cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social and Political Sources of Political Fragmentation in Japan

J APANESE POLITICAL PARTIES do not differ from other political parties in their internal fragmentation; the difference is in degree. All political parties in Japan, with the possible exception of the political arm of the Soka Gakkai, are divided into organized sub-groups called kabatsu (factions). Each has a leader, a fund-raising program, and campaigns for its members' election. In a real sense, these factions are small political parties which are parts of a broader coalition known as the political party. This paper concerns itself with the search for greater knowledge of this political force in Japan, with a particular focus on some political and social aspects of Japanese society which account in part for the formalization and continuity of political party fragmentation.:
Gas scintillation drift chambers with wave shifter fiber readout

Results for a prototype xenon gas scintillation drift chamber are presented. Its operation is discussed using two types of light detection schemes: one based on an Anger camera geometry and one based on an array of wave-shifting light fibers. The results are judged to demonstrate the instrument's potential. >
Extrusion of Protoplasm and Protein Bodies through Pores in Cell Walls of Pea, Bean, and Faha Bean Cotyledons during Imbibition

Streams of intracellular substances from OSU 605 ranged from 0.2 to 1 μm in diameter. Similar extrusion streams were not found in situ on cotyledons of other genera, cultivars, or treatments; however, projections from protoplast surfaces, pores through cell walls, and orifices and protein bodies in intercellular spaces were consistent with cellular extrusion. The path for cellular extrusion probably was pores through contact cell walls (regions of cell wall in contact with adjacent cells), and then channels along the middle lamella to orifices at intercellular spaces or cotyledonary surfaces
Androgen and Estrogen Binding in Male Guinea Pig Accessory Sex Organs

Following the iv administration of [3H]testosterone to adult male guinea pigs, the seminal vesicle epithelium contained the highest concentration of the reduced androgen, [3H]dihydrotestosterone, followed in order by the prostate, seminal vesicle muscle and non-sex accessory tissues. Following iv injection of [3H]estradiol, the sex accessory tissues also accumulated this steroid in excess of certain other tissues, but within the seminal vesicle, higher concentration of [3H]-estradiol were recovered from the muscle than the epithelium. Examination of the in vitro cytosol binding of [3H]dihydrotestosterone revealed that of all tissues examined from the castrate guinea pig, the seminal vesicle epithelium contained the greatest amount of saturable [3H]dihydrotestosterone binding. Examination of the steroid specific nature of [3H]- dihydrotestosterone binding in the cytosols of the prostate and seminal vesicle epithelium and muscle revealed an order of competitor activity in all three tissues of dihydrotestost...
Landmark Prediction of Long-Term Survival Incorporating Short-Term Event Time Information

In recent years, a wide range of markers have become available as potential tools to predict risk or progression of disease. In addition to such biological and genetic markers, short-term outcome information may be useful in predicting long-term disease outcomes. When such information is available, it would be desirable to combine this along with predictive markers to improve the prediction of long-term survival. Most existing methods for incorporating censored short-term event information in predicting long-term survival focus on modeling the disease process and are derived under restrictive parametric models in a multistate survival setting. When such model assumptions fail to hold, the resulting prediction of long-term outcomes may be invalid or inaccurate. When there is only a single discrete baseline covariate, a fully nonparametric estimation procedure to incorporate short-term event time information has been previously proposed. However, such an approach is not feasible for settings with one or mor...
Low-Speed Calibration of the Bendix Q15R Current Meter

Abstract Recent calibrations of the Bendix Q15R ducted impeller current meter show a strong nonlinear relationship between the observed count rate conversion factor and the true water speed in the range 0.0-0.1 m/s. An empirical response curve is fitted (using least squares) to the data and the fitted coefficients are presented for all current meters calibrated by Argonne National Laboratory. Separate calibrations of every current meter are recommended wherever possible. If this is not possible, use of the composite fitted curve is recommended in preference to the manufacturer's conversion factor.
Data-Based Research on Predictive Control of Multiple Mismatched Model Parameters

The basis of the paper is that there are already some methods to accurately evaluate, test and diagnose the performance of the model predictive controller. And the result shows the reason of a bad performance of control system is because of model mismatch. There are much more complexity and variety in the problem of multiple mismatched parameters than single mismatched parameter, so we need consider more factors about it on the basis of the solution of single mismatched parameter. We propose a way of adjusting model parameters based on fuzzy rules when there are more than one mismatched parameters. The method is to adjust the step-size of parameters and get the adjustment rules on the basis of the changes of maximum overshoot, rising time and settling time. The last, verifying the method is effective by experiments.
Towards a Self-Referenced and Frequency-Stabilized Microresonator Frequency Comb

We describe optical frequency combs based on four-wave mixing in laser-machined high-Q micro-resonators. Experiments aimed at frequency stabilization of the comb’s mode spacing and offset frequency are presented.
A micro-orifice impactor for sub-micron aerosol size classification

A new impactor has been developed which can collect aerosol particles smaller than 0.1 µm in diameter at ambient impactor pressures and flow rates of up to 30 Lpm. A cut size as small as 0.06 µm has been obtained at a pressure drop of 30 cmHg. The small cut size is obtained through the use of impactor nozzles 100 μm in diameter. Calibration data are given for a wide range of particle sizes and flow rates. Several illustrations of impactor use are discussed.
Languages and dialects: Islamic period

THE TOPICS TREATED SO FAR IN ENCYCLOPAEDIA IRANICA UNDER THE GENERAL rubric of languages and the language sciences may be subdivided as follows, with an approximate tally of the articles devoted to each subtopic: 1. Iranian languages and dialects (34; 9 languages, 25 dialects and dialect groups). 2. Relevant non-Iranian languages and dialects and language areas (19; 10 languages, 9 areas). 3. Scholars, authors, works (36; 26 persons, 10 works). 4. Technical terms, genres and etymologies (12). The articles range in length from a few lines to twenty columns or more, some with subdivisions, some in themselves being subdivisions of larger articles. Obviously it is impracticable to mention more than one hundred articles individually. The following overview will attempt an appraisal of each category and its salient components, referring to particular articles as illustrative of the whole. Iranian languages, as a genetically related subgroup of the Indo-Iranian and ultimately the Indo-European family, are a varied lot. Some, such as Avestan and Sogdian and, notably, Persian, have become in their time literary vehicles of national or international standing. Others are the local vernaculars of a few thousand speakers in remote villages of the Plateau, the Caucasus or the Pamirs. Each type has come into contact with other languages of different families (Semitic, Turkic, Indic, and others), which has often affected the vocabulary and structure of both. In considering the first two rubrics, we should be at pains to distinguish between the qualifiers "Iranian" and "Persian," between a language and a dialect, and a language area (Sprachbund) and a dialect group. The greatest number of single entries comprises living Iranian dialects, especially those of villages on the foothills and the desert fringes of the plateau, in present-day Iran. These are not dialects of Persian-indeed, for the most part they are structurally totally unlike Persian, and despite the influence of radio and other leveling trends they retain a remarkable amount of distinctive phonology and vocabulary. Culturally isolated communities, such as Jews and Zoroastrians, have tended to preserve archaic language features particularly well. However, the popular hierarchical notion of "language" vs. "dialect"-a language is a dialect with an army and a navy-will not serve in these cases. They may be assigned progressively to, e.g., the Caspian dialect group or the Central dialect group of the Northwestern Iranic group, or the Northeastern Iranic group ("Iranian" is still the more commonly used term; I prefer "Iranic," as being more consistent with analogous categories such as "Turkic" and "Germanic" and unambiguous with "Iranian" in the sense "pertaining to the country or state of Iran": cf. Indic/Indian, Italic/Italian). But the original language or super-dialect
Problems and complications with the use of side-hole cardiac catheters

W hen Forssman catheterized himself in 1928,’ he used a “well greased” urethral catheter. Since then, in order to improve the facility and safety of intravascular catheterization, a variety of catheters of different designs have been fabricated. One such modification was the incorporation of holes in the side of the catheter near its tip. The purpose of such side-hole catheters is to: (1) permit sampling or adequate recording of pressure when the tip is against the wall of a vessel or chamber, and (2) permit rapid and wide dispersion of contrast medium and minimize catheter recoil during the injection of contrast medium. Although the side holes usually serve these intended purposes, they may cause several problems and complications. Some of these problems and the suggested methods for obviating them will be presented in this report. Artifacts in pressure tracings. Although the side holes near the tip of the catheter prevent complete damping of the pressure tracing when the end hole becomes obstructed, they may result in erroneous pressure tracings under certain circumstances. When a catheter is advanced or withdrawn slowly across a cardiac valve or septum, a point can be reached at which some of the lateral pressure holes are exposed to pressures in one chamber while other side holes or the end hole are exposed to pressures in the adjacent chamber. Under these circumstances the pressure recorded by the manometer will be an artifactual average pressure somewhere between the actual pressures in the two chambers. A left atria1 pressure recorded at the time of transseptal catheterization might be considerably reduced by this technique if some of the lateral taps are still in the right atrium, or the recorded left ventricular systolic pressure might be incorrectly low in a patient with aortic stenosis if the openings of the transseptal catheter are simultaneously sensing pres-
Global ocean tide models on the eve of TOPEX/Poseidon

Global ocean tide models that can provide tide corrections to TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter data are described. Emphasis is given to the Schwiderski and Cartwright-Ray models, as these are the most comprehensive, highest resolution models, but other models that will soon appear are mentioned. Differences between models for M/sub 2/ often exceed 10 cm over vast stretches of the ocean. Comparisons to 80 selected pelagic and island gauge measurements indicate the Schwiderski model is more accurate for the major solar tides, the Cartwright-Ray for the major lunar tides. The adequacy of available tide models for studying basin-scale motions is probably marginal at best, although rapid advancement is expected over the next several years. >
The E2-25K ubiquitin-associated (UBA) domain aids in polyubiquitin chain synthesis and linkage specificity.

E2-25K is an ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme with the ability to synthesize Lys48-linked polyubiquitin chains. E2-25K and its homologs represent the only known E2 enzymes which contain a C-terminal ubiquitin-associated (UBA) domain as well as the conserved catalytic ubiquitin-conjugating (UBC) domain. As an additional non-covalent binding surface for ubiquitin, the UBA domain must provide some functional specialization. We mapped the protein–protein interface involved in the E2-25K UBA/ubiquitin complex by solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and subsequently modeled the structure of the complex. Domain–domain interactions between the E2-25K catalytic UBC domain and the UBA domain do not induce significant structural changes in the UBA domain or alter the affinity of the UBA domain for ubiquitin. We determined that one of the roles of the C-terminal UBA domain, in the context of E2-25K, is to increase processivity in Lys48-linked polyubiquitin chain synthesis, possibly through increased binding to the ubiquitinated substrate. Additionally, we see evidence that the UBA domain directs specificity in polyubiquitin chain linkage.
Modeling and Simulation of Stochastic Lorenz Systems by Polynomial Chaos Approach

The Lorenz problem is one of the paradigms of the chaotic systems, which are sensitive to initial conditions and for which the performance is hard to predict. However, in many cases and dynamic systems, the initial conditions of a dynamic system and the system parameters can’t be measured accurately, and the response of the system must indeed be explored in advance. In this study, the polynomial chaos approach is used to handle uncertain initial conditions and system parameters of the Lorenz system. The method has been successfully applied by the authors and co-workers in multi-body dynamics and terrain profile and soil modeling. Other published studies illustrate the benefits of using the polynomial chaos, especially for problems involving large uncertainties and highly nonlinear problems in fluid mechanics, structural vibrations, and air quality studies. This study is an attempt to use the polynomial chaos approach to treat the Lorenz problem, and the results are compared with a classical Monte Carlo approach. Error bars are used to illustrate the standard deviation of the system response. Different meshing schemes are simulated, and the convergence of the method is analyzed.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Verdi at the Golden Gate: Opera and San Francisco in the Gold Rush Years

Opera is a fragile, complex art, but it flourished extravagantly in San Francisco during the Gold Rush years, a time when daily life in the city was filled with gambling, duels, murder, and suicide. In the history of the United States there has never been a rougher town than Gold Rush San Francisco, yet there has never been a greater frenzy for opera than developed there in these exciting years. How did this madness for opera take root and grow? Why did the audience's generally drunken, brawling behavior gradually improve? How and why did Verdi emerge as the city's favorite composer? These are the intriguing themes of George Martin's enlightening and wonderfully entertaining story. Among the incidents recounted are the fist fight that stopped an opera performance and ended in a fatal duel; and the brothel madam who, by sitting in the wrong row of a theater, caused a fracas that resulted in the formation of the Vigilantes of 1856. Martin weaves together meticulously gathered social, political, and musical facts to create this lively cultural history. His study contributes to a new understanding of urban culture in the Jacksonian-Manifest Destiny eras, and of the role of opera in cities during this time, especially in the American West. Over it all soars Verdi's somber, romantic music, capturing the melancholy, the feverish joy, and the idealism of his listeners.
Neuere Untersuchungsmethoden der Geophysik und das Problem der Bewegung der Kontinente

Die Arbeit gibt eine Ubersicht uber den gegenwartigen Stand der geophysikalischen Vorstellungen zur Kontinentalverschiebung. Die grundlegende palaomagnetische Beweisfuhrung fur grosraumige Kontinentalbewegungen wird als richtig angesehen, und die Daten, die auf laufende Bewegungen in dieser Grosenordnung hinweisen, werden kurz besprochen. Die statische und die dynamische Ausdeutung der Gravitation, des Warmeflusses und der seismologischen Ergebnisse weisen auf eine Abweichung der Erde von der Idealform und auf die Ungleichformigkeit innerhalb der Erde hin. Als dynamische Deutung bietet die Konvektionshypothese die beste Erklarung fur Kontinentalbewegungen, und es wird versucht, mit dieser Hypothese auch die neuesten ozeanographischen Ergebnisse zu interpretieren. Schlieslich seien einige geologische Folgerungen aus der Konvektionshypothese, wie z. B. der Verschiebungsmechanismus, betrachtet. Eine mogliche „zyklische“ Theorie fur die ozeanische Kruste sowie die Beziehung zwischen abweichenden palaomagnetischen Ergebnissen und Fragen der Grostektonik in orogenen Gebieten werden diskutiert.
Colon goblet cells lose proliferative response to TGFα as they differentiate

Two cell line models for colon goblet cells expressed 6- to 14-fold elevated levels of the EGF receptor, 3- to 5-fold levels of TGF alpha and 11- to 15-fold levels of amphiregulin compared with 2 cell lines which model colon enterocytic differentiation, suggesting a role for the EGF receptor and its ligands in goblet cell growth control. Two HT29 colon carcinoma sublines were used to model normal goblet cells at different stages of maturation. TGF alpha induced a 2-fold increase in growth of the HD8 subline but inhibited the growth of the more differentiated HD6 subline by 40%. EGF receptors were activated in each line by ligand, but signal transduction varied sharply. Both MAP kinase isoforms, p44 and p42, were markedly activated in HD8 cells for at least 20 min, while only a marginal activation was seen in HD6 cells. In contrast, the more differentiated HD6 cells showed an increase in 105 kDa MBP kinase activity with EGF treatment, while HD8 cells displayed constitutively elevated levels of this kinase. Thus, activated EGF receptors initiated different signalling pathways in model cell lines for colon goblet cells at different stages of maturation. TGF alpha protein levels have been shown by other investigators to be restricted to the top of the cylinder-like colonic crypt, where cells terminally differentiate and cease division, an unexpected location for an epithelial cell mitogen. Our data with model cell lines imply that normal colon goblet cells lose proliferative response to TGF alpha as they differentiate and the elevated levels of TGF alpha at the top of the colonic crypt in vivo serve to inhibit goblet cell growth.
Integrin-mediated Muscle Cell Spreading THE ROLE OF PROTEIN KINASE C IN OUTSIDE-IN AND INSIDE-OUT SIGNALING AND EVIDENCE OF INTEGRIN CROSS-TALK

Muscle cell survival depends upon the presence of various integrins with affinities for different extracellular matrix proteins. The absence of either alpha(5) or alpha(7) integrins leads to degenerative disorders of skeletal muscle, muscular dystrophies. To understand the cell survival signals that are mediated by integrin engagement with matrix proteins, we studied the early signaling events initiated by the attachment of muscle cells to fibronectin, an interaction that is mediated primarily by alpha(5) integrins. Cells that express alpha(5) integrin rapidly spread on fibronectin, and this process is associated with the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Cells deficient in alpha(5) integrin failed to spread or promote FAK phosphorylation when plated on fibronectin. For alpha(5)-expressing cells, both spreading and FAK phosphorylation could be blocked by inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC), indicating that PKC is necessary for this "outside-in signaling" mediated by alpha(5) integrin. Surprisingly, activators of PKC could promote spreading and FAK phosphorylation in alpha(5)-deficient muscle cells plated on fibronectin. This PKC-induced cell spreading appeared to be due to activation of alpha(4) integrins ("inside-out signaling") since it could be blocked by peptides that specifically inhibit alpha(4) integrin binding to fibronectin. A model of integrin signaling in muscle cells is presented in which there is a positive feedback loop involving PKC in both outside-in and inside-out signaling, and the activation of this cycle is essential for cell spreading and downstream signaling to promote cell survival. In addition, the data indicate a cross-talk that occurs between integrins in which the outside-in signaling via one integrin can promote the activation of another integrin via inside-out signaling.
Feasibility of Whole-Body Functional Mouse Imaging Using Helical Pinhole SPECT

Detailed in vivo whole-body biodistributions of radiolabeled tracers may characterize the longitudinal progression of disease, and changes with therapeutic interventions. Small-animal imaging in mice is particularly attractive due to the wide array of well characterized genetically and surgically created models of disease. Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging using pinhole collimation provides high resolution and sensitivity, but conventional methods using circular acquisitions result in severe image truncation and incomplete sampling of data, which prevent the accurate determination of whole-body radiotracer biodistributions. This study describes the feasibility of helical acquisition paths to mitigate these effects. Helical paths of pinhole apertures were implemented using an external robotic stage aligned with the axis of rotation (AOR) of the scanner. Phantom and mouse scans were performed using helical paths and either circular or bi-circular orbits at the same radius of rotation (ROR). The bi-circular orbits consisted of two 360-degree scans separated by an axial shift to increase the axial field of view (FOV) and to improve the complete-sampling properties. Reconstructions of phantoms and mice acquired with helical paths show good image quality and are visually free of both truncation and axial-blurring artifacts. Circular orbits yielded reconstructions with both artifacts and a limited effective FOV. The bi-circular scans enlarged the axial FOV, but still suffered from truncation and sampling artifacts. Helical paths can provide complete sampling data and large effective FOV, yielding 3D full-body in vivo biodistributions while still maintaining a small distance from the aperture to the object for good sensitivity and resolution.
Postoperative pneumoperitoneum on computed tomography: is the operation to blame?

Abstract Background Postoperative radiographs demonstrating pneumoperitoneum are a vexing problem for surgeons. This dilemma stems from uncertainty regarding the length of time for resolution of gas introduced operatively via either an open or a laparoscopic approach. We attempted to quantify the duration of pneumoperitoneum after both laparoscopic and open surgery in an animal model. Methods A prospective study using 2 groups of 10 pigs ( Sus scrofa ) was performed. The animals were assigned to undergo either an exploratory laparoscopy or an open abdominal exploration. Postoperatively, sequential computed tomography (CT) scans were performed to assess for the presence of pneumoperitoneum. Results Pneumoperitoneum resolution occurred sooner than average on CT scan in the laparoscopic group when compared to open group (1.79 days vs 4.73 days respectively; P value of .02). Conclusions Postoperative pneumoperitoneum resolves more quickly after laparoscopy when compared to open surgery in the porcine model. This information may aid in evaluating postoperative CT scans demonstrating pneumoperitoneum.
The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Strategies for Continuously Creating Opportunity in an Age of Uncertainty

The article reviews the book “The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Strategies for Continuously Creating Opportunity in an Age of Uncertainty,” by Rita Gunther McGrath and Ian MacMillan.
Internal carotid artery injury during sinus surgery: A protocol for management

Endoscopic sinus surgery in the sphenoid sinus can be complicated by vision loss and severe life-threatening hemorrhage. In many cases, injury to the carotid artery leads to massive brain injury and death. However, injury to the carotid artery can be treated successfully if the surgeon follows an appropriate protocol for management. This report reviews a successful case study and discusses how to find the sphenoid sinus and avoid the carotid artery. It outlines a protocol for treatment of carotid injuries based on hemorrhage control and neuroradiologic embolization.
STORED AND SECRETED RAT KIDNEY RENIN ISOFORMS DIFFER IN MOLECULAR WEIGHT AND ISOELECTRIC POINT. † 2179

STORED AND SECRETED RAT KIDNEY RENIN ISOFORMS DIFFER IN MOLECULAR WEIGHT AND ISOELECTRIC POINT. † 2179
Leg Cramps and Restless Legs Syndrome During Pregnancy

Sleep disturbance during pregnancy can result in excessive daytime sleepiness, diminished daytime performance, inability to concentrate, irritability, and the potential for an increased length of labor and increased risk of operative birth. Sleep disturbance may be the result of a sleep disorder, such as leg cramps, a common yet benign disorder, or restless legs syndrome, a sensorimotor disorder. Both disrupt sleep, are distressing to the pregnant woman, and mimic one another and other serious disorders. During pregnancy, up to 30% of women can be affected by leg cramps, and up to 26% can be affected by restless legs syndrome.
TURBULENT LIQUID-METAL HEAT TRANSFER IN CHANNELS

An analytical heat transfer solution is derived and evaluated for the general case of a turbulently flowing liquid metal which suddenly encounters a step-function boundary temperature in a channel ...
Aspergillosis among People Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Incidence and Survival

Aspergillosis is a life-threatening fungal infection in immunocompromised people, including people infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We determined the incidence of aspergillosis among HIV-infected people and survival after aspergillosis diagnosis by use of a national HIV surveillance database. Among 35,252 HIV-infected patients, the incidence of aspergillosis was 3.5 cases per 1000 person-years (p-y; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.0-4.0 per 1000 p-y). Incidence was higher among people aged > or =35 years (4.1 per 1000 p-y, 95% CI, 3. 5-4.8), among people with CD4 counts of 50-99 cells/mm(3) (5.1 per 1000 p-y, 95% CI, 2.8-7.3), or CD4 counts of 200 cells/mm(3), people with > or =1 acquired immune deficiency syndrome-defining opportunistic illness (8.6 per 1000 p-y, 95% CI, 7.4-9.9), and people who were prescribed at least one medication associated with neutropenia (27.7 per 1000 p-y, 95% CI, 21.0-34.3). Median survival time after diagnosis of aspergillosis was 3 months, and 26% survived for > or =1 year. These findings suggest that aspergillosis is uncommon, occurs especially among severely immunosuppressed or leukopenic HIV-infected people, and is associated with poor survival.
Parenting Stress Among Families of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Prior research has shown that parenting stress levels can be quite high among families of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study investigated the degree to which such stress was related not only to the child's ADHD, but also to various other child, parent, and family-environment circumstances. Multimethod assessments were conducted on 104 clinic-referred children with ADHD. Data collected from these subjects were entered into hierarchical multiple-regression analyses, utilizing the Parenting Stress Index as the criterion. The results showed that child and parent characteristics accounted for a substantial portion of the variance in overall parenting stress. The child's oppositional-defiant behavior and maternal psychopathology were especially potent predictors. The severity of the child's ADHD, the child's health status, and maternal health status also emerged as significant predictors. These findings are discussed in terms of their impact upon the clinical management of children with ADHD.
Southwestern Internal Medicine Conference: Hemodynamic Assessment of Aortic Stenosis

ABSTRACT The decision to operate in patients with aortic stenosis is based on the presence of symptoms and hemodynamically significant valvular obstruction. The strengths and limitations of cardiac catheterization and Doppler echocardiography are compared, and the concept of “critical” aortic stenosis is discussed. The recommendation of aortic valve replacement must take into account the symptom status, the hemodynamic significance of the lesion, and the size and type of valve to be implanted.
Productivity in the Workplace: Cops, Culture, Communication, Cooperation, and Collusion

Both formal theory and experimental evidence have shown that repeated interactions among actors foster norms of trust and cooperation. But real-world empirical evidence regarding the substantive effects of repeated interaction is scant and fails to disentangle the components of “social capital.” Using data from a 1994 survey of urban police in three Caribbean countries, clustered by police stations, we regress measures of time spent on police work and of propensity to use excessive force on individual and aggregate-level measures of norms and communication and a size-related measure of opportunities for repeated interaction. We control for monitoring by superiors, task, experience, gender and other variables. We anticipate non-independent observations within police stations and heteroscedasticity between as expectations from the theory of social capital rather than simple statistical nuisances. Face-to-face communication at the individual and police-station level, norms at the individual and station level...
A finite difference procedure for solving coupled, nonlinear elliptic partial differential equations

Abstract A finite difference procedure is presented for solving coupled sets of partial differential equations. For one dependent variable, the procedure consists of replacing the concept of a single unknown at multiple grid points with the concept of a line of node points with multiple unknowns at each node point. The procedure is illustrated first for a second order, linear elliptic partial differential equation and then for a coupled set of non-linear elliptic partial differential equations. The method is easier to use and requires less computer storage than a banded solver method such as IMSL's routine LEQT1B. The procedure could be extended to include three spatial coordinates and time.
The differential susceptibility of spores from virulent and attenuated Bacillus anthracis strains to aldehyde- and hypochlorite-based disinfectants.

This study compared the sensitivity of spores from virulent and attenuated Bacillus anthracis strains in suspension to inactivation by various chemical disinfectants. Spore suspensions from two virulent strains (A0256 and A0372) and two attenuated strains (Sterne and A0141) of B. anthracis were tested against two aldehyde-based disinfectants and one hypochlorite-based disinfectant. A novel statistical model was used to estimate 4-log10 reduction times for each disinfectant/strain combination. Reduction times were compared statistically using approximate Z and χ2 tests. Although there was no consistent correlation between virulence and increased sporicidal resistance across all three disinfectants, spores from the two virulent and two attenuated strains did display significantly different susceptibilities to different disinfectants. Significant disinfectant–strain interactions were observed for two of the three disinfectants evaluated. The comparative results suggest that the use of surrogate organisms to model the inactivation kinetics of virulent B. anthracis spores may be misleading. The accuracy of such extrapolations is disinfectant dependent and must be used with caution.
Ecology of under story kelp environments. I. Effects of kelps on flow and particle transport near the bottom

Abstract Because of their likely ecological importance, the effects of understory kelps on fluid and paniculate transport near the bottom were assessed in waters of the San Juan Archipelago, Washington, U.S.A. Relative to more exposed rocky substrata at identical depths, bottoms beneath kelp canopies were exposed to weak fluid transport and were characterized by greater rates of deposition of particulates. A tracer particle experiment demonstrated that kelps inhibited transport of suspended particles from the overlying water column to the bottom. Thus, the higher rates of paniculate deposition beneath kelp canopies probably were caused by longer particle residence times and higher probabilities of paniculate redeposition beneath canopies and not by higher rates of particle import. These hydrodynamic effects may play important roles in the ecology of animals that inhabit understory kelp environments. We propose several potential effects of flow modification by kelps on larval recruitment and dispersal and growth of suspension-feeders.
Angiomyogenesis for myocardial repair.

The conventional therapeutic modalities for myocardial infarction have limited success in preventing the progression of left ventricular remodeling and congestive heart failure. The heart cell therapy and therapeutic angiogenesis are two promising strategies for the treatment of ischemic heart disease. After extensive assessment of safety and effectiveness in vitro and in experimental animal studies, both of these approaches have accomplished the stage of clinical utility, albeit with limited success due to the inherent limitations and problems of each approach. Neomyogenesis without restoration of regional blood flow may be less meaningful. A combined stem-cell and gene-therapy approach of angiomyogenesis is expected to yield better results as compared with either of the approaches as a monotherapy. The combined therapy approach will help to restore the mechanical contractile function of the weakened myocardium and alleviate ischemic condition by restoration of regional blood flow. In providing an overview of both stem cell therapy and gene therapy, this article is an in-depth and critical appreciation of combined cell and gene therapy approach for myocardial repair. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 11, 1929–1944.
Jointly recognizing multi-speaker conversations

We suggest an approach to speech recognition where multiple sides of a conversation in a dialog or meeting are processed and decoded jointly rather than independently. We moreover introduce a practical implementation of this approach that demonstrates both language model perplexity and speech recognition word error rate improvements in conversational telephone speech. Specifically, we show that such benefits can be had if a n-gram language model, in addition to conditioning on immediately preceding words in an utterance, is also allowed to condition on the estimated dialog-act of the immediately preceding utterance of an alternate speaker.
Energetic high-nitrogen compounds: 5-(trinitromethyl)-2H-tetrazole and -tetrazolates, preparation, characterization, and conversion into 5-(dinitromethyl)tetrazoles.

A convenient access to 5-(trinitromethyl)-2H-tetrazole (HTNTz) has been developed, based on the exhaustive nitration of 1H-tetrazole-5-acetic acid, which was prepared from ethyl cyanoacetate and HN3 in a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction, followed by basic hydrolysis. HTNTz was converted into the ammonium, guanidinium, rubidium, cesium, copper, and silver 5-(trinitromethyl)-2H-tetrazolates. In addition, the ammonia adducts of the copper and silver salts were isolated. The reaction of HTNTz with hydrazine and hydroxylamine resulted in the formation of hydrazinium 5-(dinitromethyl)tetrazolate and hydroxylammonium 5-(dinitromethyl)-1H-tetrazolate, respectively. Acid treatment of both 5-(dinitromethyl)tetrazolates resulted in the isolation of 5-(dinitromethylene)-4,5-dihydro-1H-tetrazole, which was converted into potassium 5-(dinitromethyl)-1H-tetrazolate by reaction with K2CO3. All prepared compounds were fully characterized by 1H, 13C, 14N, and 15N NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystal structure determination...
Effect of diet on RNA polymerase activity in rats

Abstract Soluble RNA polymerase enzyme was prepared from liver nuclei of male rats allowed an 18% and 6% casein diet ad libitum or fed by stomach tube with synthetic amino acid mixtures. The amino acid mixtures were either nutritionally complete or devoid of leucine or valine. It was found that the response of the Mn++-dependent soluble RNA polymerase was related inversely to the dietary protein level (6% and 18%). After feeding diets devoid of either leucine or valine for 3 days, RNA polymerase activity was significantly decreased. These results suggest that dietary amino acid supply rapidly affects RNA polymerase activity. Food intake and fasting were shown to alter the activity of the enzyme. The enzyme activity exhibited 2 peaks during the time interval that food was allowed and the maximum increase occurred several hours after food ingestion. During the fasting period the enzyme activity decreased at each time interval the rats were killed. These data indicate that the enzyme activity is both time-dependent and contingent upon food intake.
Ground reaction forces during stair locomotion in pregnancy

Abstract Pregnant women experience numerous physical alterations during pregnancy which may place them at an increased risk of falls. The purpose of this study was to examine ground reaction forces (GRFs) during staircase locomotion in pregnant and non-pregnant women. Methods Data were collected on 29 pregnant women in their second and third trimesters, and on 40 control women. Subjects walked at their freely chosen speeds during stair ascent and descent. A force plate imbedded in the second stair, but structurally independent of the staircase, was used to collect GRF data (1080 Hz). A marker placed on the L3/L4 spinal segment was used to determine ascent and descent velocity from a motion-capture system. In the statistical analyses, trimester (control, second trimester, third trimester) and subject were the independent variables. Stance time and ascent/descent velocity were analyzed with an ANOVA. Mediolateral excursion of the COP during the step was analyzed with an ANCOVA. The GRFs were categorized into anterioposterior, mediolateral, and vertical forces. A two factor MANCOVA (subject, trimester) was performed on each GRF category. Mass and velocity served as covariates in each analysis (α = 0.05). Results The mediolateral excursion of the COP during ascent was greater in the third trimester (p = 0.04). The anterioposterior braking impulse was greater in both ascent (p = 0.01) and descent (p = 0.01) during pregnancy. The vertical GRF loading rate during descent was greater in pregnant women than in controls (p = 0.04). Conclusion These alterations are likely related to increased instability during stairway walking and could contribute to increased fall risk during pregnancy.
Analysis for chromium traces in the aquatic ecosystem II. A study of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in the susquehanna river basin of New York and Pennsylvania

Abstract A new procedure for the differential analysis of ppb concentrations of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in natural waters has been developed. In this method, three-liter samples are filtered, acidified to pH 6.0, and divided into three parts. One liter is passed through an anion-exchange resin bed (AG-1X4, 100–200 mesh, Cl − form), one liter is passed through a cation-exchange resin bed (50 WX4, 100–200 mesh, Na + form), and one liter remains untreated. 10 ml of 1.0 M HNO 3 are then added to each of the three aliquots and they are individually reduced in volume by evaporation to 10 ml. Analysis by A.A. employing the method of standard addition follows. By difference, cationic, anionic, and non-ionic Cr concentrations in the sample become available. Cr(III) concentration is probably closely related to (cationic + non-ionic), and Cr(VI) concentration in the original sample corresponds to the anionic portion. Precision is ±20 % or better for total, cationic, and anionic Cr at the 1 ppb level. Precision of the non-ionic analyses is closely linked to these other precisions as the concentration of non-ionic Cr species in the original sample is obtained by the mass balance requirement set up by the other three analyses. Application of this technique to the analysis of natural water samples revealed the predominance of trivalent Cr in uncontaminated waters of the Upper Susquehanna River Basin (1–2 ppb). River water samples taken downstream of Binghamton, N.Y. area sewage outfalls revealed an increase in the mean Cr(VI) content of the river from ∼0.5 ppb to ∼1.6 ppb. The persistence of the Cr(VI) at least as far as 60 km downstream of the outfall area leads to the conclusion that at these levels, little dissolved Cr(VI) is removed from the river as it flows away from a point of contamination. Concentrations of Cr in samples of river sediments also revealed Cr contamination below the outfall area, and Cr contamination extended at least as far as 60 km downstream of the outfall area.
Expenditure models for prospective risk adjustment: choosing the measure appropriate for the problem.

Risk adjustment models for health care expenditures typically have been disappointing in their predictive ability for individual enrollees. However, practical applications of risk adjustment often involve groups, not individuals. Therefore, model performance on groups of enrollees may be more meaningful than performance on individuals. The authors propose a new measure of model fit, the sorted-group R2, which measures the correlation between predicted and actual cost averages for groups of enrollees sorted by risk prior to grouping. The authors use this tool to evaluate four models with different explanatory variables and functional complexities. Results indicate that even a model which performs poorly for individual subscriber units and for unselected groups can indeed distinguish between groups of subscriber units where there has been moderate risk selection.
Subthreshold K− production by coherently produced π-mesons in heavy ion collisions

Abstract We assume that the enhanced subthreshold K − production found recently in the reaction 28 Si− 28 Si at 2.1 GeV nucleon is due to the decay of coherently produced π-mesons. We calculate the differential K − production cross section by treating the source term of the π-meson field, which is the nucleon current, as an external c -number source. We parametrize this current by assuming a diving, a compression, and an expansion stage during the nucleus-nucleus collision where the results of the intranuclear cascade calculations serve as a reference. Assuming a reasonable time for building up three times the normal nuclear matter density we get agreement with the experimental data. We predict a differential cross section that is different from a thermal spectrum.
High-efficiency, high-power difference-frequency generation of 0.9–1.5 μm light in BBO

An efficient method for generation of high energy pulsed ir light between 0.9 and 1.5 μm is described. The technique uses difference frequency mixing of pulsed, visible dye and Nd:YAG laser light in a 10 mm long BBO crystal. Quantum efficiencies of up to 23% and ir pulse energies up to 4.5 mJ are demonstrated. The low shot-to-shot fluctuations of difference frequency generation in BBO make this technique an attractive alternative to the conventional optical parametric oscillator or Raman shifting methods that are currently used to access this spectral region.
Relative effectiveness and joint effects of three selected reinforcements in a repetitive task situation

Abstract The relative effectiveness and joint effects of the three selected reinforcements (incentive-pay rates, IR, partially reinforced bonus, PR, and knowledge of results, KR) were investigated in a repetitive task situation. A 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design was utilized to study the independent and interactive effects of IR, PR, and KR on performance. Eighty subjects were randomly assigned to eight experimental groups and were subjected to different experimental treatments. The results of variance analysis indicated that the differences in performance between IR and hourly rate (HR) groups, between PR and no PR, and KR and no KR were statistically significant at .05, approximately .05, and .001 levels, respectively. None of the interactive effects were significant at .05 level. The comparison of treatment means showed that the performance under the condition of IR X PR X KR is the most superior and was followed by that of PR X KR and IR X KR groups. The performance under HR condition is the most inferior and was followed by that of no KR and no PR groups. The high performances of the jointly reinforced groups were attributable more to the additive main effects of the experimental factors than to their interactive effects.
Differential forgetting of prototypes and old instances: Simulation by an exemplar-based classification model

A common finding in studies of classification learning is that ability to classify the prototype of a category declines much less over a retention interval than does the ability to classify the previously seen exemplars themselves. We demonstrate here that this finding does not necessarily indicate the existence, in memory, of a representation of the prototype. MINERVA, a computer-simulation model that encodes memory traces only of presented exemplars, was tested on an appropriate task. Differential forgetting of prototypes and old instances was shown by a version of the model that assumed that (1) classification is based on the exemplar trace most similar to the test stimulus and (2) individual properties are lost from the traces over time in an all-or-none fashion. It is suggested that, in general, the key to the prediction of differential forgetting may be the concomitance of forgetting and generalization.
The Status of Remipes Test Udinari Us Latreille, and Designation of a Neotype for Hippa Adactyla J. C. Fabricius (Decapoda, Hippidae) 1)

L'histoire des noms Cancer testudinarius Herbst, 1791, Remipes testudinarius Latreille, 1806, et Hippa adactyla Fabricius, 1787, est discutee. C. testudinarius Herbst est un synonyme plus ancien d'un Hippidae de l'ocean Atlantique, Hippa cubensis (Saussure, 1857). R. testudinarius Latreille, un homonyme plus recent du nom de Herbst, a ete utilise pour quelques Hippidae indo-pacifiques; il a ete interprete correctment par De Man (1896). On ne peut pas identifier H. adactyla, l'espece-type du genre Hippa. Un exemplaire de R. testudinarius Latreille, de Coff's Harbour, N.S.W., Australie, est choisi comme neotype d'Hippa adactyla.
C-peptide attenuates protein tyrosine phosphatase activity and enhances glycogen synthesis in L6 myoblasts.

Abstract Recent studies suggest that C-peptide might play a role in a broad range of biological activities. We have provided evidence that C-peptide stimulates glycogen synthesis in insulin-responsive rat skeletal muscle cells in a dose-related manner. To explore the mechanism by which C-peptide exerts this insulinomimetic effect, here we report the effect of C-peptide on protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) activity and phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1). C-peptide inhibited PTP activity in a dose-dependent manner. A reverse bell-shaped dose–response curve was shown with the maximum inhibition of PTP activity at a concentration of 3 nM of C-peptide, which is the same concentration achieving the maximum stimulatory effect on glycogen synthesis. In association with the PTP inhibition by C-peptide, autophosphorylation of the insulin receptor and activation of IRS-1 were enhanced. These results suggest that C-peptide signal transduction may crosstalk with the insulin signaling pathway at the level of the insulin receptor.