-supported systems with low and high loading of the two active phases (i.e., V2O5 and WO3). The reactivities of these systems were compared through the analysis of the adsorption energies of Hg, Cl•, HgCl, and HCl, which are likely involved in the Hg oxidation mechanism. These adsorption energies were complemented by results from both the Bader charge and projected density of states (PDOS) analyses, thus providing an increased understanding of the effects of surface coverage and composition on the electronic structure of these materials. An enhanced rea...
Neutron fluences and dose equivalents measured with passive detectors on LDEF.

Neutron fluences were measured on LDEF in the low energy ( 1 MeV) ranges. The low energy detectors used the 6Li(n,alpha)T reaction with Gd foil absorbers to separate thermal (< 0.2 eV) and resonance (0.2 eV-1 MeV) neutron response. High energy detectors contained sets of fission foils (181Ta, 209Bi, 232Th, 238U) with different neutron energy thresholds. The measured neutron fluences together with predicted spectral shapes were used to estimate neutron dose equivalents. The detectors were located in the A0015 and P0006 experiments at the west and Earth sides of LDEF under shielding varying from 1 to 19 g/cm2. Dose equivalent rates varied from 0.8 to 3.3 microSv/d for the low energy neutrons and from 160 to 390 microSv/d for the high energy neutrons. This compares with TLD measured absorbed dose rates in the range of 1000-3000 microGy/d near these locations and demonstrates that high energy neutrons contribute a significant fraction of the total dose equivalent in LEO. Comparisons between measurements and calculations were made for high energy neutrons based on fission fragment tracks generated by fission foils at different shielding depths. A simple 1-D slab geometry was used in the calculations. Agreement between measurements and calculations depended on both shielding depth and threshold energy of the fission foils. Differences increased as both shielding and threshold energy increased. The modeled proton/neutron spectra appeared deficient at high energies. A 3-D model of the experiments is needed to help resolve the differences.
Performance Evaluation of Multicarrier CDMA Systems in the Presence of Carrier Frequency Offset with Beamforming Techniques

In this paper, the performance of multicarrier (MC) code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems in the presence of carrier frequency offset (CFO) with beamforming techniques is evaluated. A conventional uniform linear array (ULA) beam- former is utilized. An independent Nakagami fading channel is assumed for each subcarrier of all users. The performance of outage probability is investigated under a scenario where perfect beamforming is assumed. A closed-form expression of the outage probability performance is derived. Numerical results show that the performance of outage probability improves significantly as the number of antenna elements increases. The effect of CFO on the outage probability is reduced significantly when the beamforming technique is employed.
ERK is involved in EGF-mediated protection of tight junctions, but not adherens junctions, in acetaldehyde-treated Caco-2 cell monolayers

The role of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) in the mechanism of EGF-mediated prevention of acetaldehyde-induced tight junction disruption was evaluated in Caco-2 cell monolayers. Pretreatment of cell monolayers with EGF attenuated acetaldehyde-induced decrease in resistance and increase in inulin permeability and redistribution of occludin, zona occludens-1 (ZO-1), E-cadherin, and β-catenin from the intercellular junctions. EGF rapidly increased the levels of phospho-ERK1/2, phospho-p38 MAPK, and phospho-JNK1. Pretreatment of cell monolayers with U-0126 (inhibitor of ERK activation), but not SB-202190 and SP-600125 (p38 MAPK and JNK inhibitors), significantly attenuated EGF-mediated prevention of acetaldehyde-induced changes in resistance, inulin permeability, and redistribution of occludin and ZO-1. U-0126, but not SB-202190 and SP-600125, also attenuated EGF-mediated prevention of acetaldehyde effect on the midregion F-actin ring. However, EGF-mediated preservation of junctional distribution of E-cadherin and β-catenin was unaffected by all three inhibitors. Expression of wild-type or constitutively active MEK1 attenuated acetaldehyde-induced redistribution of occludin and ZO-1, whereas dominant-negative MEK1 prevented EGF-mediated preservation of occludin and ZO-1 in acetaldehyde-treated cells. MEK1 expression did not alter E-cadherin distribution in acetaldehyde-treated cells in the presence or absence of EGF. Furthermore, EGF attenuated acetaldehyde-induced tyrosine-phosphorylation of occludin, ZO-1, claudin-3, and E-cadherin. U-0126, but not SB-202190 and SP-600125, prevented EGF effect on tyrosine-phosphorylation of occludin and ZO-1, but not claudin-3, E-cadherin, or β-catenin. These results indicate that EGF-mediated protection of tight junctions from acetaldehyde requires the activity of ERK1/2, but not p38 MAPK or JNK1/2, and that EGF-mediated protection of adherens junctions is independent of MAPK activities.
A new fossil fern assignable to Gleicheniaceae from Late Cretaceous sediments of New Jersey.

The recent discovery of well-preserved charcoalified rhizomes, petioles, pinnules, sori, and spores from the Upper Cretaceous of New Jersey provides the basis for the description of a new gleicheniaceous fern, Boodlepteris turoniana. The fossils were collected from unconsolidated sediments of Turonian age ( 90 MYBP, million years before present; Raritan/ Lower Magothy Formation, Potomac Group). These deposits are rich in angiosperms, but also have a limited representation of fern and gymnosperm remains. Fossil specimens from this locality are particularly remarkable in that minute detail, including anatomical features, are often preserved. Some Boodlepteris specimens have cell by cell preservation that reveals the nature and structure of the stele in rhizomes and petioles, and others show minute details of the sori borne on fertile pinnae. Although these specimens are not in organic connection, there are sufficient structural and anatomical details preserved to confidently suggest that they belong to the same taxon. Cladistic analysis of the fossils, both separately and as a reconstruction, support assignment of Boodlepteris to the extant family Gleicheniaceae.
The Dollar and Development

Dick Sabot, an active member of CGD's founding Board of Directors, was finishing this paper when he died suddenly on July 6 of 2005. The paper highlights the risks to developing countries posed by the growing U.S. external deficit and describes three possible scenarios. In the first, the US trade deficit declines gradually and low-income countries adjust by substituting domestic for external demand. The second illustrates a more severe reduction of US imports due to slow economic growth, with a consequent reduction in U.S. imports from China. Developing countries therefore suffer a severe drop in their exports to both big economies. The last scenario describes a global financial crisis following a run on the dollar and an increase in U.S. interest rates to attract investment. In this scenario, Sabot lays in stark relief the possible implications of the current U.S. macroeconomic imbalance for international development and poverty reduction. CGD President Nancy Birdsall writes in a foreword that Sabot told her he was greatly influenced in his thinking on these issues by a speech by Harvard President (and fellow CGD Board Member) Lawrence Summers and by the analysis of William Cline, a joint CGD-IIE fellow. Cline, who discusses the broader implications of the U.S. twin deficits in a forthcoming book CGD/IIE book, The United States as a Debtor Nation, has updated Sabot's paper with his latest findings. "The discussion in this paper is sober, measured, and balanced, as well as accessible," Birdsall writes. "In his closing paragraphs Dick captured the perspective that the Center tries to bring to the broad policy debatesthat policy choices in the rich world and at the global level have tremendous implications for progress against poverty in the developing world."
Structure and stability of Mott-insulator shells of bosons trapped in an optical lattice

We consider the feasibility of creating a phase of neutral bosonic atoms in which multiple Mott-insulating states coexist in a shell structure and propose an experiment to spatially resolve such a structure. This spatially inhomogeneous phase of bosons, arising from the interplay between the confining potential and the short-ranged repulsion, has been previously predicted. While the Mott-insulator phase has been observed in an atomic gas, the spatial structure of this phase in the presence of an inhomogeneous potential has not yet been directly probed. In this paper, we give a simple recipe for creating a structure with any desired number of shells, and explore the stability of the structure under typical experimental conditions. The stability analysis gives some constraints on how successfully these states can be employed for quantum information experiments. The experimental probe we propose for observing this phase exploits transitions between two species of bosons, induced by applying a frequency-swept, oscillatory magnetic field. We present the expected experimental signatures of this probe, and show that they reflect the underlying Mott configuration for large lattice potential depth.
Clinical correlates and drug treatment of residents with stroke in long-term care.

Background and Purpose —Stroke incidence increases with age, and stroke survivors often require nursing home placement. Characteristics of these residents and factors associated with the secondary drug prevention of stroke in nursing homes have yet to be explored. Methods —We used a population-based data set of all nursing home residents in 5 states (1992 to 1995). We identified 53 829 (20.4%) with a diagnosis of stroke on the Minimum Data Set assessment. We considered aspirin, dipyridamole, ticlopidine, or warfarin alone or in combination as secondary drug prevention. We used logistic regression modeling to identify independent predictors of drug treatment. Results —Sixty-seven percent of stroke survivors were not receiving drug therapy for stroke prevention. Among those treated, most received aspirin alone (16%) or warfarin alone (10%). Independent predictors of drug treatment included comorbid conditions (eg, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, gastrointestinal bleeding, and peptic ulcer disease). Those over the age of 85 years were less likely to be treated than those 65 to 74 years of age (odds ratio [OR], 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82 to 0.91); black residents were less likely to be treated than whites (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.75 to 0.85); and those with severe cognitive (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.67) or physical impairment (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.64 to 0.75) were also less likely to receive drug treatment. Conclusions —Stroke is highly prevalent in long-term care. Despite the increased risk of subsequent stroke in the elderly, many are not being treated. The choice to treat or not to treat may be influenced by age, comorbidity, race/ethnicity, and cognitive or physical functioning.
Speed control of series motors by means of thyristor bridges

The behavior of a single-phase gate controlled thyristor bridge supplying a R-L network is digitally simulated. The results are compared with an experiment on the same system to verify the correctness of the digital model. A series motor is digitally simulated together with the digital model of the thyristor bridge. Speed control of the series motor is achieved by controlling the gate signals to the thyristors for delay angles from 60 degrees to 12 degrees for varying load torque. Torque and speed feedback are used to maintain constant speed of the motor for a full load torque step input. The steady state error is less than 0.2% of the no load speed. >
Third-party monitoring and sanctions aid the evolution of language

Abstract The control of deception is an important problem in the evolution of all communication systems including human language. A number of authors have suggested that because humans interact repeatedly, reputation can control deception in human language. However, there has been little work on the theory of repeated signaling. This lacuna is important because unlike many others forms of defection, lies are not easily detected, and attempts to determine the truthfulness of signals can lead to false accusations of deception. Here we modify a standard model of animal signaling, the Sir Philip Sidney Game, to allow for repeated interactions between pairs of individuals. We show that unless it is easy to detect lies, communication is unlikely to be evolutionarily stable. However, third-party monitoring of pairwise interactions and sanctioning of dishonesty increases the range of conditions under which cheap talk can evolve, a finding that suggests that cooperation enforced by third-party monitoring and punishment may have predated the evolution of language.
An oxazoline derivatized Pybox ligand for Eu(III) and Tb(III) sensitization

Abstract A new Tb(III) dimer with an oxazoline-derivatized pyridine ligand, dimethyl-2,2′-(pyridine-2,6-diyl)bis(4,5-dihydrooxazole-4-carboxylate), has been isolated. This complex is highly luminescent and crystallizes in the triclinic P-1 space group with parameters a = 9.6167(2) A, b = 11.6786(2) A, c = 12.7548(3) A, α = 70.026(1)°, β = 83.219(1)°, γ = 81.973(1)° and V = 1329.31(51)A3. Solution speciation studies showed the formation of monomeric species with 1:1 and 2:1 ligand-to-metal ion stoichiometries with log β11 = 3.66 ± 0.41 and log β21 = 6.16 ± 0.37 for Eu(III) and log β11 = 3.56 ± 0.41 and log β21 = 6.21 ± 0.38 for Tb(III). The quantum yields of emission Φ and luminescence lifetimes τ of solutions with 2:1 stoichiometry were 26.4 ± 0.5% and 1.47 ± 0.06 ms for Eu(III) and 41.0 ± 1.3% and 1.87 ± 0.06 ms for Tb(III).
Temporal niche segregation in two rodent assemblages of subtropical Mexico.

Temporal niche partitioning can be a viable mechanism for coexistence, but has received less attention than other niche axes. We characterized and compared patterns of activity, and overlap of temporal activity among the five common rodent species from a tropical semideciduous forest (TSF) and between the two common rodent species from cloud forest (CF) at El Cielo Biosphere Reserve in Mexico. Capture frequencies over 2-h intervals, obtained via live trapping (6850 trap-nights) in chosen months over 3 y formed the empirical basis for analyses. Trap transects were set from 19h00 to 07h00 and checked every 2 h. Analyses of 484 captures evinced two distinct assemblages. The TSF assemblage was diverse and with non-random temporal niche segregation, whereas the CF assemblage was depauperate with its two dominant species evincing the same activity pattern. Predator avoidance between open- and closed-microhabitat species, as well as niche complementarity may explain temporal segregation at TSF. This is the first documentation of assemblage-wide non-random temporal segregation of neotropical rodents. Time of activity may be a largely under-appreciated mechanism in other species-rich tropical rodent assemblages as well as in other species-rich biotas.
Bioinformatic resources, challenges, and opportunities using Arabidopsis as a model organism in a post-genomic era.

Arabidopsis, a small annual plant belonging to the mustard family, is the subject of study for an estimated 7,000 researchers around the world. At the end of the year 2000, Arabidopsis will be the first higher plant genome completely sequenced by an international public effort, the Arabidopsis
Defect dynamics of cement mortar under repeated loading, studied by electrical resistivity measurement

Defect dynamics, as studied by electrical resistivity measurement during repeated compression of cement mortar in the elastic regime, are characterized by defect generation, defect healing and defect aggravation. Defect generation dominates in the first compressive loading and in tensile loading in any loading cycle. Defect healing dominates in all subsequent compressive loading cycles and in tensile unloading in any cycle. Defect aggravation dominates during compressive unloading in any cycle and occurs during tensile loading in any cycle. Both the interface between sand and cement and that between silica fume and cement contribute to the defect dynamics, particularly the defect healing. The defect dynamics give similar effects to the longitudinal and transverse resistivities. Upon uniaxial compression, the resistivity decreases (except for the first cycle); upon uniaxial tension, the resistivity increases.
High dose cyclophosphamide for severe refractory myasthenia gravis.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) exemplifies autoimmune disease. Most patients require immunomodulating treatment, including steroids, chemotherapy, or intravenous immunoglobulin (Ig), in addition to anticholinesterase treatment. Drachman et al 1 published the beneficial effects of high dose cyclophosphamide in three patients with severe refractory myasthenia. We recount our experience of three myasthenic patients treated in a similar way. All patients participated in studies approved by the Drexel University College of Medicine and signed informed consent. These three patients with severe (class IVb) refractory MG includes all patients treated. Patients received cyclophosphamide 50 mg/kg (adjusted ideal body weight)/day over four consecutive days. Patients received antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal prophylaxis. Haemorrhagic cystitis prophylaxis included Mesna and forced diuresis. Packed red cells and platelets were transfused to maintain haemoglobin ⩾8.5 g/dL and platelets ⩾10 × 109/L, respectively. Patients received filgrastion (G-CSF) (5 μg/kg/day) starting day 10 until their absolute neutrophil count (ANC) reached 10 × 109/L for two consecutive days. Patient 1 was diagnosed with seronegative MG at 30 years of age by a positive tensilon test and a decremental response on repetitive stimulation. Initial treatment included pyridostigine and plasmapheresis, but worsening symptoms prompted thymectomies at 12 and 18 months later. Her thymic pathology revealed thymic hyperplasia. Additional treatment with …
Effect of reduced EGFR function on the radiosensitivity and proliferative capacity of mouse jejunal crypt clonogens.

Abstract Background and purpose Previous data indicate that the EGFR pathway is involved in the response of tumor cell lines to irradiation. To determine if this receptor plays a role in the response of the intestinal mucosa, the effect of a spontaneous mutation in EGFR (B6C3-a-wa-2) on radiosensitivity and proliferative capacity was investigated using in vivo clonogenic assays and immunohistochemistry. Patients and methods EGFR mutant mice were compared with wild-type mice using the in vivo jejunal microcolony assay using single and split doses to measure the radiosensitivity and repopulation of clonogenic jejunal mucosal cells. In addition, paraffin-embedded tissue sections were assessed for proliferation (PCNA), DNA repair (Ku70 and γH2AX), and apoptosis (TUNEL) by immunofluorescent staining (wild-type vs. heterozygous only) at various times after 5 Gy single dose. Results After the high doses used in the split-dose experiments, EGFR heterozygous and homozygous mutant mice were significantly more radiosensitive than their wild-type littermates. There was no clear difference in split-dose repair based on EGFR function. After 5 Gy single dose there were significantly more apoptotic cells within the crypts of heterozygous mice than of wild-type mice, beginning at 3 h post irradiation. Decreased proliferation was observed only in the homozygous mutant mice. PCNA staining was lower in the heterozygous mice than in wild-type mice at 1 and 3 h post-5 Gy. Conclusion The results indicate that after high doses the radiosensitivity of EGFR mutant mice is significantly higher than that of wild-type, and that this could be the result of an increase in apoptosis rather than reduced DNA repair. Proliferative capacity was modestly reduced, but only in the homozygous mutants.
Long-Term Effects of Brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Psychosis:

A previous report explored the impact of a brief (four session) acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) intervention as compared with treatment as usual (TAU) on rehospitalization over 4 months in a sample of 80 inpatients with psychosis. The present study extended the follow-up period to 1 year and used a more sophisticated survival analysis to take previous hospitalization and length of the current hospitalization into account. Those in the ACT condition showed reduced hospitalization as compared to those in TAU at 4 months post discharge and again at 1 year post discharge. A test of proportionality of hazard showed that survival curves continued to diverge in the 5- to 12-month postdischarge period after adjusting for differences in the 0 to 4 month period. Future directions are discussed.
Comunidad, Estado y naturaleza: La ecología política del manejo colaborativo de bosques

El manejo colaborativo de bosques, mejor conocido como comanejo, ha aumentado como alternativa al manejo estatal tradicional de los recursos naturales. Aplicando la perspectiva de la ecologia politica, en este trabajo se argumenta el caracter conflictivo entre el Estado y los grupos de base en terminos de percepciones sobre los significados, objetivos, metas y politicas sobre el co-manejo de bosques. Se argumenta que el manejo de bosques es primordialmente una relacion social mediada por relaciones de poder y la naturaleza social en donde se la da prioridad al conocimiento cientifico y a la racionalidad de manejo occidental a diferencia de lo que representa el bosque para grupos locales y comunitarios. Se analizan ademas, las estrategias discursivas en que los distintos actores se enfrentan para defender su vision de manejo. Finalmente, mediante los estudios de caso de Puerto Rico, se presentan las estrategias y discursos que han sido efectivos, y los que no, en la implementacion del co-manejo