cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discrete Effects of Religiosity and Spirituality on Gay Identity and Self-Esteem

Previous research has indicated that although spirituality may bolster development of a positive gay identity, religiosity may prove detrimental. Because the majority of this research confounds these constructs, there is little evidence as to the discrete roles religiosity and spirituality may play in LGB identity development. The present study endeavored to tease apart the unique effects of religion and spirituality on positive and negative gay identity and self-esteem. A sample of 376 self-identified sexual minority adults were given measures of religiosity, spirituality, LGB identity, and self-esteem. Models were built to evaluate the effects of religiosity (independent of spirituality) and spirituality (independent of religiosity), understanding that the constructs are greatly overlapped, on identity and self-esteem. Results included a positive association between spirituality and identity affirmation, identity superiority, and self-esteem. Religiosity was negatively associated with identity affirmation and self-esteem and positively associated with internalized homonegativity and heteronormativity. Limitations and implications are discussed.
Cognitive IoT Gateways: Automatic Task Sharing and Switching between Cloud and Edge/Fog Computing

Fog computing, also known as Edge computing, is an emerging computational paradigm, increasingly utilized in Internet of Things (IoT) applications, particularly those that cannot be served efficiently using Cloud computing due to limitations such as bandwidth, latency, Internet connectivity. At present, the norm is the static allocation of tasks by developers of an application, where some IoT applications are allocated to be performed on the Cloud, some on the Fog, and some on a hybrid Cloud-Fog. The applications are pre-programmed and predefined to be run on a platform, and this is unchangeable at run-time. IoT gateways, which are devices that bridge the IoT local network and the Internet, are in a position to make dynamic adjustments and allocation decision between platforms based upon real-time conditions such as an IoT applications' performance. However, currently there is no (or very little) intelligence embedded into IoT gateways. This paper proposes cognitive IoT gateways powered by cognitive analytics and machine learning to improve the performance of IoT applications. These IoT devices are able to automatically learn and decide when and where to run an application, be that on the Cloud or on the Fog. The dynamic task sharing and platform interchanging will enable the IoT applications to be optimized for multiple objectives including task performance.
Perspective on electrochemical capacitor energy storage

Abstract Electrochemical capacitors, a type of capacitor also known by the product names Supercapacitor or Ultracapacitor, can provide short-term energy storage in a wide range of applications. These capacitors are powerful, have extremely high cycle life, store energy efficiently, and operate with unexcelled reliability. This article discusses highly-reversible energy storage, presents electrochemical capacitor basics, and identifies several resources that may be useful to a researcher who wishes to participate in this technology arena. A perspective on the future of electrochemical capacitor technology is offered.
Effect of temperature on soot inception in highly controlled counterflow ethylene diffusion flames

Abstract Soot volume fraction and dispersion index measurements were performed by multi-color pyrometry in a series of highly controlled ethylene counterflow diffusion flames in which the peak temperature was varied in a 300 K range, while maintaining constant stoichiometric mixture fraction and global strain rate. In so doing, the temperature-convective time history remained nearly constant, when the temperature was normalized with respect to its peak value. Therefore, the peak temperature was isolated as the key controlling parameter. We observed two distinct trends in the soot measurements: a high-temperature, high activation energy process near the flame front, for temperatures larger than ∼1600 K, that can be rationalized with conventional nucleation and surface growth models; and a low temperature zero-activation process that is hypothesized as dimerization (homogenous nucleation) of aromatics. The first process is accompanied initially by large values of the dispersion index, denoting small C/H ratios, followed by a rapid decrease towards a plateau, as soot carbonization occurs. The second process is accompanied by a sharp increase in the dispersion index, consistent with a new inception process that is well distinct from that in the high temperature region. In one of the flames studied the soot measurements supplement an extensive set of measurements of gaseous species from a previous study, thereby offering a comprehensive database for modelers.
‘Palliative Sedation’, Ethics and the Law: An Overview of the ‘Sanctity of Life’, ‘Best Interests’ and ‘Autonomy’

‘Palliative sedation’ raises several profound ethical and legal questions. Is it compatible with the ‘sanctity of life’? When is it in a patient’s ‘best interests’? To what extent should a patient’s autonomous wishes determine when it is or is not carried out? This chapter does not attempt to resolve these questions directly. This is in no small measure because ‘palliative sedation’ is protean concept with no universally agreed definition. For example, it may involve sedation which is or is not ‘deep’; which is or is not administered with the consent of the patient; which is or is not associated with the withdrawal of tube-feeding; which involves or does not involve the ‘terminally ill’; and which is or is not administered with intent to shorten life. In short, ‘palliative sedation’ can embrace many, many distinct scenarios.
Fast Automatic Tuning of a Synthetic Inductor for Automotive Transformer-Less Ultrasonic Sensor in Park Assist Systems

This paper presents a novel shunt tuning method suitable for transformer-less ultrasonic sensors in park assist systems. The method enables tuning of an inductive part of LR shunt that is used for a transducer damping. The method relies on the knowledge of a transducer own serial resonance frequency and the measurement of a parallel resonance frequency, which corresponds to the transducer parasitic capacity and shunt inductance. From the ratio of these two resonance frequencies, the method predicts how the inductance must be tuned to achieve optimal damping performance. To enable measurement of the parallel resonance frequency inductance scaling by a factor of four is employed. The scaled inductance shifts the parallel resonance frequency away from the serial resonance frequency and thus distinguishes them. This paper is supported by practical experiments using a fabricated test chip with a tunable synthetic inductor that confirms its performance and shows improvements compared to previous solutions without adaptive tuning mechanisms.
Statistical Inter-stimulus Interval Window Estimation for Transient Neuromodulation via Paired Mechanical and Brain Stimulation.

3 For achieving motor recovery in individuals with sensorimotor deficits, augmented activation of 4 the appropriate sensorimotor system and facilitated induction of neural plasticity are essential. 5 An emerging procedure that combines peripheral nerve stimulation and its associative stimulation 6 with central brain stimulation is known to enhance the excitability of the motor cortex. In order to 7 effectively apply this paired stimulation technique, timing between central and peripheral stimuli 8 must be individually adjusted. There is a small range of effective timings between two stimuli, or 9 the inter-stimulus interval window (ISI-W). Properties of ISI-W from neuromodulation in response 10 to mechanical stimulation (Mstim) of muscles have been understudied because of the absence of 11 a versatile and reliable mechanical stimulator. This paper adopted a combination of transcranial 12 magnetic stimulation (TMS) and Mstim by using a high-precision robotic mechanical stimulator. 13 A pneumatically operated robotic tendon tapping device was applied. A low-friction linear cylinder 14 achieved high stimulation precision in time and low electromagnetic artifacts in physiological 15 measurements. This paper describes a procedure to effectively estimate an individual ISI-W from 16 the transiently enhanced motor evoked potential (MEP) with a reduced number of paired Mstim 17 and sub-threshold TMS trials by applying statistical sampling and regression technique. This paper 18 applied a total of four parametric and nonparametric statistical regression methods for ISI-W 19 estimation. The developed procedure helps to reduce time for individually adjusting effective ISI, 20 reducing physical burden on the subject.
Pediatric Hematologists Report Infrequent Prognosis Discussions in the Routine Care of Children with Sickle Cell Disease.

A large proportion of the morbidity and almost all of the mortality of sickle cell disease (SCD) now occurs in adulthood. Children with SCD underuse disease-modifying and curative treatments, in part because of how patients/parents understand SCD morbidity and mortality. Whether practitioners provide prognostic information to families is unknown. We emailed a 31-item survey to 1,149 pediatric hematologist-oncologists and analyzed 96 responses. Most said discussing prognosis would change patient/parent willingness to start hydroxyurea, but fewer actually discuss prognosis when they want to start hydroxyurea (91% vs. 75%, p=.001). Similarly, most said discussing prognosis would change adherence to therapy, but fewer actually discuss prognosis to motivate adherence (78% vs 31%, p<.001). Most (77%) addressed prognosis when the "patient or their parent bring it up." Respondents reporting frequent life expectancy discussions were more likely to report a pathway for such discussions (p=.017). Pediatric hematologists may not conduct prognostic discussions without prompting, although these conversations may be important for shared, informed decision-making.
Modeling highly imbalanced crash severity data by ensemble methods and global sensitivity analysis

Crash severity has been extensively studied and numerous methods have been developed for investigating the relationship between crash outcome and explanatory variables. Crash severity data are ofte...
La acción constructiva y la reivindicación de los comunes como un mecanismo de descolonización de la resistencia no-violenta | Constructive work and reclaiming the commons as decolonizing nonviolent resistance

Los investigadores de la resistencia no-violenta se han concentrado, casi exclusivamente, en el estudio de la accion oposicional contra las fuerzas opresivas. Con ello, han dedicado menor atencion a las dimensiones positivas de la resistencia, que permiten a los practicantes generar relaciones sociales y formas alternativas de vida. Como resultado, los estudios sobre la resistencia no-violenta tienden a dar por sentado “el modelo del mundo del colonizador”. Este articulo cuestiona esta lectura predominante, recurriendo a Gandhi, por una parte, y a la literatura autonomista marxista y anarquista, por otra, para explorar formas descolonizadoras de resistencia no-violenta. A traves del mismo, se argumenta que el programa constructivo de Gandhi y el pensamiento marxista autonomista de la reivindicacion de los comunes ofrecen herramientas relevantes para investigaciones innovadoras sobre la descolonizacion de la resistencia no-violenta. Ademas, se senala que el movimiento zapatista y las mujeres zapatistas revolucionarias se encuentran a la vanguardia de los experimentos de trabajo constructivo y de comunes autonomos en el mundo de hoy. Este articulo propone demostrar a academicos y activistas que la no-violencia revolucionaria por la dignidad y el autogobierno sigue siendo posible. Scholars of nonviolent resistance, in particular, almost exclusively focus on oppositional action against oppressive forces. They pay much less attention to positive dimensions of resistance that allow practitioners to create alternative social relationships and ways of life. As a result, studies on nonviolent resistance tend to take “the colonizer’s model of the world” for granted. This article contest the prevailing approach by drawing on Gandhi, on the one hand, and autonomist Marxist and anarchist literature, on the other, to explore decolonizing forms of nonviolent resistance. It argues that Gandhi’s “constructive program” and autonomist Marxist thought on “reclaiming the commons” offer tools that are relevant for innovative research on decolonizing nonviolent resistance. And it shows that the Zapatista movement and revolutionary Zapatista women are on the frontlines of experiments with constructive work and autonomous commons in the world today. They demonstrate to scholars as well as activists that revolutionary nonviolence for dignity and self-rule remains possible.
There Never Was Any Real ‘Das Adam Smith Problem.’ The Virtues of Prudence and Benevolence, Expressed as Love Your Neighbor as You Love Yourself (Self Love), as Proclaimed by Jesus Christ, Were the Main Foundation for Both of Smith’s Books Combined

A major confusion has been going on among academics for about 2 and ½ centuries with respect to assessments of Adam Smith’s use of the term self-interest. Economists have been confusing the Virtue of Prudence, which incorporates self-love or self-interest, emphasized by all spiritual leaders and teachers, including Adam Smith, with Jeremy Bentham’s maximization of utility. The Virtue of Prudence has nothing to do with the maximization of utility, assuming that such a task could be accomplished, which is very doubtful, given the lack of sufficient knowledge to estimate probabilities and the utility of outcomes. There are three separate approaches involved. Adam Smith recognized the priority of prudence above all other virtues, which are related to the Virtue of prudence. Smith accepts Jesus Christ’s precise and concise summary, that you should love your neighbor as you love yourself. "…you love yourself" is the virtue of prudence. "Love your neighbor..." Is the virtue of benevolence. One must love one’s self first before one can love another. Jeremy Bentham’s maximizing utility concept means to love oneself only, especially one’s money, given that money is the best proxy to serve as a measure of utility, according to Bentham, which all men love. Bentham’s egoistic approach can be summarized as loving your money only. The altruist position directly conflicts with the virtue of prudence as enunciated by Jesus Christ and Adam Smith. The altruist position is that you only love your neighbor and not yourself. Altruism is not a virtue. Only in very extreme cases can the altruist position even be considered. Economists have very severely confused benevolence and altruism. The self-interest enunciated by Bentham is always expressed from an egoist position as being associated with the love of money. Financial, pecuniary, and monetary gain only is what Bentham is talking about when he uses the term to Maximize your Utility. Smith and Christ are talking about maintaining your body, health, and good fortune, so as to build up a surplus that can be used, given that the future is uncertain and vague. Money is a tool that will help one care for one’s self. The accumulation of money, for money’s sake, is condemned by both Christ and Smith. The severe deficiencies in economists' understanding of Smith appear very early in The Wealth of Nations on page 13. Smith presents what he would consider an obvious conclusion. The butcher, brewer and bread maker provide their goods for sale because they are prudent. They do not provide their goods for sale in the market because they are benevolent since it is impossible to be benevolent unless one has been successful first in selling one’s product. The first virtue that must be practiced successfully is prudence. Otherwise, there can be no virtue of benevolence later.
Environmental concern in a Wyoming coal town: contentious environmental problems in rural communities

Understanding environmental concern in rural resource extraction communities is essential for identifying opportunities for locally relevant pro-environmental action and coalition-building. Intervi...
Patients With Chronic Foot and Ankle Conditions Experience Significant Improvements in Sleep Quality Following Surgical Intervention.

BACKGROUND Poor sleep quality is associated with metabolic dysregulation and impaired healing. The purpose of the current study was to quantify the prevalence of poor sleep in patients with atraumatic foot and ankle (F&A) conditions and determine whether surgical treatment is associated with sleep quality improvement. METHODS Patients scheduled for surgical management of atraumatic F&A conditions were enrolled by 4 fellowship-trained orthopaedic F&A surgeons between May 2018 and April 2019. Patients completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) pre- and postoperatively. The PSQI ranges from 0 to 21, with a score ≥5 indicative of poor sleep quality. Patients also reported their perception of how their current F&A pain influenced their sleep quality on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 indicated no influence and 10 indicated a strong influence (pain perception score [PPS]). Patients with known sleep disorders, acute surgical trauma, and infection were excluded. RESULTS A total of 115 patients were enrolled. The mean preoperative PSQI and PPS were 8.1 ± 3.6 (range, 2-19) and 3.1 ± 2.7 (range, 0-10), respectively. Overall, 86.1% of patients had poor sleep quality (PSQI score ≥5). Similarly, 64.3% of patients had a PPS ≥1, indicating the belief that F&A pain contributed to sleep disturbance. A minimum of 6 months of follow-up was collected for 72 (62.6%) patients. On average, these 72 patients experienced significant improvements in sleep quality (mean PSQI decreased from 7.8 ± 3.2 to 5.4 ± 3.1, P < .001). Of these patients, 59.7% continued to experience poor sleep quality (PSQI ≥5), and 55.6% perceived that F&A pain contributed to sleep disturbance (PPS ≥1). CONCLUSION In this series, 86.1% of patients presenting for management of atraumatic F&A conditions had poor sleep quality at the time of their initial visit, with 64.3% perceiving their F&A conditions to influence their sleep quality. Improvements in sleep quality were observed at 6 months postoperatively, though over half of patients continued to experience poor sleep quality. The location of pathology and procedure performed was not associated with sleep quality. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE Level IV: Prospective case series.
Management and outcomes of esophageal perforation.

Background Esophageal perforation is a morbid condition and remains a therapeutic challenge. We report the outcomes of a large institutional experience with esophageal perforation and identify risk factors for morbidity and mortality. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 142 patients who presented with a thoracic or gastroesophageal junction esophageal perforation from 1995 to 2020. Baseline characteristics, operative or interventional strategies, and outcomes were analyzed by etiology of the perforation and management approach. Multivariable cox and logistic regression models were constructed to identify predictors of mortality and morbidity. Results Overall, 109 (77%) patients underwent operative intervention, including 80 primary reinforced repairs and 21 esophagectomies and 33 (23%) underwent esophageal stenting. Stenting was more common in iatrogenic (27%) and malignant (64%) perforations. Patients who presented with a postemetic or iatrogenic perforation had similar 90-day mortality (16% and 16%) and composite morbidity (51% and 45%), whereas patients who presented with a malignant perforation had a 45% 90-day mortality and 45% composite morbidity. Risk factors for mortality included age >65 years (hazard ratio [HR] 1.89 [1.02-3.26], P = 0.044) and a malignant perforation (HR 4.80 [1.31-17.48], P = 0.017). Risk factors for composite morbidity included pleural contamination (odds ratio [OR] 2.06 [1.39-4.43], P = 0.046) and sepsis (OR 3.26 [1.44-7.36], P = 0.005). Of the 33 patients who underwent stent placement, 67% were successfully managed with stenting alone and 30% required stent repositioning. Conclusions Risk factors for morbidity and mortality after esophageal perforation include advanced age, pleural contamination, septic physiology, and malignant perforation. Primary reinforced repair remains a reasonable strategy for patients with an esophageal perforation from a benign etiology.
Forever young: stem cell and plant regeneration one century after Haberlandt 1921

Plants are characterized by a post-embryonic mode of organ development, which results in a need for these photoautotrophic organisms to regenerate lost parts in the course of their life cycle. This capacity depends on the presence of "pluripotent stem cells," which are part of the meristems within the plant body. One hundred years ago, the botanist Gottlieb Haberlandt (1854-1945) published experiments showing wounding-induced callus formation, which led ultimately to plant regeneration in tissue culture and thence to the techniques of "plant biotechnology," with practical applications for mankind. Here, we recount Haberlandt's discovery within the context of his long research life and his most influential book Physiologische Pflanzenanatomie. In the second part, we describe and analyze a plant tissue-culture regeneration system using sterile, dark-grown sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seedlings as experimental material. We document that excised hook segments, which contain a "stem cell niche," can regenerate entire miniature H. annuus-plantlets that, raised in a light/dark regime, develop flowers. Finally, we discuss molecular data relevant to plant regeneration with reference to phytohormones and conclude that, one century after Haberlandt, 1921, the exact biochemical/genetic mechanisms responsible for the capability of stem cells to remain "forever young" are, although already complex, really just beginning to become known.
Effect of defectivity reduction in Spacer and Junction modules on RMG defectivity

Defect elimination from the Spacers and Junctions modules has been shown to increase yield in 20 nm HVM (high volume manufacturing). However, other defects such as surface particles and lifted pattern were also found in these modules. These defects formed voids downstream and later were filled with metals in the RMG (replacement metal gate) process. Therefore, these defects also need to be eliminated in order to meet entitlement yield. These defects were traced through the line from their origination in the Spacer and Junction modules into RMG and MOL (middle of line) modules. Surface particles and lifted pattern were eliminated by developing a new photoresist stripping (PRS) process. The effectiveness of the new PRS process was verified by defect elimination in the Spacer and Junctions and in the downstream RMG module. Defectivity reduction and electrical data will be presented to show the effectiveness of this new PRS process.
Generalized Notions in Geometry and Duality

We show the dynamical significance of the subspaces generated by the steps of the recursions for the supremal (A, E, Image(B))-invariant subspace and the infimal almost controllability subspace for discrete-time singular systems. We also show the dynamical interpretation of these recursions when performed on the dual system. We thus give duality results for subspaces computed from the original system matrices. Our approach should be contrasted with previous results which give duality results in terms of (different) subspaces computed from a slow/fast decomposition of the system.
Bears Show a Physiological but Limited Behavioral Response to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have the potential to revolutionize the way research is conducted in many scientific fields. UAVs can access remote or difficult terrain, collect large amounts of data for lower cost than traditional aerial methods, and facilitate observations of species that are wary of human presence. Currently, despite large regulatory hurdles, UAVs are being deployed by researchers and conservationists to monitor threats to biodiversity, collect frequent aerial imagery, estimate population abundance, and deter poaching. Studies have examined the behavioral responses of wildlife to aircraft (including UAVs), but with the widespread increase in UAV flights, it is critical to understand whether UAVs act as stressors to wildlife and to quantify that impact. Biologger technology allows for the remote monitoring of stress responses in free-roaming individuals, and when linked to locational information, it can be used to determine events or components of an animal's environment that elicit a physiological response not apparent based on behavior alone. We assessed effects of UAV flights on movements and heart rate responses of free-roaming American black bears. We observed consistently strong physiological responses but infrequent behavioral changes. All bears, including an individual denned for hibernation, responded to UAV flights with elevated heart rates, rising as much as 123 beats per minute above the pre-flight baseline. It is important to consider the additional stress on wildlife from UAV flights when developing regulations and best scientific practices.
Biomedical problems in time-frequency-scale analysis-new challenges

Biomedical problems are especially rich in the information they provide as an indication of the body's organ or system function. Information obtained from the human body is dynamic, time-varying, sometimes transient, mostly non-stationary, usually corrupted by noise. Time-frequency and time-scale analysis techniques are especially well suited to address such problems. Successful examples of applications of these techniques are in the analysis of ECG signals from the heart (analysis of QRS complexes and late potentials) and brain (evoked potentials and seizure spikes). Future work in this area will require that novel signal processing techniques are stimulated to serve the need for biological discovery. >
Adrenal steroids and carbohydrate metabolism.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes adrenal steroids and carbohydrate metabolism. It has generally been concluded that adrenal steroids increase carbohydrate content when administered to an animal. In the strictest sense carbohydrate content of the entire carcass of the animal would have to be determined to justify this conclusion. In some tissues, content has been estimated as glucose, following preliminary treatment of homogenates to hydrolyse polysaccharides and phosphorylated sugars. Usually carbohydrate content has meant glucose and glycogen content as measured by more or less specific analytical procedures. Increased carbohydrate content after steroid administration to intact or adrenalectomized animals appears to be well established, but the mechanism by which it occurs remains in doubt. Increased content can be consequent to either increased glucose synthesis (i.e., increased gluconeogenesis) or to decreased utilization, or both. Evidence considered to support all three of these possibilities has accumulated. Data on glucose production and utilization following adrenal steroid administration are inadequate. In the dog during the first hour after cortisol infusion, hepatic glucose output appears to be decreased.
A new peak selection criterion based on minimizing the classification error

Abstract Automatic selection of the number of subimages is a classical and challenging problem of image segmentation. An efficient way to select the number of subimages is to determine the number of peaks from a histogram. In this paper, a new criterion for peak selection based on minimizing the classification error is presented. Its application to image quantization is also studied. The value of the criterion for each gray level, called strength, is computed based on minimizing the error probability and maximizing the Mahalanobis distance. The number of peaks can be selected either subjectively or objectively. The experimental results show that the peaks of the histograms are selected properly even when the histograms are extremely noisy.
The right to health and the nevirapine case in South Africa.

This article describes the successful legal challenge of the South African government's controversial decision to restrict the availability of nevirapine for use in preventing the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from mother to infant. With its order requiring the government to provide comprehensive health services to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, the Constitutional Court of South Africa upheld the public's right to health care, as guaranteed in the South African constitution.
Observation of pair currents in superconductor-semiconductor contacts.

An excess low-voltage conductance is observed in Nb-InGaAs contacts at low temperatures and interpreted as being due to a pair current across the superconductor-semiconductor interface. This is the first observation of a pair current, a nonequilibrium manifestation of the proximity effect, in junctions having one electrode which is not a superconductor. A model is presented which accounts for the observed behavior. In addition to the pair current, it is demonstrated that these junctions exhibit excess conductance due to Andreev scattering.
Effects of some membrane perturbers on alpha1-adrenergic receptor binding

Abstract The ability of membrane perturbing drugs to inhibit the specific binding of [ 3 H]WB4101 ((2,6-dimethoxyphenoxyethyl)aminomethyl-1,4-benzodioxane) to the α 1 -receptor of beef cortical membranes was determined. Except for quinidine and phenytoin, the IC 50 for inhibition of specific [ 3 H]WB4101 binding to the α 1 -receptor correlated with the membrane/buffer partition coefficient of the drug. Almost all of the drugs inhibited specific ligand binding at concentrations approaching those reported necessary to stabilize membranes although both activities correlate well with reported membrane/buffer partition coefficients. The results suggest that specific receptor function can be modified by drug perturbation of the lipid microenvironment of the receptor macromolecule.
Vocational education theory, voced 101: Including hints for ‘vocational planners’

Abstract The paper discusses a number of theoretical reasons why vocational-technical education may fail to achieve its intended objectives and illustrates the case by using data from nine countries at different stages of economic development. The arguments relate to the sociology of occupational choice, technological change and the economics of educational provision. The paper concludes that it is impossible to plan vocational-technical education given rapid technological advances, and that a more effective educational strategy might be to enhance the level of general competence of the population so that vocational specialization can take place at any stage of the career of the individual, and at a lower cost.
IL LINGUAGGIO COME FUNZIONE DEL FANTASTICO NELLA NARRATIVA DI TOMMASO LANDOLFI

Il mio contributo verte su una ridefinizione in chiave linguistica del fantastico in Landolfi e ne suggerisce una lettura attenta ai profondi legami con il dibattito novecentesco sulla crisi della parola narrativa. Prendendo avvio da una lettura ravvicinata dei testi landolfiani questo articolo sottolinea l'importanza che rivestono nell'opus dello scrittore i momenti di crisi della parola, le frequenti istanze di linguaggio non-referenziale, e il dramma che rappresenta per i suoi personaggi la constatazione del fallimento della lingua come strumento di padroneggiamento sul reale. L'obbiettivo e quello di riscattare Landolfi dall'immagine, forzatamentente costruita dalla critica coeva, di uno scrittore sostanzialmente ottocentesco. Molto piu vicina a Carlo Emilio Gadda che non a Hoffman o Lewis, e per molti aspetti anticipando alcune tematiche poi proprie della neoavanguardia (il linguaggio come mistificazione, la letteratura come menzogna— ed e, infatti, Giorgio Manganelli il grande erede landolfiano del ...
Metal lost and found: Dissipative uses and releases of copper in the United States 1975–2000

Abstract Metals are used in a variety of ways, many of which lead to dissipative releases to the environment. Such releases are relevant from both a resource use and an environmental impact perspective. We present a historical analysis of copper dissipative releases in the United States from 1975 to 2000. We situate all dissipative releases in copper's life cycle and introduce a conceptual framework by which copper dissipative releases may be categorized in terms of intentionality of use and release. We interpret our results in the context of larger trends in production and consumption and government policies that have served as drivers of intentional copper releases from the relevant sources. Intentional copper releases are found to be both significant in quantity and highly variable. In 1975, for example, the largest source of intentional releases was from the application of copper-based pesticides, and this decreased more than 50% over the next 25 years; all other sources of intentional releases increased during that period. Overall, intentional copper releases decreased by approximately 15% from 1975 to 2000. Intentional uses that are unintentionally released such as copper from roofing, increased by the same percentage. Trace contaminant sources such as fossil fuel combustion, i.e., sources where both the use and the release are unintended, increased by nearly 50%. Intentional dissipative uses are equivalent to 60% of unintentional copper dissipative releases and more than five times that from trace sources. Dissipative copper releases are revealed to be modest when compared to bulk copper flows in the economy, and we introduce a metric, the dissipation index, which may be considered an economy-wide measure of resource efficiency for a particular substance. We assess the importance of dissipative releases in the calculation of recycling rates, concluding that the inclusion of dissipation in recycling rate calculations has a small, but discernible, influence, and should be included in such calculations.
Resurrection through Adaptation: The Dynamics of China's “Comcapitalism” Model

China's development model has been discussed extensively by scholars over the past decade. However, they largely failed to capture the essence of the model — the uniqueness of the fusion between China's communist political legacies and capitalist economic practices that has produced a formidable force for economic development. Such a fusion created a de facto new type of political economy that deserves its own place in political science and a new term — comcapitalism — that describes it more accurately. This research attempts to reconceptualize China's development model through demystifying its evolution, moulding and improvement over the reform era (especially during the Hu-Wen administration) from a new approach — that of mutual concessions and accommodations leading to the formation of a social contract with Chinese characteristics. The article concludes that so long as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is able to reduce corruption effectively and continues to accommodate the needs of the rapidly chang...
Query execution timing: taming real-time anytime queries on multicore processors

Answering real-time queries, especially over probabilistic data, is becoming increasingly important for service providers. We study anytime query processing algorithms, and extend the traditional query execution plan with a timing component. Our focus is how to determine this timing component, given the queries' deadline constraints. We consider the common multicore processors. Specifically, we propose two query optimization modes: offline periodic optimization and online optimization. We devise efficient algorithms for both offline and online cases followed by a competitive analysis to show the power of our online optimization. Finally, we perform a systematic experimental evaluation using real-world datasets to verify our approaches.
Utilization of ICP/OES for the determination of trace metal binding to different humic fractions

In this study, the use of inductively coupled plasma/optical emission spectrometry (ICP/OES) to determine multi-metal binding to three biomasses, Sphagnum peat moss, humin and humic acids is reported. All the investigations were performed under part per billion (ppb) concentrations. Batch pH profile experiments were performed using multi-metal solutions of Cd(II), Cu(II), Pb(II), Ni(II), Cr(III) and Cr(VI). The results showed that at pH 2 and 3, the metal affinity of the three biomasses exposed to the multi-metal solution that included Cr(III) presented the following order: Cu(II), Pb(II)>Ni(II)>Cr(III)>Cd(II). On the other hand, when Cr(VI) was in the heavy metal mixture, Sphagnum peat moss and humin showed the following affinity: Cu(II), Pb(II)>Ni(II)>Cr(VI)>Cd(II); however, the affinity of the humic acids was: Cu(II)>Pb(II), Cr(VI)>Ni(II)>Cd(II). The results demonstrated that pH values of 4 and 5 were the most favorable for the heavy metal binding process. At pH 5, all the metals, except for Cr(VI), were bound between 90 and 100% to the three biomasses. However, the binding capacity of humic acids decreased at pH 6 in the presence of Cr(VI). The results showed that the ICP/OES permits the determination of heavy metal binding to organic matter at ppb concentration. These results will be very useful in understanding the role of humic substances in the fate and transport of heavy metals, and thus could provide information to develop new methodologies for the removal of low concentrations of toxic heavy metals from contaminated waters.
Peptide tyrosine tyrosine levels are increased in patients with urea cycle disorders

Abstract Nutritional management is essential for patients with inborn errors of metabolism, such as urea cycle disorders (UCDs). Lack of appetite is common in these patients and can lead to underconsumption of calories, catabolism, and subsequently loss of metabolic control. The etiology of anorexia in these patients is largely unexplored. The neuroendocrine hormone peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY), secreted postprandially from endocrine cells of the ileum and colon, induces feelings of satiety and decreases food intake. While plasma PYY levels have been characterized in a number of populations, they have not been examined in UCD patients. In a retrospective study, plasma PYY concentrations were measured in UCD (n = 42) patients and controls (n = 28) via an ELISA to determine if levels of this anorexigenic hormone are altered in this patient population. Median PYY levels were significantly higher in UCD patients compared to controls (p = 3.5 × 10− 5). Body mass index was significantly associated with increased PYY levels in controls (p = 0.02), while UCD diagnosis subtype was associated with PYY levels (p = 1 × 10− 3) in cases. Median PYY levels were significantly lower in ornithine carbamoyltransferase deficient patients compared with all other UCD subtypes (p = 9 × 10− 3), but significantly higher compared to controls (p = 1.6 × 10− 3). Overall, this study demonstrates that UCD cases have increased PYY levels compared to controls, suggesting that regulation of PYY may be altered in these patients. These observations may lead to a better understanding of the development of anorexia in UCD patients.
Application of microbeam analysis of biomedical samples

Abstract The microbeam facilities at the SUNY/Albany Linear Accelerator Laboratory have several computer controlled features which make it a very useful tool for trace element analysis in biomedical samples, some of which are: (a) simultaneous collection of RBS and PIXE data; (b) reconstruction of the image as well as mapping of the distribution of elements on the surface of the sample; (c) control of the X−Y stage for the sample holder; and (d) an autoalign system to correct for small amounts of beamdrift to keep the beam properly focused on the target. Trace elements in three biomedical samples — liver, muscle and spleen from a mouse — were measured using a 2.5 MeV H+ microbeam. PIXE showed trace amounts of elements (12 ≤ Z ≤ 37) in the sample, some of which were not observed in RIXRF. RBS was used to profile Fe and Zn in all three samples. These initial measurements were encouraging to the extent that a systematic use of the microbeam as a diagnostic tool is being planned and is discussed in this presentation.
The OptdesX design optimization software

This paper describes the OptdesX design optimization software. The software provides a design environment for optimization of engineering problems. The software supports interactive variable and function selection, optimization with continuous and discrete algorithms, design space graphics, tolerance analysis, and control of noise in numerical derivatives, as well as numerous other features. The software is described and illustrated in terms of a small example problem. The software is available on Unix platforms only.
Protein Phosphatase 2Cα Dephosphorylates Axin and Activates LEF-1-dependent Transcription

The Dishevelled (Dvl) gene family encodes cytoplasmic proteins that are necessary forWnt signal transduction. Utilizing the yeast two-hybrid system, we identified protein phosphatase 2Cα (PP2C) as a Dvl-PDZ domain-interacting protein. PP2C exists in a complex with Dvl, β-catenin, and Axin, a negative regulator of Wntsignaling. In a Wnt-responsive LEF-1 reporter gene assay, expression of PP2C activates transcription and also elicits a synergistic response with β-catenin and Wnt-1. In addition, PP2C expression relieves Axin-mediated repression of LEF-1-dependent transcription. PP2C utilizes Axin as a substrate both in vitro andin vivo and decreases its half-life. These results indicate that PP2C is a positive regulator of Wnt signal transduction and mediates its effects through the dephosphorylation of Axin.
Regulation of Myelination: Schwann Cell Transition from a Myelin‐Maintaining State to a Quiescent State After Permanent Nerve Transection

Permanent nerve transection of the adult rat sciatic nerve forces Schwann cells in the distal nerve segment from a myelin-maintaining to a quiescent state. This transition was followed by serial morphometric evaluation of the percentage fascicular area having myelin (myelin percent of area) in transverse sections of the distal nerve segment and revealed a rapid decline from a normal value of 36.6% to 3.2% by 14 days for the sciatic nerve to less than 1.0% throughout the remaining time course (up to 105 days). No evidence of axonal reentry into the distal nerve segment or new myelin formation was observed at times under 70 days. In some of the distal nerve segments at 70, 90, and 105 days, new myelinated fibers were observed that usually consisted of only a few myelinated fibers at the periphery and in the worst case amounted to 1.6% (myelin percent of area). Radioactive precursor incorporation of [3H]mannose into endoneurial slices at 4 and 7 days after transection revealed two species of the major myelin glycoprotein, P0, with Mr of 28,500 and 27,700. By 14 days after nerve transection, only the 27,700 Mr species remained. Incorporation of [3H]mannose into the 27,700 Mr species increased progressively to 35 days after transection and then began to decline at 70 and 105 days. Alterations in the oligosaccharide structure of this down-regulated myelin glycoprotein accounted for the progressive increase in mannose incorporation. Lectin affinity chromatography of pronase-digested P0 glycopeptides on concanavalin A-Sepharose revealed that the 28,500 Mr species of P0 had the complex-type oligosaccharide as the predominant oligosaccharide structure (92%). In contrast, the high mannose-type oligosaccharide was the predominate structure for the 27,700 Mr form, which increased to 70% of the total radioactivity by 35 days after nerve transection. Since the biosynthesis of the complex-type oligosaccharide chains on glycoproteins involves high mannose-type intermediates, the mechanism of down-regulation in the biosynthesis of this major myelin glycoprotein, therefore, results in a biosynthetic switch from the complex-type oligosaccharide structure as an end product to the predominantly high mannose-type oligosaccharide structure as a biosynthetic intermediate. This biosynthetic switch occurs gradually between 7 and 14 days after nerve transection and likely reflects a decreased rate of processing through the Golgi apparatus. It remains to be determined if the high mannose-type oligosaccharide chain on P0 can undergo additional processing steps in this permanent nerve transection model.
Damping coefficient design charts for sampled-data control of processes with deadtime

Design charts that give the value of the gain of a proportional sampleddata controller for various closed loop damping coefficient specifications are presented. Charts for first- and second-order processes with various deadtimes are given over a range of sampling rates. Typical root locus plots in the z plane are also presented to illustrate how increasing deadtime (as an integer multiple of the sampling period) increases the order of the system in the z domain.
A Delay-Efficient Algorithm for Data Aggregation in Multihop Wireless Sensor Networks

Data aggregation is a key functionality in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). This paper focuses on data aggregation scheduling problem to minimize the delay (or latency). We propose an efficient distributed algorithm that produces a collision-free schedule for data aggregation in WSNs. We theoretically prove that the delay of the aggregation schedule generated by our algorithm is at most 16R + Δ - 14 time slots. Here, R is the network radius and Δ is the maximum node degree in the communication graph of the original network. Our algorithm significantly improves the previously known best data aggregation algorithm with an upper bound of delay of 24D + 6Δ + 16 time slots, where D is the network diameter (note that D can be as large as 2R). We conduct extensive simulations to study the practical performances of our proposed data aggregation algorithm. Our simulation results corroborate our theoretical results and show that our algorithms perform better in practice. We prove that the overall lower bound of delay for data aggregation under any interference model is max{log n,R}, where n is the network size. We provide an example to show that the lower bound is (approximately) tight under the protocol interference model when rI = r, where rI is the interference range and r is the transmission range. We also derive the lower bound of delay under the protocol interference model when r <; rI <; 3r and rI ≥ 3r.
Legume Nodule Metabolism and Nitrogen Fixation

THE extent of nitrogen fixation in legume nodules is governed primarily by the carbohydrate supply1,2. Quantitative information concerning the carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism of nodules is, however, somewhat limited. Investigations of this subject, conducted during the past four years, are here reported upon briefly.
Performance of N95 respirators: reaerosolization of bacteria and solid particles.

If a respirator does not contain an exhalation valve, and the respirator wearer sneezes or coughs, one may expect previously collected particles to be reaerosolized. This may be of special concern in environments contaminated with airborne microorganisms. The percentages of reaerosolization were measured in a test setup where the number of reaerosolized particles were registered by dynamic aerosol size spectrometry relative to the number of previously collected particles or bacteria. Experiments at low relative humidity have shown that the reaerosolization of particles below 1 μm, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis surrogate bacteria, does not exceed 0.025%, even if the re-entrainment air velocity is as high as 300 cm/sec (i.e., 37 times the air velocity through the respirator during breathing under heavy workload conditions). The reaerosolization of larger particles into dry air was significant at the highest re-entrainment velocity of 300 cm/sec, which simulates violent sneezing or coughing; 0,1% for ...