cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of 30 Spinal Angiograms Falsely Reported as Normal in 18 Patients with Subsequently Documented Spinal Vascular Malformations

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The early diagnosis of spinal vascular malformations suffers from the nonspecificity of their clinical and radiologic presentations. Spinal angiography requires a methodical approach to offer a high diagnostic yield. The prospect of false-negative studies is particularly distressing when addressing conditions with a narrow therapeutic window. The purpose of this study was to identify factors leading to missed findings or inadequate studies in patients with spinal vascular malformations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical records, laboratory findings, and imaging features of 18 patients with spinal arteriovenous fistulas and at least 1 prior angiogram read as normal were reviewed. The clinical status was evaluated before and after treatment by using the Aminoff-Logue Disability Scale. RESULTS: Eighteen patients with 19 lesions underwent a total of 30 negative spinal angiograms. The lesions included 9 epidural arteriovenous fistulas, 8 dural arteriovenous fistulas, and 2 perimedullary arteriovenous fistulas. Seventeen patients underwent endovascular (11) or surgical (6) treatment, with a delay ranging between 1 week and 32 months; the Aminoff-Logue score improved in 13 (76.5%). The following factors were identified as the causes of the inadequate results: 1) lesion angiographically documented but not identified (55.6%); 2) region of interest not documented (29.6%); or 3) level investigated but injection technically inadequate (14.8%). CONCLUSIONS: All the angiograms falsely reported as normal were caused by correctible, operator-dependent factors. The nonrecognition of documented lesions was the most common cause of error. The potential for false-negative studies should be reduced by the adoption of rigorous technical and training standards and by second opinion reviews.
Tools for Science Inquiry Learning: Tool Affordances, Experimentation Strategies, and Conceptual Understanding

Manipulative environments play a fundamental role in inquiry-based science learning, yet how they impact learning is not fully understood. In a series of two studies, we develop the argument that manipulative environments (MEs) influence the kind of inquiry behaviors students engage in, and that this influence realizes through the affordances of MEs, independent of whether they are physical or virtual. In particular, we examine how MEs shape college students’ experimentation strategies and conceptual understanding. In study 1, students engaged in two consecutive inquiry tasks, first on mass and spring systems and then on electric circuits. They either used virtual or physical MEs. We found that the use of experimentation strategies was strongly related to conceptual understanding across tasks, but that students engaged differently in those strategies depending on what ME they used. More students engaged in productive strategies using the virtual ME for electric circuits, and vice versa using the physical ME for mass and spring systems. In study 2, we isolated the affordance of measurement uncertainty by comparing two versions of the same virtual ME for electric circuits—one with and one without noise—and found that the conditions differed in terms of productive experimentation strategies. These findings indicate that measures of inquiry processes may resolve apparent ambiguities and inconsistencies between studies on MEs that are based on learning outcomes alone.
Nanoprobing of the Effect of Cu2+ Cations on Misfolding, Interaction and Aggregation of Amyloid Beta Peptide

Misfolding and aggregation of the amyloid β-protein (Aβ) are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Both processes are dependent on the environmental conditions, including the presence of divalent cations, such as Cu2+. Cu2+ cations regulate early stages of Aβ aggregation, but the molecular mechanism of Cu2+ regulation is unknown. In this study we applied single molecule AFM force spectroscopy to elucidate the role of Cu2+ cations on interpeptide interactions. By immobilizing one of two interacting Aβ42 molecules on a mica surface and tethering the counterpart molecule onto the tip, we were able to probe the interpeptide interactions in the presence and absence of Cu2+ cations at pH 7.4, 6.8, 6.0, 5.0, and 4.0. The results show that the presence of Cu2+ cations change the pattern of Aβ interactions for pH values between pH 7.4 and pH 5.0. Under these conditions, Cu2+ cations induce Aβ42 peptide structural changes resulting in N-termini interactions within the dimers. Cu2+ cations also stabilize the dimers. No effects of Cu2+ cations on Aβ-Aβ interactions were observed at pH4.0, suggesting that peptide protonation changes the peptide-cation interaction. The effect of Cu2+ cations on later stages of Aβ aggregation was studied by AFM topographic images. The results demonstrate that substoichiometric Cu2+ cations accelerate the formation of fibrils at pH 7.4 and 5.0, whereas no effect of Cu2+ cations was observed at pH 4.0. Taken together, the combined AFM force spectroscopy and imaging analyses demonstrate that Cu2+ cations promote both the initial and the elongation stages of Aβ aggregation, but protein protonation diminishes the effect of Cu2+.
SLASH: Automatically Generating Flash Cards for Reviewing Concepts in Lectures Slides (Abstract Only)

We present SLASH, a learning tool currently under development in our graduate program. SLASH aims to help students review concepts in lectures slides using flash cards automatically generated from the slides. Many courses in our program have weekly quizzes and students can get stressed quite easily. So we hope that SLASH can make the process of reviewing lectures more fun and interesting to the students. Extracting concepts from lectures slides is itself an interesting but challenging problem, since the contents of the slides may be fragmented (e.g., point-based, with an incomplete sentence for each point) and noisy (e.g., containing formulas and codes). Past research on text mining has tried to "glue" together the points to construct a grammatically correct sentence, which is then used to extract concepts and relationships. In contrast, we focus on discovering popular concepts in the slides and generating flash cards with (just) sufficient contexts to help students recall the concepts. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work on the automatic generation of concept-based flash cards from lecture slides. In the presentation, we will show our preliminary work, example flash cards, student feedback, and challenges in developing SLASH. We believe that SLASH may benefit all instructors who are using PowerPoint for lecture presentation, and may be used to largely stimulate students' interests in learning the subjects.
Taste of glucose elicits cephalic-phase insulin release in mice

We reported previously that when C57BL/6 (B6) mice ingest glucose, plasma insulin levels rise above baseline before blood glucose levels do so. This observation led us to speculate that the taste of glucose elicits cephalic-phase insulin release (CPIR) in mice. Here, we examined the specific contributions of taste and glucose to CPIR. In Experiment 1, we bypassed the mouth and delivered glucose directly to the stomach. We found that plasma insulin levels did not rise above baseline until after blood glucose levels did so. This revealed that taste stimulation is necessary for rapid insulin release (i.e., CPIR) in mice. In Experiment 2, we examined the observation that sucrose, maltose and Polycose (a maltodextrin) all elicit CPIR. We proposed in a prior study that these carbohydrates did not directly elicit CPIR; instead, they were digested by oral amylases and alpha-glucosidases, and that it was the enzymatically liberated glucose that elicited CPIR. In support of this possibility, we reported that acarbose (an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor) prevented sucrose, maltose and Polycose from eliciting CPIR. Here, we sought to confirm that glucose alone could elicit CPIR in the presence of acarbose. Indeed, we found that glucose alone and glucose+acarbose each elicited equally robust CPIR. Taken together, these results provide further support for the hypothesis that mice possess a glucose-specific taste transduction pathway that triggers rapid insulin release.
A Test of Evolutionary and Sociocultural Explanations of Reactions to Sexual Harassment

Although the field of evolutionary psychology has been perceived to generate predictions that are untestable, one potentially falsifiable prediction of the evolutionary approach is that women should be less upset by unwanted sexual advances from high than from low status men. Three experiments tested this hypothesis within a workplace and an academic setting. Across the first two experiments, women and men were actually more upset by perceived sexual harassment from higher than lower status members of the other sex. Results of Study 3 suggested that women only showed this difference when there was a power relationship involved. These results conflict with the evolutionary prediction and support a sociocultural explanation of reactions to sexual harassment; that is, that they are influenced by power differentials.
Issues in Implementing Food Security in China

This chapter begins by analyzing the basis in knowledge of China’s food system – the intellectual establishment, research and development expenditures in the agricultural sciences, and training to improve farming practices. A second challenge is administrative coordination, both vertically and horizontally. The third challenge concerns modernization of the infrastructure for food production, emphasizing transportation and storage. The fourth area concerns access to food and poverty. It describes the significant reduction of absolute poverty from the late 1970s to the present, examines recent poverty alleviation programs, and assesses work remaining to be done – made difficult by the lack of agreement on the number of poor in China today. The fifth challenge is public participation, and discussion centers on media reportage of food security issues and citizen protests. The pattern indicates limited growth of civil society. The chapter concludes by describing changes in agricultural trade and issues related to China’s entrance into the World Trade Organization.
Patterns: Digits, Squares, and Bases.

We have checked all numbers from 1 to 100 and found the following numbers lead to pattern A: 1, 7, 10, 13, 19, 23, 28, 31, 32, 44, 49, 68, 70, 79, 82, 86, 91, 94, 97, 100. The other eighty numbers from 1 to 100 lead to pattern B. Many interesting questions arise from this observation. We asked ourselves the question, "What happens if this same proc ess is carried out in other number bases? Are there similiar patterns?" For example, in base five,
Conditions for the existence and uniqueness of optimal matrix scalings

Given M ∈ C n × n , consider the problem of finding $$ {f_{\min }}\left( M \right) = \inf \left\{ {\left\| {DM{D^{ - 1}}} \right\|\left| {D \in \mathcal{D}} \right.} \right\}, $$ (6.1) where ∥·∥ denotes the spectral norm, and Ɗ is a set of “scalings” defined by $$ \mathcal{D} = \left\{ {D|_{{D_i} = D_i^* \in \;\;{C^{ki \times ki}},{d_i} \in \;R,\;Trace\left( D \right) = 1}^{D \in {C^{n \times n}},\;D = \;diag\left( {{D_1},...,{D_m},{d_1}{I_l}_{_1},...,dp{I_{lp}}} \right)}} \right\}. $$ (6.2)
An integrated system for printing and publishing applications

This paper describes the architecture of a system, providing an integrated approach to the printing process, starting from the input of the basic components (images, texts, and graphics) up to the definition and modification of page layout and finally to driving high resolution output devices. The system allows an interactive management of the documents to be printed as well as of their elementary components, i.e. the pages, and at a lower level, the boxes, containing texts, images and graphics. The main peculiarities of the system architecture are interactivity, modularity and non-procedurality discussed in more details and some of its functions are illustrated by means of some system outputs.
Rural Property Relations and the Regional Dynamics of Brazilian Capitalism

Scholars have long viewed the development of capitalism in Brazil as a product of the colonial division of labor and Brazil’s insertion into the world economy. Others see it as coming about with the transition from slavery to wage labor and the proletarianization of the peasantry that occurred several centuries later. In this chapter, I argue that there are in fact significant regional differences with how and when the transition to capitalism occurred in Brazil, and these differences are key to explaining the vast divergence between the North and the South. In parts of the South, especially the Southeast, the transition played out somewhat like it did in the Northern United States, with an expanding frontier of family farms in which access to land came to be mediated by market mechanisms. This led to capitalist property relations in which producers became subject to market discipline through competitive land markets and market specialization. In the Northeast, on the other hand, land appropriation was, and continues to be, dominated by wealthy and powerful elites that were not subject to the same market pressures as their counterparts in the Southeast. These differences have had enormous consequences for the development trajectory of each region.
Rethinking sodium-ion anodes as nucleation layers for anode-free batteries

Here we report a room-temperature sodium metal battery, where the sodium initially stored in a Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode is plated, upon charging, onto an aluminum current collector coated with a thin nucleation layer. To maximize the battery performance, conventional sodium-ion anode materials, including non-graphitized carbons and sodium-alloying metals, were evaluated as nucleation layers to facilitate stable electroplating of sodium metal. Among several materials studied, carbon black and bismuth showed the highest sodium plating–stripping coulombic efficiencies in half-cell testing, averaging 99.9% and 99.85%, respectively, over 50 cycles at 0.5 mA cm−2. Building on these findings, anode-free cells with Na3V2(PO4)3 cathodes were assembled in a discharged state, demonstrating energy densities up to 318 W h kg−1 at 0.25 mA cm−2 (∼C/6), a first-cycle coulombic efficiency up to 92%, a stable discharge voltage at 3.35 V, an average round-trip energy efficiency of 98%, and a capacity retention of 82.5% after 100 cycles at 0.5 mA cm−2 (∼C/3). With its unique performance highlighted in this work, the anode-free sodium battery emerges as a low-cost, high-performance option for stationary electric storage.
Electronic Structure Fermi Liquid Theory of High TcSuperconductors

Predictions of local density functional (LDF) calculations of the electronic structure and transport properties of high superconductors are reviewed. As evidenced by the excellent agreement with both photoemission and positron annihilation experiments, the Fermi liquid nature of the ‘normal’ state of the high Tc superconductors becomes clear for the metallic phase of these oxides. Tc understand the remaining anomalous features in the observed photoemission experiments, the effect of Coulomb correlations on the electronic structure is determined with the many-body corrections to the known band structure. The effective mass enhancement at E F , renormalized band dispersions, and the energy dependence of the band state broadening for Nd2-xCexCuO4 are predicted and found to be in agreement with observations in other Cu-oxide superconductors with a choice of the effective Coulomb interaction parameter U = 3 eV. In addition, LDF predictions on the normal state transport properties that are qualitatively in agreement with experiments on single crystals are discussed. It is emphasized that the signs of the Hall coefficients for the high T, superconductors are not consistent with the types of dopants (e.g., electron-doped or hole-doped) but are determined by the topology of the Fermi surfaces obtained from the LDF calculations. Qualitative agreement with experiment is also found for the in-plane anisotropies in both compounds, pointing to the role of the Cu-O chains in the normal state transport properties of these compounds. Finally, with the use of new untwinned single crystal data for YBa2Cu3O7, we find good agreement between the experimental and calculated resistivity versus temperature slope, with an estimated value of λtr ≈ 1.
Equatorially trapped waves in Earth’s core

Author(s): Buffett, B; Matsui, H | Abstract: Short-period fluctuations in geomagnetic acceleration are detected in recent satellite observations. A major component of this signal is confined to the equatorial region, suggesting the presence of equatorial waves, but the precise nature of these waves is not known. We explore the possibility that these waves arise from an interplay of magnetic, Archimedes and Coriolis forces in a stratified layer at the top of the core (sometimes called MAC waves). We adopt a beta-plane approximation and show that low-frequency MAC waves are not trapped near the equator when the root-mean-square (rms) radial magnetic field is constant over the surface of the core–mantle boundary. However, equatorial trapped MAC waves emerge when the rms radial magnetic field increases towards the poles. Further confinement of MAC waves occurs when we account for the leading-order effects of spherical geometry. The resulting MAC waves propagate to the east with phase velocities that depend strongly on the thickness of the stratified layer.Waves with periods less than 10 yr are predicted when the layer thickness is less than 30 km. These waves have low quality factors, Q ≈ 1, which means that they propagate only a few thousand kilometers before being dissipated by ohmic losses. Evidence for eastward and westward propagating disturbances in the observations may reflect a superposition of wave propagation and forced motion by an excitation source. Separation of the source from the wave propagation may be possible if the source is due mainly to westward drifting plumes in the equatorial region.
Exploring the Concept of Food Insecurity and Family Hunger in Senegal, West Africa:

Using a previously validated instrument, surveys were conducted by researchers in a Senegalese village to elicit data on childhood food insecurity and health outcomes. Fifty-four participants were ...
Gender-Conscious Confrontation: The Accuser-Obligation Approach Revisited

The Supreme Court’s recent Confrontation Clause decisions have had a dramatic effect on domestic violence prosecution throughout the United States, sparking debate about possible solutions to an increasingly difficult trial process for prosecutors and the survivors they represent. In this Note, I revisit and reinterpret the suggestion by Professor Sherman J. Clark in his article, An Accuser-Obligation Approach to the Confrontation Clause,1 that we should view the Confrontation Clause primarily as an obligation of the accuser rather than a right of the accused. Specifically, I reevaluate Clark’s proposition using a gendered lens, ultimately suggesting a novel solution to the problem of the “victimless” domestic violence prosecution that would extend beyond the domestic violence context. An approach that views the Confrontation Clause as an accuser’s obligation, and focuses on the values of honor, courage, and respect, while simultaneously taking a gender-conscious approach in defining those values, will produce a body of jurisprudence that can satisfy the courts, academics, and advocates alike.
Recreational Specialization: A Critical Look at the Construct

Recreational specialization has generally been treated by leisure researchers as a measure of intensity of involvement and has been used to explore variation among activity participants in terms of...
Thyroid Function Tests in Uremic Patients on Maintenance Dialysis: A Comparison of CAPD and Hemodialysis

Thyroid function tests were performed in nine clinically euthyroid, chronic-renal-failure (CRF) patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), and the results were compared with simi...
Modeling Nonpoint Source Pollutants in the Vadose Zone with GIS

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollutants are recognized as the single greatest threat to surface and subsurface sources of drinking water throughout the world. The vadose zone serves as the conduit through which NPS pollutants travel through surface soil to groundwater supplies. Because of increased dependency on groundwater supplies, the ability to model groundwater vulnerability to the leaching of NPS pollutants through the vadose zone has grown in significance. Geographic information systems (GIS) have emerged as a useful tool in environmental modeling, particularly for NPS pollutants. A review is presented concerning the modeling of NPS pollutants in the vadose zone with GIS. Areas discussed include the significance of NPS pollutants as a global environmental problem, the justification for the modeling of NPS pollutants in the vadose zone with GIS, the basic components of environmental modeling with GIS, a review of existing GIS-based NPS pollutant models, the application of geostatistics to GIS-based NPS pollutant modeling, the influence of scale, the reliability of NPS pollutant models based on model error and data uncertainties, and the future direction of GIS-based NPS pollutant modeling. The proliferation of GIS-based NPS pollutant models holds promise, yet caution is needed to avoid misuse of a potentially valuable environmental assessment tool for decision makers.
Intensity, infrastructure, aquatectonics:

This article uses the Belt and Road Initiative to theorize the relation between intensity and infrastructure. It makes two theoretical claims. First, intensive flows simultaneously reveal and give ...
NLR-1/CASPR Anchors F-Actin to Promote Gap Junction Formation.

Summary Gap junctions are present in most tissues and play essential roles in various biological processes. However, we know surprisingly little about the molecular mechanisms underlying gap junction formation. Here, we uncover the essential role of a conserved EGF- and laminin-G-domain-containing protein nlr-1/CASPR in the regulation of gap junction formation in multiple tissues across different developmental stages in C. elegans. NLR-1 is located in the gap junction perinexus, a region adjacent to but not overlapping with gap junctions, and forms puncta before the clusters of gap junction channels appear on the membrane. We show that NLR-1 can directly bind to actin to recruit F-actin networks at the gap junction formation plaque, and the formation of F-actin patches plays a critical role in the assembly of gap junction channels. Our findings demonstrate that nlr-1/CASPR acts as an early stage signal for gap junction formation through anchoring of F-actin networks.
The Importance of Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement in Low- and Middle-Income Settings

This review will discuss the importance of quality improvement in low- and middle-income settings as well as several potential barriers to these measures. There is substantial potential for growth in the field of quality improvement in low-resource settings. The extent of quality improvement (QI) research in low-resource settings is limited but expanding. Patient harm that is attributable to the costs of poor quality is a significant factor in all practice settings but is arguably of greater impact in limited-resource settings. Due to the recognized human, physical, and technological resource limitations in low- and middle-income countries, the delivery of quality healthcare can be variable in many settings, with discrepancies in evidence-based, evidence-informed, and customary care processes. Disparities in training and development of workforce providers exist in addition to limited availability of funding for QI research. Governmental, health ministry, and health system support is also variable. Attention to all of these areas is ultimately necessary to implement affordable and realistic quality improvement initiatives, education, training, and patient safety strategies that can mitigate harms, improve and establish more reliable outcomes, and develop a culture of safety to grow more sustainable and effective workforces and systems.
The impact of advanced glycation end products on bone properties in chronic kidney disease.

Purpose of review Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects over 15% of Americans and results in an increased risk of skeletal fractures and fracture-related mortality. However, there remain great challenges in estimating fracture risk in CKD patients, as conventional metrics such as bone density assess bone quantity without accounting for the material quality of the bone tissue. The purpose of this review is to highlight the detrimental effects of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on the structural and mechanical properties of bone, and to demonstrate the importance of including bone quality when assessing fracture risk in CKD patients. Recent findings Increased oxidative stress and inflammation drive the production of AGEs in CKD patients that form nonenzymatic crosslinks between type I collagen fibrils in the bone matrix. Nonenzymatic crosslinks stiffen and embrittle the bone, reducing its ability to absorb energy and resist fracture. Clinical measurement of AGEs is typically indirect and fails to distinguish the identity and properties of the various AGEs. Summary Accounting for the impact of AGEs on the skeleton in CKD patients may improve our estimation of overall bone quality, fracture risk, and treatments to improve both bone quantity and quality by reducing AGEs in patients with CKD merit investigation in order to improve our understanding of the etiology of increased fracture risk.
Ascending Cholangitis Caused by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Species in a Patient With Cystic Fibrosis

Ascending cholangitis is a bacterial infection of the extra-hepatic biliary system and presents as a life-threatening systemic condition. Increased bacterial loads and biliary obstruction favor bacterial translocation into the vascular and lymphatic systems. Common organisms isolated are Escherichia Coli, Klebsiella, Enterococcus species, and Enterobacter species. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a rare isolate in ascending cholangitis. We present a case of a 24-year-old patient with cystic fibrosis who presented with epigastric abdominal pain, low-grade fever, jaundice, dark urine, and nausea for two days. Initial workup revealed elevated liver enzymes, hyperbilirubinemia, leukocytosis, and an ultrasound which showed common bile duct dilation to 14 mm with choledocholithiasis. He underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with stone extraction and bile fluid culture. Cultures grew out MRSA and the patient was treated with appropriate antibiotic therapy. The mainstay of therapy for ascending cholangitis is adequate hydration, antibiotics, and biliary decompression. Early recognition of the offending organism is critical in guiding therapy. Current guidelines focus on the empiric treatment of Gram-negative and anaerobic bacteria. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of less common pathogens (such as MRSA), especially in a patient who is decompensating despite antibiotic therapy.
Study of Surface Acoustic Wave Dispersion Using Laser-Ultrasonics and Application to Thickness Measurement

Dispersion of surface acoustic waves (SAW) has been used to characterize subsurface anomalies [1], estimate physical property gradients [2], calculate the effective elastic constants of fiber composite materials [3] and evaluate thin film thickness [4] and microstructures [5]. In most cases, SAW were generated and detected using piezoelectric transducers either in direct contact with the sample [1], or coupled to it with a liquid couplant [3–5]. Coupling problems arise in the case of samples at elevated temperature or in motion. These problems are solved by laser-ultrasonics, which uses lasers to generate and detect ultrasound, without contact and at distance [6, 7]. This technique applied to SAW generation and detection has been used for the evaluation of material properties [8, 9], to near-surface flaw detection [8, 10] and to the measurement of the thickness of thin metal sheets [9, 11]. Most applications require conditions of generation, which do not affect the surface of the specimen, i.e. operation in the thermoelastic regime. In this case, rather weak ultrasonic displacement signals are generally produced, but considerable enhancement of the signal has been demonstrated by distributing the laser energy on a circle and detecting the displacement at the center of convergence of the generated SAW [8].
Histone Deacetylases in the Response to Misfolded Proteins

Until recently, reversible acetylation was thought to occur exclusively in the nucleus. Now it is known that several cytoplasmic processes require reversible acetylation. The first identified cytoplasmic deacetylase was HDAC6, a member of the histone deacetylase (HDAC) family. HDAC6 modulates a-tubulin acetylation and thus can regulate cytoskeletal dynamics and cell motility. HDAC6 has also been shown recently to play an essential role in the cell’s response to misfolded proteins. Using the characterization of HDAC6 as a starting point, in this chapter we review the role of HDACs in the cellular response to misfolded proteins. Specifically, we address how HDACs regulate the formation of aggresomes. We also discuss the relevance of these findings to neurodegenerative disease.
Testimonial knowledge in early childhood, revisited

Many epistemologists agree that even very young children sometimes acquire knowledge through testimony. In this paper I address two challenges facing this view. The first (building on a point made in Lackey (2005)) is the defeater challenge, which is to square the hypothesis that very young children acquire testimonial knowledge with the fact that children (whose cognitive immaturity prevents them from having or appreciating reasons) cannot be said to satisfy the No-Defeaters condition on knowledge. The second is the extension challenge, which is to give a motivated, extensionally-adequate account of the conditions on testimonial knowledge in early childhood. Neither challenge can be met merely by endorsing externalism about knowledge; but we can meet both by reconceiving the process that eventuates in the child’s consumption of testimony. My central thesis is that this process should be seen as implicating features of the child’s social environment. The result is a novel anti-individualistic externalism about knowledge.
900 Miles from Nowhere: Voices from the Homestead Frontier

Review of: "900 Miles from Nowhere: Voices from the Homestead Frontier," by Steven R. Kinsella.
Graph-theoretical analysis of the fractal transform

A part of a fractal code is an assignment of a domain block to every range block. The assignment is used to construct the dependence graph of a fractal code. The vertices of the graph represent the range blocks. Two vertices z and y are connected by a directed edge from y to x if the range block y is overlapped, fully or partially, by the domain block assigned to the range block x. An algorithm to analyze the structure of the dependence graph is presented. The exposed structure of the graph can be used for three different purposes. The first one is convergence analysis: the affine transformations linking domain and range blocks can be classified into those that affect convergence and those that do not. The second one is decoding time reduction: certain range blocks can be reconstructed in a non-iterative way. The third one is improving upon collage coding: the affine transformations for some range blocks can be optimized based on the domain blocks extracted from the reconstructed rather than the original image.
Metabolism of Methylated Purines in Escherichia coli: Derepression of Purine Biosynthesis

Love, Samuel H. (Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest College, Winston-Salem, N.C.), and Charles N. Remy. Metabolism of methylated purines in Escherichia coli: derepression of purine biosynthesis. J. Bacteriol. 91:1037–1049. 1966.—Various methylated purines were examined for their effects on growth of purine-requiring mutants of Escherichia coli, strains W-11 and B-96, and for their effects on purine biosynthesis. 6-Methylaminopurine and 6-methoxypurine stimulated the accumulation of purine precursor derivatives (ribosyl-5-aminoimidazole and ribosyl-5-amino-4-imidazole carboxamide) beyond their ability to support growth. Information obtained from in vivo and in vitro systems demonstrated that the metabolism of 6-methylaminopurine and 6-methoxypurine utilized identical pathways. The riboside derivatives are formed either by direct ribosidation via nucleoside phosphorylase or, indirectly, by dephosphorylation of the 5′-phosphoribosyl derivatives which are synthesized via adenylate pyrophosphorylase. Information obtained with the aid of strain W-11/DAP (lacking adenylate pyrophosphorylase) demonstrated that both pathways were important to the growing cells. Regardless of the metabolic pathway by which they are synthesized, the ribosyl derivatives are demethylaminated (demethylated) by adenosine deaminase to yield inosine. The final conversion of inosine to inosinic acid via the intermediate formation of hypoxanthine accounts for the net conversion of the methylated bases to inosinic acid. The utilization of the bases is sufficiently rate-limiting to cause derepression of the early enzymes required for the de novo synthesis of purine, thus accounting for the elevated accumulation of purine precursors originally observed.
Spectroscopy of Σ00→Π10 Vibrational–Tunneling–Rotational Band in Rg · ND3 (Rg = Ne, Ar, Kr)

Abstract A number of vibrational–tunneling–rotational (VTR) transitions in the range of 195–298 GHz belonging to the Σ00→Π10 hindered rotation band in Rg · ND3 (Rg = Ne, Kr) complexes are observed in absorption in a free supersonic jet, using the pulsed fast scan submillimeter-wave spectroscopic technique (FASSST). The data obtained in this experiment, combined with previously obtained data on the Ar · ND3 complex, were used to construct a qualitative model describing the inversion–tunneling motion in the lowest states of the Rg · ND3 complexes.
Identification, isolation, and overexpression of the gene encoding the psi subunit of DNA polymerase III holoenzyme.

Abstract The gene encoding the psi subunit of DNA polymerase III holoenzyme, holD, was identified and isolated by an approach in which peptide sequence data were used to obtain a DNA hybridization probe. The gene, which maps to 99.3 centisomes, was sequenced and found to be identical to a previously uncharacterized open reading frame that overlaps the 5' end of rimI by 29 bases, contains 411 bp, and is predicted to encode a protein of 15,174 Da. When expressed in a plasmid that also expressed holC, holD directed expression of the psi subunit to about 3% of total soluble protein.
"Important" Life Events and Depression among Older Adults: The Role of Psychological and Social Resources

The current article examines the role of psychosocial factors in the relationship of life events and depression among older adults by focusing on a single "most important" life event. Using data from a random community sample of older adults, the study finds that although health-related events do exacerbate the level of depression resulting from an undesirable life event, their exclusion from the analysis still results in a significant relationship between non-health-related events and depressive symptomatology. Controlling for both types of undesirable life events, the study further documents that psychological resources are more effective than social resources in predicting subsequent level of depression for those experiencing health-related events. For those experiencing non-health-related life events, social resources are most important in predicting subsequent symptomatology. Implications are discussed.
Full length article: Price-bandwidth dynamics for WSPs in heterogeneous wireless networks

This paper presents a comprehensive approach to spectrum pricing and bandwidth management for wireless service providers (WSPs) in heterogeneous wireless networks. Most approaches to spectrum management focus on revenue maximization for the WSPs. However, the key issue of the competitive edge held by a WSP over the others (i.e., its market share) is hardly addressed. The market shares of the WSPs depend on the prices they advertise and the bandwidths they provide. We develop a three phase game between WSPs. The first phase called the WSP-WSP price game enables WSPs determine the optimal price they must advertise. In the second phase, called the WSP-WSP bandwidth game, the WSPs use the Nash equilibrium of the WSP-WSP price game, to determine the optimal bandwidths they should advertise in order to maximize their market share. Finally, in the third phase, we develop a WSP-WSP trading game model the fact that users that start off with a WSP can not only demand bandwidth from that WSP, but also demand bandwidth from other WSPs in order to make best use of the available bandwidth at all the WSPs.
A comparison of the influence of La3+, D600 and gentamicin on frequency-force relationships in isolated myocardium.

Abstract The capability of heart muscle to respond mechanically to changes in frequency of stimulation was studied in the absence and in the presence of La3+, D600 and gentamicin using left atrial preparations of guinea pigs. La3+ (0.5 × 10−3 M) and gentamicin (1 × 10−3 M) depressed the basal contractile state at 1.0 Hz by about 90% (EC90), and inhibited the positive inotropic response to increased driving rate throughout the frequency range that was studied (0.1–2.2 Hz). In contrast, a comparable concentration of D600 (1.05 × 10−6 M) reduced inotropic responses to high rates of stimulation (> 1.4 Hz) more than responses to low rates (
Ion-Gated Electron Transfer in Self-Assembled Monolayer Films

The preparation and electrochemical characterization of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of azobenzenebutanethiols 1d and ferrocenylazobenzenebutanethiols 2d on Au are reported. Adsorption of these molecules onto Au surfaces has been verified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and reflectance infrared spectroscopy. Optical ellipsometry, capacitance measurements, and cyclic voltammetry indicate that azobenzene-terminated adsorbate molecules form densely packed SAMs on Au(111). Reduction of the azobenzene group in 1d or 2d in an aprotic medium results in the formation of an azobenzene radical anion. However, SAMs of 1d and 2d exhibit almost no electrochemical accessibility for their azobenzene groups, even though a SAM of 2d exhibits complete electrochemical accessibility for its outer layer of ferrocenyl groups. The azobenzene electrochemical inaccessibility is due to the densely packed structures of these SAMs and their ability to prohibit the incorporation of charge-compensating cations upon their reduc...
517 CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (CMV) INFECTION IN PEDIATRIC HOUSE OFFICERS: SUSCEPTIBILITY AND RISK OF PRIMARY INFECTION

Health-care workers in their child-bearing years are concerned about the risk of acquiring CMV from infected patients. Pediatric house officers are a particularly vulnerable group since their training requires significant contact with large numbers of children who are excreting virus. We studied 213 pediatric house officers (110 male and 103 female) during a 3 year period. The average age was 27.1 years (range 23-40 years). Initial serology (ACIF and ELISA) revealed 144 (69%) to be nonimmune. Race (white 143/196 seronegative vs nonwhite 4/17 seronegative, p <.001) and place of birth (U.S. 111/153 seronegative vs non-U.S. 6/15 seronegative, p=.008) were significantly associated with susceptibility. Sex, level of training and marital status were not significantly different for those initially seropositive or seronegative. CMV seronegative house officers (122) were followed for 183 person years. Seven individuals seroconverted (3.8% seroconversions per year). Twenty-one seronegative house officers were followed for their entire 3 year residency. Two individuals seroconverted (9.5% seroconversions per residency). Prevalence studies in various areas of our hospital showed that 1% to 15% of hospitalized children were excreting CMV during the study period. Susceptible house officers have a significant risk (9.5% per residency) of acquiring CMV infection, but the source of the infection cannot be determined by our data.
A new polar coding scheme for strong security on wiretap channels

The problem of achieving the secrecy capacity of wiretap channels explicitly and with low complexity has been open since the work of Wyner in 1975. Recently, Mahdavifar and Vardy presented a solution to this problem, based on polar codes, for the class of symmetric and degraded wiretap channels. Their polar coding scheme achieves both security and reliability under the weak security criterion, but does not guarantee reliability under the strong security criterion. The main difficulty in providing both strong security and reliability using polar codes is the existence of a small number of bit-channels that are both unreliable and unsecure. In this paper, a multi-block polar coding scheme that resolves this difficulty is presented. It is shown that this coding scheme achieves the secrecy capacity of symmetric degraded wiretap channels while guaranteeing both reliability and strong security.
Blaming Eve Alone: Translation, Omission, and Implications of עמה in Genesis 3:6b

Interpreters tend to blame only Eve for succumbing to temptation in the garden, even though Adam is present in Gen 3:1–6 and shares responsibility for disobedience. This article reveals how English translations of Gen 3:6b (“and she gave also to her husband with her and he ate”) frequently isolate the woman by failing to translate עמה (“with her”) in this verse. The Hebrew word עמה is undisputed in the MT. Ancient textual witnesses, except the Vulgate, consistently include some version of this phrase. Grammatical reference works agree on the function and importance of עמה. Especially in English, עמה provides critical information, yet many translations of Gen 3:6 (including the RSV and NJPS) do not say that Eve’s husband is “with her.” This discussion looks at the biblical text, Hebrew grammars, commentaries, ancient sources, fifty English translations of Gen 3:6b, and translation committee notes to explore the history, implications, and motivations of translators’ decisions regarding עמה. While some translators consider עמה insignificant in Gen 3:6, this article argues that neglecting to translate this word has important ramifications. Bibles that do not mention that Adam was “with her” facilitate interpretations that excuse the man and condemn the woman.
Suppression of bladder reflex activity in chronic spinal cord injured cats by activation of serotonin 5-HT1A receptors.

Abstract The effects of 8-OH-DPAT (5-HT 1A receptor agonist) and WAY100635 (5-HT 1A receptor antagonist) on reflex bladder activity were investigated in α-chloralose anesthetized or conscious chronic spinal cord injured cats. The results were similar in both anesthetized and conscious animals. Cystometrograms revealed that 8-OH-DPAT (0.5 mg/kg, s.c.) significantly increased the bladder volume threshold for eliciting a large amplitude micturition contraction, but only slightly reduced the amplitude of the contractions and did not alter the small amplitude pre-micturition contractions. 8-OH-DPAT also reduced the amplitude of isovolumetric bladder contractions. The inhibitory effect of 8-OH-DPAT was reversed by WAY100635 (0.5 mg/kg) or blocked by pre-treatment with WAY100635. Reflex bladder contractions evoked by tactile stimulation of the perigenital region were not altered by 8-OH-DPAT. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of 8-OH-DPAT is mediated by an action on interneuronal pathways in the spinal cord or on the C-fiber afferent limb of the spinal micturition reflex and not on bladder smooth muscle or the efferent limb of the reflex pathway. Drugs that activate 5-HT 1A receptors might be useful in treating detrusor overactivity after spinal cord injury.
On the structures of the intermediate phases in the terbium oxide system

Abstract A high-resolution transmission electron microscope investigation of the ordered phases in the terbium oxide system in the range 1.714 O Tb has been performed. Two ordered phases belonging to the R n O 2 n −2 homologous series of defective fluorite phases have been examined, namely, the n = 11 and n = 12 members. Selected area electron diffraction has revealed two polymorphs of the n = 12 phase in the TbO x system. In addition, a metastable n = 16 phase was identified by diffraction and imaging techniques. High-resolution (∼3 A) images of thin crystals of these phases are presented. Computer-simulated lattice images based on dynamical scattering theory with the incorporation of the appropriate instrumental parameters at through-focus and through-thicknesses for proposed defect structures of the intermediate terbium oxide phases are presented for comparison. Images calculated at optimum defocus and periodic thicknesses correspond to the projected crystal potential. The remarkably good match between experimental and calculated images at optimum defocus and in a through-focus series supports the choice of the structural models for the real defect structure of the intermediate phases.
Parametric fortran: program generation in scientific computing

Parametric Fortran is an extension of Fortran that supports the definition of Fortran program templates by allowing the parameterization of arbitrary Fortran constructs. A Fortran program template can be translated into a regular Fortran program guided by values for the parameters. This paper describes the design, implementation, and applications of Parametric Fortran. Parametric Fortran is particularly useful in scientific computing. The applications include the definition of generic functions, removing duplicated code, and automatic differentiation. The described techniques have been successfully employed in a project that implements a generic inverse ocean modeling system.
The Role of Inner Ring Suburbs in Metropolitan Smart Growth Strategies

Strengthening the effectiveness of metropolitan smart growth policies requires an understanding of the role and conditions of inner ring suburbs. Nevertheless, the issue of the deterioration of the inner ring suburbs has only recently received significant consideration by urban scholars and policy makers. In this article, the authors review the literature on metropolitan formation and the smart growth movement to critically assess how well it characterizes and explains the evolution of inner ring suburbs, as well as to emphasize the role that inner ring suburbs can play in metropolitan smart growth strategies. They next characterize the literature specifically focused on inner ring suburbs in terms of what it has to offer on defining such areas. After identifying the gaps in the literature, the authors offer a methodology for accurately defining inner ring suburbs and conclude with a discussion of policy for effectively addressing the socioeconomic needs of the inner ring suburbs within the context of met...