cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electromagnetic analysis of radiometer calibration targets using dispersive Finite Difference Time Domain method

MICROWAVE and millimeter wave remote sensing offer several advantages over infrared and visible observations. This is primarily due to the fact that microwave radiation is transparent to clouds and aerosols, thereby aiding in the accurate determination of temperature and water-vapor profiles. Radiometer calibration is the process by which a relationship is obtained between the output indicator of the radiometer usually voltage or current and the noise temperature at the radiometer input [1]. Microwave radiometer calibration targets are used in radiometer systems to provide a calibration source of known brightness temperature. Precise absolute calibration of radiometers for many Earth remote sensing applications require knowledge of the brightness temperature when viewing a calibration target to within 100 mK or better. The targets are typically periodic array of wedges or pyramids constructed of a thermally-conductive substrate coated with a thin layer of microwave absorbing material. Microwave absorbent materials are electrically dispersive in nature. The ideal radiometer calibration target should be a blackbody radiator with an emissivity of unity at the frequencies of interest. In order to efficiently design wideband calibration targets, an accurate electromagnetic and thermal analysis of these structures is essential [2]. Electromagnetic and thermal analysis of one-dimensional periodic wedge shaped structures has been presented in [3,4]. This work uses the coupled-wave approach for the electromagnetic analysis. However the work is not extended to two dimensionally periodic (doubly periodic) pyramidal structures. In this work, we have used the three dimensional Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method to perform full wave electromagnetic analysis of doubly periodic pyramidal structures with a thin coating of electrically dispersive radar absorbent materials. Due to the higher accuracy required in microwave radiometry than in traditional electromagnetic or optical full wave simulations, we have developed a new precise 3D FDTD code rather than use commercial software packages. The code can be used to optimize presently used calibration targets as well as develop novel target designs.
Protein-Protein Fusion Catalyzed by Sortase A

Chimeric proteins boast widespread use in areas ranging from cell biology to drug delivery. Post-translational protein fusion using the bacterial transpeptidase sortase A provides an attractive alternative when traditional gene fusion fails. We describe use of this enzyme for in vitro protein ligation and report the successful fusion of 10 pairs of protein domains with preserved functionality — demonstrating the robust and facile nature of this reaction.
Difficulty in determining the pion form factor at high Q 2

We reexamine the determination of the pion form factor at large spacelike ${\mathit{Q}}^{2}$ via the reaction ep\ensuremath{\rightarrow}en${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\pi}}}^{+}$ and find that, because of the magnitude of the pion-nucleon form factor and the existence of competing hitherto uncalculated processes in QCD, the pion electromagnetic form factor is not sufficiently well determined at higher ${\mathit{Q}}^{2}$ to compare with the expected scaling prediction of QCD. Instead, we conclude that the best way to get information about the pion electromagnetic form factor is to study ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\pi}}}^{0}$ production.
Metals Activities in the National Academies of Science and Engineering

This article briefly describes the organization and activities of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine, then indicates the scope of studies of possible interest to the metallurgical/materials science community. Recent pertinent reports are also listed.
A fitted test for the behrens-fisher problem

In 1975, Lee and Gurland proposed a solution to the Behrens-Fisher problem. It had excellent control of size and power and was relatively simple to use. However it requires extensive special tables. This article proposes a modification of this approach. It replaces the tables with easily computed functions of the sample sizes and a standard t table. Control of size and power are equivalent to that obtained by Lee and Gurland. Furthermore, the test is also compared with the Welch's approximate t test and shows better control of size, with similar power curves when sample sizes are at least four from each of the two normal populations.
Thermocline models with arbitrary barotropic flow

Abstract The complete set of thermocline solutions which include an arbitrary barotropic mode is discussed. It is shown that a necessary condition for an arbitrary barotropic mode is that surfaces of constant potential vorticity and constant density are coincident and that the only solution with the property that also satisfies the conservation of heat equation including vertical or zonally horizontal diffusion is the exponential solution given by Needler (1967). For the purely advective case the solutions are a particular subset of the general advective solutions given by Welander (1971). The ability of these solutions to model the observed oceanic density distribution as well as to fit the pertinent surface and bottom boundary conditions is examined.
Lens glutathione depletion of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and oxidative stress

Rat lenses in which all the glutathione has been conjugated with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene remain apparently transparent for extended periods of time (up to 24 hours), but are more susceptible to oxidative damage by oxidants such as superoxide anions and hydrogen peroxide. Reduced glutathione has an additional role of detoxification of xenobiotics to form the corresponding mercapturic acids and protection of lens by conjugating the xenobiotics which could be transported out of the lens. The GSH-xenobiotic conjugate transport system is probably shared by GSSG.
Life Cycle Energy Analysis and Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Carbon Nanofibers Production

Life cycle assessment of nanotechnology has been suggested to evaluate claims about the potential benefits of this emerging technology. This paper presents one of the first LCAs and life cycle energy analysis of vapor grown carbon nanofibers (CNF) synthesis. Life cycle inventory data is compiled with data reported in the open literature. CNFs are compared with traditional materials on an equal mass basis to quantify the life cycle energy intensity and environmental burden. The results of the study indicate significantly higher life cycle energy requirements and higher environmental impact of CNFs as compared to traditional materials like aluminum, steel and polypropylene. Savings in life cycle energy consumption and possibly a reduction in environmental burden are envisaged if higher process yields of these fibers can be achieved in continuous operations. Since the comparisons are performed on an equal mass basis, these results cannot be generalized for CNF based nanoproducts and quantity of their use may decide their cradle to grave impact. Specific CNF based applications need to be studied to evaluate their environmental performance and are the topics of future work.
Component-Based is Architecture

Advances in distributed architectures and the Internet have had a strong influence on the use of component technologies. The authors discuss the organizational and technical requirements for an effective and economically viable component-based approach.
On some confidence intervals for estimating the mean of a skewed population

A number of methods are available in the literature to measure confidence intervals. Here, confidence intervals for estimating the population mean of a skewed distribution are considered. This note proposes two alternative confidence intervals, namely, Median t and Mad t, which are simple adjustments to the Student's t confidence interval. In order to compare the performance of these intervals, the following criteria are considered: (i) coverage probability; (ii) average width; and (iii) ratio of coverage to width. A simulation study has been undertaken to compare the performance of the intervals. The simulation study shows that for small sample size and moderate to highly skewed distributions, the proposed Median t performs the best in the sense of higher coverage, and the Mad t performs best in the sense of smaller confidence width. The proposed methods are very easy to calculate and are not overly computer-intensive, like Bootstrap confidence intervals. Some real-life examples have been considered that...
The ‘Dead-Bucket’: An Inexperienced Conservators Guide for Evaluating Setbacks

Abstract Setbacks are an often-unacknowledged reality of conservation practices. This paper examines various types of setbacks, shortcomings, and mistakes in conservation practice, including unsuccessful treatments, errors in judgment, and the limits of intervention. While it may be tempting for a young conservator to anticipate these types of experiences as’failures,’ we argue that these situations provide opportunities for growth and development. While a senior professional may readily recognize the value in setbacks and contextualize them by drawing upon their past experiences, we seek to explore the ways in which a less seasoned practitioner may productively reinterpret or re-evaluate such situations in terms of our expectations, achievements, and sense of personal responsibility. Categories of setbacks will be illustrated with specific examples from personal experiences and those of our cohort-at-large as pre-program trainees and students. This project was first inspired by the attempted re-treatment of a ceramic object during the Fall of 2011 at the UCLA/Getty Conservation Training Program. While the objectives of the assigned exercise were unmet — the object was returned to the lending institution in the same condition that it arrived at our training labs— the student learned appreciably about the effects of material degradation, the decision-making process for designating an object as un-treatable, and the ethical considerations such conclusions require. Further examples of setbacks include errors in judgment — such as removing original polychromy by wheeling a tall, wooden sculpture into a low doorframe — and a lack of self-awareness with drastic consequences for object safety when a ceramic figure was knocked off a table as a result of fatigue. By reflecting on and discussing the setbacks we encounter as inexperienced conservators, it is possible to glean lessons about our limitations and expectations of conservation practices, and to integrate these into our evolving working methods. Strategies for re-evaluating these experiences include viewing them in terms of their positive role in developing long-term goals and practical methodologies as well as promoting a non-punitive and professional culture of honesty, humor, and acceptance. We hope that our attitude will help establish, in the words of Marincola and Maisey (2011), ’a more fruitful learning culture’ for the benefit of both the field of conservation and its mission to protect and preserve historic and artistic materials.
A Baseline for the Decadal-Survey PATH Mission

The Precipitation and All-weather Temperature and Humidity (PATH) mission is one of 15 Earth space missions that the U.S. National Research Council recently recommended that NASA undertake in the next decade. The PATH mission will place a microwave atmospheric sounder, operating in the same temperature and water vapor bands used by the low-earth-orbiting Advanced Microwave Sounding Units (AMSU), into geostationary orbit. The objective is to enable time-continuous observations of severe storms, tropical cyclones and atmospheric processes associated with the hydrologic cycle under all weather conditions. The ultimate goal is to improve models in these areas, provide initial conditions and assimilation data for improved forecasts, and develop long time series to support climate studies. Both NOAA and NASA have long sought to develop such a sensor, but it is only recently that new techniques have emerged that enable such a mission. The Geostationary Synthetic Thinned Aperture Radiometer (GeoSTAR) is a microwave sounder concept based on aperture synthesis that has been developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. A small proof-of-concept prototype was completed in 2006 under the NASA Instrument Incubator Program, and this demonstrator proves that the aperture synthesis method is a feasible approach for attaining the very large aperture required for adequate spatial resolution. The performance of the prototype and projections to a full-scale space version indicate that GeoSTAR, unlike alternative approaches, can meet all measurement requirements. It is therefore now considered the baseline PATH payload and is expected to be implemented by NASA in the next decade.
Potential gain from selection in grain sorghum for higher protein digestibility

(...)The phenotypic and genotypic correlations indicated there was a negative association between grain yield and maturity but a positive association between protein digestibility and maturity resulted in a dramatic undesirable shift in the population to later maturity. Selection for grain yield resulted in families with earlier maturity and reduced protein digestibility, thus, selection for any single trait did not identify high yielding high protein-digestible families with an acceptable range of bloom date (...)
FACE Facts: Why Human Genetics Will Always Provoke Bioethics

Some people dispute the relative importance of issues in genetics and biotechnology for the future of bioethics, either because they think the problems are time-limited or because they give priority to issue of human rights and social justice in health care. In fact, the special historical standing of genetic issue s in bioethics reflects four overlapping sources of moral sensitivity which ar inherent in the stories that genetic science tells and raise paradigmatic justice concerns: the implications of new genetic knowledge for people's understanding of their familial roles, ancestral origins, community memberships, and ethnic affiliations. Beneath worries over "genetic privacy," "the therapeutic gap," and the "post-human," this constellation of basic wellspring which both insures and justifies a central place for genetics on the agenda of bioethics.
Reaction-Relevant Gold Structures in the Low Temperature Water-Gas Shift Reaction on Au-CeO2

Combined in situ X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) studies have been conducted to follow gold structural changes of low-content (<1%Au) gold-ceria catalysts in water-gas shift (WGS) reaction tests at 100 and 200 °C; and after heating the used catalysts in oxygen gas at 150 °C. Gold in the fresh (400 °C-calcined) material was atomically dispersed in cerium oxide. Under WGS reaction conditions, reduction of the oxidized gold species was observed, accompanied by gradual gold aggregation. The Au−Au coordination number is zero for the fresh material, but increases with the reaction temperature, to 6.5 ± 2.4 (after use at 100 °C) and to 8.7 ± 1.5 (after 200 °C) in a gas mixture containing 5% CO- 3% H2O in helium. The second important parameter is the reaction gas composition which determines the extent of Au−O reduction. The lower the reduction potential of the reaction gas mixture, the more oxidized the gold is in the used catalyst, and the higher...
Simulation of axonal excitability using a spreadsheet template created in Microsoft Excel

The objective of this present study was to implement an established simulation protocol (A.M. Brown, A methodology for simulating biological systems using Microsoft Excel, Comp. Methods Prog. Biomed. 58 (1999) 181‐90) to model axonal excitability. The simulation protocol involves the use of in-cell formulas directly typed into a spreadsheet and does not require any programming skills or use of the macro language. Once the initial spreadsheet template has been set up the simulations described in this paper can be executed with a few simple keystrokes. The model axon contained voltage-gated ion channels that were modeled using Hodgkin Huxley style kinetics. The basic properties of axonal excitability modeled were: (1) threshold of action potential firing, demonstrating that not only are the stimulus amplitude and duration critical in the generation of an action potential, but also the resting membrane potential; (2) refractoriness, the phenomenon of reduced excitability immediately following an action potential. The difference between the absolute refractory period, when no amount of stimulus will elicit an action potential, and relative refractory period, when an action potential may be generated by applying increased stimulus, was demonstrated with regard to the underlying state of the Na and K channels; (3) temporal summation, a process by which two sub-threshold stimuli can unite to elicit an action potential was shown to be due to conductance changes outlasting the first stimulus and summing with the second stimulus-induced conductance changes to drive the membrane potential past threshold; (4) anode break excitation, where membrane hyperpolarization was shown to produce an action potential by removing Na channel inactivation that is present at resting membrane potential. The simulations described in this paper provide insights into mechanisms of axonal excitation that can be carried out by following an easily understood protocol. © 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Somatic cell genetics and gene families

The utility of somatic cell genetic analysis for the chromosomal localization of genes in mammals is well established. With the development of recombinant DNA probes and efficient blotting techniques that allow visualization of single-copy cellular genes, somatic cell genetics has been extended from the level of phenotypes expressed by whole cells to the level of the cellular genome itself. This extension has proved invaluable for the analysis of genes not readily expressed in somatic cell hybrids and for the study of multigene families, especially pseudogenes dispersed in different chromosomes throughout the genome.
Tailoring of Membrane Proteins by Alternative Splicing of Pre-mRNA

Alternative splicing (AS) of RNA is a key mechanism for diversification of the eukaryotic proteome. In this process, different mRNA transcripts can be produced through altered excision and/or inclusion of exons during processing of the pre-mRNA molecule. Since its discovery, AS has been shown to play roles in protein structure, function, and localization. Dysregulation of this process can result in disease phenotypes. Moreover, AS pathways are promising therapeutic targets for a number of diseases. Integral membrane proteins (MPs) represent a class of proteins that may be particularly amenable to regulation by alternative splicing because of the distinctive topological restraints associated with their folding, structure, trafficking, and function. Here, we review the impact of AS on MP form and function and the roles of AS in MP-related disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Immunoglobulin G, A, and M—Clonal restriction in multiple sclerosis cerebrospinal fluid and serum—Analysis by two-dimensional electrophoresis

Immunoglobulin G, A, and M (IgG, IgA, and IgM) were purified from multiple sclerosis (MS) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and sera and analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis. The light (L)-chains of MS CSF IgG were of limited diversity and dominated by about 30 major spots and many less intense spots. CSF IgG of patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) was dominated by 10 to 20 intense L-chain spots. L-chains from patients with fungal, syphilitic, and tuberculous infections of the central nervous system (CNS) ranged from 70 to in excess of 300 spots. The patterns of L-chains in MS CSF and autologous sera were different, indicating amplified synthesis of particular L-chains in MS CNS. Cathodic IgG fractions differing in isoelectric point by 0.1 to 0.3 pH units were isolated. SSPE CSF IgG fractions were dominated by a few L-chain spots, MS CSF fractions contained less than 20 spots, and MS serum fractions contained about 200 spots. MS CSF mu-chains were similar in isoelectric point range to serum but fractionated into discrete spots compared with a diffuse pattern in serum. MS CSF IgA alpha-chain spot overlapped in mobility with serum alpha-chains except a portion of the alpha-chain complex in CSF was shifted cathodically forming discrete spots. The CSF L-chains of both IgM and IgA were completely dissimilar to serum. These studies indicate major limited diversity and compartmentalized CNS synthesis of IgG, IgA, and IgM in MS. The restricted clonal pattern is proposed as consequent to B-cell stimulation by disease-related antigen(s) with limited epitope complexity. The dominance of a small number of L-chains supports results from idiotypic analysis suggesting finite clonal complexity of MS CSF IgG and indicates the feasibility of structural analysis of MS CSF L-chains, particularly amino acid sequence determinations.
Mixed laminar convection in a horizontal tube with natural convection around its boundaries

Abstract The laminar flow and heat transfer within a horizontal tube surrounded by a liquid medium are studied both experimentally and numerically. Emphasis is given to flow regimes where a buoyant effect on the forced flow is exhibited inside the tube. The outer surface of the tube is also subjected to natural convection resulting from the temperature difference between the wall and the surrounding fluid. Detailed analyses are performed for a number of cases with various fluids, inlet temperatures and fluid flows. It is found that the variable wall temperature has a marked effect on the secondary flow patterns within the tube as well as on the heat transfer.
The Inhibitory Effect of Somatostatin on Growth Hormone, Insulin and Glucagon Secretion in Diabetes Mellitus

The inhibitory effect of somatostatin on insulin, glucagon and growth hormone secretion was studied in 5 patients with diabetes mellitus. In three maturity onset diabetics, somatostatin infusion abolished the insulin rise induced by breakfast and oral glucose, and in 2 of them, inhibited the basal insulin secretion by 50% seen during control studies. Concomitantly, there was a marked and prompt reduction of glucagon levels (50%) with a sustained effect. The plasma glucose levels were either unchanged or slightly increased. Following the somatostatin infusion, there was a prompt rebound increase in both insulin and glucagon levels with a relatively stable plasma glucose concentration. In contrast, a drastic reduction of plasma glucose in face of a relatively small fall in plasma glucagon in response to somatostatin infusion was observed in 2 insulin dependent diabetics. In all patients, the episodic release of growth hormone seen during the control day was abolished during somatostatin infusion.
Multidimensional circuit synthesis and multivariable dilation theory

Holomorphic contractive matrix- or operator-valued functions on the unit disk and their counterparts under double Cayley transform, namely holomorphic functions with positive real part on the right half plane, have been a fundamental object of study in both the mathematics and engineering communities. We discuss recent extensions of these notions to multivariable settings.
DIFFERENCES IN BIOMASS ALLOCATION TO REPRODUCTIVE AND VEGETATIVE STRUCTURES OF MALE AND FEMALE PLANTS OF A DIOECIOUS, PERENNIAL HERB, SILENE ALBA (MILLER) KRAUSE

The pattern of biomass allocation of males and females and the sex ratio and growth characteristics of plants from three seed-size classes in Silene alba were investigated in a greenhouse study. Seed size significantly affected adult plant size and flower production of both male and female plants, but there was no significant difference in the proportion of males and females emerging in three seed-size categories. Male and female plants differed in the proportion of total biomass allocated to vegetative and reproductive structures and these differences were consistent across all seed-size categories. Males allocated a greater proportion of their biomass to flowers than did females. Female reproductive effort was dependent upon the percentage of flowers producing mature capsules. Only females with greater than 20% fruit set have a higher reproductive expenditure than males. Consequently, female expenditure is potentially greater than males, but is spread out over a longer portion of the growing season. This difference in the timing of reproductive expenditures by males and females allows females to allocate more biomass to growth during the early flowering period and may therefore account for the common pattern in herbaceous perennial dioecious species in which adult females are larger than adult
Improved internally water-cooled monochromators for a high-power wiggler beamline at CHESS

Intense synchrotron radiation from high power wiggler sources has long been a difficult high-heat-load problem to the design of properly cooled x-ray optics. Large, high power and very intense beams thermally distort crystal optics, reducing throughput and broadening rocking curves. An internally cooled silicon monochromator has been fabricated which demonstrated the capability of diffracting wiggler radiation of unprecedented power without significant degradation of the beam. Cooling water flows through rectangular cooling channels 1 mm wide, 1 mm below the diffracting surface, fed by a manifold bonded to the underside of the diffracting crystal. In an attempt to improve high power performance, a second monochromator was fabricated with a pin-fin cooling structure instead of channels. Both used a novel silver diffusion bond to ensure leak-tight UHV performance. Recent test results at wiggler station F2 show a linear behavior of the x-ray flux with increasing storage ring current up to a total power of 3 kW and a peak surface power density of 5 W/mm2. The improved monochromators have led to an increase of x-ray flux by a factor of six over previous contact-cooled designs and show that internal water-cooling can be an effective solution to high-heat-load problems at high power wiggler stations.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Ozone uptake (flux) as it relates to ozone-induced foliar symptoms of Prunus serotina and Populus maximowizii × trichocarpa

Field studies were conducted during 2003 and 2004 from early June to the end of August, at 20 sites of lower or higher elevation within north-central Pennsylvania, using seedlings of black cherry (Prunus serotina, Ehrh.) and ramets of hybrid poplar (Populus maximowiziixtrichocarpa). A linear model was developed to estimate the influence of local environmental conditions on stomatal conductance. The most significant factors explaining stomatal variance were tree species, air temperature, leaf vapor pressure deficit, elevation, and time of day. Overall, environmental factors explained less than 35% of the variation in stomatal conductance. Ozone did not affect gas exchange rates in either poplar or cherry. Ozone-induced foliar injury was positively correlated with cumulative ozone exposures, expressed as SUM40. Overall, the amount of foliar injury was better correlated to a flux-based approach rather than to an exposure-based approach. More severe foliar injuries were observed on plants growing at higher elevations.
An active RFID Accountability System (RAS) for constrained wireless environments

A team from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has developed an RFID Accountability System (RAS) that allows items with active RFID tags to be tracked in environments where tags may not be able to transmit their location continuously. The system uses activators that transmit a short range signal. Active RFID tags are in a sleep state until they encounter an activator. Then they transmit a signal that is picked up by the antennas installed throughout the building. This paper presents the theory of operation, application areas, lessons learned, and key features developed over the course of seven years of development and use.
Prognostic Significance of DNA Ploidy in Endometrial Cancer

Abstract Objective. The aim of this study was to analyze the prognostic significance of DNA ploidy in patients with endometrial cancer. Methods. Between October 1988 and January 1997, DNA ploidy was determined prospectively in 208 women who were staged surgically by a standard protocol that included pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy. Median follow-up was 48 months. Results. Diploid tumors were identified in 154 (74%) patients and aneuploid tumors in 54 (26%). Patients with aneuploid tumors had a significantly higher prevalence of metastases to the cervix, adnexa, and omentum, malignant pelvic cytology, and advanced surgical stage. Patients with aneuploid tumors had a 4.5 times higher prevalence of pelvic lymph node metastases and a 5.8 times higher prevalence of para-aortic lymph node metastases. A significantly higher proportion of patients with aneuploid tumors was diagnosed with recurrent or progressive endometrial cancer (22.2 versus 6.5%, P = 0.002). Patients with aneuploid tumors had a significantly lower rate of survival from cancer death ( P = 0.038) with 83% versus 94% surviving 5 years. Conclusion. Patients with aneuploid tumors are at high risk for lymph node metastases and should be surgically staged, including pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy. Aneuploidy confers a risk for endometrial cancer death and these patients should be candidates for clinical trials evaluating treatment following surgery.
Characterization of an insoluble polyimide oligomer by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

In the past two years, papers have appeared in the literature which demonstrate that matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectra can be obtained from matrix-analyte preparations which have been produced by grinding the two materials together until a powder of small particle size is obtained. In the present study that methodology was modified and applied to an insoluble polyimide oligomer, poly(4,4'-oxydiphenylenepyromellitimide) (POPM). Two matrix materials were employed in this analysis, 1,8 dihydroxyanthrone (dithranol) and 3-aminoquinoline, with and without an additional cationizing agent. The spectra obtained by this method are shown to be sensitive to the matrix employed in the analysis as well as the quantity of cationizing agent combined with the matrix.
‘Father wants to tear out my tongue’: Daughters Confront Incestuous Fathers in Postwar German Literature

Since the 1970s, empowered by the women’s movement, daughters sexually abused by fathers have told their stories in memoirs, case histories, and fiction. In this article I apply the results of current research on incest to analyse incest narratives by German and Austrian women authors: Ingeborg Bachmann’s Malina, Alissa Walser’s ‘Geschenkt’, and Elisabeth Reichart’s ‘La Valse’. Each of these texts depicts daughter-narrators who are coping with after-effects of sexual abuse, in particular, split identity and gender ambivalence. In Malina and ‘Geschenkt’, the I-narrators try to resolve the split by opting for a masculinised ego ideal, a facade self that protects the vulnerable female self from painful memories. On the other hand, ‘La Valse’ is based on an inclusive, not a dualistic, model of identity. The daughter begins her tentative journey toward autonomy when she acknowledges her ambivalent attachment to her father and reintegrates memories and emotions. By shaping and giving meaning to the experience of sexual trauma, incest narratives reveal competing – dualistic and inclusive – notions of the self.
Insights from a Chimpanzee Adipose Stromal Cell Population: Opportunities for Adult Stem Cells to Expand Primate Functional Genomics

Comparisons between humans and chimpanzees are essential for understanding traits unique to each species. However, linking important phenotypic differences to underlying molecular changes is often challenging. The ability to generate, differentiate, and profile adult stem cells provides a powerful but underutilized opportunity to investigate the molecular basis for trait differences between species within specific cell types and in a controlled environment. Here, we characterize adipose stromal cells (ASCs) from Clint, the chimpanzee whose genome was first sequenced. Using imaging and RNA-Seq, we compare the chimpanzee ASCs with three comparable human cell lines. Consistent with previous studies on ASCs in humans, the chimpanzee cells have fibroblast-like morphology and express genes encoding components of the extracellular matrix at high levels. Differentially expressed genes are enriched for distinct functional classes between species: immunity and protein processing are higher in chimpanzees, whereas cell cycle and DNA processing are higher in humans. Although hesitant to draw definitive conclusions from these data given the limited sample size, we wish to stress the opportunities that adult stem cells offer for studying primate evolution. In particular, adult stem cells provide a powerful means to investigate the profound disease susceptibilities unique to humans and a promising tool for conservation efforts with nonhuman primates. By allowing for experimental perturbations in relevant cell types, adult stem cells promise to complement classic comparative primate genomics based on in vivo sampling.
Erosion of steepland valleys by debris flows

Episodic debris flows scour the rock beds of many steepland valleys. Along recent debris-flow runout paths in the western United States, we have observed evidence for bedrock lowering, primarily by the impact of large particles entrained in debris flows. This evidence may persist to the point at which debris-flow deposition occurs, commonly at slopes of less than ∼0.03–0.10. We find that debris-flow–scoured valleys have a topographic signature that is fundamentally different from that predicted by bedrock river-incision models. Much of this difference results from the fact that local valley slope shows a tendency to decrease abruptly downstream of tributaries that contribute throughgoing debris flows. The degree of weathering of valley floor bedrock may also decrease abruptly downstream of such junctions. On the basis of these observations, we hypothesize that valley slope is adjusted to the long-term frequency of debris flows, and that valleys scoured by debris flows should not be modeled using conventional bedrock river-incision laws. We use field observations to justify one possible debris-flow incision model, whose lowering rate is proportional to the integral of solid inertial normal stresses from particle impacts along the flow and the number of upvalley debris-flow sources. The model predicts that increases in incision rate caused by increases in flow event frequency and length (as flows gain material) downvalley are balanced by rate reductions from reduced inertial normal stress at lower slopes, and stronger, less weathered bedrock. These adjustments lead to a spatially uniform lowering rate. Although the proposed expression leads to equilibrium long-profiles with the correct topographic signature, the crudeness with which the debris-flow dynamics are parameterized reveals that we are far from a validated debris-flow incision law. However, the vast extent of steepland valley networks above slopes of ∼0.03–0.10 illustrates the need to understand debris-flow incision if we hope to understand the evolution of steep topography around the world.
A test structure for characterizing local device mismatches

We present a test structure for statistical characterization of local device mismatches. The structure contains densely populated SRAM devices arranged in an addressable manner. Measurements on a test chip fabricated in an advanced 65 nm process show little spatial correlation. We vary the nominal threshold voltage of the devices by changing the threshold-adjust implantations and observe that the ratio of standard deviation to mean gets worse with threshold scaling. The large variations observed in the extracted threshold voltage statistics indicate that the random doping fluctuation is the likely reason behind mismatch in the adjacent devices
Acupuncture in epidemic HBV hepatitis: in China too?

An epidemiologic investigation of an acupuncturist's practice in Rhode Island identified 35 patients who were infected with hepatitis B virus during 1984. Of 366 patients seen by the acupuncturist during 1984,316 (86%) completed questionnaires and submitted serum for hepatitis B serology. Use of tests for immunoglobulin M antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (IgM anti-HBc) identified 17 case-patients who otherwise may have gone undetected. Thirty-four of the 35 case-patients were treated in only one of the two clinics run by the acupuncturist. Patients who received a greater number of acupuncture needles during their treatment course were more likely to have been infected; the attack rate for patients who received <150 needles was 9%, compared with 33% for patients who received ≥450 needles (p < 0.001). Attack rates were higher during a one-month period when the index case-patient was more likely to have been viremic than during any other period in 1984 (relative risk = 4.1, 95% confidence interval = 2.3–7.3). While observing the acupuncturist's technique, the investigators noted several potential mechanisms for needle contamination. This study highlights the potential for transmission of hepatitis B in situations of repeated needle use.
On-Orbit Assembly of Flexible Space Structures with SWARM

On-orbit assembly is an enabling technology for many space applications. However, current methods of human assisted assembly are high in cost and risk to the crew, motivating a desire to automate the on-orbit assembly process using robotic technology. Construction of large space structures will likely involve the manipulation of flexible elements such as trusses or solar panels, and automation for assembly of flexible structures has significant challenges, particularly in control systems. This paper presents results of ground-based experiments on the assembly of a flexible space structures using the hardware developed under the Self-Assembling Wireless Autonomous Reconfigurable Modules (SWARM) program. Results are shown for a series of incremental tests that demonstrate control of a flexible structure, docking, and reconfiguration after docking. These results demonstrate the feasibility of the assembly of flexible structures using this methodology.
Differential Effects of Changes in the Length of a Signal/Anchor Domain on Membrane Insertion, Subunit Assembly, and Intracellular Transport of a Type II Integral Membrane Protein*

The length requirement for a functional uncleaved signal/anchor (S/A) domain of the paramyxovirus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) type II glycoprotein was analyzed. HN mutants with progressive NH2-terminal S/A deletions or insertions were expressed in HeLa cells, and the membrane targeting, folding, tetramer assembly, and intracellular transport of the proteins were examined. Changing the length of the S/A by two residues resulted in HN mutants that displayed aberrant endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane targeting or translocation. This phenotype did not simply reflect upper or lower limitations on the size of a functional S/A, because normal signaling was restored by further alterations involving three or four residues. Likewise, ER-to-Golgi transport of mutants containing deletions of one or two S/A residues was delayed (approximately 30% of WT) or blocked, but transport was restored for a mutant with a total of three deleted residues. HN mutants with S/A insertions of three or four Leu residues differed from wild-type HN by having heterogeneous Golgi-specific carbohydrate modifications. Differences in ER-to-Golgi transport of the mutants did not strictly correlate with defects in either native folding of the ectodomain or the assembly of two dimers into a tetramer. Together, these data suggest that efficient entry into and exit from the ER are sensitive to changes in the HN S/A that may reflect alterations to a structural requirement along one side of an alpha-helix.
Plural-marking in L2 Korean: A feature-based approach

This study examined the second language (L2) acquisition of the Korean plural marker -tul by native speakers of English. Seventy-seven learners at four Korean proficiency levels along with 31 native Korean-speaking controls completed five tasks designed to probe for knowledge of particular features and restrictions associated with so-called intrinsic and extrinsic plural-marking in Korean. The results suggest that knowledge of both types of plural developed with increasing proficiency. However, the features associated with the intrinsic plural, which is more similar to the English plural in terms of grammatical function, were more easily acquired than those of the extrinsic (distributive) plural, which requires recruiting the features of a completely distinct morpholexical item from the first language (L1). We also found some developmental evidence for a feature hierarchy in quantified Korean noun phrases, in which the most deeply-embedded featural co-occurrence restriction on intrinsic plural-marking was...
Effects of Collaboration on Language Performance.

Language samples from fourteen students with communication disorders were obtained over a three year period to determine the effectiveness of a language-in-the-classroom (LIC)intervention model. Wh...
My father's advocacy for a right to treatment.

My father, Dr. Morton Birnbaum (may his memory be a blessing), unfortunately passed away in November of 2005, but it seems like just yesterday to my five siblings and me. I was in the middle of medical school training at the time. Toward the end of my medical school tenure, with the help of some
Effect of knife-edge skew on modulation transfer function measurement of charge-coupled device imagers employing a scanning knife edge

The scanning knife edge method is widely employed to measure the modulation transfer function (MTF) of solid state charge-coupled device (CCD) imagers. This paper presents a method to correct for the situation where the knife edge is skewed at a small angle with respect to the CCD. Experimental results for a time-delay-and-integration charge-coupled device (TDI-CCD) imager demonstrate that the knife-edge skew introduces a degradation in the measured MTF. A model to explain this effect and a quantitative method to correct for small-angle skew is presented. A good agreement between the model and experiment is obtained. In a TDI-CCD imaging system, the effect of small-angle skew is amplified and cannot be ignored.
Leviathan vs. Lilliputian: A Data Envelopment Analysis of Government Efficiency

In this paper we present a new approach to measuring government efficiency, based on the theory that communities that allocate resources efficiently in the local public sector maximize property values. We use Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to identify the counties in Minnesota that are characterized by property-value maximization and hence an efficient public sector. The results indicate that the dominant source of public sector inefficiency is an inappropriate scale of operations. It appears that some county jurisdictions are too large to service the population efficiently. The size and concentration of government power are also responsible in part for observed inefficiencies.
Effects of calorie restriction on life span of microorganisms

Calorie restriction (CR) in microorganisms such as budding and fission yeasts has a robust and well-documented impact on longevity. In order to efficiently utilize the limited energy during CR, these organisms shift from primarily fermentative metabolism to mitochondrial respiration. Respiration activates certain conserved longevity factors such as sirtuins and is associated with widespread physiological changes that contribute to increased survival. However, the importance of respiration during CR-mediated longevity has remained controversial. The emergence of several novel metabolically distinct microbial models for longevity has enabled CR to be studied from new perspectives. The majority of CR and life span studies have been conducted in the primarily fermentative Crabtree-positive yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, but studies in primarily respiratory Crabtree-negative yeast and obligate aerobes can offer complementary insight into the more complex mammalian response to CR. Not only are microorganisms helping characterize a conserved cellular mechanism for CR-mediated longevity, but they can also directly impact mammalian metabolism as part of the natural gut flora. Here, we discuss the contributions of microorganisms to our knowledge of CR and longevity at the level of both the cell and the organism.
AGRICULTURAL POLICY ADJUSTMENTS IN THE KOREAN RICE ECONOMY

Abstract A political preference function is used to endogenize government actions in a simultaneous equation model for South Korean rice policy. The effects of economic changes on rice pricing decisions through estimated political weights are tested to improve our understanding of policy adjustments in that country and open the way for further research in East Asia.
Issues in Determining Treatment Effectiveness of Manual Therapy

The purpose of this article is to examine issues pertinent to the study of the clinical effectiveness of manual therapy. The need for complete operational definitions of treatment procedures, criteria for altering treatment, and criteria for subject selection is discussed. The need for studies that examine the relationship among impairment, functional limitations, and disability is also discussed. Considerations for selecting relevant outcome measures are presented. The use of a clinical decision-making model to direct the design of clinical studies on manual therapy is described. This article concludes with a discussion of alternative ways for clinicians to contribute to the manual therapy literature.
Interleukin-25 induces type 2 cytokine production in a steroid-resistant interleukin-17RB + myeloid population that exacerbates asthmatic pathology

Interleukin-25 (IL-25) is released from lung epithelial cells in response to allergen challenge and promotes type 2 immune responses and allergic airway inflammation. Nicholas Lukacs and his colleagues now report that IL-25 acts on a myeloid population in the lung. These cells represent a major source of IL-4 and IL-13, promote allergic lung inflammation and are steroid resistant. The frequency of IL-4– and IL-13–producing myeloid cells is increased in individuals with asthma, suggesting these cells may have a crucial role in the development of asthma.
Comments on "Language design for program manipulation"

The paper by E.A.T. Merks et al. (see ibid., vol. 18, p. 19-32, 1992) "Language design for program manipulation" identifies design principles for a procedural or object-oriented language whose programs will be easier to manipulate. However, it neglects to relate these design principles to existing, broader, design principles, and in some instances omits good examples of languages meeting their criteria. The author relates the new principles to more fundamental design principles, and provides the needed examples of languages meeting their criteria. Together these additions can better help designers of new programming languages that are amenable to manipulation. >