cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Parallel Processing Model of Drosophila Olfactory Sensory Neurons and Its Biological Validation

In the past two decades, substantial amount of work characterized the odorant receptors, neuroanatomy and odorant response properties of the early olfactory system of Drosophila melanogaster. Yet many odorant receptors remain only partly characterized, the odorant transduction process and the axon hillock spiking mechanism have yet to be fully determined. The essential functionality of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) is to jointly encode both odorant identity and odorant concentration. We model identity and concentration by an odorant-receptor binding rate tensor modulated by the odorant concentration profile and an odorant-receptor dissociation rate tensor, and quantitatively describe the ligand binding/dissociation process. To validate our modeling approach, we first propose an algorithm for estimating the affinity and the dissociation rate of an odorant-receptor pair. We then apply the algorithm to estimate the affinity and dissociation rate for (acetone, Or59b) using two different datasets of electrophysiology recordings. Second, we evaluate the temporal response of the Or59b OSN model to acetone with a multitude of stimuli, including step, ramp and parabolic odorant waveforms. We further interrogate the model with staircase and white noise waveforms. Lastly, we evaluate the affinity and the dissociation rate for different odorant-receptor pairs including (methyl butyrate, Or59b) and (butyraldehyde, Or7a). We demonstrate how to evaluate the odorant transduction process and biological spike generator cascade underlying the fruit fly OSN model at the circuit level of the antennae and maxillary palps under two scenarios. First, we empirically estimate the odorant-receptor affinity of the active receptor model in response to constant concentration odorants using the spike count records in the DoOR database. Second, we evaluate and graphically visualize the temporal response of the antennae and maxillary palps using a staircase odorant concentration waveform. Finally, we describe how to construct, execute and explore various instantiations of the antennae and maxillary palps as a parallel information preprocessor in the open-source Fruit Fly Brain Observatory platform.
The Professional Mind-Set of City Managers: Implications for Public Administration:

We develop a theoretical model of city manager professionalism addressing professional guidance and commitment, and four public service values: ethical solutions, neutral competence, political resp...
External auditory canal: Inferior, posterior-inferior, and anterior canal wall overhangs.

Abstract Objectives To characterize anatomic variants of the external ear canal (EAC), specifically canal wall overhangs. EAC overhangs are problematic since they obstruct the view of the tympanic membrane (TM) and middle ear, possibly creating diagnostic and surgical difficulties. Methods We reviewed pre-operative temporal bone CTs from children with cholesteatoma, and no history of EAC erosion or surgery. We measured the anterior canal wall overhang (ACOH), inferior (ICOH), and posterior-inferior (PICOH). A smaller angle means more EAC overhang. Angles >180° counted as 180° since they are non-obstructing. Analysis was performed between angular measurements and clinical and demographic data. Results 86 patients (88 ears total) were studied. Mean age was 8.3 years. Only obstructing angles were analyzed statistically ( Conclusions The greatest prevalence and severity of EAC overhang was the ICOH with a mean angle of 145.9°, compared with 148.3° and 150.4° for the ACOH and PICOH, respectively. This anatomic study demonstrates that ICOH and PICOH are prevalent anatomic variants and may possibly cause similar difficulties in otoscopic diagnosis and surgical TM and middle ear exposure as the well-known ACOH.
Nano/Microfabrication Methods for Sensors and NEMS/MEMS

An introduction and overview of nanofabrication methods is provided, including physical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, focused ion beam processing and electroplating. Atomic layer deposition is an atomic layer-by-layer deposition process which produced conformal coatings with nanometer control of thickness. It has been demonstrated on a wide range of materials, including semiconductors, metals, ceramics and metal oxides. Focused ion beam fabrication uses a beam of metal ions to carry out precision etching, lithography, and CVD with nanometer scale feature sizes, providing versatile processing capabilities. Electroplating through polymer or porous alumina templates provides a route for the fabrication of nanowires by electroplating. These methods of nanofabrication are illustrated with selected examples including an impedance-based biosensor, an SECM probe, nanobowls, sensors, membranes, MEMS/NEMS, and nanowires with novel properties. These selected examples taken from recent research results demonstrate the exciting potential for development of new nanomanufacturing processes that present opportunities for nanodevice fabrication.
Some Ethological Implications for Neuroethology: The Ontogeny of Birdsong

For the past 20 years or so it has been the prevailing dogma in behavioral science, if not in neurobiology, that behaviorists solved the nature-nurture problem once and for all. Since genes interact with their environment at every turn in biological development, and every trait is the outcome of such interaction, it has been thought foolish to try to parse out the contributions of nature and nurture to the emergence of behavior. Any such attempt was viewed as not merely impractical but logically impossible. This “interactionist” view became widespread in ethology in the late 1950’s, in the wake of Lehrman’s critique of Lorenz’s theory of instinctive behavior (Lehrman, 1953). As a consequence research on innate contributions to behavioral development was virtually halted. Many students of behavior chose to ignore what I view as the central and most challenging problem in studying behavioral ontogeny, namely the nature and mode of expression of genetic instructions for adaptive responsiveness of the individual to varying environments.
Gatekeeping Encounters: A Social Selection Process

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the unit of analysis of gatekeeping encounter. This is a type of interactional event; specific instances of it are junior college counseling interviews and job interviews. These are gatekeeping events because one person, the interviewer, has authority to make decisions about the social mobility of the interviewee. At the discretion of the interviewer, advice is given and/or permission for mobility is granted or withheld. In the junior college interview, permission could be granted to continue for further education in one of a number of possible programs; in the job interview, permission for hiring could be given or withheld. From summary tables and the original code charts, one could retrieve information about the relation of various verbal and nonverbal behavior classes to each other by marking situational shifts and smaller segments within the section bounded by situational shifts. Results from the rhythmic asymmetry code turned out to be more closely associated with ethnicity than with pan-ethnicity or co-membership. This suggests that the rhythmic asymmetry code is retrieving the aspects of interactional form that are cultural rather than social structural in origin.
In Vitro Fertilization and Gamete Intrafallopian Tube Transfer

The birth of the first baby conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF) in 1978 was a landmark event in the field of reproductive endocrinology and infertility.1 However, the event itself was the result of at least three decades of intensive scientific investigation. The first attempt at fertilization of the human oocyte was reported by Menkin and Rock in 1948.2 During the next three decades, advances in embryo culture and use of the laparoscope produced the success of 1978.3 Since that time, use of ovulatory-inducing drugs to recruit multiple oocytes has brought the pregnancy rates in most centers up to 15% to 20%, and the use of ultrasound retrieval of oocytes has significantly simplified the procedure. As a result, IVF is now a valuable infertility treatment to be offered to many patients, and its benefits and drawbacks can be weighed against other forms of treatment.
Assessment of Optimization and Regression Methods for Engine Optimization

Engine optimization problems by nature are multi-objective problems, which involve simultaneously optimizing multiple design parameters. Based on the review of optimization methods in Chap. 2, it was determined that multi-objective genetic algorithms (MOGA) are an appropriate optimization method. This chapter assesses the performance of different MOGAs for engine optimization problems. The assessment was conducted using three popular MOGAs [μ-GA (Coello Coello and Pulido 2001), NSGA II (Deb et al. 2002), ARMOGA (Sasaki and Obayashi 2005)] applied to a heavy-duty diesel engine operated at a high-load condition. In addition to this assessment, the niching technique of NSGA II was also evaluated. Convergence and diversity metrics of MOGAs were defined to complete the assessment of different niching techniques. Regression analysis was then conducted on the design datasets that were obtained from the optimizations with two niching strategies
It's not going to be that fun: negative experiences can add meaning to life.

People seek to spend time in positive experiences, enjoying and savoring. Yet there is no escaping negative experiences, from the mundane (e.g. arguing) to the massive (e.g. death of a child). Might negative experiences confer a hidden benefit to well-being? We propose that they do, in the form of enhanced meaning in life. Research suggests that negative experiences can serve to boost meaning because they stimulate comprehension (understanding how the event fits into a broader narrative of the self, relationships, and the world), a known pillar of meaning in life. Findings on counterfactual thinking, reflecting on events’ implications, and encompassing experiences into broad-based accounts of one's identity support the role of comprehension in contributing to life's meaning from unwanted, unwelcome experiences.
An intelligent modeling system for generalized network flow problems: With application to planning for multinational firms

This paper presents a discussion of the Generalized Network System (GNS), a system that captures knowledge about generalized network flow problems, in order to help users formulate, solve and interpret generalized network flow problems. Although previous researchers have built intelligent systems that incorporate knowledge about linear programming, this system includes more specific knowledge about generalized network flow problems. GNS is illustrated using it in a setting that requires international financial and replan rapidly. In addition, they need to be able to model complex events and organization GNS is illustrated using it in a setting that requires international financial and replan rapidly. In addition, they need to be able to model complex events and organization structures. For example, multinational planners need to be able to plan for production in multiple countries and repatriatization of funds. GNS allows users to meet these needs.
Does the Innovation Really Work?: Effectiveness of self-organized learning environment (SOLE) in the classroom

Learners' content knowledge is no longer as valuable as their content navigation skills, and teachers' expertise is no longer beholden to didactic instruction. The self-organized learning environme...
Inflammatory mediators of stress exposure and neurodevelopment in very preterm infants: Protocol for the stress neuro‐immune study

Aims (a) Determine relationships among stress exposure, inflammation, and neurodevelopment in very preterm infants and determine the mediated effect of inflammation on the relationship between stress exposure and neurodevelopment; (b) describe cytokine trajectories following birth and determine the effect of stress exposure on these trajectories; and (c) examine relationships between stress exposure and chronic stress responses in very preterm infants. Design Non-experimental, repeated measures. Methods Very preterm infants born 28-31 weeks post menstrual age will be enrolled. Cumulative stress exposure over the first 14 days of life will be measured using the Neonatal Infant Stressor Scale. Blood will be collected weekly for the quantification of cytokines. Neurodevelopment will be assessed using the Neurobehavioral Assessment of the Preterm Infant and hair for quantification of hair cortisol will be collected at 35 weeks post menstrual age. Multiple linear regression and conditional process analysis will be used to analyse the relationships among stress exposure, inflammation and neurodevelopment. Linear mixed models will be used to determine inflammatory trajectories over time. IRB approval for the study was received May 2017, and funding from the National Institute of Nursing Research was awarded July 2017. Discussion This study will determine the extent to which inflammation mediates the relationship between stress exposure and neurodevelopment. Interventions to attenuate inflammation in preterm infants may improve outcomes. Impact Determining the potentially modifiable mediators of stress exposure and neurodevelopment in preterm infants is critical to improving long-term outcomes.
Effect of Large Undercooling on Alloy Properties

Iron, nickel and cobalt base alloy melts can be reproducibly undercooled up to approximately 300°C prior to the nucleation of the solid, provided certain precautions are taken during solidification. Eighly undercooled alloys exhibit a fine uniform microstructure of high compositional homogeneity.
The emerging roles of vacuolar-type ATPase-dependent Lysosomal acidification in neurodegenerative diseases.

Lysosomes digest extracellular material from the endocytic pathway and intracellular material from the autophagic pathway. This process is performed by the resident hydrolytic enzymes activated by the highly acidic pH within the lysosomal lumen. Lysosome pH gradients are mainly maintained by the vacuolar (H+) ATPase (or V-ATPase), which pumps protons into lysosomal lumen by consuming ATP. Dysfunction of V-ATPase affects lysosomal acidification, which disrupts the clearance of substrates and leads to many disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases. As a large multi-subunit complex, the V-ATPase is composed of an integral membrane V0 domain involved in proton translocation and a peripheral V1 domain catalyzing ATP hydrolysis. The canonical functions of V-ATPase rely on its H+-pumping ability in multiple vesicle organelles to regulate endocytic traffic, protein processing and degradation, synaptic vesicle loading, and coupled transport. The other non-canonical effects of the V-ATPase that are not readily attributable to its proton-pumping activity include membrane fusion, pH sensing, amino-acid-induced activation of mTORC1, and scaffolding for protein-protein interaction. In response to various stimuli, V-ATPase complex can reversibly dissociate into V1 and V0 domains and thus close ATP-dependent proton transport. Dysregulation of pH and lysosomal dysfunction have been linked to many human diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as well as neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorders. V-ATPase complex is a universal proton pump and plays an important role in lysosome acidification in all types of cells. Since V-ATPase dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis of multiple neurodegenerative diseases, further understanding the mechanisms that regulate the canonical and non-canonical functions of V-ATPase will reveal molecular details of disease process and help assess V-ATPase or molecules related to its regulation as therapeutic targets.
Race Differences in the Effects of Early School Behavior Problems and Substance Use Type on Lifetime Arrest

Early behavior problems may correlate with adult offending. However, the relationship between early problem behavior and lifetime arrests among known offenders has received little empirical examina...
Human Factors in Surgical Oncology

In this chapter, we highlight the human factors approach to care in the cancer patient population. We review the impact of human factors in patients undergoing surgery for cancer and focus on ways to prevent any adverse consequences of these elements from significantly affecting outcomes.
A Lateral Flow Method for Aflatoxin B1 in Dry Dog Food: An Inter-Laboratory Trial.

Background Dogs are highly susceptible to aflatoxins, the mycotoxins which most commonly cause acute dog illnesses and deaths following the consumption of contaminated food. Objective In this study, a screening method to detect aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in dry dog food was further evaluated at the FDA action level of 20 ng/g. A fourth-round multi-laboratory trial was performed. In contrast to the previous work, a different source of dog food was used in the multi-laboratory trial and more participants were involved. Method The tested lateral flow method employs a modified procedure of the "Rosa® AFQ-Fast Test Kit" from Charm Sciences Inc. A total of 60 unfortified blank study samples, 220 study samples fortified at 20 ng/g, and 80 study samples fortified at 9-11 ng/g were prepared by an independent party and analyzed in 10 collaborating laboratories in a blinded manner. Results The pass rates were 98.3 and 94.5% for unfortified and 20 ng/g fortified study samples, respectively. Conclusions The method is suitable for aflatoxin B1 screening at the FDA action level of 20 ng/g in a complex matrix such as dry dog food. Highlights This work completes extensive method performance evaluation through four rounds of multi-laboratory trials.
TransNIEMO: Economic Impact Analysis Using a Model of Consistent Interregional Economic and Network Equilibria

We describe a model that integrates a multi-regional input-output model of the U.S. (50 states and the District of Columbia) with the national highway network. Interstate commodity shipments are placed on a congestible highway network. Simulations of major choke-point disruptions redirect traffic which increases the costs of some shipments. Increased costs show up in higher prices which help to determine a new input-output equilibrium. We find economic and network equilibria that are consistent. The simulations show only moderate economic impacts. We ascribe this to the resilience of highway network. The model provides state-level detail on who bears the costs of the disruptions.
Kabbalah and the Frontal Lobe (P5.297)

Objective: To recognize statements in early and late Kabbalistic literature that localize intellectual and executive functions to the frontal lobe. Background: Universal medical acceptance of the concept of neuroanatomic localization for specific functions is a historically recent phenomenon. Assignment of intellectual and personality-driving functions to the frontal lobe attained consensus even more recently, with the first credible and widely accepted scientific work being published by Richard Owen and Franz Joseph Gall in the 19th century. The early Kabbalistic work Zohar (whose teachings were promulgated in the second century C.E. and widely published in the 13th century) as well as the later work Tanya (a Hasidic mystical based work, formally published in 1796) both have in-depth discussions of the nature and process of human thought and intellect. Design/Methods: We thoroughly appraised the early Kabbalistic work (Zohar) and the later Hassidic Kabbalistic work (Tanya) for references to neuroanatomical localization for intellectual faculties. Results: The Kabbalistic works Zohar as well as the later work Tanya assign three distinct intellectual properties to the frontal lobe. Wisdom or creative intellect (chochmah), the spark of a concept, is localized to the right frontal lobe. Knowledge or cognition (binah), the mental expansion of a concept into details, is assigned to the left frontal lobe. Understanding or integration (da’at), the intellectual drive that allows for concretization of the idea, occupies the bilateral midline regions of the frontal lobe. Conclusions: Despite a recent acceptance by Western medicine, delegation of intellectual function to the frontal lobe is reported in Kabbalistic works that were broadly disseminated by the 13th century and referenced in subsequent Kabbalistic literature. The frontal lobe delegations of Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding assigned by the Kabbalistic works strongly mimic current scientific conceptualizations of the role of the frontal lobe in intellectual and executive functioning. Study Supported by: Department of Neurology, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School Disclosure: Dr. Kornitzer has nothing to disclose. Dr. Akerman has nothing to disclose.
Design of a 2 MW ZrC/W-based molten-salt-to-sCO2 PCHE for concentrated solar power

Abstract To increase the power cycle efficiency and lower the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of concentrated solar power (CSP) plants, printed circuit heat exchangers (PCHEs) capable of operating above 700 °C with molten chloride salt and a sCO2-based fluid are needed. In this paper, the design of a high-pressure, high-temperature, 2 MW PCHE comprised of a thermomechanically-robust, zirconium carbide/tungsten (ZrC/W) composite is conducted for CSP plants. The ZrC/W composite is a material with high thermal conductivity, high stiffness, and high failure strength at high temperatures, along with excellent resistance to thermal cycling and thermal shock. In this work, a thermomechanical design analysis was conducted to select appropriate material thicknesses of the ZrC/W plates, and to determine the geometrical dimensions and the thermal performance of the PCHE. The influences of the plate number and heat exchanger length on power density and pressure drop have also been systematically investigated. Economic analyses were conducted to compare the cost of ZrC/W-based PCHEs to those comprised of IN740H (a state-of-the-art, nickel-based superalloy) and 316 stainless steel (316SS). At a sufficiently high plate production rate, the manufacturing cost of ZrC/W-based PCHEs can be significantly lower, while achieving a much higher power density, compared with state-of-the-art, nickel alloy-based and stainless steel-based PCHEs.
Evaluating Network Threshold Selection for Structural and Functional Brain Connectomes

Structural and functional brain connectomes represent macroscale neurophysical data collected through methods such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Such data may contain noise that contribute to false positive edges, which motivates the use of edge-wise thresholding. Thresholding procedures are useful for reducing network density in graphs to retain only the most informative, non-noisy edges. Nevertheless, limited consensus exists on selecting appropriate threshold levels. We compare existing thresholding methods and introduce a novel thresholding approach in the context of MRI-derived and simulated brain connectomes. Performance is measured using normalized mutual information (NMI), a quantity robust to arbitrary changes in partition labeling, and describes the similarity of community structure between two node-matched networks. We found that the percolation-based threshold and our newly proposed objective function-based threshold exhibited the best performance in terms of NMI. We show an application of these two thresholding methods to real data that showed that both percolation-based and objective function-based thresholding provide statistically similar NMI values between real world FC networks and structural connectivity (SC) counterparts, where shared modular structure is assumed. The two thresholding methods, however, achieve these NMI values at significantly different thresholds (p<0.0001) in both simulated and real networks. Moreover, the threshold obtained from the objective function gives a more accurate estimate of the number of modules present in the network and includes more flexibility in threshold selection, suggesting that this method may represent a useful option for graph thresholding.
Loss of TGF-ß Expression is a Critical Component of Malignant Progression in Multistage Carcinogenesis of the Mouse Epidermis

The TGF-s’s are growth inhibitors for normal epidermal cells, but their role in carcinogenesis is poorly understood. Using in situ methods we show that in 2-stage chemical carcinogenesis of the mouse epidermis, benign papillomas with a high risk for malignant conversion, and squamous carcinoma do not express either TGF-s1 or TGF-s2 protein. In contrast, normal skin and benign papillomas with a low risk for malignant conversion express both TGF-s 1 and TGF-s2. High levels of TGF-s expression are associated with low levels of DNA synthesis while reduced or absent TGF-s expression is associated with increased basal and suprabasal DNA synthesis. These results indicate that loss of TGF-s expression is a critical step in malignant progression.
Endoscopy in the post-gastrectomy patient. An analysis of 580 patients.

In a comprehensive gastroscopic survey of 580 patients following stomach surgery, ulcers were found in 134. Radiography failed to detect two-thirds of these. Other major diagnoses included inflammation at anastomoses and non-absorbable suture extrusion at the stoma. Fifty patients were found to have double-barreled stomas, now recognized to be a serious but correctable disorder.
POST-SECONDARY CORRECTIONAL EDUCATION AND RECIDIVISM: A META-ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH CONDUCTED 1990-1999

The relationship of post-secondary correctional education (PSCE) and recidivism has been widely studied with various, idiosyncratic results. A meta-analysis of ten years of existing studies was conducted to synthesize a portion of the past research. This study demonstrates, using relevant studies reported from 1990 1999, that there is a positive correlation (+.31) between PSCE and recidivism reduction. These results are statistically significant. Four subsets, or moderator analyses, were also positively related to recidi vism reduction and statistically significant. These included (1) PSCE program completers versus completers and participants; (2) reincarceration only as the recidivism construct; (3) length of recidivism measure; and (4) studies using control groups to negate possi ble selection bias. It is hoped that this information will increase interest, justification, and funding of future PSCE programs.
A virtual representation for time- and frequency-selective correlated MIMO channels

A key to reliable communication is a fundamental understanding of the interaction between the signal space and the channel. In time- and frequency-selective MIMO (space-time) fading channels this interaction happens in time, frequency and space. In this paper we propose a four-dimensional Karhunen-Loeve-like virtual representation for space-time channels that captures the essence of such interaction and exposes the intrinsic degrees of freedom in the channel. The four dimensions are: time, frequency and the two spatial dimensions at the transmitter and receiver. The key signal space parameters are the signaling duration, bandwidth and the two array apertures. The corresponding channel parameters are the delay, Doppler and the two angular spreads associated with the scattering environment. The representation induces a virtual partitioning of propagation paths in time, frequency and space that reveals their contribution to channel capacity and diversity. It also exposes fundamental dependencies between time, frequency and space thereby revealing the essential degrees of freedom.
Adding fault-tolerance using pre-synthesized components

We present a hybrid synthesis method for automatic addition of fault-tolerance to distributed programs. In particular, we automatically specify and add pre-synthesized fault-tolerance components to programs in the cases where existing heuristics fail to add fault-tolerance. Such addition of pre-synthesized components has the advantage of reusing pre-synthesized fault-tolerance components in the synthesis of different programs, and as a result, reusing the effort put in the synthesis of one program for the synthesis of another program. Our synthesis method is sound in that the synthesized fault-tolerant program satisfies its specification in the absence of faults, and provides desired level of fault-tolerance in the presence of faults. We illustrate our synthesis method by adding pre-synthesized components with linear topology to a token ring program that tolerates the corruption of all processes. Also, we have reused the same component in the synthesis of a fault-tolerant alternating bit protocol. Elsewhere, we have applied this method for adding presynthesized components with hierarchical topology.
Intimate Marxist Space: The Dialectic House

The bonds exerted upon the angel of history have, in modern culture, been latched down by the unassuming disinterest in revolt exhibited by the poor. It’s as if only the few are haunted by a specter, outside of our windows at night, consistently showing us the knife that we will inevitably use to slit our own wrists. Yet, the poor want freedom, but of what use, and at what cost? Obviously they do not feel the drive enough to move from their palatable couches, whose cushions support the weight of their minds. We want more culture! More freedom! More television! What were really given are more shackles.
A new energy distribution on the time-frequency plane

A new time-frequency distribution (TFD) is developed along the line of thinking of the concentration issue of TFDs. A new formulation is given to shed new light on this issue for the short-time Fourier transform (STFT). The new insight is then extended to more general energy density functions and a procedure is developed to construct a complex-valued function which plays a similar role as the STFT does and has a superior concentration limit. The magnitude of this new function is used as the energy density function on the T-F plane. Numerical examples, in certain cases of which the auto terms are preserved while the cross terms are virtually eliminated, justify our intuition.
Seed Maturity in Four Cool-Season Forage Grasses

Excessive seed shattering of perennial grasses in the Triticeae tribe results in major economic losses to seed producers. In this 4-yr field study, heat units expressed as growing degree-days (GDD) after anthesis were related to seed development in tetraploid crested wheatgrass [Agropyron desertorum (Fisch. ex Link) Schultes], Russian wildrye [Psathyrostachys juncea (Fisch.) Nevski], intermediate wheatgrass [Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkw. & D.R. Dewey], and western wheatgrass [Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) A. Love]. Seed quality at different stages of development was assessed by germination percentage and emergence of seedlings from a 5.0-cm planting depth in a Parshall fine sandy loam soil (coarse-loamy, mixed Pachic Haploborolls). Water concentration of the seed at maximum seed mass (dry wt. basis) ranged from 303 g kg -1 for intermediate wheatgrass to 376 gkg -1 for western wheatgrass. Seed mass was closely associated with seed vigor in all four grass species, as evidenced by correlation coefficients between seed mass and seedling emergence of 0.88 ** for crested wheatgrass, 0.93 ** for Russian wildrye, 0.92 ** for intermediate wheatgrass, and 0.77 ** for western wheatgrass. Plots sampled at the stiff-dough stage had a water concentration of approximately 350 g kg -1 (dry wt. basis), and the seed sample was at or near maximum seed mass. Seed mass and germination would not be seriously compromised and seed yield losses from shattering would be reduced if windrowing were completed about 50 GDD or 2 to 3 calendar days before maximum seed mass is attained.
Neandertals, early modern humans, and rodeo riders

Abstract In 1995 Berger and Trinkaus (J. Archaeol. Sci. 22, 841–852) proposed that the anatomical distribution of Neandertal trauma, with a predominance of upper body lesions, reflected close-quarter ambush hunting as dictated by the available Middle Paleolithic weaponry (the “Rodeo rider” hypothesis). The necessity for mobility among these Late Pleistocene foragers, as a factor possibly reducing the number of preserved lower limb injuries, was considered as an alternative explanation. The accumulating data on Upper Paleolithic injuries and Middle Paleolithic weaponry, considerations of differential skeletal susceptibility of minor trauma, and evidence of interhuman violence, plus the importance of mobility for Late Pleistocene human existence, suggest that hunting injuries may explain only part of the pattern. The purpose of this note is not to resolve to ultimate factors behind the anatomical distribution of traumatic lesions among the Neandertals (or early modern humans). It is 1) to emphasize that there are multiple probable contributing factors other than close-quarter ambush hunting due to the limitations of Middle Paleolithic weaponry, and 2) to open the discussion to alternative interpretations.
A Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) Contrast Variation Investigation of Aggregate Composition in Catanionic Surfactant Mixtures

Mixtures of the oppositely charged surfactants cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium octylsulfate (SOS) combine to form an array of microstructures at various mixing ratios. At certain compositions, thermodynamically stable unilamellar vesicles form. To determine the composition of these vesicles, we have performed small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments, using a contrast variation technique, on samples containing 2.0 wt % 3/7 (weight ratio) CTAB/SOS, which is a bulk composition of 21 mol % CTAB. The scattering contrast between the aggregates and the solvent was varied internally by substituting varying amounts of the SOS with deuterated SOS. Using a modified Guinier analysis of the data, we infer a vesicle composition that is 45 mol % CTAB, which is much more nearly equimolar than the bulk mixing ratio, and we find a bilayer thickness of 22 A. In parallel to the SANS experiments, we have developed a thermodynamic cell model to predict microstructure properties. The model results for ...
The Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectrum of N,N-Dimethylformamide in a Nematic Solvent

Abstract The proton magnetic resonance spectrum of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) oriented in a nematic solvent is analyzed. From the derived dipolar coupling constants and using the best available structure of DMF it is shown that the NMR results are consistent only with rapidly inverting nonplanar conformers.
The production of linguistic prosody in subjects with aphasia

This study investigated the production of linguistic prosody in subjects with left hemisphere damage (LHD). Three experiments involving the production of lexical stress in nouns vs verbs, compound nouns vs tag constructions, and echo questions vs statements were conducted. Acoustic measurements (fundamental frequency (F0), duration and amplitude) of the prosodic structures were examined and naive listeners were asked to identify the meanings of the utterances. The results of the acoustic measurements indicated that LHD subjects did not produce prosodic structures that were comparable to control subjects to convey different linguistic meanings in all three experiments. Naive listeners had greater difficulty identifying the intended meanings of the utterances produced by the LHD subjects than control subjects in all three experiments. The results suggest that the left hemisphere plays a role in the production of linguistic prosody.
Increased plasma interleukin-8 concentrations in alcoholic hepatitis.

Patients with alcoholic hepatitis often have hepatic polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration and neutrophilia. Interleukin-8 is a cytokine that stimulates neutrophil chemotaxis and release of lysosomal enzymes. It is made by several types of cells, including fibroblasts, Kupffer cells and hepatocytes. In this study, serial plasma interleukin-8 concentrations were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 40 consecutive patients with moderate-to-severe alcoholic hepatitis over a 6-mo period. Two control groups included 10 patients without clinically important liver disease admitted for treatment of alcohol dependence and 12 healthy male volunteers. The mean plasma interleukin-8 level on admission was markedly increased: 695 ± 146 pg/ml in the alcoholic hepatitis patients. The alcohol-dependent control group and the normal volunteer controls had mean interleukin-8 concentrations of 106 ± 28 pg/ml and 10 ± 5 pg/ml, respectively. Initially increased interleukin-8 levels in alcoholic hepatitis patients decreased to a meals of 182 ± 42 pg/ml over the first month; levels had decreased further to 124 ± 79 pg/ml after 6 mo. Increased interleukin-8 concentrations in patients with alcoholic hepatitis suggest a role for interleukin-8 in the neutrophilia and hepatic polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration of alcoholic hepatitis. (HEPATOLOGY 1993;18:576–580.)
Test system design for Hardware-in-Loop evaluation of PEM fuel cells and auxiliaries

In order to evaluate the dynamic behavior of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells and their auxiliaries, the dynamic capability of the test system must exceed the dynamics of the fastest component within the fuel cell or auxiliary component under test. This criterion is even more critical when a simulated component of the fuel cell system (e.g., the fuel cell stack) is replaced by hardware and Hardware-in-Loop (HiL) methodology is employed. This paper describes the design of a very fast dynamic test system for fuel cell transient research and HiL evaluation. The integration of the real time target (which runs the simulation), the test stand PC (that controls the operation of the test stand), and the programmable logic controller (PLC), for safety and low-level control tasks, into one single integrated unit is successfully completed.
Assays for Investigating Transcription by RNA Polymerase IIin Vitro

With the availability of the general initiation factors (TFIIB, TFIID, TFIIE, TFIIF, and TFIIH), it is now possible to investigate aspects of the mechanism of eukaryotic messenger RNA synthesis in purified, reconstituted RNA polymerase II transcription systems. Rapid progress in these investigations has been spurred by use of a growing number of assays that are proving valuable not only for dissecting the molecular mechanisms of transcription initiation and elongation by RNA polymerase II, but also for identifying and purifying novel transcription factors that regulate polymerase activity. Here we describe a variety of these assays and discuss their utility in the analysis of transcription by RNA polymerase II.
A Sociologist's Encounter With the Jamaa

From the summer of 1963 through the summer of 1967 I conducted the fieldwork for a sociological study of a religious movement in Zaire, called the Jamaa. Over the course of 1971 to 1973 I wrote a book-length monograph on the Jamaa, including some observations on my relationship to it, which became my dissertation for the Ph. D. in Sociology at Harvard University. 1) In the intervening years between 1967 and 1973 I made three follow-up visits to various strategic sites in the Jamaa's history and development. I came to this study as a trained sociologist of Belgian origin with candidatures in social and political sciences from Louvain University, a master's degree in sociology from Fordham University, and a close personal and
Cohesiveness and goals in agency networks: Explaining conflict and cooperation

Abstract This paper examines principal and agent networks. We focus on networks because business research has placed far greater emphasis on the agency problem at the individual level. Our interest is in exploring the agency relationship at the group or network level. There are many variables at the group or network level which are absent when analyzing agency relationships at the individual level. Traditional theories of finance and economics do not adequately address or explain a host of behaviors that are inherent in human interactions that constitute organizational life. We include a sociological or behavioral approach in understanding this complex relationship. Using cohesiveness and shared goals as antecedents, we develop a theoretical model that predicts a range of relationship outcomes between principals and agents, as well as their impact on organizational goals. We explain that a range of relationships – including conflict, domination, exploitation, collaboration, and cooperation – is possible when networks of principals and agents interact. We argue that the social context is a key determinant of the relationship between actors in a network, and it has an important role in impacting cohesiveness and goal mutuality. The degree of cohesiveness within and between networks, and the extent to which goals are shared or are in conflict are the principal predictor variables we examine. We posit that cohesiveness and shared goals are necessary and sufficient conditions for agency problems between networks to be alleviated. Both necessary and sufficient conditions need to be met in order to overcome the problems of agency. The relationships we examine through the model include cooperation, collaboration, domination, opportunism, exploitation, and conflict. We present a number of propositions that theorize on the nature of the agency relationship and their impact on organizational goals. Implications for research and practice are also discussed.
Timber Certification: Where Is the Voice of the Biologist?

Editor's note: This Conservation Forum begins with a reprinted editorial by Elizabeth Bennett from the August 2000 issue of Conservation Biology. Several papers were submitted in repsonse to that piece, and it is reprinted here to start this forum.
[3H]Corticosterone binding in the caudate-putamen

Autoradiographic data indicate little specific binding of corticosterone in the caudate-putamen. However, chronic glucocorticoid treatment has been reported to alter certain biochemical parameters within the caudate-putamen, including high-affinity choline uptake. We asked whether glucocorticoid receptors in the caudate-putamen of adrenalectomized rats could be detected by a biochemical approach. We determined the amount of specific [ 3 H]corticosterone binding in cytosols from the caudate-putamen and the ability of nuclei in this brain region to retain [ 3 H]corticosterone in vivo. Results indicates that 72 h post-adrenalectomy, the caudate-putamen has 56% of the maximal binding of the hippocampus (205±11 vs 361±19 fmol/mg protein). The apparent K d of [ 3 H]corticosterone in the two tissues did not differ substantially. The cytosolic binding capacity of the caudate-putamen was similar to that of the cerebellum, a brain region which also fails to demonstrate marked retention of glucocorticoids in autoradiographic studies. When cytosol binding was measured at a shorter time period after adrenalectomy (12 h), no differences were observed between the binding capacities of the hippocampus and the caudate-putamen. In competition experiments using [ 3 H]corticosterone as ligand, no differences between the caudate-putamen and the hippocampus were found in the relative affinities of any of 8 steroids; the order of relative affinities obtained was in good agreement with those reported for the classical glucocorticoid receptor in other tissues. Rats were injected via the tail vein with [ 3 H]corticosterone, 36 nmol/kg, an amount calculated to saturate more than half the nuclear sites. Nuclei purified from the caudate-putamen of these rats demonstrated about 40% of the radioactivity present in hippocampus nuclei (1158±24 vs 2988±320fmol/mg DNA). In the caudate-putamen and hippocampus, radioactivity was concentrated several fold in the cell nuclei relative to whole tissue; this degree of nuclear concentration was not seen in the cerebellum or hypothalamus. We conclude that specific [ 3 H]corticosterone binding proteins exist in the caudate-putamen of rats and suggest that they are functional glucocorticoid receptors, capable of nuclear translocation. The caudate-putamen is distinguished from other brain regions which appear predominantly unlabeled on autoradiographs, not in its number of cytosol binding sites, but by the degree to which its cell nuclei are able to concentrate [ 3 H]corticosterone.
Self-Stabilizing Master-Slave Token Circulation Algorithm in an Undirected Ring of Arbitrary Size and Its Orientation

Token circulation is a fundamental task in the distributed systems. In this paper, we propose a constant space self-stabilizing master-slave token circulation algorithm for an undirected ring of arbitrary size. We consider the recently introduced and studied master-slave model where a single node is designated to be a master node and other nodes are anonymous slave nodes. The expected stabilization time is O(n log n) steps, and the space requirement at each node is 4 bits for any undirected ring of size n; the nodes do not need the knowledge of the size of the ring and hence the protocol is suited for dynamic rings. The proposed token circulation algorithm is further extended to achieve ring orientation. Disregarding the time for stabilization, the ring orientation can be done in at most 3n - 1 steps with 1 bit extra storage at each node.
Thirty-Year Performance Evaluation of Two-Layer Concrete Pavement System

In 1978, an experimental two-layer concrete pavement was opened to traffic on SR-45 near Fort Myers, Florida. The experimental pavement included a series of two-layer concrete pavement sections with various design features placed over either a granular or a cement-treated subbase. These sections consisted of a 3-in. (7.5-cm) portland cement concrete (PCC) surface over a 9-in. (23-cm) lean concrete (commonly referred to as econocrete) layer. The control section consisted of a standard PCC 9 in. (23 cm) thick with joints spaced at 20 ft (6 m) on a cement-treated subbase. After 30 years of service, the sections constructed over a granular base performed better than those placed over a cement-treated subbase. The distresses on the two-layer concrete pavement sections built on the granular subbase were minimal, regardless of their slab lengths. In contrast, the control section experienced greater cracking, greater corner deflections, and moderate-to-severe spalling. The findings validate several features of Fl...
Microwave reflectometry for edge density profile measurements on TFTR

A new type of reflectometer not previously used on tokamaks has been installed on TFTR to measure edge electron density profiles. This reflectometer gives unambiguous edge profiles despite large edge density fluctuations and the presence of strong auxiliary heating. The effects of the large density fluctuations in the edge gradient region are overcome by reducing the multiplicity of fringes and eliminating phase excursions produced by scattering from density fluctuations at the reflecting layer. This is accomplished by using differential-reflectometry: the difference phase between two probing signals reflecting from cut-off layers separated by a distance much less than the correlation length of the density fluctuations is used. This system probes the TFTR plasma using the extraordinary mode (X-mode) with two signals swept from 90-118 GHz while maintaining a fixed difference frequency of 125 MHz between these signals. It has been used to obtain density profiles in the range of 1*1011 to 3*1013 cm-3 in high-field (4.5-4.9 T) full size (R0=2.62 m, a=0.96 m) TFTR plasmas. The reflectometer launcher is located in an ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) antenna and views the plasma through a small penetration in the centre of the Faraday shield. Initial measurements demonstrated that this technique is an effective way to measure the electron density profile in the edge gradient region.