cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An experimental test facility to support development of the fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor

Abstract The need for high-temperature (greater than 600 °C) energy transport systems is significantly increasing as the world strives to improve energy efficiency and develop alternatives to petroleum-based fuels. Liquid fluoride salts are one of the few energy transport fluids that have the capability of operating at high temperatures in combination with low system pressures. The fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor design uses fluoride salt to remove core heat and interface with a power conversion system. Although a significant amount of experimentation has been performed with these salts, specific aspects of this reactor concept will require experimental confirmation during the development process. The experimental facility described here has been constructed to support the development of the fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor concept. The facility is capable of operating at up to 700 °C and incorporates a centrifugal pump to circulate FLiNaK salt through a removable test section. A unique inductive heating technique is used to apply heat to the test section, allowing heat transfer testing to be performed. An air-cooled heat exchanger removes added heat. Supporting loop infrastructure includes a pressure control system, a trace heating system, and a complement of instrumentation to measure salt flow, temperatures, and pressures around the loop. The initial experiment is aimed at measuring fluoride-salt heat transfer inside a heated pebble bed similar to that used for the core of the pebble-bed advanced high-temperature reactor. This paper describes the details of the loop design, auxiliary systems used to support the facility, inductive heating system, and facility capabilities.
Enantioselective syntheses of colletodiol, colletol, and grahamimycin A.

The enantioselective synthesis of colletodiol has been achieved in 11 steps from methyl 1,3,5-octatrienoate and 16 total steps from both ethyl sorbate and methyl 1,3,5-octatrienoate. The route reli...
Amino acid chronostratigraphy of late Quaternary coral reefs: Huon Peninsula, New Guinea, and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

D-alloisoleucine/L-isoleucine (D/L) ratios were measured in Tridacna gigas (the giant clam) whose ages were calibrated against radiometrically dated coral reef terraces from New Guinea and storm ridges on coral islands from the Great Barrier Reef. The results of 52 samples show several distinct intervals encompassing a fast epimerization phase at a rate of 0.077/ka for the first 8 ka, a transitional interval for the next 60 ka during which epimerization evolves at the rate of 0.006/ka, and the final phase between 60 and 185 ka when D/L ratios attain quasi-equilibrium (∼1.30) at an average rate of 0.003/ka. The demonstrated relation between the D/L ratios and the radiometric ages is useful for estimating ages of undated or insufficiently dated terraces. A comparison of the "New Guinea curve" and other less completely dated curves from elsewhere demonstrates the effect of sedimentary temperature on the rate of epimerization through time. Refinements of the D/L reaction among coral reef terraces, coupled with a better definition of the kinetic model presented here, would improve our knowledge of the temperature history and the chrono-stratigraphy of Quaternary coral reefs.
OSU-03012 interacts with lapatinib to kill brain cancer cells

We have further defined mechanism(s) by which the drug OSU-03012 (OSU) kills brain cancer cells. OSU toxicity was enhanced by the HSP90 inhibitor 17-N-Allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17AAG) that correlated with reduced expression of ERBB1 and ERBB2. Inhibition of the extrinsic apoptosis pathway blocked the interaction between 17AAG and OSU. OSU toxicity was enhanced by the inhibitor of ERBB1/2/4, lapatinib. Knock down of ERBB1/2/4 in a cell line specific fashion promoted OSU toxicity. Combined exposure of cells to lapatinib and OSU resulted in reduced AKT and ERK1/2 activity; expression of activated forms of AKT and to a lesser extent MEK1 protected cells from the lethal effects of the drug combination. Knock down of PTEN suppressed, and expression of PTEN enhanced, the lethal interaction between OSU and lapatinib. Downstream of PTEN, inhibition of mTOR recapitulated the effects of lapatinib. Knock down of CD95, NOXA, PUMA, BIK or AIF, suppressed lapatinib and OSU toxicity. Knock down of MCL-1 enhanc...
The response to inositol: Regulation of glycerolipid metabolism and stress response signaling in yeast !

This article focuses on discoveries of the mechanisms governing the regulation of glycerolipid metabolism and stress response signaling in response to the phospholipid precursor, inositol. The regulation of glycerolipid lipid metabolism in yeast in response to inositol is highly complex, but increasingly well understood, and the roles of individual lipids in stress response are also increasingly well characterized. Discoveries that have emerged over several decades of genetic, molecular and biochemical analyses of metabolic, regulatory and signaling responses of yeast cells, both mutant and wild type, to the availability of the phospholipid precursor, inositol are discussed.
Force and torque production in static multifinger prehension: biomechanics and control. I. Biomechanics.

We studied the coordinated action of fingers during static tasks involving exertion of force and torque on a handheld object. Subjects were asked to keep a handle with an attachment that allowed for independent change of the suspended load (0.5-2.0 kg) and external torque (0.375-1.5 N m) in a vertical position while applying minimal effort. Normal and shear forces were measured from the thumb; normal forces only were measured from the four fingers. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS: (1) the thumb shear force increased during supination efforts and decreased during pronation efforts; (2) the total moment of the normal finger forces only counterbalanced approximately 50% of the external torque, hence shear forces accounted for approximately one-half of the total torque exerted on the object; (3) the total normal force increased with external torque, and the total force magnitude did not depend on the torque direction; (4) the forces of the 'peripheral' (index and little) fingers depended mainly on the torque while the forces exerted by the 'central' (middle and ring) fingers depended both on the load and torque; (5) there was a monotonic relationship between the mechanical advantage of a finger (i.e., its moment arm during torque production) and the force produced by that finger; and (6) antagonist finger moments acting opposite to the intended direction of the total moment were always observed - at low torques the antagonist moments were as high as 40-60% of the agonist moments. MODELING: A three-zone model of coordinated finger action is suggested. In the first zone of load/torque combinations, activation of antagonist fingers (i.e., fingers that generate antagonist moments) is necessary to prevent slipping. In the second zone, the activity of agonist fingers is sufficient for preventing slips. In the third zone, the performer has freedom to choose between either activating the antagonist fingers or redistributing activities amongst the agonist fingers. The findings of this study provide the foundation for neural network and optimization modeling described in the companion paper [Zatsiorsky et al. (2002) Biol Cybern DOI 10.1007/s00422-002-0320-7].
Recurrent selection for mineral content in wheat and barley

Three cycles of recurrent selection were completed for 89Sr content of grain in wheat and barley. The purposes were to ascertain the gain that could be achieved in three cycles of selection and to learn about correlated changes in content of other mineral elements. In each species selection was bidirectional resulting in two populations, one high and one low in 89Sr content. In wheat each cycle of selection resulted in genetic gain. The average response per cycle was 7.4±2.6% in the high population and -12.4±1.5% in the low population. In barley gain was achieved in cycles 1 and 2. The average response per cycle was 12.2±3.8% in the high population and -11.2±4.9% in the low population. The heritability of 89Sr content in the F2 generation was 24% and 38% in the high and low populations of wheat and 31% and 34% in the high and low populations of barley, respectively. Selection for Sr content in grain caused correlated changes in Sr content in other plant parts. In wheat there was a negative correlated response in Sr content in mature leaves, while seedling plants in in the two populations did not differ. In barley, leaf Sr content was unaffected, but seedling plants in the high and low populations differed significantly. Correlated changes in Ca content tended to parallel changes in Sr content in all plant parts in both species. Selection for grain Sr also affected P, K, Mg and Mn in wheat, and K, Mg and Na in barley. These correlated responses were not always consistent with the direction of Sr selection among plant parts or between species.
Spatial joins using seeded trees

Existing methods for spatial joins assume the existence of indices for the participating data sets. This assumption is not realistic for applications involving multiple map layer overlays or for queries involving non-spatial selections. In this paper, we explore a spatial join method that dynamically constructs index trees called seeded trees at join time. This methods uses knowledge of the data sets involved in the join process.Seeded trees are R-tree like structures, and are divided into the seed levels and the grown levels. The nodes in the seed levels are used to guide tree growth during tree construction. The seed levels can also be used to filter out some input data during construction, thereby reducing tree size. We develop a technique that uses intermediate linked lists during tree construction and significantly speeds up the tree construction process. The technique allows a large number of random disk accesses during tree construction to be replaced by smaller numbers of sequential accesses.Our performance studies show that spatial joins using seeded trees outperform those using other methods significantly in terms of disk I/O. The CPU penalties incurred are also lower except when seed-level filtering is used.
Partial regeneration of the above‐elbow amputated rat forelimb. I. Innate responses

Although a number of recent studies describe the facilitation of limb regeneration by electrical and other forms of stimulation, little is known of innate regenerative capacity in the mammalian limb. The present report describes spontaneous regenerative responses following subtotal forelimb amputation in the young white rat. In one group of animals the forelimb was amputated through the lower humerus and the skin sutured closed. In a second group, adjacent muscle tissue still attached to bone at its origin(s) was interposed between the cut surface of the humerus and the skin. Among animals of the first group (skin closure only) bone growth and limb regenerative responses were generally not observed. Animals of the second group displayed significant elaborations of cartilage and bone at the limb terminus. The appearance and subsequent modification of these tissues suggest that some capacity for limb regeneration exists innately in the young rat and can be more readily evoked than has been recognized heretofore. It is concluded that extant and forthcoming reports of electrically stimulated skeletal tissue growth, repair and regeneration among eutherial mammals should be examined to determine whether reported responses to stimulation represent advances beyond what might be expected from innate replacement processes alone.
A trading-card game teaching about host defence

Objectives To heighten the understanding of host–disease interactions by adolescents and young adults, using a trading card game format. Design A trading card game was developed in which paired students attack one another with pathogens or parry those attacks with appropriate defences. Twenty-five infectious pathogens or cancers, 30 defence agents and 6 health status modifying conditions were included. Setting A middle school, upper school and medical school in the United States. Subjects 8th grade, 10th grade and first year medical students. Results The game was tested using pre-test/post-test evaluations in 8th graders, 10th graders and medical students. Factual information, pathogen-organ specificity, and general concepts were tested. There was a significant increase in test scores, from 39% to 58% correct in the 8th graders (P < 0·0001), from 47% to 59% among 10th graders (P = 0·0007), and from 80% to 88% (P = 0·049) among the medical students. Responses to control questions unrelated to the game did not improve. Conclusion An interactive trading card format is a useful method for conveying information about host defence.
Pricing strategies for combination pediatric vaccines based on the lowest overall cost formulary

This paper analyzes pricing strategies for US pediatric combination vaccines by comparing the lowest overall cost formularies (i.e., formularies that have the lowest overall cost). Three pharmaceutical companies compete pairwise over the sale of monovalent and combination vaccines. Particular emphasis is placed on examining the price of Sanofi Pasteur’s DTaP-IPV/HIb under different conditions. The main contribution of the paper is to provide the lowest overall cost formularies for different prices of DTaP-IPV/HIb and other Sanofi Pasteur vaccines. The resulting analysis shows that DTaP-IPV/HIb could have been more competitively priced compared with the combination vaccine DTaP-HepB-IPV, for federal contract prices in 2009, 2010 and 2011. This study also proposes the lowest overall cost formularies when shortages of monovalent vaccines occur.
Modelling and analysis of communication overhead for parallel matrix algorithms

We develop and analyze novel algorithms that make efficient use of the communication system in distributed memory architectures with processing elements interconnected by a hypercube network. The algorithms studied here include the parallel Gauss-Jordan (GJ) matrix inversion algorithm and the Gaussian Elimination (GE) algorithm for LU factorization. We first propose a new broadcasting algorithm on the hypercube multiprocessor for the parallel GJ algorithm. This algorithm ensures that the data items are sent out from the source and arrive at the destinations at the earliest possible time. We then present a parallel GJ inversion algorithm using row partitioning. This algorithm exploits a compute-and-send-ahead strategy for achieving overlapping of communication and computation, and the resulting framework leads to rigorous analytical and model-based numerical performance analysis of our parallel algorithms. In particular, we prove a lower bound on the matrix size such that data transmission is fully overlapped by computation. We also prove that the message queue length in the input buffer of each processor is at most two. We next consider the GJ algorithm under submatrix partitioning, with or without pivoting. We show that when submatrix partitioning is used, even when communication is fully overlapped by computation, the communication overhead is larger than when using row partitioning. Thus, we show that by minimizing the communication overhead, the row partitioning scheme can indeed have better overall performance than the submatrix partitioning scheme. Finally, we extend the idea of overlapping communication and computation to the parallel LU factorization algorithm.
Astrophysical bounds on the photon charge and magnetic moment

Abstract If the photon possessed an electric charge or a magnetic moment, light waves propagating through magnetic fields would acquire new quantum mechanical phases. For a charged photon, this is an Aharonov–Bohm phase, and the fact that we can resolve distant galaxies using radio interferometry indicates that this phase must be small. This in turn constrains the photon charge to be smaller that 10 - 32 e if all photons have the same charge and smaller than 10 - 46 e if there are both positively and negatively charged photons. The best bound on the magnetic moment comes from the observed absence of wavelength-independent photon birefringence. Birefringence measurements, which compare the relative phases of right- and left-circularly polarized waves, restrict the magnetic moment to be less than 10 - 24 e cm . This is just a few orders of magnitude weaker than the experimental bounds on the electron and neutron electric dipole moments.
The Wikipedia Gender Gap Revisited: Characterizing Survey Response Bias with Propensity Score Estimation

Opt-in surveys are the most widespread method used to study participation in online communities, but produce biased results in the absence of adjustments for non-response. A 2008 survey conducted by the Wikimedia Foundation and United Nations University at Maastricht is the source of a frequently cited statistic that less than 13% of Wikipedia contributors are female. However, the same study suggested that only 39.9% of Wikipedia readers in the US were female – a finding contradicted by a representative survey of American adults by the Pew Research Center conducted less than two months later. Combining these two datasets through an application and extension of a propensity score estimation technique used to model survey non-response bias, we construct revised estimates, contingent on explicit assumptions, for several of the Wikimedia Foundation and United Nations University at Maastricht claims about Wikipedia editors. We estimate that the proportion of female US adult editors was 27.5% higher than the original study reported (22.7%, versus 17.8%), and that the total proportion of female editors was 26.8% higher (16.1%, versus 12.7%).
Biosynthesis of sulfated proteoglycan in vitro by cells derived from human osteochondrophytic spurs of the femoral head.

Cells derived from organ-explant culture of the cartilaginous component of osteochondrophytic spurs of human femoral heads were incubated with [35S]-sulfate in order to study sulfated proteoglycan biosynthesis in vitro. Secondary monolayer cultures incorporated [35S]-sulfate into macromolecules which were recovered in the bottom fraction (dA1) of a CsCl gradient after ultracentrifugation in associative buffer (0.5 M guanidine · HcI). The incorporated [35S]-sulfate in fraction dA1 from the culture medium eluted in two peaks with average partition coefficients (Kav) of 0.14 and 0.45 respectively, on Sepharose CL-2B eluted with dissociative buffer (4 M guanidine. HCl). A significant percentage of incorporated [35S]-sulfate was found in the medium dA4 fraction (44%). The Kav of this fraction on Sepharose CL-2B was 0.66 with a shoulder of incorporated [35S]-sulfate at Kav 0.22. In contrast to the culture medium, cellular CsCl gradient fractions dA1-dA3 showed Kav's on Sepharose CL-2B ranging from 0.63–0.75. Ce...
ASSERT: A dvanced wirele SS E nvironment R esearch T estbed

Software simulation has often been used to evaluate proposed protocols for wireless devices. Simulation allows for rapid development and testing, but does not provide a realistic RF environment. To compensate for this, field experiments are performed. However, problems encountered during field experiments can be difficult to locate and correcting problems on-site can be time-consuming. Emulations attempt to provide the advantages of simulation and field experiments without the suffering the disadvantages of both. This demo provides an overview of the hardware, software, and emulation capabilities of ASSERT, an emulation testbed.
Microbial uptake of lead

Micrococcus luteus and Azotobacter sp. cells grown in broth in contact with a dialysis membrane containing lead bromide were found to immobilize 4.9 and 3.1 x 10(2) milligrams of lead per gram of whole cells, on a dry weight basis, respectively. Culture turbidity and cell count measurements on these and other cell cultures show that lead bromide, lead iodide, and lead bromochloride in concentrations approaching solubility limits have no detectable effect on overall growth rate and cell viability. Analyses of cellular subfractions reveal that fractions of cell wall plus membrane contain 99.3 and 99.1 percent of the lead found associated with Micrococcus luteus and Azotobacter sp., respectively. The remainder is found associated with the cytoplasmic fractions.
SEPARATING THE MEN FROM THE GIRLS: The Gendered Language of Televised Sports

This research compares and analyzes the verbal commentary of televised coverage of two women's and men's athletic events: the “final four” of the women's and men's 1989 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball tournaments and the women's and men's singles, women's and men's doubles, and the mixed-doubles matches of the 1989 U.S. Open tennis tournament. Although we found less overtly sexist commentary than has been observed in past research, we did find two categories of difference: (1) gender marking and (2) a “hierarchy of naming” by gender and, to a certain extent, by race. These differences are described and analyzed in light of feminist analyses of gendered language. It is concluded that televised sports commentary contributes to the construction of gender and racial hierarchies by marking women's sports and women athletes as “other,” by infantilizing women athletes (and, to a certain extent, male athletes of color), and by framing the accomplishments of women athletes ambivalently.
Xanthan fermentations in water/oil dispersions

Xanthan fermentations in W/O dispersions performed better than the control in both small flasks and a 6.6-L fermentor. The better bulk mixing and oxygen transfer achieved in the dispersion resulted in a still rising xanthan concentration of 65 g/L, compared with 26 g/L in the control. A phase inversion phenomenon was observed when n-hexadecane recovered from previous runs was used as the oil.
Organizational psychology: a look backward, outward, and forward

This paper provides a commentary on selected issues and topics in the four papers included in this special issue of the journal (those by Lefkowitz, Cascio, Edwards, and Gelfand et al.). To put the contents of the four papers in context, the past development of the field of organizational psychology is first briefly reviewed, followed by a discussion of its relationship to adjacent “cousin” fields. Comments are then presented on each of the four papers. The paper concludes with an examination of several questions: Has the field of organizational psychology made progress over the past 50+ years? Has the field been sufficiently introspective about itself and its scholarly efforts and values? How does the field of organizational psychology compare—in terms of the issues raised in the four papers—to other fields? And, finally, what will be being said about the field of organizational psychology 20 years from now? Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pulmonary Sequestration in the Neonate

Pulmonary sequestration is a congenital anomaly resulting in nonfunctioning lung tissue in either the "extralobar" or "intralobar" position. Both forms derive their blood supply from the systemic circulation. Large pulmonary sequestrations can present in the newborn with potentially fatal respiratory distress. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice.
TH-C-P-618-02: Improved Radiation Protection in Medicine: Let's Build a Stronger Bridge and ``Get Over It''

State and Federal budgets are severely under funded. Health Maintenance Organizations and other managed care groups along with the public are demanding more of the medical industry, yet are not willing to pay more for these services. The expectation of achieving more with fewer resources at some point threatens the quality of health care, patient safety, and radiation protection of the general public. Difficult times require difficult choices. Human and monetary resources are dwindling. Should some radiation protection efforts be curtailed or eliminated to allow the most effective programs to expand? Should the basic fundamentals behind our regulatory processes be risk‐informed and performance based? Should future federal enabling legislation be refocused on programs that warrant higher attention due to increased risk? Should legislators pass on some of the costs to users? Can ambitious federal/state regulatory radiation protection programs endanger the implementation of new, more effective health care techniques? Has the time come to begin the regulation of image quality in health care? How can the unique viewpoints and goals of the regulatory and medical communities be converted to common goals through the sharing of knowledge to further ensure understanding and trust? How can members of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) work more effectively with members of the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD) to answer these questions? Past successes and present challenges before the CRCPD, AAPM, and ACR as well as answers to these questions are discussed. Some of the subtleties of image quality will be demonstrated throughout the presentation to illustrate elements of a more effective partnership in the future between the regulatory community and the medical industry. This relationship that includes regulations that support science and future clinical health care is necessary to insure safe health care at the high quality expected by the American general public—a cooperation John Villforth would applaud.
Estimating Reliability and Extent for the Las Vegas Area Congestion Management Systems

This paper presents a micro-simulation method to evaluate the effectiveness of potential Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) strategies under the indirect scenarios. The evaluation is conducted over a corridor network located at the City of Irvine, California. The potential ITS strategies include incident management, local adaptive ramp metering, coordinated ramp metering, traveler information systems, and the combination above. Based on the calibrated simulation mode, these scenarios are implemented and evaluated in the microscopic simulation model, PARAMICS. The evaluation results show that all ITS strategies have positive effects on the network performance. Because of the network topology (one major freeway with two parallel arterial streets), real-time traveler information system has the greatest benefits among all single ITS components. The combination of several has the greatest benefits among all single ITS components. The combination of several ITS components, such as integrated control, can generate better benefits.
Structural Adjustment Policies in Developing Economies

This paper examines structural adjustment policies in LDCs, defined as policy responses to external or internal shocks that are carried out with the objective of regaining the pre-shock growth path. The introductory section of the paper reports on policy experience that indicates that countries applying an outward-oriented development strategy were better able to cope with external shocks than economies following an inward-oriented strategy. It is further shown that the adoption of realistic exchange rates and interest rates, the avoidance of large budget deficits, and the productive use of the proceeds of foreign borrowing eased the process of adjustment. The paper examines in detail the elements of a policy package that may be applied in response to external or internal shocks in the case prevalent in developing economies, when optimal policies are not applied. Thus, the recommendations simultaneously aim at responding to shocks and undertaking incentives, incentives to save and to invest, the choice of public investments, sectoral policies in energy and agriculture, budgetary policies, and monetary policies. In the conclusions, the interdependence of the various policy measures is indicated, with further attention given to foreign borrowing.
Thermal conductivity, specific heat, and dynamic mechanical behavior of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a cured with m-phenylenediamine

The thermal conductivity, specific heat, and dynamic mechanical behavior of an epoxide system have been investigated over a relatively wide temperature range. Effects of nonstoichiometric amine concentrations and postcure heat treatments were included in the study. The thermal conductivity behavior was found to be related to the extent of cure of the poxy system, but in general the results were typical of an amorphous polymer. Calorimetric determinations were used to study the curing reaction and the glasslike transition temperature for the various systems. Dynamic mechanical results were employed to delinearte the various internal relaxations of the cured materials and in some instances to permit correlation of relaxations with the thermal conductivity and the specific heat results. From comparison of present results to those of a previous paper, the activation energy for the relaxation process occurring near 270°K has been estimated to be 16 kcal/mole.
Trends in contacts with mental health professionals and cost barriers to mental health care among adults with significant psychological distress in the United States: 1997-2002.

Objectives. I assessed recent trends in prevalence of any contact with mental health professionals and nonuse of mental health care or prescription medications owing to cost among adults with significant psychological distress.Methods. In samples drawn from the National Health Interview Survey of 1997–2002, multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association of survey year with mental health professional contacts and nonuse of mental health care or prescription medications owing to cost.Results. The prevalence of any contact with mental health professionals increased from 29.1% in 1997 to 35.5% in 2002 (P<.05). The prevalence of nonuse of services because of cost also increased—from 15.6% to 20.0% for mental health care (P<.05) and from 27.7% to 34.1% for medication use (P<.001). Age, racial/ethnic, income, and insurance status disparities in receiving care persisted over the study period.Conclusions. The number of individuals in need of mental health care who contacted mental health...
High contrast modulation of a silicon-based optical switch using liquid crystals

A high contrast optical switch based on a porous silicon microcavity infiltrated with liquid crystals has been fabricated. Significant tuning of the resonance wavelength enables high contrast modulation between the off- and on-states. This silicon-based optical switch is a key building block towards next generation interconnects for microelectronics technology.
From our readers: On the electronic conductivity of phospho-olivines as lithium storage electrodes

From our readers: On the electronic conductivity of phospho-olivines as lithium storage electrodes
Autonomy, Regress, and Manipulation

In this paper, I propose a novel deliberation-based theory of autonomy which grounds an agent’s autonomy in her nature as a rationally-reflective being. I defend that theory against competing approaches to autonomous agency by arguing that the theory I propose is best equipped to handle two of the more troublesome problems that theories of autonomy face: the regress problem and the problem of manipulation. Sarah Buss and Peter Railton have each recently claimed that the regress problem which plagues many prominent accounts of autonomy indicates the need to abandon the notion that autonomous agency is to be understood in terms of deliberation, endorsement, or any other activity on the part of the agent, and adopt instead a “passive” approach to autonomous agency. Against this claim, I argue that despite their shift to the passive mode, the theories offered by Buss and Railton also face a version of the regress problem, and that the general solution to that problem implicit in their passive theories is available also to “active” theories of autonomy, such as the deliberation-based theory I propose. I go on to explain that because the solution to the regress problem I extract from the theories of Buss and Railton requires an “unmoved mover” of autonomy, the history of which is necessarily irrelevant, it invites manipulation objections. I argue that the theory I propose offers the most promising response to such objections, and thus escapes these two prominent problems in better stead than do the competing approaches to autonomous agency.
VLSI Architectures For Syntactic Image Analysis

VLSI architectures for syntactic image analysisY. P. ChiangDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164K. S. FuSchool of Electrical Engineering, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, IN 47907AbstractEarley's algorithm has been comitnly used for the parsing of general context -free languages and error -correcting parsing in syntactic pattern recognition. The time complexity for parsing is 0(n3). In this paperwe present a parallel Earley's recognition algorithm in terms of "x *" operation. By restricting the inputcontext -free grammar to be X -free, we are able to implement this parallel algorithm on a triangular shapeVLSI array. This system has an efficient way of moving data to the right place at the right time. Simulationresults show that this system can recognize a string with length n in 2n +1 system time We also present anerror -correcting recognition algorithm. The parallel error -correcting recognition algorithm has also been im-plemented on a triangular VLSI array. This array recognizes an erroneous string length n in time 2n +1 andgives the correct error count. Applications of the proposed VLSI architectures to image analysis are illus-trated by examples.
Contributions of attribution theory to the law

For reasons best explained by him, the editor of this journal invited me, a teacher of criminal law and procedure and evidence unsophisticated in social science methodology, to comment on the potential contributions of attribution research to the law. As it turns out, I am glad he did so. The papers in this symposium are fascinating and invite lawyers to look at recurrent problems in a new way. That, in itself, is a major contribution. Beyond that; however, one can speculate about how the legal system might profitably change to take account of the intuitive psychology of humankind as exposed by attribution research. However pleasant it may be to be able to explain and-to a degree-to predict human responses, the utility of this theory, and the research it spawns, to the law must turn on the extent to which it improves the law's performance. Two major questions are raised by the work in this symposium. First, to what extent are legal conceptions of responsibility called into question by the fact that they do not accord with lay attributions? Second, to the extent that proper legal conceptions are being undercut by inappropriate attributions, what precautionary steps should be taken? Attribution research, of course, is the basis for asking these questions, for their sensible resolution, and ultimately for better performance in the administration of justice. Because questions of responsibility are at the heart of attribution research and because those questions are most regularly addressed in the law of crimes, the clearest intersection between law and attribution occurs in that arena. I, too, will confine myself to examples from the criminal law. But findings of the attributionists are of interest throughout the law. When terms ought to be implied in contracts, when risks ought to be spread in certain ways, how intestate property ought to be distributed, and
The Effects of Sexual Harassment on Turnover in the Military: Time-Dependent Modeling.

Sexual harassment has consistently negative consequences for working women, including changes in job attitudes (e.g., lower satisfaction) and behaviors (e.g., increased work withdrawal). Cross-sectional evidence suggests that harassment influences turnover intentions. However, few studies have used actual turnover; rather, they rely on proxies. With a sample of 11,521 military servicewomen with turnover data spanning approximately 4 years, the authors used the appropriate method for longitudinal turnover data--Cox's regression--to investigate the impact of harassment on actual turnover. Experiences of harassment led to increased turnover, even after controlling for job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and marital status. Among officers, harassment also affected turnover over and above rank. Given turnover's relevance to organizational bottom lines, these findings have important implications not only for individual women but also for organizations.
348) Confirmatory factor analysis of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale in African Americans with pain in a primary care setting

Pain catastrophizing is frequently cited in studies of patients with pain as a contributing factor to poor coping, disability, distress, and increased pain levels. The Pain Catastrophizing Scale is the most commonly used instrument to measure this construct. The factor structure of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale has been identified in primarily Caucasian samples as having 3 factors: Rumination, Magnification, and Helplessness. Recently, it has been suggested that there may be only 2 factors (Rumination and “Powerlessness”) in an African American Workman’s Compensation sample. 1 The factor structure has not been examined in an African American sample in the primary care setting. This study used confirmatory factor analysis to explore the factor structure in African Americans (n 278) with pain in an urban primary care setting for indigent adults. Patients were 53% male, 56% had a high school education or better, 54% were single, and 73% were not working, primarily due to pain. Results supported the original 3-factor model of Rumination, Magnification, and Helplessness with RMSEA and CFI indices of 0.62 and .957, respectively. Correlations among the three latent factors were high ranging from .80 to .89. Internal consistencies (Cronbach’s alpha) within each factor were also high at .85 for Helplessness, .73 for Magnification, and .75 for Rumination. Standard path coefficients for individualized items ranged from .60-.81 for Helplessness, from .64 to .75 for Magnification, and from .32 to .84 for Rumination. As frequency of using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale to determine patients’ responses to pain increases, it is important to determine differences in specific populations. Testing of this instrument on various ethnic groups, genders, and pain types will increase the understanding of the results and improve the usefulness of the instrument. Supported by a grant from the Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University College of Nursing Scholars Award. (1. Chibnall, Pain, 2005.)
Design of high-speed fiber optic datalinks

Fiber-optic datalinks operating at rates of OC-48 (2.5 Gb/s), OC-192 (10 Gb/s), OC-768 (40 Gb/s), and 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10.3 Gb/s) utilize high-speed broadband electronic components, and require a combination of microwave, high-speed digital, and fiber-optic design techniques. In this paper, an overview of such high-speed fiber optic devices is given, concentrating on "Metro" (metropolitan area network) 10 Gb/s applications, as this is currently an active area of industry activity. Tradeoffs between different high-speed process technologies are discussed, as well as trends in the industry.
Robot-assisted septal myectomy for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a relatively common disease caused by genetic mutations that disrupt the sarcomere components. Although frequent in younger patients, it can present from infancy to old age. Its natural history can include sudden cardiac death, arrhythmias, and heart failure.1 Severe heart failure symptoms can result from left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction, with or without systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve apparatus. For patients with LVOT obstruction, the outflow tract pressure gradient can be reduced using interventional techniques that have included surgical septal myectomy and alcohol septal ablation. According to a recent meta-analysis, septal myectomy has been superior in terms of reducing the gradient and preventing persistent conduction abnormalities.2 The initial reports of myectomy for symptomatic patients with LVOT obstruction described septal exposure by way of a left atriotomy and takedown of the anterior mitral leaflet. Given the challenge of septal visualization, this traditional approach was abandoned for the current standard, the Morrow procedure, which involves access to the ventricular septum by way of an aortotomy across the aortic valve. Two major limitations of both these procedures have been the required sternotomy and associated prolonged postoperative recovery. Surgical robotics has been used to routinely access the mitral valve by way of a left atriotomy. Therefore, a similar approach could be used to reintroduce the transatrial, transmitral approach to the hypertrophic septum. We have described a septal myectomy performed with a less-invasive, robot-assisted approach in a patient with recurrent symptomatic LVOT obstruction who had previously undergone an alcohol ablation procedure.
Data Trimming, Nuclear Emissions, and Climate Change

Ethics requires good science. Many scientists, government leaders, and industry representatives support tripling of global-nuclear-energy capacity on the grounds that nuclear fission is "carbon free" and "releases no greenhouse gases." However, such claims are scientifically questionable (and thus likely to lead to ethically questionable energy choices) for at least 3 reasons. (i) They rely on trimming the data on nuclear greenhouse-gas emissions (GHGE), perhaps in part because flawed Kyoto Protocol conventions require no full nuclear-fuel-cycle assessment of carbon content. (ii) They underestimate nuclear-fuel-cycle releases by erroneously assuming that mostly high-grade uranium ore, with much lower emissions, is used. (iii) They inconsistently compare nuclear-related GHGE only to those from fossil fuels, rather than to those from the best GHG-avoiding energy technologies. Once scientists take account of (i)-(iii), it is possible to show that although the nuclear fuel cycle releases (per kWh) much fewer GHG than coal and oil, nevertheless it releases far more GHG than wind and solar-photovoltaic. Although there may be other, ethical, reasons to support nuclear tripling, reducing or avoiding GHG does not appear to be one of them.
Congenital Dysplasias and Dwarfism

This paper has presented the characteristic features of those types of dwarfism that are manifest at birth. This information has been presented in a fashion that should assist the pediatrician in arriving at an appropriate diagnosis without excessive delay or extensive diagnostic studies. However, variable expressivity may result in subtle presentation and, in those cases, diagnosis may be more challenging.
Dementia in Multiple Sclerosis: Why Is It Rarely Discussed?

Cognitive deficits in multiple sclerosis (MS) have been well studied in decades of MS research. Severe deficits are acknowledged, but the frequency is minimized in the literature, and there is a striking lack of discussion of the presence of a dementia state in MS. Possible reasons for this omission are discussed, along with an argument to define the dementia state and to provide terminology that will be palatable to patients.
Milliwatt THz average output power from a photoconductive switch

We report the design and measurement details of a new GaAs-based THz photoconductive switch with an average power level in excess of 1 mW and peak power up to 33 W when pumped by a 780-nm, subpicosecond pulse train from a frequency-doubled 1.55-nm fiber mode-locked laser. The power was measured with a thermopile detector calibrated for THz operation and having very high saturation level. The median power frequency of the present photoconductive switch is estimated to be 400 GHz.
Exercise, nutrition and you: an off-campus course for grades 2-12.

Since interest in science classes has declined recently and obesity, especially in youth, continues to increase, an exercise physiology-based course was taught in public parks to promote active-lea...
Spatial and temporal variation in sugar availability for insect parasitoids in agricultural fields and consequences for reproductive success

highlights Feeding on honey enhanced the longevity of Anagrus parasitoids in the laboratory. Feeding rates and survival of Anagrus parasitoids in the field were low, suggesting many die of starvation. Feeding rates differed among field sites and decreased as the season progressed. Feeding rates had a weak positive effect on the reproductive success of Anagrus females in the field. graphical a bstract abstract Our ability to improve biological control of insect pests depends on our understanding of factors that limit the reproductive success of their natural enemies in the field. Pest control by parasitoids in agricultural fields can be compromised by the availability of sugar resources. We studied sugar availability for Anagrus parasitoids that parasitize the eggs of leafhopper pests (genus Erythroneura) in vineyards in northern Cal- ifornia. Laboratory assays indicated that parasitoids survive less than a day on average without feeding, and 3 days when supplied with honey. We captured foraging parasitoids in five unsprayed vineyards in north- ern California and applied a simple chemical test to assay the presence of sugar in their abdomen. Parasitoid abundance decreased throughout the day (08:00-16:00 h), suggesting that many parasitoids survive less than a day in the field. The proportion of feeding (sugar-positive) individuals was generally low (10% on average); it varied among field sites and decreased as the season progressed (from July to October). Par- asitoids captured in the afternoon were more often found with sugar in their guts compared to those cap- tured in the morning hours. This may be explained by a direct positive effect of sugar on parasitoid survival, but may also result from longer-lived parasitoids simply having more time to locate scarce sugar resources. The egg loads of female parasitoids were negatively related to sugar availability, suggesting that sugar increases oviposition success, although we could not rule out a causal role for other site-date specific fac- tors. Overall, our results suggest that Anagrus parasitoids in vineyards may be limited by sugar availability, and that adding sugar resources such as flowering cover crops, especially towards the end of the season, could potentially improve their efficacy as biological control agents. However, this is only likely to be suc- cessful in combination with the elimination of other factors that compromise parasitoid success.
Confidence-aware graph regularization with heterogeneous pairwise features

Conventional classification methods tend to focus on features of individual objects, while missing out on potentially valuable pairwise features that capture the relationships between objects. Although recent developments on graph regularization exploit this aspect, existing works generally assume only a single kind of pairwise feature, which is often insufficient. We observe that multiple, heterogeneous pairwise features can often complement each other and are generally more robust in modeling the relationships between objects. Furthermore, as some objects are easier to classify than others, objects with higher initial classification confidence should be weighed more towards classifying related but more ambiguous objects, an observation missing from previous graph regularization techniques. In this paper, we propose a Dirichlet-based regularization framework that supports the combination of heterogeneous pairwise features with confidence-aware prediction using limited labeled training data. Next, we showcase a few applications of our framework in information retrieval, focusing on the problem of query intent classification. Finally, we demonstrate through a series of experiments the advantages of our framework on a large-scale real-world dataset.