cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The control of goods transportation growth by modal share re-planning: the role of a carbon tax

A simple model is proposed, at the macrolevel of variables aggregation, as a support for policy choice making in the control of goods transportation growth by possible alternative modes. The impact of feasible changes in the levying of “carbon tax” can be investigated with the proposed model, as well as the effects of investments in infrastructure and of the coverage of operational costs. Based on some transport externalities, various cost indices are identified and suitably minimized using optimization techniques, so that a quantitative definition of public policies can be derived. As an example, the model is used to evaluate application of alternative policies in Germany. This case study shows that the model system of goods transportation has a slight sensitivity to the public interventions considered. The application of the carbon tax shows significant effects on the increase of fiscal revenues rather than on the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and on the share of road transportation. Reductions in carbon dioxide emissions and in transportation by road are best achieved by higher investment in the infrastructures of alternative modes of transport, together with a reduction in fuel taxation. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
3D Echocardiographic Location of Implantable Device Leads and Mechanism of Associated Tricuspid Regurgitation

Objectives This study sought to: 1) determine the feasibility of using 3-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (3D TTE) in patients with implantable cardiac resynchronization devices, pacemakers, and defibrillators to visualize the device leads in the right heart and their position relative to the tricuspid valve leaflets; 2) determine the prevalence of different lead positions; and 3) study the relationship between lead location and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) severity. Background Pacemaker, defibrillator, and cardiac resynchronization device implantation is currently guided by fluoroscopy, not allowing targeted lead positioning relative to the tricuspid valve leaflets. These leads have been reported to cause TR of variable degrees, but echocardiography is not routinely used to elucidate the mechanisms of lead interference with tricuspid valve leaflets in individual patients. Methods 3D TTE full-volume images of the right ventricle and/or zoomed images of the tricuspid valve were obtained in 121 patients with implanted devices. Images were viewed offline to determine the position of the device-lead relative to the tricuspid valve leaflets. Severity of TR was estimated on the basis of vena contracta measurements. Results 3D TTE clearly depicted lead position in 90% of patients. The right ventricular lead was impinging on either the posterior (20%) or septal (23%) leaflet or was not interfering with leaflet motion (53%) when positioned near the posteroseptal commissure or in the central portion of the tricuspid valve orifice. In the remaining patients, leads were impinging on the anterior leaflet (4%) or positioned in either the anteroposterior or anteroseptal commissure (3%). Leads interfering with normal leaflet mobility were associated with more TR than nonimpinging leads (vena contracta: median 0.62 cm [1st and 3rd quartiles: 0.51, 0.84 cm] vs. 0.27 cm [1st and 3rd quartiles: 0.00, 0.48 cm]; p Conclusions 3D TTE showed a clear association between device lead position and TR. To minimize TR induced by device-leads, 3D TTE guidance should be considered for placement in a commissural position.
Lichtenberg Figures Produced by High-Voltage Discharges in Vacuum

The formation of Lichtenberg figures on aluminum and titanium electrodes covered by oxide and nitride layers while being exposed to high vacuum and 100-kV (rms) 60-Hz voltage is recorded. The observations were made in the course of research on high-voltage vacuum insulation for cryocables. The Lichtenberg figures have several technological implications. They provide evidence for the occurrence of 1) focused ion beams, and 2) tangential discharges in the adsorbed layer of gas on the vacuum side of dielectric coverings on metal conductors. As Lichtenberg figures can only be produced by fast high-voltage pulses, they prove that the discharge duration was short compared with the period of the 60-Hz voltage wave.
An Examination of Five Indexes of Test Battery Performance: Analysis of the ECAT Battery

This investigation evaluated potential revisions to the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). The data analyzed were collected from trainees in 17 U.S. Air Force, Army, and Navy jobs ...
RivR Is a Negative Regulator of Virulence Factor Expression in Group A Streptococcus

The bacterial pathogen group A Streptococcus (GAS) causes human diseases ranging from self-limiting pharyngitis (also known as strep throat) to severely invasive necrotizing fasciitis (also known as the flesh-eating syndrome). To control virulence factor expression, GAS utilizes both protein- and RNA-based mechanisms of regulation. Here we report that the transcription factor RivR (RofA-like protein IV) negatively regulates the abundance of mRNAs encoding the hyaluronic acid capsule biosynthesis proteins ( hasABC ; ∼7-fold) and the protein G-related α 2 -macroglobulin-binding protein ( grab ; ∼29-fold). Our data differ significantly from those of a previous study of the RivR regulon. Given that grab and hasABC are also negatively regulated by the two-component system CovR/S (control of virulence), we tested whether RivR functions through CovR/S. A comparison of riv and cov single and double mutant strains showed that RivR requires CovR activity for grab and hasABC regulation. Analysis of the upstream region of rivR identified a novel promoter the deletion of which reduced rivR mRNA abundance by 70%. A rivR mutant strain had a reduced ability to adhere to human keratinocytes relative to that of the parental and complemented strains, a phenotype that was abolished upon GAS pretreatment with hyaluronidase, highlighting the importance of capsule regulation by RivR during colonization. The rivR mutant strain was also attenuated for virulence in a murine model of bacteremia infection. Thus, we identify RivR as an important regulator of GAS virulence and provide new insight into the regulatory networks controlling virulence factor production in this pathogen.
Role of Amino Acids in Germination of Bacillus Licheniformis Spores. I. Uptake of Radioactive Amino Acids by Germinating and Dormant Spores

Abstract The uptake of amino acids by Bacillus licheniformis spores was investigated using radioactive l-alanine, l-valine, dl-glutamic acid, and glycine. The uptake of l-alanine and l-valine was rapid in germinating spores, with the major portion of the radioactivity being incorporated into the cytoplasm during and following germination, rather than in the spore coat. Approximately 80% of the radioactivity in the cytoplasm of spores germinated with radioactive l-alanine was soluble in cold trichloroacetic acid, and was not associated with the ribosomal fraction of the spore cytoplasm. Radioactive glycine and dl-glutamic acid entered the dormant spore readily, even though germination did not occur, and became almost entirely associated with the cytoplasm portion. The uptake of glycine in the dormant spore increased continuously during 2 hr of incubation; whereas, the uptake of dl-glutamic acid was independent of incubation time. When l-alanine was added as a spore germinant, along with radioactive glycine, the incorporation of radioactive glycine occurred immediately, with essentially no increase during germination and post-germinative development. When radioactive dl-glutamic acid was present with l-alanine, the uptake of dl-glutamic acid increased dramatically following germination.
Occurrence of Unusual Bodies in a Marine Pennate Diatom

DURING an investigation of the marine phytoplankton in a shallow Rhode Island coastal salt pond1, an abundant benthic diatom flora occurred throughout the water column on May 3, 1961. This community was probably roiled up from the bottom during the vertical mixing characteristic of the water-mass at that time (Table 1) ; a distinct halocline persisted prior to this date. The water-mass was 1.5–2.0° C warmer than in mid-April and while the bottom (6 ft.) salinity decreased by 2.5 parts per thousand, the mean water-column salinity decreased by only 1 part per thousand. Similarly, gross changes were not observed in other environmental factors studied : dissolved oxygen, nitrate, nitrite, silicate and phosphate.
Obstructive uropathy secondary to sigmoid diverticulitis

From a review of the literature and detailed study of 16 cases, the authors believe that ureteral obstruction in diverticulitis is more common than is apparent from the literature. They suggest that urograms be performed preoperatively in patients destined to undergo intestinal surgery. Management of the intestinal disease need not be altered from that initially planned for treatment of diverticulitis except with the proviso that the retroperitoneum be examined for the presence of a fibrotic inflammatory reaction. If this is found, they suggest that ureterolysis of the involved ureter be performed to allow relief of this obstruction.
Central bank reserve management: Aggregate targets and interest payments on reserves

Tindall and Spencer [1997] presented a dynamic stochastic theory of borrowed reserves that explained the observed nonlinear relationship between borrowing and the spread between the federal funds rate and the discount rate. It showed that borrowed reserves are a function of deposit variation. This paper extends that research, providing a general dynamic model of all key bank reserve aggregates. Nearly all reserve aggregates, which can be used as operating targets by the Federal Reserve, are subject to the influence of deposit variation and are nonlinearly related to the spread between the federal funds rate and the discount rate, complicating their use as targets. Additionally, it is found that the Federal Reserve's proposal to pay interest on bank reserves could generate substantial distortions in reserve aggregate behavior where interest is paid on excess reserves as well as required reserves, effectively resulting in potentially large discount-window policing problems.
Rapid point-of-care multiplex immunodetection using two-dimensional microarray technology

In response to a broad-based need for point-of-care multiplex diagnostic capability, we have developed a novel hybrid platform to analyze optically encoded microspheres arranged on a 2-dimensional planar array. The microspheres which we have initially selected are developed by Luminex Inc. as substrates for sandwich-type fluorescent immunoassays and are typically used in conjunction with a customized flow analyzer. CCD-based optics are the essential feature which enables the development of a rugged diagnostic instrument which can be scaled for point-of-care applications. We have characterized the Multiplex Immunoassay Diagnostic System (MIDS) using a benchtop prototype built around a conventional 12-bit CCD. This system is capable of resolving up to 6 discrete classes of fluorescent microbeads, and measuring their corresponding reporter signal. The MIDS sensitivity to the phycoerythrin (PE) reporter compared favorably to that of the reference Luminex flow system, and is capable of identifying viral, bacterial, and protein simulants in laboratory samples, at concentrations less than 1μg/ml. The ability to resolve small differences in the average PE fluorescence is a direct function of CCD performance, and may be a necessary trade-off for developing a portable and economical detection system. However, we are confident that the MIDS platform can easily be scaled to meet the nominal requirements of any given point-of-care or screening application, and furthermore provide much-needed diagnostic functionality in this particular environment.
A modification of the Schmidt-Phillips unit root test

Abstract A unit root test proposed recently by Schmidt and Phillips is based on a regression that can be rewritten in such a way that the intercept equals zero in the population. Here we consider the test that results from setting the intercept to zero. The comparison of its power to that of the Schmidt-Phillips and Dickey-Fuller tests depends on the value of an initial condition. Monte Carlo results indicate that. the new test is not generally more powerful than the Schmidt-Phillips test.
Impact of the host cadaver on survival and infectivity of entomopathogenic nematodes (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae) under desiccating conditions.

Entomopathogenic nematode species of Steinernema carpocapsae, Steinernema riobrave, or Heterorhabditis bacteriophora were used to compare survival and infectivity among infective juveniles (IJs) emerging in water from hosts in White traps (treatment a), emerging in sand from hosts placed in sand (treatment c), and emerging from hosts placed on a mesh suspended over sand (treatment m). Nematode survival and infectivity was recorded in sand at three-day intervals during 21 days of storage in desiccators at 75% relative humidity and 25 °C. Infectivity was measured by exposing 5 Galleria mellonella for 16 h to IJs. Treatment did not affect percent survival of H. bacteriophora IJs. Percent survival of S. riobrave and S. carpocapsae IJs was lowest in treatment a. Across all treatments, by 10 days after the beginning of the experiments, IJ survival declined to 93, 43, and 28% of levels on day 1 for H. bacteriophora, S. riobrave, and S. carpocapsae, respectively. For the three treatments, infection rate over time was described by a negative exponential function for S. riobrave and S. carpocapsae and by a sigmoid function for H. bacteriophora.
Chronotropic effect of tyramine on rat heart cells cultured with sympathetic neurons.

Abstract Dissociated newborn rat superior cervical ganglion neurons in culture without exogenous nerve growth factor survive and extend processes on a monolayer of rat heart ventricular cells. An increase in the contraction rate of the heart cells was observed in 83% of the co-cultures treated with 5 × 10−6 M. tyramine. No increase was seen in heart cell cultures without neurons. These results are consisted with the assumed mode of action of tyramin— the release of catecholamines from nerve terminals - and suggest that functional interaction can occur in culture between sympathetic neurons and heart vettricular cells
Gynecologic malignancy metastatic to upper gastrointestinal tract mucosa.

Abstract Two patients with metastatic gynecologic malignancy to the mucosa of the upper gastrointestinal tract are presented. The diagnostic steps are outlined and the implications of this unusual presentation are discussed.
Activation of 5-HT2 receptors facilitates depolarization of neocortical neurons by N-methyl-D-aspartate

The interaction between serotonin and excitatory amino acid agonists at rat neocortical neurons was investigated using the grease-gap recording method. Depolarization evoked by 50 microM N-methyl-D-aspartate was dose dependently facilitated by serotonin (5-HT) (1 to 100 microM) giving a bell-shaped dose-response curve with maximum enhancement at 30 microM. In contrast, quisqualate and kainate depolarizations were not enhanced. Subnanomolar concentrations of methysergide, ritanserin and spiperone, but not ICS 205-930, attenuated the 5-HT enhancement, compatible with 5-HT2, but not 5-HT1 or 5-HT3 receptor subtype involvement. Enhancement was observed with 5-HT2 receptor agonists, whereas 5-HT1 receptor subtype agonists had either no effect (1B and 1C) or reduced (1A) the N-methyl-D-aspartate depolarization. Scopolamine and prazosin reduced the N-methyl-D-aspartate depolarization and blocked facilitation induced by carbachol and phenylephrine, but not that due to 5-HT. Tetrodotoxin reduced the N-methyl-D-aspartate depolarization, but the facilitation by 5-HT persisted. Activators of protein kinase C (phorbol diacetate and 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol) did not mimic the serotonin facilitation. We conclude that serotonin enhances N-methyl-D-aspartate depolarization of rat cortical neurons through activation of 5-HT2 receptors, however the cellular mechanism underlying the facilitation remains to be established.
Effects of Ca++ and Mg++ on Secretion and Synthesis of Growth Hormone and Prolactin by Clonal Strains of Pituitary Cells in Culture

Clonal strains of rat pituitary cells synthesize and secrete both growth hormone and prolactin in monolayer and suspension culture. Effects of alterations of [Ca++] and [Mg++] in medium and of the addition of Mn++ were examined using immunological methods to measure both intracellular and extracellular hormone levels. Reduction of medium [Ca++] of 20 and 90% by the addition of NaEGTA lowered the extracellular levels of both hormones by 60 and 90%, respectively, after 24 hr of incubation, and still further after 96 hr. Reductions in extracellular hormone levels were seen after 4 hr, but not earlier. Functional changes induced by low [Ca++] were reversible. Medium [Ca++] of 6 KM caused an increase in the production of growth hormone and prolactin, and this effect was blocked by an equimolar increase in [Mg++]. Increased [Mg++] in medium caused a decrease in the extracellular levels of both hormones. In all experiments the intracellular concentrations of growth hormone and prolactin always paralleled the hor...
Deoxyribonucleic acid in amphibian eggs.

DNA was isolated from the ovulated, unfertilized eggs of two amphibian species, Rana pipiens and Xenopus laevis . Control experiments showed that the eggs were free of bacterial contamination. The DNA content of eggs is 300 to 500 times the diploid complement present in somatic cells. This material was characterized as double-stranded DNA of high molecular weight by tests for deoxyribose, ultraviolet spectrum, melting curve, buoyant density in CsCl, sedimentation in sucrose gradients, chromatography on methylated albumin columns and template activity in the RNA polymerase reaction. Egg and liver DNA of R. pipiens have the same density in CsCl, but egg DNA of X. laevis is slightly more dense than the somatic DNA of that species. In hybridization experiments with the agar method, it was shown in competition experiments and by using enzymically synthesized RNA that egg DNA is complementary to a small fraction of liver DNA of the same species. The complementary sequences were not found in DNA from erythrocytes, which is otherwise indistinguishable from the DNA of other somatic tissues. Egg DNA is therefore a highly specialized DNA with an as yet undetermined function.lt is tentatively suggested that the bulk of egg DNA is of mitochondrial origin. Somatic DNA of R. pipiens contains 47% guanine plus cytosine, including 2% 5-methyl-cytosine; X. laevis DNA contains 42% guanine plus cytosine, including 1·4% 5-methyl-cytosine. The DNA content of X. laevis embryos from fertilization to stage 45 is reported. Experiments on the incorporation of 32 P into DNA during early cleavage show de novo synthesis of DNA, between fertilization and the 32-cell stage in R. pipiens .
Performance results for scintillation detectors for high temperature environments including MWD

Sheet reflectors and elastomeric potting materials have become available for packaging NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors. The problem of compatibility of these materials with NaI(Tl) in the high-temperature encountered in oil well applications is discussed. Specially treated systems that are compatible with NaI(Tl) to at least 200 degrees C are described. Their performance is as good as that of traditional packed-powder systems, with only a 5 to 10% pulse height drop during initial exposure to 180 degrees C. Additional data to 200 degrees C show similar stable results, indicating potential application in the harsh MWD (measurement-while-drilling) environment. >
Capital Vice in the Midwest: The Spatial Distribution of the Seven Deadly Sins

Abstract Please click here to download the map associated with this article. Capital vices, or cardinal sins, have been discussed and debated since at least the 4th century, when Evagrius Ponticus, a Roman born monk who relished praise from his peers and married women, first wrote of the eight evil thoughts from which all sinful behavior was based. These evil thoughts—gluttony, fornication, avarice, sorry, anger, discouragement, vainglory, and pride—were later revised in the 6th Century by Pope Gregory I to constitute the seven deadly sins: Luxuria (Lust), Gula (Gluttony), Avaritia (Greed), Acedia (Sloth), Ira (Wrath), Invidia (Envy), and Superbia (Pride). From the 14th century onwards, the deadly sins have been popularized by texts, including Dante Alaghieri's 14th century masterpiece The Divine Comedy(Alagherii, 2010), and they have continued to be a prominent focus in contemporary art, music, television, film, comic books and, most recently, video games. The authors undertook the task of statistically ...
‘Christian Nations’,‘Polygamic Races’ and Women’s Rights: Toward a Genealogy of Non/Monogamy and Whiteness:

This article offers a reading of historical discourses around non/monogamy with attention to their ‘racial resonances’. These 19th-century discourses helped to naturalize monogamy and to establish ...
Production Inefficiency in Fed Cattle Marketing and the Value of Sorting Pens into Alternative Marketing Groups Using Ultrasound Technology

The cattle industry batch markets animals in pens. Because of this, animals within any one pen can be both underfed and overfed. Thus, there is a production inefficiency associated with batch marketing. We simulate the value of sorting animals through weight and ultrasound measurements from original pens into smaller alternative marketing groups. Sorting exploits the production inefficiency and enables cattle feeding enterprises to avoid meat quality discounts, capture premiums, more efficiently use feed resources, and increase returns. The value of sorting is between $15 and $25 per head, with declining marginal returns as the number of sort groups increases.
Crystal Structure of Calmodulin Binding Domain of Orai1 in Complex with Ca2+•Calmodulin Displays a Unique Binding Mode

Orai1 is a plasma membrane protein that in its tetrameric form is responsible for calcium influx from the extracellular environment into the cytosol in response to interaction with the Ca2+-depletion sensor STIM1. This is followed by a fast Ca2+·calmodulin (CaM)-dependent inhibition, resulting from CaM binding to an Orai1 region called the calmodulin binding domain (CMBD). The interaction between Orai1 and CaM at the atomic level remains unknown. Here, we report the crystal structure of a CaM·Orai1-CMBD complex showing one CMBD bound to the C-terminal lobe of CaM, differing from other CaM-target protein complexes, in which both N- and C-terminal lobes of CaM (CaM-N and CaM-C) are involved in target binding. Orai1-CMBD binds CaM-C mainly through hydrophobic interactions, primarily involving residue Trp76 of Orai1-CMBD, which interacts with the hydrophobic pocket of CaM-C. However, NMR data, isothermal titration calorimetry data, and pulldown assays indicated that CaM-N and CaM-C both can bind Orai1-CMBD, with CaM-N having ∼4 times weaker affinity than CaM-C. Pulldown assays of a Orai1-CMBD(W76E) mutant, gel filtration chromatography data, and NOE signals indicated that CaM-N and CaM-C can each bind one Orai1-CMBD. Thus our studies support an unusual, extended 1:2 binding mode of CaM to Orai1-CMBDs, and quantify the affinity of Orai1 for CaM. We propose a two-step mechanism for CaM-dependent Orai1 inactivation initiated by binding of the C-lobe of CaM to the CMBD of one Orai1 followed by the binding of the N-lobe of CaM to the CMBD of a neighboring Orai1.
ASCORBIC ACID MEDIATED ALTERATION OF ALPHA -CRYSTALLIN SECONDARY STRUCTURE

Glycation, the non-enzymatic addition of sugar or other carbonyl compounds to the amino groups of a protein, has been shown to occur with a variety of sugars and a diverse group of proteins. This type of alteration is believed to be an important component of aging for lens proteins and perhaps in cataractogenesis. Glycation has been shown to alter function and spectroscopic techniques have shown that in many cases conformational changes have occurred. Circular dichroism spectroscopy has documented modifications to α-crystallin tertiary structure induced by glucose and glucose 6-phosphate but generally no change to secondary structure. Ascorbate and its oxidized derivative dehydroascorbate have been shown to be powerful glycating agents as well as forming cross-links between peptide chains. In this study, α-crystallin incubated with ascorbic acid for one or two wk shows significant incorporation of ascorbate, non-reducible cross-links between the protein chains and altered CD spectra in the far UV region i...
Micropuncture Analysis of Tubuloglomerular Feedback Regulation in Transgenic Mice

Abstract . Micropuncture methods have been used widely as a means to define the function of single tubules and study the functional connection between tubules and afferent arterioles (so-called tubuloglomerular feedback [TGF]). Transgenic mouse strains have become a new research tool with the potential of shedding new light on the role of specific gene products in renal tubular and vascular function. The micropuncture approach has therefore been adapted to studies in the mouse kidney. Although the data presented here support the feasibility of using this technique in the mouse, technical improvements are desirable in the areas of anesthesia, ureteral urine collections, blood collections, volume replacement, and functional stability for extended time periods. During ketamine/inactin anesthesia, TGF responses could regularly be elicited in wild-type mice. In contrast, changes in loop flow did not alter stop-flow pressure in angiotensin II type 1A receptor and angiotensin-converting enzyme knockout mice. Infusion of angiotensin II in subpressor doses partially restored TGF responsiveness in angiotensin-converting enzyme knockout animals. Normal TGF responses compared to wild type were found in nitric oxide synthase I and thromboxane receptor knockout mice. Using free-flow micropuncture techniques, the proximal-distal single-nephron GFR difference was found to be augmented in aquaporin-1 and Na/H exchanger-3 knockout mice, suggesting TGF activation in these strains of mice. These results support an essential role of angiotensin II in TGF regulation mediated through the angiotensin II type 1A receptor. Chronic nitric oxide synthase I and thromboxane receptor deficiency did not change TGF responsiveness. Aquaporin-1 and Na/H exchanger-3 deficiency enhances TGF suppression of TGF probably by volume depletion-mediated TGF sensitization. The use of micropuncture methodology in transgenic mice combines old and new research tools in a way that promises to yield important new insights into single-nephron function in physiologic and pathophysiologic conditions.
Explorable Structures in Old Bahama Channel, North of Cuba: ABSTRACT

Approximately 3,500 km of reflection seismic profile, augmented by some gravity and magnetic data, revealed five domal structures beneath water depths of 500 m in the western reaches of Old Bahama Channel. Closure crossings span as much as 10 km. Cores of these structures are overlain by up to 400 m of semiconsolidated sediment. Cores may be salt diapirs or subducted shallow-water carbonate blocks or both. The size of these structures and their occurrence in relatively shallow water make them attractive exploration targets at the present time. Additional seismic characteristics of the semiconsolidated sediments comprising the basin fill are (1) extensive continuity of reflections probably resulting from interbedding of shallow-water carbonate turbidites with pelagic oozes, and (2) crinkling of reflections at depths of several hundred meters which may be a compaction phenomenon. Normal faults are common in the sediments. In some places, related faulting and apparent flowage in the sediments may result from compaction and attendant water loss or from flowage of evaporites deeper in the section. End_of_Article - Last_Page 674------------
Literary Masks and Metaphysical Truths: Intimations from Timor

By eliciting the ways in which five motifs combine and recombine in the oral narratives of the Tetum, a population residing on the island of Timor in Indonesia, this article presents the argument that oral literature in a nonliterate society may provide a mode for transmitting ideas of a metaphysical nature. The principal metaphysical idea defined by the interplay of these motifs in Tetum literature is that spirit and matter are transformations of each other, and a comparative survey suggests the likelihood that these motifs may be used in similar fashion in the literatures of people elsewhere in Indonesia as well as in mainland Southeast Asia and New Guinea. One of these motifs identifies the female sex as the transformer bringing about metaphysical and social transformations, confirming a previous finding that in Tetum gender symbolism this sex is associated with the conjunctive aspects of the cosmos.
Random talk: Random walk and synchronizability in a moving neighborhood network☆

Abstract We examine the synchronization problem for a group of dynamic agents that communicate via a moving neighborhood network. Each agent is modeled as a random walker in a finite lattice and is equipped with an oscillator. The communication network topology changes randomly and is dictated by the agents’ locations in the lattice. Information sharing (talking) is possible only for geographically neighboring agents. This complex system is a time-varying jump nonlinear system. We introduce the concept of ’long-time expected communication network’, defined as the ergodic limit of a stochastic time-varying network. We show that if the long-time expected network supports synchronization, then so does the stochastic network when the agents diffuse sufficiently quickly in the lattice.
Route of administration for illicit prescription opioids: a comparison of rural and urban drug users

Background Nonmedical prescription opioid use has emerged as a major public health concern in recent years, particularly in rural Appalachia. Little is known about the routes of administration (ROA) involved in nonmedical prescription opioid use among rural and urban drug users. The purpose of this study was to describe rural-urban differences in ROA for nonmedical prescription opioid use.
A stress-sensing ceramic device based on PTCR barium titanate

Positive temperature coefficient of resistance (PTCR) barium titanate is used as the base material for a ceramic sensor which employs piezoresistivity to detect changes in applied stress. Tape-cast sheets of undoped (insulating) and PTCR (semiconducting) BaTiO/sub 3/ are laminated to produce a three-layer "trilaminate"-a sintered structure which has two PTCR layers separated by an insulating layer. The trilaminate is exposed to mechanical stress in a four-point bend configuration (placing one semiconducting layer completely in tension, the other in compression), and the resistivities for both stress states are measured concurrently as functions of the applied stress magnitude. The piezoresistivity coefficient (/spl pi/) is calculated from the slope of the linear resistivity-stress response. Piezoresistivity results are presented versus PTCR layer composition (counterdopant species) and furnace cooling conditions (grain boundary oxidation level). These results are interpreted with respect to Heywang's model of the gain boundary potential barrier.
The toucan beak: Structure and mechanical response

The structure and mechanical response of a Toco toucan (Ramphastos toco) beak were established. The beak was found to be a sandwich composite with an exterior of keratin scales (50 Am diameter and 1 Am thickness) and a core composed of fibrous network of closed-cells made of collagen. The tensile strength of the external shell is about 50 MPa. Micro- and nanoindentation hardness measurements corroborate these values. The keratin shell exhibits a strain-rate sensitive response with a transition from slippage of the scales due to release of the organic glue, at a low strain rate (5 � 10 � 5 s � 1 ) to fracture of the scales at a higher strain rate (1.5 � 10 � 3 s � 1 ). The closed-cell foam consists of fibers having a Young’s modulus (measured by nanoindentation) of 12.7 GPa. This is twice as high as the keratin shells, which have E=6.7 GPa. This is attributed to their higher calcium content. The compressive collapse of the foam was modeled by the Gibson–Ashby constitutive equations. There is a synergistic effect between foam and shell evidenced by a finite-element analysis. The foam stabilizes the deformation of the keratin shell by providing an internal support which increases its buckling load under compressive loading. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Individual Differences and Fitting Methods for the Two-Choice Diffusion Model of Decision Making.

Methods of fitting the diffusion model were examined with a focus on what the model can tell us about individual differences. Diffusion model parameters were obtained from the fits to data from 2 experiments and consistency of parameter values, individual differences, and practice effects were examined using different numbers of observations from each subject. Two issues were examined—first, what sizes of differences between groups can be obtained to distinguish between groups, and second, what sizes of differences would be needed to find individual subjects that had a deficit relative to a control group. The parameter values from the experiments provided ranges that were used in a simulation study to examine recovery of individual differences. This study used several diffusion model fitting programs, fitting methods, and published packages. In a second simulation study, 64 sets of simulated data from each of 48 sets of parameter values (spanning the range of typical values obtained from fits to data) were fit with the different methods, and biases and standard deviations in recovered model parameters were compared across methods. Finally, in a third simulation study, a comparison between a standard chi-square method and a hierarchical Bayesian method was performed. The results from these studies can be used as a starting point for selecting fitting methods, and as a basis for understanding the strengths and weaknesses of using diffusion model analyses to examine individual differences in clinical, neuropsychological, and educational testing.
Lightweight extraction of syntactic specifications

A method for extracting syntactic specifications from heap-manipulating code is described. The state of the heap is represented as an environment mapping each variable or field to a relational expression. A procedure is executed symbolically, obtaining an environment for the post-state that gives the value of each variable and field in terms of the values of variables and fields of the pre-state. Approximation is introduced by forming relational unions at merge points in the control flow graph, and by widening union-of-join expressions to transitive closures. The resulting analysis is linear in the length of the code and the number of fields, but capable of producing non-trivial specifications of surprising accuracy.
The stem-cell market - patents and the pursuit of scientific progress.

Patient rights governing research on almost all available human embryonic stem-cell lines have now been reexamined by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Fiona Murray discusses the important lessons that this case provides about universities' use of material and intellectual property rights.
Central photopenic lesions on FDG-PET scan in a patient with peripheral T cell lymphoma

Central necrosis in lymphoma lesions as demonstrated in [(18)F] fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) studies is a rare phenomenon, and the clinical significance of this observation has not been described in the literature. The role of FDG-PET in the management of peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) is also still unclear at this time. We present a case of a patient newly diagnosed with PTCL who underwent both computed tomography (CT) and FDG-PET examinations prior to and following therapy. CT showed pulmonary cavitary lesions in both lungs, and PET demonstrated multiple large confluent masses with intense FDG uptake in the corresponding lung fields with central photopenia suggestive of necrosis. Post-treatment FDG-PET images showed a significant improvement in the previously described lesions with some residual, recurrent, and new lesions. Central necrosis shown by PET may be associated with the advanced stage of the disease and may have prognostic implications because of central necrosis caused by hypoxia.
Fuzzy SVM ensembles for relevance feedback in image retrieval

Relevance feedback has been integrated into content-based retrieval systems to overcome the semantic gap problem. Recently, Support Vector Machines (SVMs) have been widely used to learn the users' semantic query concept from users' feedback. The feedback is either ‘relevant' or ‘irrelevant' which forces the users to make a binary decision during each retrieval iteration. However, human's perception of visual content is quite subjective and therefore, the notion of whether or not an image is relevant is rather vague and hard to define. Part of the small training samples problem faced by traditional SVMs can be thought of as the result of strict binary decision-making. In this paper, we propose a Fuzzy SVM technique to overcome the small sample problem. Using Fuzzy SVM, each sample can be assigned a fuzzy membership to model users' feedback gradually from ‘irrelevant' to ‘relevant' instead of strict binary labeling. We also propose to use Fuzzy SVM ensembles to further improve the classification results. We conduct extensive experiments to evaluate the performance of our proposed algorithm. Compared to the experimental results using traditional SVMs, we demonstrate that our proposed approach can significantly improve the retrieval performance of semantic image retrieval.
Relative and contextual contribution of different sources to the composition and abundance of indoor air bacteria in residences

The study of the microbial communities in the built environment is of critical importance as humans spend the majority of their time indoors. While the microorganisms in living spaces, especially those in the air, can impact health and well-being, little is known of their identity and the processes that determine their assembly. We investigated the source-sink relationships of airborne bacteria in 29 homes in the San Francisco Bay Area. Samples taken in the sites expected to be source habitats for indoor air microbes were analyzed by 16S rRNA-based pyrosequencing and quantitative PCR. The community composition was related to the characteristics of the household collected at the time of sampling, including the number of residents and pets, activity levels, frequency of cooking and vacuum cleaning, extent of natural ventilation, and abundance and type of vegetation surrounding the building. Indoor air harbored a diverse bacterial community dominated by Diaphorobacter sp., Propionibacterium sp., Sphingomonas sp., and Alicyclobacillus sp. Source-sink analysis suggested that outdoor air was the primary source of indoor air microbes in most homes. Bacterial phylogenetic diversity and relative abundance in indoor air did not differ statistically from that in outdoor air. Moreover, the abundance of bacteria in outdoor air was positively correlated with that in indoor air, as would be expected if outdoor air was the main contributor to the bacterial community in indoor bioaerosols. The number of residents, presence of pets, and local tap water also influenced the diversity and size of indoor air microbes. The bacterial load in air increased with the number of residents, activity, and frequency of natural ventilation, and the proportion of bacteria putatively derived from skin increased with the number of residents. Vacuum cleaning increased the signature of pet- and floor-derived bacteria in indoor air, while the frequency of natural ventilation decreased the relative abundance of tap water-derived microorganisms in air. Indoor air in residences harbors a diverse bacterial community originating from both outdoor and indoor sources and is strongly influenced by household characteristics.
Community Programming and Faith Communities: The Challenges and Impacts of Civil Rights Education Programming Through the National Endowment for the Humanities Created Equal Grant

In this article, we reflect on our experience utilizing a faith community to host a civil rights film screening and community discussion series sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Most institutions that received this grant were secular in nature, however research shows that churches are a good place to start conversations about race in America. The short-term impacts on the congregation have already made participation in the grant worthwhile.
Argumentative Norms: How Contextual Can They Be? A Cautionary Tale

It is true, as van Eemeren and Garssen say, that argumentation always occurs in context: to engage in argumentation, an arguer must be in some context or other. But are argument norms similarly contextual? That is, are the norms governing argument quality relative to or dependent upon the context in which the argument is either asserted or evaluated? Let contextualism be the view that criteria of argument quality vary by context: According to contextualists, whether an argument is good or not, and how good it is, depends upon the context in which it is either uttered or evaluated. In this paper I defend contextualism, but only within limits.
The Evans Function for Sturm–Liouville Operators on the Real Line

In this chapter we construct the Evans function for exponentially asymptotic differential operators on unbounded domains. While several key elements of the construction naturally carry over from the bounded domain construction, important new subtleties arise. To focus on these key issues, we restrict our attention to second-order Sturm–Liouville operators. The extension to higher-order linear operators in addressed in Chapter 10.
Evolution of fracture permeability of ultramafic rocks undergoing serpentinization at hydrothermal conditions: An experimental study

We performed flow-through laboratory experiments on five cylindrically cored samples of ultramafic rocks, in which we generated a well-mated through-going tensile fracture, to investigate evolution of fracture permeability during serpentinization. The samples were tested in a triaxial loading machine at a confining pressure of 50 MPa, pore pressure of 20 MPa, and temperature of 260°C, simulating a depth of 2 km under hydrostatic conditions. A pore pressure difference of up to 2 MPa was imposed across the ends of the sample. Fracture permeability decreased by 1–2 orders of magnitude during the 200–330 h experiments. Electron microprobe and SEM data indicated the formation of needle-shaped crystals of serpentine composition along the walls of the fracture, and chemical analyses of sampled pore fluids were consistent with dissolution of ferro-magnesian minerals. By comparing the difference between fracture permeability and matrix permeability measured on intact samples of the same rock types, we concluded that the contribution of the low matrix permeability to flow is negligible and essentially all of the flow is focused in the tensile fracture. The experimental results suggest that the fracture network in long-lived hydrothermal circulation systems can be sealed rapidly as a result of mineral precipitation, and generation of new permeability resulting from a combination of tectonic and crystallization-induced stresses is required to maintain fluid circulation.
Novel AlInN/GaN integrated circuits operating up to 500 °C

Abstract High electron concentration in 2DEG channel of AlInN/GaN devices is remarkably stable over a broad temperature range, enabling device operation above 500 °C. The developed IC technology is based on three key elements: (1) exceptional quality AlInN/GaN heterostructure with very high carrier concentration and mobility enables IC fast operation in a broad temperature range; (2) heterostructure field effect transistor approach t provides fully planar IC structure which is easy to scale and to combine with the other high temperature electronic components; (3) fabrication advancements including novel metallization scheme and high-K passivation/gate dielectrics enable high temperature operation. The feasibility of the developed technology was confirmed by fabrication and testing of the high temperature inverter and differential amplifier ICs using AlInN/GaN heterostructures. The developed ICs showed stable performance with unit-gain bandwidth above 1 MHz and internal response time 45 ns at temperatures as high as 500 °C.
Complexation-induced control of electron propagation based on bounded diffusion through nanopore-tethered ferrocenes.

This paper reports complexation-induced control of electron propagation based on bounded diffusion through ferrocene moieties that are covalently tethered onto nanopores (19 or 24 nm in diameter) derived from cylinder-forming polystyrene–poly(methylmethacrylate) diblock copolymers. The nanopores are oriented vertically and attach to a gold surface, and thus allow a faradaic current originating from the bounded diffusion to be measured using cyclic voltammetry. Such faradaic current decreases with increasing concentration of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) in an aqueous solution, and recovers upon addition of excess 1-adamantanol as a competitive guest to the solution. These observations indicate that electron propagation can be reversibly inhibited by the formation of an inclusion complex with the surface-tethered redox moieties. Interestingly, the decrease in faradaic current is observed at an unexpectedly low β-CD concentration (ca. 1 × 10–7 M) due to the enhanced partition of β-CD into the nanopores. These resul...
Prothrombin deficiency of the newborn.

Summary1. Evidence is presented indicating that the prolonged prothrombin times observed in the plasmas of newborn infants, studied by the one stage technic, cannot be adequately explained as a simple deficiency of pro thromlbin.2. Although there may be some diminution of prothrombin, it appears that the plasma of the newborn is deficient in a factor accelerating conversion of prothrombin to thrombin. The deficiency of this factor is remedied by the addition of small amounts of normal plasma, stored plasma or serum.
Clinical Factors Influencing the Performance of Gene Expression Classifier Testing in Indeterminate Thyroid Nodules

Background: Molecular diagnostic testing is increasingly used in the management of indeterminate thyroid nodules. Limited data exist regarding the influence of clinical factors on gene expression classifier (GEC) test performance. This study examined the positive and negative predictive value of GEC as stratified by nodule size. Methods: A prospectively maintained pathology database from a single tertiary referral center was queried from 2012 to 2015 for indeterminate thyroid nodules that underwent GEC testing. Nodule size, patient demographics, Bethesda classification, and Hurthle cell–predominant nodules (HCNs) were evaluated as predictors of GEC performance. Results: Two hundred and thirty-one patients with 245 indeterminate nodules were examined. Assuming all nodules to be benign unless proven malignant on histopathology, the sensitivity and specificity of GEC testing were 95.2% and 60.1%, respectively. The malignancy rate among resected nodules was 25.3%. The positive predictive value was consistent ...
Effects of thiopental anesthesia on local rates of cerebral protein synthesis in rats

We have examined the effects of a surgical level of thiopental anesthesia in adult male rats on local rates of cerebral protein synthesis with the quantitative autoradiographicl-[1-14C]leucine meth...