cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sirolimus in infants with congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) — a single-centre experience

Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is the most common cause of persistent hypoglycaemia in neonates and infants. Medical treatment includes the use of high concentrations of glucose and combinations of diazoxide, octreotide and glucagon. We report our experience of using sirolimus, a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor, in the treatment of CHI in seven newborns who are poorly responding to standard medical therapy. Majority (87%) of infants achieved euglycaemia using a combination of oral feeding and the addition of sirolimus to standard medical treatment. One infant who failed to achieve euglycaemia even after surgery managed successfully with sirolimus. Diagnosis was confirmed by genetics evaluation; in three infants, novel mutations were detected. Outcome and long-term follow-up of all cases are described.Conclusion: Sirolimus can be considered in treatment of CHI refractory to standard medical treatment or in cases unresponsive to surgical treatment. What is Known: • Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) or persistent hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia of infancy (PHHI) associated with mutations such as the ABBC8 or KCNJ gene known to cause hypoglycaemia refractory to standard medical treatment such as diazoxide and octreotide and may need subtotal pancreatectomy (STP). • Sirolimus, a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor, was recently reported to be useful for refractory CHI cases with variable efficacy. What is New: • Our case series describes efficacy and safety of sirolimus in seven genetically proven refractory CHI cases with mainly neonatal presentation. All patients' follow-ups are described. • Out of seven infants, six infants responded well to sirolimus, and among these one infant who failed to respond to surgery (STP) also successfully managed with sirolimus. • It highlights the right patient selection and right dose to successfully manage these cases without much adverse effects.
The Tree of Knowledge System

The fourth and final piece of the unified theory is the Tree of Knowledge (ToK) System, which attempts to provide a macro-level conception of context that gives us a way to place our hard-won scientific facts into an overarching conception of context that allows the truth to emerge. In the first chapter I introduced a basic representation of the ToK System. Figure 6.1 depicts the ToK System again, only this time there are some significant additions. One addition to this diagram is that now the four joint points are listed.
On the phase diagram of a two-dimensional electron–hole system

Abstract The phase diagram for a system of spatially separated electrons and holes in coupled quantum wells or graphene double layers is studied in the framework of a BCS-like mean-field approach and a Landau expansion in terms of the pairing order parameter. We find a second order transition between an electron–hole plasma and a BCS phase, as well as a first-order transition between the BCS phase and a bosonic Mott phase of tightly bound electron–hole pairs without phase coherence. The electron–hole plasma exists at low and at high densities for weak interaction, the BCS phase at moderate density and the Mott phase at high density and strong interaction.
Food processing by animals: do beavers leach tree bark to improve palatability?

Beavers store and consume tree parts in the bodies of water where they live. We examined whether such soaking renders food more palatable by leaching out undesirable compounds. In experiment 1, saplings of red maple, Acer rubrum (RM), were first soaked in a pond for periods of 2, 18, and 36 days, then offered to free-ranging beavers. Soaking for two days rendered RM slightly more acceptable to beavers. To further examine the time window around two days, RM sticks were soaked in distilled water in the laboratory for 1, 2, 4, and 6 days before presenting them to beavers (experiment 2). In experiment 3, twigs of three species were placed on land. Beavers placed RM in the water for 1 to 3 days before consuming the twigs. In experiment 4, sticks were provided in the water at Cranberry Lake Biological Station (CLBS). Most quaking aspen (QA) was consumed during the first night, and most witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana (WH), during the third night. At Allegany State Park (ASP), no such difference was found. Twigs were provided in the water in experiment 5. At ASP, WH was taken after three days in the water, and at CLBS little WH was consumed, and only during the third night. A meta-analysis of all experiments shows that relatively more WH is consumed after two days than any other species. Experiment 6 traced the time beavers left their own harvested branches in the water. Unlike other tree species, WH remained in the water for two to four days before being consumed. Experiment 7 measured the phenolics leached into water from RM twigs and small pieces of bark soaked for 10 and 8 days, respectively. Shredded bark lost 50–60% of leachable phenolics into the water, and twigs 70–80%. We conclude that beavers can use water to leach undesirable compounds from their food. Although this effect was not robust, our study is the first of its kind.
Migration and job search in a dualistic economy

Abstract By introducing optimal search behavior, a la Stigler, into a Todarian dual sector urban economy, the probability of urban-formal sector entry as a function of the rural-urban migrants' optimal search intensity is derived and its implications studied.
Studying Schools, Studying Ourselves: Ethnographic Perspectives on Educational Reform

Reform and Resistance in Schools and Classrooms: An Ethnographic View of the Coalition of Essential Schools. Donna E. Muncey and Patrick J. McQuillan. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1996. 319 pp. How It Works: Inside. School-College Collaboration. Sidney Trubowitz and Paul Longo. New York: Teachers College Press, 1997. 172 pp. Studying Your Own School: An Educator's Guide to Qualitative Practitioner Research. Gary L. Anderson. Kathryn Herr. and Ann Sigrid Nihlen. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 1994. 203 pp.
Dynamic Characteristics of Liquid Storage Tanks

A reliable and computationally effective method for calculating the dynamic characteristics of ground-supported cylindrical tanks is developed. The method offers a rigorous treatment of the interaction problem and provides a starting point for the consideration of the complicating factors which influence the dynamic behavior of tanks. The liquid region is treated analytically and only the shell is modeled by finite elements. In this approach, the number of unknowns is substantially less than in those analyses where both tank wall and liguid are subdivided into finite elements. The reliability of the analysis is illustrated by computing modes and natural frequencies of full-scale tanks and comparing them with the results of vibration tests. The effectiveness of the method has led to a development of an improved seismic design procedure for tanks.
Identification of rat hippocampal population codes

Understanding neural representation of population codes is one of fundamental tasks in computational neuroscience, which is the key to the success of neurocontrol, such as the brain-machine interface (BMI). Rodent hippocampal population codes represent spatial information about the environment during navigation. Several computational methods have been developed to uncover the neural representation of spatial topology embedded in rodent hippocampal ensemble spike activity. One important question relevant to neuroscience is: how do downstream neurons of the hippocampus represent space based on the ensemble spike activity alone? In other words, how can neurons represent space without a priori knowledge of place receptive fields and behavioral measures?
Sorting out the Most Confusing English Phrasal Verbs

In this paper, we investigate a full-fledged supervised machine learning framework for identifying English phrasal verbs in a given context. We concentrate on those that we define as the most confusing phrasal verbs, in the sense that they are the most commonly used ones whose occurrence may correspond either to a true phrasal verb or an alignment of a simple verb with a preposition. We construct a benchmark dataset with 1,348 sentences from BNC, annotated via an Internet crowdsourcing platform. This dataset is further split into two groups, more idiomatic group which consists of those that tend to be used as a true phrasal verb and more compositional group which tends to be used either way. We build a discriminative classifier with easily available lexical and syntactic features and test it over the datasets. The classifier overall achieves 79.4% accuracy, 41.1% error deduction compared to the corpus majority baseline 65%. However, it is even more interesting to discover that the classifier learns more from the more compositional examples than those idiomatic ones.
Increased Hyaluronic Acid in the Inner Renal Medulla of Obese Dogs

Dogs placed on a high-fat diet develop obesity and hypertension associated with marked sodium retention that is due to increased tubular reabsorption. Previous studies showed that renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure is elevated in obese dogs compared with lean dogs, and histological studies revealed increases in medullary interstitial cells and expansion of the medullary but not the cortical extracellular matrix. This matrix stained intensively with Alcian Blue at pH 2.6, colloidal iron, and periodic acid-Schiff, suggesting increased glycosaminoglycans. The goal of this study was to quantitate medullary glycosaminoglycan content in obese (n = 8) compared with lean (n = 8) dogs. Measurement of total glycosaminoglycan content, estimated from uronic acid content, and of hyaluronate, the most abundant glycosaminoglycan in canine renal medulla, with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay indicated that there were no significant differences in total glycosaminoglycan or hyaluronate contents in the outer medulla of obese dogs compared with those in lean dogs. In contrast, in the inner medulla of obese dogs there was a 140% increase in hyaluronate compared with the content in lean dogs (4.3 +/- 0.5 versus 1.8 +/- 0.2 mg hyaluronate per gram wet tissue, respectively; P < .05); however, total glycosaminoglycan content was not significantly different (6.9 +/- 0.7 versus 6.2 +/- 0.5 mg uronic acid per gram wet tissue) in obese and lean dogs. These results suggest a change in the relative proportion of the glycosaminoglycan species in the inner medulla of obese dogs, with a selective increase in hyaluronate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Mediators of the biphasic responses of bone to intermittent and continuously administered parathyroid hormone

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) has biphasic effects on bone: continuous treatment is catabolic whereas intermittent treatment is anabolic. The mechanism(s) responsible for these differing effects are still unclear, partly because of the previous non-availability of a model system in which effects on both formation and resorption indices could be studied concomitantly. In cultured marrow cells from 6-week old C57BL/6 mice, we demonstrated that 4 days of intermittent PTH treatment increased mRNA for osteoblast differentiation markers (Runx2, alkaline phosphatase (AP), and type I procollagen (COL1A1) whereas continuous treatment resulted in production of large numbers of TRAP-positive multinucleated osteoclasts. Although IGF-I mRNA did not increase after intermittent treatment, it was consistently higher than after continuous treatment, and the addition of an anti-IGF-I neutralizing antibody prevented the increase in bone formation indices observed with intermittent treatment. By contrast, after continuous treatment, gene expression of RANK ligand (RANKL) was increased and that of osteoprotegerin (OPG) was decreased, resulting in a 25-fold increase in the RANKL/OPG ratio. In this model system, the data suggest that intermittent PTH treatment enhances osteoblast differentiation through an IGF-I dependent mechanism and continuous PTH treatment enhances osteoclastogenesis through reciprocal increases in RANKL and decreases in OPG.
Enhancing children's narratives in investigative interviews.

Abstract Objective: To illustrate the amount of detail that can be elicited from alleged abuse victims using open-ended prompts by closely examining forensic interviews of a 5-year-old and a 15-year-old. Method: Interview prompts in the substantive sections of two forensic interviews were characterized as invitations, cued invitations, directive or option-posing, and the number of details they each elicited was tabulated. Results: In both interviews, open-ended prompts predominated and were distributed throughout the substantive phases of the interviews. Most of the information obtained was elicited using open-ended prompts, which remained equivalently effective throughout the interviews. Reconstruction of the children’s accounts illustrated how successive prompts continued to elicit information. Conclusion: Well-framed open-ended prompts, including those that use details provided by the child as cues, elicit narrative accounts from children of all ages. Because such information is more likely to be accurate, investigators are urged to rely more extensively on open-ended prompts.
A1 adenosine receptor allosteric enhancer PD-81723 protects against renal ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Activation of A1 adenosine receptors (ARs) protects against renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury by reducing necrosis, apoptosis, and inflammation. However, extrarenal side effects (bradycardia, hypotension, and sedation) may limit A1AR agonist therapy for ischemic acute kidney injury. Here, we hypothesized that an allosteric enhancer for A1AR (PD-81723) protects against renal I/R injury without the undesirable side effects of systemic A1AR activation by potentiating the cytoprotective effects of renal adenosine generated locally by ischemia. Pretreatment with PD-81723 produced dose-dependent protection against renal I/R injury in A1AR wild-type mice but not in A1AR-deficient mice. Significant reductions in renal tubular necrosis, neutrophil infiltration, and inflammation as well as tubular apoptosis were observed in A1AR wild-type mice treated with PD-81723. Furthermore, PD-81723 decreased apoptotic cell death in human proximal tubule (HK-2) cells in culture, which was attenuated by a specific A1AR antagonist (8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine). Mechanistically, PD-81723 induced sphingosine kinase (SK)1 mRNA and protein expression in HK-2 cells and in the mouse kidney. Supporting a critical role of SK1 in A1AR allosteric enhancer-mediated renal protection against renal I/R injury, PD-81723 failed to protect SK1-deficient mice against renal I/R injury. Finally, proximal tubule sphingosine-1-phosphate type 1 receptors (S1P1Rs) are critical for PD-81723-induced renal protection, as mice selectively deficient in renal proximal tubule S1P1Rs (S1P1Rflox/flox PEPCKCre/− mice) were not protected against renal I/R injury with PD-81723 treatment. Taken together, our experiments demonstrate potent renal protection with PD-81723 against I/R injury by reducing necrosis, inflammation, and apoptosis through the induction of renal tubular SK1 and activation of proximal tubule S1P1Rs. Our findings imply that selectively enhancing A1AR activation by locally produced renal adenosine may be a clinically useful therapeutic option to attenuate ischemic acute kidney injury without systemic side effects.
Consociational engineering in South Africa

(1983). Consociational engineering in South Africa. Journal of Contemporary African Studies: Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 287-317.
Geomorphic criteria to determine direction of lateral propagation of reverse faulting and folding

Fault-related folds develop above active faults, and as these faults propagate laterally so do the folds they produce. Geomorphic criteria useful in evaluating rates and direction of lateral propagation of active folds in the direction of propagation are: (1) decrease in drainage density and degree of dissection; (2) decrease in elevation of wind gaps; (3) decrease in relief of the topographic profile along the crest; (4) development of characteristic drainage patterns; (5) deformation of progressively younger deposits or landforms; and (6) decrease in rotation and inclination of forelimb. All these criteria are consistent with lateral propagation, but do not prove it. The presence of more than one wind or water gap formed by the same stream, however, is strong evidence of lateral propagation. Rates of lateral propagation of folding may be several times the rate of uplift and fault slip. Lateral propagation of anticlinal folds allows for a new explanation of how drainage may develop across active fold belts. Development of drainage across an active fold belt is probably a function of relatively long structurally controlled drainage diversion parallel to fold axes and development of relatively short antecedent stream reaches, around the nose (plunge panel) of a fold. Water and/or wind gaps form as uplift, drainage diversion, and stream capture associated with fold growth continue.
Low frequency power of heart rate variability reflects baroreflex function, not cardiac sympathetic innervation.

Power spectral analysis of heart rate variability is used to assess cardiac autonomic function. The relationship of low frequency (LF) power to cardiac sympathetic tone has been unclear. We reported previously that LF power may reflect baroreflex modulation. In this study we attempted to replicate our findings in additional subject cohorts, taking into account possible influences of respiration and using different methods to measure baroreflex-cardiovagal gain (BCG). We assessed relationships of LF power, including respiration-adjusted LF power (LFa), with cardiac sympathetic innervation and baroreflex function in subjects with or without neuroimaging evidence of cardiac sympathetic denervation. Values for LF power at baseline supine, seated, and during the Valsalva maneuver were compared between subject groups with low or normal myocardial concentrations of 6-[18F]fluorodopamine-derived radioactivity. BCG was calculated from the slope of cardiac interbeat interval vs. systolic pressure during Phase II of the Valsalva maneuver or after i.v. nitroglycerine injection (the Oxford technique). LF and LFa were unrelated to myocardial 6-[18F]fluorodopamine-derived radioactivity. During sitting rest and the Valsalva maneuver logs of LF and LFa correlated positively with the log of Phase II BCG (r = 0.61, p = 0.0005; r = 0.47, p = 0.009; r = 0.69, p < 0.0001; r = 0.60, p = 0.0006). Groups with Low BCG (≤3 ms/mmHg) had low LF and LFa regardless of cardiac innervation. The log of LF power during supine rest correlated with the log of Oxford BCG (r = 0.74, p < 0.0001). LF power, with or without respiratory adjustment, reflects baroreflex modulation and not cardiac sympathetic tone.
COLOR AND OXIDATIVE PROPERTIES OF IRRADIATED GROUND BEEF PATTIES1

The effects of two doses (2.0 and 3.5 kGy) of nonradioactive irradiation on color and oxidative properties were determined and compared to nonirradiated controls for frozen, raw and precooked, ground beef patties with 10 and 22% fat packaged in vacuum and aerobically. Irradiated raw patties were initially darker and less red than controls, but color of control and irradiated samples became more similar during display. Irradiation increased external redness in precooked patties that were vacuum-packaged. Aerobic packaging, in combination with irradiation, increased lipid oxidation and discoloration, whereas vacuum-packaged patties displayed for up to 21 days had minimal changes in color and lipid oxidation. Irradiation versus the controls significantly reduced bacterial counts.
But Does It Work? Evaluating the Brandeis Reference Model.

To judge from the published literature, recent conference topics, or any listserv where academic reference issues are discussed, reference service reforms are in the air. A steady increase in the sheer number of users seeking reference help, driven largely by the proliferation of new information technologies, has led to a questioning of the traditional structure and mission of the library reference desk. Brandeis University Libraries' approach, which has been described by Virginia Massey‐Burzio, is one example of such a reform. The essential change that the Brandeis model entailed was this: Brandeis' Main Library had included a reference desk at which one librarian at a time was assisted by one graduate student helper. Under the new model, reference services are divided in two: the graduate assistants staff an information desk, which is responsible for concerns like directional questions and quick look‐ups, while the librarians staff a research consultation office where more substantive questions are dealt with at greater length. The primary goal of this tiered approach, which we call the “research consultation model,” was to improve services to the classes of patrons who most need professional reference assistance, while also increasing professional job satisfaction in the face of the ongoing information explosion. (A more complete description of the model is given below under the heading: “Some characteristics of a research consultation model.”)
Oxidative Degradation of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene by Ozone in an Electrohydraulic Discharge Reactor

The electrohydraulic discharge process in the presence of ozone has been used to investigate the rapid degradation and mineralization of aqueous 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) solutions that were directly exposed to high-energy electrical discharges between two submerged electrodes. The 165 μM solutions of TNT were completely (>90%) mineralized over the course of 300 electrical discharges of 7 kJ each. The kinetics of TNT degradation were investigated as a function of the aqueous-phase ozone concentration, pH, discharge energy, and electrode gap length. The rate of TNT degradation increases with an increase in aqueous-phase ozone concentration of up to 150 μM, an increase in pH from 3.0 to 7.9, an increase in discharge energy from 5.5 to 9 kJ, and a decrease in the electrode gap length from 10 to 6 mm. The rapid rates of mineralization (e.g. 12 ms) are attributed to the action of UV light in the reactor chamber on O3 to produce a high flux of hydroxyl radicals per discharge (1 μM discharge-1). The primary re...
Expression of NMDAR1, GluR1, GluR7, and KA1 Glutamate Receptor mRNAs Is Decreased in Frontal Cortex of “Neuroleptic-Free” Schizophrenics: Evidence on Reversible Up-Regulation by Typical Neuroleptics

Abstract: Schizophrenics exhibit abnormalities in many memory-associated functions mediated by the frontal cortex. Glutamate receptors play key roles in learning and memory. Hence, abnormalities in glutamate receptors within the frontal cortex may be associated with schizophrenia. In addition, emerging evidence indicates that glutamate receptors may be involved in the actions of antipsychotic drugs. To test these hypotheses, we measured mRNAs encoding the NMDAR1, GluR1, GluR7, and KA1 subunits of glutamate receptor in the left superior frontal gyrus from 21 elderly schizophrenics with varying histories of antipsychotic drug treatment and nine normal drug-free elderly controls. There were significant negative correlations between NMDAR1, GluR1, GluR7, and KA1 mRNA levels and time without neuroleptic medication before death in schizophrenics, indicating that levels of the glutamate receptor mRNAs decline rapidly after drug withdrawal. Further analysis revealed that in “neuroleptic-free” (>6 months) schizophrenics, levels of NMDAR1, GluR1, GluR7, and KA1 mRNAs were significantly lower than in controls. By contrast, in schizophrenics who were receiving neuroleptics until death, levels of NMDAR1, GluR1, GluR7, and KA1 mRNAs did not differ significantly from controls. These findings indicate that decreased levels of NMDAR1, GluR1, GluR7, and KA1 mRNAs may be present in the frontal cortex of some schizophrenics and that typical neuroleptics may reversibly increase levels of these mRNAs.
Laparoscopic pyeloplasty: current status.

OBJECTIVE To review current publications and report our results and long-term follow-up of laparoscopic transperitoneal pyeloplasty for pelvi-ureteric junction (PUJ) obstruction. PATIENTS AND METHODS In all, 147 laparoscopic transperitoneal pyeloplasties were performed between August 1993 and November 2000 (mean patient age 35.7 years, range 10–85). All patients were diagnosed with PUJ obstruction by symptoms and intravenous urography, radionuclide diuretic renography or ultrasonography. An Anderson-Hynes dismembered pyeloplasty (106), Y-V plasty (28), Fenger plasty (11) and others (two) were used, according to the intraoperative findings. Twenty-five patients had secondary obstruction, having had previous surgery to the PUJ. The mean (range) follow-up was 24 (3–84) months; all patients were followed clinically and radiologically. RESULTS The mean operative duration time was 246 (100–480) min and estimated blood loss was 158 mL. Crossing vessels were identified in 80 cases. The success rate for all, primary and secondary patients was 95%, 98% and 84%, respectively. With one exception, all failures occurred within 6 months. Twenty-one patients (22 renal units) had simultaneous laparoscopic pyeloplasty and lithotomy; they were treated successfully and all have an intact PUJ, and 20 renal units (90%) were stone-free. The overall complication rate was 8.8%. CONCLUSIONS This series has comparable success rates to those of open pyeloplasty and the morbidity was minimal. Laparoscopic pyeloplasty may soon become the standard operation for PUJ obstruction, especially with crossing vessels.
Historical and Ecological Biogeography of Nearctic Pikas (Lagomorpha: Ochotonidae)

Allozymic patterns among populations of Ochotona princeps indicate a pre-Wisconsin (> 120,000 years ago) divergence of four major genetic units in the western United States (northern Rocky Mountains, southern Rocky Mountains, Cascade Range, and Sierra Nevada). Pikas initially spread south along cordilleran dispersal corridors during a pre-Wisconsin glacial stage, and were fragmented into isolated montane refugia during a subsequent interglacial. Range re-expansion during the Wisconsin allowed secondary contact of genetic units, while montane glaciers, pluvial lakes, and glacial lakes limited secondary contact in some areas. Low genetic variation in all examined populations of O. princeps is due to: the metapopulation structure of pikas, dictated by the fragmented nature of a narrowly defined habitat and maintained by low vagility and high philopatry; accelerated loss in small or isolated habitat patches; accelerated loss in summer-drought regions; and, in the Cascade Range genetic unit, derivation of current populations from a genetically depauperate source population.
Preparation and characterization of met apo hemocyanin: a single copper (II) active site.

Abstract A new derivative of Busycon canaliculatum hemocyanin has been prepared for which one copper has been removed from the binuclear active site of the holoprotein and the remaining copper has been oxidized with a variety of small molecule oxidizing agents. This met apo derivative [( )…Cu(II)] binds a number of ligands; EPR spectra of several forms are reported and compared to those obtained for a singly oxidized (half met-L) derivative [Cu(I)…Cu(II)L]. The site of the oxidized copper for both forms is found to be quite similar in structure but shows large differences in ligand binding ability.
Simulation of a lattice model for the evolution of Si(001) surfaces exposed to oxygen at elevated temperatures.

A lattice model for the evolution of silicon (001) surfaces reacting with an oxygen atmosphere is presented along with results from simulations of the model. Numerous features of experiments are reproduced such as the simultaneous production of pinning centers and of Si etching, leading to long fingers on terraces terminated by oxide islands. Particular study is made of the rate of oxide-island production as a function of oxygen dose, temperature, and the rate of oxygen deposition. The results show the same general trends as scanning tunneling microscopy experiments and simple rate equations in the initial stages of the process but differ significantly in the later stages where the experiments show saturation of the island density while the model does not. From comparison of the simulations and experiments, inferences are drawn concerning the mechanisms which control the nucleation of stable oxide islands.
The Calcaneus of Australopithecus afarensis and Its Implications for the Evolution of Bipedality

Calcanei from African apes, modern humans, and Australopithecus afarensis are compared to investigate the anatomical and mechanical changes that occurred in this bone as a result of the transition to terrestrial bipedality. Features analyzed include the cross-sectional area and volume of the calcaneal tuber, the geometry and orientation of the articular surfaces, and the surface topography of the calcaneal corpus. Calcaneal morphology is unequivocal in its partitioning of quadrupedal pongids and bipedal hominids.
The Spatial Coherence Properties of Gaussian Schell-model Beams

The transverse and longitudinal spatial coherence properties of the light beams generated by planar gaussian Schell-model sources are discussed. It is found that for all gaussian Schell-model beams the ratio of the transverse coherence length to the beam width remains invariant upon propagation. An examination of the longitudinal coherence for both on-axis and off-axis pairs of points indicates that the longitudinal coherence will not, in general, die out as the separation between the points is increased. Rather, the degree of longitudinal coherence will approach a finite (non-zero) value as long as the source contains a finite coherence area, regardless of how small this area may be. Gaussian quasihomogeneous beams are studied as a limiting case. The relation of the present work to the analysis of speckle size is briefly discussed.
The Diurnal Variability of Precipitation across the Central Rockies and Adjacent Great Plains

Abstract The diurnal variation of precipitation across Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas has been studied by means of a harmonic analysis of 35 years of hourly precipitation data for 334 station and a regional probability of precipitation analysis for grouped stations. For all measurable (>0.25 mm) precipitation events, the phase of the diurnal cycle tends to peak between 0200–0600 LST in winter, 0000–0600 LST in spring; 1600–0400 LST in summer and 2100–0600 LST in autumn. The earlier times occur in the mountain regions and the later times near the eastern edge of the district. The well-known afternoon mountain and nocturnal Plains convective signal is seen for hourly precipitation intensities of 2.5 mm and 10.0 mm. New findings beyond previous work include: 1) a pervasive 0300 LST maximum for the precipitation category >0.25 mm that is most prominent during the cooler half of the year and partially masked in summer, 2) the transition from winter to spring (March/April) is accompanied b...
c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 is deleterious to the function and survival of murine pancreatic islets

Inhibition of c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) favours pancreatic islet function and survival. Since two JNK isoforms are present in the pancreas (JNK1 and JNK2), we addressed their specific roles in experimental islet transplantation. C57BL/6J (wild-type [WT]), Jnk1 (also known as Mapk8)−/− and Jnk2 (also known as Mapk9)−/− mice were used as donor/recipients in a syngeneic islet transplantation model. Islet cell composition, function, viability, production of cytokines and of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were also studied in vitro. Jnk1 −/− islets secreted more insulin in response to glucose and were more resistant to cytokine-induced cell death compared with WT and Jnk2 −/− islets (p < 0.01). Cytokines reduced VEGF production in WT and Jnk2 −/− but not Jnk1 −/− islets; VEGF blockade restored Jnk1 −/− islet susceptibility to cytokine-induced cell death. Transplantation of Jnk1 −/− or WT islets into WT recipients made diabetic had similar outcomes. However, Jnk1 −/− recipients of WT islets had shorter time to diabetes reversal (17 vs 55 days in WT, p = 0.033), while none of the Jnk2 −/− recipients had diabetes reversal (0% vs 71% in WT, p = 0.0003). Co-culture of WT islets with macrophages from each strain revealed a discordant cytokine production. We have shown a deleterious effect of JNK2 deficiency on islet graft outcome, most likely related to JNK1 activation, suggesting that specific JNK1 blockade may be superior to general JNK inhibition, particularly when administered to transplant recipients.
A New Method of Controlling Item Exposure in Computerized Adaptive Testing.

In the periodic testing environment associated with conventional paper-and-pencil tests, the frequency with which items are seen by test-takers is tightly controlled in advance of testing by policies that regulate both the reuse of test forms and the frequency with which candidates may retake the test. In the continuous testing environment associated with more novel testing paradigms such as computerized adaptive testing (CAT), the computer itself can be used to control the frequency with which items are administered. This paper discusses previous methods of controlling item security in the continuous adaptive testing environment and presents a new method that overcomes some (but not all) of the disadvantages of previous attempts. An extensive example with this new method and a particular adaptive testing algorithm illustrates how concerns about test efficiency, parallelism, and security can be balanced.
B ---> X(s) e+ e- in the Six Quark Model

Abstract We compute the inclusive rate for a B-meson to decay to strange hadronic final states and a large mass electron-positron pair: B→X s e + e − . The dependence of the rate on the invariant mass of the e + e − pair is examined. The computation is done in the standard six-quark model with a minimal Higgs sector and in extensions of the standard model with two Higgs doublets. For e + e − pairs with very large invariant mass the strange hadronic final states X s must have low mass. In this kinematic region we estimate the rate for B→Ke + e − using the nonrelativistic quark model.
From Colonial Rule to the Modern Day: The Impact of Globalization on Sharia Resources Within the Female Algerian Youth

How has the rise of Algerian youth organizations providing legal resources to women impacted female involvement in politics, the media, and policy-making? The purpose of my research is to examine how French colonial “Family Law” and traditional Berber patriarchy in 19th century Algeria intersected, and how Islamic feminism and legal reformation grew out of that intersection with globalization. French law and Berber patriarchy aligned in such a way that women were prevented from accessing the political process until the rise of Algerian feminist organizations in the late 1900's that called for broader language interpretations. My research shows that the provision of legal resources by Algerian feminist groups has resulted in higher rates of education and alternate interpretations of Sharia, empowering women in the political arena. My data, including personal interviews I conducted and statistics collected on voting polls, show that women have reached high political offices in Algeria. They have served as Prime Ministers, run for the presidency and received a high percentage of the vote, and increased their political involvement. All this is a result of increased literacy and usage of alternate feminist interpretations of Islamic law. My research will include statistical data collected by the feminist organizations provided workshops on examining Islamic texts in the 1960's, as well as interviews and case studies of women that had fallen victim in between the jurisprudence of Islamic and French law. My intention is to demonstrate that Sharia law is often misinterpreted in today's media, and even fought against, which in turn has reaffirmed patriarchal views by avoiding open conversation rather than addressing the problem and providing resources on Islamic law interpretations.
Performance analysis of coherency control policies through lock retention

Buffer coherency control can be achieved through retaining a lock (shared, exclusive, etc.) on each page in the buffer, even after the requesting transaction has committed. Depending upon the lock mode held for retention and the compatibility of lock modes specified, different retention policies can be devised. In addition to tracking the validity of the buffered data granules, additional capabilities can be provided such as deferred writes to support no-force policy on commit, (node) location identification of valid granules to support remote memory accesses, and shared/exclusive lock retention to reduce the number of global lock requests for concurrency control. However, these can have serious implications not only on the performance but also on the recovery complexity. In this paper, five different integrated coherency policies are considered. We classify these policies into three different categories according to their recovery requirements. A performance study based on analytic models is provided to understand the trade-offs on both maximum throughputs and response times of the policies with a similar level of recovery complexity and the performance gain achievable through increasing the level of recovery complexity.
Social Psychology and Science: Another Look

The social-psychology-as-history thesis is reexamined in light of recent arguments. No valid arguments have been ad vanced which would fundamentally distinguish the social and natural sciences. At best, the history thesis has more bearing on the utility of universal generalizations than it does on their exis tence ; prematurely judging this issue by fiat could lead to such :onsequences as abandoning theory construction and the search for any type of explanation.
A class of efficient values for games in partition function form

In this paper we derive a class of linear, efficient, dummy-independent values for n-person games in partition function form. Each of these values is an extension of the Shapley value.
Sexually dimorphic neurocalcin expression in the developing zebra finch telencephalon.

Differential display RT-PCR was used on RNA isolated from the zebra finch telencephalon to identify gene products potentially involved in its development, including the sexually dimorphic nuclei responsible for song learning and production. A cDNA identified only in juvenile females was cloned and sequenced. It shares homology with neurocalcin, a calcium binding protein. Northern blots indicated three neurocalcin species. A 10.6 kb transcript was present in males and most females throughout development and in adulthood. Smaller 6.2 and 3.3 kb species were detected almost exclusively in females and primarily between posthatching days 18–25. In situ hybridization, using a probe that identified all three mRNA species, indicated a broad distribution in the telencephalon of both sexes, with particularly high levels in the song nucleus RA. Across regions examined, neurocalcin expression was enhanced in females compared to males, probably reflecting the presence of the two smaller transcripts. However, within RA, neurocalcin expression was statistically equivalent between the sexes. These data indicate that calcium signaling via neurocalcin may be involved in telencephalic development, but suggest that sexually dimorphic expression of this gene exists on a level too general to specifically regulate masculine or feminine development of song control regions. Neurocalcin might: broadly influence functional differentiation, including areas that are not morphologically distinct between the sexes; be a benign consequence of general dimorphisms, such as those due to sex chromosomes; or involve a compensatory mechanism, which allows function of the juvenile female telencephalon to equal that of males, despite fundamental physiological differences. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 56: 372–386, 2003
Negotiating Nostalgia: The Rhetoricity of Thylacine Representation in Tasmanian Tourism

The recently extinct thylacine, endemic to Australia, has become a potent cultural icon in the state of Tasmania, with implications for Australian ecotourism and Tasmanian conservation strategies. While the thylacine's iconicity has been analyzed by naturalists and cultural historians, its significance in Tasmanian tourism has yet to be examined. Thylacine representations in tourism-related writings and images, because of their high degree of ambivalence, function as a rich site of conflicting values regarding national identity and native species protection. Drawing on cultural studies of the thylacine and constructivist theories of tourism, this study identifies and documents three polarities in thylacine representation: the thylacine as wild yet domesticated, present yet absent, and an Australian national—yet distinctly regional—subject. A close reading of contradictory textual and visual elements in tourist guides, travel writing, specialized maps, and museum exhibits illuminates ongoing debates about Australian econationalism in the global tourism economy.
Second harmonic generation FROG measurements on a mid-IR free-electron laser

We present results of second harmonic generation (SHG) frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) measurements on the mid-IR free-electron laser (FEL) at the Stanford Picosecond FEL Center. These are the first SHG FROG measurements performed in the mid-IR or on an FEL. The observed pulses have an optical wavelength near 5 micrometers , and the field profiles reconstructed from the FROG trace exhibit narrow-line absorption and free-induction decay caused by atmospheric water vapor. The SHG FROG signal is easier to isolate than for the polarization gate geometry; hence the SHG traces are not corrupted by a residual background. The experiment used only 10% of the full laser power, and the spectrum and autocorrelation were quickly calculated from the FROG trace, demonstrating the feasibility of using SHG FROG as a real-time diagnostic for the FEL facility.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
African-American female adolescents who engage in oral, vaginal and anal sex: "doing it all" as a significant marker for risk of sexually transmitted infection.

African-American female adolescents who engaged in vaginal sex only (N = 272) were compared to adolescents who engaged in two types (vaginal plus oral or anal; N = 295) and three types (vaginal, oral and anal; N = 144) on a constellation of other sexual risk behaviors (SRBs) and on sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Adjusted contrasts among groups revealed that adolescents who engaged in two and in three types of sex as compared to those who engaged in vaginal sex only were more likely to engage in six of the seven SRBs, but were just as likely to have a STI. One SRB, having ≥ 4 lifetime sex partners, was in turn associated with STI. Two-way interactions indicated that having a casual sex partner and having multiple sex partners in the last 60 days increased the likelihood of STI, but only for adolescents who engaged in all three types.
Fine structure of the stalk of the bourgueticrinid sea lily Democrinus conifer (Echinodermata: Crinoidea)

Specimens of Democrinus conifer (A. H. Clark, 1909) dredged from about 280 m were fixed aboard ship for transmission electron microscopy. The most important new contributions to stalk histology are the following: an exact description of the different cell types of the stereom spaces; a demonstration of the haemal channel; description of the radial aggregations of cells in the central canal; discovery of coelomic nerves; and discovery of nerve tracts running in association with the aboral extension of the axial organ. The collagenous ligaments of the stalk are separated into three types anatomically (and possibly also functionally). The stalk contains no trace of an axial sinus derived during ontogeny from the anterior coelom (=axocoel). In the roots, the central canal contains a root nerve, but no extensions of the haemal channel or of the coelomic tubes; therefore, roots of bourgueticrinid sea lilies are not homologous to cirri of isocrinid sea lilies or feather stars. The chambered organ and axial organ of D. conifer closely resemble the same organs in feather stars that have previously been described by electron microscopy. The functional implications of our structural results are: (1) cells in the stereom space appear to be a major site of nutrient reserves, (2) the abundant cells with lipid-rich organelles could make the sea lily body more buoyant, and (3) the absence of muscles or other cells specialized for contractility indicates that the stalk of bourgueticrinid sea lilies cannot bend actively.
In vivo behavior of acrylic bone cement in total hip arthroplasty.

Abstract Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement serves as the primary fixation material between bone and the prosthetic component in cemented total hip arthroplasty. In vivo degradation of bone cement may lead to a decrease in mechanical properties of PMMA and result in aseptic loosening. However, other factors such as porosity and location of the cement relative to the bone implant interface may also contribute to mechanical behavior in vivo. This study investigated the mechanical properties of Simplex ® cement retrieved from 43 patients undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty. The time in vivo was between 1 month and 27 years. The variables studied included fracture toughness ( K IC ), porosity, molecular weight, time in vivo of the cement, and relative in vivo location of the cement with respect to the implant and bone. K IC did not correlate with time in vivo of the samples or with molecular weight. This suggests that time in vivo may not be the limiting factor in the mechanical integrity of the bone cement, A significant and inverse relationship was found between porosity and K IC . This implies that porosity is the most important factor in the mechanical behavior of bone cement during in vivo use.
Persistence of local-moment antiferromagnetic order in Ba 1 − x K x Mn 2 As 2

BaMn${}_{2}$As${}_{2}$ is a local-moment antiferromagnetic insulator with a N\'eel temperature ${T}_{\mathrm{N}}$ of 625 K and a large ordered moment of 3.9 ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\mathrm{B}}$/Mn. Remarkably, this compound can be driven metallic by the substitution of as little as 1.6$%$ K for Ba while retaining essentially the same ordered magnetic moment and N\'eel temperature, as previously reported. Here, using both powder and single crystal neutron diffraction we show that the local moment antiferromagnetic order in Ba${}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$K${}_{x}$Mn${}_{2}$As${}_{2}$ remains robust up to $x=0.4$. The ordered moment is nearly independent of $x$ for 0 $\ensuremath{\le}x\ensuremath{\le}$ 0.4 and ${T}_{\mathrm{N}}$ decreases to 480 K at $x=0.4$.
Disparities in health status and health-service utilization among Hispanic ethnic subgroups.

SUMMARY Using nationally representative National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data from 1999 through 2002, this study examines the health services access and utilization patterns of U.S. Hispanic adolescents under age 18 years classified as: Cubans, Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, Mexicans or Mexican Americans, Central and South Americans, and mixed Hispanic and non-Hispanic White. Consistent with previous studies on ethnic patterns in child and adult health, Hispanic American children do better than non-Hispanic Whites with respect to certain health status measures such as school absence. There is considerable heterogeneity in health status and health care utilization in the Hispanic subgroup, indicating the necessity of separating Hispanic subgroups for analytic purposes.