cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abortion Costs and Single Parenthood: A Life-Cycle Model of Fertility and Partnership Behavior

Abstract I estimate a structural model that nests four channels through which abortion costs impact partnership and fertility. Variation in parental consent laws helps to identify the relative importance of each theoretical channel, and simulations decompose total policy effects into theoretical channels. Results indicate that the largest effect of parental consent laws is on the abortion decision for pregnant minors. But there are also meaningful effects on marriage opportunities for pregnant minors and on sexual and contraceptive behavior. These effects combine to impact family structure and human capital accumulation over the life-cycle. Simulations show that parental consent laws reduce the accumulation of human capital via impacts of children on school attendance and also increase the probability that women spend time as unwed mothers. A counterfactual abortion ban is predicted to increase birth rates at all ages and subsequently increase unwed motherhood and reduce schooling.
Odobenus rosmarus (Walrus)

These karyotypes are gifts of Dr. U. Arnason and come from fibroblast cultures. Prominent secondary constrictions mark the tenth autosomal pair, X and Y are readily identified.
Unification of closed-loop scheduling and control: State-space formulations, terminal constraints, and nominal theoretical properties

Abstract Due to increases in both connectivity of process systems and availability of computing power, there is growing interest in the integration of online scheduling and control. While significant progress has been made on formulations and optimization strategies for this integrated problem, obtaining a single solution is not sufficient for a practical implementation: because of disturbances and the inherent finite-horizon scope, it eventually becomes necessary to reoptimize considering the new state of the plant. When this loop is closed, there is an unfortunate gap in knowledge with respect to theoretical properties possessed by the resulting evolution of the system. Thus, to facilitate an analysis of the online behavior, we present a unified state-space formulation for integrated scheduling and control. We then use recent theory from economic model predictive control to derive terminal constraints that can be added to the problem to provide nominal recursive feasibility and a bound on closed-loop performance. Via examples, we demonstrate the improved performance of these techniques relative to naive closed-loop implementation strategies. These developments put closed-loop scheduling, economic-optimizing control, and the integrated problem within a common framework, and they can hopefully serve to guide the development of alternative decomposition strategies that still enjoy the desired nominal theoretical properties while avoiding unexpected pathological behavior.
Scalable Lazy-update Multigrid Preconditioners

Multigrid is one of the most effective methods for solving elliptic PDEs. It is algorithmically optimal and is robust when combined with Krylov methods. Algebraic multigrid is especially attractive due to its blackbox nature. This however comes at the cost of increased setup costs that can be significant in case of systems where the system matrix changes frequently making it difficult to amortize the setup cost. In this work, we investigate several strategies for performing lazy updates to the multigrid hierarchy corresponding to changes in the system matrix. These include delayed updates, value updates without changing structure, process local changes, and full updates. We demonstrate that in many cases, the overhead of building the AMG hierarchy can be mitigated for rapidly changing system matrices.
Wet tropical soils and global change

Abstract Soils of the wet tropics represent one of the planet's greatest natural resources, serving as a substrate for some of the most productive ecosystems in the world, and as the largest terrestrial reservoir for organic carbon (C). Global change is having large effects on key soil characteristics in wet tropical forests, including shifts in C storage and nutrient availability, the extent of which we are just beginning to understand. Deforestation, land abandonment, climate change, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) fertilization, and nitrogen (N) deposition are simultaneously altering soil processes in the tropics, with responses varying according to soil properties, nutrient status, and disturbance and land use history. A major challenge for managers is to sustain - and where needed - restore wet tropical forest soil function, while developing strategies and methods for adapting to global change.
‘Who did what for whom?’ Amnesty International’s Urgent Actions as activist-generated data

The historically growing awareness of human rights violations is attributable in large part to advocacy by nongovernmental human rights organizations (NGOs). Human rights advocacy techniques and th...
Pseudo estimation and variable selection in regression

Abstract Often a problem in linear regression either for correlated data or high-dimensional data is the singularity of the sample covariance matrix. While dealing with an ill-conditioned covariance matrix has been a longstanding challenge in the statistical literature, recent proposals relying on adding noises to the original data have found their successes in obtaining reliable estimates and making predictions. It has been shown that perturbing data with noises has a close relationship to the well-known ridge estimator. In this paper, we propose to add noises to the predictors with a known covariance structure, and call the estimator obtained in such a way a “pseudo estimator”. A new variable selection procedure based on the concept of pseudo confidence interval which works for both correlated predictors and “large p small n ” problem is proposed. We study the theoretical properties of the proposed pseudo estimator and variable selection procedure. Furthermore, we use an ensemble step to stabilize the pseudo estimation (variable selection) results. The advantages of the proposed method are demonstrated by both simulation studies and real data analyses.
End-of-Life Care in Cystic Fibrosis: Comparing Provider Practices Based on Lung Transplant Candidacy.

Background: The optimal timing to introduce palliative care (PC) and end-of-life (EOL) conversations into the lives of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) has not been established. Objective: Compare ...
Shared decision making for an MRI centered lead management case

A patient with old, but normally functioning pacing leads and a battery at replacement time will need MRI scans in the future. A lead management decision as to reusing, abandoning or extracting and replacing the leads is needed. Informed involvement of the patient to form the best management plan is the best approach.
Portraying Mental Illness in Video Games: Exploratory Case Studies for Improving Interactive Depictions

This exploratory study examines three video games as case studies for how video games may portray mental illness through interactive, non-narrative design features. The analysis not only reports findings but also offers an evaluation for how video games might improve in how they depict mental illness. The games studied are What Remains of Edith Finch, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, and Doki Doki Literature Club. The analysis identifies how these games use audiovisual styles, control systems, game goals, and procedurality to portray mental illness. A report of the discovered themes precedes a discussion of innovations and weaknesses of those depictions of mental illness.
Endophthalmitis prophylaxis failures in patients injected with intracameral antibiotic during cataract surgery

Purpose To estimate the association of cefuroxime and moxifloxacin in relation to the occurrence of endophthalmitis following phacoemulsification cataract surgery. Design Retrospective clinical cohort study. Methods We studied patients with noncomplex phacoemulsification cataract surgery in Kaiser Permanente Northern California during 2014-2019. Data were obtained for acute, postoperative endophthalmitis within 90 days of phacoemulsification, including culture and antibiogram results, intracameral and topical antibiotic agent, and dose. In a post hoc analysis, we also examined preoperative anterior chamber depth (ACD) and postoperative anterior chamber volume (ACV). Results Of 216,141 surgeries, endophthalmitis occurred in 0.020% of moxifloxacin-injected eyes and 0.013% of cefuroxime eyes (relative risk 1.62 with 95% CI 0.82-3.20, P = .16). Of the 34 (0.016%) cases of endophthalmitis, cefuroxime 1 mg was injected into 13 eyes and moxifloxacin 0.1% into 21 eyes. Organisms with antibiograms were identified in 12 (35%) cases. Of these, bacteria recovered from cefuroxime-injected eyes were resistant to cefuroxime in all cases (4/4), with Enterococcus comprising half of these. In eyes injected with moxifloxacin 0.1%, 6 out of 7 organisms were sensitive to moxifloxacin injected with 0.1 mL and in 1 eye injected with 1 mL. Streptococcus was the most common organism recovered (6/9) in moxifloxacin-injected eyes. Preoperative ACD and postoperative calculated ACV were higher in eyes injected with moxifloxacin. Conclusions Endophthalmitis cases with positive cultures were generally related to organism resistance in cefuroxime eyes but to sensitive organisms in moxifloxacin eyes. Moxifloxacin doses may have been insufficient in eyes with larger ACV.
Gender Diversity of Conference Leadership [Women in Engineering]

The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Women in Engineering (RAS WIE) Committee set out to understand one aspect of representation: that of women in the primary conference leadership and speaker roles at RAS-supported conferences. We found that 1) despite recent improvement, the representation of women remains low (about 20%); 2) a small pool of women tends to hold these roles; and 3) there is a correlation between increased gender diversity in the leadership roles and a woman appointed as general chair. The improvements in gender diversity are encouraging, but there is more work to do. To make further progress, RAS WIE has made the following recommendations to the RAS Administrative Committee with support from several other RAS subcommittees on several points. To reach these recommendations, we asked ourselves two questions when considering what we need to do as a community. We hope they are useful and inspire you to think about even more ways to improve representation.
Intra-parotid facial varix

Abstract A 72-year-old male presented with four days of progressive left-sided facial swelling associated with pain. Physical exam revealed left facial fullness over the parotid gland without tenderness to palpation. Vital signs and laboratory findings were within normal limits. A computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated a left facial varix measuring 3.4cm x 2.8cm within an unremarkable appearing parotid gland. Parotidectomy versus close observation were discussed and the patient decided to pursue non-operative management. Ultimately, his symptoms were self-limited and the swelling resolved within six months following diagnosis. Interval CT demonstrated a thrombosed left facial varix measuring 1.3cm x 1.1cm.
Roughening on (11m) Metal Surfaces

The roughening of stepped metal surfaces has been demonstrated on Ni(11m) and Cu(11m) surfaces [1, 2, 3]. Roughening of these surfaces proceeds reversibly by the spontaneous formation of kinks along the (001) terraces when T > TR, the roughening temperature (see Fig. 1a). Two Models, the Body-Centered Solid-on-Solid (BCSOS) [4] and the Terrace-Step-Kink (TSK) [5, 6, 7], have been proposed to describe the transition. Both Models predict that the transition to the rough phase is of the Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) universality class [8]. Indeed, experimental results for Ni(115), Ni(113), and Cu(115) agree quantitatively with several KT predictions. While both models lead to a KT transition, the predicted symmetry of the rough phase is quite different in the two cases. In this review we present evidence from helium diffraction experiments indicating that the rough phase is isotropic, meaning that fluctuations of the terrace edges and the terrace widths are comparable. These experiments support the BCSOS model and suggest that more realistic interaction between kinks reflect the isotropic nature of the BCSOS potential. Time-of-Flight (TOF) experiments show that the transition to the rough phase is consistent with a KT singularity to within the finite resolution of the instrument.
Conditional Expectations and Invariant Subspaces

Let Ф be a conditional expectation operator defined on a selfadjoint algebra of operators on a Hilbert space H. Let A be an invertible operator on Н, and let M be a subspace of H. A sufficient condition for M to be invariant for Ф (А-1)•A is obtained. A generalization involving sequences of conditional expectations yields a simplified and conceptually different proof of a recent theorem about operator factorization with respect to commutative sets of projections. It also provides a step toward the solution of the difficult problem of operator factorization with respect to noncommutative sets of projections.
Azotobacter vinelandii mutS: nucleotide sequence and mutant analysis.

Abstract An Azotobacter vinelandii homolog to the Salmonella typhimurium mutS gene was discovered upstream of the fdxA gene. The product of this gene is much more similar to S. typhimurium MutS than either is to the HexA protein of Streptococcus pneumoniae. An A. vinelandii delta mutS mutant strain was shown to have a spontaneous mutation frequency 65-fold greater than that of the wild type.
Studies of Noise Compensation in Marine Mammals

Abstract : The proposed research will address the fundamental theoretical issue of noise compensation mechanisms in the vocal communication of marine mammals. Noise compensation mechanisms are important for improving signal transmission with an energy limited source. A better understanding of marine mammal noise compensation mechanisms can potentially provide effective means of improving signal transmission in a noisy marine environment and for assessing the impact of man-made sounds on the use of sound by marine mammals. The primary objective of this project is to test hypotheses regarding right whale vocal adjustment to compensate for noise with data from Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis).
Vector field theory: The theorems of Green and Stokes

Let \(\overrightarrow {OP}\) be the directed line segment in ℝ N having its base at the origin and its head at the point P = (1, 0,..., 0). We define the unit vector e1 as the equivalence class of all directed line segments of length 1 which are parallel to \(\overrightarrow {OP}\) and directed similarly. By considering directed Une segments from the origin to the points (0, 1, 0,..., 0), (0, 0, 1,..., 0),..., (0, 0,..., 0, 1), we obtain the set of unit vectors e1,e2,...., e N . We denote by V N (ℝ N ) or simply V N the linear space formed by taking all linear combinations of these unit vectors with real scalars. That is, any vector v in V N is of the form $$v = {a_1}{e_1} + {a_2}{e_2} + ... + {a_N}{e_N}$$ where the a i are real numbers. Addition of vectors and multiplication of vectors by scalars follow the usual rules for a linear space and are a direct generalization of the rules for vectors in two and three dimensions which the reader has encountered earlier.1 The length of a vector, denoted |v|, is $$\left| v \right| = {{\left( {a_{1}^{2} + a_{2}^{2} + \cdots + a_{N}^{2}} \right)}^{{{{1} \left/ {2} \right.}}}} $$ .
Are shocks to foreign investment in developing countries permanent or temporary

Abstract We examine the time path of foreign direct and portfolio investment in developing countries to test if shocks have permanent or temporary effects. Our findings indicate that shock effects are temporary. The results are robust to the strictness of balance of payment controls.
Design and Validation of a Web-Based System for Assigning Members to Teams Using Instructor-Specified Criteria

A significant body of research identifies a large number of team composition characteristics that affect the success of individuals and teams in cooperative learning and project-based team environments. Controlling these factors when assigning students to teams should result in improved learning experiences. However, it is very difficult for instructors to consider more than a few criteria when assigning teams, particularly in large classes. As a result, most instructors allow students to self-select teams, randomly assign teams, or, at best, balance teams on a very limited number of criteria. This paper describes the design of Team-Maker, a web-based software tool that surveys students about criteria that instructors want to use when creating teams and uses a max-min heuristic to determine team assignments based on distribution criteria specified by the instructor. The Team-Maker system was validated by comparing the team assignments generated by the Team-Maker software to assignments made by experienced faculty members using the same criteria. This validation experiment showed that Team-Maker consistently met the specified criteria more closely than the faculty members. We suggest that Team-Maker can be used in combination with the Comprehensive Assessment of Team-Member Effectiveness (CATME) peer evaluation instrument to form a powerful faculty support system for team-based and cooperative learning and for a variety of research purposes. Internet access to both the Team-Maker and CATME systems is freely available to college faculty in all disciplines by selecting the “request faculty account” button at https://www.catme.org.
Boot Camp Prisons as Masculine Organizations: Rethinking Recidivism and Program Design.

Abstract A number of studies have tested the effectiveness of boot camp prisons in reducing recidivism and results indicate that they have not been as successful as originally anticipated. While no two programs are comparable in terms of programming and treatment, most programs utilize a hypermasculine paramilitary prison structure to deter, punish, and rehabilitate. We argue that this structure is problematic in terms of the way in which it is used to instill and reinforce hypermasculine behaviors that have been found to be highly correlated with criminal behavior. After introducing the prison as a gendered organization and discussing the relationship of masculinity and crime, we review studies of boot camp prisons and relate these findings to specific masculine attributes of the boot camp to show how the organizational design may be ineffective in producing desired correctional outcomes.
Installation and Experimental Uses of Rtns-I at the University of California, Berkeley

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) features optical components with line-of-sight access to the 14 MeV neutrons generated by fusion reactions in the target. Two of these components are a final focusing lens, made of fused silica, and a frequency conversion crystal comprised of two potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystals. The Rotating Target Neutron Source (RTNS-I), which was previously operated at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), has now been re-installed at UC Berkeley and is being used for the studies of neutron irradiation of fused silica and KDP. The machine has been installed so as to re-utilize the concrete structure that once housed the Berkeley Research Reactor, now decommissioned. The RTNS uses a 2 - 5 mA beam of deuterons impinging upon a spinning internally cooled tritiated copper target with a 110 Ci tritium inventory. Maximum beam energy is 399 KeV. The 14 MeV neutron production rate is 1.0x10{sup 12} n/sec. Some new features of the machine include fiber-optic coupled microprocessor control of accelerator parameters, a cryogenic tritium collection system, and a scrubber system for exhaust tritium management. 15 refs., 4 figs.
The Soil Organic Fraction

Publisher Summary Organic fraction has a profound effect on the structure of soils and the deterioration of structure which accompanies intensive tillage is usually less rapid in soils of relatively high organic content. The absorption and retention of water, the reserves of exchangeable bases, the capacity to supply nitrogen, phosphorus, and some of the minor elements to growing plants, and the adequacy of aeration and other properties of soils are all dependent in some degree upon the organic fraction. In recent years, there has been a tendency in some quarters to attribute very remarkable properties to soil organic matter, and claims have been made for its effects on plant growth which border on fantastic. For the most part these claims are without basis and are not supported by the sort of experimental evidence which can bear close scrutiny: Since the small amounts of organic matter in mineral soils exert an influence on chemical and physical properties far out of proportion to their percentage by weight, there is ample justification for emphasis on the importance of this fraction in practical agronomy, as well as in agronomic research, without attributing to it the properties of a panacea for all causes of poor plant growth. The goal of a fairly complete characterization of the soil organic fraction is still far from realization, but it may confidently be expected that intensive application of new techniques already at hand, such as chromatographic and electrophoretic separation, use of isotopic tracers, and ultraviolet and infrared spectrophotometry, will greatly accelerate progress in that direction.
A 2.4 GHz low-power low-phase-noise CMOS VCO using spiral inductors and junction varactors

A completely integrated 2.4 GHz low-power low-phase-noise voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) was implemented in a standard 0.18 /spl mu/m single-poly, 6-metal mixed-signal CMOS process. It employs junction varactors as voltage-controlled capacitances along with on-chip spiral inductors to form the LC-tank. The VCO-core draws 1.8 mA of current from a 1.2 V supply. Simulated phase noise is shown as -101.9 dBc/Hz at a 100 kHz offset from the carrier frequency of 2.4 GHz, and -122.1 dBc/Hz at a 1MHz offset. Comparison shows that this design has better performance than previously published similar results. This circuit is in process of being fabricated through the MOSIS Educational Program.
CO2 as a fracturing fluid: Potential for commercial-scale shale gas production and CO2 sequestration☆

Hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling has led to a shale gas energy boom in the United States. In addition to decreasing domestic energy costs, shale gas production has substantially reduced domestic CO2 emissions, largely due to natural gas displacing coal-fired electricity generation. Water is the principal component of working fluids used for commercial hydraulic fracturing, along with other constituent chemicals and substances to enhance fracture propagation/longevity and propping agent (e.g., sand) transport. Industry, policy makers, and other stakeholders are aware of potential disadvantages of aqueous fracturing fluids, including water scarcity, environmental impact from constituent chemicals, and poor fracture performance. To address these problems we are undertaking a study using supercritical CO2 as a replacement working fluid. Supercritical CO2 has many potential benefits and drawbacks compared with water as a fracturing fluid; it may increase gas production through several coupled processes including enhanced fracturing, reduced flow blocking, and miscibility with in-place hydrocarbons, as well as challenges such as economics, resource availability, and assurances that the CO2 is safely sequestered in the target formation. Through a combination of basic experiments, modelling, and historical research, we formally address these issues.
A Note on the Relationship between the Intermedius and Minimus Types of C. diphtheriae.

SummaryA comparative study was made of intermedius-type strains of C. diphtheriae obtained from Dr. J. W. McLeod, Leeds, England and minimus-type strains described by Frobisher in Baltimore. The minimus type was found to be a distinct colony variant and was differentiated from strains described as intermedius by Anderson, et al. Other small-colony variants have also been found differing from both the intermedius and minimus types.
Variability of abdominal circumference of premature infants.

Serial measurements of abdominal circumference were made in 27 premature infants 1 hour before feeding, immediately before and after feeding, and 1 and 2 hours after feeding. In some infants these measurements were repeated for 2 (n = 18) or 3 (n = 3) consecutive days. All 258 measurements were performed by the same examiner; 124 were also repeated blindly by another examiner to test interobserver reliability. The coefficient of variation of repeated measurements of any one infant by the same examiner on a single day was 2.7%. Ninety percent of repeated measurements agreed within 1.5 cm. The interobserver reliability was 0.99. Abdominal circumference was positively correlated with birth weight (P = .0001) and time from last defecation (P = .0001) and negatively correlated with time from last feeding (P = .04). Increases in abdominal circumference of less than 1.5 cm occur normally and, in the absence of other clinical signs, should not be considered indicative of disease.
Zinc and Gene Expression

During the last two decades, zinc has been shown to be a functionally essential component of more than 120 enzymes and concurrently has been recognized as indispensable to normal cellular growth, development and differentiation of all species. However, the manner in which it exerts its effects are still unknown. Studies of the phytid E. gracilis have demonstrated that zinc is critical for transcription and translation, affecting the metabolism of RNA polymerases, mRNA and proteins, among which are histones and arginine-containing peptides. These and other data lead to the suggestion that this element has a fundamental role in gene activation and/or repression, accounting for its pervasive effects on cell metabolism.
The nature of lunar volatiles as revealed by Mini-RF observations of the LCROSS impact site

[1] On 9 October 2009 the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) impacted Cabeus crater, located near the south pole of the Moon. Prior to that impact, the Mini-RF instruments on ISRO's Chandrayaan-1 and NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) obtained S band (12.6 cm) synthetic aperture radar images of the impact site at 150 and 30 m resolution, respectively. These observations show that the floor of Cabeus has a circular polarization ratio (CPR) comparable to or less than the average of nearby terrain in the southern lunar highlands. Furthermore, <2% of the pixels in Cabeus crater have CPR values greater than unity. This observation is not consistent with the presence of thick deposits of nearly pure water ice within a few meters of the lunar surface, but it does not rule out the presence of small (<∼10 cm), discrete pieces of ice mixed in with the regolith. In addition, Mini-RF on LRO acquired a postimpact S band image of the region surrounding the LCROSS impact site, providing important geologic context for the site. Registering the LRO image to a near-infrared (NIR) image taken by the LCROSS shepherding spacecraft, we find that the impactor landed in the ray of a fresh, radar-bright, 1 km crater. However, the difference between preimpact and postimpact images is not above the speckle noise. This implies that the size of the LCROSS impact crater is less than Mini-RF's resolution (30 m), and/or that the impact did not excavate more decimeter-size blocks than were already present at the impact site.
G protein coupled receptor signaling through the Src and Stat3 pathway: Role in proliferation and transformation

Extracellular signals when routed through signaling pathways that use heterotrimeric G proteins can engage multiple signaling pathways leading to diverse biological consequences. One locus at which signal sorting occurs is at the level of G proteins. G protein alpha-subunits appear to be capable of interacting with different effectors leading to engagement of distinct signaling pathways. Regulation of different pathways in turn leads to different biological outcomes. The process of neoplastic transformation is controlled to a large extent through the activation and inhibition of signaling pathways. Signaling pathways such as the Ras-MAPK, v-Src-Stat3 pathways are activated in the process of transformation. Expression of activated Galpha subunits have been shown to cause transformation of cells. While activation of the MAPK 1,2 pathway by various Galpha subunits has been reported for several years, recent studies show the activation and involvement of Src and Stat3 pathways in Galphao and Galphai mediated transformation of cells. Recent studies also suggest that both Galphai and Galphas may be able to interact with and activate Src. The activation of Src and Stat3 by G proteins has also been demonstrated by ligand-induced activation of G protein receptors. So increasingly it is becoming clear that the Src and Stat3 pathways are potential effectors for G proteins and that they may play a role in G protein function.
Predicting the likelihood of matriculation for college applicants

This paper reports on the collection and analysis of survey data directed toward eliciting those characteristics of the institution, applicant, and applicant's family which affect the matriculation decision. Survey data were collected from freshman students accepted for 1981 and 1982. Discriminant analysis of both a parsimonious and an inclusive set of questions items was conducted, demonstrating that a small subset of the items could predict matriculation with an overall accuracy of 70% correct. Also, there was marked consistency in the effective set of predictor variables over the two year period. Using factor analysis it was shown that all of the predictor variables could be grouped into four composite variables reflecting institutional characteristics, admissions office activities, family attributes, and the cooperative education plan. Finally, we suggest ways in which the results may influence recruiting activities so that limited resources may yield more matriculants.
Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in the Culinary Ginger (Zingiber officinale): An Effective Mechanism for Down-Regulating Gene Expression in Tropical Monocots

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) has been shown to be effective for transient knockdown of gene expression in plants to analyze the effects of specific genes in development and stress-related responses. VIGS is well established for studies of model systems and crops within the Solanaceae, Brassicaceae, Leguminaceae, and Poaceae, but only recently has been applied to plants residing outside these families. Here, we have demonstrated that barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) can infect two species within the Zingiberaceae, and that BSMV-VIGS can be applied to specifically down-regulate phytoene desaturase in the culinary ginger Zingiber officinale. These results suggest that extension of BSMV-VIGS to monocots other than cereals has the potential for directed genetic analyses of many important temperate and tropical crop species.
Mandibular osteotomies for tumor extirpation: The advantages of rigid fixation

Adequate exposure of intraoral tumors occupying the posterior oral cavity, base of tongue, tonsil, and superior hypopharynx for wide-field primary surgical resection is critical to precise tumor ablation. The exposure resulting from a mandibular osteotomy has greatly assisted the tumor ablation of these areas. This procedure has also been beneficial in providing exposure to the anterior skull base, pterygomaxillary, and infratemporal space, clivus, and nasopharynx. In evaluating various osteotomy sites and methods of fixation, we reviewed 26 patients treated for benign or malignant neoplasia of the head and neck requiring mandibulotomy. The osteotomy complication rate was 2 (29%) of 7 for wire osteosynthesis and 1 (5.3%) of 19 for plate osteosynthesis. All patients with osteotomy complications had received preoperative radiation therapy. The one complication in the plated group was associated with a lateral stairstep osteotomy and two screws on either side of the osteotomy. This study suggests advantages of absolute rigid internal fixation of mandibular osteotomies used for tumor ablation. It is also concluded that a midline osteotomy reapproximated with rigid internal fixation has the benefits of 1. primary bone healing by means of plating counteracting the balanced forces acting on the symphysis; 2. improved reapproximation with minimal bony loss, improving occlusion; 3. decreased incidence of osteoradionecrosis as the symphysis lies outside the usual radiation ports; 4. preservation of the neurovascular bundle; and 5. maintenance of osteotomy-site immobility in an infected field. This review helped identify surgical techniques that decrease the complications that are commonly associated with mandibular osteotomies for precise tumor ablation.
Culture and Privilege in Capitalist Asia

Culture and Privilege in Capitalist Asia. Michael Pinches. ed. London: Routledge, 1999. vii 309 pp., tables, index.
Analysis of a DtxR-Regulated Iron Transport and Siderophore Biosynthesis Gene Cluster in Corynebacterium diphtheriae

This report describes a genetic locus associated with siderophore biosynthesis and transport in Corynebacterium diphtheriae. A BLAST search of the C. diphtheriae genome identified a seven-gene cluster that included four genes, designated ciuA, ciuB, ciuC, and ciuD, whose predicted products are related to ABC-type iron transporters. Downstream from ciuD is the ciuE gene, whose predicted product is similar to the aerobactin biosynthetic enzymes IucA and IucC. The CiuE protein, which has a predicted mass of 121,582 Da and is approximately twice the size of either IucC or IucA, is homologous to each of these proteins in both its N- and C-terminal regions. C. diphtheriae ciuE deletion mutants exhibited a defect in siderophore production, iron uptake, and growth in low-iron medium. Mutations in the ciuA gene, whose predicted product is a lipoprotein component of an iron transport system, resulted in a severe defect in iron uptake and reduced ability to use the C. diphtheriae siderophore as an iron source. Site-directed mutations in irp6A, a gene previously reported to be associated with siderophore transport, had no effect on iron uptake or the utilization of the C. diphtheriae siderophore as an iron source. Transcriptional analysis demonstrated that expression of ciuA and ciuE is DtxR and iron regulated, and DNase I protection experiments confirmed the presence of DtxR binding sites upstream from each of these genes. Thus, this iron- and DtxR-regulated gene cluster is involved in the synthesis and transport of the C. diphtheriae siderophore.
Prevalence of thrombus, spontaneous echo contrast, and atrial stunning in patients undergoing cardioversion of atrial flutter. A prospective study using transesophageal echocardiography

Background Several studies have shown that patients undergoing cardioversion of atrial fibrillation have a high prevalence of of atrial thrombus and spontaneous echo contrast and frequently develop atrial stunning after restoration of sinus rhythm. These findings are strongly associated with increased risk of embolism in these patients. However, little is known about the prevalence of these markers of thromboembolism in patients undergoing cardioversion of atrial flutter. Methods and Results We performed transesophageal echocardiography in 47 consecutive, nonanticoagulated patients scheduled for elective cardioversion of atrial flutter. In patients who underwent successful cardioversion, mitral inflow velocity was recorded by transthoracic pulsed Doppler examination immediately after restoration of sinus rhythm. All patients were men (mean age, 65±10 years). Mean duration of flutter was 4±9 weeks. Atrial thrombus and/or spontaneous echo contrast were found in 16 patients (34%). Left atrial thrombus was se...
Fast H-vacancy dynamics during alanate decomposition by anelastic spectroscopy. proposition of a model for Ti-enhanced hydrogen transport.

A systematic study of the dehydrogenation process of undoped and of catalyzed NaAlH 4 by means of anelastic spectroscopy is presented. Evidence is reported of the formation of a highly mobile species during decomposition, which has been identified in off-stoichiometric AlH 6-x units, giving rise to fast H vacancy local dynamics. The formation of such stoichiometry defects starts at temperatures much lower in Ti doped than in undoped samples, and concomitantly with the decomposition reaction. The catalyst atoms decrease the energy barrier to be overcome by H to break the bond, thus enhancing the kinetics of the chemical reactions and decreasing the temperature at which the dehydrogenation processes take place. The experimental data show that not all the hydrogen released by the formula units during the evolution of decomposition evolves out of the sample, but part of it remains in the lattice and migrates on a long-range scale within the sample. We identify, in this H mobilized population, the species which induces the fast tetragonal to monoclinic phase transformation accompanying decomposition. A partial spontaneous thermally activated regression of decomposition has also been observed by aging experiments. A model is proposed which accounts for the action of the Ti catalyst and for the atomistic mechanism of decomposition.
A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Risk-Reduction Strategies Targeted at Older Drivers

Objective. The risk of motor-vehicle collisions increases as driving-related functional abilities decline. These declines can accompany normal or pathological aging and can be identified through driving-related functional screening exams upon license renewal. The objective of this cost-benefit analysis was to determine the utility of four functional screening procedures used to identify drivers at risk for motor-vehicle collisions, as well as an intervention designed to maintain or improve functional abilities. Additionally, this study sought to determine the expected cost per driver if an intervention was designed to target only those drivers who failed the functional ability-based driving screen, versus the expected cost per driver if the intervention was distributed en masse to all drivers 75 years and older. Improving functional abilities in older adults has potential far-reaching health and financial impacts which are broader than their impact of maintaining mobility. Methods. A decision tree was con...
Inhibiting Action of Placenta Extract on a Transplantable Malignant Epithelioma of the Rabbit

ConclusionsExtracts of desiccated placenta contain a factor which markedly reduces the incidence of successful inoculations of an epithelial transplantable tumor in the rabbit growing in the skin, where under ordinary conditions the tumor eventually regresses. There are no indications of such strong action on the tumors growing in the testicle, in which organ the growth shows an extremely malignant character.
Negative Emotions and Alcohol Use Initiation in High-Risk Boys: The Moderating Effect of Good Inhibitory Control.

Studies on the relation between negative affect and later alcohol use have provided mixed results. Because definitions of negative affect often include diverse emotions, researchers have begun to dismantle this higher-order construct in an attempt to explain these inconsistent findings. More recent evidence also indicates that good inhibitory control may moderate the relation between negative emotions and alcohol use. The current longitudinal investigation examined the independent relation between three components of negative affect (i.e., depressed mood, fear, and anger) and alcohol use initiation in a sample of aggressive boys. The moderating effect of good inhibitory control was also examined. Results indicated that increased anger and decreased fearfulness are associated with an increased risk for alcohol use initiation only for boys with moderate to low levels of inhibitory control. However, depressed mood predicted alcohol use initiation for boys with good inhibitory control. The potential implications for substance use prevention efforts are discussed.
Sex differences in heart rate variability during sleep following prenatal nicotine exposure in rat pups

Abstract The influence of both prenatal nicotine exposure (PNE; 6 mg/kg/day) and sex on heart rate (HR) regulation during sleep versus wakefulness was evaluated in 13, 16 and 26 day old rat pups. Pups were chronically instrumented at least 24 h before testing. On postnatal day 13 (P13), PNE males spent significantly more time in NREM sleep and demonstrated a greater drop in HR when transitioning from quiet wake to sleep compared to age and sex matched controls (−14 ± 5 bpm versus −1 ± 3 bpm, respectively). Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis indicated that this state-dependent drop in HR was primarily associated with a greater reduction in sympathovagal balance (LF/HF ratio) in PNE males compared to controls. No parallel changes in indices of parasympathetic drive (HF power) were identified. In contrast, no significant effect of PNE on HR during sleep versus wakefulness was identified in P13 females. However, independent of state, a significant decrease in HF power was identified in P13 PNE females compared to controls. At P16, state-dependent differences in HR or HRV between PNE and sex-matched control pups were resolved. Additionally, at P26 no significant effect of PNE on state-dependent changes in HR or HRV was identified in either sex. Analysis of the hypothalamic peptide orexin identified that PNE induced approximately a 50% reduction in hypothalamic prepro-orexin mRNA and total mRNA was lowest in PNE males. These findings suggest that PNE induces sex dependent changes in sleep related autonomic regulation of HR during early postnatal development and these changes may be related to epigenetic alterations in the orexin system.
BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES, SEQUENCE, AND ANXIETY IN CAI

A total of 117 subjects were randomly assigned to a group receiving instructional objectives, or not doing so, and to a logical or random instructional sequence. Performance measures, as well as test and state anxiety scores were obtained. Regression analysis indicated that, as expected, objectives had no effect, whereas the logical sequence reduced program errors and increased achievement. Test anxiety was related to program errors, but not to achievement. Expected interactions among objectives, sequence, and anxiety were not significant.
Blood-brain barrier permeability and the brain extracellular space in acute cerebral inflammation

The diffusion properties of the brain cortical extracellular space have never been examined in models of inflammation, even though inflammation can cause increased blood-brain barrier permeability. Uptake of intravascular 125I-labelled albumin and the diffusion of the tetramethylammonium ion within the brain extracellular space was measured in an experimental brain abscess to determine the effect of acute inflammation upon blood-brain barrier permeability and diffusion properties of the cortical extracellular space. The blood-brain transfer constant for albumin was increased in the abscess region, indicating that an increase in blood-brain barrier permeability occurred in animals inoculated with a weakly pathogenic strain of Staphylococcus aureus. The volume fraction of the extracellular space, as measured by the diffusion of tetramethylammonium ion, ranged from 0.19 to 0.23 in bacteria inoculated subjects and from 0.21 to 0.22 in controls. The tortuosity of the extracellular space ranged from 1.40 to 1.42 in bacteria inoculated subjects and was 1.39 in controls. These results showed that the volume fraction and tortuosity of the cortical extracellular space were not affected by inflammation even though vascular permeability was increased. This result was supported by the finding that brain water content, measured in the same animals, was increased to a non-significant extent in the bacteria inoculated subjects. These findings lead to the conclusion that acute inflammation induced by a weak pathogen can cause increased blood-brain barrier permeability without a significant change in the diffusion properties of the brain cortical space.
Comparative criminology and criminal justice research: The state of our knowledge

The events of September 11, 2001 fueled interest in cross-national and especially transnational crime. What had been relegated to isolated interest sections in scholarly organizations suddenly became front page copy in the news media. Is this heightened interest in comparative research only a fleeting reaction to the immediacy of the terrorist attacks or will interest and research continue to grow and expand the comparative field in criminology and criminal justice? This presidential address attempts to help formalize the field of cross- and multinational research by presenting a typology of comparative studies. The benefits of comparative research as well as the impediments to the comparative approach are then explored. Finally, the future of comparative criminology and criminal justice is addressed through an examination of the role of professional organizations, university curricula, funding agencies and individual scholars in advancing the field.
Determining the Dynamic Protein Structure by Individual-Particle Electron Tomography: An Individual Antibody Structure at a Nanometer Resolution

Antibodies are naturally dynamic, flexible, and structurally heterogeneous. However, the structural heterogeneity has made difficult the structural and functional study by current technologies, such as X-ray crystallography, NMR and single-particle electron microscopy.Here, we report a method to study the antibody structure. The method, which we called individual-particle electron tomography (IPET), is the combination of current electron tomography (ET) technology with our reconstruction program for resolving the high-resolution structure of an individual particle (see our other abstracts). First, we used ET to image an individual antibody from a series of tilt angles. Then, we tracked the targeted antibody and windowed its images. Finally, we used our local refinement program to reconstruct the three-dimensional (3D) density map of the antibody (Figure). The map contained rich structural details, including the holes in the Fab domains, and was the highest resolution map ever obtained from an individual object (resolution was ∼1nm). Comparing the maps from different antibodies, it allowed us to study antibody dynamics and mobility characteristics. Thus, we propose IPET as a novel method for the structural and functional study of the highly dynamic proteins.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
Near-minimal resolution IV designs with three factors

Abstract An s 1 × s 2 × s 3 resolution IV design is an experimental design with three factors at s 1 × s 2 × s 3 levels, respectively, that allows unbiased estimation of all main effects in the presence of non-negligible mean and two-factor interactions. Margolin proved that any such design requires a minimum of s 1 ( s 2 + s 3 –1) runs. In this paper s × s × s resolution IV designs are constructed that require 2 s 2 runs, just s more than the theoretical minimum. These designs can be blocked, are robust to the loss of any one run, and are variance balanced. The designs may also be collapsed to form s 1 × s 2 × s 3 resolution IV designs, where s 2 , s 3 divide s 1 , in only s 1 ( s 2 + s 3 ) runs.