cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BOOK REVIEW: "Alexander Luria and the Cultural-Historical Activity Theory: Pieces for the History of An Outstanding Collaborative Project in Psychology"

This book’s appearance is extremely timely—it coincides with the 2002 centennial of Alexander Luria’s birth. The life and scientific heritage of this Russian scholar have been widely celebrated, with several international conferences held to commemorate Luria’s achievements, including one in Moscow organized by his many students and followers, now renowned scholars themselves, working in various institutions in Moscow and around the world. The book that is now available for the English-speaking readers in translation from Russian (the original was published in 1992), is written by Evgenija Davydovna Homskaya—one of the closest students and colleagues of Luria who came to be a prominent neuropsychologist herself, having authored a number of important publications (both with Luria and on her own) and taught many generations of students at the Moscow State Lomonosov University (including the author of this review). Homskaya, who continues her work and teaching today, wrote this book, in her own words, to honor the memory of her beloved teacher, colleague, and friend. The book by Homskaya represents a valuable source of information about this prominent scholar of the 20th century and a unique addition to the existing literature in that it provides a glimpse at Luria’s life and work from within the immediate context of his investigative project and scientific path as it unfolded during the many years of a close collaboration between Luria and Homskaya. The book should be of interest to a broad audience of psychologists for several reasons. First, Alexander Luria’s life is remarkable in and of itself. He represented a rare breed of scientists with a uniquely broad, almost encyclopedic, knowledge and expertise in fields as diverse as biology, psychiatry, anthropology, medicine, physiology, neurophysiology, psychology, forensic science, MIND, CULTURE, AND ACTIVITY, 10(1), 93–97 Copyright © 2003, Regents of the University of California on behalf of the Laboratory of Comparative Human Cognition
The Luteinized Unruptured Follicle Syndrome: Anovulation in Disguise

The luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome is a form of anovulation and a subtle cause of female infertility. The syndrome cannot be diagnosed by traditional progesterone-dependent ovalation detection methods. Without the use of invasive procedures or sophisticated equipment, the luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome may go unnoticed. The patient diagnosed as ovulatory, on the basis of traditional ovulation detection methods, who does not conceive may be experiencing the luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome, and thus infertility. The syndrome's incidence, detection, etiology, and treatment are described.
DNA Binding of an Ethidium Intercalator Attached to a Monolayer-Protected Gold Cluster

Ethidium intercalation has been investigated as a means of inducing binding of Au nanoparticles to DNA. The ethidium sites are attached to the nanoparticles as thiolate ligands, using 3,8-diamino-5-mercaptododecyl-6-phenylphenanthridinium (ethidium thiolate). Each nanoparticle bears only one or two ethidium thiolate ligands. The rest of the thiolate monolayer ligands on the monolayer-protected Au clusters (MPCs) were either N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)glycine (tiopronin/ethidium MPC) or trimethyl(mercaptoundecyl)ammonium (TMA/ethidium MPC). In solution mixtures of DNA and MPCs, the energy-transfer quenching of the ethidium ligands by the metal-like MPC core is partially released by ethidium binding to DNA, as observed by an increase in the intensity of ethidium fluorescence. Binding of the cationic TMA/ethidium MPC to DNA was efficient and rapid. The negatively charged tiopronin/ethidium MPC, in contrast, exhibits slow intercalation kinetics, relative to ethidium cation not attached to an MPC. The slow kinetic...
Institutional Investors and Corporate Governance: Best Practices for Increasing Corporate Value

The book ‘Institutional Investors and Corporate Governance: Best Practices for Increasing Corporate Value,’ by Carolyn K. Brancato, centers around the idea that current acrimonious relationships between institutional investors and corporate executives jeopardize the interests of both parties and are detrimental to corporate value. Brancato draws on her rich research experience and personal interactions with corporate and public pension fund executives during her service in various government agencies and argues that communication between longterm investors and corporate executives is fundamental to facilitating corporate investments that sustain corporate value.
Rates of Early Intervention Referral and Significant Developmental Delay, by Birthweight and Gestational Age

Though correlated, birthweight (BW) and gestational age (GA) have independent effects on cognitive and neurological outcomes. Jurisdictions vary in their inclusion of these two characteristics in their list of established conditions for automatic eligibility for Early Intervention (EI) services, which may lead them to miss important high-risk groups. We evaluated the relationship between BW–GA combinations and both EI referral rates and risk of EI-diagnosed significant developmental delay in a population of New York City (NYC) births. We linked birth certificates of children born in NYC to resident mothers during 1999–2001 and surviving the first 28 days of life (n = 339,522) to EI administrative data. We calculated EI referral rates for various BW–GA categories, and used a logistic model to directly estimate the predicted risk of delay. EI referral rates of over 50% were observed in children born 2,500 g and 39+ weeks. A BW threshold of <1,250 g would identify children with the highest risk of delay; GA as an additional criterion would prevent overlooking high-risk children born <30 weeks but at higher birthweights. Physicians should monitor children with high-risk birth characteristics and refer them, if appropriate, for formal evaluation. EI programs may use these findings to guide determination of automatic eligibility criteria.
Field Dependence—Independence and Participation in Physical Activity by College Students

Field-independent individuals, compared with field-dependent individuals, have higher sports potential and advantages in sport-related settings. Little research, however, has been conducted on the association of field dependence-independence and participation in physical activity. The study examined this association for college students who participated in physical activities in and beyond physical education classes. The Group Embedded Figures Test distinguished 40 field-dependent from 40 field-independent participants. Activity logs during one semester showed that field-independent participants were significantly more physically active and their physical activity behaviors were more sport-related than those of field-dependent participants.
Inflammation and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Clinical Implications

Prostatic inflammation may be a large contributor to hyperplastic changes in the prostate. There have been several studies looking at the varieties of growth factors and cytokines that are involved in both the inflammatory process and in the epithelial/stromal prostatic cells interactions. We reviewed the recent international literature using a PubMed search to analyze new findings supporting a role for inflammation in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) progression. This article reviews the factors that lead to both intrinsic and extrinsic causes of prostatic inflammation. There are several exciting studies supporting that inflammation can promote chronic prostatic diseases, such as BPH.
Pulsating Blue Metal-poor Stars

The blue metal-poor (BMP) star CS 22966-043 is an SX Phoenicis star and the primary of a spectroscopic binary with a provisional orbital period of ~430 days. Radial velocity and UBV photometric observations of this star made in 1998 require downward revision of the orbital period to 319 days. The BMP star CS 29499-057 also appears to be an SX Phoenicis star with small amplitude (ΔV ~ 0.04 mag) and short period (P = 0.0417 days), on the basis of photometric and radial velocity observations obtained in 1998. There is some indication that it too may be the primary of a spectroscopic binary. Three other BMP stars have radial velocity standard deviations greater than those of 17 BMP radial velocity standards. We suggest that they may be small-amplitude SX Phoenicis stars. Finally, the BMP star CS 29497-017 is shown to be a short-period velocity variable (P = 0.302 days) on the basis of observations accumulated over an interval of 2200 days, but we were unable to detect a light variation in 1998 July. Therefore, the nature of the velocity variation of this object remains uncertain.
Rhetorically Structured Content: Developing a Collaborative Single-Sourcing Curriculum

Structured writing is a method for developing categories of information that can be single sourced, or reused, for various contexts. Creating distinct structures—such as concepts, procedures, and examples—prepares content for the application of XML markup elements that describe each category. A content management system identifies these structural elements, which facilitates reuse and repurposing. Students seeking positions in organizations that single source information must become proficient in structured writing and in writing collaboratively.
Reconstruction from stereo and multiple tilt electron microscope images of thick sections of embedded biological specimens using computer graphic methods

The extraction and display of 3-D information using modern computer graphic equipment in the electron microscope is presented. Thick specimens were imaged at 400 kV. Modelling of vectors and the tilting of surfaces is discussed as is the accuracy of reconstructions.
The Immigration Act of 1990: Retreat from reform

This commentary on the US Immigration Act of 1990 reflects the position that the law is ill conceived misdirected deceptively designed and poorly timed. The reforms were not in the national interest. The justification for the law was the myth of pending labor shortages. When the country is not at full employment and there are labor shortages the policy should be to educate youth retrain adults eliminate discriminatory barriers and provide voluntary relocation programs to shift workers from labor surplus to shortage areas. There is no reason to assume future unskilled labor shortages when there are 27 million functionally illiterate adults and another 20 marginally literate adults. There is a mismatch of qualifications of job seekers and the actual needs of the market. The new law however expands the prior nepotistic family reunificaiton feature. Of the new limit of 700000 persons/year the % of allowable visas to meet labor needs remains at 20%. This fixed figure of 140000 may also depress the market pressure to improve the human resource development system. Also included in this category are reserves for 10000 millionaire investors who promise to create at least 10 jobs. This reward of privilege does not deserve protection. Another special category is religious workers and the meaing is unclear. The new immigrants also have been found to have less schooling lower earnings lower labor force participation and higher poverty rates than earlier waves of immigration. The timing of the law is inappropriate during a recessionary period when competition for jobs with the foreign born seekers adds more pressure to an already exacerbating situation particularly in urban areas. The question is raised as to the extent of civil rights costs due to this immigration act. Another portion of the law allows compensation of 40000 visas to those countries affected by the existing law of which 40% of 16000 visas in the 1st 3 years are reserved for Ireland. The 1965 law had eliminated national origin influences and this law reestablishes it. The provision of "safe haven" offers another quagmire of abuse and contention. Clearly the labor market effects were not well thought out. The law reflects political considerations. It is not praiseworthy except for the attempt to correct past wrongs.
Radium Exposure and Longevity: Not Mutually Exclusive-Reply

In Reply.— Dr Brucer misquotes the article. The actual quotation reads, "... an astonishing feat of longevity for someone who claimed to have consumed more radium water than any living man [emphasis added]." William J. A. Bailey was certainly one among many heavy radium ingesters during this period, and some of these individuals lived to advanced ages. Most, however, did not. Some legitimate investigators may honestly believe that current fears concerning the somatic and genetic effects of ionizing radiation have been overstated. 1 However, few would argue that we as a society have for better or worse put the burden of proof squarely on the shoulders of those who advocate less stringent radiation protection standards. At present, there are no convincing data that ionizing radiation at any dose (including background) is entirely free of health risks. Though the magnitude of the risk may be small compared with other dangers in an
Identification of Crack Initiation in Aluminum Alloys using Acoustic Emission

This paper uses multiple specimens, mechanical loading setups and nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques to reliably identify crack initiation in aluminum alloy specimens and quantify the associated Acoustic Emission (AE) activity. Compact Tension (CT) and Middle Tension (MT) specimens were tested until crack initiation was verified using optical methods while simultaneously recording AE, Infrared Thermography (IRT) and Digital Image Correlation (DIC). The specimens were loaded under tension and fatigue loading conditions with the prime focus being on identifying, in these controlled experiments, the most sensitive AE features to crack initiation. The changes of such AE features at the time instance of crack initiation was cross-validated by the complementary optical metrology data. In addition to the load drop accompanying the ductile failure process, the synchronous use of the optical NDE techniques provided the opportunity to associate the mechanical behavior of the material to the AE recordings observed during testing. The identified changes in AE features were combined with extensive signal processing which revealed trends that provide strong evidence on the existence of a dominant and quantifiable trend of AE activity which was noted to be directly associated with crack initiation. The onset of cracking in both types of aluminum specimen tested was noted with an increase in the peak frequency and partial powers which was used to define a novel AE damage parameter and shown to robustly identify crack initiation in both tensile and fatigue loading.
Compilation techniques for out-of-core parallel computations

Abstract The difficulty of handling out-of-core data limits the performance of supercomputers as well as the potential of the parallel machines. Since writing an efficient out-of-core version of a program is a difficult task and virtual memory systems do not perform well on scientific computations, we believe that there is a clear need for compiler directed explicit I/O approach for out-of-core computations. In this paper, we first present an out-of-core compilation strategy based on a disk storage abstraction. Then, we offer a compiler algorithm to optimize locality of disk accesses in out-of-core codes by choosing a good combination of file layouts on disks and loop transformations. We introduce memory coefficient and processor coefficient concepts to characterize the behavior of out-of-core programs under different memory constraints. We also enhance our algorithm to handle data-parallel programs which contain multiple loop nest. Our initial experimental results obtained on IBM SP-2 and Intel Paragon provide encouraging evidence that our approach is successful at optimizing programs which depend on disk-resident data in distributed-memory machines.
Economic Liberalization & Wage Inequality in India

We investigate India's widening skill wage gap and narrowing gender wage differential during the two decades that coincide with economic liberalization in the country. Using the non-parametric methodology developed by Katz & Murphy (1992), we find that relative demand shifts contributed to relative wage shifts and that increases in the demand for skilled labor were mostly due to skill upgrading within industries. In assessing the contribution of external sector reforms to demand for skilled labor, we find that international trade in manufactures benefited skilled men but hurt skilled women whereas outsourcing of services generated demand for both female and male college graduates.
Physiologic Deficits in the Orofacial System Underlying Dysarthria in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

The purpose of this study was to delineate some of the physiological deficits in the orofacial musculature of patients with dysarthria associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and to rel...
Semi-self-decomposable distributions on Z+

We present a notion of semi-self-decomposability for distributions with support in Z+. We show that discrete semi-self-decomposable distributions are infinitely divisible and are characterized by the absolute monotonicity of a specific function. The class of discrete semi-self-decomposable distributions is shown to contain the discrete semistable distributions and the discrete geometric semistable distributions. We identify a proper subclass of semi-self-decomposable distributions that arise as weak limits of subsequences of binomially thinned sums of independent Z+-valued random variables. Multiple semi-self-decomposability on Z+ is also discussed.
Development of single-mode four-fiber ribbon splicer with accurate splice loss estimation

A mass-fusion splicer for single-mode four-fiber ribbon has been developed with an accurate splice loss estimation function capability. Measurements in two orthogonal directions are used to obtain a high axis offset resolution of 0.3 μm. An average splice loss of 0.05 dB and an average splice loss estimation error of −0.002 dB are achieved.
Graphical lung analysis and simulation environment

The study of transport across the pulmonary vasculature is an important aspect of the study of the lung. Models have often been used in conjunction with experimental work to further the information which can be obtained from experimental work alone. GLANSE was developed as an environment to carry out such analysis on microcomputers. The main model employed is a three region, homogeneous model which includes provisions for tracer diffusion in the extravascular region, hydrophilic and lipophyilic tracers as well as physiological parameters such as blood flow. Several heterogeneous models based on simplified versions of the three region model as well as two models which are not related to the three region model are also included. Computationally efficient routines for model simulations are used so as to enable their execution on microcomputers with large data sets. In addition, several methods for models analysis, such as parameter sensitivity and curve-fitting, as well as statistical analysis of results are also included. GLANSE has been tested and has been in use for several years for routine analysis of experimental data.
Check the phone book: Testing information and communication technology (ICT) recall aids for personal network surveys

Abstract This study tested two recall aids for the name generator procedure via a randomized web experiment with 447 college students, eliciting their personal networks. Compared to participants solely presented with the name generator, participants being prompted and probed to consult records saved in their communication devices provided more comprehensive network data and more weak ties. Furthermore, these data were garnered without either a substantial increase in item nonresponse or a decrease in completion time for subsequent name interpreters. Thus, ICT recall aids are deemed cost-effective and context-neutral techniques to improve the recall accuracy of data collected by the name generator.
Long-term autobiographical memory for legal involvement: Individual and sociocontextual predictors

Abstract We examined adults’ long-term autobiographical memory for a dramatic life event—participating as a child victim in a criminal prosecution because of alleged sexual abuse. The study is unique in several ways, including that we had extensive documentation concerning the sexual abuse allegations, the children's involvement in their legal case, and other factors known to affect long-term memory. Approximately 14 years after their legal involvement, 94 adolescents and young adults, aged 16–30 years, were interviewed about their childhood legal experiences. A subset of the victims had taken the stand in criminal court, and memory for testifying was examined. Results revealed that greater severity of the abuse, a closer relationship to the perpetrator, testifying more frequently, and greater distress were associated with more accurate memory. Findings suggest that both individual and sociocontextual factors must be considered in pursuing a scientific understanding of autobiographical memory for stressful childhood experiences.
On Obtaining Separating Hyperplanes via Linear Programming

A linear programming method for obtaining separating hyperplanes is discussed. Depending upon the objective function, the algorithm will accept any separating hyperplane or one which satisfies a minimum distance criterion. Application to inconsistent, i.e., linearly nonseparable, systems is considered.
An experimental investigation of subsurface ground temperature in Texas: a complete study

SYNOPSIS This paper describes the results of experimental studies conducted in Houston, Texas from June 1997 to May 1998 to determine seasonal variations of subsurface ground temperature. The results indicate that the average ambient temperature is 89.31°F (31.84°C) in summer (June–October), and 63.93°F (17.74°C) in winter (November–February). The ground temperature at depths greater than 10 feet remains relatively constant through the year. At a depth of 10 feet (3.04 m), the average ground temperature is 75.12°F (23.96°C) in summer and 75.87°F (24.37°C) in winter. The observed temperature differential between the ambient and the ground temperature at 10 feet is 8–17°F (4.4–9.4°C). The temperature differential suggests that there is potential for pre-heating and pre-cooling the ambient air used in conditioning commercial and institutional buildings. The least square fit equations to project average monthly subsurface ground temperatures are presented.
Classification of disordered phases of quantum Hall edge states

The effects of impurity scattering on a general Abelian fractional quantum Hall (FQH) edge state are analyzed within the chiral-Luttinger-liquid model of low-energy edge dynamics. We find that some disordered edges can have several different phases characterized by different symmetries. The stable impurity edge phases are in general more symmetric than the original clean system and demonstrate the phenomenon of dynamical symmetry restoration at low energies and long length scales. The phase transitions between different disordered phases are characterized by broken symmetries and obey Landau's symmetry breaking principle for continuous phase transitions. Phase diagrams for various edges are found using a new system of coordinates for the interactions between modes in a quantum Hall edge. The temperature dependence of tunneling through a point contact is calculated and is found to be able to distinguish different impurity edge phases of the same FQH state.
Lead chelates of meso- and racemic-dimercaptosuccinic acid

Lead chelates of racemic- and meso-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) were synthesized and isolated from aqueous solutions and characterized by potentiometric measurements and infrared spectroscopy. Two types of lead chelates of racemic DMSA were isolated: one in which racemic-DMSA is coordinated to Pb+2 via one oxygen and one sulfur atom and the other in which the Pb2+ is coordinated via two sulfur atoms. The latter form of the chelate is converted into the former upon dissolution in dimethylsulfoxide. Only one type of Pb2+ chelate of the meso form of the ligand was formed. In this case, meso-DMSA is coordinated to Pb+2 via one oxygen and one sulfur atom. Meso- and racemic-DMSA have very different solubilities in aqueous solutions. Meso-DMSA is slightly soluble in water, whereas racemic-DMSA is very soluble in water even in the presence of strong acids. The solubilities of the chelates were found to be pH dependent. When the uncoordinated sulfhydryl and carboxylic acid groups dissociate, the chelates dissolve and remain in aqueous solution. The infrared spectra of meso- and racemic-DMSA show distinct features that can be used to detect the presence of either diastereoisomer.
Chemical Pressure and Rare-Earth Orbital Contributions in Mixed Rare-Earth Silicides La5–xYxSi4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 5)

A crystallographic study and theoretical analysis of the structural and La/Y site preferences in the La5–xYxSi4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 5) series prepared by high-temperature methods is presented. At room temperature, La-rich La5–xYxSi4 phases with x ≤ 3.0 exhibit the tetragonal Zr5Si4-type structure (space group P41212, Z = 4, Pearson symbol tP36), which contains only Si–Si dimers. On the other hand, Y-rich phases with x = 4.0 and 4.5 adopt the orthorhombic Gd5Si4-type structure (space group Pnma, Z = 4, Pearson symbol oP36), also with Si–Si dimers, whereas Y5Si4 forms the monoclinic Gd5Si2Ge2 structure (space group P21/c, Z = 4, Pearson symbol mP36), which exhibits 50% “broken” Si–Si dimers. Local and long-range structural relationships among the tetragonal, orthorhombic, and monoclinic structures are discussed. Refinements from single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of the three independent sites for La or Y atoms in the asymmetric unit reveal partial mixing of these elements, with clearly different preferences for...
Enhanced processing of threatening stimuli: The case of face recognition

Because of their evolutionary importance, threat-detection mechanisms are likely to exist at a variety of levels. A recent study of face recognition suggests that novel stimuli receive enhanced processing when presented as fear-related. This suggests the existence of a complex, context-dependent threat-detection mechanism that can adaptively respond to spatiotemporally varying and unique environmental features.
Ultrastructural localization of radiolabelled L-dopa in the endocrine hypothalamus of the rat

Light and electron microscopic autoradiography has been employed to define the neuroanatomical patterns of uptake and binding of radiolabelled L-dopa in the endocrine hypothalamus of the rat. A dorsomedial continuum of arcuate and periventricular neurons selectively sequester 3H L-dopa 20 min following its intraventricular infusion. By 40 and 60 min following the infusion labelling of neurons is minimal and supports the notion of rapid degradation. Other cell compartments such as tanycytes demonstrate uptake of 3H L-dopa. The ultrastructural localization and distribution of radiolabelled L-dopa (or its metabolites) in the rodent hypothalamus is discussed with respect to mechanisms and cell compartments involved in neuroendocrine regulatory processes.
Genetic aspects of immunologic abnormalities in New Zealand mouse strains.

Since preliminary evidence indicated that a gene locus associated with the chocolate coat color had an inhibitory effect on the spontaneous development of autoimmune hemolytic anemia–which in turn was associated with a dominant gene–we accordingly initiated the development of a congenic line of NZB mice carrying the chocolate coat color locus (and other genes closely linked to this locus). After eight backcross generations to NZB, an inbred line of mice carrying the chocolate coat color gene was established and then studied for incidence of anti-RBC autoantibodies. The congenic line NZB.ch shows a considerably lower incidence of such autoantibodies, particularly in male mice. Although further analysis is still required, we propose that the genetic control of autoimmunity is based on the resultant interaction of several gene loci: 1) a single dominant locus (A) that predisposes to an autoimmune state rather than the maintenance of (self) tolerance, 2) a modifying locus (M) linked to ch., subject to gene dosage, which particularly in the recessive state can inhibit the effect of the A locus, and 3) a cluster of specific immune response genes that are associated with specific autoantibody responses, e.g. antinucleic acid antibodies, and are probably H2 linked. Our current analysis does not suggest that the A or M loci are linked to the MHC. It is also proposed that the wild-type allele of the M locus is carried by normal mouse strains, that NZB mice have a completely inactive allele at this locus, and that NZC mice have a third allele detectable only in the homozygous state.
Environment, resources and directions of growth

Abstract Changing resource availabilities, environmental concerns, and consumption preferences are leading to important structural changes in the American economy. Physical resource scarcities other than energy and food are not of major consequences, but new international arrangements are needed for their exploitation and flow. Environmental concerns may offer new economic opportunities for developing countries. Shifts toward ‘post-industrial society’ imply slower growth rates in goods consumption and the need to modify the linkage between growth in rich and poor countries. Developing country prospects and strategies are heavily dependent on the choice of industrialized countries between nationalist separatism and more effective international collaboration.
Experimental implementation of an optimal actuator switching policy algorithm in flexible structures

An experimental implementation of an actuator switching scheme in a flexible structure that employs multiple piezoceramic actuators is reported in this manuscript and whose results support theoretical predictions and agree with numerical findings. The proposed supervisory control scheme attempts to improve controller performance of a system subject to spatiotemporally varying disturbances. The intelligent controller achieves its tasks by switching to different actuating devices at different time intervals. Specifically, the flexible structure under study is assumed to have multiple piezoceramic actuators available with only one being active over a time interval of fixed length while the remaining ones are kept dormant. By monitoring the state of the system, the supervisory controller engages the actuator that lies "spatially" closer to the region (epicenter) of a spatially varying disturbances within the spatial domain. This actuator switching scheme mimics the case of a moving actuator capable of residing in predetermined positions within the spatial domain of the flexible structure. Numerical studies for a flexible beam are presented in conjunction to the experimental ones to support the analytical findings of this work.
IRC § 71 MAY IMPOVERISH CHILDREN, ENDANGER EX-WIVES, AND DISRUPT FEDERALISM1

The Internal Revenue Code provides that alimony will be deductible to the payor and taxable to the payee. Although this treatment may seem contrary to the payee's interest, compared to making the payments non-deductible and nontaxable, it can increase the payee's after-tax income. The payor's deduction will allow larger payments at no after-tax cost increase; if the payee is in a lower tax bracket, then even after paying taxes the payee will have more resources. Because this favorable treatment of alimony does not apply to child support, children of divorce are poorer. Nor does the favorable treatment apply to lump-sum payments, making this option less generous, even though many states have phased down the grant of alimony. Because the definition of alimony requires that it end with the payee's death—to protect the treatment provided for lump sums—the tax system is on the wrong side of the issue of violence against ex-spouses (typically the ex-wife). The article proposes extending to other similar payments the favorable tax treatment now provided for alimony.
Optical functions of ion-implanted, laser-annealed heavily doped silicon

The optical functions of silcon heavily doped with Ge, P, As, and B are determined using spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements from 240 to 840 nm (5.16 to 1.47 eV). Below the direct band gap, there is a residual enhancement of the optical-adsorption coefficient for silicon heavily doped with n-type dopants, which cannot be explained by surface roughness. In the low-energy region of the observed spectrum, it is found that both free-carrier and strain effects alter the complex dielectric function.
Theoretical investigations of the quenching of CO fluorescence by ortho and para H2

Abstract A simple theory for near resonance vibrational-rotational energy transfer is developed and applied to the vibrational fluorescence experiments for the relaxation of CO in the presence of ortho- and para-H 2 . The kinetic data for ortho-H 2 is readily interpreted with an extended Landau-Teller plot. whereas the low temperature deviation of the CO relaxation with para-H 2 is attributed to the near resonant transition CO (ν = 1) + H 2 ( j = 2) → CO (ν = 0) + H 2 ( j = 6) + Δ E = 88 cm −1 . The extracted thermally averaged cross section for this particular process behaves roughly like T −1 , which is interpreted in terms of a simple anisotropic perturbation. At low temperatures (near liquid nitrogen) the ortho-para deviation should cease primarily due to the depletion of the j = 2 state
On pubescent voice change in males.

Summary This review of adolescent voice change (AVC) in males is introduced by a brief historical overview of the area. That effort is followed by a summarization of those core studies which describe the AVC process in the normal boy. Although no new experiments are presented, a number of related investigations are organized into a cohesive base—one that permits development of an AVC model The model, then, can be employed to establish a reasonable description of the process by providing information about its initiation, duration, and completion. It also assists in establishing perspectives about pubescent voice change and a baseline for future research.
Consequences of neural asynchrony: a case of auditory neuropathy.

Abstract The neural representation of sensory events depends upon neural synchrony. Auditory neuropathy, a disorder of stimulus-timing-related neural synchrony, provides a model for studying the role of synchrony in auditory perception. This article presents electrophysiological and behavioral data from a rare case of auditory neuropathy in a woman with normal hearing thresholds, making it possible to separate audibility from neuropathy. The experimental results, which encompass a wide range of auditory perceptual abilities and neurophysiologic responses to sound, provide new information linking neural synchrony with auditory perception. Findings illustrate that optimal eighth nerve and auditory brainstem synchrony do not appear to be essential for understanding speech in quiet listening situations. However, synchrony is critical for understanding speech in the presence of noise.
Development of abiraterone acetate, a 17-alpha hydroxylase C17,20-lyase inhibitor as a secondary hormonal therapy in prostate cancer

Abstract Although androgen deprivation therapy is widely accepted as the standard approach to patients with advanced prostate cancer, most patients eventually develop progressive disease despite castrate levels of testosterone. Despite its name, castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is nonetheless dependent on continued activation of the androgen receptor via various signaling pathways. New secondary hormonal therapies seek to prolong suppression of the AR and thus delay the development of truly hormone “refractory” prostate cancer. Adrenal androgen synthesis represents one potential mechanism of continued AR-mediated growth in CRPC, and thus a potential target for therapy. Abiraterone acetate is an orally available small molecule that specifically inhibits the 17-alpha hydroxylase and C17,20-lyase enzymes within the adrenal steroid synthetic pathway. Preliminary data from phase I dose escalation trials suggest that PSA declines occur in a large proportion of patients and that the toxicity profile is acceptable. If ultimately proven to be efficacious in phase II/III trials, abiraterone acetate would represent the first agent mechanistically developed for the purpose of adrenal androgen suppression in prostate cancer.
A simple variant of node connectivity is NP-complete

A simple variant of the node connectivity problem arises in the domain of network reliability. Here, break-up of a network into two components can be tolerated, but not into three or more components. We show that the problem of determining the minimum number of node/edge deletions that break a network into three or more components is a computationally hard problem, by proving that its decision-version is NP-Complete. In the process, we show that a closely related problem, which can be of interest in itself, is also NP-Complete.
Exercise counseling by primary care physicians in the era of managed care.

Abstract Background: Recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) advise all adults to accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week, but many U.S. adults engage in no leisure-time physical activity. Since primary care providers can play an important role in exercise counseling and prescription, we wanted to assess the proportion of primary care physicians from four hospitals who asked about exercise habits, counseled about exercise, and prescribed exercise; and the factors that were associated with their counseling and prescription habits. Design: Survey of 326 internists, family practitioners, and internal medicine and family practice residents. Results: One hundred seventy-five physicians completed the questionnaire (54% response rate). Two thirds of physicians reported asking more than half of their patients about exercise, 43% counseled more than half of their patients about exercise, but only 14% prescribed exercise for more than half of their patients. Only 12% of physicians were familiar with the new ACSM recommendations. Physicians aged 35 and over were more likely than physicians less than 35 year old to ask about (82% versus 60%), counsel about (58% versus 37%), and prescribe (30% versus 8%) exercise. Family practitioners were more likely to ask about (85% versus 62%) and counsel about (59% versus 39%) exercise than internists. Physicians who felt they had adequate exercise knowledge were more likely to ask about (72% versus 49%) and counsel about (48% versus 29%) exercise than those who felt their knowledge was inadequate. Finally, physicians who felt that they were successful in changing behavior were more likely to ask about and counsel about exercise. The most important barriers to exercise counseling were not having enough time and needing more practice in effective counseling techniques. Conclusion: Many primary care physicians are not asking about, counseling about, or prescribing exercise for their patients. Since primary care physicians are in the best position to provide individualized exercise prescriptions for their patients, future research should focus on training physicians in effective counseling techniques that can be done as brief interventions.
A Systematic Review of Business Incubation Research

This article systematically reviews the literature on business incubators and business incubation. Focusing on the primary research orientations—i.e. studies centering on incubator development, incubator configurations, incubatee development, incubator-incubation impacts, and theorizing about incubators-incubation—problems with extant research are analyzed and opportunities for future research are identified. From our review, it is clear that research has just begun to scratch the surface of the incubator-incubation phenomenon. While much attention has been devoted to the description of incubator facilities, less attention has been focused on the incubatees, the innovations they seek to diffuse, and the incubation outcomes that have been achieved. As interest in the incubator-incubation concept continues to grow, new research efforts should focus not only on these under-researched units of analysis, but also on the incubation process itself.
Surgery for Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: Open Versus Minimally Invasive Surgery

Degenerative spondylolisthesis with stenosis is common. Surgery for it, when indicated, has traditionally been performed as a posterior decompression and fusion with instrumentation, and relief of symptoms generally results. More recently, some spine surgeons have advocated for less-invasive approaches to the treatment of this condition. This has theoretical advantages, and it is very marketable and popular with the lay population. While the outcomes appear to be good with either technique, as new technology is introduced, it is important to compare the advantages, safety, and expenses of the new approaches to the more established techniques.
Studies on isolated cell components III. A cytological study of the effects of heparin on isolated nuclei

Abstract The gel released from isolated rat liver nuclei in response to heparin treatment has been found to stain with methylene blue, azure A, and methyl green when the dyes were added to the salt-sucrose nuclear isolation medium. Azure A and methylene blue caused rapid nuclear shrinkage to as little as 1 4 the original nuclear volume. Subsequent treatment with heparin caused the nuclei to fade rapidly and swell to approximately 5 4 of the original volume. With methylene blue stained nuclei heparin caused the extrusion of deeply stained, slightly birefringent rods through apertures on the nuclear surface. Methyl green also caused nuclear shrinkage, but to a lesser degree. Studies with the Feulgen reaction demonstrated structural damage in isolated rat liver nuclei as a result of heparin action. The viscous material released by heparin was shown to be Feulgen positive by resort to hydrolysis without prior fixation, since after customary fixatives the presence of a Feulgen positive reaction outside the nucleus could not be clearly demonstrated. The possibility is suggested that the Feulgen reaction following the customary fixatives depends in part on the manner in which the DNA is bound. The nuclei of leucocytes with visually intact cell membranes included in the nuclear preparations failed to show structural damage due to heparin and it is suggested that either the cell membrane provides some protection against heparin action or that damaged cells are more susceptible to this action. Observations made provide additional basis for the conclusion that heparin replaces DNA in the nucleo-histone of the nucleus, resulting in the structural damage observed, and releasing DNA in the form of a soluble viscous protein containing complex.
Analysis of protected cropping: an application of multiobjective programming techniques to Spanish horticulture

This paper deals with labor-managed horticultural firms in southeastern Spain. It tries to model the decision-making processes and the conflicts between profit maximization, risk minimization, leisure, and seasonal labor as decisionmakers' objectives. A vectorial optimization model is developed and different farm types are analyzed. The selected location is Almeria where the horticultural farms are studied by reference types, which include all the possible family farms in the area. The model uses the multiobjective techniques to analyze the empirical problem. The analysis of risk incorporates some recent advances in the treatment of risk in linear programming. It is concluded that the compromise solution describes reality better than an income-maximizing or risk-minimizing solution. Copyright 1989 by Oxford University Press.
Photoperiodic Inhibition of the Reproductive System: A Prerequisite for the Induction of the Refractory Period in Hamsters

Maintenance of male hamsters on LD 6:18 results in an initial decline in testicular size which is followed by complete regrowth of the testes after about 20-2 5 weeks of short days. The animals are now considered to be in the refractory condition, since short days are no longer capable of inhibiting neuroendocrine-gonadal activity. The present investigation was designed to determine if an exposure to short days perse leads to the induction of the refractory condition or if changes in the reproductive system that occur during the initial exposure to short days lead to the onset of refractoriness. Melatonin-treated animals that did not show evidence of testicular atrophy during a 24 week exposure to a nonstimulatory LD 6:18 light cycle were not refractory to short days, while control animals which did undergo testicular regression and recrudescence in 24 weeks were refractory. These results indicate that an exposure to short days per se does not induce the refractory condition in hamsters and suggest that an inhibition of neuroendocrine-gonadal activity, which normally occurs during exposure to short days, is required for the initiation of the refractory state in hamsters.
Comparing cognitive outcomes among children with autism spectrum disorders receiving community-based early intervention in one of three placements:

Little comparative research examines which community-based preschool intervention placements produce the best outcomes for which children with autism spectrum disorders. Autism-specific placements can provide intensive evidence-based care; however, inclusion settings provide interaction with typically developing peers, the importance of which is increasingly recognized. This study examined the association between early intervention placement in three settings (autism-only, mixed disability, or inclusive) and cognitive outcomes upon entry into elementary school in an urban school district for 98 preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorders. Initial child and demographic characteristics were similar among the three placements. Controlling for initial cognitive scores and other covariates, cognitive outcomes for children in inclusive placements were better than those of children in mixed disability settings. A consistent pattern emerged that suggested the particular importance of inclusive placements for children with initially greater social impairments, greater adaptive behavior impairments, and at least a baseline level of language skills. Opportunities to interact with typically developing peers may be particularly beneficial for certain subgroups of young children with autism spectrum disorders. The results provide preliminary insight into important child characteristics to consider when parents and providers make preschool early intervention placement decisions.
Whatever Happened to the Soul

: Traditional religious teachings about the nature of the person, especially body-soul dualism, influence majority views of the self. Following a historical overview, it is argued that a purely physicalist account of human nature is equally compatible with contemporary science and with Christian thought. However, an account that reduces higher human capacities to neurobiology is unacceptable from a theological perspective.
Patterns of leaf development in C4 plants.

The differentiation of cell types in plants depends on the continuous interpretation of positional information. Plant organs are established by patterns of cell division that are often highly variable, yet the final arrangement of cell types within each organ remains the same. A current challenge is to understand the means by which cells of varying clonal history arrive at the same differentiated fate in the development of a plant organ. The ideal system for the study of this developmental control would be an organ with few cell types, with defined patterns of cell origin, and with molec? ular markers for the differentiation of the individual cell