cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic effects of nicotine on mesolimbic dopaminergic system in rats

Abstract Rats were pretreated with saline or nicotine (1.5 mg/kg/day) by subcutaneously implanting each animal with an Alzet osmotic minipump which continously released saline or nicotine (1.5 mg/kg/day) for 14 days. The behavioral and biochemical effects of nicotine on the dopaminergic neuronal system in rat nucleus accumbens were examined. It was found that chronic nicotine treatment increased the affinity of L[ 3 H]nicotine binding site in the nucleus accumbens. This treatment also potentiated the ability of (+)-amphetamine, but not high potassium, to stimulate formation and release of [ 3 H]dopamine in tissue slices from rat nucleus accumbens. Chronic nicotine treatment did not alter the Characteristics of [ 3 H]spiperone binding site, the rate of dopamine turnover and the concentrations of gamma-aminobutyric acid in the nucleus accumbens.
Robust Appointment Scheduling

Health care providers are under tremendous pressure to reduce costs and increase quality of their services. It has long been recognized that well-designed appointment systems have the potential to improve utilization of expensive personnel and medical equipment and to reduce waiting times for patients. In a widely influential survey on outpatient scheduling, Cayirli and Veral (2003) concluded that the "biggest challenge for future research will be to develop easy-to-use heuristics." We analyze the appointment scheduling problem from a robust-optimization perspective, and we establish the existence of a closed-form optimal solution--arguably the simplest and best `heuristic' possible. In case the order of patients is changeable, the robust optimization approach yields a novel formulation of the appointment scheduling problem as that of minimizing a concave function over a supermodular polyhedron. We devise the first constant-factor approximation algorithm for this case.
Reciprocal functional interactions between the brainstem and the lower spinal cord.

The interplay of the neuronal discharge patterns regarding respiration and locomotion was investigated using electrophysiological techniques in a decerebrate and arterially perfused in situ mouse preparation. The phrenic, tibial and/or peroneal nerve discharge became clearly organized into discharge episodes of increasing frequency and duration, punctuated by periods of quiescence as the perfusion flow rate increased at room temperature. The modulated sympathetic tone induced by the hyperoxic/normocapnic state was found to activate the locomotor pattern generator (LPG) via descending pathways and generate a left and right alternating discharge during discharge episodes in the motor nerves. The rhythm coupling of respiration and locomotion occurred at a 1:1 frequency ratio. Although the phrenic discharge synchronized with the tibial discharge at all flow rates tested, the time lag between peaks of the two discharges during locomotion was ≈400 ms rather than ≈200 ms, suggesting spinal feedback via ascending pathways. The incidence of the phrenic and tibial discharge episodes decreased by ≈50% after spinalization at the twelfth thoracic vertebra and the respiratory rhythm was more regular. These results indicate that: (i) locomotion can be generated in a hyperoxic/normocapnic state induced by specific respiratory conditions, (ii) the central mechanism regarding entrainment of respiratory and locomotor rhythms relies on spinal feedback via ascending pathways, initiated by the activated LPG generating locomotion, and (iii) the increase in respiratory rate seen during locomotion is caused not only by afferent mechanical and nociceptive inputs but also by impulses from the activated spinal cord producing a locomotor-like discharge via ascending pathways.
Consent and Sexual Relations

This article has two broad purposes. First, as a political philosopher who has been interested in the concepts of coercion and exploitation, I want to consider just what the analysis of the concept of consent can bring to the question, what sexually motivated behavior should be prohibited through the criminal law? Put simply, I shall argue that conceptual analysis will be of little help. Second, and with somewhat fewer professional credentials, I shall offer some thoughts about the substantive question itself. Among other things, I will argue that it is a mistake to think that sexual crimes are about violence rather than sex and that we need to understand just why the violation of sexual autonomy is a serious wrong. I shall also argue that the principle that “no means no” does not tell us when “yes means yes,” and that it is the latter question that poses the most interesting theoretical difficulties about coercion, misrepresentation, and competence. In addition, I shall make some brief remarks concerning two questions about consent and sexual relations that lie beyond the criminal law: What “consent compromising behaviors” should be regarded as indecent, although not criminal? When should someone consent to sexual relations within an enduring relationship?
The Maximal Downstroke of Epicardial Potentials as an Index of Electrical Activity in Mouse Hearts

The maximal upstroke of transmembrane voltage (dVm/dtmax) has been used as an indirect measure of sodium current INa upon activation in cardiac myocytes. However, sodium influx generates not only the upstroke of Vm, but also the downstroke of the extracellular potentials V including epicardial surface potentials Ves. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the magnitude of the maximal downstroke of Ves (|dVes/dtmin|) as a global index of electrical activation, based on the relationship of dVm/dtmax to INa. To fulfill this purpose, we examined |dVes/dtmin| experimentally using isolated perfused mouse hearts and computationally using a 3-D cardiac tissue bidomain model. In experimental studies, a custom-made cylindrical “cage” array with 64 electrodes was slipped over mouse hearts to measure Ves during hyperkalemia, ischemia, and hypoxia, which are conditions that decrease INa. Values of |dVes/dtmin| from each electrode were normalized (|dVes/dtmin|n) and averaged (|dVes/dtmin|na). Results showed that |dVes/dtmin|na decreased during hyperkalemia by 28, 59, and 79% at 8, 10, and 12 mM [K+]o, respectively. |dVes/dtmin| also decreased by 54 and 84% 20 min after the onset of ischemia and hypoxia, respectively. In computational studies, |dVes/dtmin| was compared to dVm/dtmax at different levels of the maximum sodium conductance GNa, extracellular potassium ion concentration [K+]o, and intracellular sodium ion concentration [Na+]i, which all influence levels of INa. Changes in |dVes/dtmin|n were similar to dVm/dtmax during alterations of GNa , [K+]o, and [Na+]i. Our results demonstrate that |dVes/dtmin|na is a robust global index of electrical activation for use in mouse hearts and, similar to dVm/dtmax, can be used to probe electrophysiological alterations reliably. The index can be readily measured and evaluated, which makes it attractive for characterization of, for instance, genetically modified mouse hearts and drug effects on cardiac tissue.
NOUN COMBINATION IN INTERLANGUAGE: TYPOLOGY EFFECTS IN COMPLEX DETERMINER PHRASES

NOUN COMBINATION IN INTERLANGUAGE: TYPOLOGY EFFECTS IN COMPLEX DETERMINER PHRASES. Christiane Bongartz . Tubingen: Niemeyer, 2002. Pp. xv + 161. 48.00 € paper. Bongartz's monograph uses a crosslinguistic typological approach to examine the impact of first language (L1) noun combination strategies on the development of analogic interlanguage forms. A three-language comparison of the typologically distinct languages Czech, Chinese, and English shows two basic noun combination patterns: phrasal combinations and the use of incorporation strategies for the creation of compounds. Czech prefers phrasal combinations, English allows for both phrasal combinations and compounds, whereas Chinese is at the opposite end of the typological continuum insofar as it demonstrates a preference for compounds. Empirical data from Czech and Chinese learners of English as a second language reveal that L1 combination preferences indeed affect which English strategy is chosen: Czech learners use phrasal combinations more often and Chinese learners prefer compounds.
Effects of Classroom Embeddedness and Density on the Social Status of Aggressive and Victimized Children.

This study investigated the independent and interacting effects of classroom-level embeddedness (i.e., hierarchical vs. egalitarian) and classroom density on the perceived popularity and social preference of aggressive and victimized 3rd-4th grade students (N = 881). A cohesive blocking procedure was used to compute embeddedness. Multilevel analyses indicated that aggressive children achieved much higher perceived popularity in hierarchical classrooms with high density. While children with high victimization scores were unpopular across classrooms, they were least unpopular in egalitarian classrooms with high density. Furthermore, aggressive children were more disliked in low-density classrooms, and victimized children were more disliked in hierarchical classrooms. Implications for educational management of classroom social structures are discussed.
A frequency and amplitude scanned quadrupole mass filter for the analysis of high m/z ions.

Quadrupole mass filters (QMFs) are usually not used to analyze high m/z ions, due to the low frequency resonant circuit that is required to drive them. Here we describe a new approach to generating waveforms for QMFs. Instead of scanning the amplitude of a sine wave to measure the m/z spectrum, the frequency of a trapezoidal wave is digitally scanned. A synchronous, narrow-range (<0.2%) amplitude scan overlays the frequency scan to improve the sampling resolution. Because the frequency is the primary quantity that is scanned, there is, in principle, no upper m/z limit. The frequency signal is constructed from a stabilized base clock using a field programmable gate array. This signal drives integrating amplifiers which generate the trapezoidal waves. For a trapezoidal wave the harmonics can be minimized by selecting the appropriate rise and fall times. To achieve a high resolving power, the digital signal has low jitter, and the trapezoidal waveform is generated with high fidelity. The QMF was characterized with cesium iodide clusters. Singly and multiply charged clusters with z up to +5 were observed. A resolving power of ∼1200 (FWHM) was demonstrated over a broad m/z range. Resolution was lost above 20 000 Th, partly because of congestion due to overlapping multiply charged clusters. Ions were observed for m/z values well in excess of 150 000 Th.
Low power and high performance design challenges in future technologies

We discuss key barriers to continued scaling of supply voltage and technology for microprocessors to achieve low-power and high-performance. In particular, we focus on short-channel effects, device parameter variations, excessive subthreshold and gate oxide leakage, as the main obstacles dictated by fundamental device physics. Functionality of special circuits in the presence of high leakage, SRAM cell stability, bit line delay scaling, and power consumption in clocks & interconnects, will be the primary design challenges in the future. Soft error rate control and power delivery pose additional challenges. All of these problems are further compounded by the rapidly escalating complexity of microprocessor designs. The excessive leakage problem is particularly severe for battery-operated, high-performance microprocessors.
Self-organizing information fusion and hierarchical knowledge discovery: a new framework using ARTMAP neural networks

Classifying novel terrain or objects from sparse, complex data may require the resolution of conflicting information from sensors working at different times, locations, and scales, and from sources with different goals and situations. Information fusion methods can help resolve inconsistencies, as when evidence variously suggests that an object's class is car, truck, or airplane. The methods described here address a complementary problem, supposing that information from sensors and experts is reliable though inconsistent, as when evidence suggests that an object's class is car, vehicle, and man-made. Underlying relationships among classes are assumed to be unknown to the automated system or the human user. The ARTMAP information fusion system uses distributed code representations that exploit the neural network's capacity for one-to-many learning in order to produce self-organizing expert systems that discover hierarchical knowledge structures. The fusion system infers multi-level relationships among groups of output classes, without any supervised labeling of these relationships. The procedure is illustrated with two image examples, but is not limited to the image domain.
Supercritical CO2 Processed Polystyrene Nanocomposite Foams

Polystyerene (PS) nanocomposite foams were prepared using CO2 supercritical fluid (SCF) as a solvent and blowing agent. PS was first in situ polymerized with 0, 1, and 3% Montmorillonite-Layered Silicate (MLS) mixtures, which were then compression-molded into thin laminates. The laminates were foamed in a batch process at temperatures and pressures within the range of 60–85 C and 7.6–12 MPa. Characterization was accomplished with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). SEM images revealed the effects of different processing parameters on the foam’s cellular morphology, and also showed that the MLS layers were arranged in alignment with the foam cell walls. DSC data indicated that different concentrations of MLS have a notable effect on the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the composite, and that the foaming process itself alters the endothermic behavior of the material. XRD spectra suggested that the PS–MLS composite had an intercalated...
Adult skeletal muscle stem cells differentiate into endothelial lineage and ameliorate renal dysfunction after acute ischemia

We previously demonstrated that endothelial cells are severely damaged during renal ischemia-reperfusion and that transplantation of adult human endothelial cells into athymic nude rats subjected t...
After Pancreatectomy, the “90 Days from Surgery” Definition Is Superior to the “30 Days from Discharge” Definition for Capture of Clinically Relevant Readmissions

Previous studies by different authors have reported their readmission rates after pancreatectomy as either “30 days from discharge” or “90 days from surgery.” The objective of this study was to determine which of these definitions captures the most surgery-related complications. A prospectively maintained database at a high volume center was queried to identify all individuals who underwent pancreatectomy between 2000 and 2012 for any diagnosis. The data was analyzed at 30 days after discharge and 90 days after operation. The optimal timing for complication reporting was defined as the time point that maximized the capture of surgery-related readmissions and direct major surgical complications while minimizing the capture of disease (cancer)-related readmissions. There were 1123 patients included during the study time period. The median age was 63 years old, and 55.6 % were male. Operations included 833 (74.2 %) pancreaticoduodenectomies, 257 (22.9 %) distal pancreatectomies, 18 (1.6 %) total pancreatectomies, and 15 (1.3 %) central pancreatectomies. Surgery-related readmissions occurred in 248 (22 %) individuals, while readmission related to malignant disease progression occurred in 25 (2 %) individuals. The 30 days from discharge definition captured 184 surgery-related readmissions and 1 disease-related readmission (sensitivity 0.74, specificity 0.96). The 90 days from surgery definition captured 215 surgery-related readmissions and 1 disease-related readmission (sensitivity 0.87, specificity 0.96). Major surgical complication was the only independent factor associated with readmission not captured by the 30 days from discharge definition (p = 0.002, HR 3.94, 95 % CI 1.44–12.22). The 90 days from surgery definition was superior to the 30 days from discharge definition, especially with regards to readmission related to major surgical complications.
Plant‐soil feedbacks as drivers of succession: evidence from remnant and restored tallgrass prairies

Plant-soil feedbacks can contribute to the coexistence of plant species and may predict the abundance of plant species within communities. Here, we test if plant-soil feedbacks act as drivers of secondary succession. We found that the strength of feedback experienced by a plant species was positively correlated with that species' successional stage, indicating that plant-soil feedbacks can contribute to shifts in plant species abundance during succession. We did not observe a significant relationship between strength of feedback and plant species abundance at our study sites, but the positive relationship of feedback and successional stage would generate positive relationships between feedback and the abundance of plant species in communities at equilibrium. This result is supported by spatially explicit simulation models that demonstrate the potential for plant-soil feedbacks to determine changes in species abundance over time and the increasing strength of the relationship between feedback and plant species abundance during succession.
The influence of humic acid and water hardness on the partitioning of silver ions and nanoparticles between fresh water and freshwater algae

iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES ix ABBREVIATIONS xi GLOSSARY xiii 1. INTRODUCION 1 1.1. Nanoparticle Terminology Used in this Thesis 2 1.2. Nanoparticles 3 1.3. Brief History of Silver Nanoparticles 6 1.4. Silver Nanoparticles and the Environment 6 1.4.1. Associated Silver Ligands 7 1.4.2. Evidence that Silver Nanoparticles Enter the Environment 7 1.5. Silver Nanoparticles 9 1.5.1. Toxicity and Bioavailability of Ag versus Silver Nanoparticle 9 1.5.2. Silver Nanoparticle Fate and Transport 10 1.6. Environmental Chemistry 11 1.6.1. Humic Substances 12 1.6.2. Water Hardness 14 1.6.3. Effects of Humic Acid Combined with Hardness 15 1.7. Algae as a Test Model 16 1.8. Partitioning Coefficients 17
The Essential Epidemiology of Cancer of the Endometrium

The central epidemiologic features of cancer of the endometrium are the much increased risk associated with obesity, evident both in premenopausal and postmenopausal women, the decreased risk with increasing parity and increasing duration of use of oral contraceptives (OCs), the increased risk with menopausal estrogen therapy (ET), and the sharp slowing down in the rate of increase in endometrial cancer incidence with age around the time of menopause. Sequential menopausal estrogen–progestin therapy (EPT) with the progestin given for 10–12 days per 28-day cycle is still associated with an increased risk, although of a much smaller magnitude than that associated with ET. Continuous-combined EPT is not associated with any increased risk and may be associated with a decreased risk. These phenomena are readily explained by a simple unopposed estrogen hypothesis, by which estrogen unopposed by a progestin increases risk. The basis for this hypothesis is that estrogen unopposed by a progestin increases cell division rates in the endometrium. Considering the relationship between endometrial cell proliferation during the menstrual cycle and the diminishing effect of ET with increasing body mass index (kg/m2), it is possible to found that there is a relatively low ceiling of biologically available estradiol (E2), ˜10.1Â pg/ml, beyond which no further increase in endometrial cancer risk occurs. On the basis of this information, one would predict that reducing the standard dose of ET by as much as one half will produce little or no reduction in the risk of ET.
The patient's transference experience of the analyst's gender: Projection, factuality, interpretation, or construction

In this paper I reverse the more commonly posed question, how does the analyst's gender affect transference? Instead, I examine the implications of the analyst's view of the organization of transference in the analytic situation for understanding gender‐salient transference formation. I suggest that the analyst's viewpoint on the organization of transference is focal in his or her conception of gender‐linked transference themes. I demonstrate that even in the context of a shared theoretical outlook, variations in a one‐person psychology perspective on transference entail contradictory findings. I discuss a reformulation of transference, utilizing the contribution of self psychology. It demonstrates a combined one‐person, two‐person psychology view applied to the organization of a two‐dimensional transference. Gender‐specific, object‐related, and selfobject facets of the transference are codetermined by the patient's psychology and the current ongoing analyst‐patient interaction. I contrast conceptualizati...
Small Portable Interchangeable Imager of Fluorescence for Fluorescence Guided Surgery and Research

Fluorescence guided surgery (FGS) is a developing field of surgical and oncologic research. Practically, FGS has shown useful applications in urologic surgery, benign biliary surgery, colorectal cancer liver metastasis resection, and ovarian cancer debulking. Most notably in in cancer surgery, FGS allows for the clear delineation of cancerous tissue from benign tissue. FGS requires the utilization of a fluorescent contrast agent and an intraoperative fluorescence imaging device (IFID). Currently available IFIDs are expensive, unable to work with multiple fluorophores, and can be cumbersome. This study aims to describe the development and utility of a small, cost-efficient, and interchangeable IFID made from commercially available components. Extensive research was done to design and construct a light-weight, portable, and cost-effective IFID. We researched the capabilities, size, and cost of several camera types and eventually decided on a near-infrared (NIR) charged couple device (CCD) camera for its overall profile. The small portable interchangeable imager of fluorescence (SPIIF) is a "scout" IFID system for FGS. The main components of the SPIIF are a NIR CCD camera with an articulating light filter. These components and a LED light source with an attached heat sink are mounted on a small metal platform. The system is connected to a laptop by a USB 2.0 cable. Pixielink © software on the laptop runs the system by controlling exposure time, gain, and image capture. After developing the system, we evaluated its utility as an IFID. The system weighs less than two pounds and can cover a large area. Due to its small size, it is easily made sterile by covering it with any sterile plastic sheet. To determine the system's ability to detect fluorescent signal, we used the SPIIF to detect indocyanine green under ex and in-vivo conditions and fluorescein under ex-vivo conditions. We found the SPIIF was able to detect both ICG and fluorescein under different depths of a semi-opaque colloid. Second, we found that a concentration as low as 0.5 g/ml of indocyanine green dissolved in plasma was detectable. Lastly, in a murine and human cancer model, the SPIIF was able to detect indocyanine green signal within tumors and generate a signal-to-background ratio (SBR) of 3.75. This study shows that a low-cost IFID can be made from commercially available parts. Second, this IFID is capable of in and ex-vivo detection of multiple fluorophores without sacrificing its small size or favorable ergonomics.
Effects of Random vs Alternating Delay of Reinforcement in Training upon Extinction Performance

Tyler, Worrz, and Bitterman ( 1 9 5 3 ) and Capaldi ( 1 9 5 8 ) found that a random pattern ( R ) of partial reinforcement in training results in greater resisrance to extinction than an alternating pattern ( A ) . Wike, Kinuch, and Gutekunst ( 1 9 5 9 ) did not find this relationship with A and R patterns of partial delay of reinforcement. The present studies investigated this problem further with longer training and longer delays of reward.
The tectono-stratigraphy of the Solan Basin, west of Shetland

The Solan Basin lies in a part of the West Shetland continental margin that has had a complex tectonic history, dominated by extension but punctuated by several episodes of inversion, transpression and extensive erosion. The oldest sedimentary sequence, identified on seismic but not yet penetrated by drilling, may comprise Devono–Carboniferous clastics. In the Permo-Triassic a large system of half-grabens was filled with a thick succession of coarse, continental clastics. These appear to have entered the basin system in two discrete pulses and it is speculated that a third pulse, representing a transition to marginal and fully marine environments, occurred in the Early Jurassic. The area was effectively peneplaned in the late Middle to early Late Jurassic, with the removal of up to 1.5 km of section. Overlying this unconformity is a thin sequence of marginal marine sandstones and organic-rich marine shales, deposited in the latest Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous. Although parts of the region received a major influx of sand derived from the West Shetland Platform in the Early Cretaceous, the equivalent strata throughout most of the Solan Basin are a thin succession of pelagic shales and carbonates. In the early Turonian the basin was inverted. During the Late Cretaceous, extension, related to rifting along the line of the Faeroe–Shetland Trough, resulted in the development of large normal fault systems, providing the space in which a thick sequence of deep marine shales was deposited. In the earliest Paleocene, transpressional reactivation of some faults produced intense, but localized, inversion structures. Generally, however, sedimentation continued uninterrupted through the Paleocene, with the accumulation of deep marine sandstones in the east of the basin. The culmination of Thulean volcanism in the earliest Eocene was marked by the deposition of tuffaceous mudstones, which are overlain by thin coal-bearing, paralic to continental sediments. Regional thermal subsidence began in the early Eocene and continued into the Oligocene with the deposition of a thick sequence of marine clastics. In the Miocene, erosion removed up to 1.2 km of sediment from parts of the Rona Ridge and produced a basin-wide unconformity. This is overlain by Pliocene to Recent glacio-marine sands and gravels.
Survival Rates of the Endangered Indiana Bat, Myotis sodalis

Rates of survival of Myotis sodalis are calculated from recaptures of bats marked in cohorts of unknown age. Such data can be misleading, so the proper types ot interpretation are identified. Survival rates are high for 10 years after marking in females and 6 years in males. Females can live as long as 14.8 years and males as long as 13.5 years. Survival of the species is good in undisturbed environments, and endangerment results from loss of habitat.
Chemical imaging with frequency modulation coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy at the vibrational fingerprint region.

We present a new coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) method that can perform background-free microscopy and microspectroscopy at the vibrational fingerprint region. Chirped broad-band pulses from a single Ti:sapphire laser generate CARS signals over 800−1700 cm−1 with a spectral resolution of 20 cm−1. Fast modulation of the time delay between the pump and Stokes pulses coupled with lock-in signal detection not only removes the nonresonant background but also produces Raman-like CARS signals. Chemical imaging and microspectroscopy are demonstrated with various samples such as edible oils, lipid membranes, skin tissue, and plant cell walls. Systematic studies of the signal generation mechanism and several fundamental aspects are discussed.
A Cognitive Tool for Ethical Decision Making: A Case for ACED IT

The present study examined two forms of a cognitive tool (ACED IT map), which is designed to facilitate ethical decision making, along with expressive writing. Results demonstrated that participants completing the original ACED IT were more likely to identify (a) more steps to implementing a solution, (b) more barriers to solution implementation, and (c) more solutions to those barriers than participants who completed the modified ACED IT, those who engaged in expressive writing, and those in the control group. These findings suggest that cognitive tools such as ACED IT may be of considerable value for individuals who are presented with ethical dilemmas.
Impact of Air-Sea Interactions over the Indian Ocean on the Climatological State of Tropical Atmospheric Circulation in Boreal Summer

The impact of air-sea coupling over the Indian Ocean on the climatological state of tropical atmospheric circulation in boreal summer is investigated by diagnosing the long-term simulations from the high-resolution SINTEX-F (Scale INTeraction EXperiment-FRCGC) coupled ocean-atmosphere model. The main conclusions are listed as below.(1) Air-sea interactions over the tropical Indian Ocean strengthen easterlies over the tropical eastern Indian Ocean, and induce cyclonic shearing circulation over the north of western and central Pacific.(2) The impact of air-sea interactions on the climatological mean state over the Indian Ocean is primarily attributed to the asymmetric atmospheric response to positive and negative Indian Ocean dipole modes and the asymmetric response to positive and negative basin-wide modes over the tropical Indian Ocean.(3) Air-sea interactions on both interannual and intraseasonal timescales contribute to the change of the climatological mean state over the Indian Ocean; they account for 60% (interannual timescale) and 40% (intraseasonal timescale) respectively. While the impact of the intraseasonal air-sea interaction on the mean circulation is more important in the equatorial Pacific region, the impact of the interannual air-sea interaction is more important in the off-equatorial Pacific region. The impact of air-sea interactions on both the timescales exhibits a significant interannual variation and amplitude asymmetry between the positive and negative anomalies.
Changes of Serum Interleukin-6,Interleukin-8 Levels and Their Associations with Coronary Artery Lesions in Children with Kawasaki Disease

Objective To study the changes of serum IL-6,IL-8 levels and to investigate their associations with coronary artery lesions(CAL)in children with Kawasaki disease(KD).Methods From Oct.2003 to Dec.2005,46 children with KD(KD group)and 16 healthy children(healthy control group)were recruited in this study.The age of KD group ranged from 5 months to 8.75 years.KD children were divided into CAL group(18 cases)and non-CAL group(28 cases).Serum IL-6,IL-8 concentrations in KD group were compared to those of healthy control group.Results 1.The levels of serum IL-6 and IL-8 in KD group [52.39(24.39-134.46)ng·L-1,68.64(52.88-230.18)ng·L-1]were significantly higher than those in healthy control group[7.17(4.25-10.29)ng·L-1,10.34(9.60-11.57)ng·L-1](Pa0.05),and there was no correlation between them(r=-0.166,P0.1).2.The level of serum IL-6 in CAL group was significantly higher than that in non-CAL group[37.50(24.08-139.34)ng·L-1 vs 31.21(19.67-87.90)ng·L-1,P0.05].The level of IL-8 was 47.18(16.98-109.72)ng·L-1 in CAL group and 46.34(4.40-89.86)ng·L-1 in non-CAL group,there was no significant difference between them(P0.05).The elevation of IL-6,IL-8 levels had continually existed in 5 convalescent children who were detected coronary artery dilatation by ultrasound.Conclusions The levels of serum IL-6,IL-8 were markedly elevated in all children with KD,which can provide some evidences of the inflammation of coronary artery.IL-6 concentration were significantly elevated in CAL children,which might play a more important role in CAL than IL-8.When high serum IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations were observed in children with KD,CAL might develop CAL in the subacute or convalescent phase.
The effects of thyroid status on the modulation of fat cell beta-adrenergic receptor agonist affinity by guanine nucleotides.

The influence of thyroid status in vivo on the ability of guanine nucleotides to affect the affinity of fat cell β-adrenergic receptors for an (-)agonist is explored in the present study. In euthyroid rat fat cell membranes, 100 µM GTP or Gpp(NH)p induces a reduction in the affinity of specific (-)[ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol binding sites for isoproterenol, but not propranolol. The kinetics of the effect of 100 µM Gpp(NH)p were rapid, achieving near-steady-state levels within 10 mm at 22°C. One micromolar Gpp(NH)p or 5 µM GTP (in the presence of a nucleotide regenerating system) induced half-maximal reduction in the affinity of specific (-)[ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol binding sites for isoproterenol. One hundred micromolar concentrations of either guanine nucleotide produced a maximal effect. The ability of Gpp(NH)p to reduce agonist affinity of the binding sites was shown to be readily reversed by simple washing of the membranes. The affinity of specific (-)[ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol binding sites of fat cell membranes for (-)isoproterenol was reduced in the hypothyroid state. Half-maximal inhibition of specific (-)[ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol binding (at 10 nM radioligand) occurred at 7 µM isoproterenol in hypothyroid, as compared to 1 µM isoproterenol in euthryoid, rat fat cell membranes. In hyperthyroid rat fat cell membranes, only 0.4 µM isoproterenol was required to half-maximally inhibit the specific binding of (-)[ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol. In the presence of 50 µM Gpp(NH)p the concentration of isoproterenol required for half-maximal inhibition of specific binding in euthyroid rat fat cell membranes was increased from 1 to 7 µM. Neither 100 µM GTP nor Gpp(NH)p influenced the affinity of specific (-)[ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol binding sites for isoproterenol in fat cell membranes obtained from hypo-or hyperthyroid rats. These data suggest that thyroid hormones can modulate β-adrenergic receptor affinity for agonists (but not antagonists) and the ability of guanine nucleotides to regulate agonist (but not antagonist) affinity in fat cells.
The Importance of Hippocampal Gamma Oscillation for Place Cells

The firing of rat hippocampal place cells advances to earlier phases of the theta cycle as the rat moves through a place field. It has also been observed that when a rat repeatedly traverses a track, the place field shifts slowly in a direction opposite to the direction of movement. We have constructed a physiologically realistic network model of the CA3 region, based on nested theta and gamma oscillations. This model accounts for the phase precession and place-field shift. From this work, a set of further predictions follows which are testable if both theta and gamma oscillations are measured in conjunction with place cell activity.
Styloidogenic jugular venous compression syndrome: diagnosis and treatment: case report.

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE:Intracranial venous hypertension is known to be associated with venous outflow obstruction. We discuss the diagnosis and treatment of mechanical venous outflow obstruction causing pseudotumor cerebri.CLINICAL PRESENTATION:We report 2 patients presenting with central venous
US–Colombia Internal Threat Alliance (1980–2010)

This chapter applies the theoretical framework to the U.S.-Colombia internal threat alliance. It traces U.S.-Colombia cooperation over the course of 30 years to defeat Marxist rebels and secure associated U.S. interests. It shows that the Colombian government sought U.S. assistance to thwart rising threats from rebel groups and drug-trafficking organizations, while the U.S. aligned in order to safeguard interests linked to the regime’s stability including curbing drug flows onto American streets, maintaining access to oil reserves, and preserving stability in its “backyard.” The chapter demonstrates that in internal threat alliances, it is simplistic to ask whether states balance or bandwagon. Instead, they do both at the same time. While some elements of the Colombian National Police fought against drug traffickers (balanced), others actively cooperated with them (bandwagoned). While some mayors resisted guerrilla incursions, others supported the belligerents. Finally, it demonstrates that alliance effectiveness was higher during the administrations of Colombian Presidents Andres Pastrana and Alvaro Uribe due to the alliance’s ability to amass sufficient resources (via Plan Colombia) and the Colombian leadership’s consistent efforts to purge civilian and security agencies of actors bandwagoning with the “narco-guerrilla” threat.
Large-scale analysis of branchpoint usage across species and cell lines

The coding sequence of each human pre-mRNA is interrupted, on average, by 11 introns that must be spliced out for proper gene expression. Each intron contains three obligate signals: a 5' splice site, a branch site, and a 3' splice site. Splice site usage has been mapped exhaustively across different species, cell types, and cellular states. In contrast, only a small fraction of branch sites have been identified even once. The few reported annotations of branch site are imprecise as reverse transcriptase skips several nucleotides while traversing a 2-5 linkage. Here, we report large-scale mapping of the branchpoints from deep sequencing data in three different species and in the SF3B1 K700E oncogenic mutant background. We have developed a novel method whereby raw lariat reads are refined by U2snRNP/pre-mRNA base-pairing models to return the largest current data set of branchpoint sequences with quality metrics. This analysis discovers novel modes of U2snRNA:pre-mRNA base-pairing conserved in yeast and provides insight into the biogenesis of intron circles. Finally, matching branch site usage with isoform selection across the extensive panel of ENCODE RNA-seq data sets offers insight into the mechanisms by which branchpoint usage drives alternative splicing.
Institutions as an ethical locus of research prioritisation.

Ensuring that clinical trials, once launched, successfully complete and generate useful knowledge is an important and indeed ethically imperative goal, given the risks and burdens borne by research participants. Since there are insufficient willing research participants to power all the trials that are currently undertaken,1 addressing underenrolment will require prioritisation decisions that reduce the number of trials competing for participants. While there are multiple levels at which research priority-setting can and does take place, competition between trials often plays out in real time at the institutional or site level, where complex decisions must be made about how to manage overlapping trials in ways that balance different considerations, including the risk of non-completion. We sought to explore what research institutions in particular might ethically do to mitigate the risk that competition between trials will contribute to recruitment shortfalls. Against this backdrop, we appreciate the thoughtful replies to our article and are especially encouraged that all three respondents acknowledge the importance and indeed necessity of setting research priorities in ways that respect the rights and interests of various parties. The key question raised by the commentaries primarily concerns not whether research prioritisation should take place but rather how it is best accomplished. In what follows, we clarify our argument in the original article, and then focus on several points raised in the commentaries regarding the role of institutions in research priority-setting. Our approach is animated by the risk that competition between clinical trials for the same population of participants can be a cause of underenrolment when there are insufficient participants to meet the statistical needs of all open studies. In such situations, one or more of the competing studies will fail to meet recruitment targets, reducing their statistical ability to answer the research question. There are strong ethical reasons to avoid …
Northern Mozambique in the Nineteenth Century: The Travels and Explorations of H.E. O’Neill

Although little known today, Lt. Henry Edward (H.E.) O’Neill (1848–1925) was a remarkable man. O’Neill was an active naval officer as well as Her Majesty’s Consul for over eight years in this part ...
The Lemur II-Class Robots for Inspection and Maintenance of Orbital Structures: A System Description

The assembly, inspection, and maintenance requirements of permanent installations in space demand robots that provide a high level of operational flexibility relative to mass and volume. Such demands point to robots that are dexterous, have significant processing and sensing capabilities, and can be easily reconfigured (both physically and algorithmically). Evolving from Lemur I, Lemur IIa is an extremely capable system that both explores mechanical design elements and provides an infrastructure for the development of algorithms (such as force control for mobility and manipulation and adaptive visual feedback). The physical layout of the system consists of six, 4-degree-of-freedom limbs arranged axisymmetrically about a hexagonal body platform. These limbs incorporate a “quick-connect” end-effector feature below the distal joint that allows the rapid change-out of any of its tools. The other major subsystem is a stereo camera set that travels along a ring track, allowing omnidirectional vision. The current Lemur IIa platform represents the jumping-off point toward more advanced robotic platforms that will support NASA’s Vision for Space Exploration, which calls for a sustained presence in space. This paper lays out the mechanical, electrical, and algorithmic elements of Lemur IIa and discusses the future directions of development in those areas.
Nach Adorno: sobre literatura

A ideia de Jacques Ranciere a respeito de um regime da arte nos permite pensar nach Adorno de uma maneira mais abrangente e radical, nao apenas sobre como funciona a producao artistica na modernidade, mas aquilo que ela desfaz. Nach Adorno significa, neste contexto, encontrar uma continuidade com sua critica da estetica idealista, por meio da qual a existencia da arte ou da literatura nao e o produto de um pensamento unificador, que nos forneceu um conjunto de propriedades comuns que vem a definir a arte e a literatura, mas ao inves mostrar que elas sao elas mesmas resultado de um pensamento dissociador.
Applications of sparse recovery and dictionary learning to enhance analysis of ambulatory electrodermal activity data

Abstract Electrodermal Activity (EDA) − an index of sympathetic nervous system arousal − is one of the primary methods used in psychophysiology to assess the autonomic nervous system [1]. While many studies collect EDA data in short, laboratory-based experiments, recent developments in wireless biosensing have enabled longer, ‘out-of-lab’ ambulatory studies to become more common [2] . Such ambulatory methods are beneficial in that they facilitate more longitudinal and environmentally diverse EDA data collection. However, they also introduce challenges for efficiently and accurately identifying discrete skin conductance responses (SCRs) and measurement artifacts, which complicate analyses of ambulatory EDA data. Therefore, interest in developing automated systems that facilitate analysis of EDA signals has increased in recent years. Ledalab is one such system that automatically identifies SCRs and is currently considered a gold standard in the field of ambulatory EDA recording. However, Ledalab, like other current systems, cannot distinguish between SCRs and artifacts. The present manuscript describes a novel technique to accurately and efficiently identify SCRs and artifacts using curve fitting and sparse recovery methods We show that our novel approach, when applied to expertly labeled EDA data, detected 69% of the total labeled SCRs in an EDA signal compared to 45% detection ability of Ledalab. Additionally, we demonstrate that our system can distinguish between artifact and SCR shapes with an accuracy of 74%. This work, along with our previous work [3], suggests that matching pursuit is a viable methodology to quickly and accurately identify SCRs in ambulatory collected EDA data, and that artifact shapes can be separated from SCR shapes.
Hélio Oiticica: folding the frame, of Irene V. Small

In this review of Irene V. Small’s book Helio Oiticica: folding the frame (2016), the author’s proposal of understanding “folding the frame” as a formal and conceptual procedure that emerges from the works of the artist themselves is discussed. In addition, the proposal of a History of Art in a contemporary globalized world as a way of avoiding the applying of normative theories from Modernism and the avant-garde, as is the case of Brazil, is analyzed.
Designing for rightful presence in STEM-rich making: Community ethnography as pedagogy

Making and makerspaces have largely proliferated as an out-of-school, informal activity that mostly self-selects interested participants. To take up equity concerns seriously, we need to consider the ways in which classroom teaching is both an historicized and relational activity, and how classroom STEM teaching and learning, under which making is subsumed, has long alienated youth of color. The construct of rightful presence is one way to consider more systemically how to make sense of the historicized and relational nature of teaching and learning. We show how integrating an equity-oriented design approach, community ethnography as pedagogy, as a part engaging in STEM-rich making, support the emergences of three making present practices: modeling ethnographic data, re-performing injustices towards understanding and solidarity, and making change dynamic and visible through engineering practices, all of which reflect the on-going struggle youth face in their lives, write these injustices onto a longer history of struggle in the school/classroom, and allow for a refusal to be victimized.
Evaluating the effects of modeling errors for isolated finite three-dimensional targets

Optical three-dimensional (3-D) nanostructure metrology utilizes a model-based metrology approach to determine critical dimensions (CDs) that are well below the inspection wavelength. Our project at the National Institute of Standards and Technology is evaluating how to attain key CD and shape parameters from engineered in-die capable metrology targets. More specifically, the quantities of interest are determined by varying the input parameters for a physical model until the simulations agree with the actual measurements within acceptable error bounds. As in most applications, establishing a reasonable balance between model accuracy and time efficiency is a complicated task. A well-established simplification is to model the intrinsically finite 3-D nanostructures as either periodic or infinite in one direction, reducing the computationally expensive 3-D simulations to usually less complex two-dimensional (2-D) problems. Systematic errors caused by this simplified model can directly influence the fitting of the model to the measurement data and are expected to become more apparent with decreasing lengths of the structures. We identify these effects using selected simulation results and present experimental setups, e.g., illumination numerical apertures and focal ranges, that can increase the validity of the 2-D approach.
ON AN EMPIRICAL CORRELATION BETWEEN NUCLEAR GEOMETRY AND CERTAIN SPECTROSCOPIC PARAMETERS OF AROMATIC COMPOUNDS

Abstract From empirical spectroscopic data it is deduced that as the nuclear conformation of a chromophore becomes more planar and linear, the fluorescence and absorption spectra become more structured, narrower, and long-wavelength shifted, the Stokes loss becomes smaller, and the maximum value of the molar extinction coefficient, emax, becomes larger. Moreover, compounds planar in both the ground state and first excited state are usually more susceptable to excimer formation and/or concentration quenching than nonplanar compounds. The fluorescence and absorption characteristics of several compounds are presented as examples.