cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sexual orientation as a justice issue: Issues of postmodern social philosophy and religion for civil rights

This essay theoretically explores three core concerns for social justice research and analysis in the transition from social and legal philosophical foundations based upon Enlightenment categorical universals to a postmodern context that recognizes concurrent globalization and the constructed nature of particular status identities. Utilizing sexual orientation as a case study, the concerns are, what constitutes a civil right in a postmodern context, how useful are categories versus behaviors in protecting civil rights, and how does religion affect the civil morality that justifies and legitimates justice criteria? The argument is made that a justice construct for sexual orientation must rely both on behavioral freedoms and ontological status for adequate protection of human dignity and equality. It also is argued that interreligious discourse is essential to reparticularize religiomoral assumptions that have justified inequality and to provide an adequate negotiated grounding to legitimate shared norms upon which postmodern justice philosophy can be built.
HLAMatchmaker: A Molecularly Based Algorithm for Histocompatibility Determination. V. Eplet Matching for HLA-DR, HLA-DQ, and HLA-DP

This report describes the design of the eplet version of HLAMatchmaker to determine class II compatibility at the structural level. This matching algorithm is based on the hypothesis, developed from molecular modeling of crystallized antigen-antibody complexes, that functional epitopes are represented by patches of surface-exposed nonself-amino acid residues surrounded by residues within a 3-A radius. Patch determinations with a molecular viewer of crystalline structural models downloaded from the Entrez Molecular Modeling Database Web site led to the identification of 44 DRB, 33DQB, 29 DQA, 20 DPB, and 9 DPA unique combinations of polymorphic positions. The residue compositions of these patches were then determined from amino acid sequences. This analysis resulted in a repertoire of 146 DRB, 74 DQB, 58 DQA, 45 DPB, and 19 DPA eplets. In many eplets, the residues are in short linear sequences, but many other eplets have discontinuous sequences of residues that cluster on or near the molecular surface. This analysis has also shown that all serologically defined DR and DQ antigens detectable by monospecific antibodies have unique eplets. Other eplets are present in groups of class II antigens, many of which appear as cross-reacting. The eplet version of HLAMatchmaker should be considered as a hypothetical model for the structural assessment of donor-recipient compatibility and the determination of mismatch acceptability for sensitized patients.
Pre-injury neuro-psychiatric medication use, alone or in combination with cardiac medications, may affect outcomes in trauma patients

Background: Recent review of older (≥45-years-old) patients admitted to our trauma center showed that more than one-third were using neuro-psychiatric medications (NPMs) prior to their injury-related admission. Previously published data suggests that use of NPMs may increase patients' risk and severity of injury. We sought to examine the impact of pre-injury NPM use on older trauma patients' morbidity and mortality. Materials and Methods: Retrospective record review included medication regimen characteristics and NPM use (antidepressants-AD, antipsychotics-AP, anxiolytics-AA). Hospital morbidity, mortality, and 90-day survival were examined. Comparisons included regimens involving NPMs, further focusing on their interactions with various cardiac medications (beta blocker - BB; angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker - ACE/ARB; calcium channel blocker - CCB). Results: 712 patient records were reviewed (399 males, mean age 63.5 years, median ISS 8). 245 patients were taking at least 1 NPM: AD (158), AP (35), or AA (108) before injury. There was no effect of NPM monotherapy on hospital mortality. Patients taking ≥3 NPMs had significantly lower 90-day survival compared to patients taking ≤2 NPMs (81% for 3 or more NPMs, 95% for no NPMs, and 89% 1-2 NPMs, P P P = 0.04). Finally, ACE/ARB-AD co-administration had higher mortality than ACE/ARB monotherapy (13.5% vs 4.9%, P = 0.01). Conclusions: Large proportion of older trauma patients was using pre-injury NPMs. Several regimens involving NPMs and CMs were associated with increased in-hospital mortality. Additionally, use of ≥3 NPMs was associated with lower 90-day survival.
Use of certain new materials in the control of potato insects in Michigan

In the spraying and dusting experiments at the Lake City Experiment Station during 1947 insect infestation was not a serious problem. Most consistent control of potato insects in general was accomplished by applications of DDT in either sprays or dusts. Of the new materials used, Parathion 3422 as a dust was the most promising particularly in the control of the potato leafhoppers, whereas applications of 5 per cent DDT gave almost complete control of the six-spotted leafhoppers, flea beetles, and tarnished plant bugs. Benzene hexachloride, as a dust, ranked with DDT in the control of tarnished plant bugs and flea beetles. In the control of leafhoppers, however, benzene hexachloride in dust or spray combinations was not as effective as DDT. No late blight was present. There were no significant differences between materials in the control of early blight, because of the early killing frost.
Outcome of local anconeus flap transfer to cover soft tissue defects over the posterior aspect of the elbow

Background To report the outcome of using local pedicled anconeus flap (LPAF) to cover soft tissue defects over the posterior aspect of the elbow. Methods Twenty elbows in 20 patients who had chronic soft tissue defects over the posterior aspect of the elbow that were managed with the use of LPAF were included in this study. The mean soft tissue defect size averaged 4 × 3 cm (range, 2 × 3 cm to 7 × 4 cm). The mean duration of symptoms was 11 months (range, 4-96), and the mean number of debridement and attempt at closure of the wound defect before the flap was performed was 3 (range, 2-7). Results Wound healing occurred in all elbows at an average 3 weeks (range, 2-5) after surgery. No flap complication either at the time of the surgery or postoperatively was recorded. At the final follow-up that averaged 17 months (range, 15-20) after surgery, there were significant improvements in the subjective elbow value (SEV) and Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS) from average 70% (range, 50-80%) and 74% (range, 65-80%) to an average 95% (80-100%) and 90% (range, 85-100%), respectively (P = .001). All patients had full range of motion of the elbow, and all were satisfied with the surgery and would do it again. Conclusion The LAPF is a reliable flap that could be used to cover chronic soft tissue defect around the posterior aspect of the elbow, with expected wound healing in all patients at an average of 3 weeks after surgery.
The microbiota and microbiome in aging: potential implications in health and age-related diseases

Advances in bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing allow for characterization of the human commensal bacterial community (microbiota) and its corresponding genome (microbiome). Surveys of healthy adults reveal that a signature composite of bacteria characterizes each unique body habitat (e.g., gut, skin, oral cavity, vagina). A myriad of clinical changes, including a basal proinflammatory state (inflamm-aging), that directly interface with the microbiota of older adults and enhance susceptibility to disease accompany aging. Studies in older adults demonstrate that the gut microbiota correlates with diet, location of residence (e.g., community dwelling, long-term care settings), and basal level of inflammation. Links exist between the microbiota and a variety of clinical problems plaguing older adults, including physical frailty, Clostridium difficile colitis, vulvovaginal atrophy, colorectal carcinoma, and atherosclerotic disease. Manipulation of the microbiota and microbiome of older adults holds promise as an innovative strategy to influence the development of comorbidities associated with aging.
On reliability of control

The objective of this paper is to provide a mathematical framework for building reliable control using less reliable controllers. The new ingredient in the design is the multiple control system which provides the necessary redundancy for reliability enhancement in control systems subject to controller failures. The proposed reliability design is based upon the decentralized control schemes used so far for synthesizing reliable control systems subject to perturbations in the plant interconnection structure.
TNF is a key mediator of Septic Encephalopathy acting through its receptor, TNF Receptor-1

In this study, we demonstrate that mice deficient in TNFR1 (TNFR1(-/-)) were resistant to LPS-induced encephalopathy. Systemic administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces a widespread inflammatory response similar to that observed in sepsis. Following LPS administration TNFR1(-/-) mice had less caspase-dependent apoptosis in brain cells and fewer neutrophils infiltrating the brain (p<0.039), compared to control C57Bl6 (TNFR1(+/+)) mice. TNFR1-dependent increase in aquaporin (AQP)-4 mRNA and protein expression was observed with a concomitant increase in water content, in brain (18% increase in C57Bl6 mice treated with LPS versus those treated with saline), similar to cerebral edema observed in sepsis. Furthermore, absence of TNFR1 partially but significantly reduced the activation of astrocytes, as shown by immunofluorescence and markedly inhibited iNOS mRNA expression (p<0.01). Septic encephalopathy is a devastating complication of sepsis. Although, considerable work has been done to identify the mechanism causing the pathological alterations in this setting, the culprit still remains an enigma. Our results demonstrate for the first time that endotoxemia leads to inflammation in brain, with alteration in blood-brain barrier, up-regulation of AQP4 and associated edema, neutrophil infiltration, astrocytosis, as well as apoptotic cellular death, all of which appear to be mediated by TNF-alpha signaling through TNFR1.
Dynamic programming for executive manpower management

Abstract Present corporate promotion practice is based upon advancement of the best qualified individual as openings occur. Top executives advanced by this method can only have a haphazard career progression including, perhaps, an occasional effort at “rounding out” or executive development. The career progression model developed here should facilitate executive career analysis and provide a long-term developmental plan for rising executives.
F-structure on collapsed orbifolds

Abstract In this paper, we prove the existence of nilpotent Killing structures and F-structures on collapsed Riemannian orbifolds. Therefore a sufficiently collapsed orbifold X is the union of orbits, each orbit is an infranil orbifold of positive dimension; in particular, the F-structure provides a decomposition of X into compact flat orbifolds.
Unveiling YKL-40, from Serum Marker to Target Therapy in Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma is the most common primary brain tumor in the adult and carries a poor prognosis with a median survival of only 14 months. Patients with glioblastoma are followed with MRI scans, but this technique has several limitations including low specificity to differentiate between tumor and treatment effect. Development of serum markers could significantly improve the care of glioblastoma patients. We review the current concept of developing YKL-40 as one of the most promising serum markers for glioblastoma, the recent advances on understanding the role of YKL-40 in gliomagenesis, and the promising evidence emerging from preclinical models on using this protein as a target for anti-glioma therapy.
The effects of passive warming on muscle injury

This study investigated the effects of passive warming on the biomechanical properties of the musculotendinous unit. Paired tibialis anterior (TA) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles in the rabbit hindlimb were passively heated to different temperatures and then subjected to controlled strain injury. The parameters examined were: 1) percent increase in length to failure, 2) force to failure, 3) energy absorbed by the musculotendinous unit to failure, and 4) site of failure. Warmed (39 degrees C +/- 0.5 degrees C) TA (P less than or equal to 0.01) and EDL (P less than or equal to 0.05) muscles achieved a greater increase in length from rest before failing than did their contralateral controls at 35 degrees C +/- 0.5 degrees C. In both the TA and EDL the force at failure was greater at 35 degrees C than at 39 degrees C, although the difference was significant for only the EDL (P less than or equal to 0.05). The energy absorbed (area beneath the length-tension curve) by both the TA and EDL was greater at 39 degrees C, but these differences were not significant. All muscles failed at the distal musculotendinous junction. These data suggest that passive warming increases the extensibility of the musculotendinous unit and may thereby reduce its susceptibility to strain injury.
Some shared memory is desirable in parallel sparse matrix computation

Over the past few years a number of algorithms for solving large sparse systems of equations on distributed-memory multiprocessors have been developed. In this article the authors point out that the properties of sparse matrix problems generally, along with the characteristics of these parallel algorithms for solving them, lead to inefficient use of memory. An example is presented to show that a (relatively small) amount of shared memory on an otherwise pure distributed-memory multiprocessor is very desirable when it is being used to execute these parallel algorithms.
Narrative ‘errors’ in Rinconete y Cortadillo

There are also Idols formed by the intercourse and association of men with each other, which I call Idols of the Market-place, on account oi the commerce and consort of men there. For it is by disc...
General Formulation of the Induction Logging Problem for Concentric Layers about the Borehole

The electromagnetic theory of induction sounding in boreholes is developed for the general case where the formation adjacent to the hole is concentrically stratified with any number of layers. The final solution of the boundary value problem is expressed in the form of an equivalent nonuniform transmission line. Any one or more of the sections can have a radial variation of the electrical properties that is continuous. Previous formulations in the literature are recovered as special cases. We pay special attention to the classic and pioneering work of Doll who developed the geometrical factor concept which is limited to low frequencies and/or small coil spacings.
Evaluation of base-pairing schemes for E. coli 5S RNA by 400 MHz proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Abstract The number of base pairs in the denatured “B” form of E. coli 5S RNA has been determined directly from 400 MHz high resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The experimental NMR spectrum from −11.6 to −14.5 ppm from a sodium 2,2-dimethyl-2-silapentane sulfonate reference can be simulated by a theoretical spectrum consisting of 33 Lorentzian lines of equal width (corresponding to 33 base pairs) at 26°C. This result is inconsistent with previously proposed secondary structures of 17 and 23 base pairs, but is readily adapted to the Luoma-Marshall cloverleaf secondary structure.
Whole-body calcium, magnesium and phosphorous levels of the California brown shrimp, Penaeus californiensis (Decapoda: Penaeidae) as functions of molt stage

Abstract 1. 1. Postlarval (30 days old) and young juvenile (90 days old) Penaeus californiensis were analyzed for total body calcium, magnesium and phosphorous levels at different molt stages. The same parameters were measured for intermolt (stage C) shrimp including slightly older juveniles (115 days old), juvenile-adults (180 days old) and adults (300 days old). 2. 2. Calcium and magnesium increased from low postmolt levels (stages A and B) to peaks during intermolt (stage C) and declined rapidly during premolt (stage D) in both postlarval and young juvenile shrimp. Phosphorous remained fairly constant in postlarvae but rose constantly from a postmolt low to a late premolt peak in the young juveniles. 3. 3. Calcium and magnesium of intermolt declined with age. Phosphorous concentrations were very erratic and followed no apparent pattern.
Comment on: 'How much security does Y-00 protocol provide us?' [Phys. Lett. A 327 (2004) 28]

Abstract It is claimed by T. Nishioka et al. in [T. Nishioka, T. Hasegawa, H. Ishiziuka, K. Imafuku, H. Imai, Phys. Lett. A 327 (2004) 28–32] that the security of Y-00 is equivalent to that of a classical stream cipher. In this Letter it is shown that the claim is false in either the use of Y-00 for direct encryption or key generation, in all the parameter ranges it is supposed to operate including those of the experiments reported thus far. The security of Y-00 type protocols is clarified.
Ocean rule making from a world politics perspective

Abstract The issue of ocean space and resources has a distinguishable political system. The classic norms governing this political system were based on the principle of “freedom of the seas.”; In the last half‐century, weakening adherence to that principle is a basis for distinguishing three eras: a strong regime up to 1945, a strong quasi‐regime from 1946 to 1966, and a weak quasi‐regime since 1967. Change in the structure of military power, long a favorite index of political analysis, does not adequately explain the changes in ocean regimes. Unlike the days of British hegemony there is currently an incongruity between overall military power and influence in ocean politics. This incongruity is a combined result of (1) military bipolarity, (2) changes in the role of force and of international organizations, (3) the inability of the United States to pursue a consistent hegemonial strategy in the face of complex domestic interests and the transnational activity of important groups. Hegemony is no longer a s...
The Politics of Dissent

I respond here to criticism of my book, Is Breast Best? Taking on the Breastfeeding Experts and the New High Stakes of Motherhood, that has appeared in popular media and academic debate. I argue that the frequently visceral reaction to the book affirms several of its central arguments: that both scientists and the public often misunderstand the limits of observational research; that they fail to appreciate that all choices, including those about risk, involve trade-offs; and that an ethic of total motherhood, which requires mothers to do whatever it takes to eliminate virtually any childhood risk, no matter how small or likely the risk or what the cost is for them in the process, frames public discourse about breastfeeding, families, and care work more broadly defined.
A synthesis flow for digital signal processing with biomolecular reactions

We present a methodology for implementing digital signal processing (DSP) operations such as filtering with biomolecular reactions. From a DSP specification, we demonstrate how to synthesize biomolecular reactions that produce time-varying output quantities of molecules as a function of time-varying input quantities. Unlike all previous schemes for biomolecular computation, ours produces designs that are dependent only on coarse rate categories for the reactions ("fast" and "slow"). Given such categories, the computation is exact and independent of the specific reaction rates. We implement DSP operations through a self-timed "handshaking" protocol that transfers quantities between molecular types based on the absence of other types. We illustrate our methodology with the design of a simple moving-average filter as well as a more complex biquad filter. We validate our designs through transient stochastic simulations of the chemical kinetics. Although conceptual for the time being, the proposed methodology has potential applications in domains of synthetic biology such as biochemical sensing and drug delivery. We are exploring DNA-based computation via strand displacement as a possible experimental chassis.
Differential Sensitivities of Mammalian Nerve Fibers to Local Anesthetic Agents

The differential sensitivities of mammalian nerve fibers to various local anesthetic agents were investigated. Lidocaine, tetracaine, etidocaine, and bupivacaine demonstrated a consistent pattern of conduction blockade in which the large fast-conducting A fibers were blocked at the lowest drug concentration, the intermediate B fibers were blocked at a higher drug concentration, and the smallest, slowest-conducting C fibers required the highest drug concentration for conduction blockade. A comparison of procaine, chloroprocaine, cocaine, tetrodotoxin and saxitoxin on B and C fibers showed similar effects. These findings indicate that local anesthetic agents are similar to other biological stress modalities in terms of their differential effects on nerve fibers of various sizes and conduction velocities, i.e., the large fast-conducting fibers are more susceptible to conduction blockade than are the smaller, slower-conducting fibers. Discrepancies between results of this study and previous reports in the literature are discussed.
Affective considerations in antisocial behavior: An examination of negative urgency in primary and secondary psychopathy

Prior work on psychopathy has indicated a two-factor model consisting of callous and unemotional personality traits (primary psychopathy) and impulsive, destructive behaviors (secondary psychopathy; e.g., Levenson, Kiehl, & Fitzpatrick, 1995). We sought to examine the relationship between both primary and secondary psychopathy and negative urgency in a sample of undergraduates (n = 156) in order to elucidate emotional components in psychopathy and clarify a previous finding contradictory to our hypotheses (Miller, Flory, Lynam, & Leukefeld, 2003). Results supported our hypotheses. Negative urgency predicted secondary psychopathy. The correlation between negative urgency and secondary psychopathy was significantly higher than the correlation between negative urgency and primary psychopathy. These findings indicate that negative urgency may serve as a robust correlate of secondary psychopathy, and that it may be pivotal to separate components of psychopathy when considering potential relationships to affect-relevant variables.
CpG island methylation in aberrant crypt foci and cancers from the same patients

Aberrant methylation of CpG islands is a common alteration in human colon cancer. Methylation of only a limited number of loci has been studied in aberrant crypt foci (ACF), the earliest identified premalignant lesions in the colon, and in only a limited number of lesions from the same patients. Methylation-specific PCR was used to analyze 35 ACF, samples of normal crypts with the same number of crypts as were in each ACF and 22 cancers from the same patients. Aberrant methylation in cellular retinol-binding protein 1 (CRBP1), MINT31 or H-cadherin (CDH13) was identified in 19 of 35 (54%) ACF. Hypermethylation of CRBP1, MINT31 or CDH13 was more frequent (15 of 22, 68%) in cancers. DNA methylation of CRBP1, MINT31 or CDH13 was not correlated between cancers and ACF from the same patients. Aberrant methylation was not correlated with patient age, number of crypts in the ACF or cancer stage. These results suggest that hypermethylation in the promoter region of some genes is an independent event, occurs early in human colon tumorigenesis and may play an important role during the transformation and progression of some lesions to colon cancers.
ISOLATION OF SURFACE WAVE-INDUCED VIBRATION USING PERIODICALLY MODULATED PILES

The isolation of surface wave-induced vibration using periodically modulated piles in soil is investigated. We demonstrate through simulations the dependence of complete bandgaps on the lattice symmetries, geometric parameters of the piles and material properties of the soil. The simulated results suggest that the piles modulated with square and hexagonal lattices are much more favorable for the formation of complete bandgaps than those modulated with honeycomb lattice. The height of the piles also plays a significant role in governing the evolution of complete bandgaps. Besides, complete bandgaps can be tuned by tailoring the volume fraction of the piles and the geometries of the pile cross section. Our results indicate that the contrast in the Young's modulus and the density is vital for the evolution of complete bandgaps and the viscosity of the soil should be considered as well. The analysis of surface wave propagation in a finite number of piles confirms the simulated complete bandgaps and also reveals that the complete bandgaps stem from Bragg interferences. This paper not only demonstrates the promising application of periodically modulated piles as wave barriers but also provides design guidelines for civil engineers.
Developmental differences in temporal patterns and potentiation of isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations: influence of temperature variables.

The present study examined the relationship between the thermal environment and core body temperature in producing age-related patterns of ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs). Implanted telemetry devices allowed on-line measurement of core body temperature during an extended period of isolation and after maternal contact, both as a function of age and thermal environment. At 12 or 17 days of age, rat pups were isolated for 30 min in either a cool or a warm environment, returned home for 5 min, and then re-isolated for 10 min. Number of USVs, body temperature, and behavioral activity were measured. During initial isolation in a cool environment, 12-day-olds displayed relatively stable patterns of ultrasounding and body temperature across time whereas older animals showed a time-dependent increase in USV calling and in core temperature. During re-isolation, 12-day-olds potentiated their USV calling at both ambient temperatures while 17-day-olds did not. The overall results suggest a strong dependence between USV calling, core body temperature, and ambient temperature during initial isolation at both ages-a finding in agreement with interpretations of USVs as an acoustic by-product of thermal challenge. In contrast, during re-isolation, USV calls, core body temperature, and ambient temperature functioned independently-a finding in agreement with interpretations of USVs as a representation of an emotional state.
Substructure Identification for Shear Structures with Nonstationary Structural Responses

AbstractIn previous studies by the authors, a substructure identification method for shear structures was proposed to identify all structural story stiffness and damping parameters from top to bottom inductively. In the method derivation, the structural responses were required to be wide sense stationary to convert structural dynamic equations to differential equations in the correlation functions of structural responses, which are used to formulate substructure identifications. In this paper, this method is extended to accommodate nonstationary structural responses. A different derivation procedure is adopted to formulate substructure identifications directly from the Fourier transform of the structural dynamic equations, resulting in a formulation nearly the same as its stationary response predecessor. An identification error analysis for the substructure identification method reveals how structural responses affect the identification accuracy. On the basis of this result, a smart reference selection ru...
A climate version of the regional atmospheric modeling system

The Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) has been widely used to simulate relatively short-term atmospheric processes. To perform full-year to multi-year model integrations, a climate version of RAMS (ClimRAMS) has been developed, and is used to simulate diurnal, seasonal, and annual cycles of atmospheric and hydrologic variables and interactions within the central United States during 1989. The model simulation uses a 200-km grid covering the conterminous United States, and a nested, 50-km grid covering the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain states of Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado. The model’s lateral boundary conditions are forced by six-hourly NCEP reanalysis products. ClimRAMS includes simplified precipitation and radiation sub-models, and representations that describe the seasonal evolution of vegetation-related parameters. In addition, ClimRAMS can use all of the general RAMS capabilities, like its more complex radiation sub-models, and explicit cloud and precipitation microphysics schemes. Thus, together with its nonhydrostatic and fully-interactive telescoping-grid capabilities, ClimRAMS can be applied to a wide variety of problems. Because of non-linear interactions between the land surface and atmosphere, simulating the observed climate requires simulating the observed diurnal, synoptic, and seasonal cycles. While previous regional climate modeling studies have demonstrated their ability to simulate the seasonal cycles through comparison with observed monthly-mean temperature and precipitation data sets, this study demonstrates that a regional climate model can also capture observed diurnal and synoptic variability. Observed values of daily precipitation and maximum and minimum screen-height air temperature are used to demonstrate this ability.
Maternal engineered nanomaterial exposure and fetal microvascular function: does the Barker hypothesis apply?

Objective The continued development and use of engineered nanomaterials (ENM) has given rise to concerns over the potential for human health effects. Although the understanding of cardiovascular ENM toxicity is improving, one of the most complex and acutely demanding "special" circulations is the enhanced maternal system to support fetal development. The Barker hypothesis proposes that fetal development within a hostile gestational environment may predispose/program future sensitivity. Therefore, the objective of this study was 2-fold: (1) to determine whether maternal ENM exposure alters uterine and/or fetal microvascular function and (2) test the Barker hypothesis at the microvascular level. Study Design Pregnant (gestation day 10) Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to nano-titanium dioxide aerosols (11.3 ± 0.039 mg/m 3 /hr, 5 hr/d, 8.2 ± 0.85 days) to evaluate the maternal and fetal microvascular consequences of maternal exposure. Microvascular tissue isolation (gestation day 20) and arteriolar reactivity studies ( Results ENM exposures led to significant maternal and fetal microvascular dysfunction, which was seen as robustly compromised endothelium-dependent and -independent reactivity to pharmacologic and mechanical stimuli. Isolated maternal uterine arteriolar reactivity was consistent with a metabolically impaired profile and hostile gestational environment that impacted fetal weight. The fetal microvessels that were isolated from exposed dams demonstrated significant impairments to signals of vasodilation specific to mechanistic signaling and shear stress. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first report to provide evidence that maternal ENM inhalation is capable of influencing fetal health and that the Barker hypothesis is applicable at the microvascular level.
Dopaminergic and serotonergic properties of fluoxetine.

1. Rats were trained to discriminate i.p. injections of a 5-HT agonist, LSD (0.08 mg/kg, n = 12) or a DA agonist, cocaine (10 mg/kg; n = 16) in a two lever, drug discrimination situation. 2. Animals were tested with fluoxetine (0.625-10 mg/kg) alone and in combination with low doses of the training drugs. 3. Fluoxetine did not substitute for either LSD or cocaine at any dose tested. A relatively low dose of fluoxetine (2.5 mg/kg) potentiated the discriminability of cocaine (2.5 mg/kg) from saline. A higher dose of fluoxetine (5.0 mg/kg) significantly enhanced the effects of a low dose of LSD (0.02 mg/kg), but only to 41.7% responses on the LSD-appropriate lever. 4. The data suggest that fluoxetine alters the discriminative stimulus properties of cocaine to a greater extent than those of LSD. 5. The ability of fluoxetine to potentiate the cocaine cue (but not to substitute for cocaine) suggests that both of those drugs affect DA systems, but do so through different mechanisms. For example, fluoxetine may not inhibit DA reuptake (to the same extent as cocaine), but may have other dopaminergic actions such as increasing DA receptor density.
Wideband Frequency-Domain Characterization of High-Impedance Probes

We investigated the broadband microwave properties of high-impedance probes designed for on-wafer waveform measurements. We show that the standard two-tier characterization method fails. We introduce two new methods of characterization, both of which yield equivalent results.
Rationality, Reason and the History of Thought

Philosophers over the course of the last century, including Edmund Husserl, Chaim Perelman, and Jacques Derrida, have attempted to unravel the tangled relationship between the rational and the reasonable in order to understand how the history of thought progresses. Critical political theorists, including Michel Foucault and Ernesto Laclau have also investigated this issue from a range of perspectives, especially as it relates to the relationship between ideational limits and their transgression and the universal and the particular. This essay compares these perspectives to locate the rational dimensions of the reasonable, and to relate that “meta-reason” to the irrational and unreasonable aspects of identity formation and the unfolding of world history.
Comparative analysis of human cytomegalovirus a-sequence in multiple clinical isolates by using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism assays.

The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) a-sequence (a-seq) is located in the joining region between the long (L) and short (S) unique sequences of the virus (L-S junction), and this hypervariable junction has been used to differentiate HCMV strains. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there are differences among strains of human cytomegalovirus which could be characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the a-seq of HCMV DNA and to compare a PCR method of strain differentiation with conventional restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) methodology by using HCMV junction probes. Laboratory strains of HCMV and viral isolates from individuals with HCMV infection were characterized by using both RFLPs and PCR. The PCR assay amplified regions in the major immediate-early gene (IE-1), the 64/65-kDa matrix phosphoprotein (pp65), and the a-seq of the L-S junction region. HCMV laboratory strains Towne, AD169, and Davis were distinguishable, in terms of size of the amplified product, when analyzed by PCR with primers specific for the a-seq but were indistinguishable by using PCR targeted to IE-1 and pp65 sequences. When this technique was applied to a characterization of isolates from individuals with HCMV infection, selected isolates could be readily distinguished. In addition, when the a-seq PCR product was analyzed with restriction enzyme digestion for the presence of specific sequences, these DNA differences were confirmed. PCR analysis across the variable a-seq of HCMV demonstrated differences among strains which were confirmed by RFLP in 38 of 40 isolates analyzed. The most informative restriction enzyme sites in the a-seq for distinguishing HCMV isolates were those of MnlI and BssHII. This indicates that the a-seq of HCMV is heterogeneous among wild strains, and PCR of the a-seq of HCMV is a practical way to characterize differences in strains of HCMV. Images
College Classroom Ecology: The Relation of Sex of Student to Classroom Performance and Seating Preference

Observations were made for 12 general psychology classes taught over a 6-year period. Results showed that women sat in the front of the classroom more often than men, and also obtained higher grades and cut class fewer times than men. Furthermore, for men and women, grade point average decreased and number of absences increased as students sat farther from the front of the room.
Crustal and upper mantle velocity structure in the vicinity of the eastern Tennessee seismic zone based upon radial P wave transfer functions

Teleseismic transfer function analysis is used to investigate crust and upper mantle velocity structure in the vicinity of the active eastern Tennessee seismic zone (ETSZ). The ETSZ is associated with the New York-Alabama (NY-AL) magnetic lineament, a prominent aeromagnetic anomaly indicative of Grenville-age, basement structure. Radial component, P wave transfer functions for 10 short-period stations operated by the Center for Earthquake Research and Information are inverted for velocity structure. Velocity profiles are also determined for three broadband stations by converting the instrument response to that of an S-13 short-period seismometer. Distinct differences in the velocity profiles are found for stations located on either side of the NY-AL magnetic lineament; velocities west of the lineament are lower than velocities to the east of the lineament in the upper 10 km and in the depth range 30 to 50 km. A gradational Moho boundary is found beneath several stations located in the Valley and Ridge province. A Moho boundary is absent at four Valley and Ridge stations located east of the magnetic lineament and south of 35.5°N.
A diffusion model for the electron density distribution along the Earth's magnetic field in an F-region plasma cloud

A diffusive equilibrium model for the electron density distribution along the Earth's magnetic field is presented for a plasma cloud generated in the F-region of the ionosphere. The underlying analytic formulation is analogous to the one developed earlier by Bannister and Davis for the case of a neutral contaminant released in the upper atmosphere. The shape of the electron density profile according to this model is characterized by an exponential form in the topside, a Gaussian in the vicinity of the concentration maximum and a rather rapid cut off due to diminishing effectiveness of the particle fall and diffusion in the bottom side of the peak. The computed distributions are compared with those derived from the Thomson scatter radar observations collected during a recent series of barium release experiments conducted in Florida. The model and the measured profiles are found to be in good agreement.
Regulation of Integrin Activation

Regulation of cell-cell and cell-matrix interaction is essential for the normal physiology of metazoans and is important in many diseases. Integrin adhesion receptors can rapidly increase their affinity (integrin activation) in response to intracellular signaling events in a process termed inside-out signaling. The transmembrane domains of integrins and their interactions with the membrane are important in inside-out signaling. Moreover, integrin activation is tightly regulated by a complex network of signaling pathways. Here, we review recent progress in understanding how the membrane environment can, in cooperation with integrin-binding proteins, regulate integrin activation.
Using decomposition in large-scale highway network design with a quasi-optimization heuristic

The highway network design problem deals with the selection of links from a base network to facilitate the flow of vehicles from origins to destinations. A proper selection of links requires a balance between minimization of travel costs from origins to destinations and minimization of costs incurred in building or improving links in the network. Link construction costs are usually minimized as a part of the objective or constrained by budget availability. National or regional highway network design problems require excessive amounts of computing time, if solved to optimality. This paper presents a variation of the Modified Quasi-Optimization (MQO) heuristic developed by Dionne and Florian (1979). The proposed algorithm solves a large network design problem by decomposing it in a sequence of smaller problems. Additional savings in computation time are achieved by limiting the search in the MQO heuristic to a well-designed set of paths for each OD pair. These paths are generated to suit the network design problem and differ from the K-shortest paths for the OD pairs. The combined use of decomposition and a limited set of paths allows the proposed heuristic to address realistic network design problems. Numerical experience with a problem involving 6563 nodes and 9800 two-ways links is reported.
Supercritical droplet vaporization and combustion studies

Abstract Droplet vaporization and combustion studies in environments where the ambient pressure and temperature are supercritical relative to the droplet are reviewed. The conditions under which the droplet vaporization and combustion may be approximated as quasi-steady are discussed. It is shown that this approximation is not valid for paraffin fuels in conditions where the reduced temperature and pressure exceed approximately twice the fuel's critical values. Conditions in which the pseudo wet-bulb and critical mixing states are obtained are also discussed. Results indicate that for the paraffin fuels n-pentane through n-dodecane, a vaporizing droplet can reach the critical state for ambient pressures greater than approximately twice the fuel's critical pressure and for ambient temperatures approximately twice the fuel's critical temperature while combusting droplets can reach this state when ambient pressure is approximately 2.5 times that of the fuel's critical pressure. Droplet vaporization and combustion lifetimes are shown to be significantly influenced by the ambient temperature and pressure conditions, with a minimum in the latter occurring near the fuel's critical pressure. Key modeling assumptions and their relative importance in supercritical droplet vaporization and combustion are also reviewed. These include real gas effects, effects of liquid-phase gas solubility, and anomalies in thermophysical properties near the critical region. We outline areas of research in need of further study and the challenges in the field.
A new potential field method for robot path planning

Presents an artificial potential field method for path planning of non-spherical single-body robots. The model simulates steady-state heat transfer with variable thermal conductivity. The optimal path problem is then the same as a heat flow with minimal thermal resistance. The novelty of this technique is that the thermal resistance in the configuration space for all different orientations of the robot can be superimposed. This reduces a search on R/sup n//spl times/SO(n) to one on R/sup n/ followed by a search on SO(n). Examples are presented to demonstrate the approach.
Antagonistic Interactions Mediated by Marine Bacteria: The Role of Small Molecules

Marine bacteria are known to produce a wide variety of structurally diverse and biologically active secondary metabolites. Considerably less is known about the ecological functions of these compounds, in part due to methodological challenges associated with this field of research. Here, we review the antagonistic activities mediated by marine bacteria with a focus on activities linked to structurally defined secondary metabolites. Bacterial antagonism has been documented against other marine bacteria as well as eukaryotes, and includes antibiosis, the inhibition of quorum sensing, larval settlement deterrence, and defense against predation. These compounds likely play important ecological roles that ultimately affect ecosystem structure and function, however, much remains to be learned before these roles can be fully appreciated. Recent technological advances coupled with a better understanding of the diverse processes mediated by secondary metabolites provide new opportunities to expand our understanding of the chemical ecology of bacterial antagonism in the marine environment.
Beam position monitor calibration for the Advanced Photon Source

This paper describes the sensitivity and offset calibration for the beam position monitors (BPMs) using button-type pickups in the injector synchrotron, storage ring, and insertion devices of the Advanced Photon Source (APS). In order to reduce the overall offset and to isolate the error (/spl lsim/100 /spl mu/m) due to the low fabrication tolerance in the extruded storage ring vacuum chamber, the electrical offset is minimized by carefully sorting and matching the buttons and cables according to the button capacitance and the characteristic impedances of the cable and the button feedthrough. The wire method is used for the sensitivity calibration, position-to-signal mapping, and measurement of resolution and long-term drift (/spl lsim/1 mV) of the processing electronics. The processing electronics was also tested at Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL) using a real beam, with results indicating better than 25 /spl mu/m resolution for the APS storage ring. Conversion between the BPM signal and the actual beam position is done by using polynomial expansions fit to the mapping data with absolute accuracy better than 25 /spl mu/m within /spl plusmn/5 mm square. Measurement of the effect of button mispositioning and mechanical inaccuracy of the extruded storage ring vacuum chamber, including deformation under vacuum, will be also discussed. >
Trends in serum lipids among 5th grade CARDIAC participants, 2002–2012

Background Studies have shown that serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) and non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL-C) have recently declined in the USA among adult and child populations despite high obesity prevalence rates. The purpose of this study was to assess whether there was a significant linear decrease in LDL-C and non-HDL-C, but not Body Mass Index (BMI) percentile among a cross-sectional, large, homogenous cohort with consistent methodology over the past decade. Methods A total of 47 198 children, mostly between 10 and 11 years old, participating between 2002 and 2012 were examined to assess trends in serum lipid concentration and BMI percentile. Results For LDL-C, year of screening was significant (p Conclusions Between 2002 and 2012, among 5th grade Appalachian children, there was a consistent linear decrease in LDL-C and non-HDL-C despite continued high prevalence rates of obesity, diabetes and hypertension. The improvement in LDL-C and non-HDL-C could be due to multifactorial causes.
Joint Temporal-Spatial Modeling of Concentrations of Hazardous Pollutants in Urban Air

This paper describes a geostatistical data analysis approach for assessing temporal and spatial variability in the concentrations of hazardous pollutants in urban air. The objective of this analysis is to determine how reliably concentrations measured at one or more times and locations can be used to estimate concentrations at other times and locations. The approach used is that of classical three-dimensional ordinary kriging with a joint temporal-spatial semivariogram model containing an isotropic spherical component, and zonal cosine and linear components in the temporal direction. The method is illustrated using data from the 1990 Atlanta Ozone Precursor Study, an air quality monitoring study conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment Laboratory (AREAL).