cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corporate Control of Information: Business and the Freedom of Expression

Control over information is essential to business. This has become increasingly true in an era in which technological advances have enabled the rapid globalization of business. This article explores the implications of this control of information for freedom of speech and information. Four different situations are considered: censorship of the Internet by search engines albeit at the direction of a government; restrictions on Internet content by Internet Services Providers acting on their own; decisions by retail businesses not to sell various DVDs, CDs, etc. to their customers; and legal suits brought against individuals and groups by businesses seeking to prevent the further spread of information they deem injurious to their products or activities. The paper seeks to sort out the various rights and values involved in these cases, when a business may be justifiably said to be violating individuals' rights to freedom of information, and when customers and citizens do not have justified complaints against business decisions not to provide them with certain information products.
Electronic structure of titania aerogels from soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy

The electronic structure of ${\mathrm{TiO}}_{2}$ aerogels is studied by soft x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. High-resolution O K-edge and Ti ${L}_{2,3}$-edge XANES spectra of aerogels are compared with those of rutile, anatase, and unrelaxed amorphous phases of full-density ${\mathrm{TiO}}_{2}.$ Results show that all the main spectroscopic features of aerogels, reflecting the element-specific partial density of empty electronic states and correlation effects, can be attributed to the absence of long-range order in stoichiometric amorphous ${\mathrm{TiO}}_{2}.$ Based on these results, we discuss the effects of short- and long-range order on the electronic structure of ${\mathrm{TiO}}_{2}.$
Spectral slicing optical waveguide filters for dense wavelength division multiplexing

Abstract Designs for optical waveguide filters for selecting alternate channels in a dense wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) system are described. Each filter consists of a single mode optical waveguide with N equally spaced reflectors positioned along its length. Proper selection of the mirror reflectance values gives flat-top response for both transmitted and reflected channels. Calculated transmittance and reflectance spectra as well as dispersion characteristics for the filters are presented for N as high as 12. In a design example with a channel spacing of 25 GHz, the “usable bandwidth” was 14.1 GHz.
Sacred imagery in techno-spiritual design

Despite increased knowledge about how Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) are used to support religious and spiritual practices, designers know little about how to design technologies for faith-related purposes. Our research suggests incorporating sacred imagery into techno-spiritual applications can be useful in guiding development. We illustrate this through the design and evaluation of a mobile phone application developed to support Islamic prayer practices. Our contribution is to show how religious imagery can be used in the design of applications that go beyond the provision of functionality to connect people to the experience of religion.
Three-phonon vertex corrections to the excitation spectrum and liquid-structure function of liquid 4 He

The energy spectrum of elementary excitations and the liquid-structure function of liquid4He are calculated by means of the method of correlated basis functions in the approximation of second-order perturbation theory. The procedure is based on (i) the construction of phonon functions in terms of collective coordinates and the optimum Bijl-Dingle-Jastrow type of ground-state wave function and (ii) the evaluation of leading correction terms to the Bijl-Feynman excitation spectrum, which are generated by two types of three-phonon vertices. Numerical results are obtained using the optimum liquid-structure function computed by Campbell and Feenberg in the paired-phonon analysis.
Impact of contrast medium temperature on bladder capacity and cystographic diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux in children.

To assess the influence of temperature of contrast medium used in voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) on the estimation of bladder capacity and detection of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), 250 consecutive children (aged from birth to 13.5 years) undergoing VCUG were randomized to receive room temperature (n = 133) or body temperature (n = 117) contrast medium. Bladder capacity (ie, volume infused) was measured, and bladder volume index (BVI) was calculated by dividing the measured capacity by the predicted capacity. Contrast medium temperature did not affect either bladder capacity (warm: mean capacity, 210.8 mL; cold: mean capacity, 212.6 mL) or BVI (warm: mean BVI, 1.15; cold: mean BVI, 1.10). Although boys had smaller capacities than girls, neither capacity nor BVI was significantly (P > .05) affected by contrast medium temperature in either sex. VUR was detected in 42 (35.9%) of 117 children studied with warmed contrast medium and in 42 (31.6%) of 133 studied with room temperature medium. Prevalence of VUR...
Fracture behavior of triglyceride‐based adhesives

The use of natural plant oils in the production of adhesives has been the focus of much research because natural oils are a renewable resource which have environmental and economic advantages over the petroleum-derived chemicals used in traditional adhesives. The network formation and the stress-strain behavior of these plant oil-based adhesives is studied using a combination of simulation techniques. An off-lattice Monte Carlo simulation has been developed to model the formation of these networks via the free-radical copolymerization of the triglycerides present in natural oils. Networks of systems representing the triglycerides found in soybean oil, linseed oil, and olive oil are generated, as are networks made from other "theoretical" natural oils. The structure of the networks is characterized by percolation analysis. The stress- strain behavior of these networks is studied using large-scale molecular dynamics simulations. Tensile strains are applied to the networks and it is observed that with increasing n the failure stress increases but the failure strain decreases. Also, for systems with low values of n, large voids form while the system is strained and then the system fails cohesively. However, for large n, no significant voiding is observed and the system fails close to the interface. The simulation results are shown to be consistent with the vector percolation theoretical prediction for how the failure stress relates to n.
Analytic description of inner-shell bound-bound transitions

We report an evaluation of the dipole matrix elements for radiative transitions ($2p, 3p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}1s, 2s$) between atomic inner shells using a recently developed analytic perturbation theory for screened Coulomb potentials. The results are simple analytic expressions which display the dependence of the transition rate on charge $Z$ and ionic charge ${Z}_{i}$. Comparison with exact numerical calculations indicates that these analytic inner-shell predictions are reasonable for high-$Z$ elements and fairly reasonable for intermediate-$Z$ elements.
Discrepancy between different estimates of the hydrodynamic diameter of polymer-coated iron oxide nanoparticles in solution

We have synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles coated with a monolayer of dextran, with molecular weights of the polymer between 5 and 670 kDa. Transmission electron microscopy images confirm that the hard core has a crystalline diameter of approximately 12 nm. The hydrodynamic diameters of these coated nanoparticles in solution measured using dynamical light scattering and estimated from magnetic susceptibility studies vary from near 90 nm for the lightest polymer to 140 nm for the heaviest polymer. Conversely, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy measurements yield a diameter of approximately 55 nm for the 15–20 kDa dextran coated nanoparticles, which is consistent with the expected value estimated from the sum of the hard-core diameter and monolayer dextran coating. We discuss the implications of this discrepancy for applications involving polymer-coated magnetic nanoparticles.
Efficacy of a Propionibacterium acnes Immunostimulant for Treatment of Chronic Staphylococcus aureus Mastitis

This study determined the efficacy of treatment of chronic Staphylococcus aureus IMI of lactating dairy cows with a biological response modifier consisting of a killed preparation of Propionibacterium acnes. Fifty-one lactating dairy cows with chronic S. aureus IMI on two commercial dairies were enrolled in a controlled, randomized field trial. Twenty-four cows received 1 ml of the immunostimulant twice weekly for 4 wk, and the remainder of the cows served as untreated controls. Quarter milk samples were collected for SCC from all cows at 3 and 6 wk after initiation of treatment and for culture at 6 wk after initiation of treatment. If samples were negative for S. aureus at 6 wk, cows were sampled again for culture 1 wk later for 2 successive d before being considered cured. For the cows treated with immunostimulant, 16.7% (36.7% of infected quarters) were cured of S. aureus IMI; for the untreated group, 11.1% of cows (32.2% of quarters) were cured. The difference was not statistically significant. Immunostimulant treatment had no effect on quarter SCC in infected quarters overall, but, in those quarters that were cured of S. aureus infection, quarter SCC of treated cows tended to be lower than SCC of control cows.
Takehiko Shimanouchi and the codification of spectroscopic information

Abstract The contributions of Takehiko Shimanouchi to the compilation of spectroscopic and structural data and to the adoption of standard terminology and formats for reporting data are reviewed. Included are his work on the Tables of Molecular Vibrational Frequencies, spectral database projects, and international organizations concerned with scientific information.
An algorithm for calculating water surface elevations from surface gradient image data

2-D water surface gradient data can be measured by a 2-D gradient detector (Zhang and Cox 1991; Zhang et al. 1993). An algorithm for the reconstruction of water surface elevation from measured surface gradient data is described in some detail. The boundary and noise effects are explored.
Internet traffic characterization for real-time collaborative applications

In this paper, a probabilistic delay model is proposed for the characterization of time-varying nature of the data traffic in the Internet. Connectionist delay representation of the network traffic is derived by considering a videoconference session among a group of N participants connected via various LAN's or randomly through the Internet. Connections among the collaborative participants are represented by their end-to-end network delays involving the physical transmission delay between two stations and the delay due to network traffic. For a network of N stations, this model becomes an N2 X N2 correlation matrix. When normalized by the delay means and variances of the individual inks, it leads to the N2 X N2 square matrix of delay cross-correlation coefficients with values varying in the range of [-1,1] independent of scale changes in the correlation amplitude. In the experimental study, three LAN's are selected as the test-bed to measure the random traffic in the Internet. Connections among the different workstations of these three physically separate LAN's are established through the Internet for a long period of observation time. Ensemble averaging over the measurement period dictates that the delay correlation matrix tends to be constant for the selected networks.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Leptin potentiates the anti-obesity effects of rimonabant.

Abstract We hypothesized that a combination of low doses of rimonabant and leptin would markedly reduce body weight through the modulation of neuronal activity within the hypothalamus. To this end, high fat diet-induced obese rats were randomized to receive either leptin (0.5 mg/kg subcutaneously), rimonabant (3 mg/kg), the combination of both, or vehicle, daily for a duration of 2 weeks. A subset of rats was pair-fed to the combination-treated animals and received either vehicle or leptin. At the end of the weight loss phase, leptin treatment was maintained for 7 days while rimonabant was discontinued to assess changes in body weight during the rebound phase. The combination of rimonabant and leptin resulted in a marked inhibition of food intake and a profound reduction in body weight that was greater than achieved with either leptin or rimonabant alone. Treatment with leptin during the rebound phase inhibited compensatory increases in body weight associated with restitution of ad libitum feeding in previously pair-fed rats. Moreover, leptin partially blunted the rebound in food intake and body weight associated with cessation of rimonabant therapy.To investigate the effect of the combination on neuronal firing in the rat hypothalamus, single unit activity was recorded from brain slices containing the ventromedial and arcuate nuclei. The combination of rimonabant and leptin synergistically increased and decreased neuronal firing in the ventromedial and arcuate nuclei , respectively. Overall, these data demonstrate profound anti-obesity effects of combining cannabinoid type 1 receptor antagonists and leptin.
Battery cell state-of-charge estimation using linear parameter varying system techniques

Abstract This paper describes a model based method for real time battery cell state-of-charge (SoC) estimation using linear parameter varying (LPV) system techniques. For this class of methods, the applicable structure is one in which the input to output dynamics of the battery can be described by a discrete parameter varying state variable model that includes the SoC as a state. Within this context, the problem of state-of-charge estimation is viewed as a state estimation problem, so that a state estimator is designed using the model. An LPV system technique, combined with input to state stability criteria, is used to analyze the stability and performance of the estimator. Compared with algorithms available in the current literature, such as those employing an extended Kalman filter and sliding mode observers, this method offers good performance with a guarantee of stability, and possesses user friendly tuning with low computational complexity for easy on-board implementation. Experimental results are given which validate the proposed methodology.
AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES AND CAPITAL MURDER: A DEATH PENALTY MITIGATION STRATEGY

This paper outlines an alternative, contextual framework for analyzing capital murder cases involving young Black males. To illustrate the utility of the framework, we draw upon the findings of rec...
A Survey of Age and Attitudes toward Computers

This study examines the relationships between age, education, sex, and household income, and attitudes toward computers. An eight-item Likert scale was developed to measure the attitudes (the “Computer Orientation Scale”). The Spearman-Brown coefficient for the scale is .733; Alpha is .728. Regression analysis revealed that sex and household income had no direct effect on the attitude variable. Age and education however, showed direct effects on computer attitudes. In addition, age was indirectly linked through education. The data were collected by interviews with a large, randomly selected phone sample (N = 380). The sample was chosen by a computer program which makes selections on the basis of the proportion of blocks and exchanges in service in the sampling area. The study was conducted during the Autumn of 1986, throughout the Muncie/Delaware County area of East-Central Indiana, a.k.a. Middletown, U.S.A.
The copper-iron connection: Hereditary aceruloplasminemia

Abstract Hereditary aceruloplasminemia is an autosomal recessive disorder of iron homeostasis due to loss-of-function mutations in the ceruloplasmin gene. Affected individuals may present in adulthood with evidence of hepatic iron overload, diabetes, peripheral retinal degeneration, dystonia, dementia, or dysarthria. Laboratory studies demonstrate microcytic anemia, elevated serum ferritin, and a complete absence of serum ceruloplasmin ferroxidase activity. Consistent with the observed neurologic findings, magnetic resonance imaging reveals iron accumulation within the basal ganglia. Histologic studies detect abundant iron in hepatocytes, reticuloendothelial cells of the liver and spleen, β cells of the pancreas, and astrocytes and neurons throughout the central nervous system. Characterization of this disorder reveals an essential role for ceruloplasmin in determining the rate of iron efflux from cells with mobilizable iron stores and provides new insights into the mechanisms of human iron metabolism. Semin Hematol 39:282-289. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
New laser materials for diode pumped solid state lasers

Abstract Ytterbium (Yb3+) doped solid state lasers (e.g. Yb:YAG), pumped with InGaAs laser diodes, have been intensively and successfully developed recently. A search is in progress for novel ytterbium doped crystals possessing properties superior to known Yb doped gain media, or with properties enabling of Yb lasers with new capabilities. Several such materials have been identified and characterized in the past year.
Ethylene production under high temperature stress causes premature leaf senescence in soybean

Leaf senescence in soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) occurs during the later stages of reproductive development and can be triggered or enhanced by high temperature (HT) stress. Ethylene production can trigger premature leaf senescence, but it is unclear whether HT stress produces ethylene and the subsequent influence on physiology and yield of soybean is also uncertain. We hypothesised that ethylene produced under HT stress is involved in premature leaf senescence and that use of an ethylene perception inhibitor would influence physiology and yield. Objectives of this study were to (1) quantify HT-stress-induced ethylene production; (2) quantify effects of HT stress and application of an ethylene perception inhibitor (1-methylcyclopropene; 1-MCP) on source strength traits such as photosynthetic rate, oxidant production, membrane damage and sugar accumulation; and (3) evaluate efficacy of 1-MCP on minimising HT-stress-induced effects on physiological and yield traits. Soybean plants were exposed to HT (38/28°C) or optimum temperature (OT, 28/18°C) for 14 days at the beginning of pod set. Plants at each temperature were treated with 1 μg L–1 1-MCP or left untreated (control). HT stress enhanced ethylene production rates in leaves and pods by 3.2- and 2.1-fold over OT. HT stress decreased photochemical efficiency (5.8%), photosynthetic rate (12.7%), sucrose content (21.5%), superoxide dismutase (13.3%), catalase (44.6%) and peroxidase (42.9%) enzymes activity and increased superoxide radical (63%) and hydrogen peroxide (70.4%) content and membrane damage (54.7%) compared with OT. Application of 1-MCP decreased ethylene production rate and premature leaf senescence traits by enhancing the antioxidant defence system. HT stress decreased seed set percentage (18.6%), seed size (64.5%) and seed yield plant–1 (71.4%) compared with OT, however, foliar spray of 1-MCP increased the seed set percent and seed size, which resulted in a higher yield than the unsprayed control. The present study showed HT stress increased ethylene production rate, which triggered premature leaf senescence, whereas 1-MCP application reduced or postponed premature leaf senescence traits by inhibiting ethylene production.
The ribosomal exit tunnel as a target for optimizing protein expression in Escherichia coli.

The folding of many cellular proteins occurs co-translationally immediately outside the ribosome exit tunnel, where ribosomal proteins and other associated factors coordinate the synthesis and folding of newly translated polypeptides. Here, we show that the large subunit protein L29, which forms part of the exit tunnel in Escherichia coli, is required for the productive synthesis of an array of structurally diverse recombinant proteins including the green fluorescent protein (GFP) and an intracellular single-chain Fv antibody. Surprisingly, the corresponding mRNA transcript level of these proteins was markedly less abundant in cells lacking L29, suggesting an unexpected regulatory mechanism that links defects in the exit tunnel to the expression of genetic information. To further highlight the importance of L29 in maintaining protein expression, we used mutagenesis and selection to obtain L29 variants that enhanced GFP expression. Overall, our results suggest that the ribosomal exit tunnel proteins may be key targets for optimizing the overproduction of active, structurally complex recombinant proteins in bacterial cells. See accompanying Commentary by Baneyx DOI: 10.1002/biot.201100488
Reboxetine in therapy-resistant enuresis: A retrospective evaluation

Objective. Imipramine is the only evidence-based treatment available for enuretic children resistant to standard therapy. The drug's antienuretic effect is probably due to noradrenergic facilitation. The drug is, however, potentially cardiotoxic. In this study, the non-cardiotoxic noradrenergic antidepressant reboxetine was tested as an alternative to imipramine. Patients and methods. 61 patients, aged 7–19 years, with enuresis-resistant to desmopressin, the alarm, urotherapy and anticholinergics, were given 4–8 mg reboxetine at bedtime, if necessary combined with desmopressin. Results. 32 patients became dry on reboxetine treatment, although 21 of them required combination treatment with desmopressin to achieve this. Eighteen children did not respond and eight children discontinued because of side-effects before treatment could be evaluated. No serious adverse events occurred. Conclusions. These results need to be confirmed with randomized controlled studies, but indicate that reboxetine will become a sa...
Feminist organizing in India: A study of women in NGOs

Synopsis Literature on the management structures of feminist organizations differs from other organizations because they are alternative organizations driven by commitment to ideology and an egalitarian structure. However, recent research suggests that there has been a change in thinking. Scholars argue that feminists should not take the position that there is only one “form of freedom.” Rather, the structures women adopt for their organizations should depend on the context. Despite these suggestive findings from the international feminist literature, there is not much documented on the structures of women's non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and upper and middle class women who choose careers as volunteers and activists. This study examines the personal motivations and complex opportunities related to careers in feminist organizations. Using a feminist standpoint framework, a snowball sample of twenty-one women is interviewed. The data reveals unique dynamics associated with careers in NGOs with a feminist mission and structure in India.
Seismic Behavior of a Jumbo Container Crane Including Uplift

Despite their importance to successful port operations, container cranes have received little attention in the context of seismic behavior. This paper presents the results of scale testing and anal...
Lines of Fisher’s zeros as separatrices for complex renormalization group flows

We extend the renormalization group transformation based on the two-lattice matching to the complex inverse temperature plane for Dyson's hierarchical Ising model. We consider values of the dimensional parameter above, below, and exactly at the critical value where the ordered low temperature phase becomes impossible for a real positive temperature. We show numerically that, as the volume increases, the Fisher's zeros appear to accumulate along lines that separate the flows ending on different fixed points. We justify these findings in terms of finite size scaling. We argue that the location of the Fisher's zeros at large volume determine the phase diagram in the complex plane. We discuss the implications for nontrivial infrared fixed points in lattice gauge theory.
Is birdsong music

The nightingale, the lark ascending; the cuckoo, the dawn chorus; since ancient times man has found beauty in birdsong. It appeals to our senses. It inspires composers. But is it music? Marcelo Araya-Salas listens to the nightingale wren and tries to find out if it is singing in tune.
The pharmaceutical industry in Cuba

Cuba has developed a relatively sophisticated pharmaceutical sector, originally to provide medicinal products for her own population and, more recently, to earn hard currency through exports. Cuba has achieved both of these goals despite the US trade embargo, which isolates Cuba from commercial relations with US firms. Cuba is opening its economy to firms from other countries through the use of joint ventures and other forms of cooperation. US firms are unable to avail themselves of these opportunities, and the opportunities are thus being lost. In the case of pharmaceuticals, the Cubans recognize that they need assistance, particularly in the areas of marketing and packaging. Allowing the participation of US firms in the Cuban pharmaceutical industry could enhance the possibility of improving worldwide health care.
Supersonic flow past large-angle pointed cones.

The functions C21 and C22 are plotted in Figs. 1 and 2 for various values of 7. These functions are negative for values of z near unity and have the same tangent at z = 1. The positive values of C21 and C22 increase as 7 decreases. Both C21 and C22 behave in the same manner. The velocity functions V2l and U22 are illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 for various values of 7 and again are similar in behavior. These curves show a dramatic oscillatory behavior which was not indicated by the erroneous results of Ref. 3. This oscillatory behavior also appears in the first-order function U^ Note for the special values of 7 indicated that logarithms appear in the functional descriptions.
The pure anti-oestrogen ICI 182,780 (Faslodex™) activates large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels in smooth muscle

Oestrogen and tamoxifen activate large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BK(Ca)) channels in smooth muscle through a non-genomic mechanism that depends on the regulatory beta1 subunit and an extracellular binding site. It is unknown whether a "pure" anti-oestrogen such as ICI 182,780 (Faslodex), that has no known oestrogenic properties, would have any effect on BK(Ca) channels. Using single channel patch clamp techniques on canine colonic myocytes, the hypothesis that ICI 182,780 would activate BK(Ca) channels was tested. ICI 182,780 increased the open probability of BK(Ca) channels in inside-out patches with an EC(50) of 1 microM. These data suggest that molecules with the ability to bind nuclear oestrogen receptors, regardless of oestrogenic or anti-oestrogenic nature, activate BK(Ca) channels through this nongenomic, membrane-delimited mechanism. The identity and characteristics of this putative binding site remain unclear; however, it has pharmacological similarity to oestrogen receptors alpha and beta, as ICI 182,780 interacts with it.
Graphical neuroimaging informatics: Application to Alzheimer’s disease

The Informatics Visualization for Neuroimaging (INVIZIAN) framework allows one to graphically display image and meta-data information from sizeable collections of neuroimaging data as a whole using a dynamic and compelling user interface. Users can fluidly interact with an entire collection of cortical surfaces using only their mouse. In addition, users can cluster and group brains according in multiple ways for subsequent comparison using graphical data mining tools. In this article, we illustrate the utility of INVIZIAN for simultaneous exploration and mining a large collection of extracted cortical surface data arising in clinical neuroimaging studies of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease, mild cognitive impairment, as well as healthy control subjects. Alzheimer’s Disease is particularly interesting due to the wide-spread effects on cortical architecture and alterations of volume in specific brain areas associated with memory. We demonstrate INVIZIAN’s ability to render multiple brain surfaces from multiple diagnostic groups of subjects, showcase the interactivity of the system, and showcase how INVIZIAN can be employed to generate hypotheses about the collection of data which would be suitable for direct access to the underlying raw data and subsequent formal statistical analysis. Specifically, we use INVIZIAN show how cortical thickness and hippocampal volume differences between group are evident even in the absence of more formal hypothesis testing. In the context of neurological diseases linked to brain aging such as AD, INVIZIAN provides a unique means for considering the entirety of whole brain datasets, look for interesting relationships among them, and thereby derive new ideas for further research and study.
An Easy Ridiculous Unbiased Estimator

Summary The principle of unbiased estimation is very attractive to students of introductory statistics courses. Unfortunately, there exist problems in which all unbiased estimators will sometimes provide ridiculous estimates of the parameter of interest. In this paper we present an excellent example of this shortcoming.
Green’s function of anisotropic plates with unrestricted coupling and degeneracy, part 2: other domains and special laminates

Abstract For all types of anisotropic laminates, the general form of Green’s function of the infinite plate, as given in Part 1, is applied to laminates composed of isotropic layers (extra-degenerate), symmetric quasi-isotropic laminates (degenerate), and an antisymmetric eight-layer cross-ply laminate (nondegenerate). Green’s function is also obtained for a semi-infinite plate subjected to a point force, moment, or displacement and slope dislocations, with a variety of in-plane and out-of-plane kinematical and kinetic boundary conditions. Furthermore, the solution of an infinite plate with an elliptical hole or inclusion is found at the same level of generality. Green’s function of the semi-infinite plate has different expressions depending on degeneracy. Hence the existing solutions for the nondegenerate case are not applicable to the various types of degenerate laminates, nor can they be extended in an obvious way to become valid for such cases.
A buyer-independent quantity discount pricing alternative

Abstract An alternative perspective on the quantity discount pricing problem provides for multiple price breaks and excludes the buyer's operating parameters from consideration, with the exception of price-dependent demand.
Quantum dot-mediated biosensing assays for specific nucleic acid detection.

Abstract Two new classes of quantum dot (QD)–mediated biosensing methods have been developed to detect specific DNA sequences in a separation-free format. Both methods use 2 target-specific oligonucleotide probes to recognize a specific target. The first method is based on cross-linking of 2 QDs with distinct emission wavelengths caused by probe-target hybridization. The second method uses QDs as both fluorescent tags and nanoscaffolds that capture multiple fluorescently labeled hybridization products, resulting in amplified target signals. The presence of targets is determined according to spatiotemporal coincidence of 2 different wavelength fluorescent signals emitted from the QD/DNA/probe complexes. With a single wavelength-excitation, dual wavelength-emission confocal spectroscopic system, the fluorescent signals can be measured with single-dot/molecule sensitivity. Compared with other nanoparticle-based, separation-free assays, our method shows advantages in simplicity, testing speed, and multiplexed applications.
Meeting the Social and Emotional Needs of Students with Disabilities: The Special Educators' Perspective

ABSTRACT Special education teachers were surveyed to determine the social and emotional goals they had for their students with identified disabilities who were educated in the general education classroom for at least 80% of the school day. Seventy special educators reported on the assessment techniques they used to identify students' social and emotional needs, common intervention strategies, and tools utilized to monitor student progress toward achieving these goals. Teachers' perceptions of the adequacy of their preservice and inservice preparation to address students' social and emotional needs were also obtained. Implications for practice and directions for future research in this area are discussed.
Prevention of CD18-mediated reperfusion injury enhances the efficacy of UW solution for 15-hr heart preservation

Abstract University of Wisconsin solution (UW) has been demonstrated to improve donor heart preservation. During reperfusion, however, myocardial performance may still remain limited by neutrophil (PMN)-mediated injury, manifested by the "low-reflow" phenomenon and myocardial "stunning." Since PMN adhesion is an important mechanism of PMN-mediated injury, we tested whether blocking PMN adhesion molecule CD18 would enhance the efficacy of UW for 15-hr heart preservation. Rabbit hearts ( n = 15) were arrested with, and preserved for 15 hr in, 4°C UW. After insertion of an left ventricular (LV) balloon, hearts were heterotopically transplanted into recipients pretreated with either intravenous (iv) saline (vehicle, n = 8) or iv anti-CD18 monoclonal antibody R15.7 (anti-CD18, n = 7). After 1 hr reperfusion the slope of the peak systolic pressure-volume (P-V) relation ( E max ), the exponential coefficient (β), the volume-axis intercept ( V o ) of the end-diastolic P-V relation, and the time constant of the exponential LV pressure decay after dP/dt min (τ) were measured. Blood flow was measured with microspheres from which coronary vascular resistance (CVR) was calculated. Tissue %H 2 O was also measured. Between groups there were no significant differences in E max (70.5 ± 6.1 vs 63.7 ± 6.0 mm Hg/ml, P > 0.05), β (3.3 ± 0.5 vs 4.3 ± 0.5, P > 0.05), V o (-0.4 ± 0.1 vs -0.4 ± 0.2 ml, P > 0.05) or %H 2 O (81.3 ± 1.1 vs 80.0 ± 0.9, P > 0.05). However, compared to the vehicle group, the anti-CD18 group demonstrated a significant decrease in τ (162 ± 32 vs 64 ± 33 msec, P P
MYCOFLORA OF BUDS. I. RESULTS OF CULTURES FROM NON‐IRRADIATED MATERIALS OF CERTAIN WOODY PLANTS

MANY RELATIONSHIPS of bacteria and fungi to their "hosts" have been reported, ranging from obligate parasitism (as in the Uredinales) to saprophytism. Between these extremes, cases of facultative parasitism and facultative saprophytism have been reported from time to time. According to Schaede (1943a)2 much has been revealed concerning what some investigators imply are "borderline" associations involving bacteria and fungi in more or less mutual relationships with their hosts. Buds may become inhabited by pathogenic microorganisms (Woodward, 1927); Thornberry and Anderson, 1931, 1933; McKay, 1938; Baker and Crowdy, 1943; Wolf, 1947, etc.). Jump (1938) isolated Demnatium pullulans de Bary from apparently normal terminal and lateral as well as abnormal buds of red pines in which there was a disturbance known as "forking." He advanced the theory that a phytohormone produced by this fungus may be responsible for the abnormal branching. In connection with the production of hormones and their influence on bud development, it may be noted that substances capable of accelerating the development of winter buds of lilac (Syringa vulgaris L.) were obtained by Niethammer (1940) from culture
The Lost World of Italian-American Radicalism: Labor, Politics, and Culture

The history of Italian-American radicals in the United States is contradic tory, even improbable. Other ethnic groups?Germans, Jews, and Finns, for example?gave widespread support to radicals and their organizations. Italian-American communities, characterized by conservatism, deference, and a strong focus on family as the primary social unit, seem a less hospita ble location for radical activity. Yet, Italian-Americans from Sacco and Vanzetti to Vito Marcantonio are notable in the annals of American radi calism. These radicals, their relationships with their communities, and their role in American politics and culture have been poorly understood. "The Lost World of Italian-American Radicalism," held on May 14 and 15, 1997, in New York City, was a welcome effort to change this amnesia. The conference was organized by the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute of Queens College, City University of New York (CUNY) and the CUNY Graduate School. Over 350 historians, sociolo gists, and other scholars of Italian-American politics, culture, and the arts from the United States, Canada, and Italy participated. They explored the importance of Italian-American radicals in labor and politics and their influence on working-class culture, film, and literature. Rudolph Vecoli (University of Minnesota) confronted some of the paradoxes of Italian-American politics in his keynote address. Although Italian immigrants played a decisive role in the early trade union move ment, their notions of working-class solidarity were "eroded and frag mented by the action of internal and external forces" that turned them toward a more conservative politics. In particular, the Italian-American Left confronted substantial sympathy among Italian Americans for Mus solini and fascism during the 1920s and 1930s. This, and not just a tradition al, family-oriented culture, thwarted radical efforts to sink deeper roots
Impact of HIV Infection and HAART on Serum Lipids in Men

ContextAlterations in serum lipid values have been widely reported among persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), but no data have yet been reported on changes from preseroconversion lipid values.ObjectiveTo describe changes in serum cholesterol levels associated with HIV infection and antiretroviral medication exposure, and 1-time assessment of triglyceride levels post-HAART initiation.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThe Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study, a prospective study in which homosexual and bisexual men were enrolled and from which 50 of 517 HIV seroconverters were drawn for the analysis herein, who later initiated HAART, involving measurements of stored serum samples obtained between 1984 and 2002.Main Outcome MeasuresChanges in levels of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) at 6 time points during an average of 12 years; 1-time assessment of triglyceride levels from the third post-HAART clinic visit.ResultsAmong the 50 men, notable declines in mean serum TC (–30 mg/dL [−0.78 mmol/L]), HDL-C (–12 mg/dL [−0.31 mmol/L]), and LDL-C values (–22 mg/dL [−0.57 mmol/L]) were observed after HIV infection. Following HAART initiation, there were large increases in mean TC and LDL-C values (50 and 21 mg/dL [1.30 and 0.54 mmol/L], respectively); however, the mean changes from the preseroconversion values were 20 mg/dL (0.52 mmol/L) (95% confidence interval [CI], –1 to 41) and –1 mg/dL (−0.03 mmol/L) (95% CI, –25 to 22), respectively. Mean HDL-C remained below baseline levels throughout follow-up. The median value (interquartile range) of triglycerides was 225 mg/dL (2.54 mmol/L) (147-331 mg/dL).ConclusionsBefore treatment, HIV infection results in substantial decreases in serum TC, HDL-C, and LDL-C levels. Subsequent HAART initiation is associated with increases in TC and LDL-C but little change in HDL-C. Increases in TC and LDL-C observed after about 3 years of HAART possibly represent a return to preinfection serum lipid levels after accounting for expected age-related changes.
Running to stand still: BCR-like signaling suppresses type I IFN responses in pDC

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) specialize in the secretion of type I interferon (IFN). Although multiple pathways that modulate type I IFN responses have been described they are inadequately defined. In this issue of the European Journal of Immunology, evidence for a B cell receptor (BCR)-like signaling cascade in pDC that suppresses type I IFN production is provided.
Effect of hypophysectomy on survival after X-irradiation.

SummaryHypophysectomy of 433 adult female rats reduced their capacity to survive total body X-irradiation as compared with the response of 542 non-hypophysectomized rats. The 0 to 70% levels of survival were obtained at doses which averaged 157 r lower for hypophysectomized than for non-hypophysectomized rats. At doses ranging from 375 to 500 r the percentage of survival of hypophysectomized rats did not change but remained at about the 80% level. In the absence of the pituitary gland, rats tended to die earlier after irradiation.
Observer evaluation of computer-aided detection: second reader versus concurrent reader scenario

We are comparing the performance of computer-aided detection (CAD) used as a second reader to concurrent-use CAD. We have designed a multi-reader multi-case (MRMC) observer study using fixed-size mammographic background images with fixed intensity Gaussian signals added in two experiments. A CAD system was developed to automatically detect these signals. The two experiments utilized signals of different contrast levels to assess the impact of CAD when the standalone CAD sensitivity was superior (low contrast) or equivalent (high contrast) to the average reader in the study. Seven readers participated in the study and were asked to review 100 images, identify signal locations, and rate each on a 100-point scale. A rating of 50 was used as a cutpoint and provided a binary classification of each candidate. Readers read the case set using CAD in both the second-reader and concurrent-reader scenarios. Results from the different signal intensities and reading paradigms were analyzed using the area under the Free-response Receiver Operating Characteristics curves. Sensitivity and the average number of FPs/image were also determined. The results showed that CAD, either used as a second reader or as a concurrent reader, can increase reader sensitivity but with an increase in FPs. The study demonstrated that readers may benefit from concurrent CAD when CAD standalone performance outperforms average reader sensitivity. However, this trend was not observed when CAD performance was equivalent to the sensitivity of the average reader.
On the scalability of interdomain path computations

Recent research has considered various architectural approaches in which route determination occurs separately from forwarding. Such offers many advantages, but also brings a number of challenges, not least of which is scalability. In this paper we consider the problem of computing domain-level end-to-end routes in the Internet. We describe a system architecture and a prototype route computation service that provides performance information along with paths. The results of our experiments, which involve updating billions of routes and serving thousands of requests per second, suggest that the resource requirements for a single-domain end-to-end path service (i.e., a service that provides paths from one access domain to all others) are fairly modest.
The effect of uncertainty on optimal control models in the neighbourhood of a steady state

For both discrete and continuous time this paper derives the Taylor approximation to the effect of uncertainty (in the simple sense of risk, not Knightian uncertainty) on expected utility and optimal behaviour in stochastic control models when the uncertainty is small enough that one can focus on only the first term that involves uncertainty. There is a close and illuminating relationship between the discrete-time and continuous-time results. The analysis makes it possible to spell out a tight connection between the behaviour of a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model and the corresponding perfect foresight model. However, the quantitative analytics of the stochastic model local to a certainty model calls for a more thorough investigation of the nearby certainty model than is typically undertaken.
Sulfonylureas activate glucose transport and protein kinase C in rat adipocytes.

Abstract Glyburide and tolbutamide, at concentrations of 20 to 40 μmol/L and 1 to 2 mmol/L, respectively, stimulated glucose transport in rat adipocytes. Concomitantly, protein kinase C was activated, as evidenced by translocation of immunoreactive enzyme from cytosol to membranes. Glucose transport effects of the sulfonylureas were blocked by three inhibitors of protein kinase C (H-7, staurosporine, and sangivamycin), and by phorbol ester-induced down-regulation of protein kinase C. These findings suggest that sulfonylureas may stimulate glucose transport in rat adipocytes through activation of protein kinase C.
Effect of ambient and evolved CO2 on an equilibrium reaction in YBa2CU3O6 + X synthesis

Abstract The formation of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6 + x in air involves two main reactions. The first is between BaCO 3 and CuO to form BaCuO 2 and CO 2 . Increasing the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in air shifts the endothermic BaCO 3 reaction to higher temperatures. At a fixed carbon-dioxide concentration in air, the reaction onset-temperature of a thick sample (2 mm) determined by TG/DTA exceeds by approximately 200 °C that of a thin film (10 mm) determined by in situ HT-XRD. Evolved CO 2 in thick samples disguises the dependence of the intrinsic reaction onset-temperature and reaction rate on the ambient CO 2 concentrations. The intrinsic equilibrium constant and associated thermodynamic parameters for this reaction should be determined by experiments in which the impact of transport limitations is eliminated, i.e., use of a thin film and high gas-velocity next to the sample surface.
A Horizontal Intragravel Pipe for Sampling Water Quality in Salmonid Spawning Gravel

Abstract A new sampler, the horizontal intragravel pipe, was developed for collecting samples of intragravel water in salmonid spawning gravel. The device is a 2.54 x 76.2-cm length of slotted polyvinyl chloride pipe that is buried perpendicular to flow in the streambed. The slots (about 320/pipe) through which the intragravel water flows were cut perpendicular to the long axis of the pipe. Each slot is 1.9 cm long by 0.15 mm wide. A rigid plastic tube (0.64 cm inside diameter) centered axially within the intragravel pipe is perforated with three 3.2-mm holes equally spaced along its length to distribute equally the effect of pumping. The interior tube is connected by Tygon tubing to a peristaltic pump on a platform above the water surface. Intragravel water is pumped to containers for on-site measurement of dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance, and for determination of other constituents in the laboratory. The principal advantages of a horizontal intragravel pipe are that a substantial quantity...
Oesophageal Cancer among Alaskan Natives, 1955–1981

Forty-two patients with oesophageal cancer were identified among Alaskan Natives from 1955 through 1981. Based on rates for US whites, there were 1.3 and 3.8 times the number of Native men and women diagnosed with oesophageal cancer as expected. Forty of the patients were Eskimo or Aleut, resulting in an incidence for Eskimo-Aleuts of 10.9 for males and 8.3 for females per 100 000 adjusted to the world standard population. The distribution of cancer patients by residence at diagnosis showed marked regional clustering, which has been observed among oesophageal cancer patients in several other areas of the world.