cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Dynamics of Metropolitan Housing Prices.

This article is the winner of the Innovative Thinking "Thinking Out of the Box" manuscript prize (sponsored by the Homer Hoyt Advanced Studies Institute) presented at the 2001 American Real Estate Society Annual Meeting. This study examines the dynamics of real housing price appreciation in 130 metropolitan areas across the United States. The study finds that real housing price appreciation is strongly influenced by the growth of population and real changes in income, construction costs and interest rates. The study also finds that stock market appreciation imparts a strong current and lagged wealth effect on housing prices. Housing appreciation rates also are found to vary across areas because of location-specific fixed-effects; these fixed effects represent the residuals of housing price appreciation attributable to location. The magnitudes of the fixed-effects in particular cities are positively correlated with restrictive growth management policies and limitations on land availability.
On the stability of reduced-order adaptive controllers

Nonlinear averaging methods are applied to analyze reduced-order adaptive controllers. An adaptive control system with two adjustable parameters and arbitrary unmodeled dynamics is studied. It is shown that when the reference input consists of only one sinusoid, the averaged system almost always possesses a unique equilibrium. When the input consists of several sinusoids, the averaged system may possess several equilibria, which may or may not be stable. It is shown that the adaptive system may be unstable, even If it is stable for the frequency components separately.
Effect of interannual climate oscillations on rates of submarine groundwater discharge

[1] Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is an important component of the coastal hydrologic cycle, affecting mixing and biogeochemistry in the nearshore environment. El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) influences rates of precipitation and groundwater recharge in many regions, including barrier islands of the southeastern U.S. coast; however, the influence of ENSO on SGD is poorly understood for this region. Here we investigate the role of ENSO in controlling recharge and SGD at interannual time scales, using modeling results for both real and generic barrier island environments. Results of our 57 year simulations show that the freshwater component of seasonally averaged SGD as well as groundwater discharge velocity, water table elevation, and submarine groundwater recharge are significantly correlated with ENSO for a real barrier island (Hatteras Island, North Carolina) and, under certain conditions, for generics. These correlations persist for lag times as great as 5 months during winter, creating anomalies of up to 35% between El Nino and La Nina conditions and suggesting that both hydrologic cycling and biogeochemical cycling in these systems are significantly influenced by ENSO.
A low-power filtering scheme for distributed sensor networks

Because the energy required for communications tasks is much greater than that required for computational tasks, estimation algorithms designed for distributed networks of sensors must attempt to reduce the communications overhead that they require. We suggest a simple mechanism for implementing Luenberger observers that allows estimates to be constructed from transmissions generated at a slower rate than the measurements are collected, while maintaining a robustness to communications outages, interruptions and delays.
Geodynamics of synconvergent extension and tectonic mode switching: Constraints from the Sevier‐Laramide orogen

Many orogenic belts experience alternations in shortening and extension (tectonic mode switches) during continuous plate convergence. The geodynamics of such alternations are not well understood. We present a record of Late Cretaceous to Eocene alternations of shortening and extension from the interior of the retroarc Sevier-Laramide orogen of the western United States. We integrate new Lu-Hf garnet geochronometry with revised PT paths utilizing differential thermobarometry combined with isochemical G-minimization plots, and monazite Th-Pb inclusion geochronometry to produce a well-constrained “M” shaped PTt path. Two burial events (86 and 65 Ma) are separated by ∼3 kbar of decompression. The first burial episode is Late Cretaceous, records a 2 kbar pressure increase at ∼515–550 °C and is dated by a Lu-Hf garnet isochron age of 85.5 ± 1.9 Ma (2σ); the second burial episode records ∼1 kbar of pressure increase at ∼585–615 °C, and is dated by radially decreasing Th-Pb ages of monazite inclusions in garnet between ∼65 and 45 Ma. We propose a synconvergent lithospheric delamination cycle, superimposed on a dynamic orogenic wedge, as a viable mechanism. Wedge tapers may evolve from critical to subcritical (amplification), to supercritical (separation), and back to subcritical (re-equilibration) owing to elevation changes resulting from isostatic adjustments during the amplification and separation of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities, and post-separation thermal and rheological re-equilibration. For the Sevier-Laramide hinterland, the sequence of Late Cretaceous delamination, low-angle subduction, and slab rollback/foundering during continued plate convergence explains the burial-exhumation-burial-exhumation record and the “M-shaped” PTt path.
Hypotheses on Status Competition

Social status is one of the most important motivators of human behavior, yet for over a generation international relations scholars largely ignored it. Over the past 35 years, no more than half dozen articles have appeared in top U.S. political science journals building on the proposition that the quest for status will affect patterns of inter-state behavior. As Lebow has noted, scholarly research in IR has been framed by overarching grand theories that foreground other motivations, primarily fear (security) and appetite (wealth). No middle range theory, no major research program, no major substantive debate has centered on issues of status. Over the same interval, however, research in all other social science disciplines and a variety of other sciences has continued to yield findings that lend compelling support to the importance of status in human affairs.
Stress-dependent behavior of saturated clay

A program of K0-consolidated undrained triaxial compression tests has been performed to investigate the effects of consolidation stress level on the compression and shear behavior of resedimented B...
Topic sentiment change analysis

Public opinions on a topic may change over time. Topic Sentiment change analysis is a new research problem consisting of two main components: (a) mining opinions on a certain topic, and (b) detect significant changes of sentiment of the opinions on the topic and identify possible reasons causing each such change. In this paper, we discuss topic sentiment change analysis using data on the Web. We adopt probabilistic topic model and language grammar based sentiment analysis techniques, and integrate them together into a topic level sentiment analysis method. This method is capable of analyzing sentiment and identifying sentiment changes of a given topic from a set of documents covering this topic and possibly other topics. In addition, as the contents of relevant topics are differentiated, our method is also able to identify hot events which are possible causes of a sentiment change. Experimental results show that our method is very promising.
Wormhole routing on multichannel ring networks

Distributed computing systems which rely on message passing for communication between computers, require low latency in the communications network in order to be effective. The multichannel ring network was previously proposed as a local area network topology for use in such distributed systems. In this paper we describe how wormhole routing can be used in the multichannel ring to decrease the communication latency of the network. Wormhole routing is first discussed in detail, and then the implementation of this technique is described. >
Subjects of Slavery, Agents of Change: Women and Power in Gothic Novels and Slave Narratives, 1790-1865

Analysing the historical contexts in which female Gothic novels and slave narratives were composed, this text shows that both types of writing expose the sexual politics at the heart of patriarchal culture and represent terrifying aspects of life for women.
Selective depletion of cerebral norepinephrine with 6-hydroxydopamine and GBR-12909 in neonatal rat.

Abstract Specific and extensive neonatal depletions of norepinephrine were produced in 3-day-old rats by combined administration of GBR-12909 (40 mg/kg, i.p.), a specific inhibitor of dopamine uptake, and the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (125 μg, i.c.). Norepinephrine concentrations in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were reduced by more than 95%, and hypothalamic concentrations were reduced by 57%. Concentrations of dopamine, serotonin, and their respective metabolites were not affected in these regions or in the striatum.
Effective Utilization of Industrial Robots—A Job and Skills Analysis Approach

Abstract The comparative abilities and limitations of industrial robots and humans are reviewed. This comparison leads to the development of a robot oriented job and skills analysis method with a two-fold objective: 1) to optimize a robot's task-performance, and 2) to guide the specification of the appropriate robot for given tasks. An example of water pump assembly by a robot is used to illustrate the proposed method and its usefulness.
A quantitative assessment of plasma homocysteine as a risk factor for vascular disease. Probable benefits of increasing folic acid intakes

Objective. —To determine the risk of elevated total homocysteine (tHcy) levels for arteriosclerotic vascular disease, estimate the reduction of tHcy by folic acid, and calculate the potential reduction of coronary artery disease (CAD) mortality by increasing folic acid intake. Data Sources. —MEDLINE search for meta-analysis of 27 studies relating homocysteine to arteriosclerotic vascular disease and 11 studies of folic acid effects on tHcy levels. Study Selection and Data Extraction. —Studies dealing with CAD, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral arterial vascular disease were selected. Three prospective and six population-based case-control studies were considered of high quality. Five cross-sectional and 13 other case-control studies were also included. Causality of tHcy's role in the pathogenesis of vascular disease was inferred because of consistency across studies by different investigators using different methods in different populations. Data Synthesis. —Elevations in tHcy were considered an independent graded risk factor for arteriosclerotic vascular diseases. The odds ratio (OR) for CAD of a 5-μmol/L tHcy increment is 1.6(95% confidence interval [Cl], 1.4 to 1.7) for men and 1.8 (95% Cl, 1.3 to 1.9) for women. A total of 10% of the population's CAD risk appears attributable to tHcy. The OR for cerebrovascular disease (5-μmol/L tHcy increment) is 1.5 (95% Cl, 1.3 to 1.9). Peripheral arterial disease also showed a strong association. Increased folic acid intake (approximately 200 μg/d) reduces tHcy levels by approximately 4 μmol/L. Assuming that lower tHcy levels decrease CAD mortality, we calculated the effect of (1) increased dietary folate, (2) supplementation by tablets, and (3) grain fortification. Under different assumptions, 13 500 to 50 000 CAD deaths annually could be avoided; fortification of food had the largest impact. Conclusions. —A 5-μmol/L tHcy increment elevates CAD risk by as much as cholesterol increases of 0.5 mmol/L (20 mg/dL). Higher folic acid intake by reducing tHcy levels promises to prevent arteriosclerotic vascular disease. Clinical trials are urgently needed. Concerns about masking cobalamin deficiency by folic acid could be lessened by adding 1 mg of cobalamin to folic acid supplements. ( JAMA . 1995;274:1049-1057)
Spur-type instability observed on numerically simulated vortex filaments

An instability observed on vortex filaments during numerical simulations of the three-dimensional, time-dependent dynamics of vortex wakes is studied to determine when and why it occurs. It is concluded that the observed instability is a consequence of the use of straight-line vortex segments of finite length to model continuously curving vortex filaments. The instability appears to occur only when the link length is a sizable fraction of the vortex span and, therefore, is not expected in an experiment. Guidelines are then given that help avoid numerical instabilities when vortex filaments are used in flow simulations.
Measurements of the rotational and vibrational Zeeman effect of methane by magnetic vibrational circular dichroism

A magnetic vibrational circular dichroism (MVCD) study of the two IR allowed transitions of CH 4 and CD 4 is presented. From analysis of the MVCD and absorption spectra of the ν 3 , C-H(D), stretching mode and the ν 4 , C-H(D), deformation mode, respectively, the molecular Zeeman g-values, which include contributions from both molecular rotation and vibration, are found to be+0.29 and+0.44 for CH 4 and +0.17 and +0.20 and for CD 4 . For CH 4 , the ν 3 transition yields a g-value that is the same, within our experimental error (<10%), as the vibrational ground-state g-value. Thus no vibrational Zeeman effect is detectable for this transition
Listening to Inner Speech: Can Students Listen to Themselves Think?

Abstract Ninety students at a state university completed questionnaires about use of inner speech dealing with consequential matters, routine matters, and during study. Items were included about media's role in their study environments. Reliable measures were developed for use of inner speech during routine matters, consequential matters, and during study. Regression results revealed that inner speech for consequential matters explained more of the variance of inner speech during study than inner speech for routine matters and that the reported frequency of study in quiet conditions significantly contributed to the variance of inner speech during study. Analysis of variance results showed that students with higher grade point averages found that quiet interfered less with listening to inner speech than did students with lower grade point averages.
Configuration of the inferior alveolar canal as detected by cone beam computed tomography.

Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate the course of the inferior alveolar canal (IAC) including its frequently seen variations in relation to root apices and the cortices of the mandible at fixed pre-determined anatomic reference points using cone beam volumetric computed tomography (CBVCT). Material and Methods: This retrospective study utilized CBVCT images from 44 patients to obtain quantifiable data to localize the IAC. Measurements to the IAC were made from the buccal and lingual cortical plates (BCP/LCP), inferior border of the mandible and the root apices of the mandibular posterior teeth and canine. Descriptive analysis was used to map out the course of the IAC. Results: IACs were noted to course superiorly toward the root apices from the second molar to the first premolar and closer to the buccal cortical plate anteriorly. The canal was closest to the LCP at the level of the second molar. In 32.95% of the cases, the canal was seen at the level of the canine. Conclusions: This study indicates that caution needs to be exercised during endodontic surgical procedures in the mandible even at the level of the canine. CBVCT seems to provide an optimal, low-dose, 3D imaging modality to help address the complexities in canal configuration.
Estimation for a Population Depleted by Sampling

Arthur F. Burns and Wesley C. Mitchell, Measuring Business Cycles (NBER, 1946), Chapter 4 Geoffrey H. Moore, ed., Business Cycle Indicators (NBER, 1961), Chapters 3, 5, 8, and Appendix A Lorman C. Trueblood, "The Dating of Postwar Business Cycles," Proceedings of the Business and Econonmics Statistics Section of the American Statistical Association, 1961 G. W. Cloos, "How Good are the National Bureau's Reference Dates?," Journal of Business, January 1963; "More on Reference Dates and Leading Indicators," op. cit., July 1963 Victor Zarnowitz, "On the Dating of Business Cycles," Journal of Business, January 1963;. "Cloos on Reference Dates and Leading Indicators: A Comment," op. cit., October 1963 National Bureau of Economic Research, Contribittions to Economic Knowledge through Research, Forty-Seventh Annual Report, June 1967, pp. 62-3, 69-70.
Sensory transduction in the ear.

Auditory sensation begins with the collection of sound energy by the external ear. Sound is carried as a mechanical vibration through the middle ear and into progressively smaller structures in the inner ear, where it finally causes an oscillating force on mechanically sensitive ion channels in hair
Optical sensing of electrochemical reactions on a bio-hybrid nanoparticle

An electron transfer pathway between Cytochrome c (Cyt c) molecules, a 30nm Au nanoparticle and an ITO working electrode in an electrochemical cell is constituted by molecular junctions. The scattering spectrum of single Au nanoparticle is measured simultaneously with the cyclic voltammogram. The plasmon resonance wavelength and the scattering cross section of the single Au nanoparticle are affected by the redox reactions of less than 200 cyt c molecules on its surface and exhibit cyclic variations. The electron shuttling between Cyt c molecules and ITO electrode through the Au nanoparticle in the redox process as well as the conformation change of the Cyt c molecules between ferric and ferrous states are accounted the reasons for the change of the plasmon resonance wavelength and scattering cross section. The presented study of the interaction of biological electron transporter protein and photonic nanostructure provide a nano-scale system to probe the electron transfer events in the biological system. It also has the implicational importance to the development of future hybrid bio-optoelectronic devices.
Long-term survival of patients with resistant lymphoma treated with tandem stem cell transplant

Dose-intensive chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support is commonly used in resistant/refractory cases of Hodgkin's disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of tandem transplantation in these patients. We used non cross-resistant conditioning regimens with thiotepa, mitoxantrone and carboplatin (TMJ) followed by ifosphamide, carboplatin and etoposide (ICE) with autologous stem cell rescue in an attempt to maximize dose intensity and achieve long-term remission. Seventy-six patients were included in this study. Twenty-nine patients with HD and 47 with NHL underwent autologous stem cell transplant using TMJ as the conditioning regimen for the first transplant. Of these, 49 patients proceeded to the second transplant using ICE as the conditioning regimen. In 57 patients, only peripheral blood cells were used and in 11 patients both bone marrow and peripheral stem cells were used. Twelve patients died due to treatment-related toxicity. On an intent to treat basis, 32.14% of patients with HD refractory to initial or subsequent therapy survived long term as opposed to 12.76% of patients with NHL. With a median follow-up of 83 months (range 25 - 110 months), the median disease-free survival of patients with HD was 7 months, as opposed to 2 months for patients with NHL. Multivariate analysis identified that patients with HD had a superior outcome if they were less than 35 years of age and did not have B symptoms. Dose-intensive chemotherapy with tandem transplantation is an option in patients with resistant/refractory lymphoma who have very limited treatment options and poor prognosis.
The yeast global transcriptional co-repressor protein Cyc8 can propagate as a prion

The transcriptional activator SWI was recently shown to propagate as a prion in yeast. Cyc8, a co-repressor that regulates a similar set of genes as SWI, also propagates as a prion, suggesting a link between chromatin remodelling and cytoplasmic inheritance of prion traits.
An evaluation of the carbon-14 beta track technique: Implications for solubilities and partition coefficients determined by beta track mapping

The accuracy and precision of absolute C concentrations measured by beta track autoradiography (BTA) have been evaluated by synthesizing /sup 14/CO/sub 2/-bearing glasses (0.5-2.0 wt.% CO/sub 2/) of albite and diopside composition and comparing the amount of CO/sub 2/ introduced into the glass to the amount measured by BTA. Measured CO/sub 2/ contents in diopside glass are less than loaded CO/sub 2/ contents, but agree with experimental error; measured contents in albite glass are greater than loaded contents by 10-50%, which exceeds experimental error in many cases. Carbon isotope fractionation between calcite and CO/sub 2/ vapor is not significant above 1000/sup 0/C at 0.1 or 3.0 GPa and cannot explain the discrepancies. The discrepancies represent an error in BTA which has not been previously recognized and is apparently related to beta absorption. Based on this study, CO/sub 2/ concentrations in albite measured by BTA should be corrected downward by 40%, which would bring such solubilities into better agreement with those determined by infrared spectroscopy. CO/sub 2/ solubilities in diopside melts measured by BTA are in agreement with phase equilibria and are accurate to within 20%. Partition coefficients measured by BTA may be subject to analytical errors inherent to autoradiography. Lackmore » of awareness of these potential errors casts doubt on the accuracy of these measurements in many cases.« less
Nuclear science and engineering education at a university research reactor

The role of an on-site irradiation facility in nuclear science and engineering education is examined. Using the example of a university research reactor, the use of such devices in laboratory instruction, public outreach programs, special instructional programs, research, etc. is discussed. Examples from the Oregon State University curriculum in nuclear chemistry, nuclear engineering and radiation health are given.
The effect of retirement on alcohol consumption: results from the US Health and Retirement Study.

BACKGROUND: Prior research examining the association between retirement and alcohol consumption is inconsistent with respect to salience, direction and magnitude. Reasonable conceptual arguments for both positive (e.g. coping, introduction of leisure time) and negative (e.g. severance of work-related social relationships) changes further complicate investigations of this critical association, as do differences in study design, national setting and measurement of alcohol use. METHODS: This prospective longitudinal study analyses 2-year wave-pairs drawn from seven waves (14 years) of data from the US Health and Retirement Study to assess the effect of complete retirement on weekly alcohol consumption (n = 9979 observations; 4674 unique participants). We use multiple regression analysis in a two-period follow-up design and account for potential selection bias and reverse causality not addressed in prior research on this topic. RESULTS: We find that retirement is positively associated with subsequent weekly alcohol consumption for men who reported drinking at both follow-up and the prior study wave (β = 1.9, 95% confidence interval = 0.43-3.36). No association was observed among women. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that health care professionals should monitor the drinking habits of retired men, as older individuals are particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of heavy alcohol use. Language: en
Adhesive bonding of various materials to hard tooth tissues. VIII. Nickel and copper ions on hydroxyapatite; role of ion exchange and surface nucleation

Abstract The interaction of synthetic hydroxyapatite with nickelous [Ni(II)] or cupric [Cu(II)] ions from aqueous nitrate solutions was investigated. Nickelous ions exchange with the calcium ions of the adsorbent and follow the Langmuir adsorption isotherm; the saturation amounts of the adsorbate for two apatite samples have approximately the same ratio as their surface areas. With Cu(II), the initial uptake seems to be independent of concentration and almost equal to the saturation amount of nickelous ions for the same apatite sample. Subsequently, the apatite dissolves in concert with the growth of some form of copper phosphate as a separate phase on the apatite surface if an excess of cupric ions is present. This reaction follows a zero order rate law for dilute solutions. A phenomenological theory is developed which explains the various kinetic facets.
Maggie Kuhn: social theorist of radical gerontology

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to explore Maggie Kuhn's theoretical and analytical contributions to social gerontology and more broadly to the advancement of critical and public sociology.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is an theoretical exploration of ageing. Maggie Kuhn's and the Gray Panthers theoretical contributions include analyses of, and related to: identity politics, intersectionality, cultural and media studies and the cognitive sciences, the forces and factors in the developing political economy of ageing including critiques of the ageing enterprise and the medical industrial complex, the sociology of knowledge of gerontology and globalization and world imperialism. The concluding section argues that the post‐retirement career of Maggie Kuhn was one of a Public Sociologist.Findings – Maggie Kuhn fulfils the promise of the Project of Public Sociology, which “is to make visible the invisible, to make the private public, to validate these organic connections as part of our socio...
Exploring sexual dysfunction in the menopausal woman

Understanding what's going on requires a thorough evaluation and candid discussion, with attention to such factors as comorbid illnesses, current medications, psychological disorders, and partner or family dynamics.
Evaluating and Approaching a Strange Animal: Children's Trust in Informant Testimony

This study examined 3- to 7-year-old children's reliance on informant testimony to learn about a novel animal. Sixty participants were given positive or negative information about an Australian marsupial from an informant described as a maternal figure or a zookeeper. Children were asked which informant was correct and were invited to touch the animal, which was a stuffed toy hidden in a crate. Overall, younger children endorsed the zookeeper's testimony about the animal, but touched the animal more readily when the maternal figure provided positive information. Older children endorsed the informant who provided positive information, but showed some sensitivity to zookeeper expertise. Age differences were obtained in the association between participant characteristics and informant selection and animal approach behavior.
Coal feed flexibility in the Exxon Donor Solvent coal liquefaction process

Abstract The Exxon Donor Solvent (EDS) Process has been successfully employed to liquefy coals of varying rank. Bituminous, subbituminous and lignitic coals have been processed in the continuous, integrated 40 kg day −1 Recycle Coal Liquefaction Units and 1 t day −1 Coal Liquefaction Pilot plant located at Baytown, Texas. Recent operations show that significant improvements in total liquid yield, as well as additional flexibility in product distribution, can be achieved with recycle of liquefaction bottoms. The impact of the type of coal and mode of operation on product yield and distribution as well as pilot unit operability are discussed. Specific changes in process configuration have been explored and are desirable for different coals and can be used to produce a variety of products. The implication of these recent results on defining the coal liquefaction reaction paths is discussed.
Insights From the Early Experience of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry

The current system for postmarket surveillance of medical devices in the United States is limited. To help change this paradigm for transcatheter valve therapies (TVTs), starting with transcatheter aortic valve replacement, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the American College of Cardiology partnered to form the TVT Registry program in close collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The goal of the TVT Registry is to measure and improve quality of care and patient outcomes in clinical practice and to have a pivotal role in the scientific evidence and surveillance for medical devices. Challenges were faced in the early experience of the registry included developing multistakeholder partnerships, data collection requirements, and the use of the registry for pre- and post-market device evaluations. In addressing these challenges, the TVT Registry demonstrates that it is feasible for professional societies to assume a pivotal role in pre- and/or post-market studies, leveraging a clinical registry infrastructure. Sharing the TVT Registry experience may help other professional societies and stakeholders better anticipate and plan for these challenges.
Quantum mechanical reactive scattering via exchange kernels: comparison of grid versus basis set expansion of the exchange interaction

Abstract In the approach to quantum mechanical reactive scattering that we have been pursuing in an earlier paper, the reactive coupling has been described by a non-local exchange interaction in a coupled-channel Schrodinger equation. The results of systematic studies undertaken to identify the most efficient way to include the exchange interaction to infinite order, i.e. exactly, are reported. We find that the grid method used previously by Dardi et al. can be made much more efficient by using gaussian quadrature grids, but that still more efficient is an expansion of the exchange operator in a set of smooth basis functions via the “inner projection” approach of Adams and Miller. Test problems studied are the collinear H + D 2 , D + H 2 , and F + H 2 reactions.
TRANSDUCER EFFECTS IN ULTRASONIC MEASUREMENTS OF MATERIAL STIFFNESS

To acquire quantitative material stiffnesses from the highly dispersive flexural plate mode, it is extremely important to accurately measure both velocity and frequency. Since the frequency content of the signal is highly dependent on the response of the transducer, one cannot simply assume that the frequency of the electrical input drive pulse is the same as the frequency of the transmitted and received signals. As has been shown, making this assumption can result in significant errors in the stiffness. A simple method to estimate the actual frequency content of the received signal from an inversion of the period was demonstrated. By using this method, the stiffness results have been shown to be very accurate as well as independent of the type of transducer used.
`DNA snapback' peptides

Abstract Thermal denaturation studies show that 10-15% of the calf thymus DNA in the heat denatured (Tyr-Gly-Tyr-Gly-Tyr)-DNA complex renatures spontaneously after colling. The double-strandness of this DNA was verified by its resistance to single-strand Neurospora endonuclease and by its elution profile on hydroxypatite columns. The renatured DNA isolated by the latter technique was found to contain 56% GC compared to the 41% GC content of the whole thymus DNA. Alternating tryptophanyl-glycyl and histidyl-glycyl peptides also catalyze the same renaturation. A linear correlation was found between the thermal stabilization afforded to the DNA by the various peptides and their ability to “catalyze” DNA strand renaturation.
Evidence that luteinizing hormone suppression in response to inhibitory neuropeptides, beta-endorphin, interleukin-1 beta, and neuropeptide-K, may involve excitatory amino acids.

A large body of recent evidence suggests that a number of inhibitory and excitatory neuropeptides and amino acids may participate in the episodic secretion of hypothalamic LHRH and pituitary LH in castrated rats. However, the precise functional relationships among these messenger molecules in the control of LH secretion remain to be ascertained. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that inhibition of LH release by an opioid [beta-endorphin (beta END)], cytokine [interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta)], or tachykinin [neuropeptide-K (NPK)] is a result of diminished excitatory amino acid (EAA) signaling. Adult male rats were castrated and received an intracerebroventricular cannula in the third ventricle for administration of beta END (10 micrograms/rat), NPK (2.5 nmol/rat), or IL-1 beta (100 ng/rat) 2 weeks postcastration. One day before the experiments, rats received an intraatrial cannula for frequent blood sampling and for iv injection of the glutamate receptor agonist N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA; 5 ...
Properties of a measles virus neuropathic for rhesus monkeys.

A highly hamster brain adapted strain of measles virus, capable of producing encephalitis in monkeys, inoculated into Vero cell cultures replicated in a suppressed growth cycle. No virus was released into the medium and the infected cells lacked specific virus determinants for hemadsorption. A complete replicative cycle was achieved after six subcultures of Vero cells and was accompanied by a partial drop in neurovirulence. However, hamster neuropathogenicity persisted throughout 26 Vero passages and was markedly higher than in non-brain passaged strains. High neurovirulence was associated with pronounced giant cell cytopathic effect and thermolability. On continuous passage these three properties dissociated at different rates indicating that they are independent properties of measles virus. The importance of their coincidence for the initiation of an encephalitic process in the brain of primates is stressed.
Exclusion of rare taxa affects performance of the O/E index in bioassessments

AbstractThe contribution of rare taxa to bioassessments based on multispecies assemblages is the subject of continued debate. As a result, users of predictive models such as River InVertebrate Prediction and Classification System (RIVPACS) disagree on whether to exclude locally rare taxa from the O/E index, where O is the number of taxa observed in a sampled assemblage, and E is the number that would be expected if the site were in a minimally disturbed reference condition. We assessed how the bioassessment performance of O/E was affected by the exclusion of taxa with site-specific, model-predicted occurrence probabilities that did not exceed thresholds of PT = 0+, 0.1, 0.2, … , 0.7. We assessed O/E performance for each of 10 predictive models applied to a total of 5685 stream and lake samples from throughout the contiguous USA. For 5 of the 10 cases, the standard deviation (SD) of O/E across reference sites was reduced by at least 0.02 O/E units when locally rare and uncommon taxa were excluded (PT = 0.5...
Tracking the Filibuster, 1917 to 1996:

Scholars and observers of the U.S. Senate have noted an appreciable rise in the use of the filibuster over the course of the 20th century. Although numerous explanations have been offered, alternative accounts have never been pitted against each other in a multivariate fashion. In this article, we survey and test these multiple accounts, using data on filibusters launched between 1917 and 1996. Our findings suggest that the incentive to filibuster is predictably shaped by both partisan preferences and institutional opportunity, findings that hold even before the marked rise in partisanship evident at late century.
Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization Detector with High Efficiency, Broad Bandwidth, and Highly Symmetric Coupling to Transition Edge Sensor Bolometers

We describe a prototype detector system designed for precise measurements of Cosmic Microwave Background polarization. The design combines a quasi-optical polarization modulator, a metal feedhorn, a superconducting planar microwave circuit, and a pair of transition-edge sensor (TES) bolometers operating at <100 mK. The circular feedhorn produces highly symmetric beams with very low cross-polarization. The planar circuit preserves symmetry in coupling to bolometers measuring orthogonal polarizations. We implement the circuit with superconducting niobium transmission lines. Three-dimensional interfaces between the planar circuit and waveguides leading to feedhorn and backshort have been carefully designed with electromagnetic simulations. Power is thermalized in resistors and conducted to bolometers via normal electrons. Our system is designed for a 29–43 GHz signal band. We have tested individual circuit elements in this frequency range. Fabrication of a full single-pixel system is underway.
Four-dimensional coded optical OFDM for ultra-high-speed metro networks

As response to continuously increasing demands on transmission capacity, we describe a four-dimensional (4D) coded multicarrier/OFDM schemes suitable for metro and long-haul optical networks, which are capable to fully exploit advantages of both multicarrier/OFDM and multidimensional systems. Two multidimensional coded modulation schemes are presented in this invited paper: (i) 4D multicarrier system in which the 4D signal constellation points are imposed on orthogonal subcarriers and (ii) N-dimensional OFDM scheme. In N-dimensional OFDM, the signal constellation points are represented in matrix form by placing coordinates of signal constellation points along columns of signal matrix. We further apply 2D inverse FFT to obtain 2D array of complex numbers. Coordinates of complex numbers can be considered as I and Q channels, while coordinates of 2D array can be mapped to two orthogonal polarizations; resulting in 4D signal space. On receiver side, we use conventional polarization-diversity receiver, followed by 2D-FFT demapper. Therefore, these schemes can fully exploit advantages of OFDM, to deal with chromatic dispersion, PMD and PDL effects; and multidimensional signal constellations to improve dramatically OSNR sensitivity of conventional optical OFDM systems.
Phosphate glass detectors with high sensitivity to nuclear particles

Abstract Until now, the most sensitive glass for recording and identifying nuclear particle tracks has been VG-13, a phosphate glass that is not produced in the USA because it contains uranium. In a search for a replacement for VG-13, we have studied about 150 phosphate glasses, as well as a few other types. We summarize here the results of that study. We have developed a new glass, BP-1, composed of 65 wt.% P2O5, 25 wt.% BaO, 5 wt.% Na2O, and 5 wt.% SiO2, which has several advantages over VG-13: it contains no uranium, it is colorless and transparent, and it is more sensitive to ionizing particles.
Task-oriented representation of asynchronous user interfaces

A simple, task-oriented notation for describing user actions in asynchronous user interfaces is introduced. This User Action Notation (UAN) allows the easy association of actions with feedback and system state changes as part of a set of asynchronous interface design techniques, by avoiding the verbosity and potential vagueness of prose. Use within an actual design and implementation project showed the UAN to be expressive, concise, and highly readable because of its simplicity. The task- and user-oriented techniques are naturally asynchronous and a good match for object-oriented implementation. Levels of abstraction are readily applied to allow definition of primitive tasks for sharing and reusability and to allow hiding of details for chunking. The UAN provides a critical articulation point, bridging the gap between the task viewpoint of the behavioral domain and the event-driven nature of the object-oriented implementational domain. The potential for UAN task description analysis may address some of the difficulties in developing asynchronous interfaces.
Characterization of the periplasmic heme-binding protein ShuT from the heme uptake system of Shigella dysenteriae

The heme uptake systems by which bacterial pathogens acquire and utilize heme have recently been described. Such systems may utilize heme directly from the host's hemeproteins or via a hemophore that sequesters and transports heme to an outer membrane receptor and subsequently to the translocating proteins by which heme is further transported into the cell. However, little is known of the heme binding and release mechanisms that facilitate the uptake of heme into the pathogenic organism. As a first step toward elucidating the molecular level events that drive heme binding and release, we have undertaken a spectroscopic and mutational study of the first purified periplasmic heme-binding protein (PBP), ShuT from Shigella dysenteriae. On the basis of sequence identity, the ShuT protein is most closely related to the class of PBPs typified by the vitamin B(12) (BtuF) and iron-hydroxamate (FhuD) PBPs and is a monomeric protein having a molecular mass of 28.5 kDa following proteolytic processing of the periplasmic signaling peptide. ShuT binds one b-type heme per monomer with high affinity and bears no significant homology with other known heme proteins. The resonance Raman, MCD, and UV-visible spectra of WT heme-ShuT are consistent with a five-coordinate high spin heme having an anionic O-bound proximal ligand. Site-directed ShuT mutants of the absolutely conserved Tyr residues, Tyr-94 (Y94A) and Tyr-228 (Y228F), which are found in all putative periplasmic heme-binding proteins, were subjected to UV-visible, resonance Raman, and MCD spectroscopic investigations of heme coordination environment and rates of heme release. The results of these experiments confirmed Tyr-94 as the only axial heme ligand and Tyr-228 as making a significant contribution to the stability of heme-loaded ShuT, albeit without directly interacting with the heme iron.
Accidental exposure to oral rabies vaccine

Background. To combat raccoon rabies, various government agencies have implemented a plan to distribute oral rabies vaccine (ORV) in wooded areas. The bait blocks containing ORV are available for its intended population but also for humans and domestic animals. Methods. A regional poison information center (RPIC) identified all exposures to ORV from 2002–2004 reported to the center. Results. Twenty-two accidental exposures to the ORV were reported. Eight (36%) of the exposures were human and 14 (64%) were domestic animals. The animal exposures were oral while the human contaminations were oral (), dermal (), inhalation (), and ocular (). Eight of the cases involved multiple victims. No symptoms were reported in the humans or canines although the feline died (unsubstantiated if related). Treatment consisted of irrigation/dilution and in one instance emesis was induced. Conclusion. In this case series, accidental exposure to ORV posed no hazard to domestic animals or humans.
A male-specific effect of dominant-negative Fos.

The transcription factor Fos contains a basic DNA binding domain combined with a leucine zipper (bZip). Expression of a truncated form of Fos in Drosophila that contains only the bZip region (Fos bZip) elicits phenotypes resembling fos mutations. These effects presumably derive from competition between wild-type and truncated forms for dimerization partners, with the truncation acting in a dominant-negative manner. We found that expression of Fos bZip elicits male-specific phenotypes. Moreover, genetic interactions occur between Fos bZip and mutations in loci encoding the X chromosome dosage compensation complex. Fos bZip effects are correlated with aberrant male X chromosome structure and depressed signaling through the X-linked Notch locus. Unexpectedly, the male-specific effects are not reproduced with Fos RNAi, suggesting that Fos bZip can be neomorphic in nature. These results provide insight into how mutations in bZip proteins can exhibit gain of function activity. Developmental Dynamics 237:3361–3372, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The genetics of panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder

AbstractGenetic studies contribute to psychiatric research in two important ways. They provide information about diagnosis and classification of illness and identification of illnesses that may have a biological basis. Genetic research in psychiatry has traditionally taken an epidemiological approach because disease mechanisms at a molecular level continue to be poorly understood and few biological markers are available. Family studies have reported data on the rates of anxiety disorders in family members as well as on the patterns of transmission. Twin studies have helped determine the extent to which the familial clustering is genetic. Transmission models have been employed to investigate the genetic mechanisms underlying the familial transmission of panic disorder. Recently, with the rapid evolution in molecular genetics, linkage studies have been used as well. Panic disorder has been viewed as a biological, hence genetic disorder whereas generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has been seen as a stress-rel...
GABA and specific GABA binding sites in brain nuclei associated with vagal outflow

Abstract GABA levels and specific (3H) GABA binding were determined in several nuclei of cat brain. Since previous pharmacological studies (DiMicco et al. [3]) suggested that nucleus ambiguus (NA) may be the site of a GABA-receptor mediated inhibition of vagal outflow to the heart, we were interested in comparing the GABA content and density of (3H) GABA binding in NA with that of other nuclei known to contain GABAergic synapses. The GABA content of NA was 21.2 ± 2.4 nmol/mg protein, similar to that found in the caudate nucleus (28.4 ± 2.9 nmol/mg protein) and 2.5 fold higher than the GABA content of the surrounding reticular nuclei. In frozen-thawed and Triton X-100 treated membranes prepared from NA, specific GABA binding was 98 ± 28 fmol/mg protein when measured using 30 nM (3H) GABA. This was more than 3 fold higher than binding obtained in surrounding reticular tissue and approximately half the value obtained in substantia nigra. GABA content of paired right and left NA was nearly equal; however specific GABA binding of paired right and left NA differed markedly, with the right NA usually exhibiting greater specific binding than the left NA. Retrograde degeneration of vagal fibers of NA by intracranial sectioning of the right vagal trunk decreased the asymmetry in GABA binding of paired right and left NA. Asymmetry was also noted in the percent of the reflex-induced bradycardic response mediated by each vagus nerve. These results suggest that GABAergic synapses may be present in NA, and that some of the postsynaptic receptors for GABA may be associated with vagal efferents. The bilateral asymmetry in the physiological reflex-induced response coupled with the bilateral asymmetry in GABA binding in NA suggests that the degree of vagal activity emanating from NA may be determined by the density of GABA receptors.
Base-induced fragmentations of 1,2,4-oxadiazolin-5-ones and their N-alkyl salts

Abstract Titration with triethylamine suffices to cleave the previously unknown title compounds ( 2 and 3 ) to cyanamides and carbodiimides, respectively.
Musical Meaning in the Lives of Those Affected by the Holocaust: Implications for Music Education

This qualitative study investigated the role of music in the lives of those affected by the Holocaust. Participants were identified through purposeful and snowball sampling techniques, and a total ...
An electrostriction problem for the notched half-plane

Stress and displacement fields which arise from the electrostrictive effect are obtained for a notched elastic dielectric half-plane containing a line charge located at an arbitrary point. A limiting geometry is representative of a surface crack, and the nature of the stress-singularity at this crack tip is considered in detail.