cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A smooth coefficient model of carbon emissions

I use a semiparametric smooth coefficient model to estimate a generalization of the emissions convergence models derived from the green Solow model proposed by Brock and Taylor (J Econ Growth 15:127–153, 2010). Parametric estimates of simple homogeneous coefficient convergence models suggest that there may be heterogeneity in emissions convergence across different subsamples of observations. The semiparametric models confirm that there is heterogeneity across countries in coefficient estimates; however, such heterogeneity does not appear to be substantial enough to qualitatively influence the estimates derived from the parametric models. Hence, I find that (i) the green Solow model is a robust framework for analyzing carbon emissions convergence and (ii) carbon emissions are converging across a large sample of countries. My results suggest that international agreements that assign pollution rights based on population levels may be agreeable to many nations.
The value of remoteness: a hedonic estimation of ranchette prices.

Abstract Throughout the western United States, production ranches are being subdivided into recreation-oriented ‘ranchettes’. This change has dramatic impacts on local environmental and economic viability. Ranchettes fall in a gap in the economic literature between production agriculture and residential uses. This paper presents the first hedonic model for ranchettes, introducing the use of remote sensing vegetative indices and the use of sale status of adjacent ranchettes as explanatory variables. Parcel level sale data in Yavapai County, Arizona is combined with satellite greenness indices. It is found that increased greenness raises sale prices. Access to roads, cities, and neighbors also increase sale prices, implying that isolation is a disamenity and that it may be beneficial for policymakers to encourage ranchette grouping.
Death anxiety and sexual risk-taking: different manifestations of the process of defense

College students(n = 162) completed measures of death anxiety and sexual risk-taking, with a thought listing procedure in-between. Those who completed the death anxiety measure first (Death Salient condition) reportedgreater willingness to engage in high-risk sexual behavior than the Non-Death Salient group. This result was consistent with the hypothesis that evoking death anxiety would produce denial-based defensive activity. Also, Death Salient participants reporting more death thoughts were lower on risk-taking, as predicted. Interestingly, Death Salient participants reporting stressful thoughts about issues unrelated to personal mortality (displacement) were also less willing to engage in high-risk sexual behavior. The results are discussed in relation to a new, avowal-based model of the process of psychological defense.
Molecular genetic analysis of barley stripe mosaic virus pathogenicity determinants

(1991). Molecular genetic analysis of barley stripe mosaic virus pathogenicity determinants. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology: Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 163-177.
Placental and embryonic growth restriction in mice with reduced function epidermal growth factor receptor alleles

Embryos lacking an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exhibit strain-specific defects in placental development that can result in mid-gestational embryonic lethality. To determine the level of EGFR signaling required for normal placental development, we characterized congenic strains homozygous for the hypomorphic Egfrwa2 allele or heterozygous for the antimorphic EgfrWa5 allele. Egfrwa2 homozygous embryos and placentas exhibit strain-dependent growth restriction at 15.5 days post-coitus while EgfrWa5 heterozygous placentas are only slightly reduced in size with no effect on embryonic growth. Egfrwa2 homozygous placentas have a reduced spongiotrophoblast layer in some strains, while spongiotrophoblasts and glycogen cells are almost completely absent in others. Our results demonstrate that more EGFR signaling occurs in EgfrWa5 heterozygotes than in Egfrwa2 homozygotes and suggest that Egfrwa2 homozygous embryos model EGFR-mediated intrauterine growth restriction in humans. We also consistently observed differences between strains in wild-type placenta and embryo size as well as in the cellular composition and expression of trophoblast cell subtype markers and propose that differential expression in the placenta of Glut3, a glucose transporter essential for normal embryonic growth, may contribute to strain-dependent differences in intrauterine growth restriction caused by reduced EGFR activity.
A Proposal for Cooperative Cross-Cultural Research on Intervillage Systems

Intervillage systems are clusters of communities that, by virtue of their systematic transactions with one another, form a larger social unit. The Kula that Malinowski studied reflects the operation of an intervillage system, as do also the market centers and their satellite communities in many parts of the world. There is reason to believe that intervillage systems, or, more generally stated, intercommunity systems, exist at all levels of national development and are crucial units in certain types of social change. Although our general ignorance of their characteristics is sufficient reason for studying them, they have the additional feature of being the largest natural system that can reasonably be studied by direct field methods. They thus provide an important setting within which to investigate inter-system transactions and the transformation of both the component systems and the larger incorporating structure.
Replacement therapy in Mucopolysaccharidosis type VI: advantages of early onset of therapy.

This study evaluates the immunological response following weekly 2h infusions of recombinant human N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfatase (rh4S) in Mucopolysaccharidosis VI (MPS VI) cats. The results of three trials (Trial "A": 9 month duration with onset at 3-5 months of age, n = 5; and Trials "B" and "C": 6 month duration starting at birth, n = 9) were compared. No detrimental effects were noted throughout Trials B and C. Temporary hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., vomiting, diarrhoea) occurred in four cats in Trial A and were alleviated by increasing the dose of antihistamine premedication and the duration of infusion. All cats in Trial A developed antibodies to rh4S (range of final titres: 1041-134,931). All cats treated from birth showed negligible titres (range: < 50-598). In vitro inhibition of rh4S activity (up to 47%) was demonstrated with plasma from four cats with elevated titres. Significant reduction of urinary glycosaminoglycan concentration in all cats indicated the ability of rh4S to metabolize stored substrates regardless of the presence of circulating antibodies. Similarly, lysosomal storage in reticuloendothelial cells and fibroblasts of kidney interstistium, dura and skin was reduced in all cats irrespective of their antibody titre although cats with elevated titre had less beneficial effect on cardiovascular tissues (aorta smooth muscle cells, heart valve fibroblasts). Overall improvement in the disease condition (at physical, neurological, and skeletal levels) was most pronounced for cats treated from birth compared with cats treated at a later age.
Electrical Impedance Computed Tomography (ICT): A New CT Imaging Technique

The results of our initial studies of a new method of CT imaging are presented. The technique does not use x rays, but rather employs a weak electrical current to map out the electrical properties of the tissues in a tomographic slice. Results of preliminary computer simulations are described and discussed. Compared to x-ray CT, we expect ICT to have the following advantages: (1) reduced biological hazard, (2) less expensive hardware, (3) easily extended to full 3-D image, (4) very high data rates, (5) ability to make unique physiological measurements.
Analysis of replication in distributed database systems

The authors develop an approximate analytical model to study the tradeoffs of replicating data in a distributed database environment. Several concurrency control protocols are considered, including pessimistic, optimistic, and semi-optimistic protocols. The approximate analysis captures the effect of the protocol on hardware resource contention and data contention. The accuracy of the approximation is validated through detailed simulations. It is found that the benefit of replicating data and the optimal number of replicates are sensitive to the concurrency control protocol. Under the optimistic and semi-optimistic protocols, replications can significantly improve response time with an additional MIPS (million instructions per second) requirement to maintain consistency among the replicates. The optimal degree of replication is further affected by the transaction mix (e.g. the fraction of read-only transactions), the communications delay and overhead, the number of distributed sites, and the available MIPS. Sensitivity analyses have been carried out to examine how the optimal degree of replication changes with respect to these factors. >
Physical Therapy Implications Following the TRAM Procedure

The TRAM procedure has gained popularity over the last decade as an autogenous technique for breast reconstruction. Several outcome studies have demonstrated complications from this procedure, as described in this article. Women should be informed about the possible complications prior to surgery. Physical therapists can play an important role in rehabilitation and education for patients who are planning to undergo or who have undergone the TRAM procedure. It is important that physical therapists become well acquainted with the surgical procedure and treatment guidelines to effectively treat patients who have undergone the TRAM procedure, especially as this procedure increases in popularity. In addition, it is important that further research be conducted to substantiate the valuable clinical contribution that physical therapy has on successful recovery following the TRAM operation.
Stability of a promiscuous plasmid in different hosts: no guarantee for a long-term relationship

Broad-host-range (BHR) IncP-1 plasmids have the ability to transfer between and replicate in nearly all species of the Alpha-, Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria, but surprisingly few data are available on the stability of these plasmids in strains within their host range. Moreover, even though molecular interactions between the bacterial host and its plasmid(s) exist, no systematic study to date has compared the stability of the same plasmid among different hosts. The goal of this study was to examine whether the stability characteristics of an IncP-1 plasmid can be variable between strains within the host range of the plasmid. Therefore, 19 strains within the Alpha-, Beta -o rGammaproteobacteria carrying the IncP-1b plasmid pB10 were serially propagated in non-selective medium and the fraction of segregants was monitored through replica-picking. Remarkably, a large variation in the stability of pB10 in different strains was found, even between strains within the same genus or species. Ten strains showed no detectable plasmid loss over about 200 generations, and in two strains plasmid-free clones were only sporadically observed. In contrast, three strains, Pseudomonas koreensis R28, Pseudomonas putida H2 and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia P21, exhibited rapid plasmid loss within 80 generations. Parameter estimation after mathematical modelling of these stability data suggested high frequencies of segregation (about 0.04 per generation) or high plasmid cost (i.e. a relative fitness decrease in plasmid-bearing cells of about 15 and 40%), which was confirmed experimentally. The models also suggested that plasmid reuptake by conjugation only played a significant role in plasmid stability in one of the three strains. Four of the 19 strains lost the plasmid very slowly over about 600 generations. The erratic decrease of the plasmid-containing fraction and simulation of the data with a new mathematical model suggested that plasmid cost was variable over time due to compensatory mutations. The findings of this study demonstrate that the ability of a so-called ‘BHR’ plasmid to persist in a bacterial population is influenced by strain-specific traits, and therefore observations made for one strain should not be generalized for the entire species or genus.
Numerical study of scalar mixing in curved channels at low Reynolds numbers

A computational study has been performed to determine the rates of mixing in a curved square duct at low Reynolds numbers of interest to microfluidic applications. Two flow streams with inlet scalar concentrations of zero and unity in the two halves of a duct perpendicular to the plane of curvature were allowed to mix by convection and diffusion. Concentration distributions and unmixedness coefficients are presented for several Reynolds and Schmidt numbers and are compared with values for a straight channel of equivalent length. It is seen that for large Schmidt number fluids, mixing is considerably enhanced at moderately low Reynolds numbers (Re ∼ 10), but is not enhanced at Reynolds numbers of the order of 0.1. © 2004 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 50: 2359–2368, 2004
Biventricular Finite Element Modeling of the Acorn CorCap Cardiac Support Device on a Failing Heart

Background The Acorn CorCap Cardiac Support Device (CSD; Acorn Cardiovascular Inc, St. Paul, MN) is a woven polyester jacket that is placed around the heart and designed to reverse the progressive remodeling associated with dilated cardiomyopathy. However, the effects of the Acorn CSD on myofiber stress and ventricular function remain unknown. We tested the hypothesis that the Acorn CSD reduces end-diastolic (ED) myofiber stress. Methods A previously described weakly coupled biventricular finite element (FE) model and circulatory model based on magnetic resonance images of a dog with dilated cardiomyopathy was used. Virtual applications of the CSD alone (Acorn), CSD with rotated fabric fiber orientation (rotated), CSD with 5% prestretch (tight), and CSD wrapped only around the left ventricle (LV; LV-only) were performed, and the effect on myofiber stress at ED and pump function was calculated. Results The Acorn CSD has a large effect on ED myofiber stress in the LV free wall, with reductions of 55%, 79%, 92%, and 40% in the Acorn, rotated, tight, and LV-only cases, respectively. However, there is a tradeoff in which the Acorn CSD reduces stroke volume at LV end-diastolic pressure of 8 mm Hg by 23%, 25%, 30%, and 7%, respectively, in the Acorn, rotated, tight, and LV-only cases. Conclusions The Acorn CSD significantly reduces ED myofiber stress. However, CSD wrapped only around the LV was the only case with minimal negative effect on pump function. Findings suggest that LV-only CSD and Acorn fabric orientation should be optimized to allow maximal myofiber stress reduction with minimal reduction in pump function.
DALEA ANALILIANA (FABACEAE: AMORPHEAE), A NEW SPECIES FROM THE NORTHWESTERN SIERRA MADRE OCCIDENTAL, MEXICO

ABSTRACT Dalea analiliana is described as new from the vicinity of Yecora in the Sierra Madre Occidental of eastern Sonora, Mexico. This perennial is related to D. nelsonii Greene, but differs in its white flowers, the presence of glands on both surfaces of the leaflets, and its more northern distribution. Dalea analiliana occurs in open grasslands and along roadsides in oak and oak-pine forest habitats similar to those described for D. nelsonii.
Upper plate structure controls rupture front propagation

Over the past century, the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates has been the center of a series of powerful, tsunamogenic, and deadly earthquakes, including one in 1906 that is believed to have had a magnitude of 8.8.
PROTAMINE PURIFICATION OF STREPTOKINASE AND EFFECT OF pH AND TEMPERATURE ON REVERSIBLE INACTIVATION

1. Treatment of crude concentrates of streptokinase with protamine results in removal of about 90 per cent of the nitrogenous material, including nucleic acid and protease inhibitor, with little or no loss of activity. 2. Streptokinase solutions undergo reversible inactivation with changes in pH. The rate and extent of inactivation are dependent on pH, being greatest over a very narrow range about pH 5. The rate and extent of inactivation are also a function of temperature, both increasing with the temperature of incubation. The rate of reactivation is a function of pH and temperature, increasing as either is raised. However, as the temperature is raised above about 23°C., or the pH above about 9, a secondary, irreversible inactivation of streptokinase occurs.
The influence of altitude and look angle on SAR ocean wave imaging: a practical compromise

Under the appropriate viewing geometry, spaceborne SAR (synthetic aperture radar) images of ocean waves can be used to produce high-fidelity estimates of the ocean wave spectrum. For SAR platforms having high range-to-velocity ratios and large nadir look angles the imaging can become severely nonlinear. The nonlinearity makes it difficult to extract useful information about azimuth traveling waves. On the other hand, for low satellite orbits associated with favorable range-to-velocity ratios, fuel requirements limit satellite lifetime. The author presents the case for a practical compromise that envisions a satellite SAR operating at up to 450 km altitude. >
Wearables and chairables: inclusive design of mobile input and output techniques for power wheelchair users

Power wheelchair users often use and carry multiple mobile computing devices. Many power wheelchair users have some upper body motor impairment that can make using these devices difficult. We believe that mobile device accessibility could be improved through designs that take into account users' functional abilities and take advantage of available space around the wheelchair itself. In this paper we present findings from multiple design sessions and interviews with 13 power wheelchair users and 30 clinicians, exploring the placement and form factor possibilities for input and output on a power wheelchair. We found that many power wheelchair users could benefit from chairable technology that is designed to work within the workspace of the wheelchair, whether worn on the body or mounted on he wheelchair frame. We present participants' preferences for chairable input and output devices, and identify possible design configurations for wearable and chairable devices.
Competitive adsorption of water‐soluble polymers on attapulgite clay

The individual, competitive, and displacement adsorption of polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), and hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) in aqueous solution onto an attapulgite clay has been systematically studied. For the individual adsorption experiments, the amount of polymer adsorbed at equilibrium decreased in the order PVOH, HEC, HPMC. In the competitive adsorption experiments, the adsorption level of each polymer is diminished by the presence of a competing polymeric species. Binary mixtures of a cellulosic polymer (HEC or HPMC) with PVOH result in a substantial reduction in the amount of cellulosic polymer adsorbed. In the displacement adsorption studies, the sequential addition of HEC or HPMC is not able to displace previously adsorbed PVOH molecules to any appreciable extent. However, the addition of PVOH to previously equilibrated HEC/clay or HPMC/clay suspensions results in a large amount of the adsorbed cellulosic polymer being displaced by PVOH, especially under conditions of high surface coverage. These results indicate that PVOH is preferentially adsorbed on the clay surface and the strength of attachment to the surface is greater for PVOH than for either cellulosic polymer.
Function of the SpoVAEa and SpoVAF Proteins of Bacillus subtilis Spores

The Bacillus subtilis spoVAEa and spoVAF genes are expressed in developing spores as members of the spoVA operon, which encodes proteins essential for the uptake and release of dipicolinic acid (DPA) during spore formation and germination. SpoVAF is likely an integral inner spore membrane protein and exhibits sequence identity to A subunits of the spore's nutrient germinant receptors (GRs), while SpoVAEa is a soluble protein with no obvious signals to allow its passage across a membrane. However, like SpoVAD, SpoVAEa is present on the outer surface of the spore's inner membrane, as SpoVAEa was accessible to an external biotinylation agent in spores and SpoVAEa disappeared in parallel with SpoVAD during proteinase K treatment of germinated spores. SpoVAEa and SpoVAD were also distributed similarly in fractions of disrupted dormant spores. Unlike spoVAD, spoVAEa is absent from the genomes of some spore-forming members of the Bacillales and Clostridiales orders, although SpoVAEa's amino acid sequence is conserved in species containing spoVAEa. B. subtilis strains lacking SpoVAF or SpoVAEa and SpoVAF sporulated normally, and the spores had normal DPA levels. Spores lacking SpoVAF or SpoVAEa and SpoVAF also germinated normally with non-GR-dependent germinants but more slowly than wild-type spores with GR-dependent germinants, and this germination defect was complemented by ectopic expression of the missing proteins.
Disability as Vulnerability: Redistributing Precariousness in Democratic Ways

This article examines how political appeals to a shared human vulnerability could potentially deconstruct the able/disabled binary that continues to exist in the case of disability. The notion of vulnerability is important because it moves us beyond thinking about disability as a discrimination issue and approaches it as a shared matter of political planning and public welfare. To begin, I adjudicate between competing conceptions of vulnerability and its relationship to politics, focusing on the writings of Alasdair MacIntyre and Judith Butler. Drawing from both authors while emphasizing Butler's politicized version of vulnerability, I make the case for how disability scholars and activists should shift political efforts from a narrow focus on identity politics to a more encompassing vision of coalition politics, thereby removing the stigma of needing “special” protections for currently disabled citizens, while also making the case for the state to provide adequate social rights for all citizens.
Where do merger gains come from? Bank mergers from the perspective of insiders and outsiders

Abstract Traditional studies fail to find conclusive evidence that bank mergers create value. We analyze a sample of the largest bank mergers between 1985 and 1996. For a subset of this sample, we obtain management estimates of projected cost savings and revenue enhancements. We find that recent mergers appear to result in positive revaluations of the combined value of bidder and target stocks. Although not as large as the present value of management's estimates, with the bulk of the revaluation being attributable to estimated cost savings rather than projected revenue enhancements.
Two Arabidopsis proteins synthesize acetylated xylan in vitro

SUMMARY Xylan is the third most abundant glycopolymer on earth after cellulose and chitin. As a major component of wood, grain and forage, this natural biopolymer has far-reaching impacts on human life. This highly acetylated cell wall polysaccharide is a vital component of the plant cell wall, which functions as a molecular scaffold, providing plants with mechanical strength and flexibility. Mutations that impair synthesis of the xylan backbone give rise to plants that fail to grow normally because of collapsed xylem cells in the vascular system. Phenotypic analysis of these mutants has implicated many proteins in xylan biosynthesis; however, the enzymes directly responsible for elongation and acetylation of the xylan backbone have not been unambiguously identified. Here we provide direct biochemical evidence that two Arabidopsis thaliana proteins, IRREGULAR XYLEM 10–L (IRX10-L) and ESKIMO1/TRICOME BIREFRINGENCE 29 (ESK1/TBL29), catalyze these respective processes in vitro. By identifying the elusive xylan synthase and establishing ESK1/TBL29 as the archetypal plant polysaccharide O-acetyltransferase, we have resolved two long-standing questions in plant cell wall biochemistry. These findings shed light on integral steps in the molecular pathways used by plants to synthesize a major component of the world’s biomass and expand our toolkit for producing glycopolymers with valuable properties.
Making it Hard to Lie: Cultural Determinants of Media Choice for Deception

In today’s business environment, deception is commonplace. In hiring situations, successful deception by job candidates can lead to a poor fit between the candidate’s abilities and the requirements of the job, and this can lead to poor performance. This study seeks to inhibit successful deception by job candidates by suggesting that managers limit communication with job applicants to the media that the applicant is least comfortable using for deception. In today’s multicultural business environment, job applicants can come from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Taking this into account, the current study seeks to predict media choice for deception based on a subject’s espoused national culture. A scenario-based media choice task was given to subjects in the United States and China, and the results indicate that espoused collectivism, power distance and masculinity influence media choice. Implications for research and practitioners are discussed.
Polyglutamine-expanded Huntingtin Promotes Sensitization of N-Methyl-d-aspartate Receptors via Post-synaptic Density 95

Increased glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity seems to play an important role in the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease (Tabrizi, S. J., Cleeter, M. W., Xuereb, J., Taaman, J. W., Cooper, J. M., and Schapira, A. H. (1999) Ann. Neurol. 45, 25-32). However, how polyglutamine expansion in huntingtin promotes glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity remains a mystery. In this study we provide evidence that (i) normal huntingtin is associated with N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and kainate receptors via postsynaptic density 95 (PSD-95), (ii) the SH3 domain of PSD-95 mediates its binding to huntingtin, and (iii) polyglutamine expansion interferes with the ability of huntingtin to interact with PSD-95. The expression of polyglutamine-expanded huntingtin causes sensitization of NMDA receptors and promotes neuronal apoptosis induced by glutamate. The addition of the NMDA receptor antagonist significantly attenuates neuronal toxicity induced by glutamate and polyglutamine-expanded huntingtin. The overexpression of normal huntingtin significantly inhibits neuronal toxicity mediated by NMDA or kainate receptors. Our results demonstrate that polyglutamine expansion impairs the ability of huntingtin to bind PSD-95 and inhibits glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. These changes may be essential for the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease.
Long-term stability of grafted polyethylene glycol surfaces for use with microstamped substrates in neuronal cell culture.

Abstract Crucial to long-term stability of neuronal micropatterns is functional retention of the underlying substratum while exposed to cell culture conditions. We report on the ability of covalently bound PEG films in long-term cell culture to continually retard protein adhesion and cell growth. PDMS microstamps were used to create poly-d-lysine (PDL) substrates permissive to cell attachment and growth, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) substrates were used to minimize protein and cell adhesion. Film thickness was measured using null ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Organosilane film structure was examined using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Long-term film stability in cell culture conditions was tested by immersion in 0.1 m sodium phosphate buffer pH 7.4 for up to one month. Null ellipsometry and water contact measurements indicated that organosilane films were stable up to one month, whereas the PEG film thickness declined rapidly after day 25. Hippocampal cells plated at 200 cells/mm2 on uniform PEG substrates gave a steady increase in biofilm thickness on PEG films throughout the culture, possibly from proteins of neuronal origin. We found that all the layers in the cross-linking procedure were stable in cell culture conditions, with the exception of PEG, which degraded after day 25.
Functional Selectivity at Dopamine Receptors

This chapter reviews functional selectivity at dopamine receptors with emphasis on ligands for both D2 and D1 receptors. The signaling mechanisms for both the D1 and D2 receptors are reviewed, and we illustrate an early example of functional selectivity of the drug dihydrexidine and a related analog propylDHX. In traditional binding and functional assays, both compounds have affinity for D2L receptors with typical shallow, GTP-sensitive curves. Both compounds are full agonists at inhibiting adenylate cyclase in a variety of heterologous and physiological systems. Yet the hypothesis from these data that these compounds are full D2L agonists was challenged by evidence of pure antagonism at other endpoints, both in heterologous systems and physiological preparations. The fact that the behavioral effects of both compounds are atypical suggests that functionally selective drugs can cause pharmacological responses in vivo that may be therapeutically useful. This hypothesis is supported by data with the third generation antipsychotic drug aripiprazole (Abilify). Although thought to be a simple partial agonist, it is actually a functionally selective ligand whose intrinsic activity and potency are markedly affected by the milieu of the D2L receptor. We conclude by a review of the current controversy regarding the hypothesized functional selectivity of certain D1 ligands and its implications for novel therapy for Parkinson's disease and cognition. These examples strongly support the hypothesis that functional selectivity is a major mechanism that can affect drug action in vivo. For dopamine and other receptors, this offers research challenges, but also great opportunities for future drug design.
Continuous System Control

This chapter describes how the BOXES methodology can be applied to continuous processes that may or may not be ill defined. By altering the rules of how the BOXES game is implemented, the system can use timeouts to signal when opportunities for positive statistical reinforcement and improved performance can be granted. It is customary to expect that control systems that include elements of learning may frequently under-perform or even fail in their initial stages of maturity. Good and bad control actions must be identified and cataloged so that strategies for avoiding, or at least postponing, losses (failures) can be formulated. However, when the system under control is continuous, for example, in process control, the system does not have the luxury of failure and restart as in the trolley and pole application. The idea of using the BOXES method as a secondary rather than primary control mechanism is further discussed. An example, BOXES augmentation as a PID tuning agent is included along with some preliminary results that indicate a reduction in system oscillations.
Clinician-Reported Barriers to Group Visit Implementation.

Background: Group visits have been shown to improve disease-oriented outcomes and satisfaction, yet many clinicians have not incorporated them into practice. We aimed to identify clinician-reported barriers that preclude clinicians from implementing group visits. Methods: Primary care physicians from one practice-based research network were surveyed regarding their experience with and barriers to group visits. The survey, developed for this study, was mailed to 246 clinicians. Results: Of 107 respondents (44% response rate), those in practice 10 years of experience. For those without prior group visit experience, training was named as the top barrier to incorporating group visits. Those with group visit experience named staffing concerns and recruitment as the top barriers to group visit implementation. Conclusions: Primary care clinicians without prior group visit experience were less likely to endorse group visi...
A Tale of Topology

We examine the history of a group of important results in general topology. Cech; and the christen- ers of mathematical objects, while guilty of many historical errors, are largely innocent in this case. Further delving into the related literature also reveals that these results are part of a connected group of ideas that also includes Urysohn's lemma, the Urysohn metrization theorem, the Stone representation theorem, and the Stone-Weierstrass the- orem. The main purpose of this essay is to recount the history of this chain of ideas, which makes an interesting story and furnishes examples of the fact that the long- term significance of a piece of research may be something other than what the author had in mind. However, present-day readers of the early papers on point-set topology have to cope with some changes in viewpoints and terminology that have occurred in the meantime, so I thought it would be useful to begin with a brief account of the development of the concepts of topological spaces and compactness. It does not pretend to be a comprehensive history of the subject. Engelking (8) contains more detailed historical notes and references, and a wealth of further information on the history of topology (including the geometric and algebraic branches of the subject) can be found in Aull and Lowen (4 )a nd James (14). In this paper I employ the standard modern terminology concerning topological spaces as found, for example, in (9). If X is a topological space and F = R or C, C F (X ) denotes the algebra of continuous F-valued functions on X ,a ndC F b (X ) de- notes the subalgebra of bounded continuous functions. The latter is a Banach algebra, equipped with the uniform norm. For the reader's convenience I recall the standard separation conditions for topolog- ical spaces. A topological space X is T0 if, for any distinct x, y ∈ X, either x / ∈ {y} or y / ∈ {x} (the bar denotes closure), and it is T1 if {x }={ x} for all x ∈ X.A T1 space is normal if any two disjoint closed sets have disjoint neighborhoods, regular if the latter condition holds when one of the sets is a singleton, and Hausdorff if it holds when both sets are singletons. THE BACK STORY. The concept of an abstract topological space did not spring full-blown from the mind of a single person. In some sense it goes back to Riemann's inaugural lecture on the foundations of geometry, delivered in 1854 but published only posthumously (16), although the abstract spaces he had in mind were differentiable
Two-Layer Model for Horizontal Pipe Flow of Newtonian and Non-Newtonian Settling Dense Slurries

The steady-state flow of Newtonian and non-Newtonian dense aqueous slurries in horizontal pipes has been analyzed using a two-layer model, consisting of a top layer of flowing suspension and a bottom bed of stationary or moving particles. The coarse solids used have a wide range of particle density and particle size distributions. The fluids studied were designed to simulate U.S. Department of Energy Hanford site waste slurries. The most important changes from previous models include an independent settling analysis for different particle size fractions, effects of particle shape on settling velocity, and a new correlation for the turbulent particle dispersivity. The results indicate that the turbulent dispersivity of settling particles is sensitive to particle size and density. The model gives good estimation of the critical deposition velocity as the minimum of the pressure drop versus superficial slurry velocity relation. The existence of a stationary layer can be observed and predicted by the model under laminar and turbulent flow conditions.
Is the Internet Homogenizing or Diversifying the News? External Pluralism in the U.S., Danish, and French Press:

This study examines whether news is more or less homogeneous online than in print across agenda-setting news outlets in the United States, Denmark, and France. Examining similarities and differences in the genres, topics, and authors of news in each country's leading newspapers, it finds little evidence of greater online homogeneity in any country. U.S. news outlets are more differentiated online than in print, while French news outlets have similar levels of print and online differentiation. Online data for Denmark reveal no consistent pattern in the direction of either homogeneity or differentiation. These findings suggest that the differentiating effects of the online environment are strongest in countries (e.g., the United States) where media markets are being restructured to include more direct competition between agenda-setting news outlets at the national level. By contrast, countries (e.g., France and, to a lesser degree, Denmark) with high levels of print differentiation have similarly high levels online due to the path-dependent effects of their national media systems.
Boundary Layer Mesh Generation and Adaptivity

This paper studies the requirements to couple anisotropic mesh adaptation with boundary layer mesh generation for complex geometries. Starting from a simple fully unstructured adaptation scheme, some improvements to generate quasi-structured boundary layers are presented. A size gradation is then used to ensure a smooth variation from the boundary layer mesh to volume mesh. Finally, an ongoing local boundary layer procedure is introduced in order to improve the robustness of the overall method. For each method, 3D examples issued from aerodynamics are given.
A Psychometric Study of the Community Service Self-Efficacy Scale for Evaluation of Service-Learning Programs

This study cross-validated the psychometric properties of the 10-item Community Service Self-Efficacy Scale (CSSES) for evaluation of service-learning programs. Three independent samples consisting of undergraduate students and high school students were used to study the validity of the scale. An exploratory factor analysis on the scale yielded strong construct validity with a clear one-factor structure. The results from a confirmatory factor analysis indicated an excellent one-factor model fit. The internal consistency (>.89) and positive discrimination power of the scale also indicated that CSSES is a psychometrically reliable and valid instrument for evaluation of service-learning programs or research in this area for increasing community service engagement of both high school and college students.
Bi-objective optimal design of a damage-tolerant multifunctional battery system

Abstract In current electric vehicles (EVs), battery systems only serve the role of electrical energy storage. Heavy protecting structures surround the batteries. To enhance the overall performance of EVs one desires multifunctional battery systems with structural and energy storage functionalities. Our research centers on the design methodology to enable such multifunctional material systems. An architectured multifunctional battery-structure material system, namely the Cellular Battery Assembly (CBA), is introduced. The CBA is composed of cylindrical battery cells surrounded by hollow tubes. The CBA inherits features of the energy absorbing characteristics of periodic cellular materials while maintaining an electrical energy storage. The energy absorbing mechanism is activated when intentional collapse of hollow tubes dissipates energy and protects battery units from high compressive stress. Depending on loading conditions to be applied, the multi-functionalities of CBA can be optimized by morphological or dimensional control of the building blocks through a multi-objective optimization process. The present study focuses on a multi-objective optimization design process to achieve optimal configurations in specific applications where energy storage and energy absorption are objective functions to be maximized simultaneously. Results show that CBA can possess energy absorption performance that compares well to other energy absorbing materials while a desirable energy storage capability is maintained.
Neuron Based Surgery: Are We There Yet? Technical Developments in the Surgical Treatment of Brain Injury and Disease

From early trephination of the skull in pre-Columbian Peru, to syntheses of boutique nanoscale agents targeting specific cells in an individual’s brain, neurosurgical treatments of brain injury have both persisted and progressed in the modern era. While burr hole subdural drains, craniectomies and craniotomies continue to be mainstays of neurotrauma treatment, surgeons and scientists are expanding the limits of the field with the development of neuron-based, nanoscale surgical techniques and therapeutics. Nanoparticle conjugates targeting molecules of specific cell types now make it possible to selectively treat specific neuronal tissues with radiation, chemotherapeutic, and surgical modalities. Nanoscale tissue scaffolding, lasers, and surgical instruments are being developed and employed for individually catered therapies. This chapter explores the history leading up to the development of neuron-based surgery and the possibilities for applications of neuron-based treatments.
History of Paleocurrent Investigations up to 1963

In order to obtain a proper perspective and thus appreciate better what has been accomplished, the history of the subject is briefly reviewed.
The social construction of Latino childhood in the New South

Childhood in the United States, and in the American South more particularly, has several well-known and popularized constructions, typically divided by social class and ethnic identity. More specifically, Southern childhood is constructed as an either white or black experience, with one’s social world being extremely ethnically segregated in either case. Over the last several decades, as a post–North American Free Trade Agreement immigration boom has brought several generations of Latinos into the American South (in part because of these shifting demographics, the area is now often called the “New South”), this bifurcated popular conceptualization of childhood has been disrupted by the growing presence of Latino children in Southern schools and communities. Building upon Vygotsky’s premise that identity (including ethnic identity) is constructed through a cultural–historical lens, we here use the nascent literature on Latino education in the New South to outline an initial construction of Southern Latino ...
Self-similar structure of ultra-relativistic magnetized termination shocks and the role of reconnection in long-lasting GRB ouflows

We consider the double-shock structure of ultra-relativistic flows produced by the interaction of magnetized wind with magnetized external medium. The contact discontinuity (CD) is a special point in the flow - density, kinetic pressure and magnetic field experience a jump or are non-analytic on the CD. To connect dynamically the outside region (the forward shock flow) with the inside region (the reverse shock flow) requires resolving flow singularities at the contact discontinuity. On the CD the pressure is communicated exclusively by the magnetic field on both sides - the CD becomes an Alfven tangential discontinuity. Thus, the dynamic amplification of the magnetic field leads to a formation of a narrow magnetosheath. We discussed a possibility that particles emitting early $X$-ray afterglows, as well as Fermi GeV photons, are accelerated via magnetic reconnection processes in the post-reverse shock region, and in the magnetosheath in particular.
Host preference and utilization by Melittobia digitata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in relation to mating status.

Host preferences of virgin and mated females of Melittobia digitata Dahms were compared in the laboratory using pupae of the flesh fly Neobellieria (=Sarcophaga) bullata (Parker) as hosts. When simultaneously offered two hosts, virgin females used only one of the hosts more often than mated females did. However, the unused second host developed to adulthood significantly less often than did controls, suggesting that the female stung and paralyzed it. Because virgin females lay only a few eggs that always develop into males which utilize very little of the host resource, this behavior seems adaptive in that potential hosts remain available, but developmentally arrested, for later full exploitation by the same female (now mated by her offspring). An additional implication of these results is that females can discriminate one flesh fly host from the other, and choose to avoid oviposition on both.
“Professional Movements” and the Expansion of Access to Healthcare in the Industrializing World

Explanations for the expansion of the welfare state have frequently centered on the importance of left-wing political parties and labor unions. Scholars have even pointed to the rare but growing significance of social democracy in the industrializing world. Yet, in the field of healthcare, labor unions frequently oppose sweeping universalistic reforms that threaten to erode members’ existing benefits, and those most in need of healthcare in rural areas and the informal sector are often the least organized politically. In the absence of mass demands, who then is responsible for universal healthcare programs in the industrializing world, and by what means do they successfully advocate for far-reaching reforms? This article explores the role that “professional movements” played in expanding access to healthcare in an industrializing nation that was engaged in processes of democratization. Mass movements are typically composed of lay people; by contrast, professional movements are made up of elites from esteemed professions who command knowledge, networks, and access to state resources that set them apart from ordinary citizens. The account illustrates how and why professional movements are able to play such a powerful role in health policymaking in the industrializing world, points to the need for more research on professional movements in other cases and policy domains, and discusses their relevance to social change in the industrializing world.
Exploring the Link between Maternity Leave and Postpartum Depression.

Abstract Objectives Postpartum depression affects a substantial proportion of new mothers in the United States. Although most employed women return to paid work after birth, the association between duration of maternity leave and postpartum depression is unclear. We therefore aimed to explore this relationship among mothers in the United States. Methods Data included 177 mothers from a national survey who had returned to work full time after having a baby. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore the independent association between duration of maternity leave and experiencing of postpartum depressive symptoms in the 2 weeks preceding the postpartum survey completion. Results Overall, duration of maternity leave was not significantly associated with experiencing postpartum depression symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80–1.01). This effect, however, varied by duration of maternity leave. Among women who took maternity leaves of 12 weeks or less, every additional week of leave was associated with a lesser odds of experiencing postpartum depressive symptoms (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.40–0.84). Among women who took maternity leaves longer than 12 weeks, leave duration was not associated with postpartum depression symptoms (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.73–1.29). Conclusions Maternity leaves equaling 12 weeks or less may contribute additional risk for postpartum depressive symptoms, possibly because mothers are juggling employment alongside of important physical and emotional changes during this period. This association underscores the importance of ensuring that mothers have at least 12 weeks of leave from full-time employment after the birth of a baby.