cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Wide bandwidth and beamwidth flush-mountable planar and pyramidal log-periodic antennas

The design of planar and pyramidal wide bandwidth and beamwidth flush-mountable log-periodic (LP) antennas is discussed in this paper. Planar LP antenna is backed by a cylindrical cavity having a conical inset utilized to widen its beamwidth. Pyramidal LP antenna is designed first to achieve unidirectional, wide beamwidth performance in free space; then the antenna is integrated with a shaped conical cavity to enable a platform specific integration. Lossy absorber is added at strategic locations such that interaction between antennas and cavity is reduced and loss kept at acceptable levels. Both antennas achieve good impedance match and wide beamwidth over a decade bandwidth (4–40 GHz) and can be used for many emerging applications.
Sensitivity of Aerosol Distribution and Climate Response to Stratospheric SO2 Injection Locations

Injection of SO_2 into the stratosphere has been proposed as a method to, in part, counteract anthropogenic climate change. So far, most studies investigated injections at the equator or in a region in the tropics. Here we use Community Earth System Model version 1 Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (CESM1(WACCM)) to explore the impact of continuous single grid point SO_2 injections at seven different latitudes and two altitudes in the stratosphere on aerosol distribution and climate. For each of the 14 locations, 3 different constant SO_2 emission rates were tested to identify linearity in aerosol burden, aerosol optical depth, and climate effects. We found that injections at 15°N and 15°S and at 25 km altitude have equal or greater effect on radiation and surface temperature than injections at the equator. Nonequatorial injections transport SO_2 and sulfate aerosols more efficiently into middle and high latitudes and result in particles of smaller effective radius and larger aerosol burden in middle and high latitudes. Injections at 15°S produce the largest increase in global average aerosol optical depth and increase the change in radiative forcing per Tg SO_2/yr by about 15% compared to equatorial injections. High-altitude injections at 15°N produce the largest reduction in global average temperature of 0.2° per Tg S/yr for the last 7 years of a 10 year experiment. Injections at higher altitude are generally more efficient at reducing surface temperature, with the exception of large equatorial injections of at least 12 Tg SO_2/yr. These findings have important implications for designing a strategy to counteract global climate change.
The effect of compactional pressure on urease activity.

Jack bean urease is a proteinaceous enzyme, MW approximately 489 kD, readily soluble in water but losing activity when sheared in solution at stresses as low as 2.5 Pa. There is a need for controlled-release forms of many of the new genetically engineered peptide and polypeptide drugs with high specific activities. The simplest form of controlled release would be a sterile compressed pellet of the active component inserted subdermally. However, “activity” may be lost on compaction. Urease can be regarded as a model protein which may lose activity when sheared during compaction in the dry state. Tablets of urease weighing 100 mg were compressed over a range of pressures from 60 to 1750 MPa. No relative loss of activity would be detected following compaction at pressures up to 474 MPa. Above this limiting pressure there was a 50% loss of relative activity, evidently by a compactional effect on the protein quaternary and tertiary structures. No direct relationship was observed between stress (compactional pressure) and inactivation.
Compressed Capitalism and a Critical Reading of the State’s Employment Challenges

In this chapter D’Costa critically examines both the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of India’s employment challenges to assess whether the Indian state is in a position to make a dent in India’s growing employment deficit. This is in spite of the efforts made in creating the world’s largest employment program in the countryside. Using a political economy framework, he offers an institutional perspective as to why plentiful good jobs are hard to come by in India despite the recent high rates of economic growth. He argues that the deeply dualistic employment structure with a relatively small share of highly paid tradeable services jobs and a vast pool of insecure informal sector jobs are a result of “compressed capitalism” that contributes to India’s uneven development. Compression arises from a stalled agrarian transition, state-sponsored leapfrogging of select sectors within the broader truncated industrialization process and a persistent petty commodity producer (PCP) sector. Both institutional and structural legacies in the context of contemporary capitalist dynamics constrain an agrarian transition and instead encourage capital and technology bias in industry, thereby sustaining an expansive PCP sector. The chapter shows that notwithstanding the government’s employment goals they remain unrealistically lofty not just because of state incapacity but also due to the structural imperatives of global capitalism that substantially limits the policy space in a deregulated and liberal economic environment. At the minimum, to accomplish the employment goals, the state needs to be recast differently, which is more in line with rebalancing the state–business relationship in favor of employment-driven policies.
Blood Pressure Control and Protection of the Aging Brain

Hypertension and dementia are both common disorders whose prevalence increases with age. There are multiple mechanisms by which hypertension affects the brain and alters cognition. These include blood flow dynamics, development of large and small vessel pathology and diverse molecular mechanisms including formation of reactive oxygen species and transcriptional cascades. Blood pressure interacts with Alzheimer disease pathology in numerous and unpredictable ways, affecting both β-amyloid and tau deposition, while also interacting with AD genetic risk factors and other metabolic processes. Treatment of hypertension may prevent cognitive decline and dementia, but methodological issues have limited the ability of randomized clinical trials to show this conclusively. Recent studies have raised hope that hypertension treatment may protect the function and structure of the aging brain from advancing to mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
Rethinking Post-Sale Confusion

Are trademark owners harmed when observers on the street mistake knockoffs for the real thing? The concept of "post-sale confusion"—which has resulted in verdicts over over $300 million—is predicated on the notion that trademarks can be harmed even if no consumer is ever confused about what they are purchasing. In this commentary, we critique the concept of post-sale confusion and unpack the logic and empirics that undergird efforts to base liability on it. We lay out the conditions under which post-sale confusion might exist. First, we explain why the real-world conditions required to generate post-sale confusion are more difficult to prove than courts and litigants have previously recognized. Those conditions are fairly limited, and the resulting path to a defensible assertion of post-sale confusion is narrow. We conclude that post-sale confusion is real, but rare. Next, we consider the type of harm that may ensue when onlookers are confused post-sale. We identify two types of possible harm: (1) harm to the senior brand's reputation for quality; and (2) harm to the ability of either the senior brand or consumers to signal status via exclusivity. We explain the circumstances under which each of these forms of harm may occur. But it is important to underscore that post-sale confusion often produces neither form of harm. Indeed, we go further. In some cases, post-sale confusion may even benefit mark owners, consumers, or both.
Psychophysiologic Strategies in Laboratory Research

Psychophysiologic laboratory research has begun to play an important role in the study of biobehavioral aspects of cardiovascular regulation and putative disease processes. Progress has been made both in specifying task characteristics (e. g., psychological versus physical Stressors; active coping versus passive tasks) and in defining the experimental context of these tasks (e. g., instructions; experimenter effects; sociocultural factors; social interactions). Nevertheless, discrepant findings often occur between ostensibly similar experiments, in part because important differences in task characteristics have not always been recognized.
Cervical Computed Tomography Angiography Rarely Leads to Intervention in Patients With Cervical Spine Fractures.

Study Design:Retrospective cohort study.Objectives:To evaluate the impact of computed tomography angiography (CTA) in the management of trauma patients with cervical spine fractures by identifying ...
Development of summary indices of antenatal care service quality in Haiti, Malawi and Tanzania

Introduction Measuring quality of care in low-income and middle-income countries is complicated by the lack of a standard, universally accepted definition for ‘quality’ for any particular service, as well as limited guidance on which indicators to include in measures of quality of care, and how to incorporate those indicators into summary indices. The aim of this paper is to develop, characterise and compare a set of antenatal care (ANC) indices for facility readiness and provision of care. Methods We created nine indices for facility readiness using three methods for selecting items and three methods for combining items. In addition, we created three indices for provision of care using one method for selecting items and three methods for combining items. For each index, we calculated descriptive statistics, categorised the continuous index scores using tercile cut points to assess comparability of facility classification, and examined the variability and distribution of scores. Results Our results showed that, within a country, the indices were quite similar in terms of mean index score, facility classification, coefficient of variation, floor and ceiling effects, and the inclusion of items in an index with a range of variability. Notably, the indices created using principal components analysis to combine the items were the most different from the other indices. In addition, the index created by taking a weighted average of a core set of items had lower agreement with the other indices when looking at facility classification. Conclusions As improving quality of care becomes integral to global efforts to produce better health outcomes, demand for guidance on creating standardised measures of service quality will grow. This study provides health systems researchers with a comparison of methodologies commonly used to create summary indices of ANC service quality and it highlights the similarities and differences between methods.
Metformin-loaded chitosomes for treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma - A rare thoracic cancer.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to design and evaluate chitosan dispersed lipid vesicles (chitosomes) as potential delivery carriers for repurposing metformin (Met) against malignant pleural mesothelioma. Chitosomes were prepared by directly hydrating the thin lipid film using chitosan solution as hydration medium, instead of using it as a coating agent. Developed chitosomes demonstrated spherical morphology, positive surface charge (~30 mV) and ~60% encapsulation efficiency. The calorimetric studies and X-ray diffraction pattern of Met-loaded chitosomes confirmed the successful encapsulation of Met inside the chitosome vesicles. Optimized chitosome formulation showed ~70% drug release in 72 h, displaying prolonged and controlled release of drug. Results demonstrated that Met encapsulated chitosomes possessed enhanced cellular internalization and improved cytotoxic potential. Our findings also supported inhibitory activity of chitosomes against metastatic property of pleural mesothelioma cells. The in-vitro tumor simulation studies further established anti-tumor activity of Met encapsulated chitosomes as supported by reduction in tumor volume and presence of minimal viable cells in tumor mass. The obtained results establish the effectiveness of chitosomes as delivery carrier for Met as treatment alternative for malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Rebubbling of DMEK Grafts

Although DMEK offers speedier recovery, improved visual outcomes, and lower rejection risk compared to DSAEK, the trade-off is an incrementally higher rate of rebubbling. Unlike DSAEK grafts, DMEK tissue rarely displays complete graft separation or severe decentration, which is why injection of an air bubble alone – without any further surgical manipulation – is enough to eliminate fluid from the graft-host interface and achieve complete graft attachment.
Barotrauma among patients with COVID-19 ARDS versus historical ARDS

RATIONALE Multiple case reports and case series have described pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum as a complication of patients hospitalized with COVID-19, particularly among those receiving invasive mechanical ventilation. However, it is not known whether patients with COVID-19 have a uniquely higher incidence of these events compared to historical ARDS (non-COVID-19 ARDS) patients. METHODS We compared barotrauma rates in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who received invasive mechanical ventilation between March-July 2020 to patients with non-COVID-19 ARDS who received mechanical ventilation in 2016-2018. We defined barotrauma as pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum during mechanical ventilation. RESULTS We analyzed 222 patients with COVID-19 who received invasive mechanical ventilation and 421 patients with ARDS. Barotrauma events occurred in 13.1% of patients with COVID-19 and 9.3% of historical ARDS patients (p = 0.136). Mean tidal volumes were 5.7 and 6.4 mL/kg of predicted body weight, plateau pressures were 25.6 and 23.6, PEEP was 11.2 and 8.8, and driving pressures were 14.4 and 14.8 cmH2O, respectively, in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 ARDS. There were 42 pneumothoraces among COVID-19 patients and 50 among historical ARDS patients (p = 0.144). Incidence rates were 1.7 and 2.7 per 100 ventilator days in COVID-19 and historical ARDS respectively (p=0.808). There were 14 cases of pneumomediastinum among patients with COVID-19 compared to 16 among patients with ARDS (p = 0.152). Overall, pneumothoraces were identified within 24 hours of ipsilateral internal jugular or subclavian line placement in 5.4% (5/92) of events. In both groups, barotrauma was associated with fewer vent-free days at 28 days (3.0 vs 9.2 in COVID-19, p < 0.001 and 7.6 vs 11.5 in historical ARDS, p = 0.0214). Barotrauma was not associated with an increased mortality at discharge for either cohort. For COVID-19 patients only, mean plateau pressure and driving pressure were associated with barotrauma events (28 vs 25 cmH2O, p = 0.0015;16.7 vs 14.0 cmH2O, p ≤ 0.01). Administered tidal volume, PEEP, age, sex, tobacco use, obesity, number of comorbidities, and the presence of lung comorbidities were not associated with barotrauma in either cohort. CONCLUSIONS Both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 ARDS patients who are mechanically ventilated are at high risk of barotrauma;this was not unique to patients with COVID-19. Barotrauma is associated with prolonged ventilation and fewer ventilator-free days. Despite advances in lung-protective ventilation, barotrauma continues to be a significant source of morbidity in patients mechanically ventilated for respiratory failure.
Dose Response of Bumetanide on Aquaporins and Angiogenesis Biomarkers in Human Retinal Endothelial Cells Exposed to Intermittent Hypoxia.

Aquaporins (AQPs) are important for regulating cellular water, solute transport, and balance. Recently, AQPs have also been recognized as playing a key role in cell migration and angiogenesis. In the retina, hypoxia induces vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent angiogenic and vascular permeability factor, resulting in retinal edema, which is facilitated by AQPs. Bumetanide is a diuretic agent and AQP 1–4 blocker. We tested the hypothesis that bumetanide suppression of AQPs ameliorates intermittent hypoxia (IH)-induced angiogenesis and oxidative stress in human microvascular retinal endothelial cells (HMRECs). HMRECs were treated with a low-dose (0.05 µg/mL) or high-dose (0.2 µg/mL) of bumetanide and were exposed to normoxia (Nx), hyperoxia (50% O2), or IH (50% O2 with brief hypoxia 5% O2) for 24, 48, and 72 h. Angiogenesis and oxidative stress biomarkers were determined in the culture media, and the cells were assessed for tube formation capacity and AQP-1 and -4 expression. Both doses of bumetanide significantly decreased oxidative stress and angiogenesis biomarkers. This response was reflected by reductions in tube formation capacity and AQP expression. These findings confirm the role of AQPs in retinal angiogenesis. Therapeutic targeting of AQPs with bumetanide may be advantageous for IH-induced aberrant retinal development.
Mitigation for one & all: An integrated framework for mitigation of development impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services

article i nfo Emerging developmentpoliciesandlending standardscallforconsideration of ecosystemserviceswhen mitigat- ing impacts from development, yet little guidance exists to inform this process. Here we propose a comprehen- sive framework for advancing both biodiversity and ecosystem service mitigation. We have clarified a means for choosingrepresentativeecosystemservicetargetsalongsidebiodiversitytargets,identifiedserviceshedsasause- ful spatial unit for assessing ecosystem service avoidance, impact, and offset options, and discuss methods for consistent calculation of biodiversity and ecosystem service mitigation ratios. We emphasize the need to move away from area- and habitat-based assessment methods for both biodiversity and ecosystem services towards functional assessments atlandscape orseascapescales. Suchcomprehensive assessments more accurately reflect cumulative impacts and variation in environmental quality, social needs and value preferences. The integrated framework builds on the experience of biodiversity mitigation while addressing the unique opportunities and challenges presented by ecosystem service mitigation. These advances contribute to growing potential for eco- nomic development planning and execution that will minimize impacts on nature and maximize human wellbeing.
Collective bargaining and the police: The consequences for supplemental compensation policies in large agencies

Analyzes the impact of collective bargaining on the supplemental compensation of employees in large police departments across the nation. Suggests that collective bargaining does make a difference in terms of economic benefits; hazardous duty pay, differential shift pay and educational incentive pay are all more likely to be present when the collective bargaining process is available, and merit pay (a more likely management prerogative policy) is less likely to be present. The correlation between collective bargaining and personnel policy varies greatly, however, when controls for fiscal capacity, organizational size, and region are added to the analysis. Geographic region turns out to constitute an important contextual variable deserving primary attention in future analyses of police personnel policies and practices.
Colour as Idea: The Conceptual Basis for Using Colour in Architecture and Urban Design

In schools of architecture and urban design, particularly in the United States, colour is rarely a subject of serious inquiry in the design studio. Colour often appears in the final phase of the design process, and the reasoning for colour choices is almost never questioned. Colour is considered secondary to building form and structure, reflecting attitudes held by many design professionals since the Renaissance. Critics in architectural reviews often refer to colour decisions as ‘difficult’ to discuss rationally, representing personal views that are inconsequential. The methodology presented here is an attempt to make colour consequential as an integral part of the three phases of a design process: the conceptual phase, the schematic/form-making phase and the design development phase. When this is achieved, colour decisions become part of the generative conceptual ideas of a project, and these can influence all phases of the design process. Colour can clarify and define space, form and structure. In the design development phase, the final colour decisions are focused and specific. The role of colour in design can serve as a complement to the traditional visual elements of line, structure, form and detail. This design methodology specifies how colour is used in the three phases: colour dynamics in the conceptual phase, colour tectonics in the schematic/form-making phase and colour imagery in the design development phase. Using colour as a means for recording the experience of a pedestrian view of the city is an additional emphasis in urban design. This is accomplished with experience maps, and using colour to represent the life of the street through street activity diagrams.
Manfred L. Keiler, The Art in Teaching Art

(1961). Manfred L. Keiler, The Art in Teaching Art. Art Journal: Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 134-134.
Play Development in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Skills, Object Play, and Interventions

Play development in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) differs from that in typically developing children in terms of type, level, and frequency. The most noticeable difference is in the quality: While typical children frequently alternate in shared and solitary object play, children with ASD engage in long periods of solitary play and actively push others away. Given the importance of play for later development in children with ASD, interventions should focus on socially mediated object play using video modeling, prompting, and naturalistic strategies. Keywords: ASDs; autism spectrum disorders; functional play; object play; play development; symbolic play
Chapter 5 Preparative Liquid Chromatography For The Synthetic Chemist

Publisher Summary Synthetic chemists are increasingly using preparative liquid chromatography in the recent years. Most modern chromatographies use reciprocation piston pumps that draw from a solvent reservoir at atmospheric pressure. Such instrumentation provides a unique opportunity for preparative separations because it is quite feasible to recycle the effluent from the column via the pump for a second pass through the column. The process can then be repeated, with each subsequent pass resulting in an increase of the separation among peaks relative to the widths. The effect is precisely the same as that obtained by using additional columns, equal to the number of recycles, except that neither the cost of the columns and packing nor the back pressure is increased through recycling. It should observed that enhancement in resolution occurs through recycling only if the mixing volume present in the pump heads, injector, and associated plumbing is relatively small compared with the volume of solvent in which the peak is eluting. The peak spreading that occurs from this dead volume can often be a limiting factor in the use of recycling with small bore, analytical columns but is unimportant in multigram, large volume systems.
No Evidence of Non-Homologous Insertions in Mouse Model of MDD Created by Replacement of Homologous Mouse DNA Sequence With Pathogenic 6-base Human CREB1 Promoter Sequence

We have recently reported the creation and initial characterization of the first etiology-based recombinant mouse model of major depressive disorder (MDD). This was achieved by replacing the corresponding mouse DNA sequence with a 6-base DNA sequence from the human CREB1 promoter that is associated with the development of MDD in families identified by probands with recurrent, early-onset MDD. The current study explored whether the desired homologous recombination event at the mouse Creb1 gene that resulted in the creation of the mouse model was also accompanied by insertions of the targeting vector at unintended non-homologous locations in the mouse genome. No evidence of insertions of targeting vector sequence was observed at regions other than the mouse Creb1 gene.
MMPI-2 Correlates of Sexual Preoccupation as Measured by the Sexuality Scale in a College Setting

The current study explored associations between MMPI-2 scales and a measure of sexual preoccupation college students. Participants were 846 undergraduate students at a Midwestern university who completed the MMPI-2 and Sexuality Scale. Correlational analyses were conducted by gender to identify significant relations, which were then examined for potential gender differences. Results indicated significant correlations between sexual preoccupation scores and a wide variety of psychopathological symptoms measured by the MMPI-2, with especially strong associations demonstrated for externalizing dysfunction. There were no statistically significant gender differences in the pattern of correlations. Implications for the assessment and treatment of sexual preoccupation, as well as for future studies, are discussed.
Increased Concentration of Sodium Chloride on Milk Production of Cows Fed Low Fiber Diets

Abstract Fifteen lactating Holstein cows fed a low-fiber diet were used to investigate effects of feeding high concentrations of sodium chloride on milk production and feed efficiency. Cows were fed a normal fiber diet (acid detergent fiber = 26.4%) the first 28 to 34 d following calving and then were adjusted to a low-fiber diet (acid detergent fiber = 10.3%) over the next 28 d. Following adjustment, a reversal trial had two 28-d periods. In period 1, cows in group 1 received 6.0% sodium chloride added to the concentrate dry matter, whereas group 2 received 1.2% sodium chloride (control) added to the concentrate; these treatments then were reversed. Daily hay (kg), grain (kg), organic matter (kg), and water (L) intakes averaged 2.0, 13.6, 14.5, 74.9 and 2.1, 13.6, 13.5, 91.3 for low fiber control and low fiber plus 6.0% sodium chloride. Consumption decreased with 6.0% sodium chloride supplementation, and water intake increased 22%. High sodium chloride did not change milk yield or composition. Ratio of ruminal acetate to propionate increased from 2.69 to 3.13, and fecal starch increased from 15.6 to 20.1% with 6.0% sodium chloride. Increased concentrations of sodium chloride did not change most blood measures, although potassium increased and acetate and propionate concentrations declined. Arteriovenous differences of glucose, acetate, and proprionate across the mammary gland were not affected. Feeding 6.0% versus 1.2% sodium chloride did not enhance production and feed efficiency in cows fed a low fiber diet.
Path-integral treatment of the liquid-gas transition: From simple fluids to microemulsions.

We propose a unified field-theoretic path-integral treatment of the liquid-gas transition occurring in simple neutral fluids, neutral monodisperse polymer solutions, and monodisperse neutral microemulsions. The theoretical results obtained indicate that all three systems belong to the same Ising-type universality class, which is strongly supported by the most recent experimental results on liquid-gas transitions.
Maternal death at an inner-city hospital, 1949-2000

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the rates and causes of maternal deaths at an inner-city hospital from 1949 through 2000. Study Design: Death summaries, autopsy reports, and previously collected data were reviewed for maternal deaths from January 1949 through December 2000. The χ 2 and Fisher exact tests were used to test the relationship between time and classification of death. Results: There were 290 maternal deaths and 314,436 live births, for a hospital-specific maternal mortality rate of 92.2 per 100,000. The percentage of deaths that were related directly to pregnancy decreased, and the percentage of deaths that were unrelated to pregnancy increased ( P Conclusion: The major causes of maternal death in our hospital have changed. A better understanding of these causes may lead to more effective prevention efforts. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:1213-6.)
Effects of non-ionizing radiation on a 130 nm CMOS SRAM for low earth orbit applications

This research predicts the effects of the natural radiation environment in low earth orbit on a 6T SRAM cell designed using the CMOS portion of a 130 nm BiCMOS technology. It is determined that this technology is quite sensitive to single event upset (SEU): at 200 km altitude and without shielding, the predicted SEU rate is 6.7×10−3 bit−1yr−1; at 2000 km altitude, the rate increases to 1.9×101 bit−1yr−1. Nonetheless, these results compare favorably to previously published SEU data [1], [2] regarding the bipolar portion of similar BiCMOS technology.
Noise generated by convected gusts interacting with swept airfoil cascades

An analysis is developed for the noise generated by the interaction of a rotor viscous wake with a cascade of swept stator vanes. The stator vanes span a channel formed by infinite parallel walls and containing a subsonic mean flow. High frequency interactions, for which the noise generation is concentrated at the vane leading edge, are considered. The analysis utilizes a superposition of the solution to the isolated stator vane problem, presented in an earlier paper, to develop an approximate solution to the cascade problem. The rotor wake model includes the features of wake circumferential lean and a linear spanwise variation of the magnitude of the wake deficit velocity. Calculations are presented which show that, for rotor wakes with moderate circumferential lean, stator sweep produces substantial reductions in noise level. The vane sweep must be oriented to enhance the phase lags along the vane leading edge produced by wake lean. The noise levels are found to be fairly insensitive to spanwise variations in the wake deficit.
The pH dependence of the activity of dehaloperoxidase from Amphitrite ornata

Abstract Dehaloperoxidase (DHP) from the terebellid polychaete, Amphitrite ornata, is the first hemoglobin that has peroxidase activity as part of its native function. The substrate 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP) is oxidatively debrominated by DHP to form 2,6-dibromoquinone (DBQ) in a two-electron process. There is a well-defined internal binding site for TBP above the heme, a feature not observed in other hemoglobins or peroxidases. A study of the pH dependence of the activity of DHP reveals a substantial difference in mechanism. From direct observation of the Soret band of the heme it is shown that the p K a for heme activation in protein DHP is 6.5. Below this pH the heme absorbance decreases in the presence of H 2 O 2 with or without addition of substrate. The low pH data are consistent with significant heme degradation. Above pH 6.5 addition of H 2 O 2 causes the heme to shift rapidly to a compound II spectrum and then slowly to an unidentified intermediate with an absorbance of 410 nm. However, the p K a of the substrate TBP is 6.8 and the greatest enzyme activity is observed above the p K a of TBP under conditions where the substrate is a phenolate anion (TPBO − ). Although the mechanisms may differ, the data show that both neutral TBP and anionic TPBO − are converted to the quinone product. The mechanistic implications of the pH dependence are discussed by comparison other known peroxidases, which oxidize substrates at the heme edge.
Effects of Biogenic Amines and TRH on Release of Prolactin and TSH in the Rat

The effects of a single injection of drugs on serum prolactin and TSH were determinedin male and in estrogen-primed ovariectomized rats. The precursor of serotonin, 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), produced a significant rise in serum prolactin and TSH, whereas para chloroamphetamine,a depletor of serotonin, elicited a fall in serum prolactin and TSH. α-methylmetatyrosine (α-MMT) and reserpine, both depressors of brain catecholamine (CA) and serotonin levels, evoked significant increases in serum prolactin and reductions in serum TSH. Injection of α-MMT or reserpine together with 5-HTP further elevated serum prolactin but prevented any significant change in serum TSH. This suggests that the ability of α-MMT and reserpine to inhibit TSH release is mediated through a reduction in brain serotonin and not via a decrease in CA. α-methylparatyrosine, which inhibits CA synthesis without altering serotonin, evoked a marked increase in serum prolactin but had no effect on serum TSH. L-dopa administration significantly...
Personal protection against sexually transmitted diseases

Abstract Primary prevention of sexually transmitted diseases has received little emphasis in control programs. To evaluate the effectiveness of prevention strategies, we reviewed the world's literature on this topic. Use of condoms and spermicides greatly reduces the risk of gonorrhea, and barrier methods are practical and acceptable. Certain systemic antibiotics are effective, but for practical reasons, their use cannot be recommended. Washing or urinating after sexual exposure does not appear to protect againt infection. Although the effectiveness of modifying sexual behavior to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases has not been evaluated, many people have changed or are willing to change their behavior. Even if preventive measures are used consistently by only a minority of persons at risk, rates of sexually transmitted diseases would decline rapidly. In this era of sexually transmitted diseases that are not readily cured by antibiotics, use of effective preventive measures should be strongly encouraged.
New method of measuring visual-perceptual latency differences

Inequalities in binocular illumination (ΔI) result in unequal visual-perceptual latencies. The differences between latencies (Δt) have been assumed to be basic to the Pulfrich effect. A new method for measuring Δ is described and compared with the Pulfrich pendulum procedure and three other methods. The values of the Δt-Δl functions from this method are comparable to the results of previous studies providing additional support for the latency-difference hypothesis. The method also appears to have achieved a reduction in variability.
Heuristic cognitive diagnosis when the Q-matrix is unknown

Cognitive diagnosis models of educational test performance rely on a binary Q-matrix that specifies the associations between individual test items and the cognitive attributes (skills) required to answer those items correctly. Current methods for fitting cognitive diagnosis models to educational test data and assigning examinees to proficiency classes are based on parametric estimation methods such as expectation maximization (EM) and Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) that frequently encounter difficulties in practical applications. In response to these difficulties, non-parametric classification techniques (cluster analysis) have been proposed as heuristic alternatives to parametric procedures. These non-parametric classification techniques first aggregate each examinee's test item scores into a profile of attribute sum scores, which then serve as the basis for clustering examinees into proficiency classes. Like the parametric procedures, the non-parametric classification techniques require that the Q-matrix underlying a given test be known. Unfortunately, in practice, the Q-matrix for most tests is not known and must be estimated to specify the associations between items and attributes, risking a misspecified Q-matrix that may then result in the incorrect classification of examinees. This paper demonstrates that clustering examinees into proficiency classes based on their item scores rather than on their attribute sum-score profiles does not require knowledge of the Q-matrix, and results in a more accurate classification of examinees.
Impact of Clock-Gating on Power Distribution Network Using Wavelet Analysis

With the extensive use of clock-gating in modern microprocessors to reduce the power consumption of the chip, it is imperative to analyze the effect of clock-gating on the Power Distribution Network (PDN) and how it affects the voltage drop across the grid. This paper presents a methodology to generate a set of synthetic gating patterns given a power grid, information about how the grid is loaded and regions that belong to different clock-gated domains. Wavelets are used to generate the initial voltage responses as they envelope both the frequency and time domain enabling us to capture frequency information of the PDN to analyze and generate a time-domain signal (voltage drop). The responses generated are then input to a Linear Program (LP) that outputs the worst-case clock-gating patterns and maximum voltage drop at the point of interest. The results show the worst-case gating patterns and the associated voltage drop at a particular point of interest for a set of clock-gated domains. This methodology finds applications in verification of the integrity of the PDN and individual blocks and also, is useful for test pattern generation.
Optical Two-Dimensional Fourier Transform Spectroscopy of Semiconductors

Optical two-dimensional Fourier transform spectroscopy is used to study excitonic resonances in semiconductor nanostructures. The spectra show the dominance of many-body contributions. Two-quantum coherences are observed due to both biexcitons and many-body states.
Comparison of the precision of two standardized co-ordinate systems for the quantitation of brain anatomy: preliminary results.

We assessed reproducible definition of two standardized co-ordinate systems for intersubject analysis of brain images. The baselines in the two co-ordinate systems were a modification of the canthomeatal (inCM) line and the anterior-posterior commissural )AC-PC) line. Axial spin-echo MR images of four subjects at 1.5T were used. Operator error was computed from the replicate analyses of two operators. The mCM line was determined by the lens of the eye and the internal auditory canal, and the AC-PC line was determined by the intersection of the AC and PC with the interhemispheric fissure. Reproducibility of the mCM markers (SD=0.59 mm) did not differ significantly from that of the AC-PC line (SD=0.68 mm). The measurement error of the angle of the baseline (δα), however, was more than 7 times as large for the AC-PC line as for the mCM line. An additional error affecting the rostrocaudal rotation of the co-ordinate systems, attributable to the distance between the anatomic markers, was 2.1 and 3.6° (3 mm and 5 mm slice thickness) for the mCM co-ordinate system and 8.2 and 11.0° (3 mm and 5 mm slice thickness) for the AC-PC system. The AC-PC line based co-ordinate system is therefore, less reproducible than the mCM line based system. this could be improved if a combination of axial and sagittal images were used for the definition of the AC-PC line.
Functional neuroanatomy of working memory in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Background Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults is an increasingly recognized psychiatric disorder, linked with impairments in numerous life domains and with neurocognitive dysfunctions. However, the neural substrate of cognitive functioning in adults with this disorder has been relatively unexamined. The objective of this study was to examine neural functioning in ADHD adults during performance on a verbal working memory task. Methods A sample of unmedicated adults with ADHD (n = 20) and control subjects (n = 20) performed a 2-back task of working memory, and the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) response was used as a measure of neural activity during working memory performance. Results Though working memory performance did not differ significantly between ADHD adults and control subjects, ADHD adults showed significantly decreased activity in cerebellar and occipital regions and a trend toward decreased activation in an a priori predicted region of the prefrontal cortex. Conclusions ADHD adults showed altered patterns of neural activity despite comparable performance on a verbal working memory task. These findings suggest that the cerebellum is involved in the pathophysiology of at least some cognitive deficits associated with ADHD and emphasize the need for additional research aimed at elucidating the role of the cerebellum in ADHD symptomatology.
Loss of the Creature: The Obscuring of Inclusivity in Classroom Discourse

Amidst few empirical studies of the effects of high stakes testing on classroom talk, this study concretely illustrates erosion of inclusive teacher-student interaction. Using discourse analysis, it compares K-12 classroom instructional practices before and after the imposition of standardized testing and illuminates the negative transformation of five inclusionary discursive practices. Before testing mandates: 1) diversity was regarded as a resource for opportunities to learn something valuable; 2) standards for academic achievement provided a wide range of possible performances; 3) teachers and students were flexible in their stances toward what constituted academic performance; 4) students' constructed student “selves” were part of a dialogue about academic expectations; and 5) students' personal texts were a legitimate part of the curriculum. In test-impacted classrooms, in contrast, meanings for diversity, performance standards, and performance stances contracted, and talk about students' selves and ...
Return of the race myth

Genetic technologies may be giving new life to the troublesome idea that race has anything to do with human biology
Ultrasonic characterization of the curing process of PCC fly ash–cement composites

Abstract The effects of the type of fly ash, mix proportion, and curing process on the pozzolanic reaction of fly ash–cement paste were investigated by ultrasonic techniques. Specifically, the speed of sound (SOS) and broadband ultrasonic attenuation (BUA) were used to investigate hydration activities of the fly ash–cement composite. SOS provided direct evidence of the delay in the hydration activity caused by mixing fly ash to the cement. The rapid heat of evolution during hydration activity, as indicated by a rapid increase in SOS, resulted in early stiffening of the Class C fly ash–cement composite. However, Class C fly ash–cement composite achieved a lower elastic modulus compared with Class F fly ash–cement composite. The hydration activity is observed to be highly dependent on the type of fly ash substituted for cement in the composite. The BUA provided the indirect evidence of ionic activities occurring during the hydration period and viscoelastic properties of the material.
Summation rules for a fully nonlocal energy-based quasicontinuum method

The quasicontinuum (QC) method coarse-grains crystalline atomic ensembles in order to bridge the scales from individual atoms to the micro- and mesoscales. A crucial cornerstone of all QC techniques, summation or quadrature rules efficiently approximate the thermodynamic quantities of interest. Here, we investigate summation rules for a fully nonlocal, energy-based QC method to approximate the total Hamiltonian of a crystalline atomic ensemble by a weighted sum over a small subset of all atoms in the crystal lattice. Our formulation does not conceptually differentiate between atomistic and coarse-grained regions and thus allows for seamless bridging without domain-coupling interfaces. We review traditional summation rules and discuss their strengths and weaknesses with a focus on energy approximation errors and spurious force artifacts. Moreover, we introduce summation rules which produce no residual or spurious force artifacts in centrosymmetric crystals in the large-element limit under arbitrary affine deformations in two dimensions (and marginal force artifacts in three dimensions), while allowing us to seamlessly bridge to full atomistics. Through a comprehensive suite of examples with spatially non-uniform QC discretizations in two and three dimensions, we compare the accuracy of the new scheme to various previous ones. Our results confirm that the new summation rules exhibit significantly smaller force artifacts and energy approximation errors. Our numerical benchmark examples include the calculation of elastic constants from completely random QC meshes and the inhomogeneous deformation of aggressively coarse-grained crystals containing nano-voids. In the elastic regime, we directly compare QC results to those of full atomistics to assess global and local errors in complex QC simulations. Going beyond elasticity, we illustrate the performance of the energy-based QC method with the new second-order summation rule by the help of nanoindentation examples with automatic mesh adaptation. Overall, our findings provide guidelines for the selection of summation rules for the fully nonlocal energy-based QC method.
Real-Time Knee Adduction Moment Feedback Training Using an Elliptical Trainer

The external knee adduction moment (EKAM) is associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA) in many aspects including presence, progression, and severity of knee OA. Despite of its importance, there is a lack of EKAM estimation methods that can provide patients with knee OA real-time EKAM biofeedback for training and clinical evaluations without using a motion analysis laboratory. A practical real-time EKAM estimation method, which utilizes kinematics measured by a simple six degree-of-freedom goniometer and kinetics measured by a multi-axis force sensor underneath the foot, was developed to provide real-time feedback of the EKAM to the patients during stepping on an elliptical trainer, which can potentially be used to control and alter the EKAM. High reliability (ICC(2,1): 0.9580) of the real-time EKAM estimation method was verified through stepping trials of seven subjects without musculoskeletal disorders. Combined with advantages of elliptical trainers including functional weight-bearing stepping and mitigation of impulsive forces, the real-time EKAM estimation method is expected to help patients with knee OA better control frontal plane knee loading and reduce knee OA development and progression.
Do habitat size and shape modify abiotic factors and communities in artificial treeholes

Community composition may be determined by a variety of factors, including habitat dimension, abiotic conditions, and biotic interactions. Habitat dimensions may influence abiotic conditions, thus modifying community structure or biotic interactions. We used six different mesocosm sizes, two depths crossed with three surface areas, to test hypotheses regarding the direct and indirect effects of habitat dimensions (depth and surface area) on dissolved oxygen concentration and insect communities in artificial water-filled treeholes. Containers were monitored for dissolved oxygen concentrations and insect community composition from June 2002 to November 2003. We predicted that deep mesocosms would have lower species richness and insect larval densities than shallow due to less dissolved oxygen at deeper depths, and that large surface area mesocosms would have greater species richness and abundance of insects than small. Larger surface area habitats may attract more insects because they are easier to find and perceived by ovipositing females to be more stable. Dissolved oxygen concentrations ([DO]) at depth were consistently lower in deep than shallow habitats, and mosquito densities and species richness were lower in those deep mesocosms compared to shallow mesocosms. We found higher insect richness at certain times of the year in large and medium than in small surface area mesocosms. By modifying abiotic factors such as [DO], dimensional aspects of the habitat, in this case depth, may affect community structure in ways not predicted simply by habitat size.
The Nuclear Winter Hypothesis: Implications for Scientific Credibility

Recent publications raise the possibility that a limited nuclear war could result in global effects that might cause the extinction of most biological species. During the past four decades, this possibility has not been considered in publications which represented a consensus of ``official'' scientific opinion. The implications for scientific credibility are discussed.