cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurements of short wavelength VLF bursts in the auroral ionosphere: a case for electromagnetic mode conversion?

Intense, localized bursts of VLF emissions were measured on the University of California at Berkeley Alaska '93 auroral sounding rocket. A wavelength determination for these waves was obtained using cross-spectral analysis on high time resolution electric field measurements from dipole antennas and an onboard burst memory system. The observation of an antenna null in the cross-spectral response reveals very short wavelength emissions with wavelengths less than 5.5 meters. The applicability of a collapse theory for these emissions is put in question since these examples are not well correlated with electron density depletions. In addition, these waves do not appear to be associated with a particular type of electron distribution which may have been responsible for their generation. The presence of electromagnetic modes in the VLF frequency range in the vicinity of many of these electrostatic bursts, along with continual electron density turbulence of 1–5%, may provide evidence for a linear mode coupling mechanism in which electrostatic VLF waves are produced by the scattering of incident electromagnetic whistlers from electron density irregularities.
Applicability of the Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher type asymptotic exponential functions for ice, hydrates, and polystyrene latex

The validity of the Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher type asymptotic exponential functions for representing the temperature dependence of various properties, such as the particle-particle pull-off adherence forces in ice and hydrates and the annealing effect on polystyrene latex films, is demonstrated. The parameters of this equation are determined using the reported experimental data. The applications show that such functions yield accurate correlations of the experimental property data measured at various temperatures.
Characteristics and outcomes of patients with sarcoidosis listed for lung transplantation.

Abstract Study objectives To characterize the course of patients with advanced sarcoidosis who have been listed for lung transplantation and to identify prognostic factors for death while they are on the waiting list. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Tertiary-care university hospital. Patients Forty-three patients with sarcoidosis who have been listed for lung transplantation at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center. Methods A multivariable explanatory analysis using a Cox proportional hazards model was performed to determine risk factors that are independently associated with mortality while patients await transplantation. Results Twenty-three of the 43 patients (53%) died while awaiting transplantation. The survival rate of listed patients (as determined by the Kaplan-Meier method) was 66% at 1 year, 40% at 2 years, and 31% at 3 years. In a univariate analysis, the following factors were significantly associated with death on the waiting list: Pa o 2 ≤ 60 mm Hg (relative risk [RR], 3.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2 to 9.3); mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥ 35 mm Hg (RR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.1 to 9.5); cardiac index≤ 2 L/min/m 2 (RR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.2 to 6.6), and right atrial pressure (RAP) ≥ 15 mm Hg (RR, 7.6; 95% CI, 3.0 to 19.3). Multivariable analysis revealed that RAP ≥ 15 mm Hg was the only independent prognostic variable (RR, 5.2; 95% CI, 1.6 to 16.7; p = 0.006). Twelve patients underwent lung transplantation. Survival after transplantation determined by the Kaplan-Meier method was 62% at both 1 and 2 years, and 50% at 3 years. Conclusions Patients with advanced sarcoidosis awaiting lung transplantation have a high mortality rate with a median survival of
Schizotypy and altered digit ratios: A second look

Abstract Alterations in the ratio between the 2nd and 4th finger digits have been posited as a potential indicator of increased liability for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. We compared digit ratios in two groups of psychometrically-identified schizotypes, namely, those characterized by positive schizotypy (perceptual aberrations and magical ideation; n = 76) and those characterized by negative schizotypy (social anhedonia; n = 64), to a control group (n = 110). The groups were also compared in terms of their performance on a measure of Theory of Mind, namely, the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) and trait affect, as measured by the PANAS. Our results indicate that neither negative schizotypy nor positive schizotypy is associated with altered digit ratios. Similarly, the groups showed no significant differences on the RMET. However, we observed a small but significant inverse association between Theory of Mind performance and negative affect. The findings are considered in light of the extant literature. These results call into question the viability of altered digit ratios to serve as an indicator of increased risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.
Resolution, in vitro and in vivo evaluation of fluorine‐18‐labeled isomers of 1‐azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct‐3‐ylα‐(1‐fluoropent‐5‐yl)α‐hydroxy‐α‐phenylacetate (FQNPe) as new PET candidates for the imaging of muscarinic‐cholinergic receptor

1-Azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-3-yl-α-(1-fluoropent-5-yl)-α-hydroxy-α-phenylacetate (FQNPe, 2), an analogue of 1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-3-yl α,α-(diphenyl)-α-hydroxyacetate (QNB), was resolved into its four stereoisomers. In vitro binding assays of the stereoisomers of 2 demonstrated that while the (S,S)-isomer did not have significant receptor binding, the other stereoisomers of 2 bound with high affinity to the various mAChR subtypes [K i , nM: m1, (R,R), 0.33; (R,S), 1.4; (S,R), 3.8; m2, (R,R), 0.1; (R,S), 4.2; (S,R), < 75% binding; m3, (R,R), 0.34; (R,S), 3.1; (S,R), 7.6]. The (R,R)- and (R,S)-stereoisomers of 2 were radiolabeled with fluorine-18 via a two step procedure in radiochemical yields of 12-21% (n=2) and 9% (decayed corrected to beginning of synthesis), respectively. In vivo biodistribution studies demonstrated significant uptake of [ 18 F]-(R,R)-2 in cerebral mAChR-rich regions of rat brains up to 3 h post injection. Low accumulation of fluorine-18 in the bone indicated that [ 18 F]-(R,R)-2 displayed significant in vivo stability. In contrast [ 18 F]-(R,S)-2 demonstrated rapid washout from all cerebral regions. Preinjection of (R)-QNB (3 mg/kg) 1 h prior to the injection of [ 18 F]-(R,R)-2 blocked the uptake of activity in cerebral regions by approximately 90% while the preinjection of haloperidol (3 mg/kg) 1 h prior to the injection of [ 18 F]-(R,R)-2 demonstrated no statistically significant effect on the binding of the radiotracer. An ex vivo metabolic study utilizing [ 18 F]-(R,R)-2 demonstrated that greater than 96% of the organic soluble radioactivity which localized in the brain and heart at 1 h post-injection migrated on TLC with the same mobility as the parent Although [ 18 F]-(R,R)-2 did not demonstrate a desired in vitro or in vivo mAChR subtype selectivity, these results suggest that the introduction of a fluoroalkyl group in various benzylic analogues of QNB is an attractive radiolabeling moiety for further evaluation in the design of selective PET mAChR imaging ligands
A Summary of Recent Damage-Initiation Experiments on KDP Crystals

We summarize recent investigations of the density and morphology of bulk damage in KDP crystals as a function of pulse duration, temporal profile, wavelength, and energy fluence. As previously reported by Runkel et al., we also find that the size of bulk damage sites varies roughly linearly with pulse duration for pulses between 1 ns and 9 ns. However this trend no longer applies at pulse durations below 1 ns. Experiments measuring the damage density and size distribution as a function of wavelength confirm many previous works which indicated a strong dependence of damage density with wavelength. However, we also find that the size of damage sites is relatively insensitive to wavelength. Further we see damage due to Flat-In-Time (FIT) pulses has different pulse length and fluence dependence than Gaussian pulses. We demonstrate that a simple thermal diffusion model can account for observed differences in damage densities due to square and Gaussian temporally shaped pulses of equal fluence. Moreover, we show that the key laser parameter governing size of the bulk damage sites is the length of time the pulse remains above a specific intensity. The different dependences of damage density and damage site size on laser parameters suggest differentmore » absorption mechanisms early and late in the damaging pulse.« less
Speciation of nickel, copper, zinc, and manganese in different edible nuts: a comparative study of molecular size distribution by SEC-UV-ICP-MS

Molecular size distribution patterns of Cu, Mn, Ni, and Zn were determined in several nut species by size-exclusion liquid chromatography (SEC) coupled on-line to UV and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS) for detection. The molecular weight (MW) fractionation of the different metals was performed with a Superdex Peptide column, injecting 100 μL of the extracted solutions. The association of the elements with different MW fractions was observed with sequential detection by UV and ICP–MS. Various separation conditions were evaluated to obtain proper resolution and reproducible results with the size-exclusion column. Complete MW information of the elemental fractions in the nut samples was obtained within a retention time of 30 min. Fractionation of the above mentioned elements was done in nine different nut species commonly found in commercial markets. Variability of the fractionation patterns for two different extraction media, 0.05 mol L−1 NaOH and 0.05 mol L−1 HCl, was evaluated for every nut sample. Differences in the elemental fractionation patterns were found depending on the extraction procedure, nut species, and the type of element studied. It was also observed that the elements studied showed predominant association with high MW fractions when extracted with basic solution whereas with acidic extraction media only low MW fractions were obtained.
Righting the Canoe: the Slow Recovery and FY 2013 in Hawai‘i

DOI 10.1515/cjpp-2013-0023 Calif. J. Politics Policy 2013; 5(3): 415–431 Todd Belt* Righting the Canoe: the Slow Recovery and FY 2013 in Hawai‘i Abstract: Gov. Abercrombie’s promise to “right the canoe” is progressing slowly. The institutional impediment of working with former Gov. Lingle’s biennial budget is one reason for this. Another is the painstakingly slow economic recov- ery. This budget report covers those topics and the budget passed by the legis- lature for FY 13. That operating budget of $11.2 billion was slightly more than the governor requested. But, the big budget story for FY 2013 involves the CIP budget, which swelled to $3.2 billion, more than a billion more than the gover- nor’s request. The additions to the CIP budget involved a good deal of borrowing in order to stimulate Hawai‘i’s economy and improve its infrastructure in order to prod along the sluggish economic recovery. Keywords: budget; FY 12–13; governor; Hawai‘i; legislature. *Corresponding author: Todd Belt, Department of Political Science, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, Hilo, HI 96720-4091, e-mail: tbelt@hawaii.edu 1 Introduction Neil Abercrombie took over the governorship of Hawai‘i on December 5, 2010, giving Democrats both the state house and the governor’s mansion. But shortly after his inauguration, he was forced to introduce a budget prepared by his Republican predecessor, Linda Lingle. Abercrombie, who campaigned on a set of programs called a “New Day for Hawai‘i,” quickly scrambled to muster a package of adjustments to the 2011–2013 biennial budget. The governor could only do so much, and many of his controversial revenue proposals to fund new programs were shot down by the 2011 legislature. The 2012 legislature worked on the second year of the biennial budget, and anticipated revenue increases allowed the legislature to fill in many of the cuts budgeted the prior year. This allowed for passage of 11 of the governor’s 14 priority initiatives. A major achievement celebrated by the legislature and governor was the set- tlement to resolve a ceded lands dispute. Senate Bill 2783 conveyed parcels of land in Honolulu to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The total value of the land was estimated at $200 million.
Upregulation of immunoproteasomes by nitric oxide: potential antioxidative mechanism in endothelial cells.

Abstract Nitric oxide ( NO) was shown to stimulate the proteasomal function and the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway and to ameliorate endothelial apoptotic signaling induced by oxidants. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms by which NO stimulates proteasomes and affords cytoprotection in endothelial cells has therapeutic implications, as many vascular diseases are characterized by a deficiency in NO. Here we report that NO/cGMP/cAMP-induced immunoproteasome subunit expression is responsible for the increased proteasomal activities. Cells pretreated with protein kinase G and protein kinase A inhibitors markedly attenuated NO-dependent proteasome activation. Results show that the NO/cGMP/cAMP signaling mechanism enhanced the phosphorylation of the transcription factor cAMP-response element-binding protein, elevated the cAMP-response element-promoter activity and induced the expression of immunoproteasomal subunits (LMP2 and LMP7). NO-dependent proteasomal activity was abrogated in cells transfected with antisense LMP2 and LMP7 oligonucleotides. Lower levels of LMP2 and LMP7 were detected in aorta of iNOS−/− mice compared to wild-type controls, suggesting that endogenous production of NO is important in the basal regulation of immunoproteasome. The NO/cGMP/cAMP signaling pathway mitigates transferrin-iron-mediated oxidative stress and apoptosis through induction of immunoproteasomes. These results provide new insights on the regulatory mechanisms by which the NO-mediated immunoproteasome signaling pathway affords cytoprotection in endothelial cells.
Adaptive sex ratios and parent-offspring conflict

Studies testing the theoretical prediction that birds would adaptively vary the sex ratio of their offspring either supported theoretical predictions or simply found a 1:1 sex ratio. Four recent papers, in particular one by Kate Oddie, of Great Tit nestling sex ratios, however, found that, when conditions are poor, the sex ratio is male biased, opposite of what was predicted by theory. The development of molecular markers to sex birds using minute amounts of blood has allowed experiments that help us to explain this apparent anomaly.
Meaning in the context of stress and coping

Although theoretical and empirical work on topics related to meaning and meaning making proliferate, careful evaluation and integration of this area have not been carried out. Toward this end, this...
Thermal cleavage of the one-atom aryl-hydroaryl bridge in 2-(1-naphthylmethyl)-3,4-dihydronaphthalene

2-(1-Naphthylmethyl)-3,4-dihydronaphthalene (NMDN) was pyrolyzed neat at temperatures between 300 and 385 °C for batch holding times between 20 and 360 min. The products formed in the highest molar yields at moderate conversions are 2-(1-naphthalenylmethyl)naphthalene (dinaphthylmethane), 1-methylnaphthalene, 1,2-dihydronaphthalene (dialin), and 2-(1-naphthylmethyl)tetrahydronaphthalene (naphthyltetralylmethane). At higher conversions, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene (tetralin) and naphthalene appeared as important products. The temporal variations of the products' molar yields indicated that all of the products above, save tetralin, were primary products. These assignments led to a NMDN reaction network that comprises four parallel, stoichiometrically balanced, primary pathways. These paths lead to dinaphthylmethane plus H2, to dialin plus 1-methylnaphthalene plus dinaphthylmethane, to naphthyltetralylmethane plus dinaphthylmethane, and to naphthalene plus 2-methyldialin plus dinaphthylmethane. The kinetic...
Performance of job-related skill training for young people with disabilities

Abstract This study was based on the belief that young people with learning disabilities have difficulties acquiring sufficient employment because of lack of certain job-related social skills, including attendance. Deficits in social skills inherent to employment situations contribute to problems of job stability and interfere with the individual's ability to adequately function on the job. Thus, for adolescents with disabilities who are transitioning from school to work, social skills training is of paramount importance to insure success in gainful employment. This study addresses the need for improving punctuality and prompt attendance by the employee at work. The study investigated the initial and long-term impact of job-related social skills instruction for a young adult with learning disabilities. Moreover, the purpose of this single subject design study was to examine a postsecondary student's acquisition of improved punctuality and attendance necessary to maintain employment in his present position...
Ten years' experience with the Senning operation for transposition of the great arteries: physiological results and late follow-up.

Abstract We report our results in 93 consecutive infants and children who underwent atrial repair of simple transposition of the great arteries using the Senning operation between February 1978 and February 1988. Mean age at operation was 5.6 ± 6.3 months (range, 1 week to 4 years); 60 were less than 6 months old. There were 65 boys and 28 girls. Operative mortality was 5.4%, and there has been 1 late death. Average follow-up is 45.1 months with 39 followed more than 3 years and 25 followed more than 5 years. Postoperative cardiac catheterization was performed in 43 patients. Right ventricular ejection fraction at rest averaged 0.50 ± 0.09 and was normal in 26 patients. Response of right ventricular ejection fraction to afterload stress was abnormal in 12 of 14 patients tested. Right ventricular ejection fraction increased normally during exercise in 6 patients, but was abnormal in 15. Mild tricuspid regurgitation was noted in 10 patients. Mild obstruction of the superior vena cava was noted in 4 patients. Baffle leak requiring reoperation occurred in 1 patient. Seventy-two of 80 patients are in sinus rhythm by latest electrocardiogram. Postoperative electrophysiological studies were performed in 34 patients and Holter monitoring was performed in 22. A major arrhythmia occurred in 8 patients: 3 required a pacemaker for functional rhythm or sinus node dysfunction, 2 have symptomatic or inducible supraventricular tachycardia, 2 have functional rhythm, and 1 has sick sinus syndrome. Eight additional patients have delayed sinus node recovery time. At last follow-up, 78 children (97.5%) are in New York Heart Association functional class I, and 2 (2.5%) are in class II. The Senning operation for simple transposition of the great arteries can be accomplished with a low operative mortality. Serious baffle complications requiring reoperation are rare. Surviving patients are clinically well, but arrhythmias and depressed right ventricular function can be a problem with prolonged follow-up.
Modulation of Serum Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Bioactivity and Isoform Distribution by Estrogenic Steroids in Normal Women and in Gonadal Dysgenesis*

To determine the influence of estrogenic steroids on serum FSH bioactivity (B) and immunoreactivity (I) and the FSH isoform distribution profiles, we studied normal women during ovulatory menstrual cycles and a patient with gonadal dysgenesis treated with diethylstilbestrol (DES). Four women with ovulatory menstrual cycles, as judged from their serum immunoreactive LH, FSH, progesterone, and estradiol profiles in daily blood samples, had a significant increase in the mean FSH B/I ratio (P less than 0.05) during the midcycle phase of their menstrual cycles. Similarly, in the patient with gonadal dysgenesis the FSH B/I ratio rose significantly (P less than 0.05) after 3 weeks of DES treatment and declined during the posttreatment period. In five additional normal women, serum obtained during the follicular, midcycle, and luteal phases of their menstrual cycles was chromatofocused, and the FSH isoform distribution pattern determined. Sera obtained from the patient with gonadal dysgenesis before, during, and after DES administration were pooled and studied similarly. Chromatofocusing of a human pituitary tumor extract allowed for determination of the FSH B/I ratio in different pH ranges. The highest FSH B/I ratio was found in the more basic fractions (pH range 5.6-6.0) compared to the acidic fractions. During both the midcycle phase of the normal cycles and the DES administration period in the studies of the patient with gonadal dysgenesis, there was a shift of the FSH isoforms (as measured by immunoassay) to the basic pH range. In contrast, the mid- to late luteal phase samples, which had low B/I ratios, had an increase in FSH isoforms in the acidic pH range (less than 4.8). Similarly, in the patient with gonadal dysgenesis FSH isoforms in the basic range were more abundant during the DES treatment period than in the pre- or posttreatment serum pools. Therefore, it appears that endogenous and exogenous estrogenic stimulation alters FSH isoform distribution such that FSH isoforms that are more basic and have increased biological activity are secreted.
Comparing power imagery in TATs written by hand or on the computer

Two barriers to the use of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) in motivation research were addressed: its low internal consistency and its time-consuming coding system. Sixty males and 60 females wrote five stories to TAT pictures either on the computer or by hand. Half of each group were timed and half untimed. The writing of stories was guided by four sets of questions, and stories were coded for need for power (n Pow) by the corresponding four paragraphs. Cronbach’s alpha for the five stories was .46; for the 20 paragraphs, Cronbach’s alpha was .65. We conclude that, to the extent that measuring internal consistency is appropriate for a thought-sampling instrument like the TAT, internal consistency should be calculated by paragraphs. Significantly more words were produced in the untimed condition, but n Pow did not differ by gender, hand-written versus computer-written, or timed versus untimed conditions. The five pictures elicited significantly different amounts of n Pow. It is recommended that researchers who give the TAT on the computer use the untimed condition. Suggestions are made for increasing the scoring validity and for using the computer to decrease the time required for human coders.
Synaptic disinhibition during maintenance of long-term potentiation in the CA1 hippocampal subfield.

Abstract Long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 region of the hippocampus is widely believed to occur through a strengthening of efficacy of excitatory synapses between afferent fibers and pyramidal cells. An alternative mechanism of LTP, reduction of efficacy of synaptic inhibition, was examined in the present report. The present study demonstrates that the maintenance of LTP in the CA1 hippocampal subfield of guinea pigs is accompanied by impairment of type A gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor function, particularly at apical dendritic sites of CA1 pyramidal cells. Enhanced excitability of GABAergic interneurons during LTP represents a strengthening of inhibitory efficacy. The net effect of opposite modifications of synaptic inhibition during LTP of CA1 pyramidal cells is an overall impairment of the strength of GABAergic inhibition, and disinhibition could contribute importantly to CA1 pyramidal cell LTP.
A fungal endophyte-tree relationship: Phoma sp. in Taxus wallachiana

Abstract Taxus wallachiana, Nepalase yew, has many associated endophytic fungi. One of these is a Phoma sp. that lives primarily in the intercellular spaces of tissues in the phloem/cambial region of the tree limbs producing two antibiotic substances: altersolanol A and 2-hydroxy-6-methylbenzoic acid. These compounds were isolated from fungal culture, crystallized, bioassayed, and structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. The presence of endophytic fungi raises the question as to their role in the tree, however, we suggest that the T. wallachiana/Phoma sp. relationship is a mutualistic one. Normally, the organic solvent extract of yew is not antibacterial, however the organic solvent extract of T. media c.v. Hicksii, inoculated with Phoma sp., possessed antibacterial activity. This extract contains altersolanol A as demonstrated by chromatographic and mass spectroscopic analyses.
Future GOES-R global ground receivers

The Aerospace Corporation has developed an end-to-end testbed to demonstrate a wide range of modern modulation and coding alternatives for future broadcast by the GOES-R Global Rebroadcast (GRB) system. In particular, this paper describes the development of a compact, low cost, flexible GRB digital receiver that was designed, implemented, fabricated, and tested as part of the development. This receiver demonstrates a 10-fold increase in data rate compared to the rate achievable by the current GOES generation, without a major impact on either cost or size. The digital receiver is integrated on a single PCI card with an FPGA device, and analog-to-digital converters. It supports a wide range of modulations (including 8-PSK and 16-QAM) and turbo coding. With appropriate FPGA firmware and software changes, it can also be configured to receive the current (legacy) GOES signals. The receiver has been validated by sending large image files over a high-fidelity satellite channel emulator, including a space-qualified power amplifier and a white noise source. The receiver is a key component of a future GOES-R weather receiver system (also called user terminal) that includes the antenna, low-noise amplifier, downconverter, filters, digital receiver, and receiver system software. This work describes this receiver proof of concept and its application to providing a very credible estimate of the impact of using modern modulation and coding techniques in the future GOES-R system.
Correlations between Student Discussion Behavior, Attitudes, and Learning.

An important result of physics education research is that students' learning and success in a course is correlated with their beliefs, attitudes, and expectations regarding physics. However, it is hard to assess these beliefs for individual students, and traditional survey instruments such as the Maryland Physics Expectations Survey (MPEX) are intended to evaluate the impact of one or more semesters of instruction on an overall class and improve teaching. In this study, we investigate the possibility of using the analysis of online student discussion behavior as an indicator of an individual student's approach to physics. These discussions are not tainted by the effects of self-reporting, and are gathered in authentic nonresearch settings, where students attempt to solve problems in the way that they believe is most efficient and appropriate. We calculate the correlation of both MPEX and student discussions with different measures of student learning, and find that on an individual base, student discussions are a stronger predictor of success than MPEX outcomes.
Gravitational resonance: Saturn's rings

Perhaps no one thought much more would need to be known about Saturn's rings 100 or so years ago, when Daniel Kirkwood explained the various features. The main rings, within the three so-called Cassini divisions, were due to gravitational resonance conditions between small orbiting particles and the satellite Mimas. Now, after several spacecraft—especially Voyager—have shown the rings' close-up characteristics, there has been a great deal of activity in the planetary geophysics community to try to explain the origin of the numerous features of the rings of solar system bodies that were far beyond the resolution of telescopes in Kirkwood s day. A pretty good sample of that activity was reported recently by R.A. Kerr (Science, Oct. 8, 1982), who stated ‘Resonance theory still stands after the onslaught of spacecraft observations, but its new applications have yielded a greater variety of ring features than Kirkwood ever dreamed.’ One has only to have an inkling of the levels of gravitational mechanics to appreciate the complexities of the theories that have yielded resonance variations such as spiral density waves and bending waves in the past few years. As theories unfold, however, and are tested against Voyager's results, it has become evident that most of the actually observed ring structure of the major planets remains unexplained.
Multi-wavelength pulse plethysmography for real-time drug delivery monitoring

A novel multi-wavelength photoplethysmograph (PPG), previously utilized to quantify optically absorptive circulating gold nanoparticles, has demonstrated the potential to enhance therapeutic treatment predictability as pharmacokinetic metrics are provided throughout the intravenous delivery phase of quinine in real-time. This report demonstrates how the PPG could be used to assess the real-time bioavailability of other types of intravenously delivered optically-absorbing nanoparticles and drugs. The drug currently under investigation is anti-malarial quinine (absorption peak ~350 nm). We describe how the algorithm has been adapted to quantify the concentration of quinine in the pulsatile, circulating blood based on its extinction at three wavelengths (340, 660 and 940 nm). We show an example of the system collecting data representing the baseline, injection, and the clearance phases. An examination of the raw signal suggests that the system is well suited to sense the concentration of quinine in the therapeutic range (10mg/kg).
Immigrant Il-Legality: Geopolitical and Legal Borders in the US, 1882–Present

An argument can be made that US lawmakers' replacement of “deportations” and “exclusions” with “removals”, in the mid-1990s, marked a decisive about-face in US deportation and exclusion practice by virtue of the due process restrictions that this brought about for a new class of noncitizens deemed neither deportable nor excludable. However, I argue here that the geography of due process rights under assault in the mid-1990s immigration lawmaking were never that certain in the first place. By reviewing a range of key court cases and immigration control practices from the Chinese Exclusion era through the present, I argue that US geopolitical borders have never mapped directly onto its legal-territorial borders as concerns deportation and exclusion. Nonetheless, I also point to a recent, “neo-classical” hardening of US immigration enforcement by virtue of the disconnect between geopolitical and legal-territorial borders in US immigration law.
Review: Perioperative therapy for locoregional nonsmall‐cell lung cancer

Surgical therapy remains the treatment of choice for resectable nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the 5-year survival results of surgical therapy is 40-70%, which is far from acceptable. In this report, past results of perioperative therapies were reviewed to identify the future direction of effort in improving the therapy of NSCLC. Two perioperative modes of treatment that may possibly improve postsurgical survival were identified, i.e., neoadjuvant chemotherapy for resectable NSCLC and postoperative specific active immunotherapy.
List Decoding of Binary Codes---A Brief Survey of Some Recent Results

We briefly survey some recent progress on list decoding algorithms for binary codes. The results discussed include: Algorithms to list decode binary Reed-Muller codes of any order up to the minimum distance, generalizing the classical Goldreich-Levin algorithm for RM codes of order 1 (Hadamard codes). These algorithms are "local" and run in time polynomial in the message length. Construction of binary codes efficiently list-decodable up to the Zyablov (and Blokh-Zyablov) radius. This gives a factor two improvement over the error-correction radius of traditional "unique decoding" algorithms. The existence of binary linear concatenated codes that achieve list decoding capacity, i.e., the optimal trade-off between rate and fraction of worst-case errors one can hope to correct. Explicit binary codes mapping k bits to n ≤ poly(k /*** ) bits that can be list decoded from a fraction (1/2 *** *** ) of errors (even for *** = o (1)) in poly(k /*** ) time. A construction based on concatenating a variant of the Reed-Solomon code with dual BCH codes achieves the best known (cubic) dependence on 1/*** , whereas the existential bound is n = O (k /*** 2). (The above-mentioned result decoding up to Zyablov radius achieves a rate of *** (*** 3) for the case of constant *** .) We will only sketch the high level ideas behind these developments, pointing to the original papers for technical details and precise theorem statements.
Macrofossil and Pollen Representation of Coniferous Trees in Modern Sediments From Washington

Pollen and conifer needle macrofossils were collected from surface sediments in 30 ponds near Mount Rainier to study representation of forest trees in data from modern sediments. Percentages of major taxa calculated from these data were compared with basal area measures of forest composition within 30 m of each pond. Macrofossil percentages ofAbies amabilis, Abies lasiocarpa, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Tsuga heterophylla, and Tsuga mertensiana were significantly correlated with their basal areas in nearby forests; none was greatly over- or underrepresented. Macrofossil assemblages were similar in replicate sam- ples from surface sediments, as well as from parallel cores spanning 6000 yr. Fossil needle assemblages can therefore provide estimates of past species composition in coniferous forests in the Pacific Northwest. Also, widespread distribution of pollen was demonstrated by high pollen percentages of taxa that were absent from the flora at the sample sites, such as Alnus rubra. Pollen of Pinus and Tsuga heterophylla was overrepresented, whereas that ofAbies and Tsuga mertensiana was underrepresented. Pollen percentages of most conifer taxa were twice the values reported in another study from Mount Rainier using moss polsters. Comparisons between the macrofossil and the pollen data indicate that conifer macrofossil assemblages more accurately reflect forest composition near sample sites, and also provide greater taxonomic resolution.
El Rorschach en el siglo XXI: La evaluación de la representación mental

The Rorschach test has considerable potential to contribute to the study of cognitive processes, especially the representational world and of how individuals construct meaning. The representation of self and other is currently a major topic in attachment research and in social cognition and is very relevant for clinical psychology and psychiatry because it provides a way of understanding psychopathology that goes beyond the simple listing of manifest symptoms that is so prevalent today in descriptive psychiatry. This new emphasis on mental representation should enable us to extend our understanding of psychopathology and to discover new ways of systematically assessing a wide range of psychological disturbances.
Six5 is required for spermatogenic cell survival and spermiogenesis

Myotonic dystrophy 1 (DM1) is a multi-system disorder characterized by endocrine defects that include testicular and tubular atrophy, oligospermia, Leydig cell hyperproliferation and increased follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. DM1 results from a CTG expansion that causes transcriptional silencing of the flanking SIX5 allele. Loss of Six5 results in male sterility and a progressive decrease in testicular mass with age. We demonstrate a strict requirement of Six5 for both spermatogenic cell survival and spermiogenesis. Leydig cell hyperproliferation and increased intra-testicular testosterone levels are observed in the Six5-/- mice. Although increased FSH levels are observed in the Six5+/- and Six5-/- mice, serum testosterone levels and intra-testicular inhibin alpha and inhibin beta B levels are not altered in the Six5 mutant animals when compared with controls. Significantly, steady-state c-Kit levels are reduced in the Six5-/- testis. Thus, decreased c-Kit levels could contribute to the elevated spermatogenic cell apoptosis and Leydig cell hyperproliferation in the Six5-/- mice. The results support the hypothesis that the reduced SIX5 levels contribute to the male reproductive defects in DM1.
Comments analysis and programming errors

Software validation is treated as the problem of detecting errors that programmers make during the software development process. This includes fault detection, in which the focus is on techniques for detecting the occurrence of local errors that result in well-defined classes of program statement faults. It also includes detecting other kinds of errors, such as decomposition errors. The main focus of the work is on a decomposition-error analysis technique called comments analysis. In this technique, errors are detected by analyzing special classes of program comments. Comments analysis has been applied to a variety of systems, including a data-processing program and an avionics real-time program. The use of comments analysis for sequential and concurrent systems is discussed, and the basic features of comments analysis tools are summarized. The relationship of comments analysis to other techniques, such as event sequence analysis, is discussed, and the differences between it and earlier work are explained. >
Electromagnetic methods of defect detection

An introduction to the topic of detecting and characterizing defects in materials nondestructively by electromagnetic methods is presented. It is noted that all such methods rely for their operation on the interaction of an electromagnetic field with the structure under test and can thus be classified as elliptic, parabolic, or hyperbolic depending upon the governing partial differential equation type describing the underlying physics. This classification has particular significance for modeling studies based on finite-element or boundary-integral analysis and also affects the solutions of the corresponding inverse or defect characterization problem. Particular attention is given to static and quasi-static field NDE (nondestructive evaluation) methods and to wave-based NDE methods. It is concluded that, although finite-element and boundary-integral solutions will separately continue to provide additional physical insight into specific NDE phenomena, it is quite possible that a hybrid approach will be necessary to integrate NDE modeling techniques successfully into the interactive, computer-based product design environment. >
Just-in-time browsing for digitized microfilm and other similar image collections

This paper describes "Just-In-Time Browsing" (JITB), a method for image browsing (at modem-like speed) in which image data is transmitted and presented to the user progressively, in prioritized order, based on image content and user interaction. Spatial resolution and grayscale or color fidelity is increased first for the portions of the image that are immediately of most interest to the user. JITB is specifically geared toward digitized microfilm and other similar document image collections, although it can also be used for other types of images. A series of common browsing tasks performed by multiple users demonstrates that JITB compares favorably with two other methods that are currently used for browsing images on the Internet.
An active matrix arrayed microphone with acoustic bandwidth response

A monolithic integration of organic thin film transistors and piezoelectric sheet material is demonstrated to form an active matrix piezoelectric microphone. The localized acoustic wave detection is enabled by the switch transistors of the active matrix architecture, and the piezoelectric voltage response induced by acoustic wave excitation is amplified by the organic transistors that are monolithically integrated with the piezoelectric sheet material. The frequency of detection ranges to 15KHz because the switching speed of the transistors is fast enough to switch up to this frequency.
Global Gender Inquality and the Empowerment of Women

Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide is a powerful journalistic account of the oppression of women worldwide, and of the ways that some women and men have struggle against this oppression and discovered new forms of economic empowerment. The book—in its eleventh printing in less than a year, and with testimonials from the likes of Angelina Jolie and George Clooney—is also a publishing sensation. Half the Sky brings much attention to an important and timely topic, and it creatively combines narrative, analysis, and policy prescriptions, and so we invited three prominent scholars of gender inequality and development to reflect on the book's strengths and weaknesses: Ayelet Shachar, Uma Narayan, and Valentine M. Moghadam.
DESIGN FOR OPTIMAL END-OF-LIFE SCENARIO VIA PRODUCT-EMBEDDED DISASSEMBLY

This paper presents a computational method for designing products with a built-in disassembly means that can be triggered by the removal of one or a few fasteners at the end of the product lives. Given component geometries, the method simultaneously determines the spatial configuration of components, locators and fasteners, and the end-of-life (EOL) treatments of components and subassemblies, such that the product can be disassembled for the maxim profit and minimum environmental impact through recycling and reuse via domino-like “self-disassembly” process. As an extension of our previous work, the present method incorporates EOL treatments of disassembled components and subassemblies as additional decision variables, and the Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) focusing on EOL treatments as a means to evaluate environmental impacts. A multi-objective genetic algorithm is utilized to search for Pareto optimal designs in terms of 1) satisfaction of the distance specification among components, 2) efficient use of locators on components, 3) profit of EOL scenario, and 4) environmental impact of EOL scenario. The method is applied to a simplified model of Power Mac G4 cube® for demonstration.
Physics of quantum dot lasers: Threshold temperature dependence, internal loss effects, and threshold current density

The physics of quantum dot lasers are studied theoretically and experimentally to study their threshold temperature dependence, and the relationship between internal loss and threshold current density.
siDRM: an effective and generally applicable online siRNA design tool

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have become an indispensable tool for the investigation of gene functions. Most existing siRNA design tools were trained on datasets assembled from confined origins, incompatible with the diverse siRNA laboratory practice to which these tools will ultimately be applied. We have performed an updated analysis using the disjunctive rule merging (DRM) approach on a large and diverse dataset compiled from siRecords, and implemented the resulting rule sets in siDRM, a new online siRNA design tool. siDRM also implements a few high-sensitivity rule sets and fast rule sets, links to siRecords, and uses several filters to check unwanted detrimental effects, including innate immune responses, cell toxic effects and off-target activities in selecting siRNAs. A performance comparison using an independent dataset indicated that siDRM outperforms 19 existing siRNA design tools in identifying effective siRNAs.
Enzyme and Isoenzyme Patterns as Potential Markers of Neoplasia in Breast Tissue

In a recent article, Weinhouse (51) reviewed and discussed some of the concerns relative to the significance of isoenzyme alterations reported in hepatomas, the most widely studied models of neoplasia from the biochemist’s viewpoint. He cautions investigators regarding the question of definition of an isoenzyme, i.e., products from different genes vs. post-translational modifications of proteins; the distinction that must be made between physiological alterations and those that are inherent in the lesion; the need to establish the existence of an isoenzyme as a normal component of the tissue at various developmental stages vs. that seen in the transformed tissue; the difficult and unresolved question of tumor heterogeneity; and the extent to which differences in rates of synthesis and degradation, along with other intracellular factors, may alter the actual enzyme activities measured. Despite these reservations, he optimistically concludes that the altered protein composition seen in cancer cells offers an opportunity to elucidate the functional significance of such changes; it offers a promising avenue in the areas of prognosis and management of the disease.
Regulation of human ornithine decarboxylase expression following prolonged quiescence: Role for the c‐Myc/Max protein complex

WI-38 cells can remain quiescent for long periods of time and still be induced to reenter the cell cycle by the addition of fresh serum. However, the longer these cells remain growth arrested, the more time they require to enter S phase. This prolongation of the prereplicative phase has been localized to a point early in G1, after the induction of “immediate early” G1 genes such as c-fos and c-jun but before maximal expression of “early” G1 genes such as ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). Understanding the molecular basis for ODC mRNA induction can therefore provide information about the molecular events which regulate the progression of cells out of long-term quiescence into G1 and subsequently into DNA synthesis. Studies utilizing electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) of nuclear extracts from short- and long-term quiescent WI-38 cells identified a region of the human ODC promoter at −491 bp to −474 bp which exhibited a protein binding pattern that correlated with the temporal pattern of ODC mRNA expression. The presence of a CACGTG element within this fragment, studies with antibodies against c-Myc and Max, the use of purified recombinant c-Myc protein in the mobility shift assay, and antisense studies suggest that these proteins can specifically bind this portion of the human ODC promoter in a manner consistent with growth-associated modulation of the expression of ODC and other early G1 genes following prolonged quiescence. These studies suggest a role for the c-Myc/Max protein complex in regulating events involved in the progression of cells out of long-term quiescence into G1 and subsequently into S. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
14-3-3 isoforms bind directly exon B of the 5′-UTR of human surfactant protein A2 mRNA

Human surfactant protein (SP) A (SP-A), an innate immunity molecule, is encoded by two genes, SFTPA1 and SFTPA2. The 5′-untranslated splice variant of SP-A2 (ABD), but not SP-A1 (AD), contains exon...
Disaster and Life Course Processes

Disasters exist by virtue of the fact that persons and places are adversely affected by environmental hazards, which raises important questions about the characteristics and origins of differential vulnerability to such hazards in the first place. In this chapter, I consider the import of a life course perspective for studying the differential vulnerability of persons and places to environmental hazards. I also consider the utility of life course perspective for understanding disasters as processes (versus events), which persist in time and desist slowly. I demonstrate these ideas in the context of a stylized model. Implications and avenues for future research on disaster and life course processes are discussed.