cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Throughput-efficient sequential channel sensing and probing in cognitive radio networks under sensing errors

In this paper, we exploit channel diversity for opportunistic spectrum access (OSA). Our approach uses channel quality as a second criterion (along with the idle/busy status of the channel) in selecting channels to use for opportunistic transmission. The difficulty of the problem comes from the fact that it is practically infeasible for a CR to first scan all channels and then pick the best among them, due to the potentially large number of channels open to OSA and the limited power/hardware capability of a CR. As a result, the CR can only sense and probe channels sequentially. To avoid collisions with other CRs, after sensing and probing a channel, the CR needs to make a decision on whether to terminate the scan and use the underlying channel or to skip it and scan the next one. The optimal use-or-skip decision strategy that maximizes the CR's average throughput is one of our primary concerns in this study. This problem is further complicated by practical considerations, such as sensing/probing overhead and sensing errors. An optimal decision strategy that addresses all the above considerations is derived by formulating the sequential sensing/probing process as a rate-of-return problem, which we solve using optimal stopping theory. We further explore the special structure of this strategy to conduct a "second-round" optimization over the operational parameters, such as the sensing and probing times. We show through simulations that significant throughput gains (e.g., about 100%) are achieved using our joint sensing/probing scheme over the conventional one that uses sensing alone.
Targeting Ras-RAF-ERK and its Interactive Pathways as a Novel Therapy for Malignant Gliomas

Malignant gliomas are the most common and the deadliest brain malignancies in adults. Despite the lack of a complete understanding of the biology of these tumors, significant advances have been made in the past decades. One of the key discoveries made in the area of malignant gliomas is that these tumors can be induced and maintained by aberrant signaling networks. In this context, the Ras pathway has been extensively exploited, from both basic and translational perspectives. Although somatic oncogenic mutations of Ras genes are frequent in several cancer types, early investigations on gliomas revealed disappointing facts that the Ras mutations are nearly absent in malignant gliomas and that the BRAF mutations are present in a very small percentage of gliomas. Therefore, the observed deregulation of the Ras-RAF-ERK signaling pathway in gliomas is attributed to its upstream positive regulators, including, EGFR and PDGFR known to be highly active in the majority of malignant gliomas. In contrast to the initial negative results on the somatic mutations of H-Ras, K-Ras and BRAF, recent breakthrough studies on pediatric low-grade astrocytomas uncovered genetic alterations of the BRAF gene involving copy number gains and rearrangements. The 7q34 rearrangements result in a novel in-frame KIAA1549:BRAF fusion gene that possesses constitutive BRAF kinase activity resembling oncogenic BRAF (V600E). In light of the earlier findings and recent breakthroughs, this review summarizes our current understanding of the Ras-RAF-ERK signaling pathway in gliomas and the outcome of preclinical and clinical studies that evaluated the efficacy of Ras-targeted therapy in malignant gliomas.
The Emerging Internet Retailing Market as a Nested Diffusion Process

In this essay, we analyse the diffusion of the Internet and online retailing within the standard framework of diffusion to heterogeneous consumers. We show that many conditions favour the diffusion of Internet retailing in the short run, but not in the long run. We argue that the standard framework needs to account for the "nested" diffusion process. That is, the diffusion of online retailing depends on the diffusion of many other goods, whose underlying diffusion process is also changing. An understanding of these interrelated processes leads to a richer understanding of the prospects for the long-term diffusion of online retailing.
Characterization of dicalcium phosphate dihydrate cements prepared using a novel hydroxyapatite-based formulation

Dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) cements are typically prepared using beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) as the base component. However, hydroxyapatite (HA) is an interesting alternative because of its potential for reducing cement acidity, as well as modulating cement properties via ionic substitutions. In the present study, we have characterized DCPD cements prepared with a novel formulation based on monocalcium phosphate monohydrate (MCPM) and HA. Cements were prepared using a 4:1 MCPM:HA molar ratio. The reactivity of HA in this system was verified by showing DCPD formation using poorly crystalline HA, as well as highly crystalline HA. Evaluation of cements prepared with poorly crystalline HA revealed that setting occurs rapidly in the MCPM/HA system, and that the use of a setting regulator is necessary to maintain workability of the cement paste. Compressive testing showed that MCPM/HA cements have strengths comparable to what has previously been published for DCPD cements. However, preliminary in vitro analysis of cement degradation revealed that conversion of DCPD to HA may occur much more rapidly in the MCPM/HA system compared to cements prepared with beta-TCP. Future studies should investigate this property further, as it could have important implications for the use of HA-based DCPD cement formulations.
The editorial process and politicized scholarship: monday morning editorial quarterbacking and a call for scientific vigilance.

The publication of Mark Regnerus’ research paper claiming to show that gays and especially lesbians have poor parenting outcomes has unleashed a firestorm of controversy among social scientists who study family and sexuality—fanned by the author’s cultivation of popular media reporting on the study. Less attention has been paid to the review paper by Loren Marks, arguing against the American Psychological Association’s stance that same-sex parenting is not dysfunctional, but the process by which Social Science Research published that paper is also in question. At the request of the editor, Professor James D. Wright (and at the suggestion of Dr. David Brady of Duke University), I have independently reviewed the submission and review process for both papers, and I report on that process from a perspective of editorial realism. I do this with an eye towards explaining how available and customary procedures can lead to substandard outcomes. I will leave the more detailed critiques of Regnerus’ and Marks’ studies to other scholars. The publication of the Regnerus paper raised red flags for many scholars, including myself, and the timeline of the data collection, article submission, and acceptance led many to assume that Social Science Research colluded with the author and violated standard editorial policy as well as ethical standards. Indeed, the timeline of Regnerus’ data collection effort and paper submission is highly unusual—Regnerus wrote and submitted the first draft of the paper before the data collection had been completed. Regnerus did not indicate that data collection was ongoing in the first draft of his paper. The paper was reviewed, revised, and accepted in only 6 weeks. Normally, an editor would be praised by the scientific community for accomplishing such a miraculous turnaround time for manuscript reviews, but in this case many questioned Wright’s actions and implied a nefarious motive. Wright provided me with all of the reviews and reviewer information, along with the timeline of correspondence, and I will summarize the review process and how I see it in terms of the normal realities of editing a major journal like Social Science Research. This incident provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the peer review process, and how we critically evaluate research. There are new political realities which social scientists, perhaps especially sociologists, have not previously had to engage. And there are also constant issues of conflicts of interest that need to be better addressed in the editorial process—and here the onus lies as much on reviewers as on journal editors to admit when one is too close to an author or an issue to make a valid judgment about the worth of the research.
Histotechnologists, the Color Index and dye purity

Histotechnologists skillfully use histochemical stains to demonstrate various components in tissue sections with different colors, and most histology laboratories have available a wide range of biological dyes to stain histological tissue sections. Histotechnologists can improve their skills by paying attention to the Color Index number for each dye they use, i.e. a special five digit number assigned to each dye to separate it from any other dye used in the histology laboratory. This short article reviews briefly the use of the Color Index, dye generic names and dye purity.
The influence of rurality on the volume of non-urgent emergency department visits

Abstract At least one-third of emergency department (ED) visits in the United States are non-urgent, for conditions that can be treated more efficiently in primary care settings. Research suggests rural areas may have higher non-urgent ED visit rates. Such research rarely accounts for spatial factors that may bias results, and is often limited to dichotomous rurality measures, either “rural” or “urban”. We examined the association between multiple levels of rurality and ED visits in South Carolina. Controlling for spatial effects, the distance of Community Health Centers from the cores of populated areas (centroids), and the percentage of the population in poverty, increasing levels of rurality predicted higher rates of uninsured ED visits, non-urgent ED visits, non-urgent privately insured ED visits, and non-urgent uninsured ED visits. Results also demonstrated that estimates of effects of rurality on ED use that do not account for spatial random effects would be biased.
Shmushkevich's method for a charge-independent theory

The Shmushkevich method for deducing consequences of charge independence is explained and discussed. This method, which avoids entirely the use of Clebsch-Gordan coefficients, generates linear equalities and inequalities among cross sections using only a simple counting procedure. A comprehensive list of such relations, applying to most elementary-particle reactions of interest which involve at least one pair of isospin-\textonehalf{} particles, is presented. A discussion of the various uses of these relations is given.
“Stop looking at me!”: Interpersonal sexual objectification as a source of insidious trauma.

Objectification has been conceptualized as a form of insidious trauma, but the specific relationships among objectification experiences, self-objectification, and trauma symptoms have not yet been investigated. Participants were women with (n = 136) and without (n = 201) a history of sexual trauma. They completed a survey measuring trauma history, objectification experiences (body evaluation and unwanted sexual advances), constructs associated with self-objectification (body surveillance and body shame), and trauma symptoms. The relationships among the variables were consistent for both women with and without a history of sexual trauma. Our hypothesized path model fit equally well for both groups. Examination of the indirect effects showed that experiencing unwanted sexual advances was indirectly related to trauma symptoms through body shame for those with and without a history of sexual trauma. Additionally, for women with a history of sexual trauma, the experience of body evaluation was indirectly relat...
The Destabilization of Rossby Normal Modes by Meridional Baroclinic Shear

Abstract The Rossby normal modes of a two-layer fluid in a meridional channel of width L∗ are altered by the presence of a meridional flow with a small vertical shear. The stability of the modes in the presence of the weak shear is considered. It is found that the joint presence of the Rossby modes and the vertical shear leads to baroclinic instability even for arbitrarily small values of the shear. The results are used to explain previous numerical calculations of the persistent instability of meridional flows when the ratio βL2D/V > 1, where V is the magnitude of the shear, β is the planetary vorticity gradient, and LD is the deformation radius. If the flow were zonal it would be stable for such weak shears. The growth rates are weak when βL2D/V ≫ 1 and each unstable mode exists in a narrow range of meridional wavenumber. The asymptotic results qualitatively agree with the earlier numerical results at moderate values of the same parameter.
Almost 2-homogeneous Bipartite Distance-regular Graphs

Let ?= (X, R) denote a bipartite distance-regular graph with diameter d? 4, and fix a vertex x of ?. The Terwilliger algebra of ? with respect to x is the subalgebra T ofMatX (C) generated by A, E*0,E*1,? , E*d, where A is the adjacency matrix of? , and where E*i denotes the projection onto the i th subconstituent of? with respect to x. Let W denote an irreducible T -module. W is said to be thin whenever dim E*iW? 1 (0 ?i?d). The endpoint of W is min{ i |E*iW?= 0}. It is known that a thin irreducibleT -module of endpoint 2 has dimension d? 3, d? 2, ord? 1. ? is said to be 2-homogeneous whenever for all i(1 ?i?d? 1 ) and for all x, y,z?X with ?(x, y) = 2,? (x, z) =i, ?(y,z ) =i, the number | ?1(x) ??1(y) ??i?1(z)| is independent ofx , y, z. Nomura has classified the 2-homogeneous bipartite distance-regular graphs. In this paper we study a slightly weaker condition. ? is said to be almost 2-homogeneous whenever for all i(1 ?i?d? 2 ) and for all x, y,z?X with ?(x, y) = 2,? (x, z) =i, ?(y,z ) =i, the number | ?1(x) ??1(y) ??i?1(z)| is independent ofx , y, z. We prove that the following are equivalent: (i)? is almost 2-homogeneous; (ii)? has, up to isomorphism, a unique irreducible T -module of endpoint 2 and this module is thin. Moreover, ? is 2-homogeneous if and only if (i) and (ii) hold and the unique irreducible T -module of endpoint 2 has dimension d? 3.
Comment on "Long-time dynamics via direct summation of infinite continued fractions"

A Comment on the Letter by Z.-X. Cai [ital et] [ital al]., Phys. Rev. Lett. 68, 1637 (1992).
GRAVITATIONAL LENSING SIGNATURE OF LONG COSMIC STRINGS

The gravitational lensing by long, wiggly cosmic strings is shown to produce a large number of lensed images of a background source. In addition to pairs of images on either side of the string, a number of small images outline the string due to small-scale structure on the string. This image pattern could provide a highly distinctive signature of cosmic strings. Since the optical depth for multiple imaging of distant quasar sources by long strings may be comparable to that by galaxies, these image patterns should be clearly observable in the next generation of redshift surveys such as the Sloan digital sky survey. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Phenotypic and functional stages in the intrathymic development of αβ T cells

Abstract The thymus is the main site o f T-cell maturation. On arrival in the thymus, CD8-CD4- double-negative (DN) T-cell precursors undergo extensive gene rearrangement, phenotypic alteration and biochemical modi fication to yield the population of thymocytes that undergoes intrathymic selection. The selected mature thymocytes then go on to seed the periphery. In this article Janko Nikolic-Žugic discusses the labyrinthine development that constitutes αβ T-cell maturation and selection.
Compact input coding for speech recognition by neural net (abstract)

Error back-propagation has been used to train a multilayer perceptron to classify an individual's utterances of digits. The network has made no errors in classifying 300 new utterances, and has exhibited robust performance with gross variations in speaking style and signal-to-noise ratio. The novelty of the approach is the way in which temporal information is encoded for use by the perceptron. Specifically, the input is a pattern of decaying activations in a self-organized map of speech spectra. At uniform steps in time, the unit in the map that most accurately represents the current speech sound is fully activated. The activation of the unit subsequently decays exponentially, and at any time the level of activation of a unit indicates how recently its corresponding speech sound has occurred. One may imagine the map as a screen of luminescent elements and the speech signal as a point of light moving across the screen. The role of the network is to classify trajectories of digits on the screen. We have found that the rate of decay in the feature map is not an important factor in isolated digit recognition. Decay rate is expected to be a critical factor in training the perceptron to spot utterances of digits in fluent speech, however. Use of the digit-classifier in a “bootstrap” training procedure for a continuous speech recognizer is proposed.
Chaotic attractors exhibiting quasicrystalline structure

Abstract An extension of canonical projection allowing the projection of objects from higher dimensional space onto quasicrystalline structures is developed. In particular, we create symmetric chaotic attractors in 5-dimensionsal space and then project them to the plane such that the resulting image exhibits the structure of a quasicrystalline tiling. These images give a new visual expression of the higher dimensional symmetry of the corresponding attractor.
Stochastic equilibria with incomplete financial markets

Abstract We demonstrate the existence of equilibria with incomplete financial markets for stochastic economies whose information structure is given by an event tree, restricting attention to purely financial securities, those paying in units of account (e.g., “dollars”). Financial markets may be incomplete: some consumption streams may be impossible to obtain by any trading strategy. Securities may be individually precluded from trade at arbitrary states and dates. Sufficient conditions for the existence of stochastic equilibria are: continuous, convex, strictly monotonic preferences and strictly positive aggregate endowments. These conditions are weakened. A corollary states that any regime of security prices precluding arbitrage can be embedded in an equilibrium.
Taxation with Representation?: Examining Public Fiscal Support for Diverse Correctional Policies

Few criminological studies have investigated what factors influence the public’s fiscal support for correctional policies. This study addresses this gap by exploring public support for increasing taxes to fund five diverse correctional measures—inmate education, drug treatment for inmates, psychiatric care for mentally ill prisoners, child counseling for inmates’ children, and the building of new prisons. Findings suggest that citizen dissatisfaction and criminal justice system employment are significant predictors of decreased support for taxes that would fund correctional policies. Experience with the criminal justice system is a significant predictor of increased support for correctional programming. Social and demographic variables are also predictors of fiscal support. Because large segments of the public support taxes for correctional measures, policymakers should consider such views when adopting or modifying correctional policies. Additionally, correctional systems should consider tracking public ...
Does income inequality harm health? New cross-national evidence

The provocative hypothesis that income inequality harms population health has sparked a large body of research, some of which has reported strong associations between income inequality and population health. Cross-national evidence is frequently cited in support of this important hypothesis, but the hypothesis remains controversial, and the cross-national work has been criticized for several methodological shortcomings. This study replicates previous work using a larger sample (692 observations from 115 countries over the 1947-1996 period), a wider range of statistical controls, and fixed-effects models that address heterogeneity bias. The relationship between health and inequality shrinks when controls are included. In fixed-effects models that capture unmeasured heterogeneity, the association between income inequality and health disappears. The null findings hold for two measures of income inequality: the Gini coefficient and the share of income received by the poorest quintile of the population. Analysis of a sample of wealthy countries also fails to support the hypothesis.
Resection of a benign brachial plexus nerve sheath tumor using intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring.

OBJECTIVE: Benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors arising from the brachial plexus are rare. Neurosurgeons often lack the clinical and surgical experience to optimize the management of these uncommon tumors. We filmed a video depicting the surgical resection of a benign peripheral nerve sheath tumor involving the brachial plexus. METHODS: An illustrative case was used to demonstrate the proper management of a brachial plexus nerve sheath tumor including the important role of intraoperative electrophysiological neuromonitoring during tumor resection. RESULTS: Using an illustrative case, we describe a systematic approach in the evaluation and surgical management of patients with a brachial plexus nerve sheath tumor. The importance of taking a thorough clinical history, performing a thorough physical examination, applying high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging techniques to visualize the pathology, and using intraoperative electrophysiological neuromonitoring during surgical exposure and resection of the tumor are stressed. Combined with appropriate postoperative treatment, these techniques minimize the risks and increase the likelihood of achieving a good clinical outcome. CONCLUSION: Brachial plexus nerve sheath tumors are challenging mass lesions that should be evaluated and surgically resected by an experienced team of physicians to optimize clinical outcome.
Synthesis and characterization of a poly(dimethylsiloxane)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer for fabrication of amphiphilic surfaces on microfluidic devices.

A poly(dimethylsiloxane)−poly(ethylene oxide) (PDMS−PEO) vinyl terminated block copolymer has been synthesized via a simple hydrosilylation reaction between hydride-terminated PDMS and PEO divinyl ether. This prepolymer can be subsequently cross-linked into an elastomer in a second hydrosilylation reaction involving a methylhydrosiloxane−dimethylsiloxane copolymer, forming a material suitable for the purposes of fabricating microfluidic devices. The presence of the PEO block in the prepolymer chain results in a much more hydrophilic material following cross-linking. The surface water contact angle of the PDMS−PEO material is 65° ± 3 (n = 6), as opposed to approximately 110° for native PDMS. Droplets of water straddled by air within molded channels of the PDMS−PEO are concave in shape with contact angles where the fluid meets the side walls of 32° ± 4 (n = 8), while droplets in PDMS microchannels are more convex with contact angles of 95° ± 6 (n = 6). The length of the PDMS−PEO prepolymer chain and the mul...
Bound States and Dispersion Relations

A vertex closely related to the Bethe-Salpeter amplitude is discussed in the one meson exchange approximation by dispersion theory methods. Both scalar and spinor cases are treated. The relation between anomalous thresholds and the Schr\"odinger equation is discussed in some detail. It is shown that dispersion methods can be used to determine bound state parameters. An estimate is made of the asymptotic ($D\ensuremath{-}S$) ratio for the deuteron.
Trace determination of metal ion inhibitors of the glucose-glucose oxidase system

The inhibition of the glucose oxidase enzyme by three heavy metal inhibitors, Ag(I), Hg(II), and Pb(II) is reported. The method for the microdetermination of these metals is based on the decreased rate of the enzyme-catalyzed, aerobic oxidation of glucose to gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide. In the presence of horseradish peroxidase, the rapid oxidation ofo-dianisidine by hydrogen peroxide can be followed spectrophotometrically at 440 nm. Silver(I) has been determined in the range of 0.005 to 0.2μg/ml with an absolute error of less than 14 ng. Mercury(II) has been determined in the range of 0.1 to 0.4μg/ml with a maximum error of 34 ng. Below a concentration of 260μg/ml Pb(II), no appreciable inhibition was observed. Results indicate the utility of enzymatic methods to the trace determination of metal ion inhibitors.
Viscous flow past circular cylinders

Abstract Accurate and efficient calculation of the flow around a circular cylinder are presented for Reynolds number from 1 to 40 (based on the diameter). The semi-analytical method of series truncation is used to express the stream function and the vorticity in a finite Fourier series. Substitution into the Navier-Stokes equation yields a finite system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. These are approximated by two-point boundary value methods. The resulting nonlinear equation are solved unsing Newton's method. Much attention has been given to numerical errors and errors resulting from the approximation by a finite series. The results are compared with similar calculations by Keller-Takami and Dennis-Chang. The agreement is good. The application of free stream conditions at a finite radius is shown to yield inaccurate results. im
Disorder distal to modeled stenoses in steady and pulsatile flow

Abstract Measurements of the velocity and energy spectra were made in the distal region of modeled stenoses in a rigid tube with both steady and pulsatile water flows. Reynolds numbers of 318–2540 and a pulsatile flow frequency parameter of 15 were employed. The effects of the degree of stenosis, the stenosis geometry and the presence or absence of the downstream confining wall on the development of flow disturbances were investigated. Visualization of the distal flow patterns in stenotic and free jets illustrated the existence of complex fields which included vortex shedding, highly turbulent regions, and recirculation zones. Significant flow disorder was created by a mild stenosis in pulsatile, but not in steady, flow. Nondimensionalization employing the stenosis diameter and flow velocity in the throat of the constriction correlates the vortex shedding frequency and energy spectra within a limited postestenotic region.
Proterozoic history and crustal evolution in southwestern Colorado: Insight from U/Pb and Sm/Nd data

Abstract New U/Pb age constraints and Sm/Nd isotope data further establish the timing of magmatic and tectonic events from 1.8 to 1.4 Ga in southwestern Colorado, and give insight into the interaction of crust and mantle systems during the assembly and evolution of orogenic belts along the southern margin of Laurentia. Proterozoic orogenic events in the Needle Mountains led to crustal assembly, thickening and tectonic reworking that was punctuated by periods of relative crustal stability. Pre-1.75 Ga arc successions in southwestern Colorado were produced and assembled into juvenile crust in an orogenic period that culminated in regional deformation and metamorphism that accompanied intrusion of synorogenic plutonic rocks from 1.73 to 1.71 Ga. Emplacement of post-orogenic plutonic rocks at ∼1.70 Ga was followed by uplift and erosion, and the deposition and deformation of siliciclastic sedimentary sequences. Paleoproterozoic crust underwent local melting and thermal metamorphism during invasion of felsic to mafic magmas at ∼1.43 Ga that coincided with a pulse of intracratonic deformation. Invasion and melting of first-cycle 1.8–1.7 Ga crust at ∼1.71 and ∼1.43 Ga involved heat and volatiles from mantle melts that were a catalyst for crustal melting and magmatic recycling. Sm/Nd isotopic signatures of 1.8–1.4 Ga volcanic and plutonic rocks in southwestern Colorado lend evidence to the emplacement of melts from depleted mantle and juvenile crust in the production continental crust, with minor, if any, contamination by crust older than 1.8 Ga. The Proterozoic magmatic record in southwestern Colorado is consistent with continental growth by the addition of juvenile crust extracted from the mantle, followed by periodic intracrustal growth during orogenic pulses in which mantle magmas underplate and melt the crust with consequent thickening.
Reconsidering the Criminalization Debate: An Examination of the Predictors of Arrest Among People With Major Mental Disorders

It is widely accepted that individuals with major mental disorders are arrested at significantly higher rates when compared with non-disordered individuals. However, theoretical consensus regarding the cause of the arrest disparity still eludes researchers today. Two prevailing perspectives have dominated the debate—criminalization and criminality. Criminalization proponents argue the arrest disparity results from structural forces in society that have increasingly caused persons with mental disorders to come into contact with the justice system. Criminality proponents argue that the source of the disparity is the increased criminal behavior of persons with mental disorders. This study tests competing hypotheses drawn from these two perspectives. We analyze data from a sample of individuals recently released from psychiatric hospitals and a comparison sample of individuals from the same communities. Results of multivariate logistic regression models predicting arrest provide support for both perspectives....
Transformations of a ‘religious’ nation in a global world: Politics, Protestantism and ethnic identity in South Korea

In an increasingly globalised world, matters of national identity are no longer confined solely to domestic politics. This paper proposes that Christianity in South Korea is engaged in a mutually reinforcing relationship with the construction of Korean national identity, particularly concerning historical dynamics of both Westernisation and the formation of nationalism. In positioning the role of religion in the creation of a national image, the conflicts and contestations between religious groups will become politically effective. As actors in the political and religious field attempt to reflexively create an image of Korea that transcends national borders and anticipates to overcome domestic and ethnic divides, religion becomes more than an article of faith through its entanglement with national politics. By recognising the impact of Westernisation and its historical implications for this process, it becomes possible to approach the formation of Korean identity from a new angle by accounting for the eff...
Thermal infrared satellite data for the study of tectonic features

Multispectral thermal infrared data from the NOAA-7 Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) have been processed to evaluate their potential for mapping tectonic features. Day/night ratio data from 3 thermal bands between 3.7 and 12.0 microns were used to construct a thermal infrared color image that emphasizes heat retention differences in surface materials as a function of wavelength. The study area is an arid region of the Arabian Peninsula where lithologic units are widely exposed to satellite detectors. In spite of the coarse resolution of 1.1 km at nadir, the image of emitted radiation data contains prominent features that appear to relate to fault systems, unmapped extensions of fault systems, and drainage patterns that are lacking in AVHRR reflected radiation data.
Promoting Critical Reflection in Teacher Education Through Popular Media

Recognizing the possible influences of media narratives upon self-concepts, teacher educators have used films and television programs about teachers to promote preservice teachers' reflections on their professional identities and instructional practices. Theoretical models of reflection, in conjunction with media analysis, have the potential to increase preservice teachers' critical reflection to improve their future students' learning. Because preservice teachers do not yet have sufficient teaching experiences about which to reflect and little time to observe and consider adjustments in instruction over time, reflective analysis of popular media representations can offer surrogate experiences upon which to develop an educational philosophy and to consider classroom strategies as well as opportunities for future teachers to explore their own preconceptions about teaching that may well have been influenced by such representations.
Current surgical options in the control of cancer pain.

purpose: Pain syndromes resulting from recurrent or metastatic cancer require careful evaluation to determine the cause of the pain and the appropriate and judicious use of antitumor treatment. The choice of therapy must integrate the type of pain, its function, the overall disease burden of the patient, and psychological aspects of the cancer. As a general rule, opioid analgesics are the mainstay of treatment in patients with cancer-related pain. When pharmacologic pain control is insufficient or is associated with intolerable side effects, the surgical management of pain can be considered. overview: In this article, we review the options, indications, and side effects of the interventional and surgical methods available for the treatment of cancer-related pain. clinical implications: Planning surgical treatment for cancer-related pain after a patient's lack of response to therapy with opioid analgesics requires an understanding of sensory innervation as well as a realistic expectation of survival, anesthetic risk, or possibility of incomplete pain relief. As such, surgical interventions must be tailored to the individual patient. Clinicians should keep in mind the surgical alternatives for the effective control of pain when it becomes apparent that medical therapy is ineffective.
Job Satisfaction of Rural Public and Home Health Nurses

Based on Vroom's expectancy theory, this study was conducted to identify differences in job satisfaction between nurses working in public health settings, and staff nurses and administrators working in both settings. Questionnaires containing an adaptation of a job satisfaction scale were mailed to all 258 registered nurses practicing in public health and home health settings (response rate 57%) in a rural midwestern state. Respondents were asked to rate their satisfaction with various dimensions of their jobs, as well as how important each aspect was to them. Although both groups of nurses reported low satisfaction with salary, public health nurses were significantly less satisfied with their salaries than were home health nurses (F = 32.96, P < or = 0.001); home health nurses, however, were significantly less satisfied with benefits/rewards (F = 11.85, P < or = 0.001), task requirements (F = 8.37, P < or = 0.05), and professional status (F = 5.30, P < or = 0.05). Although administrators did not differ significantly from staff nurses on job satisfaction, they did perceive organizational climate (F = 4.50, P < or = 0.05) to be an important feature of satisfaction. These differences may be partially explained by divergent salaries, roles, and responsibilities between public health and home health nurses.
Managing the transition to self‐sufficiency: Changing state policies to provide better support to clients leaving welfare

This chapter examines ongoing efforts in Arizona to remove barriers to self-sufficiency. It reports on three areas in which difficulties in the implementation of existing policy were identified and policy initiatives were developed to provide more effective support to those leaving welfare.
External and Internal Consistency of User Evaluations

User evaluations may be useful to improve the quality of public services if they are consistent with service characteristics (i.e., external consistency) and user satisfaction (i.e., internal consistency). This article analyses the internal and external consistency of user evaluations of water services in Nicaragua. Internal consistency is assessed through item-total correlations, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and factor analysis. External consistency is analyzed through ordered logit and regression models. Results show a considerable degree of internal consistency. However, user evaluations are only partially consistent with service performance as personal characteristics also influence individual perceptions of the overall service, water pressure, system reliability, and water quality.
Differential gene expression of adenosine A1, A2a, A2b, and A3 receptors in the human enteric nervous system.

Adenosine receptors (ADORs) in the enteric nervous system may be of importance in the control of motor and secretomotor functions. Gene expression and distribution of neural adenosine A1, A2a, A2b, or A3 receptors (Rs) in the human intestine was investigated using immunochemical, Western blotting, RT-PCR, and short-circuit current (Isc) studies. Adenosine A1R, A2aR, A2bR, or A3R mRNAs were differentially expressed in neural and nonneural layers of the jejunum, ileum, colon, and cecum and in HT-29, T-84, T98G, and Bon cell lines. A1R, A2aR, A2bR, and A3R immunoreactivities (IRs) were differentially expressed in PGP 9.5-immunoreactive neurons. A2bR IR occurs exclusively in 50% of submucosal vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) neurons (interneurons, secretomotor or motor neurons) in jejunum, but not colon; A2aR is also found in other neurons. A3R IR occurs in 57% of substance P-positive jejunal submucosal neurons (putative intrinsic primary afferent neurons) and less than 10% of VIP neurons. Western blots revealed bands for A3R at 44 kDa, 52 kDa, and 66 kDa. A2aR and A2bR are coexpressed in enteric neurons and epithelial cells. 5′-N-methylcarboxamidoadenosine or carbachol evoked an increase in Isc. A2bR IR is more prominent than A2aR IR in myenteric neurons, nerve fibers, or glia. A1R is expressed in jejunal myenteric neurons and colonic submucosal neurons. Regional differences also exist in smooth muscle expression of ADOR IR(s). It is concluded that neural and nonneural A1, A2a, A2b, and A3Rs may participate in the regulation of neural reflexes in the human gut. Clear cell and regional differences exist in ADOR gene expression, distribution, localization, and coexpression. J. Comp. Neurol. 439:46–64, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Time course of activation of calcium release from sarcoplasmic reticulum in skeletal muscle

Myoplasmic free calcium transients were measured with antipyrylazo III in voltage clamped segments of frog skeletal muscle fibers and were used to calculate the rate of release (Rrel) of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Intramembrane charge movement was measured for the same pulses in the same fibers. During a depolarizing pulse Rrel rose to an early peak and then decayed relatively rapidly but incompletely due to calcium-dependent inactivation (Schneider M.F., and B.J. Simon. 1988. J. Physiol. (Lond.). 405:727–745). Two approaches were used to determine release activation independent of the effects of inactivation: (a) a mathematical correction based on the assumption that inactivation was a process occurring in parallel with and independently of activation; (b) an experimental procedure in which release was maximally inactivated by a large short prepulse and then the remaining noninactivatable component of release was monitored during a subsequent test pulse. Both procedures gave the same time course of activation of release. Release activation paralleled the time course of intramembrane charge movement but was delayed by a few milliseconds.
Vancomycin Removal during a Plasma Exchange Transfusion

OBJECTIVE:To report a case of clinically significant removal of vancomycin during a plasma exchange transfusion in a patient with sickle-cell anemia.CASE SUMMARY:A 46-year-old African American woman with sickle-cell disease was admitted on three separate occasions and treated with vancomycin. Vancomycin serum drug concentrations were obtained on all three admissions. During one of the admissions, a plasma exchange transfusion was performed the same day vancomycin concentrations were obtained. The vancomycin serum drug concentrations were considerably lower than predicted, resulting in potentially subtherapeutic vancomycin concentrations. Bayesian pharmacokinetic forecasting was used in interpreting the vancomycin concentrations.DISCUSSION:Searches from MEDLINE (1966–September 2000) and Drugs and Pharmacology (1990–September 2000) were performed to obtain pertinent published literature.CONCLUSIONS:Plasma exchange transfusions may result in clinically significant removal of vancomycin from the plasma. The p...
Genetics, Life Span, Health Span, and the Aging Process in Caenorhabditis elegans

As a tool for measuring the aging process, life span has been invaluable in dissecting the genes that modulate longevity. Studies over the past few decades have identified several hundred genes that can modify life span in model organisms such as yeast, worms, and flies. Yet, despite this vast amount of research, we still do not fully understand how the genes that affect life span influence how an organism ages. How does modulation of the genes that affect life span contribute to the aging process? Does life-span extension result in extension of healthy aging? Here, we will focus primarily on the insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans because members of this pathway have been shown to be associated with extended life span across phylogeny, from worms to humans. I discuss how this connects to the aging process, age-associated disease, and the potential to increase healthy aging in addition to lengthening life span.
Metabolism of low-density lipoproteins by cultured hepatocytes from normal and homozygous familial hypercholesterolemic subjects

The profoundly elevated concentrations of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) present in homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia lead to symptomatic cardiovascular disease and death by early adulthood. Studies conducted in nonhepatic tissues demonstrated defective cellular recognition and metabolism of LDL in these patients. Since mammalian liver removes at least half of the LDL in the circulation, the metabolism of LDL by cultured hepatocytes isolated from familial hypercholesterolemic homozygotes was compared to hepato­ cytes from normal individuals. Fibroblast studies demonstrated that the familial hypercholesterolemic subjects studied were LDL receptor-negative (less than 1% normal receptor activity) and LDL receptor-de­ fective (18% normal receptor activity). Cholesterol-depleted hepatocytes from normal subjects bound and internalized 125I-labeled LDL (Bmax = 2.2 p.g LDL/mg cell protein). Preincubation of normal hepatocytes with 200 I'g/ml LDL reduced binding and internalization by approx. 40%. In contrast, 125I_labeled LDL binding and internalization by receptor-negative familial hypercholesterolemic hepatocytes was unaffected by cholesterol loading and considerably lower than normal. This residual LDL uptake could not be ascribed to fluid phase endocytosis as determined by \14C]sucrose uptake. The residual LDL binding by familial hyper~olesterolemia hepatocytes led to a small increase in hepatocyte cholesterol content which was relatively ineffective in red,ucing hepatocyte 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity. Receptor­ defective familial hypercholesterolemia hepatocytes retained some degree of regulatable 125 I-labeled LDL uptake, but LDL uptake did not lead to normal hepatocyte cholesterol content or 3-hydroxy-3-methyl­ glutaryl-CoA reductase activity. These combined results indicate that the LDL receptor abnormality present in familial hypercholesterolemia fibroblasts reflects deranged hepatocyte LDL recognition and metabolism. In addition, a low-affinity, nonsaturable uptake process for LDL is present in human liver which does not efficiently modulate hepatocyte cholesterol content or synthesis.
Coupling DNA-binding and ATP hydrolysis in Escherichia coli RecQ: role of a highly conserved aromatic-rich sequence

RecQ enzymes are broadly conserved Superfamily-2 (SF-2) DNA helicases that play critical roles in DNA metabolism. RecQ proteins use the energy of ATP hydrolysis to drive DNA unwinding; however, the mechanisms by which RecQ links ATPase activity to DNA-binding/unwinding are unknown. In many Superfamily-1 (SF-1) DNA helicases, helicase sequence motif III links these activities by binding both single-stranded (ss) DNA and ATP. However, the ssDNA-binding aromatic-rich element in motif III present in these enzymes is missing from SF-2 helicases, raising the question of how these enzymes link ATP hydrolysis to DNA-binding/unwinding. We show that Escherichia coli RecQ contains a conserved aromatic-rich loop in its helicase domain between motifs II and III. Although placement of the RecQ aromatic-rich loop is topologically distinct relative to the SF-1 enzymes, both loops map to similar tertiary structural positions. We examined the functions of the E.coli RecQ aromatic-rich loop using RecQ variants with single amino acid substitutions within the segment. Our results indicate that the aromatic-rich loop in RecQ is critical for coupling ATPase and DNA-binding/unwinding activities. Our studies also suggest that RecQ's aromatic-rich loop might couple ATP hydrolysis to DNA-binding in a mechanistically distinct manner from SF-1 helicases.
Transitions to the ground state in synchrotron radiation: Numerical calculations derived from exact matrix elements

The problem of an electron immersed in a uniform magnetic field is viewed from the framework of the relativistic Dirac theory. Because of the simple mathematical structure of the ground state it is possible to evaluate the first-order transition rates to the ground state ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{n0}$ exactly. Explicit results for ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{n0}$ are given in analytical, tabular, and graphical form for a wide range of physical conditions: electrons in "free fall" (Fairbank experiments) to pulsar emission.
Molecular distribution of volume-regulated chloride channels (ClC-2 and ClC-3) in cardiac tissues.

The molecular identification of cardiac chloride channels has provided probes to investigate their distribution and abundance in heart. In this study, the molecular expression and distribution of v...
Multirate optimal state estimation with sensor fusion

In this paper, multirate optimal state estimation problems are considered. Focuses are on the design of multirate Kalman filters using two sensor outputs, that is, the position sensor and the accelerometer measurements. Multirate kinematic Kalman filters are derived and implemented in two cases: N-delay input and N-delay output estimations. The effectiveness of multirate schemes is demonstrated through the experiments with a linear motor setup.
The war on disease and the war on terror: a dangerous metaphorical nexus?

We are living in a time of war on multiple fronts. This is as true metaphorically as it is geographically. In particular, we live in an age in which war has been declared against disease, and war has been declared against terror. This essay considers in tandem the costs of those wars—more precisely, the costs of those metaphors of war.The author gratefully acknowledges contributions to this paper from conversations at a colloquium of the “town-gown” medical ethics discussion group at Indiana University's Poynter Center for the Study of Ethics and American Institutions, with special thanks to Richard Miller (Poynter Center director), Jennifer Girod, Caitlin Kelly, Gates Agnew, and Byron Bangert, and from conversations at Tokyo University's 21st Century COE Project for Death and Life Studies, with special thanks to Susumu Shimazono and Miyako Takahashi.
Galois Module Structure in Ray Class Fields Over Quadratic Imaginary Number Fields

Abstract Let K be a quadratic imaginary number field of discriminant −8, −11, −19, −43, −67, or −163, and for a prime ideal p in L let K ( p ) be the ray class field of conductor p over K . It is shown for an infinite number of prime ideals p , that the tame extension K ( p )/ K has no normal integral basis.