cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integration of the delta-endotoxin gene of Bacillus thuringiensis into the chromosome of root-colonizing strains of pseudomonads using Tn5

The delta-endotoxin gene (tox) from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD-1 was cloned into Tn5 and the resulting Tn5-tox element transposed from a vector plasmid into the chromosome of six corn-root-colonizing strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Agrobacterium radiobacter. Chromosomal integration of the tox gene maximized stability and minimized the potential for horizontal transfer of the tox gene to other bacterial species. Expression of the tox gene was demonstrated by Western blot analysis and by toxicity against larvae of the tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta). The method described illustrates how a given gene can be stably integrated into the chromosome of diverse bacterial species.
The Scorpions at the Zoo

YOUR contributor of the notice, published in NATURE on June 18 (p. 163), on the contents of the Insect-house at the Zoo, who laments the unfortunate circumstance that the scorpions there in captivity remain unnamed, may be glad to learn that these creatures may be easily identified, and, with a little dexterity, fearlessly handled.
Genetic factors involved in risk for methamphetamine intake and sensitization.

Lines of mice were created by selective breeding for the purpose of identifying genetic mechanisms that influence the magnitude of the selected trait and to explore genetic correlations for additional traits thought to be influenced by shared mechanisms. DNA samples from high and low methamphetamine-drinking (MADR) and high and low methamphetamine-sensitization lines were used for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping. Significant additive genetic correlations between the two traits indicated a common genetic influence, and a QTL on chromosome X was detected for both traits, suggesting one source of this commonality. For MADR mice, a QTL on chromosome 10 accounted for more than 50 % of the genetic variance in that trait. Microarray gene expression analyses were performed for three brain regions for methamphetamine-naive MADR line mice: nucleus accumbens, prefrontal cortex, and ventral midbrain. Many of the genes that were differentially expressed between the high and low MADR lines were shared in common across the three brain regions. A gene network highly enriched in transcription factor genes was identified as being relevant to genetically determined differences in methamphetamine intake. When the mu opioid receptor gene (Oprm1), located on chromosome 10 in the QTL region, was added to this top-ranked transcription factor network, it became a hub in the network. These data are consistent with previously published findings of opioid response and intake differences between the MADR lines and suggest that Oprm1, or a gene that impacts activity of the opioid system, plays a role in genetically determined differences in methamphetamine intake.
Sylvia Townsend Warner and the counterplot of lesbian fiction

(1990). Sylvia Townsend Warner and the counterplot of lesbian fiction. Textual Practice: Vol. 4, Lesbian and Gay Cultures: Theories and texts, pp. 213-235.
Analytical Estimation of Path Duration in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Path duration is an important design parameter that determines the performance of a mobile ad hoc network (MANET). For example, it can be used to estimate the route expiry time parameter for routes in “on demand” routing protocols. This paper proposes an analytical model to estimate path duration in a MANET using the random way point mobility model as a reference. The salient feature of the proposed model is that it establishes a relationship between path duration and MANET design parameters including node density, transmission range, number of hops, and velocity of nodes. Although this relationship has been previously demonstrated through simulations, a detailed analytical model is not available in the literature to present. In particular, the relationship between path duration and node density has not been derived in previous models. The accuracy of the proposed model is validated by comparing the results obtained from the analytical model with the experimental results available in literature and with the results of simulations carried out in ns-2.
Reliability for degrees of belief

We often evaluate belief-forming processes, agents, or entire belief states for reliability. This is normally done with the assumption that beliefs are all-or-nothing. How does such evaluation go when we’re considering beliefs that come in degrees? I consider a natural answer to this question that focuses on the degree of truth-possession had by a set of beliefs. I argue that this natural proposal is inadequate, but for an interesting reason. When we are dealing with all-or-nothing belief, high reliability leads to high levels of truth-possession. However, when it comes to degrees of belief, reliability and truth-possession part ways. The natural answer thus fails to be a good way to evaluate degrees of belief for reliability. I propose and develop an alternative method based on the notion of calibration, suggested by Frank Ramsey, which does not have this problem and consider why we should care about such assessments of reliability even if they are not tied directly to truth-possession.
Changes in soil nitrogen storage and δ15N with woody plant encroachment in a subtropical savanna parkland landscape

[1] Subtropical woodlands dominated by N-fixing tree legumes have largely replaced grasslands in the Rio Grande Plains, southwestern United States, during the past century. To evaluate the impact of this vegetation change on the N cycle, we measured the mass and isotopic composition (δ15N) of N in the soil system of remnant grasslands and woody plant stands ranging in age from 10 to 130 years. Nitrogen accumulated at linear rates following woody encroachment in the litter (0.10–0.14 g N m−2 yr−1), roots (0.63–0.98 g N m−2 yr−1), and soils (0.75–3.50 g N m−2 yr−1), resulting in a 50%–150% increase in N storage in the soil system (0–30 cm) in woody stands older than 60 years. Simultaneous decreases in soil δ15N of up to 2‰ in the upper 30 cm of the profile are consistent with a scenario in which N inputs have exceeded losses following woody encroachment and suggest N accrual was derived from symbiotic N fixation by tree legumes and/or differential atmospheric N deposition to wooded areas. Vertical uplift and lateral transfer of N by the more deeply and intensively rooted woody plants may have contributed to N accumulation in wooded areas, but soil δ15N values are inconsistent with this explanation. N accumulation following woody encroachment may alter soil N availability, species interactions and successional dynamics, flux rates of key trace gases such as NOX and N2O and ecosystem C sequestration. Given the geographic dimensions of woody encroachment, these results may have implications for atmospheric composition and the climate system.
Using Electronic Data Tools in Writing Assignments

(1999). Using Electronic Data Tools in Writing Assignments. The Journal of Economic Education: Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 21-27.
Structure of Ion-Pairs Derived from Dihydroanthracenes. II. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies

N.m.r. studies of 9,10-dihydroanthracene, its 10-alkyl substituted derivatives and of the respective Li$^+$ salts established the stereochemistry of these compounds. The spectra show that neither the molecules of these hydrocarbons nor of their lithium salts are planar, although in the anions the carbon 9 atoms possess a considerable amount of sp$_2$ character. The anion of the unsubstituted salt vibrates rapidly through the planar configuration while the substituted anion prefers one conformation, apparently that in which the alkyl group is equatorial. The n.m.r. spectrum of the unsubstituted salt is compared with those of the lithium salts of some similar hydrocarbons, namely, fluorene and diphenylmethane.
Endrin Resistance in the Pine Mouse

Wild pine mice with a history of treatment with endrin exhibited a 12-fold greater tolerance to the pesticide than did mice having no history of endrin treatment. A genetic basis for the resistance would be expected, in view of the fact that the resistant mice had been exposed to endrin for 11 years. However, sublethal dosages conferred a degree of resistance on both mouse populations; this indicates the possibility of an inducible resistance.
Oncogene at last--c-Jun promotes liver cancer in mice.

Abstract c-Jun, a component of transcription factor AP-1, has been known to play an important role in the control of cell proliferation. It was also suspected to be a critical mediator of tumor promotion. In a recent paper in Cell, Eferl et al. have now provided conclusive evidence that c-Jun expression is critical for induction of liver cancer by a classical protocol of tumor initiation—tumor promotion.
Aspects of Supersymmetric Field Theories

We discuss the constraints on SUSY field theories and their IR phases, including bounds on the ratio a/c. Proceeding of talk at Shifmania, in honor of Misha Shifman's 60th birthday.
Structurally reconfigurable metamaterials at terahertz frequencies

We demonstrate structurally reconfigurable metamaterials with a marked tunability of both electric and magnetic responses at terahertz frequencies where artificial “atoms” reorient within unit cells in response to an external stimulus.
MODEL-INDEPENDENT ESTIMATION OF THE PHOTOKINETIC TRANSFER MATRIX FROM MATRIX-FORMATTED FREQUENCY-DOMAIN FLUORESCENCE

In this paper, the mathematical relationships between matrix-formatted frequency-domain fluorescence decay data and the photokinetic transfer matrix are derived. These relationships reveal that pro...
Cycles of war: Historical speculations on future international violence

The paper offers a historical approach to the problem of future international violence. It begins by arguing that the past can be used to predict the future. The modern European state system (since the fifteenth century) is designated both as an appropriate model and as the background to the present global state system. The history of the European state system reveals periods of war which are designated as probing (low level violence), adjusting (middle level violence) and hegemonic (high level violence); these periods appear to recur in cycles. The paper offers a number of explanations for these cycles and suggests that violence may be functional in the state system as a means of accomodating changes in power. The duration of these cycles may be interpreted as the time required for such power changes to occur. War would appear necessary in a state system which combines moderate change with moderate stability; it might be avoided only if the system were to move to the extremes of non‐change or continual c...
Multisource Effects on the Satisfaction Formation Process

Customer satisfaction research is integrated with research on higher education in developing a model of alumni satisfaction with college education. The model proposes that alumni satisfaction with higher education is a function of two performance and disconfirmation attributes: intellectual environment and employment preparation. The model was tested among 475 alumni of a major Eastern undergraduate business school and demonstrates the advantage of modeling the disconfirmation paradigm with multiple sources of satisfaction.
Probing the molecular basis of solvent reorganization in electron-transfer reactions

has been investigated in mixed solvents (acetonitrile + dimethyl sulfoxide) in order to probe. molecular aspects of solvent reorganization. The basis for extracting information at the molecular level lies in the phenomenon of selective solvation and the resulting ability to vary the composition of the dimer's primary solvation layer largely independently of the predominant bulk solvent composition. This enables one to probe the first molecular layer of solvent separately from the rest. From the optical electron-transfer data, corrected for unsymmetrical selective solvation effects, we find that nearly all of the solvent reorganizational energy originates from reorientations occurring within the first molecular solvent layer. The reorganization energy per solvent molecule is fairly large in the first layer (ca. 125-1 50 cm-I), indicating extreme librational (or other) excitation. Somewhat surprisingly, the molecular picture which emerges from our work is broadly consistent with the predictions of a simple solvent dielectric continuum theory.
An automated radiographic NDT system for weld inspection: Part I — Weld extraction

Abstract An automated radiographic NDT system for weld inspection is developed. The entire system consists of two major components: weld extraction and flaw detection. Welds are first extracted from digitized radiographic images. The extracted welds are then processed by flaw detection algorithms to determine their qualities. This paper describes the weld extraction methodology, which forms the first part of the system. An example is used to illustrate the working of the methodology. The methodology is concluded to be effective for weld extraction after being successfully tested with 25 images.
Positive predictive value of liquid-based and conventional cervical Papanicolaou smears reported as malignant

Abstract Objectives The predictive value of cervical Papanicolaou (Pap) smears reported as "positive for malignancy," especially those obtained by the liquid-based method, has not been adequately assessed. The objectives of this study are to determine the positive predictive value of Papanicolaou smears with features of malignancy, to compare the accuracy of Papanicolaou smears obtained by the liquid-based method to those obtained by the conventional technique in this setting, and to study the factors influencing a false-positive cytologic diagnosis of malignancy. Materials and methods Pap smears significant for malignant cytology were identified at Fletcher Allen Health Care Hospital in Burlington, VT, from May 1, 1995, to April 30, 2001. A retrospective review of the hospital records and pathology reports was performed documenting patient characteristics, the collection technique, and the final histology. An independent review of the cytology and histology was performed. The positive predictive value and false-positive rate of malignant cytology were calculated for the liquid-based and conventional Pap smear techniques. Results A total of 472,743 Pap smears were performed during the period specified. One hundred four Pap smears were reported as positive for malignancy, yielding a prevalence rate of 0.02%. A total of 68 patients had paired cytology and histology specimens. Malignant cytology was identified in 36 smears obtained by the liquid-based technique and 32 smears obtained by the conventional technique. A true-positive result, meaning malignant cytology confirmed by the presence of invasive carcinoma on histology, was obtained in 61 of 68 (89.7%) patients. A false-positive result, meaning malignant cytology not confirmed by histology, was obtained in 7 of the 68 (10.3%) patients. The false-positive rate of malignant cytology was 8.4% for the liquid-based technique and 12.5% for the conventional technique. All 7 false-positive smears were diagnosed with high-grade dysplasia by histology. Three of the 7 patients with high-grade dysplasia had previous treatment for dysplasia, one of whom was also pregnant at the time of the smear. Conclusions Malignant cervical Papanicolaou smear cytology has a high positive predictive value in the setting of gynecologic and nongynecologic malignancies. Previous treatment for cervical dysplasia or pregnancy may influence the false-positive rate of malignant cytology.
Expectant management of a hypothalamic mass: a case report.

Background : Although hypothalamic masses are usually benign, they may infiltrate hypothalamic-pituitary structures, resulting in multiple endocrinopathies, optic nerve damage, increased intracranial pressure, and death. Controversy exists regarding proper management. Case : A young woman with a hypothalamic mass suggestive of craniopharyngioma presented with pubertal delay and hypothalamic amenorrhea without evidence of progression over 4 years. She was given sex steroid replacement and observed, thereby avoiding surgery or radiotherapy. Conclusion : Large hypothalamic masses may present with minimal signs and symptoms that are not life threatening. Without more serious symptoms, these can be managed expectantly to avoid the risks of panhypopituitarism, diabetes insipidus, vision loss, and cerebrovascular accidents resulting from any therapy.
Investigating the Role of Emotion in Science Center Visitor Learning

ABSTRACT A number of investigators have argued that emotion plays an important role in free-choice learning in settings such as museums, science centers, zoos, and aquariums, particularly given the relationship between emotion and cognition. Despite considerable research on the cognitive aspects of visits, empirical studies on emotion in such settings are virtually non-existent. This study investigated the role that emotion plays in facilitating and enhancing learning at a science center. Three major research questions were addressed: (a) Can emotion be measured using Russell's Affect Grid in a non-laboratory setting such as an interactive science center? (b) If so, do different types of science center experiences create measurably different levels of emotional arousal and/or valence in visitors? and (c) If so, was there evidence that elevated arousal and/or valence enhanced or retarded visitors' long-term cognitive science learning? The study provided evidence that emotion could be measured using a modif...
Linear constitutive relations for beltrami – maxwell postulates

Constitutive relations for a spatially local and nonhomogeneous, temporally causal, linear bianisotropic medium without memory are given for use with the Beltrami-Maxwell postulates. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Age and gender differences in the content scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory.

Abstract We examined time of measurement, gender, and age differences on the nine content scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory using data collected by three separate studies during the 1950s, 1960s and 1980s. No evidence was found for differences in the content scales due to time of measurement that also could not have been explained by demographic differences. Differences due to gender were found on only one of the nine scaies, Masculinity-Femininity, and age differences were found on the Neuroticism, Extroversion, and Agreeableness scales. Younger men and women had significantly higher scores on the Neuroticism and Extraversion scales, and these differences were consistent in both magnitude and direction across sample and gender. Our results suggest that it is likely that openness reaches its lifetime stable level by the time typical adolescents enter college, because we found no significant age differences in intellectual interests. Neuroticism
Tobacco budworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): temperature effects on mating, oviposition, egg viability, and moth longevity.

Tobacco bud worm, Heliothis virescens (F.), pupae and moths were exposed to various temperatures in laboratory studies. Moths did not mate or oviposit at temperatures of 10°C and mating frequency was reduced at 37.8°C. Oviposition was higher at 21.1 and 26.7°C than at other temperatures tested. Also, the percentages of egg hatch were dramatically reduced at 32.2° and 37.8°C. Moth longevity decreased with increasing temperature. Mating, oviposition, and egg hatch were not affected when pupae were exposed to 10.0-18.3°C for 1-20 d. However, mating frequency was reduced in relation to lower temperature and duration of exposure. Conversely, mating percentages, oviposition, and egg hatch were reduced in relation to increasing temperatures (26.7-35°C) and duration of exposure. Outcrosses of male moths from pupae exposed to 15.6°C for 10 d resulted in reduced egg viability. Egg hatch was reduced as a result of out cross of male or female moths from pupae exposed to 35°C for as little as 3 d when paired with moths of the opposite sex from pupae held to emergence at 26.7°C.
Gait characteristics of two squirrel monkeys, with emphasis on relationships with speed and neural control

Two adult squirrel monkeys (one of each sex) were trained to locomote on a motor-driven treadmill at seven fixed speeds within 0.89–2.58 m/second. Subsequently, the animals were filmed while locomoting at these speeds, with the films then being used to determine gait parameters. The female monkey exhibited lateral-sequence symmetrical gaits at slow speeds, and transverse and rotatory gallops at fast speeds. The male used lateral-sequence symmetrical gaits at all speeds. The squirrel monkeys exhibited typical relationships between temporal gait parameters and increased speed, with these relationships continuing across the run-gallop transition. An analysis-of footfall intervals (delays) and support patterns indicated that during symmetrical gaits these monkeys emphasized lateral support. During galloping, one delay, the trailing hindlimb to trailing forelimb, was found to be very stable, both across speeds and for both types of galloping. Also during galloping, swing duration was found to be more variable than stance duration. These findings are interpreted with regard to understanding the neural control of locomotion in tetrapods, and more specifically, in primates. The latter part of this discussion revolves around three basic differences between primate and non primate gaits: (1) utilization of diagonal-sequence gaits by primates (although the squirrel monkeys were atypical in this regard); (2) absence of a running trot in primates; and (3) absence of stepping following spinal cord transection in primates. These three differences reflect greater supraspinal control of locomotion in primates, and possibly intrinsic differences in the coupling of spinal locomotor generators.
Personality factors in genocide: The Rorschachs of Nazi war criminals.

Les facteurs de personnalite associes au genocide ont ete etudies a partir des Rorschach de simples soldats Nazis danois qui ont ete evalues a l’occasion des proces pour crime de guerre a Copenhague en 1946. L’echantillon comprend 165 citoyens danois qui ont collabore avec les Nazis pendant l’occupation du Danemark et de 22 officiers allemands. Les protocoles de Rorschach ont ete cotes selon le Systeme Integre (Exner, 1993). La fiabilite de la cotation s’etablit a 80% et plus d’accord inter-correcteurs pour toutes les categories. En raison des defauts de l’enquete dans la plupart des protocoles, les criteres de cotation pour les couleurs, l’estompage et la dimension formelle furent modifies, et la somme ponderee des cotations speciales ne fut pas calculee (Ritzler & Nalenik, 1990). Avant de proceder a l’analyse des donnees, nous avons fait l’hypothese que nous allions trouver trois profils bases sur des facteurs de personnalite anterieurement suggeres en rapport avec le genocide: 1) Banalite (Arendt, 1963...
Thermo-structural behavior of underfilled flip-chips

The continuing drive towards high-density, low-profile integrated circuit packaging has accelerated the spread of flip-chip technology. The use of an area array of solder bumps for the electrical and mechanical, as well as thermal attachment of the chip to the substrate provides flip-chip technology with considerable advantages in cost, density, and electrical performance, relative to the use of conventional single-chip packages. Unfortunately, however the difference in the coefficients of thermal expansion, between the silicon die and the substrate, leads to substantial, thermally-induced strains, which can result in fatigue failure of the solder joints. This problem is exacerbated by the use of the larger chips now becoming available. In recent years it has been found possible to obtain dramatically-higher reliability and to operate successfully with much larger chip sizes by "underfilling" the gap between the chip and substrate with epoxy. The present effort is aimed at exploring the thermo-structural behavior of such underfilled chips and more firmly establishing the physical basis for the improved reliability of this packaging technology. The thermo-structural behavior of an underfilled flip-chip package has been evaluated using the structural FEM code NIKEDP and employing an axisymmetric model of a typical flip-chip structure. In the course of this effort, numerical simulations were performed for underfill materials of varying thermo-structural properties and two solder bump heights. The results were used to examine the parametric sensitivity of the thermal strain in the solder joints and the axial, as well as shear, stress in the underfill material. The Coffin-Manson relation is used to relate the increased number of cycles-to-failure to the solder strain reduction associated with the use of underfilling.
Associations between trunk, leg and total body adiposity with arterial stiffness.

Background Obesity and arterial stiffness are associated, but fat distribution patterns may be more strongly related to arterial stiffness than general obesity because of the possible increased inflammation associated with increased abdominal adiposity. The aims of this study were to examine whether fat patterning is associated with arterial stiffness, and determine whether these associations are mediated by low-grade inflammation. Methods Adult participants from the Fels Longitudinal Study (228 males and 254 females) were assessed for brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (BaPWV) to determine arterial stiffness. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to estimate fat percentage of the trunk and legs (e.g., TRUNKFAT% and LEGFAT%). High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were assayed as a general marker of inflammation. General linear regression analyses were used. Results BaPWV was positively associated with TRUNKFAT% (r = 0.44 in men and r = 0.38 in women), whereas it was inversely related to LEGFAT% (r = -0.40 in men and r = -0.39 in women). In multiple regression analyses, each SD increase in TRUNKFAT% was associated with an ~1.03 m/s increase in BaPWV in both men and women. Each SD increase in LEGFAT% was related to a similar magnitude of decrease (1.03 m/s) in BaPWV in both sexes. The relationships of TRUNKFAT% and LEGFAT% with BaPWV were attenuated slightly when including hs-CRP in the models, but remained significant. Conclusions We found that trunk and leg fat are related to BaPWV in opposite directions when total body adiposity was accounted for. However, the associations between regional fat patterning and arterial stiffness did not appear to be mediated by low-grade inflammation.
Classification accuracy and consistency of computerized adaptive testing

In this article, four item selection methods in computerized adaptive testing are examined in terms of classification accuracy and consistency, including two popular heuristics for constraint management, the maximum priority index (MPI) method and the weighted deviation modeling method, as well as the widely known maximum Fisher information method and randomized item selection as baselines. Results suggest that the MPI method is able to meet constraints and keep test overlap rate low. Among the four methods, it is the only one that manages to produce parallel forms in terms of content coverage and, consequently, the only method to which the idea of classification consistency applies. With tests as short as 12 items, the MPI method does fairly well in classifying examinees accurately and consistently. Its performance improves with longer tests. The effects of number of decision categories and cut score locations are also examined. Recommendations are made in the Discussion section.
The Presence of a Human Chorionic Gonadotropin-Like Protein and Its Binding Site in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

In this study, we characterize from Saccharomyces cerevisiae: 1) a protein that has immunological similarities to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and 2) a binding site for this hCG-like protein which also binds hCG and human luteinizing hormone (hLH).Saccharomyces cerevisiae chorionic gonadotropin-like protein (ScCGLP) was purified in several steps. This protein when analyzed by SDS-PAGE, under non-denaturing conditions, produced two bands, one at 110-kDa, and another at 57.5-kDa. Under denaturing conditions, only the 57.5-kDa band appeared. This 57.5-kDa band also reacted in a Western blot, using a polyclonal antibody directed against hCG. Purified ScCGLP reacted in the following hCG immunoassays: 1) polyclonal rabbit anti-hCG equilibrium assay, 2) carboxyl-tail hCG equilibrium assay, 3) two equilibrium assays using monoclonal antibodies, and 4) free alpha-chain subunit equilibrium assay using a monoclonal antibody.Characterization of hCG/hLH binding sites in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was performed, a...
Germ Cell Tumors of the Brain in Children: A Review of Current Literature and New Advances in Therapy

(1997). Germ Cell Tumors of the Brain in Children: A Review of Current Literature and New Advances in Therapy. Cancer Investigation: Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 187-198.
Mitigating Evil Twin Attacks in 802.11

Due to the prevalence of insecure open 802.11 access points, it is currently easy for a malicious party to launch a variety of attacks such as eavesdropping and data injection. In this paper, we consider a particular threat called the evil twin attack, which occurs when an adversary clones an open access point and exploits common automatic access point selection techniques to trick a wireless client into associating with the malicious access point. We propose two lines of defense against this attack. First, we present an evil twin detection strategy called context-leashing based upon recording the nearby access points when first associating with an access point. Using this contextual information, the client determines if an adversary has setup an evil twin access point at a different location. Next, we propose an SSH-style authentication method called EAP-SWAT to perform one-way access point authentication that fits into the extensible authentication protocol (EAP) framework.
Homogeneous Versus Heterogeneous Age Group Treatment of Adolescent Substance Abusers

The treatment outcome from homogeneous age group substance abuse treatment centers, whose clientele consisted primarily of adolescent substance abusers, was compared to heterogeneous age group substance abuse treatment centers, where adolescent and adult patients were treated together. Subjects were 100 substance abusers, from 20 states, who recovered in adolescence and had at least 11 months of continuous abstinence. A 24-item self-report questionnaire was used to ascertain the type of recovery treatment experienced, number of relapses, and duration of sobriety. Results indicated a disproportionate number of substance abusers who recovered in adolescence were treated in a heterogeneous age group clinical setting. There was no significant difference in the length of sobriety and number of relapses between the homogeneous and heterogeneous treatment groups. These data suggest adolescent substance abusers can be treated at a lower cost and with a higher recovery rate by placing them in adult treatment settings.
Soccer and Croatian Nationalism A Prelude to War

In 1990, the Yugoslav Federation was on the verge of dissolution. Slovenia and Croatia had just voted communists out of power and were threatening to secede. The purpose of this study is to examine the role that soccer played at this critical juncture to bolster Croatia’s efforts to gain independence as well as to inflame ethnoreligious passions that would soon lead to the outbreak of war. By focusing on two soccer matches—one that led to the worst soccer riot in Yugoslavian soccer history and the other that Croats celebrate as the restoration of their national team—this study examines the often intimate relationship between sport, politics, and war.
Modeling landscape net ecosystem productivity (LandNEP) under alternative management regimes

Forests have been considered as a major carbon sink within the global carbon budget. However, a fragmented forest landscape varies significantly in its composition and age structure, and the amount of carbon sequestered at this level remains generally unknown to the scientific community. More precisely, the temporal dynamics and spatial distribution of net ecosystem productivity (NEP) in a mosaic are dependent on ecosystem type and the chronosequence of the ecosystem in the landscape. In this study, we developed a model, LandNEP, to follow the change in NEP by ecosystem and chronosequence. The model creates user-defined hypothetical landscape mosaics of ecosystem and age over a given number of simulation years. It then calculates NEP and biomass for each ecosystem and over the entire landscape based on a distribution function, and any disturbances that have occurred within a landscape at a given year. We simulated three different scenarios and a sensitivity analysis within a hypothetical landscape. Based on these scenarios, we were able to show that theoretically, timber harvest strategies requiring rotations that go beyond the time of an ecosystem’s maximum NEP will ultimately yield the greatest cumulative NEP value. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis demonstrated that increasing the disturbance interval could switch an ecosystem from acting as a net carbon source to acting as a net carbon sink. These results suggest that carbon losses within a managed forested landscape could be mitigated by permitting the ecosystem to reach its maximum as a net carbon sink before harvesting timber. Therefore, alternative management regimes play a leading role in determining to what extent a landscape sequesters carbon. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
A Model of Group Choice for Artificial Society

We investigate a model for determining a group choice in an artificial society where each agent determines its own opinion or attitude by communicating with other agents in the neighbor. In the model, (in contrast to Majority Network where agent decide its own opinion by majority in the neighbor) agent does not change opinion, but rather change its attitude (active/inactive) to the opinions depending upon whether or not the opinion conflict with that of majority in the neighbor. In the model, active state affects positively(negatively) through positive(negative) arcs. Active state of an agent means that the agent expresses the opinion in public or acts up to the opinion. If the net effect to an agent from active agents in the neighbor is positive, the agent becomes active; hence active state propagate through the network. We discuss the well-known paradox of voting as an illustrative example for the model. We also conducted simulations on the model to make clear how some parameters can drastically affect the system level behavior of the model. Some implications to the real human society as well as artificial society will be discussed.
Heavy Resistance Training and Supplementation With the Alleged Testosterone Booster Nmda has No Effect on Body Composition, Muscle Performance, and Serum Hormones Associated With the Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis in Resistance-Trained Males

The effects of 28 days of heavy resistance training while ingesting the alleged testosterone-boosting supplement, NMDA, were determined on body composition, muscle strength, serum cortisol, prolactin, and hormones associated with the hypothalamo-pituitary- gonadal (HPG) axis. Twenty resistance-trained males engaged in 28 days of resistance training 4 times/wk while orally ingesting daily either 1.78 g of placebo (PLAC) or NMDA. Data were analyzed with separate 2 x 2 ANOVA (p 0.05) or supplementation (p > 0.05). In regard to total body mass and fat-free mass, however, each was significantly increased in both groups in response to resistance training (p 0.05). In both groups, lower-body muscle strength was significantly increased in response to resistance training (p 0.05). All serum hormones (total and free testosterone, LH, GnRH, estradiol, cortisol, prolactin) were unaffected by resistance training (p > 0.05) or supplementation (p > 0.05). The gonadal hormones and cortisol and prolactin were unaffected by 28 days of NMDA supplementation and not associated with the observed increases in muscle strength and mass. At the dose provided, NMDA had no effect on HPG axis activity or ergogenic effects in skeletal muscle. Key PointsIn response to 28 days of heavy resistance training and NMDA supplementation, similar increases in muscle mass and strength in both groups occurred; however, the increases were not different between supplement groups.The supplementation of NMDA had no preferential effect on augmenting testosterone or decreasing estrogen, cortisol, and prolactin.While resistance training was effective in increasing muscle mass and strength, it was not preferentially due to NMDA supplementation.At the dose provided, NMDA supplementation for 28 days combined with resistance training does not increases muscle mass and strength due to its ability to elevate endogenous testosterone levels and lower cortisol and prolactin when compared to placebo.
A quick PCB thermal calculator to aid system design of exposed pad packages

Thermal design of PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) is important for electronic packages which are intended to be primarily cooled by heat flow into the PCB. Designing the required PCB coverage area through detailed numerical simulations can be computationally expensive. This article presents a quick approach to predict Junction-to-Air thermal resistance of exposed pad packages based on pre-generated detailed thermal simulations and interpolation methodology. The modeling methodology is derived from validated measurements on Quad and Inline packages with different PCB copper coverage areas. Thermal data is pre-generated through parametric simulations conducted with varying package sizes, pad sizes, and PCB copper coverage areas. The interpolation methodology quickly provides a thermal resistance versus copper coverage area curve. The interpolation approach is validated through detailed simulations on cases not included in the pre-generated thermal data. Such a quick prediction capability of temperature rise of exposed pad packages for different PCB copper coverage areas can be a valuable tool for thermal design of PCB layout.
Abstraction versus implementation: issues in formalizing the NIEHS application profile

The National Institute of Environment Health Sciences (NIEHS), is an Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). As with many governmental organizations, the NIEHS website contains a rich and growing body of important resources for both employees and the general public. The NIEHS library has spearheaded an organization-wide metadata project to provide better access to these resources. Dublin Core was elected for the NIEHS metadata project because it supports semantic interoperability and the potential for data sharing, and because the schema is simple enough to support author-generated metadata. This paper and corresponding poster document issues in formalizing the NIEHS Application Profile, specifically the changes implemented between Version 1 to Version 2, which were influenced by revisions made to the NIEHS metadata form supporting author-generated metadata.
Achievable Distortion/Rate Tradeoff in a Decentralized Gaussian Parameter Estimation Problem

In this paper, we study the decentralized version of the classical rate constrained Gaussian parameter estimation problem referred to as the Central Estimation Officer (CEO) problem which we refer to as the Decentralized Estimation Officers (DEO) problem. Like in the CEO case, we consider a group of N sensors observing an independently corrupted version of an infinite i.i.d. sequence of samples from a Gaussian source, in additive Gaussian noise. Unlike the CEO case, the sensors in our study are also the estimation officers. They are uniformly deployed in a circular pattern of radius r and communicate over RF links with limited energy. Their task is to reconstruct the quantity of interest (the samples of the source), without a central fusion node, better than what they are capable of with their local observations. We find achievable scaling laws by structuring our communication protocol as an instance of the so called average consensus algorithm, a gossiping protocol used for averaging original sensor measurements via near neighbors communications. We derive how the Mean Squared Error (MSE) of the sensors' estimation scales with the network size, per node power and ring radius r. Moreover, we compare our results with scaling laws previously derived for the centralized case, i.e, the CEO problem in a comparable scenario.
Acute central cord syndrome with bodybuilder sign

We describe a 81-year-old man who after falling face forward and hyperextending his neck suffer an acute cervical spinal cord injury consistent with acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS) who developed a peculiar posture with arm abduction at the shoulders and flexion at the elbows and wrists resembling the pose of a bodybuilder.
Integrated THz Receivers Based on NbN HEB Mixers and InP MMIC IF Amplifiers

We are presenting design details for an integrated heterodyne terahertz receiver based on phonon-cooled NbN HEB mixers directly coupled to wide-band InP MMIC IF amplifiers as an extension to our previous work. Measured noise and stability performance are reported for 1.6 THz and 2.5 THz. Finally, we discuss how this configuration can be extended to be used in large focal plane arrays, using a multilevel array architecture.
An Implementation of IEEE 1588 Over IEEE 802.11b for Synchronization of Wireless Local Area Network Nodes

IEEE 1588 is a new standard to synchronize independent clocks running on separate nodes of a distributed measurement and control system. It is intended for high-accuracy implementations on compact systems such as a single subnet. This paper examines potential accuracy limitations introduced by the physical layer of the IEEE 802.11b wireless local area network. Experimental results are presented that show that these limitations do not preclude clock-synchronization accuracy of several hundred nanoseconds.
A cDNA clone expressed in natural killer and T cells that likely encodes a secreted protein

We have isolated a series of cross-hybridizing cDNA clones, as a group designated as NKG5, from a human natural killer (NK) cell clone cDNA library. These clones show a high degree of homology with a previously described gene, 519, which was thought to be T cell specific. A comparison of the full-length cDNA sequence of NKG5 and the published sequence of 519 shows that NKG5 lacks a 242-base segment that is found in 519 and that this deletion leads to the use of a different putative translational start codon. Unlike 519, the predicted NKG5 polypeptide has an NH2-terminal sequence that is strongly hydrophobic, characteristic of a signal peptide, and lacks any additional hydrophobic regions in the remainder of the peptide, suggesting that NKG5 encodes a secreted protein. Both NKG5 and 519 are expressed in NK and T cells but not in a variety of other hematopoietic cell lines. NKG5 is an abundant transcript and its level of expression is about 40 times that of 519 in NK and T cells. Southern blot and DNA sequence analyses suggest that NKG5 and 519 mRNAs are transcripts from a single gene that has allelic polymorphism.
Measures of Attitudinal Consistency as Indicators of Ideological Sophistication: A Reliability and Validity Assessment

This paper contributes to an ongoing reappraisal of methods traditionally used in the study of mass belief systems. Previous studies have focused on the reliability and validity of The American Voter "levels of conceptualization" index (e.g., Smith, 1980; Cassel, 1984). The present study extends this line of investigation by evaluating two attitudinal consistency measures of ideological sophistication: the group-based, correlation approach which has appeared in the literature for more than two decades, and the Barton-Parsons measure of individual belief consistency which has been used in several recent studies. In contrast to the levels of conceptualization, which have demonstrated at least modest construct validity in previous studies, attitudinal consistency measures are found to be both minimally reliable and minimally valid indicators of ideological sophistication.
Rank one plus a null-Lagrangian is an inherited property of two-dimensional compliance tensors under homogenisation

Assume that the local compliance tensor of an elastic composite in two space dimensions is equal to a rank-one tensor plus a null-Lagrangian (there is only one symmetric one in two dimensions). The purpose of this paper is to prove that the effective compliance tensor has the same representation: rank-one plus the null-Lagrangian. This statement generalises the wellknown result of Hill that a composite of isotropic phases with a common shear modulus is necessarily elastically isotropic and shares the same shear modulus. It also generalises the surprising discovery of Avellaneda et al. that under a certain condition on the pure crystal moduli the shear modulus of an isotropic polycrystal is uniquely determined. The present paper sheds light on this effect by placing it in a more general framework and using some elliptic PDE theory rather than the translation method. Our results allow us to calculate the polycrystalline G-closure of the special class of crystals under consideration. Our analysis is contrasted with a two-dimensional model problem for shape-memory polycrystals. We show that the two problems can be thought of as ‘elastic percolation’ problems, one elliptic, one hyperbolic.
Obesity prevention and treatment.

1. Ellen S. Rome, MD, MPH* 1. *Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case; Head, Section of Adolescent Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital, Cleveland, OH. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Provide current definitions of pediatric obesity. 2. Identify strategies for recognition and management of the overweight and obese child and adolescent in the office setting. 3. Discuss community solutions for pediatric obesity, including those strategies targeting schools, the built environment, local food availability, and the home. 4. Describe the role of legislation in pediatric obesity, similar to legislative changes affecting other pediatric issues, such as tobacco control. Pediatric obesity has been viewed as a growing epidemic of the past few decades that requires intervention, similar to tobacco use and its accrued medical risks that has prompted multifaceted preventive efforts. Affecting as many as 34% of American children, (1) obesity can be viewed as a top public health threat due to its associated morbidity and mortality. (2) The medical consequences of obesity accounted for 40% of the health-care budget by 2006, with an expected $147 billion in health-care spending alone in 2008. (3) In 2006, obese adults had estimated medical costs $1,429 higher than those for persons of normal weight. (3) For children coming to a pediatric integrated health-care delivery system, expenses were $179 per year higher in obese children versus children who had normal body mass index (BMI). (4) Using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data from 2002 to 2005 for children ages 6 to 19 years, the total additional health expenditure in prescription drugs, outpatient appointments, and emergency department visits for children who had elevated BMIs was estimated to be $14.1 billion annually. (5) Pediatric obesity affects all organ systems, (6) with its medical sequelae paralleling the increasing prevalence in younger children. Type 2 diabetes …