cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Jury Poker: A Statistical Analysis of the Fair Cross-Section Requirement

This Commentary compares jury selection with poker in order to explore the statistical principles underlying Sixth Amendment fair cross-section jurisprudence. When distinctive groups are systematically excluded from jury service, defendants suffer an ex ante reduction in their chances of having distinctive group members in their trial juries. As the Supreme Court has recognized, this probabilistic injury is akin to the injury that card players suffer when playing with a “stacked” deck of cards. Moreover, that injury can be measured with the help of the binomial theorem and the “disparity-of-risk” test. After proposing a new 50% threshold for the disparity-of-risk test, this Commentary goes on to explain why the statistical approaches currently used by courts simply do not measure the probabilistic injuries that fair cross-section violations inflict on criminal defendants. A better approach would combine the tests already used by courts in order to approximate the relatively complex disparity of risk test.
Functional Differences between the N-Terminal Domains of Mouse and Human Myosin Binding Protein-C

The N-terminus of cMyBP-C can activate actomyosin interactions in the absence of Ca2+, but it is unclear which domains are necessary. Prior studies suggested that the Pro-Ala rich region of human cMyBP-C activated force in permeabilized human cardiomyocytes, whereas the C1 and M-domains of mouse cMyBP-C activated force in permeabilized rat cardiac trabeculae. Because the amino acid sequence of the P/A region differs between human and mouse cMyBP-C isoforms (46% identity), we investigated whether species-specific differences in the P/A region could account for differences in activating effects. Using chimeric fusion proteins containing combinations of human and mouse C0, Pro-Ala, and C1 domains, we demonstrate here that the human P/A and C1 domains activate actomyosin interactions, whereas the same regions of mouse cMyBP-C are less effective. These results suggest that species-specific differences between homologous cMyBP-C isoforms confer differential effects that could fine-tune cMyBP-C function in hearts of different species.
Optimal Policy in a Dynamic, Single Product, Nonstationary Inventory Model with Several Demand Classes

A multiperiod single product nonstationary inventory problem is studied in which the system is reviewed at the beginning of each of a sequence of periods of equal length. The model has the following features. There are several classes of demand for the product in each period. The demands in different periods are independent but not necessarily identically distributed. The cost structure is nonstationary with the ordering cost being proportional to the amount ordered. Conditions are given that ensure that the base stock ordering policy is optimal and that the base stock levels in each period are easy to calculate. The results are based on the work given in the literature and on properties of stochastically ordered distributions that are developed in the paper. The case of a linear holding cost and a linear shortage cost is studied in detail.
Toward empathic agonism: conflicting vulnerabilities in urban wetland governance

Critics of attempts to achieve consensus through Habermasian ‘communicative rationality’ dismiss this as unachievable due to participants' selfishness and irrationality, and the inevitability of power relations. Instead, Mouffe advocates ‘agonistic pluralism’, a dynamic process of continual debate grounded in mutual respect. In this paper I argue that, for this to succeed, we need to recognize and embrace the role of emotion in moral reasoning. Here, I examine a dispute over wetland management in suburban New Jersey. Each side articulated distinct understandings of what was and was not vulnerable, backed by emotional appeals partly based in self-interest but that also encompassed care and concern for others. Each side accused the other of being irrational and immoral, drawing ‘moral microboundaries’ between them. I conclude that participants in a public debate may not simply be pursing self-serving goals, nor might open communication resolve their differences. Instead, each may be deeply convinced that he...
The Behavioral Score Approach to Dependent Variables

Theoretical explanation is most often confined to the independent or predictor variables in most consumer research. Consumer behavior itself is either not measured or measured as a single manifest variable, usually of the form, How/will you buy/use product––in a period of time? Dependent variables should be considered from a more theoretical point of view. To this end we develop an approach to dependent variables using behavior scores that span the theoretical domain of a behavior. We apply this approach to develop a specific measure of newspaper readership using data from a national sample of 37,000 consumers.
On the stabilizability problem in Banach space

Abstract The model is a linear system defined on Banach (state and control) spaces, with the operator acting on the state only the infinitesimal generator of a strongly continuous semigroup. The stabilizability problem of expressing the control through a bounded operator acting on the state as to make the resulting feedback system globally asymptotically stable is considered. On the negative side, and in contrast with the finite dimensional theory, a few counter examples are given of systems which are densely controllable in the space and yet are not stabilizable, even if some further “nice properties” hold. Use is made of the notion of essential spectrum and its stability under relatively compact perturbations. On the positive side, it is shown, however, that for large classes of systems of physical interest (classical selfadjoint boundary value problems, delay equations, etc.) controllability on a suitable finite dimensional subspace still yields stabilizability on the whole space.
Storage, transmission and distribution of hydrogen

Current practices and future requirements for the storage, transmission and distribution of hydrogen are reviewed in order to identify inadequacies to be corrected before hydrogen can achieve its full potential as a substitute for fossil fuels. Consideration is given to the storage of hydrogen in underground solution-mined salt caverns, portable high-pressure containers and dewars, pressure vessels and aquifers and as metal hydrides, hydrogen transmission in evacuated double-walled insulated containers and by pipeline, and distribution by truck and internal distribution networks. Areas for the improvement of these techniques are indicated, and these technological deficiencies, including materials development, low-cost storage and transmission methods, low-cost, long-life metal hydrides and novel methods for hydrogen storage, are presented as challenges for research and development.
Stability and instability of the unbeatable strategy in dynamic processes

A strategy is unbeatable if it is immune to any entrant strategy of any size. This paper investigates static and dynamic properties of unbeatable strategies. We give equivalent conditions for a strategy to be unbeatable and compare it with related equilibrium concepts. An unbeatable strategy is globally stable under replicator dynamics. In contrast, an unbeatable strategy can fail to be globally stable under best response dynamics even if it is also a unique and strict Nash equilibrium.
The Effect of Ventricular Systole on Auricular Rhythm in Auriculoventricular Block

In some cases of complete A-V block the curve of the duration of P-P intervals showed a sudden dip with a gradual return, during or after the T wave. This positive chronotropic (accelerating) effect of ventricular systole is probably caused by the traction exerted on the right auricle by the contracting ventricle. Other cases showed a sudden rise in the curve of P-P intervals late in diastole,followed by a gradual return. This negative chronotropic (slowing) effect is probably caused by a vagal reflex precipitated by stimulation of the arterial pressoreceptors by the pulse wave. The interplay of these two effects determines whether the P-P intervals containing QRS will be shorter than those not containing it, or whether the relation is reversed (paradox effect).
Resonance Raman, X-ray Crystallographic, and Magnetic Susceptibility Studies of Metal-Metal-Bonded MoRu and WOs Porphyrin Dimers. 1. Evidence for an Unusual MO Diagram.

Solution (VT NMR, Evans method magnetic susceptibility, resonance Raman) and solid-state (SQUID magnetic susceptibility, X-ray crystallography) spectroscopic studies of intertriad heterodimeric [(OEP)MoRu(OEP)] (1), [(OEP)WOs(OEP)] (2), and [(OEP)MoRu(TPP)]PF6 (3+) metalloporphyrins are reported (OEP = 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethylporphyrinato; TPP = 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrinato). Solution and solid-state magnetic susceptibility data indicate that 1 and 2 contain two unpaired electrons in the ground electronic configuration. The presence of a δ bond in 3+ has been confirmed by structural characterization. The experimental evidence is consistent with a molecular orbital ordering, σ < π < δ < π* < δ*, which is different from that seen for homologous metalloporphyrin dimers with homometallic or intratriad heterometallic multiple metal−metal bonds. Resonance Raman data suggest that the heterometallic bonds are slightly stronger than isoelectronic homometallic species.
Reliability evaluation of power grids considering worm spreading pattern in SCADA

Active worms are capable of compromising the cyber security of the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) network in power systems within quite a short time. This may bring high vulnerability to the cyber-physical power system, which is becoming more dependent on the communication technologies deployed in the SCADA system. The reliability of the power system may be compromised by the worms spreading through the SCADA networks. In this paper, the impact of worm spreading attacks on power system reliability is analyzed. A forced outage rate (FOR) model is proposed considering the impacts of spreading worms on the reliability characteristics. The spreading and detection models of active worms through the network in the SCADA system lead to non-negligible effects on the FOR values. With different FOR values derived by the models of both worm spreading and detection, the loss of load probabilities (LOLP) in two reliability test systems are estimated. The simulation results demonstrated that the reliability of the power system is simultaneously influenced by both the spreading and detection intervals of active worms.
Removable partial upper and complete lower dentures

Abstract The concept of the removable partial upper and complete lower denture has been discussed. The requirements for success of such dentures are (1) a meticulously developed lower denture impression, (2) accurately registered and recorded centric relation at the correct vertical dimension of occlusion, and (3) carefully formulated occlusion. The musculature related to the lower denture border, the fundamental needs attendant on an accurate centric relation record, and the method and particulars related to the posterior occlusion have been described.
Mouse Large Can Modify Complex N- and Mucin O-Glycans on α-Dystroglycan to Induce Laminin Binding

The human LARGE gene encodes a protein with two putative glycosyltransferase domains and is required for the generation of functional alpha-dystroglycan (alpha-DG). Monoclonal antibodies IIH6 and VIA4-1 recognize the functional glycan epitopes of alpha-DG that are necessary for binding to laminin and other ligands. Overexpression of full-length mouse Large generated functionally glycosylated alpha-DG in Pro(-5) Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, and the amount was increased by co-expression of protein:O-mannosyl N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 1. However, functional alpha-DG represented only a small fraction of the alpha-DG synthesized by CHO cells or expressed from an alpha-DG construct. To identify features of the glycan epitopes induced by Large, the production of functionally glycosylated alpha-DG was investigated in several CHO glycosylation mutants. Mutants with defective transfer of sialic acid (Lec2), galactose (Lec8), or fucose (Lec13) to glycoconjugates, and the Lec15 mutant that cannot synthesize O-mannose glycans, all produced functionally glycosylated alpha-DG upon overexpression of Large. Laminin binding and the alpha-DG glycan epitopes were enhanced in Lec2 and Lec8 cells. In Lec15 cells, functional alpha-DG was increased by co-expression of core 2 N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 1 with Large. Treatment with N-glycanase markedly reduced functionally glycosylated alpha-DG in Lec2 and Lec8 cells. The combined data provide evidence that Large does not transfer to Gal, Fuc, or sialic acid on alpha-DG nor induce the transfer of these sugars to alpha-DG. In addition, the data suggest that human LARGE may restore functional alpha-DG to muscle cells from patients with defective synthesis of O-mannose glycans via the modification of N-glycans and/or mucin O-glycans on alpha-DG.
Continuity of ocean color data record at risk, according to U.S. National Research Council report

[1] Satellite remote sensing of ocean color is important for a number of research and operational uses, including detecting the impacts of climate change on primary productivity; assisting with fisheries and ecosystem-based management; understanding the optical environment of coastal waters for the operation of ships, submarines, and divers; and monitoring oil spills. However, according to a U.S. National Research Council (NRC) report released on 7 July, U.S. access to the continuous ocean color data record collected by satellites currently is “at risk.” The report, Assessing Requirements for Sustained Ocean Color Research and Operations, calls for several measures to limit or eliminate a potential interruption in the ocean color record, which “would severely hamper the work of climate scientists, fisheries and coastal resource managers, and an expanding array of other users, from the military to oil spill responders.”
Development of End-Result Specifications for Concrete in Virginia

A study described the development of the Virginia Department of Transportation's (VDOT) end-result specifications (ERSs) for hydraulic cement concrete. The work had two phases. In Phase 1, a special provision was developed and applied to two pilot projects. In Phase 2, the special provision was applied to more pilot projects from districts across Virginia. Pay adjustments were not applied for the pilot projects; VDOT's current specifications were applied for acceptance and rejection. The ERSs have three parts. The first part introduces process control measures. The contractor is responsible for the concrete design and is required to provide a quality control plan. The plan addresses all elements that affect quality, including mixture designs, aggregate sources, ingredients, tests and testing frequency, fresh and hardened concrete properties, and control charts. The second part covers the mixture design approval by VDOT. The third part covers project acceptance, which includes pay adjustments depending on ...
Hydrogen permeation characteristics of some austenitic and nickel-base alloys☆

Abstract The hydrogen permeabilities of 321-SS, 316-SS, Inconel-625, and Inconel-718 have been measured for hydrogen driving pressures in the range from 10−3 to 104 Pa and for temperatures between 350 and 1050 K. It was found that the use of active hydrogen purity control measures, which included direct hydrogen supply by a temperature-controlled uranium hydride bed and the implementation of a throttled ion pump, greatly increased the capability to obtain unperturbed permeation data at low driving pressures, i.e.,
Triads and triangles in 3-connected matroids

Abstract This paper generalizes a result of Mader for graphs by proving that if f is an element of a circuit C of a 3-connected matroid M and M ⧹ e is not 3-connected for each e ϵ C − { f }, then C meets a triad of M . Several consequences of this result are proved. One of these generalizes a graph result of Wu. The others provide 3-connected analogues of 2-connected matroid results of Oxley.
State Regulation of Managed Care: The Impact on Children.

As more and more children enroll in managed care, states have responded to concerns expressed by their constituents by passing legislation and developing credentialing requirements to assist families with children in receiving appropriate care from managed care plans. Although most of the legislation and credentialing requirements apply to the population generally, a few provisions apply specifically to children. The legislation and credentialing requirements attempt to improve both access to medical care and the quality of care by enacting access-to-care and quality-of-care provisions, reducing the financial incentives for providers to offer inappropriate care, and providing families with more information about their choices and opportunities to redress their grievances. Although there is no empirical evidence, analysis of similar types of legislation suggests that certain approaches will be more successful than others; one obvious indicator of success is the ability of the regulatory agency to develop clear, unambiguous, enforceable rules. Existing legislation varies widely across states in terms of the issues addressed and the specificity of the laws. For the most part, this legislation has been piecemeal, addressing specific issues as they arise. In the long run, state legislatures may not have the time or the expertise to regulate the managed care industry, and other regulatory bodies may be better equipped to address concerns about managed care. If utilized, however, existing regulatory bodies, which historically monitored feefor-service medicine, will need to be redesigned to monitor managed care.
High power lasers on InP substrates

High power semiconductor lasers have found numerous applications in a wide variety of fields that include telecommunications, solid-state laser pumping, fiber laser pumping, direct laser, laser printing, and more recently in medical and cosmetic applications such as hair removal and skin treatment. So far, high power semiconductor lasers have been mainly designed with the AlGaAs/GaAs system since most of the demand was for YAG and Ytterbium laser pumping, which requires emission in the 800–1000nm range, and because AlGaAs/GaAs material is a much more efficient system in converting electrons into light than InGaAsP/InP or AlInGaAs/InP systems that are used in the 1300–1500nm range. High power long wavelength near-infrared lasers have always been a subject of interest for Raman amplification as well as for their “eye safe” properties compared to short wavelength near-infrared lasers. New emerging applications like wrinkle and acne removal, and body-fat removal also require longer wavelengths that are outside the spectrum of AlGaAs/GaAs system. Cosmetic uses of lasers for wrinkle or acne removal have already received FDA approval for “at home” use. This development may drive the demand for long wavelength near-infrared high-power lasers to millions of units/year as long as the cost constraint of consumer markets can be met. Thus there should be a growing demand in the future for low cost high power long wavelength semiconductor lasers that can emit CW power in the range of a few watts. This paper will cover how well InGaAsP/InP and AlInGaAs/InP lasers can satisfy this demand in terms of performance.
Attenuation of low frequency magnetic fields using active shielding

Abstract Attenuation of environmental low-frequency magnetic fields is important to reduce undesirable electromagnetic interference on electric and electronic equipment. This paper presents an analytical study of an active shielding arrangement to attenuate the 60 Hz magnetic fields produced by a transmission line at p points inside a cubic space. The shield consists of three sets of n orthogonal square coils, placed around the x , y and z -axes. Each coil is energized independently by a current source in such a way that all the B x , B y and B z values detected at the p points, are cancelled when the set of coils generates opposite components. Computer simulation is performed to demonstrate the attenuation achieved and the current requirement for each coil.
Mechanism of activation of glucocerebrosidase by CO-β-glucosidase (glucosidase activator protein)

The nature of the stimulatory action of the protein 'coglucosidase' on glucocerebrosidase was investigated with the use of highly purified cofactor from bovine spleen, radioactive glucosyl ceramide and methylumbelliferyl-beta-glucoside. A complex between glucosidase and either substrate could not be detected under equilibrium and non-equilibrium binding conditions. Complex formation between stimulating protein and the enzyme could be shown by the binding of the enzyme to an affinity column containing coglucosidase. This binding could be blocked by adding phosphatidylserine to the enzyme. The lipid also stimulated the enzyme. Additional evidence for binding of the enzyme to the two kinds of stimulators was the finding that they protected the enzyme against inactivation by N-ethylmaleimide and chloromercuriphenylsulfonate. A role for lipids in the stimulatory action of coglucosidase was shown by extracting lipids from the enzyme; this resulted in a loss of basal enzyme activity and of sensitivity to activation by the protein. Adding back to the lipids or phosphatidylserine increased the sensitivity of the delipidated enzyme to coglucosidase. Using the crude, unextracted enzyme we could show that low concentrations of phosphatidylserine augmented the effectiveness of coglucosidase but high concentrations of the lipid blocked the effect of the protein. It is proposed that lipids, particularly acidic ones, act on solubilized glucocerebrosidase to produce an enzyme conformation which allows binding and stimulation by coglucosidase. At higher lipid concentrations, the acidic lipids bind, in competition with coglucosidase, to the latter's binding site on the enzyme.
Domain mapping of the Rad51 paralog protein complexes

The five human Rad51 paralogs are suggested to play an important role in the maintenance of genome stability through their function in DNA double-strand break repair. These proteins have been found to form two distinct complexes in vivo, Rad51B–Rad51C–Rad51D–Xrcc2 (BCDX2) and Rad51C–Xrcc3 (CX3). Based on the recent Pyrococcus furiosus Rad51 structure, we have used homology modeling to design deletion mutants of the Rad51 paralogs. The models of the human Rad51B, Rad51C, Xrcc3 and murine Rad51D (mRad51D) proteins reveal distinct N-terminal and C-terminal domains connected by a linker region. Using yeast two-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation techniques, we have demonstrated that a fragment of Rad51B containing amino acid residues 1–75 interacts with the C-terminus and linker of Rad51C, residues 79–376, and this region of Rad51C also interacts with mRad51D and Xrcc3. We have also determined that the N-terminal domain of mRad51D, residues 4–77, binds to Xrcc2 while the C-terminal domain of mRad51D, residues 77–328, binds Rad51C. By this, we have identified the binding domains of the BCDX2 and CX3 complexes to further characterize the interaction of these proteins and propose a scheme for the three-dimensional architecture of the BCDX2 and CX3 paralog complexes.
An immunoprecipitation coupled with fluorescent Western blot analysis for the characterization of a model secondary serum cardiac troponin I reference material.

Abstract Background Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is considered the ‘gold standard’ cardiac biomarker. However, the result comparability of commercial cTnI immunoassays is still lacking despite the availability of NIST Standard Reference Material, SRM 2921 (human cardiac troponin). To facilitate the standardization of the cTnI immunoassays, a secondary reference material consisting of a panel of three cTnI-positive human serum pools is proposed by the IFCC Working Group on Standardization of Troponin I. The objective of this study is to develop measurement procedures for the characterization of the future secondary reference material using a pooled cTnI-positive serum sample as a development model. Methods We used magnetic beads coupled with 6 different anti-cTnI monoclonal antibodies that bind specifically to different amino acid sequence regions of the cTnI molecule to immunoprecipitate cTnI proteins from the pooled cTnI-positive serum sample followed by sensitive detection using a fluorescent Western blot. Results The degradation of cTnI in the pooled sample was detected and the concentration of cTnI was determined. Conclusion We demonstrated the utility of this measurement procedure in support of the development of the proposed secondary cTnI-positive, serum-based reference material.
A distributed localization hierarchy for an AUV swarm

Localization of teams of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) still remains as a challenge in large-scale ocean currents. In this study, moving references, drifting under the influence of the ocean background flow, were employed in order to improve the cooperative localization (CL) performance of an AUV swarm in harsh ocean flows. More capable AUVs (dubbed as mother AUVs) with less localization error were utilized as moving references for improving localization error of less capable AUVs (called daughter AUVs). Limitations of a previously proposed modified extended Kalman filter (MEKF) were identified. A particle filter (PF) based algorithm was proposed to address those issues. The performance of the PF algorithm was compared with the MEKF algorithm in several simulated examples including CL in an N-vortex background flow field. Both algorithms can effectively avoid the diverging behavior of localization error in pure CL. The PF algorithm is more robust in choosing the better localized AUV. With a large number of particles, the PF algorithm outperforms the MEKF algorithm at the expense of computational efforts.
Radiotherapy for pediatric genitourinary tumors. Its role and long-term consequences.

Radiotherapy has been an important part of the treatment armamentarium for pediatric genitourinary tumors since the early twentieth century. The genitourinary system is one of the more common sites of origin for pediatric solid tumors, including three of the most common pediatric malignancies—Wilms' tumor, neuroblastoma, and several classes of rhabdomyosarcoma. Embryologically, the kidney and the associated collecting system are derived from multiple primordial tissues. The kidney is derived from the metanephros, whereas the excretory system (which gives rise to the ureters and collecting system) is derived from the wolffian duct tissues. Although positioned in close final contact with these tissues, the adrenal gland which gives rise to neuroblastoma seems to have an entirely different embryologic origin, with the adrenal medulla taking its origin from neurocrest cells (essentially a portion of the peripheral nervous system) and the adrenal cortex derived from mesodermal structures. The immature mesenchymal cells that give rise to rhabdomyosarcoma and the various germ cell tumors can be traced back to the yolk sac tissues from which they follow a migratory route into the gonads. The multiple disparate tissue types that give rise to pediatric genitourinary cancers may help explain the dramatic differences in tumor development, physiology, and response to therapy seen in this complex family of malignancies. From the point of view of radiation biology and radiation pathology, the pediatric genitourinary malignancies include some of the most radiosensitive tissues (germ cell tumors and infantile neuroblastoma) and tumors that are more radioresistant (certain rhabdomyosarcomas and undifferentiated sarcomas). Of the various normal tissues located in close proximity to the common genitourinary tumor sites, only the kidney poses major problems with respect to radiosensitivity and collateral normal tissue damage. As is true for all pediatric malignancies, the irradiation of growing children poses special problems with respect to functional organ development and musculoskeletal growth. The design of treatment fields with special attention to the minimization of late growth abnormalities may pose a greater challenge to the radiation oncologist than the simple selection of treatment fields designed to control the tumor.
Detection of DNA using upconverting phosphor reporter probes

We have developed a nucleic acid detection assay using an upconverting phosphor DNA reagent as a reporter probe for the detection of target single-stranded DNA molecules. Upconverting phosphors allow the detection of DNA against zero background signal because low energy IR light is absorbed by a two-photon process and remitted as a visible photon, eliminating the presence of autofluorescence. The spectral properties of upconverting phosphors, which emit in the blue, red, or green region of the spectrum, are not sensitive to solvent conditions or to temperature and can therefore be used in a variety of buffers for the qualitative and quantitative detection of biological molecules. Short DNA oligonucleotides were covalently attached to the surface of submicron size phosphor particles and used to detect M13mp18(+) DNA targets captured by magnetic beads labeled with a capture probe specific to the target. This system allowed the detection on the order of femtomoles of M13mp18(+) strand DNA. Buffer conditions were optimized for the use of the phosphor reporters. The phosphor-labeled probes are stable in aqueous solution for 2 weeks and have a lyophilized shelf life of at least one month.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Influence of cortical steady potential on evoked potentials and neuron activity.

Previous experiments had suggested that the relationship between neuron activity and the evoked potential produced by light flashes in the cat's visual cortex is influenced by the cortical steady potential. This observation has now been quantified by measuring the area enclosed by the slow late components of the evoked potential. These measurements showed that the area of the slow negative wave increase linearly as the steady potential became less negative, while the area of the slow positive wave decreased linearly. There also appeared to be a linear relationship between cortical neuron activity during the slow negative wave and the area of this wave, neuron firing decreasing as the slow negative wave became larger. On the other hand, there was no correlation between neuron firing during the slow positive wave and the area of this wave. It was further shown that steady potential shifts due to changes in pCO2, whether produced by hyperventilation or occurring spontaneously, are not associated with any consistent changes in the pattern of neuron activity or of the evoked potential. Thus, a definite correlation between the cortical steady potential and neuron activity in the visual cortex of cat encephale isole preparations exists, but only if non-neuronal factors that can influence DC recordings are held constant.
Penalties and rewards for over- and underages of catch allocations

Powers, J. E., and Brooks, E. N. 2008. Penalties and rewards for over- and underages of catch allocations. - ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 1541-1551.Many fisheries are managed using a total allowable catch (TAC) that is subsequently sub-allocated to different fisheries sectors. These allocations are then monitored separately to ensure the adherence of each fishery to its particular allocation quota and to the overall TAC. In some management arenas, there are systems of “payback” where over- and underages are punished or rewarded using particular decision rules. Differences between fishing gear, the sizes and ages of fish being targeted by those gears, and the spatio-temporal distribution of the fishers using those gears can lead to different precision, accuracy, and cost of monitoring the allocation, affecting the probability that an overall management objective is reached. Weaknesses in monitoring may be exploited by user groups in their competition for larger catches and, subsequently, bigger allocations, so differential monitoring precision and accuracy can lead to both short- and long-term reallocations, i.e. a new set of winners and losers. Simulations in a management strategy evaluation framework were used to demonstrate the implications of alternative decision rules regarding payback on conservation and sustainability objectives and rebuilding time frames. The efficacy of the rules under alternative monitoring systems was also examined. Decision rules allowing payback prolong rebuilding (compared with perfect implementation or more precautionary TACs), especially if monitoring is biased (catches misreported) or imprecise. When precision of reported catches was increased and/or bias decreased, better yields and stock abundance resulted. When overages were penalized and underages not rewarded, recovery was achieved earlier. Conversely, policies in which transgressions were ignored and underages rewarded did not perform well. Underreporting by one nation may result in stocks that are well below the stock size conservation standards, yet produce substantial gains in yield for that nation, unless other nations retaliate by underreporting.
Evidentiality and Epistemic Modality in Lega

Although encoding of evidential distinctions has been attested in most language areas of the world, relatively little has been written about evidentiality in sub-Saharan African languages. This paper describes the situation in Lega, a Bantu language spoken in eastern Zaire. The study considers Lega data in light of several models of evidentiality and suggests that their may be two organizational principles operating in different languages: one based on source of information, the other on mode of knowing.
Who Cares for the Caregivers? Why Medical Social Workers Belong on End-of-Life Care Teams

Changes within the health care industry have resulted in a shift that, to a large extent, places patients in the position of managing their own health care. While self-determination is desirable, it can also lead to new challenges, as when patients who are critically ill and/or dying must rely on family members to function as primary caregivers and managers of their treatment plans. Typically, patients and their families lack the guidance and oversight of a medical professional to coordinate a multifaceted health care regimen instituted by the variety of specialists involved in patients' diagnoses and treatments. As the patients' health declines and treatment plans become more complex, so too does the level of involvement of family caregivers, who often must manage treatment plans in addition to providing bedside care. This article cites the example of a woman who was exhausted by her role as sole caregiver for her dying husband and describes her feelings of powerlessness within the hospital setting as she struggled to coordinate assistance from her husband's medical specialists during end-of-life decision making. This case illustrates the importance of the following: (a) in cases involving hospitalized patients who require complex care from multiple specialists, it should become standard practice to enlist medical social workers to provide an overall assessment of the patients' status, prognoses, and home care plans, (b) in cases involving prolonged home care culminating in end-of-life decisions, the needs of nonprofessional caregivers must be recognized, evaluated, and addressed.
Cerebrospinal fluid transthyretin in multiple sclerosis

Transthyretin is an important choroid plexus-specific transport protein that has been reported to be both elevated and decreased in the CSF of multiple sclerosis patients. We report that CSF transthyretin levels are not altered in MS, indicating that choroid plexus function with respect to this protein is unaffected in this disease.
Impact of plasmapheresis on disopyramide elimination.

The impact of plasmapheresis on the disposition of disopyramide was investigated in a 16-year-old female with systemic lupus erythematosus. Determination of total disopyramide plasma concentrations immediately prior to and following a 4-h plasmapheresis treatment revealed a significant reduction (i.e., 1.77 to 0.7 mg/l or approximately 60%). However, reassessment of the total serum concentration after 1.5 h (i.e., post equilibrium) revealed a rebounding of the value to 1.64 mg/l. Associated with this reduction in total serum levels was a decrease in the protein-bound fraction of disopyramide from 69.5% (pre treatment) to 48.6% (post treatment) that corresponded to a commensurate reduction in the concentration of α1-acid glycoprotein (i.e., 119 mg/dl pre treatment to 48.9 mg/dl post treatment). Despite these alterations in disopyramide concentrations, the procedure removed only 2.7% of the disopyramide dose and was not associated with the appearance of a cardiac dysrhythmia.
Silica-induced pulmonary inflammation in rats: activation of NF-kappa B and its suppression by dexamethasone.

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship of the transcriptional regulatory factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappa B) to the early inflammatory events involved with silica exposure. Male F-344 rats received an intratracheal (i.t.) instillation of silica (100 mg/kg in a volume of 1 ml/kg) of saline. At 1, 3, 6, and 18 h postinstillation, and the rats were sacrificed and underwent bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for functional analysis of inflammation. Beginning at 1 h postinstillation, the silica-instilled (Si) rats displayed significant increases in neutrophils in BAL fluid compared to the saline controls. BAL cells from the Si group displayed a significant increase in luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (LDCL) compared to the controls. NF-kappa B activation was measurable at 3 h postinstillation, and this activation continued throughout the 18-h time course. Treatment with dexamethasone (5 mg/kg) at -3 h prior to silica instillation, at the time of instillation (0 h), and +1.5 h postinstillation resulted in both a reduction in NF-kappa B expression (by 70%) at 3 h postinstillation and corresponding reductions in LDCL, BAL cell count, and BAL neutrophils. These results show that activation of NF-kappa B is associated with silica-induced pulmonary inflammation, and the inhibition of its activation correlates temporally with suppression of inflammation.
Normal Mode Relaxation in Linear and Branched Polyisoprene

Dielectric spectroscopy was carried out on linear and three-arm star polyisoprenes (PI). The shape of the normal mode peak differed significantly from the corresponding mechanical terminal relaxation function, although the temperature dependencies measured for the two spectroscopies were similar. This represents a departure from the usual correlation between time and temperature dependencies. In accord with mechanical relaxation data on these same polymers, the normal mode peak is found to be broader and more sensitive to temperature for star-branched PI than for the linear polymer.
Phononic crystals: Entering an acoustic phase

Electrons moving in a one-dimensional crystal can acquire a geometrical phase. Sound waves in phononic crystals are now shown to display the same effect — underlining the similarity between conventional solids and acoustic metamaterials.
Thyrotoxicosis due to metastatic papillary thyroid cancer in a patient with Graves’ disease

Thyrotoxicosis resulting from functional thyroid cancer metastases is extremely rare, and is mostly caused by follicular cancer. The lesions causing thyrotoxicosis are usually bulky and extensive. We report here a patient with Graves' disease and concomitant papillary thyroid cancer who developed metastases causing symptomatic thyrotoxicosis. His serum titers of thyroid stimulating Ig (TSIs) were elevated. We believe that TSIs were responsible for thyrotoxicosis by stimulating hormonogenesis in the metastatic lesions.
Application of a 15 N tracer to simulate and track the fate of atmospherically deposited N in the coastal forests of the Waquoit Bay Watershed, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

We examined patterns of N retention in the coastal forests of the Waquoit Bay watershed on Cape Cod, Masschusetts using 15N tracer techniques. A solution of 99.6% enriched 15N -NO3 −, at a concentration similar to that of background throughfall, was applied to forest plots established along a gradient of soil texture to simulate and track the fate of throughfall NO3 − deposition. The tracer solution was applied to replicate plots during both the spring and fall to examine seasonal differences in ecosystem retention. 15N enrichment was subsequently measured in litter, O2 horizon, 0–15 cm mineral soil, fine roots, microbial biomass in the O2 horizon and mineral soil, and lysimeter leachate over a 6 month period following each application. The O2 horizon contained the largest fraction of 15N in all sites immediately following the spring application (19–45%) but was less important following the fall application (10–25%). The mineral soil N pool generally contained the largest fraction of applied 15N (7–28%) in all sites at the end of both 6-month sampling periods. Microbial uptake of applied 15N provided an initial barrier against leaching loss as well as a mechanism for its long-term incorporation into soil organic matter. Microbial processing was less important in the most coarsely textured site, perhaps as a result of lower substrate availability and smaller microbial pool sizes. The highest cumulative leaching losses of applied 15N were observed in the coarse sand site (40, 51%) followed by the fine sand (13, 43%) and loamy sand (4, 19%) sites for the spring and fall applications, respectively. More than 90% of all 15N captured in lysimeters occurred within two days following the applications, and 25–43% of all 15N captured in lysimeters after 2 days was in the form of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) indicating that it had been assimilated by microbes prior to leaching.
Simulation of Biomass Partitioning and Production in Elephantgrass

Abstract The expanded growth model has been used to simulate biomass accumulation with time by elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) grown in Florida. It has been used to describe partitioning of biomass between stem and leaf components of the plant as well as total biomass accumulation with time. The linear relationship between biomass (Y) and the growth quantifier (Q) has been confirmed. Large biomass accumulation by elephantgrass is explained by the wide spread (σ=13.6 wk) in the solar driving function and the low value of the aging coefficient (c=0.05 wk−1). Partitioning of biomass between stem and leaf components is accounted for in the growth quantifier by partitioning Q into a component for stem (Q S ) and a component for leaf (Q L ). This allowed fine‐tuning of estimates of parameters c and the partition coefficient k. Analytical functions contained in the model are easily evaluated, as illustrated in the procedures.
Visual field loss after macular hole surgery

Background: Vitrectomy has been successfully used for treating idiopathic macular holes. Although macular hole surgery has been successful and is generally regarded as a safe procedure, various complications have been reported. The authors report eight patients with symptomatic peripheral visual field loss occurring after vitrectomy for macular holes. Methods: Over a 3-year period, vitrectomy with removal of the posterior cortical vitreous and fluid-gas exchange was performed on 50 eyes of 47 patients with idiopathic macular holes. Eight patients reported visual field loss postoperatively, and Goldmann visual fields were obtained. The clinical characteristics and outcomes of the group of patients with visual field loss were compared with the group of patients without visual field loss. Results: Postoperatively, significant peripheral visual field loss was documented in eight patients. The macular holes were anatomically closed in seven eyes (87.5%) of these patients compared with 37 (88.1 %) of 42 eyes in the group of patients with no symptomatic visual field loss. The visual field loss was not associated with age, sex, macular hole stage, postoperative intraocular pressure, or history of hypertension or coronary artery disease. The etiology of visual field loss was unclear in six patients. Conclusion: Vitrectomy for idiopathic macular holes can result in significant peripheral visual field loss. The etiology of this complication usually is unknown.
A stereodivergent cascade imine → azomethine ylide → 1,3-dipolar cycloadditive approach to α-chiral pyrrolidines

Stereodivergent [3+2] cycloadditions of chiral α-amino azomethine ylides leading to highly functionalized pyrrolidines are reported. The marriage of substrate conformational preferences and either an inter- or intramolecular cycloaddition manifold leads to either the l (syn) or u (anti) relationship between the pyrrolidine and α-stereocenters. The latter result may be applicable to a new approach to the bioxalomycin family of antibiotics.
Anomaly discrimination in hyperspectral imagery

Anomaly detection finds data samples whose signatures are spectrally distinct from their surrounding data samples. Unfortunately, it cannot discriminate the anomalies it detected one from another. In order to accomplish this task it requires a way of measuring spectral similarity such as spectral angle mapper (SAM) or spectral information divergence (SID) to determine if a detected anomaly is different from another. However, this arises in a challenging issue of how to find an appropriate thresholding value for this purpose. Interestingly, this issue has not received much attention in the past. This paper investigates the issue of anomaly discrimination which can differentiate detected anomalies without using any spectral measure. The ideas are to makes use unsupervised target detection algorithms, Automatic Target Generation Process (ATGP) coupled with an anomaly detector to distinguish detected anomalies. Experimental results show that the proposed methods are indeed very effective in anomaly discrimination.
Scalable Multi-Instance Learning Approach for Mapping the Slums of the World

Remote sensing imagery is widely used in mapping thematic classes, such as, forests, crops, forests and other natural and man-made objects on the Earth. With the availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery, it is now possible to identify complex patterns such as formal and informal (slums) settlements. However, predominantly used single-instance learning algorithms that are widely used in thematic classification are not sufficient for recognizing complex settlement patterns. On the other hand, newer multi-instance learning schemes are useful in recognizing complex structures in images, but they are computationally expensive. In this paper, we present an adaptation of a multi-instance learning algorithm for informal settlement classification and its efficient implementation on shared memory architectures. Experimental evaluation shows that this approach is scalable and as well as accurate than commonly used single-instance learning algorithms.