cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neurocognitive mechanisms of prefrontal stimulation

The difficulty in treating mood and anxiety disorders has sparked clinical interest in novel treatments, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). However, underlying mechanisms of action are unclear. It is established that people with mood and anxiety disorders have negative cognitive biases, such as increased vigilance to threat. Psychiatric treatments have acute effects on these cognitive biases, which predict later therapeutic action. Such effects are proposed as cognitive biomarkers of response. A healthy volunteer investigation revealed an anxiolytic-like effect (reduced threat vigilance) of single-session tDCS on a behavioural test of proven clinical relevance (Ironside et al., 2016, Biological Psychiatry). Complementing this, we used functional imaging to reveal that, in a sample of trait anxious females, tDCS of the DLPFC increased activation in an attentional control network and reduced amygdala response to fearful face distractors (Ironside et al., under revision, JAMA Psychiatry). This provides causal evidence that modulating activity in the DLPFC inhibits amygdala response to threat, providing a potential neural mechanism for the previous reduction in vigilance to threat. Collectively, these results propose an emerging neurocognitive model of the mechanisms of action of tDCS. We also examined pairing tDCS with attentional bias modification training and found no effect of stimulation. However, DLPFC tDCS has been successfully paired with other paradigms such as cognitive control training. As highlighted in the next talks, we suggest that computationally specified learning tasks may be more sensitive. Together, findings point to an anxiolytic-like effect of DLPFC tDCS on cognitive and neural biomarkers relevant to mood and anxiety disorders, indicating potential neurocognitive mechanisms that may mediate the reported clinical efficacy of DLPFC tDCS. This has implications as the identification of treatment response markers that could aid patient selection for future trials and ultimately guide treatment selection for patients.
Corporate Personhood v. Corporate Statehood

Professor Adam Winkler’s recent history of corporate rights, We the Corporations, showed that folk wisdom about corporate personhood is exactly backwards: businesses have won their rights not by asserting their own personhood, but by purporting to represent the real, rights-bearing people behind the corporate veil. In this review, Professor Nikolas Bowie elaborates on this second framework –– what he calls “corporate statehood.” If this metaphor has had pathological consequences, Bowie argues, the problem isn’t necessarily intrinsic to the metaphor. Drawing on a narrative from the Lochner era, Bowie urges reformers to “make the metaphor true,” and in doing so convert “industrial oligarchies” into representative, accountable institutions.
A Foundation of Terror: Tucumán and the Proceso, 1975–1983

The chapter examines the origins and practices of the army’s counterinsurgency program in Tucuman, known as Operation Independence. This counterinsurgency is notable for having commenced over a year before the coup d’etat on March 24, 1976, during the democratically elected presidency of Isabel Peron. While the essay notes the similarities between the state terror campaigns in the province and the nation as a whole, it argues that there were fundamental differences that marked Tucuman’s experience as notably distinct. This includes the indiscriminate targeting of the civilian population and the launching of an ambitious nation-building campaign to transform the rural poor’s culture and political identities. While the lessons of Operation Independence became a foundation for the “Proceso,” its peculiarities warrant its conceptualization as a distinct chapter in the grim history of Argentina’s last dictatorship.
[Survey of HIV infection in men who have sex with men living for 5 years or less in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province].

Objective: To assess the prevalence of HIV infection and related factors in men who have sex with men (MSM) living for ≤5 years in Wenzhou of Zhejiang province. Methods: MSM who were aged ≥16 years, had lived in Wenzhou for ≥3 months and had anal sex and/or oral sex with men in the last 12 months were recruited through respondent-driven sampling (RDS) from February to October in 2015. The MSM recruited completed a questionnaire for the information collection on socio-demographic characteristics, sexual behavior, awareness of HIV and related intervention, mental health status. Blood samples were collected from them for serological detection of HIV and syphilis antibodies. Software SPSS 18.0 was used to analyze HIV infection and related factors. Results: A total of 454 MSM were investigated, 108 of them (23.7%) were HIV positive. There were 267 MSM who lived in Wenzhou for ≤5 years, and 73 of them (27.3%) were HIV positive. Most of them were workers and commercial servants aged ≥25 years with personal monthly income 5 years, MSM who lived in Wenzhou for ≤5 years had higher HIV infection rate and higher prevalence of risk behavior. It is necessary to conduct targeted intervention among them.
Methodological Issues in Nursing Research using IT Technology: A Discussion Paper

Purpose: Recent advances in computer and mobile technologies have brought increasing usages of IT technology in nursing research across nursing fields. Despite the increasing usages, there has been little discussion on methodological issues involved in nursing research using IT technology. This is a discussion paper to identify methodological issues in IT technology-based nursing research. Methods: An analysis was done using content analysis on research team meeting minutes and research team members’ research diaries in a clinical trial that tested the efficacy of a technology-based intervention. First, several major categories of IT technology-based nursing research are concisely summarized. Then, the method that was used for this analysis is presented. Results: The findings are presented as themes reflecting methodological issues in IT technology-based research: (a) difficulties in recruitment due to necessary technology literacy; (b) facilitating recruitment through allowing the use of multiple languages; (c) participants’ preferences for specific IT technology; (d) efforts needed to ensure technological security; (e) participants’ preferences for design; and (f) necessary considerations on timing. Conclusion: Finally, future directions for nursing research using IT technology are proposed based on the identified issues.
Underuse of statins for secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events among ambulatory surgical patients.

Abstract Although statins are highly effective for reducing cardiovascular disease events, prior studies demonstrate their significant underuse in the US population, including among those with known atherosclerotic disease. It is unknown whether this finding applies to the subset of patients who present for outpatient surgery, as such patients would be expected to have recent exposures to healthcare providers during the preoperative referral period. The primary aim of this manuscript was to ascertain the prevalence of statin underuse and associated risk-factors for such underuse among ambulatory surgical patients with documented atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This was a retrospective observational study of a random sample of 600 patients ages 40–75 years presenting for ambulatory surgery within a 6-month period in 2016, at one of three ambulatory surgical centers affiliated with a large, tertiary care hospital. Compilation and analysis of data occurred in 2018–2019. Of the 600 subjects, 117 (19.5%) had documented atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Within this high-risk group, only 71 (60.7%) carried a prescription for any statin, and only 30 (25.6%) were prescribed a recommended high intensity statin dose for secondary prevention. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, older age, male sex, and treatment for hypertension were positively associated with statin use. In conclusion, statin underuse among ambulatory surgical patients is common and mirrors what has been observed in non-surgical populations. Future trials are needed to investigate the possible role of surgical teams to promote guideline-based statin therapy, including the role of preoperative screening interventions to impact long term cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Refractory Epilepsy

The efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) was evaluated in 24 patients, aged 4 to 40 years (median 18 years), at the New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, NY; Mercy Children’s Hospital, Kansas City; and University of California at San Diego.
Posthumanist Asyndeton: Critique and Judgment in Early Modern Object Studies

The three books I discuss in these pages take up the challenge of the nonhuman from the perspective of early modern literary studies. Each turns its attention to a dizzying array of material partic...
Tools, techniques, and future opportunities for characterizing the mechanobiology of uterine myometrium

The myometrium is the smooth muscle layer of the uterus that generates the contractions that drive processes such as menstruation and childbirth. Aberrant contractions of the myometrium can result in preterm birth, insufficient progression of labor, or other difficulties that can lead to maternal or fetal complications or even death. To investigate the underlying mechanisms of these conditions, the most common model systems have conventionally been animal models and human tissue strips, which have limitations mostly related to relevance and scalability, respectively. Myometrial smooth muscle cells have also been isolated from patient biopsies and cultured in vitro as a more controlled experimental system. However, in vitro approaches have focused primarily on measuring the effects of biochemical stimuli and neglected biomechanical stimuli, despite the extensive evidence indicating that remodeling of tissue rigidity or excessive strain is associated with uterine disorders. In this review, we first describe the existing approaches for modeling human myometrium with animal models and human tissue strips and compare their advantages and disadvantages. Next, we introduce existing in vitro techniques and assays for assessing contractility and summarize their applications in elucidating the role of biochemical or biomechanical stimuli on human myometrium. Finally, we conclude by proposing the translation of "organ on chip" approaches to myometrial smooth muscle cells as new paradigms for establishing their fundamental mechanobiology and to serve as next-generation platforms for drug development.
Google shopping queries for vaping products, JUUL and IQOS during the E-cigarette, or Vaping, product use Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) outbreak.

Objectives To assess whether the late 2019 US outbreak of pulmonary disease linked to vaping (‘E-cigarette, or Vaping, product use Associated Lung Injury’ (EVALI)) impacted online shopping queries for vaping products and the Philip Morris ‘IQO’ brand of heated tobacco. Methods We tracked online shopping queries for vape(s), JUUL and IQOS by analysing rates of Google queries indicative of shopping (eg, buy IQOS) after news of the outbreak was first reported (the week of 29 July 2019) until hospitalisations ceased (the week of 16 February 2020). We compared observed rates of shopping during the outbreak to counterfactual expected rates that were predicted using an autoregressive iterative moving average model fit to queries from 1 January 2014 to the week of 21 July 2019. Results During the outbreak, vape shopping queries were 34% (95% CI 30% to 38%) lower than expected and JUUL shopping queries were 39% (95% CI 34% to 45%) lower than expected, translating into about 7.2 and 1.0 million fewer searches. IQOS shopping queries were 58% (95% prediction interval (PI): 34–87) higher than expected, translating into 35 000 more searches. Moreover, IQOS shopping queries reached a historic high the week they were discussed as a potentially safe alternative to vaping (the week of 29 September 2019), when they were 382% (95% PI: 219–881) above expected rates for the week. Conclusions These results suggest that unplanned events, such as the EVALI outbreak, can provoke changes in the epidemiology of product usage. Tobacco companies should be prohibited from using events such as disease outbreaks to position their products as less harmful without prior approval.
Wrist-worn alcohol biosensors: Applications and usability in behavioral research.

Wrist-worn alcohol biosensor technology has developed rapidly in recent years. These devices are light, easy to wear, relatively inexpensive, and resemble commercial fitness trackers. As a result, they may be more suitable for a wide range of clinical and research applications. In this paper, we describe three pilot projects examining the associations between reported drinking behavior and transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC) derived from a new, wrist-worn alcohol biosensor (BACtrack Skyn) in diverse participant groups and settings. Study 1 (N = 3) compared Skyn-derived TAC with that from an ankle-worn alcohol sensor (SCRAM CAM) and breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) in a laboratory setting. Study 2 (N = 10) compared Skyn TAC with BrAC during a naturalistic drinking episode in the field. Study 3 (N = 12) used the Skyn to monitor alcohol use in the field for two weeks. Study 2 and 3 also collected usability and acceptability data from participants. The results of Study 1 showed that the Skyn produced a TAC curve that closely resembled that of the validated SCRAM CAM anklet. In Study 2, Skyn detected drinking for all 10 participants (peak BrAC range: 0.02-0.21) with an average delay of 35.6±10.2 minutes after the start of self-reported drinking. In Study 3, Skyn reliably recorded continuous TAC data showing multiple drinking episodes over the monitoring period. Participants in Studies 2 and 3 both reported Skyn as highly acceptable. Collectively, the results of these pilot studies show that the Skyn was able to reliably detect drinking events in the laboratory and natural environments. We offer suggestions for further refinements of alcohol biosensors and accompanying analytic software that may facilitate adoption of these devices as cost-effective, user-friendly, and reliable tools to passively and accurately assess alcohol use in the field.
Novice teacher vertical professional development? Exploring teachers’ and coaches’ beliefs throughout a two-year induction program

The pedagogical beliefs of novice teachers and their coaches throughout a two-year induction program and how those beliefs impact their induction experiences were explored. Mixed methods were used to explore survey responses from novice teachers and their supporting coaches. We used t-tests to identify differences in specific beliefs within groups over time and across groups, and multiple linear regressions to identify how respondent beliefs about different aspects of induction predict novice teachers’ program outcomes. We also qualitatively analyzed comments to learn how Candidates and Coaches viewed their induction experience differently. The study identified differences in how novice teachers and their coaches process induction and, more importantly, the need for greater connection across novice teacher learning environments. That is, there needs to be more-coordinated efforts to create vertical professional development for novice teachers. Findings have implications for induction design and structures to help to promote novice teacher development.
How to train your bacteriophage.

Phage therapy—the use of bacterial viruses to treat bacterial infections—is one of the most promising solutions to the antibiotic resistance crisis. Phage therapy has been used to combat bacterial infections for over a century, and has successfully cleared life-threatening multidrug-resistant infections from patients after all chemical antibiotics have failed (1). However, one of the biggest hurdles to successful deployment of phage therapy in the clinic is bacterial phage resistance. Just like with chemical antibiotics, bacteria can readily evolve resistance to phages, and phage-resistant bacterial isolates are often recovered from patients treated with phage therapy (2). In a study in PNAS (3), Borin et al. rigorously explore the potential for “phage training” to suppress bacterial phage resistance using the well-established phage−host model system, Escherichia coli , and bacteriophage λ. A massive benefit to using phages instead of chemical antibiotics as therapeutics is that, unlike chemicals, phages can evolve their own measures to counter bacterial resistance. This ability is fundamental to the evolutionary persistence of phage “in the wild,” and the back-and-forth arms race between phage and bacteria has been ongoing for millions of years. Phage training seeks to harness this evolutionary power of phages to make more-robust phage therapies. The idea is that, by preadapting the phage to a bacterial host, the phage will experience the ways in which the host evolves resistance, and will evolve reciprocally. These phages “from the future” should then preempt the rise of phage resistance when infecting the ancestral bacteria. Much is still unknown about how phage training will play out in practice, necessitating rigorous study of the ecology and coevolutionary … [↵][1]1Email: borgesadair1{at}berkeley.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Plexcitonic Quasi-Bound States in the Continuum

Enhancing light-matter interactions is fundamental to the advancement of nanophotonics and optoelectronics. Yet, light diffraction on dielectric platforms and energy loss on plasmonic metallic systems present an undesirable trade-off between coherent energy exchange and incoherent energy damping. Through judicious structural design, both light confinement and energy loss issues could be potentially and simultaneously addressed by creating bound states in the continuum (BICs) where light is ideally decoupled from the radiative continuum. Herein, the authors present a general framework based on the two-coupled resonances to first conceptualize and then numerically demonstrate a type of quasi-BICs that can be achieved through the interference between two bare resonance modes and is characterized by the considerably narrowed spectral line shape even on lossy metallic nanostructures. The ubiquity of the proposed framework further allows the paradigm to be extended for the realization of plexcitonic quasi-BICs on the same metallic systems. Owing to the topological nature, both plasmonic and plexcitonic quasi-BICs display strong mode robustness against parameters variation, thereby providing an attractive platform to unlock the potential of the coupled plasmon-exciton systems for manipulation of the photophysical properties of condensed phases.
Air–Carbon Ablation Model for Hypersonic Flight from Molecular-Beam Data

Recent molecular-beam experiments of high-velocity atomic oxygen (O), atomic nitrogen (N), and molecular oxygen (O2) impacting carbon material at high temperature produced detailed surface chemistr...
Factor analysis of the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory: Inconsistent handedness yields a two-factor solution

While neuropsychology has long focused on direction (left versus right) of handedness, a growing body of evidence indicates that degree (inconsistent versus consistent) of handedness is at least as important. A promising feature of this new emphasis on degree of handedness is its greater concordance with extant genetic models of handedness, which posit a continuum from inconsistent-handedness to consistent right-handedness, not a continuum from left- to right-handedness. Specifically, departures away from consistent-right-handedness are thought to reflect the action of a neutral genetic factor that leaves handedness up to random environmental influences. To test whether handedness in inconsistent-handers reflects the presence of multiple factors (compared to the presence of a single factor only in consistent-right-handers), factor analyses of handedness inventory scores were conducted on data from 987 right-handers, divided into consistent- versus inconsistent-handers. Consistent with predictions, analyses of inconsistent- versus consistent-handers yielded two versus one factor solutions, respectively. Results are discussed in terms of their potential implications for genetic models of handedness and for researchers interested in consistency of handedness as a neuropsychological variable.
Pressure Induced Phase Transition of an Oil External Microemulsion

The critical phenomenon of a c-component oil external microemulsion system containing pure normal decane, double distilled water, and an anionic surfactant, sodium dimethyl hexyl sulfosuccinate, was studied as a function of applied external pressure for the first time using laser light scattering. It was found that the divergence of the scattered intensity and static correlation length can be described in terms of the critical exponents as a function of ΔP = |P-Pc|. Furthermore, the critical exponents of ΔP, v and γ associated with the scattered intensity and static correlation length respectively, are the same as those obtained from previous studies with other thermodynamic variables, i.e. temperature, carbon chain length of oil, etc. Thus pressure can induce a critical type phase transition in this oil external microemulsion. Prior studies have shown that the attractive potential between droplets is most likely the driving force for the critical points of this microemulsion, and that increasing the alkane number of the oil increases the attractive potential. The pressure, in a sense, contributes to this attractive force by increasing the density of the oil, i.e., increasing the effective alkane number. Furthermore, we have measured the thermal pressure coefficient, (dP/dT)v, to begin to understand the thermodynamic properties of this oil external microemulsion.
Hormones and Aggressive Behavior in Teleost Fishes

Teleost fishes form a highly diversified group of vertebrates that offers a rich source of material for comparative studies of neuroendocrine integration in the regulation of aggressive behavior. With some 20,000 species adapted to a wide range of ecological demands, they can be used to study the range of functioning and the adaptive capacity of neuroendocrine and behavioral systems. Hence, fishes are good subjects with which to study the relationship between the natural history of an animal and the behavioral-endocrine systems utilized by that animal.
From Transcendental Logic to the Phenomenology of the Life-World

While Heraclitus, who observed that one could not step into the same river twice, was ostensibly concerned with how it was that a river, in a constant state of change or flux, could nevertheless be regarded as remaining in some sense unchangingly self-identical, the questions he thus raised, concerning the relation between the absolute and the relative, identity and difference, stasis and change, have been of concern to philosophers ever since. Indeed it is precisely this set of issues which lies at the heart of the phenomenological account of the constitution of unchangingly self-identical objects from the “Heraclitan flux” of different and constantly changing experiences. This same tension is also implicit in the phenomenological view of the relationship between such objects, supposedly constituted in conformity to essential or eidetic, and thus apparently absolute, forms, and the relativism implicit in the notion of the “life-world” (Lebenswelt). And it is upon this issue, and upon the closely related issue of the relationship between Husserl’s phenomenological claim to provide a presuppositionless description of experience, and Heidegger’s insistence that all descriptions are already hermeneutic interpretations, based upon presuppositions, that I wish to focus here.
Drying of Solid Particles and Sheets

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the drying of porous materials in the form of sheets or slabs and of particles either in packed beds or freely flowing as in a rotary drier. Major attention is given to information that has become available for the rational design of driers from fundamental principles. The drying operation is sometimes called “air-drying of solids” because the carrier gas is frequently air. The chapter discusses estimation of coefficients of heat transfer and of mass transfer and the general theory of moisture distribution and the rate of moisture movement inside porous media. The three theories of condensation, diffusion, capillarity, and vaporization are also described along with the assessment of roles of various mechanisms causing liquid movement in solids. The chapter also illustrates the drying of porous solids and sheets at ordinary temperatures. A new model for the drying rate of porous solids in the falling-rate period is developed and tested and the effects of humidity, air velocity, temperature, and shape on drying times are determined. The chapter presents the drying of porous solids in continuous operations and the effect of the operating variables on drier performance. There are three general theories—diffusion theory, capillary theory, and vaporization–condensation theory—for interpretation of moisture distribution and rate of moisture movement inside porous solids. Computer programs developed for explaining drying of solid particles and sheets allow generation of drying curves and moisture profile curves for packed beds of nonshrinkable thin-porous solids that have no lowering of the vapor pressure of water and that offer negligible resistance to the flow of liquid within the solid.
A commentary on microbiological assaying.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the microbial assaying concern with principles as well as with practices. In microbial assay, four microbiological methods are in general use. They are based upon diffusion, turbidimetry, serial dilution, and acidimetry. Each has its advantages and disadvantages and special areas of application. The diffusion and turbidimetric methods may not give the same answers for the same sample if it contains a mixture of active substances, and neither may agree with a chemical method. Suggestions are made concerning mechanization of much of the read-out and computational steps of both types of assay. The influence of such factors as size of inoculum, pH of assay media, and time of incubation are also considered. The relationship between chemical and microbiological methods of assay is discussed. Statistics and its application to the several kinds of assays are also presented in the chapter.
Preparing for project retrospectives

Project retrospectives are used in industry to formalize the evaluation of software projects. In software engineering project courses, retrospectives offer another way to relate theory to practice, connecting classroom concepts to actual project experiences. This paper provides a framework for conducting project retrospectives that combine social or teamwork aspects with technical analysis.
Software engineering baccalaureate programs in the United States: an overview

There are currently over 20 bachelor of science in software engineering degree programs in the United States. The first accredited software engineering programs in the US are likely in the 2002-03 cycle, and it is expected that the total number of such programs will continue to see steady growth for several years to come. The authors have provided a comparison of programs in order to determine what trends are emerging, which will benefit both current software engineering undergraduate programs, as well as those institutions which are thinking of creating new degrees of this type. The curriculum content of these programs are broken down by subject area and compared with curriculum models and accreditation criteria. The results of a survey of undergraduate software engineering programs worldwide that was conducted by the authors is used both to provide additional data about the U.S. programs and to compare them as a group to their counterparts in other countries.
Cortisol levels in amniotic fluid in prostaglandin F2α-induced midtrimester abortion

Cortisol concentrations in amniotic fluid and maternal plasma were determined by a competitive protein-binding assay in 14 patients in the midtrimester of pregnancy before and after intra-amniotic administration of prostaglandin F2alpha. Samples were obtained at three-hour intervals until abortion or until the fetal heartbeat ceased. The mean plasma levels of cortisol increased from 324 +/- 173 ng. per milliliter at hour 0 to 524 +/- 272 ng. per milliliter at 6 hours (the peak elevated value). In amniotic fluid, the mean levels of cortisol increased from 4.71 +/- 2.5 ng. per milliliter to a maximum at 9 hours of 10.24 +/- 2.5 ng. per milliliter. We concluded that at 16 to 20 weeks' gestation the fetoplacental unit is capable of responding to prostaglandin F2alpha instillation by increased levels of cortisol in the amniotic fluid.
Skill Acquisition: Models

Skill acquisition is the process whereby a learner progresses from slow, deliberate, memory-intensive, error-prone performance on a task, to rapid, automatic, near-error-free performance. The process applies to activities ranging from simple perceptual–motor tasks, such as pushing a button whenever a light comes on or shifting gears in a car, to complex cognitive tasks, such as playing chess or diagnosing diseases. Keywords: automaticity; cognitive model; declarative; associative; ACT-R; neural network; learning; power law; practice; production rule; procedural; reinforcement learning; skill acquisition; Soar
Electronic noise and fluctuations in solids

This book looks at the physics of electronic fluctuations (noise) in solids. The author emphasizes many fundamental experiments that have become classics: physical mechanisms of fluctuations, and the nature and magnitude of noise. He also includes the most comprehensive and complete review of flicker (1/f) noise in the literature. It will be useful to graduate students and researchers in physics and electronic engineering, and especially those carrying out research in the fields of noise phenomena and highly sensitive electronic devices--detectors, electronic devices for low-noise amplifiers, and quantum magnetometers (SQUIDS).
Live fast – live long? A commentary on a recent paper by Speakman et al.

The recent paper by Speakman et al. (2004), ‘Uncoupled and surviving: individual mice with high metabolism have greater mitochondrial uncoupling and live longer’, is significant for two reasons. First, Speakman et al . demonstrate that within a cohort of mice there is a positive correlation between metabolic rate and longevity. This result is contrary to long-proposed theories of aging that inversely link energy expenditure to aging. Second, they provide a credible explanation for why such a positive correlation might exist: increased activation of uncoupling proteins may increase metabolic rates, but decrease the overall production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). As such, this research potentially provides an important contribution towards understanding and attenuating aging. The scientific origins of the concept that aging is inversely related to the rate of energy expenditure extend back nearly 100 years. In 1908 Rubner published results comparing metabolic rates in five species of mammals and concluded that despite large differences in their chronological longevity, these mammals had approximately equal, mass-specific (metabolic output standardized to a given body mass), lifetime energy output. These studies were expanded on by Pearl, who proposed the ‘rate of living hypothesis’, which directly linked the metabolic output of an organism to its longevity (Pearl, 1928). The causal mechanism linking these two was unclear, but Pearl proposed that the duration of life was determined by the exhaustion of a vital cellular component that was consumed at a rate proportional to the metabolic rate, with death occurring upon
The likelihood of voting for a black for president: A probit analysis

The maximum likelihood of the expressed willingness of Americans to vote for a black for president has not been adequately determined. By employing the probit technique, this paper attempts to determine the possible ranges of probability that Americans would be willing to vote for a black for president. Based on various models from which the probabilities are calculated, it is found that group‐based racial consciousness is the main determinant of the likelihood that Americans will express their willingness to vote for a black for president. However, this effect is mediated by schooling, political identification, attitudes towards various racial questions, and region. These may be seen as instrumental variables that anticipate the type of Americans who would be mostly likely willing to do so.
71 DETECTION OF EARLY VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION BY AFTER-LOAD CHALLENGE USING A NON-IMAGING CARDIAC PROBE (NUCLEAR STETHOSCOPE)

71 DETECTION OF EARLY VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION BY AFTER-LOAD CHALLENGE USING A NON-IMAGING CARDIAC PROBE (NUCLEAR STETHOSCOPE)
Experimental and theoretical contribution to studies of the afterglow of chlorophyll in plant materials.

The afterglow of chlorophyll in plant cells and in chloroplasts, discovered and studied by Strehler and Arnold et al. (l-4), is of similar importance in attempts to understand the photochemical steps of photosynthesis as is the fluorescence of chlorophyll. The observations described in Part I of this paper are measurements of the afterglow intensity of algae observed in a phosphoroscope under a great variety of experimental conditions. The experiments were completed more than 3 years ago. Their publication has been postponed until a plausible theoretical interpretation of all afterglow phenomena could be presented. This interpretation is given in Part II. It is based on Arnold’s recent discovery (5) that the afterglow is associated with electron conductivity and on the general theory of the photochemical part of photosynthesis which one of us (6) has developed in recent years.
Effect of Physical Foaming Agents on the Viscosity of Various Polyolefin Resins

The effect of temperature and type of physical foaming agent (HCFC-142b, n-pentane, and carbon dioxide) on the shear viscosity have been investigated for various types of polyolefin resins (PP, LLDPE, and HDPE). The viscosity changes have been monitored using a commercial on-line process control rheometer mounted on a twin-screw extruder.A plasticization index, based on the respective molecular weights of the foaming agent and the repeat unit of the polymer, is proposed. Comparison with an amorphous polymer, namely polystyrene, is also made for mixtures using the same physical foaming agents.
A Comparative Study on Phenolic Profiles and Antioxidant Activities of Legumes as Affected by Extraction Solvents

The objective of this study was to investigate how 6 commonly used solvent systems affected the yields of phenolic substances and the antioxidant capacity of extracts from 8 major classes of food legumes. Several antioxidant-related phytochemical compositions, namely, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids content (TFC), and condensed tannins content (CTC), were investigated. In addition, antioxidant activities were tested using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). The results showed that the 50% acetone extracts exhibited the highest TPC for yellow pea, green pea, chickpea, and yellow soybean. Acidic 70% acetone (+0.5% acetic acid) extracts exhibited the highest TPC, TFC, and FRAP values for black bean, lentil, black soybean, and red kidney bean. The 80% acetone extracts exhibited the highest TFC, CTC, and DPPH-free radical scavenging activity for yellow pea, green pea, chickpea, and yellow soybean. The 70% ethanol extracts exhibited the greatest ORAC value for all selected legumes. These results indicated that solvents with different polarity had significant effects on total phenolic contents, extracted components, and antioxidant activities. High correlations between phenolic compositions and antioxidant activities of legume extracts were observed. The information is of interest to the nutraceutical food/ingredient industries since legumes are a rich source of antioxidants.
Effects of a geometric perturbation on buoyancy induced flow and heat transfer in a cylindrical annulus

Abstract A numerical investigation has been carried out to study the effect of a geometric perturbation on the three-dimensional buoyancy-driven flow and heat transfer in an annular cavity with impermeable end walls. The numerical scheme used in the present study is based on a Galerkin method of finite element formulation. The nature of the three-dimensional flow-field has been analyzed in detail. The local and average Nusselt numbers were obtained for a wide range of Rayleigh numbers, and the heat transfer performance was compared with that for the closed horizontal annulus without a perturbation. The effect of variation of a number of key geometric parameters of the perturbation on the overall heat transfer behavior has been studied. Some of the key features due to the introduction of the perturbation, and qualitative and quantitative effects of the perturbation within the annulus are discussed. It is shown that the introduction of the geometric perturbation can lead to a large increase in the overall heat transfer within the annulus.
A real-time service-oriented framework to support sustainable cyber-physical systems

Sustainability is an important issue with a growing interest. Two ICT technologies provide useful support for the sustainability of industrial systems: service-oriented architecture (SOA) and cyber-physical systems (CPS). SOA has been adopted in a variety of industrial systems due to its integration flexibility and process composability. CPS is a new technology to bring computational intelligence to physical devices and to make them mission- and situation-aware. We study a real-time SOA architecture to enhance sustainability and predictability in CPS. The proposed real-time SOA middleware builds the support for service accountability and global resource management for real-time service processes. Given a service plan and known resource constraints, the middleware monitors the performance and reserves resources in advance for each service in the process to ensure its real-time feasibility. A prototype of RT-SOA ESB has been implemented and evaluated.
Epiallele biogenesis in maize.

Abstract We have correlated cytosine methylation of two epialleles, P1-rr and P1-pr , with variation in gene expression and therefore phenotype. The p1 gene in maize encodes a transcription factor that controls phlobaphene pigment accumulation in floral tissues. While cytosine methylation was assayed in various regions spanning 17 kb, the only difference in DNA methylation pattern between the expressed P1-rr allele and the silenced P1-pr allele was detected in a region that consists of a complex arrangement of transposons and adjacent repeats. This region, which comprises the distal enhancer element of P1-rr , is hypermethylated in P1-pr compared to P1-rr . Based on other precedents, we hypothesize that DNA methylation spreads from the transposable elements into the flanking P1-rr enhancer, thereby transcriptionally silencing the gene. Interestingly, P1-pr is reactivated in mutants of the dominant epigenetic modifier Ufo1 . DNA methylation in the distal enhancer sequence is significantly reduced, which inversely correlates with increased transcript levels and pigmentation in P1-pr Ufo1 plants. If in general DNA methylation spreads from transposons into adjacent sequences containing regulatory elements for neighboring genes, the corresponding genes could be silenced by chance. Given the large amount of transposable elements in the maize genome, epialleles may be far more frequent than previously estimated.
Norepinephrine content of discrete brain nuclei in acutely and chronically stressed borderline hypertensive rats

Forty-three male borderline hypertensive rats were subjected to either 3 days, or 4, 10, or 16 weeks of daily stress. An additional 43 animals served as unstressed, age-matched controls. At the end of study, animals were sacrificed, brains were removed, and cardiovascularly-important nuclei in the brainstem and hypothalamus were removed by micropunch. Assays revealed that norepinephrine (NE) levels were initially elevated in the brainstem in animals stressed for 3 days. As stress continued, NE levels were significantly lower in the brainstem, and eventually in the hypothalamus, of stressed animals. The relationship of these observations to environmentally-induced hypertension is discussed.
Of boundary objects and boundaries: Local stabilization of the polish cadastral infrastructure

The cadastre is an infrastructure of institutions, humans, and nonhumans. Its role in governance is the provision of a systematic organization of land ownership, rights, and responsibilities. The cadastral infrastructure's information needs to correspond to actual uses of land if it is to be of continued use in governance. In effect, as an important governmental information space, it needs to also correspond to geographic and social spaces. For many reasons the boundary objects making up the cadastral infrastructure can be unstable—delays in processing changes and conflicting competencies are commonplace. Larger instabilities including civil unrest, war, and persistent corruption produce profound asymmetries and distortions. Following centuries of disruption, ongoing attempts to augment cadastral infrastructures in post-socialist Central and Eastern Europe offer opportunities to probe and analyze the stabilization of cadastral infrastructures. Poland, which never saw complete collectivization and retained...
Using interactive maps for navigation and collaboration

Interactive maps provide unique ways to support collaboration. They can be used to navigate virtual environments and support collaborative activities within these environments. This poster gives an example of map-based navigation and some guidelines for its use. Additional map applications are also suggested.
Effect of choked flow on terminal characteristics of MPD thrusters

A one-dimensional steady real gas MPD accelerator model based on data for various electrode lengths and anode orifice radii is presented. The model relates the electric field to the boundary conditions in a form that agrees with experiment over parametric variations in current and mass flow. The electric field is sensitive to the formulations and assumptions bound into the analysis, and is useful in the modeling of outflow properties. It is shown that the location of the sonic point in the arc chamber shifts upstream for high current operation, and the relation between terminal voltage and current is demonstrated. Experiments using an anode suggested by the theory yield a thrust efficiency 1.5 times that of the unmodified thruster.
Complete Genome Sequence of Prepandemic Vibrio parahaemolyticus BB22OP

ABSTRACT The number of inflammatory gastroenteritis outbreaks due to the food-borne pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus is rising sharply worldwide and in the United States in particular. Here we report the complete, annotated genome sequence of the prepandemic V. parahaemolyticus strain BB22OP and make some initial comparisons to the complete genome sequence for pandemic strain RIMD2210633.
Production of recombinant ScFv antibodies against methamidophos from a phage-display library of a hyperimmunized mouse.

A recombinant phage display library was generated using splenocyte mRNA isolated from a Balb/c mouse hyperimmunized with a hapten conjugate that mimicked the structure of methamidophos, one of the most acutely toxic organophosphate pesticides. Three recombinant single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies with the highest specificity for methamidophos, termed 28D4, 29D0, and 36B2, were produced via a stringent selection protocol. In a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the IC50 values for 28D4, 29D0, and 36B2 were 46.25, 35.39, and 17.99 ng/mL, respectively. The cross-reactivity of the three scFv antibodies with other organophosphate pesticides was below 0.1% except for acephate (O,S-dimethyl acetylphosphoramidothioate). Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences indicated that the respective heavy chains and light chains of the three scFvs were involved in the distinctive VDJ segment rearrangements associated with somatic hypermutations during the process of several immunizations with hi...
Measurement and projection of the demand for health care: the Chilean experience.

Projection of the probable demand for health services over time is one of the most important-and difficult-aspects of the health planning process. Not only must the planner contend with many variables external to the health sector, but also with the difficult to predict correlations between the supply of health services and the resultant demand. This article briefly reviews some of the principal demand projection methods in use and then describes in detail the one adopted in the Chilean health manpower study. The demand portion of the study in Chile involved three main elements: 1) a sample survey which measured the met and unmet demand for medical, dental, and hospital services as a function of six population variables (age, sex, location, income, educational level, and medical insurance status); 2) a baseline demand projection which takes into account the probable effects of changes in these six variables over ten and 20 years on the utilization of services; and 3) an alternative projection which postulates the fulfillment of certain targets for the improvement of health care. The approach offers the planner a number of important analytical and programmatic advantages compared with other methods now available and are discussed along with their limitations. ONE OF THE central problems in the health planning process is to develop a projection of the utilization of health services. The purposes of this article are two: to present the methods used in a health manpower study recently conducted in Chile to establish long-term projections for the utilization of services, and to discuss the utility and limitations of these methods.
A short duration group treatment of smoking behavior by stimulus saturation

Abstract Two saturation procedures of different lengths were administered to Ss who desired to quit smoking. Ss chain-smoked for either 20 hr (group E1) or 10 hr (E2). Total abstinence was the main dependent measure. Both groups experienced relatively equal success on a short-term basis. Long-term abstinence was noted for group E1 only. Sixty per cent of the E1Ss were not smoking 4 months after treatment.
A Changing South: The 2008 Elections Illuminate Demographic and Economic Trends

The election of Barack Obama as President of the United States opened a window for an examination of the most recent round of demographic, social and economic change in the American South. Using the 2008 election—in which the nation’s first black president won three states of the former Confederacy—as a launching pad for analysis, this paper presents a South that has become metropolitan-driven, more prosperous and economically diverse than ever in its history. The paper also depicts a South with inter-regional differences and with distinct inequalities, especially in income and educational attainment.