cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sugar Price Supports and Taxation: A Public Health Policy Paradox

Domestic US sugar production has been protected by government policy for the past 82 years, resulting in elevated domestic prices and an estimated annual (2013) $1.4 billion dollar "tax" on consumers. These elevated prices and the simultaneous federal support for domestic corn production have ensured a strong market for high-fructose corn syrup. Americans have dramatically increased their consumption of caloric sweeteners during the same period. Consumption of "empty" calories (ie, foods with low-nutrient/high-caloric density)-sugar and high-fructose corn syrup being the primary sources-is considered by most public health experts to be a key contributing factor to the rise in obesity. There have been substantial efforts to tax sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) to both reduce consumption and provide a source of funds for nutrition education, thereby emulating the tobacco tax model. Volume-based SSB taxes levy the tax rate per ounce of liquid, where some are only imposed on beverages with added sugar content exceeding a set threshold. Nonetheless, volume-based taxes have significant limitations in encouraging consumers to reduce their caloric intake due to a lack of transparency at the point of purchase. Thus, it is hypothesized that point-of-purchase, nutrient-specific excise taxes on SSBs would be more effective at reducing sugar consumption. However, all SSB taxes are limited by the possibility that consumers may compensate their decreased intake from SSBs with other high-calorie junk foods. Furthermore, there are no existing studies to provide evidence on how SSB taxes will impact obesity rates in the long term. The paradox of sugar prices is that Americans have paid higher prices for sugar to protect domestic production for more than 80 years, and now, Americans are being asked to pay even more to promote public health. The effective use of sugar taxes should be considered based on their merits in reducing sugar consumption and making available a new source of funds to support nutrition education, not on lobbying efforts by the food industry or sugar and corn producers.
Cloud archiving and data mining of High-Resolution Rapid Refresh forecast model output

Weather-related research often requires synthesizing vast amounts of data that need archival solutions that are both economical and viable during and past the lifetime of the project. Public cloud computing services (e.g., from Amazon, Microsoft, or Google) or private clouds managed by research institutions are providing object data storage systems potentially appropriate for long-term archives of such large geophysical data sets. We illustrate the use of a private cloud object store developed by the Center for High Performance Computing (CHPC) at the University of Utah. Since early 2015, we have been archiving thousands of two-dimensional gridded fields (each one containing over 1.9 million values over the contiguous United States) from the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) data assimilation and forecast modeling system. The archive is being used for retrospective analyses of meteorological conditions during high-impact weather events, assessing the accuracy of the HRRR forecasts, and providing initial and boundary conditions for research simulations. The archive is accessible interactively and through automated download procedures for researchers at other institutions that can be tailored by the user to extract individual two-dimensional grids from within the highly compressed files. Characteristics of the CHPC object storage system are summarized relative to network file system storage or tape storage solutions. The CHPC storage system is proving to be a scalable, reliable, extensible, affordable, and usable archive solution for our research. Display Omitted High resolution weather model output is archived in an object data storage system.Object storage is an affordable, useable, and reliable long-term archive solution.High impact weather events used to illustrate efficient data retrieval from archive.Model output archive makes it possible to initialize weather research simulations.
Pressure Heat Pumping in the Orifice Pulse-Tube Refrigerator

The mechanism by which heat is pumped as a result of pressure changes in an orifice pulse-tube refrigerator (OPTR) is analyzed thermodynamically. The thermodynamic cycle considered consists of four steps: 1) the pressure is increased by a factor π1 due to motion of a piston in the heat exchanger at the warm end of the regenerator; 2) the pressure is decreased by a factor π2 due to leakage out of the orifice; 3) the pressure is further decreased due to motion of the piston back to its original position; 4) the pressure is increased to its value at the start of the cycle due to leakage through the orifice back into the pulse tube. The regenerator and the heat exchangers are taken to be perfect. The pressure is assumed to be uniform during the entire cycle. The temperature profiles of the gas in the pulse tube after each step are derived analytically. Knowledge of the temperature at which gas enters the cold heat exchanger during steps 3 and 4 provides the heat removed per cycle from this exchanger. Knowledge of the pressure as a function of piston position provides the work done per cycle by the piston. The pressure heat pumping mechanism considered is effective only in the presence of a regenerator. Detailed results are presented for the heat removed per cycle, for the coefficient of performance, and for the refrigeration efficiency as a function of the compression ratio π1 and the expansion ratio π2. Results are also given for the influence on performance of the ratio of specific heats. The results obtained are compared with corresponding results for the basic pulse-tube refrigerator (BPTR) operating by surface heat pumping.
Fundamentals of Electronic Resource Management: by Alana Verminski and Kelly Marie Blanchat, London: ALA Facet, 2017, 264pp., $65.00 (Paperback), ISBN 9781783302307

Fundamentals of Electronic Resource Management is a lot of great information packed into a small paperback. Novice librarians may want to read it slowly and refer back to this guide as needed.Vermi...
Maximum probabilities, information, and choice under uncertainty

Abstract This note proposes a simple, expected utility-like model for decision making under uncertainty. The model uses the maximum probability for each possible outcome and the amount of information conveyed by this upper envelope. A graphical tool is introduced and used to study the model when two outcomes are possible. The model is extended to an abstract number of outcomes in which interpersonal comparisons of preferences are considered along with applications to medical decision making and financial asset demand.
Physician activism--an obligation or filler for spare time?

A past president of the AMA discusses the obligations of physicians to participate in health and social activism. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Carcinoma in Female Urethral Diverticulum: Case Reports and Review of Management

AbstractWe report on 4 women ages 31 to 65 years with adenocarcinoma of urethral diverticulum. One patient presented with metastatic disease and died after refusing post-radiation surgery. The other 3 women were without evidence of disease 9 to 44 months after diverticulectomy with radiation (1) or radical surgery (2). Review of our 4 cases and 64 cases documented in the literature showed that irritative voiding symptoms and hematuria were the most common findings. A palpable urethral mass was described in only 56% of reported cases but was observed in all of our patients, with the smallest mass measuring 2 × 2cm. Urethroscopy with biopsy is the most important diagnostic test. Aggressive treatment is appropriate in most patients, since local recurrence has been documented in 44% of those treated by diverticulectomy and/or radiation.
Desoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) content in the female gametophyte and nucellus of rhoeo discolor

Photometric determinations of Desoxyribonucleic acid in the haploid nuclei of the female gametophyte and diploid nuclei of nucellar cells show that the former have half the amount of DNA found in the latter and appear to establish a regular correspondence between the amount of DNA in the nucleus and its ploidy.
Contexts in Educational Topic Maps

This paper explores the idea of using contexts to support more efficient information search in Topic Maps-based digital libraries. The notion of context is perceived as abstraction of grouping of domain concepts and resources based on the existing semantic relationships between them. The proposed model of context is used for context representation in the TM4L environment.
Microcatheter navigation through the clot: does size matter?

Background Despite high recanalization rates achieved with endovascular treatment of acute ischemic strokes, around 50% of eligible patients will not achieve a good outcome. Parameters that may determine patient outcomes include: time from puncture to recanalization, the collateral status, the anesthesia regimen, blood pressure management, and distal emboli. Characterization of distal emboli generated during mechanical thrombectomy has been performed in previous studies. Objective To further investigate the risk of distal embolization associated with microcatheter navigation across the clot. Methods A contrast-enhanced clot analog was used in an in vitro model that mimicked a middle cerebral artery occlusion within a complete circle of Willis vascular replica. The clot was crossed with one of the following microcatheters: Pro18, XT-27 or 3MAX. The emboli generated during the procedure were collected and measured. Results The use of Pro18 and XT-27 resulted in a significant reduction of visible particles (size ≥500 µm) as compared with the 3MAX catheter (P 0.05). In comparison with previously published data, acquired under the same conditions, it was found that the clot crossing maneuver accounts approximately for 12% of the total number of small emboli ( Conclusions The clot crossing maneuver has a significant effect on the total number of small particles induced during mechanical thrombectomy. Smaller microcatheter sizes should be favored when possible.
Case closed: another prophylactic cranial irradiation trial for stage 3 non-small cell lung cancer fails to improve overall survival

In a recent study published by De Ruysscher et al . (1), the use of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) significantly reduced the rate of symptomatic brain metastasis development in patients with stage 3 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at 2 years. Patients with WHO performance status 0–2 undergoing chemoradiotherapy with or without surgery for their stage 3 disease were randomized to an observation arm or a treatment arm that underwent PCI (36 Gy in 18 fractions, 30 Gy in 12 fractions, or 30 Gy in 10 fractions).
How Did Flint MI Happen

EPA’s regulations to control lead contamination of drinking water are the most complicated of any of its drinking water regulations, and include source water analysis, identifying high risk s...
Implementation Teams: A Stakeholder View of Leading and Sustaining Change

An implementation team is a group of stakeholders that oversees, attends to, and is accountable for facilitating key activities in the selection, implementation, and continuous improvement of an intervention. There is growing attention on the important role of implementation teams in supporting the sustainable use of evidence to improve outcomes. This chapter provides a state-of-the-field as it relates to the use of implementation teams to support, scale, and sustain change efforts to produce population impacts. Competencies for implementation team members are also discussed.
Regulation of nitrogen fixation.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the regulation of nitrogen fixation. Both the biosynthesis and the activity of nitrogenase are regulated. The product of N2 reduction, ammonia, through its effect on the biosynthesis of glutamine synthetase, represses nitrogenase synthesis but has no effect on nitrogenase activity. A by-product of nitrogenase catalysis, ADP inhibits N2 reduction by binding to a site on the Fe protein of nitrogenase and preventing its activity, probably by preventing its reduction and its complexing with ATP, the energy source required for the process. Several of the properties of the Fe protein that result from the binding of 2MgATP2− are changed in the presence of ADP. These include its EPR spectrum, its midpoint potential, its ability to give up its iron to chelators, and its ability to accept electrons. Carbamyl phosphate, although not firmly established as a regulator, inhibits nitrogenase activity to the extent of 50%. The inhibition by carbamyl phosphate mimics that of CO in that both reduction of H+ and ATP hydrolysis by nitrogenase are not inhibited.
Wheelchair backs that support the spinal curves: Assessing postural and functional changes

Objective: To compare outcomes using a wheelchair back designed to support the natural seated spinal curves versus an upholstered back that promotes posterior pelvic tilt and thoracolumbar kyphosis.Design: Cross-over intervention.Setting: Two free-standing spinal cord injury (SCI) model system hospitals.Participants: Fifty adults with motor complete SCI C6-T4, between the ages of 18-60 years who use a manual wheelchair for mobility were recruited from a convenience sample.Intervention: Each participant's wheelchair back support was removed and replaced by an upholstered back and a solid back in randomized order. Postural and functional outcomes, pain, and satisfaction were evaluated using each back.Outcome measures: Seated postural measurements included pelvic angle, spinal angle of kyphosis and linear measurement of spine. Functional outcomes included vertical forward reach, one stroke push, timed forward wheeling, ramp ascent and descent. Numerical pain rating and a satisfaction survey provided input pertaining to both backs.Results: The solid back demonstrated significance in seated postural measurements. Participants using the solid back trended to higher scores in functional outcome measures including vertical forward reach, one stroke push and timed ramp ascent. Participants reported increased satisfaction with comfort and stability with the solid back.Conclusions: This pilot study demonstrated that a wheelchair back, which supports the seated spinal curves improves upright posture, functional reach, and wheelchair propulsion skills. Further research is necessary to demonstrate statistical findings as well as to assess back height and lateral support.
Global review of tobacco product flavour policies.

Objective We determined which countries prohibit flavoured tobacco products and the details of those restrictions in order to identify possible gaps and opportunities for these and other countries to address. Methods We reviewed the grey literature, scanned news articles and consulted with key informants and identified 11 countries and the European Union (EU) that ban or restrict tobacco product flavours. We reviewed policy documents for their stated policy rationale, terms and definitions of flavours, tobacco products covered and restrictions on the use of flavour imagery and terms on tobacco product packaging. Results Countries with a tobacco product flavour policy include the USA, Canada, Brazil, Ethiopia, Uganda, Senegal, Niger, Mauritania, EU (28 Member States), Moldova, Turkey and Singapore. Most of the countries’ policies provide a rationale of dissuading youth from taking up tobacco use. Ten of the 12 policies use the terms ‘flavours’ (n=6) or ‘characterising flavours’ (n=4). Six policies cover all products made entirely or partly of tobacco leaf. Countries consistently prohibit flavours associated with fruits, vanilla and spices. The USA and Niger make an exception for menthol, while Mauritania and Uganda do not specify the scope of flavours or ingredients covered by their policies. Eight policies make no specific reference to restricting flavour descriptors on tobacco product packaging. Conclusion Countries looking to implement policies restricting flavours in tobacco products can build on existing comprehensive policies. Future research could examine the implementation and impacts of these policies, to inform other countries interested in acting in this policy domain.
Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 and IGF Binding Proteins Predict All-Cause Mortality and Morbidity in Older Adults.

While the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 (GH/IGF-1) pathway plays essential roles in growth and development, diminished signaling via this pathway in model organisms extends lifespan and health-span. In humans, circulating IGF-1 and IGF-binding proteins 3 and 1 (IGFBP-3 and 1), surrogate measures of GH/IGF-1 system activity, have not been consistently associated with morbidity and mortality. In a prospective cohort of independently-living older adults (n = 840, mean age 76.1 ± 6.8 years, 54.5% female, median follow-up 6.9 years), we evaluated the age- and sex-adjusted hazards for all-cause mortality and incident age-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and multiple-domain cognitive impairment (MDCI), as predicted by baseline total serum IGF-1, IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio, IGFBP-3, and IGFBP-1 levels. All-cause mortality was positively associated with IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio (HR 1.28, 95% CI 1.05–1.57) and negatively with IGFBP-3 (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.680–0.998). High serum IGF-1 predicted greater risk for MDCI (HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.08–2.26) and composite incident morbidity (HR 1.242, 95% CI 1.004–1.538), whereas high IGFBP-1 predicted lower risk for diabetes (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.29–0.88). In conclusion, higher IGF-1 levels and bioavailability predicted mortality and morbidity risk, supporting the hypothesis that diminished GH/IGF-1 signaling may contribute to human longevity and health-span.
Physiological response of the giant acorn barnacle, Balanus nubilus, to oxygen-limiting environments

Abstract Sessile invertebrates in the nearshore coastal and rocky intertidal habitats can experience oxygen limitation during low tide air exposure and environmental hypoxia events. For some organisms, unique morphological characteristics may make these events especially challenging. The giant acorn barnacle, Balanus nubilus, has the largest muscle fibers in the animal kingdom (diameters can exceed 3 mm in adults). At these extreme sizes, muscle cells may already be at the brink of insufficient oxygen delivery owing to low SA:V ratios and long intracellular diffusion distances. We are interested in characterizing the internal oxygen dynamics of B. nubilus during air exposure and seawater anoxia so that we can better understand how they maintain function of their giant muscle fibers during environmentally-induced oxygen limitation. To this end, we examined the following: 1) hemolymph pO2, pCO2, pH and ion (Na+, Cl−, K+, Ca2+) concentrations across 9 h exposure to air emersion, anoxic immersion and normoxic immersion (control), 2) oxygen consumption rates (MO2) of barnacles held in water and air for 6 h (at 10, 15 and 20 °C), and 3) respiratory behaviors (e.g., % time operculum open or cirri extended, cirral beat frequency) of barnacles during acute (6 h) exposure to emersion, anoxic immersion and normoxic immersion. Our data revealed that hemolymph pO2 declined significantly (by 3 h) in the anoxic barnacles, whereas the air-exposed barnacles maintained hemolymph oxygen levels that were intermediate to the control and anoxia barnacles. We also found that MO2 values for B. nubilus were very similar in seawater and air at a common temperature. These results suggest that B. nubilus can effectively acquire oxygen and support aerobic metabolism while in the air. This assumption was corroborated by our behavioral data, which revealed that air exposed (and anoxic) barnacles spent significantly more time engaged in cirral beating than control barnacles. Such a behavioral preference should enhance oxygen delivery to the internal respiratory surfaces inside the shell. Finally, we found significantly higher hemolymph [K+] in the emersed and anoxic barnacles, which - when coupled to the relatively stable pH values we observed in all treatments - may suggest involvement of K+ ions in an effective acid-base buffering system. In sum, we predict that muscle function would be preserved in B. nubilus during periods of low tide emersion, whereas environmental hypoxia events, which are increasing in frequency and duration as global climates change, have the potential to diminish functionality of their giant muscle fibers.
A class divided: Then and now

Examines how a discrimination exercise in 1970 affected children participants then and in 1984.
Inflation Test of the Human Optic Nerve Head Using Digital Volume Correlation

Understanding the mechanical behavior of the Optic Nerve Head (ONH) is important for understanding the pathophysiology of glaucoma. We have developed an inflation test that uses second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging and digital volume correlation (DVC) to measure the deformation response of the lamina cribrosa, the connective tissue structure of the ONH, to controlled pressurization. Human eyes were obtained from a tissue bank. The episclera and extraocular tissues were removed, the optic nerve was cut flush with the sclera, and the eye, secured to a holder, was pressurized using a saline solution injected through the anterior chamber. Pressure was controlled using a manometer. A laser-scanning microscope was used to acquire SHG images of the deforming tissue structure, and the DVC algorithm was used to post-process the SHG volumes to calculate the 3D displacement field. We evaluated the baseline error and effect of creep by applying the DVC algorithm to sequential z-stacks acquired at the same pressure separated by different hold times. The method was applied to measure the deformation response to pressure elevations representative of glaucoma.
On the Possibilistic-Based Decision Model: Characterization of Preference Relations Under Partial Inconsistency

A qualitative counterpart to Von Neumann and Morgenstern's Expected Utility Theory of decision under uncertainty was recently proposed by Dubois and Prade. In this model, belief states are represented by normalised possibility distributions over an ordinal scale of plausibility, and the utility (or preference) of consequences of decisions are also measured in an ordinal scale. In this paper we extend the original Dubois and Prade's decision model to cope with partially inconsistent descriptions of belief states, represented by non-normalised possibility distributions. Subnormal possibility distributions frequently arise when adopting the possibilistic model for case-based decision problems. We consider two qualitative utility functions, formally similar to the original ones up to modifying factors coping with the inconsistency degree of belief states. We provide axiomatic characterizations of the preference orderings induced by these utility functions.
Organometallic Compounds in Biomedical Applications

The toxicity as well as therapeutic value of organometallics is well known. Theintroduction of metal ions within biological macromolecules such as proteins andnucleic acids is a continuing area of research. The appearance of metal-containingmacromolecules in the human body is extensive and includes such metals as iron(transferrin, hemoglobin), molybdenum (xanthine oxidase), vanadium(hemovanadin), zinc (carbonic anhydrase), and copper (hepatocuprein). The use oforganometallic medicinals is widespread. Some examples include merbromine (mer-curochrome), meralein (mercury, antiseptic), silver sulfadizine (prophylactic treat-ment for severe burns), arsphenamine (arsenic, antimalarial), 4-ureidophenylarsonicacid (therapeutic for ameblasis, tryparsamide, and Gambian sleeping sickness), andantimony dimercaptosuccinate (schistosome). Table 1 contains a brief listing of addi-tional metal-containing drugs.Perhaps the earliest written record of the use of medicines is the “Ebers”papyrus, from about 1500 BC. This describes more than 800 “recipes,” some ofwhich contain substances today known to be toxic, including hemlock, aconite
Magic, Witchcraft, and Paganism in America: A Bibliography

J. Gordon Melton. Magic, Witchcraft, and Paganism in America:. Bibliography. New York: Garland. 1982. Pp. xi. 231. $44.00. cloth. L.C. 81-43343. ISBN 0-8240-9377-1.
Transcriptional regulation. Modification by nuclear export

One way to regulate the activity of transcription factors is to control the amount of time that they spend in the nucleus. This, in turn, can be modulated by exposing or blocking nuclear-localization and nuclear-export signals. A new regulatory mechanism is now proposed for a transcription factor called NF-AT4, and it seems that two other proteins, calcineurin and Crm1, compete for binding. The outcome of this battle determines whether an import or an export signal is uncovered.
On the optimality of treating interference as noise for K-user compound interference channels

For the K-user interference channel, Geng et al. identify a general condition under which power control and treating interference as noise (TIN) is optimal from the perspective of generalized degrees of freedom (GDoF). In this work, we show that for a K-user compound interference channel, if in every possible state for each receiver, the channel satisfies the TIN-optimality condition of Geng et al., then power control and TIN achieves the entire GDoF region of the compound channel. For an arbitrary compound interference channel, we find a non-trivial counterpart regular interference channel, such that the two have the same TIN region, and the GDoF-optimal power control problems for the two are equivalent.
Diagnosis and treatment of intrathecal tears of the accessory ligament of the superficial digital flexor

Summary Reasons for performing study Tears of the accessory ligament of the superficial digital flexor (ALSDF) that communicate with the carpal sheath are not reported in the literature. The study describes ultrasonographic techniques for evaluation of the ALSDF and reports clinical, ultrasonographic and endoscopic features associated with intrathecal tears of the ligament. Objectives To investigate whether tearing of the ALSDF can be: 1) intrathecal with respect to the carpal sheath; 2) cause lameness and distension of the carpal sheath; and 3) result in intrathecal haemorrhage by tearing vessels that appear to be direct branches of the median artery, as well as to confirm that these lesions are reliably predicted by ultrasonography. Study design Retrospective case series. Methods Case records and diagnostic images of horses with ALSDF injuries were reviewed retrospectively, and follow-up information was obtained. Results Ultrasonographic examination using a combination of linear and curved array transducers identified 10 cases with intrathecal tears of the ALSDF. This was confirmed in 7 cases that underwent tenoscopy. Tears were consistently in the caudal ALSDF and in 3 cases exposed the median artery. Extruded torn fibres were removed. Of the 7 surgical cases, one horse returned to competitive work, one was back in full training, 2 were retired from racing but performing riding club activities, 2 were convalescing and one was lost to follow-up. Of the 3 cases that did not undergo surgery, one was subjected to euthanasia and the other 2 failed to return to training. Conclusions Tears of the ALSDF can communicate with the carpal sheath, resulting in lameness and intrathecal haemorrhage. The latter appears to result from vessels that are primary branches of the median artery, and tears in the ALSDF can extend to this. These injuries are reliably predicted by multimodal ultrasonography, which also allows assessment of the proximity of tears to the median artery.
The In Vitro Sensitivity of Erythrocyte Aggregation to Quinine: Assessment by a Serial Blood Sedimentation Procedure

A serial erythrocyte sedimentation procedure is based on maintaining blood in vitro in thermal (body temperature) and flow equilibrium, as changes in sedimentation rate are evaluated at 20-min intervals. Each measurement was made 1 h after the determination was begun. We thus confirmed in vitro the clinically observed effects of quinine on blood cell aggregation. A delayed effect of quinine on aggregation corresponded to in vivo observations that aggregation is first affected 3 to 12 h after the drug is administered. Quinine’s greatest effect ( p < 0.01) on erythrocyte sedimentation in vitro was at 200 min with 2 mg of quinine per 100 ml of blood, 220 min with 1 mg/100 ml, and 240 min with 0.5 mg/l00 ml.
The Employment Contract

This article is an edited transcript of a lecture on the Employment Contract presented to a conference of state law judges. Part I introduces a model of a well-functioning labor market, which provides all employee benefits, and only those employee benefits, that employees value more than it costs employers to provide. Part II articulates ways in which labor markets might fail to provide such cost-justified benefits. Market failures can arise from asymmetric information, asymmetric performance, or collective goods. Such failures can justify legal intervention, although policymakers must worry about the cure being worse than the disease. Additionally, even without market failure policymakers might intervene for paternalistic or distributive reasons. Part III separates out "unequal bargaining power" as an argument for legal intervention, and argues it does not describe a market failure and is generally an incoherent justification for legal intervention. Part IV applies this framework to evaluate legal erosions of the employment-at-will doctrine. Many courts have upheld claims that a termination breached an implied-in-fact promise not to dismiss a worker without cause. Sometimes, these claims can be justified as correcting problems of opportunism arising from asymmetric performance, problems that vary during the life cycle of a career employee. Contract protections generally are default rules, in that parties can reject them through explicit clauses in a contract. The article articulates the basic theories of default rules, which include mimic-the-market rules and penalty defaults. Other courts have recognized the tort of wrongful discharge in violation of public policy. This tort can be justified as an effort to have employers internalize third-party effects of discharges.
Management Earnings Forecasts and Simultaneous Release of Earnings News

This paper examines the hypothesis that when disappointing information regarding a firm's performance is released, the firm's management faces particularly strong incentives to counter the disappointing news with overly optimistic forward-looking statements. To address this issue, the paper investigates the properties of management earnings forecasts released simultaneously with earnings announcements. The paper predicts and finds that the more disappointing the earnings announcement news, the higher the optimistic bias in the simultaneously released management long-horizon forecasts of annual earnings. Since managers may use short-horizon forecasts of quarterly earnings to avoid disappointing earnings announcements, the paper also examines the interplay between management short-horizon forecasts of quarterly earnings and long-horizon forecasts of annual earnings that are released simultaneously. The paper documents a significantly negative association between the news contained in the short-horizon forecasts of quarterly earnings and the optimistic bias in the accompanying long-horizon forecast of annual earnings. The paper also investigates the link between management's decision to issue earnings guidance and the contemporaneous earnings announcement news, finding that, in general, more extreme earnings announcement news results in more earnings guidance. Finally, using market reaction tests, the paper documents that market participants are aware, at least to some extent, of management's tendency to counter disappointing earnings news with overly optimistic forecasts.
A simulation study of an ATM service multiplexer in the North Carolina Information Highway

This paper presents some simulation results of our study of an output-buffered ATM service multiplexer (ATM-SMX) in the North Carolina Information Highway WAN. There are three types of traffic input to the multiplexer: 1) bursty; 2) continuous-bit-rate (CBR); and 3) variable-bit-rate (VBR) traffic. These mixed sources contend for transmission on the high-speed output link of the multiplexer. In our simulator, there are N/sub s/ identical bursty sources each modelled as a Markov modulated Bernoulli process (MMBP); a number (N/sub C/) of CBR sources modelled as periodic arrivals with constant packet length; and VBR sources represented by N/sub V/ periodic arrivals where the number of ATM cells per frame follows a negative binomial distribution. The influence of two queueing disciplines-priority-first-in-first-out (P-FIFO) and push-out and threshold (P & T) scheduling-are explored. Our results show how the delay and cell loss probability of the ATM-SMX are affected by the mixed traffic and two scheduling policies.
Labor and LEAP: Political Coalition Experiences in Connecticut

For two decades LEAP has helped elect labor and progressive activists and mobilized legislative coalitions for change. Today LEAP faces the challenges of broadening its coalition, reorganizing its resource base, and developing an agenda for economic change.
A novel function-level EHW architecture within modern FPGAs

Most research conducted in the evolvable hardware EHW area has been done at the gate level. In order to synthesize larger circuits, a level of abstraction is needed. Functional evolvable hardware, FEHW was introduced to meet the researcher's need for more capable circuits than those that could be represented at the gate level. It was concluded that specialized FPGAs were desirable when implementing FEHW. A new architecture has been introduced that performs FEHW using commercially available FPGAs. This architecture describes an evolutionary system completely contained within a single FPGA.
Vascular compliance and mean circulatory filling pressure in trout: effects of ACE inhibition

Mean circulatory filling pressure (MCFP), whole body vascular compliance (C), and unstressed blood volume (USV) are important indexes of cardiovascular function in mammals, but they have not been measured in fish. In the present experiments, dorsal aortic (PDA) and sinus venosus (PSV) pressures were measured in unanesthetized trout before and during electrical cardiac fibrillation, while blood volume (BV) was manipulated between 50 and 150% of normal. Measurements were repeated after angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition with lisinopril. Cardiac fibrillation (zero-flow condition) rapidly (approximately 5 s) dropped PDA and increased PSV (equals MCFP). MCFP in normovolemic trout (4.8 +/- 0.3 mmHg) varied directly with BV. C determined from in vivo capacitance curves was similar to that obtained gravimetrically, in vitro (3.4 and 3.5 ml.mmHg-1.kg body wt-1, respectively). USV was 13.3 ml/kg body wt (approximately 45% of BV). ACE inhibition reduced PDA in unfibrillated trout at all BV and reduced PDA in fibrillated fish at BV > or = 80%. ACE inhibition did not affect PSV, MCFP, C, or USV. The systemic arteriovenous pressure gradient at zero flow (delta PF0) was greatest at 100% BV (8.2 +/- 0.5 mmHg) and was reduced by ACE inhibition at 80-120% BV. These results show that key indexes of venous function are readily measured in fish and that the trout venous system is not an effector of angiotensin-mediated regulation of arterial blood pressure. Thus angiotensin acts solely on arterial resistance vessels. Furthermore, the drop in delta PF0 during ACE inhibition is due to a decrease in arteriolar resistance.
ELIMINATION OF CORNERS IN THE MAPPING OF A CLOSED CURVE

A transformation, which maps the exterior or the interior of a simple closed curve with corners into the exterior or interior respectively of a simple smooth (corner-free) closed curve, is introduced. Symmetry properties are shown to be preserved by the transformation and a numerical procedure for applying the proposed transformation to an arbitrary curve is presented.
The exploitation solution to the Non-Identity Problem

When discussing exploitation, we often say things like this, “sweatshop laborers have terrible working conditions and are paid almost nothing, but they are better off with that labor than with no labor.” Similarly, in describing the Non-Identity Problem, Derek Parfit points out: we cannot say that the individuals born in future generations are worse off because of our destructive environmental policies because the particular people living in those future generations wouldn’t even exist if it were not for these destructive policies. How can we explain these cases, exploitation and environmental destruction, as ones of wrongdoing when the victims in both cases are no worse off than they would have otherwise been? This paper investigates the link between these two moral puzzles and ultimately uses one to solve the other: an exploitation solution to the Non-Identity Problem.
Prostaglandin E2 inhibits replication of HIV-1 in macrophages through activation of protein kinase A

Abstract Since macrophages are a source of increased PGE2 in AIDS, we investigated the role of PGE2 in the replication of HIV-1 in these cells. PGE2 inhibited HIV-1 replication measured by reverse transcriptase in human monocyte-derived macrophage (MDM). Treatment of MDM with the PGE1 analog misoprostol, the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin, and the cyclic AMP analog dibutyryl-cyclic AMP (db-cAMP) suppressed HIV replication. The protein kinase A (PKA) activator 8-bromo-cyclic AMP also inhibited HIV-1 replication. Similar results were observed with the entry-independent, latently HIV-infected U1 cells. There was a parallel decrease in HIV-1 mRNA levels following PGE2 treatment. Co-transfection of the HIV-1 promoter LTR.luciferase, with the vector CMV.Cα, which expresses the PKA catalytic unit increasing PKA activity, reduced HIV-1 promoter activity. Inhibition of PKA activity with the pMT.RAB vector, a mutant regulatory unit of PKA, augmented HIV-1 promoter activity. In summary, PGE2 inhibits HIV-1 gene expression in MDM through a PKA-dependent mechanism.
The Structure of G Protein-coupled Receptor Kinase (GRK)-6 Defines a Second Lineage of GRKs

Abstract We describe the 2.6-A crystal structure of human G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK)-6, a key regulator of dopaminergic signaling and lymphocyte chemotaxis. GRK6 is a member of the GRK4 subfamily of GRKs, which is represented in most, if not all, metazoans. Comparison of GRK6 with GRK2 confirms that the catalytic core of all GRKs consists of intimately associated kinase and regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) homology domains. Despite being in complex with an ATP analog, the kinase domain of GRK6 remains in an open, presumably inactive conformation, suggesting that G protein-coupled receptors activate GRKs by inducing kinase domain closure. The structure reveals a putative phospholipid-binding site near the N terminus of GRK6 and structural elements within the kinase substrate channel that likely influence G protein-coupled receptor access and specificity. The crystalline GRK6 RGS homology domain forms an extensive dimer interface using conserved hydrophobic residues distinct from those in GRK2 that bind Gαq, although dimerization does not appear to occur in solution and is not required for receptor phosphorylation.
Being systematic and maybe even scientific about planning psychotherapy research.

Doss (this issue) makes many excellent suggestions for enhancing the conceptual precision and methodological rigor of psychotherapy research. His article argues convincingly for a need to be systematic and forward-looking in organizing sequential programs of therapy studies, in order that investigators may identify the most powerful change mechanisms and change processes. This commentary addresses the possibility that substantial improvement in therapy outcomes may require supplementing Doss's recommendation of studying the change mechanisms affected by current treatment protocols. One way to do so might be to utilize “positive psychology” research by identifying first the characteristics of high-functioning people and then pilot-testing means of enhancing or building those attributes. Strategic recommendations about research planning ultimately should be themselves evaluated empirically.
Equilibrium and perfection in discounted supergames

In this paper, we discuss equilibrium and perfect equilibrium in a simplified model of the supergame. We assume that players can observe the mixed moves employed by all players at each previous stage. For this model, we obtain a complete characterization of the set of equilibrium outcomes, and a fairly weak sufficient condition for this set to coincide with the set of perfect equilibrium outcomes.Inter alia, simple proofs of the Folk Theorem and the result that the requirement of perfection does not eliminate any equilibrium outcomes for the undiscounted supergame are presented.
Location of subsurface targets in geophysical data using neural networks

Neural networks were used to estimate the offset, depth, and conductivity‐area product of a conductive target given an electromagnetic ellipticity image of the target. Five different neural network paradigms and five different representations of the ellipticity image were compared. The networks were trained with synthetic images of the target and tested on field data and more synthetic data. The extrapolation capabilities of the networks were also tested with synthetic data lying outside the spatial limits of the training set. The data representations consisted of the whole image, the subsampled image, the peak and adjacent troughs, the peak, and components from a two‐dimensional (2-D) fast Fourier transform. The paradigms tested were standard back propagation, directed random search, functional link, extended delta bar delta, and the hybrid combination of self‐organizing map and back propagation. For input patterns with less than 100 elements, the directed random search and functional link networks gave ...
A CPU, GPU, FPGA System for X-Ray Image Processing Using High-Speed Scientific Cameras

Currently, computers can be composed of different Processing Units (PUs) - general-purpose and also programmable and specialist-purpose. One of the goals for such heterogeneity is to improve applications' performance. Particularly, scientific applications can highly benefit from this kind of platform. They produce large amounts of data within several types of algorithms, and distinct PUs are an alternative to better execute such tasks. This work presents a new system box - composed of CPU, GPU, and FPGA - to carry on site X-ray image evaluations. It was firstly tested by evaluating the performance of a Linear Integration (LI) algorithm over the PUs. This algorithm is largely used by synchrotron experiments in which high-speed X-ray cameras produce extremely large amounts of data for post-processing analysis, which includes performing LI. In our experiments, LI execution was around 30x faster in FPGA compared to CPU, achieving a similar performance to GPU. Taking the end-to-end application, i.e., image transfer into memory, this rate increases to hundreds. Issues for using FPGAs as a co-processor under our dynamic scheduling framework is also discussed. Synthesizing times for LI when assigned to FPGA are still too long for dynamic scheduling, preventing online synthesizing of functions not designed a priori.
Continuous distribution of αt relative kinetic energies in 7Li breakup reactions

Abstract A newly developed technique has been used to probe a previously inaccessible region of the continuum in the at channels of 7 Li breakup reactions. This was used to investigate reactions of 63 MeV 7 Li with 58 Ni, 120 Sn, 144 Sm, and 208 Pb targets. Breakup pairs of α-particles and tritons emitted within a finite opening angle were analyzed according to their magnetic rigidity using a K = 150 Enge split-pole spectrograph. The αt coincidences were taken with two single-wire proportional counters mounted at different positions along the focal plane of the spectrograph. The large energy acceptance ( E max / E min ≈ 8) of the spectrograph is crucial to the present coincidence measurements involving two particles with different q / m values. Very small relative energy components were studied without any detection threshold. A pronounced bump was observed immediately above the αt particle threshold. No strong indication of the post Coulomb acceleration was observed. The excitation of the continuum states as well as the 7 − 2 state in 7 Li is discussed in terms of the distorted-wave Born approximation. The astrophysical implications of the data are also discussed regarding the Coulomb excitation of the continuum. The present technique offers the promise of very high sensitivity at small relative energies if it were applied in conjunction with ray-tracing, a thin target, and a dispersion-matched beam.
Highly efficient organic light emitting diodes based on solution/evaporation hybrid process

The solution/evaporation hybrid processed organic light emitting devices composed of newly developed host material CzDBS, green PG-02 dopant, and orange PO-01-TB and PO-06 dopants are studied. Orange, green and two-peak white light emitting devices were fabricated by using spin coating of HIL, HTL and emission layers followed by thermal evaporation of ETL and cathode. The orange devices achieved efficacies of 26.9 cd/A and 14.6 lm/W at the brightness of 1538 nits. The green devices, on the other hand, achieved efficacies of 31.3 cd/A and 19.7 lm/W at the brightness of 1590 nits. The two-peak white devices, composed of blue FIrpic and orange PO-01-TB, achieved efficacies of 36.9 cd/A and 18.4 lm/W at the brightness of 1150 nits.
Chronic Bronchitis and Current Smoking Are Associated with More Goblet Cells in Moderate to Severe COPD and Smokers without Airflow Obstruction

Background Goblet cell hyperplasia is a classic but variable pathologic finding in COPD. Current literature shows that smoking is a risk factor for chronic bronchitis but the relationship of these clinical features to the presence and magnitude of large airway goblet cell hyperplasia has not been well described. We hypothesized that current smokers and chronic bronchitics would have more goblet cells than nonsmokers or those without chronic bronchitis (CB), independent of airflow obstruction. Methods We recruited 15 subjects with moderate to severe COPD, 12 healthy smokers, and 11 healthy nonsmokers. Six endobronchial mucosal biopsies per subject were obtained by bronchoscopy and stained with periodic acid Schiff-Alcian Blue. Goblet cell density (GCD) was quantified as goblet cell number per millimeter of basement membrane. Mucin volume density (MVD) was quantified as volume of mucin per unit area of basement membrane. Results Healthy smokers had a greater GCD and MVD than nonsmokers and COPD subjects. COPD subjects had a greater GCD than nonsmokers. When current smokers (healthy smokers and COPD current smokers, n = 19) were compared with all nonsmokers (nonsmoking controls and COPD ex-smokers, n = 19), current smokers had a greater GCD and MVD. When those with CB (n = 12) were compared to those without CB (n = 26), the CB group had greater GCD. This finding was also seen in those with CB in the COPD group alone. In multivariate analysis, current smoking and CB were significant predictors of GCD using demographics, lung function, and smoking pack years as covariates. All other covariates were not significant predictors of GCD or MVD. Conclusions Current smoking is associated with a more goblet cell hyperplasia and number, and CB is associated with more goblet cells, independent of the presence of airflow obstruction. This provides clinical and pathologic correlation for smokers with and without COPD.