cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hume’s Theory of Imagination in the Argument of His Philosophy of the Human Understanding (II): The Attack on Sense

A comparison of Hume’s argument concerning reasoning generally (which I dealt with in the immediately preceding chapter) with his argument concerning the evidence of external sense reveals a rather striking parallel, which many Humain commentators seem to have failed to observe. For just as Hume thinks that it is a singular and seemingly trivial property of the imagination which prevents us from becoming Pyrrhonian sceptics with regard to reason, so he thinks that it is yet another trivial property (or natural propensity) of that faculty which prevents us from becoming Pyrrhonian sceptics with regard to our external sense.1 Let us see how Hume comes to draw this parallel conclusion and in particular what he takes the nature of this further trivial property to be. I shall begin by exhibiting the brief but clear argument which we find in Section XII of Enquiry I, and then show how this argument stands related to the lengthier and also considerably more complex and more obscure argument on the same subject in Part IV of Treatise I. My objective in doing this will be to show that apart from certain differences in detail and even in the over-all structure and order of the argument in the two cases, the central aim of both accounts is the same, viz., to establish the position of mitigated scepticism with regard to the evidence of external sense.
Genetics of the Bombay phenotype.

Seven individuals with the Bombay phenotype have been found among the thirty-three members of an Indian family spanning three generations. This is the first report of children resulting from the union of an individual of the Bombay phenotype hh and an individual heterozygous Hh at the Bombay locus. This family again demonstrates the effective suppression of the A-B-O phenotype by the Bombay genotype. Three Bombay individuals of this family were shown to be heterozygous at the Lewis locus. This had not been determinable in previously reported cases. This is consistent with the concept that there are two kinds of Bombay genotypes. We propose that the Lewis gene has evolved from a duplication of the H gene. Such duplication predisposes to both higher orders of duplication and to deletion. Deletions in this system would then provide the genetic basis for the Lewis-negative and the Bombay phenotype. In order to explain the rarity of the Lewis-negative Bombay phenotype by the proposed mechanism, we postulate that it would only arise by crossing over at the position determining the active site of the transferase enzymes which determine the Lewis and the H specificities.
Scheduling Strategy to improve Response Time for Web Applications

We propose a tunable scheduling strategy that lies between FIFO and shortest-first, based on the value of a coefficiert Alpha. If Alpha is set to zero then this strategy is just FIFO. Larger Alpha gets us closer to shortest-first strategy which is known to provide optimal response time. However, unlike the shortest-first, proposed scheduling strategy is starvation free. This scheduling strategy, called Alpha scheduling with no preemption, allows to improve overall response time per HTTP request more than 3 times under heavy load. We demonstrate our results with a simple simulation model using SpecWeb96 to generate representative WWW workload.
Cortical potentials in an auditory oddball task reflect individual differences in working memory capacity

This study determined whether auditory cortical responses associated with mechanisms of attention vary with individual differences in working memory capacity (WMC) and perceptual load. The operation span test defined subjects with low versus high WMC, who then discriminated target/nontarget tones while EEG was recorded. Infrequent white noise distracters were presented at midline or ±90° locations, and perceptual load was manipulated by varying nontarget frequency. Amplitude of the N100 to distracters was negatively correlated with WMC. Relative to targets, only high WMC subjects showed attenuated N100 amplitudes to nontargets. In the higher WMC group, increased perceptual load was associated with decreased P3a amplitudes to distracters and longer-lasting negative slow wave to nontargets. Results show that auditory cortical processing is associated with multiple facets of attention related to WMC and possibly higher-level cognition.
Questionnaires: Cognitive Approaches

Respondents’ answers to standardized questions presented in self-administered questionnaires or face-to-face and telephone interviews are a major source of social science data. These answers, however, are profoundly influenced by characteristics of the question asked, including the wording of the question, the format of the response alternatives, and the context in which it is presented. The cognitive and communicative processes underlying these influences are increasingly well understood, and this article reviews their implications for question wording and questionnaire construction.
The role of growth factors in embryonic induction in amphibians.

Publisher Summary The outcome of many studies on growth factors that provides part of the conceptual foundation for their joining with the field of embryology is the realization that the term “growth factor” is an incomplete and sometimes even misleading description of substances that, in many cases, inhibit growth or affect differentiation in complex ways. The vertebrate embryo undergoes normal development, to a large measure, through interactions between its different cells and tissues. Extensive studies in amphibians led to the conclusion that diffusible factors related to the class of growth factor molecules have a major role in mediating these interactions. Given the basic similarity of embryogenesis in all vertebrate classes, it appears likely that similar mechanisms of cell interactions are important in the development of other embryos, including those of mammals. Extension of the experience from amphibians to other systems is an important aim for future research.
Cellular Delivery of Neurotrophin-3 Promotes Corticospinal Axonal Growth and Partial Functional Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury

The injured adult mammalian spinal cord shows little spontaneous recovery after injury. In the present study, the contribution of projections in the dorsal half of the spinal cord to functional loss after adult spinal cord injury was examined, together with the effects of transgenic cellular delivery of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) on morphological and functional disturbances. Adult rats underwent bilateral dorsal column spinal cord lesions that remove the dorsal corticospinal projections or underwent more extensive resections of the entire dorsal spinal cord bilaterally that remove corticospinal, rubrospinal, and cerulospinal projections. Long-lasting functional deficits were observed on a motor grid task requiring detailed integration of sensorimotor skills, but only in animals with dorsal hemisection lesions as opposed to dorsal column lesions. Syngenic primary rat fibroblasts genetically modified to produce NT-3 were then grafted to acute spinal cord dorsal hemisection lesion cavities. Up to 3 months later, significant partial functional recovery occurred in NT-3-grafted animals together with a significant increase in corticospinal axon growth at and distal to the injury site. These findings indicate that (1) several spinal pathways contribute to loss of motor function after spinal cord injury, (2) NT-3 is a neurotrophic factor for the injured corticospinal projection, and (3) functional deficits are partially ameliorated by local cellular delivery of NT-3. Lesions of the corticospinal projection may be necessary, but insufficient in isolation, to cause sensorimotor dysfunction after spinal cord injury in the rat.
TH-CD-BRA-06: Proton Beam Entrance Dosimetry with the Exradin W1 Plastic Scintillation Detector

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of using a commercial plastic scintillation detector, the Exradin W1, for precise, accurate entrance dosimetry in a passively scattered proton beam Methods: Measurements of passively scattered proton beam entrance dose were performed using an Exradin W1 calibrated on a Cobalt-60 unit, and a calibrated parallel plane ion chamber at energies from 140 to 250 MeV. A fixed spread out Bragg peak (SOBP) width of 8 cm was used at all energies except 140 and 225 MeV, where selected SOBP widths spanning all those available were used. Comparisons between the ion chamber and W1 measured dose were used to determine whether and how much the W1 under-responded in the presence of the high linear energy transfer radiation (a phenomenon called ionization quenching, well known to occur at depth in proton beams where LET reaches its maximum). The W1’s precision was also evaluated by taking the coefficient of variation of repeated measurements. Results: From 200 MeV to 250 MeV the W1 under-responded by approximately 7% ±1%, and from 140 MeV to 180 MeV it under-responded by approximately 10% ±1%. The under-response was consistent within these bounds and negligibly affected by the SOBP width. An empirical correction factor with only two discrete values (one corresponding to energies greater than or equal to 200 MeV, and another for lower energies) was sufficient to produce better than 1% agreement between the W1 and ion chamber for all measurements. The W1 exhibited excellent precision, better than 1% at all energies but for the lowest where it was less than 2%. Conclusion: The Exradin W1 was found to be capable of precise, accurate entrance dosimetry with the application of a simple correction factor based on proton beam energy. This project was supported in part by award number CA182450 from the National Cancer Institute.
3D Hydrogel Scaffolds for Articular Chondrocyte Culture and Cartilage Generation

Human articular cartilage is highly susceptible to damage and has limited self-repair and regeneration potential. Cell-based strategies to engineer cartilage tissue offer a promising solution to repair articular cartilage. To select the optimal cell source for tissue repair, it is important to develop an appropriate culture platform to systematically examine the biological and biomechanical differences in the tissue-engineered cartilage by different cell sources. Here we applied a three-dimensional (3D) biomimetic hydrogel culture platform to systematically examine cartilage regeneration potential of juvenile, adult, and osteoarthritic (OA) chondrocytes. The 3D biomimetic hydrogel consisted of synthetic component poly(ethylene glycol) and bioactive component chondroitin sulfate, which provides a physiologically relevant microenvironment for in vitro culture of chondrocytes. In addition, the scaffold may be potentially used for cell delivery for cartilage repair in vivo. Cartilage tissue engineered in the scaffold can be evaluated using quantitative gene expression, immunofluorescence staining, biochemical assays, and mechanical testing. Utilizing these outcomes, we were able to characterize the differential regenerative potential of chondrocytes of varying age, both at the gene expression level and in the biochemical and biomechanical properties of the engineered cartilage tissue. The 3D culture model could be applied to investigate the molecular and functional differences among chondrocytes and progenitor cells from different stages of normal or aberrant development.
The p-shell with one particle in the continuum

Abstract A continuum shell model is now available for p -shell nuclei with exactly the same important properties as a bound-state p -shell model calculation. This means that one can obtain all solutions that correspond to coupling one nucleon to the possible p -shell states of a bound-state calculation. The resulting coupled-channels solutions are antisymmetric and contain no spurious components. This model can be used to describe a very broad range of nuclear phenomena, from capture reactions at astrophysical energies, to knockout reactions at low energies, to nucleon scattering and charge exchange at intermediate energies. Example calculations are shown for the compound systems 7 Be and 7 Li. Here it is demonstrated that agreement between theoretical and experimentally determined elastic and inelastic cross sections and analyzing power values can be improved by coupling to all open channels.
Academic librarians at play in the field of cheminformatics: building the case for chemistry research data management

There are compelling needs from a variety of camps for more chemistry data to be available. While there are funder and government mandates for depositing research data in the United States and Europe, this does not mean it will be done well or expediently. Chemists themselves do not appear overly engaged at this stage and chemistry librarians who work directly with chemists and their local information environments are interested in helping with this challenge. Our unique understanding of organizing data and information enables us to contribute to building necessary infrastructure and establishing standards and best practices across the full research data cycle. As not many support structures focused on chemistry currently exist, we are initiating explorations through a few case studies and focused pilot projects presented here, with an aim of identifying opportunities for increased collaboration among chemists, chemistry librarians, cheminformaticians and other chemistry professionals.
A marketing perspective of the U.S. International Trade Commission's antidumping actions—an empirical inquiry

Antidumping laws can have a profound effect on both domestic and international firms and are increasingly used by nations around the world to reduce competition in domestic markets. In the United States, the International Trade Commission (ITC) is a key governmental agency which determines whether or not to impose antidumping measures on imports and the types of measures to impose. This paper analyzes some of the key factors affecting the antidumping decisions taken by the ITC. The data were gathered in a systematic and comprehensive review of the original case and investigation ledgers of the Commission for all full case investigations conducted from 1980 to 1992. Principal findings are that large firms can use the antidumping process to obtain strategic shelter from foreign competitors even under conditions of growing markets, while smaller firms in more atomistic industries are likely to gain such shelter only in instances of market decline. In addition, current import penetration ratios appear to influence the decision process, while Japanese and other Asian origin of imports seems to have little effect on the outcome. Given the linkages identified, several strategic responses useful to managers are identified.
Temporal stochastic convexity and concavity

Abstract A discrete time stochastic process {Xn, n = 0, 1, 2, …} is said to be temporally convex (concave) if Eθ(Xn) is a nondecreasing convex (concave) function of n whenever θ is a nondecreasing convex (concave) function. Similarly one can define temporal convexity and concavity for continuous time stochastic processes. In this paper we find conditions which imply that a given Markov process is temporally convex or concave. Some illustrative examples of stochastic temporal convexity and concavity in reliability theory, queueing theory, branching processes and record values are given. Finally an application of temporal stochastic concavity to a problem in computational probability is described.
Treatment of Non-Monosymptomatic Nocturnal Enuresis by Transcutaneous Parasacral Electrical Nerve Stimulation

Abstract Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of transcutaneous parasacral electrical stimulation (TCPSE) in the treatment of non-monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (NMNE). Also, we evaluated possible pretreatment predictors of TCPSE failure. Materials and methods Nineteen children diagnosed with NMNE who underwent TCPSE were studied prospectively. There were 6 boys and 13 girls with a mean age of 9.05 ± 3.153 years (range 5–17 years). The sessions were performed three times per week for a maximum of 20 sessions, for 20 min each and at a frequency of 10 Hz. Results For eight children (42%) the nocturnal enuresis resolved, four (21%) presented a reduction in nocturnal episodes to less than one a week, six (32%) presented no change and one (5%) had increased frequency of NMNE. Symptoms present before treatment, such as daytime incontinence, frequency, constipation and occurrence of urinary tract infection, were not predictors of failure after TCPSE. Conclusion TCPSE can be an effective treatment for NMNE, but about a third of patients will need another kind of treatment. No pretreatment factor was determined that predicted TCPSE failure.
Cyclic AMP-Mediated Desensitization of D1 Dopamine Receptor-Coupled Adenylyl Cyclase in NS20Y Neuroblastoma Cells

Abstract Cyclic AMP-mediated desensitization of D1 dopamine receptor-coupled adenylyl cyclase was investigated using NS20Y neuroblastoma cells. Pretreatment of the cells for 24 h with 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-adenosine-3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate (CPT-cAMP), a membrane-permeable analog of cAMP, resulted in an ∼90% reduction of the maximum dopamine-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity. In addition, there was a twofold reduction in the potency of dopamine for stimulating cAMP production that was not dependent on the concentration of Mg2+ in the assay. These effects of CPT-cAMP pretreatment were time dependent, showing a t1/2 of about 3 h and a maximum reduction after about 8 h. Receptor-binding activity, as measured using the D2-selective antagonist [3H]SCH-23390, also declined following CPT-cAMP pretreatment with a t1/2 of about 5 h and a maximum reduction of about 70% after 20 h. Saturation analysis indicated that the loss in radioligand binding was due to a reduction in maximum binding capacity (Bmax) with no alteration in receptor affinity (KD). The EC50 of CPT-cAMP for producing enzyme desensitization and D1 receptor downregulation was determined to be about 30 μM with a maximal response occurring at 1 mM. These regulatory effects of CPT-cAMP were pharmacologically specific as other analogs of cAMP, such as dibutryl-cAMP, 8-bromo-cAMP, and Sp-cAMPS, were capable of inducing D1 receptor desensitization and downregulation, whereas treatment of the cells with the cAMP antagonist Rp-cAMPS had no effect. Conversely, Rp-cAMPS was capable of blocking the regulatory effects of CPT-cAMP but was apparently without effect in blocking dopamine-induced desensitization. In addition to desensitization and receptor downregulation, CPT-cAMP treatment was found to promote functional uncoupling of the receptor as suggested by a loss of high-affinity agonist binding observed in dopamine/[3H]SCH-23390 competition assays following desensitization. Removal of CPT-cAMP resulted in recovery to control activities within 24 h. This recovery could be completely blocked through inhibition of cellular protein synthesis using cycloheximide. These data indicate that increasing the intracellular levels of cAMP can promote desensitization of the D1 receptor/adenylyl cyclase system and can induce a downregulatlon of D1 receptor-binding activity, presumably involving degradation of receptor protein.
Mechanics and manipulation of planar elastic kinematic chains

In this paper, we study quasi-static manipulation of a planar kinematic chain with a fixed base in which each joint is a linearly-elastic torsional spring. The shape of this chain when in static equilibrium can be represented as the solution to a discrete-time optimal control problem, with boundary conditions that vary with the position and orientation of the last link. We prove that the set of all solutions to this problem is a smooth manifold that can be parameterized by a single chart. For manipulation planning, we show several advantages of working in this chart instead of in the space of boundary conditions, particularly in the context of a sampling-based planning algorithm. Examples are provided in simulation.
Equality-in-Quality in the Era of the Affordable Care Act

HEALTH CARE RECEIVED BY PATIENTS IN THE UNITED States is of inadequate quality. As part of the federal response to this major shortcoming, ensuring high-quality health care is a central theme throughout the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) signed into law in 2010. The focus on improving quality in the ACA, however, effectively overshadows other major concerns about the US health care system—among them, pervasive and persistent disparities in health care related to factors such as sex, race/ ethnicity, social class, insurance status, and language that fundamentally constrain how much overall quality can improve. The comparative inattention in the ACA to known inequalities in health care is noteworthy, not only in comparison with the focus on quality, but also because the lack of emphasis on disparities in the ACA language is inconsistent with recent positions of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The AHRQ and IOM have indicated that reducing disparities is an unambiguous priority in working to improve quality in health care. This approach is consistent with analyses suggesting that reducing disparities based on social factors may improve health care quality more than would marginal improvements in overall medical care. Given this disconnect between provisions within the ACA and federally endorsed approaches to pursuing what amounts to “equality-in-quality,” it is worth examining the philosophical and empirical underpinnings of arguments for considering disparities while working to improve quality. Striving for equality-in-quality is not merely aspirational but should be foundational. Failing to address disparities may consign health care quality improvement efforts— originating from the ACA or otherwise—to less success than otherwise could be realized.
Instantaneous Wavenumber Estimation for Damage Quantification in Layered Plate Structures

This paper illustrates the application of instantaneous and local wavenumber damage quantification techniques for high frequency guided wave interrogation. The proposed methodologies can be considered as first steps towards a hybrid structural health monitoring/ nondestructive evaluation (SHM/NDE) approach for damage assessment in composites. The challenges and opportunities related to the considered type of interrogation and signal processing are explored through the analysis of numerical data obtained via EFIT simulations of damage in CRFP plates. Realistic damage configurations are modeled from x-ray CT scan data of plates subjected to actual impacts, in order to accurately predict wave-damage interactions in terms of scattering and mode conversions. Simulation data is utilized to enhance the information provided by instantaneous and local wavenumbers and mitigate the complexity related to the multi-modal content of the plate response. Signal processing strategies considered for this purpose include modal decoupling through filtering in the frequency/wavenumber domain, the combination of displacement components, and the exploitation of polarization information for the various modes as evaluated through the dispersion analysis of the considered laminate lay-up sequence. The results presented assess the effectiveness of the proposed wavefield processing techniques as a hybrid SHM/NDE technique for damage detection and quantification in composite, plate-like structures.
Interface shape and radial distribution of impurities in 〈111〉 silicon crystals

Abstract The solid-liquid interface shape at the shoulder of ingot growth is affected by the taper angle. The interface changes from concave to convex with an increase of taper angle. The interface shape at the main body of ingot growth depends on the crystal length. The interface becomes more concave with increase in the length of a crystal. The radial dopant distribution has been correlated with the interface shape and its radius of curvature. No correlation is found between the interface shape and radial distribution of oxygen or carbon.
Flexible polyurethane foam modelling and identification of viscoelastic parameters for automotive seating applications

Abstract A hereditary model and a fractional derivative model for the dynamic properties of flexible polyurethane foams used in automotive seat cushions are presented. Non-linear elastic and linear viscoelastic properties are incorporated into these two models. A polynomial function of compression is used to represent the non-linear elastic behavior. The viscoelastic property is modelled by a hereditary integral with a relaxation kernel consisting of two exponential terms in the hereditary model and by a fractional derivative term in the fractional derivative model. The foam is used as the only viscoelastic component in a foam–mass system undergoing uniaxial compression. One-term harmonic balance solutions are developed to approximate the steady state response of the foam–mass system to the harmonic base excitation. System identification procedures based on the direct non-linear optimization and a sub-optimal method are formulated to estimate the material parameters. The effects of the choice of the cost function, frequency resolution of data and imperfections in experiments are discussed. The system identification procedures are also applied to experimental data from a foam–mass system. The performances of the two models for data at different compression and input excitation levels are compared, and modifications to the structure of the fractional derivative model are briefly explored. The role of the viscous damping term in both types of model is discussed.
Program proving using intermediate verification languages (IVLs) like boogie and why3

A program verifier is a complex piece of software. To deal with this complexity, a standard architecture of a modern program verifier consists of two basic parts: a front end and a back end, separated by an intermediate verification language (IVL). The separation of concerns obtained by this architecture is analogous to that in compilers: the front end is concerned with breaking down the semantics of given source-language programs into the more primitive operations of the intermediate language, and the back end is concerned with encoding the meaning of the intermediate program as efficient theorem-prover input.Two prevalent IVLs today are Boogie~2 and Why3. In this invited talk, I will give a tour of the Boogie language. Through a set of examples, I will illustrate how a verifier may translate common source-program features into an IVL. A verification engine for the IVL is then applied to perform the actual verification. In this way, you can obtain a program verifier for your own language by building a new front end and reusing an existing verification engine.
Emulating Insertion and Deletion Events in Genome Rearrangement Analysis

Great advancements have been achieved in phylogenetic reconstruction from genome rearrangement events but difficult problems still remain. One challenge is to deal with more complex events such as gene insertions and deletions such that we can analyze both gene order and gene content changes in tandem. We propose the concept of prosthetic chromosomes to incorporate these events into the standard double-cut-and-join (DCJ) distance metric widely used for genome scale rearrangement analysis. In this paper, we also introduce our new software package Egchel (Extended Gene Content HEuristic Layer) which implements this prosthetic chromosome model. Egchel can modify unequal content gene order data sets such that they are able to be analyzed by existing phylogenetic tree builders specifically designed to work with equal content gene order data sets. When compared to existing pair wise analysis of unequal content data sets, Egcheluses a global approach, produces substantially more accurate phylogenetic trees, and is significantly more likely to generate the best available tree.
Dietary, Environmental, and Hereditary Factors in the Development of Colorectal Cancer

Recent studies have attempted to identify factors that are associated with the development of colorectal cancer both in population groups with genetic predisposition to neoplasia and in individuals in the general population who are at high risk. Environmental and dietary elements suspected of inducing or promoting colon carcinogenesis and abnormalities observed in colonic cell development are under investigation. Colorectal cancer poses a major health problem in the United States and many other countries, and is currently responsible for a high proportion of the malignant neoplasms found in the United States. Recent figures have indicated over 80,000 new cases annually in the United States and high mortality (1). The proportion of individuals who survive the disease varies with the stage at which it is detected, success being higher with earlier detection (2).
Controlling the swelling characteristics of temperature-sensitive cellulose ether hydrogels

Abstract Novel temperature-sensitive hydrogels; have been synthesized by chemically crosslinking cellulose ethers; hydroxypropyl cellulose, methyl cellulose and hydroxypropylmethyl celluloses. These gels are highly swollen at low temperatures, gradually deswelling as temperature rises, usually sharply over a limited temperature range. Linear polymer type, crosslink density and ionic content have been varied in order to determine the effects of controllable network parameters on the important properties (degree of swelling, transition temperature and sharpness of transition) of the gels obtained. The transition temperature itself is about that of the observed linear polymer lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Producing gels from increasingly hydrophilic cellulose ethers raises the transition temperature and increases the swelling degree at comparable crosslink densities. However, decreasing crosslinking has little effect on swelling above the transition temperature. In contrast, increasing ionic content increases swelling at all temperatures. The transition temperature is not affected by the degree of crosslinking, but increases with increasing ionic content. The volume transition of the hydroxypropyl cellulose gel is significantly sharper than for the other gels. Crosslinking and ionic content have little effect on transition sharpness. The trends observed with cellulose ether gels are consistent with those observed in gels produced by conventional copolymerization/crosslinking synthesis methods, though some differences are noted.
An efficient code searching for sequence homology and DNA duplication.

Abstract This paper presents a very simple and efficient algorithm that searches for sequence homology and gene duplication. The code finds the best alignment of two, short or long, sequences without having to specify how many unmatched bases are allowed to be looped out. Following Needleman & Wunsch 1970, Seller 1974 Sankoff 1972 and Smith, Waterman & Fitch 1981 gap constraints are incorporated into the program and may be employed. The availability of such a fast computer code enables detection of homologous genes which may fulfill a different function at present, but have arisen from a common gene-ancestor. The code is extremely fast and runs in O(n 3 2 ) units of time. It was applied to the θX174 sequence.
Presidential Campaigns and the Knowledge Gap in Three Transitional Democracies

Analysis of panel data from Brazil, Mexico, and Russia suggests that presidential campaigns have ambiguous effects on inequalities in political knowledge. In all three countries, the “knowledge gap” among citizens with different levels of socioeconomic resources stayed the same or widened. At the same time, less affluent and educated citizens who paid a great deal of attention to the campaign learned more than equally attentive high-status citizens. These findings suggest that modern, media-intensive electoral campaigns do provide information to low socioeconomic status citizens in readily digestible form, but they fail to stimulate sufficient attention to politics among these citizens to close the knowledge gap.
The analysis of linear correlation in astronomy

Abstract The analysis of linear correlation in the presence of errors on all the variables is discussed, the two-variable case being treated in some detail. Some aspects of the problem of transforming between astronomical photometric systems are analyzed as an example. In the case of multivariate analysis, we treat the correction of the normal equations for errors on all the variables, the determination of independent errors in different systems of measuring the same quantity, the determination of dimensionality and the analysis of variance into principal components.
Activity of Three Aminoglycosides and Two Penicillins Against Four Species of Gram-Negative Bacilli

Three aminoglycoside antibiotics and two penicillins were compared for their in vitro activity against 60 isolates of Serratia, Pseudomonas, Proteus mirabilis, and indole-positive Proteus sp. Testing was done by the agar dilution method using Mueller-Hinton broth solidified with 1.5% agar. The activity of amikacin, aminodeoxybutirosin, and gentamicin against Proteus and Pseudomonas, as related to their peak blood levels, showed no significant differences. Amikacin was the most active against Serratia marcescens. Results using Mueller-Hinton media in broth dilution tests correlated with the agar dilution method except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The minimal inhibitory concentration for aminoglycosides in agar was considerably greater than the minimal inhibitory concentration in Mueller-Hinton broth, and the disparity was related to the higher divalent cation concentration of agar. BL-P1654 and carbenicillin were similar except that carbenicillin was much more active against indole-positive Proteus sp. Additionally, the ratio of bactericidal to bacteriostatic concentrations of BL-P1654 was considerably greater than for carbenicillin.
The five factor model of personality and the non-medical use of prescription drugs: Associations in a young adult sample

Abstract Personality traits are associated with illicit drug use and substance use disorders. Non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD), the use of medications without a physician’s prescription, is increasingly prevalent among young adults. Research suggests that dimensions of the five factor model of personality are predictive of NMUPD, but this has yet to be explored in young adults. The current study examined these relations and found that neuroticism and openness to experience were predictors of NMUPD, while conscientiousness acted as a protective factor. These relations were seen to varying degrees across different drug classes and suggest that personality traits are important to consider in college-aged samples when identifying those most at risk for negative consequences associated with NMUPD.
Surface lipids of wheat stripe rust uredospores, Puccinia striiformis, compared to those of the host

Abstract A surface lipid extract was made of uredospores of wheat stripe rust, Puccinis striiformis . The major components of the extract are β-diketones, n -alcohols and hydrocarbons. The surface lipid extract of the host wheat has a composition that is qualitatively similar, if not the same, in the major components. Even though there are quantitative differences in the two extracts, it appears that at least the three major components appear on the uredospore surface as a result of the host-parasite relationship.
External electroluminescence measurements of InGaAs∕InAlAs avalanche photodiodes

The external efficiency of electroluminescence resulting from hot-carrier recombination has been studied in an InGaAs∕InAlAs avalanche photodiode. An analytical model that quantifies this emission is presented. Experimental data suggest that the emission originates from an intrinsic layer above the multiplication region. This electroluminescence mechanism offers a novel way for frequency upconversion, where the upconverted frequency can be controlled with proper choice of device layers. Lastly, we report for the first time the optical absorption properties of In0.52Al0.48As.
STAT1-dependent and STAT1-independent gene expression in murine immune cells following stimulation with interferon-alpha

Purpose The precise molecular targets of interferon-alpha (IFN-α) therapy of melanoma are unknown but likely involve signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) signal transduction within host immune effector cells. We hypothesized that microarray analysis could be utilized to identify candidate molecular targets important for mediating the anti-tumor effect of exogenously administered IFN-α.
The Effect of Regional Slopes on Local Structure and Exploration of Tilted Paleo-Highs

Prospects for discovering local highs in old petroleum-producing regions have by now been substantially exhausted. Hence it is of great importance at this stage to seek non-anticlinal accumulations of hydrocarbons, including those in traps genetically associated with tilted paleo-highs, often represented in the modern structural plan by structural noses and terraces. Appropriate exploration for such types of deposits may soon become important in Ciscaucasia and other old petroleum-producing regions. Consequently, problems of the scientific basis for prospecting paleo-highs tilted in the modern structural plan, and developing procedures both for revealing and also for assessing their expression in the structural plan during different stages of geological history, and establishing the time and depth of changes in aspect, will become extremely topical. In order to discover possible local highs and to study their features within the margins of the platformal basins and the platformal edges of the marginal troughs, the authors use the method of removing the effect of the regional slope on the local structural plan. This paper describes this method. 13 references.
Real-time imaging with radial GRAPPA: Implementation on a heterogeneous architecture for low-latency reconstructions

Combination of non-Cartesian trajectories with parallel MRI permits to attain unmatched acceleration rates when compared to traditional Cartesian MRI during real-time imaging. However, computationally demanding reconstructions of such imaging techniques, such as k-space domain radial generalized auto-calibrating partially parallel acquisitions (radial GRAPPA) and image domain conjugate gradient sensitivity encoding (CG-SENSE), lead to longer reconstruction times and unacceptable latency for online real-time MRI on conventional computational hardware. Though CG-SENSE has been shown to work with low-latency using a general purpose graphics processing unit (GPU), to the best of our knowledge, no such effort has been made for radial GRAPPA. Radial GRAPPA reconstruction, which is robust even with highly undersampled acquisitions, is not iterative, requiring only significant computation during initial calibration while achieving good image quality for low-latency imaging applications. In this work, we present a very fast, low-latency, reconstruction framework based on a heterogeneous system using multi-core CPUs and GPUs. We demonstrate an implementation of radial GRAPPA that permits reconstruction times on par with or faster than acquisition of highly accelerated datasets in both cardiac and dynamic musculoskeletal imaging scenarios. Acquisition and reconstruction times are reported.
Reduced Cardiac Selenium Content in the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Selenium deficiency has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a dilated congestive cardiomyopathy in areas of China (Keshan disease) and in several patients on long-term total parenteral nutrition. Recently a clinically and pathologically similar cardiomyopathy has been described in AIDS. Since blood selenium levels are low in AIDS, we assayed cardiac selenium status by a spectrofluorometric method in eight AIDS patients at autopsy compared to nine age-matched, non-AIDS autopsy controls with histologically normal hearts. We found (mean +/- SD) a cardiac selenium level of 0.327 +/- 0.082 microgram/g dry weight in AIDS vs 0.534 +/- 0.184 microgram/g dry weight in controls (p less than 0.01; Student's t test). There were no significant differences between the groups for heart weight, serum CPK, or other laboratory parameters. No specific chest x-ray or electrocardiographic abnormalities were present. Histologically, all AIDS hearts were abnormal; mostly with mild degrees of muscle hypertrophy or fibrosis. Foci of myocytolysis and myocyte necrosis and fibrous replacement of myocytes and monocytic infiltration were present in two AIDS cases. We conclude that heart tissue in AIDS demonstrates a significant selenium deficit. These data provide a potential link between selenium deficiency and cardiomyopathy in AIDS.
Therapy of nontuberculous mycobacterial disease

Purpose of reviewNontuberculous mycobacterial disease, especially pulmonary disease, is increasingly encountered by clinicians. Therapy of the most common nontuberculous mycobacterial pathogen, Mycobacterium avium complex, improved with the introduction of macrolide-containing regimens, but treatmen
Energetics of two-level shears and hardening of single crystals

An energetic description of the hardening behavior of single crystals undergoing single slip is analyzed. Simultaneous macroscopic simple shear and mesoscopic slips are described by means of a class of structured deformations called “two-level shears,” along with recently proposed measures of separation of active slip-bands and the number of lattice cells traversed during slip. The energetics of two-level shears gives rise to a response consistent with the experimentally observed loading and unloading behavior of a single crystal in G. I. Taylor’s soft device, as well as with the Portevin-le Chatelier effect. The initial critical resolved shear stress, the flow stress, and the hardening response are obtained, and an application to aluminum single crystals is discussed.
Dendroaxonic synapses in the substantia gelatinosa glomeruli of the spinal trigeminal nucleus of the cat.

The glomeruli in the substantia gelatinosa layer of the spinal trigeminal nucleus of the cat contain three kinds of dendritic processes. One of these, the type 2 dendrite, contains large synaptic vesicles in its spine heads and in its shafts. The type 2 dendrite receivers axodendritic synapses from primary trigeminal afferent (C) axons and an occasional axodendritic synapse from small axonal (P) endings with small synaptic vesicles. The type 2 dendrites in turn form dendroaxonic synapses on the C endings. The dendroaxonic synapse and the axodendritic synapse of the C ending typically occur in reciprocal pairs. The axodendritic synapse usually lies in the depths of scalloped depressions in the surface of the C ending while the dendroaxonic synapse is found on the rim of the depression. Type 1 spines, i.e., dendritic spines receiving axodendritic synapses from the primary ending and lacking synaptic vesicles, also receive dendrodentritic synapses from type 2 dendrites. The type 2 dendrite with its large, rounded synaptic vesicles is considered to be excitatory at its dendroaxonic and dendrodendritic synapses. The type 2 dendrites course from glomerulus to glomerulus receiving their excitatory input through the axodendritic synapses of C axons. A type 2 dendrite, in response to C axon excitation would activate type 1 spines directly through their dendrodendritic synapses (C leads to 2 leads to 1) and indirectly by increasing transmitter release at the axodendritic synapses of the C axonal endings through their dendroaxonic synapses (2 leads to C leads to 1). The type 2 dendrites could serve two functions. First, they may prolong transmitter release from the axodendritic synapses of C axonal endings beyond the time of arrival of incoming potentials because of the reciprocal pairing of dendroaxonic and axodendritic synapses (C in equilibrium 2). Second, they may extend the spatial range of the excitatory output of active primary afferent axons to type 1 spines of glomeruli whose primary afferent axons may be inactive (C leads to 2 leads to 1).
Characterization of a sandy aquifer material at the grain scale

Abstract Solute sorption in aquifer systems is significantly affected by processes which occur at the scale of individual solid particles, such that proper physical characterization of the solids is requisite to fully understanding solute transport. Methods for characterizing grains of sandy aquifer material with respect to physical properties relevant to sorption are described and assessed. The properties include particle density, porosity, pore size distribution, specific surface area, and carbon content. Because intraparticle porosity, specific surface area, and organic carbon are quite low for sandy materials, methods routinely used for characterizing solids must be carefully evaluated and adapted for use on aquifer solids. The methods considered here were applied to aquifer material acquired at a site in Borden, Ontario, where numerous transport studies have been conducted. Results with well-characterized model solids are also included, as appropriate, for method evaluation. Results with the Borden solids are reported for eight size fractions and for the homogenized bulk material. Mineralogical characterization of the fractions served as an indispensable complement to the physical characterization methods. Pulverization of samples in a shatterbox was shown to be useful for homogenizing samples and reducing variability. We found a modified dry combustion method to be superior to wet oxidation for determining organic carbon. Surface area measurements were indicative of significant internal porosity, and pore size distributions obtained by gas adsorption and mercury porosimetry were found to be consistent and complementary. For the Borden material—which has an immeasurably low clay mineral content—specific surface area, intraparticle porosity, and organic carbon content were all greatest in the larger size fractions.
Tricyclic treatment of generalized anxiety disorder

While tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) have now long been used in treatment for depressive and panic-phobic disorders, we reviewed and reported on their efficacy in generalized anxiety states. These ill-defined states usually have admixtures of anxiety and depression. While there is no neat diagnostic categorization to fit this wasteland of yet-to-be-defined disorders, they show surprising responsiveness to imipramine. The onset of efficacy appears to begin at about 2 weeks or later and is probably superior to at least one well-known benzodiazepine, chlordiazepoxide, well beyond that time. It is not possible to dismiss these observed antianxiety effects as secondary to antidepressant effects or as attributable to the unintended inclusion of a peculiarly sensitive subset of individuals such as panic-phobic patients. These findings indicate that affect regulation by TCAs applies to so-called generalized anxiety as well as to depression and panic-phobic disorder. Brief reminders and guidelines are outlined for the possible clinical use of TCAs in anxiety disorders, but there remain more questions than answers. Several replication studies concerning the results reviewed here are now under way.
Personality and Mood Correlates of Schedule of Recent Experience Scores

The relationship between high degrees of life style changes and personality and mood factors was explored. 262 university students completed the Schedule of Recent Experience, a device quantifying the psychological magnitude of experienced changes in a given time period, the Psychological Screening Inventory and the Profile of Mood States. Scores on the Schedule of Recent Experience had significant positive correlations with Profile of Mood States scores of tension, depression, anger, fatigue, confusion, and total mood disturbance. They also significantly and positively correlated with the Psychological Screening Inventory scores of alienation, social nonconformity, and expression, and negatively with defensiveness. The pattern of personality and mood correlates of scores on the Schedule was consistent with a hypothesis that adverse psychological consequences may result from a great deal of change.