cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temperature Dependence of Optical Spectra of Bacteriochlorophyll a in Solution and in Low-Temperature Glasses

Absorption, fluorescence emission, and fluorescence excitation spectra of bacteriochlorophyll a [BChl a] are examined throughout the temperature range from 298 to 79 K in several glass-forming solvents. Changes in the absorption spectra that occur continuously throughout this range may reflect increased extent of coordination of the central Mg, changes in solvent dielectric, and/or altered hydrogen bonding. Fluorescence emission spectra exhibit a new feature that grows steadily, beginning at temperatures below about 250 K in solvents that are hydrogen-bond donors: 1-propanol and 2-propanol. The emerging fluorescence band, located about 300 cm-1 to the blue of the fluorescence band seen at higher temperatures, achieves nearly equal amplitude at 163 K and below. It is noteworthy that no corresponding feature appears in the absorption on the blue side of the Qy absorption band. The Kennard−Stepanov relation between absorption and fluorescence, which holds with somewhat elevated T* values in the high-tempera...
Degree of Milling Effects on Rice Pasting Properties

ABSTRACT The effects of degree of milling on pasting properties of medium-grain (cv. Bengal and Orion) and long-grain rice (cv. Cypress and Kaybonnet) were quantified using a Brabender ViscoAmylograph and a Rapid Visco Analyser. For all the cultivars tested, surface and total lipid contents decreased as the degree of milling increased. The peak viscosities for all rice increased with the degree of milling and the rates of increase were higher for medium-grain than long-grain cultivars. Degree of milling did not have a consistent effect on final viscosity for all the cultivars tested.
Comparing ADHD in velocardiofacial syndrome to idiopathic ADHD: a preliminary study.

Objective: Background: Children with velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS), a contiguous deletion syndrome, have an increased prevalence of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: The authors compared youth with VCFS+ADHD (from the SUNY Upstate VCFS Research Program) to those with ADHD but not VCFS (from the Massachusetts General Hospital Longitudinal Family Studies of ADHD). Results: Children with VCFS+ADHD were more likely to be diagnosed with the inattentive subtype and differed from idiopathic ADHD in the frequency of several inattentive symptoms that appear linked to general cognitive functioning. After controlling for IQ differences, parents of children with VCFS+ADHD endorsed more thought and social problems on a rating checklist. Patterns of comorbidity also differed between the two groups of children with ADHD: Children with idiopathic ADHD had higher rates of comorbid major depression and disruptive behavior disorders. Conclusion: Children with VCFS+ADHD may have a different profile ...
THE GAS/DUST RATIO OF CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS: TESTING MODELS OF PLANETESIMAL FORMATION

We present high-resolution, near-infrared NIRSPEC observations of CO absorption toward six class II T Tauri stars: AA Tau, DG Tau, IQ Tau, RY Tau, CW Tau, and Haro 6-5b. 12CO overtone absorption lines originating from the circumstellar disk of each object were used to calculate line-of-sight gas column densities toward each source. We measured the gas/dust ratio as a function of disk inclination, utilizing measured visual extinctions and inclinations for each star. The majority of our sources show further evidence for a correlation between the gas/dust column density ratio and disk inclination similar to that found by Rettig et al.
Process Monitoring in Micro-Injection Molding

Due to the micro-scale dimensions in the microinjection molding proces, it is difficult to inspect the part quality without using costly microscopic observation methods. To address this issue, a suitable process monitoring method such as cavity pressure monitoring can be employed to detect any process deviation that causes defects in part quality. The objective of this study is to investigate how cavity pressure responds to different molding conditions that lead to varying part quality of a molded hollow cap.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans in sediments from Siskiwit Lake, Isle Royale

Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans were found in sediment from Siskiwit Lake on Isle Royale, Lake Superior, a location which can receive only atmospheric inputs. The source of these compounds is the atmospheric transport of dioxins and furans formed by the anthropogenic combustion of domestic and chemical waste.
Chemical Model of a Biological Reaction

WE were searching for a model of an enzymatic reaction in the hope that the relatively simple chemistry of the model reaction might throw some light on the enzyme reaction itself. In particular, we were interested in finding a model which would duplicate some of the properties of lipases, notably their ability to catalyse the hydrolysis of lipids and the characteristic pH dependence of lipolytic activity which reaches a maximum near pH 8.5 with most lipases, and one just below pH 7 with some. Lipases being proteins, the model would have to be restricted to the functional groups available in proteins. The high potency of lipases, despite this restriction, together with the well-known chemical mechanism of ester hydrolysis, made us suspect that bifunctional catalysis1 might play a decisive part.
Resonance-enhanced photodissociation spectroscopy of mass-selected metal cluster cations

Abstract Vibrationally resolved electronic spectra are reported for the diatomic cations Te + 2 and Bi + 2 using the technique of resonance-enhanced photodissociation spectroscopy(REPD). These ions are generated by laser vaporization in a pulsed nozzle source, jet-cooled, mass-selected with a reflectron time-of-flight spectrometer, and dissociated on resonance with a tunable dye laser. Electronic excitation spectra are recorded by monitoring the appearance of the fragment atomic cation as the dissociation laser is tuned through vibronic resonances. Analysis of these new spectra yields vibrational constants for the ground and excited state ions. Potential applications of this dissociation spectroscopy method for polyatomic clusters are discussed.
High-density lipoproteins: Epidemiologic profile and risks of coronary artery disease

Abstract The lipid-atherogenesis connection has undergone an evolutionary metamorphosis from a focus initially on serum total cholesterol, subsequently on other lipids, then on the lipoproteins that transport them, and now on the distribution of cholesterol in the low-density lipoproteins (LDL), high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and very low density lipoproteins. it is now established that the relation of serum total cholesterol to coronary heart disease (CHD) derives chiefly from the atherogenic LDL component, and that level of HDL cholesterol is inversely related to risk. The protective effect of HDL is at least as strong as the atherogenic effect of LDL and is independent of lipids and other risk factors. Every change of 10 mg/dl in the HDL cholesterol level is associated with a 50 % change in risk. At any level of serum total cholesterol, risk varies widely, depending on the LDL HDL ratio. A serum total cholesterol HDL ratio of 5.0 is associated with average risk; optimal ratios, around 3.5, correspond to half the standard risk. Further refinements in the lipid profile may be possible because there are several HDL and LDL subfractions with different atherogenic potential probably related to their apoprotein makeup. Only weak and inconsistent relationships of stroke and peripheral arterial disease to serum cholesterol and its lipoprotein fractions have been found, although there is the expected inverse relation to HDL cholesterol. An inverse relation of LDL level to stroke in women, and in men a possible excess mortality at very low serum cholesterol values attributed to colon cancer, have been reported.
HPC global file system performance analysis using a scientific-application derived benchmark

With the exponential growth of high-fidelity sensor and simulated data, the scientific community is increasingly reliant on ultrascale HPC resources to handle its data analysis requirements. However, to use such extreme computing power effectively, the I/O components must be designed in a balanced fashion, as any architectural bottleneck will quickly render the platform intolerably inefficient. To understand I/O performance of data-intensive applications in realistic computational settings, we develop a lightweight, portable benchmark called MADbench2, which is derived directly from a large-scale cosmic microwave background (CMB) data analysis package. Our study represents one of the most comprehensive I/O analyses of modern parallel file systems, examining a broad range of system architectures and configurations, including Lustre on the Cray XT3, XT4, and Intel Itanium2 clusters; GPFS on IBM Power5 and AMD Opteron platforms; a BlueGene/P installation using GPFS and PVFS2 file systems; and CXFS on the SGI Altix3700. We present extensive synchronous I/O performance data comparing a number of key parameters including concurrency, POSIX- versus MPI-IO, and unique- versus shared-file accesses, using both the default environment as well as highly tuned I/O parameters. Finally, we explore the potential of asynchronous I/O and show that only the two of the nine evaluated systems benefited from MPI-2's asynchronous MPI-IO. On those systems, experimental results indicate that the computational intensity required to hide I/O effectively is already close to the practical limit of BLAS3 calculations. Overall, our study quantifies vast differences in performance and functionality of parallel file systems across state-of-the-art platforms - showing I/O rates that vary up to 75x on the examined architectures - while providing system designers and computational scientists a lightweight tool for conducting further analysis.
Pharmacological manipulation of arachidonic acid-epoxygenase results in divergent effects on renal damage

Kidney damage is markedly accelerated by high-salt (HS) intake in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) are epoxygenase products of arachidonic acid which possess vasodepressor, natriuretic and anti-inflammatory activities. We examined whether up-regulation (clofibrate) or inhibition (MS-PPOH) of epoxygenase would alter systolic blood pressure (SBP) and/or renal pathology in SHRSP on HS intake (1% NaCl drinking solution). Three weeks of treatment with clofibrate induced renal cortical protein expression of CYP2C23 and increased urinary excretion of EETs compared with vehicle-treated SHRSP. SBP and urinary protein excretion (UPE) were significantly lowered with clofibrate treatment. Kidneys from vehicle-treated SHRSP, which were on HS intake for 3 weeks, demonstrated focal lesions of vascular fibrinoid degeneration, which were markedly attenuated with clofibrate treatment. In contrast, 2 weeks of treatment with the selective epoxygenase inhibitor, MS-PPOH, increased UPE without significantly altering neither urinary EET levels nor SBP. Kidneys from vehicle-treated SHRSP, which were on HS intake for 11 days, demonstrated occasional mild damage whereas kidneys from MS-PPOH-treated rats exhibited widespread malignant nephrosclerosis. These results suggest that pharmacological manipulation of epoxygenase results in divergent effects on renal damage and that interventions to increase EET levels may provide therapeutic strategies for treating salt-sensitive hypertension and renal damage.
Immunization with DNA, adenovirus or both in biodegradable alginate microspheres: effect of route of inoculation on immune response.

To determine the potential for biodegradable alginate microspheres to be used as a delivery vehicle for DNA based vaccines, we constructed a plasmid, pMNe-gal-SV40, containing the bacterial β-galactosidase (LacZ) gene under the control of the murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) immediate-early promoter and the simian virus 40 (SV40) polyadenylation signal. The effect of the route of administration and co-administration of adenovirus on systemic and mucosal immune responses were investigated. Mice were inoculated orally, intranasally (i.n.), intramuscularly (i.m.), subcutaneously (s.c.) or intraperitoneally (i.p.) on days 0, 14 and 28 with microspheres containing plasmid DNA, bovine adenovirus type 3 (BAd3) or plasmid DNA + BAd3. Systemic routes of immunization (i.m., s.c. and i.p.) resulted in higher LacZ- or BAd3-specific IgG ELISA titers compared to those obtained by mucosal routes of inoculation (oral and i.n.). Mucosal immunization led to slightly higher titers of LacZ- or BAd3-specific IgA at mucosal sites compared to those obtained by the various systemic routes. All the routes of immunization induced LacZ-specific lymphoproliferation. Co-administration of BAd3 enhanced the LacZ-specific IgG response irrespective of the route of administration.
Apodized pixel lenses in compact shadow-casting correlators

We present a compact two-dimensional shadow-casting correlator that can perform correlation between inputs of size 256 × 256 and a point-spread function of size 32 × 32. A two-dimensional array of mutually incoherent sources is used to encode the point-spread function, and each source is individually steered to improve the light uniformity and the light-utilization efficiency. The geometric optics constraint requires that the shadow region be very close to the input plane. This constraint is removed by the introduction of apodized pixel lenses in the input spatial light modulator. The pixel lenses move the shadow plane to their Fourier plane, and pixel apodization reduces the interchannel cross talk, thereby improving the signal-to-noise ratio. Simulation and experimental results verifying these concepts are presented.
The mitogenic effect of parathyroid hormone is associated with E2F-dependent activation of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (cdc2) in osteoblast precursors

Injections of parathyroid hormone (PTH) have been reported to stimulate skeletal accretion through increased bone formation in several species, and osteoblast proliferation is a critical component of bone formation. However, the biological mechanisms of PTH-stimulated bone cell proliferation are largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that PTH stimulates proliferation of the osteoblast precursor cell line, TE-85, in association with increasing cdc2 protein levels and its kinase activity. cdc2 antisense oligonucleotides blocked PTH-induced DNA synthesis and cell cycle progression. Analysis of the time course of PTH-stimulated cdc2 message levels demonstrated that cdc2 mRNA levels were increased 1.5- to 4-fold between 3-18 h following release from cell synchronization. Transfections of TE-85 cells with a series of cdc2 promoter-luciferase deletion constructs revealed PTH stimulation of the cdc2 promoter. Promoter constructs containing a mutation in the E2F binding site were not stimulated by PTH. Gel mobility shift assays demonstrated increased free E2F levels in TE-85 nuclear extracts in response to PTH. Furthermore, the ratios of hyperphosphorylated to hypophosphorylated forms of Rb protein were increased by PTH treatment. These results demonstrate that PTH-stimulated cdc2 expression was associated with TE-85 cell proliferation and that the mechanism of stimulating cdc2 gene expression involved increasing the levels of free E2F.
Reading Comprehension in Adolescents with Learning Disabilities Semantic and Syntactic Effects

Ninety-two adolescents with learning disabilities were randomly assigned to four groups to determine the effects of semantic and syntactic complexity on the reading comprehension of content area prose. One group served as a control and read a social studies passage without change. The three treatment groups read passages with syntactic and/or semantic modifications. Comprehension was significantly better for those groups reading passages with combined semantic and syntactic modifications and syntactic modifications alone, when compared to the control group. Semantic modifications alone did not significantly improve comprehension.
A family of ordered mesoporous carbons derived from mesophase pitch using ordered mesoporous silicas as templates

A variety of ordered mesoporous carbons (OMCs) were synthesized using ordered mesoporous silicas (OMSs) as hard templates and the mesophase pitch (MP) as a carbon precursor. The synthesis included the mixing of OMS with MP, the infiltration of OMS with MP at 450–550 °C and the carbonization of MP in OMS/MP composite followed by the dissolution of the OMS template. OMCs with structures of two-dimensional hexagonal arrays of nanorods and three-dimensional arrays of nanospheres were obtained through the replication of silica templates, including large-pore SBA-15, KIT-6, large-pore FDU-12 and SBA-16. In particular, 2-D hexagonal array of carbon nanorods (CMK-3 carbon) with (100) interplanar spacing of ∼13 nm as well as an array of carbon nanospheres arranged in the face-centered cubic structure with the unit-cell parameter of 33 nm were successfully prepared. The specific surface areas of the resulting carbons were up to 400 m2/g, and the total pore volumes were up to 0.43 cm3/g, with the highest values achieved when the MP infiltration temperature was 500 °C. The OMCs exhibited narrow mesopore size distributions. As inferred from XRD, the frameworks of OMCs featured semi-graphitic structures even though moderate carbonization temperature (850 °C) was employed.
Atrial-Specific NCX KO Mice Reveal Dependence of Sinoatrial Node Pacemaker Activity on Sodium-Calcium Exchange

The cardiac sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX1) is hypothesized to play a major role in sinoatrial node (SAN) pacemaker activity. To test this hypothesis directly, we used cre/loxP technology to generate an atrial-specific knockout (KO) of NCX1 in mice using the sarcolipin promoter. At 12 weeks, there is no evidence of NCX1 in the atrium or SAN by immunostaining or immunoblot. KO mice exhibit atrial dilation and ventricular hypertrophy with mild ventricular dysfunction. On electrocardiography, KO mice have no P waves and a relatively slow junctional escape rhythm (231 ± 16 bpm, n = 4) compared to normal sinus rhythm in WT (422 ± 63 bpm, n = 2; p = 0.01). Furthermore, recordings of cardiac electrograms in Langendorff-perfused hearts show no evidence of atrial activity in KO. In patch clamped SAN cells isolated from KO mice, there is no NCX activity in response to caffeine-induced SR Ca2+ release. L-type Ca2+ current is decreased in KO by ∼50% but there is no significant difference in funny current (If) amplitude between WT and KO. Spontaneous action potentials (APs) are absent in KO, even after application of isoproterenol (ISO, 1μM). However, we were still able to evoke APs in patch clamped KO cells under current clamp conditions, indicating that KO cells are capable of electrically stimulated depolarization. The maximum diastolic potential (MDP) was slightly more depolarized in KO (- 57 ± 2.0 mV) compared to WT (- 70 ± 2.5 mV, p < 0.001), which could theoretically reduce spontaneous activity. However, reducing extracellular K+ to lower the MDP in KO to WT values failed to restore rhythmic pacemaker activity. Thus, we conclude that NCX1 is required for normal pacemaker activity in the murine SAN.
Development of an adaptation toolbox to protect southeast Florida water supplies from climate change

Sea level rise and changes in precipitation patterns due to climate change present a challenge to water resources engineers and planners in southeast Florida with regard to sustainable water supplies and Everglades restoration. Because over half of the urban areas of Miami–Dade and Broward counties, as well as portions of Palm Beach County (home to 5 million people), are at an elevation below 5 ft national geodetic vertical datum (ngvd), protection against sea level rise and coastal migration presents a challenge. Current approaches to water supply will not protect the resilience and prolong the sustainability of the region’s water resources. In this paper, the authors outline the potential effects of sea level rise scenarios for coastal southeast Florida and develop a toolbox of options for adaptation for water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities to apply. Any given option may not be appropriate for all utilities, and any given utility may deem there to be benefits to pursuing multiple strategies on a ...
Ruptured intracranial lipoma--a Fatty outburst in the brain.

Intracranial lipomas are rare congenital lesions that occur because of abnormal differentiation of embryogenic meninges. These lipomas are usually seen incidentally on brain imaging performed for another reason, and they are usually asymptomatic and do not require treatment. We present a case of ruptured intracranial lipoma, discovered in an elderly patient presenting with dizziness and after falling.
A combination of low-dose chlorpromazine and neutralizing antibodies inhibits the spread of JC virus (JCV) in a tissue culture model: implications for prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of progressive multifocal leukencephalopathy.

The human polyomavirus, JCV, is the etiologic agent of a fatal central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating disease known as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). PML occurs predominantly in immunosuppressed patients and remains an intractable complication in AIDS. To date, there are no effective therapies to treat PML. We previously demonstrated that the neuroleptic drug, chlorpromazine, inhibits the endocytic pathway used by JCV to infect glial cells. In this paper, we demonstrate that nontoxic doses of chlorpromazine are effective at inhibiting JCV multiplication and spread in a tissue culture model. The clinical efficacy of this drug or related compounds in treating PML has not been evaluated
Nonparametric Estimation and Inference for Reliability

A nonparametric procedure for both point and interval estimation of percentiles, hazard rate, cummulative hazard and survival function is developed. The procedure is based upon the assumption that a time to failure random variable can be closely approximated by a polynomial in an exponential random variable. Accuracy of the approximation is demonstrated. Monte Carlo s-confidence bounds are derived for the estimated functions. Within the range of observed data, the estimated functions are useful for computations such as cost optimization of maintenance and replacement policies.
Tokenism and Women in the Workplace: The Limits of Gender-Neutral Theory

The concept of “tokenism” has been used widely to explain many of the difficulties women face as they enter traditionally male occupations. Tokenism explains women's occupational experiences and their behavioral responses to those experiences in terms of their numerical proportion, suggesting that barriers to women s full occupational equality can be lowered by the hiring of more women in organizations that are highly-skewed male. This paper suggests that the tokenism hypothesis has not been subjected to rigorous testing and that the research that does exist should lead us to question the adequacy of the concept. This paper concludes that a gender-neutral theory such as tokenism is of limited value in explaining the experiences of either men or women in a society where gender remains important. Further, the focus on tokenism may hinder women's progress to the extent that it turns our attention away from an analysis of the effects of sexism in the workplace and the society as a whole.
Current gain collapse in microwave multifinger heterojunction bipolar transistors operated at very high power densities

The rapid development of heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technologies has led to the demonstration of high power single-chip microwave amplifiers. Because HBTs are operated at high power densities, the ultimate limits on the performance of HBTs are imposed by thermal considerations. The authors address a thermal phenomenon observed when a multifinger power HBT is operating at high power densities. This phenomenon, referred to as the collapse (of current gain), occurs when suddenly one finger of the HBT draws most of the collector current, leading to an abrupt decrease of current gain. A quantitative model and the condition separating the normal operation region and the collapse are presented. Critical difference of the collapse in the constant l/sub b/ and constant V/sub be/ modes of operation is discussed for the common-emitter l-V characteristics. The collapse in the common-base l-V characteristics and its relationship with avalanche breakdown are also described. A solution to eliminate the collapse is experimentally verified. >
Disparity sensitivity of neurons in monkey extrastriate area MST

We tested the disparity sensitivity of neurons from the medial superior temporal area (MST) in awake behaving monkeys. While the monkey looked at a fixation spot on a screen in front of it, random dot stimuli moved in the preferred direction of the cell under study, and the disparity of the dots made the stimuli appear to move in a frontoparallel plane in front of, on, or behind the screen. Over 90% of the 272 neurons studied were sensitive to the disparity of the visual stimulus. Of those disparity-sensitive cells, 95% were most responsive either to near stimuli (stimuli with crossed disparities appearing to move in front of the screen) or to far stimuli (stimuli with uncrossed disparities appearing to move behind the screen). In a smaller sample of the disparity-sensitive cells, we found cells whose preferred direction of stimulus motion reversed as the disparity of the stimulus reversed. For example, a cell that responded best to rightward motion for near stimuli responded best to leftward motion for far stimuli. We found that 40% of the disparity-sensitive cells had this disparity-dependent direction selectivity. This disparity-dependent direction selectivity was maintained over the entire range of speeds tested (6-56 degrees/sec). We tested whether the disparity sensitivity of the neurons indicated the distance of the stimulus from the screen where the monkey was fixating (relative depth) or the distance of the stimulus from the monkey (absolute depth) by having the monkey fixate at different depths in front of or behind the screen. For most MST neurons, the changes in vergence did not alter the disparity response, indicating that the disparity sensitivity of these neurons conveyed information on depth relative to the plane of fixation. We conclude that the disparity characteristics of cells in the dorsomedial MST are those expected of a system serving primarily coarse rather than fine stereopsis. The correlation between disparity selectivity and direction selectivity in these neurons, as well as their other properties, suggests a role in signaling the direction of self-motion of the observer through the environment.
Predicting rock strength variability across stratigraphic interfaces in caprock lithologies at depth: Correlation between outcrop and subsurface

Open faults and fractures act as a major control of fluid flow in the subsurface, especially in fine-grained, low-permeability lithologies. These discontinuities commonly form a part of seal bypass systems, which can lead to the failure of hydrocarbon traps, CO2 geosequestration sites, and waste and injected fluid repositories. We evaluate mesoscale variability in fracture density, morphology and the variability in elastic moduli in the Jurassic Carmel Formation, a proposed seal to the underlying Navajo Sandstone for CO2 geosequestration. By combining mechanostratigraphic outcrop observations with elastic moduli derived from wireline-log data, we characterize the variability in fracture pattern and morphology with the observed variability in rock strength within this heterolithic top seal. Outcrop inventories of discontinuities show that fracture densities decrease as bed thickness increases and that fracture propagation morphology across lithologic interfaces vary with changing interface type. Dynamic elastic moduli, calculated from wireline-log data, show that Young's modulus ranges by as much as 40 GPa (5,801,510 psi) across depositional interfaces and by an average of 3 GPa (435,113 psi) across the reservoir-seal interface. We expect that the mesoscale changes in rock strength will affect the distributions of localized stress and thereby influence fracture propagation and fluid flow behavior within the seal. These data provide a means to closely tie outcrop observations to those derived from subsurface data and estimates of subsurface rock strength. The characterization of rock strength variability is especially important for modeling the response of caprocks to changing stress conditions associated with increased fluid pressures and will allow for better site screening and subsurface fluid management.
Bispectral analysis of complex patterns of sympathetic nerve discharge

Bispectral analysis was used to demonstrate quadratic nonlinear coupling (i.e., phase locking) of different frequency components in inferior cardiac sympathetic nerve discharge (SND) of urethan-anesthetized rats. The complex patterns of SND analyzed included mixtures of 1) the cardiac-related and 10-Hz rhythms, 2) the 10-Hz rhythm and irregular 2-to 6-Hz oscillations, and 3) the 10-Hz rhythm and a lower frequency non-cardiac-related rhythm near 4 Hz. In some cases, the bicoherence function (normalized bispectrum) showed no phase locking of these frequency components. Cases of nil bicoherence are equated with linear superposition of frequency components, which implies the existence of multiple and noninteractive central circuits. Increased complexity of SND was observed in other cases, as evidenced by significant phase locking of different frequency components with or without frequency locking. Frequency locking (higher frequency rhythm is a multiple of lower) was confirmed by constructing Lissajous orbital plots showing covariation of voltages in selectively filtered bands of SND. We equate frequency locking with nonlinear coupling of the central generators of different sympathetic nerve rhythms and phase locking without frequency locking possibly with nonlinearities arising at levels below noncoupled central rhythm generators.
Review of Mark Hauser, Moral Minds: How Nature Designed Our Universal Sense of Right and Wrong

Review of Mark Hauser, Moral Minds: How Nature Designed Our Universal Sense of Right and Wrong.
Comparison of Meridic and Natural Diets on the Biology of Nezara viridula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) and Eight Other Phytophagous Heteroptera

Development times from second-instar nymphs to adult for the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (L.), reared on a standard green bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plus peanut, Arachis hypogaea (L.), diet were not significantly different from those reared on the meridic Debolt diet, and modifications thereof. When nymphs were reared on green beans plus peanuts and switched to the meridic diet as adults, female longevity and fecundity were significantly reduced. None of the dusky stink bugs, Euschistus tristigmus (Say); rice stink bugs, Oebalus pugnax (F.); or Banasa dimidiata (Say) reached adult stage when reared on the meridic diet. The green stink bug, Acrosternum hilare (Say); the redshouldered stink bug ( Thyanta accerra McAtee); the brown stink bug, E. servus (Say); and E. quadrator Rolston were reared from egg to egg on the meridic diet. E. quadrator was successfully reared through three consecutive generations on the meridic diet.
Familiarity and Inbreeding Avoidance in the Gray-Tailed Vole (Microtus canicaudus)

The role of familiarity in inbreeding avoidance was tested in captive gray-tailed voles ( Microtus canicaudus ) in the laboratory. Individuals that were familiar with one another, regardless of relatedness, produced fewer litters than unfamiliar pairs. There were no apparent differences in litter size or pup viability between siblings versus non-siblings. Recognition of kin was based on familiarity. Individuals that were separated for 5 or 12 days from potential partners with whom they had been reared retained their mating avoidance. In the held, familiarity of voles may increase in low density populations and reproductive behavior may decline as a result. Thus, familiarity, kin recognition, and inbreeding avoidance may play important roles in vole population cycles.
Paediatric Clinical Pharmacists Participating in the Treatment for a Patient with Bone Marrow Depression Complicating with Infection after Leukemia Chemotherapy

OBJECTIVE:To explore the pattern of paediatric clinical pharmacists participating in clinical drug treatment. METHODS:Clinical pharmacists participated in the consultation for a patient with bone marrow depression complicating with infection after leukemia chemotherapy,participated in the selection of clinical drug use and suggested the clinical protocols:meropenem 15 mg/kg,q8h,ivgtt;vancomycin 40 mg/kg,tid,ivgtt,for 60 min every time;voriconazole 7 mg/kg,q12h,ivgtt. The blood concentration monitoring of vancomycin was carried out. RESULTS:After 3 d of treatment,absence of fever,significant reduction of cough,pharyngeal congestion relief,blood rountine:leukocyte 5.03×109 L-1,neutrophil count 2.69×109 L-1,CRP 69.38 mg/L,indicated infection had been controlled. After 6 d of treatment,absence of fever,significant reduction of cough,CRP 9.04 mg/L,indicated infection control;the patient discharged from hospital. CONCLUSIONS:Clinical pharmacists could participate in clinical drug treatment and offer the effective and safe drug treatment regimen for patients.
Determining the Value of Business-To-Business Relationships: A Methodology and Modeling Technique

In recent years, increasing numbers of firms in business markets have sought competitive advantage by forming close, collaborative relationships with select suppliers and customers. In forming these relationships management has been forced to wrestle with difficult questions about which partner to select and how to manage the relationship once the partner has been chosen. Answering these questions demands an understanding of how collaborative relationships create value for the firm and a method to systematically assess that value.
Research on a new method of voltage stability on-line monitoring

Prompt and effective voltage stability evaluation is very important for power system voltage collapse prevention.After analysis of various voltage stability evaluation criteria based on single-port impedence matching method,it is shown that the method has errors in margin estimatio and it is not applicable for multi-load system.A concept called "equivalent impedance matching" is proposed by moving all loads to the outside the equibvalent system,and the system is dissovled into a series of single-port network with no simplicfication.The interaction of the loads can be modeled through the load coupling theorem,by which the online voltage stability monitoring can be implemented.This method is proved to be correct and effective by theoretical analysis and simulation.
Nitric oxide is involved in muscle relaxation but not in changes in short-circuit current in rat ileum

L-Arginine (L-Arg)-nitric oxide (NO) pathways in rat ileum were studied in an Ussing chamber modified so that a strain gauge transducer could be attached longitudinally on the serosal side of the intestine. Ileal segments from 22 rats were mounted as flat sheets and voltage clamped at zero transmural potential (PD). Changes in short-circuit current (delta ISC) in the absence of carbachol and longitudinal muscle relaxations in the presence of carbachol in response to transmural field stimulation (TMS; 5-s trains of impulses, 0.4-ms impulse duration, 1-10 Hz) were recorded during a control period, in the presence of N omega-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA; 10(-4) M), and in the presence of L-Arg after treatment with L-NNA. In the control period, the delta ISC and muscle relaxation were frequency dependent with maximal responses generated at a frequency of 10 Hz. Tetrodotoxin (5 x 10(-6) M) blocked muscle relaxation and decreased delta ISC by 94% during TMS at 10 Hz. L-NNA blocked the muscle relaxation induced by TMS but failed to alter delta ISC. Muscle relaxation to TMS was restored dose dependently by L-Arg. In segments from another group of eight rats, saturated NO solutions relaxed the muscle but failed to change ISC either in the presence or absence of carbachol. These results support a role for NO as a neurotransmitter mediating relaxation of ileal smooth muscle but not mediating changes in epithelial ISC.
3D Depth Cameras in Vision: Benefits and Limitations of the Hardware

The second-generation Microsoft Kinect uses time-of-flight technology, while the first-generation Kinect uses structured light technology. This raises the question whether one of these technologies is “better” than the other. In this chapter, readers will find an overview of 3D camera technology and the artifacts that occur in depth maps.
Which patients with antiphospholipid antibody should be treated and how

The tests for antiphospholipid antibody are relatively crude but usable. Asymptomatic persons with incidentally discovered antiphospholipid antibody do not need treatment. Those with symptoms are best treated with anticoagulation, but data specifically supporting aspirin, heparin, or warfarin or combinations thereof remain to be generated. High-dose corticosteroid therapy has at best equivocal efficacy and much toxicity and should be used only for lupus activity and not for phenomena of the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. The roles of low-dose corticosteroid therapy, immunosuppressive agents, and other treatments are unknown.
Difficulty understanding speech in noise by the hearing impaired: Underlying causes and technological solutions

A primary complaint of hearing-impaired individuals involves poor speech understanding when background noise is present. Hearing aids and cochlear implants often allow good speech understanding in quiet backgrounds. But hearing-impaired individuals are highly noise intolerant, and existing devices are not very effective at combating background noise. As a result, speech understanding in noise is often quite poor. In accord with the significance of the problem, considerable effort has been expended toward understanding and remedying this issue. Fortunately, our understanding of the underlying issues is reasonably good. In sharp contrast, effective solutions have remained elusive. One solution that seems promising involves a single-microphone machine-learning algorithm to extract speech from background noise. Data from our group indicate that the algorithm is capable of producing vast increases in speech understanding by hearing-impaired individuals. This paper will first provide an overview of the speech-in-noise problem and outline why hearing-impaired individuals are so noise intolerant. An overview of our approach to solving this problem will follow.
In utero diagnosis of hydrops fetalis: ultrasound methods.

Although hydrops is a manifestation of severe fluid imbalance, early detection in utero can lead to therapeutic manipulation that may prevent the development of end-stage disease. This article focuses on the modern ultrasonographic approach to the diagnosis of abnormal fluid accumulation occurring in utero.
Making Room for a Postcolonial Critique in the Introductory STS Curriculum

Over the past few decades, research in ‘postcolonial technoscience’ has grown steadily within the interdisciplinary field of Science and Technology Studies (STS). Breaking away from the Euro/West-centric models of analysis, this scholarship has developed new conceptual frameworks and tools to address political economies of science and knowledge. However, in our teaching of STS, particularly at the introductory level, there seems to be limited engagement with these aspects of STS, and a continuation of Euro/West-centrism of the predominant discourse. In this chapter, I suggest that enriching the introductory STS curriculum with recent literature in postcolonial technoscience can provide students with an opportunity to examine how local and global inequities may affect science, and how science may be used to sustain such inequities. Instructors of introductory STS courses can better serve students by encouraging explorations of the regulatory ideals of Western science in relation to local and global standpoints and postcolonial criticisms.
Adult development in the wild: The determinants of autonomous learning in a Massive Open Online Course

Abstract The current study examines age and non-ability traits as determinants of participation in an autonomous learning activity, a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). Framed within investment theories of adult intellectual development, we tested a model in which course performance and completion were predicted by age, trait complexes (constellations of personality variables), prior knowledge, interest, and course affective engagement. Trait complexes and interests were linked to objective course behavioral data for a sample of adult learners engaged in the course ( N = 108; Mage = 44.2, SD = 17.3). The intellectual and mastery trait complex was positively associated with finding the course engaging; no such relationship was found for the traditional and avoidance trait complex. Older adults participated in more course activities than younger adults, which led to better course performance. These findings highlight the factors that lead to continuous intellectual development through the lifespan.
Perceptions of Integrated Experiential Learning of Graduate Marketing Students.

Experiential learning projects have become a mainstay of a multitude of undergraduate business courses as they allow students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world issues. At the graduate level, the use of case studies is a primary teaching method, but one cannot fail to notice an increase in the interest and use of experiential learning projects and assignments. However, as more emphasis is placed on the practical application of theory across the marketing curricula, buttressed by accrediting agencies, the need for incorporating these experiential learning projects has become an integral part of many university curricula at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. While the inclusion of these projects has been in practice for some time, the ideal addition to these experiential elements is restricted to a single course. This study examines the impact of including an experiential learning project that was framed across two graduate courses for an individual client. This study adds to the existing knowledge by using a unique integrative approach, across two separate graduate marketing courses, providing students with a progressive real world experience over an extended period of consulting interaction and time. Student perceptions associated with the efficacy of this extended experiential learning exercise are also furnished.
Photochemistry of Transition Metal Carbonyl and Isocyanide Complexes

Some of the earliest experimental photochemical reactions of organotransition metal compounds involved metal carbonyls after it was discovered that the substitution reactions of the carbonyl ligand were frequently accelerated by the presence of sunlight. Since that time numerous other photoreactions of organometallic compounds have been discovered, many of which have involved monomeric, dimeric, or multimetallic cluster carbonyl complexes. One particular focus of much recent work has involved developing a better understanding of these different types of photoreactions, and of using photochemistry for the selective synthesis of new compounds. A further and recent development has involved the use of photochemical routes to synthesize highly reactive transient complexes that can then be used as in situ homogeneous catalysts for a range of different reactions. An important goal of such research is to discover useful photocatalytic systems whereby a transient species, once generated, will undergo a large number of turnovers, thereby leading to many moles of product for each mole of quanta absorbed.
A Mix-Mode Hybrid Using Broadside-Coupled Asymmetric Coplanar Striplines

In this paper, a mix-mode hybrid coupler based on broadside-coupled asymmetric coplanar striplines (ACPSs) is proposed. The major advantages of this coupler are its broadband characteristic and impedance transforming property. While providing a simple design procedure for the coupler, analytical details are also discussed. A prototype operating between 3–6 GHz for differential-mode and 0–3 GHz for common-mode has been designed and fabricated using the conventional printed-circuit board (PCB) technology. Measured results are in good agreement with those obtained from full-wave simulations, showing a promising potential of the proposed mix-mode hybrid for a variety of applications.
Anticoagulants and Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism

Anticoagulants are the mainstay for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Once VTE is established, anticoagulants limit the progression of VTE, reduce the chance of pulmonary embolism, and reduce the risk of recurrent VTE, while natural fibrinolytic processes lyse and reduce the existing thrombus or eliminate it altogether. The parenteral anticoagulants are traditionally used for hospitalized patients to achieve immediate anticoagulation, and the oral vitamin K antagonist (VKA) anticoagulants are used for long-term outpatient therapy. The VKAs require precise management to maintain a therapeutic level of anticoagulation and balance the benefit of the drug versus the risk of bleeding. A new class of oral anticoagulants, the direct oral anticoagulants (DOCAs), was recently introduced, and they are quickly becoming the preferred treatment for VTE. Because of their mechanism of action and pharmacokinetics, they often require no initial parenteral anticoagulation and, for long-term treatment, less direct management compared with the VKAs. This chapter focuses on the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and management of these classes of parenteral and oral anticoagulants.
A Fast Discrete Event Driven Simulation Methodology for Computer Architectural Simulation

In this paper we introduce a fast discrete event driven simulation methodology, called KnightSim, that is intended for use in the development of future computer architectural simulations. KnightSim extends an older event driven simulation library by (1) incorporating corrections to functional issues that were introduced by the recent additions of stack protection, pointer mangling, and source fortification in the Linux software stack, (2) incorporating optimizations to the event engine, and (3) introducing a novel parallel implementation. KnightSim implements events as independently executable x86 "KnightSim Contexts". KnightSim Contexts comprise a mechanism for fast context execution and automatically model occupancy and contention, which readily lends itself to use in computer architectural simulations. We present the implementation methodologies of KnightSim and Parallel KnightSim with a detailed performance analysis. Our performance analysis makes direct comparisons between KnightSim, Parallel KnightSim, and the discrete event driven simulation engines found in three different mainstream computer architectural simulators. Our results show that on average KnightSim achieves speedups of 2.8 to 11.9 over the other discrete event driven simulation engines. Our results also show that on average Parallel KnightSim can achieve speedups over KnightSim of 1.78, 3.30, 5.84, and 9.16 for 2, 4, 8, and 16 threaded executions respectively.