cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dependence of the Quartic Coupling H(m) on M($H$) and the Possible Onset of New Physics in the Higgs Sector of the Standard Model

Abstract The simple renormalization framework previously discussed by one of us is extended to treat the Higgs potential of the standard model. As an application, we obtain in a straightforward manner the one-loop correction δ(M) in the natural relation h (M) = √ 1 2 G μ m H 2 [1 + δ(M)], where m H is the physical mass of the Higgs boson, Gμ the accurately known μ decay coupling constant and h (M) the MS quartic Higgs coupling at mass scale M. The correction δ(M) contains contributions proportional to ξ ≡ mH2/mZ2 and ξ−1 and become large for ξ⪢1 or ξ⪡1. The dependence of h (M) on M and mH is analyzed by combining our one-loop results (which provide initial conditions) and approximate analytic solutions of relevant renormalization group equations. A parameter Mc, which roughly describes the mass scale at which perturbation theory breaks down and the possible onset of new physics, is discussed as a function of mH.
Gambling with the Future of Public Education: Risk, Discipline, and the Moralizing of Educational Politics in Corporate Media.

This article discusses how representations of individual discipline and risk-taking in mass media inform the broader public discourses about public education and the public sector generally. Such representations and narratives about individual discipline and risk-taking often function in mass media as moral imperatives of consumer culture. Such moral imperatives of consumer culture not only replace a civic morality of political engagement more consistent with democratic ideals and participatory culture but also typify and even stimulate the shifting of politics onto a moral register and language that has characterized neo-liberal ideology, third way post-politics, and that informs contemporary US politics, especially evident during the ‘War on Terror.’ The article discusses these matters through the media spectacle of a Utah woman who permanently tattooed an advertisement for a casino on her face to pay for her son's private school tuition and through the gambling problem of former Secretary of Education ...
Texture and phase transformation of sputter-deposited metastable Ta films and Ta/Cu multilayers

Two different structures of Ta are known : the bulk bcc structure of α-Ta (a=0.33058 nm) and the metastable tetragonal β-Ta phase (a=0.534 nm, c=0.994 nm). The metastable phase is mainly observed in sputter-deposited thin films and a dependence on film thickness and deposition conditions have been reported. In our study we investigated the structure and the crystallographic orientation of d.c.-magnetron sputtered Ta films using wide-angle X-ray diffraction after preparation and after annealing. Ta films were deposited onto different underlayer materials (Al, SiO 2 and Cu). For Ta/Cu multilayers the single layer thickness and the sputter parameters are varied. It is observed that the Ta structure after deposition mainly depends on the substrate or underlayer material. β-Ta is always observed after sputtering onto SiO 2 or (111)-textured Cu, with the orientation of the Ta grains depending on the Ta-layer thickness, whereas α-Ta is observed on an (111)Al underlayer. Therefore, the bulk equilibrium phase only seems to be forced by an epitaxial relation. During annealing up to 700°C the (100)-oriented grains of β-Ta change their orientation and the metastable β-phase transforms into the equilibrium α-phase with (110) texture. The temperature for structural transformation decreases with increasing Ta layer thickness.
Empirical Approaches to Household Organization

This issue of Human Ecologyis devoted to studies of household organization, originally presented at an invited session of the American Anthropological Association annual meetings in New Orleans in 1990. These papers share an empirical orientation and an interest in demographic processes and economic change, particularly in rural and non-Western societies, including !Kung foragers and Herero agro-pastoralists of Botswana, Ariaal and Rendille pastoralists of Kenya, Gainj horticulturalists of highland New Guinea, and a Euro-Caribbean populaiton of St. Barthelemy, West Indies. These papers demonstrate both the vitality of household studies and the utility of empirical approaches in understanding household formation, continuity, and adaptation to social, economic, and political change.
Residential instability in adolescent inpatients.

Abstract The case records of 225 randomly selected adolescent psychiatric inpatients were reviewed to determine prevalence of residential instability. The study also examined the demographic, family composition, life event, and behavior characteristics associated with residential instability. Approximately 30% of the sample had experienced a high rate of residential instability (i.e., from 5 to 20 domicile moves). Analyses indicated that residential instability was associated with a set of characteristics that included caregiver neglect, caregiver abuse, parental separation, multiple hospitalizations, lower IQ, indices of poor impulse control, and antisocial behavior. The possible contribution of residential instability to treatment resistance and the development of antisocial behaviors in some adolescents is discussed.
The future of mall research: Current trends affecting the future of marketing research in malls

The Marketing Research Association (MRA) Annual Conference in Boston, MA (5–7 June, 2004), held a panel discussion as part of the workshop portion of the conference regarding quantitative research. The panel was made up of: Janet Baldi, Vice President of Data Collection & Data Quality for Rothstein-Tauber/Directions for Decisions (RTI-DFD); Jackie Weise, Executive Vice President and Principal for Market Trends, Inc.; Kim Fitzgerald, Manager–Market Research for Hasbro Inc.; and Tammie Frost-Norton. The moderator of the panel was Wendy Dodek, Moderator for Insight Research & Training. The purpose of the panel discussion was to look at current practices of conducting consumer research in malls, the changes occurring due to decisions by buyers of mall research, the health of mall research and the possibilities for the future of mall research. Current trends show less consumer research being conducted via mall intercept, and more being conducted online and with database pre-recruited interviewing. The future health of mall research may depend on mall facility owners' reactions to existing problems, and their ability to capitalise on the weaknesses of internet data collection. Stability of mall data collection facilities may come from selecting the best possible mall for strong consumer research, and that may be more important in the future than it has ever been. Discussions from the panellists indicate that mall data collection also would need to return to the basics to ensure timeliness and quality. Mall facility owners need to market the unique strengths of each mall's respondent base. Although the discussion here centres on developments in US mall research, the majority of the findings will be relevant to practitioners of shopping-centre or high-street-based interviewing in the UK and other countries. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surfactants and protocols to induce spontaneous emulsification and enhance detergency

In this study the presence of an oil-soluble nonionic surfactant, Brij 30 (polyoxyethylene-4 lauryl ether), in an oil stain, or its addition to the stain through an oil-based solution or water-based mixture is shown to enhance, to a great extent, the spontaneous removal of the stain from a polyester fabric by inducing rollback and spontaneous emulsification phenomena. These findings lead to potential applications of Brij 30 as laundry pre-spotters for enhancement of the removal of tough stains. The effect of three key factors, namely, the surfactant type, the surfactant concentration, and the surfactant application protocol, on the effectiveness of spontaneous detergency was analyzed via ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The test fabrics were soiled with a stain composed of mineral oil plus orange OT dye [1-(o-tolylazo)-2-naphthol]. The results showed that all three factors were important for effective detergency. Brij 30 removed more than 80% w/w of the stain, whereas sodium dodecyl sulfate removed less than 24% w/w, and Brij 35 (polyoxyethylene-23 lauryl ether) was ineffective, removing less than 1% w/w. It was also observed that a low threshold concentration of Brij 30, approximately 0.2 mM, was required to spontaneously remove the oil stain, and that higher concentrations did not cause a significant enhancement of the effectiveness of soil removal. Brij 30 completed the detergency effect in less than 1 min, which may have beneficial implications regarding reduced energy consumption. Video microscopy studies revealed that at low Brij 30 surfactant concentrations, the mechanism for spontaneous oil removal proceeded predominantly via a rollback mechanism and that at higher concentrations, a spontaneous emulsification mechanism became progressively more important.
Impaired acquisition of an operant response in young rats depleted of brain dopamine in neonatal life

In an attempt to examine the ability of brain dopamine (DA) depletion to alter learning ability in the developing rat, the rate of acquisition of a positively reinforced lever pressing response was examined in rats during days 30-45 of life following treatment with desmethylimipramine (DMI, 20 mg/kg IP) and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA, 35 micrograms intraventricularly) at 3 and 6 days of age, respectively. The 6-OHDA treatment produced a 40%-70% reduction of brain DA without altering growth rate, water intake, or locomotor activity. On the average, water-deprived control rats achieved the criterion for acquisition (50 reinforced lever presses/h) on a fixed-ratio 1 schedule of water reinforcement after 3.1 +/- 0.5 sessions (mean +/- SEM). In contrast, nearly one-fourth of the DMI + 6-OHDA-treated rats failed to acquire the response after 16 sessions and the remaining 6-OHDA-treated rats required more than twice as long as controls for acquisition (7.8 +/- 0.7 sessions). These results suggest that brain DA depletion in neonatal life can impair the acquisition of an operant response during development and that this deficit is independent of changes in growth rate or locomotor activity.
A 12.8 GS/s Time-Interleaved ADC With 25 GHz Effective Resolution Bandwidth and 4.6 ENOB

This paper presents a 12.8 GS/s 32-way hierarchically time-interleaved SAR ADC with 4.6 ENOB in 65 nm CMOS. The prototype utilizes hierarchical sampling and cascode sampler circuits to enable greater than 25 GHz 3 dB effective resolution bandwidth (ERBW). We further employ a pseudo-differential SAR ADC to save power and area. The core circuit occupies only 0.23 mm 2 and consumes a total of 162 mW from dual 1.2 V/1.1 V supplies. The design achieves a SNDR of 29.4 dB at low frequencies and 26.4 dB at 25 GHz, resulting in a figure-of-merit of 0.79 pJ/conversion-step. As will be further described in the paper, the circuit architecture used in this prototype enables expansion to 25.6 GS/s or 51.2 GS/s via additional interleaving without significantly impacting ERBW.
Critical Literacy: Examining the Juxtaposition of Issue, Author, and Self.

Our high school English classroom was abuzz with conversation as students discussed the historical election that had taken place on November 5, 2008. Their conversation took many turns from what th...
The EP1 receptor for prostaglandin E2 promotes the development and progression of malignant murine skin tumors

High levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis resulting from the up-regulation of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 has been shown to be critical for the development of non-melanoma skin tumors. This effect of PGE2 is likely mediated by one or more of its 4 G-protein coupled membrane receptors, EP1-4. A previous study showed that BK5.EP1 transgenic mice produced more carcinomas than wild type (WT) mice using initiation/promotion protocols, although the tumor response was dependent on the type of tumor promoter used. In this study, a single topical application of either 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) or benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), alone, was found to elicit squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) in the BK5.EP1 transgenic mice, but not in WT mice. While the epidermis of both WT and transgenic mice was hyperplastic several days after DMBA, this effect regressed in the WT mice while proliferation continued in the transgenic mice. Several parameters associated with carcinogen initiation were measured and were found to be similar between genotypes, including CYP1B1 and aromatase expression, B[a]P adduct formation, Ras activity, and keratinocyte stem cell numbers. However, EP1 transgene expression elevated COX-2 levels in the epidermis and SCC could be completely prevented in DMBA-treated BK5.EP1 mice either by feeding the selective COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib in their diet or by crossing them onto a COX-2 null background. These data suggest that the tumor promoting/progressing effects of EP1 require the PGE2 synthesized by COX-2.
Faience Goddesses and Ivory Bull-Leapers: The Aesthetics of Sexual Difference at Late Bronze Age Knossos

In the figurative art of Late Bronze Age Knossos one recognizes a singular form to the human body which cuts across all other distinctions. Contrary to popular and academic interpretations, sexed differences are not marked in a clearly binary fashion. Drawing on this observation, the current paper analyses the relationship between two sets of figurines from the Bronze Age Palace site of Knossos: the faience figurines from the 'Temple Repositories' and the ivory bull-leaper figurines from the 'Domestic Quarter'. The interpretation of these figurines elucidates: a) how the appearance of sexual characteristics is context specific and not a general feature of the imagery; and b) the differing aesthetic responses motivated by and surrounding these two sets of artefacts and hence the social contexts in which representations of sexed differences were mobilized.
Uptake of Escherichia coli DNA into HeLa cells enhanced by amphotericin B.

MAMMALIAN cells in culture take up small amounts of DNA, presumably by pinocytosis1,2. Unlike bacterial cells the mammalian cells do not seem to require a special state of competence for DNA uptake3; and since naked DNA of oncogenic viruses can successfully infect or transform cells4, at least some of the DNA taken up by the cells can be functional. In spite of these successful experiments, however, almost all attempts to achieve controlled DNA transformation in mammalian cells have failed. The failure has been attributed to two factors: (1) insufficient transport of added DNA by the pinocytic mechanism1; and (2) degradation of the foreign DNA in lysosomes5.
The relationship of age and other variables to gratification in mothering.

The relationship of gratification in the maternal role to maternal variables (age, self‐rated performance in the role, role strain, educational level, readiness for pregnancy, previous experience in caring for infants, and mate relationship) among three age groups of first‐time mothers (N = 43, 15–19 year olds; N = 119, 20–29 year olds; N = 88, 30–42 year olds) was studied at 8 months postbirth. Within the teenage group, no significant correlations were found between gratification in mothering and the maternal variables. Within the 20‐ to 29‐year‐old group the higher the gratification in the mothering role, the higher the self‐rating in the role, the lower the role strain, the greater the readiness for pregnancy and the more positive the mate relationship. Within the 30 and older group, the greater the gratification the older the age, the higher the self‐rating in performance, the lower the educational level, and the greater the previous experience in caring for infants.
Neutrino mass2 inferred from the cosmic ray spectrum and tritium beta decay

Abstract An earlier prediction of a cosmic ray neutron line right at the energy of the knee of the cosmic ray spectrum was based on the speculation that the electron neutrino is a tachyon whose mass is reciprocally related to the energy of the knee, E k . Given the large uncertainty in E k , the values of m ν 2 corresponding to it are consistent with values recently reported in tritium beta decay experiments.
Analytical model of particle charging in plasmas over a wide range of collisionality

An accurate prediction of the particle charge in plasmas is of fundamental importance for a wide range of problems from the study of dusty or complex plasmas to the controlled synthesis of nanoparticle materials in plasmas. Despite its known deficiencies, the orbital motion limited (OML) theory, which strictly applies only to collisionless plasmas, is the most widely used model to describe particle charging. This paper develops a simple, analytical model to describe the charging of particles in plasmas over a wide range of pressures and particle sizes. In spite of its simplicity, excellent agreement is found with results of a self-consistent molecular dynamics Monte Carlo model and with experimental results found in the literature. In particular, the model presented here provides significant improvements compared to the OML theory.
Explaining temporal orientation: Evidence from the durability of firms' capital investments

In contrast to broad generalizations about the short-termism of managers, this paper explains changes in the temporal orientation of specific firms over time based on performance relative to aspirations and top management team incentives. We gain empirical traction on temporal orientation by measuring the durability of acquired property, plant, and equipment (asset durability) from reported data on depreciation expense. Consistent with predictions, we find that performance relative to aspirations positively influences asset durability. Surprisingly, we find no evidence that stock-based compensation produces the same effect. Instead, we find stock-based compensation lowers asset durability. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Excitation-contraction coupling in heart muscle.

We have investigated the links between electrical excitation and contraction in mammalian heart muscle. Using isolated single cells from adult rat ventricle, a whole-cell voltage-clamp technique and quantitative fluorescence microscopy, we have measured simultaneously calcium current (Ica) and [Ca2+]i (with fura-2). We find that the voltage-dependence of Ica and the [Ca 2+]i-transient and the dependence of [Ca2+]i-transient on depolarization-duration cannot both be readily explained by a simple calcium-induced Ca-release (‘CICR’) mechanism. Additionally, we find that when [Ca2+]i and [Na+]i are at their diastolic levels, activation of the Na-Ca exchange mechanism by depolarization does not measurably trigger the release of Ca2+i. Finally, measuring Ica in adult and neonatal rat heart cells and using the alkaloid ryanodine, we have carried out complementary experiments. These experiments show that there may be an action of ryanodine on Ica that is independent of [Ca2+]i and independent of a direct action of the alkaloid on the calcium channel itself. Along with experiments of others showing that ryanodine binds to the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium-release channel/spanning protein complex, our data suggests a model to explain our findings. The model links the calcium channels responsible for Ica to the sarcoplasmic reticulum by means of one or more of the spanning protein(s). Information from the calcium channel can be communitated to the sarcoplasmic reticulum by this route and, presumably, information can move in the opposite direction from the sarcoplasmic reticulum to the calcium channel.
Genetic Variation of Neonatal Stress Response to Reduced Temperature Brooding in a Randombred Population of Chickens

Abstract Chicks from a randombred population were assessed for genetic variation in 1-day body weight and serum corticosterone under two brooding temperatures (26.7 and 32.2 C). Brooding at 26.7 C resulted in lower 1-day body weights and higher corticosterone levels. Heritability estimates (h2) for 1-day body weight were moderately high in both temperature groups but were low for gain in both temperatures. The h2 for corticosterone level from chicks brooded at 26.7 C was moderate, whereas estimates for those brooded at 32.2 C were very low. Statistically significant (but low) negative phenotypic correlations were obtained for corticosterone with body weight and gain in both temperature groups. A significant negative genotypic correlation was observed between corticosterone and body weight for chicks brooded at 26.7 C but not for those brooded at 32.2 C. Corticosterone data from the highest and lowest responding sire families revealed a significant response group by temperature interaction. Chicks from the first of two additional hatches showed significant response group differences in serum corticosterone to the reduced brooding temperature. The neonatal serum corticosterone response to cold stress has a genetic basis; however, because there was a negative genotypic correlation between serum corticosterone and body weight, selection for increased corticosterone levels under reduced temperature brooding would likely result in decreased body size.
Update in Gastroenterology

This Update reviews several important papers on Barrett esophagus,Helicobacter pylori, hepatology, and inflammatory bowel disease.
A high stopping density μ + beam

Abstract A new type of μ+ beam using muons from the decay of pions that stop near the surface of the production target is described. The beam has approximately the same number of muons as a conventional muon beam, but has two orders of magnitude greater stopping density, a smaller spot size, and nearly 100% longitudinal polarization.
The basis of autoimmunity in MRL-lpr/lpr mice: a role for self Ia-reactive T cells

Abstract Murine models of systemic lupus eRythematosus (SLE) have significantly contributed to our understanding of human autoimmunity. One such strain, the MRL- lpr/lpr , spontaneously develops an autoimmune disease manifested clinically by arthritis, vasculitis, immune-complex glomerulonephritis and autoantibody production 1–3 . In this article Yvonne Rosenberg and her colleagues suggest a theoretical basis for the development of autoimmunity in MRL- lpr/lpr mice.
Effect of plant growth temperature on membrane lipids in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.)

Abstract Changes in membrane lipid composition are important in the acclimation of plants. The influence of four day/night growing temperature combinations (18/12, 25/12, 25/22, and 30/22 °C) on membrane lipids of ‘Earliglow’ and ‘Kent’ strawberry ( Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) were studied. The monogalactosyl diglyceride (MGDG) and digalactosyl diglyceride (DGDG) were the major galactolipids in the strawberry leaves. ‘Earliglow’ contained a higher amount of galactolipids in the leaves than ‘Kent’. The major phospholipids in the strawberry leaves, roots, and fruit were phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). PC and PE were the two predominant phospholipids in the strawberry. The leaves and fruit of ‘Earliglow’ contained higher amounts of phospholipids compared to those of ‘Kent’, whereas ‘Kent’ strawberry roots had higher phospholipids. Palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0), oleic (C18:1), linoleic (C18:2), and α-linolenic (C18:3) acids were major fatty acids in galacto- and phospholipids of the ‘Earliglow’ and ‘Kent’ strawberry. PC is very rich in linolenic acid in leaves compared to the fruit and root tissues. PC had the highest ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids among all phospholipids. There was a significant increase in the content of galactolipids (MGDG, DGDG) and phospholipids (PC, PI, PG and PE) and unsaturation of their fatty acids in the cool day/night growth temperature. Increasing day/night growth temperatures decreased MGDG/DGDG ratios. The shifts in saturation and composition of fatty acids observed with strawberry may be an adaptation response of plants to the temperature changes.
Hemodynamic effects of prostaglandin E1 infusion in patients with acute myocardial infarction and left ventricular failure

Abstract Prostaglandin E 1 (PGE 1 ) has been shown to limit infarct size, improve coronary blood flow, inhibit platelet aggregation, and reduce both left ventricular (LV) preload and afterload in experimental animals. Its use in the therapy of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and congestive heart failure (CHF) has not, however, been reported. Five patients with AMI of less than 12 hours' duration and LV dysfunction were studied to assess the hemodynamic effects of IV infusion of PGE 1 . PGE 1 in the concentration of 0.4 μg/ml was infused at a rate of 0.003 μg/kg/min (3 ng · kg −1 · min −1 ) to a maximum rate of 0.021 μg/kg/min (21 ng · kg −1 · min −1 ) for a total time of up to 90 minutes. There was an insignificant increase in heart rate, with significant decreases in mean arterial blood pressure and systemic vascular resistance. Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure declined from 21 ± 3 to 15 ± 1 mm Hg ( p p 2 ( p p 1 infusion. One patient had transient nausea which did not require discontinuation of the drug. PGE 1 is an effective vasodilator and deserves further application in therapy for AMI patients with CHF.
A copula-based approach to accommodate residential self-selection effects in travel behavior modeling

Abstract The dominant approach in the literature to dealing with sample selection is to assume a bivariate normality assumption directly on the error terms, or on transformed error terms, in the discrete and continuous equations. Such an assumption can be restrictive and inappropriate, since the implication is a linear and symmetrical dependency structure between the error terms. In this paper, we introduce and apply a flexible approach to sample selection in the context of built environment effects on travel behavior. The approach is based on the concept of a “copula”, which is a multivariate functional form for the joint distribution of random variables derived purely from pre-specified parametric marginal distributions of each random variable. The copula concept has been recognized in the statistics field for several decades now, but it is only recently that it has been explicitly recognized and employed in the econometrics field. The copula-based approach retains a parametric specification for the bivariate dependency, but allows testing of several parametric structures to characterize the dependency. The empirical context in the current paper is a model of residential neighborhood choice and daily household vehicle miles of travel (VMT), using the 2000 San Francisco Bay Area Household Travel Survey (BATS). The sample selection hypothesis is that households select their residence locations based on their travel needs, which implies that observed VMT differences between households residing in neo-urbanist and conventional neighborhoods cannot be attributed entirely to the built environment variations between the two neighborhoods types. The results indicate that, in the empirical context of the current study, the VMT differences between households in different neighborhood types may be attributed to both built environment effects and residential self-selection effects. As importantly, the study indicates that use of a traditional Gaussian bivariate distribution to characterize the relationship in errors between residential choice and VMT can lead to misleading implications about built environment effects.
Modeling and Simulation of Explosion Effectiveness: as a Function of Blast and Crowd Characteristics

Suicide bombing has become one of the most lethal and favorite modus operandi of terrorist organizations around the world. On average, there is a suicide bombing attack every six days somewhere in the world. While various attempts have been made to assess the impact of explosions on structures and military personnel, little has been done on modeling the impact of a blast wave on a crowd in civilian settings. The assessment of an explosion's effect on a crowd can lead to better management of disasters, triage of patients, locating blast victims under the debris, development of protective gear, and safe distance recommendations to reduce the casualties. The overall goal of this work is to predict the magnitude of injuries and lethality on humans from a blast-wave with various explosive and crowd characteristics, and to compare, contrast, and analyze the performance of explosive and injury models against the real-life data of suicide bombing incidents. This thesis introduces BlastSim—a physics based stationary multi-agent simulation platform to model and simulate a suicide bombing event. The agents are constrained by the physical characteristics and mechanics of the blast wave. The BlastSim is programmed to test, analyze, and validate the results of different model combinations under various conditions with different sets of parameters, such as the crowd and explosive characteristics, blockage and human shields, fragmentation and the bomber's position, in 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional environments. The suicide bombing event can be re-created for forensic analysis. The proposed model combinations show a significant performance—the Harold Brode explosive model with Catherine Lee injury model using the blockage stands out consistently to be the best with an overall cumulative accuracy of 87.6%. When comparing against actual data, overall, prediction accuracy can be increased by 71% using this model combination. The J. Clutter with Reflection explosive model using Charles Stewart injury model with blockage works best for confined-space incidents with an accuracy of 80%. Blockage in a crowd can increase the accuracy by 17% for all models. Line-of-sight with an attacker, rushing towards an exit, announcing the threat of a suicide bombing, sitting inside a vehicle or building, and standing closer to a wall or a rigid surface were found to be the most lethal choices both during and after an attack. The findings can have implications for emergency response and counter terrorism.
Regional anesthesia and pain management: what's new

Abstract Present technological advances allow more accurate needle/catheter placement. Continuous regional analgesia with perineural catheters has been shown to significantly improve outcome. Grossi introduced the “anesthetic line” concept as a guide for approaches to perineural regional anesthesia. Winnie introduced the concept of the brachial plexus sheath that envelops the neural or neurovascular plexus. He discussed similar sheathes applying to the lower extremity. Recent studies support his sheath theory. Anatomical as well as local anesthetic distribution studies support a new concept that has relevant clinical applications. This concept is the presence of an anatomical impingement point at the junction of the clavicle and first rib that acts as a functional point of resistance to the flow of an injectate beyond this point. Similarly, it restricts the advancement of a catheter. The brachial plexus should be thought of as an hourglass-shaped anatomical compartment with the narrow portion of the hourglass at the costoclavicular junction. Above the clavicle the compartment is triangular and flat. Below the clavicle a larger cylindrical half-hourglass shape prevails. Injections above and or below the clavicle lead to different anesthetic distributions as well as clinical results. This anatomy will continue to be elucidated and must be kept in mind when targeting anesthesia or analgesia by single or multiple injections and for optimal placement of catheter or catheters for continuous infusions.
“Human Accumulations”: Class and Tourism at Niagara Falls

H.G. Wells claimed that his real interest in Niagara Falls was the “human accumulations” that grew up around it. Niagara has figured prominently in the escalating research on the history of tourism, most of which focuses on when and how the middle-classes went on holiday. This copious literature seldom acknowledges the complexity of social relations involved in travel. These accounts typically ignore the hotel and restaurant employees who made the middle-class experience possible. The leisure, travel, and hedonism of the middle-classes was only made possible because of the labor provided by an army of workers. Archaeology at one of Niagara Fall’s hotels provides a context to examine how the Niagara experience was created by many different classes of people. Thus, the “human accumulations” at Niagara can be seen as the physical manifestation of these social relations of class.
Development of recommendations for control of hepatitis B virus infections: the role of cost analysis

Hepatitis B (HBV) infection produces a number of acute and chronic consequences including fulminant hepatitis, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. The development of safe and effective hepatitis B vaccines has led to the development of several prevention strategies based on the endemicity and primary age of infection in the population. In areas of high endemicity of infection, universal immunization of infants has been advocated and appears feasible. However, in areas of low endemicity of infection, selected high risk group immunization of adults has been recommended but has not been successful in changing infection rates. In 1981, an analysis of the economic consequences of acute and chronic HBV-related liver disease showed an expenditure of at least US$197 million for direct medical costs and US$126 million for the associated cost of work-loss. These results suggest the more widespread use of hepatitis B vaccine to prevent these high health-related costs.
Complications during gestation in the cow

Uterine torsion and vaginal prolapse are accidents of gestation; this paper first reviews the predisposition, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of uterine torsion, and the predisposition, pathogenesis, symptoms, treatment, and prognosis of vaginal prolapse during late gestation in the cow. Other noninfectious complications of gestation are either fetal or placental in origin. Two relatively unusual fetal problems, mummification and maceration, are also discussed, followed by a comparison of two hydropic conditions (hydrallantois and hydramnios). Hydrops allantois, primarily a placental problem, occurs about nine times more frequently than hydrops amnii, which is a result of fetal anomalies. Abnormal offspring syndrome is a more recent phenomenon associated with the transfer of IVF or SCNT embryos. Finally, reference is made to teratology in general and a website of illustrations is cited.
Age affects dopamine receptor changes during chronic administration of fluphenazine

The effects of age on the alteration of brain dopaminergic receptors (spiperone binding) during chronic administration of fluphenazine was studied in young (7-month) and old (25-month) rats. Compared to age-matched saline controls, the old fluphenazine rats showed an earlier on-set and quantitatively greater decrease in specific binding of spiperone and increase in the KD of spiperone binding than young rats. Young rats showed an increase in the Bmax of spiperone binding at 6-weeks which was not shown by old rats.
Experimental Validation of Navigation Workload Metrics

Advanced digital computer display interfaces in the control room may increase operator workload. Workstation monitors provide limited display area, and information is represented in large-scale display networks. Display navigation may generate disorienting effects, require additional resources for window management, and increase memory and data integration requirements. Six ORNL employees participated in an experiment to validate proposed metrics of navigation workload in the advanced control room. The task environment was a display network consisting of 25 windows resembling a simplified Safety Parameter Display System for Pressurized Water Reactors. A repeated measures design with 3 within subjects factors was employed. The factors were task difficulty, navigation distance level, and a blocking factor. Participants were asked to monitor a single parameter or two parameters. Fourteen candidate metrics were tested. Analysis of variance of the modified task load index (MTLX) and rating subscales demonstrated substantial support for the claim that navigation of large-scale display networks can impose additional mental load. Primary and secondary task performance measures exhibited ceiling effects. Memory probes for these tasks were inadequate because they were recognition-based and coarse. Eye gaze measures were not validated, indicating a need for more refined data reduction algorithms. Strong positive correlations were found between MTLXmore » and both navigation duration and standard deviation of pupil diameter. Further study and increased statistical power are required to validate objective navigation workload metrics.« less
Effects of Hypertonic (NaCl) Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Culture Conditions on the Properties of Cartilage Tissue Engineered from an Expanded Mature Bovine Chondrocyte Source

Clinically relevant mature cartilage cells (chondrocytes) present challenges for use in cartilage tissue engineering applications, given their low capacity for cell division and tissue production. Since the in situ environment of chondrocytes is hypertonic relative to standard culture medium conditions, in this study we tested the hypothesis that using culture medium of a hypertonic, more physiologic osmolarity during both two-dimensional (2D) expansion of mature bovine chondrocytes (MBCs) and their subsequent encapsulation culture in three-dimensional (3D) agarose hydrogel constructs produces improved engineered tissue construct mechanical and biochemical properties. Results demonstrate that 2D expansion of MBCs in hypertonic (NaCl) medium before encapsulation yielded improved construct mechanical properties. However, 3D encapsulation culture of cells in hypertonic (NaCl) medium yielded poorer construct mechanical properties. Osmolarity-related differences in construct biochemical content and organization may have contributed to differences in mechanical properties, as construct glycosaminoglycan content correlated moderately with construct mechanical properties, and construct collagen distribution varied between 3D osmotic culture groups. Results of this study suggest that application of hypertonic (NaCl) medium during 2D mature chondrocyte expansion, but not 3D encapsulated chondrocyte culture, may serve as a convenient and inexpensive method for improving mechanical properties of expanded cell-seeded constructs.
Simulation of Electromechanical Interactions of Permanent-Magnet Direct-Drive Wind Turbines Using the FAST Aeroelastic Simulator

Two detailed models of permanent-magnet direct-drive (PMDD) wind turbines with full converters are presented in this paper: one for a 10-kW turbine, and one for a 5-MW turbine. The models are verified by comparing the power curves found through simulation with field test data. Other results are also presented that show the unprecedented detail of the models. The mathematical representations include switching models for the full converters, circuit models for permanent-magnet synchronous generators, realistic aerodynamics, tower and blade vibrations, and many other variables. The models are valuable tools for wind turbine design and research and can be used for a wide range of purposes including control system design, sensitivity analysis, and interactions between the electrical and mechanical parts of a PMDD wind turbine. Simulation of the models is carried out in the MATLAB/Simulink environment using the FAST aeroelastic simulator.
Automated imaging system for fast quantitation of neurons, cell morphology and neurite morphometry in vivo and in vitro

Quantitation of neurons using stereologic approaches reduces bias and systematic error, but is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Accurate methods for quantifying neurons in vitro are lacking; conventional methodologies are limited in reliability and application. The morphological properties of the soma and neurites are a key aspect of neuronal phenotype and function, but the assays commonly used in such evaluations are beset with several methodological drawbacks. Herein we describe automated techniques to quantify the number and morphology of neurons (or any cell type, e.g., astrocytes) and their processes with high speed and accuracy. Neuronal quantification from brain tissue using a motorized stage system yielded results that were statistically comparable to those generated by stereology. The approach was then adapted for in vitro neuron and neurite outgrowth quantification. To determine the utility of our methods, rotenone was used as a neurotoxicant leading to morphological changes in neurons and cell death, astrocytic activation, and loss of neurites. Importantly, our technique counted about 8 times as many neurons in less than 5–10% of the time taken by manual stereological analysis.
Identification of biological agents using surface enhanced Raman scattering

GE Global Research Center, in collaboration with Morpho Detection, Inc. has developed an assay scheme for the identification of biological agents using Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS). Specifically, unique spectroscopic signatures are generated using SERS tags consisting of individual glass-encapsulated gold nanoparticles and surfacebound reporter molecules. These SERS tags are modified with a capture moiety specific to the antigen of interest, and serve as a spectroscopic label in a bead-based sandwich assay. Assays are being developed for a variety of pathogens and this paper will focus on aspects of assay development, optimization, stabilization and validation. Results on the development of an assay to detect Ricin toxin will be presented, and preliminary feasibility studies for the detection of additional pathogens will be discussed.
Disaster News: Framing and Frame Changing in Coverage of Major U.S. Natural Disasters, 2000–2010

This research examines mass media depictions of major American natural disasters that occurred between 2000 and 2010. Results indicate that mass media cover natural disasters for shorter periods of time than they do other issues; that media coverage tends to focus on the current impact of disasters on humans, the built environment, and the natural environment; that disaster economics is an important topic; that disaster media coverage generally focuses on the state and region related to the event; and that disaster news is largely about what is happening now.
Biotechnology and Entomology Staffing: Does Your Department Need an Insect Molecular Biologist?

In preparing for this talk I recalled preparing for similar talks regarding pest management 15years ago. Yes, there was a time when we talked about whether a department should staff up for integrated pest management (IPM) or if it would be a passing fad. Although the term IPM may be overused and need replacing, the concept is here to stay and is an integral part of, perhaps the core of, our entomological programs. I could say the same about biotechnology: The term may be overused and need replacing, but what it represents is here to stay-and the sooner we recognize that the better. Further, both IPM and biotechnology involve the application of biological knowledge in an interdisciplinary fashion
Impact of pronase on flow cytometric crossmatch outcome

Abstract Pronase treatment of lymphocytes is used to reduce nonspecific binding of immunoglobulins in flow cytometric crossmatch (FCXM) tests and at higher concentrations to remove CD20 from the cell surface. We examined the effect of pronase treatment on human leukocyte antigen (HLA) expression and on FCXM results. Lymphocytes were tested untreated and after treatment with either 2 mg/mL (10 cell donors) or 1 mg/mL (6 cell donors) of pronase. The 2 mg/mL concentration reduced HLA expression in 28 of 30 (93%) cases. The reduction was statistically significant for HLA class I antigens on T cells (33 ± 10%, p = 0.0006), class I on B cells (23 ± 13%, p = 0.012), and class II on B cells (45 ± 37%, p = 0.005). FCXMs were performed using pronase-treated and untreated cells. The 2 mg/mL concentration of pronase reduced reactivity in 5 of 16 (31%) tests of T cells and 15 of 16 (94%) tests of B cells. Of the remaining 11 T-cell tests, the reactivity was unchanged (≤10% difference) in 5 and increased by 18–73% in 6. Treatment with 1 mg/mL of pronase significantly increased reactivity in 20 of 23 tests of T cells (87%, p = 6.0 × 10 -5 ). These data indicate that pronase treatment may result in erroneous FCXM results.
Pseudospin anisotropy classification of quantum Hall ferromagnets

Broken-symmetry ground states with uniform electron density are common in quantum Hall systems when two Landau levels simultaneously approach the chemical potential at integer filling factor $\ensuremath{\nu}.$ The close analogy between these two-dimensional electron system states and conventional itinerant electron ferromagnets can be emphasized by using a pseudospin label to distinguish the two Landau levels. As in conventional ferromagnets, the evolution of the system's state as external field parameters are varied is expected to be sensitive to the dependence of ground-state energy on pseudospin orientation. We discuss the predictions of Hartree-Fock theory for the dependence of the sign and magnitude of the pseudospin anisotropy energy on the nature of the crossing Landau levels. We build up a classification scheme for quantum Hall ferromagnets that applies for single layer and bilayer systems with two aligned Landau levels distinguished by any combination of real spin, orbit radius, or growth direction degree-of-freedom quantum numbers. The possibility of in situ tuning between easy-axis and easy-plane quantum Hall ferromagnets is discussed for biased bilayer systems with total filling factors $\ensuremath{\nu}=3$ or $\ensuremath{\nu}=4.$ Detailed predictions are made for the bias dependence of pseudospin reversal properties in $\ensuremath{\nu}=3$ bilayer systems.
Typicality and preference for positively and negatively valued environmental settings

Using the well-defined and positively valued setting category of Swedish pastures, Hagerhall (J. Environ. Psychol. 21 (2001) 83) found that as rated typicality of a setting increased, mean preference also increased, but the variance-of-preference ratings decreased. The decrease in variance was attributed to greater consensus associated with more typical settings. We investigated both a positively valued setting category (parks) and a negatively valued category (alleys). For parks, we replicated Hagerhall's pattern of results except that the negative relation between variance of preference and mean typicality disappeared after controlling statistically for mean preference. For alleys, we obtained the expected negative relation between mean preference and typicality, but contrary to expectation, the variance-of-preference ratings increased with rated typicality after controlling for mean preference. We conclude that mean preference increases with typicality for positively valued setting categories and decreases with typicality for negatively valued setting categories. Moreover, greater typicality does not necessarily lead to increased consensus and reduced variance in preference ratings for all setting categories.
Specific heat measurements in superconducting and normal state Ta-Nb-V ternary solid solutions

Specific heat measurements between 2 and 6 K on three bulk isoelectronic Ta x Nb y V1−x−y bcc solid solutions have been performed above and below their superconducting transition temperatures in and out of a 46-kOe field. The behavior of T c with alloying is well predicted by Miedema's charge-transfer method, which uses measured θD, but which has no adjustable parameters. Miedema's model also predicts γ correctly. Hopfield's method for T c fails in these alloys, and probably over the entire V-Nb-Ta system except very near the Nb-Ta line.