cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autonomous Vehicles, Moral Hazards & the 'AV Problem'

The autonomous vehicle (“AV”) industry faces the following ethical question: “How do we know when our AV technology is safe enough to deploy at scale?” The search for an answer to this question is the “AV Problem.” This essay examines that question through the lens of the July 15, 2021 filing on Form S-4 with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the going public transaction for Aurora Inventions, Inc. The filing reveals that successful implementation of Aurora’s business plan in the long term depends on the truth of the following proposition: A vehicle controlled by a machine driver is safer than a vehicle controlled by a human driver (the “Safety Proposition”). In a material omission for which securities law liability may attach, the S-4 fails to state Aurora’s position on deployment: will Aurora delay deployment until such time as it believes the Safety Proposition is true to a reasonable certainty or will it deploy at scale earlier in the hope that increased current losses will be offset by anticipated future safety gains? The Safety Proposition is a statement about physical probability which is either true or false. For success, AV companies need the public to believe the Safety Proposition, yet belief is not the same as truth. The difference between truth and belief creates tension in the S-4 because the filing both fosters a belief in the Safety Proposition while at the same time making clear there is insufficient evidence to support the truth of the Safety Proposition. A moral hazard results when financial pressures push for early deployment of AV systems before evidence shows that the Safety Proposition is true to a reasonable certainty. This problem is analyzed by comparison with the famous trolley problem in ethics and consideration of corporate governance techniques which an AV company might use to ensure the integrity of its decision process for deployment. The AV industry works to promote belief in the safety proposition in the hope that the public will accept that AV technology has benefits, thus avoiding the need to confront the truth of the Safety Proposition directly. This hinders a meaningful public debate about the merits and timing of deployment of AV technology, raising the question of whether there is a place for meaningful government regulation.
War Crimes and the Clinton Administration

L'A de cet article se penche ici sur le role tenu par les Etats-Unis dans le systeme de justice internationale. L'A revient sur la constitution des tribunaux internationaux de justice et de la Cours Internationale de Justice, pour analyser la politique de l'administration Clinton et ses implications dans les proces du Rwanda et de l'ex-Yougoslavie
Taming the α-vacuum

An interacting scalar field theory in de Sitter space appears to be nonrenormalizable for a generic $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-vacuum state. This pathology arises since the usual propagator used allows for a constructive interference among propagators in loop corrections, which produces divergences that are not proportional to standard counterterms. This interference can be avoided by defining a new propagator for the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-vacuum based on a generalized time-ordering prescription. The generating functional associated with this propagator contains a source that couples to the field both at a point and at its antipode. To one loop order, we show that a set of theories with very general antipodal interactions is causal and renormalizable.
Abstract 17934: Normal Doppler Hemodynamics of Pulmonary Valve Prostheses in Adults

Introduction: Pulmonary valve (PV) replacement is rare, so data regarding normal hemodynamics are limited. We sought to determine the normal Doppler-derived hemodynamic profiles of various PV prostheses (PVPs) in adults. Hypothesis: Doppler-derived hemodynamic profiles of normal PVPs will vary according to prosthesis type in adult patients. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of comprehensive two dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic examinations of 327 patients (median age, 35; range 18 -83 years) with normal PVPs performed early after implantation. Data were analyzed to determine mean±SD. Results: Parasternal short axis was the most commonly used window (96%) for assessment of PVPs. For the 327 PVPs, peak instantaneous gradient was 25±11 mmHg, mean systolic gradient was 13.1±6.1 mmHg, and mean right ventricular outflow tract velocity was 0.8±0.6 m/s. Results for selected variables analyzed by prosthesis type are listed in the Table. Pericardial prostheses had significantly lower peak gradient (21±10.1 mmHg; P=0.002) compared with porcine (25±9.7 mmHg), mechanical (26±16.6 mmHg), bovine venous (34±15.5 mmHg) and homograft PVPs (35±8.4 mm Hg). Conclusions: This is the largest series reporting normal Doppler-derived hemodynamic profiles of PVPs. This study establishes normative values for Doppler-derived variables for normal PVPs implanted in adults. Pericardial prostheses had the optimal hemodynamic profile in this patient population. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Padraig And Lorcan

"But Lorcan," Padraig replied, "even if I grant that there is merit in your 'overarching treatise' (and I see you have been in my new stash of books), what about our customary monetary concerns? Why the fuck have you had me lugging around this sack of discarded metal vessels, drained of their libations it is the poet in me that eulogizes them so when you don't even want to get some money back? I mean, we owe it to ourselves, no? As citizens. Late of the Beara Peninsula. And of Cleveland, usa. Two entrepreneurs, down on their luck, in southwest Detroit. We've already paid for the deposit. Or are you a man insistent on financial suicide?" Lorcan stared at his slightly less disheveled companion, he of the cleanshaven face and, weirdly, bloodshot-free eyes, and thought what he normally thought of Padraig in those final moments before his friend/box-mate passed out, with his glorious knack of never having his head land in the fire that emanated from a flower pot on the towel-covered, asphalt floor of their park95 ing lot abode. "Padraig. God knows we've scammed our way left and right across the flat-chested middle of this country. Let me make two points. Point the first: you're a twat. Lord love a twat, though, when the twat honestly believes he has been pressed into the service of his art, as you do. No matter that you're horrible at it. But fear not: I have an opportunity for us to redress this matter. Which brings me to point the second: it is time for us to give back to this community from which we've profited over the years. A grand communal gesture is incumbent upon us." There was no wind, but the other bums scattered in groups of two or three around the disused drive-in theater premises were all in agreement that there had never been a colder late October. It was the stuff of everyone's conversation. Even straight-laced Don Mulch so named because he had worked as a mulch spreader for Don's Proprietary Landscaping (a favorite of wealthy hedge-fund funded widows) was drinking a good two bottles of Listerine a day to keep the cold out. "Profited? You told me last winter after we made our escape from Cleveland with the coppers only just a tad too dumb to find us that if my finger didn't turn back to a flesh color in the next fourteen hours (and what
Extracellular ATP-Gated P2X Purinergic Receptor Channels

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the aspects of extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-gated P2X purinergic receptor channels. It was known for decades that the application of ATP as an extracellular agonist on a cell or tissue led to the permeabilization of the cell plasma membrane. There were many interpretations of this phenomenon, although a role in the exacerbation of cell injury was a common conclusion. The receptor or receptors thought to underlie this effect were classified as the P2Z receptors in the early nomenclature. However, there were a handful of dogged researchers who hypothesized that extracellular ATP plays a physiological role in promoting ionic permeability in the plasma membrane by activating ion channels. Channel activation in many experimental paradigms is so rapid that electrophysiologists hypothesized further that ATP might bind to and gate an ion channel directly. These hypotheses and experiments are the genesis of the P2X purinergic receptor channel field. There are seven identiﬁed and characterized P2X receptor channel subtypes. Other tissue-speciﬁc and developmentally regulated P2XRs are still emerging, as are P2XRs from lower model organisms, such as zebrafish. P2XRs are calcium-permeable nonselective cation channels that, as the glutamate— N -methyl- D -aspartate (NMDA)—and kainate receptor channels at excitatory synapses, are gated by an extracellular agonist and show divalent and monovalent permeation and divalent cation block. P2XRs trigger signaling by mediating calcium influx from extracellular stores and by changing the plasma membrane potential; however, other signaling mechanisms may be governed by ATP-gated receptor channels.
Population Densities of Nematodes Under Seven Tillage Regimes

Numbers of plant-parasitic nematodes on corn growing under seven tillage regimes were monitored. Differences among treatments occurred for Helicotylenchus pseudorobustus, Pratylenchus spp., Xiphinema americanum, dorylaimids, and total numbers of nematodes. Except with members of the Tylenchinae, highest densities occurred in no-till ridge plots and lowest numbers occurred in spring- and fall-plowed pots.
Biofeedback in the Treatment of the Stress Response

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a basic introduction to biofeedback in general and as it relates to the treatment of excessive stress. Biofeedback may be thought of as a unique “high technology” therapy that may be used to: (1) engender a relaxation response, thus treating the stress response itself, or (2) alter target-organ activity, thus treating the symptoms of excessive stress arousal.
Insulin modifies flavor aversions and preferences in real- and sham-feeding rats

In separate, parallel experiments, rats were allowed to sham or real feed a flavored sweetened condensed-milk solution after a 17.5-h fast. Coinciding with administration of the milk were injections of insulin or vehicle (saline). Insulin had no effect on intake in the real feeding situation, and flavors paired with insulin (0.8, 2.5, or 5.0 U/rat) were avoided, relative to saline-paired flavors. In sham-feeding rats, insulin (0.8 U/rat) significantly reduced the amount of milk consumed, and flavors paired with insulin injection were preferred, relative to saline-paired ones. Insulin produced a relatively larger hypoglycemia during sham feeding than during real feeding. Thus it appears that insulin-paired flavors of milk may be preferred by animals when they are ingested in sham feeding but not in animals real feeding. Perhaps rapid gastric emptying, as would occur with a liquid diet, accompanied by increased insulin levels, leads to malaise and flavor aversion.
Chemistry and kinetics of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and diisocyanate-HTPB polymers during slow decomposition and combustion-like conditions

Abstract The decomposition chemistry and kinetics of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB), hydroxyl-terminated polyethyleneglycol adipate (HTPA), and diisocyanate cross-linked HTPB (diisocyanates = TDI, IPDI, and DDI) were determined by TGA, DSC, and IR spectroscopy at 10°C/min and by SMATCH/FTIR at 250°–350°C/s. At 10°C/min, the first step (300°–400°C) for diisocyanate-HTPB is fission of the urethane cross-link bonds. The diisocyanate cross-linking agent is vaporized to an extent that is controlled by its vapor pressure. The HTPB polymer then exothermically cross-links and cyclizes, but also depolymerizes to yield volatile products. The overall exothermicity of these steps is proportional to the number of double bonds in the parent polymer. Above 400°C, the final major stage is endothermic decomposition of the mostly saturated residue of HTPB formed in the 300°–400°C range. The kinetics of this final step are independent of whether the original polymer contained urethane cross-links or not. SMATCH/FTIR spectroscopy simulates the conditions in the condensed phase during combustion at 15 psi, as evidenced by the fact that the regression rates calculated for HTPB from the SMATCH/FTIR kinetics at 250°–350°C/sec fall within the range of combustion-like regression rates of IPDI-HTPB and similar polymers (0.05–0.2 mm/s at 15 psi). SMATCH/FTIR spectroscopy establishes that under combustion-like conditions, the urethane cross-links cleave in the first step, but that less cyclization of the residual HTPB occurs because of the shorter time available. Hence, no initial exotherm appears. Instead, HTPB skips directly to depolymerization, giving up butadiene, butadiene oligomers, and CH2O to the first stage of the flame zone.
Bayesian wavelet methodology for structural damage detection

Accurate structural damage detection is still a challenging problem due to the complicated nonlinear behavior of structural system, incomplete sensed data, presence of noise in the data, and uncertainties in both experimental measurement and analytic model. This paper presents a Bayesian wavelet probabilistic methodology for nonparametric damage detection to address the above-mentioned issues. A Bayesian discrete wavelet packet transform-based denoising approach is employed to perform data cleansing prior to damage detection. A nonparametric system identification method, based on fuzzy wavelet neural networks, is applied to predict dynamic responses of the structure subjected to external excitation. Bayesian hypothesis testing is developed to assess the difference between the sensed data and model prediction. The Bayesian assessment metric is treated as a random variable and its probability density function is constructed using Monte Carlo simulation technique to incorporate possible uncertainties. The evaluation method provides quantitative information about the condition of a structural system. The methodology is validated using the sensed data collected from a 5-story test steel frame and a 38-story concrete building model. Both the original and denoised data are used in the damage detection to investigate the effects of noise on detection accuracy. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed methodology provides an effective metric to quantify the confidence in the damage detection. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tlaxcalan constructions of acute grief.

In rural Tlaxcala, Mexico, the sudden and unexpected death of infants and young children was a relatively common occurrence during the time when this study was conducted. Not surprisingly, the deaths constituted major social tragedies and operated as psychological traumas to the family, especially the parents. Acute grief reactions inevitable resulted and these were suffused with bodily and psychological disturbances of different types, some of which were handled in the society as illness. The article grows out of a longitudinal study about these tragedies to families of the region. Attention is given to the grief reactions of parents, with special emphasis placed on psychological and behavioral manifestations. Of particular interest is the way local, cultural symbols pertaining to the cause of the deaths, which involved the malevolent attack of blood-sucking witches, were configured in the verbalizations and behavioral reactions that comprised the grief reactions. Details of the way symbols entered into the construction of meaningful accounts of the tragedies during the ordeal of the grief reactions are discussed and analyzed. Although the manifestations of grief could be said to have clinical, psychiatric implications, it is the way these manifestations served to explain the tragedies, in the process regulating and restoring social relations, that is given principal attention. A description of one mother's grief reaction is provided as a case illustration.
Assessment of Human Serotonin 1A Receptor Polymorphisms and SSRI Responsiveness

Background: Depression is thought to involve, in part, dysregulation of serotonergic neurotransmission. In depressed individuals, the number of serotonin receptors, including the 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin)-1A (5-HT1A) autoreceptors, are increased. Clinical improvement with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is not usually observed until several weeks after treatment initiation. This delay may be due to the time it takes for the autoreceptors to downregulate. Roughly one-third of patients with depression do not respond to an initial trial of antidepressant medication treatment, possibly as a result of structural variations in the 5-HT1A receptor. Aims: This study was designed to determine the allelic frequency of seven 5-HT1A receptor polymorphisms in a depressed versus a nondepressed population, and in SSRI responders versus nonresponders. All the polymorphisms studied are single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the HTR1A gene, which encodes 5-HT1A. Seven prevalent SNPs were included in the analysis. Results: The study showed no relationship between any of the HTR1A polymorphisms and SSRI responders versus nonresponders. Conclusion: While the study has several limitations, the results are consistent with a growing body of literature that suggests that the pharmacogenetics of depression (an inherently complex disorder) may turn out to be multifactorial, and may include the HTR1A gene in concert with other serotonin-related genes.
Far-infrared spectroscopy of the troposphere (FIRST): sensor calibration performance

The radiative balance of the troposphere, and hence global climate, is dominated by the infrared absorption and emission of water vapor, particularly at far-infrared (far-IR) wavelengths from 15-50 mm. Water vapor is the principal absorber and emitter in this region. The distribution of water vapor and associated far-IR radiative forcings and feedbacks are widely recognized as major uncertainties in our understanding of current and the prediction of future climate. Cirrus clouds modulate the outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) in the far-IR. Up to half of the OLR from the Earth occurs beyond 15.4 mm (650 cm -1 ). Current and planned operational and research satellites observe the midinfrared to only about 15.4 mm, leaving space or airborne spectral measurement of the far-IR region unsupported. NASA has now developed the sensor required to make regular far-IR measurements of the Earth's atmosphere possible. Far InfraRed Spectroscopy of the Troposphere (FIRST) was developed for NASA's Instrument Incubator Program under the direction of the Langley Research Center. The objective of FIRST is to provide a balloon-based demonstration of the key technologies required for a space-based sensor. The FIRST payload will also be proposed for science flights in support of validation of the various experiments on the Earth Observing System (EOS). We discuss the FIRST Fourier transform spectrometer system (0.6 cm-1 unapodized resolution), along with its radiometric calibration in the spectral range from 10 to 100 µm (1000 to 100 cm -1 ). FIRST incorporates a broad bandpass beamsplitter, a cooled (~180 K) high throughput optical system, and an image type detector system. We also discuss the actual performance of the FIRST instrument relative to its performance goal of a NE(delta)T of 0.2 K from 10 to 100 mm.
Problems Associated With Multiple Engine Starts in Spacecraft

Earth-orbit, lunar and interplanetary missions are briefly reviewed to show that vehicle flexibility can be considerably enhanced if the final stage is capable of multiple engine firings interspersed with periods of gravity free coasting. The space thermal environment during coast is discussed and sur­ face finishes desirable for temperature control are examined. Typical surface finish characteristics are used to estimate the temperature histories and venting rates of stored cryogenic propellants, and data are presented to show the effects of thermal radiation shielding. A limit type of analysis describing the behavior of liquids under zero g is presented with the resulting data used to estimate the collecting accelerations required for subsequent engine starts. T HE SPACE missions thus far accomplished by the U. S. and, so far as we know, by the U. S. S. R. have used launch vehicles comprised of stages which fired only once. However, there are definite advantages in using a final stage which is capable of multiple in-flight engine firings. The fact that vehicles with this capability have not been developed before this time indicates that this development involves the solution of some unique problems—problems which could be avoided by accepting the limitations of singlestart vehicles.3 A few of those problems are: 1) boiling heat transfer under zero g; 2) fluid behavior under zero g; 3) storage of propellants during extended coast periods; 4) venting of propellant tanks during zero g conditions; 5) collection of propellants prior to engine starts; 6) cooldown of propellant lines and turbopumps; and 7) environ­ mental control for equipment. A discussion of selected problems associated with obtaining multiple-start capability in a launch vehicle is the principal content of this paper. However, in order to fully grasp the necessity of solving these problems and of achieving multiplestart capability, it is important to understand some of the advantages of a multiple-start vehicle. These advantages depend in large measure upon the mission of the vehicle.
The oxidation of choline by liver slices and mitochondria during liver development in the rat

Abstract Betaine is the major oxidation product of [Me-14C] choline produced by rat liver slices. Liver slices from adult rats rapidly oxidize [Me-14C] choline to betaine and the bulk of the betaine produced is recovered in the incubation medium. Considerably more choline is oxidized to betaine than is phosphorylated to phosphorylcholine. The rate of phosphorylation of choline appears to be independent of the rate of choline oxidation. Liver slices from fetal and young rats oxidize choline to betaine at a lower rate than adult liver slices. The ability of mitochondria to oxidize [Me-14C] choline to betaine aldehyde and betaine is considerably lower in fetal liver than in adult liver. The major product with both fetal and adult mitochondria is betaine aldehyde. Choline oxidation by mitochondria begins to increase 1 day prior to birth and increases progressively to adult levels by 18 days. The developmental pattern for choline oxidation is similar to the pattern for succinic dehydrogenase activity.
Electrophysiological and morpho-histochemical study of action of adrenalectomy on hippocampal neurons

Chronic insufficiency of adrenal hormones is a pathology leading to brain dysfunction. By electrophysiological approach there were studied mechanisms of adaptation of neural networks to chronic hormonal deprivation by extracellular recording of the single spike activity of hippocampal neurons (HN), which was caused by high-frequency stimulation of the entorhinal cortex (EC) in rats with unilateral removal of adrenal (adrenalectomy—AE). The balance of excitatory and inhibitory responses recorded in intact rat HN underwent characteristic changes in dynamics of development of neurodegeneration: the inhibitory responses dominating in norm were decreased in all AE terms (from 42% to 25% by 18 weeks). On the contrary, the minimal percentage of excitatory responses in norm was sharply increased at 25–27 days after AE (from 17% to 60%), by indicating a possible increase in cholinergic neurotransmission. The high level of the mean frequency of peristimulus spiking was recorded from the 25–27th day to the 18th week after AE, which indicates the presence of the high level of glutamate or the expressed activation of NMDA receptors. On the whole, the ratio of the excitatory/inhibitory HN responses suggests discrepancy of neural activity in EC HN chains under the AE conditions. Histochemical analysis has shown an increased sensitivity to AE in the CA1 area neurons. After disruption of neuronal structure by the 5th day of AE, 25–27 days after AE, proliferation of cellular elements was observed in the CA1 area, due which the complete filling of the “devastated” areas of hippocampus and a sharp enhancement of phosphatase activity occurred by 8-10 weeks in neuronal nuclei of the dentate gyrus. By 18 weeks after AE, most neurons in the CA1 area were subjected to chromatolysis with a fall of phosphatase activity. The presented make certain contribution to understanding of mechanisms of control of cognitive function and brain plasticity with interconnection with hormonal factors.
The Development of a Current Monitor System for Measuring Pulsed-Beam Current over a Wide Dynamic Range

This report documents the development of a current transformer system to measure pulsed ion beam currents at the LAMPF accelerator. Measured peak currents typically range from 100 nA to 30 mA with pulse widths varying from 30 ?s to 1 ms. Signal conditioning of the peak current output provides an average current readout with a range of 1 nA to 2 mA, noise of approximately ±0.5 nA, and accuracy of ±0.1%. The system requires no operating adjustments and has proved stable and reliable during a year of operation.
Fabrication of superconducting transition edge sensor based on Mo and Au bilayers

Abstract We report fabricated antenna-coupled superconducting transition edge sensor (TES) for millimeter-wave polarimetry. Superconducting microwave components for an antenna-coupled focal plane will be described in this work. We use low-loss Nb/SiO/Nb transmission line as base materials as a start, although changes in the dielectric may be possible to reduce loss further. Additionally, we have fabricated single- and double-element antennas, filters and detectors. We use TES bilayers consisting of Mo/Au thin films and Nb electrical contacts on a low-stress Si 3 N 4 membrane. In this work, we report transition temperature as a function of Mo thicknesses and Au film composition.
Flexibility in data interpretation: effects of representational format.

Graphs and tables differentially support performance on specific tasks. For tasks requiring reading off single data points, tables are as good as or better than graphs, while for tasks involving relationships among data points, graphs often yield better performance. However, the degree to which graphs and tables support flexibility across a range of tasks is not well understood. In two experiments, participants detected main and interaction effects in line graphs and tables of bivariate data. Graphs led to more efficient performance, but also lower flexibility, as indicated by a larger discrepancy in performance across tasks. In particular, detection of main effects of variables represented in the graph legend was facilitated relative to detection of main effects of variables represented in the x-axis. Graphs may be a preferable representational format when the desired task or analytical perspective is known in advance, but may also induce greater interpretive bias than tables, necessitating greater care in their use and design.
Thermal comfort beyond building design – an investigation in naturally ventilated residential apartments in a hot–dry climate

This study deals with effective post-occupancy strategies which occupants in naturally ventilated residential buildings could employ in order to improve thermal comfort. The results are based on validated simulations carried out using the ESP-r software tool. The study focuses on two strategies, viz. – adaptive occupancy patterns and ventilation strategies for thermal comfort improvements during summer and winter. The feasibility of applying these strategies which were part of traditional living practices to a modern residential setup has been analyzed. Design considerations for these adaptive strategies to be functionally effective have been discussed. The analysis indicated that an adaptive occupancy pattern could potentially improve thermal comfort by 10% in summer compared to the base case. Fenestration operation patterns could improve thermal comfort by 13% in summer but have no significant benefit in winter. Night ventilation was found to be effective in improving comfort conditions by 28% in summer...
Operating properties of superconducting fault current limiters based on YBCO thin films

Abstract We have investigated various operating properties of superconducting fault current limiters (SFCLs) based on 300 nm thick YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) films to determine the voltage ratings of the SFCLs as applied to Korean power system. The SFCL consists of 1 mm wide and 26 cm long meander-type YBCO stripes covered with a 200 nm gold layer grown in situ for heat dispersion at hot spots. Measured operating properties included maximum voltage, maximum limited current, response and recovery time under various conditions. Maximum voltage across the SFCL during the quench was independent of fault angle between 0° and 90° while maximum limited current was the highest at fault angles between 60° and 120° due to high current value at the fault instant. The response time showed reverse behavior to maximum limited current. When inductance was inserted into the circuit, the response time rapidly increased with decreasing power factor down to 0.985 while the maximum limited current varied little. Recovery time increased linearly with applied voltage. Considering the above characteristics, particularly the recovery time, it was determined that optimal voltage rating of our SFCL units was below 100 V rms .
Effects of gender, ethnicity, and medical illness on drinking cessation in older primary care patients.

Objective: This study examined the effects of gender, ethnicity, and medical illness on cessation of alcohol consumption in late life by analyzing characteristics that distinguish current drinkers from former drinkers. Method: Participants were 211 medical patients aged 55 to 91 years, recruited from four urban public sector primary care clinics. Respondents completed the Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test and provided health and demographic data. A subset (n = 139) reported drinking history. Of these participants, 40% reported cessation of alcohol consumption at least 1 year prior to their participation in the study. Results: Older age, hypertension, and heart problems were associated with drinking cessation among women but not among men. In a logistic regression model, drinking cessation was predicted by being unmarried, being a member of an ethnic minority group, heart problems, and diabetes. Discussion: Physical illnesses may contribute to drinking cessation, especially in older women. Results have...
RETENTION AS A FUNCTION OF SUCCESSIVE RECALL TRIALS FOLLOWING ORIGINAL LEARNING

2 experiments, using paired adjectives, examined the effect of successive recall trials (SRC) that occurred immediately after OL on retention. Retention was measured after 0-, 24-, and 48-hr. retention intervals. The first experiment varied SRC trials (0 vs 10) following OL, and retention interval (0 vs 24 hr.). Exp. II extended the first by increasing the amount of post-OL SRC (0, 10, and 20 trials) and by increasing the retention interval (24 vs 48 hr.). Both experiments measured retention over 10 SRC trials. Correct recall was facilitated by post-OL SRC and increased during SRC trials after 24- and 48-hr. retention intervals. The results suggest that both associative and warm-up processes operate during SRC.
Stabilizing Control in Emergencies Part: 2. Control by Local Feedback

New methods are introduced for the stabilization of the power system during violent swings after major disturbances. These techniques utilize existing or attainable measurements, computer facilities, and devices such as short rating resistors, capacitors, or fast valving. Stabilizing action is based on a new Observation Decoupled State Space which is introduced in a companion paper [1]. Components of this state space associated with individual buses can be computed locally from local conventional measurements. The origin is always the stable system equilibrium-the target of the control. In this paper methods are introduced to track this target by purely local feedback. No telemetering is involved in either the state estimation or the control. Stability of the control in a global domain was proven. Excellent performance is demonstrated by simulation on a 118 bus system with a consistent, up to ten-fold, increase in the critical clearing times.
X-ray-photoelectron and x-ray-photoabsorption study of pressure-amorphized T - Nb 2 O 5

A recent report suggested that pressure-induced amorphization of the T phase of ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{5}$ is accompanied by a reduction of Nb from the pentavalent state with the simultaneous loss of oxygen atoms. This conjecture is examined in detail by x-ray-photoelectron and x-ray-absorption spectroscopy. No reduction was detected within the sensitivity of the measurements, which impose an upper limit for the concentration of reduced Nb, if any, to be less than 3%. The ${\mathit{L}}_{\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I},\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I}}$-edge photoabsorption spectra suggest that the recovered high-pressure phase has a more compacted oxygen environment, which is often found in densified materials.
The thermal decomposition of nickel and zinc fluoride tetrahydrates

Abstract Nickel fluoride tetrahydrate, NiF2·4H2O, decomposes in three steps when heated, the products depending on the atmosphere in which the decomposition occurs. In dry air or in dry argon three moles of water are lost at about 125°, and the monohydrate, NiF2·H2O, is formed. At about 225°, the monohydrate loses water and hydrogen fluoride, and NiOHF·3NiF2 is formed. The latter compound loses an additional mole of hydrogen flouride at about 430°, and the final product is a mixture of nickel fluoride and nickel oxide in a 3:1 mole ratio. In the presence of water vapour the final decomposition product is solely nickel oxide; the other steps are the same. Zinc fluoride tetrahydrate loses four moles of water at temperatures above about 75°, forming anhydrous zinc fluoride.
Investigation of scrape-off layer up-down asymmetries in diverted plasmas in TEXT-Upgrade

In equatorial single null diverted discharges in TEXT-Upgrade, up-down asymmetries have been noted, the sign and magnitude of which depend on plasma conditions such as electron density and X point position. Geometrical effects do not play a role in these plasmas, which are topologically up-down symmetric, so the asymmetry must come from physical driving mechanisms. Several such mechanisms will be investigated, both computationally and experimentally, and compared with data from tokamak discharges. An analysis is included of the E × B , diamagnetic and ∇ T × B drifts as well as plasma rotation. The B2-EIRENE plasma simulation code is used to evaluate the respective influences of the ∇ T × B driving terms. Scans of the X point position relative to the divertor plates and of the electron density are performed. The X point is brought in all the way to the divertor plates so as to assess the importance of the private region in the drift flow patterns and to break the flow loops. The low recycling regime typical of TEXT-Upgrade single null plasmas allows separation and identification of the influence of individual flows. It is concluded that E × B drift is the dominant effect and that it qualitatively explains the reported behaviour.
Second-order contributions to relativistic time delay in the parametrized post-Newtonian formalism

Using a parametrized expansion of the solar metric to second order in the Newtonian potential, we calculate the relativistic delay in the round-trip travel time of a radar signal reflected from a nearby planet. We find that one second-order contribution to the delay is on the order of ten nanoseconds, which is comparable to the uncertainties in present-day experiments involving the Viking spacecraft.
Fishing through patient records.

Information recording and retrieval in patient records is expensive, painful, and inadequate. Automated hospital systems will undoubtedly provide solutions to these problems, but those solutions are costly and years away. From a practical standpoint, records can be improved today using problem-oriented approaches to patient care and new formats for both subjective and objective information. These points are discussed, and examples of a clinical laboratory data sheet and an intensive care unit record are presented and compared with current procedures at one Boston hospital. CURRENT MEDICAL RECORDS are inadequate. The basic difficulty is the growth of patient charts, both figuratively and literally, like "topsy" from a carry-over into medical practice of compulsive long narrative formats learned in medical school. The purpose of this paper is to outline some of the problems with current records and the difficulties in providing full scale computerization of patient data. A practical alternative is offered which may be made quite compatible with future automated hospital data processing systems.
Longitudinal plaque redistribution during stent expansion

Abstract The purpose of this study was to clarify the 3-dimensional behavior of plaque during coronary stent expansion. Serial intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) studies, preintervention, and poststenting were evaluated in 32 patients treated with a single-balloon expandable tubular stent. External elastic membrane (EEM), lumen, stent, and plaque + media cross-sectional area were measured at 1-mm intervals through the entire stent as well as proximal and distal reference segments 5 mm from the stent edge. Volumetric calculations were based on Simpson's rule. Overall, the plaque + media volume through the entire lesion did not change during stent expansion (218 ± 51 vs 217 ± 47 mm 3 , p=0.69). However, EEM and lumen volume increased significantly (EEM volume, 391 ± 84 vs 448 ± 87 mm 3 [p 3 [p 3 , p=0.0005), and increased in the distal stent zone (40 ± 11 vs 44 ± 9 mm 3 , p=0.003), but did not change in either the proximal stent zone or reference segments. The mechanism of stent expansion is a combination of vessel stretch and plaque redistribution, translating disease accumulation from the midstent zone to the distal stent zone.
Suppression of chaos in 1-D maps

Abstract The interaction of tailing with a non-zero intercept, typical of most physically realistic return maps, can lead to broadening of the periodic windows at the expense of the chaos otherwise observed; i.e., the Lebesgue measure of the set of parameter values for which chaos results can be driven to zero. The dynamic discussed gives the first explanation of which we are aware for the greatly increased size of periodic windows in experimental systems, over what is found for S-unimodal maps.
Estimation in systems with a semi-Markov switching model

There are numerous examples of systems which have discrete models that randomly vary with time and experience switchings between different models after a random sojourn time. In some situations the switching probabilities depend on the sojourn time. Such a switching process, discussed in this paper, is a class of semi-Markov processes and is encountered in target tracking, manufacturing systems, power industry and also in the socio-economic environment. In this paper we use the recently derived conditional sojourn time distribution for systems with imperfect observations and changing structures or models and present the state estimation for such systems.
The factor content of Chinese trade

This article demonstrates that the growth of China's exports in recent years is consistent with the Heckscher–Ohlin–Vanek (HOV) prediction of the factor content of trade based on international differences in factor endowments, after adjusting for substantial differences in factor-specific productivity. A comparison of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development input–output data in the year 2000 shows that China's labor productivity relative to the United States is the lowest in a sample of 33 diverse countries, although China's capital is more productive than US capital. This in turn demonstrates the importance of a factor-specific rather than factor-neutral productivity adjustment common in much of the HOV literature. The use of value-added data to measure factor usage helps to correct for unobserved differences in factor qualities and differences in productivity across sectors, as is demonstrated for China. China's low average labor productivity reflects the structure of the Chinese econ...
Percutaneous femoral puncture for endovascular treatment of occlusive arterial lesions

Abstract Background: Percutaneous femoral arterial access is a most important and difficult aspect of endovascular intervention, and the source of most complications. Methods: A retrospective review was made of the authors’ 9-year experience with 755 femoral punctures for the endovascular treatment of occlusive disease. The main focus was the evolving success rate with percutaneous arterial entry and the incidence of access-related complications. Results: Cutdowns were frequent during the first 2 years, 54% and 17%, respectively, decreasing to 5% or lower by the third year. The incidence of femoral hematoma and other complications mirrored the same learning curve. After cutdown, wound infections and lymph leakage occurred in 2.4% each, and prolonged significant pain in 5%. Conclusions: Percutaneous puncture is a crucial skill in endovascular intervention. Practicing vascular surgeons can expect a significant learning curve. Performance can be optimized through intensive basic and advanced training and preceptorship. The cutdown approach is neither necessary nor acceptable for most endovascular procedures.
A quantitative study of retrograde neuronal changes in Clarke's column

A quantitative study has been made of the retrograde neuronal changes that occur in the large neurons of Clarke's column in the L3 spinal segment, 100 days after dorsolateral column lesions at the medullary, C5, T1, T8, and L1 levels in a series of 10-week-old kittens. Cell counts, and nuclear and perikaryal areal measurements, have been made in thionin stained material. The results indicate that following L1 level lesions, there is about a 30% loss of Clarke neurons and the remaining neurons are reduced in size to about 75% of their normal cross-sectional perikaryal area (as judged from the cells on the opposite side) and about 65% of their normal nuclear area. Lesions at the T8 and T1 level both cause about a 20% Clarke cell loss; but after the T8 lesions, there is about a 65% decrease in perikaryal area and a 55% decrease in nuclear area while the T1 lesions cause about a 55% decrease in perikaryal area and a 45% reduction in nuclear area. Lesions at the C5 level result in about a 15% cell loss, a 50% decrease in perikaryal area, and a 40% decrease in nuclear area. Medullary lesions produce about a 5% cell loss, a 50% decrease in perikaryal area, and a 40% decrease in nuclear area. In unoperated control preparations, the left-right differences in the number of cells are less than 2% and the areal measurements are within 5% of each other. The results of this study suggest that the severity of the retrograde neuronal reaction in Clarke's column is related to the proximity of the lesion to the cell body, but that this relationship is non-linear. Several possible interpretations of these results are discussed.
Uprooted: how Breslau became Wrocław during the century of expulsions; Orderly and humane: the expulsion of the Germans after the Second World War

The end of World War II brought with it not only peace, but also a brutal period of population transfers, particularly in Eastern Europe. Millions of people were expelled from their homes and reset...
Characterization of a monoclonal antibody identifying a CD45RA antigen on feline leukocytes.

Abstract The antibody produced by a murine hybridoma obtained from the fusion of SP2/0 plasmacytoma cells with splenocytes of a mouse immunized with feline bone marrow was found to react with 60% of bone marrow cells and 80% of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL); reactivity in the latter tissue was restricted almost entirely to mononuclear cells. Two-color FACScan analyses of this antibody with mAbs specific for feline lymphocytes revealed positive and negative populations of CD4 and CD8 cells. The reactivity for CD4 and CD8 cells was animal age dependent, binding to a higher percentage of the cells in young (2–9 months) versus older animals (>4 years). In a mitogen driven assay for IgG production by PBL the addition of this antibody to the cultures enhanced the suppressor activity of CD8 cells, a function attributed to activation of a CD4 suppressor–inducer population; removal of CD8 cells negated any induction of suppression. Mild papain digestion of bone marrow and PBL completely removed the antigen detected by this antibody while not affecting reactivity of a pan-T antibody. Western blot analysis showed binding of the antibody to polypeptides of approximately 200 kDa on feline bone marrow and PBL. The data suggest that this mAb is identifying the feline homologue of the leukocyte common antigen of cells with a functional specificity characteristic of a CD45RA isoform.
High mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 as a nuclear protein, cytokine, and potential therapeutic target in arthritis

High mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 (HMGB-1), a DNA binding protein, is an intracellular protein that facilitates DNA bending, stabilizes nucleosome formation, and modulates the interactions of regulatory molecules with their targets. Recent evidence has revealed that HMGB-1 is also a cytokine, because it 1) is released from activated monocyte/macrophages, 2) mediates delayed endotoxin lethality, 3) activates macrophages, 4) stimulates inflammation in vivo, and 5) is a therapeutic target in diverse animal models of inflammatory disease (1–4). Our review accompanies the report by Taniguchi and colleagues (5), in this issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, of a new study of HMGB-1 in the pathogenesis of arthritis. We summarize here the history of research on HMGB-1 as an intracellular protein and discuss in more detail a rapidly growing body of evidence that implicates HMGB-1 as a cytokine that can mediate inflammation and arthritis. Some important new findings are highlighted, and a series of observations that warrant additional study are raised. The molecular basis of the cytokine activity of HMGB-1 and the biochemistry of this potentially important therapeutic target are discussed.
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor function in chick heart cells cultured in serum-free medium

Primary culture of chick heart cells has proven useful in biochemical and physiological investigations of receptor-mediated myocardial responses. While cell culture provides a system in which the cellular environment can be manipulated in carefully controlled ways, the use of serum as a culture medium supplement introduces variability due to the inherent differences in the composition of different lots of sera. In this report we compare the functional properties of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor of cultured embryonic chick heart cells grown in serum-free, defined medium to that of cells cultured in serum-containing medium. We demonstrate that heart cells cultured in defined medium express the muscarinic receptor at similar levels and with similar affinity for both agonists and antagonists as do cells cultured in the presence of serum. In addition, we show that heart cells cultured in defined medium respond to the muscarinic agonist carbachol with a loss of muscarinic receptor number, inhibition of cAMP accumulation, and stimulation of phosphoinositide breakdown. Responses were of similar or greater magnitude in cells cultured in defined medium than those obtained from cells grown in serumcontaining medium. These results indicate that chick heart cells can be cultured in serum-free, defined medium with retention of muscarinic receptor function. Thus, this culture system should be useful for the study of the regulation of muscarinic receptor function by hormones, growth factors and other serum components without the complications caused by serum-supplemented media.