cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
P02.42. Non-touch biofield therapy: a systematic review of human randomized controlled trials reporting use of only non-physical contact treatment

Purpose Biofield therapies, e.g. External Qigong, Healing Touch, Johrei, Reiki and Therapeutic Touch, commonly combine physical touch and non-physical contact to stimulate healing. Interpretation of such healing as mediated via electromagnetic and/or other types of biofield(s) is confounded by findings that light touch can lessen stress and reduce pain. The present review of human RCTs that report using only non-physical contact healing aims to develop evaluative criteria that reflect both the ‘earlyphase’ (pilot study) nature of most biofield therapy trials and the real-world practice of these therapies.
Playing for Keeps: Lifelong Learning in the Ludic Library

We take information literacy seriously, yet in a sense, the best researchers are playful. How might concepts of play inform our practice in libraries made for learning? What if we reconceptualized research from the systematic acquisition and use of intellectual property to a more creative and open approach to engaging with ideas in motion? What does it mean to be information literate in a world in which "publish" is a button?
Nisin biosynthesis genes are encoded by a novel conjugative transposon

Genes for biosynthesis of the lactococcal peptide antibiotic nisin were shown to be encoded by a novel chromosomally located transposon Tn5301. The element is 70 kb in size and lacks inverted repeats at its termini. Although a copy of the insertion sequence IS904 is located near to one end, this did not appear to be involved in the transposition process. The integrated element is flanked by the directly repeated sequence 5′-TTTTTG-3′. Analysis of ten independent transconjugants revealed that Tn5301 integration is site-specific; two chromosomal targets were identified and shown to have some sequence homology. The element shares features with the Tn916 family of conjugative transposons and with Tn554 but is also exhibits some unique properties. Tn5301 is thus considered to be the prototype of a novel class of conjugative transposon.
Utility of point-of-care testing in ED triage

Abstract Background Triage systems are commonly used in emergency departments (ED) to prioritize patients. Laboratory testing is not typically used to help risk-stratify patients at triage. Objectives We studied the utility of point-of-care (POC) testing at triage in ED patients with high-risk complaints. Methods We conducted a prospective observational study on a convenience sample of ED patients at an urban academic hospital with 60,000 annual visits. Patients who were triaged to the waiting area with any of the following criteria were approached for enrollment: (1) chest pain or shortness of breath in patients older than 40 years, (2) possible infection in the presence of two or more systemic inflammatory response system criteria in patients older than 18 years, and (3) patients > 65 years with non-traumatic complaints. A total of 300 subjects were enrolled. All enrolled patients received POC testing that included a combination of Chem8+, hemoglobin, troponin, B-type natriuretic peptide, and lactate. The triage nurse completed a survey after receiving the results. Results POC results was reported to be helpful in 56% of patients, changed the triage level in 15% of patients and led to 6% of patients being brought back for rapid physician evaluation. Overall, 50% of patients had one or more abnormal POC laboratory tests. There was no relationship between ED census and the likelihood of being helpful, changing the triage level, changing management, or bringing patients back any faster. Conclusion POC testing at triage is a helpful adjunct in triage of patients with high-risk ED complaints.
Psychological Defenses Against Death Anxiety: Integrating Terror Management Theory and Firestone's Separation Theory

The author attempts to integrate Terror Management Theory (TMT) and R. W. Firestone's Separation Theory (1984 1994). Both theories emphasize defense against death anxiety as a key human motive. Whereas TMT focuses extensively on self-esteem and cultural worldview, Firestone posited additional defenses such as gene survival, self-nourishing behaviors, addictive couple bonds, and adopting an anti-sexual approach to life. TMT offers a strong base of experimentally validated ideas and the experimental paradigms to test the broad array of defenses enumerated in Firestone's Separation Theory. Therefore, an integration of the two theories would be beneficial to a fuller understanding of psychological defenses against death anxiety.
Uniform zeros for vibrating strings

In this paper we show that it is possible for a finite uniform flexible string which is initially at equilibrium to assume this position again at T = 1. The string will be subject to the linear force –pu, where u is the displacement, and external force ∞ Our technique is a generalization of symmetric Green's function method of Kreith2 and Haws1
GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX AND THEOPHYLLINE IN ASTHMATIC CHILDREN

Top of pageAbstract Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is considered to be one of the triggering factors of asthma attacks. It is believed that theophylline (TE) exacerbates GER occurrence. To evaluate the influence of TE on GER intensity in asthmatics we examined 10 stable asthmatic children aged from 3 to 11 yrs, before and during TE treatment within therapeutical TE serum range. The GER was evaluated by 24 hr esophageal pH monitoring. Pathological GER was found in 7 non treated and in B treated children. There was no statistically significant difference in GER parameters between first and second examination (p>0.05). Results were expressed as lean and ±SD. Paired t-Student test was employed for calculations. Conclusion: The GER in asthmatic children occurs frequently and in some children theophylline aay slightly exacerbate its symptoms.
The relation of education and R&D to productivity growth in the developing countries of Africa

Abstract This paper focuses on the returns to investment in human capital in the form of investment in primary and secondary education, and in technology transfer via higher education and physical capital in 30 of the poorest countries of Africa. It specifies a production function and controls over the 1970–1985 period for investment in physical capital, drought, oil price shocks, different labor utilization rates, and Anglophone-Francophone differences. The results find high 21.2% rates of return to investment in primary and secondary education. Population growth lowers the growth of output per capita. A method is suggested for estimating rates of return for the 18 countries for which individual rate of return studies do not exist.
A set of measures for the systematic classification of the nonlinear elastic behavior of disparate rocks

Dynamic acoustoelastic testing is performed on a set of six rock samples (four sandstones, one soapstone, and one granite). From these studies at 20 strain levels 10 −7 <�� < 10 −5 , four measures characterizing the nonlinear elastic response of each sample are found. Additionally, each sample is tested with nonlinear resonant ultrasonic spectroscopy and a fifth measure of nonlinear elastic response is found. These five measures of the nonlinear elastic response of the samples (approximately 3 × 6 × 20 × 5 numbers as each measurement is repeated 3 times) are subjected to careful analysis using model-independent statistical methods, principal component analysis, and fuzzy clustering. This analysis reveals differences among the samples and differences among the nonlinear measures. Four of the nonlinear measures are sensing much the same physical mechanism in the samples. The fifth is seeing something different. This is the case for all samples. Although the same physical mechanisms (two) are operating in all samples, there are distinctive features in the way the physical mechanisms present themselves from sample to sample. This suggests classification of the samples into two groups. The numbers in this study and the classification of the measures/samples constitute an empirical characterization of rock nonlinear elastic properties that can serve as a valuable testing ground for physically based theories that relate rock nonlinear elastic properties to microscopic elastic features.
Experiments to measure melt-wave erosion in railgun armatures

This paper describes experiments to measure melt-wave erosion (MWE) damage in railgun armatures. C-armatures were launched on the Medium Caliber Launcher at the Institute for Advanced Technology (IAT), Leander, TX, and recovered by "soft catching" in a tube filled with cotton rags. Recovered armatures were mechanically profiled to measure erosion depth as a function of position on the contacting surfaces. Although recovered armatures provide only a final snapshot of the erosion process, one can show how erosion proceeds by recovering armatures at different stages of the launch. This type of study requires the use of a crowbar switch at the breech of the railgun to rapidly shunt current out of the armature, thereby interrupting the erosion process at the desired point in the launch. We describe the experimental setup and summarize the results of 11 experiments. The experiments investigated the effect of linear current density (ranging from 35 to 45 kA/mm) and rail material (copper and aluminum) on MWE damage. Lastly, we present some thoughts on contact transition mechanisms that, in some cases, prevented the collection of MWE data.
MOVING SIGNALS AND THEIR MEASURED FREQUENCIES

*In determining the standard classical Doppler Effect, two assumptions are used for computing the difference in distance travelled by consecutive signals: (a) the receptor is stationary; and (b) the emitter is stationary. The results under the two assumptions are identical, provided the velocity of propagation with respect to source and the velocity of propagation with respect to the receptor differ exactly by the velocity of relative motion. We show in this paper that, in the case of light, the ratio of the two expected classical doppler effects remains constant in all geometries and orientations. Furthermore, the observed doppler effect, as predicted by special relativity, is the geometric mean of the two expected classical doppler effects in all geometries and orientations. This leads to two simultaneous conclusions: (1) by the receptor that the clock associated with the emitter runs slow; and (2) by the emitter that the clock associated with the receptor runs slow. These differences can be resolved if we theorize that light travels at speed c with respect to the emitter as it leaves the emitter and travels at speed c with respect to the receptor as it approaches the receptor.
Surface modification of polyamide‐6: graft copolymerization of vinyl monomers onto polyamide‐6 and thermal analysis of the graft copolymers

Graft copolymerization of vinyl monomers onto polyamide-6 using radical initiation has been investigated. Two monomers were used: methacrylic acid and acrylic acid. The initiators selected included hydrogen peroxide, benzoyl peroxide and azobisisobutyronitrile. The extent of graft copolymerization depends on the concentrations and identity of the initiator and monomer and the time and temperature of the reaction. The graft copolymers were not soluble in solvents that will dissolve the starting material; definitive proof for the formation of the graft copolymers was obtained from infrared spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis was performed on the graft copolymers and it was found that the presence of the acid invariably accelerated the degradation of the polyamide. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reconciling while tolerating disagreement in collaborative data sharing

In many data sharing settings, such as within the biological and biomedical communities, global data consistency is not always attainable: different sites' data may be dirty, uncertain, or even controversial. Collaborators are willing to share their data, and in many cases they also want to selectively import data from others --- but must occasionally diverge when they disagree about uncertain or controversial facts or values. For this reason, traditional data sharing and data integration approaches are not applicable, since they require a globally consistent data instance. Additionally, many of these approaches do not allow participants to make updates; if they do, concurrency control algorithms or inconsistency repair techniques must be used to ensure a consistent view of the data for all users.In this paper, we develop and present a fully decentralized model of collaborative data sharing, in which participants publish their data on an ad hoc basis and simultaneously reconcile updates with those published by others. Individual updates are associated with provenance information, and each participant accepts only updates with a sufficient authority ranking, meaning that each participant may have a different (though conceptually overlapping) data instance. We define a consistency semantics for database instances under this model of disagreement, present algorithms that perform reconciliation for distributed clusters of participants, and demonstrate their ability to handle typical update and conflict loads in settings involving the sharing of curated data.
Role of coronary artery calcium score and coronary CT angiography in the diagnosis and risk stratification of individuals with suspected coronary artery disease.

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, and has traditionally been assessed through a patient’s cardiovascular risk profile that is comprised of a combination of genetic, social, physiologic, and environmental factors. A growing discordance is being recognized in the ability of current risk estimation tools to predict outcomes versus that of actual measured outcomes. Exciting new improvements in technology have made noninvasive imaging modalities of the heart—in particular, coronary artery calcium score (CACS) and coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography—an increasingly important component in the diagnosis of ischemic heart disease. The CACS has been found to be a marker of vascular injury that correlates closely with overall atherosclerotic burden, whereas coronary CT angiography permits detection of noncalcified plaque coronary artery stenosis severity. A growing body of literature has developed detailing the valuable prognostic utility of these tests in the management of patients and how they may 1 day be used to complement current risk prediction models.
Pretrial clinical evaluations in criminal cases: past trends and future directions

This article highlights 25 years of legal, technological, professional, and systemic influences on the delivery of clinical evaluations for competence to stand trial and for criminal responsibility. Projections are made for potential changes in this area of assessment in the near future, as well as suggestions for preserving past advances in the field and promoting its further development.
Abstract 57: Platelet Extracellular-signal-regulated Kinase 5 is a Redox Switch which Regulates Myocardial Infarct Expansion via Matrix Metalloproteinases

Background: Dysregulated platelet activation in an ischemic microvascular environment may play a role in myocardial infarction (MI). Platelet receptor signaling is well-characterized, but mechanisms of receptor-independent activation, such as by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in ischemic conditions, are less well understood. We discovered that ERK5, a nuclear protein which is ROS-activated in others cells, is abundantly present in platelets. We investigated whether ERK5 could regulate platelet activation and thrombosis in healthy and diseased states. Methods: Human and mouse platelets were stimulated with agonists including ADP, U46619, TRAP, convulxin, or ROS (H2O2 or 5% O2). ERK5 activity was assessed by immunoblotting. Platelet activation was assessed via fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS) for P-selectin or activated GPIIb/IIIa. Intravascular thrombus (pulmonary embolus) or mesenteric thrombus (oxidative injury) formation was assessed by ex vivo fluorescent imaging and in vivo intravita...
Role of Diffusion in Photoinduced Electron Transfer on a Micelle Surface: Theoretical and Monte Carlo Investigations

A detailed theoretical treatment of donor−acceptor photoinduced forward electron transfer and back transfer (geminate recombination) for molecules diffusing on a micelle surface is presented. Expressions are given for the time-dependent survival probabilities of both the excited-state donor and the charge-transfer state formed by forward electron transfer. Incorporation of diffusion has a pronounced effect on the kinetics of both the forward and the back transfer, and the amount of geminate recombination depends critically on the Coulombic potential between the ions. Ion spatial distributions as a function of time are presented and used to discuss the possibility of achieving long-term ion separation. The validity of the theory is demonstrated by comparison to Monte Carlo simulations of the problem, and the perfect agreement obtained confirms the accuracy of the theoretical derivation.
Of Martian atmospheres, oceans, and fossils

Abstract Based on the absence of extensive cratering on the northern Martian plains, it is suggested that these plains were the sites of ancient oceans, 2 to 3.5 Gyr ago, with a calculatable water depth of (≥) 0.7 km. Also it appears possible to interpret the crater density counts for Chryse and the highlands as implying that Mars had a fairly dense atmosphere until 1.5 Gyr ago. With both early Earth and early Mars having similar atmospheric compositions and not too dissimilar atmospheric structures, it is reasonable to suppose that the warm Martian oceans, like the ancient oceans of Earth, would develop anerobic and aerobic photosynthesizing prokaryotes and structures like stromatolites. Their development might have changed the Martian atmosphere. Their fossils might be found along the fringes of the old oceans, the northern lowland plains.
The effects of texting and driving on hazard perception

Hazard perception has received little attention compared to measures of vehicle control in studies exploring the effects of texting on driving performance, despite being a more direct measure of crash risk. Furthermore, the driver strategies attempting to moderate such distraction are not well understood. The current study attempts to address these two facets of texting while driving. Participants (10 male; 10 female) drove a low fidelity simulator that measures situational awareness, while text messaging in order to assess hazard perception performance. Participants were required to identify and appropriately respond to events that would result in a collision. Two text message conditions (i.e., copying and alphabetizing a 5-letter string) were used to compare low vs. high cognitive load, respectively. Participants missed more hazards in the alphabetize-text compared to the copy-text and driving only conditions. Signal Detection Theory (SDT) analyses revealed the adoption of a more liberal response bias (B") (i.e., participants increased false) when required to copy the text message but not when required to alphabetize. Last, participants were slower to react to hazards in the alphabetize-text condition compared to the copy-text and driving only conditions. These findings suggest that the impact of text messaging on the detection of driving hazards depends in part, on the cognitive load imposed by the text messaging task and the adoption of strategies to compensate for the interference on the driving task. Keywords: Driver distraction; Language: en
The Attachment and Clinical Issues Questionnaire: A New Methodology for Science and Practice in Criminology and Forensics

Most modern theories suggest that interpersonal relationships are of central importance in the development of criminal behavior. We tested the parent attachment scales of a new research and clinical measure, the Attachment and Clinical Issues Questionnaire (ACIQ). It is a 29-scale battery assessing attachments to mother, father, partner, and peers, which also includes several related clinical scales. Sixty-one (18-20 years of age) male offenders from a maximum security detention center and 131 contrasts completed the ACIQ. ANOVA demonstrated that mother and father attachments displayed different patterns. The attachment scales also predicted the numbers of crimes within the population of juvenile offenders. Thus, the parent attachment scales of the ACIQ showed promise as an instrument to test dynamic systems approaches to developmental models of criminal behavior.
Beyond ‘MSM’: Sexual Desire Among Bisexually-Active Latino Men in New York City

Latino male bisexuality has been studied for the most part with a focus on men who have sex with men (MSM) and with little attention to sexual desire. The goal of this article is to present a comprehensive understanding of how sexual desire is organized, enacted through sexual activity, and interpreted in the sexual lives of bisexually-active Latino men. To achieve this aim, an analysis was made of 18 sexual histories of bisexually active Latino men who participated in a two-year ethnographic study. Four configurations of sexual desire were constructed to reflect what was found in this population of bisexually-active Latino men: (a) lifetime homoerotic desire and casual sex with women; (b) lifetime heteroerotic desire, but commercial sex with men; (c) lifetime heteroerotic/transgender desire; (d) lifetime sexual desire for women and men. These configurations are explored in detail in this article. The analysis presented here is intended to offer insights into the overall study of Latino male bisexuality and into the foundations for the design of HIV and STI prevention programs directed toward bisexually-active Latino men and their partners.
Reproductive Ecology of Ocimum americanum L. and O. basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) in India

Ocimum americanum and O. basilicum bloom once a year. They produce flowers over a long period, a few flowers being produced each day. The flowers of both are short-lived (3-4 hours), bisexual, zygomorphic, and chasmogamic with anthers dehiscing in the bud stage. The open flowers offer nectar and pollen as rewards and are visited and sternotribically pollinated by day-flying animals. The blossoms are flag-shaped, and the reproductive organs are close to the lower corolla lip. The stamens and stigma show movements immediately after anthesis and remain for 20–30 minutes and this may cause self-pollination. Both species reproduce primarily through autogamy. Flowers are open during 5:30–13:30 hr in O. americanum and during 7:00–13:00 hr in O. basilicum. Certain bee species like Apis florea, A. cerana indica, Amegilla sp., and Pseudapis oxybeloies, and the butterfly Surandra queretroum are the most frequent and consistent visitors and can be pollinators for both plant species.
Differences in self-talk frequency as a function of age, only-child, and imaginary childhood companion status

In three studies, we examined differences in the frequency with which people report talking to themselves. Using a standardized measure of self-talk frequency, the Self-Talk Scale (Brinthaupt, Hein, & Kramer, 2009), we collected information about college student participants’ age, sex, and family configuration (i.e., only or sibling child), and whether they had an imaginary companion in childhood. In Study 1, significant differences in self-talk were found between different age groupings. In Study 2, children without siblings reported more self-talk than children with siblings. Finally, in Study 3, respondents who reported having an imaginary companion in childhood also reported significantly more selftalk than those who did not have an imaginary childhood companion. We discuss the self-regulatory and developmental implications of these results.
TRANSFER: transactions routing for ad-hoc networks with efficient energy

In future ad hoc networks, transactions are expected to become one of the primary types of flows. Transactions require only a very small number of packets to complete. Hence, providing optimal (or shortest path) routes to such transfers consumes more energy than the actual transfer. Conventional routing protocols are thus unsuitable for transactions. In this paper, we present a novel architecture for transaction routing in large-scale ad hoc networks. In our approach we aim at reducing the total energy consumption of successful delivery as opposed to finding shortest path routes. Our architecture uses a hybrid approach, where each mobile node obtains information about nodes in its proximity, up to R hops away, using a proactive link state protocol. Beyond the proximity, we introduce the novel notion of contacts that act as short cuts to reduce the degrees of separation between the request source and the target. We propose an efficient, on-demand, contact selection protocol. No location information is assumed. Extensive simulations are used to evaluate the performance of our protocol in terms of energy consumption and request success rate. We compare our architecture to flooding and ZRP. Our results show substantial power savings for our contact-based technique, especially for large networks.
Some results on nonlinear delay-differential systems with impulses

The purpose of this note is to present some results on nonlinear equations with delayed arguments which are acted upon by certain impulse control inputs. The equations we have considered have been considered in [1,3], Our equations are characterized by x = f(t,x(t), xt) + p(t)Du (1) where u: J ? E is right continuous function of bounded variation on every compact subinterval of J, and p: J ? En is integrable with respect to u and the discontinuities t0<t1<t2<...<tn<.. of u tend to ? as n ? ?. In (1) Du denotes the distributional derivative of u and will have the effect of suddenly changing the state of the system at the points of discontinuities of u. The proofs of the results of the paper crucially depend on almost everywhere differentiability of the function u, and this property is guaranteed because u is a function of bounded variation. The symbol f(t,x(t), xt) denotes the function f: 1 × Rn × C ([-h,0])? En.
Experimentally observed roughness effects on the air bearing in the pseudo-contact spacing regime

Recently, sliders with fly heights less than the mean free path of an air molecule have begun to appear in commercial drives. In this near-contact regime, the surface roughness heights of the slider and disk are of the same order as the spacing. Previous numerical and experimental results indicate that surface roughness could significantly effect the fly height in this regime. A new laser interferometer system developed by CML was used to experimentally measure the spacing between an IBM 63% tri-rail slider and disks with different surface roughnesses. Two effects due to disk surface roughness were found: higher fly heights were obtained for smoother disks, and an instability in the air-bearing was observed at low speeds on an ultra-smooth disk.
Better Learning Through Instructional Science: A Health Literacy Case Study in “How to Teach So Learners Can Learn”

Health education and behavior change interventions typically pay little attention to the intervention's instructional foundation. Combining the fields of health literacy, cognitive psychology, and adult learning theory, this article provides an integrative scientific approach, called the BEAN (Better Education and iNnovation) model, to creating an instructional foundation based on how individuals acquire knowledge and skills. The article uses a case study example from an adult literacy center's health literacy class to explore how environmental factors and instructional strategies can be applied to health education and behavior change interventions. Data for this case study were derived through 20 hours of classroom observation and qualitative interviews with 21 adult education students and 3 instructors. Results provide practical examples of environmental factors and instructional strategies designed to facilitate learning, such as fostering autonomy, activating prior knowledge, and fostering perspective change. Results also describe the resulting health behavior changes of students attending the health literacy class, such as increased medication adherence and physical activity, improved nutritional habits, and increased question asking of health practitioners. This article serves as a first step to encouraging researchers and educators to consider the importance of drawing on cognitive psychology and theories of adult learning to create a scientifically based instructional foundation for health behavior change programs. Additionally, by drawing on the expertise of adult educators well versed in the science of instructional design, this article also demonstrates that the adult education classroom is an excellent setting for conducting health education and behavior change interventions.
Parental Perceptions of Sleep Disturbances and Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Children With Down Syndrome

Objectives: Children with Down syndrome (DS) have increased difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS), excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). As part of a quality improvement initiative, parents of children enrolled in the Children’s Hospital Boston Down Syndrome Program were surveyed about their child’s sleep and breathing patterns while asleep. Methods: An anonymous Internet-based questionnaire was used in the study. Results: The completion rate was 46.5% (255/548). DIMS and EDS were frequently/almost always present in more than half the children. Among parents unconcerned about their child’s breathing, 11.8% witnessed apnea and 4.2% gasping/choking more than once monthly. Parents of children status post adenotonsillectomy (AT) reported witnessed apnea (47.5%), gasping/choking (28.9%) more than once monthly. Discussion: There is room for improved screening of sleep disturbances, OSA in children with DS. The high frequency of persistence of OSA following AT should...
Leveraging Entrepreneurship as a Means to Improve the Translation of Outcomes Research to Healthcare Improvement

The field of outcomes research is devoted to a multidisciplinary effort to understand patient, provider, and health system characteristics associated with clinically important patient outcomes.1 Moreover, the field has a commitment to learning what works in medicine and supporting interventions to improve care and outcomes. Tools used by the outcomes research community have included the creation of performance measures and appropriate use criteria to accelerate translation of guidelines into practice.2–4 There has been great effort in the creation of registries that can provide feedback reports to providers so that they can improve their quality. There have also been efforts to create new innovations in healthcare delivery, such as decision aids and shared decision-making tools,5–14 to support the tailoring of treatment to risk and patient engagement in improving outcomes. Yet despite these efforts, our field has made only modest progress in improving the safety, timeliness, evidence-based nature, efficiency, equity, and patient-centeredness of healthcare.15 I believe that we are, in part, limited by our perspective. Most outcomes researchers are academicians. We view the success of our efforts as our publications and …
The Instruction of Great Catastrophe: Truth Commissions, national history, and state formation in Argentina, Chile, and Guatemala

TRUTH COMMISSIONS ARE curious, contradictory bodies.1 They often raise hope of justice symbolized by the Nuremberg Trials yet operate within the impoverished political possibilities that exist throughout much of the post-Cold War world. They are rarely accompanied by prosecutions and often do not have the authority to subpoena or sanction. Rather than serving as instruments of justice, their value is seen, in the words of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, in their ability to construct a "historic bridge" between "a deeply divided past of untold suffering" and a "future founded on the recognition of human rights."2 Over the last two decades, truth commissions have been established in, among other places, Ghana, Nigeria, Chad, East Germany, and East Timor, where, it is commonly asserted, they marked the border between what those societies wereintolerant, fevered, arbitrary-and what they hope they have become-peaceful, impartial, protective. Yet before being adopted as a universal rite to solemnize the distinction between political liberalism and diverse forms of violent, unrepresentative regimes, official inquiries, what came to be generally known as "truth commissions," into human rights abuses indexed a unique moment in Latin American history, as the decline of socialist movements crossed paths with ascendant efforts to consolidate liberal constitutional rule. Often portrayed as a "transition to democracy," Latin America's move away from military dictatorships in the 1980s was less a transition than it was a conversion to a particular definition of democracy. In the decades after World War II, there prevailed throughout the continent a social understanding of the term, described by Leslie Bethell and Ian Roxborough as entailing a "commit-
Laccase Gene Composition and Relative Abundance in Oak Forest Soil is not Affected by Short-Term Nitrogen Fertilization

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition affects a wide range of soil processes including phenol oxidase (PO) activity and soil organic matter dynamics. Depression of phenol oxidase activity in response to N saturation is believed to be mediated by the activity of white-rot basidiomycetes, whose production of extracellular oxidative enzymes can be limited by high N availability. We examined the effect of short-term N deposition on basidiomycete laccase gene diversity and relative abundance in temperate oak forest soil in which significant decreases in phenol oxidase and increased SOM have been recorded in response to experimental N deposition. UniFrac was used to compare the composition of laccase genes between three control- and three nitrogen-fertilized (80 kg−1 ha−1 per year) oak forest soils. The relative abundance of laccase genes was determined from qPCR analysis of laccase and basidiomycete ITS gene abundances. Our results indicate that there was no significant shift in the composition of laccase genes between control- and N-fertilized soils, nor was there a significant change in the relative abundance of laccase genes. These data suggest that N deposition effects on mineral soil PO activity do not result from changes in laccase gene diversity of white-rot basidiomycetes but are likely the result of altered microbial abundance or expression in this ecosystem type. Furthermore, laccase gene composition may be tied to factors that structure microbial communities in general, as soil laccase gene communities are more similar to other forest soils than with the corresponding litter.
The Importance of Postal Reorganization

The United States Postal Service collects, processes, and delivers several hundred million pieces of mail every day. Perhaps the system works more by “muddling through” than as a well-oiled and scientifically managed machine, but bad mail service is not one of our critical national problems. The postal deficit has fluctuated recently, but those who predicted a precipitous decline in mail volume and the collapse of the post office after the switch to electronic message transmission have thus far been proven wrong. Instead, an avalanche of computer-generated address labels placed on mounds of political mail, billing forms, and direct mail advertising has sustained mail volume. The post office has recently handled this mail volume while reducing employment. The introduction of modern management techniques and the mechanization and automation of mail processing have certainly contributed to these improvements in postal productivity.
Nonlinear torque control of electric motor drives: Part II

In this paper, a piecewise linearization of non-linear magnetic characteristics for a drive is proposed to generalize an earlier proposed control algorithm [1] to the case with the saturation. A piecewise linearization with respect to current is crucial for extending the Floquet theory based variable transformations to this case. However, any smooth function in rotor angle 8 can be used to approximate the flux linkage characteristics. The details of a nonlinear voltage control which produce a desired torque are given in the paper. The main result can be used as a method of generalizing the Floquet theory based variable transformations for any drive, when the saturation has to be included. In this sense, the method could be used as a rigorous method of extending the vector control techniques to the case with the saturation.
New Performance Limits of an Ultrafast THz Photoconductive Receiver

Common to all recently demonstrated optoelectronic sources of pulsed THz radiation has been the problem to properly characterize the source with receivers of limited bandwidths. To date the broadest bandwidth receiver has used ion-implanted, silicon-on-sapphire (SOS), photoconductive switches (1). Here, we report a new type photoconductive receiver with a measured response exceeding 6 THz. This receiver uses a new composite optoelectronic chip (shown in Fig. 1 a) consisting of an active layer of ion-implanted polysilicon on top of a thick thermal oxide on a high-resistivity silicon substrate. By using as the transmitter an identical receiver in a high-performance optoelectronic THz beam system, we were able to characterize the receiver with exceptional precision. Excellent agreement with a Drude theory model for the photoconductive response was obtained.
Relationships between Individual Differences in Strength, Speed, and Mass in an Arm Movement

Abstract According to physics, the equation F = 2 md/t 2 determines the force F required to move a mass m through a distance d in t seconds. Two experiments were performed on college men (n = 35 and 30) in which a lateral arm movement of approximately 90 deg. involving about 4 ft. of hand travel, was made at maximum speed. The movement time t, the effective arm mass m, and the static dynamometer strength s of the muscles were measured for each subject. The reliability of individual differences in all measures was above .96. There was no significant correlation between static strength and “strength in action” computed from arm mass and speed of movement. The results agree with the concept that strength as ordinarily measured is determined by a neuromotor coordination pattern rather than the ultimate physiological capacity of the muscle. The neuromotor pattern energizing the muscle is different during movement. Absence of correlation is another example of the high specificity of neuromotor coordination skil...
High-Temperature Dilatometer for Non-Oxide Ceramics

A high-temperature dilatometer was assembled for studying the densification behavior of non-oxide ceramics up to 2300°C in 1MPa innert gas atmosphere. The accuracy of shrinkage up to 2300°C was better than 17.8×10-3% for 40mm long samples including the base line drift and probable error. The accuracy of shrinking rate was better than 3.3×10-3%·min-1, where the base line drift was negligibly small. The shift of base lines estimated from the drift of shrinkage was also smaller than the probable error of shrinking rate. Heating rate affected the base line drift of shrinkage, while the probable error was not influenced. The accuracy of shrinkage and shrinking rate did not depend on the kind of atmospheric gas. With decreasing gas pressure, the accuracy was improved by the damped gas convection. The densif ication behavior of some kinds of silicon nitride and silicon carbide powder compacts was measured by using this equipment. The high accuracy was maintained for silicon carbide during measurement in spite of the large shrinkage and shrinking rate. The probable error for silicon nitride increased above 1600°C, because of the thermal decomposition and vaporization. The error was diminished by a numerical smoothing.
A new insectivore from the Clarkforkian (earliest Eocene) of Wyoming

We describe a new genus and species of insectivore based on two dentaries with nearly complete lower dentition from the Clarkforkian (earliest Eocene) of the Clark's Fork Basin, Wyoming. It is distinctive in having digitate lower incisors and exceptionally broad but relatively low-crowned molars, and it differs from all other insectivores in having a fully molar-iform lower last premolar. For these reasons, the new genus is placed in a new family, of which it is the only known member. This new taxon probably represents a divergent lineage of early Insectivora, perhaps more closely allied to the Nyctitheriidae than to other families.
From Jinling to Yushan:Psychological Experience in Qian Qianyi's Weiqi Poems

Muzhai’s Weiqi poems were mostly written since the Qing Dynasty.He made comments on social and political events and also expressed his feelings indirectly in his poems in chess-playing terms.This paper studies his metaphorical expressions and implications.
Development of shrinkage limit specification for high performance concrete used in bridge decks

Abstract Early-age cracking of high performance concrete (HPC) structures, in particular bridge decks, results in additional maintenance costs, burden on serviceability, and reduced long-term performance and durability. The causes behind cracking in HPC are well known and documented in the existing literature. However, appropriate shrinkage limits and standard laboratory/field tests are not clearly established in either the technical literature or in specifications. The purpose of this research was to provide shrinkage threshold limits for specifications which allow proper criteria to ensure crack-free or highly cracking-resistant HPC. The restrained ring test (ASTM C1581) was used to identify the cracking potential of 14 different HPC mixtures. By comparing free shrinkage (ASTM C157, 75 × 75 × 285 mm specimen) and restrained shrinkage tests results, a free shrinkage limit of 450 microstrain at 28 days was proposed to ensure satisfactory cracking resistance.
The Worry That’s Always With Us: Afternoon Nap

This case discusses the pharmacodynamic interaction between oxycodone and diazepam resulting in apnea and decreased level of consciousness in a patient with chronic back pain.
Optical Transitions and Energy Level Ordering for Quantum Confined Impurities

Optical transitions on impurities confined in a quantum well are considered as an alternative to intersubband transitions. Because of the discrete energy level structure, if the impurity energy level spacing is pushed beyond the optical phonon energy, the nonradiative phonon relaxation should be effectively suppressed. Radiative processes then have a better chance to produce more efficient light emission and detection than is currently obtained through intersubband transitions. Two examples are presented to illustrate the concept.
Polypyrrole membranes as scaffolds for biomolecule immobilization

Enzymes have evolved over hundreds of years through changes in ecosystems (climate, atmosphere, hydrology, etc). The evolutionary changes driven by the need to survive has led to enzymes with diverse functionality such as reduction of carbon dioxide and methane to other forms of carbon, fixation of nitrogen, and high temperature biochemical processes. While these enzymes have useful properties, engineering a scalable cell-free system with these enzymes will be useful for stable production of desired products without involving the vagaries of cellular metabolism. This article presents various approaches to incorporate ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) in a conducting polymer (polypyrrole (PPy)) doped with a bulky anion (dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBS)) in an effort to create functional devices for the conversion of carbon dioxide into precursors for high-value chemicals. We demonstrate that the tailored device creates an environment where the enzyme can retain its function while being protected from denaturing conditions. It is envisioned that the 3-PGA produced by RuBisCO will be converted into value-added products.
Who Wears the Pants? Gender Identity Norms and Intra-Household Financial Decision Making

Analyzing microdata covering more than 30 million U.S. households, I document that families with a financially sophisticated husband are more likely to participate in the stock market than those with a wife of equal financial sophistication. This pattern is best explained by gender norms, which constrain women's influence over intra-household financial decision making. Consistent with this interpretation, the baseline effect is attenuated among individuals brought up by working mothers, but becomes stronger among descendants of pre-industrial societies in which women specialized in activities within the home and households with a husband born and raised in a southern state. A randomized controlled experiment further reveals that female identity hinders idea contribution by the wife. In contrast, male identity causes men to be less open to an opposing viewpoint of their wife, even if her proposition is optimal. These findings suggest that gender identity norms can have real consequences for household financial well-being.
Effects of skin layers on air permeability in macroporous polymer aerogels

Abstract Skin layers are ubiquitous in synthesis of macro- and mesoporous polymer aerogel monoliths, are much denser than the bulk materials, and can potentially impact several properties of aerogels. This study evaluates the effects of skin layers on the values of air permeability in aerogel monoliths of syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) prepared from thermo-reversible gelation of sPS solutions followed by supercritical drying in carbon dioxide. The sPS aerogel monoliths are primarily macroporous and conducive to provide air permeability of the order of 10−10 m2. However, the overall air permeability is substantially reduced due to the denser skin layers. A composite model is used to estimate the thickness, bulk density, and air permeability of skin layers from experimentally measured air permeability data. It is found that skin layers of the order of 0.5 mm in thickness form during synthesis of sPS monoliths from solution in tetrahydrofuran. The air permeability of the skin layer is about half that of the bulk material.
Development of In Situ Water Absorption Method: Laboratory Study and Field Validation

AbstractConcrete porosity and its interconnection are crucial aspects that influence durability. Taking into account that moisture is required for many concrete deterioration processes, water absor...
Sensing architecture for automated/autonomous vehicles towards all-condition safety

The capabilities of a sensing system and its implementation are among the critical factors to determine the overall performance and the subsequent public acceptance of automated/autonomous vehicles. However, the uncertainty for system to work and maintain safety under undesirable conditions, such as inclement weather or low illumination, is still an obstacle to commonly accepted and legitimate applications. The safety of the automated/autonomous vehicle is in many ways determined by the performances of the subsystems. In this paper, two accuracy metrics are proposed to qualitatively assess the safety performance that each sensor can contribute. Upon the analysis of the limitations of all individual sensors, we present several novel approaches to improve the vehicle sensing architecture for achieving more reliable perception and eventually, all-condition safety.