cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Export-Oriented, FDI-Friendly Policies on the Balance of Payments in a Developing Economy: A General Equilibrium Investigation

Many developing countries have adopted investor-friendly policies in recent years in order to attract export-oriented foreign direct investment (FDI). The effects of these policies on the external accounts have been largely ignored. This paper endogenizes FDI in°ows in a structuralist general equilibrium framework to contribute towards filling this gap. Our economy consists of: (i) a non-tradable goods sector and (ii) an export processing zone (EPZ) that hosts transnational corporations. The analysis finds that, contrary to widely-shared perceptions, the short-run effects of FDI-friendly policies on the balance of payments may frequently be negative due to the nature of both the investments and the policy measures. Moreover, balance of payments-related consequences of measures such as tax concessions and wage controls differ depending on: (i) which sector these are implemented in, (ii) the nature of international demand, and (iii) the extent of backward linkages between the EPZ and the domestic economy. JEL Categories: F21, F23, F41
MIPS: a VLSI processor architecture

MIPS is a new single chip VLSI processor architecture. It attempts to achieve high performance with the use of a simplified instruction set, similar to those found in microengines. The processor is a fast pipelined engine without pipeline interlocks. Software solutions to several traditional hardware problems, such as providing pipeline interlocks, are used.
Twenty-First Century Slavery: Reconciling Diplomatic Immunity and the Rule of Law in the Obama Era

This Article examines how during President Barack Obama’s first two years in office his administration has interacted with the judiciary to effect change on the daunting task of combating modern-day slavery during what some have called the “Obama Era.” The Article enumerates the various manifestations of modern-day slavery as sex trafficking, forced labor, debt bondage, involuntary servitude, forced marriage, organ harvesting, and child exploitation and explores these crimes’ pervasiveness in American society. After discussing the extent of the involvement of diplomats in human trafficking in this country, the Article examines the Obama Administration’s involvement in Baoanan v. Baja, the most prominent case since Obama’s election addressing the lawful limits of a diplomat’s “official” and “unofficial” acts under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR). The Article then presents arguments for broader application of the jus cogens doctrine to finally strip diplomats of their Teflon authority under the VCDR which allows them to be the only segment of society that can violate the highest moral laws of this country and of the international community against the continuation of slavery and its progeny. In conclusion, the Article predicts other actions President Obama may pursue during the balance of his term in office to contribute to eradicating human trafficking in the twenty-first century.
Cryptographic support for fault-tolerant distributed computing

Mobile processes, or agents, have been proposed for a variety of applications in the Internet and other large distributed systems. But little work has been directed at operating-system support for agents. This paper discusses one aspect of the problem---implementing fault-tolerance without specialized hardware.In traditional client-server settings, a central and trusted host may send all messages and receive all replies, thereby implementing a star-shaped communications pattern. In contrast, an agent can execute autonomously at a succession of remote sites without returning to the host that launched it. Thus, computations structured using agents may consume less network-bandwidth in performing tasks that involve multiple hosts. Moreover, for some settings, it is unrealistic to presume the existence of a central host that remains connected to the network---mobile computing and wireless networks are obvious examples.In an open distributed system, agents comprising an application must not only survive (possibly malicious) failures of the hosts they visit, but they must also be resilient to the potentially hostile actions of other hosts. Correctness of a computation should depend only on hosts that would be visited in a failure-free run. We assume that faulty hosts produce erroneous messages, that they can masquerade as other faulty hosts, but that they cannot assume the identities and do not have access to secrets of non-faulty hosts.Replication and voting are necessary to survive malicious behavior by visited hosts. However, faulty hosts that are not visited by agents can confound a naive replica-management scheme by spoofing. With this in mind, we have been investigating protocols for replication and voting in a family of applications. Our protocols use cryptographic techniques in novel ways. Furthermore, our experiments reveal that fast (correct) hosts can mask delays caused by slow ones, so replication actually speeds up some applications.Section 2 characterizes the family of applications treated in this paper. Section 3 describes experiments we ran to explore performance implications of replication and voting in this setting. The role of cryptographic techniques in our protocols is discussed in section 4. Section 5 contains our conclusions.
Commentary Paper on "Video Surveillance for Biometrics: Long-Range Multi-biometric System"

This paper introduces a long-range multi-biometric system by integrating hierarchical camera system design, human detection and tracking, face detection and pose estimation, NIR laser illumination, and iris acquisition by a PTU and long focal length zoom lens. The system proposed by the paper is sound. Hierarchical design and error-correction steps are introduced in an attempt to make the system robust in real world scenarios. The main concern is two folds: the low resolution of the acquired iris images, and the processing time between frames. Low resolution iris images may lead to significantly decreased accuracy in biometric-based recognition. And the long processing time (due to detection, tracking, etc.) may prevent the system from being applicable to acquiring iris images of moving subjects.
Equilibrium Outcomes of Dynamic Games in MIMO Channels with Active Eavesdroppers

This paper investigates transmission strategies in a MIMO wiretap channel with a transmitter, receiver and wiretapper, each equipped with multiple antennas. The secrecy rate between the transmitter and the legitimate receiver is chosen as the performance metric. In a departure from existing work, the wiretapper is able to act either as a passive eavesdropper or as an active jammer, under a half-duplex constraint. The transmitter therefore faces a choice between allocating all of its power for data; or broadcasting artificial noise along with the information signal in order to selectively degrade the eavesdropper's channel. We model the network as a dynamic zero-sum game in extensive form with the secrecy rate as the payoff function. We first examine subgame-perfect equilibrium strategies in the extensive form of the game with perfect information. We then discuss sequential and trembling hand perfect equilibria for the case of imperfect information. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to corroborate the analytical results.
Movelets: A dictionary of movement

Recent technological advances provide researchers with a way of gathering real-time information on an individual’s movement through the use of wearable devices that record acceleration. In this paper, we propose a method for identifying activity types, like walking, standing, and resting, from acceleration data. Our approach decomposes movements into short components called “movelets”, and builds a reference for each activity type. Unknown activities are predicted by matching new movelets to the reference. We apply our method to data collected from a single, three-axis accelerometer and focus on activities of interest in studying physical function in elderly populations. An important technical advantage of our methods is that they allow identification of short activities, such as taking two or three steps and then stopping, as well as low frequency rare(compared with the whole time series) activities, such as sitting on a chair. Based on our results we provide simple and actionable recommendations for the design and implementation of large epidemiological studies that could collect accelerometry data for the purpose of predicting the time series of activities and connecting it to health outcomes.
Sensitivity analysis of aerosol retrieval algorithms using two-channel satellite radiance data

We discuss the methodology of interpreting channel 1 and 2 AVHRR radiance data to retrieve tropospheric aerosol properties over the ocean and describe a detailed analysis of the sensitivity of monthly average retrievals to the assumed aerosol models. We use real AVHRR data and accurate numerical techniques for computing single and multiple scattering and spectral absorption of light in the vertically inhomogeneous atmosphere-ocean system. Our analysis shows that two-channel algorithms can provide significantly more accurate retrievals of the aerosol optical thickness than one-channel algorithms and that imperfect cloud screening is the largest source of errors in the retrieved optical thickness. Both underestimating and overestimating aerosol absorption as well as strong variability of the aerosol refractive index may lead to regional and/or seasonal biases in optical thickness retrievals. The Angstrom exponent appears to be the most invariant aerosol size characteristic and should be retrieved along with optical thickness as the second aerosol parameter.
Localization of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor in Primary and Secondary Lymphoid Organs of the Rat

Cells of the immune system produce a variety of neuropeptides or peptide hormones, either constitutively or upon induction, and possess specific neuropeptide receptors that display ligand-receptor interactions similar to those described in the central nervous system (CNS). These findings suggest that specific subsets of lymphoid cells can produce and respond to peptides previously thought to be principally neural mediators. Recently, corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) mRNA was detected in the rat thymus and spleen, although the cells that synthesize CRF were not identified. We examined the localization of CRF and its mRNA in the rat spleen, thymus, and mesenteric lymph nodes using immunocytochemistry (ICC) and in situ hybridization (ISH), respectively. Immunoreactive CRF was present in cells in the marginal zone and red pulp of the spleen, in connective tissue septa and the subcapsular region of the thymus, and in the medullary cords and sinuses of the mesenteric lymph nodes. Dual ICC/ISH for CRF and its mRNA, respectively, demonstrated CRF mRNA over CRF-immunoreactive cells, suggesting CRF synthesis. Double-label ICC for CRF and markers for specific immunocyte subsets suggest that CRF+ cells in the spleen and thymus are macrophages. CRF+ cells in primary and secondary lymphoid organs reside in compartments that are innervated by sympathetic nerves, and some cells appears to be contacted by noradrenergic sympathetic nerve fibers, suggesting that CRF release may be influenced by the sympathetic nervous system, as it is in the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. The presence of CRF in organs of the immune system suggests that this neuropeptide may modulate immune functions after paracrine release.
Spectral derivative feature coding for hyperspectral signature analysis

This paper presents a new approach to hyperspectral signature analysis, called Spectral Derivative Feature Coding (SDFC). It makes use of gradient changes in adjacent bands to characterize spectral variations so as to improve spectral discrimination and identification. In order to evaluate its performance, two binary coding methods, SPectral Analysis Manager (SPAM) and Spectral Feature-based Binary Coding (SFBC) are used to conduct comparative analysis. The experimental results demonstrate the proposed SDFC performs more effectively in capturing spectral characteristics.
August diet of age-0 Pacific halibut in nearshore waters of Kodiak Island, Alaska

The objective of this study was to describe the diet of age-0 Pacific halibut,Hippoglossus stenolepis, for the inshore waters of Kodiak Island, Alaska during August 1991. Stomach contents were identified from 170 age-0 halibut captured inshore of the eastern and southern coasts of Kodiak Island, and were analyzed in relation to halibut size, location, depth and substrate of capture. One hundred sixty-eight of 170 fish had eaten crustaceans, of which the predominant prey taxa were Mysidacea (34.3%), Cumacea (33.1%), Gammaridea (26.6%) and Caridea (3.9%). In five of six capture locations, mysids and amphipods were predominant prey. In the remaining area, Sitkinak Strait, cumaceans were the primary food source. At depths less than 10 m, mysids were the predominant prey taxa. Gammarid amphipods were of primary importance at depths of 10–30 m. Halibut captured from 30–70 m fed mainly on cumaceans. Cumaceans and gammarid amphipods were consumed by halibut caught on gravel substrate. Fish caught on substrates of sand and mud fed mainly on mysids and amphipods. Cumaceans were also consumed on sandy substrates. Fish ≤ 45 mm fed on cumaceans. An ontogenetically related shift in diet occurred at 46–55 mm TL, at which size the halibut's primary prey began to shift from cumaceans to mysids. Fish of 46–75 mm consumed increasingly greater proportions of mysids, amphipods and shrimps. The diet of age-0 Pacific halibut along the Kodiak coast during August was related to predator size, and location, depth, and substrate type of capture.
In Vitro Susceptibility of Bacteroides fragilis Group Strains from Abscesses, Body Fluids and Wound/Tissue Sources

The in vitro activity of several antimicrobial agents was tested against over 1600 clinical isolates of the Bacteroides fragilis group obtained from abscesses, body fluids, and wound/tissue sources. Overall, isolates from body fluids tended to be slightly more resistant than those from abscesses or wounds/tissues. Regardless of isolate source, ceftizoxime was the most active cephalosporin tested, with resistance rates varying from 8 to 12%. Of the 3 cephamycin compounds tested, cefoxitin was considerably more active than cefotetan and cefmetazole against isolates from all 3 sources. Overall, the activities of piperacillin and mezlocillin were comparable, and each was superior to ticarcillin, with resistance rates of 7 to 12% vs 10 to 22%. Both carbapenems were highly active; however, imipenem was slightly more active than meropenem. The activity of clindamycin was similar against all 3 groups of isolates, with resistance rates of 10 to 11%. No isolates were resistant to metronidazole. B. fragilis species tended to be more susceptible to most antimicrobial agents compared with non-B. fragilis species. We conclude that species grouping is an important factor in susceptibility patterns of the B. fragilis group, whereas the source of isolates is relatively unimportant.
CONTRIBUTION OF PERTURBER RADIATION TO THE SHAPES OF SPECTRAL LINES BROADENED BY ELECTRON IMPACTS.

Spectral line shapes broadened by electron impacts, taking into account contribution of radiation produced by perturbing electrons
Effects of Ovariectomy and Steroid Treatment on Hypophyseal Sensitivity to Purified LH-Releasing Factor (LRF)

The sensitivity of the pituitary gland to partially purified LRF was investigated both in vivo and in vitro. LRF produced an increasein, plasma LH but not FSH in vivo, but it increased the release of both hormones from anteriorpituitaries incubated in vitro. Ovariectomy appeared to lower sensitivity below that encountered in proestrouS animals, but treatment of ovariectomized animals with 50 μg of estradiol benzoate subcutaneously 3 days before greatly enhanced the sensitivity to LRF both in vivo and in vitro. Treatment of ovariectomized animalswith 25 mg of progesterone in the presence or absence of estrogen failed to modify the responsiveness of the glands. Sensitization of the glands by estrogen was associated with a decline inplasma levels, but no alteration in pituitary contentof LH. Hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasingactivity was reduced by estrogen and the ratio of FSH to LH-releasing activity was reduced suggestingthat estrogen preferentially reduces synthesisand/or release of FSH-releasing factor...
Human erythrocyte catechol-O-methyltransferase: correlation with lung and kidney activity.

Abstract Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) activity measured in homogenates of human lung or renal cortical tissue was approximately an order of magnitude greater than the enzyme activity in human erythrocytes. Lung and blood enzyme activities varied from individual to individual over a 5–7 fold range. There was a highly significant correlation between the COMT activity in erythrocytes and the enzyme activity in lung (r = 0.59, P
Origin of life: Cold-hearted RNA heats up life

An RNA replicase ribozyme has long been sought by chemists interested in the origin of life. Now, a selection strategy employing a low-temperature water–ice mixture as the medium has led to discovery of a ribozyme that can catalyse polymerization of an RNA chain greater than its own length.
GaAs Schottky mixer diode with integral guard layer structure

Schottky-barrier microwave mixer diodes of GaAs have been fabricated in a novel epitaxially grown high resistivity guard layer configuration. These devices are capable of withstanding RF pulse energies of up to 2 ergs with no deterioration in noise figure performance. Such high resistance to RF spike burnout is attributed to device planarity and passivation resulting from the integral guard layer design.
The Impact of Law on African American Males

This article analyzes whether federal and state constitutional and statutory provisions sufficiently protect African American male students from racism in public education. The first section explains how structural racism and unconscious racism have worked in tandem to prevent many African American males from experiencing the promise of equal educational opportunity in Brown v. Board of Education (1954). The second section examines the two federal laws that are primarily invoked to protect African Americans from governmental discrimination: (a) the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and (b) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The third section explains whether legal arguments arising from the accountability movement might enable African American males to obtain remedies from the effects of structural and unconscious racism. Three provisions are examined: (a) the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, (b) state education clauses, and (c) the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Solubility measurements in the L-isoleucine + L-valine + water system at 298 K

Solid-liquid equilibrium data are reported for L-isoleucine (L-ILE) + L-valine (L-VAL) + water at 298 K and ambient pressure, using experimental techniques that involve (a) cooling of an aqueous solution of the two amino acids until crystals are formed, or (b) the addition of one amino acid to an undersaturated aqueous solution of the other amino acid until any added crystals remain undissolved. The compositions of the phases in the two types of experiments were obtained by HPLC analysis. Solid phases were also analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that, in the L-ILE + L-VAL + water system, homogeneous solid solutions are obtained in cooling crystallization experiments (method a), whereas isothermal experiments (method b) generally yield inhomogeneous solids. This suggests that literature data from isothermal experiments may not always represent true equilibrium values, especially when the solutes being crystallized are isomorphous or near-isomorphous, as in the case of the amino acids studied in this work.
Multinational corporations, totalitarian regimes and economic nationalism: United Fruit Company in Central America, 1899–1975

The US multinational United Fruit Company has been considered the quintessential representative of American imperialism in Central America. Not only did the company enjoy enormous privileges in that region, but also counted on authoritarian governments in dealing with labour unrest. The literature assumes that United Fruit and the dictators were natural allies due to their opposition to organised unionism. This paper shows that this alliance could only survive as long as the multinational provided the dictators with economic stability for the country. However, when the multinational proved to be incapable of doing that, the dictators allied with the working class to confront the multinational and extract higher rents from it.
Recurrence relations between expectations of functions of order statistics

Abstract General recurrence relations are derived for expectations of functions of one or more order statistics. Several examples are presented. The results also hold for order statistics from exchangeable sequences and for concomitants of order statistics.
Genetic structure of asexually reproducing Enteromorpha linza (Ulvales: Chlorophyta) in Long Island Sound

Thirteen asexually reproducing clones of Enteromorpha linza were found in samples collected from March to September 1982 in Long Island Sound, USA, based on variation at five enzyme loci. Significant differences in the relative frequency of each clone were observed among samples from 16 localities. There was a tendency for localities at the eastern end of the Sound to form a group genetically differentiated from localities at the western end, but in general there was no strong relationship between geographic distance and genetic distance. Areas separated by only a few hundred meters were genetically differentiated, despite the presence of a dispersing spore stage in this species. Samples from areas of low salinity were genetically similar but distinct from adjacent high salinity areas. One clone restricted to high salinity localities and one associated with low salinity localities were tested for growth under high and low salinity conditions in the laboratory. The clone from the high salinity habitat grew more slowly under low salinity conditions. However, there was no evidence for a detrimental effect of high salinity on the low salinity associated clone. Additional environmental factors, as well as biological factors such as limited recruitment and competitive interactions among clones, may also be important determinants of genetic differentiation among populations of E. linza. Temporal shifts in clone frequency were observed within some localities and may be due to seasonal-dependent regeneration from microscopic holdfasts for different clones or a seasonal recruitment of new clones from other areas. The pattern of differentiation among populations of E. linza in Long Island Sound appears to be maintained by factors operating on a microgeographic scale.
Costs and Benefits of Jasmonic Acid Induced Responses in Soybean

In response to herbivory, plants have evolved defense strategies to reduce herbivore preference and performance. A strategy whereby defenses are induced only upon herbivory can mitigate costs of defense when herbivores are scarce. Although costs and benefits of induced responses are generally assumed, empirical evidence for many species is lacking. Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) has emerged as a model species with which to address questions about induced responses. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the fitness costs and benefits of jasmonic acid-induced responses by soybean in the absence and presence of soybean loopers (Chrysodeix includens Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). In a greenhouse experiment we demonstrated that soybean induction was costly. Induced plants produced 10.1% fewer seeds that were 9.0% lighter, and had 19.2% lower germination rates than noninduced plants. However, induction provided only modest benefits to soybeans. In a choice experiment, soybean loopers significantly preferred leaves from noninduced plants, consuming 62% more tissue than from induced plants. Soybean loopers that fed on plants that were previously subjected to treatment with jasmonic acid matured at the same rate and to the same size as those that fed on control plants. However, at high conspecific density, soybean looper survivorship was reduced by 44% on previously induced relative to control plants. Reduced soybean looper preference and survivorship did not translate into fitness benefits for soybeans. Our findings support theoretical predictions of costly induced defenses and highlight the importance of considering the environmental context in studies of plant defense.
MRI of pseudoaneurysm of a brachial venous coronary bypass graft.

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is being performed all over the world, with major success in the management of ischemic heart disease and angina pectoris. Complications of bypass grafting include partial or total graft reocclusion, and less common entitles such as aneurysm or pseudoaneurysm formation. Noninvasive imaging procedures exist which can help include or exclude the presence of these unusual types of complications when mass-like abnormalities are seen on a chest X-ray following coronary artery bypass grafting. This case specifically illustrates the usefulness of ultrafast magnetic resonance imaging techniques in the evaluation and diagnosis of pseudoaneurysm formation at the site of coronary artery bypass graft. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A five-year, retrospective, comparison review of survival in neurosurgical patients diagnosed with venous thromboembolism and treated with either inferior vena cava filters or anticoagulants.

Bacground The optimal role of inferior vena cava filters (IVCF) in the management of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is not well defined. The purpose of this study was to compare mortality risk for VTE patients treated with IVCF or anticoagulants.
Hope in Patients With Cancer Transitioning to Survivorship: The Mid-Life Directions Workshop as a Supportive Intervention

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To describe the Mid-Life Directions workshop as an intervention to support hope and quality of life in midlife cancer survivors. DATA SOURCES: Published articles and books. DATA SYNTHESIS: The Mid-Life Directions workshop assists survivors to integrate the cancer experience through conscious awareness and choice, and transition to survivorship with an increased level of adaptation. Quality of life and hope are enhanced through new information and skills allowing participants to direct their lives into a preferred future. CONCLUSIONS: The midlife cancer survivor is challenged to face the fear of recurrence, death, and the crisis of meaning in a developmentally appropriate way. The task of midlife is to navigate the tension of generativity versus stagnation for care to emerge as the predominant strength. The Mid-Life Directions workshop provides the cancer survivor the opportunity to reevaluate goals, reprioritize values, and find one's own answers to these challenges to adapt to life as a cancer survivor. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: This clinically relevant intervention merits formal study. Facilitator preparation, mode of delivery, and other elements for possible research are discussed.
Requirements for paradigm shift.

Since Noam Chomsky's famous 1959 review of B. F. Skinner's Verbal Behavior , a linguistically based paradigm for research in first language acquisition has been strong, even in some senses, dominant. Even Piaget, whose main concern was the nature of cognitive development in general, did not deny the essential claim of a linguistically based paradigm for the study of language acquisition: ‘I (Piaget) also agree with him (Chomsky) on the fact that this rational origin of language presupposes the existence of a fixed nucleus necessary to the elaboration of all languages’ (Piaget in Piatelli-Palmarini, 1980: 57). This linguistically based paradigm has led to a developed theory of what it is that the child must acquire when s/he acquires language, and to precise scientific hypotheses regarding the nature of this knowledge. These hypotheses can be, and are being, subjected to empirical test, thus advancing the scientific foundations of the field. In this paradigm, the postulation of a ‘Language Faculty’ in the mind of the human species, and in the child, has allowed the formulation of specific components of linguistic knowledge which are now being tested in language acquisition as well as in grammars of languages of the world.
Application of fuzzy logic for modeling of waterjet depainting

Abstract The presented work is concerned with numerical modeling of waterjet surface processing. More specifically, it is concerned with modeling of the waterjet paint stripping. An experimental database, containing water pressure, standoff distance, traverse rate and the strip width (the width of the region where paint was completely removed by the moving jet) was acquired. The Fuzzy Logic technique was used to construct routines relating input variables with the strip width. An additional database was acquired in order to evaluate the accuracy of the prediction. The error ranges from 1 % to 7% in the tested parameter space. The presented study showed that the application of Fuzzy Logic for modeling of the waterjet surface processing is practical.
Anomalous Dispersion and Scattering of X-Rays

The theoretical expressions for the anomalous dispersion of x-rays have been integrated for any positive value of ${p}_{q}$ in a ${C}_{q}{\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{{p}_{q}}$ term in the distribution of "dispersion" oscillators for the $q$ shell of electrons. This distribution may be written generally as the sum of $n$ terms of the form ${C}_{\mathrm{qn}}{\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{{p}_{\mathrm{qn}}}$ or, as is commonly done, as a single term. Damping has been retained, its effect evaluated and shown to be negligible except for $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ extremely close to the wavelength of an absorption discontinuity. With damping neglected, universal dispersion curves are presented. If ${p}_{q}$ and ${g}_{q}$ (the oscillator strength) are known, the anomalous part of the refractive index or of the atomic scattering factor can be readily deduced from the universal curves.Comparison of the more exact theoretical values with experiment shows less satisfactory agreement than before.
Sulfated Pentagalloylglucoside is a Potent, Allosteric, and Selective Inhibitor of Factor XIa

Inhibition of factor XIa (FXIa) is a novel paradigm for developing anticoagulants without major bleeding consequences. We present the discovery of sulfated pentagalloylglucoside (6) as a highly selective inhibitor of human FXIa. Biochemical screening of a focused library led to the identification of 6, a sulfated aromatic mimetic of heparin. Inhibitor 6 displayed a potency of 551 nM against FXIa, which was at least 200-fold more selective than other relevant enzymes. It also prevented activation of factor IX and prolonged human plasma and whole blood clotting. Inhibitor 6 reduced VMAX of FXIa hydrolysis of chromogenic substrate without affecting the KM, suggesting an allosteric mechanism. Competitive studies showed that 6 bound in the heparin-binding site of FXIa. No allosteric small molecule has been discovered to date that exhibits equivalent potency against FXIa. Inhibitor 6 is expected to open up a major route to allosteric FXIa anticoagulants with clinical relevance.
Inhibition of lipid peroxidation by paraquat: Site of inhibition in the cytochrome P-450-dependent steroid hydroxylase system from bovine adrenal cortex mitochondria

Abstract We have found that NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation in bovine adrenal cortex mitochondria is strongly inhibited by paraquat. The site of the inhibition of the lipid peroxidation by paraquat has been examined. Paraquat neither inhibits NADPH-2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol nor NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activities. However, paraquat is able to retard the rate of reduction of cytochrome P-450 by NADPH. The spectrophotometric measurements provide the first evidence that lipid peroxidation in adrenal cortex mitochondria involves cytochrome P-450 and that the inhibitory effect of paraquat on lipid peroxidation is due to reoxidation of reduced cytochrome P-450 by the reagent.
Stress and personality as factors in women's cardiovascular reactivity

An experiment was conducted to investigate the relationships among Type A behavior, hostility and cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) in women. Changes in heart rate, blood pressure and skin conductance from baseline to task levels were used to assess reactivity. These measures were obtained from 96 women during a seated baseline period, a reaction time task and during an oral IQ quiz. Analyses indicated that Type A and high hostile women were more reactive to an oral IQ quiz and reaction time stressors than Type B and low hostile women. Specifically, Type As showed significantly greater increases in systolic blood pressure in the reaction time task and greater mean arterial pressure and systolic blood pressure increases in the IQ quiz. High hostiles evidenced significantly higher systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in the RT task and higher mean arterial pressure and diastolic blood pressure in the IQ quiz. It was concluded that Type A personality and hostility can predict greater reactivity in women to two different stressors. The oral quiz generated greater reactivity than the RT task and thus may be a more stressful task.
Scalable multi-rate iLBC

Rate flexibility and high robustness to packet loss are the essential features of speech codec for voice communications over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. Multi-rate internet Low Bit-rate Codec (iLBC) is one of the speech codecs that possesses both properties and was presented by our previous papers. However the speech quality is limited in clean channel conditions because of the limitations of the current frame-independent coding scheme in time domain. In this paper, the benefits of scalable structure constructed by the addition of enhancement layer to the core layer of multi-rate iLBC are presented. The experimental simulation results show that the proposed framework can improve speech quality especially at high bit rates.
Type I rehearsal: Maintenance and more

A technique that can be used to study the effects of low-level, rote, repetitive (Type I) rehearsal is introduced and validated. The technique is then used to investigate the relationship between the amount of Type I rehearsal and recognition memory performance, free from confoundings that have plagued other research. Increasing the amount of Type I rehearsal improved recognition memory regardless of the number of words maintained at one time (one or three) and independent of the association value of CVC syllables. These results imply that Type I processing serves more than a maintenance-only function, and that the additional benefit from this rehearsal is best explained by an increase in the number of frequency or context tags associated with the memorial representation of the to-be-remembered items.
Strain differences in production of murine interferons.

AbstractStudies were conducted comparing interferon production of various mouse strains. Methods used included the production of interferon in vivo and in vitro using spleen cell cultures. Strain differences observed in vivo were generally consistent with the results obtained using cell culture methods. In general, high-producing strains in vivo were also high producers using in vitro methods. Strain differences in vivo were greatest using BCG with old Tuberculin (OT) as a challenge. In general, BDF1 and C57BL/6J mice were high producers while BALB/cByJ and NZB/BLNJ were consistently low responders to both type I and type II interferon inducers. C3H/He and HA/ICR mice could be classified as intermediate interferon producers.
Vasectomy demographics and postvasectomy desire for future children: results from a contemporary national survey

Objective To describe the longitudinal demographics and family planning attitudes of vasectomized men with the use of the National Survey for Family Growth (NSFG). Design Retrospective cohort analysis of the NSFG with the use of national projections and multivariable regressions. Setting In-home survey. Patient(s) The NSFG sampled 10,403 men aged 15–45 years from 2006 to 2010 regarding family planning attitudes. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Vasectomy and desire for children. Result(s) There were 3,646,339 (6.6%) vasectomized men aged 18–45 years in the U.S. On multivariable regression the following factors increased the odds of having a vasectomy: currently married (odds ratio [OR] 7.814), previously married (OR 5.865), and increased age (OR 1.122) and income (OR 1.003). The odds of having a vasectomy increased with number of children. The following factors decreased the odds of having a vasectomy: immigrant status (OR 0.186), African American (OR 0.226), Hispanic (OR 0.543), Catholic (OR 0.549), and other non-Protestant religion (OR 0.109). Surprisingly, an estimated 714,682 (19.6%) vasectomized men in the U.S. desire future children. Men practicing a religion (OR 8.575–15.843) were more likely than atheists to desire children after vasectomy. 71,886 (2.0%) vasectomized men reported having a vasectomy reversal. Conclusion(s) This study highlights the importance of preoperative counseling for permanency of vasectomy and reveals an opportunity to counsel couples about vasectomy versus tubal ligation.
DETERMINANTS OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DISCLOSURE: AN APPLICATION OF STAKEHOLDER THEORY

A lack of sufficient theoretical support for models designed to explain corporate social responsibility activity led Ullmann (Academy of Management Review, 1985, pp. 540–577) to develop a framework for predicting corporate social activity based on a stakeholder theory of strategic management. This study empirically tests the ability of stakeholder theory to explain one specific corporate social responsibility activity — social responsibility disclosure. Results support this application, finding that measures of stakeholder power, strategic posture, and economic performance are significantly related to levels of corporate social disclosure.
Nasogastric feeding tube placement in patients with esophageal cancer: application of ultrathin transnasal endoscopy.

Background Patients with esophageal cancer often present with dysphagia and malnutrition. Obstructive symptoms may improve after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Nutrition support via a nasogastric tube (NG) or gastrostomy is very important during treatment. The newly developed ultrathin endoscope (Olympus, GIF-N230, outer diameter: 6 mm) has a smaller diameter than the standard endoscope and can be introduced into the esophagus via the nasal cavity. This article reports on the use of an ultrathin endoscope for NG placement for patients with esophageal cancer who presented with dysphagia and failed traditional NG tube placement. Methods A consecutive series of 40 patients with esophageal cancer were referred to our hospital from November 2001 to October 2002 for endoscopic placement of NG tubes due to failure of traditional methods of NG placement. An ultrathin endoscope was used to advance the guidewire into the stomach via the nasal cavity. After withdrawal of the scope, the NG tube was inserted over the guidewire under fluoroscopy. Observations A total of 71 procedures were performed in 40 patients (37 males, 3 females), age 57 ± 15 years (range, 37-91 y). Seventy procedures (99%) were successful in completing NG tube placement by using an ultrathin transnasal endoscope. Only one procedure failed because the esophageal lumen was completely occluded and the guidewire was not able to be passed through the obstructed site. The average duration that the NG tube was left in place was 49 ± 35 days (range, 2-144 days). No procedure-related complications, such as bleeding or perforation, occurred. Conclusions Using ultrathin transnasal endoscopy to place an NG tube for esophageal cancer patients is effective and safe. It simplifies the procedures and increases the success rate.
Unusual Glass-Forming Ability of Bulk Amorphous Alloys Based on Ordinary Metal Copper

We report the unusual glass-forming ability (GFA) of a family of Cu-based alloys, Cu46Zr47–xAl7Yx (0<x<=10, in at. %), and investigate the origin of this unique property. By an injection mold casting method, these alloys can be readily solidified into amorphous structures with the smallest dimension ranging from 4 mm up to 1 cm without detectable crystallinity. Such superior GFA is found primarily due to the alloying effect of Y, which lowers the alloy liquidus temperature and brings the composition closer to a quaternary eutectic. Other beneficial factors including appropriate atomic-size mismatch and large negative heat of mixing among constituent elements are also discussed.
Surgical Ventricular Reconstruction Has a Role in Surgical Remodeling in Patients with LV Systolic Dysfunction Even Post-STICH?

The Hypothesis 2 arm of the STICH trial compared outcomes in ischemic cardiomyopathy patients undergoing CABG plus SVR vs. CABG alone. Although the trial results suggest equivalency of these therapies, important trial flaws have been identified which cast critical doubt regarding the generalizability of the trial findings.
Effect of Seasonal Affective Disorder and Pathological Tanning Motives on Efficacy of an Appearance-Focused Intervention to Prevent Skin Cancer

Objective To evaluate the robustness of an appearance-focused intervention to prevent skin cancer in individuals reporting seasonal affective disorder (SAD) symptoms and pathological tanning motives. Design Randomized, controlled clinical trial. Setting College campus. Participants Four hundred thirty adult female indoor tanners (200 in the intervention group and 230 control participants). Intervention A booklet discussing the history of tanning, current tanning norms, UV radiation's effects on skin, recommendations for indoor tanning use focusing on abstinence and harm reduction recommendations, and information on healthier, appearance-enhancing alternatives to tanning. Main Outcome Measures Self-reported attitudes, intentions, and tanning behaviors; pathological tanning motives assessed by a questionnaire developed for this study; and SAD symptoms assessed by the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire. Results Two of the 4 pathological tanning scales, opiatelike reactions to tanning and dissatisfaction with natural skin tone, were significant moderators demonstrating stronger treatment effects for individuals scoring higher on these scales. Treatment effects were equivalently positive (ie, no significant moderator effects) for all levels of SAD symptoms and all levels of the other 2 pathological tanning motive scales (ie, perceiving tanning as a problem and tolerance to the effects of tanning). Conclusions The appearance-focused skin cancer prevention intervention is robust enough to reduce indoor tanning among tanners who exhibit SAD symptoms or pathological tanning motives. Tailored interventions may address individuals' motivations for tanning and their relation to maladaptive behavior, such as dissatisfaction with appearance or the need for relaxation because of anxiety.
Doppler velocimetry in pregnancy

Since the late 1970s, Doppler velocimetry has been investigated extensively for use in obstetrics. Initially, this technique showed promise for the management of certain complications of pregnancy; this promise has yet to be fulfilled. Doppler velocimetry of either the uterine or umbilical vessels, which showed some merit in selecting growth-retarded fetuses at particular risk, has neither become a screening tool for intrauterine growth retardation nor proven clinically successful in improving fetal outcome. Likewise, its use for other complications of pregnancy (eg, postdate pregnancy, twin pregnancy, and diabetes) has not led to improved pregnancy outcome. More recently this technique has been used to study other vascular beds. Changes in the Doppler characteristics of these vascular beds may demonstrate the fetal response to its environment. These investigations provide the potential for a better understanding of fetal physiology; however, it has yet to be shown by prospective evaluation that their application results in improved pregnancy outcome. This review defines the uses and limitations of Doppler ultrasound in current obstetric practice.
End-to-end robotic module changeout procedure on the Explorer Platform Spacecraft

The demand for cost effective space science missions has resulted in the design of spacecrafts whose lives can be extended by changing certain on-orbit replaceable components. To increase cost savings, robots can be used to reduce astronaut time during the servicing and accomplish preparatory and mundane tasks such as the insertion of foot restraints and the opening of stowage areas. The work described in this paper demonstrates the feasibility of a semi- autonomous system capable of assisting astronauts using high fidelity mockups of actual space hardware.
Math and Science Scholars (MASS) Program: A Model Program for the Recruitment and Retention of Preservice Mathematics and Science Teachers.

The shortage of certified teachers in mathematics and science in Texas classrooms is a major concern and mirrors national tends. Dramatic increases in shortages of teachers have stimulated the design of new certification programs that recruit and place teachers in classrooms as quickly as possible (Texas Center for Educational Research, 1999). While maintaining several of the characteristics of traditional certification programs, the Math and Science Scholars (MASS) Program streamlines the certification process, supports preservice students through tuition remission and scholarships, and provides quality mentoring and early fiend experiences in K–12 classrooms with well-qualified teachers. The strategies in this model program are dramatically increasing the numbers of undergraduate majors in mathematics and science considering high school teaching as a career.
Development of a Cadence Curl-Up Test for College Students

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate a cadence curl-up test in a college population as compared to the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) 1-min sit-up test (Association for Research and Professional Councils and Societies, 1985) and the Robertson 1-min curl-up test (Robertson & Magnusdottir, 1987). A cadence curl-up test, referred to as the GT curl-up test, was set at 25 repetitions per minute. A total of 205 college students completed three trials consisting of one AAHPERD sit-up trial and two GT curl-up trials. A subsample (h = 85) completed the Robertson curl-up test as a fourth trial. Trials were counterbalanced with 7 days rest between each test. To evaluate content validity, electromyography signals from selected muscle sites were measured on 6 participants for each of the three tests. Mean scores and standard deviations for the GT curl-up test, AAHPERD sit-up test, and Robertson curl-up test were M = 46.2, SD = 17.8; M = 46.4, SD = 10.2; a...
Reflections on 65 Years of Symposium

Drawing on various documents and correspondence, this essay reconstructs the 65-year history of the journal Symposium. It reflects in particular on Myron Lichtblau's years as editor and on the journal's contributions to scholarship on Mario Vargas Llosa.