cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Positive Peers-The Neglected Stepchildren of Social Influence Theories of Crime

Despite being one of the least studied components of social influence, positive peer associations have much to offer social learning theories of crime. The purpose of the current investigation was to determine whether positive peer associations moderate the peer influence effect central to social learning theory. Data provided by 3869 (1970 boys, 1899 girls) members of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) were used to test the hypothesis that positive peer associations interact with components of peer influence to protect adolescents against future delinquency. A simple mediation analysis confirmed the existence of a significant indirect effect running from peer delinquency, to low empathy, to participant delinquency. When positive peer associations were added to the model as moderators, they achieved a significant negative moderating effect on the peer delinquency-low empathy path and a significant positive moderating effect on the low empathy-participant delinquency path. In this study, positive peer associations increased empathy in children with fewer delinquent peer associations and decreased offending in children with lower levels of empathy. Given evidence of their ability to inhibit negative peer influence and promote empathy in the service of reduced delinquency, positive peer associations deserve more attention from social learning theories of crime than they have thus far received.
Re-defining “Definition”: An Argument for Conventionalism

This chapter builds on the author’s Wittgensteinian contention that the meaning of “racism” is its use, when it is used in accordance with the rules for its proper use. The author argues that this conventionalist picture of meaning best accounts for two sets of seemingly incompatible intuitions in the theory of racism. Definitions of “racism,” like definitions generally, have contingent and necessary features. Some theorists stress the contingent side of definition: the word “racism” had an origin in time; the term was invented to serve specific purposes; and its meaning has been modified over time. Others, by contrast, stress the necessary side of definition: racism is a racial phenomenon; and racism is always wrong. Some of racism’s contingent and necessary features can seem incompatible given further assumptions. For instance, if the meaning of “racism” evolves, then it seems false that racism has an essential nature. Because there are oppositional pressures originating from each side of this conceptual divide, it can seem incoherent to theorize racism from both a priori and a posteriori perspectives. This has led some philosophers to pick one side over the other; hence, it has been a source of contestation among theorists of racism. However, the author maintains that there is truth in both sets of intuitions, for each describes different aspects of linguistic convention. After reconciling these intuitions under the banner of conventionalism, he goes on to dissolve conceptual confusion in Clevis Headley’s constructivist and Leonard Harris’ realist approaches to racism. (In addition to characterizing his approach as “constructivist,” Headley (Journal of Social Philosophy 31 (Summer): 223–257, 2000) variously describes his approach as “empirical,” “sociocultural,” “naturalistic,” and “institutionalist.” Harris (The Centennial Review XLII (2): 217–232, 1998) describes his approach as “objectivist” and “realist.”) He ultimately concludes that empirical and a priori approaches to racism are compatible when properly regarded.
Combined anthocyanins and bromelain supplement improves endothelial function and skeletal muscle oxygenation status in adults: a double-blind placebo-controlled randomised crossover clinical trial

Anthocyanins and bromelain have gained significant attention due to their antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Both have been shown to improve endothelial function, blood pressure (BP) and oxygen utility capacity in humans; however, the combination of these two and the impacts on endothelial function, BP, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and oxygen utility capacity have not been previously investigated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impacts of a combined anthocyanins and bromelain supplement (BE) on endothelial function, BP, TAC, oxygen utility capacity and fatigability in healthy adults. Healthy adults (n 18, age 24 (sd 4) years) received BE or placebo in a randomised crossover design. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), BP, TAC, resting heart rate, oxygen utility capacity and fatigability were measured pre- and post-BE and placebo intake. The BE group showed significantly increased FMD, reduced systolic BP and improved oxygen utility capacity compared with the placebo group (P < 0·05). Tissue saturation and oxygenated Hb significantly increased following BE intake, while deoxygenated Hb significantly decreased (P < 0·05) during exercise. Additionally, TAC was significantly increased following BE intake (P < 0·05). There were no significant differences for resting heart rate, diastolic BP or fatigability index. These results suggest that BE intake is an effective nutritional therapy for improving endothelial function, BP, TAC and oxygen utility capacity, which may be beneficial to support vascular health in humans.
An Empirical Investigation of Mental Illness, Impostor Syndrome, and Social Support in Management Doctoral Programs.

Scholars in multiple cross-disciplinary studies have found rates of mental illness among graduate students exceed the reported averages. Yet mental illness among management doctoral students remain...
Clinical implications of SARS-CoV-2 cycle threshold values in solid organ transplant recipients.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA by RT-PCR assays is the primary diagnostic test for COVID-19. Cycle threshold (CT ) values generated by some of these assays provide inversely proportional proxy measurements of viral load. The clinical implications of CT values are incompletely characterized, particularly in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. We conducted a retrospective chart review of 25 adult SOT recipients admitted to the Yale New Haven Health System between March 1 and May 15, 2020, analyzing 50 test results to investigate the clinical implications of SARS-CoV-2 CT values in this population. Initial CT values from upper respiratory tract samples were significantly higher in patients on tacrolimus, but were not associated with admission severity nor highest clinical acuity. Viral RNA was detected up to 38 days from symptom onset with a gradual increase in CT values over time. In five patients with serial testing, CT values 21 days after symptom onset in 4/5 and ≥27 days in 2/5, demonstrating prolonged RNA detection. These data describe SARS-CoV-2 viral dynamics in SOT patients and suggest that CT values may not be useful to predict COVID-19 severity in SOT patients. SARS-CoV-2 CT values may be more useful in informing infection prevention measures.
Multimorbidity Accumulation among Middle-Aged Americans: Differences by Race/Ethnicity and Body-Mass Index.

Background Obesity and multimorbidity are more prevalent among U.S. racial/ethnic minority groups. Evaluating racial/ethnic disparities in disease accumulation according to body-mass index (BMI) may guide interventions to reduce multimorbidity burden in vulnerable racial/ethnic groups. Methods We used data from the 1998-2016 Health & Retirement Study on 8,106 participants aged 51-55 at baseline. Disease burden and multimorbidity (≥2 co-occurring diseases) were assessed using seven chronic diseases: arthritis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, lung disease, and stroke. Four BMI categories were defined per convention: normal, overweight, obese class 1, and obese class 2/3. Generalized estimating equations models with inverse probability weights estimated the accumulation of chronic diseases. Results Overweight and obesity were more prevalent in non-Hispanic Black (82.3%) and Hispanic (78.9%) than non-Hispanic White (70.9 %) participants at baseline. The baseline burden of disease was similar across BMI categories, but disease accumulation was faster in the obese class 2/3 and marginally in the obese class 1 categories compared with normal BMI. Black participants across BMI categories had a higher initial burden and faster accumulation of disease over time, while Hispanics had a lower initial burden and similar rate of accumulation, compared with Whites. Black participants, including those with normal BMI, reach the multimorbidity threshold 5-6 years earlier compared with White participants. Conclusions Controlling weight and reducing obesity early in the lifecourse may slow the progression of multimorbidity in later life. Further investigations are needed to identify the factors responsible for the early and progressing nature of multimorbidity in Blacks of non-obese weight.
Deterministic Analyses of Concrete Dams: Examples

Six examples of deterministic nonlinear analyses of dams are presented in this chapter. The first is a potential failure mode analysis that relies on nonlinear joint elements to capture potential sliding. The next two examples are nonlinear AAR analyses of an arch gravity dam and a hollow buttress dam. The next two report the seismic safety evaluation analysis of dams, and the last example addresses the impact of SSI modeling on a dam.
84 Pasture production in integrated warm- and cool-season grass equine rotational pasture systems

Incorporating warm-season grasses (WSG) into traditional cool-season (CSG) rotational pastures has been utilized to increase summer forage available for grazing cattle. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of this practice on yield and nutritive value of horse pastures. We hypothesized WSG incorporation would increase summer pasture yield, while being lower in non-structural carbohydrates (NSC). Two 1.5 ha rotational systems (6–0.25 ha sections/system) were utilized: a control system (CON) with all sections containing an established CSG mix (Kentucky bluegrass, orchardgrass, and tall fescue), and an integrated system (IRS) [3 CSG sections (CSG-IRS) and 3 Quick-N-Big crabgrass (CRB-IRS)]. Three horses per system grazed across 3 periods: EARLY (mid-May to mid-Jul), SLUMP (mid-Jul to mid-Sep), and LATE (mid-Sep to mid-Nov). Horses were confined to dry lots if sufficient pasture forage was not available. Before each rotation, herbage mass (HM) was measured and forage samples collected (0800–1000) with nutrients analyzed by wet chemistry. Grazing days were tracked to calculate carrying capacity (CC). Data were analyzed by ANOVA and means separated by Tukey's method in R. Over the full grazing season, IRS provided pasture access for 123 d, while CON supported grazing for 104 d (69% and 59% of total). Total HM per section did not differ during EARLY grazing when CRB was not available (CSG-IRS: 2537 ± 605; CSG-CON: 3783 ± 856 kg/ha), but CC was greater in CSG-IRS (220 ± 37 horse d/ha) than in CSG-CON (92 ± 26 horse d/ha; P = 0.03). In SLUMP grazing, both HM and CC were greater in CRB-IRS (HM: 4758 ± 698 kg/ha; CC: 196 ± 31 horse d/ha) than either CSG-IRS (HM: 1086 ± 698 kg/ha; CC: 32 ± 31 horse d/ha) or CON (HM: 970 ± 493 kg/ha; CC: 46 ± 22 horse d/ha; P
The rates of global bacterial and archaeal dispersal.

The phylogenetic resolution at which microorganisms display geographic endemism, the rates at which they disperse at global scales, and the role of humans on global microbial dispersal are largely unknown. Answering these questions is necessary for interpreting microbial biogeography, ecology, and macroevolution and for predicting the spread of emerging pathogenic strains. To resolve these questions, I analyzed the geographic and evolutionary relationships between 36,795 bacterial and archaeal ("prokaryotic") genomes from ∼7000 locations around the world. I find clear signs of continental-scale endemism, including strong correlations between phylogenetic divergence and geographic distance. However, the phylogenetic scale at which endemism generally occurs is extremely small, and most "species" (defined by an average nucleotide identity ≥ 95%) and even closely related strains (average nucleotide identity ≥ 99.9%) are globally distributed. Human-associated lineages display faster dispersal rates than other terrestrial lineages; the average net distance between any two human-associated cell lineages diverging 50 years ago is roughly 580 km. These results suggest that many previously reported global-scale microbial biogeographical patterns are likely the result of recent or current environmental filtering rather than geographic endemism. For human-associated lineages, estimated transition rates between Europe and North America are particularly high, and much higher than for non-human associated terrestrial lineages, highlighting the role that human movement plays in global microbial dispersal. Dispersal was slowest for hot spring- and terrestrial subsurface-associated lineages, indicating that these environments may act as "isolated islands" of microbial evolution.
A Paradox of Brazilian Counterculture: The Hemispheric Politics of José Agrippino’s PanAmérica and As Nações Unidas

Despite frequent associations with Tropicalia, Brazilian writer andmultimedial artist Jose Agrippino de Paula has received little critical attention incomparison to other alternative artists associated with the cultural movement.Drawing on Christopher Dunn’s exploration of Brazilian counterculture’scontradictory relationship to consumerism and cultural dependence, this articleexamines how Agrippino’s anti-novel PanAmerica (1967) and his originally censoredplay As nacoes unidas (2019) diverge from his contemporaries’approaches to pan-Latin American identity by ironically appearing to embraceboth consumer culture and the US cultural industry. Viewing Agrippino’s violenteschewal of genre conventions through the prism of cultura marginal, Icontextualize his challenge to contemporary cultural approaches to nationalism before demonstrating how As nacoes unidas acts as a companion piece toPanAmerica that provides new clues for decoding his timely societal critique.
Who's your donor?: A practical approach to building a revenue‐producing library prospect database

Purpose – To show how the use of a database of potential donors may increase the success of fund‐raising activities.Design/methodology/approach – Explains how a database was used to collect information on potential donors. Each donor was given a value reflecting the strength of their connection to the library. These rankings were based on past gifts, areas of interest, and career, to name a few.Findings – By using a database to collect, maintain, and monitor fund‐raising activities at the Syracuse University Library, the library has been able to collaborate with other university units and has achieved more visibility and success in development activities.Originality/value – This study suggests a practical model that could be adopted by other libraries in similar institutions. Early results from the Syracuse University Library experience have been positive, and the library is now positioned as an important partner in campus fund‐raising activities.
Nitric Oxide: Synthesis and Action

Nitric oxide is an important mediator of diverse physiological functions such as vascular relaxation, neurotransmission and host defence. It is synthesized endogenously by the action of nitric oxide synthases and formed from organic nitrates and nitrites. Through its action on guanylyl cyclase it increases cellular levels of cyclic GMP, which accounts for most NO activities. Excessive NO production causes tissue damages through its direct actions on intracellular constituents and its formation of peroxynitrite with superoxide. Keywords: nitric oxide; nitric oxide synthase; guanylyl cyclase; peroxynitrite; neurotoxicity
Relation of Family Problems to Patterns of Delinquent Involvement Among Urban Youth

The relation of patterns of family problems and patterns of delinquent behavior over time was evaluated among a sample of inner-city minority adolescent males. Empirically derived groups were identified and included: nonoffenders, chronic minor offenders, escalators, and serious chronic offenders. Patterns of family problems were also identified and differentially related to delinquency groups. Members of the group involved in serious chronic offending were more likely to have families characterized by multiple problems including disruption, conflict, and lack of parental involvement, sometimes so extreme as to meet the legal requirement of neglect. They were also more likely to have families characterized by deviant behavior and attitudes. The finding of specific relations between types of family problems and patterns of delinquent behavior has important implications for intervention and prevention. Rather than assuming a general relation between family functioning and delinquent involvement, specific aspects of family functioning may need to be targeted to affect different patterns of delinquent involvement.
cAMP stimulates exocytic delivery of vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 in renal epithelial cells (604.6)

Soluble NSF Attachment Protein Receptors (SNAREs) drive membrane fusion in eukaryotic cells. SNAREs of the Vesicle Associated Membrane Protein (VAMP) family reside in vesicles and mediate vesicle f...
Algebraic approach to the quark problem

An algebraic framework is constructed for the description of color singlet states composed of colored quarks. Quark fields are elements of a local octonionic module. Invariant actions are constructed for the quark fields. The actions are symmetric under local color transformations belonging to the exceptional Lie groupG2. The theory is quantized in a generalized path integral formalism. It is found that only color singlet states propagate, whereas quarks are «confined».
The Great War: A Photographic Narrative

How does one tell the story of World War I? This is still a pressing question, as is evident from the number of books recently published marking the centennial of the Great War. Perhaps no recent b...
Is surgery getting safer? National trends in operative mortality.

Abstract BACKGROUND: Although mortality rates for some cardiovascular procedures seem to have declined, it is unclear whether other high-risk procedures are becoming safer over time. STUDY DESIGN: We examined national trends between 1994 and 1999 in operative mortality for 14 high-risk cardiovascular and cancer procedures in the national population of Medicare beneficiaries over age 65. Secular trends were examined using logistic regression adjusting for age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, admission acuity, comorbidities, and hospital volume. RESULTS: Observed mortality rates varied widely across the 14 procedures, from 2% (carotid endarterectomy) to 16% (esophagectomy). Over the 6-year study period, average patient age increased for all procedures, and patients were more likely to undergo operation at high-volume hospitals for some procedures (pancreatic resection, esophagectomy, cystectomy, and pneumonectomy). After accounting for these changes, operative mortality declined significantly for three cardiovascular procedures, as evidenced by adjusted odds ratios (OR) for the 6-year effect on operative mortality (coronary artery bypass graft OR=0.85, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81 to 0.88; carotid endarterectomy OR=0.86, 95% CI 0.80 to 0.93; mitral valve replacement OR=0.89, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.97). In contrast, operative mortality did not decline for any of the cancer procedures. In fact, adjusted mortality increased for colectomy for colon cancer (OR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.19). CONCLUSIONS: Although risks of some cardiovascular procedures are declining over time, there is no evidence that other types of high-risk surgery are becoming safer. These findings suggest the need for systematic efforts to monitor and improve surgical performance.
Architecting Technology Transition Pathways: Insights from the Military Tactical Network Upgrade

As engineering systems become more and more complex, technology transition increasingly involves deploying an upgraded subsystem across a legacy network. This mode of upgrade presents new challenges for systems architects concerned with maintaining value over multiple infused technical changes. This paper explores the dynamics of technology transition in path-dependent infrastructure systems. It uses a model-based case study of the envisioned military airborne tactical network upgrade as a basis for developing guidelines for effective transition path design. Based on the natural diffusion dynamics of the system we identified an inherent tradeoff between upgrade cycle and sustained capability levels. In other words, assuming even weakly exponential growth in demand, there is a relationship between timing of infusion and longevity of benefit. As a result, a less capable upgrade, deployed expediently can do more good than a more sophisticated upgrade that can only be integrated in the next block upgrade. In addition, by conceptualizing the transition "path" as a design lever, two dimensions of problem decomposition can be exploited to mitigate transition barriers: 1 self-contained subnetworks can provide a proving ground for full-system future benefits in order to mitigate stakeholder resistance; and 2 the technical system can be designed for evolvability, making it possible to stage deployment in the technical dimension as well.
Study of planetary atmospheres by absorptive occultations

The absorption spectrum of the upper atmosphere can be observed as a function of height as a spacecraft observes the setting or rising of the sun or a star behind the limb of a planet. Data reduction methodology for absorptive occultations are described. Emphasis is placed on occultations by atmospheres other than the earth's in which the observed effects are dominated by absorption. Observations of the other planets by ultraviolet spectrometers able to look at the sun as well as stars are presented. Most of the instruments utilized the extreme ultraviolet wavelength region between 500 and 1600 A, which includes strong absorptions by nearly all gases and is consequently very useful for an initial exploration of a little known atmosphere. A closely related development is the utilization of stellar occultations seen from the earth's surface or airborne platforms, to obtain geometrical information on planets, rings, and asteroids, including density profiles of atmospheres. Voyager instruments defined the upper atmospheres of all four Jovian planets and the satellites Titan and Triton. Tight upper limits on the atmosphere of Mercury were established by Mariner 10.
Structural aspects of diapiric mélange emplacement: the Duck Creek diapir

Abstract The Duck Creek melange is one of a series of diapiric mud intrusions into the slope cover sequence of the Cascadia Accretionary Wedge. The diapir originated deep within the accreted Hoh sequences and has intruded approximately 1 km up into the 2–3 km thick Pliocene Quinault slope cover sequences at its current level of exposure in coastal seacliffs. Analyses of the geometry and kinematic indicators at the current exposure level strongly suggest that this part of the diapir intruded at a low angle to form an inclined sill or dyke-like body at least 0.5 km in diameter. Microstructural analysis indicates a zonation of deformational features between the core and margins of the diapir resulting from an evolving series of fabrics and the increasing concentration of strain towards the margins. Specifically, we interpret early independent particulate flow (IPF) fabrics as indicating deformation in a low effective stress environment with the possibility of turbulence during initial mobilization and intrusion. The subsequent transition to cataclastic flow indicates deformation occurring in the presence of increasing effective stress, and the creation of broad marginal shear zones suggests strain hardening. The final transition to IPF fabrics limited to narrow strain softened marginal shear zone suggests decreasing effective stresses during the latest intrusion phase. In addition, the abundance of veining phases associated with the latter part of the intrusion history indicates that the diapir became a major fluid conduit for mineralizing fluids toward the end of its emplacement history.
Wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) detectability from helicopters and ramifications for estimating abundance

Aerial surveys have been used to estimate abundance for several wild bird species but its application for wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) populations has been limited. We surveyed Rio Grande wild turkey (M. gallopavo intermedia) populations during March 2006 using an R44 helicopter. We used flocks with radio-tagged birds to estimate flock detectability. We also used simulations to evaluate accuracy and precision and examine power to detect trends in population change. We observed that wild turkey flock detectability was 94.7% (74.0–99.9%; 95% CI). Our simulations suggested helicopter surveys would underestimate abundance by about 5.6% (4.6% CV). Surveying 980 to 1,960 km2 (requiring 27 to 55 h of flight time) can provide sufficient power (≥0.80) to detect a 10 to 25% change in abundance over a 4- to 5-year period.
Thoughts on Black Women in the Workplace A Space Not Intended for Us

Using five of her own journal entries, the author tells a collective story. Through this form, she raises some issues that are both in the theoretical literature and in the everyday work lives of Black women.
Teachers' beliefs about the effects of child abuse

OBJECTIVE: Teachers' expectations about the effects of physical and emotional abuse on children's classroom behaviors were examined in this study. Not only do teachers have to decide if a particular child is the victim of abuse, they may also have to contend with changes in that child's classroom behavior. METHOD: Teachers generated what they thought were typical outcomes of physical and emotional abuse on children's classroom behavior. RESULTS: Responses generally fell into the following categories: lowered self-esteem, heightened aggression, academic difficulties, and poor social interaction skills. Teachers who mentioned lowered self-esteem were more likely to generate it as the result of emotional abuse rather than physical abuse. CONCLUSIONS: Teachers' expectations generally mirrored research findings as to the actual effects of child abuse. Suggestions are made to incorporate the results in training programs designed to increase teachers' self-confidence in reporting potential cases of child abuse. Language: en
Ternary phase relations of the chalcopyrite compound CuGaSe 2

The ternary Cu-Ga-Se phase diagram has been determined by DTA and x-ray analysis. In addition to two ternary solid solutions based on the binary compounds Cu2.xSe and Ga2Se3, only one ternary phase, the chalcopyrite CuGaSe2 (peritectic m.p. 1030°C), was encountered. The liquidus contains two regions of liquid immiscibility, one which extends from the Cu-rich (Cu, Se) binary liquid immiscibility to the Ga-rich (Ga, Se) binary immiscibility, and the other which is a minor extension of the Se-rich (Cu, Se) binary liquid immiscibility. The liquidus maxima include those at the binary boundaries: Cu (1087°C), Cu67Se33 (1148°C), GaSe (960°C); and a ternary liquidus maximum at Cu19Ga28.5Se52.5 (1112°C), the maximum melting point of a solid solution based on the defect-zincblende phase of Ga2Se3. The primary phase fields are identified and the crystal growth of CuGaSe2 solid solutions from nonstoichiometric melts is discussed, especially the most satisfactory Bridgman growth from the Cu2Se-CuGaSe2 join. Subsolidus phase relations are also proposed for the Cu-Ga-Se system, and probable similaritics in all I-III-VI ternary diagrams are suggested.
Josephson tunneling logic gates with thin electrodes

Thin electrode flux penetration effects in Josephson tunneling gates are analyzed and experimental results exhibiting these effects are reported for the first time. Deep flux penetration accompanied by deep current penetration contribute added inductance not coupled to the external field, reducing sensitivity to control current. In addition, the field within the lower electrode reduces the end-to-end asymmetry introduced by the superconducting ground plane and makes the threshold characteristic more symmetrical. The thin film effects are embodied in an equivalent circuit. Experimental results for devices with thick and thin films are compared showing the expected increased symmetry and reduced sensitivity for the thin film case. Experimental results agree well with calculations based on the equivalent circuit.
Traffic Pattern and Tillage System Effects on Corn Root and Shoot Growth

Controlled wheel traffic is one way to manage compaction in no-till and ridge-till systems. This study was conducted from 1990 to 1992 at Kanawha, IA, on a Webster silty clay loam (fine-loamy, mixed, mesic Typic Haplaquoll) to examine the effect of a wheel traffic pattern on corn (Zea mays L.) root distribution, shoot growth, and yield in no-till, ridge-till, and chisel-plow tillage systems. The wheel traffic pattern was configured so that some rows would have wheel tracks on both sides, on one side, or on neither side. Bulk density, hydraulic conductivity, root length density, shoot dry weight, and yield were measured at several positions across the traffic pattern. In general, the effect of tillage systems was not significant averaged across positions. Position relative to the traffic pattern had some effect, however, on all measured parameters. Bulk density was greatest in trafficked interrows (1.36 Mg m -3 ) and least in untrafficked interrows (1.09 Mg m -3 ). Hydraulic conductivity near saturation was less in trafficked (39A μm s -1 ) than in untrafficked (104.7 μm s -1 ) interrows. Root length density in trafficked interrows was on average one-third of that in untrafficked interrows. Root length density in a particular interrow also was influenced by the traffic pattern in the adjacent interrows. In 2 of the 3 yr, yields of rows with a trafficked interrow on only one side were 7% less than those of rows without trafficked interrows on either side. The wheel traffic pattern, and not just the presence or absence of wheel traffic, affected corn root growth and yield.
Cross-Talk Between Membrane-Initiated and Nuclear-Initiated Oestrogen Signalling in the Hypothalamus

It is increasingly evident that 17β-oestradiol (E2) via a distinct membrane oestrogen receptor (Gq-mER) can rapidly activate kinase pathways to have multiple downstream actions in CNS neurons. We have found that E2 can rapidly reduce the potency of the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen and mu-opioid receptor agonist DAMGO to activate G protein-coupled, inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK) channels in hypothalamic neurons, thereby increasing the excitability (firing activity) of POMC and dopamine neurons. These effects are mimicked by the membrane impermeant E2-BSA and a new ligand (STX) that is selective for the Gq-mER that does not bind to ERα or ERβ. Both E2 and STX are fully efficacious in attenuating the GABAB response in ERα, ERβ and GPR 30 knockout mice in an ICI 182,780 reversible manner. These findings are further proof that E2 signals through a unique plasma membrane ER. We have characterised the coupling of this Gq-mER to a Gq-mediated activation of phospholipase C leading to the up-regulation of protein kinase Cδ and protein kinase A activity in these neurons, which ultimately alters gene transcription. Finally as proof of principle, we have found that STX, like E2, reduces food intake and body weight gain in ovariectomised females. STX, presumably via the Gq-mER, also regulates gene expression of a number of relevant targets including cation channels and signalling molecules that are critical for regulating (as a prime example) POMC neuronal excitability. Therefore, E2 can activate multiple receptor-mediated pathways to modulate excitability and gene transcription in CNS neurons that are critical for controlling homeostasis and motivated behaviors.
Active control of SDF systems using artificial neural networks

Abstract A study of the application of artificial neural networks (ANNs) to active structural control is presented. A simple effective strategy for the on-line control of single-degree-of-freedom (SDF) structures is proposed. The strategy is to apply the control force at every time step to destroy the buildup of the system response, and the control force needed for the next time step is fully determined from the information available at the current time; therefore the time delay associated with the control algorithm is eliminated. The control algorithm can be implemented for either a closed or open-closed loop controller. The controller uses a trained ANN to determine the control force such that the velocity induced at the preceding time step is canceled. A feedforward neural network with an adaptive backpropagation training method is used in this study. In the backpropagation training, the learning rate is determined by ensuring the decrease of the error function of the input—output training patterns at each training cycle. Numerical examples of SDF systems under earthquake excitations are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. The uncertainties in the time history of the excitation and in the modeling of the system, including the magnitudes of the excitations, the natural frequency and nonlinearity of the systems are examined. Significant reduction of the response is observed. Also, it is shown that the proposed control strategy has the ability to reduce the peak that occurs during the first few cycles of the time history, an ability that linear control laws lack.
Morphology and histochemistry of flight muscles in free-tailed bats, Tadarida brasiliensis

Three primary and two accessory flight muscles of Tadarida brasiliensis were studied using gross dissection and histochemical analysis. The pectoralis, subscapularis, and serratus ventralis thoracis muscles were composed entirely of fast oxidative fibers (FO), except for a restricted caudal portion of the latter muscle that included a small percentage of slow fibers (SO). The accessory flight muscles, triceps brachii and biceps brachii, included predominantly FO fibers except for deep-lying fascicles where a mixture of FO and SO fibers occurred. The exclusive presence of FO fibers in the primary flight muscles reflects the metabolic demands for high-speed flight over extended periods of time. The monotypic histochemical profile in these muscles represents a one-gear mechanical system for force production. Mixed populations of fiber types in the accessory flight muscles reflect the maintenance of postural or tonic role within these muscle groups. No fast glycolytic (FG) fibers were observed in any of the muscles studied, thus emphasizing the importance of oxidative metabolism in the flight muscles.
Number sense in infancy predicts mathematical abilities in childhood

Human infants in the first year of life possess an intuitive sense of number. This preverbal number sense may serve as a developmental building block for the uniquely human capacity for mathematics. In support of this idea, several studies have demonstrated that nonverbal number sense is correlated with mathematical abilities in children and adults. However, there has been no direct evidence that infant numerical abilities are related to mathematical abilities later in childhood. Here, we provide evidence that preverbal number sense in infancy predicts mathematical abilities in preschool-aged children. Numerical preference scores at 6 months of age correlated with both standardized math test scores and nonsymbolic number comparison scores at 3.5 years of age, suggesting that preverbal number sense facilitates the acquisition of numerical symbols and mathematical abilities. This relationship held even after controlling for general intelligence, indicating that preverbal number sense imparts a unique contribution to mathematical ability. These results validate the many prior studies purporting to show number sense in infancy and support the hypothesis that mathematics is built upon an intuitive sense of number that predates language.
Alkanethiol Reductive Desorption from Self-Assembled Monolayers on Gold, Platinum, and Palladium Substrates

The reductive desorption of n-alkanethiolate (RS-) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold, platinum, and palladium substrates was investigated. The kinetics of this process were too slow to measure directly in the case of RS−Pt and RS−Pd SAMs. Thus, the faradaic response of potassium ferricyanide after partial or complete desorption was determined and used to quantify the relative electrochemically accessible surface area. Both the type of underlying metal substrate and the chain length of the n-alkanethiol were varied. The relative alkanethiol binding affinity and effective kinetics of binding for each of the substrates were discussed in light of these observations.
The Intellectual Subsociety Hypothesis: an Empirical Test*

IN A RECENT book on ethnic communality in America, Milton Gordon outlined an "intellectual subsociety hypothesis" in which it was argued that intellectuals in the United States do not fit the contours of the sociological mold cast by the forces of race, religion, and national origin in contemporary group life. It was contended that "intellectuals in the United States interact in such patterned ways as to form at least the elementary structure of a subsociety of their own, and ... this subsociety is the only one in American life in which people of different ethnic backgrounds interact in primary group relations with considerable frequency and with relative comfort and ease."1 Stated otherwise, intellectuals often find life within the ethnic fold unsatisfactory and transcend the boundaries of their respective ethnic groups to form a collectively transethnic subsociety.2 Thus, it is hypothesized that there is emerging in this country a social stratum of intellectuals, a stratum within which ethnic backgrounds are superseded and in which, consequently, no marked ethnic divisions (unlike other strata with their ethnic subgroups) are revealed. This ethnically neutral subsociety may not, of course, embrace all intellectuals. Some may prefer ethnic solidarity, albeit with other intellectuals of a similar ethnic background. The impetus for an ethnically undivided substructure of intellectuals is provided by shared interests of such intensity as to overcome background variables: ". . . in the situation of men and women coming together, because of an overriding common interest in ideas, the creative arts, and mutual professional concerns, we find the classic sociological enemy of ethnic parochialism."3 Involvement in the realm of ideas becomes the pivot of commonality rather than ancestry or socioreligious heritage.
Haemal and coelomic circulatory systems in the arms and pinnules of Florometra serratissima (Echinodermata: Crinoidea)

The haemal and coelomic circulatory systems in arms and pinnules of a stalkless crinoid are described by transmission electron microscopy, and the coelomic topography is revealed by scanning electron microscopy of corrosion casts and peritoneal surfaces. In addition, the route of the coelomic circulation in the living crinoid is shown by injection of carmine particles, and sites of peritoneal phagocytosis are demonstrated by injection of latex beads. The most important morphological findings are: the controversial hyponeural circulation is haemal and not coelomic; peritoneal ciliation is general and not limited to the cells of the ciliated pits; and occur smooth muscle cells occur below the peritoneum. Carmine particles injected into the central body coelom rapidly travel outward toward the arm and pinnule tips via the aboral canals; the particles return to the central body via the subtentacular canals. Latex beads injected intracoelomically are taken up by peritoneal cells throughout the subtentacular, genital and aboral canals. The possible functions of the haemal and coelomic circulatory systems of crinoids are discussed.
Recent trends in microwave education and research

Slides of the author's conference presentation on recent trends in microwave education and research are given.
Excitonic and superconducting orders from repulsive interaction on the doped honeycomb bilayer

Using a weak-coupling renormalization group formalism, we study competing-ordered phases for repulsively interacting fermions on the bilayer honeycomb lattice away from half-filling, which can be realized experimentally as doped bilayer graphene. As electrons are added to the system, excitonic order is suppressed, and unconventional superconductivity appears generically in its place. In general, it is found that the maximum critical temperature for superconductivity appears directly adjacent to the dome of particle-hole order, illustrating the importance of fluctuations in these channels for the formation of unconventional superconductivity. We obtain the phase diagram showing characteristic ordering temperatures for both short- and long-ranged interactions, and show that the most likely superconducting instabilities occur in $d$-wave, $f$-wave, and pair density wave channels. The nature of and competition between these phases are further analyzed using both free-energy expansion and self-consistent mean-field theory. The effects of finite temperature and trigonal warping due to further-neighbor hopping are studied, and implications for experiments on bilayer graphene are discussed.
Years of life lost due to cystic fibrosis

Abstract Years of life lost is conventionally calculated for causes of death only but has recently been extended to genetic conditions, both congenital and with delayed onset. After reviewing the reanalysis implicit in this extension, this paper carries out the calculations for cystic fibrosis. Since incidence figures for cystic fibrosis at birth vary considerably, three values for years of life lost are quoted: high, middle or single best estimate, and low. The three values are 41.2, 28.3 and 14.2 yr for every 1000 livebirths, both sexes included; all three values apply to the U.S. white population in 1970. The discussion compares these results with previously calculated figures for Down's syndrome and Huntington's disease. Figures for years of normal health lost due to the three conditions are also presented.
Should you increase sales promotion or add salespeople

Abstract Making the choice between investing in advertising or personal selling efforts is a difficult one for industrial marketers. This decision requires several tradeoffs that are usually difficult to compare. This article examines these tradeoffs and presents a decision model that can assist industrial marketers in this difficult decision.
Alterations in the toxicity of cis-Dichlorodiammineplatinum-II and in tissue localization of platinum as a function of NaCl concentration in the vehicle of administration

Abstract The lethality to mice of the anticancer drug cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum-II (cisPt) was greatly reduced when the drug was dissolved in hyperonic (4.5%) NaCl relative to preparation in distilled water (DW). Concomitant administration of 4.5% NaCl and cisPt prepared in DW failed to protect mice against cisPt toxicity. When other chloride salts were used as vehicles, partial protection was observed and when NaI was used as a vehicle, nearly complete protection was obtained. Similarly in rats, toxicity was reduced with the hypertonic vehicle when lethality, clinical chemistry, or histopathology criteria were evaluated. In vitro and in vivo binding to plasma proteins was greater with the DW vehicle. Tissue Pt levels were less and decayed more rapidly with the hypertonic NaCl vehicle. Antitumor effectiveness of cisPt was not altered when 4.5% NaCl was utilized as the vehicle. A postulated explanation for these results is a shift in the cisPt aquation reaction due to the high concentration of chloride ions in the vehicle.
Slippery sliding on icy Iapetus

Enigmatically, some landslides flow farther than normal frictional resistance allows. Cassini images of Saturn’s icy moon Iapetus reveal a multitude of long-runout landslides that may have been enabled by flash heating along the sliding surface.
Monte Carlo simulations will change the way we treat patients with proton beams today

Within the past two decades, the evolution of Monte Carlo simulation tools, coupled with our better understanding of physics processes and computer technology has enabled accurate and efficient prediction of particle interactions with tissue. Monte Carlo simulations have now been applied for routine clinical applications. This commentary outlines how simulations have the potential to change clinical practice particularly in proton therapy. Specifically, Monte Carlo simulations will impact treatment outcome analysis, reduce treatment volumes and help understand proton-induced radiation biology.
Laissez-faire banking and circulating media of exchange

Abstract A model with private information that supports conventional arguments for a government monopoly in supplying circulating media of exchange is constructed. The model also yields rate-of-return and velocity predictions which are consistent with observations from free banking regimes and fiat money regimes. In a laissezfaire banking equilibrium, fiat money is (essentially) not valued, and the resulting allocation is not Pareto optimal. However, if private agents are restricted from issuing circulating notes, there exists an equilibrium with valued fiat money that Pareto dominates the laissez-faire equilibrium and is Pareto optimal within a restricted class of allocations. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: 020, 310.
Utilization of microdissection and the polymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis of adrenal cortical carcinoma in fine-needle aspiration cytology.

BACKGROUND Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) for several tumor suppressor genes (including loci on 3p, 1p, and 17p,) has been documented in surgical specimens of adrenal cortical carcinomas (ACCA) without accompanying losses in benign hyperplastic and adenomatous adrenal cortical lesions (ACL). This disparate pattern of LOH raises the possibility of exploitation of these differences for diagnostic utilization. Cytologic differentiation of benign versus malignant ACL may be impossible based solely on fine-needle aspiration (FNA) material. The authors attempted to extrapolate the genetic findings on surgical specimens to FNA specimens of ACL to determine whether LOH studies could be utilized as a definitive diagnostic tool. METHODS Microdissection of archival material was performed on FNAs of ten ACCAs (stained with the Papanicolaou and Diff-Quik stains) with corresponding histologic material (stained with hematoxylin and eosin), one FNA of a benign ACL, and three touch preparations of benign adrenal cortex. LOH analysis was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with flanking markers for the following putative tumor suppressor genes: p53 (17p13; TP53), 1p (1p36; D1S165), and the von Hippel-Lindau gene at 3p25 (D3S1038 and D3S1110). RESULTS Similar results were obtained with cytologic and histologic material. As expected, benign ACL showed no LOH for the markers examined. Of the informative ACCA cases, 70% showed LOH for at least 1 of the 3 markers tested on both FNA and histologic samples. For all cases with amplifiable DNA, there was a 100% concordance rate for LOH between cytologic and histologic material, with at least 7 of the 10 cytologic samples originating from metastatic lesions and all of the surgical material originating from the primary adrenal neoplasm. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that the combination of microdissection and PCR for LOH of p53, 1p, and 3p25 from FNA material has the potential to be utilized to distinguish ACCA from benign ACL in informative cases. It also shows a 100% concordance rate between metastatic and primary ACCAs for the losses observed, a finding that can be extremely useful for the definitive identification of metastatic lesions. Archival cytologic preparations of ACCA are a reliable source of DNA for LOH studies. [See editorial counterpoint on pages 173–5 and reply to counterpoint on pages 176–7, this issue.] Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 1999;87:231–7. © 1999 American Cancer Society.