cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the Solvability of a System of Linear Equations Over the Domain Of Principal Ideals

We propose new necessary and sufficient conditions for the solvability of a system of linear equations over the domain of principal ideals and an algorithm for the solution of this system.
Glutamate metabotropic receptor agonist 1S,3R-ACPD induces internucleosomal DNA fragmentation and cell death in rat striatum.

Abstract Glutamate metabotropic receptor mediated mechanisms have been implicated in both neuroprotection and neurotoxicity. To characterize these mechanisms further in vivo, the effects of an intrastriatally injected metabotropic receptor agonist, trans -(1 S ,3 R )-1-amino-1,3-cyclopentanedicarboxylic acid (1 S ,3 R -ACPD), were studied alone and together with N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) or kainic acid (KA) receptor agonists on DNA fragmentation and nerve cell death. 1 S ,3 R -ACPD induced internucleosomal DNA fragmentation of striatal cells in a dose-dependent manner. TUNEL and propidium iodide staining showed DNA fragmentation and profound nuclear condensation around the injection site. Fragmented nuclei were occasionally seen under light microscopy. Internucleosomal DNA fragmentation induced by 1 S ,3 R -ACPD was attenuated by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide as well as by the non-selective and selective metabotropic receptor antagonists l -(+)-2-amino-3-phosphonopionic acid ( l -AP3), ( R S )-aminoindan-1,5-dicarboxylic acid and ( R S )-α-methylserine- o -phosphate monophenyl ester, respectively. The 1 S ,3 R -ACPD (100–900 nmol) induced death of striatal neurons was suggested by the reduction in NMDA and D 1 dopamine receptors by up to 13% ( P P 67 mRNA (25%, P P S ,3 R -ACPD attenuated internucleosomal DNA fragmentation induced by NMDA, but potentiated that induced by KA. These results suggest that metabotropic receptor stimulation leads to the death of striatal neurons by a mechanism having the biochemical stigmata of apoptosis. Moreover, metabotropic receptor stimulation evidently exerts opposite effects on pre- or postsynaptic mechanisms contributing to the NMDA and KA-induced apoptotic-like death of these neurons.
Original Contribution: Neuronal networks with spontaneous, correlated bursting activity: Theory and simulations

A model of spontaneously active biological neuronal networks is proposed where each component neuron is an excitable dynamical unit of the Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) type described by a system of ordinary differential equations. Neurotransmitter fluxes are additional state variables in such networks and the action of chemical synapses is modelled by additional kinetic equations. Networks composed of intrinsically inactive units may ignite to one or more correlated bursting patterns. These transitions can be described as bifurcations governed by interaction parameters. Stability problems and classes of synchronized solutions are studied. Networks of this type exhibit rich dynamics (multiple attractors), including the possibility of synchronized chaotic activity. Biological and information processing applications are reviewed and some open mathematical problems are indicated.
Distribution of activation energies for impurity hopping in amorphous metals

The distribution of activation energies $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ for classical over-the-barrier hopping is computed for a model amorphous metal. The spread in $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ is determined by the variation in equilibrium-site and saddle-point sizes for the assumed model of dense random packing (DRP) of soft spheres. The size distribution is related to the radial distribution function in a manner which reproduces recent numerical results for the interstitials in DRP models. Size (distance) variation in general is related to energy variation by the form of the potential energy $V(r)$. We show, however, that the distribution of equilibrium-site energies can be related directly to the impurity-induced lattice expansion and bulk modulus without detailed knowledge of $V(r)$. The form of $V(r)$ is necessary for the saddle-point distribution, and we estimate this using simple analytic expressions which fit the observed lattice expansion and impurity (hydrogen) vibrational frequency. The effects of a hard core plus lattice relaxation at the saddle point are also considered. Specific account is taken of the correlation between saddle-point and equilibrium-site configurations in the computation of the distribution of $\ensuremath{\Delta}$. Results are compared with recent data on hydrogen internal friction in amorphous ${\mathrm{Pd}}_{80}$${\mathrm{Si}}_{20}$ and good agreement is found between our first-principles distribution and that used to fit the data.
‘Commodities must be controlled’: economic crimes and market discipline in India (1939–1955)

It was a hot afternoon on 10 April 1950, in the town of Chapra in the eastern Indian province of Bihar. As most people had retired indoors to avoid the heat, the women's clothing store run by Kedar Nath had suddenly become a hive of activity. His munib (accountant) had gone home early on receiving news of the sudden illness of his son, and his shop had been visited by the local Magistrate and the Deputy Superintendent of Police, the leading figures in the district administration. The Magistrate, Mr S. K Ghatak, ordered Kedar Nath to open up his stores and make his registers available, and in this process discovered that Nath had twenty-five more saris than were accounted for in the stock register. Kedar Nath's relation protested that the saris had been bought that very morning, and that his munib's unexpected absence had resulted in the stocks not being updated immediately. The district officials were not convinced and Kedar Nath was arrested for not having proper accounts of the clothes in his stock. The district court convicted Kedar Nath for violating the terms of Bihar Cotton, Cloth and Yarn (Control Order) 1948, and the Essential Supplies (Temporary Powers) Act 1946 (ESA), and sentenced him to a fine and a month of rigorous imprisonment.
Identifying Counselor Competencies for Working with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients

ABSTRACT This study used a modified Delphi technique to identify knowledge, attitude, and skill components of counselor competence with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients. Twenty-two expert panelists identified 274 areas of knowledge, 120 attitudes, and 146 skills necessary to work effectively with LGB clients. These items were classified into 31 knowledge, 23 attitude, and 31 skill categories by the research team. Thirty-two expert panelists rated the categories based on importance for counselor competence with LGB clients. Based on experts' responses, titles of several categories were adjusted and three new categories were proposed. The implications of the findings for training and assessment are discussed.
Ethanol- and sucrose-reinforced appetitive and consummatory responding in HAD1, HAD2, and P rats.

Introduction Ethanol-preferring (P) rats and high-alcohol-drinking (HAD1 and HAD2) rats have been selectively bred to consume greater amounts of ethanol than nonselected rat strains. These three rat lines also show increased levels of responding for ethanol in operant paradigms that assess a combined appetitive/consummatory response. Methods The present experiment used a model of reinforced responding that procedurally separates the appetitive, or seeking, response requirement from consummatory responding to compare seeking and intake responding in P and HAD rats. Subjects (n= 7 or 8 per group) were trained to make 25 lever-press responses, which were followed by 20 min of access to a sipper tube spout containing either 10% ethanol (10E) or (in separate groups of subjects) 3% sucrose (3S). After training, a single nonreinforced session was conducted to assess the limit to appetitive responding under extinction conditions. After this single nonreinforced session, three successive across-session breakpoint determinations were made for 10E and 3S by increasing the response requirement over days until subjects failed to complete the requirement. A final extinction session was then conducted. Results Appetitive responding during both the nonreinforced and breakpoint sessions indicated that P rats made significantly more responses overall than HAD rats in both the ethanol and sucrose groups. P rats also consumed more sucrose than HAD rats, with no differences in ethanol consumption between the lines (1.0–1.5 g/kg/20 min). Appetitive responding in the HAD rats in the ethanol groups was comparable to that reported previously for nonselected Long-Evans rats. Conclusions These findings indicate that appetitive and consummatory processes are distinct and that P rats have an increased tendency to both seek and drink ethanol and sucrose solutions, making this selected line useful when modeling both “craving” and “loss of control” related behaviors involved in excessive alcohol consumption.
Extrathyroidal manifestations of thyroid disease: thyroid ophthalmopathy

Thyroid ophthalmopathy is a common autoimmune, inflammatory disease involving the orbit. Diagnosis is based on the clinical presentation and findings. Imaging, mainly CT and MR imaging, are helpful to reveal the extent of disease and degree of muscle enlargement and to evaluate for complications, such as optic nerve compression. This article reviews the basic pathology and pathophysiology of the disease and describes the extensive imaging findings on CT and MR imaging. The differential diagnosis of thyroid ophthalmopathy is reviewed.
EBI2-mediated bridging channel positioning supports splenic dendritic cell homeostasis and particulate antigen capture

One of the main roles of the spleen is to make the antibodies that protect the body against viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms. Antibodies are made by B cells, which are a type of white blood cell, after they have been exposed to antigens. For most antibody responses, it is also necessary for the B cells to get help from other white blood cells called T cells that have been exposed to antigens. Specialized cells called dendritic cells have a central role in bringing the antigens—which are usually fragments of the infectious agents that have invaded the body—to the T cells. One subset of dendritic cells, called CD4+ dendritic cells, are found in large numbers in a part of the spleen called the bridging channel, but the process by which these cells become localized in this channel has not been fully understood. Now, Yi and Cyster show that a receptor called EBI2, which is found on the surface of CD4+ dendritic cells, binds to a type of organic molecule called an oxysterol that is produced in the bridging channel. In mice that had been genetically engineered to lack EBI2 or the enzymes needed to make this particular oxysterol—which is known as 7α,25-dihydroxycholesterol, or 7α,25-OHC for short—the CD4+ dendritic cells were no longer clustered in the bridging channel and their number was markedly decreased. This showed that the interaction between EBI2 and the oxysterol was essential for ensuring that the CD4+ dendritic cells were in the right place. The correct positioning of the CD4+ dendritic cells was, in turn, necessary for maintaining cell numbers. Moreover, these mice had a weakened immune response because of the very low number of antigens that were being presented to the T cells. A number of autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, are caused by the body developing an immune response to its own cells and tissues. One implication of the work of Yi and Cyster is that if small molecule inhibitors of EBI2 could be designed, they might be able to suppress the onset of such autoimmune responses.
Phase transitions and phase diagrams of K and Cs overlayers on a reconstructed and unreconstructed Cu(110) surface.

Low-energy electron-diffraction experiments have been carried out to study the phase transitions of K and Cs on a Cu(110) surface and the copper substrate reconstruction under adsorption within the temperature range between 80 and 400 K. The K and Cs adatoms on an 80-K Cu(110) substrate form quasihexagonally (QH) ordered structures when the nearest atomic spacing between the adatoms reaches the value \ensuremath{\simeq}8 A\r{} (coverage \ensuremath{\Theta}\ensuremath{\simeq}0.17). The disordering transition temperature of the QH structures for both K and Cs overlayers increases as coverage increases. The substrate surface reconstruction induced by the K and Cs overlayers starts at T\ensuremath{\simeq}150 K and \ensuremath{\Theta}\ensuremath{\simeq}0.05. The relationships between the QH phases of alkali overlayers and the (1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}3) and (1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2) phases of the surface reconstruction are described quantitatively in phase diagrams for the K and Cs systems. A continuous phase transition (${T}_{c}$g260 K) from a well-ordered (1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)-reconstructed surface to the (1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}3)-reconstructed surface is also described as a function of excess K or Cs deposition (\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\Theta}).
BLOCKAGE OF RESTRICTION ENDONUCLEASE CLEAVAGE BY THYMINE DIMERS

Viral DNAs were subjected to 254 nm irradiation and then digested with type II restriction endonucleases. At the fluences used, irradiation inhibited cleavage by nucleases which recognize sites containing neighboring thymines. Cleavage by endonucleases with other recognition sequences was not affected. In viral and plasmid DNAs, this effect could be used to study thymine dimer formation at a few specific, mapped sites of defined base sequence.
Improved conformational sampling through an efficient combination of mean-field simulation approaches

In this article, we show for the first time the combination of locally enhanced sampling (LES) and the generalized Born continuum solvation model. It has been shown that the reduction in barrier heights provided by LES can result in solvated simulations that are more than an order of magnitude more efficient than single-copy methods, but we note that explicit solvent introduces a strong correlation between copies, reducing the benefits of the technique. The use of continuum solvation can also accelerate conformational transitions because of reduction in friction. We describe a direct combination of the two algorithms that maintains the equivalence of the LES and non-LES global energy minima and eliminates the solvent-induced coupling of the copies. Since this approach results in a significant increase in computational requirements, we also present reasonable approximations that greatly increase efficiency. We have applied the resulting combination to simulation of conformational change in an RNA UUCG tetraloop and have shown that the combined GB + LES approach is more efficient than use of either GB or LES alone. We carried out a large number of these simulations and show in a converged manner that the rate constant for the conformational transition is significantly increased with GB + LES as compared to GB alone. In addition, we demonstrate that the combined method significantly improves the ability of LES copies to explore independent transition paths as compared to LES simulations with explicit solvation. We thus believe that this GB + LES technique may be a useful component of structure refinement and prediction studies.
Oblique effects in normally reared monkeys (Macaca nemestrina): meridional variations in contrast sensitivity measured with operant techniques.

Abstract The present paper describes a newly completed operant methodology for the assessment of spatial vision in pigtail macaque ( Macaco nemestrina ) monkeys. Automated techniques for the generation, calibration, and presentation of sinusoidal grating stimuli, and for control of the operant experiment, are described in detail. Contrast sensitivity functions have been obtained in four animals for gratings in vertical, oblique, and horizontal orientations. The data demonstrate that the monkey visual system, like that of humans, shows variations of contrast sensitivity with grating orientation at high spatial frequencies. One monkey showed a classical oblique effect, i.e. similar sensitivity for vertical and horizontal and a lower sensitivity for oblique gratings. The other three monkeys showed contrast sensitivity differences between horizontal and vertical gratings. The similarity of monkey and human contrast sensitivity variations and the implications of these results for use of the macaque monkey as an animal model for human vision are discussed.
Timely detection of localized excess influenza activity in Northern California across patient care, prescription, and laboratory data.

Timely detection of clusters of localized influenza activity in excess of background seasonal levels could improve situational awareness for public health officials and health systems. However, no single data type may capture influenza activity with optimal sensitivity, specificity, and timeliness, and it is unknown which data types could be most useful for surveillance. We compared the performance of ten types of electronic clinical data for timely detection of influenza clusters throughout the 2007/08 influenza season in northern California. Kaiser Permanente Northern California generated zip code-specific daily episode counts for: influenza-like illness (ILI) diagnoses in ambulatory care (AC) and emergency departments (ED), both with and without regard to fever; hospital admissions and discharges for pneumonia and influenza; antiviral drugs dispensed (Rx); influenza laboratory tests ordered (Tests); and tests positive for influenza type A (FluA) and type B (FluB). Four credible events of localized excess illness were identified. Prospective surveillance was mimicked within each data stream using a space-time permutation scan statistic, analyzing only data available as of each day, to evaluate the ability and timeliness to detect the credible events. AC without fever and Tests signaled during all four events and, along with Rx, had the most timely signals. FluA had less timely signals. ED, hospitalizations, and FluB did not signal reliably. When fever was included in the ILI definition, signals were either delayed or missed. Although limited to one health plan, location, and year, these results can inform the choice of data streams for public health surveillance of influenza.
Unilateral Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Paralysis

Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury [without injury to the superior laryngeal nerve (SLN)] is the most common traumatic neurolaryngological lesion. The acute effects are immediate flaccidity of the ipsilateral vocal fold, loss of abduction and adduction, severe dysphonia to complete paralytic aphonia, and, frequently, aspiration of food and drink into the trachea. This article reviews the function of the four intrinsic laryngeal muscles innervated by the RLN and the individual effects of RLN transection on these muscles. Following acute denervation, the subsequent progression is either chronic denervation or nerve regeneration with laryngeal muscle reinnervation. Four possible scenarios are discussed here: complete reinnervation with synkinesis, partial reinnervation with synkinesis, mixed RLN injuries, and no reinnervation (complete paralysis). Electromyography may eventually assist the laryngologist in establishing these diagnoses, but currently not enough normative data exist for confirming laryngeal synkinesis unequivocally in every case. Treatment is generally by Teflon injection, medialization thyroplasty, arytenoid adduction procedures, or reinnervation by nerve transfer. The author's preference is nerve transfer, insofar as the quality of resultant phonatory voice, in his hands, has been superior to the other techniques.
Forecasting volatility in commodity markets

Commodity prices have historically been among the most volatile of international prices. Measured volatility (the standard deviation of price changes) has not been below 15 percent and at times has been more than 50 percent. Often the volatility of commodity prices has exceeded that of exchange rates and interest rates. The large price variations are caused by disturbances in demand and supply. Stockholding leads to some price smoothing, but when stocks are low, prices can jump sharply. As a result, commodity price series are not stationary and in some periods they jump abruptly to high levels or fall precipitously to low levels relative to their long-run average. Thus it is difficult to determine long-term price trends and the underlying distribution of prices. The volatility of commodity prices makes price forecasting difficult. Indeed, realized prices often deviate greatly from forecasted prices, which has led to the practice of giving forecasts probability ranges. But assigning probability ranges requires forecasting future price volatility, which, given uncertainties about true price distribution, is difficult. One potentially useful source of information for forecasting volatility is the volatility forecasts imbedded in the prices of options written on commodities traded in exchanges. Options give the holder the right to buy (call) or sell (put) a certain commodity at a certain date at a fixed (exercise) price. Options prices depend on several variables, one of which is the expected volatility up to the maturity date. Given a specific theoretical model, the market prices of options can be used to derive the market's expectations about price volatility and the price distribution. The authors systematically analyze different methods' abilities to forecast commodity price volatility (for several commodities). They collected the daily prices of commodity options and other variables for seven commodities (cocoa, corn, cotton, gold, silver, sugar, and wheat). They extracted the volatility forecasts implicit in options prices using several techniques. They compared several volatility forecasting methods, divided into three categories: (1) forecasts using only expectations derived form options prices; (2) forecasts using only time-series modeling; (3) forecasts that combine market expectations and time-series modeling (a new method devised for this purpose). They find that the volatility forecasts produced by method 3 outperform the first two as well as the naive forecast based on historical volatility. This result holds both in and out of sample for almost all commodities considered.
Using Shape-Aware Models for Lumbar Spine Intervertebral Disc Segmentation

High incidence cases associated with back pain include intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), or disc herniation, in the spinal lumbar region, as well as sciatica, pain in the legs due to IDD. This research aims to provide a more accurate and robust segmentation scheme for identification of spine pathologies, to assist with spine surgery planning and simulation. We are developing a minimally supervised 3D segmentation approach of lumbar spine herniated discs for MRI scans that exploits weak shape priors encoded in simplex mesh active surface models. In the event that the internal simplex shape memory influence hinders detection of pathology, user-assistance is allowed to turn off the shape feature and guide model deformation. We propose use of weak shape priors as a precursor to, and incorporation of, a shape-statistics feature for landmark-based semi-automatic segmentation of healthy intervertebral discs, and ultimately, for segmentation of vertebrae. Our framework enables the application of shape priors in the healthy part of the anatomy, and the disabling of these priors where inapplicable. Results were validated against expert-guided segmentation and demonstrate promising results with absolute mean segmentation error of less than 1 mm.
Regulation by ammonium and glucose of Arthrobacter fluorescens alanine dehydrogenase

Alanine dehydrogenase in Arthrobacter fluorescens exhibited an allosteric behaviour and two Km values for ammonium were estimated. In batch cultures at different ammonium concentrations and in continuous culture following an NH4+ pulse, the level of ADH activity seems to be regulated by the ammonium concentration, high activities being observed when extracellular ammonium was in excess. The response to the growth rate of an ammonium-limited chemostat culture of A. fluorescens seems to indicate that alanine dehydrogenase and glutamine synthetase activities were inversely related. High activities of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase have been found in crude extract of ammonium-limited cultures. From the results obtained in batch cultures grown at different glucose concentrations and in carbon-limited chemostat culture it appeared that the limitation by glucose influenced alanine dehydrogenase activity negatively. No glutamate dehydrogenase activity and no glutamate synthase activity could be detected with either NADH or NADPH as coenzymes.
Factors associated with the prevalence of arteriovenous fistulas in hemodialysis patients in the HEMO Study

Factors associated with the prevalence of arteriovenous fistulas in hemodialysis patients in the HEMO Study. Background Arteriovenous (AV) fistulas are the vascular access of choice for hemodialysis patients, but only about 20% of hemodialysis patients in the United States dialyze with fistulas. There is little information known about the factors associated with this low prevalence of fistulas. Methods Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent contribution of factors associated with AV fistula use among patients enrolled in the HEMO Study. The analysis was conducted in 1824 patients with fistulas or grafts at 45 dialysis units (15 clinical centers). Results Thirty-four percent of the patients had fistulas. The prevalence of fistulas varied markedly from 4 to 77% among the individual dialysis units ( P 2 body mass index, 0.76, 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.87), and lower in older patients (AOR per 10 years, 0.85, 95% CI, 0.78 to 0.94). The differences in the prevalence of fistulas among the dialysis units remained statistically significant ( P Conclusions Future efforts to increase the prevalence of fistulas in hemodialysis patients should be directed at both hemodialysis units and patient subpopulations with a low fistula prevalence.
Physiology of peripheral nerve graft incorporation

The degree of cell survival and the rate and extent of cellular migration was studied in fresh- and freeze-killed nerve grafts using an animal model with isogeneic nerve grafts performed between inbred rats. Nerve isografts 1.4 cm in length were used to bridge a 1.0 cm gap created in recipient animals. Vital fluorescent staining was used to monitor cell viability and to track cell migration between the nerve graft and the recipient host's nerve endings. The fresh nerve grafts maintained their fluorescent label, indicating that these grafts maintained their viability. The freeze-killed grafts had significantly lower cell survival, as determined by percent area of fluorescence, both 14 and 25 days after nerve grafting. The freeze-killed grafts also demonstrated a lower percentage of incorporation of labeled host cells from the proximal host nerve ending. Since the fresh nerve grafts maintained their viability, even though they were performed as nonvascularized grafts, free vascularized nerve grafts may not be necessary if a good vascular bed is present.
Conjunctival involvement in Churg-Strauss syndrome.

Purpose: To describe an unusual case of Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) that presented with a conjunctival nodule and was successfully treated with oral corticosteroids. Methods: Case report. Results: A 30-year-old woman with a history of adult-onset asthma, seasonal allergies, and a lung mass presented with a nodular elevation of the conjunctiva. Excisional biopsy demonstrated necrotizing eosinophilic granulomas. Systemic evaluation revealed peripheral eosinophilia and elevated IgE, consistent with Churg-Strauss syndrome. The patient's symptoms and eosinophilia resolved after an increase in the dose of oral corticosteroids. Conclusions: This case describes a unique presentation of conjunctival involvement in CSS that differs from prior case reports by having a small, well-demarcated nodule and lacking signs of active inflammation.
A low voltage, dynamic, noninverting, synchronous buck-boost converter for portable applications

With the increasing use of low voltage portable devices and growing requirements of functionalities embedded into such devices, efficient power management techniques are needed for longer battery life. Given the highly variable nature of batteries (e.g., 2.7-4.2 V for Li-ion), systems often require supply voltages to be both higher and lower than the battery voltage (e.g., power amplifier for CDMA applications), while supplying significant current, which is most efficiently generated by a noninverting buck-boost switching converter. In this paper, the design and experimental results of a new dynamic, noninverting, synchronous buck-boost converter for low voltage, portable applications is reported. The converter's output voltage is dynamically adjustable (on-the-fly) from 0.4 to 4.0 V, while capable of supplying a maximum load current of 0.65 A from an input supply of 2.4-3.4 V. The worst-case response time of the converter for a 0.4 to 4 V step change in its output voltage (corresponding to a 0.2 to 2 V step at its reference input) is less than 300 /spl mu/sec and to a load-current step of 0 to 0.5 A is within 200 /spl mu/sec, yielding only a transient error of 40 mV in the output voltage. This paper also presents a nonmathematical, intuitive analysis of the time-averaged, small-signal model of a noninverting buck-boost converter.
Homeless Veterans: Perspectives on Social Services Use

This study analyzes the nature and scope of homelessness and issues related to social services use. Using focus group interviews, this exploratory study examined the expressed needs of homeless veterans and the obstacles encountered in obtaining health and human services. Types of problems and social services barriers were developed with exemplars from the interviews. These veterans self-reported a high incidence of health and mental health problems, limited resources, negative public perceptions and treatment, insensitive service providers, dehumanizing policies and procedures, and high levels of stress and frustration with the service delivery system. They encountered personal, situational, and bureaucratic barriers to obtaining services and were highly critical of service providers. These findings suggest a need for greater emphasis on advocacy-based case management services, affordable housing, employment opportunities, increased sensitivity in service delivery systems, and empowerment-centered practice.
Sympathoinhibition from ventrolateral periaqueductal gray mediated by 5-HT1A receptors in the RVLM

The role of 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A (5-HT1A) receptors located in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) in the mediation of a sympathoinhibitory and depressor response elicited from the ventrolat...
"God Bless General Perón": DDT and the Endgame of Malaria Eradication in Argentina in the 1940s

This article explores the politics of malaria eradication in Argentina during the first government of Juan D. Peron. The article develops the theme of historical convergence to understand the rapid mobilization and success of the climactic battle against malaria in Northwest Argentina. The nearly complete eradication of malaria in Argentina resulted from a combination of three factors. First, Carlos Alvarado, the director of Argentina's Malaria Service, had already developed a solid but flexible organizational base that allowed a dramatic change in control strategy. Second, an infusion of new technologies, especially DDT but also motor vehicles, was instrumental. Lastly, a radical reorientation of national public health policy in the 1940s, under the direction of Peron and his health minister, Ramon Carrillo, encouraged eradication. These figures embraced and refashioned long-standing organicist ideologies that hitched the strength of the nation-state to the health and vigor of its ordinary citizens. This ideological orientation was reflected in bold, populist political strategies that showcased swift, massive, and expensive public health campaigns, including malaria eradication. In the conclusion, the article explores the ambiguous connections between malaria eradication and an ecological perspective on the disease.
Covalent activation of retinal rod cGMP-gated channels reveals a functional heterogeneity in the ligand binding sites.

Ion channels gated by the binding of multiple ligands play a critical role in syn- apfic transmission and sensory transducfion. It has been difficult to resolve the contribution of individual binding events to channel gating because ligands are continuously binding and unbinding at each site. In examining the allosteric mechanism of retinal rod cGMP-gated channels, we have circumvented this problem by making use of a cGMP derivative, 8-p-azi- dophenacylthio-cGMP (APT-cGMP), that can be covalently tethered to the binding sites in the presence of long-wavelength UV light. In excised membrane patches, a population of channels was isolated that contained covalently-attached ligands at all but one site. Activation of these channels by cGMP revealed a previously unknown heterogeneity in the ligand-bind- ing sites. The dose-response relations were much shallower than predicted by single-site acti- vation models, but were well described by models in which there are two populations of sites, in roughly equal proportion, that bind cGMP with apparent affinities that differ by a factor of ~25. The two apparent affinities, incorporated into a four-site model of the channel, pro- vided an accurate description of the patch's original dose-response relation. A comparison of results on native and expressed channels suggests that the heterogeneity in the native chan- nel arises at least in part from the presence of two different cGMP-binding subunits.
Stress analysis and structural modifications of a polyester double-tape seam

AbstractIn this paper, a polyester double-tape seam is studied both experimentally and numerically. In the numerical analysis, the seam components are described with layered models containing fabric composite layers. The in-plane and out-of-plane elastic constants of the fabric composite layers are derived using a crimp model and a stacked model respectively. An existing finite element code, ANSYS 5.7, is used to perform two-dimensional stress analysis of the seam under tension. Numerical results identified the stress concentration causing strength loss in the seam. Finally, two structural modifications are proposed to improve the seam strength. The modifications are evaluated by both simulations and tests.
Using x-ray microprobes for environmental research.

Understanding the fate of environmental contaminants is of fundamental importance in the development and evaluation of effective remediation strategies. Among the factors influencing the transport of these contaminants are the chemical speciation of the sample and the chemical and physical attributes of the surrounding medium. Characterization of the spatial distribution and chemical speciation at micron and submicron resolution is essential for studying the microscopic physical, geological, chemical, and biological interfaces that play a crucial role in determining contaminant fate and mobility. Hard X-ray spectroscopy and imaging are powerful techniques for the element-specific investigation of complex environmental samples at the needed micron and submicron resolution. An important advantage of these techniques results from the large penetration depth of hard X-rays in water. This minimizes the requirements for sample preparation and allows the detailed study of hydrated samples. This paper discusses some current problems in environmental science that can be addressed by using synchrotron-based X-ray imaging and spectroscopy. These concepts are illustrated by the results of recent X-ray microscopy studies at the Advanced Photon Source.
Cellular performance bounds via shotgun cellular systems

This paper considers two-dimensional interference-limited cellular radio systems. It introduces the shotgun cellular system that places base stations randomly and assigns channels randomly. Such systems are shown to provide lower bounds to cellular performance that are easy to compute, independent of shadow fading, and apply to a number of design scenarios. Traditional hexagonal systems provide an upper performance bound. The difference between upper and lower bounds is small under operating conditions typical in modern TDMA and CDMA cellular systems. Furthermore, in the strong shadow fading limit, the bounds converge. To give insights into the design of practical systems, several variations are explored including mobile access methods, sectorizing, channel assignments, and placement with deviations. Together these results indicate cellular performance is very robust and little is lost in making rapid minimally planned deployments.
Age Identity, Gender, and Perceptions of Decline: Does Feeling Older Lead to Pessimistic Dispositions About Cognitive Aging?

Objectives. Drawing on past studies of age identity, this article examined whether feeling older was associated with more pessimistic views about cognitive aging. Methods. Using respondents aged 55 years and older in the Midlife Development in the United States study, we estimated a series of linear regression models to predict people's dispositions toward their cognitive aging. The main comparison is whether the effects of age identity on cognitive aging differ for men and women. Results. Beyond the effects of chronological age, older age identities were associated with more pessimistic dispositions about cognitive aging. This relationship, however, was found only among women. Discussion. Age identity shapes cognitive aging dispositions, though the gendered nature of this relationship remains somewhat unclear. The findings give further evidence about the far-reaching implications of age identity for successful aging and suggest that future work can explicate how subjective aging processes may differ by gender.
Differential PcP Travel Times and the Radius of the Core

Summary Backus-Gilbert inversions of a new differential PcP data set result in estimates of the core radius, 3484-3486 km, compatible with those obtained from the inversion of large sets of normal mode data. For that part of the core sampled by the data, undulations in the core-mantle boundary can be of order no more than 5-10 km, in the worst possible case. Signal misidentification and lateral inhomogeneities in the upper mantle must be accounted for in observed short-period differential PcP travel times. In the case of Amchitka data, seismic ray tracing is used to describe the effects of a dipping lithospheric plate beneath the Island.
Linear decomposition algorithm for VLSI design applications

We propose a unified solution to both linear placement and partitioning. Our approach combines the well-known eigenvector optimization method with the recursive max-flow min-cut method. A linearized eigenvector method is proposed to improve the linear placement. A hypergraph maxflow algorithm is then adopted to efficiently find the max-flow min-cut. In our unified approach, the max-flow min-cut provides an optimal ordered partition subject to the given seeds and the eigenvector placement provides heuristic information for seed selection. Experimental results on MCNC benchmarks show that our approach is superior to other methods for both linear placement and partitioning problems. On average, our approach yields an improvement of 45.1% over eigenvector approach in terms of total wire length, and yields an improvement of 26.9% over PARABOLI[6] in terms of cut size.
Binary phase diagrams of transition elements

A brief explanation is given for the accompanying chart of binary phase diagrams of the transition elements together with references and a commentary on each reference.
Recrystallization in Living Porcelaneous Foraminifera (Archaias Angulatis): Textural Changes Without Mineralogic Alteration

ABSTRACT Mineralogic stabilization of porcelaneous foraminifera has been cited as an example of diagenesis in which chemical change occurs without any textural alteration. In contrast, our study of living specimens of a common species of this group, Archaias angulatis, indicates a sequence in which textural alteration of the magnesium calcite skeleton occurs without loss of magnesium from the test. In samples of A. angulatis from Florida Bay, Florida, skeletal rods (1-2 m long and 0.1 m wide) are extensively recrystallized to dense minimicrite (0.05--0.1 m anhedral equant crystals). Both rods and minimicrite contain 9-11.5 mole % MgCO3. Micritization increases with age of the skeletons and occurs more rapidly in septal and basal walls than in lateral walls and pillars. Recrystallization could be due to change in the partial pressure of CO2 resulting from changing distributional patterns of respiration and photosynthesis of algal symbionts. Recrystallization within living foraminifera has important implications for studies of fossil diagenesis and biomineralization.
An Investigation of the Relations Between Altruism, Empathy, and Spirituality

This study investigated the relations between altruism, empathy, and spirituality in a sample of 186 university students. Zero-order and partial correlations controlling for age, sex, and social desirability indicated that, although altruism and empathy are related to each other in a manner consistent with previous research, the association of both of these to spirituality is complex and multidirectional. In particular, empathy was found to be significantly positively related to nonreligious spiritual cognitions, religiousness, and spiritual experiences and negatively associated with existential well-being. Altruism, on the other hand, was most strongly linked to spiritual experiences, followed by spiritual cognitions. Regression analyses revealed that nonreligious spiritual cognitions and spiritual experiences are the most potent predictors of both empathy and altruism, respectively. Based on the findings and literature suggesting that spirituality may have an impact on empathy and altruism, a path model...
Challenges of Extracting and Purifying Fission-Produced Molybdenum-99

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has produced limited quantities of fission-produced molybdenum-99 ~%lo) within industry purity specifications using the Cintichem production process. The chemical extraction and purification of `%lo was petiormed using the Hot Cell Facility (HCF) located at Technical Area-V. To thoroughly understand the production process, two series of tests were designed, the first was a series of cold tests using 20 g samples of depleted or low irradiated uranium dioxide powder and the second series was conducted using irradiated targets. In addition, radiation effects tests were petiormed at the SNL Gamma Irradiation Facility (GIF) on chemicals and hardware used in the processing to evaluate the degradation due to the high radiation field expected during the chemical separation. Unique production hardware, fixtures and tools were developed for remote processing of irradiated targets at the HCF.
Bars to Education: The Use of Criminal History Information in College Admissions

One in four Americans has a record reflecting some form of involvement with the criminal justice system, and the law currently does very little to protect an individual from discriminatory treatment on the basis of that record. In 2010, the Center for Community Alternatives published a report that revealed a widespread practice among colleges and universities of obtaining and relying upon criminal history information in admissions proceedings. This Note asks whether, if this practice results in a racially disproportionate adverse impact on admissions decisions, there exists disparate impact liability that could be challenged by the Department of Education under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The Note begins by focusing on the well-documented overrepresentation of people of color in the criminal justice system and some of the post-incarceration social harms that affect this population. Next, the Note explores challenges to the use of criminal history information in the employment context—which has received much more attention than higher education—and how disparate impact frameworks in education cases have been used to challenge other practices that create disproportionate adverse effects. Finally, the Note describes the application of the disparate impact test to the practice at issue and concludes that if a prima facie case can be made, the purported educational necessity behind this practice can be achieved through less discriminatory means.
C-to-Verilog translation validation

To offset the high engineering cost of digital circuit design, hardware engineers are looking increasingly toward high-level languages such as C and C++ to implement their designs. To do this, they employ High-Level Synthesis (HLS) tools that translate their high-level specifications down to a hardware description language such as Verilog. Unfortunately, HLS tools themselves employ sophisticated optimization passes that may have bugs that silently introduce errors in realized hardware. The cost of such errors is high, as hardware is costly or impossible to repair if software patching is not an option. In this work, we present a translation validation approach for verifying the correctness of the HLS translation process. Given an initial C program and the generated Verilog code, our approach establishes their equivalence without relying on any intermediate results or representations produced by the HLS tool. We implemented our approach in a tool called VTV that is able to validate a body of programs compiled by the Xilinx Vivado HLS compiler.
“Crying Fire in a Theater” or a “Confirmatory Sighting?”⁎

How should the cardiology community respond when informed of an apparent considerable increase in mortality from a procedure when data are derived from the only randomized trial assessing the question, but that trial is small, the analysis post-hoc, and the result somewhat counterintuitive? That is
Evolution of the Host Defense System

The specific immune system includes several unique molecules found only in vertebrates: the immunoglobulins (Ig), the T-cell receptors (TCR), and the class I and class II molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). This chapter reviews recent evidence from molecular evolutionary studies regarding (i) the origin of the vertebrate immune system and (ii) the molecular mechanisms by which families of immune system genes have been diversified. Many researchers studying innate immunity have proposed that innate immune mechanisms of vertebrates share an evolutionary ancestry with those of invertebrates. The two mechanisms most commonly invoked to explain specific immunity—wholegenome duplication by polyploidization and horizontal gene transfer. Some authors have tried to implicate polyploidization in the origin of vertebrate-specific immunity. The chapter discusses four separate lines of evidence favoring the hypothesis that MHC polymorphism is maintained by a form of balancing selection; thus, unlike the vast majority of genetic polymorphisms of which we are aware, it is not a selectively neutral polymorphism. Defensins are antimicrobial peptides found in mammals; apparently related genes are found in insects, suggesting that the presence of defensins may be one aspect of innate immunity that shows evolutionary continuity between invertebrates and vertebrates. Interestingly, natural selection favoring diversity at the amino acid level is a characteristic not only of the specific immune system but also of some innate immune system genes.