cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Secular and Religious Women and the Abbaye aux Dames de Saintes

Monastic cartularies and the charters they contain are some of the most extensive medieval writings done under the directorship of women. Here the twelfth-century cartulary produced for Notre Dame de Saintes by Agnes of Barbezieux reveals key aspects about religious women and their secular sisters. The women who populate the charters of Saintes moved between the secular and religious worlds relatively easily, acting publicly in courts and in courtyards, sometimes secular and religious women in concert, sometimes in opposition to each other. They managed substantial economic resources as well as being recipients of pious acts of donation. Women in the monastery maintained strong connections with family members, bringing them into the monastery's circle of influence. While violence was a backdrop to many acts, the women in the cartulary successfully combatted its effects. Among tenants of the abbey, women make only limited appearances in the records in comparison to men of their economic class, but have equal economic status when they do.
De novo oligoclonal expansions of circulating plasmablasts in active and relapsing IgG4-related disease

Background IgG 4 -related disease (IgG 4 -RD) is a poorly understood, multiorgan, chronic inflammatory disease characterized by tumefactive lesions, storiform fibrosis, obliterative phlebitis, and accumulation of IgG 4 -expressing plasma cells at disease sites. Objective The role of B cells and IgG 4 antibodies in IgG 4 -RD pathogenesis is not well defined. We evaluated patients with IgG 4 -RD for activated B cells in both disease lesions and peripheral blood and investigated their role in disease pathogenesis. Methods B-cell populations from the peripheral blood of 84 patients with active IgG 4 -RD were analyzed by using flow cytometry. The repertoire of B-cell populations was analyzed in a subset of patients by using next-generation sequencing. Fourteen of these patients were longitudinally followed for 9 to 15 months after rituximab therapy. Results Numbers of CD19 + CD27 + CD20 − CD38 hi plasmablasts, which are largely IgG4 + , are increased in patients with active IgG 4 -RD. These expanded plasmablasts are oligoclonal and exhibit extensive somatic hypermutation, and their numbers decrease after rituximab-mediated B-cell depletion therapy; this loss correlates with disease remission. A subset of patients relapse after rituximab therapy, and circulating plasmablasts that re-emerge in these subjects are clonally distinct and exhibit enhanced somatic hypermutation. Cloning and expression of immunoglobulin heavy and light chain genes from expanded plasmablasts at the peak of disease reveals that disease-associated IgG 4 antibodies are self-reactive. Conclusions Clonally expanded CD19 + CD27 + CD20 − CD38 hi plasmablasts are a hallmark of active IgG 4 -RD. Enhanced somatic mutation in activated B cells and plasmablasts and emergence of distinct plasmablast clones on relapse indicate that the disease pathogenesis is linked to de novo recruitment of naive B cells into T cell–dependent responses by CD4 + T cells, likely driving a self-reactive disease process.
Methodological Concerns When Using Silhouettes to Measure Body Image

This paper discusses methodological concerns of using silhouette figures to measure body images. These include concerns related to scale coarseness (limiting response options to one of a finite number of drawings), restriction of range, method of presentation, and scale of measurement. Recommendations are made to address these limitations, and an alternative silhouette scale using continuous scale measurements is proposed.
Dimensionality and Validity of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale for Use With Latino Adolescents

This study evaluated the construct validity and factor structure of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) using a large sample (n = 814) of adolescents in Mexican, Salvadoran, and Guatemalan immigrant families who completed surveys in English. Results suggested that the RSES may be best specified as assessing two somewhat distinct yet related constructs. There was a high degree of measurement equivalence across the three nationality groups and also a high degree of equivalence across samples separated by generational status (adolescents born in the United States vs. not). There was relatively strong evidence to suggest that bidimensionality of the RSES for use with Salvadoran and Guatemalan adolescents is related to method effects associated with negatively worded items. Findings also suggested that two RSES factors (positive self-esteem and self-deprecation) assess substantively distinct elements of self-esteem as psychological control by mothers, age, and generational status were more strongly related to a self-deprecation (negatively worded items) factor than to a positive self-esteem factor. Implications for using the RSES in research on Latino adolescents are discussed.
Clinical Hypnosis as a Nondeceptive Placebo: Empirically Derived Techniques

Abstract Many psychological problems are maintained, in part, by dysfunctional response expectancies, and changing those expectations is an essential part of treatment. Hypnotic inductions alter response expectancies and have been shown empirically to substantially enhance the effects of psychotherapy. Therefore, hypnosis can be used therapeutically as a nondeceptive placebo. Expectancy plays a major role in hypnotic inductions and their effects. Clinical procedures suggested by these data are explored.
Evaluation of biotin-dye conjugates for use in an HPLC assay to assess relative binding of biotin derivatives with avidin and streptavidin.

In this investigation, studies were conducted to determine if size exclusion HPLC could be used to assess relative association rates (on-rates) and dissociation rates (off-rates) of biotin derivatives from avidin (Av) and streptavidin (SAv). For easy detection and quantification of biotin derivatives, molecules that can be detected by UV absorbance were conjugated to biotin. Concern that conjugation of the chromophoric moieties (dyes) might affect biotin binding with Av and SAv or might interact with the HPLC column led to evaluation of 10 biotin−dye conjugates. The dyes conjugated with biotin included dansyl, cyanocobalamin (CN−Cbl), coumarin 343, Lissamine-rhodamine, fluorescein, Cascade Blue, Lucifer Yellow, Oregon Green, tetramethylrhodamine, and Alexa Fluor 594. The biotin−dye conjugates were initially evaluated to determine their peak characteristics on two different size exclusion HPLC columns. Measurement of the percent of biotin−dye conjugate bound with Av in the presence of an equal quantity of ...
On the Harish-Chandra condition for first-order relativistically-invariant free field equations

It has hitherto been accepted that the degree of the Harish-Chandra condition applying to single-mass equations of arbitrary spin is determined by the maximum spin appearing in the representation ofSL(2,C) which acts on the field. The present paper demonstrates a fallacy in the published arguments which lead to the above conclusion, and gives the correct conclusion which can be deduced from the hypotheses. A counter-example of an irreducible, single-mass, spin 3/2 equation which does not satisfy the accepted theory is provided in an appendix.
Low-order tensor decompositions for social tagging recommendation

Social tagging recommendation is an urgent and useful enabling technology for Web 2.0. In this paper, we present a systematic study of low-order tensor decomposition approach that are specifically targeted at the very sparse data problem in tagging recommendation problem. Low-order polynomials have low functional complexity, are uniquely capable of enhancing statistics and also avoids over-fitting than traditional tensor decompositions such as Tucker and Parafac decompositions. We perform extensive experiments on several datasets and compared with 6 existing methods. Experimental results demonstrate that our approach outperforms existing approaches.
Thermoelastic state of a body with two coplanar thermally active circular cracks

We solve the stationary problem of heat conduction and thermoelasticity for an infinite body with two identical coplanar thermally active circular cracks on which a temperature or heat flow is given. By using harmonic potentials of a simple and double layer, we reduce the problem to singular integral equations with regular kernels. If the distance between the centers of the cracks is larger than the sum of their radii, then we replace the regular kernels by degenerate kernels and obtain the exact solutions of the equations the right-hand sides of which are polynomials of the second degree. The components of the stress tensor and stress intensity factors are determined.
Estimation of Wind from Airplane States in Coordinated Flight

A e lter is dee ned that extracts the wind aloft from the Earth velocity and the orientation of a e ight vehicle in coordinated e ight (data that are available in the context of distributed interactive simulation ). A convergence theorem is proved stating that the estimated wind monotonically approaches the true wind when the latter is horizontal and constant. The e lter builds the transverse component of the wind and converges to the full wind as the e ight vehicle changes heading. The fastest convergence occurs when the e lter is applied at heading intervals equal to a critical interval that depends on the bank.
Understanding the security management practices of humanitarian organizations

Humanitarian organisations operate in increasingly hostile environments. Although authoritative statistics are scarce, anecdotal evidence suggests that aid workers face life-threatening risks that are exacerbated by the growing number of humanitarian organisations operating in the field, the diversity of their mandates, the lack of common professional security standards, and limited success in inter-agency security coordination. Despite broad acceptance of the need for better security management and coordination, many humanitarian organisations remain ambivalent about devoting increased resources to security management and security coordination. A critical lack of basic empirical knowledge of the field security environment hampers efforts to enhance security management practices. The absence of a systematic means of sharing incident data undermines the capacity of the humanitarian community to address proactively security threats. In discussions about humanitarian staff safety and security, the least common denominator remains cumulative anecdotal evidence provided by the many security personnel working for humanitarian organisations in the feld.
An optimal controller for a nonlinear robotic-system

A method of designing an optimal controller for a two-link robot is developed. Robot motion is constrained and is given in terms of nonlinear dynamical equations. Each robot link is subjected to motion from an initial angular displacement and velocity to a set of final angular displacement and velocity, during which a preselected quadratic performance index of the robot is optimized. The proposed dynamic modeling method and closed-loop control algorithm for decentralized control are applied to an example two-link robot. >
Linkage and linkage disequilibrium mapping of ERP and EEG phenotypes

Linkage analyses of highly heritable electrophysiological phenotypes (EEG, ERP) that can potentially identify individuals at risk for alcoholism were performed on a large sample of families with a high density of alcohol dependence as part of the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA); these genetic findings are summarized. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified for several ERP characteristics (P300, N100, N400) and for the beta frequencies of the EEG where we report linkage and linkage disequilibrium at a GABA(A) receptor gene on chromosome 4. Genetic analyses of ERPs suggest that several regions of the human genome contain genetic loci related to the generation of N100, N400 and P300, which are possible candidate loci underlying the functional organization of human neuroelectric activity. The advent of genomics and proteomics and a fuller understanding of gene regulation, will open new horizons on the critical electrical events so essential for human brain function.
Validation of the Hybrid Flowering Cherry Prunus ×incam (Rosaceae)

The name Prunus 3incam Ingram ex R. Olsen & Whittemore is validated here. Introduced as a cultivated variety in 1947, Ingram's name Prunus 3incam has been in use as a nomen nudum in horticultural literature and the nursery trade for artificial crosses involving the parent taxa P. incisa Thunberg 3 P. campanulata Maximowicz. Prunus 3incam is an early flowering tree with two or three flowers in each persistent involucre, spreading sepals, and pink, deeply emarginate petals. Ingram's original introduction, the cultivated variety 'Okame ´,' is the
Experimental validation of the power blurring method

Accurate estimation of temperature profiles from the underlying power dissipation profiles has become an important tool for chip designers and reliability engineers due to increasing power dissipation in ICs and associated thermal effects. IC's surface temperature is conventionally calculated by finite element or finite difference solvers. These methods yield accurate results but the computation time could be several hours to obtain accurate dynamic temperature profiles with high spatial resolution. Previously, we have developed an ultra fast IC temperature profile calculation technique, named as Power Blurring (PB), which dramatically reduces the computation time by a factor of more than a thousand and keeps the error within 5% comparing to finite element analysis done by ANSYS. In this paper, the power blurring method is validated against experimental measurements using a thermal test chip which was designed based on 5-stage ring oscillators. The simulation results and the measurement data show good agreements.
Distortion inherent to magnetic resonance imaging can lead to geometric miss in radiosurgery planning.

Abstract Purpose Anatomic distortion is present in all magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data because of nonlinearity of gradient fields; it measures up to several millimeters. We evaluated the potential for uncorrected MRI to lead to geometric miss of the target volume in stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Methods and materials Twenty-eight SRS cases were studied retrospectively. MRI scans were corrected for gradient nonlinearity distortion in 3 dimensions, and gross tumor volumes (GTVs) were contoured. The manufacturer-specified distortion field was then reapplied to GTV masks to allow measurement of GTV displacement in uncorrected images. The uncorrected GTV was used for SRS planning, and the dose received by the true (corrected) GTV was measured. Results Median displacement of the GTV resulting from gradient distortion was 1.2 mm (interquartile range, 0.1-2.3 mm), with a minimum of 0 mm and a maximum of 3.9 mm. Eight of the 28 cases met a priori criteria for "geometric miss." Conclusions Although MRI distortion is often subtle on visual inspection, there is a significant clinical impact of this distortion on SRS planning. Distortion-corrected MRI should uniformly be used for intracranial radiosurgery planning because uncorrected MRI can lead to potential geometric miss.
Segmentation of the Laramide Slab—evidence from the southern Sierra Nevada region

During the latest Cretaceous-early Paleogene Laramide orogeny, the lithosphere beneath the southernmost Sierra Nevada batholith and the adjacent Mojave Desert region batholith was sheared off and displaced deeper into the mantle. The lithosphere beneath the greater Sierra Nevada batholith to the north was left intact until mid-Miocene time, when fragments of it were entrained as volcanic xenoliths. The Laramide slab was evidently segmented into a shallow flat segment to the south and a deeper segment to the north. Shearing off of the upper mantle to the south was followed by the tectonic underplating of schists derived from Franciscan subduction complex and possibly forearc basin protoliths. The overlying batholithic crust was deformed, deeply denuded, and tectonically breached westward across its forearc region while the schists were underplated. Westward breachment resulted from a combination of west-directed thrusting and extensional collapse. The westernmost breached rocks were tectonically removed by a combination of trench linked transform and subduction erosion processes. Subsequent tectonic erosion by the Neogene San Andreas transform has left the Salinia and the San Gabriel terranes as dispersed residual fragments of the westward breached arc segment. The shallow slab segment appears to have been ;500 km in width, measured along the plate edge. To the south, the slab descent appears to have remained deep beneath the Peninsular Ranges batholith. Classic Laramide structures of the craton are concentrated in a corridor that corresponds to the shallow slab segment as defined by plate edge relations and the corresponding trajectory of Farallon‐North American relative plate motions when viewed on a pre-Neogene palinspastic base. The plate interior is suggested to have been deformed first by end loading as the shallow slab segment initially descended beneath the plate edge, and then by greater basal traction components as the shallow segment progressed beneath the cratonic region. The subcontinental mantle lithosphere beneath the cratonic deformation zone remained intact through Laramide time. Similar segmented slab topologies have been resolved beneath the modern Andean orogen where the shallow segments are correlated with the subduction of aseismic ridges. A number of researchers have suggested that the Laramide orogeny arose from the subduction of a counterpart of the Hess-Shatsky large igneous province of the northwest Pacific basin. Fragments of rock assemblages that are correlative to the Hess-Shatsky province that were accreted to the Franciscan complex in Laramide time support this view. Recognition of the resulting shallow slab segment and its trajectory beneath North America explains the geographic focusing of Laramide deformation, relative to the rest of the Cordilleran orogen, and the relationships between plate edge and plate interior deformational regimes.
Attention to Prevention

A major cause for excessive medical costs in the USA is excessive attention to predictive factors and neglect of causal factors. It is much better to prevent the cause than just the symptoms created by the cause. We use signs and symptoms associated with past harmful events as factors for predicting possible risk of future harm. Predicting future outcomes allows us to hope for ways that we might prevent future harm.
Evaluation of the relative importance of coalbed reservoir parameters for prediction of methane inflow rates during mining of longwall development entries

This study presents a reservoir modeling approach to investigate the relative effects of different coalbed parameters on the migration of methane into development entries. A base coalbed reservoir model of a three-entry development section, where grids were dynamically controlled to simulate the advance of mining at a constant section advance rate, was created and calibrated for a Pittsburgh Coalbed mine in the Southwestern Pennsylvania section of the Northern Appalachian Basin. The values of coalbed parameters were varied to evaluate their effects on predicted methane emissions for various development distances. The results of these parametric simulations were then used to derive linear expressions relating these parameters to methane emissions into the workings. These models were analyzed to assess their significance and adequacy for predictive purposes. This work shows that coupling reservoir simulations with linear modeling yield a technique that can be applicable to different coalbeds. The reservoir parameters used by the linear models (coalbed thickness, pressure, sorption time constant, Langmuir parameters, permeability) can be determined by running relatively simple laboratory tests, such as adsorption equilibrium and permeability determination, on coal samples obtained either from the mining operation or from the exploratory boreholes drilled ahead of mining.
Effect of a P-glycoprotein inhibitor, Cyclosporin A, on the disposition in rodent brain and blood of the 5-HT1A receptor radioligand, [11C](R)-(-)-RWAY.

Limited brain uptake of radioligands with otherwise optimal proper- ties for imaging brain receptors can be improved by blocking the effect of P-glycopro- tein (P-gp), an efflux pump at the blood-brain barrier. Using small animal positron emission tomography (PET), we investigated how P-gp and its blockade with Cyclospo- rin A (CsA) affect rodent brain uptake of ( 11 C)(R)-(� )-RWAY, a radioligand for brain 5-HT1A receptors. Brain uptake of radioactivity was compared in control and CsA-treated rats as well as P-gp knockout and wild type mice. Parent radioligand and radiometabolite in plasma and brain samples were determined at 30 min after injection of radioligand. PET binding potential (BP) was calculated with a reference tissue model. P-gp knockout mice had 2.5- and 2.8-fold greater brain uptake of ( 11 C)(R)-(� )-RWAY
When one isn't enough: an analysis of virtual desktop usage strategies and their implications for design

Screen space is a limited resource for computer users-multiple monitors are one means of workspace expansion, and "virtual desktops" are yet another way to increase screen real-estate. We present a taxonomy of organization strategies based on our observations during a series of interviews with virtual desktop users. Additionally, we explore causes of varying user preferences for physical versus virtual means of screen-space expansion. Finally, we discuss the design implications of our findings.
Variance reduction with neighborhood smoothing for local intrinsic dimension estimation

Local intrinsic dimension estimation has been shown to be useful for many tasks such as image segmentation, anomaly detection, and de-biasing global dimension estimates. Of particular concern with local dimension estimation algorithms is the high variance for high dimensions, leading to points which lie on the same manifold estimating at different dimensions. We propose adding adaptive 'neighborhood smoothing' - filtering over the generated dimension estimates to obtain the most probable estimate for each sample - as a method to reduce variance and increase algorithm accuracy. We present a method for defining neighborhoods using a geodesic distance, which constricts each neighborhood to the manifold of concern, and prevents smoothing over intersecting manifolds of differing dimension. Finally, we illustrate the benefits of neighborhood smoothing on synthetic data sets as well as towards diagnosing anomalies in router networks.
Evidence for the regulation of alternative splicing via complementary DNA sequence repeats

Motivation: While the mechanism for regulating alternative splicing is poorly understood, secondary structure has been shown to be integral to this process. Due to their propensity for forming complementary hairpin loops and their elevated mutation rates, tandem repeated sequences have the potential to influence splicing regulation. Results: An analysis of human intronic sequences reveals a strong correlation between alternative splicing and the prevalence of mono- through hexanucleotide tandem repeats that may engage in complementary pairing in introns that flank alternatively spliced exons. While only 44% of the 18 173 genes in the Human Alternative Splicing Database are known to be alternatively spliced, they contain 84% of the 694 237 intronic complementary repeat pairs. Significantly, the normalized frequency and distribution of repeat sequences, independent of their potential for pairing, are indistinguishable between alternatively spliced and non-alternatively spliced genes. Thus, the increased prevalence of repeats with pairing potential in alternatively spliced genes is not merely a consequence of more repeats or repeat composition bias. These results suggest that complementary repeats may play a role in the regulation of alternative splicing. Contact: harold.garner@utsouthwestern.edu
The Timing of Changes in G and T in the Balanced‐budget Multiplier

The analysis of the standard balanced‐budget multiplier is based on the suppositions that the general price level and interest rates are fixed and that the equal changes in government expenditures and taxes are autonomous. However, no explicit assumption is made about the timing of the dynamic adjustments. This article does just this. It concentrates on the time periods within which government revenues and expenditures vary either simultaneously or iteratively. It stresses the importance of the timing “menu” for the makers of fiscal policy in their pursuit of manipulating the changes in the national product and in the level of employment.
Fecal neutral steroids and bile acids from germfree rats

The amount and composition of fecal neutral sterols and bile acids excreted by adult male germfree and conventional rats have been determined. The amounts of neutral sterols excreted were 12.8 (germfree) and 19.5 (conventional) mg/kg of body wt per day. The germfree rats excreted cholesterol and lathosterol (methostenol was not assayed); the conventional rats excreted coprostanol and coprostanone in addition. The amounts of bile acids excreted were 11.3 (germfree) and 21.4 (conventional) mg/kg of body wt per day. The bile acids excreted by the rats were tentatively identified as tauro--muricholate, tauro-alpha-muricholate, and tauro-cholate, besides an unidentified component. The conventional rats excreted the corresponding unconjugated acids as well as many other unconjugated bile acids. No significant correlation was found between the amount of coprosterols and the total amount of neutral sterols excreted by the conventional rats. This suggests that bacterial reduction of cholesterol is not an important mechanism of increasing neutral sterol excretion of conventional rats as compared to germfree rats. Evidence is presented that suggests that this difference in neutral sterol excretion is due to changes in intestinal secretion and sloughing between the two types of animal. The factors reponsible for the differences in bile acid excretion have not been identified.
Rat gene 33: analysis of its structure, messenger RNA and basal promoter activity

Abstract Several overlapping cDNA and genomic DNA clones corresponding to mRNA g33 and gene 33, respectively, were isolated and characterized. The mRNA g33 molecule is 2971 nt in length, exclusive of a poly(A+) tail, and encodes a putative 459 amino acid protein (49,946 daltons). The 13.2 kbp gene consists of four exons, three introns, and has two initiation sites located 27 and 30 bp downstream from a TATA box. Transfection of H4IIE cells with a fusion gene 33 (-1900 to +32)/luciferase construct (pSL330A) gave rise to readily detectable luciferase activity. In addition, primer extension analysis of the gene 33/luciferase mRNA transcribed in these experiments showed that transcription initiates in the gene 33 DNA at two sites consistent with those found in vivo. Analysis of the effect of 5' deletions on basal promoter activity showed that, in relation to the promoter activity of pSL330A, approximately 40% of the activity is lost between -1643 and -1050, another approximately 40% between -550 and -475, and deletion to -55 causes a total loss of detectable luciferase activity.
Thermal Characteristics of 16- and 40-Pin Plastic DIP's

The thermal performance of 16- and 40-pin plastic dual in-line packages (DIP's) is described in light of current trends towards higher device powers and ambient temperatures. Extensive experimental and computer modeling studies on both package types have revealed that extraordinary improvements in thermal characteristics can result from proper selection of package materials and cooling parameters. In particular, judicious choices of leadframe material, molding compound, heatspreader, and mode of external cooling can lead to excellent thermal performance. To accomplish this, component manufacturers and system users must work closely to properly select materials and conditions to maximize effectiveness. In the best case, thermal resistances of 38°C/W and 26°C/W were found for 16- and 40-pin plastic DIP's using forced air cooling. The importance of both device power level and board temperature rise above ambient on theta JA is discussed in some detail. Suggestions are made to both component manufacturers and system users on how to minimize variations in measured theta JA .
Indoor Localization Using Improved RSS-Based Lateration Methods

Location estimation is a critical step for many location-aware applications. To obtain location information, localization methods employing Received Signal Strength (RSS) are attestative since it can reuse the existing wireless infrastructure for localization. Among the large class of localization schemes, RSS-based lateration methods have the advantage of providing closed-form solutions for mathematical analysis as compared to heuristic-based localization approaches. However, the localization accuracy of RSS-based lateration methods are significantly affected by the unpredictable setup in indoor environments. To improve the applicability of RSS-based lateration methods in indoors, we propose two approaches, regression-based and correlation-based. The regression-based approach uses linear regression to discover a better fit of signal propagation model between RSS and the distance, while the correlation-based approach utilizes the correlation among RSS in local area to obtain more accurate signal propagation. Our results using both simulation as well as real experiments demonstrate that our improved methods outperform the original RSS-based lateration methods significantly.
Effect of Fruit Moisture Content on Mortality, Development, and Fitness of the Carob Moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

The developmental biology and fitness of the carob moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae (Zeller), is highly variable and depends on many environmental factors. This study was conducted to determine the impact of fruit moisture content on carob moth mortality, development, and fitness. We found a significant relationship between fruit moisture content and carob moth mortality and development. Only 1 of 61 carob moths completed larval development within 85 d in fruit having <5.0% moisture content, and no larvae survived at moisture contents <3.5%, close to the predicted minimum of 3.2% moisture content; 75% of the larval mortality occurred below 7.3% fruit moisture. Of the 32 larvae that were still developing on day 85, 75% were below 13.2% fruit moisture. Average female development ranged from 49.3 ± 4.2 d at 21.8 ± 0.7% fruit moisture to 81.0 d at 5.0% fruit moisture, and average male development ranged from 47.7 ± 4.8 d at 21.8 ± 0.7% fruit moisture to 75.5 ± 4.5 d at 5.1 ± 0.3% fruit moisture content. Maximum predicted development occurred at 19.6 and 20.4% fruit moisture content for females and males, respectively. Female fitness was more adversely affected at low fruit moistures than was male fitness as indicated by a greater decrease in adult emergence weight and greater increase in developmental time. Adult longevity of both sexes was not influenced by the fruit moisture at which they were reared as larvae. The average number of eggs laid by females was linearly related to the fruit moisture at which they were reared as larvae. Population fitness as estimated by the population doubling times was negatively affected by low fruit moisture content, and times ranged from 9.9 to 210.4 d over the range of conditions in this study. Future studies aimed at testing fitness parameters of the carob moth should control fruit moisture content to make valid inferences concerning the impact of environmental factors on development and fitness of this species.
Status Motives and Agent-to-Agent Information Sharing: How Evolutionary Psychology Shapes Agents' Responses to Control System Design

The quality of decision making within firms often depends on the willingness of agents to share information with other agents. In two studies, we examine the effects of status motives, i.e., the desire to gain the respect of and deference from others, on information sharing. We investigate information sharing in two different control systems: one in which agents receive incentives to share and one in which agents incur costs to share. We draw on theory from evolutionary psychology to argue that status motives modify agents’ responses to the control systems — specifically, constraining the willingness to share information when agents receive incentives to do so but increasing this willingness when agents incur costs to do so. We discuss the implications of our findings for information sharing, and the implications of applying an evolutionary framework of agent motivation to understand decision making in firms.
Time-resolved Studies of IsdG Protein Identify Molecular Signposts along the Non-canonical Heme Oxygenase Pathway *

IsdGs are heme monooxygenases that break open the tetrapyrrole, releasing the iron, and thereby allowing bacteria expressing this protein to use heme as a nutritional iron source. Little is currently known about the mechanism by which IsdGs degrade heme, although the products differ from those generated by canonical heme oxygenases. A synthesis of time-resolved techniques, including in proteo mass spectrometry and conventional and stopped-flow UV/visible spectroscopy, was used in conjunction with analytical methods to define the reaction steps mediated by IsdG from Staphylococcus aureus and their time scales. An apparent meso-hydroxyheme (forming with k = 0.6 min(-1), pH 7.4, 10 mm ascorbate, 10 μm IsdG-heme, 22 °C) was identified as a likely common intermediate with the canonical heme oxygenases. Unlike heme oxygenases, this intermediate does not form with added H2O2 nor does it convert to verdoheme and CO. Rather, the next observable intermediates (k = 0.16 min(-1)) were a set of formyloxobilin isomers, similar to the mycobilin products of the IsdG homolog from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MhuD). These converted in separate fast and slow phases to β-/δ-staphylobilin isomers and formaldehyde (CH2O). Controlled release of this unusual C1 product may support IsdG's dual role as both an oxygenase and a sensor of heme availability in S. aureus.
Combined extrauterine and intrauterine pregnancy.

Abstract 1. 1. Four new instances of combined extrauterine and intrauterine pregnancy are reported. 2. 2. The ratio of coexistent ectopic intrauterine pregnancy to ectopic pregnancy at the Charity Hospital during the last ten years is approximately 1 to 100. 3. 3. At the time of operation for an ectopic gestation, one case (Case 1) was correctly diagnosed as a combined pregnancy and in one case (Case 2) this condition merely suspected. In both cases the corpus luteum was unfortunately sacrified. Case 1 continued to term, and a living child was delivered by cesarean section, while Case 2 aborted twenty-four days postoperatively. In such instances, substitution hormonal therapy should be instigated and maintained at least to the twenty-fourth week. 4. 4. In approximately 25 per cent of the reported cases in the literature, one or occasionally both fetuses continued to term. 5. 5. The reported maternal mortality is high. The following factors should materially aid in its reduction: 1. A. More widespread use of cul-de-sac puncture as an aid in the early diagnosis of ruptured ectopic pregnancy. 2. B. Avoidance of removal of the placenta of the abdominal twin. 3. C. Liberal and prompt use of whole blood and plasma in the emergency stages.
Optimized Finite Difference Schemes for Multidimensional Wave Propagation

Among various numerical approaches for spatial discretization, the finite difference schemes are commonly used due to their computational efficiency and ease of implementation when higher order of accuracy is required. Most of the spatial differencing schemes are analyzed and optimized using one-dimensional test cases. As a result, in multidimensional problems they may not have isotropic behavior. This work is an extension of a previous one that proposed optimized two-dimensional finite difference schemes with improved isotropy for problems of Aeroacustics. The extension is to use the optimized onesided schemes to convection problems for stability improvement when steady state solution is sought. It is found that on a Cartesian grid not only the magnitude but also the direction of the local velocity is important in calculating the local time step. Compared to classical schemes, by using optimized schemes, the time step could be increased by 50% in some regions of the flow. Also, the artificial dissipation introduced by the upwind version of the optimized schemes is larger. These suggest the use of the optimized schemes as acceleration technique for steady problems. The centered and one-sided optimized schemes are validated by solving Aeroacustics problems and the Euler equations on Cartesian grids.
Disposable Copper-Based Electrochemical Sensor for Anodic Stripping Voltammetry

In this work, we report the first copper-based point-of-care sensor for electrochemical measurements demonstrated by zinc determination in blood serum. Heavy metals require careful monitoring, yet current methods are too complex for a point-of-care system. Electrochemistry offers a simple approach to metal detection on the microscale, but traditional carbon, gold (Au), or platinum (Pt) electrodes are difficult or expensive to microfabricate, preventing widespread use. Our sensor features a new low-cost electrode material, copper, which offers simple fabrication and compatibility with microfabrication and PCB processing, while maintaining competitive performance in electrochemical detection. Anodic stripping voltammetry of zinc using our new copper-based sensors exhibited a 140 nM (9.0 ppb) limit of detection (calculated) and sensitivity greater than 1 μA/μM in the acetate buffer. The sensor was also able to determine zinc in a bovine serum extract, and the results were verified with independent sensor mea...
Steps and Gaps in Ground Ruptures: Empirical Bounds on Rupture Propagation

Abstract We analyze a set of 76 mapped surface ruptures for relationships between geometrical discontinuities in fault traces and earthquake rupture extent. The combined set includes 46 strike‐slip, 16 normal, and 14 reverse mechanism events. The survey shows ∼90% of ruptures have at least one end at a mappable discontinuity, either a fault end or a step of 1 km or greater. Dip‐slip ruptures cross larger steps than strike‐slip earthquakes, with maxima of ∼12 versus ∼5 km, respectively. Large steps inside strike‐slip ruptures are rare; only 8% (5 of 62) are ≥4 km. A geometric probability distribution model of steps as “challenges” to rupture propagation predicts that steps of 1 km or greater will be effective in stopping rupture about 46% of the time. The rate is similar for dip‐slip earthquakes, but, within this set, steps are relatively more effective in stopping reverse ruptures and less effective in stopping normal ruptures. By comparing steps at rupture terminations to the set of steps broken in rupture, we can estimate the importance of step size for stopping rupture. We define the passing ratio for a given step size as the fraction of steps broken divided by the corresponding fraction that stop rupture. A linear model for steps from 1 to 6 km in strike‐slip ruptures leads to the passing ratio =1.89–0.31× step width. Steps of ∼3 km are equally likely to be broken or to terminate rupture, and steps ≥6 km should almost always stop rupture. A similar comparison suggests that extensional steps are somewhat more effective than compressional steps in stopping ruptures. We also compiled the incidence of gaps of 1 km and longer in surface ruptures. Gaps occur in ∼43% of ruptures and occur more frequently in dip‐slip than strike‐slip ruptures. Online Material: Figures of annotated surface rupture maps for 40 earthquakes.
Equity Planning or Equitable Opportunities? The Construction of Equity in the HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grants

In this article, we examine recent efforts by the federal government to promote regional planning that incorporates social equity into sustainability and livability principles through the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant (SCRPG). We use a plan quality analysis framework to examine grant proposals from the 2010 awardees. The analysis asks whether these regional plan proposals represent a new equity planning or if regional-scale equity policy remains obscured in quality of life arguments. We conclude with respect to the Krumholz model that regional equity planning may signal commitment to equity policy, but that regional capacity to act for equity is lacking.
Future dangerousness and sexual offenders

When it comes to gruesome murders and violent sex offenses, basic rule-of-law precepts appear to be tossed out with the bathwater. Predictions of future dangerousness are not only prevalent in capital sentencing, they also are rampant in post-conviction commitment of sexual offenders. Sexually violent predator acts, enacted in at least sixteen states, uniformly require predictions about the likelihood of reoffending. Predictions of future dangerousness have become routine in the United Kingdom also. These predictions are frequently based on actuarial instruments, but rarely – either in the United States or the United Kingdom – is there any inquiry into their scientific soundness. That these predictions are admitted without serious judicial inquiry into their scientific validity is astonishing in a system that has as a fundamental tenet that only facts having rational probative value should be admissible in the search for truth. Public pressure for strengthened crime control measures is fed by stories of sexual murders, especially the sexual murders and rapes of children, which occupy the national and international media. Violent recidivism is perceived to be a horrifying reality. The response in the United States as well as the United Kingdom has been an increased emphasis on preventive detention, magnifying the role of future-dangerousness predictions. Sexually violent predator statutes rely on predictions of dangerousness to commit people who have already served their prison sentences to indefinite terms of confinement.
Regionally Growing Random Trees: A synergistic motion planning and control algorithm for dynamic systems

Nonlinearities, differential constraints, and input limitations preclude the use of regular feedback control algorithms in a range of complex dynamic systems. This article introduces the concept of Regionally Growing Random Trees (RGRT) as a powerful tool that synergistically combines motion planning and control tasks. RGRT is a forest of Dynamics-based Rapidly Expanding Trees (DRETs) that grow in the state-space of a dynamic system without requiring any distance function or explicit solutions of the differential equations of motion. The growth of multiple DRETs results in paths between the tree roots and forms a roadmap which is utilized in a planning algorithm to find a feasible path between a current state and a goal state. A path tracking algorithm is then used to convert the open-loop commands of the planner into a feedback controller, which provides robustness against disturbances and modeling errors. The RGRT motion planning and control scheme allows complete utilization (instead of avoidance) of system nonlinearities, which provides solutions for overcoming actuator constraints and eliminates the limitations imposed on the system by traditional feedback control approaches.
Magnetic resonance perfusion image features uncover an angiogenic subgroup of glioblastoma patients with poor survival and better response to antiangiogenic treatment.

Author(s): Liu, Tiffany T; Achrol, Achal S; Mitchell, Lex A; Rodriguez, Scott A; Feroze, Abdullah; Iv, Michael; Kim, Christine; Chaudhary, Navjot; Gevaert, Olivier; Stuart, Josh M; Harsh, Griffith R; Chang, Steven D; Rubin, Daniel L | Abstract: BackgroundIn previous clinical trials, antiangiogenic therapies such as bevacizumab did not show efficacy in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM). This may be a result of the heterogeneity of GBM, which has a variety of imaging-based phenotypes and gene expression patterns. In this study, we sought to identify a phenotypic subtype of GBM patients who have distinct tumor-image features and molecular activities and who may benefit from antiangiogenic therapies.MethodsQuantitative image features characterizing subregions of tumors and the whole tumor were extracted from preoperative and pretherapy perfusion magnetic resonance (MR) images of 117 GBM patients in 2 independent cohorts. Unsupervised consensus clustering was performed to identify robust clusters of GBM in each cohort. Cox survival and gene set enrichment analyses were conducted to characterize the clinical significance and molecular pathway activities of the clusters. The differential treatment efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy between the clusters was evaluated.ResultsA subgroup of patients with elevated perfusion features was identified and was significantly associated with poor patient survival after accounting for other clinical covariates (P values l.01; hazard ratios g 3) consistently found in both cohorts. Angiogenesis and hypoxia pathways were enriched in this subgroup of patients, suggesting the potential efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy. Patients of the angiogenic subgroups pooled from both cohorts, who had chemotherapy information available, had significantly longer survival when treated with antiangiogenic therapy (log-rank P=.022).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that an angiogenic subtype of GBM patients may benefit from antiangiogenic therapy with improved overall survival.
Delegalizing Advance Directives — Facilitating Advance Care Planning

Legal formalities impose barriers to creating advance directives. Eliminating legal requirements would allow such documents to be more easily integrated into health care systems and would increase the likelihood of their being used to achieve their intended goals.
Reactive supramolecular filler for elastomer reinforcement

Abstract A reactive amphiphile, SA1, which comprises a mercaptodecyl oleophilic tail and a β-alanine oleophobic moiety, has been introduced to serve as the building block for supramolecular filler. At least a fraction of SA1 reacts in situ during mechanically mixing and vulcanization with SBR via thiol-ene reaction. Some oxidative dimerization also concomitantly occurs to give DSA1. The chemical coupling between SA1 and SBR results in drastically improved filler domain dispersion. Short fibrous crystalline domains, which are likely composed of SA1, SA1 grafted to SBR, and DSA1, less than 10 nm in width and a few tens to one hundred nanometers in length are observed by TEM. The filler domains are evenly distributed in the SBR. In contrast, the simple filler PA1 forms large irregular aggregates on the length scale of hundreds of nanometers. The improved filler dispersion and filler-rubber interaction allow effective energy dissipation and result in significantly improved mechanical properties. A solution-mixing method proves feasible for mixing SA1 and SBR and actually has resulted in better mechanical properties than the mechanical mixing method. Since the conventional mechanical mixing method for rubber compounding is highly energy-intensive, avoidance of the mechanical mixing method is another practical advantage for the novel strategy of supramolecular reinforcement.