cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Constraints on the evolution of reciprocity: Lessons from cooperative hunting

C ooperation between animals will only evolve under special circumstances. First, “pure” cooperation can evolve when each individual gains more from mutual cooperation than either would receive from exploiting the partner’s cooperative behavior. This is referred to by some authors as synergistic cooperation (Maynard Smith 1983) or mutualism (Boyd 1988). An example of this form of cooperation would be one in which a goal can be attained by a cooperative pair, but cannot be attained by either partner working alone. Second, under the appropriate conditions, “reciprocity” can evolve when a cooperative pair gains more than does a noncooperative pair, but there is a temptation to cheat. The temptation to cheat occurs when an individual can gain a higher payoff against a cooperator by refusing to cooperate. For example, if a pair cooperates by exchanging altruistic acts, the beneficiary of the first altruistic act would do better to refuse to reciprocate since he or she would incur no costs of altruism. For cooperation to evolve through reciprocity, therefore, there must be an opportunity for repeated encounters between the same partners, and some way by which cheaters can be detected and excluded from further positive interactions (Trivers 1971; Axelrod and Hamilton 1981). Although theoretical work on reciprocity has generated considerable interest, empirical work has so far largely ignored the larger issue that a temptation to cheat is a powerful barrier to the evolution of cooperation. Cooperation will only evolve if there is no real advantage derived from cheating (pure cooperation) or if there is a safeguard against cheating (reciprocity). In order to understand the distribution and form of cooperation across animals. it is, therefore, important to examine a wide variety of situations in w-hich cooperation would superficially be expected to occur. If cooperation
Vibrational Spectroscopic Studies of Alane

ABSTRACT Alane has been subjected to Raman studies under static compression. The Raman spectra showed four modes, which increased in frequency as pressure was increased from ambient to 6.6 GPa. From the pressure dependence, the pressure coefficient, dνi/dP, for each mode has been estimated and used to evaluate the mode Gruneisen parameter γi for that mode. Independently the thermodynamic Gruneisen parameter γth has also been calculated using the pressure derivative of the isothermal bulk modulus value from the literature. Preliminary infrared spectra were also collected under ambient conditions and are discussed with those reported in the literature for alane polymorphs.
Tritium-producing blanket for fusion engineering facility*

The usefulness of ITER to fusion development can be substantially increased if the design parameters and features are selected so as to maximize reactor relevance without significantly increasing the risk. One critical area in which reactor relevance and risk are major issues is the tritium-producing blanket. A helium-cooled solid breeder blanket is found to offer the highest potential for a low-risk reactor-relevant blanket that can meet all the ITER requirements. It has many attractive features that include: (1) a large design margin to account for uncertainties in predicting the effects of the fusion environment; (2) an available data base that is rapidly expanding worldwide; (3) flexibility in accommodating changes in the operating parameters of ITER (e.g. fusion power and wall load); (4) solid breeder operation at reactor relevant temperatures and flexibility in setting the helium temperature to reduce risk and/or optimize the structure temperature while keeping the helium pressure at a modest level; and (5) safety features, including the use of inert gas with no chemical reaction or corrosion, a low activation solid breeder, and multiple containment of tritium.
Extracting object motion during observer motion: combining constraints from optic flow and binocular disparity

Detection of object motion by moving observers and perception of velocity by stationary or moving observers ordinarily require information about object distance. It might be expected that object motion could be obtained without distance by use of a combination of optic flow and binocular disparity information. We describe how object motion could, in principle, be derived this way. The analysis also permits recovery of target distance. Finally, information about the observer’s motion may be obtained in a similar fashion, assuming the existence of two stationary environmental points at an unknown distance. Although studies of human observers have not been completed, it appears that these informational variables are available under conditions in which observers perform well at detecting motion and stability. In particular, the information may help to explain why a visible surface in near space facilitates accurate perception.
Phase diagram and properties of Cu3SbSe4 and other A3IBVC4VI compounds

Abstract The phase diagram of Cu 3 SbSe 4 indicates that this material is not a congruently melting compound, but that it forms via a peritectic reaction at about 390°C. The material grown either by a Bridgman or quenching process is p-type, with carrier concentrations of about 2 × 10 19 /cm 3 and 3 × 10 18 /cm 3 , respectively. The addition of Zn produces n-type crystals with a carrier concentration of 3 × 10 17 /cm 3 . The room temperature energy gap of Cu 3 SbSe 4 is 0.25 ± .05 eV as determined by optical absorption. Cu 3 AsSe 4 was also prepared but was not congruently melting, while Cu 3 AsTe 4 and Cu 3 SbTe 4 apparently do not form.
Relevant Robinson's arithmetic

In this paper two different formulations of Robinson's arithmetic based on relevant logic are examined. The formulation based on the natural numbers (including zero) is shown to collapse into classical Robinson's arithmetic, whereas the one based on the positive integers (excluding zero) is shown not to similarly collapse. Relations of these two formulations to R. K. Meyer's system R# of relevant Peano arithmetic are examined, and some remarks are made about the role of constant functions (e.g., multiplication by zero) in relevant arithmetic.
How Wave Interference May Help Explain Wavefunctions and Energy Quantization

ABSTRACT Illustrations based on the use of radiative waves and oscillating strings are suggested to help explain the physical essence and develop intuitive understanding of the basic principles of quantum mechanics, such as quantization, shape of wavefunctions, and their fundamental features. The proposed approach is based on interference of time-independent or stationary waves, which statistically represent effective quantum mechanical particles. The physical significance of this principle is emphasized by tracing its origin back to the fundamental ideas of E. Schrodinger. The suggested explanations are suitable for chemistry undergraduate students and are compatible with covering optics and Fourier-transform spectroscopy in analytical chemistry classes. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Spectroscopy Letters for the following free supplemental resource: Historical Persperctive.
Characterization of the pore labyrinth geometry of sea sponges imaged by micro-CT

The internal pore labyrinths of sea sponges were characterized via the analysis of 3D micro-CT images. Methods were developed to isolate and segment the pores and to extract the pore ‘skeleton’, which facilitated the measurement of local pore dimensions and connectivity. These methods were also used to characterize the bulk pore properties such as porosity and structural surface-to-volume ratios, as well as individual pathway analysis in terms of lengths, diameters, and tortuosity. Also, the role that ciliated cells (lining the pores) might play in the transport of fluids throughout the pore labyrinth was explored. It was deduced that cilia may play a larger role in the transport of fluids through smaller diameter pathways and the highly interconnected pathways of the sponge results in a robust network that can maintain nutrient delivery/waste removal in the case of obstruction of some of the pore pathways. Finally, it is discussed how the information gained from this study might be applied to design synthetic porous tissue scaffolds.
NASA’s NPOESS Preparatory Project Science Data Segment: A framework for measurement- based earth science data systems

The NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) Science Data Segment (SDS) provides a framework for the future of NASA's distributed Earth science data systems. The NPP SDS performs research and data product assessment while using a fully distributed architecture. The components of this architecture are organized around key environmental data disciplines: land, ocean, ozone, atmospheric sounding, and atmospheric composition. The SDS thus establishes a set of concepts and a working prototypes. This paper describes the framework used by the NPP Project as it enabled measurement-based earth science data systems for the assessment of NPP products.
Recombinant methionyl human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for the prevention and treatment of non-neutropenic infectious diseases

Recombinant methionyl human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (r-metHuG-CSF, hereafter G-CSF) has been demonstrated in clinical trials to be effective in correcting iatrogenic neutropenia by stimulating the production of neutrophils. Not surprisingly, G-CSF has also been found to induce neutrophilia in non-neutropenic hosts. Experimental data suggest that G-CSF leads to the enhancement of neutrophil function. Endogenous G-CSF levels are elevated over a broad spectrum of serious infectious diseases, suggesting the clinical importance of G-CSF in these settings. These findings have stimulated research on the use of G-CSF alone or as an adjunct to conventional antimicrobial therapy in a number of non-neutropenic animal models of infections. In total these studies suggest that G-CSF may be useful in the prevention or therapy of infections in both non-neutropenic and neutropenic clinical settings.
The neurotoxicity of industrial solvents: A review of the literature

Organic solvents, particularly stryrene, are used widely in boatbuilding. They may be absorbed by workers either through the respiratory tract or the skin. Uptake is influenced by level and duration of exposure, work load, and specific physiochemical features of each solvent, as well as by work practices and use of protective equipment. Kinetics of metabolism and excretion kinetics are highly variable among compounds. Metabolites can be measured in blood, urine, or exhaled breath and may serve as indirect indices of absorption. Acute high-dose exposure to organic solvents can produce a transient narcotic effect on the central nervous system. This effect occurs in proportion to brain dose, which in turn is determined by intensity and duration of exposure. Additionally, chronic exposures to organic solvents have been reported to produce an increased frequency of neurologic signs and symptoms. These findings include peripheral neuropathies and toxic encephalopathies. The latter are characterized by alterations in affect, memory loss, and impaired cognition. Concern exists that prolonged excessive exposure to organic solvents may lead to premature and persistent dementia in certain workers.
Requirements of Fission Yeast Septins for Complex Formation, Localization, and Function

Septins are GTP binding proteins important for cytokinesis in many eukaryotes. The Schizosaccaromyces pombe genome sequence predicts orthologues of four of five Saccharomyces cerevisiae septins inv...
A Label‐Free Gold‐Nanoparticle‐Based SERS Assay for Direct Cyanide Detection at the Parts‐per‐Trillion Level

Cyanide is an extremely toxic lethal poison known to humankind. Developing rapid, highly sensitive, and selective detection of cyanide from water samples is extremely essential for human life safety. Driven by the need, here we report a gold-nanoparticle-based label-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) system for highly toxic cyanide ion recognition in parts-per-trillion level and to examine gold-nanoparticle-cyanide interaction. We have shown that the SERS assay can be used to probe the gold nanoparticle dissociation process in the presence of cyanide ions. Our experimental data indicates that gold-nanoparticle-based SERS can detect cyanide from a water sample at the 110 ppt level with excellent discrimination against other common anions and cations. The results also show that the SERS probe can be used to detect cyanide from environmental samples.
Cytologic findings in Demodex folliculitis: A case report and review of the literature

Infectious folliculitis of the head and neck has various etiologies, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Accurate morphologic recognition of microorganisms in biopsy and cytologic specimens is paramount in facilitating appropriate therapy. We report a case of a 37-yr-old white male with Demodex folliculitis, who presented with an extensive and painful erythematous pustular skin lesion along the right face and scalp in a dermatome pattern clinically suggestive of Varicella zoster. Examination of scraped smears obtained from one of these pustules revealed numerous parasitic organisms having morphologic features typical of Demodex. Herein, we describe the patient's clinical presentation, discuss the cytologic findings of scrape smears, and briefly review the literature. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2006; 34:232–234. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Sox2 Promotes Malignancy in Glioblastoma by Regulating Plasticity and Astrocytic Differentiation

The high-mobility group–box transcription factor sex-determining region Y–box 2 (Sox2) is essential for the maintenance of stem cells from early development to adult tissues. Sox2 can reprogram differentiated cells into pluripotent cells in concert with other factors and is overexpressed in various cancers. In glioblastoma (GBM), Sox2 is a marker of cancer stemlike cells (CSCs) in neurosphere cultures and is associated with the proneural molecular subtype. Here, we report that Sox2 expression pattern in GBM tumors and patient-derived mouse xenografts is not restricted to a small percentage of cells and is coexpressed with various lineage markers, suggesting that its expression extends beyond CSCs to encompass more differentiated neoplastic cells across molecular subtypes. Employing a CSC derived from a patient with GBM and isogenic differentiated cell model, we show that Sox2 knockdown in the differentiated state abolished dedifferentiation and acquisition of CSC phenotype. Furthermore, Sox2 deficiency specifically impaired the astrocytic component of a biphasic gliosarcoma xenograft model while allowing the formation of tumors with sarcomatous phenotype. The expression of genes associated with stem cells and malignancy were commonly downregulated in both CSCs and serum-differentiated cells on Sox2 knockdown. Genes previously shown to be associated with pluripontency and CSCs were only affected in the CSC state, whereas embryonic stem cell self-renewal genes and cytokine signaling were downregulated, and the Wnt pathway activated in differentiated Sox2-deficient cells. Our results indicate that Sox2 regulates the expression of key genes and pathways involved in GBM malignancy, in both cancer stemlike and differentiated cells, and maintains plasticity for bidirectional conversion between the two states, with significant clinical implications.
Automatic VPN client recovery from IPsec pass-through failures

Network address translation (NAT) is often used in routers that connect home and small-office networks to the Internet. Unfortunately, NAT may not interoperate well with many protocols, including IPsec, the security protocol suite often used by telecommuters. Many NAT implementations include heuristics commonly known as IPsec pass-through, which may enable NAT to interoperate with IPsec under certain assumptions. We characterize IPsec pass-through's operation and failure modes, and propose IPsec pass-through automatic client recovery (IPTACR), a novel set of mechanisms that enable VPN clients to recover automatically from IPsec pass-through failures. Experiments show that the proposed mechanisms are effective and impose negligible overhead
Retrovirus and Adenovirus-Mediated Interferon Gene Transfer into Hematopoietic Stem Cells (CD 34+) of Normal and Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

Gene therapy following gene transfer into hematopoietic cells (CD34+) is now being investigated for several genetic disorders. We have applied a similar approach using interferon gene transfer for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). IFN-α produces a hematologic and cytogenetic response in CML with a survival advantage for cytogenetic responders. Therefore, we examined the effect of transient overexpression of IFN-α using the adenovirus gene transfer approach. The ability of the adenovirus (Adv)-IFN-α gene construct to transfect normal and CML stem cells, CD34+, was examined. The peripheral blood mononuclear fraction from patients with CML treated with G-CSF or GM-CSF/G-CSF was enriched in CD34+ cells. Adv-cytomegalovirus (pCMV) promoter driven IFN-α at multiple doses was assessed to transfect highly purified CD34+ cells in the presence of matrix protein and in co-cultures with the stromal adherent cell layer. The use of cytokines enhances Adv-mediated IFN-α gene transfer into stem cells. Southern blot analysis demonstrated that the Adv-pCMV-IFN-α construct and IFN-α were expressed in cultured CD34+ cells. Transient expression of the IFN-a gene did not suppress proliferation of CD34+ progenitors, CFU-Meg, BFU-E or CFU-CM growth. Reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) analysis of RNA from CFU-GM progenitor cells demonstrated transient IFN-α mRNA expression in CD34+ cells. Immunoassay of IFN-α shows that selective expression of IFN-α may be beneficial for CML therapy. We also report on the establishment of novel conditions which permit high efficiency of the retrovirus IFN-α gene transfer into CD34+ cells. Stem cells transfected with retrovirus were infused intravenously to irradiated mice and spleen colony forming units were evaluated for IFN-α marked clones by Southern blot analysis. These studies demonstrate that the retrovirus IFN-α gene can be used to transfect CD34+ cells and possibly for gene therapy of CML.
Porous Hollow Carbon@Sulfur Composites for High‐Power Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

C @ S nanocomposites based on mesoporous hollow carbon capsules were prepared by a template approach. Their excellent properties as a cathode material in a lithium secondary battery of S-sequestration of elemental sulfur in the carbon capsules, a restricted polysulfide shuttling and an improved electron transport on sulfur are attributed.
Cytogenetic, Molecular Genetic, and Clinical Characteristics of Acute Myeloid Leukemia With a Complex Karyotype

Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) harboring three or more acquired chromosome aberrations in the absence of the prognostically favorable t(8;21)(q22;q22), inv(16)(p13q22)/t(6;16)(p13;q22), and t(15;17)(q22;q21) aberrations form a separate category—AML with a complex karyotype. They constitute 10% to 12% of all AML patents, with the incidence of complex karyotypes increasing with the more advanced age. Recent studies using molecular-cytogenetic techniques (spectral karyotyping [SKY], multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization [M-FISH]) and array comparative genomic hybridization (a-CGH) considerably improved characterization of previously unidentified, partially identified, or cryptic chromosome aberrations, and allowed precise delineation of genomic imbalances. The emerging nonrandom pattern of abnormalities includes relative paucity, but not absence, of balanced rearrangements (translocations, insertions, or inversions), predominance of aberrations leading to loss of chromosome material (monosomies, deletions, and unbalanced translocations) that involve, in decreasing order, chromosome arms 5q, 17p, 7q, 18q, 16q, 17q, 12p, 20q, 18p, and 3p, and the presence of recurrent, albeit less frequent and often hidden (in marker chromosomes and unbalanced translocations) aberrations leading to overrepresentation of segments from 8q, 11q, 21q, 22q, 1p, 9p, and 13q. Several candidate genes have been identified as targets of genomic losses, for example, TP53, CTNNA1, NF1, ETV6, and TCF4, and amplifications, for example, ERG, ETS2, APP, ETS1, FLI1, MLL, DDX6, GAB2, MYC, TRIB1, and CDX2. Treatment outcomes of complex karyotype patients receiving chemotherapy are very poor. They can be improved to some extent by allogeneic stem cell transplantation in younger patients. It is hoped that better understanding of genomic alterations will result in identification of novel therapeutic targets and improved prognosis in patients with complex karyotypes.
Plasma optical emission analysis for chamber condition monitor

Optical emission represents the bulk property of plasma, which in turn can be correlated to the chamber surface condition and can be exploited for monitoring and characterizing chamber condition. This presentation demonstrates the approach of utilizing plasma optical emission spectra (OES) for the application on Applied Materials' Tetra TM etcher chamber condition monitor. Time-resolved plasma optical emission spectra are collected with a spectrometry unit built in to the TetraTM photomask etch module. Studies on OES analysis show that information related to chamber surface condition can be correlated to the changes in emission spectrum of plasma. The effectiveness of this methodology can be verified by Cr etch rates. Results can lead to procedure development for chamber monitoring, chamber recovery and chamber seasoning applications.
New Methodology for an Improved Thermal Calibration of Landsat 5 through Fusion of Environmental Data Sources

This work is motivated by the need for a complete thermal calibration record of the Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) thermal band (band 6). It is through fusion of environmental data sources (i.e. buoy observations, surface observations and radiosonde observations) that a vicarious calibration approach will be implemented to construct the complete calibration record. Initial results from a limited data set indicate that a potential temperature bias may exist over time. This analysis, however, is ongoing. Future work will include an expansion to the current data set, data filters to account for high atmospheric moisture and volcanic aerosol contamination, as well as, an error propagation study to establish the appropriate level of confidence regarding the final calibration results.
Cell-Broadband-Engine-Based Realtime Wavelet Decomposition for HDTV Video Images and Beyond

The Cell Broadband Engine (CBE) is a novel multi-core microprocessor designed to provide compact and high-performance processing capabilities for a wide range of applications. Real-time image processing applications with parallelism for large amounts of data are good examples to demonstrate the unique capabilities of the CBE. In this paper, we describe the evaluation of the performance for image processing using wavelet transforms on CBE. Our results show that the CBE is extremely efficient in this processing compared with commercially available processors, and thus, we conclude that the CBE is quite suitable for next generation large pixel formats, such as 4K/2K-Digital Cinema.
Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized Phase II Trial of the Herbal Supplement, PC-SPES, and Diethylstilbestrol in Patients With Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer

Purpose To evaluate the herbal combination, PC-SPES, and diethylstilbestrol (DES) in patients with androgen independent prostate cancer (AIPC). Patients and Methods A randomized phase II study was conducted with cross-over design. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either three PC-SPES capsules orally three times a day or DES 3 mg orally once a day. Prophylactic warfarin was administered. At clinical or prostate-specific antigen progression, patients received the other therapy. The study closed prematurely after PC-SPES was withdrawn from the market. Chemical analyses were performed on multiple lots of PC-SPES. Results Ninety patients were enrolled, of whom 85 were assessable for response. Prostate-specific antigen declines ≥ 50% were noted in 40% (95% CI, 25% to 56%) with PC-SPES, and 24% (95% CI, 12% to 39%) with DES. Median response duration was not reached with PC-SPES, and was 3.8 months with DES. Median time to progression for randomly assigned patients was 5.5 months for PC-SPES and 2.9 mon...
Sample Compression, Learnability, and the Vapnik-Chervonenkis Dimension

Within the framework of pac-learning, we explore the learnability of concepts from samples using the paradigm of sample compression schemes. A sample compression scheme of size k for a concept class C ⊆ 2X consists of a compression function and a reconstruction function. The compression function receives a finite sample set consistent with some concept in C and chooses a subset of k examples as the compression set. The reconstruction function forms a hypothesis on X from a compression set of k examples. For any sample set of a concept in C the compression set produced by the compression function must lead to a hypothesis consistent with the whole original sample set when it is fed to the reconstruction function. We demonstrate that the existence of a sample compression scheme of fixed-size for a class C is sufficient to ensure that the class C is pac-learnable. Previous work has shown that a class is pac-learnable if and only if the Vapnik-Chervonenkis (VC) dimension of the class is finite. In the second half of this paper we explore the relationship between sample compression schemes and the VC dimension. We define maximum and maximal classes of VC dimension d. For every maximum class of VC dimension d, there is a sample compression scheme of size d, and for sufficiently-large maximum classes there is no sample compression scheme of size less than d. We discuss briefly classes of VC dimension d that are maximal but not maximum. It is an open question whether every class of VC dimension d has a sample compression scheme of size O(d).
Powerlessness of caregivers in home care

Summary • Patients are not the only ones who suffer when they have a chronic illness; significant others and family members can also suffer. • Reaction to chronically ill family members and the problems in their care varies among significant others. • As the number of elderly individuals is increasing the number of chronically ill people needing care is also increasing. • Not only do patients feel powerless but personal factors, factors in the environment, and factors related to the illness itself can also provide a conceptual framework for organizing factors that affect feelings of powerlessness among family members and significant others.
Quintus Fabius Maximus and the Dyme affair (Syll3 684)

The most striking example of Roman intervention in the affairs of mainland Greece between the Achaean and Mithridatic Wars is provided by an inscription now in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. This stone bears the text of a letter to the city of Dyme in Achaea from a Roman proconsul named Q. Fabius Maximus, which describes his trial and sentencing of certain men of Dyme whom he had judged responsible for a recent disturbance in that city. One crux to be resolved is chronological: A date of c. 115 b.c. has long been generally accepted, but recently evidence from another, still unpublished inscription has been thought to point to the year 144. Further, the letter of Fabius Maximus has long been held to exemplify the close supervision that most scholars, regardless of their position on the vexed question of Greece's formal status after 146, assume was exercised over Greece by Roman commanders in Macedonia from the time of the Achaean War. The document has also often been cited to bolster the claim that Rome pursued in second-century Greece a conscious policy of suppressing democracy or the political aspirations of the lower class. This is not, of course, the place for reassessment of these old, complex controversies. My purpose here is rather to show that interpretation of the letter of Fabius Maximus has not always been sufficiently mindful of the many obscurities of the text and, consequently, of the events that lie behind it; too often the great lacunae in our knowledge have been filled with assumptions that beg the questions that are under debate.
Dependency-length minimization in natural and artificial languages∗

Abstract A wide range of evidence points to a preference for syntactic structures in which dependencies are short. Here we examine the question: what kinds of dependency configurations minimize dependency length? We consider two well-established principles of dependency-length minimization; that dependencies should be consistently right-branching or left-branching, and that shorter dependent phrases should be closer to the head. We also add a third, novel, principle; that some “opposite-branching” of one-word phrases is desirable. In a series of computational experiments, using unordered dependency trees gathered from written English, we examine the effect of these three principles on dependency length, and show that all three contribute significantly to dependency-length reduction. Finally, we present what appears to be the optimal “grammar” for dependency-length minimization.
Rationality, Value, and Preference

Gauthier's magnificent book erects a conception of morality, “morals by agreement,” on the foundation of his own theory of practical rationality. This is as it should be if, as he claims, following Hobbes and others, there is an initial “presumption against morality” (MA, p. 13) and no theory of morals “can ever serve any useful purpose, unless it can show that all the duties it recommends are also truly endorsed in each individual's reason” (MA, p.1), indeed, that it is a requirement of rationality that one always satisfy the requirements of morality (MA, p.5). This means, however, that the initial assumption against morality is inherited by his theory of practical rationality. His theory of morals therefore can serve a useful purpose only if his theory of rationality is sound. In this paper, I want to explore some of the more dubious aspects of that theory to see whether it can bear the heavy load of justification that “morals by agreement” places on it.
Postoperative sleep disturbance: influences of opioids and pain in humans.

Study objectives To test the hypothesis that opioids and pain contribute independently to postoperative sleep disturbance, 10 women undergoing surgery requiring a low abdominal incision for treatment of benign gynecologic conditions were randomized to receive either epidural opioid (fentanyl) (n=6) or epidural local anesthetic (bupivacaine) (n=4) for intraoperative and postoperative analgesia. Design N/A. Setting N/A. Patients or participants N/A. Interventions N/A. Measurements Polysomnography was performed in a standard patient room on the preoperative and first three postoperative nights. Pain at rest and with coughing was evaluated using a visual-analogue pain scale each evening and morning. Results On the first postoperative night, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was abolished in all patients. On the third postoperative night, the mean +/- SE REM sleep time increased significantly (p=.003) to 9.8% +/- 3.1% in the fentanyl group, and 12.9% +/- 3.8% in the bupivacaine group. Conversely, light non-REM (NREM) sleep (%stage 1 + %stage 2) was higher on the first postoperative night and significantly lower on the third postoperative night (p=0.011). Between group comparison revealed only that the mean % slow-wave sleep (SWS) in the fentanyl group (6.0%, 2.0%, and 14.7%) was different from the bupivacaine group (7.8%, 9.1%, and 10.6%) in the postoperative period after adjusting for the preoperative night % SWS (p=0.021). Pain was well controlled in all patients, but was slightly better controlled in the fentanyl group than in the bupivacaine group on postoperative night 2 (p=0.024). There was no statistically significant association between pain score and any polysomnographically defined stage. Conclusion Postoperative patients suffer a profound sleep disturbance even when opioids are avoided and pain is well controlled.
Effects of soil amendments on germination and emergence of downy brome (Bromus tectorum) and Hilaria jamesii

Abstract Downy brome is an introduced Mediterranean annual grass that now dominates millions of hectares of western U.S. rangelands. The presence of this grass has eliminated many native species and accelerated wildfire cycles. The objective of this study was to identify soil additives that allowed germination but inhibited emergence of downy brome, while not affecting germination or emergence of the native perennial grass Hilaria jamesii. On the basis of data from previous studies, we focused on additives that altered the availability of soil nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Most water-soluble treatments inhibited downy brome germination and emergence. We attribute the inhibitory effects of these treatments to excessive salinity and ion-specific effects of the additives themselves. An exception to this was oxalic acid, which showed no effect. Most water-insoluble treatments had no effect in soils with high P but did have an effect in soils with low P. Zeolite was effective regardless of P...
Dependence of radiated sound frequency on vortex core dynamics in multiple vortex interactions

With both theoretical analysis and measurement data, it has been identified previously that there exists a robust sound emission from a pair of counter-rotating aircraft wake vortices at the frequency of unsteady vortex core rotation. In a vortex system with multiple vortices, the sound emission frequency can be subjected to change because of interactions among the vortices. The behaviour of the influence, indicated by the ratio between the core size and the distance of the vortices and the underlining vortex core dynamic mechanisms, is investigated in this study. A vortex particle method is used to simulate the vortex core dynamics in two-dimensional, inviscid and incompressible flow. The flow field, in the form of vorticity, is employed as the source in the far-field acoustic calculation using a vortex sound formula. Cases of co-rotating vortices and a multiple-vortex system composed of two counter-rotating vortex pairs are studied for applications to aircraft wake vortex sound. The study shows, without vortex merging, individual frequencies can be clearly identified that are due each to core rotation (self induction) and co-rotating motion of a vortex centre around the other (mutual induction). The ratio of the core size and the distance between vortices does not seem to significantly influence the frequency of vortex core rotation. With vortex merging, a single frequency due to the merged vortex core is generated.
Dynamical Systems and Statistical Mechanics

Let {q} and {p} represent the set of canonical coordinates and momenta associated with a given dynamical system.
Banding of the somatic chromosomes of Drosophila virilis

Treatment with weak solutions of 8M urea and staining with Giemsa produces banding in the euchromatin of Drosophila virilis somatic chromosomes.
Food accessory substances in bacterial growth. II. The variations of hydrogen ion concentration occurring in bacterial cultures containing tomato extract.

The previous observations, 5 (2528), have demonstrated that the tomato extract is not able to promote the growth of B. Shiga in broth of initial pH 5.2-6.2, that it has a moderate growth accelerating effect on this microorganism at initial pH 6.6-7.8 and that it has the best effect when added to broth having a pH 8.2-8.6. However, upon studying the end reaction of cultures containing tomato extract, it was observed that the final pH of these cultures, while always markedly acid, showed considerable difference, this difference depending upon the initial pH of the medium. Thus, for example, initial pH 8.2 of the tomato extract broth gives a final reading of 5.8, whereas initial pH 7.0 gives a reading of 5.2.In this connection the work of Cohen and Clark1 was of considerable interest. These authors found that on the acid borders of optimum zones of pH, slight change in pH produces a marked inhibitory effect upon the growth of bacteria (4.7 for B. Shiga), but the acid border shifts with the nature of the acid...
Frequency rates and constraints on subject personal pronoun expression: Findings from the Puerto Rican highlands

This study examines subject personal pronoun expression in the Spanish of the west-central highlands of Puerto Rico. Although rates of s-deletion are comparably high, rates of overt subject expression are shown to be much lower than rates reported for varieties of coastal Puerto Rican Spanish and U.S. mainland Puerto Rican Spanish. The linguistic constraints on overt versus null pronoun usage in the data are shown to coincide to a very large extent with constraints identified for other Puerto Rican dialects and also Castilian Spanish in central Spain, whereas of the social factors, only the distinction between farmers and nonfarmers is significant. The study suggests that, if rates of personal subject pronoun expression are an indication of dialectal variation, the rates presented here for this syntactic phenomenon represent the continuing effects of a conservative dialect in the interior of the island of Puerto Rico.
6 Li cluster-model phenomenology

A phenomenological $\ensuremath{\alpha}+d$ cluster-model wave function for the $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$ ground state is suggested and its properties fixed using data on the static $M1$ and $E2$ moments and elastic charge form factors of $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$. The resulting $\ensuremath{\alpha}+d$ momentum distribution is then compared with that deduced from knockout and transfer reactions.
Pericardial salmonella with cardiac tamponade and ventricular wall rupture: A case report.

Introduction Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is mostly restricted to gastroenteritis; however, we report a case of Salmonella pericarditis complicated by tamponade and spontaneous ventricular wall rupture.
Kinetics of MgO Dissolution and Buffering of Fluids in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (Wipp) Repository

DOE has proposed to add MgO to backfill in the WIPP repository to stabilize pH and reduce gas pressures and spallation. Experiments show that MgO dissolution rates are proportional to surface area, nearly independent of pH, and decrease with increasing dissolved NaCl. The probably repository MgO dissolution rate will be {le} 10 to 20 {micro}mol m{sup 2}/min. Simulations indicate that MgO dissolution will buffer pH and provide stabilizing cement; however, under highly reducing conditions MgO will not control total gas pressures. Adding oxidizing agents or materials containing oxidized species, for example anhydrite, to the backfill, might control gas pressures.
Management of cognitive deficits and mood disturbance.

Abstract The majority of individuals with brain tumors suffer from neurocognitive, emotional, and behavioral impairments that compromise their independence and interfere with their academic, vocational, and/or social pursuits. These impairments commonly include problems with memory, attention, and speed of thinking. Despite the often bleak prognosis and outlook associated with the diagnosis, many brain tumor survivors can enjoy improved levels of independence and functioning, if provided with the right support. With assistance from specialists in cognitive rehabilitation, brain tumor survivors can learn to use practical strategies that lessen the adverse impact of neurocognitive impairments on their ability to function in daily life.
SU-F-T-278: Evaluation of Commercially Available System for Patient Specific QA Using Dose Volume Histograms

Purpose: To evaluate a commercial system for patient specific quality assurance using measurements and re-calculated dose volume histograms. Methods: The PTW OCTAVIUS4D was used to physically measure the dose distribution from previously accepted IMRT patient plans for a variety of sites. PTW VeriSoft was used to for the IMRT QA evaluation. Patient plans, CT images, dose distribution and structures were imported in the VeriSoft. For each patient IMRT QA, the software can use the CT and structure information to calculate the dose to the patient from the measurement. The DVHs were then compared to the imported ones. The difference of the mean dose per organ was calculated for each plan and used in the comparison. Results: For treatment sites with no tissue inhomogeneities, such as pelvis, the DVHs produced by the TPS and VeriSoft showed good agreement; however, small structures such as eyes, optic nerves or brainstem did not adequately match up when comparing the DVH from the TPS to VeriSoft. For treatment sites with inhomogeneity, such as the lung, showed larger dose differences between the two methods, this is most likely due to dose calculation limitations of the PTW VeriSoft DVH algorithm. Conclusion: Overall, the DVHs produced by VeriSoft can give a physicist quick insight to the validity of the IMRT plan; however, there are limitations when plans of heterogeneous treatment sites are evaluated since the dose calculation algorithm in Verisoft cannot accurately account for it.
Law and Justice in the Courts of Classical Athens: The Homicide Courts

discussions of athenian notions of law and the role of the courts in Athenian society have so far focused on speeches delivered in the popular courts. As we have seen, in the popular courts the laws were largely undefined and the litigants observed no rule of relevance. But there were also special homicide courts – highly respected, seldom used, and largely omitted from modern discussions of the aims of the law courts. These courts – which almost certainly developed earlier than the popular courts – reportedly employed a rule prohibiting irrelevant statements. Additionally, they applied laws that exhibited greater legal definition and substantive content than those used in the popular courts. The unusual composition and procedures of the homicide courts made these courts (at least in theory) far more congenial than the popular courts to legal argument, and so less vulnerable to influences based on the character and social standing of the litigants. This chapter explores these differences, their place in the Athenian concept of justice, and the possible reasons for the different treatment of homicide and related offenses. The homicide procedures reveal that the Athenians could conceive of a system that encouraged the regular application of abstract rules without regard to the broader social context of the dispute, but rejected this model in favor of a more discretionary approach in the popular courts. THE FIVE HOMICIDE COURTS In the classical period, five special courts shared jurisdiction over most cases involving homicide.
Real time adaptive imaging with 1.75D, high frequency arrays

We have created a system for real-time phase aberration correction functional with a 7.5 MHz, 1/spl times/192 element 1D linear array (Siemens) and a 9.5 MHz, 8/spl times/96 element, 1.75D linear array (Tetrad), using a Siemens Antares scanner. Aberration profiles are estimated with a weighted least squares algorithm. The calculated aberration profiles are used to modify the transmit and receive phasing of array elements. The present implementation requires 0.6 seconds for transmit and receive correction with the 1/spl times/192 array, 1.0 second for receive-only correction on with 8/spl times/96 array, and 1.5 seconds for transmit and receive correction with the 8/spl times/96 array. We present aberrated and corrected images of speckle target phantoms produced with one- and two-dimensional physical aberrators for both arrays.
Mechanical circulatory support devices: methods to optimize hemodynamics during use.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) is an increasingly utilized mode of therapy in the management of advanced heart failure, both as bridge to heart transplantation and destination therapy. As MCS becomes more prevalent, it is ever more important to understand the complex hemodynamics of these devices, as well as the strategies for hemodynamic optimization.Areas covered: This review provides an overview of hemodynamics in the normal human heart and the failing heart. We discuss the various short-term mechanical circulatory support devices and their hemodynamic consequences. We will then discuss the differences between left ventricular assist devices, and the impact of these differences on hemodynamics. We will describe the strategies for hemodynamic optimization using echocardiographic and invasive ramp studies. Finally, we will discuss the impact of speed changes with exercise and discuss future directions for advancements in MCS therapies.Expert commentary: We advocate for a deepe...
Morality as Freedom

Kantian ethical philosophy has often been criticized for its dependence on an untenable conception of the freedom of the will. Kant is supposed to have asserted that we are morally responsible for all of our actions because we have free will, and that we have free will because we exist in a noumenal world in which we are uninfluenced by the temptations of desire and inclination. If we existed only in the noumenal world, we would invariably act as the categorical imperative requires, but because we are also phenomenal beings we sometimes go wrong. The view so understood gives rise to several problems. First, the claim that purely noumenal persons would act as the categorical imperative requires may be questioned. It is not obvious why persons uninfluenced by causality should act morally rather than any other way. Secondly, if it can be established that insofar as we are noumena we obey the moral law, then the account of moral imputability becomes unintelligible. If we are only responsible because we are noumena and if insofar as we are noumena we only do what is right, then we cannot be responsible for our evil actions. Or, if we are responsible, it is so radically that no room is left for excuses. For how can we take into account the terrible temptations to which the wrongdoer was subjected, when the choosing noumenon was uninfluenced by those temptations? Finally, the view seems to require an unappealing ontological commitment to the existence of “two worlds,” and to give rise to a variety of puzzles about how what occurs in the one can influence the other.
MicroRNA-21 regulates peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor alpha, a molecular mechanism of cardiac pathology in Cardiorenal Syndrome Type 4

Cardiovascular events are the leading cause of death in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), although the pathological mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we longitudinally characterized left ventricle pathology in a 5/6 nephrectomy rat model of CKD and identify novel molecular mediators. Next-generation sequencing of left ventricle mRNA and microRNA (miRNA) was performed at physiologically distinct points in disease progression, identifying alterations in genes in numerous immune, lipid metabolism, and inflammatory pathways, as well as several miRNAs. MiRNA miR-21-5p was increased in our dataset and has been reported to regulate many identified pathways. Suppression of miR-21-5p protected rats with 5/6 nephrectomy from developing left ventricle hypertrophy and improved left ventricle function. Next-generation mRNA sequencing revealed that miR-21-5p suppression altered gene expression in peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor alpha (PPARα) regulated pathways in the left ventricle. PPARα, a miR-21-5p target, is the primary PPAR isoform in the heart, importantly involved in regulating fatty acid metabolism. Therapeutic delivery of low-dose PPARα agonist (clofibrate) to rats with 5/6 nephrectomy improved cardiac function and prevented left ventricle dilation. Thus, comprehensive characterization of left ventricle molecular changes highlights the involvement of numerous signaling pathways not previously explored in CKD models and identified PPARα as a potential therapeutic target for CKD-related cardiac dysfunction.