cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asante, M. Maulana Karenga: An Intellectual Portrait

Dr. Molefi Asante of Temple University’s Department of African American Studies has written a new book titled: “ Maulana Karenga” an Intellectual Portrait. This text. is the latest installation in the series where Asante examines the scholarly contributions of African people who have devoted their lives to the advancement of the African world. The first in this series was dedicated to the Senegalese academic giant Cheikh Anta Diop. Moving beyond the standard fare of biography, this work takes you into the intellectual life and scholarly achievements of a man who has refused to be silenced on any level. On the Karenga project Asante writes:“My intention is to transcend description and narrative, except where it is obviously needed, in order to present a critical exposition of the theoretical, philosophical, and ethical ideas of the dominant thinker in the African American community for more that forty years” (p.5). Looking closely at the intellectual contributions of Karenga Asante describes his method as “Organic Narration.” By this he means: “The critical use of historical, political, and philosophical texts to weave a cohesive and achievable purpose in conjunction with an ethical imperative” (p.31). Karenga has used the subject of ethics to critique a diversity of subjects ranging from the South Africa question to inner city American school systems and the multicultural idea. Asante makes note of these contributions throughout the text, while paying particular attention to Karenga’s contemporary relevance and far reaching appeal both in the United States and abroad. Asante delves deeply into the intellectual mission of Karenga. In chapter two on page 31 Asante states: “Hands down, the principal role of research in the Karengean imagination is bringing about justice in the world.” This marks one of the central ideas in the work of Karenga because it places him in his rightful place as a human J Afr Am St (2011) 15:125–127 DOI 10.1007/s12111-010-9131-4
Recent Experience with the Computer Science Accreditation Process

Accreditation of programs in Computer Science in the USA began in 1986. There are now over 150 accredited programs and the number is increasing each year (CSAB 1997). There is significant international interest in the mutual recognition and coordination of accreditation of computer science academic programs. The B.S. of Computer Science program at the Department of Computer & Information Sciences, Towson University received the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board (CSAB) initial accreditation in 1994, and has just gone through a reaccreditation visit during the Fall 1999. In this paper, we would share our experiences of the computer science accreditation process; lessons learned, and present our curriculum as one example of the accredited computer science programs in USA.
Nutritionally regulated biomarkers for breast cancer

Recent data on the expression and function of the ZIP family of proteins has suggested that these zinc transporters may be useful biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of human breast cancer. This exciting new area of research opens the door for the use of a variety of nutritionally regulated genes and proteins as screening tools not only for breast cancer, but for a variety of other diseases for which early detection is important.
BREAKING THE AXIAL U(1) DOES NOT ENHANCE SECOND CLASS DECAYS

We consider the description of the a0 meson within a linear sigma model involving different types of explicit breaking of the axial U(1). Those new terms do not enhance confirming the point of view that the decay mode is negligible in the standard model. We also discuss the spectrum of the theory.
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura of childhood: A problem-oriented review of the management

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an often, but not always, self-limited bleeding disorder of childhood of unknown etiology. Duration of more than 6 months defines the chronic form and this occurs in approximately 20% of children and is the common form of the disorder in adults. At initial diagnosis, neither the individual bleeding risk nor the form of the disease, acute or chronic, is predictable, which exposes doctors and parents to fear of life-threatening bleeding. Consequently a majority of children will receive platelet-enhancing therapy to prevent major bleeding manifestations. Prophylactic interventions have proven to be effective in raising the platelet count within a short time period in several prospective trials, however two questions may be raised, (1) whether a rapid platelet increase efficiently prevents serious bleeding and (2) whether such a prophylactic intervention is of clinical value. Furthermore, a small subgroup of patients with major bleeding manifestations seems to be treated inadequately, since patients of this subgroup may bleed in spite of platelet-enhancing therapy. Clinical trials with long-term follow-up are needed, using clinical parameters as study endpoints, to answer the question of which subgroup of children with ITP should be treated upfront with platelet-enhancing therapy.
Anatomy for biomedical engineers

There is a perceived need for anatomy instruction for graduate students enrolled in a biomedical engineering program. This appeared especially important for students interested in and using medical images. These students typically did not have a strong background in biology. The authors arranged for students to dissect regions of the body that were of particular interest to them. Following completion of all the dissections, the students presented what they had learned to the entire class in the anatomy laboratory. This course has fulfilled an important need for our students.
Neural Mechanisms for Response Selection: Representation Specific or Modality Independent?

Is response selection a unitary central cognitive mechanism? Some information processing theories assume it is (Pashler, 1994; Welford, 1959); whereas others suggest it may not be (Meyer & Kieras, 1997). This question was addressed by two studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) published in this issue of the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience . Schumacher, Elston, and D’ Esposito (2003) manipulated responseselection difficulty in two visual‐ manual tasks using spatial and nonspatial stimuli. They found that largely distinct brain regions mediated response selection for the two tasks; with right dorsal prefrontal, and bilateral premotor and superior parietal brain regions subserving spatial response selection and left dorsal prefrontal, ventral parietal, and temporal brain regions subserving nonspatial response selection. These results led these authors to conclude that the neural mechanisms for response selection are specific to the type of information processed. Jiang and Kanwisher (2003a) reached a different conclusion. They manipulated response- selection difficulty in visual‐ manual, auditory‐ manual, and visual‐ vocal tasks. Like Schumacher et al., Jiang and Kanwisher observed fronto-parietal activations for spatial response selection. Contrary to Schumacher et al., however, Jiang and Kanwisher found activation in these same brain regions for nonspatial response selection. These results led Jiang and Kanwisher to conclude that response selection is a modality-independent unitary process. That is, the same neural mechanisms mediate response selection across a variety of tasks and modalities. Is there a way to reconcile the results of these two studies, which address the same question with similar designs, yet reach opposite conclusions?
Amorphization of U3Si by ion or neutron irradiation

Abstract Diffraction techniques have been used to monitor the crystal structure of U 3 Si 2 during irradiation. Neutron diffraction was used to follow crystallographic changes produced by neutron irradiation at 30°C. Neutron irradiation results in uranium fission into energetic fragments that produce tracks of damage in the form of amorphous zones whose volume change relative to the initial lattice produces lattice strains. The total lattice strain increases as the volume fraction of amorphous material increases, and the maximum unit cell volume change is − 2.2%. The amorphous volume fraction increases exponentially at an initial rate of (2.24 × 10 22 fissions/m 3 ) −1 or (0.076 dpa) −1 and complete amorphization occurs by a dose of 1.1 × 10 23 fissions/m 3 or 0.38 dpa. The unit cell volume decreases linearly with increasing volume fraction of amorphous material, indicating that there is little mechanical yielding or plastic flow during irradiation of amorphous U 3 Si 2 . Electron diffraction during in situ 1.5 MeV Kr ion irradiation was used to determine complete amorphization doses for U 3 Si 2 at temperatures above 30°C. As with fission fragments, individual Kr ions produce small amorphous volumes. The temperature limit for complete amorphization is approximately 250°C. Within the uncertainty of the neutron dose steps and damage calculations, the same amount of damage is required for amorphization of U 3 Si 2 by ion or neutron irradiation.
Medial hypothalamic serotonin: effects on deprivation and norepinephrine-induced eating.

Evidence to date suggests an inhibitory role for serotonin (5-HT) in the regulation of feeding behavior. In the present study, hypothalamic 5-HT was investigated for its anorexic potency under different feeding conditions. In fasted rats, 5-HT (1.1–4.4 μg) injected into the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), produced a reliable dose-dependent reduction in food consumption. Under satiated conditions, this inhibitory effect was significantly larger and apparent at lower doses (down to 0.1 μg), in animals induced to eat by PVN injection of norepinephrine (NE). Tests with receptor antagonists, injected into the PVN immediately prior to 5-HT, revealed a dose-dependent blockade of 5-HT's action by the serotonergic blockers, metergoline, methysergide and cinanserin. While the effect of 5-HT was somewhat attenuated by administration of certain β-adrenergic and phenothiazine-type dopamine receptor antagonists, 5-HT was totally resistant to the actions of more selective dopamine blockers and of the cholinergic and histaminergic antagonists, atropine and dexbrompheniramine. PVN injection of various serotonergic compounds, known to inhibit feeding when peripherally administered, also suppressed NE-induced feeding in a dose-related manner (fluoxetine = dl-norfenfluramine > quipazine > chlorimipramine >dl-fenfluramine). Further tests with PVN administration of the dextro isomer and metabolite of fenfluramine showed a considerably stronger inhibitory effect with d-norfenfluramine as compared to dexfenfluramine, and a particular effectiveness of peripherally injected dexfenfluramine in NE-injected rats, at doses at least 10-fold higher than centrally effective doses. Taken together, these and related findings converge to support the hypothesis that the PVN, and perhaps the local α2-noradrenergic receptor system, is a possible site and mechanism involved in the mediation of serotonergic inhibition of eating.
Absence of DNA-associated RNA in the fully repressed nucleus of chicken erythrocyte.

Abstract DNA from fully repressed chicken erythrocyte nuclei was examined for stably associated RNA which could possibly serve a role in genetic repression. Alkaline hydrolysates of DNA purified on cesium chloride gradients showed an absence of sufficient ribonucleotides, in stable association with DNA, on both thin layer chromatography and by in vitro tritium labeling to serve to localize or identify all the deoxynucleotide gene sequences in the fully repressed chicken erythrocyte nucleus.
Characteristics of DNA-RNA hybrids prepared from the eggs of normal and thiotepa chemosterilized houseflies, Musca domestica L

Abstract DNA and 14 C-labeled RNA were isolated from the eggs of normal and thiotepa chemosterilized house flies. RNA-DNA hybrids were prepared by hybridization in solution and with the DNA immobilized on membrane filters. The degree of hybridization was determined by assaying the RNA- 14 C incorporated into the RNA-DNA hybrid. The RNA from normal or chemosterilized fly eggs hybridized with the homologous form of DNA to about the same degree. However, for heterologous hybrids with RNA from one type of egg and DNA from the other, the lesser degree of hybridization indicated that only a portion of the RNA was able to recognize complementary sites in the heterologous DNA. Therefore, as a result of aziridinyl chemosterilization of the adult houseflies, both the RNA and the DNA from the eggs were altered so that they were complementary to each other, but were complementary to only a limited degree to the RNA and DNA from normal eggs.
Illinois Basin, Its Future Petroleum Prospects, and Numbers: ABSTRACT

The Illinois basin has produced oil for nearly a century and few scientists anticipate significant new accumulations will be discovered in the future. Drilling activity and exploration, although greatly diminished from past levels, continue at an impressive rate largely in response to an enhanced economic condition over the past 5 years. What petroleum reserves and likely sizes of new fields remain to be discovered in the Illinois basin? Estimates of remaining undiscovered hydrocarbon reservoirs can be made in a variety of ways. Total hydrocarbon production data for the basin are expected to be guassian; thus, future production can be predicted from past production. Frequency distributions of discovered field sizes permit estimates of those field sizes remaining to be discovered. These distributions may be either cumulative or annual plots which when coupled with production by field size data allow estimates of undiscovered reserves to be made. Conclusions resulting from data for the Illinois part of the basin confirm anticipated, intuitive expectations that only small fields, less than 100 acres (40 ha.) reasonably can be expected in the future although a few medium fields, 100 to 500 acres (40 to 200 ha.) apparently still remain to be found. Most of these undiscovered fields will be stratigraphic accumulations. Total reserves discovered in the future will be small. Although the days of petroleum exploration by major and minor oil companies, as well as large independent operators, have passed completely or are rapidly disappearing in the Illinois basin, opportunities for small independent operators and individuals are perhaps better today than ever before. More geologic information now is available to them and economics will continue to become increasingly more favorable to them. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1287------------
Local measurements of plasma ion dynamics with optical probes

Two insertable optical probes have been constructed to measure local ion temperature and flow velocity using the idea proposed by Fiksel et al. [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 69, 2024 (1998)]. The light from plasma is collected by an optical fiber bundle and transported to a high resolution spectrometer. Spatial resolution of a few centimeters is achieved by using a collimator and a view dump. One ion dynamics spectroscopy (IDS) probe is employed in the edge plasma of Madison Symmetric Torus reversed field pinch in combination with the high throughput (f∕4.5) and high resolution (0.15nm∕mm) IDS-II spectrometer. It has provided local ion temperature measurements of carbon and helium impurities with temporal resolution of 10μs and accuracy of about 5eV. The second instrument is used on the Magnetic Reconnection eXperiment, where the local temperature of helium ions (∼10eV) has been measured with 1eV accuracy. Details of the designs, calibrations, and data analysis are described.
Elastic Contact Model Accounting for Both Asperity and Substrate Compliance With Application to Patterned Media

An improved elastic contact stiffness model for a single asperity system is proposed to account for the effects of both bulk substrate and asperity deformations between two contacting surfaces. Depending upon the applied load, as well as the geometrical and physical properties of the asperity and bulk material, the bulk substrate can have a considerable contribution to the overall contact stiffness. Finite element analysis is performed to verify the proposed analytical model. The single asperity model is extended to rough surfaces in contact. The contact stiffness values from the proposed model are compared to those from the GW model. The proposed contact model can be directly relevant to analyze the contact behavior of modern patterned media.© 2007 ASME
Enzymatic glycerolysis and transesterification of vegetable oil for enhanced production of feruloylated glycerols

Novel functional groups can be introduced into vegetable oils using enzymes, resulting in value-added products. The transesterification kinetics of ethyl ferulate with MAG, DAG, and TAG were examined. Transesterification was catalyzed by immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B in solventless batch and packed-bed reactors. Initial reaction rates with TAG were slightly sensitive to water activity, whereas rates with MAG and DAG were water activity independent. Transesterification was also three-to sixfold faster with MAG and DAG. These observations indicate that the reaction is rate limited by the acyl acceptor, and that oils with free hydroxyl groups are preferred acyl acceptors in comparison with TAG, which must undergo partial hydrolysis before becoming reactive.
Hermetic Histories: Divine Providence and Conspiracy Theory

In the ancient world, the writing of history was closely connected with divination. In this essay I argue that two types of historiography, the providential and the conspiratorial, have a distinct divinatory dimension. Divination purports to uncover occult influences behind the gritty flux of human affairs. Providentialism looks for the "hand of God" in historical events both great and small. Conspiracism is concerned not with the "hand of God" but the "hidden hand." Providentialism and conspiracism are hermetic histories. Like divination they concern themselves with tracking and interpreting signs. History is deciphered via sacred/secret texts, such as the Bible or The Protocols of the Elders of Zion . In this mode historiography is akin to cryptography. Providentialism and conspiracism are hermetic also in the sense that they present "airtight," all-encompassing explanations of past events. They are totalizing histories. The purpose of this essay is to highlight connections between the discourses of divination, divine providence, and conspiracy theory. By way of illustration, I discuss the Primary Chronicle of Kievan Rus' and two articles written in the post-Soviet period by the late Metropolitan Ioann. The approach taken in this essay foreshortens textual detail and historical depth in favor of a kind of Wittgensteinian perspicuous presentation. Hence the value of formal links: the vaulting phrases of providentialism resound in the Primary Chronicle , yet the text seems grounded in the Lebenswelt of divination; in the articles of Ioann, providentialism passes into conspiracism, demonstrating a link between the two hermetic discourses.
Community-Level Cardiovascular Risk Factors Impact Geographic Variation in Cardiovascular Disease Hospitalizations for Women

Prior work has shown significant geographic variation in cardiovascular (CV) risk factors including metabolic syndrome, obesity, and hypercholesterolemia. However, little is known about how variations in CV risk impact cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related hospitalizations. Community-level CV risk factors (hypertension, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and elevated waist circumference) were assessed from community-wide health screenings sponsored by Sister to Sister (STS) from 2008 to 2009 in 17 major US cities. Using data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project’s Nationwide Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS), CVD hospitalizations were identified based on ICD-9 codes for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), congestive heart failure (CHF), and stroke. We linked STS data with HCUP-NIS hospitalizations based on common cities and restricted the analysis to women discharged from hospitals inside the STS cities. Using hierarchical models with city as the random intercept, we assessed the impact of city-specific CV risk factors on between-city variance of AMI, CHF, and stroke. Analyses were also adjusted for patient age and clinical comorbidities. Our analysis yielded a total of 742,445 all-cause discharges across 70 hospitals inside of 13 linked cities. The overall city-specific range proportion of AMI, CHF, and stroke hospitalizations were 1.13 % (0.75–1.59 %), 2.57 % (1.44–3.92 %), and 1.24 % (0.66–1.84 %), respectively. After adjusting for city-specific CV risk factors, between-city variation was no longer statistically significant for all CVD conditions explored. In conclusion, we found that geographic variations in AMI, CHF, and stroke hospitalizations for women may be partially explained by community-level CV risk factors. This finding suggests that interventions to reduce CVD should be tailored to the unique risk profile and needs of high-risk communities.
A quantitative assessment of diatom dissolution and late quaternary primary productivity in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific

The Eastern Equatorial Pacific (EEP) is an important area for ocean/atmosphere carbon exchange, and yields different opal accumulation records for sites influenced by equatorial divergence and Peru upwelling. The divergence zone is characterized by a lower opal accumulation rate during the last glacial, compared with the Holocene, but the reverse is true for the Peru upwelling zone. As a gauge of opal production versus preservation in the EEP, differential diatom preservation was investigated via a quantitative four-stage preservation index using the vellum of the ubiquitous tropical centric diatom Azpeitia nodulifer. We find similar dissolution records at both sites from the last glacial maximum (LGM) through the Holocene despite differing accumulation rates, implying that production, not preservation, controlled the accumulation rates. Thus, the increased silica accumulation in the Peru upwelling region is related to increased production, suggesting higher availability of silica in the photic zone, in accord with the ‘silica leakage hypothesis’ described by Matsumoto et al. [2002. Silicic acid leakage from the Southern Ocean: a possible explanation for glacial atmospheric CO. Global Biogeochemical Cycles. 5, doi:10.1029/2001GB001442] and discussed by Richaud et al. (2007). Furthermore, we suggest an ecological control on opal preservation due to silica recycling by diatoms in the water column, most likely in the photic zone. Increased production causes rapid silica recycling and thinner walled frustules, resulting in enhanced water-column dissolution. In this setting diatom dissolution is independent of the rate of accumulation of silica or sediment. High opal productivity does not necessarily lead to high preservation, as proposed for Southern Ocean sediments [Sayles, F., Martin, W., Chase, Z., Anderson, R., 2001. Benthic remineralization and burial of biogenic SiO2, CaCO3, organic carbon and detrital material in the Southern Ocean along a transect at 170 west. Deep-Sea Research II 48, 4323–4383]. Our observations are compatible with a production increase in the late deglacial and early Holocene as reported by Loubere [2001. Nutrient and oceanographic changes in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific from the last full glacial to the present. Global and Planetary Change 29, 77–98] and inferred by Spero, H., and Lea, D. [2002. The cause of carbon isotope maximum events on glacial terminations. Science 296, 522–525] and Rickaby, R., and Osborne, A. [2006. Oceanic redistribution of phosphate during the last deglaciation, in preparation].
Lizard threat display handicaps endurance

Honest-signalling theory asserts that threat displays reliably advertise attributes that influence fighting success. Endurance, as measured by treadmill performance, predicts the outcome of agonistic interactions among lizards. If threat displays in lizards function to advertise endurance capacity then variation in threat displays should correlate with endurance. I tested this prediction for the duration of threat posturing in male side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana) and examined whether threat displays act as quality handicaps, reliable signals that expend the attribute that is advertised. Individual variation in the duration of threat posturing correlated with endurance, while an experimental reduction of endurance diminished the duration of threat posturing. As expected of a quality handicap, endurance fell below baseline after display production. A restriction of aerobic metabolism can account for this effect. In threat posturing, lateral compression of the thorax may interfere with respiration or with circulation, limiting aerobic metabolism and causing a compensatory increase in anaerobic metabolism, thereby generating lactate and diminishing locomotor capacity. Concentrations of lactate measured after display production were higher than baseline, consistent with the proposed mechanism. By restricting aerobic metabolism, the threat posture can act as a quality handicap, simultaneously advertising and expending the endurance capacity of displaying lizards.
Some Comments on the Validity of EOQ Formula under Inflationary Conditions

In an earlier issue of Decision Sciences, Jesse, Mitra, and Cox [1] examined the impact of inflationary conditions on the economic order quantity (EOQ) formula. Specifically, the authors analyzed the effect of inflation on order quantity decisions by means of a model that takes into account both inflationary trends and time discounting (over an infinite time horizon). In their analysis, the authors utilized two models: Current-dollars model and Constant-dollars model. These models were derived, of course, by setting up a total cost equation in the usual manner then finding the optimum order quantity that minimizes the total cost. Jesse, Mitra, and Cox [1] found that EOQ is approximately the same under both conditions; with or without inflation. However, we disagree with the conclusion drawn by [2] and show that EOQ will be different under inflationary conditions, provided that the inflationary conditions are properly accounted for in the formulation of the total cost model.
High‐throughput method for estimating the time to sustained ignition of polystyrene–clay nanocomposites based on thermogravimetric analysis

Polymer-modified clay nanocomposites were prepared by melt blending and the time to ignition was measured by cone calorimetry at various heat fluxes. Based on these experimental results, a critical mass flux and critical percentage mass loss (pmlcrit) for piloted ignition were identified and validated for both virgin polystyrene and its composites, across a wide range of heating fluxes. Based on the assumption that the polymer degradation kinetics in the heating segment of the cone calorimetry (up to the moment of ignition) and thermogravimetry experiments are similar, and using the pmlcrit, we hypothesized that the onset degradation temperature of the TGA samples (defined here as the temperature at pmlcrit) could be used to estimate the time to sustained ignition in cone calorimetry experiments. The onset degradation temperature and the time to sustained ignition showed a good correlation, regardless of the heating flux used in cone calorimetry experiments. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Renal cell cancer stage migration: analysis of the National Cancer Data Base.

BACKGROUND. Evidence exists to suggest a pattern of increasing early diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The aim of the study was to analyze patterns of disease presentation and outcome of RCC by AJCC stage using data from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) over a 12-year period. METHODS. The NCDB was queried for adults diagnosed between 1993 and 2004 presenting with ICD-O-2 of 3 renal cell tumors arising in the kidney. Cases were classified by demographics, 2002 AJCC stage (6th edition), and histology. The Cochran-Armitage Test for Trend was used to determine statistical significance of trends over time. Cox regression multivariate analysis was used to evaluate the impact of stage and histology on relative survival. SPSS 14.0 was used for analyses. RESULTS. Between 1993 and 2004 a total of 205,963 patients from the NCDB fit our case definition of RCC. Comparisons between 1993 and 2004 data show an increase in stage I disease and decrease in stage II, III, and IV disease (P ≤ .001). The size of stage I tumors also decreased from a mean of 4.1 cm in 1993 to 3.6 cm in 2003. In multivariate analysis, stage, but not histology, predicted relative survival. A 3.3% increase in survival was found for patients diagnosed in 1998 compared with patients diagnosed in 1993. CONCLUSIONS. A greater proportion of newly diagnosed patients with RCC currently present with stage I disease compared with earlier years. Stage predicts relative survival for patients with kidney cancer. More recently diagnosed patients have improved relative survival. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
Manrating orbital transfer vehicle propulsion

The expended capabilities for Orbital Transfer Vehicles (OTV) which will be needed to meet increased payload requirements for transporting materials and men to geosynchronous orbit are discussed. The requirement to provide manrating offers challenges and opportunities to the propulsion system designers. The propulsion approaches utilized in previous manned space vehicles of the United States are reviewed. The principals of reliability analysis are applied to the Orbit Transfer Vehicle. Propulsion system options are characterized in terms of the test requirements to demonstrate reliability goals and are compared to earlier vehicle approaches.
Inhibition-Based Biomarkers for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a behaviorally defined and heterogeneous disorder. Biomarkers for ASD offer the opportunity to improve prediction, diagnosis, stratification by severity and subtype, monitoring over time and in response to interventions, and overall understanding of the underlying biology of this disorder. A variety of potential biomarkers, from the level of genes and proteins to network-level interactions, is currently being examined. Many of these biomarkers relate to inhibition, which is of particular interest because in many cases ASD is thought to be a disorder of imbalance between excitation and inhibition. Abnormalities in inhibition at the cellular level lead to emergent properties in networks of neurons. These properties take into account a more complete genetic and cellular background than findings at the level of individual genes or cells, and are able to be measured in live humans, offering additional potential as diagnostic biomarkers and predictors of behaviors. In this review we provide examples of how altered inhibition may inform the search for ASD biomarkers at multiple levels, from genes to cells to networks.
Temporal and spatial patterns of twining force and lignification in stems of Ipomoea purpurea.

Using the TWIFOR, an electronic device for continuous, in vivo measurement of the forces exerted by twining vines, we examined the forces generated by vines growing on cylindrical poles of slender (6.35 mm) and thicker (19.05 mm) diameter. In stems of Ipomoea purpurea (L.) Roth, magnitudes of twining force (axial tensions) were, on average, less at a particular time and location on the more slender poles; while twining loads (normal force per unit length of vine) were much greater on the slender poles because of the greater curvature of the vines. Thus, the geometry of the helix formed by the vine on the pole affects the ability of the vine to maintain a frictional interaction with its support. In addition, the plant-to-plant variation in twining force was twice as great on the thicker support poles. Metaxylem and fibers developed closer to the plant apex in vines on the slender poles. On the thicker poles, a significant fraction of the maximum twining force developed during the establishment of the first gyre, before fibers were lignified, indicating that primary growth can be sufficient to establish high twining forces. On the slender poles, however, twining force increased with developmental stage until the gyre was at least 1.5 m from the apex. Thus, twining force can increase after cessation of primary growth. No simple relationship was found between the site of fiber differentiation and twining force.
Democracy and Discontent: India's Growing Crisis of Governability

List of tables and figures Preface and acknowledgements Part I. Introduction: 1. An overview of the study 2. Some conceptual and theoretical considerations Part II. The Growing Problems of Governing the Periphery: Politics in the Districts: Introduction: the districts 3. Kheda, Gujarat 4. Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 5. Belgaun, Karnataka 6. Calcutta, West Bengal 7. Madurai, Tamil Nadu Conclusion: the districts Part III. Order and Breakdown in the States: Introduction: the states 8. Breakdown in a 'backward' state: Bihar 9. Growing turmoil in an 'advanced' state: Gujarat 10. From breakdown to order: West Bengal Conclusion: the states Part IV. Centralization and Powerlessness at the Center: Introduction: the center 11. Managing the economy: halfhearted liberalization 12. Managing the troubled political institutions: the Congress party and relations with Punjab Conclusion: the center Part V. Final Inferences: 13. Political change in a democratic developing country Bibliography Index.
The lifestyle of naturally occurring CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells.

Summary: Numerous studies over the past 10 years have demonstrated the importance of naturally occurring CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (nTregs) in immune regulation. We analyzed the mechanism of action of nTregs in a well-characterized model of autoimmune gastritis and demonstrated that nTregs act at an early stage of disease progression to inhibit the differentiation of naive T cells to pathogenic T-helper 1 effectors. The effects of nTregs in this model are not antigen-specific but are mediated by activation of the nTregs by ubiquitous self-peptide major histocompatibility complex class II complexes together with cytokines released by activated effector cells. Studies in vitro confirmed that some nTregs exist in an activated state in vivo and can be activated to exert non-specific suppressor effector function by stimulation with interleukin-2 in the absence of engagement of their T-cell receptor. Natural Tregs can differentiate in vitro to exhibit potent granzyme B-dependent, partially perforin-independent cytotoxic cells that are capable of specifically killing antigen-presenting B cells. Natural Treg-mediated killing of antigen-presenting cells may represent one pathway by which they can induce long-lasting suppression of autoimmune disease.
Classification of Finite Rings of Order p2

(1993). Classification of Finite Rings of Order p2. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 66, No. 4, pp. 248-252.
State of blue-green laser diodes

The development of the Zn(Se,Te) graded contact scheme to p-ZnSe is found to be effective in supporting the room-temperature CW operation of blue-green (508 nm) laser diodes with a threshold voltage of about 5 volts. Factors contributing to device degradation are analyzed by electroluminescence and plan-view TEM imaging. Both the nucleation/growth of the extended structural defects and the presence of point defects within the active region are responsible for the observed degradation. The more recent exploratory effort on blue-green surface emitting lasers and deep blue (edge emitting) lasers will be reported. Surface emitting laser operation at room temperature at (lambda) equals 496 nm by pulsed optical injection has been demonstrated in a II-VI separate confinement heterostructure cavity. By increasing the energy gaps of the cladding, waveguiding, and quantum well layers, pulsed operation of a 460-nm edge-emitting laser at room temperature was also demonstrated. Electrically, p-type doping of ZnMgSSe is complicated by an apparent increase in the activation energy caused by a mechanism very much like that of the DX center in n-type III-V alloys. These factors must be addressed for II- VI light emitting devices to reach the deep blue part of the spectrum.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Food Habits of the Southern Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Lacustris Punctatus) in the Des Moines River, Iowa

Abstract The stomach contents of 912 channel catfish (769 containing food) taken in a short section of the Des Moines River from September, 1940, to October, 1941, are analyzed. The physical and biotic characteristics of the study area are described; a partial list of the fishes present together with comments on their importance and relative abundance is included. The channel catfish is omnivorous, as is revealed by a review of the pertinent literature and by this study. A wide variety of organisms is eaten (some 50 families of insects alone are represented–these are listed). Insects and fish serve as staple foods, plant seeds are taken in season, and various other items are eaten in limited numbers. The principal groups of foods (insects, fish, plants, and miscellaneous) are analyzed volumetrically, by frequency of occurrence, and numerically. In the area studied, catfish grow at a rate of about 4 inches a year during the first 3 years of life (determined by length-frequency analysis). These natural size...
The effect of propofol-remifentanil anesthesia on selected seizure quality indices in electroconvulsive therapy.

Background Use of a short-acting opiate to potentiate anesthetic induction agents has been shown to increase seizure duration in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), but little is known of the effect of this combination on indices of seizure quality. Objective To determine whether anesthetic modality affects commonly provided indices of seizure quality. Methods Twenty-five subjects were given propofol 2 mg/kg body weight for their first ECT session, at which time seizure threshold was titrated. Subjects thereafter alternated between that anesthetic regimen or propofol 0.5 mg/kg plus remifentanil 1 mcg/kg. Linear mixed models with random subject effect, adjusting for electrode placement, electrical charge, and number of treatments, were fit to estimate effect of anesthesia on seizure duration and several standard seizure quality indices (average seizure energy, time to peak electroencephalography (EEG) power, maximum sustained power, interhemispheric coherence, early and midictal EEG amplitude, and maximum sustained interhemispheric EEG coherence). Results Propofol-remifentanil anesthesia significantly lengthened seizure duration and was associated with longer time to reach maximal EEG power and coherence as well as maximal degree of interhemispheric EEG coherence. No effect was seen on early ictal amplitude or average seizure energy index. Conclusions Propofol-remifentanil anesthesia prolongs seizure duration and has a significant effect on some, but not all, measures of seizure quality. This effect may be of some benefit in cases where adequate seizures are otherwise difficult to elicit. Varying anesthetic technique may allow more precise investigation of the relationships between and relative impacts of commonly used seizure quality indices on clinical outcomes and ECT-related cognitive side effects.
Characterization by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of human growth hormone produced in tissue culture.

ABSTRACT Human growth hormone (HGH) produced in culture by pituitary adenomas from 2 acromegalic patients or by 2 normal pituitaries in culture was subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at various pore sizes and pH's and was found to be indistinguishable in size from HGH standard (HS 705 A). HGH was the predominant protein synthesized by the adenoma cultures. Two main bands of HGH were found. One adenoma synthesized a species of HGH with a relative mobility (Rf) identical with the standard (HGH-B). The other produced HGH identical in Rf with a species of hormone (HGH-A) which has been shown to have the same size, but decreased net charge when compared to the standard. The species of HGH produced by each of the 2 adenomas remained constant with time in culture. In contrast, HGH represented a small fraction of total secretory protein in the cultures of normal pituitaries. The HGH species extracted from the cultures of normal pituitaries were not constant with time in culture; bands of HGH exhibite...
On the Sign Pattern of Metabolic Control Coefficients

Abstract The sign of a flux (concentration) control coefficient of an enzyme determines if the metabolic flux (metabolite concentration) will increase or decrease when the enzyme concentration is increased/decreased. In general, the sign of a control coefficient depends on the magnitudes of the enzyme elasticities, fluxes etc. It is shown that in many pathways some (or all) of the control coefficients may have fixed signs irrespective of the magnitudes of the elasticities and fluxes. The remaining control coefficients are sign-indeterminate. The enzymes and metabolites whose control coefficients are sign-indeterminate can be identified in a heuristic fashion direct from the topology of the metabolic pathway, i.e., location of feedback-feedforward loops, location of branches, presence of isoenzymes etc. In other pathways such as those containing a substrate cycle, none of the control coefficients of the enzymes can have a fixed sign; a control coefficient may be positive, negative or zero depending on the actual magnitudes of the elasticities and velocities.
Reusing task-specific knowledge-based systems to generate intelligent tutoring systems

This work advances the knowledge-based systems paradigm to address the need for reusable Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs), and more cost-effective ITS development methods. We describe a novel approach and architecture that can interact with task-specific knowledge-based systems to automatically generate ITSs for the domains represented by those systems. Our approach facilitates the reuse of both intelligent tutoring components, and problem solving and domain knowledge embedded within knowledge-based systems for tutoring. We describe the development of the architecture, report two case studies on using the architecture to generate ITSs for two very different domains, and present and evaluate our results.
Allocation of library funds for books and standing orders—a multiple objective formulation

Abstract This paper considers the problem of deciding which books and standing orders to purchase from a list submitted by a given department, division or school of a university. Several different objectives (total cost of publications, per cent of budget used for each type of publication, total number of publications of each type, worth of the publications for teaching purposes, and worth of the publications for research purposes) are taken into account. Goal programming, a technique which has been highly successful in other problems involving multiple objectives, is the technique employed.
Successful deep brain stimulation surgery with intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging on a difficult neuroacanthocytosis case: case report.

Background and importance Chorea acanthocytosis is a progressive hereditary neurodegenerative disorder characterized by hyperkinetic movements, seizures, and acanthocytosis in the absence of any lipid abnormality. Medical treatment is typically limited and disappointing. Clinical presentation We report on a 32-year-old patient with chorea acanthocytosis with a failed attempt at awake deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery due to intraoperative seizures and postoperative intracranial hematoma. He then underwent a second DBS operation, but under general anesthesia and with intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging guidance. Marked improvement in his dystonia, chorea, and overall quality of life was noted 2 and 8 months postoperatively. Conclusion DBS surgery of the bilateral globus pallidus pars interna may be useful in controlling the hyperkinetic movements in neuroacanthocytosis. Because of the high propensity for seizures in this disorder, DBS performed under general anesthesia, with intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging guidance, may allow successful implantation while maintaining accurate target localization.
"That model is sooooo last millennium!" Residential long term care as a system, not a place.

The current quandary with the design of existing long term care (LTC) settings results from focus on structures (“institutions”) instead of on a system of supports and services that transcends physical and traditional boundaries across settings, including nursing homes, assisted living residences and the home. Supported by analysis of the commonalities, socio-historical and political contexts, core values and fallacies of social and medical models in existing and emerging LTC options, a holistic model is proposed based on new core values which facilitate community and family integration, and which asserts dignity and personhood as universal attributes in an array of settings.
Negotiation and identity: implications for negotiation theory

Contributions from the literature on social identity for negotiation theory are discussed in terms of three dimensions of identity. One dimension refers to a dynamic process of negotiating identities. Just as the process of negotiating over divergent interests is influenced by the parties' identities, the identities are shaped by the way that process is conducted. Another dimension refers to the durability of identities, which are shown to have implications for the negotiating flexibility of representatives and their constituents. A third dimension concerns the spread of identities in a population, which are shown to influence the credibility of negotiating commitments, the role played by domestic politics in international negotiation, and the willingness of national representatives to enter into regional or global agreements. These dimensions are used as a framework for comparative research on national identities. Building on Mezran's analysis (article in this issue) of four north African countries, an illustrative application of the framework demonstrates how the research might be implemented.
TERRESTRIAL FIELD DISSIPATION OF ALACHLOR AND ITS METABOLITES

A terrestrial field dissipation study was conducted to determine the rate of dissipation and vertical mobility of alachlor and its water soluble metabolites in soil following broadcast application of an emulsifiable concentrate of alachlor, Lasso® Herbicide. Lasso® was applied at a rate of 4 lbs/a at two California locations.
Magnetization transfer imaging of traumatic brain injury.

Magnetization transfer imaging (MTI) has been shown to be sensitive for the detection of white matter abnormalities in entities such as multiple sclerosis, progressive multifocal leukencephalopathy, and wallerian degeneration. Our hypothesis was that MTI would detect traumatic white matter abnormalities (TWMA) and provide information additional to that obtainable with routine spin- and gradient-echo imaging. We hypothesized that the presence of TWMA defined by MTI would correlate with outcome following TBI. Twenty-eight victims of head trauma and 15 normal controls underwent magnetic resonance imaging including MTI. Magnetization transfer ratios (MTR) were calculated for areas of shearing injury and for normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in locations frequently subject to diffuse axonal injury. Abnormal MTRs were detected in NAWM in eight patients. All eight had persistent neurologic deficits, including cognitive deficits, aphasia, and extremity weakness. Seven of the 28 patients had no abnormal findings on neurologic exam at discharge, transfer, or follow-up. None of these patients had an abnormal MTR in NAWM. In the remaining 13 patients, who had persistent neurologic deficits, no regions of abnormal MTR were detected in NAWM. MTI is a sensitive method for the detection of TWMA. Detection of abnormal MTR in NAWM that is prone to axonal injury may predict a poor patient outcome. The presence of normal MTR in NAWM in these areas does not necessarily confer a good outcome, however. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2000;11:1–8. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.