cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling and implementing collaborative editing systems with transactional techniques

Many collaborative editing systems have been developed for coauthoring documents. These systems generally have different infrastructures and support a subset of interactions found in collaborative environments. In this paper, we propose a transactional framework with two advantages. First, the framework is generic as demonstrated by its capability of modeling four types of existing products: RCS, MediaWiki, Google Docs, and Google Wave. Second, the framework can be layered on the top of a modern database management system to reuse its transaction processing capabilities for data consistency control in both centralized and replicated editing systems. We detail the programming interfaces and the synchronization protocol of our transactional framework and demonstrate its usage through concrete examples. We also describe a prototype implementation of this framework over Oracle Berkeley DB High Availability, a replicated transactional database management system.
The effects of channel variability on high data rate HF communications

Research continues to explore mechanisms to increase data throughput over HF circuits. Several of these techniques rely on the use of multiple 3 kHz channels to increase the overall bandwidth and therefore the data capacity available to the user. Depending on the particulars of the technique, some may be sensitive to the variability of HF channel conditions across the set of utilized channels. This paper reports on recent testing performed to characterize the degree of variability across a set of propagating HF frequencies. Results are presented for two different HF radio links. The importance of these measurements in the design of higher throughput multiple frequency systems is discussed.
The effect of phenylpropanolamine on ambulatory blood pressure

Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) is a sympathomimetic amine and component of many over-the-counter decongestants and anorectic agents. It has been reported to cause elevated blood pressure and even hypertensive crises. The pressor effects with therapeutic doses are not well established. We monitored the effects of acute and chronic PPA dosing using 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure recording as a sensitive method of monitoring blood pressure variability. Eighteen normotensive male subjects were randomly assigned to receive 75 mg PPA (sustained-release preparation) or placebo in a double-blind crossover design with blood pressure monitored on days 1 (Dl) and 6 (D6) of each period. There was no significant difference in blood pressure when compared as either 2-hour intervals or 24-hour global means: (placebo) 116/68 (Dl), 117/68 (D6); (PPA) 118/69 (Dl), 119/69 (D6). Our results document the absence of pressor effect with PPA in therapeutic doses even with repeated measurements and further confirm the reproducibility of 24-hour blood pressure monitoring. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1986) 40, 144–147; doi:10.1038/clpt.1986.153
Voltage Dependent Field Emission Energy Distribution Analysis of Wide Bandgap Materials

Field emission from wide bandgap materials was investigated through voltage dependent field emission energy distribution (V-FEED) analysis. As compared to classical I-V characterization, V-FEED analysis can provide additional, detailed information about the origin of and the mechanism responsible for the field emission of electrons. The V-FEED technique consists of measuring the energy distribution of field emitted electrons collected at various extraction voltages. By measuring changes in the energy of the field emission peak at different voltages, data can be extrapolated to flat-band condition to determine the energy of the band from which the electron emission originated. In this study, field emission from cubic boron nitride (c-BN) coated and diamond coated tip-shaped Mo emitters was examined. For the nominally intrinsic wide bandgap coating materials studied, a linear voltage drop across the wide bandgap material, usually on the order of 1% of extraction voltage was observed and explained by field induced band-bending. For the intrinsic c-BN and diamond samples studied, the electron emission originated from the conduction band minimum at the wide bandgap material/vacuum interface.
Mother-Adolescent Agreement on the Symptoms and Diagnoses of Adolescent Depression and Conduct Disorders

Abstract Objective To determine rates and corrlates of mother-adolescent agreement on the symptoms and diagnoses of depression and conduct disorders. Method The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrnia in School Age Children was administered to a community sample of 460 adolescents and thir mothers. Race, gender, family adaptability and cohesion, and living arrangement were evaluated as predictors of agreement. Results Mother-adolescent agreement was low (κ Conclusion Study findings underscore the necessity of collecting data from both a parent and the adolescent when assessing an adolescent's psychological status.
Beyond the 1/Tp limit: two-photon-excited fluorescence using pulses as short as sub-10-fs.

Two-photon-excited fluorescence and second-harmonic generation are characterized as a function of laser pulse duration as short as sub-10-fs. A comparative study is performed where pulse duration is varied by introducing dispersion, as reported previously, and by tailoring pulse spectral width and minimizing its time-bandwidth product (transform-limited pulses). Experimental data and calculations show that characterizing a two-photon signal with the two schemes to vary pulse duration measures different phenomena. Two-photon signal characterization using dispersion-broadened pulses measures only the effect of chirp on the pulse two-photon-excitation spectrum and is independent of molecular response. Transform-limited pulses are used to measure the dependence of two-photon signal generation on pulse duration. Calculations show that deviation from the 1/T p relationship would be expected as the transform-limited pulse spectral width approaches the molecular two-photon absorption linewidth and exhibits asymptotic behavior for pulse spectral widths 10 times greater than the absorption linewidth. Experimental measurements are consistent with the predicted behavior. The impact of using ultrashort laser pulses on the performance characteristics of nonlinear optical microscopy is discussed.
Spectroscopic Characterization of Azo Dye Aggregation on Dendrimer Surfaces

The spectral properties of azo dye aggregates have been used to determine the influence of the dendritic surface of Starburst poly(amidoamine) dendrimers on the alignment of electrostatically bound azo dyes. The surface structure and morphology of dendrimers provide enhanced opportunities for the ordered assembly of azo dyes. In particular, the spacing of dendrimer surface groups is influenced by dendrimer generation and dictates the proximity of attached azo dyes and the ability of intermolecular forces between dyes to operate. Absorption spectra reveal the formation of highly ordered, spectrally distinct dye aggregates. Multivariate spectral analysis techniques enable a more complete characterization of the dye aggregation on the dendrimer surface and demonstrate the influential control of the dendrimer surface on the orientation of anchored azo dyes. Spectra are attributed to both H-aggregation (face-to-face arrangements of the aromatic rings attached to the azo functionality yielding blue-shifted spec...
The Mechanism of the Negative Point to Plane Corona Near Onset

Oscillographic studies have been made of the currents in negative point to plane coronas in air. The oscillograms obtained indicate that the negative corona current is composed of discrete pulses whose magnitude and frequency have a definite relationship to the corona current, point size and gas pressure. The frequency of the current pulses appears to be independent of gap length under the experimental conditions studied. The frequency of the oscillations does not appear to be affected by changes in the electrical constants of the discharge circuit outside the gap. The periodic character of the discharge seems to derive logically from space charge formation in the gap and subsequent clearing under the action of the electrostatic field.
Assessing Warm Season Drought Episodes in the Central United States

Abstract Recurrent drought episodes are a signature feature of the climate of the central United States. Using a particular set of definitions, this study examines some of the basic statistical features of previous drought episodes. It shows that there are distinct intraseasonal preferences for the onset of long periods of dry weather and that these preferences vary regionally in ways that are consistent with seasonal climate controls. Evaluation of past drought occurrences indicates that there is no simple or strong teleconnection between drought and the El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon. Individual drought episodes certainly evolve with unique character. However, based on analysis of large-scale variations in sea level pressure patterns, evidence is presented for systematic links between drought and the interdecadal climate mode often referred to as the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO).
MEASUREMENT OF LACTOSE CRYSTAL GROWTH BY IMAGE ANALYZER

The Image Analyzing Computer (IMA) was used to measure changes in the distribution of crystal size during crystal growth in lactose solutions of differing Supersaturation (C/CS= 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6). Also investigated were the effects of reaction time (48, 96 and 144 hr) and degree of agitation (static, oscillation, and rotatory). The data are discussed and interpreted in terms of the potential of the new technique for study of the crystallization process.
Review of the stability of biochar in soils: predictability of O:C molar ratios

Biochar is not a structured homogeneous material; rather it possesses a range of chemical structures and a heterogeneous elemental composition. This variability is based on the conditions of pyrolysis and the biomass parent material, with biochar spanning the range of various forms of black carbon. Thereby, this variability induces a broad spectrum in the observed rates of reactivity and, correspondingly, the overall chemical and microbial stability. From evaluating the current biochar and black carbon degradation studies, there is the suggestion of an overall relationship in biochar stability as a function of the molar ratio of oxygen to carbon (O:C) in the resulting black carbon. In general, a molar ratio of O:C lower than 0.2 appears to provide, at minimum, a 1000-year biochar half-life. The O:C ratio is a function of production temperature, but also accounts for other impacts (e.g., parent material and post-production conditioning/oxidation) that are not captured solely with production temperature. Th...
Description and Initial Evaluation of a Text Message Based Reporting Method for Marine Recreational Anglers

Abstract Despite the large number of marine recreational anglers in the United States, there exist few opportunities for individuals to contribute self-reported effort and catch data directly to fisheries managers. Successfully implemented data collection programs based on self-reported information have been able to provide scientists with additional indices for comparisons with existing fisheries data sets and to increase angler participation and confidence in the fisheries management process. Limitations to self-reported data aside, the lack of a portable, electronic reporting device for the average angler has hindered development of new survey methods. We have developed a simple but fully customizable reporting method by which users can submit basic effort and catch information to an online database via text messages from mobile phones. To evaluate this new approach, we asked captains on behalf of six marine for-hire operations to send a text message to document effort, catch, and disposition of catch ...
Growth and C allocation of Populus tremuloides genotypes in response to atmospheric CO2 and soil N availability

summary We grew cuttings of two early (mid Oct.) and two late (early Nov.) leaf-fall Populus tremuloides Michx. genotypes (referred to as genotype pairs) for c. 150 d in open-top chambers to understand how twice-ambient (elevated) CO # and soil N availability would aect growth and C allocation. For the study, we selected genotypes diering in leaf area duration to find out if late-season photosynthesis influenced C allocation to roots. Both elevated CO # and high soil N availability significantly increased estimated whole-tree photosynthesis, but they did so in dierent ways. Elevated CO # stimulated leaf-level photosynthesis rates, whereas high soil N availability resulted in greater total plant leaf area. The early leaf-fall genotype pair had significantly higher photosynthesis rates per unit leaf area than the late leaf-fall genotype pair and elevated CO # enhanced this dierence. The early leaf-fall genotype pair had less leaf area than the late leaf-fall genotype pair, and their rate of leaf area development decreased earlier in the season. Across both genotype pairs, high soil N availability significantly increased fine root length production and mortality by increasing both the amount of root length present, and by decreasing the life span of individual roots. Elevated CO # resulted in significantly increased fine root production and mortality in high N but not low N soil and did not aect fine root life span. The early leaf-fall genotype pair had significantly greater fine root length production than the late leaf-fall genotype pair across all CO # and N treatments. These dierences in belowground C allocations are consistent with the hypothesis that belowground C and N cycling is strongly influenced by soil N availability and will increase under elevated atmospheric CO # . In addition, this study reinforces the need for better understanding of the variation in tree responses to elevated CO # , within and among species.
On the duality between the fast transversal and the fast rotors adaptive least squares algorithms

The duality between the fast transversal and the fast rotors adaptive least squares algorithms is established. It is shown that these two algorithmic families are related via a time-varying state transformation. The state transformation method is then applied to both the fast Kalman as well as the FAEST (FTF) algorithm, to derive fast rotors counterparts.
Allosteric inhibition of a zinc-sensing transcriptional repressor: insights into the arsenic repressor (ArsR) family.

Abstract The molecular basis of allosteric regulation remains a subject of intense interest. Staphylococcus aureus CzrA is a member of the ubiquitous arsenic repressor (ArsR) family of bacterial homodimeric metal-sensing proteins and has emerged as a model system for understanding allosteric regulation of operator DNA binding by transition metal ions. Using unnatural amino acid substitution and a standard linkage analysis, we show that a His97′ NH e2 •••O = C His67 quaternary structural hydrogen bond is an energetically significant contributor to the magnitude of the allosteric coupling free energy, ∆ G c . A “cavity” introduced just beneath this hydrogen bond in V66A/L68V CzrA results in a significant reduction in regulation by Zn(II) despite adopting a wild-type global structure and Zn(II) binding and DNA binding affinities only minimally affected from wild type. The energetics of Zn(II) binding and heterotropic coupling free energies (∆ H c , − T ∆ S c ) of the double mutant are also radically altered and suggest that increased internal dynamics leads to poorer allosteric negative regulation in V66A/L68V CzrA. A statistical coupling analysis of 3000 ArsR proteins reveals a sector that links the DNA-binding determinants and the α5 Zn(II)-sensing sites through V66/L68 in CzrA. We propose that distinct regulatory sites uniquely characteristic of individual ArsR proteins result from evolution of distinct connectivities to this sector, each capable of driving the same biological outcome, transcriptional derepression.
Genetic structure and differentiation in Metrosideros polymorpha (Myrtaceae) along altitudinal gradients in Maui, Hawaii

The level and distribution of genetic variability within and among Metrosideros polymorpha populations along altitudinal gradients on the island of Maui, Hawaii were examined to assess the extent of genetic differentiation. Sixteen loci encoding 11 enzymes were scored in 17 populations along the NE wet slope of Mt. Haleakala and Kipahulu Valley in East Maui and six populations along the Puu Kukui trail in West Maui. On average, 50% of the loci were polymorphic within populations with an overall mean of 2·15 alleles per locus. The observed heterozygosities for different populations were moderate (0·108–0·220) and conformed to panmixia except for one of the mid-elevation populations. The distribution of allozyme variation indicates that very little differentiation has occurred along altitudinal gradients. Approximately 90% of the total variation resides within populations in East Maui while 95% was found within West Maui populations. The mean populational pair-wise genetic identities (Nei's I) ranged from 0·909 to 0·998. The UPGMA cluster analysis on genetic identity matrices and PCA on allele frequencies revealed marginal altitudinal differentiation. Twenty one alleles out of a total 63 showed statistically significant correlations with environmental variables.
Real-time ranking with concept drift using expert advice

In many practical applications, one is interested in generating a ranked list of items using information mined from continuous streams of data. For example, in the context of computer networks, one might want to generate lists of nodes ranked according to their susceptibility to attack. In addition, real-world data streams often exhibit concept drift, making the learning task even more challenging. We present an online learning approach to ranking with concept drift, using weighted majority techniques. By continuously modeling different snapshots of the data and tuning our measure of belief in these models over time, we capture changes in the underlying concept and adapt our predictions accordingly. We measure the performance of our algorithm on real electricity data as well as asynthetic data stream, and demonstrate that our approach to ranking from stream data outperforms previously known batch-learning methods and other online methods that do not account for concept drift.
Functional domains of LAG-2, a putative signaling ligand for LIN-12 and GLP-1 receptors in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Abstract The LAG-2 membrane protein is a putative signaling ligand for the LIN-12 and GLP-1 receptors of Caenorhabditis elegans. LAG-2, like its Drosophila homologues Delta and Serrate, acts in a conserved signal transduction pathway to regulate cell fates during development. In this article, we investigate the functional domains of LAG-2. For the most part, mutants were constructed in vitro and assayed for activity in transgenic animals. We find a functional role for all major regions except one. Within the extracellular domain, the N-terminal region, which bears no known motif, and the DSL domain are both required. By contrast, the region bearing epidermal growth factor-like repeats can be deleted with no apparent reduction in rescuing activity. The intracellular region is not required for activity but instead plays a role in down-regulating LAG-2 function. Finally, membrane association is critical for mutant rescue.
THE GEOMETRY OF PERIPHERAL MYELIN SHEATHS DURING THEIR FORMATION AND GROWTH IN RAT SCIATIC NERVES

In rat sciatic nerves, a small bundle of fibers was identified in which myelin sheaths were absent at birth, appeared within 3 days, and grew rapidly for 2 wk. During this interval, nerves were removed from littermates and were sectioned serially in the transverse plane. Alternating sets of thin and thick sections were used to prepare electron micrograph montages in which single myelinating axons could be identified and traced distally. During the formation of the first spiral turn, the mesaxon's length and configuration varied when it was studied at different levels in the same Schwann cell. The position of the mesaxon's termination shifted while its origin, at the Schwann cell surface, remained relatively constant. Along myelin internodes composed of two to six spiral turns, there were many variations in the number of lamellae and their contour. Near the mesaxon's origin, longitudinal strips of cytoplasm separated the myelin layers. Thicker sheaths were larger in circumference, more circular in transverse sections, and more uniform at different levels. Irregularities were confined to the paranodal region, and separation of lamellae by cytoplasm occurred at Schmidt-Lantermann clefts. Approximate dimensions of the bundle, its largest fibers, and their myelin sheaths were measured and calculated. The myelin membrane's transverse length and area increased exponentially with time; the growth rate increased rapidly during the formation of the first four to six spiral layers and remained relatively constant during the subsequent enlargement of the compact sheath.
Lethality in Drosophila melanogaster/Drosophila simulans species hybrids is not associated with substantial transcriptional misregulation.

The cross of Drosophila melanogaster females to Drosophila simulans males produces lethal F1 hybrid males. These lethal phenotypes can be suppressed by mutations in the D. melanogaster gene Hybrid male rescue (Hmr), demonstrating that Hmr has a major role in causing lethality in this hybridization. We performed parallel crosses to generate viable (Hmr–) and lethal (Hmr+) hybrid male larvae and used microarrays to compare whole-genome transcriptional profiles between these two samples. This comparison was done to investigate two questions: whether hybrid lethality is associated with substantial gene misregulation, and whether a mechanistic basis for hybrid lethality can be inferred from the identities of differentially expressed individual transcripts. We report that a surprisingly small number of genes have a significant difference in transcript abundance between lethal and viable hybrid males. There is a significant over-representation of genes encoding proteosome subunits among those upregulated in lethal hybrids relative to viable hybrids. Genetic tests, however, failed to fully support the hypothesis that this overexpression is causing hybrid lethality. Hybrid females were previously reported to have a significantly different expression pattern of sex-biased genes compared to the parental species. We find no such differences between lethal and viable hybrid males. We did find a significant deficit of X chromosome genes among those downregulated in lethal hybrids, but not among those upregulated. We suggest that while interspecific hybrids may have substantial amounts of gene misregulation compared to their parental species, many of these transcriptional differences may be only indirectly related to hybrid incompatibility phenotypes. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 306B, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Performances of MBS Hedge Funds and Mutual Funds: A Puzzle

MBS hedge funds have outperformed the Lehman MBS Index by an average of 210 basis points annually from 1992 through 2003. By comparison, MBS mutual funds have underperformed the Lehman MBS Index by an average of 141 basis points per year. This contrast in performance persists even after adjusting for total risk, as measured by Sharpe ratios. It also persists on a market risk-adjusted basis. Using CAPM single-index, illiquidity-adjusted, market-timing, and various multi-index and multi-factor models, we find that Jensens alpha is consistently negative and significant for MBS mutual funds but positive and significant for MBS hedge funds.
Water Expert : a conceptualized framework for development of a rule-based decision support system for distribution system decontamination

Abstract. Significant drinking water contamination events pose a serious threat to public and environmental health. Water utilities often must make timely, critical decisions without evaluating all facets of the incident. The data needed to enact informed decisions are inevitably dispersant and disparate, originating from policy, science, and heuristic contributors. Water Expert is a functioning hybrid decision support system (DSS) and expert system framework that emphasizes the meshing of parallel data structures in order to expedite and optimize the decision pathway. Delivered as a thin-client application through the user's web browser, Water Expert's extensive knowledgebase is a product of inter-university collaboration that methodically pieced together system decontamination procedures. Decontamination procedures are investigated through consultation with subject matter experts, literature review, and prototyping with stakeholders. This paper discusses the development of Water Expert, analyzing the development process underlying the DSS and the system's existing architecture specifications. Water Expert constitutes the first system to employ a combination of deterministic and heuristic models which provide decontamination solutions for water distribution systems. Results indicate that the decision making process following a contamination event is a multi-disciplinary effort. This contortion of multiple inputs and objectives limit the ability of the decision maker to find optimum solutions without technological intervention.
The Army You Have: The Determinants of Military Mechanization, 1979–2001

Recent research suggests that a crucial factor in understanding the outcomes of military conflicts is the extent to which militaries are mechanized—that is, their relative dependence on tanks and armored vehicles compared to manpower. Since World War II, militaries have become increasingly mechanized both among the great powers and in unexpected quarters of the developing world. Yet the extent of military mechanization varies widely across states. Why have some states adopted highly mechanized force structures, while others have not? This paper tests several hypotheses about the determinants of military mechanization. One perspective suggests that strategic factors—including the force structures of adversaries and neighbors, recent combat lessons, and internal insurgency threats—shape a military’s mix of manpower and vehicles. A second set of hypotheses points instead to domestic institutions such as democracy and civilian control of the military. Still other theories emphasize economic forces and international norms. To test these and other hypotheses, we construct a new data set containing mechanization rates for more than 150 militaries from 1979 to 2001. Broadly, we find significant support for the strategic perspective and little support for domestic institutional explanations. In addition, the results suggest systematic and predictable differences in the ways states structure their militaries in response to security pressures.
Scirrhous eosinophilic gastritis in dogs with gastric arteritis

Three adult spayed female hunting dogs had an unusual form of chronic active gastritis. The disease lasted for months to several years. Vomiting was the most consistent clinical sign. One dog had leukocytosis with 30 percent eosinophils. The stomach of each dog was enlarged and greatly thickened. Collagen deposits, granulation tissue and eosinophils replaced most of the gastric wall. Disease of the gastric arteries ranged from fibrinoid necrosis to panarteritis. Granulation tissue obstructed the omental arteries of one dog. There also was splenic reticuloendothelial hyperplasia with fibrosis, hemorrhage and congestion, and chronic eosinophilic lymphadenitis. Although the cause of this disease was not determined, its basis probably was immunologic.
Climate reconstruction analysis using coexistence likelihood estimation (CRACLE): a method for the estimation of climate using vegetation.

2,3 PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Plant distributions have long been understood to be correlated with the environmental conditions to which species are adapted. Climate is one of the major components driving species distributions. Therefore, it is expected that the plants coexisting in a community are refl ective of the local environment, particularly climate. METHODS: Presented here is a method for the estimation of climate from local plant species coexistence data. The method, Climate Reconstruction Analy- sis using Coexistence Likelihood Estimation (CRACLE), is a likelihood-based method that employs specimen collection data at a global scale for the infer- ence of species climate tolerance. CRACLE calculates the maximum joint likelihood of coexistence given individual species climate tolerance characterization to estimate the expected climate. KEY RESULTS: Plant distribution data for more than 4000 species were used to show that this method accurately infers expected climate profi les for 165 sites with diverse climatic conditions. Estimates diff er from the WorldClim global climate model by less than 1.5 ° C on average for mean annual tempera- ture and less than ~250 mm for mean annual precipitation. This is a signifi cant improvement upon other plant-based climate-proxy methods. CONCLUSIONS: CRACLE validates long hypothesized interactions between climate and local associations of plant species. Furthermore, CRACLE success- fully estimates climate that is consistent with the widely used WorldClim model and therefore may be applied to the quantitative estimation of paleocli- mate in future studies.
Communicating With Patients Who Have Advanced Dementia: Training Nurse Aide Students

The increase of dementia in older adults is changing how medical care is delivered. Recognizing symptoms of pain, managing behaviors, and providing quality of life for people who have advanced dementia requires a new skill set for caregivers. Researchers in this study targeted nurse aide students to test an educational module's effect on students' perceptions of dementia and their ability to care for patients with dementia. The results indicated the training was effective regarding nurse aides' understanding of residual cognitive abilities and need for meaningful contact among patients with advanced dementia; however, the training was not successful in terms of nurse aides' comfort level or perceived skills in working with this population of patients. The findings suggest a need to transform how caregivers are trained in communication techniques. Incorporating this training into nurse aide education has the potential to increase quality of life for people with dementia.
Cross-Shelf Exchange

Cross-shelf exchange dominates the pathways and rates by which nutrients, biota, and materials on the continental shelf are delivered and removed. This follows because cross-shelf gradients of most properties are usually far greater than those in the alongshore direction. The resulting transports are limited by Earth's rotation, which inhibits flow from crossing isobaths. Thus, cross-shelf flows are generally weak compared with alongshore flows, and this leads to interesting observational issues. Cross-shelf flows are enabled by turbulent mixing processes, nonlinear processes (such as momentum advection), and time dependence. Thus, there is a wide range of possible effects that can allow these critical transports, and different natural settings are often governed by different combinations of processes. This review discusses examples of representative transport mechanisms and explores possible observational and theoretical paths to future progress.
Practicing What We Teach - A Call for Progressive Church Taxes

Many Catholics do not know that canon law allows their bishop to impose taxes on the parishes in his diocese for diocesan needs. Under canon law, these diocesan taxes, sometimes called diocesan assessments, parish assessments, or quotas, must "be proportionate to [the parishes'] income." To a tax lawyer, the adjective "proportionate" describes a so-called flat tax, or a system that imposes the same tax rate on every taxpayer's taxable income. Canon law commentators, however, have consistently agreed that diocesan bishops can use a progressive tax, which in this context would impose a higher tax rate on parishes with larger incomes. This article argues that Catholic social teaching, including the U.S. Bishops' 1986 pastoral letter on the U.S. economy, should persuade the diocesan bishops in the United States to use progressive rates whenever they impose diocesan taxes and assessments under canon law. An early 2003 survey underlying this article gathered data from eighty-five of the 176 geographic dioceses in the United States. The survey results reveal that those bishops who impose diocesan taxes or assessments used flat tax rates almost four times more frequently than progressive rates. Given the survey's findings and Catholic social teaching on distributive justice, this article recommends a review of diocesan tax and assessment policies and practices across the United States. Where necessary or appropriate, the article respectfully urges certain changes in those policies and practices, especially the conversion to progressive tax rates. In essence, the bishops should practice what the Gospel, the universal Church, and they themselves teach.
Arrhythmias Following Comprehensive Stage II Surgical Palliation in Single Ventricle Patients

Post-operative arrhythmias are common in pediatric patients following cardiac surgery. Following hybrid palliation in single ventricle patients, a comprehensive stage II palliation is performed. The incidence of arrhythmias in patients following comprehensive stage II palliation is unknown. The purpose of this study is to determine the incidence of arrhythmias following comprehensive stage II palliation. A single-center retrospective chart review was performed on all single ventricle patients undergoing a comprehensive stage II palliation from January 2010 to May 2014. Pre-operative, operative, and post-operative data were collected. A clinically significant arrhythmia was defined as an arrhythmia which led to cardiopulmonary resuscitation or required treatment with either pacing or antiarrhythmic medication. Statistical analysis was performed with Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Fisher's exact test with p < 0.05 significant. Forty-eight single ventricle patients were reviewed (32 hypoplastic left heart syndrome, 16 other single ventricle variants). Age at surgery was 185 ± 56 days. Cardiopulmonary bypass time was 259 ± 45 min. Average vasoactive-inotropic score was 5.97 ± 7.58. Six patients (12.5 %) had clinically significant arrhythmias: four sinus bradycardia, one 2:1 atrioventricular block, and one slow junctional rhythm. No tachyarrhythmias were documented for this patient population. Presence of arrhythmia was associated with elevated lactate (p = 0.04) and cardiac arrest (p = 0.002). Following comprehensive stage II palliation, single ventricle patients are at low risk for development of tachyarrhythmias. The most frequent arrhythmia seen in these patients was sinus bradycardia associated with respiratory compromise.
Coveting an International Bioethics: Universal Aspirations and False Promises

As a field of inquiry, bioethics covets an international political stage. Bioethics lays claim to a universal account of proper moral deportment, including the foundations of law and public policy, as well as the moral authority for national and international institutions to guarantee uniformity of practice. The challenge, as Kazumasa Hoshino rightly notes, is that religious and cultural moral diversity is very real. The national and international political landscape compasses persons from diverse and often fragmented moral communities with widely varying moral intuitions, premises, evaluations, and commitments. Policy must be created to span a diverse set of individuals, cultures, and communities. Yet, such policy is never neutral. It inevitably promotes the social and moral acceptance of certain practices, endorsing particular moral values and metaphysical understandings over others. Political struggles regard both the form and content of what will become the prevailing medical, moral, and social ethos.
The Fate of the Other in Tony Kushner's Angels in America

Before HBO first aired Mike Nichols's two-part television adaptation of Tony Kushner's Angels in America (Millennium Approaches and Perestroika) in December 2003, news of its production generated a certain degree of skepticism as to whether the critical excitement it had generated during some of the most heated days of the AIDS crisis would be renewed.1 Moreover, many were immediately struck by the fact that this new incarnation curiously omitted the boldly provocative subtitle under which it once appeared: "a Gay Fantasia on National Themes." Just what did this elision intimate in terms of Kushner's re-envisioned work?2 In this and other respects, it seemed natural to speculate on just what lasting cultural or moral relevance the 1993 drama might have for a society facing what seemed altogether different challenges a full decade later. On the journey to its star-studded incarnation could Angels in America still speak to the even greater social fragmentation, complex identity politics, and cultural ambiguities of the twenty-first century? On a basic level, Angels in America concerns a cluster of intersecting individuals whose lives are profoundly touched by the epidemic of AIDS deaths in New York in the mid-1980s.3 However, unlike its immediate predecessors, the epic scope of Angels can seem especially bewildering to those who encounter it for the first time and struggle to follow the sprawling narrative that ultimately encompasses such disparate matters as the historical migration of the Mormons, the McCarthy hearings, historical
Structure-Based Identification of Novel Ligands Targeting Multiple Sites within a Chemokine-G-Protein-Coupled-Receptor Interface.

CXCL12 is a human chemokine that recognizes the CXCR4 receptor and is involved in immune responses and metastatic cancer. Interactions between CXCL12 and CXCR4 are an important drug target but, like other elongated protein–protein interfaces, present challenges for small molecule ligand discovery due to the relatively shallow and featureless binding surfaces. Calculations using an NMR complex structure revealed a binding hot spot on CXCL12 that normally interacts with the I4/I6 residues from CXCR4. Virtual screening was performed against the NMR model, and subsequent testing has verified the specific binding of multiple docking hits to this site. Together with our previous results targeting two other binding pockets that recognize sulfotyrosine residues (sY12 and sY21) of CXCR4, including a new analog against the sY12 binding site reported herein, we demonstrate that protein–protein interfaces can often possess multiple sites for engineering specific small molecule ligands that provide lead compounds for ...
An analysis on the data of the third death retrospective survey in Jiangxi province

Objective To investigate the mortality and distribution characteristics of death from the third national death retrospective sampling survey areas in Jiangxi province. This analysis has offered a scientific basis for the policy of diseases control.Methods A death retrospective survey was conducted from 2 cities and 6 counties in Jiangxi province. Death information was obtained in the cases in which citizens died during 2004 to 2005. Mortality and age-standardized morality(ASR)and the constitute proportion to all deaths in different population were used to describe the death pattern. Results From 2004 to 2005,the annual average mortality and ASR were 574.09/105 and 372.24/105 in the citizen of sampling survey areas in Jiangxi Province,The ASR was higher in urban areas(376.93/105) compared to rural areas(247.66/105),and higher in male(437.01/105) compared to female(263.83/105). The first five kinds of death causes were Malignant neoplasm,cerebra-vascular disease,diseases of the respiratory system,injury and poisoning,heart disease. There were different characteristics for each kind of age group. The fraction of death attributable to non-communicable chronic disease(NCD) was around 85%. Conclusion The mortality is lower from the third national death retrospective sampling survey areas in Jiangxi province than that in the whole country. NCD have become important public health problems in Jiangxi.
Probing the Hydrogen-Bonded Water Network at the Active Site of a Water Oxidation Catalyst: [Ru(bpy)(tpy)(H2O)]2+·(H2O)0–4

The infrared spectra of gas-phase mass-selected [Ru(bpy)(tpy)(H2O)]2+·(H2O)0–4 clusters (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine; tpy = 2,2′:6,2″-terpyridine) in the OH stretching region are reported. These species are formed by bringing the homogeneous water oxidation catalyst [Ru(bpy)(tpy)(H2O]2+ from solution into the gas phase via electrospray ionization (ESI) and reconstructing the water network at the active site by condensing additional water onto the complex in a cryogenic ion trap. Infrared predissociation spectroscopy is used to probe the structure of these clusters via their distinctive OH stretch frequencies, which are sensitive to the shape and strength of the local hydrogen-bonding network. The analysis of the spectra, aided by electronic structure calculations, highlights the formation of strong hydrogen bonds between the aqua ligand and the solvating water molecules in the first solvation shell. These interactions are found to propagate through the subsequent solvation shells and lead to the stabilization o...
Financial evaluation of information systems investments

Information systems represent a significant investment for most organizations, regardless of the industry. Managers need to understand that the decision to spend millions, or billions, of dollars on an information system should be analyzed just like any other major purchase. It seems that general management often just "gives in" to the "expert power" of the technologists, both internal and external to the organization. Calculating the Return on Investment (ROI) of an information system acquisition may not be quite as simple or straightforward as doing so for other capital expenditures. However, it is still possible, and necessary, to do the financial analysis. Discussed in this chapter are the issues involved in evaluating information system investment decisions as well as the applicability of various financial measures to evaluation of IS projects.
Sedimentation event sensor: New ocean instrument for in situ imaging and fluorometry of sinking particulate matter

Measuring the quantity and composition of sinking particulate matter is key to understanding biogeochemical processes in the ocean. This has been done in the past with sequencing sediment traps, which collect and store particulate matter in sample bottles for subsequent laboratory analysis. Having a limited number of bottles, these traditional traps force the user to choose between finer time resolution and longer deployment duration. We have built a new sediment trap that analyzes the collected material in situ, eliminating the need to preserve and store the samples. This new instrument, the Sedimentation Event Sensor (SES), captures macro images of the sample with front and back lighting, and takes fluorometric measurements in two bands as proxies for the presence of chlorophyll a and accessory pigments. The SES can process 6200 samples during a single deployment, which is the equivalent of 15 samples per day for more than a year. Here, we describe the design of the SES and present the results of its first three deployments at 3910 m depth. Images and fluorometry data revealed high variability of sinking particulate matter composition on the order of hours. Sedimentation patterns detected by the SES largely agreed with mass flux patterns measured from traditional traps deployed concurrently nearby. Given the functional differences, the SES is best used to complement rather than replace traditional sediment traps.
FY2014 Parameters for Gold Ions in Booster, AGS, and RHIC

The nominal parameters for gold ions in Booster, AGS, and RHIC are given for the FY2014 running period. The parameters are worked out using various formulas to derive mass, kinetic parameters, RF parameters, ring parameters, etc.. The ''standard setup'', ''medium-energy'', and ''low-energy'' parameters are summarized in separate sections.
Changing Perspectives on Area Development Strategies

There is today in Third World countries little consensus on many crucial aspects of subnational as well as national development planning. This lack of consensus applies to the general aims of development and to technical issues such as the role of growth centers or policies for the handling of the informal sector. It applies also to the interpretation of institutional bottlenecks, to the differences among ecologists, urbanists, and partisans of rural development, and to questions of centralization and participation. The divergence on these matters, like the divergence between left and right, is anything but trivial; and it would be complacent to assume that there is much likelihood of simple resolution.
“What’s become of rich Burdeaux claret, who knows?”

The embargo on French wines that was passed by an angry Parliament in 1678 was repealed in 1685, but another embargo on French goods was imposed from 1689 to 1697, during the course of an actual war against France. Both of these embargoes, along with a series of tariff hikes meant to burden French wine, ultimately caused wines from Spain, and to a lesser degree Portugal, to replace claret as the Englishman’s “common draught” by the turn of the eighteenth century. In other words, contrary to popular wine lore, claret’s decline and port’s rise on the English market occurred before, not because of, the so-called Methuen Treaty with Portugal in 1703. But if the popular turn away from claret and the rise of Iberian wines were the most noticeable result of the politics of wine in the two decades following the Exclusion Crisis, it should not blind us to an equally dramatic development, and that is the prevalence of fraud in many forms.
Juvenile Myasthenia and Puberty

The influence of race, sex, and puberty on incidence, severity, and outcome of juvenile myasthenia gravis beginning before age 20 years was evaluated in 115 patients seen at the University of Virginia, Duke University, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
One Mississippi, Two Mississippi: Methodists, Murder, and the Struggle for Racial Justice in Neshoba County. By Carol V. R. George

One Mississippi, Two Mississippi: Methodists, Murder, and the Struggle for Racial Justice in Neshoba County. By Carol V. R. George. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015. 328 pages. Hardcover, $2...
Critical Comments on Rosemier's Exaggerated Alpha Test

(1969). Critical Comments on Rosemier's Exaggerated Alpha Test. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 40, No. 4, pp. 863-864.
Reflectance and photoluminescence characterization of BexZn1−xTe epilayers

Abstract BexZn1−xTe thin films were grown on InP substrates by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Optical properties of the epilayers were studied using reflectance and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. An increase in the full width at half maximum of the emission line with the increase in BeTe content was observed and explained by the disorder-induced broadening. The temperature dependence of the band gap energy was determined from reflectance spectra and fitted by semiempirical equation taking into account average phonon energy and electron–phonon interaction. A reduction of the temperature variation of the band gap with the increase in BeTe content was observed. We propose that this effect is due to the decrease of the lattice contribution caused by the lattice hardening properties of BeTe.