cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular Origins of Osmotic Second Virial Coefficients of Proteins

The thermodynamic properties of protein solutions are determined by the molecular interactions involving both solvent and solute molecules. A quantitative understanding of the relationship would facilitate more systematic procedures for manipulating the properties in a process environment. In this work the molecular basis for the osmotic second virial coefficient, B22, is studied; osmotic effects are critical in membrane transport, and the value of B22 has also been shown to correlate with protein crystallization behavior. The calculations here account for steric, electrostatic, and short-range interactions, with the structural and functional anisotropy of the protein molecules explicitly accounted for. The orientational dependence of the protein interactions is seen to have a pronounced effect on the calculations; in particular, the relatively few protein-protein configurations in which the apposing surfaces display geometric complementarity contribute disproportionately strongly to B22. The importance of electrostatic interactions is also amplified in these high-complementarity configurations. The significance of molecular recognition in determining B22 can explain the correlation with crystallization behavior, and it suggests that alteration of local molecular geometry can help in manipulating protein solution behavior. The results also have implications for the role of protein interactions in biological self-organization.
Influence of the public transportation system on the air quality of a major urban center. A case study: Milan, Italy

A sampling campaign was conducted in the city of Milan, Italy before and during a transportation strike in January 2004. This strike provided a unique opportunity to investigate the influence of public transportation on the air quality in a major metropolitan area. Twenty-four air samples were collected each day around the city on January 2nd, 7th and 9th. The samples were analyzed for methane, carbon monoxide, non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), halocarbons and alkyl nitrates. Significant differences in the mixing ratios were observed among the three days of sampling, with January 2nd showing the lowest concentrations as a result of decreased activity in the city during the holiday season. January 9th showed the highest NMHC concentrations because of increased vehicular activity in the city due to a public transportation strike. This paper investigates the correlation between the increased number of vehicles and decreased air quality because of a reduction in public transportation. Computer simulations were able to reproduce measurements of ozone production during the January 2004 strike and a July 2005 strike. The measurements and simulations suggest that reduced VOC emissions due to the existence of public transportation lowers peak ozone by 11–33% during the summer months.
Phagocytosis of Different Particulate Dermal Filler Substances by Human Macrophages and Skin Cells

background. Foreign substances have been introduced into the human body with varying degrees of success. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) microspheres of different sizes recently have been manufactured for use as a filler substances in the skin and other organs. objective. To establish whether the size of PMMA microspheres determines whether various cell types initiate phagocytosis. methods. The capacity of three different cell lines—U-937 cells, XS 106 and XS 52 Langerhans cells, and HaCaT keratinocytes—to phagocytose microspheres of varying sizes was examined using light and confocal microscopy as well as fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α secretion was also determined. results. The U-937 cells, keratinocytes, and Langerhans cells could phagocytose PMMA particles of 20 μm or smaller. Microspheres larger than 20 μm were not ingested by any of the cells. conclusion. Microspheres larger than 20 μm have a lower likelihood of being phagocytosed. Thus this study suggests that microspheres 40–50 μm in diameter are less likely to initiate an inflammatory reaction when injected into the dermis and subdermis as a filler substance. On the other hand, microparticles made of silicone and polymethacrylate were phagocytosed, possibly because of their different structure.
Bone Density Changes with Once Weekly Risedronate in Postmenopausal Women

Abstract Risedronate 5 mg daily is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis. Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are common with daily bisphosphonates, but recent studies show that once weekly treatment may be better tolerated. Risedronate 30 mg is approved to treat Paget's disease of bone. In this retrospective study, we assessed the GI tolerability of 30 mg of risedronate once weekly and evaluated the effect on bone mineral density (BMD) in a subset of women. Review of patients treated in our osteoporosis clinic identified 150 postmenopausal women with low BMD treated with 30 mg of risedronate once weekly, between February 1998 and March 2001. Baseline GI symptoms or previous intolerance of bisphosphonates was present in 32 patients. An additional antiresorptive treatment was continued with risedronate in 50% of these patients (estrogen, raloxifene, or calcitonin). Risedronate 30 mg was taken once weekly with vitamin D 400 iu daily and 1200 mg of calcium daily. Patient age ranged from 46 to 86 yr. Baseline and follow-up BMD data were available in 36 patients. Of the 32 patients with baseline GI symptoms or previous intolerance of a bisphosphonate, 1 developed GI symptoms. In those patients with baseline and follow-up BMD results ( n = 36), BMD increased 1.9% ( p = 0.02) at the trochanter and 2.1% ( p = 0.001) at the total hip. In conclusion 30 mg of risedronate once weekly increased BMD at the trochanter and total hip ( p
Long-term effects of cerebellar retraction in the microsurgical resection of vestibular schwannomas.

Objective: To determine the long-term effects, if any, of the greater cerebellar retraction that is required for retrosigmoid vestibular schwannoma versus resection as compared with the minimal, if any, cerebellar retraction required for translabyrinthine versus resection. Study Design: Retrospective case control. Methods: All patients who underwent retrosigmoid versus resection between 1988 to 2000 by one surgeon were identified. These patients were contacted and asked to complete the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI). These patients were then matched to patients who underwent translabyrinthine versus resection according to age at surgery, age at time of study, sex, and size of tumor. Total DHI and subcategory DHI scores were compared using the Student t test. Results: Thirty-three patients underwent the retrosigmoid approach, and 27 were contacted for completion of the survey, with a 81.3% response rate. Forty-six patients who underwent translabyrinthine versus resection were matched to the retrosigmoid group. Thirty-six were contacted and completed the survey for a 75% response rate. Twenty-seven patients that most closely matched the retrosigmoid group comprised the translabyrinthine group used for comparison. Minimal differences were seen between the two groups. Mean total DHI score for the retrosigmoid group was 17.6, which was not significantly different from the mean score of 16.8 seen in the translabyrinthine group (P = .888). When comparing small tumors (<1.5 cm), total DHI scores were not found to be significantly different (P =.859). We observed similar findings in those with intermediate-sized tumors (1.5-3 cm). Conclusion: The significantly greater cerebellar retraction that is necessary for retrosigmoid versus resection does not result in greater long-term balance and disability as compared with those patients who have undergone the translabyrinthine approach.
Drug-Related Hyperthermia

The elderly are prone to disorders of thermoregulation. Hyperthermia, an elevation of core temperature, occurs as a result of several causes in older subjects. The elderly, particularly in nursing homes, are often prescribed multiple medications. Physiological changes with aging and the use of numerous predisposing drugs can contribute to disorders of temperature regulation. Presented is a dramatic case of drug- related hyperthermia in a nursing home resident with an adverse outcome in spite of recognition and treatment of the disorder.
On the Existence and Stability of the Penrose Compactification

We study the stability of the Penrose compactification for solutions of the vacuum Einstein equation, in the context of the time-symmetric initial-value problem. The initial data \((\mathbb{R}^3, g)\) must satisfy the Hamiltonian constraint R(g) = 0, and we consider perturbations about the Euclidean metric arising from tensors h satisfying the equation L(h) = 0, where L is the linearization of the scalar curvature operator at the Euclidean metric. We show that each member h of a large family of compactly supported solutions of the linearized problem is tangent to a curve \(\bar{g}_\epsilon\) of solutions to the nonlinear constraint, so that each metric \(\bar{g}_\epsilon\) along the curve evolves under the vacuum Einstein equation to a spacetime which is asymptotically simple in the sense of Penrose.
The Contingency Framework of Foreign Entry Mode Decisions: Locating and Reinforcing the Weakest Link

This paper delves into the mechanism of the contingency framework for foreign entry mode decisions and identifies two essential tasks that jointly determine the outcome of the entry mode decision. It then recognizes a critical weakness in previous research pertaining to the comparison of entry modes along a key decision criterion, the degree of control. Existing studies generally treat equity involvement as the only source of entrant control, while largely ignoring non‐equity sources of control (i.e., bargaining power and trust). Non‐equity sources of control, when underutilized, amount to missed opportunities, increased resource commitments, and heightened risk exposures in foreign markets. Drawing from a pluralism perspective in transaction and relationship governance, the author presents a more integrative method for the ranking of entry modes along the degree of control. The central message is that companies entering foreign markets should make an earnest effort to identify trust and bargaining power situations and fully utilize their control potential in making entry mode decisions.
North-south-directed extension, timing of extension, and vertical-axis rotation of the southwest Cady Mountains, Mojave Desert, California

Models to account for regional tectonic rotation in the Mojave Desert of California hypothesize rotation synchronous with early Miocene regional extension, whereas one model proposes that rotation occurred after major extension. Three sections of rocks from the southwest Cady Mountains, in the upper plate of the regional extensional system, give paleomagnetic data suggesting 127 ± 30, 130 ± 13, and 67 ± 15 of clockwise rotation (oldest to youngest). These data indicate that two episodes of clockwise vertical axis rotation occurred. The older of these rotations (64 ± 19 clockwise) occurred in early Miocene time after tilting due to extension and is associated with a regional tectonic rotation event. The younger rotation (67 ± 15 clockwise) occurred post–14.0 Ma, is of local extent, and is probably due to active northwest-directed right-lateral shear through this region. These data, combined with geologic evidence, indicate that rotation took place after tilting because of extension in the southwest Cady Mountains and that early Miocene extension was originally north-south directed. Correlation of rocks and structures in the southwest Cady Mountains to those in surrounding ranges implies that the early Miocene regional extension was originally approximately north-south directed as well.
Explore multiple clues for urban images matching

Many well-known existing image matching methods are based on local texture analysis, and consequently have difficulty handling low-textured 3D objects, such as those man-made buildings and road networks in urban scenes.
Surrogate Lipid Markers for Small Dense Low-Density Lipoprotein Particles in Overweight Youth

Objectives To determine if the ratio of triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL) and non–HDL cholesterol concentration could identify youth with small dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Study design One hundred forty-one (75 black and 66 white) overweight adolescents (9 to Results Youth with a TG/HDL ratio of ≥3 vs P P Conclusions TG/HDL ratio and non-HDL cholesterol can identify overweight youth with atherogenic LDL particles. These easily obtained clinical lipid markers, in combination with body mass index and waist circumference, could be cost effective, in observational or interventional studies, for screening and follow-up of youth at heightened risk for atherogenic LDL.
Simulation-based evaluation of dispatching policies in service systems

A service system is an organization of the resources and processes, which interacts with the customer and produces service outcomes. Since a majority of the service systems are labor-intensive, the main re-sources are the service workers. Designing such service systems is nontrivial due to a large number of parameters and variations, but crucial for business decisions such as labor staffing. The most important design point of a service system is how and when service requests are assigned to service workers a.k.a. dispatching policy. This paper presents a framework for evaluation of dispatching policies in service systems. A discrete event simulation model of a service system in the data-center management domain is presented. We evaluate four dispatching policies on five real-life service systems. We observe that the simulation-based approach incorporates intricacies of service systems and allows comparative analysis of dispatching policies leading to more accurate decisions on labor staffing.
Age Differences in Attitudes Toward Computers

It is commonly believed that older adults hold more negative attitudes toward computer technology than younger people. This study examined age differences in attitudes toward computers as a function of experience with computers and computer task characteristics. A sample of 384 community-dwelling adults ranging in age from 20 to 75 years performed one of three real-world computer tasks (data entry, database inquiry, accounts balancing) for a 3-day period. A multidimensional computer attitude scale was used to assess attitudes toward computers pretask and posttask. Although there were no age differences in overall attitudes, there were age effects for the dimensions of comfort, efficacy, dehumanization, and control. In general, older people perceived less comfort, efficacy, and control over computers than did the other participants. The results also indicated that experience with computers resulted in more positive attitudes for all participants across most attitude dimensions. These effects were moderated by task and gender. Overall, the findings indicated that computer attitudes are modifiable for people of all age groups. However, the nature of computer experience has an impact on attitude change.
Regulation of Pigeon Crop Gene Expression by Prolactin

The pigeon crop has long been known as a target tissue for PRL action. This study investigates the molecular events associated with PRL stimulation of the pigeon crop sac. Several experiments were performed comparing isolates from PRL-injected pigeons (200 micrograms/day, im, for 3 days) to saline-treated pigeons. Electrophoretic analysis of crop protein revealed a general pattern of similarity between PRL-stimulated and control isolates, but four major polypeptides were distinctly dissimilar. Two crop peptides (CP) migrating at molecular weight 16,400 and 29,900 (CP16, CP30) were selectively repressed by PRL treatment. In contrast, two products, CP25 and CP154, were dramatically induced in PRL-stimulated crops. Short (4-h) in vivo labeling using tritiated amino acids revealed that polypeptides comigrating with CP16 and CP30 were synthesized only in control crops. A product migrating with CP25 was selectively labeled in PRL-induced crop tissue. To investigate PRL's effect on mRNA populations, polyadenylated RNA was isolated from control or PRL-stimulated crops and translated in a reticulocyte lysate translation system. Gel electrophoresis and fluorography revealed PRL treatment to cause two major differences in the mRNA fractions: repression of a translatable mRNA coding for a product comigrating with CP16 and a large increase in presumptive CP25 mRNA (to 14% of the translatable message). Translation product profiles of mRNA isolated from crops treated locally revealed a dependence of CP25 mRNA induction on the dose of PRL (16-25 micrograms/day). These results show that PRL acts in a direct manner on the crop to regulate specific gene products. Control of two products results from alteration of mRNA levels.
Whole-body cooling of hyperthermic runners: Comparison of two field therapies

Severe exercise-induced hyperthermia requires rapid cooling. Of the many cooling modalities available, there is disagreement over which is the most effective. The purpose of this field study was to compare two cooling therapies for hyperthermic distance runners who had completed an 11.5-km summer foot race. Twenty-one distance runners (mean [+/- SE] initial rectal temperature 41.2 +/- 0.2 degrees C) were treated either by ice water immersion (1 to 3 degrees C, n = 14) or by air exposure while wrapped in wet towels (24.4 degrees C ambient, n = 7). Ice water immersion versus air exposure resulted in significantly different (P < .005) pretherapy to posttherapy changes in rectal temperature (-3.0 +/- 0.3 v -1.4 +/- 0.3 degrees C) and mean cooling rate (0.20 +/- 0.02 v 0.11 +/- 0.02 degrees C/min). Ice water immersion cooled approximately twice as fast as air exposure. These data refute the theory that ice water immersion is an inefficient cooling modality.
A large-scale, longitudinal study of user profiles in world of warcraft

We present a survey of usage of the popular Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game, World of Warcraft. Players within this game often self-organize into communities with similar interests and/or styles of play. By mining publicly available data, we collected a dataset consisting of the complete player history for approximately six million characters, with partial data for another six million characters. The paper provides a thorough description of the distributed approach used to collect this massive community data set, and then focuses on an analysis of player achievement data in particular, exposing trends in play from this highly successful game. From this data, we present several findings regarding player profiles. We correlate achievements with motivations based upon a previously-defined motivation model, and then classify players based on the categories of achievements that they pursued. Experiments show players who fall within each of these buckets can play differently, and that as players progress through game content, their play style evolves as well.
Coalition or derogation? How perceived discrimination influences intraminority intergroup relations.

Five studies explored how perceived societal discrimination against one’s own racial group influences racial minority group members’ attitudes toward other racial minorities. Examining Black–Latino relations, Studies 1a and 1b showed that perceived discrimination toward oneself and one’s own racial group may be positively associated with expressed closeness and common fate with another racial minority group, especially if individuals attribute past experiences of discrimination to their racial identity rather than to other social identities (Study 1b). In Studies 2–5, Asian American (Studies 2, 3, and 4) and Latino (Study 5) participants were primed with discrimination against their respective racial groups (or not) and completed measures of attitudes toward Black Americans. Participants primed with racial discrimination expressed greater positivity toward and perceived similarity with Blacks than did participants who were not primed. These results suggest, consistent with the common ingroup identity model (Gaertner & Dovidio, 2000), that salient discrimination against one’s own racial group may trigger a common “disadvantaged racial minority” (ingroup) identity that engenders more positive attitudes toward and feelings of closeness toward other racial minorities.
A fast 2-D DCT algorithm via distributed arithmetic optimization

The complexity of the discrete cosine transform (DCT) is a concern in portable video compression devices, where multiplications are typically much more costly than additions and binary shifts. Since most conventional fast DCT algorithms exploit the algebraic structure of the DCT, their multiplicative complexity has been shown to have lower bounds. In this paper, we take advantage of the distributed arithmetic (DA) structure of the 2-D DCT. We introduce a novel fast DA-DCT algorithm based on DA optimization, which reduces the number of additions by a factor of 22, through recursive pairwise matching. On average, only 1 multiplication, 40 additions as well as 16 binary shifts are required for each DCT coefficient. The overall multiplicative complexity is 28% lower than the theoretical lower bound. Our DA-DCT is numerically equivalent to the exact, double precision floating-point 2-D DCT.
Viral Regulation of mRNA Export

Recent advances have led to an understanding of how eukaryotic mRNAs are exported from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. This process involves an elaborate machinery that is conserved from yeasts to humans and is coupled to upstream events in RNA metabolism. Eukaryotic pre-mRNAs are processed after synthesis in the nucleus by capping at the 5′ end, cleavage and polyadenylation to form the 3′ end, and splicing to remove intervening sequences. Following processing, mRNAs must be exported through the nuclear pore complex (NPC) to the cytoplasm for translation, which requires recognition by export factors to direct the mRNAs to nuclear export receptors for translocation through the NPC (17, 81, 108). A large body of evidence shows that TAP/NXF1, in conjunction with its heterodimeric partner, p15/NXT, is the nuclear export receptor for mRNAs in metazoans (5, 27, 33, 45, 48, 107) (Table ​(Table1).1). The yeast homologue of TAP/NXF1, termed Mex67p, has been shown to function as the mRNA export receptor in yeasts (44, 88, 91, 101). TAP/NXF1 and Mex67p have been shown to shuttle between the nucleus and cytoplasm, cross-link to poly(A)+ RNA, localize at the nuclear pores, and interact directly with nucleoporins (5, 37, 45, 88, 91). Further, overexpression of TAP/NXF1 in Xenopus oocytes or mammalian cells stimulated mRNA export (5, 37), and inactivation of TAP/NXF1 in Caenorhabditis elegans (103) and Drosophila (38) by RNA interference blocked nuclear export of poly(A)+ RNA, indicating a direct role in mRNA export.
Robustness, complexity, validation and risk

A robust design process starts with modeling of the physical system and the uncertainty it faces. Robust design tools are then applied to achieve specified performance criteria. Verification of system properties is crucial as improvements on the modeling and design practices can be made based on results of such verification. In this thesis, we discuss three aspects of this closed-loop process. First and the most important aspect is the possibility of the feedback from verification to system modeling and design. When verification is hard, what does it tell us about our system? When the system is robust, would it be easy to verify so? We study the relation between robustness of a system property posed as a decision problem and the proof complexity of verifying such property. We examine this relation in two classes of problems: percolation lattices and linear programming problems, and show complexity is upper-bounded by the reciprocal of robustness, i.e. fragility. The second aspect we study is model validation. More precisely, when given a candidate model and experiment data, how do we rigorously refute the model or gain information about the consistent parameter set? Different methods for model invalidation and parameter inference are demonstrated with the G-protein signaling system in yeast to show the advantages and hurdles in their applications. While quantification of robustness requirements has been well-studied in engineering, it is just emerging in the field of finance. Robustness specification in finance is closely related to the availability of proper risk measures. We study the estimation of a coherent risk measure, Expected Shortfall (ES). A consistent and asymptotically normal estimator for ES based on empirical likelihood is proposed. Although empirical likelihood based estimators usually involve numerically solving optimization problems that are not necessarily convex, computation of our estimator can be carried out in a sequential manner, avoiding solving non-convex optimization problems.
Design of Spherical Lattice Space–Time Codes

In this paper, we propose a systematic procedure for designing spherical lattice (space-time) codes. By employing stochastic optimization techniques we design lattice codes which are well matched to the fading statistics as well as to the decoder used at the receiver. The decoders we consider here include the optimal albeit of highest decoding complexity maximum-likelihood (ML) decoder, the suboptimal lattice decoders, as well as the suboptimal lattice-reduction-aided (LRA) decoders having the lowest decoding complexity. For each decoder, our design methodology can be tailored to obtain low error-rate lattice codes for arbitrary fading statistics and signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of interest. Further, we obtain fundamental lower bounds on the error probabilities yielded by lattice and LRA decoders and characterize their asymptotic behavior.
A charge conversion nanoparticle enhanced microGeiger for alpha, beta, gamma, and neutron detection

This paper reports on a radiation detection platform that uses charge conversion nanoparticles to detect and discriminate all types of radiation. Previous microGeigers only detect beta particles. The microGeiger reported here detects beta particles, along with gammas, alphas and neutrons. The multi-species detecting microGeiger counter contains a biased fill gas that becomes ionized when impinging radiation interacts with tailored nanoparticles to release secondary charged particles. The ionized particles then collect on respectively biased electrodes to register characteristic pulse heights which are analyzed with pulse height spectroscopy techniques. The microGeiger counter uses ceramic injection molding processes to batch fabricate inexpensive devices that are essentially disposable.
Nonreciprocal optical Bloch oscillations in garnet/silicon-on-insulator waveguide arrays

We show that nonreciprocal Bloch-like oscillations can emerge in passive optical waveguide arrays with linearly growing effective index in the absence of loss or gain. Spectral asymmetry, a difference in propagation constants and Bloch oscillation periods in opposite propagation directions, are established by imposing different vertical spatial index gradients at the substrate/core, and core/cover interfaces in the presence of transverse magnetization. A model system consisting of an array of transversely magnetized asymmetric garnet/silicon-on-insulator waveguides is presented.
Adventures in genre!: rethinking genre through comics/graphic novels 1

Historically, comics and graphic novels have been marginalized as quality texts and significant mediums for study. However, in the past decade comics have found their place in educational establishments. This essay offers a brief literature review of attitudes toward comics/graphic novels as a medium and then explores the use of comics/graphic novels within multigenre units of study that challenge student's assumptions about genre and text. These unit examples include interrelated works by William Blake and Alan Moore and by Tori Amos and Neil Gaiman. The piece ends by examining the range of subgenres within comics/graphic novels, including traditional views of genre literature (mystery, western, etc.) and considerations of text as adaptation (graphic novel adaptations of traditional literature, film adaptations, etc.).
The influence of heating rate on the kinetics of mineral reactions; an experimental study and computer models

Startling results were obtained in kinetic experiments that varied the initial heating history of the mineral reaction: 1 dolomite 1 2 quartz → 1 diopside 1 2CO2. The exper- iments were carried out at 5 6 0.05 kbar, X 5 0.9, and 680 6 3 8C, which is 65 8C CO2 higher than that of equilibrium. The heating history was varied from the conventional procedure (about 1 h reported by Luttge and Metz (1991)) by various techniques. The experimental temperature in externally heated cold-seal pressure vessels is attained within 10 min by preheating with a furnace running at 1000 8C, and quickly switching to a furnace set at the temperature of the experiment when T reaches 670 8C. Percent conversion, measured by CO2 production as a function of time for the period 5 to 288 hours, is linear and fit by the equation, a5 kt, with k 5 5.64 3 10 22 (%conversion/h). Compared with results produced by the conventional heating procedure, our conversion rate is slower and results show an order of magnitude less scatter. The variation in the magnitudes of the rates measured after the fixed experimental conditions were reached for different heating procedures as well as the large differences in the degree of the scatter of the experimental rate data for different heating procedures are contrary to earlier claims made by most experimentalists and required a rethinking of our kinetic interpretation of the data. A kinetic model developed to simulate the initial period of a mineral reaction experiment provided a reasonable explanation of many of the unusual facets of the experimental re- sults. The model follows the variation of concentration, DG of the reaction, surface area, nucleation rates, and volume of the product as a function of time for the different heating histories used in the experimental study. The key problem ignored in earlier work is the significant effect of a complex nucleation history during the heating conditions on the entire subsequent kinetics, even though the latter are carried out for much longer times and under constant P and T conditions. Results show that faster heating rates cause faster nucleation rates, and the duration of the nucleation period is shorter. Two different sce- narios were compared: (1) a reaction product growing independently of the reactant surface (as may occur in hornfelses with fine grain size); and (2) a reaction product growing on the surface of a reactant. The latter case leads to a significantly reduced reaction rate for faster heating rates (as was observed experimentally), because the surface of the reactant is covered by an armoring rim of product crystals early in the experiment. Application of the results of this study to natural systems suggests how the kinetics of mineral reactions behave quite differently if there are different nucleation conditions, even if the P-T-X conditions of the rock are the same.
Coexistence of large thermopower and degenerate doping in the nanostructured material Ag0.85SnSb1.15Te3

Ag1-xSnSb1+xTe3 presents a rare combination of large positive thermoelectric power response coexisting with an almost metallic carrier concentration. It is proposed that this unusual state arises from a high effective mass for the hole carriers which may derive from nanostructuring in the material.
Analyst Coverage And The Diversification Discount

We use financial analyst coverage as a measure of information asymmetry to examine excess firm values associated with single- and multi-segment firms. We explicitly examine whether differences in analyst coverage can explain the diversification discount. We find that information asymmetry plays a major role in the valuation of companies and explains a large portion of the diversification discount. However, a significant diversification discount remains after controlling for the effects of analyst coverage.
Properties of metallic NaxCo2O4 thermoelectric materials

Since the quite favorable thermoelectric properties of transition-metal oxide NaCo2O4 were first reported by Terasaki in 1997, extensive research work has been conducted, including the efforts to improve TE properties through doping or new synthesis approaches. In addition, theoretical investigations about the enhanced thermopower coupled with the small resistivity values for the metallic NaxCo2O4 have been investigated. The advent of the large thermopower and low resistivity appears not able to be explained via conventional free-electron theory. In this paper, thermoelectric and magnetic properties, including resistivity, thermopower, thermal conductivity, magnetic susceptibility and moment of single crystals and polycrystalline NaxCo2O4 are reported. The effect of Na concentration on the transport properties will also be discussed.
Gender-based differential item function for the difficulties in emotion regulation scale

Abstract Emotion dysregulation is a mechanism central to the development and maintenance of various psychological disorders. Notably, men and women may differ in their experience of emotion regulation; for instance, women generally report more frequent use of problematic emotion regulation strategies. While considering the possibility that true gender differences in emotion regulation exist, it is also important to ensure that measures assessing the process of emotion regulation are not biased toward one group over the other. The current study examined differential item functioning (DIF) in a commonly used, 36-item measure of emotion dysregulation – the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Participants (N = 679, 48.3% women) completed the DERS. Results demonstrated statistically-significant DIF in several of the items; two items met more stringent criteria for clinically-significant DIF. Findings suggest that further evaluation of emotion regulation measures may yield insight regarding the assessment of gender differences for emotion regulation and related constructs.
Influence of Rumen Inoculum Source on In Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility of Pasture

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of rumen inoculum donor source [pasture diet vs total mixed ration (TMR) or individual cow effects] on in vitro DM digestibility (IVDMD) of pasture. Pasture samples (four levels of pasture diversity from a larger study) were digested in vitro (Tilley and Terry method) using various rumen inoculum sources. Rumen inoculum was collected from four fistulated lactating dairy cows grazing pasture (one cow per pasture diversity treatment). Additionally, rumen inoculum was collected from a confined lactating dairy cow fed a TMR. Samples digested in rumen inoculum from the TMR donor cow diet resulted in lesser (P<0.05) IVDMD values than samples digested in rumen inoculum from pastured cows. Cow-to-cow variation was also significant (P<0.05). When applied to a pasture DMI equation, IVDMD values obtained from a TMR-fed cow resulted in a 19.3% decrease in estimated pasture DMI as opposed to when IVDMD values obtained from pastured cows were inserted into the DMI equation. These results emphasize the importance of researching laboratory and scientific methods used in obtaining IVDMD values for pastures. Use a donor cow that is consuming a diet similar to that being tested whenever possible. Extra caution should be taken when interpreting the IVDMD results obtained on pasture samples from outside labs, especially if the donor cow diet is unknown. Ingredient and nutrient composition of the donor cow diet should be described when reporting IVDMD results in the literature.
Native Guns and Stray Bullets: Cultural Activism and Filipino American Rap Music in Post-Riot Los Angeles

The Los Angeles riots of 1992 are never far from the minds and rhymes of emcees Kiwi and Bambu. Arguably the best-known Filipino American rappers in the United States today, Kiwi (Jack DeJesus) and Bambu (Jonah Deocampo) started rapping as teenagers growing up in the inner-city Los Angeles in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The two came together to establish the group Native Guns in 2002 and, together with their Chinese American DJ Phatrick (Patrick Huang), produced the critically acclaimed full-length album Barrel Men (2006) and two lauded “mixtapes”: Stray Bullets Mixtape Volume I (2004) and Stray Bullets Mixtape Volume II (2007). Native Guns official disbanded in 2007 for principals to resume their solo careers, but in 2010, the group reunited to record the song “Handcuffs,” a song shaped in large part by their experience of the Los Angeles insurrection of 1992.
Mitochondria shape cardiac metabolism

The adult human heart is an intensely metabolically active organ, with a content of mitochondria that primarily use fatty acids for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. Two papers in this issue, by Gong et al. ( 1 ) on page 1220 and by Wai et al. ( 2 ) on page 1221, illustrate the importance of mitochondrial quality control in cardiac function during fetal life and in the adult heart.
Aplicação do modelo de Thirlwall para a Argentina e o Brasil de 1992-2006

In the 90’s, Argentina and Brazil went through economical stabilization reforms, commercial flexibility and an integration in the prevailing external trade. In this context, this work aims at analyzing if the exports and imports are affected by changes both in the intern and extern income for the two economies from 1992 to 2006. Based on the Thirlwall Increase Model and using the literature techniques of unit root and co-integration, the long-term balance among the variables was tested: exportation and external income, importation and internal income. The Error Correction Mechanism was determined and in case of a serial autocorrelation, such a problem is corrected with Gauss Newton algorithm. For the economies studied it was concluded that exportations and importations are affected by changes in the external and internal incomes respectively. Argentina showed a lower importation flexibility-income than an exportation one, while Brazil presented a higher importation flexibility-income than an exportation one.
The coming of age of sex hormones in plants.

I am grateful to the Mycological Society for this opportunity to present the Annual Lecture for 1971. At the very least I will hope to entertain you with some erotica in the plant world; at the most I may hope to stimulate investigators to go into this promising field of sex hormones in plants, particularly lower plants. The title of this lecture was chosen to commemorate a major development in this field of investigation. In the handbook Growth (Altman and Dittmer, 1962) there is a table with the title "Sex Hormones: Thallophytes" (pp. 532-534). In it are listed 60 hormones in 27 species or groups of closely related species., These hormones do such things as induce clumping, cause chemotaxis, cause chemotropism, induce ascogonia, oogonia, and antheridia, activate oidia, etc. With two exceptions the hormones are characterized as "existence postulated but not demonstrated" or "hormone not fully characterized." The two exceptions are not much more definitive. One is listed as "glucoprotein" and the other as a "hydrocarbon substance." Dr. John Raper has recently submitted a revision of the fungal part of the table and my colleague John West and I the algal part. In this revised table for the next issue of the handbook there are listed 91
Analysis Of Health Checkup Results Of Workers In One Chemical Enterprise

Objective To learn the occupational hazards of one chemical enterprise,and provide evidence for the prevention and treatment of occupational diseases.Methods:According to the demand of the related technical standard,the level of all the risk factors in work place in this enterprise were detected,and 218 workers had a health checkup.The results of the detection were analyzed.Results The results showed that: the dust and the noise badly exceed the State standard,the qualified rate of the samples was 54% and 55% respectively.136 workers were abnormal,accounted for 62.4% of all workers.The abnormal rates of workers exposure to the noise of steamers making and workers exposure to the dust of fluoride prilling were much higher,accounted for 82.4% and 71.4% respectively.ConclusionThe occupational hazards in this enterprise had not been effectively controlled,the abnormal rates of workers were much higher,so the prevention and treatment of occupational diseases should be enhanced to protect the workers' health.
Breaking BAD: a data serving vision for big active data

Virtually all of today's Big Data systems are passive in nature. Here we describe a project to shift Big Data platforms from passive to active. We detail a vision for a scalable system that can continuously and reliably capture Big Data to enable timely and automatic delivery of new information to a large pool of interested users as well as supporting analyses of historical information. We are currently building a Big Active Data (BAD) system by extending an existing scalable open-source BDMS (AsterixDB) in this active direction. This first paper zooms in on the Data Serving piece of the BAD puzzle, including its key concepts and user model.
Leaders and Followers in Kangaroo

If Lawrence is attracted to socialism as a possible program in Aaron’s Rod — even implemented in a totalitarian fashion — he is simultaneously afraid of such absolute curtailment, what he calls “bullying,” of individual freedom. This ambivalence is common to Utopian idealism. History and literature have provided many examples of attempted utopias that have failed disastrously; at the same time, the need for hope, the striving for a perfect solution, has kept the Utopian dream alive. Man must not give up hope, but neither should he attempt to enact an absolute utopia that inevitably deprives him of individual freedom. Lawrence reaches this contradictory conclusion at the end of Aaron’s Rod. His next novel, Kangaroo, represents an attempt to enact two different kinds of programs; both are presented as absolute demands on individual freedom. Lawrence defines these two programs along the two definitive human possibilities of “being” and “doing” or, in his terms, “love” and “service.” Willie Struthers represents the typical workers’ movement of the time. Kangaroo is presented as the autocratic leader of a more theoretical absolutism based on a more complete transformation of human nature.
Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Diverse Settings: Recent Advances and Challenges for the Future

Racial and ethnic minorities are at high risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after experiencing a traumatic event and are less likely to receive evidence-based treatment for their symptoms. There is a growing body of literature showing that culturally appropriate interventions result in greater uptake, symptom reduction, and sustained treatment gains. This article review explores new findings in the cultural understanding of PTSD among racial and ethnic minorities. We first review recent advances in the understanding of PTSD symptomotology. Next, we provide overview of trials demonstrating efficacy and effectiveness of cognitive processing therapy (CPT), prolonged exposure (PE), and trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) in diverse communities. Then, we discuss specific implementation strategies common across intervention trials used to increase feasibility, acceptability, adoption, and sustainability. Last, we discuss areas for future research and dissemination efforts.
MART: Targeted attack detection on a compromised network

Targeted attacks are a significant problem for governmental agencies and corporations. We propose a MinHash-based, targeted attack detection system which analyzes aggregated process creation events typically generated by human keyboard input. We start with a set of malicious process creation events, and their parameters, which are typically generated by an attacker remotely controlling computers on a network. The MinHash algorithm allows the system to efficiently process hundreds of millions of events each day. We propose the weighted squared match similarity score for targeted attack detection which is more robust to mimicry and NOOP attacks than the weighted Jaccard index. We demonstrate that the system can detect several confirmed targeted attacks on both a small dataset of 1,473 computers as well as a large network of over 230 thousand computers. In the first case, the proposed system detects a similar, but separate attack while in the latter, intrusion activity is detected at large-scale.
Effect of Milrinone Infusion on Pulmonary Vasculature and Stroke Work Indices: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis in 69 Patients Awaiting Cardiac Transplantation

Although milrinone infusion is reported to benefit left ventricular function in chronic left heart failure, few insights exist regarding its effects on pulmonary circulation and right ventricular function. We retrospectively reviewed right heart catheterization data at baseline and during continuous infusion of milrinone in 69 patients with advanced heart failure and analyzed the effects on ventricular stroke work indices, pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary arterial compliance. Compared to baseline, milrinone infusion after a mean 58 ± 61 days improved mean left ventricular stroke work index (1540 ± 656 vs. 2079 ± 919 mmHg·mL/m2, p = 0.0007) to a much greater extent than right ventricular stroke work index (616 ± 346 vs. 654 ± 332, p = 0.053); however, patients with below median stroke work indices experienced a significant improvement in both left and right ventricular stroke work performance. Overall, milrinone reduced left and right ventricular filling pressures and pulmonary and systemic vascular resistance by approximately 20%. Despite an increase in pulmonary artery capacitance (2.3 ± 1.6 to 3.0 ± 2.0, p = 0.013) and a reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance (3.8 ± 2.3 to 3.0 ± 1.7 Wood units), milrinone did not reduce the transpulmonary gradient (13 ± 7 vs. 12 ± 6 mmHg, p = 0.252), the pulmonary artery pulse pressure (25 ± 10 vs. 24 ± 10, p = 0.64) or the pulmonary artery diastolic to pulmonary capillary wedge gradient (2.0 ± 6.5 vs. 2.4 ± 6.0, p = 0.353). Milrinone improved left ventricular stroke work indices to a greater extent than right ventricular stroke work indices and had beneficial effects on right ventricular net input impedance, predominantly via augmentation of left ventricular stroke volume and passive unloading of the pulmonary circuit. Patients who had the worst biventricular performance benefited the most from chronic milrinone infusion.