cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interaction of surgical deafening and photoperiod on cloacal gland and testes size in Japanese quail.

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to further examine the interaction of social stimuli and photoperiod on cloacal and gonadal responses in male Japanese quail. In Experiment 1, adult males kept on a maximal (15L:9D) stimulatory photoperiod were surgically deafened and/or visually isolated from roommates. After 6 weeks, there were no differences in cloacal gland or testes size among visually isolated birds, deafened birds, visually isolated and deafened birds, and control birds. It would appear that neither auditory nor visual contact with other males is necessary to maintain reproductive activity under a maximal stimulatory photoperiod. In Experiment 2, 5-week-old males were surgically deafened and kept on either a maximal (15L:9D) or minimal (12L:12D) stimulatory photoperiod for about 10 weeks. The rates of cloacal gland growth were significantly slower in birds kept on the shorter photoperiod compared to the longer photoperiod and in deafened quail compared to intact quail. The difference in cloacal gland size between deafened and intact birds was markedly greater on the minimal compared to the maximal stimulatory photoperiod. These findings suggest that under a minimal stimulatory photoperiod auditory information supplements the photoperiod to accelerate reproductive maturation. At a maximal stimulatory photoperiod, however, the effects of auditory cues on cloacal gland growth appear masked.
Price transmission between products at different stages of manufacturing in forest industries

Abstract The theory of demand and supply implies a positive relationship, or “price transmission” between the prices of products at different stages of manufacturing. This relationship was investigated with quarterly prices of softwood stumpage in the US South, and national prices of forest products, from 1977 to 2002. All prices, net of inflation, were found to be nonstationary and there was no evidence of co-integration between prices. Vector autogressive models, augmented by Granger causality tests and multiplier analysis showed that there was a one-to-one permanent positive response of the southern sawtimber stumpage price to a permanent change in the national lumber price. There was also a one-third permanent positive response of the national paper price to a permanent change in the national pulp price. There was no relation between regional pulpwood prices and national pulp or paper prices. When price transmission was significant, the full adjustment took about 2 years.
Identification and determination of tert‐alkylphenols in carp from the trenton channel of the Detroit River, Michigan, USA

Whole carp from the Detroit River were analyzed by gas chromatographic mass spectrometry. Seven tertiary alkyl phenols (tert-pentylphenols, tert-butyl-tert-pentylphenols, a di-tert-pentylphenol and a tri-tert-pentylphenol) and eight chlorinated derivatives of these compounds were identified from their mass spectra and confirmed with synthesized authentic standards. 2,4-Di-tert-pentylphenol was the most abundant of these compounds; in one fish sample, its concentration was about 140 ppm. The same alkyl phenols were also found in technical-grade 2,4-di-tert-pentylphenol, which is manufactured at a chemical plant located near the Detroit River. Comparison of the alkyl phenol levels in carp with those in nearby sediments showed that many of these compounds are taken up by carp and that carp can be used to roughly track local sediment contamination.
Workshop on acquisitions from the Third World: Proceedings

Article includes transcripts of speeches concerning the book publishing situation and the acquisitions problems in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, and also U.S. Government Documents, followed by a summary of the panel discussions which followed each address.
Magnetic properties of mechanically alloyed Fe-Ni-Ag

Abstract We have prepared mechanically alloyed samples of FeNi, FeNi 3 , and (FeNi 3 ) 1 − x Ag x . The production of nanometer size grains was confirmed by x-ray broadening and electron microscopy. X-ray measurements indicated that a small amount (~7%) of Ag could be alloyed into the Fe-Ni and that considerable lattice strain was present. Mossbauer and magnetic measurements found no evidence for superparamagnetism in these alloys.
The City of Man, European Émigrés, and the Genesis of Postwar Conservative Thought

This article explores the forgotten manifesto The City of Man: A Declaration on World Democracy, which was composed in 1940 by a group of prominent American and European anti-isolationist intellectuals, including Thomas Mann, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Hermann Broch. Written in response to the victories of Nazi Germany, the manifesto declared that the United States had a new global responsibility not only to lead the war against fascism and Marxism, but also to establish a global order of peace and democracy under U.S. hegemony. Moreover, the authors of the manifesto claimed that such an order would have to be based on the rejuvenation of conservative values; in their view, the collapse of Western democracies under the weight of totalitarian aggression was the consequence of inner moral and intellectual degeneration. The City of Man therefore called on the United States to lead the spiritual transformation of democracy into a modern political religion, which would bring about the intellectual and political unity of humanity under one state and one creed. This article analyzes the manifesto as a rare window into the difficulty intellectuals faced as they tried to conceptualize the totalitarian challenge prior to the United States’ entry into the war. Moreover, it claims that The City of Man expressed the emergence of postwar conservatism and Cold War ideology, as well as the unique role played by European emigres in this process.
Graft-versus-host disease: The influence of type 1 and type 2 T cell cytokines*

G RAFT-VERSUS-HOST DISEASE (GVHD) has been associated with the infusion of unirradiated cellular blood products. ~ Manifestations of GVHD usually occur several weeks after the transfusion, and include rash, diarrhea, fever, liver abnormalities, and eventually pancytopenia. There is an extremely high fatality rate for transfusion-associated GVHD. 2 Transfusion from HLA homozygous donors into HLA heterozygous recipients who share one HLA haplotype with the donor are at particular risk for this complication. The development of GVHD in this setting is almost invariably fatal, despite therapy with high-dose corticosteroids and cyclosporine. GVHD is initiated by alloreactive donor T cells recognizing foreign major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens and/or minor histocompatibility antigens (minor HA) of the host. The subsequent induction of inflammatory effector mechanisms ultimately culminates in a complex syndrome in which specific host tissues, including the skin, liver, lung, gastrointestinal tract, and the immune system itself, are severely damaged. There is now substantial evidence to implicate the inappropriate production of cytokines, which are the central regulatory molecules of the immune system, as a primary cause for the induction and maintenance of experimental and clinical GVHD. 3-5 Dysregulation of complex cytokine networks occurring at different steps in the sequence is thought to be responsible for the manifestations of this disease. Because of the central role of cytokines in the pathophysiology of GVHD, advances in the understanding of cytokine networks should enable us to optimize preventive and therapeutic strategies. As will be discussed later in more detail, several protocols that include the intervention in cytokinemediated processes during the effector phase of GVHD have been initiated with varying success. The nature of the cytokine cascade makes it difficult to intervene in GVHD once clinical signs appear. Recent breakthroughs in the understanding of T-cell cytokine networks, particularly with the emergence of the Thl/Th2 paradigm, may provide valuable new tools for the directed intervention in
The temporal variability of centimeter-scale surface roughness in a playa dust source: Synthetic aperture radar investigation of playa surface dynamics

Abstract Emission of mineral dust aerosols is highly dynamic, in part due to variability in surface erodibility. Investigation of the variations of surfaces within dust source regions has the potential to elucidate the processes that control erodibility and to improve model representations of dust emission. In this study, we investigate surface temporal variability in the Black Rock playa (Nevada, USA) using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite data from between 2004 and 2010. The SAR backscatter (σ0) observations of the playa surface are compared to weather station observations and temporally-resolved measurements of water inundation derived from multi-spectral MODIS satellite data. The data illustrate that centimeter-scale surface roughness on the playa is surprisingly heterogeneous over multi-meter length scales and evolves dynamically on annual time scales. Interannual changes in surface roughness on the playa are quite large compared to the variability of surface roughness during the summer months (July–September), suggesting that summer anthropogenic and aeolian processes are substantially less important than water-related processes for controlling the evolution of the playa surface. Playa median σ0 is relatively low in years with high annual precipitation (> 140 mm), suggesting that surface water controls centimeter-scale surface roughness and, potentially, erodibility. Spatially, there is a relationship between σ0 and the time of year at which a surface dries. Areas drying in July have significantly higher σ0 than surfaces that dry earlier in the year, suggesting that spatial heterogeneity in σ0 is controlled by cycles of wetting and drying at the edge of the playa lake. The implications in the Black Rock playa, and potentially more broadly, are that water is a critical factor controlling playa surface evolution, and the annual time scale is crucial for investigations of playa erodibility.
Teaching students to manage cross culturally

It is argued that the teaching of cross‐cultural management is both possible and, in principle, no different from teaching any other aspect of management. However, given the difficulties involved, it cannot be effectively taught through lectures and formal examinations, but instead requires the simultaneous employment of a variety of student‐involving techniques, some of which are described in the article; such as injecting cultural material into lectures, getting students to interview foreign managers, providing students with a cross cultural experience, having students make presentations on selected countries, and examining a few cultures in depth. The aim is not so much to prepare students to be expatriate managers in a particular country, as it is to develop an awareness of how to adapt their managing to any different culture.
An alternative to ordinary q-q plots: Conditional q-q plots

Abstract An ordinary q-q plot has at least two faults: it has a wavy appearance and its degree of linearity is hard to quantify. We propose a remedy, called a conditional q-q plot that reduces the waviness by conditioning on functions of adjacent random variables. It provides an easy and useful plot for assessing the validity of distributional assumptions. Examples are given and discussed.
Suppression of parasitic bipolar effects and off-state leakage in fully-depleted SOI n-MOSFET's using Ge-implantation

This work demonstrates a well-controlled technique of channel defect engineering, by implanting germanium into the channel of a Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) MOSFET to generate subgap energy states. These subgap states act as minority-carrier lifetime killers to spoil the parasitic bipolar gain, and thus improve the source-to-drain breakdown voltage and reduce the front-channel gate-induced-drain-leakage (GIDL). The Ge-implant also serves the dual purpose of positioning most of the subgap states in the back interface region which reduce back-channel off-state leakage.
An accelerated test of the yellowing tendency of drying oils

An accelerated test for the determination of the yellowing tendency of oils is described. The test is demonstrated on purified esters as well as on a number of commonm oils used as vehicles in paints and varnishes.
Efficient coupling of light into the planar photonic crystal waveguides in the slow group velocity regime

We present methods for systematic design of couplers for efficient coupling of light into the slow group velocity modes of photonic crystal waveguides (PCW).
Theoretical rationale for music selection in oncology intervention research: an integrative review.

Background Music-based interventions have helped patients with cancer improve their quality of life, decrease treatment related distress, and manage pain. However, quantitative findings from music intervention studies are inconsistent. Objective The purpose of this review was to explore the theoretical underpinnings for the selection of the music stimuli used to influence targeted outcomes. It was hypothesized that disparate findings were due in part to the atheoretical nature of music selection and the resulting diversity in music stimuli between and within studies. Methods A systematic research synthesis including a comprehensive database and reference list search resulted in 22 studies. Included studies were compiled into two tables cataloging intervention theory, intervention content, and outcomes. Results A majority of studies did not provide a rationale or intervention theory for the delivery of music or choice of outcomes. Recorded music was the most common delivery method, but the specific music was rarely included within the report. Only two studies that included a theoretical framework reported null results on at least some of the outcomes. Null results are partially explained by an incomplete or mismatch in intervention theory and music selection and delivery. Conclusions While the inclusion of an intervention theory does not guarantee positive results, including a theoretical rationale for the use of music, particular therapeutic processes or mechanisms, and the specifics of how music is selected and delivered increases scientific rigor and the probability of clinical translation.
Translocation of vesicles from squid axoplasm on flagellar microtubules

Directed intracellular particle movement is a fundamental process characteristic of all cells. During fast axonal transport, membranous organelles move at rapid rates, from 1 to 5 micron s-1, in either the orthograde or retrograde direction along the neurone and can traverse distances as long as 1 m (for reviews, see refs 1-3). Recent studies indicate that this extreme example of intracellular motility can occur along single microtubules, but the molecules generating the motile force have not been identified or localized. It is not known whether the force-transducing 'motor' is associated with the moving particle or with the microtubule lattice. To distinguish between these hypotheses and to characterize the membrane-cytoskeletal interactions that occur during vesicle translocations, we have developed a reconstituted model for microtubule-based motility. We isolated axoplasmic vesicles from the giant axon of the squid Loligo pealei as described previously. The vesicles (35-475 nm in diameter) were then added to axonemes of Arbacia punctulata spermatozoa that served as a source of microtubules. Axonemes were used because the tubulin subunit lattice of the A-subfibre of a given outer doublet is the same as the subunit lattice of neuronal microtubules along which motility occurs. Moreover, all the microtubules of a single axoneme show the same structural polarity, indicating that the axoneme represents an oriented microtubule substrate. Here we demonstrate that vesicle motility is ATP-dependent, that it is not mediated by the flagellar force-transducing molecule dynein and that the direction of movement is not specified by microtubule polarity.
Half mode substrate-integrated waveguide-loaded evanescent-mode bandpass filter

In this article, a filter size reduction of 46% is achieved by reducing a substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW)-loaded evanescent-mode bandpass filter to a half-mode SIW (HMSIW) structure. SIW and HMSIW filters with 1.7 GHz center frequency and 0.2 GHz bandwidth were designed and implemented. Simulation and measurements of the proposed filters utilizing combline resonators have served to prove the underlying principles. SIW and HMSIW filter cavity areas are 11.4 and 6.2 cm2, respectively. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2013.
Obliteration of a giant carotid aneurysm after extracranial-to-intracranial bypass surgery: case report.

BACKGROUND Proximal arterial occlusion, with or without extracranial-to-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass, is frequently used as treatment for giant intracranial aneurysms that are unclippable. The authors report on a patient who had obliteration of a giant unruptured aneurysm of the right internal carotid terminus after undergoing an EC-IC bypass without proximal arterial ligation. METHODS This 71-year-old woman presented with repeated right cerebral ischemia caused by a giant saccular aneurysm of the right internal carotid terminus. Direct surgical clipping of the aneurysm was not recommended because of the patient's age and because of the morphology of the aneurysm. She could not tolerate occlusion of the right internal carotid artery (ICA) and, therefore, first underwent an EC-IC bypass. Four weeks later, she returned to undergo a balloon occlusion of the right ICA proximal to the aneurysm. RESULTS The right distal ICA and aneurysm were found to be spontaneously thrombosed. At 2-year follow-up, the aneurysm was shown to be completely obliterated on the magnetic resonance imaging scans. CONCLUSIONS The authors conclude that hemodynamic changes in the blood flow of the parent artery after EC-IC bypass caused this occurrence.
Is the Calorie Distribution Log Normal? Evidence from the Nineteenth Century

Abstract. In a classic article written in 1994, Robert Fogel assumed that the distribution of calories per head is log normal and that the variance of income per head is greater than the variance of calories per head. Using these assumptions, Fogel was able to conclude that approximately 50 percent of the economic growth since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution is due to changes in nutrition. The author tests those two assumptions with the 1888 cost of living survey (U.S. Department of Labor 1890). Although he finds that the variance of income is greater than the variance of calories per head, distributional tests reveal that the distribution of calories per head is not log normal. In particular, the calorie distribution is skewed to the left, and the tails of the distribution are thicker than those of a log-normal distribution. Graphical tests, however, show that the log-normal assumption is appropriate, and departures from log normality are quite modest. Kernel density estimates further confirm ...
The Status of Physical Education Curriculum Theory

Although too few physical education scholars have given priority to the formulation of curriculum theory, genuine progress has been made in the past quarter of a century. Recent efforts in physical education theory building are reviewed within the overall context of general curriculum theory and in historical perspective. Special attention is focused on relationships between curriculum and instruction. A selected model for physical education curricular decision-making illustrates the process of relating a physical education curriculum theory to general curriculum theory, the need for adaptation to differing value orientations, and the nature of the impact of curiculum theory on instructional decisions.
Avoiding ventilatory emergencies

ESPIRATORY complications during and after anesthesia and surgery often require acute intervention and frequently may be life threatening. The decrease in functional residual capacity and the altered distribution of ventilation and perfusion that takes place during anesthesia extend into the postoperative period. These alterations make mild hypoxemia very common in the postoperative period and greatly increase the risk of more severe hypoxemic episodes. Hypoxemia can result from failure of the bloodgas matching and exchanging mechanisms (eg, bronchospasm, pulmonary edema, pulmonary embolism, atelectasis, etc.) or from failure to deliver an adequate volume of air to the lungs (upper airway obstruction, decreased central drive, inadequate muscle function, etc). The first can be termed lung failure and results in hypoxemia with a variable change in CO2, while the latter can be termed pump failure and the hypoxemia develops in conjunction with some degree of hy
Population structure of the giant garter snake, Thamnophis gigas

The giant garter snake, Thamnophis gigas, is a threatened species endemic to California’s Central Valley. We tested the hypothesis that current watershed boundaries have caused genetic differentiation among populations of T. gigas. We sampled 14 populations throughout the current geographic range of T. gigas and amplified 859 bp from the mitochondrial gene ND4 and one nuclear microsatellite locus. DNA sequence variation from the mitochondrial gene indicates there is some genetic structuring of the populations, with high FST values and unique haplotypes occurring at high frequency in several populations. We found that clustering populations by watershed boundary results in significant between-region genetic variance for mtDNA. However, analysis of allele frequencies at the microsatellite locus NSU3 reveals very low FST values and little between-region variation in allele frequencies. The discordance found between mitochondrial and microsatellite data may be explained by aspects of molecular evolution and/or T. gigas life history characteristics. Differences in effective population size between mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, or male-biased gene flow, result in a lower migration rate of mitochondrial haplotypes relative to nuclear alleles. However, we cannot exclude homoplasy as one explanation for homogeneity found for the single microsatellite locus. The mitochondrial nucleotide sequence data supports conservation practices that identify separate management units for T. gigas.
Favorable evaluations of Blacks and the handicapped: Positive prejudice, unconscious denial, or social desirability?

Prior research has shown that subjects in an impression formation setting rated an interviewee more favorably if he was labeled as either black or physically handicapped than if he was not labeled. This seems to contradict common assumptions about the nature of stigma. Three interpretations of these findings are advanced: They may reflect actual positive biases held by college students regarding members of these outgroups; they may represent unconscious distortions of subjects' true feelings; or they may represent conscious distortions of true feelings in order to make socially desirable responses. The present study was undertaken to test the third possibility by means of a so-called bogus pipeline manipulation, in which some subjects were led to believe that the experimenter had access to their actual feelings about the interviewee. The results indicated that the high rating of the black was a social desirability phenomenon, but the high rating of the handicapped person was not.
Partitioning of Rare Earth Elements Between Hibonite and Melt and Implications for Nebular Condensation of the Rare Earth Elements

The effect of oxygen fugacity on the partitioning of REEs between hibonite and silicate melt is investigated in hibonite-growth experiments at 1470 C. The experimental procedures and apparatus are described, and the results are presented in extensive tables and graphs and characterized in detail. The absolute activity coefficients in hibonite are estimated as 330 for La, 1200 for Eu(3+), and 24,000 for Yb. It is inferred that ideal solution behavior cannot be assumed when calculating REE condensation temperatures for (Ca, Al)-rich inclusions in carbonaceous chondrites.
Specification test for Markov models with measurement errors

Most existing works on specification testing assume that we have direct observations from the model of interest. We study specification testing for Markov models based on contaminated observations. The evolving model dynamics of the unobservable Markov chain is implicitly coded into the conditional distribution of the observed process. To test whether the underlying Markov chain follows a parametric model, we propose measuring the deviation between nonparametric and parametric estimates of conditional regression functions of the observed process. Specifically, we construct a nonparametric simultaneous confidence band for conditional regression functions and check whether the parametric estimate is contained within the band.
Chinese students' perceptions of ESL peer response group interaction

Abstract This study investigated Chinese students' interaction styles and reactions to one particular pedagogic technique: peer response groups in ESL composition classes. In a microethnographic study, three peer response groups in an advanced ESL composition class were videotaped for 6 consecutive weeks. After videotaping, the interviewers met with individual Chinese-speaking ( n = 3) and Spanish-speaking ( n = 2) group members. The Spanish-speaking students were interviewed in order to have a point of comparison. In each of the sessions, the interviewer and the student viewed the videotapes of the peer response group in which the student had participated and discussed the group's interactions. The interviews were audiotaped, and the tapes were transcribed. The transcripts from the interviews were examined recursively by the researchers; emerging patterns or themes were noted; the data were analyzed again using these themes as coding categories; and the data were organized according to these codes. This analysis yielded a description of the key informants' perceptions of their construction of peer response group interaction. The analysis indicated that the Chinese students' primary goal for the groups was social—to maintain group harmony—and that this goal affected the nature and types of interaction they allowed themselves in group discussions. The Chinese students were reluctant to initiate comments and, when they did, monitored themselves carefully so as not to precipitate conflict within the group. This self-monitoring led them to avoid criticism of peers' work and to avoid disagreeing with comments about peers' or their own writing.
Exploiting Multidimensional Design of Experiments and Kriging Methods: An Application to a Satellite Radar System Tradespace and Orbital Transfer Vehicle Tradespace

*† ‡ § A major benefit to performing tradespace exploration as early as possible and on as broad of a scale as possible is avoiding premature fixation on potentially non-optimal point designs. As the size of a tradespace grows in both the number of variables and the levels for each variable, the number of alternatives, or allowed combinations of various levels of design variables, grows at a combinatorial rate. The Expedited Tradespace Approximation Method (ETAM) was developed in response to this challenge. ETAM leverages intelligent subsampling and interpolation methods, including design of experiments and Kriging Methods, to generate acceptable data for a large tradespace, using fewer computational resources than applying a performance model to every design point. ETAM is applied to two case studies to demonstrate its accuracy and explore its potential for computational savings. Nomenclature
Lessons from the Unexpected: The Importance of Data Infrastructure, Conceptual Models, and Serendipity in Health Services Research

In examining the importance of data systems, conceptual models, and serendipity in understanding health services, the case is made for a vigorous and responsive data infrastructure and more emphasis on conceptual development. Particularly important is the development of data systems that can keep pace with changes in health care organization and patterns of care. Three examples—from managed care, deinstitutionalization, and physician remuneration—demonstrate the need to empirically examine seemingly obvious assumptions about health patterns and trends, and the lessons to be learned when assumptions are proved incorrect. Major future challenges include incorporating patient preferences into outcomes research, meaningful communication about treatment options and health plan choices, and understanding how organizational culture and norms affect decision processes.
Physics of low-temperature microcalorimeters

This introductory tutorial includes a short description of the various types of thermal or phonon-mediated detectors and a discussion of optimal filtering, energy resolution calculations, and electrothermal feedback. We concentrate on the basic operation of simple equilibrium calorimeters with an ideal resistive thermometer. The thermometer technology could be doped semiconductor or superconducting transition edge. The calculations consider only Johnson noise in the thermometer and thermodynamic fluctuation noise between the calorimeter and the heat sink. For many practical devices, this is a good approximation and it provides a starting point for the discussion of other noise sources, various non-ideal effects, and non-linearity. Other types of thermometers may in practice have quite different limiting factors.
Molecular pathogenesis of Marek's disease-recent developments.

Summary Marek's disease (MD) is a lymphoproliferative disorder induced by a herpesvirus in chickens, its natural host. After an early cytolytic infection, the virus induces lymphomas in T‐cells. These cells are latently infected with the virus, but very few viral transcripts or proteins are detectable. Although there are indications that some of these virus‐encoded transcripts may be involved in tumourigenesis, the exact nature of the virus‐cell interaction contributing towards the transformed phenotype is not completely understood. Among the transcripts the meq protein with basic leucine zipper (bZIP) characteristic of the fos/jun family of transcriptional activators is thought to play a major role in MDV‐induced oncogenesis. Similarly the MDV‐en‐coded immediate early transcripts, ICP4, also seems to play an important role in latency and transformation. Apart from the virally‐encoded factors, various host cell factors may be involved in the induction of tumours. Although not much work has been done in el...
Halide perovskite materials for solar cells: a theoretical review

Halide perovskites have recently emerged as promising materials for low-cost, high-efficiency solar cells. The efficiency of perovskite-based solar cells has increased rapidly, from 3.8% in 2009 to 19.3% in 2014, by using the all-solid-state thin-film architecture and engineering cell structures with mixed-halide perovskites. The emergence of perovskite solar cells revolutionized the field not only because of their rapidly increased efficiency, but also flexibility in material growth and architecture. The superior performance of the perovskite solar cells suggested that perovskite materials possess intrinsically unique properties. In this review, we summarize recent theoretical investigations into the structural, electrical, and optical properties of halide perovskite materials in relation to their applications in solar cells. We also discuss some current challenges of using perovskites in solar cells, along with possible theoretical solutions.
Islamic spirituality vis-à-vis Asia Pacific Muslim populations: A resource for Western social work practice:

Among Asia Pacific Muslims who migrate West, spirituality is fundamental. The implications include the need for Western social workers when appropriate to apply Islamic-specific spiritual criteria....
Limitations to the size of single-chip electronic neural networks

The authors analyze and quantify the design tradeoffs which will limit the size of single-chip analog neural networks implemented using standard CMOS technology. Issues investigated include the limits imposed by the neural network architectures themselves, and the related effects of processing variations and defects on the ultimate size of manufacturable neural systems. It is shown that neural networks, even if potentially fault-tolerant, will not automatically provide the capability to make limitless large single-chip integrated circuits. >
Reporting from the Field: Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Reporters Uncover Signaling Dynamics in Living Biological Systems

Real-time visualization of a wide range of biochemical processes in living systems is being made possible through the development and application of genetically encoded fluorescent reporters. These versatile biosensors have proven themselves tailor-made to the study of signal transduction, and in this review, we discuss some of the unique insights that they continue to provide regarding the spatial organization and dynamic regulation of intracellular signaling networks. In addition, we explore the more recent push to expand the scope of biological phenomena that can be monitored using these reporters, while also considering the potential to integrate this highly adaptable technology with a number of emerging techniques that may significantly broaden our view of how networks of biochemical processes shape larger biological phenomena.
The Adenylyl Cyclases as Integrators of Transmembrane Signal Transduction

Activation of the sympathetic nerves initiates the most potent stimulus for enhancing cardiac output, both acutely and chronically (Figure 1). Norepinephrine released into the synaptic cleft at sympathetic nerve terminals binds to beta-adrenergic receptors (beta ARs) on the cardiac sarcolemma and activates the stimulatory guanine nucleotide binding protein Gs by promoting the exchange of GDP for GTP. This reaction catalyzes the dissociation of the GTP-bound Gs alpha subunit from G sub beta gamma. GTP-bound Gs alpha then binds to and stimulates adenylyl cyclase. Adenylyl cyclase is a membrane-bound enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of ATP to cAMP. [1] cAMP, an intracellular second messenger, activates protein kinase A by dissociating its regulatory subunit from the catalytic subunit. [2] The free catalytic subunit thereupon initiates a series of enzymatic reactions leading to a phosphorylation cascade, activating multiple proteins that regulate both the rate and force of cardiac contraction. Phosphorylation of the L-type calcium channel, for example, enhances calcium entry into cardiocytes, leading to increased contractility. [3] On phosphorylation of phospholamban, the inhibition exerted by the nonphosphorylated form of phospholamban on the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump is removed, and its rate of calcium uptake is increased, thereby leading to a more rapid decrease of the cytosolic calcium concentration during diastole. [4] Dissociation of the troponin C-calcium complex is also enhanced when troponin I is phosphorylated, which leads to an accelerated relaxation rate. These latter events underlie the lusitropic effects of beta AR stimulation. [5] Thus, a series of reactions occurs within cardiocytes that is initiated at the level of the cell surface beta AR. The integrated effect is an enhancement in cardiac output. This process rapidly reverses when agonist occupancy of the receptor ceases, ie, at the removal of norepinephrine …
Teleimmersive 3D collaborative environment for cyberarchaeology

We present a prototype collaborative application for archaeology that allows archeologists from remote locations to interact in real time with 3D archeological models through a shared virtual environment using teleimmersive technology. At each location, a set of stereo cameras captures 3D video of the user in real time to create his/her avatar. The 3D data is sent over the network to the remote location where it is integrated and rendered in the shared virtual environment. The teleimmersive aspect of this work provides a novel approach to interaction and interpretation of 3D archeological models by facilitating immersive experience in collaborative setting of remote users. The framework is aimed to facilitate in the future the study and analysis of a virtual reconstruction process in archaeology with the help from virtual community to re-contextualize and reassemble spatial archaeological data.
An Information-Theoretic Approach to Deciphering the Hippocampal Code

Information theory is used to derive a simple formula for the amount of information conveyed by the firing rate of a neuron about any experimentally measured variable or combination of variables (e.g. running speed, head direction, location of the animal, etc.). The derivation treats the cell as a communication channel whose input is the measured variable and whose output is the cell's spike train. Applying the formula, we find systematic differences in the information content of hippocampal "place cells" in different experimental conditions.
Pediatric neuraxial blockade

Abstract Regional anesthetic techniques for children have recently enjoyed a justified resurgence in popularity. Intraoperative blockade of the neuraxis, whether by the spinal or epidural route, provides excellent analgesia with minimal physiologic alteration and, with an indwelling catheter, can provide continuous pain relief for many days postoperatively. As a supplement to general anesthesia, local anesthetic blockade of the neuraxis decreases the total amount of general anesthetic required for surgery, hastens emergence, and allows for a better postoperative experience by providing a pain free emergence from general anesthesia. Although some practitioners contend that a regional block on an already anesthetized child adds to the risk of the general anesthetic itself, in experienced hands the risks are negligible and the benefits dramatic. In this review of caudal and lumbar epidural and subarachnoid blockade in infants and children, anatomy, physiologic alterations, and pharmacology pertinent to the three types of neuraxial blockade are described, with the aim of providing the practicing anesthesiologist with the foundation needed to perform these blocks with relative confidence.
Section VI: complications following esophagectomy: early detection, treatment, and prevention.

Abstract Esophageal surgery remains a relatively morbid operation with potentially devastating complications that can be minimized by prevention, early recognition, and appropriate management. Anastomotic leak, conduit necrosis, and pulmonary failure are the most serious complications. The management of these and other potential complications is reviewed in the following section. © 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Form emergence and fixation of head bobbing displays in the green anole lizard (Anolis carolinensis): a reptilian model of signal ontogeny.

Signal ontogeny was examined in green anoles (Anolis carolinensis). From 1,246 head bob displays given by 114 juveniles, it was found that juveniles possessed all 3 display types (A, B, and C) described for adults and that C displays were present at hatching, but A and B displays appeared to emerge gradually from a common precursor. Durations of the head bobs and pauses that make up juvenile displays tended to be more variable (i.e., less stereotyped) than those of adult displays. However, within the juvenile class, sex, age (or size), social context, and rearing environment (field or lab) had no effect on display structure or stereotypy. Thus, in contrast to typical signal ontogeny in songbirds and mammals, components of the green anole signal repertoire are expressed from early development. Similar to signal ontogeny in altricial species, maturation is nevertheless important for the complete and stereotyped expression of the adult signal repertoire.
Clinical, Pathophysiologic, and Microbiologic Characterization of Bronchiectasis in an Aging Cohort

Study objective Awareness of bronchiectasis on the part of clinicians has been low in recent years, although it was previously well recognized. We believe that bronchiectasis is underdiagnosed, and that current literature is skewed toward the esoteric etiologies of bronchiectasis. Design We reviewed the clinical, radiologic, microbiologic, and physiologic findings in 123 well-studied patients with proved bronchiectasis. Setting The University of Texas Health Center at Tyler Hospital and Clinics. Measurements and results There were 38 men and 85 women with a mean (±SD) age of 57.2±16.7 years; 55% were lifetime nonsmokers. Diagnosis was confirmed with CTs of the chest in 56%, by bronchogram in 28%, and surgery with the remainder. Seventy percent of patients gave a history of an antecedent potentially causative event for the bronchiectasis, usually pneumonia. Symptoms of bronchiectasis included chronic cough with the production of purulent sputum, hemoptysis, recurrent fever, and pleurisy. The finding of crackles on chest examination was the rule (70%) with wheezing present in 34% of the group. Pulmonary function studies documented airway obstruction to be present in 54% of the lifetime nonsmokers. The chest radiographs were abnormal in 91.3%, showing fibrotic stranding and infiltrates. A variety of pathologic microbial flora, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other opportunistic organisms, were isolated from the sputum. Patients who had smoked had much the same picture as nonsmokers, although they had a greater degree of airway obstruction. Conclusions A characteristic clinical picture of bronchiectasis emerges after review and evaluation of these data. Knowledge of this picture should allow ready recognition of the disease.
Differential accumulation of phytohormones in wheat seedlings attacked by avirulent and virulent Hessian fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) larvae.

We analyzed the accumulation of six phytohormones and phytohormone-related compounds in a wheat, Triticum aestivium L., genotype, ‘Molly’, after attacks by avirulent and virulent Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), larvae, respectively, and we examined the expression of genes in the jasmonic acid (JA) pathway by Northern blot analysis. Compared with uninfested plants, attacks by avirulent larvae resulted in increased accumulation of salicylic acid (SA) by 11.3- and 8.2-fold, 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA) by 36.4-and 18.7-fold, 18:3 fatty acid by 4.5- and 2.2-fold, and 18:1 fatty acid by 1.8- and 1.9-fold at 24 and 72 h post-initial attack (hpia), respectively, but an 20% decrease in JA accumulation at 24 hpia at the attack site. Attacks by the virulent larvae did not affect the accumulation of SA, OPDA, and 18:3 and 18:1 fatty acids but dramatically increased the concentration of auxin (AUX) from undetectable in uninfested plants to 381.7 ng/g fresh weight at 24 hpia and 71.0 ng/g fresh weight at 72 hpia in infested plants. Transcript levels of genes encoding lipoxygenase 2, allene oxide synthase, and Arabidopsis storage protein 2 were increased after avirulent larval attacks but decreased after virulent larval attacks. Our results suggest that OPDA and SA may act together in wheat resistance to the Hessian fly, whereas AUX may play a role in the susceptibility of wheat plants. The increased OPDA accumulation after avirulent larval attacks was at least partially regulated through gene transcription.
Introduction to the Special Section on Fluid Flow in the Costa Rica Accretionary Prism

Previous 2D and 3D seismic reflection studies off the Nicoya Peninsula, on the Pacific margin of Costa Rica indicated a reversed polarity decollement beneath the toe of the prism (Shipley et al., 1990), consistent with elevated fluid pressures. In addition, Shipley and Moore (1986) reported a decrease in thickness of underthrust sediment beneath the toe of the wedge of up to 50% over the outer 3–5 km, implying massive dewatering through the toe. Because such dewatering must pass through the toe of the wedge, we suspected the presence of significant fluid venting. During February 1994, we carried out 20 ALVIN dives in search of indicators of fluid venting on the Costa Rica prism. As the trench off Costa Rica reaches depths of 4500m, the ALVIN went through a process of refit and Navy clearance to dive to depths of up to 4500m, and our deepest dive reached that depth. In addition to the dives, we mapped a broad area of the slope with SeaBeam, obtained a series of “pogo” heat flow transects, and recovered a series of piston cores and giant gravity cores for the study of pore water geochemistry. Here we report on the structures observed in the dive program (McAdoo et al.), the nature and locations of fluid vents (Kahn et al.), the heat flow results (Langseth and Silver), the pore water studies (Zuleger et al.), and a reinterpretation of surface amplitude data from 3D seismic records, finding a remarkable association between amplitude anomalies and regions of fluid vents (Mclntosh and Silver).
Molybdenum‐Based Complexes with Two Aryloxides and a Pentafluoroimido Ligand: Catalysts for Efficient Z‐Selective Synthesis of a Macrocyclic Trisubstituted Alkene by Ring‐Closing Metathesis

Macrocyclic ring-closing metathesis (RCM) has had an enormous impact on organic chemistry;[i,ii] such influence has been in spite of the absence of reliable stereoselective catalyst-controlled protocols. High stereoselectivity is crucial to applications in complex molecule synthesis: a non-discriminating RCM, often performed late stage in a multi-step route, can be costly (overall yield reduction by ≥50%). We have reported that with Mo- or W-based mono-aryloxide pyrrolide (MAP) complexes, macrocyclic disubstituted Z olefins can be obtained efficiently and stereoselectively.[iii] Another problem, more challenging and strategically distinct, relates to synthesis of macrocyclic trisubstituted alkenes;[ii] re-routing through diyne RCM[iv]/alkyne functionalization is not an attractive option in such instances.
Estimation and vector quantization of noisy speech

The block and alphabet-constrained formulations are compared for the problem of vector quantization of noisy speech. In the optimum estimator/source-coder structures, a training mode vector quantizer due to Linde et al. (1980) is used as the source coder for the estimator outputs in all cases, and three block estimators and five alphabet-constrained estimators are examined. Objective and subjective performance results are obtained for all eight estimators used in conjunction with training mode vector quantizers at a rate of 1 bit/dimension, for dimensions 1,2,. . . ,8, and 2 bits/dimension, for dimensions 1,2,3, and 4, on five sentences, The results show the superiority of the alphabet-constrained approach, using the frame-adaptive Kalman filter, with improvements in output signal-to-noise ratio over the block approach of 20%. >
Substructure synthesis and its iterative improvement for large nonconservative vibratory systems

A general synthesis method is developed for the dynamic analysis of nonconservati ve vibratory systems composed of substructures . The idea of the synthesis is to represent each substructure by a reduced-order model and to couple the substructure models together to act as the whole system. For general nonconservative systems, a state space formulation is adopted for each substructure. Reduced-order substructure models are obtained by approximating each state vector as a linear combination of a small number of real trial vectors. The accuracy with which the synthesized model represents the whole system depends on the choices of trial vectors and the number of vectors used. A procedure is developed for increasing the accuracy by iteratively generating improved substructure trial state vectors.
Dark Energy, a Summary

Abstract The accelerated expansion of the Universe, described by the term Dark Energy, is one of the most important open questions in Cosmology today. This mysterious Dark Energy comprises about 70 % of the Universe and all the available data to date favors the notion that it is a Cosmological Constant. We will review the current status of the experimental data on Dark Energy and provide a short description of the upcoming experiments poised to shed light on this problem.