cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mediated Equilibria in Load-Balancing Games

Mediators are third parties to whom the players in a game can delegate the task of choosing a strategy; a mediator forms a mediated equilibrium if delegating is a best response for all players. Mediated equilibria have more power to achieve outcomes with high social welfare than Nash or correlated equilibria, but less power than a fully centralized authority. Here we begin the study of the power of mediation by using the mediation analogue of the price of stability--the ratio of the social cost of the best mediated equilibrium $\textsc{bme}$ to that of the socially optimal outcome $\textsc{opt}$. We focus on load-balancing games with social cost measured by weighted average latency. Even in this restricted class of games, $\textsc{bme}$ can range from as good as $\textsc{opt}$ to no better than the best correlated equilibrium. In unweighted games $\textsc{bme}$ achieves $\textsc{opt}$; the weighted case is more subtle. Our main results are (1) that the worst-case ratio $\textsc{bme}/\textsc{opt}$ is at least $(1+\sqrt{2})/2\approx 1.2071$ (and at most 1 + ? ≈ 2.618 [3]) for linear-latency weighted load-balancing games, and that the lower bound is tight when there are two players; and (2) tight bounds on the worst-case $\textsc{bme}/\textsc{opt}$ for general-latency weighted load-balancing games. We also give similarly detailed results for other natural social-cost functions.
Endocannabinoid concentrations in plasma during the finishing period are associated with feed efficiency and carcass composition of beef cattle

We previously have shown that plasma concentrations of endocannabinoids (EC) are positively correlated with feed efficiency and leaner carcasses in finishing steers. However, whether the animal growth during the finishing period affects the concentration of EC is unknown. The objective of this study was to quantify anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonyl glycerol (2-AG) in plasma during different stages of the finishing period and identify possible associations with production traits and carcass composition in beef calves. Individual DMI and BW gain were measured on 236 calves ( = 127 steers and = 109 heifers) for 84 d on a finishing ration. Blood samples were collected on d 0 (early), 42 (mid), and 83 (late) of days on study (DOS). Cattle were slaughtered 44 d after the feeding study. Plasma concentration of AEA at 0 DOS was indirectly associated with the G:F ( < 0.01) and directly associated with residual feed intake (RFI; < 0.05) in steers. In contrast, plasma concentration of AEA at 83 DOS was directly associated with the G:F and indirectly associated RFI in heifers and steers ( < 0.01). In addition, AEA concentration at 42 and 83 DOS was positively associated with ADG and DMI ( < 0.01) in heifers and steers. Furthermore, 2-AG concentration at 42 DOS was positively associated with ADG in steers ( < 0.01) and heifers ( < 0.10). Plasma concentration of AEA was positively associated ( < 0.05) with HCW, USDA-calculated yield grade, and 12th-rib fat thickness in heifers, whereas no associations were found in steers. In contrast, 2-AG concentration was not associated with any carcass traits. These results provide evidence that circulating EC change during animal growth and that AEA concentration may be a useful predictor of growth and feed efficiency and, in females, of carcass attributes.
El Niño southern oscillation: nonlinear modeling, satellite data, and Fourier analysis

Interaction between the tropical ocean and atmosphere produces interannual climate variability dominated by the El Ni˜no Southern Oscillation (ENSO). We perform a Fourier analysis of the El Ni˜no events, which are characterized by positive sea-surface temperature (SST) anomalies. We consider an elementary nonlinear model for the ENSO phenomenon: the time rate of change of the SST depends on the existence of a strong positive feedback in the coupled ocean-atmosphere system, and on a nonlinear mechanism that limits the growth of unstable perturbations. A key element in this model is the inclusion of the effects of equatorially trapped oceanic waves propagating in a closed basin through a time delayed term. Numerical solution reveals solutions that are self-sustained oscillations. The model is extended by including external influences such as annual forcing, global warming, and stochastic effects. We investigate the range of the parameters that will cause drastic qualitative changes in the climate system, i.e. bifurcation.
Benchmarking and Evaluating Unified Memory for OpenMP GPU Offloading

The latest OpenMP standard offers automatic device offloading capabilities which facilitate GPU programming. Despite this, there remain many challenges. One of these is the unified memory feature introduced in recent GPUs. GPUs in current and future HPC systems have enhanced support for unified memory space. In such systems, CPU and GPU can access each other's memory transparently, that is, the data movement is managed automatically by the underlying system software and hardware. Memory over subscription is also possible in these systems. However, there is a significant lack of knowledge about how this mechanism will perform, and how programmers should use it. We have modified several benchmarks codes, in the Rodinia benchmark suite, to study the behavior of OpenMP accelerator extensions and have used them to explore the impact of unified memory in an OpenMP context. We moreover modified the open source LLVM compiler to allow OpenMP programs to exploit unified memory. The results of our evaluation reveal that, while the performance of unified memory is comparable with that of normal GPU offloading for benchmarks with little data reuse, it suffers from significant overhead when GPU memory is over subcribed for benchmarks with large amount of data reuse. Based on these results, we provide several guidelines for programmers to achieve better performance with unified memory.
Some Recent Developments in Electron Transfer: Charge Separation, Long Distances, Solvent Dynamics, and Free Energy Aspects

Several topics in electron transfers are discussed, including the charge separation in a bacterial photosynthetic reaction center, long range electron transfers, solvent dynamical effects in electron transfer, and free energy aspects of these reactions.
Experimenting with Contact Strategies in Business Surveys

The U.S. Census Bureau conducted a series of experiments to evaluate alternative contact strategies. We hoped to identify effective mail strategies that increase timeliness of response and reduce the number of cases receiving more-costly follow-ups. These experiments were incorporated into the collection of several annual business surveys and one quarterly survey. This article summarizes results from five experiments whose designs are based on business survey decision-making and response processes. We obtained clear, positive results from tests involving manipulation of mail sequences, but only modest results from tests in which we varied messages and envelope appearance, whose effects were seen only in specific industry subgroups.
Determination of Elastic Constants Required for Application of Fracture Mechanics to Ceramics

Elastic properties enter into fracture mechanics most simply in the case of plane stress in an elastically isotropic body for which EG1 = ПК1 2 where G1 is the energy release rate, K1 is the stress intensity factor, and E is Young’s modulus. For an elastically orthotropic body the sajne result holds provided 1/E is replaced by (s11s22/2)1/2[s22/s11)1/2 + (2s12+s66)/2s11]1/2 where the sij are the single crystal elastic compliances. These equations may be used to establish a Griffith type fracture criterion by setting G1 = G1C = 2γf where γf is the fracture surface energy. Elastic moduli or compliances can usually be determined more accurately than either G1C or γf. Methods for their determination by resonance or by ultrasonic wave propagation are briefly described. Values of the elastic factors in the energy release rates for material in polycrystalline form are compared with values for materials in single crystal form for various orthotropic orientations of cracks to indicate the effectiveness of single crystal elastic isotropy in causing variation in the fracture condition. This theory is shown to predict an anisotropic fracture criterion for certain crystal planes.
Attracting Women to Aviation Careers: What Recent Studies Reveal

The percentage of women attracted to careers in aviation remains surprisingly low despite efforts by the industry to increase its talent pool by encouraging women to participate. This paper presents a review of literature relevant to the question of why the numbers of women choosing careers in aviation have not increased in the past two decades, and why even those who demonstrate an initial interest in the field eventually look for career satisfaction in other fields.
Measurement, Invariance, and Psychophysics

In psychophysics, invariant relations can be grouped into three broad classes: (i) invariances in the measurement process, (ii) invariances of functional capacity, and (iii) invariances in the neural events that code information. An analysis is given of selected examples in each category. In psychophysical measurement, for every scale type there is a characteristic distribution of observations. For example, observers’ estimates in direct scaling procedures usually follow lognormal distributions that are typical of ratio-scale variables. In the description of sensory function, ratio scales of sensory magnitude can be related to other behavioral measures that are independent of the matching operation. Over a wide range of conditions, perceived brightness, for instance, can be described by simple power functions with rational exponents similar to those describing visual latency, and temporal and spatial summation. In the analysis of neural mechanisms, a parametric comparison of behavioral and neurelectric measures can often suggest candidate codes. For the visual system such a comparison points to a frequency code of retinal origin for perceived brightness.
Diversity in our places, diversity in our lives

ABSTRACTJimenez provides us with a detailed and on the whole optimistic description of how diversity operates in a highly diverse region in California by focusing on the reactions of long-term nati...
LAPPS: Locality-Aware Productive Prefetching Support for PGAS

Prefetching is a well-known technique to mitigate scalability challenges in the Partitioned Global Address Space (PGAS) model. It has been studied as either an automated compiler optimization or a manual programmer optimization. Using the PGAS locality awareness, we define a hybrid tradeoff. Specifically, we introduce locality-aware productive prefetching support for PGAS. Our novel, user-driven approach strikes a balance between the ease-of-use of compiler-based automated prefetching and the high performance of the laborious manual prefetching. Our prototype implementation in Chapel shows that significant scalability and performance improvements can be achieved with minimal effort in common applications.
Myomas and Pregnancy

Uterine fibroids are common among women seeking fertility and during pregnancy. Submucosal fibroids reduce fertility, and removal increases clinical pregnancy rates. The majority of women with myomas have no adverse pregnancy outcomes related to having fibroids. The need for myomectomy during pregnancy is exceedingly infrequent but may be considered in limited situations of refractory pain and/or undesired pregnancy. Myomectomy at the time of cesarean delivery is traditionally avoided due to associated risk of intraoperative hemorrhage; however, limited data suggest that the procedure may be safely considered under specific circumstances.
CortiWatch: watch-based cortisol tracker

Sweat-based analytics have recently caught the attention of researchers and medical professionals alike because they do not require professionally trained personnel or invasive collection technique...
QTL mapping and validation of a segment responsible for early-seedling cold tolerance in rice

Cold stress at the early-seedling stage is one of the major determinants of uniform seedling establishment. In this work, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population consisting of 172 lines derived from a cross between Xiang743 (highly cold-tolerant) and Katy (moderately cold-sensitive) was used to map quantitative trait locus (QTL) for early-seedling cold tolerance (ESCT). A total of six QTLs were detected that were distributed on six chromosomes, and explained a total phenotypic variance of 36.8%. All alleles from Xiang743 increased ESCT. Among them, the QTL qESCT-3 was detected in the interval RM520–RM85 on chromosome 3, which was also identified in the same interval in an F2 population derived from the same parents in a previous study. To determine the effect of qESCT-3, two residual heterozygous lines (RHLs) segregating in the target segment were selected from the RILs to develop two secondary populations. The presence of QTL qESCT-3 was confirmed in the interval RM520–RM85 in the two populations, and the qESCT-3 from Xiang743 increased ESCT. The study shows that the qESCT-3 segment is responsible for cold tolerance at the early-seedling stage and provides RHL materials for fine mapping of qESCT-3. The markers flanking qESCT-3 will be useful in the improvement of ESCT in rice breeding programs.
Patterns of Care and Age-Specific Impact of Extent of Resection and Adjuvant Radiotherapy in Pediatric Pineoblastoma.

BACKGROUND Pediatric pineoblastomas are highly aggressive tumors that portend poor outcomes despite multimodal management. Controversy remains regarding optimal disease management. OBJECTIVE To evaluate patterns of care and optimal clinical management of pediatric pineoblastoma. METHODS A total of 211 pediatric (age 0-17 yr) histologically confirmed pineoblastoma patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 were queried from the National Cancer Database. Wilcoxon rank-sum statistics and chi-squared analyses were used to compare continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Univariable and multivariable Cox regressions were used to evaluate prognostic impact of covariates. Propensity-score matching was used to balance baseline characteristics. RESULTS Older patients (age ≥ 4 yr) experienced improved overall survival compared to younger patients (age < 4 yr) (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.41; 95% CI 0.25-0.66). Older patients (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 5.21; 95% CI 2.61-10.78) and those residing in high-income regions (aOR = 3.16; 95% CI 1.21-8.61) received radiotherapy more frequently. Radiotherapy was independently associated with improved survival in older (adjusted HR [aHR] = 0.31; 95% CI 0.12-0.87) but not younger (aHR = 0.64; 95% CI 0.20-1.90) patients. The benefits of radiotherapy were more pronounced in patients receiving surgery than in those not receiving surgery (aHR [surgical patients] = 0.23; 95% CI 0.08-0.65; aHR [nonsurgical patients] = 0.46; 95% CI 0.22-0.97). Older patients experienced improved outcomes associated with aggressive resection (P = .041); extent of resection was not associated with survival in younger patients (P = .880). CONCLUSION Aggressive tumor resection was associated with improved survival only in older pediatric patients. Radiotherapy was more effective in patients receiving surgery. Age-stratified approaches might allow for improved disease management of pediatric pineoblastoma.
Confining Liquids inside Carbon Nanotubes: Accelerated Molecular Dynamics with Spliced, Soft-Core Potentials and Simulated Annealing.

Understanding emergent phenomena of fluids under physical confinement requires the development of advanced tools for rapid and accurate simulation of their physiochemical properties. Simulating liq...
Review of Candidate Techniques for Material Accountancy Measurements in Electrochemical Separations Facilities

Electrochemical reprocessing (also commonly known as pyroprocessing) of used nuclear fuel is an alternative to aqueous reprocessing that confers a number of advantages, including the ability to pro...
Directional and selective patterning of Ni for next generation EUV absorber (Conference Presentation)

Ni is a promising candidate for future EUV absorber material due to its superior optical properties. However existing reports on gas phase patterning of Ni are limited and not precise enough to support the application. In this work, we present a two-step reaction ion etch (RIE) and atomic layer etching (ALE) process, in which the a cyclic exposure to chlorine and hydrogen plasmas in the RIE stage removes the bulk of the majority of the exposed Ni thin films, and a cyclic exposure to oxygen plasma and gas phase formic acid tailors the surface chemical contrast to form a directional etching profile. In the ALE step, the final sidewall angle is defined by directional ions that simultaneously control the subsequent etching selectivity and anisotropy. Specifically, the oxygen plasma exposure converts the surface to an oxide layer which has a large chemical reactivity contrast to the organic acid, therefore the reaction self-terminates upon the complete removal of the oxides, leaving an exposed metallic surface on the sidewall with great verticality. The self-limiting nature of this process is backed by the removal rate difference of over 100:1 between etching NiO x and Ni using formic acid vapor. The effect of acid exposure pressure is studied, and a higher pressure results in a more vertical sidewall profile. Structures of post-etch patterns were measured using AFM, SEM and TEM while the chemical compositions are confirmed by XPS and EDS. This approach is free of noble ion bombardment – greatly reducing adventitious sputtering – and has a much more forgiving process windows comparing to other reported approaches. A final sidewall angle of 87 has been observed for the first time using this highly selective self-limiting technique, which can be further improved with process optimization.
Venomous Company: Snakes and Agribusiness in Honduras

The arrival of the United Fruit Company in Central America in 1899 wrought many enfolded layers of political, economic, and ecological devastation in the broader Caribbean Basin throughout the twentieth century. This article explores one of the projects that this company undertook at its tropical research stations—that of venomous snake research, and the production of antivenins. The story of this research allows us the opportunity to begin to explore an animal-centered history of this major corporation’s presence in the Lancetilla Valley of Honduras. It also opens the door to future research informed by a critical inter-American perspective on the history of mobile beings and products through the Caribbean Basin in the twentieth century.
Voltammetric detection of arsenic (III) using gold nanoparticles modified carbon screen printed electrodes: Application for facile and rapid analysis in commercial apple juice.

Abstract This paper describes a voltammetric method and data analysis program developed for the detection of arsenic(III) in commercial apple juice. Arsenic(III) was detected using square wave stripping voltammetry with gold nanoparticle modified screen printed electrodes. The only sample pretreatment performed was the addition of a 100 mM phosphate buffer with a pH of 7. To compensate for interference from high ascorbic acid concentrations, a data analysis program was developed in MATLAB to fit a non-linear baseline, allowing for accurate peak height measurement. With this data analysis program, the developed methodology had a sensitivity of 0.1007 µA (µg L−1)−1 and a limit of detection of 16.73 µg L−1. A comparison between the voltammetric method and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy showed no bias in the voltammetric results and a good correlation between the two sets of predicted concentrations, with an R2 of 0.939.
Predicting Lung Cancer in the United States: A Multiple Model Examination of Public Health Factors

In this research, we take a multivariate, multi-method approach to predicting the incidence of lung cancer in the United States. We obtain public health and ambient emission data from multiple sources in 2000–2013 to model lung cancer in the period 2013–2017. We compare several models using four sources of predictor variables: adult smoking, state, environmental quality index, and ambient emissions. The environmental quality index variables pertain to macro-level domains: air, land, water, socio-demographic, and built environment. The ambient emissions consist of Cyanide compounds, Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Disulfide, Diesel Exhaust, Nitrogen Dioxide, Tropospheric Ozone, Coarse Particulate Matter, Fine Particulate Matter, and Sulfur Dioxide. We compare various models and find that the best regression model has variance explained of 62 percent whereas the best machine learning model has 64 percent variance explained with 10% less error. The most hazardous ambient emissions are Coarse Particulate Matter, Fine Particulate Matter, Sulfur Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, and Tropospheric Ozone. These ambient emissions could be curtailed to improve air quality, thus reducing the incidence of lung cancer. We interpret and discuss the implications of the model results, including the tradeoff between transparency and accuracy. We also review limitations of and directions for the current models in order to extend and refine them.
Aging in place among older adults with histories of traumatic experiences: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Adverse childhood and adult experiences can have far-reaching impacts, and when coupled with typical aging-related changes, may impede achievement of a suitable person-environment fit for aging adults. The objective of our study was to determine if extant literature connects older adults with trauma history to successfully aging in place. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We proposed a conceptual model regarding trauma history, adaptive capacity of aging adults, and trauma-informed supports for aging in place. We conducted a scoping review using six databases [key words older adult(s), aging in place, housing, trauma], with a full review of 32 articles. RESULTS Insights included: 1) Aging in place does not have to mean living in the same house over time. 2) The uncertainty of the aging process can be traumatic and can be exacerbated by previous traumatic experiences. 3) Environmental sensitivities can result from previous traumatic experiences and cause further trauma. 4) Housing precarity is a traumatic experience. 5) Permanent supportive housing is an important resource for people in crisis. 6) Community supports are critical to aging in place. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS Our review revealed insights about aging in place and trauma, but did not connect the vulnerabilities specific to aging adults with personal trauma histories to aging in place. Research is needed that confirms the relationship between history of traumatic experiences and difficulties with aging in place as well as trauma-informed approaches that can mitigate housing-related stressors and foster community living environments that provide equitable access to aging in place.
Regional Differences in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Signal Intensity After Surgical Treatment.

Background:Magnetic resonance–based measurements of signal intensity have been used to track healing of surgically treated anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs). However, it is unknown how the signal ...
Meta Synthesis of the Qualitative Team Literature

The body of qualitative research on teams has grown considerably in the last few decades – yet no accumulation or analysis of this body of research exists, despite the development of a method to do...
Maximality and Radó’s Theorem

Let X be a compact space and 𝔄 a uniform algebra on X. Denote by || || the uniform norm on C(X). Note that if x, y ∈ 𝔄, then x +ȳ ∈C(X), so that ||x + ȳ|| is defined.
Model of molecular mechanism able to generate a depolarization-hyperpolarization cycle.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a model of molecular mechanism of the depolarization–hyperpolarization cycle. The depolarization-hyperpolarization cycle may resemble oscillatory processes. It depends on preset molecular chain reactions. In cholinergic synapses, postsynaptic depolarization is generated by locally available acetylcholine (ACh). The ACh molecule is encoded with several messages. On combining with ACh, the postsynaptic nicotinic receptor reads out the message: “depolarize.” The selection results from a particular quality of this specific receptor: on combining with ACh, this receptor acquires the ability to initiate those special processes, which are necessary for the execution of depolarization. One of the postsynaptic nicotinic ACh receptors is identified in vitro and in vivo as the regulatory subunit of triphosphoinositide phosphomonoesterase. The chapter explains depolarization. Two types of specified receptors of ACh have been identified: a nicotinic and a muscarinic.
Evolution of an integrated Aircraft Alerting and Notification system for Conditions Outside the Aircraft

This paper discusses the evolution of the Alerting and Notification of Conditions Outside the Aircraft (ANCOA) concept, based on an integrated alerting framework. The development of ANCOA was prompted by the alert proliferation and the lack of alert standardization as independent alerting systems for conditions outside the aircraft (e.g. TCAS, EGPWS) are introduced onto the flight deck. These separate alerting systems, each using different alerting and display philosophies to present information to the crew, have no integrated standard protocol for prioritizing and organizing the information to reduce the demands on pilot attention and information processing. In response, a framework that integrated, organized, prioritized, and displayed information from new flight deck alerting systems was developed. ANCOA exemplifies the framework by integrating information from independent alerting systems to enable multiple alerts to be prioritized and de-conflicted, in order to support prompt and appropriate responses to adverse conditions based on good situation awareness.
From Dreams of the Worker State to Fighting Hitler: The German-Canadian Left from the Depression to the End of World War II

German-Canadian labour first organized itself at the national level soon after the outbreak of the Depression, in 1929. Once organized, the movement was integrated into the international communist labour movement, under the direction of the Comintern. After the rise to power of Adolf Hitler in Germany, German-Canadian labour changed its focus from radically altering society to fighting Naziism. The change in focus helped many German-Canadian pro-communists escape internment when war broke out. The war, however, brought an end to their organized activities. These recommenced soon after Nazi Germany's attack on the Soviet Union. Established in 1942, the German Canadian Federation became essentially an advocate of Soviet Russian views and interests. This greatly weakened its appeal in the German Canadian community and contributed to the demise of the German Canadian labour movement soon after the end of World War II. Resumes Les travailleurs canadiens-allemands s'organisent d'abord par eux-meme tres rapidement au niveau national apres le commencement de la Depression en 1929. Le mouvement une fois organise, fut integre dans le mouvement ouvrier communiste international dirige par le Komintern. Apres l'accession d'Adolph Hitler au pourvoir en Allemagne, le mouvement mis de cote son but de modifier de facon radicale la societe en faveur du combat contre le nazisme. Ce changement aida plusieurs Canadiens allemands pro-communistes a echapper a l'internement au moment ou fut declenchee la guerre. La guerre mit cependant fin a leurs activites. Ces dernieres recommencerent aussitot apres l'attaque de l'Union sovietique par les nazis allemands. Etablie en 1942, la Federation des Canadiens allemands devint essentiellement le reflet des vues et interets de la Russie sovietique. Cela affaiblit grandement son attrait au sein de la communaute canadienne-allemande et contribua au demantelement du mouvement des travailleurs allemands aussitot apres la fin de la Seconde guerre mondiale.
The US and Japanese space programmes: A comparative study

Abstract This report begins with a brief historical overview of the US and Japanese space programmes before turning to an evaluation of the programmes' philosophy and structure. The study then analyses relative trends in spending, size and efficiency, and compares the relative technical capabilities of the two programmes in selected technology areas. Conclusions based on these analyses and data are provided, with particular emphasis given to an assessment of the objectives and potential of the Japanese programmes.
Environmental Protection Laws

The manufacturing, processing, and use of chemicals and materials in industrial workplaces are often accompanied by environmental, health, and safety hazards and risks. Occupational and environmental factors cause or exacerbate major diseases of the respiratory, cardiovascular, reproductive, and nervous systems and cause systemic poisoning and some cancers and birth defects. Occupational and environmental disease and injury place heavy economic and social burdens on workers, employers, citizens, and taxpayers. Government intervention to address those issues largely takes the form of regulatory standards promulgated under the authority of federal legislation. This article addresses the major regulatory systems (or regimes) designed to protect public and worker health from chemicals discharged from sources that pollute the air, water, ground, and/or workplace in the United States. The European Union and other developed countries use similar approaches.
HRI Students' Attitudes about the Solid Waste Issue

(1994). HRI Students' Attitudes about the Solid Waste Issue. Hospitality & Tourism Educator: Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 41-44.
Evolutionary Connections among Massive Stars — An Observer’s Perspective

B[e] supergiants are considered to be the evolutionary descendants of rapidly rotating massive stars. While B[e] supergiants populate a region of the HRD which overlaps with that of other massive stars, such as normal AB supergiants and Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs), it has yet to be established how they fit in with evolutionary scenarios for massive stars. I propose several observational tests.
A Forest with No Trees: The Supreme Court and International Law in the 2003-04 Term

The Court's docket last Term included five cases directly presenting questions of international law. Republic of Austria v. Altmann raised issues of the international law of expropriation and the immunity of foreign sovereigns. Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain concerned a statute authorizing suits to redress "a tort . . . committed in violation of the law of nations." Rumsfeld v. Padilla, Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, and Rasul v. Bush concerned the status of individuals taken prisoner in the war on terror, thereby raising the subject of that best known of all international agreements, the Geneva Convention. The thesis of this Article is that, despite the direct relevance of international law to these cases, the Court repeatedly ignored international law and, when faced with no plausible way to ignore international law, took a highly constricted approach to its application. The Article argues that the Court decided three of the five cases - Altmann, Padilla, and Hamdi - without resolving any substantive international legal questions. In Rasul, the Article asserts, the Court ignored the Geneva Convention, although it did take a pragmatic, control-oriented view of what constituted "sovereignty." Even in Sosa, where the statute's plain language - giving federal courts jurisdiction over suits for a "tort, committed in violation of the law of nations" - unavoidably required some attention to international law, the Court repeatedly took a constricted reading of the meaning and relevance of international law, both by ignoring the importance of treaties to the statutory scheme (and history) and by repeatedly limiting the scope of the customary "law of nations." In all five cases, the Court focused on purely procedural issues and on statutory interpretation instead of on international law. A concluding section of the Article speculates that the Court downplayed international legal issues not for fear of public, legislative, or executive backlash, but rather because the Court is simply more comfortable with traditional methods of statutory and originalist interpretation than it is with the unfamiliar, decentralized world of international law.
Dendritic alteration of rat spinal motoneurons after dorsal horn mince: computer reconstruction of dendritic fields.

Mammalian spinal motoneuron dendrites respond with cyclic degeneration and regeneration after ventral root crush. In the following experiments, the cross-sectional dendritic profile of rat lamina IX, medial, motoneurons under the T2 vertebra were analyzed after mincing the dorsal horn (normals, 14, 30, 60, 90 days postoperative (DPO); N = 6 animals/DPO). The spinal cords were impregnated by the tungstate modification of the Golgi technique. Individual lengths along dendritic segments between branching points were measured from coded slides, the data were computerized, and the dendrites were reconstructed by computer. Interanimal statistical comparisons were made by ANOVA a priori and Newman-Keuls test a posteriori. At 14 DPO, there was a statistically significant (P < 0.05) increase in the number of dendritic segments, dendritic and serpentine length, and number of segments emanating from the soma compared with normal intact rats and with all other postoperative days. At 30 and 60 DPO, these parameters returned to normal values; however, there were many long, unbranched dendrites. At 90 DPO, there was a statistically significant (P < 0.05) decrease in motoneuron dendritic serpentine length and segments. These data show that partially deafferented rat spinal motoneurons undergo a biphasic response; an initial growth phase followed by a degenerative phase.
Effect of time of irrigation on the distribution of 1,2‐dibromo‐3‐chloropropane in soil after shallow injection

The effect of irrigation time on the dispersion of 1,2-dibromo-3-chloroproparie (DBCP) in soil after a shallow injection treatment was determined for Yolo fine sandy loam. When injections equivalent to 23.5 litres of DBCP/ha at a depth of 7 to 8 cm were subsequently followed by 15 cm of irrigation water, adequate distribution of DBCP was obtained if the soil was irrigated within 5 days. However, the most rapid and deepest penetration of fumigant was obtained by irrigating 2 to 5 days after application. There was insufficient downward movement of DBCP in non-irrigated soil.
5-10 GeV neutrinos from gamma-Ray burst fireballs

A gamma-ray burst fireball is likely to contain an admixture of neutrons. Inelastic collisions between differentially streaming protons and neutrons in the fireball produce ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ $({\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}})$ of $\ensuremath{\sim}10\mathrm{GeV}$ as well as ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{e}$ $({\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}}_{e})$ of $\ensuremath{\sim}5\mathrm{GeV}$, which could produce $\ensuremath{\sim}7\mathrm{events}/\mathrm{year}$ in ${\mathrm{km}}^{3}$ detectors, if the neutron abundance is comparable to that of protons. Photons of $\ensuremath{\sim}10\mathrm{GeV}$ from ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ decay and $\ensuremath{\sim}100\mathrm{MeV}$ ${\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}}_{e}$ from neutron decay are also produced, but will be difficult to detect. Photons with energies $\ensuremath{\lesssim}1\mathrm{MeV}$ from shocks following neutron decay produce a characteristic signal which may be distinguishable from the proton-related MeV photons.
Analysis of Secondary Structure Elements in the Intracellular Domain of GLIC Chimeras with ICD from Eukaryotic Cys-Loop Receptors

Cys-loop receptors are pentameric ligand-gated ion channels that are responsible for fast excitatory and inhibitory transmission in the peripheral and central nervous systems. Each receptor has an extracellular domain (ECD) that contains the ligand-binding sites, a transmembrane domain (TMD) that forms the ion channel pore and an intracellular domain (ICD). All prokaryotic homologs of Cys-loop receptors, for example, GLIC and ELIC, lack an ICD that consists of a 50 to 270 amino acid long loop in eukaryotes. Very little is known about the structure of the ICD since none of the recently published X-ray structures of prokaryotic homologs contained an ICD, and the Torpedo nAChR cryo-EM structure resolved only 1/3rd of the ICD. We have recently constructed chimeras in which the ICD from eukaryotic serotonin (5-HT3A) receptors was inserted into GLIC (1).To extend our studies we generated GLIC chimeras with ICDs from other Cys-loop receptors (GlyR-α1, GABA-ρ1, nAChR-α7). All chimeras were expressed heterologously in Xenopus laevis oocytes to investigate the ion channel functionality by using two-electrode voltage clamp experiments. All functional chimeras were also expressed in E. coli membranes to enable overexpression and protein purification. Chimeric proteins were successfully purified by using Ni-NTA affinity and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Limited proteolysis and spectroscopic methods (circular dichroism and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) will be used to study conformational features and secondary structure elements of eukaryotic ICDs of the engineered GLIC-ICD chimeras. Our data will shed light on the structure and function of the intracellular domain of Cys-loop receptors, which will enable identification of potentially important drug targeting sites in intracellular domains for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.1. Goyal R. et al, (2011). J Biol Chem 286, 34635-42
Self-injurious behavior in elderly patients with dementia: four case reports

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is a polymorphous and poorly understood phenomenon, probably representing the final common pathway arising from a variety of etiologies. SIB is a clinical problem that affects elderly patients, but has received little attention. Although the specific prevalence rates of SIB in elderly patients with dementia is unknown, the lack of data is striking, considering the frequency with which geriatric psychiatrists may be consulted for these and related behavioral problems. The authors present four cases of elderly patients with SIB and dementia who responded favorably to psychopharmacologic treatment.
Evaluation of goal attainment in geriatric settings.

Determination of the impact of programs designed to enhance the functional independence of geriatric residents requires prior specification of goals in terms that clearly indicate the desired outcomes. The Geriatric Resident Goals Scale (GRGS) is a listing of specific goals developed to provide a systematic means of assessing resident status and program effectiveness. For male residents in a VA Nursing Home Care Unit, the obtained internal consistency reliability coefficient was .97 (N = 198), and the reliability coefficient reflecting a combination of test-retest and interrater consistency was .95 (N = 22). For a group of 178 residents, the GRGS was predictive of level of independence ratings (r = .82) and mental status (r = .71). The data showed the GRGS to be a highly reliable and valid means of assessing the functioning of geriatric residents, lending support to an assessment process based on a listing of specific goals. The GRGS can be viewed as a general procedure that is adaptable to a range of geriatic settings and programs.
Shoulder Arthroplasty for Cuff Deficiency: Indications, Technique, and Results

Cuff-tear arthropathy is a progressive and often disabling pathologic process affecting the shoulder. With a growing elderly population, the incidence is increasing. Initial treatment is conservative; however, when conservative treatment fails then surgery is indicated. To date, the best results for the surgical treatment of cuff-tear arthropathy appear to be for patients treated with hemiarthroplasty. This report reviews our use of hemiarthroplasty with extended-coverage humeral head prosthesis in the surgical management of cuff-tear arthropathy.
A theoretical study of collision rates in highly dispersed aerosols with electric and acoustic fields

Abstract Kinetic theory is used to derive expressions for the collision rate density in a highly dispersed aerosol subjected to an ac electric field or to a traveling wave acoustic field. The expressions are evaluated for collisions between different sized particles of radii 0.01 and 0.0025 μm and for different values of the field magnitudes and frequencies. The results indicate that with singly charged particles the collision rate in the electric field case is on the order of the thermal collision rate at a field strength of about 2 × 10 6 V/m and for frequencies below about 10 7 Hz. For neutral particles of the same size, the collision rate in the acoustic case is on the order of the thermal rate at a sound intensity of about 186 db and for frequencies above 10 7 Hz.
What’s In a Name? Marital Name Choice Revisited

In two studies we assessed the percentage of brides who chose nontraditional marital names and characteristics that were related to name choice. In Study 1 we analyzed wedding announcements from The New York Times, 1982–2002. In Study 2 we surveyed the name choices, reasons for them, and associated characteristics of a sample of 126 college-educated women who have been part of a longitudinal study since 1993. A substantial minority of brides (29%) chose nontraditional names in Study 1, whereas 46% did in Study 2; the difference reflects the higher proportion of Women of Color and the higher educational level of women in Study 2. Other characteristics associated with nontraditional naming were: older age at marriage, more feminist attitudes, higher career commitment, and less value of the role of mother.
Continuum mechanics applied to a very thin liquid film : estimation of surface tension for the n-alkanes

Abstract This analysis demonstrates that, at least in some cases, continuum mechanics can be successfully applied in problems involving very thin films, so long as proper recognition is given to long-range intermolecular forces and to the finite size of molecules. In this particular case, the integral mechanical energy balance is used to analyze a simple thought experiment in which a thin liquid film is slowly stretched. The result is an expression for surface tension as a function of the Hamaker constant describing liquid-liquid, long-range intermolecular forces, the molecular weight, and the liquid density, which is in good agreement with previous experimental measurements for n-alkanes.
Induction of cyclic AMP-binding proteins by dibutyryl cyclic AMP in mouse neuroblastoma cells.

Abstract Mouse neuroblastoma cells grown in the presence of 1 mM N 6 , O 2′ -dibutyryl-cyclic AMP showed a 3-fold increase in cyclic AMP-binding proteins. The role of dibutyryl cyclic AMP in the introduction of cyclic AMP-binding proteins in these cells has been studied. Induced cyclic AMP-binding proteins were observed in the cytoplasm 15 h after dibutyryl cyclic AMP treatment. The increase in cyclic AMP-binding proteins required RNA and protein synthesis. It is suggested that the 15-h lag occurs at the post-transcriptional and/or translational level. Cyclic AMP-binding proteins are found in both soluble and particulate cell fractions. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP increased binding proteins in both fractions. The control and dibutyryl cyclic AMP-induced binding proteins showed similar affinity for cyclic AMP. The data indicate that dibutyryl cyclic AMP caused the following sequential events: a 12-fold increase in cyclic AMP levels; a 40% increase in phosphodiesterase activity; and a 300% (3-fold) increase in cyclic AMP-binding proteins. It is suggested that the differentiation of mouse neuroblastoma cells involves increased levels of cyclic AMP and cyclic AMP-binding proteins.
Improved method of large scale purification of acetylcholinesterase from the electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) by affinity chromatography

Une methode basee sur d'affinite chromatographique nous a permis de purifier completement l'acetylcholinesterase des organes electriques du gymnote (Electrophorus electricus). L'activite specifique de l'acetylcholinesterase ainsi etablie en milligrammes depasse 950 mM de substrat hydrolyse (acetylcholine)/mg proteine/h et sa purete a ete verifiee par electrophorese sur gel de polyacrylamide.
Imatinib mesylate in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia

Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec, Glivec), formerly STI571; Novartis Pharmaceuticals) is an inhibitor of the Bcr-abl tyrosine kinase that is central to the pathogenesis of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). The remarkable results of imatinib mesylate in clinical trials have rapidly and profoundly changed the management of patients with CML. This article will review the development of this molecularly targeted agent. The clinical trials with imatinib mesylate will be summarised along with the pharmacology of this agent. Despite the impressive responses seen in chronic-phase patients, numerous questions remain. For example, how durable will responses to imatinib mesylate be and is it necessary or possible to improve upon these results? Ongoing efforts to address these issues will be discussed.
Structure and crystallography of circularly solidified disc shaped AlAl3Ni alloy

Echantillons d'alliage eutectique Al-6,1% Ni prepares par solidification dirigee. Etude de la microstructure
Patterned armor performance evaluation

Patterned armor is characterized by an array of repeating cells, such as tiled ceramic armor or reactive armor boxes. Performance characteristics of an ideal patterned armor with respect to multiple hits are discussed, and the types of single-shot ballistic data needed to quantify that performance are presented. An approach to use these data is developed to provide a quantitative measure (probability of nonperforation after a given number of impacts) of the patterned armor performance against multiple impacts. This performance measure can then be compared to a well-posed multiple-hit criterion to assess whether the patterned armor meets the criterion.
Orbit Motion Tracking Control for Rotating Machine With Magnetic Suspensions

Conventional use of active magnetic bearings (AMB) focuses on keeping a rotor centered at the zero reference. In this research, a control algorithm is developed for an alternate task of tracking high-bandwidth sinusoidal targets: whirling and conical motions. To increase robustness to the parametric uncertainty and the nonlinearity of inherent AMB dynamics, the sliding mode control is developed based on an original nonlinear AMB model with an uncertain magnetic force constant. Performance indices, such as the I2 R power loss, the tracking error and the phase lag, are compared for the two target motions, and they are also utilized to find an optimal bias current of the actuators. Simulation results show that the rotor follows the two high-bandwidth large motion targets with low tracking error and phase lag in the presence of parametric uncertainty. Orbit motion tracking control has a variety of potential applications in rotating machinery such as active rotating stall control, in which seal clearance is required to follow a sinusoidal dynamic motion.© 2005 ASME
Human airway ion transport. Part one.

The proper homeostasis of the liquids that line the surfaces of the lung is vitally important for lung defense. During the past 20 years, data derived primarily from animal studies have indicated that ion transport by the pulmonary epithelium regulates the volume and the composition of these surface liquids. The role of pulmonary epithelial ion-transport systems in this activity can be viewed at two levels: (1) the requirement to regulate surface liquid volumes and composition relevant to the local environment, e.g., adjusting the height and composition of surface liquids to permit efficient function of the mucociliary clearance system in the airways; and (2) the requirement of the pulmonary epithelium to coordinate intrapulmonary surface liquid flow (i.e., so-called «axial» flow) between different pulmonary regions, e.g, alveolar and airway surfaces