cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Deviance Approach to Understanding Use of Maternal Health Care Services in Bangladesh.

CONTEXT Use of maternal health care can reduce maternal morbidity and mortality in countries like Bangladesh, where rates of these outcomes are high. Community characteristics are associated with use of maternal care services, but it is unclear whether deviation from community norms is associated with service use. METHODS Data from the 2014 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey on 4,106 ever-married women aged 15-49 were used to examine relationships between women's deviation from their communities on socioeconomic, fertility and other characteristics and use of maternal health care (antenatal care, delivery care, postpartum care and a composite measure). Characteristics were examined at the individual and community levels and as deviance variables that indicated whether respondents differed from local norms in a positive way (e.g., being employed when others were not) or a negative way (being unemployed when others had jobs). Associations were identified using logistic regression. RESULTS Sixty-three percent of women had had postpartum care; smaller proportions had had delivery care (40%), antenatal care (27%) or all three types (17%). Several deviance variables were associated with service use. Negative deviance on women's employment was associated with antenatal care (odds ratio, 1.3); positive deviance on violence justification, exposure to family planning messages and husband's employment was associated with delivery care (1.3-4.8); positive deviance on husband's employment was associated with not receiving postpartum care (0.7); and negative deviance on women's employment and positive deviance on age at marriage were associated with receipt of all three services (1.4-1.7). CONCLUSION Understanding associations between deviation from community norms and receipt of maternal health care may provide deeper understanding of variation within communities regarding whether women use services.
Adults’ Miranda Comprehension

The results of the study in the foregoing chapter indicated that juveniles at any given age varied considerably in the extent of their understanding of Miranda warnings, commensurate with a wide range of intellectual abilities at any specific age. In general, however, mean comprehension scores increased at each successive age level from 10 and 11 to about 14, beyond which a plateau in mean comprehension scores extended through age 16. These results indicated the need for a similar study of adults’ comprehension of Miranda warnings in order to determine whether this plateau signified the attainment of a level of comprehension generally associated with an adult level of understanding.
Scale-Up from Laboratory to Plant

Very often scale-up from laboratory to pilot plant or full-size manufacturing plant can present many challenges that are not easily resolved. It is in this domain that chemical engineers make their greatest contribution to new progress. Chemists, more than engineers, are inclined to be artistic rather than practical. They often build art-forms of science for the archives rather than useful products for the everyday world. (I take license in this statement because I am a chemist and not an engineer.)
The Diagnostic Potential of the Orienting Reflex

Corson, Corson and Andrysco (1981) showed that the character of a dog’s cardiorespiratory orienting responses is a reliable predictor of the effects that repeated aversive, electrical stimulation will have on the animal. It has long been known that such stimulation of spatially restricted animals often produces long-lasting autonomic and motor response complexes that Pavlov (1927) referred to as “experimental neuroses”. These are characterized by sympathetic-dominated responses such as mydriasis, tachycardia and polypnea, which are especially arousable by the stimuli of the conditioning room.
Age Matters: The cognitive strategies and benefits of learning among college-degreed older adults

Age Matters: The Cognitive Strategies and Benefits of Learning Among College-Degreed Older Adults by Bruce Campbell This study explored learning among college-degreed adults who were 60 to 98 years of age. Its purpose was three-fold. It sought to describe what participants learned, the cognitive strategies they used, and the perceived benefits they gained from learning. Study participants included 35 adults with a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree. Twenty were men and fifteen were women. All claimed to be active learners at the outset of the study. Descriptive research methodology was used for data collection. It consisted of interviews using both phenomenological and semistructured questions and a focus group that elaborated upon interview results. Data indicated that: 1) older, educated adults who are actively engaged in learning pursue a wide range of interests through multiple methods; 2) adult cognitive development continues indefinitely among those active learners; 3) learning is the purpose of living for some older adults; 4) collegedegreed, older adults who are actively engaged in learning use age-specific learning strategies; 5) gender influences late-life learning; and 6) the benefits of late-life learning appear to antidote aging. This study has numerous implications. These include the need for additional research that analyzes the impact of education early in life on mental acuity in later life; the benefits of learning throughout the lifespan; potential gender differences among aging learners; and the reconceptualization of educated, older adults and their abilities. There are also implications for designing educational programs that accommodate the interests and skills of an aging population.
Comparing Cuban and South Florida Spanish-Language Media Coverage of Sea-Level Rise

How do foreign-language media catering largely to immigrant communities compare to home-country media, when discussing an environmental issue of equally high salience to both audiences? This chapter compares coverage of sea-level rise by Spanish-language media in South Florida with that of Cuban state media and with blogger coverage of the issue, as a preliminary means of understanding how very different news systems communicate an issue that is of urgency to their audiences. South Florida and Cuba share important cultural heritage, but there are also stark differences between their media and between their economic and political realities. Media coverage of this shared threat in South Florida Spanish-language media and Cuban media provided examples of these contrasts.
PENGARUH GAYA KEPEMIMPINAN DALAM SEBUAH ORGANISASI

Being a leader with a leadership style that organizations aim to be the responsibility of a leader they can walk or applied in various ways, so depending on the individual leader with a distinctive image and unique personality. There are leaders who emphasize how authoritarian leadership style, democratic style, and other styles, depending on something that is closely related to the quality and uniqueness of each act as a leader. Something that believes that with his leadership style, he will still be able to carry out duties and responsibilities well. Keywords: Leadership Style, Organization Menjadi pemimpin dengan gaya kepemimpinan yang berbeda-beda bertujuan agar organisasi yang menjadi tanggung jawab seorang pempinan tersebut dapat berjalan atau dilaksanakan dengan berbagai cara, sehingga sangat bergantung pada pribadi pemimpin yang dengan gambaran kepribadiannya yang khas dan unik. Ada pemimpin yang harus menekankan gaya kepemimpinannya dengan cara otoriter, gaya demokratis, dan gaya yang lain, tergantung pada sesuatu yang sangat erat hubungannya dengan kualitas dan kekhasan pada pribadi yang bertindak sebagai pemimpin. Sesuatu yang diyakini bahwa dengan gaya kepemimpinannya, ia akan tetap dapat menjalankan tugas dan tanggung jawabnya dengan baik. Kata kunci : Gaya Kepemimpinan, Organisasi
Increasing Age Is Not Independently Associated with Increased 30-Day Morbidity after Hip Arthroscopy

The purpose of this study is to examine the 30-day postoperative complications after hip arthroscopy as a function of patient age. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2005 to 2016 was used to identify all patients undergoing hip arthroscopy using Current Procedural Terminology and International Classification of Disease codes. Patient characteristics and postoperative complications were compared in a retrospective cohort study with a level of evidence 3 across patient age cohorts using bivariate and multivariate analysis that corrected for differences in baseline patient characteristics. In total, 2,427 patients undergoing hip arthroscopy were identified. Of all identified patients, 667 (27.5%) were under 30 years of age, 596 (24.5%) were between 31 and 40, 599 (24.6%) were between 41 and 50, and 566 (23.3%) were older than 50. Chondroplasty, abrasion arthroplasty, and/or resection of the labrum were the most commonly performed procedures in all age groups. As age increased, patients were more likely to be female and have a higher body mass index, more medical comorbidities, a shorter operative duration, and a higher American Society of Anesthesiologists class. The rate of any 30-day postoperative complication was 1.35% in patients under 30 years of age, 1.68% in patients between 31 and 40, 2.67% in patients between 41 and 50, and 5.12% in patients older than 50 ( p p ≤ 0.001). However, no differences were identified with multivariate analysis. While older patients had higher short-term complications following hip arthroscopy, age alone was not an independent predictor of adverse outcomes. Further investigation is necessary to determine the risk factors associated with significant postoperative morbidity in older patients undergoing hip arthroscopy.
Intrahepatic pancreatic heterotopia: review and report of a case presenting as an abdominal mass.

Heterotopic pancreatic tissues are encountered with relative frequency in necropsy and surgical material from the upper abdominal organs. This is in contrast with the rarity of this anomaly in the liver, where only 1 such case has been reported. Although heterotopic pancreatic tissues are for the most part asymptomatic and often incidental findings, in a considerable number of cases these anomalies are the source of serious clinical manifestations. Generally, obstruction of a conduit or pathologic changes in these aberrations are the occasions when the clinical manifestations develop. We are reporting the second case of pancreatic heterotopia in the liver, in this instance presenting itself as a palpable abdominal mass. The reported rarity of this anomaly in the liver and histogenetic theories of the pancreatic heterotopia in general are also discussed. We believe that inadequate examination of the liver at necropsy has contributed to the very low reported incidence of this heterotopia.
The President Is in: Public Opinion and the Presidential Use of Twitter:

Analyzing President Trump’s Tweets (N = 30,386) with the first tweet starting from 4 May 2009, this article looks at the nature of his conversations with the public and the building of public suppo...
Children Who Are Overweight Display Altered Vertical Jump Kinematics and Kinetics From Children Who Are Not Overweight

PURPOSE Children who are overweight typically do not perform motor skills as well as normal-weight peers. This study examined whether vertical jump kinetics and kinematics of children who are overweight differ from nonoverweight peers. METHODS Thirty-nine children completed maximum-effort countermovement vertical jumps. Motion capture was used to complete lower extremity kinematic and kinetic analyses. RESULTS The overweight group (body mass index ≥ 85th percentile; N = 11; age = 6.5 [1.6] y) jumped lower relative to their mass (0.381 cm/kg lower; P < .001) than normal-weight peers (N = 28; age = 6.4 [1.7] y). Compared with children who are normal weight, children who were overweight exhibited a shallower countermovement (knee: 12° less flexion, P = .02; hip: 10° less flexion, P = .045), lower hip torque (0.06 N·m/kg lower, P = .01) and hip work (40% less work, P = .01), and earlier peak joint angular velocities (knee: 9 ms earlier, P = .001; hip: 14 ms earlier, P = .004). CONCLUSION Children who are overweight do not achieve optimal jumping mechanics and exhibit jumping characteristics of an earlier developmental stage compared with their peers. Interventions should help children who are overweight learn to execute a proper countermovement.
Associations between Fall Distance, Age, and Trauma Outcomes in Older Adult Patients

Introduction. Falls are the leading cause of injury death amongolder adults. This study sought to determine if there are differencesbetween fall distance (ground level vs greater than groundlevel) and age (old vs very old) in terms of in-hospital mortality,orthopedic consultations, and neurological consultations. Methods. A retrospective trauma registry review was conductedof older adult patients (aged > 65 years), admitted to aMidwestern Level I trauma facility (2005 - 2010) due to a fall.Results. Of the 1,064 patients analyzed, the majority fell fromground level compared to greater than ground level (64% and36%, respectively). Median age was 80 years. Fall distance wasnot associated significantly with in-hospital mortality (OR0.88; CI 0.50 - 1.54) or neurological consultations (OR 1.02; CI0.72 - 1.43), but was associated with orthopedic consultations(OR 1.49; CI 1.09 - 2.04). Age was not associated with in-hospitalmortality or neurological or orthopedic consultations. Conclusions. Fall distance was not associated with in-hospitalmortality or receiving a neurological consultation.However, older adults who fell from greater than groundlevel were more likely to receive orthopedic consultations.There were no differences in in-hospital mortality or receivinga neurological or orthopedic consultation based onage. These findings indicated that as the older adult populationincreases, burden of care will increase for trauma centersand neurological services. KS J Med 2016;9(3):54-57.
Trust/distrust judgments and perceptions of climate science: A research note on skeptics' rationalizations.

Using interviews with residents of Idaho (a rural northwest US state) who identify as skeptical of climate change, we examine how skeptics rationalize their doubts about climate science. Skeptics t...
Molecular Mechanisms of Non-ionotropic NMDA Receptor Signaling

Abstract Structural plasticity of dendritic spines is a key component of the refinement of synaptic connections during learning. Recent studies highlight a novel role for the NMDA receptor (NMDAR), independent of ion flow, in driving spine shrinkage and LTD. Yet little is known about the molecular mechanisms that link conformational changes in the NMDAR to changes in spine size and synaptic strength. Here, using two-photon glutamate uncaging to induce plasticity in hippocampal CA1 neurons from mice and rats, we demonstrate that p38 MAPK is required downstream of conformational NMDAR signaling to drive both spine shrinkage and LTD at individual dendritic spines. In a series of pharmacological and molecular genetic experiments, we identify key components of the non-ionotropic NMDAR signaling pathway driving dendritic spine shrinkage, including the interaction between NOS1AP and nNOS, nNOS enzymatic activity, activation of MK2 and cofilin, and signaling through CaMKII. Our results represent a large step forward in delineating the molecular mechanisms of non-ionotropic NMDAR signaling that drive the shrinkage and elimination of dendritic spines during synaptic plasticity.
Social networks and obesity among Somali immigrants and refugees

Somali immigrants and refugees to the United States are at high risk for obesity and related cardiovascular risk. Social network factors influence health behaviors and are important contributors to the obesity epidemic. The objective of this study was to describe social networks and obesity-related characteristics among adult Somali immigrants in a Minnesota city in order to inform a community-based, participatory, research-derived, social network intervention to decrease obesity rates. Survey data (demographics, general health measures, and sociobehavioral and network measures) and height and weight measures (for calculating body mass index) were collected from adult Somali immigrants by bilingual study team members at community locations. Descriptive statistics were used to report the survey and biometric data. Logistic regression models were used to describe the basic associations of participants and network factors. Network data were analyzed to identify nodes and ties, to visualize the network, and to identify potential interventionists for a future social network intervention. Of the 646 participants, 50% were overweight or affected by obesity. The network had 1703 nodes with 3583 ties between nodes, and modularity was high (0.75). Compared with respondents of normal weight, participants who were overweight or affected by obesity had more network members who were also overweight or obese (odds ratio [OR], 2.90; 95% CI, 1.11–7.56; P = .03); this was most notable for men (OR, 4.58; 95% CI, 1.22–17.22; P = .02) and suggestive for those 50 years or older (OR, 24.23; 95% CI, 1.55–377.83; P = .03). Weight loss intention among participants who were overweight or affected by obesity was associated with number of family members and friends trying to lose weight, enabling functional network factors (social norms for weight loss, social support for healthy eating, and social cohesion), and less favorable obesogenic social norms. In this community sample of Somali immigrants, distinct social networks are clustered by weight status, and social contacts and functional network characteristics are related to individuals’ weight loss intentions. These factors should be considered in weight loss interventions and programs. A social network intervention targeting weight loss, within a community-based participatory research framework, is feasible in this vulnerable population.
Decentralized Min-Max Optimization: Formulations, Algorithms and Applications in Network Poisoning Attack

This paper discusses formulations and algorithms which allow a number of agents to collectively solve problems involving both (non-convex) minimization and (concave) maximization operations. These problems have a number of interesting applications in information processing and machine learning, and in particular can be used to model an adversary learning problem called network data poisoning. We develop a number of algorithms to efficiently solve these non-convex min-max optimization problems, by combining techniques such as gradient tracking in the decentralized optimization literature and gradient descent-ascent schemes in the min-max optimization literature. Also, we establish convergence to a first order stationary point under certain conditions. Finally, we perform experiments to demonstrate that the proposed algorithms are effective in the data poisoning attack.
Hybrid Three-Dimensional Thermal Aware Design Methodologies For Multiprocessor Systems

Design of high performance three-dimensional multi-core systems imposes several challenges to maintain thermal uniformity within the chip due to development of hotspots. We propose a hybrid thermal management technique, which combines the advantages of proactive and reactive thermal management schemes. Thermal Aware Hybrid Routing uses variable throttling levels in addition to multi-objective thermal aware adaptive routing to check the efficiency of the 3D multi-core chip. In comparison to the existing methods, hybrid thermal aware routing approach proposed in this paper provides better thermal optimization
Fate and transport of molybdenum in soils: Kinetic modeling

Abstract Molybdenum (Mo) is an essential trace element for human, animal and plant health. Mo deficiency in soils has frequently been reported, especially under P-deficient conditions. However, Mo is also a potentially toxic contaminant to soils and aquifers that may pose significant threat to ecological and human health. This review article illustrates briefly about Mo, its production and use, its natural occurrence, its fate and behavior in the soil-water system, and its retention mechanisms in soils. Furthermore, a range of transport models (multi-reaction model, second order model, stir-flow model, and competitive model) for describing and predicting Mo fate and transport behavior in the environment have been reviewed. It was shown that equilibrium Langmuir and Freundlich equations can be extended to simulate the pH dependent and time-dependent sorption and transport in soils. An advantage of modified Freundlich and Langmuir approaches is that they are relatively less complex and require fewer parameters. On the other hand, geochemical models, which are based on surface complexation concepts, were incorporated into kinetic models to accurately describe the reactive transport of Mo in soil components under a wide range of environmental conditions.
Understanding HIV/AIDS prevention and care in the context of competing health and well-being priorities among Black men who have sex with men in Baltimore, MD

This study examines health and well-being priorities among Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) in Baltimore, MD and their association with condom use. Among 148 sexually active BMSM, 43% were HIV positive. The majority ranked financial stability (68%), physical health (53%), and stable housing (59%) as top priorities. Fewer participants identified top priorities as mental health (37%), HIV prevention (35%), relationships with family (25%), and romantic partners (23%). Identifying HIV prevention (aOR: 2.25; 95% CI: 1.07-4.72) and relationship with family (aOR: 2.19; 95% CI: 0.99-4.89) as top priorities were associated with increased odds of always using condoms. Reporting stable housing as a top priority (aOR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.22-1.00) reduced the odds of always using a condom. To increase relevance, HIV/AIDS prevention programs should address BMSM's financial, housing and physical health needs.
The Meanings of Democracy among Mass Publics

In this paper, we illustrate that composite views about democracy vary significantly within and across national populations. Using World Values Survey data, we use latent class analysis to demonstrate that composite views of democracy display only modest consensus across country contexts. Although the features of procedural democracy are widely viewed as a cornerstone of democracy, their perceived importance and the way that they interact with substantive features varies considerably across and within democratic countries. These findings encourage caution when analyzing cross-national mass opinion about democracy. In particular, latent variable modeling using pooled survey data should pay careful attention to the unique permutations that democracy takes in the minds of citizens.
A long read optimized de novo transcriptome pipeline reveals novel ocular developmentally regulated gene isoforms and disease targets

Abstract De novo transcriptome construction from short-read RNA-seq is a common method for reconstructing mRNA transcripts within a given sample. However, the precision of this process is unclear as it is difficult to obtain a ground-truth measure of transcript expression. With advances in third generation sequencing, full length transcripts of whole transcriptomes can be accurately sequenced to generate a ground-truth transcriptome. We generated long-read PacBio and short-read Illumina RNA-seq data from a human induced pluripotent stem cell- derived retinal pigmented epithelium (iPSC-RPE) cell line. We use long-read data to identify simple metrics for assessing de novo transcriptome construction and optimize a short-read based de novo transcriptome construction pipeline. We apply this this pipeline to construct transcriptomes for 340 short-read RNA-seq samples originating from healthy adult and fetal human retina, cornea, and RPE. We identify hundreds of novel gene isoforms and examine their significance in the context of ocular development and disease.
Limited Clinical Utility of Chest Radiography in Asymptomatic Patients after Interventional Radiology-Performed Ultrasound-Guided Thoracentesis: Analysis of 3,022 Consecutive Patients

Purpose The aim of this study was to report the utility of chest radiography following interventional radiology-performed ultrasound-guided thoracentesis. Materials and Methods A total of 3,998 patients underwent thoracentesis between 2003 and 2018 at two institutions. A total of 3,022 (75.6%) patients were older than 18 years old, underwent interventional radiology-performed ultrasound-guided thoracentesis, and had same-day post-procedure chest radiograph evaluation. Patient age (years), laterality of thoracentesis, procedural technical success, volume of fluid removed (mL), method of post-procedure chest imaging, absence or presence of pneumothorax, pneumothorax size (mm), pneumothorax management measures, and clinical outcomes were recorded. Technical success was defined as successful aspiration of pleural fluid. Post-procedure clinical outcomes included new patient-perceived dyspnea and hypoxia (oxygen saturations Results Mean age was 56.7 ± 15.5 years. Interventional radiology-performed ultrasound-guided thoracentesis was performed on the left (n = 1,531; 50.7%), right (n = 1,477; 48.9%), and bilaterally (n = 14; 0.5%) using 5-French catheters. Technical success was 100% (n = 3,022). Mean volume of 940 ± 550 mL of fluid was removed. Post-procedure imaging was performed in the form of posteroanterior (PA) (2.6%; 78/3,022), anteroposterior (AP) (17.0%; 513/3,022), PA and lateral (77.9%; 2,355/3,022), or PA, lateral, and left lateral decubitus (2.5%; 76/3,022) chest radiographs. Post-procedural pneumothorax was identified in 21 (0.69%) patients. Mean pneumothorax size, measured on chest radiograph as the longest distance from the chest wall to the lung, was 18.8 ± 10.2 mm (range: 5.0–35.0 mm). Of the 21 pneumothoraces, 7 (33.3%) were asymptomatic, resolved spontaneously, and had a mean size of 6.4 ± 2.4 mm. Fourteen pneumothoraces, of mean size 25.0 ± 5.8 mm, required management with a pleural drainage catheter (66.6%). The overall incidence of pneumothorax requiring pleural drainage catheter placement following interventional radiology-performed ultrasound-guided thoracentesis was 0.46% (14/3,022). Of the patients requiring drainage catheter placement, 12/14 (85.7%) and 13/14 (92.9%) had dyspnea and hypoxia, respectively. Potential costs to Medicare and Medicaid, for chest radiographs, in this study, were $27,547 and $10,581, respectively. Conclusion The incidence of clinically significant pneumothorax requiring catheter drainage following interventional radiology-operated ultrasound-guided thoracentesis is exceedingly low (0.46%), and routine post-procedure chest radiographs in asymptomatic patients provide little value. Reserving post-procedure chest radiographs for patients with post-procedure dyspnea or hypoxia will result in more efficient resource utilization and health care cost savings.
The periodic table of ribonucleotide reductases.

In most organisms, transition metal ions are necessary cofactors of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), the enzyme responsible for biosynthesis of the 2′-deoxynucleotide building blocks of DNA. The metal ion generates an oxidant for an active site cysteine (Cys), yielding a thiyl radical that is necessary for initiation of catalysis in all RNRs. Class I enzymes, widespread in eukaryotes and aerobic microbes, share a common requirement for dioxygen in assembly of the active Cys oxidant and a unique quaternary structure, in which the metallo- or radical-cofactor is found in a separate subunit, β, from the catalytic α subunit. The first class I RNRs, the class Ia enzymes, discovered and characterized more than 30 years ago, were found to use a diiron(III)-tyrosyl-radical Cys oxidant. Although class Ia RNRs have historically served as the model for understanding enzyme mechanism and function, more recently, remarkably diverse bioinorganic and radical cofactors have been discovered in class I RNRs from pathogenic microbes. These enzymes use alternative transition metal ions, such as manganese, or posttranslationally installed tyrosyl radicals for initiation of ribonucleotide reduction. Here we summarize the recent progress in discovery and characterization of novel class I RNR radical-initiating cofactors, their mechanisms of assembly, and how they might function in the context of the active class I holoenzyme complex.
Numerical simulation of fibrous biomaterials with randomly distributed fiber network structure

This paper presents a computational framework to simulate the mechanical behavior of fibrous biomaterials with randomly distributed fiber networks. A random walk algorithm is implemented to generate the synthetic fiber network in 2D used in simulations. The embedded fiber approach is then adopted to model the fibers as embedded truss elements in the ground matrix, which is essentially equivalent to the affine fiber kinematics. The fiber-matrix interaction is partially considered in the sense that the two material components deform together, but no relative movement is considered. A variational approach is carried out to derive the element residual and stiffness matrices for finite element method (FEM), in which material and geometric nonlinearities are both included. Using a data structure proposed to record the network geometric information, the fiber network is directly incorporated into the FEM simulation without significantly increasing the computational cost. A mesh sensitivity analysis is conducted to show the influence of mesh size on various simulation results. The proposed method can be easily combined with Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to include the influence of the stochastic nature of the network and capture the material behavior in an average sense. The computational framework proposed in this work goes midway between homogenizing the fiber network into the surrounding matrix and accounting for the fully coupled fiber-matrix interaction at the segment length scale, and can be used to study the connection between the microscopic structure and the macro-mechanical behavior of fibrous biomaterials with a reasonable computational cost.
Information on genetically modified foods and how it affects consumers: evidence from experimental auctions

Genetically modified (GM) foods have been at the center of a contentious debate. One side of the debate includes environmental groups like Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, who are opposed to GM foods — these groups would like GM foods banned, or at the very least they want GM foods to be clearly labeled as such. On the other side of the debate are agribusiness companies like Monsanto and Syngenta, who view GM foods positively. They think GM foods help the environment and could help feed the malnourished. Both groups actively disseminate information on genetically modified foods. This dissertation reports on several results from experimental auctions where consumers actually had to purchase food products if they won the auctions. Consumers were able to accurately read the signals for which food was GM in experimental markets that emulated mandatory and voluntary GM-labeling regimes. This shows evidence that the U.S. has been prudent in not implementing a mandatory labeling policy for GM foods. Consumers place a large value on keeping non-GM foods free from any GM-material (not allowing a small "tolerance" for GM-material). Consumers did not place extra value, however, on a 1% tolerant food relative to a 5% tolerant food. This provides evidence that if the United States chooses a tolerance policy for GM-material, a 5% GM-tolerance may be better than a 1% tolerance. Currently the information available to consumers on GM foods is from interested parties. Chapter 4 shows that a third party source that provides verifiable information on GM foods could have a large annual value to U.S. consumers. This value is due to helping consumers make more informed choices. Verifiable information can also have value by preventing the non-adoption of socially useful inventions.
Final focusing system for the second axis of the dual-axis radiographic hydrodynamic test facility

The DARHT-II final focusing system consists of a solenoid and a foil, which is used to confine backstreaming ions. The separation between the converter target and the foil needs to be small to minimize the ion focusing effects. The beam spot size on the foil has to be large enough to ensure survivability of the foil while it is being struck by four high current pulses over 2 microsecond period. We have investigated several final focusing lens and focusing schemes. The simulation results of the beam spot size on the target are presented.
Formal specification of software using H-graph semantics

The goal of H-graph semantics as a method for software specification is to provide a means of constructing formal models of software systems. The formal models are constructed automatically from the program text and serve as the basis for analysis, verification, and transformation of the program. The resulting formal model is then directly executable with reasonable efficiency on conventional computers. The intent is to develop methods that can be applied automatically and which will “scale up” to large programs. A programming environment that supports this development and analysis activity is currently being constructed.
When Should a Mistake of Fact Excuse

This symposium contribution advances two claims. First, a mistake (or ignorance) of fact should matter in the criminal law only insofar as it causes an actor to be ignorant of the law. Mistakes of fact should have exculpatory force if and only if they cause ignorance of the law, which ignorance ought to be an excuse to criminal liability. Second, an actor who should otherwise be excused because he is ignorant of the law, which ignorance is in turn the result of some mistake of fact, should not lose that excuse just because the underlying mistake of fact can in a plausible and legitimate sense be characterized as “unreasonable.”
Potential dust emissions from the southern Kalahari's dunelands

[1] The Southern Hemisphere shows relatively low levels of atmospheric dust concentrations. Dust concentrations could, however, increase as a result of losses of vegetation cover in the southern Kalahari. There is some evidence of an ongoing remobilization of stabilized dunefields in the southern Kalahari where dune crests with sparse vegetation cover are reactivated during dry and windy periods, a phenomenon that is predicted to intensify with increased land degradation, overgrazing, and droughts. Despite the potentially important climatic and biogeochemical implications of dust emissions from the Kalahari, it is still unclear whether the predicted remobilization of the Kalahari dunes could be associated with increased dust emissions from this region. The dependence of sediment fluxes and dust emissions on vegetation cover in the Kalahari dunelands remains poorly understood, which prevents a quantitative assessment of possible changes in aeolian activity in this region under different land use and land cover scenarios. In this study, we report the results of an aeolian sediment sampling campaign over a variety of land covers in the southern Kalahari. We use these results to quantify the potential rate of dust emissions and its dependence on vegetation cover and to make an estimate of dust fluxes from a portion of the southern Kalahari. The results show that the loss of vegetation could lead to substantial increases in dust emission and nutrient loss.
Liquefied Natural Gas from Indonesia: The Arun Project

Introduction The Arun natural gas project in Northern Sumatra is probably the most lucrative LNG operation in the twentieth century. This chapter analyzes the issues involved in the transmission of that gas to potential buyers and why Japan became Arun's only foreign market in its first two decades. Following a description of the development of the Arun field and its LNG facilities, we review the agreements made with the initial buyers. To explain the context in which these contracts evolved, we analyze Pertamina, the Indonesian national oil company, and the political and economic conditions in the Republic at the time. We give considerable attention to the long-term impact of this trade on the Japanese and Northeast Asian gas markets, the contractual relations between Pertamina and Japanese buyers, and competition among those buyers. The basic thrust of this analysis is that Japan was the only viable customer for Arun's gas in the initial decade after discovery. Japan had a need for clean energy, was prepared to use LNG, and was willing to finance the project in Indonesia. There was not a sufficient domestic market in Indonesia at the time and Arun was perceived to be geographically too far from its population center. The rest of East and South Asia had not developed to the point of usefully importing LNG and did not have the ability to finance these operations. Singapore was later to become an importer of gas piped from Indonesia, but at the time was not interested in Arun.
Biology of high risk benign breast lesions

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the biology of high risk benign breast lesions. The natural history of breast cancer indicates that it develops over years—even decades—and may progress through recognizable stages of proliferative breast disease. Although breast cancers are slow growing, they metastasize early. The ability to recognize and treat high-risk, precursor breast lesions is desirable. In the human breast, a spectrum of microscopic changes is termed as proliferative breast disease (PBD). The progression of histopathological features of PBD is correlated with increased risk for the development of invasive carcinoma, but the focal and microscopic lesions of PBD provide scant tissue for genetic or other biological analyses. Carcinoma in situ (CIS), with an associated tenfold increased risk for breast cancer, is accepted as a precursor lesion because subsequent development of invasive cancer is frequently in the same breast in which CIS was detected earlier. Patterns of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and gene expression in cancer and in experimental cell models support the notion that breast cancer can develop from a number of pathways of interdependent genetic changes.
Energetic compounds consisting of 1,2,5- and 1,3,4-oxadiazole rings

3-Nitroamino-4-(5-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)furazan monohydrate (2·H2O), which is a combination of the nitroaminofurazan and 1,3,4-oxadiazole rings, was obtained by the nitration of 3-amino-4-(5-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)furazan (1) with 100% nitric acid. Several energetic derivatives of 2 were prepared and fully characterized by multinuclear NMR, and IR spectroscopy, as well as elemental analysis. X-ray analyses for 1, 2·H2O and 5·H2O give insight into structural characteristics showing the presence of extensive hydrogen-bonding interactions. Most of these new materials exhibit good thermal stabilities and acceptable sensitivity values. Detonation performance numbers were obtained based on the calculated heats of formation and measured densities indicating that some of these bonded nitroaminofurazan/oxadiazole materials are comparable to RDX.
Effects of an acute increase of intracranial pressure upon the electroencephalogram.

Abstract Continuous EEG tracings were obtained in 10 subjects during acutely induced elevations of the CSF pressure. It was concluded that bilateral and synchronous changes in the EEG do not occur as a result of an acute increase in intracranial pressure.
Response of beams of non-linear viscoelastic materials exhibiting strain-dependent stress relaxation

Abstract A constitutive equation for non-linear viscoelasticity is used to model the mechanical response of solid polymers such as polycarbonate. The non-linearity arises from a reduced time variable which causes stress relaxation to occur faster as strain increases. This constitutive equation has almost exclusively been used to study the response of materials subjected to homogeneous strains, and has been shown to account for the occurrence of ‘yield’ in homogeneous constant strain rate tests. Here, it is used in a study of the pure bending of beams. The classical assumptions of beam theory are made, i.e. plane sections remain plane so that, at each fixed time, the strains vary linearly through the depth of the beam. The interaction of this spatial variation of strain with the non-linear dependence of the reduced time on strain leads to a response which significantly differs from that determined using linear viscoelasticity theory. This interaction is explored by numerical simulation of the response of beams under conditions of curvature control and of bending moment control. The curvature and bending moment histories are: step change, constant rate, and constant rate increase and decrease to zero. The bending moment and curvature response histories, stress distributions, cross-section shape and other factors which relate to beam design are discussed.
Horospherical transform on Riemannian symmetric manifolds of noncompact type

We discuss I. M. Gelfand’s project of rebuilding the representation theory of semisimple Lie groups on the basis of integral geometry. The basic examples are related to harmonic analysis and the horospherical transform on symmetric manifolds. Specifically, we consider the inversion of this transform on Riemannian symmetric manifolds of noncompact type. In the known explicit inversion formulas, the nonlocal part essentially depends on the type of the root system. We suggest a universal modification of this operator.
Product and mechanistic analysis of the reactivity of a C6-pyrimidine radical in RNA.

Nucleobase radicals are the major reactive intermediates produced when hydroxyl radical reacts with nucleic acids. 5,6-Dihydrouridin-6-yl radical (1) was independently generated from a ketone precursor via Norrish Type I photocleavage in a dinucleotide, single-stranded, and double-stranded RNA. This radical is a model of the major hydroxyl radical adduct of uridine. Tandem lesions resulting from addition of the peroxyl radical derived from 1 to the 5′-adjacent nucleotide are observed by ESI−MS. Radical 1 produces direct strand breaks at the 5′-adjacent nucleotide and at the initial site of generation. The preference for cleavage at these two positions depends upon the secondary structure of the RNA and whether O2 is present or not. Varying the identity of the 5′-adjacent nucleotide has little effect on strand scission. In general, strand scission is significantly more efficient under anaerobic conditions than when O2 is present. Strand scission is more than twice as efficient in double-stranded RNA than i...
The kinematic and hydrographic structure of the Gulf of Maine Coastal Current

The Gulf of Maine Coastal Current (GMCC), which extends from southern Nova Scotia to Cape Cod Massachusetts, was investigated from 1998 to 2001 by means of extensive hydrographic surveys, current meter moorings, tracked drifters, and satellite-derived thermal imagery. The study focused on two principal branches of the GMCC, the Eastern Maine Coastal Current (EMCC) that extends along the eastern coast of Maine to Penobscot Bay, and the Western Maine Coastal Current (WMCC) that extends westward from Penobscot Bay to Massachusetts Bay. Results confirm that GMCC is primarily a pressure gradient-driven system with both principal branches increasing their transport in the spring and summer due to fresh-water inflows, and flowing southwestward against the mean wind forcing during this period. In the spring and summer the subtidal surface currents in the EMCC range from 0.15 to 0.30 ms 1 while subtidal WMCC currents range from 0.05 to 0.15 ms 1 . The reduction of southwestward transport near Penobscot Bay is accomplished via an offshore veering of a variable portion of the EMCC, some of which recirculates cyclonically within the eastern Gulf of Maine. The degree of summer offshore veering, versus leakage into the WMCC, varied strongly over the three study years, from nearly complete disruption in 1998 to nearly continuous through-flow in 2000. Observations show strong seasonal and interannual variability in both the strength of the GMCC and the degree of connectivity of its principal branches. r 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Assessment of the myocardial perfusion pattern in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease

We studied 42 symptomatic patients with coronary artery disease involving two or three vessels using exercise thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy. Qualitative analysis of the images predicted multivessel disease in 75% of the patients with two-vessel disease and in 82% of the patients with three-vessel disease. Quantitative analysis of the size of the perfusion defect indicated that approximately 40% of the left ventricular perimeter showed abnormal perfusion pattern during stress in these patients, and there was no significant difference in the size of the defect in patients with two-vessel disease or three-vessel disease (41 +/- 17% vs 42 +/- 14%, respectively, mean +/- SD). The exercise heart rate, exercise ECG response, and severity of narrowing did not correlate with the size of the perfusion defect. Patients with anterior infarction had larger defects in the distribution of the left anterior descending artery than those without infarction. Collaterals offered partial protection during exercise only when they were not jeopardized. This study confirms the value of qualitative analysis of exercise thallium-201 imaging in predicting multivessel disease, and describes a simple method of assessing the extent of perfusion abnormalities during stress in patients with multivessel disease. The results may be important in patient management and prognosis.
Conditional Cre/LoxP strategies for the study of hematopoietic stem cell formation

Some of the questions that have intrigued developmental biologists studying blood cell formation are: where do blood cells form, what are their precursors, and what signals are required for their emergence. Elegant embryonic grafting experiments in non-mammalian vertebrates, transplantation assays in mouse, and genetic analyses in zebrafish and mouse have been brought to bear on these problems, with enormous success. More recently investigators have applied conditional gene deletion and replacement strategies to refine our knowledge of this process in mammals. Here we describe several studies that have used the Cre/LoxP system to study blood cell formation, and what has been learned as a result.
Simultaneous Measurements of 3D Flow and Wall Deformation in a Compliant Wall Turbulent Channel Flow

This study focuses on the interaction of a turbulent channel flow at Reτ=2310 over a flat, compliant boundary made of PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane). Two noninvasive optical techniques, namely tomographic PIV (TPIV) and Mach-Zehnder Interferometry (MZI), are integrated to perform simultaneous measurements of the 3D flow field and the corresponding surface deformation. The measurements are performed in a refractive index-matched facility, where the working fluid is aqueous solution of sodium iodide (NaI). The TPIV measurement volume is 30×10×10 mm3 in the streamwise, wall-normal and spanwise directions, respectively. The MZI phase evaluation and unwrapping algorithms have been developed, calibrated and implemented. Preliminary results show qualitative correlation between wall deformation and flow structures near the wall.Copyright © 2014 by ASME