cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two-Day, Intensive Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Panic Disorder A Case Study

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a highly effective treatment for panic disorder. However, few patients have access to this treatment, particularly those living in rural areas. In a pilot study, the author previously described the efficacy of a 2-day, intensive, exposure-based CBT intervention that was developed for the purpose of delivering CBT to a largely rural patient population that must travel long distances to find a treatment provider. The present study describes the successful implementation of this treatment with a 38-year-old woman with panic disorder and agoraphobia whose clinical presentation was complicated by recurrent fainting episodes during her panic attacks. Technical and theoretical issues in the conduct of this treatment are discussed, along with more general strategies to increase the efficiency and efficacy of CBT for panic disorder.
Evidence for involvement of 5-hydroxytryptamine in the actions of amphetamine.

Abstract 1 Pargyline treatment, 1 h before (+)-amphetamine (1 mg/kg), reduced amphetamine-stimulated motor activity. This inhibition was reversed in animals pretreated with p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA). 2 Following treatment with PCPA or 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine (5,6-DHT), amphetamine-induced locomotor activity was significantly potentiated. The increased response to amphetamine in PCPA-treated rats was reversed in animals pretreated with 5-hydroxytryptophan. 3 The inhibition of amphetamine-stimulated locomotor activity by treatment with 6-hydroxydopamine was not reversed by PCPA treatment. 4 Stereotypies produced by amphetamine were not found to be altered by depletion of 5-hydroxytryptamine. 5 Induction of adrenal tyrosine hydroxylase activity produced by chronic amphetamine administration was significantly potentiated by PCPA, emphasizing the involvement of a 5-hydroxytryptamine inhibitory system in more than one action of amphetamine.
Kalirin-7 mediates cocaine-induced AMPA receptor and spine plasticity, enabling incentive sensitization

It is well established that behavioral sensitization to cocaine is accompanied by increased spine density and AMPA receptor (AMPAR) transmission in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), but two major questions remain unanswered. Are these adaptations mechanistically coupled? And, given that they can be dissociated from locomotor sensitization, what is their functional significance? We tested the hypothesis that the guanine-nucleotide exchange factor Kalirin-7 (Kal-7) couples cocaine-induced AMPAR and spine upregulation and that these adaptations underlie sensitization of cocaine's incentive-motivational properties—the properties that make it “wanted.” Rats received eight daily injections of saline or cocaine. On withdrawal day 14, we found that Kal-7 levels and activation of its downstream effectors Rac-1 and PAK were increased in the NAc of cocaine-sensitized rats. Furthermore, AMPAR surface expression and spine density were increased, as expected. To determine whether these changes require Kal-7, a lentiviral vector expressing Kal-7 shRNA was injected into the NAc core before cocaine exposure. Knocking down Kal-7 abolished the AMPAR and spine upregulation normally seen during cocaine withdrawal. Despite the absence of these adaptations, rats with reduced Kal-7 levels developed locomotor sensitization. However, incentive sensitization, which was assessed by how rapidly rats learned to self-administer a threshold dose of cocaine, was severely impaired. These results identify a signaling pathway coordinating AMPAR and spine upregulation during cocaine withdrawal, demonstrate that locomotor and incentive sensitization involve divergent mechanisms, and link enhanced excitatory transmission in the NAc to incentive sensitization.
In Situ Electrochemical X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy of Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysis with High Oxygen Flux

An in situ electrochemical X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) cell has been fabricated that enables high oxygen flux to the working electrode by utilizing a thin poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) window. This cell design enables in situ XAS investigations of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at high operating current densities greater than 1 mA in an oxygen-purged environment. When the cell was used to study the ORR for a Pt on carbon electrocatalyst, the data revealed a progressive evolution of the electronic structure of the metal clusters that is both potential-dependent and strongly current-dependent. The trends establish a direct correlation to d-state occupancies that directly tracks the character of the Pt–O bonding present.
Evolutionary Robustness of an Optimal Phenotype: Re-evolution of Lysis in a Bacteriophage Deleted for Its Lysin Gene

Optimality models are frequently used to create expectations about phenotypic evolution based on the fittest possible phenotype. However, they often ignore genetic details, which could confound these expectations. We experimentally analyzed the ability of organisms to evolve towards an optimum in an experimentally tractable system, lysis time in bacteriophage T7. T7 lysozyme helps lyse the host cell by degrading its cell wall at the end of infection, allowing viral escape to infect new hosts. Artificial deletion of lysozyme greatly reduced fitness and delayed lysis, but after evolution both phenotypes approached wild-type values. Phage with a lysis-deficient lysozyme evolved similarly. Several mutations were involved in adaptation, but most of the change in lysis timing and fitness increase was mediated by changes in gene 16, an internal virion protein not formerly considered to play a role in lysis. Its muralytic domain, which normally aids genome entry through the cell wall, evolved to cause phage release. Theoretical models suggest there is an optimal lysis time, and lysis more rapid or delayed than this optimum decreases fitness. Artificially constructed lines with very rapid lysis had lower fitness than wild-type T7, in accordance with the model. However, while a slow-lysing line also had lower fitness than wild-type, this low fitness resulted at least partly from genetic details that violated model assumptions.
The fine structure of the embryonic mouse neural tube with special reference to cytoplasmic microtubules.

Abstract The fine structure of undifferentiated interphase and mitotic cells of the 10-day mouse embryo neural tube has been described. Cytoplasmic microtubules (270 A) were seen in the interphase cells, often connected to the Golgi vesicles near the nucleus and ending in an apical vesicle or parabasal body adjacent to the central canal. Similar microtubules forming spindle fibers and connected with chromosomes were prominent in mitotic cells. The possible role of cytoplasmic microtubules in maintenance of cell shape, nuclear migration, and cerebrospinal fluid secretion is discussed.
Ecojustice in science education: leaving the classroom

Eduardo Dopico and Eva Garcia-Vazquez’s article enriched the ecojustice literature with an interesting metaphor of leaving the classroom, which I argue for here. Glasson and Boggs help to highlight the challenges and fortitude of working ecojustice perspectives in science education and the ways that a dialogical conversation addresses the world at large rather than focusing narrowly and exclusively on science education. Considering the metaphor of ‘leaving the classroom’ I want to explore the tensions that can be experienced by science educators who do research focused on ecosocial justice. While it is not a new idea to suggest that there are gatekeepers in science education who try to maintain what counts in terms of impact in the classroom and what counts or not for the purposes of doing good work in science education, I anticipate highlighting the tensions that ecojustice educators may experience and why they can and should persevere with the incisive work that they are doing to conserve the prospects of future generations. Ecojustice no longer belongs constrained under the confines of environmental sciences or environmental education in science education. It is a separate and distinct field of study that should be generally accepted for the ways it brings clarity and conversation to ideas, curriculum studies, and thick descriptions of how people engage in eco-justice and ethics.
Incorporation of U-14C-leucine into the serum lipoproteins and proteins of partially hepatectomized rats.

The incorporation of U-14C-leucine into five classes of serum lipoproteins and into lipoprotein-free serum proteins was investigated in partially hepatectomized, sham operated and normal rats. The serum concentration of very low density lipoprotein and the predominant subfraction of high density lipoprotein (HDL2) was considerably reduced in partially hepatectomized rats as compared with both normal and sham operated rats. The incorporation of U-14C-leucine into HDL2 of partially hepatectomized rats was only one third and one fourth of that observed with normal and sham operated rats, respectively. On the other hand, the incorporation of the label into low density lipoproteins and into serum proteins was slightly greater in partially hepatectomized rats as compared with normal rats. In sham operated animals, the incorporation into most fractions was considerably greater than those observed with lobectomized and normal rats.
Evidence for geochemical terranes on Mercury: Global mapping of major elements with MESSENGER's X-Ray Spectrometer

Abstract We have mapped the major-element composition of Mercury's surface from orbital MESSENGER X-Ray Spectrometer measurements. These maps constitute the first global-scale survey of the surface composition of a Solar System body conducted with the technique of planetary X-ray fluorescence. Full maps of Mg and Al, together with partial maps of S, Ca, and Fe, each relative to Si, reveal highly variable compositions (e.g., Mg/Si and Al/Si range over 0.1–0.8 and 0.1–0.4, respectively). The geochemical variations that we observe are consistent with those inferred from other MESSENGER geochemical remote sensing datasets, but they do not correlate well with units mapped previously from spectral reflectance or morphology. Location-dependent, rather than temporally evolving, partial melt sources were likely the major influence on the compositions of the magmas that produced different geochemical terranes. A large ( > 5 × 10 6 km 2 ) region with the highest Mg/Si, Ca/Si, and S/Si ratios, as well as relatively thin crust, may be the site of an ancient and heavily degraded impact basin. The distinctive geochemical signature of this region could be the consequence of high-degree partial melting of a reservoir in a vertically heterogeneous mantle that was sampled primarily as a result of the impact event.
The micromachined flashFET: a low-power, three-terminal device for high speed detection of vapors at atmospheric pressure

This work demonstrates a three-electrode configuration for initiating microdischarges, and its application to the spectral detection of organic vapors. A strategically located high impedance gate electrode permits the microdevice to be operated with pulses less than 100 V, applied between the source and drain. The device thus consumes only 2.5 /spl mu/J/pulse at 140 Torr and 22.5 /spl mu/J/pulse at atmosphere. The microdischarge breaks down the complex organic vapors into small fragments that have characteristic emission in the UV-visible region. The operation of the flashFET as a gas sensor is evaluated by detecting acetone vapors in air ambient. The present manifestation of the device has a 1 mm /spl times/ 1 mm footprint and is made with thick electroplated copper patterned on a glass substrate.
Velocity and Strain-Rate Profiles in Materials Subjected to Unlubricated Sliding

This Letter focuses on the plastic response of a material, treated as a fluid, when subjected to sliding interactions. The analysis couples momentum conservation with material flow laws to predict velocity and strain-rate profiles that develop during sliding. The profiles depend on the strain-rate sensitivity. The spatial extent of the deformed zone is determined by strain-rate sensitivity, strength parameters, and the imposed sliding velocity.
Software at Scale for Building Resilient Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are widely recognized as a promising solution to build next-generation monitoring systems. Their industrial uptake is however still compromised by the low level of trust on their performance and dependability. Whereas analytical models represent a valid mean to assess nonfunctional properties via simulation, their wide use is still limited by the complexity and dynamicity of WSNs, which lead to unaffordable modeling costs. This paper proposes an approach to characterize the resiliency of the software of WSN software to failures. The focus is in providing a procedure and related tools to assess i) how the node software, hardware platforms, topology and routing protocols impact on the failure behavior of nodes and and of the network, and, vice-versa, ii) how the failure of a node mutates the behavior of the running software and routing protocol. The approach adopts a software characterization process which is based on i) Failure Mode and Effect Analysis, ii) automated fault injection experiments, iii) high-level description of the fault tolerant mechanisms of WSN software in a proposed framework.
Ultrasonically Induced Degradation of Microcystin-LR and -RR: Identification of Products, Effect of pH, Formation and Destruction of Peroxides

Microcystins (MCs) are a family of toxic peptides produced by a number of cyanobacteria commonly found in lakes, water reservoirs, and recreational facilities. The increased eutrophication of freshwater supplies has led to an increase in the incidence of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms and concerns over the public health implications of these toxins in the water supply. Conventional water treatment methods are ineffective at removing low concentrations of cyanotoxins, hence specialized treatment is usually recommended for treatment of contaminated water. In this study, the products of ultrasonically induced degradation of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) and microcystin-RR (MC-RR) were analyzed by LC-MS to elucidate the probable pathways of degradation of these toxins. Results indicate preliminary products of sonolysis of MCs are due to the hydroxyl radical attack on the benzene ring and diene of the Adda peptide residue and cleavage of the Mdha-Ala peptide bond. The effect of pH on the toxin degradation was evaluated since the pH of the solution changes upon ultrasonic irradiation and varies with the water quality of treatable waters. The initial rate of MC-LR degradation is greater at acidic pH and coincides with the change in hydrophobic character of MC-LR as a function of pH. Hydrogen and organic peroxides are formed during ultrasonic irradiation, but can be eliminated by adding Fe(II). The addition of Fe(II) also accelerates the degradation of MC-LR, presumably by promoting the formation of hydroxyl radicals via conversion of ultrasonically produced H2O2. These findings suggest that sonolysis can effectively degrade MCs in drinking water.
Hand-Held plasmonic biosensor for high-throughput sensing for point-of-care applications

We introduce a hand-held biosensor based on large-area plasmonic microarrays coupled with a lens-free computational imaging system for high-throughput biosensing. Our light-weight device, 60 g and 7.5 cm, is highly suitable for point-of-care applications for field-settings.
The effects of dissolved organic matter on alkyl nitrate production during GOMECC and laboratory studies

Abstract Oceanic alkyl nitrates are important to the atmospheric reactive nitrogen cycle however, the sources of alkyl nitrates in the oceans are not well-understood. Photochemical production rates of alkyl nitrates were determined during the Gulf of Mexico East Coast Carbon Cruise (GOMECC). During this study, it was discovered that the relative production of alkyl nitrates may be influenced by coastal proximity with methyl and isopropyl nitrate production increasing relative to ethyl nitrate production in coastal waters. As a result of this observation, laboratory studies were carried out to determine alkyl nitrate production rates in the presence of Suwannee River humic and fulvic substances. As in the field experiments, methyl and isopropyl nitrate production increased in comparison to ethyl nitrate, suggesting that the source of dissolved organic matter affects relative alkyl nitrate production. This observation may be useful in quantifying the relative production of organic peroxy radicals from DOM as well as providing further insight into the factors that influence oceanic alkyl nitrate formation.
The study and handling of program inputs in the selection of garbage collectors

Many studies have shown that the best performer among a set of garbage collectors tends to be different for different applications. Researchers have proposed applicationspecific selection of garbage collectors. In this work, we concentrate on a second dimension of the problem: the influence of program inputs on the selection of garbage collectors. We collect tens to hundreds of inputs for a set of Java benchmarks, and measure their performance on Jikes RVM with different heap sizes and garbage collectors. A rigorous statistical analysis produces four-fold insights. First, inputs influence the relative performance of garbage collectors significantly, causing large variations to the top set of garbage collectors across inputs. Profiling one or few runs is thus inadequate for selecting the garbage collector that works well for most inputs. Second, when the heap size ratio is fixed, one or two types of garbage collectors are enough to stimulate the top performance of the program on all inputs. Third, for some programs, the heap size ratio significantly affects the relative performance of different types of garbage collectors. For the selection of garbage collectors on those programs, it is necessary to have a cross-input predictive model that predicts the minimum possible heap size of the execution on an arbitrary input. Finally, by adoptingstatistical learning techniques, we investigate the cross-input predictability of the influence. Experimental results demonstrate that with regression and classification techniques, it is possible to predict the best garbage collector (along with the minimum possible heap size) with reasonable accuracy given an arbitrary input to an application. The exploration opens the opportunities for tailoring the selection of garbage collectors to not only applications but also their inputs.
Translocation of the Herbicide Dicamba in Purple Nutsedge, Cyperus rotundus

Pairs of nutsedge plants connected by rhizomes were planted, each in a separate pan, without cutting the rhizomes. One plant within each pair was treated with 5.7 kg of dicamba per hectare seven days later. Ten days after treatment, the treated plants and those plants attached to them by rhizomes were harvested separately and analyzed by gas chromatography. The attached plants were found to contain 6 per cent as much dicamba as did the directly treated plants. The suspected metabolites, 3,6-dicblorosalicylic acid, 3,6-dicblorogentisic acid and 5-HO-dicamba, were not detected.
Comparison of three common tonsillectomy techniques: a prospective randomized, double-blinded clinical study.

Objective: To evaluate three current tonsillectomy techniques—intracapsular microdebridement, intracapsular coblation, and traditional extracapsular electrocautery dissection—comparing surgical parameters, efficacy, and morbidity in the treatment for obstructive sleep disordered breathing in children. Study Design: Prospective, double-blinded study with follow-up by telephone interview. Method: From February 2004 to July 2006, a total of 156 patients between the ages of 6 months and 22 years scheduled for adenotonsillectomy were randomly assigned to electrocautery, coblator, and microdebrider groups. Outcome Measures: 1) Patient demographics; 2) Intraoperative time; 3) Surgeon's perception of difficulty; 4) Indicators of postoperative morbidity: pain, use of pain medication, return to diet, and activity level; 5) Complications; 6) Cost. Results: Microdebrider technique produced the shortest total surgical time, averaging 16 minutes. Use of coblation resulted in 2 less days of pain medication compared to electrocautery. Patients in the coblator and microdebrider groups returned to a normal diet 1.51 days and 1.77 days earlier, respectively, than in the electrocautery group. They also returned to preoperative activity levels 1.85 days and 2.06 days earlier than in the electrocautery group. Of all three methods, the microdebrider was the most cost effective. The coblator and microdebrider did not differ significantly from each other in all other parameters. The three techniques showed no statistically significant difference in assessment of difficulty, average pain scores, or postoperative complications. Conclusions: Postoperative recovery following intracapsular adenotonsillectomy in children with obstructive sleep apnea is significantly earlier with use of either the coblator or microdebrider versus traditional extracapsular tonsillectomy with electrocautery. Microdebrider and coblator were comparable in all other areas except for shorter operative time and less cost for the microdebrider. Laryngoscope, 119:162–170, 2009
Magnetic field induced non-Fermi-liquid behavior in YbAgGe single crystals

Detailed anisotropic resistivity and heat-capacity measurements down to $\ensuremath{\sim}0.4\mathrm{K}$ and up to 140 kOe are reported for a single crystalline YbAgGe. Based on these data YbAgGe, a member of the hexagonal RAgGe serie, can be classified as new, stoichiometric heavy-fermion compound with two magnetic ordering temperatures below 1 K and field-induced non-Fermi-liquid behavior above 45--70 kOe and 80--110 kOe for $H\ensuremath{\Vert}\mathrm{ab}$ and $H\ensuremath{\Vert}c,$ respectively.
Myrothecium: A new indoor contaminant?

In the natural environmentMyrothecium species occur as soil or leaf surface saprobes or as weak plant pathogens. In addition, some species ofMyrothecium are known to produce trichothecene mycotoxins. During a previous aerobiological investigation at two Las Vegas elementary schools,Myrothecium conidia were found to be the second most abundant spore type identified indoors from Burkard personal spore trap samples. The present study was undertaken to re-examine the schools to locate the source ofMyrothecium spores and to examine the ability ofMyrothecium to grow on indoor substrates. There were no obvious signs of contamination in the classrooms; however,Myrothecium spores occurred on about 30% of the Burkard samples. Two colonies ofMyrothecium were identified from subcultures of the Andersen samples, and three colonies were identified from carpet dust samples. Culture studies showed that a strain ofMyrothecium cinctum was able to grow on various culture media as well as on various indoor substrates including paper, cardboard, wallpaper, ceiling tiles, dry wall, carpets and cotton rug. Although there was no attempt to estimate any human health risks, these investigations are believed to be the first to document abundantMyrothecium spores from indoor air samples.
Thin boundary layers of chiral smectics

We consider a reduced Landau–de Gennes energy functional which describes a chiral smectic liquid crystal with large elastic coefficients. We prove that, according to this model, chiral smectics exhibit behavior which is similar to surface superconductivity: a thin layer of smectics near the boundary, and cholesterics in the bulk of the material. We obtain this behavior for a wide region in the parameter space. We show that in a certain limit case this boundary layer can determine the direction of the helical axis of the cholesterics.
Perfluoroelastomer and fluoroelastomer seals for semiconductor wafer processing equipment

Abstract Parts made from fluorinated elastomers, e.g., Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer parts, parts made from Viton® fluoroelastomer, are widely used as seals on semiconductor wafer processing equipment. Many of these seals are required to function in harsh chemical environments and at process temperatures ranging from 25 to 300 °C. Fluoroelastomers, including those of the perfluoroelastomer type, have extraordinary resistance to chemicals and heat, enabling them to withstand virtually any process media, including reactive plasmas, at temperatures as high as 316 °C. This paper is a review of perfluoroelastomers and fluoroelastomers used in semiconductor wafer processing. These seals offer cleanliness and lack of contamination while maintaining sealing functionality in aggressive media. Applications requiring resistance to both “wet” and “dry” process chemistry include etching, ashing, stripping, copper plating and chemical vapor deposition. Applications requiring thermal resistance include LPCVD, diffusion furnace and rapid thermal processing (RTP). A relative comparison of the various types of perfluoroelastomers used as well as a comparison to other elastomeric materials will also be discussed.
Kinetics of spheroidization of a eutectoid composition steel as influenced by concurrent straining

Abstract The effect of concurrent straining on the rate of spheroidization of a high-purity eutectoid composition steel was studied. It was found that concurrent straining enhances the spheroidization rate and that the degree of spheroidization is a function of both strain rate, e dot , and temperature, T, of the form e dot me Q/RT . Activation energies for the spheroidization process, during concurrent straining and static annealing, were calculated from the data obtained experimentally. The results obtained were in close agreement with the activation energy for grain boundary diffusion of iron in iron of 42.5 kcal/mole, suggesting that grain boundary diffusion is the rate-controlling process in spheroidization. Other factors such as diffusion enhancement by moving dislocations and excess vacancies created by concurrent straining may be important at high strain rates.
Age difference in the susceptibility to cadmium-induced testicular damage in rats

Abstract Since the concentration of cadmium in the testes after cadmium administration to 4-day-old rats is five times that of adults, the objective of this study was to determine if there is an age difference in the susceptibility of Cd-induced testicular damage. Adult rats treated with Cd (1 mg Cd/kg, iv) at 10 weeks of age developed testicular damage and atrophy which persisted for at least 12 weeks. These rats were found to be sterile at the seventh week after injection. For rats treated at 4 days of age, there was no difference in testicular weight, morphology, and fertility between the saline- and Cd-treated groups during 12 weeks after injection. When rats of various ages were examined, it was found that Cd produced no detectable changes in the testes of rats that are 2 weeks of age and younger but slight degenerative changes were observed in rats 3 to 5 weeks of age. However, in rats 6 weeks of age and older, cadmium produced necrosis and atrophy of the testes. Testicular metallothioneins have been proposed to be involved in the protection against Cd-induced testicular damage after cadmium pretreatment in the adult. However, the testicular concentration of metallothioneins in 4-day-old rats was not higher than that of 10-week-old rats, indicating that the age difference in susceptibility to Cd-induced testicular damage is not due to age differences in testicular metallothionein levels. In conclusion, immature rats are resistant to testicular injury produced by Cd and it appears that testicular levels of metallothionein or cadmium do not play an important role in the difference in sensitivity of various aged rats to Cd.
Reactive Hyperemia in Arterioles and Capillaries of Frog Skeletal Muscle following Microocclusion

We studied the localization of blood flow control in skeletal muscle by short-term microocclusions (30-60 seconds) of capillaries and arterioles of the pectoralis muscle in anesthetized frogs ( Rana pipiens ). The muscle was surgically exposed to permit transillumination and measurement of red cell velocity in the microvessels, but innervation and blood supply were kept intact. About one-third of the arterioles showed postocclusion hyperemia. In some muscles every arteriole showed hyperemia following occlusion, but in others none responded, presumably because of preparatory trauma. The average duration of hyperemia after a 1-minute occlusion was 74 ± 45 (SD) seconds. We also compared the effectiveness of arteriolar and capillary occlusions in producing reactive hyperemia in capillaries. Peak capillary blood flow after occlusion of the supply arteriole was 233% above control, and flow debt repayment was 278%. After occlusion of several capillaries, peak capillary blood flow was 67% above control, and flow debt repayment was 74%. In an individual capillary, peak blood flow after occlusion of that capillary was 15% above control, and flow debt repayment was 13%. In a majority of instances there was no discernible reactive hyperemia with single capillary occlusion. The results do not support the concept that flow in individual capillaries is regulated in accordance with each capillary's metabolic environment. Rather, flow in a capillary appears to depend on the metabolic environment of the arteriole supplying that capillary.
Effects of the weighting matrix on power system state estimation

Abstract The effects of the weighting matrices used in the weighted least squares (WLS) method when applied to the problem of power system state estimation (PSSE) are studied. In particular, the effects of two weighting matrices are examined: the first is the inverse of the covariance matrix of the measurement errors and the second is the one used in the utility PSSE programs. Other weighting matrices are also tested. Different performance indices for state comparison are defined. The results obtained by performing many Monte Carlo trials using these weighting matrices are compared. Results show that the inverse of the covariance matrix gives the best results.
Electrotransport in liquid copper containing 3d transition element solutes

Abstract A simple scattering calculation has been applied to the case of electrotransport in liquid copper containing 3d transition element solutes. It is predicted that electrotransport efficiency will be small for Sc, Mn and Ni and larger for elements between these in the periodic table. Experiments using a capillary-reservoir arrangement for these systems lead to electrotransport drag coefficients with a similar double-peak pattern as solute is varied. An added result is that V, as well as Cr, Mn, Fe and Co, appears to give a split impurity band in liquid copper.
1st international workshop on user modeling from social media

Massive amounts of data are being generated on social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook. People from all walks of life share data about social events, express opinions, discuss their interests, publicize businesses, recommend products, and, explicitly or implicitly, reveal personal information. This workshop will focus on the use of social media data for creating models of individual users from the content that they publish. Deeper understanding of user behavior and associated attributes can benefit a wide range of intelligent applications, such as social recommender systems and expert finders, as well as provide the foundation in support of novel user interfaces (e.g., actively engaging the crowd in mixed-initiative question-answering systems). These applications and interfaces may offer significant benefits to users across a wide variety of domains, such as retail, government, healthcare and education. User modeling from public social media data may also reveal information that users would prefer to keep private. Such concerns are particularly important because individuals do not have complete control over the information they share about themselves. For example, friends of a user may inadvertently divulge private information about that user in their own posts. In this workshop we will also discuss possible mechanisms that users might employ to monitor what information has been revealed about themselves on social media and obfuscate any sensitive information that has been accidentally revealed.
Effects of Tris and histidine on human erythrocytes and conditions influencing their mode of action.

Abstract 1. 1. The incubation of human erythrocytes in 0.172 M Tris · HCl, pH 7.6 buffer at 37° leads to (1) a pronounced cellular volume increase, (2) a preferential release of Na + , and (3) if continued sufficiently long, hemolysis. These effects are pH dependent and also are influenced to a considerable degree by such diverse reagents as NaCl, glucose, and histidine. In each instance, increasing levels of the latter compounds in a Tris · HCl incubation mixture led to diminished cellular volume increase and prolonged time of onset of hemolysis. 2. 2. Histidine solutions of 0.31 M, pH 7.5 caused a rapid and dramatic decrease in cellular volume of human erythrocytes and a concomitant rapid exit of cations. However, in a prolonged incubation, human erythrocytes slowly regained their cell volume as a result of histidine entry into the cell. Of considerable interest: Tris swollen cells undergo immediate shrinkage to far below the initial cell volume when incubated in histidine at 37 °C. Through repetition of this process two additional times, as much as 90–95% of the total cellular Na + and K + was removed without hemolysis. 3. 3. Human erythrocytes washed in 0.12 M MgCl 2 and then suspended in 0.31 M histidine, pH 7.5, lost upwards of 60% of their total Na + and 30% of their total K + after a 40 min incubation at 37 °C. However, when increasing amounts of 0.172 M Tris · HCl, pH 7.6 were added to the histidine suspension of cells, the release of K + was reduced to 5% but the release of Na + decreased only to 40% of the total cellular level. On the basis of these observations, it is evident that Tris exerts a preferential activity towards the efflux of Na + from the human erythrocyte, whereas histidine results in high efflux of K + and Na + from the cell.
The middle way of evolution

THIS ESSAY PROVIDES A CRITICAL REVIEW OF TWO RECENT BOOKS ON EVOLUTION: Richard Dawkins' The Greatest Show on Earth, and Jerry Coyne's Why Evolution is True, as well as a critique of mainstream evolutionary theory and of natural selection. I also suggest a generalization of sexual selection theory that acknowledges mind as pervasive in nature. Natural selection, as the primary theory of how biological change occurs, must be carefully framed to avoid the long-standing "tautology problem" and must also be modified to more explicitly include the role of mind in evolution. A propensity approach to natural selection, in which "expected fitness" is utilized rather than "fitness," can save natural selection from tautology. But to be a productive theory, natural selection theory should be placed alongside sexual selection - which is explicitly agentic/intentional - as a twin force, but also placed alongside purely endogenous factors such as genetic drift. This framing is contrary to the normal convention that often groups all of these factors under the rubric of "natural selection." I suggest some approaches for improving modern evolutionary theory, including a "generalized sexual selection," a panpsychist extension of Darwin's theory of sexual selection that explicitly recognizes the role of mind at all levels of nature and which may play the part of a general theory of evolution better than natural selection theory.
Familial Total Ophthalmoplegia With Iris Transillumination (a Neurocristopathy)

A family with total (internal and external) ophthalmoplegia had associated iris transillumination. No abnormal visual-evoked response brain lateralization indicative of albinism was found. On the basis of avian chimera experiments showing iris muscles to be derived from neural crest cells, we proposed a neurocristopathic theory to explain all clinical findings in this family.
Leaf-cutter ants with worn mandibles cut half as fast, spend twice the energy, and tend to carry instead of cut

The importance of mechanical wear in the behavioral ecology and energetics of small organisms is an open question. We investigated wear in leaf-cutter ants, Atta cephalotes, because their cutting technique can be imitated and the leaves are the main energy source for the colony. We found that a razor-sharp (50-nm radius) “V-blade” that cuts leaves between the first and second mandibular teeth was dulled (∼10-μm radius) and often nearly worn away on foragers. We found that the force required to cut standard leaves, using mandibles removed from foragers cutting in the wild, varied by a factor of 2.5 with tooth wear, defined as the difference between pupal and actual tooth length. We also found that wear significantly reduced the cutting rate. From the distribution of wear among the cutting foragers, we estimated that the wild colony would have spent 44% less of both energy and time making the observed cuts if the cutters’ mandibles had all been pristine. Finally, wear correlated with behavioral differences—foragers with the most worn 10% of mandibles almost exclusively carried rather than cut. This previously unreported form of task partitioning suggests that eusociality may extend useful lifespans by making it possible to switch tasks as skills decline. We developed a model, assuming that ants do work at a constant rate proportional to their mass, to predict the cutting rate from head width, tooth wear, and force to cut leaves with a scalpel (R = 0.62), and we used this estimate to argue that the partitioning of cutting and carrying was sub-optimal but better than random. Wear’s strong effect on performance may promote wear-avoiding behavior and wear-resistant mandible composition; it may affect leaf selection and worker lifespan and it raises the possibility that wear is a similarly important constraint for many other small organisms.
The CH3CO quantum yield in the 248 nm photolysis of acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, and biacetyl

Abstract We report measurements of the CH3CO quantum yield, Φ C H 3 CO , following the 248 nm pulsed laser photolysis of acetone (CH3C(O)CH3), methyl ethyl ketone (CH3C(O)CH2CH3), and biacetyl (CH3C(O)C(O)CH3). CH3CO quantum yields at 248 nm were measured at 296 K, relative to CH3CO reference systems. CH3CO was detected using cavity ring-down spectroscopy at wavelengths between 490 and 660 nm. Measurements were performed between 60 and 670 Torr (He, N2 bath gases) and the obtained CH3CO quantum yields in the low-pressure limit, Φ C H 3 CO 0 , were 0.535 ± 0.09, 0.41 ± 0.08, and 0.76 ± 0.11, for acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, and biacetyl, respectively. The quoted uncertainties are 2σ (95% confidence level) and include estimated systematic errors. An increase in Φ C H 3 CO with increasing bath gas pressure, which depended on the identity of the collision partner (He, N2), was observed. The present results are compared with previous quantum yield determinations.
Foreign elites from the Oxus civilization? A craniometric study of anomalous burials from Bronze Age Tepe Hissar.

Discovery of a small number of individuals in the Period III necropolis at the large northern Iranian Bronze Age site of Tepe Hissar directly associated with a complex of imported artifacts raises the question of whether these individuals represent elites who had access to these exotic commodities, or an imposed foreign elite that may have brought these unusual artifacts from their homelands. The source of the atypical objects is believed to be the Oxus civilization of central Asia. This study investigates the identity of these individuals by employing canonical discriminant function analysis of 20 craniometric variables among 174 adult males from Tepe Hissar Period III and Oxus civilization males from Sapalli tepe and Djarkutan. Dicriminant function analysis provides a strong separation between Tepe Hissar Period III males and Oxus civilization males and a high level of correct assignation by sample (95.8%). Imposition of the five males associated with imported central Asian artifacts from the Period III necropolis indicates that the majority (4/5) are phenetically indistinguishable from other Period III Tepe Hissar males. The results indicate that these individuals most likely represent local elite inhabitants of Tepe Hissar, rather than the presence of an imposed foreign elite. However, given the scarcity of crucial specimens, especially females, and comparative skeletal series, this conclusion must remain tentative.
Systems science serves enterprise integration: a tutorial

Enterprise integration is a major global challenge of these times. It is now possible for a new generation of practitioners to engage this challenge selectively by applying a recently articulated version of systems science (WSS). This tutorial paper argues that a half-century of disarray of the systems field can be seen as ending; and that the distillation of WSS to support a wide variety of application areas (in this instance, enterprise integration) can occupy practitioners as they harness the work program of complexity (WPOC) selectively. Carrying out the WPOC yields predictable portfolio components, consisting of a well-defined mix of tangible and intangible products. The three causes of poor intellectual productivity identified by Kenneth Boulding are nullified when appropriate role matching is achieved between WSS and enterprise integration.
Microbial metabolites and the reductive dissolution of manganese oxides: Oxalate and pyruvate

Abstract Microorganisms may participate in the reductive dissolution of Mn oxides in sediments either directly, by using Mn oxides as a terminal electron acceptor, or indirectly, through the production and excretion of reductants and other molecules that perturb the chemical conditions in sediments. If the latter process is predominant, it should be possible to calculate rates of Mn mobilization from sediments from a knowledge of the kinetics of the reductive dissolution reaction, once the structures and concentrations of reductants found in sediments are known. Laboratory experiments show that synthetic Mn (III, IV) oxides are reduced and dissolved by the microbial metabolites oxalate and pyruvate at appreciable rates. This provides additional evidence that indirect involvement of microbes in the mobilization of Mn in sediments can occur. Rates of reductive dissolution increase as the pH is decreased; the effect of pH on dissolution rate is more pronounced for oxalate than for pyruvate. Ways in which chemical conditions in freshwater and marine sediments affect rates of Mn mobilization are discussed.
Finite ky ballooning instability in the near-Earth magnetotail

[1] Two-dimensional initial value MHD simulations of the linear ideal MHD ballooning instability in the near-Earth magnetotail are presented. The configuration of the magnetotail is modeled by the analytic two-dimensional static equilibrium developed by Voigt. For an intermediate range of plasma β values (∼1–100) at the equatorial plane, the Voigt configuration of the near-Earth magnetotail is shown to be unstable to ballooning modes with finite ky. (A similar intermediate range of plasma β was also obtained in the stability analyses of ballooning modes in the infinite ky limit.) Such a β dependence of the instability arises because of the stabilizing effect of plasma compression involved in the ballooning displacement of flux tubes in the high-β regime of the magnetotail. The growth rate of the finite ky ballooning instability is found to increase with the wave number ky, approaching a saturated value in the very large ky limit. The thinning of the current sheet is found to enhance the regime of unstable β as well as the growth rate of the linear ballooning instability of the near-Earth magnetotail, suggesting a possible scenario for the substorm trigger.
Thermal fracture studies in ceramic systems using an acoustic emission technique

An acoustic emission technique for measuring the failure time in thermal shock experiments is described. The technique offers a unique opportunity to measure the heat-transfer coefficient of the test system and hence, to obtain a fully quantitative measure of the peak surface stress generated during the test. Measurements on soda-lime glass have demonstrated that rapid thermal fracture in the material occurs when the surface stress attains a critical value equal to the propagation stress for the most deleterious surface flaw. The effects of slow crack growth on the failure time are also investigated and correlated with recently developed theory.
Not Just `Doctors' Orders': Directive-Response Sequences in Patients' Visits to Women and Men Physicians:

In this paper, I draw on Goodwin's (1980, 1988, in press) research on directive-response speech sequences to examine how physicians formulate their directives to patients and how patients respond to those directives. My analysis of encounters between patients and family physicians indicates that women and men physicians issue their directives in dramatically different ways, and that their alternative formulations have consequences for patients' responses. Some directives are more likely than others to elicit compliant responses, and women physicians employ these more often than men do. In discussing these results, I consider their relationship to the issue of patient adherence more generally and to the quality of patients' relationships with women and men physicians.
Acalculous eosinophilic cholecystitis from herbal medicine: a review of adverse effects of herbal medicine in surgical patients.

SURGERY 352 HERBAL MEDICINE USAGE is on the rise,1-3 with increasing coverage by health care organizations4 and easy access over-the-counter and on the Internet. Knowledge and awareness of these medications among physicians are poor.5 With no appropriate scientific studies regarding the indications, dosage, potency, efficacy pharmacodynamics, or drug interactions, these medicines can adversely influence the peri-operative and postoperative care of surgical patients. Ang-Lee et al6 recently reported the important medical issues associated with herbal medications, including the lack of evidence-based information about their safety and efficacy, the absence of a standard regulatory mechanism for their approval and surveillance, and improper patient assumptions about them. We present the first case report of acalculous eosinophilic cholecystitis in a young man secondary to the use of a muscle-building herbal medicine containing L-tryptophan, and we review the literature regarding the adverse effects of herbal medicines in surgical patients.
Analytical solutions to a generalized Drinfel’d–Sokolov equation related to DSSH and KdV6

Abstract Analytical solutions to the generalized Drinfel’d–Sokolov (GDS) equations u t + α 1 uu x + β 1 u xxx + γ ( v δ ) x = 0 and v t + α 2 uv x + β 2 v xxx = 0 are obtained for various values of the model parameters. In particular, we provide perturbation solutions to illustrate the strong influence of the parameters β 1 and β 2 on the behavior of the solutions. We then consider a Miura-type transform which reduces the gDS equations into a sixth-order nonlinear differential equation under the assumption that δ = 1. Under such a transform the GDS reduces to the sixth-order Drinfel’d–Sokolov–Satsuma–Hirota (DSSH) equation (also known as KdV6) in the very special case α 1 = − α 2 . The method of homotopy analysis is applied in order to obtain analytical solutions to the resulting equation for arbitrary α 1 and α 2 . An error analysis of the obtained approximate analytical solutions is provided.
Spectrophotometric determination of lanthanum with neo-thorone

Abstract A method has been developed for the spectrophotometric determination of microgram amounts of lanthanum by means of neothorone, 2-ortho-arsonophenyl-azo-2-(1.8-dioxynaphthalen-3,6-disulphonic acid). The method is sensitive, and as little as 2 μg of lanthanum can lit; determined in 25 ml of final volume. The calibration curve conforms to Beer's law. The stoichiometric composition of the coloured complex has been determined.