cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intraneuronal convergence of tactile and hormonal stimuli associated with female reproduction in rats

Stimulation of the vagina and cervix, by mating or manual probing, elicits many behavioral and endocrine changes associated with female reproduction in rats. We and others have identified neurons in the medial preoptic area, medial division of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, posterodorsal portion of the medial amygdala, ventromedial hypothalamus, dorsomedial hypothalamus and midbrain central gray that increase Fos expression in response to vaginal-cervical stimulation (VCS). In the present study, we used a double-label immunofluorescent technique to determine if any of these VCS-responsive neurons also contained estrogen receptor-immunoreactivity. We found that over 80% of the VCS-induced Fos-IR neurons in the medial division of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis also contained estrogen receptor-immunoreactivity. Furthermore, high percentages of VCS-responsive neurons in the medial preoptic area, posterodorsal medial amygdala, ventromedial hypothalamus and midbrain central gray contained estrogen receptor-immunoreactivity as well. These results suggest that sensory and hormonal information associated with female reproduction converge on specific populations of neurons and may be integrated at the molecular level within these neurons.
The marine geochemistry of dissolved gallium: A comparison with dissolved aluminum

Abstract Dissolved Ga concentrations in the Pacific Ocean range from 2 to 30 picomolar: they are low in surface waters (2–12 pM), with a subsurface maximum at 150–300 m (6–17 pM), a mid-depth minimum from 500 to 1000 m (4–10 pM) and increasing values with depth to a maximum in the bottom waters (12–30 pM). The highest concentrations are in the central gyre, with lower values toward the north and east where productivity and particle scavenging increase. Dissolved Ga concentrations in the surface waters of the northwest Atlantic are nearly an order of magnitude higher than in the central North Pacific, with higher values in the Gulf Stream than in the continental slope boundary region. Dissolved Al concentrations in the high latitude North Pacific are also lower than in the central gyre, and are the lowest yet reported for this element. The features are similar, however, to other dissolved Al profiles: a surface maximum (0.8 nmol/kg), a mid-depth minimum (≤0.06 nmol/kg) and increasing concentrations toward the sediment-water interface (0.4 nmol/kg). The vertical distributions and horizontal transects indicate three sources of dissolved Ga to the oceans. The surface distribution reflects an eolian source with no net fluvial input to the open ocean; the subsurface maximum (a feature not seen for North Pacific dissolved Al) is attributed to vertical exchange processes; the source for the deep waters of the North Pacific is from a sediment surface remineralization process or a pore water flux. Scavenging removal throughout the water column is evident in the vertical profiles for both dissolved Ga and Al, with intensified removal in the boundary regions where productivity and particle scavenging are at a maximum. Residence times of dissolved Ga in surface waters are nearly an order of magnitude longer than the corresponding values for Al.
Response of the Sertoli Cell and Stem Germ Cell to 6 0Coγ -Radiation (Dose and Dose Rate) in Testes of Immature Rats

Gamma-radiation effects (dose and dose rate) on the Sertoli cells and stem cells of the germinal line in immature rat testes were examined. Prior to Day 4 of postnatal development, the gonocyte or primitive germ cell was the most radiosensitive cell in the testis. From Day 4 to approximately Day 15 the Sertoli cell was the most critical element, and thereafter the stem cell was of first importance. A dose of 100 rads irreversibly reduced the number of Sertoli cells to 63 percent of control. Of the ages tested beyond Day 2, the 9-day testis was most severely affected. It was estimated that a dose of 400 rads would reduce sperm output of the 9-day testis to 21 percent of control. After Day 4 and prior to Day 20, 300 rads produced a permanent decrement in the stem-cell population. Six hundred rads are required to produce this effect in the adult. Dose rate was an important mediator of the radioresponse of both Sertoli and germ cells.
Practical applications of mixture models to complex time-to-failure data

Statistical time-to-failure analysis is a very powerful and versatile analytical tool available to reliability engineers and statisticians for understanding and communicating the failure risk and reliability of a component, device, or system. The typical approach to characterizing time to failure involves fitting a parametric distribution, such as a Weibull probability function, using historical data on sales and records of failure incidents since the launch of a product. However, such modeling assumes that each deployed unit has an equal chance of failing by any specified age. Such assumptions are often violated when two or more subpopulations exist but cannot be identified and analyzed separately. For example, production process changes, defects generated during component manufacturing, errors in the assembly process, variation of consumer behavior, and variation of operating environmental conditions can all result in significant heterogeneity in performance best described by multiple time-to-failure distributions. Available information does not always exist to separate such subpopulations. Neglecting to account for differences in time-to-failure distributions can lead to erroneous interpretations and predictions. Weibull mixture models can characterize such complex reliability data in situations when segregating subpopulations is impractical. This paper presents three case studies that successfully applied mixture modeling to field reliability data that could not be adequately modeled by standard time-to-failure distributions for homogeneous product populations.
Radiation Testing of the CMOS 8085 Microprocessor Family

Preliminary results of radiation testing are reported for parts from the SA3000 family, CMOS versions of the Intel 8085 microprocessor family. Total dose tests of the SA3000 and SA3002 have demonstrated full functionality after 3 × 106 rad (Si). Static power supply currents of the SA3000 measured after reset increased from approximately 5O?A to 500?A at VDD = 1OV while maximum operating frequency decreased from greater than 10 MHz to 4 MHz at VDD = 9V post 3 × 106 rad (Si). Output drive currents decreased 25% post 1 × 106 rad (Si) and 40% post 3 × 106 rad (Si). The nominal threshold voltage shift of discrete transistors measured under worst-case bias (n-channels, ON; p-channels, OFF) shifted -0.5 volts and -2.40 volts post 1 × 106 rad (Si) for n-channel and p-channel MOSFETs, respectively. Total dose tests on the SA3002 are also reported. Transient radiation upset levels of about 1× 109 rad (Si)/sec have been measured for all part types from this family. Latch-up immunity for this technology has been demonstrated up to 1 × 1012 rad (Si)/sec using the SA3001. Electrical bench tests on the SA3000 and SA3001 are discussed which substantiate this result. The technology used for the SA3000 family is a 3?m silicon gate process fabricated in n on n+ epitaxial silicon. Functional test programs for each chip of the family are discussed.
Patient satisfaction with current dental condition related to self-concept and dental status

Structured interviews were administered to 168 male veterans from five locations to examine the relationship between attitudes toward dental esthetics, age, self-concept, and dental status. Results indicate the following. 1. Subjects who had a more positive self-concept rated their current dental condition higher. 2. Veterans who use dentures do not have a lower self-concept than those who have remaining natural teeth and feel more positively about their dental appearance. 3. Among the sample studied, dental appearance was considered less important than function or comfort. 4. Diminished self-concept is not associated with greater concern for dental esthetics.
Computational neural networks for predictive microbiology II. Application to microbial growth

The growth of a specific microorganism on a certain food is influenced by a number of environmental factors such as temperature, pH, and salt concentration. Models that delineate the history of the growth of microorganisms are always subject to a considerable debate and scrutiny in the field of predictive microbiology. Regardless of its type, a growth model (e.g., modified Gompertz model) contains several parameters that vary depending on the microorganisms/food combination and the associated prevailing environmental conditions. The growth model parameters for a set of operating conditions are commonly determined from expressions developed via multiple linear regression. In the present study, a substitute for the nonlinear regression-based equations is developed using computational neural networks. Computational neural networks are applied herein on experimental data pertaining to the anaerobic growth of Shigella flexneri. Results have indicated that predictions by neural networks offer better agreement with experimental data as compared to predictions obtained via corresponding regression equations.
Representing voices from the life-world in evidence-based practice.

Background: Current models of evidence‐based practice marginalize and even silence the voices of those who are the potential beneficiaries of assessment and intervention. These missing voices can be found in the reflections of clients on their own life‐world experiences.Aims: This paper examines how voices from the life‐world are silenced in current models of evidence‐based practice and why this is inappropriate. It is argued that personal experience narratives rooted in the inter‐subjective life‐worlds of clients — currently conceptualized as mere anecdotal information or consumer opinion in evidence‐based practice — should be elevated to the status of a bona fide unit of analysis in the construction of evidence. The aim is not to supplant more traditional, objective units of measurement, but, rather, to enhance our ability to interpret the ecological validity of evidence by listening to our clients' voices.Methods & Procedures: Written discourse from professional position statements, technical reports, ...
Phase Behavior of Disk-Coil Macromolecules

We explore the self-assembly of disk–coil macromolecules using Monte Carlo simulations in the NPT ensemble. Our study focuses on the role that coil length compared to the size of the disk has on the phase behavior of the system as well as the effect of added stacking interactions between the disks. As a function of temperature T, we find a disordered phase at high T and lamellar, perforated lamellar, and cylinder phases with liquidlike correlations at intermediate T. If we further lower the temperature, the disk-rich regions spontaneously order, and we find ordered lamellar, ordered perforated lamellar, and ordered cylinder phases depending on the strength of the stacking interactions. The appearance of any of these phases is, however, strongly dependent on the length of the coil with respect to the diameter of the disk. In addition to constructing a comprehensive phase diagram, we further analyze the correlations in the system, as well as the director vector field of the disks, and use it to construct an...
Privacy rights and record confidentiality in drug and alcohol abuse treatment programs.

(1976). Privacy Rights and Record Confidentiality in Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs. Journal of Psychedelic Drugs: Vol. 8, No. 4, pp. 325-327.
Real-Time PCR Can Rapidly Detect Methicillin-Susceptible and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Directly From Positive Blood Culture Bottles

We developed, validated, and implemented real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of the femA gene for Staphylococcus aureus and the mecA gene for methicillin resistance directly from BACTEC (Becton Dickinson, Sparks, MD) blood culture bottles showing gram-positive cocci in clusters. For the 332 positive blood cultures tested, the assay had 100% sensitivity and specificity for identifying methicillin-susceptible (n=28) and methicillin-resistant (n=28) S aureus, and overall was 98% sensitive and 94% specific, with 3 uninterpretable test results when identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci was included. PCR detection yields rapid (2-3 hours) results and accurate identification of S aureus directly from signal-positive blood culture bottle samples.
The Challenge of Universal Literacy

Universal literacy has always been a goal of the United States. But literacy has been a moving target: criteria have risen as technology advanced. Comprehension skills well beyond simple decoding are now required. Research by educators and psychologists has laid a scientific foundation on which new pedagogic methods can be based. But even with better teaching, the hope that all adults can attain the highest levels of literacy skills may be unrealistic.
A Strategic Approach to Offshoring

In the context of a simple model of strategic offshoring, we investigate the reasons why firms may simultaneously source fragments domestically and internationally. We explore the impacts of offshoring on the production pattern of finished goods, tradable fragment prices, and welfare in a partial equilibrium context. The policy implications of attempts to restrict offshoring are also considered. The analysis shows that an offshoring equilibrium may exist in the absence of comparative advantage in fragments, that offshoring is welfare improving if the costs are sufficiently small, and that attempts (by both countries) to prevent offshoring may paradoxically lower both fragment use and price.
A Raman study of the single molecule magnet Mn12-acetate and analogs

Abstract Recent theoretical studies suggest that low-lying Mn–O vibrations play a significant role in the mechanism of quantum tunneling of magnetization (QTM) exhibited by single molecule magnets like Mn 12 -acetate (Mn 12 ). We report a Raman study of Mn 12 , deuterated Mn 12 , both with S =10, and of Mn 8 Fe 4 isostructural, with Mn 12 but with S =2 ground state. Comparison of the detected mode frequencies with theoretical predictions and earlier infrared data supports their role in the spin–vibron interactions and the mechanism of anisotropy and QTM in Mn 12 .
EXTRATE BRAMOUS GLO; ERULOPATHY ASSOCIATED WITH VILLOUS ATROPHY OF THE. SALE INTESTITE: PRESENCE OF CIRCULATING ANTIBODIES(Ab)DIRECTED AGAINST RENAL TUBULAR BASEMENT E BRANE (TBN) AND CYTOPLAS, OF INTESTINAL EPITHELIUE

A 4-year old boy presented with nephrotic syndrome, severe malnutrition and clinical and laboratory signs of malabsorption. Renal biopsy showed an extramembranous glomemulopathy, minimal tubulo-interstitial lesions and linear deposition of IgG along TB. The presence of circulating anti-TB. Ab was confirmed both by indirect immunofluorescence(IIF)and radiommunoassay.Signs of Fanconi syndrome were absent.Intestinal biopsy showed villous atrophy;no deposition of IgG on intestinal epithelium was present.However IIF with patient's serum on his own intestinal biopsy and normal human and monkey duodenum showed the presence of circulating IgG directed against the cytoplasm of intestinal epithelial cells(titer:1/128). The patient was put on a gluten-free diet and treated with prednisone with improvement of intestinal and renal symptoms.
Screening for calcium channel modulators in CLN3 siRNA knock down SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells reveals a significant decrease of intracellular calcium levels by selected L-type calcium channel blockers

Background Defects of the CLN3 gene on chromosome 16p12.1 lead to the juvenile form of neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis (JNCL, Batten Disease), the most common recessive inherited neurodegenerative disorder in children. Dysregulation of intracellular calcium homeostasis in the absence of a functional CLN3 protein (CLN3P, Battenin) has been linked to synaptic dysfunction and accelerated apoptosis in vulnerable neuronal cells. Prolonged increase of intracellular calcium concentration is considered to be a significant trigger for neuronal apoptosis and cellular loss in JNCL.
The effects of clozapine on symptom reduction, neurocognitive function, and clinical management in treatment-refractory state hospital schizophrenic inpatients

Thirty chronically hospitalized, refractory schizophrenic patients were evaluated while on typical neuroleptics and again after 12 weeks of clozapine treatment. Patients demonstrated small but statistically significant reductions in total Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) symptoms, need for seclusion and restraint, and PRN medications, and they frequently were transferred to a less restrictive treatment environment. Neuropsychological test data from a subset of patients suggested improvement on measures of verbal fluency and graphomotor speed, but deterioration on measures of visual memory and executive/frontal ability. Clozapine's different effects on multiple neurotransmitter systems may be responsible for its mixed effects on cognitive abilities. No significant relationships were found between symptom reduction, cognitive improvement, and transfer to a less restrictive environment.
Light, but not heavy alcohol drinking, stimulates paraoxonase by upregulating liver mRNA in rats and humans

Paraoxonase 1 (PON) may contribute to the cardioprotective action of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) because it inhibits low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation, a prerequisite for the onset of atherosclerosis. Because light drinking and heavy drinking have diametrically opposite effects on cardioprotection, we have determined the effects of ethanol dosage on rat serum PON activity and its hepatic expression. Furthermore, we have investigated PON activity and polymorphism in human light and heavy drinkers. Our results confirm that HDL-PON inhibited LDL oxidation, destroyed oxidized LDL, and inhibited its uptake by macrophages. Light ethanol feeding caused a 20% to 25% (P <.05) increase in PON activity in both serum and liver and a 59% (P <.001) increase in the level of liver PON mRNA compared with pair-fed control rats. In contrast, heavy ethanol feeding caused a 25% (P <.05) decrease in serum and liver PON activities with a 51% (P <.01) decrease in liver PON mRNA level. Light drinkers had a 395% (P <.001) higher, whereas heavy drinkers had a 45% (P <.001) lower serum PON activity compared with nondrinkers. Significantly, the number of homozygotes versus heterozygotes with respect to high or low activity PON phenotype was similar in all the groups. Therefore, we conclude that light drinking upregulates, whereas heavy drinking downregulates PON activity and its expression, irrespective of its genetic polymorphism.
Morbidity associated with oral mucosa harvest for urological reconstruction: an overview.

Purpose To present a systematic review of the literature regarding complications associated with the donor site following oral mucosa harvest for urethral reconstruction. Materials and Methods The authors conducted a database search for relevant literature during the time period January 1966 through January 1, 2007, regarding complications associated with oral mucosa graft harvest for use in urethral transplantation. Bibliographies of database hits were searched for pertinent papers. Results The most common harvest sites were the buccal and mandibular labial mucosa. The most frequent complications at both mucosal harvest sites were scarring and contracture. These 2 complications limit jaw opening and have been found to last for as long as 4 weeks. Labial mucosa harvest is associated with the additional morbidity of perioral neurosensory defect because of the procedure’s proximity to the mental nerve. When nerve damage occurs, it usually subsides within 10 months postsurgery. Patients report relatively the same quality of life following harvest from both donor sites, although buccal mucosa harvest was associated with less postoperative discomfort, less neurosensory defect, and less salivary flow change. Following oral mucosa harvest, patients should be able to ingest oral fluids within 24 hours, solid foods within 2 days, and return to a normal dietary regimen within 1 week of harvest. Conclusion When harvesting oral mucosa for urethral reconstruction, sound surgical principles will ensure the patient the best chance of avoiding postoperative complications at the donor site. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons should advise both urologists and their patients of the potential complications associated with both oral mucosa harvesting sites.
Computational study of charge stratification in early-injection SCCI engines under light-load conditions

Under light-load conditions in early-injection stratified-charge compression-ignition (SCCI) engines, excessive premixing can lead to undesirable levels of unburned hydrocarbons (UHC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. Optimal stratification can reduce these emissions. In this work, the effects of changes in swirl, injection pressure, injector hole-size and number of holes, injection timing, and piston geometry on stratification are computationally investigated. It is shown that these parameters affect the stratification through their influence on the rate of spray penetration, drop vaporization, and fuel/air mixing. The outcome is characterized by examining the evolution of the spatial distribution of the fuel vapor in the chamber and its mass-based distribution function. All other parameters remaining the same, decreasing drop size leads to faster vaporization and richer mixtures. Increasing penetration leads to greater spreading and leaner mixtures. Increasing spray included-angle leads to greater spreading and leaner mixtures. Increasing injection pressure leads to increased mixing and leaner mixtures. Increasing injector hole-size leads to richer mixtures at lighter loads because the duration of injection is reduced and the fuel is confined closer to the axis. Increasing swirl leads to faster breakup of the head-vortex and confinement of the fuel closer to the axis, and hence richer mixture.
Collecting back-reflected photons in photoacoustic microscopy

Since the photoacoustic effect relies only on the absorbed optical energy, the back-reflected photons from samples in optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy are usually discarded. By employing a 2 × 2 single-mode fiber optical coupler in a laser-scanning optical-resolution photoacoustic microscope for delivering the illuminating laser light and collecting the back reflected photons, a fiber-optic confocal microscope is integrated with the photoacoustic microscope. Thus, simultaneous multimodal imaging can be achieved with a single light source and images from the two modalities are intrinsically registered. Such capabilities are demonstrated in imaging both phantoms and small animals in vivo.
A Modified Internal Jugular Vein Access for Long-Term Catheter Placement in Cancer Patients

Placement, handling, and maintenance of indwelling central venous access devices may be difficult due to anatomical, clinical, or hematologic conditions in many cancer patients needing chemotherapy. An alternative approach technique is suggested joining surgical dissection to venipuncture, assisted by fluoroscopy, as a secure way to avoid complications of long-term indwelling catheters. Although ultrasound guided puncture is a safe procedure, it is not always available or familiar to most surgeons. At the National Cancer Institute (INCA) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1750 long-term catheter placements were performed between the years 1997 and 2005. Among those, 160 were done through an alternative technical procedure consisting of an anterior cervical cutdown approach to the internal jugular vein (IJV) followed by percutaneous visual puncture of the vein. This modified internal jugular vein access (MIJVA) was employed when other access techniques were not feasible or if other underlying conditions increase the risk of bleeding complications. The MIJVA procedure was successful in all 160 patients. Although it was used only as an exceptional option in difficult venous accesses, further prospective trials must be conducted, however, for comparison with other technical approaches. The MIJVA is an option that provides successful IJV dissection and safe percutaneous visual puncture overcoming anatomical pitfalls in placement of long-term venous access for chemotherapy in cancer patients.
A Comparative Analysis of Competency Frameworks for Youth Workers in the Out-of-School Time Field

Research suggests that the quality of out-of-school time (OST) programs is related to positive youth outcomes and skilled staff are a critical component of high quality programming. This descriptive case study of competency frameworks for youth workers in the OST field demonstrates how experts and practitioners characterize a skilled youth worker. A comparative analysis of 11 competency frameworks is conducted to identify a set of common core competencies. A set of 12 competency areas that are shared by existing frameworks used in the OST field are identified. The age of youth being served, descriptions of mastery for each competency area, an emphasis on developing mid-level managers, and incorporating research emerge as factors that should be addressed in future competency frameworks.
Drinking history and risk of fatal injury: comparison among specific injury causes

The effect of acute alcohol use on injury risk is well documented, but the relationship between drinking history and fatal injury has not been adequately studied. The authors performed a case-control analysis to explore the association between drinking history and specific causes of fatal injury. Cases (n = 5549) were persons who died from injury, selected from the 1993 National Mortality Followback Survey (NMFS); controls (n = 42,698) were a representative sample of the general population, selected from the 1992 National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey (NLAES). Current drinkers comprised 59% of the cases compared with 44% of the controls. After adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, employment, and drug use, the odds ratio (OR) of dying from drowning for current drinkers was 3.48 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.94, 6.25), the highest among all causes of injury studied. The lowest adjusted odds ratio associated with current drinking was for falls (OR = 1.38; 95% CI = 1.05, 1.82). Being a current drinker increased the risk of dying from suicide more for females (OR = 4.04; 95% CI = 1.64, 9.93) than for males (OR = 1.45; 95% CI = 1.20, 1.74). The authors conclude that drinking history is associated with a significantly increased risk of all types of fatal injury.
An apparatus to study continuous discrimination performance as a function of level of cerebral vigilance.

An apparatus was developed to study human discrimination performance as a function of the arousal continuum. The apparatus was designed to provide Ss with an undemanding, repetitive, and monotonous discrimination task over long periods of time. A functional description and circuit details are given.
Impact of Boost Converter Switching Frequency on Optimal Operation of Fuel Cell Systems

In this paper results obtained from analysis and design of a soft-switching Boost converter for a fuel-cell-system is discussed. Key benefits of soft-switching such as high efficiency operation, reduced EMI, and decreased device power stresses were verified. It is demonstrated that by utilizing ZVS and ZCS techniques, high-frequency/high-power density converters can be designed to match the high power density of fuel cells. Also a converter design for fuel cells requires additional considerations due to some limitations of fuel cell systems. Current ripple limitation of fuel cells is discussed in this paper.
Size Effects in the Electronic Properties of Finite Arrays of Exchange-Coupled Quantum Dots

Transport properties of arrays of metallic quantum dots are governed by the distance-dependent exchange coupling between the dots. It is shown that the effective value of the exchange coupling, as measured by the charging energy per dot, depends monotonically on the size of the array. The effect saturates for hexagonal arrays of over 75 unit cells. The discussion uses a multistage block renormalization group approach applied to the Hubbard Hamiltonian. A first-order phase transition occurs upon compression of the lattice, and the size dependence is qualitatively different for the two phases.
Extinction mapping of polycrystalline patterns

Descriptions of polycrystalline patterns require the quantitative characterization of the organization of many crystallites. Automated linear birefringence imaging systems developed during the past 15 years are well suited to mapping crystallite orientation. Here, the rotating polarizer method is applied to the optical textures of polycrystalline phthalic acid spherulites.
‘What can brown do for you?’ Indo chic and the fashionability of South Asian inspired styles

Since the late 1990s, fashions, yoga and other trends that feel uncannily ‘Indian’ have become ubiquitous in popular media. Through a multi-sited analysis of advertisements and fashion spreads, we examine how Indiannness becomes a fashionable mode of representing exoticized cool and commodifiable difference at the same time that South Asian bodies are increasingly rendered suspect by the mechanisms of xenophobic nationalism, specifically targeted against South Asians. We examine fashion spreads in popular fashion magazines like Glamour, advertising campaigns for OPI and Cover Girl cosmetics against cultural production including Monica Ali's Brick Lane, thus suggesting the legacy of Indo Chic has been reworked by South Asian diasporic cultural producers to present an alternative vision of capital, kinship and diasporized identity.
Environmental justice and the politics of energy on the US–Mexico border

Abstract This paper is part of an emerging effort to explore environmental justice in the forms in which it is appearing in Latin America, both as a discourse of popular mobilisation and as a set of principles for analysis and interpretation. It explores the promise and limits of environmental justice on the US–Mexico border, drawing its lessons from a study of trans-border energy politics. In the wake of the California energy regulatory crisis, energy companies set their sights on northern Baja California as an ideal production platform to meet US energy demand through the construction of new power plants and receiving terminals for liquefied natural gas. This paper explores the emergence of environmental justice as a banner of community resistance to Baja's energy boom, as well as its utility as an analytical framework that highlights underlying issues of distributional inequity and procedural injustice.
An evaluation of forensic similarity hashes

The fast growth of the average size of digital forensic targets demands new automated means to quickly, accurately and reliably correlate digital artifacts. Such tools need to offer more flexibility than the routine known-file filtering based on crypto hashes. Currently, there are two tools for which NIST has produced reference hash sets-ssdeep and sdhash. The former provides a fixed-sized fuzzy hash based on random polynomials, whereas the latter produces a variable-length similarity digest based on statistically-identified features packed into Bloom filters. This study provides a baseline evaluation of the capabilities of these tools both in a controlled environment and on real-world data. The results show that the similarity digest approach significantly outperforms in terms of recall and precision in all tested scenarios and demonstrates robust and scalable behavior.
Incidence and prediction of induced ventricular tachyarrhythmias in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Abstract The value of time-domain and spectral turbulence analyses of the signal-averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG) for predicting induction of sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) was prospectively investigated in 70 patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Sustained VT was induced in 9 patients (13%). The prevalence of abnormal time-domain and spectral analyses was 16 and 37%, respectively. The total predictive accuracy of time-domain and spectral analyses for VT induction was 86 and 67%, respectively (p In dilated cardiomyopathy, an abnormal time-domain SAECG and induced sustained VT are rare, both time-domain signal-averaged electrocardiography and spectral analysis have a high predictive accuracy for VT induction in patients without an intraventricular conduction defect, and spectral analysis does not improve VT prediction in those with a conduction defect.
Student demographics and outcomes in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Using longitudinal data from eleven institutions in the U.S., this study explores the persistence of students in the two largest engineering disciplines: Electrical (EE) and Mechanical (ME). These programs have large enrollments of students but small percentages of women. Despite these similarities, enrollment and persistence in these majors is qualitatively different. In this research, we adopt an intersectional framework and consider both race/ethnicity and gender. Our results show that ME attracts more White students while EE attracts more Black and Asian students. Hispanic men and women are attracted in similar numbers to EE and ME. Overall, ME has higher graduation rates than EE and women have higher rates than men in both disciplines. Transfer students of nearly all race/gender groups are more likely to persist to graduation than starters in the same disciplines. Black and Hispanic female transfer students are particularly successful in EE and ME, which suggests enhancing the transfer pathway as a strategy to improve diversity. The success of ME starters causes a shift in the demographic profile between starters and graduates. ME could learn from EE how to diversify its enrollment and EE could learn from ME strategies to retain its diverse students. These findings suggest that program factors affect each race-gender group differently. Therefore, the success of recruitment and retention strategies may depend on considering both the target population and the discipline.
Stochastic sensitivity analysis by dimensional decomposition and score functions

This article presents a new class of computational methods, known as dimensional decomposition methods, for calculating stochastic sensitivities of mechanical systems with respect to probability distribution parameters. These methods involve a hierarchical decomposition of a multivariate response function in terms of variables with increasing dimensions and score functions associated with probability distribution of a random input. The proposed decomposition facilitates univariate and bivariate approximations of stochastic sensitivity measures, lower-dimensional numerical integrations or Lagrange interpolations, and Monte Carlo simulation. Both the probabilistic response and its sensitivities can be estimated from a single stochastic analysis, without requiring performance function gradients. Numerical results indicate that the decomposition methods developed provide accurate and computationally efficient estimates of sensitivities of statistical moments or reliability, including stochastic design of mechanical systems. Future effort includes extending these decomposition methods to account for the performance function parameters in sensitivity analysis.
The proper use of indices of metamerism

General (spectral) and special (colorimetric) indices of metamerism have been developed to evaluate match quality for metameric and parameric specimens. For a parameric pair, in which there is not an exact colorimetric match for a reference observer and illuminant, various corrections can be used to adjust one of the stimuli such that an exact match is achieved. These adjustments can be spectral or colorimetric. In cases where the mismatch is large, the resultant metameric index may be misleading. A small index of metamerism and a large color difference under the reference conditions has a different interpretation than its converse. This is demonstrated for blue, yellow, magenta artist paints matching a spectrally nonselective gray. The implication is that special indices of metamerism should be calculated only for a limited range of color differences under the reference condition. It is suggested that metameric indices should not be calculated for pairs having a mismatch beyond a threshold value, for example, 5 ΔE. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 33, 509–512, 2008
A Multigrid Method for Total Variation-Based Image Denoising

Byimage reconstruction we mean obtaining the solution u of an operator equation of the form $$Au = z,$$ (1.1) where A is typically (but not necessarily) linear, and the dataz is assumed to be contaminated by error. Two important special cases are: (i) Denoising, or noise removal, whereAu =u; and (ii)Deblurring, whereA is a Fredholm first kind integral operator $$(Au)(x) = \int_\Omega k (x,y)u(y)dy,x \in \Omega $$ (1.2) which models “blurring” processes involved in image formation. See [9] for details.
EMG amplitude patterns in rat soleus and medial gastrocnemius following seven days of hindlimb suspension

Recently, the authors showed that hindlimb suspension (HS) in the rat, i.e. 'unloading' the hindlimbs by tail suspension, results in a dramatic decrease, at least initially, in the daily amount of neuromuscular activity in the major plantarflexors of the ankle. By seven days postsuspension, however, the total integral of the electromyographical signal (EMG) recording using intramuscular electrodes over a 24-hour period was similar to presuspension values in both the soleus (sol) and the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles. The authors analyze these activation records and show that the interrelationship of the EMG amplitude patterns (i.e. the recruitment patterns) between these two synergists for plantar flexion are significantly altered. The data demonstrate that there is an alteration in the normal recruitment pattern of these two synergists under unloaded conditions. The data further suggest that the observed changes in activation patterns may be related to the magnitude of the mechanical and metabolic adaptations in the sol and MG following suspension. >
The benefits of acupuncture: what you think is what you get, or is it?

As a complex treatment, with many contextual aspects of the visit being potentially therapeutic, acupuncture has long been assumed to be more effective among those patients who believe that it will help them. A number of studies have indeed shown that acupuncture is more effective among such patients.1–3 However, not all rigorously conducted studies have found this to be true. For example, in a large 638 person trial we conducted of acupuncture for chronic back pain with acupuncture-naive participants, we found that those with high pretreatment expectations for acupuncture showed greater expectations of improvement in general and showed greater preference for acupuncture.4 They were more likely to have heard that acupuncture was a very effective treatment and to have a very or moderately positive impression of acupuncture. However, such favourable beliefs towards acupuncture did not predict improvement in back-related function or pain at the end of 7 weeks of treatment or at the end of a year of follow-up. …
An optimized shape cavity for TESLA: concept and fabrication

The accelerating gradient performance of superconducting niobium cavities is rapidly progressing as a result of reduced field emission due to improvement in surface preparation techniques. Beyond the field emission limitation, there exists a fundamental limit imposed by the critical magnetic field of niobium. One way to tackle this limit is to reduce the ratio of the peak magnetic field to the accelerating gradient so that a higher accelerating gradient is possible while the cavity is still superconducting. New cavity shapes of reentrant type have been proposed and optimized. A single cell 1300 MHz cavity of this new class of shapes has been fabricated. Because of the reentrant geometry, the fabrication and surface cleaning of the cavity becomes challenging. In this paper, we present some calculation prerequisites and the fabrication and preparation results for this new cavity.
Osmotic actuation for microfluidic components in point-of-care applications

We present a novel design of micropumps and valves driven by osmotic force for point-of-care applications. Although there have been significant progresses in microfluidic components and control devices such as fluidic diodes, switches, resonators and digital-to-analog converters, the ultimate power source still depends on bulky off-chip components, which are expensive and cannot be easily miniaturized. For point-of-care applications, it is critical to integrate all the components in a compact size at low cost. In this work, we report two key active components actuated by osmotic mechanism for total integrated microfluidic system. For the proof of concept, we have demonstrated valve actuation, which can maintain stable ON/OFF switching operations under 125 kPa back pressure. We have also implemented an osmotic pump, which can pump a high flow rate over 30 μL/min for longer than 30 minutes. The experimental data demonstrates the possibility and potential of applying osmotic actuation in point-of-care disposable microfluidics.
Lusin's theorem for measure preserving homeomorphisms

We are concerned with invertible transformations of the unit n-dimensional cube In, 2 ≤ n ≤ ∞, which preserve n-dimensional Lebesgue measure μ. Following Halmos [4], we denote the space of all such transformations by G = G(In), and the subset of G consisting of homeomorphisms by M = M(In). We ask to what extent, and in what sense, can we approximate an arbitrary transformation g in G by a homeomorphism h in M. New results are obtained in the course of presenting a new proof of the theorem of J. Oxtoby and H. E. White, Jr., stated below.
Material-specific lateralization of prefrontal activation during episodic encoding and retrieval

Although numerous neuroimaging studies have examined the functional neuroanatomy supporting episodic memory for verbal material, there have been few investigations of non-verbal episodic encoding and retrieval. We used fMRI to directly compare prefrontal activation elicited by verbal and non-verbal material during encoding and during retrieval. Regardless of the mnemonic operation (encoding/retrieval), inferior prefrontal activation lateralized based on material type. Verbal encoding and retrieval resulted in greater left inferior prefrontal activation, whereas non-verbal encoding and retrieval resulted in greater right inferior prefrontal activation. The similarity between inferior prefrontal activity during encoding and during retrieval indicates that these mnemonic operations depend on shared processes mediated by inferior prefrontal regions.
A Parallel Algorithm for Predicting the Secondary Structure of Polycistronic MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are newly discovered endogenous small non-coding RNAs (21-25nt) that target their complementary gene transcripts for degradation or translational repression. The biogenesis of a functional miRNA is largely dependent on the secondary structure of the miRNA precursor (pre-miRNA). Recently, it has been shown that miRNAs are present in the genome as the form of polycistronic transcriptional units in plants and animals. It will be important to design methods to predict such structures for miRNA discovery and its applications in gene silencing. In this paper, we propose a parallel algorithm based on the master-slave architecture to predict the secondary structure from an input sequence. First, the master processor partitions the input sequence into subsequences and distributes them to the slave processors. The slave processors will then predict the secondary structure based on their individual task. Afterward, the slave processors will return their results to the master processor. Finally, the master processor will merge the partial structures from the slave processors into a whole candidate secondary structure. The optimal structure is obtained by sorting the candidate structures according to their scores. Our experimental results indicate that the actual speed-ups match the trend of theoretic values.
Overcoming overconfidence in learning from video-recorded lectures: Implications of interpolated testing for online education

Abstract The video-recorded lecture represents a central feature of most online learning platforms. Nonetheless, little is known about how to best structure video-recorded lectures in order to optimize learning. Here, we focused on the tendency for high school and college students to be overconfident in their learning from video-recorded modules, and demonstrated that testing could be used to effectively improve the calibration between predicted and actual performance. Notably, interpolating a lecture with repeated tests helped to boost actual performance to the level of predicted performance, whereas a single test following the lecture served to lower unrealistic judgments of learning. The value of improving performance to match predictions of learning and other avenues for future research regarding meta-comprehension of video-recorded lectures is discussed.
Drosophila Importin α1 Performs Paralog-Specific Functions Essential For Gametogenesis

Importin α's mediate nuclear transport by linking nuclear localization signal (NLS)-containing proteins to importin β1. Animal genomes encode three conserved groups of importin α's, α1's, α2's, and α3's, each of which are competent to bind classical NLS sequences. Using Drosophila melanogaster we describe the isolation and phenotypic characterization of the first animal importin α1 mutant. Animal α1's are more similar to ancestral plant and fungal α1-like genes than to animal α2 and α3 genes. Male and female importin α1 (Dα1) null flies developed normally to adulthood (with a minor wing defect) but were sterile with defects in gametogenesis. The Dα1 mutant phenotypes were rescued by Dα1 transgenes, but not by Dα2 or Dα3 transgenes. Genetic interactions between the ectopic expression of Dα1 and the karyopherins CAS and importin β1 suggest that high nuclear levels of Dα1 are deleterious. We conclude that Dα1 performs paralog-specific activities that are essential for gametogenesis and that regulation of subcellular Dα1 localization may affect cell fate decisions. The initial expansion and specialization of the animal importin α-gene family may have been driven by the specialized needs of gametogenesis. These results provide a framework for studies of the more complex mammalian importin α-gene family.
Bilingual Education: Teachers' Narratives

Bilingual Education: Teachers' Narratives. Nancy Lemberger. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1997. 206 pp.
Unraveling the contradictions of vitamin A and infectious diseases in children.

In this age of modern medicine we have become increasingly dependent on sophisticated antimicrobial drugs and vaccines so it is easy to lose sight of the fact that simple interventions can effectively contribute to the treatment or prevention of infectious diseases. Within the past 100 years there have been several notable examples of such simple interventions including oral rehydration therapy for acute diarrheal illness directly observed therapy for tuberculosis and the use of vitamin A in child survival programs. Naturally occurring vitamin A is obtained from several dietary animal sources including liver oils eggs and dairy products as well as from carotenoids in green leafy and orange vegetables and fruits. In premodern times when foods were not fortified with vitamin A deficiencies of this micronutrient were extremely common especially among persons living in poverty. Modern scientific investigation of vitamin A began at the start of the 20th century with the observation of an association between xeropthalmia (or night blindness) and severe malnutrition. As far back as the time of Hippocrates this very obvious and debilitating condition was observed to be reversible by consuming specific foods such as animal liver codliver oil or butter. (excerpt)