cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of WIN 55,212-2 self-administration in rats as a potential cannabinoid abuse liability model

Abstract Because Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has been a false negative in rat intravenous self-administration procedures, the evaluation of the abuse potential of candidate cannabinoid medications has proved difficult. One lab group has successfully trained self-administration of the aminoalkylindole WIN55,212-2 in rats; however, their results have not been independently replicated. The purpose of this study was to extend their model by using a within-subjects design, with the goal of establishing a robust method suitable for substitution testing of other cannabinoids. Male Long–Evans rats were trained to self-administer WIN55,212-2 (0.01 mg/kg/infusion) on a fixed ratio 3 schedule. Dose–effect curves for WIN55,212-2 were determined, followed by vehicle substitution and a dose–effect curve with THC. WIN55,212-2 self-administration was acquired; however, substitution with THC did not maintain responding above vehicle levels. Dose-dependent attenuation by rimonabant confirmed CB1 receptor mediation of WIN55,212-2's reinforcing effects. Vehicle substitution resulted in a session-dependent decrease in responding (i.e., extinction). While this study provides systematic replication of previous studies, lack of substitution with THC is problematic and suggests that WIN55,212-2 self-administration may be of limited usefulness as a screening tool for detection of the reinforcing effects of potential cannabinoid medications. Clarification of underlying factors responsible for failure of THC to maintain self-administration in cannabinoid-trained rats is needed.
The molecular interaction group contributions for dielectric solvents

Abstract We test the new group division formalism of Wu and Sandler (WS) for the group contribution methods in solution thermodynamics. We employ the reference interaction site method (RISM) of statistical mechanics as the foundation of the group contribution method. The integral equations are solved for amine and alkanolamine molecules (trimethylamine, triethanolamine, and methyldiethanolamine). The site-site potential used is of the Lennard-Jones type. We demonstrate that the WS group identification is useful. Its use simplifies a 6-group, 10-mer (100 pair interactions) RISM equation to a 2-group 3-mer (9 pair interactions) one (for methyldiethanolamine). This renders the RISM method tractable. Common group parameters e and σ are obtained for all the amines studied, since this is the raison d'eˆtre of the group contribution methods. The results are encouraging for the amines studied.
The IBM HeadTracking Pointer: improvements in vision-based pointer control.

Vision-based head trackers have been around for some years and are even beginning to be commercialized, but problems remain with respect to usability. Users without the ability to use traditional pointing devices – the intended audience of such systems – have no alternative if the automatic bootstrapping process fails. There is room for improvement in face tracking, and the pointer movement dynamics do not support accurate and efficient pointing. This paper describes the IBM HeadTracking Pointer, a system which attempts to directly address some of these issues. Head gestures are used to provide the end user a greater level of autonomous control over the system. A novel face-tracking algorithm reduces drift under variable lighting conditions, allowing the use of absolute, rather than relative, pointer positioning. Most importantly, the pointer dynamics have been designed to take into account the constraints of head-based pointing, with a non-linear gain which allows stability in fine pointer movement, high...
Shallow‐burial dolomite cement: a major component of many ancient sucrosic dolomites

Dolomite cement is a significant and widespread component of Phanerozoic sucrosic dolomites. Cements in dolomites that were never deeply buried are limpid, have planar faces (non-saddle forms), often distinct zonation in cathodoluminescence and form syntaxial overgrowths on crystals facing pores. Five samples of sucrosic dolomites, interpreted as having had mostly limemudstone or wackestone precursors in four carbonate aquifers, provide insights into the abundance of planar cements in sucrosic dolomites. Such cement comprises 11% to 45% (32% mean) of peritidal to sub-tidal dolomites on an outcrop in the Edwards aquifer (Early Cretaceous) of central Texas; 19% to 33% (25% mean) of ramp dolomites in the Hawthorn Group (OligoMiocene) and 50% to 70% in shelf dolomites of the Avon Park Formation (Eocene) in the Upper Floridan aquifer of sub-surface peninsular Florida; 18% to 45% (32+% mean) of sub-tidal shelf dolomites in quarry sections of the Burlington-Keokuk Formation (Early Mississippian) in south-eastern Iowa; and 18% to 76% (50% mean) in shallow cores and outcrops of outer-shelf dolomites from the Gambier Limestone (Oligo-Miocene) of South Australia. Backstripping the cement phases revealed by cathodoluminescence colour photomicrographs documents the effects of cements on textural coarsening, pore-space reduction, induration and general ‘maturation’ of these dolomites. Most pre-Holocene dolomites are multiphase crystalline rocks composed of: (i) seed crystals or ‘cores’; (ii) crystal cortices that concentrically enlarged the cores; and (iii) free-space, syntaxial precipitates of limpid cement around the crystals. Remaining CaCO3 grains and micrite can be replaced by dolomite, but typically they are dissolved between stages (ii) and (iii), creating systems of intercrystal and mouldic pores typical of sucrosic dolomites. Networks of cement overgrowths, aided by water-filled pore systems under hydrostatic to lithostatic pressure, are judged to slow or prevent compaction in sucrosic dolomites. It can be argued that cortex growth involves both replacement of CaCO3 particles and microcementation of their interparticle pores. This interpretation, and the abundance of cements in so many dolomites, would obviate the controversy over the volumetrics of ‘replacement dolomitization’. Limpid, planar and syntaxial dolomite cements of early diagenetic origin are interpreted to have precipitated from clear pore waters, at low temperatures (<30 to 35 � C) and shallow burial depths (<100 m), in water-saturated networks of dolomite ‘silt’ and ‘sand’. Cements in many dolomites in island and continental‐aquifer systems appear to result from event-driven processes related to sea-level highstands. Cementation events can follow ‘replacement
Assessment of club drug use in a treatment-seeking sample of individuals with marijuana dependence.

Club drug use is becoming increasingly popular in the United States and has been associated with chronic psychiatric symptoms and neuropsychological abnormalities. Patterns of club drug use and characteristics of club drug users are not homogeneous. Thus, treatment-seeking marijuana-dependent individuals may have a differential pattern of club drug use. Baseline assessments collected from 55 individuals participating in a pharmacological treatment study for marijuana dependence were examined. Individuals completed a 16-item self-report questionnaire assessing club drugs used, frequency and patterns of use, problems associated with use, and reasons for use. Subjects were primarily male (87.3%) and Caucasian (81.8%), with a mean age of 32.1 (±9.1 years). As expected, a large number of individuals had used ecstasy (75%). However, LSD and methamphetamine use was also reported by many users (82.5% and 47.5% respectively), with many individuals reporting the use of more than one club drug. Notably, 31.6% of ind...
Literature-Based Discovery? The Very Idea

How is it possible to extract new knowledge from something already pub- lished? The possibility arises, for example, when two articles considered together suggest information of scientific interest not apparent from either article alone. In that sense, the two articles are complementary, a relationship based on the scientific problems, findings, and arguments presented. Whether the information found is also new and can lead to a plausible, testable hypothesis requires further searching and analysis of the literature from which it emerged. The purpose of this introduction is to outline goals, concepts, problems, and literature structures that offer one approach to understanding the potential and limi- tations of literature-based discovery (LBD) independently of specific computer tech- niques that may be used to assist or implement it. The seeds of most of the basic concepts of LBD can be seen within the following classic exemplar of complemen- tarity from a century ago that was of extraordinary importance to science.
A new technique for estimating lower bounds on latency for high level synthesis

In this paper we present a novel and fast estimation technique that produces tight latency lower bounds for Data Flow Graphs representing time critical segments of the application of interest. Our proposed technique can be used to compute a tighter earliest scheduling step for nodes (operations) in the Data Flow Graph and thus be used to improve the result quality of any technique requiring the computation of such ASAP values.
African American Spirituality and Cornel West’s Notions of Prophetic Pragmatism: Restructuring Educational Leadership in American Urban Schools

Schools in America are facing rapidly changing demographics, and because of those changing demographics, this article makes the following propositions. First, the increasing demographic changes in urban schools demand new leadership approaches. Second, because many of the urban educational demands are shaped by ongoing social and cultural issues for addressing needs of African American students, perhaps the answer to leadership changes lies in African American culture. Third, and finally, one possible feature of the African American culture, the application of personal spirituality to community issues of social change and social justice, may provide a direction for educational leadership. The purpose of this article is to propose a theoretical base for reforming educational leadership in demographically changing public schools. With critical theory and antifoundational tenets of pragmatic thinking and postmodern thought interrogating the traditional canon of educational administration, educational leadership has had to, even if reluctantly, include voices of alternative perspectives into its discourse. This essay applies Cornel West’s notions of prophetic pragmatism along with the tenets of African American spirituality to serve as the foundation for this progressive transformation of leadership especially in urban schools.
Effect of Elevated CO2 on Stomatal Density and Distribution in a C4 Grass and a C3 Forb under Field Conditions

Abstract Two common tallgrass prairie species, Andropogon gerardii, the dominant C4 grass in this North American grassland, and Salvia pitcheri, a C3 forb, were exposed to ambient and elevated (twice ambient) CO2 within open-top chambers throughout the 1993 growing season. After full canopy development, stomatal density on abaxial and adaxial surfaces, guard cell length and specific leaf mass (SLM; mg cm-2) were determined for plants in the chambers as well as in adjacent unchambered plots. Record high rainfall amounts during the 1993 growing season minimized water stress in these plants (leaf xylem pressure potential was usually > -1·5 MPa in A. gerardii) and also minimized differences in water status among treatments. In A. gerardii, stomatal density was significantly higher (190 ± 7 mm-2; mean ± s.e.) in plants grown outside of the chambers compared to plants that developed inside the ambient CO2 chambers (161 ± 5 mm-2). Thus, there was a significant 'chamber effect' on stomatal density. At elevated levels of CO2, stomatal density was even lower (P
Study of Validity Region of Small Perturbation Method for Two-Layer Rough Surfaces

We previously derived the bistatic scattering coefficients of a 3-D two-layer dielectric structure with slightly rough boundaries using the small perturbation method (SPM). The use of SPM raises the question about its region of validity, which pertains to the conditions on each layer roughness, slope, and permittivity for which the first-order SPM is accurate within a specified error bound. To this end, the SPM solution needs to be compared with an accurate solution that does not impose roughness restrictions. We use the method of moments to solve an integral equation to analyze electromagnetic scattering from a large ensemble of two-layer structures. Simulations are performed for 1-D rough surfaces represented by zero-mean stationary random processes, separating homogeneous dielectric layers. Observations are reported on the accuracy of the first-order SPM for TM incidence at a fixed incidence angle of 45°.
The β- and γ-isoforms of type I PIP5K regulate distinct stages of Ca2+ signaling in mast cells

Crosslinking of IgE receptors by antigen initiates Ca2+ mobilization in mast cells by activating phospholipase-C gamma-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2]. The resulting inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-mediated Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) activates store-operated Ca2+ entry, which is necessary for exocytotic release of inflammatory mediators. To investigate roles for PtdIns(4,5)P2-synthesizing isozymes of the type I phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase family (PIP5K-I) in mast cell signaling, we compared the ectopic expression of wild-type and catalytically inactive PIP5K-I beta in RBL-2H3 mast cells. Surprisingly, both antigen and thapsigargin-stimulated Ca2+ influx were reduced by overexpression of active PIP5K-I beta, whereas antigen-stimulated Ca2+ release from ER stores was unaffected. Consistent with these results, Ca2+ entry stimulated by antigen or thapsigargin was enhanced by expression of a plasma-membrane-associated inositol polyphosphate 5'-phosphatase, whereas antigen-stimulated Ca2+ release from stores was reduced. To investigate the role of PIP5K-I gamma in antigen-stimulated Ca2+ mobilization, we used bone-marrow-derived mast cells from PIP5K-I gamma(-/-) mice. Antigen-stimulated Ca2+ release from ER stores was substantially reduced in the absence of PIP5K-I gamma, but thapsigargin-mediated Ca2+ entry was unaffected. In summary, PIP5K-I gamma positively regulates antigen-stimulated Ca2+ release from ER stores, whereas PIP5K-I beta negatively regulates store-operated Ca2+ entry, suggesting that these different PIP5K-I isoforms synthesize functionally distinct pools of PtdIns(4,5)P2 at the plasma membrane.
Does Public Health Insurance for Children Improve Single Mothers’ Health Care Use?

Public health insurance expansions for low- and middle-income children have improved private and social welfare by enhancing children’s access to socially-valued health services and improving their health. In this paper, we considered another welfare implication from expanded public coverage for children: Whether the savings in private insurance premiums and/or out-of-pocket medical spending from enrolling children in public coverage freed up income that was used for mothers’ own medical care. We used data from the 2001–2008 US Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and found that uninsured, low-income single mothers with children enrolled in public coverage used more preventive and other health care services than their counterparts who did not enroll their children in such coverage.
Direct current electrical conduction block of peripheral nerve

Electrical currents can be used to produce a block of action potential conduction in whole nerves. This block has a rapid onset and reversal. The mechanism of electrical nerve conduction block has not been conclusively determined, and inconsistencies appear in the literature regarding whether the block is produced by membrane hyperpolarization, depolarization, or through some other means. We have used simulations in a nerve membrane model, coupled with in vivo experiments, to identify the mechanism and principles of electrical conduction block. A nerve simulation package (Neuron) was used to model direct current (dc) block in squid, frog, and mammalian neuron models. A frog sciatic nerve/gastrocnemius preparation was used to examine nerve conduction block in vivo. Both simulations and experiments confirm that depolarization block requires less current than hyperpolarization block. Dynamic simulations suggest that block can occur under both the real physical electrode as well as adjacent virtual electrode sites. A hypothesis is presented which formulates the likely types of dc block and the possible block current requirements. The results indicate that electrical currents generally produce a conduction block due to depolarization of the nerve membrane, resulting in an inactivation of the sodium channels.
Platinum and Palladium Complexes Containing Cationic Ligands as Catalysts for Arene H/D Exchange and Oxidation

The direct functionalization of C H bonds has frequently been deemed a “Holy Grail” of organometallic chemistry. A seminal example of this transformation was the demonstration by Shilov and co-workers that platinum(II) salts catalyze the direct oxidation of alkanes into their corresponding alcohols and alkyl halides. Subsequent work in this area has focused on surveying diverse ligands for these reactions in an effort to enhance reactivity and selectivity, slow catalyst decomposition, and replace platinum(IV)-based oxidants with more cost-effective alternatives. In a key development, chemists at Catalytica identified [bpymPtCl2] (bpym= bipyrimidine) as a pre-catalyst for the oxidation of CH4 into CH3OSO3H in fuming H2SO4 (Scheme 1). [5] The reaction
Protective effects of a glutathione disulfide mimetic (NOV-002) against cisplatin induced kidney toxicity.

NOV-002 is a glutathione disulfide (GSSG) mimetic with chemoprotective activity. Previous and ongoing clinical studies demonstrate a significantly improved 1-year survival and decreased tumor progression rates in non-small cell lung (NSCLC) and ovarian cancer patients when NOV-002 was included in cisplatin containing regimens. In order to understand this chemoprotective property, we employed as an animal model of kidney toxicity, 8-week-old Bl6 mice that were treated with a single nephrotoxic dose of cisplatin (15 mg/kg, ip) and sacrificed on Day 5. One group of animals was treated with NOV-002 (15 mg/kg, im) daily. NOV-002-treated mice had significantly lower levels of plasma creatinine compared to mice treated with cisplatin alone (4.7 vs 2.9 mg/dL, respectively). Moreover, NOV-002 protected the kidneys from cisplatin mediated proximal tubule damage, including dilation of tubules and the presence of protein casts. Since cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity can be mediated by a glutathione-platinum conjugate catalyzed by γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase (GGT) and glutathione is an endogenous substrate of GGT, the protective effect of NOV-002 in the kidney may be attributed to its ability to act as a competitive substrate for the enzyme.
Stulberg classification system for evaluation of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease: intra-rater and inter-rater reliability.

Background: Researchers and clinicians commonly use the classification system of Stulberg et al. as a basis for treatment decisions during the active phase of Legg-Calve-Perthes disease because of its putative utility as a predictor of long-term outcome. It is generally assumed that this system has an acceptable degree of reliability. This assumption, however, is not convincingly supported by the literature. Methods: The purpose of the present study was to assess the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of the classification system of Stulberg et al. with use of a pre-test, post-test design. During the pre-test phase, nine raters independently used the system to evaluate the radiographs of skeletally mature patients who had been managed for Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. The intervention between the pre-test and post-test phases consisted of a consensus-building session during which all raters jointly arrived at standardized definitions of the various joint structures that are assessed with use of the classification system. The effect of these definitions on reliability then was assessed by reevaluating the radiographs during the post-test phase. Results: The pre-test intra-rater reliability coefficients ranged from 0.709 to 0.915, and the post-test coefficients ranged from 0.568 to 0.874. The pre-test inter-rater reliability coefficients ranged from 0.603 to 0.732, and the post-test coefficients ranged from 0.648 to 0.744. Contributing to the variance was a lack of agreement concerning the assessment of joint structures and the way in which the raters translated these evaluations into a classification according to the system of Stulberg et al. Conclusions: Although intra-rater reliability was marginally acceptable, the degree of variability between the classifications assigned by different raters—even after the intervention—calls into question the reliability of the system of Stulberg et al.; consequently, the validity of any treatment decisions, outcome evaluations, or epidemiological studies based on this system is also in question.
Tolerance to cardiac allografts requires a time lag between intrathymic treatment and transplantation.

Permanent tolerance to an experimental heterotopic cardiac allograft can be achieved by pretreatment with antilymphocyte serum (ALS) and intrathymic inoculation of donor cells. Most successful experimental protocols have employed a time lag of 2 to 3 weeks between intrathymic pretreatment and transplantation, which makes this treatment strategy impractical for clinical heart transplantation. In these experiments we modified the standard protocol by giving ALS 24 hr prior to both intrathymic injection of donor cells and heterotopic transplantation. Seven Lewis rats had intraperitoneal injection of 1 ml of ALS and 24 hr later underwent intrathymic injection of 5 x 10 7 donor Lewis-Brown Norway (LBN) splenocytes and heterotopic cardiac transplantation using an LBN donor. Mean graft survival was 24.4 days, significantly longer than the 7.8-day graft survival observed in untreated Lewis recipients (n = 5) (P < 0.02). However, graft survival was not different from that observed in Lewis rats pretreated with ALS alone (n = 5) (25.8 days, P = NS). Permanent graft survival was produced in two rats receiving only ALS and in one rat receiving both ALS and intrathymic inoculation. In these experiments it appears that prolongation of graft survival may have been due to the effect of ALS alone. These results suggest that there is a critical time period between intrathymic inoculation and transplantation that is needed for permanent tolerance to be induced consistently. This may be due to the kinetics of the effects of ALS on alloreactive T-lymphocytes or to a time-dependent requirement for antigen processing in the thymus.
Unraveling the Dyad: Using Recurrence Analysis to Explore Patterns of Syntactic Coordination Between Children and Caregivers in Conversation

Recurrence analysis is introduced as a means to investigate syntactic coordination between child and caregiver. Three CHILDES (MacWhinney, 2000) corpora are analyzed and demonstrate coordination between children and their caregivers in terms of word-class n-gram sequences. Results further indicate that trade-offs in leading or following this coordination reflect individual differences between children at varying levels of development. Further analyses characterize the syntactic patterns that are coordinated, and results are consistent with recent language acquisition research on syntax acquisition. Overall, recurrence analysis reveals that there is a process of child-caregiver coordination taking place in ongoing conversation at the level of syntactic description.
Non-Destructive Estimation of Aboveground Biomass in Sawgrass Communities of the Florida Everglades

The preservation, restoration, and management of ecologically sensitive wetland plant communities, such as found in the Florida Everglades, require methods to reliably and non-destructively assess their health and performance. The pin-intercept method is a technique commonly used in grasslands for non-destructively estimating aboveground plant biomass. In this study, we developed an algorithm for the estimation of aboveground sawgrass biomass using coupled pin-intercept and harvest methods at A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. Our data illustrates a positive relationship between aboveground biomass and the frequency of pin-intercepts as well as leaf area for sawgrass (Cladium mariscus). This pin-intercept method will serve as an effective, reliable tool for conservation and land management efforts in graminoid-dominated wetlands.
C-arm rotation as a method for reducing peak skin dose in interventional cardiology

Purpose Prolonged interventional cardiology (IC) procedures may result in radiation-induced skin injury, a potentially preventable cause of patient morbidity. Rotating the C-arm during an IC procedure may reduce this risk, although the methods by which the technique can be practically applied remains unexplored. A previous study demonstrated that C-arm rotation often increases peak skin dose (PSD) in interventional radiology procedures. The purpose of this study was to determine whether C-arm rotation reduces the PSD in IC procedures and, if so, under what circumstances. Materials and methods Simulations were performed using a numerical ray-tracing algorithm to analyse the effect of C-arm rotation on PSD across a range of patient sizes, C-arm configurations and procedure types. Specific data from modern fluoroscopes and patient dimensions were used as inputs to the simulations. Results In many cases, modest C-arm rotation angles completely eliminated overlap between X-ray field sites on the skin. When overlap remained, PSD increases were generally small. One exception was craniocaudal rotation, which tended to increase PSD. C-arm rotation was most effective for large patients and small X-ray field sizes. Small patients may not benefit from C-arm rotation as a procedural modification. The use of a prophylactic method where the C-arm was rotated between small opposing oblique angles was effective in reducing PSD. Conclusions With the exception of rotation to steep craniocaudal angles, rotating the C-arm reduces PSD in IC procedures when used as either a procedural modification or a prophylactic strategy. Tight collimation increases the benefit of C-arm rotation.
Stroke as a Complication of H1N1 Influenza Infection: A Case Study

In June 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ended the US public health emergency for the H1N1 pandemic with estimates for total cases, hospitalizations, and deaths counted from April 2009 to April 2010. By the end of this period, the human H1N1 virus was estimated to have been responsible for 12,470 deaths in the United States. Most deaths associated with the seasonal flu or H1N1 infection are due to complications such as secondary infections. Experts are finding, however, that a small percentage of these deaths or comorbid conditions may be caused by disseminated intravascular coagulation, and stroke can be a sequela of disseminated intravascular coagulation. This case study describes the clinical course of a patient who had multiple strokes due to disseminated intravascular coagulation triggered by H1N1 infection. Useful clinical information about disseminated intra-vascular coagulation is detailed for nursing practice. Implications of the possible link between H1N1 infection (and influenza A and B) and stroke resulting from disseminated intravascular coagulation are discussed.
Carbon phosphide monolayers with superior carrier mobility

Two dimensional (2D) materials with a finite band gap and high carrier mobility are sought after materials from both fundamental and technological perspectives. In this paper, we present the results based on the particle swarm optimization method and density functional theory which predict three geometrically different phases of the carbon phosphide (CP) monolayer consisting of sp2 hybridized C atoms and sp3 hybridized P atoms in hexagonal networks. Two of the phases, referred to as α-CP and β-CP with puckered or buckled surfaces are semiconducting with highly anisotropic electronic and mechanical properties. More remarkably, they have the lightest electrons and holes among the known 2D semiconductors, yielding superior carrier mobility. The γ-CP has a distorted hexagonal network and exhibits a semi-metallic behavior with Dirac cones. These theoretical findings suggest that the binary CP monolayer is a yet unexplored 2D material holding great promise for applications in high-performance electronics and optoelectronics.
Inflation targeting in South Africa

Tito Mboweni was troubled. After a long debate, and not without controversy, South Africa had formally introduced a policy of inflation targeting (IT) on 23 February 2000, just 6 months after he had been appointed Governor of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). He knew IT was the best path for South Africa, but now, in December 2001, re-reading the latest statistics brought him great concern. Since implementing the IT regime, the economic data had been very disappointing. Persistently high unemployment, with some estimates putting it as high as 40%, meant that South Africa did not have the luxury of waiting for new policies to bear fruit. Mboweni knew that to reduce unemployment the country needed sustainable growth, and that would come only through strong increases in productive capacity, but investment was lagging and it was clear that the seeds for sustainable growth were not being planted. With inflation forecasted to exceed the mandated target, Mboweni would have to tighten monetary policy, which would further restrict investment. Was it time to change course?
THE BRADYCARDIA OF THE DIVE REFLEX--A POSSIBLE MECHANISM OF SUDDEN DEATH.

Slowing of the heart rate as part of an oxygen-conserving reflex has been observed in man when breath-holding with the face under water. Emotionally significant situations were found capable of either inhibiting or facilitating the reflex, thus placing the mechanism under the control of the cerebral hemispheres. Indeed, features of the reflex have been induced in human subjects during attempts to penetrate the brachial artery with a hypodermic needle and in association with a mild startle reaction. The latter was observed to a striking degree in four subjects who subsequently died of recurrent myocardial infarction.
Residual Stress of Focused Ion Beam-Exposed Polycrystalline Silicon

Medium energy (30 keV) focused gallium ion beam exposure of silicon results in a compressive in-plane stress with a magnitude as large as 0.4 GPa. Experiments involve uniform irradiation of thin polysilicon microcantilevers (200 micron length) over a range of dose from 1 x 1016 to 2 x 1018 ions/cm2. The radii of curvature of microcantilevers are measured using white light interferometry before and after each exposure. The residual stress is determined from these radii and other measured properties using Stoney’s equation. The large residual stress is attributed to ion beam damage, microstructural changes and implantation.
A CASE OF NEUROGENIC TUMOR OF THE PARASPINAL COLUMN

We have recently experienced a neurogenic tumor of the paravertebra in a 35-year-old man. The patient suffered from dull pain in the right side of the abdomen during previous three years. An abnormal mass shadow of the right lung had been detected on chest X-ray examinations at a medical checkup. CT findings indicated a tumor invasion between the thoracic vertebra 10th and 11th. Operation was performed with a Tshaped skin incision of the back and a resection of the posterior part of the 10th and 11th rib. The tumor was resected safely after partial resection of the ramina of 10th thoracic vertebra. The tumor was neurinoma of the 10th intercostal nerves. Paravertebral tumors sometimes grow in the intervertebral and take the form of the Dumbbell. An operation should be performed early in the course of treatment, because the growing tumor may appress the spinal cord to cause clinical symptoms.
Training Endogenous Task Shifting Using Music Therapy: A Feasibility Study

Background People with acquired brain injury (ABI) are highly susceptible to disturbances in executive functioning (EF), and these effects are pervasive. Research studies using music therapy for cognitive improvement in this population are limited. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of a Musical Executive Function Training (MEFT) intervention to address task-shifting skills in adults with ABI and to obtain preliminary evidence of intervention effect on task shifting. Methods Fourteen participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a music therapy intervention group (MTG), a singing group (SG), or the no-intervention control group (CG). The SG and MTG met for one hour a day for five days. Feasibility measures included participant completion rates and intervention fidelity. Potential benefits were measured using the Trail Making Test and the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task as a pre- and posttest measure. Results Participant completion rates and interventionist fidelity to the protocol supported feasibility. One-way ANOVA of the pre- and posttest group differences revealed a trend toward improvement in the MTG over the SG. Conclusions Feasibility and effect size data support a larger trial of the MEFT protocol.
xfm 1.3

A File and Applications Manager: A non-file manager user discovers the usefulness andflexibility of xfm.
CHAPTER 17 – Herbs and Botanical Supplements: Principles and Concepts

The study of botanical medicine warrants an understanding of the terminology used by herbal medicine practitioners. Herbs are generally administered as whole plants, while botanicals may be derived from parts of plants such as the root, stem, or leaf. Although historical evidence would support that botanical products are generally safe, a lack of consistent report mechanisms for adverse effects makes it difficult to reach the conclusion. As with safety, efficacy of botanical products depends on the presence of active constituents, dosage, and adherence to the recommended dosage regime, product formulation, bioavailability, and biological activity of the botanical product. Botanical products are uniquely different from pharmaceutical agents in that they are comprised of a variety of plant constituents combined in a single plant. The use of botanical and herbal medicinal to reduce the symptoms of and to treat or prevent chronic disease is on the rise. Medical and dietetic professionals are uniquely positioned to provide patients with reliable, scientifically sound advice on the use of these products in the context of a varied, nutritionally sound diet. The use of botanicals and herbal supplements to enhance health is not new to medicine; however, the growing use of these products dictates that dietetics professionals must expand their knowledge and understanding of the growing body of scientific evidence so that optimal nutritional care can be provided to all patients.
Mrs. May’s Dark Night in Flannery O’Connor’s “Greenleaf”:

Flannery O’Connor’s short story “Greenleaf” was significantly influenced by her engagement with the notion of the “dark night of the soul,” which is closely associated with the Christian mysticism ...
Inferring the brain's internal model from sensory responses in a probabilistic inference framework

During perception, the brain combines information received from its senses with prior information about the outside world. The mathematical concept of probabilistic inference has previously been suggested as a framework for understanding both perception and cognition. Whether this framework can explain not only behavior but also the underlying neural computations has been an open question. We propose that sensory neurons' activity represents a central quantity of Bayesian computations: posterior beliefs about the outside world. As a result, sensory responses, just like the beliefs themselves, should depend both on sensory inputs and on prior information represented in other parts of the brain. We show that this dependence on internal variables induces variability in sensory responses that -- in the context of a psychophysical task -- is related both to the structure of that task and to the neurons' stimulus tuning. We derive analytical predictions for the correlation between different neurons' responses, and for their correlation with behavior. Furthermore, we show that key neurophysiological observations from much studied perceptual discrimination and detection experiments agree with those predictions. Our work thereby provides a normative explanation for those observations, requiring a reinterpretation of the role of correlated variability for sensory coding. Finally, the fact that sensory responses (which we observe) are a product both of external inputs (which we control) and of internal beliefs, allows us to reverse-engineer information about the subject's internal beliefs by observing sensory neurons' responses alone. Population recordings of sensory neurons in animals performing a task can therefore be used to track changes in the internal beliefs with learning and attention.
Molecular Mechanisms of Anthracycline-Induced Cardiotoxicity

Anthracyclines have been an integral part of chemotherapeutic regimen since their discovery in 1960s. Its beneficial effects span from hematological malignancies to solid tumors. Recently, anthracyclines have come under scrutiny due to their cardiotoxic effects. Although medications, such as dexrazoxane proved to curb some of the deleterious cardiac effects, they are unable to fully ameliorate toxicity. A key to combat the unwanted effects of anthracyclines is to understand the underlying mechanism(s). Therefore, this chapter identifies risk factors associated with cardiotoxicity, illuminates the key molecular mechanisms, and suggests some of the therapeutic strategies to attenuate, if not to ameliorate, anthracycline-mediated cardiotoxicity.
Culture, Lifestyle and the Information Revolution in the Middle East and Muslim World

For over two decades, the ‘information revolution’ in the MiddleEast has been framed overwhelmingly in terms of media, more of it,and in comparisons to mass media – from the advent of any-to-anycommunication to ad hoc conceptualizations such as ‘crowd-sourcing’ or‘citizen journalism’ – that register the multiplication of voices, channelsand eroding boundaries in spheres of communication. The record hasexpanded more than conceptualizations of its sociologies in media andcommunications studies. It’s time for other questions that elicit additionaland more basic features of Internet practices from choices that shapeindividual repertoires and participation to continuities between usersand producers to how actual practices scale up, which actually link microand macro processes. To elicit these broader sociologies, and movebeyond the limited social physics of ‘impact’ of the Internet on culture andlifestyles, I draw on the related sociologies of reference group and networktheory, on Science-Technology-Society studies and sociolinguistics tobring disruption of existing institutions, on the one hand, and cooptationby them, on the other, into more unified theory of the play of informationrevolution in culture and lifestyles on the Internet.
Incomparable ω1 -like models of set theory

We show that the analogues of the Hamkins embedding theo- rems (Ham13), proved for the countable models of set theory, do not hold when extended to the uncountable realm of !1-like models of set theory. Specifically, under the } hypothesis and suitable consistency assumptions, we show that there is a family of 2 !1 many !1-like models of ZFC, all with the same ordinals, that are pairwise incomparable under embeddability; there can be a transitive !1-like model of ZFC that does not embed into its own constructible universe; and there can be an !1-like model of PA whose structure of hereditarily finite sets is not universal for the !1-like models of set theory.
An Investigation of Sulphonated Polymers for Deposit and Corrosion Control

A study has been carried out on sulfonated polymers for the control of typical deposits such as calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ), calcium phosphate, iron oxide, and silt found in cooling water systems. Included in this work are the key properties required by polymers to function in cooling water systems. The ferrous metal corrosion control properties of these polymers were compared in the presence of phosphonates and zinc. The findings from this work help select appropriate polymers for cooling water treatment programs.
Meta-Analysis and the Myth of Generalizability

Rejecting situational specificity (SS) in meta-analysis requires assuming that residual variance in observed correlations is due to uncorrected artifacts (e.g., calculation errors). To test that assumption, 741 aggregations from 24 meta-analytic articles representing seven industrial and organizational (I-O) psychology domains (e.g., cognitive ability, job interviews) were coded for moderator subgroup specificity. In support of SS, increasing subgroup specificity yields lower mean residual variance per domain, averaging a 73.1% drop. Precision in mean rho (i.e., low SD(rho)) adequate to permit generalizability is typically reached at SS levels high enough to challenge generalizability inferences (hence, the “myth of generalizability”). Further, and somewhat paradoxically, decreasing K with increasing precision undermines certainty in mean r and Var(r) as meta-analytic starting points. In support of the noted concerns, only 4.6% of the 741 aggregations met defensibly rigorous generalizability standards. Four key questions guiding generalizability inferences are identified in advancing meta-analysis as a knowledge source.
Developing computer courseware for forest management

Computers are an important tool for managing forests, and they can be used to help teach forestry students about forest management. This paper describes a project to develop computer-based learning models that will be integrated in a comprehensive courseware package suitable for teaching an entire undergraduate forest management course. The forest management courseware will supplement a traditional textbook and take advantage of the things that can be done better with a computer-based approach. While the computer is not likely to rival the textbook in the areas of depth and portability, it can provide an interactive medium to relieve some of the more tedious aspects of traditional course materials. Some of the more promising features of computer-based instruction are the non-linear, multi-level possibilities of hypermedia, interactive tutorials, animated graphics, computer-administered problem sets, and simulation programs. These features can relieve the student and the instructor of some of the more tedious traditional teaching activities to allow more focus on concepts and more general issues.
How Do You Play Bones?: Pia Lindman's A Kalevala Duo, Playing Bones

Part of FinnFest 2015, Pia Lindman’s A Kalevala Duo, Playing Bones rubbed the history of Kalevala bone-setting against the grain by putting this otherwise private healing practice on a public stage...
Presidential Communication in Tumultuous Times: Insights into Key Shifts, Normative Implications, and Research Opportunities

Scholars have long been interested in the communication of America’s chief executive, but the context in which that communication takes place has undergone dramatic changes over the past several de...
The Croatian spring: nationalism, repression and foreign policy under Tito

In the Croatian Spring, Nationalism, Repression and Foreign Policy Under Tito, Batovic documents skillfully how international factors connected with the Cold War and domestic forces of liberalizati...
Multicystic dysplastic kidney.

AbstractWe reviewed 29 cases of congenital multicystic dysplastic kidneys. Isolated renal pelvic atresia has an excellent prognosis but lower ureteral atresias are associated with a high incidence of contralateral renal disease and have a worse prognosis.
Ambulatory Blood Pressure: Methodology and Norms in Children

Office BP readings taken as part of routine vital signs determination are subject to error especially if automated devices are used. Furthermore, office BP measures cannot rule out the “white-coast” effect (BP levels are normal outside of a medical setting though high in the office) or identify “masked” HTN (normal office but high out-of-office BP levels). To address these issues, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) has seen increasing use. Due to its superior accuracy in classifying BP levels, ABPM has also been shown to be cost-effective in the evaluation of childhood hypertension as compared to repeat office visits, and recent guidelines have given more consideration to routine use of ABPM. In this chapter, we will discuss the use and interpretation of ABPM.
Individual variation in the transmission of UVB radiation in the young adult eye.

Objectives Data obtained mostly from animal models and ex vivo samples show that a small portion of ultraviolet light (UV, 300-400 nm) penetrates the cornea and crystalline lens and impinges on the human retina. UV transmission to the retina appears to be unique to the young and some older pseudophakes. In this study, we determine the variation in UV transmission in a relatively homogenous sample of young adults. Methods 42 subjects were tested (M = 19 ± 1.3 years). Absolute thresholds to UV radiation were collected (λmax = 315 nm, 305-325). Macular pigment optical density (MPOD, measured using heterochromatic flicker photometry) and iris color (using a standardized color scale) were also assessed as potential covariates. Results All of the subjects could detect UV radiation at 315 nm but individual variation was large (over a factor of 30). Higher MPOD and darker iridies were not related to UV sensitivity in this young sample. Males, however, were more sensitive to UV than the females (p Conclusions The large individual differences in UV reaching the retina of younger individuals suggests equally significant vulnerability to the actinic effects of this highly energetic light.
Websites and Jewish Organizations for North American Jewish Community Research

AAJR is the oldest organization of Judaic scholars in North America. Fellows are nominated and elected by their peers and thus constitute the most distinguished and most senior scholars teaching Judaic studies at American universities. The AAJR sponsors the Salo Baron Prize for the best fi rst book in Judaic studies; a biennial retreat for the Fellows; workshops for graduate students and early career faculty in Judaic studies; and academic sessions at the annual meeting of the Association for Jewish Studies. As the senior organization for Jewish scholarship on this continent, it is committed to enhancing Judaic studies throughout North American universities by creating a dynamic fellowship for its members and by providing programs and opportunities for more junior scholars and students entering the fi eld. ( www.aajr.org )
Tomorrow 3.0

With the growing popularity of apps such as Uber and Airbnb, there has been a keen interest in the rise of the sharing economy. Michael C. Munger brings these new trends in the economy down to earth by focusing on their relation to the fundamental economic concept of transaction costs. In doing so Munger brings a fresh perspective on the 'sharing economy' in clear and engaging writing that is accessible to both general and specialist readers. He shows how, for the first time, entrepreneurs can sell reductions in transaction costs, rather than reductions in the costs of the products themselves. He predicts that smartphones will be used to commodify excess capacity, and reaches the controversial conclusion that a basic income will be required as a consequence of this new 'transaction costs revolution'.
Disability and the Hebrew Bible: A Survey and Appraisal:

This article provides an overview and analysis of some significant studies on disability in the Hebrew Bible. The discussion of scholarly works proceeds chronologically, from earlier to later publi...