cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Religious heritage and emerging tourism in the Republic of Georgia

This brief research note describes the current situation regarding religiously based heritage tourism and pilgrimage in Georgia. Heritage in Georgia is almost synonymous with religious heritage. Few countries in the world possess such an intensity of built religious patrimony in a small territory as the foundations of their heritage tourism sector as Georgia does. Georgia is already an increasingly popular destination, but owing to its important religious history, the multitude of ancient churches and holy relics at home there, and the inseparable mix of religious and natural heritagescapes, the country has the potential to develop further in three areas of heritage tourism: domestic pilgrimage; international pilgrimage among Orthodox Christians from Eastern Europe and countries of the former USSR; and non-religious cultural tourists from all over the world.
Optimal Initial Perturbations for Ensemble Prediction of the Madden–Julian Oscillation during Boreal Winter

An initialization strategy, tailored to the prediction of the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO), is evaluated using the Goddard Earth Observing System Model, version 5 (GEOS-5), coupled general circulation model (CGCM). The approach is based on the empirical singular vectors (ESVs) of a reduced-space statistically determined linear approximation of the full nonlinear CGCM. The initial ESV, extracted using 10 years (1990-99) of boreal winter hindcast data, has zonal wind anomalies over the western Indian Ocean, while the final ESV (at a forecast lead time of 10 days) reflects a propagation of the zonal wind anomalies to the east over the Maritime Continent an evolution that is characteristic of the MJO. A new set of ensemble hindcasts are produced for the boreal winter season from 1990 to 1999 in which the leading ESV provides the initial perturbations. The results are compared with those from a set of control hindcasts generated using random perturbations. It is shown that the ESV-based predictions have a systematically higher bivariate correlation skill in predicting the MJO compared to those using the random perturbations. Furthermore, the improvement in the skill depends on the phase of the MJO. The ESV is particularly effective in increasing the forecast skill during those phases of the MJO in which the control has low skill (with correlations increasing by as much as 0.2 at 20 25-day lead times), as well as during those times in which the MJO is weak.
Cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein phosphorylation in vitellogenic follicles of Hyalophora cecropia.

Abstract (1) In homogenates of vitellogenic follicles from Hyalophora cecropia , cyclic nucleotides promoted the transfer of label from [γ 32 P]-ATP to at least four polypeptides. PKI (6–20) amide, an inhibitor of PKA (cAMP-dependent protein kinase), prevented all four reactions. Quantitative tests using kemptide as a substrate indicated that 80% of the total follicular PKA activity was localized in the follicle cells; labeling at 45, 32, and 27 kDa was particle-associated and also restricted to the follicle cells, while a 58 kDa substrate was labeled only in homogenates of the oocyte. (2) When intact follicles were incubated in [ 32 P]-phosphate and okadaic acid, a protein phosphatase inhibitor, the 32 kDa substrate again exhibited cAMP-dependent labeling. There was thus a physiological relationship between PKA activation and 32 kDa protein phosphorylation, while exposure of at least two of the other three substrates to appropriate kinases required homogenization. The latter was illustrated by phosphorylation of the 42 kDa small subunit of vitellogenin, which occurred only when homogenization mixed the proteins of the yolk bodies with cytoplasmic kinases. (3) PKA activation is known to promote the termination of vitellogenesis, even in the absence of detectable labeling of the 32 kDa substrate. The possibility remains that phosphorylation at 32 kDa concerns later aspects of postvellogenic development that were not tested by the assay system used here.
Phosphorylation of Gβ is augmented by chronic morphine and enhances Gβγ stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity

Abstract We previously demonstrated (Chakrabarti, et al., 2001) that in vivo phosphorylation of the G β subunit of G proteins, via protein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase C (PKC), is dramatically increased following chronic morphine. The present study investigates the PKC isoform selectivity of G β phosphorylation and the consequences thereof on the ability of G βγ to stimulate adenylyl cyclase II (ACII). The catalytic subunit of PKC and PKA, as well as the conventional PKC isoform PKCγ, was effective in phosphorylating G β . In contrast, G β was only minimally phosphorylated by another conventional isoform, PKCα or the atypical isoform PKCζ. In the presence of activated recombinant G sα , ACII activity was dose dependently stimulated by G βγ , the magnitude of which was dependent upon its phosphorylation state. The increment in ACII activity produced by G βγ was increased ≈2-fold following in vitro phosphorylation by the catalytic subunit of either PKA or PKC. In contrast, the concomitant or sequential phosphorylation of G βγ by PKA and PKC catalytic subunits did not result in an additive enhancement of its ability to stimulate ACII and, in fact, negated the observed enhancing effect of each kinase, individually. Threonine phosphorylated G β occurs naturally in the spinal cord, the levels of which are augmented (≈60%) by chronic morphine. The natural occurrence of phosphorylated G β in spinal cord, its up-regulation following chronic morphine and the augmented ability of phosphorylated G βγ to stimulate ACII activity, in the aggregate, indicate that phosphorylation of G β could be a regulatory mechanism causally associated with altered cellular signaling.
bcl-2 prolongs neuronal survival during hypoxia-induced apoptosis.

In vivo models of hypoxic–ischemic brain injury have shown altered expression of a number of genes that are important in regulating neuronal survival. However, it is not clear as to whether hypoxia alone can alter the expression of genes regulating neuronal survival. We hypothesized that (1) hypoxia alone alters the expression of bcl-2 in neurons, (2) the severity and duration of hypoxia influence bcl-2 expression, and (3) the alteration of bcl-2 expression has an important role in regulating neuronal survival during hypoxia. Embryonic rat neocortical neurons cultured for 7–10 days were exposed to 0.1, 1, or 3% oxygen for various durations and were removed for analyses at 24-h intervals. Under all hypoxic conditions, neurons exhibited morphologic changes, as assessed by electron microscopy and Annexin V staining, consistent with apoptosis. Immunoblot and immunofluorescence analyses revealed an increase in neuronal bcl-2 protein during hypoxic exposure. Quantitative immunofluorescence analyses of bcl-2 immunostained neurons indicated that expression of bcl-2 was altered by the duration and severity of hypoxia. Attenuation of bcl-2 expression by antisense oligonucleotides decreased the proportion of surviving neurons by ∼50% after 48 h of exposure to 0.1% oxygen. We conclude that observed increase in bcl-2, in part, plays an important role in neuronal survival during exposure to hypoxia.
EXACT TWO-SAMPLE MEDIAN TESTS WHEN ONE “SAMPLE” VALUE POSSIBLY FROM A DIFFERENT POPULATION

Random samples are assumed for the univariate two-sample problem. Sometimes this assumption may be violated in that an observation in one “sample”, of size m, is from a population different from that yielding the remaining m—1 observations (which are a random sample). Then, the interest is in whether this random sample of size m—1 is from the same population as the other random sample. If such a violation occurs and can be recognized, and also the non-conforming observation can be identified (without imposing conditional effects), then that observation could be removed and a two-sample test applied to the remaining samples. Unfortunately, satisfactory procedures for such a removal do not seem to exist. An alternative approach is to use two-sample tests whose significance levels remain the same when a non-conforming observation occurs, and is removed, as for the case where the samples were both truly random. The equal-tail median test is shown to have this property when the two “samples” are of the same size (and ties do not occur).
Low/high temperature relationships in dinitramide salts by DEA/DSC and study of oxidation of aluminum powders by DSC/TG

The dinitramide salts of ammonia (ADN), hexamethylenetetramine (HDN), potassium (KDN), and sodium (NaDN) showed a linear relationship between the DSC rate of decomposition at the peak maximum and the DEA tanδ value at the low temperature transition peak. As the cation basicity increased in the series ADN<HDN<KDN<NaDN, there was an increase in the low temperature transition peak, the energy barrier for relaxation, and the decomposition peak temperature, and a decrease in the tanδ value at the low temperature transition peak, specific heat capacity, and the rate and enthalpy of decomposition. The more basic salts were more thermally stable (i.e., higher decomposition temperature) and less energetic (i.e., lower enthalpy of decomposition). The more internal free volume (disorder) present in these salts, the higher the rates of relaxation and decomposition. Five aluminum powders of different surface areas were analyzed by DSC in platinum sample pans, and it was found that the enthalpy and rate of oxidation increased as the particle size of Al decreased while the enthalpy of the Al melt decreased. TG showed a two-step weight gain in the oxidation of Al with plateaus in the 650 and 1130°C regions and the percent weight gain increased as the particle size of Al decreased. Variable DSC and TG heating rate studies showed that the activation energies for the first step in the oxidation process increased as the particle size of Al increased.
Asymptotic efficiencies of truncated sequential tests

Truncation of a sequential test with constant boundaries is considered for the problem of testing a location hypothesis: f(x- \theta_{0}) versus f(x- \theta_{1}) . A test design procedure is developed by using bounds for the error probabilities under the hypothesis and alternative. By viewing the truncated sequential test as a mixture of a sequential probability ratio test and a fixed sample size test, its boundaries and truncation point can be obtained once the degree of mixture is specified. Asymptotically correct approximations for the operating characteristic function and the average sample number function of the resulting test are derived. Numerical results show that an appropriately designed truncated sequential test performs favorably as compared to both the fixed sample size test and the sequential probability ratio test with the same error probabilities. The average sample number function of the truncated test is uniformly smaller than that of the fixed sample size test, and the truncated test maintains average sample sizes under the hypothesis and the alternative that are close to those optimum values achieved by Wald's sequential probability ratio test. Moreover, the truncated test is more favorable than the sequential probability ratio test in the sense that is has smaller average sample size when the actual location parameter is between \theta_{0} and \theta_{1} . This behavior becomes more pronounced as the error probabilities become smaller, implying that the truncated sequential test becomes more favorable as the error probabilities become smaller.
Cardiovascular health in indigenous communities: successful programs.

Background Indigenous people across the globe have generally had suboptimal access to quality medical care and effective prevention programs. The available programs that existed have generally been poorly funded and have primarily focussed on infectious diseases. More recent trends denoting significant rising morbidity and mortality of chronic diseases have brought some limited medical focus on cardiovascular diseases, their risk factors and their prevention. However, there is a growing body of evidence—published and unpublished—of developed and developing successful programs to provide culturally appropriate and sensitive treatment for cardiovascular diseases and prevention. Within this report, we aim to describe some of these programs in order to understand common approaches and links that make them successful. Once this survey is completed, a template for successful CVD programs can be created for the development of future programs. Methods We used several methods to gather information about successful Indigenous CVD programs: Pub Med search (keywords: Indigenous, native, First Nation, Aboriginal, cardiovascular, cardiac, etc.), online searches of government-based health programs (World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, etc.) and non-government health programs (World Heart Federation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, etc.), and, importantly, personal communication with multiple thought leaders and program directors in the field of international CVD treatment and prevention. Results Programs can be divided into: (1) epidemiologic programs, which focus on data collection, (2) focussed prevention programs and population approach to CVD prevention, and (3) clinical prevention and intervention programs. Discussion Common themes that define successful Indigenous CVD programs include: dedicated focus on the Indigenous population, widespread community involvement within the Indigenous population, often through the use of Indigenous community health workers, a focus on high-risk individuals within the population and regularly scheduled contact between the program and participants. We recommend that these themes are incorporated during development of future CVD programs for Indigenous people.
The Learning Styles, Expectations, and Needs of Online Students

Abstract. Each student comes to class with certain learning experiences, expectations, and needs that have to be addressed, and to which instructors need to be sensitive, to maximize the students' learning experiences. However, because of the unknown make-up of online classes, the characteristics of online students may be unclear, making it difficult to develop effective online courses. This study sought to establish learning styles, expectations, and needs of students taking an online course. Data were collected from a variety of student communications and the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory. Suggestions to accommodate identified learning styles, needs, and expectations of online students are presented.
Percentile Residual Life Functions

The α-percentile 0 < α < 1 residual life function at time t is defined as the α-percentile of the remaining life given survival up to time t. Note that α-percentile is used in place of 100 α-percentile. Two classes of life distributions defined by the α-percentile residual life function are the decreasing α-percentile residual life DPRL-α class and the new better than used with respect to the α-percentile NBUP-α class. These two classes are, respectively, analogous to the well-known decreasing mean residual life DMRL class and the new better than used in expectation NBUE class that involve the mean residual life function. We obtain properties of the α-percentile residual life function and of the DPRL-α, NBUP-α and their dual classes. Some results differ notably from corresponding results for the mean residual life function.
Preliminary experiments in comparative experimental identification of six degree-of-freedom coupled dynamic plant models for underwater robot vehicles

This paper addresses the modeling and experimental identification of six degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) coupled nonlinear second order plant models for low-speed, fully-actuated, and neutrally buoyant open-frame underwater vehicles. We report a comparative experimental evaluation of six different candidate plant models whose unknown plant parameters are estimated from data obtained in free-motion vehicle trials. We report an experimental evaluation of the performance of each of the six different 6-DOF coupled non-linear finite-dimensional plant models for underwater vehicles estimated by total least squares (TLS) by comparing the mean absolute error between the experimentally observed vehicle velocities and the velocities obtained by a numerical simulation of the experimentally identified plant models. We also report a cross-validation which evaluates the ability of a plant model to accurately reproduce observed plant velocities for experimental trials differing from the trial from which the plant model parameters were estimated. We conclude that plant models including fully parametrized coupled quadratic drag terms perform best overall in cross-validation. This study has the following contributions: It is the first reported experimental 6-DOF fully-coupled plant model identification and cross-validation of low-speed, fully-actuated, and neutrally buoyant underwater vehicles; it is the first experimental 6-DOF plant model identification for this class of underwater vehicles during free-flight experiments; and it is the first reported use of TLS to perform 6-DOF experimental plant model identification of an underwater vehicle.
Modulation of an activity response with associative and nonassociative fear in the rat: a lighting differential influences the form of defensive behavior evoked after fear conditioning.

Rats confronted with the onset of a light gradient display a transient increase in locomotion called theactivity response (AR) and a dark preference (Godsil & Fanselow, 2004). These experiments demonstrate that the magnitude of the AR can be blunted with Pavlovian fear-conditioning procedures via associative and nonassociative fear. Although manifested in decreased locomotion, the blunted AR effect was not due to increased freezing or immobility behaviors. Instead, rats displayed reduced rearing and an increase in a class of behaviors calledstationary activity. These results suggest that the lighting differential supplied by the cue influences the topography of defensive behavior and reduces the expression of freezing. This procedure provides a means by which to examine learned and unlearned defensive responses to the same stimulus.
Astrometry and geodesy with radio interferometry: experiments, models, results

Interferometry at radio frequencies between Earth-based receivers separated by intercontinental distances has made significant contributions to astrometry and geophysics during the past three decades. Analyses of such very long baseline interferometric (VLBI) experiments now permit measurements of relative positions of points on the Earth's surface and of angles between celestial objects at levels of better than one cm and one nanoradian, respectively. The relative angular positions of extragalactic radio sources inferred from this technique presently form the best realization of an inertial reference frame. This review summarizes the current status of radio interferometric measurements for astrometric and geodetic applications. It emphasizes the theoretical models that are required to extract results from the VLBI observables at present accuracy levels. An unusually broad cross section of physics contributes to the required modeling. Both special and general relativity need to be considered in properly formulating the geometric part of the propagation delay. While high-altitude atmospheric charged-particle (ionospheric) effects are easily calibrated for measurements employing two well-separated frequencies, the contribution of the neutral atmosphere at lower altitudes is more difficult to remove. In fact, mismodeling of the troposphere remains the dominant error source. Plate tectonic motions of the observing stations need to be taken into account, as well as the nonpointlike intensity distributions of many sources. Numerous small periodic and quasiperiodic tidal effects also make important contributions to space geodetic observables at the centimeter level, and some of these are just beginning to be characterized. Another area of current rapid advances is the specification of the orientation of the Earth's spin axis in inertial space: nutation and precession. Highlights of the achievements of very long baseline interferometry are presented in four areas: reference frames, Earth orientation, atmospheric effects on microwave propagation, and relativity. The order-of-magnitude improvement of accuracy that was achieved during the last decade has provided essential input to geophysical models of the Earth's internal structure. Most aspects of VLBI modeling are also directly applicable to interpretation of other space geodetic measurements, such as active and passive ranging to Earth-orbiting satellites, interplanetary spacecraft, and the Moon.
Industrial and Cultural Japan

Education and industrial development in the Japanese Empire are here described as seen by the author during his visits to that country, in which he recently delivered a series of lectures under the lwadare Foundation.
The Diagnostic Mycobacteriology Laboratory of the 1990s

The diagnostic mycobacterial laboratory of the 1990s must respond to a change in the clinical spectrum of mycobacterial infections brought about by an increase in the number of patients who are immunocompromised, are indigent, or have temporary or permanent implanted devices. Emerging pathogens such as Mycobacterium haemophilum and Mycobacterium genavense, multidrug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and catheter infections with rapidly growing mycobacteria are examples of new issues. Fortunately, new methods for detection and identification of microbes have been or are being developed
Correction of Shunt from Right Conal Coronary Artery to Pulmonary Trunk with Relief of Symptoms

A case of a small right coronary conal branch to pulmonary trunk shunt with surgical correction is reported. The patient, a 45-year-old housewife, had chest pain, labile hypertension, and intermittent left bundle-branch block with normal serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Selective coronary arteriography was necessary to demonstrate the abnormal communication between the conal branch of the right coronary artery and the pulmonary trunk. Symptoms disappeared after surgical correction of the shunt. Transient left bundle-branch block appeared during exercise after surgery, but the patient was improved subjectively and resumed all household chores without difficulty. Shunting of oxygenated blood away from the myocardium thereby decreasing coronary blood flow to a specific area may have been responsible for significant symptomatology.
Altered leukocyte protein kinase activity in atopic dermatitis.

Abstract Previous studies have demonstrated elevated cyclic-AMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity in mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) from patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). We questioned whether increased kinase activation could account for this observation. In these studies, we measured abnormally lower basal calcium/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (PK-C) phosphorylation in MNL from patients with AD. Basal cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PK-A) phosphorylation was concomitantly higher in MNL from patients with AD. These results are in agreement with earlier reports that PK-A activity may have a negative influence on PK-C activity in certain cell systems. Stimulation with the H 1 -histamine agonist, thiazolylethylamine (TEA), of MNL from normal donors but not patients with AD, resulted in statistically significant increases in PK-C phosphorylation. This implies receptor down regulation or functional desensitization in AD cells. Altered basal protein kinase phosphorylation and abnormal response to selective histamine agonists seen in MNL from patients with AD could explain elevated PDE activity.
Teaching secure programming

Computer users, managers, and developers agree that we need software and systems that are "more secure". Such efforts require support from both the education and training communities to improve software assurance -particularly in writing secure code.
Angiostatin induces intracellular acidosis and anoikis in endothelial cells at a tumor-like low pH.

Angiostatin inhibits angiogenesis by binding to endothelial cells (ECs) lining the vasculature of growing tumors. These cells are in a dynamic state during angiogenesis and are thus not firmly attached to the extracellular matrix. This makes them more vulnerable to anoikis, a process resulting in cell death initiated by or promoted by loss of attachment. Another potential source of EC vulnerability during tumor angiogenesis is that tumor extracellular pH is typically lower than in normal tissues. This presents an additional challenge to ECs in terms of maintaining ionic homeostasis. We report here that the lethality of angiostatin is significantly enhanced both by reduced matrix attachment during exposure and lowered extracellular pH (pH e ). Another effect of angiostatin at reduced pH e is a decreased intracellular pH (pH i ). These effects were observed in three model systems: aortic ring sprouts, ECs during tube formation, and ECs in a scratch/migration assay. In these three dynamic assays, angiostatin...
APPLICATION OF GENETIC ALGORITHM IN ASPHALT PAVEMENT DESIGN

The main purpose of this study is to demonstrate the applicability of the genetic algorithm (GA) to solve nonlinear optimization problems encountered in asphalt pavement design. The fundamentals of the GA are briefly discussed, and three case studies are presented. The first case study is an example showing the backcalculation of layer moduli with deflection data from a falling weight deflectometer and a layered-elastic program. The second case study demonstrates how to construct the master curve, either from a mix flexural frequency sweep test or from a binder rheometer test, and how to apply the master curve in pavement design. The last case shows how to apply the GA to characterize the binder discrete relaxation spectrum with a generalized Maxwell solid model. The results indicate that the GA is successful in resolving the nonlinear optimization problem. The GA presents some difficulty in terms of computing efficiency; however, several techniques have been developed to alleviate this problem.
Audit‐Firm Tenure and the Quality of Financial Reports*

This study examines whether the length of the relationship between a company and an audit firm (audit-firm tenure) is associated with financial-reporting quality. Using two proxies for financial-reporting quality and a sample of Big 6 clients matched on industry and size, we find that relative to medium audit-firm tenures of four to eight years, short audit-firm tenures of two to three years are associated with lower-quality financial reports. In contrast, we find no evidence of reduced financial-reporting quality for longer audit-firm tenures of nine or more years. Overall, our results provide empirical evidence pertinent to the recurring debate regarding mandatory audit-firm rotation — a debate that has, to date, relied on anecdotal evidence and isolated cases.
Molecular Cloning, Primary Structure, and Properties of a New Glycoamidase from the Fungus Aspergillus tubigensis

A new glycoamidase, peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase (PNGase) At, was discovered in the eukaryote Aspergillus tubigensis. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity, and the DNA sequence was determined by cloning in Escherichia coli. Over 80% of the deduced amino acid sequence was verified independently by Edman analysis and/or electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry of protease fragments of native PNGase At. This glycoamidase contains 12 potential asparagine-linked glycosylation sites, of which at least 9 sites are occupied with typical high mannose oligosaccharides. PNGase At consists of two non-identical glycosylated subunits that are derived from a single polypeptide gene precursor. Evidence is presented suggesting that autocatalysis is involved in subunit formation. PNGase At is an important new tool for analysis of asparagine-linked glycans; it can hydrolyze a broad range of glycopeptides, including those with core-linked alpha1-->6 or alpha1-->3 fucose, under conditions not favorable with existing glycoamidases.
Hematopoietic Stem Cells Regulate Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Induction into Osteoblasts Thereby Participating in The Formation of the Stem Cell Niche

Crosstalk between hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and the cells comprising the niche is critical for maintaining stem cell activities. Yet little evidence supports the concept that HSCs regulate development of the niche. Here, the ability of HSCs to directly regulate endosteal development was examined. Marrow was isolated 48 hours after "stressing" mice with a single acute bleed or from control nonstressed animals. "Stressed" and "nonstressed" HSCs were cocultured with bone marrow stromal cells to map mesenchymal fate. The data suggest that HSCs are able to guide mesenchymal differentiation toward the osteoblastic lineage under basal conditions. HSCs isolated from animals subjected to an acute stress were significantly better at inducing osteoblastic differentiation in vitro and in vivo than those from control animals. Importantly, HSC-derived bone morphogenic protein 2 (BMP-2) and BMP-6 were responsible for these activities. Furthermore, significant differences in the ability of HSCs to generate a BMP response following stress were noted in aged and in osteoporotic animals. Together these data suggest a coupling between HSC functions and bone turnover as in aging and in osteoporosis. For the first time, these results demonstrate that HSCs do not rest passively in their niche. Instead, they directly participate in bone formation and niche activities. Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
The decay energy of Ba133

Abstract We have redetermined the transition energy for the decay of Ba133 to Cs133 to be 489 keV, confirming Gupta's results, in disagreement with the estimate of 700 keV from beta-decay systematics. The log ft values for the orbital capture transitions to the 437 and 381 keV levels, as well as gamma cascade studies reported previously support a single-particle description for all of the low-lying levels of Cs133, with the possible exception of the one at 158 keV. The doublet splitting between the d 3 2 and d 5 2 levels is found to be 300 keV. This splitting and the ground-state quadrupole moment are however not in good agreement with estimates based on a pure single-particle configuration.
Immunohistochemical localization of N-methyl-d-aspartate and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate receptor subunits in the substantia nigra pars compacta of the rat

Ionotropic glutamate receptors in the substantia nigra pars compacta regulate the activity of dopamine neurons. We have used dual-label immunofluoresence and confocal laser microscopy to study the localization of subunits of two types of ionotropic receptors within the substantia nigra pars compacta of the rat. Immunostaining for N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 and glutamate receptor 2/3 was prominent in the soma and proximal dendrites of all tyrosine hydroxylase-immunopositive cells, while only low amounts of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2A and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2B were present. Selective antibodies were used to determine the isoforms of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 present. Immunostaining for the N1, C1 and C2 variably spliced segments of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 were scarce in the substantia nigra pars compacta, while immunoreactivity for the alternative C2' terminus of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 was quite abundant. Staining for glutamate receptor 1 was heterogeneous; about half of the tyrosine hydroxylase immunopositive cells stained intensely, while the other half were immunonegative. The glutamate receptor 1-stained cells were concentrated in the ventral tier of the substantia nigra pars compacta. Glutamate receptor 4 was not found in tyrosine hydroxylase-immunopositive cells within the substantia nigra pars compacta. Together, these data demonstrate that dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta express primarily glutamate receptor 1, glutamate receptor 2/3 and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 isoforms containing the alternative C2' terminus.
Dynamic Uplift Scenarios for Floating Ice

Three uplift scenarios in the forced dynamics of floating ice are studied. Linear, quadratic, and square-root uplift forcing functions are considered and the associated uplift displacement functions are computed numerically. In each case, the uplift forcing is known and the displacement at the point of forcing is unknown. This is the so-called “direct” problem. In essence, this study is aimed at learning more about the “indirect” or inverse problem, where the uplift displacement function is known and the forcing is unknown. A model problem, that is able to be solved in closed form for each of the three forcing functions considered, is used to verify the numerical calculations. By curve fitting the relative error between the model problem and the actual uplift problem, a general modus operandi is arrived at for deriving approximate expressions for the otherwise intractable uplift displacement. These approximate expressions satisfy the required initial conditions and are shown to be accurate.
Carbon nanotube nanoelectronics and macroelectronics

Nanotube electronics still faces significant challenges such as integration/assembly, co-existence of metallic and semiconducting nanotubes, and air-stable n-type nanotube transistor for complementary circuit operation. Here we report our solutions to these major obstacles, which may eventually lead to realistic and scalable nanotube integrated circuits. We report the wafer-scale synthesis, transfer of horizontally aligned high-density nanotubes and the application of the high performance aligned nanotube transistors in CMOS integrated circuits. To solve the problem of coexistence of metallic and semiconducting nanotubes, we report a scalable method of fabricating thin-film transistors using pre-separated, semiconducting enriched nanotubes, and have further looked into their application in display electronics. The techniques reported here could serve as critical foundation for future nanotube-based integrated circuits and display electronics.
Cell-specific expression of transfected brain identifier repetitive DNAs

To define the neural-specific expression of rat repetitive identifier (ID) DNA, we co-transfected an intron B subclone of the rat growth hormone (rGH) gene, containing a tandem array of two type 2 repeats and a single ID monomer, and a plasmid conferring neomycin resistance into human SK-N-MC neuroblastoma, HeLa epidermal carcinoma, 293 kidney and 251 MG glioblastoma cells. Transcript analysis from both individual and pools of G418-resistant cells revealed that rGH intron B repeats were expressed only in SK-N-MC neuroblastoma cells as small, cytoplasmic RNAs of 85, 110, 155 and 180 bases. Primer-extension studies show these repetitive RNAs to contain a common 5' end that maps precisely to the beginning of the ID element and that type 2 transcripts are not stably expressed. However, ID DNA expression from two other transfected plasmids, each containing only the ID core sequence, was not restricted to the SK-N-MC cell line. These data show that the transfected rGH ID sequence is selectively expressed in a neural-specific manner resulting in BC-like RNAs, and furthermore, suggest that flanking DNA may play a role in cell-specific expression of certain repetitive DNA elements.
3-D Simulation Models for Wideband MIMO Mobile-to-Mobile Channels

This article presents a three-dimensional mathematical reference model for wideband multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) mobile-to-mobile (M-to-M) channels. Based on this model, two sum-of-sinusoids based simulation models are proposed for 3-D wideband MIMO M-to-M multipath-fading channels. The statistics of the simulation models are derived and verified by simulation.
Adsorbed Mixtures on a Heterogeneous Surface. The Lattice Gas Model

A lattice gas model of mixed adsorption on a heterogeneous surface is considered. The assumption that the differences between the energies of the components on each adsorption site are the same makes this model an ideal mixture. It is shown that mixing at constant spreading pressure in this case is equivalent to that at constant coverage. Interaction between adsorbed molecules induces deviations from ideality, but the excess chemical potentials of the components calculated in the random mixing (mean field) approximation depend linearily upon mole fractions, contrary to the regular bulk solutions which in the same approximation have a quadratic dependence on mole fractions. A new method of describing the experimental data is proposed in which two experimental isotherms are fitted by two model equations with adjustable parameters under the additional constraint that some parameters in the two equations must be equal.
Comfort drawing during investigative interviews: Evidence of the safety of a popular practice

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the impact of comfort drawing (allowing children to draw during interviews) on the quality of children's eyewitness reports. METHODS: Children (N=219, 5 to 12 years) who had participated in an earlier memory study returned 1 or 2 years later, experienced a new event, and described these events during phased, investigative-style interviews. Interviewers delivered the same prompts to children in the no drawing and drawing conditions but provided paper and markers in the drawing condition, invited these children to draw, and periodically asked if they would like to make another picture. RESULTS: Most children in the drawing condition were interested in using the materials, and measures of eyewitness performance were sensitive to differences in cognitive ability (i.e., age) and task difficulty (i.e., delay between the remote event and interview). Comfort drawing had no overall impact as evidenced by nonsignificant main effects of condition across 20 performance measures, although more of the younger children reported experienced touching in the drawing than no drawing condition. CONCLUSIONS: The children successfully divided attention between voluntary drawing and conversations about past events. Importantly, comfort drawing did not impair the amount of information recalled, the accuracy of children's answers, or even the extent to which interviewers needed to prompt for answers. Due to the large number of analyses, the benefit of drawing for younger, touched children requires replication. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Comfort drawing poses no documented risks for typically-developing school-aged children, but the practice remains untested for younger children and those with cognitive impairments. Language: en
Neutron activation analysis of concrete for cross-border nuclear security

The dissolution of the Soviet Union coupled with the growing sophistication of international terror organizations has brought about a desire to ensure that a sound infrastructure exists to interdict smuggled nuclear material prior to leaving its country of origin. To combat the threat of nuclear trafficking, radiation portal monitors (RPMs) are deployed around the world to intercept illicit material while in transit by passively detecting gamma and neutron radiation. Portal monitors in some locations have reported abnormally high background counts. The higher background data has been attributed, in part, to the naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in the concrete surrounding the portal monitors. Higher background increases the minimum detectable activity (MDA) and can ultimately lead to more material passing through the RPMs undetected. This work employed two different neutron activation analysis (NAA) methods for the purpose of developing a process to characterize the concrete surrounding the RPMs. Thermal neutron instrumental NAA (INAA) and fast NAA (FNAA) were conducted on six samples from three different composition concrete slabs. Comparator standards and quality control materials were used to help ensure that the methods were both precise and accurate. The combination of INAA and FNAA accounted for 84–100% of the total elemental composition of the samples. Knowing the composition of the concrete will allow RPM customers to choose suitable materials prior to installation, thereby increasing the ability of the monitors to detect radiological and nuclear materials.
Judgments Sweetened: Possession and Exorcism in Early Modern Jewish Culture

The century 1550-1650 has been called "the Age of the Demoniac" by European historians who have analyzed the prominent role played by the possessed in numerous witch-trials during this period, as well as the propagandistic uses of demonic possession in the era of the Counter-Reformation. Noting that accounts of demonic possession among Jews reappear in Jewish sources after an absence of more than a millennium precisely in this period (c. 1540), J. H. Chajes here assesses the nature of the relationship, if any, between the Christian phenomenon and its Jewish analogue. Chajes identifies many elements common to the Jewish and Christian constructions of the phenomenon and its treatment (exorcism). Many of these, however, are near universals as far as spirit possession is concerned; the emphasis in the Jewish construction of possession on reincarnation and the locus of the Jewish "proliferation" in Ottoman Galilee further complicates the positing of direct Christian influence upon the Jewish developments. Instead, Chajes suggests that the Jewish proliferation of spirit possession arose for reasons analogous to those which fueled the proliferation in Christian Europe. These include inter-religious rivalry, efforts to reform the religiosity of the masses, and efforts to enhance and strengthen clerical authority. Moreover, the idiom of possession served to express the frustrated sexuality of the victims (nearly all female), as well as the stresses associated with life in pietistic religious environments.
Insulin‐like Growth Factor I as an Intraovarian Regulator: Basic and Clinical Implications

Although much remains to be learned with respect to the possible relevance of IGF-I to ovarian physiology, it may be possible at this time to tentatively formulate possible functions of IGF-I in this connection: 1. Amplification of gonadotropin hormonal action--a key requirement given the exponential nature of follicular development. 2. Integration of follicular development--an essential facet concerned with the coordination of granulosa-theca cooperation. 3. Selection of dominant follicle(s)--a speculative proposition assuming timely and selective activation of the IGF-I system in "chosen" follicles. Aside from its possible role(s) in the course of established follicular cycles, IGF-I (and/or IGF-II) may also participate in the very formation of the follicular apparatus during the late fetal/early neonatal period. Although the ovary is gonadotropin-independent at that time, we previously showed that IGF-I may well interact with VIPergic input now implicated in the morphodifferentiation of the follicular apparatus. Similarly, IGF-I may be concerned with the promotion of juvenile and early pubertal follicular gonadotropin (FSH) levels; ovarian IGF-I may have a bearing on the puberty-promoting effect of growth hormone. Indeed, an association appears to exist between isolated growth hormone deficiency and delayed puberty in both rodents and human subjects, a process reversed by systemic growth hormone replacement therapy. Given that ovarian IGF-I and its receptor may be growth hormone-dependent, it is tempting to speculate that the ability of growth hormone to accelerate pubertal maturation may be due, at least in part, to the promotion of ovarian IGF-I production and reception with the consequent local potentiation of gonadotropin action.
Boolean integral calculus

The concept of Boolean integration is developed, and different Boolean integral operators are introduced. Given the changes in a desired function in terms of the changes in its arguments, the ways of ''integrating'' (i.e. realizing) such a function, if it exists, are presented. The necessary and sufficient conditions for integrating, in different senses, the expression specifying the changes are obtained. Boolean calculus has applications in the design of logic circuits and in fault analysis.
Cultural Tourism and the Vacation Ownership Industry

Both cultural and heritage tourism and the timeshare industry have seen dramatic growth during the last decade. The purpose of this research project is to determine whether there is a link between cultural and heritage tourism and the timeshare industry. Vacation club owners who belong to an internationally recognised branded vacation club were surveyed to determine their interest in Orlando's cultural and heritage attractions. The results indicated a significant relationship with the Orlando vacation owner and their interest in Orlando's cultural and heritage tourism industry. The results of this survey will help developers better understand their owners. It will also provide developers with information that will help diversify the planned activities that they may offer the vacation club owners. The community's tourism marketers will be aided in support for this growing area of tourism in Orlando.
Electric polarizabilities of two-electron atoms by a lower-bound procedure

A method is described for calculating rigorous lower bounds to polarizabilities and other second-order properties even when, as usual, the field-free (unperturbed) problem cannot be solved exactly. This method has been applied to calculate dipole polarizabilities for the low-lying singlet and triplet S states of the two-electron ions H - , He, and Li + , using well-correlated variational trial functions up to 104 terms in length. As a byproduct of the rigorous bounds we obtain new high-accuracy estimates, based on the conventional variation-perturbation procedure, which largely supplant previous calculations on these ions. The lower bounds are accurate to within a small fraction of a per cent for all species except H - and the metastable 2 1 S state of He (where the accuracy is about 2 and 1% respectively), and this accuracy is sufficient to rule out many previous theoretical and experimental results. The calculated values are then employed to evaluate the leading unknown terms in the Z -1 expansion of the polarizability, thereby extending the high-accuracy treatment to all members of the isoelectronic sequence.
Compensatory growth and competitive ability of an invasive weed are enhanced by soil fungi and native neighbours

Compensatory responses to herbivory by invasive weeds may foil attempts to arrest their spread with biological controls. We conducted an experiment to study the effects of defoliation and soil fungi on interactions between Centaurea melitensis, an invasive annual from Eurasia, and Nassella pulchra, a native Californian bunchgrass. Defoliation of C. melitensis reduced its final biomass in all species‐fungicide treatments, except when C. melitensis was grown with both Nassella and non-treated soil fungi at the same time. In this treatment, the biomass of clipped C. melitensis plants was equal to that of unclipped plants, indicating that soil fungi and Nassella promoted a compensatory response in the weed. Overall, the biomass of C. melitensis was 44% lower when soil fungi were reduced. However, in soil not treated with fungicide, the total biomass of C. melitensis increased in the presence of Nassella, but decreased when it was grown alone. When stressed by defoliation, C. melitensis may benefit from a form of mycorrhizae-mediated parasitism through a common mycorrhizal network, or Nassella may alter the fungal community in a way that enhances the positive direct effects of soil fungi on Centaurea.