cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Muscle Development and Differentiation

Skeletal muscle is formed through the differentiation and fusion of myoblasts into a multinucleated syncytium. Advances in molecular biology techniques and the generation of transgenic mouse models have contributed to the identification of the molecular pathways involved in skeletal muscle growth and differentiation. During embryogenesis, the specification and development of the myogenic lineage is determined by the spatiotemporal expression of a family of muscle-specific transcription factors. Understanding the molecular mechanism controlling skeletal muscle development may lead to new insights into therapeutic strategies that may alleviate some of the pathological conditions associated with muscular diseases.
Nonlinear Optics: Theory, Numerical Modeling And Applications

Review of linear wave propagation origin of optical nonlinearity second harmonic generation self-refraction of optical beams optical bistability optical phase conjugation stimulated Raman and Brillouin scattering solitions in optical fibres photorefractive nonlinear optics nonlinear optical properties of nematic liquid crystals self-organization in nonlinear optical systems nonlinear optics of photonic bandgap structures.
Digital Government Implementation: A Comparative Study in USA and Russia

Although e-government comparative studies are relatively new, there exist a number of approaches to conducting comparisons of e-government development. In this article we employ one of these approaches to study a well-defined topic, e-government, in two contexts at the national level. Our goal is to identify both similarities and differences in problems, challenges and solution approaches in e-government development at the national level of governance. We use a case study method to describe the objects of comparison – the national e-government systems of USA and Russia from qualitative perspective.
Heterogeneous Integration of 2D Materials and Devices on a Si Platform

Two-dimensional (2D) materials are atomically thin layered crystals with weak van der Waals interactions in between layers. Their unique electrical and optoelectronic properties and the easiness of their integration with silicon technologies have made 2D materials and devices a very promising and flexible platform for More-than-Moore applications. In this chapter, we discuss some of the opportunities of this heterogeneous integration in next-generation electronic, optoelectronic, and chemical/biological sensing applications.
Factors Influencing the Supply of Four Landscape Services

Abstract The landscape industry is a rapidly growing segment of the economy. Growth of the industry is attributed to increasing affluence of the population and leisure time. Increasing awareness of...
Transitions during the School Day: An Observational Study of Elementary School Students

ABSTRACTWe examined transitions occurring throughout the school day in an elementary school, sampling from kindergarten, second grade, and fourth grade classrooms. Unobtrusive observations and desc...
The Prevalence of Y-chromosome Microdeletions in Oligozoospermic Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of European and North American Studies.

Abstract Context European and North American guidelines recommend Y-chromosome microdeletion (YCM) screening in azoospermic and oligozoospermic men with sperm concentrations of 1 million sperm/ml. Objective We systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed European and North American studies to determine the prevalence of a complete YCM in oligozoospermic men with sperm concentrations of >0–1, >1–5, and >5–20 million sperm/ml, and to determine whether 1 or 5 million sperm/ml is the most appropriate sperm concentration threshold for YCM screening. Evidence acquisition A systematic review of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov was performed for studies assessing the prevalence of a complete YCM in oligozoospermic men in European and North American studies. Evidence synthesis Thirty-seven studies were identified during a systematic review (n = 12 492 oligozoospermic men). All complete YCMs in oligozoospermic men were AZFc microdeletions. Eighteen studies contained data conducive to meta-analysis (n = 10 866 men). Comparing the pooled estimated prevalence by sperm concentration, complete YCMs were significantly more common in men with sperm concentrations of >0–1 million sperm/ml (5.0% [95% confidence interval {CI}: 3.6–6.8%]) versus >1–5 million sperm/ml (0.8% [95% CI: 0.5–1.3%], p 1–5 and >5–20 million sperm/ml (0.8% [95% CI: 0.5–1.3%] vs 0.5% [95% CI: 0.2–0.9%], p = 0.14). Conclusions In Europe and North America, the majority of YCMs occur in men with sperm concentrations of ≤1 million sperm/ml, with 1 million sperm/ml. Male infertility guidelines for North America and Europe should reconsider the sperm concentration screening thresholds to recommend testing for YCMs only for men with sperm concentrations of Patient summary Complete Y-chromosome microdeletions (YCMs) are rare in men with >1 million sperm/ml. Routine screening for YCMs should occur only if sperm concentration is ≤1 million sperm/ml.
Current-Mode Memristor Crossbars for Neuromorphic Computing

Motivated by advantages of current-mode design, this paper explores the implementation of weight matrices in neuromemristive systems via current-mode memristor crossbar circuits. After deriving theoretical results for the range and distribution of weights in the current-mode design, it is shown that any weight matrix based on voltage-mode crossbars can be mapped to a current-mode crossbar if the voltage-mode weights are carefully bounded. Then, a modified gradient descent rule is derived for the current-mode design that can be used to perform backpropagation training. Behavioral simulations on the MNIST dataset indicate that both voltage and current-mode designs are able to achieve similar accuracy and have similar defect tolerance. However, analysis of trained weight distributions reveals that current-mode and voltage-mode designs may use different feature representations.
The Impact of Brown on EL Students: Addressing Linguistic and Educational Rights Through School Leadership Practice and Preparation:

In 1974, the Supreme Court drew on the 1954 Brown decision in Lau v Nichols, placing English learner (EL) students’ right to a meaningful education at the forefront of educational policy. Subsequen...
Secret Shopper Data on Private Prices in the Nursing Home Industry From 2008 to 2010

Nationwide nursing home private-pay prices at the facility-level have not been available for researchers interested in studying this unique health care market. This study presents a new data source, Caregiverlist, for private-pay prices for private and semiprivate rooms for 12,000 nursing homes nationwide collected between 2008 and 2010. We link these data to publicly available national nursing home-level data sets to examine the relationship between price and nursing home characteristics. We also compare private-pay prices with average private-pay revenues per day for California nursing homes obtained from facilities' financial filings. On average, private-pay prices were $224 per day for private rooms compared with $197 per day for semiprivate rooms. We find that nursing homes that are nonprofit, urban, hospital-based, have a special care unit, chain-owned, and have higher quality ratings have higher prices. We find average revenues per day in California to be moderately correlated with prices reported by Caregiverlist.
Arbitrary-order Darboux transformations for two-dimensional Dirac equations with position-dependent mass

We construct higher-order Darboux transformations for Dirac equations in two dimensions that feature a position-dependent mass. Our method allows to generate closed-form expressions for both a transformed potential and a transformed position-dependent mass function.
The clinical manifestations and treatment of hand, foot and mouth disease caused by Coxsackievirus A6

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) is a common infectious disease caused by human enterovirus (EVs). It is more common in children under 5 years of age.The clinical symptoms are mainly rash and herpes in the hands, feet, mouth and other parts.Some serious cases may suffer from serious complications in nervous system, respiratory system or circulatory system.Since 1998, HFMD has been mainly caused by enterovirus 71 and coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16). In the past 10 years, coxsackievirus A6(CV-A6) has gradually replaced EV-71 and CV-A16, and become a main pathogen of HFMD.Many literatures have shown that CV-A6 often causes atypical HFMD, which is mainly characterized by a wider and more serious rash and desquamation, and even onychomadesis.At present, there are some reports on the prevalence and detection methods of HFMD caused by CV-A6.The paper reviewed on CV-A6 related etiology, epidemiology, clinical manifestations and treatment of HFMD. Key words: Hand, foot and mouth disease; Coxsackie A6; Pathogen; Epidemiology; Clinical manifestations; Treatment
The Impact of Sleep Disturbance on Regional Brain Volumes

Sleep disruption has been associated with increased beta-amyloid deposition and greater risk for later development of Alzheimer’s disease. Studies indicate that sleep disturbance correlates with regional brain volumes, but data are limited. We sought to determine the effect of sleep disturbance on regional brain volumes by cognitive and apolipoprotein e (APOE) e4 status. We conducted a secondary analysis of the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) Uniform Data Set using complete structural imaging data from 1,371 participants (mean age: 70.5; SD: 11.7). Multiple linear regression was used to estimate the adjusted effect of sleep disturbance (via Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire) on regional brain volumes through measurement of 30 structural MRI biomarkers. Sleep disruption was associated with greater volumes in the right and left lateral ventricles and greater volume of total white matter hyperintensities (p<.05). Lower mean volumes in total brain, total gray matter, and total cerebrum grey matter volumes, and in 12 hippocampal, frontal, parietal, and temporal lobe volumes were observed among participants who reported sleep disturbance. Males, Hispanic participants, and those with less education were more likely to report sleep disruption. Cognitive status moderated the relationship between sleep disturbance and lateral ventricular volumes, while APOE e4 moderated the effect between sleep disturbance and parietal lobe volumes. These findings suggest that disrupted sleep is associated with atrophy across multiple brain regions and ventricular hydrocephalus ex vacuo, after controlling for intracranial volume and demographic covariates. The influence of cognition and APOE e4 status indicates that this relationship is affected by co-occurring physiological processes.
Return to Daycare Following Fracture Immobilization in Preschool-Aged Children

Background/Purpose: The majority of pediatric fracture treatment involves immobilization. There is a paucity of literature assessing the impact of immobilization on the ability of pediatric patients to return to daycare. The purpose of this study was to assess return to daycare after fracture immobilization based on daycare facility policy. We hypothesized that daycare facilities would be less likely to accept patients with increased amounts of immobilization. Methods: A 40-question survey of …
Computational fluid dynamics modeling of a new high-pressure chemical vapor deposition reactor design

Abstract The design of a new super-atmospheric pressure metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) reactor with spatially separated source zones and rotating susceptor is proposed and analyzed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques to determine fluid transport phenomena and suitability for thin-film synthesis of group III nitrides. This High-Pressure Spatial Chemical Vapor Deposition (HPS-CVD) reactor is designed to permit high-temperature growth of high-indium content group III nitrides. This is made possible by increasing the partial pressure of nitrogen by up to two orders of magnitude in the system thereby increasing decomposition temperatures of the group III nitride thin film. The effects of rector design, chamber height, system pressure, inlet flow rate, and rotational speed are investigated and discussed. Flow instabilities arising from the heated and rotating susceptor traversing separate source zones are minimized. Growth rates of group III nitride materials synthesized in an HPS-CVD reactor are estimated to be enhanced by approximately a factor of 10 compared to an existing super-atmospheric MOCVD reactor due to improved reactor design thereby providing comparable growth rates to current atmospheric MOCVD systems.
Biologically Derived, Three-Dimensional, Embryonic Scaffolds for Long-Term Cardiomyocyte Culture.

The ability to maintain viable cultures of mature, primary cardiomyocytes is challenging. The lack of viable cardiomyocyte cultures severely limits in vitro biochemical assays, toxicology assays, d...
Lectins: Personal Comments of Nathan Sharon Taken from his Memoirs (Translation from Hebrew)

I met Nathan Sharon in 1962 when he was on sabbatical for a year in the laboratory of Roger Jeanloz at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. I was a post-doctoral research and clinical fellow in the Arthritis Unit in a laboratory next to the laboratory where Nathan worked. My work concerned the biosynthesis of heparin and chondroitin sulfate and had many overlaps with some of his interests in glycoproteins. We became close friends, and he invited me to spend time in his laboratory at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovoth, Israel. Three years later I took advantage of his invitation and went to Israel with my family for six months (1965-1966) to collaborate with him on the synthesis of an interesting sugar nucleotide. Subsequently my wife and I visited Israel multiple times for research meetings and travel, often staying at the Weizmann or at Nathan’s home for part of the time. He and his wife had even more occasions to be in the USA for sabbaticals and other research-related reasons. They often stayed at our home during these visits.
Does receiving an American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation Centralized Otolaryngology Research Efforts grant influence career path and scholarly impact among fellowship‐trained rhinologists?

Background To determine whether American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Centralized Otolaryngology Research Efforts (CORE) grants influence career paths and scholarly impact of fellowship-trained rhinologists, and whether funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and CORE programs is associated with increased scholarly impact among rhinologists. Another aim was to explore whether obtaining CORE grant funding is associated with NIH award acquisition. Methods Practice setting, academic rank, and fellowship-training status were determined for individuals in the CORE grant database. The h-index and publication experience of practitioners was calculated using the Scopus database. Faculty listings were used to determine this data for a non-CORE-grants-funded “control” group of academic rhinologists. Active and past NIH funding was obtained using the NIH RePORTER database. Results Fifteen of 26 (57.7%) fellowship-trained rhinologists receiving CORE grants were funded for rhinologic projects. Five of 6 rhinologists receiving NIH funding had a CORE-grants-funding history. Twenty-two of 26 (84.6%) rhinologists receiving CORE funding are currently in academic practice. Academic rhinologists receiving CORE or NIH funding had higher h-indices, a result reaching significance among promoted faculty and those with greater than 10 years of publication experience. Conclusion Encouraging the pursuit of CORE grants among junior faculty as well as trainees interested in rhinology may be a strategy for developing highly effective research habits that pay dividends after the first few years of one's career. Fellowship-trained rhinologists with a CORE funding history predominantly pursue careers in academic medicine, although their CORE projects are not necessarily related to rhinologic topics.
Civilized collaboration: Ethical architectures for enforcing legal requirements and mediating social norms in HRI

The ways in which we treat each other, typically underpinned by an ethical theory, serve as a foundation for civilized activity. Bounds and requirements are established for normal and acceptable interactions between humans. If we are to create robotic systems to reside among us, they must also adhere to a set of related values that humans operate under. This talk first describes the importance of such conventions in human-robot interaction, then outlines a way forward including the difficult research questions remaining to be confronted in ethical human robot interaction (HRI). In particular, examples involving architectures using ethical governors, moral emotions, responsibility advisors and theories of mind are described in two quite different contexts: warfare [1,2] and the maintenance of human dignity in healthcare [3-5].
Lessons learned applying UML in the design of mission critical software

This paper provides a series of lessons learned with respect to designing mission-critical software systems using the object-oriented paradigm and specifically with the application of the Unified Modeling Language (UML). The experiences captured in this paper are based on the authors’ observations across multiple software systems and pertain to both the development processes and to UML modeling.
Impact of juvenile arthritis on families. An educational assessment

State of the art patient education programs have as their goals changes in behaviors, coping styles, health status, and/or costs. The accomplishment of these goals often involves not only the patient but also his or her whole family. This is especially true if the patient is a child. Based on this premise, we undertook an educational needs assessment of 50 children with juvenile arthritis (JA) and their families. Through utilization of a grounded theory methodology, open-ended questionnaires were completed by JA children, their parents, and their siblings. The resulting analysis suggests (1) the need for family-based education, (2) differing needs of various family members, and (3) several hypotheses for further study.
An empirical investigation of returns to scale: The Welsh coal industry

Abstract This article attempts to study both returns to scale and optimal size of production. Specifically, the authors estimate a ray-homothetic production function which allows the returns to scale to vary with ouput size and input mix. The production model is estimated using data from the Welsh coal industry for the period 1961–1976. Findings showed that, first, the Welsh coal industry suffers from a level of production which is either too small or below its optimal level and, second, this discrepancy between actual and optimal production worsened over the period considered.
LE-SBCC: Loss-Event Oriented Source-Based Multicast Congestion Control

Congestion control is an important building block of a Quality of Service (QoS) system for multicast-based multimedia services and applications on the World Wide Web. We propose an end-to-end single-rate source-based multicast congestion control scheme (LE-SBCC) for reliable or unreliable multicast transport protocols. It addresses all the pieces of the single-rate multicast congestion control problem including drop-to-zero issues, TCP friendliness and RTT estimation. The scheme design consists of a cascaded set of filters and a rate-based additive-increase multiplicative-decrease (AIMD) module. These filters together transform the multicast tree to appear like a unicast path for the purposes of congestion control. Unlike TCP, the scheme is not self-clocked but acts upon a stream of loss indications (LIs) from receivers. These LIs are filtered to get a stream of loss events (LEs) (S. Floyd et al., in SIGCOMM 2000, Aug. 2000) (at most one per RTT per receiver). This LE stream is further filtered to extract the maximum LEs from any one receiver. Then the scheme effects at most one rate-reduction per round trip time (RTT). A range of results (simulation and experimental) is presented and compared against the mathematical model of the scheme components. Furthermore, we have successfully adapted TFRC (Op. cit) to our scheme, which is important to multimedia services desiring relatively stable rates over short time scales.
Geothermal produced fluids: Characteristics, treatment technologies, and management options

Abstract Geothermal power plants use geothermal fluids as a resource and create waste residuals as part of the power generation process. Both the geofluid resource and waste stream are considered produced fluids. The chemical and physical nature of produced fluids can have a major impact on the geothermal power industry and influence the feasibility of power development, exploration approaches, plant design, operating practices, and reuse/disposal of residuals. In general, produced fluids include anything that comes out of a geothermal field and must subsequently be managed on the surface. These fluids vary greatly, depending on the reservoir being harnessed, plant design, and life cycle stage in which the fluid exists, but generally include water and fluids used to drill wells, fluids used to stimulate wells in enhanced geothermal systems, and makeup and/or cooling water used during operation of a power plant. Additional geothermal-related produced fluids include many substances that are similar to waste streams from the oil and gas industry, such as scale, flash tank solids, precipitated solids from brine treatment, hydrogen sulfide, and cooling-tower-related waste. This review paper aims to provide baseline knowledge on specific technologies and technology areas associated with geothermal power production. Specifically, this research focused on management techniques related to fluids produced and used during the operational stage of a power plant, the vast majority of which are employed in the generation of electricity. The general characteristics of produced fluids are discussed. Constituents of interest that tend to drive the selection of treatment technologies are described, including total dissolved solids, noncondensable gases, scale, corrosion, silicon dioxide, metal sulfides, calcium carbonate, metals, and naturally occurring radioactive material. Management options for produced fluids that require additional treatment for these constituents are also discussed, including surface disposal; reuse/recycle; agricultural, industrial, and domestic uses; mineral extraction and recovery; and solid waste handling.
A Functional Classification for Independent Living for Persons with Visual Impairments.

A meaningful classification for living, work, and education was achieved by grouping 159 persons who were blind or visually impaired according to seven independent living skills. The use of functio...
Surgical Treatment of the “Marginal Mandibular Lip” Deformity

Unilateral permanent paralysis of the lower lip after section or compression of the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve is not rare. It may occur after trauma or as a result of parotid, ear, or upper neck surgery. Surgical treatment of the deformity--which we term the marginal mandibular lip--is indicated to improve cosmesis and restore oral competence during eating and speech. We describe our experience with partial resection of the paralyzed lower lip as an effective yet simple method of surgical correction. We also review the alternate methods of treatment for comparison.
The dependence of erythroid differentiation on cell replication in dimethyl sulfoxide-treated friend leukemia-virus-infected cells

The dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO)-mediated induction of hemoglobin synthesis in Friend leukemia cells (a murine erythroblastoid cell line) is coupled with the number of cell replications occurring in the presence of inducer. Varying concentrations of proflavine increase the generation time of these cells from 24 hours to over 50 hours, and in each case the induction of hemoglobin synthesis follows the completion of two cell doublings. Once the induction is initiated, the rate of hemoglobin accumulation is not affected by proflavine. These data indicate that proflavine does not affect the transcription or translation of globin mRNA and that the delay in induction of hemoglobin synthesis is due to its effect on the rate of cellular replication. In experiments using high concentrations of thymidine to block replication, hemoglobin accumulation is prevented only if the cells are blocked prior to 36 hours after Me2SO addition. If the cells have completed two generations in the presence of Me2SO, there is no effect upon their ability to synthesize hemoglobin even though their growth is arrested. Thus, the inhibition of hemoglobin synthesis by proflavine is not merely the result of a toxic effect on newly subcultured cells but is due to its effect on cellular replication. These experiments confirm that, after addition of Me2SO, Friend leukemia cells require more than one complete cell cycle in order to synthesize hemoglobin.
Extra-solar Oort cloud encounters and planetary impact rates

Abstract If other stars possess Oort-like comet clouds, then some such clouds will pass sufficiently close to our Sun to induce an influx of Extra-Solar comets through the planetary region. We investigate this source, and find that while the expected number of planetary impacts due to Extra-Solar Oort comets will dominate impacts caused by free interstellar comets, only a few such comets have impacted the terrestial planets over time.
1496 CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW AND CEREBRAL OXYGEN METABOLIC RATE DURING HYPERVENTILATION IN THE NEWBORN DOG

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) were measured during normocarbia and both moderate and severe hypocarbia in 8 newborn mongrel dogs 1 to 7 days of age. The animals were paralyzed with pancuronium and ventilated with 70% N2O and 30% O2. The respirator was adjusted to achieve a paCO2 of 15 torr, all subsequent changes to 25 and 40 torr were made by bleeding CO2 into the system. The sequence of paCO2 levels were randomized. CBF was measured by microsphere technique and CMRO2 calculated as arterial - sagittal sinus O2 content difference times hemispheric blood flow. All measurements were made after 30 minutes at each paCO2. It is concluded that despite large decreases in CBF with hyperventilation, CMRO2 is not significantly changed after 30 min of hypocarbia.
A fuzzy logic model for competitive assessment of airline service quality

The purpose of this paper is to develop an operational performance model with direct applicability to the post-9/11 US airline industry. The premise is to come as close as possible to ideal performance goals for five operational parameters i.e., on-time arrival, turnaround time, cascade delay percentage, taxi-out time, and taxi in time, based on length of haul. Since airline-operating performance depends upon several factors that cannot be described in crisp terms, these data fit within fuzzy logic set descriptors and theory. A database of numerical scores is transformed into a fuzzy database, and then fuzzy probabilities are used to assess the belief that the scores fall within the desired range for each criterion. Industry data are used to compare individual airline carrier performance measurements to anticipated industry operational goals. Application potential for the model is not restricted, however, to this industry.
Role of peroxynitrite and neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the activation of poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase in a murine model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion

Poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase (PARS) activation, a downstream event of nitric oxide (NO) neurotoxicity has been implicated in cerebral reperfusion injury. The aim of our study was to identify the trigger of PARS activation during stroke. Formation of poly(ADP-ribose) profoundly increased in the early phase of reperfusion. Poly(ADP-ribose) formation was attenuated in mice deficient for neuronal NO synthase (nNOS). We next tested in glioma cells whether NO, or peroxynitrite (a cytotoxic oxidant formed from NO and superoxide) is the actual trigger of PARS activation. Peroxynitrite, but not various NO donors, activated PARS and suppressed cellular viability in a PARS-dependent fashion. Thus, nNOS is responsible for PARS activation in stroke. PARS activation, however, is not a direct result of NO production, but it occurs via peroxynitrite formation.
Carbamazepine induction of apoptosis in cultured cerebellar neurons: effects ofN-methyl-d-aspartate, aurintricarboxylic acid and cycloheximide

We have previously demonstrated that carbamazepine (CBZ) at concentrations above the therapeutic range is toxic to cultured cerebellar granule cells. Here, we ask whether the effect of CBZ involves neuronal apoptosis or necrosis. Treatment of cultured cerebellar granule cells with CBZ for 3 days resulted in a concentration-dependent fragmentation of DNA revealed as a laddered pattern in agarose gel electrophoresis, a phenomenon characteristic of apoptosis. Pretreatment of cells with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) blocked CBZ-induced DNA fragmentation and neurotoxicity as assayed by loss of mitochondrial activity with MTT or by [3H]ouabain binding to Na+/K(+)-ATPase. Aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA), a polyanionic dye, also markedly suppressed DNA fragmentation and cell death detected by morphological examination. A considerable level of DNA ladder formation was detected in untreated cells and this basal DNA fragmentation was also blocked by NMDA and ATA. Moreover, NMDA and ATA prevented CBZ-induced chromatin condensation as revealed by DNA binding with the fluorescent dye Hoechst 33258. Pretreatment of cells with cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor, prevented CBZ-induced cell death detected morphologically and attenuated CBZ-induced neurotoxicity assessed by mitochondrial activity and [3H]ouabain binding assays. Taken together, our results suggest that CBZ-induces death of cerebellar granule cells by an apoptotic process that is sensitive to NMDA, ATA and cycloheximide.
Mathematics and Nature in the Chemical Texts of the Renaissance

(1968). Mathematics and Nature in the Chemical Texts of the Renaissance. Ambix: Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 1-28.
Global minimization for problems with multiple local minima

Abstract We present a hybrid method for the minimization of the effective free energy of certain physical systems. The three stages of this method approximate the system interaction potential in three forms: (1) square-well, (2) quadratic, and (3) Lennard-Jones. The first stage uses a geometric method to minimize the free energy, based on a square-well potential. The second stage, assuming the pair interaction is quadratic, gives an analytical form for the minimization. The last stage, introducing more realistic physics, i.e., a Lennard-Jones pair interaction, uses the Monte Carlo method to perform minimization. The first stage is less accurate but much more efficient and eliminates most of the local minima of the free energy from further consideration. The refinement done by the latter steps reduces the error and delivers accurate results.
Mistake of Law and Culpability

When does a defendant not deserve punishment because he is unaware that his conduct breaches a penal statute? Retributivists must radically rethink their answer to this question to do justice to our moral intuitions. I suggest that modest progress on this topic can be made by modeling our approach to ignorance of law on our familiar approach to ignorance of fact. We need to distinguish different levels of culpability in given mistakes and to differentiate what such mistakes may be about. I discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this approach with special attention to how to contrast offenses from defenses. The alternative I tend to favor probably should not be implemented in existing penal codes. As a result, we are likely to remain dissatisfied with the decisions made by our criminal justice system about the exculpatory effect of ignorance of law.
Event-related potential (ERP) evidence for sensory-based action memories

Memory for performed and motioned actions was measured on source recognition and source recall tests in order to investigate memory for actions or output monitoring (OM). Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded during the source recognition test to provide insight into the basis of OM. Source identification and recall of performed actions was greater than motioned actions indicating that sensory characteristics provide unique information for action memories. The ERP data supported this interpretation because the brain activity elicited by performed actions differed from motioned and new actions. Early parietal ERP differences suggest that sensory information leads to selective recollection of performed actions or that more sensory information was activated by performed actions during remembering. A large late posterior negativity (LPN) was also observed in the absence of frontal ERP differences, which are typically observed during source monitoring. This pattern of ERP differences is evidence that frontal ERPs and the LPN reflect distinct source monitoring processes. Based on the available data, we argue that frontal ERPs reflect general decision processes that evaluate diagnostic information, whereas the LPN reflects processes that are engaged when a detailed inspection of information is required by the context.
Thermospheric heating by high-speed streams in the solar wind

[1] We compare thermospheric density (ρ) and exospheric temperature (T∞) responses measured by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites with systematic characteristics of recurring high-speed streams (HSSs) in the solar wind observed by the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) at L1 during the last four solar rotations of 2005. HSSs show remarkably similar features from one solar rotation to the next. Within corotating interaction regions (CIRs) at the leading edges of the HSSs plasma densities and magnetic fields steepen to excite low levels of geomagnetic and thermospheric activity. Consistent with origins in northern hemispheric coronal holes containing open, monopolar flux, interplanetary magnetic fields observed near L1 had average BX and BZ with the same polarities and opposite to that of BY. We show that a model used to estimate T∞ changes during large magnetic storms overpredicts CIR-driven thermospheric heating. However, large-amplitude Alfven waves in the interiors of HSSs generate regularly observed increases in T∞ as well as the auroral electrojet index. The regularity of interplanetary driving and thermospheric responses suggests the possibility of developing reliable 27-day alerts about impending increases in thermospheric drag exerted on objects in low Earth orbits during solar minimum.
The methionine 196 arginine polymorphism of the TNF receptor 2 gene (TNFRSF1B) is not associated with worse outcomes in heart failure

Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) may contribute to the pathologic process of congestive heart failure (CHF). TNFα signaling occurs through two receptors; TNFR1 (TNFRSF1A) and TNFRII (TNFRSF1B). In humans a single nucleotide polymorphism (rs1061622 in TNFRSF1B exon 6; T587G) encodes two different amino acids (M196R) in the transmembrane region. The 587G allele is associated with greater severity and/or prevalence of some inflammatory diseases, but its role in CHF in unknown. This study sought to test the hypothesis that the 587G allele is associated with a worse outcome or more severe phenotype in CHF. Peripheral blood DNA was isolated and genotyped from 379 heart failure patients enrolled in a genetic outcome study (GRACE); (44.7% ischemic, 70.4% male, 8.5% black race, age 55.6 ± 11.7 yr (SD), LVEF 24.5 ± 8.3%, NYHA 2.53 ± 0.64). Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP. Cardiac function was assessed from medical records at study entry. The distribution of genotypes in this population was 54% T/T, 38.4% G/T and 7.7% G/G. Mean LV ejection fraction (T/T 24.4 ± 8.2, T/G 25.0 ± 8.4, G/G 23.3 ± 8.6, n=352, p=ns) and LV end-diastolic dimensions (T/T 6.57 ± 0.93, T/G 6.53 ± 1.0, G/G 6.57 ± 0.78, n=211, p=ns) were comparable in all groups. Transplant-free survival (median 23 months (range 1-62 months) did not vary by genotype (p=0.95). A lack of effect (p=0.74) on transplant-free survival was also observed in a subset of patients with ischemic heart failure (n=169). The TNFRSF1B 587G allele is not associated with the severity of heart failure phenotype or clinical outcomes in patients with chronic CHF.
Performance study of a ballistic compressor

An experimental and theoretical investigation of the performance of a ballistic compressor is described. Comparison of the computed ideal behavior of the ballistic compressor with experimental test pressures show that the ideal theory overestimates the generated pressure by as much as 30%. An assessment of the factors responsible for the nonideal behavior of the ballistic compressor is given. These factors include: valve losses, external and internal (blow-by) leakage, friction of the inertia! piston, nonideal behavior of the driver and test gases, shock wave formations, and heat losses. The valve losses and both the internal and external leakages have been measured experimentally. A parametric study shows that the choice of equation of state of the test gas is not very critical. The heat loss experienced by the test gas was estimated to be l°7o of the total energy imparted to the test gas. Shock-wave formations have negligible effect on the performance of the ballistic compressor for the mass of the inertial piston (1.34 kg) used.
The other Basque subversives: Athletic de Bilbao vs. the new age of soccer

Athletic de Bilbao is perhaps the main focus of resistance against the new age of soccer. Athletic has refused to give in to many of the pressures that the new soccer world imposes on teams. It is ...
Interactions between Alcohol and the HIV Entry Inhibitor Maraviroc

Background:Alcohol use is common among people with HIV, and beliefs about alcohol interactions with medications predict decreased medication adherence, risking drug-resistant mutations. Maraviroc is an HIV entry inhibitor approved for treatment of both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant HIV strains. The present study evaluated the effects of alcohol on maraviroc pharmacokinetics and the effects of maraviroc on alcohol pharmacokinetics.Methods:Ten healthy adults completed alcohol (1 g/kg) and placebo alcohol pharmacokinetics sessions before and after 7 days of maraviroc administration.Results:Alcohol concentrations increased 12% following maraviroc. Maraviroc pharmacokinetics were unaffected by alcohol.Conclusions:Maraviroc treatment should not be interrupted if alcohol is consumed.
On equivalencies of blocking mechanisms in queueing networks with blocking

In this paper, we obtain equivalencies between the most commonly used blocking mechanisms considered in the literature in connection with queueing networks with blocking.
Hartree-Fock energies for NaF6 cluster simulations of Na+ hole states in the NaF crystal.

In order to provide ab initio wave functions for the evaluation of intra- and interatomic Auger rates in the NaF crystal, new open-shell restricted Hartree-Fock calculations have been performed for several Na hole states of an (NaF6)/sup 5-/ cluster embedded in a cubic array of point ions. The basis sets are described and the self-consistent-field ionization energies E/sub SCF/ are compared with values available from the literature. It is noted that appreciable valence electron charge is transferred between the F and Na atoms upon Na hole creation.
Lateral ventricular enlargement in schizophrenic probands and their siblings with schizophrenia-related isorders

Background: To investigate possible genetic determinants of ventricular enlargement in schizophrenia, we compared lateral ventricle/brain ratios (VBRs) in schizophrenic patients with their own siblings, some with and some without other schizophrenia-related disorders [e.g., schizotypal personality disorder (SPD)], as well as with a group of unrelated normal controls. Methods: VBRs, measured by computed tomography, were compared in both groupwise and within-sibship analyses, the latter method providing a measure of control over familial/genetic factors related to VBR, but unrelated to schizophrenia. Results: The VBRs were significantly different across the groups, but the only significant pairwise group comparison was between the schizophrenia and no-SRD family member groups. In the within-sibship analyses, however, the VBRs of those with SPD and schizophrenia were similar, and both groups had significantly larger VBRs than their own siblings without SRD. In addition, siblings with a negative family history for SRD had larger VBRs than family history positive siblings. Conclusions: The results suggest that specific schizophrenia-related genetic factors may help determine ventricular enlargement in familial schizophrenia. The larger VBRs in family history negative siblings might be attributable to genetic factors not specifically associated with schizophrenia, but which nevertheless increase its susceptibility.
Effects of decaffeinated and nondecaffeinated coffee ingestion on blood glucose and plasma radioimmunoreactive insulin responses to rapid intravenous infusion of glucose in normal man.

Abstract Eight normal humans were subjected to paired standard rapid intravenous glucose tolerance tests one hour following the ingestion, on one occasion, of nondecaffeinated and, on a second occasion, of decaffeinated coffee under identical conditions. Nondecaffeinated coffee elevates fasting blood glucose, impairs glucose tolerance as reflected by a lessened fractional blood glucose disappearance rate and relative hyperglycemia, and blunts the insulinogenic response of blood glucose elevation compared to decaffeinated coffee. These effects of nondecaffeinated coffee appeared to be inversely related to the subjects control glucose tolerance.
Exploring the factors related to endorsing gambling as an escape

Research suggests there is a strong relationship between gambling severity and endorsing gambling as an escape. The present study investigated what factors were related to endorsing gambling as an escape. In Experiment 1, 149 university students completed a questionnaire designed to measure the contingencies maintaining one's gambling and a measure of executive function. Endorsing gambling as an escape was predicted by executive function associated with affect (empathy). In Experiment 2, 269 university students completed a questionnaire of the contingencies maintaining one's gambling and two measures related to affect (current affective state and pattern of emotion regulation). Impulse control related to dealing with negative emotions was unique in predicting gambling as an escape. The results suggest that endorsing gambling as an escape is related to emotion regulation both at a neurological and cognitive level, which is potentially informative for those interested in identifying, preventing and treating...
Road Development, Housing Growth, And Landscape Fragmentation In Northern Wisconsin: 1937–1999

Roads remove habitat, alter adjacent areas, and interrupt and redirect ecological flows. They subdivide wildlife populations, foster invasive species spread, change the hydrologic network, and increase human use of adjacent areas. At broad scales, these impacts cumulate and define landscape patterns. The goal of this study was to improve our understanding of the dynamics of road networks over time, and their effects on landscape patterns, and identify significant relationships between road changes and other land-use changes. We mapped roads from aerial photographs from five dates between 1937 and 1999 in 17 townships in predominantly forested landscapes in northern Wisconsin, USA. Patch-level landscape metrics were calculated on terrestrial area outside of a 15-m road-effect zone. We used generalized least-squares regression models to relate changes in road density and landscape pattern to concurrent changes in housing density. Rates of change and relationships were compared among three ecological regions...
Novel Pharmacological Approaches for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Targeting Key Intracellular Pathways and the IL-23/IL-17 Axis

This review identifies possible pharmacological targets for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) within the IL-23/IL-17 axis. Specifically, there are several targets within the IL-23/IL-17 pathways for potential pharmacological intervention with antibodies or small molecule inhibitors. These targets include TL1A (tumor necrosis factor-like molecule), DR3 (death receptor 3), IL-23, IL-17 and the receptors for IL-23 and IL-17. As related to IBD, there are also other novel pharmacological targets. These targets include inhibiting specific immunoproteasome subunits, blocking a key enzyme in sphingolipid metabolism (sphingosine kinase), and modulating NF-κB/STAT3 interactions. Several good approaches exist for pharmacological inhibition of key components in the IL-23 and IL-17 pathways. These approaches include specific monoclonal antibodies to TL1A, IL-17 receptor, Fc fusion proteins, specific antibodies to IL-17F, and small molecule inhibitors of IL-17 like Vidofludimus. Also, other potential approaches for targeted drug development in IBD include specific chemical inhibitors of SK, specific small molecule inhibitors directed against catalytic subunits of the immunoproteasome, and dual inhibitors of the STAT3 and NF-κB signal transduction systems. In the future, well-designed preclinical studies are still needed to determine which of these pharmacological approaches will provide drugs with the best efficacy and safety profiles for entrance into clinical trials.
Fast Measurement of Methanol Concentration in Ionic Liquids by Potential Step Method

The development of direct methanol fuel cells required the attention to the electrolyte. A good electrolyte should not only be ionic conductive but also be crossover resistant. Ionic liquids could be a promising electrolyte for fuel cells. Monitoring methanol was critical in several locations in a direct methanol fuel cell. Conductivity could be used to monitor the methanol content in ionic liquids. The conductivity of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate had a linear relationship with the methanol concentration. However, the conductivity was significantly affected by the moisture or water content in the ionic liquid. On the contrary, potential step could be used in sensing methanol in ionic liquids. This method was not affected by the water content. The sampling current at a properly selected sampling time was proportional to the concentration of methanol in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate. The linearity still stood even when there was 2.4 M water present in the ionic liquid.
Condensing dryers with enhanced dehumidification using surface tension elements

Condensing dryers are an emerging technology that reduces the net energy required for residential clothes drying. To further improve the efficiency of such devices, it is proposed that a surface tension element (STE) replace the air-to-air plate heat exchanger condensing surface. The STE is configured such that it enhances the dehumidification of the humid air stream and reduces the overall energy consumption of the dryer system. Analytical predictions for STE vapor removal are presented. Based on the analytical model, a prototype STE has been constructed and implemented into a condensing dryer system. The average IEC efficiency was measured to be 0.616 kW h/kg dry laundry with the STE, as compared to the commercially available dryer which was measured to be 0.643 kW h/kg. This decrease in per load energy use improves the IEC efficiency rating from a Class C to a Class B. Suggestions are made for other systematic improvements.
PLASMON POLARITON SCATTERING FROM ROUGH METAL SURFACES

What are plasmon polaritons and how do they affect design calculations when dealing with rough metal surfaces? O'Donnell examines these resonant oscillations of conducted electrons.