cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid identification of synthetic cannabinoids in herbal samples via direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry.

RATIONALE Dozens of synthetic cannabinoid analogs purposefully meant to circumvent legal restrictions associated with controlled substances continue to be manufactured and promoted as producing 'legal highs'. These designer drugs are difficult to identify in conventional drug screens not only because routine protocols have not been developed for their detection, but also because their association with complex plant matrices during manufacture generally requires labor-intensive extraction and sample preparation for analysis. To address this new and important challenge in forensic chemistry, Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS) is applied to the analysis of these designer drugs. METHODS DART-MS was employed to sample synthetic cannabinoids directly on botanical matrices. The ambient ionization method associated with DART-MS permitted the analysis of solid herbal samples directly, without the need for extraction or sample preparation. The high mass resolution time-of-flight analyzer allowed identification of these substances despite their presence within a complex matrix and enabled differentiation of closely related analogs. RESULTS DART-MS was performed to rapidly identify the synthetic cannabinoids AM-251 and JWH-015. For each cannabinoid, three hundred micrograms (300 µg) of material was easily detected within an excess of background matrix by mass. CONCLUSIONS New variations of herbal blends containing a wide range of base components and laced with synthetic cannabinoids are being produced, making their presence difficult to track by conventional methods. DART-MS permits rapid identification of trace synthetic cannabinoids within complex biological matrices, with excellent sensitivity and specificity compared with standard methods. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Greenhouse gas emissions and global warming potential of reclaimed forest and grassland soils.

Although greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soils are important, reclaimed mine soil (RMS) ecosystems are not widely assessed. Postreclamation land uses (forest, hay, and pasture) were investigated to: (i) monitor the magnitude of GHG fluxes, (ii) estimate their global warming potential (GWP), (iii) identify the relationship between GHG fluxes and soil properties, and (iv) develop a soil quality index by principal component analysis (PCA). The GHG fluxes were measured for 1 yr cycle and simultaneous measurements were also made for soil moisture and temperature. The RMS-forest, -hay, and -pasture land uses had weighted average fluxes of 1.16, 1.66, and 3.06 g CO(2)-C m(-2) d(-1); 0.33, 0.48 and 1.1 mg CH(4)-C m(-2) d(-1); and 0.33, 0.70, and 1.06 mg N(2)O-N m(-2) d(-1), respectively. The CO(2), CH(4), and N(2)O fluxes were consistently high in the RMS-pasture and low in the RMS-forest. The GWP (CO(2)-C equivalent) of the postreclamation land uses was in the order of RMS-forest (4.5 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1)) = RMS-hay (6.8 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1)) 1 explained 88.8% of the total variance in the soil properties. The first PC is mostly characterized by soil physical properties and the second by chemical properties. Soil and air temperatures were positively correlated with CO(2), CH(4), and N(2)O fluxes. The results suggest that GWP from RMS can be minimized by establishing forest land use.
The spectrum of cardiovascular disease in the Marfan syndrome: A clinico-morphologic study of 18 necropsy patients and comparison to 151 previously reported necropsy patients

Cardiovascular abnormalities are the most common cause of death in patients with the Marfan syndrome, and a variety of lesions have been described in the aorta and heart in such patients. Although some information has been reported in at least 151 necropsy patients with the Marfan syndrome,1-g1 no studies are available describing in detail large numbers of such patients at necropsy. Indeed, of the 151 necropsy patients reported, 65 were isolated case
Atmospheric Corrosion Study of Electrodeposited Hard Chromium and High-Velocity Oxygen-Fuel Thermal Spray Coatings

Abstract The corrosion behavior of several coating/substrate combinations was determined during a 3-year atmospheric exposure. The coatings were electrodeposited hard chromium (EHC) and two high-velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF) thermal-sprayed coatings, tungsten-carbide/cobalt (WC/Co) and Tribaloy 400 (T400). The substrates were Type 4340 (UNS G43400) steel and 7075 aluminum (UNS A97075). On the 4340 steel substrate, the HVOF WC/Co coating had the best performance. However, some general corrosion of the WC/Co coating was observed. On the 7075 aluminum, the EHC coating performance depended on how the coating was applied on the two samples on which the WC/Co was applied to the face and edges, WC/Co performed better than the EHC coating. In the case where the coating was not applied to the edges, the EHC coating performed better. The present results are compared to earlier results of HVOF and EHC coatings that underwent ASTM B117 testing.
Alfred Wegener's reconstruction of Pangea

The misconception that Alfred Wegener used the modern-day coastlines for his reconstruction of Pangea has been propagated from his day to the present. A letter written by Wegener to his wife in 1911 demonstrates unequivocally that even before he first began to formulate the hypothesis of continental drift, Wegener did not consider fitting the continents at the present shorelines. Rather, he felt that the match should be made at “the margin of the continental slope in the deep sea.” He subsequently retained this concept in all of the editions of his book The Origin of Continents and Oceans .
Mimesis and Empire: The New World, Islam, and European Identities

Introduction 1. Truth, fictions, and the New World 2. Literary loyalties, imperial betrayals 3. Lettered subjects 4. Virtual Spaniards 5. Faithless empires 6. Pirating Spain Conclusion.
Application of remote sensors to the classificationof areal data at different scales: a case study in housing quality

Remote sensors applied to classification of aerial data concerning housing quality at different scales, using variables observation
The development of skill in producing word-final English stops: Kinematic parameters

It was hypothesized that native English adults would be more skillful in producing word‐final English /p/ and /b/ than native English children who, in turn, would be more skillful in doing so than adult native speakers of a language (Mandarin Chinese) that does not possess word‐final stops. A video tracking system was used to monitor lip and jaw movements. The subjects in all three groups made vowels significantly longer before /b/ than /p/, but the effect seen for the English subjects was three times as large as the Chinese subjects’ effect and depended less on differences in lip closing velocity for /b/ and /p/. The English subjects also showed a difference in duration between /a/ and /i/ that was twice as large as the difference seen for the Chinese subjects. Of the three groups, only the English adults showed significantly greater displacement and peak movement velocity for the final stop consonant of /bap/ than /bab/. This suggested that their central phonetic representations specified a more forceful constriction of the lips for /p/ than /b/. The English adults seemed to compensate more effectively for a bite block in producing the final stops in /bip/ and /bib/. The results obtained for the English children were intermediate to those obtained for the English and Chinese adults, which is consistent with the hypothesized experience‐based differences in level of skill.
Performance of Bowen ratio systems on a slope

Abstract The Bowen ratio energy balance technique was used to assess the energy fluxes on inclined surfaces in several recent surface-atmosphere interaction studies. Since air flow over a sloping surface may differ from that over a flat terrain, it is important to examine whether Bowen ratio measurements taken on sloping surfaces are valid. In this study, the suitability of using the Bowen ratio technique on sloping surfaces was tested by examining the assumptions that the technique requires for valid measurements. This was accomplished by studying the variation of Bowen ratio measurements along a selected slope at a site of the First ISLSCP Field Experiment (FIFE). In September 1988, four Bowen ratio systems were set up in a line along the 22° north-facing slope with northerly air flow (air flowed up the slope). In July of 1989, six Bowen ratio systems were similarly installed with southerly air flow (air flowed down the slope). Results indicated that, at distances between 10 and 40 m from the top of the slope, no temperature or vapor pressure gradient parallel to the slope was detected. Uniform Bowen ratio values were obtained on the slope, and thus the sensible or latent heat flux should be similar along the slope. This indicates that the assumptions for valid flux measurements are reasonably met on the slope. The Bowen ratio technique should give good estimates of the energy fluxes on slopes similar to that in this study.
Effect of menthol on permeability of an optically active and racemic propranolol across guinea pig skin.

AbstractThe effect of menthol on the percutaneous penetration of S(—)-propranolol (SPL) and racemic form of propranolol (RSPL) was investigated in vitro using excised abdominal skin of guinea pig. In the presence of menthol, the permeability coefficient of SPL was high compared with that of RSPL. The enhancement factors for SPL and RSPL were 2.12 and 0.85, respectively. The lag times for SPL and RSPL were reduced considerably in the presence of menthol compared to those for control (without enhancer). The present findings suggest the enantio-selective permeation of SPL across the guinea pig skin in the presence of menthol.
Reducing observer metamerism in wide-gamut multiprimary displays

Emerging electronic display technologies for cinema and television such as LED, OLED, laser and quantum dot are permitting greatly enhanced color gamuts via increasingly narrow-band primary emission spectra. A recent standard adopted for Ultra High Definition television, ITU-R Rec. 2020, promotes RGB primary chromaticities coincident with the spectral locus. As displays trend towards larger gamuts in the traditional 3-primary design, variability in human color sensing is exacerbated. Metameric matches to aim stimuli for one particular observer may yield a notable color mismatch for others, even if all observers are members of a color-normal population. Multiprimary design paradigms may hold value for simultaneously enhancing color gamut and reducing observer metamerism. By carefully selecting primary spectra in systems employing more than 3 emission channels, intentional metameric performance can be controlled. At Rochester Institute of Technology, a prototype multiprimary display has been simulated to minimize observer metamerism and observer variability according to custom indices derived from emerging models for human color vision. The constructed display is further being implemented in observer experiments to validate practical performance and confirm these vision and metamerism models.
Educational Attainment: A Key Factor for Improving the Lagging Rate of Black Entrepreneurship

The difference between the percentage of blacks and whites who are self-employed in the United States is striking. In this paper, we focus on the role of educational achievement in explaining the gap between white and black entrepreneurship. Using data collected through the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics (PSED), we identified 1.061 white nascent entrepreneurs (NEs) and 270 black NEs and compared the two groups against each other as well as to white and black comparison groups of non-NEs. The results suggest that in order to improve the rate of black entrepreneurship, more focus is needed on improving black educational achievement.
Nucleosome transcription studied in a real-time synchronous system: test of the lexosome model and direct measurement of effects due to histone octamer.

We report the development of an alternative approach to studies on nucleosome transcriptionin vitro. This model system allows us to follow the real-time, synchronous and single passage of RNA polymerase molecules as they progress through DNA packaged in nucleosomes. Results are obtained using phage T7 RNA polymerase with reconstituted nucleosomes prepared from native histones or from histones in which the two H3 Cys110 thiol groups have been oxidized to form a disulfide bridge. The lengths and concentrations of radiolabeled transcripts produced as a function of time provide direct measurements of the velocities of transcription on naked DNA and on the nucleosomal particles, and allow both relative and absolute efficiencies of initiation, elongation and completion to be determined. These direct measurements reveal new features of the elongation process. The velocities of elongation on the nucleosomal templates are slightly but reproducibly slower than those on naked DNA. This difference is found to be due to a slight increase in pausing on the nucleosomal templates. Remarkably, the sites of this increased pausing on the nucleosomal templates are also pause sites on the naked DNA. The velocities of elongation on native or oxidized nucleosomal templates are found to be identical to within ± 10%. We conclude that nucleosomes having covalently bound H3 molecules are substrates for transcription, suggesting that the splitting of the nucleosome postulated in the lexosome model of nucleosome transcription is not a necessary event. Interesting future applications of this methodology are discussed.
Mentoring and Networking for Helping Professionals

Awareness of mentoring and networking assists helping professionals personally and as they work with and guide their students and clients toward their life and career goals.
SU-E-T-648: Comparison of VMAT Vs Arc Treatment Plans for Patients Undergoing SBRT of Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

Purpose: To evaluate the dosimetric implications of using VMAT (Volume Modulated Arc Therapy) treatment planning techniques compared to traditional Arc therapy methods for patients undergoing SBRT (Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy) for early‐stage Non‐Small Cell LungCancer(NSCLC).Methods: Ten NSCLCcancer patients are planned with both VMAT and Arc techniques. The SBRTtreatment plans comparison was quantified by several Dose‐Volume Histogram (DVH) indicators including mean, maximum and minimum doses for GTV, ITV, PTV, OAR (Organs At Risk), and V95 (volume receiving at least 95% of the prescribed dose) for PTV. Results: On average VMAT plans require for treatment delivery 16.6 ± 20.2 % more monitor units (MU) than the traditional Arc plans. The average PTV minimum, maximum and mean doses as a percentage of prescribed dose are 94.5 ± 3.9 %, 114.1 ± 3.3 % and 106.6 ± 1.6 % for VMAT vs 91.6 ± 4.4 %, 119.5 ± 5.3 % and 109.5 ± 2.5 % for the Arc technique. The V95 PTV coverage for VMAT plans range from 99.4 % to 100 % with a mean of 99.7 %, compared with a range of 96.8 % to 100 % with a mean of 99 % for the Arc plans. The maximum dose received by the lungs, spinal cord and chest wall show on average significant increases for Arc plans as opposed to VMAT plans (5.7 ± 6 % increase for lungs, 4.4 ± 9.2 % for cord and 2.4 ± 6.3 % for chest wall ). The average mean doses and minimum doses for the OAR are similar for both techniques. Conclusions: The comparison of VMAT vs Arc plans for SBRT of NSCLC patients is subject to many variables, including GTV and PTV volume sizes, shape and their proximity relative to the OAR.
A clinical evaluation of the maximal histalog test.

A maximal dose of Histalog (2.0 mg./kg.) was evaluated as a stimulant for clinical testing of gastric secretion in 131 patients. The tube must be positioned fluoroscopically in the gastric antrum prior to testing—failure to do so results in a significantly reduced recovery of secretion. It is also recommended that continued antral position of the tube be checked fluoroscopicaly toward the end of the test.
Consumer diversity across kingdoms supports multiple functions in a coastal ecosystem

The global biodiversity crisis impairs the valuable benefits ecosystems provide humans. These nature-generated benefits are defined by a multitude of different ecosystem functions that operate simultaneously. Although several studies have simulated species loss in communities and tracked the response of single functions such as productivity or nutrient cycling, these studies have involved relatively similar taxa, and seldom are strikingly different functions examined. With the exception of highly managed ecosystems such as agricultural fields, rarely are we interested in only one function being performed well. Instead, we rely on ecosystems to deliver several different functions at the same time. Here, we experimentally investigated the extinction impacts of dominant consumers in a salt marsh. These consumers are remarkably phylogenetically diverse, spanning two kingdoms (i.e., Animalia and Fungi). Our field studies reveal that a diverse consumer assemblage significantly enhances simultaneous functioning of disparate ecosystem processes (i.e., productivity, decomposition, and infiltration). Extreme functional and phylogenetic differences among consumers underlie this relationship. Each marsh consumer affected at least one different ecosystem function, and each individual function was affected by no more than two consumers. The implications of these findings are profound: If we want ecosystems to perform many different functions well, it is not just number of species that matter. Rather, the presence of species representing markedly different ecologies and biology is also essential to maximizing multiple functions. Moreover, this work emphasizes the need to incorporate both microcomponents and macrocomponents of food webs to accurately predict biodiversity declines on integrated-ecosystem functioning.
The cognitive neuroscience of sleep: neuronal systems, consciousness and learning

Sleep can be addressed across the entire hierarchy of biological organization. We discuss neuronal-network and regional forebrain activity during sleep, and its consequences for consciousness and cognition. Complex interactions in thalamocortical circuits maintain the electroencephalographic oscillations of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Functional neuroimaging affords views of the human brain in both NREM and REM sleep, and has informed new concepts of the neural basis of dreaming during REM sleep — a state that is characterized by illogic, hallucinosis and emotionality compared with waking. Replay of waking neuronal activity during sleep in the rodent hippocampus and in functional images of human brains indicates possible roles for sleep in neuroplasticity. Different forms and stages of learning and memory might benefit from different stages of sleep and be subserved by different forebrain regions.
Role of physical attractiveness in impression formation

Male and female judges were given photographs, previously scaled as high, moderate, or low in physical attractiveness, and were asked to record their impressions of the stimulus persons on an adjective checklist. The results showed high attractiveness to be associated with positive traits, the reverse holding for low attractiveness. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that, in a first-impression situation, a person’s level of attractiveness may evoke in a perceiver a consistent set of expectancies by a process of trait inference. This kind of process accords well with previous research relating physical attractiveness to interpersonal processes.
Diagnosis, Neurobiology, and Treatment of First-episode Schizophrenia

Abstract Early detection, intervention, and treatment in first-episode schizophrenia is becoming increasingly recognized as offering many patients the possibility of improved prognosis and quality of life. However, there are many obstacles to early detection treatment, specifically, common signs leading to early detection are often misleading, resulting in identification problems, and many common prodromal diagnoses suggest other potential illnesses. Because a first-episode schizophrenia diagnosis is difficult, it is imperative that awareness be increased about warning signs among primary care clinicians, families, and school systems. In addition to psychoeducational programs, the new atypical antipsychotics offer the best hope to date for improved long-term outcome.
Erratum to: Choice and placebo expectation effects in the context of pain analgesia

Concurrent pain ratings were made on an 11point scale (0 = no pain; 10 = worst possible pain) at four time points during the task (after 15, 30, 45, and 60 s). VAS (visual analogue scale) post-task pain ratings were made by marking 100-mm lines, anchored with no pain/not bad at all on the left side and worst pain possible/most unpleasant feeling possible on the right side. Anxiety ratings were made on a 7-point scale (1 = not at all anxious; 7 = very anxious). The reported means control for participant age, gender, and baseline pain ratings
Rheumatic Fever in Adults

Excerpt To the editor: I have read with great interest the article in the December 1978 issue on acute rheumatic fever in adults (1) and wish to add two cases to those presented. In the last 5 mont...
Chemically Defined Medium With TGF-β3 Enhances Matrix Elaboration by Nucleus Pulposus Cells Encapsulated in Novel Photocrosslinked Carboxymethylcellulose Hydrogels

Back pain is a significant clinical concern often attributed to degeneration of the intervertebral disc (IVD) and the associated dehydration of the nucleus pulposus (NP) [1]. The NP is a gel-like tissue at the center of the disc, rich in proteoglycans and type II collagen that functions to resist compressive forces through the generation of a hydrostatic swelling pressure [2]. Tissue engineering strategies may provide a viable NP replacement therapy as an alternative to current surgical procedures. However, several factors including medium formulation and scaffold selection can affect construct maturation [3]. For example, transforming growth factor-beta 3 (TGF-β3) has been shown to enhance the functional properties of tissue engineered cartilage constructs, with more pronounced results observed in serum-free conditions [3]. NP cells are commonly cultured in ionically crosslinked alginate hydrogels to maintain their phenotypic properties; however, these scaffolds have been shown to lose structural integrity over time, creating a need for an alternative biomaterial [4]. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the effects of medium formulation on NP cells encapsulated in novel photocrosslinked carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) hydrogels.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
NAD+-dependent Sirtuin 1 and 6 Proteins Coordinate a Switch from Glucose to Fatty Acid Oxidation during the Acute Inflammatory Response

Background: Switching from the acute early initiation to late adaptation response after TLR4 stimulation depends on SirT1. Results: Switching from glucose to fatty acid oxidation between initiation and adaptation responses requires SirT6 and SirT1. Conclusion: Bioenergy integrates metabolism and acute inflammation. Significance: Understanding bioenergy shifts during inflammation may enable development of new therapies.
Low-energy states of circulating stored ion beams: Crystalline beams.

The low-energy states of a beam of charged particles subject to circumferentially varying guiding and focusing forces is studied by first deriving a Hamiltonian and then using molecular dynamics methods. In an alternating gradient structure, operating below the transition energy (but not in a constant gradient ring), the lowest state is ordered. The nature of the ground state depends upon the beam density and the ring parameters. For very low temperature, the crystal remains intact for a long time, but as the temperature increases it rapidly gains energy from the lattice.
Literacy and the Job Training Act: A Survey Study

This study suggests that functionally illiterate high school graduates frequently apply for assistance through the Job Training Act for which they are underprepared. Assisting such individuals has serious implications for the United States as it attempts to compete in a world market requiring an educated and literate work force.
Religiosity as an Identity: Young Arab Muslim Women in the United States and France

Young Arab Muslim women who are religious are particularly challenged by hostility toward Muslims in the United States’ and France’s secular societies. They feel Muslim first but are not recognized as religious citizens and their personal quest for religious identity faces both stereotypical assumptions from non-Muslims and expectations from their own community. The current study, conducted in the United States and France, shows that as religion is central to their identity negotiation process, young Arab women who are religious Muslims struggle to express who they feel they are, as citizens of their country of residence as well as members of an ethnic and religious minority.
Computing infrastructure and services deployment for research community of Moldova

Scientific Computing Infrastructure, related technologies and services have begun developing for R&D communities of Moldova due to the support of a series of international and national projects. These projects are focused on forming the national computational facilities as a part of national, regional and European eInfrastructures. Their aim is to provide access to modern computational resources to wide range of researchers, attract new research communities in Moldova and promote joint research activities at national, regional and European levels. The realization of eInfrastructure development projects will allow national research communities to get access to the computing resources of leadership-class capability and will contribute to the competitiveness of national research teams.
An assessment of behavioral dynamic information processing measures in audiovisual speech perception.

Research has shown that visual speech perception can assist accuracy in identification of spoken words. However, little is known about the dynamics of the processing mechanisms involved in audiovisual integration. In particular, architecture and capacity, measured using response time methodologies, have not been investigated. An issue related to architecture concerns whether the auditory and visual sources of the speech signal are integrated “early” or “late”. We propose that “early” integration most naturally corresponds to coactive processing whereas “late” integration corresponds to separate decisions parallel processing. We implemented the Double Factorial Paradigm (DFP) in two studies. First, we carried out a pilot study using a two alternative forced-choice discrimination task to assess architecture, decision rule, and provide a preliminary assessment of capacity (integration efficiency). Next, Experiment 1 was designed to specifically assess audiovisual integration efficiency in an ecologically valid way by including lower auditory S/N ratios and a larger response set size. Results from the pilot study support a separate decisions parallel, late integration model. Results from both studies showed that capacity was severely limited for high auditory S/N ratios. However, Experiment 1 demonstrated that capacity improved as the auditory signal became more degraded. This evidence strongly suggests that integration efficiency is vitally affected by the S/N ratio.
Applying new approaches to modeling diet and status: isotopic evidence for commoner resiliency and elite variability in the Classic Maya lowlands

Abstract Classic Maya states were characterized by a high degree of socioeconomic stratification. This paper investigates the degree to which status, as defined by grave goods and tomb construction, influenced dietary patterns of elites and commoners throughout the Classic Period (200–900/1000 AD) of the southern lowlands. We compile a database (N = 102) of previously-published stable isotope ratios (δ13C collagen, δ13C apatite, and δ15N collagen) from Maya bone mineral and collagen, and interrogate these data through two new isotopic modeling techniques: a simple carbon isotope model ( Kellner and Schoeninger, 2007 ; Froehle et al., 2010 ) and a multivariate isotope model ( Froehle et al., 2012 ). We find that Maya elite diet varied significantly through time in terms of maize consumption and trophic level, while commoner diet remained remarkably stable. These findings provide new information relevant to studies of ancient Maya class structure and to studies of subsistence strategies of the pre-Columbian Americas.
Organizational Role and Environmental Uncertainty as Influences on Ethical Work Climate in Military Units

In addition to a person’s character and training, the organization’s ethical work climate (EWC) can assess how the organization influences an individual’s ethical decision-making process by examining the individuals’ perception of “what is the right thing to do” in a particular organizational environment. Relatively little research has explored which EWCs dominate military units and the impact of organizational role and environmental uncertainty on individuals in the military and their ethical decision making. In this study, we examined the predominant EWCs among military units and found that certain organizational influences are associated with the specific EWCs. Based on these discoveries, we discuss the implications of EWC studies and the influence of organizational role and environmental uncertainty for researchers, as well as military leaders.
Possibility of Heat-Related Mortality in Desert Ungulates

ABSTRACT Studies on mortality of young ungulates in arid environments usually restrict the possible causes of death to predation, starvation, or disease. However, hyperthermia as a cause of death in wild animals living in arid environments is rarely discussed or considered and might be a source of mortality in juveniles. During a two-week period after 11 July 2005, four Sonoran pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonoriensis) fawns (4–5 months old) died of unknown causes in a 130-ha enclosure in southern Arizona. Predation did not appear to be the cause of death. Likewise, starvation does not appear to be the cause of death because fawns did not exhibit observable signs of malnutrition prior to the period of their death. Disease also appears to be unlikely because the timing of occurrence of the vector for the two main diseases known to occur in the population (i.e., blue tongue and epizootic hemorrhagic disease [EHD]) does not coincide with the fawn deaths (although this does not rule out other potential di...
Near-optimal approximate membership query over time-decaying windows

There has been a long history of finding a spaceefficient data structure to support approximate membership queries, started from Bloom's work in the 1970's. Given a set A of n items and an additional item x from the same universe U of a size m ≫ n, we want to distinguish whether x ∈ A or not, using small (limited) space. The solutions for the membership query are needed for many network applications, such as cache directory, load-balancing, security, etc. If A is static, there exist optimal algorithms to find a randomized data structure to represent A using only (1+ o(1))n log 1/δ bits, which only allows for a small false positive δ but no false negative. However, existing optimal algorithms are not practical for many Internet applications, e.g., social network services, peer-to-peer systems, network traffic monitoring, etc. They are too spaceand time-expensive due to the frequent changes in the set A, because all items are needed to recompute the optimal data structure for each change using a linear running time. In this paper, we propose a novel data structure to support the approximate membership query in the time-decaying window model. In this model, items are inserted one-by-one over a data stream, and we want to determine whether an item is among the most recent w items for any given window size w ≤ n. Our data structure only requires O(n(log 1/δ+logn)) bits and O(1) running time. We also prove a non-trivial space lower bound, i.e. (n - δm) log(n - δm) bits, which guarantees that our data structure is near-optimal. Our data structure has been evaluated using both synthetic and real data sets.
Simultaneous measurements of macromolecular leakage and arteriolar blood flow as altered by PGE1 and β2-receptor stimulant in the hamster cheek pouch

Abstract Alterations in arteriolar blood flow and macromolecular leakage after prostaglandin (PGE 1 ) administration in the presence and absence of a β-receptor stimulant (terbutaline) were investigated in the hamster cheek pouch preparation by direct observation. After iv injection of FITC-dextran ( M w = 150,000 ; 25 mg 100 g −1 body wt), macromolecular leakage was quantified as the number of leakage sites per square centimeter appearing in the cheek pouch upon topical application of PGE 1 (0.1, 1.0, 10.0, and 100.0 ng ml −1 ) in the presence and in the absence of terbutaline (1.0 μg ml −1 ) in the superfusion solution. Concomitantly, arteriolar blood flow was calculated from measurements of red blood cell velocity and vessel diameter. PGE 1 produced a dose-dependent increase in macromolecular leakage during normal superfusion while this effect was reduced significantly when terbutaline was present. PGE 1 produced an increase in arteriolar blood flow which was not affected by terbutaline. Terbutaline, alone, reduced macromolecular leakage and increased arteriolar blood flow. Thus, it is concluded that terbutaline counteracts PGE 1 -induced macromolecular leakage. This effect is not mediated through a reduction of the PGE 1 -induced increase in arteriolar blood flow.
Voiding Ability Using Propofol Sedation in Children Undergoing Voiding Cystourethrograms: A Retrospective Analysis

Purpose: The ability of a child to void during cystourethrography is important in detecting vesicoureteral reflux. The potential effect of sedation on the capacity to void may impair our ability to detect vesicoureteral reflux. Since 2001, most voiding cystourethrograms at our institution have been performed with moderate sedation using propofol. To assess the impact of sedation on the ability of children to void, we retrospectively evaluated a group of patients who underwent sedated voiding cystourethrograms and compared them to a group undergoing nonsedated voiding cystourethrograms.Materials and Methods: The nonsedated group consisted of children 2 to 8 years old who underwent voiding cystourethrography between 1996 and 2001. The sedated group consisted of children the same age who underwent voiding cystourethrography between 2002 and 2004. Patient characteristics, presenting symptoms, bladder capacity, emptying ability and diagnoses were recorded. Children were categorized as receiving sedation vs not...
AChRs: five-fold symmetry and the ε-subunit

Abstract A combination of molecular genetic, electrophysiological, and structural techniques is starting to provide a view of the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) channel that is more detailed and precise than could be imagined just a few years ago. The latest information reveals that, even though this channel is constructed from four distinct peptides specified by four separate genes, the overall structure is a highly symmetric one generally similar to the well-studied gap junction channel. These new observations suggest that many types of channels may be constructed with similar symmetry principles, and that this symmetry implies gating mechanisms that make use of corresponding conformational changes in the participating subunits or domains. Although the separate subunits have the same general shape, they are only partially interchangeable, and a start has been made on discovering the structural basis for functional interchangeability. Certainly, the techniques are at hand now 1 for discovering the role of symmetry in channel function, and the significance of departures from complete symmetry.
The Use and Implementation of Coding Standards for High-Confidence Embedded Systems

The use of coding standards in safety-critical embedded software development is growing because they reduce the risk of unsafe code escaping into production devices. Three prominent rule sets comprising 345 unique rules are studied. Each rule is classified by its rationale. Techniques for detecting violations of the rules are discussed, and each of the rules is further classified by the technology best suited for its enforcement. Many rules are found to be ambiguous or prone to subjective interpretations. This is a particular problem for automatic enforcement as tools require a precise specification. For some classes of rules, theoretical and technological limitations mean that tools may report violations where no such violations occur. Strategies for managing these false positives are discussed. Broad recommendations for adoption and enforcement of rules are given.
The limits of secularization: on the problem of the catholic revival in nineteenth-century Germany*

The Limits of Secularization: On the Problem of the Catholic Revival in Nineteenth-Century Germany Author(s): Margaret Lavinia Anderson Source: The Historical Journal, Vol. 38, No. 3, (Sep., 1995), pp. 647-670 Published by: Cambridge University Press Stable URL: http://www.jstororg/stable/2640007 Accessed: 31/07/2008 12:56 Y our use of the J STOR archive indicates your acceptance of ]STOR&#39;s Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.j stor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.j sp. JSTO R&#39;s Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the]STOR archive only for your personal, non—commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=cup. Each copy of any part of a]STOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not—for—profit organization founded in 1995 to build trusted digital archives for scholarship. We work with the scholarly community to preserve their work and the materials they rely upon, and to build a common research platform that promotes the discovery and use of these resources. For more information about] STO R, please contact support@jstor.org. http://www.j stor.org
Involvement of EP1 and EP2 receptors in the regulation of the Na,K-ATPase by prostaglandins in MDCK cells

Prostaglandins are key regulators of ion transport in the kidney. In MDCK cells, which model distal tubule cells, the transcription of the Na,K-ATPase β1 subunit is regulated by PGE1 and PGE2. To identify the EP receptors that mediate transcriptional regulation, transient transfection studies are conducted using the human β1 promoter/luciferase construct, pHβ1-1141 Luc. The involvement of EP1 and EP2 receptors is indicated by studies with the EP1 selective agonist 17-phenyl trinor PGE2, and the EP2 selective agonist butaprost (which stimulate), as well as by studies with the antagonists SC-51089 (EP1 specific) and AH 6809 (EP1 and EP2 specific). Consistent with the involvement of Gs coupled EP2 receptors, is that the PGE1 stimulation is inhibited by the PKAI expression vector (encoding the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitory protein), as well as by the myristolated PKA inhibitory peptide PKI. In addition to this evidence (for the involvement of EP2 receptors), evidence for the involvement of EP1 receptors in the PGE1 mediated stimulation of Na,K-ATPase β subunit gene transcription includes the stimulatory effect of 17-phenyl trinor PGE2, as well as the inhibitory effects of SC-51089. Also consistent with the involvement of Gq coupled EP1 receptors, the PGE1 stimulation is inhibited by the PKCI vector (encoding the PKC inhibitory domain), the PKC inhibitor Go 6976, thapsigargin, as well as the calmodulin antagonists W7 and W13.
Cytokine from Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMC) from Idiopathic Minimal Lesion Nephrotic Syndrome (ILMNS) Patients in Relapse Induces Albuminuria and Fusion of Foot Processes in Vivo in the Rat

Cytokine from Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMC) from Idiopathic Minimal Lesion Nephrotic Syndrome (ILMNS) Patients in Relapse Induces Albuminuria and Fusion of Foot Processes in Vivo in the Rat
Community Participation in Urban Sanitation: Experiences in Northeastern Brazil

This article explores how well community participation explains variations in the performance of sanitation projects in Brazilian cities. Case studies of condominial sewers in Recife and Natal Brazil reveal a variety of activities that we categorize into four forms of participation: mobilizing decision making construction and maintenance. Mobilizing and decision making were associated with performance in the cases we examined. Our results suggest that participation form as well as community influence are important. The hypothesis that increased participation enhances performance is an oversimplification for condominial sewers. (authors)
Target thinning using a saddle field ion source

Abstract A system is described for thinning films using a saddle field ion source to produce targets which are difficult to make by other means. The method used, the beam profile, and characteristics of the various targets thinned are given.
Optimization of CH fluorescence diagnostics in flames: range of applicability and improvements with hydrogen addition.

This study quantifies the range of premixed flame conditions for which CH fluorescence diagnostics are applicable, and it shows that the CH fluorescence signal can be increased if some of the hydrocarbon fuel is replaced with hydrogen. The CH fluorescence signal is found to be adequate for fuel-air equivalence ratios (ϕ) as small as 0.85 for both methane-air and propane-air flames. The CH signal increases until a maximum at ϕ = 1.25 and ϕ = 1.35 for methane-air and propane-air flames, respectively, and then decreases for richer conditions. A strategy to increase the CH fluorescence signal and decrease interference from soot precursors is proposed by addition of the proper amount of hydrogen to the hydrocarbon fuel. Hydrogen addition reduces the background signal from soot precursors by as much as a factor of 10 and increases the CH fluorescence signal by as much as 80%. The normalized CH fluorescence measurements are compared with computations that utilize GRI-mech 3.0 chemistry. Sources of experimental uncertainties are discussed.
The use of turnover rate as a passive surveillance indicator for potential low back disorders

Passive surveillance techniques which rely only on injury reporting to locate ergonomic problems within a facility may not be sensitive enough to identify all jobs that place a worker at risk of low back disorder. The current study examines whether turnover rate data provide useful input to a passive surveillance approach. It is hypothesized that the turnover of employees through individual jobs, when not attributable to differential pay scales within a facility, is likely to indicate the presence of ergonomic hazards associated with low back cumulative trauma disorders. This study used the database and multiple logistic regression model developed by Marras et al. (1993) to evaluate this hypothesis. Two data sets were evaluated with the model to determine whether jobs with turnover resemble those with a high historical risk of LB-CTD. The first data set contained trunk motion and workplace data from jobs in which there had been turnover but there were no incidents of LB-CTD. When comparing these data to t...
Single-dose amoxicillin therapy of uncomplicated pediatric urinary tract infections.

Forty-nine ambulatory children between 2-1/2 and 12 years of age with acute, clinically uncomplicatedurinary tract infections caused by susceptible organisms were randomized to receive a single dose of amoxicillin based on weight or a 10-day course of amoxicillin therapy (conventional therapy). Patients receiving single doses of amoxicillin had a cure rate of 63%, which compares unfavorably with the cure rate of 92% in patients given conventional therapy. A failure of single-dose therapy predicted underlying radiologic abnormalities with a sensitivity of 60% and a specificity of 58%, making it a poor screening test for detecting those patients at risk for renal parenchymal damage. The antibody-coated bacteria assay had no predictive value in separating upper and lower tract disease, although it may predict underlying radiologic abnormalities. The data indicate that the response to single-dose amoxicillin therapy fails to separate upper from lower tract disease reliably and has a limited role in predicting response to conventional antimicrobial therapy.
Perturbations of water by alkali halide ions measured using multivariate Raman curve resolution.

Polarized Raman spectroscopy, combined with multivariate curve resolution (MCR), is used to measure the influence of dilute alkali halide ions on the OH stretch vibrational band of water. The frequency and integrated intensity of the resulting hydration shell OH bands are found to increase with increasing anion size. Comparisons of results obtained from salt solutions in H2O and HOD/D2O imply that ion−water interactions reduce the influence of resonance coupling on the OH stretch band of H2O. Polarized Raman results indicate that the hydration shell of F− gives rise to a nearly perfectly polarized OH stretch band, while large anions produce larger depolarization.
The effect of atropine on cadmium- and nickel-induced constriction of vascular smooth muscle of the dogfish shark ventral aorta.

Abstract We investigated the effect of blockade of muscarinic, cholinergic receptors by atropine on the Cd 2+ - and Ni 2+ -induced vasoconstriction of rings of endothelium-free, vascular smooth muscle from the ventral aorta of the dogfish shark Squalus acanthias . Atropine reduced the Cd 2+ -induced vasoconstriction by approximately 50%, but did not alter the Ni 2+ -induced vasoconstriction, suggesting that the vasoactivity of these two metals may be, at least partially, via different pathways. In addition, this is the first demonstration that one component of Cd 2+ vaso-toxicity may be via stimulation of muscarinic receptors.
Foraging Theory for Autonomous Vehicle Decision-making System Design

Foraging theory is typically used to model animal decision making. We describe an agent such as an autonomous vehicle or software module as a forager searching for tasks. The prey model is used to predict which types of tasks an agent should choose to maximize its rate of reward, and the patch model is used to predict when an agent should leave a patch of tasks and how to choose within-patch search patterns. We expand and apply these concepts to fit an autonomous vehicle control problem and to provide insight into how to make high-level control decisions. We also discuss extensions of the basic models, showing how a risk-sensitive version can be used to alter policies when time or fuel is limited. Throughout the applications, we examine ways an agent can estimate environmental parameters when such parameters are not known.
How reliable are occipital asymmetry measurements

In vivo occipital asymmetry (OA) measurements have been used to infer functional asymmetries such as language dominance. We investigated the degree of correlation between OA measurements derived by the same rater from different scans of the same subject. We used magnetic resonance (MR) and computerized axial tomography (CT) to study correlations between MR:MR, CT:CT and CT:MR. The highest intrasubject correlation was for MR:MR (r = 0.79). The CT:CT value was similar (r = 0.78) and the CT:MR correlation was slightly lower (r = 0.72). The findings indicate that the reliability of occipital asymmetry measurements is modest at best, setting a low ceiling on the valid use of this variable to infer other indexes.