cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of remote sensing observations on cross-shelf transport estimates from 4D-Var analyses of the Mid-Atlantic Bight

Abstract This paper explores the impact of the individual components of a coastal ocean observing system on estimates of the circulation derived from a state-of-the-art analysis and forecast system for the Mid-Atlantic Bight and Gulf of Maine. The foundation of these activities is the Regional Ocean Modeling System 4-dimensional variational (4D-Var) data assimilation platform, which is run in support of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System as part of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System. The specific focus of this study is on the impact of remote sensing observations from both space- and land-based platforms on estimates of cross-shelf transport in the vicinity of the National Science Foundation Ocean Observatories Initiative Pioneer array. Sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface height (SSH) were found to have, on average, a similar impact on the transport estimates. However, during a typical 3-day 4D-Var assimilation cycle, approximately two orders of magnitude more observations of SST than SSH are used in the model, and closer analysis shows that each altimeter measurement has approximately 50 times more impact on the transport estimates than an individual SST observation. This highlights the value of altimetry data for ocean state estimation, and the significance of expanding the altimeter constellation. The observations that are most impactful of all are in situ measurements of temperature and salinity, which have typically 3-4 times more impact than an individual SSH datum. A robust geographical distribution of the observation impacts emerges across a range of transport metrics which results from the combined influence of space-time dynamical interpolation and error covariance information within the 4D-Var system. The observation impact calculations suggest that High Frequency (HF) radar estimates of surface currents have relatively little direct influence on cross-shelf transport estimates. However, quantification of the sensitivity of these same estimates to changes in the observing system indicate that HF radar observations indirectly provide important information. This is understood in the current system by appealing to the idea of borrowing strength from the field of statistics in which some observations (satellite remote sensing in the case considered here) can borrow strength from other, seemingly less important observations.
Loss of HIPK2 Protects Neurons from Mitochondrial Toxins by Regulating Parkin Protein Turnover.

Mitochondria are important sources of energy, but they are also the target of cellular stress, toxin exposure, and aging-related injury. Persistent accumulation of damaged mitochondria has been implicated in many neurodegenerative diseases. One highly conserved mechanism to clear damaged mitochondria involves the E3 ubiquitin ligase Parkin and PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1), which cooperatively initiate the process called mitophagy that identifies and eliminates damaged mitochondria through the autophagosome and lysosome pathways. Parkin is a mostly cytosolic protein, but is rapidly recruited to damaged mitochondria and target them for mitophagy. Moreover, Parkin interactomes also involve signaling pathways and transcriptional machinery critical for survival and cell death. However, the mechanism that regulates Parkin protein level remains poorly understood. Here, we show that the loss of homeodomain interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) in neurons and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) has a broad protective effect from cell death induced by mitochondrial toxins. The mechanism by which Hipk2 -/- neurons and MEFs are more resistant to mitochondrial toxins is in part due to the role of HIPK2 and its kinase activity in promoting Parkin degradation via the proteasome-mediated mechanism. The loss of HIPK2 leads to higher cytosolic Parkin protein levels at basal conditions and upon exposure to mitochondrial toxins, which protects mitochondria from toxin-induced damage. In addition, Hipk2 -/- neurons and MEFs show increased expression of PGC-1α (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1), a Parkin downstream target that can provide additional benefits via transcriptional activation of mitochondrial genes. Together, these results reveal a previously unrecognized avenue to target HIPK2 in neuroprotection via the Parkin-mediated pathway.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In this study, we provide evidence that homeodomain interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) and its kinase activity promote Parkin degradation via the proteasome-mediated pathway. The loss of HIPK2 increases cytosolic and mitochondrial Parkin protein levels under basal conditions and upon exposure to mitochondrial toxins, which protect mitochondria from toxin-induced damage. In addition, Hipk2 -/- neurons and mouse embryonic fibroblasts also show increased expression of PGC-1α (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1), a Parkin downstream target that can provide additional benefits via transcriptional activation of mitochondrial genes. These results indicate that targeting HIPK2 and its kinase activity can have neuroprotective effects by elevating Parkin protein levels.
Intravenous (IV) cefazolin with oral probenecid: A novel daily regimen for the management of Methicillin Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia in a patient with renal dysfunction

A 78 year old man developed a methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) post-operative wound infection following an elective L2-L4 laminectomy. He was treated with surgical debridement which was to be followed by a planned 6 weeks course of cefazolin. However, two weeks post debridement, a follow-up MRI revealed an L3-L5 epidural abscess, septic arthritis and vertebral osteomyelitis prompting repeat surgical debridement. No purulence was noted, and operative cultures were negative for growth. His hospital course was complicated by acute kidney injury and a renal biopsy reveled crescentic glomerulonephritis consistent with post infectious glomerulonephritis. He was treated with daptomycin, followed by oral linezolid. Five months after his original laminectomy, he developed purulent drainage from his back wound. Blood cultures grew MSSA and a repeat aspirate done by interventional radiology also grew MSSA. He improved with nafcillin and was transitioned to telavancin on discharge to facilitate once daily treatment. While on telavancin he developed increasing back pain and fever. Therefore, the regimen was changed to IV cefazolin and oral probenecid for five weeks followed by oral cephalexin to complete a total of 12 weeks of therapy. There is no evidence of disease recurrence one year after completion of therapy. IV cefazolin with oral probenecid may represent a once daily IV treatment option for patients with MSSA bacteremia and kidney disease.
Kinetics and modelling of carbon dioxide absorption into aqueous solutions of N-methyldiethanolamine

A wetted-sphere absorber was used to acquire kinetic data for the aqueous phase reaction between CO2 and N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA). Data were obtained over the temperature range of 293–342 K for partial pressures of CO2 near atmospheric and for 10–30 mass% MDEA. The data are consistent with a mechanism in which MDEA catalyzes the hydrolysis of CO2. Three different mathematical models which are based on Higbie's penetration theory were developed and used to estimate the forward rate coefficient of the MDEA-catalyzed hydrolysis of CO2 reaction. A comparison of the numerical results of the three models indicates that the effect of the reaction between hydroxide and CO2 is significant, especially when estimating the rate coefficient of the CO2/MDEA reaction for unloaded aqueous MDEA solutions. Neglecting the CO2/OH− reaction can result in large errors in the rate coefficient for the MDEA-catalyzed hydrolysis reaction, especially at the higher temperatures. The second-order rate coefficients of the MDEA-catalyzed hydrolysis reaction for 10 mass% MDEA, which were estimated according to the most general model, are approximated by the following Arrhenius equation: k21=2.91 x 107 exp−4579T
Large-Scale Free Energy Calculations on a Computational Metal–Organic Frameworks Database: Toward Synthetic Likelihood Predictions

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have captivated the research community due to their modular crystal structure that can be tailored to suit diverse applications. However, identifying ideal MOFs for ...
Biologically Inspired Decentralized Adaptive Optimal Tracking Control For Large Scale Multi-Agent Systems with Input Constraint

In this paper, the online decentralized adaptive optimal tracking control problem has been investigated specifically for multi-agent system (MAS) with large population and input constraints. Most conventional MAS tracking control algorithms that deals with input constraints are suffering from the "curse of Dimensionality". Their effectiveness could be degraded significantly when the scale of MAS is relatively large. Therefore, in this paper, a novel online learning based decentralized optimal control strategy has been developed to tackle these challenges by engaging the emerging Mean Field Games (MFG) theory with a novel biologically inspired Actor-Critic-Mass (BI-ACM) learning scheme. Specifically, a biologically inspired Neural Network that mimics human brain is designed based on the Spiking Neural Network (SNN). The designed SNNs can effectively reduce the computation complexity through adaptively activating the necessary neurons based on real-time learning behavior. Similar to human brains, the BI-ACM includes three regions of neurons including 1) the reward region to approximate the optimal cost function which specially designed for the input constraints, 2) MAS population estimation region to predict the affects from other agents, and 3) action region to compute the optimal control. Moreover, a novel SNN weights update law based on gradient descent has been develop in this paper. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed scheme have been validated through a series of numerical simulations.
A Brief History of Functional Analysis: An Update

The present chapter includes an update of a previously published chapter on the history of functional analysis. This edition outlines the development of the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and the advent of behavioral functional analyses (FA). Methodological extensions of the initial FA study described by Iwata and colleagues over the years are summarized. The chapter includes descriptions of expansions of functional analyses across methodology, populations, behaviors, settings and individuals, idiosyncratic variables, and duration. This chapter also touches on pivotal studies as well as relevant reviews of the literature. Crucial current issues are identified and future directions for the field of functional analysis are discussed.
Ripplons and Superfluidity in 3He Monolayers

In our continuing effort to establish the existence of superfluidity in He3 monolayers physisorbed on liquid He4, we calculated the ripplon spectrum in liquid He4, and obtained wave functions describing ripplons. The latter, when exchanged between He3 quasiparticles, are expected to enhance the pairing mechanism and thereby raise the transition temperature.
Discovery of Player Strategies in a Serious Game

Serious games are popular computer games that frequently simulate real-world events or processes designed for the purpose of solving a problem. Although they are often entertaining, their main purpose is to train or educate users. Not surprisingly, users exhibit different game play behaviors because of their diverse background and game experience. To improve the educational effectiveness of these games, it is important to understand and learn from the interaction between the users and the game engine. This paper presents a study attempting to apply machine learning techniques to the game log to discover: a) strategies that are common to players interacting with serious games and b) variances in the demographics of the player base for these strategies. This is an empirical study with end-user data while playing Missing, a serious game developed to help mitigate biases that people may exhibit when analyzing plausible hypothesis for observed events. We found a set of common strategies and interesting variances in player demographics associated with these strategies.
How may you help me

Most of us have had so many bad experiences with service personnel over the years that we harbor the illusion that doing things for ourselves is faster and better.
Continuous skeletal muscle paralysis: effect on neonatal pulmonary mechanics.

Pancuronium bromide (Pavulon) is used to induce skeletal muscle paralysis in preterm infants, presumably for effective ventilatory support during acute respiratory failure. Twelve infants with respiratory failure were evaluated for sequential changes in pulmonary mechanics during continuous pancuronium administration (0.1 mg/kg every two to three hours) for more than 48 hours. The study weight of the neonates ranged from 980 to 2,950 g, and the postconceptional age ranged from 27 to 41 weeks. Pulmonary compliance, resistance, and resistive work of breathing were determined, using least mean square analysis technique, daily for three days and after discontinuation of pancuronium (even though there was no clinical improvement in ventilatory management). The dynamic pulmonary compliance decreased from 0.38 +/- 0.05 to 0.30 +/- 0.04 mL/cm H2O/kg (mean +/- SE) (P less than .05) and the total pulmonary resistance increased 51% from 115.6 +/- 21.3 to 174.9 +/- 27.3 cm H2O/L/s (P less than .005) during prolonged skeletal muscle paralysis. Upon discontinuation of pancuronium, the dynamic pulmonary compliance increased 43% to 0.43 +/- 0.4 mL/cm H2O/kg (P less than .05) and the total pulmonary resistance decreased by 41% (P less than .005). These data question the advisability of prolonged skeletal muscle paralysis in neonates and suggest the need for further detailed evaluation of the effects of prolonged paralysis on neonatal pulmonary mechanics.
Cascade semiconductor lasers for telecommunications

The topics discussed include: improving the noise figure with cascade lasers; bipolar cascade lasers; and noise and correlations in cascade lasers. The noise figures for various directly modulated links tend to decrease with increased link gain. Since the received noise is limited by the shot noise floor, large enhancements in the NF must be made through improvements in the intrinsic link gain and hence the modulation efficiency. Bipolar cascade lasers are a new class of laser structures which can be directly modulated and do not have any of the conventional restrictions on loss of electrical signal strength or increased noise. The correlation in the photon emission in lasers connected electrically can be experimentally obtained by measuring the correlation in the photon intensity noise spectral density of the lasers. Noise correlations limit the improvement in noise figure despite the enhanced link gain.
Using Item Analysis Data as a Tool to Inform Instruction in the Mathematics Classroom: A Model of Data-Driven Instruction

This article presents a method of using assessment data to help increase student learning and promote a variety of instructional practices in mathematics. The specific model being introduced links the assessment data from the New York State testing program in mathematics to instructional strategies applied in the mathematics classroom. Moreover, this model incorporates the application of an item analysis of the New York State Grades 3–8 Mathematics tests. This item analysis, developed by the New York City Department of Education, provides test data information which will help inform instruction by connecting assessment data to mathematics instructional approaches.
YOU & YOUR AGING PARENT: A FAMILY GUIDE TO EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, HEALTH, AND FINANCIAL PROBLEMS

This book focuses on the relationships between adult children and their aging parents. It reviews challenges that adult children face when dealing with their aging parents. Two chapters that I foun...
Pregnancy-induced adaptations in the intrinsic structure of rat pelvic floor muscles.

Objective Maternal birth trauma to the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) is a major risk factor for pelvic floor disorders. Modeling and imaging studies suggest that demands placed on PFMs during childbirth exceed their physiologic limits; however many parous women do not sustain PFM injury. Here we determine whether pregnancy induces adaptations in PFM architecture, the strongest predictor of muscle function, and/or intramuscular extracellular matrix (ECM), responsible for load bearing. To establish if parallel changes occur in muscles outside of the PFM, we also examined a hind limb muscle. Study Design Coccygeus, iliocaudalis, pubocaudalis, and tibialis anterior of 3-month-old Sprague-Dawley virgin, mid-pregnant, and late-pregnant; 6-month-old virgin; and 4- and 12-week postpartum rats (N = 10/group) were fixed in situ and harvested. Major architectural parameters determining muscle's excursion and force-generating capacity were quantified, namely, normalized fiber length (L fn ), physiologic cross-sectional area, and sarcomere length. Hydroxyproline content was used as a surrogate for intramuscular ECM quantity. Analyses were performed by 2-way analysis of variance with Tukey post hoc testing at a significance level of .05. Results Pregnancy induced a significant increase in L fn in all PFMs by the end of gestation relative to virgin controls. Fibers were elongated by 37% in coccygeus ( P P fn change was observed in the tibialis anterior. Physiologic cross-sectional area and sarcomere length were not affected by pregnancy. By 12 weeks' postpartum, L fn of all PFMs returned to the prepregnancy values. Relative to virgin controls, ECM increased by 140% in coccygeus, 52% in iliocaudalis, and 75% in pubocaudalis in late-pregnant group, but remained unchanged across time in the tibialis anterior. Postpartum, ECM collagen content returned to prepregnancy levels in iliocaudalis and pubocaudalis, but continued to be significantly elevated in coccygeus ( P Conclusion This study demonstrates that pregnancy induces unique adaptations in the structure of the PFMs, which adjust their architectural design by adding sarcomeres in series to increase fiber length as well as mounting a substantial synthesis of collagen in intramuscular ECM.
Low frequency scattering from dielectric objects-a simplified approach

This paper presents a simplified method for determining the coefficients in a low frequency expansion of the electric and magnetic fields for the problem of scattering by penetrable homogeneous dielectric (both lossy and lossless) bodies.
Design, capabilities and performance of a miniaturized airborne GPS receiver for space applications

A GPS receiver for NASA's Space Shuttle GPS development Flight Test (DFT) Program has been developed by the Collins Avionics & Communications Division (CACD), Rockwell International. This development receiver-a prototype-subsequently is referred to as the DFT unit. It is a hybrid of hardware from Rockwell's 3M receiver and software from the DoD standard miniaturized airborne GPS receiver (MAGR), also built by Rockwell's CACD division. The only modifications to the receiver's hardware baseline were those required to accommodate a serial data interface that is unique to the Space Shuttle, and to accommodate an inertial aiding format. Modifications to the MAGR software baseline were also made to extend the GPS receiver's capabilities to address performance requirements peculiar to low Earth orbit space flight. Accommodating higher range rates and more rapid changes in satellite visibility were among the additional requirements. >
Software fault tolerance using hierarchical N-version programming

An extension to N-version programming is proposed, where a problem is viewed as a set of objects which can be hierarchically organized into several levels. N-version programming is then applied to objects at different levels. The concept of recovery metaprogram (RMP) is used to provide the needed support and the Ada language is used to make this scheme more concrete. >
Yoga and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (Y-MBCT©): Use of Yoga in Its Entirety

Psychotherapy (psychological therapy; popularly known as the talk therapy) is a general term that refers to the psychological interventions executed by a trained professional to decrease distress and/or improve functioning in a client, patient, family, couple, or group. Applied psychology or psychotherapy is the study of the mind and mental states that focuses on the various mental phenomena that will facilitate or hinder one’s progress toward mental well-being. Psychotherapy in its varied paradigms and delivery models consists of an exchange of information, dialogue, and interventions directed toward eliciting change in the clients. As mentioned in chapter three, all experiences including psychotherapeutic experiences are representations in the brain, and achieving the psychotherapeutic goals (e.g., insight, affect modulation, decreased relational conflict) depends on some degree of modifications to these representations by causing changes into the perceptual, memory, and emotional systems that work both ambiently and enduringly within the brain. It is important to understand that memory is state dependent in the sense that there is a relationship between encoding cues and retrieval cues and that retrieval is a reconstructive process, not an actual replica of experience (Pally 1997, 2005).
A Generalized Model of Pricing for Homogeneous Goods under Imperfect Information

This paper generalizes the model developed in Wilde and Schwartz (1979) to allow downward sloping demand curves and u-shaped average cost curves. It shows that the basic qualitative conclusions of Wilde and Schwartz still hold. Moreover, it shows that the critical proportion of comparison shoppers needed to generate a competitive equilibrium falls as demand becomes more elastic or average costs become more inelastic. Finally, it shows that when imperfect information generates non-competitive outcomes, they are bounded below, in welfare terms, by the monopolistically competitive equilibrium.
Computational complexity in quantum chemistry

Abstract Different areas of quantum chemistry encounter exponential complexity of the underlying exact wavefunctions. The suggested solutions are specific to each subdivision. On the other hand, recent developments in quantum computing theory prove that a general ground state search problem with two-body Hamiltonians cannot be solved in polynomial time. We suggest that a quantum chemical problem of the ground state energy search, with particles coupled via non-relativistic Coulomb operator, is also non-polynomial in time with respect to the system size. The consequences of this are explored, with an emphasis on the complexity of the quantum potential in quantum trajectory approach.
An assessment of the crack tip potential of β-titanium alloys during hydrogen environmentally assisted crack propagation based on crack tip and passive surface electrochemical measurements

We have previously proposed a scenario for intergranular hydrogen-assisted crack initiation of metastable β-titanium alloys exposed to aqueous chloride solution. This scenario requires the loss of potentiostatic control due to ohmic drop in solution such that the crack tip potential falls to a potential where hydrogen production is viable regardless of the applied potential. It is of interest to examine the crack tip potential during crack growth to discern whether hydrogen production is viable during crack growth as well. Crack tip potential excursions were examined by analyzing crack tip and passive film currents. The magnitude of the galvanic currents between filmed surfaces and the bare crack tip were estimated using a model compact tension specimen, which comprises a fixture with a similar geometry to an actual compact tension specimen. These experiments indicate that capacitive charging and discharging occurs on the passive surfaces surrounding a depassivated crack tip. High speed measurements of crack tip anodic current during potentiostatic crack growth indicate that coupling of the crack tip to the counter electrode is incomplete. Unaccounted charge suggests that a significant amount of current is supplied by the bare surface itself and that the crack tip approaches its bare surface open circuit potential during crack growth. Thus, hydrogen production was found to be viable during crack growth even though the applied potential was more positive than the reversible potential for hydrogen production.
Criteria of facial attractiveness in five populations

The theory of sexual selection suggests several possible explanations for the development of standards of physical attractiveness in humans. Asymmetry and departures from average proportions may be markers of the breakdown of developmental stability. Supernormal traits may present age- and sex-typical features in exaggerated form. Evidence from social psychology suggests that both average proportions and (in females) "neotenous" facial traits are indeed more attractive. Using facial photographs from three populations (United States, Brazil, Paraguayan Indians), rated by members of the same three populations, plus Russians and Venezuelan Indians, we show that age, average features, and (in females) feminine/neotenous features all play a role in facial attractiveness.
Penetration of Fluorescein Across the Rabbit Cornea from the Endothelial Surface

To model the kinetics of penetration of fluorescein across the cornea from the endothelial surface. Rabbit corneas mounted in vitro were exposed to fluorescein at their endothelial surface. Trans-corneal fluorescence were acquired periodically for 6 h using a custom-built confocal microfluorometer. The profiles were then employed to fit a kinetic model for calculation of permeability and diffusion coefficients across the cellular layers and stroma, respectively. At the endothelium-stroma and stroma-epithelium interfaces, the fluorescence profile exhibited sudden jumps. In each case, the fluorescence was higher at the stroma, indicating reduced partitioning of the dye into the lipid-rich cellular layers. The stroma did not swell significantly until 180 min of perfusion. The fluorescence profiles reached a pseudo-steady state at ~6 h. A transport model, which included convective and diffusive fluxes into the stroma, showed a good fit to the trans-corneal profiles at different time points. The estimated permeability coefficients for the cellular layers were close to the values reported previously, but the diffusion coefficient of fluorescein in the stroma was found to be smaller than the values obtained previously using Ussing chambers. The penetration of fluorescein could be modeled accurately by a combination of diffusion and convection.
Microbe-driventurnoverosetsminer al-mediated storage of soil carbon under elevated CO 2

Much uncertainty in the response of soil organic carbon (SOC) to climate change relates to the relative effects of microbial priming and mineral protection. Now research indicates that although protected C provides an important constraint on microbial priming, it is not sufficient to prevent reduced SOC storage in most terrestrial areas.
Review of the Forest fire model for high explosives

Forest fire is a burn model for reactive hydro simulations that is widely used to describe both initiation and propagation of detonation waves in solid high explosives. Here we thoroughly review the assumptions of the model. In analogy with Whitham–Chisnell shock dynamics, we derive the Forest fire rate based on a characteristic analysis of a shock-to-detonation transition. Code issues with implementing the Forest fire model are also discussed. The analysis leading to the Forest fire rate is more general than the simplifying assumptions used by the model. The Forest fire analysis provides important constraints needed for any burn model to fit shock initiation data. This data is fundamental to ignition sensitivity of high explosives.
Spreader Performance Evaluation for Forest Land Application of Wood and Fly Ash

Land application is an important disposal alternative for ash, but materials handling and spreading difficulties are obstacles to increased utilization of this alternative, especially in forest situations. A horizontal spinner-type spreader mounted on a forwarder, a specialized tractor for hauling logs out of the forest, was used to conduct distribution pattern trials spreading wood ash and fly ash in a pine (Pinus sp.) plantation stand. The materials were spread at two conveyor speeds, and the results were analyzed for application rate and spreading uniformity, as indicated by coefficient of variation (CV), at different simulated swath widths. Spreader uniformity was generally poor in comparison to standards for spreading fertilizer, and the uniformity results were inconsistent from one trial to the next. Both of the materials exhibited similar trends, however, with best uniformities (indicated by minimum CV values) occurring at both narrow (5.5-7.3 m) and wide (10.9-12.8 m) simulated swath widths. At the 19 cm s -1 speed, fairly high application rates were achieved with fly ash, which was dry and uniform in consistency. The wood ash, which was wet and mud-like in consistency, could only be spread satisfactorily at a lower application rate (7.1 cm s -1 conveyor speed). For the operating conditions used in these tests, estimated costs (for spreading only) at an application rate of 10 Mg ha -1 ranged from $1.31 Mg -1 ($1.35 m -3 ) to $2.62 Mg -1 ($2.70 m -3 ), depending on loading and travel time requirements.
Locus coeruleus neurons from morphine-treated rats do not show opiate-withdrawal hyperactivity in vitro

Abstract In vitro studies have not consistently demonstrated naloxone-precipitated opiate-withdrawal hyperactivity of locus coeruleus neurons. The reason for this inconsistency may be because partial or complete withdrawal occurred during preparation of the locus coeruleus slice. The aim of the present study was to assay opiate withdrawal-related hyperactivity in neurons recorded from locus coeruleus slices while ensuring the maintenance of dependence until naloxone-precipitated withdrawal. Extracellular recordings were obtained from individual locus coeruleus neurons in slices from morphine-treated and drug-naive rats. Morphine 1 μM was present in all solutions during preparation and recording in slices from morphine-treated rats. The average firing rate of the drug-naive controls was 0.93 Hz (±0.04 Hz). Bath application of morphine (1 μM) almost completely suppressed firing in drug-naive controls (0.058 Hz, ±0.04 Hz, n=12), whereas in solutions containing 1 μM morphine, the firing rate of cells from morphine-treated rats averaged 0.71 Hz (±0.05 Hz), indicating considerable, but incomplete tolerance. In the same slices, naloxone increased the average spontaneous firing of locus coeruleus cells to 0.96 Hz (±0.04 Hz). Thus, naloxone did not produce withdrawal hyperactivity, but returned the cells from morphine-treated rats to control rates. We conclude that locus coeruleus cells in locus coeruleus slice preparations from morphine-treated rats did not demonstrate withdrawal-related hyperactivity even when dependence was maintained until naloxone-precipitated withdrawal. Thus, our results do not support a role for adaptations intrinsic to locus coeruleus neurons in withdrawal hyperexcitability, but instead imply the necessity of functional afferent activity.
An Artificial β-Sheet That Dimerizes through Parallel β-Sheet Interactions

This Article introduces a simple chemical model of a β-sheet (artificial β-sheet) that dimerizes by parallel β-sheet formation in chloroform solution. The artificial β-sheet consists of two N-terminally linked peptide strands that are linked with succinic or fumaric acid and blocked along one edge with a hydrogen-bonding template composed of 5-aminoanisic acid hydrazide. The template is connected to one of the peptide strands by a turn unit composed of (S)-2-aminoadipic acid (Aaa). 1H NMR spectroscopic studies show that these artificial β-sheets fold in CDCl3 solution to form well-defined β-sheet structures that dimerize through parallel β-sheet interactions. Most notably, all of these compounds show a rich network of NOEs associated with folding and dimerization. The compounds also exhibit chemical shifts and coupling constants consistent with the formation of folded dimeric β-sheet structures. The aminoadipic acid unit shows patterns of NOEs and coupling constants consistent with a well-defined turn con...
Deconvolution Correction for Wandering in Wingtip Vortex Flowfield Data

A deconvolution method is presented for correcting the smoothing effect caused by vortex wandering in velocity measurements of wingtip vortices. Flowfield velocity data are acquired using SPIV in an open-jet wind tunnel at several streamwise locations. A parametric Wiener filter that incorporates an estimate of the noise-to-signal ratio and the joint probability density function of the vortex motion is applied to correct for the wandering using a Fourier-domain deconvolution approach. In order to assess the accuracy of the correction, the instantaneous vector fields obtained from SPIV are shifted to the mean vortex center, and then averaged to yield the uncorrupted vortex flowfield. The unshifted mean flowfield data is then corrected by deconvolution and is then compared with the uncorrupted vortex flowfield. The results show that the deconvolution technique accurately corrects for the vortex wandering.
Operators in the paradox of the knower

Predicates are term-to-sentence devices, and operators are sentence-to-sentence devices. What Kaplan and Montague's Paradox of the Knower demonstrates is that necessity and other modalities cannot be treated as predicates, consistent with arithmetic; they must be treated as operators instead. Such is the current wisdom. A number of previous pieces have challenged such a view by showing that a predicative treatment of modalities neednot raise the Paradox of the Knower. This paper attempts to challenge the current wisdom in another way as well: to show that mere appeal to modal operators in the sense of sentence-to-sentence devices is insufficient toescape the Paradox of the Knower. A family of systems is outlined in which closed formulae can encode other formulae and in which the diagonal lemma and Paradox of the Knower are thereby demonstrable for operators in this sense.
TWO-PHASE COMPOSITE MODEL FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE CEMENTITIOUS COMPOSITES

This paper presents a new constitutive model for fiber-reinforced cementitious composite materials (FRCC), which is particularly suitable for High Performance Cementitious Composites (HP2C). The model is a two-phase composite model, one phase presenting the matrix, the other the composite fibers. In addition, the matrix-fiber interaction is taken into account as internal cross-effects (i.e., thermodynamic couplings) between the irreversible deformations of the composite constituents. From one-dimensional thermodynamics, the partial stresses in the matrix and fibers are derived as thermodynamic forces associated with the irreversible deformations of matrix and fibers, respectively. Next, the identification of the model parameters from tensile data is detailed. In particular, it is shown that the model allows quantification of the ductility enhancement of HP2C in comparison with ordinary FRCC, through two material parameters derived from the constitutive model: a matrix-fiber coupling modulus and a friction-to-fracture strength ratio, to which we refer as ductility ratio. The physical significance of these model parameters is discussed in the context of micromechanical theory. The coupling modulus is found to depend mainly on the fiber volume fraction and the matrix quality. The ductility ratio depends on four material design parameters, which are intrinsic to the matter, and which are not affected by structural size effects. We conclude that any ductility gain, which can be obtained through the use of HP2C, is only related to the mix design, and not to structural dimensions.
Endocannabinoid blockade for improving glycemic control and lipids in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Abstract Rimonabant significantly reduces weight and waist circumference and improves dyslipidemias in overweight and obese patients without diabetes mellitus. Numerous other metabolic changes, including reduced prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and associated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, reduced fasting glucose, and elevated adiponectin, have been demonstrated with the administration of rimonabant. The Rimonabant-in-Obesity (RIO)–Diabetes trial studied the safety and efficacy of rimonabant in overweight and obese patients with type 2 diabetes who were treated with metformin or sulfonylureas. RIO-Diabetes was a 1-year, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study of 1,047 overweight/obese patients with type 2 diabetes in 151 centers in 11 countries. The body mass index of participants ranged from 27 to 40. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA 1c ) at screening ranged from 6.5% to 10.0%. All patients were receiving either metformin or sulfonylurea therapy and were asked to follow a hypocaloric diet (600 kcal/day deficit [1 kcal=4.2 kJ]) for the duration of the trial. After a 4-week placebo plus diet run-in period, patients were randomized to receive placebo or rimonabant 5 mg or 20 mg once daily. At 1 year, absolute change in weight from baseline in the intention-to-treat, last observation carried forward analysis of the rimonabant 5 mg and 20 mg groups, respectively, was loss of 2.3 kg and 5.3 kg compared with 1.4 kg in the placebo group ( P = 0.013 and P P = 0.034 and P 1c reductions of 0.1% and 0.6% were significant in the rimonabant 5-mg and 20-mg groups ( P = 0.034 and P 1c and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol could not be attributed to observed weight loss. Compared with placebo, rimonabant 20 mg also demonstrated significant improvements in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and improvement in its constituents, as well as systolic blood pressure and C-reactive protein levels (assay by ICON Laboratories, Farmingdale, NY and Dublin, Ireland). Rimonabant is the first selective cannabinoid 1 blocker studied for type 2 diabetes and associated CVD risk factor therapy. Its ability to improve the numerous metabolic pathologies associated with diabetes and CVD risk and concomitantly to reduce weight and waist circumference introduces a strongly positive new dynamic in type 2 diabetes treatment. Its multifactorial mechanisms warrant further investigation and may provide insights into other pathologies.
Current treatment options to prevent perinatal transmission of herpes simplex virus.

Neonatal herpes is a potentially devastating consequence of perinatal transmission of the herpes simplex virus (HSV), with significant morbidity and mortality. Treatment options are available, but must begin early in disease with manifestations that are often protean. Thus, preventive measures need to be optimised. Antiviral suppression in late pregnancy of women with a history of recurrent genital herpes will decrease symptomatic recurrence at delivery and appears to reduce caesarian section rates. However, primary HSV Type 2 and primary HSV Type 1 episodes have the highest neonatal transmission rates and thus, effective prevention may require the identification and suppression of the discordant partner. Significant experience has been gained with the use of acyclovir in pregnancy and it is recommended for both episodic and suppressive therapy in pregnant women. Its use has been demonstrated to be cost-effective in suppressive therapy, although issues regarding compliance and the potential for neonatal n...
Climate Engineering/Geoengineering Research

As the subjects of global warming and climate change gain greater acceptance by society as a whole, the more interest students, faculty, and other researchers will have in accessing information on climate engineering solutions to counter or solve this problem. Simple definitions and background information for climate engineering and its various processes are scarce in reference materials. However, there are numerous books and news articles on the subjects concerning the possible solutions for global warming and climate change. This article examines research for climate engineering/geoengineering in the form of journal articles and gives highlights of some useful resources.
Bilateral trade with the sealed bid k-double auction: Existence and efficiency

For k in the unit interval, the k-double auction determines the terms of trade when a buyer and a seller negotiate transfer of an item. The buyer submits a bid b and the seller submits an offer s. Trade occurs if b exceeds s, at price kb + (1 − k) s. We model trade as a Bayesian game in which each trader privately knows his reservation value, but only has beliefs about the other trader's value. Existence of a multiplicity of equilibria is proven for a class of trader's beliefs. For generic beliefs, however, these equilibria are shown to be ex ante inefficient.
Binge-like consumption of ethanol and other salient reinforcers is blocked by orexin-1 receptor inhibition and leads to a reduction of hypothalamic orexin immunoreactivity.

Background Orexin (OX) neurons originating in the lateral hypothalamus (LH) are ideally positioned to modulate reward processing as they form connections with several key brain regions known to be involved in the reward pathway. Consistent with these findings, a growing number of studies have implicated the OX system in modulating the rewarding properties of several drugs of abuse, including ethanol (EtOH). However, the role of the OX system in excessive binge-like EtOH intake remains relatively unexplored. Here, we assessed changes in OX immunoreactivity (IR) in the hypothalamus following repeated cycles of binge-like EtOH drinking and assessed the participation of the OX-1 receptor (OX1R) in binge-like EtOH consumption. Methods The drinking-in-the-dark (DID) paradigm was used to model binge-like EtOH drinking in male C57BL/6J mice. In the first experiment, mice experienced 1 or 3 cycles of binge-like EtOH or sucrose drinking with DID procedures to assess changes in OX IR in distinct subregions of the hypothalamus. Subsequent experiments examined binge-like EtOH and saccharin drinking following peripheral injections of 0.0, 5.0, or 10.0 mg/kg SB-334867 (SB), a selective OX1R antagonist. Finally, mice were given peripheral injections of SB and open-field locomotor activity was measured. Results Relative to water drinking controls, binge-like consumption of EtOH and sucrose resulted in a marked reduction in OX IR in the LH. Inhibition of the OX1R via SB blunted EtOH and saccharin drinking, but did not alter open-field locomotor activity. Conclusions Our observed reduction in OX IR in the LH indicates that the OX system in engaged during binge-like consumption of EtOH and sucrose. The observation that inhibition of the OX1R signaling blunted binge-like EtOH, and saccharin drinking suggests that reward-related OX circuits originating in the LH participate in the consumption of salient reinforcers regardless of calories.
Relative scale and the strength and deformability of rock masses

Abstract The strength and deformation of rocks depend strongly on the degree of fracturing, which can be assessed in the field and related systematically to these properties. Appropriate Mohr envelopes obtained from the Rock Mass Rating (RMR) classification system and the Hoek-Brown criterion for outcrops and other large-scale exposures of fractured rocks show that rock-mass cohesive strength, tensile strength, and unconfined compressive strength can be reduced by as much as a factor often relative to values for the unfractured material. The rock-mass deformation modulus is also reduced relative to Young's modulus. A “cook-book” example illustrates the use of RMR in field applications. The smaller values of rock-mass strength and deformability imply that there is a particular scale of observation whose identification is critical to applying laboratory measurements and associated failure criteria to geologic structures.
Multisection bandpass filters using capacitively loaded transmission lines

In the frequency range from 50 to 500 MHz, lumped element inductors may have internal resonances, and the distributed nature of the physical structure is solved using transmission-line theory. Stub filters (shorted or opened stubs separated by sections of line) are quite reliable and easy to manufacture, but their physical size is a disadvantage at these frequencies. In this article, the size reduction process is illustrated by a series of design examples, starting with a bandpass filter at 200 MHz that uses half-wavelength tapped-stubs and has multiple resonant sections separated by quarter-wavelength sections of transmission line. By using this technique the filter area is reduced from 243.67 square inches to 5.99 square inches, an impressive factor of about 40×! Theoretical results are verified by measurements. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 1107–1112, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24252
Reversible generation of circular dimer and higher multiple forms of mitochondrial DNA.

The growth conditions and metabolism of L-cells have been altered experimentally to cause the accumulation of DNA dimers and higher oligomers in the mitochondria. Return to normal conditions of growth restores the formation of DNA monomers.
The reaction of tetranitromethane with human plasma α1-antitrypsin

Abstract 1. 1. Three of the 7 tyrosyl residues of plasma α1-antitrypsin were nitrated with C(NO24.† 2. 2. Nitration of α1-antitrypsin with C(NO2)4 resulted in some degree of polymerization as shown by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 column. 3. 3. The monomeric form was the major reaction product and the overall yield of the monomeric nitro-α1-antitrypsin was approximately 65 % of the nitrated material. 4. 4. The monomeric nitro-α1-antitrypsin retained the ability to form complexes with either trypsin or chymotrypsin as judged by cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis, and about 85 % of the inhibitory capacity of the native α1-antitrypsin against both enzymes.