cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Evolving View of the Law and Judicial Decision‐Making

Attitudinalists and legal realists initially saw the law, not as something that constrained judges, but rather as a nuisance that judges could easily avoid in order to make decisions consistent with their personal policy preferences. As the study of law and judicial decision-making has evolved, however, scholars are beginning to realize that judges may actually use the law to help them secure their most favored outcomes (Bueno de Mesquita & Stephenson, 2002; Hansford & Spriggs, 2006). As scholarship on the law and judicial decision-making continues to evolve a key issue going forward will be how to measure the law. Text-based analysis and citation analysis are promising new approaches in this regard. Keywords: law; courts; judicial decision-making; text-based analysis; citation analysis
LGBT Identity: A Demographer's Perspective

In a recent study, the Author of this Article estimated that the self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community makes up 3.8 percent of the American population. The Author’s estimate was far lower than many scholars and activists had contended, and it included a relatively high proportion of persons self-identifying as bisexuals. This Article responds to two of the central criticisms that arose in the controversy that followed. First, in response to claims that his estimate did not account for people who are in the closet, the Author describes how demographers might measure the size of the closet. Second, in response to those who either ignored the reported large incidence of bisexuality or misconstrued the meaning of that incidence, the Author considers how varying frameworks for conceptualizing sexual orientation might alter the ratio of lesbian or gay individuals to bisexuals. This Article goes on to offer observations about the challenges and implications that are associated with the varying estimates of the size of the LGBT population. And it concludes by arguing that, today, the size of the LGBT community is less important than understanding the struggles of its members and informing crucial policy debates with facts rather than stereotype and anecdote.
Vinylmetalloids : II. The high regioselectivity of dialkylboranes in the hydroboration of vinyltrimethylsilane

Abstract Dialkylboranes such as disiamylborane, dicyclohexylborane and 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane add cleanly to vinyltrimethylsilane (I) with high regiospecificity (⩾ 95%) to give the corresponding β-silylethylboranes, valuable intermediates in the synthesis of functionalized organosilanes. Oxidation of these adducts provides a convenient, high-yield route to 2-trimethylsilylethanol (IIβ). Reduction of acetyltrimethylsilane (IX) with borane-tetrahydrofuran provides a simple route to the isomeric 1-trimethylsilylethanol (IIα). These new developments illustrate the utility of borane reagents in the regiospecific syntheses of trimethylsilylethanols (II).
Aggregate Wealth and Consumption, and the Term Structure of Interest Rates

The equilibrium value of the market portfolio of all assets, i.e. aggregate wealth is calculated within a continuous-time Rubinstein/Lucas model. Aggregate wealth is a function of aggregate consumption and the state of the economy. The exante expected rate of return of the market portfolio varies with economic conditions, and these conditions are revealed by the equilibrium term structure of nominal bond yields and partially revealed by the aggregate consumption-to-wealth ratio cay. Using simulations of quarterly observations, linear regressions of expost excess market returns on predictive variables are studied. The ratio cay in isolation has modest predictive power for excess returns. Similarly, the level and slope of the term structure have modest power as predictors. However, the relation between expected excess return and the underlying state variables is nonlinear and cay picks up this structure. For this reason a multiple regression that includes both cay and the term structure variables captures the nonlinearity and it has considerable predictive power.
Regulating NOx and SO2 Emissions in Atlanta

Through a series of experiments, we measure the marginal damage of emissions near Atlanta using a sophisticated integrated assessment model. The marginal damages of sulfur dioxide (SO2) are driven by proximity to downtown Atlanta; emissions produced closer to the city lead to higher exposures and therefore damages.The spatial pattern in damages from nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions are more complex because of the powerful role of atmospheric chemistry. NOx emissions from ground-level sources in downtown Atlanta reduce aggregate exposures to both the tropospheric ozone as well as small particulates. In contrast, NOx discharges in suburban or rural areas lead to higher exposures and damages from both pollutants. These findings raise questions about the current policy of treating all NOx and SOx emissions as though they are alike.
Isolation and characterization of ferritin from soyabeans (Glycine max).

Abstract Ferritin from the soyabean Glycine max was isolated and characterized. The protein has many features in common with ferritin from mammalian systems, including extensive sequence homology, as determined by two-dimensional peptide mapping. No immunocross-reactivity between the plant and animal proteins was detected. The ferritin isolated by MgCl2 precipitation has a single subunit of 28 kDa, whereas the ferritin remaining in the supernatant exhibits marked heterogeneity, with a main subunit of 22 kDa. This form of the protein appears to be the result of specific proteolytic processing that is not affected by serine protease inhibitors, and appears only after the seeds have been soaked long enough to induce germination. The appearance of the 22-kDa form corresponds to the appearance of "crystalline arrays" of ferritin in the amyloplasts of the plant cotyledons and may represent a plant form of hemosiderin. In support of this hypothesis, the 22-kDa protein appears to be incompletely assembled, as determined by sucrose gradient centrifugation and iron uptake studies. Although ferritin is normally quite resistant to proteolysis, the 22-kDa protein is easily generated from the 28-kDa form by treatment with subtilisin, suggesting the presence of a specific, protease-sensitive sequence on the protein's surface, possibly used to mark the phytoferritin for conversion to hemosiderin and construction of ferritin crystalline arrays.
An analytical and experimental evaluation of shadow shields and their support members

For long-duration interplanetary missions involving cryogenic propellants, it becomes necessary to reduce the heat flux into propellant tanks to extremely low values. Radiation is a significant mode of heat transfer in space. Two forms of radiation barriers which effectively reduce radiant heat transfer are multilayer insulation, which consists of many closely spaced, highly reflective layers separated by low-conducting spacers, and shadow shields, consisting of few layers but spaced farther apart to allow heat to escape to the surrounding space. Studies have shown that if the major radiant heat load is unidirectional, such as for a sun-oriented spacecraft, shadow shields can provide performance superior to multilayer insulation.
A variable order method for the numerical integration of the gravitational N-body problem

In an efficient computer program for numerical experiments with gravitational N-Body systems, at least one of the two following techniques is used: (1) regularization of the two-body close encounters, (2) variable and individual step size for each particle. Technique (1) involves frequent changes of the equations of motion and suggests the use of a one-step method. Technique (2) implies the solutions to be interpolated and extrapolated on non-step points and suggests the use of a power-series method.
Infiltration in a Coland clay loam under a six-year old multi-species riparian buffer strip, cultivated row crops and continuously grazed pasture

GENERAL INTRODUCTION Thesis Organization Introduction: Historical Perspective Soil Quality Non-Point Source Pollution Riparian Zone Management The Riparian Management System (RiMS) Soil-Water Infiltration Objectives of the Study RIPARIAN ZONE SOIL WATER INFIL TRA TION UNDER CROPS, PASTURE, AND ESTABLISHED BUFFER STRIPS:
Stochasticity and determinism in models of hematopoiesis.

This chapter represents a novel view of modeling in hematopoiesis, synthesizing both deterministic and stochastic approaches. Whereas the stochastic models work in situations where chance dominates, for example when the number of cells is small, or under random mutations, the deterministic models are more important for large-scale, normal hematopoiesis. New types of models are on the horizon. These models attempt to account for distributed environments such as hematopoietic niches and their impact on dynamics. Mixed effects of such structures and chance events are largely unknown and constitute both a challenge and promise for modeling. Our discussion is presented under the separate headings of deterministic and stochastic modeling; however, the connections between both are frequently mentioned. Four case studies are included to elucidate important examples. We also include a primer of deterministic and stochastic dynamics for the reader’s use.
Much meat, much malady: changing perceptions of the epidemiology of hepatitis E

Hepatitis E, which is caused by hepatitis E virus (HEV), may now be considered a zoonosis as well as an anthroponosis. Pigs, boars and deer have been identified as reservoirs, and their flesh and entrails—as meat and offal—as vehicles of HEV transmission. Shellfish also act as vehicles. Dietary, gastronomic and culinary preferences influence how extensively HEV conveyed by these vehicles can be inactivated before their ingestion by the host. Another route of infection is paved by HEV that is enterically shed by humans and by live animals into the environment. Although anthroponotic transmission of HEV is primarily environmental, zoonotic transmission may proceed along both foodborne and environmental routes.
The androgenic activity of ovarian transplants to the seminal vesicle of the castrated adult male rat.

Evidence for the contention that the mammalian ovary elaborates androgenic substance is derived mainly from human ovarian pathologies (e.g. arrhenoblastomata) (Mayer, 1942) and from, experiments in which ovaries are transplanted to the ears of castrated male mice (Hill and Gardner, 1936) and rats (Deanesly, 1938). Significantly, Hill (1937a) finds ovaries transplanted to the abdominal cavity of the castrated male mouse do not maintain the accessory reproductive organs, and thus, (1937b) infers that the lower thermal surroundings in the ear site are necessary to the production of androgens by the ovary. Deanesly (1938), however, observes that the androgenic activity of the graft does not depend on temperature, but is associated with the degree of thecal luteinization of the follicles. Also, the identify of a specific factor, simulating the male hormone, elaborated by the ovary is open to question. Greene et al. (1939, 1940) find progesterone possesses androgenicity.
Barotropic Rossby Waves Radiating from Tropical Instability Waves in the Pacific Ocean

AbstractTropical instability waves are triggered by instabilities of the equatorial current systems, and their sea level signal, with peak amplitude near 5°N, is one of the most prominent features of the dynamic topography of the tropics. Cross-spectral analysis of satellite altimetry observations shows that there is sea level variability in the Pacific Ocean as far north as Hawaii (i.e., 20°N) that is coherent with the sea level variability near 5°N associated with tropical instability waves. Within the uncertainty of the analysis, this off-equatorial variability obeys the dispersion relation for nondivergent, barotropic Rossby waves over a fairly broad range of periods (26–38 days) and zonal wavelengths (9°–23° of longitude) that are associated with tropical instability waves. The dispersion relation and observed wave properties further suggest that the waves are carrying energy away from the instabilities toward the North Pacific subtropical gyre, which, together with the observed coherence of the sea ...
Is fluorescence under an alternate light source sufficient to accurately diagnose subclinical bruising

This single-blinded, randomized validation study was conducted to evaluate whether fluorescence under alternate light sources (ALS) is sufficient to diagnose subclinical bruising (bruising not visible under white light). Standardized trauma was induced on randomly selected ventral forearms. On days 1, 7, and 14 investigators independently examined case forearms under white light for perceived bruising and under ALS for fluorescence and compared body maps. 56 case and 62 control forearms (n = 118) were examined. Sensitivity of ALS on days 1, 7, and 14 was 76.8%, 69.6%, and 60.7%, respectively, compared to 69.6%, 60.0%, and 32.1% for white light. The specificity of ALS on days 1, 7, and 14 was 51.6%, 59.7%, and 53.2%, respectively, compared to 71.0%, 81.4%, and 86.9% for white light. ALS has increased sensitivity yet low specificity compared to white light in accurately detecting bruises. Fluorescence under ALS is not sufficient to accurately or responsibly diagnose subclinical bruising.
Schools and the Diversity Transition in the Wealthy Societies of the West

The rich countries of the West are facing a diversity transition that will unfold in the next several decades. The transition means that these societies will depend increasingly on individuals who have grown up in immigrant homes to maintain economic, social, and cultural vitality. This situation turns a spotlight on educational systems, which are crucial to preparing the children from low-status immigrant families to participate in the institutions of the mainstream. The educational gaps between native- and immigrant-origin children in France, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and the United States raise concerns about the performance of systems with very different characteristics. Yet all is not hopeless: Some modest policies seem to bring amelioration, and each system can learn from others.
Maturation of startle reflex habituation in rats

Measurement of acoustic startle reflex (150 trials) in rats of ages 15, 18, 21, 25, and 100 days indicated that adult-like rates of habituation were first obtained at 25 days. Previous estimates of earlier development of this inhibitory ability may have been assessing a different aspect of the reaction to startle-eliciting stimuli. A specific and testable theoretical framework is offered.
The Duffy blood system and alcoholic liver disease in Baltimore black patients

Determination of the Duffy antigen status was made in a group of Baltimore patients with alcoholic liver disease. A parallel group of patients with chronic alcoholism but who did not show evidence of liver impairment was studied in a similar manner. An association between the presence of a positive Duffy antigen and alcoholic liver disease could not be demonstrated.
An Experimental Study of Reactions of Co and H2 in a Continuous Flow Microwave Discharge Reactor

The reactions of CO/H2 mixtures in a flowing microwave (2450 MHz) reactor system have been studied experimentally. This versatile microwave plasma source catalyzes the reactions selectively to products, mainly methane and acetylene. For reaction times of 0.1 to 0.5 seconds in the pressure range of 10 to 90 torr conversions of CO to hydrocarbons ranged from 4 to 19%. Electric and magnetic field configurations in the reactor, i. e. various electromagnetic modes, appear to have only minor effects on the chemical reactions. It was observed that the conversion of CO to hydrocarbons is enhanced by high ratios of H2/CO. Based on analysis of experimental data, hydrogen radical production appears to be the controlling mechanism for producing both methane and acetylene.
MEDICAL-SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF ULCERATIVE COLITIS.

When decision for surgery has been made and the patient prepared as well as possible for the procedure the physician still has a difficult task. In addition to giving courage to the patient at the time of operation and sympathetic understanding postoperatively, he must regulate steroid therapy, protect the patient with antibiotics during steroid withdrawal (especially in those cases with intra-abdominal sepsis at laparotomy), and, if necessary, correct defects in fluid and electrolyte balance and restore blood volume to normal. His responsibility is great and success is often proportional to the magnitude of his contribution.
Responses of electrosensory neurons in the torus semicircularis of Eigenmannia to complex beat stimuli: testing hypotheses of temporal filtering

The weakly electric fish, Eigenmannia, changes its frequency of electric organ discharges (EODs) to increase the frequency difference between its EODs and those of a jamming neighbor. This jamming avoidance response is greatest for frequency differences (i.e., beat rates) of approximately 4 Hz and barely detectable at beat rates of 20 Hz. A neural correlate of this behavior is found in the torus semicircularis, where most neurons act as low-pass or band-pass filters over this range of beat rates.
Interface between the driver and collision warning systems: lessons in complexity

Three experiments were performed with examined the applicability of the Hick-Hyman law to the design of an auditory interface for a vehicle collision avoidance warning system. All trials used a single broadband noise signal emanating from one of a subset of six loudspeakers equally spaced around the subject in the azimuthal plane. Both the size of the sub-set and the balance of relative probabilities from speaker to speaker were altered to evaluate the relationship between information content and the dependent variable, choice reaction time. Choice reaction time was found to be related to the information content of the sound stimulus in all cases. It was also found to be related to the presence of pairs of speakers which were symmetrically opposed to one another in front of and behind the subject.
Directed positioning of micronuclei in Paramecium tetraurelia with laser tweezers : absence of detectible damage after manipulation

Possible covert damage from the use of the laser optical force trap (laser tweezers) to reposition micronuclei in Paramecium tetraurelia was assessed by measuring proliferation rates and postautogamous survival and mutation rates of cells after laser manipulations. No differences in subsequent daily proliferation rates among laser manipulated and various control classes of cells were seen. Similarly, the rates of postautogamous lethality and of "slow growth mutations" after repositioning of both micronuclei were not different from such rates in unmanipulated controls. In spite of extensive manipulations of micronuclei by the laser tweezers, there is no evidence of any damage induced by these manipulations. The laser tweezers therefore appears to be a tool of benign effect upon living cells, with tremendous potential use in many cell and developmental biological investigations.
Lack of metabolic temperature compensation in the intertidal gastropods, Littorina saxatilis (Olivi) and L. obtusata (L.)

Two intertidal snails, Littorina saxatilis (Olivi, 1972) (upper eulittoral fringe/maritime zone) and Littorina obtusata (Linnaeus, 1758) (lower eulittoral) were collected from a boulder shore on Nobska Point, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in July and acclimated for 15–20 days at 4 ° or 21 °C. Oxygen consumption rate (Vo2) was determined for 11–15 subsamples of individuals at 4 °, 11 ° and 21 °C with silver/platinum oxygen electrodes. Multiple factor analysis of variance (MFANOVA) of lo10 transformed values of whole animal Vo2 with log10 dry tissue weight (DTW) as a covariant revealed that increased test temperature induced a significant increase in Vo2 in both species (P<0.00001). In contrast, MFANOVA revealed that temperature acclimation did not affect Vo2 in either L. saxatilis (P= 0.35) or L. obtusata (P= 0.095). Thus, neither species displayed a capacity for the typical metabolic temperature compensation marked by an increase in Vo2 at any one test temperature in individuals acclimated to a lower temperature that is characteristic of most ectothermic animals. Lack of capacity for metabolic temperature acclimation has also been reported in other littorinid snail species, and may be characteristic of the group as a whole. Lack of capacity for respiratory temperature acclimation in these two species and other littorinids may reflect the extensive semi-diurnal temperature variation that they are exposed to in their eulittoral and eulittoral fringe/maritime zone habitats. In these habitats, any metabolic benefits derived from longer-term temperature compensation of metabolic rates are negated by extreme daily temperature fluctuations. Instead, littorinid species appear to have evolved mechanisms for immediate metabolic regulation which, in L. saxatilis and L. obtusata and other littorinids, appear to centre on a unique ability for near instantaneous suppression of metabolic rate and entrance into short-term metabolic diapause at temperatures above 20–35 °C, making typical seasonal respiratory compensation mechanisms characteristic of most ectotherms of little adaptive value to littorinid species.
Effect of pregnancy on the pharmacokinetics of antihypertensive drugs

In the US, approximately 12% of women have hypertension during their pregnancy. Antihypertensive drugs are often given to lower maternal blood pressure in those with severe hypertension to prevent stroke and hypertensive crises. There is no conclusive evidence that antihypertensive treatment is beneficial to the mother in mild to moderate hypertension; however, approximately 3% of all pregnant women receive an antihypertensive drug at some time during their pregnancy. There are only limited data on the effects of pregnancy on the pharmacokinetics of antihypertensive drugs. However, knowledge of the pharmacokinetic properties of a drug in the nonpregnant adult and use of a mechanistic-based approach allow an estimation of the effect of pregnancy on the pharmacokinetics of drugs when data are limited or not available. In general, an increased plasma volume and decreased protein binding can alter the volume of distribution of the drug. Clearance can increase or decrease, depending on the pathway of elimination of the drug. Through changes in the volume of distribution and clearance, pregnancy can cause a change in the elimination half-life, resulting in the need for modification of the dosing frequency. The few studies in pregnant women with hypertension have included small numbers of women in the third trimester and postpartum, with little or no data in early pregnancy. In addition, many studies evaluating the efficacy of antihypertensive medications have been performed using dosing regimens of medications that have not been substantiated by pharmacological data in pregnant women. There is a need for well designed pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of antihypertensive medications that include analysis during all three trimesters of pregnancy and postpartum. Higher doses and altered dosage intervals may be needed for antihypertensive drugs used in pregnant women.
How strong are the Southern Hemisphere storm tracks

[1] The real strength of the Southern Hemisphere (SH) storm tracks is poorly known, as the NCEP-NCAR and ECMWF reanalyses differ significantly in this measure. In this work, the COSMIC GPS radio occultation dataset is used to investigate this issue. The ratio of the strength of the SH storm tracks to that in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) based on the COSMIC dataset can be regarded as close to the true inter-hemisphere ratio since the dataset has similar biases and errors in both hemispheres. Comparing this ratio with that based on the reanalysis, it is found that the strength of the SH storm tracks in the NCEP-NCAR reanalysis is significantly biased low by at least 25% at 300 hPa, while those in the ECMWF reanalyses are much closer to that inferred from COSMIC observations but ERA40 may be biased low by 5–10%.
A complex systems approach for developing public policy toward terrorism: an agent-based approach

Abstract This paper examines terrorist “fluids” as complex adaptive systems. The principles of agent-based modeling are applied to global terrorism as a basis for developing agent-based models of terrorist behavior. Recommendations for agent-based models of terrorist behavior as policy analytic tools are presented.
90-kDa ribosomal S6 kinase is a direct target for the nuclear fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1): role in FGFR1 signaling.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) is a transmembrane protein capable of transducing stimulation by secreted FGFs. In addition, newly synthesized FGFR1 enters the nucleus in response to cellular stimulation and during development. Nuclear FGFR1 can transactivate CRE (cAMP responsive element), activate CRE-binding protein (CREB)-binding protein (CBP) and gene activities causing cellular growth and differentiation. Here, a yeast two-hybrid assay was performed to identify FGFR1-binding proteins and the mechanism of nuclear FGFR1 action. Ten FGFR1-binding proteins were identified. Among the proteins detected with the intracellular FGFR1 domain was a 90-kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK1), a regulator of CREB, CBP, and histone phosphorylation. FGFR1 bound to the N-terminal region of RSK1. The FGFR1-RSK1 interaction was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation and colocalization in the nucleus and cytoplasm of mammalian cells. Predominantly nuclear FGFR1-RSK1 interaction was observed in the rat brain during neurogenesis and in cAMP-stimulated cultured neural cells. In TE671 cells, transfected FGFR1 colocalized and coimmunoprecipitated, almost exclusively, with nuclear RSK1. Nuclear RSK1 kinase activity and RSK1 activation of CREB were enhanced by transfected FGFR1. In contrast, kinase-deleted FGFR1 (TK–), which did not bind to RSK1 failed to stimulate nuclear RSK1 activity or RSK1 activation of CREB. Kinase inactive FGFR1 (K514A) bound effectively to nuclear RSK1, but it failed to stimulate RSK1. Thus, active FGFR1 kinase regulates the functions of nuclear RSK1. The interaction of nuclear FGFR1 with pluripotent RSK1 offers a new mechanism through which FGFR1 may control fundamental cellular processes.
Interaction between Hg(II) and natural dissolved organic matter: a fluorescence spectroscopy based study.

Abstract Interaction between Hg(II) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) collected from surface water samples of the Florida Everglades was studied using different fluorescence spectroscopic methods. Complexation between Hg(II) and DOM leached from mangrove leaves, sawgrass, and periphyton was investigated. Both fluorescence emission and synchronous fluorescence spectra showed that these dissolved organic materials, whether they are highly degraded or are freshly leached, can “complex” Hg(II) since fluorescence intensity was quenched upon addition of Hg(II) to the DOM samples. Synchronous fluorescence spectra disclosed structural information on the DOM sample, regarding possible binding sites for Hg(II). Chemical parameters on the complexation of Hg(II), including the conditional stability constants and the percentage of fluorophores participating in the complexation, were estimated by the modified Stern–Volmer equation. A detailed investigation under different experimental conditions showed that the complexation of the DOM samples collected from the Everglades was influenced by pH, Cl−(aq) anion, and cations such as Ca2+ and Mg2+. Experimental results suggest that DOM–Hg(II) complexes can be removed from the water column through adsorption on biogenically precipitated CaCO3(s).
A possible neurochemical mechanism for brain and nerve damage associated with chronic alcoholism

Abstract Based on accumulating evidence, it is suggested that potentially electrophilic quinoidamines, possible oxidative metabolites of the tetrahydroisoquinoline. condensation products which are known to form during chronic alcoholism from endogenous catecholamines and active carbonyl compounds, are toxic agents responsible in part for the neuropathology of chronic alcoholism.
Alcoholics Anonymous: cult or cure?

Objective: To discuss the mechanism of action, the efficacy and the safety of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) in the treatment of alcoholism.Method: The published works on effective treatments for alcoholism is briefly reviewed and a prospective multidisciplinar y follow-up of recovery from alcoholism in two community cohorts of adolescent males followed from 1940 until the present day is reviewed.Conclusions: The suggested mechanism of action of AA is that it employs four factors widely shown to be effective in relapse prevention in addictions: external supervision, substitute dependency, new caring relationships and increased spirituality. In addition, AA serendipitously follows the principles of cognitive behaviour therapy in relapse prevention. Alcoholics Anonymous appears equal to or superior to conventional treatments for alcoholism, and the skepticism of some professionals regarding AA as a first rank treatment for alcoholism would appear to be unwarranted. Alcoholics Anonymous is probably without seriou...
Measures and barycenters of measures on convex sets in locally convex spaces. II

This paper is a continuation of [8]. The definitions and terminology explained in [8] will be used here. X is a closed, convex, and bounded subset of a locally convex space (E, 9-T)) always assumed to be Hausdorff and over the field of real numbers, M the set of all finitely additive, each of total mass 1, regular positive measures on X and M,, , M, , and M, are the subsets of M consisting of u-additive, T-additive, and tight measures, respectively. x E X is called the barycenter of a /* E M if p(f) = sflx dp =f(x), Vf E E’, the topological dual of E. Let n/r, be the set of those elements in M which have barycenters. In this paper we shall prove some properties of measures having barycenters. Some compactness properties of X will be expressed in terms of M,, . We shall always take the weak topology on M.
Claudin-4 overexpression in epithelial ovarian cancer is associated with hypomethylation and is a potential target for modulation of tight junction barrier function using a C-terminal fragment of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin

Abstract BACKGROUND: Claudin-4, a tight junction (TJ) protein and receptor for the C-terminal fragment of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (C-CPE), is overexpressed in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Previous research suggests DNA methylation is a mechanism for claudin-4 overexpression in cancer and that C-CPE acts as an absorption-enhancing agent in claudin-4expressing cells. We sought to correlate claudin-4 overexpression in EOC with clinical outcomes and TJ barrier function, investigate DNA methylation as a mechanism for overexpression, and evaluate the effect of C-CPE on the TJ. METHODS: Claudin-4 expression in EOC was quantified and correlated with clinical outcomes. Claudin-4 methylation status was determined, and claudin-4-negative cell lines were treated with a demethylating agent. Electric cell-substrate impedance sensing was used to calculate junctional (paracellular) resistance (Rb) in EOC cells after claudin-4 silencing and after C-CPE treatment. RESULTS: Claudin4 overexpression in EOC does not correlate with survival or other clinical endpoints and is associated with hypomethylation. Claudin-4 overexpression correlates with Rb and C-CPE treatment of EOC cells significantly decreased Rb in a dose- and claudin-4-dependent noncytotoxic manner. CONCLUSIONS: C-CPE treatment of EOC cells leads to altered TJ function. Further research is needed to determine the potential clinical applications of C-CPE in EOC drug delivery strategies.
Molecular phenotypes of notochordal cells purified from immature nucleus pulposus

The immature nucleus pulposus (NP) is populated by cells of notochordal-origin that are larger and contain an extensive cytoskeletal network and numerous vacuoles. The disappearance of these cells with age is believed important in regulating metabolic shifts that may contribute to age-related disc degeneration. The precise biological function of these notochordal cells in the immature NP remains unclear, however, because of challenges in studying the mixed cell population in the NP. In this study, notochordal-like cells were purified from immature NP cells using a new fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) protocol with auto-fluorescence and size analysis. The unique molecular phenotypes of sorted notochordal-like cells were characterized by the mRNA expression pattern for key matrix proteins and modulators, and by the expression of cell–matrix receptor integrin subunits. An FACS analysis showed that the immature NP contained a majority of cells that were larger than anulus fibrosus (AF) cells and with fluorescence higher than AF cells. In comparison with the small NP cells separated by the FACS protocol, sorted notochordal-like cells expressed lower mRNA levels of type I collagen, biglycan, TIMP1, HSP70 and c-fos, and did not express detectable mRNA levels of decorin, lumican, multiple MMPs or IL-1β via real-time quantitative RT-PCR. A greater number of these notochordal-like cells also expressed the higher levels of α6, α1 and β1 integrin subunits as compared to small NP cells. Together, our results point towards a unique molecular phenotype for these notochordal-like cells of NP, characterized by the absence of gene expression for specific small proteoglycans and higher protein expression of integrin subunits that regulate interactions with collagens and laminin. Future studies will be important for revealing if this unique molecular profile is coordinated with functional differences in pericellular matrix regions and/or integrin-mediated cell–matrix interactions for these notochordal-like cells within the NP.
Formally modelling software architectures with the UML 2.0 profile for π-ADL

A key aspect of the design of any software system is its architecture. An architecture description, from a runtime perspective, should provide a formal model of the architecture in terms of components and connectors, their ports and behaviours, and how they are composed together. The Unified Modelling Language (UML) is widely used in the design of software systems and has recently been extended to better support software architecture description. This paper presents the UML 2.0 Profile for π-ADL, a novel ADL that has been designed in the ArchWare European Project. It briefly presents π-ADL and its UML 2.0 Profile, then it illustrates through a case study how the UML 2.0 Profile for π-ADL can be used for formally modelling software architectures. The toolset for supporting the UML 2.0 Profile for π-ADL is outlined: it supports architecture modelling, architectural behaviour animation, and model checking of architectural properties.
Size effects in the thermal conductivity of gallium oxide (β-Ga2O3) films grown via open-atmosphere annealing of gallium nitride

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a widely used semiconductor for high frequency and high power devices due to of its unique electrical properties: a wide band gap, high breakdown field, and high electron mobility. However, thermal management has become a limiting factor regarding efficiency, lifetime, and advancement of GaN devices and GaN-based applications. In this work, we study the thermal conductivity of beta-phase gallium oxide (β-Ga2O3) thin films, a component of typical gate oxides used in such devices. We use time domain thermoreflectance to measure the thermal conductivity of a variety of polycrystalline β-Ga2O3 films of different thicknesses grown via open atmosphere annealing of the surfaces of GaN films on sapphire substrates. We show that the measured effective thermal conductivity of these β-Ga2O3 films can span 1.5 orders of magnitude, increasing with an increased film thickness, which is indicative of the relatively large intrinsic thermal conductivity of the β-Ga2O3 grown via this technique (8.8...
Reproductive performance in high producing dairy cows treated with recombinant bovine somatotropin.

The reproductive performance of 156 cows treated with recombinant bST for two consecutive lactations was assessed as part of a target animal safety study conducted in the San Joaquin Valley of central California. Daily intramuscular administration of 17.2, 51.6, and 86 mg of bST per cow started at d 70 postpartum and ended at dry-off or 305 d postpartum. The AI did not begin until d 70 postpartum. During the first lactation study, multiparous cows treated with bST had significantly decreased pregnancy rates, increased behavioral anestrus, and increased anestrus confirmed by palpation. Treated primiparous cows in first lactation had shorter mean days to first standing estrus. In the second lactation study, cows treated with bST had an increased rate of delayed uterine involution, cystic ovarian condition, behavioral anestrus, and anestrus confirmed by palpation. Progeny from the first lactation cows were evaluated for rates of growth, morbidity, mortality, and for reproductive performance; no difference was detected between the progeny from different groups.
Synthesis and Characterization of Multiresponsive Core−Shell Microgels

We report the synthesis and characterization of temperature and pH responsive hydrogel particles (microgels) with core−shell morphologies. Core particles composed of cross-linked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (p-NIPAm) or poly(NIPAm-co-acrylic acid) (p-NIPAm-AAc) were synthesized via precipitation polymerization and then used as nuclei for subsequent polymerization of p-NIPAm-AAc and p-NIPAm, respectively. The presence of a core−shell morphology was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Thermally initiated volume phase transitions were interrogated via temperature-programmed photon correlation spectroscopy (TP-PCS) as a function of solution pH. The p-NIPAm-AAc core hydrogel displays both a strong temperature and pH dependence on swelling. However, both p-NIPAm-AAc (core)/p-NIPAm (shell) and p-NIPAm (core)/p-NIPAm-AAc (shell) particles display a more complex pH dependence than the homogeneous particles. Specifically, a multistep volume phase transition appears when the AAc component becomes hi...
Direct writing of conformal mesoscopic electronic devices by MAPLE DW

Abstract We demonstrate a novel pulsed UV laser direct writing technique called MAPLE DW for the fabrication of conformal electronic devices. MAPLE DW (matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation direct write) is a soft laser forward transfer technique that takes place in air and at room temperature. Specific experimental results for the deposition of Ag metal and BaTiO3 composite dielectrics with electrical quality comparable to conventional thick film deposition techniques will be given as well as a discussion of the relevant issues for further electronic device improvement. The mechanism of the MAPLE DW process that makes it applicable to a broad class of electronic materials and even biomaterials is also described.
Formation of the Initiation Complex using Muscle Messenger RNAs

In eukaryotes, as in prokaryotes, the smaller of the two ribosomal subunits binds mRNA during the initiation of protein synthesis. The formation of the complete initiation complex, sedimenting at 75S, requires GTP, tRNA and initiation factors.
Effects of hemimandibulectomy on quality of life

Objective: To assess the quality of life and functional status of patients who have undergone hemimandibulectomy based on the type of reconstructive procedure performed. Study Design: Survey, retrospective. Methods: Twenty-one patients who had undergone hemimandibulectomy and had similar defects were divided into two groups based on the reconstructive technique utilized. Eleven patients were placed in the soft tissue reconstruction group. Ten patients were placed in the mandible reconstruction group. All patients were assessed for: function, utilizing the Performance Status Scale, and quality of life, using a general cancer questionnaire (FACT-G) and a series of questions specific for head and neck cancer patients. Results: Mandible reconstruction produced a perceived better physical appearance (P = .02), better eating ability (P = .04), and a better overall quality of life (P = .002). The mandible reconstruction cohort consistently outscored the soft tissue cohort on all questionnaires. Conclusion: Restoration of mandibular continuity after hemimandibulectomy leads to improved function and a superior quality of life in appropriately selected patients. Laryngoscope, 108:1574–1577, 1998
The Life‐World*

Being victimized can lead one to discover heretofore neglected elements of the social life-world. Discovery in vivid form of one's vulnerability to death reveals the pervasive importance of hopefulness.
Vacuum plasma spray forming of refractory metals and ceramics for space furnace containment cartridges—an extended abstract

Tungsten can be VPS formed to 99% density in furnace retort shapes. The VPS tungsten microstructure is dependent on substrate temperature. Material deposited below 815 °C (1500 °F) displayed a splat structure, whereas material deposited above 1150 °C (2100 °F) was recrystallized. The VPS process can be used to make transitions from alumina to a gradient layer with a continuously increasing proportion of tungsten to a pure tungsten layer in a single spray operation.
Fine Structure of the His Bundle

The fine structure of the His bundle is described on the basis of its light and electron microscopic appearance. Electron microscopy was performed on one human and two canine hearts, and light microscopy on over 400 human and 60 canine hearts. The His bundle was identified by its light microscopic appearance. There were no significant differences in the fine structure of human and canine His bundles. In both, the principal cell was a typical Purkinje cell containing few myofibrils and a large perinuclear clear zone; these cells are shorter and broader than working myocardial cells, and their intercellular junctions (which are obliquely rather than transversely oriented) contain a high proportion of nexus formations. Both the human and canine His bundles are partitioned by fine collagen septa, which are longitudinally oriented with comparatively few crossover connections. The general organization of the His bundle is thus into multiple strands of Purkinje cells, and these strands are largely separated from...
Changes in the length and organization of nucleus laminaris dendrites after unilateral otocyst ablation in chick embryos.

To evaluate the contributions of the ear and acoustic stimulation to the structural development of central auditory neurons, the right otocyst was surgically destroyed in chick embryos on the third day of incubation. This pro-cedure prevents the formation of the inner ear and acousticovestibular nerve and thus removes the dominant afferent synaptic input to nucleus magnocellularis (NM). Subsequently, nucleus laminaris (NL), which receives afferent synaptic input to its dorsal dendrites from the ipsilateral NM and afferents to its ventral dendrites from the contralateral NM, was studied on both sides of the brain in Golgi preparations. By embryonic day 17, the total lengths of the individual NL dendritic fields connected to the right NM (i.e., the manipulated dendrites) were decreased by an average of 44% as compared to those NL dendrites connected to the left NM (i.e., the unmanipulated dendrites). The mean length of the unman-ipulated dendrites in experimental animals, however, did not differ from average dendritic length in normal control embryos. The amount of dendritic length lost by a NL neuron was strongly correlated with the length of the unmanipulated dendrites on the opposite side of the same neuron and with that neuron's position within NL. The lengths of dorsal and ventral dendrites on individual neurons were at least as highly correlated in experimental as in normal control animals. Correlation of dendrite length with the position of measured neurons within NL indicated that the large rostromedial-to-caudolateral gradient of increasing den-drite length present in the normal NL is also found in the manipulated dendrites in experimental animals. Regression and correlation analyses relating the length of dendrites to their longitudinal cross-sectional area revealed that there was no difference in mean dendritic diameter between the manipulated and unmani-pulated dendrites in experimental animals. The findings of a high dorsal-ventral length correlation in experimental animals and a normal spatial gradient of dendritic length among the manipulated dendrites suggests two explanations. Either (1) acoustically evoked synaptic activity is not essential for the develop-ment of these two aspects of dendritic organization, or (2) the normal NM afferents to the unmanipulated dendrites of each NL neuron in an animal with one ablated otocyst can, under the influence of acoustically driven activity, control develop-ment of the manipulated dendrites. These alternate hypotheses can be tested experimentally.
Defining and Observing the Compliance of Service Level Agreements: A Model Driven Approach

IT Service Management (ITSM) is the set of processes that allow planning, organizing, directing and controlling the provisioning of IT services. Among the concerns of ITSM, namely within the service level management process, are the requirements for services availability, performance, accuracy, capacity and security, which are specified in terms of service-level agreements (SLA). SLA definition and monitoring are open issues within the ITSM domain. This paper overviews an ongoing research initiative concerned with three specific problems in this context: (1) SLAs in the context of ITSM are informally specified in natural language, (2) SLAs specifications are not grounded on models of ITSM processes, (3) SLAs compliance verification in IT services is not performed at the same level of abstraction as service design. To mitigate those problems, we propose a model-based approach to IT services SLA specification and compliance verification. The specification part will be based on a SLA language - a domain specific language (DSL) for defining quality attributes as non functional requirements (NFRs) in the context of ITSM. Its metamodel will be an extension of the metamodel of the adopted process modeling language. As such, it will be possible to ground SLA definition on the corresponding IT service model constructs. SLA monitoring and compliance validation will occur at the same abstraction level as service specification, therefore being understood by all stakeholders.
The cluster problem in multivariate global optimization

We consider branch and bound methods for enclosing all unconstrained global minimizers of a nonconvex nonlinear twice-continuously differentiable objective function. In particular, we consider bounds obtained with interval arithmetic, with the “midpoint test,” but no acceleration procedures. Unless the lower bound is exact, the algorithm without acceleration procedures in general gives an undesirable cluster of boxes around each minimizer. In a previous paper, we analyzed this problem for univariate objective functions. In this paper, we generalize that analysis to multi-dimensional objective functions. As in the univariate case, the results show that the problem is highly related to the behavior of the objective function near the global minimizers and to the order of the corresponding interval extension.
Spatial resolution of cavity-enhanced photothermal spectroscopy

Cavity-enhanced photothernial spectroscopy has been applied to perform ultrasensitive absorption measurements of thin fims and liquid surfaces. Absorption coefficients of less than one part in 10 have been detected. Both spectral and time-resolved photothermal measurements have been carried out and the spatial resolution of the method has been investigated using a Ronchi ruling as the sample. The measurements are in qualitative agreement with our thermal modelling calculations.