cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Qualified Immunity Formalism: 'Clearly Established Law' and the Right to Record Police Activity

The Supreme Court promotes an expansive view of qualified immunity protection that imposes a high bar for showing that conduct violates clearly established law. But precedent provides scant guidance to lower courts on the key considerations of the analysis: the sources of law that constitute relevant precedent and the specificity with which that precedent needs to identify the particular right. In response to the uneven jurisprudence, lower courts often resort to a restrictive definition of “clearly established law” that requires a controlling precedent, either from the Supreme Court, the court of appeals in that circuit, or the highest court of the state where the violation took place. As applied to the First Amendment right to record police, this formalist approach to qualified immunity doctrine has produced an artificial circuit split. Though the Supreme Court has yet to rule on the issue, each of the six federal appellate courts to address the constitutional question has concluded that the First Amendment protects the rights of citizens to document the police. Yet within those circuits that have not directly ruled on the issue, trial courts continue to hold that the right is not “clearly established,” thereby entitling law enforcement defendants to qualified immunity. Despite the near-nationwide agreement on the merits of the right, courts generally refuse to consider out-of-circuit decisions. This restrictive definition of clearly established law not only strays from the underlying purpose of qualified immunity doctrine -- providing fair warning to public officials about the state of the law -- but also produces negative social consequences. This Note critiques qualified immunity doctrine in the context of the First Amendment right to record public police activity. Part I describes the relevant legal background, beginning with the definition of “clearly established law,” and then examining its application to the right to record police activity. Part II assesses the prevailing qualified immunity framework in light of the contemporary state of the law on the right to record. This Part finds that the formalist definition of clearly established law deviates from the policy considerations undergirding qualified immunity, impedes the development of First Amendment jurisprudence, and deters valuable social activity. Lastly, Part III proposes an alternative framework in which a “robust consensus of persuasive authority” suffices to establish federal law.
Professionalization of emergency management: Are we our own worst enemy?

INTRODUCTION By nearly every measure available, the emergency management field is growing and will continue to grow. The US Bureau of Labor and Statistics indicates that emergency management director positions will continue to grow by 6 percent through 2024.1 Given the increase in both the frequency and severity of disasters of all types, this is not surprising. As the field of emergency management has evolved and grown through the post-9/11 years there has been a push toward professionalization, and recognition of emergency management as its own unique field, rather than merely an extension of the police and/or fire service. The status of progress toward recognizing emergency management as a profession depends on what definition we accept for what makes a profession. Arguments have been made that emergency management is not yet accepted as a profession because the field lacks some of the key features of a profession such as board certification, or a specialized body of knowledge to name a few (Canton, 2013)2. The growth of higher education, the International Association of Emergency Managers’ Certified Emergency Manager designation, as well as state-level certifications certainly speak to progress toward different aspects of achieving this goal. However, we still have a long way to go. Graduate-level emergency management education remains discipline-specific; many graduate programs offer emergency management as a track or concentration within a broader program (eg, public policy, public health, law, etc) Emergency management lacks standardized education that provides required minimum skill sets and competencies. Furthermore, education, while preferred, is not a requirement for employment in most jobs in the field, even at the senior executive level. Even as we move toward getting ourselves recognized as a profession, however, we insist on portraying ourselves to the world as first responders in our advertising of higher education programs, and even in our own doctrine. By misrepresenting ourselves, intentionally or not, we are doing a disservice to the next generation of emergency managers. We are taking a step back from becoming a unique and independent profession.
Anaerobic digestion to reduce biomass and remove arsenic from As-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata.

Abstract The lack of efficient methods to treat As-rich biomass is a drawback for phytoremediation technology. In this study, we applied anaerobic digestion to reduce biomass and remove As from As-rich Pteris vittata biomass. P. vittata biomass including control (3.1 mg kg−1 As) and As-rich (2665 mg kg−1 As), together with positive and negative controls, was anaerobically digested at 35 °C for 35 d. Arsenic partitioning among gas, liquid and solid phases after anaerobic digestion was determined. Methane index potential assay was used to assess methane yields whereas liquid-displacement method was used to measure methane gas production. After 35 d, As partitioning in the liquid, solid and gas phases was 79, 30 and 1%, respectively. Besides, volatile solid was decreased from 91 to 12–17% total solid, while P. vittata biomass was decreased by 73–83%. Moreover, anaerobic digestion solubilized 76% As from P. vittata biomass, with 90% soluble As at 4.95 mg L−1 being recovered by As-Mg precipitation. Finally, methane production after 35 d was 197–212 LNCH4/kg volatile solid, showing slight As inhibition. Effective As removal from P. vittata biomass prior to disposal can improve the phytoremediation process.
Chemically characterized concentrated Corodies for continuous cell culture (the 7C's culture media).

Abstract A series of concentrated chemically characterized media has been developed for continuous culture of mammalian cells and designated as 7C's media. They contain amino acids at levels from 27 to 162 mM/l comparable to the amino acid content of 5 to 30 per cent of serum or 0.3 to 1.5 per cent of lactalbumine hydrolysate, but about 5 to 30 times the amino acid concentrations contained in most of the chemically defined media currently in use. The 7C's media contain fat-soluble vitamins, the polyunsaturated fatty acids, and trace elements known to be nutritional essentials for the mammalian organism. The proportionality pattern of the amino acids in these media are, in general, similar to those found in animal tissues and food proteins of high biological values and, therefore, avoids gross imbalance. The levels of the vitamins were based on their known biological potency determined for whole organisms and taking into consideration the concentrations found in nonstorage human or animal tissues. The trace elements content are in proportion similar to those existing in plasma or body fluids. The buffering capacity of the 7C's media has been improved compared to most other CDM due to two factors: (1) substitution of the bicarbonate buffer with β-glycerophosphoric acid disodium corrects the tendency of pH to rise during incubation because of the loss of CO2 and since the calcium salt of glycerophosphate is soluble in water it does not form precipitates with calcium like other inorganic phosphate buffers; (2) the high levels of amino acids in these media increase the buffering capacity due to the zwitterionic character of these substances [19]. Continuous culture studies with WRC-256 and MBIII lymphoblast cells demonstrate that the high amino acid levels of 7C's media AN-54 and AN-81 are able to support satisfactory growth of these cell lines without supplements of serum or any other tissue extracts. These two cell lines have been maintained in these serum-free media for five and two years, respectively.
Poe’s Dark Sublime and the Supernatural

Poe's sublime distinguishes itself from the Romantic Sublime by its link to a literal, rather than a metaphoric or perceptual, supernatural world. Such a construction—in which the perceiving subjec...
Effects of solvent formulations in electrolytes on fast charging of Li-ion cells

Abstract Improving the fast charging performance of lithium ion batteries (LIBs) has the promise to increase the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). Electrolyte development plays an important role in enabling fast charging. In this study, fast charging performance of LIBs is studied with different electrolytes of 1.2 M LiPF6 in Ethylene Carbonate (EC)/Ethyl Methyl Carbonate (EMC)/co-solvents at 30/50/20 wt%. The co-solvents are methyl acetate (MA), ethyl acetate (EA), ethyl formate (EF), dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and EMC. Long term cycling performance under fast charging shows different capacity retention behaviors for different co-solvents. The structural changes in the electrode material are studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The molarity changes in electrolyte is investigated by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The electrode/electrolyte interfaces before and after fast charging are analyzed by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). The characterization results are in good agreement with the long-term cycling performance. DMC shows the highest fast-charging capability among the five studied co-solvents due to its increased conductivity, improved electrode/electrolyte interface and stable electrode structural integrity.
Motivational Interviewing Produces Change Talk in Smokers with Serious Mental Illness.

Change talk, or client language that is consistent with making a behavioral change, has been found to improve the efficacy of motivational interviewing (MI). It is not known, however, if change tal...
Design and Testing of Stimulation and Myoelectric Recording Modules in an Implanted Distributed Neuroprosthetic System

Implantable motor neuroprostheses can restore functionality to individuals with neurological disabilities by electrically activating paralyzed muscles in coordinated patterns. The typical design of neuroprosthetic systems relies on a single multi-use device, but this limits the number of stimulus and sensor channels that can be practically implemented. To address this limitation, a modular neuroprosthesis, the “Networked Neuroprosthesis” (NNP), was developed. The NNP system is the first fully implanted modular neuroprosthesis that includes implantation of all power, signal processing, biopotential signal recording, and stimulating components. This paper describes the design of stimulation and recording modules, bench testing to verify stimulus outputs and appropriate filtering and recording, and validation that the components function properly while implemented in persons with spinal cord injury. The results of system testing demonstrated that the NNP was functional and capable of generating stimulus pulses and recording myoelectric, temperature, and accelerometer signals. Based on the successful design, manufacturing, and testing of the NNP System, multiple clinical applications are anticipated.
A Review of Unsolicited Comments on the CAHPS 5.0 Health Plan Survey.

The CAHPS Health Plan Survey (CAHPS 5.0) collects invaluable information regarding consumer experiences with their health plans, and these data inform healthcare policies at both the state and fede...
Supercritical water promoted aromatics production using ZSM-5 catalyst

Abstract Supercritical water assisted aromatization (SCWA) using ZSM-5 was examined for conversion of dodecane and an atmospheric distillate into benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene (BTEX) products. When compared with observations made in the absence of water, addition of 15 wt% or less water resulted in several benefits, including enhanced dodecane conversion rate, decreased formation of coke and coke precursors, and increased BTEX yields, retention of crystallinity (>90%), and retention of Bronsted acid site (BAS) density (60%). In contrast, addition of ≥ 25 wt% water resulted in reduced dodecane cracking rate, reduced aromatic production, decreased crystallinity (
The free amino acids in maternal and fetal extracellular fluids collected during early pregnancy

Abstract Quantitative free amino acid levels of amniotic fluid, maternal and fetal sera, and fetal urine were determined in 9 early pregnancies. Statistical analysis indicated a positive correlation between amino acid levels in amniotic fluid with those in fetal serum and urine. These data suggest an exchange mechanism between amniotic fluid and fetal serum, in addition to placental exchange, with fetal urine acting as a diluent of amniotic fluid. Analogue studies in 2 pregnancies indicate a high turnover of amino acids in maternal serum with a slower rate in amniotic fluid (t½ = 8 ± 1 days). It is postulated that genetic disorders which result in high concentrations of metabolites in fetal serum could be detected by amniotic fluid analysis.
Target Temperatures of 48°C versus 60°C During Slow Pathway Ablation: A Randomized Comparison

Slow Pathway Ablation. Introduction: The relationship between temperature at the electrode-tissue interface and the loss of AV and ventriculoatrial (VA) conduction is not established, and the optimal target temperature for the slow pathway approach to radiofrequency ablation of AV nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) is unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare target temperatures of 48°C and 60°C during the slow pathway approach to ablation of AVNRT. Methods and Results: The study included 138 patients undergoing ablation for AVNRT. Patients undergoing slow pathway ablation using closed-loop temperature monitoring were randomly assigned to a target temperature of either 48°C or 60°C. The primary success rates were 76% in the patients assigned to 48°C and 100% in the patients assigned to 60°C (P < 0.01). The ablation procedure duration (33 ± 31 min vs 26 ± 28 min; P = 0.2), fluoroscopic time (25 ± 15 min vs 24 ± 16 min; P = 0.5), and mean number of applications (9.3 ± 6.5 vs 7.8 ± 8.1; P = 0.3) were similar in patients assigned to 48° and 60°C, respectively. The mean temperature (46.1° ± 24.8°C vs 48.7° ± 3.2°C; P < 0.01), the temperature associated with junctional ectopy (48.1° ± 2.0°C vs 53.5° ± 3.5°C, P < 0.0001), and the frequency of VA block during junctional ectopy (24.6% vs 37.2%; P < 0.0001) were less in the patients assigned to 48°C compared to 60°C. The frequency of transient or permanent AV block was similar in each group (2.8% vs 3.6%; P = 0.2). In the 60°C group, only 12% of applications achieved an electrode temperature of 60°C. During follow-up of 9.9 ± 4.2 months, there was one recurrence of AVNRT in the 48°C group and none in the 60°C group. Conclusions: Compared to 48°C, a target temperature of 60°C during radiofrequency slow pathway ablation is associated with a higher primary success rate and a higher incidence of VA block during junctional ectopy induced by the radiofrequency energy. AV block is not more common with the higher target temperature, but only if VA conduction is aggressively monitored
Sugar Transport I. ISOLATION OF A PHOSPHOTRANSFERASE SYSTEM FROM ESCHERICHIA COLI

Abstract A phosphotransferase system was isolated from Escherichia coli and was detected in other gram-negative organisms. The system catalyzed the transfer of phosphate from phosphoenolpyruvate to sugars of the d-gluco and d-manno configurations, yielding pyruvate and the corresponding sugar 6-phosphate esters. Fractionation of the enzyme system yielded three protein components, Enzymes I and II, and a histidine-containing protein, designated HPr. Enzyme I catalyzed the transfer of phosphate from phosphoenolpyruvate to HPr. The phosphoryl moiety in phospho-HPr was linked to the protein via an imidazole nitrogen atom of a histidine residue. Enzyme II catalyzed the transfer of phosphate from phospho-HPr to the sugars. Enzyme I and HPr were soluble constituents of the cell, while Enzyme II (or Fraction II) was located in the membrane fraction.
The Demise of DAEP: Plugging the School to Prison Pipeline by Addressing Cultural Racism in Public Education Discipline

As timely as today’s headlines, I take a critical look at the failure of the public schools to educate our children by criminalizing and alienating students of color and of economic disadvantage, forcing them out of the schools and into the juvenile justice system as the first step to a life of reduced expectations and productivity. We are failing to prevent these children from becoming disengaged from society and its institutions that were designed for their benefit - the institution of a free public education. It is time we frankly acknowledge that our long stored history of racial conflict has matured into more subtle expressions of superiority and inferiority evidenced by the demographics of that large segment of our children that fail to complete the basic high school education. Over 1,000,000 young people each year do not graduate on time. Call it dropouts, call it “leavers,” call it “delayed graduation,” give it whatever bureaucratic label you wish, but a population of our youth as large as the tenth largest city in the United States fails to timely graduate high school EACH YEAR. This is a failure of monumental proportions and has led to societal restructuring inconsistent with our history. The systematic exclusion from public education of children of color and of economic disadvantage is the hole in the pipeline through which these children are forced - a pipeline which all too often leads from their public school to involvement with juvenile justice agencies and eventually prison as an adult. This is a problem that should not be ignored any longer. It must be dealt with now, not kicked down the road to the next generation, and the next, and the next. In this article I look at school discipline, the past and the present, and how certain segments of the student population find themselves pushed out of an education from the overuse of suspensions, expulsions, and disciplinary alternate education, by a system that marks these students as low-achieving and a detriment to a school district’s accountability, forcing districts to “game the system,” or cheat, to obtain an advantage at the expense of the ones they are charged to educate. In the end, the demise of the Disciplinary Alternate Education Programs is offered as a beginning step toward using evidence-based positive behavioral interventions and supports to address student behavior in every school keeping more children in school, less discouraged and more engaged. These issues may appear to be Texas specific, but they exist in virtually every public school, in every state. As Texas is often used as a public education barometer, the solutions in Texas can be used to improve public school education throughout the United States. There is no “Texas Miracle" in public education, only a sad reminder of our past and a glimpse of our future responsibility of caring for those that fail.
Strongly interacting W bosons and supersymmetry.

We present arguments in favor of the idea that supersymmetric nonlinear [sigma] models with compact symmetric Kaehler spaces as target manifolds have a second-order phase transition in four dimensions. When applied to electroweak symmetry breaking, these models then do not require a light Higgs boson or techniresonances but predict fermionic superpartners of longitudinal [ital W]'s and [ital Z]'s with masses at or below the TeV scale. The presence of the phase transition leads to a fractional-power energy dependence of the fixed-angle scattering amplitude of longitudinal [ital W]'s and [ital Z]'s at high energies.
Effect of induced field inhomogeneity on transverse proton NMR relaxation in tissue water and model systems

The effect of induced field inhomogeneity (IFI) on transverse NMR relaxation of water protons in tissue has been investigated by examining the field dependence of the effective transverse relaxation rates (1/T2 eff) for in vitro canine brain tissue samples. At fields of 0.47, 2.35, 7.05 T (corresponding to 20, 100, and 300 MHz, respectively) the transverse relaxation rates for both white and gray matter samples follow a field dependence of the form 1/T2 eff = C0 + C1B0, where B0 is the applied field. The linearly dependent term, C1B0, which reflects the IFI contribution, does not contribute much (i. e., less than 20%) at fields less than 2.0 T. However, at greater field strengths the contribution is appreciable, e. g., greater than 60% at 7.0 T. Results from model systems of glass beads are also reported to illustrate IFI effects. For both the model systems and canine brain tissue samples, the effects of restricted diffusion are qualitatively evident in Hahn spin-echo experiments. © 1986 Academic Press, Inc.
Ontogeny of T-cell mitogen response in Lewis rats: I. Culture conditions and developmental patterns

Abstract Spleen and thymus cells from female Lewis rats 2 to 220 days old were cultured with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or Concanavalin A (Con A). The optimal dose of Con A for mitogenesis ranged from 1 ug/ml for suckling rats to 125 ug/ml for adult rats. Thymus cells differed from spleen cells in that they required 72 hours for maximum thymidine incorporation; whereas spleen cells attained maximum incorporation within 48 hours. Thymidine uptake in unstimulated spleen cell cultures was high in the neonate and decreased with age. Maximum splenic cell responses to Con A increased from very low levels in the 2-day old to adult levels by 3 weeks coincident with weaning. Maximum PHA responses of splenocytes matured more slowly, reaching adult levels by 8 weeks. Thymus cell responses to Con A and PHA were mature from birth
Design and simulation of a parallel-coupled microstrip bandpass filter

Bandpass filters play an important role in wireless communication systems. Both transmitted and received signals have to be filtered within certain bandwidths. A parallel-coupled microstrip bandpass filter is designed through the calculation of even-mode and odd-mode characteristic impedances of coupled line pairs and the computation of physical dimensions of these coupled lines. Simulation of the filter shows that the insertion loss is less than −0.4 dB and the reflection is less than −19 dB around the filter midband frequency.
As(0001) surfaces: Auger, loss, and photoelectron spectroscopic studies

Abstract The (0001) surfaces of arsenic single crystals have been characterized by Auger, loss, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A comparison of the results leads to an unusual suggestion for excitation, conduction, and emission modes in the low-energy region. It is proposed that the dominant 20 eV near-elastic loss is the excitation of N1(4s) electrons to a conduction level 2 eV above the instrumental vacuum level. It is also proposed that two low-energy “Auger-like” peaks at 12 eV and 1.5 eV are electrons emitted at the surface from permitted bands in the bulk. A strong correlation among Auger and loss signals, integrated secondary-electron emission, elastic peak heights and the Kikuchi display is also reported. A study of the Kikuchi correlation of the 12 eV peak suggests that the surface Debye-Waller effect on As(0001) is a long-range, collective oscillation rather than short-range, individual atomic disorder.
Intranigral muscimol attenuates electrographic signs of seizure activity induced by intravenous bicuculline in rats.

Abstract Rats were implanted with infusion cannulas in the substantia nigra((SN), and intracranial electrodes for recording the electroencephalogram (EEG). These rats received intravenous injections of bicuculline, producing repetitive high voltage spike-and-wave complexes. Pretreatment with bilateral intranigral infusions of the GABA agonist muscimol reduced the duration of EEG epileptic activity by over 80%, as compared to the effect of pretreatment with intranigral saline in the same rats. This antiepileptic effect of intranigral muscimol may reflect a primary influence of SN outputs on brain excitability.
Triggers for RF breakdown

Abstract We outline a model of breakdown in RF cavities. In this model, the breakdown trigger is the injection of ions, atoms and clusters into cavities by either of two mechanisms. One mechanism is some combination of fracture and field evaporation of ions from solid surfaces caused by locally high electric fields. The second mechanism, driven by high local current densities, is localized Ohmic heating at grain boundaries and defects. Field evaporation and fracturing are similar processes, both driven by the high tensile stresses in the electric field that occur at local electric fields of ∼10 10 V/m, which have been measured in a number of experimental environments. We also outline how ions can be injected into cavities in the presence of large RF electric fields. The model can explain most of the behavior seen in a variety of cavities at different frequencies without assuming that melting or gas emission occurs at breakdown sites. This model may also be relevant to DC vacuum breakdown.
A study of fiber-capstan friction. 2. Stick–slip phenomena

Abstract Data taken for the friction of nylon fiber (monofilament fishing line) rubbing on spinning aluminum and nylon capstans (cylinders) is used to develop a model for stick–slip sliding in these systems. Slip is shown to correspond to ‘pseudo’ under-damped or over-damped oscillation. Stick is shown to correspond to deformation of polymers when they are subjected to intermittent loading. The whole process may be represented by a graph of (real contact area/apparent contact area) vs. time. The model fits the experimental data and explains the influence of system variables on both stick–slip sliding and the critical speed.
The Current and Intergenerational Impact of Child Fostering on Children 's Nutritional Status in Rural Mali

This article assesses the determinants of child fostering and its effect on children's nutritional status among the Malian Fulani. Anthropometric evidence indicates that nutritional outcomes are more strongly associated with the reasons for the child's transfer rather than with the fostering per se. These effects persist intergenerationally with the biological children of mothers who were themselves fostered under forced circumstances exhibiting poorer nutritional outcomes than children of mothers who were actively requested by their foster parents during childhood. A bio-social model is presented to understand the intergenerational determinants of these effects and their pathways of influence.
Broadband wavefront engineering with optical resonator arrays

Conventional optical components such as lenses and holograms rely on gradual phase shifts accumulated during light propagation to shape light beam. New degrees of freedom in optical design are attained by introducing in the optical path abrupt phase changes over the scale of the wavelength. In this talk, we will discuss the results presented in [1], where a two-dimensional array of plasmonic resonators in form of V-shape antennas with spatially varying phase response and sub-wavelength separation can imprint such phase discontinuities on propagating light.
Optimal generation of pulsed entangled photon pairs

We experimentally investigate a double-pass parametric down-conversion scheme for producing pulsed, polarization-entangled photon pairs with high visibility. The amplitudes for creating photon pairs on each pass interfere to compensate for distinguishing characteristics that normally degrade two-photon visibility. The result is a high-flux source of polarization-entangled photon pulses that does not require spectral filtering. We observe quantum interference visibility of over 95% without the use of spectral filters for $200\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{fs}$ pulses, and up to 98.1% with $5\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ bandwidth filters.
Model compounds of cellulose: Trityl ethers substituted exclusively at C-6 primary hydroxyls

Triphenylmethylcellulose (trityl cellulose) in which substitution of only the primary hydroxyls at C-6 on the cellulose chain occurs has been prepared using superdry cellulose derived from gel cellophane. The diacetate and dicarbanilate derivatives substituted exclusively at C-2 and C-3 secondary hydroxyls could then be prepared. Detritylation afforded the cellulose dicarbanilate or diacetate. Proof that no secondary substitution occurred was afforded by elemental analysis and by tosylation followed by replacement of the tosyl group with iodine. Because of the low D.P. of the cellulose and the ease with which the cellulose polymers can be cast into films, these cellulose model compounds might find utility for studying the effect of reactions at either the primary or the secondary hydroxyls of cellulose.
The Role of Anion Impurities in Barium Titanate

It has been reported that fluorine ions (F-) can substitute for oxygen ions (O2-) in small amounts in barium titanate and act as electron donors. While fluorine is not usually an impurity in barium titanate, this work suggests that ions such as Cl- or (OH)-, that can be impurities, might behave similarly to F-. Cl- ions can be present in barium titanate made using barium chloride and/or titanium chloride, as in the oxalate process. Hydroxyl ions are common in barium titanate made by the hydrothermal or alkoxide processes. Other common impurities in barium titanate, such as Mg2+, Al3+, Fe3+, or Na+, are believed to behave as electron acceptors and induce "extrinsic" oxygen vacancies in the Ba2+Ti4+O 3 crystal structure for charge balance. Acceptor impurities are minimized in the manufacture of barium titanate because the presence of oxygen vacancies can degrade the reliability of multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLC's) when the barium titanate is used in thin dielectric layers with Ni electrodes. In this paper we consider the possibility that anion donors, particularly (OH)-, might counteract the effect of minor levels of acceptor impurities and have a beneficial effect on the performance of MLC's with Ni electrodes and thin dielectric layers.
The Corrosion of Character: The Personal Consequences of Work in the New Capitalism

Workplace flexibility is the topic of Richard Sennett's new book, “The Corrosion of Character: The Personal Consequences of Work in the New Capitalism,” his latest analysis of class, work, and social relations. Sennett seeks to remind us that stability—currently so maligned by business writers and consultants--has distinct benefits for individuals and society. More important, he raises a warning flag about the costs of flexibility and the toll it can take on our energy, our relationships, and our very characters.
Linear stability and instability of relativistic Vlasov‐Maxwell systems

We consider the linear stability problem for a symmetric equilibrium of the relativistic Vlasov-Maxwell (RVM) system. For an equilibrium whose distribution function depends monotonically on the particle energy, we obtain a sharp linear stability criterion. The growing mode is proved to be purely growing, and we get a sharp estimate of the maximal growth rate. In this paper we specifically treat the periodic 1½D case and the 3D whole-space case with cylindrical symmetry. We explicitly illustrate, using the linear stability criterion in the 1½D case, several stable and unstable examples. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A membrane-targeting signal in the amino terminus of the neuronal protein GAP-43

NEURONS and other cells, such as those of epithelia, accumulate particular proteins in spatially discrete domains of the plasma membrane. This enrichment is probably important for localization of function, but it is not clear how it is accomplished. One proposal for epithelial cells is that proteins contain targeting signals which guide preferential accumulation in basal or apical membranes1. The growth-cone membrane of a neuron serves as a specialized transduction system, which helps to convert cues from its environment into regulated growth. Because it can be physically separated from the cell soma, it has been possible to show that the growth-cone membrane contains a restricted set of total cellular proteins2, although, to our knowledge, no proteins are limited to that structure. One of the most prominent proteins in the growth-cone membrane is GAP-43 (refs 3–5; for reviews see refs 6 and 7). Basi et al. have suggested that the N-terminus of GAP-43 might be important for the binding of GAP-43 to the growth-cone membrane8. Skene and Virag9 recently found that the cysteines in the N-terminus are fatty-acylated and that this post-translational modification correlates with membrane-binding ability. We investigated the binding of GAP-43 to the growth-cone membrane by mutational analysis and by laser-scanning confocal microscopy of fusion proteins that included regions of GAP-43 and chloram-phenicol acetyltransferase (CAT). We found that a short stretch of the GAP-43 N-terminus suffices to direct accumulation in growth-cone membranes, especially in the filopodia. This supports a previous proposal8,9 for the importance of this region of GAP-43 in determining the membrane distribution of GAP-43.
Optical morphological image processing with acoustooptic devices

Abstract An optical morphological image processor is described and demonstrated in which structuring elements are generated using an acoustooptic device in the Fourier plane of a coherent optical correlator. The size and shape of the structuring element can be modified easily and rapidly by changing the drive signal to the acoustooptic device. Space-bandwidth limitations on the system due to the use of an acoustooptic device are discussed and results of erosion and dilation experiments are presented.
Optimal response selection and decisional separability in Gaussian general recognition theory

Abstract We provide the necessary and sufficient conditions for a Gaussian general recognition theory (GRT) model with an optimal response selection rule to be empirically indistinguishable from a model with linear decision bounds and decisional separability. General recognition theory assumes noisy, multidimensional perception and deterministic, multidimensional response selection; decisional separability holds if, and only if, the decision bounds that define response regions are parallel to the coordinate axes of the cognitive space of interest (e.g., perceptual space). The analysis of decisional separability is complicated by the fact that multiple response rules are possible in GRT. Recent work showed that failure of decisional separability is not identifiable in Gaussian GRT models with linear or piecewise linear decision bounds (Silbert & Thomas 2013). In the present work, we analyze the role of apparent decisional separability (and failures thereof) in an optimal GRT model. In addition to describing the necessary and sufficient conditions for optimal responding to mimic decisional separability, we show that invertible linear transformations of optimal models that explicitly mimic decisional separability produce models that implicitly mimic decisional separability. We end with a brief discussion of the effects of unequal prior stimulus probabilities and biased payoff schemes on the presence or absence of decisional separability.
Flow through the tile gaps in the Space Shuttle Thermal Protection System

The problem of predicting aerodynamic loads on the insulating tiles of the Space Shuttle Thermal Protection System (TPS) is discussed and seen to require a method for predicting pressure and mass flux in the gaps between tiles. A mathematical model of the tile-gap flow is developed based upon a slow viscous (Stokes) flow analysis and is verified against available experimental data. This model derives the tile-gap pressure field from a solution of the two-dimensional Laplace equation; the mass flux vector is then calculated from the pressure gradient. The means for incorporating this model into a lumped-parameter network analogy for porous-media flow is also given. The flow model shows tile-gap mass flux to be very sensitive to the gap width indicating a need for coupling the TPS flow and tile displacement calculations. Finally recommendations are made concerning additional analytical and experimental work to improve TPS flow predictions.
Bilateral Investment Treaties, Credible Commitment, and the Rule of (International) Law: Do BITs Promote Foreign Direct Investment?

A long line of research, beginning with Macaulay's (1963) well-known study of "Non-Contractual Relations in Business," suggests that the formal trappings of domestic law often have effects on private behavior that are, at best, "indirect, subtle, and ambiguous" (Macaulay 1984:155). Law and society scholars have spent somewhat less time exploring whether international law's effects on behavior are similarly attenuated. In this article I examine whether foreign investors take the presence of strong formal international legal protections into account when deciding where to invest. I focus on whether the presence of bilateral investment treaties, or BITs, meaningfully influences investment decisions. I present results from a statistical analysis that examines whether the formally strongest BITs¯those that guarantee investors access to international arbitration to enforce investors' international legal rights¯are associated with greater investment flows. I find no clear link between treaty protections and investment, a finding consistent with past law and society research but in tension with claims common in the BIT literature that the treaties should have dramatic effects on investor behavior.
Evidence that pioneer olfactory axons regulate telencephalon cell cycle kinetics to induce the formation of the olfactory bulb

Early olfactory axons follow a specific pathway to reach the developing telencephalon. We observed that a subpopulation of these axons, the pioneer olfactory axons, penetrate into the ventricular zone of a highly restricted region of the telencephalon at E13 and E14. At E15, this same telencephalic region evaginates to form the olfactory bulb. To investigate the possibility that the pioneer olfactory axons induce the olfactory bulb by influencing precursor cell populations, we compared cell cycle kinetics and differentiation in the olfactory bulb primordium and the adjacent neocortex using cumulative bromdeoxyuridine labeling. The results showed that, 24 hr after the arrival of the first pioneer axons, the duration of the cell cycle is prolonged significantly in the olfactory bulb primordium. In addition, twice as many cells have exited the mitotic cycle in the olfactory bulb primordium versus the adjacent cortex. These findings suggest that pioneer olfactory axons play a role in the induction of the olfactory bulb by selectively modulating cell cycle kinetics in the olfactory bulb primordium. Afferent axons may influence target morphogenesis by modulating target precursor cell proliferation in other developing neural structures.
Two-dimensional modeling of the dynamics and radiation output from magnetically driven Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in hollow Z-pinches

Summary form only given, as follows. A two-dimensional computational methodology has been developed which uses a phenomenological representation of initial perturbations to model the evolution of magnetically driven Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in a hollow Z-pinch. The drive current waveform and X-ray output obtained from the perturbed two-dimensional models differ qualitatively from the results of one-dimensional (unperturbed) models. The results from the perturbed model reproduce the principle features of Z-pinch experiments conducted on the Los Alamos Pegasus II facility. We discuss the computational approach used in this study and present comparisons between simulations and experimental measurements of current waveforms, visible framing camera pictures, spectra, XRD and bolometry data.
Development of surrogate substrates for neuropathy target esterase

Abstract Seventeen substrates were synthesized and their activities as surrogate substrates for Neuropathy Target Esterase were tested. Substrates investigated are carbon analogs of phenylvalerate ( 1 ) with oxygen and sulfur substituted at the α, β and γ positions. Phenol and thiophenol esters of these analogs constitute two series of compounds tested. The ratio of catalytic hydrolysis to background hydrolysis increased at lower pH values with all substrates tested including phenylvalerate ( 1 ). There was more than a 2.5-fold increase in specific activity with phenylthiopropylethanoate ( 6 ) at pH of 6.75 compared to phenylvalerate ( 1 ). Furthermore, a 19-fold decrease in K m is reported with compound 6 . This and related compounds can be used as the basis of more sensitive assays for neuropathy target esterase. Thiophenyl esters in this series are sufficiently good substrates to hold promise in continuous assays.
Fetuin-A (α2HS-glycoprotein) is a serum chemo-attractant that also promotes invasion of tumor cells through Matrigel

The present study was conducted to determine whether fetuin-A, a dominant serum protein plays a role in chemo-attraction and chemo-invasion of carcinoma cells in vitro. Serum is normally used as positive chemotaxis control in Boyden chamber motility assays, prompting the need to identify the factor/s in serum that contributes the bulk of chemo-taxis and invasion. Serum has a plethora of chemotactic factors including stromal derived factor 1 also known as CXCL12. Using highly purified fetuin-A, we compared its chemo-attraction potential to culture medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum. We also investigated its ability to attract tumor cells through a bed of Matrigel (invasion assay). We demonstrated, using similar concentration range of fetuin-A found in blood, that it robustly supports both directed chemo-attraction and invasion of breast tumor cells. More importantly, we showed that at low concentrations (fetuin-A coated wells) itinteracts synergistically with CXCL12 to promote chemotaxis. The presence of plasminogen (PL) blunted the fetuin-A mediated chemotaxis. Taken together, the data suggest an in vivo chemotaxis/invasion role for fetuin-A.
Determination of ascorbic acid in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection using a hydroxyapatite cartridge for precolumn deproteinization

Ascorbic acid (AA) was determined in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection using a hydroxyapatite cartridge for plasma deproteinization. The proposed method is simple, rapid (deproteinization time, within 1 min; analysis time, ca. 15 min), sensitive [detection limit, ca. 240 ng/ml plasma (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 2:1)], highly selective and reproducible [relative standard deviation, ca. 2.8% (n = 3)]. The calibration graph for AA was linear in the range 0.1-10 ng per injection (20 microliters). The recovery of AA was over 90% by the standard addition method.
Proximity synchronization for mobile wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks are designed to be used in any situation that requires monitoring of widely-dispersed geographic areas. They are capable of providing automated monitoring with high precision at low cost over long periods of time. In order to achieve the conflicting goals of high precision at low cost, software techniques can be employed to enhance the precision of important metrics. In particular, this investigation introduces an improved protocol for synchronizing the clocks of different sensor nodes, for the purpose of improving the accuracy of time-sensitive data acquisition. In the course of our initial investigation, several weaknesses and deficiencies exhibited by existing synchronization protocols were identified, particularly with respect to mobile sensor networks. To address these issues a new protocol was developed. The protocol is based on the Network-wide Time Synchronization in sensor networks protocol, modified to use a restricted tree-based hierarchy arranged as a minimum spanning tree. A key feature of the improved protocol is that it distributes the work of synchronization, thereby eliminating potential bottleneck constraints. In extensive testing, it was also shown to reduce the number of message collisions to which larger networks are prone. When compared to the original protocol, these improvements resulted in lower clock synchronization error across the network and substantially reduced sensor power consumption. In addition, the improved protocol is more robust, in that it has the ability to dynamically reconnect and resynchronize as mobile nodes move in and out of communication range.
Iso‐Immunization in the A B O System and Morbus Haemolyticus Neonatorum

Summary A description is given of some cases of haemolytic diseases of the newborn which may have been caused by an ABO incompatibility. Resume Iso-immunisation dans le systeme A B O et Horbus Haemolyticus Neonatorum On decrit quelques cas d'affections hemolitiques chez le nouveau-ne causees croit on par une incompatibilite A B O. Zusammenfassung Iso-Immunisierung im A B O System und Morbus Haemolyticus bei Neugeborenen Eine Beschreibung von einigen Fallen von hamolytischen Krankheiten bei Neugeborenen wird gegeben. Eine A B O Unvertraglichkeit wird hierbei als Ursache der Krangheit angegeben. Sumario Iso-Inmunizacon en el sistema A B O y enfermedad hemolitica del recien nacido Se describen algunos casos de infermedad hemolitica en el recien nacido, donde se piensa que la causa de la enfermedad es una incompatibilidad con el sistema A B O.
Threats to validity in randomized clinical trials.

The purposes of this article are to present an overview of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and describe some of the methodological problems inherent in using RCTs in nursing research. Many nursing intervention studies are fraught with problems that defy the stringent control criteria required for RCTs, leading to biased estimates of intervention efficacy. Five threats to validity in RCTs are presented, including problems related to (a) differential dropout, (b) random assignment, (c) identifying and maintaining an adequate control condition, (d) nonadherence to research protocols, and (e) assessment of clinically meaningful change. Three strategies are recommended for addressing some of the problems posed by RCTs and improving inference.