cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
History of Study of the Malagasy Lemurs, with Notes on Major Museum Collections

The history of Madagascar’s contacts with Arab, European, and possibly Chinese explorers is a long one, and it is almost inconceivable that such early visitors should not have reported their impressions of the island’s unique primates. However, the earliest extant record of these animals appeared as late as 1658, when Etienne de Flacourt published his Histoire de la Grande Isle Madagascar. This remarkable work, the fruit of several years’ sojourn at Fort Dauphin, contains several recognizable descriptions of extant lemurs and a description of another animal which cannot be identified with any living species but which may correspond to one of the several recently extinct forms. One of de Flacourt’s clearest portraits is of the sifaka, an animal subsequently not described and possibly not even observed by another European until Grandidier named the species Propithecus verreauxi in 1867.
Big Data and knowledge management with applications in accounting and auditing : The case of Watson

This chapter investigates big data and knowledge management in the context of so-called cognitive systems, with a particular focus on IBM's Watson as a case to illustrate both an emerging form of knowledge management and how firms are analyzing big data to generate knowledge from data. This analysis includes a number of applications that have been developed to address a number of accounting and auditing problems. The chapter analyzes how Watson has been brought into business settings and used or proposed for use in accounting, auditing and finance. Big data has been described using five key V-words: volume, velocity, variety, veracity and value. Knowledge management literally refers to managing knowledge resources. Such resources can include a wide range of information and knowledge. Statistics and Artificial Intelligence have long been used for knowledge discovery. As a result, it is not surprising for commenters to note the link between big data, analytics and knowledge management.
Corticohippocampal Dysfunction In The OBiden Mouse Model Of Primary Oligodendrogliopathy

Despite concerted efforts over decades, the etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) remains unclear. Autoimmunity, environmental-challenges, molecular mimicry and viral hypotheses have proven equivocal because early-stage disease is typically presymptomatic. Indeed, most animal models of MS also lack defined etiologies. We have developed a novel adult-onset oligodendrogliopathy using a delineated metabolic stress etiology in myelinating cells, and our central question is, "how much of the pathobiology of MS can be recapitulated in this model?" The analyses described herein demonstrate that innate immune activation, glial scarring, cortical and hippocampal damage with accompanying electrophysiological, behavioral and memory deficits naturally emerge from disease progression. Molecular analyses reveal neurofilament changes in normal-appearing gray matter that parallel those in cortical samples from MS patients with progressive disease. Finally, axon initial segments of deep layer pyramidal neurons are perturbed in entorhinal/frontal cortex and hippocampus from OBiden mice, and computational modeling provides insight into vulnerabilities of action potential generation during demyelination and early remyelination. We integrate these findings into a working model of corticohippocampal circuit dysfunction to predict how myelin damage might eventually lead to cognitive decline.
Magnetic field dependence of the Schottky anomaly in filled skutterudites Pr 1 − x Eu x Pt 4 Ge 12

By performing a series of thermodynamic measurements in an applied magnetic field ${H}_{\mathrm{ext}}$, we investigated the effects of Eu substitution on the Pr sites in the filled skutterudite compound ${\mathrm{Pr}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Eu}}_{x}{\mathrm{Pt}}_{4}{\mathrm{Ge}}_{12}$ ($0\ensuremath{\le}x\ensuremath{\le}1$). A heat capacity Schottky anomaly is present over the whole doping range. For the samples with $xg0.5$, the temperature of the maximum, ${T}_{max}$, shifts to lower temperature with increasing ${H}_{\mathrm{ext}}$. We argue that this behavior reflects the antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering of the Eu moments, as the AFM transition is suppressed by ${H}_{\mathrm{ext}}$. The Schottky anomaly in the samples with $x\ensuremath{\le}0.5$ shifts to higher temperatures with increasing magnetic field, signaling the presence of an internal magnetic field due to short-range AFM correlations induced by magnetic moments of neighboring Eu sites. In low ${H}_{\mathrm{ext}}$, the Schottky gaps show a nonlinear relationship with ${H}_{\mathrm{ext}}$ as the magnetic moments become weakly magnetized. In high ${H}_{\mathrm{ext}}$, the magnetic moments of Eu sites become completely aligned with ${H}_{\mathrm{ext}}$. Thus, increasing ${H}_{\mathrm{ext}}$ does not further increase the magnetization; hence the Schottky gaps increase linearly with ${H}_{\mathrm{ext}}$.
An aspirin a day keeps metastasis at bay

Aspirin’s inhibition of COX-1/thromboxane A2 prevents metastasis by blocking adhesion between platelets, circulating tumor cells, and the endothelium.
Reduction in Northern Midlatitude 2-m Temperature Variability due to Arctic Sea Ice Loss

AbstractIn this study, we investigate links between Arctic sea ice loss and the variability of 2-m temperatures over a 6-month period (November–April) over two domains centered over northern Eurasi...
Throughput Comparison for Orthogonal and Non-Orthogonal Mobile Small-Cell Networks

A mobile small-cell integrates the concept of mobile relay stations with fixed small-cells, and can be deployed in the public transportation to improve the service quality of users inside the vehicles. However, three-level interference among macrocells, fixed small-cells, and mobile small- cells is crucial to the improvement of throughput performance. In this paper, we investigate the impacts of resource partition schemes on the throughput and link reliability for the heterogeneous mobile small-cell network. We compare the system throughput and link reliability for the mobile small-cell system with orthogonal and non-orthogonal resource partition schemes. Simulation results show that the non-orthogonal resource partition scheme can improve 62% more average cell throughput for the mobile small-cell system than the orthogonal resource partition scheme when the network deploys seven mobile small-cells at the same time.
Utilizing the somatosensory system via vibratory stimulation to mitigate knee pain during walking: Randomized clinical trial.

Abstract Background Pain and proprioception deficits are often associated with knee pathologies and resultant quadriceps muscle inhibition. There is a need for new approaches to mitigate active knee pain and restore muscle function during walking. Activating properties of the somatosensory system with common pain and sensory pathways offers a novel opportunity to enhance quadriceps function during walking. Research question Conduct a controlled clinical trial that investigates the effects of applying intermittent vibrational cutaneous stimulation during walking on knee pain and symptoms and their correlations to gait parameters. Methods This longitudinal controlled cross-over clinical study included thirty-two patients randomly and blindly assigned to active Treatment A and passive Treatment B for 4 weeks with a 2-week washout period between treatments. Results Subjects when wearing active Treatment A for 4 weeks had significant (p = 0.04) improvement in patient reported outcomes, while they had no significant differences with passive Treatment B (p > 0.7) compared to the no treatment condition. For Treatment A, subjects with low knee flexion moment and knee flexion angle in no-treatment condition exhibited the greatest increase in knee flexion moment/angle in the active treatment condition (R > 0.57, p Significance This clinical trial indicates that knee pain can be reduced, and gait improved in a manner that enhances quadriceps function by applying intermittent cutaneous stimulation during gait in patients following knee injury or disease. The correlation between decreased pain and improved gait suggests that rehabilitation and exercise therapy may benefit from this treatment.
MMT Extremely Metal Poor Galaxy Survey I. An Efficient Technique to Identify Metal Poor Galaxies

We demonstrate a successful strategy for identifying extremely metal poor galaxies. Our preliminary survey of 24 candidates contains 10 metal poor galaxies of which 4 have 12+log(O/H)<7.65, some of the lowest metallicity blue compact galaxies known to date. Interestingly, our sample of metal poor galaxies have systematically lower metallicity for their luminosity than comparable samples of blue compact galaxies, dIrrs, and normal star-forming galaxies. Our metal poor galaxies share very similar properties, however, with the host galaxies of nearby long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), including similar metallicity, stellar ages, and star formation rates. We use H\beta to measure the number of OB stars present in our galaxies and estimate a core-collapse supernova rate of ~10^-3 yr^-1. A larger sample of metal poor galaxies may provide new clues into the environment where GRBs form and may provide a list of potential GRB hosts.
Welcome and Introduction to ISBNS Program

Introduction to SPIE Photonics West BiOS conference 11663: Integrated Sensors for Biological and Neural Sensing
Data-Guided Growth and Remodeling Model of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Accounting for the Bio-chemical Effects of Intraluminal Thrombus

Most of the abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) include an intraluminal thrombus (ILT) deposited on their internal wall. Active proteolytic enzymes in the ILT may cause bio-chemically weakening the aneurysmal wall, which leads to elevation of the aneurysm rupture risk. On the other hand, lack of oxygen on the aneurysmal wall beneath a thick ILT (hypoxia) causes proteolytic activity on the wall as a secondary effect. In this paper we develop an axisymmetric growth and remodeling model of the AAA considering the bio-chemical effects of the ILT mentioned above. We then estimate the model parameters using nine patients’ longitudinal CT data. The parametric study shows that AAA’s radius and volume increases significantly in existence of ILT because of both hypoxia and proteolytic activity. However, the relation between the AAA volume and its maximum diameter slightly changes due to hypoxia while this relation highly changes because of the proteolytic activity in the luminal layer of the ILT. We also show that our numerical results for the AAA expansion as a function of its maximum diameter can be very close to the clinical data with a proper estimation of the model parameters.
Naturaleza y cultura de la historia ambiental

espanolEste articulo considera el vigoroso campo de la historia ambiental como un todo, como se ha desarrollado durante los pasados 25 anos. Necesariamente adopta un enfoque selectivo, pero presenta mas amplitud que profundidad. Considera el surgimiento de la historia ambiental desde la decada de 1970, sus condiciones en varios escenarios e historiografias. Concluye que, aunque hay todavia mucho trabajo por hacer, la historia ambiental se ha establecido exitosamente como un campo legitimo dentro de la profesion de la historia, con un futuro brillante, si bien tal vez por razones desalentadoras. EnglishThis article aims to consider the robust field of environmental history as a whole, as it has developed over the past twenty-five years. It necessarily adopts a selective approach but still offers more breadth than depth. It considers the emergence of environment history since the 1970s, its condition in several settings and historiographies. It concludes that while there remains plenty of work yet to do,environmental history has successfully established itself as a legitimate field within the historical profession,and has a bright future, if perhaps for discouraging reasons. portuguesEste artigo considera o vigoroso campo da historia ambiental como um todo, como se desenvolveu durante os ultimos 25 anos. Necessariamente adota um enfoque seletivo, mas apresenta mais amplitude do que profundidade. Considera o seu surgimento desde a decada de 1970, as suas condicoes em varios cenarios e historiografias. Conclui que ainda que tenha muito trabalho por fazer, a historia ambiental se estabeleceu com sucesso como um campo legitimo dentro da profissao da historia, com um futuro brilhante, mesmo que talvez tenha sido por razoes desalentadoras.
Integrating Individual and Family Systems Psychotherapy to Treat Borderline Personality Disorder

This paper focuses on two areas. The first is the framework for psychotherapy integration used by Unified Therapy, a psychotherapy approach that is an integration of psychodynamic, cognitive–behavioral, and family systems therapy. The second is the use of this treatment paradigm in the psychotherapy of adults with borderline personality disorder. The theory posits that continuing and recurrent interpersonal behavior patterns within the patient's family of origin serve as behavioral triggers to typical acting-out behaviors. Therapy is geared toward planning strategies to alter these destructive patterns. A case example is presented to demonstrate the use of the therapy's theories and techniques.
Incontinence Among Elderly Community-Dwelling Dementia Patients

Incontinence was identified by 36% of 184 caregivers as a problem in their care of older community-dwelling patients with dementia. Incontinent dementia patients had greater impairment of cognitive function and more frequent behavioral problems than did patients without incontinence. Burden scores were higher among caregivers of incontinent patients, but multiple regression analyses indicated that factors other than incontinence contributed more to perceived burden. Follow-up interviews revealed that incontinence had played an important role in most decisions to institutionalize among caregivers of patients who were placed in a nursing home between interviews; it rarely, however, was the primary reason. The majority of incontinent patients still residing in the community were being managed by nonspecific techniques such as diapers and toileting schedules. These data emphasize the need to educate community caregivers of dementia patients in the appropriate management of incontinence and the need for further research on methods of effectively targeting assessment and treatment strategies to this patient population.
The pragmatics of referring and the modality of communication

This paper presents empirical results comparing spoken and keyboard communication. It is shown that speakers attempt to achieve more detailed goals in giving instructions than do users of keyboards. One specific kind of fine-grained communicative act, a request that the hearer identify the referent of a noun phrase, is shown to dominate spoken instruction-giving discourse, but is nearly absent from keyboard discourse. Most important, these requests are only achieved "indirectly". -- through utterances whose surface forms do not explicitly convey the speakers' intent. A plan-based theory of communication is shown to uncover the speakers' intentions underlying many cases of indirect identification requests found in the corpus, once an action for referent identification has been posited. In so doing, the theory demonstrates how intent (or plan) recognition can be applied in reasoning about the use of a description. As a consequence of this approach, it is shown that the conditions on the planning of successful identification requests account for Searle's conditions on the act of referring. It is concluded that intent recognition will need to be a central focus for pragmatics/discourse components of future speech understanding systems, and that computational linguistics needs to develop formalisms for reasoning about speakers' use of descriptions.
Derivates of 1,1,4,4-tetramethylcyclohexane : Low temperature NMR studies

Abstract Low temperature NMR measurements with 1,1,4,4-tetramethylcyclohexane (I) and derivatives II and III establish that chair conformations are preferred to twist boat conformations despite unfavorable axial compressions in the former.
Assessment of fault-tolerant computing systems at NASA's Langley Research Center

In the early 1970's while NASA was studying Advanced Technology Transport concepts, researchers at NASA's Langley Research Center (LaRC) recognized that digital computer systems would be controlling civil transport aircraft in the near future and that the technology did not exist to determine if these digital systems would be reliable enough for this role. In addition, although several existing computer system concepts showed promise to meet the civil transport requirements, none had been realized in an operational system. A multi-initiative program was developed to determine how to assess reliability and performance of fault-tolerant digital computer systems for determining if they could meet the requirements of a civil transport. Subsequent research emphasized the application of formal methods, system safety and digital upset. Some results indicated that dissimilar software may not be reliable enough for critical applications, testing alone will not prove the reliability of highly reliable digital systems and formal methods can find design errors missed by other assessment techniques. Future research will center around the application of formal mathematical methods, insuring software safety, and determination of digital system upsets due to electromagnetic radiation. The long term goal is to define methods for producing error-free systems for flight crucial civil transport applications.
Micronutrients and Other Trace Elements

The solubilities of most minerals from which trace metals in natural waters originate are favored by low pH. The concentration of the free ion of a dissolved trace element usually is much lower than is the total concentration of the trace element. This results from ion pair associations between the free trace ion and major ions, complex ion formation, hydrolysis of metal ions, and chelation of metal ions. Several trace elements—zinc, copper, iron, manganese, boron, fluorine, iodine, selenium, cadmium, cobalt, and molybdenum—are essential to plants, animals or both. A few other trace elements are suspected but not unequivocally proven to be essential. There are some reports of low micronutrient concentrations limiting the productivity of water bodies; but primary productivity in most water bodies apparently is not limited by a shortage of micronutrients. Trace elements—including the ones that are nutrients—may be toxic at high concentration to aquatic organisms. Excessive concentrations of several trace metals in drinking water also can be harmful to human health. Instances of trace element toxicity in aquatic animals and humans usually have resulted from anthropogenic pollution. Nevertheless, excessive concentrations of trace metals in drinking water sometimes occur naturally—an example is the presence of chronically-toxic concentrations of arsenic in groundwater that serves as the water supply for several million people in a few provinces of Bangladesh and adjoining India.
Neutrophil-mediated nitrosamine formation: role of nitric oxide in rats.

It is well known that chronic inflammation of the colon and rectum is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, but the mechanisms by which inflammation promotes neoplasia remain undefined. The authors propose that inflammatory neutrophils may produce carcinogenic nitrosamines via the L-arginine-dependent formation of nitrogen oxides such as nitric oxide. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to characterize the L-arginine-dependent formation of nitrogen oxides by inflammatory (elicited) neutrophils using conditions that more closely mimic the extravascular (i.e., interstitial) compartment of the gut and to characterize the neutrophil-dependent N-nitrosation of a model amine to yield its nitrosamine derivative. In the absence of any metabolic activation, adherent, inflammatory neutrophils (2 x 10(6) cells) produced 12.8 +/- 1.4 mumol/L of nitrite during a 4-hour incubation period. Omission of L-arginine and/or inhibition of nitric oxide synthase by the addition of 1 mmol/L NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) resulted in 35%-78% inhibition of nitrite production, suggesting that nitrite was derived from nitric oxide. By comparison, neither circulating rat neutrophils nor elicited rat macrophages produced significant amounts of nitrite under the same conditions. Furthermore, elicited neutrophils (2 x 10(6) cells) were capable of N-nitrosating 2,3-diaminonaphthalene to yield its nitrosamine derivative 1-naphtho-2,3-triazole (282 +/- 12 nmol/L) in a time- and cell-dependent pattern similar to that of nitrite production. Addition of a variety of antioxidants (e.g., ascorbic acid, reduced glutathione, alpha-tocopherol analog), 5-aminosalicylic acid, or L-NAME resulted in 80%-85% inhibition of neutrophil-mediated nitrosamine formation. Taken together, these data suggest that inflammatory neutrophils may represent an important metabolic source of endogenous carcinogens during times of active intestinal inflammation.
Dimensions of Group Process: Amount and Structure of Vocal Interaction

Publisher Summary This chapter brings together the work of Hackman and Moms, Bales, and Jaffe and Feldstein into a model that is both manageable and intricate enough to capture the subtle details of ongoing group process. It describes a conceptual model that speaks directly to questions related to the dimensions of amount and structure and discusses data from three studies that are suggestive of the importance of these two dimensions to an understanding of group process. It also presents an automated data collection system that requires no human observers. The chapter defines process in terms of talking (Shaw, 1964), including both the amount of talking and the patterns of talking among group members. The chapter considers the amount and structure of content-free measures and the way they both can be affected by factors about the task facing the group, the overall group, and the individual members. The amount of vocal activity can range from silence to everyone speaking at once. Although much of the research on brainstorming has contrasted nominal groups with real groups, group interaction can range from none at all (in nominal groups) to various levels (in various real groups).
The Evolution of Post-Cold War Regional Security Institutions in South Asia

This chapter analyzes the evolution of the regional security institutions in South Asia in the post-“triple shocks” period of 1989 onward, including the evolution of not only the regional security architecture in South Asia but also its interaction with the evolving regional security architecture in Southeast and Northeast Asia. With regard to the latter, I limit myself primarily to China, which shares de facto borders and a history of security interaction with South Asia, and a passing reference to North Korea and Japan. Where relevant, I also analyze the interaction of regional security institutions with multilateral regimes. My focus is on the strength, scope, and nature of regional security institutions, the depth of their institutionalization, and the timing of their evolution.
Phagocytosis of supernumerary spermatozoa by two-cell mouse embryos†

Phagocytosis of supernumerary spermatozoa contained within the perivitelline space was observed in 7 of 28 two-cell mouse embryos cultured for 45 hours post-insemination (approximately 20–24 hours after cleavage). The spermatozoa were incarcerated as a result of elevations of the blastomere cytoplasm which gradually surrounded the sperm, overlapped and fused, thus forming a typical phagocytic vacuole. Phagocytosis was not observed in two-cell embryos cultured for less than 20–24 hours after cleavage; this indicates that the blastomeres of two-cell mouse embryos in vitro require approximately 24 hours to develop one of the characteristics of somatic cells, i.e., the ability to recognize and phagocytize foreign material.
The effects of auditory stimulation on phosphene sensitivity

Detection thresholds for phosphenes were measured in the presence and absence of moderate auditory stimulation. Thresholds were consistently lower in the presence of a 60 dB, 3000 Hz. tone for all 19 Ss tested. Large variations in threshold levels were noted among the Ss.
On outstanding values in a sequence of random variables

A sequence {X n} of independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) random variables is considered. Outstanding values in the sequence are those that strictly exceed values preceding them. Let L n be the index of the n-th outstanding value. Limit theorems are given for the sequences $$\left\{ {X_{L_n } } \right\}$$ and {L n} and {δ n} where δ n=Ln−Ln−1. A characterization of the exponential distribution in terms of the sequence $$\left\{ {X_{L_n } } \right\}$$ is also given.
Manipulating Magnetism: Ru25+ Paddlewheels Devoid of Axial Interactions

Variable-temperature magnetic and structural data of two pairs of diruthenium isomers, one pair having an axial ligand and the formula Ru2(DArF)4Cl (where DArF is the anion of a diarylformamidine isomer and Ar = p-anisyl or m-anisyl) and the other one being essentially identical but devoid of axial ligands and having the formula [Ru2(DArF)4]BF4, show that the axial ligand has a significant effect on the electronic structure of the diruthenium unit. Variable temperature crystallographic and magnetic data as well as density functional theory calculations unequivocally demonstrate the occurrence of π interactions between the p orbitals of the chlorine ligand and the π* orbitals in the Ru25+ units. The magnetic and structural data are consistent with the existence of combined ligand σ/metal σ and ligand pπ/metal-dπ interactions. Electron paramagnetic resonance data show unambiguously that the unpaired electrons are in metal-based molecular orbitals.
Finite Dimensional Backward Shift Invariant Subspaces of a Class of Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Spaces

A description is given of finite dimensional backward shift invariant subspaces of a class of reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces. Using the description, isometric containments of finite dimensional Hilbert spaces in the reproducing kernel spaces are studied.
Adaptive Noise Suppression of Pediatric Lung Auscultations With Real Applications to Noisy Clinical Settings in Developing Countries

Goal: Chest auscultation constitutes a portable low-cost tool widely used for respiratory disease detection. Though it offers a powerful means of pulmonary examination, it remains riddled with a number of issues that limit its diagnostic capability. Particularly, patient agitation (especially in children), background chatter, and other environmental noises often contaminate the auscultation, hence affecting the clarity of the lung sound itself. This paper proposes an automated multiband denoising scheme for improving the quality of auscultation signals against heavy background contaminations. Methods: The algorithm works on a simple two-microphone setup, dynamically adapts to the background noise and suppresses contaminations while successfully preserving the lung sound content. The proposed scheme is refined to offset maximal noise suppression against maintaining the integrity of the lung signal, particularly its unknown adventitious components that provide the most informative diagnostic value during lung pathology. Results: The algorithm is applied to digital recordings obtained in the field in a busy clinic in West Africa and evaluated using objective signal fidelity measures and perceptual listening tests performed by a panel of licensed physicians. A strong preference of the enhanced sounds is revealed. Significance: The strengths and benefits of the proposed method lie in the simple automated setup and its adaptive nature, both fundamental conditions for everyday clinical applicability. It can be simply extended to a real-time implementation, and integrated with lung sound acquisition protocols.
A comparative study of light transmission aggregometry and automated bedside platelet function assays in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention and receiving abciximab, eptifibatide, or tirofiban†

Platelet inhibition is central to the efficacy of glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa antagonist therapy, but is not routinely measured during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Data directly comparing the antiplatelet effects of these agents are also limited. Therefore, we compared ex vivo platelet function by standard light transmission aggregometry (LTA) and two automated bedside platelet function assays in 36 patients undergoing PCI with GP IIb-IIIa inhibitors. At baseline and 10 min following clinically recommended bolus and infusion of abciximab (0.25 mg/kg, 0.125 microg/kg/min), eptifibatide (180 microg/kg, 2 microg/kg/min), or tirofiban (10 microg/kg, 0.1 microg/kg/min), we measured 20 microM ADP- and 1.9 mg/mL collagen-induced platelet aggregation using LTA. Platelet function was also assessed using the bedside Accumetrics Ultegra-Rapid Platelet Function Assay (RPFA) and the Xylum Clot Signature Analyzer (CSA). The degree of platelet inhibition, as assessed by LTA, varied significantly between the clinically recommended doses of these GP IIb-IIIa antagonists. RPFA measurements agreed closely with LTA for abciximab, but tended to overestimate the degree of platelet inhibition for small molecules. CSA demonstrated profoundly inhibited shear-induced platelet function, but lacked sensitivity to discriminate between agents. These findings may have implications for the results of trials comparing the efficacy of these agents in patients undergoing PCI.
The model employment termination act: Provisions and discussion

Recently, the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws completed a drafting of the Model Employment Termination Act (META). The goal of this suggested state legislation is to end the patchwork of state-defined protections offered to employees who are terminated in at-will work environments. If META provisions are adopted there will be a substantial change in both the protection offered employees and the litigation of wrongful discharge claims within the adopting state. This article presents the changes proposed by META and discusses these changes and their potential implications for employers and employees.
In Vivo Investigation of Changes in Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress Induced by Plant Food Rich Diets

It is well established that vegetables and fruit (VF) contain antioxidant phytochemicals. Consequently, it is expected that individuals who consume diets with a high content of VF should be better protected against oxidative cellular damage than individuals who do not, but not all data support this assumption. The objective of this study was to identify possible explanations for this conundrum. The effects of two diets that differed in VF content on markers of oxidative damage were studied. Sixty-four women participated in a 14-day dietary intervention. Subjects consumed on average either 3.6 or 12.1 servings of VF per day. The primary end points assessed were 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) in peripheral lymphocyte DNA and 8-isoprostaglandin F-2alpha (8-iso-PGF2alpha) excreted in urine. Subjects consuming the high versus low VF diet had lower concentrations of 8-oxo-dG (p < 0.01) and of 8-iso-PGF2alpha (p < 0.01). However, the reduction in oxidative end points by high VF was not uniform. Rather, an antioxidant effect was observed primarily in individuals whose oxidative end points at baseline were above the median for the study population. Using change in plasma carotenoids (end point minus baseline measurements) as an index of phytochemical intake, the reduction in oxidative markers was inversely proportional to change in plasma carotenoids; this effect was stronger for lipid peroxidation (p < 0.01) than DNA oxidation (p < 0.05). These findings imply that increasing exogenous antioxidant exposure may primarily benefit individuals with elevated levels of oxidative stress. Null findings do not necessarily indicate that an antioxidant compound lacks in vivo activity.
Thymic nurse cells exhibit epithelial progenitor phenotype and create unique extra-cytoplasmic membrane space for thymocyte selection.

Thymic nurse cells (TNCs) are epithelial cells in the thymic cortex that contain as many as 50 thymocytes within specialized cytoplasmic vacuoles. The function of this cell-in-cell interaction has created controversy since their discovery in 1980. Further, some skepticism exists about the idea that apoptotic thymocytes within the TNC complex result from negative selection, a process believed to occur exclusively within the medulla. In this report, we have microscopic evidence that defines a unique membranous environment wherein lipid raft aggregates around the αβTCR expressed on captured thymocytes and class II MHC molecules expressed on TNCs. Further, immunohistological examination of thymic sections show TNCs located within the cortico-medullary junction to express cytokeratins five and eight (K5 and K8), and the transcription factor Trp-63, the phenotype defined elsewhere as the thymic epithelial progenitor subset. Our results suggest that the microenvironment provided by TNCs plays an important role in thymocyte selection as well as the potential for TNCs to be involved in the maintenance of thymic epithelia.
The Wind at Our Backs

Building on his interviews with people involved in the development of wind energy, Warburg chronicles the industry9s growth and challenges.
Cow brain glutaminase: partial purification and mechanism of action.

Abstract We have purified glutaminase 65-fold from cow brain; the final specific activity is 24 μmol/min/mg. The enzyme is stable between pH 7.5 and 9.0 and has maximal activity at pH 8.8. It requires P i for activity. The dependence of activity on P i concentration is sigmoidal; 50 m m P i gives half-maximal velocity at pH 8.8. At 0.2 m P i , pH 8.8, the dependence of activity on glutamine concentration is hyperbolic; the observed K Gln was 30 m m . Increasing P i concentrations increase the apparent V m and decrease the apparent K Gln . NH 4 + does not inhibit at concentrations up to 0.1 m . Glutamic acid inhibits competitively with respect to glutamine; at 0.2 m P i pH 8.8, K Gln was 30 m m and K Glu was 19 m m . The results are consistent with a model in which NH 4 + is released irreversibly from the enzyme-substrate complex and is the first product released. The activity of glutaminase appears to be independent of the nature of the buffer with which it is equilibrated before being assayed.
Quantum Efficiency of Cytochrome Oxidation in a Photosynthetic Bacterium

Illumination of Chromatium with light absorbed by bacteriochlorophyll causes the oxidation of intracellular cytochrome. The quantum efficiency of this reaction approaches one electron per photon at 589 millimicrons and at wavelengths between 862 and 908 millimicrons. The efficiency of converting excitation energy to chemical energy is estimated to be about 30 percent.
Summary of a workshop on high heat load X-ray optics held at argonne national laboratory☆

Abstract A workshop on High Heat Load X-Ray Optics was held at Argonne National Laboratory on August 3–5, 1989. The workshop was co-sponsored by the Advanced Photon Source and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility and served as a satellite conference to SR189. The object of this workshop was to discuss recent advances in the art of cooling X-ray optics subject to high heat loads from synchrotron beams. The cooling of the first optical element in the intense photon beams that will be produced in the next generation of synchrotron sources is recognized as one of the major challenges that must be faced before one will be able to use these very intense beams. Considerable advances have been made in this art during the last few years, but much work remains to be done before the heating problem can be said to be completely solved. Special emphasis was placed on recent cooling experiments and detailed “finite-element” and “finite-difference” calculations comparing experiment with theory and extending theory to optimize performance. Copies of the Proceedings can be obtained from B. Meyer, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA.
CORRELATES OF CAREER CHOICES OF WOMEN VOLUNTEERS

An earlier survey (Jenaer, 1981) supported the idea that women volunteers will self-select into three categories or types on the basis of the role volunteering plays in their work lives. Although differences in type were associated with differences in the level and nature of participation, reipondents showed a good deal of similarity in background and values across all types. The present study explored the hypothesis that the types represent developmental stages rather than separate populations. The types of volunteers are described briefly. Primary volntee-rs identified volunteer work as their "main career or work activity". They were likely to hold leadership positions and to report many hours per month of work done for their main organizations. They were highly committed, involved, and satisfied, and, though some were employed part-time, the majority reported no plan to seek employment within the next five years. Szlpplemental volunteers identified volunteer work as "a supplement to the other parts of my work life". This group accounts for 67% of the sample and 80% of the employed women. Although highly commirced, their involvement and satisfaction were significantly lower than those of the Primary volunteers, as were their reports of hours worked. Care& Instrumental voliuntews identified volunteer work as "a way to pre- pare me for a new (or changed) career, or to maintain skills and contacts in a career I am not actively pursuing at this time". Nearly a third reported some employment, and an additional 46% indicated they expected to be employed within five years. This group was lowest in commitment, although satisfaction, involvement, and reported hours were similar to those of the Supplemental volunteers. Volunteer type is essentially descriptive; women chose a category defined
Ingestion of colloid solutions by filter‐feeding mosquito larvae: Relationship to viscosity

During ingestion tests of 1 to 3 hours duration with larval Culex pipiens, displacement of midgut contents was virtually nil for larvae filterfeeding in particle-free water, whereas in various dilute colloid solutions displacement was rapid and comparable in rate to displacement in water containing particulate solids. For larvae in 0.01 to 0.1 % methylcellulose solutions or in 0.01 to 0.6% polyhall (polyacrylamide) solutions, having viscosities of approximately 1 to 1.5 or 1 to 3 centipoises, respectively, displacements increased with increasing concentrations from just detectable to maximal and remained maximally high for higher concentrations with viscosities up to 15 and 5 cp respectively. Progressively greater displacements were likewise observed with sucrose solutions of 4 to 20% and having viscosities of 1 to 1.5 cp, but at higher concentrations ingestion was poor because of severe osmotic damage to larvae. In 0.015% agar, which is about 10% more viscous than water, ingestion was virtually nil; but with a doubling of concentration to 0.03%, and with viscosity about 20% greater than for water, displacement was maximal. The correlation between increasing viscosity and increasing ingestion for methylcellulose, polyhall and sucrose implicates viscosity as a factor that may alter the mechanical properties of liquids so as to allow them to be ingested in bulk as readily as particulate solids. With agar, the viscosity difference between non-ingested and maximally-ingested concentrations was so small as to suggest that some other factor is involved in bringing about ingestibility, perhaps some property related to the molecular structure that at elevated concentrations of agar brings about the formation of gels.
Rabbit fallopian tube reanastomosis using a microvascular stapling device.

ABSTRACT The 3M Precise Microvascular Anastomotic System (MAS), a microvascular stapling device, was compared with microsurgery for the reanastomosis of rabbit fallopian tubes. Differences in opera...
Polymerization of propylene by the three-component system comprising titanium(III) chloride, ethylaluminum sesquichloride, and sodium sulfate

Sodium sulfate increases the polymerization activity of the titanium(III) chloride (AA)–ethylaluminum sesquichloride system for the polymerization of propylene. The reaction of ethylaluminum sesquichloride with sodium sulfate at mild conditions isolates diethylaluminum chloride, which is responsible for the polymerization activity. The reaction of these components at severe conditions forms an organometallic compound containing sulfate, (C2H5)4Al2SO4, and this compound is a powerful activator for titanium(III) chloride.
Techniques to improve memory interface test quality for complex SoCs

Aggressive speed and voltage binning schemes are widely used in the industry to improve the yield of SoCs. For accurate bin classification, it is essential that the tests used for binning target the worst critical/speed-limiting paths in the design. We have observed in many SoCs that memory interface paths are amongst the top critical paths. In this paper, we propose new DFT schemes to improve the quality of memory interface logic test. We also discuss practical challenges and propose solutions for successfully implementing ATPG on memory-interface paths of large SoCs. Experimental results on 40nm industrial designs show an average increase of 36% memory interface fault coverage. Fmax result from production SoC silicon establishes the effectiveness of the proposed scheme for speed binning.
Business in Literature

This article presents a review of the book “Business in Literature,” edited by Charles Burden, Elke Burden, Sterling Eisiminger and Lynn Ganim.
Neuropsychological and environmental characteristics of early readers

Abstract The neuropsychological functioning and home environment of early readers was investigated. To 21 early readers attending preschools matched for age and intelligence with 21 controls (nonreaders), a neuropsychological test battery was administered. Home environment was assessed by administering a brief questionnaire to parents. Although it had been hypothesized that early readers would be superior to controls on tests believed to be sensitive to left posterior hemisphere functioning, the early readers in this study demonstrated superior functioning only on the left frontal measure and on right hemisphere measures. The only environmental factor that significantly differentiated the two groups was that the early readers had been read to more frequently than the control group children. The implications of these findings and their possible educational significance are discussed.
Model based document and report generation for systems engineering

As Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) practices gain adoption, various approaches have been developed in order to simplify and automate the process of generating documents from models. Essentially, all of these techniques can be unified around the concept of producing different views of the model according to the needs of the intended audience. In this paper, we will describe a technique developed at JPL of applying SysML Viewpoints and Views to generate documents and reports. An architecture of model-based view and document generation will be presented, and the necessary extensions to SysML with associated rationale will be explained. A survey of examples will highlight a variety of views that can be generated, and will provide some insight into how collaboration and integration is enabled. We will also describe the basic architecture for the enterprise applications that support this approach.
Libido and scrotal circumference of rams as affected by season of the year and altered photoperiod.

Abstract Two trials were conducted to evaluate the influence of season of the year and altered photoperiod on libido and scrotal circumference (SC). A 30-minute serving-capacity test was used to measure ram libido. the measures of libido were reaction time (RT), time from entry into the pen to first mount and/or service, total mounts (M), and total services (S). The serving-capacity test was conducted by placing a ram with four estrus-induced ewes and measuring RT and counting M and S. Prior to each serving-capacity test, SC was measured for each ram. Rams were tested every two weeks. In Trial I, eleven two-year-old Rambouillet rams from each of three selection lines —a high line (four rams; selected on the basis of high prolificacy), a low line (three rams; selected on the basis of low prolificacy) and a random bred control line (four rams) — were used in a one-year study. Rams were exposed to ambient conditions throughout the year. Rams were more active during the short days of fall and winter, i.e. normal breeding season, as evidenced by a greater number of total mounts and services plus a shorter reaction time. Selection line affected reproductive parameters measured, with the high line having more M and S and a shorter RT than the low line. However, SC was larger in the low line. In Trial II twelve rams were divided into two groups of six. The control group was exposed to ambient conditions from April 18 through July 24. The treated group was exposed to eight hours of light and 16 hours of darkness (8L:16D) from April 18 through July 24, simulating short days of fall and winter. Total services (S) in the 30-minute test interval were higher for rams subjected to the 8L:16D treatment (P 0.10). No significant differences in any of the reproductive parameters between treatment groups were observed during the first 28 days. However, there were significant differences (P
Sacred Indwelling and the Electromagnetic Undercurrent in Nature: A Physicist's Perspective

Wolfhart Pannenberg has related the concept of the physical field to the idea of God's divine cosmic field in all of creation. In this article I proffer a physicist's viewpoint by treating the subject from a more specific and focused perspective. In particular, I describe how electromagnetic interactions underlie the operation of all earthly nature, including human beings and their brains. I argue that this ubiquity constitutes a compelling physical analogy for the ubiquity of God's indwelling. The discussion includes the role of electromagnetism in quantum theory, concepts of time, and the evolution of life. I suggest the value of such analogical thought as an area of study to be exploited in the development of a theology of nature as well as a significant datum in the pursuit of a tenable natural theology. This article is intended to clarify, refine, and considerably expand upon an earlier article published in Zygon (Fagg 1996). Included also are discussions on the role of electromagnetism in our sense of evil and eternity.
Reward prediction error signals by reticular formation neurons

As a key part of the brain’s reward system, midbrain dopamine neurons are thought to generate signals that reflect errors in the prediction of reward. However, recent evidence suggests that “upstream” brain areas may make important contributions to the generation of prediction error signals. To address this issue, we recorded neural activity in midbrain reticular formation (MRNm) while rats performed a spatial working memory task. A large proportion of these neurons displayed positive and negative reward prediction error-related activity that was strikingly similar to that observed in dopamine neurons. Therefore, MRNm may be a source of reward prediction error signals.