cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Democracy and Development

In the wave of third world democracy-building during the 1980s, the restoration of democratic hopes in the Philippines stands out, thanks to the depravity of the old order and the clarity of the democratic hopes of the new middle and upper-middle-class elite that brought Corazon Aquino to power.
Deriving Coarse-Grained Charges from All-Atom Systems: An Analytic Solution

An analytic method to assign optimal coarse-grained charges based on electrostatic potential matching is presented. This solution is the infinite size and density limit of grid-integration charge-fitting and is computationally more efficient by several orders of magnitude. The solution is also minimized with respect to coarse-grained positions which proves to be an extremely important step in reproducing the all-atom electrostatic potential. The joint optimal-charge optimal-position coarse-graining procedure is applied to a number of aggregating proteins using single-site per amino acid resolution. These models provide a good estimate of both the vacuum and Debye–Huckel screened all-atom electrostatic potentials in the vicinity and in the far-field of the protein. Additionally, these coarse-grained models are shown to approximate the all-atom dimerization electrostatic potential energy of 10 aggregating proteins with good accuracy.
Health at hand

Display Omitted Consumer smart watches have penetrated health research rapidly from 2014 to 2016.Patient studies focused on activity, behavior, heart rate and seizure monitoring.Most studies sought to validate smart watch function.Prominent technical challenges are battery power and data quality limitations.Larger studies that integrate smart watch data with other health data are needed. IntroductionSmart watches have the potential to support health in everyday living by: enabling self-monitoring of personal activity; obtaining feedback based on activity measures; allowing for in-situ surveys to identify patterns of behavior; and supporting bi-directional communication with health care providers and family members. However, smart watches are an emerging technology and research with these devices is at a nascent stage. MethodsWe conducted a systematic review of smart watch studies that engaged people in their use by searching PubMed, Embase, IEEE XPlore and ACM Digital libraries. Participant demographics, device features, watch applications and methods, and technical challenges were abstracted from included studies. ResultsSeventy-three studies were returned in the search. Seventeen studies published were included. Included studies were published from 2014 to 2016, with the exception of one published in 2011. Most studies employed the use of consumer-grade smart watches (14/17, 82%). Patient-related studies focused on activity monitoring, heart rate monitoring, speech therapy adherence, diabetes self-management, and detection of seizures, tremors, scratching, eating, and medication-taking behaviors. Most patient-related studies enrolled participants with few exclusion criteria to validate smart watch function (10/17, 58%). Only studies that focused on Parkinsons disease, epilepsy, and diabetes management enrolled persons living with targeted conditions. One study focused on nursing work in the ICU and one focused on CPR training for laypeople. ConclusionConsumer-grade smart watches have penetrated the health research space rapidly since 2014. Smart watch technical function, acceptability, and effectiveness in supporting health must be validated in larger field studies that enroll actual participants living with the conditions these devices target.
FACTORS IN SURVIVAL OF CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM TYPE E SPORES THROUGH THE FISH SMOKING PROCESS

Fish, experimentally inoculated with 1 ×106 Clostridium botulinum type E spores, were given heat treatments equivalent to those used in commercial smoking (180 F for 30 min following come-up time of 2.5 – 3 hr). The percentages of such fish containing viable type E spores were significantly lower among fish heated in an environment of high moisture than among those heated in atmospheres of low moisture. Type E spores heated in raw fish mince were more heat resistant than those heated in mince that was previously autoclaved. A similar difference was observed for spores in raw and cooked egg white, another substrate which coagulates rapidly at the temperature of thermal death time studies (82.5 C). Spores in the drippings of fish hung for heating survived heat processing and could be a source of cross contamination.
Gastric and colonic erosion caused by laparoscopic gastric band: a case report

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding is commonly used to treat obesity. It rarely results in complications, one of which is gastrointestinal erosion. Simultaneous erosion of the stomach and colon is a rare finding that has been documented in only a few case reports. We present a 62-year-old female with abdominal pain, nausea, and hematochezia. She was found to have simultaneous gastric and colonic erosion identified on CT scan. Imaging findings were confirmed and device was removed during surgery.
Directing Reaction Pathways through Controlled Reactant Binding at Pd–TiO 2 Interfaces

Recent efforts to design selective catalysts for multi-step reactions, such as hydrodeoxygenation (HDO), have emphasized the preparation of active sites at the interface between two materials having different properties. However, achieving precise control over interfacial properties, and thus reaction selectivity, has remained a challenge. Here, we encapsulated Pd nanoparticles (NPs) with TiO2 films of regulated porosity to gain a new level of control over catalyst performance, resulting in essentially 100 % HDO selectivity for two biomass-derived alcohols. This catalyst also showed exceptional reaction specificity in HDO of furfural and m-cresol. In addition to improving HDO activity by maximizing the interfacial contact between the metal and metal oxide sites, encapsulation by the nanoporous oxide film provided a significant selectivity boost by restricting the accessible conformations of aromatics on the surface.
ADMM $\supseteq$ Projective Dynamics: Fast Simulation of Hyperelastic Models with Dynamic Constraints

We apply the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) optimization algorithm to implicit time integration of elastic bodies, and show that the resulting method closely relates to the recently proposed projective dynamics algorithm. However, as ADMM is a general purpose optimization algorithm applicable to a broad range of objective functions, it permits the use of nonlinear constitutive models and hard constraints while retaining the speed, parallelizability, and robustness of projective dynamics. We further extend the algorithm to improve the handling of dynamically changing constraints such as sliding and contact, while maintaining the benefits of a constant, prefactored system matrix. We demonstrate the benefits of our algorithm on several examples that include cloth, collisions, and volumetric deformable bodies with nonlinear elasticity and skin sliding effects.
Exploring the double-edged sword of cultural variability in interactions with family versus friends

Abstract Cultural variability (CV) refers to the tendency to vary/adjust the influence of a single cultural identity on one’s social interactions and behaviors from day to day. CV has different influences on interpersonal interactions, positive for some interactions but with adverse effects for others; hence, we aimed to further explore these associations by considering immigrant status and ethnic orientation as potential moderators. Hierarchical regression using daily diary self-reports of U.S. emerging adults ( N = 242) revealed that cultural variability is a double-edged sword only for first- and second-generation immigrants rather than for nationals (3rd generation and later). That is, CV predicts positive family interactions for both groups, but negative interactions with close friends only for immigrants, especially those with strong ethnic orientation. Cultural variability adds a new dimension to our understanding of cultural identity as dynamic, domain-specific, and nuanced in its associations with adaptation.
Long-term Progression of Type 1 Neovascularization in Age-related Macular Degeneration Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

Purpose To analyze the long-term growth patterns of type 1 neovascularization (NV) in eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) receiving anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy. Design Retrospective cohort study. Methods Patients were enrolled from 2 eye centers and underwent optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) imaging with follow-up greater than 1 year. Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) was manually segmented on OCTA images and compared between time points. CNV growth was subdivided into 3 categories based on OCTA area measurement: CNV doubling, modest growth of less than 50%, and shrinkage. These growth rates were correlated with OCTA morphologic features. Results Forty-one eyes were analyzed. Mean CNV area was 1.60 ± 1.84 mm 2 at baseline and 1.80 ± 1.84 mm 2 at 1 year. Thirty-three eyes (80%) displayed an increase in CNV area at 1 year with a mean increase of 0.20 ± 0.38 mm 2 ( P = .001). Eleven eyes (27%) underwent CNV doubling, 19 eyes (46%) illustrated modest growth, and 6 (15%) showed shrinkage. Anatomic features including a capillary fringe (odds ratio [OR] = 5.3, P = .036) and immature lesion morphology (OR = 4.2, P = .015) were significantly associated with CNV doubling. CNV growth occurred in 3 predominant patterns: "symmetric" growth, "asymmetric" growth, and "finger-like projections," which reflected the orientation of expansion of CNV. "Symmetric" and "asymmetric" growth together correlated with greater frequency of CNV doubling (OR = 15, P = .0048). Conclusion OCTA provides noninvasive measurement of the area of neovascular lesions in AMD. Sustained growth of type 1 NV can be identified in the majority of lesions (80%) that display characteristic patterns of progression despite ongoing anti-VEGF therapy.
Stability Analysis of Differentially-Heated Asymmetric Vorticity Layers

The linear instability of a family of inviscid, two-dimensional, variable-density shear layers and wakes is investigated. Vorticity profiles corresponding to a monotonically increasing velocity profile are first examined. A larger family of initial vorticity distributions which model the merger of two unequal vorticity layers of opposite sign is then considered. The latter is obtained by superimposing on the former a wake component, characterized by a spread, δ, and a velocity deficit, W. The initial density distribution resembles a temperature spike and is described by a thickness, σ, and a temperature ratio, T r . The stability properties of the layers are interpreted in terms of a four-dimensional paramneter space (W, δ, T r , σ). The non-linear evolution of the flow field is illustrated using the transport element method.
Controversies in Tax Law: A Matter of Perspective

Contents: Introduction, Anthony C. Infanti. Part I Tax, Gender, and History: Retaking home economics: gendered perspectives on tax equity, Carolyn C. Jones Gendering the marriage penalty, Stephanie Hunter McMahon. Part II Taxation of Imputed Income: Income imputation: toward equal treatment of renters and owners, Henry Ordower Imputed rental income: reality trumps theory, Steve R. Johnson. Part III Tax Accounting: Book-Tax Disparities: Perspectives on the relationship between financial and tax accounting, Lily Kahng Is it time to abandon accrual accounting for tax purposes?, Adam Chodorow. Part IV Taxation of Flow-Through Entities: A people's subchapter K, Andrea Monroe Economic justification for flow-through tax complexity, Bradley T. Borden. Part V Taxation of Corporations: Should corporations be taxpayers?, Yariv Brauner Of families and corporations: erasing the public-private divide in tax reform debates, Anthony C. Infanti. Part VI Transfer Taxation: Norms and transfer taxes, Joseph M. Dodge Portability, marital wealth transfers, and the taxable unit, Bridget J. Crawford and Wendy C. Gerzog. Index.
Biomechanical evaluation of operative procedures to treat Kienböck's disease.

Operative procedures used to treat Kienbock's disease have been biomechanically evaluated experimentally. We have shown that joint leveling procedures, such as radial shortening and ulnar lengthening, experimentally unload the ulna and the radial lunate fossa. For wrists with neutral ulnar variance, a lateral opening or medial closing radial wedge procedure unloads the radial lunate fossa. Scapho-trapezio-trapezoidal fusion and scapho-capitate fusion also unload the radial lunate fossa but at the expense of loading the adjacent joints. Neither a capitate-hamate fusion nor a carpal tunnel release alter the radial ulnar carpal joint loading.
An empirical analysis of collaboration methods in cooperative coevolutionary algorithms

Although a variety of coevolutionary methods have been explored over the years, it has only been recently that a general architecture for cooperative coevolution has been proposed. Since that time, the flexibility and success of this cooperative coevolutionary architecture (CCA) has been shown in a variety of different kinds of problems. However, many questions about the dynamics of this model, as well as the efficacy of various CCA-specific choices remain unanswered. One such choice surrounds the issue of how the algorithm selects collaborators for evaluation. This paper offers an empirical analysis of various types of collaboration mechanisms and presents some basic advice about how to choose a mechanism which is appropriate for a particular problem.
Activity-based Rehabilitation Interventions of the Neurologically Impaired Upper Extremity: Description of a Scoping Review Protocol

Introduction: A scoping review provides a means to synthesize and present a large body of literature on a broad topic, such as methods for various upper extremity activity-based therapy (ABT) inter...
Disordered Eating and Body Esteem Among Individuals with Glycogen Storage Disease

Glycogen storage disease (GSD) is an inherited disorder that requires a complex medical regimen to maintain appropriate metabolic control. Previous research has suggested the disease is associated with decreased quality of life, and clinical experience suggests that patients are at risk for disordered eating behaviors that may significantly compromise their health. The current study assessed eating attitudes, eating disorder symptoms, and body image among 64 patients with GSD ranging from 7–52 years old (M = 18.5 years old). About half the participants were male (n = 33, 51.6%). Most participants were diagnosed with GSD Type I (n = 52, 81.3%). Quantitative and qualitative analyses were utilized. Results indicated that 14.8% of children and 11.1% of adolescents/adults with GSD met the clinical cutoff for dysfunctional attitudes toward eating, suggesting high likelihood for presence of an eating disorder. However, traditional eating disorder symptoms (e.g., binging, purging, fasting, etc.) were less prevalent in the GSD sample compared to population norms (t = −6.45, p < 0.001). Body esteem was generally lower for both children and adolescents/adults with GSD compared to population norms. These results were consistent with interview responses indicating that GSD patients experience negative feedback from peers regarding their bodies, especially during childhood and adolescence. However, they reported growing acceptance of their bodies with age and reported less negative attitudes and behaviors. Assessing mental health, including symptoms of disordered eating and low body esteem, among individuals with GSD should be an important component of clinical care.
The Impact of Breast Lumpectomy Tray Utilization on Cost Savings.

Abstract Background Right-sizing instrument trays reduce processing and replacement costs, physical strain, and turnover times. Historically, a 98-instrument head and neck tray has been used for breast lumpectomy cases at our institution. Observations revealed that many instruments on the tray were not used during the breast cases. With the significant number of surgical breast lumpectomies performed annually, tray downsizing could significantly reduce costs and physical strain. Methods Surgical technicians identified instruments needed for a standard breast lumpectomy. Breast surgeons reviewed the list and made final recommendations. Three of 13 existing head and neck trays were converted to breast lumpectomy trays. The number of breast lumpectomies in 2017 was pulled from the institution's health information system. Instrument quantities were verified using instrument management software. Weights were taken on a digital scale, and processing cost was estimated by a consultant. Results The new breast trays included 51 instruments rather than the standard 98-instrument trays. Reprocessing cost decreased from $49.98 to $26.01. With 449 breast lumpectomies performed at the institution in 2017, the annual reprocessing savings totaled $10,763. The tray weight was reduced from 27 to 16 pounds. Setup time decreased from 7 to 4 min per use (22.5 h saved annually). Conclusions Downsizing from a head and neck tray to a specific breast lumpectomy tray demonstrated a reduction in reprocessing cost, tray weight, and setup time. Lighter trays allow for safer handling and transport by surgical personnel. In the current health-care environment, it is important to maximize operating room efficiency and minimize cost.
Referral frequency, attrition rate, and outcomes of germline testing in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Hereditary predisposition is estimated to account for 10% of all pancreatic cancer cases. However, referral patterns and clinical workflow for germline testing in this disease differ significantly by institution, and many at-risk patients may not undergo appropriate counseling and testing. We undertook an analysis of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (PDAC) who were referred to the Clinical Genetics program of a high-volume academic center over a 3-year period to assess referral frequency, evaluate the yield of germline testing in this selected patient cohort, and elucidate the reasons individuals did not undergo recommended germline testing. Medical records of patients with PDAC referred for genetic counseling between January 2015 and October 2017 were reviewed for demographic, medical/family history, and disease-specific data. If testing did not occur, reasons were documented. Genetic test results were categorized as negative, variants of unknown significance, or established pathogenic mutations. Descriptive statistics included means with standard deviations; associations were analyzed with t test and Fisher’s exact test. 32% (137 of 432) of PDAC patients were referred for genetic counseling, but only 64% attended their appointment and 60% ultimately underwent germline testing. Common reasons for attrition included worsening disease severity, lack of patient follow-up, insurance concerns, and logistic/travel challenges. Pathogenic germline mutations were detected in 20% (16 of 82) of patients tested, distributed across races/ethnicities, and significantly associated with younger age and positive family history of breast cancer. PDAC patients frequently do not undergo genetic counseling/germline testing despite appropriate referrals, highlighting a need to develop streamlined processes to engage more patients in testing, especially those with high-risk features.
Ultra-High-Resolution Millimeter-Wave Imaging: A New Promising Skin Cancer Imaging Modality

The goal of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using millimeter-wave imaging as a new medical imaging modality for the detection of skin cancer at early stages. In a recent large-scale study, the authors have demonstrated that statistically considerable contrasts exist between the millimeter-wave dielectric properties of normal skin and skin cancer tissues. In this work, an imaging system with a record-wide bandwidth of 98 GHz was developed using the synthetic ultra-wideband millimeterwave imaging approach, a new ultra-high-resolution imaging technique recently developed by the authors. Ex-vivo imaging experiments were conducted on two freshly-excised malignant skin tissues obtained from skin cancer patients having undergone Mohs micrographic surgeries at Hackensack University Medical Center. A programmable measurement platform was designed to automatically scan the tissues across a rectangular aperture plane. Furthermore, a novel frequency-domain imaging algorithm was developed to process the recorded signals and generate an image of the cancerous tissue. The obtained images correctly identified the tumor locations as verified by Mohs histological evaluations.
Introduction, Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government is Smarter, 2nd edition

One of the biggest problems with modern democracy is that most of the public is usually ignorant about politics and government. Many people understand that their votes are unlikely to change the outcome of an election and don't see the point in learning much about politics. This creates a nation of people with little political knowledge and little ability to objectively evaluate what they do know. Democracy and Political Ignorance mines the depths of public ignorance in America and reveals it as a major challenge for democracy. It weighs various potential solutions, concluding that political ignorance is best mitigated and its effects lessened by decentralizing and limiting government. People make better decisions when they choose what to purchase in the market or which state or local government to live under, than when they vote at the ballot box, because they have stronger incentives to acquire relevant information and to use it wisely. The second edition of Democracy and Political Ignorance fully updates its analysis to include new discussions of the “Big Sort” and its implications for “voting with your feet,” the connection between political ignorance and the disproportionate political influence of the wealthy, new proposals for increasing political knowledge, and up-to-date survey data on political ignorance from recent elections. The Introduction outlines the core argument of the book, and provides summaries of the chapters that follow.
Future trends in computer aided optimal design

Structural optimization is now a mature discipline, and it begins to penetrate the industrial community. Several commercially available FEM systems will soon be released with design optimization capabilities. Therefore the most important area of development in the next few years will certainly reside in creating good user interfaces aimed at facilitating the task of the designers. In particular it will be extremely important to nicely integrated FEM and CAD technologies within an optimization loop, in order to fully computerize the design cycle.
Existence, really? Tacit disagreements about “existence” in disputes about group minds and corporate agents

A central dispute in social ontology concerns the existence of group minds and actions. I argue that some authors in this dispute rely on rival views of existence without sufficiently acknowledging this divergence. I proceed in three steps in arguing for this claim. First, I define the phenomenon as an implicit higher-order disagreement by drawing on an analysis of verbal disputes. Second, I distinguish two theories of existence—the theory-commitments view and the truthmaker view—in both their eliminativist and their constructivist variants. Third, I examine individual contributions to the dispute about the existence of group minds and actions to argue that these contributions have an implicit higher-order disagreement. This paper serves two purposes. First, it is a study to apply recent advances in meta-ontology. Second, it contributes to the debate on social ontology by illustrating how meta-ontology matters for social ontology.
The Long Noncoding RNA Paupar Modulates PAX6 Regulatory Activities to Promote Alpha Cell Development and Function

Many studies have highlighted the role of dysregulated glucagon secretion in the etiology of hyperglycemia and diabetes. Accordingly, understanding the mechanisms underlying pancreatic islet α cell development and function has important implications for the discovery of new therapies for diabetes. In this study, comparative transcriptome analyses between embryonic mouse pancreas and adult mouse islets identified several pancreatic lncRNAs that lie in close proximity to essential pancreatic transcription factors, including the Pax6-associated lncRNA Paupar. We demonstrate that Paupar is enriched in glucagon-producing α cells where it promotes the alternative splicing of Pax6 to an isoform required for activation of essential α cell genes. Consistently, deletion of Paupar in mice resulted in dysregulation of PAX6 α cell target genes and corresponding α cell dysfunction, including blunted glucagon secretion. These findings illustrate a distinct mechanism by which a pancreatic lncRNA can coordinate glucose homeostasis by cell-specific regulation of a broadly expressed transcription factor.
Vibrational study of the crystalline phases of (CH3(OCH2CH2)2OCH3)2LiSbF6 and P(EO)6LiMF6 (M = P, As, Sb)

The structure of (CH3(OCH2CH2)2OCH3)2LiSbF6 was solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic Pccn space group with a unit cell containing four lithium ions, each of which is coordinated by two CH3(OCH2CH2)2OCH3 or diglyme molecules. The SbF6- anion does not directly interact with the cation, similar to its isolated environment in crystalline, high molecular weight P(EO)6LiSbF6. A comparative vibrational spectroscopic study of (CH3(OCH2CH2)2OCH3)2LiSbF6 and P(EO)6LiSbF6 demonstrated that the ethylene oxide vibrations in both systems were essentially decoupled and could be analyzed in terms of a single diglyme or PEO molecule, respectively. A spectroscopic comparison of the isostructural crystalline P(EO)6LiAsF6, P(EO)6LiPF6, and P(EO)6LiSb6 compounds demonstrated that the band frequencies in the former compound are consistently higher by a few wavenumbers than those of the latter two systems. This was attributed to the effect of the Li−O distances.
105 Sociodemographic and clinical predictors of prescription opioid use in a longitudinal community-based cohort study

Purpose While opioids have commonly been prescribed for pain management, their use may be more likely in certain patients. The objective of this study was to assess predictors of prescription opioid use in an adult population with a high prevalence of chronic pain. Methods Data were from a community-based cohort of White and African American adults aged 50–90 years residing in Johnston County, North Carolina. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate sociodemographic and clinical factors in non-opioid users (n=795) at baseline (2006–2010) as predictors of opioid use at follow-up (2013–2015). Variables included age, sex, obesity (body mass index≥30 kg/m2), employment status (unemployed, employed/retired), Census block group household poverty rate ( Results At follow-up, 13% (n=102) of participants were using prescription opioids. In univariable models, younger age, female sex, obesity, unemployment, higher poverty rate, depressive symptoms, poorer perceived social support, public (vs. private) health insurance, polypharmacy, pain catastrophizing, and elevated pain sensitivity were independently associated (p Conclusion/Significance The simultaneous assessment of a breadth of clinical and sociodemographic factors identified polypharmacy, pain catastrophizing, and depressive symptoms as modifiable predictors of prescription opioid use. These findings support the incorporation of behavioral approaches and pharmacological review into chronic pain management strategies. Further research is warranted to track changes in these factors as prescription opioid use declines nationwide.
Rational IPO Waves

We argue that the number of firms going public changes over time in response to time variation in market conditions. We develop a model of optimal IPO timing in which IPO waves are caused by declines in expected market return, increases in expected aggregate profitability, or increases in prior uncertainty about the average future profitability of IPOs. We test and find support for the model's empirical predictions. For example, we find that IPO waves tend to be preceded by high market returns and followed by low market returns.
Basic principles of counseling in athletic training : an educational guide and assessment of ability

Wood, Wesley M.S. May, 2001 Health and Human Performance: Exercise and Performance Psychology Basic Principles of Counseling in Athletic Training: An Educational Guide and Assessment of Ability ommittee Chair: Lewis A. Curry, Ph.D. The National Athletic Trainers' Association has identified basic principles of counseling as an educational competency, (NATA, Inc. Athletic Training Educational Competencies, 1999). Research also indicates that Certified Athletic Trainers (ATC's) recognize this competency as important and under-addressed, (Cramer Roh et al, 2000). This educational guide is designed to provide a tool for educators and a reference for athletic trainers at all levels and in all settings. No such guide was found in the literature addressing precise counseling competencies for the athletic trainer. The focal points of the handbook are to provide education and to enhance care given to athletes. The information is presented in a simple manner, organized and concise. Following the guide is an assessment tool and instructions for its use. It can be used in a classroom or in the athletic training room as a method for peer teaching.
Transition metal and actinide containing systems studied with multiconfigurational quantum chemical methods

Ab initio quantum chemistry has advanced so far in the last 40 years that it now allows the study of molecular systems containing any atom in the Periodic Table. Transition metal and actinide compounds can be treated routinely, provided that electron correlation and relativistic effects are properly taken into account. Computational quantum chemical methods can be employed in combination with experiment, to predict a priori, to confirm, or eventually, to refine experimental results. These methods can also predict the existence of new species, which may eventually be made by experimentalists. This latter use of computational quantum chemistry is especially important when one considers experiments that are not easy to handle in a laboratory, as, for example, explosive or radioactive species. It is clear that a good understanding of the chemistry of such species can be useful in several areas of scientific and technological exploration. Quantum chemistry can model molecular properties and transformations, and in
Negotiation as a Means of Developing and Implementing Environmental Policy

This article addresses the three procedures by which negotiation is most commonly used to develop or implement environmental policy in the United States: negotiated rulemaking, negotiated implementation, and negotiated compliance. It also addresses a fourth type of policy-relevant negotiation -- known as regulatory reinvention -- wherein the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has assembled groups of interested parties to focus on regulatory issues concerning a particular industry sector, with an eye toward developing "cleaner, cheaper, smarter" ways of reducing or preventing pollution. Negotiated rulemaking is often proposed by its advocates as delivering two primary benefits: reduced rulemaking time and decreased litigation over a final agency rule. The experience to date, however, indicates that negotiated rulemaking cannot be relied upon to deliver either of these benefits. Nonetheless, experience indicates that negotiation can, in appropriate circumstances, facilitate a better understanding of issues, concerns, facts, and positions among adversaries, promote the sharing of relevant information, and provide an opportunity for creative problem-solving. This paper examines three negotiated rulemakings by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Air Act. The three negotiations are evaluated according to whether negotiation was instrumental either in securing a more protective standard, or in securing an innovative technological response. The three examples studied here indicate that, in situations in which a strong or dramatic regulatory signal is necessary to produce the desired technological response, negotiated rulemaking is not likely to be advisable. Since negotiated rulemaking relies on consensus, and since the regulated industry is unlikely to agree to a regulatory standard that it perceives as having a dramatic effect, negotiated rulemaking is unlikely to creative the incentive necessary to spur innovation. However, where the desired technological change is likely to come more easily, appropriate use of negotiated rulemaking may help facilitate an innovative technological response. Negotiation would appear to work best as a means of securing improved health, safety, or environmental outcomes in situations in which the necessary regulatory signals for improvement and innovation are already in place. This is a primary reason that EPA's Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) policy has been relatively successful at securing pollution prevention and other environmental benefits as a part of the negotiation of settlement agreements with non-compliant companies. It also suggests that the agency could also encourage meaningful technological change through a more creative and aggressive use of its authority to grant innovation waivers to selected companies at the implementation stage. Moreover, the absence of definitive regulatory signals is a primary reason why EPA's regulatory reinvention strategy has, thus far, failed to live up to expectations.
Improving speech recognition accuracy with contextual phonemes and MMI training

The authors experiment with a combination of two methods previously proposed to improve the performance of their speech recognition system. One method is based on the definition of an improved system of phonetic units, which takes into account the most important coarticulation effects. This system has been defined using knowledge about coarticulation, and by studying the errors of a standard phonetic system. The second method is based on the use of maximum mutual information (MMI) as a criterion in the training phase of the speech recognition system. MMI is designed to maximize the probability of the correct text versus the other possible texts, and it is expected to provide better discrimination of the correct text than the standard maximum-likelihood criterion. These methods have been tested independently on phonetic recognition, and each of them improved the recognition accuracy of the system. Results of recognition experiments that combine the two methods are presented and discussed. They show that this combination improves the average recognition rate, both for phonetic and word recognition. >
Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Measure Serious and Common Quality of Life Issues for Patients Experiencing Small Bowel Obstructions.

A validated questionnaire to assess the impact of small bowel obstructions (SBO) on patients’ quality of life was developed and validated. The questionnaire included measurements for the impact on the patients’ quality of life in respect to diet, pain, gastrointestinal symptoms and daily life. The questionnaire was validated using 149 normal subjects. Chronbach alpha was 0.86. Test retest reliability was evaluated with 72 normal subjects, the correlation coefficient was 0.93. Discriminate validity was determined to be significant using the normal subject questionnaires and 10 questionnaires from subjects with recurrent SBO. Normative and level of impact for each measured domain were established using one standard deviation from the mean in the normal population and clinical relevance. This questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument to measure the impact of SBO on a patient’s quality of life related to recurrent SBOs; therefore establishing a mechanism to monitor and quantify changes in quality of life over time.
Macrocrack-microcrack configurations under impact loading

ABSTRACT The interaction of a stress pulse with configurations of a macrocrack and a neighboring microcrack is investigated. A time-domain boundary integral equation (BIE) method has been applied to obtain time histories of the dynamic stress intensity factors. Parametrical studies show the effects of the microcrack on the pulse-generated crack-tip fields of the macrocrack.
Sudden Death of a CEO: Are Companies Prepared When Lightening Strikes?

It is very difficult for shareholders to know detailed information about CEO succession planning among the companies they have invested in. Although CEO deaths are rare, the sudden death of a CEO can provide insight into the quality of succession planning and governance of a company. Whereas some companies are able to appoint a successor immediately, others take weeks or months to do so.In this Closer Look, we examine this issue in detail. We ask:* Why haven’t more companies done a “reality check” on whether they have a truly operational succession plan?* What can a board learn and what should it do if the market reacts positively to the death of its CEO?* Should the board revise its succession plan if its CEO engages in risky hTopics, Issues and Controversies in Corporate Governance and Leadership: The Closer Look series is a collection of short case studies through which we explore topics, issues, and controversies in corporate governance. In each study, we take a targeted look at a specific issue that is relevant to the current debate on governance and explain why it is so important. Larcker and Tayan are co-authors of the book Corporate Governance Matters, and A Real Look at Real World Corporate Governance.
Tunneling and Photoemission in an SO(6) Superconductor

Combining the results of tunneling, photoemission, and thermodynamic studies, the pseudogap is unambiguously demonstrated to be caused by Van Hove nesting: a splitting of the density of states peak at (π, 0). The fact that the splitting remains symmetric about the Fermi level over an extended doping range indicates that the Van Hove singularity is pinned to the Fermi level. Despite these positive results, an ambiguity remains as to what instability causes the pseudogap. Charge or spin density waves, superconducting fluctuations, and flux phases all remain viable possibilities. This ambiguity arises because the instabilities of the two-dimensional Van Hove singularity are associated with an approximate SO(6) symmetry group, which contains Zhang’s SO(5) as a subgroup. It has two 6-component superspins, one of which mixes Zhang’s (spin-density wave plus d-wave superconductivity) superspin with a flux phase operator. This is the smallest group that can explain striped phases in the cuprates. Evidence for a prefered hole density in the charged stripes is discussed.
Synthesis of potential precursors for the preparation of poly(vinylphenylalanine)

Synthese et polymerisation d'acetamido-2 vinyl-2 benzylmalonate de diethyle; hydrolyse en polymeres avec groupes lateraux aminoacides
A comparative study of young ‘Thompson Seedless’ grapevines under drip and furrow irrigation. I. Root and soil water distributions

Abstract Soilwater distribution, soilwater extraction, and root distributions were determined for young grapevines ( Vitis vinifera L. cultivar ‘Thompson Seedless’) grown under drip and furrow irrigation near Fresno, CA, USA. Soilwater content and extraction was determined to a depth of 0.9 m by neutron scattering from an array of nine access tubes installed throughout one-quarter of the soil volume available to each vine. Root distribution was determined from root intersections with vertical planes established parallel and perpendicular to the vine row. Drip irrigation was applied daily according to estimated evapotranspiration, and furrow irrigation was managed according to 50% depletion of the plant available soil water. Drip and furrow irrigated vines showed similar water status and shoot growth patterns. There was a confined soil wetted zone beneath the emitter discharge that largely coincided with a confined and shallow root system of drip irrigated vines. In contrast, furrow irrigated vines had a deeper and more widespread root system. Differences between water applied and soilwater content 3 days after irrigation suggested large water losses by evaporation during that period for furrow irrigated vines. Consumptive use of furrow irrigated vines was 12.5% greater than drip irrigated vines, but similar irrigation efficiencies were obtained for both irrigation systems when soilwater status was carefully monitored. Water applications for both irrigation systems were less than 50% of the longterm mean for irrigation deliveries to farms in the area. Thus, the results indicate that a significant potential for water savings exists in the San Joaquin Valley by means of irrigation management. It is concluded that relatively high and similar irrigation efficiency can be obtained with both drip and furrow irrigation of young grapevines in arid and semiarid regions when careful management is used.
Evaluating the prevalence and genetic diversity of adenovirus and polyomavirus in bovine waste for microbial source tracking.

This study evaluated and compared the occurrence, concentrations, and genetic diversity of bovine polyomavirus (BPyV) and bovine adenovirus (BAdV) in manure and feces samples for the purpose of determining which of these two viruses is more suitable for bovine fecal indication and microbial source tracking. The comparability and correlation between concentrations/prevalence of these viruses and bacterial fecal indicators (cow-associated Bacteroidetes, Escherichia coli and enterococci) in manure and fecal samples was also determined. A total of 26 dairy manure and 18 individual dairy cow feces samples were tested. The results showed the mean concentration of BAdV in all of dairy manure samples was at least 1 log lower than BPyV (p ≤ 0.005). All of the dairy manure samples tested positive for BPyV but not for BAdV. After combining dairy manure measurements, bacterial indicators had 0.3–0.7 log (p ≤ 0.05) and 1.8–2.2 log (p ≤ 0.005) higher concentrations than BPyV and BAdV, respectively. The concentration of BPyV had a significant positive correlation with the concentration of E. coli and enterococci in the manure samples. The partial VP1 genetic sequences of BPyV isolated from three different farms had a 100% homology to each other and to VP1 sequence (D13942.1) reported in previous study. Based on the occurrence, quantitative and genetic diversity results, BPyV may be a better indicator than BAdV for microbial source tracking at manure application sites.
Lobular Neoplasia Diagnosed at Core Biopsy Does Not Mandate Surgical Excision

Background Lobular intraepithelial neoplasia (LIN) is associated with an increased risk of breast malignancy. The significance of LIN diagnosed at core needle biopsy (CNB) is unclear, although many groups recommend surgical excision to rule out lesions, which would require immediate, definitive therapy. Current management options include clinical/mammographic observation and surgical excision. The necessity of routine surgical excision remains controversial due to conflicting opinions on the biological behavior of lobular lesions, diagnostic confusion regarding histopathology, and uncertainty of their association with high-risk lesions. The purpose of this report was to review the published data regarding the incidence of high-risk lesions associated with LIN diagnosed at CNB to clarify the indications for surgical excision. Materials and methods A PubMed search was performed to identify all published articles in English addressing management of LIN diagnosed at CNB. Results The 19 studies that form the basis of this report included a total of 504 subjects. Although the studies differed greatly in their content and methods, they were analyzed as a group for the presence of criteria deemed by the authors to be the most important information to include in a study regarding this issue and thus a reasonably good indicator of the quality of the literature. All of the studies were retrospective, nearly half were nonconsecutive series, and no study reported clear inclusion criteria for surgical excision versus observation. Limitations of the reviewed studies included their retrospective nature, small number of subjects, inconsistent inclusion criteria, and selection bias regarding surgical excision. Conclusions Based on the reviewed literature, it is difficult to reach a firm evidence-based conclusion regarding optimal management of LIN diagnosed at CNB. Associated high-risk lesions increase the risk of upgrade, but there are no mammographic predictors. The available retrospective literature suggests that some cases of LIN are associated with higher-risk lesions identified on surgical excision but does not support routine excision for all patients.
More on interpretive factors in forgetting.

Subjects learned a list of paired associates and reported the elaborators actually used during learning. They also generated “second-choice” elaborators. Both first- and second-choice elaborators were classified as stimulus-related or response-related and given to independent groups of new subjects to use in learning a list of pairs. Over a 1-week retention interval, stimulus-related elaborators produced better retention than did response-related elaborators. There was also some indication that first-choice elaborators were superior to second-choice elaborators.
Role of the α subunit in the modulation of GABAA receptors by anabolic androgenic steroids

Abstract Neural transmission mediated by circuits expressing α 2 subunit-containing γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA A ) receptors is critical for the expression of behaviors known to be altered by anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS). Here we show that micromolar concentrations of AAS, which reflect levels found in steroid abusers, induce positive modulation of currents from α 2 β 3 γ 2L recombinant receptors elicited by pulses of GABA that mimic synaptic conditions in a manner that is mechanistically distinct from modulation induced at α 1 β 3 γ 2L receptors. Specifically, at α 2 -containing receptors, the AAS, 17α-methyltestosterone (17α-MeT) enhanced peak current, slowed deactivation, diminished desensitization, and promoted entry of receptors into more distal states along the activation pathway. Analysis of GABA A receptor-mediated synaptic currents in primary cortical neurons followed by single cell real-time RT-PCR demonstrated that 17α-MeT enhancement of synaptic currents is proportional to the ratio of α 2 to α 1 subunit mRNA. Finally, we show that the modulation elicited by AAS is not comparable to that produced by micromolar concentrations of other positive allosteric modulators at α 2 -containing receptors. In sum, these data indicate that AAS elicit effects on GABA A receptor function that depend significantly on α subunit composition and that the mechanism of AAS modulation of GABA A receptors is distinct from that of other positive allosteric modulators.