cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oblique wave propagation in a compressible general magnetoplasma

The refractive index equation has been derived for arbitrarily directed oblique waves in compressible general magnetoplasma with arbitrarily directed magneto-static field. The q factor obeys a general sixth order algebraic equation. Booker's quartic equation and Seshadri's result are found as particular cases and other particular cases have been discussed. The general result is checked by using tensor analysis methods and transformation of coordinates.
Cancer-Specific Concerns and Physical Activity Among Recently Diagnosed Breast and Prostate Cancer Survivors

Background. Cancer treatment -related side effects may have a negative impact on quality of life among cancer survivors and may limit participation in physical activity (PA). Hypothesis. Cancer-specific concerns will be reduced throughout a 10-month diet and exercise intervention among recently diagnosed cancer survivors. Additionally, participants reporting greater levels of PA will also report fewer cancer-specific concerns. Study design. This study is an exploratory analysis of 452 recently diagnosed, early-stage breast and prostate cancer survivors who participated in the FRESH START diet and exercise trial. Data were collected at baseline and 1-year follow-up. Results. At baseline, chief concerns among prostate cancer survivors included ability to have an erection (mean score [standard deviation] = 1.0 [1.3]) and urinary frequency (2.5 [1.4]), whereas among breast cancer survivors, eminent concerns were not feeling sexually attractive (2.0 [1.3]) and worry about cancer in other members of their famil...
Fever of Unknown Origin: Where Science Meets Art.

1. Mobeen Rathore, MD, CPE* 1. *Editorial Board member. Professor and Director, University of Florida Center for HIV/AIDS Research, Education and Service, Jacksonville, FL. Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is a relatively uncommon condition in United States children. Nevertheless, FUO remains a challenging clinical problem for even the most astute clinician that requires excellent history taking and physical examination skills. In the more elusive cases, repeated history and physical examination are the hallmarks of evaluation. Although diagnostic testing has been extremely valuable, a Sherlock Holmes-like attention to clues and details is key (being that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was also a physician). Infections remain …
The persistent risk of genital tumors among men treated with psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) for psoriasis.

Abstract Background: In the general population, squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) of the male genitalia are rare. Ten years ago, we documented a significant dose-dependent increase in the risk of malignant genital neoplasms among men treated with psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA). Since that time, fewer cohort patients have used PUVA, and genital protection among PUVA users is likely to be frequent. Objective: Our aim was to determine the incidence and risk factors for genital neoplasms since 1989 and risk factors for these neoplasms among patients treated with PUVA. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 892 men first treated with PUVA in 1975-1976. Results: Twenty-four men (2.7%) had 51 genital neoplasms, including 10 patients with a first tumor after May 1, 1989 (the ending date for our 1990 report). Since May 1, 1989, the incidence of invasive penile and scrotal SCCs was elevated 52.6-fold (95% confidence interval, 19.3-114.6) compared with that expected for the general white population. Multivariate models revealed the highest genital tumor risk among men with high-dose exposure to both PUVA and topical tar/ultraviolet B, with an incidence rate ratio of 4.5 (95% confidence interval, 1.3-16.1) compared with the low-dose exposure group. Conclusion: Although use of PUVA has decreased and genital shielding in our cohort has increased, the dose-dependent increase in the risk of genital tumors in men treated with PUVA has persisted. Particularly high risks occur among those with high-dose exposures to both PUVA and topical tar/ultraviolet B. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2002;47:33-9.)
Estimation and Analysis of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Leaf Cellular Heat Sensitivity

Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) reduction by cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv Poinsett 76 and cv Ashley) leaf discs was used as a viability assay to examine the effect of temperature pretreatment on the tissue response to acute hyperthermia. Semi-logarithmic plots of TTC reduction as a function of incubation time at different temperatures from 40 to 60[deg]C resembled the heat survival curves of animal cells. Heat inactivation rates were obtained and subjected to “quasi” Arrhenius analyses by analytical methods derived from the animal studies. The Arrhenius plots of TTC reduction rates for cv Ashley leaf discs preincubated at 25 or 37[deg]C and for cv Poinsett 76 preincubated at 37[deg]C were linear with the same activation energy (Ea) of about 80 kcal mol-1. The Arrhenius plot of cv Poinsett 76 preincubated at 25[deg]C was nonlinear with an Ea of about 80 kcal mol-1 at temperatures below 46[deg]C and an Ea of about 27.5 kcal mol-1 at temperatures above 47[deg]C. The significance of these differences is discussed in terms of the role of protein denaturation in the thermal sensitivity of cucumber disc reduction of TTC and the applicability of these methods to the analysis of plant cellular heat sensitivity.
Effect of Dietary Fiber on the Texture and Cooking Characteristics of Restructured Pork

Pure cellulose (Solka-Floc), microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel), and a soluble gum (Nutriloid Fiberplus) were added to ground pork at 3.5% and 7.0% based on total dietary fiber content of each ingredient. Texture and cooking characteristics were determined on the patties from all treatments and compared to a control. The two cellulose products at 3.5% most closely resembled the control. The two cellulose products at 7.0% exhibited more hardness, whereas the gum products at 3.5% and 7.0% showed less springiness (elasticity). Cooking losses declined as fiber concentration increased from 3.5% to 7.0% for the cellulose products, but increased for the gum products. The Avicel products at 3.5% and 7.0% and Solka-Floc product at 7.0% exhibited significantly less change in diameter (patty shrinkage).
Proximal and Large Hyperplastic and Nondysplastic Serrated Polyps Detected by Colonoscopy Are Associated With Neoplasia

Background & Aims The family of serrated lesions includes hyperplastic polyps and sessile serrated adenomas without dysplasia, as well as traditional serrated adenoma with dysplasia. We investigated whether detection of proximal nondysplastic serrated polyps (ND-SP) at screening and surveillance colonoscopies is associated with advanced neoplasia. Methods The study included 3121 asymptomatic patients (aged 50–75 years) who had screening colonoscopies; 1371 had subsequent surveillance. The proximal colon was defined as segments proximal to the descending colon. Large ND-SP were defined as ≥10 mm. We compared rates of detection of any neoplasia and advanced neoplasia at screening and surveillance colonoscopies (within 5.5 years) in patients with and without proximal or large ND-SP. Results At baseline screening, 248 patients (7.9%) had at least 1 proximal ND-SP. They were more likely than patients with no proximal ND-SP to have advanced neoplasia (17.3% vs 10.0%; odds ratio [OR], 1.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33−2.70). Patients with large ND-SP (n = 44) were also more likely to have synchronous advanced neoplasia (OR, 3.37; 95% CI, 1.71−6.65). During surveillance, 39 patients with baseline proximal ND-SP and no neoplasia were more likely to have neoplasia compared with subjects who did not have polyps (OR, 3.14; 95% CI, 1.59−6.20). Among patients with advanced neoplasia at baseline, those with proximal ND-SP (n = 43) were more likely to have advanced neoplasia during surveillance (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.03−4.59). Conclusions Detection of proximal and large ND-SP at a screening colonoscopy is associated with an increased risk for synchronous advanced neoplasia. Detection of proximal ND-SP in a baseline colonoscopy is associated with an increased risk for interval neoplasia during surveillance.
Mechanisms controlling the in-situ formation and superconducting properties of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O films

The authors report on the in-situ formation of superconducting films of Bi/sub 2/Sr/sub 2/CaCu/sub 2/O/sub x/ and Bi/sub 2/Sr/sub 2/Ca/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub x/ using composite-target sputtering with substrate temperatures, T/sub s/, significantly less than those required for postannealed films. Specifically, superconducting films of BSCCO 2212 and 2223 can be sputtered onto single-crystal MgO substrates by an in-situ processing technique with T/sub czero/'s as high as 64 K and a very pronounced c-axis orientation without the need for epitaxy. Bi loss in the films can be reduced by biasing the substrate negative or increasing the total system pressure. This should provide greater control over film properties and the possibility of sputter deposition at higher substrate temperatures to see if T/sub czero/'s close to bulk can be achieved. The microstructure generally reveals a smooth matrix, with submicron to micron-sized particles protruding from it. These particles increase in size and frequency with increasing T/sub s/ and appear to be a Bi-Sr-Ca-oxide mixture. It is suggested that oxygen resputtering of the film may play a role similar to that reported for YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-x/ (YBCO).
The McKern Taxonomic System and Archaeological Culture Classification in the Midwestern United States: A History and Evaluation

In the first half of the 20th century three major archaeological culture unit classifications were formulated in the United States. The most curious one was the Midwestern Taxonomic System, a scheme that ignored time and space. Alton K. Fisher suggested to W. C. McKern in the late 1920's that the Linnean model of morphological classifi­cation, which was employed in biology at a time of pre-evolutionary thinking, might be adapted to archaeologi­cal culture classification (Fisher 1986). On the basis of this idea McKern conceived the Midwestern Taxonomic System and planned to present his concept in a paper at the Central Section of the American Anthropological Association at Ann Arbor, Michigan, in April, 1932. Illness prevented him from making the presentation. The first public statement was before a small group of archaeologists at the time of an archaeological symposium, Illinois Academy of Science, May 1932 (Griffin 1943:327). After input from various archaeologists a formal account was prepared as a manuscript entitled "Culture Type Classification for Midwestern North American Archaeology" at the Chicago Conference, December 10, 1932. Other participants at this conference were Samuel A. Barrett, Fay­ Cooper Cole, Thorne Deuel, Carl E. Guthe, A. R. Kelly (Cole and Deuel 1937a:34) and James B. Griffin (as a graduate student, personal communication, 1986). This classification method was more fully and formally presented three years later, in December 1935, at the original Indianapolis Archaeological Conference (Guthe 1937). A more detailed history of the origins of the McKern system is provided by Griffin (1943).
Fabrication of silicon nanostructures with various sidewall profiles and sharp tips

We report a simple but effective method to fabricate high-aspect-ratio silicon nanostructures with /spl sim/230 nm pitch (i.e., period) using interference lithography followed by deep reactive ion etching (DRIE). Sidewall profiles of nanograting and nanopost patterns are controlled through etching parameters of DRIE. We also show that tips with a pointed and re-entrant profile can be created. The tip can further be sharpened by thermal oxidation and subsequent wet etching of the oxide. Nanostructures with various sidewall profiles and sharp tips open new application possibilities not only in electronics but also in other engineering and general areas.
Husbandry and breeding of North American ungulates at Burnet Park Zoo, Syracuse, and Thompson Park Conservancy, Watertown

Burnet Park Zoo, Syracuse, and Thompson Park Conservancy, Watertown, developed a series of enclosures for North American ungulates. The exhibits, built at low capital cost, helped to fulfil the conservation education and research aims of the institutions. This paper describes exhibit design, diet, husbandry, veterinary care and hand-rearing protocols developed at the zoos. Data on reproduction and longevity are also provided.
Interactions between Biliverdin, Oxidative Damage, and Spleen Morphology after Simulated Aggressive Encounters in Veiled Chameleons

Stressors frequently increase oxidative damage–unless organisms simultaneously mount effective antioxidant responses. One putative mitigative mechanism is the use of biliverdin, an antioxidant produced in the spleen during erythrocyte degradation. We hypothesized that both wild and captive-bred male veiled chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus), which are highly aggressive to conspecifics, would respond to agonistic displays with increased levels of oxidative damage, but that increased levels of biliverdin would limit this increase. We found that even just visual exposure to a potential combatant resulted in decreased body mass during the subsequent 48-hour period, but that hematocrit, biliverdin concentration in the bile, relative spleen size, and oxidative damage in plasma, liver, and spleen were unaffected. Contrary to our predictions, we found that individuals with smaller spleens exhibited greater decreases in hematocrit and higher bile biliverdin concentrations, suggesting a revision to the idea of spleen-dependent erythrocyte processing. Interestingly, individuals with larger spleens had reduced oxidative damage in both the liver and spleen, demonstrating the spleen’s importance in modulating oxidative damage. We also uncovered differences in spleen size and oxidative damage between wild and captive-bred chameleons, highlighting environmentally dependent differences in oxidative physiology. Lastly, we found no relationship between oxidative damage and biliverdin concentration, calling into question biliverdin’s antioxidant role in this species.
PtMo Bimetallic Catalysts Synthesized by Controlled Surface Reactions for Water Gas Shift

Supported PtMo bimetallic catalysts were prepared by controlled surface reactions (CSR) and studied for water gas shift (WGS) at 543 K. Carbon and silica supports were used for the preparation of monometallic Pt catalysts, and Mo was deposited onto these catalysts by reaction with cycloheptatriene molybdenum tricarbonyl ((C7H8)Mo(CO)3). Catalysts were characterized by CO chemisorption, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), STEM/EDS, and XAS analysis. We report that carbon-supported Pt nanoparticles are saturated with Mo species at a Mo:Pt atomic ratio of 0.32. Molybdenum has a strong promotional effect in these catalysts, increasing the TOF by up to a factor of more than 4000. Silica-supported catalysts were found to be more active, but the TOF promotional effect of Mo was smaller than for the carbon-supported catalysts at 15. EDS analyses and activity studies showed that the formation of bimetallic catalysts was therefore more efficient using the carbon support. The active si...
Production of Mycelium by Oidium Albicans

In a previous report1 are detailed experiments that resulted in the production of mycelium by Oidium albicans in a watery extract of carrots. The following experiments were undertaken to determine what constituent in the carrot influences mycelial production. Carrot infusion was prepared by macerating about 800 gm. of carrots in 250 c c. of distilled water for 48 hours at room temperature. This extract was then sterilized and dialyzed through parchment paper at room temperature against 750 c c. of distilled water until the dialysate gave a positive Molisch reaction for carbohydrates. This solution is called extract 1, and contains some of the carbohydrates and salts present in carrots. TABLE i
Enthalpies of Solution of Nucleic Acid Bases. 1. Adenine in Water.

An adiabatic solution calorimeter was used to measure the enthalpy of solution in water of various adenine samples for which a large amount of analytical information is reported. The experimental imprecision of the measurements was 1.1 percent. However, it was necessary to assign an overall uncertainty of 3 percent because of impurity uncertainties. Thus, the best value for the enthalpy of solution is ΔH∘(∞,298.15K)=(33.47±1.00)kJ mol-1 ΔCp = (78.7 ± 10.4) J·mol-1·K-1 in the range 298 to 328 K at 5 mmol·kg-1, and the enthalpy of dilution is -(316 ± 208) kJ·mol-1 (mol·kg-1)-1 in the range 1 to 7 mmol·kg-1. The entropy of solution for adenine was calculated to be ΔS° (298.15 K) = (72.1 ± 3.9) J·mol-1·K-1, and the partial molar heat capacity at infinite dilution, C°p2 = (226 ± 11) J·mol-1·K-1. The density of adenine was measured by displacement as 1.47 g·mL-1 with an estimated uncertainty of 1 percent.
Abstract 1429:Apcheterozygosity in the C57BL/6J-Min/+ mouse produces an abnormal exuberant proliferative response in excisional wound healing

The Min mouse is a model for intestinal tumor formation. Previously, we showed that the ApcMin allele produces a dominant-negative effect on enterocyte migration and stromal interaction in vivo. Tumorigenesis is driven by features of epithelial-mesenchymal interaction that are observed in wound healing, therefore we hypothesized that the Min phenotype also involved abnormalities in the wounding response program. We performed excisional wound assays on female Min mice (10 or 20-week old), comparing response to that of female age-matched Apc+/+ (WT) mice. The healing kinetics of full thickness dorsum wounds were quantified by digital planimetry. Histological cross sections on post-operative day 7 were used to measure granulation tissue thickness, nascent blood vessel density, and cell proliferation. Western blotting was performed using granulation tissue lysates to compare the expression of adhesion and extracellular matrix proteins, as well as α-smooth muscle actin, a marker for the presence of contractile cells. Immunofluorescent histochemistry was performed to detect the co-expression and quantitation of αSMA+, vimentin+, SM22+, desmin− myofibroblasts at wound edges. Wound closure was faster in Min mice relative to WT mice, 88.85% versus 68.86% (P Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1429. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1429
A comparison of forward and backward masking

Differences between forward and backward masking were studied by employing a disk, a ring and a pattern as masking stimuli and letters as test stimuli. The results show that interference is greater in forward than in backward masking. Interference was found to decrease monotonically with increasing interstimulus intervals (ISI) in all cases. Of the three masking stimuli, the ring produced the least interference and the pattern the most.
Nonfasting for Routine Lipid Testing: From Evidence to Action

Background Lipid testingplays amajor role in cardiovascular risk stratificationand theassessmentofresponsestoclinical interventions.Historically, ithas beenrecommendedthatbloodsamples for lipidtestingshouldbeobtained after an8to 12-hour fast. Despite thatwe spend the vastmajority of our time innonfasting conditions, fasting samples havebeen the standard for measurement of triglycerides and cholesterol because measuring lipids in the fasting state is believed to reduce variabilityandallowforamoreaccuratederivationof thecommonlyused Friedewald-calculatedlow-density lipoprotein(LDL)cholesterol.However, ifpostprandialeffectsdonotsubstantiallyalter lipid levelsortheir associationwithcardiovascular risk, thenanonfastingblooddrawhas manypracticaladvantages.1 Indeed, recentstudiessuggest thatpostprandial effectsdonotweaken,andevenmaystrengthen, the riskassociations of lipidswith cardiovascular disease (CVD).
TGF-β and BMP signaling in osteoblast, skeletal development, and bone formation, homeostasis and disease

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and bone morphogenic protein (BMP) signaling has fundamental roles in both embryonic skeletal development and postnatal bone homeostasis. TGF-βs and BMPs, acting on a tetrameric receptor complex, transduce signals to both the canonical Smad-dependent signaling pathway (that is, TGF-β/BMP ligands, receptors, and Smads) and the non-canonical-Smad-independent signaling pathway (that is, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase/p38 MAPK) to regulate mesenchymal stem cell differentiation during skeletal development, bone formation and bone homeostasis. Both the Smad and p38 MAPK signaling pathways converge at transcription factors, for example, Runx2 to promote osteoblast differentiation and chondrocyte differentiation from mesenchymal precursor cells. TGF-β and BMP signaling is controlled by multiple factors, including the ubiquitin-proteasome system, epigenetic factors, and microRNA. Dysregulated TGF-β and BMP signaling result in a number of bone disorders in humans. Knockout or mutation of TGF-β and BMP signaling-related genes in mice leads to bone abnormalities of varying severity, which enable a better understanding of TGF-β/BMP signaling in bone and the signaling networks underlying osteoblast differentiation and bone formation. There is also crosstalk between TGF-β/BMP signaling and several critical cytokines' signaling pathways (for example, Wnt, Hedgehog, Notch, PTHrP, and FGF) to coordinate osteogenesis, skeletal development, and bone homeostasis. This review summarizes the recent advances in our understanding of TGF-β/BMP signaling in osteoblast differentiation, chondrocyte differentiation, skeletal development, cartilage formation, bone formation, bone homeostasis, and related human bone diseases caused by the disruption of TGF-β/BMP signaling.
Mitigation incentives with climate finance and treaty options

Abstract Future greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation action of current non-climate-policy (NP) countries is considered to take two alternative forms: 1) “climate finance” payments received in return for future reductions in its GHG emissions below a defined “baseline”; and 2) join a “climate treaty” whereby the required emissions reductions are formally binding. It is assumed that baselines defining climate finance payments, and required emissions reductions under a treaty, depend positively on current emissions. It is then shown that making such future options available reduces current GHG mitigation in NP countries, leading to higher emissions in the short run. This effect is stronger when future climate finance payments are higher; the required relative emissions reductions under a treaty are greater; when commitments under a treaty are longer-lasting; and mitigation targets depend more on current emissions. Such short-run increases in emissions can (sometimes, more than) fully eliminate the effect of the subsequent policy. When climate finance and treaties are both future alternatives, more generous climate finance can make it harder and more expensive to induce the country to join a climate treaty.
Defining Death: Developments in Recent Law

The authors trace the progress among courts, legislatures, and professional and advisory bodies toward the acceptance of legal standards that define death by reference to neurologic criteria. Competing legal formulations and medical proposals are examined, and those standards ultimately adopted in various jurisdictions are set forth.
Using Fluorescence to Characterize the Role of Protein Oligomerization in the Regulation of Gene Expression

Gregorio Weber’s legacy, in addition to seminal contributions in the application of fluorescence to the study of biological molecules, includes, as well, a profound understanding of how protein–protein interactions are intimately coupled to their interactions with ligands. Such energetic and structural coupling implies that protein sequences have evolved such that these interactions are finely tuned to the physiological habitat and state of the organisms in which these proteins function. The work of my group, in collaboration with a number of biologists and biochemists over the years, has sought to discover how protein–protein interactions, both homologous oligomerization and heterologous complex formation, are implicated in the regulation of gene expression. Herein are given several examples of how fluorescence can be applied to characterize the molecular and energetic basis for the role of protein interactions in the regulation of gene expression. Described are several fluorescence approaches, some quite basic and others more complex, how they were applied to specific gene expression regulatory systems both in vitro and in vivo, and what information could be extracted from the results. Apparent from these few examples is the central role played by protein–protein interactions in these regulatory mechanisms, and how any model for regulatory mechanisms must take into account these higher order protein interactions.
The effect of steroid administration on pancreatic secretion during and after hypovolemic shock

In a previous report from this laboratory, 1 h of hypovolemia induced a significant decrease in pancreatic flow, bicarbonate and enzyme secretion. These parameters recover after restoration of blood volume, but never return to pre-shock levels. Furthermore, increasing the period of hypovolemia produced further decreases in pancreatic flow and bicarbonate secretion only. Enzyme secretion, however, rose significantly, probably due to leakage of protein through damaged cell membranes. Prolonged hypovolemia was also accompanied by visible edema. This model of secretory changes induced by fixed periods of hypovolemic shock is ideal to study the effect of steroids on secretion and to assess its possible cytoprotective properties against early induced ischemia pancreatic pathology. Pancreatic secretion was collected by cannulation of the main pancreatic duct in 12 anesthetized dogs. Secretin was administered by continuous intravenous (i.v.) infusion at 4 U/kg/h. Four 15-min samples of pancreatic juice were collected. Then the dogs were bled, withdrawing 25–30% of total blood volume or until the mean blood pressure dropped to about 60 mmHg. At this point, 30 mg/kg of methyl prednisolone were given in 50 cm3 of NaCl i.v. to six animals. Blood samples for amylase and 15-min collections of pancreatic juice for volume, bicarbonate and enzymes were obtained during hypovolemia, as well as during and following the restoration of blood volume. The responses of the two groups differed as follows: (1) Instead of the increase in protein enzyme secretion seen in the non-steroid group with increased duration of hypovolemia, steroid-treated dogs displayed a significant decrease in protein output. (2) Serum amylase levels rose progressively in the non-steroid group and continued to increase after restoration of blood volume. In the steroid-treated animals, the amylase rise during hypovolemia was significantly less, and following restoration of blood volume, serum amylase actually decreased. This study demonstrates the beneficial effect of steroids on pancreatic secretion, during and after prolonged periods of hypovolemic shock. Reduced enzyme output and decreasing serum amylase levels are evidence of a stabilization of acinar and ductular cell membranes, an activity which augurs less severe resultant pathology and increased possibilities for recovery. These secretory effects would warrant a controlled clinical trial for steroids in treatment of human pancreatic inflammation.
Inflation and Intermediation by Depository Institutions

The last twenty-five years have witnessed extraordinary changes in financial markets in the United States and in the Western world. These changes are a consequence of improvements in information processing, imbalances in growth rates of different countries, changes in convertibility and exchange-rate regimes, domestic regulatory and policy initiatives, and, of course, inflation and variations in other rates of return on assets. It is likely that inflation both caused institutional changes and was a consequence of them, but this paper focuses only on the former linkage.2 While the paper emphasises the connection between inflation and portfolio behaviour by depository institutions in the United States, I believe there are counterparts in other countries represented at this conference.
Critical geopolitics on Russian foreign policy: Uncovering the imagery of Moscow’s international relations

The pragmatic and imperialist frames have dominated the analyses of Russian foreign policy. Despite the glaring similarities of Russia’s international conduct with expectations of pragmatism and expansionism, this study argues that Moscow’s foreign policy has been informed by more nuanced and dynamic conceptions of international relations. To uncover the imagery of global politics, as conceived by Russia’s top foreign policy makers, this study employs a critical geopolitics perspective. The latter views foreign policy as a social, cultural, discursive, and political practice of constructing, defending, and living the alternative claims about the ‘truths’ of international relations. The study illuminates Russia’s spatial conceptions of the world, its views of the international actors, and its national identity discourse. It shows how this imagery enters Russia’s geopolitical reasoning that provides the Russian government with ‘rationality’ for projecting soft and hard power in the neighborhood and beyond.
How is the worker’s weekly hour related to wage over the life cycle? The U.S. evidence

ABSTRACTThe current study estimates the relationship between weekly hours and weekly wage over the life cycle of a representative sample of workers. Recognizing the endogeneity of these two variables, the study estimates both equations in a simultaneous equations framework and demonstrates that the relationship between weekly hours and weekly wage is not uniform over the worker’s life cycle. These two variables are negatively related when the workers are young and have a positive relationship when they are matured adults. This conclusion remains valid for both men and women. Our robustness check further confirms that workers respond to wage increases differently at different stages of their working career. This has interesting policy implications. Any policy to influence the worker’s hours decision through wage incentive must consider the stage of his/her working career.
Self-consistent modeling of laser matter interactions in laser-based 3D printing of metals & alloys

We present self-consistent model of laser mater interactions in powder beds of 3D printing of metals. Results are in exceptional agreement with developed analytical model, providing guidelines toward improved control over the processes scan rates.
The Role of Attorney’s Fees in Letter of Credit Litigation

In this article Professor Dolan argues that the law should mandate attorney’s fees in much letter of credit (“LC”) litigation. The argument rests on the notion that litigation itself, notwithstanding the results it obtains, transforms the LC, a unique commercial bank product, into an insurance industry product, a bond, which does not and cannot support executory obligations in the fashion LCs support them.
Perioperative Pain Management in Pediatric Spine Surgery

Pain management after spinal deformity correction surgery for scoliosis in the pediatric population can be difficult. Deformity correction with posterior spinal fusion causes significant tissue trauma. Historically, pain control has been achieved with intravenous opiates. Opiates provide excellent analgesic effect; however, they have serious consequences when used alone. In adult total joint arthroplasty, multimodal pain control has become an increasingly common method to achieve pain control without these sequelae. Recently, the same techniques have been studied in pediatric spinal deformity correction surgery. This article outlines the state of pain management in pediatric spine patients.
Dual projective hashing and its applications -- lossy trapdoor functions and more

We introduce the notion of dual projective hashing. This is similar to Cramer-Shoup projective hashing, except that instead of smoothness, which stipulates that the output of the hash function looks random on no instances, we require invertibility, which stipulates that the output of the hash function on no instances uniquely determine the hashing key, and moreover, that there is a trapdoor which allows us to efficiently recover the hashing key. — We show a simple construction of lossy trapdoor functions via dual projective hashing. Our construction encompasses almost all known constructions of lossy trapdoor functions, as given in the works of Peikert and Waters (STOC '08) and Freeman et al. (PKC '10). — We also provide a simple construction of deterministic encryption schemes secure with respect to hard-to-invert auxiliary input, under an additional assumption about the projection map. Our construction clarifies and encompasses all of the constructions given in the recent work of Brakerski and Segev (Crypto '11). In addition, we obtain a new deterministic encryption scheme based on LWE.
Simultaneous UPLC–MS/MS analysis of two stable isotope labeled versions of sucrose in mouse plasma and brain samples as markers of blood-brain barrier permeability and brain vascular space

Abstract Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) permeability is frequently compromised in the course of diseases affecting the central nervous system (CNS). Sucrose is a low molecular weight, hydrophilic marker with slow permeability at the naive BBB and therefore one of the widely used indicators of barrier integrity. Our laboratory recently developed a highly sensitive UPLC–MS/MS method for stable isotope labeled [13C12]sucrose in biological matrices. Correction of total brain concentration for contribution of intravascular space is required in such experiments in order to accurately measure BBB permeability, and it is often accomplished by vascular perfusion with buffer solutions prior to brain sampling. The purpose of the present study was to develop a UPLC–MS/MS method, which allows simultaneous analysis of two different stable isotope labeled sucrose variants, one of which can be utilized as a vascular marker. The first analyte, [13C12]sucrose, serves to quantify brain uptake clearance as a measure of BBB permeability, while the second analyte, [13C6]sucrose, is administered just before termination of the animal experiment and is considered as the vascular marker. [2H2]sucrose is used as the internal standard for both 13C labeled compounds. Because the majority of recent studies on CNS diseases employ mice, another objective was to validate the new technique in this species. The UPLC–MS/MS method was linear (r2 ≥ 0.99) in the tested concentration ranges, from 10 to 1000 ng/mL for both analytes in plasma, from 2 to 400 ng/g [13C12]sucrose in brain and from 10 to 400 ng/g [13C6]sucrose in brain. It was also validated in terms of acceptable intra and inter run accuracy and precision values (n = 5). The dual analyte technique was applied in a study in mice. One group received intravenous bolus injections of 10 mg/kg [13C12]sucrose at time 0, and 10 mg/kg [13C6]sucrose at 14.5 min, and subsequent terminal blood and brain sampling was performed at 15 min. For comparison, another group received an intravenous bolus dose of 10 mg/kg [13C12]sucrose and was submitted to transcardiac perfusion with buffer after 15 min. We demonstrate that the two alternative techniques to correct for intravascular content deliver equivalent values for brain concentration and brain uptake clearance.
Broadband waveguide port matching in Neptune

We demonstrate a method to obtain a second-order absorbing boundary condition for propagating, broadband, electromagnetic waves in 3D electromagnetic-PIC simulations, that does not introduce spatial derivatives of the fields and that is therefore straightforward to implement. For power propagating in a TE mode of a waveguide (of arbitrary cross-section) the method achieves a numerical reflectance below −25dB, for frequencies 3% or more above the respective mode cut-off frequency. This capability is critical to the reliable prediction of stability in vacuum electronic amplifiers, where spurious numerical reflections in simulated waveguide ports can artificially enhance instabilities at any frequency. We present the theory and verification using NRL's GPU-accelerated PIC code, Neptune.
Privacy at the Margins| Refractive Surveillance: Monitoring Customers to Manage Workers

Collecting information about one group can facilitate control over an entirely different group—a phenomenon we term refractive surveillance . We explore this dynamic in the context of retail stores by investigating how retailers’ collection of data about customers facilitates new forms of managerial control over workers. We identify four mechanisms through which refractive surveillance might occur in retail work, involving dynamic labor scheduling, new forms of evaluation, externalization of worker knowledge, and replacement through customer self-service. Our research suggests that the effects of surveillance cannot be fully understood without considering how populations might be managed on the basis of data collected about others.
Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

A 62-year old male with a history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and prior tobacco use is referred to the clinic for evaluation of worsening dyspnea on exertion. He has had diabetes mellitus for >10 years managed on oral agents. He is also a former 30 pack-year smoker (quit 5 years earlier). His medical regimen includes aspirin, pravastatin, lisinopril, and glyburide.
North American deserts

The deserts of North America are distributed over northern Mexico and the western United States between about 23° and 45° north latitude [Fig. 1]. They owe their existence to a combination of causes. The orographic [rain-shadow] effect is primarily responsible for the aridity of the Chihuahuan Desert. In the Great Basin, there is a winter maximum in rainfall. In the Chihuahuan Desert and the Sonoran Desert, the rainfall maximum comes in summer.
Stable Power Compression with Efficient Relativistic UV Channel Formation in Cluster Targets

Comparative single-pulse studies of self-trapped plasma channel formation in Xe and Kr cluster targets produced with 1–2 TW femtosecond 248 nm pulses reveal energy-efficient (>90 %) power compression with formation of relativistic ultraviolet (248 nm) self-trapped plasma channels. A key observation is the highly robust stability of the channeled propagation characteristic of both materials. Images of the channel morphology produced by Thomson scattering from the electron density correlated with the direct visualization of the Xe(M) and Kr(L) X-ray emission from radiating ions illustrate (1) the channel formation, (2) the narrow region of confined trapped propagation, (3) the abrupt termination of the channel that occurs at the point the power falls below the critical power Pcr, and, in the case of Xe channels, (4) the presence of saturated absorption of Xe(M) radiation that generates an extended peripheral zone of ionization. These observations provide new quantitative information on the channeling mechanism and its ability to produce very high power densities under stable conditions. The measured rates for energy deposition per unit length are ∼1.46 J/cm and ∼0.82 J/cm for Xe and Kr targets, respectively, and the single-pulse Xe(M) energy yield is estimated to be >50 mJ, a value indicating an efficiency >20 % for ∼1 keV X-ray production from the incident 248 nm pulse. An efficiency of this magnitude heralds the future production of kiloelectronvolt X-ray pulses with energies of ∼1 J.
Infective endocarditis superimposed on a massively calcified severely stenotic congenitally bicuspid aortic valve

We describe a 55-year-old man who presented with a stroke resulting from active infective endocarditis (IE) involving a heavily calcified bicuspid aortic valve. The case highlights the infrequency of IE involving a heavily calcified valve, the inability of the infection to penetrate the calcific deposits, and the ability of the infection to spread to the adjacent soft tissues, leading to ring abscess and its multiple complications.
Programmable Data Communication Blocks

This chapter presents a design methodology for implementing performance-optimized communication subsystems for embedded applications. Serial communication modules based on the SPI and UART standards are detailed, and their implementation using PSoC’s programmable digital block is explained.
Plant Genetic Assays and their Use in Studies on Environmental Mutagenesis in Developing Countries

The detection of point mutation at specific loci in Zea mays for use in research in environmental mutagenesis is described. The frequency of forward or reverse mutation at the waxy locus may be determined in gametophytes (pollen grains) and this provides the measurement of large numbers of individuals and thus a high genetic resolution. The analysis of mutation induction in pollen grains is well suited for in situ studies. Methods to identify forward mutation at the yellow-green-2 locus in leaf primordial cells and the use of this assay to identify mutagenic agents after acute exposure are presented. These rapid, relatively simple point mutation assays can be used to evaluate the genotoxic hazards of environmental agents and complex environmental mixtures in developing countries.
2 Pastoral Concerns in the Fictions of Jim Crace

Pastoral’s critical ability to both represent and query the conditions it depicts lies in the divergent meanings underneath its idealised accounts of rural life and between the contrasting spaces of the country and the city. Jim Crace’s fictions use pastoral to both make his imagined landscapes familiar and betray the ambiguities that complicate them. Lilley examines how Crace’s self-conscious use of pastoral allows us to glimpse the frameworks by which characters perceive themselves and their environments. Focusing on Arcadia (1992) and The Pesthouse (2007), Lilley shows how both novels adopt and challenge the pastoral lens to represent and reflect critically upon the blind spots in their characters’ visions and the imperative to account for what lies beyond their fields of view.
Dominance hierarchy establishment in the invasive round goby, Neogobius melanostomus.

Abstract Organisms living at high densities may be forced to engage in conflict for access to resources such as food or shelter. When these resources are limited, the outcome of interactions may have important fitness implications. We investigated the behavioural interactions of the invasive Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) in a shelter-limited environment. Round Goby are benthic fish that utilize rocky shelters for predator avoidance and as reproductive sites in which territorial males defend clutches of eggs. Previous work on this and other species has shown that larger individuals have greater resource holding potential in dyadic interactions. In order to understand the outcome of agonistic interactions in more complex social environments, we observed groups of three goby of the same sex which varied in relative size in an aquarium in which individuals had the opportunity to compete for access to shelters. We predicted that larger goby would behave aggressively towards smaller goby, and outcompete smaller goby for access to shelters. Because males defend shelters while breeding, we also predicted that male goby would compete more aggressively than females over dominance status. We found that larger goby in groups were socially dominant to smaller goby, regardless of sex. Additionally, we found that the largest goby in each group was involved in more aggressive interactions than the second or third largest goby in each group. We found no effect of relative size or sex on aggressive interaction or the emergent dominance relationships. Our findings highlight that aspects of the social environment may limit the opportunity for individuals to establish dominance or establish ownership of resources.
Distributed Load Restoration in Unbalanced Active Distribution Systems

The resilience of modern power systems has been constantly threatened by various natural disasters and man-made attacks. Under those threats, fast and automatic restoration actions are critical for restoring impacted systems to normal operating conditions and preventing from additional disastrous consequences. Smart grid technologies, such as distributed energy resources (DERs) and microgrids, provide both opportunities and challenges for distribution system restoration. In this paper, distributed load restoration (DLR) in unbalanced active distribution networks is developed using the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMMs) algorithm. The step-by-step restoration actions are provided to schedule the output of DERs and distribution system control devices, as well as the power consumption from transmission system restoration. The nonlinearities from three-phase unbalanced power flow and distribution components modeling are relaxed into a convex quadratic programming model. Then, the problem is decomposed into subproblems for each node by applying ADMM-DLR; and solves through each agent by exchanging limited information with neighboring nodes in an iterative procedure. The developed models and algorithms are validated and demonstrated through testing of the IEEE 13-node and 123-node test feeders. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of restoring unbalanced distribution system with the hybrid bottom-up and top-down restoration strategies.