cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Substance of Montgomery Retroactivity: The Definition of States’ Supremacy Clause Obligation to Enforce Newly-Recognized Federal Rights in Their Post-conviction Proceedings and Why It Matters

In Montgomery v. Louisiana, 136 S.Ct. 718 (2016), the Supreme Court made a decision of far-reaching importance to the criminal justice system: the Supremacy Clause requires states adjudicating post-conviction attacks to give full retroactive effect to “substantive” new rules of federal constitutional law. The significance of this holding has so far been under-appreciated because of the assumption that “substantive” has the same narrow meaning in the context of the state’s obligations under the Supremacy Clause as it does under Teague v. Lane, 489 U.S. 288 (1989), which sets forth prudential limitations on the claims that the federal courts will entertain when adjudicating federal habeas corpus attacks on state criminal convictions. But, this article argues, the two contexts are not the same and the assumption is unwarranted. To be sure, rules that are “substantive” under Teague are also substantive under Montgomery. But because Montgomery is based on the Supremacy Clause, the class of “substantive” federal rules for Montgomery purposes should be far broader than it is for Teague purposes. “Substantive” rules under Montgomery, I propose, include all those whose policy underpinnings extend beyond enhancing the factual accuracy of particular decisions. Examples of such rules are ones whose aims include discountenancing government misconduct (e.g., barring evidence derived from coerced confessions or unreasonable searches) and achieving full community participation in the judicial process (e.g., adding new groups to the ones that may not constitutionally be excluded from jury service, and expanding the categories of juror bias that a defendant must be permitted to litigate). Adopting the proposed definition will have structural benefits to the system of criminal justice adjudication. The Montgomery decision will necessarily have the effect of increasing the number of state post-conviction decisions. The broader the definition of “substantive” the more pronounced the effect. The more pronounced the effect the better off the criminal justice system will be, for two reasons. First, state post-conviction decisions will be some extent be able to fill the gap in the normal creation of new rules by lower federal courts that has resulted from the restrictive ruling in Teague. Second, the greater the salience of post-conviction decisions, the greater the pressure on the states to improve the quality of their post-conviction systems. Thus, in the interests of making modest but real improvements in the quality of our criminal law, lawyers, legislators, academics, judges, and all individuals concerned about justice should seek adoption of the proposal of this article. The article is followed by a comment from Professor Carlos M. Vazquez of Georgetown Law School and a brief reply by the author.
Lamb, Peter Socialism: Medford, MA: Polity Press 148 pp., $59.95, ISBN 978-1509531608 Publication Date: December 2019

Peter Lamb’s book Socialism is part of the “Key Concepts in Political Theory” series, including works on such topics as patriotism, Fascism, authority, libertarianism, and citizenship. The series i...
The T-type calcium channel isoform Cav3.1 is a target for the hypnotic effect of the anaesthetic neurosteroid (3β,5β,17β)-3-hydroxyandrostane-17-carbonitrile

Abstract Background The mechanisms underlying the role of T-type calcium channels (T-channels) in thalamocortical excitability and oscillations in vivo during neurosteroid-induced hypnosis are largely unknown. Methods We used patch-clamp electrophysiological recordings from acute brain slices ex vivo, recordings of local field potentials (LFPs) from the central medial thalamic nucleus in vivo, and wild-type (WT) and Cav3.1 knock-out mice to investigate the molecular mechanisms of hypnosis induced by the neurosteroid analogue (3β,5β,17β)-3-hydroxyandrostane-17-carbonitrile (3β-OH). Results Patch-clamp recordings showed that 3β-OH inhibited isolated T-currents but had no effect on phasic or tonic γ-aminobutyric acid A currents. Also in acute brain slices, 3β-OH inhibited the spike firing mode more profoundly in WT than in Cav3.1 knockout mice. Furthermore, 3β-OH significantly hyperpolarised neurones, reduced the amplitudes of low threshold spikes, and diminished rebound burst firing only in WT mice. We found that 80 mg kg−1 i.p. injections of 3β-OH induced hypnosis in >60% of WT mice but failed to induce hypnosis in the majority of mutant mice. A subhypnotic dose of 3β-OH (20 mg kg−1 i.p.) accelerated induction of hypnosis by isoflurane only in WT mice, but had similar effects on the maintenance of isoflurane-induced hypnosis in both WT and Cav3.1 knockout mice. In vivo recordings of LFPs showed that a hypnotic dose of 3β-OH increased δ, θ, α, and β oscillations in WT mice in comparison with Cav3.1 knock-out mice. Conclusions The Cav3.1 T-channel isoform is critical for diminished thalamocortical excitability and oscillations that underlie neurosteroid-induced hypnosis.
A Paradigm Shift from Telemedicine to Autonomous Human Health and Performance for Long-Duration Space Missions

This paper discusses a Prognostics and Health Management [PHM]-based approach to implementing Human Health & Performance [HH&P] technologies. Targeted specifically are NASA’s “Autonomous Medical Decision” and “Integrated Biomedical Informatics” of “Human Health, Life Support, and Habitation Systems” in Technology Area 06 [TA 06] of NASA’s integrated technology roadmap [April 2012]. The proposed PHM-based implementation is to bridge PHM, an engineering discipline, to the HH&P technology domain to mitigate space travel risks by focusing on efforts to reduce countermeasure mass and volume, and drive down risks to an acceptable level. NASA’s Autonomous Medical Decision technology is based on wireless handheld devices and is a result of a necessary paradigm shift from telemedicine to HH&P autonomy. The Integrated Biomedical Informatics technology is based on Crew Electronic Health Records [CEHR], equipped with a predictive diagnostics capability developed for use by crew members rather than by healthcare professionals. This paper further explores the proposed PHM-based solutions for crew health maintenance in terms of predictive diagnostics to provide early and actionable real-time warnings to each crew member about health-related risks and impending health problems that otherwise might go undetected. The paper also discusses the paradigm’s hypothesis and its innovation methodology, as implemented with computed biomarkers. The suggested paradigm is to be validated on the International Space Station [ISS] to ensure that crew autonomy in terms of the inherent predictive capability and two-fault-tolerance of the methodology become the dominant design drivers in sustaining crew health and performance.
A Universal Automated Data-Driven Modeling Framework for Truck Traffic Volume Prediction

Knowledge of the truck traffic volumes on state and interstate highways is critical for highway authorities and federal organizations. Increased urbanization, population growth, and economic development have led to an increased demand for freight travel. Several planning applications demand reliable and accurate truck traffic prediction. A review of the available literature indicated that limited research had been performed on the development and utilization of a universal automatic framework for truck traffic volume prediction. As a result, there is a gap to incorporate inclusive predictors, a broad dataset, a comprehensive feature selection approach, and a robust cross-validation method that utilizes both linear and non-linear algorithms. The present study uses a hyperparameter optimization framework to select the appropriate feature selection method and modeling approach among a comprehensive list of available state of the art approaches. Distinct from models based on individual case studies, the proposed framework allows for greater customization and minimized MAPE error. The developed framework automates much of the traffic count forecasting process, and the resulting method is less labor-intensive and may be utilized without the need for experienced data analysts. Florida’s interstate highways historical traffic data were used to test the feasibility of the proposed framework. The results of the Florida Case Study revealed the superiority of non-linear models in the generalization and prediction of traffic volumes over linear models. The random forest algorithm results on the test dataset in this study demonstrate this model’s ability to predict truck traffic with 86% accuracy. Spatial variables were the most significant variable group, followed by road characteristics.
Optical Properties of Copper-Aluminum Oxide Nanocomposite Thin Films Deposited by Sputtering Atomic Layer Augmented Deposition (SALAD)

Depositing thin films is often limited to a specific deposition process by which precursors are transported in a deposition environment. In other words, a deposition environment in which two deposition processes complementary to each other are unified may offer new insights in designing thin film structures. This view motivated us to combine atomic layer deposition (ALD) and magnetron sputtering (SPU) in a single chamber – sputtering atomic layer augmented deposition (SALAD). The SALAD system offers benefits of consistently delivering precursors in ALD and freely choosing chemical elements in SPU. In this paper, the SALAD system is employed to deposit nanocomposites consisting of multiple layers of aluminum oxide deposited by ALD and copper layers deposited by SPU. Distinctive dispersion features seen in optical properties of the nanocomposites are analyzed to reveal the interrelationship between structural properties and electronic properties of the nanocomposites.
Using data to drive obstetric practice policies.

Caesarean delivery rates have risen, seemingly inexorably, through the latter decades of the 20th century and into the current millennium. While most experts agree that overall caesarean rates remain higher than necessary, debate continues on what optimal caesarean delivery rates should be as well as where to focus efforts to increase the likelihood of women having safe vaginal deliveries. Much of this debate has revolved around the long-standing contention that obstetric populations are sufficiently varied that comparison of simple percent caesarean delivery rates is largely meaningless.
Throwing the Baby Out with the Amniotic Fluid: Not All Reproductive Choices are Morally or Legally Equivalent

This essay written for Science Progress, "the premier online journal of progressive science and technology policy from the Center for American Progress," which was listed as one the journal's "Top Features of 2009,” uses the case of Nadya Suleman (a.k.a. Octomom) to argue for disentangling the ethical and legal analysis of decisions to and not to procreate. A companion paper, States’ Regulation of Assisted Reproductive Technologies: What Does the U.S. Constitution Allow?, is available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=2127377. Two law review articles in progress, Rights To and Not To Procreate and Towards a Jurisprudence of Procreation, develop these ideas.
Time-variable gravity signal of an anomalous redistribution of water mass in the extratropic Pacific during 1998–2002

[1] Cox and Chao [2002] reported the detection of a large anomaly in the time series of Earth's dynamic oblateness J2, the lowest-degree gravity spatial harmonic, in the form of a positive jump since 1998 overshadowing the decreasing secular trend in J2 caused primarily by the postglacial rebound (PGR). Here we report that recent data show that J2 has been rapidly returning toward “normal” (with PGR considered) since early 2001. In search of the geophysical and climatic causes for this “1998–2002 J2 anomaly,” we report an oceanographic event that took place in the extratropic north and south Pacific basins that was found to match remarkably well with the time evolution of the anomaly. We examine the leading (nonseasonal, extratropic Pacific) Empirical Orthogonal Function/Principal Component modes in the sea-surface height (SSH) data from TOPEX/Poseidon, sea surface temperature (SST) data from the National Center for Environmental Predictions, and output fields of the Estimating the Circulation and the Climate of the Ocean (ECCO) ocean general circulation model (OGCM), including ocean bottom pressure (OBP) and temperature and salinity profiles. The phenomenon appears to be part of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and temporal correlations are made. However, quantitatively, the OBP field of the ECCO model predicts a J2 anomaly that is smaller in magnitude than the observed by a factor of about 3. We discuss various possibilities for reconciling this discrepancy in terms of inadequacies of present OGCMs and considering other geophysical contributions; a complete resolution of the J2 enigma awaits further studies.
Regulatory T cells in B cell-deficient mice differ from those in WT mice in function and expression of cell surface markers (BA13P.119)

NOD.H-2h4 mice develop spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis (SAT) with chronic inflammation of thyroids by T and B cells. B cell-deficient (B-/-) mice are resistant to SAT unless Treg are transiently depleted. To determine if Treg from WT and B-/- mice differ in their ability to suppress effectors from a single source, splenocytes from CD28-/-B-/- mice (effector cells and APC) were cultured with or without sorted Treg from Foxp3-GFP WT or B-/- mice before transfer to mice lacking T cells. Recipients of Treg from B-/- mice had significantly lower SAT severity scores compared to those given Treg from WT mice, indicating that Treg in B-/- and WT mice differ functionally. Treg from WT and B-/- mice also differ in expression of TNF receptor superfamily members CD27, TNFR II p75, and GITR. After transient Treg depletion with anti-CD25 or diphtheria toxin, repopulating Treg in B-/- mice had reduced suppressor function, and expression of CD27, p75 and GITR was like that of WT Treg. If B cells were present during development of B-/- Treg in bone marrow chimeras or added to cultures of B-/- Treg and T effectors, expression of CD27, p75 and GITR by Treg from B-/- mice was comparable to that of WT Treg, and suppressive function was reduced. These results establish for the first time that Treg in WT and B-/- mice differ both functionally and phenotypically, and both are altered when B cells are present during Treg development and during interaction of Treg with T effectors.
A PAPI implementation for BlueGene

The IBM BlueGene/L (BG/L) super-computer holds 3 of the top 10 rankings on the 26th TOP500 list of LINPACK performance. The system is novel in its design in many aspects when compared to other more traditional high-performance computing systems. When developing system libraries as well as when tuning application code for BG/L it is essential to be able to measure the impact of code modifications and algorithmic choices. PAPI is a platform neutral user level library to accomodate programmers' need to access on-chip performance counters. This paper describes the implementation of the low-level kernel interface for hardware performance counter access on BG/L and the accompanying PAPI implementation.
A NEW MODERNITY: Living and Believing in an Unstable World

Dalam situasi tak stabil saat ini konsep postmodernitas dan multikulturalisme tak lagi banyak berguna. Pluralitas dan fragmentasi hanya menarik saat kondisi sosial stabil dan aman, saat keragaman kultural tampil sebagai aneka pilihan. Yang dibutuhkan kini adalah rasa keutuhan baru. Namun berbagai jalur pencarian keutuhan saat ini macam fundamentalisme, romantisisme, universalisme dan "splitting" ternyata juga tak cukup realistis menghadapi kompleksitas tuntutan jaman. Artikel ini mengusulkan konsep "modernitas baru", yang mengandung prinsip reflektivitas, kesadaran atas kaburnya batas-batas, kemampuan menerima hibriditas, dan orientasi kosmopolitan. Berdasarkan itu diusulkanlah konsep kekatolikan baru, yakni kekatolikan yang kosmopolitan dan tidak etnosentris; mengandung keutuhan iman yang menampilkan kepenuhan kemanusiaan dan mempromosikan rekonsiliasi; serta mampu menciptakan masyarakat komunikasi yang mengelola kompleksitas dunia manusia secara lebih konstruktif.
Transient host–parasitoid dynamics illuminate the practice of biological pest control

[Formula: see text] [ The harlequin bug (Murgantia histrionica; top left) is a specialist herbivore on Isomeris arborea, an endemic plant species of the California coastal sage scrub ecosystem (top right). The bug's eggs (bottom center) are parasitized by two parasitoid natural enemies, Trissolcus murgantiae (bottom left) and Ooencyrtus johnsonii (bottom right). The harlequin bug and its parasitoids exhibit many attributes of pest‐enemy systems in general, and of Homopteran pest systems in particular. First, the bug is a specialist herbivore on a long‐lived host plant, similar to many Homopteran pests that attack long‐lived crop plants (e.g., citrus, olive, stone fruits), and its only natural enemies are the two specialist parasitoids. Second, the bug and parasitoids exhibit the same life history and population dynamics as Homopteran pest systems, with an invulnerable adult stage of the herbivore and a persistent host‐parasitoid interaction with host densities maintained at low levels. Third, the parasitoids engage in the same types of interactions as the natural enemies of Homopteran pests (exploitative competition and multiparasitism). Fourth, the bug is a minor pest of crucifers in the southeastern U.S. and the parasitoids are potential control agents. These attributes make this community an ideal model system for investigating the efficacy of natural enemies in pest suppression. ] Kidd, D. & Amarasekare, P. (2012) The role of transient dynamics in biological pest control: insights from a host–parasitoid community. Journal of Animal Ecology, 81, 47–57. Our current understanding of host–parasitoid relationships has been strongly influenced by the quest for stability and persistence, and consequently, is based on a large body of theory that has focused on the assumption of equilibrium dynamics. In an elegant analysis of a host–parasitoid model parameterized from laboratory observations, Kidd & Amarasekare broaden our understanding by contrasting the parameters that influence transient versus equilibrium dynamics. Their study highlights the importance of parasitoid handling time, competitive exclusion and intraspecific interference in the transient dynamics of a model host–parasitoid community.
High magnetic field sensor using LaSb2

The magnetotransport properties of single crystals of the highly anisotropic layered metal LaSb2 are reported in magnetic fields up to 45 T with fields oriented both parallel and perpendicular to the layers. Below 10 K the perpendicular magnetoresistance of LaSb2 becomes temperature independent and is characterized by a 100-fold linear increase in resistance between 0 and 45 T with no evidence of quantum oscillations down to 50 mK. The Hall resistivity is hole-like and gives a high field carrier density of n∼3×1020 cm−3. The feasibility of using LaSb2 for magnetic field sensors is discussed.
Plasma oxytocin concentrations in men, nonpregnant women, and pregnant women before and during spontaneous labor

Baseline plasma oxytocin (OT) concentrations were measured in 25 healthy men, 102 nonpregnant women, and 59 pregnant women from 15-42 weeks gestation. In addition, plasma OT levels were measured at the onset, peak, and immediately after a single uterine contraction in 6 women in the latent phase and 14 women in the active phases of labor, as well as in 19 women at initial presentation of the fetal head on the perineum (+3 station) and 11 women at the time of delivery of the head during a normal vaginal delivery. Baseline plasma OT concentrations did not vary significantly among men (1.5 +/- 0.2 microunits/ml), nonpregnant women (1.4 +/- 0.2 microunits/ml), or pregnant women before labor (1.3 +/- 0.1 microunits/ml) and did not differ in an additional subgroup of 20 women receiving oral contraceptive medication (1.8 +/- 0.7 microunits/ml). In studies conducted during labor, plasma OT concentrations did not correlate with uterine pressure measurements and did not increase significantly over baseline pregnancy concentrations during the latent (1.3 +/- 0.2 microunits/ml) or active (1.6 +/- 0.2 microunits/ml) phases of labor. There was a significant increase in plasma OT levels from the time of initial visualization of the fetal head to the time of delivery of the head (1.1 +/- 0.1 to 4.2 +/- 1.1 microunits/ml, respectively; P less than 0.05). These data support the view that maternal plasma OT levels remain low during pregnancy until late in the second stage of labor.
A Geometrical Approach to Calculating the Energy and Frequency Spectra of Crystals

Abstract A new histogram approach for calculating the electronic or vibrational spectra of crystals is introduced which does not require the elaborate root-searching procedures of Gilat and his co-workers. The spectra are obtained by numerically computing the area between curves of constant x , x denoting either the frequency variable v 2 , or energy variable E , which are found from a dispersion relation f ( φ , x ) = 0, φ being the wave vector in the first Brillouin zone. This relation defines a hypersurface S of possible states in the space of possible pairs (φ, x ) of wave vectors and values of x . The technique is no less accurate at points where the surface becomes flat, i.e., at maxima, minima, and saddles and yields quite accurate representations of the van Hove singularities. Around any particular value of x the spacing and, if desirable, the number of points on the contours can be refined without increasing the computational time by finer calculations where they are clearly unnecessary. Since no root searching in x is required, this method is completely general and is not highly constrained by crystal symmetry types. Thus, very complicated dispersion relations in x can be handled. The technique is illustrated by computing the spectra of a 2-D vibrational and electronic system. Results for several 3-D vibrational and electronic systems have been obtained and are in good agreement with previous analytic calculations where these exist.
Factors affecting the absorption of gibberellin A3 by sour cherry leaves

Abstract The effects of leaf surface, light, temperature, time, concentration, and pH on absorption of [14C]gibberellin A3 (GA3) into newly expanded sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L., cv. Montmorency) leaves were investigated. GA3 penetration was sevenfold greater into the abaxial (7.8%) than adaxial (1.1%) surface. Light markedly enhanced penetration into the abaxial but not the adaxial surface. Penetration was greater at 25°C than at 15° or 35°C. GA3 absorption by the adaxial surface was rapid initially (0–1 h), followed by a slower, almost constant rate of uptake after the droplets dried (1–24 h). Rate of GA3 uptake by the abaxial surface approached zero after 3h. Uptake by the tissue fraction of the adaxial surface was linearly related ( r 2 = 0.99 ∗∗ ) with GA3 concentration from 0.05 to 5 m m , whereas uptake by the abaxial surface was saturated between 1 and 5 m m GA3. Decreasing pH from 5.0 to 3.0 resulted in increased GA3 uptake.
Hempel’s Provisos and Ceteris Paribus Clauses

The problem of ceteris paribus clauses and Hempel’s problem of provisos are closely-related difficulties. Both challenge advocates of accounts of scientific theories involving laws understood as universal generalizations, and they have been treated as identical problems. Earman and Roberts argue that the problems are distinct. Towards arguing against them, I characterize the relationship between Hempel’s provisos and one way of expressing ceteris paribus clauses. I then describe the relationship between the problems attributed to the clauses, suggesting that they form a single problem-cluster. However, Hempel’s way of formulating provisos and discussing what they involve entangles provisos with the problem of skepticism. This creates a departure in Hempel’s discussion of provisos from the distinctive problem of vacuity which characterizes the problem of ceteris paribus clauses, though for different reasons than Earman and Roberts suggest.
The role of mesodermal and ectodermal components in the development of the chick limb

Abstract 1. 1. A method for separating ectoderm from the mesoblast of the chick limb bud by irradiating with focused ultrasound is described. 2. 2. Of 504 operations performed 119 stage 18 or 19 control limb buds (group A) 192 irradiated buds from which ectoderm was removed (group B), and 193 irradiated buds on which ectoderm was allowed to remain as a loose jacket (group C) were implanted into the flanks of stage 18 White Leghorn hosts. Forty-five per cent of group A, 37% of group B, and 55% of group C grafts were recovered. 3. 3. Nineteen per cent of the total number of implants recovered in group B and 24% in group C were relatively normal limbs. Three types of successful outgrowths were observed: (1) limbs which grew out of the flank in their entirety and were covered by nonlimb host ectoderm; (2) limbs whose distal parts grew out of the flank covered by nonlimb host ectoderm, but whose proximal parts developed intracoelomically and were not covered by ectoderm; (3) limbs which developed entirely intracoelomically in the complete absence of an ectodermal covering. 4. 4. Group C grafts separated into two components following implantation, the ectoderm apparently having lost its adhesion to the mesoblast. In growths which took intracoelomically, the two components were sometimes recovered: (1) the limb mesoblast which gave rise to a limblike structure lacking an ectodermal covering, and (2) the ectodermal jacket of the limb which rolled up into a vesicle, became covered with mesoderm from an unidentified source, and developed feather germs and ultimately feathers. 5. 5. The basement membrane was partly destroyed immediately after irradiation and was not present on the irradiated mesoblast by 6 hours after grafting. Where host ectoderm overgrew the implant, a basement membrane was re-formed between the mesoblast and its ectodermal covering. 6. 6. It is concluded contrary to the findings of Saunders (1948) and Zwilling (1955) that: (1) the apical ectodermal ridge does not seem to act in an essential manner in limb outgrowth; (2) nonlimb ectoderm can collaborate with an implanted mesoblast to form a perfect limb; (3) relatively normal, although imperfect, limbs can develop intracoelomically in the complete absence of an ectodermal covering. 7. 7. It is suggested that breakdowns of the basement membrane soon after implantation of the irradiated limb bud may be a necessary condition for successful outgrowth of a developing mesoblast which lacks an ectodermal covering.
Women's Recovery From Compulsive Gambling: Formal and Informal Supports

ABSTRACT Although at least one third of problem gamblers are women, the majority of the scant literature available on treatment and recovery is based on male gamblers. Recent gender comparisons found significant differences between men and women who have sought help for problems associated with their gambling, which raises the possibility of different recovery processes. Using previously collected data, we explored this issue with a nonclinical sample of women (N = 136) who had achieved at least 6 months of abstinence from compulsive gambling. Data were gathered using a 79-item online survey. The analyses indicate that the respondents were primarily middle-aged, well-educated white women with serious gambling problems. Gamblers Anonymous (GA) was by far the most important resource in recovery, with 75% of the women reporting that they attended at least 1 GA meeting. Forty-three percent of the women reported receiving professional help and 10% reported recovering “on their own.”
Catalytic studies on the dehydration of cyclohexanol by crystalline titanium phosphate and mixed titanium-zirconium phosphates. I: Effect of thermal phase changes on catalytic activity

Abstract Crystalline α-titanium phosphates, Ti(HPO 4 ) 2 · H 2 O, and solid solutions of titanium-zirconium phosphates were prepared and their activity in the dehydration of cyclohexanol examined. The α-phases were found to lose 1 mol of water at slightly above 100 °C and convert to the ζ-phase. A second, reversible phase change, to form η-phases, occurs at about 250 °C while condensation of the monohydrogen phosphate groups takes place from 300 to 400 °C. When sufficient—OH groups are lost, the η-phases do not revert to the ζ-phases on cooling. However, the alcohol dehydration reaction catalyzed by the η-phases apparently restores sufficient hydroxyl groups to allow the catalysts to reform the low temperature ζ-phases. There seems to be no correlation of catalytic activity with either the Ti content of the catalysts or their surface areas. However, all of them were found to be more active than α-zirconium phosphate.
Dynamic processes in risk perception

This article examines how public concern about different social problems changes over time in response to fluctuations in problem severity. Examining time series of concern and objective severity for nine different problems, both graphically and econometrically, we address three main questions. First, how closely does concern track fluctuations in problem severity? Second, what psychological processes mediate the relationship between concern and problem severity? Finally, what factor(s) distinguish between problems for which tracking is accurate and inaccurate?
Lipschitz–Nikolskii Constants for the Trotter–Feller Operator

Abstract In this paper we determine the Lipschitz–Nikolskii constants for the Trotter–Feller operator which contains various well-known operators. As corollaries to our general settings we obtain the Lipschitz–Nikolskii constants for a series of concrete operators including the Bernstein, Szasz, Gamma, Weierstrass, and Baskakov operators, their generalizations such as the Cheney–Sharma and Bleimann–Butzer–Hahn operators, and many others. Our results also improve Rathore's on the Meyer-Konig and Zeller operator and the Gamma operator of Muller as well as Rathore and Singh's on the Post–Widder operator. Throughout the paper the probabilistic method is used intensively while a result in probability theory on normal approximation plays a key role.
Effect of Long-Term Removal of Iron from Asbestos by Desferrioxamine B on Subsequent Mobilization by Other Chelators and Induction of DNA Single-Strand Breaks

The long-term removal of iron from crocidolite or amosite by desferrioxamine B (DF) at pH 7.5 or 5.0 was studied. Crocidolite or amosite (1 mg/ml) was suspended in 50 mM NaCl at pH 7.5 or 5.0 with the addition of 1 mM DF for up to 90 days. Although the rate of iron mobilization decreased with time, iron was continuously mobilized from both forms of asbestos at pH 5.0 or 7.5. The amount of iron mobilized from crocidolite was at least twice that mobilized from amosite at either pH. Iron was mobilized more rapidly from crocidolite at pH 5.0 than at 7.5 for the first 15 days, but at later times the amount being mobilized at pH 7.5 became equal to or slightly greater than that at 5.0. For amosite, the mobilization at pH 5.0 was always greater than that at pH 7.5. Next, the effect of iron removal from asbestos by DF on subsequent iron mobilization by a second chelator (EDTA or citrate) and on induction of DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs) was studied. Asbestos, treated for up to 15 days with DF at pH 7.5, was washed to remove ferrioxamine and excess DF, then incubated with EDTA or citrate (1 mM). The rates of iron mobilization from both forms of asbestos by a second chelator decreased as more and more iron was removed by DF. Induction of DNA SSBs also decreased, reflecting the unavailability of iron to catalyze the damage. The results suggest three things. First, if long-term mobilization of iron from asbestos occurs in vivo as has been observed in vitro, it may play a role in the long-term biological effects of asbestos. Second, more rapid mobilization of iron from asbestos fibers may occur when the fibers are phagocytized by cells and maintained in phagosomes where the pH is 4.0-5.0. Third, treatment of asbestos by iron chelators, such as DF, prior to exposure to cultured cells or whole animals, may reduce the biological effects of asbestos resulting from iron, but may not completely eliminate them.
HDTV measurements and monitoring

The transition from analog to digital and, now, high-definition has introduced new challenges to the broadcast engineer for ensuring the transmission of a signal from point A to point B. A new series of testing methodologies, completely different from analog methods, is presented. During this transition, it is important to deal with these measurements in a familiar manner, using tools broadcast engineers have developed over the years. Equipment has now been developed that takes advantage of digital technology and processing to provide measurement and monitoring tools for a wide variety of high and standard-definition formats, while maintaining familiar operations. This paper reviews the digital TV signal and use of the new equipment to measure performance.
The “necessaries of life” in British political medicine, 1750–1850

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the medical concept of “necessaries of life”—i.e., food, heat, clothing, and shelter—became controversial in Britain. The new domain of political economy, in both its Smithian and its Malthusian modes, challenged the view that necessity was either a measurable concept or a deliverable right. For the political economists, “necessity” was relative, a standard erected by class and culture. Many doctors and surgeons resisted that relativism, insisting that the fever epidemics they were responding to could be directly or indirectly attributed to the absence of such “necessaries.” The first half of the article reviews the distinct debates between doctors and economists on these issues in England, Scotland, and Ireland during the first half of the nineteenth century. By mid-century these so-called “necessaries” had largely been de-medicalized and transformed into the status of consumer commodities. The second half of the paper describes the quite different list of necessities that replaced them in public health campaigning and administration during the second half of the century.
Early defects in photoreceptor outer segment morphogenesis in zebrafish ift57, ift88 and ift172 Intraflagellar Transport mutants.

Abstract Intraflagellar Transport (IFT) refers to a highly conserved process occurring in eukaryotic ciliated structures. In vertebrate photoreceptors, IFT mediates protein trafficking to the outer segments. The IFT particle is a multi-subunit complex and mutations in many individual components causes photoreceptor defects. In zebrafish, mutations in the ift57 , ift88 , and ift172 genes result in retinal degeneration by 5 days post fertilization (dpf). Although the effects of these mutations on photoreceptor survival have been described, early developmental morphogenesis remains poorly understood. We used transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry to examine these mutants at 60, 72, and 96 h post fertilization (hpf) and describe early photoreceptor morphogenesis defects.
Imaging of multiple coronary artery fistulas to right ventricle by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography.

A 20-year-old woman presented with extremely rare multiple coronary artery fistulas with left circumflex and right coronary arteries as the feeding vessels and two distinct sites of drainage into the posterior wall of the right ventricle near the apex in close proximity. The larger left fistula was well depicted by transthoracic echocardiography, whereas the transesophageal approach better delineated part of the smaller right fistula.
Radiometric calibration archive for Landsat TM

For more than ten years, Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data has been collected of the Earth's surface. Although equipped with an internal calibrator, routine temporal analysis of the instrument's radiometry has not been performed. Recently, a project has been initiated to recover TM radiometric calibration data from the Landsat archive to form a TM calibration archive. This archive consists of calibration data collected at several different time scales: single orbit, instrument lifetime, and an intermediate scale. Analysis of these data is providing insights into how detector response, as well as internal calibrator performance, has changed over time. Initial results are shown that indicate changes in detector gain and characterization of instrument anomalies within a single orbit. Information obtained from this project will allow a more accurate calibration of data that is already in the Landsat archive. Additionally, it will directly impact development of correction algorithms for Landsat 7.
Al-Cu-Fe quasicrystal/ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene composites as biomaterials for acetabular cup prosthetics.

Abstract Polymer composites of Al–Cu–Fe quasicrystals and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were investigated for use in acetabular cup prosthetics. The wear properties of the Al–Cu–Fe/UHMWPE samples and a 440 steel ball counterface were measured. The mechanical strength of the Al–Cu–Fe/UHMWPE composites was compared to UHMWPE and alumina/UHMWPE. The biocompatibility of the composite material was tested using a direct contact cytotoxicity assay. Al–Cu–Fe/UHMWPE demonstrated lower volume loss after wear and higher mechanical strength than UHMWPE. This composite material also showed no increase in counterface wear or cytotoxicity relative to UHMWPE. These combined results demonstrate that Al–Cu–Fe/UHMWPE composites are promising candidate materials for acetabular cup prosthetics.
Monte Carlo Simulations of Site-Specific Radical Attack to DNA Bases

Abstract Aydogan, B., Bolch, W. E., Swarts, S. G., Turner, J. E. and Marshall, D. T. Monte Carlo Simulations of Site-Specific Radical Attack to DNA Bases. Radiat. Res. 169, 223–231 (2008). An atomistic biophysical model permitting the calculation of initial attacks to a 38-bp representation of B-DNA base moieties by water radicals is presented. This model is based on a previous radiation damage model developed by Aydogan et al. (Radiat. Res. 157, 38–44, 2002). Absolute efficiencies for radical attack to the 38-bp DNA molecule are calculated to be 41, 0.8 and 15% for hydroxyl radical (·OH), hydrogen radical (H·), and hydrated electron (eaq), respectively. Among the nucleobases, guanine is found to have the highest percentage ·OH attack probability at 36%. Adenine, cytosine and thymine moieties have initial attack probabilities of 24, 18 and 22%, respectively. A systematic study is performed to investigate ·OH attack probabilities at each specified attack site in four molecular models including free bases, ...
An automatic voltage-clamp system for in vivo or in vitro studies.

A voltage-clamp system which permitsin vivo as well asin vitro measurements of open-circuit potential difference, current necessary to clamp potential at given values, and calculations of tissue electrical resistance is described. A canine gastric chamber preparation which may be used with this system is also described. This system, now in use in our laboratory for over 2 years, can be utilized on other species besides the dog.
Rest and Exercise Electrocardiograms and Radionuclides in Patients Presenting for Cardiac Rehabilitation

The rest and exercise ECG, /sup 201/thallium myocardial scintigram (/sup 201/T1), and radionuclide ventriculography are noninvasive procedures which can be used to evaluate myocardial damage and ischemia. To compare these procedures and to obtain baseline information, 85 male patients with coronary heart disease were evaluated prior to beginning an exercise program. Findings at rest included Q waves or bundle branch block in 54%; 47% had /sup 201/T1 redistribution defects and 33% an abnormal ejection fraction (EF). Of the 39 patients with normal ECGs, 31 had no /sup 201/T1 defects and only of these 31 (3%) had an abnormal EF. Abnormal EF or /sup 201/T1 redistribution defects did not occur in patients without a history of myocardial infarction. Abnormal resting EF occurred in 63% of patients with abnormal versus 7% of those with normal /sup 201/T1 redistribution scans. Exercise test results included an abnormal ST-segment response in 80%, an abnormal EF response in 65%, and a /sup 201/T1 ischemic defect in 37%. Twenty patients had exercise-induced ST elevation, and this phenomenon was more related to ventricular aneurysms than to ischemia. /sup 201/Thallium imaging, radionuclide ventriculography, and the ECG provide results regarding myocardial damage that agree by more than chance, while themore » exercise induced ST-segment changes did not agree with the radionuclide indications of exercise-induced ischemia.« less
The Relationship between the Madden–Julian Oscillation and U.S. Violent Tornado Outbreaks in the Spring

AbstractThe Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) has been linked to weather variability in the midlatitudes via its associated overturning circulations and Rossby wave trains that redistribute the thermal and mass fields at higher latitudes. This work examines the relationship between the MJO and violent tornado outbreaks in the United States. A census of events shows that violent tornado outbreaks during March–April–May (MAM) are more than twice as frequent during phase 2 of the Real-time Multivariate MJO (RMM) index as during other phases or when the MJO was deemed inactive. Composite analyses show the global circulation patterns simultaneously associated with the MJO and the tornado outbreaks and also indicate the most favored low-frequency circulation pattern that precedes tornado outbreaks in RMM phase 2. An index of 300-hPa geopotential height data is generated by projecting 60-day mean values onto the composite low-frequency pattern. When that index exceeds one standard deviation and the MJO is in RMM p...
Surface and structural similarity in analogical transfer

Two experiments investigated factors that influence the retrieval and use of analogies in problem solving, Experiment 1 demonstrated substantial spontaneous analogical transfer with a delay of several days between presentation of the source and target analogues. Experiment 2 examined the influence of different types of similarity between the analogues. A mechanism for retrieval of source analogues is proposed, based on summation of activation from features shared with a target problem. The results of Experiment 2 indicated that both structural features, which play a causal role in determining possible problem solutions, and salient surface features, which do not have a causal role, influence spontaneous selection of an analogue. Structural features, however, have a greater impact than do surface features on a problem solver’s ability to use an analogue once its relevance has been pointed out.
Supereulerian graphs, independent sets, and degree-sum conditions

Abstract A graph is supereulerian if it contains a spanning closed trail. A graph G is collapsible if for every even subset R ⊆ V ( G ), there is a spanning connected subgraph of G whose set of odd degree vertices is R . The graph K 1 is regarded as a trivial collapsible graph. A graph is reduced if it contains no nontrivial collapsible subgraphs. In this paper, we study the independence numbers of reduced graphs. As an application, we also obtain new degree-sum conditions for supereulerian graphs and collapsible graphs.
Inhibition of lung maturation by monoclonal antibodies against fibroblast-pneumonocyte factor

Fetal lung maturation, especially the onset of surfactant formation by alveolar type II cells, seems to be regulated by endogenous fetal glucocorticoids. Recent studies suggest that glucocorticoids do not act directly on the type II cell but rather on the lung mesenchyme. In response to glucocorticoids, the mesenchyme produces and secretes a polypeptide, fibroblast-pneumonocyte factor, which in turn stimulates surfactant synthesis by the alveolar type II cell. We report here the generation of hybridomas secreting monoclonal antibodies to rat lung fibroblast-pneumonocyte factor. Two monoclonal antibodies studied in detail reduced the cortisol-stimulated synthesis of saturated phosphatidylcholine in organotypic cultures of fetal rat lung cells and blocked the stimulatory effect of fibroblast-pneumonocyte factor in type II cells from these cultures. When embryonic chicks were injected on day 15 of incubation with either monoclonal antibody, they showed on days 20 and 21 biochemical evidence of delayed lung maturation as compared with controls. These effects were organospecific. Our observations support a physiological role for fibroblast-pneumonocyte factor in prenatal lung maturation.
Aharonov–Bohm oscillations measured in GaAs two-dimensional holes: observation of Berry's phase

Abstract Fourier spectra of the Aharonov–Bohm oscillations, measured in GaAs two-dimensional holes with a strong spin–orbit interaction, reveal side peaks in addition to the center peak whose frequency corresponds to the radius of the ring. A comparison of the experimental data with results of simulations demonstrates that the origin of the side peaks is the Berry's phase.
Prospective evaluation of the clinical utility of ERCP-guided cholangiopancreatoscopy with a new direct visualization system

Background Older systems for cholangiopancreatoscopy have demonstrated improved diagnostic and therapeutic abilities over standard ERCP but have shown limited feasibility. The SpyGlass Direct Visualization System addresses many of the shortcomings of the older platforms, but its potential advantages have not been rigorously evaluated. Objective To prospectively evaluate the feasibility, clinical efficacy, and safety of the SpyGlass system. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Tertiary care center. Patients All patients undergoing cholangiopancreatoscopy at our institution. Interventions Cholangiopancreatoscopy with the SpyGlass system. Main Outcome Measurements Procedure success, defined as complete stone clearance for stone cases. For nonstone-related lesions, success was defined when all 3 of the following were met: (1) advancement of the SpyScope to the desired target, (2) adequate visualization, and (3) successful applications of all necessary diagnostic and/or therapeutic maneuvers. Results Overall, SpyGlass was successful in 70 of 75 patients (93.3%). In patients with biliary stones, complete stone clearance was achieved in 24 of 26 patients (92.3%). Cholangioscopy for nonstone-related indications was successful in 43 of 44 patients (97.7%). Pancreatoscopy was attempted in 5 patients and was successful in 3 (60%). The mean total procedure time (standard ERCP plus SpyGlass) was 64.3 minutes, the total SpyGlass time was 27.5 minutes, the mean SpyGlass visualization time was 14.2 minutes, the mean SpyBite sampling time was 12.1 minutes, the mean Spy therapy time was 8.4 minutes, and the mean set-up time was 5 minutes. There were 4 adverse events (4.8%). Limitations Single-center experience, no comparison group, potential for selection bias. Conclusions ERCP-guided cholangiopancreatoscopy with the SpyGlass system is technically feasible and can be successfully and safely performed in the vast majority of patients. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT00861198.)
Step-based translation of physical activity guidelines in the Lower Mississippi Delta.

To determine how many steps·day–1 equate to current moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) guidelines in a population from the Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) of the United States, 58 overweig...