cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimal blind-adaptive compensator for time-varying frequency selective IQ imbalance

Limited accuracy and unavoidable imperfections of front-end RF components lead to imbalances between the inphase (I) and quadrature (Q) paths of wireless transceivers, limiting their image rejection capabilities. In wide-band multichannel systems, slight variations in I/Q low-pass filters lead to significant differences in signal to image strengths across the Nyquist range. SER performance improvement for a widely linear blind-adaptive IQ imbalance compensator is shown by using the (near) optimal number of taps for the adaptive filter. While the (near) optimal number of taps depends on the unknown I/Q low-pass filter imbalances in effect, a method is proposed to estimate the optimal number of taps by experiment.
Characterizing the effects of missing data and evaluating imputation methods for chemical prioritization applications using ToxPi

The Toxicological Priority Index (ToxPi) is a method for prioritization and profiling of chemicals that integrates data from diverse sources. However, individual data sources (“assays”), such as in vitro bioassays or in vivo study endpoints, often feature sections of missing data, wherein subsets of chemicals have not been tested in all assays. In order to investigate the effects of missing data and recommend solutions, we designed simulation studies around high-throughput screening data generated by the ToxCast and Tox21 programs on chemicals highlighted by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s (ATSDR) Substance Priority List (SPL), which helps prioritize environmental research and remediation resources. Our simulations explored a wide range of scenarios concerning data (0-80% assay data missing per chemical), modeling (ToxPi models containing from 160-700 different assays), and imputation method (k-Nearest-Neighbor, Max, Mean, Min, Binomial, Local Least Squares, and Singular Value Decomposition). We find that most imputation methods result in significant changes to ToxPi score, except for datasets with a small number of assays. If we consider rank change conditional on these significant changes to ToxPi score, we find that ranks of chemicals in the minimum value imputation, SVD imputation, and kNN imputation sets are more sensitive to the score changes. We found that the choice of imputation strategy exerted significant influence over both scores and associated ranks, and the most sensitive scenarios were those involving fewer assays plus higher proportions of missing data. By characterizing the effects of missing data and the relative benefit of imputation approaches across real-world data scenarios, we can augment confidence in the robustness of decisions regarding the health and ecological effects of environmental chemicals
Interests of 4000 High School Pupils in Problems of Marriage and Parenthood

This inventory study attempted to ascertain the interests in marriage and parenthood of high school pupils according to year in school, sex, and religion. A total of 4000 students was inventoried. ...
Towards efficient offloading in fog/edge computing by approximating effect of externalities

Fog/Edge computing is an emerging architecture, which extends the Cloud computing paradigm to the edge of the network, enabling new applications and services, including Internet of Things (IoT). End devices have certain computation tasks, which can be completed either locally on the end device or remotely on the cloud via computation offloading. Due to mobility and highly dynamic nature of end users, the access is wireless with severe physical limitations on the access network capacity to sustain stringent latency requirements for streaming and real-time applications for large number of end users over wide-spread geographical area. Assuming that access network has cellular architecture and is interference limited, we quantify system performance by the aggregate utility. Optimization of the system computing and communication resources requires accounting for externalities due to interference created by the individual offloading transmissions. While each base station can account for the intracell externalities, exact accounting for the intercell externalities in a large-scale network is not feasible due to prohibitive exchange of the “microscopic” information on the intercell interference by each end user. We propose a “macroscopic” approximation for the intercell externalities, which significantly reduces information exchange, and thus allows for decentralized near-maximization of the aggregate system utility.
Skeletal muscle fiber quality in older men and women

Whole muscle strength and cross-sectional area (WMCSA), and contractile properties of chemically skinned segments from single fibers of the quadriceps were studied in 7 young men (YM, 36.5 ± 3.0 yr...
Fundamentalism and Panaceas

Fundamentalism is a response to an environment that is undergoing an accelerating rate of change and rapidly increasing complexity. These two conditions combine to produce what is generally referred to as a "turbulent" or "chaotic" environment. Such an environment is characterized by discontinuities and uncertainty, hence unpredictability. It is one in which it is easy for individuals and organizations to become disorientated. Fundamentalism is a defensive response that avoids disorientation but replaces it with something worse. Panaceas proness is a moderate form of fundamentalism.
Outcomes in patients with cor triatriatum sinister

Objective To describe outcomes in patients with cor triatriatum sinister (CTS). Design Retrospective review of patients with CTS followed at Mayo Clinic Rochester from 1990 to 2016. Clinical notes, operative reports, and baseline imaging studies were reviewed including echocardiogram, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and cardiac catheterization. Results Fifty-seven patients (median age 34 years; men 32 (56%)) were enrolled. Definitive or suspected CTS diagnosis was made by transthoracic echocardiogram in 41 (72%) patients, and additional multimodality imaging was required in 39 (68%) patients. Of these 57 patients, initial diagnosis was made in adulthood in 35 (61%) patients, and 33 of 57 (58%) patients had additional congenital heart disease (CHD) diagnosis. A total of 27 (47%) patients required surgical resection of CTS membrane during median follow-up of 76 months, and these patients were younger at the time of CTS diagnosis (26 vs 41, P = 0.01) and more likely to have associated CHD (55% vs 45%, P = 0.02). There was one perioperative mortality and no late mortality. There was no recurrence of CTS membrane obstruction in the patients that underwent surgery. Similarly there was no significant increase in CTS membrane gradient in the patients that were managed conservatively. Conclusions The natural history of CTS is stability without progressive left atrial obstruction, especially in patients with isolated CTS and in those with initial CTS diagnosis made in adulthood. In patients requiring surgical membrane resection due to flow obstruction, surgery is safe and effective with very low risk of recurrence.
Maternal and Post-weaning High-Fat Diets Produce Distinct DNA Methylation Patterns in Hepatic Metabolic Pathways within Specific Genomic Contexts.

Calorie-dense high-fat diets (HF) are associated with detrimental health outcomes, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Both pre- and post-natal HF diets have been hypothesized to negatively impact long-term metabolic health via epigenetic mechanisms. To understand how the timing of HF diet intake impacts DNA methylation and metabolism, male Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to either maternal HF (MHF) or post-weaning HF diet (PHF). At post-natal week 12, PHF rats had similar body weights but greater hepatic lipid accumulation compared to the MHF rats. Genome-wide DNA methylation was evaluated, and analysis revealed 1744 differentially methylation regions (DMRs) between the groups with the majority of the DMR located outside of gene-coding regions. Within differentially methylated genes (DMGs), intragenic DNA methylation closer to the transcription start site was associated with lower gene expression, whereas DNA methylation further downstream was positively correlated with gene expression. The insulin and phosphatidylinositol (PI) signaling pathways were enriched with 25 DMRs that were associated with 20 DMGs, including PI3 kinase (Pi3k), pyruvate kinase (Pklr), and phosphodiesterase 3 (Pde3). Together, these results suggest that the timing of HF diet intake determines DNA methylation and gene expression patterns in hepatic metabolic pathways that target specific genomic contexts.
Intervalley Quantum Coherence Transfer and Coherently-Induced Chiral Plasmon Fields in WS2–Metallic Nanoantenna Systems

We theoretically show that when a hybrid system consisting of a transition metal dichalcogenide monolayer (WS2) and an achiral metallic nanoantenna interacts with a circularly polarized laser field, plasmonically mediated coherently induced processes can transfer quantum coherence from one valley (K or K′) to another. This leads to spin-valley-dependent plasmon field enhancement and coherently driven energy transfer from the WS2 monolayer to the nanoantenna. For the case when the incident laser is right circularly polarized (σ+), we study intervalley transfer of excitation and polarization from K to K′ valleys while mapping the evolution of the Stokes vectors associated with the emission of the WS2 monolayer. This is done as we explore the impact of variation of the laser frequency and intensity on K–K′ coupling. Our results show a formation of collective quantum states and an abrupt transition between these states at a certain frequency. We demonstrate that, as such a transition happens, the Stokes vecto...
Fundamentals of reliability analysis

Abstract A brief history of the development of uncertainty quantifications, probabilistic models to consider risk-based analysis and design concepts, and their engineering applications are presented in this introductory chapter. The quantification of uncertainties in design variables and approaches used to propagate them from the variable to the system level are presented. The basic concept of risk evaluation in then presented. Because risk is always estimated corresponding to a performance function, how to generate them is discussed. The performance function can be explicit or implicit functions of design variables. Several risk evaluation procedures including simulation for both explicit and implicit performance functions are presented. Risk evaluation for correlated variables is also briefly discussed. The selection of computer programs for risk estimation is discussed. Education of the risk-based design concept can be at best categorized as nonuniform and limited only to graduate education in most cases. It cannot be overlooked any more.
Fast Summarizing Algorithm for Polygonal Statistics over a Regular Grid

Abstract We describe a data structure and associated algorithm called Fast Zonal Statistics (FZS) for the retrieval of the summary characteristics of an arbitrary polygon derived from a regular grid. The FZS algorithm can return numerical (e.g., mean, sum, and count) attributes for a polygonal object over a regular grid (e.g., raster data model). The computational complexity of the FZS algorithm is constant in relation to the length of the polygon perimeter. This contrasts with existing approaches which scale in relation to the polygon area, therefore we expect and measure geometric decreases in execution time using the proposed approach for simple polygon surfaces. We demonstrate applications of the algorithm and data structure on example datasets extracting the sum of impervious surface for watershed boundaries in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, a common use case.
Exclusive Diffraction at the LHC On behalf of the ATLAS, LHCb, CMS and TOTEM experiments

In this report, we describe the most recent results on exclusive diffraction from the ATLAS, CMS, LHCb, TOTEM experiments at the LHC concerning exclusive pions, J /Ψ, Ψ(2S ), dilepton, diphoton, WW productions and prospects concerning the search for anomalous couplings and axion-like particle production.
Improvement in insulin resistance and estimated hepatic steatosis and fibrosis after endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty.

Background and Aims Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the United States and is closely associated with obesity and insulin resistance (IR). Weight loss is the best treatment for NAFLD. Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is a promising endoscopic procedure for treatment of obesity. Our aim is to evaluate the change in IR and estimated hepatic steatosis and fibrosis after ESG. Methods One hundred eighteen patients with obesity and NAFLD underwent ESG and were followed for 2 years. Weight loss was evaluated as % total body weight loss. IR was evaluated using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The previously validated hepatic steatosis index and NAFLD fibrosis score were used to estimate hepatic steatosis and risk of fibrosis. Results Patients' mean body mass index was 40 ± 7 kg/m2 at baseline. Eighty-four percent of patients completed 2 years of follow-up. At 2 years, the mean total body weight loss was 15.5% (95% confidence interval, 13.3%-17.8%). Patients' HOMA-IR improved significantly from 6.7 ± 11 to 3.0 ± 1.6 after only 1 week from ESG (P = .019) with continued improvement up to 2 years (P = .03). Patients' hepatic steatosis index score improved significantly, decreasing by 4 points per year (P for trend, Conclusions Our results suggest a significant and sustained improvement in estimated hepatic steatosis and fibrosis after ESG in patients with NAFLD. Importantly, we showed an early and weight-independent improvement in insulin resistance, which lasted for 2 years after the procedure.
The impact of temporary assistance for needy families, minimum wage, and Earned Income Tax Credit on Women's well-being and intimate partner violence victimization.

Abstract Women experiencing poverty and women of color disproportionately experience intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. Economic policies targeting women at this intersection of poverty and IPV, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Minimum Wage (MW), and Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs), may be powerful violence prevention tools. Using data from waves 1 (1998–2000) through 4 (2007–2010) of the U.S.-based Fragile Families and Child Well-being (FFCW) birth cohort study, we apply a difference-in-difference (DD) study design to estimate both the overall and race-specific effects of state-level economic policies on non-physical IPV and several intermediate outcomes. In DD models analyzing the difference in violence outcomes by intervention group (i.e., TANF exposure based on women's educational attainment, ≤high school vs >high school) and by race (African American (AA) vs White) few state-level TANF policies were associated with IPV victimization and the MW had no differential effect, but the refundable EITC was protective against IPV. Of the few TANF policies associated with IPV – sanctions and the ratio of families receiving TANF for every 100 families in poverty (the TANF-to-Poverty Ratio (TPR)) - those linked with fewer TANF restrictions seemed to increase coercive victimization, especially among AA women. With regard to intermediate variables, we found no overall impact of economic policies on depression or economic hardship, while monetary benefits and the TPR, were associated with a decrease in employment. The effect of TANF policies by race on intermediate outcomes was complex and analyses suggest that while White women are more likely to be employed when TANF time limits are in place, they also experience larger increases in economic hardship events compared to AA women. Research into the effects of cash transfer conditionality on mediators, including economic instability, perceived stress, bargaining power, and coercive IPV to interfere with TANF compliance, is needed.
New Environmental Crimes Project Data Shows That Pollution Prosecutions Plummeted During the First Two Years of the Trump Administration

The latest data from the Environmental Crimes Project at the University of Michigan Law School shows a dramatic drop in pollution prosecutions during the first two years under President Donald J. Trump. The data, which now includes 14 years of cases from 2005–2018, shows a 70 percent decrease in Clean Water Act prosecutions under President Trump, as well as a more than 50 percent decrease in Clean Air Act prosecutions. The data again shows that most defendants charged with pollution crime commit misconduct involving one or more of the aggravating factors identified in my previous scholarship, so prosecutors continue to reserve criminal prosecution for conduct involving those aggravating factors and rarely prosecute when none of those factors is present. The significant drop in the number of defendants prosecuted, however, raises questions about the extent to which broader changes at the Environmental Protection Agency and the Justice Department may be having a negative impact on the federal environmental crimes program, which historically received support under Democratic and Republican presidents, regardless of their environmental policies.
The cancer hypothesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension: are polyamines the new Warburg?

Polyamine metabolism is a new target in pulmonary arterial hypertension also under development in cancer researchhttps://bit.ly/2YnD17o
A multiomics discriminatory analysis approach to identify drought-related signatures in maize nodal roots

Maize is one of the major food crops grown in the continental US, and as such, major interest is directed towards understanding its adaptability to drought stress. Certain cultivars of maize have shown increased resistance to water shortages, by continuing to maintain root growth even when under severe water stress. To better understand the molecular mechanisms which lead to such adaptation, we analyzed multiomics datasets generated from the growth zone of nodal roots from FR697, an inbred line that shows a superior capacity for root growth maintenance under drought stress. We used a research pipeline consisting of a discriminatory multiomics data integration approach, which uses a combination of sparse Generalized Canonical Correlation Analysis (sGCCA) and generalized Partial Least Square (PLS) analysis instead of traditional “filter funnel” approaches, to incorporate all datasets into one holistic global network and form clusters spanning all omics levels. We then linked significant elements from these clusters to various observations associated with drought stress in the root tip samples, reinforced by their roles in biological pathways.
Aliviado Mobile App for Hospice Providers: A Usability Study.

Abstract Context Evaluation of usability and mobile health content is critical for ensuring effective implementation of technology utilizing interventions tailored to the needs of hospice care providers for people living with dementia in community-based settings. Objectives To evaluate the usability, content, and “readiness to launch” of the Aliviado mobile health app for interdisciplinary team members participating in the Hospice Advanced Dementia Symptom Management and Quality of Life. Methods Usability of the Aliviado app was assessed in 86 respondents with an adapted IBM Computer Usability Satisfaction Questionnaire following Hospice Advanced Dementia Symptom Management and Quality of Life training and implementation of the mobile app. Results More than half of users receiving training employed the mobile app in practice. Users reported use as: Daily-6.3%, Weekly-39.6%, monthly-54.2%. The highest measured attributes were usefulness, value, and effectiveness. Over 90% deemed the app “ready to launch” with no or minimal problems. Conclusion This study shows that a newly-developed mobile app is usable and can be successfully adopted for care of people living with dementia.
Hippocampal-prefrontal theta coupling develops as mice become proficient in associative odorant discrimination learning

Learning and memory requires coordinated activity between different regions of the brain. Here we studied the interaction between medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampal dorsal CA1 during associative odorant discrimination learning in the mouse. We found that as the animal learns to discriminate odorants in a go-no go task the coupling of high frequency neural oscillations to the phase of theta oscillations (phase-amplitude coupling or PAC) changes in a manner that results in divergence between rewarded and unrewarded odorant-elicited changes in the theta-phase referenced power (tPRP) for beta and gamma oscillations. In addition, in the proficient animal there was a decrease in the coordinated oscillatory activity between CA1 and mPFC in the presence of the unrewarded odorant. Furthermore, the changes in PAC resulted in a marked increase in the accuracy for decoding odorant identity from tPRP when the animal became proficient. Finally, we studied the role of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II α (CaMKIIα), a protein involved in learning and memory, in oscillatory neural processing in this task. We find that the accuracy for decoding the odorant identity from tPRP decreases in CaMKIIα knockout mice and that this accuracy correlates with behavioral performance. These results implicate a role for PAC and CaMKIIα in olfactory go-no go associative learning in the hippocampal-prefrontal circuit.
Measuring the Quality of Hypotheses in Model-Based Recognition

Model-based recognition methods generally search for geometrically consistent pairs of model and image features. The quality of an hypothesis is then measured using some function of the number of model features that are paired with image features. The most common approach is to simply count the number of pairs of consistent model and image features. However, this may yield a large number of feature pairs, due to a single model feature being consistent with several image features and vice versa. A better quality measure is provided by the size of a maximal bipartite matching, which eliminates the multiple counting of a given feature. Computing such a matching is computationally expensive, but under certain conditions it is well approximated by the number of distinct features consistent with a given hypothesis.
The Fetal Aspects of Tay-Sachs Disease.

Chemical studies were performed on three fetuse with Tay-Sachs disease. Only two chemical abnormalities were detected. One was the absence of hexosaminidase A activity in all tissues analyzed. The second was an increase in the percent of cerebral Gm2-ganglioside. In addition, abnormal inclusion bodies were seen in fetal neurons. These lipid cytosomes differed from the classical membranous cytoplasmic bodies seen in the postnatal state of Tay-Sachs disease. Screening of the Ashkenazi population and monitoring of high-risk pregnancies by amniocentesis is a means of reducing the incidence of Tay-Sachs disease.
Determinants of Perceived Safety Among the Elderly: An Exploratory Study

Abstract A survey of randomly selected elderly residents (N = 301) of a largely rural county in Northwest Ohio sought to explore the perception of the fear of crime victimization. Those who participated in the study were asked a series of questions about their community, actual experiences of crime victimization, perception of fear related to victimization, and social support. Logistic regression analyses were computed to explore perceptions of neighborhood safety. Most participants reported limited experiences of victimization. As expected, in this rural environment, there was more reliance on informal supports and limited use of existing formal services.
Automatic Categorization of Tags in Collaborative Environments

Tagging allows individuals to use whatever terms they think are appropriate to describe an item. With the growing popularity of tagging, more and more tags have been collected by a variety of applications. An item may be associated with tags describing its different aspects, such as appearance, functionality, and location. However, little attention has been paid in the organization of tags; in most tagging systems, all the tags associated with an item are listed together regardless of their meanings. When the number of tags becomes large, finding useful information with regards to a certain aspect of an item becomes difficult. Improving the organization of tags in existing tagging systems is thus highly desired. In this paper, we propose a hierarchical approach to organize tags. In our approach, tags are placed into different categories based on their meanings. To find information with respect to a certain aspect of an item, one just needs to refer to its associated tags in the corresponding category. Since existing applications have already collected a large number of tags, manually categorizing all the tags is infeasible. We propose to use data-mining and machine-learning techniques to automatically and rapidly classify tags in tagging systems. A prototype of our approaches has been developed for a real-word tagging system.
Dynamic equilibration of diastereomeric salts of atropisomers. Proton NMR spectra of 1,8-Di(3′-pyridyl)naphthalene in the presence of R-camphorsulfonic acid

In the presence of chiral camphorsulfonic acid (CSA) the anti and syn atropisomers of the title compound in acetone-d6 form diastereomeric salts detectable at ambient temperatures by proton NMR. Comparison of these spectra with those generated in the presence of racemic CSA provides evidence for the formation of the diastereomers.
Using individual differences to build a common core dataset for aviation security studies

In security tasks, there is much interest in individual differences as managers have a belief that ‘choosing the right person for the job’ can have a substantial effect on system performance. This programme was aimed at finding a common set of variables to characterise individual differences in performance of security inspection tasks. As part of this effort, an Access™ database was created for studies related to inspection. Each study consists of independent variables (factors), dependent variables (measures) and occasionally covariates. Despite reasonably large and consistent individual differences, developing tests that predict inspection performance reliably has proven difficult. Also, individual performance across similar tasks, e.g. inspecting different parts of an aircraft fuselage, is not consistent so that different tasks may have different individual correlates (Wang, M.J. and Drury, C.G., 1989. A method of evaluating inspectors' performance differences and job requirements. Applied Ergonomics, ...
The effect of the aldose reductase inhibitor, ponalrestat, on the progression of diabetic retinopathy.

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of ponalrestat, an aldose reductase inhibitor, on the progression of diabetic retinopathy. In this study, 62 patients with diabetes mellitus underwent a double-masked placebo-controlled clinical trial comparing the effect of ponalrestat 600 mg per day with a placebo on the progression of diabetic retinopathy. Both groups were comparable in terms of age, gender distribution, diabetes duration, metabolic control, and presence and severity of diabetic retinopathy. Seven-field stereo fundus photographs were performed at 0 (baseline), 12, and 18 months; 49 patients completed the study (26 in the ponalrestat group and 23 in the placebo group). In both treatment groups, a significant progression of diabetic retinopathy as evaluated by the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study classification was observed (Wilcoxon Rank-Sum Test, p p = 0.96). The number of microaneurysms increased in the two study groups (from 5.6 ± 1.2 to 10.5 ± 1.3 in the placebo group and from 10.3 ± 1.4 to 12.7 ± 1.4 in the ponalrestat group); however, the increase was statistically significant only in the placebo group ( p
Effects of notable natural disasters from 2005 to 2011 on telecommunications infrastructure: Lessons from on-site damage assessments

This paper discusses lessons from notable relatively recent disasters that had significant impact on communications infrastructure. The discussion will be based on field damage assessments and will be supported by extensive photographic evidence. In particular, the following disasters are discussed: from 2005, Hurricane Katrina; from 2008, hurricanes Gustav and Ike, from 2010 Chile's earthquake and tsunami, from 2011 New Zealand's earthquake in Christchurch, and the Great Earthquake and Tsunami in the Tohoku Region of Japan. This paper perspective focuses on basic questions addressed during field damage assessments that lead to identify potential ways for improving power supply availability during extreme events. Main failure modes are discussed, and similarities and differences observed from all these extreme events are commented. Predominant restoration strategies are also examined. Finally, this paper concludes with a summary of recommendations, including potential use of micro-grids as a powering option for communication sites in such extreme events.
Preceramic Polymer Blends as Precursors for Boron-Carbide/ Silicon-Carbide Composite Ceramics and Ceramic Fibers

Simple blends of the poly(norbornenyldecaborane) (PND) boron-carbide preceramic polymer with either of the commercial poly(methylcarbosilane) (PMCS) or allylhydridopolycarbosilane (AHPCS) silicon-c...
Multilevel Growth Modeling An Introductory Approach to Analyzing Longitudinal Data for Evaluators

The growth in the availability of longitudinal data—data collected over time on the same individuals—as part of program evaluations has opened up exciting possibilities for evaluators to ask more nuanced questions about how individuals’ outcomes change over time. However, in order to leverage longitudinal data to glean these important insights, evaluators responsible for analyzing longitudinal data face a new set of concepts and analytic techniques that may not be part of their current methodological tool kit. In this article, I provide an applied introduction to one method of longitudinal data analysis known as multilevel growth modeling. I ground the introductory concepts and illustrate the method of multilevel growth modeling in the context of a well-known longitudinal evaluation of an early childhood care program, the Carolina Abecedarian Project.
Effect of Irradiation on Impurity–Vacancy Dipoles in KBr Crystals Doped with Strontium

The concentration of impurity–vacancy dipoles in potassium bromide crystals doped with strontium bromide was measured using the ionic thermocurrent (ITC) technique. The parameters of the dipole relaxation are: fundamental relaxation time 4 × 10−14s, activation enthalpy 0.66 eV. The effect of 60Co γ-irradiation at room temperature was to reduce the number of dipoles and to increase the number of trapped holes and electrons, but the number of trapped holes and electrons, measured by optical absorption, was about 30 times smaller than the number of dipoles destroyed. It is proposed that the effect of irradiation is to increase the rate of aggregation of dipoles, primarily into trimer aggregates, through temporary electron trapping by strontium ions. Mit der Ionen-Thermostrom(ITC)-Methode wurde die Konzentration der Storstellen–Leerstellendipole in Kaliumbromidkristallen, die mit Strontiumbromid dotiert waren, bestimmt. Die Parameter der Dipolrelaxation sind: Grundrelaxationszeit 4 × 10−14 s, Aktivierungsenthalpie 0,66 eV. Der Einflus von 60Co-γ-Bestrahlung bei Zimmertemperatur reduziert die Zahl der Dipole und erhoht die Zahl der angehafteten Locher und Elektronen, jedoch war die Zahl der angehafteten Locher und Elektronen, die durch optische Absorption gemessen wurde, etwa 30mal geringer als die Zahl der zerstorten Dipole. Es wird angenommen, das der Einflus der Bestrahlung in der Erhohung der Geschwindigkeit der Aggregation der Dipole, hauptsachlich zu Trimer-Aggregaten, durch zeitweiliges Elektronenanhaften an Strontiumionen besteht.
When ‘Good Neighbors’ go Bad: Territorial Geographies of Neighborhood Associations

This paper examines the discourses, practices, and spatialities surrounding neighbors and neighborhoods as mobilized by a particular neighborhood association in Seattle, Washington. By examining ho...
Changes in the nature of the cell adhesions of the sea urchin embryo

Abstract Reaggregation of cells from 16-cell, 100-cell, 200-cell, hatched-blastula, and gastrula stage sea urchin embryos is essentially equivalent in the absence of experimental treatments. Gentle shearing of the forming aggregates revealed that the stability of the adhesions to shearing gradually increases as the embryos develop from the 100-cell to the hatched-blastula stage. During the same developmental period, the cell adhesions become progressively more sensitive to a mixed exoglycosidase, but their sensitivity to Pronase remains constant. Both changes we detected occur at the time other investigators have observed cell junctions appearing and cellular apposition increasing. All of these changes temporally correlate with the transition from loosely associated cleavage blastomeres into the organized epithelium of the hatched blastula.
Alfonso L. Garcia Martinez, Idioma y politica. El papel desempe-nado por los idiomas español e inglés en la relatión política Puerto Rico -Estados Unidos. San Juan de Puerto Rico

Depost la transdono de Portoriko al Usono en 1898, la portorika popolo klopodas defendi siajn hispanajn heredajon kaj lingvon. Tuj post la usonanigo politika sekvis la unua paso de kultura usonanigo, la anglalingvigo de la lernejoj.En la posta batalo - neegala, Davido kontraŭ Goliato - gravan rolon ludis la porto-rikaj advokatoj. Ilia tasko estis malfacila, car la eŭropa civila kodo de la hispana Portoriko estis pason post paso anstataŭigita de la nordamerika jura sistemo. Certa sukceso estas tamen la fakto ke, malgraŭ la lasta forta premo kaj alikultura altirpovo, la humila portorika popolo daŭre parolas hispane. La nuna verko ne rakontas la tutan historion, sed estas unu grava capitro.
Effects of early protein malnutrition on learning in the rat

Animals were reared on a diet of commercially available corn grits from weaning to approximately 120 days of age. Littermate controls were fed Purina Laboratory Chow. The subjects’ learning ability was tested in a two-way active avoidance task and a black-white visual discrimination task. The grits-fed animals did not develop physically and remained as small as weanling rats throughout the study. The data from the learning tasks indicate that there were no differences in learning ability between the protein-malnourished animals and the normal littermates.
Realistic four-generation MSSM in Type II string theory

Abstract We construct a four-generation MSSM with rank-4 Yukawa matrices from intersecting D6 branes on a T 6 / ( Z 2 × Z 2 ) orientifold. The Yukawa matrices obtained provide an example of Flavor Democracy (FD), where the Yukawa couplings are all nearly equal. Mass hierarchies may then be generated by slight perturbations away from FD. We find that it is possible to obtain hierarchical masses for the quarks and leptons of each generation and mixings between them. In addition, the tree-level gauge couplings are unified at the string scale. Finally, we also construct similar models with one, two, and three generations in which the rank of the Yukawa matrices is equal to the number of generations in each model.
Amino terminal amino acid sequences and carbohydrate of the two major forms of rabbit plasminogen.

Two major forms of plasminogen exist in the plasma of many animal species and are distinguished by their affinities for certain antifibrinolytic amino acids. Quantitative end group analysis demonstrated that each isolated form of rabbit plasminogen possessed a single amino terminal residue of glutamic acid. Amino acid sequence analysis indicated that at least the first twelve amino terminal amino acids were identical in the two forms. The unique amino terminal sequence obtained for each form was NH2-glu-pro-leu-asp-asp-tyr-val-asn-thr-gln-gly-ala-. Analysis of the carbohydrate content of each major plasminogen form revealed some striking differences. The first major form of rabbit plasminogen isolated from affinity chromatography columns contained 1.5–1.7 percent neutral carbohydrate and 3.0–3.3 moles of sialic acid per mole of protein. The second major form of rabbit plasminogen isolated from affinity chromatography columns contained 0.6–0.8 percent neutral carbohydrate and 1.8–2.2 moles of sialic acid per mole of protein.
A Semiparametric Bayesian Approach to the Random Effects Model

In longitudinal random effects models, the random effects are typically assumed to have a normal distribution in both Bayesian and classical models. We provide a Bayesian model that allows the random effects to have a nonparametric prior distribution. We propose a Dirichlet process prior for the distribution of the random effects; computation is made possible by the Gibbs sampler. An example using marker data from an AIDS study is given to illustrate the methodology.
Incorporating the effect of small-scale circulations upon dust emission in an atmospheric general circulation model

[1] Realistic simulation of dust emission in an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) is inhibited by the model's coarse resolution compared to the scale of the circulations observed to mobilize dust. We construct a probability distribution of wind speed within each grid box that depends upon the speed explicitly calculated by the AGCM and the magnitude of fluctuations about this speed. This magnitude is calculated by incorporating information from the AGCM's parameterizations of the planetary boundary layer along with dry and moist convection. Emission depends on the fraction of the wind speed distribution above the threshold value. As a consequence, emission can occur even if the explicitly resolved wind speed is less than the threshold, as long as the subgrid scale variability is large enough. In the AGCM, subgrid wind fluctuations are dominated by dry convection. This favors dust emission over deserts, where there is continuous mixing within the boundary layer due to intense solar heating of the surface. Particles emitted over arid regions are farther from precipitation and mixed higher above the surface by dry convection. This increases their wet and dry deposition lifetimes, respectively, increasing the aerosol load for a given emission. The AGCM's identification of “preferred meteorology” for emission by subgrid circulations complements the preferred sources of erodible particles included in other models. Given the introduction of subgrid variability, the AGCM's dust aerosol burden improves significantly, compared to the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) and advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) aerosol optical thickness (AOT) retrievals, over the Sahara, Sahel, and the Taklimakan as well as downwind of these regions, considered to be major sources of dust emission. This mechanistic representation of subgrid variability allows us to calculate the atmospheric burden of dust under different climates, where emission can change due to altered boundary layer variability in addition to changes in the mean wind speed.
A role of Ag in the reaction forming (Bi, Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox from (Bi, Pb)2Sr2CaCu2Ox, (Sr, Ca)2CuO3, and CuO

Abstract The effects of Ag on the phase evolution of (Bi, Pb) 2 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O x was studied by placing Ag foil in pellets made of a mixture of (Bi, Pb) 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O x , (Sr, Ca) 2 CuO 3 , and CuO. The pellets were large enough that this configuration gave data about reactions occurring next to the Ag foil and away from the foil, where there was no Ag. Ag induced melting occurred near the foil and large grains of (Sr, Ca) 14 Cu 24 O x formed in this region. Ag powder that was added to the mixture of oxides induced uniform melting throughout the pellet, resulting in small grains of (Sr, Ca) 14 Cu 24 O x throughout the pellet and identical microstructures next to and away from the Ag foil. We suggest that a good precursor powder for forming (Bi, Pb) 2 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O x in Ag sheathed tape is a mixture of (Bi, Pb) 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O x , (Sr, Ca) 2 CuO 3 , and CuO to which a small amount of Ag has been added.
Functional analysis of 2-5A-dependent RNase and 2-5a using 2',5'-oligoadenylate-cellulose.

Abstract 2-5A is an intracellular effector that has been implicated in interferon action, hormonal regulation, and cell growth control. 2-5A action is mediated through its activation of 2-5A-dependent RNase (RNase L, RNase F). Affinity resins [2-5A-cellulose and core (2-5A)-cellulose] were chemically synthesized for purification and immobilization of 2-5A-dependent RNase from mouse L cells and rabbit reticulocyte lysates. The breakdown of poly(U)-[3′- 32 P]Cp to acid-soluble fragments was demonstrated using the 2-5A-dependent RNase: 2-5A-cellulose complex; this activity was enhanced by adding (free) 2-5A. In constrast, RNase activity was measured from the 2-5A-dependent RNase:core (2-5A)-cellulose complex only after the addition of free 2-5A. The rabbit reticulocyte 2-5A-dependent RNase is activated only by tetramer or higher oligomers of 2-5A; therefore there was breakdown of poly(U)-[3′- 32 P]Cp using core (2-5A)-cellulose-bound reticulocyte 2-5A-dependent RNase after addition of tetramer 2-5A but there was no poly(U) degradation in the presence of trimer 2-5A. The absence of significant general nuclease in the assays was demonstrated by the resistance to breakdown of poly(C)-[3′- 32 P]Cp (not susceptible to 2-5A-dependent RNase). Moreover, core (2-5A)-cellulose was used to develop a sensitive (subnanomolar) assay for the detection of authentic 2-5A. 2-5A, or the material to be tested, was added to mouse L-cell 2-5A-dependent RNase:core (2-5A)-cellulose complex in the presence of poly(U)-[3′- 32 P]Cp. The concentration of 2-5A in the sample could be measured from the amount of poly(U) degradation. Several closely related analogs of 2-5A were tested and found to be completely inactive. The technology described herein may be applied to the study of the regulation of 2-5A-dependent RNase, the detection of 2-5A from cells and tissues, and other aspects of the 2-5A system.
Role of resources and disturbance in the organization of an old-field plant community.

The roles of disturbance and resource availability in influencing species richness and plant abundance were examined by conducting a factorial experiment for 2 yr in an old field in New Jersey, USA, dominated by goldenrods (Solidago spp.). Replicate plots were treated by (1) adding macronutrients, (2) adding water, (3) tying back tall herbs to increase light to ground layer species, and (4) creating gaps in the vegetation by disturbing the soil with a hand trowel early in the growing season. Nutrient additions increased the cover of the herbaceous canopy and enhanced the dominance of Solidago spp. Water additions also increased canopy cover during the second growing season, a year with low seasonal rainfall. Light enrichment as a consequence of canopy manipulations resulted in the competitive release of subcanopy species, primarily Fragaria virginiana. Other subcanopy dominants were limited by different resources; Hier- acium pretense responded most strongly to water and Rumex acetosella to nutrients. These differences in limiting resources may be responsible for the continued coexistence of these three subcanopy species. Additionally, we observed marked seasonal and yearly fluctuations in the severity of resource limitation which might serve to favor different species in this community at different times. Species richness was decreased by light enrichment alone, whereas light with irrigation interacted to increase species richness. Nutrient additions had little direct effect on species richness. A single small disturbance at the beginning of the growing season had little impact on species richness or abundance. Relative to the influence of resources, small-scale dis- turbance plays only a minor role in this community. Our results suggest that nonequilibrium organization of old-field communities can occur via a shifting resource base in the absence of natural disturbances.
Sugar recognition mutants of the melibiose carrier of Escherichia coli: possible structural information concerning the arrangement of membrane-bound helices and sugar/cation recognition site.

Melibiose carrier mutants, isolated by growing cells on melibiose plus the non-metabolizable competitive inhibitor thiomethyl-L-galactoside (TMG), were studied to determine sugar and cation recognition abnormalities. Most of the mutants show good transport of melibiose but have lost the recognition of TMG. In addition, most mutants show little or no transport of lactose. Cation recognition is also affected as all of these mutants have lost the ability to transport protons with melibiose. The amino acids causing these mutations were determined by sequencing the melB gene on the plasmid. The mutations were located on helices I, IV, VII, X and XI. We propose that these five helices are in proximity with each other and that they line the sugar/cation transport channel. fl 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
The Nuclear Matrix: A Target for Heat Shock Effects and a Determinant for Stress Response

The nuclear matrix organizes nuclear DNA into operational DNA domains for replication, transcription, and repair. The proteins of the nuclear matrix are among the most thermal labile proteins in the cell, undergoing denaturation at 43 degrees C to 45 degrees C. Heat-shock-induced protein denaturation results in the aggregation of proteins to the nuclear matrix. As many as 100 protein changes have been observed as a result of this aggregation. Protein aggregation with the nuclear matrix is associated with the disruption of nuclear matrix-dependent DNA replication, DNA transcription, hnRNA processing, and DNA repair. Disruptions of these processes lead to cell death. Nuclear matrix protein changes affect these processes by inhibiting DNA supercoiling ability and inhibiting the access to matrix-associated DNA. Heat-shock proteins are believed to bind denatured proteins and either prevent aggregation or render aggregates more readily dissociable. The nuclear matrix appears to be a target for the detrimental effects of heat shock and hsp70 serves to protect against such effects. However, the nuclear matrix may be involved in the pre- and post-heat shock expression of hsp70. We have found a heat-inducible MAR covering the promoter region of murine hsp70.3, implying that changes in matrix association are needed for hsp70 expression. However, the hsp70.1, 70.3, and hsc70t gene family is organized as an active gene with respect to the nuclear matrix. Thus, it may be that heat-inducible genes have a unique matrix-dependent organization. The work presented in this review implies that the nuclear matrix is a target for the lethal effects of heat and is also a determinant in the protective expression of heat-shock genes.
Leadership and Adult Development: Postindustrial Paradigms and Parallels

Current trends in adult development converge exceptionally well with the postindustrial model of leadership proposed by Dr. Joseph Rost in his book, Leadership for the Twenty-First Century. This article begins with a brief overview of the historical movements in human development. Subsequently, three contemporary fields of study in adult development are examined: (1) the research on women's adult development, conceived primarily by female theorists, which argues for affiliation, attachment and connectedness as hallmarks of adult maturity; (2) the constructive--developmental framework of Robert Kegan which argues that human development is shaped by balancing the interplay of the two polar motivating forces in adult life, namely, autonomy and inclusion; and (3) the research of psychologists Dan McAdams and David McClelland, which argues for the centrality of power and intimacy in the life story. Throughout the article there is an attempt to demonstrate the significance of employing concepts of adult develop...