cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
U.S. Foreign Policy and the Iran Hostage Crisis. By David Patrick Houghton. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2001. 270p. $64.95 cloth, $22.95 paper.

David Patrick Houghton's U.S. Foreign Policy and the Iran Hostage Crisis explores the power of historical analogies in foreign policy decision making, offering along the way an engaging, thought-provoking account of decision making during the Iranian hostage crisis. Posing the question “How do decision makers reason when confronted by a problem which seems almost entirely novel in character and therefore without precedent?” (p. 19), Houghton follows Khong's Analogies at War in arguing for the centrality of analogical reasoning. The seizure of the American embassy by Iranian student radicals presented a genuinely perplexing problem for decision makers on all sides, and Houghton captures their uncertainty well. Since decision makers can rely on different historical analogies, and even the same historical analogy can offer competing lessons or be subject to divergent interpretations, Houghton focuses attention upon the interpretive interplay of analogies. As the crisis unfolded, decision makers deliberated, directly and indirectly, over the most relevant and useful analogy. These analogies, according to Houghton, are not merely justifications for strategies chosen for other reasons but directly affect individual policy preferences by shaping beliefs about the nature of the problem. Houghton convincingly establishes the prevalence and power of historical analogies in shaping the response of policymakers to unfamiliar situations. His efforts to construct generalizable theoretical propositions about their relative causal weight are somewhat less successful but are consistently thought-provoking.
Context-Sensitive Design Concepts for Streetcar Electrification

As the interest in establishing new streetcar systems in various cities throughout the United States continues, concerns over the possible visual impact of the overhead wiring are sometimes expressed. These concerns are not without basis. In some cases the genesis of such concern is the trend to use catenary rather than traditional trolley wire on light rail transit lines. Catenary is unavoidably conspicuous. In addition to the contact wire, catenary comprises a thick messenger cable with multiple vertical hangers to support the contact wire and other appurtenances, all out over the middle of the street. The use of catenary in a street setting is a departure from traditional streetcar track electrification, which generally has only a single wire over the track. These concerns about the visual impact can be particularly acute at specific locations, such as where a line segment is bordered by a grand or historic edifice or is in a park setting. This is the case at particular locations in Washington, D.C., a...
Coordinating mathematical concepts with the demands of authority: children’s reasoning about conventional and second-order logical rules

Abstract Arithmetic algorithms include two types of rules: conventional rules that may be changed by authority, and may legitimately vary from one classroom or country to another (e.g. putting the sum below, rather than above, the numbers added) and logical rules that involve the logic of the algorithm. Changes in the logical rules produce incorrect answers. Hence these rules are not legitimately alterable by authority. Second-order logical rules depend on the particular conventions of the symbol system used (e.g. the rule for carrying in place-value addition). Given the symbol system used, these rules are not legitimately alterable by authority. However, as a result of their dependence on the symbol system, children may have difficulty distinguishing second-order logical rules from conventional rules. Ninety-eight children in grades 2 through 5 were interviewed about the correctness of answers obtained using alternatives to standard conventional and second-order logical rules, and about the legitimacy of authorities to change the rules. Half the children across this age range treated second-order logical rules as somewhat like conventions, judging that an answer resulting from an alternative to a second-order logical rule is correct if sanctioned by authority. With increasing age children increasingly limited the jurisdiction of authority over second-order logical rules.
Mitomycin C in the treatment of metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of urinary bladder.

Mitomycin C was administered to 21 patients with metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder. Of these, 19 patients were evaluable. Objective response occurred in four patients, or 21%. Hemopoietic depression was common and was dose related. Nephrotoxicity related to the drug was seen in one case. Mitomycin C does exhibit antitumor activity against transitional cell carcinoma in man.
A routing fabric for monolithically stacked 3D-FPGA

A previous study on the benefits of monolithically stacked 3D-FPGA has estimated a 3.2x improvement in logic density, a 1.7x improvement in delay, and a 1.7x improvement in dynamic power consumption over a baseline 2D-FPGA with no change in architecture. This paper describes a new routing fabric and shows that a 3D-FPGA using this fabric can achieve a 3.3x improvement in logic density, a 2.35x improvement in delay, and a 2.82x improvement in dynamic power consumption over the same baseline 2D-FPGA. The additional improvements in delay and power consumption are achieved by reducing net loading in several ways: (i) Only Single and Double interconnect segments are used. This reduces the total interconnect length used to implement each net. (ii) The routing fabric is hierarchical. Each logic block's inputs and outputs connect first to local segments. These segments can be then programmably connected to local segments in neighboring routing blocks via programmable buffers and/or to interconnect segments in routing channels via muxes with buffered outputs. (iii) Interconnect segments can be directly connected to form longer segments using programmable buffers without going through routing blocks. (iv) The routing block provides switching capability beyond that of a conventional switch box. A 3D-FPGA using this new routing fabric can be realized by stacking two configuration memory layers and a switch layer on top of a standard CMOS layer with a total of 12 metal layers interspersed between them. A CAD flow based on VPR with appropriate modifications to the routing graph generation and routing algorithm is developed and used in the performance analysis.
Aggression Questionnaire hostility scale predicts anger in response to mistreatment

We tested the hypotheses that the hostility and anger scales of the Buss and Perry (1992) [Buss, A. H. & Perry, M. (1992). The Aggression Questionnaire. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63, 452-459.] Aggression Questionnaire would predict anger in college students in response to mistreatment. We found low and high hostility groups did not differ in anger at baseline or after completing a task without provocation, but the high hostility group reported greater anger than the low group after the onset of provocation, which required all students to redo completed tasks because some students (confederates) were observed cheating. Hostility also influenced anxiety and depression, but only anger was greater as a result of the provocation in the high than in the low hostility group. The anger scale did not predict anger in response to provocation, but anger was higher in the high than the low anger group before the provocation. These findings support the construct validity of the Aggression Questionnaire hostility scale as a measure of suspicion, resentment and sensitivity to mistreatment.
Chemohormonal therapy and endocrine function in breast cancer patients

The administration of CMFVP (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, vincristine, and prednisone) results in profound alterations in hormonal profiles of premenopausal women due to a reduction in ovarian and adrenal secretion of estrogens and androgens. Cytotoxic chemotherapy results in ovarian suppression as documented by decreases in estradiol with concomitant elevations in pituitary gonadotrophins, whereas the addition of prednisone to the cytotoxic regimen results in significant decreases in androgen levels due to adrenal suppression. In postmenopausal women, CMFVP also results in significant decreases in estrogens and estrogen precursors due to suppression of adrenal steroid metabolism. Continuous low-dose prednisone administration during cytotoxic chemotherapy appears to be more effective than an intermittent high-dose schedule in achieving and sustaining adrenal suppression. However, complete elimination of adrenal steroidogenesis does not occur in all cases since measurable amounts of adrenal steroids remain in the serum throughout chemohormonal therapy. The administration of tamoxifen plus CMFVP is associated with hyperestrogenemia in younger premenopausal patients which persists until the onset of ovarian suppression.
A Highly Stereospecific and Efficient Synthesis of Homopentafluoro- phenylalanine

A short and efficient synthesis of homopentafluorophenylalanine (6) from oxazolidine aldehyde 1 in 57% overall yield and in > 98% ee is described. The enantiomeric excess of the product was determined by 19F NMR analysis of the coupling product derived from 5 and L-Ser(O-t-Bu)-OCH3, by comparison to a dipeptide obtained from racemic 5.
Spatial Situation Models and Text Comprehension.

Three experiments examined how readers inferred spatial information that was relevant to a story character's movements through a previously memorized layout of a fictional building relative to various tasks. This study also examined how inference measures were related to spatial imagery and reading comprehension ability. Replicating the spatial separation effect reported by Morrow, Greenspan, and Bower (1987), probed objects were responded to faster when they were located in the same room of a building as the main character of a narrative than when the objects were located in different rooms. Experiment 2 ruled out a simple name‐based priming explanation of the spatial separation effect, and Experiment 3 demonstrated a facilitation for objects from the character's target room even when readers were provided with a spatially indeterminate list description of the building. The construction‐integration model of text comprehension accounted for the spatial separation effect in terms of variations in the knowl...
Effect of a memory-enhancing drug, AIT-082, on the level of synaptophysin.

: Our objective is to study the effect of AIT-082 on the level of synaptophysin in cultured pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. The drug AIT-082, a unique purine hypoxanthine derivative, is under development for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We analyzed synaptophysin protein as an index of synaptic numbers and density and indirectly neuronal transmission. PC12 cells were treated with nerve growth factor (NGF) (50 ng/ml) and/or different doses of AIT-082 (5–50 ng/ml) obtained from NeoTherapeutics, CA. In the western immunoblots of conditioned media and cell lysates, we detected synaptophysin as 36–40 kDa protein bands. When PC12 cells were treated with NGF and samples were analyzed at 24 or 48 hours after treatment, the secretion of synaptophysin was drastically reduced in the conditioned medium. A significant reduction in the intracellular level of synaptophysin in NGF-treated samples was also noted. By contrast, when PC12 cells were treated with AIT-082, the secretion of synaptophysin was increased in the conditioned medium as compared to the control. There was also a significant increase in the intracellular levels of synaptophysin in AIT-082-treated cultures. NGF treatment resulted in sympathetic neuronal phenotypes in PC12 cells. As it is known that the immunoreactivity of the synaptophysin protein correlates with the density of the synaptic terminal, our results suggest that treatment by AIT-082 could enhance neurotransmitter release at the presynaptic terminal, which may play a role in the improvement of cognition seen in AD subjects.
Cellular Basis of Abnormal Calcium Transients of Failing Human Ventricular Myocytes

Depressed contractility is a central feature of the failing human heart and has been attributed to altered [Ca2+]i. This study examined the respective roles of the L-type Ca2+ current (ICa), SR Ca2+ uptake, storage and release, Ca2+ transport via the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger (NCX), and Ca2+ buffering in the altered Ca2+ transients of failing human ventricular myocytes. Electrophysiological techniques were used to measure and control V(m) and measure I(m), respectively, and Fluo-3 was used to measure [Ca2+]i in myocytes from nonfailing (NF) and failing (F) human hearts. Ca2+ transients from F myocytes were significantly smaller and decayed more slowly than those from NF hearts. Ca2+ uptake rates by the SR and the amount of Ca2+ stored in the SR were significantly reduced in F myocytes. There were no significant changes in the rate of Ca2+ removal from F myocytes by the NCX, in the density of NCX current as a function of [Ca2+]i, ICa density, or cellular Ca2+ buffering. However, Ca2+ influx during the late portions of the action potential seems able to elevate [Ca2+]i in F but not in NF myocytes. A reduction in the rate of net Ca2+ uptake by the SR slows the decay of the Ca2+ transient and reduces SR Ca2+ stores. This leads to reduced SR Ca2+ release, which induces additional Ca2+ influx during the plateau phase of the action potential, further slowing the decay of the Ca2+ transient. These changes can explain the defective Ca2+ transients of the failing human ventricular myocyte.
IONMIX: A code for computing the equation of state and radiative properties of LTE and non-LTE plasmas

Abstract A detailed description of a code developed to compute the energetics and radiative properties of high temperature, low-to-moderate density plasmas is presented. Steady-state ionization and excitation populations are determined by detailed balancing arguments and rate coefficients based on the hydrogenic ion approximation. We consider contributions from bound-bound, bound-free, free-free and electron scattering processes in evaluating extinction and emission coefficients at several hundred well-placed photon energies, which are then used to compute multi-group Planck and Rosseland mean opacities.
Pair Production by Ultraintense Lasers

We consider the production of electron-positron pairs by the interaction of relativistic superthermal electrons, generated by ultraintense laser pulses, with high- $Z$ material. We discuss the laser and target parameters required in order to optimize the pair-production rate. We explore the regime when the pairs, if sufficiently confined, can start to exponentiate in number and explore the feasibility of achieving a pair density approaching ${10}^{21}\mathrm{cm}{}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$, $\frac{1}{50}\mathrm{th}$ that of solid-ion density.
Better home energy audit modelling: incorporating inhabitant behaviours

Building energy modelling is often used in US home energy audits to assess a home's energy performance and to determine energy-efficiency retrofit recommendations. These models promise quantitative, engineering-based, defensible information on a home's energy retrofit opportunities. Modelling is based on assumed standard use behaviours, despite highly variable energy use practices. This research reports on tests that incorporate household behaviour in home energy audit modelling, based on a sample of single-family households that received a utility-sponsored home energy audit in Seattle, Washington, a US city with a cool temperate climate. The use of a compact set of self-reported behaviours in place of standardized behavioural assumptions improved the match between actual home energy consumption and model estimates, and shifted retrofit savings predictions. These were modest improvements over the initially poor match, but highlight the opportunity for better customizing home energy audit modelling by usi...
Reaction centers from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides in reconstituted phospholipid vesicles. II. Light-induced proton translocation.

Unidirectional light-dependent proton translocation was demonstrated in a suspension of reconstituted reaction center (RC) vesicles supplemented with cytochromec and 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone (UQ0), a lipid-and water-soluble quinone. Proton translocation was detected only at alkaline pH. The pH dependence can be accounted for by the slow redox reaction between the reduced quinone (UQ0H2) and oxidized cytochromec. This conclusion is based on (i) the pH dependence of partial reactions of the reconstituted proton translocation cycle, measured either optically or electrometrically and (ii) titration studies with cytochromec and UQ0. At 250 and 25 µM UQ0 and cytochromec, respectively, maximal proton translocation was observed at pH 9.6. This pH optimum can be extended to a more acidic pH by increasing the concentration of the soluble redox mediators in the reconstituted cyclic electron transfer chain. At the alkaline side of the pH optimum, proton translocation appears to be limited by electron transfer from the endogenous primary to the secondary quinone within the RCs. The light intensity limits the reconstituted proton pump at the optimal pH. The results are discussed in the context of a reaction scheme for the cyclic redox reactions and the associated proton translocation events.
Aristotle: a system for development of program analysis based tools

Aristotle provides program analysis information, and supports the development of software engineering tools. Aristotle's front end consists of parsers that gather control flow, local dataflow and symbol table information for procedural language programs. We implemented a parser for C by incorporating analysis routines into the GNU C parser; a C++ parser is being implemented using similar techniques. Aristotle tools use the data provided by the parsers to perform a variety of tasks, such as dataflow and control dependence analysis, dataflow testing, graph construction and graph viewing. Most of Aristotle's components function on single procedures and entire programs. Parsers and tools use database handler routines to store information in, and retrieve it from, a central database. A user interface provides interactive menu-driven access to tools, and users can view results textually or graphically. Many tools can also be invoked directly from applications programs, which facilitates the development of new tools. To assist with system development and maintenance, we are also creating support tools for managing bug and test suite databases.
Potential for Diboride Reinforcement of Oxide Matrix Composites

Particulate composites of TiB2 in ZrO2, Y2O3 and Al2O3 have been prepared by vacuum hot pressing. Specimens were tested in oxyacetylene flames at 1650 to 2050°C; in vacuum at 1600°C and by induction heating in air at 1400 to 1600°C in order to evaluate the chemical compatability between the diboride/oxide combinations, as well as the effectiveness of the oxides as diffusion barriers. Results indicate that the large vapor ressure of B2O3 formed at the diboride/oxide interfaces presents serious problems under all the conditions tested.
Role of Connective Tissue Autoimmunity in Graves' Ophthalmopathy

Histologic similarities exist between the tissues involved in the extrathyroidal manifestations of Graves' disease, namely ophthalmopathy and pretibial dermopathy. Both conditions are characterized by an accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and an infiltration of lymphocytes. We have shown that interleukin-1 and transforming growth factor-beta, cytokines released by the local inflammatory cell infiltrate, are capable of stimulating GAG synthesis by retroocular and pretibial fibroblasts. Additionally, affected retroocular and pretibial fibroblasts demonstrate an enhanced induction of HLA-DR in response to interferon-gamma treatment and both cell types express the 72 kDa heat shock protein in vivo and in vitro. Retroocular and pretibial fibroblasts from patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy and pretibial dermopathy thus seem to possess unique immunological features that may render them more susceptible to the autoimmune process in Graves' disease. Chronic stimulation of fibroblasts by cytokines released in the local inflammatory milieu may result in excessive GAG production. The accumulation of these hydrophilic mucopolysaccharides, with its associated edema, leads to the clinical manifestations of Graves' ophthalmopathy and pretibial dermopathy.
A cartesian diver balance-capillary respirometer for metabolic studies of tissue cultures

Abstract The Zeuthen Cartesian diver microbalance and the Gregg capillary micro-respirometer have been modified and combined into a single apparatus for use in biochemical studies of tissue cultures. Reduced weight as an index of tissue quantity can be measured in the range of 5 to 500 μg to within 1 per cent error. Respiratory rates as low as 1.0 μl per hour can be measured with the same accuracy. A series of experiments was carried out which demonstrate the reliability and applicability of the weighing, respirometry and culturing techniques separately and in combination.
Globalization and life history research: fragments of a life foretold

The goal of this paper is to understand, by way of a life history of one low‐income working‐class youth, how globalization impacts the working class in a developing nation. The concept of globalization and the method of life history seem diametrically opposed. Globalization is an idea about large social forces that impact the economic and material conditions of nations. Life history assumes that understanding the specific context of one person is paramount. The author takes issue with the idea that the two concepts are incompatible and instead suggests that life history affords a way to come to terms with globalization that is often missing from large cross‐national studies. The text suggests that life history provides opportunities for understanding globalization from a new vantage point that does not contradict previous research, but instead lends depth and understanding about how individuals act and react to the forces of globalization.
Moral and theological realism: The explanatory argument

There are striking parallels, largely unexplored in the literature, between skeptical arguments against theism and against moral realism. After sketching four arguments meant to do this double duty, I restrict my attention to an explanatory argument that claims that we have most reason to deny the existence of moral facts (and so, by extrapolation, theistic ones), because such putative facts have no causal-explanatory power. I reject the proposed parity, and offer reasons to think that the potential vulnerabilities of moral realism on this front are quite different from those of the theist.
Spin-controlled maneuver strategies using unbalanced precessions

The use of unbalanced precessions as a trajectory control technique is combined with the spin-rate control of a spin-stabilized spacecraft to minimize the amount of fuel needed to implement an overall translation maneuver Delta V. It is shown that in many cases, it is more fuel efficient to spin down the spacecraft before reorienting its spin axis in the direction of the continuous or pulsed maneuver velocity change; the additional cost of the spin variation is compensated by the reduced amount of propellant needed to reorient its spin axis by way of unbalanced precessions to and from the maneuver Delta V orientation.
Optical characterization and modeling of amorphous hydrogenated carbon films

Amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H) thin films are of great importance in a number of industrial applications due to their hardness, chemical stability, and optical transparency. In many applications, the thickness of the a-C:H film and/or its optical properties are critical for the performance of the complete structure, and, as a result, a means of measuring these quantities is important. In this work we review the use of spectroscopic ellipsometry and transmission measurements for the estimation of the thickness and optical constants of thin a-C:H films. Spectra are shown for films exhibiting Tauc effective bandgaps ranging from 0 - 2.3 eV. The films were prepared by magnetron sputtering and plasma CVD on both silicon and glass substrates. The general energy dependence of the a-C:H optical constants is discussed in terms of the absorption processes which occur in the film.
Prediction and clustering in signed networks: a local to global perspective

The study of social networks is a burgeoning research area. However, most existing work is on networks that simply encode whether relationships exist or not. In contrast, relationships in signed networks can be positive ("like", "trust") or negative ("dislike", "distrust"). The theory of social balance shows that signed networks tend to conform to some local patterns that, in turn, induce certain global characteristics. In this paper, we exploit both local as well as global aspects of social balance theory for two fundamental problems in the analysis of signed networks: sign prediction and clustering. Local patterns of social balance have been used in the past for sign prediction. We define more general measures of social imbalance (MOIs) based on l-cycles in the network and give a simple sign prediction rule. Interestingly, by examining measures of social imbalance, we show that the classic Katz measure, which is used widely in unsigned link prediction, also has a balance theoretic interpretation when applied to signed networks. Motivated by the global structure of balanced networks, we propose an effective low rank modeling approach for both sign prediction and clustering. We provide theoretical performance guarantees for our low-rank matrix completion approach via convex relaxations, scale it up to large problem sizes using a matrix factorization based algorithm, and provide extensive experimental validation including comparisons with local approaches. Our experimental results indicate that, by adopting a more global viewpoint of social balance, we get significant performance and computational gains in prediction and clustering tasks on signed networks. Our work therefore highlights the usefulness of the global aspect of balance theory for the analysis of signed networks.
Vegetative characteristics of three low-lying Florida coastal rivers in relation to flow, light, salinity and nutrients

The Chassahowitzka, Homosassa and Crystal rivers along the central Gulf coast of Florida were studied from 1998 to 2000 to identify factors controlling the abundance and distribution of submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV). Each of these three low-lying coastal rivers are spring-fed and exhibit low to moderate absolute flow rates (flows in either direction because of tidal influences, 0.06–0.46 m s−1) with only 14 of the stations sampled for SAV having flow rates in excess of 0.25 m s−1. At those stations where flow rates exceeded 0.25 m s−1, the substrate was generally comprised of exposed limestone outcroppings and did not provide a favorable habitat for either submersed macrophytes or macroalgae. The remaining sampling stations, where flow rates were less than 0.25 m s−1, had suitable substrates (e.g. mud, mud/sand, and sand) for the colonization and subsequent growth of SAV. Light availability and salinity were determined to be major factors affecting the distribution and abundance of SAV. Sampling stations, where the percent of incident light at the surface reaching the substrate was less than 10, had little or no SAV biomass. Low SAV biomass was also linked to sites where annual average salinities exceeded 3.5‰. Nutrient loads and nutrient concentrations accounted for little variance in SAV biomass after accounting for flow and related substrate type, light and salinity. These latter factors control the distribution and abundance of SAV in these three Florida coastal rivers.
Understanding the Knowledge Gap: The Role of Experts and Journalists

Decades of research attest to the strong positive association between an individual's socioeconomic status (SES) and his or her level of political knowledge. This study shows that differences in how the media cover political issues influence the distribution of knowledge in society by altering the strength of that relationship. I combine individual-level survey data with media content analysis to examine the variation in knowledge across more than four dozen issues. In a series of three studies, I show that higher levels of expert commentary in news stories reinforce SES-based differences in political knowledge. By contrast, greater levels of contextual coverage diminish those differences. These findings have important implications for how the mass media report on political developments and how they might better encourage citizen engagement with the political world.
Flows in the Presence of Electric Charges and Fields

The nonlinear Poisson–Boltzmann equation and its linearization are introduced together with methods of their solution. Models of electroosmotic flow are reviewed. Expressions for the electrostatic component of disjoining pressure are derived and applied to the problem of film drainage in the presence of electric charges. Electrowetting on dielectric and its applications are discussed.
Concentration of Rare Epiphytic Lichens Along Large Streams in a Mountainous Watershed in Oregon, U.S.A

Abstract We studied epiphytic macrolichen communities and occurrences of rare species along the transition from upland to riparian forests on a range of stream sizes (intermittent, non-fish-bearing perennial, fish-bearing but less than 5th order, and streams larger than 5th order), based on 92, 0.38 ha plots in the McKenzie River watershed of the central Cascades of Oregon. The transition from uplands higher in the watershed to riparian areas along large streams is expressed in decreasing elevation and increasing representation of hardwoods. Upland stands were almost 100% conifers, averaging 49 m2/ha in stand basal area, decreasing to 48% conifers along fish-bearing streams of fourth order and below, and finally to 30% along large streams. Stand basal areas of hardwoods averaged near zero in uplands, increasing to an average of 11 m2/ha along large streams. One NMS ordination axis described this gradient in macrolichen communities, expressing 72% of the variation in community composition. Epiphytic lichen...
Benefits and constraints for use of FGD products on agricultural land

Considerable amounts of flue gas desulfurization products (FGDs) are generated when S is recovered from coal burned at electrical generating plants to meet Clean Air standards. Beneficial uses of FGDs are continually being sought to reduce waste, decrease cost of disposal, and provide value-added products. Beneficial agricultural uses of FGDs include application as amendment to acidic soil to mitigate low pH problems (Al toxicity); provide plant nutrients (particularly Ca, S, Mg); improve soil physical properties (water infiltration, soil aggregation, particle stability); help alleviate soil compaction and improve aggregate stability of sodic soils; and inactivate P under high P-soil conditions to reduce P runoff. Co-utilization of FGDs with organic materials (manures, composts, biosolids) should also provide benefits when used on land. Constraints to use of FGDs on agricultural land could be both insufficient or excessive amounts of CaCO 3 , CaO, and/or Ca(OH) 2 to not raise soil pH sufficiently or to raise soil pH too extensively; excessive Ca to cause imbalanced Mg, P, and K in soils/ plants; Ca displacement of Al from soil exchange sites to induce Al toxicity in plants; high B to induce B toxicity in plants; excessive sulfite which is toxic to plants; and excessive amounts of undesirable trace elements (As, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Se) which could potentially contaminate water and pose toxicity to plants/ animals. Most constraints are not and do not need to be problems for FGD use on land if these products are used appropriately.
Grid Interconnected Z-Source PV System

The paper proposes the use of the Z-Source inverter for photovoltaic (PV) grid interconnection. Unlike the traditional inverter, the Z-Source inverter has two independent control variables: shoot-through duty ratio and modulation index. This paper demonstrates that the Z-Source inverter can boost dc voltage when needed, perform maximum power tracking, and interface with the grid. A Z-source inverter system is considered for a 230-400 V dc PV array's interconnection with a three-phase 208 V rms grid. Simulation results prove that the Z-source inverter can perform maximum power tracking and produce the needed ac voltage to the grid for the entire PV voltage range of 230-400 V, which is not possible for the traditional inverter without dc-dc boost converter.
Microfluidic Cell Culture and Its Application in High-Throughput Drug Screening Cardiotoxicity Assay for hERG Channels

Evaluation of drug cardiotoxicity is essential to the safe development of novel pharmaceuticals. Assessing a compound's risk for prolongation of the surface electrocardiographic QT interval and hence risk for life-threatening arrhythmias is mandated before approval of nearly all new pharmaceuticals. QT prolongation has most commonly been associated with loss of current through hERG (human ether-a-go-go related gene) potassium ion channels due to direct block of the ion channel by drugs or occasionally by inhibition of the plasma membrane expression of the channel protein. To develop an efficient, reliable, and cost-effective hERG screening assay for detecting drug-mediated disruption of hERG membrane trafficking, the authors demonstrate the use of microfluidic-based systems to improve throughput and lower cost of current methods. They validate their microfluidics array platform in polystyrene (PS), cyclo-olefin polymer (COP), and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannels for drug-induced disruption of hERG trafficking by culturing stably transfected HEK cells that overexpressed hERG (WT-hERG) and studying their morphology, proliferation rates, hERG protein expression, and response to drug treatment. Results show that WT-hERG cells readily proliferate in PS, COP, and PDMS microfluidic channels. The authors demonstrated that conventional Western blot analysis was possible using cell lysate extracted from a single microchannel. The Western blot analysis also provided important evidence that WT-hERG cells cultured in microchannels maintained regular (well plate-based) expression of hERG. The authors further show that experimental procedures can be streamlined by using direct in-channel immunofluorescence staining in conjunction with detection using an infrared scanner. Finally, treatment of WT-hERG cells with 5 different drugs suggests that PS (and COP) microchannels were more suitable than PDMS microchannels for drug screening applications, particularly for tests involving hydrophobic drug molecules.
Exacerbation of allergic inflammation in mice exposed to diesel exhaust particles prior to viral infection

Background Viral infections and exposure to oxidant air pollutants are two of the most important inducers of asthma exacerbation. Our previous studies have demonstrated that exposure to diesel exhaust increases the susceptibility to influenza virus infections both in epithelial cells in vitro and in mice in vivo. Therefore, we examined whether in the setting of allergic asthma, exposure to oxidant air pollutants enhances the susceptibility to respiratory virus infections, which in turn leads to increased virus-induced exacerbation of asthma. Ovalbumin-sensitized (OVA) male C57BL/6 mice were instilled with diesel exhaust particles (DEP) or saline and 24 hours later infected with influenza A/PR/8. Animals were sacrificed 24 hours post-infection and analyzed for markers of lung injury, allergic inflammation, and pro-inflammatory cytokine production.
The Analysis of Count Data : A Gentle Introduction to Poisson Regression and Its Alternatives

Count data reflect the number of occurrences of a behavior in a fixed period of time (e.g., number of aggressive acts by children during a playground period). In cases in which the outcome variable is a count with a low arithmetic mean (typically < 10), standard ordinary least squares regression may produce biased results. We provide an introduction to regression models that provide appropriate analyses for count data. We introduce standard Poisson regression with an example and discuss its interpretation. Two variants of Poisson regression, overdispersed Poisson regression and negative binomial regression, are introduced that may provide more optimal results when a key assumption of standard Poisson regression is violated. We also discuss the problems of excess zeros in which a subgroup of respondents who would never display the behavior are included in the sample and truncated zeros in which respondents who have a zero count are excluded by the sampling plan. We provide computer syntax for our illustrat...
Deformation Testing of Foods.

SUMMARY— A technique is described for using certain of the special characteristics of a universal testing machine which permits small distances to be measured with precision. A number of foods were compressed to a standard force, and the deformations of the foods were then measured off the strip chart recorder which is an integral part of the machine. The high degree of precision is obtained by driving the chart at a speed which is an exact multiple of the speed of the compressing plate. Differences between the deformation characteristics of different foods are shown. The advantage of using a standard size and shape of test piece is discussed. A method is shown for overcoming the effect of small imperfections in shape of standard pieces. It is also shown that a small deforming force will usually give a better resolution between similar samples than does a large deforming force.
N-WASP and the Arp2/3 Complex Are Critical Regulators of Actin in the Development of Dendritic Spines and Synapses

Changes in the number, size, and shape of dendritic spines are associated with synaptic plasticity, which underlies cognitive functions such as learning and memory. This plasticity is attributed to reorganization of actin, but the molecular signals that regulate this process are poorly understood. In this study, we show neural Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP) regulates the formation of dendritic spines and synapses in hippocampal neurons. N-WASP localized to spines and active, functional synapses as shown by loading with FM4–64 dye. Knock down of endogenous N-WASP expression by RNA interference or inhibition of its activity by treatment with a specific inhibitor, wiskostatin, caused a significant decrease in the number of spines and excitatory synapses. Deletion of the C-terminal VCA region of N-WASP, which binds and activates the actin-related protein 2/3 (Arp2/3) complex, dramatically decreased the number of spines and synapses, suggesting activation of the Arp2/3 complex is critical for spine and synapse formation. Consistent with this, Arp3, like N-WASP, was enriched in spines and excitatory synapses and knock down of Arp3 expression impaired spine and synapse formation. A similar defect in spine and synapse formation was observed when expression of an N-WASP activator, Cdc42, was knocked down. Thus, activation of N-WASP and, subsequently, the Arp2/3 complex appears to be an important molecular signal for regulating spines and synapses. Arp2/3-mediated branching of actin could be a mechanism by which dendritic spine heads enlarge and subsequently mature. Collectively, our results point to a critical role for N-WASP and the Arp2/3 complex in spine and synapse formation.
A framework for distributed and hierarchical design-for-test

As we move into the system-on-chip era, test cost is becoming a significant portion of the total cost. Similarly, test synthesis, test pattern generation, pattern compression and pattern validation are consuming significant portion of the design cycle time. The volume of test generation and validation is high due to the size of the designs as well as the types of tests that are required to be run - scan test patterns for stuck-at and delay tests, logic and memory BIST patterns, IDDQ tests, burn-in tests, and several miscellaneous tests. Designs cannot be taped out without validated test patterns. At the same time, since design timing closure takes up a significant portion of the project time and the timing information is not available until late in the schedule, there is immense pressure on the DFT team to generate and validate patterns in a small time frame. This paper describes a framework for design-for-test which exploits both hierarchy and the inherent parallelism in the DFT jobs to run the jobs in a distributed computing environment so as to minimize the runtime impact.
A Strengths Perspective for Assessing Older Adults: Curriculum Enrichment in a Human Behavior Course

At the beginning of the article, the rationale for focusing on curriculum development and enrichment in the area of older adulthood is presented. The vulnerability of older adults and the need for ...
Representing Districts and Parties: Double Proportionality

Double-proportional divisor methods take account of two dimensions: the geographical division of the electorate by district, and the political division of the electorate by party. At the outset all available seats are allocated between districts proportionally to population figures, and among parties proportionally to countrywide vote counts. The subsequent step is the essence of the method: the sub-apportionment of seats simultaneously by district and party. The result must conform to both dimensions: every district must meet its district magnitude, and every party must exhaust its countrywide seats. To this end two sets of electoral keys are employed: district divisors, and party divisors. The sub-apportionment is easily verified provided the divisors are publicized.
The marshall sklare memorial lecture

So in the spirit of his teaching, my aim herein is draw upon my own recent work on the history of American Judaism1 to examine issues of continuing concern to social scientists, particularly the problem of assimilation, within a historical framework. I am also going to make a specific proposal concerning the American Jewish Data Bank. Let me begin with a personal anecdote. Almost 30 years ago, when I first became interested in the history of American Jewry, I mentioned my interest to a scholar at a distinguished rabbinical seminary, and he was absolutely appalled. "American Jewish history," he growled. "I'll tell you all that you need to know about American Jewish history: The Jews came to America, they abandoned their faith, they began to live like goyim, and after a generation or two they intermarried and disappeared." "That," he said, "is American Jewish history; all the rest is commentary. Don't waste your time. Go and study Talmud." I did not take this great sage's advice, but I have long remembered his analysis, for it reflects, as I now recognize, a longstanding fear, now hundreds of years old, that Jews in America are doomed to assimilate, that they simply cannot survive in an environment of religious freedom and church-state separation. In America, where religion is totally voluntary, where religious diversity is the norm, where everyone is free to choose their own rabbi and their own brand of Judaism—or indeed no Judaism at all many (and not just rabbinical school scholars) have assumed that Judaism is fated sooner or later to disappear. Social scientists surely recognize this assimilationist paradigm. It is a close cousin to the secularization thesis that once held sway in our field. Some, like Sklare's nemesis, sociologist Milton Gordon, proclaimed a "right to assimilate." "The individual," Gordon insisted, "should be allowed to choose freely whether to remain within the boundaries of community created by his birthright ethnic group, to branch out into multiple interethnic contacts, or even to change affiliation to that of another ethnic group should he wish to do so as a result of religious conversion, intermarriage, or simply private wish."2
Soviet scientists speak out

In this article, Russian bomb designers answer the KGB's claim that espionage, not science, produced the Soviet bomb. Yuli Khariton and Yuri Smirnov wholly reject the argument that Soviet scientists can claim little credit for the first Soviet bomb. In a lecture delivered at the Kurchatov Institute, established in 1943 when Igor Kurchatov became the director of the Soviet nuclear weapons project, Khariton and Smironov point to the work done by Soviet nuclear physicists before 1941 and refute assertions that have been made in Western literature regarding the hydrogen bomb.
Alkaline phosphatase activity of human serum in cancer.

SummaryThe sera of normal and noncancerous individuals have the same magnitude of dephosphorylation. In patients having a malignant tumor, phosphorus release of the serum was generally higher than the normal and non-cancerous group. The highest values were found in patients with tumors of the liver, pancreas and genito-urinary system. The sera of patients from whom a malignant tumor had been previously removed showed a phosphorus release which was identical with the normal and non-cancerous group.
Investigation of Compressible Electromagnetic Flute Mode Instability in Finite Beta Plasma in Support of Z-pinch and Laboratory Astrophysics Experiments.

Flute mode turbulence plays an important role in numerous applications, such as tokamak, Z-pinch, space and astrophysical plasmas. In a low beta plasma flute oscillations are electrostatic and in the nonlinear stage they produce large scale density structures co-mingling with short scale oscillations. Large scale structures are responsible for the enhanced transport across the magnetic field and appearance of short scales leads to ion heating, associated with the ion viscosity. In the present paper nonlinear equations which describe the nonlinear evolution of the flute modes treated as compressible electromagnetic oscillations in a finite beta inhomogeneous plasma with nonuniform magnetic field are derived and solved numerically. For this purpose the 2D numerical code FLUTE was developed. Numerical results show that even in a finite beta plasma flute mode instability can develop along with formation of large scale structures co-existing with short scale perturbations in the nonlinear stage.