cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Confronting Coup Risk in the Latin American Left

Military coups d'etat have become dramatically less frequent in Latin America over the past 20 years, leading many analysts to conclude that the risk of coups in the region today is negligible. Yet we observe that a particular subset of presidents in the region—namely, those commonly associated with the radical left—pursue a wide range of “coup-proofing” behaviors, primarily in the way that they manage relations with their militaries, but also in their political rhetoric. Our goal in this article is to explain why some Latin American presidents spend precious resources on coup-proofing. First, even as we demonstrate that coup activity is significantly diminished across the region as a whole, we offer evidence to suggest that coup risk is quite real in countries with radical left presidents. Second, we identify several specific strategies that these presidents have pursued to minimize coup risk. We explain the coup-proofing rationale behind each of these strategies and document their use in Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Third, we show that no similar set of strategies or policies has been pursued by moderate leftist or more conservative presidents in the region. We infer from these empirical patterns that radical left presidents have undertaken substantial efforts to maintain military allegiance and to mitigate coup risk precisely because they recognize the possibility of military intervention. In our conclusion, we suggest that these strategies may confer a short-term benefit for the presidents who implement them, but they are likely to have negative consequences for the long-term stability of democratic institutions.
Satirical cultures of media publics in Iran

The article discusses the relationship between political satire and changing media practices in the context of Iranian political history. It argues how such practices produce distinct forms of publ...
Calcium requirement of phytochrome-mediated fern-spore germination: no direct phytochrome-calcium interaction in the phytochrome-initiated transduction chain

Phytochrome-mediated germination of fern spores of Dryopteris paleacea Sw. was initiated by a saturating red-light (R) irradiation after 20 h of imbibition. For its realization external Ca2+ was required, with a threshold at a submicromolar concentration, and an optimum was reached around 10(-4) M. At concentrations > or = 10(-1) M only a reduced response was obtained, based probably on an unspecific osmotic or ionic effect. The germination response was inhibited by La3+, an antagonist of Ca2+. From these results it is concluded that Ca2+ influx from the medium into the spores may be an important event in phytochrome-mediated germination. In the absence of Ca2+ the R-stimulated system remained capable of responding to Ca2+, added as late as 40 h after R. Moreover, Ca2+ was effective even if added after the active form of phytochrome, Pfr, had been abolished by far-red (FR) 24 h after R. Thus, the primary effect of Pfr, that initiates the transduction chain, does not require calcium. "Coupling" of Pfr to subsequent dark reactions has been investigated by R-FR irradiations with various dark intervals. The resulting "escape kinetics" were characterized by a lag phase (6 h) and half-maximal escape from FR reversibility (19 h). These kinetics were not significantly changed by the presence or absence of calcium. Thus, direct interaction of Pfr and calcium is not a step in the transduction chain initiated by the active form of phytochrome.
Ground-state properties of the periodic Anderson model

The ground-state energy, hybridization matrix element, local moment, and spin-density correlations of a one-dimensional, finite-chain, periodic, symmetric Anderson model are obtained by numerical simulations and compared with perturbation theory and strong-coupling results. It is found that the local f-electron spins are compensated by correlation with other f-electrons as well as band electrons leading to a nonmagnetic ground state.
Seismic Behavior and Detailing of High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Coupling Beams and Coupled Wall Systems

AbstractThe seismic behavior of coupling beams and walls constructed with tensile strain-hardening, high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (HPFRC) was studied through tests of large-scale precast coupling beams and coupled walls. A precast coupling beam design was developed to speed up construction and minimize interference with wall reinforcement. Three isolated precast coupling beam specimens with a span/depth of 1.75 were tested under large displacement reversals. Test results indicate the use of HPFRC allows a reduction of the reinforcement required to achieve a stable coupling beam response by providing confinement and contributing to beam shear strength. A concrete design shear stress capacity of 0.41√fc′ MPa (5√fc′ psi), where fc′ is the compressive strength of the concrete, was found to be appropriate. In addition to the coupling beam tests, two 4-story coupled wall specimens with precast HPFRC and regular concrete coupling beams were tested under lateral displacement reversals. Besides allowi...
a Crazy Idea on Urban Water Management

. High percentage of imperviousness in the city is the source of storm runoff. Roof area contributes significantly to the imperviousness. An attempt to make use of roofs as urban flood control device and water conservation measure is advocated. Two different schemes, one for built-up industrial-commercial area, the other for residential area, are suggested. The former utilizes the roof as detention reservoir for flood control, the latter employs recharge pit to convert runoff into ground water resource. The proposed schemes are not only hydrologically, hydraulically and structurally sound but also economically feasible. It is worth considering in the future planning of urban renewal and urban development.
Hydrogen bonding. Part. 76. Molecular orbital investigation of the stability of tertiary amine-hydrogen fluoride compounds in aqueous solution

Abstract N,N-Dimethyl-1-adamantamine-hydrogen fluoride (2MAAHF) does not dissociate in aqueous solution, while 2MAAHCl and 2MAAHBr readily ionize in H2O. Semi-empirical (AM1-SM2) calculations demonstrate that the enthalpic barrier to dissociation of 2MAAHF in aqueous solution is four times as high as that of 2MAAHCl and three times as high as that of 2MAAHBr. Ab initio calculations (3-21G(*) and 3-61G∗) show that 2MAAHF is a tightly bound molecular complex between neutral HF and neutral amine, with a low dipole moment and little negative charge exposed on fluorine. 2MAAHCl and 2MAAHBr are ion-pairs with an electrostatic hydrogen bond between cation and anion, large dipole moments, and exposed halogen atoms with high electrostatic potential; these factors explain the ease of ionization of 2MAAHCl and 2MAAHBr. Parallel studies on other tertiary amines give similar results.
Estimating the extent of cross-border lottery shopping: evidence from South Carolina

The South Carolina Education Lottery (SCEL) began selling tickets in 2001. Early studies indicate significant cross-border shopping, especially in counties bordering North Carolina (NC), which created its own lottery in 2006. We examine the impact of the North Carolina Education Lottery (NCEL) on sales of lottery tickets in South Carolina (SC). We find that the introduction of the NCEL coincides with a significant drop in lottery sales in SC counties bordering NC. By creating its own lottery, NC successfully redirected the flow of lottery dollars to its own coffers.
Real-Time Vector Quantization and Clustering Based on Ordinary Differential Equations

This brief presents a dynamical system approach to vector quantization or clustering based on ordinary differential equations with the potential for real-time implementation. Two examples of different pattern clusters demonstrate that the model can successfully quantize different types of input patterns. Furthermore, we analyze and study the stability of our dynamical system. By discovering the equilibrium points for certain input patterns and analyzing their stability, we have shown the quantizing behavior of the system with respect to its vigilance parameter. The proposed system is applied to two real-world problems, providing comparable results to the best reported findings. This validates the effectiveness of our proposed approach.
Nonsteric factors dominate binding of nitric oxide, azide, imidazole, cyanide, and fluoride to the Rhizobial heme-based oxygen sensor FixL

Background: The FixL protein is a heme-based sensor. Binding of oxygen to a unique heme domain inhibits a kinase domain of the type found in two-component regulators. Oxygen association is slow, but the dissociation rate is comparable to that of myoglobins. We have probed the size and chemistry of the FixL heme pocket by measuring the affinities, on rates and off rates for a wide variety of ferric heme ligands. Cyanide, but not fluoride, regulates the kinase activity. To examine how the sensory heme domain interacts with the kinase, we asked how the presence of the kinase domain affects ligand binding. Results: The affinities of ferric FixL for heme ligands follow the same trend as their pK a values: cyanide > 4-methyl imidazole > imidazole > fluoride > azide ≫ thiocyanate. The association rates follow the reverse trend. Striking differences from myoglobin include a 6-fold greater affinity for, and faster binding to, the bulky ligand imidazole, a 14-fold faster on rate for nitric oxide, a 2 800-fold lower affinity for azide, and a complete failure to bind thiocyanate. The presence of the kinase domain does not alter the affinity or binding kinetics of the high-spin ligand fluoride, but affects the off rates of other ligands. The EPR spectrum shows a characteristic pentacoordinate nitrosyl heme, indicating that the FeHis bond in FixL is strained. Conclusions: The importance of ligand deprotonation to the on rates and the fact that large ligands bind readily indicate that the heme pocket is open and apolar. Ligand basicity strongly influences the strength of binding. The destabilization of inhibitory ligands by the presence of the kinase domain is consistent with a ‘load' imposed by coupling to the inactivating mechanism.
Electron transport properties of pseudo-binary amorphous transition metal-simple metal (Al) alloys

Abstract Values of resistivity, temperature coefficient of resistance and Hall coefficient for a series of amorphous (Ti0.76Ni0.24)1−xAlx cocondensed thin films over a large range of values for x and for a series of amorphous (Ti0.5Cu0.5)1−xAlx melt-spun ribbons for values of x below 0.15 are reported. Values of RH are discussed in terms of the side-jump mechanism.
A novel synthesis of (+)-integerrinecic acid lactone from R-(+)-β-citronellol

Abstract A new route to (+)-integerrinecic acid, the necic acid component of the macrolactone pyrrolizidine alkaloid integerrimine, has been devised starting from the R enantiomer of β-citronellol and proceeding via δ-lactone, 17.
Thermoacoustic sound generation under the influence of resonator curvature

Abstract This work discusses the effect of resonator curvature on the thermoacoustic effect. The introduction of curvature to the design of thermoacoustic devices has important implications to the packaging of future devices. Although some previous CFD studies have attempted to quantify the effect of this curvature, there are several mechanisms that occur in thermoacoustic engines that are difficult to model using CFD, so further work is needed. A standing wave engine design is utilized in the study with a square channel ceramic stack. The temperatures on both sides of the stack and the pressure at the antinode are examined under the influence of curvature. Increased curvature is shown to adversely effect sound pressure level and increase temperature difference across the stack at constant heat input. A close relationship is shown between the temperature variation across the stack and sound pressure level.
Relative cheek-tooth size in Australopithecus

Until the discovery of Australopithecus afarensis, cheek-tooth megadontia was unequivocally one of the defining characteristics of the australopithecine grade in human evolution along with bipedalism and small brains. This species, however, has an average postcanine area of 757 mm2, which is more like Homo habilis (759 mm2) than A. africanus (856 mm2). But what is its relative cheek-tooth size in comparison to body size? One approach to this question is to compare postcanine tooth area to estimated body weight. By this method all Australopithecus species are megadont: they have cheek teeth 1.7 to 2.3 times larger than modern hominoids of similar body size. The series from A. afarensis to A. africanus to A. robustus to A. boisei shows strong positive allometry indicating increasing megadontia through time. The series from H. habilis to H. erectus to H. sapiens shows strong negative allometry which implies a sharp reduction in the relative size of the posterior teeth. Postcanine megadontia in Australopithecus species can also be demonstrated by comparing tooth size and body size in associated skeletons: A. afarensis (represented by A.L. 288–1) has a cheek-tooth size 2.8 times larger than expected from modern hominoids; A. africanus (Sts 7) and A. robustus (TM 1517) are over twice the expected size. The evolutionary transition from the megadont condition of Australopithecus to the trend of decreasing megadontia seen in the Homo lineage may have occurred between 3.0 and 2.5 m.y. from A. afarensis to H. habilis but other evidence indicates that it is more likely to have occurred between 2.5 to 2.0 m.y. from an A. africanus-like form to H. habilis.
Communications: Viability of Bacterial Pathogens in Frozen Fish

Abstract Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus injected with Aeromonas hydrophila, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Edwardsiella tarda, or E. ictraluri were frozen at −20°C after death. Bacterial isolation at 2-d intervals after freezing indicated that A. hydrophila could be recovered for 20 d, P. fuorescens for 60 d, E. tarda for 50 d, and E. ictaluri for 30 d in frozen fish.
Cooling of mechanical motion with a two-level system: The high-temperature regime

We analyze cooling of a nanomechanical resonator coupled to a dissipative solid-state two-level system focusing on the regime of high initial temperatures. We derive an effective Fokker-Planck equation for the mechanical mode which accounts for saturation and other nonlinear effects and allows us to study the cooling dynamics of the resonator mode for arbitrary occupation numbers. We find a degrading of the cooling rates and eventually a breakdown of cooling at very high initial temperatures and discuss the dependence of these effects on various system parameters. Our results apply to most solid-state systems which have been proposed for cooling a mechanical resonator including quantum dots, superconducting qubits, and electronic spin qubits.
Transient Analysis of Rotating Machines and Stationary Networks by Means of Rotating Reference Frames

This paper analyzes the behavior of a-c rotating machines connected to stationary networks or transmission lines and other rotating machines under synchronous or asynchronous operation. Rotating reference frames are introduced. The forward and backward components are correlated to the direct-axis and quadrature-axis components in a simple manner. Part I deals with the interconnection of a rotating machine and a terminal network or a transmission line with lumped or distributed constants. Part II deals with the interconnection of rotating machines. A general network of n machines is analyzed. Part III considers a general machine with n 1 stator phases and n 2 rotor phases under synchronous or asynchronous operation. Concatenation of induction machines and selsyns are studied by means of rotating reference frames.
The stability of ripples and dunes

Abstract The stability of ripples and dunes in flows of finite depth are investigated for the linear, small-amplitude case and also for the more realistic finite-amplitude situation. For the former perturbation approach is taken, leading to the general result that, without the inclusion of some lag between the sediment transport rate and the boundary shear stress, all wavelengths are unstable. This results from an upstream shift in the stress relative to the bedform, leading to deposition at the crest. By assuming a realistic lag based on the mechanics of bed load transport, a fastest growing wave at ripple-scales results: similarly, if suspended sediment were included, longer lags result and a dune-scale instability could result. Some investigators have invoked a gravitational effect, arguing that sediment transport is enhanced downslope and retarded upslope. This creates an effective downstream shift in the transport rate and some argue that both ripple and dune instabilities result, however, a realistic evaluation of this effect shows that it is much too small to be effective. Naturally occurring bedforms are of finite-amplitude; typically they are asymmetrical, often causing flow separation. This highly non-linear process creates a vastly different flow environment from that assumed in the initial stability case. A wake-like flow structure develops downstream of the separation zone and an internal boundary layer develops beneath. The complex interaction of these two different flow regimes as well as the effect induced by the topography of the bedform itself, produces a shear stress field that dictates the stability of the feature itself.
The Present Status of Aphycus Lounsburyi How. In Southern California

In the “uneven hatch” areas secondary parasitism has precluded Aphycus lounsburyi How. becoming, by itself, an adequate means of control of black scale, except, possibly, at irregular intervals. Eight hyperparasites are known to attack Aphycus and three others arc under suspicion. It is, however, of much value in the uneven-hatch areas as an aid to fumigation by evening up the hatch. In the interior or “even-hatch” areas, low temperatures which. cause retarded development of Aphycus, particularly in the pupal stage, during the one short period when it might alone control the scale, prevents its doing so. Aphycus, with Scutellista cyanea and Rhizobius ventralis, completes a sequence of enemies attacking the black scale and this fact offers a possibility of control. The distribution of Aphycus Lounsburyi has been so complete, both with and without human agency that it is safe to say there is hardly a citrus orchard, or for that matter a planting of ornamentals or growth of native shrubbery in Southern California, infested with black scale, in which it is not possible to find Aphycus or evidence of its work. In spite of the many factors operating to its disadvantage it is without question a most valuable addition to the parasite fauna of California.
Urinary incontinence: Relative efficacy of retropubic and transobturator slings

Insertion of midurethral synthetic slings is now the cornerstone surgical approach to treatment of stress urinary incontinence. A group from Poland randomized 537 women to synthetic sling placement using either a retropubic or transobturator technique. The investigators found both procedures to be equally effective in curing or improving the condition.
Anatomy of a Criss-Cross Heart

To the Editor: We read with interest the article by Araoz et al1 and its description and beautiful three-dimensional (3D) images of a rare criss-cross heart. The 3D gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) images clearly demonstrate the complex anatomy, in particular the relationship between the crossed atrioventricular pathways. Based on the images presented, however, the assignment of the ventricular loop …
Comparison of Stream Reach Lengths Measured in the Field and from Maps

Abstract We evaluated two methods of stream reach length measurement: hip chain measurements and map measurements made with MapTech Terrain Navigator software. Fifty stream segments ranging from 0.3 to 4.2 km were selected for measurement in Oregon coastal watersheds. Each stream segment was measured twice with each method by each of two surveyors, for a total of eight measurements per site. Map measurements were more precise than hip chain measurements. The difference between the two methods of measurement was slight but significant. The 95% confidence interval of the difference between the two measurements ranged from 0.035 to 0.225 km. Map-based lengths explained 85% of the variation in stream lengths measured with a hip chain. The coefficients of the regression equations indicated a 1:1 correspondence between the two methods of measurement. Our results suggest that map-based estimates provide a less-intrusive alternative to stream reach measurements made with a hip chain.
Comparison of magnetic resonance concentration measurements in water to temperature measurements in compressible air flows

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements in liquid flows provide highly detailed 3D mean velocity and concentration data in complex turbulent mixing flow applications. The scalar transport analogy is applied to infer the mean temperature distribution in high speed gas flows directly from the MRI concentration measurements in liquid. Compressibility effects on turbulent mixing are known to be weak for simple flows at high subsonic Mach number, and it was not known if this would hold in more complex flows characteristic of practical applications. Furthermore, the MRI measurements are often done at lower Reynolds number than the compressible application, although both are generally done in fully turbulent flows. The hypothesis is that the conclusions from MRI measurements performed in water are transferable to high subsonic Mach number applications. The present experiment is designed to compare stagnation temperature measurements in high speed airflow (M = 0.7) to concentration measurements in an identical water flow apparatus. The flow configuration was a low aspect ratio wall jet with a thick splitter plate producing a 3D complex downstream flow mixing the wall-jet fluid with the mainstream flow. The three-dimensional velocity field is documented using magnetic resonance velocimetry in the water experiment, and the mixing is quantified by measuring the mean concentration distribution of wall-jet fluid marked with dissolved copper sulfate. The airflow experiments are operated with a temperature difference between the main stream and the wall jet. Profiles of the stagnation temperature are measured with a shielded thermocouple probe. The results show excellent agreement between normalized temperature and concentration profiles after correction of the temperature measurements for the effects of energy separation. The agreement is within 1 % near the edges of the mixing layer, which suggests that the mixing characteristics of the large scale turbulence structures are the same in the two flows.
The availability of telecardiology consultations and transfer patterns from a remote neonatal intensive care unit

We examined records of all admissions to an isolated community neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in California between 2001 and 2006. We also reviewed the echocardiograms for diagnosis, disposition of patient and necessity for transport. In 2004, a telemedicine link (mainly store-and-forward) was established to a university children's hospital (UCH) 290 km away. The number of NICU patients having an echocardiogram increased from 280 (27% of 1029 admissions) to 385 (40% of 963, P = <0.001) after telemedicine became available. There was an increase in the proportion of normal studies, from 31% to 37% (P = 0.03), and an increase in the number of patients diagnosed with cardiac pathology from 192 (19% of all admissions) to 241 (25%, P < 0.001). Twenty-four patients were transferred for cardiac reasons during each three-year period; however seven pre-telemedicine transfers were avoidable, compared with two post-telemedicine transfers (P = 0.06). There was a change in referral pattern (65% to the UCH pre-telemedicine, compared with 78% post-telemedicine) although it was not significant (P = 0.10). Thus the availability of the telecardiology link was associated with increases in the utilization of echocardiography, in the proportion of normal studies, and in the percentage of neonates diagnosed with cardiac pathology without an increase in the number transferred for cardiac reasons. There was a reduction in unnecessary transfers and a strengthened relationship with the centre providing the telecardiology service.
AIDS and HIV infection: estimates of the magnitude of the problem worldwide in 1985/1986.

This review summarizes observations about the distribution of AIDS and HIV infection throughout the world. The United States has reported the greatest number of cases to the World Health Organization (WHO), but data from many areas are lacking or incomplete, making comparisons between different areas unreliable. Even within the United States, data are difficult to interpret and require careful consideration of the size of the various HIV-risk groups in the population and the degree to which results of studies of selected cohorts within a risk group can be extrapolated to the whole of that population. Outside of the United States, Europe, and Australia, less information is available. Almost every country in South America has reported cases of AIDS, although in most reports the number is small. In Asia, many countries have not yet reported cases or have had only a small number of cases. By the end of 1986, many countries in Africa had not yet reported any AIDS cases to the WHO, even from areas where AIDS is known to occur (i.e., Zaire). However, there is ample evidence from regional studies in Africa that AIDS and HIV infection are a major public health problem. Using admittedly questionable information for estimating the size of the problem worldwide, I project that between two and three million persons worldwide were infected with HIV by 1985/1986. Despite the lack of an effective therapy or vaccine, much can be and is being done to limit the global spread of HIV infection and AIDS.
Comments on "Optimal SAM defense system: An application of optimal control concept to operations research"

The SAM Defense System optimization problem recently proposed by Lee is considered in the context of the finite horizon partially observed Markov optimization problem studied by Astrom and others. Three special cases of observation quality discussed by Lee are further examined.
Grounded Theory and Nursing Knowledge

Grounded theory (GT) is a research approach with origins in the interpretive tradition of symbolic interactionism. Its influence on knowledge generation in nursing began in the 1960s and expanded over the next two decades. By the 1980s, published GT research by nurses had increased greatly in scope and direction. The focus of these studies included adaptations to illness, infertility, nurse adaptations and interventions, and status passages of vulnerable persons and groups. Within the nursing culture, use of GT has been influenced by variations in meanings ascribed to GT, changes in interpretive research practices, and environmental circumstances affecting nurse investigators. The identified theories point to the salient influences of social structure and environment on human health and well-being.
Increased incidence of malignant melanoma and other rare cutaneous cancers in the setting of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Background Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) are at increased risk for the development of skin malignancies. Objectives This study was conducted to estimate the incidences of rare skin malignancies in patients with CLL/SLL or NHL. Methods Patients with a diagnosis of CLL/SLL or NHL recorded in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database during 1992–2007 were identified. Diagnoses of specific skin malignancies were identified from SEER files. Results During 1992–2007, a total of 128,674 patients with first diagnoses of CLL/SLL or NHL were recorded in SEER; 4743 were excluded because follow-up data were unavailable. Among the remaining 123,931 patients, 28,964 had CLL/SLL and 94,967 had NHL. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for invasive malignant melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, Kaposi's sarcoma, and sebaceous carcinoma were 2.3, 8.2, 3.6, 2.5, 2.9, and 1.4, respectively, in CLL/SLL patients and 1.6, 3.2, 1.5, 1.3, 17.6, and 0.8, respectively, in NHL patients. When invasive melanoma was stratified by patient age and sex, the highest SIR (17.8) was found in men aged 0–49 years with CLL (P < 0.001). Conclusions Patients with CLL/SLL or NHL have a higher risk for the subsequent development of rare skin cancers. Given the more aggressive nature of these malignancies in this setting, regular monitoring for the development and prompt treatment of cutaneous malignancy is prudent in patients with NHL and particularly in patients with CLL. Regular use of sun protection may decrease the morbidity associated with skin cancer in this immunosuppressed population.
Institutional framing and perceptions of fairness

This paper's goal is to construct a positive theory of economic fairness. Using the theoretical schema developed by Hurwicz and others, the paper makes precise the notions of an “institution,” “fairness fraiming,” and “institutional framing.” Four fairness propositions yield an important corollary: the economic environment, the operative institution and history give meaning to the often used FORMAL PRINCIPLE OF DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE (“equals should be treated equally, and unequals unequellay, in proportion to relevant similarities and differences”). We support these four propositions and corollary by an analysis of laboratory, survey, and anecdotal evidence. Finally we describe a number of areas for future research.
Direct postsynaptic membrane effect of dibutyryl cyclic GMP on mammalian sympathetic neurons

Abstract Acetylcholine and dibutyryl-guanosine 3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate (DbcGMP) were applied iontophoretically from double barreled micropipettes to the isolated rabbit superior cervical ganglion cells and the responses were recorded by intracellular microelectrode techniques. DbcGMP consistently evoked a membrane depolarization of low amplitude and long duration; in many cells, a long after-hyperpolarization was observed following the membrane depolarization. The DbcGMP-induced membrane potential change was not appreciably affected by superfusing the ganglion with d-tubocurarine and/or atropine, or by a low Ca2+/high Mg solution. The present study demonstrates that the membrane effect of DbcGMP is exerted on postganglionic neurons.
Thorium-molybdenum phase diagram

Abstract The phase diagram of the thorium-molybdenum alloy system has been determined to be of the eutectic type with a eutectoid reaction associated with the thorium alpha-beta transformation. X-ray, thermal, electrical resistance and metallographic methods have established the eutectic point at 1380 ± 10° C and 7.0 ± 0.5 wt % molybdenum. A eutectoid reaction is proposed at 1358 ± 5° C and less than 0.1 wt % molybdenum. No solubility of thorium in molybdenum was detected at 1325° C.
Biaxially loaded concrete column interaction curve

Abstract A computer program for the ineraction curve data corresponding to a specified bending moment ratio is presented. The iterative solution is original and can be utilized for rectangular and square crosssections with any number of arbitrarily located steel bar areas individually specified by the user. Assumptions are that the column is short and the 1971 ACI Code rectangular stress block is the exact definition of internal stress distribution.
Least-squares finite element formulation for hydrodynamic modeling of semiconductor devices

A least-squares finite element formulation is presented for the hydrodynamic modeling of semiconductor devices. The formulation results in a symmetric and positive definite algebraic system. Its capability of adopting equal-order interpolations for all unknown variables makes it simple to formulate and easy to program. The semiconductor hydrodynamic equations coupled with the Poisson equation are formulated as one unified equation system in this least-squares finite element scheme. The developed method is examined on 1-D and 2-D deep-submicron semiconductor device structures to demonstrate its capability of handling the large gradients of variables and highly nonlinear source terms in the semiconductor hydrodynamic equations.
Tritium plasma experiment

Abstract The Tritium Plasma Experiment is an rf heated plasma device capable of operating with many gases including tritium. The primary purpose of this facility is to provide data to the fusion community on the interaction of tritium plasmas with solid materials. Over the last several years, the research has been concentrated on the plasma-driven permeation and retention of tritium in candidate fusion reactor materials including both metals and graphite.
An investigation of the thermal performance of an oil filled transformer winding

Manufacturers may be required to design transformers to overload specifications. Oil viscosity changes and loss variation with temperature are not accounted for in the industry loading guide. A comprehensive test program was performed using a winding assembly with embedded thermocouples. Steady-state and transient tests were performed for natural and nondirected forced oil calculation. The temperature distribution in the winding was not linear with height as usually assumed. A large number of temperature sensors is required to determine the hot spot location. The location of the hot spot was found to be different and less predictable for natural oil calculation than for nondirected forced oil circulation, especially during overload conditions. Improved loaded guide equations were developed to account for oil viscosity, resistance change, cooling duct oil rise and location of the hot spot. >
URBAN CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY: COUNTRY COUSIN COMES TO THE CITY

(1998). URBAN CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY: COUNTRY COUSIN COMES TO THE CITY. Urban Geography: Vol. 19, No. 7, pp. 585-590.
Long-term results of pantalar fusion for correction of equinus deformity after Chopart's amputation: a case report

Summary Painful equinus deformity with subsequent skin breakdown over the anterior portion of the amputation site is one of the major complications of traditional Chopart's amputation. Surgical correction of the deformity is rarely advocated; Syme, Pirogoff or below-the-knee amputations are the preferred treatments. Pantalar arthrodesis is an alternative procedure which corrects the deformity and avoids additional shortening of the limb. We present a case which shows good functional and clinical outcome more than 50 years after the intervention.
Acute Renal Failure Secondary to Imatinib Mesylate Treatment in Prostate Cancer

OBJECTIVETo report a case of acute renal failure associated with the administration of imatinib mesylate.CASE SUMMARYA 64-year-old man diagnosed with prostate cancer was enrolled in a Phase I trial of imatinib mesylate plus taxotere on a protocol that required a run-in period of imatinib mesylate alone. During therapy with imatinib mesylate, the patient developed acute renal failure, requiring hemodialysis. A renal biopsy revealed tubular vacuolization. Renal failure resolved with cessation of imatinib mesylate.DISCUSSIONImatinib mesylate is a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase, the receptor tyrosine kinases for platelet-derived growth factor, and stem cell factor c-kit. Prostate cancer has been identified as a target for therapy with imatinib mesylate. This patient had no other confounding factors for the cause of the renal failure. An objective causality assessment determined that imatinib mesylate was the probable cause of the acute renal failure. The presence o...
Riches, power, trade and religion: the Far East and the English imagination, 1600–1720

For many scholars, European relations with Asia in the seventeenth century remain an area of vague assumptions and misconceptions. Although there are obvious political differences between traditionalists, who celebrate the spreading of ‘civilization’ to the non-European world, and their revisionist critics, who decry the violence and ecological devastation of European imperialism, both camps share a fundamentally Eurocentric perception of early modern history. Both employ analytical models – colonialist or post-colonialist – which assume that the technological inferiority, economic backwardness, and political conservatism of oriental cultures spelled their inevitable defeat by European colonizers. This default view of European–Asian relations has been challenged vigorously in recent years by K.-N. Chaudhuri, J. M. Blaut, Frank Perlin, Paul Bairoch, R. Bin Wong, Andre Gunder Frank, and Kenneth Pomeranz, who argue – in different ways – that until 1800 an integrated world economy was dominated by India and China, and that our recognition of this domination requires a fundamental reassessment of both neoclassical and Marxian accounts of the economic ‘rise’ of the West. 1 In this essay, I draw on the work of these historians to challenge the theoretical values and historical assumptions that underlie Eurocentric accounts of global relations in the early modern period. In focusing on Peter Heylyn’s Cosmographie (1652; eight editions before 1700), I argue that seventeenthcentury writers in England did not automatically assume the cultural, economic,
Concept of operations for the NAVOCEANO ORCA vehicle

The Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) plans to operate Oceanographic Remotely Controlled Automatons (ORCAs) as remotely operated vehicles aboard the new T-AGS 60 class survey ships. ORCA is an unmanned, diesel-powered semi-submersible vehicle outfitted with a shallow-water multibeam bathymetric system. Vehicle control and sensor data are telemetered between the vehicle and ship. Considerable operation and support requirements will be necessary to operate the ORCA routinely although NAVOCEANO has no experience with these vehicles to date. A concept of operations describing ORCA's operation and support requirements is presented. System configuration, personnel support, survey concept, and planned upgrades are considered.
An empirical study of contemporary beliefs about work in American society.

The underlying concepts or beliefs people hold about work were studied by first developing a conceptual framework consisting of five different belief systems. The framework was operationalized by developing a questionnaire that used individual belief statements as items in a S-point, Likert-type format. The subjects surveyed were 340 blue-collar and white-collar workers from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area and 72 union leaders and 366 top managers from the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, area. Subsequent multivariate analysis revealed that differences in beliefs exist in relation to job or position, age, sex, race, and education. Top management is not in favor of participative management structures ; young people are more work ethic oriented than other age groups. Females and blacks show strong feelings of being exploited. Education is related to a weakened commitment to traditional beliefs and to the organization.
METAPHOR OR REIFICATION: ARE RADICAL HUMANISTS REALLY LIBERTARIAN ANARCHISTS?

Metaphors may enlighten our theoretical understanding of affairs, and they may be used to mystify and distort our view of social reality. In a recent series of papers, Gareth Morgan has proposed increasing metaphorical usage, to enrich management and organizational theory. This paper argues that Morgan's advocacy of metaphorical usage is too indiscriminate. By favouring a relativist (rather than a rationalist) theory of knowledge, he invites a proliferation of metaphorical ideology. Morgan's preference for an unbridled metaphorical usage is attributed, in part, to what Edgely (1984) describes as‘liberal dogmatism’, and also to his neglect of the social processes that generate and disseminate metaphors. The paper uses a variety of previous metaphorical contributions to management thought ‐ cybernetic, psychological, biological, systemic, mechanical, neurological ‐ to argue that, in general, metaphorical usage in organization studies has always been socially partisan, and that Gareth Morgan's proposals will intensify a mode of partisanship that is clearly at variance with his sympathies expressed elsewhere.
Directed self-assembly of a ring-in-ring complex

A strategic modification to the corner ligands in PdII-containing, electron-poor cyclophanes has profound repercussions for their assemblies with electron-rich aromatic crown ethers in both the solid and solution states; the formation of ring-in-ring complexes can override competing [3]catenane production on masking the hydrogen bond donor capabilities of the corner ligands.
An extension of consensus-based auction algorithms for decentralized, time-constrained task assignment

This paper addresses the multi-target, multi-task assignment problem for unmanned vehicles by presenting the decentralized Extended Consensus-Based Bundle Algorithm (ECBBA). The algorithm converges to conflict-free feasible solutions; furthermore, the algorithm allows local “pop-up” targets to be added and re-converges to a solution without resolving the entire optimization. A method to limit the communication network around targets is introduced. Limiting the communication is shown, through simulation, to produce solutions commensurate with full communication (within 2%) with the added benefit of reduced communication across the network.
Friends' knowledge of youth internalizing and externalizing adjustment: accuracy, bias, and the influences of gender, grade, positive friendship quality, and self-disclosure.

Some evidence suggests that close friends may be knowledgeable of youth’s psychological adjustment. However, friends are understudied as reporters of adjustment. The current study examines associations between self- and friend-reports of internalizing and externalizing adjustment in a community sample of fifth-, eighth-, and eleventh-grade youth. The study extends prior work by considering the degree to which friends’ reports of youth adjustment are accurate (i.e., predicted by youths’ actual adjustment) versus biased (i.e., predicted by the friend reporters’ own adjustment). Findings indicated stronger bias effects than accuracy effects, but the accuracy effects were significant for both internalizing and externalizing adjustment. Additionally, friends who perceived their relationships as high in positive quality, friends in relationships high in disclosure, and girls perceived youths’ internalizing symptoms most accurately. Knowledge of externalizing adjustment was not influenced by gender, grade, relationship quality, or self-disclosure. Findings suggest that friends could play an important role in prevention efforts.
Female mate choice in the gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor in three experimental environments

We studied female mate choice by Hyla versicolor in three venues to examine how acoustic and spatial complexity, background noise, and the calling behavior of males might influence preferences manifest in previous laboratory two-stimulus choice tests. Our laboratory-based two-stimulus choice tests with and without broadcasts of chorus noise demonstrated that females prefer long calls relative to short calls when calling efforts of alternatives are equivalent. Background noise impaired the ability of females to discriminate in favor of longer over shorter calls, but the magnitude of the effect was small. Captures of females at eight speakers broadcasting 6- to 27-pulse calls at the edge of a pond revealed strong discrimination against only the shortest call variant. In natural choruses, females may only rarely encounter males using such unattractive vocalizations. Female phonotaxis at an artificial pond with caged and electronically monitored calling males also indicated that consequences of female preferences for temporal aspects of calling observed in two-stimulus choice tests are much attenuated in choruses and explain only small portions (<10%) of the variation in male mating success. Nevertheless, relatively high call duration and calling effort increased male attractiveness. Acoustic interference emerged as another significant factor influencing male mating success and possibly the differences in female choice observed in laboratory and chorus settings. We suggest that the bias of females against both overlapped and very short calls may help explain why males lengthen their calls but lower their rate of delivery in response to increases in chorus size.
Cancer support groups: meeting the needs of African Americans with cancer.

Objectives : To describe culturally appropriate ways that cancer support groups can meet the needs of African Americans with cancer. Data Sources : Research articles and clinical experience. Conclusions : Support groups are an important vehicle through which people cope with the emotional and physical impact of their cancer. Most support group participants are middle-class, white women. Faith-based cancer support groups can address the needs of many African Americans with cancer by offering support and education within the context of a spiritually based life-style. Implications for nursing practice : Coping strategies may vary among cultural groups. In order to be supportive, cancer support groups must be congruent with the values and beliefs of the group's members.
The Effects of World View on Adaptation to Single Parenthood Among Middle-Class Adult Women

The nature of the relationship between middle-class adult women's world view and their report of the quality of their adjustment to being single mothers was explored. Single mothers and those from two-parent families completed five instruments assessing their world view and emotional adjustment to being mothers. The many statistically significant findings indicated that, although there was considerable person-to-person variation, single mothers who advocated a more Afrocentric world view—defined as more spiritual, communal, and interpersonal and less achievement-oriented, materialistic, and individualistic than the alternate Eurocentric perspective—had higher self-esteem, less depression and anxiety, and were more satisfied with being mothers. The results also indicated that single mothers were less well adjusted than those from two-parent families.
Macroinvertebrate secondary production in 3 forested streams of the upper Midwest, USA

AbstractMacroinvertebrate secondary production was estimated for 2 reaches in each of 3 adjacent forested headwater streams. We had 3 objectives: 1) to compare macroinvertebrate secondary production and community structure both within and among streams to examine the spatial extent of variability, 2) to explore important habitat variables related to secondary production, and 3) to compare our secondary production values to values from other headwater streams in deciduous forests. Principal components analysis separated study streams on the basis of small differences in substrate composition, organic-matter standing crops, and instream wood, but geology, riparian tree species composition, and fine benthic organic-matter standing crops were similar among streams. Secondary production varied among streams (range ∼1.2 to 3.3 g ash-free dry mass m−2 y−1) and was low compared to estimates from other streams draining deciduous forest. Macroinvertebrate communities had relatively higher production of scrapers, pr...