cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
System Dynamics Experimentation at Home

Most Mechanical Engineering curricula include courses in system dynamics, controls, mechatronics, and vibrations. At most schools, these courses do not have a laboratory component. Even at schools that have such a component, laboratory access is often limited, and thus there is a need to increase students’ laboratory experience. This paper addresses the development and initial testing of instructional material in the form of take-home software and hardware kits that can be used to perform laboratory experiments and measurements at home to illustrate system dynamics concepts. Rather than having students perform an experiment in the university laboratory, the students are given a compact, low cost software and hardware kit with which they can perform an experiment at home using only their PC. The kits are designed so that the experiments can be conducted on a provided experimental setup such as a DC motor/tachometer system or can be used to perform dynamic measurements on engineering systems that are available at home such as motor powered devices and heating/cooling systems. The take-home kit consists of three components. The first component is a hardware interface board that is built around a PIC18F4550 microcontroller which interfaces with the student’s PC and with the experiment hardware. The second component is a Windows based user interface program that is loaded on the student’s PC and is used to run the experiment and collect data. The third component is the actual experimental setup or the sensor system to perform the measurement. Fifty five kits have been fabricated to perform five different experiments. Two of these experiments were tested in two courses in the mechanical engineering department at the University of Rhode Island. The paper discusses the design of the kit components, the details of the experiments, as well the initial experiences gained from using this new approach for laboratory experimentation.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Constructing “The Same Rights With the Same Names”: The Impact of Spanish Norm Diffusion on Marriage Equality in Argentina

This article argues that Spain has been the driving external force in the advancement of LGBT rights in Latin America, from marriage in Argentina to the regional recognition of “sexual diversity rights” as human rights. Acting as “norm entrepreneurs,” Spanish activists and organizations, relying on development aid, have promoted their perspectives through two approaches: strategic consulting and resource transfer. Their diffusion is illustrated primarily by the Argentine case. There, activists underwritten by Spanish resources have borrowed Spanish strategies to achieve “the same rights with the same names.” Besides broadening our understanding of the struggle for LGBT equality in Latin America, this article deepens the explanation of norm diffusion, focusing on emergence. In this stage, specific individuals and organizations deliberately select appropriate “targets” for and moments of intervention. But norm “receptors” must also be ready for action.
A Re-evaluation of Basalt-Obsidian Relations at East Lake Fissure, Newberry Caldera, Oregon

Andesite scoria, agglutinate, and small flows formed by thin lava gushes that erupted from East Lake Fissure on the north wall of Newberry Caldera carry numerous inclusions of platy rhyolite, partly melted platy rhyolite, and frothy obsidian. This association of obsidian and “basalt” has been interpreted as the result of intermingling of mafic and siliceous magmas. The locality has been repeatedly cited as an example of a mixed intrusion of the “basalt-rhyolite association.” Field, petrographic, chemical, and experimental evidence suggest, however, that the inclusions of frothy and massive obsidian are melted fragments of platy rhyolite which were ripped from a rhyolite unit forming part of the caldera wall by uncontaminated andesite magma which rose and fountained from the fissure.
Specialization Pattern and Multistaged Growth: Korea and Taiwan Compared

The sustained rapid growth of Korea and Taiwan represent two alternative paths of successful development. The difference between these two paths is reflected in industrial concentration, macroeconomic management, and export mix. During the 1997 crisis, Korea absorbed severe shocks and then scored a quick recovery, while Taiwan proceeded at a more or less constant pace. Taiwan has followed a “usual progression” experienced by Netherlands or Switzerland before; Korea has struck out on a different path, under a more active government policy. Before the current, ongoing reform, the development policy of Korea dates back to President Park, and fits his style of personal management over the economy. It has its own rationale, but also entails greater financial risks. The different roles played by the small and medium enterprises in the two economies provide food for thought in development economics.
The relationship between phytoplankton concentration and light attenuation in ocean waters

The accuracy of chlorophyll estimates by ocean color algorithms is affected by the variability of particulate attenuation; the presence of dissolved organic matter; and the nonlinear inverse relationship between the attenuation coefficient, K, and chlorophyll. Data collected during the Warm Core Rings Program were used to model the downwelling light field and determine the impact of these errors. A possible mechanism for the nonlinearity of K and chlorophyll is suggested; namely, that changing substrate from nitrate-nitrogen to ammonium causes enhanced blue absorption by photosynthetic phytoplankton in oligotrophic surface waters.
Mentally Ill Persons in the Criminal Justice System: Some Perspectives

There is an increasing number of severely mentally ill persons in the criminal justice system. This article first discusses the criminalization of persons with severe mental illness and its causes, the role of the police and mental health, and the treatment of mentally ill offenders and its difficulties. The authors then offer recommendations to reduce criminalization by increased coordination between police and mental health professionals, to increase mental health training for police officers, to enhance mental health services after arrest, and to develop more and better community treatment of mentally ill offenders. The necessary components of such treatment are having a treatment philosophy of both theory and practice; having clear goals of treatment; establishing a close liaison between treatment staff and the justice system; understanding the need for structure; having a focus on managing violence; and appreciating the crucial role of case management, appropriate living arrangements, and the role of family members.
Constrained least-squares solutions of linear inclusions and singular control problems in Hilbert spaces

LetH1 andH2 be Hilbert spaces and letN be an algebraic subspace ofH1. The least-squares problem for a linear relationLźH1źH2 restricted to an algebraic cosetS:=g+N, g ź H1, is considered. Various characterizations of a minimizer are derived in the form of inclusion relations that incorporate the constraints, and conditions under which a minimizer exists are developed. In particular, it is shown that generalized forms of the "normal equations" for constrained least-squares problems become "normal inclusions" that involve a multivalued adjoint. The setting includes large classes of constrained least-squares minimization problems and optimal control problems subject to generalized boundary conditions. An application of the abstract theory is given to a singular control problem involving ordinary differential equations with generalized boundary conditions, where the control may generate multiresponses. Characterizations of an optimal solution are developed in the form of inclusions that involve either an integrodifferential equation or a differential equation, and adjoint subspaces and/or solutions of certain linear equations.
Isolation and expression of rat liver sepiapterin reductase cDNA.

Abstract Sepiapterin reductase (7,8-dihydrobiopterin: NADP+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.153) catalyzes the terminal step in the biosynthetic pathway for tetrahydrobiopterin, the cofactor necessary for aromatic amino acid hydroxylation. We report here the isolation of a cDNA clone for rat liver sepiapterin reductase. The cDNA has been excised from a lambda vector and the DNA sequence was determined. The insert contains the coding sequence for at least 95% of the rat enzyme and is fused to the Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase N-terminal segment and the lac promoter. The N-terminal region of the clone contains an extraordinarily high G + C content. The amino acid sequence deduced from the clone is in agreement with the size and composition of the enzyme and was matched to several tryptic peptide sequences. The enzyme encoded by the cDNA insert was shown to have sepiapterin reductase activity after expression in E. coli. Structural similarities were identified between this protein and several enzymes that should contain similar nucleotide and pteridine binding sites.
Relationship between lipoprotein levels and in vivo insulin action in normal young white men

In epidemiologic studies, hyperinsulinemia has been found to be an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). However, the mechanisms responsible for its role in atherogenesis remain unclear. We studied the relationship of in vivo insulin action and plasma lipids and lipoproteins in 44 normotriglyceridemic white men (aged 18 to 34 years). The euglycemic, hyperinsulinemic glucose clamp technique was used to quantitate insulin-mediated glucose disposal (MI value) at a plasma insulin concentration of approximately 100 μU/mL. The MI value correlated negatively with plasma triglycerides (r = −0.553, P < .0001), as well as with fasting plasma insulin levels (r = −0.483, P < .001), independent of age, body mass index, and fasting plasma glucose levels. A negative correlation of the MI value was also observed with very low density lipoprotein (VLDL)-cholesterol (r = −0.347, P < .05), VLDL-triglycerides (r = −0.474, P < 0.005), and total cholesterol/high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol ratio (r = −0.431, P < .01). The relationship between the MI value and the total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio was independent of VLDL-cholesterol and VLDL-triglycerides, however, not independent of plasma triglycerides. No relationship was observed between insulin-mediated glucose uptake and total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol values. Individual differences in plasma triglycerides, fasting insulin concentration, and the total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio accounted for about half the variance observed in the MI value. In conclusion, our findings in normal healthy men support the contention that hyperinsulinemia or insulin resistance may enhance the risk of CHD by adversely affecting lipoprotein levels such as VLDL-cholesterol, VLDL-triglyceride, and the ratio of total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol.
The ecology movement: a viewpoint

In the wake of a nation‐wide movement to save the environment in 1969, the President of the United States declared that “the 1970's must be the years when America pays its debt to our living environment. It is literally now or never.” This paper is an analysis of environmental politics as a political force today. The discussion traces the emergence of the environmental issue, examines trends in American politics, and concludes that a reassessment of the problem by the ecology movement is necessary.
Inhibition of neutrophil adhesion and neutrophil function in sepsis

Abstract The care of pediatric patients has improved survival. However, many of these surviving patients, such as premature infants and patients with cancer, are predisposed to develop sepsis. Sepsis is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates despite excellent supportive care. There is accumulating evidence that a poorly compartmentalized inflammatory response involving neutrophils predominantly contributes to circulatory derangements and multiorgan system failure, which frequently complicate sepsis. As the molecular mechanisms of neutrophil accumulation have been elucidated, therapies directed against neutrophil adhesion and neutrophil activation responses have been investigated in animal models of sepsis and, to a limited extent, in humans. Therapies inhibiting adhesion molecules on neutrophils or endothelial cells should limit sepsis-induced nonspecific neutrophil responses, but the results of such trials have been mixed. Interventions targeting neutrophil activation responses have been promising. More research is necessary to determine specific molecular interventions inhibiting poorly compartmentalized inflammatory responses while maximizing neutrophil functions in clearing invading microorganisms. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company
Perceptions of self‐care in East Germany: a cross‐cultural empirical investigation

The purpose of this empirical investigation was replication for comparing self-care phenomena in a cross-cultural setting. Two self-reporting inventories were employed to measure perceptual dimensions of self-care agency and self-concept. Both inventories were translated into German and administered to a convenience sample of 17 adults living in an agricultural collective in East Germany. One research concern was the usability of American-constructed nursing assessment tools in another culture. Other research questions for cross-cultural comparisons of means were formulated. Self-care and self-concept were related in the East German sample. Self-care agency means for the East German sample were lower than for an American student sample. Study limitations are identified and cross-cultural implications of the findings for nursing are discussed.
Individual classification of children with epilepsy using support vector machine with multiple indices of diffusion tensor imaging.

Introduction Support vector machines (SVM) have recently been demonstrated to be useful for voxel-based MR image classification. In the present study we sought to evaluate whether this method is feasible in the classification of childhood epilepsy intractability based on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), with adequate accuracy. We applied SVM in conjunction DTI indices of fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD) and axial diffusivity (AD). DTI studies have reported white matter abnormalities in childhood-onset epilepsy, but the mechanisms underlying these abnormalities are not well understood. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between epileptic seizures and cerebral white matter abnormalities identified by DTI in children with active compared to remitted epilepsy utilizing an automated and unsupervised classification method.
NMR characterization of postcure temperature effects on the microstructures of Blackglas™ resin and ceramic

Abstract Blackglas™ is a novel siliconoxycarbide ceramic material with high levels of carbon incorporated in the atomic structure. This material has potential in the fabrication of low cost ceramic matrix composites with high temperature capability. Here we study the relationship between the microstructure of Blackglas™ resins and ceramics and the postcure temperature using solid-state NMR to determine explicitly the microstructure evolution from resin to ceramic. In this study, 29 Si solid-state NMR reveals a dependence between the postcure temperature and the microstructure of the resin, which then effects the resulting ceramic structure. The postcure temperature that appears to give optimal mechanical and oxidative properties of Blackglas™ ceramic is around 150°C. For a resin postcured at 250°C, the incorporation of oxygen into the resin network, and thermal redistribution reactions between Si–H and Si–O bonds, results in a dramatic and detrimental change of microstructure compared to that of resins postcured at 100°C and 150°C.
β-Adrenergic desensitization by chronic insulin exposure in 3T3-L1 cultured adipocytes

Abstract Cultured 3T3-L1 cells provide a model system for studies of the long-term regulation of lipolysis. Insulin acutely inhibits isoproterenol-stimulated lipolysis primarily by decreasing the apparent affinity apparent Km for isoproterenol. In contrast, chronic insulin exposure inhibits lipolysis by a reduction in the maximal effect of isoproterenol Vmax. The decrease in Vmax can be observed with insulin concentrations that are as low as 10−9 mol/L at the time of addition. The effect is stable to washing, and the cells' responsiveness to isoproterenol returns partially with continued culture. Chronic insulin exposure also markedly reduced dibutyryl-cAMP-stimulated lipolysis indicating an insulin-induced change distal to cAMP concentration in the cascade of reactions controlling lipolysis in these cells. Time course and insulin dose-response experiments indicate an additional proximal alteration. These results indicate that: (1) 3T3-L1 cells are a useful model for studying the long-term regulation of lipolysis. (2) Chronic insulin exposure inhibits lipolysis by a mechanism that differs from the acute effect of insulin. (3) The chronic effects of insulin may be mediated through changes at multiple levels in the lipolytic cascade.
Logarithmic phase filter to extend the depth of field of incoherent hybrid imaging systems

We describe a logarithmic phase filter to extend the depth of field of incoherent optical hybrid imaging systems with a rectangular aperture. By introducing this filter at the system's exit pupil and digitally processing the detector's output, we were able to extend the depth of field by an order of magnitude more than the Hopkins defocus criterion.
Osteopathic manipulative treatment and its relationship to autonomic nervous system activity as demonstrated by heart rate variability: a repeated measures study

The relationship between osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) and the autonomic nervous system has long been acknowledged, but is poorly understood. In an effort to define this relationship, cervical myofascial release was used as the OMT technique with heart rate variability (HRV) as a surrogate for autonomic activity. This study quantifies that relationship and demonstrates a cause and effect. Seventeen healthy subjects, nine males and eight females aged 19–50 years from the faculty, staff, and students at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine, acted as their own controls and received interventions, administered in separate sessions at least 24 hours apart, of cervical myofascial OMT, touch-only sham OMT, and no-touch control while at a 50-degree head-up tilt. Each group was dichotomized into extremes of autonomic activity using a tilt table. Comparisons were made between measurements taken at tilt and those taken at pre- and post-intervention in the horizontal. The variance of the spectral components of HRV, expressed as frequencies, measured the response to change in position of the subjects. Normalized low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) values, including LF/HF ratio, were calculated and used to determine the effect of position change on HRV. Predominantly parasympathetic responses were observed with subjects in the horizontal position, while a 50-degree tilt provided a significantly different measure of maximum sympathetic tone (p < 0.001). Heart rate changed in all subjects with change in position; respirations remained constant. When OMT was performed in a sympathetic environment (tilt), a vagal response was produced that was strong enough to overcome the sympathetic tone. There was no HRV difference between sham and control in either the horizontal or tilt positions. The vagal response produced by the myofascial release procedure in the maximally stimulated sympathetic environment could only have come from the application of the OMT. This demonstrates the association between OMT and the autonomic nervous system. The lack of significance between control and sham in all positions indicates that HRV may be a useful method of developing sham controls in future studies of OMT. clinicaltrials.gov NCT00516984.
Visual alarm reactions in turtles.

Summary o 1. Pseudemys scripta, Chrysemys picta , and Terrapene carolina all exhibit head withdrawal when a circular shadow is suddenly enlarged in front of them. The frequency of the withdrawals is strongly related to the speed of the shadow enlargement. 2. The withdrawal to the enlarging shadow can be thoroughtly habituated by repeated presentations, and the habituation appears to be stimulus specific.
On a statistical optimality of magic squares

Abstract It is shown that an optimal way of running a simple linear regression with n 2 equally spaced levels in an n × n square is to distribute the levels in the square in the form of a magic square.
High density lipoproteins-based therapies for cardiovascular disease

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death in developed countries. High density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol level correlates inversely with the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Thus, HDL has obtained lots of interest for drug development. In this review, we summarized the mechanisms for the antiatherogenic function of HDL, current HDL-based drugs in clinical use and the future direction for HDL-based therapy development.
Effect of luteinizing hormone (LH), pregnancy specific protein B (PSPB), or arachidonic acid (AA) on ovine endometrium of the estrous cycle or placental secretion of prostaglandins E2 (PGE2) and F2α (PGF2α) and progesterone in vitro

Abstract The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of AA, LH, or PSPB on secretion of PGE 2 , PGF 2α , or progesterone by ovine caruncular endometrium of the estrous cycle or placental tissue of pregnancy in vitro. Ovine caruncular endometrium of the estrous cycle (days 8, 11, 13, and 15) or caruncular/placental tissue on days 8, 11, 13, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 90 postbreeding were incubated in vitro with vehicle, AA, LH, or PSPB in M-199 for 4 and 8 h. Secretion of PGF 2α by caruncular endometrium of non-bred ewes on days 13 and 15 and by caruncular/placental tissue of bred ewes on days 13, 15, 20, 30, and 40 was increased ( P ≤0.05) when incubated with vehicle and declined ( P ≤0.05) after day-40 in bred ewes. Secretion of PGF 2α by day-15 caruncular endometrium of non-bred ewes and bred ewes was increased ( P ≤0.05) by AA on days 13 and 15 and by LH on day-15. Secretion of PGF 2α by caruncular/placental tissue from bred ewes was increased ( P ≤0.05) by AA on days 13, 15, 20, 30, and 40 and by LH on days 15, 20, 30, and 40, after which the response decreased ( P ≤0.05). Secretion of PGF 2α by caruncular endometrium of non-bred ewes during the estrous cycle or by caruncular/placental tissue of bred ewes during the first trimester was not affected by PSPB ( P ≥0.05). Secretion of PGE 2 by caruncular endometrium of non-bred ewes did not change ( P ≥0.05) and was increased ( P ≤0.05) by caruncular/placental tissue on days 13–90 from bred ewes when incubated with vehicle. Secretion of PGE 2 by endometrium from non-bred ewes was not affected ( P ≥0.05) by AA, LH, or PSPB, but was increased ( P ≤0.05) by AA or LH on days 13–50 and by PSPB on days 60 and 90 when incubated with caruncular/placental tissue from bred ewes. Secretion of progesterone by placental tissue of bred ewes increased ( P ≤0.05) on day-50 and continued to increase through day-90. In summary, uterine/placental tissue secretion of PGF 2α is not reduced until the end of the first trimester of pregnancy in ewes. In addition, LH appears to play a role in luteolysis of non-bred ewes by stimulating caruncular endometrial secretion of PGF 2α and on day-5 postbreeding to prevent luteolysis during early pregnancy by stimulating caruncular/placental secretion of PGE 2 throughout the first trimester of pregnancy in sheep. Secretion of PGE 2 by caruncular/placental tissue after day-50 of pregnancy appears to be regulated by PSPB, not LH.
Prediction of melt elasticity from viscosity data

A simple method for predicting the primary normal stress function, θ, from viscosity data is proposed. A relation between θ and the viscosity function, θ, based on the Goddard-Miller rheological equation of state, is given. An easy-to-use generalized chart for estimating θ from θ is presented; in order to use this chart, viscosity data must be available from the zero-shear-rate value of the “power law region.” The method was applied to six polymer melts, three polymer solutions, and an aluminum soap solution for which θ had been measured experimentally. Even though θ varied by a factor of 103 over the examined range of shear rate, the theory and experiment seldom differed by more than a factor of 2. The generalized chart for θ was combined with Tanner's theory to prepare a graph which may be used to estimate jet swell from viscosity data. Comparison with experimental data of jet swell for 4 polymer melts shows good agreement.
USDA Home and Garden Bulletins

(2004). USDA Home and Garden Bulletins. Journal of Agricultural & Food Information: Vol. 6, No. 2-3, pp. 145-150.
Economic freedom and the mispricing of single-state municipal bond closed-end funds

The Economic Freedom of North America Index (EFI) is a measure of the state-level institutional characteristics that promote economic activity. We use this index as a proxy for the degree of local market segmentation and test the hypothesis that single-state, municipal bond closed-end fund mispricing can be partially explained by a state’s EFI value. Using panel data analysis we find that EFI is significant in explaining observed variability in fund mispricing.
Looking at mRNA decay pathways through the window of molecular evolution

In eukaryotes, mRNAs are monitored for errors in gene expression by RNA surveillance where untranslatable mRNAs are selectively degraded by the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway. Depending on the organism, three to seven genes are required for NMD. Besides RNA surveillance, the genes required for NMD serve a second purpose by controlling the overall abundance of a substantial fraction of the transcriptome.
Social Workers' and Counselors' Understanding of Lesbian Needs

Abstract An exploratory survey was conducted in 1994 to assess mental health providers' experience with lesbian clients and understanding of lesbians. Probability samples of 250 licensed clinical social workers and 250 licensed professional counselors were randomly generated from Virginia licensure lists. A total of 183 out of 224 respondents were active practitioners and were included in the analysis. Ninety-seven percent of active practitioners reported their sexual orientation; of these, 7% identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. Twenty-two percent of respondents had received training or education in lesbian mental health issues (19% of heterosexuals and 58% of lesbians, gays and bisexuals) and most viewed coming out as more positive than negative. Most heterosexual providers defined lesbianism in terms of sexual attraction only, while lesbian, gay and bisexual providers defined lesbianism in both behavioral (sexual) and affectional terms. Providers who thought certain mental health symptoms varied on...
Effect of pericardiotomy on exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension in the horse

The role of cardiac function or dysfunction in the pathogenesis of exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension and haemorrhage in horses has been minimally investigated. We hypothesize that pericardiotomy would enhance diastolic function and attenuate pulmonary vascular pressures in maximally exercising horses. Our objective was to evaluate diastolic function and cardiopulmonary pressures before and after pericardiotomy, at rest and at maximal exercise. Study design was both self- and externally controlled. Five horses underwent pericardiotomy after a baseline exercise test. They subsequently performed the same exercise protocol at 1 week and 13 weeks post-operatively. An external, unoperated control group of five horses performed the same experimental protocol. Pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PWP), right ventricular pressure, heart rate (HR) and oesophageal pressure were measured continuously at rest and at maximal exercise; maximum rates of ventricular pressure decrease (−dP/dtmax), relaxation half-time (t1/2), time constant of isovolumic relaxation (τ) and pulmonary capillary pressures (PcapP) were derived. Statistical analysis was performed using two-tailed Wilcoxon's signed-rank and rank-sum tests, with significance set at P<0.05. No significant differences were found in any variable after pericardiotomy was performed or between the experimental and external control groups. We conclude that during a 13-week study period, pericardiotomy does not alter pulmonary or ventricular pressures or rate of ventricular relaxation in the resting or maximally exercising horse. Results indicate that, in past and future studies requiring an open pericardium in normal horses, the cardiopulmonary parameters measured here are not affected by reduced pericardial pressure.
Convex relaxations for robust identification of Wiener systems and applications

This paper considers the identification of Wiener systems in a worst case framework. Given some a priori information about the admissible set of plants, nonlinearities and measurement noise, and a posteriori experimental data, our goal is twofold: (i) establish whether the a priori and a posteriori information are consistent, and (ii) in that case find a model that interpolates the available experimental information within the noise level. As recently shown, this problem is generically NP hard both in the number of data points and the number of inputs to the non-linearity. Our main result shows that a computationally attractive relaxation can be obtained by recasting the problem as a rank-constrained semi-definite optimization and using existing tools specifically tailored to this type of problems. These results are illustrated with a practical application drawn from computer vision
Study of infrared spectra of N-type superconductor Nd-Ce-Cu-O system*

Two features have been observed in the infrared absorption spectra of the new n-type superconductors Nd-Ce-Cu-O System. The higher-frequency feature at 910 cm-1 in Nd2CuO4 dominates the spectrum for ( x=0 ). However, small Ce replacements cause the 910 cm-1 band to be reduced dramatically in intensity and to disappear entirely by x=0.15. We propose that this is a zone-boundary phonon that is folded to the center of the zone and that the frozen-in charge-density-wave distortion by Matteiss gives rise to the strong transition moment that we observe.
An opinion piece: the consensus conference.

I N SPRING 1989, the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA), through the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), added nursing to its consensus development programs by organizing a 3-day meeting to prepare a consensus statement on the minimum knowledge, scientific information, training, skills, and attitudes that baccalaureate nursing graduates need in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of the use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs (AODA). Comparable consensus statements in the area have been developed for physicians, including general internal medicine faculty and residents, medical students, family medicine faculty, pediatricians, emergency physicians, obstetricians and gynecologists, and psychiatrists. At issue is the question of the influence of consensus conferences and the resultant statements that are published (West, Maxwell, Noble, & Solomon, 1984). The ADAMHA is separate from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (Fig 1). However, the NIH has had a Consensus Development Program since 1977, which has provided consensus statements on the safety and efficacy of more than 80 medical technologies. Fogle (1990) reports that critics believe there is little evidence that consensus statements have had much effect on medical practice or on the public. As a result, a special committee of the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine (IOM) was organized to evaluate the consensus program’s structure and operation. Among the special committee’s 30 or so recommendations are proposals that topical suggestions be solicited from both inside and outside the government; that the issues considered be broadened to incorporate economic, social, and ethical aspects
PARAMETRIC RELATIONS FOR THE ATMOSPHERIC BOUNDARY LAYER

Some parametric relations for the atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL) are suggested for possible use in the various atmospheric circulation and air quality models, as well as in other applications. These are for parameterizing the mean wind and temperature profiles, the vertical fluxes of momentum, heat and moisture, the variances of velocity fluctuations and length and time scales in the PBL. The parametric relations for the PBL height, the vertical velocity at the top of the PBL and the total energy dissipation in the PBL are also discussed. Experimental and/or theoretical bases for the various parametric relation are given. Some of the suggested parameterizations should be considered as tentative, until they are properly validated.
Fire Insurance Rates: Problems of Coöperation, Classification, Regulation

Introductory: Omnipresence of the rate question, 704. — Two phases in fire insurance, 705. — I. Mediums for fixing fire rates, 705. — Cooperative rate-making, 707. — Underwriters' associations, 707. — Abuses of the cooperative system, 709. — Lack of classified statistics, 710. — Discrimination, 711. — Control over brokers, 714. — The regulation of associated activities, 715. — The common law, 715. — Antitrust statutes, 715. — Anti-compact laws, 716. — State-rating acts, 717. — Regulatory statutes, 718. — Criticisms of state-rating acts, 720. Advantages of the regulatory statutes, 720. — II. Methods of fire insurance rating, 721. — Development of classification, 721. — The judgment system, 723. — The schedule system, 723. — The Universal Mercantile Schedule, 724. — The Analytic System, 725. — Defects of the schedule system, 727. — Rehabilitation of the classification theory, 727. — The Experience Grading and Rating Schedule, 728. — Objections to the classification theory, 732. — Advantages of the latest schedule, 736. — III. Conclusion: The proper medium for fire insurance rating, 736. — Adoption of a satisfactory and equitable rate method, 737.
Expression level of miR-34a rather than P53 gene status correlates with mutability in related human lymphoblast cell lines†‡

The P53 gene is a tumor suppressor gene and can prevent mutation and tumor induction though apoptosis and DNA repair when it is activated by genotoxic stress. miR-34a expression is regulated by the P53 gene and might be required for cell response to DNA damage. TK6 cells are human lymphoblast cells with normal P53 function while WTK1 and NH32 cells derived from the same progenitor as TK6 cells are P53-deficient. Previous mutation research showed an unexpected result that NH32 cells were much less mutable than WTK1 cells, although the P53 gene in both the cell lines is not functional. To explore the possible mechanisms involved in the different mutability of the cell lines and relationship between P53 and miR-34a, we investigated the expression levels of miR-34a in the cells. The basal and X-ray-induced expression levels of miR-34a in TK6 and NH32 cells were much higher than those in WTK1 cells. The miR-34a was also able to be up-regulated to respond to X-ray exposure without a functional P53 gene in both of the NH32 and WTK1 cells. In addition, the expression levels of miR-34a in these three cell lines are inversely correlated well with their mutability: higher levels of miR-34a correspond with less mutable cells. These results suggest that alteration of miR-34a expression is at least partially independent of P53 regulation and its expression levels are closely related to cells' mutability regardless of P53 status. 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Laryngotracheal trauma: recognition and management.

In 23 patients with laryngotracheal trauma at the Louisville General Hospital during a ten-year period, 19 survived. One death was directly attributable to the airway injury. The most common postinjury complication was hoarseness attributable to direct injury to the cords or recurrent nerve paralysis. One patient had further operation for subglottic stenosis. In general, blunt injuries were more severe than penetrating injuries. Subcutaneous emphysema, aphonia or dysphonia, hemoptysis, signs of airway obstruction, loss of palpable landmarks, and, in penetrating injuries, a sucking wound, are presumptive findings of laryngotracheal injury. Appropriate endoscopy and radiographic studies should confirm the diagnosis. Control of the airway is achieved by emergency tracheostomy or intubation followed by tracheostomy. Prompt operative intervention and primary repair follow.
Challenges for Social Embodiment

Current research in the area of social signal processing focuses on offline analysis of previously recorded human social cues. Approaches to exploit social signal processing techniques in naturalistic environments where agents socially interact with humans are rare and typically focus on isolated aspects, such as the creation of appropriate head nods or gaze behaviors. This position paper aims to identify challenges and research objectives for the area of social signal processing in order to encourage applications with more advanced forms of social embodiment in interactive settings.
Character Education in Christian Higher Education: A Historical Analysis and Contemporary Challenge (Part I)

In this set of two articles, the authors summarize the history of the practice of character instruction in Christian higher education. They examine character education beginning with the founding of Harvard in 1636 to contemporary times. They note that virtually every historian, theologian, and social scientist acknowledges that character instruction was at the heart of the curriculum in Christian higher education from Harvard's founding in 1636 until at least the Civil War. They note that after the Civil War there was a slow erosion in character training in Christian higher education, which facilitated the more cataclysmic changes that occurred much later. The authors also note the effects of these more tumultuous changes that occurred as a result of John Dewey's influence and the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in 1962 and 1963. The article demonstrates how Christian character education has gradually retreated into a much smaller number of colleges than used to be the case. The article concludes with propo...
World-Economic Integration, Supply Depots, and Environmental Degradation: A Study of Ecologically Unequal Exchange, Foreign Investment Dependence, and Deforestation in Less Developed Countries

This article engages multiple perspectives to consider how forms of world-economic integration allow for developed countries to treat less developed countries as supply depots to satisfy their unsustainable resource consumption levels. Particular attention is paid to the role of ecologically unequal exchange relationships in the mode of the vertical flow of exports and the transnational organization of extraction and production in the context of foreign investment dependence. It is argued that these interrelationships in the primary sector contribute to deforestation in less developed countries. Following theoretical discussions, regression analyses are conducted to assess the validity of the proposed relationships. Results suggest that both types of integration do contribute to deforestation in less developed countries, net of other factors. Ultimately, this research suggests that the structure of the world-economy allows for developed countries to externalize their consumption-based environmental costs,...
Reduced liver function is the trigger for renal sodium retention following portal vein ligation in the rat

Sodium retention along with peripheral vasodilation are features of prehepatic portal hypertension. In several models of experimental liver damage, sodium retention occurs only when hepatic function, measured by the aminopyrine breath test (ABT-k), falls below a critical threshold. The relationship between renal sodium handling, ABT-k and systemic and renal haemodynamics in partial portal vein ligated (PVL) rats was examined to test hypothesis that peripheral vasodilation was responsible for initiating sodium retention. Haemodynamic measurements were conducted early after surgery in portal hypertensive rats with and without sodium retention and in sham-operated controls. Compared with control, both PVL groups of rats had elevated portal pressure and lower peripheral vascular resistance (P < 0.05). Sodium retaining-PVL rats had both lower ABT-k (0.95 +/- 0.05 vs 1.38 +/- 0.06 x 10(-2)/min; P < 0.05) and higher sodium balance (1.38 +/- 0.09 vs 0.43 +/- 0.09 mmol/day; P < 0.05) than non-sodium retaining PVL rats. No differences in plasma renin activity or noradrenaline concentrations were observed. In a separate group of rats, hydralazine-induced pheripheral vasodilation did not induce sodium retention. These results suggest that the presence of peripheral vasodilation alone is not sufficient to trigger a sodium-retaining status. A factor, probably liver function-dependent, acting directly on renal tubules may be necessary for changes in renal sodium handling in this model.
An autocorrelation pitch detector and voicing decision with confidence measures developed for noise-corrupted speech

The authors describe an integrated speech feature extraction method consisting of: (1) a pitch detector; (2) a voicing decision to correctly partition speech into voiced and unvoiced intervals; (3) a confidence measure which reflects the probabilistic accuracy of the voicing decision; (4) a confidence measure which reflects the expected deviation of the pitch estimate from the true pitch and the probabilistic accuracy of this deviation; and (5) smoothing techniques for the pitch detector, the voicing decision, and the two confidence measures. The focus of their research is on voiced and unvoiced speech corrupted by high levels of white noise. The voicing decision and the confidence measures are developed by observing the behavior of three features derived from the autocorrelation function and experimentally fitting curves to the data. This integrated set of algorithms is statistically analyzed for speech at seven signal-to-noise ratios. >
Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis Type 3 Overlapping Presentation With Wilson Disease

PFIC3 (Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis type 3) is an inherited cholestatic disorder caused by mutations in the ABCB4 gene encoding the Multidrug Resistance Protein 3 (MDR3) protein.1 PFIC3 typically presents during infancy or early childhood, often progressing to chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, requiring liver transplantation.2 Since the clinical features of PFIC3 overlap with many other forms of liver disease in childhood, definitive diagnosis may be problematic or delayed. Here we report two patients, ultimately diagnosed with PFIC3, who initially presented with liver histological features including marked hepatic copper accretion that were considered indicative of Wilson Disease (WD).
Graphical modeling and animation of ductile fracture

In this paper, we describe a method for realistically animating ductile fracture in common solid materials such as plastics and metals. The effects that characterize ductile fracture occur due to interaction between plastic yielding and the fracture process. By modeling this interaction, our ductile fracture method can generate realistic motion for a much wider range of materials than could be realized with a purely brittle model. This method directly extends our prior work on brittle fracture [O'Brien and Hodgins, SIGGRAPH 99]. We show that adapting that method to ductile as well as brittle materials requires only a simple to implement modification that is computationally inexpensive. This paper describes this modification and presents results demonstrating some of the effects that may be realized with it.
An experimental multimedia information exchange system

The authors summarize the lessons learned during a research project that aimed at understanding the practical problems encountered in building multimedia communication systems. An overview of the architecture and components of an experimental multimedia system is given. The prototype has both real-time and online communication capabilities. It supports both the peer-to-peer model and the client-server model. The authors have implemented various applications with very different requirements and made them coexist in the system. Two examples presented here are real-time video capture and multicasting, and online consultation of full-motion video clips residing in a multimedia server. >
Scheduling file transfers in fully connected networks

We consider the problem of transferring a set of files from their given locations in a fully connected network to their respective target locations in minimum time. We show that this problem is NP-hard even with the restriction that no file uses more than two edges in its route. We present an efficient algorithm to solve this problem in the case when there is only one source and one or more destinations. For the general case, we propose a two-phase approach to find two-edge schedules that are optimal or close-to-optimal. In Phase I, two-edge routes are assigned to files; in Phase II, a schedule is determined for the use of the links in these routes. For Phase I, we present an exact solution that is based on integer programming formulation and also give theoretical bounds for approximate solution. We also propose a route assignment algorithm that attempts to assign routes of minimum congestion. For Phase II, we present an efficient algorithm that constructs a schedule from the solution obtained in the first phase.
A strong inhibitor of gene expression in the 5' untranslated region of the pollen-specific LAT59 gene to tomato.

Promoter sequences that direct pollen-specific expression have been previously identified in the LAT59 (for !ate gnther fomato) gene. Here, we show that the LAT59 sequences encoding the 5’ untranslated region inhibit expression of reporter genes by >20-fold in transient expression experiments and up to 300-fold after stable transformation. lnhibition occurred in somatic cells as well as in pollen. Our results indicate that the inhibitor still functions after pollen germination and therefore does not modulate the leve1 of the LAT59 protein during pollen development. The presence of the leader sequence dramatically decreased mRNA accumulation but without affecting translation rate and mRNA stability. We believe that the leader inhibits transcription. We mapped the inhibitor to a region in the leader that coincides with a putative stem-loop and present evidence that this stem-loop participates in inhibition.
Expression of arabidopsis CAX2 in tobacco. Altered metal accumulation and increased manganese tolerance.

Metal transport from the cytosol to the vacuole is thought to be an important component of ion tolerance and of a plant9s potential for use in phytoremediation. The Arabidopsis antiporter CAX2 (calcium exchanger 2) may be a key mediator of this process. CAX2 expression in yeast suppressed both Ca 2+ and Mn 2+ growth defects. A peptide-specific antibody to the antiporter reacted with a 39-kD protein from plant vacuolar membranes. Tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum ) plants expressing CAX2 accumulated more Ca 2+ , Cd 2+ , and Mn 2+ and were more tolerant to elevated Mn 2+ levels. Expression of CAX2 in tobacco increased Cd 2+ and Mn 2+ transport in isolated root tonoplast vesicles. These results suggest that CAX2 has a broad substrate range and modulation of this transporter may be an important component of future strategies to improve plant ion tolerance.
Tetrahydroisoquinoline PPARγ agonists: Design of novel, highly selective non-TZD antihyperglycemic agents

Novel tetrahydroisoquinolines have been developed as potent PPAR ligands. Evaluation of these compounds in PPARgamma responsive models of type 2 diabetes is described.