cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aggregation and Dispersion Characteristics of Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate: Effect of Urinary Species

In this research, screening and central composite experimental designs are used to determine the effect of various factors on the aggregation and dispersion characteristics of previously grown calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystals in artificial urinary environments of controlled variables. The variables examined are pH and calcium, oxalate, pyrophosphate, citrate, and protein concentrations in ultrapure water and artificial urine. Optical density measurements, particle size analysis, optical microscopy, AFM force measurements, and protein adsorption have been used to assess the state of aggregation and dispersion of the COM crystals and to elucidate the mechanisms involved in such a complex system. The data indicate that our model protein, mucin, acts as a dispersant. This is attributed to steric hindrance resulting from the adsorbed mucoprotein. Oxalate, however, promotes aggregation. Interesting interactions between protein and oxalate along with protein and citrate are observed. Such interactions (synergistic or antagonistic) are found to depend on the concentrations of these species. Surface responses for these interactions are presented and discussed in this paper. In summary, solution, surface, and interface chemistries interact in a complex manner in the physiological environment to either inhibit or promote aggregation, and an understanding of such interactions may help determine and control the factors affecting kidney stone formation.
Local measurement of flow boiling in structured surface microchannels

Abstract Experiments were conducted to investigate flow boiling in 200 μm × 253 μm parallel microchannels with structured reentrant cavities. Flow morphologies, boiling inceptions, heat transfer coefficients, and critical heat fluxes were obtained and studied for mass velocities ranging from G = 83 kg/m 2 s to G = 303 kg/m 2 s and heat fluxes up to 643 W/cm 2 . Comparisons of the performance of the enhanced and plain-wall microchannels were performed. The microchannels with reentrant cavities were shown to promote nucleation of bubbles and to support significantly better reproducibility and uniformity of bubble generation. The structured surface was also shown to significantly reduce the boiling inception and to enhance the critical heat flux.
Reaction kinetics of sodium sulfite oxidation by the rapid-mixing method

Abstract The homogeneous reaction rate of oxygen and sodium sulfite in aqueous solution was investigated by the rapid-mixing method of HARTRIDGE and ROUGHTON. The method eliminated the need for interphase diffusion of oxygen, and provided unusual latitude in the investigation of copper catalysis. The rate of reaction was found to be zero-order with respect to oxygen, and three-halves order with respect to sulfite. While copper in the cupric form was found to have a powerful effect in increasing reaction rate, the cuprous form had a moderate inhibitory effect on rate. A rate expression in reasonable agreement with the results was derived from individual reaction steps proposed by others.
Endoscopic diagnosis of eosinophilic gastritis

Eosinophilic gastritis is an unusual disease which usually is diagnosed at surgery. Here are reported 2 patients with this disease who had thick, distorted antrums at gastroscopy. Biopsy specimens were characteristic. These patients were treated without operation.
Dictionary of Ming biography, 1368-1644

Based largely upon original Ming documents, the Dictionary explores the lives of nearly 650 representative figures, both Chinese and foreign, who influenced the course of almost three hundred years of Chinese history. The articles span all classes, professions, and fields of endeavor, from emperors to artists, soldiers to missionaries, concubines, physicians, and pirates.
d f and particle simulations of parametric instabilities

Abstract The δf and particle simulation methods are presented and compared for parametric instabilities in a 1D unmagnetized plasma. The δf simulation method used here is based on the linearized Vlasov equation. The simulation growth rates from both methods roughly agree with growth rates obtained from a fluid theory. Doubling the number of characteristics in the δf simulations does not significantly alter the growth rates. Doubling the number of particles in the particle simulation does alter the growth rates indicating that particle noise is interfering with the physics. The δf simulation method was also compared to Vlasov theory for parametric instabilities in a ID magnetized plasma. The simulations generally agree with the theory.
Enhanced gluconeogenesis and increased energy storage as hallmarks of aging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A relationship between life span and cellular glucose metabolism has been inferred from genetic manipulations and caloric restriction of model organisms. In this report, we have used the Snf1p glucose-sensing pathway ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae to explore the genetic and biochemical linkages between glucose metabolism and aging. Snf1p is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates cellular responses to glucose deprivation. Loss of Snf4p, an activator of Snf1p, extends generational life span whereas loss of Sip2p, a presumed repressor of the kinase, causes an accelerated aging phenotype. An annotated data base of global age-associated changes in gene expression in isogenic wild-type,sip2Δ, and snf4Δ strains was generated from DNA microarray studies. The transcriptional responses suggested that gluconeogenesis and glucose storage increase as wild-type cells age, that this metabolic evolution is exaggerated in rapidly agingsip2Δ cells, and that it is attenuated in longer-livedsnf4Δ cells. To test this hypothesis directly, we applied microanalytic biochemical methods to generation-matched cells from each strain and measured the activities of enzymes and concentrations of metabolites in the gluconeogenic, glycolytic, and glyoxylate pathways, as well as glycogen, ATP, and NAD+. The sensitivity of the assays allowed comprehensive biochemical profiling to be performed using aliquots of the same cell populations employed for the transcriptional profiling. The results provided additional evidence that aging in S. cerevisiae is associated with a shift away from glycolysis and toward gluconeogenesis and energy storage. They also disclosed that this shift is forestalled by two manipulations that extend life span, caloric restriction and genetic attenuation of the normal age-associated increase in Snf1p activity. Together, these findings indicate that Snf1p activation is not only a marker of aging but also a candidate mediator, because a shift toward energy storage over expenditure could impact myriad aspects of cellular maintenance and repair.
Biology-inspired robust dive plane control of non-linear AUV using pectoral-like fins

The development of a control system for the dive plane control of non-linear biorobotic autonomous underwater vehicles, equipped with pectoral-like fins, is the subject of this paper. Marine animals use pectoral fins for swimming smoothly. The fins are assumed to be oscillating with a combined pitch and heave motion and therefore produce unsteady control forces. The objective is to control the depth of the vehicle. The mean angle of pitch motion of the fin is used as a control variable. A computational-fluid-dynamics-based parameterisation of the fin forces is used for control system design. A robust servo regulator for the control of the depth of the vehicle, based on the non-linear internal model principle, is derived. For the control law derivation, an exosystem of third order is introduced, and the non-linear time-varying biorobotic autonomous underwater vehicle model, including the fin forces, is represented as a non-linear autonomous system in an extended state space. The control system includes the internal model of a k-fold exosystem, where k is a positive integer chosen by the designer. It is shown that in the closed-loop system, all the harmonic components of order up to k of the tracking error are suppressed. Simulation results are presented which show that the servo regulator accomplishes accurate depth control despite uncertainties in the model parameters.
A Qualitative Analysis of Students' Difficulties with the Quicksort Algorithm Using Arrays (Abstract Only)

Undergraduate computer science students can have difficulty understanding quicksort and other divide-and-conquer sorting algorithms. It is important to understand how students think about quicksort in order to find out how to better teach the students, and also for those students to be able to write and analyze these algorithms for their own use. Data was collected from two interviews, each about an hour long, with undergraduate computer science students. The data was then qualitatively analyzed in order to draw conclusions on how the students approached the coding of the quicksort algorithm. Both interview participants were able to quickly and efficiently write quicksort using linked lists. However, both students struggled when asked to rewrite their algorithms using static arrays. From the transcripts and hand-written notes taken from the two interviews, it seems plausible that their issues stem from challenges with their treatment of the pivot in the array implementation. Additionally, the array implementation may have caused the participants to change the visualization of the algorithm to which they had grown accustomed, further accentuating their difficulties. While both students showed obvious proficiency with the linked-list algorithm, they failed to realize key intuitions when attempting to make their algorithms space-efficient by using a single array. Future work may include analysis of other divide-and-conquer algorithms, as well as a closer look into how visualizations of sorting algorithms affect student understanding.
Ecological periodic tables for nekton usage of four US Pacific Northwest estuarine habitats

We compared the species composition and abundance of the total nekton community, using the Bray–Curtis similarity coefficient, and mean total nekton, fish and crab species richness, abundance and biomass, and shrimp abundance across four intertidal habitats in a US Pacific Northwest estuary: (i) eelgrass (Zostera marina); (ii) burrowing mud shrimp (Upogebia pugettensis); (iii) burrowing ghost shrimp (Neotrypaea californiensis); and (iv) unvegetated sand. Field sampling was conducted during daytime high tides, and was quantitative, stratified-by-habitat, randomized, and estuary-wide. More than 10 000 nekton specimens belonging to 64 taxa were collected in 454 samples during 10 sampling periods, each approximately one-month-long (from June to November), over 3 years (1998–2000). Non-metric multidimensional scaling analyses revealed annually recurring across-habitat patterns in total nekton Bray–Curtis similarity. Two-way (habitat, year) analyses of variance revealed annually recurring across-habitat pattern...
Caste‐specific patterns of flower visitation in bumble bees (Bombus kirbyellus) collecting nectar from Polemonium viscosum

. 1 Foraging routes of worker and queen bumble bees (Bombus kirbyellus Curtis) collecting nectar from flowers of the alpine sky pilot, Polemonium viscosum Nutt., were followed and the corolla tube length, corolla diameter, floral scent, and number of flowers on plants visited or bypassed by bees were monitored. Additionally, the number and proportion of flowers visited per inflorescence and distance flown from each to the next were recorded. Queens and workers differed significantly in choice of flowers. However, intra-inflorescence visitation rates and departure distances were similar between castes. Castes differed in the extent to which visitation reflected patch quality versus individual floral traits. 2 Both queens and workers failed to visit skunky-flowered plants more often than they failed to visit sweet-flowered ones, and preferred large over small inflorescences. However, queens visited large-flowered plants more often than small-flowered ones, while workers preferred flowers with shorter corolla tubes, regardless of their diameter. Although a number of studies have documented caste specialization on alternate species of host plants, ours is one of the first to show that morphological preferences promote comparable foraging differences between castes on monospecific plant resources. 3 Queens, once on a plant, responded to floral traits by probing more flowers on large inflorescences, as well as on those with broader floral form. Workers did not alter intra-inflorescence visitation rate in response to floral traits. 4 For workers, no significant relationship was demonstrated between the likelihood of passing by a plant and the number of flowers probed on the previous inflorescence visited. Thus, workers appeared to accept or reject each plant of P. viscosum independently. However, queens passed by fewer plants when leaving rich inflorescences than poor ones. These results suggest that workers use only individual plant acceptability in choosing which plants to visit, whereas queens base plant choice on patch and individual attributes. Such differences between castes in foraging rules when exploiting the same floral resource have received little attention, and provide insights into the heterogeneity of harvestable reward distributions from the perspective of the forager population.
Rent-seeking in the academy: The political economy of specialty programs

S ince the 1960s, hundreds of ethnic (black/Hispanic/native American) and gender (women's) studies programs have been established in American universities. Emerging from the civil rights and women's movements, these specialty programs were established to "meet the needs" of various minority groups that had been "neglected" by the mainstream curriculum--a curriculum, it is claimed, designed by and for white males. At a time when civil rights activists were demanding racial integration of white institutions and increased female and minority participation in all aspects of campus life, the establishment of specialty programs was a contradictory process of selfsegregation, leading to the creation of "academic ghettos." A large volume of literature questions the merit of and the need for these specialty programs. 1 It is commonly assumed that the intended goal of specialty programs is to serve the "interests" of "disadvantaged" minorities and women, and this is used to justify larger budgets for such programs. In this essay, I argue that specialty programs serve the economic interests of their faculty. Through self-segregation, and by creating artificial barriers to employment in these areas, specialty programs are de facto unions, enhancing the incomes of their "members." To establish these claims, the economic conception of "rents" is applied in an analysis of salary data drawn from a sample of twenty American universities. This evidence indicates that specialty programs generate significant economic rents. Any benefits specialty programs yield to minorities and women could be considered byproducts of the faculty seeking and receiving rents. (It is important to note that even those most critical of specialty programs are not basically opposed to courses on minorities and women. Instead, they object to the creation of separate departments with different standards that offer
Flow serration and shear-band viscosity during inhomogeneous deformation of a Zr-based bulk metallic glass

Abstract Uniaxial compressive behavior of Zr 64.13 Cu 15.75 Ni 10.12 Al 10 bulk metallic glass at room temperature was characterized with high-sensitivity strain gauges directly attached to test samples. Displacement–time curves exhibited micron-size serrations (or bursts) after the onset of yielding, apparently associated with discrete shear band formation. Each displacement burst disclosed three-step (acceleration, steady-state, and deceleration) process in shear band propagation. The viscosity of a propagating shear band was found to be relatively low and, actually, in a similar range usually measured in the supercooled liquid region. A detailed analysis of the experimental results using a self-consistent Vogel–Fulcher–Tamann (VFT) equation based on free volume model suggested that shear band propagation was mainly resulted from free volume accumulation.
Deletional switch recombination occurs in interleukin-4-induced isotype switching to IgE expression by human B cells.

Abstract There is controversy as to whether deletional rearrangement occurs between the IgM and IgE switch regions (S mu and S epsilon, respectively) during switching to the IgE isotype. We have addressed the issue by stimulating normal human B cells, sorted for lack of expression of surface IgE, to produce IgE by infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the presence of interleukin 4 (IL-4). Genomic DNA was amplified for S mu/S epsilon switch junction fragments by utilizing the nested-primer polymerase chain reaction. Switch junction fragments were amplified from B cells infected with EBV in the presence of IL-4 but not from B cells infected with EBV alone. The DNA sequence of these "switch fragments" revealed direct joining of S mu to S epsilon in each case. The recombination sites within S mu were clustered within 900 base pairs at the 5' end of the switch region, suggesting that there are "hot spots" for recombination within S mu. The S epsilon recombination sites were scattered throughout the S epsilon region. These findings indicate that IL-4-induced isotype switching to IgE production in human B cells is accompanied by DNA rearrangements with joining of S mu to S epsilon.
Dipole radiation from semi-infinite photonic crystal

The emission spectrum of a dipole embedded in a semi-infinite photonic crystal is calculated. For simplicity, we study the case in which the dielectric function is sinusoidally modulated only along the direction perpendicular to the boundary surface plane. In addition to oscillations of the emission rate with the distance of the dipole from the interface we also observed that the shape of the emission spectrum srongly depends on the initial phase of the dielectric modulation. When the direction of light propagation inside the periodic structure is not normal to the boundary surface plane we observed aditional singularities in the emission spectrum, which arise due to different angle-dependence of the Bragg stop-band for TE and TM polarizations.
Characterizing, simulating, and eliminating vibration-induced counts in measurement-while-drilling gamma ray detectors

Abstract A measurement-while-drilling (MWD) gamma ray tool will report a higher than actual count rate if its scintillation crystal package produces vibration-induced light pulses. The scintillation crystal is used as a transducer that measures the count rate of gamma rays coming from naturally occurring radioisotopes in downhole shales. Each gamma ray causes the crystal to emit a number of visible light photons that are converted into an electrical pulse by a photomultiplier tube. The pulse is shaped and digitized by tool electronics and registers as a count if it is above some threshold energy. The harsh shock and vibration conditions MWD gamma detectors experience can cause a crystal package to emit spurious light pulses which typical tool electronics cannot distinguish from genuine gamma counts, so the detector will report a higher than actual count rate. For ‘geosteering’ applications a higher count rate typically will indicate that the drill string trajectory must be changed to remain within a reservoir because such a response is indicative of a shale reservoir boundary; therefore vibration-induced counts will provide a false control input, making it difficult to steer correctly. This could cause the trajectory of the drill string to exit the reservoir. Measurements of vibration-induced counts from MWD scintillation packages were made using an electrodynamic vibration table, gamma ray spectroscopy electronics, and a digitizing oscilloscope. It was found that a scintillation package will produce counts as a function of the input g -level if the Rigid body resonant frequency of the crystal in its support structure is within the bandwidth of the operational vibration environment. These measurements provided the basis for computer simulations of MWD gamma ray logging that showed the detrimental effect of vibration-induced counts on log accuracy. It was concluded that stiffening the scintillation crystal mechanical support and, therefore, moving the rigid body resonant frequencies of the system outside the operational vibration bandwidth ensures the scintillation package will not produce vibration-induced counts in a specified bandwidth.
Team Effort by TRAPP Forces a Nucleotide Fumble

TRAPPI is a multisubunit protein complex on the Golgi that activates the small GTPase Ypt1p to facilitate the receipt of transport vesicles inbound from the endoplasmic reticulum. Cai et al. (2008) now present structural and biochemical analyses of yeast TRAPPI in a complex with Ypt1p revealing a unique mechanism by which TRAPPI catalyzes guanine nucleotide exchange.
Control freaks: immune regulatory cells.

The “Immune Regulatory Networks” meeting in Boston gathered scientists with a passion for regulatory T cells to discuss the latest information on an increasingly important subject.
Inhibition of sympathetic responses at birth in sheep by lesion of the paraventricular nucleus

Birth is characterized by a surge in sympathetic outflow, heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and circulating catecholamines. The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus ...
Measuring and valuing intangible capital in the wireless communications industry

Abstract We investigate the measurement and valuation of intangible capital in the wireless telecommunications industry. Four specific sources of intangible capital are investigated: advertising, research and development (R&D), radio spectrum licenses, and measures of installed customer base. All four sources of intangible capital explain a statistically significant portion of the variation in Tobin’s q, but the variation explained by R&D is subsumed by that explained by licenses. Together, licenses and advertising explain over 60% of the variation in q, and licenses are the much more powerful predictor of the two. The industry average q exceeds ten, and it appears that the failure of financial accounting statements to reasonably value licenses plays a substantial role in causing these extraordinarily high q ratios.
Instructional computing: the second decade

The current state of instructional computing art is the focus of a recently released book titled Instructional Computing in University: The Second Decade. Edited by Julian Feldman and Charles Mosmann, this slim volume contains papers and discussion reports from an invitational conference celebrating ten years of instructional computing at the University of California at Irvine. The conference planners invited a single paper in each of four areas of instructional computing---instructional interface, delivery mechanism, organization, and cost---hoping to survey the state of the art in the discipline. Each paper was the focus of a "workshop" and concluding paper. Thus, the volume serves as a proceedings of the conference.
Diabetes diagnosis and exercise initiation among older Americans.

Abstract Objective To determine whether exercise participation increased following a new diagnosis of diabetes using a sample of U.S. individuals aged 50 and over who did not report exercise prior to diagnosis. Methods We used data from the 2004–2010 Health and Retirement Study in a pre–post study design. Individuals newly-diagnosed with diabetes (N = 635) were propensity score matched to a comparison group with no diabetes. Results In the year following a reported diagnosis, 35.7% (95% confidence interval 32.0 to 39.5) of those newly diagnosed with diabetes initiated exercise as compared with 31.4% (95% confidence interval 27.9 to 35.1) for the matched cohort with no diabetes, with a between-group difference of 4.3 percentage points (95% confidence interval − 0.9 to 9.4). Among individuals with fewer health risk factors at baseline, the between-group difference was 15.6 percentage points (95% confidence interval 1.58 to 29.5). Conclusion Over 35% of persons with a new diagnosis of diabetes initiated moderate or vigorous exercise in the year following their diagnosis. Among individuals with fewer health risk factors at baseline, those newly-diagnosed with diabetes were more likely to begin exercise than those without diabetes.
An algorithm for the quantification of ST-T segment variability

A template boundary algorithm which quantitatively determines repolarization (ST-T segment) variability in a normal population has been developed. The algorithm defines an initial ST-T template for comparison with successive beats. Variability is quantified using boundary limits around the template which are widened, when necessary, to included incoming ST-T segments. The boundaries at the end of each hour are stored and the collection of boundaries over a set of normal subjects quantifies the normal variation over the entire ST-T segment. The algorithm can be used to determine prospectively normal ST-T variability based on a regression analysis of R-wave or T-wave amplitude, and QT interval. Application of these boundary predictions should be useful in distinguishing repolarization changes secondary to ischemia from normal variability.
Association of p75 NTR with Caveolin and Localization of Neurotrophin-induced Sphingomyelin Hydrolysis to Caveolae

Caveolae are plasma membrane microdomains that are enriched in caveolin, the structural protein of caveolae, sphingomyelin, and other signaling molecules. We previously suggested that neurotrophin-induced p75NTR-dependent sphingomyelin hydrolysis may be localized to the plasma membrane. Therefore, we examined if caveolae were a major site of p75NTR-dependent sphingomyelin hydrolysis in p75NTR-NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. Caveolin-enriched membranes (CEMs) were prepared by either detergent or detergent-free extraction and separated from noncaveolar membranes by centrifugation through sucrose gradients. Immunoblot analysis of the individual gradient fractions indicated that caveolin and p75NTR were enriched in CEMs. The localization of p75NTR to CEMs was not an artifact of receptor overexpression in the fibroblasts because a similar distribution of p75NTR was evident from PC12 cells, which endogenously express p75NTR. In the p75NTR fibroblasts, nerve growth factor induced a time-dependent hydrolysis of sphingomyelin only in CEMs with no hydrolysis detected in noncaveolar membranes. Intriguingly, endogenous p75NTR was found to co-immunoprecipitate with caveolin, suggesting that p75NTR may associate with caveolin in vivo. This interaction was confirmed in vitro by the co-immunoprecipitation of a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein expressing the cytoplasmic domain of p75NTR with caveolin. Collectively, these results demonstrate that neurotrophin-induced p75NTR-dependent sphingomyelin hydrolysis localizes to CEMs and suggest that the interaction of p75NTR with caveolin may affect signaling through p75NTR.
USING NONSTANDARD ANALYSIS TO ENSURE THE CORRECTNESS OF SYMBOLIC COMPUTATIONS

Nonstandard analysis has been put to use in a theorem-prover, where it assists in the analysis of formulae involving limits. The theorem-prover in question is used in the computer program Mathpert to ensure the correctness of calculations in calculus. Although non-standard analysis is widely viewed as non-constructive, it can alternately be viewed as a method of reducing logical manipulation (of formulae with quantifiers) to computation (with rewrite rules). We give a logical theory of nonstandard analysis which is implemented in Mathpert. We describe a procedure for “elimination of infinitesimals” (also implemented in Mathpert) and prove its correctness.
A loop theorem for duality spaces and fibred ribbon knots

In this paper we prove a version of the loop theorem for surfaces in the boundary of a 3-dimensional duality space, i.e. a space which resembles a 3manifold only in that it satisfies the appropriate form of Poincar6-Lefschetz duality over some field of untwisted coefficients. Our motivation comes from the fact that such spaces occur as the infinite cyclic coverings of certain 4manifolds which arise in the study of knot concordance, and as the main application of our theorem we show that if a fibred knot in the 3-sphere is a ribbon knot, then its monodromy extends over a handlebody. We approach the loop theorem via the study of planar coverings of a surface, as in the original paper of Papakyriakopoulos [11] and the subsequent work of Maskit [9]. w contains a simple geometric treatment of these matters. The main result of w is that a duality space actually satisfies duality with (twisted) coefficient module the quotient of the fundamental group ring by any power of the augmentation ideal. In w 4, the results of w167 2 and 3, together with an algebraic lemma on the intersection of the powers of the augmentation ideal of a group ring, are used to prove the loop theorem for 3-dimensional duality spaces. (For the reader's convenience a proof of the algebraic temma is included as an appendix.) w contains the application to fibred ribbon knots mentioned above. In w the result of w is used to obtain a limited amount of information on some questions about knots in the boundaries of contractible 4-manifolds. In w we apply our methods to another aspect of knot concordance, and show that for any concordance with a rationally anisotropic fibred knot (see [7]) at one end, the inclusion of the complement of the knot into the complement of the concordance induces an injection of fundamental groups. For torus knots, this question was raised by Scharlemann [14].
An early sodium and a late calcium phase in the afterdischarge of peptide-secreting neurons ofAplysia

Following brief electrical stimulation of a pleuroabdominal connective nerve, the clusters of peptidergic bag cell neurons of Aplysia generate a long-lasting (or approximately 30 min) synchronous afterdischarge. In a normal seawater medium, the afterdischarge comprises an early phase of rapid firing (2-6 Hz) lasting for less than one minute, followed by a second, prolonged phase of lowering firing rate (less than 0.5 Hz). We have found that the transition from the first, rapid-firing phase to the prolonged second phase of afterdischarge is associated with an increase both in the width and height of intracellularly recorded action potentials. In addition, we find that in the presence of the potassium channel-blocker, TEA, such biphasic afterdischarges may be triggered by depolarizing current that evokes action potentials in a single bag cell neuron in a cluster. Afterdischarges resembling either the first or the second phase of a normal afterdischarge may be produced by using media deficient in calcium or sodium, respectively, in combination with potassium channel-blockers. Brief stimulation in media deficient in calcium give rise to afterdischarges of high firing frequency (2-6 Hz) lasting for less than one minute (mean duration = 41 s) while, in a sodium-free medium, longer afterdischarges (mean duration = 18 min) of lower firing rate (less than 0.3 Hz) were generated. At the end of afterdischarge in a normal seawater medium, containing both sodium and calcium ions, the bag cell neurons become refractory to stimulation. Thus, further stimulation either fails to induce afterdischarge or results in afterdischarges that are attenuated both in frequency of firing and in duration compared with the first afterdischarge. In these experiments we found that the brief afterdischarges, observed in low-calcium media, which resemble the first phase of a normal afterdischarge, did not induce subsequent refractoriness while afterdischarges evoked in the normal calcium, sodium-free medium did result in refractoriness to further afterdischarge. Our data indicate that both phases of a bag cell afterdischarge are due to intrinsic bag cell mechanisms and suggest that the firing pattern in the first phase is largely sodium dependent and that of the second, slow phase is calcium dependent. Moreover, our data indicate that it is the second, calcium-dependent phase that induces the refractoriness that follows bag cell afterdischarge.
Merrill's the Changing Light at Sandover

(1996). Merrill's the Changing Light at Sandover. The Explicator: Vol. 55, No. 1, pp. 51-53.
Illustrating empirical Bayes methods

Abstract Empirical Bayes methods have found increasing use in statistical analyses. These methods allow the modelling of complicated systems and provide a mechanism for obtaining parameter estimates. They are based on Bayesian models, but employ alternate estimation techniques. In this article these methods are explained and illustrated with many examples taken from real situations.
A Commentary on Religious Conflicts and a Call for a Focus on the Best the Traditions have to Offer

The casual observer of the religious traditions cannot get a very good impression when attending to the daily news. One might easily conclude that much of the troubles in the world today are caused by religious conflicts and the inability of the religious communities to get along. Sometimes, it appears that the planet would be better off without religion at all. Tragically, most of the general population are perhaps religious illiterates who focus on religious differences and conflicts rather than similarities and what they offer at their best. While there are a number of efforts by scholars and others to improve interfaith respect and conversation, our world would be better off if we focused on the best the religious traditions have to offer rather than the worst as well as respecting and being open to traditions other than our own. This could be accomplished if religious education and training were greatly altered.
Audial engagement

Effects of game characters' voiceovers on players' engagement.Character voiceovers result in better engagement in participants.Voiceovers have moderately significant effect on play-learners' engagement.More research is needed to investigate presence of other audio effects in games. Learner engagement has been considered to be an important factor for successful learning in multimedia learning environments, which include digital game-based learning (DGBL). Nonetheless, there have been few empirical studies and very little consensus on what elements critically affect learners' engagement in a DGBL environment. Audial and visual stimuli are often the only means to communicate learning materials to the learners because of the virtual environment found in DGBLs. This means that learners' engagement in DGBL will need to occur via audial or visual stimuli - sans other specialty devices to immerse players in virtual reality (such as Occulus Rifts and Virtusphere). Yet, very few researchers have directly measured the effect of sensory stimuli on learners' engagement during (game-based) learning. This study examined the effects of non-player characters' (NPC) voiceovers on play-learners' engagement in DGBL through a role-playing game (RPG). A randomized control-group post-test only design was used to collect data from 74 participants. Data analysis revealed that the participants who played the game with voiceovers were more engaged than participants who played without voiceovers. The results of this study will guide practitioners to identify more effective ways of adopting, developing, and modifying digital games for educational purposes.
Concentrations of biotin metabolites in human milk.

Because estimates of the biotin requirement for infants currently are based on the biotin concentration in human milk, we sought to determine whether inactive biotin metabolites are present. Samples were collected for 7 weeks post partum from 15 healthy women. Biotin and the inactive metabolites bisnorbiotin and biotin sulfoxide were measured by means of a high-performance liquid chromatography avidin-binding assay. At 8 days post partum the proportion of biotin was 44%, bisnorbiotin 48%, and biotin sulfoxide 8%. Although biotin content increased post partum (p
Immunological functions of non-professional antigen-presenting cells: new insights from studies of T cell interactions with keratinocytes.

Abstract T-cell activation in the absence of co-stimulatory signals can lead to induction of anergy. Professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) of bone marrow origin, such as macrophages and dendritic cells, can provide co-stimulation through molecules such as B7-1 and B7-2. In addition, cells of epithelial origin can function as ‘non-professional' APCs when activated. In these circumstances, the functional consequences of the T cell-APC interaction may differ, perhaps due to the nature of the co-stimulatory pathways utilized and/or the cytokines encountered by the T cell. Here, Brian Nickoloff and Laurence Turka suggest that these differences may be important in regulating immune responses to local antigens and also in maintaining self-tolerance.
FINE STRUCTURE OF THE TASTE BUD.

An electron microscope study on the taste bud in the fungiform papilla of the adult rat tongue was performed. Four cell types, classified according to their location, morphology, and relation to intraepithelial nerve processes, are described. These are the peripheral, basal, type I (dark), and type II (light) cells. The peripheral cells are located on the outer circumference of the lower half of the taste bud. They are characterized primarily by their high content of diffusely scattered RNP particles, their characteristic tubular filaments, and their lack of association with intraepithelial nerve processes. Peripheral cells are considered to be the precursors of all the other cell types in the taste bud. Basal cells are located near the inferior pole of the central area of the taste bud. They are in proximity to one or more nerve processes. The basal cells are similar morphologically to peripheral cells except that they have a more extensive Golgi apparatus and, in that area of their cytoplasm adjacent to a nerve process, a cluster of small vesicles. This cell type is considered to be an intermediate form between peripheral cells and the type I and type II cells. The cluster of vesicles is thought to represent evidence for early differentiative changes in this intermediate cell type. Type I cells are spindle-shaped and extend from the basement membrane to the taste pore. Microvilli project from the apical part of this cell type into the pore. The cytoplasm is characterized by the following: an abundance of delicate, filamentous material; lamellated, dense bodies; a prominent Golgi apparatus, but few other organelles. Tight junctions are formed between adjacent type I cells near their distal ends. This cell type usually envelops several intraepithelial nerve processes in a manner similar to that of Schwann cells. The type I cell is considered to be a taste receptor cell. The type II cell cytoplasm is characterized by an abundance of mitochondria and variously sized vesicles and vacuoles. It is proposed that this cell plays a role in formation and maintenance of the taste pore. The taste pore is usually plugged with amorphous dense material containing several, small, membrane-bounded vesicles, presumably of cellular origin.
Effects of antiepileptic drug characteristics on medication adherence.

Abstract Purpose To determine whether antiepileptic drug (AED) characteristics are associated with medication adherence. Methods We reviewed pharmacy and clinical records of 108 patients with epilepsy from the indigent care program at Shands-Jacksonville. We calculated the mean medication possession ratio (MMPR) for each AED. Using univariate analysis, we determined whether differences exist in the MMPR of various AEDs. We also determined whether the MMPR differs accordingly to the use of mono- or combination therapy, dosing frequency, release-type, or brand-name formulation. We employed multivariable analysis to determine if these differences persisted in the context of other demographic and clinical variables. Results Mean medication possession ratio was higher (better) when using older AEDs, in monotherapy, and with more frequent dosing intervals. These variables remained significant on multivariable analysis. Conclusion Our findings contradict some commonly held beliefs on medication adherence and suggest that specific AED characteristics may be superseded by factors such as overall patient satisfaction with the drug regimen.
Limitations of the C6/Wistar rat intracerebral glioma model: implications for evaluating immunotherapy.

Objective Intracranial rat glioma models are a useful method for evaluating the efficacy and toxicity of novel therapies for malignant glioma. The C6/Wistar model has been used extensively as a reproducible in vivo model for studying primary brain tumors including anti-glioma immune responses. The objective of the present study is to provide in vivo evidence that the C6 rat glioma model is allogeneic within Wistar rats and is therefore inappropriate for evaluating immune responses. Methods Growth patterns and immune responses of C6 cells implanted into the brain and flank of Wistar rats were analyzed and compared to an immunogenic syngeneic model (9L/Fischer). Results Wistar rats with C6 tumors developed a potent humoral and cellular immune response to the tumor. Wistar rats given simultaneous flank and intracerebral tumors had a survival rate of 100% compared to an 11% survival rate in control animals receiving only intracranial C6 cells. Conclusion The C6 rat glioma induces a vigorous immune reaction that may mimic a specific anti-tumor response in Wistar rats. Efficacy of immunotherapy within this model must be cautiously interpreted.
Association of Kaposi's sarcoma with second primary malignancies: possible etiopathogenic implications.

The association of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) with second primary cancers, especially of the lymphoreticular system, has been frequently noted. To confirm these reports in a systematic way, data on a series of 92 patients with KS treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) 1949–1975 were subjected to extensive statistical analysis. Use was made also of 4517 double primaries including all sites, diagnosed at MSKCC 1949–1974, and 1959 simultaneous double primaries from the Third National Cancer Survey. Some key results: (1) 37% of KS patients had toher primary malignancies; (2) there was a 20-fold increase in the incidence of lymphoreticular malignancies after diagnosis of KS; (3) in the MSKCC series of double primaries, lymphoreticular malignancies were involved in 8% of cases; for KS alone the corresponding figure was 58%. Our findings provide evidence in support of possible etiopathogenic mechanisms that may be involved in the natural course of KS.
Adhesion study of polyimide to single-wall carbon nanotube bundles by energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy

High-resolution electron microscopy and energy-filtered imaging methods were used to examine single-wall carbon nanotubes and nanotube reinforced polyimide composites. The nanotubes were studied alone, in a polyimide matrix composite, and after deposition of composite material previously dissolved in a solvent. Energy-filtered images based on nitrogen core loss excitations were used to discern the presence of polyimide. Elemental maps of nanotubes extracted from the composite revealed good wetting of the nanotube surfaces by the polyimide.
REVISING THE MEYER MODEL: DENVER AND THE NATIONAL URBAN SYSTEM, 1859–1879

D. R. Meyer's model of frontier urban growth hypothesizes predictable links between an emerging frontier center and the national urban system. The effectiveness of Meyer's model is evaluated through a content analysis of nonlocal economic place-name mentions in 19th century Colorado newspapers. Using Denver as a case study, the changing pattern of its links to the national urban system between 1859 and 1879 suggests elaborations and revisions in the Meyer model. Interpretations offered by Vance, Conzen, Muller, Pred, and others are used to pose an alternative model of frontier center linkages with a dynamic national urban system.
Effect of Boundary Layers on Solid Walls in Three-Dimensional Subsonic Wind Tunnels

A solution for the tunnel wall boundary layer effects for three-dimensional subsonic tunnels is presented. The model potentials are represented with simple singularities placed on the centerline of the tunnel and Laplace's equation in cylindrical coordinates is solved for either the conventional homogeneous slotted-wall boundary condition, the solid-wall viscous boundary condition, or a combination of them. The most pronounced wall boundary layer effect is on solid blockage for completely closed wind tunnels. Boundary layers on the wall reduce the blockage from the solid-wall, no-boundary-layer case in a manner similar to opening slots in a solid wall. Additionally, for solid-wall tunnel configurations, the streamline curvature interference factor is reduced by a significant amount, whereas the lift interference factor at the model station does not depend on the boundary layer parameter. For combination wall configurations, the slot effect of the horizontal walls dominates the viscous effect of the solid sidewalls.
Arctic hazes in summer over Greenland and the North American Arctic: II. Nature and concentrations of accumulation-mode and giant particles

Airborne measurements made during August 1985 over Greenland and its environs show that both accumulation-mode (0.1 μm ≤D≤2.0 μm) and giant (D≥2 μm) particles were present in relatively high concentrations in arctic haze layers and that the accumulation-mode particles dominated light scattering. Particles with diameters (D) between ∼ 1 and 4 μm consisted predominately of mixed materials, small and dense inclusions, and probably organic compounds containing sulfur. Many of the particles from 0.1 to 1 μm in diameter were also of mixed composition, with sulfuric acid, ammonium sulfate and organics probably the dominant constituents.
Political Participation in the Barriadas An Extension and Reexamination

Existing research on the voting behavior of the urban poor in the Third World has frequently suggested that demand aggregation by political parties (especially in a multiparty system) is not clear-...
Intracellular mechanisms regulating cell survival in ovarian follicles.

The vertebrate ovary represents a uniquely dynamic organ system charged with the responsibility to initially provide, and subsequently foster, optimal numbers of maturing, viable gametes that will insure the propagation of the species. Seemingly in spite of this charge, >99% of germ cells within the ovaries of mammalian and avian species present at the time of birth or hatch are lost via atresia at some point during the lifespan of the female. The consequence of this ongoing germ cell and ovarian follicle attrition in some species eventually leads to the natural termination of reproductive function (e.g. menopause in humans), while in all species an excessive loss of germ cells frequently results in diminished reproductive potential due to subclinical or clinical infertility. Apoptosis represents the primary pathway by which defective or excessive numbers of follicles are rapidly and effectively eliminated, and this process is actively opposed or entirely suppressed by a variety of cell survival signaling pathways and cellular anti-apoptotic proteins expressed within follicles destined for ovulation. Significantly, such survival mechanisms are regulated by many of the same endocrine-paracrine-autocrine factors that control follicle differentiation. This review will begin by briefly discussing the process of apoptosis, then focus on the varied and often redundant mechanisms that prevent apoptotic cell death in granulosa cells specifically during the late preantral (comparable to the prehierarchal stage of follicle development in avian species) and preovulatory stages of follicle development.