cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of music in documenting phonological grammar: Two case studies from West Africa

Though the study of metrics and poetic verse has long informed phonological theory, studies of musical adaptation remain on the fringe of linguistic theory. In this paper, I argue that musical adaptation provides a unique window in speakers' knowledge of their phonological system, which can provide crucial evidence for phonological theory. I draw on two case studies from my fieldwork in West Africa: tonal textsetting of sung folk music in Tommo So (Dogon, Mali) and the balafon surrogate language in Seenku (Mande, Burkina Faso). I show how results of these studies provide evidence for different levels of phonological grammar, the phonetics-phonology interface, and incomplete application of grammatical tone. Further, the case of the balafon surrogate language shows how studying music can be a valuable tool in language documentation and phonological description. Finally, preliminary study of Seenku tonal textsetting suggests important differences in the level of phonological encoding in vocal music vs. instrumental surrogate speech.
Electromagnetic excitation technique for nonlinear resonant ultrasound spectroscopy

Abstract Nonlinear resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (NRUS) is a method that can be used to determine the amount of microcracking in structures. The nonlinear parameter extracted in NRUS is based on the dependence of the resonance frequency on vibration amplitude in the presence of damage. NRUS measurements typically are excited with a piezoelectric transducer, but here the application of an electromagnetic transducer is explored as an alternative. The electromagnetic transducer, unlike a single piezoelectric, allows selective excitation of longitudinal, torsional, and bending vibrations in a rod-shaped sample. Measurement of the nonlinear properties of the sample for each type of vibration is therefore possible. This electromagnetic technique involves gluing a coil of wire onto the end of a rod sample and placing it in a magnetic field. By controlling which part of the coil is inside the strongest region of the magnetic field, the principal direction of the driven oscillations in the rod can be controlled. Both piezoelectric and electromagnetic excitation techniques are tested by measuring the parameter of nonlinearity for longitudinal motion, α E , in a sample of Berea sandstone. The electromagnetic technique was shown to measure a 30% higher mean value for α E than the piezoelectric technique.
Athletic virtue and aesthetic values in Aristotle’s ethics

When Aristotle praises pentathletes’ beauty at Rhetoric 1361b, it is not the idle observation of a sports fan. In fact, the balanced and harmonious beauty of athletes’ bodies reflects Aristotle’s i...
A simple thermodynamic tool for assessing energy requirements for carbon capture using solid or liquid sorbents

Abstract Carbon capture and sequestration is known to be energy intensive and will result in 20–30 % reduction in net output of a power plant. However, a simple thermodynamic tool is currently unavailable for assessing the work of CO2 separation using a given solid or liquid sorbent. This paper provides rigorous yet simple framework of equivalent work to assess the energy requirement for CO2 capture using liquid amines or solid adsorbents. First, the theoretical minimum work is determined by assuming that each step in the sorption - desorption cycle is thermodynamically reversible. Then, irreversible heat transfer losses are added to calculate total work for the actual process. The model provides useful insights into the sorbent and process selection. The minimum work for reversible separation can be calculated merely from CO2 sorption equilibria at ambient temperature without requiring laborious data or complex models. A sorbent with low ab/adsorption heat does require less thermal energy, but this thermal energy is required at a higher temperature. Thus, contrary to conventional thinking, the equivalent work is not reduced. The irreversible heat transfer losses for the amines are mostly dictated by the amine’s circulation rate which will be minimized by using amines with the highest CO2 capacity. On an energy requirement basis, the solid adsorbent based processes cannot compete with amines because practical methods of heat recuperation from the hot regenerated adsorbent are unavailable. Without heat recuperation, the solid adsorbent processes will be attractive only if their capital advantage outweighs their higher energy use.
Technical Comment on "The dark matter interpretation of the 3.5-keV line is inconsistent with blank-sky observations".

I show that model dependencies in the analysis by Dessert, Rodd & Safdi (2020) relax their claimed constraint by a factor of ~20. After including conservative model choices, the derived limits are comparable to or slightly better than limits from previous searches. Further model tests and expansion of the data energy may enhance or relax sensitivity of the methodology.
Treatment of petroleum refinery wastewater by electro-Fenton process using porous graphite electrodes

The present paper deals with the treatment of wastewaters generated from Al-Dewaniya petroleum refinery plant by Electro-Fenton process in a batch electrochemical reactor using porous graphite as anode and cathode materials. Effects of operating factors such as current density (5-25mA/cm2), FeSO4 concentration (0.1-0.7mM), NaCl addition (0-2g/l), and time (15–45min) on the efficiency of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal were studied. The results revealed that FeSO4 concentration has the main effect on the efficiency of COD removal confirming that the Electro-Fenton process was governed by reaction conditions in the bulk of solution between ferrous ions and H2O2 not upon the electrochemical reactions on the surface of electrodes. Parametric optimization was carried out using response surface methodology (RSM) combined with Box–Behnken Design (BBD) to maximize the removal of COD. Under optimized operating conditions: FeSO4 concentration (0.7mM), current density (25 A/cm2), and time (45 min) with no addition of NaCl, the removal efficiency of COD was found to be 95.9% with an energy consumption of 8.921kWh/kgCOD.
Working across languages/cultures in international and environmental communication fieldwork

As environmental communication grows as an area of study, international and environmental justice issues increasingly need attention. Sustainability, climate change, habitat erosion, water access, ...
Polyvinyl acetate-based polymer host for optical and far-infrared spectroscopy of individualized nanoparticles

Preparation techniques for producing films of individualized solution-dispersed nanoparticles (NPs) for optical spectroscopy are often technically challenging and tailored for a specific NP system. In this work, we present a rapid, easy, and economical technique for producing polyvinyl acetate (PVAc)-based NP-polymer films on the order of 100’s of micrometers thick that exhibit high uniformity, low aggregation, excellent optical transparency, and low terahertz absorption. In addition, we find that these films are robust at cryogenic temperatures and have a high laser damage threshold of 0.3 TW cm−2, which make them suitable for pulsed laser measurements. We show that free-standing, flexible, PVAc films can incorporate both one-dimensional single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and zero-dimensional Au NPs. Using absorbance, Raman scattering, and photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy, we observe that SWCNT individualization is maintained, and minimized polymer strain imposed, when the nanotubes are transitioned from the solution to the polymer host. This PVAc-based polymer host presents researchers with a straightforward method for producing free-standing and flexible NP films with low aggregation.
Abstract PO051: Fibroblast lineage tracing in metastatic and pre-metastatic microenvironments

Metastatic breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality among women. However, the complex process of tumor cell dissemination and colonization of distant tissues is incompletely understood and largely incurable using existing therapies. Metastatic disease is not solely driven by tumor cell-intrinsic properties but is instead a consequence of dynamic interactions between cancer cells and other cell types in the tumor microenvironment (TME) including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). However, CAFs are known to display paradoxical functions across different cancer types, suggesting that heterogeneous CAF subpopulations play diverse or opposing roles in the TME. It was recently shown that periostin, a TGFβ-induced matricellular protein important for collagen cross-linking and extracellular matrix stiffening, can distinguish CAF subtypes in breast cancer. This specific CAF subpopulation is not well characterized, and their functional properties and contributions to disease progression have not been well-studied in vivo. Here, we have used in vivo genetic labelling of periostin+ subpopulations (Postn-Cre:ZSGreenl/s/l) and their progeny to assess their expansion and function during mammary tumor growth and metastasis. We find that ZSGreen-labelled periostin-expressing CAFs arise from mesenchymal-lineage cells and are more abundant in primary tumors, metastatic, and pre-metastatic sites of high-metastatic tumors versus their low-metastatic counterparts. We also find differential collagen organization in high- versus low-metastatic tumors: high-metastatic tumors display longer, aligned collagen fibers whereas low-metastatic tumors display shorter, disorganized fibers. Knocking down periostin in primary human breast CAFs inhibits tumor cell invasion through collagen in a CAF/tumor cell co-culture spheroid assay, indicating that periostin-expressing CAFs may remodel the extracellular matrix via collagen cross-linking to facilitate cell invasion. Finally, we show that periostin/ZSGreen+ cells in highly metastatic tumors are larger and more spindle-shaped, and that periostin knockdown in primary human breast CAFs reduces their size and ability to migrate, suggesting that periostin expression associates with CAF biomechanical properties such as spreading and motility. Our results indicate that highly-metastatic cancer cells mobilize periostin-expressing CAFs in the TME, which may promote collagen remodeling and collective migration of CAFs and cancer cells during tissue invasion. Citation Format: Jamie L. Null, Dae Joong Kim, Yu Zhang, James V. McCann, Thomas H. Barker, Andrew C. Dudley. Fibroblast lineage tracing in metastatic and pre-metastatic microenvironments [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference on the Evolving Tumor Microenvironment in Cancer Progression: Mechanisms and Emerging Therapeutic Opportunities; in association with the Tumor Microenvironment (TME) Working Group; 2021 Jan 11-12. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(5 Suppl):Abstract nr PO051.
Physical Design Challenges and Solutions for Emerging Heterogeneous 3D Integration Technologies

The emerging heterogeneous 3D integration technologies provide a promising solution to improve the performance of electronic systems in the post-Moore era, but the lack of design automation solutions and the challenges in physical design are hindering the applications of these technologies. In this paper, we discuss multiple types and levels of heterogeneous integration enabled by the high-density 3D technologies. We investigate each physical implementation stage from technology setup to placement and routing, identify the design challenges proposed by heterogeneous 3D integration. This paper provides a comprehensive survey on the state-of-the-art physical design methodologies to address these challenges.
Distributed Simulation Platforms and Data Passing Tools for Natural Hazards Engineering: Reviews, Limitations, and Recommendations

There has been a strong need for simulation environments that are capable of modeling deep interdependencies between complex systems encountered during natural hazards, such as the interactions and coupled effects between civil infrastructure systems response, human behavior, and social policies, for improved community resilience. Coupling such complex components with an integrated simulation requires continuous data exchange between different simulators simulating separate models during the entire simulation process. This can be implemented by means of distributed simulation platforms or data passing tools. In order to provide a systematic reference for simulation tool choice and facilitating the development of compatible distributed simulators for deep interdependent study in the context of natural hazards, this article focuses on generic tools suitable for integration of simulators from different fields but not the platforms that are mainly used in some specific fields. With this aim, the article provides a comprehensive review of the most commonly used generic distributed simulation platforms (Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS), High Level Architecture (HLA), Test and Training Enabling Architecture (TENA), and Distributed Data Services (DDS)) and data passing tools (Robot Operation System (ROS) and Lightweight Communication and Marshalling (LCM)) and compares their advantages and disadvantages. Three specific limitations in existing platforms are identified from the perspective of natural hazard simulation. For mitigating the identified limitations, two platform design recommendations are provided, namely message exchange wrappers and hybrid communication, to help improve data passing capabilities in existing solutions and provide some guidance for the design of a new domain-specific distributed simulation framework.
A randomized study of effects of obesity framing on weight stigma

Objective Growing evidence suggests highly processed foods may trigger an addictive-like process, which is associated with obesity. Other research suggests an addictive-like process occurs in response to eating itself, rather than specific foods. Addiction-based obesity explanations raise concerns about double stigmatization of people with obesity and addiction. This study compared effects of obesity framings on external and internalized weight stigma. Methods The study was preregistered via Open Science Framework. Four hundred and forty-seven adults read an informational passage that described food addiction, eating addiction, or calorie balance explanations for obesity or a control passage about memory. Participants then completed external and internalized weight stigma measures. Results Participants in the food addiction condition reported higher internalized weight stigma compared with those in the control condition. Obesity framing did not significantly affect external weight stigma compared with the control. Conclusions These findings suggest that food addiction explanations for obesity may elicit greater internalized weight stigma than non-obesity-related messages. Addiction-based and traditional obesity explanations do not appear to influence external weight stigma. Illuminating the effects of obesity framing on stigma will help researchers communicate discoveries in ways that mitigate stigma.
Scan multiplier unit for ultrafast laser scanning beyond the inertia limit

A passive add-on greatly multiplies the sweep rate of any mechanical scanner while also enhancing throughput, enabling a single linear scanner to produce ultrafast 1D or 2D laser scans for general applications.
Home on the Road: Pilgrimage, Place, and Peripatetics

The idea and experience of the home is constituted in large part by departures from and returns to it, as well as by the deep cultural and emotional longing for it. I explore how pilgrimages and human ambulation more generally are significant in this regard and show that one can also be very much at home on the road in the act of slow movement across the earth, our most basic dwelling place. A particular focus is given to Asian philosophy, where Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, and everyday walkers create and experience a sense of home via singular or collective sauntering and wandering on foot. Comparisons are made with notions of the home and peripatetic activity in Western philosophy.
Exploring factors that mitigate the continued influence of misinformation.

BACKGROUND The term "continued influence effect" (CIE) refers to the phenomenon that discredited and obsolete information continues to affect behavior and beliefs. The practical relevance of this work is particularly apparent as we confront fake news everyday. Thus, an important question becomes, how can we mitigate the continued influence of misinformation? Decades of research have identified several factors that contribute to the CIE reduction, but few have reported successful elimination. Across three studies, we evaluated the relative contribution of three factors (i.e., targeting the misinformation, providing an alternative explanation, and relative importance of the misinformation content) to the reduction of the CIE. RESULTS Across three studies and two different CIE measures, we found that alternative provision consistently resulted in CIE reduction. Furthermore, under certain conditions, the combination of alternative inclusion and direct targeting of misinformation in the correction statement resulted in successful elimination of the CIE, such that individuals who encountered that type of correction behaved similarly to baseline participants who never encountered the (mis)information. In contrast, under one CIE measure, participants who received correction statements that failed to include those elements referenced the (mis)information as frequently as baseline participants who never encountered a correction. Finally, we delineated several component processes involved in misinformation outdating and found that the extent of outdating success varied as a function of the causality of misinformation. CONCLUSIONS The damaging effects of fake news are undeniable, and the negative consequences are exacerbated in the digital age. Our results contribute to our understanding of how fake news persists and how we may begin to mitigate their effects.
Religious experience, justification, and history

Many philosophers of religion have sought to defend the rationality of religious belief by shifting the burden of proof onto the critic of religious belief. Some have appealed to extraordinary religious experience in making their case. Religious Experience, Justification and History restores neglected explanatory and historical considerations to the debate. Through a study of William James, it contests the accounts of religious experience offered in recent works. Through reflection on the history of philosophy, it also unravels the philosophical use of the term 'justification'. Matthew Bagger argues that the commitment to supernatural explanations implicit in the religious experiences employed to justify religious belief contradicts the modern ideal of human flourishing. For contrast, and to demonstrated the indispensability of history, he includes a study of Teresa of Avila's mystical theology. The controversial supernatural explanations implicit in extraordinary religious experience places the burden of proof on the believer.
Vital Accounts: Count, Measure, Compare: The Depopulation Debates

In his brilliantly satirical Lettres persanes (1721), the French philosophe Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (1689–1755) asked somewhat seriously whether the modern world was less populated than the ancient world and answered a resounding yes. “After a calculation as exact as may be in the circumstances,” he asserted without providing any evidence of such calculations, “I have found that there are upon the earth hardly one-tenth part of the people which there were in ancient times. And the astonishing thing is, that the depopulation goes on daily: if it continues, in ten centuries the earth will be a desert.” Montesquieu not only saw the world's population as declining, but even more fundamentally, regarded it as changing. Population had a history as well as a future. In mercantilist writings, population had generally been treated as a static or finite entity, and questions focused on geographical comparison: Was London larger than Paris? Was Holland more densely populated than England? By contrast, Montesquieu focused attention on temporal comparison and the dynamics of population – what the French called the movement of population. His dire prediction for a dramatic decline in population was regarded by contemporaries with alarm and propelled the subject of depopulation into the realm of public controversy throughout Europe.
Validation of a Free Phenytoin Assay on Cobas c501 Analyzer Using Calibrators From Cobas Integra Free Phenytoin Assay by Comparing its Performance With Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay for Free Phenytoin on the TDx Analyzer

For many years, fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) on the TDx analyzer has been used for determination of free phenytoin concentration. Recently Abbott Laboratories decided to discontinue the TDx analyzer and related assays on this analyzer. Free phenytoin assay is also available from Roche Diagnostics for application on the Cobas Integra analyzer (fluorescence polarization assay) but not on Cobas c510 analyzer. Free phenytoin calibrators from the Cobas Integra free phenytoin assay and the reagents from the KIMSphenytoin assay were used for the determination of free phenytoin on the Cobas c501 analyzer. The intra-run and inter-run precisions were both <7.2%. The assay was linear from 0.2 to 4 μg/ml. The free phenytoin assay on the Cobas c501 was compared with the FPIAassay on the TDx analyzer using sera from 25 patients receiving phenytoin (phenytoin concentration between 0.3 and 3.7 μg/ml). The following regression equation was observed: y = 0.9899 x + 0.0408 (r = 0.98, n = 25). In conclusion, the free phenytoin assay on the Cobas c501 analyzer is a valid alternative to free phenytoin assay on the TDx analyzer. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 27:1–4, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Estrogenic Regulation of Hepatic Histidase during Postnatal Development and Adulthood

Abstract Exploration of the regulatory factors governing the progressive augmentation of rat liver histidase during postnatal development has revealed that increased estrogen secretion during puberty is responsible for the steep rise in the activity of this hepatic enzyme characteristic of the maturing female. Ovarian ablation at 23 days of age depressed the rate of developmental rise in this enzyme to that observed in the male. 17β-Estradiol administration to such ovariectomized rats throughout the adolescent period evoked a precocious rise in hepatic histidase activity, which finally achieved adult levels of 2.5-fold those of estrogen-deprived animals. In the adult female, hepatic histidase is reversibly controlled by estrogen; the activity of this liver enzyme may be depressed upon ovariectomy and restored with 17β-estradiol administration. Progesterone, alone or in the presence of estradiol, is without effect on this enzyme. Investigation of the molecular processes which underlie the estrogenic regulation of hepatic histidase during puberty and in the adult has been initiated. Incubation in vitro of mixtures of liver homogenates from adult males and females indicates that neither dissociable enzyme activators nor inhibitors are responsible for the sexual dichotomy in the histidase activity levels observed in the adult. Administration in vivo of either l-ethionine, which inhibits protein synthesis, or actinomycin D, which blocks RNA production, suppresses both the normal developmental rise in histidase during puberty and the estrogenic enhancement of this enzyme in adults. Thus, continued protein synthesis and transcriptional activity are requisite to, and perhaps augmented elaboration of specific RNA and protein macromolecules underlie, both the developmental and hormonally induced enhancement in histidase level.
Avoiding the emperor’s prophecy: a case for the primacy of emergency management in criminal justice and human security studies

Recent events have illustrated the reciprocal nature of the relationship between emergency management actors and law enforcement agencies. Emergency management and disaster studies, as fields of practice and academic scholarship are inherently interdisciplinary. Primary among the fields impacting their development is criminal justice. This relationship is confirmed as criminal justice departments continue to include specialized Homeland Security curriculum. However, even as universities and colleges around the country are integrating emergency management into traditional criminal justice programs, there remain gaps in recognition of the unique practical skills and perspectives disaster scholars bring to criminal justice programs. In many ways, disaster scholarship complements existing law enforcement-focused programs by expanding the breadth of what is considered public or community safety. During each phase of the disaster management cycle (preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation), emergency man...
Automobile Interior Noise Reduction Using Finite Element Methods

Low-frequency interior noise in the automobile passenger compartment can be significantly affected by the vibration behavior of the body panels surrounding the enclosed cavity. An acoustic finite element method for computing panel-excited interior noise is reviewed and an approach outlined for identifying potentially noisy panels adjacent to the passenger compartment. To illustrate its potential, the analytical method is applied to a production automobile. A structural modification suggested by the procedure is shown to reduce significantly the low-frequency interior noise to which the occupant is exposed. Experimental verification of the method is presented.
Nucleosides: Part LXII. Synthetic studies on nucleoside antibiotics. 2.syntheses of methyl 4-amino-4-deoxy-d-glucosiduronic acid derivatives related to the carbohydrate moiety of gougerotin☆

Abstract The first synthesis of 4-amino-4-deoxy- d -hexuronic acid has been achieved. Tritylation of methyl 4-azido-4-deoxy-α- d -glucopyranoside ( 1 ) gave the 6-trityl ether ( 2 ) which was converted into its 2,3-dibenzoate ( 3 ) and deritylated to methyl 4-azido-2,3-di- O -benzoyl-α- d -glucopyranoside ( 5 ). Oxidation of 5 afforded the glucuronic acid derivative 6 which upon esterification to 7 , followed by reduction and benzoylation yielded methyl (methyl 4-benzamido-2,3-di- O -benzoyl-4-deoxy-α- d -glucopyranosid)uronate ( 8 ), the structure and conformation of which were firmly established by n.m.r. analysis. De-benzoylation of methyl (methyl 4-azido-2,3-di- O -benzoyl-4-deoxy-α- d -glucopyranosid)uronate ( 7 ) with sodium methylate to 9 , followed by de-esterification and subsequent hydrogenation afforded crystalline methyl 4-amino-4-deoxy-α- d -glucopyranosiduronic acid ( 11 ), the structure of which was established by esterification and benzoylation to 8 . N -Acetylation of 11 yielded methyl 4-acetamido-4-deoxy-α- d -glucopyranosiduronic acid ( 14 ) which was esterified and peracetylated to the methyl ester 16 . Derivative 16 was also obtained by hydrogenation and peracetylation of 9 . Epimerization at C-5 was not observed in the conversion of 7 → 11, which suggests that a total synthesis of the gougerotin-derived C-substance from the 4-amino-4-deoxy-hexuronic acid derivatives reported herein is feasible.
Making the most of the adolescent male health visit Part 1: History and anticipatory guidance

A structured psychosocial interview allows you to assess if, and how, a male teenager's lifestyle or home and school environment pose a risk to his mental and physical health. The authors show you the right questions to ask and how to ask them—the keys to getting your patient to open up.
Digging for Buried Amino Acids Unearths New Protein Quality Control Treasure.

Proteins rely on three-dimensional structure for function, yet many proteins are marginally stable and prone to misfolding. In this issue of Structure, Brock et al. (2015) present a novel computational modeling method to gain insights into protein stability and misfolding.
High precision determination of the Q 2 evolution of the Bjorken sum

We present a significantly improved determination of the Bjorken sum for $0.6\ensuremath{\le}{Q}^{2}\ensuremath{\le}4.8\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{GeV}}^{2}$ using precise new ${g}_{1}^{p}$ and ${g}_{1}^{d}$ data taken with the CLAS detector at Jefferson Lab. A higher-twist analysis of the ${Q}^{2}$ dependence of the Bjorken sum yields the twist-4 coefficient ${f}_{2}^{p\ensuremath{-}n}=\ensuremath{-}0.064\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.009{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}_{0.036}^{0.032}$. This leads to the color polarizabilities ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{E}^{p\ensuremath{-}n}=\ensuremath{-}0.032\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.024$ and ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{B}^{p\ensuremath{-}n}=0.032\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.013$. The strong force coupling is determined to be ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{s}^{\overline{\mathrm{MS}}}({M}_{Z}^{2})=0.1123\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0061$, which has an uncertainty a factor of 1.5 smaller than earlier estimates using polarized deep inelastic scattering (DIS) data. This improvement makes the comparison between ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{s}$ extracted from polarized DIS and other techniques a valuable test of QCD.
A Gut Feeling: An Extremely Rare Case of Missed Appendicitis

This case outlines the emergency department and surgical course of a 63-year-old male presenting with acute onset abdominal pain. Appendicitis was high on the differential for the treating physician, but after the computed tomography and laboratory evaluation were unremarkable, the patient was discharged only to return the next day. What ensued was one of the rarest cases of missed appendicitis documented in the medical literature.
Effects of proximal intra-atrial Wenckebach on distal atrioventricular nodal, and His-Purkinje, block: With special reference to the theory of alternating Wenckebach periods

Abstract Intra-atrial Wenckebach patterns of stimulus-to-response intervals coexisting with distal, A-V nodal, and His-Purkinje, blocks occurred in eight patients during high right atrial stimulation at rapid rates. In two patients with 2:1 St-H block and in two patients with 4:1 St-V block, an increase in the degree of block occurred when the proximal intra-atrial Wenckebach cycle was completed with the stimulus which otherwise would have been propagated to the distal levels. However, the degree of block did not increase when the intra-atrial Wenckebach terminated in distally blocked stimuli. In one patient progression of 4:1 into 5:1 St-V block was due to the association of intra-atrial Wenckebach with alternating 2:1 block at the A-V nodal, and His-Purkinje, levels. Contrasting with most reports dealing with the mechanisms of alternating Wenckebach in a single structure, this study permitted the determination of the boundaries between proximal and more distal levels. It also showed that alternating Wenckebach cycles (of St-H intervals) ending with two consecutively blocked stimuli could result from the association of proximal intraatrial Wenckebach with distal, A-V nodal Wenckebach, or abortive AW, cycles. The electrophysiology of documented two, or three, level block in different structures has validated previously made assumptions regarding multilevel block in a single structure.
An Improved Synthesis of 3′-Keto-5′-Tritylthymidine

Abstract The title compound is prepared in consistently high yield and purity by molecular sieve catalyzed pyridinium dichromate oxidation of 5′-0-tritylthymidine. Shortcomings of other preparations are described, and properties of the title compound are reported.
Preclinical examination of clofarabine in pediatric ependymoma: intratumoral concentrations insufficient to warrant further study.

Clofarabine, a deoxyadenosine analog, was an active anticancer drug in our in vitro high-throughput screening against mouse ependymoma neurospheres. To characterize the clofarabine disposition in mice for further preclinical efficacy studies, we evaluated the plasma and central nervous system disposition in a mouse model of ependymoma. A plasma pharmacokinetic study of clofarabine (45 mg/kg, IP) was performed in CD1 nude mice bearing ependymoma to obtain initial plasma pharmacokinetic parameters. These estimates were used to derive D-optimal plasma sampling time points for cerebral microdialysis studies. A simulation of clofarabine pharmacokinetics in mice and pediatric patients suggested that a dosage of 30 mg/kg IP in mice would give exposures comparable to that in children at a dosage of 148 mg/m2. Cerebral microdialysis was performed to study the tumor extracellular fluid (ECF) disposition of clofarabine (30 mg/kg, IP) in the ependymoma cortical allografts. Plasma and tumor ECF concentration–time data were analyzed using a nonlinear mixed effects modeling approach. The median unbound fraction of clofarabine in mouse plasma was 0.79. The unbound tumor to plasma partition coefficient (K pt,uu: ratio of tumor to plasma AUCu,0–inf) of clofarabine was 0.12 ± 0.05. The model-predicted mean tumor ECF clofarabine concentrations were below the in vitro 1-h IC50 (407 ng/mL) for ependymoma neurospheres. Thus, our results show the clofarabine exposure reached in the tumor ECF was below that associated with an antitumor effect in our in vitro washout study. Therefore, clofarabine was de-prioritized as an agent to treat ependymoma, and further preclinical studies were not pursued.
User Perceptions of E-Mail at Work:

This article examines employee sentiments concerning the use of e-mail. An exploratory study at one state agency was used to create a survey of employee perceptions of e-mail use. The survey was then administered to a second state agency. The survey findings show that although most employees found e-mail to be highly useful, they also complained of information overload. The findings also suggest that employees perceive peer misuse and lack of peer training to be culprits of e-mail overload. The article discusses the theoretical implications of the study and makes recommendations for improving e-mail training.
The Density, Pressure, and Particle Distribution in a Lightning Stroke near Peak Temperature

Abstract The first determination of the density, pressure, and particle distribution in a lightning stroke near peak temperature is presented. Relative amounts of atomic nitrogen, atomic oxygen, and singly ionized nitrogen are determined from line-intensity measurements in an optical spectrum of a return stroke. This information in conjunction with the previously measured stroke temperature from the same spectrum and theoretical tables of the thermodynamic properties of air is sufficient to determine the following properties of the lightning stroke: at a temperature of 24,000K the mass density of the stroke is about 0.1 of the mass density of air at STP; the stroke pressure due to atoms, ions, and molecules is about 18 atmospheres; the stroke pressure due to electrons is about 14 atmospheres; and the electron density is about 4.3×1018 cm−3. The number of electrons per air atom (neutral, ionic, or comprising a molecule) is about 0.81; analogous quantities for 25 species of air particles present in the stro...
Sedimentary structures in the Gunflint Iron Formation, Schreiber Beach, Ontario

Abstract The allochemical components of the Gunflint Iron Formation are: ooliths, intraclasts and composite particles, and cyanobacterial microfossils. These components occur within three distinct zones: the stromatolitic laminae, the stromatolitic interspaces, and the matrix. Intraclasts and ooliths characteristically occur within the stromatolitic interspaces of the Gunflint. Five classes reflect both oolith morphology and genesis. The five classes are: (1) highly ordered, typically displaying a very high number of laminations (26+) in the nm—μm size range; (2) well-ordered, characteristically exhibiting 11–25 laminations in the μm size range; (3) moderately ordered, with 4–10 thicker laminations; (4) poorly-ordered, showing 2–3 laminations up to a mm in thickness; and (5) very poorly ordered, displaying one very thick diffuse coating. The distinctions between the intraclasts and the latter two orders of ooliths is a function of residence time within the laminae accreting environment. Composite particles consist of various combinations of oolith and intraclasts bound together by one or more colithic coatings. Length-slow chalcedony, suggesting evaporitic depositional conditions, appears in the sromatolitic interspaces and within the matrix. The presence of length-slow chalcedony, desiccation cracks among the ooliths, intraclasts and composite particles, separated oolith laminae, a high number of shattered particles and the presence of columnar stromatolites are interpreted to indicate deposition under turbulent, shallow-water conditions, possibly in a large, restricted inland sea analogous to the modern day Red Sea or Persian Gulf.
Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate stimulates γ-secretase to increase the generation of Aβ and APP-CTFγ

Cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by β- and γ-secretases results in generation of the amyloid-β protein (Aβ), which is characteristically deposited in the brain of Alzheimer’s disease patients. Inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl (HMG)-CoA reductase (the statins) reduce levels of cholesterol and isoprenoids such as geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP). Previous studies have demonstrated that cholesterol increases and statins reduce Aβ levels mostly by regulating β-secretase activity. In this study, we focused on the role of geranylgeranyl isoprenoids GGPP and geranylgeraniol (GGOH) in regulating Aβ production. Our data show that the inhibition of GGPP synthesis by statins plays an important role in statin-mediated reduction of Aβ secretion. Consistent with this finding, the geranylgeranyl isoprenoids preferentially increase the yield of Aβ of 42 residues (Aβ42) in a dose-dependent manner. Our studies further demonstrated that geranylgeranyl isoprenoids increase the yield of APP-CTFγ (a....
β-decay phenomenology of nuclear fission products

Two data sets representing the two principal experimental techniques used to study the β-decay of short-lived fission fragments are analyzed. The average endpoint and electron energies for nuclei with similar Q-values are the same within statistical accuracy in the two sets. However, the spread of the endpoints is considerably larger in the data set based on integral γ-energies (ANR set) compared with the set based on standard γ-spectroscopy (ENDF set). The averaged β-strength function for the ANR set follows a “universal” trend, decreasing monotonically and rapidly with increasing β-endpoint energy. On the other hand, the β-strength function in the ENDF set is less steep, and at higher excitation energy it is considerably smaller than in the ANR set. These differences imply a systematic bias in one of these two data sets.
The viscosity of suspensions of large, nonspherical particles in polymer fluids

Abstract Equations are derived which describe the viscosity of suspensions of nonspherical particles in high-viscosity polymer fluids. The viscosity increase over that of the medium is evaluated using a model system of prolate and oblate spheroids which can exist in the suspension as singlets, doublets, etc., up to large agglomerates. The important energy-dissipating terms involve the work to rotate all the “free” particles in the viscous medium and the work required to disrupt agglomerates. The latter depends on the frictional force between particles, the magnitude of which is determined by a closeness-of-approach or interaction parameter which can be interpreted as a measure of fluid immobilization at the particle surface. The equations thus derived are of the same form as those proposed by Goodeve and describe the viscosity versus shear rate behavior for dispersions of many rodlike and platelike particles in various polymer fluids. They are also applicable to dispersions of nonelongated magnetic materials which tend to form agglomerates because of magnetic particle-to-particle attraction.
Recent results form CLEOII

I report results of a search for several rare few-body decays of the B-meson. For the decays B0→π+π-, B0→K+π-, and B0→K+K-, we limit the branching fractions (at 90% confidence) toBππ<2.9·10−5,BKπ<2.6·10−5, andBKK<0.7·10−5. While there is no statistically significant signal in any single mode, the sum ofBππ andBKπ exceeds zero with a significance of more than four standard deviations, indicating that we have observed charmless hadronic B-decays. We have also detected the decays Bo→K* (892)o γ and B−→K* (892)− γ, evidence for the quark-level process b→sγ. The average branching fraction is (4.5±1.5±0.9)·10−5, consistent with standard model predictions from electromagnetic penguin diagrams.
Inducible nitric oxide synthase in the bladder of spinal cord injured patients with a chronic indwelling urinary catheter.

Purpose: Spinal cord injured patients are at increased risk for bladder carcinoma. Nitric oxide production in areas of chronic inflammation may provide a stimulus for carcinogenesis by serving as a source of nitrosating agents that generate potentially carcinogenic nitrosamines from secondary amines normally present in urine.Materials and Methods: To determine whether inducible nitric oxide synthase is expressed as a catalyst for sustained nitric oxide production by cellular elements in chronically inflamed bladder mucosa immunohistochemical studies were performed on mucosal biopsies obtained from 37 adults with spinal cord injury. All participants had required a chronic indwelling urethral or suprapubic catheter for greater than 8 years.Results: Histopathological studies revealed active inflammatory infiltrates in all 37 biopsy specimens, squamous metaplasia in 20, epithelial dysplasia in 3 and carcinoma in 1. Inducible nitric oxide synthase was detected in inflammatory cells localized to the lamina prop...
Association between baseline risk factors, cigarette smoking, and CHD mortality after 10.5 years

Abstract Methods. The association between baseline risk factors and death from coronary heat disease (CHD) after 10.5 years was investigated for cigarette smokers and nonsmokers who entered the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT). Results. Rates per thousand person-years of CHD mortality were higher for smokers than for nonsmokers at every level of baseline risk factors examined. There were significant associations between CHD mortality and plasma low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol for smokers and nonsmokers. The inverse association between CHD mortality and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly stronger among nonsmokers compared with that among smokers and was attributable to a very strong association for former smokers. An inverse relationship between CHD and body mass index was evident for smokers and nonsmokers. Rates of CHD death rose sharply when levels of fasting glucose exceeded 140 mg/dl, and there was a significant association between CHD mortality and blood sugar levels for nonsmokers but not for smokers. For both smokers and nonsmokers, an inverse univariate association between alcohol consumption and CHD mortality was evident. This association, however, did not persist after adjustment for plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Conclusion. Intervention on blood pressure and blood lipids is particularly important among cigarette smokers because of their increased risk of CHD death. The different associations between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting serum glucose, and CHD mortality for smokers and nonsmokers requires further investigation.
In vitro fatigue–crack growth and fracture toughness behavior of thin-walled superelastic Nitinol tube for endovascular stents: A basis for defining the effect of crack-like defects

Endovascular stents made of the superelastic nickel-titanium alloy Nitinol are subjected in service to tens of millions of loading cycles and even "single-event" overloads, both of which can potentially result in fracture and/or complete failure of the device. A fracture-mechanics-based methodology can provide a means to quantify relevant material parameters critical to the design against such failures. However, there is a dearth of relevant experimental data in the literature on such fracture-mechanics-based approaches to fatigue in Nitinol; furthermore, that which does exist invariably pertains to product forms that are not appropriate for stent manufacture, e.g., bulk Nitinol bar and strip. Consequently, the current work is focused on characterizing in vitro both subcritical and critical crack growth (fatigue-crack growth and R-curve fracture toughness) behavior in thin-walled ( approximately 400microm thick) Nitinol tubing similar to that used for medical device manufacture (following shape-setting procedures to flatten the material), with a resultant austenite finish temperature of A(f) approximately 25-30 degrees C, identical to self-expanding Nitinol stents. Fatigue-crack growth behavior, measured in Hanks' Balanced Saline Solution over a wide spectrum of growth rates (down to 10(-10)m/cycle) and at a range of positive load ratios (R=0.1-0.7), revealed significantly higher fatigue thresholds than had been previously reported for bulk Nitinol material. In addition, we examine the critical effect of test frequency, as most fatigue experiments on Nitinol have been performed at 30Hz or above, despite the fact that this is far in excess of the frequency of physiological loading. Finally, the fracture toughness properties are characterized in thin-section Nitinol and show marked crack-resistance (R-curve) behavior with a dependence on crack-growth angle (with respect to the tube drawing axis); additionally, measured toughnesses are found to be lower than has been previously reported for bulk Nitinol.
Empirical modeling of section 162(a) (2) tax court decisions: Identifying the location of a tax home

Abstract One-hundred Tax Court cases concerning Section 162(a) (2) were subjected to several multivariate PROBIT and discriminant analyses to determine which factors best define the location of a “tax home.” In each case, the government disagreed with the taxpayer and contended that the “tax home” was either nonexistent or was located in elsewhere. Various sensitivity analyses were performed to test model specifications regarding linear or quadratic functions, discriminant or PROBIT models, and temporal stability. A seven-variable linear discriminant model achieved an 88% Lachenbruch U classification accuracy and exhibited high stability with regard to the three sensitivity analyses. Implications for taxpayers, practitioners, legislators, and researchers are discussed.
Chemical Vapor Infiltration of Rhenium

Rhenium is of interest as a matrix material and fiber coating for high-temperature structural composites. Despite prior success in the CVD of rhenium, there have been no studies on the chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) of this metal. The current work investigates the CVI of rhenium via the pyrolytic decomposition of ReCl 5 , prepared both by chlorination of rhenium metal and the sublimation of ReCl 5 . The feasibility of the CVI of rhenium was demonstrated for both methods. Statistical analyses showed that the amount of rhenium deposited increased for higher chlorine flow rates and lower preform temperatures, 750 °C vs. 900°C, for the chlorination and sublimation processes, respectively.