cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pheromone receptor system in the females of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella

Abstract Electroantennogram studies of female Galleria mellonella showed a two-acceptor system for the sex pheromones, n-nonanal and n-undecanal, produced by the male. The nine carbon pheromone reacts with both acceptors, however, n-undecanal only reacts with the acceptor for the eleven carbon pheromone.
Editor's Introduction: Unforeseen Consequences of Policy Decisions

It is almost a truism that populations affect their environment and that environments constrain populations. Yet as we work to elucidate the actual workings of these interactions we are often surprised. This issue of Population and Environment focuses on unforeseen or unintended consequences of policy. Often centralized government policies are specifically directed at affecting people’s reproductive lives or their residences. But even policies not intentionally aimed at population issues such as fertility or migration can nonetheless affect people’s lives: their fertility their mortality and their movements. Barbara A. Anderson offers a useful typology of unintended population consequences of policies. She suggests they occur three ways: (1) a policy overshoots its original goal; (2) two or more policies conflict so that implementation of one policy inhibits implementation of another; (3) negative consequences of a policy are unforeseen are anticipated but judged unlikely to be severe or are considered less important than the positive aims of the policy. She discusses diverse examples from Singapore South Africa Italy the United States and the former Soviet Union. (excerpt)
Larvae of Euphausia superba in the Scotia Sea and Bransfield Strait in March 1984 - Development and Abundance Compared with 1981 Larvae

Larvae of Euphausia superba in the Atlantic sector of the Antarctic in March 1984 averaged 580 per 1000 m3 of water. This is 100 times less than we observed in March 1981, but more than the average of 250 larvae per 1000 m3 found in January–February 1981. There was one 1984 high-abundance sample, accounting for 85% of all larvae caught, from the eastern area of confluence of Drake Passage and Weddell Sea waters. Abundances in 1984 near the South Shetland Islands were commonly 5 to 10 larvae per 1000 m3, and younger by 2 to 4 developmental stages than in March 1981. Body lengths of given stages were generally less in 1984 than in 1981. Advanced furcilia stages, particularly, in the 1984 samples tended to be smaller than the same stages in March 1981, indicating relatively poor growth during February 1984. However, the 1984 younger larvae (calyptopes and the developmental forms of furcilia stages 1 and 2) indicated that, in 1984, recent (March) growth had been good — probably better than in February. Dierct observation of the development of calyptopis stage 3 to furcilia stage yielded a development time of 7.7 days, which compares favorably to the 8-day period estimated from field samples. Reduced food availability did not affect the development rate nor give rise to a clearly higher incidence of indirect pathways of development. It is postulated that recruitment was about of month later in 1984 than in 1981 in most of the area studied and was probably going to be less successful.
A microstructurally-based finite element model of the incised human cornea

A mechanical model of the human cornea is proposed and employed in a finite element formulation for simulating the effects of surgical procedures, such as radial keratotomy, on the cornea. The model assumes that the structural behavior of the cornea is governed by the properties of the stroma. Arguments based on the microstructural organization and properties of the stroma lead to the conclusion that the human cornea exhibits flexural and shear rigidities which are negligible compared to its membrane rigidity. Accordingly, it is proposed that to a first approximation, the structural behavior of the cornea is that of a thick membrane shell. The tensile forces in the cornea are resisted by very fine collagen fibrils embedded in the ground substance of the stromal lamellae. When the collagen fibrils are cut, as in radial keratotomy, it is argued that they become relaxed since there is negligible transfer of load between adjacent fibrils due to the low shear modulus of the ground substance. The forces in the cornea are then resisted only by the remaining uncut fibrils. The cutting of fibrils induces an anisotropy and inhomogeneity in the membrane rigidity. By assuming a uniform angular distribution of stromal lamellae through the corneal thickness, geometric arguments lead to a quantitative representation for the anisotropy and inhomogeneity. All material behavior is assumed to be in the linear elastic regime and with no time-dependency. The resulting constitutive model for the incised cornea has been employed in a geometrically non-linear finite element membrane shell formulation for small strains with moderate rotations. A number of numerical examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed constitutive model and finite element formulation. The dependence of the outcome of radial keratotomy, measured in terms of the immediate postoperative shift in corneal power, on a number of important factors is investigated. These factors include the value of the elastic moduli of the stromal lamellae (dependent on the patient's age), the incision depth, the optic zone size, the number of incisions and their positions, and the intraocular pressure. Results have also been compared with expected surgical corrections predicted by three expert surgeons and show an excellent correspondence.
Chronic reduction of insulin receptors in the ventromedial hypothalamus produces glucose intolerance and islet dysfunction in the absence of weight gain

Insulin is believed to regulate glucose homeostasis mainly via direct effects on the liver, muscle, and adipose tissues. The contribution of insulin's central nervous system effects to disorders of glucose metabolism has received less attention. To evaluate whether postnatal reduction of insulin receptors (IRs) within the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), a brain region critical for glucose sensing, contributes to disorders of peripheral glucose metabolism, we microinjected a lentiviral vector expressing an antisense sequence to knockdown IRs or a control lentiviral vector into the VMH of nonobese nondiabetic rats. After 3-4 mo, we assessed 1) glucose tolerance, 2) hepatic insulin sensitivity, and 3) insulin and glucagon secretion, using the glucose clamp technique. Knockdown of IRs locally in the VMH caused glucose intolerance without altering body weight. Increments of plasma insulin during a euglycemic clamp study failed to suppress endogenous glucose production and produced a paradoxical rise in plasma glucagon in the VMH-IR knockdown rats. Unexpectedly, these animals also displayed a 40% reduction (P < 0.05) in insulin secretion in response to an identical hyperglycemic stimulus (∼220 mg/dl). Our data demonstrate that chronic suppression of VMH-IR gene expression is sufficient to impair glucose metabolism as well as α-cell and β-cell function in nondiabetic, nonobese rats. These data suggest that insulin resistance within the VMH may be a significant contributor to the development of type 2 diabetes.
Linking intrinsic motivation, risk taking, and employee creativity in an R&D environment

Intrinsic motivation is thought to spur risk taking and creativity. Nonetheless, the relationship between common creativity antecedents and intrinsic motivation is seldom clarified and the assertion that intrinsic motivation spurs risk taking and creativity has rarely been addressed. The current study adopts an individual level of analysis and attempts to link several common creativity antecedents, intrinsic motivation, and one's willingness to take risks to employee creativity. Using survey data collected from 165 research and development personnel and their supervisors, evidence is provided showing that intrinsic motivation mediates the relationship between certain antecedents and one's willingness to take risks and that this willingness mediates the effect of intrinsic motivation on employee creativity. However, starkly different findings emerge when using subjective versus objective indicators of employee creativity, suggesting that further theoretical development is in order to explain the differences.
Return to Freedom: Anti-GMO Aloha ‘Āina Activism on Molokai as an Expression of Place-based Food Sovereignty

AbstractThis paper explores the concept of food sovereignty on the island of Molokai, where the Hawaiian value of aloha ‘āina, or love for the land, guides local efforts to preserve and promote local food production. This organizing concept also has political undertones—food sovereignty requires access to land and resources, both of which Native Hawaiians have historically been dispossessed of since colonial contact. In the paper, I examine current anti-genetically modified organism (GMO) activism as one example of the uniquely Hawaiian food sovereignty efforts taking place on Molokai. I present two key arguments. First, I show how the anti-GMO platform, which has garnered support from both native Hawaiians and more recent settlers, reflects a strategic alliance that gives greater momentum to Hawai‘i's food sovereignty movement, which in turn is viewed by a growing number of Native Hawaiians as a pathway toward Indigenous sustainable self-determination. I also draw from the Molokai case to illustrate a pe...
Validity and reliability of smartphone magnetometer-based goniometer evaluation of shoulder abduction – A pilot study

Abstract Background Goniometers are commonly used by physical therapists to measure range-of-motion (ROM) in the musculoskeletal system. These measurements are used to assist in diagnosis and to help monitor treatment efficacy. With newly emerging technologies, smartphone-based applications are being explored for measuring joint angles and movement. Objective This pilot study investigates the intra- and inter-rater reliability as well as concurrent validity of a newly-developed smartphone magnetometer-based goniometer (MG) application for measuring passive shoulder abduction in both sitting and supine positions, and compare against the traditional universal goniometer (UG). Design This is a comparative study with repeated measurement design. Methods Three physical therapists utilized both the smartphone MG and a traditional UG to measure various angles of passive shoulder abduction in a healthy subject, whose shoulder was positioned in eight different positions with pre-determined degree of abduction while seated or supine. Each therapist was blinded to the measured angles. Concordance correlation coefficients (CCCs), Bland–Altman plotting methods, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used for statistical analyses. Results Both traditional UG and smartphone MG were reliable in repeated measures of standardized joint angle positions (average CCC > 0.997) with similar variability in both measurement tools (standard deviation (SD) ± 4°). Agreement between the UG and MG measurements was greater than 0.99 in all positions. Conclusion Our results show that the smartphone MG has equivalent reliability compared to the traditional UG when measuring passive shoulder abduction ROM. With concordant measures and comparable reliability to the UG, the newly developed MG application shows potential as a useful tool to assess joint angles.
Functional Analysis of the Aspergillus nidulans Kinome

The filamentous fungi are an ecologically important group of organisms which also have important industrial applications but devastating effects as pathogens and agents of food spoilage. Protein kinases have been implicated in the regulation of virtually all biological processes but how they regulate filamentous fungal specific processes is not understood. The filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans has long been utilized as a powerful molecular genetic system and recent technical advances have made systematic approaches to study large gene sets possible. To enhance A. nidulans functional genomics we have created gene deletion constructs for 9851 genes representing 93.3% of the encoding genome. To illustrate the utility of these constructs, and advance the understanding of fungal kinases, we have systematically generated deletion strains for 128 A. nidulans kinases including expanded groups of 15 histidine kinases, 7 SRPK (serine-arginine protein kinases) kinases and an interesting group of 11 filamentous fungal specific kinases. We defined the terminal phenotype of 23 of the 25 essential kinases by heterokaryon rescue and identified phenotypes for 43 of the 103 non-essential kinases. Uncovered phenotypes ranged from almost no growth for a small number of essential kinases implicated in processes such as ribosomal biosynthesis, to conditional defects in response to cellular stresses. The data provide experimental evidence that previously uncharacterized kinases function in the septation initiation network, the cell wall integrity and the morphogenesis Orb6 kinase signaling pathways, as well as in pathways regulating vesicular trafficking, sexual development and secondary metabolism. Finally, we identify ChkC as a third effector kinase functioning in the cellular response to genotoxic stress. The identification of many previously unknown functions for kinases through the functional analysis of the A. nidulans kinome illustrates the utility of the A. nidulans gene deletion constructs.
The ISPD98 circuit benchmark suite

From 1985-1993, the MCNC regularly introduced and maintained circuit benchmarks for use by the Design Automation community. However, during the last five years, no new circuits have been introduced that can be used for developing fundamental physical design applications, such as partitioning and placement. The largest circuit in the existing set of benchmark suites has over 100,000 modules, but the second largest has just over 25,000 modules, which is small by today's standards. This paper introduces the ISPD98 benchmark suite which consists of 18 circuits with sizes ranging from 13,000 to 210,000 modules. Experimental results for three existing partitioners are presented so that future researchers in partitioning can more easily evaluate their heuristics.
Phonological sensitivity: A quasi‐parallel progression of word structure units and cognitive operations

This study investigated the order of acquisition of phonological sensitivity skills among preschool and kindergarten children. Phonological sensitivity was examined in terms of four levels of linguistic complexity (words, syllables, onsets and rimes, phonemes) across four levels of task complexity (blending detection, elision detection, blending, and elision). Participants were 947 two- to five-year-old children from diverse backgrounds. Hierarchical loglinear analyses evidenced a quasi-parallel pattern of development that corresponded to a hierarchical model of word structure and a working memory model of task complexity. Findings support a developmental conceptualization of phonological sensitivity. Findings are discussed in relation to their implications for improving assessment, early literacy instruction, and prevention of reading difficulties.
A Comparison of Projective and Objective Fear-of-Success and Sex-Role Orientation Measures as Predictors of Women's Performance on Masculine and Feminine Tasks.

This study compared projective and objective measures of fear of success (FOS) with each other and with a measure of sex-role orientation as alternative predictors of 309 college women's achievement behavior on masculine and feminine tasks. Neither the sex role nor the FOS measures predicted substantial performance differences on the masculine or feminine tasks, although the objective FOS scales and the Bem Sex Role Inventory did predict subjects' stated investment in the task and attributions for success in a manner generally consistent with FOS theory. In addition, the objective FOS scales showed strong relationships with achievement motivation and sex-role orientation, while TAT (Thematic Apperception Test) FOS was unrelated to either of these variables. The results provide partial support that objective FOS scales tap actual avoidance tendencies characteristic of traditionally feminine women, while the TAT measure reflects, at most, an ambivalence over success which may be equally characteristic of high achieving, nontraditional women and low achieving, traditional women.
Role of cyclic photophosphorylation in photosynthetic carbon dioxide assimilation by isolated chloroplasts.

Although the physiological nature of cyclic photophosphorylation is now well documented (MACLACHLAN & PORTER 1959, FORTI & PARISI 1963, URBACH & SIMONIS 1964, WIESSNER & GAFFRON 1964, TANNER et al. 1965, 1966, WIESSNER 1965, NULTSCH 1966, 1967, JESCHKE 1967, RAVEN 1967, RAMIREZ et al. 1968, ZANETTI 1969, GIMMLER 1970, MIGINIAC-MASLOW 1971) there is a divergence of views concerning its involvement in CO2 assimilation. A need for cyclic photophosphorylation seemed to arise from the requirement of an excess of ATP over NADPH (in a ratio of 3 to 2) for the assimilation of CO2 to the level of carbohydrate (CALVIN & BASSHAM 1962) - a requirement that cannot be met by noncyclic photophosphorylation alone which produces ATP and NADPH in a ratio of 1 to 1 (ref. ARNON et al 1958, JAGENDORF 1958, AVRON & JAGENDORF 1959, STILLER & VENNESLAND 1962, TURNER et al 1962, DEL CAMPO et al 1968). Consistent with this conclusion were CO2 assimilation experiments with broken chloroplasts in which sugar phosphates were formed only when both cyclic and noncyclic photophosphorylation were operating in a proper balance (TREBST et al 1959).
Observation of the Boltzmann limit for an IGFET

Experimental evidence is presented which shows that IGFET transconductance/current ratios can approach bipolar values.
Continuous sump-suction drainage of the pelvis after low anterior resection: a reappraisal.

In a series of 44 consecutive patients with low anterior resection, there was no pelvic abscess or fistula formation in the 22 patients for whom continuous sump-suction drainage was used, and the morbidity was low. In 22 patients without sump-suction drainage, three had pelvic abscesses: two drained spontaneously and one was drained surgically. All three patients required defunctioning colostomies, and there was one death in this group. With attention to the known and accepted principles of good bowel surgery, careful technic, and the use of continuous sump-suction drainage, low anterior resection can be performed safely with low morbidity.
Low-Leakage Diode String Design without Extra Circuits for ESD Applications

A novel low-leakage diode string design using separate diode objects in 0.18 m CMOS processes is proposed in this paper. Diode strings can be divided into two (or three) groups with only a large shallow trench isolation (STI) used as spacing. With STI used to separate the groups, the diode string successfully prevents excessive current leakage. The turn-on voltage of the diode string can be derived from the equations concluded from the experiments.
An information-theory model of cellular survival, mutation and transformation and the relevance of this model to chemical carcinogenesis

Abstract A model of cellular survival, mutation and transformation is presented in accordance with information theory. A cellular system is considered to be stable with respect to its environment when the vital information the cell expresses at least equals the information requirements of the environment. Environmental agents, such as mutagens, perturb the cell's expression of information such that an imbalance occurs between the cell's information requirement and the cell's ability to express vital information. This imbalance, which is interpreted as the intrinsic entropy of the cell, serves as a measure of biological cell death. If the cell compensates for the altered ability to express information by adapting to a less restricted set of information requirements, then one may view the cell as having undergone a “transformation” to a less restricted phenotype. This paper will elucidate the mathematical inter-relationships of cellular survival, mutation and transformation and will relate these mathematical concepts to chemical carcinogenesis.
Depression and disability from chronic medical illness

Demographic data concerning ageing, the prevalence of chronic medical illnesses and the prevalence of depression, provide the context within which the Interaction of depression and chronic medical illness can assume considerable public health importance. Depression may lead to a worsening of medical illness by direct and indirect routes. First, it may decrease compliance with self-care and other medical regimens. Second, it may alter the perception of somatic symptoms so that they become more aversive and disabling. Third, depression may have negative physiological effects upon the concurrent medical illness through the neuroendocrine and autonomic alterations known to accompany major depression. In the past few years numerous epidemiologic studies in the United States have documented the functional disability that accompanies major depressive disorder and depressive symptoms. Depression and disability vary together in medical out-patients, each exacerbating the other. Psychosocial factors, including depression, may mediate between physiological capacity and functional performance in those with chronic medical illness of mild to moderate severity. These findings suggest that depressive symptoms may have a particularly potent effect upon functional status among the medically ill elderly.
Natural selection and population density-feedback. II. The evolution of functional response curves

Abstract The nature of the functional response may be qualitatively understood as follows. Sigmoid responses to one food type may arise, in the presence of alternate foods, as a result of optimal feeding and foraging behavior. Sigmoid curves resulting from this cause I term class A curves. The same curve may also arise in the absence of alternate foods as a result of learning, individual variations in the level of food density at which predators begin feeding, or training effects. The latter I have termed class B curves. At very high food densities, a drop in food intake per predator might occur because of the tendency for predators to take easily found and captured items first and to become more selective when food is very common. Such “dome-shaped” curves have been found in the laboratory but should be rare in nature. Computer simulation of a three trophic-level system, using the phenotypic selection model of Emlen, indicates that natural selection acting on prey should encourage sigmoidality in the predator's class B functional response, at least in disturbed environments. The opposite force arises from selection acting on predators. However, given the magnitudes of growth efficiencies (see Eq. (8), it appears that at least for terrestrial vertebrates, selection on prey species is more important than selection on predators for determining functional responses. Accordingly, prey-predator systems occupying highly variable environments are expected to show more marked type III (class B) curves than systems in more stable areas. Finally, the role of functional response for prey-predator stability is discussed. Class A (alternate food) responses may result in population control for prey in multiple prey systems. Peterman and Pikitch have modeled systems in which type III functional response by predators, in systems where predation varies independently of prey, may lead to double equilibria. This picture is clouded, however, when predator populations are interactive with their food, though double equilibria are still possible (J. M. Emlen, 1984 , “Population Biology: The Coevolution of Population Dynamics and Behavior,” Macmillan, New York, in press).
Negotiating Nature: Colonial Geographies and Environmental Politics in the Pacific Northwest

Noting tension between environmental and aboriginal politics in the Pacific Northwest of North America, this paper explores the historical–geographic constitution of both the Great Bear Rainforest conflict in British Columbia and the Makah whaling conflict in Washington State. By highlighting the uneven production of territoriality between each jurisdiction and tracing these differences though the historical–geographic imaginations of environmental activists and writers of letters to editors of metropolitan newspapers, the paper argues that situated geographies of colonialism inform interactions between environmental and aboriginal politics at their core, thereby demonstrating the centrality of the production of space to the constitution of politics.
RF/wireless-interconnect: The next wave of connectivity

In the era of the nanometer CMOS technology, due to stringent system requirements in power, performance and other fundamental physical limitations (such as mechanical reliability, thermal constraints, overall system form factor, etc.), future VLSI systems are relying more on ultra-high data rates (up to 100 Gbps/pin or 20 Tbps aggregate), scalable, re-configurable, highly compact and reliable interconnect fabric. To overcome such challenges, we first explore the use of multiband RF/wireless-interconnects which can communicate simultaneously through multiple frequency bands with low power signal transmission, reconfigurable bandwidth and excellent mechanical flexibility and reliability. We then review recent advances in RF/wireless-interconnect in four different potential application domains, which include network-on-chips (NoCs), 3-dimensional integrated circuit (3DIC), advanced memory interface and ultra-high speed contactless connectors. Based on those developments, we further propose the future research direction on future inter- and intra-VLSI interconnect system through the comparison of performance and the proper communication range for all three types of interconnects, including communication data throughput, range and power consumption (pJ/bit) among the RF/wireless-interconnects, the optical interconnects and traditional parallel repeated bus.
Topside Ionospheric Structure at Northern Mid-latitudes after Ground Sunset in Summer

DURING the period between ground sunset and ionospheric sunset, the solar light is considerably filtered during its passage through the entire atmosphere before reaching still-illuminated ionospheric regions. Most of the ionizing radiation is absorbed before it reaches the illuminated regions, hence only some heating might be caused by the long-wavelength spectrum of the incident radiation. It seems reasonable, however, to expect that topside regions are thermally stable because they have been illuminated for a long period of time.
Transcriptomes of the major human pancreatic cell types

Aims/hypothesis We sought to determine the mRNA transcriptome of all major human pancreatic endocrine and exocrine cell subtypes, including human alpha, beta, duct and acinar cells. In addition, we identified the cell type-specific distribution of transcription factors, signalling ligands and their receptors.
Line shape distortion effects in infrared spectroscopy

This paper explores different phenomena that cause distortions of infrared absorption spectra by mixing of reflective and absorptive band shape components of infrared spectra, and the resulting distortion of observed band shapes. In the context of this paper, we refer to the line shape of the variations of the refractive index in spectral regions of an absorption maximum (i.e., in regions of “anomalous dispersion”) as “dispersive” or “reflective” line shape contributions, in analogy to previous spectroscopic literature. These distortions usually result in asymmetric bands with a negative intensity contribution at the high wavenumber of the band, accompanied by a shift toward lower wavenumber, and confounded band intensities. In extreme cases of band distortions caused by the “resonance Mie” (RMie) mechanism, spectral peaks may be split into doublets of peaks, change from positive to negative peaks, or appear as derivative-shaped features.
The development of a semantic differential to assess users' attitudes towards an on-line interactive reference retrieval system

A semantic differential (SD) is a commonly used instrument which can be used to reliably measure attitudes toward a variety of objects or concepts. Each SD consists of a series of bipolar adjective scales on which a respondent reacts, in relation to the object or concept of interest. To interpret completed SDs, it simplifies the procedures and aids in the development of theory if the adjective scales are grouped into one or more independent clusters. The primary purpose of this study was to identify those clusters (or dimensions) applied by a user of an on-line user-oriented reference retrieval system when he reacts toward such a system. Seventy-one who used or were familiar with a working on-line reference retrieval system completed a packet of 20 SDs, each consisting of the same 19 adjective scales. The correlations among the scales were factor analyzed. Three independent dimensions were identified. Factor I was labeled “evaluative-specific” and accounted for over 23% of the total variance. Factor II was called “desirability”; it accounted for over 17% of the total variance. And, Factor III, entitled “enormity” accounted for over 10% of the total variance. Another analysis showed the factor structure to be highly reliable. Therefore, if the derived three dimensional structure underlies users' attitudes toward a more general class of retrieval systems, then undimensional or unstructured system evaluations of users' attitudes will be simplistic and possibly misleading. In order to construct a working semantic differential, 10 adjective scales were identified which best represented the three dimensions. Brief instructions are included which outline how to use this SD. The discussion is mainly concerned with the obtained factor structure and the need for a predictive replication of the study.
Mass spectrometric measurement of ionization temperature in an inductively coupled plasma

Abstract Degrees of ionization for As and Sb in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) were measured using mass spectrometry (MS). Electron density ne in the plasma just upstream from the sampling orifice of the mass spectrometer was measured optically from Stark broadening of the H I 486.13 nm emission line. Ionization temperature (Tion) for Sb and As was calculated over a range of plasma conditions. The electron density upstream of the sampler varied with plasma conditions in a manner consistent with that described for ICP optical emission sources, and ne at that point was the same as that in the ICP alone under identical plasma conditions. Variations in Tion of Sb with plasma conditions were consistent with that expected of the ICP itself, however, such was not always the case for Tion of As. Tion for Sb was generally higher than that of As. These results indicate that the kinetics of the ionization process can differ substantially for these elements. Temperature measurements made on a commercial ICP-mass spectrometer yielded trends similar to those observed for Sb, although Tion for As and Sb was generally the same on this instrument.
A question of language

Nim: A Chimpanzee Who Learned Sign Language. By Herbert S. Terrace. Pp. 384. (Knopf: New York/Eyre Methuen: London, 1980.) $15, £6.50.
THE THIRD WAY OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES: BEYOND SUI GENERIS RELIGIOUS STUDIES AND THE POSTMODERNISTS

. This essay advocates dual-inheritance theory for the renewal of Religious Studies. Not by Genes Alone, by Peter J. Richerson and Robert Boyd (2005), presents this approach in an admirably clear manner. To make my case, I survey the development of Religious Studies since the Enlightenment, with special attention to the American context. The historical survey brings us to the dawn of the twenty-first century, where Religious Studies is often unnecessarily limited to sui generis Religious Studies and its postmodern critics. Neither approach engages regnant Darwinian theoretical frameworks of gene-culture coevolution productively. In this context, I situate the contributions of dual-inheritance theory as presented by Richerson and Boyd and offer examples of its utility for progress in Religious Studies, its ability to open cooperation across disciplinary boundaries, and its salutary demystification of religion as a culturally unique and coherent phenomenon. I conclude by addressing concerns scholars of religion might entertain regarding the issue of reductionism and how an emergent science of religion might contribute to the traditional concerns of religion-and-science dialogue as it has evolved in the English-speaking context.
SCATTERING OF ELECTRONS FROM CLUSTERED VACANCIES IN COPPER

The excess resistivity, $\ensuremath{\rho}$, and resistivity per unit stored energy, $q$, associated with dislocations, vacancies, and interstitials are briefly reviewed, and the same quantities are calculated for clustered vacancies. For clusters of more than one hundred vacancies, which seem to exist at room temperature in cold-worked or bombarded copper, $q$ is larger by factors of about 3, 8, and several hundred than the corresponding ratios for vacancies, interstitials, and dislocations.
Looking Forward Using a Sociocultural Perspective to Reframe the Study of Learning Disabilities

The purpose of this series has been to invite educators involved with individuals with learning disabilities to look through other lenses and listen to other voices. In this article, the authors use a sociocultural perspective of teaching and learning, based on cultural—historical and activity theory, to synthesize the articles of this series and to project where inquiry in the field of learning disabilities might be headed. A model is used to organize the discussion and help illuminate the sociocultural nature of the pathways of ideas, expectations, and activities that either foster or hinder students' school experiences. This final article invites readers to refocus and reframe their conversations about learning disabilities based on the “new visions” that have been presented in this series.
Précis---An Activity-Productivity Analysis of a Variable Task

This activity-productivity study applied quantitative methods to a large random sample of the highest volume and lowest volume performers engaged in nonmanual, nonrepetitive activities. Its objective was to note how the groups differed in terms of time utilization. With further study this information could provide useful insights for analysis in the areas of selection, training, performance evaluation and personnel appraisal.
Comparison between phonon detection schemes

Abstract A number of schemes are being developed to detect phonons produced by particle by particle interactions in insulating crystals: heavily doped semiconductors, superconducting transition edge sensors in various bias modes, SIN junctions, and SIS junctions coupled with superconducting films. A theoretical comparison of the ultimate resolution of these schemes is attempted. This analysis is based on the known performance and limitations of these schemes, the physical processes involved (e.g., collection time of the phonons) and the standard theory of optimal filtering.
Music Box: An Algorithm for Producing Visual Music

This research proposes a method for producing music via visual composition in a computer-game like environment. This is accomplished through the development of artificial intelligence software that applies the visual rules of standard emergent behaviors to the algorithmic arrangement of musical tones. This research presents the proposed system, defining the algorithm and demonstrating its implementation.
Visualization of Brain Surface Features Using Registered Partially Segmented MRI Scans

Intraoperative brain mapping of cortical language sites has generated a need for accurate visualization of the cortical surface with its associated arteries and veins. We describe a technique for registering multiple magnetic resonance imaging studies, segmenting those studies, and visualizing the combined vessels and cortical surface. The patient receives three pre-operative MRI scans corresponding to the three tissue types to be visualized. The studies are read into three volumes in the visualization software and voxel size information is then used to interpolate each of the volumes producing cubic voxels. The volumes are then cropped and translated interactively to be the exact same dimension and orientation. A region growing algorithm is applied to the most homogeneous volume (usually the vein data) to produce a mask which approximates the cortical region. A morphological dilation is performed on the mask expanding it to include features on or near the cortical surface. The mask is applied to the cortical surface, artery, and vein volumes, and they then become the green, red, and blue channels of a composite RGB volume. The resulting volume is selectively weighted and input to a ray-tracing algorithm which produces the final image. This technique provides neurosurgeons with an image containing the landmarks necessary to record intraoperative brain mapping data. Example results are presented which show that the generated cortical surface, including surface veins and arteries, corresponds closely to intraoperative photographs of the exposed cortical surface taken at the time of surgery. When combined with an image database and integrated into an interactive program this technique allows neurosurgeons to obtain accurate 3-D stimulation maps of functional areas on the brain surface.
Factors That Predict Outcome of Abdominal Operations in Patients With Advanced Cirrhosis

Background & Aims Patients with cirrhosis have an increased risk of complications during surgery that is relative to the severity of liver disease; it is a challenge to determine which patients are the best candidates for surgery. We performed a hospital-based study to identify factors that might facilitate selection of operative candidates and guide their management. Methods A retrospective review was performed of 100 cirrhotic patients (50 classified as Child–Turcotte–Pugh [CTP] A, 33 as CTP B, and 17 as CTP C) who underwent abdominal surgery at an institution specializing in liver medicine and transplant from 2002–2008. Significant univariate variables were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression models to identify factors that correlate with outcome. Results The overall, 30-day postoperative mortality rate was 7%. The mortality for patients who were CTP A was 2%, CTP B was 12%, and CTP C was 12%; 33 patients had a Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score ≥15, with 29% mortality. On the basis of multivariate analyses, risk factors for adverse outcome were American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score >3; procedures being emergent; intraoperative blood transfusion; intraoperative blood loss >150 mL; presence of ascites; total bilirubin level >1.5 mg/dL; and albumin level 2.5 mg/dL) had significantly increased mortality (60% vs 14%, P Conclusions For patients with MELD scores ≥15, the preoperative albumin level correlates with outcome and could guide operative decisions. Intraoperative packed red blood cell transfusion correlates with adverse outcome and should be limited.
Qualitative spatial understanding and the control of mobile robots

The objective of the work described is to produce autonomous robots which can freely wander about while creating and improving maps of their environment which can then be used for navigation and planning. It is suggested that qualitative spatial understanding provides an underlying representation and learning mechanism to form spatial memories without requiring complicated object recognition or precise determination of environmental locations. The work to date has dealt mainly with viewframe extraction and matching. Areas and potential simplifications which need to be explored are discussed. >
Estimating marginal and incremental effects on health outcomes using flexible link and variance function models.

SUMMARY We propose an extension to the estimating equations in generalized linear models to estimate parameters in the link function and variance structure simultaneously with regression coefficients. Rather than focusing on the regression coefficients, the purpose of these models is inference about the mean of the outcome as a function of a set of covariates, and various functionals of the mean function used to measure the effects of the covariates. A commonly used functional in econometrics, referred to as the marginal effect, is the partial derivative of the mean function with respect to any covariate, averaged over the empirical distribution of covariates in the model. We define an analogous parameter for discrete covariates. The proposed estimation method not only helps to identify an appropriate link function and to suggest an underlying distribution for a specific application but also serves as a robust estimator when no specific distribution for the outcome measure can be identified. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we show that the resulting parameter estimators are consistent. The method is illustrated with an analysis of inpatient expenditure data from a study of hospitalists.
Oxidative inactivation of key mitochondrial proteins leads to dysfunction and injury in hepatic ischemia reperfusion.

Background & Aims: Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) is a major mechanism of liver injury following hepatic surgery or transplantation. Despite numerous reports on the role of oxidative/nitrosative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in hepatic I/R injury, the proteins that are oxidatively modified during I/R damage are poorly characterized. This study was aimed at investigating the oxidatively modified proteins underlying the mechanism for mitochondrial dysfunction in hepatic I/R injury. We also studied the effects of a superoxide dismutase mimetic/peroxynitrite scavenger metalloporphyrin (MnTMPyP) on oxidatively modified proteins and their functions. Methods: The oxidized and/or S-nitrosylated mitochondrial proteins from I/R-injured mouse livers with or without MnTMPyP pretreatment were labeled with biotin-N-maleimide, purified with streptavidin-agarose, and resolved by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The identities of the oxidatively modified proteins were determined using mass spectrometric analysis. Liver histopathology, serum transaminase levels, nitrosative stress markers, and activities of oxidatively modified mitochondrial proteins were measured. Results: Comparative 2-dimensional gel analysis revealed markedly increased numbers of oxidized and S-nitrosylated mitochondrial proteins following hepatic I/R injury. Many key mitochondrial enzymes involved in cellular defense, fat metabolism, energy supply, and chaperones were identified as being oxidatively modified proteins. Pretreatment with MnTMPyP attenuated the I/R-induced increased serum transaminase levels, histologic damage, increased inducible nitric oxide synthase expression, and S-nitrosylation and/or nitration of various key mitochondrial proteins. MnTMPyP pretreatment also restored I/R-induced suppressed activities of mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase, 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolases, and adenosine triphosphate synthase. Conclusions: These results suggest that increased nitrosative stress is critically important in promoting S-nitrosylation and nitration of various mitochondrial proteins, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction with decreased energy supply and increased hepatic injury.
Anticipations Statistics and Consumer Behavior

Robert Ferber in his article with the above title (The American Statistician, October, 1966) summarizes with his usual skill the available findings on the effectiveness of survey data on consumer buying intentions and presents challenging ideas about their improvement. Unfortunately, his discussion of consumer attitudes and expectations is inaccurate in one respect and fails to consider some major purposes of attitudinal studies. Regarding the first point: Ferber states that data on attitudes that would have predicted automobile purchases in the last few years are not available and asks "Why should not these data be collected quarterly?" (p. 21) . In fact, the Survev Research Center of The University of Michigan has collected data on consumer attitudes and expectations (and also continued its twenty-year-old series on buying intentions) every quarter since 1961 (and at various intervals since 1951).1 The predictive value of attitudinal data, which as Ferber says is superior to that of buying intentions, is illustrated by the equations in Table 1. In Chart 1 the actual sales of consumer durables and sales estimated on the basis of equation 2A are compared over the last fifteen years. As important as the over-all predictive effectiveness of the Index of Consumer Sentiment is the fact that the Index correctly foreshadowed each major change in the sales of automobiles and other duirables. For example, the Index rose sharply in 1954 prior to the great auto year of 1955, declined significantly in 1957 prior to the recession of 1958, increased substantially beginning with 1961 (reaching an all-time high in the fall of 1965), and began to decline as early as January 1966.2 Ferber concludes, however, that the "over-all effectiveness of such equations [as presented in Table 1] has tended to be incidental" (p. 23) and "It is most surprising that they [the anticipations statistics] performs as well as they do" (p. 24). In fact, what camne first (and what was published first) 3 was a set of hypotheses on consumers' discretion in action and on intervening variables mediating between stimuli (primarily, information received on personal-financial and general economic trends) and consumer action (discretionary purchases, discretionary saving and dissaving). The second stage consisted of the development of methodological tools that may serve to obtain measures of change in the intervening variables. As usual, the theoretical construct was approximated by operations, that is, the desired whole or Gestalt was replaced by a variety of survey questions which at best approach the former. Then followed the third stage, consisting of testing the hypotheses under varying circumstances (upswing, downswing) as they occurred during the past twenty years. Yet it has been stated repeatedly 4 that the prediction derived from the publication of the value of the Index of Consumer Sentiment represents only one part of the predictive value of attitudes and expectations. The purpose of the quarterly surveys has been not only to find out what will happen to discretionary
Movement Outcomes as Conceptual Guidelines in the Perceptual—Motor Maze:

Three types of outcomes are proposed as guidelines for understanding movement in relation to learning problem theories and programs. Movement control (skill) and movement behavior are proposed as direct outcomes. Movement experiences are proposed as an environment or a means for achieving nonmovement or indirect outcomes. Interpretations and applications of skills, behaviors, and experiences are illustrated in relation to clumsiness, hyperactivity, and perceptual-motor problems. Skills and behaviors are presented with some general elements of movement-for-self, movement-with-others, movement effort, and movement-participation confidence to encourage a fresh look at the subject.
Evidence of longitudinal vortices evolved from distorted wakes in a turbine passage

Two types of longitudinal vortices are found to arise from distorted, migrating wakes convecting through a low-pressure turbine stator passage. The primary vortices emerge within the free stream as the wake is subjected to irrotational strains. Their axes align approximately with the local mean wake velocity. They are dragged over the surface and induce secondary vortices near the wall, which have the opposite sense of rotation to the primary vortices. Although they form on the concave side, these secondary vortices are neither produced, nor sustained by Gortler instability; rather, they are a consequence of severely straining the passing wakes.Evidence is drawn from a numerical simulation of the unsteady, incompressible flow through a turbine stator passage with and without upstream turbulent wakes. The computations were performed with 2.5 and 5.7 × 107 grid points on a parallel computer.