cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glucose-galactose malabsorption in an adult: perfusion studies of sugar, electrolyte, and water transport.

Glucose-galactose malabsorption, a rare congenital impairment of monosaccharide absorption which causes severe diarrhea, is described in an otherwise normal 21-year-old man. The diagnosis was made by sugar tolerance tests and confirmed by jejunal perfusion studies. Treatment by restriction of dietary sugars and by caloric supplements with fructose controlled the diarrhea effectively and resulted in weight gain. Perfusion studies of the jejunum documented decreased absorption of glucose and galactose and normal absorption of fructose. The basal potential difference of the jejunal mucosa was normal, but potential difference was unresponsive to the addition of intraluminal glucose. The jejunal mucosa secreted electrolytes and fluid, suggesting that a coupled glucose-sodium-water absorptive process may be defective in this condition.
Cytocompatible Poly(ethylene Glycol)-Co-Polycarbonate Hydrogels Cross-Linked by Copper-Free, Strain-Promoted Click Chemistry

Strategies to encapsulate cells in cytocompatible three-dimensional hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties and degradability without harmful gelling conditions are highly desired for regenerative medicine applications. Here we reported a method for preparing poly(ethylene glycol)-co-polycarbonate hydrogels through copper-free, strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) click chemistry. Hydrogels with varying mechanical properties were formed by "clicking" azido-functionalized poly(ethylene glycol)-co-polycarbonate macromers with dibenzocyclooctyne-functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) under physiological conditions within minutes. Bone marrow stromal cells encapsulated in these gels exhibited higher cellular viability than those encapsulated in photo-cross-linked poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate. The precise control over the macromer compositions, cytocompatible SPAAC cross-linking, and the degradability of the polycarbonate segments make these hydrogels promising candidates for scaffold and stem cell assisted tissue repair and regeneration.
Boundary element analysis for effective stiffness tensors: effect of fabric tensor determination method

Second-rank fabric tensors have been extensively used to describe structural anisotropy and to predict orthotropic elastic constants. However, there are many different definitions of, and approaches to, determining the fabric tensor. Most commonly used is a fabric tensor based on mean intercept length measurements, but star volume distribution and star length distribution are commonly used, particularly in studies of trabecular bone. Here, we investigate the effect of the fabric tensor definition on elastic constant predictions using both synthetic, idealized microstructures as well as a micrograph of a porous ceramic. We use an efficient implantation of a symmetric Galerkin boundary element method to model the mechanical response of the various microstructures, and also use a boundary element approach to calculate the necessary volume averages of stress and strain to obtain the effective properties of the media.
Water Content of Medusæ Sexuality in a Planarian

IN recent numbers of NATURE there have appeared two communications which seem to call for comment. In the issue of August 22, Lowndes1 discusses the question of the water content of medusae, determining that of Aurelia aurita to be 96.56 per cent in sea water of 3.3 per cent salinity. A few years ago I became interested in the same question and also determined the water content of Aurelia aurita, finding 96 per cent water in specimens from sea water of 3.2 per cent salinity2. Later, I determined the water content of four other species of medusae, all hydromedusae, finding 96.5–97 per cent water in specimens taken from sea water of 3.0 per cent salinity3. In the first of these papers I reviewed the available data on the subject4 ; these show that in sea water of more than 3 per cent salinity, the water content of medusae ranges from 94 to 96.5 per cent but that in brackish water of less than 2 per cent salinity, the water content of Aurelia aurita may rise to 98 per cent. From these facts it may be inferred that the water content of freshwater medusae must be very high, and this has recently been found to be the case by Dunham5, who reports 99–99.3 per cent water in Craspedacusta, thus confirming an old statement by Cremer6.
Identification of early acute lung injury at initial evaluation in an acute care setting prior to the onset of respiratory failure.

Background Despite being a focus of intensive investigation, acute lung injury (ALI) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. However, the current consensus definition impedes identification of patients with ALI before they require mechanical ventilation. To establish a definition of early ALI (EALI), we carried out a prospective cohort study to identify clinical predictors of progression to ALI. Methods Potential cases of EALI were identified by daily screening of chest radiographs (CXRs) for all adult emergency department and new medicine service admissions at Stanford University Hospital. Results Of 1,935 screened patients with abnormal CXRs, we enrolled 100 patients admitted with bilateral opacities present 2 L/min). On multivariate analysis, only an initial oxygen requirement > 2 L/min predicted progression to ALI (odds ratio, 8.1; 95% confidence interval, 2.7 to 24.5). A clinical diagnosis of EALI, defined by hospital admission with bilateral opacities on CXR not exclusively due to left atrial hypertension and an initial oxygen requirement of > 2 L/min, was 73% sensitive and 79% specific for progression to ALI. Conclusions A new clinical definition of EALI may have value in identifying patients with ALI early in their disease course.
Influenza neuraminidase-inhibiting antibodies are induced in the presence of zanamivir

Seasonal influenza epidemics cause illness and death each year, and the emergence of antigenically novel influenza A viruses are a continual pandemic threat. Disease and death can be averted by vaccination. The potency of killed virus vaccines is based on hemagglutinin (HA) content. However, antibodies that inhibit enzyme activity of the neuraminidase (NA) also reduce virus replication and protect against disease. Monoclonal NA-inhibiting (NI) antibodies recognize conformational epitopes, and it is anticipated that native tertiary structure is required for their induction. NA assembles as a tetramer and only this form has enzyme activity. Since small inhibitors of NA do not significantly alter conformation, we sought to determine whether neuraminidase-inhibiting (NI) antibodies would be induced by inhibitor-inactivated NA. We therefore evaluated responses of mice immunized with purified NA that was either inactivated by addition of zanamivir or denatured by heat treatment. NI antibodies were induced following immunization with NA from A/Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2) in which enzyme activity was inhibited by the former method but not the latter. Protection of mice against challenge with virus containing an antigenically matched NA correlated with the detection of NI antibodies in serum. Similar results were obtained when mice were immunized with whole H1N1 virus in which NA activity had been inhibited by the same two modalities. This demonstrates that native conformation of NA is necessary for induction of NI antibodies; enzyme activity provides a useful marker of intact structure, but absence of activity in NA that is correctly folded does not result in loss of immunogenicity. Thus any assay to assess potency of influenza vaccines with respect to NA content should consider the proportion of NA that is in a structurally native state.
Comparison of several path independent integrals including plasticity effects

Proceeding from the work of Eshelby, a path independent integral, Ĵ, is developed which is the negative of the rate of change of total energy for a material characterized by an incremental plasticity model. This integral is compared to several well known integrals to indicate that those integrals, for such a material, are deficient in certain terms with regard to the rate of change of total energy. The various integrals are compared on the three point bend specimen. The Ĵ integral was found to be very sensitive to the finite element idealization and limited studies indicate that under certain conditions that other more easily calculated integrals can be substituted for Ĵ
The penetration of thorotrast into brain spaces following osmium, glutaraldehyde, and hydroxyadipaldehyde fixation.

The size and the accessibility of the rat extracellular space to Thorotrast appears to be distinctive for fixation with osmium tetroxide, glutaraldehyde, and hydroxyadipaldehyde. The small glutaraldehyde extracellular space does not appear accessible to Thorotrast. However, Thorotrast can enter the larger extracellular space which can be seen following HAA fixation and to a lesser degree after osmium fixation. In HAA-fixed tissue this space and the contained Thorotrast appear to communicate with the basement membrane of venules. The relationship of these findings to morphological and functional properties of the extracellular space is discussed.
Sensitivity of ATPase activities to fire ant venom and abdomen preparations.

Abstract The sensitivity of fire ant, Solenopsis richteri (Forel), head homogenate ATPase to its venom and to a cyclohexane extract of whole fire ants were investigated. Na + K + and oligomycin-sensitive Mg 2+ ATPase activities were inhibited by both preparations. Oligomycin-insensitive Mg 2+ ATPase activity was inhibited by low concentrations but showed strong stimulation at high concentrations of the venom preparations. Lineweaver-Burk plots of enzyme data in the presence or absence of inhibitor indicated that the inhibitor action was non-competitive with ATP for Na + K + and oligomycin-sensitive Mg 2+ ATPase activities. However, the oligomycin-insensitive Mg 2+ ATPase activity showed a mixed type response to the inhibitor. Tests on pure samples of known venom components indicate that they cause the observed effects on the ATPase activities.
Optimal array patterns for encryption key establishment in LOS channels

While the establishment of secret encryption keys based on reciprocal electromagnetic propagation has received recent attention, very limited work has appeared regarding how multiantenna radios should conduct the required channel estimation in the presence of an eavesdropper. This paper demonstrates array beamforming that maximizes the number of bits that can be established when an eavesdropper observes the channel estimation process.
Routing, Wavelength Assignment, and Spectrum Allocation in Transparent Flexible Optical WDM (FWDM) Networks

We propose the flexible optical WDM network architecture, and introduce the routing, wavelength assignment, and spectrum allocation problem in transparent FWDM networks. Spectrum and cost efficiency are improved compared to fixed grid networks.
A Four Channel Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexer on InP

The design, fabrication, and characterization of an InP based AWG for Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM) is presented. An S-shape design is utilized to accommodate the large free spectral range required for CWDM. The AWG has four channels with 20nm spacing centered at 1525nm. The crosstalk is less than -10dB.
Performance Anxieties: Undoing Sexist Masculinities among College Men

Given heterosexuality’s prominent and potentially noxious role in the construction of masculinity during young adulthood, it is important to examine when and how men resist masculinity projects predicated on the sexual objectification and subordination of women. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 44 college men, and 16 focus groups with 87 additional men and women students, this article examines the multidimensional social processes that constrain and enable men as they attempt to resist sexist conventions of masculinity and heterosexuality. A theory of gender as structure—a multidimensional entity whose impact extends to all levels of social life—is used to investigate complexity and contradictions in men’s gendered sexual subjectivities, including why they engage in sexist thinking and behavior despite, in many ways, not personally desiring to do so.
Coarse-grained descriptions of dislocation behaviour

Recent computational advances have permitted mesoscale simulations of systems containing of the order of 106 dislocations. While such simulations are beginning to provide a wealth of information about dislocation energetics and dynamics, it is worth noting that the macroscopic deformation response of well-worked materials with dislocation densities ranging between 1010 and can be accurately described by a smaller number of macrovariables and an appropriate relation between these variables. The large-scale reduction in the number of degrees of freedom required to characterize plastic deformation implies that homogenization, or coarse graining, of variables is appropriate over some range of length and time scales. Here, we describe recent work in which temporal and spatial coarse-graining strategies are identified, which link the mesoscale with the continuum. More specifically, three distinct examples are considered: the impact of solute–dislocation interactions on dislocation mobility (including pinning ef...
On Kolmogorov–Smirnov type aligned test in k-sample linear regression

Abstract This paper gives asymptotically distribution free tests of the Kolmogorov–Smirnov type based on aligned observations for testing the hypothesis that k distributions differ only in regression lines, parallel or not. The design matrices are allowed to be random.
Geochemistry of the Hawi lavas, Kohala Volcano, Hawaii

Hawi lavas form the late stage alkalic cap on Kohala Volcano and range in composition from hawaiite to trachyte. New, detailed field mapping of Kohala and reinterpretation of previously published age data suggest that there was no significant eruption hiatus between the Hawi and underlying Pololu shield lavas as was previously suggested. Mineral and whole-rock chemical data are consistent with a crystal fractionation origin for the hawaiite to trachyte compositional variation observed within the Hawi lavas. Plagioclase, clinopyroxene, Ti-magnetite, olivine and apatite fractionation are needed to explain this variation. The clinopyroxene fractionation may have occurred at moderate pressure because it is virtually absent in these lavas and is not a near liquidus phase at pressures of less than 8 Kb. Plagioclase would be buoyant in the Hawi hawaiite magmas so a mechanism like dynamic flow crystallization is needed for its fractionation and to account for the virtual absence of phenocrysts in the lavas. Hawi lavas are distinct in Sr and Nd isotopic ratios and/or incompatible element ratios from the Pololu lavas. Thus they were derived from compositionally distinct sources. Compared to other suites of Hawaiian alkalic cap lavas, Hawi lavas have anomalously high concentrations of phosphorus and rare earth elements. These differences could be due to greater apatite content in the source for the Hawi lavas.
Randomisation in designing software tests for systems of systems

This paper applies randomisation theory to the problem of selecting software test cases for software systems and applications in order to overcome the high costs incurred in testing componentised systems of systems (SoS). We have used a corner point semantics, which can approximate a proof of correctness – termed a pseudo-proof of correctness. Test cases for each component are designed to be mutually orthogonal, or randomised. Integration testing is performed through a composition of the test cases for components with some value-added test cases to cover integration aspects of the system. Integration testing is also designed in such a way that the testing algorithm is written in randomised form. In this paper, we present a theoretical framework for randomising test design for component and integration testing. We also show a meta heuristic algorithm based on the framework to be used with test design methodologies that are randomisation-friendly. The advantages offered by such randomisation are ever present in the algorithm, programming language, integration, and workflow design.
Cognitive Empowerment of African Americans and Caucasians Differences in Understandings of Power, Political Functioning, and Shaping Ideology

This study explored relationships between race, citizen participation, and three dimensions of cognitive empowerment: understandings of power through relationships, political functioning, and shaping ideology. Results revealed that, unlike emotional empowerment, cognitive empowerment was not directly related to citizen participation, and effects of participation on cognitive empowerment did not differ for African Americans and Caucasians. Importantly, a main effect of race on cognitive empowerment was found which showed that, accross levels of participation, African Americans had greater understandings of power through relationships and shaping ideology than Caucasians. Implications for empowerment theory and practice are discussed.
Ecogeographic Races of Lesquerella Engelmannii (Cruciferae): Distribution, Chromosome Numbers, and Taxonomy

Morphological, karyological, and ecological data indicate thatLesquerella engelmannii (Gray) Wats, should be considered withL. ovalifolia Rydb. as comprising a single polymorphic species having diploid, tetraploid, hexaploid, and octaploid populations and exhibiting broad variation, with geographic trends, in vegetative morphology. Three subspecies are distinguished.
Rejoinder to Kullback and Keegel note on the minimum discrimination information approach

Kullback and Keegel [3] (K&K) espouse the minimum discriminant information (MDI) approach. For the problem considered by Brown and Fuchs [1] (B&F), K & K agree that " the results of the MDI procedure are the same as the maximum likelihood estimates and the MDI statistic.., is the log-likelihood ratio statistic". Therefore, the two methods must yield identical results when the same model is being fitted to the same set of data. One method cannot be more correct than the other. K & K then demonstrate that by using their program, they obtain the same results using a Newton-Raphson (NR) algorithm as by using an iterative proportional fitting (IPF) algorithm (see Table 1). In B&F different results were obtained by the two different algorithms. The difference in B&F occurred because the data sets to which the model was being fit~ted differed between the two algorithms. K & K forced the same dataset to be used by both algorithms. A major conceptual issue which arises in several of the specific comments of K& K is whether the definition of the model also includes the definition of the observation space. B& F used the term model to refer to the generic form of the model which can be defined even before data are collected. This generic form is specified to a computer program which then reads the data matrix presented to it and computes the parameter estimates of the model. When the data presented are changed, the estimates change even if the generic model is the same. In B& F we considered that the data presented to the Newton-Raphson algorithm were that specified in our Table 1 (which excluded all the observed zeros) whereas the program using an IPF algorithm first completes the frequency table and in that process modifies the set of observations. Therefore, the two algorithms used by B & F were fitting the same generic model to two sets of observations which differed in their zero frequencies. On the other hand K & K assume that there is a dependent variable with two levels and add a zero frequency whenever one and only one of the levels is present
Modeling risk in arbitrage strategies using finite mixtures

The class of hedge fund strategies termed arbitrage strategies has historically produced stable, modest returns punctuated by intervals of dramatically poor performance. The weakness stems from an ...
Subchondral trabecular compression of the femoral head in the etiology of aseptic necrosis. Experimental study in rabbits.

Abstract Subchondral trabecular compression of the femoral heads of rabbits was produced to test the hypothesis that trauma to the subchondral trabecular structure plays a role in the etiopathology of aseptic necrosis. Compression led to bone necrosis in the area of trauma, and acellular fragments were still observed after six months. The repair response was vigorous and led to an increase of bone mass in relation to marrow vascular space. It is suggested that the new bone formation in the area of trauma, as well as in the surrounding areas, prevented collapse of the femoral head. Use of local or systemic methods to suppress the repair response was not investigated in this study. It is possible that inhibition of the repair process in a localized area of bone destruction might cause greater stress to be placed on the surrounding trabeculae, perhaps leading to bone death by excessive loading and stress fractures.
Primary suspension culture of calf anterior pituitary cells on a microcarrier surface

In order to achieve a steady-state primary culture system for mammalian cells, with the potential to eventually correlate and control cell function and growth, a serious evaluation of various suspension systems was made. Calf anterior pituitary cells were employed as a differentiated cell type and successfully cultivated in a microcarrier suspension culture system. DEAE-Sephadex was demonstrated to be a satisfactory type of microcarrier. The cells readily attached to the bead and, after a short lag period, they actively proliferated on the bead surface to yield growth of a predominantly epithelial cell type. Under specific conditions the microcarrier supported primary cell growth up to levels of 2 × 106 cells per ml. High bead concentrations inhibited cell growth. The inhibition could be overcome by using proportionately higher cell inoculum so that a concentrated culture with 5 × 106 cells per ml was achieved. The inhibitory effect of high bead concentration was found to be due to the absorption of serum protein and certain growth enhancing factors. The fact that the growth enhancing factors were released from cells during the period of trypsinization and were both thermostable and nondialyzable, seems to suggest one approach to a dialysis culture system. In addition, relatively trauma-free primary cell cultures can be achieved by using explant culture without prior trypsinization. In microcarrier suspensions direct growth of primary rat mammary tumor cells was also demonstrated.
Quantification of mammalian sperm morphology by slit‐scan flow cytometry

The head shapes of mammalian sperm have been measured by slit-scan flow cytometry (SSFCM). In this approach, the distribution of fluorescence along acriflavine stained mammalian sperm is recorded and used as a measure of head shape. Fluorescence profiles were measured for sperm from mice, rabbits, hamsters, and bulls, and for sperm from mice exposed to testicular x-irradiation from 0 to 900 rads. The profiles for sperm from nonirradiated animals were characteristic of each species and were reproducible from sperm to sperm. Some of the fluorescence profiles for sperm from the irradiated mice differed significantly from the profiles usually measured for sperm from exposed mice. An algorithm was developed to determine the frequency of these sperm. The estimated frequencies of atypical profiles correlated well (r . 0.99) with the frequencies of abnormally shaped sperm determined by microscopic scoring. The maximum SSFCM sensitivity (minimum detectable dose . 199 rad) was not as high as that for the visual assay (minimum detectable dose . 116 rad). However, only 100 profiles were measured by SSFCM at each dose while at least 500 sperm were scored visually at each dose. The sensitivity of the SSFCM assay should be increased substantially by measuring more profiles. Themore » objective nature of SSFCM couple with the high correlation with results from the visually based assay of morphology suggests the use of SSFCM to measure frequencies of misshapen sperm when testing for mutagens or monitoring for effects of environmental contaminants.« less
Landscape polarisation, hobby farmers and a valuable hill in Tuscany: understanding landscape dynamics in a peri-urban context

After the Second World War, modern agriculture and urbanisation have contributed to the vanishing of many traditional landscapes. Over the last years, agricultural restructuring, changes in farms’ structure and crisis in modern agriculture have led to an increasingly diverse set of relationships between land management and land ownership. This is especially true in peri-urban areas, where farmlands are often converted from commercially driven agriculture to various and highly dynamic land uses. This paper presents a micro-sociological study carried out in a municipality close to Pisa, where two types of landscape coexist: an urbanised lowland including areas of mechanised agriculture and a hilly area preserving traditional Mediterranean elements – such as terraces and ancient wine caves – which was abandoned during the rural outmigration and is currently being restored and managed by hobby farmers. Unlike lowland landowners, hobby farmers frame their “dwelling” on moral discourses and see the upland as a ...
Characterization of semiconducting polymer laser materials and the prospects for diode lasers

Abstract By measuring the gain and loss in thin film planar waveguides using a standard technique developed for inorganic laser materials, we show that the narrow-line emission from photopumped waveguides of the conjugated polymer poly(2-butyl-5-(2′-ethyl-hexyl)-1, 4-phenylenevinylene) (BuEH-PPV) results from amplification of spontaneous emission (ASE). The narrowed linewidth of the ASE spectrum is determined by gain saturation. The techniques presented offer a simple and useful way for evaluating conjugated polymer as materials for solid state lasers. The prospects for making polymer diode lasers are discussed.
α[ 11C]Methyl-L-Tryptophan Positron Emission Tomography in Patients With Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood

Based on previous reports suggesting a role of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the pathomechanism of alternating hemiplegia of childhood and speculation that it may be a migraine variant, we measured brain serotonin synthesis in children with alternating hemiplegia of childhood. Clinical and neurodevelopmental data, as well as standard uptake values in 25 brain regions and whole-brain serotonin synthesis capacity (unidirectional uptake rate constant or K-complex), were assessed in six patients with alternating hemiplegia of childhood (three girls and three boys; mean age = 76/12 years) using α[ 11C]methyl-L-tryptophan positron emission tomography (PET). The PET studies were performed interictally in three patients, during the ictal state in two patients, and postictally in one patient. The PET data were compared to those obtained interictally from six age-matched patients with focal epilepsy (two girls and four boys; mean age = 78/12 years) and six non-age-matched apparently normal siblings of autistic ...
Quantification of dynamic blood flow autoregulation in optic nerve head of rhesus monkeys

Autoregulation capacity has been classically assessed with a 'two-point' measurement or static autoregulation (sAR). In such an approach, stabilized hemodynamic parameters are determined before and after a perfusion pressure challenge. Analysis of dynamic autoregulation (dAR), an early phase of blood flow response to a sudden perfusion pressure change is emerging as a preferred approach to assess the capacity of autoregulation in many non-ocular tissues and has developed rapidly in the last decade. The purpose of this study was to develop a method to quantify dAR in the optic nerve head (ONH). In six pentobarbital (6-9 mg/kg/h, IV) anesthetized rhesus monkeys, dAR was elicited by increasing intraocular pressure (IOP) from 10 to 30 or 40 mmHg (IOP(10-30)/IOP(10-40)) manometrically via switch between reservoirs connected to the anterior chamber. Relative blood flow changes during dAR in the ONH, estimated with a laser speckle flowgraph (LSFG), were continuously measured for 1 min. Time-domain parameters of dAR response, including: BF(Deltamax) (maximal blood flow decrease, %), K(r) (descending slope of blood flow from baseline to BF(Deltamax)) and T(r) (descending time of blood flow from baseline to BF(Deltamax)) were extracted and analyzed offline. For each monkey, same procedure was repeated three times during three different visits. The test-retest repeatability and inter-ocular difference of the parameters was statistically evaluated. During IOP(10-30) and IOP(10-40), the mean arterial BP was 89 +/- 7 and 85 +/- 6 mmHg, respectively. Immediately after the reservoir was switched, the blood flow started to decline and reached maximal in approximately 4 s. The blood flow then returned back toward baseline despite continuous IOP increase, which took 8-11 s to reach the level of the raised reservoir. The general pattern of blood flow responses was similar between IOP(10-30) and IOP(10-40) and there was no statistically significant difference for T(r) (P > 0.05). However, IOP(10-40) caused greater BF(Deltamax) and deeper K(r) than IOP(10-30) (P 0.05). All dAR parameters (T(r), K(r) and BF(Deltamax)) showed no significant difference across the 3 visits (Repeat measures ANOVA, P = 0.7, 0.2 and 0.2, respectively); the corresponding coefficients of variance were 24%, 43% and 34% during IOP(10-30) and 11.8%, 30.3% and 19.0% during IOP(10-40). The mean dAR parameters between the eyes showed no statistically differences (P = 0.6) during both IOP(10-30) and IOP(10-40). The current study showed that a rapid ocular perfusion pressure decrease induced by a sudden IOP step increase evoked a transient and reproducible dAR response in the ONH of non-human primates measured with LSFG. Quantitative analysis of dAR may provide a direct view of vasomotorial activity in the resistant vessels and thus a new approach to assess the autoregulatory capacity in the ONH.
The Integrative Revolution Revisited

Abstract Contrary to the predictions of modernization theorists, social relationships grounded in assumed ties of blood, race, language, and religion remain a powerful force in both developing and industrial nations. Contemporary theories of political and economic development are inadequate for understanding the role of these “primordial ties” because, in rejecting modernization theory for its shortcomings, they have abandoned systematic consideration of cultural and symbolic phenomena. A reevaluation of the work of Edward Shils and Clifford Geertz, and an examination of recent developments in anthropology and history suggest new ways in which the dynamic role of cultural and symbolic processes in development can be understood.
Preliminary measurements of residual tip-tilt motion and strehl ratios for laser guide star compensation at lick observatory

Adaptive optics performance using a sodium laser guide star at the Lick Observatory 3.0 m telescope is presented. In order to accomplish this the residual effects of natural guide star tip-tilt motion is removed. This is measured from 500 short exposure images (texp = 57ms). The data show instantaneous Strehl ratios ranging from ~ 0.10 to ~ 0.45 with a mean value of ~ 0.26. Centroid tracking of these data yield residual tip-tilt errors of ~ 21 mas, within specifications for the system. This resdual tip-tilt motion reduces the Strehl ratio of long exposure imaging by only ~ 7%.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Creativity, Habit, and the Social Products of Creative Action: Revising Joas, Incorporating Bourdieu

Hans Joas's The Creativity of Action (1996) posits that conceiving of all action as fundamentally creative would overcome problems inherent in rational and normative theories of action and would provide an alternative basis for action-based theories of macrosociological phenomena. Joas conceives of creativity as a response to the frustration of “prereflective aspirations,” which necessitates innovative adjustment to reestablish habitual intentions. This conceptualization creates an unsupportable duality between habitual action and creativity that neglects other possible sources of creative action, including habit itself. Combining strengths from Bourdieu's concept of habitus, creativity can be redefined as the necessary adaption of habitual practices to specific contexts of action. Creative action continually introduces novel possibilities in practical action and provokes a variety of social responses to its products. This revised concept of creativity overcomes the dichotomy presented by Joas identifies ...
Graphs for cone preserving maps

Abstract Let K be a closed, pointed, full cone in a finite dimensional real vector space. We associate with a linear map A for which AK ⊆ K four directed graphs. For two of the graphs the vertex set is the collection of all faces of K , and for two the vertices are all the extreme rays of K . We relate the irreducibility and primitivity of A to the strong connectedness of some of these graphs.
On the exceptional case in a characterization of the arcs of a complete graph

It is known that a certain simple set of properties characterize the relationship of adjacency of the n(n - 1)/2 arcs of the complete graph of order n, when n ≠ 8, and that these properties are not a sufficient characterization when n = 8 (see [1], [2], [3], [4], and [7]). The present paper describes a method for enumerating all counter-examples when n = 8.
Synthesis and Characterization of Corn Oil Polyhydroxy Fatty Acids Designed as Additive Agent for Many Applications

Before the advent of the modern food industry, vegetable oils (triglycerides) from many sources had a long history of use as condiments in cooking, personal care, and other therapeutic applications. Industrial applications of vegetable oils outside of food usage, on the other hand, have been limited on account of the shorter shelf-life durability of these oils resulting from the natural unsaturation (carbon–carbon double bonds) in the structure of most triglycerides. In seeking to explore expanded utilization of this renewable resource, we have eliminated the above weakness by chemically modifying the double bonds in the material in an attempt to stabilize the oil. We have used FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy to characterize the derivative whereas the physical and chemical properties of the product in terms of stability and flow characteristics have been investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), pressure DSC, rheometry and thermogravimetric analysis. In this modification of corn oil the data obtained indicate that the resulting poly-hydroxylated acids are more stable than the native corn oil. Additionally, the obtained properties are unique and such that this product will be amenable to use in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other industrial uses especially as a lubricity enhancing additive in fuel applications.
Similarity Search using Concept Graphs

The rapid proliferation of hand-held devices has led to the development of rich, interactive and immersive applications, such as e-readers for electronic books. These applications motivate retrieval systems that can implicitly satisfy any information need of the reader by exploiting the context of the user's interactions. Such retrieval systems differ from traditional search engines in that the queries constructed using the context are typically complex objects (including the document and its structure). In this paper, we develop an efficient retrieval system, only assuming an oracle access to a traditional search engine that admits 'succinct' keyword queries for retrieving objects of a desired media type. As part of query generation, we first map the complex query object to a concept graph and then use the concepts along with their relationships in the graph to compute a small set of keyword queries to the search engine. Next, as part of the result generation, we aggregate the results of these queries to identify relevant web content of the desired type, thereby eliminating the need for explicitly computing similarity between the query object and all web content. We present a theoretical analysis of our approach and carry out a detailed empirical evaluation to show the practicality of the approach for the task of augmenting electronic documents with high quality videos from the web.
Differential thermal expansion in microelectronic systems

The author examines the problem of differential thermal expansion in microelectronic systems by taking examples from each of the packaging levels of microelectronic systems. The different thermal expansion coefficients of different materials used in the structures of these systems cause stresses to be established in such structures if their temperature of operation differs from that of their fabrication in a nominally stress-free condition. Thermal cycling during normal operation can give rise to thermal fatigue at the various material interfaces, cause defect propagation, and lead to premature failure of the structures, either directly or through subsequent environmental degradation. The examples used include silicon oxidation and GaAs-on-silicon heteroepitaxy, ceramic or polymeric encapsulants of the fabricated structures, printed circuit boards (PCBs), and the solder connections used in mounting components on PCBs. >
The Carboxyl Terminal Domain Regulates the Unitary Conductance and Voltage Dependence of Connexin40 Gap Junction Channels

Chemical regulation of connexin (Cx) 40 and Cx43 follows a ball-and-chain model, in which the carboxyl terminal (CT) domain acts as a gating particle that binds to a receptor affiliated with the pore. Moreover, Cx40 channels can be closed by a heterodomain interaction with the CT domain of Cx43 and vice versa. Here, we report similar interactions in the establishment of the unitary conductance and voltage-dependent profile of Cx40 in N2A cells. Two mean unitary conductance values ("lower conductance" and "main") were detected in wild-type Cx40. Truncation of the CT domain at amino acid 248 (Cx40tr248) caused the disappearance of the lower-conductance state. Coexpression of Cx40tr248 with the CT fragment of either Cx40 (homodomain interactions) or Cx43 (heterodomain interactions) rescued the unitary conductance profile of Cx40. In the N2A cells, the time course of macroscopic junctional current relaxation was best described by a biexponential function in the wild-type Cx40 channels, but it was reduced to a single-exponential function after truncation. However, macroscopic junctional currents recorded in the oocyte expression system were not significantly different between the wild-type and mutant channels. Concatenation of the CT domain of Cx43 to amino acids 1 to 248 of Cx40 yielded a chimeric channel with unitary conductance and voltage-gating profile indistinguishable from that of wild-type Cx40. We conclude that residence of Cx40 channels in the lower-conductance state involves a ball-and-chain type of interaction between the CT domain and the pore-forming region. This interaction can be either homologous (Cx40 truncation with Cx40CT) or heterologous (with the Cx43CT).
Rheological aspects of thermoplastic foam extrusion

Several rheological aspects of thermoplastic foam extrusion are described by a phenomenological model of the flow in an extrusion die. The macroscopic effects of the phase change, from a homogeneous polymer melt that contains a blowing agent, to a foam, are described in terms of two dimensionless parameters. α is defined as the ratio of the pressure gradient in the melt phase to the average pressure gradient in the foam phase. Θ represents the ratio of the pressure drop in the melt phase to the pressure drop in the foam phase. The position at which the phase change initiates, the exit contribution to the Bagley ends pressure correction, and the true wall shear stress in the melt phase are related to α and Θ. The quality of the foam produced is discussed in terms of the extrusion conditions and their effect on the foaming position in the die. It is demonstrated that the ends pressure correction cannot be neglected on the basis of a long die alone. Asymptotic conditions for which the phase change has negligible effect on the melt flow rate are predicted. α is calculated from the data of Han and Villamizar, who measured the pressure distribution in the die and observed the phase change directly. The prediction of α from theory is complicated by the lack of suitable constitutive relations for the foam phase. Since Θ only requires knowledge of the pressure at which the phase change initiates, it is relatively easy to evaluate.
Effects of violence exposure and daily stressors on psychological outcomes in urban adolescents

Relations between adolescent violence exposure, daily stress, and psychological outcome were examined. Parent/adolescent dyads (N = 80) completed questionnaires, which included parent ratings of adolescent externalizing and internalizing problems and adolescent self-ratings of emotional adjustment. Severity of daily stress moderated the relation between levels of violence exposure and extent of adolescent externalizing and internalizing problems. The relation was significant at higher levels of daily stress, but nonsignificant at lower levels of stress. In contrast, daily stress did not emerge as a moderator in the relation between violence exposure and adolescent emotional adjustment. Results suggest that adolescents experiencing high levels of violence exposure and daily stress should be considered at great risk for poor psychological outcome.
Histone H2A.Z Controls a Critical Chromatin Remodeling Step Required for DNA Double-Strand Break Repair

Chromatin remodeling during DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair is required to facilitate access to and repair of DSBs. This remodeling requires increased acetylation of histones and a shift in nucleosome organization to create open, relaxed chromatin domains. However, the underlying mechanism driving changes in nucleosome structure at DSBs is poorly defined. Here, we demonstrate that histone H2A.Z is exchanged onto nucleosomes at DSBs by the p400 remodeling ATPase. H2A.Z exchange at DSBs shifts the chromatin to an open conformation and is required for acetylation and ubiquitination of histones and for loading of the brca1 complex. H2A.Z exchange also restricts single-stranded DNA production by nucleases and is required for loading of the Ku70/Ku80 DSB repair protein. H2A.Z exchange therefore promotes specific patterns of histone modification and reorganization of the chromatin architecture, leading to the assembly of a chromatin template that is an efficient substrate for the DSB repair machinery.
PELVIC FLOOR MUSCLE TRAINING TO IMPROVE URINARY INCONTINENCE AFTER RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF EFFECTIVENESS

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) for treating urinary incontinence (UI) after radical prostatectomy (RP) by reviewing evidence from randomized trials. METHODS Randomized trials published in English were included if they involved men with UI after RP and compared PFMT with a control group. Data were abstracted onto a standardized form using a prospectively developed protocol. RESULTS Eleven trials randomizing 1028 men (mean age 64 years) met the inclusion criteria; the duration of the trials was 3–12 months. One trial of 300 men found that those assigned to PFMT achieved continence more quickly (after 1, 3 and 6 months) than men not assigned to PFMT. Men receiving biofeedback-enhanced PFMT were more likely to achieve continence or have no continual leakage than those with no training within 1–2 months after RP (relative benefit increase 1.54; 95% confidence interval 1.01–2.34; four trials reporting). The relative benefit increase (1.19, 0.82–1.72; five studies) was no longer significant after 3–4 months. Biofeedback-enhanced PFMT was comparable to written/verbal PFMT instruction. Extracorporeal magnetic innervation (ExMI) and electrical stimulation (ES) were found to be initially (within 1–2 months) more effective than PFMT in one trial, but there were no significant differences between groups at ≥ 3 months. CONCLUSION Based on available evidence, PFMT with or without biofeedback enhancement hastens the return to continence more than no PFMT in men with UI after RP. Additional trials are needed to confirm whether ExMI and ES are effective conservative treatment options.
Musculotendon variability influences tissue strains experienced by the biceps femoris long head muscle during high-speed running

The hamstring muscles frequently suffer injury during high-speed running, though the factors that make an individual more susceptible to injury remain poorly understood. The goals of this study were to measure the musculotendon dimensions of the biceps femoris long head (BFlh) muscle, the hamstring muscle injured most often, and to use computational models to assess the influence of variability in the BFlh's dimensions on internal tissue strains during high-speed running. High-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) images were acquired over the thigh in 12 collegiate athletes, and musculotendon dimensions were measured in the proximal free tendon/aponeurosis, muscle and distal free tendon/aponeurosis. Finite element meshes were generated based on the average, standard deviation and range of BFlh dimensions. Simulation boundary conditions were defined to match muscle activation and musculotendon length change in the BFlh during high-speed running. Muscle and connective tissue dimensions were found to vary between subjects, with a coefficient of variation (CV) of 17±6% across all dimensions. For all simulations peak local strain was highest along the proximal myotendinous junction, which is where injury typically occurs. Model variations showed that peak local tissue strain increased as the proximal aponeurosis width narrowed and the muscle width widened. The aponeurosis width and muscle width variation models showed that the relative dimensions of these structures influence internal muscle tissue strains. The results of this study indicate that a musculotendon unit's architecture influences its strain injury susceptibility during high-speed running.
A short experiential scale of hypnosis

The present paper attempts to establish a short experiential index of hypnosis that: (l) can be used to predict hypnotic susceptibility while minimizing the possible production of negative expectations that might be generated by the failure of difficult items in full standardized scales, and (2) can be used as a screening device to investigate other experiential indices like depth reports or absorption. Study 1 revealed that retrospective realness ratings of two Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (HGSHS:A) items, arm rigidity and eye catalepsy, correlated most highly with full HGSHS:A scores (R = 0.62 when presented in the full 12-item scale). Study 2 indicated that the predictive power of these items was reduced somewhat when they were administered as a stand-alone scale (R = 0.54). Results suggest a scale combining these two items would provide a quick and convenient quantitative index predictive of susceptibility that could be employed in both clinical and experimental settings. Copyright © 1996 British Society of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis