cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mercantilização, proteção social e emancipação: as ambivalências do feminismo na crise do capitalismo

This article is a reflection on the perspectives of feminism in the context of the current crisis of neoliberal capitalism. It is based on the theories of Karl Polanyi that explained the historical process of the crises as a result of the conflict between two elements - marketization and social protection. However, Polanyi Kept out of sight forms of injustice that are not present in the market. He also had the tendency to excuse the social protection as an instrument of domination. This article takes a broader view on the analysis of the conflict between Marketization and social protection. It includes in the analysis a third dimension, the emancipation. The inclusion of this third element transforms the historical process in a three dimensional conflict and forms the heart of a quasi-polanyian perspective that is able to explain the crisis of the XXI century. This text develops this new perspective and uses it to analyze the bets in the emancipation of the gender hierarchy. The triple movement, thus constituted, can overcome the ambivalence of feminism, as the feminist agenda was often manipulated by neoliberalism. The redefinition of social protection in democratic, participatory, non-hierarchic and non-oppressive terms, opens the possibility to a new feminist politics.
The effect of microstructure on the sensory perception and textural characteristics of whey protein/κ-carrageenan mixed gels

Abstract The objective of the study was to understand how physical and structural properties of food translate into sensory perception. A range of gels with different structures were developed by combined mechanisms of ion-induced micro-phase separation of whey proteins, whey protein/к-carrageenan phase separation and network inversion. Descriptive sensory analysis was used to assess textural attributes of gels during the oral processing phases of first compression by tongue, first bite, mastication, and post swallow. Large deformation properties and fracture behavior of the gels were determined by uniaxial compression and single-edge notched bend tests. Mechanical properties at varying stages of deformation (before, during and after fracture) and sensory properties at different stages of oral processing (first compression, first bite and after 5–8 chews) followed similar trends based on the change in microstructure. Recoverable energies of gels were in agreement with springiness and compressibility evaluated at first compression in the mouth before biting. Young’s modulus together with fracture properties, including critical energy release rate and fracture toughness, varied among different microstructures along with firmness. After the fracture point, the speed of macroscopic breakdown determined the fracture type of the gels, which was related to the degree of fracturability at the first bite. Overall, five out of six microstructures were discriminated in sensory texture properties. It was demonstrated that defined physical and sensorial properties of soft-solid foods can be generated by modifying the gel microstructure through colloidal interactions.
Calcium-dependent signaling in Dupuytren’s disease

Background Previous studies suggest that Dupuytren’s disease is caused by fibroblast and myofibroblast contractility. Cell contractility in smooth muscle cells is caused by calcium-dependent and calcium-independent signaling mechanisms. In the calcium-dependent pathway, calcium/calmodulin activates myosin light chain kinase (MLCK). In this study, the effects of calcium/calmodulin inhibition with the FDA-approved drug fluphenazine on Dupuytren’s fibroblast contractility and MLCK expression were tested.
On time distortion under stress

Under conditions of extreme and life-threatening stress, people often report distortions of time. These distortional experiences are critical since, axiomatically, they occur in circumstances where small variations in behavior can mean the difference between survival and extinction. The present work examines the spectrum of evidence concerning such phenomena including observations from real-world events such as combat, ejection from high-performance aircraft, driving in dangerous environments and from less stressful, yet informative laboratory procedures. A contextual theory is promulgated which postulates that in addition to draining attentional resources, stress prevents the efficient production of such resources. The stress-depleted resources which remain are directed to task-relevant activities and consequently attention to time-based cues is minimized resulting in distortion effects for both time-in-passing and for time recollection in memory. A number of practical observations are advanced concernin...
Some Methodological Issues in Experimental Economics

The growing acceptance and success of experimental economics has increased the interest of researchers in tackling philosophical and methodological challenges to which their work increasingly gives rise. I sketch some general issues that call for the combined expertise of experimental economists and philosophers of science, of experiment, and of inductive-statistical inference and modeling.
The rapamycin and FKBP12 target (RAFT) displays phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase activity

The immunosuppressant rapamycin prevents cell cycle progression in several mammalian cell lines and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In mammalian cells, rapamycin binds to the small FK506-binding protein, FKBP12, allowing the drug-receptor complex to interact with the 289-kDa RAFT1/FRAP proteins. These proteins, along with their yeast homologs, TOR1/DRR1 and TOR2/DRR2, contain a C-terminal domain with amino acid homology to several phosphatidylinositol (PI) 4- and 3-kinases. However, no direct demonstration of kinase activity for this family of proteins has been reported. We now show that RAFT1, immunoprecipitated from rat brain and MG63 and HEK293 cells, contains PI 4-kinase activity and that rapamycin-FKBP12 has no effect on this activity. Thus, it is likely that, in vivo, rapamycin does not directly inhibit the PI 4-kinase activity and affects the RAFT1/FRAP protein through another mechanism.
Risk Assessment and Anti-Predator Behavior of Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) Tadpoles: A Comparison with Green Frog (Rana clamitans) Tadpoles

This study combines three experiments that identify how Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) tadpoles assess risk from chemical cues produced by larval dragonflies (Anax junius) preying on conspecifics. I also compare the results to previous studies using Green Frog (Rana clamitans) tadpoles. The results suggest that Wood Frog tadpoles largely assess predation risk through Anax chemical cues similarly to Green Frog tadpoles. This is to be expected because the tadpoles are congeneric and both face predation from Anax in the field. However, their behavioral response to a particular level of perceived risk differs. Wood Frog tadpoles reduced their total activity (swimming and feeding) for a shorter time than Green Frog tadpoles. Wood Frog tadpoles also reduced their feeding activity more strongly than their swimming activity during cue exposure. I relate the differences between the behavioral responses of Wood Frog and Green Frog tadpoles to differences in their life-history strategies.
Probe measurements in thermal plasma jets

Measurements of composition, temperature, and velocity in atmospheric argon plasma jets are reported, using enthalpy probes. The plasma jets are generated by a commercial type plasma gun and the measurements are expected to be of particular interest for industrial applications such as plasma spraying. Emphasis has been on the central and downstream regions of the plasma flame. The entrainment of air into the jet was found to be very high, even close to the axis of the jet. Gas samples analyzed with a gas chromatograph showed demixing of the air, i.e., nitrogen is more abundant in the jet than at room temperature. The high air entrainment has a strong cooling effect on the plasma, resulting in a rapid temperature drop along the axis. The influence of the argon flow rate and of the arc current on the jet's conditions was parametrically studied. Matching of the quantities measured in the jet with the torch input confirmed the validity of the results, and the relevance of enthalpy probe diagnostics in thermal plasma jets.
Mexico Needs to Proactively Educate Maquiladora Workers

Mexico is not known for an outstanding public education system. Rankings are less than needed to advance the manufacturing sector and move into a more competitive high-tech model to support the needs of North America and fight off the constant threat of outsourcing. In the study described herein a clear deficiency in educating the workforce was a lack of bringing education to the industrial parks and the workforce that requires upgrading to compete on a global stage. Competitiveness and innovation are dominant themes of successful workforce improvement efforts. The government and educational institutions need to understand the limitations and restrictions of potential students and offer classes close to the workplace and, specifically, in the maquiladora industrial parks.
Limits of the upper critical field in dirty two-gap superconductors

Abstract An overview of the theory of the upper critical field in dirty two-gap superconductors, with a particular emphasis on MgB2 is given. We focus here on the maximum Hc2 which may be achieved by increasing intraband scattering, and on the limitations imposed by weak interband scattering and paramagnetic effects. In particular, we discuss recent experiments which have demonstrated tenfold increase of Hc2 in dirty carbon-doped films as compared to single crystals, so that Hc2(0) parallel to the ab planes may approach the BCS paramagnetic limit, Hp [T] = 1.84Tc [K] ≃ 60–70 T. New effects produced by weak interband scattering in the two-gap Ginzburg–Landau equations and features of Hc2(T) in ultrathin MgB2 films are addressed.
The mM-Hypercube

Unlike today's semiconductor devices whose input/output signals are associated with surges of electrons, the signals in nanodevices are associated with states or counts of electrons. This is one of the revolutionary technologies in the design of nanolCs. Traditional logic design methodologies may not satisfy the requirements and properties of nanoscale computing devices, such as the stochastic nature of signals and processes, localized molecular connections, and increasing demand on fault-tolerance computation [1]. Much attention has been devoted to the search of the logic design models for the representation of combinational nanolCs and sequential nanolCs, i.e., the N-hypercube and the M-hypercube, respectively [1, 2]. This paper proposes the mM-hypercube which not only provides a hypercube representation of finite state machines in m-valued nanodimensions but also satisfies the requirements for highly parallel computation and multi-valued structure of nanodevices. The transmission nodes of an mM-hypercube can implement nanodevices with states operated by multiple electrons which produce multiple transactions from one state node to many state nodes. Thus, the mM hypercube model is a more general logic design model for future advanced nanolCs.
An information-processing account of creative analogies in biologically inspired design

Biologically inspired design perhaps is one of the most important movements in engineering design. The paradigm espouses use of analogies to biology in generating conceptual designs for new technologies. In this paper, we briefly summarize some empirical findings about biologically inspired design, and then develop an information-processing theory of creative analogies in biologically inspired design. We also compare our theory with similar theories. In addition, we examine how biologically inspired design is fundamentally different from other design paradigms.
Phase II Study of Erlotinib (OSI-774) in Patients With Advanced Hepatocellular Cancer

Purpose Epidermal growth factor receptor/human epidermal growth factor receptor 1 (EGFR/HER1) and ligand expression is frequently seen in hepatocellular cancers (HCCs). Erlotinib (Tarceva, OSI-774; OSI Pharmaceuticals, Melville, NY) is a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor with specificity for the EGFR/HER1. Methods The primary objective of this study was to determine the proportion of patients with advanced HCC who were progression-free at 6 months. Patients with either unresectable or metastatic disease were studied. Only one prior systemic or locoregional therapy was allowed. Erlotinib was given continuously at a dose of 150 mg per day orally. Results Thirty-eight patients with HCC were enrolled. Median age of the patients was 69 years (range, 27 to 83 years). A majority of patients (63%) had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 1. Forty-seven percent of patients had received prior chemotherapy for advanced HCC. EGFR/HER1 expression was detected in 88% of the patients. Median numb...
Design and use of a software framework to obtain information derived from macromolecular structure data

The broad goal of the work has been to design, implement, and begin to use an extensible object oriented framework which represents biological macromolecules and which can be queried in efforts to better understand the biological significance of these complex molecules. Using this framework a variety of methods can be added (by us and others) with functionality ranging from simple verification of a single 3D coordinate set derived from X-ray crystallography or NMR studies, to a detailed interrogation of features common to a number of structures represented by one or more disparate experimental sets of data. Features of the current framework, which have been described in detail elsewhere, are summarized to define the context. This is followed by two examples of using the framework and a discussion of how it is being expanded.
On combining iteration space tiling with data space tiling for scratch-pad memory systems

Most previous studies on tiling concentrate on iteration space only for cache-based memory systems. However, more and more real-time embedded systems are adopting Scratch-Pad Memories (SPMs) which emphasize on the management of data flow through data-oriented tiling. In this paper, we analyze the relationships between iteration space I and data space D, proposing a preliminary classification based on subscript functions. An important real-life application, matrix multiply, is selected to illustrate how we combine the mismatched iteration space tiling with data space tiling for optimal solutions.
Treatment of Low-Risk Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia

HD4 trial. Lancet Oncol 11:1057-1065, 2010 7. van Kuilenburg AB, Meijer J, Mul AN, et al: Intragenic deletions and a deep intronic mutation affecting pre-mRNA splicing in the dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene as novel mechanisms causing 5-fluorouracil toxicity. Hum Genet 128:529-538, 2010 8. Mori Y, Katsumata K, Tsuchida A, et al: Single nucleotide polymorphism analysis in the GSTP1 and ABCC2 genes about neuropathy by the Oxaliplatin. Gan To Kagaku Ryoho35:2377-2381, 2008
MAGY simulations of 1.5 MW, 110 GHz MIT gyrotron with non-uniform electron emission

We present simulation results from the code MAGY of a 110 GHz, 1.5 MW gyrotron which is currently in short pulse operation at MIT. The experimental peak power is 1.44 MW at 37 % efficiency, when operating in the TE/sub 22,6/ mode, with a velocity ratio (v/sub /spl perp///v/sub /spl par//) of 1.43. The MAGY simulations are done for triplet mode excitation (TE/sub 21,6/, TE/sub 22,6/ and TE/sub 23,6/), and include both velocity spread and the azimuthal nonuniform charge density of the electron beam. For a velocity spread of 5.5 % and the measured value of beam emission nonuniformity, the MAGY simulations are in good agreement with the measured experimental results.
Probes for Assessing Single-Cell Primary Production: Antibodies Against Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase (RuBPCase) and Peridinin/Chlorophyll A Protein (PCP)

Identification of the factors controlling spatial and temporal variability of phytoplankton production is a major issue in biological oceanography. Although the interest in primary production has a long history, recent technological developments have enabled new approaches to the problem of its measurement. With the availability of new methods, the approach has shifted from gross estimation of primary production to include studying the control processes influencing individual phytoplankton cells. The effect of environmental factors on the metabolic activity and growth at the species level is a key to understanding large-scale patterns of production and distribution of phytoplankton in the ocean.
The TRACE model of speech perception.

Abstract We describe a model called the TRACE model of speech perception. The model is based on the principles of interactive activation. Information processing takes place through the excitatory and inhibitory interactions of a large number of simple processing units, each working continuously to update its own activation on the basis of the activations of other units to which it is connected. The model is called the TRACE model because the network of units forms a dynamic processing structure called “the Trace,” which serves at once as the perceptual processing mechanism and as the system's working memory. The model is instantiated in two simulation programs. TRACE I, described in detail elsewhere, deals with short segments of real speech, and suggests a mechanism for coping with the fact that the cues to the identity of phonemes vary as a function of context. TRACE II, the focus of this article, simulates a large number of empirical findings on the perception of phonemes and words and on the interactions of phoneme and word perception. At the phoneme level, TRACE II simulates the influence of lexical information on the identification of phonemes and accounts for the fact that lexical effects are found under certain conditions but not others. The model also shows how knowledge of phonological constraints can be embodied in particular lexical items but can still be used to influence processing of novel, nonword utterances. The model also exhibits categorical perception and the ability to trade cues off against each other in phoneme identification. At the word level, the model captures the major positive feature of Marslen-Wilson's COHORT model of speech perception, in that it shows immediate sensitivity to information favoring one word or set of words over others. At the same time, it overcomes a difficulty with the COHORT model: it can recover from underspecification or mispronunciation of a word's beginning. TRACE II also uses lexical information to segment a stream of speech into a sequence of words and to find word beginnings and endings, and it simulates a number of recent findings related to these points. The TRACE model has some limitations, but we believe it is a step toward a psychologically and computationally adequate model of the process of speech perception.
Multimodal interfaces with voice and gesture input

The modalities of speech and gesture have different strengths and weaknesses, but combined they create a synergy where each modality corrects the weaknesses of the other. The authors believe that a multimodal system such as one intertwining speech and gesture must start from a different foundation than ones which are based solely on pen input. In order to provide a basis for the design of a speech and gesture system, the authors have examined the research in other disciplines such as anthropology and linguistics. The result of this investigation was a taxonomy that gave the authors material for the incorporation of gestures whose meanings are largely transparent to the users. This study describes the taxonomy and gives examples of applications to pen input systems.
Table-based modeling of delta-sigma modulators using ZSIM

ZSIM, a nonlinear Z-domain simulator for sampled-data systems, is presented and verified. ZSIM integrates analytic tools, a difference equation simulator, a table-based nonlinear Z-domain simulator, and digital signal processing into a workstation environment to provide fast and accurate simulation of delta-sigma modulators. The use of table-based simulation allows simulation of circuit nonidealities including clock feedthrough and saturation. Benchmark comparisons of difference equation simulations and table-based simulations are presented for delta-sigma modulators suitable for use in voice-band coders. >
Strategies for Herpes Zoster Vaccination of Immunocompromised Patients

Immunocompromised persons such as those with hematologic malignancies, advanced HIV infection or transplant recipients have impaired T cell immunity and rates of zoster that are several times higher than healthy persons (1); those with leukemia have rates that are 50 to 100 times higher. These patients are more likely to develop disseminated zoster or multi-dermatomal disease. Dissemination to various organs including the lung, liver, brain, and spinal cord can occur. Patients with advanced HIV infection may develop recurrent or relapsing zoster, as well as verrucous lesions that persist for months (2). Prevention of varicella and zoster in immunocompromised patients would reduce the morbidity of these diseases. Varicella immune globulin and acyclovir are available for postexposure prophylaxis to prevent varicella in immunocompromised persons exposed to persons with varicella. A safe and effective vaccine for immunocompromised persons could prevent much of the morbidity associated with zoster.
Microtopographically patterned surfaces promote the alignment of tenocytes and extracellular collagen

This paper investigates the role of microtopographical features on the cytomorphology, alignment, proliferation and gene expression of tenocytes. We made use of simple microfabrication approaches to create surfaces patterned with topographical features suitable for in vitro studies of tenocytes. These surfaces were composed of glass substrates patterned with polymeric ridges spaced from 50 to 250 microm apart. Our studies demonstrate that the microgrooves differentially impact tenocyte shape, alignment and matrix organization along the direction of grooves. Groove widths significantly influenced cellular alignment, with 50 microm grooved patterns affecting alignment most substantially. Polarized light microscopy demonstrated that mature collagen fibers were denser and more oriented within 50 microm patterns. None of the patterns had a significant effect on the expression of genes linked to proliferation or extracellular matrix synthesis, although time in culture profoundly influenced both gene groups. COMP mRNA expression was moderately increased in tenocytes seeded onto 250 microm grooves, but there was no overall beneficial phenotypic effect of aligned growth. The results of this study indicate that microtopography affects cell density and alignment of tenocytes and leads to the deposition of an aligned collagen matrix, but does not significantly impact matrix gene expression or cell phenotype. These outcomes provide insights into the biology of tendon regeneration, thus providing guidance in the design of clinical procedures for tendon repair.
HOUSEHOLD WATER CONSERVATION: THE ROLE OF INDIRECT ENERGY SAVINGS

Abstract Recent regulations specify a cost-effectiveness analysis of implementing household water conservation measures to reduce the flow of wastewater as a prerequisite to federal funding of wastewater treatment plant construction. There is a wide variety of devices available to conserve water: hot water as well as water at ambient temperature. In this analysis we use a sample of 23 metropolitan areas to evaluate the indirect household energy savings which results from conservation devices to save hot water. Devices to conserve hot water are cost-effective in all 23 metropolitan areas up to an equivalent annual cost of $1.50/1000 gal saved under an assumption of no inflation in energy prices, and about $7.00/1000 gal saved under an assumption of 20%/yr inflation in energy prices. The impact of the indirect energy savings can be further illustrated by noting that devices to conserve ambient temperature water are cost-ineffective in all 23 metropolitan areas at equivalent annual costs above $1.00/1000 gal saved. Besides increasing the level of cost-effective household water conservation from 114 gal/day to 146 gal/day for a family of four, while providing significant economic savings, the indirect energy savings from hot-water conservation devices can provide a 46–62% reduction in energy use for residential water heating.
Feature selection for clustering - a filter solution

Processing applications with a large number of dimensions has been a challenge for the KDD community. Feature selection, an effective dimensionality reduction technique, is an essential pre-processing method to remove noisy features. In the literature only a few methods have been proposed for feature selection for clustering, and almost all these methods are 'wrapper' techniques that require a clustering algorithm to evaluate candidate feature subsets. The wrapper approach is largely unsuitable in real-world applications due to its heavy reliance on clustering algorithms that require parameters such as the number of clusters, and the lack of suitable clustering criteria to evaluate clustering in different subspaces. In this paper we propose a 'filter' method that is independent of any clustering algorithm. The proposed method is based on the observation that data with clusters has a very different point-to-point distance histogram to that of data without clusters. By exploiting this we propose an entropy measure that is low if data has distinct clusters and high if it does not. The entropy measure is suitable for selecting the most important subset of features because it is invariant with the number of dimensions, and is affected only by the quality of clustering. Extensive performance evaluation over synthetic, benchmark, and real datasets shows its effectiveness.
Attenuation and mode profile determination of leaky/lossy modes in multilayer planar waveguides by a coupling simulation method

Leaky planar waveguides are critically important to the operation of present day and future integrated photonic circuits. However, to incorporate these waveguides successfully into practical photonic circuits requires an accurate knowledge of their attenuation and mode profile in operation. In contrast with previous numerical methods for obtaining leaky waveguide characteristics, which usually involve complicated algorithms to solve for the complex roots of boundary conditions, the transverse transmission/reflection (TTR) method presented here provides a straightforward and simple approach by simulating the corresponding coupled-waveguide structure. By adding a high-index layer adjacent to the cover to enable the coupling, the transmission/reflection coefficients are shown to be definitively expressed in the form of a Lorentzian that is directly related to the complex propagation constant of leaky/lossy mode. The TTR method simultaneously determines the mode profile of the leaky/lossy mode via the angle of incidence for resonant transmission/reflection. In the present work, the TTR method is applied to an antiresonant reflection optical waveguide (ARROW), a lossy waveguide structure, and a waveguide structure that is simultaneously leaky and lossy.
Ambulation and Multiple Sclerosis

Walking impairment is a common consequence of multiple sclerosis (MS) that can result in substantial limitations of daily activities and compromised quality of life. Walking impairment is often monitored as an indicator of disease and neurologic disability progression. The worsening of walking performance while undertaking a cognitive task underscores the role of nonmotor impairments in ambulation limitations. Walking impairment has ubiquitous and life-altering consequences, underscoring the importance of continued efforts to identify approaches to prevent and forestall this event, and to restore walking ability in persons with MS.
Pharmacogenomic Testing and Personalized Treatment of Depression

Background: There is wide variation in antidepressant efficacy and tolerability during the treatment of major depressive disorder, a brain disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality risk. The ability to rapidly identify optimal treatment, thereby shortening the time to symptomatic remission, could reduce these risks and associated costs. Content: Up to 42% of variance in antidepressant response is associated with common genetic variation, and there are over 10 psychotropic medications for which the US Food and Drug Administration– approved labeling reflects a genetic test. Most published studies have examined functional variations in genes of the cytochrome p450 system, relevant to metabolism of many antidepressants. However, there are few data supporting the clinical usefulness of specific pharmacogenetic tests. Randomized trials and cost-effectiveness studies are emerging, but larger-scale studies are needed. Specific challenges in translating genetic association results to clinical practice include need for replication to address risk of type I error, overestimation of effect sizes, absence of data from generalizable cohorts, and absence of comparative data that would suggest one specific intervention over another. Several opportunities to accelerate development and validation of new tools for stratification remain, including integration of these tests with clinical data or other biomarkers and application of electronic health records for test development and investigation. Summary: Although common genetic variation, particularly in genes of the cytochrome p450 system, has been associated with antidepressant response, evidence that this variation may be successfully applied to guide treatment selection is just emerging. Larger-scale studies facilitated by informatics tools will clarify the usefulness of such tests.
Total parenteral nutrition and its effects on bone metabolism.

AbstractTotal parenteral nutrition (TPN) may affect bone metabolism in a variety of ways. These may include potential indirect effects such as on gastrointestinal hormone secretion, liver function, especially cytochrome P450 isoenzymes, metabolic biorhythms where established, and the continuous compared with the intermittent supply of nutrients. More substantial evidence exists for the reduction of bone formation, parathyroid hormone secretion, and calcitriol production in TPN patients along with high urinary calcium excretion. This review considers both aluminum loading and vitamin D sensitivity as etiologic factors and suggests that aluminum may have played a primary role in the pathogenesis of these abnormalities in bone and mineral metabolism, but that vitamin D may have potentiated the deleterious actions of aluminum. While the sources of aluminum contamination of TPN solutions have been identified and efforts are under way to reduce its contamination of TPN solutions, the persistence of low bone mas...
Working memory delay activity predicts individual differences in cognitive abilities

A great deal of prior research has examined the relation between estimates of working memory and cognitive abilities. Yet, the neural mechanisms that account for these relations are still not very well understood. The current study explored whether individual differences in working memory delay activity would be a significant predictor of cognitive abilities. A large number of participants performed multiple measures of capacity, attention control, long-term memory, working memory span, and fluid intelligence, and latent variable analyses were used to examine the data. During two working memory change detection tasks, we acquired EEG data and examined the contralateral delay activity. The results demonstrated that the contralateral delay activity was significantly related to cognitive abilities, and importantly these relations were because of individual differences in both capacity and attention control. These results suggest that individual differences in working memory delay activity predict individual differences in a broad range of cognitive abilities, and this is because of both differences in the number of items that can be maintained and the ability to control access to working memory.
Output and Investment Frontiers of United States Irrigated Agriculture

: Economic models sometimes indicate that irrigation water is misallocated in agriculture, especially when it appears that the marginal value product is higher in other uses (such as for hydro-power). Historically, trends tend to contradict this reasoning, however, especially since irrigation has grown from 20 million acres in 1940 to over 50 million acres in 1980. Results of this study tend to indicate that as agriculture becomes more and more intensive (in terms of inputs), irrigation is part of that long term trend. Further, major economic variables, such as output and investments in agriculture, appear to be more highly correlated with irrigated land than with dryland agriculture. Recent data indicate an upper limit of about 320 million acres for dryland farming in the United States, while no such constraint is apparent for irrigated agriculture.
Optimal Design of Source and Relay Pilots for MIMO Relay Channel Estimation

In this paper, we consider a channel estimation scheme for a two-hop nonregenerative MIMO relay system without the direct link between source and destination. This scheme has two phases. In the first phase, the source does not transmit while the relay transmits and the destination receives. In the second phase, the source transmits, the relay amplifies and forwards, and the destination receives. At the destination, the data received in the first phase are used to estimate the relay-to-destination channel, and the data received in the second phase are used to estimate the source-to-relay channel. The linear minimum mean-square error estimation (LMMSE) is used for channel estimation, which allows the use of prior knowledge of channel correlations. For phase 1, an algorithm is developed to compute the optimal source pilot matrix for use at the relay. For phase 2, an algorithm is developed to compute the optimal source pilot matrix for use at the source and the optimal relay pilot matrix for use at the relay.
A system for visualizing and analyzing near-optimal protein sequence alignments

System modeling and analysis is an imperfect art and as a consequence there are problems where alternative solutions may exist. Information visualization is often used to enhance system modeling and analysis efforts by taking advantage of human perceptual capabilities. Our research uses visual representations of alternative solutions as a way to aid understanding and foster insight into problems, their solutions, and the underlying algorithms. Specifically, our system visualizes large sets of near-optimal protein sequence alignments. Prior efforts focused on the visualization of near-optimal alignments, using an animation metaphor for providing context to detailed displays. This paper discusses novel extensions: (1) a new overview display, the enhanced path graph; (2) the integration of the detail-oriented (animation) and overview-oriented (path graph) displays; and (3) additional human-computer interaction capabilities for filtering, highlighting, and mixed-initiative interaction that allow researchers to combine their expertise with algorithmic output to gain insight into the sequence alignment algorithms and the problem domain. Two case studies illustrate the effectiveness of this system.
Identification of a Second Arcanobacterium pyogenes Neuraminidase and Involvement of Neuraminidase Activity in Host Cell Adhesion

Arcanobacterium pyogenes, a common inhabitant of the upper respiratory and urogenital tracts of economically important animals, such as cattle and swine, is also an opportunistic pathogen associated with suppurative infections in these animals. A. pyogenes expresses neuraminidase activity encoded by the nanH gene, and previously, construction of a nanH mutant of A. pyogenes BBR1 indicated that a second neuraminidase is present in this strain. A 5,112-bp gene, nanP, was cloned and sequenced, and this gene conferred neuraminidase activity on an Escherichia coli host strain. The predicted 186.8-kDa NanP protein exhibited similarity to a number of bacterial neuraminidases and contained the RIP/RLP motif and five copies of the Asp box motif found in all bacterial neuraminidases. As expected, insertional inactivation of the nanP gene in A. pyogenes BBR1 resulted in a mutant with reduced neuraminidase activity. However, insertional inactivation of the nanP gene in the nanH mutant strain resulted in a complete lack of neuraminidase activity. Like NanH, NanP was localized to the A. pyogenes cell wall. However, unlike the nanH gene, which was present in 100% of the strains examined, nanP was present in only 64.2% of the isolates (n = 53). A. pyogenes adheres to HeLa cells, and a nanP mutant displayed a wild-type adhesion phenotype with these cells. In contrast, the ability of a nanH nanP double mutant to bind to HeLa cells was reduced by 53%. The wild-type adhesion phenotype was restored by providing nanP in trans. These data indicate that the neuraminidases of A. pyogenes play a role in adhesion of this organism to host epithelial cells.
Stroke after percutaneous coronary interventions.

In this issue of the Journal , Dukkipati et al. [(1)][1]identified the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of stroke in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs). Stroke occurred in hospital in 92 of 20,670 patients (0.3%) after PCI, which is higher than the reported rates of 0.
Pindar's Pythian 11 and the Oresteia: Contestatory Ritual Poetics in the 5th c. BCE

The scholiasts offer two different dates for the Pythian victory of the Theban Thrasydaios celebrated in Pindar's eleventh Pythian ode: 474 or 454 bce. Following several older scholars, I accept the latter date, mainly because Pindar's myth in this poem is a mini- Oresteia , teeming with what seem to be echoes of the language, plotting, and sequencing of Aischylos' trilogy of 458 bce, as well as allusions to the genre of tragedy in general. Yet even those scholars who have argued for such a dialogue between these two works are at something of a loss to explain it, except as Pindar's admiring homage to the genius of Aischylos. Such accounts reveal the inadequacy of a reading that assumes a narrowly literary system of intertextuality. In order to account for this intertextual, intergeneric dialogue, we need instead to recognize the embeddedness of choral lyric and tragedy within their social and cultural contexts, and their differential relations with “neighboring systems” such as cult ritual. I will argue that Pindar implicitly challenges the tendency of Attic tragedy to displace and appropriate for its own purposes cults that properly belong to other Greek cities. Pindar, in contrast, in Pythian 11 emphasizes the locality and specificity of different communities' relations to the heroes of myth and cult as an important part of traditional choral and civic harmonia . Thus I will argue that these two texts are engaged in a contestatory ritual poetics about the locality and propriety of cult and its relation to the community as mediated through different choral forms.
Pharmacokinetics and disposition of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol and its metabolites.

The time course of intravenously administered Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ 9 -THC) in various species can be fitted by a sum of up to five exponentials, indicative of variable rates of permeation into and return from multiple body compartments. No dose dependent pharmacokinetics has been observed. The drug is rapidly and completely metabolized, concomitantly with its rapid distribution into, and sequestration by, tissues. Both bound and unbound Δ 9 -THC in the plasma are effectively cleared by the liver with a 50% hepatic efficiency referenced to total drug in plasma. The overall volume of distribution referenced to plasma-unbound drug is 50–100 × 10 3 liters. The terminal slow decay of Δ 9 -THC in the body with apparent half lives of up to 7 days is due to its slow release from these tissues. This terminal phase could not be significantly affected by any enzymic induction. Such a phenomenon implies a high accumulation in body tissues; the amount of Δ 9 -THC in the body would be 10-fold greater than from a single dose after 27 days of repetitive daily dosing. The slow elimination of metabolites is a consequence of the slow rate-determining return of Δ 9 -THC from deep compartments to the plasma. Intravenously administered metabolites are rapidly eliminated. In general by 5 days, 15–17% of the dose appears as metabolites in the urine and 40–45% is biliary excreted to appear in the feces. The studies in bile cannulated dogs show a 15% enterohepatic recirculation of biliary excreted metabolites. Available data is consistent with a similar pharmacokinetic pattern for the primary metabolite 11-hydroxy Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol. The high non-saturable protein binding (97%) of Δ 9 -THC can be used to solubilize this highly insoluble material (0.77 mg/l in 0.15 M NaCl at 23°). Δ 9 -THC is rapidly degraded in acidic solutions and the kinetics have been completely determined.
Light trapping in mesoporous solar cells with plasmonic nanostructures

Plasmon resonances in metal nanostructures have been extensively harnessed for light trapping in mesoporous solar cells (MSCs), including dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and recently in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). By altering the geometry, dimension, and composition of metal nanostructures, their optical characteristics can be tuned to either overlap with the sensitizer absorption and enhance light harvesting, or absorb light at a wavelength complementary to the sensitizer enabling broadband solar light capture in MSCs. In this comprehensive review, we discuss the mechanisms of plasmonic enhancement in MSCs including far-field coupling of scattered light, near-field coupling of localized electromagnetic fields, hot electron transfer, and plasmon resonant energy transfer. We then summarize the progress in plasmon enhanced DSSCs in the past decade and decouple the impact of metal nanostructure shape, size, composition, and surface coatings on the overall efficiency. Further, we also discuss the recent advances in plasmon-enhanced perovskite solar cells. Distinct from other published reviews, we discuss the significance of femtosecond spectroscopies to probe the fundamental underpinnings of plasmon enhanced phenomena and understand the mechanisms that give rise to energy transfer between metal nanoparticles and solar materials. The review concludes with a discussion on the challenges in plasmonic device fabrication, and the promise of low-loss semiconductor nanocrystals for plasmonic enhancement in MSCs that facilitate light capture in the infrared.
Chemical oxygen fertilization reduces stress and increases recovery and survival of flooded papaya (Carica papaya L.) plants

Abstract In many parts of the world papaya ( Carica papaya L.) is prone to hypoxic stress due to soil flooding as a result of severe storms or hurricanes. Two experiments were conducted to test the effects of root zone hypoxia on physiology, recovery and survival of papaya and to determine if negative impacts of root hypoxia can be reduced by chemically enriching the root zone with oxygen. In Experiment 1, seedlings in soil were divided into three flooding treatments: (1) 100% of roots submerged, (2) ∼75% of roots submerged, or (3) non-flooded; and three oxygen fertilization treatments: (1) 0 g CaO 2 , (2) 2.28 g CaO 2 g, or (3) 4.57 g CaO 2 applied to the soil prior to flooding. In soil, CaO 2 is broken down to H 2 O 2 which then releases oxygen to the rhizosphere. Therefore, in Experiment 2, plants in a hydroponic solution were divided into six treatments: (1) aeration of the hydroponic solution and no H 2 O 2 added to the solution, (2) no aeration and no H 2 O 2 added; (3) no aeration and 200 μl of 3% H 2 O 2 l −1 added daily, (4) no aeration and 500 μl of 3% H 2 O 2 l −1 added daily, (5) no aeration and 1000 μl of 3% H 2 O 2 l −1 added daily, or (6) no aeration and 2000 μl of 3% H 2 O 2 l −1 added daily. In soil, flooding of ∼75% or 100% of roots for two days decreased net CO 2 assimilation ( A ), stomatal conductance ( g s ), the leaf chlorophyll index, and the ratio of variable to maximum chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm). After plants were unflooded, these variables recovered to levels similar to those of the non-flooded treatment for plants with ∼75% of the roots submerged but did not recover in plants with 100% of the roots submerged if no CaO 2 was applied to the soil. If 2.28 or 4.57 g of CaO 2 was applied to the soil, A , g s , leaf chlorophyll index, and Fv/Fm recovered to values similar to those of non-flooded plants. Addition of CaO 2 to the soil also minimized reductions in leaf, stem, root and plant dry weights and increased survival of plants with 100% of roots submerged. For plants in the hydroponic solution, A and g s were generally lower in the non-aerated treatments than in the aerated treatment. If 500 or 1000 μl H 2 O 2 l −1 was added to the solution, A of plants in the non-aerated solution tended to recover to levels similar to those of plants in the aerated solution. Root ADH activity tended to be greater in the non-aerated treatment with no H 2 O 2 added to the solution than in any of the treatments with H 2 O 2 added. This study demonstrated that chemical oxygen enrichment of the root zone reduces flooding stress and increases recovery and post-flooding survival of papaya.
Cladding single crystal YAG fibers grown by laser heated pedestal growth

Rare-earth doped single-crystal (SC) Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (YAG) fibers are excellent candidates for high power lasers. These SC fiber optics combine the favorable low Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) gain coefficient and excellent thermal properties to make them an attractive alternative to glass fiber lasers and amplifiers. Various rare-earth doped SC fibers have been grown using the laser heated pedestal growth (LHPG) technique. Several cladding methods, including in-situ and post-growth cladding techniques, are discussed in this paper. A rod-in-tube approach has been used by to grow a fiber with an Erbium doped SC YAG fiber core inserted in a SC YAG tube. The result is a radial gradient in the distribution of rare-earth ions. Post cladding methods include sol-gel deposited polycrystalline.
Guidelines for Minimal Standards in Cardiovascular Surgery

Abstract When organized in 1966, the Cardiovascular Committee of the American College of Surgeons was charged by the Board of Regents, as one of its functions, "to encourage and assist properly coordinated, staffed and equipped cardiovascular teams or groups at the local level by the establishment of standards for the qualification of team members, as well as standards for determining the adequacy of space and equipment to support the program." Guidelines for such standards, as developed by the subcommittee and approved by the Regents in June, 1972, follow.
Dynamic interactions between poly(3-hexylthiophene) and single-walled carbon nanotubes in marginal solvent.

Interfacial interactions between conjugated polymers and carbon nanotubes are pivotal in determining the device performance of nanotube-based polymer electronic devices. Here, we report on interfacial structures and crystallization kinetics of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) in the presence of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in anisole by means of transmission electron microscope (TEM) and ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectroscopy. Confined on SWNT surfaces, the P3HT forms nanofibril crystals perpendicular to the long axis of SWNTs. The equilibrium dissolution temperature of the P3HT crystals in anisole is determined to be 381 ± 10 K according to the Hoffman–Weeks extrapolation approach. Upon cooling, the polymer solution spontaneously undergoes a time-dependent chromism. Various kinetics factors such as crystallization temperature, concentration, and SWNT loading have been investigated. It is found that the growth rate (G) of the crystals scales with concentration (C) as G ∝ C1.70±0.16. T...