cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On a generic property of geodesic flows

In this paper we are concerned with a sufficient condition for a Riemannian metric on a compact simply–connected manifold to have infinitely many geometrically distinct closed geodesics. 1969 Gromoll–Meyer proved in [GM] that for every Riemannian metric on a compact simply–connected manifold M there are infinitely many geometrically distinct closed geodesics if the sequence (bi(ΛM ;F ))i of Betti numbers of the free loop space ΛM is unbounded for some field F . Using the theory of minimal models Vigue-Poirrier/Sullivan proved that the rational cohomology algebra H∗(M ; I Q) of M is generated by a single element if and only if the sequence (bi(ΛM ; I Q))i of Betti numbers of the free loop space ΛM of M is bounded. It is a conjecture that the same statement holds for all fields of prime characteristic, partial results are due to McCleary–Ziller [MZ] and Halperin/Vigue-Poirrier [HV]. Now we turn to the manifolds for which the hypothesis of Gromoll– Meyer’s theorem does not hold, for example spheres and projective spaces. Then stability properties of the closed geodesics become important. A closed geodesic is hyperbolic if the linearized Poincare map has no eigenvalue of norm 1. From the bumpy metrics theorem due to Abraham [Ab] and Anosov [An2] and from a pertubation result due to Klingenberg–Takens [KT] one can conclude: A C4–generic metric on a compact manifold has either a non–hyperbolic closed geodesic of twist type or all closed geodesics are hyperbolic. In the first case there are infinitely many geometrically distinct closed geodesics in every tubular neighborhood of the closed geodesic of twist type due to a theorem by Moser [Mo]. In the second case there are infinitely many closed geodesics if M is simply–connected due to results by Hingston [Hi] and the author [Ra1]. Hence it follows from these results that a C4–generic metric on a compact simply–connected manifold has infinitely many geometrically distinct closed geodesics. We remark that it is an open question whether there is a Riemannian metric on a simply–connected compact manifold all of whose closed geodesics are hyperbolic. In [Ra2] we show that the examples of metrics on the 2–
Fabrication and characterization of Li–Mn–Ni–O sputtered thin film high voltage cathodes for Li-ion batteries

Abstract Li-rich and stoichiometric Li 1 Mn 1.5 Ni 0.5 O 4 (LMNO) cathode films have been successfully prepared by magnetron sputtering. Sputtering from a Li stoichiometric target yields Li-rich films composed of spinel, layered and monoclinic phases. Films obtained from a Li deficient target are mostly made of a spinel phase and little layered material. The resulting cathode thin films have good capacity retention and very high rate capability. The reaction mechanism has been investigated by XRD and HRTEM and evidences the reversible formation of a spinel phase, as is generally found for the powder samples. The film geometry enables us to understand the effect of coatings (ZnO or LiPON). Coating high voltage cathodes reduces the coulombic losses, but at the price of rate performance. Nonetheless, these coated sputtered electrode thin films offer a higher rate capability than other LMNO thin films obtained by other physical vapor deposition techniques.
New π-carboxo complexes of nickel(0)

Abstract The synthesis of several new zerovalent nickel complexes containing carboxo coordinated organic molecules bearing substituents such as CN, CO2R, CF3, F, and F2CCF demonstrates that a range of electron withdrawing functional groups is capable of effecting the necessary activation of the CO bond to cause π-coordination.
Total Serum Bilirubin Exceeding Exchange Transfusion Thresholds in the Setting of Universal Screening

Objective To describe the incidence and predictors of total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels that meet or exceed American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) exchange transfusion (ET) thresholds in the setting of universal screening. Study design We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of electronic data on 18 089 newborns ≥35 weeks gestation born at Northern California Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program hospitals implementing universal TSB screening in 2005 to 2007, with chart review for subjects with TSB levels reaching the AAP threshold for ET. Results The outcome developed in 22 infants (0.12%); 14 (63.6%) were Conclusion Screening was sensitive but not specific for predicting exchange threshold.
Are both the nocturnal and diurnal prolactin surges necessary to maintain pseudopregnancy in the rat

Abstract Experiments were performed to determine whether both prolactin (PRL) surges are required to maintain pseudopregnancy (PSP) in the rat. Vaginal cycles were followed and animals that exhibited 2–3 normal cycles were cervically stimulated electromechanically to induce PSP. In one set of experiments the afternoon PRL surge was blocked by i.p. injection of 100 μg of 2Br-α-ergocryptine (CB-154) at 1200 and 1600h while the nocturnal surge was blocked by injecting 100 μg of CB-154 at 2400 and 0400h immediately after cervical stimulation. Pseudopregnancy was maintained only in those animals receiving CB-154 injections in the afternoon. In another series of experiments the initial CB-154 injection, given to block either surge, was delayed for one day. Once again only the nocturnal surge was capable of maitaining PSP in all animals. For those animals who had an initial nocturnal surge but all subsequent nocturnal surges were blocked, the afternoon surge was able to support PSP in only 50% of the animals. In those animals whose afternoon PRL surge was blocked, the duration of the nocturnal surge was extended so that it provided 85% of the total PRL produced by control PSP animals. In those animals whose nocturnal surge was blocked, the duration of the afternoon surge was also extended, however, in this case the extended surge only accounted for 58% of the total PRL produced by control PSP animals. The results indicated that when the diurnal PRL surge was blocked the nocturnal surge was extended so that the amount of PRL released was nearly equivalent to the amount released by both surges, however, when the nocturnal surge was blocked the extension of the diurnal surge did not provide adequate PRL to maintain PSP in all animals.
Ionic Brillouin Effect

A theory is presented of the inelastic scattering of monochromatic infrared radiation by the long-wavelength acoustic vibration modes of an arbitrary crystal possessing infrared-active optical modes. Central to the theory is a lattice-dynamical calculation of the ionic contribution to the photoelastic constants of a crystal, i.e., the fourth-rank-tensor coefficients which relate the change in the dielectric tensor to the parameters describing a homogeneous deformation of the crystal. The results of this calculation show that the photoelastic tensor is not symmetric in the second pair of indices, in general, in agreement with recent predictions of Nelson and Lax. The general expression for the ionic contribution to the photoelastic tensor has a resonant character for frequencies of the incident light close to the frequencies of the infrared-active optical modes of the crystal. This general expression is specialized to the case of diatomic cubic crystals, and the magnitude of the ionic contribution to the photoelastic constants is estimated for GaAs and KCl on the basis of simple lattice-dynamical models. From these results the scattering efficiencies for these two crystals are determined. It is found for each of these crystals that the integrated scattering efficiency for Stokes (or anti-Stokes) scattering exceeds ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ ${\mathrm{sr}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ for frequencies of the incident light within 5% of the frequency of the transverse-optical mode.
Application of spatial filter theory to kriging

Data-processing requirements for remotely sensed, digital images include spatial filtering to suppress image noise, enhance edges/contacts, and improve image clarity. Spatial filter theory demonstrates that the addition of a high-pass filtered image to a low-pass filtered image yields the original digital image. Application of this principle in kriging can be accomplished by using the same covariance matrix to solve for two weighting vectors to yield a result analogous to low- and high-pass filtering. The addition of kriged estimates calculated using both weighting vectors is analogous to summing high-, and low-pass filtered digital images. This modified method of kriging yields estimates associated with less smoothing compared to ordinary kriging. Statistical moments of original sample data are better preserved through estimation by this method.
Temperature profile retrieval by two-dimensional filtering

A two-dimensional spatial filter, optimum in the minimum-mean-square error sense, has been used to retrieve atmospheric temperature profiles from TIROS-N and NOAA-6 Microwave Sounding Unit measurements. This approach considers correlations both in the vertical and horizontal (along the orbital track) directions. It is found that lower retrieval errors result from the 2-D technique, compared with the 1-D technique, especially in the troposphere. The additional horizontal information used in the 2-D formulation substantially improves temperature retrievals over a severe cold front where vertical correlations are lessened. The improved results of the 2-D filter in the upper troposphere point to the presence of profile components in the null space of the weighting functions that are horizontally correlated with the observed data.
Non-linear dynamical signal characterization for prediction of defibrillation success through machine learning

Background Ventricular Fibrillation (VF) is a common presenting dysrhythmia in the setting of cardiac arrest whose main treatment is defibrillation through direct current countershock to achieve return of spontaneous circulation. However, often defibrillation is unsuccessful and may even lead to the transition of VF to more nefarious rhythms such as asystole or pulseless electrical activity. Multiple methods have been proposed for predicting defibrillation success based on examination of the VF waveform. To date, however, no analytical technique has been widely accepted. We developed a unique approach of computational VF waveform analysis, with and without addition of the signal of end-tidal carbon dioxide (PetCO2), using advanced machine learning algorithms. We compare these results with those obtained using the Amplitude Spectral Area (AMSA) technique.
Transit Strategies for Suburban Communities

Abstract Transit is asked to cure a variety of ills in modern, low-density cities: isolation of those who cannot drive, traffic congestion, air pollution, energy waste, and inner-city decay. Transit planning is difficult because of the wide dispersion of origins and destinations and the temporal rhythms of travel. The options in deploying buses are reviewed relative to those attributes that attract passengers: accessible service that goes directly from here to there without taking too long. The planner who understands these fundamental requirements can both evaluate transit proposals and modify land use plans to facilitate transit service.
Lacking Information or Condoning Corruption: When Will Voters Support Corrupt Politicians?

What explains persistent political corruption in many young democracies? Focusing on the effects of corruption on individual-level attitudes, we present two hypotheses for why citizens might be willing to cast ballots for corrupt politicians. On the one hand, voters may simply lack information about corruption. On the other hand, voters may knowingly overlook corruption when politicians otherwise perform well in office, delivering public goods to their constituents. We test these hypotheses using an embedded experiment in a nationwide survey in Brazil. The survey finds that the vast majority of voters express a willingness punish corrupt politicians, regardless of politician performance. High income voters form a partial exception to this overall rejection of corruption; they react less negatively to information about corruption and more strongly to information about competence than the general population. Our findings imply that specific, credible, and accessible information will lead most voters to punish corrupt politicians at the polls.
Interactions of spin-labeled lipid molecules with natural lipids in monolayers at the air-water interface

The pressure-area curves of two widely-used spin-labeled lipids, 3-nitroxide cholestane and the acid form of 12-nitroxide stearate, were measured at the air-water interface. The 3-nitroxide cholestane molecule produced a curve similar to that of cholesterol or dihydrocholesterol (cholestanol), but the area per molecule was somewhat greater than those of the natural sterols. 12-Nitroxide stearate produced a very expanded pressure-area curve. Mixed monolayers containing 3-nitroxide cholestane and either cholesterol or 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyllecithin were measured to determine possible interactions, and these were compared with mixed monolayers containing cholesterol plus 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyllecithin, or dihydrocholesterol plus this lecithin. The 3-nitroxide cholestane molecule interacts with cholesterol in such a manner as to expand the mixed films; however, this spin label exhibits little interaction with lecithin. In contrast, both cholesterol and dihydrocholesterol condensed lecithin films. The application of this information to the interpretation of spin-label studies on lipid systems of membranes or membrane models is discussed.
Modeling population displacement in the syrian city of aleppo

The persistent crisis in Syria has affected millions of its citizens by forcing their displacement from native or accustomed residences. Modeling the Syrian conflict provides a computational means to better understand why, when, and where these citizens flee. Thus, an agent-based model drawn on real-world data to represent Syrian cities (the environment) and the demographic constitution of those cities (the agents) has been developed and is explained in this discussion. The outputs of the model accurately reflect population displacement as it occurred in 2013. Importantly, the purpose of this agent-based modeling and the output analysis is to develop a means to anticipate, measure, and assess future displacement in Syria as well as to model other threatened populations in crises where displacement might occur. This paper presents the methodology to crafting the environment and agents to represent the Syrian city of Aleppo and the displacement of its citizens.
Social Influence Modulates the Neural Computation of Value

Social influence—individuals’ tendency to conform to the beliefs and attitudes of others—has interested psychologists for decades. However, it has traditionally been difficult to distinguish true modification of attitudes from mere public compliance with social norms; this study addressed this challenge using functional neuroimaging. Participants rated the attractiveness of faces and subsequently learned how their peers ostensibly rated each face. Participants were then scanned using functional MRI while they rated each face a second time. The second ratings were influenced by social norms: Participants changed their ratings to conform to those of their peers. This social influence was accompanied by modulated engagement of two brain regions associated with coding subjective value—the nucleus accumbens and orbitofrontal cortex—a finding suggesting that exposure to social norms affected participants’ neural representations of value assigned to stimuli. These findings document the utility of neuroimaging to...
Automatic construction of 2D shape models

A procedure for automated 2D shape model design is presented. The system is given a set of training example shapes defined by contour point coordinates. The shapes are automatically aligned using Procrustes analysis and clustered to obtain cluster prototypes (typical objects) and statistical information about intracluster shape variation. One difference from previous methods is that the training set is first automatically clustered and shapes considered to be outliers are discarded. In this way, cluster prototypes are not distorted by outliers. A second difference is in the manner in which registered sets of points are extracted from each shape contour. We propose a flexible point matching technique that takes into account both pose/scale differences and nonlinear shape differences. The matching method is independent of the objects' initial relative position/scale and does not require any manually tuned parameters. Our shape model design method was used to learn 11 different shapes from contours that were manually traced in MR brain images. The resulting model was then employed to segment several MR brain images that were not included in the shape-training set. A quantitative analysis of our shape registration approach, within the main cluster of each structure, demonstrated results that compare very well to those achieved by manual registration; achieving an average registration error of about 1 pixel. Our approach can serve as a fully automated substitute to the tedious and time-consuming manual 2D shape registration and analysis.
Anticipating Their Future: Adolescent Values for the Future Predict Adult Behaviors

Adolescent future values - beliefs about what will matter to them in the future - may shape their adult behavior. Utilizing a national longitudinal British sample, this study examined whether adolescent future values in six domains (i.e., family responsibility, full-time job, personal responsibility, autonomy, civic responsibility, and hedonistic privilege) predicted adult social roles, civic behaviors, and alcohol use. Future values positively predicted behaviors within the same domain; fewer cross-domain associations were evident. Civic responsibility positively predicted adult civic behaviors, but negatively predicted having children. Hedonistic privilege positively predicted adult alcohol use and negatively predicted civic behaviors. Results suggest that attention should be paid to how adolescents are thinking about their futures due to the associated links with long-term social and health behaviors.
Neural Mechanisms of Social Reorientation across Adolescence

Adolescence is characterized by a unique set of physical, hormonal, and neural changes. In addition to changes in the body, adolescence is marked by great changes in social behavior. During this period in humans, there is an increase in interest in, and time spent with, peers and romantic partners,
Linear Systems Analysis of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Human V1

The linear transform model of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) hypothesizes that fMRI responses are proportional to local average neural activity averaged over a period of time. This work reports results from three empirical tests that support this hypothesis. First, fMRI responses in human primary visual cortex (V1) depend separably on stimulus timing and stimulus contrast. Second, responses to long-duration stimuli can be predicted from responses to shorter duration stimuli. Third, the noise in the fMRI data is independent of stimulus contrast and temporal period. Although these tests can not prove the correctness of the linear transform model, they might have been used to reject the model. Because the linear transform model is consistent with our data, we proceeded to estimate the temporal fMRI impulse-response function and the underlying (presumably neural) contrast-response function of human V1.
Review: Biomarkers in clinical trials and drug development: measurement of cardiometabolic risk

Cardiometabolic risk is linked to a cluster of modifiable factors, including established risk factors such as obesity, dyslipidaemia, raised blood pressure, and 'nontraditional' risk factors closely related to central (especially intra-abdominal) adiposity. These 'nontraditional' risk factors include dysfunction of inflammation, coagulation, platelets, fibrinolysis, lipoproteins, endothelium, plaque instability, and miscellaneous biological processes. Both the established ('traditional') and emerging ('nontraditional') cardiometabolic risk factors are components of the metabolic syndrome. In patients with known or suspected cardiometabolic diseases, biomarkers are increasingly being explored as indicators of disease presence, severity or activity, prognosis and therapeutic efficacy. Many biomarkers have been proposed for prediction of the macrovascular (and microvascular) complications of cardiometabolic diseases. This review provides background information on biomarkers, and an assessment of the possible utility of biomarkers in clinical trials and drug development programmes that include measurement of cardiometabolic risk. Br J Diabetes Vasc Dis 2007;7:101‐06
The value of shade: Estimating the effect of urban trees on summertime electricity use

We estimated the effect of shade trees on the summertime electricity use of 460 single-family homes in Sacramento, California. Results show that trees on the west and south sides of a house reduce summertime electricity use, whereas trees on the north side of a house increase summertime electricity use. The current level of tree cover on the west and south sides of houses in our sample reduced summertime electricity use by 185 kWh (5.2%), whereas north-side trees increased electricity use by 55 kWh (1.5%). Results also show that a London plane tree, planted on the west side of a house, can reduce carbon emissions from summertime electricity use by an average of 31% over 100 years.
Solo mothers and their donor insemination infants: follow-up at age 2 years

BACKGROUND: Findings are presented of the second phase of a longitudinal study of solo-mother families created through donor insemination (DI). METHODS: At the time of the child's second birthday, 21 solo DI mother families were compared with 46 married DI families on standardized interview and questionnaire measures of the psychological well being of the mothers, mother-child relationships and the psychological development of the child. RESULTS: The solo DI mothers showed greater pleasure in their child and lower levels of anger accompanied by a perception of their child ar less 'clingy'. Fewer emotional and behavioural difficulties were shown by children of solo than married DI mothers. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this first cohort of solo DI families to be studied lend further weight to the view that these women represent a distinct subgroup of single parents, who, out of a strong desire for a child, have made the active choice to go it alone. Moreover, this route to parenthood does not necessarily seem to have an adverse effect on mothers' parenting ability or the psychological adjustment of the child.
Scheduling model and discrete particle swarm optimization algorithm for roller annealing

A two-stage no-wait hybrid flow shop scheduling problem is considered against the background of the scheduling problem of roller annealing operation in the cast steel plant of a roller corporation. An integer programming model is formulated, whose objective is to minimize the makespan. Both the discrete particle swarm optimization algorithm is proposed and the no-wait algorithm of grading is designed for solving the model. The last simulation experiment with the practical data demonstrates the feasibility and the effectiveness of the DPSO algorithm by comparisons and analyses. Furthermore, the equipment reformation strategies of the actual reference value are given which are beneficial for the policy-maker to arrange production reasonably.
Male-Specific Hepatic Bcl6: Growth Hormone-Induced Block of Transcription Elongation in Females and Binding to Target Genes Inversely Coordinated with STAT5

The transcriptional repressor Bcl6 is a male-specific rat liver gene product and one of 24 early GH-response genes encoding DNA-binding proteins. Presently, the sex specificity of Bcl6 was shown to emerge at puberty, when hepatic Bcl6 mRNA was induced in males and repressed in females by the female plasma GH profile. Hepatic Bcl6 mRNA was increased to near-normal male levels in hypophysectomized females and was extinguished in intact males given a continuous GH infusion (female-like GH pattern). Bcl6 was also repressed in adult male somatostatin-deficient mice, where plasma GH profiles are female like. Hepatic Bcl6 RNA was rapidly down-regulated by GH pulse treatment, both in hypophysectomized male rats and in primary rat hepatocytes. Bcl6 was substantially induced in female mice deficient in hepatic signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)5a/STAT5b, suggesting that these STAT transcriptional mediators of GH signaling repress Bcl6. Indeed, STAT5 was bound to Bcl6 STAT5-binding region-B, previously associated with Bcl6 repression, in both male and female liver chromatin. STAT5 also bound to Bcl6 region-A in male chromatin but only during a plasma GH pulse. Analysis of primary transcripts (heterogenous nuclear RNA) across the Bcl6 gene revealed a novel mechanism of GH-dependent sex specificity, with two apparent blocks in Bcl6 transcription elongation seen in female liver and in continuous GH-treated male liver, one early in intron 4 and one in exon 5, which together reduced transcription beyond exon 5 more than 300-fold. Finally, Bcl6 was bound to a subset of STAT5-binding sites in male liver chromatin, including a Socs2 STAT5-binding site where Bcl6 binding increased substantially between plasma GH pulses, i.e. when STAT5 binding was low. Bcl6 and STAT5 binding are thus inversely coordinated by the endogenous pulses of pituitary GH release, suggesting this male-specific transcriptional repressor modulates hepatic GH signaling to select STAT5 target genes.
Advances in HF parallel tone modem technology

The author describes the HF modem, which contains a 75 to 2400 bps 39-tone waveform, a robust 75-bps direct-spread waveform, and two independent 45-1200-bps binary frequency-shift-keyed (FSK) waveforms. The availability of powerful new microprocessors permits economic implementation of complex signal-processing sizes. Improved signaling techniques and potent error-correcting codes allow greatly improved performance on the HF channel. Measured performance data taken on HF fading simulators and in numerous on-the-air tests are presented. The performance with and without diversity reception is also shown. An implementation that demonstrates the dramatic reduction in modem size, weight, power consumption, and cost realized by embedding the modem in modern digital radios such as the RF-5000 is presented. >
QoS-Aware Shared Component Composition for Distributed Stream Processing Systems

Many emerging online data analysis applications require applying continuous query operations such as correlation, aggregation, and filtering to data streams in real time. Distributed stream processing systems allow in-network stream processing to achieve better scalability and quality-of-service (QoS) provision. In this paper, we present Synergy, a novel distributed stream processing middleware that provides automatic sharing-aware component composition capability. Synergy enables efficient reuse of both result streams and processing components, while composing distributed stream processing applications with QoS demands. It provides a set of fully distributed algorithms to discover and evaluate the reusability of available result streams and processing components when instantiating new stream applications. Specifically, Synergy performs QoS impact projection to examine whether the shared processing can cause QoS violations on currently running applications. The QoS impact projection algorithm can handle different types of streams including both regular traffic and bursty traffic. If no existing processing components can be reused, Synergy dynamically deploys new components at strategic locations to satisfy new application requests. We have implemented a prototype of the Synergy middleware and evaluated its performance on both PlanetLab and simulation testbeds. The experimental results show that Synergy can achieve much better resource utilization and QoS provisioning than previously proposed schemes, by judiciously sharing streams and components during application composition.
Neurogenetics: single gene disorders

The advent of molecular biology has changed the way in which neurological illnesses are classified, and the single genes causing a number of disorders have been identified. In addition, techniques such as linkage analysis and DNA sequencing have resulted in greater understanding of multi-gene diseases. This review covers some of the molecular tools and animal models used for genetic analysis and for DNA based diagnosis, and a brief survey of information available on the internet.
Ion Sensor for the Quantification of Sodium in Sweat Samples

We present the conception of an electrochemical sodium ion sensor for point-of-care sweat analysis. This flexible amperometric sensor was developed to quantify the amount of sodium ions in sweat (in real-time), alleviating the wait time, large sample size, possible contamination, and expensive analytical equipment associated with current diagnostic procedures requiring sweat analysis. This sensor is composed of a multiwall carbon nanotube (MWNT) functionalized nylon-6 mat, for a flexible yet conductive sensor. The MWNTs are then functionalized with a cyclo-oligomeric calixarene, which is shown to selectively form a supramolecular complex with sodium ions. Upon complex formation, the charge carriers are drawn away from the carbon layer, hence the current is impeded, and the sodium ion detection is prevalent at appropriate physiological ranges for healthy and ailing humans. In this paper, the optimization of MWNT and calixarene functionalization, as well as the selectivity and sensitivity of the sensor will be discussed.
The role of hydrogen peroxide in basophil histamine release and the effect of selected flavonoids

Studies on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced histamine release from human basophils indicate that H2O2 is a weak stimulus of histamine release, that the release process is Ca2+ and energy-dependent, and that histamine release is not influenced by theophylline (in keeping with previous observations with rat mast cells). Low concentrations of H2O2 appeared to augment and high concentrations to inhibit histamine release induced by anti-IgE. However, the inhibitory effect of high concentrations of H2O2 were completely abrogated by catalase, which destroys H2O2, and thus indicates that basophils retain immunologic responsivity and are not irreversibly effected by high concentrations of H2O2. Leukocyte suspensions relatively enriched in monocytes, lymphocytes, basophils, neutrophils, and neutrophils plus eosinophils were prepared by Percoll-gradient centrifugation. Anti-IgE stimulated H2O2 formation only in the fraction richest in basophils. Opsonized zymosan, on the other hand, stimulated H2O2 generation in both the basophil and monocyte fractions, indicating activation of both monocytes and basophils by this stimulus. Mixtures of basophil-containing leukocyte suspensions plus purified neutrophils and opsonized zymosan stimulated histamine release in proportion to concomitant generation of H2O2. Addition of catalase reduced histamine release under these conditions, whereas scavengers of other toxic oxygen derivatives (superoxide dismutase, alpha-tocopherol, D-mannitol) had little or no effect on histamine release. These findings suggest that neutrophil-derived H2O2 can cause basophil histamine release in mixed populations of activated leukocytes. Three naturally occurring flavonoids, quercetin, apigenin, and taxifolin (dihydroquercetin) were examined for their effect on anti-IgE-induced histamine release and H2O2 generation in basophil-containing leukocyte suspensions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Modeling spatial segregation and travel cost influences on utilitarian walking: Towards policy intervention

We develop an agent-based model of utilitarian walking and use the model to explore spatial and socioeconomic factors affecting adult utilitarian walking and how travel costs as well as various educational interventions aimed at changing attitudes can alter the prevalence of walking and income differentials in walking. The model is validated against US national data. We contrast realistic and extreme parameter values in our model and test effects of changing these parameters across various segregation and pricing scenarios while allowing for interactions between travel choice and place and for behavioral feedbacks. Results suggest that in addition to income differences in the perceived cost of time, the concentration of mixed land use (differential density of residences and businesses) are important determinants of income differences in walking (high income walk less), whereas safety from crime and income segregation on their own do not have large influences on income differences in walking. We also show the difficulty in altering walking behaviors for higher income groups who are insensitive to price and how adding to the cost of driving could increase the income differential in walking particularly in the context of segregation by income and land use. We show that strategies to decrease positive attitudes towards driving can interact synergistically with shifting cost structures to favor walking in increasing the percent of walking trips. Agent-based models, with their ability to capture dynamic processes and incorporate empirical data, are powerful tools to explore the influence on health behavior from multiple factors and test policy interventions.
Total hip arthroplasty surgical approach does not alter postoperative gait mechanics one year after surgery.

Objective To investigate the differences in gait biomechanics on the basis of surgical approach 1 year after surgery. Design This was a descriptive laboratory study to investigate the side-to-side differences in walking mechanics at a self-selected walking speed as well as a functional assessment 1 year after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Temporospatial, kinetic, and kinematic data as well as functional outcomes were collected. Two-way analysis of variance was used to assess for between-group differences and limb-to-limb asymmetries. Setting A controlled laboratory study. Participants This study examined 35 patients with primary, unilateral THA. The THA surgical approaches that were used in these patients included 12 direct lateral, 18 posterior, and 11 anterolateral. All the patients were assessed 1 year after THA. Patients were excluded from the study if they had contralateral hip pain or pathology, or any prior lower extremity total joint replacements. Main Outcome Measurements Three-dimensional lower extremity kinematics and kinetics as well as spatiotemporal variables were collected. In addition, a series of physical performance measures were collected. Results No main effects for the physical performance measures or biomechanical variables were observed among the approach groups. Significant limb-to-limb asymmetries were observed among all the patients, with decreased sagittal plane range of motion, peak extension, and peak vertical ground reaction forces on the operative side. Conclusion The results of this study indicated that no significant differences existed among the different surgical approach groups for any study variable. However, 1 year after THA, the patients demonstrated asymmetric gait patterns regardless of surgical approach, which indicated the potential need for continued intervention through physical therapy to regain normal side-to-side symmetry after THA.
The Multiple States and Fields of Lynching Scholarship

A stereotype of a lynching can be evoked with eight words and two commas: a mob, a noose, a swinging body defiled. But there were so many differing sorts of lynchings, so many disparate contexts (place and era) and wider impacts, and so many divergent ways of studying this varied violence that it is quite challenging to articulate the range of scholarship connected to the history of lynching. Michael J. Pfeifer’s review of the field is therefore all the more impressive, succinctly ad dressing multiple trends in this work from the last generation. His essay will be invaluable to scholars and students orienting themselves to lynching and will help researchers working on racial violence better contextualize their work. I particularly laud his emphasis on the various ways scholars study racial violence—through its cultural impact, for example, or in studies of victims—for that is perhaps the most notable way in the last decade that the scholarship has broadened the understanding of the place and meaning of racial violence in U.S. history. 1
A Story about the Counselors in the Land of Help

Licensure is an issue of interest to many counselors. In some ways, however, the issue of licensure seems to be unresolved among them; in other words, some counselors want licensure, some don't, and others really don't seem to care one way or the other. This article recounts what happened to the counselors in the Land of Help when they were confronted with licensure and what they were able to do about it.
Coherent Oscillations in Neuronal Activity of the Supplementary Motor Area during a Visuomotor Task

Neural activity recorded in behaving animals is nonstationary, making it difficult to determine factors influencing its temporal patterns. In the present study, rhesus monkeys were trained to produce a series of visually guided hand movements according to the changes in target locations, and multichannel single-neuron activity was recorded from the caudal supplementary motor area. Coherent oscillations in neural activity were analyzed using the wavelet cross-spectrum, and its statistical significance was evaluated using various methods based on surrogate spike trains and trial shuffling. A population-averaged wavelet cross-spectrum displayed a strong tendency for oscillatory activity in the γ frequency range (30∼50 Hz) to synchronize immediately before and after the onset of movement target. The duration of synchronized oscillations in the γ frequency range increased when the onset of the next target was delayed. In addition, analysis of individual neuron pairs revealed that many neuron pairs also displayed coherent oscillations in the β frequency range (15-30 Hz). Coherent β frequency oscillations were less likely to be synchronized than γ frequency oscillations, consistent with the fact that coherent β frequency oscillations were not clearly seen in the population-averaged cross-spectrum. For a given neuron pair, the time course and phase of coherent oscillations were often similar across different movements. These results are consistent with the proposal that synchronized oscillations in the γ frequency range might be related to the anticipation of behaviorally relevant events and the contextual control of cortical information flow.
An ex vivo comparison of digital radiography and cone-beam and micro computed tomography in the detection of the number of canals in the mesiobuccal roots of maxillary molars.

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to compare digital periapical and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images to determine the number of canals in the mesiobuccal root of maxillary molars and to compare these counts with micro computed tomography (μCT), which was also used to determine canal configuration. Methods Digital periapical (RVG 6100), CBCT (9000 3D), and μCT images (the reference standard) were obtained of 18 hemi-maxillas. With periapical and CBCT images, 2 endodontists independently counted the number of canals in each molar and repeated the counts 2 weeks later. Teeth were extracted and scanned with μCT, and 2 additional endodontists, by consensus, determined the number and configuration of canals. The Friedman test was used to test for differences. Results In mesiobuccal roots, 2 canals were present in 100% of maxillary first molars (13 of 13) and 57% of second molars (8 of 14), and 69% (9 of 13) and 100% (8 of 8) of these exited as 2 or more foramina. There was no difference in canal counts for original and repeat reads by the 2 observers with periapical ( P = .06) and with CBCT ( P = .88) and no difference when CBCT counts were compared with μCT counts ( P = .52); however, when periapical counts were compared with μCT counts, there was a significant difference ( P = .04). Conclusions For cadaver maxillary molars, μCT canal counts were significantly different from digital periapical radiograph counts but not different from Carestream9000 3D CBCT counts.
Exercise, occupational activity, and risk of endometrial cancer☆

Abstract We conducted a case-control study in western New York state among 232 women with newly-diagnosed endometrial cancer and 631 controls selected from the community. Physical activity was measured by participation in vigorous exercise and walking at four time periods: at age 16, and at 20, 10, and 2 years before the interview and by occupational activity based on a detailed lifetime history. Women who did a moderate amount of vigorous exercise at age 16 and at 20 years before the interview were at reduced risk as compared with those who reported no activity, with odds ratios (OR) (95% confidence intervals) of 0.51 (0.31–0.83) and 0.50 (0.29–0.89), respectively. However, there was no evidence of declining risk with greater amount of activity. At later times, 10 years and 2 years before the interview, being in the highest group with regard to vigorous activity was associated with a slightly but not significantly lower risk as compared with women who reported no activity; the adjusted OR were 0.72 (0.43–1.19) and 0.67 (0.42–1.09), respectively. Being in the highest category of miles walked at age 16 (i.e., ⩾ 15 miles per week) was associated with a slightly reduced risk as compared with not walking at all (OR 0.64 (0.36–1.16)), whereas the number of miles walked at other times was not related to reduced risk. Occupational physical activity was not related to the risk of endometrial cancer. Overall, these results indicate that physical activity at levels prevalent in this population has at most a modest relationship to reduced risk of endometrial cancer.
THERMAL GELATION OF DUCK BREAST AND LEG MUSCLE PROTEINS

Gels were made by heating duck breast and leg myofibrillar protein suspensions (20 mg/ml; pH 5.50, 5.75 and 6.00) at a constant rate of 1C/min from 18C to 70C. After heating the suspensions to 70C at pH 5.50, breast proteins formed gels which were not different (p > 0.05) in strength from leg proteins. At pH 5.75 and 6.00, however, breast proteins formed significantly stronger gels than leg proteins. Increasing the protein suspension pH from 5.50 to 5.75 had no significant effect on the strength of leg protein gels, whereas the strength of breast protein gels more than doubled. A further increase in pH from 5.75 to 6.00 resulted in a three-fold decrease in the strength of leg protein gels; no significant difference was observed for breast gels. Overall, pH 5.75 was suitable for forming strong breast and leg protein gels, whereas pH 5.50 and 6.00 were detrimental for gel formation of breast and leg proteins, respectively. Variations in the gelation behavior of duck breast versus leg protein gelation are characteristic of differences in fiber composition of the muscle types.
Krisen als Chance: Lernen aus der Evolution

Was hat der DAX mit dem Aussterben von Tierarten zu tun? Inwiefern kann die globale Finanzkrise mit einem Massenaussterben in ferner Vergangenheit verglichen werden? Naturlich liegen Ahnlichkeiten ebenso wie Unterschiede auf der Hand. Unter den Ahnlichkeiten konnte man den Wettbewerb herausstellen, der Wirtschafts- und Evolutionsmustern zugrunde liegt. Bei den Unterschieden fallen neben der unterschiedlichen Wahrung – Geld oder Leben – die scheinbar ganz anderen Prozesse ins Auge: Bewusste Entscheidungen und zielstrebige Optimierung auf der einen, zufallige Variation, Mutation und individuelle Selektion auf der anderen Seite. Aber das trifft nicht den Kern. Die wirkliche und entscheidende Gemeinsamkeit liegt in der Komplexitat von Wirtschaftskreislaufen und Biosphare begrundet.
On Discord Between Expected and Actual Developments in Applications of Fuzzy Logic During Its First Fifty Years

Developments of applications of fuzzy logic during the first fifty years of its existence are examined in this paper with the aim of comparing the actual developments with the expected ones in various areas of human affairs. It is shown that in many of the examined areas the actual developments turned out to be very different from the expected ones. In each area, an attempt is made to explain reasons for this surprising discord between reasonable expectations and the actual developments.
Is There a Therapeutic Way to Balance Community Sentiment, Student Mental Health, and Student Safety to Address Campus-Related Violence?

This chapter addresses the interrelated dynamics among mental health, public safety, media attention, and community sentiment, and specifically, the law’s response to (and at times impact on) this interplay of issues. For purposes of this discussion, law itself is seen as an intervention that has consequences on behaviors, attitudes, perceptions, and outcomes—positive or less so, intended or not. To ground discussion of law’s role within this context, case examples drawing on recent episodes of campus-based or campus-connected “mass killings” are featured, and reference is made to related developments in the law. Current legal mechanisms for addressing (often) community-fueled requests for action are juxtaposed with a potential alternative framing mechanism—therapeutic jurisprudence. The chapter concludes that teasing out the therapeutic and anti-therapeutic drivers and consequences of our legal mechanisms offers a more effective response to campus safety concerns and community emotions and is consistent with an evidence-based approach.
Scientific Understanding of Sexual Orientation: Implications for Science Education

IN a recent issue of ABT, Chanley Small (1998) provides an updated view of the genetic determinants of sex, challenging us (and our students) to carefully consider the language we choose for defining sex or gender. In this paper we encourage readers to carefully consider the scientific basis of sexual orientation and to develop ways to present these ideas to students in life science courses. Recent books (cf. Burr 1996; Hamer & Copeland 1998; LeVay 1993; Pinker 1997) and articles (cf. Hamer et al. 1993; LeVay 1991; LeVay & Hamer 1994; and Pattatucci & Hamer 1995) make it clear that sexual orientation, like other traits, has a genetic basis. In fact, Alfred Kinsey’s much earlier work (Kinsey et al. 1948) was largely responsible for helping us begin to understand that the origins of sexual orientation, including homosexuality, are genetically influenced.
Mechanism and Prevention of Aminoglycoside-Induced Hearing Loss

Today, aminoglycoside antibiotics are the most commonly used antibiotics worldwide because of their high efficacy combined with low cost. However, toxicity to the kidney (nephrotoxicity) and the inner ear (ototoxicity) are two major side effects. This review presents a novel hypothesis of aminoglycoside ototoxicity and reports on a successful approach to its prevention.
Gene expression profiling of the response to thermal injury in human cells.

The genetic response of human cells to sublethal thermal injury was assessed by gene expression profiling, using macroarrays containing 588 complementary known genes. At 1, 4, 8, and 24 h following...