cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
«I escaped in a coffin». Remembering Angolan Forced Labor from the 1940s

Forced labor in colonial Angola was infamous for its cruelty, even among colonial regimes in Africa. As a result of civil war, however, little research has appeared that explores how former laborers remember their servitude in shared stories and oral narratives. Collecting these memories is critical for Angolan historiography because the last generation of forced laborers (from the 1950s) is dying at increased rates. Based on an extensive oral history project conducted by the author in Benguela, Huambo, and Bie provinces (February-June 2006), this paper analyzes how Angolan forced laborers remember their servitude and recounts their various strategies for survival, including personal stories of escape and the encoding of resistance in song. In addition to documenting and analyzing common tropes among their memories, this paper argues that the gendered nature of their work regimes determines (and differentiates) the memories of these men and women nearly a half-century later. Memories of colonialism are also complicated by the tremendous suffering of the civil war years, and the failure of independent Angola to meet many of the expectations generated by independence. This paper argues that current realities influence how and what former laborers remember about forced labor and Portuguese colonialism.
Quechua Sheepherders on the Mountain Plains of Wyoming: The (In)hospitality of U.S. Guest Worker Programs

RESUMEN Este articulo describe el contexto historico y socioeconomico de los programas de trabajo temporal de los EEUU y los modelos de (in)migracion peruana que han contribuido al empleo de pastores quechuas en los Estados Unidos. El pastor “invitado” y contratado por un ranchero “anfitrion,” enfrenta un desequilibrio de poder en el cual su estatus legal depende del cumplimiento del contrato establecido por un solo empleador. Siguiendo el concepto de hospitalidad elaborado por Derrida—que la describe como un aporia sin resolucion—arguyo que los programas de trabajo temporal conducen a los pastores hacia una “trampa hospitalaria”; pues no entienden el lenguaje del contrato y, ademas, su estatus temporal y legal contribuye a la cronica ceguera de los legisladores ante las atroces condiciones de trabajo y vivienda. Los pastores relatan testimonios sobre las privaciones fisicas y emocionales a las que se que enfrentan como “huerfanos” (wakchakuna) en planicies estadounidenses en donde el pastoreo carece de las creencias quechuas sobre las relaciones de reciprocidad entre los humanos, la tierra y los animales.
Transmission of Ovine Herpesvirus 2 in Lambs

The pattern of acquisition of ovine herpesvirus 2 (OHV-2) infection in lambs was examined by a competitive-inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and PCR. Newborn lambs (n = 118) did not exhibit antibody at birth. Viral DNA in peripheral blood leukocytes was detected in only 3% (n = 77) of newborn lambs before suckling. After nursing, viral DNA was sporadically present in about 10 to 20% of lambs until about 3 months of age. Thereafter, strong DNA signals began to appear in increasing numbers of lambs, reaching 100% by 5.5 months of age. Viral DNA in nasal secretions began to be detectable in about 30% of lambs at 5.5 months of age, achieved significant levels in 88% of lambs by 7.5 months of age, and then declined. The kinetics of the humoral immune response in lambs paralleled those of viral DNA in nasal secretions but did not parallel its presence in blood leukocytes. In the experiment to define the time of infection of OHV-2 in lambs, all five lambs separated from the flock at 2.5 months of age remained uninfected until the termination of the experiment at 1 year of age. In contrast, lambs weaned at 2.5 months of age and returned to the flock had become infected at 3.5 months of age. Weaning and separation from the flock at 3.5 months of age did not prevent infection. The study showed that OHV-2 infection does not commonly occur in perinatal lambs and that OHV-2-free sheep can be established by separation of lambs at the proper time, which has important implications for potential control measures.
Ethnic Minority Psychology

In this chapter, we provide a comprehensive review of the history of racial and ethnic minority psychology across five groups: African Americans, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, Asian Americans, Latinos, and Native Hawaiians. The coverage of this topic in the Handbook of Psychology is quite fitting and serves as a counterpoint to historical neglect of the contributions of people of color in American psychology. The chapter also includes pertinent the historical details regarding the scientific and professional development of racial and ethnic minority psychology in the United States. In addition to the review for each of the racial and ethnic minority groups, we provide a unique integrated timeline that chronicles the major historical milestones for these groups, as well as some related events in U.S. history. Keywords: ethnic minorities; African Americans; American Indians/Alaskan Natives; Asian Americans; Latinos; Native Hawaiians
Texture and structural refinement using neutron diffraction data from molybdite (MoO3) and calcite (CaCO3) powders and a Ni-rich Ni50.7Ti49.30 alloy

Preferred orientation or texture is a common feature of experimental powder patterns. The mathematics of two commonly used models for preferred orientation—the March-Dollase and the generalized spherical-harmonic models—is reviewed. Both models were applied individually to neutron powder data from uniaxially pressed molybdite (MoO 3 ) and calcite (CaCO 3 ) powders in Rietveld analyses, as well as the as-received powders. The structural refinement results are compared to single-crystal structures. The results indicate that reasonable refinement of crystal structures can be obtained using either the March model or generalized spherical-harmonic description. However, the generalized spherical-harmonic description provided better Rietveld fits than the March model for the molybdite and calcite. Therefore, the generalized spherical-harmonic description is recommended for correction of preferred orientation in neutron diffraction analysis for both crystal structure refinement and phase composition analysis. Subsequently, the generalized spherical-harmonic description is extended to crystal structure refinement of annealed and the aged polycrystalline Ni-rich Ni 50.7 Ti 49.30 shape memory alloys.
Prevention of interferon-alpha-associated depression with antidepressant medications in patients with hepatitis C virus: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Summary Objective To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the efficacy and safety of antidepressant medications for the prevention of interferon-alpha (INF-α)-associated depression in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). Data sources Medline, Cochrane Central and PsycInfo from inception to September 2012, without limitations using terms describing hepatitis C and the individual drug names. Study selection We reviewed 132 citations for inclusion using the following criteria: randomised controlled trials in patients with chronic HCV initiating INF-α comparing prophylactic use of an antidepressant vs. placebo and reporting at least one outcome of interest [depression, completion of antiviral therapy, sustained virologic response (SVR), and serious adverse events and bleeding]. Data extraction Trial characteristics, assessment of risk of bias and data needed for analyses were extracted by two independent investigators using a standard extraction form. Disagreements were reviewed by a third investigator. Results A DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model was used for analysis. Heterogeneity and publication bias were evaluated where applicable. Of the seven included trials, the risk of bias was low in four and unclear in the remaining three. All trials evaluated selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Prophylactic use of a SSRI significantly reduced the risk of depression by 41% compared with placebo [RR, relative risk 0.59 (0.37–0.93)]. The impact of SSRIs on completion of antiviral therapy, SVR and serious adverse events was not found to be significant. Conclusions SSRIs prevent depression in patients with HCV treated with INF-α therapy. The impact of SSRIs on completion of antiviral therapy or on the development of adverse events is less clear.
The optimum transmission-line pulse transformer

Tapered transmission lines have been found to be useful for pulse-transformer service.1,2 It is the object of this paper to develop a new theory for the optimization of the taper which is based upon the transient rather than the steady-state response of the transmission-line pulse transformer. A criterion for the optimum taper will be established and then applied in a special case in which both ends of the line are nominally matched. Finally, the case of general terminations at both the input and output will be discussed.
Numerical simulation of multi-species biofilms in porous media for different kinetics

There are bacteria that can form strong biofilms in porous media. These biofilms can be used as biobarriers to restrict the flow of pollutants. For certain contaminants, a second species of bacteria that can actually react with the contaminants can be added to the biobarrier to actually degrade the pollutants. We propose some mathematical models for the formation of these reacting biobarriers under different hypotheses, and numerically solve the resulting equations for the flow, transport and reactions. Qualitative comparisons with some experimental results are also given.
Statin lipid-lowering drugs and bone mineral density.

Background HMG Co-A reductase inhibitors (statin lipid-lowering drugs) have been associated with a reduced rate of fractures in some studies, but not in others. We examined the relationship between statin use and bone density among postmenopausal women. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey at one academic medical center. Postmenopausal women who underwent bone densitometry and agreed to a telephone interview were surveyed about osteoporosis risk factors, use of hormone replacement therapy and osteoporosis medications and statin exposure. We then developed linear regression models adjusting for known counfounders to assess the relationship between statin use and bone mineral density (BMD). Results Of 339 women studied, 162 were current or past users of statins, and 177 were not. Statin users and non-users were similar with respect to age, race, prior fracture history, the presence of medical conditions associated with osteoporosis, use of medications for osteoporosis, use of tobacco and use of oral glucocorticoids. Statin users had significantly higher body mass index (BMI) and rates of thiazide use, and were more likely to abstain from alcohol. After adjusting for important confounders, we found that statin use was associated with a significantly higher t-score at the total hip (−0.53 ± 0.17) compared with non-users (−0.83 ± 0.18; p = 0.02). At the lumbar spine, there was a trend toward higher t-scores in statin users (−0.91 ± 0.24) compared with non-users (−1.21 ± 0.23; p = 0.08). Conclusions These results support the hypothesis that statin use is associated with higher BMD. While it is unclear whether their relationship is causal, further controlled studies examining bone formation and resorption would help determine the clinical implications of these findings. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Existing Food Policies and Their Relationship to Hunger and Nutrition

The federal government subsidizes, either partially or fully, 95 million meals each day through the food assistance programs (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] 1984). Despite the scope and cost of the food assistance programs (table 1), recent studies have concluded that the incidence of hunger in the United States is increasing (Porter and Washington, Chou).1 Although there is general agreement that hunger reemerged in the United States during the 1980s, there is much controversy regarding the extent of hunger. The Physician Task Force on Hunger in America estimated that 20 million Americans suffer from hunger at least some time each month, but the President's Task Force on Food Assistance indicated that it is currently impossible to estimate the extent of hunger because of the absence of reliable data. The objectives of this paper are twofold: (a) to review current food programs and policies and their objectives relative to existing nutritional and hunger problems and (b) to appraise the existing food assistance programs based on their stated objectives. This discussion is not intended to be a thorough discourse on key elements of food policy but is designed to highlight developments in food policy relating to the food assistance programs, nutrition, and hunger. Recent Developments in Food Assistance Programs
Visual light landmarks for mobile devices

The omnipresence of indoor lighting makes it an ideal vehicle for pervasive communication with mobile devices. In this paper, we present a communication scheme that enables interior ambient LED lighting systems to send data to mobile devices using either cameras or light sensors. By exploiting rolling shutter camera sensors that are common on tablets, laptops and smartphones, it is possible to detect high-frequency changes in light intensity reflected off of surfaces and in direct line-of-sight of the camera. We present a demodulation approach that allows smartphones to accurately detect frequencies as high as 8kHz with 0.2kHz channel separation. In order to avoid humanly perceivable flicker in the lighting, our system operates at frequencies above 2kHz and compensates for the non-ideal frequency response of standard LED drivers by adjusting the light's duty-cycle. By modulating the PWM signal commonly used to drive LED lighting systems, we are able to encode data that can be used as localization landmarks. We show through experiments how a binary frequency shift keying modulation scheme can be used to transmit data at 1.25 bytes per second (fast enough to send an ID code) from up to 29 unique light sources simultaneously in a single collision domain. We also show how tags can demodulate the same signals using a light sensor instead of a camera for low-power applications.
Nucleosome Sliding by ACF is Processive and Bidirectional

The packaging of DNA into chromatin presents significant challenges to essential nucleic acid transactions such as transcription, replication, and repair. This challenge is overcome by a variety of chromatin remodeling enzymes, which couple the energy of ATP hydrolysis to the assembly and mobilization of nucleosomes, thereby modulating the accessibility of DNA. It is generally accepted that most chromatin remodeling complexes employ a nucleosome ‘sliding’ mechanism, wherein a histone octamer is translated along DNA without trans-displacement. However, it has been difficult to directly characterize structural dynamics and kinetic intermediates during the remodeling process. Here we report a single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) based assay to monitor in real time the remodeling of individual nucleosomes by the human ATP-utilizing chromatin assembly and remodeling factor (ACF). We demonstrate that ACF can processively slide histone octamers along the DNA in an ATP dependent manner, exhibiting multiple kinetic pauses during translocation. A predominant pause was observed after ∼7 base pairs of DNA translocation, independent of the DNA sequence. Surprisingly, ACF exhibits bidirectional translocation activity and rapid switching of directionality: a single ACF functional unit can dynamically translate the histone octamer back and forth many times along the DNA prior to dissociation, suggesting that the functional unit of ACF is a dimer. These previously unknown remodeling intermediates and dynamics have significant implications on the mechanistic understanding of chromatin remodeling enzymes.
Two separable cytoplasmic pools of native ribosomal subunits in chick embryo tissue culture cells

Abstract 1. 1. The cytoplasmic ribosomal particles of chick embryo tissue culture cells can be separated into two fractions each containing native 40-S and 60-S ribosomal subunits, 80-S ribosomes and polysomes. One fraction (free fraction) contains the ribosomal particles which are soluble after cell lysis without detergent. The ribosomal particles of the other fraction (membrane-associated fraction) can be solubilized only by detergent treatment of the nuclear and membrane pellet and are thus suggested to be membrane-associated. 2. 2. The relative specific activity of the ribosomal particles in the two fractions was determined by prelabeling cells with 32 P followed by a pulse label with [ 3 H]uridine. The native 40-S and 60-S ribosomal subunits of the free fraction have a higher relative specific activity than the corresponding particles of the membrane-associated fraction. Within both fractions the subunits have a higher specific activity than the polysomes, and the polysomes have a higher specific activity than the 80-S ribosomes. 3. 3. The possible roles of membrane-associated native ribosomal subunits as precursors in the formation of membrane-associated polysomes are discussed.
Thermal stability of poly(styrene) containing no head-to-head units

General purpose poly(styrene) prepared by conventional radical techniques contains a head-to-head unit as a consequence of polymerization termination by radical coupling. As has been previously demonstrated, thermal stress promotes homolysis of the bond linking the head-to-head components. The macroradicals generated depolymerize rapidly to generate styrene monomer. This decomposition during processing can lead to finished articles containing objectionable levels of styrene monomer, particularly for food packaging applications in which even low levels of monomer can promote objectionable taste and aroma. Polymer containing no head-to-head units should not be prone to this facile decomposition. In this instance, poly(styrene) has been prepared by nitroxyl-mediated polymerization of styrene monomer followed by reductive removal of nitroxyl end groups. Polymer prepared in this manner contains no head-to-head units and displays thermal stability much greater than that observed for conventional poly(styrene). A direct comparison of the stability for the two polymers is readily available by thermogravimetric techniques. A quantitative reflection of the difference in stability is available from the rate constants for the respective decomposition.
Connections Between Science and Spirituality

I would like to continue the discussion of points raised in William Carter's response to Robert Frodeman's Eos Forum article [Carter, 2006; Frodeman, 2005]. I have appreciated Frodeman's work and feel that perspectives on science deriving from humanities, philosophy, and religion can add depth, insight, and meaning to our endeavors. I would like to broaden the discussion beyond just space policy to include the relationship between science in general and these, what I would call, spiritual issues. I can fully understand Carter's aversion to including religious people or perspectives in the formation of science policy. In addition to the examples he cites in which religious motivations have led to some scientifically questionable actions and policies by the U.S. government (having to do with medicine and stem cell research), I would also add the continued attempts by religiously motivated people (some with scientific credentials themselves) to discredit Darwinian evolution and instead advocate alternative models, such as ‘intelligent design,’ which make room for supernatural creation instead of, or alongside, evolutionary processes.
Speak Up! Oral Examinations and Political Science

Testing assessments of undergraduate political science students is predictable and stagnant. A missing, yet valuable, testing assessment tool that can contribute to the repertoire of political science is the oral examination. Borrowing this testing tool largely from foreign language departments, oral exams require students to “think on their feet” in order to critically assess and appropriately respond to questions. The ability to engage in this type of activity is a valuable skill that will further prepare students for “real world” situations in which they are asked to participate in exchanges demonstrating their verbal and critical assessment skills in possible impromptu situations. It is the goal of this research project to explore the merits and pitfalls of utilizing oral examinations as an integral testing tool in political science. The authors draw upon their experiences using oral exams in the classroom, the reaction of their students towards the examination process, and how oral examinations are a...
Synthesis of a [{Mono-N-(4-vinylbenzyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane}2Hg](OTf)2 Sandwich Complex, Polymerization of this Monomer with Divinylbenzene, and Hg2+ Ion Selectivity Studies with the Demetallated Resin

We have synthesized a novel, 1,4,7-triazacyclononane (TACN)-Hg2+ sandwich monomer, [{mono-N-(4-vinylbenzyl)-1,4,7-TACN}2Hg](OTf)2, which was co-polymerized with the cross-linking agent divinylbenzene to form a Hg2+-ion templated polymer that was demetallated (>96%) with 6 N HCl, and subsequently found to be highly selective to reintroduced Hg2+ ions in competition with Cd2+, Ag+, Pb2+, Cu2+, and Fe3+ ions at pH 2, the ionic radius and the thermodynamic parameter being more critical than imprinting.
Energy Sum Rule and the Approach to Scaling: An Inclusive and Exclusive View

The approach to Feynman-Yang scaling of single-particle inclusive spectra is discussed in terms of the average fraction of c.m. energy per event carried off by each type of constituent. Experimental values for energy fractions in $\mathrm{pp}$ collisions are presented and compared with the results of a Mueller-Regge expansion for the invariant cross sections in the fragmentation region. By examining the behavior of energy fractions in an independent-emission model, it is shown that known dynamic properties of the exclusive components of an inclusive process provide a natural scale by which the energy fractions approach their asymptotic values. The existence of such a scale is shown to explain the rapid approach to asymptotic behavior of the inclusive $\mathrm{pp}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}$ spectra while the $\mathrm{pp}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\overline{p}$ spectrum rises to an order of magnitude between Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron and CERN Intersecting Storage Rings energies.
Persistent enhancement of ethanol drinking following a monosodium glutamate-substitution procedure in C57BL6/J and DBA/2J mice

Inbred mouse strains such as C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA/2J (D2) and related strains have been used extensively to help identify genetic controls for a number of ethanol-related behaviors, including acute intoxication and sensitivity to repeated exposures. The disparate ethanol drinking behaviors of B6 mice expressing high-drinking/preference and D2 mice expressing low-drinking/preference have yielded considerable insight into the heritable control of alcohol drinking. However, the B6-high and D2-low drinking phenotypes are contrasted with ethanol-conditioned reward-like behaviors, which are robustly expressed by D2 mice and considerably less expressed by B6 mice. This suggests that peripheral factors, chiefly ethanol taste, may help drive ethanol drinking by these and related strains, which complicates mouse genetic studies designed to understand the relationships between reward-related behaviors and ethanol drinking. Traditional approaches such as the sucrose/saccharin-substitution procedure that normally accentuate ethanol drinking in rodents have had limited success in low drinking/preferring mice such as the D2 line. This may be due to allelic variations of the sweet taste receptor subunit, expressed by many ethanol low-drinking/preferring strains, which would limit the utility of these types of substitution approaches. We have recently shown (McCool & Chappell, 2012) that monosodium glutamate (MSG), the primary component of umami taste, can be used in a substitution procedure to initiate ethanol drinking in both B6 and D2 mice that greatly surpasses that initiated by a more traditional sucrose-substitution procedure. In this study, we show that ethanol drinking initiated by MSG substitution in D2 mice, but not sucrose substitution, can persist for several weeks following removal of the flavor. These findings further illustrate the utility of MSG substitution to initiate ethanol drinking in distinct mouse strains.
Evaluating multimodal interaction with gestures and speech for point and select tasks

Natural interactions such as speech and gestures have achieved mainstream success independently, with consumer products such as Leap Motion popularizing gestures, while mobile phones have embraced speech input. In this paper we designed an interaction style that combines both gestures and speech to evaluate point and select interaction. Our results indicate that while gestures are slower than the mouse, the introduction of speech allows for selection to be performed without negatively impacting navigation. We also found that users can adapt to this interaction quickly and are able to improve their performance with minimal training. This lays the foundation for future work, such as mouse replacement technologies for those with hand impairments.
Physical Structure of the Protoplanetary Nebula CRL 618. II. Interferometric Mapping of Millimeter-Wavelength HCN J = 1-0, HCO+ J = 1-0, and Continuum Emission

We present interferometric maps with high angular resolution, 11 to 19, of the HCO + J = 1-0 and HCN J = 1-0 emission lines in the protoplanetary nebula CRL 618. These molecules are present in both the slowly (~10-20 km s-1) and rapidly (~200 km s-1) outflowing components of the molecular envelope of CRL 618. The high-velocity (HV) molecular outflow is composed of two compact (mean size ~1'') clumps aligned with the optical lobes and separated by 21. The distance between these clumps is now 05 larger than 11 yr ago, which is consistent with rapid expansion of the HV clumps. The expansion velocity in the HV outflow increases linearly with the distance to the nebular center, from which we derive a kinematical age of ~60 yr. Our data reveal that part of the low-velocity (LV) molecular gas in CRL 618 arises in a extended structure elongated ~11'' in the direction perpendicular to the outflow, which is consistent with a dense, equatorial torus expanding at Vexp ~ 17.5 km s-1. We have used a two-dimensional spatio-kinematical model to better constrain the structure, kinematics, and density distribution of the HV and LV components that are probed by HCN J = 1-0 and HCO + J = 1-0 emission. The central H II region of CRL 618, which is traced by free-free mm-continuum emission, is unresolved in these observations. We report (1) a recent decrease of the mm-continuum flux and (2) a 3 mm-to-1 mm flux ratio consistent with optically thin free-free emission in the millimeter wavelength range. The continuum flux at 3 mm (1 mm) was 1.6 ± 0.15 Jy (1.2 ± 0.3 Jy) in 2000, when our observations were performed. The weakening of the millimeter continuum, as well as the decrease of the free-free turnover frequency, could result from a recent cessation of the post-AGB wind or the growth of the cavity of the central H II region (or both). From a consideration of multiwavelength datasets on CRL 618, we provide a comprehensive view of the temporal evolution of its nebular material.
Intersectoral capital reallocation under price uncertainty

Abstract Consider a small open two-sector economy with costly capital mobility. The world price follows Brownian motion. The optimal reallocation policy is found using the theory of option pricing. The total value of each capital unit is its expected discounted marginal product in the current sector plus the option value of moving it to the other sector. A marginal unit is moved when its total value in the new sector exceeds that in the old sector, plus the adjustment cost. This yields ‘hysteresis’ — a zone of inaction and caution before reorienting capital in response to relative price shifts.
Synthesis and electrocatalysis of 1-aminopyrene-functionalized carbon nanofiber-supported platinum–ruthenium nanoparticles

Abstract Platinum–ruthenium/carbon composite nanofibers were prepared by depositing PtRu nanoparticles directly onto electrospun carbon nanofibers using a polyol processing technique. The morphology and size of PtRu nanoparticles were controlled by 1-aminopyrene functionalization. The noncovalent functionalization of carbon nanofibers by 1-aminopyrene is simple and can be carried out at ambient temperature without damaging the integrity and electronic structure of carbon nanofibers. The resulting PtRu/carbon composite nanofibers were characterized by cyclic voltammogram in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 and 0.125 M CH 3 OH + 0.2 M H 2 SO 4 solutions, respectively. The PtRu/carbon composite nanofibers with 1-aminopyrene functionalization have smaller nanoparticles and a more uniform distribution, compared with those pretreated with conventional acids. Moreover, PtRu/1-aminopyrene functionalized carbon nanofibers have high active surface area and improved performance towards the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol.
A componential analysis of proverb interpretation in patients with frontal lobe epilepsy and temporal lobe epilepsy: relationships with disease-related factors.

The ability to interpret nonliteral, metaphoric language was explored in patients with frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), and matched control participants, to determine (1) if patients with FLE were impaired in their interpretations relative to those with TLE and controls, and (2) if disease-related variables (e.g., age of seizure onset) predicted performances in either patient group. A total of 22 patients with FLE, 20 patients with TLE, and 23 controls were administered a test of proverb interpretation to assess their ability to grasp the abstract meaning of nonliteral language. Participants were presented with a series of proverbs and asked to provide an oral interpretation of each. Responses to each proverb were scored according to their accuracy and level of abstractness. Patients with FLE, but not TLE, were impaired relative to controls in their overall interpretation of proverbs. However, a subgroup analysis revealed that only patients with left FLE showed impaired interp...
Effect of Acid, Alkali, and Steam Explosion Pretreatments on Characteristics of Bio-Oil Produced from Pinewood

Bio-oil produced from pinewood by fast pyrolysis has the potential to be a valuable substitute for fossil fuels. Pretreatment prior to the fast pyrolysis process has been shown to alter the structure and chemical composition of biomass. To determine the influence of biomass pretreatments on bio-oil produced during fast pyrolysis, we tested three pretreatment methods: dilute acid, dilute alkali, and steam explosion. Bio-oils were produced from untreated and pretreated pinewood feedstocks in an auger reactor at 450 °C. The bio-oils’ physical properties including pH, water content, acid value, density, viscosity, and heating value were measured. Chemical characteristics of the bio-oils were determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results showed that bio-oil yield and composition were influenced by biomass pretreatment. Of the three pretreatment methods, 1% H2SO4 pretreatment resulted in the highest bio-oil yield and best bio-oil quality.
Complex and simple sequences in human repeated DNAs.

Highly repeated human DNA sequences were isolated by isopycnic centrifugation, or were eluted from gels after restriction enzyme cleavage. High molecular weight DNA peaks separable from the bulk of the DNA in a variety of gradients were shown to consist of very simple sequences characteristic of simple satellite DNAs; DNA fingerprint studies indicated each of these peaks could consist of tandem repeats of a specific oligonucleotide sequence as low as 10 base pairs (bp) long. All the gradient peaks could be assigned to one of two sequence groups and several “different” buoyant density peaks revealed the same sequence. — Restriction fragment multimers did not share common sequences with the satellite DNAs as judged by hybridization data. They could not be separated by isopycnic centrifugation. Furthermore these highly repeated DNAs were more complex in sequence and more variable than the satellites. Even the smallest (50 bp) fragments by depurination and other direct sequencing methods were shown to be more complex than the high molecular weight satellite peaks. — The idea that subsets of repeated DNAs may be defined by sequence complexity, possibly with discrete or separable functions, is proposed.
A pictorial technique for obtaining social desirability ratings from young children.

A procedure for obtaining social desirability ratings from young children was described and tested. It was hypothesized that children 6 yr. of age would produce ratings essentially similar to those of adults using a set of 9 standardized pictures as a rating device. These pictures were line drawings of a stylized female face, with expressions ranging from a deep frown through a bright smile. It was found that children down to the age of 4 yr. gave ratings that correlated .90 with adult ratings obtained in either the usual fashion or by means of the pictures. The ratings of 3-yr.-olds correlated .55 with adult ratings. Ratings of a set of items by both standard and pictorial rating methods by fifth-graders and adults correlated .89 and .96, respectively.
Interlocking African Diaspora Cultures in the Work of Fernando Ortiz

During the slave trade, enslaved Africans and their descendants in Cuba developed the Yoruba-based religion La Regla de Ocha, popularly known as Santeri'a. Cuba, driven by plantation economics late into the 19th century, depended on the forced servitude of enslaved Africans and their descendants even after slavery was abolished in 1888. Cuban plantation owners tenaciously resisted pressure from the British to abolish enslavement, becoming one of the last countries in the Western Hemisphere to do so. Although a law was passed on July 29, 1880, to abolish enslavement in Cuba, the statute instituted a period of 8-year tutelage for enslaved Africans, officially ending slavery in 1888 (Knight, 1970, p. 177). The continuous infusion of negros de nacion, Africans born on the continent, invigorated the memory of sacred traditional African praxes into the existing population of enslaved and freed Africans in Cuba. Among the ethnic groups brought to Cuba in the latter part of the 19th century were the Yoruba people of West Africa. Thornton explains that although enslavers tried to diversify their ships to deter rebellions, generally, the Africans aboard represented ethnic groups from similar national groupings, which served to maintain cultural bonds in the New World. Thornton (1992) notes,
Reduced anesthetic requirements, diminished brain plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase pumping, and enhanced brain synaptic plasma membrane phospholipid methylation in diabetic rats: Effects of insulin

We have recently reported that streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats was associated with i) reduced Ca2+ pumping by rat brain synaptic plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA) and ii) a substantial reduction in the partial pressures of halothane and xenon required to prevent movement in response to stimulation (minimum effective dose or MED). MED for both agents correlated well with the degree of hemoglobin glycation and with PMCA activity. We now report that MEDs for isoflurane, enflurane and desflurane were also substantially reduced in STZ-diabetic rats, compared with placebo-injected controls. In addition, we examined the effect of insulin treatment, begun 2 weeks after induction of diabetes and continued for 3 more weeks, on isoflurane MED and on brain synaptic PMCA and phosphoiipid-N-methyltransferase I (PLMT I), another enzyme altered by inhalation anesthetics (IA). Partial treatment of diabetes, as indicated by decreased glycated hemoglobin (GHb) compared to untreated diabetic rats, was associated with an isoflurane MED of 1.05 vol%, intermediate between a control mean of 1.57 vol% and an untreated diabetic mean of 0.82 vol% (p < 0.01), with a trend toward normalization of both PMCA and PLMT I activity. We also examined isoflurane MED and PMCA activity in the cerebrum and diencephalon-mesencephalon (D-M) of control and diabetic rats 2 and 12 weeks after induction of diabetes. Isoflurane MED was substantially reduced in diabetic rats from both treatment periods. Cerebral and D-M PMCA activities were each reduced to about 90% of control values 2 weeks after STZ induction. At 12 weeks, cerebral PMCA pumping in SPM from diabetic rats did not differ from control values, but PMCA pumping in SPM from the D-M was reduced to about 85% of control levels. Good correlation (r = 0.89, p < 0.01) was found between isoflurane MED and GHb in all treatment groups. These findings provide further evidence for an important role for PMCA in IA action. They also suggest that anesthetic effects on the calcium pump at specific anatomic sites may be of major importance in producing anesthesia.
Reversible polycondensation in a semi-batch reactor

Abstract The material balance equations describing reversible polycondensation, both polymerization and rearrangement, are derived and applied to the special case of semi-batch reaction. Solutions of the N + 1 equations for values of N up to 40 are presented. A collapsing of the equations to a set of three non-linear ordinary differential equations is effected and shown to be rigorous for the calculation of number average properties. Finally, the collapsed equations are coupled with a normal distribution function to calculate distribution of the species and weight average properties, these results comparing very favorably with solutions obtained from the individual material balance equations.
Development and validation of adaptive optimal operation methodology for building HVAC systems

An innovative approach to building operation, called the adaptive optimal operation methodology (AOOM), is developed and validated in this study. The AOOM, which resides in the building energy management and control system, estimates the building and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system loads and parameters and supplies the local controllers the optimal set points that minimize the energy cost while maintaining occupant comfort. The AOOM uses the recursive least square method with an adaptive forgetting factor to estimate the parameters for the building zones and HVAC systems. A genetic algorithm optimizer together with a system model is then used to generate the optimal set points, such as the supply air temperature set point as well as the set points of minimum air flow rate and zone temperature for each zone. The system model is validated through different types of experiments. System level validation experiments conducted during the heating and cooling seasons indicate that the HVAC system operated under the AOOM consumes 3 to 10.8 % less heated water energy during the heating season and 1 to 4 % less electrical energy during the cooling season when compared with a commercial operation methodology.
Directional Analysis of the Wave-equation Imaging Condition

We analyze the imaging condition for wave equation migration in the slowness domain and in the local offset domain. Coherent state transforms are performed on the migrated source and receiver wavefields in order to include the wavefield directivity in the imaging condition. The analysis of the directions in the slowness domain sets a theoretical basis for extracting two types of common image gathers before imaging: the Common Dipping Angle Gathers and the Common Incidence Angle Gathers. We apply a filtering on the incident and reflected slowness vectors by associating them through the Snell law and show the effects on improving the image created by jointly migrating shot gathers.
Correlates of cocaine/crack use among inner-city incarcerated adolescents.

Inner-city male adolescents in jail in New York City (N = 427) were interviewed to examine correlates of cocaine or crack use. Twenty-three percent had used cocaine or crack in the month before arrest and 32% reported lifetime use. Substantial rates of robbery, murder, other violent crime, weapons possession, and drug dealing were found. However, type of crime, including violent crime, was not related either to cocaine/crack use or to drug dealing. Current cocaine/crack users were more likely to use alcohol, marijuana, and intranasal heroin; to have multiple previous arrests; to be out of school; to be psychologically distressed; to have been sexually molested as a child; to have substance abusing parents; and to have cocaine/crack-using friends. They were also more likely to have frequent sex with girls, to be gay or bisexual, and to engage in anal intercourse. The findings should be considered in developing more effective drug abuse prevention and treatment interventions, and HIV prevention education, f...
ADP-ribosylation factor 6 as a target of guanine nucleotide exchange factor GRP1.

Abstract The GRP1 protein contains a Sec7 homology domain that catalyzes guanine nucleotide exchange on ADP-ribosylation factors (ARF) 1 and 5 as well as a pleckstrin homology domain that binds phosphatidylinositol(3,4,5)P3, an intermediate in cell signaling by insulin and other extracellular stimuli (Klarlund, J. K., Guilherme, A., Holik, J. J., Virbasius, J. V., Chawla, A., and Czech, M. P. (1997)Science 275, 1927–1930). Here we show that both endogenous GRP1 and ARF6 rapidly co-localize in plasma membrane ruffles in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-T) cells expressing human insulin receptors and COS-1 cells in response to insulin and epidermal growth factor, respectively. The pleckstrin homology domain of GRP1 appears to be sufficient for regulated membrane localization. Using a novel method to estimate GTP loading of expressed HA epitope-tagged ARF proteins in intact cells, levels of biologically active, GTP-bound ARF6 as well as GTP-bound ARF1 were elevated when these ARF proteins were co-expressed with GRP1 or the related protein cytohesin-1. GTP loading of ARF6 in both control cells and in response to GRP1 or cytohesin-1 was insensitive to brefeldin A, consistent with previous data on endogenous ARF6 exchange activity. The ability of GRP1 to catalyze GTP/GDP exchange on ARF6 was confirmed using recombinant proteins in a cell-free system. Taken together, these results suggest that phosphatidylinositol(3,4,5)P3 may be generated in cell membrane ruffles where receptor tyrosine kinases are concentrated in response to growth factors, causing recruitment of endogenous GRP1. Further, co-localization of GRP1 with ARF6, combined with its demonstrated ability to activate ARF6, suggests a physiological role for GRP1 in regulating ARF6 functions.
The effect of molybdenum trioxide inter-layer between indium tin oxide (ITO) and organic semiconductor on the energy level alignment

We investigated 0 to 300 A thick stepped molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) inter-layer between in-situ oxygen plasma treated conducting indium tin oxide (ITO) and chloro-aluminum pthalocyanine (AlPc-Cl) layer-by-layer evaporated up to 228 A, with ultra-violet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) and inverse photoemission spectroscopy (IPES). The MoO3 inter-layers were observed to increase the surface workfunction. The workfunction increase was observed to saturate at 20 A of MoO3 coverage. The increased surface workfunction causes hole accumulation and band bending in the subsequently deposited AlPc-Cl. A possible explanation of reduction in series resistance by the insertion of the MoO3 insulating layer is discussed based on these observations and energy level alignment.
A single active-site region for a group II intron

Despite the biological importance of self-splicing group II introns, little is known about their structural organization. Synthetic incorporation of site-specific photo-cross-linkers within catalytic domains resulted in functional distance constraints that, when combined with known tertiary interactions, provide a three-dimensional view of the active intron architecture. All functionalities important for both steps of splicing are proximal before the first step, suggestive of a single active-site region for group II intron catalysis.
Effects of chronic lesions of the anteroventral region of the third ventricle on cardiac β-adrenoceptor function in conscious rats

Abstract This study examined whether cardiac β-adrenoceptor (β-AR) function was altered in conscious rats with lesions surrounding the anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V). The findings were: (1) β1,2-AR-mediated tachycardia was similar in sham and AV3V-lesion rats, (2) β3- and/or atypical β-AR-mediated tachycardia elicited by isoproterenol (10 μg/kg, i.v.; ISO) was diminished in AV3V-lesion rats treated with β1,2-AR antagonists, but was not in similarly-treated sham-lesion rats, and (3) the tachycardia elicited by the membrane permeable cAMP-analogue, 8-(4-chlorophenylthiol)-cAMP (10 μmol/kg, i.v.), was similar in AV3V- and sham-lesion rats. The possibility that increased plasma sodium/osmolality in AV3V-lesion rats down-regulated cardiac β3- and/or atypical β-ARs, but not β1,2-ARs or intracellular cAMP signaling is discussed.
The performance of non-experimental designs in the evaluation of environmental programs: A design-replication study using a large-scale randomized experiment as a benchmark

Abstract In the field of environmental policy, randomized evaluation designs are rare. Thus researchers typically rely on observational designs to evaluate program impacts. To assess the ability of observational designs to replicate the results of experimental designs, researchers use design-replication studies. In our design-replication study, we use data from a large-scale, randomized field experiment that tested the effectiveness of norm-based messages designed to induce voluntary reductions in water use. We attempt to replicate the experimental results using a nonrandomized comparison group and statistical techniques to eliminate or mitigate observable and unobservable sources of bias. In a companion study, Ferraro and Miranda (2013a) replicate the experimental estimates by following best practices to select a non-experimental control group, by using a rich data set on observable characteristics that includes repeated pre- and post-treatment outcome measures, and by combining panel data methods and matching designs. We assess whether non-experimental designs continue to replicate the experimental benchmark when the data are far less rich, as is often the case in environmental policy evaluation. Trimming and inverse probability weighting and simple difference-in-differences designs perform poorly. Pre-processing the data by matching and then estimating the treatment effect with ordinary least squares (OLS) regression performs best, but a bootstrapping exercise suggests the performance can be sensitive to the sample (yet far less sensitive than OLS without pre-processing).
Something old, something new: a process view of the Baldrige criteria

The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Criteria provide key competitive requirements of any business. However, many individuals perceive the criteria as being too complex or impractical to implement. Views the criteria as a basic set of management processes and casts these into the classical framework of managerial roles: planning, organizational, co‐ordinating, directing, and controlling. A sixth category, continuous improvement, extends the classical framework and redefines the role of a manager in the total quality environment.