cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NeuroTerrain – a client-server system for browsing 3D biomedical image data sets

Three dimensional biomedical image sets are becoming ubiquitous, along with the canonical atlases providing the necessary spatial context for analysis. To make full use of these 3D image sets, one must be able to present views for 2D display, either surface renderings or 2D cross-sections through the data. Typical display software is limited to presentations along one of the three orthogonal anatomical axes (coronal, horizontal, or sagittal). However, data sets precisely oriented along the major axes are rare. To make fullest use of these datasets, one must reasonably match the atlas' orientation; this involves resampling the atlas in planes matched to the data set. Traditionally, this requires the atlas and browser reside on the user's desktop; unfortunately, in addition to being monolithic programs, these tools often require substantial local resources. In this article, we describe a network-capable, client-server framework to slice and visualize 3D atlases at off-axis angles, along with an open client architecture and development kit to support integration into complex data analysis environments. Here we describe the basic architecture of a client-server 3D visualization system, consisting of a thin Java client built on a development kit, and a computationally robust, high-performance server written in ANSI C++. The Java client components (NetOStat) support arbitrary-angle viewing and run on readily available desktop computers running Mac OS X, Windows XP, or Linux as a downloadable Java Application. Using the NeuroTerrain Software Development Kit (NT-SDK), sophisticated atlas browsing can be added to any Java-compatible application requiring as little as 50 lines of Java glue code, thus making it eminently re-useable and much more accessible to programmers building more complex, biomedical data analysis tools. The NT-SDK separates the interactive GUI components from the server control and monitoring, so as to support development of non-interactive applications. The server implementation takes full advantage of data center's high-performance hardware, where it can be co-localized with centrally-located, 3D dataset repositories, extending access to the researcher community throughout the Internet. The combination of an optimized server and modular, platform-independent client provides an ideal environment for viewing complex 3D biomedical datasets, taking full advantage of high-performance servers to prepare images and subsets of associated meta-data for viewing, as well as the graphical capabilities in Java to actually display the data.
Thrombin-mediated mitogenesis: the role of secreted protease nexin.

Protease nexin (PN) is a cell-secreted protein that links to thrombin (Th) and certain other serine proteases. PN mediates the binding, internalization, and degradation of these proteases by cells (Baker et al., 1980; Low et al., 1981). Here we show that binding of Th-PN complexes to human foreskin fibroblasts (HF cells) accounted for 90% of the specific cellular Th binding at certain mitogenic doses of the protease. However, cell-associated Th-PN complexes were likely to be inactive mitogenically because heparin (170 units/ml) inhibited cellular binding of 125-Th-PN by about 95% (a reduction from 1.3 × 105 to 6 × 103125I-Th-PN complexes per cell) but did not influence Th-mediated mitogenic stimulation. In experiments with mouse embryo cells, heparin also markedly decreased cellular binding of 125I-Th-PN without changing the mitogenic response to Th. The lack of mitogenic activity of cell-associated Th-PN complexes suggested that PN might inhibit the mitogenically essential proteolytic activity of Th. This possibility is supported by the following findings. First, amounts of serum-free conditioned culture medium that contained enough PN to complex a large fraction of added Th inhibited the clotting activity of Th. Second, heparin increased the formation of 125I-Th-PN complexes and also increased this inhibitory effect of conditioned medium. We conclude that PN acts as a negative modulator of thrombin mitogenic activity. It is shown that like other fibroblastic cells HF cells bound free 125I-Th specifically (although with relatively low affinity, Kass < 108 M-1). Specific binding of free 125I-Th to HF cells increased fourfold in the presence of heparin (50 IU/ml).
Congenital pulmonary artery branch stenosis

Abstract Thirty cases of congenital stenosis of the branch pulmonary arteries are presented. This defect occurred as an isolated cardiovascular anomaly in 17 of the 30 patients. Clinically the most significant diagnostic feature was the wide distribution of the murmur, which was seldom louder than grade 3 6 . It is suggested that auscultation at the axillas and the back should be included in the routine evaluation of the cardiovascular system. Data are presented which suggest that comparing the rate of rise of the prestenotic with the poststenotic pressure pulse may differentiate organic from functional pressure gradients. Some pitfalls in the interpretation of the hemodynamic data are discussed.
Implantable defibrillators and antiarrhythmic drugs in patients at risk for lethal arrhythmias.

The high mortality rate and frequency of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with congestive heart failure has prompted numerous clinical trials aimed at reducing mortality by addressing arrhythmic death. Recently completed trials have suggested that for patients who have survived cardiac arrest, the preferred treatment may be an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). From the standpoint of primary prevention, implantable defibrillators and amiodarone have received the most attention. It remains unclear, however, to which patients these studies apply, and if and how the results might be generalized. No available studies confirm an additional benefit of pharmacologic or device-based antiarrhythmic therapy beyond that offered by optimal treatment with β blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and lipid-lowering drugs in the majority of patients with cardiomyopathy. Clinical trials are ongoing to address these issues.
Report of the Committee on Snow, 1955–1956

The following report has been prepared by the Committee from a questionnaire sent to individuals and agencies active in snow research. The current snow project at Alta with most application to runoff is the Snow Temperature- Snow Settlement Study which is just completing its first season. Our objective is to be able to monitor the internal stabilization of the snowpack. From the standpoint of runoff, this study should yield valuable information on compaction and hence the rate of snow melt. The equipment is simple and would be adaptable to installation on a snow course. It consists of a nichrome resistance wire suspended vertically in the snowpack. Sliding plates are attached to t he wire periodically so that they are carried downward by snow settlement. The plates are connected to a junction box by wire leads where the location of each plate in relation to the ground can be established by means of a Wheatstone bridge. A thermistor is also attached to each plate so that settlement and snow temperature can be determined without digging a pit. The same meter can be wired to read both temperature and settlement.
Citizen drones: embedded crafts for remote sensing

Many recent projects in the maker movement have implemented environmental monitoring agents. These projects tend to focus on projecting technological advances rather than adapting monitoring agents to be compatible with common tools. I have investigated methods of low-tech citizen science and DIY sensing as a means to provide a simple, effective way for emerging economies and rural communities to share and record local environmental data. This provides a community with the means to open a dialogue and enact changes relevant to environmental issues. Integration into daily life is a key factor in the success of these projects and can be achieved through an informed choice of materials and method of instruction. The outcomes of my research suggest that sensor-based technology is best embraced when embedded into a culturally relevant medium and is introduced through free educational workshops.
EZH2 and ALDH-1 mark breast epithelium at risk for breast cancer development

It is well established that benign proliferative lesions and atypical hyperplasia increase the risk of breast cancer, which can develop in either breast. At present, there is no radiological, pathological, or molecular marker capable of distinguishing which proliferative or atypical lesions will progress to carcinoma. EZH2, a protein involved in stem cell renewal and carcinogenesis is upregulated in the morphologically normal breast epithelium from BRCA1 mutation carriers. Here, we tested the hypothesis that EZH2 expression alone or in combination with the breast stem cell marker aldehyde dehydrogenase-1 (ALDH-1) may identify benign breast biopsies that progress to breast cancer in the future. Benign breast biopsy samples obtained from 59 women who subsequently developed (study group, n=29) or who did not develop (control group, n=30) breast cancer in the same time period were subjected to immunohistochemical analyses of EZH2 and ALDH-1 proteins. When present, EZH2 was expressed in the nuclei of benign epithelial cells, whereas ALDH-1 was expressed in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells and/or in the stroma. EZH2, epithelial ALDH-1, and expanded stromal ALDH-1-positive cells were present in 95, 43, and 69%, respectively, of study group biopsies, compared with 16, 13, and 37%, respectively, of control biopsies (P <0.05 for all). The mean percentage of EZH2-positive cells was higher in the study group than in the control group (34 and 6%, respectively). EZH2 expression was associated with breast cancer development (P=8.2 × 10−6) and with younger age at cancer diagnosis (P=0.0086). Both stromal and epithelial ALDH-1 were associated with development of breast cancer (P=0.001 and P=0.049, respectively). Our study provides first evidence that EZH2 and epithelial and stromal ALDH-1 detection in benign breast biopsies may predict increased risk for breast cancer, with implications for breast cancer prevention.
THREE DETAILED CROSS-SECTIONS OF THE GULF STREAM

Three sections across the Gulf Stream in which deep temperature and salinity observations were made close intervals show that comparably large values of surface current velocity are obtained from at dynamic computations, the Geomagnetic-Electrokinetograph (G.E.K.) and from navigational data. The dynamic computations indicate that the crosscurrent slope of the isobaric surfaces is uneven, resulting theoretically in three or four zones of high velocity separated by zones of lower velocity. The navigational and GEK measurements do not clearly reflect this picture. It is suggested that the unevenness of the slopes of the isobaric surfaces is related to the surface temperature discontinuities observed in the Gulf Stream by von Arx and Richardson (1953) from aircraft, and that the Stream is composed of overlapping, discontinuous currents at all levels. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1954.tb01101.x
Anxiety and verbal memory performance in APOE-4 carriers and noncarriers aged 50 years and above.

Aims: The current study sought to explore the relationship between state and trait anxiety and delayed verbal memory performance in APOE-4 carriers and noncarriers who were aged 50 years and above. Materials & methods: The study was a retrospective analysis of 267 participants aged 50 years and above who had completed genetic testing for APOE status, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and a comprehensive neuropsychological battery that included three delayed verbal memory measures (Wechsler Memory Scale – 3rd Edition, Logical Memory and Verbal Pairs subtests and the Buschke Selective Reminding Test). Results: An inverse relationship was found between state anxiety and delayed verbal memory performance. No difference in level of anxiety was found between APOE-4 carriers versus noncarriers. Conclusion: State anxiety, but not trait anxiety, was found to have an inverse relationship with delayed verbal memory performance. For example, as self-reported state anxiety increased, delayed verbal memory scores decr...
Measurement of Strains in Turbine Blades Vibrating at Resonance Using Electro-optic Holography

Abstract Phase-stepped stroboscopic electro-optic holography is employed for the measurement of strains on the surface of a turbine blade vibrating at resonance. The three components of the displacement vector are separated by recording interferograms using four independent illumination beams. The phase-stepping technique supplemented by the Fourier transform method is applied for the extraction of phase changes due to vibration. In-plane strains in a region of interest on the blade surface are calculated for one of the natural modes of vibration.
Effect of storage temperature, cooling rates and two different semen extenders on canine spermatozoal motility.

Ejaculates were collected form three mixed-breed male dogs daily for 3 d. The semen was diluted in either a nonfat dried milk solid-glucose (NFDMS-G) or egg yolk citrate (EYC) extender at a concentration of 25 × 106 sperm/ml. The diluted samples were exposed to three different storage temperatures (35, 22 and 4°C). Three cooling rates (−1.0, −0.3 and −0.1°C/min) were also investigated at the lowest storage temperature (4°C). The semen was evaluated for total motility, progressive motility and velocity at 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h after collection by two independent observers. Interactions between extenders, temperatures and time after collection were found for each of the variables. Nonfat dried milk solid-glucose diluent was superior to EYC (P<0.05) in preservating sperm motility parameters that were evaluated for most of the observations. The evaluated sperm motility parameters were also significantly superior (P<0.05) in semen stored at 4°C than at 35 or 22°C for most of the observations. The progressive motility and velocity of sperm in semen cooled at 4°C in NFDMS-G were higher (P<0.05) at the fast and medium cooling rates (−1.0 and −0.3°C) than at the slow cooling rate (−0.1°C/min) at 24 and 72 h, and at 48 h, respectively. In conclusion, the present study suggests that canine spermatozoal motility is well preserved when a NFDMS-glucose extender is added to the semen and the semen is cooled at a medium or fast rate to a storage temperature of 4°C. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the fertility of semen stored in this manner.
Politics and publishing in a democratic society: Technical breakthroughs and research agendas

Publishing flourishes best in a democratic society. Technological changes alter the relationship of forces so that opportunities for publishing expand. A broader range of information channels, for example, increases choice and makes authoritarian rule more difficult. Publishing also enhances democracy when decisions are made on the basis of merit rather than top-down legislation. Research should reflect awareness of the interaction of publishing and politics. Such areas as the relationship between public and private sectors, the impact of internationalization, non-U.S. ownership of information, mergers and acquisitions, and conflict between the First Amendment and copyright law, are examples of areas in which democratic outcomes are critical. Decision making in publishing would benefit from heightened awareness of the political consequences of publishers’ activities.
Observation of a photoinduced electron transfer from a conducting polymer (MEHPPV) onto C60

Abstract Evidence for photoinduced electron transfer from the excited state of a conducting polymer onto Buckminsterfullerene, C 60 , is reported. Photoinduced optical absorption studies demonstrate a different excitation spectrum for the composite compared to the separate components, consistent with photo-excited charge transfer. A photoinduced electron spin resonance signal exhibits signatures of both the conducting polymer cation and the C 60 anion. Since the photoluminescence in the conducting polymer is quenched by interaction with C 60 , the data imply that charge transfer from the excited state occurs on a picosecond time scale.
The Dynamics of Lipids and DDT in Developing Brook Trout Eggs and Fry

Abstract Adult brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis ) were fed p, p’-DDT- 3 H and linolenic acid-l- 14 C. Eggs obtained from these fish were fertilized and incubated. The movement of l4 C and 3 H from the oil droplet and yolk to the embryonic body was followed. The yolk, not the oil droplet, was found to be the main storage site for DDT. Utilization of the triglyceride oi1 droplet began at hatching.
Effect of the co‐carcinogen benzo[e] pyrene on microsome‐mediated chemical mutagenesis in salmonella typhimurium

Chemical agents that possess the ability to alter tumorigenicity of carcinogens (administered at subthreshold dose) constitute a major health hazard. We have employed the Ames Salmonella assay to examine the effect of co-carcinogenic benzo[e] pyrene (B[e]P) on microsome-mediated chemical mutagenesis. B[e]P enhanced the mutagenic activity induced by 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) and benzo[a] pyrene (B[a]P) in strains TA1538 and TA98. Enhancement was also noted with N-hydroxy-2-AAF (the proximal metabolite of 2-AAF) but not with an ultimate carcinogenic form (N-acetoxy-2-AAF). These results suggest the use of this approach to detect chemical agents that possess the ability to alter the activity of mutagenic or carcinogenic chemicals.
Movement of ferritin in the 2-day-old chick femur

The distribution of intravascularly administered ferritin was examined in histological sections of femurs from 2-day-old chicks. The ferritin was seen in the mineralized portion of the bone as well as in the vessels 5 minutes after injection into the external jugular vein but was essentially absent 4 hours after injection. The concentration of ferritin in the vessels appeared to increase from the endosteal to the periosteal surface. In the mineral the ferritin appeared to move as a front roughly parallel and distal to the canals. A scheme for the movement of fluid and associated material through the mineralized portion of chick bone is presented that suggests that the driving force for the bone fluid is attributable to pressure differentials between adjacent canals. This differential is due to the geometry of the canals and increases as the angle of the canal relative to the endosteal surface decreases.
Effects of processing on electrical properties of YBa2Cu3O7 films. II. In situ deposition processes

The effects of several patterning process steps on the critical current Jc and surface resistance Rs of YBa2Cu3O7 films are described. Included are two off‐axis sputtering processes and a metalorganic chemical‐vapor deposition (MOCVD) process, all producing in situ superconducting films with c‐axis epitaxial orientation. Jc and Rs parameters were measured by mutual inductance and parallel plate resonator techniques, respectively, so that the films did not require patterning for the measurement. Applying a polymer film and stripping, either with acetone or with an O2 plasma, resulted in no change in Rs. Brief ion milling, as well as baking at 185 °C with polymer film present, caused moderate degradation (∼25 μΩ) for films deposited on MgO (both sputtered and MOCVD). The damage caused by ion milling sputtered films on LaAlO3 was considerably greater (∼100 μΩ); photoresist developer also had a significant effect. The degree of degradation in Rs for these films suggests that the surface damage results in seco...
Naturals and strivers: Preferences and beliefs about sources of achievement

Abstract To understand how talent and achievement are perceived, three experiments compared the assessments of “naturals” and “strivers." Professional musicians learned about two pianists, equal in achievement but who varied in the source of achievement: the “natural” with early evidence of high innate ability, versus the “striver” with early evidence of high motivation and perseverance (Experiment 1). Although musicians reported the strong belief that strivers will achieve over naturals, their preferences and beliefs showed the reverse pattern: they judged the natural performer to be more talented, more likely to succeed, and more hirable than the striver. In Experiment 2, this “naturalness bias” was observed again in experts but not in non-experts, and replicated in a between-subjects design in Experiment 3. Together, these experiments show a bias favoring naturals over strivers even when the achievement is equal, and a dissociation between stated beliefs about achievement and actual choices in expert decision-makers.
Accuracy and validity of observational estimates of shoulder and elbow posture

This study investigated the accuracy of video-based observational posture analysis for the elbow and shoulder. Posture analyses were conducted by 28 ergonomists for four jobs presented on a traditional VHS format video recording. Estimates of posture from the observational-based methods were compared with values measured directly with an optical motion capture system. Ergonomists used categorical posture scales and a continuous visual analog scale to estimate the peak and most frequently occurring or average posture for each job. Use of a three-category scale resulted in misclassifications of peak and most frequently occurring elbow and shoulder posture with a probability averaging 30.1%. With the six-category posture scale this average probability of misclassification increased to 64.9%. Using a continuous visual analog scale peak shoulder elevation was the only posture for which the average error among ergonomists' estimates was significantly different from zero (p<0.05). Correlations between the estimated postures and measured postures were higher and statistically significant (p<0.05) for elbow flexion and shoulder elevation (r2 between 0.45 and 0.66) but were considerably lower and not significant (r2 between 0.03 and 0.18) for the peak and average horizontal shoulder abduction. Ergonomists' estimates of the temporal distribution of shoulder posture, indicating the duration severity of the posture, appeared to be biased such that the percentage of the cycle time in each posture category was estimated as more uniformly distributed than the measured values indicated.
Trends in Gleason Score: Concordance Between Biopsy and Prostatectomy over 15 Years

Objectives To assess the changes in the concordance rate of prostate biopsy and radical prostatectomy (RP) Gleason score (GS) over 15 years. Methods We reviewed 1670 consecutive patients who underwent RP between 1992 and 2006. We excluded patients who underwent neoadjuvant hormone therapy or salvage RP, or who had incomplete data. Patients who had RP during 1992 through 1996, 1997 through 2001, and 2002 through 2006 were assigned to groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. All clinical and pathological data were collected retrospectively. We defined overgrading as a biopsy GS higher than the RP Gleason score. Undergrading was a biopsy GS less than the RP Gleason score. The GS concordance between biopsy and RP was evaluated by kappa coefficient. Results A total of 1363 patients satisfied the inclusion criteria. Biopsy and RP Gleason score categories correlated exactly in 937 (69%) men. Gleason undergrading occurred in 361 (26%) men and overgrading in 65 (5%). The exact correlation of GS between biopsy and RP was 58%, 66%, and 75% in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The most common discordant finding was undergrading of the biopsy specimen. The number of cases with exact correlation was highest in GS 7 (78%). Undergrading was more in GS 6 or less (35%) and overgrading was more in the GS 8 through 10 (35%) category. Conclusions This large, single institutional study confirms increasing concordance of Gleason scores in prostate needle biopsies and surgical specimens. This is reassuring for patients assessing various treatment options for prostate cancer.
Teses básicas do positivismo e suas críticas ao jusnaturalismo

Subjaz ao texto a ideia de que jusnaturalismo e juspositivismo sao duas teorias e posicionamentos antiteticos em tensao, referencia e reformulacao reciprocas, razao dos respectivos e novos sentidos. O texto reflete as concepcoes historicas do jusnaturalismo e centra-se nas criticas que lhes foram formuladas pelos positivistas classicos [ROSS, HART e KELSEN] a partir da especificidade de suas concepcoes e na exposicao das teses basicas do positivismo. As criticas formuladas, embora procedentes em relacao a certas interpretacoes da natureza, nao desqualificam a funcao e dimensao critica do direito natural, nem a consistencia da natureza humana como fundamento do direito natural e positivo.
Effect of Chiral Polymers on Lyotropic Liquid Crystals

Formation of the cholesteric phase in aqueous lyotropic liquid crystals doped with cellulose derivatives has been studied utilizing hot stage polarized microscopy. Three ionic surfactantssodium decyl sulfate, cesium pentadecafluorooctanoate, and myristyltrimethylammonium bromidewere employed to obtain anionic or cationic lyonematics. After addition of chiral polymers (at polymer concentration ∼0.05−0.750 wt %) the samples were sealed in flat glass capillaries, and a magnetic field was applied to enhance the homogeneous orientation and formation of the fingerprint texture. Out of seven various cellulosic derivatives (five nonionic, one cationic, and one anionic), nonionic hydroxypropyl cellulose was the only compound that induced the cholesteric phase. The effective helical twisting power (HTP) of hydroxypropyl cellulose is 3−4 times higher in anionic lyonematics than in cationics. In both cationic and anionic media, the HTP decreases with an increase in the molecular weight of the chiral polymer. This beh...
Developmental regulation of GABAB receptor function in rat spinal cord

Abstract GABA B receptors are heterodimers coupled to G-proteins. The present study was undertaken to investigate activation of GABA B receptors in cerebral cortex and spinal cord using [ 35 S]GTPγS binding assays, a direct measure of G-protein activity. The results revealed that the GABA B agonist baclofen stimulates GTPγS binding in cerebral cortex, with an ED 50 of 50μM. This response is blocked by the GABA B receptor antagonist CGP 55845A (100nM). In contrast, baclofen-stimulated GTPγS binding was not observed in adult spinal cord tissue under similar incubation conditions, or after varying magnesium, calcium, GDP, [ 35 S]GTPγS, or membrane concentrations in the assay medium. Stimulation of adult rat spinal cord muscarinic receptors did result in a concentration-related increase in [ 35 S]GTPγS binding. Baclofen-stimulated GTPγS binding in adult spinal cord did not appear after peripheral inflammation, despite significant increases in GABA B subunit mRNA levels. As opposed to adult, appreciable GTPγS binding was observed in membranes prepared from spinal cords of rats within the first 14 days of postnatal development, suggesting that GABA B receptor function in the rat spinal cord is developmentally regulated. The results indicate that GABA B receptors may not be coupled to G-proteins in the adult rat spinal cord, or couple in a way that differs from that in newborns or adult cerebral cortex.
An experimental study of pleometrotic colony founding in the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta : what is the basis for association?

Many benefits and risks of cooperative colony founding (pleometrosis) have been identified, but rarely have the proximate factors that lead to association been considered. This study examined the choices queens make during the first few hours after mating, and some of the correlates of those choices. Queens had a strong affinity for preformed holes in the soil and readily used these as their initial founding chambers. This affinity was so strong that in a field experiment, the dispersion pattern of preformed holes controlled the final dispersion of colony-founding queens. Attraction to partially formed holes is thus an important cause of pleometrosis. The excavation of complete founding chambers incurred no measurable cost on the subsequent reproductive output of queens, suggesting that the primary benefit of using preformed holes is to remove the queen quickly from exposure to predation and desiccation. In the field, pairs of queens offered five equivalent preformed holes in soil were more likely to share the same hole if the holes were shallow and close together. In these experiments, queens modified preformed soil holes so that the test holes were no longer equivalent, causing the choice of queen and hole to become confounded. Laboratory experiments in plaster arenas with unmodifiable holes confirmed the field experiments: queens were more likely to share a hole when the holes were shallow than when they were deep. Because queens entering adequately deep holes seldom reemerged, this suggested that the likelihood of sharing increased with increasing contact between queens, that is, when queens were readily and frequently detected. Such contacts will also predict the future competitive environments to be experienced by incipient colonies, and may temper the tendency of queens to associate. However, experiments in which queens were exposed to high and low densities before pairing in the choice arenas failed to show an effect on the choice to join the resident queen. Queens that joined a resident queen differed in their robustness from queens that did not join. Queens choosing their own partners did no better reproductively than those assigned partners at random. Overall, this study suggests that (1) newly mated queens are under strong selection to leave the soil surface and do so by using any available holes, whether dug by another queen or of some other origin; (2) they are attracted to other queens, and are more likely to cofound as contact with the potential cofoundress becomes more frequent and (3) they choose whether or not to cofound partly on the basis of their own reproductive characteristics.
Electoral Systems in Latin America: Explaining the Adoption of Proportional Representation Systems During the Twentieth Century

This article explains the twentieth-century Latin American shift from majoritarian to proportional representation (PR) electoral systems. It argues that PR was introduced when the electoral arena changed significantly and threatened the power of the dominant party. The adoption of PR was therefore an effort by the established party to retain partial power in the face of absolute defeat. Majoritarian systems remained in place when the incumbent party was strong enough to believe that it could gain a plurality of the votes despite electoral changes. An empirical analysis of 20 countries over 104 years (1900–2004) provides support for this argument.
Endothelium-Intrinsic Requirement for Hif-2α During Vascular Development

Background— The development of the vascular system is a complex process that involves communications among multiple cell types. As such, it is important to understand whether a specific gene regulates vascular development directly from within the vascular system or indirectly from nonvascular cells. Hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (Hif-2α, or endothelial PAS protein-1 [EPAS-1]) is required for vascular development in mice, but it is not clear whether its requirement resides directly in endothelial cells. Methods and Results— To address this issue, we expressed Hif-2α cDNA in the vascular endothelium of Hif-2α−/− embryos by an embryonic stem (ES) cell–mediated transgenic approach and assessed whether endothelium-specific reexpression of Hif-2α could rescue vascular development. Here we report that although ES cell–derived Hif-2α−/− embryos developed severe vascular defects by embryonic day (E) 11.5 and died in utero before E12.5, endothelium-specific expression of Hif-2α cDNA restored normal vascular developme...
Neurophysiologic Intraoperative Monitoring During Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy

Selective dorsal rootlet rhizotomy (SDR) is a neurosurgical procedure designed to reduce spasticity in the legs, although preserving motor and sensory function, of appropriately selected children with spastic quadraparesis. This is accomplished by neurophysiologicially guided (e.g., selective) severing of specific dorsal rootlets in the cauda equina. This decreases facilitatory input to spinal anterior motor neurons, thereby reducing spasticity in the legs. This first portion of this article discusses the neurophysiologic intraoperative monitoring techniques during SDR, with the understanding that there are no universally agreed upon protocols nor standards of care. The second portion of the article reviews supporting data for the utility of SDR and long-term outcomes. With major benefits attributed to the selective nature of the procedure, SDR was increasingly used in the 1980-1990's after its introduction by Fasano et al. (Neurochirurgie. 1976;22:23-34; Acta Neurochir. 1977;suppl 24:53-57; Child's Brain. 1978;4:289-305) and revision by Peacock and colleagues (S Afr Med J. 1981;60:849-850;S Afr Med J. 1982;62:119-124). More extensive SDR discussions of its history, theoretical and physiological bases, patient selection criteria, neurosurgical techniques, and postoperative and long-term management, may be found elsewhere.
A retrospective review of uterine scar pregnancies: single centre experience.

Purpose Our aim was to present our experience with the management of six women with uterine scar pregnancies in KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore.
Structural and strategic factors in the stimulus suffix effect

The stimulus suffix effect has been typically viewed as reflecting the displacement of the current information residing in a limited-capacity sensory store by the presentation of a subsequent speech sound. The present research was primarily concerned with determining if strategic factors will also influence the stimulus suffix effect. An experiment was conducted, based on the research by Aaronson, 1968 , Aaronson, 1974 , in which both presentation rate (6, 3, 1.5 digits/second) and practice with suffix or no-suffix lists were factorially crossed between-subjects factors. The serial recall results of 7-item lists of digits indicated that both presentation rate and practice with suffix lists modulated the preterminal suffix effect for serial positions 3–6, whereas, the terminal suffix effect for serial position 7 was relatively unaffected by these variables. These results were viewed as indicating that the suffix effect reflects two distinct processes: 1) a more strategic mechanism which primary underlies the preterminal suffix effect and 2) a more structural mechanism which primary underlies the terminal suffix effect. It was therefore argued that only the terminal suffix effect should be viewed as a relatively pure index of the contribution of echoic information to short-term memory performance.
Application of Al-Mg Alloy in Bearing Steel

There is less study about the effect of magnesium on characteristics of bearing. In the paper, the bearing steel was modified by three types of Al-Mg alloys. Firstly, the total oxygen content value was measured, and then the inclusion size, shape and chemical composition were analyzed by optical microscopy, SEM and EDX. The results show that, after treated by Al-Mg alloy, the total oxygen content descends remarkably and the alumina inclusion with big size and different shapes transform into spinel with small size and spherical shape. The optimal effect of inclusion modification is acquired after treated by NO. 3 Al-Mg alloy containing 16.55 wt% Mg, most of the inclusions in steel are spinel and magnesia, and the size of 96.23 wt% inclusions is less than 3μm.
Transparent oxide/metal/oxide trilayer electrode for use in top-emitting organic light-emitting diodes

The most commonly used transparent electrode, indium-tin oxide (ITO), is costly and requires methods of deposition that are highly destructive to organic materials when it is deposited on top of the organic layers in top-emitting organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs). Here we have employed a trilayer electrode structure consisting of a thin layer of metal sandwiched between two MoO3 layers, which can be deposited through vacuum thermal evaporation without much damage to the organic active layers. Such MoO3/Au/MoO3 trilayer electrodes have a maximum transmittance of nearly 90% at 600 nm and a sheet resistance of <10 ohms per square (Ω/sq) with a 10-nm thick Au intermediate layer. Using these trilayers as the top transparent anode, we have fabricated top-emitting OLEDs based on either a fluorescent or phosphorescent emitter, and observed nearly identical emission spectra and similar external quantum efficiencies as compared to the more conventional bottom-emitting OLEDs based on the commercial ITO anode. The power efficiency of the top-emitting devices is 20% to 30% lower than the bottom-emitting devices due to the somewhat inferior charge injection in the top-emitting devices. The performance and emission characteristics of these devices indicate that this trilayer structure is a promising candidate as a transparent anode in top-emitting OLEDs.
Beyond insecurity: A reconceptualization of attachment disorders of infancy.

Some young children are not merely insecurely attached and at risk for later problems; by virtue of the severity of their attachment disturbances they are already disordered. This article reviews and critiques the approaches of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) and the International Classification of Diseases (10th ed.; ICD-10; World Health Organization, 1992) to attachment disorders and finds that they have not made use of findings from developmental research on attachment in developing their criteria. An alternative system of classifying attachment disorders that is compatible with the major findings from developmental research on infant-caregiver attachment is presented. Finally, many
An elementary calculation of the dihedral angle of the regular n-simplex

The dihedral angle of a regular n-dimensional simplex is the angle formed by a pair of intersecting faces. In the case n = 2 we are describing the angle at the vertex of an equilateral triangle, while in the case n = 3 we are describing the angle formed by the faces of the regular tetrahedron. (This angle is cos-'(1/3), or approximately 70.5?.) In the general n-dimensional case, the dihedral angle is known to equal cos-'(l/n) (see Coxeter [1]). This fact has been proved elegantly by R. Krasnodebski in [3]. Krasnodebski bases his work on a construction used by Coxeter in proving Gosset's theorem (see Coxeter [2]), so Krasnodebski's proof is neither self-contained nor elementary. As far as we know, there is no simple, elementary proof in print. om the sual generati g function fo the Stirling numbers of the second kind,
Understanding Attributions of Corporate Social Irresponsibility

Notwithstanding the significance to organizations of external reactions to bad behavior, the corporate social responsibility literature tends to focus on the meaning of and expectations for responsible behavior, rather than on the meaning of irresponsible behavior. Here we develop a theoretical perspective that explicitly focuses on irresponsibility and that particularly helps explain attributions of social irresponsibility in the minds of the firm's observers. In contrast to approaches in the corporate social responsibility literature that tend to deemphasize the role of the individual perceiver of firm behavior in favor of emphasizing such broader social structures as value systems, institutions, and stakeholder relations, our focus is on how the social reality of external expectations for social responsibility is rooted in the perceptions of the beholder. We draw on attribution theory to describe how attributions of irresponsibility stem from the observer's subjective assessments of effect undesirabili...
Ca2+‐dependent in vitro phosphorylation of soluble proteins from germinating wheat (Triticum turgidum) endosperm

A 40000 g supernatant fraction from extracts of germinating wheat (Triticum turgidum Desf. cv. Edmore) endosperm contains protein kinase activity that phosphorylates several endogenous proteins. In vitro incorporation of radiolabel from [32P]-ATP into phosphoproteins was maximal in the presence of 1 mM CaCl2 and 5 mM MgCl2Ca2+ at micromolar concentrations greatly stimulated the phosphorylation of 49 and 47 kDa polypeptides and also inhibited the phosphorylation of a few specific polypeptides. The phosphorylation of the 49 and 47 kDa polypeptides was present at 2 days after seed germination and was maximal at 8 days. Quantitative protein changes were also detected during the seed germination, but differences could not be correlated with changes in protein phosphorylation. Phosphoamino acid analysis by two dimensional thin-layer electrophoresis showed that the Ca2+-dependent protein kinase phosphorylates a serine residue of the 47 kDa polypeptide. Ca2+-dependent protein kinase phosphorylates a serine residue of the 47 KDa polypeptide. Ca2+ dependent protein phosphorylktion was inhibited by phenothiazine-derived drugs. Addition of S-adenosylmethionine to the in vitro phosphorylation reaction specifically inhibited the Ca2+-dependent protein phosphorylation.
R. J. Rummel's Understanding Conflict and War: An Overlooked Classic?:

R.J. Rummel's five volume work Understanding Conflict and War is an ambitious, comprehensive theoretical approach to international as well as domestic conflict. It provides a substantial theoretica...
JOB ANALYSIS OF THE KNOWLEDGE IMPORTANT FOR NEWLY LICENSED SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS

The purpose of this study was to conduct a job analysis focusing on the knowledge important for newly licensed (certified) Social Studies teachers. The results of the job analysis will be used to develop test specifications for the Subject Assessment in Social Studies of the Praxis Series: Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers™. A domain consisting of 10 major knowledge areas (United States History, World History, Skills/Themes, Government/Civics/Political Science, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Geography, Economics, and Pedagogy Specific to Social Studies) and 483 knowledge statements was developed by subject-matter experts. Due to the large size of the content domain, two survey forms were developed. Form 1 consisted of the major areas of U.S. History, World History, and Skills/Themes and contained 249 specific knowledge statements. Form 2 consisted of the areas of World History, Government/Civics/Political Science, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Geography, Economics, and Pedagogy Specific to Social Stuies and contained 234 statements. These survey forms were then administered to a national sample of social studies teachers, administrators, and college faculty whose names were obtained from the membership of the National Council of the Social Studies (NCSS). In addition, a supplementary group of teachers from schools with high levels of minority students (80–100%) and teachers with five or less years of teaching experience were included in order to increase the likelihood that a sufficient number of responses from these groups would be available to reflect their perspectives on the job of a newly licensed social studies teacher. These professionals rated the importance of each knowledge area and statement using a 5-point rating scale that ranged from 0 (of no importance) to 4 (very important). A cut point of a mean importance rating of 2.50 (the midpoint between moderately important [scale value 2] and important [scale value 3] was established to identify the core of important statements. The results of the mean analysis conducted for teachers and college faculty in the primary sample and for teachers in the supplementary sample for Form 1 showed that 19 of the 249 knowledge statements were rated less then 2.50 by one or more of the three groups. This represents 7.6% of the content domain. The corresponding results for Form 2 yielded 21 (9.0%) statements with mean ratings below the cut point. In the mean analysis for subgroups, 34 (13.7%) statements were rated below 2.50 for Form 1, while in Form 2, 29 (12.4%) were rated below the cut point. The knowledge statements that were verified to be important by the surveyed teachers, college faculty, and the demographic subgroups should be used as the foundation for the development of test specifications.
Generalized bond orders

We introduce generalized bond orders defined in terms of weighted Kekule valence structures. The weights were determined by the contributions of linearly independent and minimal conjugated circuits in individual Kekule valence structure. When special values for the contributions of conjugated circuits of different size are assumed, one obtains quantities that show considerable similarity to the Pauling and the Clar's bond orders. Pauling bond orders are obtained when one assumes that all conjugated circuits make equal contribution to bond orders. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Micro- to nano-characterization of semiconductor grain boundaries

Abstract This paper examines the use of surface-analysis methods in the characterization of grain boundaries in semiconductors. The purpose is to demonstrate the utility of increasing spatial resolution in the evaluation of defects. Three distinct mechanisms for adjusting the electronic properties of defect regions of semiconductors are presented. These include the passivation of grain boundaries by chemical methods; the electrical neutralization of shallow acceptor impurities; and, the doping of the defect regions. Secondary ion mass spectrometry, Auger electron spectroscopy and specialized scanning tunneling microscopy are used to evaluate the grain-boundary structure, composition and chemistry. Complementary macro- and nano-electro-optical characterization techniques based on electron-beam-induced current and photoluminescence provide correlated information on the effects of the chemical-treatment methods.
Construction of the third dimension in mental imagery.

Abstract How do we create mental images of three-dimensional objects? Three clear alternatives are apparent: all object surfaces may be imaged simultaneously; parts may be imaged individually but in a random sequence; or parts may be imaged sequentially but constrained to unfold in a particular order. A set of experiments employing a new, objective methodology for measuring relative image generation time converged to demonstrate that images of three-dimensional objects evolve a part at a time. But more critically, the time required to image a given surface of the object was found to be proportional to its distance from the viewer, even when eye movements were restricted and object surfaces nearer the viewer subtended visual angles smaller than those subtended by more distant surfaces. Thus, mental images of three-dimentional objects were generated in a near-to-far sequence. Results were discussed in terms of computational and ecological considerations.
A SIMS study of the influence of low levels of silicon and calcium on the adsorption properties of O2 on Pt(111)

Abstract Surface impurity levels of Ca, Si and Al, which are at or below the detectability limits of Auger electron spectroscopy, have been followed in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and correlated with oxygen adsorption on Pt(111). It is shown that oxidation of Si to SiO x , monitored by the rise in the SIMS Si + ion intensity, takes place above 500 K during oxygen TPD. The SiO x starts decomposing above 1100 K and can be reduced within 200 s. by 2×10 -8 Torr of H 2 at 1200 K. The molecular, atomic and total amount of oxygen adsorbed/desorbed in a temperature programmed desorption (TPD) cycle depends on the immediate past history of the impurity levels on the surface. In particular, the presence of SiO x is correlated with an increase in the overall sticking coefficient of oxygen. These results highlight the importance of impurity levels below the detectability limits of AES and suggest pretreatment methods for obtaining better reproducibility.