cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The use of humor in the counterconditioning of anger responses: A case study

The present report describes the successful application of counterconditioning procedures to the reduction of strong, maladaptive anger responses. In the case described, muscular relaxation proved ineffective in inhibiting anger responses during treatment, while introducing humor into the hierarchy items was highly effective. Pronounced positive changes after nine sessions were evident on all criterion measures, which included behavioral reports and observations, psychophysiological measures, and psychological test scores. The results are discussed in terms of counterconditioning and cognitive mediational processes.
An atlas of the brain of the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus

An atlas of the brain of the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus is developed. All of the neuronal groups are identified and named, and regions of neuropil are segregated and named where possible. The nomenclature incorporates functionally neutral earlier names and assigns geographical names to newly distinguished structures. The atlas provides a basis for correlating the results of neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, and neurochemical studies, which yield information about individual neurons or groups of neurons in this species.
Reply to "Longitudinal Diffusion Coefficients Misnamed," by R. N. Varney

Abstract : Varney has recently applied random walk methods to discuss the longitudinal diffusion of gaseous ions drifting in an electric field, and he obtained results which differ from those obtained by solution of the diffusion equation. Varney's analysis leads him to state that the measured longitudinal diffusion coefficients are not diffusion coefficients at all. Several arguments are presented here to refute Varney's findings. (Author)
Effect of inbreeding on autogamy in Phlox

The effect of inbreeding on autogamy was studied in two greenhouse-grown populations of the weakly self-compatible Phlox dmmmondii. Sixty-one plants from a Lytle, TX. population and 20 plants from a Bastrop, TX. population were self-fertilized to generate an equivalent number of 10-plant self families. The mean level of autogamy in the Lytle progeny was 2.49 per cent vs. 1.03 per cent in their parents. The mean level of autogamy in the Bastrop progeny was 13.35 per cent vs. 5.95 per cent in their parents. Autogamy within families was continuous and often broadly distributed, suggesting that it was influenced by a segregating polygenic system which modifies S-gene expression. The heritability of autogamy in the Bastrop population was 0.45, as estimated from the regression of offspring on mid-parent values.
Mass transport in viscous flow under a progressive water wave

We consider two-dimensional free surface flow caused by a pressure wavemaker in a viscous incompressible fluid of finite depth and infinite horizontal extent. The governing equations are expressed in dimensionless form, and attention is restricted to the case δ[Lt ]e[Lt ]1, where δ is the characteristic dimensionless thickness of a Stokes boundary layer and e is the Strouhal number. Our aim is to provide a global picture of the flow, with emphasis on the steady streaming velocity.The asymptotic flow structure near the wavenumber is found to consist of five distinct vertical regions: bottom and surface Stokes layers of dimensionless thickness O(δ), bottom and surface Stuart layers of dimensionless thickness O(δ/e) lying outside the Stokes layers, and an irrotational outer region of dimensionless thickness O(1). Equations describing the flow in all regions are derived, and the lowest-order steady streaming velocity in the near-field outer region is computed analytically.It is shown that the flow far from the wavemaker is affected by thickening of the Stuart layers on the horizontal length scale O[(e/δ)2], by viscous wave decay on the scale O(1/δ), and by nonlinear interactions on the scale O(1/e2). The analysis of the flow in this region is simplified by imposing the restriction δ=O(e2), so that all three processes take place on the same scale. The far-field flow structure is found to consist of a viscous outer core bounded by Stokes layers at the bottom boundary and water surface. An evolution equation governing the wave amplitude is derived and solved analytically. This solution and near-field matching conditions are employed to calculate the steady flow in the core numerically, and the results are compared with other theories and with observations.
Nutrition assessment: the reproducibility of subjective global assessment in patients requiring mechanical ventilation

The detection of malnutrition in the intensive care unit (ICU) is critical to appropriately address its contribution on outcomes. The primary objective of this investigation was to determine if nutritional status could be reliably classified using subjective global assessment (SGA) in mechanically ventilated (MV) patients. Fifty-seven patients requiring MV >48 h in a university-affiliated medical ICU were evaluated in this cross-sectional study over a 3-month period. Nutritional status was categorized independently by two registered dietitians using SGA. Frequencies, means (+ s.d.), χ2 and t-tests were used to describe the population characteristics; agreement between raters was evaluated using the κ statistic. On admission, the average patient was 50.4 (±14.2) years of age, overweight (body mass index: 29.0±9.2kg/m2), had an acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score of 24 (±10) and respiratory failure. Fifty percent (n=29) of patients were categorized as malnourished. Agreement between raters was 95% before consensus, reflecting near perfect agreement (κ=0.90) and excellent reliability. Patients categorized as malnourished were more often admitted to the hospital floor before the ICU (n=32; 56%), reported decreased dietary intake (69 vs 46%, P=0.02) and exhibited signs of muscle wasting (45 vs 7%, P<0.001, respectively) and fat loss (52 vs 7%, P<0.001, respectively) on physical exam when compared with normally nourished individuals. SGA can serve as a reliable nutrition assessment technique for detecting malnutrition in patients requiring MV. Its routine use should be incorporated into future studies and clinical practice.
Stab wounds to the abdomen: Failure of blunt probing to predict peritoneal penetration

A study was conducted to examine the usefulness of blunt probing for evaluation of penetrating abdominal trauma. Ten anesthetized adult beagles weighing 8 to 17 kg were sacrificed by ventricular fibrillation following a standardized resuscitation protocol. Immediately thereafter, the abdomen was shaved and ten stab wounds were placed in the abdomen of each dog with a #11 blade. A separate individual probed the wounds sequentially with a cotton swab and predicted on the basis of this examination whether the wound penetrated the parietal peritoneum (deep) or not (superficial). The abdomen then was opened and reflected, by a midline incision, and peritoneal penetration was verified visually by two observers. Statistical analysis of data was performed using the z test for binomial proportions. Fifty-nine of the 100 wounds were found to penetrate the parietal peritoneum. Examiners predicted 35 correctly, but called 24 of 59 superficial. Thirty-eight of 41 superficial wounds were identified correctly, three were incorrectly called deep. Sensitivity was .59 (z = 1.432, P > .5); specificity was .93 (z = 5.466, P
DEVELOPMENT OF STRESS AND SURVIVAL OF SALMONELLA TYPHIMURIUM ATCC 7136 IN A TAPIOCA SOYSTARCH PRODUCT CONTAINING POTASSIUM SORBATE

The effects of reduced water activity and 0.1% sorbate on Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 7136 in a soy-starch product were examined. The formulated product (final pH 6.7), was inoculated with cells to give a final concentration of approximately 2 × 106 cells/g. Ten gram samples were placed in a series of desiccators over saturated salt solutions and stored at either 22°C or 40°C. Water activities ranged from 0.79 to 0.97. Samples were withdrawn at prescribed intervals and appropriate dilutions made. A dual plating procedure was used to monitor growth (tryptic soy agar) and development of injury (Levine's Eosin Methylene Blue Agar supplemented with 2% NaCl and 0.05% sodium desoxycholate). Cells stored at 22°C remained viable longer at an aw of 0.79 than at aw values of 0.96 to 0.97. As storage time increased, cells were stressed at a faster rate at higher aw values. This effect was accelerated at 40°C and as storage time increased.
Structure of the acrosomal bundle

In the unactivated Limulus sperm, a 60- micro m-long bundle of actin filaments crosslinked by the protein scruin is bent and twisted into a coil around the base of the nucleus. At fertilization, the bundle uncoils and fully extends in five seconds to support a finger of membrane known as the acrosomal process. This biological spring is powered by stored elastic energy and does not require the action of motor proteins or actin polymerization. In a 9.5-A electron cryomicroscopic structure of the extended bundle, we show that twist, tilt and rotation of actin-scruin subunits deviate widely from a 'standard' F-actin filament. This variability in structural organization allows filaments to pack into a highly ordered and rigid bundle in the extended state and suggests a mechanism for storing and releasing energy between coiled and extended states without disassembly.
Energy absorption by structural collapse in dual phase steel tubes

1. M. B. Whiteman and A. R. Troiano: Corrosion, 1965, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 5356. 2. M. L. Hohworth: Corrosion, 1969, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 107-15. 3. M. R. Louthan, Jr., G. R. Gaskey, Jr., J. A. Donovan, and R. E. Rawl, Jr.: Mater. Sci. Eng., 1972, vol. 10, no. 6, pp. 357-68. 4. A. W. Thompson and 1. M. Bernstein: Proc. of 2ndInt. Congress on Hydrogen in Metals, Paper 3A6, Paris, June 1977, Pergamon Press, NY, 1977. 5. M. L. Hohworth and M. R. Louthan, Jr.: Corrosion, 1968, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 110-24 6. I. Aitclqison and B. Cox: Corrosion, 1972, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 83-87. 7. A. J. Bursle and E. N. Pugh: Unpublished research, Univeristy of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1977. 8. H. E. H/inninen: Proc. of 7th Int. Congress on Metallic Corrosion, Rio de Janeiro, November, 1978, ABRACO, in press.
Cognitive timing: neuropsychology and anatomic basis.

Abstract We report data from 31 subjects with focal hemisphere lesions (15 left hemisphere) as well as 16 normal controls on a battery of tasks assessing the estimation, production and reproduction of time intervals ranging from 2–12 s. Both visual and auditory stimuli were employed for the estimation and production tasks. First, ANOVAs were performed to assess the effect of stimulus modality on estimation and production tasks; a significant effect of stimulus modality was observed for the production but not the estimation task. Second, accuracy was significantly different for the 2 s interval as compared to longer intervals. Subsequent analyses of the data from 4–12 s stimuli demonstrated that patients with brain lesions were more variable than controls on the estimation and reproduction tasks. Additionally, patients with brain lesions but not controls exhibited significant differences in performance on the different tasks; patients with brain lesions under-produced but over-estimated time intervals of 4–12 s but performed relatively well on the reproduction task, a pattern of performance consistent with a “fast clock”. There was a significant correlation between impaired performance and lesions of the parietal lobe but there was no effect of laterality of lesion or correlation between lateral frontal lobe lesions and impairment on any task.
Superiority of cyclosporin A over PSC-833 in enhancement of VP-16 efficacy in murine tumors in vivo

PSC-833, a non immunosuppressive analogue of cyclosporin A, is an effective modulator of the multidrug-resistant tumor phenotype. Since both PSC-833 and cyclosporin A also enhance the cytotoxicity of VP-16 against drug sensitive L1210 leukemia cells in vitro we compared these agents as modulators of VP-16 efficacy in vivo. Compared to VP-16 treatment alone both PSC-833 and cyclosporin A significantly altered the survival of L1210 leukemia-bearing BDF/1 mice and Lewis lung carcinoma-bearing C57/B1 mice. Cyclosporin A enhanced VP-16 efficacy whereas PSC-833 impaired VP-16 efficacy against these murine tumors. Possible reasons for these disparate effects are discussed.
Histone variants meet their match

A fascinating aspect of how chromatin structure impacts on gene expression and cellular identity is the transmission of information from mother to daughter cells, independently of the primary DNA sequence. This epigenetic information seems to be contained within the covalent modifications of histone polypeptides and the distinctive characteristics of variant histone subspecies. There are specific deposition pathways for some histone variants, which provide invaluable mechanistic insights into processes whereby the major histones are exchanged for their more specialized counterparts.
Elevated serum creatine phosphokinase in choline-deficient humans: mechanistic studies in C2C12 mouse myoblasts

Background: Choline is a required nutrient, and humans deprived of choline develop liver damage. Objective: This study examined the effect of choline deficiency on muscle cells and the release of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) as a sequela of that deficiency. Design: Four men were fed diets containing adequate and deficient amounts of choline, and serum was collected at intervals for measurement of CPK. C2C12 mouse myoblasts were cultured in a defined medium containing 0 or 70mol choline/L for up to 96 h, and CPK was measured in the media; choline and metabolites were measured in cells. Apoptosis was assessed by using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated dUTP-biotin end labeling and activated caspase-3 immunohistochemistry. Cell fragility in response to hypo-osmotic stress was also assessed. Results: Three of 4 humans fed a choline-deficient diet had significantly elevated serum CPK activity derived from skeletal muscle (up to 66-fold; P 0.01) that resolved when choline was restored to their diets. Cells grown in choline-deficient medium for 72 h leaked 3.5-fold more CPK than did cells grown in medium with 70mol choline/L (control medium; P 0.01). Apoptosis was induced in cells grown in choline-deficient medium. Phosphatidylcholine concentrations were diminished in choline-deficient cells (to 43% of concentrations in control cells at 72 h; P 0.01), as were concentrations of intracellular choline, phosphocholine, and glycerophosphocholine. Cells grown in choline-deficient medium had greater membrane osmotic fragility than did cells grown in control medium. Conclusions: Choline deficiency results in diminished concentrations of membrane phosphatidylcholine in myocytes, which makes them more fragile and results in increased leakage of CPK from cells. Serum CPK may be a useful clinical marker for choline deficiency in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;80:163–70.
Random-forests-based phonetic decision trees for conversational speech recognition

In this paper we present a novel technique of constructing phonetic decision trees (PDTs) for acoustic modeling in conversational speech recognition. We use random forests (RF) to train a set of PDTs for each phone-state unit and obtain multiple acoustic models accordingly, and we extend the PDT-based state tying to RF-based state-tying. We combine acoustic scores at the model level in decoding search. Several methods are investigated to estimate the weight parameters for model combination, including maximum likelihood estimation of the weights from training data, as well as using confidence scores of P-value or relative entropy to obtain the weights dynamically from online data. Experimental results on a telemedicine automatic captioning task demonstrate that the proposed RF-PDT technique leads to significant improvements in word recognition accuracy.
Discrete shear failure planes resulting from oblique hypervelocity impacts

A combination of laboratory and numerical experiments examines the role of shear localization in subsurface damage following very oblique (15–30°) hypervelocity impacts. Laboratory experiments reveal subsurface damage planes (“blades”) parallel to the impact trajectory for highly oblique impacts (15–30°), which are characterized by unique surface textures relative to other failure regions. Observations of growth rate and surface texture of the damage planes combined with three-dimensional CTH simulations indicate that the blades are the result of frictional processes during localized shear deformation. Laboratory experiments also reveal that impact angle and projectile failure play a role in the development of these blades: aluminum projectiles result in distinct along-trajectory blades for both 15° and 30° impacts, whereas the blades are weakly developed for Pyrex projectiles and nonexistent for planar polymethylmethacrylate projectiles. The blades form early in the cratering process and are signatures of the projectile momentum being transferred into the target. Based on the growth rate, and melting seen along the surface of these damage planes, the blades may provide an analog for the generation of pseudotachylytes during the early stages of impact crater formation.
Confidence Intervals for the Means of Dependent, Normally Distributed Variables

Abstract Several possible methods are presented for constructing confidence intervals for the means of normally distributed, dependent variables when nothing is known about the correlations. One, which uses the Student t distribution, is found, when the degrees of freedom is not too small compared to the number of variables, to give intervals almost as short as can possibly be attained. Methods based on Hotelling's T and on Scheffe's confidence intervals for all linear contrasts are found to yield intervals appreciably longer than those using the t distribution. The extent to which these intervals may be shortened when some knowledge of the correlation structure is available is suggested as a problem for investigation.
Equipment safety in the wireless networking laboratory environment

Wireless networking has become an important focus area in our Applied Networking and System Administration degree program at RIT. Students must have more than a basic exposure to and subsequent understanding of basic wireless network setup, administration and RF (radio frequency) knowledge commensurate with solving connectivity issues for customers in their future careers. To this end, the IT dept at RIT offers an undergraduate concentration in wireless networking. The first course, "Concepts of Wireless Networking," focuses on the basic infrastructure of the wireless network, using WiFi (or 802.11b), 900 MHz equipment, and lasers as examples of unguided media. That course covers connectivity topics including range, signal strength, antenna design and deployment, channel selection, and other material related to the physical layer implementation of wireless networks.Fundamental in our approach is the incorporation of extensive hands-on experiences for our students. Multiple mobile carts, equipped with various vendors' wireless radios, a mini-network with a dedicated laptop computer running appropriate site-survey and wireless performance software and different antenna types are available to our students on an unsupervised sign-out-and-borrow basis throughout the term in which the course is offered. Since 802.11b uses RF in the 2.4 GHz range, similar to that used in the common microwave oven, and lasers have their own set of safety issues, exposure to the electromagnetic energy from this equipment could potentially harm those people working in close proximity to the equipment. To this end, we have determined that our equipment setup and usage protocols are safe for our students. This paper discusses the steps taken to insure lab safety, the analysis and calculation of the radiated and/or emitted power from the radio equipment and the current Federal Communications Commission and Center for Devices and Radiological Health safety requirements such as Maximum Permissible Exposure and signal levels that apply to human safety with respect to 802.11, 900 MHz, and laser communications in the laboratory setting.
4800 and 7200 bit/sec hybrid codebook multipulse coding

The authors describe a low-complexity coding technique that combines multipulse and stochastic excitation. The system, known as hybrid multipulse coding (HMC), provides good quality at 4.8 and 7.2 kb/s. HMC uses efficient pulse excitation for voiced speech and stochastic excitation for unvoiced speech. For the best speech quality, HMC uses an optimization algorithm for simultaneous solution of pitch predictor and excitation parameters, producing a higher signal-to-noise ratio than CELP (code-excited linear prediction) in the 4.8-kb/s configuration. At 7.2 kb/sec, CELP and HMC give diagnostic acceptability measure (DAM) scores close enough so that their standard error limits overlap. In all configurations, HMC requires from 5 to 14 times fewer multiply/accumulate operations than CELP for similarly sized codebooks. >
Emerging functions of gonadotropin-releasing hormone II in mammalian physiology and behaviour

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is the central neuroendocrine regulator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Multiple structural variants of GnRH are present in vertebrates. The first isoform isolated in the mammalian brain (GnRH I) was shown to regulate the release of pituitary gonadotropins. Recently, a second form has been discovered in mammals (GnRH II), both in the brain and periphery. Although it is unlikely to be a primary regulator of gonadotropin release, the highly conserved GnRH II variant appears to have a wide array of physiological functions. In the periphery, GnRH I and II have similar roles in regulating cell proliferation and mediating hormonal secretion from the ovary and placenta in an autocrine/paracrine manner. In the brain, GnRH I and II apparently modulate mammalian reproductive behaviours in different but complementary ways: GnRH I stimulates luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone secretion (and thus gonadal steroids) and promotes sexual behaviour in ad libitum fed animals. By contrast, GnRH II acts as a permissive regulator of female reproductive behaviour based on energy status, as well as a modifier of short-term food intake. GnRH II has also been implicated in the regulation of calcium and potassium channels in nervous systems of amphibians, functions which may also be present in mammals. Increasing evidence suggests that the effects of GnRH II in both the periphery and brain may be mediated by GnRH receptor subtypes distinct from the type-1 GnRH receptor. It is likely that this evolutionarily conserved peptide has been co-opted over evolutionary time to possess multiple regulatory functions in a broad range of biological aspects, including, but not limited to, reproduction. Here, the proposed actions of both neural and peripheral GnRH II in affecting physiology and behaviour are summarized, and an outline of critical directions for future research is proposed.
MORALE. Mission ORiented Architectural Legacy Evolution

Software evolution is the most costly and time-consuming software development activity, yet software engineering research is predominantly concerned with initial development. MORALE is a development method specifically designed for evolving software. It features an inquiry-based approach to eliciting change requirements, a reverse engineering technique for extracting architectural information from existing code, an approach to impact assessment that determines the extent to which the existing system's architectural components can be reused in the evolved version, a reflective approach to actually perform the evolution, and a specific technique for dealing with the difficulties that arise when evolving user interfaces. MORALE is described in the context of making a specific change to an existing system: adding user-configurable viewers to Version 2.4 of the Mosaic Web browser. Issues that arise are discussed, and the Esprit de Corps tool-suite is described
Moving ordered statistics CFAR detection for nonhomogeneous backgrounds

A new robust order statistic-based CFAR scheme, the moving ordered statistics (MOS) CFAR detector, is proposed. The MOSCFAR detector effectively estimates the noise level in nonhomogeneous backgrounds by using the spatial subspace concept and the order statistics estimation method. Like the OS-CFAR detector, the MOS-CFAR processor selects one of the reference cells as the estimate of the background noise power. However, the rank of the selected sample is a variable and varies depending on the different background noise distributions in the reference cells. The detection performances of the MOSCFAR processor is investigated and compared with other well known CFAR detectors by means of simulations. The results show that the proposed MOS-CFAR detector is superior to the other schemes in regulating the false alarm rate in nonhomogeneous backgrounds.
The role of space plasma simulation chambers in spacecraft design and testing

Space plasma simulation chambers have been used, since the earliest days of the space program, to investigate the effects of the space plasma environment on spacecraft systems. A space plasma simulation chamber is a vacuum chamber capable of producing and retaining a high vacuum (10/sup -6/ to 10/sup -5/ torr) during operation of a plasma source capable of producing a plasma of up to 10/sup 6/ electrons and ions per cubic centimeter. Usually, the chamber must be large enough that plasma effects on the spacecraft systems or subsystems to be tested will not be influenced directly by the plasma source or the chamber walls. This means that the chamber must be several times the size of the plasma sheath surrounding the sample even when it is biased to high voltages relative to the surrounding plasma.
Impedance surface waveguide theory and simulation

A novel waveguide structure is studied using a theoretical model and simulation. An impedance surface is surrounded by two lower impedance surfaces in a plane. Waves are guided losslessly within the higher impedance region. A theoretical model is proposed which predicts the dispersion relation using a ray optics method. The dispersion is predicted for each of the modes of the structure. Simulation shows similar results to the theoretical model for the lowest five modes of the structure. These results hold for a wide variety of impedance ratios and guide sizes.
Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals; A Review

Abstract The development and the current state of knowledge of ferroelectric liquid crystals are reviewed. Symmetry considerations first indicated that a ferroelectric phase should exist. Synthesis of new molecules led to the first experiments on electro-optical properties, indicating a spontaneous polarization. Various studies of bulk samples, including further electro-optical effects, shear induced polarization, pyroelectric effects, and switching experiments are discussed. Studies of the Curie point and effects visible in freely suspended films are summarized. Comparisons with crystalline ferroelectrics are made. Some further work and possible applications are indicated.
Child Custody Evaluations: Help or Hindrance?

A child custody evaluation (CCE) seems like a logical way to resolve the issue of who gets custody, yet it can produce many unintended, counterproductive consequences. This is not a plea to end the use of child custody evaluations; there will always be a place for them. Rather, the aim of this article is to promote judicious consideration as to appropriateness, giving more thought to alternatives that are less divisive and less financially and emotionally draining. The CCE should remain the last resort, not the first hope. Alternative dispute resolution techniques that exist can mitigate potential psychological damage for these vulnerable families.
Optimal control of flow with discontinuities

Optimal control of the 1-D Riemann problem of Euler equations is studied, with the initial values for pressure and density as control parameters. The least-squares type cost functional employs either distributed observations in time or observations calculated at the end of the assimilation window. Existence of solutions for the optimal control problem is proven. Smooth and nonsmooth optimization methods employ the numerical gradient (respectively, a subgradient) of the cost functional, obtained from the adjoint of the discrete forward model. The numerical flow obtained with the optimal initial conditions obtained from the nonsmooth minimization matches very well with the observations. The algorithm for smooth minimization converges for the shorter time horizon but fails to perform satisfactorily for the longer time horizon, except when the observations corresponding to shocks are detected and removed.
Underground herbivory and the costs of constitutive defense in tobacco

Nicotine is both a constitutive and induced defense in cultivated tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). Nicotine is thought primarily to defend against above-ground herbivory; however, below-ground herbivores like the nematode Meloidogyne incognita can also damage plants. We evaluated the costs and benefits of constitutive nicotine production in four near-isogenic lines of N. tabacum differing in nicotine content. We exposed the four lines to levels of nematode infection below that found to induce nicotine synthesis, and measured nematode density and each line's response to nematode presence. Nematode density did not differ among lines and was not related to leaf nicotine content in any of the lines, suggesting that constitutive nicotine content did not affect nematode survival or reproduction. Most measures of plant performance were unaffected by nematodes; however, nematode infection decreased flowering in the high nicotine line relative to the other lines. Lines with less constitutive nicotine did not incur similar costs, suggesting a tradeoff between nicotine production and tolerance of low levels of herbivory. A cost of nicotine production is also suggested by the fact that flowering was inversely correlated with leaf nicotine content in all four lines. Although nicotine conferred no resistance to nematodes, high nicotine content reduced the plant's tolerance of low levels of nematode infection and was correlated with reduced flowering. In examining the costs and benefits of a constitutive plant defense, this work complements and extends previous research addressing the relationship between plant tolerance and induced defenses.
Estimation of Tropospheric Temperature Trends from MSU Channels 2 and 4

Abstract The problems inherent in the estimation of global tropospheric temperature trends from a combination of near-nadir Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) channel-2 and -4 data are described. The authors show that insufficient overlap between those two channels’ weighting functions prevents a physical removal of the stratospheric influence on tropospheric channel 2 from the stratospheric channel 4. Instead, correlations between stratospheric and tropospheric temperature fluctuations based upon ancillary (e.g., radiosonde) information can be used to statistically estimate a correction for the stratospheric influence on MSU 2 from MSU 4. Fu et al. developed such a regression relationship from radiosonde data using the 850–300-hPa layer as the target predictand. There are large errors in the resulting fit of the two MSU channels to the tropospheric target layer, so the correlations from the ancillary data must be relied upon to provide a statistical minimization of the resulting errors. Such relationships dep...
Perry v. Schwarzenegger and the Future of Same-Sex Marriage Law

In Perry v. Schwarzenegger, Chief Judge Vaughn Walker held that Proposition 8 — an amendment to the California Constitution that prohibits same-sex couples from marrying — violates the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. To date, legal experts have claimed that although Judge Walker’s factual findings may be novel and significant, his legal analysis is familiar and not likely to have a significant impact, in this case or others. This Article argues that the common wisdom about Judge Walker’s ruling is misguided, because it overlooks novel aspects of Judge Walker’s legal analysis that have the potential to make valuable contributions to the development of same-sex marriage law. By building upon passages from Judge Walker’s ruling, the Article develops three new challenges to the constitutionality of laws that prohibit same-sex couples from marrying. Part I argues that the historical relationship between sex discrimination and sexual orientation discrimination can provide a basis for applying heightened scrutiny to laws against same-sex marriage under the Due Process Clause, as an alternative to the prevailing theory that calls for applying heightened scrutiny to such laws under the Equal Protection Clause. Part II argues that under the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses, the state may not justify laws against same-sex marriage based on the fear that exposing children to homosexuality will encourage them to be lesbian, gay, or bisexual, because the state does not have any legitimate interest in encouraging children to be heterosexual. Part III argues that the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses prohibit the state from justifying laws against same-sex marriage on purely moral grounds for similar reasons, and to a similar extent, that the Establishment Clause prohibits the state from justifying such laws on purely religious grounds. While each of these challenges represents a significant contribution to the development of same-sex marriage law, each one also offers a new insight into the meaning of the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses, thereby contributing to broader developments in the theory and practice of constitutional law. The Article concludes by exploring how these challenges may change the ways that litigants and courts analyze the constitutionality of laws against same-sex marriage and how they are likely to be received by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Effect of Marker Placement Deviations on Spinal Range of Motion Determined by Video Motion Analysis

Background and Purpose. Spinal range of motion (ROM) is an important indicator of spinal function and is used in the determination of disability and compensation. One technology that has been used to assess spinal ROM is video motion analysis. No studies, however, have been done to investigate the effects of marker placement on ROM. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of deviations in reflective marker placement on ROM measurements obtained via video motion analysis. Methods. A model of the spine was constructed and used to obtain ROM measurements from three segments of the model to isolate error from marker placement without the confounding effects of subject error. A standard placement and six altered placements were used to determine the effect of moving reflective markers on ROM. Results. Results indicated statistically significant effects of marker placement for a number of flexion/extension and lateral side-bending ROM measurements. When the mean differences were compared with data obtained in human test-retest studies with the same equipment, the differences from a 2.5-cm marker deviation did not appear to be clinically meaningful. Conclusion and Discussion. We conclude that small marker deviations (2.5 cm) are not likely to adversely affect clinical information obtained when using this type of apparatus.
Herztöne und Geräusche

Es ist nicht beabsichtigt, in diesem Kapitel eine Abhandlung uber die Auskultation zu bringen; vielmehr soll darin auf die Schlussel hingewiesen werden, die uns beim Abhoren des Herzens und der Blutgefase fur Diagnose und Therapie des kranken Herzens gewissermasen zufallen. Zunachst mus hier aber festgestellt werden, das ein Mensch schwer herzleidend sein kann, obgleich bei der korperlichen Untersuchung, einschlieslich Auskultation, kein krankhafter Befund zu erheben ist. Dabei ist besonders an das Kranzgefasleiden gedacht. Weiter gehort zweifellos viel Erfahrung dazu, die Abweichungen vom normalen Herzton, bzw. bestimmte Gerausche nicht nur zu horen und in zeitlichen Zusammenhang mit der Herzaktion zu bringen, sondern sie auch richtig zu interpretieren. Manche Arzte empfehlen immer noch das Abhoren mit dem blosen Ohr, besonders bei den manchmal sehr leisen diastolischen Gerauschen der Aorteninsuffizienz. Auch sei daran erinnert, das sich das Horvermogen bei verschiedenen Untersuchern stark unterscheidet. Manche Menschen konnen z. B. die in sehr tiefen Tonbereichen liegenden diastolischen Mitralgerausche, die fur andere leicht wahrnehmbar sind, einfach nicht horen.
The neuromuscular effects of quinidine.

SummaryQuinidine given in small intravenous doses appears to act at the prejunctional area with no apparent action on the postjunctional membrane as judged by a lack of effect on the ACh-evoked twitch. However, larger intra-arterial doses of quinidine produce a neuromuscular blockade which has the characteristics of the postjunctional depolarizing type. No evidence of muscle membrane depression is present since quinidine does not depress twitch tension elicited from direct muscle stimulation of a curarized cat. Edrophonium potentiated the neuromuscular blockade produced by intra-arterial quinidine, while calcium was an inconsistent antagonist.
Right-Sizing the Arsenal: US Nuclear Modernization and Arms Control

ABSTRACTThe United States faces imminent decisions about strategic nuclear force modernization that will take place over the next several decades. At the same time, the United States and Russia are obligated under the New START Treaty to reduce their respective numbers of operationally deployed warheads and launchers to meet treaty requirements by 2018. Russia as well as the United States anticipates a significant modernization of its strategic nuclear forces. Options exist for the United States and Russia to modernize nuclear forces as they remain open to the possibility of additional, post-New START nuclear arms reductions.
Investigation on RCS Extrapolation Technique Based on Time-Domain Method

Indoor RCS measurement of large target is hard to meet the far-field condition, however,extrapolation technique can overcome the disadvantage by shortening the required distance greatly.The CW RCS measurement technique has a limited precision,which affects the extrapolating results indirectly.In this paper,a new extrapolation technique based on time-domain method by frequency-sweeping measurement is put up.By processing RCS data on time-domain effectively,accurate frequency-domain RCS information can be obtained,and then be extrapolated into far-field RCS pattern.Thus the RCS measurement of large target is realized.Measurement results of a cylinder show the advantages of the new technique.
Forest Stability and Decline: A Delicate Balance

Deforestation is still seen as a serious problem today by both Chinese and foreign writers, and there is some debate about the extent of the problem, its causes, effects and possible solutions. The problem is not unique to China, of course, and a large body of literature exists which addresses both the causes and possible solutions to what is referred to as a global crisis of deforestation (Eckholm, 1976 and 1982; Myers, 1979). It is generally recognised that deforestation is a complex phenomenon, but there is little agreement about the components and the processes involved in it (Allen and Barnes, 1985; Lundgren, 1985).
Menopause and Cognition

Publisher Summary Cognitive complaints are common in midlife women. Understanding of objective changes in cognitive function across the menopausal transition is limited by the lack of longitudinal studies, although cross-sectional studies suggest no effect. Older women, particularly those with cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive dysfunction, experience a decline in verbal memory and cognitive status with estrogen plus progesterone treatment (EPT). Menopausal hormone therapy (HT) may have beneficial effects on other tasks of memory, including figural memory and possibly working memory. Raloxifene provides cognitive benefits. Neuroimaging studies support the biologic plausibility of beneficial effects of HT and raloxifene on brain regions subserving memory functioning, including the hippocampus and frontal lobes. HT is not approved for the treatment of cognitive complaints or dysfunction in any patient group. It is clinically prudent to caution women who initiate HT for the treatment of menopausal symptoms about the risk of dementia and cognitive decline observed in older women in Women's Health Initiative Memory Study, while recognizing that the absolute risk of dementia in younger women is very low.
‘She’s a Killer,’ ‘The Image of the Women of Zero Dark Thirty’

The film Zero Dark Thirty has been reviewed and judged to be about the American government’s response to the events of 9/11. In the film, its protagonist, a female CIA officer, is characterised by her superiors as a killer. This essay examines the film from inside, meaning, from the point of view of the sensibilities evoked by it in order to raise questions about the nature of our temporal engagements with one another and our motives for acting.
Sr/Si Template Formation for the Epitaxial Growth of SrTiO3 on Silicon

A novel silicon cleaning process using strontium metal thin films has been described. The silicon dioxide de-oxidation process using strontium as catalysts has been studied by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and other in-situ techniques. A Sr/Si template for the epitaxial growth of SrTiO3 single crystals on silicon can be directly formed as a result of the above Sr-de-oxidation process. The de-oxidation mechanism can be explained after solving the interfacial structures of the Sr/SiO2/Si system with in-situ XPS.
Double Loading of Dendritic Cell MHC Class I and MHC Class II with an AML Antigen Repertoire Enhances Primary and Secondary T-Cell Responses In Vitro.

Despite improvements in therapy for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), a significant percentage of patients still relapse and succumb to their disease. Dendritic cell immunotherapy offers the promise of potentially effective supportive therapy for a variety of neoplastic conditions; and the use of DCs loaded with tumor antigens is now recognized as an important investigational therapy. Though a variety of methods have been used to load DC vaccines, the loading of the MHC class II compartment with tumor lysate has predominated. The priming of a class II-mediated (CD4) T-cell response may be crucial to the success of DC immunotherapy as such a response is likely required for the development of memory CD8 + T-cells. DC cross-presentation is credited with the ability of lysate-loaded DCs to prime both CD4 and CD8 T-cell responses, enabling the generation of CD8 + CTLs without the loading of the MHC class I compartment (i.e. the cytoplasm). Recently, however, several reports have raised doubts as to the efficiency of cross-presentation as a mechanism for CTL priming in vivo . To examine this issue, we have loaded human DCs with both AML tumor lysate and mRNA. This technique allows the full repertoire of class I antigens to be presented without dependence upon cross-presentation; and, moreover, provides a full complement of class II antigens necessary for CD4 T-cell priming and the generation of memory responses. Methods: CD14 + precursors were isolated from normal donor PBPCs by magnetic separation. Immature DCs were then generated by culturing precursors for six days in GM-CSF and IL-4. Lysate was produced by three successive freeze/thaw cycles of blasts. mRNA was extracted from blasts using Trizol and oligo-dT separation. Immature DCs were pulsed for three hours with AML lysate and subsequently electroporated with AML mRNA. Loaded DCs were matured for 48 hours with IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and PGE 2 and then used to prime autologous T-cells. Short-term responses were assayed on day 5 of the 1st stimulation. Memory responses were assayed on day 10 of a tertiary stimulation. Results : Doubly-loaded DCs can prime a superior T-cell response in vitro in comparison to that of singly-loaded DCs, demonstrating a 30–70% increase in IFN-γ ELISpots over lysate-loaded DCs (p + T-cells primed by doubly-loaded DCs were CD69 + /IFN-γ + vs. 14% of CD8 + T-cells primed by lysate-loaded DCs (p in vitro , suggesting that the perpetuation of the memory response is reliant upon T-cell help. Conclusion : DCs doubly-loaded with lysate and mRNA are more efficient in the generation of primary and secondary immune responses than are singly-loaded DCs. The clinical administration of such doubly-loaded DCs may offer an important therapeutic option to patients with AML.
Consuming Ocean Island: stories of people and phosphate from Banaba

Phosphorus is an enigmatic element. Because of its high reactivity, it is rarely found in a free state. Instead, it most frequently appears on Earth as inorganic phosphate rock. As a result, it mus...
High Betrayal Child Sexual Abuse and Hallucinations: A Test of an Indirect Effect of Dissociation

Though hallucinations traditionally have been conceptualized as a central feature of psychosis, some hallucinations may be dissociative, with dissociation potentially contributing to hallucinations. Childhood trauma has been linked with dissociation and hallucinations. Betrayal trauma theory distinguishes abusive experiences based on closeness to the perpetrator. In the current study, we examined the indirect effect of dissociation on the relationship between high betrayal child sexual abuse (perpetrated by a close other) and hallucinations. Participants (N = 192) from a northwestern university in the United States completed self-report measures online assessing history of high betrayal child sexual abuse and current dissociation and hallucinations. Bootstrapping analyses indicated a significant indirect effect of high betrayal child sexual abuse on hallucinations through dissociation, 95% Confidence Interval (.16, .66). Through betrayal trauma theory, this study provides a non-pathologizing framework for understanding how dissociation and hallucinations may develop as natural reactions to the harm inherent in child sexual abuse perpetrated by a close other. These findings have clinical implications for relational models of healing for trauma survivors who are distressed by dissociation and hallucinations.
Modeling of Energy Expenditure and Resting Metabolic Rate during Weight Loss in Humans

With obesity prevalent and increasing in the United States, there is substantial interest in human energy balance. According to results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), the proportion of overweight Americans has increased from 25% to 33% between 1980 and 1991 (Kuczmarski et al., 1994). Overweight and obesity are known to increase an individual’s risk for diabetes (NIDDK, 1995), heart disease, hypertension, and gallbladder disease (Sjostrom, 1992a), and cancer mortality (Sjostrom, 1992b).
Where Are the Women Geniuses? Up the Down Escalator

With this announcement, Dr. Rosalyn S. Yalow became the second woman to win a Nobel prize in medicine and the sixth woman ever to win in any science category. Her radical breakthrough, expanding the boundaries of medical research and diagnosis, has helped doctors diagnose many patient conditions that previously escaped detection. This accomplishment, achieved in collaboration with the late Dr. Solomon Berson, “was accomplished by a spectacular combination of immunology, isotope research, mathematics and physics” (Nobel Citation, 1977).