cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comment on Inert Areas and the Definition of X-Efficiency

I am grateful to Blois for extending and showing the potential complexity of my notion of inert areas. The basic distinction is between an inert area as a set of effort positions within which a person does not move from one position to another, as against the idea of an inert area as a set of positions within or out of which one does not move. I had the latter concept in mind. It is consistent with Blois's Figure I but not Figure II. We might refer to the Blois type of inert area as an Internal Inert Area (no movement within the area) and refer to my original notion as a Stable Inert Area (no movement at all). Blois is correct and helpful when he suggests that the size of an internal inert area depends on the nature of the move and the utility cost of disturbing or persuading others to permit the move. Thus, there is a set of internal inert areas that overlap and each of which depends on the direction of the move. There is still a stable inert area within which the utility cost of a move from any effort position to any other, within or outside it, is greater than the utility gained. Hopefully, the increased range of situations that these distinctions enable us to analyze will compensate for the increased complexity that Blois has helped to introduce. With respect to the situation in which the firm does not respond to changing prices, I concur with his suggested redefinition of X-inefficiency and agree that it is an improvement. Peel's suggestion is a very different matter. If I read him correctly, it is in conformity with the penchant of many economists to rationalize deviations from conventional micro theory by redefining some aspects and assuming away others so that almost everything ends up as a problem amenable to the logic and mathematics of maximization under constraint. This approach frequently hides rather than reveals what may be the essence of a problem area. Peel suggests that we assume that effort levels of human inputs are constants and that we analyze different circumstances in terms of different management goals. I believe this to be an error in research strategy. I believe that the effort positions of firm members are variables (and very complex ones), should be treated as such, studied intensively, and the practical consequences of such treatment worked out. The Peel approach involves a vision of the firm
Separation of thoracopagus-cardiopagus twins joined by a myocardial bridge

Clinical Summary Four-month-old infants born as conjoined twins were delivered at 34 weeks’ gestational age by cesarean section. They were known to have a shared liver and were connected at the abdominal and thoracic cavities. Cardiac evaluation included electrocardiography, echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomographic scanning. Both hearts were in the same pericardial sac but appeared structurally normal. The left ventricle of one twin was found to protrude into the thoracic cavity of the other, in direct contact with the other twin’s right atrium and right ventricle. However, no communications or shared myocardial tissue between the twins’ hearts could be visualized on any of the preoperative testing. Preoperative angiography demonstrated no shared coronary vessels according to the sequential and simultaneous aortic root angiograms, which clearly delineated the normal coronary arteries of each heart. The twins were noted to have synchronous cardiac rhythms, despite the apparent absence of an anatomic source for shared conduction tissue. The preoperative tracing showing synchronous electrocardiographic activity between the twins is shown in Figure 1, A. At exploration, after division of the lateral aspect of the skin bridge between the twins, the pericardium was opened. The hearts were beating synchronously with excellent function. A band of muscle and fatty tissue approximately 4 mm in diameter and 4 mm in length connected the two hearts. The communication arose at the base of one left ventricle, adjacent to the origin of the posterior descending coronary artery. On the other heart, it attached near the atrioventricular groove, close to the right coronary artery. After test occlusion of the connection with a Dacron polyester tie and a tourniquet, two pledgeted sutures were placed, one at the base of each end of the myocardial bridge, and the tissue was divided. After separation, the two hearts immediately began to beat in an asynchronous fashion, in sinus rhythm, without any signs of arrhythmia. This is illustrated by the electrocardiographic tracings shown in Figure 1, B.
Mapping a Space for a Rhetorical-Cultural Analysis A Case of a Scientific Proposal

This article analyzes a proposal submitted to a funding unit in Michigan Technological University by a PhD Forestry student. A rhetorical-cultural approach of the text provides evidence to argue th...
Synthesis and pharmacology of ethylphenidate enantiomers: the human transesterification metabolite of methylphenidate and ethanol.

Ethanol elevates methylphenidate (1) plasma concentrations and yields the metabolite ethylphenidate (2). The therapeutic implications are under investigation. The IC50 for dopamine reuptake inhibition by (+)-2 was 27 nM compared to 367 nM for cocaine and 1730 nM for (−)-2. Binding selectivity for dopamine versus norepinephrine transporters was greater for (+)-2 than for cocaine. Intraperitoneal (+)-2 was approximately half as active as (+)-1 in stimulating mouse motor activity at 5 mg/kg, but (+)-2 was as active as (+)-1 at 10 mg/kg.
Beyond a Story Well Told: Using Oral Histories for Social Justice Curriculum

Abstract In this article, I describe the process that five graduate students used to collect oral histories about racial desegregation in a community in southern Illinois. Using these stories, I and a project team developed a unique online learning environment that facilitates and assesses the user's abilities to engage in historical thinking as a means for analyzing how ordinary citizens in a democratic society fought for social justice.
Electron-hole drop luminescence in Ge at high magnetic fields

Abstract From luminescence measurements at high magnetic fields, B ‖ [111] and [110], we find that electrons of light cyclotron mass condense and coexist in the same electron-hole drops as the electrons of heavy cyclotron mass. For B ‖ [111] the density of the electrons of light cyclotron mass nLM is strongly field dependent which is explained by a change of the intervalley scattering time. n LM ⋍ 1.9 × 10 15 cm -3 for B ‖ [111] and 1.2 × 1015 cm-3 For B ‖ [110] at B = 17 T and T = 1.4K.
Directional dependence of electron blocking in PEDOT:PSS

Abstract The directional dependence of electron blocking by poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is investigated in organic photovoltaic devices. In a conventional OPV architecture we find that a doped interlayer forms between poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and the PSS-rich top layer of spin-coated PEDOT:PSS films. In an inverted OPV architecture, we find no mixing between PEDOT:PSS and P3HT, which is due to the lower concentration of PSS in bulk PEDOT:PSS than is found in the PSS-rich top layer. Through electrical measurements of conventional and inverted photovoltaic devices we show that the interlayer is necessary for PEDOT:PSS to be electron blocking. This result implies that PEDOT:PSS is not intrinsically electron blocking and that its directional anisotropy must be considered when comparing the advantages and disadvantages of conventional and inverted architecture photovoltaic devices.
Velocity anomalies in the lower mantle

Abstract Observations of the slope of the travel time curve have been made on the P-wave arrivals at the Large Aperture Seismic Array from about 400 events at a Northwesterly azimuth from the array. A velocity structure for the lower mantle is deduced using the Wiechert-Herglotz formula. Regions of anomalous velocity change are found to occur in the vicinity of 700, 1150 and 2000 km depth, and there is a possibility of an additional anomaly at about 2500 km.
Positron Lifetime Measurements of Vacancy Defects in Complex Oxides

Native defects in complex oxides play a crucial role in determining their optical, electrical, and magnetic properties and it is di cult to identify and characterize them. Positron lifetime spectroscopy is a powerful technique to study vacancy defects; however its application to complex oxides has been limited. In this work we apply positron lifetime spectroscopy to study open volume defects in rare earth doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) complex oxides grown in argon atmosphere. In YAG single crystals, positron lifetime measurements identi ed isolated aluminum vacancies and complexes of aluminum vacancy and neighbor oxygen vacancies. Thermoluminescence measurements were also performed to elucidate the interaction between trapping defects and luminescence centers. By combining positron lifetime and thermoluminescence, both the defect type and its e ect on the optical properties of YAG crystals were revealed.
Methylphenidate and the juvenile brain: Enhancement of attention at the expense of cortical plasticity?

Methylphenidate (Ritalin) is the most commonly prescribed psychoactive drug for juveniles and adolescents. Used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and for cognitive enhancement in healthy individuals, it has been regarded as a relatively safe medication for the past several decades. However, a thorough review of the literature reveals that the age-dependent activities of the drug, as well as potential developmental effects, are largely ignored. In addition, the diagnosis of ADHD is subjective, leaving open the possibility of misdiagnosis and excessive prescription of the drug. Recent studies have suggested that early life exposure of healthy rodent models to methylphenidate resulted in altered sleep/ wake cycle, heightened stress reactivity, and, in fact, a dosage previously thought of as therapeutic depressed neuronal function in juvenile rats. Furthermore, juvenile rats exposed to low-dose methylphenidate displayed alterations in neural markers of plasticity, indicating that the drug might alter the basic properties of prefrontal cortical circuits. In this review of the current literature, we propose that juvenile exposure to methylphenidate may cause abnormal prefrontal function and impaired plasticity in the healthy brain, strengthening the case for developing a more thorough understanding of methylphenidate’s actions on the developing, juvenile brain, as well as better diagnostic measures for ADHD.
Flow State Logic (FSL) for Analysis of Failure Propagation in Early Design

For safety critical complex systems, reliability and risk analysis are important design steps. Implementing these analyses early in the design stage can reduce costs associated with redesign and provide important information on design viability. In the past several years, various research methods have been presented in the design community to move reliability analysis into the early conceptual design stages. These methods all use a functional representation as the basis for reliability analysis. This paper asserts that, in non-nominal system states, the functional representation limits the scope of failure analysis. Specifically, when failures are modeled to propagate along energy, material, and signal (EMS) flows, a nominal-state functional model is insufficient for modeling all types of failures. To capture possible failure propagation paths, a function-based reliability method must consider all potential flows, and not be limited to the function structure of the nominal state. In this light, this paper introduces the Flow State Logic (FSL) method as a means for reasoning on the state of EMS flows that allows the assessment of failure propagation over potential flows that were not considered in a functional representation of a “nominally functioning” design. A liquid fueled rocket engine serves as a case study to illustrate the benefits of the methodology.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
WHAT IS THE CONTENT OF AN INTENTION IN ACTION

On the view proposed, the content of an intention in action is given by what one would say in expressing it, and the proper form for expressing such an intention is a statement about what one is doing: e.g. ‘I am doing such-and-such’. By contrast, some think that there are normative or evaluative elements to the content of an intention in action which would be left out of a form that merely stated facts. They think that the appropriate way to express such an intention is a statement about what one should be doing. Davidson, for example, thinks that the statement must essentially be a verdict: that doing such-and-such is all-out desirable. But this is to assume that practical reason is reasoning towards the truth of a proposition, the very mistake which obscures its ‘true character’, as Anscombe correctly points out. Moreover, although Davidson's view helps him account for the possibility of weakness of will, his explanation of the phenomenon is strained and inferior by contrast with the account which the proposed view makes available. The proposed view fits into a broader picture in which intentional action is the exercise of a practical conceptual capacity.
Ancient Road Networks and Settlement Hierarchies in the New World

List of contributors List of tables List of figures Acknowledgements Editor's preface Section I. Theoretical Considerations: 1. An introduction to the study of ancient New World road networks Charles D. Trombold 2. Paths and roads in evolutionary perspective Timothy Earle 3. Roads, routes and ties that bind Ross Hassig 4. Observations about research on prehistoric roads in South America John Hyslop Section II. Methodological Considerations: 5. Photointerpretation of Chaco Roads Margaret S. Obenauf 6. Analysis of prehistoric roadways in Chaco Canyon using remotely sensed digital data Thomas L. Sever and David W. Wagner 7. Prehistoric footpaths in Costa Rica: transportation and communication in a tropical rainforest Payson Sheets and Thomas L. Sever 8. Cross-cutting relationships: the relative dating of ancient roads on the north coast of Peru Colleen M. Beck 9. Network analysis and the study of past regional organisation Larry J. Gorenflo and Thomas L. Bell Section III. Regional Studies: 10. Political, economic, and demographic implications of the Chaco road network Frances Joan Mathien 11. The prehistoric road network at Pueblo Alto, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico Thomas C. Windes 12. The Sonoran connection: road and trail networks in the prehistoric period Carroll L. Riley, and Joni L. Manson 13. Causeways in the context of strategic planning in the La Quemada region, Zacatecas, Mexico Charles D. Trombold 14. Xanhari: protohistoric Tarascan routes Shirley Gorenstien and Helen Perlstein Pollard 15. The influence and legacy of Teotihuacan on regional routes and urban planning Thomas H. Charlton 16. The structure of the Aztec transport network Robert S. Santley 17. Roads, thoroughfares and avenues of power at Xochicalco, Mexico Kenneth Hirth 18. Sacbes of the northern Maya William J. Folan 19. Prehistoric roads and causeways of lowland tropical America William M. Denevan 20. The association between roads and polities: evidence for a Wari road system in Peru Katharina J. Schrieber 21. The Chincha roads: economics and symbolism Dwight T. Wallace.
Structured handoff checklists improve clinical measures in patients discharged from the neurointensive care unit

While up to 80% of medical errors may result from poor communication at clinical transitions of care, there has been relatively little study of the effect of standardized communication tools on clinical quality measures. We prospectively examined the effect of a standardized handoff checklist on clinical outcomes for patients dismissed from the neurointensive care unit. We found that the checklist resulted in significant reductions in patients transferred with inaccurate medication reconciliation and unnecessary urinary catheters. Participating physicians were surveyed and generally viewed the handoff checklist favorably. Standardized communication tools such as checklists may play a useful role in reducing medical errors related to communication between patient care teams.
BIOMAPER-II: an integrated instrument platform for coupled biological and physical measurements in coastal and oceanic regimes

The BIo-Optical Multi-frequency Acoustical and Physical Environmental Recorder or BIOMAPER-II is a newly developed towed system capable of conducting quantitative surveys of the spatial distribution of coastal and oceanic plankton/nekton, near surface bubble fields, and turbulence, as well as field verification studies of theoretical plankton reverberation models. The system consists of a multi-frequency sonar (up-looking and down-looking pairs of transducers operating at five frequencies: 43, 120, 200, 420, and 1000 kHz), a video plankton recorder system (VPR), an environmental sensor system (CTD, fluorometer, transmissometer), and several other bio-optical sensors (down- and upwelling spectral radiometers, spectral attenuation, and backscattering, and absorption meters). The lower four acoustical frequencies utilize split beam technology and are able to make target strength and echo integration measurements. Also included are an electro-optic tow cable, a winch with slip rings, and a van which holds the electronic equipment for real-time data processing and analysis. The vehicle is capable of operating to a depth of 300 m at 4-6 kn, while near the surface it may be towed at speeds up to 10 kn. The system can be operated in a surface-towed down-looking mode, in a vertical oscillatory "tow-yo" mode, or in a subsurface up/down-looking horizontal mode. To enhance the performance and utility of BIOMAPER-II in high sea states, a winch, slack tensioner, and over-boarding J-frame assembly are integrated with the system for deployment and handling. Wire tension records and the power spectra demonstrated the substantial protection that the slack tensioner system provided against excessive shock loading of the cable and the vehicle in sea states that would otherwise prevent work. The scientific capability of the vehicle is illustrated with acoustic, environmental, and bio-optical data sets collected from the Gulf of Maine on cruises in 1997 and 1999.
2,3‐Butadienenitrile

[1001-56-5] C4H3N (MW 65.07) InChI = 1S/C4H3N/c1-2-3-4-5/h3H,1H2 InChIKey = IRLQAJPIHBZROB-UHFFFAOYSA-N (reactive in transformations involving nucleophilic conjugate addition,1 radical addition,2 and dipolar addition, especially with nitrones3) Alternate Names: allenecarbonitrile; cyanoallene; cyanopropadiene. Physical Data: bp 50–51.5 °C/50 mmHg. Solubility: sol EtOH, THF, toluene, chloroform, benzene. Analysis of Reagent Purity: IR 1970, 2230 cm−1. Preparative Methods: this reagent is not commercially available, but at least two preparative methods have been reported. One proceeds through a Wittig reaction between cyanomethylidenetriphenylphosphorane and ketene.4 However, the procedure to be recommended involves the formation of 3-butynenitrile and its isomerization in situ to 2,3-butadienenitrile (eq 1).5 The indicated product mixture can be produced on a scale near 100 g, and its fractional distillation affords pure 2,3-butadienenitrile. (1) Purification: vacuum distillation. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: this reagent has been reported6 to cause severe allergic reactions in some individuals. Handling with double, heavy-duty rubber gloves is recommended. This reagent should only be handled in a fume hood.
When the Time is Right: How the Timing of Formal Interventions Affects Group Process and Decisions

While scholars and practitioners have explored what to do when intervening to help novice groups, there has been considerably less attention paid to when to do it. This paper explores how the timing of process interventions impacts group decision-making processes and outcomes. In two laboratory experiments, I tested the extent to which groups altered their processes in response to interventions received at various times during their first task. In Study 1, I found that groups that received interventions during the early stages of their discussions shared more information than did groups who received interventions before beginning discussion, which indirectly affected the quality of their decisions. In Study 2, I compared early, in-process interventions to interventions received at the temporal midpoint of the first task and found that groups receiving interventions at the temporal midpoint of their first task improved their initial processes and outcomes, relative to control, while groups receiving earlie...
Insulin inhibits peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Inhibition by insulin of long chain fatty acid oxidation in mitochondria is mediated in part by elevating malonyl-CoA levels, which inhibit carnitine palmitoyl-transferase I. Whether insulin alters peroxisomal oxidation has not been studied. We present data which show that insulin inhibits the oxidation of palmitic acid by peroxisomes (IC50 = 8.5 × 10−11 m) at hormone concentrations 100-fold less than those needed for mitochondrial inhibition (IC50 = 1.3× 10−8 m). We used a purified peroxisome preparation to study the mechanism of insulin action. Insulin had a direct effect in the peroxisome preparations to decrease oxygen consumption, fatty acyl-CoA oxidizing system activity and acyl-CoA oxidase by approximately 40%, 30% and 15%, respectively. Since insulin degrading enzyme (IDE) is an insulin-binding protein known to be in peroxisomes, we studied the effect of an inhibitory anti-IDE antibody on the ability of insulin to inhibit the fatty acyl-CoA oxidizing system. The antibody eliminated the inhibitory ...
An Exploration of Heterogeneity in Electronic Medical Record Use: Information Technology Use as Emergent and Driven by Values and Expertise

We explore heterogeneity in the use of an organization-wide information technology (IT) by both individuals and groups in a professional organization. We study electronic medical record use by physicians and clinic work groups in two medical practices operating within one multi-specialty health care clinic. Data collection methods include interviews, non-participant observations, and questionnaires. Drawing on theories of professional organizations and complex adaptive systems, we offer as an explanation of heterogeneity in IT use by individuals that IT use is a function of professional values and expertise and of heterogeneity of IT use in groups the insight that IT use at a collective level is an emergent property arising from the interactions of diverse, learning agents. This study contributes to information systems research by enriching current understandings of IT use and by providing new insights about heterogeneous IT use in professional organizations.
The communicative achievement of friendship during adolescence: Predicaments of trust and violation

This research investigated the varieties, tensions, and functions of friendship as described by 32 high school juniors in open‐ended interviews. Respondents reported considerable tension between popularity as public comportment and friendship as private communication. An overarching concern for these adolescents was the preservation or violation of trust in their friendships in the face of contrasting public and private exigencies. Trust mediated the accomplishment of friendship and allowed for their distinctions between types of friends. Two modes of violating trust, revealing a secret and backstabbing, are examined and illustrated, and implications are discussed.
Occupational Science: Academic Innovation in the Service of Occupational Therapy's Future

Occupational science is a new scientific discipline that is defined as the systematic study of the human as an occupational being. A doctoral program in occupational science has been established at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. With its emphasis on the provision of a multidimensional description of the substrates, form, function, meaning, and sociocultural and historical contexts of occupation, occupational science emphasizes the ability of humans throughout the life span to actively pursue and orchestrate occupations. In this paper, occupational science is described, defined, and distinguished from other social sciences. A general systems model is presented as a heuristic to explain occupation and organize knowledge in occupational science. The development of occupational science offers several key benefits to the profession of occupational therapy, including (a) fulfillment of the demand for doctoral-level faculty members in colleges and universities; (b) the generation of needed basic science research; and (c) the justification for and potential enhancement of practice.
The New Economic Geography Approach and Other Views

In the previous chapter we presented a wide variety of models showing how interactions between agglomeration and long-distance trade influenced the historical development of cities. The presence of nonlinearities most clearly associated with increasing returns of one sort or another lay at the foundation of the discontinuous bifurcations underlying this historical process and its actual historical ruptures. However, since 1991 a literature has appeared that emphasizes different aspects of this, focusing on the increasing returns within a context of monopolistic competition as the source of the nonlinearities and agglomerative tendencies underlying the development of urban centers. This approach ultimately depends on demand-side effects rather than supply-side effects. Cities arise not due to production externalities, but due to consumers favoring a variety of goods, with greater product differentiation occurring within larger urban areas. Cities arise not because of production advantages, but because of the lure of “bright lights” in the big city.
The performance of a winged booster powered by combined rocket and airbreathing propulsion

A conceptual level analysis was performed on a horizontal-takeoff, two-stage-to-orbit system consisting of a rocket and turboramjet powered hypersonic booster and a rocket powered orbiter. The analysis includes estimates of vehicle aerodynamics, performance, and weights. Rocket and airbreathing systems on the booster are operated in parallel and at full thrust for ascent to a Mach 6 staging point, while cruise-back is accomplished using airbreathing propulsion alone. Rocket engines on the orbiter are ignited at staging to propel the orbiter. Booster weights were determined for various combinations of rocket and airbreathing propulsion. The combinations that resulted in the lowest vehicle gross and empty weights were determined. Results show that the lowest gross weight occurs when only airbreathing engines are used. The empty weight of the all airbreathing booster, however, is quite high. Significant reductions in booster empty weight is accomplished with the addition of rocket engines. Also, the use of rockets on the booster greatly decreases the time to staging and the cruise-back distance.
Fine Particle Representations

A general three dimensional analytical mathematical method of quantitative particle representation is presented. The resulting analytical representations are capable of quantitatively representing the three dimensional boundary morphologies of a broad range of particles. This paper summarizes some of the more often encountered particle morphologies prevalent in the micro world.
Dietary Patterns of Hispanic Elders Are Associated with Acculturation and Obesity

The association of dietary patterns and obesity, particularly in Hispanics, is relatively poorly understood. This large U.S. population subgroup has a high prevalence of obesity and associated chronic conditions, and Hispanics are changing their dietary practices as they acculturate. Our objectives were 1) to identify dietary patterns among elderly Hispanics in Massachusetts, compared with those of non-Hispanic whites; 2) to associate dietary patterns with acculturation; and 3) to associate dietary patterns with total and central obesity. We used a representative sample of 449 Puerto Rican and 133 Dominican elders and a neighborhood-based sample of 243 non-Hispanic white elders, aged 60 to 92 y, from the cross-sectional Massachusetts Hispanic Elders Study. Obesity and central obesity were assessed with BMI (kg/m 2 ) and waist circumference measurement, respectively. Acculturation was assessed by evaluating language use. Usual diet was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire specifically designed for use with this population. Dietary patterns were defined by cluster analysis of food group variables. We identified five clusters of individuals by dietary pattern, with proportionately greater energy intake from 1) fruit and breakfast cereal, 2) starchy vegetables, 3) rice, 4) whole milk and 5) sweets, respectively. Hispanics were less likely to follow the fruit and cereal or sweets patterns, and more likely to follow the starchy vegetables or milk patterns, than were non-Hispanic whites. Only Hispanics followed the rice pattern. Among Hispanics, acculturation was positively associated with the fruit and cereal pattern, and negatively with the rice pattern. Total and central obesity were positively associated with the rice pattern. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the causal nature of these associations.
Does Basel Save Our Banks? The Effect of Basel I Capital Requirements on Bank Failures

We develop an empirical model to test the relation between compliance with Basel I capital requirements and the probability of bank failure during ‘normal’ economic conditions and times of financial crises. We also seek to determine whether increased capital requirements would further reduce the rate of bank failure. Specific bank data, as well as some macro-economic data, for the periods 1996-2007 and 2000-2007 are analyzed and multi-period logistic models are fitted to this data. Robust standard errors are used to ameliorate the issue of dependent observations. The results from the 1996-2007 sample should be taken with caution, given that the number of events for that period is relatively low.Banks that complied with the tier 1 and total capital requirements of the Basel I agreement saw their probability of failure drop significantly. The results also suggested that the Basel I capital requirements did not manifest procyclicality; to the contrary, they reduced failure rates even further in financial crises. In addition, the regression models indicate that increasing the tier 1 capital requirements would likely not be beneficial, although banks whose tier 1 capital ratio declined rapidly from one quarter to the next experienced increased risks of failure. A potential limitation of the models is that they utilize only data from US banks; whether the findings apply also to other developed nations is a question that requires further analysis.We conclude that the Basel I capital adequacy requirements achieve the objective of increasing banks’ financial stability and reducing bank failure rates. Importantly, the Basel I capital ratios appear to protect banks particularly well against insolvency in times of financial crises. Thus, our results do not support the argument that Basel’s requirements are procyclical. We find also that a rapid decrease in Basel capital ratios is a good indicator of a bank’s impending failure. Banking supervisors should therefore pay extra attention to these banks.
Modern Batteries

This article gives an outline of the electric batteries in use today. Included are discussions of primary, secondary, and reserve batteries with a section on batteries as component parts. Also included are discussions of special types of primary batteries, namely, solid-electrolyte batteries, waxy-electrolyte batteries, ion-exchange batteries, and nuclear cells.
Parsing Paraphrases with Joint Inference

Treebanks are key resources for developing accurate statistical parsers. However, building treebanks is expensive and timeconsuming for humans. For domains requiring deep subject matter expertise such as law and medicine, treebanking is even more difficult. To reduce annotation costs for these domains, we develop methods to improve cross-domain parsing inference using paraphrases. Paraphrases are easier to obtain than full syntactic analyses as they do not require deep linguistic knowledge, only linguistic fluency. A sentence and its paraphrase may have similar syntactic structures, allowing their parses to mutually inform each other. We present several methods to incorporate paraphrase information by jointly parsing a sentence with its paraphrase. These methods are applied to state-of-the-art constituency and dependency parsers and provide significant improvements across multiple domains.
The NPC2 protein: A novel dog allergen

Abstract Background Dogs are an important source of indoor allergens that cause rhinoconjunctivitis, urticaria, and asthma in sensitized individuals. Can f 1 is reported as a major dog allergen, but other allergens have also been identified. Identification of immunologically important allergens is important for both the diagnosis and treatment of dog allergy. Objective To identify and characterize the canine NPC2 protein, a novel dog allergen. Methods We screened commercial and laboratory-generated aqueous dog extracts by 2-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with IgE immunoblotting using human serum samples from 71 dog-allergic individuals. A target of interest was excised from the gel and sequenced. Canine NPC2 sequence was generated, and recombinant proteins expressed in yeast and bacteria were used to determine allergenicity. An IgE enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for screening 71 dog-positive and 30 dog-negative serum samples. Results A 16-kDa protein (pK = 8.5) in dog allergen extracts was recognized by specific IgE. The protein was identified by sequencing as a CE1 protein or NPC2 protein. Human IgE bound to recombinant protein was expressed in both yeast and bacteria. Ten (14%) of 71 individuals had specific IgE to NPC2 protein from bacteria, and 12 (17%) had IgE to NPC2 protein from yeast. Binding of pooled dog-allergic serum IgE to the dust mite protein Der p 2 was partially inhibited by recombinant NPC2 protein. Conclusion NPC2 protein, a member of the MD-2–related lipid recognition family, is identified as a dog allergen (Can f 7), with an apparent seroprevalence of 10% to 20%.
A Look at That 1971 MAA Information Services Survey

At midyear in 1971, President Victor Klee appointed an ad hoc Committee on a Survey of the Membership of the Association.** The survey was to involve questions whose answers could be helpful in mak...
Mozingo Studies I. Ice phenology and limnological legacies in a mid-continental reservoir

Long-term, integrated records of limnology are rare in the central United States. Mozingo Lake is a reservoir in northwestern Missouri that was sampled regularly since its creation in 1994. Physical data were collected during 121 visits and compared to meteorological observations. July hypolimnetic temperatures have risen rapidly (2.4°C / decade: P=0.037), suggesting weakened summer stratification in the future. Winter conditions were rarely correlated with lake conditions in the following July; the exception is July epilimnion temperature, which correlated with ice-over date, January hypolimnion temperature, and ice duration (P=0.006, 0.010, and 0.024). In contrast, winter ice-over date was best correlated with air temperature in the preceding July (P=0.006); other factors were not significantly correlated, including fall air temperatures, July epilimnion temperatures, and October water column temperatures. Analysis of air temperatures preceding ice-over revealed that the strongest correlation was with a 68-day average air temperature of 4.8°C. July air temperatures, along with ice-over date, correlated with January ice thickness and ice duration (P=0.014 and 0.001, respectively). This suggests that a warm July is associated with a mild winter, a relationship confirmed by a significant correlation (P=0.011). Ice thickness, ice duration, and ice-out date also correlated with winter air temperature (P≤0.003 for each). It therefore appears that summer conditions influence winter conditions which, in turn, influence certain lake conditions in the following summer; this observation indicates that winter conditions may not reset physical parameters in lakes. Legacies thus may span various intervals, ranging from a week to a year or more. Although the Mozingo Lake record is brief (20 years), it suggests directions for longer-term studies. Multi-year legacy effects have rarely been documented, but in Mozingo Lake they suggest that a single strong climatic anomaly may affect the lake for several years.
Design Principles for Transposition Flaps: The Rhombic (Single-Lobed), Bilobed, and Trilobed Flaps

BACKGROUNDWhen tension at a cutaneous defect is too great for primary closure or causes distortion of surrounding anatomy, transposition flaps provide a useful reconstruction option.OBJECTIVETo review the tissue biomechanics of the rhombic, bilobed, and trilobed transposition flaps.MATERIALS AND MET
Mathematical Classification of the Spiral and Ring Galaxy Morphologies Based on the Fractional Trigonometry

The ongoing development of the fractional trigonometry has created a new set of spiral functions, the fractional spiral functions. These spirals include both barred and normal spirals in a common formulation. This paper studies the applicability of the fractional spirals to the mathematical classification of spiral and ring galaxy morphologies. The fractional spirals are found to provide a high quality fit to a variety of ring and spiral galaxies over a significant range of the spiral length. Further, the r–s character of the de Vaucouleurs classification is found to relate to particular parameters of the spirals. Additional benefits include; direct inference of galaxies inclination, estimates of major deviations of the galaxy optical center from the geometric center, and further application of the mathematical description of the galaxy morphology.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Functional Dissection of the Bipartite Active Site of the Class I Coenzyme A (CoA)-Transferase Succinyl-CoA:Acetate CoA-Transferase.

Coenzyme A (CoA)-transferases catalyze the reversible transfer of CoA from acyl-CoA thioesters to free carboxylates. Class I CoA-transferases produce acylglutamyl anhydride intermediates that undergo attack by CoA thiolate on either the internal or external carbonyl carbon atoms, forming distinct tetrahedral intermediates <3 A apart. In this study, crystal structures of succinyl-CoA:acetate CoA-transferase (AarC) from Acetobacter aceti are used to examine how the Asn347 carboxamide stabilizes the internal oxyanion intermediate. A structure of the active mutant AarC-N347A bound to CoA revealed both solvent replacement of the missing contact and displacement of the adjacent Glu294, indicating that Asn347 both polarizes and orients the essential glutamate. AarC was crystallized with the nonhydrolyzable acetyl-CoA (AcCoA) analog dethiaacetyl-CoA (1a) in an attempt to trap a closed enzyme complex containing a stable analog of the external oxyanion intermediate. One active site contained an acetylglutamyl anhydride adduct and truncated 1a, an unexpected result hinting at an unprecedented cleavage of the ketone moiety in 1a. Solution studies confirmed that 1a decomposition is accompanied by production of near-stoichiometric acetate, in a process that seems to depend on microbial contamination but not AarC. A crystal structure of AarC bound to the postulated 1a truncation product (2a) showed complete closure of one active site per dimer but no acetylglutamyl anhydride, even with acetate added. These findings suggest that an activated acetyl donor forms during 1a decomposition; a working hypothesis involving ketone oxidation is offered. The ability of 2a to induce full active site closure furthermore suggests that it subverts a system used to impede inappropriate active site closure on unacylated CoA.
Discriminating Self and Non-Self by RNA: Roles for RNA Structure, Misfolding, and Modification in Regulating the Innate Immune Sensor PKR

Pathogens are recognized by the innate immune system in part via their unique and complex RNA signatures. A key sensor in human innate immunity is the RNA-activated protein kinase, protein kinase R (PKR), which has two double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) binding motifs (dsRBMs) at its N-terminus. Early studies described PKR as being activated potently by long stretches of perfect dsRNA, a signature typical of viruses. More recently, we and others have found that PKR is also activated by RNAs having structural defects such as bulges and internal loops.This Account describes advances in our understanding of the ability of PKR to detect diverse foreign RNAs and how that recognition plays significant roles in discriminating self from non-self. The experiments discussed employ a wide range of techniques including activation assays, native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), protein footprinting, and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). We discuss how misfolding and dimerization of RNA lead to activation of PKR....
Purely electronic mechanism of electrolyte gating of indium tin oxide thin films

Epitaxial indium tin oxide films have been grown on both LaAlO3 and yttria-stabilized zirconia substrates using RF magnetron sputtering. Electrolyte gating causes a large change in the film resistance that occurs immediately after the gate voltage is applied, and shows no hysteresis during the charging/discharging processes. When two devices are patterned next to one another and the first one gated through an electrolyte, the second one shows no changes in conductance, in contrast to what happens in materials (like tungsten oxide) susceptible to ionic electromigration and intercalation. These findings indicate that electrolyte gating in indium tin oxide triggers a pure electronic process (electron depletion or accumulation, depending on the polarity of the gate voltage), with no electrochemical reactions involved. Electron accumulation occurs in a very thin layer near the film surface, which becomes highly conductive. These results contribute to our understanding of the electrolyte gating mechanism in complex oxides and may be relevant for applications of electric double layer transistor devices.
Sofosbuvir plus ledispasvir for recurrent hepatitis C in liver transplant recipients.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence after liver transplant (LT) is associated with worse outcomes. Ledipasvir and sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) has been approved for HCV treatment after LT, but there is limited data on the effectiveness and safety of LDV/SOF in the “real world” setting. This multi-center study is the largest report to date, on the effectiveness and safety of LDV/SOF in the post-LT setting. Two hundred and four patients (72% male, 68% Caucasian, 66% genotype 1a, 21% METAVIR F3-F4, 49% treatment-experienced) were treated with LDV/SOF. The mean duration from LT to treatment initiation was 4.8 years. The overall sustained virologic response rate 12 weeks after completion of therapy (SVR12) was 96%. Patients treated with 8 or 12 weeks of LDV/SOF without RBV experienced an SVR12 rate of 100% and 96%, respectively. Calcineurin inhibitors were used in 89% of patients and 32% of patients underwent adjustment in immunosuppression during treatment. One episode of mild rejection, responsive to an increase in immunosuppression dosage, was observed. There was no graft loss attributed to HCV treatment. Four deaths occurred unrelated to HCV treatment, and no significant serious adverse events were documented. Conclusion: Sofosbuvir and ledipasvir with or without RBV for 8, 12, or 24 weeks in post LT patients was effective and safe with a high SVR12 rate across a spectrum of genotypes and stages of fibrosis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Measuring Campaign Spending Effects in Post-Citizens United Congressional Elections

Using pooled OLS analysis, early literature found that incumbent and challenger campaign spending exhibited asymmetrical marginal productivities. That is, early scholars found that challenger campaign spending was more productive than incumbent campaign spending. More contemporary literature found this asymmetry was the result of endogeneity bias in the campaign spending covariates. Using 2014 U.S. House election data, we examine the nature of now-ubiqitous independent expenditures and whether these expenditures also exhibit an asymmetry in pooled OLS analysis. In addition to finding that independent expenditures can be differentiated from traditional campaign expenditures in their scope, dispersion, and magnitude, we find that the marginal impact of incumbent and challenger independent expenditures in pooled OLS analysis is symmetrical. We attribute this finding to the limited scope of independent expenditures. Moreover, using our estimated campaign spending effects, we find that political expenditures are rarely pivotal in determining election outcomes.
Observations on musculature in pelagic nemerteans and on pseudostriated muscle in nemerteans

Histological study of 43 pelagic polystiliferans showsthat a pseudostriated, or obliquely striated,musculature is a common characteristic of therhychocoel wall of seven of eight polystiliferanspecies examined, representing four of five supposedlywidely divergent genera. This kind of muscle tissuewas previously reported from pelagic hoplonemerteansby Korotkevich, in 1955, but without a cleardescription. Both her report and the existence ofthis muscle type have gone unnoticed in subsequentliterature. We also document an earlier, unpublished,ultrastructural discovery of pseudostriation in thebody wall of a pelagic polystiliferan and reportseveral more instances in our light microscopicmaterial. We describe an overlooked aspect of theproboscis insertion; that is, the inner longitudinalmusculature of the proboscis is confluent with thelongitudinal musculature of the rhynchocoel, whereasthe outer longitudinal muscle of the proboscis extendsto the body wall as proboscis fixators. We note thatthe so-called circular muscle of the rhynchocoel insome species actually comprises crossed diagonalfibers. We report, for the first time, the presenceof crossed diagonal musculature in the body wall ofsome pelagic polystiliferans.
Namespaces and Files

C++ supports modular programming through a mechanism called namespace. A namespace is a logical unit that contains related declarations and definitions. The idea of modular programming is to divide a large program into small and logically related parts for easy management and information hiding. Dividing a large program into different parts and storing them in different files can also help to achieve modular programming (this is more so in C and FORTRAN 77). A few useful tools (some in UNIX and Linux) are also presented for managing files, creating a library, profiling a program, debugging a program, and timing a program. Towards the end of the chapter, two standard libraries on character strings and input and output streams are given. Finally, iterative algorithms for solving nonlinear equations are described.