cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maya Coffee Farmers and Fair Trade: Assessing the Benefits and Limitations of Alternative Markets

Fair trade is a form of alternative trade that seeks to improve the position of disempowered producers through trade as a means of development. It has also been celebrated as a contemporary social movement that contests the conventional agrofood system and its exploitative social and environmental relations of production. In this article, I employ the results of 20 months of ethnographic research in Guatemala and the United States to evaluate fair trade's potential as a form of alternative development. The research demonstrates that fair-trade market participation can offer a variety of potential benefits to producers, including higher prices, stable market access, organizational capacity building, market information, and access to credit. However, I also identify several key limitations of fair-trade markets, such as increasing debt burdens, insufficient compensation, the potential for growing inequality, and a lack of cooperative member participation in the fair-trade movement's international decision making and agenda setting.
Urinary oxalate excretion increases with body size and decreases with increasing dietary calcium intake among healthy adults

Increasing dietary calcium intake decreases urinary oxalate excretion by increasing intestinal precipitation of dietary oxalate as calcium oxalate. This mechanism was speculated to account for the decreased prospective incidence of kidney stones as estimated dietary calcium intake, adjusted for caloric intake, increased among men in a recent large epidemiological study. To further assess the relationship between estimated diet calcium and urinary oxalate, we studied 94 health adults, 50 women and 44 men, ages 20 to 70 years with weights ranging form 47 to 104 kg while they ate their customary diets. Each subject completed a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire and collected three 24-hour urines preserved with HCl. The urines were collected accurately as judged by a mean intrasubject CV for creatinine excretion of 9.8% and direct relations between urinary creatinine excretion and body wt (r = 0.62; P < 0.0001), or predicted urine creatinine content for sex, age and weight using the Cockcroft and Gault formulas (r = 0.76; P < 0.0001). Estimated diet calcium intake ranged from 6.8 to 68 mmol/day (272 to 2720 mg/day) and averaged 29.5 mmol/day (1180 mg/day). Individual mean urinary oxalate excretion ranged from 0.079 go 0.332 mmol/day (7 to 29 mg/day) and averaged 0.198 mmol/day (17 mg/day). Among all subjects, daily oxalate excretion was directly related to creatinine excretion as an estimate of lean body mass (r = 0.61; P < 0.0001). Thus, oxalate excretion among men averaged 0.228 +/- 0.051 SD mmol/day, a value significantly higher than the average among women of 0.173 +/- 0.045 mmol/day (P < 0.001). Daily urine oxalate excretion/creatinine decreased curvilinearly as estimated dietary Ca intake increased (r = -0.30; P = 0.0035) and as the ratio of estimated dietary calcium to dietary oxalate increased (r = -0.39; P = 0.0001). We conclude that body size is the major determinant of urinary oxalate excretion among healthy adults, presumably reflecting variations in endogenous oxalate synthesis with lean body mass. Increasing estimated diet calcium intake, especially up to the range of 15 to 20 mmol/day (600 to 800 mg/day) has an additional effect to decrease during oxalate excretion, presumably by limiting intestinal absorption of dietary oxalate.
A sensitive and convenient micromethod for estimation of urea, citrulline, and carbamyl derivatives

Abstract A simple, rapid, reproducible method for the millimicromolar to micromolar estimation of urea, citrulline, carbamyl aspartate, and related compounds is presented. The method obeys Beer's law.
Effect of tablet integrity on the dissolution rate of sustained-release preparations

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of tablet integrity on the dissolution rate. The model drug used for this study was aspirin. A dissolution study was performed with three commercially-available aspirin tablets (ZORprin, Bayer 8-h aspirin and Bayer aspirin), two of which were sustained-release tablets. For ZORprin, the average dissolution data indicated that the in vitro release rate of aspirin was consistent with the intended design of the sustained-release wax matrix tablets only when the tablets were intact. The split tablets showed a consistently higher release profile over time, with a 50% higher release at 6 h. However, the Bayer 8-h aspirin and plain aspirin tablet data showed that tablet integrity had no significant impact on the dissolution rate, because the intact and split tablets showed similar drug release profiles over time. In conclusion, care should be taken to administer sustained-release tablets, avoiding any breaking or crushing of the tablets unless this is directed by the manufacturer.
Is long-acting repeatable octreotide an effective primary therapy for patients with acromegaly?

Is long-acting repeatable octreotide an effective primary therapy for patients with acromegaly?
SERVICE INTEGRATION IN THE RISK MANAGEMENT COURSE

: The purpose of this paper is to explain the concept and application of service learning in higher education and to outline a method for integrating a community service project into the risk management curriculum.
Radiotherapy in the management of malignant melanoma.

Abstract We performed a retrospective analysis of 45 patients with malignant melanoma who were treated with radiation therapy at the University of Illinois and Mercy Hospitals, Chicago, between 1%2 and 1978. Thirty-nine patients received 69 courses of radiation therapy for metastatic disease, six patients received radiotherapy with curative intent for localized lesions. We analyzed some of the factors governing the response to radiation therapy. Although most of the patients were treated with conventional daily fractions, their response seemed comparable to that reported by other investigators using large fractions. Until the issue of optimum fraction size is settled by a comparative trial, our experience indicates that conventional fractionation may be equally effective.
Increased lability of lung collagen crosslinks.

Abstract Lung parenchymal collagen is highly insoluble, contributing to the architecture and tensile strength of the lung. Insufficient quantities of collagen are extractable by conventional procedures to permit detailed analyses of collagen types and elucidation of injury to the lung. Sonic bursts at low power release monomer collagen chains from purified tropocollagen fibers. This communication describes sonication procedures at pH 5.2 and 3.0 which release approximately 4 and 15%, respectively, of soluble collagen from lung parenchymal tissue. These quantities are approximately 40 and 140 times greater than are obtained by conventional dilute acid solubilization. The soluble chains are apparently intact and suitable for sensitive determinations which will enable investigators to elucidate the composition of lung collagen fibers.
Social Factors in Iraqi Rural‐Urban Migration*

IRAQ, OR MESOPOTAMIA, as the Greeks named it, is one of the Arab countries of the Middle East with very acute land problems. Although this predominantly agricultural country contains the valley of the Tigris and the Euphrates which has fertile lands and has always been rich in resources, the land is unequally distributed. It is estimated that almost three-fourths of the population depend for their livelihood on the produce of the land.1 Accordingly land has great significance to a great number of people. The land problem, though grave, is only one of several causes of the migration from rural areas to the major cities of Iraq, which has occurred mostly during the last two decades. The purpose of this paper is to examine the causes of the continuous migration from rural areas to the large cities, especially to Baghdad, and to analyze and describe the conditions of the migrants.
Immunomodulation and AD--down but not out.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. Interventions that remove existing fibrillar and oligomeric amyloid-β (Aβ) are believed to be essential for the success of any attempt at stabilization of brain function and mitigation of cognitive decline. Many of these strategies have focused on Aβ vaccination and administration of anti-Aβ antibodies. Both active and passive immunotherapies have been successful in mouse models, but both have had limited effect in clinical trials. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has been proposed as a potential treatment for AD following evidence for behavioral benefit in AD models and cognitive benefit in early phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials. A phase 3 trial IVIG trial failed to meet its primary outcomes. While there was a statistically significant benefit in moderate stage AD patients who carried an APOE e4 allele, this stabilization of cognition was evident only on neuropsychological examination. No benefit on activities of daily living was evident, therefore failing to qualify AD as a new indication for IVIG. Identifying the biologically active component (s) responsible for the neuropsychological benefit in APOE e4-positive AD patients could enable the development of a compound with greater potency that would qualify for FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) registration.
An analytic solution for capillary thinning and breakup of FENE-P fluids

Abstract The FENE-P model of a fluid is particularly suitable for describing the rheology of dilute polymer solutions (Newtonian solvents containing small amounts of dissolved polymer) as a result of its ability to capture nonlinear effects arising from the finite extensibility of the polymer chains. In extensional flows, these polymer solutions exhibit dramatically different behavior from the corresponding Newtonian solvents alone, notably through the creation of persistent filaments when stretched. By using the technique of capillary thinning to study the dynamics of the thinning process of these filaments, the transient extensional rheology of the fluid can be characterized. We show that under conditions of uniaxial elongational flow, a composite analytic solution can be developed to predict the time evolution of the radius of the filament. Furthermore we derive an analytic expression for the finite time to breakup of the fluid filaments. This breakup time agrees very well with results obtained from full numerical simulations, and both numerics and theory predict an increase in the time to breakup as the finite extensibility parameter b, related to the molecular weight of the polymer, is increased. As b → ∞ , the results converge to an asymptotic result for the breakup time which shows that the breakup time grows as t break ∼ ln ( M W ) , where M W is the molecular weight of the dilute polymer solution.
Playing with Dolls: Effective Utilization of Simulation for Staff Training and Quality Improvement Outcomes

Implications for Nursing Practice This is a safer way for staff to practice their assessment and technical skills and teamwork behaviors. We hope that by practicing in this safe environment, our care will be safer for the patient, and the staff will feel more competent and confident in their skills. We also identified gaps in knowledge regarding some systems that the leadership team will address in the coming months (e.g., how to get certain infrequently used items from the main operating room).
Guaranteeing serializable results in synchronous parallel production systems

Abstract To speed up production systems, researchers have studied how to execute many rules simultaneously. Unfortunately, such systems can yield results that are impossible for a serial system to produce, leading to erroneous behaviors. We present a formal solution to the problem of guaranteeing serializable behavior in synchronous parallel production systems that execute many rules simultaneously. We also present a variety of algorithms that implement this solution. Our framework builds upon the work of Ishida and Stolfo [14] and improves upon their solution. The practical advantages of these strategies are demonstrated with measurements from an initial implementation.
Electrical behavior of substances subject to very high pressures and to low temperatures

Abstract The electrical behavior of solid substances under pressures up to over 500 kbar and to temperatures down to about 1 K will be reviewed and evaluated. Substances can be classified electrically as metals, semiconductors, or insulators. These respond differently to pressure and to temperature. In general any substance becomes electrically conducting at sufficiently high pressures (density), and may become superconducting at sufficiently low temperatures.
A graphical method for estimation of production response from cyclic steam stimulation using past performance data

A graphic solution method is presented whereby the production and injection data from a number of steam stimulation cycles for a given well are used to estimate recoveries from future cycles. The proposed method was established based on the experimentation with the analytical model originally proposed by Boberg and Lantz. It requires a log-log plot of cumulative oil production vs. cumulative steam injection. The technique allows the computation of a response factor for individual wells undergoing cyclic stimulation in a given reservoir. A log-log plot of cumulative oil production vs. cumulative steam injection results in a unit slope and an intercept defined as the performance factor. The unit slope aids in describing data points which lag behind the true capability of the well in the projection of future performance. The performance factor is a more reliable estimate of the overall steam/oil ratio than the other definitions.
Unique effects of glycopeptides on the circular dichroism of concanavalin A, peanut agglutinin and the pea lectin

The changes in the circular dichroism of concanavalin A, peanut agglutinin and the pea lectin produced by the binding of simple glycosides and complex glycopeptides from immunoglobulins, fetuin and ovalbumin are reported. Three oligosaccharides of mannose behaved identically with concanavalin A, and three galactosides behaved identically with peanut agglutinin. In contrast, the glycopeptides which have higher Ka values generally produced much smaller changes in circular dichroism than the simple glycosides, suggesting the binding sites on lectins are preformed to some extent for more complex saccharides.
A reinterpretation of extinction in appetitive conditioning

This study compared the effects of response-independent reinforcement and the withdrawal of response-contingent reinforcement on food rewarded barpressiong rates in rats. Neither the resultant decreases in response rate nor subsequent reacquisition performance were differentially affected. It was suggested that the traditional response-contingent reinforcement withdrawal was actually a mild form of punishment and that only the response-independent procedure validly represented extinction.
Can fMRI be used to predict the course of treatment for social anxiety disorder

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a highly prevalent psychiatric condition that is associated with a decreased quality of life and severe impairment. The most effective psychological treatment for i...
The mechanism of differential neutralization of dengue serotype 3 strains by monoclonal antibody 8A1

While previous studies have demonstrated that envelope (E) glycoprotein variation between dengue viruses (DENV) genotypes can influence antibody neutralization potency, the mechanisms of variable neutralization remain incompletely understood. Here we characterize epitope antibody interactions of a DENV-3 EDIII binding mouse mAb 8A1 which displays highly variable neutralizing activity against DENV-3 genotypes. Using a DENV-3 reverse genetics platform, we characterize ability of 8A1 to bind and neutralize naturally occurring DENV-3 E genotypic variant viruses. Introduction of single and multiple amino acid mutations into the parental clone background demonstrates that mutations at positions 301 and 383 on EDIII are responsible for 8A1 differential neutralization phenotypes. ELISA and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) studies indicate differences in binding are responsible for the variable neutralization. Variability at position 301 primarily determined binding difference through influencing antibody-EDIII dissociation rate. Our findings are relevant to many groups focusing on DENV EDIII as a vaccine target.
Tradeoff between loop update rate and loop bandwidth for low data rate communications in the presence of phase noise

Low data rate communication links require less power to close the link; however as the data rate becomes very low given a fixed E b /N 0 , phase cycle slips due to infrequent carrier loop updates in the presence of oscillator phase noise become problematic. Assuming coherent demodulation, a cycle slip will cause loss of sync which is unlikely to be recovered until a new frame header is received. This paper presents experimental results for the mean time to cycle slip (MTCS) given a data rate and phase noise combination. A decision directed carrier tracking loop is used for all experiments, while the loop bandwidth (BW) and E b /N 0 are varied. This paper also considers an alternative approach where the carrier loop BW is kept constant, but loop updates are made multiple times per symbol. The two methods, varying the carrier loop BW and sampling the carrier tracking loop more frequently are compared.
Neutrophil-derived glutamate regulates vascular endothelial barrier function.

Endothelial barrier function is altered by the release of soluble polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN)-derived mediators during inflammatory states. However, endogenous pathways to describe such changes are only recently appreciated. Using an in vitro endothelial paracellular permeability model, cell-free supernatants from formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine-stimulated PMNs were observed to significantly alter endothelial permeability. Biophysical and biochemical analysis of PMN supernatants identified PMN-derived glutamate in modulating endothelial permeability. Furthermore, novel expression of metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1), mGluR4, and mGluR5 by human brain and dermal microvascular endothelial cells was demonstrated by reverse transcription-PCR,in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence, and Western blot analysis. Treatment of human brain endothelia with glutamate or selective, mGluR group I or III agonists resulted in a time-dependent loss of phosphorylated vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) and significantly increased endothelial permeability. Glutamate-induced decreases in brain endothelial barrier function and phosphorylated VASP were significantly attenuated by pretreatment of human brain endothelia with selective mGluR antagonists. These observations were extended to anin vivo hypoxic mouse model in which pretreatment with mGluR antagonists significantly decreased fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran flux across the blood-brain barrier. We conclude that activated human PMNs release glutamate and that endothelial expression of group I or III mGluRs function to decrease human brain endothelial VASP phosphorylation and barrier function. These results identify a novel pathway by which PMN-derived glutamate may regulate human endothelial barrier function.
Sebaceous gland tumors of the eyelids and conjunctiva in the Muir-Torre syndrome: a clinicopathologic study of five cases and literature review.

Purpose To study the sebaceous tumors of eyelid/conjunctiva associated with Muir-Torre syndrome (MTS) and to determine the role of immunohistochemical markers (MSH2, mismatch repair gene) in the diagnosis of patients with MTS. Methods A retrospective, noncomparative case series of 5 patients diagnosed with MTS from our laboratory. We also reviewed all previously reported cases of sebaceous eyelid tumors with a visceral malignancy. Results Four of the 5 patients were men, with a mean age of 55 years (range, 41 to 76 years). Four of the 5 patients had gastrointestinal carcinoma. On histopathological examination, 4 of the 5 tumors were classified as sebaceous adenomas that exhibited a distinct lobular pattern with prominent basaloid cells at the periphery of the lobules. One tumor was classified as a well-differentiated sebaceous gland adenocarcinoma. The diagnosis of MTS in all 5 patients was made after the diagnosis of the eyelid lesions. Immunohistochemical stains showed a lack of MSH2 expression in two tumors, which is highly consistent with MTS. Conclusions Muir-Torre syndrome should be considered in patients who develop sebaceous tumors of the ocular adnexa. Immunohistochemistry for MSH2 is a practical initial approach for screening MTS in patients with sebaceous tumors.
Normative influences on thoughtful online participation

We describe two experiments on whether individual thoughtful effort during online commenting is shaped by situational norms derived from the behavior of social others and the design of the environment, respectively. By measuring the length of participants' comments on a news website, the time taken to write them, and the number of issue-relevant thoughts they contain, we demonstrate that participants conform to high vs. low norms of thoughtfulness manifested through either the apparent behavior of other users or through visual, textual and interactional design features conceptually associated with thoughtfulness. Theoretical and applied insights for designing online participatory environments are discussed.
Democracy and the “Washington consensus”

Abstract This paper argues that there is a substantial body of economic advice, roughly summarized in the “Washington consensus,” that deserves to be endorsed across the political spectrum. Such endorsement would still leave a series of major economic issues, most notably the tradeoff between efficiency and equity, to be determined by the outcome of the political process. It is argued that the “left,” interpreted as those who give relatively more weight to equity, will advance its cause by embracing the mainstream economics summarized by the consensus.
A Qualitative Investigation of the Cultural Adjustment Experiences of Asian International College Women.

This qualitative study explored the cultural adjustment experiences of 15 Asian Indian, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese international college women through semistructured interviews. By using consensual qualitative research methodology (C. E. Hill, B. J. Thompson, & E. N. Williams, 1997), 6 primary domains or themes related to these women's cultural adjustment experiences were identified via data analysis: their feelings and thoughts about living in the United States, perceived differences between their country of origin and the United States, their English language acquisition and use, their prejudicial or discriminatory experiences in the United States, their peer and family networks, and their strategies for coping with cultural adjustment problems. Implications of the findings for mental health practice are discussed.
The foraminifer genera Monotaxinoides and Eolasiodiscus

The genera Monotaxinoides Brazhnikova and Yartseva and Eolasiodiscus Reytlinger were both established at the same time for small Late Carboniferous Foraminifera probably derived from the genus Howc...
The absolute normalization of three-nucleon transfer reactions

Abstract Data for (α, p) and (6Li, t) reactions on 40Ca targets are re-analyzed using microscopic form factors and the DWBA in exact range. The absolute magnitudes predicted for (6Li, t) cross sections agree with data, while the (α, p) cross sections calculated with a deep alpha particle optical model are more than one hundred times smaller than data. The agreement for (α,p) magnitudes is greatly improved when a shallow optical potentials is used.
Anticipating effects of water quality changes on iron corrosion and red water

This study investigated the effect of disinfectant, sulfate/chloride ratios, nitrate concentration, magnesium hardness and zinc on iron corrosion. For the waters tested, free chlorine better controlled red water and microbial activity in the bulk solution. Consistent with predictions based on Larson's ratio, sulfate/chloride ratio changes did not have an effect on overall iron corrosion rates, although higher chloride was associated with increased localization of corrosion and pitting. High levels of nitrate increased the rate of chlorine decay and caused release of more iron, but had no effect on chloramine decay rates. The concentration of nitrate in the water might therefore be an important factor in considering the relative merits of chloramine versus chlorine as secondary disinfectants in real distribution systems. Increased magnesium and zinc can decrease mobilization of iron (e.g. red water) caused by silicate.
An assessment of cognitive abilities in hearing and hearing-impaired preschool children.

There have been many investigations of cognitive development in older hearing-impaired children, but few with preschool hearing-impaired children. The performance of 40 hearing and 40 hearing-impai...
Wave propagation in poro-acoustic media

Abstract Some ocean sediments may be modeled as poro-elastic media with relatively high slow-wave speeds and relatively low shear-wave speeds [N.P. Chotiros, “Biot model of sound propagation in water-saturated sand”, J. Acoust. Soc. Amer. 97 , 199–214 (1995)]. This singular limit may be handled efficiently by allowing the shear modulus to vanish so that shear waves are ignored. This approach reduces the number of equations and permits a relatively coarse numerical grid. The equations of poro-acoustic media are remarkably similar to the equations of acoustic media. The equations of motion are a vector generalization of the variable density wave equation of acoustics [P.G. Bergmann, “The wave equation in a medium with a variable index of refraction”, J. Acoust. Soc. Amer. 17 , 329–333 (1946)]. The interface conditions resemble the acoustic conditions for continuity of pressure and particle velocity. The energy-flux integrals of poro-acoustics and acoustics are also similar.
Pseudodielectric functions of uniaxial materials in certain symmetry directions.

The pseudodielectric function is often used to represent ellipsometric data and corresponds to the actual dielectric functions of materials when there is no surface overlayer and the material is isotropic. If a uniaxial material is oriented such that the optic axis is in the plane of incidence or is perpendicular to the plane of incidence, then the cross-polarization terms are zero and appropriate pseudodielectric functions can be determined from the ellipsometry data. We calculate the pseudodielectric functions for uniaxial crystals in three primary symmetry directions: (1) the optic axis is perpendicular to the plane of incidence, (2) the optic axis is in the plane of the sample surface and parallel to the plane of incidence, and (3) the optic axis is in the plane of the sample surface and perpendicular to the plane of incidence. These results are expanded in terms of the difference in the ordinary and extraordinary dielectric functions and compared with the approximation ofAspnes [J. Opt. Soc. Am.70, 1275 (1980)]. Comparisons are made with experimental results on oriented crystals of rutile (TiO2), and a simple procedure is presented to determine the complex dielectric function from standard ellipsometry techniques.
The evidence and values underlying 'new conservation'.

Protecting nature and preventing extinction are goals all conservationists share, but intrinsic value is not the only, and may not be the most effective, rationale conservation can offer. Unfortunately, Doak et al. [1] mischaracterize our recent writings on this subject as embracing ‘only economic motivations’ and ‘saving only those components of nature that directly benefit people’. The ‘only’ embedded in these misrepresentations appears only in the minds of Doak et al. rather than in anything we have written.
Modeling of cyclic ratchetting plasticity, Part II: Comparison of model simulations with experiments

The material constants of the new plasticity model proposed in the first part of the paper can be divided into two independent groups. The first group, c (i) and r (i) (i = 1, 2,..., M), describes balanced loading and the second group, X (i) (i = 1, 2,..., M), characterizes unbalanced loading. We define balanced loading as the case when a virgin material initially isotropic will undergo no ratchetting and/or mean stress relaxation, and unbalanced loading as the loading under which a virgin material initially isotropic will produce strain ratchetting and/or mean stress relaxation. The independence of the two groups of material constants and the interpretation of the model with a limiting surface concept facilitated the determination of material constants. We describe in detail a computational procedure to determine the material constants in the models from simple uniaxial experiments. The theoretical predictions obtained by using the new plasticity model are compared with a number of multiple step ratchetting experiments under both uniaxial and biaxial tension-torsion loading. In multiple step experiments, the mean stress and stress amplitude are varied in a stepwise fashion during the test. Very close agreements are achieved between the experimental results and the model simulations including cases of nonproportional loading. Specifically, the new model predicted long-term ratchetting rate decay more accurately than the previous models.
Effects of teacher-directed versus student-directed instruction and cues versus no cues for improving spelling performance.

Abstract The purpose of this study was twofold: to examine the effects of imitating children's spelling errors alone and in combination with visual and verbal cues on spelling accuracy and retention among poor spellers and to compare the effectiveness of student-directed versus teacher-directed spelling instruction on children's spelling accuracy and retention. Nine children received four alternating experimental treatments during a 16-week spelling program. Results indicated that student-directed instruction that incorporated visual and verbal cues was most effective in increasing children's spelling accuracy.
Adrenergic bronchodilators, old and new.

(1983). Adrenergic Bronchodilators, Old and New. Journal of Asthma: Vol. 20, No. 6, pp. 445-453.
Graphene plasmonics for terahertz applications

Graphene has emerged as the semiconductor with the highest reported mobility of carriers at room temperature making it suitable for terahertz applications. The plasmon frequencies of graphene are also in the terahertz range. Plasmons in graphene interact strongly with electrons and holes and plasmon emission and absorption are the fastest mechanisms for electon-hole recombination and generation. Plasmon density of states can be modified in patterned nanoscale graphene and thereby enabling one to control plasmon frequencies as well as carrier dynamics. We present terahertz spectroscopy results for carrier relaxation and recombination dynamics in graphene and discuss designs for terahertz plasmonic devices for practical applications.
A New Look at Parents' Time Spent in Child Care: Primary and Secondary Time Use

Parental child care time has historically been narrowly defined to include only those child care activities where the parent's primary attention was occupied by the child. In this study, we expand this definition so that it includes parental reports of time where child care was a subsidiary activity. We find that suchsecondarychild care time comprises about one-third of all parental child care time. Time spent in both primary and secondary child care appear to be influenced by the gender of the parent, the age of the youngest child, the mother's hours of paid employment, household income, and residential location. Simulations suggest that mothers in two-parent, two-child families average between 13,729 and 15,439 h in the care of children from ages 0 to 18. The corresponding figures for the fathers are lower at 4150 to 4415 h.
Control of ribonucleic acid synthesis in Escherichia coli cells with altered transfer ribonucleic acid concentration.

Abstract 1. 1. This investigation tests the hypothesis that amino acid-free transfer RNA mediates the amino acid regulation of RNA synthesis by the inhibition of RNA polymerase (nucleosidetriphosphate: RNA nucleosidyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.6). 2. 2. Isoleucine-requiring Escherichia coli cells were incubated with chloramphenicol for 4 h, and their acceptor RNA level thereby raised 4–5-fold. Meanwhile, the protein content and wet-cell volume were unchanged, the RNA polymerase level fell, and the DNA level rose only 60 %. The cells were then starved for isoleucine and reincubated with various concentrations of chloramphenicol, in order to vary the internal concentration of isoleucine. 3. 3. Under these conditions, the rate of RNA synthesis remained subject to regulation by the amino acid supply. Most of the RNA formed did not turn over during incubation in the presence of 2,4-dinitrophenol. The rate of synthesis of sRNA varied directly with the rate of total RNA synthesis, as the chloramphenicol concentration was changed, both in these and in control cells. 4. 4. At any given rate of RNA synthesis, the concentration of isoleucine-free transfer RNA was five times as high in the chloramphenicol-pretreated samples as in untreated control samples. The proportion of phenylalanine-free to total phenylalanine-specific tRNA was the same in control and chloramphenicol-pretreated samples. 5. 5. In a similar experiment, histidine-requiring cells were incubated 3 h in the presence of chlortetracycline and fluorodeoxyuridine. The protein level increased 10 % and the DNA level 25 %. At any given rate of RNA synthesis, the concentration of histidine-free tRNA was twice as high in the chlortetracycline-pretreated samples as in the control samples. 6. 6. We conclude that the amino acid-free transfer RNA does not mediate the amino acid regulation of RNA synthesis by inhibiting RNA polymerase.
Diffraction evidence for the existence of an F.C.C. ⇄ H.C.P. transformation in Yb†

X-ray powder patterns obtained from polycrystalline wires of high-purity Yb in several heat-treated conditions have demonstrated (i) the existence of a martensitic transformation, β-Yb (f.c.c.) ⇄ α-Yb (h.c.p.), and (ii) that the hexagonal close-packed structure is the thermodynamically stable form for Yb at temperatures below ≈ 270 °K. Precision lattice parameters determined for both polymorphs at room temperature indicate the fractional volume change on the transformation to be 0.0091, a magnitude that is consistent with the belief that α-Yb is divalent. This can be regarded as a stacking fault transformation, and one wherein the preponderance of the volume change is accommodated by displacements normal to the habit plane. Rontgen-Strukturuntersuchungen an polykristallinen Drahten aus hochreinem Yb bei unterschiedlichen Temperungsbedingungen zeigten, das (i) eine Martensit-Transformation existiert, β-Yb (k.f.z.) ⇄ α-Yb (h.d.p.) und (ii) die hexagonal dichteste Packung die thermodynamisch stabile Form fur Yb bei Temperaturen unterhalb ≈ 270 °K ist. Prazisionsmessungen der Gitterkonstanten an beiden polykristallinen Materialien weisen darauf hin, das die relative Volumenaanderung bei Raumtemperatur 0.0091 betragt, ein Wert, der konsistent ist mit der Annahme, das α-Yb divalent ist. Man kann dies auf eine Stapelfehlertransformation zuruckfuhren sowie eine weitere, in der die Volumenanderung im wesentlichen mit Verschiebungen senkrecht zur Habitusebene verknupft ist.
The Evolution from Transportation to Tourism: The Case of the New York Canal System

Abstract This research examined the New York Canal System in its evolution from a commercial shipping waterway to a tourism destination, with a focus on the canal system's life cycles. The author puts forward that chaos theory can be incorporated into the Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) to explain the turbulences in some stages of the canal destination's life cycle. In addition, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis was employed to assess the operational status quo and future development trends. The SWOT analysis suggested some important threats to the New York Canal System, which other canal destinations should also consider. These threats include divergent missions among management authorities, lack of destination image and environmental problems.
Identification of Rgg Binding Sites in the Streptococcus pyogenes Chromosome

Streptococcus pyogenes Rgg is a regulatory protein that controls the transcription of 588 genes in strain NZ131 during the post-exponential phase of growth, including the virulence-associated genes encoding the extracellular SpeB protease, pullulanase A (PulA), and two extracellular nucleases (SdaB and Spd-3). Rgg binds to DNA proximally to the speB promoter (PspeB) to activate transcription; however, it is not known if Rgg binds to the promoters of other genes to influence expression, or if the perturbation of other global regulons accounts for the genome-wide changes in expression associated with the mutant. To address this issue, chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by DNA microarray analysis (ChIP-chip) was used to identify the DNA binding sites of Rgg. Rgg bound to 65 sites in the chromosome. Thirty-five were within noncoding DNA, and 43% of these were adjacent to genes previously identified as regulated by Rgg. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays were used to assess the binding of Rgg to a subset of sites bound in vivo, including the noncoding DNA upstream of speB, the genes encoding PulA, Spd-3, and a transcriptional regulator (SPY49_1113), and prophage-associated genes encoding a putative integrase (SPY49_0746) and a surface antigen (SPY49_0396). Rgg bound to all target DNAs in vitro, consistent with the in vivo results. Finally, analyses with a transcriptional reporter system showed that the DNA bound by Rgg contained an active promoter that was regulated by Rgg. Overall, the results indicate that Rgg binds specifically to multiple sites in the chromosome, including prophage DNA, to influence gene expression.
Regulation and Mechanism of Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate Synthetase V. INHIBITION BY END PRODUCTS AND REGULATION BY ADENOSINE DIPHOSPHATE

Abstract Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP) synthetase participates in the biosynthesis in bacteria of purine nucleotides, pyrimidine nucleotides, tryptophan, histidine, and the pyridine nucleotide coenzymes. A kinetic study of the interaction of highly purified PRPP synthetase from Salmonella typhimurium with end products and other potential metabolite effectors has been conducted. There is no evidence for cooperative homotropic substrate interactions in the presence or absence of inhibitors. ADP, which is a much more effective inhibitor as a function of concentration than any other nucleotide, displays a complex inhibition pattern. A detailed steady state kinetic analysis of ADP inhibition is consistent with competition at the ATP site and formation of a dead-end E(ADP) (PRPP) complex, when subsaturating concentrations of ribose-5-P are used or when the reverse reaction is studied. However, ADP also alters PRPP synthetase in such a fashion as to bring about pronounced substrate inhibition by ribose-5-P. This inhibition is not purely the result of formation of a E(ADP) (ribose-5-P) complex, but appears to be the consequence of binding of ADP and possibly ribose 5-P at sites that are distinct from the substrate sites. Other nucleotide inhibitors do not bring about substrate inhibition. Low concentrations of Ca2+ ions bring about substrate inhibition in the absence of ADP and partially desensitize PRPP synthetase to the effect of ADP. Purine nucleotides are much more effective inhibitors than pyrimidine nucleotides; both are purely competitive with ATP. Kinetic analysis of inhibition by pairs of nucleotide inhibitors (except ADP) indicates that, although these inhibitors are competitive with ATP, they exert synergistic effects on the action of each other and do not bind in a mutually exclusive fashion. Histidine and tryptophan do not inhibit purified PRPP synthetase under any conditions examined. Deoxynucleotides, pyridine nucleotides, cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate, 2'- or 3'-pyrophosphoryl guanosine 5'-diphosphate, and intermediates of glycolysis and the pentose cycle are either very weak inhibitors or without effect on PRPP synthetase activity. Although the physiological significance of the various kinetic effects cannot be established by these studies alone, the findings are consistent with the proposals that (a) PRPP synthetase is subject to regulation by the ATP/ADP ratio and hence the supply of metabolic energy, (b) the sensitivity to ATP/ADP ratio is modified by the concentrations of ribose-5-P in the cell, and (c) the enzyme may be controlled by the total pool of nucleotide end products, particularly purine nucleotides. The observation that PRPP synthetase is subject to specific repressive control by pyrimidines (White, M. N., Olszowy, J., and Switzer, R. L. (1971) J. Bacteriol. 108, 122) suggests that PRPP synthesis may be controlled in bacteria by regulatory complementation between feedback inhibition by purine nucleotides and repression by pyrimidine nucleotides.
Community, Modernity, Legitimation

A person has his or her own reason for reading a book ? or would hope to, class assignments and review sessions aside. Of course, one of my reasons for reading Reason, History, and Politics is my admiration for David Ingram and his work, which has been a key example for a slightly younger sub generation of social theorists. In other words, Ingram's work has played a significant role in shaping a social theory that is willing to draw from many diverse sources, without getting hung up on green cards or other work permits. Thus, many of us are now working with both continental and analytic figures without being "analytic" or "continental" philosophers. (There are some figures - Aristotle, Kant, Marx - who remind us that getting the school or category right is not a task very relevant to engaged social critique. However, it might be noted that those who slavishly follow either camp generally hold us to be tainted by our association with the other, especially in matters of employment and other professional appointments.) Ingram's recent work is perhaps also not so "continental" in that his primary interest is in problems or questions rather than figures. Clearly, Ingram's central question ? and perhaps the central issue for our time and our species ? has to do with what we may (or may not) continue to draw from political modernity and its philosophical discourse, the whole constellation of concepts such as rights, democracy, legitimation, and autonomy. Here, of course, there is one figure who looms over the discussion, namely J?rgen Habermas; Ingram has played the role of intellectual leadership in the effort to shape a post-Habermasian social theory, which has sometimes resulted in the more radical work of saving Habermas from himself. At the same time, Ingram has thrown a bit of a bomb into this discussion, by aligning himself with a kind of communitarian critique of liberalism. In a more narrowly intellectual, or perhaps more broadly political vein, it is around the question of community that my own reasons for rereading Reason, History,
Generalized dressed and doubly-dressed multi-wave mixing.

We present a theoretical treatment for generalized dressed and doubly-dressed multi-wave mixing processes. Co-existing four-wave mixing (FWM), six-wave mixing (SWM) and eight-wave mixing processes have been considered in a closed-cycle five-level system. Due to constructive interference of the secondarily-dressed and primarily-dressed excitation pathways, the FWM and SWM signals are greatly enhanced. The dually enhanced FWM channels are opened simultaneously. The dressing fields provide the energy for such large enhancement.
Evolutionary-based grouping of haplotypes in association analysis

Haplotypes incorporate more information about the underlying polymorphisms than do genotypes for individual SNPs, and are considered as a more informative format of data in association analysis. To model haplotypes requires high degrees of freedom, which could decrease power and limit a model's capacity to incorporate other complex effects, such as gene-gene interactions. Even within haplotype blocks, high degrees of freedom are still a concern unless one chooses to discard rare haplotypes. To increase the efficiency and power of haplotype analysis, we adapt the evolutionary concepts of cladistic analyses and propose a grouping algorithm to cluster rare haplotypes to the corresponding ancestral haplotypes. The algorithm determines the cluster bases by preserving common haplotypes using a criterion built on the Shannon information content. Each haplotype is then assigned to its appropriate clusters probabilistically according to the cladistic relationship. Through this algorithm, we perform association analysis based on groups of haplotypes. Simulation results indicate power increases for performing tests on the haplotype clusters when compared to tests using original haplotypes or the truncated haplotype distribution. Genet. Epidemiol. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
An Overview of Principles for Special Educators to Guide Mathematics Instruction

Teaching mathematics to diverse learners can be a challenge. The extensive and specialized knowledge that special education teachers need to possess to be considered high-quality teachers is often ...
Probing organic‐inorganic interactions and curing processes in coatings by photoacoustic fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Photoacoustic Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (PA FT-IR) was utilized to follow the curing processes in pigmented linseed oil based coatings deposited on a substrate. This nondestructive technique allows us to monitor both chemical reactions and processes such as solvent evaporation and pigment stratification during auto-oxidative curing. Spectroscopically detected solvent evaporation is correlated with the weight loss measurements. Apparently, only a small portion of the solvent molecules evaporates during the curing process and the remaining fraction participates in the crosslinking process. The interactions between organic (binder) and inorganic (pigment) phases of the coatings are also detected. It is found that in order to obtain a uniform distribution of the inorganic phase across the coating, it is necessary to consider both the hydrogen bonding between the two phases and the gravitational forces imposed on the pigment particles. Essentially, a lack of hydrogen bonding leads to stratification of the pigment phase and pigment volume gradient (PVC) across the coating. These processes are monitored spectroscopically and indicate that the hydrogen bonding is equally significant with other processes such as crosslinking and degradation.
Modified suspended membrane photonic crystal D/sub 3/ laser cavity with improved sidemode suppression ratio

We have demonstrated the ability to selectively modify the mode structure of a multimoded photonic crystal laser cavity, based on the detailed knowledge of resonant modes in a suspended membrane D/sub 3/ microcavity. We have designed a microcavity in which the margins between the highest Q mode and the next highest Q modes have been increased. This modified cavity has been shown to have an improved sidemode suppression ratio under high power pumping condition.