cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human Nature, Social Engineering, and The Reemergence of Civil Society*

There is not much disagreement that the recent spectacular establishment of parliamentary democracies and market economies in Eastern Europe and the even more breathtaking events in most Soviet republics – which should culminate in the reemergence of the Baltic nations as independent states – may be convincingly conceived of as the triumph of civil society over the Marxist-Leninist system. Both the collapse of the Marxist-Leninist system and the reemergence of civil society may be discussed in terms of theories which deal with the relationship between human nature and sociopolitical systems.
Ion-beam superpinch

Intense nonrelativistic light-ion beams generated in magnetically insulated diodes can reach total beam currents large enough to confine charged fusion products within pinch channels which are formed by these beams if they are projected onto thermonuclear material. Furthermore, since the required beam currents are still below the critical Alfv\'en current, these pinch channels are magnetohydrodynamically stable. However, because the time these beams last is very short and of the order of 10 nsec, the thermonuclear target must have a density at least as large as solid-state density to satisfy the Lawson criterion. This large target density makes it necessary that the beam be focused down to a radius less than \ensuremath{\sim} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ cm, to balance the plasma pressure against the magnetic pressure. To make this focusing possible a new kind of a low-emittance intense ion source is proposed. It consists of pointlike pulsed dense plasma positioned in the field-free space behind a meshlike anode. The focusing itself can be done in three steps, first by sufficiently good ion optics, second by wall focusing, and third by radiation cooling. This inertial-confinement fusion concept avoids the problems of reaching this goal through highdensity target compression by ablative implosion.
Update on Malnutrition in Liver Cirrhosis: Assessment and Treatment

Timely nutrition intervention and treatment can positively impact morbidity and mortality for individuals with liver cirrhosis. Etiology of malnutrition in liver cirrhosis is complex. Many factors may be at play causing an individual with liver cirrhosis to develop malnutrition. Adequate screening for malnutrition at initial diagnosis and assessment by a nutrition professional is extremely important to ensure that nutrition needs be addressed. A proper assessment should include a diet/nutrition history, a physical assessment, and a biochemical assessment. Treatment of malnutrition in cirrhosis may include diet modification and micronutrient supplementation. Method of delivery for increased calorie and protein needs is dependent on the patient’s ability to achieve adequate oral intake. In some cases enteral or parenteral nutrition may be necessary. Patients should be continually followed for compliance as well as continually reassessed to ensure the nutrition intervention is adequate.
Release of soluble ICAM-1 from human lung fibroblasts, aortic smooth muscle cells, dermal microvascular endothelial cells, bronchial epithelial cells, and keratinocytes.

Abstract We determined effects of IL-1α, TNFα and IFNγ on sICAM-1 release in culture media from human aortic smooth muscle cells (AOSMC), dermal microvascular endothelial cells (DMEC), keratinocytes (KC), bronchial epithelial cells (BEC) and lung fibroblasts (LF) as determined by ELISA. Under basal conditions of cultures for 20 h, low concentrations of sICAM-1 were only detected in the culture media of two (DMEC and BEC) of these cell types. IL-1α, TNFα and IFNγ stimulated sICAM-1 from these cells. IFNγ stimulated more shedding from AOSMC, BEC and KC than IL-1α or TNFα. TNFα enhanced more sICAM-1 release from DEMC than from AOSMC, BEC and LF. IL-1α and IFNγ or TNFα and IFNγ acted synergistically to enhance shedding of sICAM-1 from these cells. The levels sICAM-1 in pathophysiological conditions may influence leukocyte-vascular cell interactions to block leukocyte transmigration to tissue injury sites as a negative feedback mechanism.
Complex band interactions in {sup 170}Er

Inelastic excitation of {sup 170}Er by a {sup 238}U beam, studied at near-barrier energies, has led to the observation of unusual features in rotational bands built on low-lying vibrations. The population of the high-spin members of the K{sup {pi}}=0{sup +}, {beta}-vibrational band is enhanced due to mixing with the K{sup {pi}}=2{sup +}, {gamma}-vibrational band at spin 4{sup +}. Strong mixing of the K{sup {pi}}=0{sup +} band with a rotationally aligned 2 qp band results in this band losing its {beta}-vibrational character and in a rapid gain in spin alignment leading to a crossing with the ground-state band between spins 20{sup +} and 22{sup +}. The low-lying K{sup {pi}}=3{sup +} band also is populated. It subsequently decays to both the {gamma}-vibrational and the ground-state bands. The occurrence of appreciable K-forbidden E2 transitions from the K{sup {pi}}=3{sup +} to the ground-state band is attributed to mixing with the K{sup {pi}}=2{sup +} band, caused by the interaction between the quadrupole {gamma}-vibrational and the hexadecapole vibrational motions. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
Listening as a Perceived and Interactive Activity: Understanding the Impact of Verbal Listening Responses

This sequenced activity encourages active engagement with the idea that listening and speaking are not inherently separate or one-way activities. Listening involves both verbal, and nonverbal responses and perceptions of effective listening are tied to these patterns of response. These patterns of response impact both the immediate communication and the relationship of those communicating. This activity focuses primarily on the verbal listening response styles and involves directed discussion, video analysis, and role playing. Although this activity is discussed as a class activity, it also works as a workshop activity.
Fish Tank Exposure and Cutaneous Infections Due to Mycobacterium marinum: Tuberculin Skin Testing, Treatment, and Prevention

In the present study, 8 patients with soft tissue infection due to Mycobacterium marinum are described, and contemporary data on treatment are reviewed. Six patients had positive cultures, all patients had cutaneous exposure to fish tanks, 7 had sporotrichoid lesions, and 2 had deep infection. All 7 tested patients had tuberculin skin test reactions > or =10 mm. Six patients with disease limited to the skin were successfully treated with 2-drug combination therapy, including clarithromycin, ethambutol, and rifampin. Optimal treatment should include 2 drugs for 1-2 months after resolution of lesions, typically 3-4 months in total. Deeper infections may require more prolonged treatment and surgical debridement. Positive tuberculin reactions may be due to infection with M. marinum. Persons with open skin lesions or immunosuppression should avoid cutaneous contact with fish tanks.
Atrial Programmed Pacing

Early experience with a J-shaped lead inserted transvenously into the right atrial appendage is reviewed in thirty-one patients. Fifteen patients are still being followed with satisfactory atrial programmed pacing for five to (en years. A dislodgement rate of twenty percent led to the development of the “lined” J lead in the hope that better fixation would be achieved. Experimental data has shown the new lead to be stable with evidence in both animal and man of firm fixation of the lead in the appendage. The lead has been inserted in twenty patients. Of these, fifteen are still being followed with satisfactory atrial programmed pacing. There has been no case of dislodgement of the lead in a follow-up period of two years and eight months.
Polyarteritis nodosa: a human temporal bone study

Abstract Purpose Polyarteritis nodosa is one of the common forms of vasculitis with multiorgan involvement. Hearing loss may be the presenting symptom of this disease. The aim of this histopathologic study was to evaluate temporal bone changes in polyarteritis nodosa and assess the correlation between otologic manifestations and histopathologic findings. Materials and methods A retrospective human temporal bone analysis was performed at an otopathology laboratory in a tertiary academic medical center. Three cases (5 temporal bones) with pathologically confirmed diagnosis of polyarteritis nodosa were selected for study. The processed temporal bone sections were studied under light microscopy. Results Two of the 3 cases presented with hearing loss, and one of them had facial palsy. Audiometric data available for one patient demonstrated a bilateral, rapidly progressive, mixed hearing loss. Histopathologically, we found generalized vasculitis involving small- and medium-sized arteries in all cases. Of the 5 temporal bones available for study, 3 had chronic otitis media and 2 had serous otitis media. Arteritis was seen in all middle ears. There was disruption of the organ of Corti and spiral ganglion cells in 4 temporal bones. One temporal bone showed fibrosis and osteogenesis in the scala tympani of the basal turn. Vasculitis of stylomastoid and branches of labyrinthine artery were also found in temporal bones. Conclusions Significant temporal bone findings were seen in patients with polyarteritis nodosa, including otitis media, cochlear damage, neo-osteogenesis, and middle and inner ear vasculitis. This temporal bone series also suggests an interesting relationship between sensorineural hearing loss and labyrinthine vasculitis.
ILDR2: an endoplasmic reticulum resident molecule mediating hepatic lipid homeostasis

Ildr2, a modifier of diabetes susceptibility in obese mice, is expressed in most organs, including islets and hypothalamus, with reduced levels in livers of diabetes-susceptible B6.DBA mice congenic for a 1.8 Mb interval of Chromosome 1. In hepatoma and neuronal cells, ILDR2 is primarily located in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. We used adenovirus vectors that express shRNA or are driven by the CMV promoter, respectively, to knockdown or overexpress Ildr2 in livers of wild type and ob/ob mice. Livers in knockdown mice were steatotic, with increased hepatic and circulating triglycerides and total cholesterol. Increased circulating VLDL, without reduction in triglyceride clearance suggests an effect of reduced hepatic ILDR2 on hepatic cholesterol clearance. In animals that overexpress Ildr2, hepatic triglyceride and total cholesterol levels were reduced, and strikingly so in ob/ob mice. There were no significant changes in body weight, energy expenditure or glucose/insulin homeostasis in knockdown or overexpressing mice. Knockdown mice showed reduced expression of genes mediating synthesis and oxidation of hepatic lipids, suggesting secondary suppression in response to increased hepatic lipid content. In Ildr2-overexpressing ob/ob mice, in association with reduced liver fat content, levels of transcripts related to neutral lipid synthesis and cholesterol were increased, suggesting “relief” of the secondary suppression imposed by lipid accumulation. Considering the fixed location of ILDR2 in the endoplasmic reticulum, we investigated the possible participation of ILDR2 in ER stress responses. In general, Ildr2 overexpression was associated with increases, and knockdown with decreases in levels of expression of molecular components of canonical ER stress pathways. We conclude that manipulation of Ildr2 expression in liver affects both lipid homeostasis and ER stress pathways. Given these reciprocal interactions, and the relatively extended time-course over which these studies were conducted, we cannot assign causal primacy to either the effects on hepatic lipid homeostasis or ER stress responses.
Sex differences in escalation of methamphetamine self-administration: cognitive and motivational consequences in rats.

Male rats escalate methamphetamine (meth) intake during long-access meth self-administration, show enhanced reinstatement of meth-seeking, and exhibit meth-induced memory impairments. However, the impact of long-access daily meth self-administration on reinstatement and cognitive dysfunction has not been assessed in females, even though clinical studies on meth addiction have shown differences between men and women. This study determined whether male and freely cycling female rats: (1) escalate meth intake in a 6-h daily-access period relative to 1-h access; (2) show different sensitivity to meth primed reinstatement after short- and long-access conditions; and (3) show deficits in novel object and object in place recognition memory. Male and female Long–Evans rats self-administered meth in limited (1-h/day) or extended (6-h/day) daily access sessions. After 21 days, meth access was discontinued, and rats entered an abstinence period. On the seventh and 14th days of abstinence, rats were assessed for recognition memory using tests for: (a) novel object recognition memory and (b) object-in-place memory. Rats were tested for reinstatement of meth-seeking following extinction of responding. Female rats self-administered more meth and escalated intake faster than males during extended, but not limited, daily access. Both males and females in the extended, but not limited, access groups showed memory deficits on both tasks. Female rats showed greater reinstatement to meth-seeking with lower doses of meth priming injections than males. Relative to males, females were equally susceptible to meth-induced memory deficits but exhibited higher meth intake and greater relapse to meth-seeking.
Mobilizing the Seldom Voter: Campaign Contact and Effects in High-Profile Elections

Decades of research suggests that campaign contact together with an advantageous socioeconomic profile increases the likelihood of casting a ballot. Measurement and modeling handicaps permit a lingering uncertainty about campaign communication as a source of political mobilization however. Using data from a uniquely detailed telephone survey conducted in a pair of highly competitive 2002 U.S. Senate races, we further investigate who gets contacted, in what form, and with what effect. We conclude that even in high-profile, high-dollar races the most important determinant of voter turnout is vote history, but that holding this variable constant reveals a positive effect for campaign communication among “seldom” voters, registered but rarely active participants who—ironically—are less likely than regular or intermittent voters to receive such communication.
Informal Reasoning and Burden of Proof

Informal arguments occur in casual discourse and typically feature participants trying to convince each other (or a third party) of their positions. As an argument progresses, one participant can accrue more burden of proof--will have to do more to prove he or she is correct. Some past studies have shown that evidence presented first is more effective than later evidence (primacy), while others have found that evidence presented last is more effective (recency). These studies largely focused on lists of evidence, however, and not on structured, persuasive dialogues. In the current experiments, subjects read dialogues between two speakers having a dispute. They then chose the participant with the greater burden of proof. The results demonstrated that burden of proof increases for the participant who offers the first claim in an argument (anti-primacy) and sometimes decreases for the participant who offers a final challenge (e.g., What's your evidence?). These results suggest strategies that can help participants gain advantages in disputes and that may assist judges in avoiding bias while evaluating arguments. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
Writing Against the Current: Anne Wilson's Teisa and the Tradition of British River Poetry

One of the very few works by a woman within the subgenre of river poetry, Anne Wilson's 1600-line poem Teisa: A Descriptive Poem of the River Teese, Its Towns and Antiquities (1778) appears, at first, to fulfill all of the conventions of eighteenth-century locodescriptive verse in general, and river poetry in particular.
Octopus Conditioning : A Multi-Armed Approach to the LTP-Learning Question

A recent study shows that avoidance conditioning in the cephalopod Octopus vulgaris is mediated by long-term potentiation (LTP), a form of synaptic plasticity thought to be important in vertebrate associative learning. Thus, LTP appears to be an evolutionarily conserved learning mechanism.
Computer-aided multiscale modeling tools for composite materials and structures

Abstract This paper presents recent research efforts at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute aimed at developing computer-aided multiscale modeling tools for composite materials and structures aimed at predicting the macromechanical (overall) structural response, such as critical deformation, vibration and buckling modes, as well as various failure modes on the mesomechanical (lamina) level, such as delamination and ply buckling, and on the micromechanical (the scale of microconstituents) level, such as debonding, microbuckling, etc. The building blocks of this technology are (i) idealization error estimators aimed at quantifying the quality of the numerical and mathematical models of composites, (ii) multigrid technology aimed at superconvergent solution of the multiscale computational models, (iii) mathematical homogenization theory aimed at constructing inter-scale transfer operators for rapid and reliable information flow between the scales, (iv) system identification for in situ characterization of the phases and their interface, and (v) multiscale model construction and visualization.
Hemoglobin variability in chronic kidney disease: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract Background The ability to maintain dialysis patients’ hemoglobin (Hgb) within narrow targets remains a significant clinical problem. This study was designed to determine the variability in Hgb values for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) receiving or not receiving erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) compared with patients on dialysis receiving ESAs. Methods This cross-sectional review of anemia management in CKD and dialysis patients analyzed Hgb variability by patient-year, defined as the coefficient of variability calculated for individual patients. One hundred thirty-seven CKD patient-years and 350 dialysis patient-years were available for analysis. Hgb variability was defined as the coefficient of variability calculated as the individual patient’s Hgb standard deviation divided by the patient’s mean Hgb times 100. Results The coefficient of variability in Hgb values were significantly less in patients with CKD not treated with ESAs than in patients with CKD treated with ESAs whether they were receiving dialysis (medians: 3.96 versus 8.53%, P P Conclusion CKD and hemodialysis patients receiving treatment with ESAs have significantly greater Hgb variability than patients with CKD not receiving ESAs. This finding suggests that the current practice pattern for the administration of exogenous ESAs is partly responsible for the observed Hgb variability.
Comparison of three phosphorylcholine-binding mouse myeloma proteins by circular dichroism.

Summary Circular dichroic spectra of MOPC 167, McPC 603 and TEPC 15 mouse 1gA myeloma proteins in their polymeric and monomeric forms demonstrate that the MOPC 167 protein is quite distinct in structure while the other two show considerable similarity. The differences reside in the Fab portions of the proteins. Binding of phosphorylcholine produced the greatest change in the aromatic region of the spectrum of TEPC 15 monomer and the much more weakly bound hapten, choline, gave virtually the same spectral changes.
Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Increases GABA Synaptic Activity and Induces Inward Current in 5-Hydroxytryptamine Dorsal Raphe Neurons

Stress-related psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression involve dysfunction of the serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] system. Previous studies have found that the stress neurohormone corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) inhibits 5-HT neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) in vivo. The goals of the present study were to characterize the CRF receptor subtypes (CRF-R1 and -R2) and cellular mechanisms underlying CRF-5-HT interactions. Visualized whole-cell patch-clamp recording techniques in brain slices were used to measure spontaneous or evoked GABA synaptic activity in DRN neurons of rats and CRF effects on these measures. CRF-R1 and -R2-selective agonists were bath applied alone or in combination with receptor-selective antagonists. CRF increased presynaptic GABA release selectively onto 5-HT neurons, an effect mediated by the CRF-R1 receptor. CRF increased postsynaptic GABA receptor sensitivity selectively in 5-HT neurons, an effect to which both receptor subtypes contributed. CRF also had direct effects on DRN neurons, eliciting an inward current in 5-HT neurons mediated by the CRF-R2 receptor and in non-5-HT neurons mediated by the CRF-R1 receptor. These results indicate that CRF has direct membrane effects on 5-HT DRN neurons as well as indirect effects on GABAergic synaptic transmission that are mediated by distinct receptor subtypes. The inhibition of 5-HT DRN neurons by CRF in vivo may therefore be primarily an indirect effect via stimulation of inhibitory GABA synaptic transmission. These results regarding the cellular mechanisms underlying the complex interaction between CRF, 5-HT, and GABA systems could contribute to the development of novel treatments for stress-related psychiatric disorders.
Lateral spin-orbit interaction and spin polarization in quantum point contacts

We study ballistic transport through semiconductor quantum point-contact systems under different confinement geometries and applied fields. In particular, we investigate how the lateral spin-orbit coupling, introduced by asymmetric lateral confinement potentials, affects the spin polarization of the current. We find that even in the absence of external magnetic fields, a variable nonzero spin polarization can be obtained by controlling the asymmetric shape of the confinement potential. These results suggest an approach to produce spin-polarized electron sources, and we study the dependence of this phenomenon on structural parameters and applied magnetic fields. This asymmetry-induced polarization provides also a plausible explanation of our recent observations of a 0.5 conductance plateau (in units of $2{e}^{2}/h$) in quantum point contacts made on InAs quantum-well structures. Although our estimates of the required spin-orbit interaction strength in these systems do not support this explanation, they likely play a role in the effects enhanced by electron-electron interactions.
Extending the single-node DQDB analytical model to analyze network-wide performance

Abstract The exact analytical model of DQDB is known to have state space explosion problem which makes its analysis intractable. The approximate single-node analytical model, introduced in a paper by Bisdikian and extended in a paper by Jing and Paterakis, has been proven to be a tractable model capable of providing valuable insight into the DQDB network behavior. In this paper, we show how to further extend the single-node model to approximately evaluate the average message delay of individual nodes for an entire network. We discuss the difficulties involved in applying the single-node model network-wide and approaches to circumvent these difficulties. We present some representative approximate mean message delay results. Finally, with the help of simulations, we study the effect of an analytical approximation— Bernoulli Slot Occupancy —on the mean message delay over DQDB networks.
A simulation model for the analysis of end-to-end support of unmanned aerial vehicles

The role of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and time-critical targeting in operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom confirmed their utility in US combat operations. However, because of an acquisition strategy intended to field UAVs as quickly as possible, the Air Force did not go through the usual processes of determining system requirements before design and production. These processes typically reveal important information about how to support aircraft systems. Without this information, the requirements for long-term, end-to-end support of UAVs are unclear. In this paper, we present an analysis of support options for current US Air Force UAV systems, including the Global Hawk, Predator, Pointer, Raven, Force Protection Airfield Surveillance System (FPASS), and Battlefield Air Targeting Camera Autonomous Micro-Air Vehicle (BATCAM), as well as, the Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV). There is a trade-off between the need to field aircraft quickly and the need to determine logistics requirements. We have developed a new analytical tool, logistics implications capabilities assessment model (LICAM), that could help logisticians examine such trade-offs. LICAM simulates changes in fielding, operations, and support and evaluates how they affect a key operational metric, the ability of the UAVs to cover the target area.
988-2 Thrombin Activity, but not Generation, is Inhibited by Intravenous Heparin Following Thrombolysis: Results from the GUSTO Hemostasis Substudy

Although thrombolytic therapy has been shown to improve survival in the setting of acute myocardial infarction, failure to reperfuse and reocclusion, both felt to be mediated in part by thrombin, continue to be significant problems. To study the impact of heparin on thrombin in thrombolytic treated patients, we evaluated hematologic parameters after administering streptokinase (SK) in GUSTO patients receiving either immediate IV heparin or delayed SQ heparin. Thrombin generation was estimated by assay for prothrombin fragment 1.2 (F1.2) and thrombin activity by fibrinopeptide A (FpA). 67 patients randomized to SK and IV heparin and 63 patients randomized to SK and SQ heparin were included. IV heparin was given as a 5000 U bolus followed by 1000–1200 units per hour adjusted to an aPTT of 60–85 seconds, and SQ heparin was given as 12,500 U twice daily beginning 4 hours after thrombolytic therapy Download : Download high-res image (53KB) Download : Download full-size image FpA (ng/ml) and Fl.2 (ng/ml)leveis increased after starting thrombolytic therapy among patients treated with SQ heparin, in whom steady-state heparin levels do not occur for at least 24 hours. The FpA increase was inhibited with IV heparin. On the other hand, IV heparin did not inhibit the rise in F1.2 or significantly suppress it below baseline over the course of therapy. Conclusion In the first 24 hours following thrombolytic therapy, IV heparin suppresses the increase in thrombin activity but not the increase in thrombin generation. Strategies to inhibit factors earlier in the cascade (i.e. Factors V, IX, and XI, by suppressing thrombin generation, may be an important goal for future management of acute coronary syndromes.
Determination of human erythrocyte zinc: hemoglobin ratios.

Abstract A procedure for the determination of erythrocyte zinc and its ratio to the hemoglobin present has been described. The several phases of study included replication, recoveries, interference, contamination and the determination of a range of Zn:Hb ratios in normal persons. This technic appears to be suitable to multiple analyses in everyday operation
NEw observations of the NOy/N2O correlation in the lower stratosphere

During the Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition 2 (AASE 2), September 1991 through March 1992, in situ measurements of reactive nitrogen (NO(y) and N20 were made in the Northern Hemisphere lower stratosphere. We present an analysis of this new data and compare it with results from similar data taken during AASE in the winter of 1989. In the Northern Hemisphere there is consistent linear correlation of N2O and NO(y) which shows no interannual variation. Cases of departure from a linear correlation are examined and classified as being due to denitrification (NO(y) loss) or sampling air from a region where the photochemical lifetime of NO(y) is decreased. The latter case was observed for the first time in the winter of 1992.
Quantitative histochemical evaluation of normal human skeletal muscle

Skeletal muscle tissue was obtained by open biopsy from the vastus lateralis and peroneus brevis muscles from 12 and 16 healthy paid volunteers, respectively. Frozen sections were examined with standard histochemical methods. Central nuclei, small and large angular fibers, and small round fibers were the most common “abnormalities” present. The number of fibers of these types were quantified, along with other more rare deviations from normal morphology. Several of the abnormalities were more common in the peroneus brevis than in the vastus lateralis.
The influence of dodecylamine hydrochloride adsorption on the dissolution rate behavior of heat-treated and non-heat-treated hydroxyapatite

Abstract The present work has shown the usefulness of combining heat treatment studies of hydroxyapatite (HAP), the use of dodecylamine hydrochloride (DAC) as a probe, and partial saturation studies in the investigation of the complex dissolution behavior of hydroxyapatite in acidic aqueous media. In the context of the two-site theory, the heat treatment (1200°C) of HAP results in the elimination of site (s) 1. This is characterized by a negligibly slow dissolution of heat-treated HAP in solutions supersaturated with respect to K HAP = a Ca 2+ 10 a PO 4 3− 6 a OH− 2 ⋍ 1 × 10 −130 and by the ability of 3.0 m M DAC to completely inhibit the dissolution of heat-treated HAP. For non-heat-treated HAP, which demonstrates two-site kinetics, dissolution proceeds at moderate rates in dissolution media with K HAP greater than 1 × 10 −130 . Furthermore, the non-heat-treated HAP exhibits a residual dissolution component in 3.0 m M DAC which is probably associated with a fixed amount of mineral. The removal of this mineral does not, however, alter the ability of the residual HAP to dissolve in media supersaturated with respect to K HAP ⋍ 1 × 10 −130 .
The sinister significance of dysphagia.

There is evident need of an oesophageal cancer awareness programme if prognosis is to be improved.
Developmental changes in acetylcholine receptor aggregates at rat skeletal neuromuscular junctions.

Abstract The development of acetylcholine (ACh) receptor aggregates at the neuromuscular junction was studied in rat sternomastoid muscles. The first junctional clusters of ACh receptors were loose aggregates of small receptor patches ( 15 1 2 to 16 1 2 days of gestation). These clusters coalesced to more compact but simple plaques (18 days of gestation to 3 days postnatal). During the first 2 weeks postnatal several changes occurred: the receptor plaque was modified to the adult junctional receptor distribution, multiple innervation was eliminated, and extrajunctional ACh receptors were lost. At the time of birth the receptors in the junctional receptor plaque were already degraded more slowly than were extrajunctional receptors. The junction increased in length most rapidly during the period when the muscle increased most rapidly in mass, from 15 to 100 days postnatal. It is concluded that the junction goes through several stages during development.
Chemical Durability of Savannah River Plant Waste Glass as a Function of Waste Loading

The leachability of Savannah River Plant (SRP) waste forms was assessed for glass containing up to 50 wt% simulated waste oxides. Leach tests included standard MCC-1 static tests and pH-buffered solution experiments. An integrated approach combining leachate solution analysis with both bulk and surface analyses was used to study waste-glass corrosion as a function of waste loading. Scouting tests on key processing and product parameters, such as viscosity, electrical resistivity, and density were also performed. Results of this study show that the durability of SRP waste glass improves due to the presence of the waste, for waste loadings up to 50 wt% because of the formation of protective surface layers. In addition, the data indicate that the practical limit of waste loading will be determined not by chemical durability of the product, but by processing considerations.
An example in affine pi-rings

An example is given of a prime p.i. ringR finitely generated over a field, with a prime idealQ which is not finitely generated as a two-sided ideal ofR.
Fourier-domain holographic optical coherence imaging of tumor spheroids and mouse eye.

Fourier-domain holography (FDH) has several advantages over image-domain holography for optical coherence imaging of tissue. Writing the hologram in the Fourier plane significantly reduces background arising from reference light scattered from the photorefractive holographic film. The ability to use FDH is enhanced by the use of a diffuse target, such as scattering tissue, rather than specular targets, because the broader angular distribution from diffuse targets is transformed into a relatively uniform distribution in the Fourier plane. We demonstrate significantly improved performance for Fourier-domain optical coherence imaging on rat osteogenic sarcoma tumor spheroids and mouse eye. The sensitivity is documented at −95 dB.
Erratum: E.A. Boudreaux and E. Baxter, “More QR-SCMEH-MO calculations on group VIB transition metal molecules, M2 (M = Cr, Mo, W, Sg) valence and valence-core effects,” International Journal of Quantum Chemistry(2004) 100(6)1170–1178

The original article to which this Erratum refers was published in International Journal of Quantum Chemistry (2004) 100(6) 1170–1178.
Sparse feedback synthesis via the alternating direction method of multipliers

We study the design of feedback gains that strike a balance between the H 2 performance of distributed systems and the sparsity of controller. Our approach consists of two steps. First, we identify sparsity patterns of feedback gains by incorporating sparsity-promoting penalty functions into the H 2 problem, where the added terms penalize the number of communication links in the distributed controller. Second, we optimize feedback gains subject to structural constraints determined by the identified sparsity patterns. In the first step, we identify sparsity structure of feedback gains using the alternating direction method of multipliers, which is a powerful algorithm well-suited to large optimization problems. This method alternates between optimizing the sparsity and optimizing the closed-loop H 2 norm, which allows us to exploit the structure of the corresponding objective functions. In particular, we take advantage of the separability of sparsity-promoting penalty functions to decompose the minimization problem into sub-problems that can be solved analytically. An example is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the developed approach.
Hypersensitivity myocarditis: Findings in native and transplanted hearts.

Seven explanted hearts from a total of 288 heart transplants performed at UCLA Medical Center had histologic evidence of hypersensitivity myocarditis (prevalence = 2.4%). Three patients had a clinical history of drug allergy, and two had a clinically documented drug reaction prior to transplant. Three patients had peripheral eosinophilia prior to transplant. Five patients with hypersensitivity myocarditis had dilated cardiomyopathy, one had congenital abnormalities, and one had ischemic heart disease. In the period up to 3 weeks posttransplant, four patients had episodes of acute rejection (ISHLT grade 2 to 4) with eosinophils histologically. Results suggest that hypersensitivity myocarditis may have an increasing prevalence in the native heart before transplant and in the newly transplanted heart.
Location and History as Determinants of Urban Residential Density

Abstract Dynamic models of urban residential location have been widely used in recent years to explain spatial patterns of urban development and residential density. However, there has been little empirical evidence of their superiority in accounting for observed density patterns compared with long-run equilibrium location models or pure historical models that ignore the influence of location as a determinant of density. The test developed and applied in this paper demonstrates the superior explanatory power of dynamic models and yields plausible estimates of changes over time in equilibrium densities.
The need to be Superman: the psychosocial support challenges of young men affected by cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To investigate how gender-specific issues shape the experiences of young adult men with cancer and what they report to be problematic. RESEARCH APPROACH A qualitative, descriptive approach. SETTING Website, focus group in the southwestern United States, and phone interviews throughout the United States. PARTICIPANTS Text from an online forum (N=3,000 posts), focus group of six men, and separate interviews with four men. METHODOLOGIC APPROACH Data analysis took place over two months through constant comparison of online text as well as a focus group and interview transcripts. FINDINGS Men face challenges being both a receiver and provider of support in relationships with their peers, romantic partners, and children. Cultural expectations to "be strong" drive their support-seeking beliefs and behaviors. CONCLUSIONS Men report conflict between desires to show strength and to be honest that present a barrier to support, as well as contribute to inadequate relationships with male peers and greater difficulty in exchanging support with romantic partners. INTERPRETATION The authors identified attitudes about and barriers to men's experiences with social support, which healthcare providers, such as nurses, should be sensitive to when developing and providing support.
Winter Hydraulic Conductivity and Xylem Cavitation in Coniferous Trees from Upper and Lower Treeline

Current hypotheses suggest xylem conduits of conifers cavitate as a result of low xylem water potentials during the growing season and as the combined result of low xylem water potentials and repea...
Comparative analysis of diaphragmatic hernia repair outcomes using the nationwide inpatient sample database.

Objective To determine the comparative effectiveness of various approaches to diaphragmatic hernia (DH) repair, including open abdominal, laparoscopic abdominal, and thoracotomy. Design, Setting, and Patients Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 1999 to 2008, a comprehensive cohort of 38 764 patients (mean [SD] age, 60.8 [19.5] years) hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of DH who underwent repair was identified. Main Outcomes Measures Morbidity and mortality of patients who underwent DH repair. Results Open approaches were the most common, performed in 91% of patients (open abdominal, n = 28 824 [74.4%]; thoracotomy, n = 6573 [17.0%]). Hospital mortality was 1.1% or less for each of the approaches. However, patients who underwent a laparoscopic DH repair had a shorter length of stay (mean [SD], 4.5 [0.10] days) and fewer discharges to skilled nursing facilities than those who underwent open abdominal or thoracotomy repair approaches. Patients who underwent a DH repair through a thoracotomy approach had the longest length of stay (mean [SD], 7.8 [0.11] days) and a higher need for postoperative mechanical ventilation than those undergoing open or laparoscopic abdominal approaches (5.6% vs 3.2% vs 2.3%, respectively; P Conclusions This large national study demonstrates that most DH repairs are performed through open abdominal and thoracic approaches. Laparoscopic approaches are associated with decreased length of stay and more routine discharges than open abdominal and thoracotomy approaches.
Image reconstruction of optical tomographic data from a highly scattering medium

Recently new technologies for detecting biomolecules have been developed and are opening a new era of medical imaging. Chemiluminescence and fluorescence are emerging as promising tools for these tasks. These molecules emit optical photons that can be observed outside the body. Unfortunately, they are heavily scattered and absorbed in biological tissue. This is an obstacle for determining a way of mapping an original source distribution. In order to overcome this obstacle, we suggest a new concept, Optical Emission Computed Tomography and test its feasibility with computer simulation.
Three-dimensional thermal-pulse probing of polarization profiles with low thermal stress

Thermal-pulse tomography (TPT) has been shown to be a valuable tool for non-destructively measuring three-dimensional electrical polarization and space-charge distributions in electret polymers. However, one of its drawbacks is the high thermal stress imposed on the sample surface when short pulses of laser light are focused to a tight spot. Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers, which are frequently used as heat source in TPT experiments, have a pulse duration of approximately 5 ns. However, due to bandwidth limitations of the amplifier circuits, the stimulating heat pulse can be as long as a few μs without significant loss of depth resolution. Recently, high-power diode lasers have become available that can be electrically driven to provide light pulses of the desired length. The longer light pulses from the diode laser have a significantly lower peak power density, thus avoiding ablation damage to the electrode, even at higher pulse energies. We present spatially resolved polarization maps of poly(vinylidene-trifluoroethylene) samples showing the significantly enhanced signal-to noise ratio of the upgraded instrument.
SCoBeP: Dense image registration using sparse coding and belief propagation

Image registration as a basic task in image processing has been studied widely in the literature. It is an important preprocessing step in various applications such as medical imaging, super resolution, and remote sensing. In this paper, we proposed a novel dense registration method based on sparse coding and belief propagation. We used image blocks as features, and then we employed sparse coding to find a set of candidate points. To select optimum matches, belief propagation was subsequently applied on these candidate points. Experimental results show that the proposed approach is able to robustly register scenes and is competitive as compared to high accuracy optical flow Brox et al. (2004) [1], and SIFT flow Liu et al. [2].
Results of Instrument Reliability Study for High-Level Nuclear Waste Repositories

Reliable instrumentation will be needed to monitor the performance of future high-level waste repository sites. A study has been made to assess instrument reliability at Department of Energy (DOE) waste repository related experiments. Though the study covers a wide variety of instrumentation, this paper concentrates on experiences with geotechnical instrumentation in hostile repository-type environments. Manufacturers have made some changes to improve the reliability of instruments for repositories. In this paper, we will review the failure modes, rates, and mechanisms, along with manufacturer modifications and recommendations for additional improvements to enhance instrument performance.
Brittleness in Graphite Epoxy Composites

THE response of materials to uniaxial stress can be broadly classified as ductile or brittle according to whether plastic strain or fracture follows the initial elastic behaviour1. Obviously, ductile materials are more “forgiving” in structural applications. Brittle failure usually proceeds by the propagation of a crack nucleated at a flaw. Even a little plasticity can mitigate severe flaws by a blunting of the crack tip. An alternative view is that localized deformation at the crack tip is a sink for stored elastic energy which would otherwise be used in spreading the crack across the entire cross-section.
Evolution-based scheduling of multiple variant and multiple processor programs

Abstract The paper proposes to manage complexity and cost issues of the fault-tolerant programs not at a single program level, but rather from the point of view of the whole set of such programs, which are to be run under time constraints. The paper introduces a family of scheduling problems called fault-tolerant programs scheduling. Since, the discussed problems are, in general, computationally difficult, a challenge is to find effective scheduling procedures. Several evolution-based algorithms solving three basic kinds of fault-tolerant programs scheduling problems have been proposed. The problems involve scheduling multiple variant or multiple processor tasks on multiple, identical processors, under time constraints. To validate the algorithms computational experiment has been conducted. Experimental results show that evolution based algorithms produce satisfactory to good solutions in a reasonable time.
An investigation of the effect of ultra-low concentrations of sulfur on a Co/γ-Al2O3 Fischer–Tropsch synthesis catalyst

Abstract In the present study, effects of the addition of 50, 300, 600, and 1100 ppbV of sulfur (injected as dimethyl sulfide) on the performance of a Co/γ-Al2O3 Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FT) catalyst are evaluated in a continuous stirred tank reactor. The addition of 50 ppbV of sulfur did not have a significant negative effect on the activity of the catalyst over the time tested at 220 °C and 25 atm. For all other concentrations, the catalyst showed an irreversible deactivation and a significant drop in the activity which increased with increasing sulfur concentration at identical reaction conditions. The irreversible formation of surface sulfides is hypothesized as the major cause of deactivation. The results from this study suggested that syngas streams containing up to 50 ppbV sulfur are acceptable for the FT synthesis.
Metabolomics in psoriatic disease: pilot study reveals metabolite differences in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Importance: While “omics” studies have advanced our understanding of inflammatory skin diseases, metabolomics is mostly an unexplored field in dermatology. Objective: We sought to elucidate the pathogenesis of psoriatic diseases by determining the differences in metabolomic profiles among psoriasis patients with or without psoriatic arthritis and healthy controls. Design: We employed a global metabolomics approach to compare circulating metabolites from patients with psoriasis, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, and healthy controls. Setting: Study participants were recruited from the general community and from the Psoriasis Clinic at the University of California Davis in United States. Participants: We examined metabolomic profiles using blood serum samples from 30 patients age and gender matched into three groups: 10 patients with psoriasis, 10 patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and 10 control participants. Main outcome(s) and measures(s): Metabolite levels were measured calculating the mean peak intensities from gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Results: Multivariate analyses of metabolomics profiles revealed altered serum metabolites among the study population. Compared to control patients, psoriasis patients had a higher level of alpha ketoglutaric acid (Pso: 288 ± 88; Control: 209 ± 69; p=0.03), a lower level of asparagine (Pso: 5460 ± 980; Control: 7260 ± 2100; p=0.02), and a lower level of glutamine (Pso: 86000 ± 20000; Control: 111000 ± 27000; p=0.02). Compared to control patients, patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis had increased levels of glucuronic acid (Pso + PsA: 638 ± 250; Control: 347 ± 61; p=0.001). Compared to patients with psoriasis alone, patients with both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis had a decreased level of alpha ketoglutaric acid (Pso + PsA: 186 ± 80; Pso: 288 ± 88; p=0.02) and an increased level of lignoceric acid (Pso + PsA: 442 ± 280; Pso: 214 ± 64; p=0.02). Conclusions and relevance: The metabolite differences help elucidate the pathogenesis of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and they may provide insights for therapeutic development.
Experimental investigation of the characteristics of solid-propellant, velocity-coupled response functions

Application de la technique du tube d'impedance a l'etude de la validite des pratiques courantes utilisant la fonction vitesse-reponse couplee pour l'etude de la stabilite des moteurs de fusees a propergols solides