cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Natural and induced ovarian synchrony in golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia).

Ovarian cycle synchrony was assessed in spontaneously cycling female golden lion tamarins by monitoring longitudinal (16 mo) urinary steroid metabolite (estrone conjugates; pregnanediol-3 alpha-glucuronide, PdG) excretion in four pairs (n = 8) of females isolated from males. The overall mean ovarian cycle duration was 18.5 +/- 0.3 days (n = 136 cycles; mean range, 15.7-21.0 days), and there was no evidence of reproductive seasonality. Laparoscopic ovarian examinations confirmed that cyclic fluctuations in urinary steroid metabolite excretion were temporally associated with the formation and demise of corpora lutea. Evaluation of ovarian synchronization tested the null hypothesis that urinary hormone cycles were expressed randomly relative to those of cagemates or other females housed in separate cages but within close proximity. Natural ovarian synchrony (expressed as the mean difference in ovarian cycle onset) between cagemates (4.1 +/- 0.4 days) and among noncagemates (4.2 +/- 0.2 days) did not differ (p > 0.05) from a random ovarian cycle distribution. Two trials also were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha analogue, cloprostenol, for artificially synchronizing ovarian cycles. Induced ovarian synchrony was not achieved with a single 0.8-microgram i.m. injection of cloprostenol. However, doubling the cloprostenol dose (1.6 micrograms) caused a rapid decrease in mean urinary PdG (p < 0.05) within 2 days, and synchronous ovulation was demonstrated by an increase (p < 0.01) in mean urinary PdG 10 days after cloprostenol administration. In summary, females housed in pairs, in the absence of males, exhibit spontaneous, year-round ovarian cycles with no evidence of among-female ovarian synchrony. Results also suggest that this New World primate has a reduced sensitivity to cloprostenol (compared to common marmosets) but that a single, midcycle cloprostenol injection of 1.6 micrograms effectively induces luteolysis and synchronous ovulation.
Electrostatic Current Generator Having a Disk Electret as an Active Element

An electrostatic current generator having a disk electret as the active element is described. The electret consists of two oppositely polarized half-disks producing an electric field normal to the plane of the electret. The electret constitutes the rotor of the generator and is located between two pairs of conducting half-disks which constitute the stator of the generator. The field of the electret induces charges on each half-disk of the stator. The magnitude and polarity of these charges at any given time are determined by the angle formed at this particular time between the plane separating the two halves of the electret and the plane separating the half-disks of the stator. When the half-disks of the stator are appropriately connected through an external circuit, an ac current is produced. The order of magnitude of the peak value of the current is given by I ? ?e?S where ae is the effective surface charge density of the electret, S is the total area of the flat surfaces of the electret, and w is the angular velocity of rotation of the electret.
The melt-drip phenomena of apparel

Some textiles currently used in wearing apparel ignite more easily and burn more quickly than others, but the key to their burn hazard to the wearer is their ability to transfer heat to the skin.
Comparative responses of Peromyscus (white-footed mice) to estradiol benzoate.

Abstract 1. 1. In a comparison of vaginal sensitivity to subcutaneously injected estradiol benzoate the oldfield mouse, Peromyscus polionotus , was found to have a lower dose-response curve and a higher median effective dose than the deer mouse, P. maniculatus , or the F 1 -hybrid of these two species. 2. 2. In comparisons of uterine weight change in response to estradiol benzoate in immature or in mature animals, the greatest increase occurred in P. polionotus , the least in the hybrid. 3. 3. In general, the range of sensitivity response of these rodents resembled that of other myomorphic rodents.
F-semantics for type assignment systems

Abstract Yokouchi, H., F-semantics for type assignment systems, Theoretical Computer Science 129 (1994) 39–77. This paper develops F-semantics for type systems that assign types to untyped λ-terms. Curry's system is complete for F-semantics, but a polymorphic type assignment system is not so. We introduce two additional rules ( FI ) and ( FE ), and show that a polymorphic type assignment system becomes complete for F-semantics if we add these two rules. Furthermore, we apply the same method to a polymorphic type assignment system without the β-equality rule and obtain a similar completeness result. We also show that an intersection type assignment system is complete for F-models if we add two rules defined on the basis of ( FI ) and ( FE ).
Confucianism: A Short Introduction

1. Introductory Reflections 1 2. The Cultivation of the Self 25 3. Educating the Person 45 4. transmitting the Dao 77 5. Examining evil and governing the Quotidian 6. Meeting a Western Scholar 7.Furnishing the study and hosting a reading 8. Into the global and modern world
Dynamic In Situ X-Ray Diffraction Study of Antiferroelectric–Ferroelectric Phase Transition in Strontium-Modified Lead Zirconate Titanate Ceramics

The electric field-induced electromechanical properties of strontium-modified lead zirconate titanate (PSZT) ceramics, at the Zr-rich region of the phase diagram, are investigated by a dynamic in situ x-ray diffraction technique. PSZT compositions with different Zr/Ti ratios are prepared using a tape lamination approach. An experimental setup using Bragg-Brentano parafocusing geometry is used for the in situ x-ray diffraction on samples under a dynamic ac electric field up to their saturation polarization at 0.1 mHz frequency. The results indicated that strains for the compositions in the ferroelectric rhombohedral (FR) phase field are mostly due to structural changes and non-180° domain movements after coercive field. As a result the experimental longitudinal strains in these materials are not very high (∼0.4%). On the other hand, for the compositions at the FR-AFT phase field, near the morphotropic phase boundary, dynamic in situ x-ray diffraction showed the continuous field-induced phase transition fro...
Incessant Atrial Tachycardias in a Dog With Tricuspid Dysplasia

In a dog, tricuspid regurgitation due to congenital tricuspid dysplasia resulted in extreme right heart enlargement and right heart failure. Incessant supraventricular tachycardias were present, requiring the intravenous administration of verapamil to reduce the ventricular rate. Oral therapy using a combination of verapamil and quinidine was partially effective in controlling the ventricular rate during the following week. At that time, electrophysiologic studies were performed. They revealed that a succession of several atrial tachycardias with different cycle lengths, including one episode of atrial flutter, was present. Atrial activity was spanning the majority of the cycle length in all these arrhythmias. Epicardial mapping was performed during the atrial flutter. This enabled the detection of a depolarization wave-front traveling counterclockwise from the dorsolateral right atrium toward the right appendage, following the tricuspid valve annulus. No areas of abnormal conduction were detected. Because programmed electric stimulation maneuvers could not be performed, definitive conclusions about the mechanism of the arrhythmia could not be drawn. The two most likely possibilities were circus movement using part of the dilated tricuspid valve annulus as an anatomic barrier or a leading circle type of re-entry.
Afatinib: A first-line treatment for selected patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose The pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, safety, adverse effects, dosage and administration, and role in therapy of afatinib in the management of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are reviewed. Summary Afatinib (Gilotrif, Boehringer Ingelheim) is a novel oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) recently approved for the first-line treatment of patients with NSCLC whose tumors are driven by activating mutations of genes coding for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Afatinib is also an inhibitor of a specific EGFR mutation (T790M) that causes resistance to first-generation EGFR-targeted TKIs in about half of patients receiving those drugs. The recommended dosage is 40 mg once daily. In a Phase III trial completed last year, patients with EGFR -mutated NSCLC who were treated with afatinib had a twofold higher response rate than those receiving standard combination chemotherapy (56% versus 23%) and significantly longer progression-free survival (11.0 months versus 5.6 months). Other studies indicated that afatinib may offer advantages over standard chemotherapy for NSCLC in terms of enhanced symptom control and quality of life and is modestly effective in cases involving EGFR T790M-related acquired resistance to the TKIs erlotinib and gefitinib. Among clinical trial participants, afatinib was generally well tolerated, with the most common grade I or II adverse events being diarrhea and rash or acne; grade III or IV events were infrequent. Conclusion Afatinib is a novel TKI that is efficacious and well tolerated in patients with NSCLC associated with activating EGFR mutations, including cases involving the T790M resistance mutation. It has possible applications in other EGFR mutation– positive cancers.
Incidence of residual clot strands in saphenous vein grafts after endoscopic harvest.

ObjectiveStrands of clot are frequently flushed out of saphenous vein grafts (SVG) during preparation for grafting, particularly those that are endoscopically harvested. However, saline distention ...
Research productivity and breadth of interest revisited

Proposition d'une formule mathematique donnant le nombre de themes de recherche, attendus dans un ensemble d'articles relevant d'un certain domaine de recherche
Phase Transition Models in Atmospheric Dynamics

Abstract From both the theoretical and numerical viewpoints, we study a system of differential inclusions describing the evolution of the temperature and the specific humidity distributions in a system of moist air. We allow the so-called saturation concentration parameter to depend on the temperature, and thus we consider more general and interesting phase-change effects than the ones addressed in [2].
Optimization of arbitrarily primed PCR for the identification of bacterial isolates

Abstract Arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) has been used extensively for genetic mapping, and the identification of bacterial isolates. To ensure that the results will be reproducible and due to true genetic variations, the AP-PCR reaction conditions must be optimized. In this study, three cultured bacterial isolates were screened with 100 arbitrary primers. Of these, five were chosen for the optimization study. The parameters optimized included: the operating conditions of the thermal cycler, the agarose gel concentration, the annealing temperature, and the concentrations of Taq polymerase enzyme, magnesium chloride, primer, and template. The final optimized PCR reaction conditions were 1 × buffer (3.5 mM MgCl 2 , 10 mM Tris-HCl, 50 mM KCl and 0.1 mg ml −1 gelatin), 200 μM dNTP, 0.4 μM primer, 2.5 U AmpliTaq® (Perkin-Elmer Cetus) polymerase enzyme, and 5 μl of template (at least 10 6 lysed bacterial cells). The Perkin-Elmer Gene-Amp™ 9600 PCR System was used with the following cycling conditions; a 94°C 15 s denaturation step, a 45°C 15 s annealing step, and 72°C 30 s extension step for a total of 35 cycles. Reproducible, unique fingerprints were generated for the three isolates using each of the five arbitrary primers.
The kinetics of free radicals generated by IR laser photolysis. II. Reactions of C2(X 1Σ+g), C2(a 3Πu), C3(X̄ 1Σ+g) and CN(X 2Σ+) with O2

Abstract The 300 K reactions of O 2 with C 2 (X 1 Σ + g ), C 2 (a 3 Π u ), C 3 (X 1 Σ + g ) and CN(X 2 Σ + ), which are generated via IR multiple photon dissociation (MPD), are reported. From the spectrally resolved chemiluminescence produced via the IR MPD of C 2 H 3 CN in the presence of O 2 , CO molecules in the a 3 Σ + , d 3 Δ i , and e 3 Σ − states were identified, as well as CH(A 2 Δ) and CN(B 2 Σ + ) radicals. Observation of time resolved chemiluminescence reveals that the electronically excited CO molecules are formed via the single-step reactions C 2 (X 1 Σ + g , a 3 Π u ) + O 2 → CO(X 1 Σ + + CO(T), where T denotes are electronically excited triplet state of CO. The rate coefficients for the removal of C 2 (X 1 Σ + g ) and C 2 (a 3 Π u ) by O 2 were determined both from laser induced fluorescence of C 2 (X 1 Σ + g ) and C 2 (a 3 Π u ), and from the time resolved chemiluminescence from excited CO molecules, and are both (3.0 ± 0.2)10 −12 cm 3 molec −1 s −1 . The rate coefficient of the reaction of C 3 with O 2 , which was determined using the IR MPD of allene as the source of C 3 molecules, is −14 cm 3 molec −1 s −1 . In addition, we find that rate coefficients for C 3 reactions with N 2 , NO, CH 4 , and C 3 H 6 are all −14 cm 3 molec −1 s −1 . Excited CH molecules are produced in a reaction which proceeds with a rate coefficient of (2.6 ± 0.2)10 −11 cm 3 molec −1 s −1 . Possible reactions which may be the source of these radicals are discussed. The reaction of CN with O 2 produces NCO in vibrationally excited states. Radiative lifetime of the Ā 2 Σ state of NCo and the Ā 1 Π u (000) state of C 3 are reported.
Development of a Prototype Domain-Specific Language for Monitor and Control Systems

This paper describes the domain-specific language (DSL) prototype developed for the NASA constellation launch control system (LCS) project. A key element of the LCS architecture, the DSL prototype is a specialized monitor and control language composed of constructs for specifying and programming test, checkout, and launch processing applications for flight and ground systems. The principal objectives of the prototyping activity were to perform a proof-of-concept of an approach to ultimately lower the lifecycle costs of application software for the LCS, and to explore mitigations for a number of development risks perceived by the project. The language has been implemented as a library that extends the Python scripting language, and validated in a successful demonstration of capability required for constellation.
Schottky junction transistor-micropower circuits at GHz frequencies

Numerical simulations of a new micropower transistor configuration are presented. The transistor is a majority carrier device that operates as a current-controlled current-source. Results from a 0.5 /spl mu/m gate length device indicate a cutoff frequency in the GHz range, for drain currents appropriate to micropower circuit applications.
Moving the Archivist Closer to the Creator: Implementing Integrated Archival Policies for Born Digital Photography at Colleges and Universities

This article discusses integrated approaches to the management and preservation of born digital photography. It examines the changing practices among photographers, and the needed relationships between the photographers using digital technology and the archivists responsible for acquiring their born digital images. Special consideration is given to technical issues surrounding preservation and access of image formats. It explores how integrated policies can enhance the success of managing born digital photographs in an academic setting and illustrates the benefits and challenges to acquisition, description, and dissemination of born digital photographs. It advocates for the archivist's active involvement in the photographer's image management practices to improve the acquisition and preservation of images.
Reworking Workforce Development Chicago’s Sectoral Workforce Centers

In recent years, local officials throughout the United States have attempted to retool workforce development programs that have historically been tied to federal antipoverty efforts to address the ...
Site diversity for satellite earth terminals and measurements at 28 GHz

This work reviews site diversity concepts and models and presents the results of a site diversity experiment, in which radiometers were used to measure attenuation on Earth-space paths, performed at Columbus, Ohio, for a period of one year. Attenuation statistics are presented first in the form of the joint probability density function of attenuation at the two sites. From these are derived the cumulative two-dimensional distribution of attenuation at both sites, the cumulative distribution of attenuation at each site, the effective cumulative distribution of attenuation for a diversity system that always switches to the better of two signals, and the effective cumulative distribution of attenuation for a system with maximal-ratio signal combining. The switched-system diversity gain is compared with D.B. Hodge's (1982) predictive model, and the diversity improvement is compared with L. Boithias' (Radiowave Propagation, McGraw-Hill, 1987) model. Fade-duration and interfade-interval statistics are presented for each site and for systems that use switching and maximal-ratio combining. Rain-rate and interrainfall interval statistics are included. >
Human papillomavirus, smoking, and head and neck cancer☆

Abstract Aims Smoking and human papillomavirus (HPV) are both distinct risk factors for head and neck cancer, but the nature of interaction between these 2 risk factors in the development of head and neck cancer remains unclear. The purpose of this review is to determine the potential effect of smoking in causation of HPV-related head and neck carcinoma. Method A literature search was carried out using the keywords human papillomavirus, head and neck cancer, smoking, tobacco, and cervical cancer. The English-language articles, references, and other relevant studies evaluating the association of smoking, HPV, and risk of head and neck cancer were collected and analyzed. Conclusion Overall, our review points to smoking tobacco posing an additional risk for development of head and neck cancer in the presence of HPV infection. This is consistent with available laboratory data that show evidence of biological plausibility for interaction between smoking and progression of HPV infection to carcinogenesis. It is therefore important that cessation of smoking is promoted in smokers with HPV infection.
Contrasting effects of natural selection on human and chimpanzee CC chemokine receptor 5

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) evolved via cross-species transmission of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVcpz) from chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Chimpanzees, like humans, are susceptible to infection by HIV-1. However, unlike humans, infected chimpanzees seldom develop immunodeficiency when infected with SIVcpz or HIV-1. SIVcpz and most strains of HIV-1 require the cell-surface receptor CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) to infect specific leukocyte subsets, and, subsequent to infection, the level of CCR5 expression influences the amount of HIV-1 entry and the rate of HIV-1 replication. Evidence that variants in the 5' cis-regulatory region of CCR5 (5'CCR5) affect disease progression in humans suggests that variation in CCR5 might also influence the response of chimpanzees to HIV-1/SIVcpz. To determine whether patterns of genetic variation at 5'CCR5 in chimpanzees are similar to those in humans, we analyzed patterns of DNA sequence variation in 37 wild-born chimpanzees (26 P. t. verus, 9 P. t. troglodytes, and 2 P. t. schweinfurthii), along with previously published 5'CCR5 data from 112 humans and 50 noncoding regions in the human and chimpanzee genomes. These analyses revealed that patterns of variation in 5'CCR5 differ dramatically between chimpanzees and humans. In chimpanzees, 5'CCR5 was less diverse than 80% of noncoding regions and was characterized by an excess of rare variants. In humans, 5'CCR5 was more diverse than 90% of noncoding regions and had an excess of common variants. Under a wide range of demographic histories, these patterns suggest that, whereas human 5'CCR5 has been subject to balancing selection, chimpanzee 5'CCR5 has been influenced by a selective sweep. This result suggests that chimpanzee 5'CCR5 might harbor or be linked to functional variants that influence chimpanzee resistance to disease caused by SIVcpz/HIV-1.
Wnt signaling induces gene expression of factors associated with bone destruction in lung and breast cancer

Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) is an important regulator of bone destruction in bone metastatic tumors. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) stimulates PTHrP production in part through the transcription factor Gli2, which is regulated independent of the Hedgehog signaling pathway in osteolytic cancer cells. However, inhibition of TGF-β in vivo does not fully inhibit tumor growth in bone or tumor-induced bone destruction, suggesting other pathways are involved. While Wnt signaling regulates Gli2 in development, the role of Wnt signaling in bone metastasis is unknown. Therefore, we investigated whether Wnt signaling regulates Gli2 expression in tumor cells that induce bone destruction. We report here that Wnt activation by β-catenin/T cell factor 4 (TCF4) over-expression or lithium chloride (LiCl) treatment increased Gli2 and PTHrP expression in osteolytic cancer cells. This was mediated through the TCF and Smad binding sites within the Gli2 promoter as determined by promoter mutation studies, suggesting cross-talk between TGF-β and Wnt signaling. Culture of tumor cells on substrates with bone-like rigidity increased Gli2 and PTHrP production, enhanced autocrine Wnt activity and led to an increase in the TCF/Wnt signaling reporter (TOPFlash), enriched β-catenin nuclear accumulation, and elevated Wnt-related genes by PCR-array. Stromal cells serve as an additional paracrine source of Wnt ligands and enhanced Gli2 and PTHrP mRNA levels in MDA-MB-231 and RWGT2 cells in vitro and promoted tumor-induced bone destruction in vivo in a β-catenin/Wnt3a-dependent mechanism. These data indicate that a combination of matrix rigidity and stromal-secreted factors stimulate Gli2 and PTHrP through Wnt signaling in osteolytic breast cancer cells, and there is significant cross-talk between the Wnt and TGF-β signaling pathways. This suggests that the Wnt signaling pathway may be a potential therapeutic target for inhibiting tumor cell response to the bone microenvironment and at the very least should be considered in clinical regimens targeting TGF-β signaling.
Healing Traditions of Southern India and the Conservation of Culture and Biodiversity: A Preliminary Study

A comparative study on regional traditional healing and community wellness provision in collaboration with traditional healers was conducted in three distinct ecological regions in the southern Western Ghats, India. The study led to the collection of data, from fourteen healers, on their healing systems, local afflictions and modes of treatment, community roles of healers, and adaptations of the respective populations to their environments via traditional healing. Key points emerging from these qualitative data include a general consensus among healers which preliminarily illustrates intact healing traditions, a keen healer and community interest in programming focused on the conservation of biodiversity and culture for sustainable, traditional wellness promotion, and that in sustaining health there must be healthful environmental surroundings.
Vigilance, Expectancy, and Noise: Attention in Second Language Lexical Learning and Memory.

Talamas et al. (1999), Ferre et al. (2006) and Sunderman and Kroll (2006) exposed participants to first-language/second-language (L1/L2) pairs of words and asked them to decide whether the second w...
UNEARTHING IGNORANCE Hurricane Katrina and the Re-Envisioning of the Urban Black Poor

This essay explores some social ramifications of two portraits of low-income African American New Orleanians that proliferated throughout the country since the arrival of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast. The dissemination of these portraits reveals much about America’s cultural understandings of African Americans and urban poverty. Some recent ethnographic and qualitative-methodological work has striven to create new depictions of this constituency, but a divide persists between general-public readings of the African American urban poor and those of liberal-minded field researchers who have studied this population. This essay concludes with some reflection on issues concerning the potential for this research to bridge the divide, given the power of mainstream media outlets to construct and promote certain images of disadvantaged and disenfranchised social groups relative to the social power of academic scholarship to achieve the same end.
Performance analysis and optimization of asynchronous circuits

Asynchronous/self-timed circuits are beginning to attract renewed attention as a promising means of dealing with the complexity of modern VLSI designs. Very few analysis techniques or tools are available for estimating their performance. We adapt the theory of generalized timed Petri-nets (GTPN) for analyzing and comparing asynchronous circuits ranging from purely control-oriented circuits to those with data dependent control. Experiments with the GTPN analyzer are found to track the observed performance of actual asynchronous circuits, thereby offering empirical evidence towards the soundness of the modeling approach. >
FLAVOR QUALITY IN EXPLOSION PUFFED DEHYDRATED POTATO. 1. A Gas Chromatographic Method for the Determination of Aldehydes Associated with Flavor Quality

SUMMARY– Explosion puffed dehydrated potatoes may develop a characteristic off-flavor during puffing. An objective method, based on the analysis of headspace vapor by GLC, was developed to measure peak heights of components associated with this off-flavor. Ground potatoes and an internal standard, ethylbutyrate, were added to boiling water, and the mixture was equilibrated for 10 min at 98°C. A vapor sample was then withdrawn and analyzed chromatographically on a Carbowax 20M packed column at 100°C using an inlet splitter. Heights of peaks corresponding to 2-methylpropanal plus acetone, 2-methylbutanal plus 3-methylbutanal, hexanal, and ethylbutyrate were determined and peak ratios calculated. The method was found to be precise, accurate, and rapid. Comparisons of a number of potato samples by sensory evaluation and the objective method showed that the intensity of the off-flavor is associated with the heights of the 2-methylpropanal plus acetone and 2-methylbutanal plus 3-methylbutanal peaks.
Tissue Sensitivity of the Rat Upper and Lower Extrapulmonary Airways to the Inhaled Electrophilic Air Pollutants Diacetyl and Acrolein

The target site for inhaled vapor-induced injury often differs in mouth-breathing humans compared with nose-breathing rats, thus complicating the use of rat inhalation toxicity data for assessment of human risk. We sought to examine sensitivity of respiratory/transitional nasal (RTM) and tracheobronchial (TBM) mucosa to two electrophilic irritant vapors: diacetyl and acrolein. Computational fluid dynamic physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling was coupled with biomarker assessment to establish delivered dose-response relationships in RTM and TBM in male F344 rats following 6 h exposure to diacetyl or acrolein. Biomarkers included glutathione status, proinflammatory and antioxidant gene mRNA levels, and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2). Modeling revealed that 0.0094-0.1653 μg acrolein/min-cm(2) and 3.9-21.6 μg diacetyl/min-cm(2) were deposited into RTM/TBM. Results indicate RTM and TBM were generally of similar sensitivity to diacetyl and acrolein. For instance, both tissues displayed induction of antioxidant and proinflammatory genes, and nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 after electrophile exposure. Hierarchical cellular response patterns were similar in RTM and TBM but differed between vapors. Specifically, diacetyl exposure induced proinflammatory and antioxidant genes concomitantly at low exposure levels, whereas acrolein induced antioxidant genes at much lower exposure levels than that required to induce proinflammatory genes. Generally, diacetyl was less potent than acrolein, as measured by maximal induction of transcripts. In conclusion, the upper and lower extrapulmonary airways are of similar sensitivity to inhaled electrophilic vapors. Dosimetrically based extrapolation of nasal responses in nose-breathing rodents may provide an approach to predict risk to the lower airways of humans during mouth-breathing.
A Brownian Oscillator Approach to the Kennard−Stepanov Relation

The Kennard−Stepanov (KS) relation, also known as the reciprocity relation, connects the absorption and fluorescence spectra of homogeneous complex systems under the assumption of thermal equilibration of the emitting electronic state. A recent elaboration of the theory by Sawicki and Knox (SK) [Phys. Rev. A, 1996 54, 4837] introduces a spectral temperature that is a sensitive indicator of the failure of the relation. Studies using the SK formalism, which have been limited almost exclusively to experimental cases, reveal various failures that may be due to incomplete equilibration, inhomogeneity, or both. Using the Brownian oscillator model for nuclear dynamics, we investigate the KS relation theoretically with the aid of the SK spectral temperature. The spectral temperature is again found to be a sensitive indicator, this time of the accuracy of the numerical methods necessary for the multiple integrations. The original KS relation appears to hold regardless of the memory effects of the bath, a result wh...
6kV 4H-SiC BJTs with Specific On-resistance Below the Unipolar Limit using a Selectively Grown Base Contact Process

High-voltage (6 kV) 4H-SiC NPN BJTs are demonstrated using a novel self-aligned selectively grown base contact process. The devices exhibit specific on-resistance values (Ron,sp) as low as 28 mOmegacm2, the lowest reported to date and below the unipolar limit. The current gain in the active region is found to be 3 and closely related to the depth of the isolation trench. The open-base turn-off curves exhibit a storage time of 0.4 mus, providing evidence for conductivity modulation in SiC high-voltage BJTs for the first time. Blanket growth devices fabricated on the same wafer as the selective growth devices show higher Ron,sp and current gain values as a result of a deeper isolation trench.
Low profile antenna study using the physical optics hybrid method (POHM)

POHM is applied to the design of the low-profile IFF (identification of friend or foe) airborne antenna whose height is less than 1 in. The basic idea of the POHM is that the physical optics technique is used to extend the application of the method of moments to a larger class of problems. The POHM program is tested with geometrical optics, geometrical theory of diffraction, and measured data. It is seen that the accuracy of the POHM is quite satisfactory for large ground plates. In the angular region, z>or=0, the accuracy of the POHM is very high because the physical optics currents on the body are included. However, the accuracy decreases because the POHM assumes that no currents exist on the shadow area (z >
Perceived cognitive dysfunction and observed neuropsychological performance: longitudinal relation in persons with multiple sclerosis.

The relation between self-reported cognitive dysfunction and neuropsychological performance over 24 weeks was assessed in a sample of 53 multiple sclerosis patients. Subjects were assessed at Weeks Zero and 24 as part of a clinical trial to enhance cognition. At baseline, subjects had at least mild cognitive impairment on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and an absence of depression. Neuropsychological performance was assessed with a modification of the well standardized Brief Repeatable Battery. The 5-item Perceived Deficits Questionnaire and a 2-item memory and attention/concentration questionnaire assessed self-perceived cognitive impairment. Self-assessed cognition did not correlate with neuropsychological performance at either baseline or 24 weeks. However, changes in the self-assessment measures did correlate with changes in neuropsychological performance. Patients accurately perceived some changes in their level of cognitive dysfunction, though they were insensitive to the degree of their current dysfunction. Possible explanations of this pattern of results are discussed. (JINS, 2005, 11, 614–619.)
Functional linear models for zero‐inflated count data with application to modeling hospitalizations in patients on dialysis

We propose functional linear models for zero-inflated count data with a focus on the functional hurdle and functional zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) models. While the hurdle model assumes the counts come from a mixture of a degenerate distribution at zero and a zero-truncated Poisson distribution, the ZIP model considers a mixture of a degenerate distribution at zero and a standard Poisson distribution. We extend the generalized functional linear model framework with a functional predictor and multiple cross-sectional predictors to model counts generated by a mixture distribution. We propose an estimation procedure for functional hurdle and ZIP models, called penalized reconstruction (PR), geared towards error-prone and sparsely observed longitudinal functional predictors. The approach relies on dimension reduction and pooling of information across subjects involving basis expansions and penalized maximum likelihood techniques. The developed functional hurdle model is applied to modeling hospitalizations within the first two years from initiation of dialysis, with a high percentage of zeros, in the Comprehensive Dialysis Study participants. Hospitalization counts are modeled as a function of sparse longitudinal measurements of serum albumin concentrations, patient demographics and comorbidities. Simulation studies are used to study finite sample properties of the proposed method and include comparisons with an adaptation of standard principal components regression (PCR).
The State of American Federalism, 2003-2004: Polarized Politics and Federalist Principles

By Bush's third year in office, the nation was embroiled in three wars overseas and a political war at home. The progress made toward a functioning Iraqi government was eclipsed by violent resistance and by administrative scandals. The 9/11 Commission hearings uncovered “missed opportunities” in intelligence and repudiated the two principal reasons for the invasion of Iraq. Slow job growth, rising prices for energy and health care, and fears over outsourcing dragged the president's approval ratings to new lows. Senator John Kerry emerged from a large group of Democrats to become the party's putative nominee, and both he and the president wasted little time in attacking each other. Government revenues continued to be anemic, but there were signs the worst of the state government fiscal crisis had passed. Washington enacted the first-ever prescription-drug benefit for Medicare recipients and continued to ignore the worsening federal debt. State governments produced innovative as well as controversial policies including importation of medicines in defiance of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the legalization of same-sex marriages in Massachusetts. California elected a movie star in a gubernatorial recall election. U.S. Supreme Court rulings were less solicitous of state government concerns than in recent years. Intra-party feuding among Republicans who controlled all three branches of the national government led more often to a “divided” government than to a unified majority. With less than six months to the 2004 presidential election, the general public as well as political leaders formed two warring camps, and the principles of federalism were endangered by ideologically driven politics. Copyright 2004, Oxford University Press.
Introduction to Sexuality and Social Change: Toward an Integration of Sexuality Research, Advocacy, and Social Policy in the Twenty-First Century

Over the course of the past 10 to 15 years, there has been an important increase in research activity and advocacy work on issues related to gender, sexuality, and health. Particularly following the emergence of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, funding available for research on sexuality and sexual health expanded significantly. Yet the vast majority of the research activity, as well as available funding for research, has been carried out from a biomedical perspective that has often failed to take into account significant social, cultural, economic, and political factors influencing the organization of gender and sexuality cross-culturally—and that has often failed to feed into meaningful advocacy for more effective policies and programs in relation to issues such as sexuality education and sexual health
Increasing awareness of sex differences in airway diseases

There is growing epidemiologic data demonstrating sex differences with respect to prevalence and progression of airway diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis (CF) and non-CF-related bronchiectasis. In asthma, for example, young boys have increased exacerbations and higher morbidity than girls which distinctly reverses after adolescence and into adulthood. In COPD, a disease that was historically considered an illness of men, the number of women dying per year is now greater than in men. Finally, women with CF-related bronchiectasis have a decreased median life expectancy relative to men and a higher risk of respiratory infections despite equal prevalence of the disease. A number of studies now exist demonstrating mechanisms behind these sex differences, including influences of genetic predisposition, sex hormones and comorbidities. The notable sex disparity has potential diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic implications and for the practicing respiratory or general physician, a familiarity with these distinctions may augment effective management of patients with airway diseases. This review seeks to concisely summarize the data regarding gender-based differences in airway diseases, outline the current understanding of contributing factors and discuss therapeutic implications for clinicians.
Supersolubilization by Using Nonsalt-Forming Acid-Base Interaction

A novel approach of greatly increasing the solubility of basic drugs by interacting them with weak acids has been described. In this method, which is termed supersolubilization, it is essential that the acids used are highly water-soluble and would not normally form salts with the basic drugs used. The aqueous solubility of a model drug, haloperidol, which has an intrinsic solubility of 2.5 µg/mL in water, could be increased to > 300 mg/g of solution by using such weak acids as citric acid, malic acid, and tartaric acid. When the concentrated aqueous solutions of haloperidol in the presence of acids were dried, they formed amorphous solid dispersions, where the drug loads could be as high as 40–50 % w/w. The solid dispersions were physically stable as the drug did not convert to the crystalline form during stability testing. It was, however, observed that, when the drug load was very high, the solid dispersions could exist as the viscous semisolid mass, and might not be processable into tablets. Such materials could be converted into free-flowing and tabletable powders by adsorbing them onto a metasilicate, such as Neusilin® US2. The method is also applicable to supersolubilizing weakly acidic drugs in acidic media by using such weak bases as lysine, arginine, etc., and subsequently converting them into solid dispersions.
THE MODULAR ORGANIZATION OF MOTOR CONTROL: WHAT FROGS CAN TEACH US ABOUT ADAPTIVE LEARNING

Abstract Investigations of motor control in the spinaized frog have suggested the presence, within the spinal cord, of a number of discrete control modules that may act, either individually or in combination, to generate a variety of motor behaviors. The experimental findings indicate that the simultaneous activation of two modules leads to the vectorial summation of their output forces. These findings have led us to consider the output generated by the spinal cord as a system of vector-valued basis functions. In this context, the execution of complex motor behaviors and the adaptation to novel environments may be investigated as forms of function approximation.
Faculty centers for educational development: An alternative to the instructional organization

A response to Fraley and Vargas' paper which acknowledges the strength of their challenge, but argues that the model of instructional organization they propose overemphasizes the knowledge transmission function of higher education institutions, ignores the important role of socialization and self-initiated study in students' development, and rules out the impact on the teacher of interaction with students. An alternative approach is proposed which recognizes the importance of instruction while retaining faculty involvement in it.
Growth and Development of Fall Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Selected Grasses

The developmental responses of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), initially reared on each of four selected grasses for 4, 6, or 8 days and transferred to each of the other grasses were studied in the laboratory. Corn, Zea mays L., was the most suitable host, favoring a rapid weight gain, short development period, and low mortality for larvae and pupae. Development of fall armyworm previously fed on preferred host grasses, ‘Tifton 10’ and ‘Coastal’ Bermuda grass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., was primarily dependent on the suitability of the host grass to which the larvae were transferred. The most hardy fall armyworm larvae were those selected by 8-day feeding on resistant ‘common’ centipede grass, Eremochola ophiuroides (Munro) Hack., in that these hardy individuals developed more rapidly once they were transferred to susceptible grasses. Overall, resistance of centipede grass to fall armyworm was demonstrated whether neonate larvae fed initially on centipede grass or were transferred to the host as older larvae.
Introduction: Urinary Function Alterations in Men with Prostate Cancer

The prostate gland plays an integral role in male reproduction during young adulthood. Its anatomic location, between the bladder and the membranous urethra, means that it is also an important part of the urinary voiding pathway and has a significant bystander effects on urinary function. The prevalence of urinary dysfunction, specifically lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and urinary incontinence, increases as men age. LUTS in men is thought to be primarily a sequelae of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), increases as men age as shown in multiple large longitudinal studies [1, 2]. As a rule of thumb, roughly half of men over the age of 50 suffer from some degree of LUTS. Urinary incontinence in community dwelling men, similarly, increases as men age. 11 % of men over the age of 65 without a history of prostate cancer or prostate surgery admit to suffering some degree of incontinence, increasing to 35 % in men over the age of 85 [3]. Prostate cancer afflicts elderly men and it is in this background that urinary function alterations after prostate cancer should be measured.
Elastic and Viscoelastic Modeling of Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Polystyrene

The mechanical behavior of carbon nanotube reinforced polystyrene is modeled and tested. The elastic behavior is predicted using the Mori-Tanaka theory for randomly oriented short fiber composites. Simulation of the elastic behavior incorporates modeling the commercially available nanotubes using conventional fiber mechanics and finite element methods on a representative volume element consisting of the nanotube, the interface, and the surrounding matrix. Different strain rates, volume fraction of nanotubes in the polymer, and strain recovery of the composites are experimentally compared to unreinforced polystyrene in order to compare the effect the nanotubes have on the mechanical behavior of the composite material.
Liquid Phase Electro-Epitaxy of Memristive LiNbO2 Crystals

The growth of seeded and self-nucleated LiNbO2 crystals with a simplified chemistry has been demonstrated using a liquid phase electro-epitaxy method at high temperatures (900 °C). X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to quantify the crystal quality and confirmed that both the seeded and self-nucleated crystals grown were single-orientation; the full width at half-maximum (FWHM) for the symmetric XRD double crystal diffraction scan was 230 arcsec, while the FWHM for the XRD omega rocking curve was 19.2 arcmin and 310 arcsec for self-nucleated and seeded crystals, respectively. The LiNbO2 crystals have undetectable amounts of contamination as determined via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry. Finally, as-grown LiNbO2 crystals were shown to exhibit a memristive response and could be utilized in future neuromorphic computing architectures.
Deviation Control Technology of Gas Drilling in Daqing Oilfield

Gas drilling has been widely applied because of its enormous advantage in protecting gas field,improving drilling rate,etc.However,the issue of hole deviation has not been appropriately solved,it still restricts the development of gas drilling.At present the study on gas drilling in terms of borehole deviation mechanism and control method is very few and has not form a theory of large scale systems at home and aboard.According to some examples of gas drilling in Daqing Oilfield,the reasons are analyze for deviation of gas drilling from many aspects such as geological factor,borehole diameter expanding,drilling parameter,hole drift angle,circulation medium of drilling,etc.Base on the analytic result and the site example of drilling,tentative diagnosis measures has been given to gas drilling control measures,this result laid a solid foundation for the design and construction of gas drilling.
Effects of Total Flavonoids from Bastard Speedwell on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Rats Models

OBJECTIVE To explore action mechanism of total flavonoids from Bastard Speedwell(TFBS) on prostatic hyperplasia rats model induced by castration and testosterone propionate.METHODS Removing of bilateral testes in rats,and subcutaneous injecting of testosterone propionate 4 mg·kg-1-d-1 consecutive for 30 d from the 8th day of castration,established rat model of benign prostatic hyperplasia.The model rats were divided into 5 groups,respectively were fed with 120,60,30 mg·kg-1 of TFBS water solution,Longbishu capsule suspension and the same volume of normal saline solution.Separate a group of blank control group was fed with the same volume of normal saline solution.Every group was given daily administration and consecutive for 30 days.One hour after the last administration,rats were killed,taken after weighing the prostate,measured the levels of testosterone and estradiol in the prostate tissue homogenate by RIA,measured the level of epidermal growth factor in the prostate tissue homogenate by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,other part of prostate tissue in formalin solution fixed,sliced,examination of prostate tissue in each group cytological morphology.RESULTS TFBS could significantly reduce the prostate wet weight and prostate index in rat model with benign prostatic hyperplasia,significantly reduce the levels of testosterone and epidermal growth factor,and significantly increase estradiol levels in the prostate of rat model.Significantly reduce the prostate gland,increase mesenchyma,decrease density of glands,and increase surface area value.CONCLUSION TFBS has good actions of anti-benign prostatic hyperplasia,the action mechanism may be related with reducing androgen levels,improving the disordered ratio of estrogen and androgen,and reducing the level of irritation growth factor in prostate and so on.