cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Local administration of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol attenuates capsaicin-induced thermal nociception in rhesus monkeys: a peripheral cannabinoid action

Rationale: Cannabinoids can reduce nociceptive responses by acting on peripheral cannabinoid receptors in rodents. Objectives: The study was conducted to evaluate the hypothesis that local administration of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) can attenuate capsaicin-induced nociception in rhesus monkeys. Methods: Capsaicin (100 µg) was applied locally in the tail of rhesus monkeys to evoke a nociceptive response, thermal allodynia, in normally innocuous 46°C water. Δ9-THC (10–320 µg) was coadministered with capsaicin in the tail to assess local antinociceptive effects. In addition, a local antagonism study was performed to confirm the selectivity of Δ9-THC action. Results:Δ9-THC dose-dependently inhibited capsaicin-induced allodynia. This local antinociception was antagonized by small doses (10–100 µg) of the cannabinoid CB1 antagonist, SR141716A, applied in the tail. However, 100 µg SR141716A injected subcutaneously in the back did not antagonize local Δ9-THC. Conclusions: These results indicate that the site of action of locally applied Δ9-THC is in the tail. It provides functional evidence that activation of peripheral cannabinoid CB1 receptors can attenuate capsaicin-induced thermal nociception in non-human primates and suggests a new approach for cannabinoids in pain management.
An Item Response Theory Analysis of Safety Knowledge in Colorado Farm Residents

OBJECTIVE:: This study was designed to identify safety knowledge questions that differentiated those with high and low vulnerability to injury and assess differences in safety questions by sex and age. METHODS:: Colorado farm operators and their spouses were recruited in 1993 from farm truck registrations (n = 872) and between 1993 and 1997 from property value assessment lists or rural directories (n = 761). Item Response Theory was used to assess ten safety questions. RESULTS:: Knowing fatigue causes injury best discriminated between high and low injury vulnerability; incorrectly answering the question about inattention causing injury was associated with highest vulnerability to injury. No measurement invariance was identified by sex, but those older than 65 years answered differently than those younger than 45 years (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION:: Safety programs emphasizing the role of fatigue and inattention on injury risk might reduce injuries in the farming community. Language: en
Venus Gravity: 180th Degree and Order Model

The Megallan Doppler radiometric tracking data provides unprecedented precision for spacecraft based gravity measurements with the maximum resolution approaching spherical harmonic degree and order 180 in selected equatorial regions.
Past as Prologue

Abstract The Hudson Museum at The University of Maine may be the only museum of anthropology to share a building with a concert hall. The museum opened in the Maine Center for the Arts in 1986 and owes its existence to the passions of three people with connections to the university— an anthropologist, a philanthropist, and a collector. Their impact on the museum's philosophy, building, and collections shaped the Hudson Museum. In the 1980s, the university's administration sold parts of a vast Precolumbian collection that has since become the university's premier collection, the centerpiece of the Hudson Museum, and an invaluable resource for research and teaching. Financial, ethical, and public relations issues related to the sale of the collection parallel some of those recently encountered by other academic museums and their parent institutions in high-profile cases.
Thermally driven flows at low Prandtl numbers: An extension of the Prandtl-Batchelor theorem

New results for the structure of closed eddies in thermally driven flows at low Prandtl numbers and high Grashof numbers are presented. The analysis provides an extension of the classical Prandtl-Batchelor theorem. Numerical calculations given here for laterally heated rectangular cavities are in excellent agreement with the extended theorem.
A low‐angle slushflow in the Kirgiz Range, Kirgizstan

A rare observation of a slushflow that released on a low-angle slope was made on 16 May 1992 in the West Karakol Valley, southern Kirgiz Range, Kirgizstan. The slushflow released on a short slope of 6° and travelled a distance of 140 m over a slope with a mean angle of 3° with a mean channel width of about 4 m. Total volume of snow and slush transported by the slide was more than 200 m3 with an estimated mass of 200,000 kg. Estimated velocity of the flow was 5 ms−1. Meteorological conditions preceding the event included heavy cloud cover and clear skies with warm temperatures. Rain fell for about six hours during the day before the event. Mixed rain and snow precipitation continued through the preceding night accompanied by steady high winds. The day of the release was warm with overcast skies and light rain. The snowpack was generally saturated to the surface at the time of the release, and water was flowing over the snow surface in the path of the slushflow. Un phenomene geomorphologique rarement decrit, a savoir le fluage d'une masse de neige gorgee d'eau a ete observe sur une pente faible, le 16 mai 1992, dans la vallee du Karakol (ouest) dans le Kirghizistan. Cet ecoulement s'est declenche sur une pente faible de 6° et s'est deplace sur une distance de 140 m dans une zone ou la pente moyenne est de 3°, et ou existe un chenal dont la largeur est de l'ordre de 4 m. Le volume total deplace de neige gorgee d'eau etait superieur a 200 m3, ce qui represente une masse d'environ 200.000 kg. La vitesse estimee de l'ecoulement a ete de 5 m s−1. Les conditions meteorologiques qui ont precede cet evenement ont vu se succeder des periodes pendant lesquelles la couverture nuageuse eait epaisse et des periodes de ciel clair avec des temperatures elevees. La pluie est tombee pendant environ 6 heures le jour precedant le phenomene. Des precipitations de pluie et de neige se sont poursuivies toute la nuit avant le declenchement du glissement. Le jour du phenomene, la temperature etait elevee avec un ciel couvert et une pluie legere. La masse de neige etait saturee jusqu'a la surface au moment du desplacement car de leau s'ecoulait au-dessus de la masse neigeuse a l'endroit ou s'est produit l'ecoulement.
On an Additive Semigraphoid Model for Statistical Networks With Application to Pathway Analysis

We introduce a nonparametric method for estimating non-Gaussian graphical models based on a new statistical relation called additive conditional independence, which is a three-way relation among random vectors that resembles the logical structure of conditional independence. Additive conditional independence allows us to use one-dimensional kernel regardless of the dimension of the graph, which not only avoids the curse of dimensionality but also simplifies computation. It also gives rise to a parallel structure to the Gaussian graphical model that replaces the precision matrix by an additive precision operator. The estimators derived from additive conditional independence cover the recently introduced nonparanormal graphical model as a special case, but outperform it when the Gaussian copula assumption is violated. We compare the new method with existing ones by simulations and in genetic pathway analysis. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.
Activity of alemtuzumab in patients with CD52‐positive acute leukemia

BACKGROUND Alemtuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against the cell surface antigen CD52 and has demonstrated activity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and other CD52-positive lymphoproliferative disorders. Because CD52 also is expressed on acute leukemic blasts, the authors investigated the safety and efficacy of alemtuzumab in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). METHODS Fifteen patients with CD52-positive (≥20%), recurrent or refractory acute leukemia (9 patients with AML and 6 patients with ALL) received alemtuzumab at a dose of 30 mg intravenously given 3 times a week (dose escalation during Week 1) for a total of 4 to 12 weeks. RESULTS The median age of the patients was 39 years (range, 18-71 years). Patients had received a median of 3 prior therapies (range, 1-5 prior therapies). Two patients (13%) achieved a bone marrow complete response and 1 patient achieved a substantial reduction in bone marrow blasts. No complete remissions were observed. Ten patients developed disease progression while on study. Alemtuzumab was myelosuppressive in nearly all patients. Infusion-related toxicities were common, but usually did not exceed Grade 2 (according to the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria). Infectious episodes occurred in 13 patients (87%) and included pneumonia (6 patients), bacteremia (11 patients), fungemia (2 patients), and cytomegalovirus reactivation (2 patients). CONCLUSIONS Single-agent alemtuzumab was found to have limited activity in recurrent or refractory acute leukemia. An evaluation in patients with a better prognosis, in combination with other agents or as part of consolidation therapy, is warranted. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Microinstrument gradient-force optical trap.

A micromachined fiber-optic trap is presented. The trap consists of four single-mode, 1064-nm optical fibers mounted in a micromachined silicon and glass housing. Micromachining provides the necessary precision to align the four optical fibers so that the outputs have a common intersection. The beam intersection forms a strong three-dimensional gradient-force trap with trapping forces comparable with that of optical tweezers. Characterization of the multibeam fiber trap is illustrated for capture of polystyrene microspheres, computer simulations of the trap stiffness, and experimental determination of the trapping forces.
Prioritized failure recovery in communication networks and its transient analysis

Prioritized recovery can provide differentiated recovery services to the users in communication networks. This paper studies the transient behavior of communication networks under prioritized recovery. Stochastic Petri net models are constructed to capture the behaviors of a queueing system at four different phases during the recovery process, i.e. failure-free phase, failure is detected, higher priority service is recovered, and lower priority service is recovered. The final state of the stochastic Petri net model in one phase is used as the initial state of the model in the next phase. Both the traffics for the higher and lower priority queue are modeled as Markov Modulated Poisson Processes. Two queues are served with round-robin fashion. With the help of Stochastic Petri Net Package (SPNP), the transient performances of the queueing system during each phase are numerically studied. The queue with the higher recovery priority significantly outperforms the queue with the lower recovery priority during the recovery process. A new concept about performance recovery is introduced. Performance recovery time, which is defined as the time required for a performance index to reach a desired and acceptable value, if it is deteriorated by the service disruption, is distinct from and more important than the failure recovery time. The models and analytical methods presented in this paper can be used to quantify the performance recovery time.
Transverse Vibrations of a Shallow Spherical Dome

Abstract : It is shown that the nondimensional roots of the frequency equation for nonsymmetric transverse vibrations of a clamped-edge shallow spherical dome depend upon a single shell geometric parameter. Numerical values of the frequency parameter are given in tabular and graphical form for an extensive range of shell geometries and mode numbers. A simplified version of the frequency equation is also presented and its accuracy discussed.
Boltzmann Transport Equation Simulation of Semiconductor Interfacial Heat Transfer Based on Input from the Atomistic Greens Function Method

The Boltzmann transport equation (BTE) had been successfully used to predict phonon transport in semiconductors including silicon and germanium. However, in a composite system, the method requires external inputs to include accurate boundary conditions at internal interfaces. The atomistic Green’s function (AGF) method is particularly useful for addressing interfacial heat transfer problems. In this paper, phonon transmission functions derived using the AGF method are incorporated in a non-gray BTE calculation of phonon transport in a relaxation time approximation. A Landauer-type heat flux is computed at the interface using the transmission function and the lattice temperatures on either side of the interface to compute distribution functions. The formulation is applied to a Si/Ge interface and the dependence of the effective thermal conductivity of the composite medium is investigated as a function of domain length.
Antenna integrated quantum cascade laser switchable via telecommunications wavelength probe beam

Here we present an antenna-integrated QCL which can be actively and optically modulated using light in the near infrared, creating an optical nanocircuit – coupling two different frequency antennas with a nonlinear active switching element. For our design, we chose two cross-polarized bow-tie antennas with an aligned central spot. We have used detailed FDTD simulations to choose the length of each bow-tie. The larger bow-tie antenna is resonant with the QCL at 6.1 μm wavelength and is aligned perpendicular to the active region of the device because QCL emits TM polarized light. The smaller bow-tie is resonant with the incoming modulating light at 1550 nm and is aligned perpendicularly to the first bow-tie. There is a rectangular region of amorphous germanium below the smaller bow-tie which acts as an absorber at 1550 nm. When light at 1550 nm is incident upon the device, it is focused and enhanced by the smaller bowtie, creating a region of large absorption in the germanium rectangle below. Free carriers are generated, shorting the larger bow-tie which is already focusing and enhancing light from the QCL mode. When the bow-tie arms of the larger bow-tie are shorted by these free carriers, the focusing and enhancement of the light by the larger bow-tie of the QCL mode is severely diminished, affecting the entire laser output, even the far field. Simulation results, fabrication details, and finally experimental results are discussed. Such an all-optical switch could be useful for telecommunications, free space communications, or rangefinding applications.
Social Structure in Relatively Closed and Open Schools.

This study examined the ways in which teacher work values affect group development within relatively closed and open school organizational systems. The overall findings suggest that these different types of formal organization generate dissimilar social structures which are related to the disparate value-orientations of teachers.
The effect of temperature on growth, physiology, and gametogenesis in the Manila clam Tapes philippinarum (Adams & Reeve, 1850)

Abstract Populations of the Manila clam, Tapes philippinarum (Adams & Reeve, 1850), were maintained at temperatures of 12, 15, 18, and 21°C for a period of 19 weeks. Regular determinations were made of ammonia excretion rate following which animals were sacrificed for estimation of dry meat weight, dry shell weight, biochemical composition, and gonadal development. T. philippinarum increased from an initial dry meat weight of 291.5 mg to final values of 957.9, 733.0, 735.0, and 586.0 mg at 12, 15, 18, and 21 °C, respectively. An initial increase in percentage carbohydrate content was evident at all temperatures. This was followed by carbohydrate depletion associated with gametogenesis, the transition from accumulation to depletion occurring earlier with increasing temperature. Ripe gonadal material was evident at all temperatures, but spawning was only evident at 15, 18, and 21 °C. Ammonia excretion at 12, 15, and 18°C showed an allometric relationship to meat weight; this was not so at 21 °C.
The overall elastic energy of polycrystalline martensitic solids

Abstract We are concerned with the overall elastic energy in martensitic polycrystals. These are polycrystals whose constituent crystallites can undergo shape-deforming phase transitions as a result of changes in their stress or temperature. We approach the problem of calculation of the nonlinear overall energy via a statistical optimization method which involves solution of a sequence of linear elasticity problems. As a case study we consider simulations on a two-dimensional model in which circular randomly-oriented crystallites are arranged in a square pattern within an elastic matrix. The performance of our present code suggests that this approach can be used to compute the overall energies in realistic three-dimensional polycrystals containing grains of arbitrary shape. In addition to numerical results we present upper bounds on the overall energy. Some of these bounds apply to the square array mentioned above. Others apply to polycrystals containing circular, randomly-oriented crystallites with sizes ranging to infinitesimal, and no intergrain matrix. The square-array bounds are consistent with our numerical results. In some regimes they approximate them closely, thus providing an insight on the convergence of the numerical method. On the other hand, in the case of the random array the bounds carry substantial practical significance, since in this case the energy contains no artificial contributions from an elastic matrix. In all the cases we have considered our bounds compare favorably with those obtained under the well-known Taylor hypothesis; they show that, as far as polycrystalline martensite is concerned, calculations of the elastic energy based on the Taylor assumption may lead to substantial overestimates of this quantity.
Conditional Heteroscedasticity in Qualitative Response Models of Time Series: A Gibbs-Sampling Approach to the Bank Prime Rate

Previous time series applications of qualitative response models have ignored features of the data, such as conditional heteroscedasticity, that are routinely addressed in time series econometrics of financial data. This article addresses this issue by adding Markov-switching heteroscedasticity to a dynamic ordered probit model of discrete changes in the bank prime lending rate and estimating via the Gibbs sampler. The dynamic ordered probit model of Eichengreen, Watson, and Grossman allows for serial autocorrelation in probit analysis of a time series, and this article demonstrates the relative simplicity of estimating a dynamic ordered probit using the Gibbs sampler instead of the Eichengreen et al. maximum likelihood procedure. In addition, the extension to regime-switching parameters and conditional heteroscedasticity is easy to implement under Gibbs sampling. The article compares tests of goodness of fit between dynamic ordered probit models of the prime rate that have constant variance and condition...
Lack of nitric oxide synthase type 2 (NOS2) results in reduced neuronal apoptosis and mortality following mouse hepatitis virus infection of the central nervous system.

The role of nitric oxide synthase type-2 (NOS2)-derived nitric oxide (NO) in the pathogenesis of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV)-induced central nervous system disease was examined. Infection of NOS2 knockout ((-/-)) and NOS2(+/+) mice with MHV resulted in similar kinetics of viral clearance from the brain and comparable levels of demyelination. MHV-infected NOS2(-/-) mice displayed a marked decrease in mortality as compared to infected NOS2(+/+) mice that correlated with a significant decrease (P 70%) undergoing apoptosis were neurons. These studies indicate that NOS2-generated NO contributes to apoptosis of neurons but not demyelination following MHV infection.
Shifts in the Seasonality of Infant Deaths in Nine English Towns during the 19th Century: A Case for Reduced Breast Feeding?

Abstract I compare the seasonality of infant deaths in a sample of industrial parishes in Northern England early in the 19th century with that of the same localities at the end of the century and find that a winter peak in deaths was replaced by a summer peak and that mortality became more responsive to hot summers during the course of the century. I show that reduced breast feeding is a plausible explanation for the increased summer mortality and can help explain the failure of infant mortality to fall alongside child mortality after mid-century.
Multimedia Literacy Demands of the Scientific Curriculum

Abstract Close examination of records of student participation in the post-compulsory science curriculum, including videotapes, student notes, teacher handouts, overhead transparencies, and textbook selections, suggests that the maximal literacy demands of the scientific curriculum arise from the need to integrate specialized verbal, visual, and mathematical literacies quickly and fluently in real time. The resulting “multi-literacies” co-ordinate meaning-making activity across multiple media, modalities, semiotic systems, and hybrid genres of communication and representation. After outlining theoretical issues and useful methodologies for analyzing such complex multi-literacy practices, and describing in some detail a number of representative examples, the article considers the implications of these literacy demands for curriculum design, pedagogy, assessment, and research.
'Once more unto the breach': Katharine's Victory in Henry V

Needing to marry someone who can legitimate his aspiration for a foreign throne, Henry aligns himself with Katharine Valois, French princess, integral political figure, and emerging bilinguist, who provides Henry with the legitimacy his claim is heretofore without. This article interrogates Katharine's role in allaying Henry's anxiety of creating rightfulness--both with the power she possesses as a member of and pivotal place holder in the French royal family, and in her willingness to learn English--all while retaining an individual and solvent center of power, agency intact. Further, through a discussion of the Salic Law and its (ir)relevance to the final act of Henry V , the article attempts to explain why Henry inflicts his fervent wooing upon a woman with whom, many scholars have argued, he need not have bothered. Henry, therefore, a man engrossed with the idea of playing the role of king, needs Katharine to authorize his vision of familial justification that would both help erase the recent unscrupulous actions of Henry IV, and make a more peaceful, potentially smoother, and rigorously legitimized transition for Henry VI to ascend the thrones of both countries.
Stochastic and deterministic processes regulate spatio-temporal variation in seed bank diversity

Question: Seed banks often serve as reservoirs of taxonomic and genetic diversity that buffer plant populations and influence post-disturbance vegetation trajectories; yet evaluating their importance requires understanding how their composition varies within and across spatial and temporal scales (a -a nd b-diversity). Shifts in seed bank diversity are strongly governed by the deterministic role of differential seed longevities. Nevertheless, spatio-temporal variability in propagule depletion from and recruitment into seed banks may alter both a -a ndb-diversity. Here, we ask to what degree deterministic seed exhaustion, stochasticity in recruitment and mortality, or both, shapea -a ndb-diversity? Location: Temperate hardwood forest stands of varying ages in northern Pennsylvania, USA. Methods: We surveyed the seed bank and herbaceous vegetation communities at 39 sites and examined whether the species richness, abundance and composition of either community differs among and within sites of increasing age ranging from 43 to 106 yr old. We explored how a-diversity (species richness) and abundance (percentage cover, seed density) varied across the chronosequence age using regression analyses. We analysed differences in b-diversity (community composition) using permutational multivariate analyses (i.e. PERMANOVA, PERMDISP). Finally, we tested whether community composition of the herbaceous layer and seed bank communities exhibited nestedness, where nestedness refers to the degree to which less species-rich sites are a non-random subset of more species-rich sites. Results: We found seed bank a-diversity and abundance consistently declined across a gradient of increasingly older sites. Moreover, nestedness analyses indicated species composition at older sites represented a subset of the species found at younger sites characterized by species with persistent seeds. Nevertheless, seed bank communities demonstrated divergent compositional trajectories, whereby older sites were increasingly dissimilar, not only from younger sites, but also from each other. Conclusions: Our results suggest that even in assemblages strongly structured by deterministic forces, such as seed banks, minor stochastic differences in colonization and extinction events may increase b-diversity over time. Therefore, we argue deterministic and stochastic processes are complementary factors governing post-disturbance turnover in species assemblages, and suggest that seed banks contribute to species’ persistence and overall forest community diversity across space and time.
Effect of Synaptic Transmission on Viral Fitness in HIV Infection

HIV can spread through its target cell population either via cell-free transmission, or by cell-to-cell transmission, presumably through virological synapses. Synaptic transmission entails the transfer of tens to hundreds of viruses per synapse, a fraction of which successfully integrate into the target cell genome. It is currently not understood how synaptic transmission affects viral fitness. Using a mathematical model, we investigate how different synaptic transmission strategies, defined by the number of viruses passed per synapse, influence the basic reproductive ratio of the virus, R0, and virus load. In the most basic scenario, the model suggests that R0 is maximized if a single virus particle is transferred per synapse. R0 decreases and the infection eventually cannot be maintained for larger numbers of transferred viruses, because multiple infection of the same cell wastes viruses that could otherwise enter uninfected cells. To explain the relatively large number of HIV copies transferred per synapse, we consider additional biological assumptions under which an intermediate number of viruses transferred per synapse could maximize R0. These include an increased burst size in multiply infected cells, the saturation of anti-viral factors upon infection of cells, and rate limiting steps during the process of synapse formation.
IRRATIONAL BELIEFS IN THE ARTICULATED THOUGHTS OF COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH SOCIAL ANXIETY

Cognitive conceptualizations of social anxiety emphasize the role of negative self-statements, unrealistic expectations, and irrational beliefs in the development and maintenance of anxiety in social-evaluative situations. Research into these cognitive factors has entailed administration of questionnaires and instructions to subjects to write down their thoughts during a preceding or impending real-life encounter. These methodologies are criticized on several grounds, such as their assessment of abstract, generalized views by the subject of his/her typical way of thinking over a broad range of circumstances; constraints on responses because of experimenter-provided alternatives; and delays between the eliciting events and self-talk such that recall is subject to distortion and forgetting. Reported here is the use of a recently developed paradigm for uncovering thoughts in complex social situations. In the articulated thoughts during simulated situations method, subjects role-play participation in an audiotaped interpersonal encounter and, at predetermined points, verbalize thoughts elicited by a short segment of the fictitious event. The think-aloud data are taped for later content analysis. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between irrational beliefs and social anxiety. Results confirm those of two previous related experiments in that subjects articulated thoughts of greater irrationality when confronted with a stressful social-evaluative situation than with a neutral one. In addition, individuals with a tendency to become anxious in social situations articulated more irrational thoughts than did control subjects, confirming the basic assumption of cognitive-behavioral approaches that certain paterns of unrealistic thinking are associated with psychological distress.
Three-Dimensional Imaging of Ventricular Activation and Electrograms From Intracavitary Recordings

Three-dimensional (3-D) mapping of the ventricular activation is of importance to better understand the mechanisms and facilitate management of ventricular arrhythmias. The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate a 3-D cardiac electrical imaging (3DCEI) approach for imaging myocardial electrical activation from the intracavitary electrograms (EGs) and heart-torso geometry information over the 3-D volume of the heart. The 3DCEI was evaluated in a swine model undergoing intracavitary noncontact mapping (NCM). Each animal's preoperative MRI data were acquired to construct the heart-torso model. NCM was performed with the Ensite 3000 system during acute ventricular pacing. Subsequent 3DCEI analyses were performed on the measured intracavitary EGs. The estimated initial sites (ISs) were compared to the precise pacing locations, and the estimated activation sequences (ASs) and EGs were compared to those recorded by the NCM system over the endocardial surface. In total, six ventricular sites from two pigs were paced. The averaged localization error of IS was 6.7 ± 2.6 mm. The endocardial ASs and EGs as a subset of the estimated 3-D solutions were consistent with those reconstructed from the NCM system. The present results demonstrate that the intracavitary-recording-based 3DCEI approach can well localize the sites of initiation and can obtain physiologically reason able ASs as well as EGs in an in vivo setting under control/paced conditions. This study suggests the feasibility of tomographic imaging of 3-D ventricular activation and 3-D EGs from intracavitary recordings.
Quantification of kinetic rate law parameters of uranium release from sodium autunite as a function of aqueous bicarbonate concentrations

Environmental context Uranium is a key contaminant of concern because of its high persistence in the environment and toxicity to organisms. The bicarbonate ion is an important complexing agent for uranyl ions and one of the main variables affecting its dissolution. Results from this investigation provide rate law parameters for the dissolution kinetics of synthetic sodium autunite that can influence uranium mobility in the subsurface. Abstract Hydrogen carbonate (also known as bicarbonate) is one of the most significant components within the uranium geochemical cycle. In aqueous solutions, bicarbonate forms strong complexes with uranium. As such, aqueous bicarbonate may significantly increase the rate of uranium release from uranium minerals. Quantifying the relationship of aqueous bicarbonate solutions to the rate of uranium release during dissolution is critical to understanding the long-term fate of uranium within the environment. Single-pass flow-through experiments were conducted to estimate the rate of uranium release from Na meta-autunite as a function of bicarbonate solutions (0.0005–0.003M) over the pH range of 6–11 and temperatures of 5–60°C. Consistent with the results of previous investigations, the rate of uranium release from sodium autunite exhibited minimal dependency on temperature, but was strongly dependent on pH and increasing concentrations of bicarbonate solutions. Most notably at pH 7, the rate of uranium release exhibited a 370-fold increase relative to the rate of uranium release in the absence of bicarbonate. However, the effect of increasing concentrations of bicarbonate solutions on the release of uranium was significantly less under higher pH conditions. It is postulated that at high pH values, surface sites are saturated with carbonate, thus the addition of more bicarbonate would have less effect on uranium release. Results indicate that the activation energies were unaffected by temperature and bicarbonate concentration variations, but were strongly dependent on pH conditions. As the pH increased from 6 to 11, the activation energy values were observed to decrease from 29.94 to 13.07kJmol–1. The calculated activation energies suggest a surface controlled dissolution mechanism.
Modeling snapback of LVTSCR devices for ESD circuit simulation using advanced BJT and MOS models

SCRs have been playing an increasingly significant role in ESD protection for CMOS technologies. A major challenge is to develop effective compact simulation models for these devices valid under ESD stress conditions. A simple macro modeling approach is presented for SPICE simulation of LVTSCR devices. The method uses advanced standard BJT and MOS models such as BSIM4 and Mextram. The simulation results have been verified using VFTLP and standard TLP measurements. The method provides a practical simulation tool for ESD protection circuits using LVTSCRs.
QUALITY OF CARE: PARTIAL CYSTECTOMY FOR BLADDER CANCER— A CASE OF INAPPROPRIATE USE?

ABSTRACTPurpose: Partial cystectomy is perceived to be a less morbid, less technically demanding procedure than radical cystectomy, although only select patients (approximately 6% to 10%) are appropriate candidates (solitary tumor in space/time, absence of carcinoma in situ). From a quality of care perspective, overuse of partial cystectomy may signify inappropriate delivery of health care.Materials and Methods: Subjects who underwent extirpative treatment for bladder cancer between 1988 and 2000 were identified within the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER, 3,381) registry and the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS, 22,088). Adjusted models were developed to identify clinical factors independently associated with the use of partial cystectomy for bladder cancer treatment within each sample.Results: Among patients who underwent extirpative surgery for bladder cancer, 18% and 20% of those in SEER and NIS, respectively, underwent partial cystectomy. Significant decreases in use between early and...
Time response of the thin layer electrochemical cell used for in situ X-ray diffraction

As the potential applied to the bromide on Ag(001) thin layer electrochemical cell increases past a critical level, the bromide adlayer undergoes a second order phase transition from a disordered state to an ordered state. Using surface X-ray diffraction we measured the time response of this phase transition due to an applied step potential. We find that the time response of the phase transition is limited by the properties of the thin layer geometry. By modeling the electrochemical cell as a RC circuit, we argue that the observed time delay is primarily due to the slow diffusion of charge into the central region of the electrode surface.
The geologic evolution of the moon

This paper is a synthesis of pre- and post-Apollo 11 studies to produce an outline of the moon's geologic evolution from three lines of evidence: (1) relative ages of lunar landforms and rock types, (2) absolute ages of returned lunar samples, and (3) petrography, chemistry, and isotopic ratios of lunar rocks and soils. It is assumed that the ray craters, circular mare basins, and most intermediate circular landforms are primarily of impact origin, although many other landforms are volcanic or of hybrid origin. The moon's evolution is divided into four main stages, each including several distinct but overlapping events or processes: Stage I (4.7 b.y. ago)-origin of moon by unknown means, followed immediately by heating of outer 500 km to at least 1,000° C. Stage II (4.6-3.7 b.y. before present)-first differentiation to form highland crust, by eruption of high-alumina basaltic magma and minor quantities of differentiation products such as anorthosite and felsite; infall of small circum-terrestrial bodies t...
Washington state foster care: dental utilization and expenditures.

Objectives To identify factors associated with dental utilization and expenditures for children enrolled in Washington State (WA) foster care (FC). Methods This cross-sectional study used 2008 Medicaid enrollment and claims files for children ages <18 years enrolled in the WA FC program for ≥11 months (N = 10,177). Regression models were used to examine associations between utilization and expenditures and sex, race, age group, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (i.e., disability), substance abuse, behavior problems, placement setting (Foster Home Care, Kinship Care, Group Care, Other), and urbanicity. Results Only 43 percent of the children utilized any dental care; the adjusted mean expenditure was $198.35 [95% confidence interval (CI) $181.35, $215.36]. Fewer utilized diagnostic (41 percent), preventive (39 percent), restorative (11 percent), or complex (5 percent) services. Associated with utilization (P ≤ 0.01) were: female [ARR = 1.05, 95% CI(1.01, 1.10)]; 0-2 years [ARR = 0.18, 95% CI(0.15, 0.21)], [3-5 years ARR = 0.78, 95% CI(0.74, 0.83)]; Native American [ARR = 0.85, 95% CI(0.80, 0.91)]; SSI [ARR = 1.10, 95% CI(1.04, 1.17)]; Kinship Care [ARR = 0.94, 95% CI(0.90, 0.98)]; Group Care [ARR = 1.25 95% CI(1.15, 1.37)]; and urban/rural urbanicity with population <20 K [ARR = 1.20 95% CI(1.12, 1.30)]. Associated with expenditures (P < 0.05) were: ages 0-2 years [–$153.66, 95% CI(–$168.33, –$139.00)], 3-5 years [–$98.71, 95% CI(–$116.78, –$80.65)], 6-11 years [–$16.83 95% CI(–$33.52, –$0.14)]; African American [–$32.05 95% CI(–$47.99, –$16.12)]; Kinship Care [$28.57 95% CI($14.00, $43.15)]. Conclusions Most children enrolled in WA FC for ≥11 months during 2008 did not receive dental care. Research is needed to determine the level of unmet need among children in FC and interventions to improve access to oral health of the children. Enforcement of existing federal legislation is needed.
Piezoelectricity: old effect, new thrusts

A tutorial synopsis of the piezoelectric effect is presented in the context of its history, traditional uses, and relation to crystal symmetry. Associated effects are briefly noted. Future prospects, particularly in the area of microelectromechanical systems/structures (MEMS) are discussed. >
Optical range image acquisition for the navigation of a mobile robot

A very compact optical range sensor is described which is to be used for the acquisition of the range information for the navigation of a mobile platform. A short review of the techniques currently used to acquire range data for a mobile vehicle is included. Some advantages and disadvantages of the different methods are presented. Emphasis is placed on a possible short-to-medium-term solution of the problem of robot navigation. A short description of the optical principle of the range sensor BIRIS, its real-time implementation on a commercially available image processing system, and its performance are presented. The high immunity of the sensor to ambient illumination and external perturbations is also demonstrated. Experimental results and a technique for the detection of the free space surrounding the vehicle using the range data are given. >
Cholesterol-independent neuroprotective and neurotoxic activities of statins: perspectives for statin use in Alzheimer disease and other age-related neurodegenerative disorders

Statins, long known to be beneficial in conditions where dyslipidemia occurs by lowering serum cholesterol levels, also have been proposed for use in neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer disease. However, it is not clear that the purported effectiveness of statins in neurodegenerative disorders is directly related to cholesterol-lowering effects of these agents; rather, the pleiotropic functions of statins likely play critical roles. Moreover, it is becoming more apparent with additional studies that statins can have deleterious effects in preclinical studies and lack effectiveness in various recent clinical trials. This perspective paper outlines pros and cons of the use of statins in neurodegenerative disorders, with particular emphasis on Alzheimer disease.
Cranial Autapomorphies in Two Species of Iguana (Iguanidae: Squamata)

Abstract Iguana is a large-bodied clade of extant iguanid including the species Iguana delicatissima and Iguana iguana. Historically, these two species have been diagnosed based primarily on a single external morphological character: presence or absence of the subtympanic plate. We further diagnose both species based on the shapes of skull bones and provide illustrations of the Iguana delicatissima skull.
Potentiation of suckling-induced release of prolactin by inhibition of brain catecholamine synthesis.

The effects of a catecholamine synthesis inhibitor, alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (alpha-MT), on the accumulation of newly synthesized brain catecholamines and plasma prolactin concentration were studied in lactating rats. [3H]tyrosine was administered to rats 10 minutes before decapitation, and the rate of its incorporation into [3H]dopamine and [3H]norepinephrine was measured in whole brain. Injection of alpha-MT (3.15--12.50 mg/kg) via a carotid cannula increased plasma prolactin levels and decreased the accumulation of newly synthesized brain catecholamines in nonsuckled, lactating rats compared to rats injected with .9% saline solution. Mother rats pretreated with saline solution were suckled for 20 minutes by pups which previously were separated from the mother rats for 5 hours. This treatment resulted in significantly increased plasma prolactin levels compared to nonsuckled controls. In rats pretreated with alpha-MT for 20 minutes, suckling resulted in a further increase in plasma prolactin levels which was significantly greater than the increase caused by suckling or alpha-MT alone. These results suggest that inhibition or catecholamine synthesis had a facilitatory effect on the brain mechanisms responsible for prolactin release in response to suckling.
Patterns of distribution and processes of speciation in Brazilian reef fishes

Aim To evaluate the state of knowledge about the biogeography of Brazilian reef fishes and propose processes that lead to the observed distribution patterns. Location The tropical western Atlantic. Methods The geological history of the Amazon barrier was obtained from the literature, and its potential influence on speciation of reef fishes was analysed. Species distributions were analysed based on literature records and material deposited at Brazilian and American collections. Results Recent estimates indicate that about 12% of the Brazilian reef fish species are endemic, and most ichthyologists agree that this endemism is generated by the barrier formed by the freshwater and sediment discharge of large rivers in north-eastern South America, mainly the Amazon, Orinoco and their tributaries. However, little is known about the dynamics of this barrier, and recent studies have demonstrated that it can be crossed through deep sponge bottoms on the outer continental shelf off north-eastern South America. Moreover, the recent discovery of species regarded as Brazilian endemics in the extreme southern Caribbean is showing that the Amazon barrier is weaker than previously thought. Main conclusions The Amazon freshwater and sediment outflow is a strong barrier to shallow water reef fish and other organisms, and it is probably responsible for most of the endemism found in Brazilian coastal habitats. However, sea-level fluctuations influence the effectiveness of such barrier and may play a large role in the generation of diversity in the western tropical Atlantic. Alternatively, larval exchange between Brazil and the Caribbean is small but constant, and contrasting selection pressures in divergent environments (continental Brazil vs. insular Caribbean) may be the central force driving speciation.
Cytoprotective effect of γ-tocopherol against tumor necrosis factor α induced cell dysfunction in L929 cells

The antioxidant vitamin γ-tocopherol exerts protective and anti-inflammatory effects in various models of critical illness. The combination of actinomycin D and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) in the immortalized fibroblast cell line L929 is a well-established method to model pro-inflammatory cytotoxicity in cultured cells in vitro. The present study had two aims. First, we wished to characterize the contribution of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to the cell dysfunction and this commonly used model system of cell death. Second, we wished to investigate the effects of γ-tocopherol on this response. Cells were exposed to actinomycin D (0.5 µg/ml) + TNFα (100 pg/ml) in the absence or presence of 1 h of γ-tocopherol pre-treatment. The earliest change that was detected in our system in response to TNFα was an increase in mitochondrial oxidant production, already apparent at 45 min. Changes in glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation parameters were already apparent at 2 h, as detected by the Seahorse Biosciences XF24 Flux Analyzer. By 6 h, a slight decrease in Cell Index was detected by impedance-based analysis, employing an electronic sensor array system (XCelligence). At the same time, a slight decrease in cell viability was detected by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method, along with a significant increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release into the culture medium, and a detectable degree of mitochondrial membrane depolarization. Between 12 and 24 h, the cell viability (already at a low level) further declined, which coincided with a secondary, marked decline in the mitochondrial membrane potential. Pre-treatment of the cells with γ-tocopherol (10-300 µM) provided a significant protection against all of the functional alterations induced by actinomycin D and TNFα. The current study provides direct evidence that reactive oxidant formation plays an important role in the current experimental model of cell dysfunction, and demonstrates the protective effects of the potent endogenous antioxidant vitamin, γ-tocopherol. The mechanisms described in the current study may, in part, contribute to the protective effects of γ-tocopherol in various models of critical illness.
Minority Report: Reconsidering Jürgen Moltmann's Turn to a Theology of the Cross

According to virtually any set of criteria, Jurgen Moltmann's first two programmatic books, Theology of Hope and The Crucified God, are strikingly different. The differences are due to his turn to a theology of the cross in the intervening years. Yet Moltmann, with the vast majority of scholars concurring, argues that the two works form a continuous argument. This article investigates the problems with the consensus judgement and calls for a revision of the relationship between the two works, based on the nature of the cross–resurrection dialectic inherent to his programme and also on both the necessity and timing of the turn.
Natural language understanding for partial queries

Typical natural language understanding systems are built based on the assumption that they have access to the fully formed complete queries. Today's natural user interfaces, however, enable users to interact with various services and agents (e.g. search engines, personal digital assistants) running on desktop computers and laptops. The system is expected to understand the user's intent while the user is typing the query with the goal of increasing system response rate and ultimately improving the user's productivity. Language understanding models built on fully formed queries perform poorly when tested on partial or incomplete queries. In this study, we consider the problem of domain detection for typed partial natural language queries. We design two sets of features in addition to lexical features to train a multi-valued domain classification model. The first feature set consists of character n-gram features, and the second is the class-based features extracted from clustering of word embed-dings. Our experiments show that the two feature sets improve the model's performance by up to 52.8% in comparison to the lexical n-gram baselines.