cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mona Lisa symbolism uncovered by computer processing

Abstract Through the ages the image of the Mona Lisa del Gioconda by Leonardo da Vinci has receded beneath strata of discolored, crackled, and soiled varnish as well as a web of cleavage within the paint layer. This impedes esthetic appreciation as well as scholarly inspection of the piece. Unfortunately, the physical condition of the painting is such that it will not undergo cleaning and treatment very soon. Consequently, digital computer image processing has been applied to the artwork to recover an approximation of its original appearance and to bring out long-hidden details. This was accomplished first by digitizing a high-quality photograph of the composition to 6-million-pixel resolution and then applying gain-bias modulation to the RGB image files to recover the original varnish-free colors. The image restoration was completed through removal of the craquelure by numerically intensive IBM 3090 processing of the data in the large files of RGB data. Sequential application of matched-FFT and blue/green bi-scatter filters yielded the final result. Regional enhancement, local enhancement, and pseudo-color coding of the restored image uncovered pentimenti as well as areas where the painting has been modified. These indicate that at some point in the creation of the piece, a necklace and additional mountains were present. Such clarifications bring out a dramatic tension in the background, revealing a metaphor of the human condition.
Are We Having Fun Yet? Savoring, Type A Behavior, and Vacation Enjoyment

Although studies of Type A behavior ceased in the early 1990s because of failures to replicate its connections with heart disease, the Type A behavior pattern of speed, impatience, perfectionism, drivenness, and hostility may nevertheless be important in understanding individual differences in the subjective quality of life. The present study tested the hypothesis that Type A behavior undermines the enjoyment of leisure time and that this detrimental effect is mediated by savoring responses that hamper enjoyment. Confirming hypotheses, analysis of self-report survey data ( N = 764) revealed that: (a) higher levels of Type A impatience in social situations predicted significantly less vacation enjoyment; (b) social impatience predicted significantly lower levels of memory building and counting blessings, and higher levels of kill-joy thinking, as savoring responses to vacation experiences, which in turn predicted less enjoyment; and (c) variations in these three savoring responses significantly mediated the link between Type A impatience and enjoyment, and together explained 85% of the total effect of impatience on vacation enjoyment. Furthermore, Type A impatience significantly predicted kill-joy thoughts about how one’s vacation could have been better, but not kill-joy thoughts about other things one should be doing instead of vacationing, suggesting that A-B differences in dampening savoring responses reflect differences in perfectionism rather than time urgency. Finally, temporal awareness moderated the detrimental impact of Type A impatience on enjoyment, by weakening the negative relationship between impatience and enjoyment. Clearly, Type A behavior has implications for understanding the quality, if not the quantity, of people’s lives.
Electrophoresis of small particles and fluid globules in weak electrolytes

An examination is conducted of the influence of partial ionization on the electrophoresis of small particles and fluid globules, with a view to the nature of conditions under which dissociation-association (D-A) alters electrokinetics. It is found that, since D-A processes are important in cases where double-layer polarization and relaxation would otherwise prevail, the predicted effect on electrophoretic mobility is greatest for the drops and bubbles whose surfaces are fluid and convection within the interface is significant. While the computation scheme used applies only to situations where forcing-field magnitude is small, the results obtained indicate that D-A processes involving ionogenic solutes may be significant in apolar liquids where electrokinetic phenomena are driven by strong forcing fields.
Temperature dependence of fast carbonyl backbone dynamics in chicken villin headpiece subdomain

Temperature-dependence of protein dynamics can provide information on details of the free energy landscape by probing the characteristics of the potential responsible for the fluctuations. We have investigated the temperature-dependence of picosecond to nanosecond backbone dynamics at carbonyl carbon sites in chicken villin headpiece subdomain protein using a combination of three NMR relaxation rates: 13C′ longitudinal rate, and two cross-correlated rates involving dipolar and chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) relaxation mechanisms, 13C′/13C′-13Cα CSA/dipolar and 13C′/13C′–15N CSA/dipolar. Order parameters have been extracted using the Lipari-Szabo model-free approach assuming a separation of the time scales of internal and molecular motions in the 2–16°C temperature range. There is a gradual deviation from this assumption from lower to higher temperatures, such that above 16°C the separation of the time scales is inconsistent with the experimental data and, thus, the Lipari-Szabo formalism can not be applied. While there are variations among the residues, on the average the order parameters indicate a markedly steeper temperature dependence at backbone carbonyl carbons compared to that probed at amide nitrogens in an earlier study. This strongly advocates for probing sites other than amide nitrogen for accurate characterization of the potential and other thermodynamics characteristics of protein backbone.
The Ca2+ ATPase of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum: Physiological role and relevance to diseases.

The Ca 2+ ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum has a prominent role in excitation/contraction coupling of cardiac muscle, as it induces relaxation by sequestering Ca 2+ from the cytoplasm. The stored Ca 2+ is in turn released to trigger contraction. We review here experiments demonstrating that in cardiac myocytes Ca 2+ signaling and contractile activation are strongly altered by pharmacological inhibition or transcriptional down-regulation of SERCA. On the other hand, kinetics, and intensity of Ca 2+ signaling are improved by SERCA overexpression following delivery of exogenous cDNA by adenovirus vectors. Experiments on adrenergic hypertrophy demonstrate SERCA down-regulation, consistent with its pathogenetic involvement in cardiac hypertrophy and failure, as also shown in other experimental models and clinical studies. Compensation by alternate Ca 2+ signaling proteins, including functional activation and increased expression of Na + /Ca 2+ exchanger and TRPC proteins has been observed. These compensatory mechanisms, including calcineurin activation, remain to be clarified and are a most important subject of current studies.
Post-Fire Soil Water Repellency, Hydrologic Response, and Sediment Yield Compared between Grass-Converted and Chaparral Watersheds

In 2002, the Williams Fire burned >90 % of the San Dimas Experimental Forest, providing an opportunity to investigate differences in soil water repellency, peak discharge, and sediment yield between grass-converted and chaparral watersheds. Post-fire water repellency and moisture content were measured in the winter and summer for four years. Peak discharge was determined using trapezoidal flumes with automated stage-height recorders. Sediment yields were measured by making repeated sag-tape surveys of small debris basins. Other than the high summer 2005 increase in repellency on the grass watersheds, only small differences in repellency were observed between the grass and chaparral sites. In general, soil water repellency increased with depth, decreased with time following the fire, and was inversely related to soil moisture content (i.e., least repellent during the winter and most repellent during the summer). Reduction in repellency occurred at moisture contents ranging between 8 % to 16 %. Approximately 85 % of the sediment delivered to the debris basins occurred during the first year, with first year sediment yields being greatest in the chaparral watersheds. Peak discharge was similar for both the grass and chaparral watersheds and was highest following the record rainfall of the 2005 hydrologic year. However, only minor sedimentation followed the record rain events and was similar in both watershed types, suggesting that percent plant cover was sufficient and that the supply of easily mobilized sediment and ravel was depleted after the first post-fire winter.
Extending Older Drivers' Access to Freeways with Intelligent Transportation System Technologies

The vanguard of the baby boom generation is approaching retirement age. They received their driver's licenses at the age of 16 at a time when freeways were reshaping urban land patterns. For those living in suburbs and the urban edge, freeway driving is a way of life. Nevertheless, as these drivers age, they too will experience changes in visual acuity and a reduction in their ability to respond quickly to changes in road conditions. Many studies document problems that older drivers face on city streets. The current study funded by the Arizona Department of Transportation and FHWA suggests that freeway driving might be less taxing for some. The study explores the possibility that intelligent transportation system (ITS) devices—including variable message signs; portable, changeable message signs; and ramp meters—may respond to older drivers' challenges with freeway driving. Eleven focus groups held with diverse groups of freeway drivers from 65 to 80 years of age in 2003-2004 focused on these ITS devices a...
Labor force participation and earnings determinants for women in the special conditions of developing countries

Abstract Little systematic analysis exists regarding hypothesized special labor market conditions for women in developing countries. This study explores such conditions in Nicaragua. Major results are: (i) Small children affect participation less than in developed countries due to child care from extended families or while on informal sector jobs, and the necessity for poor mothers to work. (ii) Schooling and experience have major roles affecting work sector and earnings, but the primary school return is half that cited by the World Bank. (iii) Other human capital variables, particularly nutrition, have some impact.
Newly detected atrial fibrillation following dual chamber pacemaker implantation.

Introduction Pacemaker (PPM)-detected atrial high-rate episodes (AHREs) of even 5-minute duration may identify patients at increased risk for stroke and death. In this study, we sought to determine the incidence of newly detected atrial fibrillation (AF defined as an AHRE > or = 5 minutes) in patients following dual-chamber PPM implantation and to define the clinical predictors of developing AF. Methods and results We evaluated 262 patients (142 male; age 74 +/- 12 years) without documented AF who underwent PPM implantation for sinus node dysfunction (n = 122) or atrioventricular block (n = 140). Information regarding patient demographics, cardiovascular diseases, and medication history was obtained. The cumulative percentages of ventricular pacing as well as the frequency, duration, and time to first episode of an AHRE were also determined. During follow-up of 596 +/- 344 days, an AHRE > or = 5 minutes was detected in 77 (29%) patients. Of these, 47 (61%) patients had an AHRE > or = 1 hour, 22 (29%) patients had an AHRE > or = 1 day, and 12 (16%) patients had an AHRE > or = 1 week. An AHRE > or = 5 minutes was seen in 24% and 34% of patients at 1 year and 2 years, respectively. Among patients with sinus node dysfunction, > or = 50% cumulative ventricular pacing was the only significant predictor of an AHRE > or = 5 minutes (HR 2.2; CI 1.0-4.7; P = 0.04). Conclusions Within 1 year of PPM implantation, AF is detected in 24% of patients without history of AF. In patients with sinus node dysfunction, > or = 50% cumulative right ventricular pacing is associated with a 2-fold increase in risk of developing AF.
Effects of nitrogen addition on successional dynamics and species diversity in Michigan old-fields

Summary We examined the impact of nitrogen addition on early successional dynamics and plant species diversity in replicate plots of an old-field succession treatment in south-western Michigan, USA, for 7 years following abandonment from agriculture. Nitrogen addition significantly increased above-ground plant biomass, but had no effect on the displacement or persistence of different life-history groups. Annual species made up a similar proportion of community biomass and decreased at equivalent rates in control and nitrogen-addition microplots. Perennial species biomass increased at similar rates in the control and nitrogen-addition microplots. Annual species dominated initially, but declined in abundance over the first 4 years and were replaced by biennials and then herbaceous perennials. The resulting high numbers of species losses and gains were not affected by nitrogen addition. Nitrogen addition did not affect mean species density or the Shannon index of diversity. There was also no temporal change in the similarity of species composition between control and nitrogen-addition microplots, indicating that nitrogen addition did not cause divergence over time in community composition. In year 7, similar species dominated the nitrogen-addition and control microplots, but there were differences in species composition and abundance of the subordinate species in each community. Only in year 6 of this study was there a significant negative relationship between community biomass and the Shannon diversity index. There was no significant relationship between community biomass and species density in any of the first 7 years following abandonment. Thus, the community response to increased biomass due to nitrogen addition was expressed primarily through changes in community structure, not richness. The effects of nitrogen addition on the early successional dynamics, species composition and consequently diversity of a plant community may depend on initial site conditions. The response to nitrogen enrichment may be slower in sites such as ours with fertile soils that become dominated by herbaceous perennial dicots.
The impact of brief team communication, leadership and team behavior training on ad hoc team performance in trauma care settings

BACKGROUND: Communication breakdowns and care coordination problems often cause preventable adverse patient care events, which can be especially acute in the trauma setting, in which ad hoc teams have little time for advanced planning. Existing teamwork curricula do not address the particular issues associated with ad hoc emergency teams providing trauma care. METHODS: Ad hoc trauma teams completed a preinstruction simulated trauma encounter and were provided with instruction on appropriate team behaviors and team communication. Teams completed a postinstruction simulated trauma encounter immediately afterward and 3 weeks later, then completed a questionnaire. Blinded raters rated videotapes of the simulations. RESULTS: Participants expressed high levels of satisfaction and intent to change practice after the intervention. Participants changed teamwork and communication behavior on the posttest, and changes were sustained after a 3-week interval, though there was some loss of retention. CONCLUSIONS: Brief training exercises can change teamwork and communication behaviors on ad hoc trauma teams.
The effects of a multiflavonoid supplement on vascular and hemodynamic parameters following acute exercise.

Antioxidants can decrease oxidative stress and combined with acute exercise they may lead to further decreases in blood pressure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 2 weeks of antioxidant supplementation on vascular distensibility and cardiovascular hemodynamics during postexercise hypotension. Methods. Twenty young subjects were randomized to placebo (n = 10) or antioxidant supplementation (n = 10) for two weeks. Antioxidant status, vascular distensibility, and hemodynamics were obtained before, immediately, and 30 minutes after an acute bout of aerobic exercise both before and after supplementation. Results. Two weeks of antioxidant supplementation resulted in a greater systolic blood pressure (SBP) decrease during postexercise hypotension (PEH) and significant decreases in augmentation index versus placebo (12.5% versus 3.5%, resp.). Also ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) increased significantly (interaction P = 0.024) after supplementation. Conclusion. Supplementation showed an additive effect on PEH associated with increased FRAP values and decreases in systolic blood pressure and augmentation index.
Bcl-2–Mediated Drug Resistance Inhibition of Apoptosis by Blocking Nuclear Factor of Activated T Lymphocytes (Nfat)-Induced FAS Ligand Transcription

Bcl-2 inhibits apoptosis induced by a variety of stimuli, including chemotherapy drugs and glucocorticoids. It is generally accepted that Bcl-2 exerts its antiapoptotic effects mainly by dimerizing with proapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family such as Bax and Bad. However, the mechanism of the antiapoptotic effects is unclear. Paclitaxel and other drugs that disturb microtubule dynamics kill cells in a Fas/Fas ligand (FasL)-dependent manner; antibody to FasL inhibits paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. We have found that Bcl-2 overexpression leads to the prevention of chemotherapy (paclitaxel)-induced expression of FasL and blocks paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. The mechanism of this effect is that Bcl-2 prevents the nuclear translocation of NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T lymphocytes, a transcription factor activated by microtubule damage) by binding and sequestering calcineurin, a calcium-dependent phosphatase that must dephosphorylate NFAT to move to the nucleus. Without NFAT nuclear translocation, the FasL gene is not transcribed. Thus, it appears that paclitaxel and other drugs that disturb microtubule function kill cells at least in part through the induction of FasL. Furthermore, Bcl-2 antagonizes drug-induced apoptosis by inhibiting calcineurin activation, blocking NFAT nuclear translocation, and preventing FasL expression. The effects of Bcl-2 can be overcome, at least partially, through phosphorylation of Bcl-2. Phosphorylated Bcl-2 cannot bind calcineurin, and NFAT activation, FasL expression, and apoptosis can occur after Bcl-2 phosphorylation.
Hierarchical enrichment for bridging scales and mesh-free boundary conditions

The finite-element method, when used with a basis made up of piecewise polynomials, often requires the generation of a very fine computational mesh in order to capture localized solution phenomena such as boundary layers or near-singularities. Enrichment of the basis with additional functions, obtained through analytical or experimental means, can allow for a coarser mesh and more accurate solution. We introduce an enrichment scheme in which an interaction or ‘bridging’ scale term is used to separate the basis formed by the enrichment functions from the original set of basis functions, in effect making the enrichment hierarchical. This separation of scales allows the simple application of essential boundary conditions. It also allows a quantification of the effects of the enrichment, leading to strategies for error estimation and control of the stiffness matrix condition number. We also find that this formulation allows for the simple application of essential boundary conditions for mesh-free shape functions, which are notoriously problematic. We find that for multiple dimensions, care must be taken to derive a weak form which is truly consistent with the strong form on the essential boundary. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bone surface topology mapping and its role in trabecular bone quality assessment using scanning confocal ultrasound

Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) has been used to assess non-invasively bone quality, in which ultrasound velocity (UV) is a primary acoustic property. While UV calculation requires the tissue thickness in the ultrasound path, a bone surface topology mapping (STM) method was developed in this study for enhancing the accuracy of the UV measurement. STM accuracy was verified by both aluminum and a QUS heel phantom, indicating that the STM can determine the phantom thickness within 0.02 mm thickness error and the aluminum calibration step within 0.1 mm thickness error. STM performance was further evaluated using 25 cadaveric human calcanei samples. The UV calculations using STM had a significant better correlation to bone mineral density (BMD) (r = 0.75, p < 0.05), volume fraction (r = 0.72, p < 0.05) and modulus (r = 0.69, p < 0.05) than the UV with fixed thickness. The later correlation coefficients were r = 0.64 for BMD, r = 0.65 for volume fraction, and r = 0.58 for modulus. The nBUA value determined using STM was also highly correlated to BMD (r2 = 0.74) and modulus (r2 = 0.62). This was comparable to the correlation result for BUA (BMD: r2 = 0.76; Modulus: r2 = 0.64). These results suggested that STM technique in scanning ultrasound is capable of determining calcaneus bone thickness and hence enhancing the accuracy of UV measurement.
Storage problems when demand is "all or nothing"

Abstract : An inventory of physical goods or storage space (in a communications system buffer, for instance) often experiences 'all or nothing' demand: if a demand of random size D can be immediately and entirely filled from stock it is satisfied, but otherwise it vanishes. Probabilistic properties of the resulting inventory level are discussed analytically, both for the single buffer and for multiple buffer problems. Numerical results are presented. (Author)
Lethal Pontine Hemorrhage in Postpartum Syndrome of Hemolysis, Elevated Liver Enzyme Levels, and Low Platelet Count

Background HELLP syndrome (a combination of h emolysis, e levated l iver enzyme levels, and l ow p latelet count) is a severe variant of preeclampsia that generally occurs before delivery but can occur post partum. This syndrome is more common than eclampsia and frequently leads to devastating neurological consequences such as intracerebral hemorrhage. Objective Although mentioned in the obstetric literature, there has been sparse reporting in the neurology literature specifically regarding intracerebral hemorrhage in HELLP syndrome. We illustrate such a case and review the existing literature regarding this severe complication. Setting Obstetric unit at an academic medical center. Patient A 34-year-old primigravida experienced a pontine hemorrhage and subsequent respiratory arrest 22 hours after a normal delivery. This hemorrhage occurred 7 hours after the sudden onset of hypertension, severe headache, and intermittent abdominal pain. Results Laboratory and postmortem evidence suggested HELLP syndrome with disseminated intravascular coagulation as the cause of her intracerebral hemorrhage. Conclusions Our case suggests the importance of the neurology consultant’s familiarity with HELLP syndrome and the need for thorough laboratory testing and close monitoring in the puerperal patient with headache and hypertension.
Full reconstruction of a layered elastic medium from P-SV slant-stack data

Summary. We develop a method of reconstructing the elastic parameters as functions of depth, for a horizontally stratified, isotropic elastic half-space. Unlike previous schemes, which have been able to retrieve the shear wave speed and density from SH seismograms slant stacked at two angles, our method makes use of P-SV data at a single stacking parameter to obtain all three elastic constants. The data required are the elements of the full reflection matrix at the surface, corresponding to measurements of two separate components of the response to two independent sources, one explosive, the other generating shear waves. In developing this inverse scheme fundamental differences emerge between the acoustic or SH problem, and the coupled P-SVcase, the most important being in the nature of the interfacial scattering matrix. We show that it is not possible to make use of the downward reflection data for an interface to determine directly the remaining reflection and transmission coefficients, but that the scattering data may be completed by applying a simple iterative procedure at each interface. We show the result of applying our inverse scheme to seismograms generated for a six-layered model, including a low-velocity layer. We are able to reconstruct both wave speeds and the density as functions of depth, all quantities being in close agreement with the original model.
Face/off: Cultural and institutional violence within the American dream

(2001). Face/off: Cultural and institutional violence within the American dream. Quarterly Review of Film and Video: Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 31-38.
Validity and reliability of a behavior-based food coding system for measuring fruit, 100% fruit juice, vegetable, and sweetened beverage consumption: results from the Girls Health Enrichment Multisite Studies.

Abstract Background . This paper presents the rationale, reliability, and validity of a behavior-based food coding system for measuring fruit (F), juice (J), vegetable (V), sweetened beverage, and water consumption in children. Methods . Coding algorithms for FJV, sweetened beverages, and water were developed for use with the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDS-R). Two hundred and ten 8- to 10-year-old African American girls at four field centers completed two 24-h dietary recalls at baseline and at 12 weeks follow-up after a weight gain prevention intervention. Differences in mean baseline consumption of selected food variables and other selected nutrients across the four field centers were analyzed. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for reliability across 2 days of food recalls and 12-week test–retest reliability correlations were calculated. For the purposes of this paper, nutrient intake estimates were considered construct validators of food intake, and validity was assessed by correlating the coded food variable servings with nutrient intake. Results . ICCs varied from zero (0.001 for beta carotene equivalents) to moderate (0.44 for sucrose), indicating substantial instability in consumption or reporting. Twelve-week test–retest correlations were slight to moderate (0.09 for lycopene to 0.49 for folate). FJV consumption was negatively related to percent energy from fat ( r = −0.28; P = 0.001) and positively related to other nutrients. Sweetened beverage consumption was positively related to energy, sucrose, fructose, and vitamin C consumption. Conclusions . This behavior-based food coding system demonstrated construct validity among 8- to 10-year-old African American girls and can measure the desired food groups.
Effects of the Estrous Cycle and Early Pregnancy on Uterine Expression of Mx Protein in Sheep (Ovis aries)

Conceptuses of ruminant ungulates produce large amounts of a type I interferon, interferon-tau (IFNtau), which is the signal for maternal recognition of pregnancy. Induction of cellular Mx proteins is an important component of the response to type I interferon in the immune system, but Mx regulation and function have not been studied in the uterus. This study examined temporal and spatial alterations in ovine uterine Mx expression during the cycle and early pregnancy using immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and Northern and slot-blot analysis. Sheep uterine endometrium expressed a single approximately 2.5-kilobase Mx mRNA transcript that was detectable at all stages of the estrous cycle and early pregnancy examined. In cyclic ewes, mRNA abundance in endometrium increased from Day 1 to peak levels at Day 13 and then declined to Day 15. In pregnant ewes, steady-state levels of Mx mRNA were first detected above the level in cyclic ewes at Day 13 postmating, were greater than 10-fold higher at Day 15, and remained elevated at Day 19. Expression of Mx mRNA in the myometrium did not change during the estrous cycle but increased approximately 23-fold between Days 11 and 15 of pregnancy. Immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization analysis revealed a similar temporal pattern of Mx expression. In cyclic ewes, Mx protein and mRNA were initially localized to the luminal epithelium at Days 1 and 3, increased from Days 5 to 13, especially in the shallow uterine glands, and then declined at Day 15. Pregnancy resulted in up-regulation of Mx expression in the luminal and glandular epithelium, stroma, and myometrium. Punctate Mx immunostaining and Mx mRNA concentrations were greatest when progesterone production was maximal during the estrous cycle and were strongly up-regulated by the conceptus across the entire uterine wall. It is suggested that a cascade of induction of Mx gene expression proceeds from the luminal epithelium to the outer longitudinal myometrium and that transcriptional activation of the promoter may involve both soluble cytokines (i.e., IFNtau) and steroid hormones (i.e., progesterone).
Measurements of gross and net ecosystem productivity and water vapour exchange of a Pinus ponderosa ecosystem, and an evaluation of two generalized models

Summary Net ecosystem productivity (NEP), net primary productivity (NPP), and water vapour exchange of a mature Pinus ponderosa forest (44°30′ N, 121°37′ W) growing in a region subject to summer drought were investigated along with canopy assimilation and respiratory fluxes. This paper describes seasonal and annual variation in these factors, and the evaluation of two generalized models of carbon and water balance (PnET-II and 3-PG) with a combination of traditional measurements of NPP, respiration and water stress, and eddy covariance measurements of above-and below-canopy CO2 and water vapour exchange. The objective was to evaluate the models using two years of traditional and eddy covariance measurements, and to use the models to help interpret the relative importance of processes controlling carbon and water vapour exchange in a water-limited pine ecosystem throughout the year. PnET-II is a monthly time-step model that is driven by nitrogen availability through foliar N concentration, and 3-PG is a monthly time-step quantum-efficiency model constrained by extreme temperatures, drought, and vapour pressure deficits. Both models require few parameters and have the potential to be applied at the watershed to regional scale. There was 2/3 less rainfall in 1997 than in 1996, providing a challenge to modelling the water balance, and consequently the carbon balance, when driving the models with the two years of climate data, sequentially. Soil fertility was not a key factor in modelling processes at this site because other environmental factors limited photosynthesis and restricted projected leaf area index to ∼1.6. Seasonally, GEP and LE were overestimated in early summer and underestimated through the rest of the year. The model predictions of annual GEP, NEP and water vapour exchange were within 1–39% of flux measurements, with greater disparity in 1997 because soil water never fully recharged. The results suggest that generalized models can provide insights to constraints on productivity on an annual basis, using a minimum of site data.
Livestock-Handling Injuries in Agriculture : An Analysis of Colorado Workers' Compensation Data

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported that livestock-handling injuries are among the most severe of agricultural injuries. This study identifies the costs, characteristics, and contributing factors associated with livestock-handling injuries among Colorado dairy farmers, cattle/livestock raisers, and cattle dealers. METHODS: A 10-year (1997-2006) history of Colorado's workers' compensation claims data was used for analysis. Descriptive analyses of livestock-handling injury claims were performed. Claim cost analysis was also conducted. The agent-host-environment epidemiological model was used to analyze injury event descriptions. RESULTS: A total of 1,114 livestock-handling claims were analyzed. Claims associated with milking parlor tasks represented nearly 50% of injuries among dairy workers. Claims associated with riding horseback, sorting/penning cattle, and livestock-handling equipment represented high proportions of livestock-handling injuries among cattle/livestock raisers and cattle dealers. Claims associated with livestock-handling represented the highest percentage of high-cost and high-severity injuries in all three sectors. CONCLUSIONS: Livestock-handling injuries are a significant problem, more costly, and result in more time off work than other causes of agricultural injuries. There is a strong and compelling need to develop cost-effective interventions to reduce the number of livestock-handling injuries in agriculture. Language: en
Charm Decays at B Factories

Recent results relating to charm baryon and meson decays from the Belle and BABAR experiments are presented. In addition to recent observations for charm hyperons, evidence for a new charm baryon state, the Λc(2940), observed in its decay to D0p is also reported. No evidence for doubly charmed baryons is seen in e+e- interactions. A measurement of the spin of the Ω- hyperon is made using decays of the and baryons. On the assumption that the spin of the parent baryons are J = 1/2, the assignment J = 3/2 is confirmed and both J = 1/2 and also higher spins are excluded. New results on rare, Cabibbo-suppressed decays of charm mesons are also presented.
Using Variety-Seeking-Based Segmentation to Study Promotional Response:

The link between variety seeking and promotional response has been of interest to marketing researchers for quite some time. By segmenting consumers according to their variety-seeking needs, researchers have established some interesting results regarding the variation in promotional response across segments. However, the sole basis for segmentation thus far has been unidimensional (e.g., high-and low-variety seekers). This research discusses a unique way to segment consumers based not only on the usual extent (or mean) of variety seeking but also on the intensity (or consistency) of variety-seeking behavior, a new segmentation criterion. The authors conduct an empirical study to test the two-dimensional segmentation scheme and investigate differences in response to a variety of promotions across the segments. The inclusion of the intensity aspect of variety seeking as an additional basis for segmentation has a significant impact on promotional response and offers substantially richer managerial interpretation.
Design of a high-speed optical interconnect for scalable shared memory multiprocessors

The paper proposes a highly connected optical interconnect based architecture that maximizes the channel availability for future scalable parallel computers, such as distributed shared memory (DSM) multiprocessors and cluster networks. As the system size increases, various messages (requests, responses and acknowledgments) increase in the network resulting in contention. This results in increasing the remote memory access latency and significantly affects the performance of these parallel computers. As a solution, we propose an architecture called RAPID (reconfigurable and scalable all-photonic interconnect for distributed-shared memory), that provides low remote memory access latency by providing fast and efficient unicast, multicast and broadcast capabilities using a combination of aggressively designed WDM, TDM and SDM techniques. We evaluated RAPID based on network characteristics and by simulation using synthetic traffic workloads and compared it against other networks such as electrical ring, torus, mesh and hypercube networks. We found that RAPID outperforms all networks and satisfies most of the requirements of parallel computer design such as low latency, high bandwidth, high connectivity, and easy scalability.
Exploring the policy and social factors fueling the expansion and shift of sugarcane production in the Brazilian Cerrado

Within the past decade, the sugarcane ethanol industry in Brazil has increased its production capacity to meet rising domestic demand for ethanol. However, to achieve this growth the industry has had to expand into new frontiers in the Brazilian Cerrado, specifically in the states of Goias and Mato Grosso do Sul, which is now the second largest producing area of ethanol in Brazil. We argue that the expansion into the Brazilian Cerrado is a result of the interactions between the increase in demand, governmental policies, infrastructure, and factors that have prevented traditional sugarcane producing regions from meeting the increasing demand for ethanol. This paper analyzes the policies that have shaped the sugarcane industry in Brazil and the expansion of the industry across the country. The policies and issues examined include those that led to the concentration and consolidation of the sugarcane industry in the state of Sao Paulo and the consequences of this consolidation; the influence of governmental policies on the decision-making process of producers and industry; the state-level policies designed to expand the industry into Goias and Mato Grosso do Sul states; infrastructure development; and the Sugarcane Agroecological Zoning policies. Through this study we conclude that the ethanol industry identified the Cerrado states as an opportunity for investment, given the good agricultural conditions for producing sugarcane, affordable land prices and favorable state-level fiscal incentive policies. In addition, there is a need for further regional development policies as the interaction between the sugarcane sector and regional government is likely to continue into the future.
Chain transfer in ethylene polymerization. VI. The effect of pressure

The chain-transfer reaction, which controls the molecular weight level of the polymer, apparently has not been studied as a function of pressure for ethylene. Therefore, the chain-transfer constants for eleven transfer agents were determined at 1360 and 2380 atm at 130°C. The results were interpreted according to transition-state theory as the difference between the volumes of activation for the transfer and propagation steps. It was found that the effect of pressure on the transfer constant is small for most transfer agents, indicating that the volumes of activation for hydrogen abstraction and addition to the ethylene double bond are similar. Aralkanes, however, gave anomalous results.
Analysis of SiO/sub 2//InP interfaces using gated photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy

Photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectroscopy were used to analyze the SiO/sub 2//InP interface. From PL measurements on gated MIS structures, interface state densities as low as 10/sup 1O//cm/sup 2/-eV have been calculated. This method is more sensitive than conventional high-frequency CV analysis and is less dependent on leakage currents than the quasi-static method. >
Events-first programming in APP inventor

Events are a central concept in computer science. They are becoming more important with the prevalence of mobile and web platforms that use event-based programming. Yet, events are typically taught late in the CS curriculum -- e.g., in a web programming or operating systems course. We have introduced events to CS0 students from day one using MIT App Inventor, a blocks-based programming environment that enables students to create apps for Android devices. This paper presents the system's event-based model, along with typical coding problems and best-practice approaches for solving them. We advocate for increasing early emphasis on events in the CS curriculum.
IDIOPATHIC HISTIOCYTOSIS A Clinicopathologic Study of 40 Cases and Review of the Literature on Eosinophilic Granuloma of Bone, Hand-Schüller-Christian Disease and Letterer-Siwe Disease

The clinical and pathologic aspects of 40 cases of eosinophilic granuloma of bone, Hand-Schuller-Christian disease and Letterer-Siwe disease have been reviewed. These cases were unified by a localized or generalized histiocytic proliferation. However, they could not be subdivided accurately on the basis of either clinical or microscopic findings. Histologically there was inconstant correlation of foam cells, tissue eosinophilia and fibrosis with clinical course. Nevertheless there was a suggestion that the presence of a homogeneous histiocytic infiltrate, with no eosinophils or foam cells, pointed to a poor prognosis, whereas the presence of large aggregates of eosinophils augured a more favorable course. With some exceptions, those patients presenting with disease confined to bone had little tendency toward dissemination, whereas those presenting with visceral on soft tissue lesions and generalized maculopapular skin eruptions usually died after a rapid course. Patients with skeletal and visceral or soft tissues lesions at onset had a variable outcome, with marked hepatomegaly and generalized cutaneous involvement being poor prognostic signs. It is concluded that these conditions probably represent various manifestations of a single disease process and that clinical assessment of rapidity of progression is the best guide to ultimate outcome.
Neuroendocrine Differentiation in Thymic Carcinomas: A Diagnostic Pitfall: An Immunohistochemical Analysis of 27 Cases.

Objectives: Neuroendocrine differentiation in carcinomas of the nonneuroendocrine type has been observed in various organ systems. Awareness of this phenomenon is important since such tumors need to be separated from true neuroendocrine neoplasms because of therapeutic and prognostic consequences. To investigate this occurrence in thymic carcinomas, 27 cases of different histologies were analyzed using neuroendocrine immunohistochemical markers. Methods: Twenty-seven conventional thymic carcinomas from thymectomies were studied immunohistochemically with antibodies directed against synaptophysin, chromogranin A, and CD56 in addition to the standard markers for these tumors. Results: Focal expression of at least one neuroendocrine marker was identified in a total of 12 (44%) cases. Chromogranin A was positive in five (19%) cases, synaptophysin in eight (30%), and CD56 in 10 (37%). All three markers were coexpressed in four (15%) cases. Conclusions: Neuroendocrine differentiation in conventional thymic carcinomas is a common occurrence. It is imperative to separate these tumors from true neuroendocrine neoplasms of the thymus—especially large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma—since both entities require different treatment modalities and likely show different biologic behavior. Contrary to prior suggestions, neuroendocrine differentiation should not be used to distinguish thymic carcinomas from thymomas, and these tumors should not be regarded as “mixed carcinomas.”
Controllers for interconnected systems with communication delays

Finite-dimensional controllers are developed for interconnected systems, where arbitrary time delays occur in the transmission loops. Various cascade or feedback interconnections are considered, with time delay terms appearing in numerator or denominator matrices of the transfer-functions of the plants to be controlled. The proposed designs achieve low-order and integral-action controllers. The methods are applied to load frequency control of single-area and multi-area interconnections of power systems.
Εμφύλιος πόλεμος (1943-1949): Το τέλος των μύθων και η στροφή προς το μαζικό επίπεδο

Στο άρθρο του στον συλλογικό τόμο για την Eλλάδα στη δeκαeτία του 1940-1950, ο Νίκος Σβορώνος (1984: 34) υπογράμμιζe την απουσία της eπιστημονικής μeλέτης ‘που χρeιάζeται για την κοινωνική σύνθeση του EΑΜικου συγκροτήματος’. Δυστυχώς, η eπιστημονική υπανάπτυξη που διαπίστωνe ο Σβορώνος πριν από δυο δeκαeτίeς σχeτικά μe τη συστηματική eμπeιρική έρeυνα συνeχίστηκe, eνώ μe τον χρόνο πολλές ατeκμηρίωτeς και συχνά λανθασμένeς παραδοχές μeτατράπηκαν σe αξιώματα και eυρύτeρα αποδeκτές ‘αλήθeιeς’. Eδώ ισχύeι πλήρως ο αφορισμός του Οδυσσέα Eλύτη στον Μικρό Ναυτίλο, ότι δηλαδή ‘οι φανταστικές αλήθeιeς φθeίρονται πιο δύσκολα’. Η υπανάπτυξη αυτή οφeίλeται κυρίως στην αδυναμία απeμπλοκής από τις ιδeολογικές αγκυλώσeις που κληροδότησe η δeκαeτία του 1940 και αυτό παρά την οριστική πλέον παρέλeυση των πολιτικών της διακυβeυμάτων. Η στάση αυτή συντηρeί και συντηρeίται από την πραγματολογική φτώχeια που χαρακτηρίζeι τη γνώση μας για την πeρίοδο. Παράλληλα, όμως, νέeς eρeυνητικές τάσeις που έχουν αναδυθeί τα τeλeυταία χρόνια δημιουργούν αισιοδοξία για τη μeλλοντική πορeία της έρeυνας και τη δυνατότητα να eπαναπροσeγγίσουμe την πeρίοδο αυτί) μe διαφορeτική ματιά. Το άρθρο αυτό ξeκινά μe μια σχηματική σκιαγράφηση των δύο κeντρικών eκδοχών για τη δeκαeτία του 1940, ιδίως όπως αυτές eκφράστηκαν στο eυρύτeρο κοινωνικό πeριβάλλον. Στη συνέχeια, eπιχeιρeίται μια σύντομη αποτίμηση της υπάρχουσας ιστοριογραφικής παραγωγής και των πρόσφατων eρeυνητικών τάσeων και διατυπώνeται μία eρeυνητική στρατηγική μe κέντρο βάρους το μαζικό eπίπeδο.
NEW OR NOTEWORTHY PENICILLIA FROM WISCONSIN SOILS

Two new species of Penicillium are described: P. pinetorum, assigned to the P. thomii Series and found to be relatively common in soils of Wisconsin forests dominated by red pine, white pine, or bo...
Interaction of equal increments in arterial and portal vein insulin on hepatic glucose production in the dog

We have previously shown that a selective increase of 84 pmol/l in either arterial or portal vein insulin (independent of a change in insulin in the other vessel) can suppress tracer-determined glu...
Explorations in ancient Maya blood-letting: Experimentation and microscopic use-wear analysis of obsidian blades

Abstract Auto-sacrificial blood-letting was an important ritual practice for the ancient Maya. Letting blood using implements like sharpened bone, stingray spines, thorny ropes, and obsidian blades provided the Maya the means to petition their ancestors and the gods for rain, good harvests, and success in warfare, among other needs and desires. The prevailing assumption is that obsidian blades recovered from ceremonial or ritual contexts, like caches, burials, and caves, were used for blood-letting. This belief is primarily founded on contextual, epigraphic, iconographic, and ethnohistoric information. With some exceptions, however, this interpretation does not typically include any use-wear analysis of the blades themselves. Reasons for the limited application of use-wear analysis to identify obsidian blood-letters recovered from ceremonial or ritual contexts include observational difficulties associated with the minimal wear development resulting from their short term use in this activity and contact with a soft and yielding medium like human flesh. This paper explores an approach to assist in identifying obsidian blades likely used for auto-sacrificial blood-letting based on high-power microscopic (400 ×) use-wear analysis. The need for this experimental work was initiated by the recovery of some obsidian blades from Actun Uayazba Kab, an ancient Maya cave in Belize, that were suspected blood-letters. Emphasis is placed on the observation and differentiation of wear features produced on 26 experimental obsidian blade segments used to cut pig skin/flesh, as a proxy for human flesh, as well as soft cow hide, fresh pig bone, fresh cohune palm fronds, and queen conch shell. The wear on the suspected blood-letters from Actun Uayazba Kab is similar to that produced on the experimental replicates after very minimal use (30 strokes). Moreover, the combination of wear features on the skin/flesh, hide, bone, plant, and shell can be distinguished from one another even after short-term use.
What Is the Future of Swedish Politics

Contemporary political and economic trends reveal that Sweden, perhaps more than any other advanced industrial democracy, stands at an important systemic crossroad. The central issue is whether the Social Democratic model of welfare Sweden will endure and conceivably be transformed in the direction of further industrial and economic democracy or whether the nonsocialists and other critics of the established system can manage to reconstitute the Swedish model in response to a combination of domestic and international challenges to its continued viability.