cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A theoretical study of the beta decay of 40Sc

Abstract The positon decay of 40Sc to the negative parity states of 40Ca has been studied using the results of an intermediate coupling shell model calculation for the wave functions of the 40Sc ground state and 40Ca excited states. The branching ratios for the decay to the various levels in in 40Ca and the resulting M1 gamma ray transition rates between the negative parity states in 40Ca are calculated using these wave functions. The theoretical results are compared with experiment.
Advances in the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure in the elderly

Acute decompensated heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization in older adults, and more than half of all patients admitted with this condition are over 75 years of age. In addition, hospital mortality is threefold higher in patients over 75 years of age compared with younger patients. This article reviews the pathophysiology, clinical features and management of acute heart failure in older adults, highlighting recent advances in the field. It is anticipated that over the next 5–10 years, new approaches to the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure will become available. Nonetheless, additional research is required to develop more effective strategies for the prevention and management of both acute and chronic heart failure in our rapidly growing elderly population.
Synthesis and Characterization of Tricarbonyl-Re/Tc(I) Chelate Probes Targeting the G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor GPER/GPR30

The discovery of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor GPER (also GPR30) and the resulting development of selective chemical probes have revealed new aspects of estrogen receptor biology. The potential clinical relevance of this receptor has been suggested from numerous studies that have identified GPER expression in breast, endometrial, ovarian and other cancers. Thus GPER can be considered a candidate biomarker and target for non-invasive imaging and therapy. We have designed and synthesized a series of organometallic tricarbonyl-rhenium complexes conjugated to a GPER-selective small molecule derived from tetrahydro-3H-cyclopenta[c]quinoline. The activity and selectivity of these chelates in GPER-mediated signaling pathways were evaluated. These results demonstrate that GPER targeting characteristics depend strongly on the structure of the chelate and linkage. Ethanone conjugates functioned as agonists, a 1,2,3-triazole spacer yielded an antagonist, and derivatives with increased steric volume exhibited decreased activities. Promising GPER selectivity was observed, as none of the complexes interacted with the nuclear estrogen receptors. Radiolabeling with technetium-99m in aqueous media was efficient and gave radioligands with high radiochemical yields and purity. These chelates have favorable physicochemical properties, show excellent stability in biologically relevant media, exhibit receptor specificity and are promising candidates for continuing development as diagnostic imaging agents targeting GPER expression in cancer.
Fever and the acute elevation in whole-body thermogenesis induced by lateral hypothalamic lesions

Three studies investigated the role of fever in the acute elevation of heat production induced by lateral hypothalamic (LH) lesions and the mechanisms by which this thermogenic response can be attenuated by reductions in body weight. In Study 1, reducing the weights of rats prior to lesioning the LH attenuated both the usual postlesion fever and elevation in thermogenesis. In Study 2, blocking prostaglandin synthesis with indomethacin likewise blunted both the lesion-induced fever and thermogenesis. In Study 3, treating already weight-reduced rats with indomethacin attenuated, but still failed to eliminate, the lesion-induced fever. Together, these results suggest that both the fever and increased thermogenesis induced by LH lesions are mediated, at least in part, by prostaglandin mechanisms which themselves are influenced by body energy status.
Intrastrand DNA Cross-Links as Tools for Studying DNA Replication and Repair: Two-, Three-, and Four-Carbon Tethers between the N2 Positions of Adjacent Guanines†

A general protocol for preparation of oligonucleotides containing intrastrand cross-links between the exocyclic amino groups of adjacent deoxyguanosines has been developed. A series of 2, 3, and 4 ...
Multivariate histogram shaping and statistically independent principle components

In signal processing, signals are often treated as Gaussian random variables in order to simplify processing when, in fact, they are not. Similarly, in multispectral image processing, grayscale images from individual spectral bands do not have simple, predictable distributions nor are the bands independent from one another. Equalization and histogram shaping techniques have been used for many years to map signals and images to more desirable probability mass functions such as uniform or Gaussian. The ability to extend these techniques to multivariate random variables, i.e. jointly across multiple bands or channels, can be difficult due to an insufficient number of samples for constructing a multidimensional distribution. If successful, however, the resulting components can be made to be both uncorrelated and statistically independent. A method is presented here that achieves reasonably good equalization and Gaussian shaping in multispectral imagery. When combined with principle components analysis, the resulting components are not only uncorrelated, as would be expected, but are statistically independent as well.
Accurate 3D Fluorophore Localization using Phase Retrieved Pupil Functions

When near the focus, the image of a point emitter has little information about the emitter's position along the optical axis. To improve the 3D localization precision, several methods such as astigmatic imaging, double helix point spread functions, and multiple focal plane strategies have been developed to encode the axial position in one or more 2D images of the same emitter. In each of these strategies, a proper model for the 3D microscope point spread function (PSF) is essential to avoid inaccuracies in localization. Generating PSF models from phase retrieved (PR) pupil functions has the advantage that the model images are noise free, can be calculated for any focal plane, and include aberrations specific to the optical system. This representation can also be extremely compact by representing the pupil function as a set of Zernike polynomials. Here we demonstrate the use of PSFs generated from PR pupil functions for 3D single molecule localization based super-resolution imaging using a dual focal plane setup. We show the phase retrieval process, as well as the details of fast PSF calculation by implementation on graphics processing unit hardware. We show a comparison between fitting with ideal, aberration free PSF models and that generated from PR pupil functions using a variety of cellular structures including the ER, microtubules and the membrane proteins STIM1 and ORAI1.
A urokinase-type plasminogen activator deficiency diminishes the frequency of intestinal adenomas in ApcMin/+ mice.

The interaction of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor, uPAR, on cell surfaces facilitates the generation of cell-bound plasmin, thus allowing cells to establish a proteolytic front that enables their migration through protein barriers. This complex also activates cell signalling pathways that influence cell functions. Clinical studies have identified uPA as an indicator of poor overall survival in patients with colorectal cancer. In the current study, a mouse model of colon cancer, ApcMin/+, with an additional deficiency of uPA (ApcMin/+/Plau−/−) was used to determine the effects of uPA on tumour initiation and growth. Utilizing this model, it was found that the number of tumours was diminished in these mice relative to ApcMin/+ mice, which correlated with the decreased leukocyte infiltration in the tumours. However, tumour growth was not impeded in ApcMin/+/Plau−/− mice, and proliferation and tumour vascularization were, in fact, enhanced in ApcMin/+/Plau−/− mice. These latter effects are consistent with a mechanism involving up-regulation of COX-2 expression and Akt pathway activation in ApcMin/+/Plau−/− mice. The results from this study suggest that uPA plays dual and opposing roles in regulating lesion development: one early, during the transition from normal epithelia to dysplastic lesions, and another later during tumour growth. Copyright © 2007 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist drugs on the volitional consumption of ethanol by a genetic drinking rat

The ability of drugs that reduce NMDA receptor activity on the volitional consumption of ethanol in the genetic drinking rat, mHEP line, was investigated. After the consumption of ethanol solutions and water by each male or female mHEP rat had stabilized on its preferred concentration, different doses of LY 274614, a competitive NMDA antagonist, MK 801, a non-competitive NMDA antagonist, (+)-HA-966 or ACPC (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid), antagonists of the glycine site were administered daily for three days. The dose of 3.0 mg/kg i.p. LY 274614 reduced the consumption of ethanol by 64% compared to the pre-treatment baseline, while 0.3 mg/kg of MK 801 reduced consumption by 44%, 20 mg/kg (+)-HA-966 reduced consumption by 47% and 300 mg/kg of ACPC reduced consumption by 30%. These doses of LY 274614 and MK 801 reduced the ability of Sprague-Dawley rats to walk on a rotorod. Effects of these drugs on food intake were small except for the 20 mg/kg dose of (+)-HA-966. Therefore, the drugs did not have an anti-caloric effect and manipulations of the glutamatergic system through NMDA receptors may modify the consumption of ethanol. This interaction should be explored further for its therapeutic potential and to better understand the control by central neuronal systems of the consumption of ethanol.
Self-adjoint differential equations for classical orthogonal polynomials

This paper deals with spectral type differential equations of the self-adjoint differential operator, 2r order: L(2r)[Y](x)=1/ρ(x) dr/dxr (ρ(x) βr(x) drY(x)/dxr= λrnY(x). If ρ(x) is the weight function and β(x) is a second degree polynomial function, then the corresponding classical orthogonal polynomials, {Qn(x)}∞n=0, are shown to satisfy this differential equation when λrn is given by λrn = Πr-1k=0(n-k)[(α1+(n+k+1)β2], where α1 and β2 are the leading coefficients of the two polynomial functions associated with the classical orthogonal polynomials. Moreover, the singular eigenvalue problem associated with this differential equation is shown to have Qn(x) and λrn as eigenfunctions and eigenvalues, respectively. Any linear combination of such self-adjoint operators has Qn(x) as eigenfunctions and the corresponding linear combination of λrn as eigenvalues.
The complexation of rhodium(III) with acyclic diaminedithioether (DADTE) ligands

103Rhodium(III) complexes derived from seven acyclic tetradentate N2S2 ligands (one diaminedithiol and six diaminedithioether ligands) have been synthesized and characterized. Structural variations in the ligand include the length of carbon backbone between the coordinating atoms (222; 232; 323; 333), the presence or absence of gem-dimethyl groups α to sulfur, and the nature of the organic moiety on the sulfurs (hydrogen, p-methoxybenzyl and methyl). For each ligand, the formation of cis and/or trans dichloro isomeric complexes was assessed. Two complexes have been further characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Preparation of the 103Rhodium(III) complexes was conducted and overall radiochemical yields, in vitro stability and log D7.4 values were measured. From these studies, the ligand with the 232 chain length, gem-dimethyl groups and the methyl thioether (L4) emerged as a preferred ligand for formation of rhodium complexes with trans geometry and highest radiochemical yields.
Evolution of the Neotropical ant genus Linepithema.

A comprehensive species-level phylogeny of the ant genus Linepithema Mayr, a Neotropical group best known for the invasive Argentine ant L. humile (Mayr), is inferred for the first time using fragments from three nuclear loci [wingless (WG), long-wavelength rhodopsin (LWR) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2)] and the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Monophyly of the genus is strongly supported in parsimony, likelihood and Bayesian analyses of the concatenated data, as is the monophyly of four species groups defined previously on the basis of morphology. An Andean species, L. oblongum (Santschi), is the sister taxon of the Argentine ant. Eight of the 11 species whose monophyly was testable in the analysis were inferred to be monophyletic. Several instances of species paraphyly and one case of mitochondrial introgression suggest that complex population genetic processes underpin the patterns of diversity in Linepithema, and that simple genetic approaches to taxonomy such as DNA barcoding should be treated with caution. A maximum likelihood reconstruction of ancestral distributions suggests that Linepithema is of southern South American origin and that populations in the Greater Antilles are the result of four independent colonization events.
The high-pressure melting curve of iron: A technical discussion

The melting curve of iron is reliably determined to 105 GPa using the laser-heated diamond cell, in close agreement with independent measurements using piston-cylinder and large-volume presses or shock-wave experiments. In order to obtain reliable melting data from the internally heated diamond cell, whether by laser or Joule heating, temperature gradients across the sample must be quantitatively measured; otherwise, such 'wire heating' experiments can lead to significant underestimates of the melting temperature and its pressure dependence. The best estimate of the high-pressure melting curve of iron, as derived from the laser-heated diamond cell and Hugoniot temperature measurements, yields melting temperatures of 4800 + or - 200 K and 6700 + or - 400 K at 133 GPa and 243 GPa, respectively.
Hormone release during computer-monitored sexual behavior in mature and aged male rats

Abstract Sexual behavior and the increase in plasma hormone levels of LH, prolactin, and testosterone associated with sexual behavior were examined in three age groups of sexually naive male rats. The two younger groups (5- and 11-month-old) mated normally and their behavioral latencies decreased significantly following sexual experience. Both plasma testosterone and LH concentrations increased significantly following entrance of a receptive female into the mating arena. Plasma prolactin levels rose but not significantly. However, the 27-month-old rats neither mated nor showed an increase in the three plasma hormone concentrations during exposure to a receptive female. Only basal testosterone levels were significantly lower than those of the younger animals. Low testosterone levels possibly contributed to deficiencies in both behavior and its associated hormone release. The monitoring of sexual behavior was facilitated by a computer, programmed to record, store, and analyze behavioral events.
STUDIES ON THE OXIDATION-REDUCTION OF HEMOGLOBIN AND METHEMOGLOBIN III. THE FORMATION OF METHEMOGLOBIN DURING THE OXIDATION OF AUTOXIDIZABLE SUBSTANCES.

Hemoglobin is oxidized to methemoglobin by products formed during the oxidation of a number of different substances. With some of these substances, both oxygen consumption and hemoglobin oxidation are accelerated by thermolabile constituents of pneumococci; with others of the easily oxidized substances, neither reaction seems to be influenced by the presence of the bacterial substances. The same substances which in the presence of air induce the oxidation of hemoglobin bring about the reverse reaction if molecular oxygen is excluded.
OH Radical Reactions: The Major Removal Pathway for Polychlorinated Biphenyls from the Atmosphere

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are transported through the environment primarily in the atmosphere and may undergo chemical reactions, particularly with the OH radical, while in the vapor phase. Rate constants for the gas-phase reaction of 14 PCB congeners with the OH radical over the temperature range of 323−363 K were measured. The calculated temperature dependences of the reactions were used to estimate OH−PCB reaction rate constants at 298 K; see Table 4. These 298 K rate constants agree well with literature rate constants for PCBs containing zero to two chlorines and with OH−PCB reaction rate constants estimated from a structure−activity method. Calculated atmospheric lifetimes of PCBs due to OH-initiated reactions varied from 2 days for biphenyl to 34 days for a pentachlorobiphenyl. A simple model for the vertical concentration gradient of PCBs in the troposphere was developed and used to calculate the total global loss rate (8300 t yr-1) of PCBs from the atmosphere due to removal by OH. This path...
Degree complexity of Boolean functions and its applications to relativized separations

It is shown that a simple function in AC/sup 0/, OR of square root n disjoint ANDs, cannot be computed by decision trees of depth log/sup O(1)/n where each node asks whether or not p(x/sub 1/, . . .,x/sub n/)=0 for some polynomial p of degree log/sup O(1)/n. This is in contrast to recent results that every function in AC/sup 0/ can be computed probabilistically by just one such query and can be deterministically computed by such decision trees if each node asks whether or not p(x/sub 1/, . . .,x/sub n/)>0. The proofs are based on simple algebraic arguments that also provide alternative proofs for some known results. >
Functionalizing the GaN(0 0 0 1)-(1×1) surface I. The chemisorption of aniline

Abstract : Chemisorption of aniline (C6H5NH2) on the GaN(0001)-(1x1) Ga-polar surface has been studied using mainly Xray-excited Auger electron, electron energy loss and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopies (XAES, ELS and UPS respectively). The XAES data show adsorption near room temperature with a total sticking probability of 0.05 and a saturation coverage of 0.28 phenyl rings per surface lattice site. The ELS data show removal of the characteristic surface-state band centered at 3.4 eV and the appearance of a pi to pi* loss at 6.5 eV due to C=C bonds. In contrast benzene (C6H6) does not chemisorb under these conditions. The UPS data, which have been analyzed with the aid of density functional theory molecular orbital calculations, indicate that adsorption occurs with a phenyl-NH group forming a Ga-N-Ga bridge. Adsorption causes a decrease in electron affinity (delta chi is approximately -0.55 eV) due to a surface dipole layer, and measurement of delta chi and of changes in band bending have been used to construct a partial energy level diagram for the aniline-covered surface.
Formal convergence analysis for bio-inspired topology control in MANETs

We present a convergence analysis of a genetic algorithm based topological control mechanism for the decision making process of evolutionary and autonomous systems that adaptively reconfigures spatial configuration in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). Mobile nodes adjust their speed and direction using information collected from the local neighborhood environment in unknown geography. We extend the stochastic model of the genetic operators (i.e., selection, crossover and mutation) called the dynamical system model that represents the behavior of a single node's decision mechanism in the network viewed as a stochastic variable. We introduce an ergodic homogeneous Markov chain to analyze the convergent nature of multiple mobile nodes running our algorithm, called the Force-based Genetic Algorithm (FGA). Here, a state represents an instantaneous spatial configuration of nodes in a MANET. It is shown that the Markov chain model of our FGA is ergodic and its convergence is shown using Dobrushin's contraction coefficients. It is observed that scenarios where nodes have small communication ranges compared to their movement range converge quicker than larger ones due the limited information they have of their neighborhood, making movement decisions simpler, thus conserving energy.
Grüneisen parameters of the lithium halides

Abstract The microscopic Gruneisen parameters of four lithium halides have been calculated over the entire Brillouin zone by solving the lattice dynamical problem at different pressures. A six parameter breathing shell model has been used and the variation of the parameters with pressure was deduced from the pressure dependence of the three elastic constants, the two dielectric constants, and the i.r. absorption frequency. The quasiharmonic model values of the macroscopic Gruneisen parameter were obtained as a function of temperature by appropriate averaging over the microscopic parameters. It was found that for all four lithium halides the Gruneisen parameter increases with decreasing temperatures.
Understanding data mining and applying it to command, control, communications and intelligence environments

The paper describes data mining and the various ways in which it can be applied to command, control, communications and intelligence. It begins with an overview of data mining and the various steps in the data mining process. Examples of data mining outcomes are cited and an example of a text mining scenario for intelligence applications is described. Problems associated with data mining are described, including the conflict between security and privacy and the challenges of distributed mining. The paper concludes with a discussion of future trends in data mining.
Amphetamine and N-Acetylamphetamine Incorporation into Hair: An Investigation of the Potential Role of Drug Basicity in Hair Color Bias

To elucidate the role of drug basicity in the preferential incorporation of certain drugs into dark hair rather than light hair, Long-Evans rats were dosed with amphetamine or its non-basic analogue N-acetylamphetamine (N-AcAp) and their hair evaluated for drug content. Rats were shaved prior to dosing. On the 14th day after dosing, hair from the same area that was shaved prior to dosing was shaved and collected. After the addition of amphetamine-d3 or N-AcAp-d3 as an internal standard, hair samples (20 mg) were digested in 1M NaOH at 37 degrees C. Digested solutions were then extracted with n-butyl chloride/chloroform (4:1, v/v). After drying and reconstituting, samples were injected onto a ThermoQuest TSQ liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry instrument for analysis. Black hair from rats dosed with amphetamine (n = 8) was found to contain 6.44 +/- 1.31 (SD) ng amphetamine/mg hair. White hair from the same rats contained 2.04 +/- 0.58 ng amphetamine/mg hair. In contrast, no difference in N-AcAp content was found between black hair (0.87 +/- 0.08 ng N-AcAp/mg hair) and white hair (0.83 +/- 0.15 ng N-AcAp/mg hair) from rats dosed with N-AcAp (n = 8).
Mentors Providing Challenge and Support Integrating Concepts From Teacher Mentoring in Education and Organizational Mentoring in Business

This article reviews and critiques the literature on mentoring functions and roles in education and business to inform the use of mentoring as a developmental tool in both fields. Specifically, in ...
Cooperative learning: resources from the business disciplines

Abstract This article identifies, classifies, and summarizes cooperative learning papers from the business disciplines to provide a resource for accounting educators who wish to promote collaboration in the classroom. This cross-disciplinary approach offers accounting educators a substantive resource on cooperative learning that guides implementation of this pedagogy. The article also offers suggestions for implementing cooperative learning.
Ultrashort Pulse Generation with Semiconductor Modelocked Lasers Using Saturable Absorbers Based on Intersubband Transitions in GaN/AlGaN Quantum Wells

We present a novel scheme for generating high energy ultrashort pulses in modelocked semiconductor lasers using a fast saturable absorber based upon intersubband transitions (ISBT) in GaN/AlGaN superlattice. The fast electron relaxation time (~100-300 fs) in this saturable absorber enables the generation of stable sub-100 fs pulses at the communication wavelength (1.55μm) with high pulse energies (5-10 pJ).
Nanostructured hematite: synthesis, characterization, charge carrier dynamics, and photoelectrochemical properties

As one of the most prevalent metal oxides on Earth, iron oxide, especially α-Fe2O3 or hematite, has been the subject of intense research for several decades. In particular, the combination of a relatively small bandgap and related visible light absorption, natural abundance, low cost, and stability under deleterious chemical conditions has made it ideal for many potential applications. However, the short charge carrier lifetime or diffusion length has limited its applicability. Nanostructures of hematite offer the possibility of overcoming some of the limitations through control of the structures and thereby its optical and electronic properties. In this review, we provide an overview of recent progress on the synthesis and characterization of nanostructured hematite, with an emphasis on the charge carrier dynamics and photoelectrochemical properties. Both current challenges and future opportunities are also discussed.
Antigen-Specific Suppression of Humoral Immunity by Anergic Ars/A1 B Cells

Autoreactive anergic B lymphocytes are considered to be dangerous because of their potential for activation and recruitment into autoimmune responses. However, they persist for days and constitute ∼5% of the B cell pool. We assessed their functional potential in the Ars/A1 transgene model, where anergic B cells express a dual-reactive Ag receptor that binds, in addition to a self-Ag, the hapten p-azophenylarsonate (Ars). When Ars/A1 B cells were transferred into adoptive recipients that were immunized with foreign proteins covalently conjugated with Ars, endogenous IgG immune responses to both were selectively and severely diminished, and the development of T helper cells was impaired. Approximately 95% inhibition of the anti-Ars response was attained with ∼4000 transferred Ars/A1 B cells through redundant mechanisms, one of which depended on their expression of MHC class II but not upon secretion of IL-10 or IgM. This Ag-specific suppressive activity implicates the autoreactive anergic B cell as an enforcer of immunological tolerance to self-Ags.
Diplomas, Photos, and Tchotchkes as Symbolic Self-Representations: Understanding Employees' Individual Use of Symbols

Most employees personalize their workspaces with photos, memorabilia, and other items—even in the face of constraints such as rules prohibiting personalization. This prevalent use of objects likely...
Precautionary wealth accumulation: a positive third derivative is not enough

Abstract It is commonly conjectured that expected wealth accumulation increases when earnings risk increases as long as the utility function in each period is increasing, concave and has a positive third derivative. We present a counter example which highlights the importance of the convexity of the savings function.
Utilizing Diode Characteristics for GaN HEMT Channel Temperature Prediction

Measuring channel temperature in GaN high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) is challenging due to the submicrometer dimensions of the gate fingers. The HEMT characteristics are electrically and thermally dependent. The channel temperature is measured using the Schottky gate-diode forward characteristics and compared with results of simulation, theory, and experimental evidence. The pulsed gate-diode forward resistance and threshold voltage predict channel temperatures that agree well with other methods. The technique presented provides a fast, easily implementable methodology for estimating channel temperature.
Progesterone prevents tumor necrosis factor- induced increases in blood pressure and thromboxane in a rat model of preeclampsia

BLOOD PRESSURE AND THROMBOXANE IN A RAT MODEL OF PREECLAMPSIA CHRISTIAN BRIERY (F), CARL ROSE, WALLACE KEDRA, JAMES MARTIN, JOEY GRANGER, WILLIAM BENNETT, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jackson, Mississippi, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Physiology and Biophysics, Jackson, Mississippi OBJECTIVE: Tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) is elevated in preeclamptic women and has been shown to induce hypertension and renal dysfunction in pregnant rats. The hormonal environment of pregnancy may contribute to endothelial sensitivity to cytokines during gestation. This study tests the hypothesis that steroid hormones alter the hypertensive response to exogenous TNF-a. STUDY DESIGN: Virgin Sprague Dawley rats (n=33) were oophorectomized on day 1. On day 8, rats were randomly assigned to one of the groups: Saline Control, TNF-a alone (50 ng/day), TNF-a plus estrogen (50 ng/day), or TNFa plus progesterone (50 micrograms/day). Treatments were continuously administered from days 8-14. On day 13, carotid artery catheters were implanted for arterial blood pressure. On day 14, animals were placed under anesthesia and serial blood pressures were obtained. Blood samples were collected and thromboxane (TX) levels measured by a commercially available ELISA system. RESULTS: TNF-a alone or in combination with estrogen was associated with significantly higher blood pressures and circulating levels of TX when compared with controls. In contrast, there was no difference between controls and those receiving TNF-a with progesterone on either blood pressure or TX levels. Kidney weights in the three treatment groups were similar to controls. CONCLUSION: TNF-a increased both arterial pressure and circulating TX levels in oophorectomized virgin rats alone or if combined with estrogen. Progesterone temporized the hypertensive response to TNF-a and prevented an increase in TX levels. Future studies are needed to test the hypothesis that progesterone supplementation could prevent and/or decrease the hypertension and endothelial dysfunction associated with human preeclampsia.
Sociology’s Next Decades: Centrifugality, Conflict, Accommodation

L’auteur construit sa demarche en suivant trois etapes : 1) il identifie des tendances societales generales ayant des retombees sur la discipline sociologique; 2) il degage de ces tendances d’importantes orientations de changement pour la discipline, qualifiees de forces centrifuges; 3) il identifie certains enjeux conflictuels dans le developpement de la sociologie ainsi que des formes de compromis et d’integration. Son analyse concerne surtout les Etats-Unis mais plusieurs observations sont generalisables a d’autres pays.
PopulusLog: People information database

Information about individuals on publicly available web sites stands as a valuable, yet unorganized, data source. Turning such an enormous data source into a “database” is highly desirable as it has the potential to lead to novel ways of using the available information to the largest extent. In this paper, we present PopulusLog, a novel web data mining system. PopulusLog is a pioneering example of next generation search engines which produces and provides access to non-intuitive knowledge on the web. It involves a framework for tools that collect, extract, mine, query, browse, and visualize information about anonymous people.
Experimental constraints on the polarizabilities of the 6 s 2 1 S 0 and 6 s 6 p 3 P 0 o states of Yb

We utilize accurate experimental data available in the literature to yield bounds on the polarizabilities of the ground and first-excited states of atomic Yb. For the $6{s}^{2}{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{1}\phantom{\rule{-0.16em}{0ex}}{S}_{0}^{}$ ground state, we find the polarizability $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ to be constrained to $134.4l\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\le}144.2$ in atomic units while for the $6s6p{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{3}\phantom{\rule{-0.16em}{0ex}}{P}_{0}^{o}$ excited state, we find $280.1l\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\le}289.9$. The uncertainty in each of these values is 1.0. These constraints provide a valuable check for ab initio and semiempirical methods used to compute polarizabilities and other related properties in Yb.
Neutrons from the B10(d, n)C11 reaction

Abstract The B 10 (d, n)C 11 reaction has been used to study states in C 11 at excitation energies between 8.4 and 12.0 MeV. Time-of-flight techniques were employed to analyse the neutrons produced at deuteron energies between 3.0 and 10.0 MeV at 500 keV intervals. The state previously reported at 8.66 MeV was found to be a doublet at 8.655 and 8.700 MeV. The only higher excited state appreciably populated through stripping is at 10.69 MeV. Results of fitting angular distributions with Butler stripping curves suggest l = 0 formation of the 8.655 and 8.700 MeV states and l = 0 or 2 formation of the 10.69 MeV state.
Carrier-induced dynamic strain effects in semiconductor nanocrystals

In this paper, we reveal, for the first time, the basic nature of electron–phonon interaction in semiconductor nanocrystals. On the basis of the experimental results on GaAs, GaP, Si nanocrystals, and porous silicon, we further prove that the carrier-induced dynamic strain effect (CIDSE) is a common feature in solids, which plays an extremely important role on the electronic and optical properties of semiconductor nanocrystals. The optical transitions in semiconductor nanocrystals are dominated by multiphonon-assisted electronic transition processes. Nanocrystals with direct-gap and a large pressure coefficient for the band gap (as GaAs) no longer show band-edge emission due to the intrinsic strong electron – long wavelength anharmonic acoustic phonon coupling. Nanocrystals with an indirect-gap show a carrier-induced dynamic Jahn–Teller effect and two fairly strong intrinsic emission bands. Most of the open questions in the semiconductor nanocrystal field, including porous silicon, can be consistently explained by the carrier-induced dynamic strained quantum dot model. © 1998 Kluwer Academic Publishers
Point-based computing on scanned terrain with LidarViewer

As an alternative to grid-based approaches, point-based computing offers access to the full information stored in unstructured point clouds derived from lidar scans of terrain. By employing appropriate hierarchical data structures and algorithms for out-of-core processing and view-dependent rendering, it is feasible to visualize and analyze three-dimensional (3D) lidar point-cloud data sets of arbitrary sizes in real time. Here, we describe LidarViewer, an implementation of point-based computing developed at the University of California (UC), Davis, W.M. Keck Center for Active Visualization in the Earth Sciences (KeckCAVES). Specifically, we show how point-based techniques can be used to simulate hillshading of a continuous terrain surface by computing local, point-centered tangent plane directions in a pre-processing step. Lidar scans can be analyzed interactively by extracting features using a selection brush. We present examples including measurement of bedding and fault surfaces and manual extraction of 3D features such as vegetation. Point-based computing approaches can offer significant advantages over grids, including analysis of arbitrarily large data sets, scale- and direction-independent analysis and feature extraction, point-based feature- and time-series comparison, and opportunities to develop semi-automated point filtering algorithms. Because LidarViewer is open-source, and its key computational framework is exposed via a Python interface, it provides ample opportunities to develop novel point-based computation methods for lidar data.
On the Risk Control of Residual Ethylene Oxide Sterilization

Review of ethylene oxide sterilization residual and method of sterilization by ethylene oxide,risk control of the ethylene oxide sterilization residual,to limit the amount of ethylene oxide residue to protect public health and improve risk awareness as a
Optimization of an Advanced Hybrid Wing Body Concept Using HCDstruct Version 1.2

Hybrid Wing Body (HWB) aircraft concepts continue to be promising candidates for achieving the simultaneous fuel consumption and noise reduction goals set forth by NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) project. In order to evaluate the projected benefits, improvements in structural analysis at the conceptual design level were necessary; thus, NASA researchers developed the Hybrid wing body Conceptual Design and structural optimization (HCDstruct) tool to perform aeroservoelastic structural optimizations of advanced HWB concepts. In this paper, the authors present substantial updates to the HCDstruct tool and related analysis, including: the addition of four inboard and eight outboard control surfaces and two all-movable tail/rudder assemblies, providing a full aeroservoelastic analysis capability; the implementation of asymmetric load cases for structural sizing applications; and a methodology for minimizing control surface actuation power using NASTRAN SOL 200 and HCDstruct's aeroservoelastic finite-element model (FEM).
On the Convergence of a Dual-Primal Substructuring Method

In the Dual-Primal FETI method, introduced by Farhat et al. (1999), the domain is decomposed into non-overlapping subdomains, but the degrees of freedom on crosspoints remain common to all subdomains adjacent to the crosspoint. The continuity of the remaining degrees of freedom on subdomain interfaces is enforced by Lagrange multipliers and all degrees of freedom are eliminated. The resulting dual problem is solved by preconditioned conjugate gradients. We give an algebraic bound on the condition number, assuming only a single inequality in discrete norms, and use the algebraic bound to show that the condition number is bounded by $C(1+\log^2(H/h))$ for both second and fourth order elliptic selfadjoint problems discretized by conforming finite elements, as well as for a wide class of finite elements for the Reissner-Mindlin plate model.
An analog neural network that learns Sudoku-like puzzle rules

We have designed a fully-connected neural network implemented as an analog circuit consisting of 8 neurons and 64 synapses that can learn rules of 2-by-2 Sudoku or Sudoku-like puzzles and then can solve them. In this circuit, learning is mediated by giving a dopamine reward signal to correct actions, which has a biological basis and is known as reinforcement learning [1]. Regular architecture of the circuit helps it to generalize learned rules and as a consequence expedites the learning procedure. The circuit receives dopamine externally from a trainer circuit and therefore learning is supervised. Injected dopamine will strengthen some of the existing excitatory synapses similar to biological synaptic plasticity [2]. Previously, we had designed a bio-inspired circuit that learns spatiotemporal patterns in an unsupervised mode using structural plasticity. In the human brain, learning is mediated by both types of plasticity [3]. The long-term goal of our research group is combining these two types of plasticity (synaptic and structural) to design a network with higher level of learning capabilities and more complex cognitive skills to imitate the biological brain.
Increased PKR Expression Promotes MDS Evolution to Acute Leukemia in the NHD13 Mouse Model

Protein kinase R (PKR) is an interferon-inducible serine-threonine kinase that is activated in response to inflammatory cytokines and cellular stressors. When over-expressed in murine hematopoietic tissues, PKR results in peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) features consistent with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). We hypothesized that PKR can cooperate with MDS driver mutations to promote MDS and acute leukemia. To test this, we crossed the Nup98-HoxD13 (NHD13) transgenic model of MDS with our TgPKR and PKR-KO mice to generate NHD13-TgPKR and NHD13-KO mice. These mice were aged alongside NHD13 and wild type (WT) controls. Using RT-PCR, we evaluated PKR expression in NHD13 mice. 9/13 NHD13 mice developed acute leukemia with leukocytosis and/or increased BM blasts whereas 4/13 had MDS only without PB or BM evidence of acute leukemia. Non-leukemic NHD13 mice had PKR expression levels below WT controls (RQ: 0.412 to 0.744). Alternatively, PKR expression in the leukemic group was significantly higher than WT controls and non-leukemic mice (RQ: 3.3 vs. 1.0 and 0.5, respectively) and was associated with shortened survival (mean: 304 vs. 345 days; p 6 cells/ml, p 6 cells/ml, p Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A tunable terahertz metamaterial based on a micro-cantilever array

This paper reports a mechanically tunable terahertz metamaterial based on microscale electrostatic actuators. The device consists of an array of suspended cantilevers, forming LC resonators with underlying capacitive pads. The applied voltage can pull the cantilever downwards to increase the capacitance value in the resonator, and thus, redshift the resonant frequency. In our preliminary experiments, the resonant frequency can be tuned from 1.105 THz to 1.06 THz under a 40 V voltage; at the same time, the transmission amplitude can be modulated by approximately 15 dB at the resonant frequencies. The results enables the implementation of tunable terahertz devices, including modulators, polarizers and waveplates, employing conventional micro-electromechanical structures.
Adam Smith y la Libertad

Mientras el sentir general considera que Adam Smith es el padre del capitalismo, de los mercados abiertos y del libre comercio, varios estudiosos han cuestionado recientemente el grado en que Smith puede ser catalogado como un irrestricto partidario de la politica del laissez faire. Algunos llegan incluso a argumentar que Smith se encuentra mas proximo al liberalismo progresista e igualitarista que al liberalismo clasico. En este ensayo se sostiene que Smith debe ser visto con propiedad como un defensor de la libertad politica de las personas. En su condicion de realista ?senala el autor? Smith reconoce los potenciales peligros que entrana el libre comercio, pero su insistencia en la libertad y su creencia en el poder benefico de los mercados morales y economicos lo situan claramente en la esfera del liberalismo clasico antes que en el liberalismo progresista.
A Contested Cultural Space: Color-Blind Rhetoric in Discussions of College Football

Over the past several years, color-blind rhetoric has permeated public discourse around the subject of race in U.S. society. In this color-blind world, race is either a thing of the past or somethi...
Detection and Mitigation of Time Delay Injection Attacks on Industrial Control Systems with PLCs

National security agencies are increasingly concerned about cyber threats to Industrial Control Systems (ICS). For this reason, the detection and mitigation of cyber-attacks on ICS, as well as addressing the consequences of these attacks, are extensively researched. This paper describes the efforts of the cyber research team at Binghamton University that created an experimental cyber research testbed, designed as a power station equipped with low-watt electric machinery and industrial control and sensory systems, common in modern ICS. This paper presents a comprehensive study of time delay injection attacks on networked control systems, in which an attacker injects extra time delays into the feedback and forward channels of control systems. These attacks enable the adversary to interfere with the control system and create system instability, causing anomalous operational regimes and potentially forcing the system to crash. A technology based on an online recursive estimation of network time delays is proposed and validated by simulation studies and experiments on the testbed to mitigate any time delay injection attacks.
Remembering Janet Taylor Spence (1923–2015)

Janet Taylor Spence was a history-making figure in professional psychology and in the study of gender. In the period between her birth in 1923 and her death in 2015, vast changes took place in both domains, and Janet Spence was at the center of both. This issue of Sex Roles is dedicated to her life and work, providing a perspective and an accounting of the contributions that she made to our field. The set of papers included here chronicle Janet’s career path, evaluate the impact of her work in the areas of anxiety and of gender, recount memories from her colleagues and students, and in a closing article, analyze her place in the larger historical domain of women in psychology.
Fidel Castro (1926–2016) and global solidarity

I have a poster from Cuba, given to me by a friend, of an image of Ho Chi Minh along with Vietnamese farmers, soldiers, and workers, and at the bottom is the phrase, in Spanish, English, French, an...
The Incidence of Second Mesiobuccal Canals Located in Maxillary Molars with the Aid of Cone-beam Computed Tomography.

Abstract Introduction Many endodontic treatment failures in maxillary molars result from missed second mesiobuccal (MB2) canals. An MB2 canal orifice is present in as many as 95% of maxillary molars, but these canals are not always located during endodontic procedures. Additional tools, such as cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) imaging, may be needed to locate these canals in maxillary molars. Hence, the aims of this study were to investigate the frequency of use of CBCT imaging during the treatment of maxillary molars and to evaluate the influence of its use on the detection of MB2 canals. Methods Endodontic treatment records, digital intraoral radiographs (when present), and CBCT images from all maxillary first and second molars treated at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, between 2010 and 2014 (N = 886) were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed to assess differences between the groups. Results Overall, an MB2 canal was found in 55.8% of the maxillary molars studied, and CBCT imaging assisted in detecting 11.7% of these canals. CBCT imaging was used in 16.5% of the cases treated and was used significantly more for retreatment cases. CBCT imaging was used preoperatively in 5.6% of cases, and the data show that significantly more MB2 canals were located when a preoperative CBCT image was available. More MB2 canals were located in first molars without full-coverage crowns. Conclusions The data show that CBCT imaging is a valuable tool in locating MB2 canals. Based on the results of his study, the use of CBCT imaging could be warranted when treating maxillary molars.