cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical bistability in n-doped GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells

Summary form only given. Optical bistability is basically a nonlinear response of the medium (here confined electrons in a QW) to an external oscillating field, in which there are three possible responses (two stable and one unstable). Which one the system chooses depends on the history of the adiabatically varying control parameters (usually electric field amplitude). The OB we consider is an intrinsic feature of the electron gas in the QW, and does not rely on the use of a Fabry-Perot resonator. Another feature of OB is that it is not a ubiquitous nonlinear response such as superharmonic generation; it can be observed only at some restricted values of the parameters. Furthermore the nonlinear response changes abruptly from one value of the output to the other. This effect can be measured by detecting the different transmitted intensities of the FIR field to the same input field. These features of OB make it a relevant choice for applications to optical switching and the realization of optical logic gates.
Assessing cold tolerance in Picea using chlorophyll fluorescence

Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements were performed on field-collected red spruce foliage exposed to controlled freezing temperatures to determine the utility of chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics in assessing low temperature tolerance. No significant decreases in fluorescence relative to unfrozen control foliage were observed at progressively lower temperatures until a critical temperature was reached, whereupon rapid, irreversible decreases in fluorescence occurred. Weekly comparisons between cold tolerance estimates derived using chlorophyll fluorescence inflection point temperatures and foliar visual lt20 (temperature at which 20% of foliage exhibited necrosis) estimates were also made throughout the winter of 1991–1992. No significant differences in weekly cold tolerance estimates between the two methods were evident. The weekly absolute difference in mean cold tolerance using the two methods was 3.0°C. These results indicate that chlorophyll fluorescence is a rapid, consistent, and reproducible method of determining low temperature tolerance of spruce foliage.
Effect of clonidine and yohimbine on sleep in healthy men: a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial

Objective: To study the acute effect of clonidine, an α2-adrenoceptor agonist, and yohimbine, an α2-adrenoceptor antagonist, on nocturnal sleep in healthy men. Setting: McGuire Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA. Subjects: Eight healthy male volunteers. Methods: Each subject slept in the sleep laboratory for 2 consecutive nights on three separate sessions, at 3-week intervals. On the 2nd night of each session, the subjects received yohimbine (5.4 mg), clonidine (0.1 mg), or placebo in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design. Results: There were no apparent effects of yohimbine. In contrast, clonidine completely suppressed rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in one subject and reduced REM sleep in the remaining seven subjects. Conclusion: Our study confirms that clonidine markedly decreases REM, even at a low single dose, and supports the hypothesis of the important role of α2-receptors in controlling REM sleep.
Surface-Based Passive Microwave Observations of Sea Ice in the Bering and Greenland Seas

Measurements of brightness temperatures of sea ice were carried out during both the MIZEX field experiments in 1983, the first in Februrary in the Bering Sea and the second in June/July in the northern Greenland Sea. In the Bering Sea thin growing sea ice types from black ice to 400-mm-thick snow-covered floes were investigated. Brightness temperatures increased with ice thickness up to 100 mm from values of 100 K for open water to as high as 250 K (e= 0.97) for thick ice, and a moderate dependence on snow thickness was found. In the Greenland Sea thick first-year and multiyear ice types were studied. Brightness temperatures were quite variable depending on the daily melt-freeze cycle superimposed on the seasonal warming, ranging from near blackbody values for melting conditions to multiyear-like spectra when the surface layers refroze. The melt season was sufficiently advanced, however, that first-year and multiyear ice could not be differentiated radiometrically.
Multiplicity and uniqueness of positive solutions for elliptic equations with nonlinear boundary conditions arising in a theory of thermal explosion

Abstract In this paper we study a model of thermal explosion which is described by positive solutions to the boundary value problem { − Δ u = λ f ( u ) , x ∈ Ω , n ⋅ ∇ u + c ( u ) u = 0 , x ∈ ∂ Ω , where f , c : [ 0 , ∞ ) → ( 0 , ∞ ) are C 1 and C 1 , γ non decreasing functions satisfying lim u → ∞ f ( u ) u = 0 , Ω is a bounded domain in R N with smooth boundary ∂ Ω and λ > 0 is a parameter. Using the method of sub and super-solutions we show that the solution of this problem is unique for large and small values of parameter λ , whereas for intermediate values of λ solutions are multiple provided nonlinearity f satisfies some natural assumptions. An example of such nonlinearity which is most relevant to applications and satisfies all our hypotheses is f ( u ) = exp [ α u α + u ] for α ≫ 1 .
Prostaglandin binding sites in human polymorphonuclear neutrophils.

Abstract Prostaglandin (PG) E2 (≥1.6. nM)_inhibited polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) degranulation responses to leukotriene (LT) B4 and platelet-activating factor (PAF) whereas PGF2α was bioinactive. [3H]PGE2 and [3H]PGD2 bound to PMN and isolated, plasmalemma-enriched PMN membranes. Binding was time-dependent, specific, saturable, and reversible. Competitive studies indicated that the two PGs bound to distinctly different sites. PMN had high (Kd = 1 nM; Rt = 150/cell) and low (Kd = 100 nM; Rt = 5800/cell) affinity PGE2 binding sites. Only a single type of PGD2 binding site (Kd = 13 nM; Rt = 5100/cell) was detected. We conclude that PGE2 and PGD2 bind to their respective, plasmalemmal receptors to attenuate PMN function. The PGs may act as endogenous stop signals to limit the action of concurrently formed excitatory signals, eg., LTB4 and PAF.
The Shape of Asteroids - Theoretical Considerations

Theoretical consideration and observations by other authors indicate that small asteroids are capable of maintaining irregular shapes, notably the shape of a cigar and even of a dumb-bell. This paper presents a model which describes the changes in the shape of an asteroid due to collisions of smaller objects (meteoroids) with the asteroid. The following assumptions must be approximately valid: (1) collisions are not uncommon; (2) collisions between a (relatively) large asteroid and small objects (meteroids) are more common than collisions between asteroids; (3) the cumulative probability of the collision of a meteoroid on a point on the surface of an asteroid is proportional to the zenith angle of the horizon as seen by that point; (4) obliquities of all but the major asteroids are random, so that there is not a preferred side on which collisions occur; (5) a considerable percentage of collision ejecta achieves escape velocity; and (6) the rate of erosion of each point on the surface of an asteroid is proportional to the cumulative probability of collision.
Excess lunatic fringe causes cranial neural crest over-proliferation.

Lunatic fringe is a vertebrate homologue of Drosophila fringe, which plays an important role in modulating Notch signaling. This study examines the distribution of chick lunatic fringe at sites of neural crest formation and explores its possible function by ectopic expression. Shortly after neural tube closure, lunatic fringe is expressed in most of the neural tube, with the exception of the dorsal midline containing presumptive neural crest. Thus, there is a fringe/non-fringe border at the site of neural crest production. Expression of excess lunatic fringe in the cranial neural tube and neural crest by retrovirally mediated gene transfer resulted in a significant increase (∼60%) in the percentage of cranial neural crest cells 1 day after infection. This effect was mediated by an increase in cell division as assayed by BrdU incorporation. Infected embryos had an up-regulation of Delta-1 in the dorsal neural tube and redistribution of Notch-1 to the lumen of the neural tube, confirming that excess fringe modulates Notch signaling. These findings point to a novel role for lunatic fringe in regulating cell division and/or production of neural crest cells by the neural tube.
Expression of c-fos, c-jun, and c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in a developmental model of induced apoptotic death in neurons of the substantia nigra

The transcription factors c-fos and c-jun have been proposed to play a role in the initiation of programmed cell death in neurons. We have shown that programmed cell death, with the morphology of apoptosis, occurs in dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra (SN) during normal postnatal development and that this death event can be induced by early striatal target injury. We have investigated the relationship between c-fos and c-jun protein expression and induced death in neurons of the SN. Although c-fos is induced, it is unlikely to play a role in cell death, because its expression is not well correlated with apoptotic death either temporally or at a cellular level. Expression of c-jun, however, is both temporally and regionally correlated with induction of death, and, at a cellular level, it colocalizes with apoptotic morphology. The increased expression of c-jun is likely to be functionally significant, because it is associated with increased c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and phosphorylated c-jun expression. JNK expression also colocalizes with apoptotic morphology. We conclude that c-jun is likely to play a role in the initiation of apoptotic cell death in these neurons.
Hormonal effects on the development of cerebral lateralization

Abstract The morphology of cerebral cortical laterality patterns differs between the sexes. In the male Long-Evans rat, the thickness of the cerebral cortex is, in general, greater on the right side than on the left, with many areas showing statistically significant differences. In the female Long-Evans rat, the left side is thicker more often than the right, but the differences, in general, are not statistically significant. These laterality patterns are maintained throughout the lifetime of the animal with few variations. Some of the male and female laterality patterns reverse with old age. The numbers of neurons and glial cells in the area sampled, area 39, support the direction of cortical thickness measurements in male and female rats. Removal of the testes or ovaries at birth alters the usual cortical laterality patterns, illustrating that the sex steroid hormones play some role in determining laterality. In the neonates of both sexes, estrogen receptors are found in the cerebral cortex, but the concentration is greater in the left male cortex than in the right, the opposite being true for the female. Factors other than the sex steroid hormones, such as stress, can alter cortical laterality. Many studies indicate that plasticity of laterality is a factor to be considered when dealing with cortical morphology and, in turn, behavior.
The three components of D-spin☆

Abstract The concept of D -spin, previously introduced to account for the selection rules for exotic hadron couplings, is further investigated. The three components of D -spin are identified. The component D 3 turns out to be a simple topological characteristics of the way a hadron couples at a vertex. The component D 3 is conserved. at hadronic vertices. In hadronic N -point functions an “effective D 3 ” is conserved. It is shown that in the presence of three species of quarks ( P , N , λ) there are three D -spins. An application of the D -spin formalism to diffractive exotic hadron production is presented.
An On-Line Look at Automatic Contrast and Correction of Behavior Categorizations and Dispositional Inferences

The current study examined on-line behavior recategorization as a mechanism underlying corrections for contextual influences in dispositional inferences. After watching an initial comparison video that portrayed either a successful or unsuccessful performance on a spatial ability task, cognitive load and no load participants watched and made real-time ratings of a target performance. The comparison video was expected to exert a contrastive influence on participants' automatic impressions of the performance (behavior categorizations) and the child's intelligence (dispositional inferences). Load participants' on-line and post-video performance and ability ratings showed this expected effect, as did no load participants' initial on-line performance ratings. However, no load participants' later on-line and post-video ratings did not. These findings support the notion that corrections for contextual influence can occur at the level of behavior identification as perceivers encode behavioral cues.
The Macedonian Conflict: Ethnic Nationalism in a Transnational World

The Macedonian Conflict: Ethnic Nationalism in a Transnational World. LORING M. DANFORTH. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1995. xviii + 273 pp., Illustrations, maps, notes, bibliography, index.
Competition, Race, and the Measurement of Female Labor Activity

Not all groups compete equally in the labor market. Here, we focus on women’s competition with men for jobs. This competition assumes that women’s employment is affected by men’s, and vice versa. We use two statistics—female labor force participation and share—to uncover this competition. 1990 U.S. census data on 281 metropolitan statistical areas were analyzed using weighted least squares regression. Supply-side explanations of female labor activity (education, children, household headship, and government assistance) receive more support than demand-side explanations (poverty, industrial mix, and region). Evidence of competition along gender and race lines is found. Men’s employment is buttressed in metropolitan areas by higher wages, less poverty, and more women with children. Welfare benefits (AFDC) and deindustrialization lower black women’s employment, while only white women benefit from advanced education and a “feminized” occupational structure. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.
Rate and pattern of gastric emptying in humans using 99mTc-Labeled triethylenetetraamine–polystyrene resin

The preparation and application of a new radiopharmaceutical used in the investigation of the rate and pattern of gastric emptying by external scintigraphy are described. Triethylenetetraamine was bound covalently to cross-linked chloromethylated polystyrene. The triethylenetetraamine-polystyrene resin tenaciously and rapidly bound technetium 99m. The gastric emptying rate was evaluated in normal adult volunteers and patients by serially recording the gastric radioactivity after ingestion of a test meal mixed with 99mTc-labeled triethylenetetraamine-polystyrene resin. The data indicated that 99mTc-labeled triethylenetetraamine-polystyrene resin was an ideal agent for assessing the rate and pattern of gastric emptying in humans. The gastric emptying half-time (t 1/2 GE) in normal subjects ranged from 25 to 75 min.
Invalid Cues Impair Auditory Motion Sensitivity

Compelling lateral motion can be experienced when intensity differences between the two cars change over time. Whether our sensitivity to this dynamic interaural stimulation could be influenced by directional cues was the focus of the present study. On each trial, amplitude-modulated pure tones were presented either diotically (no-motion condition) or dichotically (motion condition), and participants indicated whether lateral motion was present or absent. Randomly across trials, the stimuli were preceded by a valid directional cue, an invalid directional cue, or no cue, while the motion to be detected was identical across these cue conditions. The data indicate that motion sensitivity was comparable in the valid-cue and no-cue conditions. Relative to each of those conditions, however, motion sensitivity was significantly lower in the invalid-cue condition, and motion was reported significantly less often. The results provide evidence that our sensitivity to dynamic interaural intensity differences can be significantly affected by a non-sensory factor, namely cue validity.
Laser Doppler velocimeter measurements in the vortex region of a radial inflow turbine

Detailed measurements were carried out in the vortex region of a radial inflow turbine using a three-component laser Doppler velocimeter. Experimental results indicate that there is a nonuniform velocity distribution in the vortex region. The degree of nonuniformity is high at the entrance to the vortex region but decreases rapidly in the downstream direction indicating a rapid mixing zone. The experimental and theoretical results of an axisymmetric incompressible viscous flow solution were compared to obtain the degree of nonuniformity of the flow.
Academic dishonesty and video game play: Is new media use changing conceptions of cheating?

In this study, an online survey was utilized to investigate relationships among participants' willingness to cheat in academic or business settings and the strategies they tend to utilize in video game play. 113 participants completed the survey, and 86 students (23 middle school, 44 high school, 8 college undergraduate, and 11 graduate) yielded complete data. Participants were located throughout the United States, with the majority located in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states. The survey asked about participants' strategies and preferences in video game play, as well as their problem-solving strategies for homework and business scenarios. Categorical principal components analysis revealed factors that predict an individual will be more likely to cheat in academics or business. Those who were willing to cheat in school or the workplace tended to use similar problem-solving strategies in those two contexts, as well as in video game play. These were strategies to make problem-solving easier, and to bypass difficult tasks instead of working through them, as well as being more likely to give up when a task was difficult. This suggests that cheating behavior may be a pervasive approach that is more highly related to personality or habits than to any influence from video game play, though the strategies used in video games are reflective of the strategies used in other contexts.
Cadmium and Nickel—Common Characteristics of Lettuce Leaf and Tobacco Cigarette Smoke

Lettuce leaf cigarettes, a tobacco substitute, have been found to contain significant levels of Cd, Ni and Zn. A lettuce cigarette contains 1.39 μg of Cd and 5.3 μg of Ni per cigarette. These levels indicate significantly higher Cd and Ni content of lettuce cigarettes in comparison with tobacco cigarettes. Our results show that only 5% of the Cd and none of the Ni appeared in the mainstream smoke (LSC). By metal analysis of LSC, ash and butt portions remaining after smoking, it was estimated that 80% of the cadmium and 10% of the nickel left the smoked cigarette portion as part of the sidestream smoke, which is inhalable by individuals in the vicinity of the smoker.
24X7@PHL: Codify

"24X7ATPHL: Codify" is an investigation into the novel usage of time-based animation software and procedural modeling as a method for visualizing time-based quantitative data via the construction of a qualitative, two-dimensional rendering. Treated as an experiment in the extrusion and aggregation of time-based qualitative instances, "24X7ATPHL: Codify" slows down and composites the accumulated information of seven days traffic (customer pickup and drop off) at an international airport; visualizing information in such a way as to not only notate the generations and changes in patterns, but also to show the beauty that can be found in data while unlocking the emergent potential for design. "Codify" makes use of the accumulation of NURBS geometries as a methodology for understanding the specific conditions of movement created by the interaction of existing architecture and user, the results of which are currently being used to develop everything from the design of several furniture pieces to that of a new cladding system for the Philadelphia International Airport.
Elliptic Flow at Large Viscosity

Abstract In this contribution we present an alternative scenario for the large elliptic flow observed in relativistic heavy ion collisions. Motivated by recent results from Lattice QCD on flavor off-diagonal susceptibilities we argue that the matter right above T c can be described by single-particle dynamics in a repulsive single-particle potential, which in turn gives rise to elliptic flow. These ideas can be tested experimentally by measuring elliptic flow of heavy quarks, preferably via the measurement of J / Ψ elliptic flow.
Neutron Resonances in the kev Region

A neutron collimation-detection system has been constructed for use in measurements of resonance neutron cross sections. The high efficiency of the detector in combination with careful collimator design enables one to collect data with relatively good resolution in a short time. Although designed to measure cross sections at a minimum energy of about 5 kev, resonances have been observed at energies as low as 350 ev. Resolving power exceeds that of velocity selectors, however, only at neutron energies greater than about 5 kev. Resonances in iron were found at 8, 29, 75, and 85 kev. The three latter resonances exhibit strong interference dips and are assumed to be due to $s$-wave neutrons on ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{56}$. The resonance energies found in bismuth were 1, 3, 13, 16, 34, 47, and 70 kev; the level spacing for a single $J$ value thus seems to be about 20 kev.
A computer model of cellular self-reproduction.

Abstract Previous reports have dealt with the concept of molecular automata, programmed as Turing Machines, which simulate action of enzymes in a model cell composed of biochemical strings. The standardized coding of the enzyme automata represents the genes. Self-reproduction was obtained previously by means of a system of 36 genes. This report describes a more complex cell system consisting of 46 genes, which is capable of repeated self-reproduction and differentiation. The model is one of logical control or self-organization and no attempt is made to use quantitative biochemical data. It is simulated on a SDS-920 computer with a special “list-processing” program. Tables show the gene-enzyme makeup of the cell and describe action of the synthetic and controller types of genes. There is discussion of various techniques of mathematical and computer cell simulation. The list-processing methodology, supplemented with additional numerical analog features, could probably be used to represent all of the important structures and processes of a real virus or cell in a reasonable way and lends itself to study of large and complex cell models.
Problems of insect resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis

Abstract Insect resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has been a recognised problem for only about 6 years. It now seriously threatens both conventional and gene transfer uses for this environmentally safe biological insecticide. Since 1985, the potential for resistance has been demonstrated in at least five insect species, and high levels of resistance among field populations have been reported in one species. In two moth species, Plodia interpunctella and Plutella xylostella , the potential for resistance is widespread among diverse populations and laboratory studies suggest that it can progress to high levels within only a few generations. The mechanism of resistance in these species involves a change in binding affinity of the insects' midgut membrane that is specific for the particular toxin type used in selecting the resistant population. Recognition of the inevitability of Bt resistance in insects has led to increased research on deployment strategies that might delay or prevent its evolution. Although resistance to Bt toxins expressed in genetically engineered plants has not been reported yet, it is imperative that resistance management tactics be developed before resistance reduces the pest control value of Bt. Currently, the focus of strategies for managing resistance is on techniques that minimise selection pressure, such as providing untreated refuges, and on the use of multiple toxins in various mixture, mosaic, rotational, or sequential patterns. Experimental data are needed to support the value of these approaches in different pest and cropping systems.
Flame sheet algorithm for use in numerical modeling of ramjet combustion instability

A new two-dimensional flame sheet algorithm has been developed for use in numerical modeling of the unsteady combustion dynamics found in ramjet combustion instability. The flame representation allows for convoluted flames with a large number of points of abrupt change of orientation and separated flamelets. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm, it was coupled with a low-Mach-number, constant-density vortex model of the internal combustor flowfleld. The algorithm is robust and cost-effective. Sample numerical results show that the flow in the combustor is dominated by the inlet shear-layer instability, which generates largescale vortical structures. There is a strong relationship between the vorticity field and the flame geometry. It is shown that in the absence of an external forcing of the inlet velocity and without density change across the flame, the flowfleld evolves to a stationary state. Thus, the low-frequency ramjet combustor instability arises out of the interaction between the acoustic and convective flowfields. HE purpose of the work reported in this paper was to develop and demonstrate the effectiveness of a new flame sheet computational model that can be utilized in direct numerical simulations and semianalytic analysis of ramjet combustion instability. We have been studying instabilities in ramjet combustors, with the goal of understanding the fundamental instability mechanisms. Our objective is to develop the capability to predict observed instability frequencies and amplitudes. In previous work,1"5 it has been shown that the combustion instability is convectively/acoustically coupled. The details of unsteady combustion dynamics are critical in determining limit cycle behavior. The reaction zone is strongly convected by a large-scale vortex-dominated flowfield. Thus, predictive capability hinges on the ability to model adequately the reaction behavior in the unsteady combustor environment. The vortex-dominated flow in the combustor and its effect on reaction cannot be accounted for satisfactorily in closed-form linear stability models4 because they are inherently nonlinear and multidimensional. A stability analysis that includes the flow in the combustor and the combustion chemistry must therefore be at least partially numerically based. Previous works in numerical modeling of the ramjet instability problem include that of Kailasanath et al.6 and Menon and Jou.7 The goal of these workers was to predict experimental observations by numerical simulation where possible. The details of their numerical methods differed considerably; they attempted direct or large eddy simulation of the entire flowfield, including the inlet and exhaust nozzle, and acoustic
Two- and Three-Dimensional 1H/13C PISEMA Experiments and Their Application to Backbone and Side Chain Sites of Amino Acids and Peptides

Abstract Two-dimensional 1 H/ 13 C polarization inversion spin exchange at the magic angle experiments were applied to single crystal samples of amino acids to demonstrate their potential utility on oriented samples of peptides and proteins. High resolution is achieved and structural information obtained on backbone and side chain sites from these spectra. A triple-resonance experiment that correlates the 1 H– 13 C α dipolar coupling frequency with the chemical shift frequencies of the α-carbon, as well as the directly bonded amide 15 N site, is also demonstrated. In this experiment the large 1 H– 13 C α heteronuclear dipolar interaction provides an independent frequency dimension that significantly improves the resolution among overlapping 13 C resonances of oriented polypeptides, while simultaneously providing measurements of the 13 C α chemical shift, 1 H– 13 C dipolar coupling, and 15 N chemical shift frequencies and angular restraints for backbone structure determination.
Vector meson photoproduction - Model independent aspects

Abstract The rich spin structure of vector meson photoproduction allows for a systematic analysis of the angular and energy dependence of the spin observables in the photon-nucleon c.m. frame. Constraints for spin observables based on positivity of the spin density matrix, are discussed and should be part of any future analysis of experimental data.
PROLIFERATION OF AND PLANT REGENERATION FROM THE EPIBLAST OF TRITICUM AESTIVUM (WHEAT; GRAMINEAE) EMBRYOS

Cultured immature embryos of wheat, approximately 1 mm in length, often showed proliferation of the epiblast. Murashige and Skoog's medium with 0.2 or 0.4 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 0.2 mg/l benzylaminopurine supported epiblast proliferation in 2090% of the embryos depending upon their orientation. Epiblast growth occurred more frequently when the scutellum of the embryo was placed in contact with the medium. The compact tissue derived from the epiblast resembled scutellar callus morphologically and in its developmental potential. Differentiation took place by the formation of a leafy structure along one side of the epiblast proliferation, followed by the initiation of shoot primordia. The pathway through which rooted plants were formed has been interpreted as precocious germination of somatic embryos. The relevance of these observations to the interpretation of the homology of the epiblast is
Modulation of the Postischemic Immune Response to Improve Stroke Outcome

Recent advances in understanding how the poststroke immune response may contribute to ischemic brain injury are discussed in this article. In particular, the potential of modulating the postischemic immune response to improve stroke outcome is explored.
Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES ® ): a technical review

Introduction The clinical NOTES literature continues to grow. This review quantifies the published human NOTES experience to date, examines instrument use in detail, and compiles available perioperative outcomes data.
The Configuration of Symbolic Boundaries against Immigrants in Europe

Recent studies report significant cross-national variation in the conceptual distinctions or “symbolic boundaries” used by majority groups to construct notions of “us” and “them.” Because this literature compares only a handful of countries, the macro-level forces by which certain symbolic boundaries become more salient than others remain poorly understood. This article provides the first panorama of these processes by comparing the relative salience or “configuration” of multiple symbolic boundaries in 21 European countries. I use fuzzy-set analyses of data from the 2003 European Social Survey to create a typology of symbolic boundary configurations. The results indicate that the symbolic boundaries deployed by the general public do not correspond to the official “philosophies of integration” emphasized in the literature. Moreover, the data suggest previous comparisons have focused too heavily on Western Europe, overlooking important variation in other regions of Europe where immigration began more recen...
CLINICAL ASSESSMENT OF TICS

Comprehensive clinical evaluation of tics includes (1) assessments to diagnose (a) akathisia, myoclonus, stereotypies, and other dyskinesias and (b) their frequent behavioral concomitants, including attention deficits, compulsions, obsessions, and other psychopathologic manifestations, (2) descriptions of movement parameters from the patients, their parents, teachers, and important others, and (3) precise topographical localization of tics.
Effects of ethnicity, family income, and education on dietary intake among adolescents.

Background. The aim of the study is to describe the overall diet and potential effects of gender, ethnicity, family income, and parents' education on dietary patterns in adolescents aged 11 to 20 years who participated in a cohort study in 12 Southern California communities. Methods. A validated 131-item youth/adolescent food frequency questionnaire was administrated among 3,201 participants in the Children's Health Study at follow-up visits between 1998 and 2000. Sociodemographic characteristics included ethnicity, family income, and parents' education. Stratified analysis and analysis of covariance were used to describe the intakes of selected nutrients and food groups. Results. Mean intakes for all nutrients except calcium met 100% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances. Average daily food intakes were below the minimum recommended number of servings for all major food groups. The majority of subjects had an excessive intake of added sugar. A gender difference was found in intakes of energy, total fat (TF), saturated fat (SF), monounsaturated fat (MUSF), and calcium (P < 0.05). Non-Hispanic Whites had the lowest intakes of fruits while Blacks and Asians had significantly higher intakes of vegetables (P < 0.05). Subjects from higher income families had significantly higher intakes of polyunsaturated fat, protein, calcium, and folate and more frequently consumed dairy products. Intakes of TF, SF, MUSF, and cholesterol decreased as parents' education levels increased. Subjects from families with parents who had higher educational attainment were more likely to meet the recommendations of dairy products, fruits, and vegetables. Conclusion. Overall, subjects in our study did not have healthy eating habits. Dietary patterns varied by sex, ethnicity, income, and education.
Prophylactic use of antimicrobials in commonly performed outpatient urologic procedures

Some patients are at an increased risk of developing infection when undergoing outpatient procedures and, as a result, may require antimicrobial prophylaxis. A thorough assessment of patient risk factors is, therefore, essential. In this article the indications for prophylactic use of antibiotics in commonly performed outpatient urologic procedures and the different treatment regimens are reviewed. An antimicrobial is an agent capable of killing or inhibiting the growth of a micro-organism. Antimicrobial prophylaxis encompasses efforts to prevent postprocedure infections through the use of an antimicrobial agent before, and, in some cases, for a limited time after a procedure. A thorough history and physical examination are essential to identify host factors that increase a patient's risk for postprocedural infection. Risk-modifying factors include age, anatomy, geographical area of residence, immune and nutritional status, cardiac valve integrity, prosthetic joints, the presence of indwelling hardware and distant infectious wounds. Prophylaxis for the most common urologic outpatient procedures can be attained with oral trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole or fluoroquinolone administered between 2 h and 30 min before a procedure. Special consideration for the type and duration of prophylaxis should be given to patients with moderate to severe cardiac valvular conditions and recently inserted prosthetic joints.
STAPL-RTS: An Application Driven Runtime System

Modern HPC systems are growing in complexity, as they move towards deeper memory hierarchies and increasing use of computational heterogeneity via GPUs or other accelerators. When developing applications for these platforms, programmers are faced with two bad choices. On one hand, they can explicitly manage all machine resources, writing programs decorated with low level primitives from multiple APIs (e.g. Hybrid MPI / OpenMP applications). Though seemingly necessary for efficient execution, it is an inherently non-scalable way to write software. Without a separation of concerns, only small programs written by expert developers actually achieve this efficiency. Furthermore, the implementations are rigid, difficult to extend, and not portable. Alternatively, users can adopt higher level programming environments to abstract away these concerns. Extensibility and portability, however, often come at the cost of lost performance. The mapping of a user's application onto the system now occurs without the contextual information that was immediately available in the more coupled approach. In this paper, we describe a framework for the transfer of high level, application semantic knowledge into lower levels of the software stack at an appropriate level of abstraction. Using the STAPL library, we demonstrate how this information guides important decisions in the runtime system (STAPL-RTS), such as multi-protocol communication coordination and request aggregation. Through examples, we show how generic programming idioms already known to C++ programmers are used to annotate calls and increase performance.
CANADA SHIPPING ACT PLANNING GUIDELINES: EQUIPMENT FOR A 2500-TON RESPONSE CAPABILITY

ABSTRACT This paper presents a discussion of oil spill equipment selection from a practical standpoint. The specification of effective oil spill equipment is often a difficult task because of the wide array of commercially produced goods available to the end user. In addition, in various countries there exists little or no framework legislation that quantifies the equipment component in practical terms. This paper attests to the usefulness of the new Canada Shipping Act guidelines for the purposes of planning the equipment requirements for a predetermined potential spill quantity. Through the elaboration of a case history, it presents the development of an integrated 2500-ton oil spill response capability. Since response organizations under the new Canada Shipping Act regime are in effect commercial ventures rather than simply oil spill cooperatives, innovative and cost-effective solutions are necessary to maintain capital costs at a minimum. Although the equipment in the case history was commissioned dir...
Measurement of absolute concentrations of individual compounds in metabolite mixtures by gradient-selective time-zero 1H-13C HSQC with two concentration references and fast maximum likelihood reconstruction analysis.

Time-zero 2D 13C HSQC (HSQC0) spectroscopy offers advantages over traditional 2D NMR for quantitative analysis of solutions containing a mixture of compounds because the signal intensities are directly proportional to the concentrations of the constituents. The HSQC0 spectrum is derived from a series of spectra collected with increasing repetition times within the basic HSQC block by extrapolating the repetition time to zero. Here we present an alternative approach to data collection, gradient-selective time-zero 1H–13C HSQC0 in combination with fast maximum likelihood reconstruction (FMLR) data analysis and the use of two concentration references for absolute concentration determination. Gradient-selective data acquisition results in cleaner spectra, and NMR data can be acquired in both constant-time and non-constant-time mode. Semiautomatic data analysis is supported by the FMLR approach, which is used to deconvolute the spectra and extract peak volumes. The peak volumes obtained from this analysis are ...
Topological gravity on surfaces with boundaries

Abstract In this letter we investigate the effects of boundaries in topological gravity. This is done by the insertion of appropriate vertex operators. We indicate how the correlation functions are determined and discuss the example of the disk.
Effects of ultraviolet B irradiation on cutaneous leishmaniasis

Protection against many infectious diseases is mediated by cellular immunity in the competent host. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation, a component of sunlight, is a potent suppressor of cell-mediated immune responses. Suzanne Holmes Giannini discusses the possible relevance of ambient levels of UVB to pathogenesis and immunity in infectious diseases, with special reference to cutaneous leishmaniasis.
The segregation of antimony to grain boundaries in iron base alloys and the causes of its enhancement by the presence of certain alloying elements

Abstract This paper presents a study of antimony segregation in iron and its alloys. Fe-Sb binaries, Fe-Ni-Sb ternaries, and Fe-Ni-Cr-C-Sb steels are examined. The results show that nickel clearly enhances antimony segregation, as had previously been thought. Additions of chromium to Fe-Ni alloys cause an additional enhancement of segregation, but additions of manganese almost entirely eliminate antimony segregation by causing the precipitation of an antimonide in the matrix. It will be shown that all of these results can be explained by simple thermodynamic concepts. Previous models, which suggest that enhanced segregation arises from attractive interactions between antimony and various alloying elements, appear to be inadequate to explain these results.
Surprise but not coherence: Sensitivity to verbal humor in right-hemisphere patients☆

Verbal humor deficits were investigated in right-hemisphere-damaged patients. It was hypothesized that the appreciation of jokes presupposes two elements: sensitivity to the surprise element entailed in the punch line of a joke and apprehension of the coherence which results when the punch line has been integrated with the body of the joke. The possible dissociation between these elements was tested by asking subjects to select from four alternatives the appropriate ending to a joke. Right-hemisphere patients exhibited a selective attraction to endings which contained an element of surprise but which were not otherwise coherent with the body of the joke. This finding suggests that right-hemisphere patients have difficulty in integrating content across parts of a narrative and confirms the psychological reality of the proposed distinction between the surprise and coherence elements of humor processing.
Remodeling of stellate ganglion neurons after spatially targeted myocardial infarction: Neuropeptide and morphologic changes

Background Myocardial infarction (MI) induces remodeling in stellate ganglion neurons (SGNs). Objective We investigated whether infarct site has any impact on the laterality of morphologic changes or neuropeptide expression in stellate ganglia. Methods Yorkshire pigs underwent left circumflex coronary artery (LCX; n=6) or right coronary artery (RCA; n=6) occlusion to create left- and right-sided MI, respectively (control: n=10). At 5 ± 1 weeks after MI, left and right stellate ganglia (LSG and RSG, respectively) were collected to determine neuronal size, as well as tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and neuropeptide Y immunoreactivity. Results Compared with control, LCX and RCA MIs increased mean neuronal size in the LSG (451 ± 25 vs 650 ± 34 vs 577 ± 55 μm 2 , respectively; P = .0012) and RSG (433 ± 22 vs 646 ± 42 vs 530 ± 41 μm 2 , respectively; P = .002). TH immunoreactivity was present in the majority of SGNs. Both LCX and RCA MIs were associated with significant decreases in the percentage of TH-negative SGNs, from 2.58% ± 0.2% in controls to 1.26% ± 0.3% and 0.7% ± 0.3% in animals with LCX and RCA MI, respectively, for LSG ( P = .001) and from 3.02% ± 0.4% in controls to 1.36% ± 0.3% and 0.68% ± 0.2% in LCX and RCA MI, respectively, for RSG ( P = .002). Both TH-negative and TH-positive neurons increased in size after LCX and RCA MI. Neuropeptide Y immunoreactivity was also increased significantly by LCX and RCA MI in both ganglia. Conclusion Left- and right-sided MIs equally induced morphologic and neurochemical changes in LSG and RSG neurons, independent of infarct site. These data indicate that afferent signals transduced after MI result in bilateral changes and provide a rationale for bilateral interventions targeting the sympathetic chain for arrhythmia modulation.
Membrane Anchor R9AP Potentiates GTPase-accelerating Protein Activity of RGS11·Gβ5 Complex and Accelerates Inactivation of the mGluR6-Go Signaling

The R7 subfamily of RGS proteins critically regulates neuronal G protein-signaling pathways that are essential for vision, nociception, motor coordination, and reward processing. A member of the R7 RGS family, RGS11, is a GTPase-accelerating protein specifically expressed in retinal ON-bipolar cells where it forms complexes with the atypical G protein β subunit, Gβ5, and transmembrane protein R9AP. Association with R9AP has been shown to be critical for the proteolytic stability of the complex in the retina. In this study we report that R9AP can in addition stimulate the GTPase-accelerating protein activity of the RGS11·Gβ5 complex at Gαo. Single turnover GTPase assays reveal that R9AP co-localizes RGS11·Gβ5 and Gαo on the membrane and allosterically potentiates the GTPase-accelerating function of RGS11·Gβ5. Reconstitution of mGluR6-Gαo signaling in Xenopus oocytes indicates that RGS11·Gβ5-mediated GTPase acceleration in this system requires co-expression of R9AP. The results provide new insight into the regulation of mGluR6-Gαo signaling by the RGS11·Gβ5·R9AP complex and establish R9AP as a general GTPase-accelerating protein activity regulator of R7 RGS complexes.
Robot learning through social media crowdsourcing

Methods designed to enable robots to learn on their own is a heavily studied area. If robots are to become an integral part of our society, they must possess the ability to learn without direct guidance from a dedicated user. Robot owners will not enjoy the duty of teaching their robot everything it knows. The ability for a robot to utilize various resources in its environment will enable its learning capabilities to be self-guided and independent. This paper investigates the use of social media crowdsourcing to allow a robot to access the vast information gathering resources available on Twitter. Specifically, the robot will record a human performing simple physical actions, upload the video to its Twitter account, and ask its followers for a description of the actions. The recorded parameters of each action is utilized as input into a multi-class support vector machine (MC-SVM) classification algorithm, which will enable the robot to recognize the action at a future time.
Muscovite dissolution kinetics as a function of pH and time at 70°C

Abstract The dissolution rate of muscovite at 70°C was determined using a single-pass, flow-through apparatus. Dissolution rate data were obtained at approximately unit pH interval over the pH range 1.4 to 11.8 in 11 separate experiments, each lasting 50 days. The muscovite dissolution rates were defined by the silica, aluminum and/or potassium release rates to solution. Under most pH conditions the dissolution at steady-state was congruent or nearly so. Speciation-solubility calculations made using the geochemical modeling code EQ3NR indicate that the fluids were maintained far from equilibrium with respect to muscovite and undersaturated with respect to possible secondary minerals. Under all pH conditions we initially observe a transiently elevated dissolution rate. The dissolution rate gradually approaches a limiting (steady-state) value, which we interpret as the dissolution rate of the bulk mineral. From pH 1 to approximately pH 5, the limiting rate for muscovite dissolution at 70°C varies negatively with pH, and the rate constant, k, is 10−14.7 mol/cm2 · s. Under acidic conditions the dissolution rate is proportional to−0.37 pH. As pH is increased at 70°C, the rate of dissolution becomes essentially pH independent, and k is 10−16.6 mol/cm2 · s. At about pH 7 and higher the limiting rate for muscovite dissolution varies positively with hydroxyl ion activity, and the dissolution rate is proportional to +0.22 pH. Under alkaline conditions k is 10−18.1 mol/cm 2 · s at 70°C.