cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Colonial history and its effects on Sub‐Saharan economic development

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explain the causes of political and economic problems faced by Sub‐Saharan countries.Design/methodology/approach – Data were compiled from current statistical data from various countries in the region. Also library sources were used to study the historical developments relating to the countries’ past and current political and economic situations.Findings – This paper finds that the Sub‐Saharan countries misruled themselves and ruined their economies soon after they gained independence. They were then forced to seek help from their past colonial masters whom they had fought and got rid of to be independent.Practical implications – The implications are that these former colonies have had to face reality and work with some western countries (including their past colonial foes) in order to foster economic development. In so doing, they have had to compromise and be accommodate donor and invest conditionsOriginality/value – This paper provides explanation as to why the...
Generalized (η,ρ)-Invex Functions and Semiparametric Duality Models for Multiobjective Fractional Programming Problems Containing Arbitrary Norms

In this paper, we construct several semiparametric duality models and prove appropriate duality theorems under various generalized (η,ρ)-invexity assumptions for a multiobjective fractional programming problem involving arbitrary norms.
Vortex state in d -wave superconductors with strong paramagnetism: Transport and specific heat anisotropy

We analyze the combined effect of orbital and Pauli depairing on the superconducting state, and apply the results to the heavy fermion ${\text{CeCoIn}}_{5}$. We find that (a) standard extrapolation based on the slope of ${H}_{c2}(T)$ in the vicinity of the transition temperature does not always give accurate values of the orbital upper critical field; (b) critical value of the Maki parameter, $\ensuremath{\alpha}$, which determines onset of the first order transition, depends on the Fermi surface shape and the symmetry of the gap and is ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{\ast}}\ensuremath{\approx}3$ for ${\text{CeCoIn}}_{5}$; and (c) the anisotropy of the thermodynamic and transport coefficients in the low-temperature, low-field part of the phase diagram is essentially insensitive to the Zeeman field and can be used to determine the nodal directions in Pauli-limited superconductors. The latter result confirms the finding of the ${d}_{{x}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{y}^{2}}$ order parameter ${\text{CeCoIn}}_{5}$.
Hypergraphs, the qualitative solvability of κ.λ=0, and Volterra multipliers for nonlinear dynamical systems

Certain sign equivalence classes of n-dimensional nonlinear dynamical systems correspond to n-vertex hypergraphs, The global stability of some such dynamical systems can be guaranteed if the associated hypergraphs have a simplicity of structure and meet certain quantitative path product conditions. A purely algebraic version of the same problem can be described as follows. Suppose we are given a rectangular matrix pattern of signs; each entry in the matrix is +, −, or 0. For every real matrix κ of the same sign pattern, is there a real vector λ, each component of which is positive, such that κ · λ = 0? This paper presents graph theoretic sufficient conditions on a hypergraph generated from the sign pattern of κ which guarantee the existence of λ. For κ with more highly connected hypergraphs, this paper also presents sufficient qualitative conditions on the sign pattern of κ and certain quantitative conditions on sums of hypergraph path products which together guarantee the existence of λ.
Effects of long-term corticosterone implants on growth and immune function in juvenile alligators, Alligator mississippiensis.

Sixty juvenile alligators were implanted subcutaneously with slow release pellets of corticosterone or placebo. Alligators were divided into five different groups such that each group received a different dose. A blood sample was taken prior to and 4 days after the implants were in place to measure hormone levels. Additional blood samples were collected at 1 month and 3 months. At 4 days corticosterone levels ranged from 3,400 ng/ml in the group treated with the high dose to 40 ng/ml in the group implanted with the low dose. The extremely high dose caused 40% mortality within 4 weeks. It was evident that the pellets did not release the hormone for the expected 90 days. Circulating levels of corticosterone were back to baseline levels by 3 months. Hormone levels achieved at 4 days were a reliable predictor of subsequent growth. Rate of growth was negatively correlated with plasma corticosterone at 4 days (r 2 = 0.711) and at 1 month (r 2 = 0.544) posttreat- ment. Differential white blood cell counts performed after 1 month of treatment showed a clear effect of the implant. Alligators treated with corticosterone had decreased percentages of lympho- cytes, eosinophils, and basophils and had a higher heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio than the placebo group. Furthermore, histological examination of the spleen revealed a significant deple- tion of lymphoid cells in alligators treated with the highest dose of hormone. The results from this study demonstrate that exogenous corticosterone can mimic the effects of prolonged stress in juve- nile alligators. J. Exp. Zool. 279:156-162, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Heat transfer to immersed surfaces in gas-fluidized beds of large particles and powder characterization

Abstract A particle classification scheme is proposed for fluidized beds by considering simultaneously the hydrodynamic and thermal properties. The powder characterization is obtained by considering Archimedes number together with Reynolds number at minimum fluidization. The powders are classified in three groups and the validity of the scheme is demonstrated by considering heat transfer data from fluidized beds of sands (dp = 0.794 and 1.225 mm) and fire clay (3.0 mm) at ambient temperature and pressure in conjunction with heat transfer correlations and models developed for ‘large-particles’.
Application of MRS to mouse models of neurodegenerative illness.

The rapid development of transgenic mouse models of neurodegenerative diseases, in parallel with the rapidly expanding growth of MR techniques for assessing in vivo, non-invasive, neurochemistry, offers the potential to develop novel markers of disease progression and therapy. In this review we discuss the interpretation and utility of MRS for the study of these transgenic mouse and rodent models of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's (AD), Huntington's (HD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). MRS studies can provide a wealth of information on various facets of in vivo neurochemistry, including neuronal health, gliosis, osmoregulation, energy metabolism, neuronal–glial cycling, and molecular synthesis rates. These data provide information on the etiology, natural history and therapy of these diseases. Mouse models enable longitudinal studies with useful time frames for evaluation of neuroprotection and therapeutic interventions using many of the potential MRS markers. In addition, the ability to manipulate the genome in these models allows better mechanistic understanding of the roles of the observable neurochemicals, such as N-acetylaspartate, in the brain. The argument is made that use of MRS, combined with correlative histology and other MRI techniques, will enable objective markers with which potential therapies can be followed in a quantitative fashion. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dopamine and Paraquat Enhance α-Synuclein-Induced Alterations in Membrane Conductance

We have previously demonstrated that α-synuclein overexpression increases the membrane conductance of dopaminergic-like cells. Although α-synuclein is thought to play a central role in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s disease, multiple system atrophy, and diffuse Lewy body disease, the mechanism of action is not completely understood. In this study, we sought to determine whether multiple factors act together with α-synuclein to engender cell vulnerability through an augmentation of membrane conductance. In this article, we employed a cell model that mimics dopaminergic neurons coupled with α-synuclein overexpression and oxidative stressors. We demonstrate an enhancement of α-synuclein-induced toxicity in the presence of combined treatment with dopamine and paraquat, two molecules known to incite oxidative stress. In addition, we show that combined dopamine and paraquat treatment increases the expression of heme oxygenase-1, an antioxidant response protein. Finally, we demonstrate for the first time that combined treatment of dopaminergic cells with paraquat and dopamine enhances α-synuclein-induced leak channel properties resulting in increased membrane conductance. Importantly, these increases are most robust when both paraquat and dopamine are present suggesting the need for multiple oxidative insults to augment α-synuclein-induced disruption of membrane integrity.
Fluctuations in late quaternary diatom abundances: stratigraphic and paleoclimatic implications from subantarctic deep sea cores

Abstract We determined relative abundance of the marine diatoms Eucampia antarctica and Hemidiscus karstenii for the late Quaternary in four deep sea cores from the subantarctic region of the southeast Indian sector of the Southern Ocean. Abundance variations of the former species are shown to be a close proxy for the oxygen isotope record where increased relative abundance approximates glacial intervals and low relative abundance approximates interglacials. These abundance variations, which reflect orbital forcing, are believed to be due to increased presence of sea ice or icebergs during glacial intervals.
The Paranoia of Everyday Life: Some Personal, Psychological, and Pastoral Thoughts

Freud, early in his writings, makes the argument that paranoia results from the repression of distressing memories, paralleling hysteria and obsessional neurosis. The difference, however, is that paranoia makes use of a special psychic mechanism—projection—whereas hysteria makes use of conversion into somatic innervations and obsessional neurosis makes use of substitution or displacement. Drawing on recent research in paranoia, which suggests that feelings of paranoia are quite common among non-clinical populations, perhaps even as common as feelings of anxiety and depression in non-clinical populations, I suggest that paranoia “in everyday life”—that is, paranoia among non-clinical or so-called “normal” populations—results from the suppression (rather than the repression) of distressing thoughts (rather than memories). The mechanism of projection is still at work, but because paranoia in everyday life results from suppression rather than repression, it is much less severe but also much more common. I have followed the logic of Freud’s writings and I have used the method of introspection to come to this conclusion. I argue that pastors and other such persons would do well in knowing something about paranoia so that (1) they can deal more compassionately with those struggling with paranoia and so that (2) they can deal more compassionately with themselves, since it is likely, I believe, that many pastors often struggle with feelings of paranoia. I note several strategies for coping with paranoia as I deal with religious and psychological aspects of paranoia.
Connectionist symbolic rule encoding using a generalized phase‐locking mechanism

This paper describes a connectionist inference architecture which performs standard symbolic inference on a subclass of first-order predicate calculus. This work first involves constructing efficient connectionist mechanisms to represent basic symbol components, dynamic bindings and basic symbolic inference procedures, and devising a set of algorithms which automatically translates input descriptions to localist neural networks. These connectionist mechanisms are built by taking an existing phase-locking mechanism and extending it further to obtain desirable features to represent and manipulate basic symbol structures. The existing phase-locking mechanism represents dynamic bindings very efficiently using temporal synchronous activity between neuron elements but has fundamental limitations in supporting standard symbolic inference. The extension addresses these limitations. The extended system encodes a significant subset of a Horn clause language in a connectionist style.
Characterization of a cellular denitrase activity that reverses nitration of cyclooxygenase

Protein 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) formation is frequently regarded as a simple biomarker of disease, an irreversible posttranslational modification that can disrupt protein structure and function. Nevertheless, evidence that protein 3-NT modifications may be site selective and reversible, thus allowing for physiological regulation of protein activity, has begun to emerge. We have previously reported that cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 undergoes heme-dependent nitration of Tyr385, an internal and catalytically essential residue. In the present study, we demonstrate that nitrated COX-1 undergoes a rapid reversal of nitration by substrate-selective and biologically regulated denitrase activity. Using nitrated COX-1 as a substrate, denitrase activity was validated and quantified by analytic HPLC with electrochemical detection and determined to be constitutively active in murine and human endothelial cells, macrophages, and a variety of tissue samples. Smooth muscle cells, however, contained little denitrase activity. Further characterizing this denitrase activity, we found that it was inhibited by free 3-NT and may be enhanced by endogenous nitric oxide and exogenously administered carbon monoxide. Finally, we describe a purification protocol that results in significant enrichment of a discrete denitrase-containing fraction, which maintains activity throughout the purification process. These findings reveal that nitrated COX-1 is a substrate for a denitrase in cells and tissues, implying that the reciprocal processes of nitration and denitration may modulate bioactive lipid synthesis in the setting of inflammation. In addition, our data reveal that denitration is a controlled process that may have broad importance for regulating cell signaling events in nitric oxide-generating systems during oxidative/nitrosative stress.
La castellanización de "Li Livres dou Tresor" de Brunetto Latini en la Corte de Sancho IV (1284-1295): algunas notas sobre la recepción de la Ética Aristotélica

This article focuses on the translation into Castilian of Brunetto Latini’s Li Livres dou tresor . This translation was ordered by king Sancho IV around 1293, and included the first extant abridged version of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics (Summa Alexandrinorum) in Castilian. Nevertheless, the Aristotelian ethics would not become popular until the fifteenth century. This article aims at qualifying the initial reception of Libro del tesoro . Therefore, the interpolations of short explanations in the translation to Castilian are analyzed. It is observed that the effort to clarify the meaning of some concepts is evident in the chapters on ethics and does impinge on the Aristotelian notion of happiness or eudaimonia.
Gayer, Rostow, and Schwartz on the British Economy

More than a decade ago, Arthur Gayer, W. W. Rostow, and Anna Jacobson Schwartz completed their remarkable work of collaborative scholarship. Preoccupation of the authors with other usks during and after the war was, it is stated, the main cause for the delay in publication; but one may surmise that with a study of such full-bodied proportions as was originally put together, the ever-rising cost of publication was also a factor. Fortunately, the surviving authors (Mr. Gayer died in 1951) have not been too reverent of the arduous fullness of their well-planned product. They have accepted the expedient of microfilming to meet their purpose of making unpublished parts accessible to other scholars. How generous their prewar intentions were is indicated by the list, occupying nearly seventeen pages in Volume II, of full texts of several sections and of tables of monthly data on prices of stocks and commodities, as well as other basic matter, which will be available through the Columbia University Council on Research in the Social Sciences, which has fostered the study virtually from the conception of the project by Mr. Gayer twenty years ago.
Blown to Bits: How the New Economics of Information Transforms Strategy

The article reviews the book “Blown to Bits: How the New Economics of Information Transforms Strategy,” by Philip Evans and Thomas Wurster.
The effects of non‐sphericity on geostationary satellite retrievals of dust aerosols

[1] Using data collected during the Puerto Rico Dust Experiment (PRIDE), we examine the effect of non-spherical phase functions on dust aerosol retrievals from geostationary satellites. We utilize a statistical model based on Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM) analysis of individual dust particles. Using T-matrix calculations and assuming that dust particles are randomly-orientated oblate spheroids we compute the dust phase function and scattering properties. Although the non-spherical function developed in this study compares well with the synthetic non-spherical phase functions [Liu et al., 2003], new retrievals using the non-spherical phase function only show slight improvement at scattering angles (Θ) from 110° ∼ 150°, and become worse for Θ between 150° ∼ 170°. However the retrievals are greatly improved at all angles when retrieval algorithms account for the combined effect of both spherical and non-spherical phase functions.
The Costs of Mutualism

Mutualisms are of central importance in biological systems. Despite growing attention in recent years, however, few conceptual themes have yet to be identified that span mutualisms differing in natural history. Here I examine the idea that the ecology and evolution of mutualisms are shaped by diverse costs, not only by the benefits they confer. This concept helps link mutualism to antagonisms such as herbivory, predation, and parasitism, interactions defined largely by the existence of costs. I first briefly review the range of costs associated with mutualisms, then describe how one cost, the consumption of seeds by pollinator offspring, was quantified for one fig/pollinator mutualism. I compare this cost to published values for other fig/pollinator mutualisms and for other kinds of pollinating seed parasite mutualisms, notably the yucca/yucca moth interaction. I then discuss four issues that fundamentally complicate comparative studies of the cost of mutualism: problems of knowing how to measure the magnitude of any one cost accurately; problems associated with using average estimates in the absence of data on sources of variation; complications arising from the complex correlates of costs, such as functional linkages between costs and benefits; and problems that arise from considering the cost of mutualism as a unilateral issue in what is fundamentally a reciprocal interaction. The rich diversity of as-yet unaddressed questions surrounding the costs of mutualism may best be investigated via detailed studies of individual interactions.
Modular Filter-based Approach to Ground Motion Attenuation Modeling

Previous-generation ground-motion attenuation relations ( e.g. , Abrahamson and Silva 1997; Boore et al. 1997; Campbell 1997; Sadigh et al. 1997) were designed to predict ground motion at distances less than 100 km from an earthquake fault. As probabilistic and deterministic seismic hazard analysis concepts have become more prevalent in performance-based seismic design, these relations have been used in practice much beyond their distance limitation. Realizing the engineering needs for predicting ground motions at distances farther than 100 km, the Next Generation Attenuation (NGA) relations project targeted a distance range up to 200 km (Power et al. 2006). For seismic hazard analysis in the western United States (WUS), 200 km is a sufficiently large distance to quantify design-basis hazard level from known active faults due to relatively fast attenuation of ground motion. For the central and eastern United States (CEUS), ground motion attenuates more slowly, yet design of critical infrastructures in the CEUS ( e.g. , nuclear power plants) requires computation of seismic hazard from distant large events. Thus, the recently initiated NGA-East project for CEUS set a goal to design ground-motion attenuation models applicable to 1,000 km. The objective of this article is to revisit the commonly used empirical approach to ground-motion attenuation modeling and compare it with an alternative modular filter-based approach that can be effectively used for predicting ground motion at near- ( 100 km). In this latter approach, each filter is calibrated separately to represent a certain physical phenomenon affecting seismic radiation from the source. We demonstrate that the modular filter-based approach provides accurate (that is, expected median prediction without significant bias) and efficient (that is, relatively small standard error of prediction) predictions. We also present our peak ground acceleration (PGA) based predictive model for …
The geology of Callisto

The geology of Callisto is not boring. Although cratered terrain dominates Callisto (a key end-member of the Jovian satellite system), a number of more interesting features are apparent. Cratered terrain is broken into irregular map-able bright and dark subunits that vary in albedo by a factor of 2, and several relatively smooth units are depleted of small craters. Some of these areas may have been volcanically resurfaced. Lineaments, including parallel and radial sets, may be evidence for early global tectonism. Frost deposition occurs in cold traps, and impact scars have formed from tidally disrupted comets. Geologic evidence suggests that Callisto does have a chemically differentiated crust. Central pit and central dome craters and palimpsests are common. The preferred interpretation is that a relatively ice-rich material, at depths of 5 km or more, has been mobilized during impact and exposed as domes or palimpsests. The close similarity in crater morphologies and dimensions indicates that the outermost 10 km or so of Callisto may be as differentiated as on Ganymede. The geology of cratered terrain on Callisto is simpler than that of cratered terrain on Ganymede, however. Orbital evolution and tidal heating may provide the answer to the riddle of why Callisto and Ganymede are so different (Malhotra, 1991). We should expect a few surprises and begins to answer some fundamental questions when Callisto is observed by Galileo in late 1996.
Carotid artery findings associated with infarcts in different carotid vascular territories.

Brain infarctions in different vascular territories may be caused by different principal mechanisms. To assess the importance of extracranial carotid artery stenosis as a cause of brain infarctions, we compared carotid findings with infarcts in different vascular territories within the carotid circulation in 141 patients. Infarct location was documented with computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or ophthalmoscopy. All patients had a carotid artery study (arteriography in 83 and duplex ultrasound in the remaining 58). Carotid stenosis ipsilateral to infarct was found in 37/69 (54%) patients with superficial infarcts, 7/17 (41%) patients with lenticulostriate territory infarcts, 14/24 (58%) patients with retinal infarcts, but in only 4/31 (13%) patients with anterior choroidal artery territory infarcts (p = 0.001). Among patients with superficial infarcts, hypertension was less common (p = 0.05), and the side with greater carotid stenosis correlated with the side of infarction (p < 0.001). Extracranial carotid stenosis appears to be an important cause of infarctions in the carotid territory, especially in the superficial territories, but not in the anterior choroidal artery territory.
Adenosine Triphosphate Content of Selenastrum capricornutum

The adenosine triphosphate content of Selenastrum capricornutum was maintained within 1.4 to 3.4 μg of adenosine triphosphate/mg (dry weight) of living biomass at different growth stages in media of different phosphorus concentrations.
Internal and External Forces in Language Change.

If every productive form of linguistic expression can be described by some idealized human grammar, an individuals’s variable linguistic behavior (Weinreich, Labov, & Herzog, 1968) can be modeled as a statistical distribution of multiple idealized grammars. The distribution of grammars is determined by the interaction between the biological constraints on human grammar and the properties of linguistic data in the environment during the course of language acquisition. Such interaction can be formalized precisely and quantitatively in a mathematical model of language learning. Consequently, we model language change as the change in grammar distribution over time, which can be related to the statistical properties of historical linguistic data. As an empirical test, we apply the proposed model to explain the loss of the verb-second phenomenon in Old French and Old English based on corpus studies of historical texts.
Total mesorectal excision is not necessary for cancers of the upper rectum

Abstract Background: The technical aspects of surgery of the upper rectum (10 to 15 cm from the anal verge) and sigmoid colon are similar, but a change in technique is required for surgery of the lower rectum ( Methods: Between 1980 and 1990, 891 patients were treated with curative intent for sigmoid (n = 225) and rectal cancer (UR = 229; LR = 437). The Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to compare outcomes. Results: The risk of local recurrence alone, local and distant recurrence, death as a result of cancer, or any recurrence or death as a result of cancer was 3.5, 2.7, 2.1, and 1.9 times higher for patients with LR than for patients with UR, but the risk was not increased for UR relative to S. Conclusions: The outcome of treatment for UR is the same as for S and differs favorably from that for LR. UR should be treated by the same technique as S. (Surgery 1998;124:612-8.)
Dental Considerations in the Management of Head and Neck Cancer Patients

The text has emphasized the need for a timely dental consult early in the process of the head and neck cancer patient's treatment. Nonrestorable diseased teeth should be removed before radiation and chemotherapy. The primary survey of the patient should include an examination of the oral cavity, noting the state of the dentition and periodontal tissues. Complications commonly seen in patient's undergoing radiotherapy,such as xerostomia, mucositis, and trismus, may be reduced and, therefore,improve the patient's quality of life. Optimizing the patient's oral health benefits the patient's postsurgical and postirradiation course. The dental health care professional can serve an important role in the overall outcome of the patient's care.
RAISING CHILDREN BILINGUALLY THROUGH THE ‘ONE PARENT-ONE LANGUAGE’ APPROACH: A CASE STUDY OF JAPANESE MOTHERS IN THE AUSTRALIAN CONTEXT. Takeuchi

RAISING CHILDREN BILINGUALLY THROUGH THE ‘ONE PARENT-ONE LANGUAGE’ APPROACH: A CASE STUDY OF JAPANESE MOTHERS IN THE AUSTRALIAN CONTEXT. Takeuchi. Bern: Peter Lang, 2006. Pp. xv + 385. $68.95 paper.Research on child language acquisition within bilingual families adhering to the “One Parent-One Language” (OPOL) approach has focused on parental attitudes, language status (Romaine, 1989), the quantity of language input (Clyne, 1987; Schlyter, 1993), and the quality of parent-child interactions (Dopke, 1992; Lanza, 1997). Masae Takeuchi's work offers a valuable overview of this past research and reports on her own dissertation study of 25 OPOL families in Australia. Takeuchi adds to the growing body of data demonstrating that the quality of interactions between the minority-language-speaking parent and the child is often a crucial variable in determining the success of the OPOL approach in raising a child with active knowledge of more than one language.
Rheological, sensorial and chemopreventive properties of milk fermented with exopolysaccharide-producing lactic cultures.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the rheological, sensorial, and chemopreventive properties of milk fermented with different exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing lactic cultures. Reconstituted skim milk (11% wt/vol) was fermented with single strains of EPS-producing and non-EPS-producing cultures. Whey that collected on the surface of undisturbed fermented milks and after cutting was measured. All EPS-producing cultures reduced the amount of whey present on the surface of the undisturbed samples, whereas only 3 out of 5 strains reduced syneresis measured after cutting. All EPS-producing cultures except a strain of Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus reduced viscoelastic moduli in fermented milk. There was a linear correlation between ropiness and smoothness. In the chemoprevention study, 140 male Fisher rats were divided into 7 groups of 20 each. Rats in 6 groups were fed diets supplemented with fermented milks each made with a single strain of EPS-producing or non-producing cultures, whereas rats in group 7 (control) were fed a diet supplemented with milk acidified with glucono-δ-lactone (GDL). All rats were injected with azoxymethane (15 mg/kg, subcutaneous) at wk 7 and 8 of age to induce tumors and fed their respective diets ad libitum throughout the study. After 30 wk of initiation, all rats were anesthetized with ether, and their intestinal tissues were isolated and washed with cold normal saline. The number and size of tumors in the colon and small intestine were recorded. Rats fed diets supplemented with fermented milk made with 2 EPS-positive and 1 EPS-negative strains had significantly lowered incidence of colon tumor and colon tumor multiplicity. Cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme activity (the enzyme implicated in colon tumor development) was significantly lower in the colon tissue of rats fed diets containing milk fermented with 4 EPS-producing and 1 non-producing cultures than that in rats fed diets supplemented with GDL-acidified milk. Different EPS-positive cultures produced fermented milks with distinct rheological characteristics and levels of ropiness. No relationship was found between rheological properties or level of ropiness of fermented milk and its chemopreventive effect.
Nitrate-Dependent Activation of the Dif Signaling Pathway of Myxococcus xanthus Mediated by a NarX-DifA Interspecies Chimera

Myxococcus xanthus fibril exopolysaccharide (EPS), essential for the social gliding motility and development of this bacterium, is regulated by the Dif chemotaxis-like pathway. DifA, an MCP homolog, is proposed to mediate signal input to the Dif pathway. However, DifA lacks a prominent periplasmic domain, which in classical chemoreceptors is responsible for signal perception and for initiating transmembrane signaling. To investigate the signaling properties of DifA, we constructed a NarX-DifA (NafA) chimera from the sensory module of Escherichia coli NarX and the signaling module of M. xanthus DifA. We report here the first functional chimeric signal transducer constructed using genes from organisms in two different phylogenetic subdivisions. When expressed in M. xanthus, NafA restored fruiting body formation, EPS production, and S-motility to difA mutants in the presence of nitrate. Studies with various double mutants indicate that NafA requires the downstream Dif proteins to function. We propose that signal inputs to the Dif pathway and transmembrane signaling by DifA are essential for the regulation of EPS production in M. xanthus. Despite the apparent structural differences, DifA appears to share similar transmembrane signaling mechanisms with enteric sensor kinases and chemoreceptors.
Integrating Technology and Classroom Assessment

: In the foreign language classroom, the recent shift in emphasis from the instructor to the student makes it more important than ever to assess what students are actually learning. This article examines classroom assessment techniques and how technology can be used to enhance their effectiveness. Examples from upper-division courses in German, French, and Spanish are given.
Gender differences in the processes of change for condom use: patterns across stages of change in crack cocaine users

Interventions to increase condom use in crack users have had mixed results. For interventions to achieve greater success, the mechanisms of behavior change in this population need to be understood. One mechanism, the processes of change, was examined across stages of change for condom use. Results from the analysis of variance for males and females revealed that stage of change was associated with different levels of three experiential processes: consciousness raising, social liberation and self-reevaluation. However, these analyses found that male and females seem to have different patterns of behavioral process use. Specifically, females in the preparation stage were different from those in precontemplation, whereas this difference was not pronounced in males. In general, people had high levels of experiential processes in every stage of change. The patterns of behavior process use mimicked patterns found for other behaviors with a linear increase across the stages of change. This may indicate that for maintaining condom use, more emotional and
Factors Influencing the Capacity Fade of Spinel Lithium Manganese Oxides

With the aim of developing a better understanding of the capacity fading mechanisms of spinel manganese oxides, the percent capacity fade of a number of singly substituted LiMn 2-y M y O 4 (M = Li, Al, Ti, Co. Ni, and Cu and 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.2) and doubly substituted LiMn 2-y-z M y Li z O 4 (M = Al. Ti, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Ga, 0 ≤ y ≤ 0. 1, and 0 ≤ z ≤ 0.1) oxides is correlated to the initial lattice parameter, initial manganese valence, degree of manganese dissolution, electrode resistance, irreversible capacity (IRC) loss in the first cycle, and lattice parameter difference Δa between the two cubic phases formed in the two-phase region during the charge-discharge process. The doubly substituted LiMn 2-y-z Ni y Li z O 4 samples exhibit a combination of superior capacity retention and rate capability with lower IRC compared to LiMn 2 O 4 despite a similar amount of manganese dissolution due to a low Aa and the consequent low microstrain. The samples with a low Δa are also characterized by a lower initial lattice parameter and a higher initial Mn valence of >3.58+ for the as-prepared samples. The percent capacity fade, IRC, and Δa all exhibit a sharp decrease as the initial Mn valence in the as-prepared sample exceeds 3.58+.
Use of Euler potentials for describing magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling

[1] We present a general formulation of the basic equations of large-scale magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling in terms of Euler potentials and describe a specific numerical implementation of this formulation in the context of the Rice Convection Model (RCM). When written in terms of Euler potentials, both the Vasyliunas magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling equation and the expression for bounce-averaged adiabatic drift assume particularly elegant forms, while the equation for the conservation of ionospheric current is only slightly more complicated to solve than the corresponding formula for a dipole case. For simplicity, large-scale models of convection in the inner magnetosphere have typically assumed strict symmetry between the northern and southern hemispheres, explicitly assuming the internal planetary magnetic field to be a dipole aligned with Earth's rotation axis and oriented perpendicular to the solar wind flow velocity. These approximations have precluded the realistic treatment of ionospheric longitude and seasonal effects as well as dipole-tilt and IMF-By-penetration effects in the magnetosphere. We present a scheme for constructing an Euler-potential-based computational mesh, in which the Euler potential α is set to zero at the dip equator for a reference altitude of 90 km, and β lines in the northern ionosphere follow lines of constant centered dipole magnetic longitude but are spaced equally in terms of total latitude-integrated magnetic flux. Properties of the Euler-potential-based grid are illustrated using an IGRF model for the Earth's internal field. Our procedure yields an Euler-potential-based grid that covers the entire ionosphere, except for the southern polar cap and cusp.
Reduction of Concrete Expansion by Ettringite Using Crystallization Inhibition Techniques

Many researchers have proposed that secondary or delayed ettringite is responsible for serious, premature deterioration of concrete highways. The current research project was designed to determine experimentally if secondary ettringite formation in concrete can be reduced by treating the concrete with commercial crystallization-inhibitor chemicals. The hypothesis is that if ettringite is reduced, a concomitant reduction of concrete expansion and cracking will occur. If ettringite formation and concrete deterioration are simultaneously reduced, then the case for ettringite-induced expansion/cracking is strengthened. Our experiments used four commercial inhibitors—two phosphonates, a polyacrylic acid, and a phosphate ester. Concrete blocks were subjected to continuous-immersion, wet/dry cycling, and freeze/thaw cycling in sodium sulfate solutions and in sulfate solutions containing an inhibitor. The two phosphonate inhibitors were effective in reducing ettringite nucleation and growth in the concrete. Two other non-phosphonate inhibitors were somewhat effective, although less so than the two phosphonates. Reduction of new ettringite formation in concrete blocks also reduced expansion and cracking of the blocks. This relationship clearly links concrete expansion with ettringite formation. Secondary ettringite nucleation and growth must cause concrete expansion, because the only effect of these inhibitor chemicals is to reduce crystal nucleation and growth. These inhibitors cannot be responsible in any other way for reduction in expansion.
Organization of the receptor-kinase signaling array that regulates Escherichia coli chemotaxis.

Motor behavior in prokaryotes is regulated by a phosphorelay network involving a histidine protein kinase, CheA, whose activity is controlled by a family of Type I membrane receptors. In a typical Escherichia coli cell, several thousand receptors are organized together with CheA and an Src homology 3-like protein, CheW, into complexes that tend to be localized at the cell poles. We found that these complexes have at least 6 receptors per CheA. CheW is not required for CheA binding to receptors, but is essential for kinase activation. The kinase activity per mole of bound CheA is proportional to the total bound CheW. Similar results were obtained with the E. coli serine receptor, Tsr, and theSalmonella typhimurium aspartate receptor, Tar. In the case of Tsr, under conditions optimal for kinase activation, the ratio of subunits in complexes is ∼6 Tsr:4 CheW:1 CheA. Our results indicate that information from numerous receptors is integrated to control the activity of a relatively small number of kinase molecules.
Molecular Genetic Analysis of Ethanol Intoxication in Drosophila melanogaster.

SYNOPSIS. Recently, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has been introduced as a model system to study the molecular bases of a variety of ethanol-induced behaviors. It became immediately apparent that the behavioral changes elicited by acute ethanol exposure are remarkably similar in flies and mammals. Flies show signs of acute intoxication, which range from locomotor stimulation at low doses to complete sedation at higher doses and they develop tolerance upon intermittent ethanol exposure. Genetic screens for mutants with altered responsiveness to ethanol have been carried out and a few of the disrupted genes have been identified. This analysis, while still in its early stages, has already revealed some surprising molecular parallels with mammals. The availability of powerful tools for genetic manipulation in Drosophila, together with the high degree of conservation at the genomic level, make Drosophila a promising model organism to study the mechanism by which ethanol regulates behavior and the mechanisms underlying the organism’s adaptation to long-term ethanol exposure.
Eating Together, Separately: Intergroup Communication and Food in a Multiethnic Community

In multiethnic communities, food pathways can bring diverse residents into contact in restaurants and in the aisles of grocery stores—though the communication that ensues does not always lead to greater understanding. Drawing from communication infrastructure theory, as well as intergroup contact and racial formation concepts, this article explores the relationship between food practices and how residents perceive their demographically changing communities. The article synthesizes a survey, field observations, and interviews with Asian, Latino, and White residents in a majority-minority city in Los Angeles County. Findings suggest that, although discursive networks within commercial food spaces are often ethnically bounded, communication in and about food spaces can act as a barometer of attitudes toward community change and intergroup relations.
Deserving Welcome? Immigrants, Christian Faith Communities, and the Contentious Politics of Belonging in the US South

This article examines articulations of merit and deservingness in relation to immigrants in the US South. In a context of pronounced anti-immigrant sentiment, scholars have rightfully focused on state practices that marginalize immigrants. Yet xenophobia and exclusion are but one set of responses to immigrants. Societies also construct immigrants as meritorious figures: hard workers, entrepreneurs, and upholders of family values. The figure of the “good immigrant”, like that of the “bad immigrant”, is routinely produced and reproduced in social settings that are not obviously political, including churches. Christian faith communities in the US South, we show, offer the potential for a politics built around inclusive understandings of belonging. But Christian universalism is in constant tension with nationalist ways of thinking and acting. Whether they praise immigrants for their virtues or criticize them for their shortcomings, congregants and pastors tend to cast immigrants in the role of foreign Other. Kurzfassung Dieser Aufsatz erortert wie Einwanderern im Suden der USA gesellschaftlicher Wert und Verdienst zugeschrieben oder abgesprochen werden. Im Rahmen der stark ausgepragten Anti-Einwandererstimmung in der Region haben Wissenschaftler zu Recht zunachst staatliche Praktiken, die zur Ausgrenzung von Einwanderern beitragen, untersucht. Fremdenfeindlichkeit und Ausgrenzung sind aber lediglich zwei der moglichen Reaktionen auf Einwanderer. Die Gesellschaft betrachtet Zuwanderer oft auch als verdienstvoll: sie werden als harte Arbeiter, Unternehmer, und Trager von Familienwerten aufgefasst. Das Symbol des “guten Einwanderers” ensteht dabei ebenso wie das des “schlechten Einwanderers” gewohnlich in sozialen Situationen, die, wie wir beispielhaft fur christliche Gemeinden zeigen, bei oberflachlicher Betrachtung nicht offensichtlich als politisch motiviert erscheinen. Jedoch schaffen diese christlichen Glaubensgemeinschaften im Suden der USA Raum fur eine integrationsfreundliche Politik der Zugehorigkeit. Dabei stehen allerdings christlicher Universalismus und nationalistisches Denken und Handeln in standiger Spannung zueinander. Es macht dabei kaum einen Unterschied, ob Gemeindemitglieder und Pastoren Einwanderer fur ihre Tugenden loben oder sie fur ihre Mangel kritisieren. In der Regel finden sich Einwanderer in der Rolle des fremden „Anderen“ wieder.
The Graphite Calorimeter as a Standard of Absorbed Dose for Cobalt-60 Gamma Radiation

Absorbed dose to water in a cobalt-60 gamma-ray beam has been determined using a thick-walled graphite ionization chamber. The chamber was calibrated in a graphite phantom against a graphite calorimeter, and the graphite calibration factor was converted to a water calibration factor using published energy absorption coeffi­ cient ratios and a measured replacement factor. Comparisons between the graphite and water measurements were made at pairs of points that were scaled in position according to the ratio of electron densities, so that the photon spectra were the same for the two points in a given pair. Measurements performed in graphite over a wide range of phantom depths, field sizes, and source distances, showed that the calibration factor varies slowly with the phantom depth and field size, and probably has a negligible dependence on source distance. By com­ parison with the thick-walled chamber in a cobalt-60 gamma-ray beam, a secondary ionization chamber can be calibrated in terms of absorbed dose to water with an estimated uncertainty of about ± 1 percent.
Codling Moth: Cage and Field Evaluations of Traps Baited with a Synthetic Sex Attractant

Tests with (E,E) -S, 10-dodecadien-1-ol, a synthetic sex attractant, of Laspeyresia pomonella (L.), were conducted in large field cages at Brownsville, TX, and in an apple orchard at Yakima, WA. Rubber bands and 2 types of rubber tubing were satisfactory dispensers (wicks) of the attractant per rubber dispenser (1 dispenser/trap) was 0.1 or 1.0 mg, depending on the type of trap and the duration of the test; traps baited with either of these amounts were still catching moths after 145 days in the field, but the traps baited with 0.1 mg caught fewer moths. Traps baited with 0.01 mg attractant caught comparatively few moths after 3 weeks of aging in the field.
Influence of various types of load-dependent supports on the stability of a compressible column model

The nonlinear behaviour and static stability of a compressible elastic column whose flexural resistance changes as it is loaded is studied. A two-degree-of-freedom, compressible rod model of the column is analysed. Various types of load-stiffness relationships are considered. Post-buckling behaviour under static unidirectional loads is investigated. Singularities of the equilibrium paths of the column are classified according to the slenderness ratio of the column and the load-stiffness relationship of its support.
Behavioral Problems and Their Prevention

In this article we will review two broad areas of knowledge (individual differences and parenting) that are directly or indirectly related to behavioral problems in young children and one specific problem area (toilet training). INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES One of the major advances in preventive pediatrics over the last ten years has been the recognition of how individual differences in the behavior and temperament of children affect parents and parenting. Although most parents with more than one child have intuitively recognized that all children are not alike, it is only fairly recently that many of us, as physicians, have acknowledged the fact that difficult children are not necessarily the result of bad parenting. One of the most clinically useful ways of looking at individual differences has come from the research of Thomas and Chess. These investigators became interested in why, in many families, only one child would get into difficulty while the others were doing fine. Preliminary studies strongly suggested that environmental variables alone could not account for the range of variation in behavior seen within a single family context. These observations led to a formal research project in which 136 children were followed from 3 months of age into adolesence. The study focused on how these babies differed from one another in the earliest months of life and the implications of these differences for the parents taking care of these infants.