cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetics of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Adsorption on and Desorption from Self-Assembled Monolayers Measured by Surface Plasmon Resonance

By use of a flow cell in conjunction with surface plasmon resonance, experimental results are obtained for the intrinsic kinetics of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) adsorption on and desorption from self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold. When the flow of the bulk surfactant solution in the flow cell is increased, conditions are reached where the surface kinetics are rate controlling and mass transfer limitations in the bulk solution are negligible. The SDS adsorption and desorption rates increase with the bulk surfactant concentration in the monomer regime. At and above the critical micelle concentration of SDS, the adsorption and desorption rates become nearly constant. It is shown that SDS needs to be recrystallized to remove minute impurities. The results suggest that the SDS monomers play a dominant role in adsorption and desorption on SAMs. Sodium dodecyl sulfate has a greater affinity for hydrophobic SAMs than for charged, hydrophilic SAMs. The data also suggest that the kinetics of adsorption and s...
Momentum transfer spectrum in diffraction dissociation

Abstract The peculiar momentum transfer spectrum found for a diffraction dissociation process π− +p→π− +(π+ +n) is shown to be easily understood in terms of the one pion exchange process. We suggest that almost all of the N∗ (1400) phenomenon can be understood in this way (OPE).
Forms of Employee Ownership and Workers' Control

Worker-owned enterprises may contribute to the development of a new system of productive relations in the United States. Various approaches to employee ownership are classified into two principal schemes. Type I methods include the Scanlon plan, Drucker's logic of "pension fund socialism," and Kelso's Employee Stock Ownership Plan. 7hese designs coalesce in efforts to preserve capitalism by broadening its rewards, retaining the traditional profit motive, and remaining within the confines of traditional role relationships between management and employees. Type II alternatives include new business collectives founded in an ideological commitment to cooperative action, company-takeovers by employees, and worker/community owned firms. Comparisons are made between the two principal typologies with respect to selected criteria.
In-Situ strain analysis with high spatial resolution: A new failure inspection tool for integrated circuit applications

Abstract A new non-destructive technique to measure strain over small areas of specimens in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) is described. By integrating new advances in secondary electron detection, imaging of insulating oxide layers and a methodology of generating an optical moire fringe effect in the SEM, a strain analysis technique has been developed. Using classical methodologies of strain analysis of moire fringes established in experimental elasticity studies, we demonstrate that one can quantitatively estimate localized strains due to mechanically induced damage with very high strain and spatial resolution sensitivities in a non-destructive fashion. The imaging of the moire fringes is accomplished by voltage contrast methods. The usefulness of this technique in rapid assessment of localized strains, especially as an in-situ measurement tool in semiconductor failure analysis, is discussed.
Supervisor Self-Evaluation in Communication Disorders

Eight supervisors with at least two years of experience evaluated their performance of a five point, forty-two item rating scale. Evaluations of their performances on the same scale were made by their thrity-five students. A comparison of supervisor and student rating showed that five supervisors rated themselves higher than did their students on a significant number of items, and two supervisors rated themselves lower on a significant number. When the means of all supervisor and student responses were compared for all forty-two items, supervisors rated themselves higher on a significant number of items.
White-tailed deer are susceptible to the agent of sheep scrapie by intracerebral inoculation

Interspecies transmission studies afford the opportunity to better understand the potential host range and origins of prion diseases. The purpose of this experiment was to determine susceptibility of white-tailed deer to the agent of scrapie after intracerebral inoculation and to compare clinical signs and lesions to those reported for chronic wasting disease (CWD). Deer (n = 5) were inoculated with 1 mL of a 10% (wt/vol) brain homogenate derived from a sheep clinically affected with scrapie. A non-inoculated deer was maintained as a negative control. Deer were observed daily for clinical signs of disease and euthanized and necropsied when unequivocal signs of scrapie were noted. One animal died 7 months post inoculation (pi) due to intercurrent disease. Examinations of brain tissue for the presence of the disease-associated abnormal prion protein (PrPSc) by western blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were negative whereas IHC of lymphoid tissues was positive. Deer necropsied at 15-22 months pi were positive for scrapie by IHC and WB. Deer necropsied after 20 months pi had clinical signs of depression and progressive weight loss. Tissues with PrPSc immunoreactivity included brain (at levels of cerebrum, hippocampus, colliculus, cerebellum, and brainstem), trigeminal ganglion, neurohypophysis, retina, spinal cord, and various lymphoid tissues including tonsil, retropharyngeal and mesenteric lymph nodes, Peyer's patches, and spleen. This work demonstrates for the first time that white-tailed deer are susceptible to sheep scrapie by intracerebral inoculation. To further test the susceptibility of white-tailed deer to scrapie these experiments will be repeated with a more natural route of inoculation.
Racial differences in withdrawal of mechanical ventilation do not alter mortality in neurologically injured patients

Purpose Racial differences in withdrawal of mechanical ventilation (WMV) have been demonstrated among patients with severe neurologic injuries. We ascertained whether such differences might be accounted for by imbalances in socioeconomic status or disease severity, and whether such racial differences impact hospital mortality or result in greater discharge to long-term care facilities.
Measurement of the 4f-shell optical edge in Gd metal

Vacuum-ultraviolet absorption techniques are used to study 4f-shell optical excitations in Gd metal. The results provide insight into the discrepancy between 4f-shell excitation thresholds reported from x-ray absorption and x-ray photoemission studies. The different threshold energies are attributed to different screening configurations in the final states, or to spurious shifts of the x-ray photoemission peaks. (AIP)
An algorithm to mesh interconnected surfaces via the Voronoi interface

Many scientific and engineering problems involve interconnected surfaces meeting at junctions. For example, understanding the dynamics of a soap bubble foam can require modelling the fluid mechanics of liquid inside an intricate network of thin-film membranes. If a mesh of these surfaces is needed, the use of standard meshing algorithms often leads to voids, overlapping elements, or other artefacts near the junctions. Here, we present an algorithm to generate high-quality triangulated meshes of a set of interconnected surfaces with high surface accuracy. By capitalising on mathematical aspects of a geometric construction known as the "Voronoi interface", the algorithm first creates a topologically consistent mesh automatically, without making heuristic or complex decisions about surface topology. In particular, elements that meet at a junction do so by sharing a common edge, leading to simplifications in finite element calculations. In the second stage of the algorithm, mesh quality is improved by applying a short sequence of force-based smoothing, projection, and edge-flipping steps. Efficiency is further enhanced by using a locally adaptive time stepping scheme that prevents inversion of mesh elements, and we also comment on how the algorithm can be parallelised. Results are shown using a variety of examples arising from multiphase curvature flow, geometrically defined objects, surface reconstruction from volumetric point clouds, and a simulation of the multiscale dynamics of a cluster of soap bubbles. In this last example, generating high-quality meshes of evolving interconnected surfaces is crucial in determining thin-film liquid dynamics via finite element methods.
Active Lipid Management In Coronary Artery Disease (ALMICAD) Study

Abstract Purpose Many providers have implemented specialized lipid clinics to more effectively identify, monitor, and treat hyperlipidemia in patients with coronary artery disease. The effectiveness of such a strategy is not known. We sought to investigate whether a specialized clinic achieves better lipid results and clinical outcomes than standard care. Subjects and Methods A total of 1233 patients who had coronary disease documented by coronary angiography were randomized to lipid clinic or standard care groups by their providers and followed for 2 years. The primary end point was a composite of death, myocardial infarction, repeat revascularization, and stroke. Results Lipid clinic (n=617) and standard care (n=616) groups had no significant baseline differences. After 2 years, the lipid clinic group had similar total cholesterol (166±42 mg/dL vs 166±41 mg/dL, P =.83), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (84±32 vs 85±32, P =.28), and percentage of patients with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol less than 100 mg/dL (77.5% vs 77.6%, P =.97). There were no significant differences in the primary end point (12.3% vs 11.4%, P =.60) and mortality (7.6% vs 7.3%, P =.80) between the lipid clinic and standard care groups. Conclusions In patients identified by diagnostic coronary angiography and managed within a single health care system, implementation of a specialized lipid clinic did not achieve greater attainment of hyperlipidemia treatment goals or improved cardiac outcomes.
Elevated urinary leukotriene E4 excretion in patients with ARDS and severe burns.

Abstract Increased synthesis of peptidoleukotrienes may occur in a variety of inflammatory diseases. To test this theory, hospitalized patients with a variety of diseases were studied and urine LTE4 quantitated as an index of total body peptidoleukotriene synthesis. 10 patients with ARDS, 7 of which had additional organ involvement, and 5 patients suffering from severe burn injuries were studied. Patients with uncomplicated ARDS excreted approximately 6-fold higher amounts of LTE4 in urine compared to healthy subjects. When ARDS was complicated by multiple organ failure (MOF), urine LTE4 levels were 2- to 150-fold higher than in healthy volunteers. Patients with severe burn injuries had peak urine LTE4 levels which were approximately 20-fold higher than in healthy volunteers. As additional controls, patients with cardiac arrhythmias (absence of inflammatory disease) and patients with uncomplicated pneumonia (localized inflammation) showed normal or mildly elevated urinary LTE4 levels. The urinary LTE4 levels in ARDS patients did not correlated with serum creatinine, bilirubin, or LDH levels, or with the WBC, nor did renal or liver failure by itself predict extremely elevated urinary LTE4 levels. In conclusion, patients with ARDS or ARDS/MOF and patients with severe injuries and sepsis syndrome excrete higher levels of urinary LTE4 than patients healthy volunteers or patients with limited inflammatory disease. In certain situations, urinary LTE4 levels may be useful as a marker of the degree of inflammation.
Characterizing Practice Style in Neonatal Intensive Care † 1321

Background: Outcomes and resource uses differ among NICUs. While this depends on case mix, institutional practice styles may also differ. We characterized practice style, adjusting for case mix, in a cohort of premature infants. Outcomes are reported elsewhere.
Cell Signals, Cell Contacts, and the Organization of Yeast Communities

Even relatively simple species have evolved mechanisms to organize individual organisms into communities, such that the fitness of the group is greater than the fitness of isolated individuals. Within the fungal kingdom, the ability of many yeast species to organize into communities is crucial for their growth and survival, and this property has important impacts both on the economy and on human health. Over the last few years, studies of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have revealed several fundamental properties of yeast communities. First, strain-to-strain variation in the structures of these groups is attributable in part to variability in the expression and functions of adhesin proteins. Second, the extracellular matrix surrounding these communities can protect them from environmental stress and may also be important in cell signaling. Finally, diffusible signals between cells contribute to community organization so that different regions of a community express different genes and adopt different cell fates. These findings provide an arena in which to view fundamental mechanisms by which contacts and signals between individual organisms allow them to assemble into functional communities.
Dynamic Adaptation of Joint Transmission Power and Contention Window in VANET

In this paper, we propose an algorithm for joint adaptation of transmission power and contention window to improve the performance of vehicular network in a cross layer approach. The high mobility of vehicles in vehicular communica- tion results in the change in topology of the Vehicular Ad-hoc Network (VANET) dynamically, and the communication link between two vehicles might remain active only for short duration of time. In order for VANET to make a connection for long time and to mitigate adverse effects due to high and fixed transmission power, the proposed algorithm adapts transmission power dynamically based on estimated local traffic density. In addition to that, the prioritization of messages according to their urgency is performed for timely propagation of high priority messages to the destination region. In this paper, we incorporate the contention based MAC protocol 802.11e enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism to implement a priority- based vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm is successful in getting better throughput with lower average end-to-end delay than the algorithm with static/default parameters.
Adding days spent in readmission to the initial postoperative length of stay limits the perceived benefit of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy when compared with open distal pancreatectomy

Abstract Background Published comparisons of laparoscopic (laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy [LDP]) to open distal pancreatectomy (ODP) identify improved lengths of stay (LOS) after LDP but do not include data on readmissions. Methods Demographic, operative, and postoperative outcomes data for patients undergoing LDP or ODP between August 2007 and December 2009 were culled from our prospectively accruing pancreatic database. Electronic medical records were reviewed to determine cause, treatment, and LOS for readmissions. Results Patients undergoing LDP were statistically identical to those undergoing ODP in regard to age, presentation, demographic characteristics, comorbidities, operative times, tumor sizes, morbidity, mortality, and pancreatic fistula rates. The initial LOS was statistically shorter for those undergoing LDP (4.8 ± .1 days vs 8.7 ± .1 days, P Conclusions Adding readmission LOS to initial LOS eliminates the perceived effect of LDP to accelerate recovery.
Evaluating medical treatment of impotence

The nocturnal penile tumescence study, bulbocavernosus reflex latency time, and ultrasonic blood flow studies have made possible a more objective determination of the success or failure of various means used to treat impotence. A group of 60 patients with a history of impotence and flat nocturnal penile tumescence readings were selected for evaluation. Thirty were diabetic and 30 had idiopathic impotence. These patients were treated with a vasodilator, told to stop smoking for six weeks, or both. The results indicate that greater than one third of the patients were able to have intercourse and show NPT activity after treatment. Our study indicates that there is a select group of diabetics, as well as patients with idiopathic impotence, who may respond to medical management.
Factors Influencing Enrollment in a Vocationally Oriented Course: Perceptions of Students and Teachers

The purpose of this study was to test hypotheses set forth in the Social Learning Theory of Career Selection regarding the importance of various factors on stu dents' decision to enroll in a food-service-related course. Seventy-five instructors and 1,097 students throughout California completed the 33-point questionnaires which queried demographic characteristics and, on a five-point Likert-type scale, the importance of the factors. A 69 percent completion rate was attained. Anal ysis of variance (p < 0.05) and Least Significant Differences test were utilized to analyze the data. Findings indicate (a) interests and persons close to students were most influential, (b) teachers and students perceived similarly the order but not degree of importance of factors, (c) teachers considered school-related factors to be influential, (d) nonwhite populations were receptive to influences, and (e) females perceived little influence from expected wages. These findings will allow individuals involved with career guidance of students to increase their effectiveness by better understanding the factors that motivate students to enroll.
Social class, temporal orientation, and mass media use within the family system

This article examines the impact of social class on the relationship between ideologies of time and mass media use within the family system. Lengthy observations and in‐depth interviews with 21 families revealed that families from different social strata have distinct beliefs about the value and use of time, beliefs that shape their media‐related behaviors. It is argued that to understand the role of mass media in family life, one must first recognize that media behaviors reflect and contribute to the overall patterns of life within the family system.
Exemplary Lives: The Uses of Psychobiography for Theory Development

ABSTRACT Why should psychologists undertake psychobiographical inquiry? This article argues that our primary responsibility in this multidisciplinary field is that of developing basic personality theory An “invisible collaboration” is proposed, such that excellent biographical studies in neighboring disciplines provide basic data for our theoretical efforts The proposal is illustrated by analyzing two highly acclaimed works in terms of Tomkins's (1979) script theory Erlich's (1984) study of Nathaniel Hawthorne serves for the exploration of a nuclear script, and Kapp's (1972, 1976) two-volume biography of Eleanor Marx serves for the study of a commitment script Tomkins's theory offers new perspectives on these life histories and a sophisticated alternative to the psychoanalytic frameworks that dominate psychobiographical inquiry With more critical attention to theoretical issues, the development of psychobiographical work might rescue contemporary personality psychology from its method-bound stasis Tomkins's theory is advanced as a conceptual framework worthy of rigorous development in several areas of personality psychology
Magnetic resonance imaging ofthe hand and wrist — clinical significance and impact

Abstract The clinical experience with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of the hand and wrist has beenrapidly expanding over the past few years. The use of dedicated surface coils has improved the ability of MRI to assess the soft tissue and osseous structures in this region. The evaluation of the patient with chronic hand and wrist pain can be a diagnostic dilemma. The anatomic complexity of the hand and wrist makes the pathological possibilities innumerable, ranging from tenosynovitis to osteonecrosis. MRI is invaluable in the detection of avascular necrosis of the carpus, and allows staging, determination of prognosis, and assessment of treatment. Carpal instability can be evaluated by this noninvasive modality, which provides information regarding ligament integrity as well as an assessment of'the articular surface. More recent application in the upper extremity has allowed the determination of flexor tendon integrity, and MR angiography can be used in the evaluation of vascular disorders of the hand. MRI has made a significant impact in our assessment and treatment of these various disorders of the hand and wrist. As the techniques are further refined, we can expect continued improvement in our diagnostic capabilities.
Introduction to the basics of arthroscopy of the knee.

Advances in technology have helped to keep orthopedic surgery on the cutting edge of medicine. This is particularly true for arthroscopic surgery. Arthroscopy has developed from a purely diagnostic tool to one with which advanced and intricate surgery can be performed. Originally, instruments for arthroscopy, such as the pituitary Rounger and Kerison punch, were borrowed from other surgical specialties. Today, arthroscopic hand instruments come in an endless array of shapes and sizes. Automated power instruments allow the arthroscopist to perform procedures of extreme complexity in a minimal amount of time. Many procedures previously performed by open methods now can be performed arthroscopically because of these advances. This evolution has led to widespread use of arthroscopy in many areas of the body, but nowhere is arthroscopy more useful than in the knee. The basic principles must be understood and applied, however, so that the intended procedure is not compromised by damage to soft tissue, articular cartilage, or neurovascular structure. This article reviews the basic setup for knee arthroscopy required to achieve these goals.
Working Alliances in College Classrooms

I explain how professors can establish working alliances with students to cultivate a climate conducive to learning. This process involves (a) attending to the emotional bonds that exist in the col...
Mechanical properties of composite gels consisting of fractionated whey proteins and fractionated milk fat

Abstract Properties of composite gels with 13% protein consisting of 0:1-to-1:0 α-lactalbumin (α-Lac) to β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) and 10 or 30% filler consisting of fractionated milk fat as well as properties of matrix-only gels with 10–15% proteins were investigated at 4–50 °C. Maximum compressive force and elastic modulus of the composites were proportionately related to the proportion of β-Lg and proportion of solid lipids included in the matrix and filler, respectively. Details of the compressive behavior, microstructure and extent to which filler affected the mechanical properties were significantly influenced by protein composition. Results obtained with matrix-only gels indicated a protein composition-specific power law relationship ( n =2) between protein content and mechanical properties of the gels.
Effect of Plasticizer Concentration and Solvent Types on Shelf-life of Eggs Coated with Chitosan

Effects of plasticizer concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0% glycerol) and solvent types (1% acetic and 1% lactic acid) on internal quality of eggs coated with 2% chitosan solution were evaluated during 5 wk of storage at 25 °C. In comparison of plasticizer concentrations, eggs coated with chitosan dissolved in acetic acid containing 2% glycerol showed significant reduction in weight loss compared with the noncoated eggs during 5 wk of storage. At 2% glycerol, the Haugh unit and yolk index values suggested that chitosan-coated eggs can be preserved for at least 3 wk longer than the control noncoated eggs during 5 wk of storage at 25 °C. Use of acetic acid rather than lactic acid as a chitosan solvent was more advantageous in view of shelf-life extension of eggs.
Music Note Recognition Based on Neural Networks

A new design of a music note recognition system based on time delay neural networks, self organizing maps, and linear vector quantization is proposed in this paper, and the general designs of two possible applications based on this system are illustrated.
A fast and accurate maximum power point tracker for PV systems

The paper presents a fast and accurate maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm for a photovoltaic (PV) panel that uses the open circuit voltage and the short circuit current of the PV panel. The mathematical equations describing the nonlinear V-I characteristics of the PV panel are used in developing the algorithm. The MPPT algorithm is valid under different insolation, temperature, and level of degradation. The algorithm is verified using MATLAB and it is found that the results obtained using the algorithm are very close to the theoretical values over a wide range of temperature and illumination levels. The maximum deviation in the maximum power is less than 1.5% for the illumination levels and temperatures normally encountered by a commercial PV panel. The complete derivation of this MPPT algorithm is presented. It is seen that the algorithm is faster than other MPPT algorithms like perturbation and observation (P&Q) and more accurate than approximate methods that use the linearity between voltage (current) at maximum power point and open-circuit voltage (short-circuit current). The block diagram of a buck-boost PV battery charger with the proposed maximum power point (MPP) tracker is given.
Overexpression of Oncoprotein 18 Correlates with Poor Differentiation in Lung Adenocarcinomas

We examined the expression of oncoprotein 18 (Op18) in 93 lung adenocarcinomas and 10 uninvolved lung samples using quantitative two-dimensional PAGE analysis with confirmation by mass spectrometry and two-dimensional Western blot analysis. mRNA expression was examined using oligonucleotide microarrays, and the cellular localization of the Op18 protein was examined using immunohistochemical analysis of tissue microarrays. Three phosphorylated forms and one unphosphorylated form of the Op18 protein were identified and found to be overexpressed in lung adenocarcinomas as compared with normal lung. The percentage of phosphorylated to total Op18 protein isoforms increased from 3.2% in normal lung to 7.9% in lung tumors. Both the phosphorylated and unphosphorylated Op18 proteins were significantly increased in poorly differentiated tumors as compared with moderately or well differentiated lung adenocarcinomas (p
Carrier-induced refractive index changes in InP-based circular microresonators for low-voltage high-speed modulation

Optical InP-based microresonator modulators which achieve low-voltage high-bandwidth modulation are presented, where resonant wavelength tuning of a circular resonator by free carrier injection is used as the modulation mechanism. Since thermal effects in small resonant cavities and switching speed limitations posed by minority carrier lifetime are the primary concerns in such types of devices, ion bombardment in microtoroidal structures is used to increase the speed of response. The modulation speed is enhanced by an order of magnitude.
Gateway Design for Data Gathering Sensor Networks

Innovation in gateways for data gathering sensor networks has lagged compared to advances in mote-class devices, leaving us with a limited set of options for deploying such systems. In this paper we outline the system design of a gateway that meets the hardware and software demands of data gathering networks and present a prototype implementation of this design using the popular Stargate platform. The gateway communicates with the back-end servers through a periodic query-response protocol which is robust to connectivity outages. Commands from the back-end servers instruct the gateway to wake up the sensor network, perform bulk data downloads, and finally upload the collected measurements to a remote server. We investigate mechanisms to minimize energy consumption at the gateway including completely powering it off in between query intervals and batching data uploads. While we ground our design using the Stargate device and evaluate its power consumption using different long-haul radios, we present several platforms which could become viable alternatives in terms of their cost/performance ratio.
Ecohydrology and Climate Change in the Mountains of the Western USA – A Review of Research and Opportunities

Snow-dominated mountain regions are strategic providers of water resources and ecosystem services. They are also likely to be highly vulnerable to a warming climate. In this review, we argue that an ecohydrologic perspective is critical for understanding changes that are already occurring and ultimately for predicting future vulnerabilities in both water resources and ecosystem health. We focus our review on the relatively well-studied mountains of the Western USA. In this region, observations and models show significant climate-driven changes to hydrologic processes including changes to snow accumulation and melt, evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and streamflow. At the same time, there is growing evidence of climate-driven changes in vegetation structure and function. We summarize these studies and discuss how changes in hydrology interact with changes in terrestrial ecosystems to lead to complex and sometime synergistic responses. We conclude by identifying research needs to be addressed by emerging monitoring and synthesis networks that focus on the ecohydrology of mountain environments within a changing climate.
Protestant vibrations? Reggae, Rastafari, and conscious Evangelicals

The globalisation of reggae continues to engender a wide range of highly poignant re-inscriptions and re-interpretations of reggae's sound and of Rastafarian thought. One of the most compelling of these has been the negotiation of Rastafarian and Christian ideologies within the context of Protestant reggae bands and artists. The application of Rastafarian thought, dress and language to the evangelical concerns of Protestants - at times paradoxical, at others ingenious - signals an important moment of inter-religious contact that opens a window onto the complexities and multiple meanings that attach to music and to religious systems as they travel between the local and the global. This essay considers music by Christafari (United States), Sherwin Gardner (Trinidad and Tobago), and Stitchie (Jamaica), and considers questions related to the parallel globalisation of reggae and Rastafari. It does this by interrogating the extent to which authenticity, positionality, and religious context inform the use of and interpretation of Rastafari symbols within gospel reggae. In so doing, I introduce a concept that I call the negotiation of proximity, and offer some reflections on the ways that the Rastafari elements within gospel reggae might be understood in new, global (and newly localised) contexts. God provides an anointed music for each age. Dancehall is the music of this age. (Sherwin Gardner) Word Sound & Power (The Word of God; The Sound of Reggae Music; The Power of the Holy Spirit). (Christafari) The globalisation of reggae continues to engender a wide range of highly poignant re-inscriptions and re-interpretations of reggae's sound and of Rastafari thought. One of the most compelling (if marginal) of these has been the negotiation of Rastafari and Christian ideologies within the context of gospel reggae bands and artists. While scholars have long recognised the negotiations that make possible Buddhist Rastas, Japanese Dreads, and Conscious Aboriginals, they have yet to address their efforts to an exploration of the musical and textual results where Rastafari and Western Christian religious world views come to share expression in and through reggae. Gospel reggae bands inhabit a highly marginal niche in the global reggae scene. Their numbers are small (as are their album sales), and even the most well-known artists are relatively unknown outside the small community of fans who support them.1 Most artists self-identify as 'Full Gospel' evangelicals and their fans are drawn primarily from among the younger generations of Full Gospel congregations throughout North America and the Caribbean.2 It is hardly possible to think of a pair
Epigenetic Alterations in the Brain Associated with HIV-1 Infection and Methamphetamine Dependence

HIV involvement of the CNS continues to be a significant problem despite successful use of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Drugs of abuse can act in concert with HIV proteins to damage glia and neurons, worsening the neurotoxicity caused by HIV alone. Methamphetamine (METH) is a highly addictive psychostimulant drug, abuse of which has reached epidemic proportions and is associated with high-risk sexual behavior, increased HIV transmission, and development of drug resistance. HIV infection and METH dependence can have synergistic pathological effects, with preferential involvement of frontostriatal circuits. At the molecular level, epigenetic alterations have been reported for both HIV-1 infection and drug abuse, but the neuropathological pathways triggered by their combined effects are less known. We investigated epigenetic changes in the brain associated with HIV and METH. We analyzed postmortem frontal cortex tissue from 27 HIV seropositive individuals, 13 of which had a history of METH dependence, in comparison to 14 cases who never used METH. We detected changes in the expression of DNMT1, at mRNA and protein levels, that resulted in the increase of global DNA methylation. Genome-wide profiling of DNA methylation in a subset of cases, showed differential methylation on genes related to neurodegeneration; dopamine metabolism and transport; and oxidative phosphorylation. We provide evidence for the synergy of HIV and METH dependence on the patterns of DNA methylation on the host brain, which results in a distinctive landscape for the comorbid condition. Importantly, we identified new epigenetic targets that might aid in understanding the aggravated neurodegenerative, cognitive, motor and behavioral symptoms observed in persons living with HIV and addictions.
Identification of Specific Nucleotide Sequences within the Conserved 3′-SL in the Dengue Type 2 Virus Genome Required for Replication

The flavivirus genome is a positive-stranded ∼11-kb RNA including 5′ and 3′ noncoding regions (NCR) of approximately 100 and 400 to 600 nucleotides (nt), respectively. The 3′ NCR contains adjacent, thermodynamically stable, conserved short and long stem-and-loop structures (the 3′-SL), formed by the 3′-terminal ∼100 nt. The nucleotide sequences within the 3′-SL are not well conserved among species. We examined the requirement for the 3′-SL in the context of dengue virus type 2 (DEN2) replication by mutagenesis of an infectious cDNA copy of a DEN2 genome. Genomic full-length RNA was transcribed in vitro and used to transfect monkey kidney cells. A substitution mutation, in which the 3′-terminal 93 nt constituting the wild-type (wt) DEN2 3′-SL sequence were replaced by the 96-nt sequence of the West Nile virus (WN) 3′-SL, was sublethal for virus replication. An analysis of the growth phenotypes of additional mutant viruses derived from RNAs containing DEN2-WN chimeric 3′-SL structures suggested that the wt DEN2 nucleotide sequence forming the bottom half of the long stem and loop in the 3′-SL was required for viability. One 7-bp substitution mutation in this domain resulted in a mutant virus that grew well in monkey kidney cells but was severely restricted in cultured mosquito cells. In contrast, transpositions of and/or substitutions in the wt DEN2 nucleotide sequence in the top half of the long stem and in the short stem and loop were relatively well tolerated, provided the stem-loop secondary structure was conserved.
Can spectroscopic informations be extracted from transfer reactions

Resumen en: We revise the standard method of extracting spectroscopic factors from transfer reactions and show the strong dependence on the single particle parameter...
Robust system‐parameter identification: The influence functional approach

The influence functional, developed by Martin and Yohai, is an asymptotic robustness measure of a parameter estimate's sensitivity to the infinitesimal occurrence of correlated outlier contamination of a measurement sequence. Here, the usefulness of the influence functional as a tool for characterizing estimator robustness in system parameter identification is explored. In particular, this utility is illustrated by examining the influence functional as a measure of robustness for the choice of the error-shaping function in the correlation or instrumental variables approach to system parameter identification.
Virtual PRISM - on the ice via the web with the polar radar for ice sheet measurements project

The PRISM project at the University of Kansas has developed the necessary tools and infrastructure to bring the daily activities of polar ice sheet research to students and the general public via the Web. PRISM is developing advanced intelligent remote sensing technology to measure key ice sheet characteristics, and PRISM investigators travel to remote ice sheet sites annually. We have developed "Virtual PRISM" as part of the PRISM web page, to allow the public to follow the field activities of the PRISM team in Greenland. "Virtual PRISM" includes a daily field log, digital images, video clips, access to weather data on the ice sheet, and a Java-based applet called the "Virtual Dashboard" that simulates sitting in the driver's seat of the PRISM robotic rover.
The Venetian Commedia: Actors and Masques in the Development of the Commedia dell'Arte

The commedia dell'arte, which spanned three centuries from the sixteenth to the beginning of the nineteenth and nationalities as diverse as Italian, French, Austrian, Polish, and English, went through a number of metamorphoses before it attained the form we now associate with it. Very briefly, that form is based on stock characters (Arlecchino, Pantalone, Il Dottore, Pedrolino or Pierrot, etc.), improvisation around standard plots, and the use of masks. In Italy, this kind of commedia was established by the end of the sixteenth century. In this paper, I would like to explore the developments that led to this form, concentrating especially on the convention of maschere (stock characters) as it appeared early in sixteenth century Venice and the Veneto. I concentrate on Venice because it is there that these maschere first developed and were then elaborated into the kind of characterization that becomes the defining feature of the commedia dell'arte.
Optimality Properties of a Special Assignment Problem

In this paper, it is shown that if the cost matrix of an assignment problem has the following property cij = |j-i| then any basic feasible solution is optimal if and only if its unit components belong to two well-defined symmetric regions. The matrix with above mentioned property is called the "reordering matrix," because it arose for the first time in the reordering of nodes of a critical path and other acyclic network problems. One deals with similar matrices in some problems related to order statistics.
Temporomandibular Joint Disorders’ Impact on Pain, Function, and Disability

The aim of this study was to determine the association between more advanced stages of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) intra-articular disorders ("TMJ intra-articular status"), representing a transition from normal joint structure to TMJ disc displacement with and without reduction (DDwR and DDwoR) to degenerative joint disease (DJD), and patient-reported outcomes of jaw pain, function, and disability ("TMD impact"). This cross-sectional study included 614 cases from the RDC/TMD Validation Project with at least one temporomandibular disorder (TMD) diagnosis. TMJ intra-articular status was determined by 3 blinded, calibrated radiologists using magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography as one of normal joint structure, DDwR, DDwoR, or DJD, representing the subject's most advanced TMJ diagnosis. TMD impact was conceptualized as a latent variable consisting of 1) pain intensity (Characteristic Pain Index from the Graded Chronic Pain Scale [GCPS]), 2) jaw function (Jaw Functional Limitation Scale), and 3) disability (Disability Points from GCPS). A structural equation model estimated the association of TMJ intra-articular status with the latent measure TMD impact as a correlation coefficient in all TMD cases (n = 614) and in cases with a TMD pain diagnosis (n = 500). The correlations between TMJ intra-articular status and TMD impact were 0.05 (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.04 to 0.13) for all TMD cases and 0.07 (95% CI, -0.04 to 0.17) for cases with a pain diagnosis, which are neither statistically significant nor clinically relevant. Conceptualizing worsening of TMJ intra-articular disorders as 4 stages and characterizing impact from TMD as a composite of jaw pain, function, and disability, this cross-sectional study found no clinically significant association. Models of TMJ intra-articular status other than ours (normal structure → DDwR → DDwoR → DJD) should be explored.
Towards a logic for knowledge-based user interface specification

Due to the increasing complexity of user interface development, a conceptual and formal framework for declarative user interface specification is introduced. It is based on end user tasks and several knowledge sources, such as interaction media. The formalism captures static as well as dynamic specification knowledge by applying syntax trees, state transition graphs, and homomorphisms. >
Obtaining surrogate consent for a minimal-risk research study in the intensive care unit setting.

BackgroundObtaining surrogate consent for clinical research studies conducted in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting is logistically challenging.PurposeTo determine whether differences in proportions consenting to trial enrollment existed among patients eligible to consent directly versus those requiring surrogate decision makers in a minimal-risk study to evaluate the accuracy of continuous glucose monitoring in the ICU setting.MethodsLow initial enrollment rates prompted a detailed tracking of the screening and consent process. We analyzed the subset of eligible patients identified during a single year to document whether they were approached about trial enrollment, whether they consented or declined, the reasons for declining, and the method of consent (self or surrogate). The proportion of participants who consented and the reasons for declining were compared for self-consenting and surrogate-consenting participants.ResultsOf the 3041 patients screened, one-third (n = 982) were eligible; 119 of the ...
Predicting Gas Production from future gas discoveries in the Netherlands: Quantity, location, timing, quality

Recent policy and market developments have raised the question not only as to how much gas remains to be discovered in the Netherlands but also where and when it will be produced and of what quality. These questions are addressed by compiling a 'firm futures' database, estimating the 'potential futures in proven plays' and simulating the exploration process using the prospect portfolio. The firm futures are assessed using an integrated play evaluation method in a combined database/GIS environment. The database includes a prospect portfolio of firm futures, well data and maps. Volumetric estimates (low, mean and high success volumes) are assigned to the prospects. The risk of each prospect is estimated using play maps and the historical success ratio for that play. Using standard GIS functionality, the distance to production nodes, the gas quality, licence status and operator are determined for each prospect. The prospect portfolio is not static but dynamic. Using the creaming curve, fractal distribution analysis and the average POS (Possibility of Success) of the play, the gas volume and the amount of structures in the potential futures category are estimated. Again, GIS functionality is used to determine possible new locations and the gas quality of the prospects. The prospect portfolio is the input for a computer program that stochastically simulates the exploration process. Assumptions about future drilling efforts, economic screening scenarios and time delays from discovery to production are made explicit. The program simulates annual drilling campaigns. A number of prospects are drilled according to an assumed exploration efficiency and the POS is used to determine the result: a discovery or a dry well. The discovered volume is economically assessed and, if economic, transformed into a production and gas-quality profile. © 2005 Petroleum Geology Conferences Ltd.
A transparent framework for enabling incoming TCP connections to hosts behind a NAT gateway

This paper proposes a transparent and dynamic system to enable incoming TCP connections to hosts behind a NAT gateway without changes to client applications. We achieve this transparency with a daemon monitoring the gateway and modifications to the TCP/IP stack only on clients that need to receive incoming connections. Thus, we separate the issues of fire walling from address space conservation by allowing multiple hosts to be multiplexed onto a single IP address without affecting bidirectional connectivity.
Soviet subversive activities in independent Estonia (1918–1940)

The declaration of Estonian Independence on 24 February 1918 came at a moment when Russia was desperately seeking peace with Germany. Lenin realized that peace meant risking the loss of Estonia (as the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk indeed required), but he considered that inconsequential.1 Moreover, he had by no means given up plans to sovietize Estonia later: in November he sent the revitalized Soviet army across the frontier, and in December the Estonian communists attempted to seize power in Tallinn. Even after retreating across the border in March of 1919 and signing the treaty of Tartu with Estonia on 3 February 1920, Lenin refused to abandon his efforts to undermine and overthrow the young Estonian State.2 Over a period of twenty-two years the Soviet government, the Russian (Bolshevik) Party, and the Comintern (Third International) mobilized financial and human resources and explored every avenue of subversion. They disseminated propaganda; organized strikes and demonstrations; infiltrated legitimate organizations and associations; used espionage, bribery, extortion, and blackmail. Finally, they resorted to intimidation and use of military force. On 18 October 1939, Soviet tanks rolled across the Estonian border, marking the end of Estonian independence. At the time of the Bolshevik Revolution communism enjoyed considerable popularity.3 It was viewed as a progressive, democratic movement capable of correcting the ills caused by the corrupt and backward tsarist rule. Moreover, it had a seemingly attractive nationalities policy: on 15 November 1917, the Council of Commissars in Petrograd issued a decree proclaiming the right of self-determination to all minority nations of Russia, endorsing the right to secede and form an independent state; in contrast, the Kerensky government had only promised Estonia autonomy. Acting on this permission, the Eesti Maapaev JBS, Vol. XXIII, No. 1 (Spring 1 992 ) 29
Biotechnology's Challenge to the Law of Torts

This Article presents an overview of the torts issues that are likely to arise in the biotechnology arena. The Article first addresses the debate about the role of tort law in the biotechnology context: whether biotechnology should be exempted from tort liability altogether, whether biotechnology-created torts should be subjected to potential tort liability while being afforded special treatment, or whether biotechnology-created torts should be treated like other torts. The authors favor the latter treatment by which torts arising in the biotechnology arena are treated like other torts, determining that there is nothing so unique about the biotechnology context that would justify special treatment. The Article then looks at how current tort law would apply to the biotechnology arena focusing on the torts of trespass to land, conversion, strict liability (for an abnormally dangerous activity) and, most critically, strict products liability.