cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Income Tax Compliance Cost of Large and Mid-Size Businesses

This reports presents evidence on the compliance costs of medium-sized businesses based on a survey conducted by the Office of Tax Policy Research. The survey attempts to measure the size and composition of compliance costs and to identify firm characteristics that affect these costs. Our analysis of the responses of taxpayers and tax professionals confirms the regressivity of business compliance costs and suggests that, as a proportion of taxes paid, they are significantly higher than for the largest U.S. businesses and for individual taxpayers. Comparisons to revenue must be done carefully, however, because the majority of medium-sized businesses are in fact not taxpaying entities, but are rather pass-through entities.
Gravitational radiation antennas using the Sagnac effect.

A new class of gravitational antennas that utilize the general relativistic Sagnac effect is proposed. These antennas may be more efficient than the Weber bar by a factor of (c/vs)4 ∼ 1019, wherev sis the velocity of sound in the bar. A specific case of such an antenna consisting of a superfluid helium Josephson interferometer is considered. A general relativistic theory of the interaction of the superfluid with the gravitational field is given. Using this theory, the phase shift due to a gravitational plane wave on one such antenna is obtained. More generally, the proposed interferometer involves the interplay of general relativity and quantum theory and may afford the possibility of testing general relativity in the laboratory at the quantum mechanical level. The possibility of detecting gravitons, assuming nearly unit coupling efficiency for the antenna, is explored.
Robust extrapolation designs for biased polynomial models

Abstract In this article we consider the construction of optimal designs for extrapolation in the polynomial regression setup, allowing for imprecision in the specification of the response function. We adopt a minimax approach, which determines an optimal design to minimize the maximum value of the integrated mean-squared prediction error (IMSPE), with the maximum being evaluated over the departures from the model. It turns out that in straight-line and quadratic regression, the minimax extrapolation designs are the same as the minimum integrated variance (MIV) extrapolation designs, which assume that the fitted models are correct. These designs coincide with the D 1 -optimal designs if the extrapolation interval becomes sufficiently large. For cubic polynomial regression, some comparisons of the performance of the proposed designs with uniform and MIV designs are given.
Derivative-free algorithms for unconstrained optimization problems

On this paper we give several derivative-free algorithms for unconstrained optimization of a function of several variables. The algorithms are based on modifying some quasi-Newton methods by accepting a finite difference approximation to the gradient vector. They all proved to be locally and Q-superlinearly convergent.
Microelectrode implantation technique for use in the awake and unrestrained cat

Abstract A technique is described for repeated implantation of movable microelectrodes through a large cranial opening into the cerebellum of an awake cat. Accurate implantation of electrodes through a regrown dura, over a period of months is accomplished by using a hand drawn map of the cortical surface and skull reference marks in conjunction with a dissecting microscope and calibrated eye piece. An animal preparation with a large cranial opening permits greater experimental flexibility and the simultaneous use of several microelectrodes. Silastic elastomers are employed in this technique to facilitate reimplantation, prevent herniation of the cortical surface and provide for increased recording stability. The technique has been used successfully for recording the restrained as well as freely moving animals over a period of 6 months.
Chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) kinetics and mechanisms

The dissociation of I2 by O2(a1AE) is a critical process for the chemical oxygen iodine laser. Despite many years of study the dissociation mechanism is not properly understood. Currently accepted models assume that vibrationally excited I2 is the immediate precursor to atomic I. However, studies of I2 vibrational relaxation kinetics cast doubt on this assignment. New measurements of quenching rate constants for I2(A') indicate that electronically excited I2 is a more likely precursor. A revised kinetic model for the dissociation process is proposed, based on the active participation of electronically excited I2. Vibrationally excited I2 remains an important species in this model as the I2 must be vibrationally excited before the electronically excited states can be accessed. A preliminary rate constant package for the new model is presented.
Optical morphological correlation based on visual-area-coding technique

Nonlinear morphological correlation provides some better performances in pattern recognition than linear correlation. However, it requires considerable amount of computational effort to obtain the final result. An adaptive threshold decomposition technique is proposed to reduce the computation and increase the processing speed. Computer simulation shows that the proposed method yields similar results to the original morphological correlation but with much less computational effort. A visual-area-coding technique is proposed to implement the morphological correlation optically in a single step. This alternative optical implementation provides several advantages over the optical morphological correlation schemes.
Genome-Wide Fitness and Expression Profiling Implicate Mga2 in Adaptation to Hydrogen Peroxide

Caloric restriction extends lifespan, an effect once thought to involve attenuation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by aerobic metabolism. However, recent evidence suggests that caloric restriction may in fact raise ROS levels, which in turn provides protection from acute doses of oxidant through a process called adaptation. To shed light on the molecular mechanisms of adaptation, we designed a series of genome-wide deletion fitness and mRNA expression screens to identify genes involved in adaptation to hydrogen peroxide. Combined with known transcriptional interactions, the integrated data implicate Yap1 and Skn7 as central transcription factors of both the adaptive and acute oxidative responses. They also identify the transcription factors Mga2 and Rox1 as active exclusively in the adaptive response and show that Mga2 is essential for adaptation. These findings are striking because Mga2 and Rox1 have been thought to control the response to hypoxic, not oxidative, conditions. Expression profiling of mga2Δ and rox1Δ knockouts shows that these factors most strongly regulate targets in ergosterol, fatty-acid, and zinc metabolic pathways. Direct quantitation of ergosterol reveals that its basal concentration indeed depends on Mga2, but that Mga2 is not required for the decrease in ergosterol observed during adaptation.
Norlaudanosoline and Nicotine Increase Endogenous Ganglionic Morphine Levels: Nicotine Addiction

1. Given the presence of morphine, its metabolites and precursors, e.g., norlaudanosoline, in mammalian and invertebrate tissues, it became important to determine if exposing normal excised ganglia to norlaudanosoline would result in increasing endogenous morphine levels. 2. Mytilus edulis pedal ganglia contain 2.2 ± 0.41 ng/g wet weight morphine as determined by high pressure liquid chromatography coupled to electrochemical detection and radioimmunoassay. 3. Incubation of M. edulis pedal ganglia with norlaudanosoline, a morphine precursor, resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent statistical increase in endogenous morphine levels (6.9 ± 1.24 ng/g). 4. Injection of animals with nicotine also increased endogenous morphine levels in a manner that was antagonized by atropine, suggesting that nicotine addiction may be related to altering endogenous morphine levels in mammals. 5. We surmise that norlaudanosoline is being converted to morphine, demonstrating that invertebrate neural tissue can synthesize morphine.
Inorganic Synthesis for the Stabilization of Nanoparticles: Application to Cu/Al2O3 Nanocomposite Materials

A series of copper/aluminum nanocomposites with different mixing homogeneities and different texture features were prepared via various inorganic synthesis methods including coprecipitation, gelation, and stepwise thermal modification. Nitrogen sorption measurements and X-ray diffraction were used for textural and structural analysis, respectively. Solid−solid reaction analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis were developed for the determination of the mixing homogeneities of copper-based nanocomposite materials. A sintering experiment at 250−600 °C for 350 h under methanol-steam reforming conditions was carried out to compare the stability of supported Cu0 nanoparticles. Although a large initial size of supported nanoparticles is not favorable, those supported nanoparticles with a small initial size cannot ensure good thermal stability. The mixing homogeneities of CuO/Al2O3 mixed metal oxide (MMO) nanocomposites significantly affected the thermal stability of their reduced Cu0 crysta...
The Prevention Of Cardiovascular Disease: Have We Really Made Progress?

Despite reductions in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, current evidence suggests that CVD is not being prevented but, rather, is being made less lethal. Evidence-based guidelines have been developed for secondary, primary, and community-based prevention. To improve compliance with secondary prevention guidelines, programs must better organize and monitor care. Primary prevention requires assessment of risk in asymptomatic people, to yield cost-effective benefits. CVD prevention at the societal level should target deleterious behavior in community settings, using effective public health interventions. Policy options that involve multiple preventive approaches offer the best opportunity to minimize the economic and social burdens of CVD.
Adaptive optics for resolution/throughput optimization; variable-radius-mirror application for a PGM

Abstract The utilization of a bendable, variable-radius mirror as a key optical element to control resolution (and throughput) of an XUV monochromator is discussed. A bendable mirror is placed between source and grating; by bending it to either a concave or a convex figure along the dispersion direction, a variation of monochromator resolution is accomplished. As an application example, a plane-grating soft X-ray monochromator equipped with this bendable mirror system was investigated with ray-tracing calculations.
SPIN‐TRAPPING and ESR STUDIES OF THE DIRECT PHOTOLYSIS OF AROMATIC AMINO ACIDS, DIPEPTIDES, TRIPEPTIDES and POLYPEPTIDES IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS—III. TRYPTOPHAN and RELATED COMPOUNDS

— The direct UV photolysis of l-Phe and peptides containing l-Phe in aqueous solutions has been investigated at room temperature. The short-lived free radicals formed during photolysis were spin-trapped by t-nitrosobutane and identified by electron spin resonance. During the photolysis of l-Phe the decarboxylation and the deamination radicals were spin-trapped. For N-formyl and N-acetyl-l-Phe the decarboxylation radicals were observed. For dipeptides containing Phe the decarboxylation radicals were observed and in some cases the deamination radicals from the N-terminal residue were found. For the tripeptides Gly-l-Phe-l-Ala and Gly-Gly-l-Phe, the C-terminal decarboxylation radical was spin trapped; for l-Phe-Gly-Gly only the deamination radical of the N-terminal residue could be detected. However, for Gly-l-Phe-Gly, five different radicals were identified. The results of the spin-trapping experiments of the 260 nm photolysis of RNase-S-peptide, containing 20 amino acid residues, was interpreted in terms of a chain scission between the alpha carbon of the Phe residue and the adjacent carbonyl group.
Magnetic alignment in nominally non-magnetic hexagonal metal hydrides: NMR.

Abstract Powders of three hexagonal metal-hydrides or -deuterides are found to align in 4.4– 8.3 T magnetic fields used for NMR. The field-alignment is unexpected, since all three systems have very small susceptibilities, as demonstrated by sharp NMR lines. The extent of alignment runs from nearly complete to barely detectable in ZrBe2(H,D)x, LuD3, and YD3, respectively. The preferred alignment direction in ZrBe2(H,D)x is with the crystallites’ c-axis perpendicular to B, while the c-axis and B tend to be parallel in LuD3 and YD3. The susceptibilities χ|| and χ⊥ are determined from bulk magnetization measurements in aligned ZrBe2H1.4 powder. The alignment must be considered for proper analysis of NMR spectra in these and related materials.
Health answer quality evaluation by librarians, nurses, and users in social Q&A

Abstract Health information consumers and patients increasingly take an active role in seeking health information online and in sharing their health problems and concerns in online support groups and social media venues. However, they may risk being influenced by unreliable and misleading information in such environments, as no intermediaries monitor the quality of this information. This study focuses on evaluating the quality of health information exchanged in one of the social media venues, by investigating how librarians, nurses, and users assessed the quality of health answers in Yahoo! Answers, a social question-and-answering (Q&A) service. Through statistical analysis differences among the three participant groups, how the background characteristics influenced their assessments, and the relationships between characteristics of the content of answers and quality evaluation criteria were each considered in detail. Librarians and nurses shared similar ratings of answer quality, but had differences in their level of medical knowledge and the types of services they offer, resulting in minor differences across criteria. Users perceived the quality of health answers in social Q&A to be higher than librarians and nurses for almost all criteria. Depending on the sources of information presented in health answers, librarians, nurses, and users gave different quality assessments. Implications exist for research into and practice of evaluating the quality of health information, which need to address both search and domain expertise along with the sharing of socioemotional values preferred by users.
SU‐GG‐J‐93: Feasibility Study On Artifact Reduction Using Dual Energy Digital Tomosynthesis

Purpose: We propose a simulation study to examine the feasibility of incorporating dual energy (DE) subtraction with digital tomosynthesis (DTS) to help reduce DTS reconstruction artifacts. Method and Materials: We have previously investigated the incorporation of DTS into radiation therapy for patient localization and found the initial results promising. Due to the limited sampling of the Fourier space, high contrast signals, such as bone, tend to bleed into other slices of the reconstruction. These artifacts could be misconstrued or reduce the conspicuity of low‐contrast signals, especially in the lungs. For this simulation study, an advanced 4D NURBS based Cardiac‐Torso (NCAT) phantom, which includes a detailed whole‐body anatomy of organs including the lungs, airway tree, heart, and vessels, was used. When combined with advanced models of the imaging process, the NCAT phantom can produce realistic imaging data. For this study, a unique x‐ray projection algorithm developed specifically for the NCAT phantom was used to generate limited angle projection data for DTS reconstruction. 81 images were acquired over a 40 degree arc. The breathing cycle was set to simulate breath‐hold imaging. Data sets were generated using spectra of 80 and 120 kVp. For this study, dual energy subtraction (DES) was performed on these two sets of limited angle images to remove the overlying bony anatomy. The resulting images were then reconstructed using a modified filtered back projection technique. This DE‐DTS volume was then visually compared to a standard DTS reconstruction of the 120 kVp data set. Results: The removal of the overlying bony anatomy of the chest in the DE‐DTS images helps to reduce the high contrast artifacts present in the standard DTS reconstruction.Conclusion: This feasibility study demonstrates that DE‐DTS imaging may provide increased visualization of low contrast regions in the chest by reducing high contrast DTS reconstruction artifacts.
A measure based approach to the fusion of possibilistic and probabilistic uncertainty

We are interested in the problem of multi-source information fusion in the case when the information provided has some uncertainty. We note that sensor provided information generally has a probabilistic type of uncertainty whereas linguistic information typically introduces a possibilistic type of uncertainty. More generally, we are faced with a problem in which we must fuse information with different types of uncertainty. In order to provide a unified framework for the representation of these different types of uncertain information we use a set measure approach for the representation of uncertain information. We discuss a set measure representation of uncertain information. In the multi-source fusion problem, in addition to having a collection of pieces of information that must be fused, we need to have some expert provided instructions on how to fuse these pieces of information. Generally these instructions can involve a combination of linguistically and mathematically expressed directions. In the course of this work we begin to consider the fundamental task of how to translate these instructions into formal operations that can be applied to our information. This requires us to investigate the important problem of the aggregation of set measures.
Response to Letter Regarding Article, “Outcomes With Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Versus Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Patients With Diabetes Mellitus: Can Newer Generation Drug-Eluting Stents Bridge the Gap?”

Toeg et al state that, “the conclusion that diabetic patient mortality is similar between coronary artery bypass graft surgery and second generation drug eluting stents (DES) is highly problematic” and rehash many of the limitations outlined in our article. We have also verified the number of patients in the diabetes mellitus subgroup of HOST-ASSURE to be accurate as stated (1196 patients) by us.1 In addition, they cite their own meta-analysis where a 37% reduction in mortality was seen with coronary artery bypass graft with data from 8 trials and 3131 patients with diabetes mellitus.2 Their meta-analysis combined trials using bare metal stents and DES as a common comparator. In addition, the DES group (mainly first generation DES) was considered a homogeneous …
Pathophysiologic basis for growth failure in children with ichthyosis: An evaluation of cutaneous ultrastructure, epidermal permeability barrier function, and energy expenditure☆

Abstract Objective Because an impaired epidermal permeability barrier is present in many of the ichthyoses, we examined the contribution of barrier failure to caloric requirements in children with ichthyosis and growth failure. Study design Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and ultrastructural parameters of the permeability barrier were evaluated in 10 hospitalized children with ichthyosis and growth failure. Nutritional intake, resting energy expenditure, and calories lost as heat of evaporation were determined. Results Mean basal TEWL rates were markedly elevated in all study patients in comparison to the expected upper limit of normal (39.6±20.6 vs 8.7 mL/m 2 per hour). The severity of abnormalities in the ultrastructure of permeability barrier-related structures, assessed semiquantitatively, correlated significantly to mean basal TEWL rates ( P P Conclusions A defective permeability barrier in children with ichthyosis can result in ample chronic losses of water and calories to impair growth.
Heat transfer and reaction in laminar tube flow

An analytical study was made of the temperature and composition distribution and heat transfer characteristics for a reacting fluid in a tube. The reaction was assumed to be first order and irreversible and the flow to be laminar. The results, which consisted of radial and axial profiles of temperature, composition, and Nusselt number could be expressed in terms of four parameters. The gradient of radial composition was usually sufficient to judge the effect of reaction on the heat transfer coefficient. Owing to residence time and temperature effects, the Nusselt number even for an exothermic reaction was usually greater than that for an inert system. For endothermic cases, the energy flux due to diffusion increases the total energy flow, and the Nusselt number may be several fold that in the corresponding nonreactive system. For certain values of the parameters the radial temperature and composition profiles showed maxima and minima between the wall and center of the tube. At these conditions the direction of the flow of energy due to diffusion could not explain the increase in Nusselt number.
On van den Bergh's Method for Measuring the Hubble Constant from Type Ia Supernovae

In a recent Letter, van den Bergh used the explosion-model light-curve calculations of Hoflich & Khokhlov to calibrate the Hamuy et al. sample of remote Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) and obtained low values of H0 in the range 55-60 km s-1 Mpc-1. Citing a higher value of H0 obtained from Cepheid-based distance determinations to a few galaxies in the Virgo Cluster complex, van den Bergh concluded that unless the Cepheid distance scale is wrong, the models of Hoflich & Khokhlov must be much too bright or much too red. Here we calibrate the same sample of remote SNe Ia in the same way as was suggested by van den Bergh, but now relying on Cepheid-based determinations of the distances to SN Ia parent galaxies instead of the explosion-model light-curve calculations. No corrections for extinction of the SNe Ia are required, and no SNe Ia need be excluded on grounds of peculiarity. We obtain H0 = 57 ± 5 km s-1 Mpc-1. Various subsamples of the data give H0 in the range 54-60 km s-1 Mpc-1. This shows that the fault lies not with the SN Ia models, nor with Cepheids, but with the hazardous route through the Virgo complex.
Failure of the Agility Total Ankle Replacement System and the Salvage Options

The Agility total ankle replacement system was the most commonly performed implant in the United States for more than 20 years and has undergone four generations and seven phases of improvement. Much attention has been placed on intraoperative complications, such as malleolar fracture; nerve or tendon injury; and incision healing-related problems, such as wound coverage and infection. However, it is the intermediate- and long-term complications (ie, aseptic osteolysis, subsidence, component loosening, and progressive malalignment) that require careful consideration, because the revision options remain limited. This article reviews the history of the Agility total ankle replacement system in detail, to understand the revision possibilities available.
Electrophoretic study of the serum factors responsible for the serological reaction in rheumatoid arthritis, with demonstration of two inhibitors.

The separation of proteins of normal and rheumatoid sera by continuous flow electrophoresis (paper curtain) has provided additional data concerning the characteristics of rheumatoid factor and the nature of rheumatoid serologic reactions. Two distinct inhibitors of these reactions were found, one appearing in the gamma globulin fraction and the other in the fraction containing alpha and beta globulins. Le separation del proteinas in seros normal e rheumatoide per electrophorese a fluxo continue (cortina de papiro) ha fornite datos additional relative al characteristicas de factor rheumatoide e al natura de rheumatoide reactiones serologic. Esseva trovate duo distincte inhibitores de iste reactiones. Le un es in le fraction de globulina gamma, le altere in le fraction que contine globulina alpha e beta.
Maternal barbiturate administration and offspring response to shock.

Gravid Sprague-Dawley-derived rats were injected SC twice daily with either 20 or 40 mg/kg pentobarbital sodium (PT), sodium phenobarbital (PH), or the same volume of the saline vehicle on days 9–21 of pregnancy. Pair-feeding was employed. Vital, developmental, and activity measures were obtained on the neonates and locomotor activity was measured from 3–10 months of age. Avoidance was measured sequentially in a shuttle box, and in an operant chamber beginning at 3 months of age. The PH-80 dams gained less weight over the gestational period, and PH-80 and PH-40 offspring had more neonatal deaths. These male offspring were hyperactive at maturity, and PH-80 rats were initially slower to escape experimenter-initiated shock. PT exposure caused transient neonatal and juvenile hyperactivity. PT rats performed more poorly on both the conditioned avoidance and Sidman shock schedules, and had significantly lower brain: body weight ratios at 1 year of age. All four drug groups outperformed the saline offspring on subject-initiated shock schedules (punishment). Sex of offspring was determined on postnatal day 4 and the sex ratio was shifted towards male births with both drugs relative to controls.
Toleration, Pluralism, and Truth:

This paper deals with three guiding principles of contemporary Western civilization. It explores the compatibility of Toleration, Pluralism and Truth, as well as their application to diverse domains of cultural activity and creation. There is no place for toleration, let alone pluralism, in the realm of logic and mathematics. Scientific conclusions allow diverse degrees of certainty. The realm of monotheistic religions excludes pluralism, but necessitates toleration. The domains of ethics and its related social institutions allow diversity in secondary matters, but essentially should be guided by universally valid principles. In the case of aesthetics, a diversity of taste suggests a virtually unlimited pluralism. Yet, a universal basic principle of aesthetic evaluation is suggested which would greatly reduce tolerable pluralism, although this assertion is made with less confidence than the insistence on basic norms in ethics.
Survey of maneuvering target tracking: II. Ballistic target models

This paper is the second part in a series that provides a comprehensive survey of the problems and techniques of tracking maneuvering targets in the absence of the so-called measurement-origin uncertainty. It surveys motion models of ballistic targets used for target tracking. Models for all three phases (i.e., boost, coast, and reentry) of motion are covered.
A reevaluation of extruded nucleoli in sieve elements.

Immature and mature sieve elements of Populus deltoides, Quercus alba, Salix nigra, Tilia americana, and Rhus glabra were examined with light and electron microscopes. Sieve elements of the first four species contain persistent spherical inclusions similar to those heretofore interpreted as extruded nucleoli. Results obtained during the present study preclude the possibility that the spherical inclusions of the species examined are extruded nucleoli, either in part or in entirety. At the ultrastructural level the spherical inclusions consist of rodlike components in quasi-crystalline aggregates. The sieve elements of R. glabra contain stellate inclusions which differ in appearance from the spherical inclusions of the other four species. No substructure could be detected in the stellate inclusions.
Making the Invisible Visible: Negotiating (In)Visibility and Transparency for LGBT Issues in Education.

ABSTRACT Historically, schooling has been a point of contention and restless agitation for many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in North America who may feel trapped in prisons of invisibility. Traditionally, queer people's existence in educational settings has been denied or made invisible, not just physically (in school hallways and classrooms, etc.) but also in terms of discourse, curricular representation, and policy design. This review discusses five books: (1) I Could Not Speak My Heart: Educational and Social Justice for Gay and Lesbian Youth, (2) Fit to Teach: Same-Sex Desire, Gender, and School Work in the Twentieth Century, (3) Disputing the Subject of Sex: Sexuality and Public School Controversies, (4) Sexual Orientation and School Policy: A Practical Guide for Teachers, Administrators, and Community Activists, and (5) the second edition of One Teacher in 10: LGBT Educators Tell Their Stories. Each book speaks to the complexity of how LGBT individuals and allies negot...
Example of a mixed-signal Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver using MCM-L packaging

Under an Advanced Research Projects Agency program (NRaD contract N66001-89-C-0104), a fully functional Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver using Laminated Multichip Modules (MCM-L's) was developed. Although many facets of GPS are of interest, this paper will use this particular module design as an example of a more generic mixed-signal (i.e., containing both analog and digital electronic elements) system, concentrating on the design, assembly, and test aspects related to typical mixed-signal MCM problems. Topics include system requirements, design constraints, substrate selection and description, design approach, assembly and test. >
The synthesis and some chemical and spectroscopic properties of imidazo [1,2-a] pyrazine

The parent imidazo [1,2-a] pyrazine was prepared and shown to undergo electrophilic bromination at C-3, and base-catalyzed HD exchange at C-3 and C-5. The perchloro derivative of this ring system was prepared and it was established that nucleophilic substitution by methoxide ion occurs at C-5 and C-8. Pmr spectral data for all compounds are presented.
The internet as a celestial TiVo: What can we learn from cable television adoption?

It appears that the Internet is soon going to fulfill its potential to become a giant on-demand repository of television shows (and movies) available asynchronously, greatly increasing the variety of shows available at a moment in time. As companies such as Netflix and Hulu increase their activities in this sphere, there are many unanswered questions about the impacts of this transition. In this paper, we attempt to foretell the impact of Internet-induced increased variety on the amount of time individuals devote to viewing television. We use cable and satellite television’s impact on viewing as a proxy for the likely impact that future Internet transmission of programs will have. Using country-based panel data going back to the mid-1990s, we find that the increased variety brought about by cable and satellite has had virtually no impact on the amount of time devoted to television viewing. We discuss the import of this finding for Internet business models of television transmission.
Demonstration of a new, fast probability integration method for reliability analysis

The performance of a new, fast probability integration method which combines an improved equivalent normal concept and a scheme for linearizing a quadratic limit state is carefully examined. The examples tested include various combinations of linear and nonlinear limit states with normal and nonnormal variables; some examples are considered the worst possible cases. It is demonstrated that the new method is able to provide accurate probability-of-failure estimates for most cases and performs reasonably well when the Rackwitz-Fiessler method produces severe errors.
Aquinas on the Materiality of the Human Soul and the Immateriality of the Human Intellect

Contemporary philosophers tend to become interested in Aquinas’s conception of the mind when they perceive it as possibly offering a promising alternative between “the Scylla of materialism and the Charybdis of dualism”. They tend to become disillusioned, however, when they run into the problem of the apparent inconsistency in Aquinas’s conception. Furthermore, if they manage somehow to get over that apparent inconsistency, they find the support for the necessity of Aquinas’s view rather weak. 1 In this paper I will address both of these problems. I will first argue that with the proper understanding, Aquinas’s conception of the human soul and intellect does offer a consistent alternative to the dilemma of sheer materialism and postCartesian dualism. Furthermore, I will also argue that in their own theoretical context, Aquinas’ arguments for the materiality of the human soul and immateriality of the intellect provide a strong justification of his position. However, that theoretical context is rather “alien” to anything we are familiar with in contemporary philosophy. The conclusion of the paper will point in the direction of what can and needs to be done to render Aquinas’s position more palatable to contemporary philosophers.
Bazedoxifene + conjugated estrogens in HT for the prevention of osteoporosis and treatment of vasomotor symptoms associated with the menopause

Introduction: The recent concept that estrogen agonist–antagonists, often referred to as selective estrogen receptor modulators, can be combined with an estrogen has led to the development of a novel form of menopausal therapy called Tissue-Selective Estrogen Complex (TSEC). This paper reviews the TSEC bazedoxifene and conjugated equine estrogens (BZA/CE). Areas covered: This review is based on clinical trials and a PubMed search. The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of BZA in BZA plus CE are reviewed. This review outlines the effects of this particular TSEC, which maintains or increases bone mineral density in women at high risk for osteoporosis, and has clinical qualities of a promising new menopausal therapy. The potential adverse effects of BZA/CE combinations are summarized. Expert opinion: A TSEC that contains CE and BZA that has both estrogen agonist and antagonist effects has reached clinical development. Phase III clinical trials show this TSEC relieves hot flashes, improves vulvo-vaginal at...
The alpha-1 adrenergic antagonist doxazosin for treatment of cocaine dependence: A pilot study.

Background Medications decreasing central noradrenergic activity have been associated with attenuation of cocaine effects.
Vision of a Visipedia

The web is not perfect: while text is easily searched and organized, pictures (the vast majority of the bits that one can find online) are not. In order to see how one could improve the web and make pictures first-class citizens of the web, I explore the idea of Visipedia, a visual interface for Wikipedia that is able to answer visual queries and enables experts to contribute and organize visual knowledge. Five distinct groups of humans would interact through Visipedia: users, experts, editors, visual workers, and machine vision scientists. The latter would gradually build automata able to interpret images. I explore some of the technical challenges involved in making Visipedia happen. I argue that Visipedia will likely grow organically, combining state-of-the-art machine vision with human labor.
Immigrant Kinship Networks and the Impact of the Receiving Context: Salvadorans in San Francisco in the Early 1990s

Based on ethnographic fieldwork and intensive interviews, this article analyses the assistance 50 recently arrived Salvadorans in San Francisco obtained from their families. Two distinct profiles emerged: one where immigrant newcomers received sustained assistance from their kinfolk, and the other where such support faltered upon their arrival. Focusing on the experiences of the latter group, I argue that kinfolk can provide benefits only when material and physical conditions in the receiving context permit. Unfavorable factors, such as government immigration policies, local labor market opportunities, and the organization of the reception in the community, created conditions for weakened kinship networks. This study warns that immigrant kinship networks are not reproduced automatically in the new environment. These social relations are contingent upon the physical and material conditions within which they unfold.
Continuous time random walk model of hopping transport: Application to impurity conduction

Abstract We have developed a theory of transport in amorphous systems based on a continuous time random walk model. The theory is applied to impurity conduction where we have computed the ac and dc diffusion and compared the results to the measurements of Pollak and Geballe.
Perceptions of the usefulness of the IEP by teachers of learning disabled and emotionally disturbed children

The present study used questionnaires to examine the perceptions of the usefulness of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) by teachers of emotionally disturbed and learning disabled children. Teachers surveyed indicated that the IEP does have some general utility for them and their students. However, the majority of respondents also indicated that the IEP does not usually assist them in planning day-to-day instruction. Additionally, they do not refer to the actual IEP document very often, nor is it particularly accessible to them. It was concluded that the IEP will not qualitatively affect the education of handicapped students unless it guides the delivery of services on a daily basis.
Angiotensin II-producing enzyme III from acidified serum of nephrectomized dogs. Activation of proenzyme III to enzyme III by cathepsin G.

Enzyme III and its inactive precursor proenzyme III have been obtained from the acidified serum of bilaterally nephrectomized dogs. Enzyme III occurs in a concentration producing angiotensin at a rate 50 times higher than the residual renin. Much higher concentrations of enzyme III have been obtained by three activation procedures: a) by storage for several months in the frozen state; b) by treatment at 0 degrees C and pH 3.0; or c) by incubation at 38 degrees C and pH 7.7. These procedures yielded levels of enzyme III that produced up to 400 ng angiotensin II/mL serum/h, i.e., 4000 times higher than the endogenous renin. Of further significance, the angiotensin II produced by enzyme III represents the octapeptide with the highest known vasoconstrictor activity. This is in contrast to renin, enzyme I, and enzyme II, all of which produced angiotensin I, the decapeptide without appreciable vasoconstrictor activity. The endogenous activating enzyme has been identified as cathepsin G by the following six experimental observations: both the endogenous activating enzyme and exogenous cathepsin G produced enzyme III from proenzyme III according to the same unusual sigmoid kinetics; they were blocked identically by antibody to human cathepsin G. Also, both were inhibited similarly by alpha-1-antitrypsin, lima bean trypsin inhibitor, diisopropyl fluorophosphate, or by an inhibitor present in dog serum. Thus, removal of this inhibitor and activation of proenzyme III by endogenous or by added cathepsin G are prerequisites to obtaining enzyme III; this provides a novel mechanism for the rapid formation of angiotensin II from serum protein substrate or from angiotensin I.
Syntactic Comprehension in Young Poor Readers.

Children with specific reading disability fail to understand some complex spoken sentences as well as good readers. This investigation sought to identify the source of poor readers' comprehension difficulties. Second-grade good and poor readers were tested on spoken sentences with restrictive relative clauses in two experiments designed to minimize demands on working memory. The methodological innovations resulted in a high level of performance by both reader groups, demonstrating knowledge of relative clause structure. The poor readers' performance closely paralleled that of the good readers both in pattern of errors and in awareness of the pragmatic aspects of relative clauses. The findings suggest that limitations in processing account for comprehension difficulties displayed by some poor readers in previous investigations.
Feedback Requirements for Older Adult Learning: Do Cognitive Abilities Matter?

A century's worth of research has failed to identify the amount of feedback necessary to learn a new task (cf. (Schmidt & Bjork, 1992; Van Merrienboer & Sweller, 2005). Some argue less feedback is beneficial in acquisition as it provides conditions similar to those needed for retention (Schmidt & Bjork, 1992); others advocate more feedback will reduce the cognitive load of the learner thus freeing up the resources needed for learning (McLaughlin, 2007; McLaughlin, Rogers, & Fisk, 2006; Sweller, 1988). To test the model feedback requirements are determined by the cognitive resources of the learner and the demands imposed by the task (McLaughlin et al., 2006), a simple cue-based learning exercise was created. Cognitive resources was controlled for by using participants with documented declines in cognitive resources, older adults (Horn & Cattell, 1967; Salthouse & Babcock, 1991). Results indicated feedback requirements for a cue that drew from fluid abilities differed from a cue that drew from crystallized ...
More on graph theoretic software watermarks: Implementation, analysis, and attacks

This paper presents an implementation of the watermarking method proposed by Venkatesan et al. in their paper [R. Venkatesan, V. Vazirani, S. Sinha, A graph theoretic approach to software watermarking, in: Fourth International Information Hiding Workshop, Pittsburgh, PA, 2001]. An executable program is marked by the addition of code for which the topology of the control-flow graph encodes a watermark. We discuss issues that were identified during construction of an actual implementation that operates on Java bytecode. We present two algorithms for splitting a watermark number into a redundant set of pieces and an algorithm for turning a watermark number into a control-flow graph. We measure the size and time overhead of watermarking, and evaluate the algorithm against a variety of attacks.
Territory Planning and Vehicle Dispatching with Driver Learning

This paper investigates the construction of routes for local delivery of packages. The primary objective of this research is to provide realistic models to optimize vehicle dispatching when customer locations and demands vary from day to day while maintaining driver familiarity with their service territories, hence dispatch consistency. The objective of increasing driver familiarity tends to make routes or service territories fixed. On the other hand, to serve varying demand it is advantageous to reassign vehicles/drivers and service territories each day. To balance the trade-offs between these two objectives, we developed the concepts of “cell,” “core area,” and “flex zone,” and created a two-stage vehicle routing model---strategic core area design and operational cell routing---and explicitly evaluated the effect of driver familiarity through the use of learning and forgetting curves.
An Investigation of a Role for U2 snRNP Spliceosomal Components in Regulating Transcription

There is mounting evidence to suggest that the synthesis of pre-mRNA transcripts and their subsequent splicing are coordinated events. Previous studies have implicated the mammalian spliceosomal U2 snRNP as having a novel role in stimulating transcriptional elongation in vitro through interactions with the elongation factors P-TEFb and Tat-SF1; however, the mechanism remains unknown [1]. These factors are conserved in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a fact that suggests that a similar interaction may occur in yeast to stimulate transcriptional elongation in vivo. To address this possibility we have looked for evidence of a role for the yeast Tat-SF1 homolog, Cus2, and the U2 snRNA in regulating transcription. Specifically, we have performed a genetic analysis to look for functional interactions between Cus2 or U2 snRNA and the P-TEFb yeast homologs, the Bur1/2 and Ctk1/2/3 complexes. In addition, we have analyzed Cus2-deleted or -overexpressing cells and U2 snRNA mutant cells to determine if they show transcription-related phenotypes similar to those displayed by the P-TEFb homolog mutants. In no case have we been able to observe phenotypes consistent with a role for either spliceosomal factor in transcription elongation. Furthermore, we did not find evidence for physical interactions between the yeast U2 snRNP factors and the P-TEFb homologs. These results suggest that in vivo, S. cerevisiae do not exhibit functional or physical interactions similar to those exhibited by their mammalian counterparts in vitro. The significance of the difference between our in vivo findings and the previously published in vitro results remains unclear; however, we discuss the potential importance of other factors, including viral proteins, in mediating the mammalian interactions.
Target location by a multiaperture vision system coupled to a back-propagation neural network

A software simulation of a multiaperture vision system (MAVS) that locates a point-source target by means of a neural network processor is presented. Models are developed and tested for one-, three-, and nine-eyelet systems. The advantages and limitations of each MAVS system are discussed. A back-propagation neural network is developed and trained as a target-location processor for each system. The accuracy of the neural network in determining the spatial position of a point-source target placed inside the field of view is then determined. The performance of each of the three systems is compared, and the accuracy of the system is shown to increase with the addition of more eyelets.
Functional Electrical Stimulation in Tetraplegic Patients to Restore Hand Function

The purpose of this collective review is to describe a new form of functional electrical stimulation called neuroprosthesis. This unique technology has been devised to produce lateral pinch and palmar grasp in persons with C5 and C6 motor level spinal cord injuries. This neuroprosthesis includes external as well as implanted components. First, a receiver is surgically implanted into the patient's chest above a pectoralis major muscle. The receiver stimulator is then connected to 8 surgically implanted epimysial or intramuscular electrodes. Restoration of upper extremity function can greatly improve the lives of people affected with tetraplegia. When contralateral shoulder movements trigger an external transmitting coil, it sends a radio wave impulse to the stimulator inducing contraction of the muscles. Many tetraplegics are regaining hand function using implanted functional electrical stimulation. One major limitation is that the key muscles to be stimulated may have lower motor neuron damage, but this obstacle has been successfully overcome using surgical modifications of the biomechanics of the hand.
Factors affecting spore germination of the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, Glomus epigaeus.

Soil moisture, temperature, and—to a lesser degree—pH influenced germination of Glomus epigaeus spores, whereas levels of soil fertility and spore density had little or no effect. Maximum germinati...
New Constraint on Open Cold-Dark-Matter Models

We calculate the large-angle cross correlation between the cosmic-microwave-background temperature and the x-ray-background intensity expected in an open universe with cold dark matter (CDM) and a nearly scale-invariant spectrum of adiabatic density perturbations. Results are presented as a function of the nonrelativistic-matter density Ω0 and the x-ray bias bx for both an open universe and a flat cosmological-constant universe. Recent experimental upper limits to the amplitude of this cross correlation provide a new constraint to the Ω0-bx parameter space that open-CDM models (and the open-inflation models that produce them) must satisfy.