cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Axonal and dendritic development of substantia gelatinosa neurons in the lumbosacral spinal cord of the rat

In the present study, developing neurons of the substantia gelatinosa (SG) are examined at short interval sequential stages from 15 days of gestation through 20 days postpartum. Rapid Golgi preparations are utilized to examine axonal and dendritic development and toluidine blue preparations are employed to study the overall growth pattern of SG cells by measuring changes in mean cell body area. Results show that there are two maturation periods, which involve two separate groups of SG neurons. The sequence and pattern of development for each group is different. The first period occurs prenatally and involves the axonal and dendritic development of presumptive projection and propriospinal neurons. In classical terminology, these cells can be classified as limiting, large and small central, and transverse cells. These neurons have axons that enter the white matter and their dendritic arbors develop through a relatively simple process of elongation and branching. The second maturation period occurs postnatally and involves the development of presumptive nonprojection intrinsic neurons that have axons which remain within the gray matter. These neurons are identified as islet, stalk, inverted stalklike, and vertical cells. Unlike projection or propriopinal neurons, the intrinsic nonprojection neurons sprout numerous short, beaded dendrites that radiate from the cell body in a starlike fashion. Starshaped cells undergo a metamorphosis involving a rearrangement of dendrites along adult dendritic patterns. Measurements taken from toluidine blue preparations indicate that the nonprojection intrinsic population makes up the greatest percentage of SG neurons, as evidenced by a marked increase in the size of the average SG nerve cell during the second maturation period.
Lipids associated with microconidial differentiation in a mutant ofNeurospora crassa

Thepeach-fluffy-cot mutant ofNeurospora crassa produces neither macroconidia nor ascospores but does differentiate microconidia after a defined length of time. Changes in the composition of sterols, sterol esters, triglycerides, free fatty acids, and phospholipids were followed during vegetative growth and differentiation of microconidia. The changes in free sterols before and during microconidial differentiation indicate a change in lipid metabolism associated with differentiation. Free sterols and sterol esters accumulated in the developing microconidia, but decreased rapidly during microconidial maturation. The fatty acid components remained relatively unchanged except for a significant increase in linoleic acid. The linoleic acid change might be associated with the development of microconidia or it might simply be a reflection of the NADP-deficiency common in many morphological mutants ofN. crassa.
The Politics of India Since Independence

List of figures and tables Preface List of abbreviations 1. Introduction: continuities and discontinuities between pre- and post-Independence India Part I. Political Change: Introduction 2. Political change, political structure and the functioning of government 3. Parties and politics 4. State and local politics Part II. Pluralism and National Integration: Introduction 5. Language problems 6. Crises of national unity: Punjab, the northeast and Kashmir 7. Communal and caste conflict: secularism, Hindu nationalism and the Indian state Part III. Political Economy: Introduction 8. Politics, economic development and social change 9. Political aspects of agricultural change 10. Conclusion: problems and prospects Bibliography Index.
The poor: a population at risk.

This paper formulates an updated, multidimensional model of poverty and discusses nursing research and practice implications based on the model. The older, traditional cultural and structural models of poverty are compared and contrasted with special attention to the perpetuating impact of stigmatization. From analysis of the older views of poverty, an updated model is proposed that emphasizes investigation of inter-relationships among environmental, individual/group, and mediating factors. Drawing from concepts of social learning theory, maladaptive and adaptive responses to the situational environments of the poor are explored. There is a focus on the major emotional responses to poverty such as depression, anomie, feelings of powerlessness, and low self-efficacy. Finally, specific nursing interventions for the client as well as at higher political levels are assessed.
Optimal grid design and logistic planning for wind and biomass based renewable electricity supply chains under uncertainties

Abstract In this work, the grid design and optimal allocation of wind and biomass resources for renewable electricity supply chains under uncertainties is studied. Due to wind intermittency, generation of wind electricity is not uniform and cannot be counted on to be readily available to meet the demand. Biomass represents a type of stored energy and is the only renewable resource that can be used for producing biofuels and generating electricity whenever required. However, amount of biomass resources are finite and might not be sufficient to meet the demand for electricity and biofuels. Potential of wind and biomass resources is therefore jointly analyzed for electricity generation. Policies are proposed and evaluated for optimal allocation of finite biomass resources for electricity generation. A stochastic programming model is proposed that optimally balances the electricity demand across the available supply from wind and biomass resources under uncertainties in wind speed and electricity sale price. A case study set in the American Midwest is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model by determining the optimal decisions for generation and transmission of renewable electricity. Sensitivity analysis shows that level of subsidy for renewable electricity production has a major impact on the decisions.
Free Radical Formation During Ketamine Anesthesia in Rats: A Cautionary Note

Ketamine is a useful anesthetic agent with good analgesic properties; however, when ketamine was used to anesthetize rats for spin trapping studies of alcohol-induced free radicals, liver extracts contained a strong electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signal of a novel radical. The same EPR signal was observed in liver extracts when rats which had not received alcohol were anesthetized with ketamine. When ketamine was added to liver microsomes and NADPH, a nitroxide radical derived from ketamine could be detected in organic extracts. When the spin trapping agent POBN was also added, microsomes produced both a ketamine nitroxide radical and a spin adduct. Similar results were obtained during ketamine oxidation by hydrogen peroxide in a tungstate-catalyzed reaction, or in a Fenton reaction system. The data suggest that the secondary amine group of ketamine can be oxidized to a stable nitroxide which produces an EPR spectrum in the absence of a spin trapping agent. The POBN spin adduct detected may be from a carbon-centered radical in the cyclohexanone ring of ketamine. Because several types of radicals can be formed from ketamine, this agent may not be appropriate as an anesthetic for many types of in vivo spin trapping experiments.
Evaluating a trial deployment of password re-use for phishing prevention

We propose a scheme that exploits scale to prevent phishing. We show that while stopping phishers from obtaining passwords is very hard, detecting the fact that a password has been entered at an unfamiliar site is simple. Our solution involves a client that reports Password Re-Use (PRU) events at unfamiliar sites, and a server that accumulates these reports and detects an attack. We show that it is simple to then mitigate the damage by communicating the identities of phished accounts to the institution under attack. Thus, we make no attempt to prevent information leakage, but we try to detect and then rescue users from the consequences of bad trust decisions.The scheme requires deployment on a large scale to realize the major benefits: reliable low latency detection of attacks, and mitigation of compromised accounts. We harness scale against the attacker instead of trying to solve the problem at each client. In [13] we sketched the idea, but questions relating to false positives and the scale required for efficacy remained unanswered. We present results from a trial deployment of half a million clients. We explain the scheme in detail, analyze its performance, and examine a number of anticipated attacks.
Predicting flux decline in crossflow membranes using artificial neural networks and genetic algorithms

Abstract The geometry and internal parameters of artificial neural networks (ANNs) have significant effects on the prediction performance efficiency of the network. The optimal ANN geometry is problem-dependent. Although some guidance is available in the literature for the choice of geometry and internal parameters, most networks are calibrated using the trial-and-error approach. This paper presents the use of genetic algorithms (GAs) to search the optimal geometry and values of internal parameter of a multilayer feedforward back-propagation neural network (BPNN) and a radial basis function network (RBFN). The prediction performance efficiency of the GA–ANN combination is examined using an already published experimental dataset of crossflow membrane filtration. The data includes the permeate flux decline under various operating conditions (e.g. transmembrane pressure and filtration time) with different physicochemical properties of feed water (e.g. different combinations of three particle diameters, three pH values and four ionic strengths). It is illustrated that the GA-optimized ANN predicts the permeate flux decline more accurately than a network in which the ANN calibration is done using a trial-and-error approach. It is shown that scaling the training data to the range of 0–1 helps the modeler find the solution range of an RBFN for GA.
Tunneling measurements of the dependence of the energy gap on critical temperature in La2-xSrxCuO4-y.

We have used a low-temperature, in situ cleaving, scanning tunneling microscope to measure the energy gap in a series of La/sub 2/..sqrt../sub x/Sr/sub x/CuO/sub 4/..sqrt../sub y/ samples with different Sr doping concentrations x, and therefore different critical temperatures. The current-voltage characteristics vary from measurement to measurement, but consistent results can be obtained by selecting ''high-quality'' data. We discuss the criteria used for this selection. We find that the measured gaps scale with critical temperature with the ratio 2..delta..k/sub B/T/sub c/approx.5. .AE
Design and Management of Satellite Power Systems

Satellites are indispensable for broadcast, weather forecast, navigation, and many other applications, but their design entails a number of stringent requirements, such as limited space and weight, impossible/costly online repairs, severe radiation, and a wide range of temperature they have to withstand. These requirements can only be met by an effective, robust co-design of physical and computing (control) parts of each satellite, making them prototypical cyber-physical systems (CPSes). Of the various CPS issues related to satellites, this paper focuses on offline design and online management of satellite power systems. Specifically, we analyze and model unique characteristics of power supply and demand of a satellite, which are dictated by the periodicity of power generation from solar panels and the nonlinear behavior of rechargeable battery cells. Based on the understanding of these characteristics, we first propose how to find the best configuration (e.g., the number, the arrangement, and the type) of solar panels and battery cells at design time, such that all tasks can be executed without power shortage throughout the satellite's mission lifetime. Second, we propose how to manage power online so as to execute the highest QoS versions of tasks (thus yielding the most power-effective performance) without compromising the power-sufficiency guarantee under a given configuration. As a case study, we study cubic-shaped nanosatellites, which have been launched multiple times since 2004. We borrow their architecture, configuration and parameters, and demonstrate the effectiveness of our design and management of satellite power systems.
Dextran-methylprednisolone succinate as a prodrug of methylprednisolone: in vitro immunosuppressive effects on rat blood and spleen lymphocytes.

Abstract The in vitro immunosuppressive activity of a conjugate of methylprednisolone (MP) with dextran 70 kDa (DEX-MPS) was tested using the lymphocyte proliferation assay after stimulation of lymphocytes with concanavalin A (Con-A). Blood and spleen lymphocytes, isolated from drug-free male Sprague–Dawley rats, were used in the assay. First, the optimum concentration of Con-A for stimulation of lymphocytes was determined. The inhibition of the lymphocyte proliferation was then tested in the presence of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 10, 20, and 50 nM concentrations (MP equivalent) of DEX-MPS or free MP. The maximum stimulation of lymphocytes with Con-A was observed at mitogen concentrations of 2.5 and 10 μg/ml for the spleen and blood lymphocytes, respectively. For free MP, sigmoidal relationships were observed between the effect (% inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation) and the logarithm of MP concentration. Additionally, the maximum inhibitory effect (Imax) and MP concentration producing half of Imax (IC50) were, respectively, 98% and 1.38 nM for the blood and 86% and 3.1 nM for the spleen lymphocytes. For MP conjugated to dextran, the response–log concentration curves were substantially shifted to the right with IC50 values of 40 and 52 nM for the blood and spleen lymphocytes, respectively. It is concluded that compared with free MP, the steroid attached to dextran has minimal immunosuppressive activity. Therefore, to be effective in vivo, DEX-MPS should release MP in the body.
Finite baryon number simulations in the static limit

Abstract We study finite temperature QCD with non-zero baryon number in the heavy quark limit, first investigated by Blum, Hetrick and Toussaint. In the simulations reported here we extend the work of those authors to larger volumes and lower baryon densities, examining both the character of the finite temperature phase transition and the increase in measurement errors with lattice volume.
TRANSFER EFFECTS AS A FUNCTION OF VARIETY OF METHOD AND ABILITY LEVEL IN ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS

used to identify the variables that are related to these generalized habits. As a consequence of the recognition that human abilities may be related to learning sets, the variables related to the development of learning sets should also be related to the development of human abilities. Duncan (1958) has shown that the presentation of a variety of methods develops learning set and the subsequent ability to transfer. Similarly, and more relevant to the present study, Beamer and Lemke (1973) examined the relationship between ability level and the use of a variety of methods in the teaching of elementary school mathematics with individuals and with pairs. They found that a variety of methods consistently improved performance
Associations between gestational weight gain and BMI, abdominal adiposity, and traditional measures of cardiometabolic risk in mothers 8 y postpartum

Background: Researchers have proposed biologically plausible mechanisms linking excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) to maternal metabolic and cardiovascular diseases later in life. Objective: The objective was to determine the extent to which GWG was associated with abdominal adiposity and other cardiometabolic risk factors in a sample of women 4–12 y after delivery. Design: We used data from The Women's and Infants’ Study of Healthy Hearts, a cohort of women who gave birth between 1997 and 2002 at Magee-Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. By design, women with small-for-gestational-age and preterm births were oversampled. Women with preeclampsia, prepregnancy hypertension, or diabetes were excluded. GWG was ascertained from prenatal records, and GWG adequacy was assessed according to 2009 Institute of Medicine/National Research Council guidelines. Abdominal obesity was defined as waist circumference (WC) >88 cm and weight change as current weight – prepregnancy weight. Results: The prevalence of inadequate, adequate, and excessive GWG was 22% (107/478), 30% (145/478), and 47% (226/478), respectively. The analyses were adjusted for age at outcome assessment, prepregnancy BMI, marital status and insurance at delivery, race, smoking during target pregnancy, and current education, parity, and smoking. Associations between excessive GWG and blood pressure, lipids, glucose, insulin, and metabolic syndrome were null. However, women with excessive GWG had a 3.6-kg (1.5, 5.6) greater weight change, a 3.2-cm (1.2, 5.2) greater WC, and 3-fold greater odds of abdominal obesity (2.9; 1.6, 5.1) compared with women who gained weight as recommended. Conclusion: Excessive GWG is associated with long-term maternal abdominal adiposity, which may increase a woman's risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease.
Solution aversion: On the relation between ideology and motivated disbelief.

There is often a curious distinction between what the scientific community and the general population believe to be true of dire scientific issues, and this skepticism tends to vary markedly across groups. For instance, in the case of climate change, Republicans (conservatives) are especially skeptical of the relevant science, particularly when they are compared with Democrats (liberals). What causes such radical group differences? We suggest, as have previous accounts, that this phenomenon is often motivated. However, the source of this motivation is not necessarily an aversion to the problem, per se, but an aversion to the solutions associated with the problem. This difference in underlying process holds important implications for understanding, predicting, and influencing motivated skepticism. In 4 studies, we tested this solution aversion explanation for why people are often so divided over evidence and why this divide often occurs so saliently across political party lines. Studies 1, 2, and 3-using correlational and experimental methodologies-demonstrated that Republicans' increased skepticism toward environmental sciences may be partly attributable to a conflict between specific ideological values and the most popularly discussed environmental solutions. Study 4 found that, in a different domain (crime), those holding a more liberal ideology (support for gun control) also show skepticism motivated by solution aversion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
HAS EVIDENCE CHANGED PRACTICE? APPROPRIATENESS OF CAROTID ENDARTERECTOMY AFTER THE CLINICAL TRIALS

Objective: To assess how appropriateness of and indications for carotid endarterectomy (CEA) have changed following the publication of several large international randomized controlled trials (RCTs) designed to rationalize use of CEA. Methods: The New York Carotid Artery Surgery Study (NYCAS) is a population-based cohort study of all CEAs performed on elderly patients from January 1998 through June 1999 in New York State. Detailed clinical data were abstracted from medical charts to assess indications for and appropriateness of surgery using a list of 1,557 indications for CEA developed by national experts using RAND appropriateness methods. Deaths and strokes within 30 days of surgery were ascertained and confirmed by two physicians. Results: Among the 9,588 patients, the mean age was 74.6 years and 93.6% had 70 to 99% carotid stenosis. Nearly three-quarters of patients (72.3%) underwent CEA for asymptomatic stenosis, 18.6% for TIA, and 9.1% for stroke. Overall, 87.1% of operations were done for appropriate reasons, 4.3% for uncertain reasons, and 8.6% for inappropriate reasons (vs 32% inappropriate before the RCTs, p p Conclusions: Since publication of the randomized controlled trials, there has been a reduction in the proportion of patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for inappropriate reasons. The shift toward many asymptomatic patients undergoing CEA is concerning because the net benefit from surgery for these patients is low and is reduced further for patients with high comorbidity.
A case study of a novel ducted composite material marine current turbine

Advanced composite materials are widely used as marine current turbines due to their high strength-to-weight ratios and excellent resistance to corrosion. A novel manufacturing approach similar to filament winding has been developed and is able to produce the Composite Material Marine Current Turbines (CMMCTs) that have significant advantages over traditional designs. This paper presents numerical results investigating the performance of ducted CMMCTs. The numerical approach was performed using CFD in a free stream of water with various hydrodynamic flow conditions. The investigation results provide an insight into the hydrodynamic design and operation of CMMCTs.
“Seeing Conversion Whole”: Testing a Model of Religious Conversion

Rambo (1993) theorized that religious conversion consists of a process involving seven dimensions, labeled context, crisis, quest, encounter, interaction, commitment, and consequences. To test the Rambo model, a new measure, the 97-item Adult Religious Conversion Experiences Questionnaire (ARCEQ), was developed, revised on the basis of feedback from a focus group, and administered by mail to 110 adult volunteers who self-identified as having experienced conversion. Reliability analysis of the subscales of the ARCEQ resulted in five (crisis, quest, encounter, commitment, and consequences) meeting the criterion (α > .80). A sixth (interaction) achieved a reliability of .76 and was retained, but the seventh (context) was dropped. Principal components factor analysis with Varimax rotation produced factors labeled Redemptive Love, Zealous Dedication, Dysphoric Need, Openness to Uncertainty, Extrinsic Crisis, and Experiential Learning, which could readily be interpreted in relation to Rambo's model. Subsidiary analyses showed a number of significant correlations between demographic characteristics of the sample and differences in religious conversion experience.
Inverse estimation of surface heating condition in a three-dimensional object using conjugate gradient method

Temperature and heat flux on inaccessible surfaces can be estimated by solving an inverse heat conduction problem (IHCP) based on the measured temperature and/or heat flux on accessible surfaces. In this study, the heat flux and temperature on the front (heated) surface of a three-dimensional (3D) object is recovered using the conjugate gradient method (CGM) with temperature and heat flux measured on back surface (opposite to the heated surface). The thermal properties of the 3D object are considered to be temperature-dependent. The simulated measurement data, i.e., the temperature and heat flux on the back surface, are obtained by numerically solving a direct problem where the front surface of the object is subjected to high intensity periodic laser heat flux with a Gaussian profile. The robustness of the formulated 3D IHCP algorithm is tested for two materials. The effects of the uncertainties in thermophysical properties on the inverse solutions are also examined. Efforts are made to reduce the total number of heat flux sensors on the back surface required to recover the front-surface heating condition.
237 TRANSFER OF 3H-1–25 DIHYDROXYVITAMIN D 3 (3H-1.25 D 3 ) FROM THE FETUS TO THE MOTHER IN OVINE MODEL

Maternal plasma 1-25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1-25 D3) levels increase during pregnancy; the source of this increase remains unclear and could be the fetus. Transfer of 3H-1,25 D3 from fetus to mother was studied in chronically catheterized ewes (n=5, gestation 125-146 days). Ten μCi of 3H-1,25 D3 was given by bolus in the fetal jugular vein. Fetal and maternal carotid arterial blood was collected at -10, 1, 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 120, 180 and 240 min and at 24 and 48 hrs. Radioactivity in 0.1 ml of plasma was quantitated as CPM and DPM. Recovery of 3H-1,25 D3 in the fetal and maternal plasma at 4 hrs was assessed by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Plasma 1,25D (HPLC-protein binding assay) in fetuses and ewes was 29-82 and 26-45 pg/ml respectively. In all fetuses, initial disappearance of 3H-1,25 D3 was rapid (t 1/2 90% of radioactivity recovered at 4 hrs was 1,25 D3. We conclude that 1) clearance of 1,25 dihydroxyvit D3 in the fetus is curvilinear suggesting more than two pools, and 2) 1,25 dihydroxyvit D3 may cross the placenta from the fetus to the mother.
Individual differences in simultaneous masking with random-frequency, multicomponent maskers.

Individual differences were examined for 49 listeners in a simultaneous‐masking task with random‐frequency, multicomponent maskers and a 1000‐Hz signal. Across conditions, the maskers were broadband noise or complexes of 2–100 sinusoids whose frequencies were randomly chosen with each presentation. Maskers were equal rms waveforms, presented at 60 dB SPL. Thresholds for the multicomponent maskers spanned a range of up to 59 dB across listeners within conditions without distinct groupings. When divided into quartiles, mean thresholds for listeners in the lowest quartile increased monotonically with the number of masker components and peaked below values produced by broadband noise. Listeners in the upper quartile had nonmonotonic functions with a broad peak around 10–20 components, with values above those produced by broadband noise. Quiet thresholds and masked thresholds for the broadband‐noise masker did not distinguish ‘‘high‐’’ from ‘‘low‐threshold’’ groups. Lowering masker uncertainty (frequencies randomized between but not within trials) or introducing temporal differences by shortening the signal both improved performance by as much as 40 dB, dependent on the masking produced with maximum uncertainty. Training effects within experiment (excluding an initial training period) were examined for all listeners and for five listeners across two consecutive experiments. Eleven of forty‐nine listeners (22%) showed systematic improvement averaging 12 dB within experiment, independent of high or low original thresholds. For the five tested longer, four improved by 5 dB or more in at least one condition, but the change in performance occurred primarily during initial training for the second experiment. The large individual differences documented present a challenge to the development of models for masking produced by masker‐frequency uncertainty.
An Analytical Framework for The Charaterization of Link Dynamics in MANETs Invited Paper

We present an analytical framework and statistical models to accurately characterize the lifetime of a wireless link in a mobile ad hoc network (MANET). We show that the lifetime of a link can be computed through a two-state Markov model and that the analytical solution follows closely the results obtained through discrete event simulations. The proposed framework has widespread application in the modeling of medium access control protocols, routing protocols, clustering, and the optimization of MANETs.
Pathoplasticity of bulimic features and interpersonal problems.

Objective: Recent research suggests that interpersonal problems and some forms of psychopathology are pathoplastic, or that they mutually affect one another in nonetiological ways. In the current study, the pathoplasticity of bulimic features and interpersonal problems was tested. Method: Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-64 data from 130 women with scores in the top quartile on the Bulimia scale of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 from a sample of 517 college undergraduates were cluster analyzed. Age, weight, and scores on psychopathology scales were tested for mean differences across the four quadrants of the interpersonal problems circumplex. Results: Consistent with the pathoplasticity hypothesis, cluster means did not differ on external variables. Furthermore, bulimic features and interpersonal problems independently predicted depression in the total sample. Conclusion: The interpersonal problems reported in the current study suggest differential treatment process that could inform the therapeutic relationship and help prevent premature termination. © 2007 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2007
A hybrid two-component system protein from Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 was involved in chemotaxis

Abstract We here report the sequence and functional analysis of org35 of Azospirillum brasilense Sp7, which was originally identified to be able to interact with NifA in yeast-two-hybrid system. The org35 encodes a hybrid two-component system protein, including N-terminal PAS domains, a histidine kinase (HPK) domain and a response regulator (RR) domain in C-terminal. To determine the function of the Org35, a deletion–insertion mutant in PAS domain [named Sp7353] and a complemental strain Sp7353C were constructed. The mutant had reduced chemotaxis ability compared to that of wild-type, and the complemental strain was similar to the wild-type strain. These data suggested that the A. brasilense org35 played a key role in chemotaxis. Variants containing different domains of the org35 were expressed, and the functions of these domains were studied in vitro . Phosphorylation assays in vitro demonstrated that the HPK domain of Org35 possessed the autokinase activity and that the phosphorylated HPK was able to transfer phosphate groups to the RR domain. The result indicated Org35 was a phosphorylation-communicating protein.
Establishing preference for oral cocaine without an associative history with a reinforcer

Using schedule-induced polydipsia (SIP), a stable, oral, preference for cocaine solution to water presented concurrently can be established by first presenting cocaine in a preferred vehicle, and subsequently fading the vehicle to water. The present study showed that rats exposed to a history of choosing 0.48 mg/ml cocaine in preference to concentrated lidocaine (2 mg/ml) under SIP conditions subsequently maintained this preference when the lidocaine concentration was progressively decreased to zero (water). Preference for lidocaine was tested by fixing it at 0.38 mg/ml (equimolar with 0.48 mg/ml cocaine) while subsequently increasing cocaine from 0.48 mg/ml to 2.5 mg/ml. Lidocaine preference did not occur, rather, preference for concentrated cocaine persisted. The results suggest that the avoidance of lidocaine solution may force the discrimination of the relation between high oral cocaine intake and its reinforcing effects, thereby instituting a stable preference for cocaine.
Determination of residual renal function with iohexol clearance in hemodialysis patients

Residual renal function (RRF) may contribute significantly to the total dialysis prescription. Conventional quantitation of RRF in hemodialysis (HD) patients is measured by urea clearance and requires a 24-hour urine collection which is often difficult to perform and inaccurate. The renal clearance of iohexol was evaluated as an alternative method for RRF assessment (iohexol-derived RRF) in hemodialysis patients. An intravenous bolus of iohexol (12 ml; 300 mg iodine/ml) was administered to 42 hemodialysis patients following routine HD. A single blood sample was obtained approximately 44 hours later (pre-HD) to determine the plasma clearance of iohexol using x-ray fluorescence methods. Total body clearance of iohexol (CTBio) and non-renal clearance of iohexol (CNRio) 2.87 +/- 0.3 ml/min (mean +/SEM) were used to calculate iohexol-derived RRF (CTBio-CNRio). Iohexol-derived RRF determinations were then compared to urea clearance-derived RRF measurements. The RRF contribution to the dialysis prescription was also calculated utilizing iohexol-derived RRF compared to urea-derived RRF. Iohexol-derived RRF did not differ from urea-derived RRF (2.48 +/- 0.3 vs. 2.64 +/- 0.4 ml/min, P = 0.21). The RRF contribution to the weekly dialysis prescription (Kt/V) did not differ when iohexol-derived RRF was compared to urea-derived RRF (0.94 +/- 0.1 vs. 0.93 +/- 0.1, P = 0.9). Additionally, the effect of iohexol on RRF was assessed in 17 HD patients. Urea-derived RRF determinations one week after iohexol exposure did not differ from those measured one week prior to iohexol exposure (3.17 +/- 0.6 vs. 2.91 +/- 0.5 ml/min, respectively). Thus, renal clearance of iohexol can be an accurate and safe measure of RRF in HD patients and potentially simplify delivery of the dialysis prescription.
Primordial gravitational waves from open inflation

We calculate the spectrum of gravitational waves generated during inflation in open ({Omega}{sub 0}{lt}1) inflationary models. In such models an initial epoch of old inflation solves the horizon and flatness problems, and during this first epoch of inflation the quantum state of the graviton field rapidly approaches the Bunch-Davies vacuum. Then the old inflation ends by the nucleation of a single bubble, inside of which there is a shortened epoch of slow-roll inflation giving {Omega}{sub 0}{lt}1 today. In this paper we reexpress the Bunch-Davies vacuum for the graviton field in terms of the hyperbolic modes inside the bubble and propagate these modes forward in time into the present era. We derive the expression for the contribution from these gravity waves to the cosmic microwave background anisotropy including the effect of a finite-energy difference across the bubble wall. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Maturity assessment and curve progression in girls with idiopathic scoliosis.

Background: Scoliosis progression during adolescence is closely related to patient maturity. Maturity has various indicators, including chronological age, height and weight changes, and skeletal and sexual maturation. It is not certain which of these indicators correlates most strongly with scoliosis progression. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate various maturity measurements and how they relate to scoliosis progression. Methods: Physically immature girls with idiopathic scoliosis were evaluated every six months through their growth spurt with serial spinal radiographs; hand skeletal ages; Oxford pelvic scores; Risser sign determinations; height; weight; sexual staging; and serologic studies of the levels of selected growth factors, estradiol, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, and osteocalcin. These measurements were then correlated with the curve-acceleration phase. Results: The period and pattern of curve acceleration began during Risser stage 0 for all patients. Skeletal maturation scores derived with the use of the Tanner-Whitehouse-III RUS method, particularly those for the metacarpals and phalanges, were superior to all other indicators of maturity. Regression of the scores provided good estimates of maturity relative to the period of curve progression (Pearson r = 0.93). The initiation of this period occurred simultaneously with digital changes from Tanner-Whitehouse-III stage F to G. At this stage, curves also separated into rapid, moderate, and low-acceleration patterns, with specific curve types in the rapid and moderate-acceleration groups. The low-acceleration group was not confined to a specific curve type. Conclusions: The curve-acceleration phase separates curves into various types of curve progression. The Tanner-Whitehouse-III RUS scores are highly correlated with timing relative to the curve-acceleration phase and provide better maturity determination and prognosis determination during adolescence than the other parameters tested. Accurate skeletal maturity determination should be used as the primary maturity measurement in girls with idiopathic scoliosis. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level I. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Rat vocalization to shock with and without a CS

Rat vocalization to electric shock was studied using a classical conditioning procedure for one group and presenting only the UCS to a second group. Ss given CS-UCS pairings vocalized significantly less to the UCS than Ss given only the UCS. Results were discussed and predicted from an information-preparation framework. Unexpected gradual OCR curves were obtained but no vocalization to the CS occurred.
Protein and enzyme changes in cold injury edema

Protein and enzyme changes in the edematous white matter and the CSF were studied during the course of experimental cold injury edema. The edematous white matter showed an increase in total content of albumin which on disc gel electrophoresis separated as four distinct patterns and appeared even more complex in the two-dimensional fractionation patterns. No increase was noted in γ-globulins, although they revealed a greater variety, as compared with the normal white matter. In the CSF there was a persistent increase in percentage of γ-globulin. It is speculated that although there is an increased entry into the CSF of both albumin and globulin, the levels of the former are reduced to normal values by a selective resorption by the choroid plexus. Enzymatic assays on the edematous white matter revealed an increase in the levels of α-glycero-phosphate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. There was a marked decrease in lactic dehydrogenase and diphosphopyridine nucleotide diaphorase. In the CSF enzyme determinations showed up to 10-fold increase in lactic dehydrogenase levels with the highest values recorded in the fluid from the lateral ventricle underlying the edematous white matter.
The Origins of the Sunnite-Shi'ite Divide and the Emergence of the Taziyeh Tradition

Islam, like most other religions, has always been characterized by a number of internal divisions. The major division in Islam is between the Sunnites and the Shiites. Today, Sunnites make up approximately  to  percent of Muslims in the world, while Shiites constitute approximately  to  percent. Approximately half of the Shiites live in Iran with smaller concentrations found in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Bahrain, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Eastern Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Af- ghanistan, and parts of South Asia. In most of these countries the Shiites have little or no influence in the government. The only explicitly Shiite government is the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was established during the revolutionary up- heaval in /. However, a small Alawi Shiite minority also dominates the Syrian government, and Zaydi Shiites are included in the Yemeni state as well. The largest group of Shiites is the so-called Twelvers (Ithna Asharis, or Imamis), whose name derives from their belief that there were  imams, the last of whom has existed in a supernatural or metaphysical state of occultation from  .. to the present. Since we are primarily concerned here with the taziyeh tradition, which is associated mainly with the Twelver Shiites of Iran, I will focus on this strain of Shiism.  The roots of the Sunnite-Shiite schism are found in the crisis of succession that occurred after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in  c.e. One of the key distinctions between the two factions is the Sunnite belief in the caliphate, as op- posed to the Shiite belief in the imamate. Shiites have traditionally believed that there was a chain of pious descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, beginning with his son-in-law Ali (d. ), who were meant to succeed him, one after the other, following his death. Shiites consider these imams to be infallible religious guides for humanity, although not prophets. Shiites believe that devotion to the imams brings them closer to God.  Sunnites, on the other hand, have traditionally held that the caliphs were the le- gitimate successors to the Prophet Muhammad. The caliphs were selected accord- ing to political processes, rather than being explicitly selected by the Prophet himself. Shiites consider the caliphs to be usurpers of the authority of the imams. This fundamental disagreement was compounded by later political divisions, which
Sustainability and smartness: A tale of two slogans

Abstract At the close of 2011, sustainability and environmental advisor Tony Juniper asked “Will 2012 be the year of the R word?” ( www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business ). He meant R for Resilience. It may have been so. I for one had a conversation in 2012 in which I was told that R was (somehow) easier to define than the S word (for Sustainability), hence its purported advantage. It is perhaps a brave new journal, then, that would launch itself in 2013/2014 with the S word first and foremost in its title.
fMRI Differences Between Subjects with Low and High Responses to Alcohol During a Stop Signal Task

Background: A low level of response (i.e., a low LR) to alcohol is a genetically influenced phenotype that predicts later alcoholism. While the low LR reflects, at least in part, a low brain response to alcohol, the physiological underpinnings of the low LR have only recently been addressed. Methods: Forty-nine drinking but not yet alcoholic matched pairs of 18- to 25-year-old subjects (N = 98; 53% women) with low and high LRs as established in separate alcohol challenges were evaluated in 2 event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) sessions (placebo and approximately 0.7 ml/kg of alcohol) while performing a validated stop signal task. The high and low LR groups had identical blood alcohol levels during the alcohol session. Results: Significant high versus low LR group and LR group × condition effects were observed in blood oxygen level–dependent (BOLD) signal during error and inhibitory processing, despite similar LR group performance on the task. In most clusters with significant (corrected p 1,344 μl) LR group × alcohol/placebo condition interactions, the low LR group demonstrated relatively less, whereas the high LR group demonstrated more, error and inhibition-related activation after alcohol compared with placebo. Conclusions: This is one of the first fMRI studies to demonstrate significant differences between healthy groups with different risks of a future life-threatening disorder. The results may suggest a brain mechanism that contributes to how a low LR might enhance the risk of future heavy drinking and alcohol dependence.
Plagiarism Instruction Online: Assessing Undergraduate Students’ Ability to Avoid Plagiarism

This study assesses undergraduate students’ understanding of plagiarism through the use of an interactive, Web-based tutorial, Plagiarism: The Crime of Intellectual Kidnapping. The author details the instructional design process used to create this information literacy resource and integrate it into the curriculum. Data from 2,829 student quiz scores are analyzed to assess student learning. The results of this study indicate that students have difficulty grasping concepts related to paraphrasing. A comparative analysis of pre- and posttest results shows that student scores improved an average of 6 percent.
Algorithms for min-cut linear arrangements of outerplanar graphs

A linear arrangement (LA) is an embedding of an outerplanar graph G in a row of nodes. A linear-time approximation algorithm is presented to find an LA with cutwidth optimal within a constant factor. The Planar LA is an LA such that no two edges cross each other. Algorithms for this problem are also discussed. An abstraction, called a dual tree, is used to design these algorithms. >
Distributed tracking control of networked chained systems

This paper considers distributed tracking control of multiple nonholonomic chained systems using neighbours’ information. With the aid of the cascade structure of each system and properties of persistently excited signals, distributed state feedback tracking controllers and distributed output feedback tracking controllers are proposed such that the tracking errors exponentially converge to zero. To show applications of the proposed results, formation control of wheeled mobile robots is considered. Distributed controllers are obtained with the aid of the proposed theorems. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed results.
THE CENTRALIZATION OF GOVERNMENTAL EXPENDITURES FOR EDUCATION AND HIGHWAYS IN NORTH CAROLINA, 1929–52

THE PURPOSE of this study is to examine the centralization of governmental expenditures for education and highways in North Carolina to determine (1) why the state assumed responsibility for schools and roads, (2) the major features of the new arrangement, (3) the extent of further centralization in the past two decades, and (4) the results under the centralized arrangement. Culminating a series of events dating back for many decades, the state assumed financial responsibility for the basic school term and all rural roads in 1931 and 1933. In the early forties state support of schools was extended to include the whole school program in a horizontal sense (nine months; twelve years), and then in 1949 the state began to grant aid for capital outlay. The state began to appropriate money for the maintenance of city streets forming a part of the state highway system in 1935, but in 1951 the state assumed complete responsibility for these streets and, in addition, began to allocate a portion of the motor fuel tax receipts to municipalities to help finance non-system streets. The period since 1949 may aptly be termed the second phase in the centralization of expenditures. The immediate explanation for the action of the early thirties is found in the economic conditions of the time. Local governments, having burdened themselves with additional responsibilities and large debts during the twenties, found it difficult or impossible to meet their obligations during this period of economic crisis. To assure a continuation of these services at a satisfactory level and to relieve the tax burden on property, the state had to grant aid of some type. Improved economy and efficiency were important considerations in the choice of state operation, especially with respect to roads. Broadly, further centralization since the early thirties represents, in th' case of schools, an attempt to equalize educational opportunities throughout the state and, in the case of roads, recognition of the fact that municipalities were treated unequally in 1931.
Chronic inflammation and quality of life in older adults: a cross-sectional study using biomarkers to predict emotional and relational outcomes

This study explores relationships between chronic inflammation and quality of life, making a case for biopsychosocial modeling of these associations. It builds on research from social and clinical disciplines connecting chronic conditions, and inflammatory conditions specifically, to reduced quality of life. Data from Wave I of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project are modeled using ordinal logistic and ordinary least-squares regression techniques. Inflammation is measured using C-reactive protein; quality of life is conceptualized as happiness with life overall as well as intimate relationships specifically. For most NSHAP participants, chronic inflammation significantly predicts lower odds of reporting high QoL on both emotional and relational measures. Social structural factors do not confound these associations. Inconsistent results for participants with very high (over 6 mg/L) CRP measurements suggest additional social influences. Findings echo strong theoretical justification for investigating relationships between CRP and QoL in greater detail. Further research should explore possible mediation of these associations by sociomedical sequelae of chronic disease as well as social relationship dynamics. Elaboration is also needed on the mechanisms by which social disadvantage may cause chronic inflammation.