cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Institutional brokerage anti‐money laundering detection scenarios ‐ Filling the gaps

Certain institutional trading operations executives of major broker‐dealers currently are indicating that there is a paucity of guidance from regulators and others on the potential characteristics of anti‐money‐laundering activities in their specific business areas. Because of requirements to file suspicious activity reports with regulatory authorities where these enterprises suspect potential money‐laundering activities, these executives are trying to build and grow the best possible methods of detection to detect potential instances of money laundering, especially where they may have little information as to the identity of the parties who are originating transactions in their institutional contexts. Because of these issues, the existing securities industry AML guidance that is available must be analyzed carefully, keeping in mind the need to construct new scenarios addressing the specific circumstances of the institutional brokerage context.
Genetic selection and neural modeling of piecewise-linear classifiers

Piecewise-linear mathematical structures form a convenient and important framework for implementing trainable and adaptive pattern classifiers. Neural networks and genetic algorithms offer additional approaches with important benefits for the design of such classifiers. In this paper we show how neural modeling and genetic selection can be applied to piecewise-linear structures to optimize both the topology and the parameter values of the network forming the classifier. Such a classifier will tend to have a low error rate and high robustness. We describe applications of these techniques to an adaptive detector of abnormal tissue in mammograms and a detector of straight lines and edges in noisy aerial images.
An Asynchronous Divider Implementation

We present an asynchronous implementation of a novel division algorithm previously patented in [1]. Our implementation exploits the average-case behavior of the algorithm and uses the versatility of GasP circuits to implement the data-dependent latencies in the algorithm. On average, the delay per quotient bit for our implementation is 6.3 FO4 gate delays compared to 9.5 FO4 gate delays for a similar SRT divider implementation.
Root Systems and Fractals: How Reliable are Calculations of Fractal Dimensions?

Fractal dimensions of the root systems of Betula populifolia and Betula alleghaniensis grown at two levels of soil nutrients were calculated from tracings of root systems (Fitter and Stickland, 1992a) and from roots removed from the soil using a pin-board (Tatsumi, Yamauchi and Kono, 1989). The fractal dimensions obtained from these two methods showed similar qualitative patterns between species and nutrient treatments, but were not significantly correlated with one another. These observations suggest that current methods used for estimating the fractal dimensions of plant root systems are not yet reliable. It is suggested that the calculation of fractal dimensions needs to be carried out in three dimensions in order to appropriately quantify the fractal dimensions of plant root systems.
Intimate Partners Who Struggle With Formal Commitments: Attachment Styles, Major Challenges, and Clinical Implications

In this article, we explore attachment perspectives of romantic relationships and intimate partner commitments. We then present four challenges faced by individuals who are in a relationship where an expressed problem is the lack of a formal commitment. The four challenges that we address are (a) lack of recognition for the relationship, (b) cultural/religious pressures, (c) not being financially ready for a formal commitment, and (d) differences in what a formal commitment means. We then provide real-life examples of four people struggling with formal commitment, and we conclude with clinical implications of this phenomenon.
The calculation of coherent phase equilibria

Abstract We have derived expressions for the elastic energy for coherent mixtures for two important morphologies. The compositions of the two phases comprising the coherent mixture are found by minimizing the total energy. The composition difference may be smaller or larger than the equilibrium difference. Each of the phases can be restricted to some maximum volume fraction such that the composition range over which a coherent mixture can exist is necessarily less than for the equilibrium mixture. The elastic energy can be so large that a coherent mixture cannot form.
Suppression of Cornified Envelope Formation and Type 1 Transglutaminase by Epidermal Growth Factor in Neoplastic Keratinocytes

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a potent mitogen for keratinocytes. Although the role of the EGF receptor in cell proliferation has been extensively studied, the consequences of EGF receptor activation with respect to cell differentiation remain less well characterized. Our studies demonstrate that stimulation of the EGF receptor substantially suppresses cellular differentiation in squamous cell carcinoma lines that overexpress the EGF receptor, as assessed by an EGF-dependent reduction of cornified envelope formation. Only a modest ligand-dependent decrease in cornified envelope formation was observed in normal keratinocytes. The response is dependent on the concentration of EGF and is evident after 1-2 days of EGF treatment. With extended EGF treatment, the messenger RNA levels for involucrin, a major structural component of the cornified envelope, were unaltered by EGF. In contrast, membrane-associated transglutaminase enzyme activity, which predominantly represents type 1 (keratinocyte) transglutamin...
Surface-initiated rolling contact fatigue of pearlitic and low carbon bainitic steels

Abstract The surface-initiated rolling contact fatigue behavior of two pearlitic andthree bainitic steels has been investigated over a contact pressure ranges of 850 to 2300 MPa under water-lubricated conditions. The relationship between rolling contact fatigue life and contact pressure is nonlinear, with a transition in behavior occurring close to the theoretical shakedown limit. Above the limit, failure is characterized by shear band cracking within a work-hardened surface layer while below the limit, failure is associated with branched cracking of visibly undeformed material. The behavior of the different steels is consistent with their mechanical properties and not noticeably affected by microstructural factors.
Compensation of Anelastic Error in Force Measurement

The output of a force sensor can change over time under constant load as a result of anelastic creep of components. An empirical model of this behavior in force sensors is presented. Unlike previous work, the model does not a priori assume an exponential functional form for the creep. Once parameters are obtained in a simple calibration procedure, sensor output can be quantitatively predicted, and the error that would otherwise appear in the measurement can be corrected mathematically. The proposed model captures over 98% of anelastic behavior in the bending beam load cell studied and is expected to apply to other force sensors as well, including wind-tunnel strain-gauge balances. The model also helps visualize the consequences of anelastic creep in typical calibration and test scenarios. Results demonstrate that creep-induced error can reach or even exceed 0.3% of measured load, depending on the quality of the sensor and the load schedule. Examples are given of loading patterns susceptible to the error.
Cosmogenic 3He production rates from 39°N to 46°N latitude, western USA and France

The in-situ production rate of cosmogenic 3He was determined in seven different olivine- or pyroxene-bearing rocks between the latitudes 39°N and 46°N. The integrated production rate over the last 17,500 years is about 115 ± 4 atoms/gram/yr for high latitude at sea level. The variation in the integrated production rate between 2000 and 18,000 years is less than 30% and is probably on the order of 20% or less
Developmental trajectories of cigarette use from early adolescence into young adulthood

Abstract This study identified developmental trajectories of cigarette smoking from early adolescence into young adulthood, and delineated whether risk factors derived from a social learning-problem behavior framework could differentiate among trajectories. Participants (N=374) were interviewed five times from age 12 until age 30/31. Using growth mixture modeling, three trajectory groups were identified — heavy/regular, occasional/maturing out, and non/experimental smokers. Being a female, having higher disinhibition, receiving lower grades, and more frequent use of alcohol or drugs significantly increased the probability of belonging to a smoking trajectory group compared with being a nonsmoker. Higher disinhibition and receiving lower grades also differentiated regular smokers from the rest of the sample. None of the risk factors distinguished occasional from regular smokers. When models were tested separately by sex, disinhibition, other drug use, and school grades were associated with smoking for both sexes. On the other hand, environmental factors, including socioeconomic status, parent smoking and friend smoking, were related to smoking for females but not for males. Sex differences in developmental trajectories and in smoking behavior among regular smokers were notable. Future research should examine transitions and turning points from adolescence to adulthood that may affect cessation and escalation differently for males and females.
Literacy Skills and Earnings: Race and Gender Differences

This study examines differences in returns to literacy skills on earnings of black and white men and women. Literacy skill is a composite measure of three scales: reading comprehension, document literacy (the ability to locate and use information in, say, tables and graphs), and mathematics proficiency. Using data from the National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS), we estimate earnings determination models separately for each racial/gender group. Our findings show that the effect of literacy on earnings varies by race and gender. Literacy skills favorably rewarded black men relative to black women and white men and women, net of education and other relevant variables. More importantly, literacy completely explained the effect of a high school diploma and some college on earnings of black men. We conclude that the economic importance of literacy skills is particularly salient for less-educated black men.
Balancing acts of SRI and an auto-inhibitory domain specify Set2 function at transcribed chromatin

Set2-mediated H3K36 methylation ubiquitously functions in coding regions in all eukaryotes. It has been linked to the regulation of acetylation states, histone exchange, alternative splicing, DNA repair and recombination. Set2 is recruited to transcribed chromatin through its SRI domain's direct association with phosphorylated Pol II. However, regulatory mechanisms for histone modifying enzymes like Set2 that travel with elongating Pol II remain largely unknown beyond their initial recruitment events. Here, by fusing Set2 to RNA Pol II, we found that the SRI domain can also recognize linker DNA of chromatin, thereby controlling Set2 substrate specificity. We also discovered that an auto-inhibitory domain (AID) of Set2 primarily restricts Set2 activity to transcribed chromatin and fine-tunes several functions of SRI. Finally, we demonstrated that AID mutations caused hyperactive Set2 in vivo and displayed a synthetic interaction with the histone chaperone FACT. Our data suggest that Set2 is intrinsically regulated through multiple mechanisms and emphasize the importance of a precise temporal control of H3K36 methylation during the dynamic transcription elongation process.
Induction of 6-thioguanine- and ouabain-resistant mutations in synchronized Syrian hamster cell cultures during different periods of the S phase.

Abstract Cells of a transformed Syrian hamster line, BP6T, were synchronized by a period of growth in low serum with a subsequent blockage of the cells at the G1/S boundary by hydroxyurea. This method provided cells with nearly 100% synchrony, although approximately 20% of the cells were non-cycling. The cells were then treated with 10−5 M 5-bromodeoxyuridine for 1 of 5 1-h periods during the S phase and subsequently irradiated with near-ultraviolet light for 5 min. The BrdU plus irradiation treatment induced 6-thioguanine- and ouabain-resistant mutants while BrdU alone or irradiation alone was not mutagenic. 6-Thioguanine-resistant mutants were induced only during early S phase by BrdU plus irradiation treatment. Ouabain-resistant mutants, however, were induced in a biphasic pattern, during early S phase and also during late S phase. The induction of ouabain-resistant mutants at two distinct periods of S phase suggests the presence of two loci for the gene(s) of Na+/K+ ATPase.
Atypical Wenckebach periods with dropped atrial beats

Abstract A case of Wenckebach periods is reported which was atypical in two respects. (1) The greatest increment in A-V conduction time occurred in the last beat of the group. (2) The pauses between groups of conducted beats were due more often to atrial rather than ventricular intermissions. Atrial intermissions were invariably tied to an abrupt, marked increase of the A-V conduction time of the preceding beat. Both phenomena, atrial intermissions and abrupt prolongation of the A-V conduction time immediately preceding the intermission, are explained by vagus effect. They were abolished by the action of atropine.
From U sequence to Farey sequence: A unification of one-parameter scenarios.

A mechanism is presented and analyzed that accomplishes the unification of a number of experimentally observed one-parameter sequences of dynamical behavior as parts of a continuous spectrum that ranges from the U sequence to Farey sequences. Farey sequences, by which we mean one-parameter sequences whose periodic windows correspond to Farey series of rational numbers, have generally been associated with motion on a state-space torus. The mechanism analyzed here does not involve a torus.
Ethnic Differences in Grade Trajectories During the Transition to Junior High

Abstract The transition from elementary to junior high school is difficult for some children, as indicated by a drop in grades in the new school setting from the beginning to end of the year. Finer-grain analysis of grade trajectories in the first year of junior high may reflect important differences among groups. In the present study, variables predicting linear and quadratic grade trajectories over the seventh grade were examined using a structural equation model (SEM, AMOS-4) and curve estimation procedures. Participants were 214 boys and 259 girls entering junior high (52% Anglo, 36% Hispanics, primarily of Mexican descent, and 12% Blacks). Three trajectory patterns were observed: “sliders,” students who showed a fairly steady grade decline over the year (characteristic of Anglos), “steadies,” students who varied little over the year (characteristic of Blacks), and “rebounders,” students whose grades dropped to a minimum in the fourth 6-week period, then showed limited recovery (characteristic of Hispanics). In the SEM, a lower intercept (representing the average of sixth grade grades) was associated with minority ethnic/racial status (Hispanic or Black), using more emotional discharge to cope, having a lower percentage of adults in the support network, poorer family functioning, and greater depression. Being Black was associated with a positive path coefficient to the linear slope of the grade trajectory, while a negative path coefficient was associated with using more emotional discharge in coping. The quadratic element (drop in grades with some recovery) was more pronounced for Hispanic participants, less pronounced for Black participants, and more pronounced when poorer family functioning was reported. Curve estimation procedures confirmed these ethnic/racial group differences. Reasons for such differences and their implications for schools and families are discussed.
From Student to Teacher: Transforming Industry Sponsored Student Projects into Relevant, Engaging, and Practical Curricular Materials

Over the past several years we have collaborated with a variety of industrial partners to carry out applied research and capstone design projects in cooperation with our students. Although the projects have varied widely, more often than not, success or failure lies within the students' ability to see beyond the technical challenges into the subtleties of the business and the meaning of value. Looking back at our traditional software engineering curriculum it is not so surprising that gaps in technical skills are not typically the source of problems. With a strong traditional focus on the construction of software, we have been producing graduates who can build relatively complex stand-alone systems. Unfortunately, in today's world, being able to build software is only a small, albeit necessary, skill for software engineers and it is miles away from being sufficient [1, 2]. The challenges inherent in providing a portfolio of innovative, integrated, and strategic IT services are well beyond any of the techniques or conceptual frameworks historically taught in many software engineering curriculums [3-5], including our own. To address these shortcomings we have recently begun experimenting with a new curriculum that presents software engineering in its larger context as a strategic business function. We are also beginning to stress the importance of using a set of analytic frameworks to guide the evolution and development of software systems starting with the business and its context, through the architecture and design stages, and finally into implementation and support. To create materials for this curriculum we have gone back to the original voice of the problem and are attempting to assemble learning materials from the projects that industry has championed for us in the past. Our goal is not merely to showcase the software that was built, but rather to expose the reasons behind their conception and the frameworks used to make critical decisions throughout the process.
IR Emitting CRT

This paper describes efforts undertaken at the U.S. Army Center for Night Vision and Electro-Optics to produce a mid and far infra-red emitting cathode ray tube. The background of this research effort is explained and the products and by-products are described along with their status and expected applications.
Plasma Fluorescein Binding and Transcapillary Fluorescein Escape Rate in Renal Failure Associated With Diabetes

Microvascular damage, often resulting in renal failure, is a common complication of diabetes. Transcapillary fluorescein escape rate (TCFER) as monitored by intravital microscopy has been used as an indicator of the extent of capillary damage in diabetes and to assess improvement in microvascular function after combined kidney-pancreas transplant. However, fluorescein anion binds to plasma albumin, and albumin-ligand binding may be altered in the presence of renal disease. The purpose of this study was to compare fluorescein binding by plasma from diabetics with renal failure with plasma from healthy nondiabetics. Fluorescein binding by plasma from seven type I diabetics awaiting kidney-pancreas transplant and seven healthy adults of similar age and sex was studied using ultrafiltration and dialysis. There was no significant difference in the apparent albumin binding of fluorescein at physiologically relevant fluorescein concentrations, even though the TCFER was significantly increased in the diabetics as compared with the controls. Hippurate, a ligand that accumulates in renal failure, did alter fluorescein binding in a defatted albumin solution but not sufficiently to account for the differences in TCFERs. These data indicate that impaired albumin binding of fluorescein does not contribute significantly to the TCFER in diabetics with renal failure.
Simulation and Performance Assessment of Partitioning Tracer Tests in Heterogeneous Aquifers

Characterization of dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) in heterogeneous media represents a major challenge in the remediation process due to the complexity of DNAPL distribution in the subsurface. The partitioning interwell tracer test (PITT), which evaluates the relative transport of DNAPL-phase partitioning and conservative (i.e., non-partitioning) tracers, has recently been promoted as a way to quantify entrapped DNAPL mass in source zones. In some cases, the technique has been successfully applied to sites where DNAPL is present primarily at residual saturations. However, the effects of the geologic heterogeneity and DNAPL architecture on the performance and reliability of this technique have not yet been thoroughly examined. A systematic two-dimensional simulation study was conducted to evaluate the influence of DNAPL vertical distribution, well location, and geologic heterogeneity on the performance of the PITT for a total of 60 stochastic aquifer realizations. The aquifer hydraulic conductivity (K) distribution was defined using three different geostatistical parameter values describing the variance of the log K (\batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \({\sigma}^{2}_{ln\ k}\) \end{document} = [1.22, 0.75, 0.25]). A multiphase flow simulator was used to generate the source zone, allowing the DNAPL to distribute naturally. The tracer test simulations conducted using these various synthetic aquifers were specifically designed to quantify PITT performance for different degrees of heterogeneity. For cases where the aquifer is relatively heterogeneous and the DNAPL architecture is complex, PITT estimation efficiency averaged 48 percent (decreasing to 20 percent in certain scenarios) as a result of bypass flow and the limited tracer accessibility to lower hydraulic conductivity regions. While other studies have suggested the PITT technique may underestimate DNAPL saturation for these conditions, potential errors of this magnitude have not previously been reported. The results of this work underscore the importance of geological heterogeneity on PITT performance.
Analysis of the tensile stress-strain behavior of elastomers at constant strain rates. I. Criteria for separability of the time and strain effects†

A theoretical analysis of the tensile stress-strain relation of elastomers at constant strain rate is presented which shows that the time and the stress effect are separable if the experimental time scale coincides with a segment of the relaxation modulus that can be described by a single power law. It is also shown that time-strain separability is valid if the strain function is linearly proportional to the Cauchy strain, and that when time-strain separability holds, two strain-dependent quantities can be obtained experimentally. In the case where time and strain effect are not separable, superposition can be achieved only by using temperature and strain-dependent shift factors.
Raman and IR studies of graphite intercalates

The results of recent Raman scattering and infrared reflectance studies of donor and acceptor graphite intercalation compounds are reviewed along with corresponding measurements of pristine graphite. Newly calculated phonon dispersion curves of pristine graphite are discussed and related to the vibrational excitations of intercalation compounds. It is shown that proper sample characterization by X-ray and other techniques such as electron microprobe is crucial for correct interpretation of Raman and IR data. The nearest layer model for the intralayer vibrational excitations of graphite intercalation compounds is described in detail and justified by data on both donor and acceptor compounds. Intralayer intercalant modes in the FeCl3 and Br2 graphite systems are discussed and it is suggested that such modes are detectable as a result of resonance-Raman enhancement. The “zone-folding” and “disorder induced scattering” models for the Raman spectra of stage 1 alkali metal intercalation compounds are contrasted and the latter is shown to be more compatible with the observed spectra.
Myopathy with lactic acidosis and altered redox state of the respiratory chain cytochromes (cyt)

A 16-years old girl has progressive loss of muscular strength, on exertion muscle pains, lactic acidosis and ketosis. Load tests with glucose, fructose, alanine, and lactate show normal metabolism at rest. Lactate accumulation is only dependent on muscular activity. Investigation of an open muscle biopsy showed normal glycogen content and normal activities of glycogenolytic enzymes (Dr. Schaub, Munich) and mild mitochondrial abnormalities on electron microscopy (Prof. Peiffer, Prof. Schlote, Tubingen). Muscle mitochondria were studied by O2 polarography and spectroscopy according to Brauser, 1968: respiration rate with succinate was normal, it was decreased with NADH linked substrates (malate/glutamate and malate/pyruvate 10 % of normal). Contents of cyt were normal. The percentage of cyt b reduced was minimal, while that of cyt c was increased. Reduction of cyt b occurred only after antimycin. Therapeutic trials with riboflavin, succinate, and long-chain fatty acids have been without effect. Possible explanations for these findings are: 1) increased negativity of the cyt b potential with normal flow of electrons and 2) direct flow of electrons from succinate dehydrogenase to cyt c.
Scattering and absorption of electromagnetic radiation by thin dielectric disks.

The scattering and absorption of incident polarized radiation by thin flat circular disks composed of homogeneous isotropic material of complex refractive index is investigated by solving an integral equation for the induced currents. The method is particularly suitable for use in the resonant region where the free space wavelength is neither very small nor very large compared to the radius. Illustrative numerical results for bistatic, total, and absorption cross sections for broadside. and edge-on incidence are given, using refractive indices for ice in the ir.
Probing Low Affinity and Multivalent Interactions with Surface Plasmon Resonance: Ligands for Concanavalin A

The affinities of the carbohydrate-binding protein concanavalin A (Con A) for mono- and multivalent ligands were measured by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) detection. Assessing protein−carbohydrate affinities is typically difficult due to weak affinities observed and the complications that arise from the importance of multivalency in these interactions. We describe a convenient method to rapidly evaluate the inhibitory constants for a panel of different ligands, both monovalent and multivalent, for low-affinity receptors, such as the carbohydrate-binding protein Con A. A nonnatural, mannose-substituted glycolipid was synthesized, and self-assembled monolayers of varying carbohydrate density were generated. The synthetic surfaces bind Con A. Competition experiments that employed monovalent ligands in solution yielded Ki values similar to equilibrium binding constants obtained in titration microcalorimetry experiments. In addition, this assay could be used to examine various polymeric ligands of defined le...
Stimulation of vitamin K-dependent carboxylation by pyridoxal-5'-phosphate.

Abstract This paper presents evidence that the approximately two-fold increase in vitamin K-dependent carboxylation of the pentapeptide PheLeuGluGluLeu, but not of endogenous protein substrate, brought about by pyridoxal-5′-phosphate, is due to binding of the pyridoxal-5′-phosphate to microsomal enzyme(s), rather than to the pentapeptide. Pyridoxine inhibits this peptide carboxylation, while pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, and pyridoxamine-5′-phosphate have no effect on the reaction.
Yield losses caused by leaf roll of potatoes

The data presented confirm the opinion that the healthy hills adjoined by leaf roll plants on one or on both sides, compensate, in part, for the low yield of the leaf roll plants.
A Behavior Model of an On-Chip High Voltage Generator for Fast, System-Level Simulation

This brief discusses modeling of a high-voltage generator, including a charge pump circuit and a regulator for accelerating system-level simulations. Event-driven simulators become slow when hard switching frequently occurs to enable charge pump circuits even with a conventional model. A current mirror is added to the pump model and is connected to an output node of a comparator in the voltage detector to make every node in the feedback loop fully analog. Simulation results show that the simulation time for voltage generators' system is reduced by a factor of about 10 with an error of 5% in comparison with the conventional model.
Decomposition of standing litter of the freshwater emergent macrophyte Juncus effusus

Summary 1. Standing dead plant litter of emergent macrophytes frequently constitutes a significant fraction of the detrital mass in many freshwater wetland and littoral habitats. Rates of leaf senescence and decomposition of the emergent macrophyte Juncus effusus were examined in a small freshwater wetland in central Alabama, U.S.A. Juncus effusus leaves in the initial stages of senescence were tagged in random plant tussocks and monitored periodically to determine in situ rates of leaf senescence and death. Fully senescent leaves were collected, placed in litter bags, and suspended above the sediments to simulate standing dead decay conditions. Litter bags were periodically retrieved over 2 years and analysed for weight loss, litter nutrient contents (N, P), associated fungal biomass and fungal taxa. 2. Senescence and death of J. effusus leaves proceeds from the leaf tip to the base at an exponential rate. The rate of senescence and death of leaf tissue increased with increasing temperatures. Plant litter decomposition was slow (k = 0.40 yr–1), with 49% weight loss observed in 2 years. Both the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentration (%) of litter increased during decomposition. However, the total amount of nitrogen (mg) in litter bags remained stable and phosphorus increased slightly during the study period. 3. Fungal biomass associated with plant litter, as measured by ergosterol concentrations, varied between 3 and 8% of the total detrital weight. Values were not significantly different among sampling dates (P > 0.05, ANOVA, Tukey). Fungi frequently identified on decaying litter were Drechslera sp., Conioscypha lignicola (Hyphomycetes), Phoma spp. (Coelomycetes), Panellus copelandii and Marasmiellus sp. (Basidiomycota). 4. These results support previous findings that plant litter of emergent macrophytes does not require submergence or collapse to the sediment surface to initiate microbial colonization and litter decomposition.
An Appraisal of Expected Utility Hypothesis Tests Constructed from Responses to Hypothetical Questions and Experimental Choices

A decision problem exists when the possible consequences of a decision are important and the best choice is not obvious (Anderson, Dillon, Hardaker). Moreover, when the consequences of each choice are described in probabilistic terms, the decision problem is said to exist under uncertainty. The expected utility hypothesis (EUH) characterizes the following solution for an uncertain decision problem: (a) identify the action choices available-a, . . .
Social Insect Networks

Social insect colonies have many of the properties of adaptive networks. The simple rules governing how local interactions among individuals translate into group behaviors are found across social groups, giving social insects the potential to have a profound impact on our understanding of the interplay between network dynamics and social evolution.
Effect of Obesity on B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Levels in Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels are lower in obese patients with left ventricular failure than in their comparably ill, leaner counterparts. The effect of obesity on BNP in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is unknown. We reviewed our prospective PAH registry data collected from November 2001 to December 2007 for patients undergoing right heart catheterization who met the criteria for PAH and had the BNP level and body mass index determined at baseline. The median BNP level for the lean, overweight, and obese patients was 285 pg/ml (interquartile range 131 to 548), 315 pg/ml (interquartile range 88 to 531), and 117 pg/ml (interquartile range 58 to 270), respectively (p = 0.029). A greater body mass index was associated with a lower BNP level, adjusted for age, gender, New York Heart Association functional class, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and mean right atrial and pulmonary arterial pressures (p
STATES OF HEART

This article examines early colonial Kaqchikel Maya notions of the self, souls, and the heart. By integrating ethnohistorical data and contemporary ethnographic observations, we show that Kaqchikeles viewed the self as contingent on a dynamic balance of cosmic forces acting on the individual. The ways in which these forces are seen to effect one's state of being are documented through an extensive discussion of Kaqchikel metaphors of the heart and soul. We conclude by noting the importance of understanding processes of continuity (as well as change) in cultural constructions and argue for the continued utility of such approaches in ethnohistorical research.
Some factors affecting the dissolution kinetics of anorthite at 25°C

Abstract Batch dissolution experiments were conducted at 25°C to determine the effects of agitation, particle size, suspension density, wetting and drying cycles, drying temperature, sequential rinses, ionic strength, and the addition and removal of products on the rates of anorthite (An93) dissolution. In general, the dissolution kinetics at constant pH were not zero order with respect to products in solution, and this nonlinear release persisted beyond the time when Ca and Si stoichiometric dissolution was reached. The failure to establish zero-order kinetics could not be attributed to the weathering of damaged surfaces or fine, broken particles. Leached layer depths, calculated from solution composition, ranged from 2.6–3.5 nm; but a Ca-depleted surface layer was observed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis only on the reaction fines. Agitation rate had a marked effect on dissolution rate, contrary to expectations based on a surface reaction control mechanism. Anorthite dissolution in the presence of cation- and anion-exchange resins produced zero-order kinetics at sustained high rates. We hypothesize that these linear rates were due to the continuous removal of Al from solution by the resins. Consistent with these results, there was no effect of added Ca or Si on the rate of reaction; but the addition of Al slowed the initial rate of reaction at pH 3.6 and 6.0 but not at pH 3.0. Long-term dissolution studies (up to 4.5 ys) resulted in final reaction rates over two hundred times slower than previously reported for feldspar dissolution. These data are consistent with the idea that the presence of Al in solution and the incorporation of Al into the hydrous silanol surface slow the rate of anorthite dissolution and are important factors affecting the rate over all time periods. The addition of KCl slowed the dissolution rate either through competitive exchange with structural Ca or adsorbed H, or by blocking the polymerization reactions at the surface.
Injury control training in the USA: meeting the challenge.

Creating a strong future for injury control in the USA requires adequate support for research, improved advocacy for injury control legislation and regulation, and effective translation of research into practice. Yet, none of these priorities can be pursued without a qualified injury prevention workforce. Scientific advancement in any field requires well-trained scholars who can apply rigorous methods to understand phenomena and develop innovative solutions to problems. It is unthinkable for a school of public health to graduate students with no exposure to issues of chronic disease or infectious disease, yet most schools offer limited, if any, exposure to injury—the leading cause of death for Americans ages 1–44. As documented by the Association of Schools of Public Health inventory in 2002, there were 35 courses that focused primarily on injury and violence prevention in the 33 accredited schools of public health.1 There were three injury-related doctoral programmes that required an injury course, but no masters programme that had any requirement of an injury …
Controlling avian flu at the source.

Global agricultural authorities should harmonize with the public-health sector to ensure the exchange of flu virus samples, and establish a single international standard for vaccines, say Robert Webster and Diane Hulse.
Emerging Institutional Support for Developmental Education.

With large numbers of underprepared students enrolling at community colleges, faculty are beginning to recognize that developmental education is a collegewide responsibility that needs to be fully integrated with the college's broader curriculum and varied missions.
Synthesis, structure, and ferromagnetism of the oxygen defect pyrochlore system Lu 2 V 2 O 7 − x ( x = 0.40 – 0.65 )

A fcc oxygen defect pyrochlore structure system Lu{sub 2}V{sub 2}O{sub 7-x} with x=0.40-0.65 was synthesized from the known fcc ferromagnetic semiconductor pyrochlore compound Lu{sub 2}V{sub 2}O{sub 7} which can be written as Lu{sub 2}V{sub 2}O{sub 6}O{sup '} with two inequivalent oxygen sites O and O{sup '}. Rietveld x-ray diffraction refinements show significant Lu-V antisite disorder for x > or approx. 0.5. The lattice parameter versus x (including x=0) shows a distinct maximum at x{approx}0.4. We propose that these observations can be explained if the oxygen defects are on the O{sup '} sublattice of the structure. The magnetic susceptibility versus temperature exhibits Curie-Weiss behavior above 150 K for all x, with a Curie constant C that increases with x as expected in an ionic model. However, the magnetization measurements also show that the (ferromagnetic) Weiss temperature {theta} and the ferromagnetic ordering temperature T{sub C} both strongly decrease with increasing x instead of increasing as expected from C(x). The T{sub C} decreases from 73 K for x=0 to 21 K for x=0.65. Furthermore, the saturation moment at a field of 5.5 T at 5 K is nearly independent of x, with the value expected for a fixed spin 1/2 per V. Themore » latter three observations suggest that Lu{sub 2}V{sub 2}O{sub 7-x} may contain localized spin 1/2 vanadium moments in a metallic background that is induced by oxygen defect doping, instead of being a semiconductor as suggested by the C(x) dependence. We present evidence of magnetic granularity in Lu{sub 2}V{sub 2}O{sub 7-x} with increasing x, due to the random distribution of oxygen vacancies and associated Lu-V antisite mixing. For x=0.65, isothermal magnetization versus magnetic field M(H) and low-field M(T) measurements indicate the formation of interacting nanoscopic ferromagnetic domains below T{sub C}.« less
A SINGLE-STAGE, LIQUID-PHASE DIMETHYL ETHER SYNTHESIS PROCESS FROM SYNGAS III. DUAL CATALYST CRYSTAL GROWTH, DEACTIVATION, AND ACTIVITY CONSERVATION STUDIES

ABSTRACT In the liquid phase dimethyl ether (DME) synthesis process, both the methanol synthesis catalyst )composed of CuO, ZnO, and Al2O3) and the methanol dehydration catalyst (composed of gamma-alumina) are slurried in the inert oil phase. Various long-term activity checks were conducted on these dual catalysts to characterize the crystal growth and the thermal aging behavior. X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and elemental intensity compositions, and the crystallite size distributions of the aged catalysts were examined. Based on the current investigation, it was established that the crystal growth and the catalyst deactivation problems in the methanol synthesis catalyst are less severe when it is used along with the methanol dehydration catalyst.
Cellular Redistribution of Rad51 in Response to DNA Damage NOVEL ROLE FOR Rad51C

Exposure of cells to DNA-damaging agents results in a rapid increase in the formation of subnuclear complexes containing Rad51. To date, it has not been determined to what extent DNA damage-induced cytoplasmic to nuclear transport of Rad51 may contribute to this process. We have analyzed subcellular fractions of HeLa and HCT116 cells and found a significant increase in nuclear Rad51 levels following exposure to a modest dose of ionizing radiation (2 grays). We also observed a DNA damage-induced increase in nuclear Rad51 in the Brca2-defective cell line Capan-1. To address a possible Brca2-independent mechanism for Rad51 nuclear transport, we analyzed subcellular fractions for two other Rad51-interacting proteins, Rad51C and Xrcc3. Rad51C has a functional nuclear localization signal, and although we found that the subcellular distribution of Xrcc3 was not significantly affected by DNA damage, there was a damage-induced increase in nuclear Rad51C. Furthermore, RNA interference-mediated depletion of Rad51C in HeLa and Capan-1 cells resulted in lower steady-state levels of nuclear Rad51 as well as a diminished DNA damage-induced increase. Our results provide important insight into the cellular regulation of Rad51 nuclear entry and a role for Rad51C in this process.
Interband Cascade Lasers: from concept to devices and applications

The development of mid-infrared interband cascade lasers from concept to devices and applications will be reviewed. Their current status and future prospects will be discussed.
Early reprogramming regulators identified by prospective isolation and mass cytometry

In the context of most induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell reprogramming methods, heterogeneous populations of non-productive and staggered productive intermediates arise at different reprogramming time points. Despite recent reports claiming substantially increased reprogramming efficiencies using genetically modified donor cells, prospectively isolating distinct reprogramming intermediates remains an important goal to decipher reprogramming mechanisms. Previous attempts to identify surface markers of intermediate cell populations were based on the assumption that, during reprogramming, cells progressively lose donor cell identity and gradually acquire iPS cell properties. Here we report that iPS cell and epithelial markers, such as SSEA1 and EpCAM, respectively, are not predictive of reprogramming during early phases. Instead, in a systematic functional surface marker screen, we find that early reprogramming-prone cells express a unique set of surface markers, including CD73, CD49d and CD200, that are absent in both fibroblasts and iPS cells. Single-cell mass cytometry and prospective isolation show that these distinct intermediates are transient and bridge the gap between donor cell silencing and pluripotency marker acquisition during the early, presumably stochastic, reprogramming phase. Expression profiling reveals early upregulation of the transcriptional regulators Nr0b1 and Etv5 in this reprogramming state, preceding activation of key pluripotency regulators such as Rex1 (also known as Zfp42), Dppa2, Nanog and Sox2. Both factors are required for the generation of the early intermediate state and fully reprogrammed iPS cells, and thus represent some of the earliest known regulators of iPS cell induction. Our study deconvolutes the first steps in a hierarchical series of events that lead to pluripotency acquisition.
Comparing GEOSAT altimetry and sea level

The April 1987 issue of the Climate Diagnostics Bulletin of the U.S. National Weather Service contains a set of eight maps of sea surface topography of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, derived from the GEOSAT altimeter by Laury Miller and Robert Cheney (National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Rockville, Md.). The maps cover the area between 8°N and 8°S and from 174°E to 114°W, are contoured at intervals of 2 cm, and cover the period from December 1, 1986, to March 15, 1987, at intervals of 15 days. Contours range from a maximum of +14 cm to a minimum of −16 cm. The data are obviously smoothed in both time and space and show features with meridional scales of a few hundred kilometers and zonal scales of a few thousand kilometers.
Network exchange outcomes: limits of predictability☆

A new phase of research and theorizing about social exchange networks is now emerging: efforts are aimed at predicting exact exchange outcomes for different network positions. Two types of network exchange computer simulations and an analytic method were used to generate such predictions for the nine ‘common networks’. Conditions are provided under which these different sources of predictions for long-run exchange outcomes converge. After examining the process by which various combinations of exchange outcomes emerge, however, I argue that our ability to predict exact outcomes is probably very limited. As restrictions on exchange conditions, network sizes and time domains are relaxed, exchange outcomes are increasingly chaotic. For some networks we may be able to predict exact outcomes, for many more we can at best predict ranges of outcomes within which actual outcomes will vary.
Getting Established in Academia

Chakrabarty9s handbook for science students considering a future in academia aims to help them progress efficiently to tenure.
Bereavement Interventions, End‐of‐Life Cancer Care, and Spousal Well‐Being: A Systematic Review

Recent comprehensive reviews have concluded that there is little evidence for the effectiveness of bereavement interventions. These reviews have not been limited to investigations of bereavement services for spouses of patients with cancer. This systematic review examined the evidence from 10 articles reporting on eight studies examining outcomes of bereavement interventions and adjustment to bereavement following specialized end-of-life patient care for spouses of patients with cancer. Patient end-of-life interventions may positively influence bereavement outcomes for spouses, but based on the available evidence, it is difficult to draw definitive conclusions about the effectiveness of bereavement group interventions for spouses of patients with cancer. Methodologically rigorous studies with larger sample sizes are required to determine the effectiveness of these interventions.
Biophysical Studies Evaluating the Potential Physiological Relevance of the Hemoglobin Associated Nitrite Anhydrase Reaction as a Pathway to Generate S-Nitrosothiols from Low Levels of NO and Nitrite

Hemoglobin (Hb) has been implicated in nitrite-mediated mechanisms that generate bioactive forms of nitric oxide by the reaction of deoxy Hb with nitrite to produce NO (Nitrite Reductase) is viewed as part of the mechanism since the generated NO is readily scavenged, raising questions as to how free NO could escape from the red blood cell. A proposed nitrite anhydrase reaction (NA) between met-Hb and both nitrite and NO to yield N2O3, a potent S-nitrosating agent capable of generating longer lived S-nitrosothiols, could address this limitation.