cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Calibrated asymmetric surrogate losses

Surrogate losses underlie numerous state-of-the-art binary classification algorithms, such as support vector machines and boosting. The impact of a surrogate loss on the statistical performance of an algorithm is well-understood in symmetric classification settings, where the misclassification costs are equal and the loss is a margin loss. In particular, classification-calibrated losses are known to imply desirable properties such as consistency. While numerous efforts have been made to extend surrogate loss-based algorithms to asymmetric settings, to deal with unequal misclassification costs or training data imbalance, considerably less attention has been paid to whether the modified loss is still calibrated in some sense. This article extends the theory of classification-calibrated losses to asymmetric problems. As in the symmetric case, it is shown that calibrated asymmetric surrogate losses give rise to excess risk bounds, which control the expected misclassification cost in terms of the excess surrogate risk. This theory is illustrated on the class of uneven margin losses, and the uneven hinge, squared error, exponential, and sigmoid losses are treated in detail.
Human THP-1 monocyte uptake and cellular disposition of 14C-grepafloxacin.

Uptake of 14C-grepafloxacin into human mononuclear (THP-1) cells was determined at pH 7.4, 6.8, or 5.0 over a 4-log antibiotic concentration. Grepafloxacin was taken up by THP-1 monocytes rapidly by both a passive and an active transport mechanism at pH 7.4. Its uptake was initially linear, with equilibrium being reached after ∼1 h. Efflux followed first-order clearance and was complete within 1 h, suggesting no longterm sequestering of the antibiotic occurred. Neither cell number nor serum protein binding appeared to have any effect on antibiotic uptake. High intracellular concentrations were achieved and the ratios of cellular to extracellular antibiotic concentration (IC/EC) were between 529 and 644 at 0.04 µg/ml at pH 7.4 and 6.8, suggesting that monocytes may contain sufficient levels of grepafloxacin for affecting bacteriostatic killing. Grepafloxacin disposition within the THP-1 monocytes showed large amounts present in the nucleus and cell sap in stimulated and unstimulated cells, and its presence was evenly distributed throughout the cytosol, nuclei, lysosomes, mitochondria, and ribosomes. After stimulation by zymogen A, Staphylococcus aureus, or Streptococcus pneumoniae, increased amounts of grepafloxacin were found within THP-1 monocytes and isolated phagosome vacuoles. No antibiotic sequestration occurred inside stimulated monocytes, although a sufficient intracellular grepafloxacin concentration was available to kill phagocytized bacteria. Metabolic inhibitors, suppressors of K+/Cl− and Cl− transporters, inhibitors of the phagocytic process, low temperature, and low pH inhibited grepafloxacin uptake by THP-1 monocytes.
Gamma-Ray Decay of the 7.66-Mev Level of C 12

Proton-gamma-gamma triple coincidence measurements have been carried out on the ${\mathrm{B}}^{10}({\mathrm{He}}^{3}, p){\mathrm{C}}^{12}$ reaction at ${E}_{{\mathrm{He}}^{3}}=2.2$ Mev. Protons were detected in a $\frac{3}{4}$-in. diameter CsI crystal subtending a solid angle of 27% of $4\ensuremath{\pi}$ at the target, the gamma-ray detectors were 5 in. \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} 5 in. NaI crystals, and the coincidence resolving time was 8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$ sec. The spectrum of protons in triple coincidence with the two gamma-ray detectors, each channeled from 2.4 to 5.0 Mev, contains a line corresponding to the alpha-emitting 7.66-Mev 0+second-excited state of ${\mathrm{C}}^{12}$. This line is interpreted as resulting from the 3.23-4.43-Mev cascade gamma-ray decay of the 7.66-Mev level through the 4.43-Mev 2+ first-excited state. The ratio of the triples to singles counting rates of the 7.66-Mev proton line, when corrected by the appropriate factors for gamma-ray efficiency, leads to a 3.23-Mev gamma-ray branch of (3.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.9)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ per decay of the 7.66-Mev level. This branch, which compares with a previous theoretical estimate of \ensuremath{\sim}2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$, is stronger than the direct ground-state transition by a factor of 50.
Characterization of the local temperature in space and time around a developing Drosophila embryo in a microfluidic device

This paper characterizes a microfluidic platform that differentially controls the temperature of each half of a living Drosophila melanogaster fruitfly embryo in space and time (E. M. Lucchetta, J. H. Lee, L. A. Fu, N. H. Patel and R. F. Ismagilov, Nature, 2005, 434, 1134-1138). This platform relies on laminar flow of two streams of liquid with different temperature, and on rapid prototyping in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Here, we characterized fluid flow and heat transport in this platform both experimentally and by numerical simulation, and estimated the temperature distribution around and within the embryo by numerical simulation, to identify the conditions for creating a sharper temperature difference (temperature step) over the embryo. Embryos were removed from the device and immunostained histochemically for detection of Paired protein. Biochemical processes are sensitive to small differences in environmental temperature. The microfluidic platform characterized here could prove useful in understanding dynamics of biochemical networks as they respond to changes in temperature.
Dependence of Apoferritin Crystal Growth on Temperature and Cadmium Concentration

Static light scattering and multiwell microbatch crystallization experiments have been used to determine how apoferritin crystal growth kinetics and final crystal size depend on temperature, pH, and cadmium concentration. The experiments were conducted on a linear thermal gradient covering a range from 30 to 40 °C. Crystal growth was monitored in situ under a microscope without disturbing the thermal environment. A dependence of apoferritin crystal formation and growth on temperature and cadmium concentration was observed. The range of cadmium concentrations that resulted in apoferritin crystal growth was evaluated and found to be consistent with the osmotic second virial coefficients determined via static light scattering. For the domain of conditions where apoferritin crystal formation occurred, the initial molar growth rate of apoferritin crystals increased linearly with temperature. It was observed that increasing cadmium concentration decreased the dependence of the final crystal size on temperature....
Smoking, body mass, and hot flashes in midlife women.

Abstract Objective To assess whether lifestyle factors, specifically smoking and body mass index (BMI), are associated with the occurrence of any, moderate to severe, or daily hot flashes. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among women aged 40–60 years residing in the Baltimore metropolitan area who reported their history of hot flashes through a mailed survey. Logistic regression was used to assess the associations between smoking and BMI with any, moderate to severe, and daily hot flashes. Results Of the 1087 women included in the study, 56% reported having hot flashes. Compared with never-smokers, current smokers were at an increased risk for both moderate to severe hot flashes (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3, 2.9) and daily hot flashes (adjusted OR = 2.2, 95% CI 1.4, 3.7). Among current smokers, risk for hot flashes increased with greater amount smoked. High BMI (more than 30 kg/m 2 ) was associated with an increased risk for moderate to severe hot flashes compared with low BMI (less than 24.9 kg/m 2 ) (adjusted OR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.5, 3.0). An increased risk for any or daily hot flashes with high BMI was present only among premenopausal or perimenopausal women. Conclusion Potentially modifiable factors, such as current smoking and high BMI, may predispose a woman to more severe or frequent hot flashes. This information may be valuable for identifying women at risk for hot flashes and for developing appropriate prevention strategies that may include lifestyle modifications.
Novel putative protein tyrosine phosphatases identified by the polymerase chain reaction

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) are a family of enzymes that specifically dephosphorylate phosphotyrosyl residues in selected protein substrates. To more fully understand the regulatory role of protein tyrosine phosphorylation and dephosphorylation in cellular signal transduction, characterization of PTPases is essential. Using the polymerase chain reaction and degenerate oligonucleotide primers corresponding to conserved amino acid sequences within the catalytic domain of PTPases, we have identified 11 PTPase-related human liver cDNA sequences. Five of these have not been described previously. These results indicate that, like protein tyrosine kinases. PTPases may also comprise a gene family with a large number of members.
Tribromophenoxy Flame Retardants in the Great Lakes Atmosphere

The 2,4,6-tribromophenoxy moiety is a common structural feature of several brominated flame retardants, and we have previously reported on the environmental concentrations of one such compound, 1,2...
ChREBP rather than USF2 regulates glucose stimulation of endogenous L-pyruvate kinase expression in insulin-secreting cells.

There is controversy whether or not upstream stimulatory factors (USF) regulate the glucose responsiveness of L-pyruvate kinase (L-PK) promoter activity in hepatocytes. It has been suggested that USF-2 is required for glucose stimulation of L-PK promoter activity in single islet β-cells and INS-1 cells (Kennedy, H. J., Viollet, B., Rafiq, I., Kahn, A., and Rutter, G. A. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 20636–20640). In the present study, the tet-on system has been employed to achieve tightly controlled and inducible expression of USF-1 and -2 and their dominant-negative mutants DN-USF-1 (ΔbTDU1) and -2 (TDU2) in INS-1 cells. Quantitative Northern blot analysis shows that neither basal level nor glucose responsiveness of endogenous L-PK mRNA is affected by overexpression of USF-1 and -2. Likewise, the L-PK expression is unaltered by dominant-negative suppression of USF function. Western blotting demonstrates that USF-1 and -2 and DN-USF-1 and -2 proteins are stably expressed in nuclear fractions of INS-1 cells. Immunofluorescence staining indicates the uniform induction of these transgene-encoded proteins in the cell nuclei. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays using the L-PK promoter segment reveal that induction of USF-1 and -2 dramatically enhances the USF binding activity, whereas DN-USF-1 and -2 abolish binding. DN-USF-1 and -2 exert their dominant-negative effect by forming non-functional heterodimers with endogenous USF proteins. Carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP) was recently shown to regulate the glucose responsiveness of the L-PK promoter activity in hepatocytes. We now report the presence of this transcription factor in rat islets and INS-1 cells. Glucose stimulates ChREBP transcription in INS-1 cells, as shown by nuclear run-on experiments. Overexpression of ChREBP in INS-1 cells using the tet-on system results in a left shift of glucose responsiveness of L-PK expression and an enhanced L-PK promoter activity. Both endogenous and doxycycline-induced ChREBP proteins bind to the L-PK promoter in a glucose-dependent manner. These unprecedented results suggest that ChREBP rather than USF mediates glucose-promoted L-PK expression in insulin-secreting cells.
Prospective study of efficacy and safety of lansoprazole in Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Lansoprazole, a new substituted benzimidazole H+, K+-ATPase inhibitor, profoundly inhibits gastric acid secretion and has potential use in the management of diseases such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES). In the present study we evaluated the efficacy and safety of lansoprazole in controlling acid hypersecretion in 20 patients with ZES. The starting dose was 60 mg once daily. Control of acid hypersecretion was defined as the dose required to reduce acid secretion to <10 meq/hr in the last hour before the next dose. Doses were adjusted upwards until effective control was achieved. Patients not controlled with 120 mg once daily were placed on twice daily lansoprazole. Most patients (90%) required lansoprazole once daily. During long-term follow-up (mean 18.5 months), 25% of patients required upward dose adjustments and 25% of patients required twice daily lansoprazole. Following cessation of therapy, the mean time for gastric acid output to reach half basal acid output was 39.1 hr. Lansoprazole was well-tolerated without side effects. Clinical chemistry and hematological studies were unchanged, and no gastric carcinoids developed. These results demonstrate that lansoprazole is a safe and effective inhibitor of gastric acid hypersecretion in patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Because it has a long duration of action, lansoprazole can be used to control gastric acid hypersecretion in most patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome using a once daily dosing schedule.
Hyperoxic Exposure in Humans: Effects of 50 Percent Oxygen on Alveolar Macrophage Leukotriene B4 Synthesis

The pathogenesis of oxygen toxicity remains unknown but may involve leukocyte mediated injury. The effects of hyperoxia on several lower respiratory tract parameters were examined in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of normal nonsmoking subjects who inhaled a fractional inspired oxygen concentration of 50 percent (mean exposure: 44 h). Evidence that 50 percent O2 produced oxidative stress in the lung included recovery of fluorescent products of lipid peroxidation and partial oxidation of alpha 1-antitrypsin in BAL fluid obtained after O2 exposure. To examine whether alveolar macrophage-derived leukotriene B4 may be generated in response to 50 percent O2, AM were isolated from O2-exposed subjects and compared with AM recovered from subjects breathing room air. Leukotriene B4 levels were elevated in supernatants from both unstimulated and arachidonic acid-stimulated AM obtained from hyperoxia-exposed subjects. In hyperoxia-exposed individuals, LTB4 levels were also elevated in extracted BAL fluid. The percentage of BAL neutrophils was also significantly increased after O2 exposure (2.8 +/- 0.6 vs 1.2 +/- 0.4 percent, p = 0.05). We conclude that an FIO2 of 50 percent inhaled for 44 h is associated with enhanced oxidative stress, stimulation of AM to release LTB4, and a small but significantly increased percentage of neutrophils recovered in BAL fluid.
Randomized Hessian estimation and directional search

We explore how randomization can help asymptotic convergence properties of simple directional search-based optimization methods. Specifically, we develop a cheap, iterative randomized Hessian estimation scheme. We then apply this technique and analyse how it enhances a random directional search method. Then, we proceed to develop a conjugate-directional search method that incorporates estimated Hessian information without requiring the direct use of gradients.
‘Crazyghettosmart’: a case study in Latina identities

Drawing from recent scholarship that examines schooling and the shifting terrain of youth identities, this study examines the identity constructions of Jessica, a Latina high school student. Our portrait of Jessica is part of a larger longitudinal study in which the middle and high school experiences of three Latinas, including Jessica, were examined. For this paper, we used data gathered from Jessica’s four years in high school, which included interviews from Jessica and her mother, and field observations from shadowing Jessica’s school days during her junior and senior years. Data analysis illustrated two broad themes: Jessica’s relationships with her academics and her social life, including the recent positioning of herself as a mother during her pregnancy in her senior year. Findings suggest that Jessica improvised her positions within various realms of school to both resist and reconfigure discourses that shaped her identities as a student and adolescent. This study argues for more research that exam...
Desire, judgment, and reason : Exploring the path not taken

At the outset of The Possibility of Altruism Thomas Nagel charts two paths out of the fundamental dilemma confronting metaethics. The first path rejects the claim that a persuasive account of the motivational backing of ethical judgments must involve an agent’s desires. But it is the second path, a path that Nagel charts but does not himself take, that is the focus of this essay. This path retains the standard account, upon which all motivation involves desire, but denies that desires are given prior to reason. Instead, these attitudes that motivate are themselves open to rational assessment. One reason for this focus is that many philosophers, including Quinn, Raz, and Scanlon, have come to reject the claim Nagel takes to block this path – that desires are somehow given prior to reason, hence are not in the relevant way proper objects of rational assessment. A second reason is that unlike the first path, this second does not require the rejection of the belief-desire theory, only the rejection of one assumption about the nature of conative attitudes. Unlike Nagel’s chosen path, then, the second holds out the prospect of reconciling ethical objectivity, internalism, and the belief-desire theory within a unified account. I argue that the account of desire found in Quinn, Raz, and Scanlon, augmented by aspects of Davidson’s account of propositional attitudes, yields a coherent account of the involvement of reason even in basic desires, an account that is well suited to Nagel’s intriguing path not taken.
A new macroeconomic forecasting and policy evaluation method using the analytic hierarchy process

Abstract The Analytic Hierarchy Process is used to show how forecasts can be made of the effects of monetarist, Keynesian and supply-side macroeconomic policies and to determine their impact on important variables such as unemployment, inflation and GNP growth.
Novel color, shape and texture-based scene image descriptors

This paper introduces several novel color, shape and texture-based image descriptors for scene image classification with applications to image search and retrieval. Specifically, first, a new 3-Dimensional Local Binary Pattern (3D-LBP) descriptor is proposed for color image local feature extraction. Second, a new shape descriptor (HaarHOG) is introduced by combining Haar wavelet transformation and Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG). Third, these descriptors are fused using an optimal feature representation technique to generate a robust 3-Dimensional LBP-HaarHOG (3DLH) descriptor that can perform well on different scene image categories. Finally, the Enhanced Fisher Model (EFM) is applied for discriminatory feature extraction and the nearest neighbor classification rule is used for image classification. The proposed descriptors and fusion technique are evaluated using three grand challenge datasets: the MIT Scene dataset, the UIUC Sports Event dataset, and a part of the Caltech 256 dataset.
Modeling of experimental results for carbon utilization in a carbon fuel cell

Abstract The carbon fuel cell, a novel electrochemical conversion scheme for the production of efficient electric power from solid carbonaceous fuels, is investigated. A model of the carbon fuel cell is developed, validated, and exercised to explore the interactions between cell geometry, power output, and overall efficiency. The model is built on the Boudouard reaction mechanism and includes experimentally measured kinetic parameters of the electrode and carbon bed reactions. Results indicate that the modeled cell geometry can operate in an optimal regime offering efficiencies near 60% and cell power densities of 100 mW cm −2 . The model further reveals a fundamental tradeoff between efficiency and power output inherent in a carbon fuel cell, suggesting that high cell efficiencies can be obtained at half of peak power output.
Present and future control of malaria.

Conflict within a scientific discipline has the elements of a Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde persona. On the positive side, it results from different interpretations of data gathered at the forefront of a fast-breaking field. Conflict in this light lends an air of excitement and stimulates new experiments that
Lung tumour masked by implanted cardiac device on a chest radiograph

Abstract Permanent pacemakers are an established treatment for sino-atrial disease and heart block, whereas implanted cardiac defibrillators are indicated for recurrent life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia. However, they obscure a small area of lung field on any chest radiograph taken after their insertion. We report two patients with permanent cardiac pacemakers and one patient with an implanted cardiac defibrillator who developed tumours within the underlying lung. They all had their lung tumour masked by the cardiac device on a previous chest radiograph taken within the past three years resulting in a missed opportunity for an early diagnosis.
Impact response of cylindrically curved laminates including a large deformation scaling study

Abstract An ABAQUS finite element model, with and without geometric nonlinearity, is presented for a laminated cylindrical shell subject to transverse central impact. Results from a nonlinear analysis and experimental drop weight impact tests are also discussed. A parametric study identifies impact energy and momentum scaling relationships with mass and velocity. For the present investigation, differences between scaling small and large deformation responses indicate that small deformation response may be momentum dominated and yet large deformation response may be energy dominated.
New strategies in using macromolecular catalysts in organic synthesis

Abstract The use of soluble triphenylphosphine ligands to activate Pd(0) catalysts for allylic substitution of allyl esters or ethers by amines and stabilized carbanion nucleophiles and carboalkoxylation of aryl iodides and decar☐ylation of allylic β-keto esters is described. Pd(0) catalysts studied included Pd/C and dispersions of Pd(0) in an insoluble divinylbenzene crosslinked polystyrene resin. The effects of added triphenylphosphine on each reaction were seen in several ways. Small amounts of added phosphine increased the reaction rate 10-fold or more in most cases. Experiments to detect the nature of the active catalyst species and to differentiate between catalysis by a homogeneous species and catalysis by a heterogeneous species were performed. These experiments uniformly failed to demonstrate the presence of a homogeneous catalyst.
Defect States in GaAs after Rapid Thermal Annealing

Electronic deep levels in GaAs have been investigated by correlated luminescence and DLTS measurements on material in which the defects were systematically perturbed by rapid thermal annealing. The samples were grown by MOCVD and encapsulated with silicon nitride. Annealing was performed at temperatures from 800°C to 950°C for 5 seconds. The luminescence spectra were measured from 0.7 to 1.6 eV at temperatures from 4–80 K and have features at 0.97, 1.17, 1.35, 1.40 and 1.5 eV. The band-to-acceptor luminescence shows the formation of Si acceptors, starting at an anneal temperature of about 850°C. The luminescence peak at 1,35 eV, attributed to As vacancy — acceptor complexes, is observed to increase in intensity with higher annealing temperatures. In contrast, the Ga vacancy-donor complex peak at 1,17 eV decreases in intensity. DLTS data show an increase in the density of deep levels and new levels not present in the unannealed material. Capacitance-voltage data find a reduction in carrier concentration, although type conversion is not observed even after annealing to 950°C.
Quantitative Analysis of Inter-object Spatial Relationships in Biological Images

Study of spatial relations between biological objects is crucial for understanding biological processes. Monitoring drug or particle delivery inside cells and studying the dynamics of subcellular proteins are some of the examples. Biological applications have varying demands in terms of speed and accuracy. While accuracy may be the most important factor for small-scale biology, speed is also a concern for high-content/high-throughput screening applications. In this paper we present a variety of algorithms for inter-object spatial relations in two-and three-dimensional space. These algorithms provide trade-off between speed and accuracy, depending on the requirements of the application. Results for speed and accuracy are reported for real as well as synthetic data sets.
Platelet-derived growth factor stimulates the synthesis of interleukin-6 in cells of the osteoblast lineage

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) increases bone resorption and the number of osteoclasts in calvarial sections, and it may regulate local cytokines involved in bone remodeling. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a cytokine secreted by osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and stromal cells, is known to increase osteoclast recruitment. We tested the effects of PDGF on IL-6 expression in cultures of osteoblast-enriched cells from 22-day-old fetal rat calvariae (Ob cells). Treatment of Ob cells with PDGF BB caused a time- and dose-dependent induction of IL-6 messenger RNA (mRNA), as determined by Northern blot analysis. The effect was maximal after 1 h of treatment and was observed with PDGF BB at 0.3-3.3 nM. Treatment with PDGF BB for 24 h also increased IL-6 polypeptide levels in the culture medium, as determined by a specific bioassay. Although PDGF AA increased IL-6 mRNA levels, its effect was less pronounced than that of PDGF BB. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) induced IL-6 transcripts, and the effect of PDGF BB was ...
Ashore on the Land of Joiners: Intergenerational Social Incorporation of Immigrants1:

Juxtaposing two cliches, “the land of immigrants” and “the land of joiners,” poses an intriguing question: Do they fit in with each other? In other words, is Tocqueville's oft-quoted dictum —“Americans of all ages, all stations of life, and all types of disposition are forever forming associations”— applicable to immigrants as well? Focusing on the process of social incorporation of immigrants that connects the two sides, and taking advantage of the unique features of the dataset, the study examines intergenerational patterns of immigrants' participation in voluntary associations. Substantial variations across generations and association types are found, and their pathways of social incorporation are charted.
Model selection in irregular problems: Applications to mapping quantitative trait loci

SUMMARY Two methods of model selection are discussed for changepoint-like problems, especially those arising in genetic linkage analysis. The first is a method that selects the model with the smallest p-value, while the second is a modification of the Bayes information criterion. The methods are compared theoretically and on examples from the literature. For these examples, they are roughly comparable although the p-value-based method is somewhat more liberal in selecting a high-dimensional model.
Analysis of lichen thin sections by PIXE and STIM using a proton microprobe

Abstract In order to better understand the distribution pattern of mineral elements in lichen tissues, thin sections (15 μm) of the foliose, vagrant soil lichen Xanthoparmelia chlorochroa were examined using proton microprobe Particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE). This technique was used to make two-dimensional scans, with 5 μm resolution, across tissue cross sections of the test species. Element maps for Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, and As have been prepared. Several elements are strongly localized in the element maps. PIXE data are complimented with STIM, light micrographs, and SEM images. Preliminary data suggest that nuclear microprobe techniques may be useful in elucidating element absorption and transport mechanisms in lichens.
The random walk of a drilling laser beam

Holes were drilled through 330‐μ‐thick single‐crystal sapphire wafers with a pulsed laser beam. The hole exit positions on one face of the wafer were found to have undergone a random‐walk displacement relative to the entrance hole positions on the opposing face of the wafer. This random displacement increased with the number of laser pulses required to drill through the wafer. A model in which the bottom of the drill hole experiences small random displacements during each laser pulse was used to describe the experimental observations. The model indicates that the average random displacement caused by each laser pulse is only a few percent of the hole diameter. Laser‐drill‐hole wandering can be minimized by using as few laser pulses as necessary to drill through the sapphire wafers while at the same time avoiding the cracking and spalling of the wafer that occur with a hole drilled through the wafer with a single pulse.
Optimal economic growth and uncertainty: The discounted case

The cornerstone of one-sector optimal economic growth models is the existence and stability of a steady-state solution for optimal consumption policies. The optimal consumption policy is the stable branch of the saddle point solution of the system of differential equations governing the dynamics of the economy. Examples of this type of behavior can be found in Cass [2] and Koopmans [4]. However, the stable branch solution is a knife-edge policy in the sense that any perturbation, no matter how small, results in instability and eventual annihilation. (This phenomenon is true when the Euler conditions are adhered to after the perturbation). Small pertubations might occur due to observation errors or the lack of knowledge of the exact production functions. It seems reasonable to expect that all sorts of human errors influence decision variables. Hence unless perfect knowledge of all variables, present and future, were known with complete certainty, and unless all decisions were made with exactness, economies of the one-sector deterministic type would lead at best to suboptimal consumption and investment policies. One would expect analogous instability results if production due to aggregation error, say, were not known with certainty. Moreover, it should be expected that planners know the future with something less than certainty. Since it seems impossible, in the face of uncertainty of the future,
Structure of correlation functions in single-field inflation

Many statistics available to constrain non-Gaussianity from inflation are simplest to use under the assumption that the curvature correlation functions are hierarchical. That is, if the n-point function is proportional to the (n-1) power of the two-point function amplitude and the fluctuations are small, the probability distribution can be approximated by expanding around a Gaussian in moments. However, single-field inflation with higher derivative interactions has a second small number, the sound speed, that appears in the problem when non-Gaussianity is significant and changes the scaling of correlation functions. Here we examine the structure of correlation functions in the most general single scalar field action with higher derivatives, formalizing the conditions under which the fluctuations can be expanded around a Gaussian distribution. We comment about the special case of the Dirac-Born-Infeld action.
On the correlation of primary root growth and tracheary element size and distance from the tip in cotton seedlings grown under salinity

Abstract Cotton seedlings ( Gossypium hirsutum L. cv. Acala SJ-2) were germinated and grown in vermiculite for 7 days, at 1–150 mM NaCl salinity. Primary root samples were harvested daily, root lengths measured and, after clearing and staining, the distance from the root tip to the closest protoxylem tracheary element (PTE) secondary cell wall depositions was determined. The length of control roots correlated with the PTE distance and the root elongation rate. Initially, as roots became longer, elongation rates increased and so did the distance for PTE secondary wall depositions. The highest elongation rates and the farthest PTE distances were reached for 75–125 mm long roots. Thereafter, as root length increased, the PTE distance and growth rates dropped gradually. A high linear correlation between the distance for PTE secondary wall depositions and the root growth rate was obtained for control plants (up to 200 mm long) over the experimental period. This correlation was weakened by rising salinity. At 150 mM NaCl no such correlation was found. Salinity resulted in PTE distances closer to the tip in roots of intermediate length (50–150 mm). In longer and in shorter roots, salinity did not affect the distance from the root tip for PTE secondary wall depositions. Vermiculite-grown seedlings, 4–11 days old, were used to assess the effects of 200 mM NaCl salinity on the development of metaxylem vessel members (MVMs). In macerated stele samples from regions close to the root base, the dimensions of MVMs were measured. High salinity resulted in reductions of both width and length of MVMs, and this inhibition increased with plant age. Large, central MVMs matured mostly earlier in control plants than in salt-stressed plants.
Serum alkaline phosphatase using phenolphthalein monophosphate in a 12-channel automated system

Summary 1. The use of phenolphthalein monophosphate in a 12-channel automated system (SMA-12 Auto-AnalyzerTM), as a substrate, in a simplified determination of the alkaline phosphatase enzymatic activity in blood serum, is described. After the incubation, the addition of a 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 11.2) acts as a color developer and stabilizer. 2. A comparison against the regularly used King-Armstrong modified method with respect of a group of 103 unselected blood serum samples showed close agreement, indicating a linear correlation. The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was +0.674. The normal range for the adapted method, as determined in a group of 95 adults, was found to be 4.1 to 12.9 King-Armstrong units (KAU) (Mean 8.5; S.D. ± 2.2 KAU).
Parent and Peer Attachment in Minority Males at High Risk for Delinquency

Juvenile delinquency and high risk behaviors have been linked to disturbances in attachment. The present study examined parent and peer attachment in 67 African American males and 97 Latinos (ages 12–17, M = 14.7 ± 1.3) attending an alternative school. The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment was used to identify 3 attachment style groups: “Isolated,” “Disconnected,” and “Connected.” Controlling for age, attachment group membership predicted differences in delinquent behaviors, as did ethnicity. Further, on the Youth Self-Report of the Child Behavior Checklist, attachment group membership predicted differences in both the Internalizing and Externalizing Scales. Implications for interventions with each identified attachment group are discussed.
A novel method of testing image randomness with applications to image shuffling and encryption

This paper discusses the problem of testing the degree of randomness within an image, particularly for a shuffled or encrypted image. Its key contributions are: 1) a mathematical model of perfectly shuffled images; 2) the derivation of the theoretical distribution of pixel differences; 3) new hypothesis tests based approach to differentiate whether or not a test image is perfectly shuffled; and 4) a randomized algorithm to unbiasedly evaluate the degree of image randomness. Simulation results show that the proposed method is robust and effective in evaluating the degree of image randomness, and may often be more suitable for image applications than commonly used testing schemes designed for binary data like NIST 800-22 test suites. The developed method may be also useful as a first step to determine whether or not an image shuffling or encryption scheme is suitable for a particular cryptographic application.
Cost-allocation decisions in member controlled country clubs: A case analysis

Abstract Boca Vista Golf and Country Club (BVGCC), which operates as a not-for-profit organization, is a member-owned country club in South Florida. Since no mark-up for profit is included in member-owned clubs, total budgeted revenues (including member dues) must equal total budgeted costs. Accordingly, if net costs are used to determine dues for each membership category, cost-allocation decisions have a direct impact on member dues (product price). BVGCC is also subject to competitive pressures from public and semi-private golf courses. The case provides an overview of these competing forces and requests the service of a consultant to devise equitable and effective cost-allocation schemes for BVGCC. Completion of the case should increase understanding of cost allocations that are cost-driver (direct labor hours) based and incremental cost driven, highlight the manner in which these decisions affect product price, and highlight the manner by which dues are often determined in practice, such as on the basis of what the market can bear.
Genetic determination of the antigenic specificity of tryptophan synthetase

Rabbit antiserum was obtained against the purified enzyme, tryptophan synthetase, from the fungus Neurospora crassa . With quantitative serological methods it was possible to demonstrate the gene products of a large class of mutant strains (CRM − , td mutants) which cross-react with the non-neutralizing fraction of the antiserum. Differences were also uncovered in a second class of mutant strains (CRM + , td mutants) hitherto considered antigenically identical. The results have shown a relationship between the position of the lesion within the td locus and the nature of the cross-reacting protein present in the CRM~ extract.
The Phenylpropanoid Pathway in Arabidopsis

The phenylpropanoid pathway serves as a rich source of metabolites in plants, being required for the biosynthesis of lignin, and serving as a starting point for the production of many other important compounds, such as the flavonoids, coumarins, and lignans. In spite of the fact that the phenylpropanoids and their derivatives are sometimes classified as secondary metabolites, their relevance to plant survival has been made clear via the study of Arabidopsis and other plant species. As a model system, Arabidopsis has helped to elucidate many details of the phenylpropanoid pathway, its enzymes and intermediates, and the interconnectedness of the pathway with plant metabolism as a whole. These advances in our understanding have been made possible in large part by the relative ease with which mutations can be generated, identified, and studied in Arabidopsis. Herein, we provide an overview of the research progress that has been made in recent years, emphasizing both the genes (and gene families) associated with the phenylpropanoid pathway in Arabidopsis, and the end products that have contributed to the identification of many mutants deficient in the phenylpropanoid metabolism: the sinapate esters.
Comparison between self-guided Langevin dynamics and molecular dynamics simulations for structure refinement of protein loop conformations.

This article presents a comparative analysis of two replica-exchange simulation methods for the structure refinement of protein loop conformations, starting from low-resolution predictions. The methods are self-guided Langevin dynamics (SGLD) and molecular dynamics (MD) with a Nose-Hoover thermostat. We investigated a small dataset of 8- and 12-residue loops, with the shorter loops placed initially from a coarse-grained lattice model and the longer loops from an enumeration assembly method (the Loopy program). The CHARMM22 + CMAP force field with a generalized Born implicit solvent model (molecular-surface parameterized GBSW2) was used to explore conformational space. We also assessed two empirical scoring methods to detect nativelike conformations from decoys: the all-atom distance-scaled ideal-gas reference state (DFIRE-AA) statistical potential and the Rosetta energy function. Among the eight-residue loop targets, SGLD out performed MD in all cases, with a median of 0.48 A reduction in global root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of the loop backbone coordinates from the native structure. Among the more challenging 12-residue loop targets, SGLD improved the prediction accuracy over MD by a median of 1.31 A, representing a substantial improvement. The overall median RMSD for SGLD simulations of 12-residue loops was 0.91 A, yielding refinement of a median 2.70 A from initial loop placement. Results from DFIRE-AA and the Rosetta model applied to rescoring conformations failed to improve the overall detection calculated from the CHARMM force field. We illustrate the advantage of SGLD over the MD simulation model by presenting potential-energy landscapes for several loop predictions. Our results demonstrate that SGLD significantly outperforms traditional MD in the generation and populating of nativelike loop conformations and that the CHARMM force field performs comparably to other empirical force fields in identifying these conformations from the resulting ensembles.
Self-perceptions and Current Practices of High-risk Older Drivers: Implications for Driver Safety Interventions

Many older drivers with visual problems meet the legal requirements for licensing despite having functional impairments that elevate crash risk. In a sample of visually impaired older drivers, over half believed that their vision was not likely to cause them to crash. Eighty percent acknowledged that they would feel more protected against crashing if they avoided certain driving situations. However, 75 percent of the sample reported never or rarely avoiding such situations (e.g. left turns, interstate highways). Almost 70 percent of drivers reported high self-efficacy in their ability to self-regulate and use alternative strategies. These data imply that behavioral interventions promoting compensatory strategies of self-regulation may be useful in maintaining mobility while improving the safety of high-risk older drivers. These findings serve as baseline for our ongoing study evaluating whether an educational intervention will increase self-regulation and improve older driver safety.
Reaction Kinetics in Ionic Liquids as Studied by Pulse Radiolysis: Redox Reactions in the Solvents Methyltributylammonium Bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide and N-Butylpyridinium Tetrafluoroborate

Rate constants for several reduction and oxidation reactions were determined by pulse radiolysis in three ionic liquids and compared with rate constants in other solvents. Radiolysis of the ionic liquids methyltributylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (R4NNTf2), N-butylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate (BuPyBF4), and N-butyl-4-methylpyridinium hexafluorophosphate (BuPicPF6) leads to formation of solvated electrons and organic radicals. In R4NNTf2 the solvated electrons do not react rapidly with the solvent and were reacted with several solutes, including CCl4, benzophenone, and quinones. In the pyridinium ionic liquids the solvated electrons react with the pyridinium moiety to produce a pyridinyl radical, which, in turn, can transfer an electron to various acceptors. The rate constant for reduction of duroquinone by the benzophenone ketyl radical in R4NNTf2 (k = 2 × 107 L mol-1 s-1) is much lower than that measured in water (k = 2 × 109 L mol-1 s-1) due to the high viscosity of the ionic liquid. Rate ...
Long-term follow-up of men undergoing modified inguinal lymphadenectomy for carcinoma of the penis

Objective To determine the long-term outcome of men with carcinoma of the penis with clinically negative lymph nodes undergoing a modification of the standard inguinal lymphadenectomy. Patients and methods The study included nine men (mean age 56.2 years, range 41–72) with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis who underwent a modified inguinal lymphadenectomy. Results Of the nine patients, three had histologically positive lymph nodes; none of the patients with positive or negative nodes had evidence of recurrent disease. All patients were alive within a follow-up of 13–108 months (mean 67.5). Early post-operative complications occurred in two patients with skin-flap necrosis, one with prolonged lymphatic drainage and one with a delayed groin lymphocele and cellulitis. Conclusion The modified inguinal lymphadenectomy is a reasonable alternative to surveillance and may accurately identify men with positive nodes. Long-term survival and low morbidity seem to justify this approach in men with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis and clinically negative inguinal lymph nodes.
Transmission electron microscopy of stearic acid Langmuir-Blodgett films with incorporated ruthenium(II) tris(2,2′-bipyridyl) complex

Monolayer Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of stearic acid and Ru(bpy)3(ClO4)2 (bpy is 2,2′-bipyridyl), Ru(tmbpy)3(ClO4)2 (tmbpy is 4,4′,6,6′-tetramethyl-2,2′-bipyridyl) of varying ratios and of an amphiphilic Ru(II) complex have been produced. Comparison of pressure-area isotherms for pure stearic acid with the mixed films of stearic acid with metal complexes indicates that the molecular area is determined only by the fatty acid. The absence of any contribution of the metal complex to the molecular area for the mixed film suggests that the metal complex may reside beneath the stearic acid film (ion paired with the hydrophilic head group). Transmission electron microscopy and the cyclic voltammogram for the LB films of varying concentration indicate the presence of the Ru(II) complex in mixed LB films of different molar ratios of stearic acid and Ru(bpy)3(ClO4)2 and in a pure amphiphilic Ru(II) complex film. The atomic force microscopy images, on the contrary, support the close packing of the stearic acid in the mixed films implying that the metal complex does not disturb the stearic acid packing.
Do Stemhagen, Reich, and Muth Have Ears to Hear and Eyes to See? Toward the Subaltern and Counternarratives in Curriculum Studies

In this essay, I offer a response to Stemhagen, Reich, and Muth's delineation of disciplined judgment. I draw from my latest obsession with epistemologies of ignorance to complicate their focus on disciplinarity with questions over how non-knowledge gets framed and created. I use Suniti Sharma's seven-year study to highlight the breakdowns generated when lived experience and personal knowledge clash with canonical and disciplinary knowledge. I offer three counter-vignettes as alternate readings of classroom teaching and learning. I end with the possibility that proliferating theories and stories might allow us to intervene within and against an audit culture.
The endocrine basis of reproductive inactivity in Monarch butterflies overwintering in central California

Abstract Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) collected during winter in central California are reproductively inactive. Oogenesis is stimulated in such animals by environments simulating summer conditions. Allatectomized or neck-ligatured winter animals do not normally undergo oogenesis when placed in summer conditions, but apparently normal oogenesis occurs if they are injected with juvenile hormone isomers. Injections of such isomers into winter animals held in environments simulating winter also promote oogenesis, even though winter conditions typically inhibit ovarian development. Reproductive dormany in winter Monarchs of central California therefore appears to be due (at least partially) to environmentally induced inactivity of the corpora allata.