cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Energy landscape of the charge transfer reaction at the complex Li/SEI/electrolyte interface

The charge transfer reaction is the fundamental reaction for rechargeable batteries. The energy landscape of this reaction depicts the equilibrium and kinetics of the electrochemical process. Typically, a Li-metal electrode is always covered by a thin layer of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), forming a complex Li/SEI/electrolyte interface. In this paper, a new modeling framework was developed to predict the energy landscape of the lithiation/delithiation charge transfer reaction at a Li/Li2CO3/EC-electrolyte interface, with combined density functional theory (DFT) and tight-binding (DFTB) calculations. It was found that Li+ ions are much more energetically favorable to be dissolved in the electrolyte on a zero-charged Li-metal electrode, indicating that the SEI is a necessary kinetic barrier to prevent complete solvation of Li-metal into the electrolyte. During delithiation, Li+ ions would be stripped from the surface non-uniformly and form a large void on the Li-metal surface. During lithiation, it was demonstrated that the annihilation of Li+ ions and electrons occurs at the Li/SEI interface, for an idealized defect free SEI. Furthermore, at the experimentally defined zero voltage for Li+/Li0, the Li-metal surface is negatively charged (−0.62 ± 0.12 e nm−2) to maintain the electrochemical equilibrium. The electric field created by the negatively charged surface can reorient the electrolyte into an ordered structure, lower the Li+ ion desolvation energy barrier, and help the Li+ ion transport through the SEI. The charge transfer coefficient, α, in the Butler–Volmer equation was directly computed to be ∼0.22 from the simulated energy landscape, consistent with the experimental measurements. Thus, this model enables a bottom-up multiscale modeling approach for ion-transfer electrochemical reactions.
The Drosophila seminal Sex Peptide can associate with rival as well as own sperm and provide function for SP in polyandrous females

In populations in which females tend to mate with more than one male, sperm-sperm competition and cryptic female choice can occur, triggering biases in sperm use and influencing males9 paternity share outcome of the mating. This competition occurs in the context of molecules and cells of male and female also working interdependently towards the common goal of optimal fertilization. For example, a male9s seminal fluid molecules modify the female9s physiology to increase reproductive success. But since some of these modifications induce permanent changes in female physiology, this can indirectly benefit rival males. Indeed rival males can tailor their ejaculates accordingly, minimizing the energy cost of mating. We report that sex peptide, that a female Drosophila receives from one male, can bind to sperm from a prior mate, that were already stored in the female. Moreover, the second male9s SP can restore the fertility and facilitate efficient sperm release or utilization of sperm received from the first male that had been stored in the female. Thus, sex peptide from one male can directly benefit another and as such is a key molecular component in the process of interejaculate interaction.
Extended Kalman Filter for Magnetometer-Free Estimation of Spacesuit Wearer Joint Kinematics Using Inertial Measurements

Applications of inertial sensing to the study of human motion in ambulatory environments often suffer from a dependence on magnetometers, which are susceptible to nonuniform and time-varying magnetic disturbances. The current work presents an inertial sensor fusion algorithm that will enable magnetometer-free inertial sensing of human joint kinematics in ambulatory environments. The particular motivating application for the current work is the need to study human motion inside a spacesuit in order to inform spacesuit design. The algorithm synthesizes several techniques for optimally fusing inertial sensor measurements in order to reduce drift rather than correcting it. A peak attitude estimation error of 2 degrees over 35 minutes is demonstrated in simulation.
Reduced-Order Modeling Approach for Electron Transport in Molecular Junctions.

To describe nonequilibrium transport processes in a quantum device with infinite baths, we propose to formulate the problems as a reduced-order problem. Starting with the Liouville-von Neumann equa...
Foreign Exchange Intervention in Developing and Transition Economies: Results of a Survey

Based on evidence obtained from the IMF's 2001 Survey on Foreign Exchange Market Organization, the author argues that, for several reasons, some central banks in developing and transition economies may be able to conduct foreign exchange intervention more effectively than the central banks of developed countries issuing the major international currencies. First, these central banks do not always fully sterilize their foreign exchange interventions. In addition, they issue regulations and conduct their foreign exchange operations in a way that increases the central bank's information advantage and the size of their foreign exchange intervention relative to foreign exchange market turnover. Some of the central banks also use moral suasion to support their foreign exchange interventions.
General surgery training and robotics: Are residents improving their skills?

While robotic-assisted operations have become more prevalent, many general surgery residencies do not have a formal robotic training curriculum. We sought to ascertain how well current general surgery training permits acquisition of robotic skills by comparing robotic simulation performance across various training levels. Thirty-six participants were categorized by level of surgical training: eight medical students (MS), ten junior residents (JR), ten mid-level residents (MLR), and eight senior residents (SR). Participants performed three simulation tasks on the da Vinci ® Skills Simulator (MatchBoard, EnergyDissection, SutureSponge). Each task’s scores (0–100) and cumulative scores (0–300) were compared between groups. There were no differences in sex, hand dominance, video gaming history, or prior robotic experience between groups; however, SR was the oldest (p < 0.001). The median overall scores did not differ: 188 (84–201) for MS, 183 (91–234) for JR, 197 (153–218) for MLR, and 205 (169–229) for SR (p = 0.14). The median SutureSponge score was highest for SR (61, range 39–81) compared to MS (43, range 26–61), JR (43, range 11–72), and MLR (55, range 36–68) (p = 0.039). However, there were no significant differences in MatchBoard (p = 0.27) or EnergyDissection (p = 0.99) scores between groups. There was a positive correlation between SutureSponge score and number of laparoscopic cases logged (p = 0.005, r 2 = 0.21), but this correlation did not exist for the MatchBoard or EnergyDissection tasks. Lastly, there was no correlation between total lifetime hours of video gaming and overall score (p = 0.89, R 2 = 0.0006). Robotic skillsets acquired during general surgery residency show minimal improvement during the course of training, although laparoscopic experience is correlated with advanced robotic task performance. Changes in residency curricula or pursuit of fellowship training may be warranted for surgeons seeking proficiency.
Gene delivery corrects N-acetylglutamate synthase deficiency and enables insights in the physiological impact of L-arginine activation of N-acetylglutamate synthase

The urea cycle protects the central nervous system from ammonia toxicity by converting ammonia to urea. N-acetylglutamate synthase (NAGS) catalyzes formation of N-acetylglutamate, an essential allosteric activator of carbamylphosphate synthetase 1. Enzymatic activity of mammalian NAGS doubles in the presence of L-arginine, but the physiological significance of NAGS activation by L-arginine has been unknown. The NAGS knockout (Nags-/-) mouse is an animal model of inducible hyperammonemia, which develops hyperammonemia without N-carbamylglutamate and L-citrulline supplementation (NCG + Cit). We used adeno associated virus (AAV) based gene transfer to correct NAGS deficiency in the Nags-/- mice, established the dose of the vector needed to rescue Nags-/- mice from hyperammonemia and measured expression levels of Nags mRNA and NAGS protein in the livers of rescued animals. This methodology was used to investigate the effect of L-arginine on ureagenesis in vivo by treating Nags-/- mice with AAV vectors encoding either wild-type or E354A mutant mouse NAGS (mNAGS), which is not activated by L-arginine. The Nags-/- mice expressing E354A mNAGS were viable but had elevated plasma ammonia concentration despite similar levels of the E354A and wild-type mNAGS proteins. The corresponding mutation in human NAGS (NP_694551.1:p.E360D) that abolishes binding and activation by L-arginine was identified in a patient with NAGS deficiency. Our results show that NAGS deficiency can be rescued by gene therapy, and suggest that L-arginine binding to the NAGS enzyme is essential for normal ureagenesis.
Defect characterization and charge transport measurements in high-resolution Ni/n-4H-SiC Schottky barrier radiation detectors fabricated on 250 μm epitaxial layers

Advances in the growth processes of 4H-SiC epitaxial layers have led to the continued expansion of epilayer thickness, allowing for the detection of more penetrative radioactive particles. We report the fabrication and characterization of high-resolution Schottky barrier radiation detectors on 250 μm thick n-type 4H-SiC epitaxial layers, the highest reported thickness to date. Several 8 × 8 mm2 detectors were fabricated from a diced 100 mm diameter 4H-SiC epitaxial wafer grown on a conductive 4H-SiC substrate with a mean micropipe density of 0.11 cm−2. From the Mott–Schottky plots, the effective doping concentration was found to be in the range (0.95–1.85) × 1014 cm−3, implying that full depletion could be achieved at ∼5.7 kV (0.5 MV/cm at the interface). The current-voltage characteristics demonstrated consistently low leakage current densities of 1–3 nA/cm2 at a reverse bias of −800 V. This resulted in the pulse-height spectra generated using a 241Am alpha source (5486 keV) manifesting an energy resolution of less than 0.5% full width at half maximum (FWHM) for all the detectors at −200 V. The charge collection efficiencies (CCEs) were measured to be 98–99% with no discernable correlation to the energy resolution. A drift-diffusion model fit to the variation of CCE as a function of bias voltage, revealed a minority carrier diffusion length of ∼10 μm. Deep level transient spectroscopy measurements on the best resolution detector revealed that the excellent performance was the result of having ultralow concentrations of the order of 1011 cm−3 lifetime limiting defects—Z1/2 and EH6/7.
Previously Unrecognized Source of Error in the Change in Maximum Total Point Motion to Determine Continuous Migration of Unstable Tibial Baseplates.

In radiostereometric analysis (RSA), continuous migration denoted as ΔMTPM is the difference between maximum total point motion (MTPM) at 2 years relative to time zero and MTPM at 1 year relative to time zero. Continuous migration has been used to diagnose tibial baseplates as stable versus unstable when compared to a specified stability limit (i.e., value of ΔMTPM). If the same point experiences MTPM at 2 years and at 1 year (usually the case for marker-based RSA), then an implicit assumption is that the migration path between 2 years and 1 year is the same as the path between 1 year and time zero. This article uses vector analysis to demonstrate a source of error in ΔMTPM not previously recognized and estimates the magnitude of error based on the interplay of independent variables which affect the error. The two independent variables which affect the error are the angle between the two migration vectors (i.e., MTPM between time zero and 2 years and MTPM between time zero and 1 year) and the difference in magnitude of the two vectors. The relative error increased in an absolute sense as the angle between the vectors increased and decreased for larger differences in the magnitudes of the two vectors. For magnitude ratios ranging from 1.25 to 2, relative errors ranged from -21% to -3% at 10 deg and from -78% to -42% at 60 deg, respectively. Knowledge of these errors highlights a limitation in the use of ΔMTPM not previously recognized.
FRI0122 Evaluation of the Two-Step Referral Strategy for Axial Spondyloarthritis in the Spondyloarthritis Caught Early Cohort

Background Currently, in primary care no satisfactory referral model exists for referral to the rheumatologist of patients with chronic back pain (CBP) with possible axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Recently, a non-invasive, inexpensive and easily applicable two-step referral strategy was developed, based on a computer-generated model. 1 Objectives The aim of our study was to validate this two-step referral strategy in the SPondyloArthritis Caught Early (SPACE)-cohort. Methods In the first step of the referral strategy, the presence of psoriasis, alternating buttock pain (ABP) and improvement of back pain by exercise (IBPE) are registered. If ≥2 of these anamnestic features are present, the patient is referred to a rheumatologist. In the second step, if ≤1 anamnestic feature is present, HLA-B27 testing is performed; if the result is positive, the patient is also referred. The required data was obtained from the SPACE-cohort, in which patients with CBP (≥3 months, ≤2 years, onset 2 For the patients which were erroneously referred or erroneously not referred, post-test probabilities for axSpA were calculated based on LR products for the presence of SpA features 3 , with a LR product of ≥78 which equals a probability of ≥80% defined as cut-off value for probable axSpA. Results A total of 74/192 patients had axSpA (ASAS), 61 of which would have been referred according to the strategy, yielding a sensitivity of 82.4%. The 13 false negatives are obligatory HLA-B27 negatives, have ≥1 SpA feature and sacroiliitis on imaging, 3/13 (23%) of which on X-ray. The referral strategy would have referred a total of 93/192 patients, yielding a specificity of 72.9%. Of the false positive patients, 8/32 (25%) would have been referred erroneously due to HLA-B27 positivity in absence of ≥2 SpA features. Half of these 32 patients (n=16; 50%) had a combination of ABP and IPBE, which are features of inflammatory back pain, which itself is not specific for axSpA. Although none of these false positives fulfil the ASAS axSpA criteria, 6/32 (19%) had probable axSpA (probability ≥80%) (figure). Conclusions The two-step referral strategy performed well in the SPACE-cohort. These results show the potential of simple referral strategies for the early recognition of axSpA. However, all patients in this study had already been referred to the rheumatologist. Thus, the performance of this model in its target population (i.e. primary care) remains to be addressed in further studies. References Braun, Rheumatol 2013;52:1418-24. Rudwaleit, ARD 2009;68:777-83. Rudwaleit, ARD 2004;63:535-43 Disclosure of Interest None declared DOI 10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-eular.1901
Translations of Authority in Medieval English Literature: Valuing the Vernacular

In Translations of Authority in Medieval English Literature, leading critic Alastair Minnis presents the fruits of a long-term engagement with the ways in which crucial ideological issues were deployed in vernacular texts. The concept of the vernacular is seen as possessing a value far beyond the category of language - as encompassing popular beliefs and practices which could either confirm or contest those authorized by church and state institutions. Minnis addresses the crisis for vernacular translation precipitated by the Lollard heresy; the minimal engagement with Nominalism in late fourteenth-century poetry; Langland's views on indulgences; the heretical theology of Walter Brut; Margery Kempe's self-promoting biblical exegesis; and Chaucer's tales of suspicious saints and risible relics. These discussions disclose different aspects of 'vernacularity', enabling a fuller understanding of its complexity and potency.
Pragmatism and the Philosophy of Religion

In this book, Michael R. Slater provides a new assessment of pragmatist views in the philosophy of religion. Focusing on the tension between naturalist and anti-naturalist versions of pragmatism, he argues that the anti-naturalist religious views of philosophers such as William James and Charles Peirce provide a powerful alternative to the naturalism and secularism of later pragmatists such as John Dewey and Richard Rorty. Slater first examines the writings of the 'classical pragmatists' - James, Peirce, and Dewey - and argues for the relevance of their views for thinking about such topics as the nature of religion and the viability of natural theology. His final three chapters engage with the religious views of later pragmatists such as Rorty and Philip Kitcher, and with current philosophical debates over metaphysical realism, naturalism, and evidentialism. His book will be of particular interest to philosophers of religion, theologians, and specialists in American philosophy.
Expression and purification of HER2 extracellular domain proteins in Schneider2 insect cells

Overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2/ErbB2/Neu) results in ligand independent activation of kinase signaling and is found in about 30% of human breast cancers, and is correlated with a more aggressive tumor phenotype. The HER2 extracellular domain (ECD) consists of four domains - I, II, III and IV. Although the role of each domain in the dimerization and activation of the receptor has been extensively studied, the role of domain IV (DIV) is not clearly understood yet. In our previous studies, we reported peptidomimetic molecules inhibit HER2:HER3 heterodimerization. In order to study the binding interactions of peptidomimetics with HER2 DIV in detail, properly folded recombinant HER2 protein in pure form is important. We have expressed and purified HER2 ECD and DIV proteins in the Drosophila melanogaster Schneider2 (S2) cell line. Using the commercial Drosophila expression system (DES), we transfected S2 cells with plasmids designed to direct the expression of secreted recombinant HER2 ECD and DIV proteins. The secreted proteins were purified from the conditioned medium by filtration, ultrafiltration, dialysis and nickel affinity chromatography techniques. The purified HER2 proteins were then analyzed using Western blot, mass spectrometry and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy.
Studies on coronary occlusion: IV. Vasodilators and the coronary circulation experimental observations

Abstract 1. 1. Observations were made on the effect of nitroglycerine, papaverine hydrochloride, ∗ and aminophylline upon the RS-T segments of the electrocardiograms of 16 cats under sodium pentobarbital anesthesia. The cats were studied (a) before and during induced anoxemia, and (b) before and at intervals after coronary ligation. 2. 2. The three vasodilators lowered the blood pressure less than 15 mm. Hg, and only for a short time. 3. 3. Lowering of the blood pressure artificially by acute withdrawal of blood had no effect upon the electrocardiogram until a blood pressure of about 30 mm. Hg was reached, when induced anoxemia resulted in a greater RS-T segment deviation than previously.14 4. 4. The RS-T segment deviation produced by coronary artery ligation was increased by nitroglycerine; papaverine hydrochloride decreased it after the nitroglycerine, as well as when no previous medication had been given. Aminophylline had no consistent effect.
Regional gossip routing for wireless ad hoc networks

One of the key challenges in ad hoc networks is the development of dynamic and efficient routing protocols. Some routing protocols use nodes' positions, while some protocols are based on flooding essentially. Gossip based routing method had been used and re-investigated [Z. Haas et al., 2002] to reduce the number of messages: every node will forward a message based on a uniform probability p. The gossiping exhibits a bi-modal behavior [R. Meester et al., 1996]. Then, there is a threshold value p/sub 0/ such that, in sufficiently large random networks, the gossip message quickly dies out if p p/sub 0/. So ideally, we would set the gossiping probability close to p/sub 0/, thus save about 1- p/sub 0/ message overhead compared with the flooding. Gossiping still produces lots of unnecessary messages in regions that are far way from some line connecting the source to target nodes. We propose regional gossiping, in which essentially only nodes inside some region (derived from the source and target) will execute the gossiping protocol, and nodes outside the region will not participate in the gossiping at all. The region we select in our simulations are some ellipses using the source and target as foci. Our results show that, by using appropriate optimization heuristics, we can save up to 94% messages even compared with the global gossiping method.
Postcolonializing Berlin and The Fabrication of The Urban

Postcolonializing Berlin is an experiment in rethinking (Western) cities from the South. It embraces conceptual innovations from thinkers in African, Latin American and Asian urban studies to complicate the stories we tell about contemporary Berlin. My argument proceeds in four steps. I begin by asking what makes the North–South division in urban studies so problematic, and what needs to happen to shake up those categories. Then I share some of my own trials and errors in looking at Berlin-Neukolln through the lens of ‘the South', before offering an alternative frame, which I call ‘urban fabricating', as a way of inquiring into and perceiving changing urban settings. In the final part, gambling parlours in Berlin-Neukolln move into focus, where different forms of fabrication are at work: the regeneration officials' vision for the future of the neighbourhood, the inspectors' improvisations on the casino law, and the casino owners' ways of muddling through at the edges of the law. Rather than searching for the one new theory to shake up urban studies, fabricating is, I suggest, an unagitated approach to the actual processes through which cities are made.
Death Associated with Nitrite Ingestion: Report of a Case

The tissue concentrations of nitrite and nitrate found at autopsy of a case of intentional ingestion of nitrite salts have been reported. The percentage of methemoglobin and the serum nitrite concentrations are consistent with those reported for acute overdoses. We conclude that noth nitrite and nitrate salts may be identified in tissues from persons ingesting only nitrite salts and that a significant conversion to nitrate may result from oxidation of nitrite during the conversion of heme iron to Fe3+.
SOME OPTIMAL CONTROL PROBLEMS FOR THE HELMHOLTZ EQUATION

Publisher Summary This chapter explores some optimal control problems for the Helmholtz equation. The optimal control problems for the Helmholtz equation arise in the study of time harmonic electromagnetic and acoustic radiation and scattering. These problems are problems in exterior domains in contrast to the more common problems with bounded domains usually encountered in the literature of distributed parameter control systems. Such problems require, in addition to the usual boundary condition, a radiation condition to guarantee that the problem has a unique solution. This chapter presents a simpler linear radiation problem with Dirichlet conditions under the assumption that a Green's function appropriate to the exterior domain is available. The chapter also highlights the complicated nonlinear optimization problem with a Robin boundary condition and without the assumption that the appropriate Green's function is available.
Reliable space‐to‐Earth communication as a secondary service in the 460–470 MHz band

Summary By regulatory fiat, secondary communication services cannot cause harmful interference to primary communication services, and they cannot claim protection from harmful interference from the primary service. This paper is about establishing reliable high data rate space-to-Earth communication in the asymmetric setting of a secondary service in the 460–470 MHz frequency band. In this band, the primary services consist of signals that are narrowband relative to the bandwidth of the signal of interest. A frequency domain approach is adopted to detect and cancel narrowband interference. After this processing, the signal of interest can be demodulated by standard techniques. This approach is shown to be effective on real data collected for the Dynamic Ionosphere CubeSat Experiment mission. The telemetry concept for Dynamic Ionosphere CubeSat Experiment was developed with a view toward demonstrating a high-speed data downlink capability that may be adopted as a standard for future CubeSat missions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prolog computation model BPM and its debugger PROEDIT2

This paper presents a debugger for Prolog ‘PROEDIT2’. In order to express the complex execution mechanism of Prolog, a new execution model for Prolog ‘BPM’ is also proposed. PROEDIT2 shows the execution of Prolog in BPM notation.
Response of skin panels to combined self- and boundary layer-induced fluctuating pressure

Abstract Fluctuating pressures are a critical consideration in the life-prediction of thin-gauge hot-structures operating in high-speed flow. Sources include both boundary layer turbulence and self-induced components, where the latter arises from panel vibrations. While a considerable body of research is available for the structural response of thin-gauge panels to self-induced pressure fluctuations, the response to boundary layer turbulence is not well-understood due to the complexity in modeling the loads. Important open issues are the degree of coupling between the boundary layer induced fluctuating loads and the thermo-structural response, and also the potential for interactions between a turbulent boundary layer and structural response to result in structural instabilities. This study seeks to address these issues by incorporating a phenomenological model for turbulent boundary layer loads into an aerothermoelastic framework. The enhanced aerothermoelastic model is then used to study the combined effect of self- and boundary layer-induced fluctuating pressures on responses of simple panels, and to characterize features in the turbulent boundary layer loads that can lead to large amplitude structural vibrations. The developed phenomenological model predicts that the magnitude of the boundary layer induced fluctuating pressure increases with increasing panel inclination, and decreases with increasing temperature. Furthermore, it is found that both RMS magnitude and phase angle of the boundary layer induced pressure loads play key roles in panel response. Certain combinations of these features, coupled with the self-induced pressure fluctuations, are found to cause onset of fluid–structural instabilities earlier than observed when pressure fluctuations from the turbulent boundary layer are either neglected or decoupled from the panel response.
Review: Richard A. Krueger & Mary Anne Casey (2000). Focus Groups. A Practical Guide for Applied Research (3rd edition)

KRUEGER und CASEY haben ein Handbuch fur die Planung, Vorbereitung und Durchfuhrung von Fokusgruppen-Untersuchungen vorgelegt. Da die Autor(inn)en sich offensichtlich vor allem an Noviz(inn)en richten, mangelt es dem Buch an einer soliden theoretisch-methodologischen Grundlegung, und sie leisten damit teilweise dem Misstand Vorschub, dass anstelle gebrauchlicherer Termini idiosynkratische Ausdrucksweisen verwendet werden. Unterschatzt werden in dem Handbuch auch mogliche Vorteile von Fokusgruppen zum strukturierten Hervorrufen von "Uberraschung" und fur das Aufdecken linguistischer Konstruktionen in den (Ziel-) Gruppen. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0204280
Colonic inhibition of pancreatic and biliary secretion.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not nutrients in the colon influence pancreatic and biliary secretion in humans. In six healthy subjects, similar caloric loads (117 cals) of oleic acid, essential amino acids, and glucose in isomolar (280 mosmol/L), similar pH (7.4) solutions were infused into the right colon at 10 ml/min through a colonic tube passed by mouth. A background of submaximal pancreatic and biliary secretion was maintained by continuous intravenous infusion of the octapeptide of cholecystokinin. Biliary and pancreatic secretions were quantitated using the gastroduodenal intubation perfusion technique. Among the three nutrients tested, only oleic acid in the colon decreased pancreatic enzymes and bicarbonate outputs. The mean trypsin output decreased from 26.3 ± 2.6 kU/h to 12.3 ± 1.9 kU/h (46% ± 6% of control), while the lipase output decreased from 62 ± 6.6 kU/h to 36 ± 5.6 kU/h (58% ± 6% of control). Similarly, the output of bicarbonate in the duodenal aspirate decreased from 31 ± 7.2 mEq/h to 16.3 ± 3.1 mEq/h (61% ± 5% of control). Intracolonic perfusion of essential amino acids or glucose had no effect on pancreatic enzymes and bicarbonate secretion. In contrast, all three nutrients in the colon inhibited biliary secretion. The mean output of bilirubin decreased from 56 ± 6 mg/h to 19 ± 2 mg/h (35% ± 5% of control) during intracolonic perfusion of oleic acid. Essential amino acids lowered the output of bilirubin from 54 ± 12 mg/h to 31 ± 8.6 mg/h (65% ± 6% of control), whereas glucose lowered it from 53 ± 12 mg/h to 22 ± 4 mg/h (45% ± 5% of control). This differing response of pancreatic and biliary output to intracolonic perfusion of nutrients suggests differential sensitivity of the pancreas and gallbladder to these inhibitory influences. In malabsorption states, unabsorbed nutrients in the colon may inhibit pancreatic and biliary secretion, further contributing to the loss of nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract.
Dorsal column postsynaptic neurons in the cat are excited by myelinated nociceptors.

Some (25–50%) dorsal column postsynaptic (DCPS) neurons respond only to innocuous mechanical stimuli; the remainder (50–75%) responds to both innocuous and noxious mechanical stimuli. Those that respond to noxious mechanical stimuli (pinch) are assumed to be excited by input from nociceptive primary afferents, but it is conceivable that their pinch-evoked responses are produced by the inadvertent activation of those low-threshold mechanoreceptive primary afferents that respond to stretching the skin. Because nociceptive primary afferents respond reliably to noxious heat and low-threshold mechanoreceptors do not, we tested DCPS neurons in the cat lumbar spinal cord with a series of noxious heat stimuli (48 °C or 50 °C–56 °C; 30 s duration). Seven of eight pinch-responsive neurons responded to noxious heat, but only after their receptive fields had been sensitized by prolonged or repeated heating. The results show that (1) many DCPS neurons in the cat are excited by nociceptive primary afferents and (2) these nociceptive afferents are probably myelinated high-threshold mechanoreceptors.
The distance between the phytochrome chromophore and the N-terminal chain decreases during phototransformation. A novel fluorescence energy transfer method using labeled antibody fragments.

A novel antibody-fluorescence method has been developed to elucidate the chromophore topography in phytochrome as it undergoes a photochromic transformation. Forster energy transfer from N-terminal bound, fluorescently labeled Oat-25 Fab antibody fragments to the phytochrome chromophore was measured. The results suggest that the chromophore moves relative to the N-terminus upon the Pr-->Pfr phototransformation. This conclusion is consistent with previous models which have proposed a reorientation and an interaction of the Pfr chromophore with the N-terminus. The method described appears to be the first study of a Forster energy transfer measurement using a donor-label attached to a Fab fragment of a photosensor protein.
Cerebrovascular complications of aortic arch surgery

Abstract Ischemic strokes in the brain and the spinal cord are dreaded complications of aortic arch surgery. The etiology of these strokes is most typically embolic from atheromatous material but compression or dissection of branch vessels or hypoperfusion (particularly of radicular spinal branches) may be associated with increased stroke risk. Various techniques including partial left heart bypass with hypothermic circulatory arrest and retrograde or anterograde cerebral perfusion along with lumbar cerebrospinal fluid drainage may decrease the risk of neurovascular complications of aortic arch or thoracic aortic surgery. The risks of neurovascular complications with endovascular stenting of the aorta are unclear at this time.
Group Theoretical Analysis and Phonon Modes of V3Si

The group theoretical analysis of the dynamical matrix has been carried out for the A15 structure by using the irreducible multiplier representations of the point group of the wave vector. Numerical results are presented for the complete set of phonon dispersion relations in V3Si along the principal symmetry directions calculated from a microscopic model given earlier. Eine gruppentheoretische Analyse der dynamischen Matrix wird fur die A15-Struktur mittels der irreduziblen Multiplikator-Darstellung der Punktgruppe des Wellenzahlvektors durchgefuhrt. Numerische Ergebnisse fur den vollstandigen Satz der Phononen-Dispersions-kurven in den Hauptsymmetrierichtungen, die auf der Grundlage eines fruher entwickelten mikroskopischen Modells berechnet wurden, werden fur V3Si angegeben.
Distinct Neural Signatures for Safety and Danger in the Amygdala and Striatum of the Mouse

The ability to identify, develop, and exploit conditions of safety and security is central to survival and mental health, but little is known of the neurobiology of these processes or associated positive modulations of affective state. We studied electrophysiological and affective correlates of learned safety by negatively correlating an auditory conditioned stimulus (CS) with aversive events (US). This CS came to signify a period of protection, reducing fear responses to predictors of the US and increasing adventurous exploration of a novel environment. In nonaversive conditions, mice turn on the CS when given the opportunity. Thus, conditioned safety involves a reduction of learned and instinctive fear, as well as positive affective responses. Concurrent electrophysiological measurements identified a safety learning-induced long-lasting depression of CS-evoked activity in the lateral nucleus of the amygdala, consistent with fear reduction, and an increase of CS-evoked activity in a region of the striatum involved in positive affect, euphoric responses, and reward.
Automatic content based image retrieval using semantic analysis

We present a new text-to-image re-ranking approach for improving the relevancy rate in searches. In particular, we focus on the fundamental semantic gap that exists between the low-level visual features of the image and high-level textual queries by dynamically maintaining a connected hierarchy in the form of a concept database. For each textual query, we take the results from popular search engines as an initial retrieval, followed by a semantic analysis to map the textual query to higher level concepts. In order to do this, we design a two-layer scoring system which can identify the relationship between the query and the concepts automatically. We then calculate the image feature vectors and compare them with the classifier for each related concept. An image is relevant only when it is related to the query both semantically and content-wise. The second feature of this work is that we loosen the requirement for query accuracy from the user, which makes it possible to perform well on users' queries containing less relevant information. Thirdly, the concept database can be dynamically maintained to satisfy the variations in user queries, which eliminates the need for human labor in building a sophisticated initial concept database. We designed our experiment using complex queries (based on five scenarios) to demonstrate how our retrieval results are a significant improvement over those obtained from current state-of-the-art image search engines.
Gabapentin in Acute Postoperative Pain Management

Gabapentin (1-aminomethyl-cyclohexaneacetic acid) is an amino acid that has the structure of the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). It is a novel drug used for the treatment of postoperative pain with antihyperalgesic properties and a unique mechanism of action. Gabapentin and the related, more potent compound pregabalin have been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of neuropathic pain as well as postoperative pain following spinal surgery and hysterectomy. This study reviews five aspects of gabapentin: (1) chemical and structural characteristics; (2) pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; (3) application in acute pain management; (4) adverse effects; and (5) drug safety. Overall, gabapentin has been reported to be a safe and efficacious drug for the treatment of postoperative pain.
Female Sociability, Physicality, and Authority in an Early Modern Haunting

When a nameless spirit visited Huguette Roy during the spring of 1628, Huguette became a local sensation. Neighborhood women, Franciscan preachers, and Jesuit intellectuals all tried to identify and control the apparition, who remained invisible to everyone save Huguette. She saw a helpful, if ethereal, young woman, and the spirit's gender was only confirmed when it explained that it was Huguette's aunt, Leonarde. As both a female vision and an aunt, Leonarde became manageable and understandable. All of those associated with the haunting---believers and doubters alike---assumed that standards and attributes of womanhood, as defined in the seventeenth-century Franche-Comte, would be applicable to the spirit, in particular woman's innate physicality. Leonarde confirmed and conformed to these beliefs. Moreover, she, Huguette, and their supporters manipulated these standards to enhance their legitimacy. In the process all of the participants abandoned any sense of paradox that physical standards were being applied to an entity who was by nature non-physical or, at least, whose physicality did not conform to worldly, corporeal standards. Womanhood, in whatever form, became a universal category with physicality as its primary component.
Posttraumatic stress disorder and the genetic structure of comorbidity.

This study used structural equation modeling to examine the genetic and environmental architecture of latent dimensions of internalizing and externalizing psychiatric comorbidity and explored structural associations between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and these dimensions. Data were drawn from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry and included lifetime diagnoses for PTSD and a range of other psychiatric disorders for 3,372 male–male twin pairs. Examination of the phenotypic structure of these disorders revealed that PTSD cross-loaded on both Internalizing and Externalizing common factors. Biometric analyses suggested largely distinct genetic risk factors for the latent internalizing and externalizing comorbidity dimensions, with the total heritability of the Externalizing factor (69%) estimated to be significantly stronger than that for Internalizing (41%). Nonshared environment explained the majority of the remaining variance in the Internalizing (58%) and Externalizing (20%) factors. Shared genetic variance across the 2 dimensions explained 67% of their phenotypic correlation (r = .52). These findings have implications for conceptualizations of the etiology of PTSD and its location in an empirically based nosology.
The Homogeneous Thermal Explosion with Dissociation and Recombination

Abstract The complete reaction history of an adiabatic, spatially homogeneous model of a thermal explosion including dissociation and recombination is examined via activation-energy asymptotics. Three Arrhenius type reactions are assumed to occur in the system. The oxidation and dissociation reactions are assumed to have a large activation energy. Recombination is considered as a third step with a zero activation energy. A matched asymptotic expansion procedure is developed to describe the solutions in four successive time zones. The dependence of the explosion time on the kinetic parameters is discussed in detail. The explosion time is longer than that for the adiabatic system without dissociation. The final temperature is less than that for the nondissociative case because of the extraction of the energy for dissociation from the system. The time history of the temperature and the species concentrations are described in detail for each time zone.
Ambiguous pleasures: sexuality and middle class self-perceptions in Nairobi

In Ambiguous Pleasures, Rachel Spronk attends to the ‘sensorial aspects of sexuality’ (3) amidst the tumult of contemporary urban Africa. We are first, and powerfully, presented with this in the co...
Evaluation of sequential and selective extraction methods for determination of mercury speciation and mobility in mine waste

Abstract Sequential and selective extraction procedures for determining Hg speciation in substrates were evaluated and applied to an extraction protocol to assess Hg mobility in samples of mine waste. Pyrolytic methods were applied to determine volatile phases; leaching with Cl-solutions was utilized to determine soluble or mobile species; and acid digestions were used to extract strongly bound Hg species and for total Hg analyses. Pyrolytic extractions at greater than 80 °C were found to significantly over estimate elemental Hg. The organic content of a substrate was found to confound sequential extraction results. Inorganic amendments such as iron Fe and vermiculite also influenced extraction results but not as strongly as organic matter. This study demonstrated that sequential and selective extractions for identification of specific Hg phases should be used with caution. Comparison of HF, aqua regia, and 3 H2SO4 : 7 HNO3 digestions revealed that aqua regia was as effective as the HF digestion for determining total Hg. The 3 H2SO4:7 HNO3 digestion was significantly less effective for determining total Hg on silicified samples. Analysis of Hg in mine waste indicated that introduced Hg and naturally occurring Hg minerals are relatively immobile in terms of the percent of leachable and volatile Hg verses the total Hg concentration. Extraction methods were found to overestimate Hg released from mine waste when compared to in situ measurements.
Activation of nuclear factor-κB and its proinflammatory mediator cascade in the infarcted rat heart

Abstract Nuclear transcription factor (NF)-κB regulates inflammatory and immune responses by increasing the expression of specific inflammatory genes in various tissues. Whether the infarcted heart includes the activation of NF-κB and a proinflammatory mediator cascade that it regulates has not been fully explored. Herein, we monitored the temporal and spatial activation of NF-κB, together with expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, in the infarcted rat heart at and remote to MI from day 3 to day 28 following left coronary artery ligation. Compared to the normal heart, we observed NF-κB activation, together with the elevated expression of VCAM-1 in endothelial cells, TNF-α and TGF-β1 in inflammatory cells at sites of repair in the infarcted heart, which started on day 3, peaked on day 7, and gradually declined thereafter. Our findings suggest NF-κB activation and its proinflammatory mediator cascade are contributory to the inflammatory response and remodeling that appear at various sites of repair in the infarcted rat heart.
Domestic violence and immigration status among Latina mothers in the child welfare system: Findings from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being II (NSCAW II)

Many children involved with the child welfare system witness parental domestic violence. The association between children's domestic violence exposure and child welfare involvement may be influenced by certain socio-cultural factors; however, minimal research has examined this relationship. The current study compares domestic violence experiences and case outcomes among Latinas who are legal immigrants (n=39), unauthorized immigrants (n=77), naturalized citizens (n=30), and US-born citizen mothers (n=383) reported for child maltreatment. This analysis used data from the second round of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being. Mothers were asked about whether they experienced domestic violence during the past year. In addition, data were collected to assess if (a) domestic violence was the primary abuse type reported and, if so, (b) the maltreatment allegation was substantiated. Results show that naturalized citizens, legal residents, and unauthorized immigrants did not differ from US-born citizens in self-reports of domestic violence; approximately 33% of mothers reported experiences of domestic violence within the past year. Yet, unauthorized immigrants were 3.76 times more likely than US-born citizens to have cases with allegations of domestic violence as the primary abuse type. Despite higher rates of alleged domestic violence, unauthorized citizens were not more likely than US-born citizens to have these cases substantiated for domestic violence (F(2.26, 153.99)=0.709, p=.510). Findings highlight that domestic violence is not accurately accounted for in families with unauthorized immigrant mothers. We recommend child welfare workers are trained to properly assess and fulfill the needs of immigrant families, particularly as it relates to domestic violence.
The role of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts in the management of patients with end-stage liver disease.

background : Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) has been reported to successfully treat complications of portal hypertension; however, not all reports have been favorable. methods : Forty patients underwent 41 attempts to place a TIPS. All patients but 1 had a Wallstent placed. results : Thirty-nine procedures (95%) were successful. Thirty-one patients were treated for gastrointestinal bleeding, and 9 for refractory ascites. The average fall in portal pressure was 13.7 ± 0.9 mm Hg. Major postprocedure complications included 4 deaths. Minor problems included liver capsular perforation, fever, self-limited bleeding, and a pseudoaneurysm. Follow-up evaluation revealed that by 5 months, 50% of the shunts developed a portal-venous-to-right-atrial pressure gradient requiring balloon dilatation or a new stent. The 1-year actuarial patient survival was 72%. Eighteen patients were candidates for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and 5 have been transplanted. conclusions : TIPS may be best used for stabilization, prior to OLT or as a temporizing measure prior to elective shunt surgery.
Policy science: A conceptual and methodological analysis

In the first section policy science is differentiated from policy analysis, the notion of policy is defined, and an analysis of the concept of policy science is offered which gives emphasis to what is unique in this intellectual endeavor when it is conceived as a general method of problem solving. Section II provides a discussion of the criteria of rationality for the conduct of policy science. Attention is focused upon the methodological differences between science and policy science and upon certain methodological difficulties which are peculiar to policy science. The third section gives consideration to one important relationship between facts and values in the policy science process. While it is generally well recognized that values enter into policy science in a way they do not enter into science, it is also widely held that they do not operate in such a way as to frustrate the central objective of the policy scientist (i.e., the solution or alleviation of a policy problem). It is argued that the relation between values and facts in policy science is frequently such as to have this undesired frustrative effect.