cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acute and chronic demyelinated CNS lesions exhibit opposite elastic properties

Increased deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) is a known inhibitor of axonal regrowth and remyelination. Recent in vitro studies have demonstrated that oligodendrocyte differentiation is impacted by the physical properties of the ECM. However, characterization of the mechanical properties of the healthy and injured CNS myelin is challenging, and has largely relied on non-invasive, low-resolution methods. To address this, we have employed atomic force microscopy to perform micro-indentation measurements of demyelinated tissue at cellular scale. Analysis of mouse and human demyelinated brains indicate that acute demyelination results in decreased tissue stiffness that recovers with remyelination; while chronic demyelination is characterized by increased tissue stiffness, which correlates with augmented ECM deposition. Thus, changes in the mechanical properties of the acutely (softer) or chronically (stiffer) demyelinated brain might contribute to differences in their regenerative capacity. Our findings are relevant to the optimization of cell-based therapies aimed at promoting CNS regeneration and remyelination.
Why Do They Sew? Women’s Motivations to Sew Clothing for Themselves:

Garment sewing is undergoing a resurgence in participation, with a growing number of women choosing to sew their clothing instead of buying readily available fast fashion. The purpose of this quali...
Presidential Spotlight: It’s Time for Discomfort and Courage

Amy Aldridge Sanford, immediate past president of the Central States Communication Association, shares parting thoughts as her term on the organization’s executive committee comes to an end. A self...
The effect of college attendance on young adult cigarette, e-cigarette, cigarillo, hookah and smokeless tobacco use and its potential for addressing tobacco-related health disparities.

The goal of this study was to assess the effect of college attendance on tobacco use among young adults and across subpopulations with disparities in tobacco use. Using a cohort of US youth (<18 years) who aged into young adulthood (18-24 years) in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (2013-14, 2015-16, n = 3619) and propensity score matching we estimated the effect of college attendance on past 30-day use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigarillos, hookah and smokeless tobacco. In unmatched analysis, college attenders (vs. nonattenders) had lower risk of using any form of tobacco (Risk Difference (RD): -10.0; 95% CI: -13.2, -7.0), cigarettes (RD: -13.0; 95% CI: -15.4, -10.5), e-cigarettes (RD: -4.1; 95% CI: -6.8, -1.7), cigarillos (RD: -5.7; 95% CI: -7.6, -3.8), and smokeless tobacco (RD: -2.0; 95% CI: -3.4, -0.6), but not hookah (RD: -0.2; 95% CI: -2.1, 1.6). In matched analysis, these associations were all near-null, with the exception of cigarettes (matched RD: -7.1; 95% CI: -10.3, -3.9). The effect of college attendance on cigarette smoking was stable for all subpopulations we assessed including among those identifying as non-Hispanic Black or Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual as well as among those living in the South, Midwest or whose parents did not attend college. The results suggest that college attendance may reduce young adults' risk of cigarette smoking but may not reduce the risk of using other tobacco products.
Expand Your Academic Impact with Social Media Best Practices

Integrating social media into your daily academic activities will connect you with a broader network of researchers, diversify your sources of knowledge, and expand your influence, provided you implement best practices in online communication.
Probabilistic modeling of shallow landslide initiation using regional scale random fields

Regional mapping of landslide susceptibility aims to identify zones of potential instability across geological settings. Given their predictive capabilities, physically based, deterministic models are useful tools for landslide triggering studies at regional scale. However, they rely on detailed input parameters that are rarely available for large areas. To address these limitations, this work proposes a computational framework to incorporate the spatial uncertainty of input data into physically based, landslide hazard zonation models through the use of regional scale random fields (RSRF). For this purpose, input parameters are treated as spatially correlated random variables with assigned statistical attributes, while a vectorization strategy is used to reduce the computational cost of large-scale stochastic analyses. Deterministic simulations based on a hydro-mechanical model are then performed for multiple Monte Carlo realizations to compute maps of failure probability (pf). The methodology was applied to a well-documented series of rainfall-induced shallow landslides in a volcanic site for which field measurements were available to constrain the statistical variability of the hydraulic conductivity and treat this parameter as an RSRF. To analyze the results, four classes of landslide susceptibility characterized by different pf thresholds were used. Such classes were mapped over the study zone and throughout the storm event, allowing a direct comparison with the spatio-temporal evidence of landslide triggering. The results indicate that (i) uncertainty analyses neglecting the role of spatial correlation may lead to non-conservative estimates of landslide susceptibility and (ii) there is an interval of spatial correlation distance that optimizes the performance of the model, thus providing an indirect estimate of the heterogeneity of the site. Such results highlight the benefits of accounting for the uncertainty of the soil properties in regional-scale models and offer a new predictive stochastic framework to assess the implications of future rainfall scenarios over large areas.
Why Only U-235 and Pu-239? Classroom-Level Graphs for Understanding Heavy-Element Weaponizability Factors

For several years, I taught a general education course on the Manhattan Project for students majoring in the arts and humanities who needed a physical science credit as a condition of their graduation requirements. As might be imagined, the challenge in teaching this course was to find a balance between quantitative and qualitative content. A technical point of particular importance was to find a way to describe how fundamental-physics considerations restrict the number of possible candidate “weaponizability” isotopes to just a handful, of which only uranium-235 (U-235) and plutonium-239 (Pu-239) were practical for developing a first-generation nuclear weapon. After doing so, I could go on to describe how Manhattan Project engineers developed two weapons: a U-235 bomb based on isolating that isotope from its much more populous U-238 sister isotope, and a plutonium bomb based on synthesizing that element by neutron bombardment of natural uranium in a nuclear reactor.
Application of fully convolutional neural networks for feature extraction in fluid flow

Accurate extraction of features in fluid flows is of importance due to the presence in many natural and technological systems. Recently, methods based on machine learning have emerged as an alternative to traditional Eulerian-based methods to extract features in fluid flows. One broad category in ML is the convolution operation-based methods. The precision of feature extraction in convolution operation-based methods increases by constraining the measurement box, such as dividing the input data into small patches and using them as input boxes in convolutional neural networks. In this work, we propose a method that transforms each cell of the computational domain into a detection pixel (measurement box) to perform the task of feature extraction at the smallest possible computational level. To demonstrate the performance, we extract the vortical structures in a benchmark two-dimensional lid-driven cavity flow employing a symmetric, fully convolutional network. The number of convolution and deconvolution blocks in the network’s structure is studied to obtain the highest accuracy and yet to avoid the degradation problem. Different parameters, such as the Reynolds number and velocity boundary values, are considered in the complete and clipped cavity cases to create the training and test datasets. The semantic segmentation metrics, including Jaccard and Dice, yield values close to 1 for the test set on complete and clipped cavity cases with varying the Reynolds number or the velocity boundary values.
Dual polarity encoded MRI using high bandwidth radiofrequency pulses for robust imaging with large field inhomogeneity

PURPOSE The ability to use dual polarity encoded MRI with the missing pulse steady-state free precession (MP-SSFP) sequence is demonstrated to perform robust MRI with low radiofrequency (RF) amplitude, where the field is distorted by embedding metallic screws in an agar phantom. Image-based estimation of the 3D ΔB0 map and image distortion correction is shown to require ~1 minute to perform. THEORY AND METHODS Dual polarity encoded MP-SSFP was implemented at 1.5T and used to image agar phantoms with one stainless steel and one titanium screw embedded inside. A multispectral fast spin-echo acquisition was performed for comparison. Self-consistent ΔB0 estimation is performed iteratively using a 3D B-spline basis, which is compared to the ΔB0 estimate generated by the multispectral sequence. RESULTS Dual polarity encoded MP-SSFP yields image quality similar to the multispectral sequence used with substantially less imaging time, provided the MP-SSFP experimental parameters are chosen well. The multispectral sequence appears to visualize modestly closer in proximity to the metallic screws used, despite the spectral bins covering the same bandwidth as the pulses used in MP-SSFP. However, MP-SSFP avoids ripple artifacts characteristic of the multispectral sequence. The ΔB0 estimate generated by MP-SSFP is qualitatively similar to that generated by the multispectral sequence but larger in magnitude. CONCLUSION Despite longer processing time compared to multispectral imaging, MP-SSFP yields similar image quality with significantly lower acquisition times in the absence of parallel imaging. The work herein demonstrates the ability to perform 3D ΔB0 estimation and image correction within a reasonable amount of time, ~1 minute.
Why Science Matters: Understanding the Methods of Psychological Research

Preface for Instructors. Preface for Students. Part I: Major Methodological Changes in Science from Antiquity to the Present. Chapter 1: Understanding Science: The Armchair versus Practice. Introduction. Justification of Methodological Practices. Precursors to Contemporary Science: An Historical Overview. Research Paradigms, Programs, and Traditions. Naturalism: A Brief Introduction. Remainder of Book. Chapter Summary. Chapter 2: Major Issues to Emerge in 20th Century Approaches to Science. Introduction. Logical Positivism. Operationism. Popper's Falsificationism. Kuhn's Psychologism and Historicism. Chapter Summary. Chapter 3: Methodology in the Postpositivist Era. Introduction. Naturalism in Science. Lakato's Sophisticated Falsificationism. Laudan's Research Traditions and Normative Naturalism. Giere's Cognitive Approach. The Rise of Relativism. Chapter Summary. Part II: Naturalism and Modern Science. Chapter 4: Theory Testing. Introduction. Scientific Theory. Types of Theory. Hypothesis Testing. Induction and Deduction. Abduction and Theory Construction. Chapter Summary. Chapter 5: Inference to the Best Explanation. Introduction. Evaluating Theories: A Critical Evaluation of Criteria. Resolution of Ambiguity Over Time. Natural Selection. Brain Function and Cognitive Neuroscience. Consilience. Chapter Summary. Chapter 6: The New Means of Understanding Science. Introduction. Empirical Methods for Better Understanding Science, Scientific Practice, and Scientists. Chapter Summary. Part III: Applying Naturalism to Contemporary Methodological Issues in Psychology. Chapter 7: Postmodernism and the Rejection of the Conventional Conception of Science. Introduction. Underdetermination and Incommensurability. Postmodernism. Our Critique. Chapter Summary. Chapter 8: Qualitative Research Methods. Introduction. Rationale for Qualitative Methods. Varieties of Qualitative Methods. Chapter Summary. Chapter 9: Critical Evaluation of Qualitative Inquiry's Approach to Qualitative Methods. Introduction. Justification of Qualitative Methods. Misunderstanding of Positivism. Specific Positions of Qualitative Researchers. Chapter Summary. Chapter 10: Internal and External Validity. Introduction. Applications of Scientific Psychology. Scientific Psychology Opposes Pseudoscience. Chapter and Book Summary. References. Glossary of Terms. Glossary of Names. Author Index. Subject Index.
T. Ryan Byerly: The mechanics of divine foreknowledge and providence: a time-ordering account: Bloomsbury Publishing, New York, 2014, 131 pages, $100

One major aim of the book is to articulate a view of the mechanics of infallible divine foreknowledge that (i) avoids commitment to causal determinism, (ii) explains how infallible foreknowledge is compatible with human freedom, and (iii) explains how God’s divine providence is compatible with human freedom and indeterministic events. The modest epistemic goal is to articulate a view that enjoys a not very low epistemic status. But even with such modest goals, I think the view cannot credibly be said to offer (ii) or (iii). In fact, at critical moments when (ii) and (iii) are in question, we find very little detailed discussion. There is another epistemological goal in the book. It is to show that we are not in an epistemic position to know that causal determinism provides the basis for explaining how God knows the future and so (the author contends) we are not in a position to know that God’s infallible foreknowledge is incompatible with human freedom (p. 1). But if infallible foreknowledge does not depend on causal determinism, it certainly doesn’t follow that the world is safe for human freedom. Infallible foreknowledge itself (quite apart from questions of causal determinism) might entail theological fatalism—as virtually everyone working in the area construes the problem of infallible foreknowledge—and there is not much reason to believe that theological fatalism depends on causal determinism. In chapter 1, the author develops a version of the foreknowledge argument that is due to Linda Zagzebski (TheDilemma of Freedom and Foreknowledge, 1996). It is odd that the author develops the accidental necessity version of the argument rather than the causal necessity version, given the earnest contention that the argument depends on causal determinism. The author formulates the foreknowledge argument as a conditional proof, which generates some concerns about its validity. Conditional proofs
Seaweed Soup: The Secret (Ingredients) of Roan Inish

Hailed as a ground-breaking work of "Irish magical realism," John Sayles's recent film The Secret of Roan Inish won wide critical acclaim. The Secret of Roan Inish is the third title under which the Rosalie Fry children's book (on which it was based) has appeared. First published in Britain in 1957 as Child of the Western Isles , it was renamed The Secret of the Ron Mor Skerry for Dutton's American edition of 1959. Behind the changes to the title and the intriguing visual relations between book and film lies another metamorphosis. The best-kept secret of Roan Inish is that the palpably Irish tale became Irish only when John Sayles filmed it. The novel is set on the western coast of Scotland and was written by a Canadian-born woman who lived most of her life in a Welsh cottage. But Sayles' transformative art is entirely true to Fry's spirit and to the shared heritage of these two Celtic countries. Like the film, the novel appropriates, assimilates, displaces and echoes other texts. Blurring the bounds between a precisely rendered real world and a realm of myth and natural magic, both Sayles and Fry blend original materials and earlier texts into what one might call a narrative soup.
Clinical evaluation of x-ray pelvimetry; a study of 1,000 patients in private practice.

Abstract 1. 1. One thousand patients were studied to evaluate x-ray pelvimetry. 2. 2. These were all private patients delivered by an associated group, with procedure thereby standardized. 3. 3. The method of obtaining x-ray mensuration was not as important as the interest and experience of the roentgenologist. 4. 4. The Johnson and Snow methods were used to obtain pelvic data and the Ball method to obtain fetal data. One roentgenologist in 880 cases used the Johnson method and two, in 120 cases, used the Snow method. 5. 5. There were 850 primigravidas and 150 multiparas. 6. 6. Thirty-two inlet, 197 midplane, and 17 outlet contractions were found. Twenty-eight were in combination. No outlet contraction was found to exist alone. 7. 7. Inlet contractions were no problem. Outlet contractions were not found alone. Midplane contractions, the most common, were studied in detail. 8. 8. Midplane bi-ischial diameters of less than 9.4 cm., a Mengert Index of less than 84, and the transverse-posterior sagittal index of less than 13.3 cm. in this series were found to be critical. There were exceptions to all indices. 9. 9. A more consistent curve was found in considering cephalopelvic relationship. When the cephalopelvic disproportion was distinguished in normal and contracted pelves, an even finer dividing line was drawn in the prognosis for safe vaginal delivery. 10. 10. A large fetal head can be expected to mold to a greater amount than a small fetal head. Disproportion in normal pelves is due to the large fetal head, in contracted pelves to the small pelvic diameters. This explains why greater disproportions are tolerated in normal pelves. 11. 11. In normal pelves vaginal delivery was the rule until the cephalopelvic disproportion exceeded −200 c.c. In contracted pelves vaginal delivery was limited if the disproportion exceeded −51 c.c. 12. 12. A successful approach has been to consider the fetal skull volume, the pelvic volumetric capacity, and the clinical appraisal of a given patient. 13. 13. In no instance, other than frank pelvic deformity, should the roentgenologist dictate obstetrical procedure. 14. 14. There was a stillbirth rate of 0.7 per cent which included three monstrosities. The neonatal death rate was 0.2 per cent. Prematurity and a cerebral hemorrhage accounted for the two. In no fetal death was a contracted pelvis responsible. Three of these fetal deaths are considered preventable. 15. 15. There was no maternal mortality.
A novel fluorescence-based kinetic kinase assay for use with recombinant protein and cell lysates

87 Protein phosphorylation plays a critical role in signal transduction in normal and disease states. Recent advances in the development of specific protein kinase inhibitors illustrates the potential for a new generation of drugs to treat human cancers. We have adapted a novel fluorescent peptide substrate-based assay for the rapid, homogeneous and sensitive detection of the activity of a broad range of protein kinases. This assay platform uses the chelation-enhanced fluorophore 8-hydroxy-5-(N,N-dimethylsulfonamido)-2-methylquinoline (referred to as Sox), which is incorporated into the substrate peptide. A series of specific Ser/Thr and Tyr substrate peptides are utilized to measure a range of kinases covering all families of the kinome. Several key features of this assay include measurement of kinase activity under optimal kinetics, physiological (mM) ATP, and in real time without the use of radioactive tracer, beads, antibodies or specialized equipment. Importantly, activity increases result in a corresponding increase in fluorescence. Because the assay can be performed with a wide range of ATP concentrations it can be used to select for both ATP-competitive and ATP-non-competitive kinase inhibitors. We have applied this system for the analysis of multiple sample types including the determination of kinase activity of recombinant proteins and using crude cell lysates in a 96 or 384 well format. This technology, used in conjunction with phospho-specific antibody based profiling, provides a valuable set of tools for rapidly increasing our understanding of the kinome and the nature of signaling networks.
Samples and Populations

The notion of sampling is at the very heart of the statistical principles discussed in this book, so it is worth pausing here at the beginning of Part II to discuss clearly what sampling is and to consider some of the issues that the practice of sampling raises in archaeology. Archaeologists have, in fact, been practicing sampling in one way or another ever since there were archaeologists, but widespread recognition of this fact has only come about in the past 20 years or so. In 1970 the entire literature on sampling in archaeology consisted of a very small handful of chapters and articles. Today there are hundreds and hundreds of articles, chapters, and whole books, including many that attempt to explain the basics of statistical sampling to archaeologists who do not understand sampling principles. Unfortunately, many of these articles seem to have been written by archaeologists who do not themselves understand the most basic principles of sampling. The result has been a great deal of confusion. It is possible to find in print (in otherwise respectable journals and books) the most remarkable range of contradictory advice on sampling in archaeology, all supposedly based on clear statistical principles. At one extreme is the advice that taking a 5% sample is a good rule of thumb for general practice. At the other extreme is the advice that sampling is of no utility in archaeology at all because it is impossible to get any relevant information from a sample or because the materials archaeologists work with are always incomplete collections anyway and one cannot sample from a sample. (For reasons that I hope will be clear well before the end of this book, both these pieces of advice are wrong.) It turns out that good sampling practice requires not the memorization of a series of arcane rules and procedures but rather the understanding of a few simple principles and the thoughtful application of considerable quantities of common sense.
Ancestor Problems on Pure Pointer Machines

We study several problems related to computing ancestors in dynamic trees on pure pointer machines, i.e., pointer machines with no arithmetic capabilities. The problems are motivated by those that arise in implementation of declarative and search-based programming languages. We provide a data structure that allows us to solve many of these problems including the computation of the nearest common ancestor, determination of precedence in the in-order traversal of the tree and membership of two nodes in the same path in worst-case O(lg h) time per operation where h is the height of the tree. Our solutions work for the fully dynamic case (no preprocessing) and do not use any arithmetic.
Mundos de producción: las estructuras de acción de la economía

Este libro es lo que Albert Hirschman podria catalogar como una “invasion”. Su objetivo es explicar procesos economicos, pero de una manera que deliberadamente combina el razonamiento economico con otros tipos de pensamiento .Mucho se ha escrito recientemente acerca del pale de las fuerzas “no economicas” tales como las instituciones, las culturas, y las practica sociales en la vida economica.
ConChord: Cooperative SDSI Certificate Storage and Name Resolution

We present ConChord, a large-scale certificate distribution system built on a peer-to-peer distributed hash table. ConChord provides load-balanced storage while eliminating many of the administrative difficulties of traditional, hierarchical server architectures.ConChord is specifically designed to support SDSI, a fully-decentralized public key infrastructure that allows principals to define local names and link their namespaces to delegate trust. We discuss the particular challenges ConChord must address to support SDSI efficiently, and we present novel algorithms and distributed data structures to address them. Experiments show that our techniques are effective and practical for large SDSI name hierarchies.
Einstein Imaging Observations of Clusters of Galaxies

X-ray astronomy began to play a major role in the study of clusters of galaxies ten years ago with the discovery of extended X-ray sources associatd with rich clusters (Gursky et.al. 1971, Kellogg et.al. 1972, and Forman et.al. 1972). Initially, two competing models were proposed to account for this emission. One model relied on inverse compton scattering of the microwave background photons on energetic electrons whose existence was inferred from radio observations of extended synchrotron sources in clusters (Harris and Romanishin 1974). The second model was thermal bremsstrahlung from a hot gas of 100 million degrees (see for example Solinger and Tucker 1973). The gas was presumed primordial, having been left over from the formation of the galaxies and then heated as the cluster collapsed.
Creation and evaluation of a fidelity measure of collaborative care for maternal depression in Federally Qualified Health Centers.

A fidelity measure based on a theoretical framework and constructed from existing clinical data was predictive of clinical outcomes. Additional work is needed to determine if these measures are useful for monitoring implementation success of the collaborative care model.
Intracerebroventricular neuropeptide Y increases gastric and pancreatic secretion in the dog.

Abstract Background: Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a centrally located neurotransmitter, is known to increase appetite in fasted and satiated animals. In addition to evaluating NPY's effect on eating behavior, this study was intended to determine whether intracerebroventricular (ICV) NPY would have an effect on canine gastric and pancreatic secretion. Methods: Four dogs were prepared with cerebroventricular guides and gastric and pancreatic fistulas. ICV and intravenous NPY was administered during intragastric titration of a glucose and peptone meal. During this study, gastric and pancreatic secretion was measured, as well as insulin levels and pancreatic polypeptide (PP). An additional set of four dogs were prepared with esophageal fistulas and cerebroventricular guides, and the effect of ICV NPY on sham feeding was studied. Results: ICV NPY significantly increased sham feeding, meal-stimulated gastric and pancreatic secretion, basal gastric acid, pancreatic bicarbonate, insulin levels, and PP. Vagotomy blocked the effect of ICV NPY on gastric acid secretion in a urethane-anesthetized rat model with acute gastric fistula. Conclusions: ICV NPY increased sham feeding, gastric and pancreatic secretion, insulin levels, and PP in the dogs. NPY's effect on gastric secretion was blocked by vagotomy in a rat model. NPY should be considered a candidate mediator of cephalic phase secretion.
Comparison of the Vitek Immunodiagnostic Assay System with an indirect immunoassay (Toxostat Test Kit) for detection of immunoglobulin G antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in clinical specimens.

Abstract The value and convenience of testing for specific anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies have led to the development of various antibody detection methods, such as the enzyme immunoassay. Two enzyme immunoassays, the Vitek Immuno-Diagnostic Assay System (VIDAS; Vitek Systems, Hazelwood, Mo.) and the Toxostat Test Kit (TST; Whittaker Bioproducts, Walkersville, Md.), were compared for their ability to detect T. gondii immunoglobulin G antibodies in fresh human sera. Specimens were tested according to the instructions of each manufacturer. Of 304 serum specimens tested, the results for 282 (93%) agreed in both assays (77 were positive and 205 were negative). The results for the remaining 22 (7%) specimens were discrepant; 20 of the 22 specimens tested low positive or equivocal by Toxostat and negative by VIDAS. Upon retesting, 8 of these 22 specimens were in concordance, increasing the level of agreement to 95.3%. Intra-assay reproducibility was tested with four to nine replicates of each of seven samples (four positive, one negative, and two equivocal) by both tests and six replicates of one standard by VIDAS. Coefficients of variation (CVs) for VIDAS were 6, 8, 10, 15, 18, 19, and 23% for the samples and 14% for the standard. For Toxostat the CVs were 2, 8, 10, 10, 13, and 16%. In general, CVs for VIDAS were slightly larger than the CVs for Toxostat. Day-to-day variability over 3 days was tested by VIDAS for only six samples (three positive, two negative, and one equivocal) and four standards; CVs ranged from 2 to 15% for the samples and from 6 to 13% for the standards. In conclusions, VIDAS is a rapid, convenient, non-labor-intensive, and easily performed test for the detection of immunoglobulin G antibodies to T. gondii in serum specimens.
Mechanisms of unpinning and termination of ventricular tachycardia

High-energy defibrillation shock is the only therapy for ventricular tachyarrhythmias. However, because of adverse side effects, lowering defibrillation energy is desirable. We investigated mechani...
Urinary incontinence and health-related quality of life among older Americans with and without cancer: a cross-sectional study

Background Few studies have investigated the impact of urinary incontinence (UI) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among cancer survivors. UI is prevalent in the general population and can be both an indicator of cancer and a side effect of cancer treatment. UI and cancer diagnoses have been associated with decreases in HRQOL. This study evaluates the prevalence of UI and the impact on HRQOL among older cancer survivors.
Supramolecular Behavior of an Isomorphous Series of Five Bis(2-methylimidazolium 2,6-dicarboxypyridine) M(II) Complexes

The supramolecular chemistry and crystal structures of five bis(2-methylimidazolium 2,6-dicarboxypyridine) M(II) complexes, where M = Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, and 7:3 Mn/Cu (1−5, respectively), are reported. These complexes form building blocks with nearly identical molecular structures that crystallize in the same packing pattern. Anions of 2,6-dicarboxypyridine and cations of 2-methylimidazole form N−H···O and O−H···O hydrogen bonds that dominate crystal packing by forming linear ribbons of molecules. Thus, complexes 1−5 form an isomorphous series with a single robust crystalline architecture that accommodates five different transition metals without altering molecular packing. The growth of crystals from solutions that contain two different metal complexes produces mixed crystals in which mixtures of the different metal complexes are incorporated in the same relative molar ratio present in solution. This technique was used to grow crystals of 5 with Mn and Cu complexes in a 7:3 molar ratio. Complexes 1−5 form c...
Transfer of learned information between ganglia in the insect ventral nerve cord.

A yoked control training procedure was used on the decapitated cockroach, L. maderae. The right prothoracic leg was trained to lift in order to avoid a shock. It was found that this information transferred via the two interganglionic connectives from the first or prothoracic ganglion (T1) to the second or mesothoracic ganglion (T2) so that now the right mesothoracic leg lifted to avoid shock even though it was not directly trained. If both connectives were cut before training T1, no transfer to T2 was seen, i.e. the mesothoracic leg did not lift and avoid shock. However, if both connectives were cut immediately after training T1, the information had already transferred and was available for use by T2. There was redundancy in the transfer in that either connective alone could carry the same information from T1 to T2. Either mesothoracic leg could tap into this information. Using a reversible cold block on the connectives, it was found that if it was applied before training T1 it did not interfere with T1 learning but no transfer to T2 was seen after the cold block wore off. That the block was transitory and did not permanently impair the connectives was shown by the fact that if it was applied and then allowed to wear off before training began there was normal learning in T1 and transfer to T2. The transection and cold-block studies were consistent in demonstrating that the transfer of the information was 'on-line' and only occurred during T1 learning. If transfer was blocked during T1 learning the information could not be transferred or tapped into by T2 at a later time even though it was stored in T1 and available for later use by T1. The transfer occurred so quickly it most likely occurred via nerve impulses. Because no primary sensory or motor neurons are in the connectives, the information must have been coded onto interneurones for transfer from the first (T1) to the second (T2) ganglion.
Amine weak bases disrupt vesicular storage and promote exocytosis in chromaffin cells

The vesicular contents in bovine chromaffin cells are maintained at high levels owing to the strong association of its contents, which is promoted by the low vesicular pH. The association is among the catecholamines, Ca2+, ATP, and vesicular proteins. It was found that transient application of a weak base, methylamine (30 mM), amphetamine (10 microM), or tyramine (10 microM), induced exocytotic release. Exposure to these agents was also found to increase both cytosolic catecholamine and intracellular Ca2+ concentration, as measured by amperometry and fura-2 fluorescence. Amphetamine, the most potent amine with respect to evoking exocytosis, was found to be effective even in buffer without external Ca2+; however, the occurrence of spikes was suppressed when BAPTA-acetoxymethyl ester was used to complex intracellular Ca2+. Amphetamine-induced spikes in Ca2+-free medium were not suppressed by thapsigargin or ruthenium red, inhibitors of the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase and mitochondrial Ca2+ stores. Atomic absorption measurements of amphetamine- and methylamine-treated vesicles reveal that intravesicular Ca2+ stores are decreased after a 15-min incubation. Taken together, these data indicate that amphetamine and methylamine can disrupt vesicular stores to a sufficient degree that Ca2+ can escape and trigger exocytosis.
Variations in figurative language use as a function of mode of communication.

Various studies have demonstrated that the mode by which people communicate affects the content of their messages. The present study examines the ways in which one aspect of language use, namely figurative language, differs as a function of mode of communication. Subjects worked together in pairs to build a small household appliance, with an “expert” directing a novice in the construction. Subjects communicated in one of four modes: full copresence, separated by a screen, through an intercom system, or through e-mail. Differences between modes were found on a number of measures of figurative language types, including what the author has described as “interrogative analogies”. These differences are discussed in terms of costs, constraints, and affordances associated with different media, and the role figurative language plays in communication.
WISC-III Factor Invariance across Deaf and Standardization Samples.

The aim of this study was to investigate the factorial invariance of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) when administered to deaf children who use sign language. A multisample confirmatory factor analysis, using LISREL7, was used to test the four-factor model on the covariance matrices of subtest scale scores for deaf and standardization samples. The general form of the four-factor model fit for both samples. Path coefficients, error variances, and factor covariances were not invariant, indicating that test constructs may be differentially indicated across groups.
Frequency modulation detection as a measure of temporal processing: age-related monaural and binaural effects.

The detection of low-rate frequency modulation (FM) carried by a low-frequency tone has been employed as a means of assessing the fidelity of temporal fine structure coding. Detection of low-rate FM can be made more acute, relative to the monaural case, by the addition of a pure tone to the contralateral ear. This study examined whether FM detection in the 500-Hz region could be further improved by using a binaural stimulation mode where the modulator was antiphasic across the two ears. The study also sought to determine whether these dichotic FM conditions were beneficial in identifying the emergence of a temporal fine structure processing deficiency relatively early in the aging process. Young, mid-aged, and older listeners (n = 12 per group) were tested. The results demonstrated better FM acuity in the dichotic task irrespective of listener age. Dichotic FM detection also differentiated between age groups more definitively than diotic detection, especially in terms of distinguishing mid-aged from older listeners. In the group of older listeners, dichotic FM detection was weakly associated with absolute sensitivity to the carrier. In addition, this group failed to show a dichotic benefit in the presence of a marked asymmetry in sensation level across ears. The overall pattern of results suggests that dichotic FM measurements have advantages over monaural measurements for the purposes of assessing age-related temporal processing effects, although a marked asymmetry in absolute thresholds across ears could undermine these advantages.
Overlapping particle swarms for energy-efficient routing in sensor networks

Sensor networks are traditionally built using battery-powered, collaborative devices. These sensor nodes do not rely on dedicated infrastructure services (e.g., routers) to relay data. Rather, a communal effort is employed where the sensor nodes both generate data as well as forward data for other nodes. A routing protocol is needed in order for the sensors to determine viable paths through the network, but routing protocols designed for wired networks and even ad hoc networks are not sufficient given the energy overhead needed to operate them. We propose an energy-aware routing protocol, based on overlapping swarms of particles, that offers reliable path selection while reducing the energy consumption for the route selection process. Our particle-based routing with overlapping swarms for energy-efficiency algorithm shows promise in extending the life of battery-powered networks while still providing robust routing functionality to maintain network reliability.
Effects of transforming growth factor-α on parathyroid hormone- and parathyroid hormone-related protein- mediated bone resorption and adenylate cyclase stimulation in vitro☆

Abstract The effects of transforming growth factor-α (TGFα) were determined on the ability of parathyroid hormone (PTH) or parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) to stimulate bone resorption and adenylate cyclase in vitro. Bovine PTH-(1–34) and human PTHrP-(1–34) were equipotent in their ability to stimulate bone resorption in neonatal mouse calvaria with maximal stimulation (2.9 and 2.8-fold increases in 45Ca release, respectively) at a concentration of 10 nM. Combinations of TGFα with bPTH-(1–34) or hPTHrP-(1–34) had additive effects on their ability to stimulate bone resorption when submaximal concentrations of the agonists were used. There was no evidence of synergism between TGFα and bPTH-(1–34) or hPTHrP-(1–34) in their ability to stimulate bone resorption in vitro, nor was TGFα able to increase bone resorption induced by maximal concentrations of bPTH-(1–34) or hPTHrP-(1–34). TGFα potentiated the effects of either bPTH-(1–34) or hPTHrP-(1–34) on the stimulation of adenylate cyclase in osteoblast-like ROS 17 2.8 cells. These data indicate that TGFα has additive effects with submaximal concentrations of PTH or PTHrP on their ability to stimulate bone resorption which may be important in the pathogenesis of humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy.
Retributivism In Extremis

I defend two objections to Tadros’s views on punishment. First, I allege that his criticisms of retributivism are persuasive only against extreme versions that provide no justificatory place for instrumentalist objectives. His attack fails against a version of retributivism that recognizes a chasm between what offenders deserve and the allthings-considered permissibility of treating offenders as they deserve. Second, I critique Tadros’s duty view – his alternative theory of punishment. Inter alia, I object that he derives principles from highly unusual examples of self-defense he subsequently tries to apply to ordinary cases of punishment.
Optimal Designs for Estimating the Slope of a Polynomial Regression

Abstract The problem of estimating the slope of a polynomial regression at a fixed point of the experimental region such that (a) the variance of the least-square estimate of the slope at the fixed point is a minimum and (b) the average variance of the least-square estimate of the slope is a minimum is discussed in this paper. In general these designs can be obtained using Kiefer-Wolfowitz [5] characterization of c-optimal designs, Federov [2] characterization of L-optimal designs, and Studden's [10] generalization of the Elfving Theorem [1]. After presenting a brief review of these characterization theorems, specific illustrations for the quadratic and cubic regressions are presented in detail.
The Social and Educational Outcomes of Homeschooling

In this article, we provide a comprehensive review and analysis of the outcomes of homeschooling in America. We ground the work in an examination of the importance of homeschooling in society in general and education in particular. We provide an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the existing research base on homeschooling. With an eye on methodological weaknesses in the homeschool research, we compile data on what is known about the outcomes of this social movement and educational reform. We document the impact of homeschooling on the social fabric of the nation (e.g., families) and the institution of schooling (e.g., student learning outcomes).
Activity of muscle spindles, motor cortex and cerebellar nuclei during action tremor.

Abstract Repeated electrode penetration of the dentate and interpositus nuclei in a rhesus monkey transformed an 11–13 Hz physiologic tremor into a much larger action tremor at 5–7 Hz. This tremor was associated with muscle spindle spike train modulation and reflexly evoked tremor modulation of interpositus and motor cortex neurons as well as electromyogram (EMG). No tremor modulation was observed in spike trains recorded from dentate. The timing relationships of the spindle, EMG, and interpositus tremor discharges suggest that the interpositus plays a direct role in tremor suppression. Dentate, by contrast, may function indirectly by setting optimal transcortical long loop reflex dynamics concerned with intended voluntary movement.
Desarrollo financiero y economia agraria de exportacion en el Peru, 1884–1950*

Al analizar las fluctuaciones ciclicas del desarrollo financiero peruano y su relacion con la economia durante una fase principalmente agroexportadora, se intenta contribuir al debate sobre el sector de exportacion y su contribucion al desarrollo economico latinoamericano. La evidencia indica que las instituciones y grupos financieros domesticos contribuyeron a una relativa diversificacion de la economia y ofrecieron un grado de competencia a intereses financieros foraneos. Es mas, el reemplazo del modelo exportador por uno de sustitucion de importaciones trajo consigo mayor concentracion financiera y politicas financieras adversas al desarrollo financiero.
A randomized trial of burch retropubic urethropexy and anterior colporrhaphy for stress urinary incontinence.

Abstract Objective: In a randomized trial, we compared the success of Burch retropubic urethropexy to the modified anterior colporrhaphy for the treatment of genuine stress urinary incontinence. Methods: Thirty-five patients with stress incontinence were randomly assigned to undergo Burch retropubic urethropexy or modified anterior colporrhaphy. Subjects had preoperative and 1-year postoperative physical examinations, multichannel urodynamic testing, 20-minute pad test, and subjective grading of incontinence severity with questionnaires. Data were evaluated using Fisher exact test, Wilcoxon two-sample test, logistic regression analysis, and analysis of variance. Results: Objective cure 1 year postoperatively was significantly greater for the women treated by Burch retropubic urethropexy than by modified anterior colporrhaphy (16 of 18 [89%] versus five of 16 [31%], relative risk .15, 95% confidence interval .04, .59). Patients’ subjective ratings of incontinence severity 1 year after surgical treatment were significantly lower in women who had Burch retropubic urethropexy. Conclusion: Burch retropubic urethropexy yields a significantly superior objective cure for genuine stress urinary incontinence than the modified anterior colporrhaphy in a randomized trial.
Atomic layer controlled deposition of Al2O3 films using binary reaction sequence chemistry

Al2O3 films with precise thicknesses and high conformality were deposited using sequential surface chemical reactions. To achieve this controlled deposition, a binary reaction for Al2O3 chemical vapor deposition (2Al(CH3)3 + 3H2O → Al2O3 + 6CH4) was separated into two half-reactions: (A) AlOH∗ + Al(CH3)3 → AlOAl(CH3)2∗ + CH4, (B) AlCH3∗ + H2O → AlOH∗ + CH4, where the asterisks designate the surface species. Trimethylaluminum (Al(CH3)3) (TMA) and H2O reactants were employed alternately in an ABAB … binary reaction sequence to deposit Al2O3 films on single-crystal Si(100) and porous alumina membranes with pore diameters of ∼ 220 A. Ellipsometric measurements obtained a growth rate of 1.1 A/AB cycle on the Si(100) substrate at the optimal reaction conditions. The Al2O3 films had an index of refraction of n = 1.65 that is consistent with a film density of ϱ = 3.50 g/cm3. Atomic force microscope images revealed that the Al2O3 films were exceptionally flat with a surface roughness of only ±3 A (rms) after the deposition of ∼ 270 A using 250 AB reaction cycles. Al2O3 films were also deposited inside the pores of Anodisc alumina membranes. Gas flux measurements for H2 and N2 were consistent with a progressive pore reduction versus number of AB reaction cycles. Porosimetry measurements also showed that the original pore diameter of ∼ 220 A was reduced to ∼ 130 A after 120 AB reaction cycles.
Implementation and Performance of WS-Security

This article describes performance improvements for the Web Services Security (WS-Security) specification. In the course of its development and performance measurement, we identified bottlenecks in the XML parsing and public key operations such as RSA signature and encryption. We are working on minimizing the impact of both of these bottlenecks. We implemented a stream-based WS-Security processor and showed its efficiency in XML parsing, in terms of both the processing time and the memory usage. In addition, we introduced the Web Services Secure Conversation (WS-SecureConversation) to avoid expensive public key operations.