cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relativistic aspects of the JPL planetary ephemeris

The orbits of the planets as represented by the JPL planetary ephemerides are now primarily determined by radio tracking of spacecraft. Analysis of the data and propagation of the orbits relies on an internally consistent set of equations of motion and propagation of radio signals including relativistic effects at the centimeter level. The planetary ephemeris data set can be used to test some aspects of the underlying theory such as estimates of PPN parameters γ and β, time variation in the gravitational constant G, rotation of the solar system relative to distant objects (Mach's principle), and place stringent limits on the possible violation of the inverse-square law.
Several generalizations of Tverberg’s theorem

In a generalization of Radon’s theorem, Tverberg showed that each setS of at least (d+1) (r − 1)+1 points inRdhas anr-partition into (pair wise disjoint) subsetsS =S1 ∪ … ∪Srso that\(\bigcap\nolimits_i^r {\underline{\underline {}} } _1 \) convSi# O. This note considers the following more general problems: (1) How large mustS σRdbe to assure thatS has anr-partitionS=S1∪ … ∪Srso that eachn members of the family {convSi∼i-1r have non-empty intersection, where 1<=n<=r. (2) How large mustS ∪Rd be to assure thatS has anr-partition for which\(\bigcap\nolimits_i^r {\underline{\underline {}} } _1 \) convSr is at least 1-dimensional.
Study of the incorporation of protic ionic liquids into hydrophilic and hydrophobic rigid-rod elastomeric polymers

Abstract A series of polymers was synthesized that contain a rigid aromatic backbone connected through triazine linkages that are cross-linked by flexible diamine-terminated poly(ethylene oxide) oligomers. Polymers were made that contained both hydrophilic sulfonated aromatic and hydrophobic pyridinium triflate backbones. Thermal and mechanical properties of the resulting polymer films were studied, as well as uptake of water and protic ionic liquids. Ionic liquid uptake varied from 41 to 440%, depending upon the nature of the polymer. The ionic liquid-doped films were analyzed for proton conductivity at high temperatures (>150 °C) under non-humidified conditions. Conductivities as high as 5×10 −2 S/cm were observed at 150 °C.
A simulation study of mesoscale coastal circulations in Mississippi Gulf coast

Abstract A numerical simulation of atmospheric mesoscale circulations in the Mississippi Gulf coast is carried out with non-hydrostatic WRF ARW meso-scale model to understand the flow and the boundary layer characteristics in the coastal environment. The model is used with three nested grids at 36, 12 and 4 km resolution covering the Mississippi Gulf coast and its adjoining regions for a typical summer period 01–03 June, 2006 having weak synoptic forcing. Results show development of sea-breeze circulation and formation of thermal internal boundary layer (TIBL) across the coast. The flow pattern shows regular occurrence of onshore winds in the day time and offshore winds in the late night/ early morning times. Simulated sea breeze extended horizontally up to 80 km inland and vertically up to 1 km. Height of the simulated internal boundary layer is 300 m near the coast and gradually merged with the mixing layer inland. Simulated winds and temperature distribution at the coast are found to agree with mesonet and upper air observations. Model simulated TIBL height is confirmed using observations from a boundary layer experiment. Performance of the Planetary Boundary layer (PBL) parameterization on the simulated circulation features is studied by conducting sensitivity experiments. The Yonsei University (YSU) nonlocal first order PBL scheme and a more complex Mellor–Yamada–Janjic (MYJ) TKE scheme are selected keeping the other model physics identical. Both the schemes have shown similar skills in simulating the mean characteristics of observed winds during sea breeze in the region. The YSU scheme shows improvement over MYJ in the simulation of internal boundary layer characteristics and the overall performance of predicted mean variables.
Introduction to bifurcation theory

The theory of bifurcation from equilibria based on center-manifold reduction and Poincar\'e-Birkhoff normal forms is reviewed at an introductory level. Both differential equations and maps are discussed, and recent results explaining the symmetry of the normal form are derived. The emphasis is on the simplest generic bifurcations in one-parameter systems. Two applications are developed in detail: a Hopf bifurcation occurring in a model of three-wave mode coupling and steady-state bifurcations occurring in the real Landau-Ginzburg equation. The former provides an example of the importance of degenerate bifurcations in problems with more than one parameter and the latter illustrates new effects introduced into a bifurcation problem by a continuous symmetry.
The National Archives (Jakarta) and the Writing of Transnational Histories of Indonesia

The Arsip Nasional Republik Indonesia, or National Archives of Indonesia (located in South Jakarta), offers some intriguing possibilities for researchers wishing to write transnational histories of the country over a range of time periods. The voluminous materials stretch back to the seventeenth century, and indeed anyone looking for documents or data on the development of the country should really pass through here, though scholars often spend much of their research time in the Netherlands if they have to make a choice. This can be a mistake in some cases: there are real, often undiscovered riches in the Arsip Nasional that make a sustained trip worth the effort. The present article looks at one aspect of these riches—materials usable for writing transnational histories of Indonesia—as a window into this archive. We have divided our discussion into two parts. The first examines some of the sources that can be used for writing transnational Islamic histories of the archipelago, and the second examines documents and collections that can be used for writing about the Chinese diaspora to Indonesia and connections generally between China and the islands. These are only two of the possible approaches to take, but they are two of the main ones. We hope that once informed about these sources, other scholars will make better use of these considerable riches, which shed important light on Indonesian history as a whole.
EVALUATION OF PAVEMENT LAYER RESPONSE AT THE VIRGINIA SMART ROAD

The heavily instrumented Virginia Smart Road project provided the opportunity to test various hypotheses on pavement nondestructive testing using falling weight deflectometer (FWD). This was achieved by analyzing the deflections obtained on top of each layer as the road was being constructed. Two loading plate sizes were used at the subgrade and aggregate subbase surfaces. Five different loadings were used in each testing. This allows an accurate backcalculation of insitu resilient modulus of each layer. Such results may be used to calibrate future FWD measurements. The study found that using the surface modulus to characterize the subgrade might sometimes be misleading. In addition, characterization of the deflection basin using deflections alone may not provide accurate results. The distribution of pressure resulted from FWD loading was measured successfully by embedded pressure cells in the HMA base layer.
Effects of Cannabinoids on T-cell Function and Resistance to Infection.

This review examines the effects of cannabinoids on immune function, with a focus on effects on T-cells, as well as on resistance to infection. The paper considers the immune modulating capacity of marijuana, of ∆9-THC extracted from the marijuana plant, and synthetic cannabinoids. Of particular interest are synthetic compounds that are CB2 receptor (CB2R) selective agonists. As the CB2R is principally expressed on cells of the immune system, agonists that target this receptor, and not CB1 (which is mainly expressed on neurons), have the possibility of altering immune function without psychoactive effects. The overall conclusion of the studies discussed in this review is that cannabinoids that bind to the CB2 receptor, including ∆9-THC and CB2 selective agonists are immunosuppressive. The studies provide objective evidence for potentially beneficial effects of marijuana and ∆9-THC on the immune system in conditions where it is desirable to dampen immune responses. Evidence is also reviewed supporting the conclusion that these same compounds can sensitize to some infections through their immunosuppressive activities, but not to others. An emerging area of investigation that is reviewed is evidence to support the conclusion that CB2 selective agonists are a new class of immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory compounds that may have exceptional beneficial effects in a variety of conditions, such as autoimmune diseases and graft rejection, where it is desirable to dampen the immune response without psychoactive effects.
HIV-Related Risk Behaviors and Seropositivity among Homeless Drug-Abusing Women in Miami, Florida

Abstract This article examines the multifaceted interactions among homelessness, HIV, substance abuse, and gender. Data were collected on 1,366 chronic drug users using a nationally standardized validated instrument within the Miami CARES project of a multisite federally funded program. HIV testing accompanied by pretest and posttest counseling was conducted on-site by certified phlebotomists and counselors. In addition to descriptive analyses and corresponding tests of significance, logistic regression analyses were used to clarify the complex associations between the outcome variables of homelessness and HIV, recognizing difficulties of determining temporal sequence. HIV infection was found to be 2.35 times more prevalent among homeless women than homeless men and significantly higher for homeless women. The findings indicate that among women, homelessness and HIV have a highly interactive effect increasing the vulnerability of this population and thus rendering them an extremely important priority popu...
Pointwise error estimates for discontinuous Galerkin methods with lifting operators for elliptic problems

In this article, we prove some weighted pointwise estimates for three discontinuous Galerkin methods with lifting operators appearing in their corresponding bilinear forms. We consider a Dirichlet problem with a general second-order elliptic operator.
FeTi oxide mineralogy and the origin of normal and reverse remanent magnetization in dacitic pumice blocks from Mt. Shasta, California

Detailed mineralogical analyses and rock magnetic experiments have made it possible to directly identify the FeTi oxide phases responsible for the normal and reverse magnetic components of two dacitic pumice blocks from Mt. Shasta, California. Both samples contain a normal component carried by 100 μm size multi-domain (MD) titanomagnetite (Usp11–24). One sample also contains a second normal component carried by < 10 μm size pseudo-single domain (PSD) or single domain (SD) Ti-free magnetite (Usp1) found in the dacitic glass. The MD titanomagnetite and PSD or SD magnetite dominate the strong field magnetic signal, but only the PSD or SD magnetite has any influence on the remanence signal. Unlike the strong field signal, the remanence signal of both samples is dominated by a reverse NRM component. This reverse component is carried by 100 μm size ferrian ilmenite (Ilm53–65). The compositions of the ilmenites in both samples are within the range of compositions (Ilm50–75) known to have the ability to acquire self-reversing thermoremanent magnetizations (TRM). The results of the Lowric-Fuller test indicate that the remanence signal is dominated by PSD or SD carriers. Because one sample contains only large MD titanomagnetite and no SD Ti-free magnetite (in addition to ferrian ilmenite), the ferrian ilmenite must be a PSD or SD carrier. Oxide and pyroxene geothermometry indicate the FeTi oxides in the pumice crystallized at temperatures between 880 and 945°C. This temperature range is within the disordered region of the ilmenite-hematite phase diagram for Ilm53–65. Previous work on synthetic Ilm70 and Ilm80 has shown that cooling through the order-disorder transition into the ordered region develops a transformation-induced microstructure consisting of cation-ordered domains with disordered domain boundaries. An Ilm58–59 grain from one of the Mt. Shasta samples was examined in the transmission electron microscope and was found to contain 100–200 A diameter cation-ordered domains. These domains arose during cooling through the transition temperature, which is estimated at 800°C for Ilm58–59. The presence of the disordered domain boundaries provides an explanation for the magnetic behavior of the ferrian ilmenite. (1) The disordered boundaries are the higher Curie point phase necessary for the operation of the self-reversal mechanism. (2) The disordered domain boundaries either inhibit the formation of magnetic domain walls or restrict magnetic domain wall movement accounting for the PSD or SD behavior of the ferrian ilmenite.
Developing Learning from Demonstration Techniques for Individuals with Physical Disabilities

Learning from demonstration research often assumes that the demonstrator can quickly give feedback or demonstrations. Individuals with severe motor disabilities are often slow and prone to human errors in demonstrations while teaching. Our work develops tools to allow persons with severe motor disabilities, who stand to benefit most from assistive robots, to train these systems. To accommodate slower feedback, we will develop a movie-reel style learning from demonstration interface. To handle human error, we will use dimensionality reduction to develop new reinforcement learning techniques.
A Step Closer to Therapy for Leaky Vessels.

The discovery that small RNAs can regulate gene expression earned the Nobel Prize for laureates A. Fire and C. Mellow and brought with it the potential to change the course of disease by silencing genes with small RNAs. A single short RNA sequence may regulate a large number of proteins, each with different properties. Nevertheless, these molecules are not yet used in the clinic . Young et al. make a substantial advance toward this goal by elaborating the details of the action of a specific microRNA (miRNA) and finding a way to effectively block one of the targeted genes. In their study of the endothelial cell junctional protein VE-cadherin, the authors used a miRNA microarray and prediction algorithms to identify miRNA-27 as a probable regulator of VE-cadherin. Then, they transfected endothelial cells with a miRNA-27 mimic and saw a decrease of VE-cadherin expression and localization, resulting in increased cell permeability and vascular leak. Complete knockdown of miRNA-27 with antibody to miRNA made of locked nucleic acids reversed the effect, even in the presence of stimuli that promote vessel leakiness such as thrombin, vascular endothelial growth factor, or vascular obstruction. Also, in an animal model of cirrhosis, expression of miRNA-27 was decreased, which is consistent with the angiogenic response associated with disease. In a first step toward therapy, targeted blockage of the miRNA-27 binding site with Blockmir CD5-2 boosted VE-cadherin and inhibited permeability to thrombin and to VEGF-induced vascular leak in mice. CD5-2 also helped to restore blood flow in a hind-limb ischemia mouse model. Most important, CD5-2’s effect was specific to cadherin and did not alter protein expression of other miRNA-27 targets. Future work will reveal whether miRNA-27 targets can effectively regulate vascular permeability in vascular, inflammatory, and neoplastic diseases. J. A. Young et al ., Regulation of vascular leak and recovery from ischaemic injury by general and VE-cadherin-restricted miRNA antagonists of miR-27. Blood , published online 5 September 2013 (10.1182/blood-2012-12-473017). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/content/early/2013/09/04/blood-2012-12-473017.abstract
Comparative Effects of Immunotoxic Chemicals on in Vitro Proliferative Responses of Human and Rodent Lymphocytes

Comparative Effects of Immunotoxic Chemicals on in Vitro Proliferative Responses of Human and Rodent Lymphocytes. Lang, D. S., Meier, K. L., and Luster, M. I. (1993). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 21, 535-545. In order to determine the comparability of human and rodent in vitro systems, the direct effects of various therapeutic or environmental chemicals on proliferative responses of lymphocytes of mouse, rat, and human origins were examined and analyzed by a detailed statistical approach. Four compounds of diverse structure and mechanism of action which are known to impair lymphocyte transformation, such as hydroquinone, T-2 toxin, lead nitrate, as well as the widely used immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A, were chosen as model test substances. T cells were stimulated by phytohaemagglutinin as well as monoclonal antibodies directed at the T cell receptor/CD3 complex, while B cells were activated by the T-independent mitogens, including Staphylococcus aureus cells, Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide, and Salmonella typhimurium mitogen with specificity for human, mouse, and rat lymphocytes, respectively. In almost all cases the chemicals altered lymphoproliferative responses in a concentration-related manner in all three species. In general, overall similarities in the relative sensitivity of lymphoblastogenesis were obtained when the human dose-response curves were compared to the rodent response curves. Frequent, statistically significant species-dependent discrepances of the overall response curves between mice and rats were observed. Large, statistically significant differences were observed for inorganic lead, revealing obvious divergences of the effect patterns in all cases, across all species. In this case, rodent species, especially the rat, were very sensitive to immunomodulation by lead, whereas human cells were relatively resistant. It is suggested that direct interspecies comparisons of immunological effects due to chemical treatment in vitro can provide a greater understanding of the relationship between animal and human data, which will improve the confidence of extrapolation from findings in laboratory animals to human health risk.
THE TRANSFER INTEGRAL OPERATOR METHOD IN THE STUDY OF DNA UNZIPPING AND BUBBLE FORMATION

In this work we reexamine the unzipping and bubble formation of DNA in the context of the Peyrard–Bishop–Dauxois DNA model using the transfer integral operator method. After a brief overview of the method, we use it to calculate the probabilities that consecutive base-pairs are stretched beyond a threshold amplitude. We compare the continuous Peyrard–Bishop–Dauxois model with an Ising-type model and demonstrate their similarities. For the Peyrard–Bishop–Dauxois model, we derive an expression for the force that is required to open a double-stranded sequence at one end while the other end is kept closed. In the thermodynamic limit, we use this expression to study the dependence of the unzipping force on the temperature. We also calculate the opening probabilities in the case of zero force and in the case where a force is applied in the middle of the sequence. Analytically, the case where the force is applied in the middle is similar to the case of a homogeneous DNA sequence of strong GC pairs with a defect,...
Voltage calibration of the direct electrooptic sampling technique

A detailed study of various voltage calibration factors or the direct electrooptic sampling technique is presented. In reflection mode optical probing, the circuit substrate forms an etalon for the optical probe beam. Analytical expressions for the calibration factors due to etalon effects and decaying surface potentials are derived. on the length of the sampling pulse relative to the substrate transit time, the etalon will affect either the voltage calibration factor or the system bandwidth: For pulses that are long compared to the transient time, interference at the surface results in a probe wavelength dependent storage time effect. The resulting electrooptic signal shows a resonant behavior as a function of wavelength or substrate thickness. For pulses that are short compared to the substrate transit time, multiple reflections reduce the effective system bandwidth to a bandwidth less than that given by the single transit time or the sampling pulse width. Experimental verification of the theoretical results is presented. Various deembedding procedures for implementing the voltage calibration are discussed. >
Mitigation of sidelobes using directional modulation

A method of mitigating the effects of packaging on secure communications using directional modulation has been demonstrated. While this work used LOS communications, it can be easily generalized to non-line-of-sight channels with multipath. The procedure used to determine the sets of phase shifts for DM is applicable to arbitrarily-spaced arrays using any variety of quadrature amplitude modulation.
WASH knockout T cells demonstrate defective receptor trafficking, proliferation, and effector function

WASH is an Arp2/3 activator of the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein superfamily that functions during endosomal trafficking processes in collaboration with the retromer and sorting nexins, but its in vivo function has not been examined. To elucidate the physiological role of WASH in T cells, we generated a WASH conditional knockout (WASHout) mouse model. Using CD4Cre deletion, we found that thymocyte development and naive T cell activation are unaltered in the absence of WASH. Surprisingly, despite normal T cell receptor (TCR) signaling and interleukin-2 production, WASHout T cells demonstrate significantly reduced proliferative potential and fail to effectively induce experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Interestingly, after activation, WASHout T cells fail to maintain surface levels of TCR, CD28, and LFA-1. Moreover, the levels of the glucose transporter, GLUT1, are also reduced compared to wild-type T cells. We further demonstrate that the loss of surface expression of these receptors in WASHout cells results from aberrant accumulation within the collapsed endosomal compartment, ultimately leading to degradation within the lysosome. Subsequently, activated WASHout T cells experience reduced glucose uptake and metabolic output. Thus, we found that WASH is a newly recognized regulator of TCR, CD28, LFA-1, and GLUT1 endosome-to-membrane recycling. Aberrant trafficking of these key T cell proteins may potentially lead to attenuated proliferation and effector function.
Blind adaptive interference suppression for the near-far resistant acquisition and demodulation of direct-sequence CDMA signals

Two key operations required of a receiver in a direct-sequence (DS) code division multiple access (CDMA) system are the timing acquisition of transmissions that are starting up or have lost synchronization, and the demodulation of transmissions that have been acquired. The reliability of both these operations is limited by multiple-access interference, especially for conventional matched filter-based methods, whose performance displays an interference floor and is vulnerable to the near-far problem. Recent work has shown that, provided timing information is available for a given transmission, it can be demodulated reliably using blind or training-sequence-based adaptive interference suppression techniques. These techniques are near-far resistant, unlike the matched filter demodulator, and do not require explicit knowledge of the interference parameters, unlike nonadaptive multiuser detectors. In this paper, we present a blind adaptive interference suppression technique for joint acquisition and demodulation, which has the unique feature that the output of the acquisition process is not simply the timing of the desired transmission, but a near-far resistant demodulator that implicitly accounts for knowledge of the timing and amplitudes of all transmissions to suppress the multiple-access interference. The only knowledge required by the scheme is that of the desired transmission's signature sequence, so that it is amenable to a decentralized implementation. On the other hand, it can be efficiently implemented as a centralized scheme in which the bulk of the computations for the adaptation are common to all transmissions that need to be acquired or demodulated.
Chaotic Analog Error Correction Codes: The Mirrored Baker's Codes

A new class of analog codes based on 2-dimensional discrete-time chaotic systems, the baker's map, are proposed. The fundamental idea is to effectively transform the ``sensitivity-to-initial-condition'' property of a chaotic system to serve the ``distance expansion'' condition required by a good error correction code. By cleverly applying the baker's map on the tent map to achieve a higher dimensional nonlinear mapping, and by engineering a simple mirrored replication structure to protect against the weaker dimension, the proposed \emph{``mirrored baker's codes''} promise considerably better performance than the existing tent map codes. A maximum likelihood detector is derived, simplified and evaluated. Comparison with the present-day digital coding systems, including convolutional codes and turbo codes, reveals a remarkably on-par performance achieved by the proposed new codes.
The pragmatics of "madness": performance analysis of a Bangladeshi woman's "aberrant" lament.

A fine-grained analysis of the transcript of a Bangladeshi woman's lament is used to argue for an anthropology of "madness" that attends closely to performance and performativity. The emergent, interactive production of wept speech, together with the conflicting use to which it is put by the performer and her relatives, is linked problematically to performance genres and to ethnopsychiatric indexes of madness. Tuneful weeping is taken by relatives to be performative of madness, in a sense something like Austin's. Yet, exploration of the divergent linguistic ideologies which are brought to bear on the lament not only enables more nuanced ethnographic treatment but also has reflexive ramifications for medical and psychological anthropology. This leads to a critique of the referentialism in our own treatment of language. The role played by transparent reference is overshadowed by indexicality and by dialogical processes of proposing and resisting labels for speech genres attributed to the "mad." But power is more than an authoritative voice in decision-making; its strongest form may well be the ability to define social reality, to impose visions of the world. Such visions are inscribed in language and enacted in interaction. Although women's everyday talk and women's 'voice' and consciousness as evidenced in expressive genres have been studied quite separately both can be understood as strategic responses, often of resistance, to dominant, hegemonic cultural forms. Often the form is a culturally defined opposite, as well as the ideology. Thus attention to linguistic detail, context of performance and the nature of the dominant forms is essential.(Gal 1989: 27)
Estimation of micro-crack lengths using eddy current C-scan images and neural-wavelet transform

The work reported in this paper is concerned with the development of neural network-based methods for estimating the size of cracks in the range of mum occurring around a hole on or beneath the surface of metal plate using eddy-current based C-scan images. The developed software includes wavelet transform-based feature extraction from C-scan images with known crack length and computing the energy associated with wavelet coefficient feature data. The feature data were then nonlinearly modeled using feed-forward neural network for the estimation of crack lengths. The results obtained are very promising and the method can be applied for online monitoring and estimation of micro crack sizes. The smallest crack size estimated was 200 mum within 10% estimation error. Due to limitation of resolution of the sensors, all measurements were performed in the millimeter range and images were resized again to simulate crack sizes in the micro-meter scale.
Acetate Metabolism in Normal Human Subjects

Acetate is used as the source of bicarbonate during hemodialysis. The purpose of the present experiments was to determine the metabolic consequences of acute acetate infusion, the fractional generation of bicarbonate from acetate, and the kinetics of acetate administration in normal human subjects. Experiment I consisted of two infusions, administered on separate occasions to 10 healthy adult volunteers, of 4 mmoles/kg body weight Na acetate or Na bicarbonate. Each infusion was administered intravenously during 1 hr. All subjects tolerated the infusions well. The plasma protein concentrations abruptly fell, reflecting hemodilution. After correcting for hemodilution there was no change in plasma creatinine, urea, uric acid, alkaline phosphatase, SGPT, LDH, cholesterol, or triglycerides. Acetate infusion produced a significant rise in plasma pyruvate, lactate, and α-hydroxybutyrate concentrations. Both acetate and bicarbonate infusions produced an alkalosis and a marked alkalemia. In addition, plasma potassium, calcium, and phosphate concentrations fell; these changes are attributed to the alkalosis. Prior to the acetate infusion the mean urinary acetate concentration was 0.085 ± 0.013 mM. Acetate infusions increased urinary acetate concentration to 9.4–13.3 mM. The fractional excretion of acetate rose to approximately 40% during the infusion suggesting that reabsorption of filtered acetate may be inhibited by volume expansion and/or alkalosis. The mean ± SEM for the bicarbonate space, determined from the bicarbonate infusions, was 54 ± 10% of body weight. The mean fractional generation of bicarbonate from acetate, determined from the acetate infusions was 100 ± 21%. Prior to the infusions the mean venous plasma acetate concentration was 0.040 ± 0.010 mM. During the acetate infusion, venous plasma acetate rose to a maximum of 2.12 ± 0.29 mM. During the last 30 min of the infusion, plasma acetate concentrations appeared to reach a steady state. Following termination of the infusion, the acetate concentrations rapidly diminished. Kinetic modeling of these results indicated that acetate disposition was best accounted for by a two-compartment model with first order elimination from the first compartment. To test the validity of this model, Experiment II was performed. Ten healthy adult volunteers were infused with 1, 2, and 4 mmoles of Na acetate during 1 hr on three separate occasions. Kinetic analysis of the plasma acetate concentrations indicated that the data were best fit by a two-compartment model with first order elimination. The mean metabolic clearance rate of acetate was 2.31 ± 0.21 liter/min. It is concluded from these experiments, that acetate is rapidly metabolized, generating equimolar amounts of bicarbonate. The major metabolic effects of acetate administration are related to the development of alkalosis. Acetate metabolism in normal human subjects appears to be first order. However, higher blood acetate concentrations may be achieved during hemodialysis and further studies are indicated to investigate the kinetics of acetate metabolism during hemodialysis.
Forward and reverse genetic approaches to synaptogenesis

Genetic approaches at the neuromuscular synapse are leading investigation into the mechanisms of synaptogenesis. The marriage of classical (forward) and reverse genetic techniques allows the isolation and analysis of novel proteins involved in synaptic maturation and the functional in vivo characterization of previously identified synaptic proteins. Of particular interest are recent advances using mouse reverse genetics and Drosophila forward genetics.
Intravesical Gemcitabine Therapy for Superficial Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder: A Phase I and Pharmacokinetic Study

Purpose: To determine maximum-tolerated dose, toxicities, and pharmacokinetics associated with weekly intravesical gemcitabine therapy in patients with superficial bladder cancer. Patients and Methods: Fifteen patients with recurrent superficial transitional cell bladder carcinoma who experienced prior intravesical therapy failure were studied. Two to 4 weeks after complete transurethral resection, gemcitabine was administered intravesically, once weekly for 6 consecutive weeks. Dwell time was 2 hours. Pharmacokinetics of gemcitabine and its metabolite, 2′2′-difluorodeoxyuridine (dFdU), were studied in plasma and urine. Cystoscopy was repeated 6 weeks after therapy. Results: Three-patient cohorts were enrolled sequentially at doses of 500, 1,000, and 1,500 mg in 100 mL 0.9% NaCl. Two patients received 2,000 mg in 100 mL. An additional four patients received 2,000 mg in 50 mL. No grade 4 toxicity or clinically relevant myelosuppression was noted. Nine of 13 evaluable patients were recurrence-free at 12 wee...
Keeping Him Connected: Labor Migration and the Production of Locality in Cairo

GLOBAL PROCESSES AND discourses are concretely articulated in a low-income neighborhood in Cairo. Looking at locality as a structure of feeling, a material reality, and an attachment to a particular community, this essay shows how the continuous communication between families and young migrant men (through audio tapes, letters, and phone calls) and the pressure from their families to purchase housing units or remodel existing apartments are powerful techniques that provide moral support for labor migrants, ensure the flow of cash, and reinforce attachment to the neighborhood of origin. [Globalization, locality, labor migration, Middle East, Cairo]
The inhibition of sodium currents in myelinated nerve by quaternary derivatives of lidocaine

The inhibition of sodium currents by quaternary derivatives of lidocaine was studied in single myelinated nerve fibers. Membrane currents were diminished little by external quaternary lidocaine (QX). QX present in the axoplasm (<0.5 mM) inhibited sodium currents by more than 90%. Inhibition occurred as the sum of a constant, tonic phase and a variable, voltage-sensitive phase. The voltage-sensitive inhibition was favored by the application of membrane potential patterns which produce large depolarizations when sodium channels are open. Voltage-sensitive inhibition could be reversed by small depolarizations which opened sodium channels. One explanation of this observation is that QX molecules enter open sodium channels from the axoplasmic side and bind within the channels. The voltage dependence of the inhibition by QX suggests that the drug binds at a site which is about halfway down the electrical gradient from inside to outside of the sodium channel.
Clues to the evolution of complex signaling machinery.

Multicellular life demands that activities such as cell proliferation, differentiation, adhesion, and motility be exquisitely controlled. Many of these activities are regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation, the covalent addition of a phosphate group to tyrosine residues in cell proteins, and the emergence of this signaling mechanism may actually have been a key enabling event in the transition to multicellularity. Two papers in this issue of PNAS take advantage of genome sequences from diverse eukaryotic lineages to address the origins of the tyrosine phosphorylation signaling machinery; they provide tantalizing insights into more general questions of how complex signaling mechanisms might have evolved (1, 2).
HIV-Infected Women's Decisions to Take Antiretrovirals:

Despite the potential benefits of antiretrovirals, HIV-infected women may not be accepting or adhering to recommended drug therapies. To help women make informed decisions surrounding antiretroviral therapy, health care professionals need insight into how HIV-infected women decide to take or not to take antiretroviral drugs. The purpose of this study was to describe the influences affecting decisions made by women in the southern United States to accept and adhere to antiretroviral therapy. Focus group data with subsequent dimensional analysis were used to discover themes surrounding antiretroviral decisions among 22 women in two predominantly rural, southeastern states. The focus groups included some women who were currently taking antiretrovirals, some who had taken them in the past, and some who had never taken them. The analyses revealedfour overarching themes that influenced women's decisions regarding antiretrovirals: health professionals, beliefs about antiretrovirals, side effects, and attitudes o...
Plate efficiency with chemical reaction—absorption of Carbon dioxide in Monoethanolamine solutions

The effect of chemical reaction on plate efficiency has been given little attention in the determination of bubble-plate efficiencies, although it is of importance in many operations. A typical example is the absorption of carbon dioxide in monoetnanolamine solutions. The over-all Murphree gas-phase plate efficiency can be shown to be a function of Kg(A/V) where A/V is the interfacial surface area formed per tray per unit volume of gas. In order to evaluate variations in tray efficiency due to factors influencing Kg, data available in the literature for the absorption of carbon dioxide in monoethanolamine were considered. These showed that the liquid film was controlling and that for a packed column at constant liquid rate the absorption coefficient could be satisfactorily expressed by an equation that resembles somewhat equations which have been developed for the effect of rapid secondorder reactions on kL. However, the observed effect of carbon dioxide partial pressure in the gas is not so great as the theoretical equations would predict. By use of the equation mentioned above to predict Kg, satisfactory correlation of observed plate efficiencies is obtained for a commercial column over a considerable range of conditions. It appears that the correlation can be extended to other pressures, flow rates, and column designs by an evaluation of the effect of these variables on A/V and Kg.
Locally invasive papillary thyroid carcinoma: 1940–1990

Well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma infrequently invades the upper aerodigestive tract. However, when invasion occurs, it is the source of significant morbidity. The most common structures invaded by thyroid carcinoma are the recurrent laryngeal nerves, larynx, pharynx, and esophagus. Invasion of these structures produces symptoms of airway insufficiency, dysphagia, and hemoptysis. This study was designed to define more clearly the significance of invasion of papillary thyroid carcinoma on survival. At the Mayo Clinic, 262 patients treated for invasive papillary thyroid carcinoma between 1940 and 1990 were retrospectively evaluated. In this group the sites of invasion were muscle 53%, trachea 37%, laryngeal nerve 47%, esophagus 21%, larynx 12%, and other sites 30%. Complete tumor removal was accomplished in 56% of cases. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were calculated for the population. The overall survival was 79% at 5 years, 63% at 10 years, and 54% at 15 years. When the Cox proportional hazard model was applied to the survival data, the factors that had significant influence on survival were invasion of the trachea and the esophagus. Completeness of resection approached statistical significance. Muscle invasion, laryngeal invasion, and recurrent laryngeal nerve invasion had no significant independent influence on survival. These data suggest that when papillary thyroid carcinoma extends beyond the thyroid capsule and invades adjacent structures, the site invaded will influence survival. Survival may be improved in those cases in which complete surgical excision of the tumor is performed.
The B7-H1/PD-1 pathway in cancers associated with infections and inflammation: opportunities for therapeutic intervention

Almost one fifth of malignancies worldwide and about one quarter in China are associated with viral or bacterial infections, mediating an inflammatory environment in the tumor. Hepatitis viruses (B and C), Epstein Barr Virus (EBV), and helicobacter pylori have been linked to liver, gastric, and nasopharyngeal cancer. The context of infection and chronic inflammation in these cancers may provide an opportunity for therapeutic intervention based on the role of immune checkpoint pathways, which are an important defense mechanism of many cancers against a tumor-directed immune response. Specifically, the expression of the inhibitory receptor PD-1 on the surface of activated T cells has been associated with T cell exhaustion in inflammatory and tumor environments. Furthermore, tumors have been found to over-express the PD-1 ligand B7-H1. Recent therapeutic successes with monoclonal antibodies directed against both B7-H1 and PD-1 in patients with advanced melanoma, renal cell cancer (RCC), and non-small cell cancer, along with the prominent role of this immune checkpoint axis in the inflammatory tumor context, suggest that B7-H1/PD-1 blockade may be particularly beneficial in cancers associated with infections and inflammation.
GECCMC 2005-C1 Plummer St. v. NRFC NNN Holdings (2012) 204 CA4th 998

A recent California decision holds that a guaranty is not triggered when the debtor’s lease is terminated by insolvency.
Misapplications of Simulations in Structural Equation Models: Reply to Acito and Anderson:

Although simulations can be useful for illustrative purposes or for exploring the effects of sample size and population variance on model statistics, the analysis of nonstatistical issues in struct...
Hunting for “Racists”: Tape Fetishism and the Intertextual Enactment and Reproduction of the Dominant Understanding of Racism in US Society

The dominant racial ideology in US society narrowly conceptualizes racism as individual bigotry. This conception is enacted and legitimated through a type of language game that recontextualizes prior words to invoke evidence of an individual's racist credentials. This paper examines the way CNN journalists engage in this language game as they recontextualize the 911 call made by George Zimmerman before he killed Trayvon Martin in 2012. The analysis illustrates how the recontextualization works to enact and reproduce the dominant ideological perspective on racism by establishing intertextual authority and engaging a wider audience in the “hunting for ’racists’” language game.
Behavioral and metabolic consequences of weight reduction.

Obesities may be classified as juvenile-or adult-onset on the basis of increased number or increased size of fat cells, respectively. Studies reviewed here show that persons with the two types of obesity may also be differentiated by their behavioral responses to weight reduction.
NK cells: A new player for the defense

Natural killer (NK) cells—innate immune cells known for their ability to target infected and transformed cells—have recently been reported to also control early-stage antiviral immune responses in lymph nodes, leading to reduced cytotoxic T cell responses and viral persistence, but also
Optimal Control for Congestion Pricing: Theory, Simulation, and Evaluation

This paper presents a mathematical framework for dynamic congestion pricing. The objective is to calculate an optimal toll using the optimal control theory. The problem consists of tolled lanes or routes and alternate non-tolled lanes or routes. The model is developed using a traffic conservation law, the queuing theory, and fundamental macroscopic relationships. A logit model is used for establishing the relationship between the price and the driver's choice behavior. We design a cost function and then use Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation to derive an optimal control law that uses real-time information to determine an optimal tolling price. Simulations are performed to demonstrate the performance of this optimal control congestion-pricing algorithm.
You're so predictable

When it comes to the actions of our fellow humans, the sequence of events we witness on a daily basis appears to be just as mysterious and confusing as the motion of the stars seemed in the 15th century.
Inaugural EBSCO User Group meeting report

The inaugural EBSCO User Group meeting for EBSCO Discovery Service was held May 10–11, 2016, in Boston, MA. The User Group meeting, sponsored by the American Psychological Association and IET Inspe...
Lucid Dreaming as a Learnable Skill: A Case Study

The author was the subject in an investigation of the feasibility of learning to dream lucidly, i.e., while knowing that one is dreaming. During the 3-yr. study, the subject recorded a total of 389 lucid dreams and developed a mnemonic technique for the voluntary induction of lucid dreams (MILD). Without using any induction procedure, the subject reported less than 1 lucid dream per month. Using auto-suggestion resulted in a range of 1 to 13 lucid dreams per month (M = 5.4), with at most 2 per night. MILD yielded 18 to 26 lucid dreams per month (M = 21.5), with up to 4 per night.
A 2-15 GHz VCO With Harmonic Cancellation for Wide-Band Systems

A 2-15 GHz SiGe VCO (voltage controlled oscillator) has been developed with a very low harmonic content. The design is based on the harmonic cancellation concept and uses a multiple-phase ring oscillator together with a wide-band active-weighted summer. The VCO results in an output power of −8 to −6 dBm and $3^{rd}$ and $5^{th}$ harmonic level at 2-15 GHz. The active area of the chip is very small ( $0.67 \times 0.25$ mm2) due to the lack of inductors, and the power consumption is 88-120 mW from a 2.5 V supply. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a wide-band VCO showing a near-perfect sinewave output over a wide frequency range. The application areas are in built-in-self-test sources for wide-band radios and phased arrays.
Observers for discrete-event manufacturing systems

The author describes the design of observers for a class of discrete-event dynamic systems where events can become unobservable in real time. He defines a novel temporal model that augments a finite state machine to describe both the temporal and behavioral attributes of the system. The behavioral model is analyzed to generate ambiguity trees that contain unobservable states due to certain events becoming unobservable in real time. The depth of an ambiguity tree is a measure of the degree of ambiguity in a normally observable system due to the loss of an event. The author describes an observer that changes the temporal attributes of the model in real time to identify ambiguous states. >
Nuclear Collectivity and Complex Alignment Mechanisms in Light W and Os Nuclei

Potential-energy-surface calculations of the light-mass W and Os nuclei indicate that this is a region where both shape-coexistence effects and shape-evolution tendencies should be observed. To explore the predicted richness in these nuclear structure effects at a microscopic level, we have carried out lifetime measurements on some of these nuclei utilizing the dopplershift recoil-distance technique and have done γ-γ coincidence measurements with our Compton Suppression Spectrometer System. Determining the collective behavior as a function of the rotational frequency in 170W, 172W, and 172Os and comparing the results with theory have enabled us to establish that the early rotation-alignment processes occurring in each of these nuclei can probably be attributed to i 13/2 quasi-neutrons. The data on 172Os present an especially interesting case, in that there appear to be three nearly degenerate band crossings by i 13/2 neutrons at low rotational frequencies. A discussion of both the experimental results and a comparison with theory will be presented.