cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Conversation with Tibetans? Reconsidering the Relationship between Religious Beliefs and Secular Legal Discourse

Over cups of chai, a conversation between U.S. law professors and Tibetan exiles about the formation of a new democratic Tibetan government under the Dalai Lama goes awry. This article investigates why the misunderstandings occurred by presenting the context of the Tibetan and U. S. concepts of sacredness and secularity. The former Tibetan government and legal system are explained in some derail as well as the Tibetan wiew of the sacred and secular spheres in society. The deistic origins of the U.S. Constitution and the pervasive religious cosmology of the Framers are then described. These two similar positions are contrasted with the current modern and postmodern positions of an all-encompassing secular sphere that defines and contains religion. The author argues that “sacred” and “secular” have changed positions, with secularity now having an unmarked positive value and being viewed by U.S. law professors as a necessity for a democratic political and legal system. As the conversation with the Tibetans demonstrates, the richness and power of an integrated sacred perspective is difficult to comprehend from a hegemonic secular public space. Reformulating this “inarticulate debate” will be necessary for a coherent conversation to take place.
The Comparison of Measures Of Organization Structure

The low convergence between survey and institutional measures of organization structure reported in three recent studies challenges assumptions about the interchangeability of these two approaches. Current formulations of convergence appear to be too broad, and this inadequacy has contributed to the low convergence observed in these studies. Several issues are relevant to expectations of congruence between alternative measures of organization structure: the focus (organization, role, or job); the technique (survey or institutional); and the data source. Convergence cannot be expected between measures that focus on different referents or that apply at different levels of analysis.
Photophysical behaviors of N-methylthioacridone triplet and efficiency of singlet oxygen generation from its quenching by oxygen

Abstract Kinetic and absorption-spectral behaviors of N-methylthioacridone triplet suggest its utility as a reference and a sensitizer under photoexcitation in the visible. The efficiency of singlet oxygen production as a result of triplet quenching by oxygen is essentially unity in polar and non-polar solvents.
Analysis of Eimeria acervulina-induced changes in the intestinal T lymphocyte subpopulations in two chicken strains showing different levels of susceptibility to coccidiosis

Abstract The major T lymphocyte subpopulations expressing CD8, CD4, or antigen-specific T cell receptor ( TCR ) heterodimer αβ (TCR2) or γδ ( TCR 1) were assessed in duodenum intraepithelium of two inbred chicken strains, SC and TK , by single- and double-label immunofluorescence ( IF ) at various times after oral inoculation with Eimeria acervulina. The duodenum intraepithelial T lymphocytes ( IEL ) expressing the CD8 antigen (cytotoxic/suppressor T cells) increased in the SC and TK chickens following primary infection. However, a significant increase in the duodenum CD8+ IEL occurred in the SC chickens which manifested as a lower level of oocyst production compared to the TK chickens following primary and challenge infections. The CD4+ (T helper) cells increased seven days after primary infection in SC and TK chickens, and in TK chickens seven days after challenge infection. Two colour immunofluorescence analysis of duodenum IEL at 10 days after challenge infection revealed that the majority of CD8+ IEL expressed the TCR 2 antigen. Furthermore, the SC chickens showed increased TCR 2+CD8+ cells shortly following challenge with E acervulina. These results suggest that variations in T cell subpopulations may reflect eimerian infection-related changes in the gut-associated lymphoid tissues and that a significant increase in CD8+ IEL in SC chickens may reflect enhanced acquired immune status in SC chickens compared to TK chickens.
Resin blending for toughness in balloon films

The influence of chain architecture on toughness is examined by testing blends of HDPE with different types of low density PEs. The LDPE and LLDPE used have reported similar molecular weights, and densities. Two structural factors differentiate these polymers, long chain branching is peculiar to LDPE, and the short chain branching distribution of the two polymers are different. LDPE has branches which are evenly distributed among all chains. In contrast, the short chain branches in LLDPE are distributed heterogeneously. LLDPE and ULDPE have similar branch distributions but, ULDPE has a higher average number of branches per 1000 carbons and consequently a lower density. The effect which these structural differences have on mechanical properties can be used to investigate which parameters control toughness in PE materials.
Validation of Increased Blood Storage Times with the T-SPOT.TB Assay with T-Cell Xtend Reagent in Individuals with Different Tuberculosis Risk Factors

We compared the performance of the T-SPOT.TB assay with blood used within 0 to 3.5 h after collection (control) to its performance with blood stored for 0 to 3.5, 5 to 8, 18 to 21, or 31 to 33 h with the addition of T-Cell Xtend (experimental), using samples from 154 participants. The 95.4% concordance between paired specimens indicated that blood can be stored for up to 33 h prior to T-SPOT.TB testing.
Circulating calcitonin in lactating women

As part of an initial study we have attempted to ascertain whether lactating women exhibit high, clearly measurable levels of immunoreactive calcitonin (CT). Plasma levels of CT were measured in women who had been lactating for either a short time ( 200 pg/ml) while, in contrast, CT levels were undetectable (< 60 pg/ml) in all of 16 nonlactating control subjects. In all six of the women studied who had been lactating for a long time, measurable levels of CT were observed, although provocative testing of women with measurable plasma CT using iv pentagastrin and calcium did not show a consistent pattern of CT secretory response. Thus, out of the total of 24 lactating women studied, one third were found to have measurabJe plasma levels of CT. The findings agree with studies in experimental animals which have indicated hypercalcitoninemia during lactation, but the factors responsible for the elevated CT levels during lactation remain to be elucidated.
Estradiol Facilitates Kainic Acid—Induced, but not Flurothyl-Induced, Behavioral Seizure Activity in Adult Female Rats

Summary: Purpose: This study was designed to determine whether previously demonstrated increases in hippocampal axospinous synapse density and NMDA receptor function induced by estradiol are paralleled by increased susceptibility to limbic (kainic acid induced) or generalized (flurothyl induced) behavioral seizures. Methods: Kainic acid was injected systemically to ovariectomized adult female rats treated with either estradiol or oil vehicle. The latencies to each of five stages of seizure-related behaviors (staring, wet-dog shakes, head waving and chewing, forelimb clonus, rearing, and falling) were recorded for each animal. Flurothyl was administered by inhalation to ovariectomized adult female rats treated with estradiol alone, estradiol followed by short-term progesterone, or oil vehicle. The latencies to each of three stages of seizure-related behaviors (first myoclonic jerk, forelimb clonus, wild running and bouncing) were recorded for each animal. Results: Estradiol treatment decreased the latency to seizure-related behaviors induced by kainic acid, but neither estradiol alone nor estradiol followed by progesterone had any effect on flurothyl-induced seizure-related behaviors. Conclusions: The same estradiol treatment paradigm known to induce structural and functional changes in the excitatory circuitry of the hippocampus facilitates the progression of kainic acid-induced seizures, which are known to involve the hippocampus, but has no effect on flurothyl-induced seizures. The lack of an effect of estradiol alone or estradiol followed by progesterone on flurothyl-induced seizures indicates that estradiol's effects on seizure susceptibility do not result from increased neuronal excitability throughout the brain, but rather involve action within the limbic system. The data suggest that structural and functional changes in hippocampal circuitry induced by estradiol may contribute to increased susceptibility to limbic seizure activity.
A preliminary study of poly(p-phenylene) based nonlinear optical materials

This paper describes preliminary work exploring the feasibility of preparing high-performance nonlinear optical (NLO) materials based on the poly(p-phenylene (PPP) backbone. Three new monomer/NLO-phores of the general formula : 4-RSO 2 C 6 H 4 C ? C(4-XC 6 H 4 ) (where R = 2,5-dichlorophenyl ; 2a, X = H ; 2b, X = OCH 3 ; 2c, X = N(CH 3 ) 2 ) were synthesized and then homopolymerized using catalytic nickel and stoichiometric zinc to produce the poly(p-phenylenes), 3a-c, respectively, as low-molecular-weight materials (number-average molecular weight M n = 1800 - 6000). NLO-phores 2b-c and low-molecular-weight oligomers of 3c were dispersed in a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) host. Spin-cast films of these guest-host systems were subjected to corona poling above the glass transition temperature T g . Following poling, both monomer NLO-phore/PMMA guest-host systems displayed optical nonlinearity with second-order nonlinear optical susceptibility χ (2) values of 1.7 pm/V and 0.9 pm/V for 2c and 2b, respectively. Both systems exhibited good temporal stability at room temperature, with about 12% loss in second harmonic signal over more than 100 h. However, the oligomeric material 3c dispersed in PMMA showed a smaller NLO signal when poled above T g . Attempts to induce dipolar asymmetry in the homopolymers 3b and 3c were unsuccessful. The observed response during poling and the relaxation of the chromophore orientation following poling, have been discussed in terms of structure and composition of these systems.
Peak Decomposition using Pearson Type VII Function

An X-ray diffraction peak-decomposition procedure using a Pearson type VII function is described and implemented in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to aid a beginning student of X-ray diffraction.
Identification and assessment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the elderly.

The early stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are silent. This seemingly elusive presentation occurs for many reasons. COPD, which includes the common diagnoses of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is an indolent process that develops over decades. Fully developed lungs have a tremendous reserve that is not called on during routine daily activities or even with mild exertion. Because the airway obstruction occurs slowly, individuals with early COPD tend to gradually modify their daily lifestyle, decreasing the intensity of their activities to the degree that less lung capacity is needed to routinely function “asymptomatically.” These gradual changes could be even more difficult to perceive in the long-term care environment as a result of the patient’s baseline condition and comorbidities that affect their level of activity. Patients and healthcare providers often do not realize that these modifications have been made because the changes are made over years. Accordingly, a “baseline” for each older patient must be established on an individualized scale. Examining the etiology of COPD can aid in the recognition and differential diagnosis of this disease. More than 90% of COPD is caused by tobacco smoke, with the remainder being attributable to genetic abnormality (ie, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency), a history of repeated pulmonary infections and subsequent damage to the lungs, occupational or environmental causes. Individuals who smoke tend to ignore early signs (cough, mucus production, and wheeze) that can warn them of the potential development of COPD. They attribute these symptoms to the habit, accepting that their bothersome cough and clearing of the throat are “part of smoking.” They often do not appreciate that permanent lung damage and chronic airway obstruction can occur. Additionally, the best test to detect COPD during its early silent period, spirometry, is not being used to its full potential in the primary care and long-term care settings. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a major medical and economic problem in the United States. It is the fourth leading cause of death and the only one in the top five that continues to rise (183% in 1965–2000), whereas the other major causes of mortality continue to fall (heart disease, cancer, stroke). COPD accounts for more than 119,000 deaths annually, and the death rate in women with COPD surpassed that in men for the first time in 2000. The death rate has increased threefold more in women than in men since
Stretch-induced wrinkling of polyethylene thin sheets: Experiments and modeling

This paper presents a study on stretch-induced wrinkling of thin polyethylene sheets when subjected to uniaxial stretch with two clamped ends. Three-dimensional digital image correlation was used to measure the wrinkling deformation. It was observed that the wrinkle amplitude increased as the nominal strain increased up to around 10%, but then decreased at larger strain levels. This behavior is consistent with results of finite element simulations for a hyperelastic thin sheet reported previously (Nayyar et al., 2011). However, wrinkles in the polyethylene sheet were not fully flattened out at large strains (>30%) as predicted for the hyperelastic sheet, but exhibited a residual wrinkle whose amplitude depended on the loading rate. This is attributed to the viscoelastic response of the material. Two different viscoelastic models were adopted in finite element simulations to study the effects of viscoelasticity on wrinkling and to improve the agreement with the experiments, including residual wrinkles and rate dependence. It is found that a parallel network model of nonlinear viscoelasticity is suitable for simulating the constitutive behavior and stretch-induced wrinkling of the polyethylene sheets.
Sex frequency and sex planning among men who have sex with men in Bangkok, Thailand: implications for pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis against HIV infection

Background: Daily HIV antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is being evaluated in clinical trials among men who have sex with men (MSM). However, daily PrEP may not be congruent with sexual exposure profiles of MSM. Here, we investigate sex frequency and sex planning to identify and inform appropriate PrEP strategies for MSM. Methods: We evaluated sex frequency and sex planning in a cohort of HIV-negative MSM in Bangkok, Thailand. Chisquared test was used to compare reports of sex on different weekdays; logistic regression was used to identify predictors of sex frequency and sex planning. Results: Of 823 MSM (with a mean age of 28.3 years), 86% reported having sex on two days per week or less, and 65% reported their last sex to have been planned. Sex on the weekend (~30%) was more often reported than sex on weekdays (~23%). In multivariate analysis, use of alcohol, erectile dysfunction drugs, group sex, sex with a foreigner, buying and selling sex, and a history of HIV testing were associated with having sex on three days or more per week. Being aged 22 to 29 years, not identifying as homosexual, having receptive anal intercourse, and not engaging in group sex were associated with unplanned sex. Conclusions: Intermittently dosed PrEP (as opposed to daily) may be a feasible HIV prevention strategy and should be considered for evaluation in clinical trials. Risk factors for sex frequency and sex planning may help to identify those in need for daily PrEP and those who may not be able to take a timely pre-exposure dose.
Down‐regulation of retinoic acid receptor activity associated with decreased α and γ isoforms expression in F9 embryonal carcinoma cells differentiated by retinoic acid

F9 embryonal carcinoma cells differentiate in response to retinoic acid (RA). To investigate the regulation of RA receptors (RARs) expression during this process, cDNA probes specific for the major RAR isoforms were used. In contrast to the level of RAR beta 2 mRNA which was high in cells treated 5 days with RA and below detection in untreated cells, as previously described, the steady state levels of RAR alpha 1, alpha 2, gamma 1, and gamma 2 mRNAs were markedly decreased in the RA-differentiated cells as compared to untreated cells. The down-regulation of the RA-responsive system in differentiated cells was also evident in gel shift assays as a marked decrease in binding capacity to a retinoid acid response element (beta 2RARE), as well as in chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) assays as a sixfold decrease in RA-mediated transacting activity via this element. The down-regulation of RAR DNA-binding and transacting activity coincided with the burst in tissue plasminogen activator secretion and thus, occurred at the hinge between early and late differentiation. The down-regulation of RA responsiveness may constitute an important event in the transition between early and late differentiation stage in F9 cells.
Design of Dipole Magnet with Circular Iron Shield

Complex variable function theory is used to formulate the magnetostatic problem of a rectangular current block of uniform current density located within a circular region bounded by infinite permeability iron. The magnetic field from the superposition of several blocks arranged to exhibit dipole symmetry is calculated using a generalization of Cauchy's integral formula. Subsequent multipole expansion yields expressions for the multipole coefficients which through the use of variable metric minimization permits block arrangements to be found for rather pure dipole fields. Application is made to superconducting dipoles for both a pancake arrangement and a shell arrangement of the individual blocks.
Five-year mortality and coronary heart disease development after normal coronary angiogram

BACKGROUND: Previous studies depict low cardiac event and mortality rates in patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries. These studies, however, are limited by small sample sizes, short follow-up intervals, and selection biases. This study was undertaken to determine the natural five-year course of a diverse cohort of subjects with documented normal coronary arteries with respect to coronary heart disease development, revascularization need, and all-cause mortality. METHODS: Consecutive adult patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries were followed up for 5 years through medical record review. Patients with any degree of angiographic abnormality, including minimal luminal irregularity or non-critical stenosis, were excluded. Patients were not excluded based on age, co-morbidities (except cardiac transplant and structural heart disease), indication for angiogram, or initial hospitalization status. RESULTS: Normal coronary arteries were found in 182 (31.3%) of 582 patients; 129 met all inclusion criteria. The mean age was (49.1±12.5) years; 47 (36.7%) were male and 75 (58.1%) were caucasian. The most common indication for angiography was cumulative risk factors (60.5%). Within 5 years of a normal angiogram, 13 of 129 patients died (10.1%; 95 CI 5.7%-16.9%). Six (40%; 95 CI 19.8% to 64.3%) of 15 patients undergoing repeat angiogram within five years developed new coronary heart disease, with one requiring revascularization. Of traditional risk factors of coronary heart disease, only diabetes was associated with a higher risk of death. CONCLUSION: The natural fi ve-year course of a diverse cohort of patients with documented normal coronary arteries suggests that there is signifi cant risk for death and development of coronary heart disease.
Krinovite, NaMg2CrSi3O10: A New Meteorite Mineral

An unusual new silicate, krinovite, has been discovered within graphite nodules in three iron meteorites. Its ratio of silicon to oxygen of 3 : 10 suggests a rare kind of silicate polymerization. The meteorite nodules in which it occurs exhibit a chemical fractionation that differs from that of both stone meteorites and terrestrial basalt.
Palladium-catalyzed amination reactions in flow: overcoming the challenges of clogging via acoustic irradiation

A continuous-flow palladium-catalyzed amination reaction was made possible through efficient handling of solids via acoustic irradiation. Various diarylamines were obtained with reaction times ranging from 20 s to 10 min.
Second Positive Phototropism Results from Coordinated Co-Action of the Phototropins and Cryptochromes

Phototropism and hypocotyl growth inhibition are modulated by the coaction of different blue-light photoreceptors and their signaling pathways. How seedlings integrate the activities of the different blue-light photoreceptors to coordinate these hypocotyl growth responses is still unclear. We have used time-lapse imaging and a nontraditional mathematical approach to conduct a detailed examination of phototropism in wild-type Arabidopsis and various blue-light photoreceptor mutants. Our results indicate that high fluence rates of blue light (100 μmol m – 2 s – 1 ) attenuate phototropism through the coaction of the phototropin and cryptochrome blue-light photoreceptors. In contrast, we also demonstrate that phototropins and cryptochromes function together to enhance phototropism under low fluence rates ( – 2 s – 1 ) of blue light. Based on our results, we hypothesize that phototropins and cryptochromes regulate phototropism by coordinating the balance between stimulation and inhibition of growth of the hypocotyl depending on the fluence rate of blue light.
Alternative Software Stacks for OGSA-based Grids

The Open Grid Services Architecture (OGSA) has been a major step forward for Grid Computing, but its de facto reliance on the Web Services Resource Framework (WSRF) and WS-Notification have left some in the community questioning if the Grid software and protocols have become too complex. In this paper, we consider the feasibility of an "alternative" software stack, based on WS-Transfer and WS-Eventing. We compare and evaluate WSRF/WS-Notification vs. WS-Transfer/WSEventing, first via a "hello world" service and then via a more complete Grid scenario for remote execution called "Grid-in-a-Box". By qualitatively and quantitatively evaluating each approach, we find that while subtle differences exist (e.g., the naming of resources, the creation of resources), the stacks are overwhelmingly equivalent in their functionality and implied performance. Overall, this paper uniquely shows that there could be alternative software stacks for OGSA-based Grids.
The dose, temperature, and projectile-mass dependence for irradiation-induced amorphization of CuTi

CuTi was irradiated with 1-MeV Ne{sup +}, Kr{sup +}, and Xe{sup +} in the temperature range from 150 to 563 K. The volume fraction of the amorphous phase produced during room temperature irradiation with Ne{sup +} and Kr{sup +} ions was determined as a function of ion dose from measurements of the integrated intensity of the diffuse ring in electron diffraction patterns. The results, analyzed by Gibbons' model, indicate that direct amorphization occurs along a single ion track with Kr{sup +}, but the overlapping of three ion tracks is necessary for amorphization with Ne{sup +}. The critical temperature for amorphization increases with increasing projectile mass from electron to Ne{sup +} to Kr{sup +}. However, the critical temperatures for Kr{sup +} and Xe{sup +} irradiations were found to be identical, and very close to the thermal crystallization temperature of an amorphous zone embedded in the crystalline matrix. Using the present observations, relationships between the amorphization kinetics and the displacement density along the ion track, and between the critical temperature and the stability of the irradiation-induced damage, are discussed.
Diagenesis of saline pan halite; comparison of petrographic features of modern, Quaternary and Permian halites

ABSTRACT Petrographic studies of modern saline pan halites (Saline Valley, CA; Salina Omotepec, Baja California, Mexico) and Quaternary shallow-buried (0-200 m) halites (Saline Valley, CA; Bristol Dry Lake, CA; Searles Lake, CA; Qarhan saline pan, Qaidam Basin, China; Lake Uyuni, Bolivia) show that the diagenetic modification of halite begins contemporaneously with deposition, is most intense within the upper few meters of burial, and is essentially complete within the first 45 m of burial. Halite crusts from modern saline pans that have undergone repeated episodes of flooding, evaporative concentration, and desiccation contain abundant syndepositional diagenetic features. These "mature" modern halites are dominated by dissolution textures and fabrics (formed during flood stages) and cementati n textures (formed during desiccation stages). Interlayered mud beds contain varying amounts of displacive halite crystals. At shallow burial depths, halites retain many textural features of "mature" modern saline pan halite. Halites below the first few meters are no longer susceptible to dissolution from floodwaters but continue to be cemented by clear halite. Within the first 10 m of burial, cementation reduces the porosity of halite crusts to less than 10%. The remaining pore spaces are completely filled by burial depths of approximately 45 m. Displacive growth of halite in muds continues at shallow-burial depths and is probably limited to the first few tens of meters of burial depth. The mechanisms for cementation and displacive growth of halite at shallow-burial depths probably include (1) evaporative concentration of groundwater brines and (2) cooling of surface brines when they sink below the sedime t surface. Undeformed halites from the Permian Salado and Rustler Formations of New Mexico contain delicate syndepositional textures and abundant clear halite cements that are comparable to those observed in modern saline pan halites and shallow-buried halites. The Permian halites are interpreted to have undergone a depositional and early diagenetic history similar to the modern and Quaternary analogs. Complete cementation of saline pan halites at shallow burial depths has important implications for the origin of saline formation waters in sedimentary basins. Parent evaporite brines may not be stored in the pores of halite rocks and later expelled during burial compaction if the rocks are cemented early, and tightly crystallized halite rocks may also impede the downward migration of dense syndepositional brines.
Myxobacteria Produce Outer Membrane-Enclosed Tubes in Unstructured Environments

Myxobacteria are social microbes that exhibit complex multicellular behaviors. By use of fluorescent reporters, we show that Myxococcus xanthus isolates produce long narrow filaments that are enclosed by the outer membrane (OM) and contain proteins. We show that these OM tube (OMT) structures are produced at surprisingly high levels when cells are placed in liquid medium or buffer without agitation. OMTs can be long and easily exceed multiple cell lengths. When viewed by transmission electron microscopy, their morphology varies between tubes and chain-like structures. Intermediate-like structures are also found, suggesting that OMTs may transition between these two morphotypes. In support of this, video epifluorescence microscopy found that OMTs in solution dynamically twist and jiggle. On hard surfaces, myxobacteria glide, and upon cell-cell contact, they can efficiently exchange their OM proteins and lipids by a TraAB-dependent mechanism. Although the structure of OMTs hints at a possible role as conduits for exchange, evidence is presented to the contrary. For example, abundant OMT production occurs in traA or traB mutants and when cells are grown in liquid medium, yet transfer cannot occur under these conditions. Thus, genetic and environmental conditions that promote OMT production are incongruent with OM exchange.
Sea State Bias in Radar Altimetry Revisited

Sea state bias (SSB) is calculated anew for each radar altimeter. The input data are sea surface height (h) differences, separated in time by at most one repeat cycle, or the difference between measured h and a time-mean sea surface, an approach called here “differences from the mean” (DFM). In order to release data to users soon, early estimates of SSB are computed from short time series. This work has three objectives: 1) show that the DFM approach introduces spurious values in the estimated SSB, 2) quantify the SSB error caused by short time series, and 3) estimate SSB for OSTM.
Energy-aware opcode design

Embedded processors are required to achieve high performance while running on batteries. Thus, they must exploit all the possible means available to reduce energy consumption while not sacrificing performance. In this work, one technique to reduce energy is explored to intelligently design the instruction-opcodes of a processor based on a target-workload. The optimization is done using a heuristic that not-only minimizes switching between adjacent instructions, but also simplifies the decoding to reduce latches to save dynamic energy. On average, an optimized opcode is able to be decoded using 40-60% less latches in the decoder. In addition, it is shown that a decoder optimized for algorithms that had similar program structure, similar data-types or similar behavior exhibited consistent patterns of energy reduction. The techniques presented in this paper yield an average 10% reduction in the total dynamic energy. It is also shown that this heuristic can be used to achieve similar results on different issue-width processors.
‘Io sono qui muto e solitario’: Giovannino Guareschi's prison writings, 1954–1955

Giovannino Guareschi, author of the immensely popular Don Camillo stories and editor of the weekly newspaper Candido, spent 14 months in a Parma prison from 1954 to 1955 for having libelled the former Prime Minister Alcide De Gasperi. To this day, he is the only Italian journalist since the founding of the Republic ever to have served actual, behind-bars jail time for libel. This study examines several aspects of Guareschi's life in prison – the ways he coped with boredom and loneliness, the attempts he made to understand his fellow inmates and how he defiantly tried to buoy his spirits. In particular, it focuses on both his correspondence with his wife Ennia, a collection of 44 letters, and his personal musings kept in two prison diaries – all documents that have never been published. The analysis rectifies common misinterpretations as to why Guareschi purposely refused to appeal his guilty verdict and chose to go to jail, considers how Guareschi presented himself in his writings and contemplates Guaresc...
Carotid endarterectomy in the elderly.

The records of 146 patients 80 years of age or older who underwent 183 carotid endarterectomy operations from 1964 through 1990 were reviewed to determine surgical risk. The indications for operation were asymptomatic patients with carotid stenosis (n=36); ipsilateral transient ischemic attacks (n=46); ipsilateral stroke (n=28); ipsilateral retinal embolus (n=15); nonlateralizing symptoms (n=40); and asymptomatic side in patients with contralateral symptoms (n=18). Postoperatively, three patients (1.6% of operations) had a stroke with a residual deficit and three (1.6%) died. All deaths were from myocardial infarction. For comparison, during the same time period, the combined stroke with residual deficit and death rate for patients less than 80 operated upon for similar indications was 3.5%. Since 80-year-old patients have a life expectancy of at least five years, the authors conclude that elderly patients should be evaluated for carotid endarterectomy using criteria similar to that used for younger patients.
Differential organization of excitatory and inhibitory synapses within the rat dorsal vagal complex.

The dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) is pivotal in the regulation of upper gastrointestinal functions, including motility and both gastric and pancreatic secretion. DMV neurons receive robus...
C-Reactive Protein Does Not Relax Vascular Smooth Muscle: Effects Mediated by Sodium Azide in Commercially Available Preparations

C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute-phase protein and newly recognized indicator of cardiovascular risk, may have direct actions on the vascular wall. Previous studies suggest that CRP is a vasodila...
Turning statistical physics models into materials design engines

Despite the success statistical physics has enjoyed at predicting the properties of materials for given parameters, the inverse problem, identifying which material parameters produce given, desired properties, is only beginning to be addressed. Recently, several methods have emerged across disciplines that draw upon optimization and simulation to create computer programs that tailor material responses to specified behaviors. However, so far the methods developed either involve black-box techniques, in which the optimizer operates without explicit knowledge of the material’s configuration space, or require carefully tuned algorithms with applicability limited to a narrow subclass of materials. Here we introduce a formalism that can generate optimizers automatically by extending statistical mechanics into the realm of design. The strength of this approach lies in its capability to transform statistical models that describe materials into optimizers to tailor them. By comparing against standard black-box optimization methods, we demonstrate how optimizers generated by this formalism can be faster and more effective, while remaining straightforward to implement. The scope of our approach includes possibilities for solving a variety of complex optimization and design problems concerning materials both in and out of equilibrium.
Poverty, Politics, and Faithful Witness in the Age of Humanitarianism

Beginning with a critique of humanitarianism, this essay explores alternative, theological ways of framing responses to the poverty and suffering of strangers. A particular focus is the differing k...
Methane emissions from pan-Arctic lakes during the 21st century: An analysis with process-based models of lake evolution and biogeochemistry

The importance of methane emissions from pan-Arctic lakes in the global carbon cycle has been suggested by recent studies. These studies indicated that climate change influences this methane source mainly in two ways: the warming of lake sediments and the evolution of thermokarst lakes. Few studies have been conducted to quantify the two impacts together in a unified modeling framework. Here we adapt a region-specific lake evolution model to the pan-Arctic scale and couple it with a lake methane biogeochemical model to quantify the change of this freshwater methane source in the 21st century. Our simulations show that the extent of thaw lakes will increase throughout the 21st century in the northern lowlands of the pan-Arctic where the reworking of epigenetic ice in drained lake basins will continue. The projected methane emissions by 2100 are 28.3 ± 4.5 Tg CH4 yr−1 under a low warming scenario (Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) 2.6) and 32.7 ± 5.2 Tg CH4 yr−1 under a high warming scenario (RCP 8.5), which are about 2.5 and 2.9 times the simulated present-day emissions. Most of the emitted methane originates from nonpermafrost carbon stock. For permafrost carbon, the methanogenesis will mineralize a cumulative amount of 3.4 ± 0.8 Pg C under RCP 2.6 and 3.9 ± 0.9 Pg C under RCP 8.5 from 2006 to 2099. The projected emissions could increase atmospheric methane concentrations by 55.0–69.3 ppb. This study further indicates that the warming of lake sediments dominates the increase of methane emissions from pan-Arctic lakes in the future.
Plenary lectures: Are economic forecasts any good?

An important part of the work of economists is to provide decisionmakers with usable forecasts of future economic activity. Economists have come under repeated criticism for their lack of ability to do so. This paper uses Livingston Survey data on consumer prices and industrial production to test for predictive accuracy over four decades beginning in 1947. Additionally, the short-term track record of computer-based econometric forecasts is analyzed by using a consensus of such forecasts published by Blue Chip Economic Indicators. The results are mixed. Depending on the series used, economists' ability to predict real variables such as industrial production and real GNP appears to have improved. The data on inflation are far less supportive of this conclusion. The highly volatile inflation rates experienced since the mid 1970s only partially explain the poor performance of inflation forecasting.
Transient thermal-grating spectroscopy for sensitive one- and two-photon absorption measurements

Bragg diffraction from volume thermal gratings excited by crossed Gaussian laser beams provides a sensitive measurement of one- and two-photon absorption in fluid solution. The minimum detectable one-photon absorptivity (base e) was αmin = 1.0 × 10−6 cm−1 in a 3.3-nL probed volume, corresponding to the detection of 5 × 10−19 cm2. The two-photon cross section of benzene at 532 was determined by this technique to be 1.5 × 10−51 cm4 sec; detection of benzene two-photon absorption could be accomplished at concentrations as low as 6.4 × 10−4M. The method produces a diffracted signal on a zero background, so that detection of nonradiative relaxation of the sample is limited only by shot noise.
Locating the modern sacred: Moral/social facts and constitutive practices

Durkheim’s theory of the sacred, which posits the distinction between sacred and profane as the keystone of human understanding, grounds not only his approach to religion and epistemology but also ...
Relationship between globin mRNA accumulation and commitment to terminal cell differentiation in inducer sensitive and resistant erythroleukemia variants.

The relationship between the kinetics of commitment to terminal cell differentiation and the rates of accumulation of globin mRNA has been examined during the induction of erythroid differentiation by polar/apolar chemical inducers in murine erythroleukemia cells (MELC), under conditions of more and less rapid commitment. Two differentiation inducers and three MELC variants have been studied. Hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA) initiates more rapid commitment than does dimethylsulfoxide (Me2SO). MELC variant DR10 is resistant to induction by Me2SO and responds sluggishly to HMBA, in comparison with the DS19- Sc9 variant. V3.17, an MELC variant resistant to low concentrations of vincristine, shows increased sensitivity to the inducers and an accelerated rate of commitment to terminal differentiation compared with DS19-Sc9. It is demonstrated that commitment and the actual expression of differentiation, as measured by the accumulation of alpha- , beta maj-, and beta min-globin mRNA, are temporally coordinated functions during induced differentiation of a transformed cell line by exposure to polar/apolar agents.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF AMIODARONE BY DIFFERENT LOADING DOSES ON ARRHYTHMIAS AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF DRUG MONITORING

A comparative study was made on the efficacy, side effects and drug monitoring of amiodarone(A). 140 cases of different kindsof heart disease were divided into two groups, group Ⅰ using oral loa-ding doses of amiodarone (A) totalling 12.8g in 2 weeks, and group Ⅱusing smaller loading doses of 8.4g in 2 weeks. Data from 24-hours am-bulatory ECG recording were used to evaluate the efficacy within thefirst two weeks. All cases were then given 0.4g/day for 2 more weeks.In 64 of the 140 cases serum concentrations of A and desethylamiodarone(DA) were determinded periodically with HPLC. Comparison between group Ⅰ and Ⅱ showed: (1). no significantdifference in total effective rate. (2). the mean time of onset of effectfor Group Ⅰ and Group Ⅱ was 4.7±3.4 and 6.8±3.9 days respectively,P0.05. (3). the side effects of group Ⅰ were more common than that ofgroup Ⅱ, P0.01, but were not serious. In both groups the mean highestserum levels of A and DA in nonresponders were higher than the meaneffertive lls, P0.01. In group Ⅰ and Ⅱ the serum A levels approached a relatively steady state on day 14 and 7 respectively. From day17 on the A/DA concentration ratio kept relatively constant. The serumeffective concentration of A was found to be 0 .5～2 .0μg/ml. The resultswere discussed.
Relationships Between Canopy Reflectance and Plant Water Status of Summer Maize

The study on the relationship between canopy reflectance characteristics and plant water status of summer maize showed that the water contents of canopy leaf and plant all had a negative correlation with the spectral reflectance of 460-670 nm and had a positive reflectance of 730-1 260 nm,indicated that the water contents of canopy leaf had a significant correlation with the spectral reflectance of 460,500,600,650,670 nm,but the plant had a higher correlation with the spectral reflectance of 460,500,600,650,670,780,800,850,900,950,1 050 nm.In addition,the canopy leaf water contents all had a significant correlation with NDVI,and only had a significant positively related to the ratio vegetation index RVI(950,550),RVI(850,730),RVI(800,730),RVI(780,730).Also,the water contents of canopy leaf could be a best correlation with the ratio vegetation index RVI(850,730)and the normalized difference vegetation index NDVI(1050,550).Otherwise,the water contents of plant all had a positive correlation with RVI and NDVI,and the NDVI was better than RVI,in which the ratio vegetation index RVI(800,500) whose coefficient of determination was 0.849 0 could be a best correlation with the and the normalized difference vegetation index NDVI(780,650)whose coefficient of determination was 0.864 5 also could be a best correlation.
The Role and Techniques of Vascular Resection

Surgical resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma remains the only single modality with the potential for cure or long-term survival. With improvements in surgical techniques and perioperative management, the morbidity and mortality associated with pancreatic resection has significantly improved. Nonetheless, the long-term oncologic outcomes of patients with pancreatic cancer have remained relatively poor despite these advances due to the biological aggressiveness of the disease and its widely disseminated nature at the time of diagnosis. Identification of patient- and tumor-specific risk factors and use of novel resectability classifications have now facilitated prediction of patients who may derive benefit from surgical procedures. Furthermore, significant improvements in the activity of systemic and locoregional therapies has resulted in an increase in the number of patients that may benefit from selectively aggressive operations with the need for more complex vascular procedures to accomplish oncologically effective resections. Any surgeons involved in the operative care of patients with pancreatic cancer should therefore have significant training and experience in these advanced techniques and have a full comprehensive understanding of expected risks and outcomes of such interventions.
The role of plumage polymorphism in dominance relationshipt of the white-throated sparrow

We studied dominance behaviors of captive winter flocks of White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) in central Pennsylvania. Preliminary tests with a small group of birds indicated that there might be differences in behaviors between color morphs if age and sexual differences were controlled. Studies of two larger groups produced considerable variation in results between the groups. One group displayed striking correlations between dominance ability and color. In this group white adult males dominated others more than tan adult males did, whereas tan immature males, adult females, and immature females were more often dominant than were white immature and female birds. The second group didnot display such striking differences. Tan adult and immature females were more dominant than white females, as in the first group, but not significantly. Immature males displayed the opposite trend from the first group–white morphs were more dominant than tans. Adult males in the second group showed no clear trend. We also found differences in dominancebetween tan and white females that appeared to depend on season, white birds dominating tan birds in a small group in the spring,a reversal of relationships documented in the fall. Within age-sex classes, dominant females in both large groups tended to be duller in plumage brightness (scaled as an index) than were subordinate females. In one of the two largegroups, duller immature males were more dominant than brighter ones, while brighter adult males tended to be more dominant than duller ones. We suggest that the relationships between immature male plumage and dominance may be influenced by the morph of adult males of specific dominance status in the flock. Spring plumage indices were more often correlated with fall dominance differences than were fall plumage conditions, suggesting a genetic or causal relationship between dominance and plumage rather than a proximate (status signaling) function. Recorded morph frequencies from this study and the literature support the hypothesis that selection is balanced between the two morphs and is dependent on the advantages or disadvantages of aggressiveness within a sex.
Growth in Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability From Grades 1 Through 9

We systematically assessed the relationships between growth of four components of verbal ability—Information, Similarities, Vocabulary, and Comprehension subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale–Revised—and longitudinal growth from Grades 1 to 9 of the Woodcock–Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery Passage Comprehension subtest while controlling for Word Identification and Word Attack, using multilevel growth models on a sample of 414 children. Growth was assessed over all grades (1-9), and separately for early grades (1-5) and later grades (5-9). Over all grades, growth in Word Identification had a substantial standardized loading to Passage Comprehension, and all four verbal abilities had smaller, but significant standardized loadings to Passage Comprehension (p < .05), with Information and Vocabulary having slightly higher loadings than Similarities and Comprehension. For early grades, results were similar to the overall results, with the exception of Vocabulary, which had a nonsignificant loading to P...
Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Terrestrial Plant Communities

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the effects of ionizing radiation on terrestrial plants communities. Factors frequently characteristic of radioresistant plants include polycentric or diffuse centromeres, multinucleate cells, high chromosome number, polyploidy, and asexual reproduction. Under conditions of chronic irradiation, plant radiosensitivity can be increased if cells are dormant or slowly dividing, if meiotic stages are present, and if meiosis and premeiosis are slow. Under conditions of acute radiation, however, plant radiosensitivity is normally increased with mitotic activity. The general effects of ionizing radiation on plants can be classified as—(1) genetic or, (2) somatic or physiological. Both classes of effects are considered to be caused largely by chromosome damage and gene mutations.