cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SEDA: A tunable Q-factor wavelet-based noise reduction algorithm for multi-talker babble

We introduce a new wavelet-based algorithm to enhance the quality of speech corrupted by multi-talker babble noise. The algorithm comprises three stages: The first stage classifies short frames of the noisy speech as speech-dominated or noise-dominated. We design this classifier specifically for multi-talker babble noise. The second stage performs preliminary de-nosing of noisy speech frames using oversampled wavelet transforms and parallel group thresholding. The final stage performs further denoising by attenuating residual high frequency components in the signal produced by the second stage. A significant improvement in intelligibility and quality was observed in evaluation tests of the algorithm with cochlear implant users.
Introduction to the special issue: Desiderata for a theory of multi-source multi-modal comprehension

Abstract In this special issue, contributing authors consider work at the intersection of two relatively established lines of research: multi-source (e.g., multiple texts) comprehension and multi-modal (e.g., narrated video) comprehension. This is a challenging space in which to work, as there is great complexity in the theories and empirical base in each area. Commonalities and important differences across the two literature are highlighted, together with a set of criteria that any emerging theory of multi-source, multi-modal comprehension should account for: cognitive learning strategies and metacognitive monitoring, which may interact with media; affect and other individual differences; and task effects.
Effects of Edge Elimination on the Delay Margin of a Class of LTI Consensus Dynamics

On a widely studied linear time-invariant (LTI) multiagent consensus dynamics with delays, we study how large the delay can be permitted to be before the dynamics becomes unstable. We present an analytical approach to show how this delay bound, namely, the delay margin, is affected with different underlying graphs obtained by edge elimination.
Approaches to Improving Salt Tolerance in Maize

Maize is a salt-sensitive crop and is affected even by low concentrations of salt, leading to loss in crop production Changing climate conditions (environmental stress) have forced plant biologists to explore alternate strategies to make maize plants salt tolerant. Breeding for salt resistance is difficult because it is a multigenic trait. When conventional breeding fails to meet the challenges imposed by these stresses, plant scientists shifted to marker-assisted selection and transgenic approaches. Genetic transformation have been proven to be successful. It has shown that over-expression of tonoplast Na+/H+ antiporters in plants resulted in improved salt resistance in plants. Currently, a vast number of gene regulatory elements, including si- and mi-RNA have been identified either leading to salt tolerance or resulting from salinity stress. Engaging the right elements on a case-by-case basis may provide answers to this long-standing problem. As with most complex systems, a combination of conventional breeding, exploiting physiological knowledge, transgenic approaches and field based testing is perhaps the way forward to address salinity problem in maize.
How are we helping our second language writers improve their writing? The case of English 101C and English 150 at Iowa State University

The growth of the international student population in higher education continues to rise. Because of this, traditionally L1 English courses have a growth of second language (L2) writers. This thesis explores the ways in which L2 writers at Iowa State University believe that English 101C (an English as a Second Language course) and English 150 (a first-year composition course) are helping them become better writers. Findings indicate that: students were unsure of the reasons they were placed into English 101C; there is a need for explicit and clear examples in English 101C; students believe the two programs should help students better transition from ESL to FYC courses; and these courses overall provide a foundation for introducing students to of academic writing. Implications from the study suggest a need for the ESL and the first-year composition programs to collaborate and for the ESL program to conduct longitudinal studies that track L2 writers’ achievements.
Basic Objects and Notation

Most of modern mathematics is expressed using the language of sets and functions. This can be a significant hurdle for the student whose mathematical experience, possibly through the entire calculus sequence, has not included any emphasis on sets or set operations. For that reason, we review these basic ideas in this chapter with the goal of both establishing the notation and providing a quick reference that the student can consult when proceeding through the main part of the text.
Into the Lion’s Den

When we can feel so safe and secure in the comfortable, familiar surroundings of our offices, with patients who “love us” and have been seeing us for many months, why go into an arena, in someone else’s world, where one side will win and one will lose, and where everything we are, every word we utter, will be scrutinized and questioned?
From Chicago to China and India: Studying the City in the Twenty-First Century

Since the last quarter of the twentieth century, cities in the Global South have seen extraordinary growth, with China and India as the epicenters of urbanization. This essay critically assesses th...
Individual Differences in Mentalizing Capacity Predict Indirect Request Comprehension

People often speak ambiguously, as in the case of indirect requests. Certain indirect requests are conventional and thus straightforward to interpret, such as “Can you turn on the heater?”, but oth...
What does effectiveness mean?: A qualitative assessment of two child protection systems

Abstract Background Child Protective Services (CPS) systems have not historically conducted system effectiveness research. More information is needed about the long-term outcomes of children and families served by the systems. Objective To investigate how workers within CPS systems in Colorado and the Netherlands measure and perceive the effectiveness of their CPS system. Participants and setting CPS administrators and workers in Colorado and the Netherlands from August 2015 through May 2016. At both sites, interviewees included front line employees with deep knowledge of daily mechanics and processes, as well as experts and thought leaders who possessed historical memory and perspective about their site’s CPS system. Methods In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 77 participants. In Colorado (n = 36), 8 participants were state experts and 28 held county-level roles. In the Netherlands (n = 41), 17 participants were national experts and 24 worked at Veilig Thuis agencies. Results Participants in both sites reported that they did not know if their system had empirical evidence to support its effectiveness, and had difficulty identifying how they would measure the effectiveness of their system. Conclusions Both systems lack the ability to collect data on the quality of their services and the longitudinal outcomes for the children and families they serve. Measures of good outcomes must be developed. Without longitudinal outcome data, CPS systems cannot assess the effectiveness of their practice. CPS systems might partner with the healthcare system, where the infrastructure and culture are already in place to look at quality and longitudinal outcomes.
Abstract WMP57: Geographic Disparities in Stroke and Life Expectancy Significantly Attributable to Ambient PM2.5 Pollution Across the Counties of the United States

Background: We aimed to test the hypotheses that ambient particulate matter (PM2.5) is significantly associated with the risk of stroke mortality and life expectancy (LE) reduction, and the degrees...
Team leader experience in improvement teams: A social networks perspective

Abstract In this research, we disentangle the relationship between several key aspects of a team leader's experience and the likelihood of improvement project success. Using the lens of socio-technical systems, we argue that the effect of team leader experience derives from the social system as well as the technical system. The aspects of team leader experience we examine include team leader social capital (a part of the social system) and team leader experience leading projects of the same type (a part of the technical system). We examine four different, yet related, dimensions of a team leader's social capital, which we motivate based on the social networks literature. One dimension, team leader familiarity, suggests that social capital is created when team leaders have experience working with current team members on prior improvement projects, and that such social capital increases the likelihood of improvement project success. We develop three additional dimensions, using social network analysis (SNA), to capture the idea that the improvement team leader's social capital extends beyond the current team to include everyone the leader has previously worked with on improvement projects. Contrasting our SNA-based dimensions with team leader familiarity enables us to better understand the impact of a team leader's social capital both inside and beyond the team. We also examine the effect of a team leader's experience leading prior projects of the same type, and consider the extent to which organizational experience may moderate the impact of both team leader social capital and same-type project experience. Based on analysis of archival data of six sigma projects spanning six years from a Fortune 500 consumer products manufacturer, we find that two of our SNA-based dimensions of team leader social capital, as well as experience leading projects of the same type, increase the likelihood of project success. In addition, we show that organizational experience moderates the relationship between team leader same-type project experience and project success. However, this is not the case for the relationship between the dimensions of team leader social capital and project success. These results provide insights regarding how dimensions of team leader experience and organizational experience collectively impact the operational performance of improvement teams.
Utility of Audiometry in the Evaluation of Patients Presenting with Dysphonia

Objectives:Hearing loss has been implicated in dysphonia secondary to voice misuse, although the data supporting this claim are scant. Determining the prevalence of hearing loss in patients with dy...
Grading Changes for USMLE Step 1 - A Golden Opportunity to Recalibrate Medical Education Priorities

Grading Changes for USMLE Step 1 Without the USMLE Step 1 exam exerting undue influence on our curricula, we have the opportunity to work as a community to redefine what it takes to train scientifi...
Massage Compared with Massage plus Acupuncture for Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Reconstructive Surgery

Objectives: Integrative therapies have been incorporated increasingly into health and wellness in the United States in recent decades. Their potential benefits are under evaluation in various situa...
Pricing, Production, and Channel Coordination with Stochastic Learning

We study a two-period supply chain in which a manufacturer produces a product, learns to reduce cost, and sells it through a retailer with a price-dependent demand. The manufacturer's second-period production cost declines linearly in the first-period production with a random learning rate. The manufacturer may or may not have the option to carry inventory. We investigate the impact of mean learning rate and learning rate variability on the manufacturer's production and pricing decisions, as well as on the retailer's procurement and pricing decisions. We demonstrate that as the mean learning rate or the learning rate variability increases, the traditional double marginalization problem becomes more severe, leading to greater efficiency loss in the channel. We provide revenue sharing contracts that can coordinate the dynamic supply chain. In particular, when the manufacturer may hold inventory, we identify two major drivers for inventory carryover: market growth and learning rate variability. Lastly, we demonstrate the robustness of our results by examining a model in which learning takes place continuously.
Belt-induced abdominal injuries in recent frontal impact CIREN cases.

OBJECTIVE The objective is to report sex-related variation in 3-point belt-related abdominal injuries in Crash Injury Research Engineering Network (CIREN) cases. METHODS A query of CIREN cases was made for those with the highest ranked Collision Deformation Classification (CDC) to the front plane, a principal direction of force (PDOF) ±20° from 0°, and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2+ abdomen injuries attributed to the seat belt. Patterns of injury were categorized as above the crest of the ilium, injuries below the crest of the ilium, and injuries above and below the ilium. This was done in the context of autonomous vehicle occupant kinematics testing results. Twelve 5th and 95th percentile 3-point belt-restrained postmortem human subjects were subjects; test speeds and recline angles varied. Abdomen injuries were anticipated; none were observed. RESULTS Thirty-five occupants with belt-related abdominal injuries were identified. Seventeen case occupants sustained an injury only within the pelvic contents: 5 women and 12 men. Nine of the 17 were at or above the 81st percentile for height, 13 were between the 62nd and 80th percentile for height, and 4 were less than the 50th percentile for height. CONCLUSIONS The stature component of the body mass index (BMI) appears to be a plausible candidate for an independent variable that is a contributing factor explaining the incidence of pelvic contents injuries when a 3-point belt-restrained occupant is involved in a frontal impact.
Vaping Behaviour Patterns and Daily Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Variation: A Brief Report.

BACKGROUND Vaping, the use of an electronic device to deliver a drug-infused aerosol has become an increasingly popular way to consume nicotine since its introduction to the market in the early 2000s. Despite the differences in consumption patterns relative to combustible tobacco, the impact of ad libitum nicotine vaping on cardiovascular response has not been thoroughly studied. SUBJECT AND METHODS This research was conducted on vapers (n = 17) and smokers (n = 14) who represent a subsample of a larger study that explored the relationship among nicotine use, activities of daily living and 24-hour cardiovascular response using Spacelabs ambulatory blood pressure monitors. These data were analysed via ANOVA models and t-tests using SPSS 25.0 for Macintosh. RESULTS Vapers consumed nicotine significantly more frequently than did smokers, at 48.2% and 18.1% of every 15-minute waking measurements, respectively (p = 0.000). The act of nicotine consumption, rather than the mode of delivery, was significantly associated with increases in systolic, diastolic, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate readings. There was no difference in mean amplitude of response to nicotine between vapers and smokers. CONCLUSIONS This study's strong statistical findings, visually evident on ambulatory blood pressure monitor reports, demonstrated that ad libitum nicotine consumption has an acute, dose-dependent effect on cardiovascular response regardless of whether it is smoked or vaped. However, since vapers consumed nicotine more frequently, future studies should be conducted with a larger sample size, and controlled for age and comorbidities to improve statistical strength.
Environment, growth, and FDI revisited ☆

Abstract This paper examines the effects of foreign direct investment inflows and environmental aid disbursements on environmental degradation using panel data for some selected developing countries. Using a fixed effects model, our estimates suggest the existence of an environmental Kuznets curve for carbon dioxide as well as total green house gas emissions from the energy and industrial sectors but there was no evidence of this phenomenon for nitrous oxide and total green house gas emissions from the waste sector. We also find a hint of a technique effect, and investigate it further by exploring the responsiveness of capital and labor to investment inflows in the respective developing countries.
Activation of the cloned muscarinic potassium channel by G protein βγ subunits

ACETYLCHOLINE released during parasv mpathetic stimulation of the vagal nerve slows the heart rate through the activation of muscarinic receptors and subsequent opening of an inwardly rectifying potassium channel1. The activation of these muscarinic potassium channels is mediated by a pertussis toxin-sensitive heterotrimeric GTP-binding protein (G protein)2,3. It has not been resolved whether exogenously applied Gα4,5 or Gβγ6,7, or both, activate the channel. Using a heterologous expression system, we have tested the ability of different G protein subunits to activate the cloned muscarinic potassium channel, GIRK18,9. We report here that coexpression of GIRK1 with Gβγ but not Gαβγ in Xenopus oocytes results in channel activity that persists in the absence of cytoplasmic GTP. This activity is reduced by fusion proteins of the (β-adrenergic receptor kinase and of recombinant Gαi–GDP, both of which are known to interact with Gβγ10,11. Moreover, application of recombinant Gβγ, but not Gαi–GTP-γS, activates GIRK1 channels. Thus Gβγ appears to be sufficient for the activation of GIRK1 muscarinic potassium channels.
Screencast-o-matic: www.screencast-o-matic.com

Screencast-o-Matic is a free web-based screen recording utility that provides up to 15 minutes of recording time. The resource is especially useful for librarians providing distance reference servi...
Toward a Revised 4.2 No-Contact Rule

Introduction In our adversarial system of legal representation, ethical rules of attorney conduct focus on protecting the client. Accordingly, the two mainstays of legal ethics are the duties, owed to clients, of loyalty and confidentiality. The duty of loyalty requires lawyers to adopt clients’ interests as their own; the duty of confidentiality requires lawyers to keep matters relating to a representation confidential. A lawyer and client can then act together as a close working group, generally governed by principles of agency law. However, a lawyer’s duties to clients are constrained by obligations to others—to other persons, to the courts, and to the system of law and justice at large. Thus, for example, a lawyer may not engage in or assist in fraud committed on others; owes duties of candor to the courts; and must comply generally with the law of the land. Another set of obligations, stated in general terms, requires a lawyer to deal fairly with others while acting on behalf of a client.
Multisystemic therapy for antisocial behavior in children and adolescents

The Multisystemic Therapy Theory of Change: Conceptual and Empirical Bases. Clinical Foundations. Family Interventions. Peer Interventions. Promoting Educational and Vocational Success. When and How to Conduct Individually Oriented Interventions. Building Social Supports for Families. Treating Substance Abuse. MST Outcomes. Quality Assurance and Improvement: Fundamental to MST Programs Worldwide.
WAGES IN RAIL MARKETS: DEREGULATION, MERGERS, AND CHANGING NETWORKS CHARACTERISTICS

The Stagger’s Act of 1980 largely deregulated the Class I Railroad industry and has had profound effects on labor. Between 1978 and 1994, employment in the industry decreased by about 60 percent, while real wages (average compensation) increased by over 40 percent. Earlier research examined employment effects; in this paper, we develop and estimate compensation effects using firm level data. By using firm level data, we are able to identify the effects of partial deregulation, an accompanying and massive consolidation movement as well as changes in firm operating and network characteristics. Our estimates suggest that mergers contributed 5 to 15 percent; partial deregulation contributed about 20 percent; and changes in firm operating and network characteristics contributed 4 to 5 percent to the overall increase in wages.
Machine Learning Methods for High Level Cyber Situation Awareness

Cyber situation awareness needs to operate at many levels of abstraction. In this chapter, we discuss situation awareness at a very high level—the behavior of desktop computer users. Our goal is to develop an awareness of what desktop users are doing as they work. Such awareness has many potential applications including
Topography of the human factor VIII-von Willebrand factor complex.

Factor VIII circulates in noncovalent complex with von Willebrand factor (vWf). The topography of this complex was evaluated by fluorescence energy transfer using factor VIII subunits modified with N-(1-pyrenyl)maleimide (NPM; fluorescence donor) and vWf-derived fragments modified with 7-diethylamino-3-[4'-maleimidylphenyl]-4-methyl coumarin (CPM; fluorescence acceptor). Results from a previous study indicated an interfactor VIII subunit distance of 20 A separating Cys528 and Cys1858 in the factor VIII heavy and light chains, respectively (Fay, P.J., and Smudzin, T. M. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 14005-14010). Fluorophore modification of the vWf SPIII homodimer (residues 1-1365) indicated multiple attachment sites at Cys126/135/1360 as determined from sequence analysis of fluorescent tryptic peptides derived from the modified protein. Based upon donor quenching data, an interfluorophore distance of approximately 28 A was calculated separating NPM-factor VIII light chain or factor VIII reconstituted from NPM-light chain plus unmodified heavy chain, from CPM-SPIII. A similar value (29 A) was obtained for NPM-light chain paired with CPM-SPIII-T4 (vWf residues 1-272), suggesting that donor quenching resulted primarily from modified residue(s) Cys126/135 in the acceptor. No energy transfer was observed for the NPM-heavy chain/CPM-SPIII pairing. However, when NPM-heavy chain was reassociated with unmodified light chain prior to reaction with CPM-SPIII or CPM-SPIII-T4, energy transfer was observed with calculated interfluorophore distances of approximately 31 and 34 A, respectively. Levels of acceptor resulting in maximal donor quenching suggested an equimolar stoichiometry of factor VIII (light chain)/vWf fragment in the reconstituted complexes. These results indicate a close spatial arrangement among the A3 domain of factor VIII light chain, the A2 domain of factor VIII heavy chain, and the NH2 terminus region of vWf in the factor VIII-vWf complex.
An evaluation of the integration of non-traditional learning tools into a community based breast and cervical cancer education program: The witness project of Buffalo

Background Breast and cervical cancer continue to represent major health challenges for African American women. among Caucasian women. The underlying reasons for this disparity are multifactorial and include lack of education and awareness of screening and early detection. Traditional educational methods have enjoyed varied success in the African American community and spawned development of novel educational approaches. Community based education programs employing a variety of educational models have been introduced. Successful programs must train and provide lay community members with the tools necessary to deliver strong educational programs.
Identification of long noncoding RNAs dysregulated in the midbrain of human cocaine abusers.

Maintenance of the drug-addicted state is thought to involve changes in gene expression in different neuronal cell types and neural circuits. Midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons in particular mediate numerous responses to drugs of abuse. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate CNS gene expression through a variety of mechanisms, but next to nothing is known about their role in drug abuse. The proportion of lncRNAs that are primate-specific provides a strong rationale for their study in human drug abusers. In this study, we determined a profile of dysregulated putative lncRNAs through the analysis of postmortem human midbrain specimens from chronic cocaine abusers and well-matched control subjects (n = 11 in each group) using a custom lncRNA microarray. A dataset comprising 32 well-annotated lncRNAs with independent evidence of brain expression and robust differential expression in cocaine abusers is presented. For a subset of these lncRNAs, differential expression was validated by quantitative real-time PCR and cellular localization determined by in situ hybridization histochemistry. Examples of lncRNAs exhibiting DA cell-specific expression, different subcellular distributions, and covariance of expression with known cocaine-regulated protein-coding genes were identified. These findings implicate lncRNAs in the cellular responses of human DA neurons to chronic cocaine abuse. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate the expression of protein-coding genes, but little is known about their potential role in drug abuse. In this study, we identified lncRNAs differentially expressed in human cocaine abusers' midbrains. One up-regulated antisense lncRNA, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 3-interacting protein 2-antisense 1 (TRAF3IP2-AS1), was found predominantly in the nucleus of human dopamine (DA) neurons, whereas the related TRAF3IP2 protein-coding transcript was distributed throughout these cells. The abundances of these transcripts were significantly correlated (left) suggesting that TRAF3IP2-AS1 may regulate TRAF3IP2 gene expression, perhaps through local chromatin changes at this locus (right).
Student Assistance Program Outcomes for Students at Risk for Suicide

Pennsylvania's response to adolescent suicide is its Student Assistance Program (SAP). SAP has been funded for 27 years although no statewide outcome studies using case-level data have been conducted. This study used logistic regression to examine drug-/alcohol-related behaviors and suspensions of suicidal students who participated in SAP. Of the 46 services, 10 best predicted (p<.01) that these undesirable outcomes would cease. Although no study subjects died by suicide, 42 of 374,626 referred students did die by suicide. Suicidal students who did not participate had double the rate of suicide of suicidal participants of SAP. Students referred for other reasons also killed themselves. Further work must be done to assess all referred students for suicide risk, examine educational outcomes, monitor substance-related crimes and overdoses, and examine school-related factors postmortem. Evidence from this study can be used by researchers to plan future studies and by Pennsylvania's school nurses when planning services.
Implementation of a Non-lethal Biopsy Punch Monitoring Program for Mercury in Smallmouth Bass, Micropterus dolomieu Lacepède, from the Eleven Point River, Missouri

A non-lethal biopsy method for monitoring mercury (Hg) concentrations in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu; smallmouth) from the Eleven Point River in southern Missouri USA was evaluated. A biopsy punch was used to remove a muscle tissue plug from the area immediately below the anterior dorsal fin of 31 smallmouth. An additional 35 smallmouth (controls) were held identically except that no tissue plug was removed. After sampling, all fish were held in a concrete hatchery raceway for 6 weeks. Mean survival at the end of the holding period was 97 % for both groups. Smallmouth length, weight and Fulton’s condition factor at the end of the holding period were also similar between plugged and non-plugged controls, indicating that the biopsy procedure had minimal impact on growth under these conditions. Tissue plug Hg concentrations were similar to smallmouth Hg data obtained in previous years by removing the entire fillet for analysis.
Wilderness and Kinesiology

In this article I examine the theme of wilderness through the lens of American philosopher Henry Bugbee. His conception of wilderness goes beyond the literal sense of the word to what Mooney (1999) terms “a generous space of listening, mutuality of address and presence” (p. ix). I contend that Bugbee's metaphorical expression of wilderness has purchase for our discipline. For those involved in Kinesiology, this wilderness theme has a bearing on the way we approach our career, relate to our students and colleagues; it provides guidance for the integrity by which we hold together our inner and outer selves. My purpose here is to delineate Bugbee's use of the term wilderness and describe the upshot of the wilderness metaphor for Kinesiology.
Paper chromatography of some fractions of Ascaris suum eggs.

Single and two-dimensional paper chromatograms were prepared of normal and de-coated embryonated eggs of Ascaris suum, vitelline membranes, egg fluid, and larvae. Eighteen amino acids (cystine, lysine, arginine, histidine, aspartic acid, glycine, serine, alanine, proline, glutamic acid, threonine, tyrosine, methionine, valine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, leucine, isoleucine) were identified in larvae and in normal and decoated embryonated eggs. Nine amino acids (leucine, tryptophan, cystine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, proline, aspartic acid, and arginine) were identified from the vitelline membrane. Seven amino acids (cystine, arginine, aspartic acid, glycine, serine, proline, tyrosine) were identified from a fraction in the middle coat. Using the DNFB technic, the N-terminal amino acid in the vitelline coat was determined to be cystine. Sixteen amino acids (cystine, lysine, histidine, aspartic acid, glycine, serine, glutamic acid, threonine, proline, tyrosine, methionine, valine, leucine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, isoleucine) were identified from the outer protein coat.
The effect of lexA and recF mutations on post-replication repair and DNA synthesis in Escherichia coli K-12.

We have examined lexA1 uvr A6 and recF143 uvr Bδ derivatives of Escherichia coli K-12 for post-replication repair and DNA synthesis after UV irradiation. Compared to corresponding lex+ rec+strains, we found that the lexA and recF cells were defective in (1) conveting short DNA segments synthesized after irradiation to DNA of normal size; (2) synthesizing high molecular weight DNA after irradiation; (3) transferring pyrimidine dimers from irradiated DNA into unirradiated daughter strands. Our results support the hypothesis that after UV irradiation the formation of large DNA molecules in excision-deficient cells of E. coli depends directly or indirectly upon joining short DNA segments into longer strands, concomitant with the transfer of DNA from irradiated tamplates into unirradiated daughter strands. This process appears to require the activity of lexA and recF genes.
“You Ought to Take Up Writing”: Story, Place, and Gender in the Fiction of Mary Lavin

To be considered an Irish writer is to invite any number of expectations of identity: rural or urban, nationalist or (post-) colonialist, a Tomas O’Crohan or a Samuel Beckett. While the complexity of these expectations only adds to the vitality and richness of Irish literature, it can also add an unspoken demand on the author’s work: either to participate in the observed tradition or to stand out through a distinction of style. Critics have long attempted to codify the essence of Irish literature with varying degrees of success, and the “Irishness” of the author is ultimately used as a kind of cultural capital toward the creation of an aesthetically defined Ireland, a trend initiated by Yeats and the other Irish Renaissance cultural nationalists. As many scholars have noted, though, this particular Ireland is a feminized concept with Cathleen ni Houlihan as the most recognizable avatar. The aesthetic re-imagining of the country as a coherent and identifiable whole, furthermore, like the authors’ characteristics that shape it, reveals a desire for commodified art and artists through which “Irishness” is negotiated. Within this context, it is no surprise that Mary Lavin’s fiction plays such a complicated and understated role. In a field dominated by male authors and capitalist demands, Lavin’s writing engages the gendered expectations underlying this translation of art into capital. One of her earliest stories, “A Story with a Pattern,” a response to Lord Dunsany’s suggestion that her fiction show more of a “well-defined plot,” presents a female author faced with the demand of a reader for stories that have discernable plots and tidy endings. The critic’s clear equation of a sense of plot with masculine writing places the narrator in the uncomfortable position of being unable to justify her participation in the literary world
The Influence of Spirituality on Substance Use of College Students

Objectives:The issue of substance use and the problems resulting from that use has become a major concern in the United States. The past decade has seen several new trends in substance use by college students and an increase in the effort to try and determine factors that may ameliorate the problem. Spirituality is one possible factor that may have some role in the phenomenon. Some research has been conducted on the relationship of spirituality to substance use but the results are mostly descriptive and concerned with religiosity rather than spirituality. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between a student's spiritual and religious beliefs and the impact of those beliefs on the decision to use substances.Method:A sample of 337 university students was surveyed using the CORE Alcohol and Drug Survey and several supplemental questions.Results:In general, spirituality had a moderate buffering effect upon the decision to use alcohol and marijuana. This general protective effect exists f...
Discrimination of speech-like contrasts in the auditory thalamus and cortex.

The neurophysiologic discrimination of acoustic contrasts was investigated as reflected by the mismatch negativity (MMN) response. Evoked responses were recorded from guinea pig thalamus (medial geniculate nucleus) and epidural surface in response to synthesized speech contrasts /ga/–/da/ and /ba/–/wa/. From the caudomedial portion of the medial geniculate nucleus, /ba/–/wa/ elicited a strong mismatch response, whereas /ga/–/da/ did not. Neither stimulus contrast elicited an MMN from the ventral, or primary, portion of medial geniculate. Both stimulus contrasts elicited an MMN from the midline surface. Neither contrast elicited an MMN from the surface over the temporal lobe. Results indicate a hierarchy of processing of the spectrotemporal changes which characterize formant transitions. Also, results indicate that the nonprimary portions of the auditory pathway contribute substantially to the MMN.
Relation Between Pressure Natriuresis and Urinary Excretion of Nitrate/Nitrite in Anesthetized Dogs

Abstract Alterations in intrarenal nitric oxide (NO) formation during changes in renal arterial pressure (RAP) have been suggested as a mechanism mediating pressure natriuresis. To test this hypothesis further, we examined the relation between RAP and the urinary excretion rate of nitrate/nitrite (NO 3 − /NO 2 − ; NO metabolites) in anesthetized sodium-replete dogs before (n=9) and during (n=6) intrarenal infusion of the NO synthesis inhibitor nitro-l-arginine (NLA; 50 μg · kg −1 · min −1 ). Urinary NO 3 − /NO 2 − concentrations were measured with the Griess reaction and spectrophotometry methods after enzymatic reduction of NO 3 − to NO 2 − in the samples. During control conditions, there were decreases in the urinary NO 3 − /NO 2 − excretion rate in response to reductions in RAP (150 to 75 mm Hg; slope, 0.04±0.01 nmol · min −1 · g −1 · mm Hg −1 ) in association with decreases in urinary sodium excretion (U Na V). There was a positive correlation between changes in NO 3 − /NO 2 − excretion rate and changes in RAP ( r =.48; P Na V ( r =.59; P 3 − /NO 2 − excretion rate (4.8±1.4 to 1.0±0.3 nmol · min −1 · g −1 ) in association with reductions in U Na V (4.3±0.3 to 0.7±0.2 μL · min −1 · g −1 ), fractional excretion of sodium (2.9±0.2% to 0.5±0.1%), and renal blood flow (4.8±0.3 to 3.3±0.2 mL · min −1 · g −1 ), without changes in glomerular filtration rate. Furthermore, there was a marked attenuation of the NO 3 − /NO 2 − and sodium excretory responses to alterations in RAP during NO synthesis inhibition. In another four dogs, it was observed that urinary NO 3 − /NO 2 − excretion rate did not change during administration of thiazide and amiloride diuretics, indicating that the NO 3 − /NO 2 − excretory responses to alterations in RAP were not simply due to changes in urine flow rate or sodium excretion. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that during acute changes in RAP, intrarenal changes in NO production rate may be responsible for the changes in sodium excretion.
Infant Stress and Adult Stature: Research and Reactions1

T. K. Landauer, J. W. M. Whiting, and several associates have published a series of articles relating infant stress in humans to later physical or physiological effects. The research was originally sug gested by developmental studies of laboratory animals and includes both holocultural and case studies. The stressful infant experiences studied include those involving pain-such as piercing-and separa tion from the mother. Later effects include stature and age of menarche. We have reviewed this research, and citations to it ap pearing in scholarly literature. The research stands as a single line of investigation, rather than as a series of separate pieces of research, and has received both favorable and unfavorable citations. We found that it is rarely cited as a "package." We also noted that unfavor able reactions tend to come from anthropologists, while psychologists -especially those involved in studies of animals-tend to welcome the findings of Landauer, J. W. M. Whiting, and colleagues. We have suggest...
EVALUATION OF BAS 320 I FOR CONTROL OF LEPIDOPTEROUS LARVAE ON FALL LETTUCE, 2004

The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of the new compound DPX-E2Y45 relative to standard materials used against lepidopterous larvae on head lettuce under desert growing conditions. Lettuce was direct seeded on 26 Aug 2004 at the Yuma Valley Agricultural Center, Yuma, AZ into double-row beds on 42-inch centers. Stand establishment was achieved using overhead sprinkler irrigation, with furrow irrigation used thereafter. Plots were two beds wide by 40-ft long and bordered by two untreated beds. Four replications of each treatment were arranged in a randomized complete block design. Formulations and rates for each compound are provided in the tables. Sprays were applied on 9 Sep, 16 Sep, 24 Sep and 1 Oct. A rotation treatment was included that consisted of alternating compounds in the following manner: first spray was Lannate (0.75 lb product/acre) + Renounce (3 fl oz product/acre); second spray was Lannate (0.5 lb product/acre) + Orthene (1.0 lb product/acre); third spray was Intrepid (8 fl oz product/acre); and the fourth spray was Proclaim (3.2 oz product/acre). The applications were made with a CO2-operated boom sprayer at 60 psi and 21.5 gpa. A broadcast application was delivered through two TX-18 ConeJet nozzles per bed. An adjuvant, DyneAmic, was applied at 0.125% v/v with all but the DPX-E2Y45 treatments. Evaluation of efficacy was based on the number of live larvae per plant. Ten plants per replicate were destructively sampled on each sample date. The sample unit consisted of examination of whole plants for presence of small and large BAW and CL. For BAW, larvae were considered small if 5mm in length. For CL, larvae were considered small if 10 mm. Treatment means were analyzed using a 1-way ANOVA and means separated by a protected LSD (P = 0.05).
Origin of archosaurian integumentary appendages: The bristles of the wild turkey beard express feather‐type β keratins

The discovery that structurally unique ''filamentous integumentary appendages'' are associated with several different non-avian dinosaurs continues to stimulate the development of models to explain the evolutionary origin of feathers. Taking the phylogenetic relationships of the non-avian dinosaurs into consideration, some models propose that the ''filamentous integumentary appendages'' represent intermediate stages in the sequential evolution of feathers. Here we present observations on a unique integumentary structure, the bristle of the wild turkey beard, and suggest that this non-feather appendage provides another explanation for some of the ''filamentous integumentary appendages.'' Unlike feathers, beard bristles grow continuously from finger-like outgrows of the integument lacking follicles. We find that these beard bristles, which show simple branching, are hollow, distally, and express the feather-type b keratins. The significance of these observations to explanations for the evolution of archosaurian integumentary appendages is discussed. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 297B: 27-34, 2003. r 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Need for Accurate Primary and Secondary Air Measurement and Control in a Pulverized Coal Fired Utility

Air-fuel balance is the key to clean combustion. Coal-fired public utilities are under constant pressure to meet environmental air quality standards in reducing NOx emissions. Reduction of NOx is critically dependent, on controlled combustion conditions. Accurate measurement and control of the Primary and Secondary Air is an important factor in attaining this goal. Once the Primary Air can be measured accurately, the next variable to consider in the chain is the Secondary air. The actual “Burner Zone Stoichiometry” is the sum of the two air flows to any one burner plus the fuel flow. As shown in Figure 1 below, the Primary air conveys the fuel to the burner and supplies some of the combustion air. The Secondary air provides the oxygen to complete the combustion in the “Burner Zone” to the extent the burner is designed. On a typical burner, there is more combustion air delivered to the burner by the Secondary air than the Primary air generally by a factor of 2, depending on burner design. The additional air or Secondary air completes the combustion in the “Burner Zone”, based on optimizing a set of conditions such as NOx, CO, and boiler tube flame impingement. Maintaining desired stoichiometric ratio and Primary/Secondary air ratio to minimize emissions requires accurate measurement/control of the Primary and Secondary air.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Comparison of the Aggregation Behavior of 15 Polymeric and Monomeric Dipeptide Surfactants in Aqueous Solution

The aggregation numbers of 15 dipeptide surfactants were estimated by use of fluorescence steady-state quenching techniques. Polymerization of the surfactants with γ radiation resulted in molecular micelles with a lower number of repeat units than the corresponding monomer aggregation numbers at the concentration of monomer used for polymerization in this study. In addition, the aggregation numbers of the monomers decreased with increasing size of the N-terminal R group of the dipeptide surfactants examined in this study. The aggregation behavior of the dipeptide surfactants was further investigated using proton NMR (1H NMR) spectroscopy. The proton resonances due to NH and Hα were measured above and below the critical micelle concentration of the surfactants. From the differences in proton chemical shifts of the monomeric dipeptide surfactants and aggregation numbers, a model for packing of the monomeric polar head is proposed.
Compliance with High-Intensity Radiated Fields Regulations - Emitter's Perspective

NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) uses high-power transmitters on its large antennas to communicate with spacecraft of NASA and its partner agencies. The prime reflectors of the DSN antennas are parabolic, at 34m and 70m in diameter. The DSN transmitters radiate Continuous Wave (CW) signals at 20 kW - 500 kW at X-band and S-band frequencies. The combination of antenna reflector size and high frequency results in a very narrow beam with extensive oscillating near-field pattern. Another unique feature of the DSN antennas is that they (and the radiated beam) move mostly at very slow sidereal rate, essentially identical in magnitude and at the opposite direction of Earth rotation.The DSN is in the process of revamping its documentation to provide analysis of the High Intensity Radiation Fields (HIRF) environment resulting from radio frequency radiation from DSN antennas for comparison to FAA regulations regarding certification of HIRF protection as outlined in the FAA regulations on HIRF protection for aircraft electrical and electronic systems (Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) [section sign][section sign] 23.1308, 25.1317, 27.1317, and 29.1317).This paper presents work done at JPL, in consultation with the FAA. The work includes analysis of the radiated field structure created by the unique DSN emitters (combination of transmitters and antennas) and comparing it to the fields defined in the environments in the FAA regulations. The paper identifies areas that required special attention, including the implications of the very narrow beam of the DSN emitters and the sidereal rate motion. The paper derives the maximum emitter power allowed without mitigation and the mitigation zones, where required.Finally, the paper presents summary of the results of the analyses of the DSN emitters and the resulting DSN process documentation.
Participative budgeting with kinked linear payment schemes

This paper studies the truth-inducing property of a class of budget-variance-based payment schemes calledkinked linear schemes. In these schemes, the manager is either paid a bonus proportional to a favorable budget variance, or charged a penalty proportional to an unfavorable budget variance. With the penalty rate higher than the bonus rate per unit variance, the payment to the manager is piecewise linear in the actual output and kinked at the budgeted output. This paper shows that participative budgeting with kinked linear compensation schemes can induce truthful reporting of expected output from an informed manager even when the manager can shift the underlying output distribution by his unobservable efforts. Furthermore, participative budgeting with kinked linear payment schemes can achieve optimal contracting between a risk-neutral manager and a risk-neutral owner even in a setting where a menu of linear payment schemes cannot.
Ideas and stumbling blocks in quantum electronics

Quantum electronics, including in particular the maser and the laser, represents a marriage between quantum physics and electrical engineering which was probably longer delayed than it might have been because the two were not sufficiently acquainted. The mutual discovery of one field by the other is discussed, as well as the misunderstandings and false starts. Specific examples are used to make more real the thinking of the early years in this field and the struggles with ideas which, as with most now-understood sciences or technologies, seem much simpler in retrospect.
Relationships and sexual expression in later life: a biopsychosocial perspective

The literature on sexual activity and ageing has grown substantially in the past 20 years. Until recently, a medicalized perspective dominated. In the past decade research based on a social-relational perspective has emerged. We summarize recent work from both perspectives. In addition to the effects of disease on sexual functioning of men and women over the age of 50, this review emphasizes sexual expression among older couples, newly emerging topics such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the older adult, and older lesbian and gay sexuality. Sexual functioning in both males and females continues in later life, while sexual satisfaction within their relationships is dependent upon individual responses to age-related changes. As the life course continues, some older married couples begin to desire emotional intimacy, stability, and continuity in addition to or instead of penetrative sex. This also appears to be characteristic of relationships involving two (older) women. As the world's population ov...