cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Statistical damage detection based on full-field covariance of circumferential scan ultrasonic measurement

Laser ultrasonic techniques (LUTs) perform an inspection based on raster scanning pattern to obtain three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonic signals for damage detection in mechanical structures. Even though the raster scan-based in LUTs provides full-field ultrasonic data with high spatial resolution, the scan process consumes substantial time and generates redundant ultrasonic data in many applications. In this paper, statistical damage detection based on the full-field covariance of circumferential scanning is proposed to accelerate the damage detection process using LUTs. A laser ultrasonic interrogation method based on a Q-switched laser scanning system was used to interrogate 3D ultrasonic signals in a 6-mm aluminum plate with four square through-thickness at four different depths. The circumferential scans at a given radius were obtained from the 3D ultrasonic wavefield and represented in a two-dimensional (2D) matrix, angle-time (θ-t) domain. The proposed method was tested at three different circumferences where the defects were located right on, outside, and inside the area of the scan circumference. The covariance matrix, Cθ, of the vector variables in θ-direction was calculated and represented as a covariance image. The covariance image of Cθ demonstrated the ability to detect the defects at these three different circumferences. Hence, the covariance map of an ultrasound circumference can facilitate the existing LUTs to determine the damage existence instead operate in raster scanning mode.
Mission critical decentralized resilient and intelligent control for networked heterogeneous unmanned autonomous systems (Conference Presentation)

It is very challenging to develop a mission critical control for networked heterogeneous UAS that is intelligent and resilient even when implemented into a complex environment with practical constraints such as limited communication, uncertainty system dynamics etc. Meanwhile, lacking applicable decentralized control seriously limits the usage of networked UAS into critical military and civilian missions. Recently, many learning-based decentralized control algorithms have been developed. However, there are two significant limitations, i.e. 1) slow learning convergence speed which cannot catch the environmental changing rate and 2) The gap between mission planning and real-time control. Our proposed algorithm will overcome these challenges and reap the advantages from networked UAS. Deeply integrating online fast reinforcement learning with real-time networked control, a novel mission critical decentralized resilient and intelligent control algorithm will be developed for network heterogeneous unmanned autonomous systems (UAS) in presence of limited communication, system uncertainties and harsh environment. Different from traditional decentralized control and learning algorithms, proposed design is a real-time applicable optimal and resilient solution that has particularly considered real-time mission completeness, the convergence speed of learning algorithm and the impacts from limited communication, system uncertainties and harsh environment.
To Reveal or Conceal: How Diverse Undocumented Youth Navigate Legal Status Disclosure:

Existing literature illuminates the multiple barriers young undocumented immigrants face, yet we know little about how these challenges vary among undocumented youth. This article explores variatio...
“ALMOST EVERY PLACE, EVERY ROCK, HAD A NAME”: a consideration of place-name density on king island, Alaska.

King Island, Alaska, has a relatively high place-name density of 45 place names per square mile. King Island Inupiat elders and community members, with the help of Western scientists (including a linguist, an anthropologist, an archaeologist and biologists), documented 163 place names over the 3.5 square mile area of King Island (Ugiuvak), Alaska. This is 1.5 times to 3500 times denser than what is reported for other communities in the literature. This article poses factors that might contribute to high place-name density, including: (a) length of time the island had been inhabited; (b) the fact that it is an island, bounded by water, thus limiting mobility; (c) the relatively high (for the arctic) population density; (d) the intense use of the island for subsistence purposes; and (e) for navigation purposes. In 2003, the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded the project entitled Documenting the Cultural Geography, Biogeography, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge of King Island, Alaska (Grant #OPP-0328235). The idea for the project was suggested by King Island elder Marie Saclamana in 1997, when she told me that “ almost every place, every rock, had a name. ” She wanted to bring King Island elders back to King Island to map these place names. The NSF-funded project did just that: in the summers of 2005 and 2006, approximately 15 – 20 elders and another 25 – 30 other community members went to King Island and mapped place names as well as subsistence and archaeological sites. The elders were assisted by a multidisciplinary team of scientists, including anthropologists, archaeologists, biologists, a linguist and a videographer. Overall, we mapped 163 places on King Island.
The Modeling of Dispersion of Heavy Gases

The motivation for the modeling of heavy gas dispersion lies in the need to estimate the impacts on the surroundings in the event of a leak of heavy gas during normal operations or a much larger release in the event of a major accident. In this presentation, we will consider the phenomenology and/or the evolution of a heavy gas spill from the early times of release to when it is diluted below a prescribed level of toxicity or lower flamability limit (LFL). To the extent the processes contributing to this phenomenology are known, they are described. From this discussion, salient processes emerge whose quantification leads to the structuring of models for heavy gas dispersion. There have been numerous efforts to model the dispersion of such heavy gases, in one to three space dimensions [Van Ulden (1974), Kaiser and Walker (1978), Zeman (1980), Colebrander (1980), Eidsvik (1980), Blackmore et al. (1982), Havens (1982), Taft et al. (1982), Hertel and Teuscher (1982), Ermak et al. (1981), and Chan et al (1982)]. We will describe some typical or representative models in each dimensionality and for various modes of solution (e.g. finite difference and finite element methods).
A fast end to a slow disease

Abstract Severe untreated hypothyroidism has been shown to affect cardiovascular function. While there have been a few reports of life-threatening arrhythmias occurring as a direct result of the hypothyroid state, very few cases of cardiac arrest have been reported in the literature. We report one such case of a middle-aged man who suffered a cardiac arrest that was attributed to severe untreated hypothyroidism.
The Role of Family Verbal Aggression and Taking Conflict Personally in Romantic Relationship Complaint Avoidance

This study examined complaint avoidance in adult romantic relationships as a function of both exposure to family verbal aggression in childhood and taking conflict personally. Four hundred thirty-s...
A Novel Approach for Gateway Node Election Method for Clustering in Wireless Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

In few years, numerous efforts have been dedicated on clustering methods to use in wireless and ad hoc networks to result efficient and correct routing procedures. According to clustering, afterward of cluster formation, devices of a cluster nominated as cluster member, cluster head and cluster gateway on the basis of different roles. Among them, gateway device acts as conceptual bridge between clusters. Here one or more device may act as gateway between same or different clusters. A cluster head may be elected as suitable gateway among multiple cluster heads in situation of they all are belonging to same cluster. Cluster head election methods may employ in suitable gateway elections. This paper presents a method to elect suitable gateway. The proposed method elects suitable gateway on the basis of high rank of devices which determined use of maximum cluster belongings, device neighbors and maximum remaining battery. Proposed method is used in NS-2 simulation considering network parameters and evaluated on the basis of different simulation parameters.
Development of a quality assurance program for determination of ultratrace background levels of lead and cadmium in raw agricultural crops by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry.

Data on the background levels of lead and cadmium in the food supply are essential in order to establish a baseline from which to evaluate the extent of contamination in transport, processing, industrial atmospheric particulate fallout, and soil treatment (e.g., fertilizers, sewage sludge, etc.). This requires the establishment of site selection and sampling criteria as well as the development of a rigorous analytical method capable of performing routine analyses of Pb and Cd at ultratrace levels. The method used in this study, which was published previously, was designed to provide high sample throughput with minimal contamination. This involved control and measurement of blank levels and the establishment of quality control procedures to maintain confidence in the accuracy and precision of the method.
The Good, Bad, and Ugly Side of Entrepreneurial Marketing: Is Your Social Media Campaign Unveiled, Incognito, or Exposed?

Traditional marketing media have been losing their effectiveness and digital marketing spend is on the rise. The author discusses and demarcates incognito, exposed, and unveiled social media campaigns that marketers have been utilizing in order to improve ROI, and illustrates the increasing prevalence of these unconventional approaches. A typology is presented and the managerial implications of entrepreneurial social media marketing campaigns are explored.
Originalism and Stare Decisis in the Lower Courts

The tension between originalism and stare decisis is well known. Many of the Supreme Court’s most significant constitutional decisions are completely unmoored from the original public understanding of the Constitution. A Supreme Court Justice may recognize that a given precedent is non-originalist, but follow it anyway because of the doctrine of stare decisis. Or, a Supreme Court Justice may decide to deviate from stare decisis because that precedent is non-originalist. The Supreme Court’s unique status, which is perched atop our judiciary, affords its members leeway to make either decision. Lower court judges, however, do not have that sort of discretion. Consider a judge on a federal circuit court of appeals. First, she is bound by Supreme Court precedents interpreting the Constitution, regardless of whether those precedent are originalist or not. No matter how wrong a given Supreme Court case is, that precedent must be followed. Second, she is bound by circuit precedent interpreting the Constitution, regardless of whether that precedent is originalist or not. Only an en banc majority can reverse circuit precedent, and those proceedings are quite rare. An originalist circuit judge would only have free jurisprudential rein in the rare case of first impression, where neither the Supreme Court nor the circuit court had considered a particular constitutional question. Those cases are even rarer. Even then, the circuit judge would still be at a disadvantage. Circuit courts seldom receive the wealth of originalist party and amicus briefs that are directed to the Supreme Court. Here, the circuit judge will often have to do all of her own originalist research—the proverbial law office history report—without the benefit of the adversarial process. In short, it’s tough for a lower-court judge to be a constitutional originalist. But it can be done. Part I of this essay explains when a lower-court judge can be an originalist. Part II explains how a lower-court judge can be an originalist.
From Catalytic Antibodies to Antibody-Drug Conjugates.

In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Hwang et al. (2019) describe a rapid, one-step, one-pot, and enzyme-free assembly strategy under mild conditions for site-specific conjugation of small molecules to antibodies. This is a promising platform for dual-warhead antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and other multifaceted antibody conjugates.
Daoism: A Contemporary Philosophical Investigation

Daoism: A Contemporary Philosophical Investigation explores philosophy of religion from a Daoist perspective. Philosophy of religion is a thriving field today, increasingly expanding from its traditional theistic, Christian roots into more cosmologically oriented Asian religions. This book raises a number of different issues on the three levels of cosmos, individual, and society, and addresses key questions like: What are the distinctive characteristics of Daoist thought and cosmology? How does it approach problems of creation, body, mind, and society? What, ultimately, is Dao? How does it manifest and play a role in the world? What are the key features of Daoist communities and ethics? What role does the body play in Daoism? What do Daoists think is the relationship between language and reality? What is Daoist immortality? How do Daoists envision the perfect life on earth? The volume delves into philosophical subject matter in a way that is accessible to those approaching the topic for this first time, while also making an original contribution to Daoist philosophy of religion. This volume is suitable for use by undergraduate and graduate students studying Chinese religion and philosophy, as well as more general introductory courses on Daoism.
Archaic hominin introgression into modern human genomes.

Ancient genomes from multiple Neanderthal and the Denisovan individuals, along with DNA sequence data from diverse contemporary human populations strongly support the prevalence of gene flow among different hominins. Recent studies now provide evidence for multiple gene flow events that leave genetic signatures in extant and ancient human populations. These events include older gene flow from an unknown hominin in Africa predating out-of-Africa migrations, and in the last 50,000-100,000 years, multiple gene flow events from Neanderthals into ancestral Eurasian human populations, and at least three distinct introgression events from a lineage close to Denisovans into ancestors of extant Southeast Asian and Oceanic populations. Some of these introgression events may have happened as late as 20,000 years before present and reshaped the way in which we think about human evolution. In this review, I aim to answer anthropologically relevant questions with regard to recent research on ancient hominin introgression in the human lineage. How have genomic data from archaic hominins changed our view of human evolution? Is there any doubt about whether introgression from ancient hominins to the ancestors of present-day humans occurred? What is the current view of human evolutionary history from the genomics perspective? What is the impact of introgression on human phenotypes?
Mechanisms of thermal cycling damage in polycrystalline Sn-rich solder joints

Abstract Solder joints will experience elevated temperatures during operation due to resistive heating and ambient conditions. Device components have different thermal expansion characteristics, leading to straining of the solder joint and development of surface damage features. The anisotropic thermal expansion of βSn grains and discrepancy between the thermal expansion of intermetallic compounds causes degradation to be localized near grain boundaries and phase interfaces. Three experiments were conducted to investigate thermal effects on solder joint microstructure. Interrupted low temperature aging revealed the formation and movement of grain boundary ledges and uninterrupted thermal aging confirmed that the ledges formed during the cooling cycle of the experiment. Finally, high temperature thermal cycling demonstrated the acceleration of surface damage that accompanies an increase in peak temperature and cycling frequency. The orientation of the c-axis of the Sn matrix grains proved to be the critical feature controlling the direction of grain boundary ledge migration and type of surface deformation surrounding Cu6Sn5 intermetallic needles.
The irradiation response of ZrC ceramics under 10 MeV Au3+ ion irradiation at 800 ºC

Abstract The microstructural evolution was characterized for ZrC ceramics irradiated with 10 MeV Au3+ ions at 800 °C. Post-irradiation examination showed that ZrC did not amorphize at doses up to 30 displacement per atoms (dpa). Concurrent oxidation of ZrC was found to occur during ion irradiation. Coarsening of the defective microstructure, as a function of dose, was revealed by transmission electron microscopy analysis. Black dot defects were observed at low doses (0.5 dpa), and tangled dislocation networks were formed at 5 dpa and above. Diffraction analysis showed a change in the defect structure occurred at doses close to ∼2.5 dpa. The evolution of lattice parameter with dose indicated that uptake of adventitious oxygen could occur in specimens irradiated at high doses. Raman spectroscopy analysis indicated an increase in non-stochiometry after irradiaton. This work identified specific relationships between dose and microstructure after irradiation, revealing the mechanisms of damage production in ZrCx ceramics.
Localization of Networks on 3D Terrain Surfaces

Many real world applications require large-scale sensor networks deployed on the surface of a complex 3D terrain. Compared with planar and 3D network localizations, terrain surface network localization generates unique and fundamental hardness. We explore 3D surface network localization with terrain models. A digital terrain model (DTM), available to public with a variable resolution up to one meter, is a 3D representation of a terrain's surface. The constraint that the sensors must be on the known 3D terrain's surface ensures that the triangular meshes of the network and the terrain's surface overlap and approximate the same geometric shape. The basic idea of both the anchor-based and anchor-free localization algorithms is to map the two triangular meshes extracted from the connectivity graph of a sensor network and the DTM of its deployed terrain surface to plane. With the well-aligned triangular meshes of a network and its deployed terrain surface on plane, each sensor node of the network can easily locate reference grid points from the DTM of the terrain to calculate its own geographic location.
Computational modeling of cell signaling and mutations in pancreatic cancer

Published research articles are rich sources of data when the knowledge is incorporated into models. Complex biological systems benefit from the ability of computational modeling to elucidate dynamics, explain data and address hypotheses. Modeling of pancreatic cancer could guide treatment of this devastating disease that has a known mutational profile disrupting signaling pathways but no reliable therapies. The approach described here is to utilize discrete modeling of the major signaling pathways, metabolism and the tumor microenvironment including macrophages. This modeling approach allows for abstraction in order to assemble large networks to capture numerous facets of the biological system under investigation. The Hallmarks of Cancer are represented as the processes of apoptosis, autophagy, cell cycle progression, inflammation, immune response, oxidative phosphorylation and proliferation. The model is initialized with pancreatic cancer receptors and mutations and simulated in time. The model portrays the hallmarks of cancer and suggests combinations of inhibitors as therapies.
Quantitative percussion diagnostics for evaluating porosity and surface roughness of cold sprayed and laser deposited materials

Abstract Quantitative percussion diagnostics (QPD) is a non-destructive evaluation method that has been used successfully in a number of applications. This technique involves a rod that is actuated to impact a specimen with a given amount of kinetic energy and the resulting mechanical response of the specimen as a function of time is measured using a piezoelectric force sensor. The mechanical energy returned to the rod is then analyzed. Because contact with the specimen is on the order of a few hundred microseconds, QPD can be used in situations and for specimen conditions (e.g. high temperature) that are not feasible for other nondestructive testing methods. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the use of QPD for characterization of defects in specimens fabricated using two additive manufacturing methods, i.e. cold spray deposition and laser powder directed energy deposition (LPDED). Cold spray specimens were produced using commercially pure nickel with varied process conditions including gas type (i.e. helium and nitrogen) and deposition rate. In addition, a Ti–6Al–4V specimen was manufactured using LPDED with varying porosity content. All specimens were characterized using both QPD and destructive methods (i.e. cross-sectional metallography) to compare results for observed defect characteristics. Cold spray specimens exhibited a lower energy return when they contained more porosity and/or surface roughness. Microscopic plastic deformation at highly porous surfaces was indicated during percussion testing that reached a saturation level after repeated percussion. Overall, the results showed that QPD can effectively evaluate cold spray and LPDED specimens for porosity and surface roughness.
Genomic characterization of de novo metastatic breast cancer

Abstract De novo metastatic breast cancer (dnMBC) represents a minority of MBC cases, and as such, its genomics are poorly understood. Characterizing the genomics of dnMBC represents an opportunity to delineate metastatic drivers in the absence of treatment selection. In this review, we first summarize the literature of the genomics of MBC which showed that MBCs have greater mutational burden than early stage, treatment naive breast cancers. We then turn to recent studies that have sought to focus on dnMBC. We propose that understanding genomic differences between dnMBC and relapsed MBC can inform treatment choices. Finally, we discuss translational strategies to better dissect the genomics of dnMBC.
Display of mammograms on a CRT

In most radiological imaging workstations the monochrome cathode ray tube (CRT) is the electronic display of choice. The CRT offers the best performance; it is the most highly developed, mature and reliable display in common use. Unfortunately, because of limited spatial resolution and because of limited dynamic range, the efficacy of soft-copy versus hard-copy diagnosis has been challenged.
ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is the leading cause of death in the United States. The American Heart Association estimated that there were 920,000 Americans with acute myocardial infarction (MI) in 2005 (1). Approximately 30–45% of these were STEMI. Excellent societal guideline recommendations exist for STEMI care (2–4)
An Analysis of the Social Behavior of Three Groups of Propithecus verreauxi

An 18-month study of the social organization and ecology of Propithecus verreauxi was carried out in Madagascar between May 1970 and September 1971. Two groups were studied in the mixed deciduous and evergreen forests of the Ankarafantsika in the northwest of Madagascar and two in the Didierea forest which covers large tracts in the south. The two study areas and the ecology of groups of P. verreauxi occupying them have been described by Richard (1973, 1974a, and in press).
Complexity of Bezout’s Theorem II Volumes and Probabilities

In this paper we study volume estimates in the space of systems of n homegeneous polynomial equations of fixed degrees d i with respect to a natural Hermitian structure on the space of such systems invariant under the action of the unitary group. We show that the average number of real roots of real systems is D 1/2 where D = Π d i is the Be zout number. We estimate the volume of the subspace of badly conditioned problems and show that volume is bounded by a small degree polynomial in n, N and D times the reciprocal of the condition number to the fourth power. Here N is the dimension of the space of systems.
Accurate matrix-free time-domain method in unstructured meshes

In this paper, we develop a new time-domain method that is naturally matrix free, i.e., requiring no matrix solution, regardless of whether the discretization is a structured grid or an unstructured mesh. Its matrix-free property is independent of the element shape used for discretization, and its implementation is straightforward. The accuracy and stability of the proposed method are theoretically analyzed and shown to be guaranteed. In addition, no dual mesh is needed and the tangential continuity of the fields is satisfied across the element interface. Numerical experiments on a variety of unstructured meshes have validated the accuracy and generality of the proposed method.
Characterization of the fliE genes of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium and identification of the FliE protein as a component of the flagellar hook-basal body complex.

Within flagellar region III of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium, the genomic organization has been largely established. An exception is fliE, a gene whose exact location and product function are not well understood. We cloned the fliE gene, obtained its DNA sequence, and identified its product.fliE was found to be a monocistronic transcriptional unit, adjacent to and divergent from the large fliF operon. It is several kilobases distant from the nearest flagellar operon in the other direction, the fliD operon, and constitutes the first operon within the newly defined region IIIb, which contains the genes fliE through fliR.fliE encodes a small, moderately hydrophilic protein with a deduced molecular mass of 11,114 Da (E. coli) or 11,065 Da (S. typhimurium). We identified a protein within the isolated hook-basal body complex as the fliE gene product on the basis of its size and comparison of its N-terminal amino acid sequence with that deduced from the gene sequence. From gel electrophoresis and autoradiography of 35S-labeled S. typhimurium hook-basal body complexes (C.J. Jones, R.M. Macnab, H. Okino, and S.-I. Aizawa, J. Mol. Biol. 212:377-387, 1990) and the deduced number of sulfur-containing residues in FliE, we estimated the stoichiometry of the protein in the hook-basal body complex to be about nine subunits. FliE does not undergo cleavage of a signal peptide, nor does it show any sequence similarity to the axial components like the rod or hook proteins, which are believed to be exported by the flagellum-specific export pathway. On the basis of this and other evidence, we suggest that FliE may be in the vicinity of the MS ring, perhaps acting as an adaptor protein between the ring and rod substructures.
Pharmacological Treatment of Insomnia

Insomnia is an incredibly common complaint occasionally affecting more than 40 % of the population. Insomnia can be a primary diagnosis or secondary to associated sleep, psychiatric or medical illnesses that induce disturbed sleep or nighttime discomfort. Insomnia is most commonly treated with medications including drugs of abuse/misuse (ethanol and cannabis), over-the-counter preparations (type 1 antihistamines, herbal remedies, and nutritional supplements), and prescription hypnotics used as recommended or as based on sedative side-effect profiles. Many of theses agents have significant abuse potential and toxicity, and limited effectiveness when used to treat insomnia. The newer alpha 1 GABA-A active medications for insomnia are efficacious, minimally addictive, have minimal side effects, are nontoxic in overdose, and can be used long term without altering sleep structure. When appropriately utilized these newer medications are safe for use in most patients with insomnia.
Reactions of evolved gases with chars and cokes: A study of electron spin resonance

Abstract A simple technique has been developed to observe the changes in the ESR absorption of chars and cokes resulting from chemical attack of various gases at pressures below atmospheric and temperatures below 1100°C. A gas evolved in the process of heattreatment of a polyvinylidene chloride polymer-300°C char (the gas being composed mostly of HCl and Cl2) has been found to be at pressures of a few millimeters of Hg and temperatures exceeding 700°, a most effective agent for formation of artificial localized spin centers (A-centers) on the accessible surface of chars. Some of such A-centers are highly resistant to reheat in vacuum and to oxidation in air. Before the new spin centers are formed, however, in some cases a partial destruction of the originally present spin centers (centers formed in carbonization process) by the PVDC-gas occurs at lower temperature (~600°C). Sugar-char gas, phenolbenzaldehyde resin char-gas and pure hydrogen have been found also to create A-centers on chars, the spin concentration being controlled at a given temperature by a dynamic equilibrium (the final concentration increasing with pressure and decreasing with temperature). Neither C3O2 polymer-gas, nor water vapor, nor their mixture produce A-centers under the same pressure-temperature conditions. Presence of nitrogen was found to have a deleterious effect on some of the spin formation reactions. Observations concerning the dependence of the width of the ESR line on various factors are also reported.
An iridescent virus fromPopillia japonica (Col.: Scarabaeidae)

A very low incidence (<0.01%) of a blue iridovirus (IV) was found in larvae of the Japanese beetle,Popillia japonica Newman, that were sampled over a two year period on Terceira Island (Azores, Portugal). In the most heavily infected larvae, a deep blue iridescence was observed, particularly in the fat body. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the characteristic crystalline arrays of the hexagonal virus particles in the cytoplasm of fat body cells, tracheal matrix, muscle, hypodermis and blood cells. Crystals of the virus particles were also observed freely circulating in the hemolymph. The average diameter of negatively stained purified virus particles was 157 nm. Similarities and differences with other IVs found in the Scarabaeidae are discussed. Considering the broad host range of some of the iridescent viruses, the relatively recent invasion of Terceira byP. japonica, and the rarity of the virus in the beetle, it is probable that the infection was the result of transmission from another species of soil-inhabiting arthropod. Its value as a potential biological control agent ofP. japonica is negligible.
Solvent, electrolyte and solute shape effects on optical electron transfer in mixed-valence ruthenium ammine dimers

Abstract A series of nine mixed-valence ruthenium ammine dimers have been synthesized and their intervalence transfer spectra have been studied in a group of 14 solvents. The importances of both dielectric continuum effects and specific solvent-solute interactions in defining the nature of the solvent dependences of the IT absorption energies have been addressed. Specific solvent-solute effects predominate for most of the members in the series. Dielectric continuum effects predominate only for the (NH3)5Ru(4,4′-bipyridine)Ru(NH3)55+ system (dimer 7 of the series investigated). Four of the members of the series show evidence for a dual solvent dependence. Ion-atmosphere/ion-pairing effects are at their maximum for dimer 7.
Effects of chloride flux modulators in an in vitro model of brain edema formation

Abstract Brain edema is a serious consequence of hemispheric stroke and traumatic brain injury and contributes significantly to patient mortality. In the present study, we measured water contents in hippocampal slices as an in vitro model of edema formation. Excitotoxic conditions induced by N-methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA, 300 μM), as well as ischemia induced by oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD), caused cellular edema formation as indicated by an increase of slice water contents. In the presence of furosemide, an inhibitor of the Na,K,Cl-cotransporter, NMDA-induced edema were reduced by 64% while OGD-induced edema were unaffected. The same observation, i.e., reduction of excitotoxic edema formation but no effect on ischemia-induced edema, was made with chloride transport inhibitors such as DIDS and niflumic acid. Under ischemic conditions, modulation of GABAA receptors by bicuculline, a GABA antagonist, or by diazepam, a GABAergic agonist, did not significantly affect edema formation. Further experiments demonstrated that low chloride conditions prevented NMDA-induced, but not OGD-induced, water influx. Omission of calcium ions had no effect. Our results show that NMDA-induced edema formation is highly dependent on chloride influx as it was prevented by low-chloride conditions and by various compounds that interfere with chloride influx. In contrast, OGD-induced edema observed in brain slices was not affected by modulators of chloride fluxes. The results are discussed with reference to ionic changes occurring during tissue ischemia.
Lipid composition in particulate and dissolved organic matter in the Delaware Estuary: sources and diagenetic patterns

Abstract Dissolved organic matter (DOM) was isolated from surface waters of Delaware Bay along a transect from freshwater to the coastal ocean and fractionated by tangential flow ultrafiltration into high (1–30 kDa; HDOM) and very high (30 kDa–0.2 μm; VHDOM) nominal molecular mass fractions. Carbon content, stable carbon isotopes, and lipid composition were measured for each DOM fraction, and particles collected in parallel. Lipids, excluding hydrocarbons, comprised up to 0.33% of HDOM organic carbon, 1.6% of VHDOM carbon, and 10% of POC, the majority of which were fatty acids. Although lipids comprised a small fraction of HDOM, fatty acids and sterols provided valuable information on the origins of DOM. Molecular composition of particulate and dissolved lipids and bulk stable carbon isotopes demonstrated differences in organic sources along the estuarine gradient with distinct terrestrial signals in the river and turbid middle estuary and an algal signal in the lower estuary and coastal ocean. Both particulate organic matter and VHDOM samples were enriched in lipids on a carbon basis compared to the HDOM fraction, which suggests that the HDOM fraction was less labile than particulate organic matter or VHDOM. Selective degradation of labile lipids by the microbial community can account for the depletions of unsaturated fatty acids, sterols, and phytol within HDOM relative to particles.
History of Biogenic Silica in Deep Sea: ABSTRACT

The primary components of biogenic silica in deep-sea sediments are the tests of diatoms and radiolarians. Their distribution and concentration in open ocean deep-sea sediments are strongly influenced by the productivity of the overlying water masses. In general, in deep-sea sediments far from land where masking by continental detritus is not an important factor, sediments rich in opaline silica underlie regions of strong End_Page 341------------------------------ vertical mixing and consequent high productivity. Therefore, the presence and fluctuation of the concentration of opaline silica in deep-sea sediments can be an important indicator of paleo-oceanographic conditions. Upward changes from sediments low in opaline silica to sediments high in opaline silica about 2 m. y. ago in the Antarctic region and about 4.5 m. y. ago in the North Pacific suggest an increase of vertical mixing at these times in these areas. The widespread occurrence of middle Eocene cherts in the Atlantic indicates a strikingly different circulation pattern for Eocene time than exists today. A modified Eocene circulation pattern is suggested on the basis of the probable shape of the Eocene Atlantic. End_of_Article - Last_Page 342------------
Russia's Kosovo: A Critical Geopolitics of the August 2008 War over South Ossetia

A noted political geographer presents an analysis of the August 2008 South Ossetian war. He analyzes the conflict from a critical geopolitical perspective sensitive to the importance of localized context and agency in world affairs and to the limitations of state-centric logics in capturing the connectivities, flows, and attachments that transcend state borders and characterize specific locations. The paper traces the historical antecedents to the August 2008 conflict and identifies major factors that led to it, including legacies of past violence, the Georgian president's aggressive style of leadership, and renewed Russian "great power" aspirations under Putin. The Kosovo case created normative precedents available for opportunistic localization. The author then focuses on the events of August 2008 and the competing storylines promoted by the Georgian and Russian governments. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: H10, I31, O18, P30. 7 figures, 2 tables, 137 references.
Liquid crystal images of the transition from jet impingement convection to nucleate boiling part II: Nonmonotonic distribution of the convection coefficient

Liquid crystal thermography was used to study nucleate boiling incipience on a thin, uniform-heat-generation surface that was cooled by a submerged impinging jet. The fluid was the refrigerant R-11. Thermographic images of the temperature distribution on the test surface were acquired synchronously with single-point temperature measurements from three locations on the surface. These measurements provide a framework for interpreting the images and quantifying the incipience temperature overshoot. The nozzle-to-plate spacing was such that the convective heat transfer coefficient in the single-phase flow decreased monotonically with radial distance from the stagnation point. The images clearly reveal a large temperature gradient, or boiling front, that existed at the interface between areas cooled by convection and areas cooled by boiling. In the wall jet region of the flow, the orientation and average radial location of the front were determined by the distribution of the convection coefficient in the single-phase flow field. A simple model was developed to demonstrate this dependence. The shape of individual segments of the front indicated that the precise position of the front on a specific portion of the surface depended on the local distribution of surface microcavities. Near the stagnation point, boiling was initiated when fluctuations in the direction of the jet flow allowed a momentary rise in the surface temperature to above the nucleation temperature.
Polyandrol, a C19 quassinoid from Castela polyandra

Abstract The structure of a new C 19 bitter-tasting quassinoid, polyandrol, isolated from the root bark of Castela polyandra , was established.
UV-cleavable unimolecular micelles: synthesis and characterization toward photocontrolled drug release carriers

UV-cleavable star polymers composed of a well-defined 6-arm amphiphilic block copolymer and a UV-cleavable core with photolabile o-nitrobenzyl groups have been synthesized and characterized. The core of the star polymer is a cyclotriphosphazene, which can biodegrade to phosphate and ammonium ion. The resultant unimolecular micelles can be dissociated in a controlled manner by UV irradiation. The inner lipophilic poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and the outer hydrophilic poly[poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate] (PPEGMA) were grafted by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), leading to the formation of star-PMMA-PPEGMA with different compositions. The effects of various factors, such as molecular weight, solution concentration, solvents (THF, toluene, and water) and monomers (MMA, PEGMA, and 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMA)) on the photodegradation rate of the star polymers were studied by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The micellar behavior of star-PMMA-PPEGMA was unambiguously demonstrated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), fluorescence techniques and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The formation of nanoparticles (star-AGG) from the aggregation of the two star-PMMA-PPEGMA polymer micelles in aqueous solution was detected by DLS with hydrodynamic radii of 86 and 111 nm. The critical aggregation concentration (CAC) of star-AGG-2 from star-PMMA179-PPEGMA89-2 was 0.0026 g L−1 and 0.022 g L−1 before and after UV-irradiation indicating the reduced stability of the polymer micellar structures after UV-irradiation due to the detachment of the amphiphilic arms from the cyclotriphosphazene core. As a result, spontaneous dissociation of cleaved micelles can be induced by the dilution effect in the human body for stimulus-controlled drug release.
Regression of metastatic carcinoid tumor after valvular surgery for carcinoid heart disease

BACKGROUND The carcinoid syndrome is a common sequela in patients with carcinoid tumor metastatic to the liver. Cardiac involvement occurs in 19-56% of patients with symptomatic carcinoid syndrome and, in some patients, leads to valvular surgery to relieve symptoms due to progressive right-sided heart failure. Reports of these patients have emphasized amelioration of cardiac symptoms, but postoperative tumor status rarely has been discussed. METHODS This report describes four patients who underwent valvular heart surgery for severe carcinoid heart disease and had regression of their metastatic carcinoid tumor postoperatively. RESULTS All four patients had definite clinical improvement in cardiac function and relief of symptoms related to congestive heart failure postoperatively. Unexpectedly, they also had regression of their metastatic disease, as reflected in decreased levels of urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, and objective evidence of a reduction in the size of hepatic metastases. CONCLUSIONS To the authors' knowledge, these four patients represent the first reported cases of metastatic disease regression after valvular surgery for carcinoid heart disease. Further descriptions of tumor status in patients having undergone a heart operation for this disease would be valuable in determining the clinical significance of this finding. Cancer 1997; 79:605-11. © 1997 American Cancer Society.
Baptizing Adorno's Odysseus

The question Adorno and Horkheimer leave the reader of the Dialectic of Enlightenment with is: How, finally, are we to supplement the project of the Enlightenment, so that it may attain its libratory potential? As I find Adorno's answers to the question of the proletariat's political failure troubling, in leaving little possibility of reform or hope in concrete terms for continuing successfully in the project of liberation, I intend to provide an alternative narrative of human liberation based on a critical rereading of Adorno and Horkheimer in light of Rene Girard. Specifically, I argue that Girard can provide a model of human liberation that enables the transcendence of the Odyssean disposition to self-sacrifice that Adorno and Horkheimer see as a key to the failures of the proletariat. In Girard's terms, I argue that the strategy of Penelope rather than Odysseus can provide a model for a psychology and praxis of liberation.
Pharmacological characterization of a selective agonist for Bombesin Receptor Subtype - 3

Bombesin receptor subtype-3 (BRS-3) is an orphan G protein-coupled receptor in the bombesin receptor family that still awaits identification of its natural ligand. BRS-3 deficient mice develop a mild late-onset obesity with metabolic defects, implicating BRS-3 plays a role in feeding and metabolism. We describe here the pharmacological characterization of a synthetic compound, 16a, which serves as a potent agonist for BRS-3. This compound is selective for BRS-3 as it does not activate neuromedin B or gastrin-releasing peptide receptors, two most closely related bombesin receptors, as well as a series of other GPCRs. We assessed the receptor trafficking of BRS-3 and found that compound 16a promoted β-arrestin translocation to the cell membrane. Neither central nor peripheral administration of compound 16a affects locomotor activity in mice. Therefore compound 16a is a potential tool to study the function of the BRS-3 system in vitro and possibly in vivo.
Gastro-intestinal manifestations of porphyria.

Abdominal pain is a prominent symptom in acute porphyria. This may be attributed to the marked hypomotility and distention which is usually present in some segment of the gastro-intestinal tract. The entire tract may at times be affected. A case is presented which manifested pronounced atony of the esophagus, stomach, and colon. These findings were evident roentgenologically in the conspicuous dilatation and the prolonged retention of barium within these stractures. Occasionally diarrhea and spasm of portions of the gastro-intestinal tract occur. The disturbance of gastro-intestinal function is probably due to the toxic effect of the porphyrins upon the autonomic nerves.
Sorry for your loss, now when will we be paid? Customer service after death of a customer

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how retail organizations serve heirs attempting to settle estates, suggesting that companies providing minimal customer service risk driving away future business, while those companies that seek solutions to ease the estate settlement process can acquire new customer relationships from heirs and beneficiaries.Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides examples of companies that adhere to strict rules, minimal service, or emphasis on cost reduction, comparing them to companies with more flexible and compassionate approaches to estate settlement.Findings – An approach to customer service centered on meeting customer needs can enhance an organization's reputation. By contrast, those reliant on rigid policies risk losing long‐term business opportunities.Practical implications – Companies can gain new customer relationships by improving the way they handle estate claims and provide service to executors, administrators, heirs, and beneficiaries. Financial ...
Bis-dendritic polyethylene prepared by ring-opening metathesis polymerization in the presence of bis-dendritic chain transfer agents

The synthesis of ABA triblock copolymers is described, in which the A blocks are poly(benzyl ether) dendrons and the B block is polycyclooctene or polyethylene. Bis-dendritic cis-olefins were synthesized and used as chain transfer agents in ring-opening metathesis polymerization of cyclooctene in a process that inserts the dendrons at the polymer chain-ends. Evaluation of the polymer products by spectroscopic, chromatographic, and titration methods supports their triblock structure. Hydrogenation of the unsaturated polycyclooctene B-block of these ABA triblock copolymers provides the first reported synthesis of bisdendritic polyethylene. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 5429–5439, 2005
Polyethylene wear and osteolysis with a new modular titanium acetabular component: results at 7 to 13 years.

Abstract The first-generation and second-generation modular titanium fiber-metal acetabular components were notable for high rates of pelvic osteolysis and liner dislodgment. This is a prospective, consecutive study of 111 new modular titanium-fiber metal acetabular components with a novel polyethylene locking mechanism at a mean follow-up of 9.5 years (range, 7-13 years). The polyethylene was γ -irradiated in air in 58 hips and γ -irradiated in nitrogen in 54 hips. No acetabular component migrated, none were revised, and there was no liner dislodgment. Pelvic osteolysis was seen in only 2 hips. The mean linear wear rate was 0.085 mm/y (range, 0.001-0.3 mm/y). There was a significantly lower rate of wear with polyethylene liners sterilized by γ-irradiation in nitrogen ( P = .0001). The high rate of success and low rate of polyethylene wear and pelvic osteolysis at this length of follow-up may be related to the new design features of this modular acetabular component.