cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Marx and Zeus: The View of Materialism from Mount Olympus

Although Feuerbach’s materialism is commonly considered the philosophic framework that initially led Marx to study the concrete reality, this paper contends that Feuerbach’s distinct materialism actually directed Marx back to Hegel’s idealistic treatment of ancient Greek Classical art. While Feuerbach is mostly known in the history of ideas as the philosopher who overthrew Hegel’s idealism, by looking closely at his writings from the early 1840s, I will argue here that in his materialism, Feuerbach in fact used Hegel’s idealistic account of the development of ancient Greek Classical art, to explain the material foundation of Christianity. Since Feuerbach’s pseudo-aesthetic materialism guided Marx in his early writings (1843-1845), and served as the conceptual framework of his initial views about the working class, human labor, communism, as well as his critique of capitalism, it will be suggested here that Marx’s early social philosophy does not reflect so much his concern with actual reality, but on the contrary, it mirrors Hegel’s treatment of the ancient Greek art-religion which facilitated the mythic world of the Olympian gods. In using Feuerbach’s aesthetic-materialism, it will be argued here, the young Marx hoped to bring about his future vision of communism as a restoration of the ancient Greek’s art-religion as treated in Hegel’s aesthetics.
Multiseptate Gallbladder in a Patient with Biliary Dyskinesia

Biliary dyskinesia due to a multiseptate gallbladder has been rarely described in literature. Septations within the lumen of the gallbladder can lead to bile resistance, causing symptoms of abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. The majority of cases are due to congenital malformation during the development of the gallbladder. Ultrasound (US) is usually sufficient to make the diagnosis, although other imaging techniques can be used for confirmation. We present the case of a 60-year-old female who presented to the emergency room (ER) with biliary pain due to septations in the lumen of her gallbladder.
All sheeps and sizes: a genetic investigation of mature body size across sheep breeds reveals a polygenic nature

Mature body size is genetically correlated with growth rate, an important economic trait in the sheep industry. Mature body size has been studied extensively in humans as well as cattle and other domestic animal populations but not in sheep. Six-hundred and sixteen ewes, across 22 breeds, were measured for 28 linear measurements representing various skeletal parts. PCA from these measures generated principal components 1 and 2 which represented 66 and 7% of the phenotypic variation respectively. Two-hundred and twenty sheep were genotyped on the Illumina Ovine HD beadchip for a GWAS investigating mature body size and linear body measurements. Forty-six (Bonferroni P < 0.05) SNP associations across 14 chromosomes were identified utilizing principal component 1, representing overall body size, revealing mature body size to have fewer loci of large effect than other domestic species such as dogs and horses. Genome-wide associations for individual linear measures identified major quantitative trait loci for withers height and ear length. Withers height was associated (Bonferroni P < 0.05) with 12 SNPs across six chromosomes whereas ear length was associated with a single locus on chromosome 3, containing MSRB3. This analysis identified several loci known to be associated with mature body size in other species such as NCAPG, LCORL, and HMGA2. Mature body size is more polygenic in sheep than other domesticated species, making the development of genomic selection for the trait the most efficient option for maintaining or reducing mature body size in sheep.
Are Northern Harriers (Circus hudsonius) Facultative Specialists on Arvicoline Rodents in Midwestern Agroecosystems

We assessed geographic and temporal variation in diets of wintering Northern Harriers (Circus hudsonius) in western Indiana, U.S.A., using multivariate regression on counts of prey from pellets collected at communal roosts. Because there is no uniform method for determining the minimum number of individuals (MNI) contained in a pellet, we also assessed whether application of four different counting methods influenced our conclusions. We collected 821 Northern Harrier pellets from four roosts in 2018 and 2019. Pellet contents differed between years, months, and roost sites. Voles (Microtus spp.) were the most commonly occurring prey group at all roosts and in both years (range: 45–73%), but were encountered 35% less frequently than reported on average by other studies in the midwestern U.S.A. Accordingly, other small mammal prey groups became more important dietary components than reported by most other midwestern studies, including mice (Peromyscus; 5–16%), western harvest mice (Reithrodontomys megalotis; 4–14%), and northern short-tailed shrews (Blarina brevicauda; 8–18%). The four methods of counting MNI produced no discernible effects on our conclusions concerning pellet contents between months or roosts. Northern Harriers in western Indiana exhibited great diet flexibility, which likely reflects local prey populations and constraints of life in intensive agroecosystems.
Surgical Approach to Cutaneous Malignancy with Systemic Implications

Surgical procedures remain key diagnostic and therapeutic steps in the proper diagnosis and management of cutaneous malignancy. This chapter reviews surgical considerations necessary for optimizing the surgical approach to cutaneous malignancies.
U.S. Planning for Pandemics and Large-Scale Nuclear War

How does the United States develop plans to prevent, prepare for, and/or mitigate disasters? I first discuss planning for the possible: preparedness programs to deal with terror attacks and environ...
Network Compression via Mixed Precision Quantization Using a Multi-Layer Perceptron for the Bit-Width Allocation

Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) are a powerful tool for solving complex tasks in many application domains. The high performance of DNNs demands significant computational resources, which might not always be available. Network quantization with mixed-precision across the layers can alleviate this high demand. However, determining layer-wise optimal bit-widths is non-trivial, as the search space is exponential. This article proposes a novel technique for allocating layer-wise bit-widths for a DNN using a multi-layer perceptron (MLP). The Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence of the softmax outputs between the quantized and full precision network is used as the metric to quantify the quantization quality. We explore the relationship between the KL-divergence and the network size, and from our experiments observe that more aggressive quantization leads to higher divergence, and vice versa. The MLP is trained with layer-wise bit-widths as labels and their corresponding KL-divergence as the input. The MLP training set, i.e. the pairs of the layer-wise bit-widths and their corresponding KL-divergence, is collected using a Monte Carlo sampling of the exponential search space. We introduce a penalty term in the loss to ensure that the MLP learns to predict bit-widths resulting in the smallest network size. We show that the layer-wise bit-width predictions from the trained MLP result in reduced network size without degrading accuracy while achieving better or comparable results with SOTA work but with less computational overhead. Our method achieves up to 6x, 4x, 4x compression on VGG16, ResNet50, and GoogLeNet respectively, with no accuracy drop compared to the original full precision pretrained model, on the ImageNet dataset.
Abstract 226: Adherence to Aspirin Therapy for Primary Prevention of Coronary Artery Disease and Cerebrovascular Accidents

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. One simple, overlooked, and easily available therapy can reduce this risk: aspirin. Low dose aspirin reduces the risk of first time myocardial infarction (MI) in men and ischemic stroke (CVA) in women. The American Heart Association recommends anti-platelet therapy for those with an ASCVD (atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease) risk score> 7.5%. The aim of our study was to determine adherence to guidelines regarding aspirin therapy for primary prevention of myocardial infarction and stroke in our resident clinic. A retrospective chart review of randomized patients with risk factors for CAD and CVA seen at Ambulatory Center in Newark, NJ, between 5/1/12 and 10/29/13 was conducted. Those with contraindications to aspirin therapy were excluded. Over 400 charts were reviewed; 281 met inclusion criteria. Per chart review, only 30% (84/281) of all at-risk patients were taking aspirin. When assessing various risk factors, 44.9% (35/78) of males ages 45-79; 24% (28/116) of females ages 55-79 (95% Confidence Interval [CI] = +-5.9%); 35.7% (51/143) of those with 10-year ASCVD risk score greater than 7.5% (95% CI = +-7.9%); 36.1% (39/108) of diabetic patients (95% CI 95% = +-9.2%); 32.8% (66/201) of those on anti-hypertensive medication (95% CI = +- 6.5%) and 29.3% (36/123) of those with a smoking history were taking aspirin (95% CI = +-8.2%). Of note, the number of women taking aspirin was statistically low as compared to men across all risk factors except for ASCVD score (p<0.01). This study revealed poor adherence to guidelines with regards to use of aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and stroke in our resident clinic. In particular, adherence to aspirin therapy for women was strikingly low. However, our estimate may be somewhat low due to improper documentation of over the counter medications. We are implementing interventions to increase awareness of aspirin use such as educational campaigns for patients, mini-lectures for ambulatory resident cohorts, automated EMR reminders and adding aspirin therapy to health maintenance smart texts to achieve our goal of 100% compliance.
Fuels for Electric Power Generation: Regulatory, Policy, and Economic Pressures

The electric power sector is facing significant new economic and regulatory pressures that are changing the electric generation mix. In this chapter in the forthcoming book Global Climate Change and U.S. Law, we examine the regulation of fuels used for electric power generation, focusing on regulatory trends and economic considerations that are likely to have the largest impacts on greenhouse gas emissions and, therefore, climate change. Perhaps the biggest driver of change is the prospect of stable, relatively low prices for natural gas for the foreseeable future. As gas becomes cost-competitive with coal as an electricity generation fuel, it is commanding a growing share of the electric generation market, usually at the expense of coal. Increasingly stringent regulation of the environmental externalities associated with coal mining and coal combustion seem likely to hasten this trend. But the prospect of inexpensive natural gas discourages the development of other, less carbon intensive electric generation sources, including nuclear and renewable generation. Prospective investors in new generation face an increasingly competitive wholesale electricity market: new nuclear and renewable plants will compete with natural gas-fired plants for customers, and price will be the focus of that competition. Policies like state renewable portfolio standards and financial incentives for nuclear and renewables will continue to drive some development of those technologies. However, absent a significant change in the relative costs of these electric generation fuels, the creation of additional market demand for renewables or nuclear power will require the creation of new policies driving that demand.
Neutrinos from Protoneutron Stars: a Probe of Hot and Dense Matter

Neutrino processes in dense matter play a key role in the dynamics, deleptonization and the early cooling of hot protoneutron stars formed in the gravitational collapse of massive stars. Here we calculate neutrino mean free paths from neutrino-hyperon interactions in dense matter containing hyperons. Significant contributions to the neutrino opacity arise from scattering involving the Σ- hyperon, and absorption processes involving the neutral and Σ- hyperons. The estimates given here emphasize the need for (a) opacities which incorporate many-body effects in a multi-component mixture, and (b) new calculations of thermal and leptonic evolution of protoneutron stars with neutrino transport and equations of state with strangeness-rich matter.
A Regionally Based Energy End-Use Strategy: Case Studies from Centre County, Pennsylvania∗

The production and use of fossil fuels and nonrenewable electricity creates many forms of environmental degradation. To reduce degradation, this research suggests an energy strategy based on energy end-use analysis and regional geography. Energy end-use analysis and regional geography are used to match renewable energy resources with site-specific, end-use needs. Fieldwork conducted within Centre County, Pennsylvania, demonstrates that small-scale solar, wind, and micro-hydropower resources could displace a proportion of household electricity use. Such an approach meets energy end-use needs, while conserving fossil fuels and reducing environmental degradation.
Regional Logic for Local Reasoning about Global Invariants

Shared mutable objects pose grave challenges in reasoning, especially for data abstraction and modularity. This paper presents a novel logic for error-avoiding partial correctness of programs featuring shared mutable objects. Using a first order assertion language, the logic provides heap-local reasoning about mutation and separation, via ghost fields and variables of type `region' (finite sets of object references). A new form of modifies clause specifies write, read, and allocation effects using region expressions; this supports effect masking and a frame rule that allows a command to read state on which the framed predicate depends. Soundness is proved using a standard program semantics. The logic facilitates heap-local reasoning about object invariants: disciplines such as ownership are expressible but not hard-wired in the logic.
Why Does the Developing Brain Demonstrate Heightened Susceptibility to Febrile and Other Provoked Seizures

Publisher Summary The majority of human seizures occurs early in life, and many developmental seizures occur only during discrete windows of development. The immature brain differs from the adult brain in its susceptibility to seizures, seizure characteristics, and responses to antiepileptic drugs. Despite the lack of significant injury in the immature brain, in experimental models, evidence suggests that neonatal seizures may adversely alter the function of surviving neurons and neuronal circuitry to chronically lower seizure thresholds or promote epileptogenesis. Animal studies indicate that early postnatal development is a critical window during which synaptogenesis and neuronal plasticity are at the peak. The expression of glutamate transporters is also developmentally regulated and may play a role in the enhanced excitability of the immature brain. The developmental regulation of voltage-gated channels in axons and at presynaptic terminals may be particularly critical in the generation of seizure activity through their influence on neurotransmitter release. Developmental changes in factors that regulate neuronal excitability can alter seizure susceptibility, and seizures can alter the normal pattern of brain development.
Genetic algorithms in agent-based manufacturing scheduling systems

Manufacturing scheduling is the process of selecting from alternative plans and assigning manufacturing resources and time to the set of manufacturing processes in the plan. It is an optimization process by which limited manufacturing resources are allocated over time among parallel and sequential activities. This paper presents a new approach by combining genetic algorithms based search and agent-based negotiation for manufacturing scheduling. Since agent-based approaches emphasize on flexibility and responsiveness and genetic algorithms pursue the optimality of solutions, a combination of agent-based approaches and genetic algorithms provides a promising way to enhance the performance of manufacturing scheduling systems. After a brief research literature review, the paper introduces the proposed integration approach and describes the methods and algorithms for implementing a genetic algorithm in an agent-based manufacturing scheduling system. Some experimental results are also presented.
A rigid GABA analog from a [4+3]-cycloaddition

A rigid GABA analog has been prepared from the adduct obtained from the [4+3]-cycloaddition of pentachloroacetone and a 2-substituted furan.
Consumer of concern early entry program (C-CEEP): protecting against the biological suicidal warfare host

Man has used poisons for assassination purposes ever since the dawn of civilization, not only against individual enemies but also occasionally against armies. According to (Frischknecht, 2003)11 article on the History of Biological Warfare, during the past century, more than 500 million people died of infectious diseases. Several tens of thousands of these deaths were due to the deliberate release of pathogens or toxins. Two international treaties outlawed biological weapons in 1925 and 1972, but they have largely failed to stop countries from conducting offensive weapons research and large-scale production of biological weapons. Before the 20th century, biological warfare took on three main forms: (1) deliberate poisoning of food and water with infectious material, (2) use of microorganisms or toxins in some form of weapon system, and (3) use of biologically inoculated fabrics (Dire, 2013)8. This action plan is aimed at the recognition of the lack of current processes in place under an unidentified lead agency to detect, identify, track, and contain biological agents that can enter into the United States through a human host. This action plan program has been identified as the Consumer of Concern Early Entry Program or a simpler title is C-CEEP.
The effect of epidermal growth factor on bacterial translocation in newborn rabbits.

Abstract Purpose: Epidermal growth factor (EGF), which is present in breast milk, has both trophic and maturational effects on intestinal mucosa. The aim of this study is to deermine the effect of EGF on spontaneous intestinal bacterial translocation (BT) in formula-fed newborn rabbits, who have a high incidence of BT compared with breast-fed newborn rabbits. Methods: Sixty-one rabbit pups were divided into three groups: EGF(−), n=24, EGF(+), n=22, and breast-fed animals, n=15. Both the EGF(−) and EGF(+) groups were gavage fed a standard artificial formula three times daily. EGF was administered subcutaneously three times daily (1.5 μg/g body weight per day) in the EGF(+) group. The breast-fed group was fed by their mothers ad libitum. At 7 days of age, all rabbits were killed, and the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), liver, and spleen were cultured qualitatively for bacterial growth, while the cecum and ileum were quantitatively cultured. To determine the effect of EGF on mucus-producing cells, goblet cell numbers in the small intestine were quantified histologically. Results: There was no BT to MLN, spleen, or liver in the breast-fed group. The incidence of BT to MLN and spleen was significantly lower in the EGF(+) compared with EGF(−) group; (EGF[+]: MLN, 45%; spleen, 32%; Liver, 27%; EGF[−]: MLN, 79%; Spleen 67%; Liver 29%; in EGF[+] MLN and Spleen P v EGF[−]). There was no significant difference in cecal and ileal bacterial colonization between the EGF(+) and EGF(−) groups. The number of goblet cells in the small intestine was significantly lower in the EGF(−) group compared with the EGF(+) group as follows: EGF(+), 14 ± 3; EGF(−), 9 ± 3; breast-fed, 11 ± 5 goblet cells per 100 epithelial cell nuclei; P = .013. Conclusions: (1) EGF caused a significant decrease in spontaneous bacterial translocation in formula-fed newborn rabbits and was associated with an increase in the goblet cell number of the small intestine. (2) These changes occurred in spite of the fact that no changes in small bowel bacterial colonization were observed. (3) These results suggest, but do not prove, that EGF may provide protection for neonates from gut origin infection by improving the mucosal barrier function through increased goblet cell production, thus decreasing the incidence of spontaneous bacterial translocation in the newborn.
A final focus system for flat-beam linear colliders

Abstract A final focus system is designed for a flat-beam linear collider with the parameters suggested by R.B. Palmer. A method of chromaticity correction which uses one family of sextupoles is realized so as to correct both horizontal and vertical chromaticities simultaneously. A computer code has been written to find the solution, and a result with a momentum acceptance twice that of Palmer's requirement is obtained. It is shown that the designed optics is almost at the limit of focusing which is given by the synchrotron radiation in the final quadrupole.
Impact of early clinical experiences on student attitudes about diversity

Abstract Undergraduate pre‐service teachers enrolled in the first professional semester of an early childhood teacher preparation program were assigned clinical placements in schools with diverse student populations. Pretest and posttest self‐report questionnaires and focus group discussions were used to gain insight into the impact of the experience. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the feedback indicate that early clinical placements in diverse settings can positively impact student attitudes toward children of religious and cultural groups different from their own. Such experiences can also impact student views of priorities in teacher education. Implications for teacher preparation programs are offered.
Stradivari, violins, tree rings, and the Maunder Minimum: a hypothesis

Summary Instruments produced by the master violinmakers of the late 17th and early 18th centuries are reputed to have superior tonal qualities relative to more contemporary instruments. Many hypotheses have been proffered to explain this difference in sound quality, but all hypotheses were found wanting. We propose an alternative hypothesis based on the unique climate situation that existed between AD 1645–1715 known as the Maunder Minimum. This period of reduced solar activity was noted also for its lowered temperatures, which therefore caused reductions in tree growth rates. We hypothesize that the longer winters and cooler summers produced wood that had slower, more even growth, desirable properties for producing higher-quality sounding boards. During Stradivari's latter decades, he used spruce wood that had grown mostly during the Maunder Minimum. These lowered temperatures, combined with the environmental setting (i. e., topography, elevation, and soil conditions) of the forest stands from where the spruce wood was obtained, produced unique wood properties and superior sound quality. This combination of climate and environmental properties has not occurred since Stradivari's “Golden Period.”
L’osservatore e l’oggetto osservato: I cavalletti di Remo Salvadori

Viene qui esaminata la relazione tra l'osservatore e l'oggetto osservato prendendo come spunto gli osservatori progetttati e costruiti a partire dal 1981 dall'artista italiano Remo Salvadori. L'11 gennaio del 1951 tre filosofi (Alfred Jules Ayer, Georges Bataille, e Maurice Merleau-Ponty) e un fisico (Georges Ambrosino) ebbero una lunga conversazione in un bistrot parigino. L'argomento era se il sole fosse esistito prima che gli esseri umani riconoscessero la sua esistenza e lo chiamassero “sole”. Per Ayer non c'erano dubbi: poiche la verita e indipendente dal tempo, il “sole” c'era sempre stato. L'oggetto si sposta nel tempo; non cosi l'osservatore (la verita). Bataille, Merleau-Ponty, e Ambrosino si dichiararono in disaccordo con Ayer: se non c'e un osservatore, non c'e nemmeno un oggetto osservato. Quasiasi “cosa” fosse il prima che gli uomini gli dessero quel nome, certamente non era il “sole”. Il linguaggio e il mondo non possono essere separati. Costruiti con la forma di un treppiede senza la macchi...
Protein kinase C inhibitors block insulin and PMA-stimulated hexose transport in isolated rat adipocytes and BC3H-1 myocytes.

Abstract Effects of protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors and “down-regulation” on insulin and PMA-stimulated 2-deoxyglucose transport were determined in isolated rat adipocytes or BC3H-1 myocytes. In both model systems, H-7, sangivamycin, and staurosporine, inhibitors of the catalytic domain of PKC, each effectively blocked insulin and PMA-stimulated hexose uptake at similar concentrations. In the myocytes, staurosporine completely blocked the insulin effect retained post-chronic phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-induced “down-regulation.” These findings indicate (1) that chronic pretreatment with PMA may not lead to a complete loss of PKC activity in the myocyte, and (2) that PKC is involved in insulin-stimulated hexose transport in both isolated rat adipocytes and BC3H-1 myocytes.
Hernie diaphragmatique symptomatique à distance d’une ablathérapie pulmonaire par radiofréquence☆

Resume L’ablation par radiofrequence (RF) est une technique en plein essor et relativement sure pour le traitement des metastases pulmonaires. Les lesions proches du diaphragme sont difficiles a traiter en raison du risque de brulure de ce dernier. La perforation diaphragmatique avec constitution d’une hernie diaphragmatique est une complication evolutive rare mais grave. Son traitement est chirurgical. Nous presentons le premier cas decrit dans la litterature d’occlusion sur hernie diaphragmatique gauche a distance d’une RF pulmonaire.
A comparison of thiosulphate-citrate-bile salts-sucrose (TCBS) agar and thiosulphate-chloride-iodide (TCI) agar for the isolation of Vibrio species from estuarine environments.

C . P F E F F E R A N D J . D . O L I V E R . 2003. Aims: The purpose of this study was to compare a recently described medium, thiosulphate-chloride-iodide (TCI), for the isolation of estuarine vibrios with thiosulphate-citrate-bile salts-sucrose (TCBS). Methods: A total of 492 colonies which developed on these media from estuarine water samples taken monthly over a 10-month period were examined. Results: A much larger number of colonies developed on TCBS than TCI, and minimal taxonomic criteria indicated that a higher percentage (61%) of TCBS colonies could be identified as Vibrio spp. when compared with TCI (46%). Significance: This study suggests that TCBS is a superior medium when compared with TCI for the isolation of Vibrio spp. from estuarine waters. Because of the public health risk presented by V. vulnificus, V. parahaemolyticus, V. cholerae and other vibrios, the selection of the most appropriate medium for their isolation is extremely important.
1258 EPIDEMIOLOGY OF RICKETS ADMITTED TO COMBINED UNIVERSITY AND MUNICIPAL HOSPITALS IN 30 MONTHS

In 30 months the diagnosis of rickets was made 36 times as follows: Nutritional (N)-8, Familial Hypophosphatemia (FHP)-7, Vitamin D Dependent 1 (DDI)-1, Vitamin D Dependent 11 (DDII)-2, Renal Osteodystrophy (RR)-16, and Hepatic Rickets (HR)-2. The 16 N, FHP and DDI patients were all from self referral families with relevant complaints. The 8 N patients all had dark skin 4 of these were exclusively breast fed with low calcidiol levels in serum. One had dietary CA deficiency with increased calcitriol levels in serum. Three siblings had multiple dietary deficiencies because of diet faddism. 5/8 studied did not have amioaciduria or increased PTH. The 8 genetic metabolic bone disease patients had varied skin color. The remaining 20 patients had rickets as a complication of severe renal disease or liver disease or were specifically referred because of DDII. We can distinguish N from FHP by an objective therapeutic test (600,000 u Vitamin D in 24 hours) within five days when other criteria are inconclusive. Serum PO4 rises in 4-5 days and x-ray changes are visible at one week in patients with N. We conclude: 1) rickets in the inner city U.S. population is relatively common; 2) the primary varieties (N and FHP) are readily distinguishable by simple clinical means; 3) secondary aminoaciduria and hyperparathyroidism are frequently absent in nutritional rickets in this series.
Targeting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway for Breast Cancer Therapy

Recent advances in genetics and genomics have revealed new pathways that are aberrantly activated in many breast cancers. Chief among these genetic changes are somatic mutations and/or gains and losses of key genes within the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. Since breast cancer cell growth and progression is often dependent upon activation of the PI3K pathway, there has been intense research interest in finding therapeutic agents that can selectively inhibit one or more constituents of this signaling cascade. Here we review key molecules involved with aberrant PI3K pathway activation in breast cancers and current efforts to target these components for therapeutic gain.
Theory of thermodynamic properties and phase separation of micellar solutions with lower consolute points

A recently developed thermodynamic theory is extended to study the single‐phase properties and the phase separation of micellar solutions which exhibit lower consolute points. Analytical results for the location of the critical point, shape of the coexistence curve, micellar size distribution, and osmotic compressibility along the critical isochore are presented. These results are in excellent agreement with experimental findings in micellar solutions of the nonionic amphiphile n‐dodecyl hexaoxyethylene glycol monoether and water.
Significant effects of atrioventricular node ablation and pacemaker implantation on left ventricular function and long-term survival in patients with atrial fibrillation and left ventricular dysfunction

Control of ventricular rate by atrioventricular node ablation and pacemaker implantation in patients with drug-refractory atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with improved left ventricular (LV) function. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of atrioventricular node ablation on long-term survival in patients with AF and LV dysfunction. Survival was determined by the Kaplan-Meier method for 56 study patients with LV ejection fraction (EF) ≤40% who underwent atrioventricular node ablation and pacemaker implantation and 56 age- and gender-matched control patients with AF and LVEF >40%, and age- and gender-matched control subjects from Minnesota. Groups were compared using the log-rank test. In study patients (age 69 ± 10 years; 45 men), LVEF was 26% ± 8% and 34% ± 13% (p <0.001) before and after ablation, respectively. During follow-up (40 ± 23 months), 23 patients died. Observed survival was worse than that of normal subjects (p <0.001) and control patients (p = 0.005). After ablation, LVEF nearly normalized (≥45%) in 16 study patients (29%), in whom observed survival was comparable to that of normal subjects (p = 0.37). Coronary artery disease, hyperlipidemia, chronic renal failure, previous myocardial infarction, and coronary artery operation were independent predictors for mortality. Near normalization of LVEF occurred in 29% of study patients, suggesting that AF-induced EF reduction is reversible in many patients. Normal survival in patients with reversible LV dysfunction highlights potential survival benefits of rate control. Poor survival in patients with persistent LV dysfunction confirms the importance of optimal medical therapy.
U-Pb and Hf isotopic analysis of zircon in lower crustal xenoliths from the Navajo volcanic field: 1.4 Ga mafic magmatism and metamorphism beneath the Colorado Plateau

Zircon from lower crustal xenoliths erupted in the Navajo volcanic field was analyzed for U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopic compositions to characterize the lower crust beneath the Colorado Plateau and to determine whether it was affected by ∼1.4 Ga granitic magmatism and metamorphism that profoundly affected the exposed middle crust of southwestern Laurentia. Igneous zircon in felsic xenoliths crystallized at 1.73 and 1.65 Ga, and igneous zircon in mafic xenoliths crystallized at 1.43 Ga. Most igneous zircon has unradiogenic initial Hf isotopic compositions (ɛHf=+4.1–+7.8) and 1.7–1.6 Ga depleted mantle model ages, consistent with 1.7–1.6 Ga felsic protoliths being derived from “juvenile” Proterozoic crust and 1.4 Ga mafic protoliths having interacted with older crust. Metamorphic zircon grew in four pulses between 1.42 and 1.36 Ga, at least one of which was at granulite facies. Significant variability within and between xenoliths in metamorphic zircon initial Hf isotopic compositions (ɛHf=−0.7 to +13.6) indicates growth from different aged sources with diverse time-integrated Lu/Hf ratios. These results show a strong link between 1.4 Ga mafic magmatism and granulite facies metamorphism in the lower crust and granitic magmatism and metamorphism in the exposed middle crust.
Gender assignment to nouns codeswitched into French: Observations and explanations:

This article investigates the assignment of grammatical gender to foreign nouns codeswitched into French, where gender assignment is required. Contrary to other studies, this study is based on a questionnaire of 75 words filled by both monolingual French speakers and native speakers of French bilingual in English. The results are analyzed in the light of criteria for gender assignment that are established both for borrowed words (from previous studies on borrowings in French as well as Spanish and German) and for native French words (from studies in French morphology). Comparisons between the groups show that there is little agreement between monolinguals and bilinguals as well as among monolinguals, showing that the meaning of a word is of primary importance in assigning grammatical gender. Results also show that the majority of words are assigned to the masculine gender. The analysis of factors influencing gender assignment reveals that bilingual participants rely on semantic criteria (biological sex and semantic analogy) and/or formal (morphological endings, phonetics, and orthographical factors) criteria to assign gender to the words in the questionnaire.
Enantioselective degradation of warfarin in soils.

Environmental enantioselectivity information is important to fate assessment of chiral contaminants. Warfarin, a rodenticide and prescription medicine, is a chiral chemical but used in racemic form. Little is known about its enantioselective behavior in the environment. In this study, enantioselective degradation of warfarin in a turfgrass and a groundcover soils was examined in aerobic and ambient temperature conditions. An enantioselective analytical method was established using a novel triproline chiral stationary phase in high performance liquid chromatography. Unusual peak profile patterns, i.e., first peak (S(−)) broadening/second peak (R(+)) compression with hexane (0.1%TFA)/2-propanol (92/8, v/v) mobile phase, and first peak compression/second peak broadening with the (96/4, v/v) mobile phase, were observed in enantioseparation. This unique tunable peak property was leveraged in evaluating warfarin enantioselective degradation in two types of soil. Warfarin was extracted in high recovery from soil using methylene chloride after an aqueous phase basic-acidic conversion. No apparent degradation of warfarin was observed in the sterile turfgrass and groundcover soils during the 28 days incubation, while it showed quick degradation (half-life <7 days) in the nonsterile soils after a short lag period, suggesting warfarin degradation in the soils was mainly caused by micro-organisms. Limited enantioselectivity was found in the both soils, which was the R(+) enantiomer was preferentially degraded. The half-lives in turfgrass soil were 5.06 ± 0.13 and 5.97 ± 0.05 days, for the R(+) and the S(−) enantiomer, respectively. The corresponding values for the groundcover soil were 4.15 ± 0.11 and 4.47 ± 0.08 days. Chirality, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ultra-fast chiral separation of basic drugs by capillary electrophoresis

Abstract Chiral separation-methods development is usually very time-consuming, due to the diversity in chemical structures of pharmaceutical drug substances as well as the suitable separation conditions and the problem to choose the appropriate chiral selector. This paper shows an ultra-fast, capillary electrophoresis based screening procedure which was developed for chiral separation of several basic pharmaceuticals using dimethyl-β-cyclodextrin as chiral selector. Complete enantiomeric separations of basic drugs (metaproterenol and isoproterenol) were achieved as fast as in 40–50 s, with an R.S.D. for the absolute migration time reproducibility of less than 0.75%. The peak efficiency of the separations was usually over one million theoretical plates per meter, which correspond to an efficiency generation rate above 30 000 plates/m s.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for eating disorders: Clinical applications of a group treatment

Eating disorders, particularly among adult patients with a long course of illness, are exceptionally difficult to treat. The few existing empirically supported treatments for adult patients with bulimia nervosa do not lead to symptom remission for a large portion of patients. For adults with anorexia nervosa there are currently no empirically supported treatments. A small but growing body of research indicates that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) may be an effective treatment option for patients with eating disorders. Despite the promise of this approach, there are at present no established protocols with empirical support for an ACT-based treatment for adults with an eating disorder. The goal of the current paper is to describe the development of a semi-structured group-based treatment for eating disorders, discuss the structure of the manual and how we adapted standard ACT treatment strategies for use with an eating disorder population, and to discuss clinical strategies for successfully implementing the intervention. A brief summary of preliminary results of the program support the acceptability and efficacy of this novel treatment approach.
THERE'S MORE TO COUNTING THAN MEETS THE EYE: COMMENT ON SHORTZ ET AL.

Surveys of the literature may facilitate future scholarship by identifying important conceptual developments or recent advances in empirical research. However, we suggest that Shortz, Worthington, McCollugh, DeVries, and Morrow's (1994) conclusions regarding prominent trends in marital therapy and research suffer serious limitations based on the authors' failure to consider objective indices of either journals' influence or authors' actual impact, in addition to their exclusion of nonjournal sources and use of an arbitrary method of weighting authorship. We identify alternativeapproaches to evaluating published scholarship for use in future surveys.
Ageostrophic Effects on Baroclinic Instability

Abstract Ageostrophic effects on the stability properties of a frictionless adiabatic atmosphere are investigated. The neutral stability boundary is found to consist of the range of variation in the basic state zonal speed. It is found that fast moving waves are not marginal to the neutral boundary. A numerical study shows that the introduction of lateral dependence results in a selective ageostrophic influence on the growth rates of unstable modes. This result is in contrast to the purely distortive modification in the three-dimensional quasi-geostrophic corresponding case.
Reorientation effect measurements in 106, 114Cd

Abstract The static electric quadrupole moments Q 2 + of the first 2 + states of 106 Cd and 114 Cd were measured by the reorientation effect, using a particle-γ coincidence technique. The attenuation of the γ-ray angular distribution due to the hyperfine interaction was measured and its effect found to be important for the determination of the quadrupole moments. The values of Q 2 + obtained range from −0.63 b to −0.99 b for 106 Cd and from −0.21 b to −0.52 b for 114 Cd. The measured value for 114 Cd is 46 % of the value obtained without accounting for the hyperfine attenuation.
Closeness and Turnout: a Methodological Note

Many articles in political science have examined the statistical relationship between the closeness of elections and turnout. Usually, a moderate relationship is found: closer elections tend to have higher turnout. This note shows that the operational variable almost universally used in the literature to measure closeness--viz., the percent of the vote garnered by the winner minus the percent of the vote garnered by the runner-up--is spuriously correlated with turnout. An alternative measurement of closeness which avoids this problem is described.
Is the Activation Gate Closed in Kv Channel Closed-State Inactivation?

Kv4.x channel complexes including auxiliary subunits such as DPP6-S and KChIP1 undergo preferential closed-state inactivation (CSI; Baehring and Covarrubias, 2011, J Physiol, 589.3:461-479; Fineberg et al., 2012, J Gen Physiol, in press). However, the molecular basis of CSI in Kv4.x channels remains poorly understood. A key unanswered question of this problem is whether the channel's activation is actually closed, as CSI implies. We have previously proposed that CSI results when the activated channel fails to open or simply prefers to close. This hypothesis specifically suggests that the intracellular activation gate may adopt a stable closed conformation, even under depolarized conditions that would initially favor the activated “up” state of the voltage sensors. To test this hypothesis, we are exploiting the trapping paradigm previously investigated by Holmgren et al. to test the state of the intracellular activation gate (1997, J Gen Physiol, 109:527-535). Essentially, if the activation gate closes behind a quaternary ammonium (QA) blocker inside the pore, the blocker cannot exit the pore; effectively, it is trapped. We are expressing the ternary Kv4.1/I400C channels (this mutation favors trapping) including DPP6-S and KChIP1 in Xenopus oocytes. Then, in the inside-out patch-clamp configuration, we are using a computer-controlled perfusion system to deliver the QA derivative decyltrimethylammonium bromide (C10) to the bath and probe the ability of the channel's activation gate to trap C10 in the closed, open and inactivated states. Preliminary results show that the trapping paradigm may yield an answer to the central question of this study. If the activation gate is indeed closed during CSI, C10 trapping will only occur when the drug is applied to the conducting channel, but no trapping of C10 will be observed in the closed and inactivated states. Supported by NIH grant R01 NS032337 (MC).
Transforming Asian Pacific America: The Challenges of Growth and Diversity.

The concept of Asian Pacific panethnicity is examined in the light of the growing numbers and diversity of the population in the 1990s. The term “Asian American” originated in the civil rights period of the 1960s to help unify Asian groups in the common struggle against negative stereotypes and discrimination. Revised immigration laws, new immigrant groups and continued hostility have brought new challenges, and it is argued that Asian Pacific Americans as a group can provide important leadership for the U.S.‘s transformation to a more truly multicultural society.
Abnormalities of Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal-Thyroid Axis in Patients with Graves' Ophthalmopathy

ABSTRACT We studied responsiveness to synthetic thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), 200 μg iv, in 13 patients with Graves' opthalmopathy, 10 of whom were euthyroid on the basis of serum concentration of free T3 and free T4. Two hyperthyroid and 4 euthyroid patients (Group I) responded abnormally by failing to show an increase in serum thyrotropin (TSH) or triiodothyronine (T3). The remaining patients (Group II), of whom 1 was hyperthyroid (Group IIA) and 6 euthyroid, also responded abnormally but with exaggerated serum TSH response to TRH. The serum TSH increased in these patients from a mean baseline value of 22 to a mean peak value of 91 μU/ml. The mean net 2-hr TSH secretion response of 5627 μU min in these patients was significantly higher than that observed in 14 normal subjects. Thyroid 131I uptake was not suppressible with T3 in all 5 of the Group I patients so studied and in 3 Group II patients. In the latter, serum immunoassayable TSH, supranormal initially, declined normally to undetectable lev...
Compressed condensation of water vapor on chilled brine

Abstract Inexpensive removal of low-pressure water vapor is an essential requirement for economically attractive direct freeze concentration. The currently used method is condensation on a chilled metal surface rinsed by a recirculating saline solution. Although simple condensation is inexpensive on a large scale, the requirement of a large condensing surface and low capital cost lead to poor heat transfer, especially for facilities less than about 20 kg/h. An alternative approach is to combine condensation with mechanical compression, but little information is publicly available that can be used to determine the feasibility of this approach. Our measurements of condensation rate in a chilled liquid ring (LR) vacuum pump show that correlations for smooth films do not describe condensation in these pumps. The measured condensation rates indicate that LR pump compression does not substantially increase condensation.
Must Software Research Stand Divided

A not-so-subtle divide separates empirical and constructionist software research. Constructionists maintain that software research should be about creating technologies, devising new methods. Empiricists are interested in studying and understanding existing approaches. The antagonism between the two camps does not serve our industry well—it needs both modes of research.
VIRUS-P: camera design and performance

We present the design and performance of the prototype Visible Integral-field Replicable Unit Spectrograph (VIRUS-P) camera. Commissioned in 2007, VIRUS-P is the prototype for 150+ identical fiber-fed integral field spectrographs for the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment. With minimal complexity, the gimbal mounted, double-Schmidt design achieves high on-sky throughput, image quality, contrast, and stability with novel optics, coatings, baffling, and minimization of obscuration. The system corrector working for both the collimator and f / 1.33 vacuum Schmidt camera serves as the cryostat window while a 49 mm square aspheric field flattener sets the central obscuration. The mount, electronics, and cooling of the 2k × 2k, Fairchild Imaging CCD3041-BI fit in the field-flattener footprint. Ultra-black knife edge baffles at the corrector, spider, and adjustable mirror, and a detector mask, match the optical footprints at each location and help maximize the 94% contrast between 245 spectra. An optimally stiff and light symmetric four vane stainless steel spider supports the CCD which is thermally isolated with an equally stiff Ultem-1000 structure. The detector/field flattener spacing is maintained to 1 μm for all camera orientations and repeatably reassembled to 12 μm. Invar rods in tension hold the camera focus to ±4 μm over a -5-25 °C temperature range. Delivering a read noise of 4.2 e - RMS, sCTE of 1-10 -5 , and pCTE of 1-10 -6 at 100 kpix/s, the McDonald V2 controller also helps to achieve a 38 hr hold time with 3 L of LN2 while maintaining the detector temperature setpoint to 150 μK (5σ RMS).