cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Atmospheric chemistry of hydrazoic acid (HN3): UV absorption spectrum, HO reaction rate, and reactions of the N3 radical.

Processes related to the tropospheric lifetime and fate of hydrazoic acid, HN3, have been studied. The ultraviolet absorption spectrum of HN3 is shown to possess a maximum near 262 nm with a tail extending to at least 360 nm. The photolysis quantum yield for HN3 is shown to be ≈1 at 351 nm. Using the measured spectrum and assuming unity quantum yield throughout the actinic region, a diurnally averaged photolysis lifetime near the earth's surface of 2−3 days is estimated. Using a relative rate method, the rate coefficient for reaction of HO• with HN3 was found to be (3.9 ± 0.8) × 10-12 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, substantially larger than the only previous measurement. The atmospheric HN3 lifetime with respect to HO• oxidation is thus about 2−3 days, assuming a diurnally averaged [HO•] of 106 molecule cm-3. Reactions of •N3, the product of the reaction of HO• with HN3, were studied in an environmental chamber using an FTIR spectrometer for end-product analysis. The •N3 radical reacts efficiently with NO, producing...
Oxygen permeation through fluorite-type bismuth-yttrium-copper oxide membranes

Abstract Dense Bi1.5−xY0.5CuxO3−δ membranes in fluorite phase (δ phase) with different CuO concentration (x = 0.005–0.015) and thickness (1–3 mm) were prepared from corresponding powders synthesized by the citrate method. Oxygen permeation through these membranes was studied using a high-temperature permeation system to examine the oxygen transport mechanism of the membranes. The oxygen permeation fluxes through these membranes (2 mm thick) at 800°C are in the range (5.0–9.2) × 10−9 mol/cm2 s at P′O2 of 0.21 atm and P″O2 of 5 × 10−4–1 × 10−3 atm. The permeation flux is inversely proportional to the membrane thickness, indicating bulk diffusion being the rate-limiting step. The driving force for the oxygen permeation through the membranes is ( P″ O 2 − 1 4 − P′ O 2 − 1 4 ). The activation energy for oxygen permeation is 136, 113 and 80 kJ/mol for the membranes with 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 mol% CuO concentration, respectively.
A 7000-year sea-surface temperature record from CA-SRI-147, Santa Rosa Island, California, USA

California mussels (Mytilus californianus) excavated from archaeological site CA-SRI-147 on the southern side of Santa Rosa Island, California, provided a discontinuous environmental record spanning about 7000 years. An earlier report of the midden remains at this site found a weak inverse correlation between changes in mussel shell length and sea surface temperature (SST), but not productivity, and a decline in mussel size from ~5800 to 5100 calendar years before present during a period of low productivity and increasing SST. This study uses oxygen isotopes from the site to directly compare environmental change to shifts in faunal assemblage. Four intervals of low temperatures are revealed in the nearshore environmental data, each corresponding to a significant change in faunal assemblage at the site. The first occurs c. 6600 calendar years before present (cal. BP) and coincides with the greatest amount of mussel shell mass and size in the site. The second (c. 5500 cal. BP) occurs during an interval of variable mussel contribution and increasing red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) contribution. The third (c. 4800 cal. BP) occurs during a time when platform mussels (Septifer bifurcatus) exceed California mussels in meat weight, while the final interval (c. 3700 cal. BP) occurs prior to a period of probable site hiatus. The overall pattern of decreasing shell contribution and size at the site is not found in the mollusk isotope data, suggesting that environmental change had a profound impact on short-term variability, while human predation of key resources provided the long-term primary stress on nearshore biota.
Effects of mannitol on cerebral blood flow, blood pressure, blood viscosity, hematocrit, sodium, and potassium

In our miniature swine model of brain retraction ischemia under conditions simulating the neurosurgical operating room, we studied the effects of bolus mannitol (2 g/kg) administration on cerebral blood flow, blood pressure, blood viscosity, hematocrit, sodium, and potassium serially for 4 hours following administration, at which time a second bolus was administered. Both viscosity and hematocrit were significantly decreased transiently following both the first and second boluses. Sodium was decreased for 30 minutes following the first bolus, 15 minutes following the second bolus, and increased at 150 minutes and later following the second bolus. There was a mild decrease in blood pressure and a mild increase in cerebral blood flow following mannitol, but little difference between the first hour following a bolus (when the viscosity and hematocrit were decreased) and hours 2-4 (when they were near baseline). Mannitol's effects on blood pressure and cerebral blood flow probably depend on factors in addition to its effects on blood viscosity and hematocrit. The results are discussed in light of previous findings that bolus mannitol administration may improve cerebral blood flow in ischemia, but does not appear to benefit the preservation of brain electrical activity.
The Effect of Temperature and Ration Size on the Growth, Body Composition, and Energy Content of Juvenile Coho Salmon

Juvenile (post-smolt) coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kitsuch) were held in fresh water in the laboratory at 5, 10, 15, and 18°C for 8 weeks and fed freshly thawed, juvenile alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) at rates equal to 1 and 2 % of their wet body weight/day, and also at the ad libitum or unrestricted ration rate. Most rapid growth in weight (1.2% wet body weight/day) occurred among fish fed the ad libitum ration at 15°C; growth was most rapid at about 10°C for fish fed the 2% ration (0.7% /day), and the 1% ration (0.1% /day). Gross conversion efficiency was highest at 10°C for all three ration levels. Gross body constituents and energy content of the test fish changed with temperature and ration during the study. Growth rate was positively related to lipid, energy content, and ration; lipid and energy content were positively related to water temperature; lipid, energy content, growth rate, ration, and water temperature were negatively related to water content; and protein was not related to any of the test variables. At the end of the study, water (68.7 to 76.4%) and lipid (3.5 to 10.4%) content were more variable than ash (1.8 to 3.1%), carbohydrate (0.1 to 1.9%), and protein (16.9 to 19.4%) content. Energy content of the fish increased with ration and was highest for each ration level at 15°C.
Validation of a Helmet-Based System to Measure Head Impact Biomechanics in Ice Hockey

PURPOSE: To quantify differences between head acceleration measured by a helmet-based accelerometer system for ice hockey and an anthropomorphic test device (ATD) in order to validate the system's use in measuring head impacts on-ice. METHODS: A Hybrid III 50th percentile male ATD head and neck was fit with a helmet instrumented with the Head Impact Telemetry (HIT) System for hockey, and impacted at various speeds and directions with different interfaces between the head and helmet. Error between the helmet-based and reference peak accelerations was quantified, and the influence of impact direction and helmet-head interface evaluated. Regression equations were used to reduce error. System-reported impact direction was validated. RESULTS: 19% of impacts were removed from the dataset by a HIT System processing algorithm and were not eligible for analysis. Errors in peak acceleration between the system and ATD varied from 18-31% and 35-64% for linear and rotational acceleration respectively, but were reduced via regression equations. The relationship between HIT System and reference acceleration varied by direction (p Language: en
Effect of expansion medium on ex vivo gene transfer and chondrogenesis in type II collagen–glycosaminoglycan scaffolds in vitro

Summary Objective Growth factors can profoundly affect the behaviour of chondrocytes during expansion and subsequent growth in three-dimensional (3-D) scaffolds. Prolonging such effects has stimulated investigation of the transfer of growth factor genes to chondrocytes. This study evaluated the effects of the monolayer expansion medium on the proliferation and cartilage matrix molecule synthesis of chondrocytes in 3-D pellet culture and in type II collagen–glycosaminoglycan (CG) scaffolds, and on ex vivo insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) gene transfer to articular chondrocytes in monolayer. The possibility of transfecting cells in 3-D culture using CG scaffolds was also investigated and the resulting effect of IGF-1 overexpression on glycosaminoglycan (GAG) biosynthesis in 3-D culture was assessed. Methods Two expansion media were compared—one that has been widely used for growing chondrocytes (Medium 1) and one that has been found to increase chondrocyte proliferation rates and preserve the redifferentiation potential of monolayer-expanded chondrocytes when subsequently placed in pellet cultures (Medium 2). Chondrocytes were expanded in monolayer culture and then 1) redifferentiated in 3-D culture, or 2) infected with the IGF-1 gene in monolayer or in type II CG scaffolds. Results The cell count for first passage chondrocytes was more than 3-fold higher when using Medium 2. In 3-D culture, cells expanded with Medium 2 and seeded in CG scaffolds produced more total GAG/DNA and displayed more intense immunohistochemical staining for collagen type II. Gene transfer and IGF-1 release kinetics from infected cells in monolayer were significantly affected by the composition of the expansion medium, the gene transfer method and time. IGF-1 gene transfer in CG scaffolds resulted in a 35-fold elevation in accumulated IGF-1 released from transfected Medium 2-expanded chondrocytes over controls, and resulted in a 40% increase in accumulated GAG/DNA. Conclusion The composition of the expansion medium significantly affects monolayer proliferation of adult canine chondrocytes, GAG synthesis when the cells are subsequently grown in CG scaffolds, and ex vivo IGF-1 gene transfer.
Promoting a Brand's Emotion Benefits: The Influence of Emotion Categorization Processes on Consumer Evaluations

Research in psychology has demonstrated that people have a shared knowledge of emotion categories. Building on this research and our understanding of categorization processes, this article proposes a mechanism by which consumers utilize information about a brand's “emotion benefits” in forming attitudes. The results of 2 experimental studies show that (a) consumers’ processing of a brand's emotion benefit information is consistent with categorization processes such that emotion category congruity effects are large in basic—versus subordinate—level conditions, (b) associating a brand with certain emotions can influence brand and ad attitudes without necessarily eliciting emotions during exposure to advertising, (c) emotion category congruity “works” through attitude-toward-the-ad and emotion benefit beliefs in influencing brand attitudes, and (d) subjective product category knowledge moderates the strength of these effects. Taken together, these results explicate the process by which a knowledge-based consideration of a brand's emotional benefits can influence consumers’ beliefs about the brand and brand attitudes.
The effects of energy beverages on cultured cells

The popularity and prevalence of energy beverages makes it essential to examine the interactions between the ingredients and their effects on the safety of these beverages. In this study, we used in vitro assays to examine the effects of two energy beverages on mesenchymal, epithelial and neuronal cells. Our results showed that treatment of epithelial and mesenchymal cells with either energy beverage resulted in a dose dependent delay in wound closure, in a scratch wound healing assay. In rat embryonic fibroblasts, treatment with the energy beverages led to decreased lamellipodia formation and decreased proliferation/viability; whereas in MDCK cells, energy beverage treatment resulted in actin disorganization without any effects on cell proliferation. This suggests that the mechanisms underlying delayed wound healing might be different in the two cell types. Interestingly, the delays in both cell types could not be mimicked by treatment of caffeine, taurine and glucose alone or in combinations. Furthermore, treatment of chick forebrain neuronal cultures with energy beverages resulted in a dose dependent inhibition of neurite outgrowth. The cellular assays used in this study provide a consistent, qualitative and quantitative system for examining the combinatorial effects of the various ingredients used in energy beverages.
Rat model of blood-brain barrier disruption to allow targeted neurovascular therapeutics.

Endothelial cells with tight junctions along with the basement membrane and astrocyte end feet surround cerebral blood vessels to form the blood-brain barrier1. The barrier selectively excludes molecules from crossing between the blood and the brain based upon their size and charge. This function can impede the delivery of therapeutics for neurological disorders. A number of chemotherapeutic drugs, for example, will not effectively cross the blood-brain barrier to reach tumor cells2. Thus, improving the delivery of drugs across the blood-brain barrier is an area of interest. The most prevalent methods for enhancing the delivery of drugs to the brain are direct cerebral infusion and blood-brain barrier disruption3. Direct intracerebral infusion guarantees that therapies reach the brain; however, this method has a limited ability to disperse the drug4. Blood-brain barrier disruption (BBBD) allows drugs to flow directly from the circulatory systeminto the brain and thus more effectively reach dispersed tumor cells. Three methods of barrier disruption include osmotic barrier disruption, pharmacological barrier disruption, and focused ultrasound with microbubbles. Osmotic disruption, pioneered by Neuwelt, uses a hypertonic solution of 25% mannitol that dehydrates the cells of the blood-brain barrier causing them to shrink and disrupt their tight junctions. Barrier disruption can also be accomplished pharmacologically with vasoactive compounds such as histamine5 and bradykinin6. This method, however, is selective primarily for the brain-tumor barrier7. Additionally, RMP-7, an analog of the peptide bradykinin, was found to be inferior when compared head-to-head with osmotic BBBD with 25% mannitol8. Another method, focused ultrasound (FUS) in conjunction with microbubble ultrasound contrast agents, has also been shown to reversibly open the blood-brain barrier9. In comparison to FUS, though, 25% mannitol has a longer history of safety in human patients that makes it a proven tool for translational research10-12. In order to accomplish BBBD, mannitol must be delivered at a high rate directly into the brain's arterial circulation. In humans, an endovascular catheter is guided to the brain where rapid, direct flow can be accomplished. This protocol models human BBBD as closely as possible. Following a cut-down to the bifurcation of the common carotid artery, a catheter is inserted retrograde into the ECA and used to deliver mannitol directly into the internal carotid artery (ICA) circulation. Propofol and N2O anesthesia are used for their ability to maximize the effectiveness of barrier disruption13. If executed properly, this procedure has the ability to safely, effectively, and reversibly open the blood-brain barrier and improve the delivery of drugs that do not ordinarily reach the brain 8,13,14.
Numerical inversion of certain laplace transforms by the direct application of fast fourier transform (FFT) algorithm

Abstract The numerical inversion of Laplace transforms by means of the finite Fourier cosine transform, as presented by Dubner and Abate, was analysed, and it was found that the proper inversion formula should contain the Fourier sine series as well. Based on this complete Fourier series approach, the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm has been directly adapted to invert Laplace transforms numerically, and the method has been applied to several chemical engineering problems. Compared with the results obtained by other conventional techniques, the direct FFT technique was found to be very simple, accurate, efficient and generally superior.
Support, belonging, motivation, and engagement in the college classroom: a mixed method study

This explanatory sequential mixed methods study examined how belonging perceptions, academic motivation, and engagement might mediate the relationship between academic contextual characteristics and achievement using structural equation modeling and qualitative follow-up interviews with college students from a large, Midwestern university. In the first, quantitative phase, two hypothesized models of student belonging and motivation were tested. In line with the Self-System Model of Classroom Support for Motivation (Connell and Wellborn, in: Gunnar and Sroufe (eds.) Minnesota Symposium on Child Psychology: Self-processes and Development, 1991), Model 1 hypothesized student belonging and motivation to be directly predicted by supportive classroom environment perceptions, and to directly predict engagement, which was hypothesized to predict achievement. Model 2 elaborated on the traditional self-system model and hypothesized student belonging to mediate the relationship between supportive classroom environment perceptions and student motivation. Quantitative findings revealed support for Model 2. Supportive classroom environment perceptions predicted students’ belonging beliefs, which in turn predicted students’ motivation, engagement, and achievement in the course. The second, follow-up qualitative phase suggested ways in which contextual characteristics might influence student belonging beliefs in the classroom. Taken together, the quantitative and qualitative data illustrate the influential role of classroom contextual characteristics on student outcomes, as well as the role student belonging plays in college student motivation and success.
Situation, Impact, and User Refinement

To effectively design a data-fusion system (DFS), users goals and situation and impact needs must be addressed for efficient action. Using the User-Fusion model, we explore the human"s capability to investigate the situation, determine the impact or threat, and refine DFS operations. By mapping user actions with DFS processes through "management by interaction ", the user-DFS design (1) actively engages the user in proactive control, (2) improves situation awareness, (3) reduces DFS dimensionality, (4) increases user confidence, and (5) decreases user-DFS reaction time. For example, by designing user refinement operations, we streamline DFS development for efficient target recognition and tracking scenarios by cueing an operator as well as allowing the user to prime the DFS. Notional results, using a novel 3D receiver operator curve (ROC) mapped over false alarm rate, detection rate, and time; captures the user-DFS interaction to increase target accuracy, reduce time of target identification, and increase system confidence.© (2003) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Intraparticle effects in char combustion. III transient studies

Unsteady state mass and energy balance equations along with a probabilistic model to predict the surface area evolution, constitute the model developed to study the dynamics of single particle char combustion. The transients and the ignition-extinction phenomenon are analyzed with the aid of the pseudo-steady state structure of the problem. There exists a critical particle size, ambient temperature, ambient oxygen concentration and boundary layer thickness above which the particle ignites. There is an optimum particle size for which the burning time is a minimum. Experimentally observed extinction phenomenon of artificially ignited particles is predicted by the model. Also, it is found that the extinction radius decreases with increase in ambient O2 concentration, which is in qualitative agreement with the experimental results. The model is compared with the simple shrinking core model. Le modele etabli pour etudier la dynamique de la combustion d'une particule de carbone comporte les equations de bilans de matiere et d'energie en regime transitoire ainsi qu'un modele aleatoire permettant de predire l'evolution de la surface. Les phenomenes transitoires ainsi que l'ignition et l'extinction sont analyses en utilisant l'hypothese d'un regime pseudo stationnaire. Il existe des valeurs critiques de la dimension de la particule, de la temperature ambiante, de la concentration ambiante en oxygene et de l'epaisseur de la couche limite au-dessus desquelles l'ignition de la particule se produit. Il existe aussi une dimension optimale de particule pour laquelle le temps de combustion est minimum. Le phenomene d'extinction d'une particule apres ignition artificielle, observe experimentalement, est predit par le modele. On trouve egalement que le rayon d'extinction diminue lorsque la concentration ambiante de l'oxygene augmente, ce qui est en accord qualitatif avec les resultats experimentaux. Le modele est compare avec le modele simple du noyau retrecissant (shrinking core).
J-Difference Lactate Editing at 3.0 Tesla in the Presence of Strong Lipids

While not normally present in well-perfused, healthy tissue, lactate has been detected in solid tumors (1–7). The presence of lactate in tumors is thought to be caused by both aerobic glycolysis, a characteristic unique to tumors, and by anaerobic glycolysis in the hypoxic tumor milieu. In combined bioluminescence and oxygen electrode studies, the level of tumor lactate has been shown to correlate negatively with tumor oxygenation and, additionally, with patient outcome in cervical (7) and head and neck (3) cancers. Thus, in addition to being a potential marker of hypoxia, the in vivo measurement of lactate may provide an a priori prognostic marker of patient outcome. In the proton NMR spectrum, the J-coupled lactate methyl (CH3) and methine (CH) protons give rise to a doublet at 1.3 ppm and a quartet at 4.1 ppm, respectively. The methyl resonance is preferable for detection because it is more distant from water and the 3 methyl protons give rise to a stronger signal than the single methine proton. However, the lactate CH3 protons are co-resonant with the methylene (CH2) resonance of lipids. Because solid tumors such as head and neck cancers and sarcomas are located in regions of the body where lipids are abundant, detection of the lactate methyl resonance requires an editing scheme. In this respect, the J-coupling of the lactate resonances is advantageous in that it can form the basis of such a scheme. Numerous investigators have demonstrated lactate editing in the presence of lipids at 1.5 Tesla (T) (5,8). While the expected increase in signal-to-noise ratio at higher field strength should increase the sensitivity for metabolites such as lactate with concentrations in the millimolar range, human in vivo lactate editing in the presence of lipids on the 3T scanner has not been widely reported. To our knowledge, two studies have reported lactate editing in exercised muscle at 3T (9,10). The 3T scanner presents a challenge in that chemical shift effects due to limited radiofrequency (RF) bandwidth in slice selective pulses can result in loss of lactate signal (11–14). The current study extends the use of the dual BASING technique for lactate editing (5,15,16) to 3T and addresses the chemical shift effect as well.
On the relationship between Vickers hardness and yield stress in Al–Zn–Mg–Cu Alloys

Abstract The relationship between Vickers hardness and yield stress was investigated by using data from nineteen datasets from sixteen independent studies, covering six commercial and four experimental alloys. In these datasets, six different product forms that ranged from single crystals to extrusions were used. All datasets showed a linear yield stress–Vickers hardness behavior with the same slope, which was recently reported by the author and his colleagues for alloy 7010 [M. Tiryakioglu et al., Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 631 (2015) 196–200]. The y-intercept, which represents the increase in stress under the indenter during Vickers hardness testing, was different for each dataset. The coefficient of determination, R2, values for the fits of combined data were 0.982 and 0.971 for commercial and experimental alloys, respectively.
Examing Gender DIF on a Multiplechoice Test of Mathematics: A Confirmatory Approach

Do eighth-grade males and females display the same DIF patterns as older examinees? Are the patterns the same for different content areas in mathematics? Does a DIF test for essential dimensionality yield expected results?
Turbulent natural convection of gases in horizontal cylindrical annuli at cryogenic temperatures

Abstract An experimental study of heat transfer by natural convection of helium between horizontal isothermal concentric cylinders at cryogenic temperatures is performed. Overall heat transfer rates, profiles of the time-averaged temperature, and temperature fluctuations are measured for Rayleigh numbers of 8 × 10 6 −2 × 10 9 and for expansion numbers of 0.25–1.0. An equation is presented which correlates the heat transfer data in terms of the expansion number and a Rayleigh number based on the inner- and outer-cylinder diameters. The influence of the Rayleigh number and the expansion number on the time-averaged temperature profiles and the temperature fluctuations is reported. The nature and extent of turbulence in the convective flow, as reflected in the fluctuations of temperature, are also documented.
Lifestyle factors: are they related to vasomotor symptoms and do they modify the effectiveness or side effects of hormone therapy?

This article reviews and summarizes published literature in order to address the following questions: (1) Are lifestyle factors (alcohol use, cigarette exposure, and physical activity) and body mass index (BMI) related to the occurrence of vasomotor symptoms in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women? (2) Do lifestyle factors or BMI modify the effectiveness or side effects of menopausal hormone therapy (HT)? Information was culled from a nonstructured review of English-language literature. Low levels of alcohol consumption (≤1 drink per day for women) do not have a measurable effect on occurrence of vasomotor symptoms; whether greater amounts of alcohol intake would promote vasomotor symptoms cannot be addressed by available literature. Most published studies report that active cigarette smoking is positively associated with vasomotor symptoms. However, a large study found that passive (but not active) smoking (i.e., secondhand smoke exposure) was related to vasomotor symptoms. Studies to date do not support a relation between physical activity and vasomotor symptoms. However, rates of vasomotor symptom reporting were low in these studies, potentially limiting the ability to detect an effect of physical activity. Greater BMI is a risk factor for more vasomotor symptom reporting. The scarcity of data that directly address whether lifestyle factors or BMI modify the effects of HT precludes a substantive response to this question at present. Available literature suggests that smoking and greater body weight are risk factors for vasomotor symptoms; women with vasomotor symptoms who smoke may benefit from smoking cessation, and women who are heavier than ideal body weight may benefit from weight reduction. Whether certain behaviors or BMI raise or lower the risks or benefits of HT remains largely unknown and should be the focus of future research.
t-J ⊥ model and a possible pairing mechanism in the oxide superconductors

We introduce the {ital t}-{ital J}{sub {perpendicular}}'' model as the presence of holes in a two-dimensional {ital XY} spin-{1/2} antiferromagnet, which gives rise to charged particles that carry flux. We find that the problem can be mapped into electrodynamics with constraints, leading to scalar and transversal vector potentials generated by the vorticity charges {ital Q}({ital x})={ital m}({ital x})+(1/2{pi}{theta}){rho}({ital x}) and their currents. Here {ital m}({ital x})=0,{plus minus}1 are chargeless vortices, and {rho}({ital x}) is the density of the electric charges. The scalar potential between the electric charges {rho}({ital x}) is generated by the neutral vortices {ital m}({ital x}). The direct repulsive interaction between the electric charges is screened out by the neutral vortex excitations giving rise to {ital attraction} at large distance. The currents produced by the vortices give rise to gauge fields that also include a Chern-Simons term. The gauge fields represent the transversal part of electrodynamics in 2+1 dimensions and might be responsible for normal-state properties such as linear resistivity.
Detecting the Effects of Wars in the Caucasus Regions of Russia and Georgia Using Radiometrically Normalized DMSP-OLS Nighttime Lights Imagery

Satellite data can provide a remote view of developments in often dangerous conflict zones. Nighttime lights imagery from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS) satellite was used to detect the effects of war in the Caucasus region of Russia and Georgia. To assess changes over time, the data were radiometrically normalized using cities with a relatively stable nighttime lights signature over the course of the study period, 1992-2009. Buffers were created around these stable cities to select the pixels that were then used to normalize cities and towns whose nighttime lighting fluctuated over time. The results show that conflict-related events such as large fires that burn for weeks and large refugee movements are possible to detect, even given the relatively coarse spatial resolution (2.7 km) of the DMSP-OLS imagery.
Enhanced GABAergic network and receptor function in pediatric cortical dysplasia Type IIB compared with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex.

Abstract Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) and cortical dysplasia Type IIB (CDIIB) share histopathologic features that suggest similar epileptogenic mechanisms. This study compared the morphological and electrophysiological properties of cortical cells in tissue from pediatric TSC (n = 20) and CDIIB (n = 20) patients using whole-cell patch clamp recordings and biocytin staining. Cell types were normal-appearing and dysmorphic–cytomegalic pyramidal neurons, interneurons, and giant/balloon cells, including intermediate neuronal–glial cells. In the cortical mantle, giant/balloon cells occurred more frequently in TSC than in CDIIB cases, whereas cytomegalic pyramidal neurons were found more frequently in CDIIB. Cell morphology and membrane properties were similar in TSC and CDIIB cases. Except for giant/balloon and intermediate cells, all neuronal cell types fired action potentials and displayed spontaneous postsynaptic currents. However, the frequency of spontaneous glutamatergic postsynaptic currents in normal pyramidal neurons and interneurons was significantly lower in CDIIB compared with TSC cases and the GABAergic activity was higher in all neuronal cell types in CDIIB. Further, acutely dissociated pyramidal neurons displayed higher sensitivity to exogenous application of GABA in CDIIB compared with TSC cases. These results indicate that, in spite of similar histopathologic features and basic cell membrane properties, TSC and CDIIB display differences in the topography of abnormal cells, excitatory and inhibitory synaptic network properties, and GABA A receptor sensitivity. These differences support the notion that the mechanisms of epileptogenesis could differ in patients with TSC and CDIIB. Consequently, pharmacologic therapies should take these findings into consideration.
Apparent movement of sounds: Auditory autokinesis

An experiment is reported on the effects of manner of signal presentation, visual field, and stimulus complexity on the auditory - autokinesis phenomenon. Auditory autokinesis was observed under all conditions employed. Maximum autokinesis was observed with a 1,000-Hz signal, presented diotically. Methodological considerations were discussed.
Locating prescriptions in pharmacy databases

Prescription records are used in a variety of research and management studies. In recent years, prescription records have been analyzed to assess health risks,[1][1] measure implementation of clinical best practices,[2][2],[3][3] and gauge the impact of cost changes on medication use.[4][4],[5][5]
PHENOLASE ACTIVITY IN RELATION TO SEED VIABILITY.

Oxidase and catalase activity of plant tissues are so frequently used as criteria of metabolism and viability that methods for their quantitative measurement are becoming increasingly important in physiological technique. Quantitative data for catalase, however, are more numerous than those of other oxidases, probably because of the difficulty encountered in making accurate determinations of oxygenases and peroxidases. There are, nevertheless, several important reasons for more frequent estimations of oxidase activity. The physiological function of catalase is still obscure. Oxidases, on the other hand, have been closely associated with the ability of living organisms to bring about transformations of materials otherwise stable at ordinary temperatures. Though our knowledge of oxidation-reduction reactions in vivo is as yet fragmentary, the abundant and diverse experimental evidence which has accumulated makes inescapable the conclusion that oxidases are essential to co-ordinated respiratory and other oxidative activities of plants. The correlation between oxidases and physiological processes has been so definite that these enzymes have been placed in a causal relationship to them. The desirability of a convenient quantitative method for oxidase determination is consequently self-evident. Colorimetric methods for estimation of oxidases have been widely used. These methods have involved the use of such reagents as alpha-naphthol, hydroquinon, pyrogallol, paracresol, orthoand para-aminophenol and others. Though solutions of these reagents are to varying degrees autoxidizable in air, the amount of spontaneous oxidation can be minimized by keeping the hydrion concentration within definite limits for each reagent (6). All of them, however, are appreciably autoxidized in nearly neutral media. This is especially true of two common reagents, phenylenediamine hydrochloride and demethyl-phenylenediamine, which have as a consequence been little used as such in colorimetric estimations of oxidases.
Information Processing Deficits in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Inattentive Type, and Children with Reading Disability

We examined the information processing capabilities of children diagnosed with the inattentive subtype of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who had been characterized as having a sluggish cognitive tempo. Children referred for school-related problems (n = 81) and nonreferred community controls (n = 149) participated. Of the referred children, 24 met criteria for ADHD, 42 met criteria for reading disability (RD), and 9 of these were comorbid for RD and ADHD. Children with ADHD differed from those without ADHD on a visual search task but not on an auditory processing task; the reverse was true for children with RD. Decomposition of the visual search task into component operations demonstrated that children in the ADHD group had a slow processing rate that was not attributable to inattention. The children with ADHD were not globally poor at information processing or inattentive, but they demonstrated diminished speed of visual processing.
Expansion of ribosomally produced natural products: a nitrile hydratase- and Nif11-related precursor family

A new family of natural products has been described in which cysteine, serine and threonine from ribosomally-produced peptides are converted to thiazoles, oxazoles and methyloxazoles, respectively. These metabolites and their biosynthetic gene clusters are now referred to as thiazole/oxazole-modified microcins (TOMM). As exemplified by microcin B17 and streptolysin S, TOMM precursors contain an N-terminal leader sequence and C-terminal core peptide. The leader sequence contains binding sites for the posttranslational modifying enzymes which subsequently act upon the core peptide. TOMM peptides are small and highly variable, frequently missed by gene-finders and occasionally situated far from the thiazole/oxazole forming genes. Thus, locating a substrate for a particular TOMM pathway can be a challenging endeavor. Examination of candidate TOMM precursors has revealed a subclass with an uncharacteristically long leader sequence closely related to the enzyme nitrile hydratase. Members of this nitrile hydratase leader peptide (NHLP) family lack the metal-binding residues required for catalysis. Instead, NHLP sequences display the classic Gly-Gly cleavage motif and have C-terminal regions rich in heterocyclizable residues. The NHLP family exhibits a correlated species distribution and local clustering with an ABC transport system. This study also provides evidence that a separate family, annotated as Nif11 nitrogen-fixing proteins, can serve as natural product precursors (N11P), but not always of the TOMM variety. Indeed, a number of cyanobacterial genomes show extensive N11P paralogous expansion, such as Nostoc, Prochlorococcus and Cyanothece, which replace the TOMM cluster with lanthionine biosynthetic machinery. This study has united numerous TOMM gene clusters with their cognate substrates. These results suggest that two large protein families, the nitrile hydratases and Nif11, have been retailored for secondary metabolism. Precursors for TOMMs and lanthionine-containing peptides derived from larger proteins to which other functions are attributed, may be widespread. The functions of these natural products have yet to be elucidated, but it is probable that some will display valuable industrial or medical activities.
The Form of a North Borneo Nativistic Behavior

IN THE past forty years, systematic studies of micro-temporal cultural change processes of innovation, acculturation, and assimilation have led to formulation of a series of models, on the basis of which dynamic alterations in regularities in customary behavior may be recognized and made a basis for prediction and empirical test, thereby contributing to a general theory of cultural stability and change (Keesing 1953). Only in the last two decades, however, has detailed attention been accorded to sometimes abrupt, often violent, fluctuations in cultural behavior which occur under a variety of conditions. Such short term, turbulent modifications in custom generally have been termed "nativistic movements" and have been defined as adaptive or reformulative responses in internal organization which some cultural systems appear to undergo as a consequence of conditions of disequilibrium arising in cultural contact situations. In this discussion I shall describe the form of a nativistic, or revitalization, movement among the Murut of North Borneo. I shall offer also an analysis of these data with reference to current theory of this type of micro-temporal cultural change. These data are derived from ethnological studies conducted in 1959-60 and 1962-64 as part of research among the Dusun and Murut peoples of North Borneo. The Murut comprise a population of some 22,343 persons, concentrated in the southern portion of the North Borneo Interior Residency.1 Descriptions of some forms of Murut customary behavior are found in the works of Roth (1896), Haddon (1901), and Rutter (1922, 1929). Landgraf's report (1956) of his brief survey of Murut population is the initial study of the group by an ethnographer. I have published accounts recently of Murut customary behavior (1960, 1961). Murut peoples generally subsist today in an economy based on an annual crop of swidden rice. The rice diet is supplemented by root crops grown in small mountainside gardens. The basic subsistence activities are extended through a variety of hunting and gathering techniques. The Murut population long has been in contact with agents of differing cultural traditions. There are evidences, in contemporary material cultural
Cone beam computed tomography and obstructive sleep apnoea

Sleep apnoea is characterized by an intermittent cessation or diminution of airflow during sleep that may result in significant pulmonary and cardiac consequences, and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. It is a common disease that affects approximately 20% of patients who snore, equating to a total prevalence in the population of about 4% of all middle aged men and 2% of women. In reality, due to lack of recognition and the difficulty with obtaining an accurate diagnosis, the actual incidence is likely much higher.
Atomic structure and correlation in vitreous silica by X-ray and neutron diffraction

Abstract X-ray and neutron diffraction patterns from vitreous silica (SiO 2 ) have been measured, and each of the patterns was analyzed to produce an atomic radial distribution function. The two independently obtained distributions differ considerably due to the different relative magnitudes of the scattering amplitudes of the two atom-types for each of the forms of radiation. The experimental results were combined in a ratio calculation which clearly establishes that each of the first three peaks in the atomic distribution represents a single type of atom pairing; Si-O pairs with a 1.6 A inter-atomic separation, O-O pairs at 2.6 A and Si-Si pairs at 3.1–3.2 A. The distribution function peaks for larger separations are shown to represent mixtures of all three types of pairing. This structure is consistent with the random-network theory first proposed by Zachariasen. The validity of the two-pattern ratio method for determining correlation in binaries, or for testing theoretical models, is established.
Exploring micro-incentive strategies for participant compensation in high-burden studies

Micro-incentives represent a new but little-studied trend in participant compensation for user studies. In this paper, we use a combination of statistical analysis and models from labor economics to evaluate three canonical micro-payment schemes in the context of high-burden user studies, where participants wear sensors for extended durations. We look at how these strategies affect compliance, data quality, and retention, and show that when used carefully, micro-payments can be highly beneficial. We find that data quality is different across the micro-incentive schemes we experimented with, and therefore the incentive strategy should be chosen with care. We think that adaptive micro-payment based incentives can be used to successfully incentivize future studies at much lower cost to the study designer, while ensuring high compliance, good data quality, and lower retention issues.
The Lasting Effects of Marijuana Use on Educational Attainment in Midlife

Data from the NLSY79, a U.S. nationally representative longitudinal survey of labor market behavior, sponsored and directed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, was us...
53BP1 and p53 synergize to suppress genomic instability and lymphomagenesis

p53-binding protein 1 (53BP1) participates in the cellular response to DNA double-stranded breaks where it associates with various DNA repair/cell cycle factors including the H2AX histone variant. Mice deficient for 53BP1 (53BP1−/−) are sensitive to ionizing radiation and immunodeficient because of impaired Ig heavy chain class switch recombination. Here we show that, as compared with p53−/− mice, 53BP1−/−/p53−/− animals more rapidly develop tumors, including T cell lymphomas and, at lower frequency, B lineage lymphomas, sarcomas, and teratomas. In addition, T cells from animals deficient for both 53BP1 and p53 (53BP1−/−/p53−/−) display elevated levels of genomic instability relative to T cells deficient for either 53BP1 or p53 alone. In contrast to p53−/− T cell lymphomas, which routinely display aneuploidy but not translocations, 53BP1−/−/p53−/− thymic lymphomas fall into two distinct cytogenetic categories, with many harboring clonal translocations (40%) and the remainder showing aneuploidy (60%). We propose that 53BP1, in the context of p53 deficiency, suppresses T cell lymphomagenesis through its roles in both cell-cycle checkpoints and double-stranded break repair.
Sexual Attitudes and Instructional Set Affect Estimates of Risk and Response Effectiveness

Two hundred and eleven undergraduate men and women were assigned to different instructional set conditions and asked to rate (1) the sexual risk depicted in a set of written items describing problem situations undergraduate women might face when dating or interacting socially with men, and (2) the effectiveness of responses to these situations, described by a set of response codes. Results revealed that sexual attitudes and instructional set were the strongest predictors of both ratings. Gender did, however, predict risk ratings for stranger and authority figure situations, with women rating these situations as more risky than men. In addition, women assigned to the risk instructional set condition rated refusal responses as more effective in decreasing risk than did men in the same condition. In contrast, women assigned to the popularity instructional set condition rated the same refusal responses as less effective in increasing popularity than did men in that condition.
A Simplified Method to Determine Functional Residual Capacity during Mechanical Ventilation

We describe a nonrecirculating helium-rebreathing method providing rapid and simple measurement of the functional residual capacity (FRC) in spontaneously breathing subjects and patients receiving mechanical ventilation. Results of triplicate determinations in 24 normal subjects revealed a repeatability of ±5.2 percent of the measured FRC, results similar to those predicted for these subjects. Results in six additional subjects were not significantly different from those obtained with a standard method using helium equilibration in the pulmonary function laboratory. Triplicate determinations in eight patients after cardiac surgery demonstrated similar repeatability. In 22 other patients studied after open-heart surgery, the FRC fell more in those who could not be weaned than in those who could be weaned from the respirator. Since an increase in FRC is the goal of therapy with positive end-expiratory pressure, this method should be useful in determining the efficacy of a particular level of positive end-expiratory pressure.
Randomized phase II trial of three schedules of pemetrexed and gemcitabine as front-line therapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Purpose A randomized three-arm phase II study was undertaken to evaluate the optimum administration schedule of pemetrexed and gemcitabine in chemotherapy-naive patients with non–small-cell lung cancer. Patients and Methods Patients were randomly assigned to three schedules of pemetrexed 500 mg/m2 plus gemcitabine 1,250 mg/m2, separated by a 90-minute interval, on a 21-day cycle as follows: schedule A, pemetrexed followed by gemcitabine on day 1 and gemcitabine on day 8; schedule B, gemcitabine followed by pemetrexed on day 1 and gemcitabine on day 8; and schedule C, gemcitabine on day 1 and pemetrexed followed by gemcitabine on day 8. Results One hundred fifty-two eligible patients (schedule A, n = 59; schedule B, n = 31, and schedule C, n = 62) received a median of five (schedule A), two (schedule B), and four (schedule C) treatment cycles. Overall, 66% of patients experienced grade 3 or 4 neutropenia. Common grade 3 and 4 nonhematologic toxicities were dyspnea (11%), fatigue (16%), and transaminase ele...