cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Varying States of Head Start: Impacts of a Federal Program Across State Policy Contexts

ABSTRACTClassroom quality is critical for young children's learning, yet evidence suggests that the quality of early care and education (ECE) classrooms varies widely, even within federally administered Head Start. This study uses data from the nationally representative Head Start Impact Study to examine variation in children's access to formal and high-quality ECE by policy characteristics that demonstrate a state's commitment and approach to regulating ECE quality. Findings support existing evidence of the impact of randomization to Head Start on children's access to formal and high-quality ECE, and expand our understanding of the ways in which these impacts vary. Overall, we find that stronger state child care licensing regulations and other indicators of a child-friendly policy climate are associated with a smaller contrast between the Head Start versus control groups' access to both formal and high-quality ECE. This study also offers initial evidence that state regulations targeting the quality of an...
Lanthanide Metal-Organic Frameworks: Syntheses, Properties, and Potential Applications

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as a novel category of porous materials. Currently, rational design of MOFs provides a convenient method to design MOFs with desired properties. After a short introduction of traditional metal MOFs, this chapter discusses the development, properties, and applications of Lanthanide MOFs (Ln-MOFs). Ln-MOFs have garnered much interest due to a wide array of features from the marriage of lanthanide ions with traditional MOFs. An introduction to the Ln-MOF field is presented with several well-known structures to demonstrate various synthetic strategies. Furthermore, interesting structural and chemical properties including porosity, chirality, magnetism, and luminescence are highlighted from recent studies, as well as, a brief overview of potential applications including gas storage, catalysis, and chemical sensing.
Conclusion: Justice for Some, the Truth for All of Us

The conclusion of the study underscores the thesis that the most lasting and salutary legacy of the investigations and trials undertaken against the killers of the Latvian Auxiliary Security Police lies in the knowledge they uncovered—their service to truth. The exception that proves the rule, the Israeli government-sanctioned extra-judicial killing of a notorious and high-ranking Kommando member in the 1960s, Herberts Cukurs, represents at once an act of perhaps understandable revenge but also an irrevocable denial of knowledge to posterity. The crimes at issue are beyond punishment, the perpetrators beyond rehabilitation, and the victims beyond any fitting compensation. In the long term, then, the best that could realistically be hoped for was the discovery, preservation, and dissemination of accurate knowledge about what happened.
How Does Experts’ Limited Attention Affect Stock Prices?

The “market efficiency” models of finance cannot fully explain stock prices. A robust violation of market efficiency is stock prices’ underreaction to earnings news. One argument for such violation is that information experts such as (sell-side) analysts, whose revealed knowledge structure (such as earnings forecasts) investors significantly rely on to evaluate stocks, fail to process earnings news. To understand such experts’ failure and consequent market inefficiency, we take a new institutionalism approach and examine the context-bound attention of the analysts. Specifically, we examine the attention-limiting role of competing tasks and distracting events in influencing analysts’ earnings forecasts for firms. Using a sample of 5,136 North American public firms and 10,798 analysts over 2000-2012, we find that competing tasks worsen analysts’ earnings forecast accuracy. Also, the number of competing tasks is significantly associated with stock prices’ underreaction to earnings news. Hence, stock price is...
Pre-treatment peer-review: enhancing value through increased efficiency and effectiveness of radiation oncology peer review

The purposes of this study are to enhance our quality assurance process with the introduction of pre-treatment peer review within a large academic group practice and to document how this commitment impacts the delivery of safe and effective plans. We supplemented our chart-rounds-based peer review process with the addition of pre-treatment peer review rounds in August 2014. Chart rounds consisted of weekly meetings where all patients on treatment were reviewed within their first five fractions of treatment, regardless of treatment intent. Pre-treatment peer review consisted of all stereotactic radiotherapy cases (SBRT/SRS) or cases with increased complexity, or questions about appropriateness or technique, and was conducted separately from chart rounds. Treatment teams participating in quality assurance conferences included radiation oncologists (at least one other than the primary physician), residents, physician assistant, and physics and dosimetry teams. Components of peer review discussed were treatment intent, appropriateness of radiation therapy, organ at risk/target delineation, and proposed dose/fractionation. Changes were stratified into major and minor changes. Major changes included wrong use of radiotherapy (RT), change in RT modality, > 1 cm field change, > 4 Gy total dose change or adding chemotherapy or surgical evaluation. Minor changes included ≤ 1 cm field change, ≤ 4 Gy total dose change, or additional physical exam, imaging or pathology clarification to assist in target volume delineation. Since August 2014, there have been 1439 patients presented at our peer review conferences. A total of 8% of patients had changes recommended. Importantly, the frequency of change was 10 to 15 times higher for cases that were reviewed prior to treatment start, as compared to those reviewed during on-treatment chart rounds (22% for pre-treatment SBRT/SRS patients, 44% for pre-treatment non-SBRT/SRS patients and 3% for patients presented at chart rounds. Most of the changes were minor (62%), but 38% of all changes were major and thought to be of a magnitude that could potentially affect therapeutic outcome or normal tissue toxicity. The addition of comprehensive pre-treatment peer review proved valuable and effective. The introduction of pre-treatment peer review resulted in an almost 50% reduction in on-treatment chart round changes. This reduction provides value in both patient safety and clinical efficiency.
GeoBurst+: Effective and Real-Time Local Event Detection in Geo-Tagged Tweet Streams

The real-time discovery of local events (e.g., protests, disasters) has been widely recognized as a fundamental socioeconomic task. Recent studies have demonstrated that the geo-tagged tweet stream serves as an unprecedentedly valuable source for local event detection. Nevertheless, how to effectively extract local events from massive geo-tagged tweet streams in real time remains challenging. To bridge the gap, we propose a method for effective and real-time local event detection from geo-tagged tweet streams. Our method, named GeoBurst+, first leverages a novel cross-modal authority measure to identify several pivots in the query window. Such pivots reveal different geo-topical activities and naturally attract similar tweets to form candidate events. GeoBurst+ further summarizes the continuous stream and compares the candidates against the historical summaries to pinpoint truly interesting local events. Better still, as the query window shifts, GeoBurst+ is capable of updating the event list with little time cost, thus achieving continuous monitoring of the stream. We used crowdsourcing to evaluate GeoBurst+ on two million-scale datasets and found it significantly more effective than existing methods while being orders of magnitude faster.
A proposed global metric to aid mercury pollution policy.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury entered into force in August 2017, committing its currently 92 parties to take action to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury. But how can we tell whether the convention is achieving its objective? Although the convention requires periodic effectiveness evaluation ( 1 ), scientific uncertainties challenge our ability to trace how mercury policies translate into reduced human and wildlife exposure and impacts. Mercury emissions to air and releases to land and water follow a complex path through the environment before accumulating as methylmercury in fish, mammals, and birds. As these environmental processes are both uncertain and variable, analyzing existing data alone does not currently provide a clear signal of whether policies are effective. A global-scale metric to assess the impact of mercury emissions policies would help parties assess progress toward the convention's goal. Here, I build on the example of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer to identify criteria for a mercury metric. I then summarize why existing mercury data are insufficient and present and discuss a proposed new metric based on mercury emissions to air. Finally, I identify key scientific uncertainties that challenge future effectiveness evaluation.
Programs over Finite Semigroups: An Introduction

The notion of a program over a finite semigroup has recently emerged from the work of D.A. Barrington on bounded-width branching programs [2], [3], and the joint work of D.A. Barrington and D. Therien [4], [5]. These authors introduced programs over semigroups under the name of “non-uniform deterministic finite automata (NUDFA)”, and they studied the potential programs have in terms of recognizability of certain languages that are commonly treated in complexity theory by using families of Boolean circuits.
Commentary on N. Ghaemi's "Hippocratic Psychopharmacology of Bipolar Disorder" Treating Bipolar Disorder: For the Patient or Against the Illness?

Objective: This is a commentary on Hippocratic Psychopharmacology in Bipolar Disorder , an article by S. Nasir Ghaemi in this issue of Psychiatry 2006. Design: Based on Dr. Ghaemi's article and relevant literature, I discuss implications of Hippocratic treatment, i.e., the principle of treating an underlying illness using methods that enhance the patient' s adaptive responses, rather than using sympto- matic treatments. Results and Discussion: Key points include 1) the course of ill- ness, as heterogeneous as it is, seems to have episodic-stable and inherently unstable forms; 2) course of illness interacts with episode characteristics, with mixed or polyphasic episodes associated with an unstable and complicated course of ill- ness; 3) consequences in terms of treatment response, with lithium being more ef fective in treating the episodic-stable than the unstable form of the illness; and 4) the fact that, in determining treatment response, course of illness trumps episode characteristics. The goal of Hippocratic/Oslerian medicine, curative treatment aimed at underlying mechanisms of disease, is the aim of treatment, but is still elusive.
Phosphorus flame retardants from isosorbide bis-acrylate

Abstract The increasing concern about the potential negative health effects of traditional organohalogen flame retardants have placed these compounds under increasing regulatory pressure around the world. There is a growing need to develop new, nontoxic, biocompatible or biodegradable flame retardant agents. Phosphorus compounds derived from renewable biosources offer great potential to meet this need. Isosorbide is a dihydroxy ether available from starch. It may be readily converted to the corresponding bis-acrylate ester. This compound undergoes Michael addition of phosphites to provide a number of phosphorus compounds which display good flame retardancy in DGEBA epoxy.
Women and Dictionary-Making: Gender, Genre, and English Language Lexicography

Dictionaries are a powerful genre, perceived as authoritative and objective records of the language, impervious to personal bias. But who makes dictionaries shapes both how they are constructed and how they are used. Tracing the craft of dictionary making from the fifteenth century to the present day, this book explores the vital but little-known significance of women and gender in the creation of English language dictionaries. Women worked as dictionary patrons, collaborators, readers, compilers, and critics, while gender ideologies served, at turns, to prevent, secure, and veil women's involvements and innovations in dictionary making. Combining historical, rhetorical, and feminist methods, this is a monumental recovery of six centuries of women's participation in dictionary making and a robust investigation of how the social life of the genre is influenced by the social expectations of gender.
A facile method to synthesize hierarchical nano-sized zeolite beta

Abstract A one-pot two-stage synthesis method was developed to synthesize hierarchical nano-sized zeolite beta. The two-stage included the generation of nano-sized zeolite beta precursor and the self-assembly of the zeolite beta precursor around structure directing agent, hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide. The influence of the hydrothermal synthesis time and pH value of the zeolite beta precursors, hydrothermal treatment duration, SDA concentration, and water content during nano-sized zeolite beta precursor self-assembly on the properties of final solid products were studied. The samples were characterized by nitrogen adsorption (BET), NH3-TPD, X-ray powder diffraction, solid state-NMR, and TEM. With the present synthesis method and conditions, compared with the conventional nano-sized zeolite beta synthesis, a longer zeolite precursor crystallization time was required for the successful transformation of the amorphous aluminosilicates precursors into crystalline beta assemblies with hierarchical structure. The further crystallization of zeolite beta precursors during the precursor assembly did not occur under studied pH range, hydrothermal treatment duration, SDA concentration, and water content.
Regional Differences in Stream Water Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sediment Responses to Forest Harvesting in the Conterminous USA.

Forest harvesting and management techniques were hypothesized to result in significant differences in stream water N (NO₃–N), P (total P [TP]), and total suspended sediment (TSS) responses among regions of United States. The objectives were (i) to determine the mean response periods after harvesting for each water quality variable, (ii) to compare the regional response yields, and (iii) to determine relationships among water quality, rainfall, and flow. Watershed-scale studies where best management practices were implemented provided a basis for water quality analyses. A mixed model was used to estimate the time from harvest to time when the harvested site yielded similar export as the reference site (response period). Normalized water quality yields were calculated as response yields (kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) times estimated response periods. Significant differences among yields were identified using ANOVA and Tukey test (α = 0.05), and relationships between water quality and hydrologic variables were identified using multivariate analysis (α = 0.05). The ratio of estimated mean response period for TSS to NO₃–N and TP, each individually, was approximately two. The mean normalized NO₃–N response yield was greater for the northern than the southern and/or western regions. Normalized NO₃–N and TSS response yields were greater for plantations than for other harvest types. The TSS export significantly increased with discharge from plantations. The literature-based response periods used in this study were not fully monitored, and soil surface manipulations after harvesting pose a significant influence on sediment export in the United States.
Reduce the computation in jackknife empirical likelihood for comparing two correlated Gini indices

ABSTRACTThe Gini index has been widely used as a measure of income (or wealth) inequality in social sciences. To construct a confidence interval for the difference of two Gini indices from the pair...
RESPONSE: Embracing the Gap Year as a Hospitalist.

The decision to select and commit to a career path is perhaps one of the most important ones a resident physician will face during training. Although some trainees have laser-like focus and are geared toward subspecialties from the first day of internship, the vast majority approach residency
Trial Design: Overview of Study Designs

Clinical trials are fundamentally the investigation of human subjects under experimental conditions. For these trials to be successful, they must be well planned in the design phase to evaluate the prespecified outcomes. Thus, it is imperative for the investigators to understand clinical trial design which follows a typical progression from preclinical studies in animals to phase I–IV trials as described in this chapter (Fig. 4.1).
3.02 – Anatomy and Histology of the Digestive Tract☆

This chapter presents a brief overview of the gross anatomy and histology of the digestive tract. Each of the four major organs, esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine, are described in terms of anatomical relationships, architecture and cytology of the organ wall, as well as blood supply and innervation.
1H, 13C, 15N resonance assignments and fold verification of a circular permuted variant of the potent HIV-inactivating protein cyanovirin-N.

Laura G. Barrientosa, Ramon Campos-Olivasa, John M. Louisa, Andras Fiserb, Andrej Salib & Angela M. Gronenborna,∗∗ aLaboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, U.S.A.; bLaboratories of Molecular Biophysics, Pels Family Center for Biochemistry & Structural Biology, Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave, New York, NY 10021, U.S.A.
Molecular Sensitivity of Near-Field Vibrational Infrared Imaging

Quantifying the sensitivity limit of scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) in vibrational infrared imaging requires assembly of molecular systems with continuous variation...
Full-field spectral-domain optical interferometry for snapshot three-dimensional microscopy.

Prevalent techniques in label-free linear optical microscopy are either confined to imaging in two dimensions or rely on scanning, both of which restrict their applications in imaging subtle biological dynamics. In this paper, we present the theoretical basis along with demonstrations supporting that full-field spectral-domain interferometry can be used for imaging samples in 3D with no moving parts in a single shot. Consequently, we propose a novel optical imaging modality that combines low-coherence interferometry with hyperspectral imaging using a light-emitting diode and an image mapping spectrometer, called Snapshot optical coherence microscopy (OCM). Having first proved the feasibility of Snapshot OCM through theoretical modeling and a comprehensive simulation, we demonstrate an implementation of the technique using off-the-shelf components capable of capturing an entire volume in 5 ms. The performance of Snapshot OCM, when imaging optical targets, shows its capability to axially localize and section images over an axial range of ±10 µm, while maintaining a transverse resolution of 0.8 µm, an axial resolution of 1.4 µm, and a sensitivity of up to 80 dB. Additionally, its performance in imaging weakly scattering live cells shows its capability to not only localize the cells in a densely populated culture but also to generate detailed phase profiles of the structures at each depth for long durations. Consolidating the advantages of several widespread optical microscopy modalities, Snapshot OCM has the potential to be a versatile imaging technique for a broad range of applications.
Region-optimized virtual (ROVir) coils: Localization and/or suppression of spatial regions using sensor-domain beamforming.

PURPOSE In many MRI scenarios, magnetization is often excited from spatial regions that are not of immediate interest. Excitation of uninteresting magnetization can complicate the design of efficient imaging methods, leading to either artifacts or acquisitions that are longer than necessary. While there are many hardware- and sequence-based approaches for suppressing unwanted magnetization, this paper approaches this longstanding problem from a different and complementary angle, using beamforming to suppress signals from unwanted regions without modifying the acquisition hardware or pulse sequence. Unlike existing beamforming approaches, we use a spatially invariant sensor-domain approach that can be applied directly to raw data to facilitate image reconstruction. THEORY AND METHODS We use beamforming to linearly mix a set of original coils into a set of region-optimized virtual (ROVir) coils. ROVir coils optimize a signal-to-interference ratio metric, are easily calculated using simple generalized eigenvalue decomposition methods, and provide coil compression. RESULTS ROVir coils were compared against existing coil-compression methods, and were demonstrated to have substantially better signal suppression capabilities. In addition, examples were provided in a variety of different application contexts (including brain MRI, vocal tract MRI, and cardiac MRI; accelerated Cartesian and non-Cartesian imaging; and outer volume suppression) that demonstrate the strong potential of this kind of approach. CONCLUSION The beamforming-based ROVir framework is simple to implement, has promising capabilities to suppress unwanted MRI signal, and is compatible with and complementary to existing signal suppression methods. We believe that this general approach could prove useful across a wide range of different MRI applications.
Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Case Series and Literature Review

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an important and rare cause of myocardial infarction (MI), particularly among young women without traditional atherosclerotic risk factors. Late pregnancy and postpartum period are associated with more risk for developing SCAD. No enough data exist regarding the ideal management of SCAD due to lack of randomized trials comparing medical therapy and revascularization strategies. We present three cases of SCAD, two of them were postpartum women while one involved an obese young woman with no identifiable risk factors. We describe the pathophysiology, types of SCAD, risk factors, clinical presentation, and management approach. This case series highlights the need to raise awareness of SCAD and to facilitate accurate diagnosis promptly.
Calculating the China Shock to US Employment: An Input-Output Labor-Accounting Approach

This study uses input-output labor-accounting to estimate the impact of rising imports from China on US employment. Our counterfactual analysis incorporates offsets from substitution for imports from other countries, increased US exports to China and other countries, and job gains in downstream sectors using imported inputs. We find that from 2000 to 2016, the China shock displaced 716,000 direct and indirect jobs in manufacturing, 14.3 percent of the period’s decline, but created 39,000 jobs in non-manufacturing. The net loss of 676,000 jobs was far below widely cited estimates of about 2 million divided evenly between manufacturing and non-manufacturing.
Computational and experimental search for potential polyanionic K-ion cathode materials

Discovering high-energy cathode materials is critical to construct K-ion batteries for practical applications. Owing to the great success of layered oxides in Li- and Na-ion systems, K layered cathodes have also been investigated in recent years. However, the much larger size of K+ compared to Li or Na introduces strong K+–K+ interaction within the layer, which results in a sloped voltage profile thereby limiting the specific capacity and operating voltage. In contrast, polyanionic materials with a three-dimensional K+ arrangement can effectively mitigate K+–K+ interaction. In this work, ten K polyanionic compounds with theoretical capacity >100 mA h g−1 are screened from the Inorganic Crystal Structure Database as potential cathode materials for K-ion batteries. Among the ten proposed compounds, K2MnP2O7, K2Mn2P2O7F2, K2Fe2P2O7F2, and K6V2(PO4)4 with average voltage <4.5 V are synthesized and evaluated electrochemically. While the re-insertion of K into these compounds is not fully reversible, it may be related to the very high migration barrier that we compute for K ions. In addition, we show the successful synthesis of a series of K3V3−xCrx(PO4)4 (x = 0, 1, 2, 3) compounds. Among these, K3V2Cr(PO4)4 exhibits the largest reversible capacity, as revealed by the in situ investigation. Finally, we find that the redox couples in many of these compounds sit at remarkably high potential, even higher than in equivalent Li compounds, which brings both opportunities and challenges in the future research of K polyanion cathodes.
Defeasible Commitment and Prima Facie Obligation

The iffy oughts of ordinary language are a logically heterogeneous group. As we have seen, a given sentence with ‘if’ and ‘ought’ may express any of several different sorts of proposition. As I see it, this fact is responsible for one of the most serious defects in the literature concerning iffy oughts. We frequently find cases in which one writer, focussing on one sort of iffy ought, proposes an analysis. He claims to have given an account of “conditional obligation”. A critic, appealing to examples of another sort of iffy ought, claims thereby to have shown the analysis defective. Obviously, however, the criticism misfires, since the two writers are talking about different classes of sentences.
Detection of the Rare PGM13Allele. Further Biochemical and Genetic Characterization of the PGM13Isozymes

A family possessing the rare PGM13 allele has been found in North Carolina, and criteria for the electrophoretic separation and accurate typing of the PGM13 isozymes are outlined. The PGM13 isozymes detected proved to be useful in helping to determine parentage in an incest investigation. The pattern of segregation of the PGM13 allele in four generations of this family and thermostability studies on the PGM13 isozymes are presented.
The Art of Body Language and Presenting Smoothly

This chapter focuses on the body languages while giving a speech. The best and kindest way to let the audience know that the speech is finished is to say 'Thank you'. In case one has perhaps valuable but lengthy results, which need explanations of procedures, background, and future possibilities, in limited time, one is suppose to choose what is most important, to display it in clear, uncluttered slides, and then explain each slide in slow, simple, easy-to-understand English. Racing through a bewildering amount of rapid data is the worst mistake a presenter can make. In addition, one should thoroughly practice the speech as if one it is having a conversation with a friend. Using every technique one can think of to avoid a monotone or a repetitious, rocking rhythm that is always a good way of motivating audience to enjoy the speech. Expert's advice to avoid practicing by looking into a mirror-as the person in the mirror distracts and does this not make a helpful audience.
IFP-SABIC process for the selective ethylene dimerization to butene-1

Abstract This paper outlines the various routes for the manufacturing of butene-1 used as acomonomer for the production of polyethylene (LLDPE, HDPE). Analysis of the characteristics of each route is provided, together with a comparison between the different processes. The preferred route for the manufacturing of butene-1 employing IFP-SABIC Alphabutol technology is highlighted. The advantages this technology offers over possible competing processes are identified. The first commercial plant at a wholly owned SABIC affiliate (Petrokemya) empolying the IFP-SABIC technology has now been in operation since 1987. The main features of IFP-SABIC Alphabutol technology are that it is very selective to butene-1 production and offers a simple process sequence resulting in lower capital and operating cost. The technology over the years has improved considerably in dealing with polymer formation and deposition which is detrimental to the plant performance, changes incorporated in the original design together with accumulated experience has resulted in significantly less polymer deposition.
Computational techniques in bioelectromagnetics: safety assessment and medical applications

We describe two computational techniques that have been extensively used to calculate the coupling of electromagnetic fields to an anatomically-based models of the human body from ELF to microwave frequencies. The focus of the talk is on applications both for the quasi-static impedance method used at low frequencies, and on the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method used for RF and microwaves.
Biomechanics of the vertebrae and associated osteoderms of the Early Permian amphibian Cacops aspidephorus

Two series of osteoderms associated with the anterior three-quarters of the presacral vertebral column of the Early Permian temnospondylous amphibian Cacops aspidephorus have important implications for biomechanics of the axial skeleton. An internal series consists of an osteoderm fused to the distal tip of each neural spine. Lying dorsal to the internal series and overlapping each internal osteoderm is a second external series. The orientation of the zygapophyseal facets implies modest lateral flexion with limited coupled axial rotation of the column. However, the osteoderms restricted any possible lateral flexion through their inverted V-shape, strongly angled overlap between each external osteoderm and its neighbouring internal osteoderms, and the presence of a midsagittal flange on the ventral surface of each external osteoderm that fits into grooves on the anterior and posterior edges of the neighbouring internal osteoderms. This configuration allowed vertical flexion of the vertebral column with little lateral flexion. The rod-like nature of osteoderms with the anterior three-quarters of the presacral vertebrae suggests a restricted form of forward movement for Cacops unlike that of other early tetrapods.
Classes of kernels for machine learning: a statistics perspective

In this paper, we present classes of kernels for machine learning from a statistics perspective. Indeed, kernels are positive definite functions and thus also covariances. After discussing key properties of kernels, as well as a new formula to construct kernels, we present several important classes of kernels: anisotropic stationary kernels, isotropic stationary kernels, compactly supported kernels, locally stationary kernels, nonstationary kernels, and separable nonstationary kernels. Compactly supported kernels and separable nonstationary kernels are of prime interest because they provide a computational reduction for kernel-based methods. We describe the spectral representation of the various classes of kernels and conclude with a discussion on the characterization of nonlinear maps that reduce nonstationary kernels to either stationarity or local stationarity.
Women, Gender Norms, and Natural Disasters in Bangladesh

Women and men are impacted differently by natural disasters, leading to claims that there exist gendered disaster vulnerabilities and a “gendered terrain of disasters” (Enarson and Morrow 13). What...
Conciliationism and Uniqueness

Two theses are central to recent work on the epistemology of disagreement: Conciliationism: In a revealed peer disagreement over P, each thinker should give at least some weight to her peer's attitude. Uniqueness: For any given proposition and total body of evidence, the evidence fully justifies exactly one level of confidence in the proposition. 1This paper is the product of full and equal collaboration between its authors. Does Conciliationism commit one to Uniqueness? Thomas Kelly 2010 has argued that it does. After some scene-setting (§1), in §2 we explain and criticize Kelly's argument, thereby defeating his larger argument that Conciliationism deserves no dialectical special treatment. But we argue further that Conciliationists are committed to a disjunction, one of whose disjuncts is Uniqueness, that amounts to an ‘extremely strong and unobvious position’ (§§3–4). If we are correct, theorists should not treat Conciliationism as a default position in debates about the epistemic significance of disag...
Water allocation, inefficiency and inequity in a government irrigation system

Abstract Efficient and equitable allocation of irrigation water in a large multi-user system must consider spatial, temporal and seasonal differences in farm water use. In developing countries, centralized government management of canal systems typically allocates water according to simple, fixed rules. Water allocation over a six-year period is analyzed for a Philippine Government system, and compared with estimated variability in farmer water utilization. Inflexibility of the present allocation is found to be inefficient, with inequitable distribution of irrigation benefits among farmers.
Variable evolutionary signatures at the heart of enhancers

What is the best way to identify regulatory DNA sequences such as enhancers, promoters, insulators and silencers? A new study shows that specific binding by a coactivator protein identifies enhancers that are invisible to common detection methods based on evolutionary constraint.
Transient hole currents in hydrogenated amorphous silicon at low temperatures and high fields

Abstract Low-temperature high-field properties of hole transport have been investigated by transient photoconductivity experiments on undoped hydrogenated amorphous silicon. The hole μτproduct at 80K is roughly 7 × 10−10 cm 2 V−1 and the hole mobility 9 × 10−3 cm 2 V−1 s−1 or greater at about 105Vcm−1. The dispersion parameter αD calculated from the slope of the post-transit decay increases from 0 at F< 105Vcm−1 to about 0·4 for F = 2.5 × 105 Vcm−1. The data are discussed in terms of field-stimulated hopping in the valence-band tail and an analytic interpretation of the characteristic current decay is introduced. The data demon-strate the large influence of the field on hole propagation at low temperatures.
Independence of self-compatibility and potentiality for self-pollination in peach x almond hybrids

The almond of commerce (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb) is self-incompatible (SI) and requires honey-bees to effect the transfer of pollen among cultivars that flower simultaneously. Four year old trees from the F2 generation of several peach x almond hybrids were studied to determine whether self-compatibility (SC) and the potentiality for natural, i.e., abiotic, self pollination (NSP) are genetically related or are inherited independently. Both SC and the high potentiality for NSP are characteristic of peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) but not almond. Forty percent of SC genotypes exhibited adequate NSP (SC, +NSP) for good fertility i.e., without insect-mediated pollination. The remaining 60% of SC genotypes (SC,-NSP) exhibited an average 61% reduction in fruit set on limbs bagged to exclude honeybees during anthesis relative to fruit set on open pollinated limbs. Our data are consistent with the concept that fertility is dependent upon the load of compatible pollen deposited on the stigma. Fruit set reduction on bagged limbs, compared with bagged and self-pollinated limbs, was presumably due to a) lack of/insufficient pollination for fertilization and/or b) post-zygotic abortion of genetically inferior recombinants. Selection following manual self-pollination may result in SC genotypes with or without the capacity for NSP. In contrast, significant fruit set on limbs enclosed during pistil receptivity necessitates that the genotype selected express both SC and the potentiality for NSP.
None Too Simple: Examining Issues of Religious Nonbelief and Nonbelonging in the United States

Prior research on those who are “not religious” in the traditional, organizational sense has focused on a broad category of people in the United States who do not identify with an established religious tradition. We distinguish three categories of people who are religiously nonbelieving or nonbelonging: atheists, agnostics, and unchurched believers. Examining issues of religious belief and identity, we compare private spiritual life, attitudes on political issues, and stance toward religion in the public sphere for these three categories of nonreligious respondents. Atheists are the most uniformly antireligious. Agnostics, by comparison, are less opposed to religion overall, while unchurched believers display higher levels of personal religiosity and spirituality than atheists or agnostics. While atheists, agnostics, and unchurched believers are similar in their political identification and attitudes related to religiously infused political topics, unchurched believers are as strongly opposed to religion in the public sphere as atheists.
Evolution of grid computing architecture and grid adoption models

During recent years, we have witnessed a major paradigm shift in distributed computing principles, with a focus towards service orientation, open standards integration, collaboration, and virtualization. One particular area of interest centers on the evolution of grid computing principles into the mainstream of distributed computing and Web services. In this paper, we focus our analysis on this evolution and the significance of achieving some form of standardization of grid-computing architecture principles. This paper presents the technology standards that are driving major grid initiatives and explains in simple terms how these standards and technologies are aligned with the IBM on demand business concepts. In addition, we discuss the recent Web services specifications related to stateful resources (i.e., resources whose behavior is defined with respect to their underlying state) and how these standards relate to grid computing. We conclude with discussions exploring major aspects of grid-computing adoption models and some significant attributes that influence the transformation, collaboration, and virtualization features of these models.
A Normal Approximation for Binomial, F, Beta, and other Common, Related Tail Probabilities, II

Abstract This paper concerns a new Normal approximation to the beta distribution and its relatives, in particular, the binomial, Pascal, negative binomial, F, t, Poisson, gamma, and chi square distributions. The approximate Normal deviates are expressible in terms of algebraic functions and logarithms, but for desk calculation it is preferable in most cases to use an equivalent expression in terms of a function specially tabulated here. Graphs of the error are provided. They show that the approximation is good even in the extreme tails except for beta distributions which are J or U shaped or nearly so, and they permit correction to obtain still more accuracy. For use beyond the range of the graphs, some standard recursive relations and some classical continued fractions are listed, with some properties of the latter which seem to be partly new. Various Normal approximations are compared, with further graphs. The new approximation appears far more accurate than the others. Everything an ordinary user of th...
Cutaneous changes of dermatomyositis in patients with normal muscle enzymes: Dermatomyositis sine myositis?

Background: Dermatomyositis sine myositis may have various connotations. Controversy exists as to nomenclature, degree of evaluation required, therapy, and course (e.g., does true dermatomyositis of the skin only exist?). Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess prospectively patients with the clinicopathologic features of dermatomyositis and normal muscle enzyme serum levels to determine their course in terms of the onset of muscle disease. Methods: Thirteen patients were studied by complete history and clinical examination, laboratory studies, electromyography, and skin and muscle biopsy. They were observed for 1 to 6 years. Results: Patients were classifiable into three groups: (1) cutaneous changes only, (2) cutaneous changes only at baseline with subsequent development of myositis, and (3) cutaneous changes with normal muscle enzyme serum levels at baseline but with myositis demonstrated by electromyography and/or muscle biopsy specimens. Conclusion: Significantly different prognostic and therapeutic implications are present in patients with dermatomyositis with normal muscle enzyme serum levels depending on the results of electromyography, muscle biopsy, and clinical observation.
New technique for the reduction of helicity-correlated instrumental asymmetries in photoemitted beams of spin-polarized electrons.

We present a new optical system that significantly reduces helicity-dependent instrumental intensity asymmetries. It is an extension of a previous scheme [Appl. Opt.47, 2465 (2008)10.1364/AO.47.002465], where one laser beam is split using a polarizing beam splitter into two with orthogonal linear polarizations. The beams are sent through a chopper, allowing only one to pass at a time. The two temporally separated beams are then spatially recombined using a second beam splitter. A liquid crystal retarder preceding the first beam splitter controls the relative intensity of the two oppositely polarized beams, allowing reduction of instrumental asymmetries. This system has been modified to include a spatial filter and a Pockels cell placed after the second beam splitter to act as a second active polarization element. Using this method, we can control instrumental asymmetries to ∼5×10−7 in 1 h of data taking, which is comparable to the precision achieved in “second-generation” high energy electron-nuclear scattering parity violation experiments.
Pre-Christian Gnosticism in the Nag Hammadi Texts?

One of the most important and controversial issues in Gnostic studies is the age of Gnosticism. Was it a post-Christian heresy? Was it roughly contemporaneous with the rise of Christianity? Was it Christianity's twin, as someone has called it? Or was it a fully developed movement preceding Christianity and influencing it? Ingeneral, German New Testament scholars, under the influence of Rudolf Bultmann, have assumed a pre-Christian Gnosticism as the basis for their interpretation of the New Testament. Other scholars such as Charles H. Dodd and Robert M. Grant have questioned their heavy reliance upon late Mandaean texts to support such a conviction. With the recovery of the Coptic Gnostic texts from Nag Hammadi a number of scholars, most notably James Robinson, have hailed these new materials as evidence for Bultmann's hypothesis:
GABAA receptor alpha-1 subunit deletion alters receptor subtype assembly, pharmacological and behavioral responses to benzodiazepines and zolpidem

Potentiation of GABAA receptor activation through allosteric benzodiazepine (BZ) sites produces the anxiolytic, anticonvulsant and sedative/hypnotic effects of BZs. Using a mouse line lacking α1 subunit expression, we investigated the contribution of the α1 subunit to GABAA receptor pharmacology, function and related behaviors in response to BZ site agonists. Competitive [3H]flunitrazepam binding experiments using the Type I BZ site agonist, zolpidem, and the Type I and II BZ site non-specific agonist, diazepam, demonstrated the complete loss of Type I BZ binding sites in α1−/− mice and a compensatory increase in Type II BZ binding sites (41±6%, P<0.002). Chloride uptake analysis in α1−/− mice revealed an increase (108±10%, P<0.001) in the efficacy (Emax) of flunitrazepam while the EC50 of zolpidem was increased 495±26% (α1+/+: 184±56 nM; α1−/−: 1096±279 nM, P<0.01). An anxiolytic effect of diazepam was detected in both α1+/+ and α1−/− mice as measured on the elevated plus maze; however, α1−/− mice exhibited a greater percentage of open arm entries and percentage of open arm time following 0.6 mg/kg diazepam. Furthermore, α1−/− mice were more sensitive to the motor impairing/sedative effects of diazepam (1–10 mg/kg) as measured by locomotor activity in the open field. Knockout mice were insensitive to the anticonvulsant effect of diazepam (1–15 mg/kg, P<0.001). The hypnotic effect of zolpidem (60 mg/kg) was reduced by 66% (P<0.001) in α1−/− mice as measured by loss of righting reflex while the effect of diazepam (33 mg/kg) was increased 57% in α1−/− mice (P<0.05). These studies demonstrate that compensatory adaptations in GABAA receptor subunit expression result in subunit substitution and assembly of functional receptors. Such adaptations reveal important relationships between subunit expression, receptor function and behavioral responses.
Emerging and reemerging infectious diseases: The perpetual challenge

AbstractPublic health officials once suggested that it might someday be possible to “close the book” on the study and treatment of infectious diseases. However, it is now clear that endemic diseases as well as newly emerging ones (e.g., severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS]), reemerging ones (e.g
Predicting the Impacts of Suburban Development upon an Historically Valuable Landscape, the Boston Region South Shore

The historic resources evaluation model is one of twenty-eight computer models designed to predict future suburban growth in the South Shore of Boston and evaluate the resultant environmental, fiscal and demographic impacts. The historic resources model evaluates the specific, often qualitative impacts of suburban development on historic places and on the character of their associated landscapes. The evaluation is based upon an extensive inventory undertaken by the research team, and checked against inventories conducted by various local historical associations. For unprotected historic resources, the principal public means of affording protection is through conservation expenditures. The historic resources model therefore provides input to a model of the conservation process, as a "critical resource," or a resource worth conserving. It also monitors and evaluates the impacts of development, both in terms of the direct impact of physical loss of historic structures and their degradation due to changes in the visual quality of their surroundings.
Effects of Hemicellulose and Lignin on Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cellulose from Dairy Manure

This study focused on the effect of hemicellulose and lignin on enzymatic hydrolysis of dairy manure and hydrolysis process optimization to improve sugar yield. It was found that hemicellulose and lignin in dairy manure, similar to their role in other lignocellulosic material, were major resistive factors to enzymatic hydrolysis and that the removal of either of them, or for best performance, both of them, improved the enzymatic hydrolysis of manure cellulose. This result combined with scanning electron microscope (SEM) pictures further proved that the accessibility of cellulose to cellulase was the most important feature to the hydrolysis. Quantitatively, fed-batch enzymatic hydrolysis of fiber without lignin and hemicellulose had a high glucose yield of 52% with respect to the glucose concentration of 17 g/L at a total enzyme loading of 1300 FPU/L and reaction time of 160 h, which was better than corresponding batch enzymatic hydrolysis.