cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Legal Challenges Associated With the Adoption of Smart Contracts in Financial Derivatives

English Abstract: The extent and success in implementing smart contracts in financial derivatives depends heavily on technical and sociological factors. One the one hand, we discuss the technical capacity of current “Smart Contracts” to facilitate the negotiation and execution of transactions, as well as its impact in terms of efficiency and transparency. On the other hand, we explore how power relations among stakeholders i.e., parties, lawyers, designers, and developers, influence the content, design and implementation of smart contracts. We will adopt, as a methodological beacon, Michel Foucault's theory on the fictitious function of the author, in our case the creator of the contract, in his privileged position that allows him to limit, exclude and choose conditions to perpetuate a specific discourse in a given social context. Spanish Abstract: El verdadero alcance y exito en la implementacion de los contratos inteligentes en el mercado de derivados financieros, depende de factores tecnicos y sociologicos. En este trabajo se analiza de un lado, la capacidad tecnica de los “Smart Contracts” para facilitar la negociacion y ejecucion de transacciones, y aumentar la eficiencia y transparencia del mercado. Y por otro, la forma en que las relaciones de poder propias que influiran el diseno e implementacion de los contratos inteligentes. Por esta razon adoptaremos como faro metodologico la teoria de Michel Foucault sobre la funcion ficticia del autor, en nuestro caso el creador del contrato, en su posicion privilegiada que le permite limitar, excluir y elegir condiciones para perpetuar un discurso especifico en un contexto social determinado.
Fighting COVID-19 in the United States with Federalism and Other Constitutional and Statutory Authority

The COVID-19 pandemic challenges a workable American federalism. The Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reserves plenary responsibilities to states for promoting health and well-being;but states and their local governments suffer from a significant lack of resources and interjurisdictional competition during major emergencies. In this article, I argue that a president has significant constitutional and statutory authority for pandemic preparedness and, by law, is responsible for leading a coordinated national response necessary to a pandemic. The article outlines the constitutional and statutory authorities available to President Trump and assesses how he used those powers to address the pandemic. It is argued that early, decisive national coordinative systems for containing and mitigating the virus;testing, tracing, contacting, and isolation protocols;data collection standardization;procurement and distribution of supplies;and planning vaccine eligibility and distribution could have reduced the state and local government disadvantages early in the pandemic, saving lives and boosting the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Publius: The Journal of Federalism is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
SU-E-T-781: Using An Electronic Portal Imaging Device (EPID) for Correlating Linac Photon Beam Energies

Purpose: Electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) have proven to be useful for measuring several parameters of interest in linear accelerator (linac) quality assurance (QA). The purpose of this project was to evaluate the feasibility of using EPIDs for determining linac photon beam energies. Methods: Two non-clinical Varian TrueBeam linacs (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) with 6MV and 10MV photon beams were used to perform the measurements. The linacs were equipped with an amorphous silicon based EPIDs (aSi1000) that were used for the measurements. We compared the use of flatness versus percent depth dose (PDD) for predicting changes in linac photon beam energy. PDD was measured in 1D water tank (Sun Nuclear Corporation, Melbourne FL) and the profiles were measured using 2D ion-chamber array (IC-Profiler, Sun Nuclear) and the EPID. Energy changes were accomplished by varying the bending magnet current (BMC). The evaluated energies conformed with the AAPM TG142 tolerance of ±1% change in PDD. Results: BMC changes correlating with a ±1% change in PDD corresponded with a change in flatness of ∼1% to 2% from baseline values on the EPID. IC Profiler flatness values had the same correlation. We observed a similar trend for the 10MV beam energy changes. Our measurements indicated a strong correlation between changes in linac photon beam energy and changes in flatness. For all machines and energies, beam energy changes produced change in the uniformity (AAPM TG-142), varying from ∼1% to 2.5%. Conclusions: EPID image analysis of beam profiles can be used to determine linac photon beam energy changes. Flatness-based metrics or uniformity as defined by AAPM TG-142 were found to be more sensitive to linac photon beam energy changes than PDD. Research funding provided by Varian Medical Systems. Dr. Sasa Mutic receives compensation for providing patient safety training services from Varian Medical Systems, the sponsor of this study.
Probabilistic fault detection in finite-state machines based on state occupancy measurements

This paper discusses a probabilistic methodology for detecting permanent or transient functional changes in the state-transition mechanism of a deterministic finite-state machine (FSM). The associated detector observes the frequencies with which states are occupied and detects faults by analyzing the deviation between the expected frequencies and actual measurements. In addition to stale occupancy measurements, the detector requires a statistical characterization of the input, but does not need to know the order with which states appear or the input sequence that is applied to the FSM. The discussion in the paper focuses on the case of a single fault and on the performance of the fault detector in terms of the probabilities of detection and false alarm, the number of states, and the length of the observation window.
Using cultural trauma: Gandhi's assassination, partition and secular nationalism in post-independence India

Nationalism theorists have noted the link between traumatic events and national identity, and cultural trauma theory presents a framework for understanding how these events become trauma narratives. I argue for greater consideration of how these narratives are strategically linked to ideological frames of national identity. A case study of post-Independence India considering the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and the Partition of India and Pakistan demonstrates how two very different events were promoted as cultural traumas by various carrier groups in order to promote a secular vision of the Indian nation. Adapting Armstrong and Crage (2006), I suggest that the success of these trauma narratives depend on several criteria: the ease of narrating the event, how it is linked to underlying cultural meanings/frames and how the event interacts with historical contingencies.
More evidence on nutrition demand: Income seems overrated and women's schooling underemphasized

Abstract Malnutrition is widespread in the developing world. Controversy continues concerning the roles of income, household size, and women's schooling on nutrient demand. Empirical estimates for Nicaragua suggest that income elasticities are small and inversely associated with income levels, there are some economies of scale in household size, the elasticity for women's schooling is higher than those for income or household size, and women's backgrounds are important. The results cast doubt on the strong emphasis the World Bank and others have placed on income and suggest that schooling may be working through tastes, not only through productivity.
Modeling college women's perceptions of elite leadership positions with Social Cognitive Career Theory

Abstract The utility of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) for predicting college women's interests and goals for positions of elite leadership was examined with 156 undergraduate women at a public university. They completed measures of elite leadership self-efficacy expectations, outcome expectations, interests, and goals. Results supported SCCT as a theoretical framework for understanding internal factors that may contribute to women's elite leadership interests and goals. Self-efficacy and outcome expectations for elite leadership positions related positively to interests and goals for such positions, and self-efficacy and outcome expectations each contributed unique variance to the prediction of elite leadership interests. Outcome expectations partially mediated the relation between elite leadership self-efficacy and interests, interests partially mediated the relation between elite leadership outcome expectations and goals, and the combination of elite leadership interests and outcome expectations completely mediated the relation between self-efficacy for elite leadership positions and elite leadership goals.
Neurenteric cyst of the clivus.

Neurenteric cysts are rare benign endodermal lesions of the central nervous system, mostly located in the spine; they are rarely reported in the clivus. We present herein a case of neurenteric cyst of the clivus, and discuss its embryology, pathology, differential diagnosis, and management. This case received the approval of the IRB for publication. A 79-year-old man presented to our emergency department with recent nausea and vomiting, along with a fourweek history of worsening headaches. His physical examination was normal. A CT scan of the head revealed a 2.2 1.7-cm expansile lesion thinning the anterior wall of the clivus, adjacent to the internal carotid artery (Fig 1). An MRI showed a well-defined osteolytic cystic lesion of the clivus, with intermediate-to-low signal on T1 and high signal intensity on T2 (Fig 2). The patient underwent an endoscopic transsphenoidal approach to the clivus using navigation. After the removal of the anterior wall and the floor of the sphenoid sinus, the cyst was noted to be eroding the anterior bone of the clivus and extending into the sphenoid sinus. The cyst was successfully unroofed and marsupialized into the sphenoid cavity and the nasopharynx. Moderate bleeding was easily controlled with Avitene and Gelfoam. Pathology revealed a fibrovascular cyst lined by cuboidal and columnar cells with acute and chronic inflammation, consistent with an inflamed cyst. The patient has been free of headaches for more than two years and without any endoscopic or radiologic evidence of recurrence.
Cognitive and behavioral preoccupation with alcohol in recidivist DUI offenders.

Objective:A high proportion of individuals convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) are repeat offenders. Efforts have sought to identify specific factors underlying DUI recidivism. Of particular interest is the role that alcohol-related cognitions might play in the development and escalation of alcohol use. The present study investigated the degree to which preoccupation with, and attentional bias to, alcohol are heightened among repeat DUI offenders.Method:Three groups of participants (recidivist DUI offenders, first-time offenders, and controls; n = 20 per group) performed a visual probe task to measure attentional bias and completed questionnaires regarding their cognitive and emotional preoccupation with alcohol and drinking habits.Results:Recidivist offenders displayed a significantly heightened alcohol attentional bias and reported greater preoccupation with alcohol compared with both first-time offenders and controls. By contrast, none of the groups differed with regard to the self-reported ...
Evaluation and development of transmission line fault-locating techniques which use sinusoidal steady-state information

Abstract Transmission line fault-location algorithms which use steady-state voltage and current data are analyzed and compared. The paper includes algorithm derivations, analyses and computer simulations. Fault locating using apparent reactance computations suffers in accuracy when load flow and fault impedance are considered. A new method described by Takagi is superior but assumes the impedance angles of the line to and beyond the fault are the same. A modification is offered which allows assumptions other than equality to be treated. Finally, a simple steady-state algorithm which uses data from both ends of the line is presented. Its modest communications requirements and simplicity are especially attractive.
Looking Backwards to Reach Forward: A Strategic Architecture for Professional Development in Music Education.

The article analyzes professional development in music education considering the ways in which policy change depends on conditions where renewed practice can become self supporting. The authors situate professional development amid the current politico-educational climate while offering an interpretive framework based on key issues and actions identified by other authors in this issue of Arts Education Policy Review. Further, they suggest a pragmatic policy agenda focused on the notion of a strategic architecture for professional development in music education, arguing that it may bring (1) greater confidence in teacher's capacity to adapt, engender concepts, intervene in instructional patterns, and establish positive feedback loops; and (2) improvement in teacher retention and productivity. The article calls for a professional development agenda that sees teachers as capable change agents and that is jointly incentivized by union leaders, government, and institutions of higher learning.
Are Implicit Causality Pronoun Resolution Biases Consistent Across Languages and Cultures

The referent of a nonreflexive pronoun depends on context, but the nature of these contextual restrictions is controversial. For instance, in causal dependent clauses, the preferred referent of a pronoun varies systematically with the verb in the main clause (Sally frightens Mary because she … vs. Sally loves Mary because she …). Several theories claim that verbs with similar meanings across languages should show similar pronoun resolution effects, but these claims run contrary to recent analyses on which much of linguistic and nonlinguistic cognition is susceptible to cross-cultural variation, and in fact there is little data in the literature to decide the question one way or another. Analysis of data in eight languages representing four historically unrelated language families reveals consistent pronoun resolution biases for emotion verbs, suggesting that the information upon which implicit causality pronoun resolution biases are derived is stable across languages and cultures.
Mechanism of tissue-specific induction of internucleosomal deoxyribonucleic acid cleavage activity and apoptosis by glucocorticoids

Cell death occurring by apoptosis has become widely recognized as an integral component of the life cycle of many cell types. Apoptosis can be induced in many tissues by a wide variety of endogenous signals, including glucocorticoids. However, even though there are glucocorticoid receptors present in almost all cells, only certain lymphoid cells are susceptible to glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis. The basis for this selective regulation of programmed cell death is unknown. Internucleosomal chromatin degradation is an integral characteristic of apoptosis, common to all cells undergoing this form of programmed cell death. Thus, we have developed an in vitro assay that recapitulates apoptotic DNA degradation in isolated nuclei and have identified a nuclease activity with internucleosomal specificity that is present in nuclear extracts of thymocytes undergoing glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis. We have now extended these studies to analyze the molecular properties of the crude enzyme and to further elucidate t...
A combinatorial theorem

Let a be an infinite cardinal, let k be a cardinal with k < α, and denote by P(α) the power set of α. The main result is the following: Let Φ: P(α) → P(α) be a function such that (i) Φ(A ∩ B) = Φ(A) ∪ Φ(B) for A, B ∈ P(α), (ii) for any family {Aξ, ξ < k} of pairwise-disjoint subsets of a we have α = ∩ξ < kΦ(Aξ). Then there is Γ ⊂ α, such that |Γ| = α and ξ ϵ Φ(Γ{ξ{) for all ξ ϵ Γ. A consequence of this theorem is another theorem concerning finite additive measures on a set, whose special cases are Rosenthal's result and Hajnal's theorem.
Clinical use of aromatase inhibitors in the treatment of breast cancers.

Estrogens are the major hormones supporting the growth of human breast cancer. Aromatization of androgen precursors in peripheral tissues, including the breast cancer itself, is the major source of estrogens in postmenopausal women. Therefore, inhibition of the aromatase enzyme offers an effective means of inducing regression of hormone-responsive breast cancer. Aminoglutethimide, the first and most widely tested aromatase inhibitor, suppresses estrogen production to the level of adrenalectomy and exerts an anti-tumor action comparable to other standard endocrine therapies such as tamoxifen. However, conventional doses of the drug (1000 mg daily) cause moderate toxicity and inhibit other critical cytochrome P-450 steroidogenic enzymes, thus requiring concomitant glucocorticoid administration. New non-steroidal, competitive aromatase inhibitors with greater selectivity and less toxicity are being developed. The second generation compound, fadrazole (CGS 16949), lowers estrogen production to a degree similar to aminoglutethimide (50–80%), but at much lower doses (∼2 mg daily) and is associated with minimal toxicity. Although not totally specific, this drug is sufficiently selective not to require simultaneous cortisol replacement. CGS 16949 has been shown to possess significant anti-tumor action in pilot studies and is currently being tested in Phase III trials. Recently, a third generation inhibitor, CGS 20267, has been found to have virtually complete selectivity for the aromatase enzyme. Furthermore, this drug suppresses estrogen biosynthesis to a greater extent (∼90%) than previously observed with other aromatase inhibitors. Such enhanced activity may lead to a superior anti-tumor action, and may extend the use of this drug to a variety of other conditions where optimal suppression of estrogen biosynthesis is desired.
Urinary estrogen excretion rates during pregnancy in the bovine.

Abstract Urine was collected from 48 cows from 101 to 285 days of pregnancy, to define urinary excretion rates of estrone, 17 β -estradiol, 17 α-estradiol, and an incompletely identified triol, hereafter referred to as estriol. Enzyme hydrolysis was used as the first extraction step to minimize destruction of 17 α-estradiol. The estrogens were separated and purified by paper partition chromatography and measured fluorimetrically. Breed, age, and live weight of the cow were not significantly related to excretion rate when the latter was adjusted to a 500-kg basis (μg/hr ÷ live weight×500kg). Average total estrogen excretion±one standard error per hour per 500kg during pregnancy was as follows: 101 to 123 days—300±96 μg; 165 to 175 days—581±154 μg; 200 to 212 days—489±136 μg; 226 to 237 days—691±104 μg; 250 to 254 days—1,809±580 μg; and 271 to 285 days—3,402±412 μg. The latter two means were significantly higher than means of each of the other periods. Estriol excretion was highest during 250 to 254 days (P β -estradiol were not significant, but estrone increased significantly (P
Analysis of the microwave and far infrared spectrum of the water dimer

Abstract The radiofrequency, microwave, and far infrared spectrum of the water dimer has been analyzed using an IAM-like treatment developed in two previous papers and slightly extended here. It was assumed for this analysis that four large amplitude motions are feasible in the water dimer, two of them being interconversion motions during which the hydrogen-bond acceptor monomer becomes the donor monomer and vice versa. The present global analysis of 173 transitions made possible the determination of 22 parameters in the theoretical formalism corresponding to the various tunneling motions, including the angles describing the J and K dependence of the tunneling splittings. In addition, the seven asymmetric rotor parameters A, B, C, DJ, DJK, d1, and d2 were determined, corresponding to constants with contributions from the various tunneling motions removed. These constants yielded a B-C value of 29.0 MHz and a b axis perpendicular to the plane of symmetry of the dimer. The effects of the tunneling motions on the origin of the anomalously large asymmetry splittings, as well as on the Coriolis coupling between K = 0 and K = 1 levels are also discussed.
Constitutive potentials for dilutely voided nonlinear materials

Abstract Constitutive relations are derived for an incompressible, isotropic power-law matrix material containing a dilute concentration of spherical voids. The derivation is made for a nonlinearly viscous material used to characterize steady creep. However, the theory applies equally well to small strain nonlinear elasticity (deformation theory), and an extension to a rate-independent flow theory is also discussed. The starting point and key element in the formulation is the potential function for an isolated spherical void in an infinite block of power-law material. Approximate, but accurate, representations for this potential function are given. The overall constitutive relation governing the behavior of the dilutely voided solid is obtained simply and directly using the void potential. An assessment of the range of validity of the dilute concentration results is obtained using numerical solutions to the problem of a spherical void centered in a sphere of finite radius made of the power-law material. The potential function is also given for a dilute concentration of aligned penny-shaped cracks in the same power-law material.
Influence of growth phase on bacterial deposition : Interaction mechanisms in packed-bed column and radial stagnation point flow systems

The influence of bacterial growth stage on cell deposition kinetics has been examined using a mutant of Escherichia coli K12. Two experimental techniques--a packed-bed column and a radial stagnation point flow (RSPF) system--were employed to determine bacterial deposition rates onto quartz surfaces over a wide range of solution ionic strengths. Stationary-phase cells were found to be more adhesive than mid-exponential phase cells in both experimental systems. The divergence in deposition behavior was notably more pronounced in the RSPF than in the packed-bed system. For instance, in the RSPF system, the deposition rate of the stationary-phase cells at 0.03 M ionic strength was 14 times greater than that of the mid-exponential cells. The divergence in the packed-bed system was most significant at 0.01 M, where the deposition rate for the stationary-phase cells was nearly 4 times greater than for the mid-exponential cells. To explain the observed adhesion behavior, the stationary and mid-exponential bacterial cells were characterized for their size, surface charge density, electrophoretic mobility, viability, and hydrophobicity. On the basis of this analysis, it is suggested that the stationary cells have a more heterogeneous distribution of charged functional groups on the bacterial surface than the mid-exponential cells, which results in higher deposition kinetics. Furthermore, because the RSPF system enumerates only bacterial cells retained in primary minima, whereas the packed column captures mostly cells deposited in secondary minima, the difference in the stationary and mid-exponential cell deposition kinetics is much more pronounced in the RSPF system.
Multiple-scattering algorithm for use with line-by-line RTE models

A multiple-scattering model to simulate high-spectral resolution observations is discussed and examples presented.
A shadow detection and extraction algorithm using digital elevation models and x‐band weather radar measurements

The aviation industry has been investigating the potential of synthetic and enhanced vision systems (SVS and EVS) to increase the situational awareness of pilots who are operating in low‐visibility weather conditions. Synthetic vision displays provide a real‐time depiction of a terrain model from the pilot's perspective. To ensure the integrity of this terrain depiction, consistency checking using remote sensing of the terrain environment has been suggested. This requires the detection and extraction of terrain features from both the model and the sensor measurements. Further, the features must be represented in the same reference domain. Terrain shadowing occurs when areas are not in the line‐of‐sight of the observer. It is these shadowed regions and their morphological characteristics that are identified as the feature domain in which consistency can be assessed between two sources of terrain information. This paper describes an algorithm to extract shadow features from digital elevation models during f...
Irrigated corn and soybean response to nitrogen under no-till in Northern Colorado.

Irrigated, no-till (NT) production systems can potentially reduce soil erosion, fossil fuel consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional till (CT) systems. Including a legume in the rotation may also reduce N fertilizer requirements. Nitrogen fertilization (6 N rates) effects on irrigated, corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yields in a corn–soybean rotation were evaluated for 5 yr on a clay loam soil to determine the viability of an irrigated NT system and N needs for optimum crop yield. Corn grain yields were significantly increased by N fertilization each of 3 yr in the rotation, but soybean grain yields (2 yr) did not respond to N fertilization, averaging 2.79 Mg ha 21 . Three year average corn grain yields were near maximum with an available N (AN) (soil 1 fertilizer 1 irrigation water N) level of 257 kg N ha 21 . Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by corn and soybean, based on grain N removal, decreased with increasing AN level and ranged from 155 to 46 and 88 to 18 kg grain kg 21 AN for the low and high N treatments for corn and soybean, respectively. Estimated total N required to produce one Mg grain at maximum yield averaged 20 kg N for corn and 54 kg N for soybean. Corn residue increased with increasing N rate, but soybean residue was constant across N rates. Excellent irrigated, NT corn yields were obtained in this corn–soybean rotation for northern Colorado, but soybean yields were only marginally acceptable. Short soybean plant height (30–40 cm) and shattering made combine harvest difficult resulting in significant grain loss. Improved soybean cultivars are needed for this area to make a corn–soybean rotation a viable production system.
Asymmetry in sexual pheromones is not required for ascomycete mating.

Summary Background We investigated the determinants of sexual identity in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The higher fungi are divided into the ascomycetes and the basidiomycetes. Most ascomycetes have two mating types: one (called α in yeasts and MAT1-1 in filamentous fungi) produces a small, unmodified, peptide pheromone, and the other ( a in yeasts and MAT1-2 in filamentous fungi) produces a peptide pheromone conjugated to a C-terminal farnesyl group that makes it very hydrophobic. In the basidiomycetes, all pheromones are lipid-modified, and this difference is a distinguishing feature between the phyla. We asked whether the asymmetry in pheromone modification is required for successful mating in ascomycetes. Results We cloned receptor and pheromone genes from a filamentous ascomycete and a basidiomycete and expressed these in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae , to generate novel, alternative mating pairs. We find that two yeast cells can mate even when both cells secrete a -like or α-like peptides. Importantly, this is true regardless of whether the cells express the a - or α-mating-type loci, which control the expression of other, sex-specific genes, in addition to the pheromones and pheromone receptors. Conclusions We demonstrate that the asymmetric pheromone modification is not required for successful mating of ascomycete fungi and confirm that, in budding yeast, the primary determinants of mating are the specificity of the receptors and their corresponding pheromones.
Electron microscopic study of platelet agglutination induced by thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura plasma containing 37-KDa platelet agglutinating protein

It has been demonstrated that plasma from a patient with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and 37-KDa platelet-agglutinating protein (PAP p37) purified from the same plasma caused the agglutination of platelets from normal subjects as well as from the same patient after recovery without the requirement of extracellular Ca++ and fibrinogen. Experiments were designed to study the morphologic changes of platelets as a result of agglutination and the distribution of platelet receptors for PAP p37 under transmission electron microscope. Following incubation with TTP plasma or PAP p37 with stirring, platelets showed shape change, pseudopod formation, variable degrees of degranulation, dilatation of open canalicular systems and formation of agglutinates composed of a few to several hundred platelets. After platelets were incubated with TTP plasma or PAP p37 they were washed and further incubated with rabbit anti-PAP p37 serum without stirring followed by immuno-staining. Abundant electron dense reaction products were bound directly and randomly to the outer surface of the membrane of solitary platelets. When the reaction mixture was stirred, electron dense particles were also present between the platelet membranes in the agglutinates. No staining was observed in control experiments using normal plasma or non-immune rabbit serum. These results indicate that the TTP plasma containing PAP p37 causes agglutination, shape change, and variable degrees degranulation in platelets and that PAP p37 binds randomly to the outer surface of platelet membrane.
Export processing zones and backward linkages

Abstract This paper develops a model for a small developing economy which establishes Export Processing Zones (EPZs). The model explicitly incorporates an intermediate goods-producing sector in the analysis to evaluate the contribution of foreign capital inflow in the EPZs in engendering backward linkages in the host economy. It is shown that if the intermediate good is internationally traded, then an increase in foreign capital inflow in the EPZs has no effect on national income of the host country. However, if the intermediate good is non-traded, then there exist possibilities for improvement in national income of the host country as a result of increased foreign investment in the EPZs.
Russia's Economic Recovery Potential: Optimizing the Residual Productivity of the Soviet Capital Stock

Russia is in the midst of a severe economic depression. Its recovery potential depends on the properties of the new economic system, foreign assistance, and the residual production potential of the capital stock inherited from the Soviet Union. This paper demonstrates that the production potential of the Soviet capital stock was high, although its comparable worth on the international market was low. Also, stochastic production frontier function studies show that Soviet managers were reasonably competent. It is inferred from this evidence that the residual productivity of the Soviet capital stock is not being adequately harnessed by its managers for systemic and policy reasons, and that this missed opportunity for rapid recovery should be rectified.
The transient effect of interictal spikes from a frontal focus on language-related gamma activity

Abstract Interictal spike activity arising from an epileptic focus may cause transient subclinical changes in language function. We retrospectively studied four patients with a seizure focus of the left frontal lobe who underwent language mapping via electrocorticography. In three patients, we could group language task trials into ‘spike’ and ‘non-spike’ trials, based upon occurrence of spikes arising from the seizure onset zone during presentation of question stimuli. In one patient, we demonstrated a reduction in language-related gamma activity (80–100 Hz) at one dorsal superior frontal site outside the seizure onset zone; reduction in mean peak amplitude of 58.4% of baseline reference (95% C.I.: 31.6% to 85.1%). This site was located near the seizure onset zone and was associated with the greatest spike rate among sites of similar function. This is the first preliminary study to show an effect of interictal spikes upon language-related gamma activity of the lateral frontal lobe.
Numerical Study of Two Vessels Seakeeping in Waves

This paper presents a numerical study of seakeeping in regular waves for two vessels in close proximity using commercial seakeeping software HydroStar and an in-house code MOTSIM. The objective was to study the possible sheltering effect of the larger vessel (FPSO) on the smaller one (OSV) during personnel transfer between the two vessels, where one vessel was at some angle relative to the other vessel and there was no connection line between them. The study mainly focused on the OSV motion resulting from the interaction of the FPSO when the OSV was at different headings and wave directions. Initially the OSV motions close to the FPSO (and parallel) were compared with those for the OSV alone. For an un-parallel position of the two vessels, an objective function based on the OSV RAOs motion in roll, pitch and heave directions was used to optimize the OSV position. Finally comparisons between HydroStar and MOTSIM results are provided.The main conclusions are:1) When the FPSO and OSV are located in parallel, the OSV motions in sway, roll and yaw are larger than the single OSV motions in head waves while surge, heave and pitch are almost the same. The OSV motions in most of the six degrees of freedom are smaller than the single OSV motions when the waves are from other directions (always on the port side of the FPSO), which means that there is a sheltering effect.2) The simulation results from different OSV rotation angles show that the hydrodynamic interaction between the FPSO and OSV e.g. the sheltering effect is related to the OSV angle and the wave heading. The objective function in roll, pitch and heave RAOs indicates that the OSV should maintain a close to parallel position with the FPSO to minimize motion when the waves come from the port side of the FPSO from 180 to 240 degrees. When the wave direction is around 240 degrees the OSV should have relatively small motion in waves for any OSV rotation angle.3) A comparison of HydroStar and MOTSIM results shows that the MOTSIM results of a single vessel seakeeping simulation is in a good agreement with HydroStar. In two vessels situation more validation work needs to be done.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
What Oregon's parity law can tell us about the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and spending on substance abuse treatment services.

Background The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) requires commercial group health plans offering coverage for mental health and substance abuse services to offer those services at a level that is no more restrictive than for medical-surgical services. The MHPAEA is notable in restricting the extent to which health plans can use managed care tools on the behavioral health benefit. The only precedent for this approach is Oregon's 2007 state parity law. This study aims to provide evidence on the effect of comprehensive parity on utilization and expenditures for substance abuse treatment services.
Optical study of GaN : Mn co-doped with Mg grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy

Abstract Optical properties of a series of semi-insulating Mn-doped GaN co-doped with Mg were studied using photoluminescence (PL). A strong PL emission band at 1.0 eV was observed upon co-doping. The new band exhibited a rich fine structure with peaks at 1.057, 1.048, 1.035, 1.032, 1.020, 1.014, 1.008, 1.000 and 0.988±0.001 eV. The integrated and relative intensities of these lines varied as a function of the Mn concentration and excitation source. The measured luminescence decay time was 20–95 μs and depended on emission energy.
Drug binding and resistance mechanism of KIT tyrosine kinase revealed by hydrogen/deuterium exchange FTICR mass spectrometry

Mutations of the receptor tyrosine kinase KIT are linked to certain cancers such as gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Biophysical, biochemical, and structural studies have provided insight into the molecular basis of resistance to the KIT inhibitors, imatinib and sunitinib. Here, solution-phase hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) and direct binding mass spectrometry experiments provide a link between static structure models and the dynamic equilibrium of the multiple states of KIT, supporting that sunitinib targets the autoinhibited conformation of WT-KIT. The D816H mutation shifts the KIT conformational equilibrium toward the activated state. The V560D mutant exhibits two low energy conformations: one is more flexible and resembles the D816H mutant shifted toward the activated conformation, and the other is less flexible and resembles the wild-type KIT in the autoinhibited conformation. This result correlates with the V560D mutant exhibiting a sensitivity to sunitinib that is less than for WT KIT but greater than for KIT D816H. These findings support the elucidation of the resistance mechanism for the KIT mutants.
A Review of Some Recent Books on Childhood Religion

T HE INVITATION to write an article on new books about childhood and their usefulness with reference to ethical and religious growth is both a challenge and a cause for frustration. Where to begin? What books to indude? How to keep the whole thing manageable? Most of the books that I have been reading in this area point to three conclusions: 1. The infancy and early childhood years are basic to ethical and religious growth as well as to personality deve/opment. 2. Children are generally active learners, and learning is done by default in the situations where they are confined to being passive recipients. 3. No other influence is as strong as that of parents (or parent figure), but when parents fail to provide constructive guidance and positive models, negative peer influences are more likely to affect growth. Among the books for parents, Carroll Da~is's Room to Grow is one of the most constructive. Helping the parent to f~e up to the fact that parenthood is for the protection and development of the child and also for his release, Davis makes use of an interesting diagram in which he shows on the one side of the equation the parents' giving of care as balanced against the parents' respect for the child's growth. On the other side, the child's reliance on his parents is balanced by the independence of the child
Pathogenesis of Vibrio vulnificus

This review describes the factors which are currently recognized as being central to the virulence of the human pathogen, Vibrio vulnificus. This estuarine/marine bacterium occurs in high numbers in molluscan shellfish, primarily oysters, and its ingestion in raw oysters results in a ca. 60% mortality in those persons who are susceptible to this bacterium. The organism is also able to produce life-threatening wound infections. We describe here the nature of both the wound and primary septicemia infections, the virulence factors known or believed to be involved in these infections, possible immunotherapy, and some thoughts on the possibility that not all strains of this pathogen are virulent.
Microprecision interferometer: pointing system solutions for on-orbit disturbance environment

The Space Interferometer Mission (SIM) is required to point each arm of its science interferometer to better than 30 milli-arcseconds (mas) RMS residual jitter using a 0.01 Hz bandwidth optical sensor on the star. We address the residual pointing error due to the spinning spacecraft reaction wheel assemblies which emit disturbances from 2 Hz to 1 kHz. The vibration attenuation strategy for this 'blind' pointing problem is to isolate each reaction wheel assembly with a vibration isolation system and to possibly augment the low bandwidth closed loop system with an internal high bandwidth sensor. Central to estimating the high frequency pointing error is the Micro-Precision Interferometer (MPI) testbed which is a softly suspended hardware model of a spaceborne optical interferometer and is dimensionally representative of SIM. Using the testbed and a transfer function-based performance prediction algorithm, we show that the 30 mas requirement is missed by a factor of six when only employing a six-axis active vibration isolator made by TRW. In preparation for augmenting the vibration attenuation strategy, we also show that the primary contributor to the tip-tilt jitter error is the first optic in the interferometer's optical train.
Pharmacokinetic Drug Interactions With Physical Activity

Physical activity produces many positive physiological changes. Some of these physiological changes, however, can adversely affect the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and/or excretion of certain medications when taken concurrently. Blood flow distribution is fundamental to the study of pharmacokinetics and can vary dramatically during rest compared with exercise. The liver and the kidney play significant roles in calculating the pharmacokinetic parameters of medications. Blood flow to these organs is significant at rest but decreases during exercise. These changes in blood flow, as well as other physiological changes during exercise, have shown to alter the pharmacokinetics of some drugs. Medications that require extra therapeutic monitoring may be affected by this drug-exercise interaction. Health care professionals and patients should be aware of these potential drug-exercise interactions.
The impact of Product Lifecycle Management on virtual team creation: a concept change model for heightened productivity

This paper addresses issues related to the implementation of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) in support of Cross-Cultural Virtual Teams (CCVTs). The CCVT Model presented in this paper will educate those currently involved in PLM operations as to: • How successful CCVT can be created • How PLM and CCVTs serve to strengthen and support each other. The methodology for creating the CCVTM was based on the Hofstede model and Project GLOBE research, and analysis of the current research on the virtual teams. Finally, these findings were combined so that cross-cultural factors are directly considered in the construction of virtual teams.
A neuroimaging case of chronic arachnoiditis.

A 50-year-old man complained of an eight-year-history of low back pain, ataxia, paresthesias, and dysesthesias from the waist down, bilateral leg weakness, and neurogenic bladder. In 2006, he underwent two lumbar laminectomies, initially for Tarlov’s cyst and lumbar pain with repeat surgery for failed back syndrome, complicated by meningitis. Lumbar MRI using T2-weighted images showed: (1) sagittal view with clustering of lumbar nerve roots descending on the spinal canal giving the false impression of descended conus medullaris and tethered cord (Fig. 1a); (2) axial view at L3 level with peripheral adhesion of nerve
Feedback-based quantization of color images

Minimizing visible distortion in a quantized color image is context-dependent. Our feedback- based strategy for color image quantization looks at the quantized image as well as the original. This comparison yields useful information to guide the embedded quantization algorithm to devote, during re-quantization of the original image, more resources to areas where the most offensive distortion occurred. Our current implementation of this new strategy uses an edge detector in a scaled RGB space to reveal the location and severeness of false contours, which appear in the quantized image but not in the original. The result of this false- contour detection step is used to identify uniformly colored regions in the quantized image that are along side of significant false contours. These regions correspond directly to areas in the original image that need to be better preserved during re-quantization. A well-known divisive method and our own agglomerative method are adapted separately as the embedded quantization algorithm to demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of this feedback-based approach.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Reducing Parental Dissatisfaction with Special Education in Two School Districts: Implementing Conflict Prevention and Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Parental dissatisfaction with special education services is a national problem. This article presents two districts that have undergone systemwide changes to decrease the dissatisfaction of families who have children with disabilities. Using qualitative inquiry, the authors analyzed documents and observed and interviewed 24 informants about the system problems and changes. Data analysis revealed three themes within the systems problems category: (a) lack of leadership, (b) not keeping up with the law, and (c) parents excluded. Systemwide changes were organized into seven themes: (a) new leadership, (b) partnerships, (c) creative use of resources, (d) updated educational practices, (e) relationship building, (f) teacher and parent support, and (g) alternative dispute resolution. Findings revealed effective leaders who focused on all levels of the system.
Synergistic hepatotoxicity from coexposure to bacterial endotoxin and the pyrrolizidine alkaloid monocrotaline.

Individuals are commonly exposed to bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) through gram-negative bacterial infection and from its translocation from the gastrointestinal lumen into the circulation. Inasmuch as noninjurious doses of LPS augment the hepatotoxicity of certain xenobiotic agents, exposure to small amounts of LPS may be an important determinant of susceptibility to chemical intoxication. Monocrotaline (MCT) is a pyrrolizidine alkaloid phytotoxin that at large doses produces centrilobular liver lesions in rats. In the present study, MCT was coadministered with LPS to determine whether LPS would enhance its hepatotoxicity. Doses of MCT (100 mg/kg, ip) and LPS (7.4 x 10(6) EU/kg, iv), which were nonhepatotoxic when administered separately, produced significant liver injury in male, Sprague-Dawley rats when given in combination. Within 18 h after MCT administration, this cotreatment resulted in enhanced plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, two markers of liver injury. Histologically, overt hemorrhage and necrosis appeared between 12 and 18 h. The lesions were centrilobular and midzonal and exhibited characteristics similar to lesions associated with larger doses of MCT and LPS, respectively. In the presence of LPS, the threshold for MCT toxicity was reduced to 13-33% of the dose required for toxicity with MCT alone. A study in isolated, hepatic parenchymal cells revealed no interaction between MCT and LPS in producing cytotoxicity. In summary, coexposure of rats to noninjurious doses of MCT and LPS resulted in pronounced liver injury. Results in vitro suggest that the enhanced toxicity does not result from a direct interaction of MCT and LPS with hepatic parenchymal cells. These results provide additional evidence that exposure to small amounts of LPS may be a determinant of susceptibility to food-borne hepatotoxins.