cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
AR Ursae Majoris Discovered to Be a Persistent Radio Polar: Results from a VLA Survey of Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables

We conducted a VLA survey of nine magnetic cataclysmic variable stars (MCVs) at 8.436 GHz in 2003 October, to constrain models of radio emission. A follow-up study was conducted in 2004 September. We obtained the first radio detections of AR UMa, the MCV with the highest known magnetic field (230 MG), at flux densities of 0.422 ± 0.060 mJy (2003 October 16) and 0.734 ± 0.095 mJy (2004 September 4). We have completed the sample of radio observations of MCVs out to 100 pc. Surprisingly, the only radio-selected CV, FIRST J1023+0038, was not detected. An upper limit of 0.20 mJy (4 σ) was obtained. The original radio MCV, AM Her, was detected with a flux density of 0.586 ± 0.074 mJy (2003 October 17), consistent with previous observations. Typical (4 σ) upper limits of 0.12 mJy were obtained for other targets. The lack of radio emission from isolated magnetic white dwarfs, as well as from nonmagnetic CVs (outside of outburst), places constraints on radio emission mechanisms for CVs. We suggest that accretion disks may preclude radio emission. Also, since we detect radio emission from AM Her in a low state and the pre-CV V471 Tau is a persistent radio source, accretion is not a necessary condition. A secondary with a kilogauss magnetic field might be necessary. We argue that the emission from AR UMa originates near the secondary. AR UMa joins AM Her and AE Aqr as the only confirmed persistent radio MCVs, and we suggest avenues of further study.
Chloral Hydrate Overdose and Cardiac Arrhythmias

Two cases of chloral hydrate overdosage were associated with multiform ventricular tachycardia. Both were refractory to a number of antiarrhythmics, but responded to propranolol administration. Two of nine other cases reported in the literature also responded to beta-blocking agents. Mechanisms for the arrhythmia and its apparent response to beta blockade are discussed.
Toward Coordination and Funding of Long-Term Genetic Improvement Programs for Striped and Hybrid Bass Morone sp.

The productivity and profitability of striped and hybrid bass Morone sp. aquaculture would be enhanced by genetic improvement of cultured stocks. To date, genetic improvement of cultured bass stocks largely has been limited to interspecific hybridization and ploidy manipulation, techniques which are aimed at short-term genetic gains. Upon domestication, long-term improvement of striped or hybrid bass can be approached. Lines of striped bass and other Morone species can be selected for rapid growth, stress tolerance, disease resistance, combining ability, or other traits. Improved lines can be crossed to produce superior hybrids or crossbreds, or manipulated to produce superior triploid or transgenic stocks. Current breeding projects are limited in size, and coordination of breeding activities among groups would be advantageous. Faced with the likelihood of limited government funding, long-term genetic improvement of Morone species might be supported by the industry through a fund receiving a small percentage of the proceeds from sales of cultured Morone products.
Effects of Hydric Conditions during Incubation on Body Size and Triglyceride Reserves of Overwintering Hatchling Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina)

Many studies have suggested that incubating eggs under wet conditions may lead to increased fitness in snapping turtles immediately following emergence from the nest, but little is known of the consequences of associated elevated embryonic yolk use on the energetic reserves of the hatchlings during the first winter. In this experiment, we measured the size, dry mass, and triglyceride contents of the carcasses and yolk sacs of hatchlings from eggs incubated under wet (250 kPa) and dry (2300 kPa) conditions at three time intervals: at one week posthatching (late August); at the onset of an overwintering period following 10 weeks of ad libitum feeding (early November); and at the end of overwintering (late March). Although initially smaller, dry hatchlings demonstrated greater increases in live mass during the autumn than did wet hatchlings, eliminating differences in live mass by early November. Dry carcass masses were greater in wet-treatment hatchlings at one week posthatching but not in either November or March. Dry yolk sac mass was greater in dry hatchlings only at one week posthatching. Total triglyceride contents were higher in dry hatchlings than in wet hatchlings at all intervals. These findings suggest that possible preliminary survival advantages of hatchlings emerging from wet nests ultimately may be tempered by decreased energy reserves during the first winter.
Simultaneous determination of nitrate, chloride, sulfate, and phosphate in plant materials by ion chromatography

Abstract Simultaneous determination of anions in plant materials is needed. A simple and precise ion‐chromatographic (IC) method for ‐ O2‐ 4 simultaneous determination of NO3, Cl‐ , S. , and PO3‐ 4. in plant samples was developed. It involves extraction of these anions with deionized water and their simultaneous determination by IC. The averages of 10 plant samples by the IC method agreed closely with those obtained by the steam‐distillation method for NO‐ 3 (0.158 vs 0.164%), titrimetric method using AgNO3 and K2CrO4 for Cl‐ (1.22 vs 1.19%), and colorimetric heteropoly blue method for PO3‐ 4 (0.335 vs 0.330%). The average SO2‐ 4 S value of 10 plant samples by the IC method (0.067%) was somewhat lower than the corresponding value (0.075%) obtained by the reduction and colorimetric determination of methylene blue. The IC method is based on separation of the anions by a separator column containing Dionex low‐capacity anion‐exchange resin in the HCO‐ 3 form and on converting the various anions to their corre...
Test of the ξ -Approximation in Some First-Forbidden 2 − → 2 + β Transitions

The $\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ directional correlations of the first-forbidden nonunique ${2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ \ensuremath{\rightarrow} ${2}^{+}$ $\ensuremath{\beta}$ transitions of ${\mathrm{K}}^{42}$, ${\mathrm{Sb}}^{122}$, and ${\mathrm{Au}}^{198}$ were investigated and compared with the predictions of the $\ensuremath{\xi}$ approximation, whose range of applicability is discussed. Upper limits for the contribution of the tensor-type matrix element $\ensuremath{\int}{B}_{\mathrm{ij}}$ to the $\ensuremath{\beta}$ transitions were estimated on the basis of the modified ${B}_{\mathrm{ij}}$ approximation.The anisotropy coefficient ${A}_{2}(W)$ in the $\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ directional correlation involving the 1.98-Mev $\ensuremath{\beta}$ transition of ${\mathrm{K}}^{42}$ varies from ${A}_{2}(1.66)=\ensuremath{-}0.009\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.002$ to ${A}_{2}(4.60)=\ensuremath{-}0.049\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.002$, where $W$ is in units of ${\mathit{mc}}^{2}$. The energy dependence of ${A}_{2}(W)$ deviates from the predictions of the $\ensuremath{\xi}$ approximation by about 40% over the measured energy range. A rough estimate of the upper limit for the contribution from the ${B}_{\mathrm{ij}}$ component is: $|{C}_{A}\ensuremath{\int}{B}_{\mathrm{ij}}|l0.3(|{V}_{0}|+|{Y}_{1}|)$ (in the notation of Kotani).The anisotropy factor ${A}_{2}(W)$ of the $\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ directional correlation involving the 1.40-Mev $\ensuremath{\beta}$ transition of ${\mathrm{Sb}}^{122}$ varies from ${A}_{2}(1.96)=+0.035\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.003$ to ${A}_{2}(3.5)=+0.081\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.004$. The energy dependence of ${A}_{2}(W)$ is well represented by the factor ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{2}(Z, W)$ $\frac{({W}^{2}\ensuremath{-}1)}{W}$ as predicted by the $\ensuremath{\xi}$ approximation. The upper limit of the $\ensuremath{\int}{B}_{\mathrm{ij}}$ contribution to this $\ensuremath{\beta}$ transition is estimated as: $|{C}_{A}\ensuremath{\int}{B}_{\mathrm{ij}}|l0.15|{Y}_{1}|$ or $|{C}_{A}\ensuremath{\int}{B}_{\mathrm{ij}}|l0.2|{V}_{0}|$.The anisotropy factor ${A}_{2}(W)$ of the ${\mathrm{Au}}^{198}$ $\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ directional correlation involving the 0.96-Mev $\ensuremath{\beta}$ transition varies between ${A}_{2}(1.39)=+0.0076\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0010$ and ${A}_{2}(2.78)=+0.0286\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0010$, and its energy dependence agrees very well with the predictions of the $\ensuremath{\xi}$ approximation. The upper limit for the $\ensuremath{\int}{B}_{\mathrm{ij}}$ matrix element is estimated as: $|{C}_{A}\ensuremath{\int}{B}_{\mathrm{ij}}|l0.1|{Y}_{1}|$.
Toward predicting reproductive success in submersed freshwater angiosperms

Reproduction is central to changes in distribution and abundance patterns of submersed freshwater macrophytes. In this paper we seek to identify potential ‘bottlenecks’ limiting sexual or vegetative reproduction or its predictability for these plants. To this end we consider the regulation of seed production, seed fate, vegetative propagule production, and vegetative propagule fate in turn, both in general terms and for the perennial Vallisneria americana Michx. in particular Plant biomass appears to be an important determinant of the incidence of flowering for greenhouse-grown Vallisneria americana: 88% of 425 plants either failed to flower if below a threshold dry weight of 0.75 g, or flowered if above it. The number of flowers (in females) or inflorescences (in males), however, was only moderately well correlated with Vallisneria biomass, and the flowering ‘threshold rule’ weakened considerably in the field. Closer examination of the dependence of seed output on plant biomass and pollination intensity, and of the importance of seed or fruit abortion is needed for submersed species. Our ignorance of seed fate is exemplified by the paucity of quantitative studies on dispersal distances and seed deposition patterns, on seed banks, and on features of seed microenvironments pertinent to germination, although the sensitivity of seed dormancy and germination to a variety of environmental conditions has been tested in the laboratory for many species. Further, losses of seeds and seedlings as a result of unfavorable environments, sediment disturbance, flotation, pathogens, and herbivores are generally not well characterized. Overall, the principal limiting step for sexual reproduction may in some cases be lack of floral induction, and in others, ineffective pollination, but dispersal away from the local population, failure of seeds to germinate, and the challenges of seedling establishment cannot be ruled out. Plant size is well correlated with vegetative propagule production for both greenhouse and field Vallisneria populations. As with seed germination, the germination of vegetative propagules has been relatively well studied in the laboratory, but important regulators of germination and establishment in the field warrant further study. We suggest that more investigations at two interfaces of physiological ecology and demography may be particularly fruitful. Regarding propagule production, experimental focus on allocation patterns which ‘translate’ accumulated resources into seeds or vegetative propagules should prove rewarding. Regarding propagule fate, post-dispersal mortality of seeds and vegetative propagules may be rooted in phytiological tolerance limits, but could also be attributable to pathogen or herbivore attack.
The Whig Interpretation of the Welfare State

Butterfield's well-known warning to historians may hold important lessons for the analysis of the contemporary welfare state. In his view, the Whig historians distorted history by interpreting the past in terms of the present. They allowed themselves to become “dispensers of moral judgments” by dividing the world into the friends and enemies of progress. Many contemporary explanations of welfare states pose the same problem, not so much because social science intentionally excludes the past, but because the search for rigorous empirical explanations of our present choices and accomplishments is divorced from the past. As Himmelfarb noted in her comments on the study of social history, the investigations of this intricate transformation of nineteenth-century liberal states are now virtually “two cultures.”
Staging the non-event Material for revolution in Kant and Foucault

Since the fall of the former Soviet Union, and following geographical and technological changes in the global economy, theorists in Europe as well as the United States have lamented the confusion and emotional disengagement of many groups formerly identified with the left. This paper addresses the Kantian origins of the idea that ‘revolution’, however defined (or deferred), is the only plausible image for effective historical engagement capable of motivating spectators to action. Drawing on Foucault’s inquiries into conditions for the possibility of ‘heroizing’ the present, I examine two frameworks for understanding the ontological impact of historical models for ‘eventfulness’, those offered by Heidegger and Bergson. I then explore their implication for debates between Foucauldian theorists over the technological and bodily bases required to recognize the optimistic moral significance Kant attributed to revolution in practices characterizing the ‘new capitalism’.
The striatum of the opossum, Didelphis virginiana. Description and experimental studies†

The relationships and cytoarchitecture of the putamen, the caudate, the claustrum, the globus pallidus and the entopeduncular nuclei have been described for the opossum. The neocortical projections to these nuclei have ben studied by employing the Nauta-Gygax technique ('54) and the Swank Davenport modification of the Marchi technique ('34) on animals in which neocortical lesions were previously placed. Degenerating fibers from every cortical lesion were observed to terminate in both the putamen and the caudate with the Nauta-Gygax technique, whereas such connections were traced only to putamen woth the Marchi method. Terminations were present within the claustrum, but equivocal in the globus pallidus. In general, fibers from the more rostral cortices terminate in the rostral parts of both striatal nuclei, whereas fibers from more caudal neocortical areas project to more caudal parts of these same nuclei. In addition, the more dorsal or dorsomedial neocortical areas distribute more fibers to the caudate than to the putamen, whereas the opposite is true for the ventral or ventrolateral neocortical areas. Neocortical fibers did not project to the ventral, medial part of the head of the caudate which was cytoarchitectually different from the rest of the nucleus. A few fascicles of frontal, orbital and parietal origin terminated in the contralateral putamen and caudate after having decussated in the anterior commissure.
Mice expressing a neutrophil elastase mutation derived from patients with severe congenital neutropenia have normal granulopoiesis

Severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) is a syndrome characterized by an isolated block in granulocytic differentiation and an increased risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Recent studies have demonstrated that the majority of patients with SCN and cyclic neutropenia, a related disorder characterized by periodic oscillations in the number of circulating neutrophils, have heterozygous germline mutations in the ELA2 gene encoding neutrophil elastase (NE). To test the hypothesis that these mutations are causative for SCN, we generated transgenic mice carrying a targeted mutation of their Ela2 gene ("V72M") reproducing a mutation found in 2 unrelated patients with SCN, one of whom developed AML. Expression of mutant NE mRNA and enzymatically active protein was confirmed. Mice heterozygous and homozygous for the V72M allele have normal numbers of circulating neutrophils, and no accumulation of myeloid precursors in the bone marrow was observed. Serial blood analysis found no evidence of cycling in any of the major hematopoietic lineages. Rates of apoptosis following cytokine deprivation were similar in wild-type and mutant neutrophils, as were the frequency and cytokine responsiveness of myeloid progenitors. The stress granulopoiesis response, as measured by neutrophil recovery after cyclophosphamide-induced myelosuppression, was normal. To define the leukemogenic potential of V72M NE, a tumor watch was established. To date, no cases of leukemia have been detected. Collectively, these data suggest that expression of V72M NE is not sufficient to induce an SCN phenotype or leukemia in mice.
Solution Existence for Time-Varying Infinite Horizon Quadratic Programming

Abstract We consider a general, time-varying, infinite horizon, pure quadratic programming problem with positive-definite cost matrices and unbounded decision variables. Sufficient conditions are provided for there to exist an optimal solution. Specifically, we show that if the eigenvalues of the cost matrices are bounded away from zero, then a (unique) optimal solution exists. We apply our results to the infinite horizon LQ tracker problem in optimal control theory,
Cutaneous manifestations of mixed connective tissue disease: study from a tertiary care hospital in eastern India.

Context: Mixed connective tissue disorder is an uncommon disease. Some scientists are reluctant to recognize it as a separate entity. Some others have defined this ailment. Cutaneous features of this condition are unique. Researchers from India have described these features to relate to those described in the studies from other parts of the globe. Aims: This study aims to delineate the skin manifestations of clearly defined mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) patients, to compare them with those established as overlap syndrome, and to relate them with studies from other parts of the globe. Settings and Design: Successive patients who fulfilled the specific criteria for MCTD presenting in the skin outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in eastern India were clinically examined from 2009 for 3 years. Materials and Methods: The number of participants was 23 and the dermatological features of these were compared with 22 patients with overlap syndrome. The antibody to uridine-rich U1 ribonucleoprotein was measured for all patients. Statistical Analysis Used: SPSS (Version 17) and MedCalc (Version 11.6). Results: The Male: Female ratio among the MCTD patients was 1:6.67 and that of the overlap syndrome was 1:10. Twenty patients of the MCTD group presented with synovitis as against only seven in the overlap group. Raynaud's phenomenon was present in some of the subjects. Puffy fingers were rare in our study. Facial numbness was reported by four of those suffering from MCTD. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) was essentially of a speckled pattern in this disease Conclusions: Cutaneous indicators of MCTD are distinct from overlap syndrome. Knowledge of these manifestations prevalent in a region may lead to early diagnosis of the disease.
Free-Running Period of Circadian Rhythms Is Shorter in Rats with a Genetically Upregulated Central Cholinergic System

The free-running circadian rhythm of drinking activity was monitored in constant darkness in a genetic line of rats, the Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL), which show increased muscarinic receptors in several brain regions. Compared to control rats, the Flinders Resistant Line (FRL), that do not show increased muscarinic receptors, the free-running period of drinking activity was shorter in the FSL rats (FSL period = 24.02 ± 0.01 vs FRL period = 24.12 ± 0.02; p < .001). In an attempt to determine whether other rhythms were similarly affected, we simultaneously monitored drinking activity, gross motor activity, and core temperature in free-running constant darkness conditions. The results from three FSL and FRL rats showed that the circadian periods of all three rhythms were shorter in FSL rats. These findings indicate that an animal model with an upregulated central cholinergic system demonstrates an accelerated circadian pacemaker.
Minimizing boundary layer bleed for a mixed compression inlet

An experimental investigation of a full scale mixed compression inlet sized for the TF30-P-3 turbofan engine was conducted at Mach 2.5 and 2.0 operating conditions. The two cone axisymmetric inlet had minimum internal contraction consistent with high total pressure recovery and low cowl drag. At Mach 2.5, inlet recovery exceeded 0.90 with only 0.02 centerbody bleed mass-flow ratio and zero cowl bleed. A centerbody bleed of approximately 0.05 gave a maximum inlet unstart angle-of-attack of 6.85 deg. Inlet performance and angle-of-attack tolerance is presented for operation at Mach 2.5 and 2.0.
Inertial mass of a fluxon in superconductors due to the strain field

Abstract The theory of the inertial mass of a fluxon in type II superconductors, due to the coupling between the fluxon and the lattice deformation, is extended to finite temperatures. We propose an ansatz for the quasiparticle fraction valid at all temperatures below T c and solve the associated strain field. For a high- T c superconductor the mass is 10 5 electron mass/cm at low temperature (or, at least the same order of magnitude as the electromagnetic inertial mass) and vanishes at T c , thus resolving an outstanding problem of the previous theory.
An observation of crack formation in MgO

(1960). An observation of crack formation in MgO. The Philosophical Magazine: A Journal of Theoretical Experimental and Applied Physics: Vol. 5, No. 52, pp. 407-408.
Dice, entropy, and likelihood

We show that a famous die experiment used by E. T. Jaynes as intuitive justification of the need for maximum entropy (ME) estimation admits, in fact, of solutions by classical, Bayesian estimation. The Bayesian answers are the maximum probable (m.a.p.) and posterior mean solutions to the problem. These depart radically from the ME solution, and are also much more probable answers.
Acetonitrile as a constituent of cigarette smoke.

ACETONITRILE (methyl cyanide) has been identified in the body fluids of smokers while it is essentially absent in the body fluids of non-smokers1. This work indicated that urine acetonitrile content may provide a more accurate measure of the actual degree of exposure to tobacco smoke than the number of cigarettes smoked, or other similar measures commonly used. Therefore, it became desirable to determine the source of this compound; namely, whether it came from the cigarette smoke itself or was produced in the body as a derivative of some other smoke constituent. Tobacco smoke was then examined for acetonitrile specifically, rather than for its broad spectrum of components.
The Role of Food in the Regulation of the Pond Snail, Lymnaea Elodes

Inverse relationships between snail density and mean snail size, mean number of eggs per egg mass, as well as total eggs were found to disappear with food additions. Food additions also appear to have enhanced the survivorship of snails. Evidence is presented with indicates that the food limitation in the snail is one which probably involves accessory growth factors. The sensitivity to and magnitude of regulatory responses during the life history of the snail are discussed. See full-text article at JSTOR
The role of urokinase in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and implication for therapy.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive and frequently fatal form of interstitial lung disease for which there are no proven drug therapies. The pathogenesis of IPF is complex and the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA)/plasminogen system participates in the repair process. The balance between the activating enzyme uPA, and its inhibitor PAI-1, is a critical determinant of the amount of scar development that follows. Objective: To address the role of urokinase in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis and its implications for therapy. Methods: We reviewed a spectrum of therapeutic strategies and focused on fibrinolytic and anticoagulant drugs for IPF patients. Results/conclusion: There is currently a search for new pharmacotherapeutic agents that may modulate the fibrogenic pathways in IPF. Either blocking PAI-1 or using uPA itself may be a promising new therapeutic strategy.
Modulation of Conjunctival Goblet Cell Function by Inflammatory Cytokines

Ocular surface inflammation associated with Sjogren's syndrome is characterized by a loss of secretory function and alteration in numbers of mucin secreting goblet cells. Such changes are a prominent feature of ocular surface inflammatory diseases and are attributed to inflammation; however, the exact effect of the inflammatory cytokines on conjunctival goblet cell function remains largely unknown. In this study, we developed a primary culture of mouse goblet cells from conjunctival tissue and evaluated the effects on their function by inflammatory cytokines detected in the conjunctiva of mouse model of Sjogren's syndrome (Thrombospondin-1 deficient mice). We found that apoptosis of goblet cells was primarily induced by TNF-α and IFN-γ. These two cytokines also inhibited mucin secretion by goblet cells in response to cholinergic stimulation, whereas IL-6 enhanced such secretion. No changes in secretory response were detected in the presence of IL-13 or IL-17. Goblet cells proliferated to varying degrees in response to all the tested cytokines with the greatest response to IL-13 followed by IL-6. Our results therefore reveal that inflammatory cytokines expressed in the conjunctiva during an ocular surface disease directly disrupt conjunctival goblet cell functions, compromising the protective function of tears, thereby contributing to ocular surface damage.
Power of two methods for the estimation of bone ash of broilers

An experiment was conducted to compare two common methods of estimating bone ash from growing broiler chicks (A = autoclaving; B = boiling/extracting). Ross x Ross 1-d-old broiler chicks were fed a corn-soy, phosphorus-deficient diet (22.7% CP, 1% calcium, 0.22% non-phytate phosphorus), with 0, 750, 1,500, 3,000, or 6,000 units of phytase (FTU) to produce bones with a range of ash. The methods were compared with bones from chicks at 7, 14, and 21 d of age. Left legs were used for method B, and right legs were used for method A. Data was analyzed by the general linear models procedure of SAS software, and differences between means were detected using the Duncan's new multiple range test at the 0.05 level. Variance estimates were the mean square errors (from SAS outputs). Sample sizes needed to detect a 2% difference in bone ash were calculated using the method of Zar. The addition of 6,000 FTU/kg increased tibia ash from 26 to 37%, 29 to 41%, and 33 to 43% on Days 7, 14 and 21, respectively (method B). With bones from 7-d-old chicks, the same number of samples was necessary to detect a 2% difference using methods A and B. With bones from 14- and 21-d-old chicks, approximately 50 and 150% more samples were necessary, respectively, using method A. The autoclaving method is less labor-intensive and requires no toxic solvents, but for older birds, many more samples or replications are needed to detect the same treatment differences.
Three-Dimensional Dry/Wet Contact Analysis of Multilayered Elastic/Plastic Solids With Rough Surfaces

Friction/stiction and wear are among the main issues in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) devices having contact interfaces. Relevant parameters, i.e., layers thickness, need to be optimized. The contact analyses of multilayered structure under both dry and wet conditions are necessary to optimize these parameters. This study presents a first attempt to perform three-dimensional contact analysis of multilayered solids with rough surfaces in both dry and wet conditions. The surface displacements and contact pressure distributions are obtained based on variational principle with fast Fourier transform scheme. The effective hardness is modeled and plays a role when the local displacement meets the maximum displacement criterion. Simulations are performed to obtain the contact pressures, fractional total contact area, fractional plastic contact area, surface/subsurface stresses. Relative meniscus forces are obtained with the presence of an ultrathin liquid film for different loads and layers properties. These contact statistics and meniscus forces are analyzed to study the effects of layer-to-substrate ratios of stiffness and hardness, and the layers thickness of rough, two-layered elastic/plastic solids. The methods to decrease friction/stiction and wear are investigated, and the optimum layer parameters are identified.
The Invisible Effects of Therapeutic Failure

The role of emotion in doctor–patient communication is discussed, and the effects of treatment failure analyzed.
BER Analysis of Diversity M-PSK Receivers Over the Weibull Fading Channel with Cochannel Interference

In this paper, we conduct a comprehensive study on the performance of dual-branch diversity M-PSK receivers with possibly correlated branches operating over Weibull fading channels in presence of cochannel interference (CCI). We use a characteristic function (CF) based approach to derive exact expressions for the bit error rate (BER) under such conditions assuming both selection combining (SC) and post-detection equal gain combining (EGC) diversity schemes. For the EGC correlated branches case, due to the lack of existence of a closed-form expression for the CF of the sum of two correlated Weibull random variables (RVs), we revert to using the Pade approximation (PA) technique to approximate this CF by a rational function and hence, an approximate BER expression is obtained. Various results pertaining to the effect of fading severity of both the desired signal and the interferers, and the effect of correlation between diversity branches for different M-PSK modulations are presented. Our results are verified by comparison with Monte Carlo simulations and excellent agreement is observed.
Contextualism and a puzzle about seeing

Contextualist solutions to skeptical puzzles have recently been subjected to various criticisms. In this paper, I will defend contextualism against an objection pressed by Jason Stanley. In the course of doing so, I argue that either semantic context-sensitivity is very widespread in natural language, or else Stanley's ``binding'' test for the presence of hidden variables in logical form is not a good test.
Area-Efficient Event Stream Ordering for Runtime Observability of Embedded Systems

The complexity of embedded systems presents key challenges for in-situ monitoring and analysis of complex hardware and software interactions. System-level observation methods have enabled nonintrusive runtime methods for monitoring this complex behavior across hardware and software boundaries and for deeply embedded components. Previous system-level observation methods utilized an efficient pipelined hardware architecture to ensure events are reported in-order based on the event occurrence. While providing high throughput for reporting events, this approach requires significant area resources. In this paper, we present an area-efficient event stream ordering technique that significantly reduces area requirements with tradeoff in event stream throughput.
Multiple-testing strategy for analyzing cDNA array data on gene expression.

Summary An objective of many functional genomics studies is to estimate treatment-induced changes in gene expression. cDNA arrays interrogate each tissue sample for the levels of mRNA for hundreds to tens of thousands of genes, and the use of this technology leads to a multitude of treatment contrasts. By-gene hypotheses tests evaluate the evidence supporting no effect, but selecting a significance level requires dealing with the multitude of comparisons. The p-values from these tests order the genes such that a p-value cutoff divides the genes into two sets. Ideally one set would contain the affected genes and the other would contain the unaffected genes. However, the set of genes selected as affected will have false positives, i.e., genes that are not affected by treatment. Likewise, the other set of genes, selected as unaffected, will contain false negatives, i.e., genes that are affected. A plot of the observed p-values (1 −p) versus their expectation under a uniform [0, 1] distribution allows one to estimate the number of true null hypotheses. With this estimate, the false positive rates and false negative rates associated with any p-value cutoff can be estimated. When computed for a range of cutoffs, these rates summarize the ability of the study to resolve effects. In our work, we are more interested in selecting most of the affected genes rather than protecting against a few false positives. An optimum cutoff, i.e., the best set given the data, depends upon the relative cost of falsely classifying a gene as affected versus the cost of falsely classifying a gene as unaffected. We select the cutoff by a decision-theoretic method analogous to methods developed for receiver operating characteristic curves. In addition, we estimate the false discovery rate and the false nondiscovery rate associated with any cutoff value. Two functional genomics studies that were designed to assess a treatment effect are used to illustrate how the methods allowed the investigators to determine a cutoff to suit their research goals.
The effects of ceruletide in schizophrenia.

• Eight neuroleptic-resistant schizophrenic patients were treated with ceruletide diethylamine, a cholecystokininlike peptide, in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over study. Ceruletide or placebo was administered intramuscularly twice a day for four consecutive days while patients received a constant dose of fluphenazine hydrochloride. Cholecystokinin octapeptide was also administered to four different schizophrenic patients in a double-blind, cross-over study. Cholecystokinin or placebo was administered as a slow intravenous infusion daily for four days. There were no changes in either the positive or negative symptoms of schizophrenia between the periods of placebo, ceruletide, or cholecystokinin administration. Furthermore, there was no tendency for the patients' conditions to either improve or worsen during the course of ceruletide or cholecystokinin treatment. In contrast to previous reports from uncontrolled studies, cholecystokininlike peptides appear to be devoid of antipsychotic properties when administered parenterally.
Sorafenib loaded drug-eluting beads: loading and eluting kinetics and in vitro viability study

Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres for MRImonitored sorafenib transarterial chemoembolization in a rabbit VX2 model J. Chen, S.B. White, K.R. Harris, R.J. Lewandowski, L. Shea, A.C. Larson; Radiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL; Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL; Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
Urinary cotinine as an objective measure of cigarette smoking in chronic kidney disease

Background. Smoking is a modifiable behaviour that may hasten the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Cotinine, a nicotine metabolite, is measurable in body fluids, including urine, and can be utilized as an objective measure of smoking exposure. Its use has not been examined in the CKD population.Methods. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated use of 24-h urinary cotinine excretion (Ucot) as a quantitative index of smoking exposure in a CKD population. Methods of comparison included self-report and expired air carbon monoxide (eCO) as standard measures of smoking exposure. Assessments of kidney function included estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and 24-h urinary protein (Uprot) excretion.Results. Sixty-one patients were enrolled, of whom 12 were excluded for incomplete urine collections. Of the remaining, 77% were active current smokers (mean cigarettes smoked: 12 ± 7 per day). The mean eGFR was 47 ± 25 ml/min/1.73 m 2 with no significant differences among non-smokers. The mean eCO and Ucot were significantly higher in smokers vs non-smokers (12.5 ± 6.9 ppm and 1.3 ± 1.1 ppm and 1685.87 ± 922.77 μg/d and 134.18 ± 445.03 μg/d, respectively, P < 0.001 for both). Ucot was weakly correlated with eGFR (R = 0.40, P = 0.005), but not with Uprot (R = 0.09, P = 0.54). In multivariate analyses, daily cigarette consumption and eCO were the only significant predictors of Ucot (P < 0.05 for both).Conclusion. In this CKD cohort, Ucot is correlated with commonly used measures of smoking exposure and is minimally influenced by underlying renal function, demonstrating its potential utility in clinical trials examining change in smoking behaviour and effects on renal injury.
The mental prosthesis: assessing the speed of a P300-based brain-computer interface

Describes a study designed to assess a brain-computer interface (BCI), originally described by Farwell and Donchin in 1988. The system utilizes the fact that the rare events in the oddball paradigm elicit the P300 component of the event-related potential (ERP). The BCI presents the user with a matrix of 6 by 6 cells, each containing one letter of the alphabet. The user focuses attention on the cell containing the letter to be communicated while the rows and the columns of the matrix are intensified. Each intensification is an event in the oddball sequence, the row and the column containing the attended cell are "rare" items and, therefore, only these events elicit a P300. The computer thus detects the transmitted character by determining which row and which column elicited the P300. The authors report an assessment, using a bootstrapping approach, which indicates that an off line version of the system can communicate at the rate of 7.8 characters a minute and achieve 80% accuracy. The system's performance in real time was also assessed. The authors' data indicate that a P300-based BCI is feasible and practical. However, these conclusions are based on tests using healthy individuals.
Root competition: beyond resource depletion

Summary 1 Root competition is defined as a reduction in the availability of a soil resource to roots that is caused by other roots. Resource availability to competitors can be affected through resource depletion (scramble competition) and by mechanisms that inhibit access of other roots to resources (contest competition, such as allelopathy). 2 It has been proposed that soil heterogeneity can cause size-asymmetric root competition. Support for this hypothesis is limited and contradictory, possibly because resource uptake is affected more by the amount and spatial distribution of resource-acquiring organs, relative to the spatial distribution of resources, than by root system size per se . 3 Root competition intensity between individual plants generally decreases as resource availability (but not necessarily habitat productivity) increases, but the importance of root competition relative to other factors that structure communities may increase with resource availability. 4 Soil organisms play important, and often species-specific, roles in root interactions. 5 The findings that some roots can detect other roots, or inert objects, before they are contacted and can distinguish between self and non-self roots create experimental challenges for those attempting to untangle the effects of self/non-self root recognition, self-inhibition and root segregation or proliferation in response to competition. Recent studies suggesting that root competition may represent a ‘tragedy-of-the-commons’ may have failed to account for this complexity. 6 Theories about potential effects of root competition on plant diversity (and vice versa) appear to be ahead of the experimental evidence, with only one study documenting different effects of root competition on plant diversity under different levels of resource availability. 7 Roots can interact with their biotic and abiotic environments using a large variety of often species-specific mechanisms, far beyond the traditional view that plants interact mainly through resource depletion. Research on root interactions between exotic invasives and native species holds great promise for a better understanding of the way in which root competition may affect community structure and plant diversity, and may create new insights into coevolution of plants, their competitors and the soil community.
Development of New Candidate Gene and EST-Based Molecular Markers for Gossypium Species

New source of molecular markers accelerate the efforts in improving cotton fiber traits and aid in developing high-density integrated genetic maps. We developed new markers based on candidate genes and G. arboreum EST sequences that were used for polymorphism detection followed by genetic and physical mapping. Nineteen gene-based markers were surveyed for polymorphism detection in 26 Gossypium species. Cluster analysis generated a phylogenetic tree with four major sub-clusters for 23 species while three species branched out individually. CAP method enhanced the rate of polymorphism of candidate gene-based markers between G. hirsutum and G. barbadense. Two hundred A-genome based SSR markers were designed after datamining of G. arboreum EST sequences (Mississippi Gossypium arboreum EST-SSR: MGAES). Over 70% of MGAES markers successfully produced amplicons while 65 of them demonstrated polymorphism between the parents of G. hirsutum and G. barbadense RIL population and formed 14 linkage groups. Chromosomal localization of both candidate gene-based and MGAES markers was assisted by euploid and hypoaneuploid CS-B analysis. Gene-based and MGAES markers were highly informative as they were designed from candidate genes and fiber transcriptome with a potential to be integrated into the existing cotton genetic and physical maps.
Migraine Triggers and Oxidative Stress: A Narrative Review and Synthesis.

Background Blau theorized that migraine triggers are exposures that in higher amounts would damage the brain. The recent discovery that the TRPA1 ion channel transduces oxidative stress and triggers neurogenic inflammation suggests that oxidative stress may be the common denominator underlying migraine triggers. Objective The aim of this review is to present and discuss the available literature on the capacity of common migraine triggers to generate oxidative stress in the brain. Methods A Medline search was conducted crossing the terms “oxidative stress” and “brain” with “alcohol,” “dehydration,” “water deprivation,” “monosodium glutamate,” “aspartame,” “tyramine,” “phenylethylamine,” “dietary nitrates,” “nitrosamines,” “noise,” “weather,” “air pollutants,” “hypoglycemia,” “hypoxia,” “infection,” “estrogen,” “circadian,” “sleep deprivation,” “information processing,” “psychosocial stress,” or “nitroglycerin and tolerance.” “Flavonoids” was crossed with “prooxidant.” The reference lists of the resulting articles were examined for further relevant studies. The focus was on empirical studies, in vitro and of animals, of individual triggers, indicating whether and/or by what mechanism they can generate oxidative stress. Results In all cases except pericranial pain, common migraine triggers are capable of generating oxidative stress. Depending on the trigger, mechanisms include a high rate of energy production by the mitochondria, toxicity or altered membrane properties of the mitochondria, calcium overload and excitotoxicity, neuroinflammation and activation of microglia, and activation of neuronal nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase. For some triggers, oxidants also arise as a byproduct of monoamine oxidase or cytochrome P450 processing, or from uncoupling of nitric oxide synthase. Conclusions Oxidative stress is a plausible unifying principle behind the types of migraine triggers encountered in clinical practice. The possible implications for prevention and for understanding the nature of the migraine attack are discussed.
The Health Care and Conscience Debate

Can a hospital require a nurse to assist in an abortion in violation of her religious beliefs? Can a pharmacy fire one of its pharmacists for conscientiously refusing to dispense the morning-after pill? During the Bush administration, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a regulation designed to protect health care workers’ right of conscience. But the Obama administration recently rescinded that regulation and issued a new one. This article first explains how the new regulation reduces protections for conscience; second, it rebuts the principal arguments against broad conscience protections; finally, it highlights where the next big fights over conscience will occur – in courts, state governments, the executive branch, and Congress.
Medicare – Bridging the Gap between Ridiculous and Sublime

The recently resolved case against Tuomey Healthcare System ("Tuomey") provides useful insight into the Medicare Program today. Settled in 1845, the city of Sumter rests in the bucolic middle of South Carolina and boasts the only public park in the United States containing all eight known species of swan. Originally named Sumterville, this sleepy, rural Southern town has for nearly one hundred years been home to the Tuomey, an acute care hospital also providing a 36-bed nursery, 10 operating suites, Cancer Treatment Center, Tuomey Home Services and a subacute skilled care program. In 2013, affirmed in June 2015, and just recently settled, Tuomey at one in time faced a record-breaking $237,454,195 judgment for violating federal law. This is an example of the Medicare system and all that it entails.
Africans and the Industrial Revolution in England: Britain and the Supply of African Slave Labor to the Americas

WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PRECEDING CHAPTERS that the development process in England between 1650 and 1850 was strongly linked not just to British America but to all of the Americas. The supply of African slave labor – the central element in the development and operation of the Atlantic system during the period – constituted one of the linkages. The Portuguese had been buying and selling Africans for more than 100 years before the first known English attempt by John Hawkins to enter the trans-Atlantic slave trade in the 1560s. Even at this point, the effort could not be sustained as the Spaniards and Portuguese strove to defend their monopoly of the more lucrative areas of Atlantic commerce. But, just as through war and diplomacy, British America came to dominate commodity production for Atlantic commerce from the eighteenth century, so did British traders in England and in the Americas come to dominate Atlantic commerce, including the supply of African slave labor to all the Americas. In this chapter we attempt to show the dimensions of the trans-Atlantic slave trade conducted by traders resident in England and, to a lesser extent, by those resident in British America. By showing the distribution of the British slave trade between British and non-British America, the evidence in the chapter is intended to reinforce the main argument of this study that the English economy during the period in question was linked significantly to activities in both British and non-British America.
Low incidence of GvHD with T-cell depleted allografts facilitates further treatments for post-transplantation relapse in AML and MDS.

Low incidence of GvHD with T-cell depleted allografts facilitates further treatments for post-transplantation relapse in AML and MDS